"Let me get this straight."
After Katarina finished explaining her findings, an oppressive silence descended upon the room.
The atmosphere grew so heavy that even she felt a faint sense of pressure.
Across from her, the seven devil lords stood frozen.
Some looked angry.
Others looked disturbed.
A few simply stared into space as though struggling to process what they had just heard.
The calmest among them was Lucifer.
Which was perhaps the most terrifying thing of all.
"Our lives. Our suffering. Our failures." Lucifer spoke slowly, each word measured and deliberate. "You are saying that all of it may have been part of an elaborate script created by higher beings."
His crimson eyes narrowed.
"Our victories. Our losses. The countless tragedies we've endured. Nothing more than entertainment."
A dangerous smile formed on his face.
"Is that correct?"
"Possibly," Katarina replied.
The answer only made the room colder.
She wasn't entirely certain yet.
