Death.
For Lucifer, there was no pain, no judgment, no heaven—only endless twilight.
In this quiet grave, he relived every mistake and chance he had to save his knights and the humans he grew to adore.
'If only I could turn back time,' he raged in the abyss. I would win.
But there was no second chance.
At least, for now.
As he waited, the passing time barely seemed to acknowledge Lucifer's presence.
.
.
.
Yet eventually, sound came.
One voice was familiar; the other sounded young, immature, and weak.
And then an image of two people.
"Your father will be fine, Lukas, I promise."
"...but the enemy is vast in number, Sister Galatea," said a slim, pale boy, who looked like he might die if he swung a sword.
Trapped, Lucifer clung to the boy's voice, desperate to hear that nostalgic voice once again, her image burned into his soul.
The boy prayed, "Dear God, who art in heaven, I beseech you of a grand favour, may you grant my father the strength to survive this battle and return home victorious."
'He's speaking again.'
By a twist of fate, there existed a human whose soul matched his.
He reached out, towards the image above him... and with a faint ripple, the boy's face changed, and he looked directly at Lucifer.
"Eh?" Suddenly, the boy reacted. "God?! Is that you?"
'What?!'
The young boy's response destroyed his solitary prison, granting a forbidden hope. Lucifer burst into life as a million lightning bolts ripped through his soul.
Lucifer replied, "Child. If you wish for me to become a god, then I will be a god. Should you seek the devil, I will be the devil."
The silence returned.
'Did the boy have second thoughts?'
Finally, the boy's childish yet honest response came.
"Then please, become a devil and grant me the power to protect my land."
The fallen archangel paused.
Though filled with a vengeful heart that desired this chance even more than the boy's earnest wish, could he profane his father's name and become the enemy of Eden?
So he told the boy a harsh truth.
"You will perish."
A hushed gasp, pained cough and hoarse voice responded.
"Dear Lord, will that save my people, my father and Sister Galatea?"
Once again, Lucifer remained honest.
Even if he fell to the depths of hell itself, he swore in his heart to give honesty to those who sought him out with goodwill and faith.
'To you who brought sound and hope to my life once more, I will never betray you.'
The short minutes waiting carried little meaning to Lucifer, for he who spent an eternity in this darkness could endure the weathering of time.
'Is her name a mere coincidence?'
Yet the nostalgic voice, who sometimes joined the boy during his most difficult times, shared a namesake with his most adored knight.
She served as the child's knight protector.
"Child, my name is Lucifer. I am no God, but an Archangel who failed to protect what was important to me once and..."
Lucifer told him an abbreviated story of his achievements and end.
"..."
The boy listened to Lucifer's story, his sincere words and waited for him to finish.
Lucifer's heart pounded, speaking of his past and the glorious moments brought great joy, until his mood fell, and he ended with a single sentence.
"I cannot promise to save your father without knowing the situation.
However, I swear on my wings that should the world fall, I will protect what you hold dear until death."
The boy replied, "Lord Lucifer, may I have some time to think about it?"
"Of course. Lukas."
And once again, Lucifer found himself alone without sound or comfort.
Seconds became hours, and hours became days, when all hope seemed to fizzle out and fade into the horizon, a sudden call awoke the archangel from his light slumber.
"Lord Lucifer, please answer my call!"
"Are you there, please! I need your help, anything... even if I have to offer my life. Please! Save them all!"
The boy's earnest plea brought memories long sealed to the surface of Lucifer's mind; he felt regret telling the boy of this possibility. To have a human who shared a soul compatible with himself, a possibility with a chance less than one in a trillion.
Lucifer hesitated, although the cries and struggling cough of the boy demanded the utmost urgency and haste.
Alas, he could not listen to the boys suffering any longer.
"I am here, child."
"Ah, I thought... that I took too long."
"Time means little to me, child. But are you truly prepared for this..."
He could see the boy curled on his bed, blood staining his fair lips, and the pale face now sickly and weaker than ever.
