Chapter 12: Powerless

  Kane lowered himself onto one knee and waved his hand gently over Lucifer’s body. The lingering dirt and ash burned away instantly, reduced to nothing by the faint violet heat radiating from his fingers.

  Three wounds remained.

  Holes cleanly punched through Lucifer’s body.

  Under normal circumstances, such damage would have healed instantly—Lucifer’s regeneration had always been absolute. But now, the flesh around the wounds was still. Lifeless. Unresponsive.

  No healing.

  No recovery.

  Kane hesitated before lifting Lucifer into his arms, holding him with a care that felt almost out of place for a being wreathed in death itself. As he carried him, Kane scanned Lucifer’s body once more, searching desperately for even the faintest sign of life.

  There was none.

  He left the throne room in silence and headed straight for Lucifer’s chambers.

  Upon entering the bedroom, Kane gently laid Lucifer onto the bed, adjusting his posture as though he might awaken if treated properly. He pulled the blankets over him, careful not to disturb the still form beneath.

  Then he stood there.

  Seconds stretched into minutes.

  Minutes into something heavier.

  Kane watched, unmoving, hoping—if only for a moment—that Lucifer’s eyes would open.

  They never did.

  As Kane finally turned to leave the room, a sudden surge of energy rippled through the air. It was subtle but unmistakable—dark, familiar, and calling to him.

  His steps halted.

  The sensation came from the closet.

  Drawn by instinct more than thought, Kane walked over and opened it. His gaze fell downward.

  At the bottom sat a small box, faint wisps of negative energy leaking from its seams. Resting neatly on top of it was a single note.

  Waiting.

  Month after month passed.

  The Demon Lords gathered new demons to replace those lost in the war. Recruitment never stopped, and Hell slowly rebuilt what had been shattered.

  Kane oversaw the Demon King’s castle, maintaining it with the help of the servants who had always remained in the shadows. Nothing was neglected. Nothing was allowed to fall into disorder.

  The Seven Sins continued as they always had. Some lazed about, uninterested in change. Others trained relentlessly, sharpening their strength for whatever would come next.

  Despite the quiet that now hung over Hell, the demonic army had grown larger than before.

  Once in a while, they would all come to check on Lucifer, but his condition never changed—not even slightly. He still lay in bed exactly as Kane had placed him, unmoving and silent. His heart still did not beat, though only Kane knew that truth.

  Slowly but surely, suspicions began to rise.

  No one besides the Demon Lords, Kane, and the Seven Sins had seen the Demon King since the war, and whispers of Lucifer’s death spread throughout Hell. Eventually, those suspicions reached the Council of Elders, and Kane was summoned to stand before them.

  He attended without resistance.

  They questioned him about Demon King Lucifer, and Kane told them everything. There was no point in lying—not to beings as old and perceptive as the Elders.

  The Council was no longer shocked by Kane’s new appearance. Over the months, they had summoned him several times, growing accustomed to the presence he now carried. Still, he remembered the first time they had seen him—how close they had come to attacking, mistaking him for an unknown demon trespassing within sacred halls.

  They were shocked to learn of the Demon King’s condition, though Kane deliberately left out one crucial detail—that Lucifer’s heart had not beaten once in the many months that had passed.

  Kane explained that neither magic nor physical attacks had any effect on the Demon King, as a barrier automatically manifested around his body whenever anything attempted to harm him.

  Sceptical, the Grand Elder insisted on seeing this barrier for himself. He departed with Kane for the Demon King’s castle, and since it was the Grand Elder’s first visit, they were required to enter through the front gates.

  The moment they stepped onto the castle’s first floor, the Grand Elder could not suppress his awe.

  The hall was vast beyond measure, both beautiful and overwhelming in scale. A long bridge stretched across the chamber, leading to a massive pyramid that stood at its very centre. Above them, the sky of the first floor was filled with stars, each shining in different colours, blending and clashing with one another in a mesmerizing display. Below the bridge, nothing could be seen—the depths were swallowed by a thick black mist that flowed gracefully, as if alive.

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  Although the scenery was a sight to behold, it was not the true attraction of the first floor.

  As they crossed the bridge, a faint slithering sound echoed from somewhere beneath it. The sound moved slowly, circling the unseen depths below. The Grand Elder, unable to suppress his curiosity, asked Kane about it. Kane gave only a brief response, telling him that he would soon see for himself.

  As they neared the pyramid, the source of the sound revealed itself.

  An enormous serpentine creature emerged, its massive head rising above the pyramid as if it had always been there, waiting. Its presence alone caused the air to grow heavy.

  “I’d like to introduce you to the guardian of the first floor—Aurora,” Kane said.

  Aurora’s gaze shifted to the Grand Elder before returning to Kane. She asked him who the stranger was. Kane replied that he was the Grand Elder of the Council of Elders.

  Aurora understood who the Council was—the ones who governed the Demon World in the Demon King’s absence—but she showed no interest in such matters.

  Instead, she asked about Lucifer.

  She spoke his name casually, as if it were only natural, and that alone surprised the Grand Elder. Still, he remained silent.

  Kane told her the truth—there had been no change.

  After hearing his answer, Aurora gave no response. She simply slithered back beneath the bridge, her massive form vanishing into the black mist below.

  As they entered the pyramid and stood in its centre, a magic circle appeared on the floor. In an instant, it activated, teleporting them just outside the throne room.

  The Grand Elder’s eyes widened in surprise at the circle’s function. Before he could ask further, he turned to Kane. “Why did Aurora call Lucifer by his name?”

  Kane explained calmly, “They share a special bond—one that goes beyond the usual hierarchy of the Demon World.”

