The clang of steel echoed as Azrael's blade clashed with the demons axes. Sparks flew as the sheer force of the blow sent vibrations up his arms, but he stood firm.

With a swift turn, he sidestepped the demons' next strike and plunged into their chests simulatenously, the sword sinking through blackened flesh.

Seraphine danced through the chaos. Her silver blade made a blur as she cleaved through the air.

Her wings, now fully unfurled, radiated with a pale glow, illuminating the shadows that sought to consume them.

Every movement was precise, calculated, as she cut down one demon after another.

A vanguard launched at her, its claws glinting in the dim light, but Seraphine met its charge with a graceful pivot. Her sword sliced clean through one of its shoulders, severing its arm in one fluid motion.

Black blood splattered onto the cobblestone, but she didn't flinch. 

There was no room for hesitation in battle.

Azrael was a storm of fury, his molten amber eyes glowing brighter with each demon he felled. The primal energy coursing through him made him faster, deadlier-each swing of his sword imbued with raw power.

Yet, there was a controlled precision in his movements, a grace that defied the darkness within him.

Another demon, larger and more grotesque than the others, loomed over him, its jagged teeth bared in a snarl. Azrael's smirk was cold, almost predatory. He welcomed the challenge.

The demon swung a massive spiked club toward him, but Azrael ducked, his wings flaring out for balance as he spun beneath the strike.

With a quick upward slash, his blade severed the demon's leg at the knee. The creature howled in agony, its body crashing to the ground with a sickening thud.

"You should've stayed in the Abyss," Azrael growled, driving his sword into the demon's skull, silencing it for good.

Seraphine, her chest heaving from the exertion, glanced toward Azrael.

Even in the midst of battle, there was something magnetic about the way he fought.

His raven-black hair, wild and tousled, framed his sharp features, and the fiery glow of his eyes sent a shiver down her spine.

There was power in him, dangerous and undeniable, but something else too - something that drew her closer, even when she knew she should keep her distance.

"Focus, Seraphine," she muttered to herself, shaking off the distraction.

A low, guttural snarl drew her attention as two more vanguards emerged from the shadows, their twisted forms a grotesque mix of scales, horns, and razor-sharp claws.

Their red eyes locked onto her, their intent clear. Seraphine tightened her grip on her sword and braced herself as the demons charged.

With a graceful leap, she took to the sky, her wings propelling her upward as the demons swiped at the empty air where she had stood.

From above, she dove down, her sword angled for a lethal strike. Her blade met flesh, cutting through the first demon's throat with ease.

The second demon roared in fury and lunged at her, but Seraphine was faster. She spun, slicing through its midsection, black blood spraying as it collapsed at her feet.

"Impressive," Azrael's voice called out, the hint of a smirk in his tone.

Seraphine looked up just in time to see him dispatch another demon, his sword effortlessly cutting through the creature's thick hide. He moved with lethal efficiency, each strike precise, each kill methodical.

But there was no time to admire his skill. The air around them shifted, growing colder, darker.

A deeper, more malevolent presence approached. Seraphine's wings twitched in response to the dark energy swirling around them, and her silver eyes narrowed.

"This isn't over," she muttered under her breath.

Azrael noticed it too. His molten amber eyes flicked towards the shadows, sensing the disturbance. "More are coming."

Before Seraphine could respond, the ground beneath them trembled.

From the darkness, a massive figure emerged, far larger than any of the vanguards they had faced so far.

Its body was a grotesque amalgamation of flesh and stone, its eyes burning with hatred. Chains clanked as the creature dragged them behind it, each link glowing with the cursed fire of the Abyss.

Azrael's grip tightened on his sword. "A sentinel," he growled.

The sentinel was one of the Abyss's elite enforcers, sent only when the vanguards failed.

Its presence meant that the tear in the Veil was far worse than they had imagined. If they didn't stop it here, more would come - stronger, deadlier demons that would tear through the veil without mercy.

Seraphine exchanged a glance with Azrael.

There was no need for words. They both knew what was at stake. If they didn't stop the sentinel, the veil would fall, and with it, the fragile balance between worlds.

Azrael was the first to move. He charged toward the sentinel, his wings propelling him forward in a blur of shadow and flame.

The sentinel roared, swinging its massive arm toward him, but Azrael dodged, his sword flashing as it struck the creature's side. The blow barely left a scratch.

Seraphine followed close behind, her wings flaring as she darted around the sentinel, looking for an opening.

The creature's thick, stone-like skin deflected their attacks, and each strike seemed to only enrage it further.

"We need to find a weak spot!" Seraphine shouted, narrowly dodging a swipe from the sentinel's chain.

Azrael's eyes scanned the creature, looking for any sign of vulnerability. His gaze locked onto the glowing chains that bound the sentinel's wrists and ankles. The cursed fire - they had to be its source of strength.

"The chains!" he called out. "We need to break them!"

Seraphine nodded, her wings beating furiously as she ascended, circling above the sentinel.

Her silver eyes gleamed as she raised her sword, focusing on the chains that glowed with an eerie light.

With a battle cry, she dove down, her sword aimed for the chain wrapped around the sentinel's arm. The blade struck true, and with a flash of celestial light, the chain shattered.

The sentinel howled in pain, its movements becoming sluggish as one of its bindings broke.

Azrael seized the opportunity, his wings flaring as he launched himself at the creature's legs. His sword struck the second chain, severing it with a burst of energy.

The sentinel staggered, its immense form beginning to crumble as the power that held it together unraveled. With one final, ear-splitting roar, the creature collapsed, its body disintegrating into ash.

Azrael landed beside Seraphine, his chest heaving as the dust settled around them. The immediate threat was gone, and the dark energy still lingered, but the air told them that this was only the beginning.