One second, Max was looking at Azazel, the next second, he was getting pinned down by him outside of the chamber. Azazel turned to look at their other friends. Max looked too, and he saw how horrified Shadow and Howl were.

  "Who do you think will win in a fight, this fucker ....or me?" Azazel called.

  Max noticed that his necklace was exposed and there was the shining crystal. He grabbed it and threw it over the railing. Azazel looked down at him with pure anger and surprise. He slowly got up and looked down at Max and smiled wickedly. "Aw, MAN! That was my favorite accessory. I looked pretty charming with that thing on!" Max couldn't bear to see his friend this way. Matthew would never have behaved this way. This was all his fault, HE turned him. He only wanted to be part of family and Max didn't give it to him.

  "Let him go, Azazel!" Shadow demanded.

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  Azazel looked at Shadow with glee. "Aw, I was just having a little fun with this....that's all."

  Hey, should the broken crystal reverse this spell now? Max wondered.

  Azazel laughed. "You guys are probably wondering to yourself, 'With the crystal broken, should he be back now?' Sorry, this isn't the case!"

  "That IS the case! Every crystal that's shattered doesn't work anymore....what did you do? CUT yourself with it?" Rose asked.

  Azazel giggled. "That's EXACTLY what I did! Pretty neat trick huh? It was an accident after all, but....you know...."

  Max shook his head in disbelief as he tried to keep himself together. "There's no way to change you back...."

  Azazel quivered his bottom lip to make an impression that he was crying. "Oh, Maxie can't get his buddy back? That's a shame...well I guess you guys have to suffer with seeing the new me!" He turned to face the rest of the group wickedly.

  "I want you asshats to scram....after this one, final game. How 'bout another finding game, hmm? It'll be the same as the first one, but a little more...KILLING in it. One of you comes out alive!"

  Max closed his eyes. This can't be happening again.

  "Three....two.....ONE!" Azazel snapped his fingers.