Safari's boots pounded against the cracked stone floor. The twisted remnants of mirror littered the path behind him. His eyes gleamed with raw determination as the fifth chamber opened before him.
The family followed behind him.
And there - at its center - was Angeleva.
Bound to the glowing pentagon, her arms stretched above her head in a reverse crucifixion. Her once radiant form was now frail and bruised, her shimmering wings tattered and limp. Fresh scratches marred her pale skin, dripping with a faint trace of blood. The dark, oppressive energy of the planet pulsed around her, draining what little strength she had left.
"Safari..."
Her voice was barely a whisper. Tears slid down her face, her eyes half-lidded and clouded. She could barely lift her head.
But the sound of his name - her faint call for him - ignited the fire in his heart.
Safari growled, his fists trembling with rage. "I'm here, Angeleva."
Yet before he could reach her -
BOOM!
A massive figure crashed down from the shadows, blocking his path. The chamber trembled beneath its presence. Towering nearly three times Safari's height, the demon guard wore obsidian-black armor, its jagged edges gleaming with infernal energy. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Safari. The enormous war axe it carried pulsed with malice, dripping black flames.
"You dare approach the sacred ritual?" the demon rumbled, its voice like grinding stone. "General Zozo's orders are clear. She will perish - and you will fall."
Safari bared his teeth. "Get out of my way."
The demon guard's laugh echoed through the chamber. "You will never reach her."
Behind him, the family arrived, gasping at the scene. Olive's eyes widened in horror. "Big sis..."
Zack clenched his fists, trembling. "We have to help her!"
Ian's camera trembled in his hands. "This... this is beyond anything we've seen."
Jen, though shaken, held Zack's hand. "Big bro's not going to lose. I know it."
But Safari wasn't listening.
His hands curled around the Devil Hammer, its dark-green glow surging. Every ounce of anger, desperation, and pain flooded into his weapon.
"You think I'm afraid of you?" Safari snarled. "You're just another obstacle. I'll tear you apart."
The demon guard raised its axe. "Then come."
Safari launched forward like a blazing meteor, hammer in hand. BOOM!
The clash of weapons sent shockwaves rippling through the chamber. The demon's axe ground against Safari's hammer, sparks igniting in all directions. Neither combatant gave an inch.
CLANG! Another strike. Then another. Safari grunted as the force of the blows shook his arms, but he didn't waver.
"You think you can stop me?" Safari roared, his voice echoing through the cavern. "I've fought through your flames! Your chains! Your illusions! Nothing in this cursed place can keep me from her!"
The demon sneered, pushing him back. "You're already too late. Look at her."
Safari's eyes flickered to Angeleva. She weakly lifted her head, her tear-streaked face trembling. The pentagon's glow had intensified. Her energy was almost gone.
"NO!" Safari howled, his fury erupting.
Devil Hammer Explosion!
The aura around Safari's weapon exploded. He brought the hammer down with devastating force, shattering the floor beneath the demon's feet. The sheer shockwave sent the guard stumbling.
But the demon recovered, roaring in defiance. It swung its massive axe in retaliation. Safari barely dodged, the blade scraping against his shoulder.
The pain only fueled him.
"You're nothing compared to what I've lost." his voice low and venomous. "I won't lose her too."
Devil Hammer Smash!
Safari's hammer struck the ground. A massive shockwave erupted, sending jagged cracks through the chamber. The demon staggered, struggling to maintain its balance.
Then - Safari charged.
He leapt, his hammer glowing brighter than ever before. The raw power of his will surged through him.
"THIS ENDS NOW!"
With a final roar -
BOOM!
The Devil Hammer crashed down, shattering the demon's axe and driving the monstrous figure to the ground. The guard let out a guttural scream before crumbling into blackened ash.
The Demons surrounding Angeleva escaped in fear of the fury in Safari's eyes.
The family rushed forward. Olive reached Safari, grabbing his arm. "Big bro! You did it!"
But Safari didn't stop. His chest heaved, his gaze locked on Angeleva. She was barely conscious now, her head hanging low.
"Angeleva!"
He stumbled toward her, his legs weak, his body trembling. The pentagon's glow began to pulse even faster - the ritual nearing its end.
Zack shouted, "Big bro! The ritual-it's-!"
Safari grit his teeth. He wouldn't let this happen.
With all his might, he raised the Devil Hammer once more. The energy pulsed through his weapon, the air thick with heat.
"Devil Hammer - Breaker!"
He swung.
CRASH!
The hammer struck the pentagon's glowing surface. A brilliant eruption of crimson light engulfed the chamber. The runes shattered - and the ritual was severed.
The air grew still.
Angeleva's body collapsed. The dark energy dissipated. The chains that bound her crumbled into dust.
The shattered remnants of the ritual pentagon flickered faintly before fading into nothingness. The chamber, once filled with ominous dark energy, was now eerily silent. Angeleva's frail body collapsed to the cracked floor, her pink hair draped around her like a fragile veil.
"Angeleva!" Safari's voice cracked as he rushed to her side.
He detransformed from his Sap-Green Devil Warrior form, his eyes returning to their usual shade.
The adrenaline that had surged through him now faded, leaving behind only the weight of exhaustion and fear.
He knelt beside her, his trembling hands gently cradling her limp figure. Her skin was pale, the golden glow that once radiated from her body now barely visible.
"Zack! Heal her!" Safari commanded, desperation ringing in his voice.
Zack stumbled forward, his hands already glowing with a faint, warm light. "I-I'm on it!"