'So, even without me, the boy cannot survive?!'
'Father... the world you have created is so cruel to humanity.'
Lukas also looked into the sky, his cloudy eyes widening as if able to see the golden locks and pristine white wings of the former archangel.
The pair did not speak further, with one nodding their tired head, struggling to even lift their eyelids. The other watched on, silently taking in the boy's final moments, burning them into his memory and soul.
Eventually, the boy's hand fell, and his head drooped to the side.
"Lukas of Babylonia."
"I, Lucifer Morningstar, have seen your determination and for you who saved me from this abyss of eternal darkness. I grant your soul my title Lightbringer."
The young boy stood before Lucifer in the abyss.
Lucifer placed his hand on the young male's head and closed his eyes.
"Lord Lucifer!?"
"Child, forgive me for taking advantage of your situation."
Upon touching the boy's head, his connection with the abyss grew distant, the figure of Lukas shrinking each second he touched his forehead.
"Thank you, Lord Lucifer. My God."
A small light hovered around Lufier's body as he entered a strange state.
Lucifer saw everything that the human Lukas of Babylonia had to offer, his past, present and short future. He followed a stream of memories that formed a beautiful, vibrant path, leading to a vast grassland with tall stone walls and a glorious scene.
At the end of the path was a tower that reached for the skies.
'The tower of Babel?! How is this here, no... the tower only appeared after the fall of Babylon, and this boy is the son of the last lord!'
However, before he could seek answers, the doors of the tower slammed open, and thousands of golden chains rattled before shooting at him. They wrapped his body tightly, and no matter how he struggled, Lucifer couldn't break free.
He shouted, "What is this?!" but the boy's voice and the little light which hovered over his shoulder vanished.
Then, with the sound of cranking metal, the chains drew Lucifer's soul towards the brilliant tower which defied the gods.
"Stop..."
"What's going on?!"
A sense of panic he'd never experienced before bloomed inside his chest, a heavy weight that brought doubt and second-guesses to his plan.
He grabbed the doorway, struggling to resist.
"Lukas!"
"LUKASSS!!"
Yet no matter how hard he tried to resist, eventually Lucifer entered the tower, and a brilliant light blinded his vision.
Smack!
Followed by a sudden sharp pain in his cheek.
"Lukas, you must wake up. This isn't the time to fall! Your father's death must've been a harsh blow, but the people need a leader... and you are the only one left who bears your father's name!"
'Ah, there it is. Her voice is so nostalgic.'
Lucifer's mind slowly adjusted to the sudden sensations of light, sound, touch and smell. He sniffed the air. The beautiful woman's scent entered his nostrils, berries, honey and vanilla just like he remembered.
'This is Galatea, my Galatea, how can she be alive?!'
He tried to move, but a sharp, stabbing pain shot down his arms, along with a heavy, debilitating pressure on his chest.
"Lukas?!"
Galetea's emotional voice rang through the halls once again, "Oh, praise the gods he's alive."
"Ngh... W-Water... please..."
Lucifer found the sickly sweet taste in his mouth revolting, but also wanted a moment to adjust himself. The memories of the boy named Lukas remained inside, along with the faintest fragment of his soul, which nestled itself quietly beside his.
'Was I mistaken to save this child's soul?'
However, he would deal with that in the future.
For now, he'd made an oath, a pact between their souls to help protect this beautiful land of Babylonia and to keep Galatea safe.
When he glanced towards the window, he watched the tall, elegant woman with long ash-blonde hair bending over and filling a small jug of water from the wall, her armour silver with blue cloth beneath as she turned to face him, her azure eyes beaming with light.
'Forgive me, Galatea, this child will never return to your side.'
Past her alluringly curvaceous figure, he noticed the distant hills, where the great wall and tower appeared when searching through the child's soul.
Lucifer's eyes narrowed as he tapped his cheek, trying to gather his thoughts.
"So it's not too late..."
'There's still time to keep my promise.'