  The Grand Elder’s curiosity shifted. “And this teleportation circle… can it only bring us to the throne room?”

  Kane shook his head. “No. The circle on the first floor is linked to all floors of the Demon King’s castle. You were teleported to the throne room because the Demon King’s bedroom is on the same floor.”

  With both questions answered, they made their way to Lucifer’s room.

  The Grand Elder stopped at the doorway and observed Lucifer lying peacefully on his bed. He approached slowly, then activated his Demonic eyes to scan Lucifer’s body.

  His gaze fell upon the three holes in Lucifer’s chest. “These wounds… when did they appear?” he asked Kane.

  “They’ve been there since we returned from the human world,” Kane replied.

  The Grand Elder’s eyes narrowed as he studied the deepest wound. One of the holes pierced straight through the chest, exactly where the heart should be. Scanning further, he realized the truth: Lucifer’s heart had a hole right through it.

  A cold shiver ran down the Grand Elder’s spine, but he remained silent, processing the implications of the Demon King surviving such a fatal injury.

  The Grand Elder’s eyes widened at the discovery, but he quickly realized that Kane must have already known.

  He turned to Kane. “There’s a hole… in his heart.”

  Kane nodded calmly. “I see you’ve found it. That’s why I didn’t mention it to the other elders.”

  The Grand Elder wasn’t surprised that Kane remained unshaken. He crouched slightly and tried using magic on Lucifer. Immediately, his spell was rejected. He stepped back, releasing the energy from his hands. Only then could he physically touch Lucifer.

  Curious, he drew his sword, swung it at Lucifer, and… the blade stopped mid-air. A barrier had formed, blocking it from reaching the Demon King’s body.

  The Grand Elder studied the phenomenon. The barrier was operating perfectly, yet Lucifer was unable to use magic. That didn’t make sense.

  He focused back on Lucifer’s chest. The heart—completely still. Not a single beat. He turned to Kane, eyes wide with shock.

  Kane explained softly, “His heart stopped moments after we returned to Hell. To be precise… shortly after Lucifer transformed me into a Lich.”

  The Grand Elder’s mind raced. If Lucifer’s heart wasn’t beating, how could the barrier function? There was only one explanation: the barrier wasn’t dependent on Lucifer’s magic. It was an entity of its own, protecting him independently of his power.

  The Grand Elder frowned, a thought forming in his mind. This barrier… it could be a defence mechanism, he realized. Lucifer must have created it for situations like this—if he were ever unable to use his power.

  He let out a sigh and face palmed. Haaa… even on your deathbed, you still manage to annoyingly show extraordinary foresight, he muttered under his breath.

  Turning to Kane, he said, “From the looks of it… the Demon King is dead.”

  Kane nodded calmly. “I had already figured that part out. I just didn’t tell anyone yet.”

  The Grand Elder nodded approvingly. “You made the right choice. If the demons learned of his death now, it would cause chaos.”

  Kane hesitated for a moment. “There are already rumours spreading among the demons about Lucifer’s possible death.”

  “Do not worry about that,” the Grand Elder replied firmly. “I’ll discuss the matter with the other elders and decide on the next steps. Until then… leave him as he is.”

  With that, they left Lucifer’s bedroom. Kane escorted the Grand Elder out of the castle. Once the elder departed, Kane returned to Lucifer’s side.

  He sat quietly next to him, staring at the skeletal form. Even in death—or whatever this state was—one could feel the weight of sadness just by looking at him.

  For a long while, Kane stayed there, speaking softly as if Lucifer could hear him. When the words ran out, he finally stood, lingering for a moment longer, then left the room.

  A few more months passed before the Council of Elders summoned the Demon Lords, Kane, and The Seven Sins to their hall.

  Once all the leaders of Hell had gathered, the Grand Elder greeted them formally and then delivered the grim news: Lucifer was dead.

  At first, the Demon Lords and The Sins laughed, thinking it was some cruel joke. But Kane confirmed the truth. He told them about the hole in Lucifer’s chest, the one that went straight through his heart.

  The laughter died instantly. The mood in the hall shifted, heavy and tense. The Demon Lords and The Sins seethed with anger, though none dared speak.

  Astarte and Ammit could hardly believe what they were hearing. Without a word, they flew out of the hall and sped toward the Demon King’s castle, which was a considerable distance away.

  As soon as they arrived at the castle, the first floor’s teleportation system activated, instantly bringing them to just outside the throne room. They didn’t pause—they rushed straight for Lucifer’s room.

  Standing before the door, they hesitated for only a moment before opening it. And there he was—Lucifer, lying exactly as he had since the first time they had seen him in bed, motionless and silent.

  Astarte and Ammit went and stood on either side of Lucifer’s bed, pleading with him over and over to wake. But there was no response.

  A few moments later, Kane, the Elders, The Seven Sins, and the Demon Lords entered Lucifer’s bedroom. The room was a vast circular space, with Lucifer’s bed at its centre, more than large enough to house them all.

  They surrounded the bed, gazing down at him. The silence was suffocating. It became painfully clear: he was not alive.

  With that grim confirmation, the group began discussing what to do next. Some proposed a burial. Others argued for the highest honour: sending Lucifer to the Sacred Demonic Volcano, the most revered resting place in Hell.

  The volcano was reserved for the most respected demons, a place where their bodies became one with Hell itself.

  Throughout the discussion, Astarte and Ammit remained silent, resting their heads beside Lucifer.

  The debate grew louder and more heated, voices overlapping in disagreement. None of them noticed the faint twitch of Lucifer’s fingers.

  Finally, Kane slammed his hand down and cut through the noise. “This isn’t the time for shouting,” he said firmly. “The Demon King is right here.”