He placed his palms over Angeleva, the familiar hum of healing energy radiating from him. The family stood nearby, holding their breath - Olive, Jen, and Ian watching anxiously. But Zack's expression darkened. His light flickered.
"It's not working!" Zack's voice cracked in frustration. "The damage isn't just from the ritual. The whole planet is poisoning her. There's too much negative energy here!"
Safari's heart sank. The cursed atmosphere of Zozo's lair was drenched in dark power, and Angeleva's weakened state left her defenseless. Every second spent here drained her further.
"She's still... calling my name," Safari whispered, his eyes welling with tears as Angeleva's soft voice murmured weakly. Her trembling lips formed his name over and over, though her eyes remained shut.
"We can't lose her," Olive choked out. "There's got to be a way!"
Safari clenched his fists. He wasn't about to let her die. Not after everything they'd been through. He gritted his teeth, his exhausted body trembling as a thought struck him.
"She needs positive energy," he growled. "If the planet is draining her, we have to fight back - we have to give her positive energy!"
Zack's eyes widened. "But how?"
"I'll transfer my negative energy to you," Safari declared. "And you'll convert it. Just like you always do."
"But big bro, that's-"
"I don't care!" he roared. "Everyone, lend your strength to Zack. We don't have time!"
The family nodded without hesitation. They gathered around, placing their hands on Zack's shoulders, their faces filled with determination. Olive's usually stoic expression softened, Ian for once lowered his camera, and Jen gripped Zack's hand tightly.
Safari took a deep breath, his aura swirling around him. He focused his energy - the deep-rooted negative power that he'd harnessed as the Devil Warrior. His body pulsed with it, the air thickening with its presence. Then, he reached out, pressing his hands against Zack.
"Take it."
Zack's body jerked as the dark energy poured into him. His knees buckled, his teeth clenched, but he held on. The golden glow of his healing powers flickered, trying to stabilize against the overwhelming force. The family's combined energy kept him steady.
"Zack!" Olive shouted, encouraging him.
"I-I'm okay!" Zack gasped, his hands glowing brighter. "Now... let's give it all to her!"
He knelt beside Angeleva and placed his glowing hands over her chest. The warmth of the family's combined energy surged through him, radiating into her frail body. Her expression twitched slightly. Color began to return to her cheeks.
"It's working!" Jen cried out.
But even as Angeleva's breathing steadied, Zack winced. "It's not enough! The planet's negative energy is still fighting back. She can't stay like this forever."
Safari gritted his teeth. "Then we'll do what she did for me - we'll balance it."
Zack froze, remembering Lucifero's planet. "You mean-"
Safari nodded. "She used her positive energy to stabilize my darkness. Now I'll do the same."
"But..." Zack hesitated. "Your negative energy is overwhelming. If you're not careful, you'll crush her energy instead of balancing it!"
"I'll match her strength," Safari growled. "I have to. Just like she did for me."
Angeleva's trembling fingers twitched. Her faint voice echoed, "Safari..."
He knelt down, trembling hands clasping her frail one. The contrast was stark - his large, scarred hand against her delicate, glowing one. He could feel the faint pulse of her energy.
"I'm here," he whispered. "I won't let go."
Zack guided him. "Keep your energy low. Match her. Let it flow, not overpower."
Safari focused, his aura slowly emerging once more. The negative energy crackled around him, but he strained to contain it. Angeleva's pale glow barely flickered in response.
The energy repelled. Sparks flared as the opposing forces clashed.
"Why won't it work?!" Safari roared, his voice breaking. He clenched his fists, the guilt and fear mounting. "I'm trying... Why won't it work this time?"
He looked down at her fragile form, the painful sight etching deeper into his soul. The bruises, the scratches, the tears - every mark was a reminder of how close she was to slipping away.
"I'm sorry..." His voice cracked. "I'm so sorry, Angeleva..."
But Zack shook his head. "Big bro! It's not about force. It's about control."
"I'm trying-"
"You're not!" Zack shouted, his eyes brimming with determination. "You're holding onto your guilt. You're afraid. And it's making your energy unstable."
Safari's breath caught.
"You think you failed her, and now it's eating you alive," Zack continued. "But Big sis never gave up on you. Even when she was dying, she kept calling for you."
Safari's hands trembled. "But what if I fail again?"
"Then fight harder!" Zack exclaimed. "You're not alone this time. We're all here. She's here. And she still believes in you!"
The words struck deep.
Safari closed his eyes, the echoes of Angeleva's voice still lingering in his mind. She had reached for him. Called for him. Trusted him.
He wasn't the same man who once fought alone. He had a family now. He had her.
"I won't fail you," he whispered. "Not ever."
He took a slow, steady breath. This time, the energy around him softened. The dark aura no longer crackled in rage - instead, it flowed gently, like a steady current.
Safari opened his eyes, green meeting pink.
"Let's try again."
Angeleva's faint fingers twitched as their hands interlocked. Safari carefully released his energy - not to overwhelm, but to align.
Slowly... her light responded.
Zack's eyes widened. "It's working!"
The two energies merged, the clash of light and dark softening into a harmonious glow. Safari's hands tightened around hers, his breathing ragged, but his resolve unshaken.
Angeleva's breathing steadied. The bruises on her body began to fade. The glow of her energy, though faint, began to grow stronger.
And then-
Her eyes fluttered open.
"Safari..." she whispered.
Tears welled in Safari's eyes. "I'm here."