With the family united, Angeleva led the way, her glowing wings illuminating the desolate path as the family pressed onward. Every moment they lingered, Safari's life slipped further away.
"The demons took him to the lowest depths," Angeleva said. "We don't have time to waste."
"But where's the entrance?" Ian asked, scanning the pristine walls.
Zack held Olive's hand tightly. "Maybe it's hidden by magic."
Angeleva focused, sensing the distorted energy. She followed its trace to the grand altar. A towering golden statue of an angel stood with arms crossed.
Despite its radiant appearance, Angeleva could sense the malice concealed beneath it.
"The entrance is here," she said.
She summoned her wand and launched "Fairy Purity Beam!"
The beam struck the statue, cracking it apart with a thunderous crash. A spiraling staircase was revealed beneath, plunging into darkness.
"That's one way to open a door," Ian joked.
Angeleva's expression hardened. "From here on, we're in their territory."
The family descended, vanishing into the abyss.
_ _ _
They arrived at a massive archway leading into a nightmarish wasteland. The twisted forms of the condemned groaned in agony, bound in chains.
Demons stalked through the shadows, their twisted laughter mingling with the cries of the tortured.
Zack's eyes welled with tears. "It's horrible."
"These are Raven's demons," Olive murmured, readying her blaster. "They're built for torment."
Angeleva's wings glowed as she cast a spell. "Fairy Cloak.", a variant of her Invisibility technique.
The light shimmered around the family, masking their presence. They moved carefully through the shadows. But even with the cloak, the ever-watchful demons stirred.
"Intruders," one growled, its nostrils flaring.
"They sensed us!" Olive shouted.
The family broke into a sprint, but the demons charged. Massive claws reached for them, snarling with delight at the thought of fresh prey.
"Leave them to me!" Angeleva declared.
Her wings flared with light. "Fairy Justice Beam!"
A radiant blast surged forward, obliterating the nearest wave of demons. Despite their twisted forms, the energy seared through them.
"Keep moving!" Angeleva shouted.
"I'm on it!" Ian exclaimed, pulling out his camera. He began recording, determined to document the fight — not for fame, but to show the truth of Raven's twisted cruelty.
"Stay safe, Ian!" Olive warned, carefully firing calculated shots. Her blaster crackled, precision beams striking the legs of charging demons to slow them down.
"That's right, stay down!" Olive growled, her eye adjusting to find weak spots.
Zack stood behind her, his hands glowing. "Healing Pulse!" He sent soothing waves of energy toward Angeleva, ensuring she remained strong.
"You're doing great, big sis!" Zack cheered.
Jen, meanwhile, rummaged through her bag with a determined look. "If demons are hungry for suffering, let's see how they handle real flavor!"
She pulled out freshly-made pudding cups, glowing with a golden hue. "Pudding Splash!" She hurled them at the demons, the desserts splashing on contact. It's sweet aroma entered there noses, leaving them drawn to the pudding.
"What... what is this?!" one demon howled.
"My signature caramel pudding with a touch of honey!" Jen smirked. "A taste of heaven for you hellish creeps!"
As the demons got distracted by the pudding, Angeleva seized the opening. "Fairy Pulse!"
A golden pulse erupted from her wand, engulfing the chamber. The weakened demons screeched in agony before vanishing into the void.
Ian lowered his camera, visibly shaken. "That... was intense."
"No time to celebrate," Angeleva panted. "We still have four more floors to go."
The family nodded in determination. They approached the massive door at the far end of the chamber. Ian and Olive forced it open, revealing a spiraling path downward.
"Let's keep moving," Angeleva said. "We're coming, Safari."
The family descended the twisted staircase to the second floor.
The air grew colder, filled with an overwhelming sense of misery. As they entered the Chamber of Despair, a dim gray mist blanketed the surroundings. Unlike the previous floor, there were no chains or tortured souls. Instead, the very atmosphere seemed to whisper despair into their minds.
"This place is..." Zack's voice trembled. "It feels like it's trying to crawl inside my head."
"The air is cursed," Olive said, scanning the surroundings. "It's designed to break us mentally."
Angeleva nodded. "Stay close. No matter what you hear, ignore it. It's all a trick to make you lose hope."
Suddenly, the mist swirled, and shadowy figures began to emerge. At first, they resembled strangers — faceless, silent. But as the mist twisted further, their shapes distorted into haunting visions.
"Ian!" a voice called from the mist. It was soft, alluring, and eerily familiar. From the haze, a beautiful woman emerged, bearing a striking resemblance to a past crush.
"You could've had a real life," she whispered. "A family, a future. But you threw it all away just to play cameraman for a fool."
Ian clenched his jaw, sweat forming on his forehead. "Shut up. You're not real."
But the figure's eyes gleamed with malice. "Aren't I? You'll die here, and no one will even remember you."
Ian shook his head violently, but the doubt gnawed at him.
"Olive!" Another form emerged — an officer in Celestic Police uniform. "You were one of us, once. You abandoned your duty, and now you serve a demon-spawn?"
"I serve no one," Olive spat. "I make my own choices."
"Liar. You're nothing without the force. Just a traitor." The ghostly officer sneered.
"Jen!" A soft sob echoed through the mist. A frail figure appeared, bearing the face of a child she once cared for on her home planet. "You left us behind. We starved because of you."
Jen's hands shook as she instinctively clutched her bag. "I... I tried. I wanted to help."
"But you didn't. You abandoned us. And now you'll abandon your new family too."
"Zack..." A soothing voice called to the boy. A vision of his mother appeared, but her eyes were hollow. "You couldn't save me. Just like you won't save anyone else."
Tears welled up in Zack's eyes. "No... I tried! I'll save Safari big bro!"
"You'll fail, like always," the vision whispered.
While the family trembled under the psychological assault, Angeleva remained calm. Her wings shimmered as she released a pulse of radiant light.
"Fairy Radiance!"
It pushed the mist away, severing the visions. The apparitions screamed as they dissolved.
"Enough," Angeleva said, her voice firm. "You're not alone. Those are lies. Raven's demons feed on doubt, but we won't let them break us."
She touched Ian's shoulder first. "You're brave, Ian. You document the truth. That's more powerful than fear."
Ian's shaky breath steadied. "You're right. No more tricks." He raised his camera once more.
Next, Angeleva turned to Olive. "You're not bound by the past. You make your own path, and you protect those you care about."
Olive gave a sharp nod, gripping her blaster tightly. "Let's make these demons pay."
She smiled reassuringly at Jen. "You didn't abandon anyone. You've brought joy and nourishment to this family. And you'll continue to do so."
Jen's eyes burned with determination. "I won't let them get to me."
Finally, she knelt before Zack. "You are a healer. Your kindness is your strength. You'll save Safari. Believe in that."
Zack wiped his tears away. "I will."
As the mist cleared, the chamber shifted. Towering stone pillars formed a jagged path. Guarding the gate to the third floor stood two monstrous demons — grotesque, four-armed monstrosities with glowing purple eyes.
"You passed the trial of despair," one demon growled. "But you will not survive us."
Angeleva stepped forward. "Try me."