“Some alone time in the northern tower with the wraiths. Ah, but he’s muzzled, they can’t steal his voice,” Asmodeus reassured him over a smirk when Lucifer paused with the goblet at his mouth. “It is a rather lovely one, especially when he’s angry.”
“Just don’t be too harsh on him,” Lucifer warned, taking a sip. He turned his attention to a marble column on his left and stared at it. “Any word on Heaven yet?”
Heaven was sure to retaliate, Noah saw no way around it.What did that mean for the current state of the world?If he had to guess, the conflict between the two realms was about to escalate, to turn into a real war. Asia was in Heaven’s control already, but an attack on Hell was yet to happen, so maybe God’s army wasn’t quite ready yet.
“Heaven hasn’t made a move, my King, no,” the empty space in front of the column replied, warping in on itself as a demon appeared out of thin air. His skin wasan even darker gray than Asmodeus’ and his build was slender, framed by almost pure white hair that reached his mid-back. “But I received word about commotion at the Gates.”Baal, Noah pulled from the right memory, picturing the demon’s page in the leather-bound tome.
“I assume nothing urgent?”
“No, but you have a visitor. I detained him in the library. He gave no name, but he said he comes from Egypt. He also gave me this.” Baal produced a piece of silk fabric with a strange crest on it, its shapes more abstract than concrete. Upon Lucifer evidently recognizing it, he added, “Shall I invite him in?”
Lucifer trained his gaze on Noah and took another sip, swirling the liquid in the goblet as he savored the taste of his drink. “Let him join us… and gather the messenger ravens. It would seem I have an announcement to make.” He stood up and wrapped an arm around Ghost’s waist in a possessive manner, something that Noah couldn’t quite decipher crossing his face. “I will make this quick, Asmodeus. I apologize if it causes a bit of an uproar. Reign, Noah, come with me.”
“My King, is something amiss?” Reign demanded as soon as they started walking, voicing what Noah had been thinking. “Who is this visitor Baal is speaking of? You seemed to know.”
“A friend, old and very dear. Sheathe your claws, Reign, he means no harm.”
Lucifer didn’t elaborate further as he led them to the overlook where the bifurcated staircase converged. A man—the visitor in question—with golden blond hair in Viking braids and the same midnight eyes as Lucifer was already waiting there. The two of them said nothing to each other and simply basked in each other’s company asif that meant more than any words they could’ve spoken. Lucifer broke the stalemate first, reaching with one hand to stroke the man’s cheek, the caress tender and deliberate.
“It has been too long,” he said before he turned around and faced his audience, the entire hall now silent in wait for its King’s announcement.
A foreboding feeling spread from Noah’s stomach, though it wasn’t entirely unpleasant, rousing agitation more so than anxiety as he and Reign were motioned to stand on either of Lucifer’s sides. Ghost remained with the mysterious guest near the columns at the back, the two of them seeming to know each other too in that same way that required no spoken acknowledgment.
“My King… isn’t this too ea—”
“Fret not, Reign. Things happen just as they are meant to be. You are ready, and so is Noah.”
Before Noah could follow up on their cryptic exchange, Lucifer focused on his audience. “Kings, Princes, Dukes, honorable guests, it pleases me to see so many of us gathered here to celebrate Asmodeus’ success,” he said, his voice carrying without the need for him to even raise it. “Heaven will retaliate, do not doubt that. It will come after Hell to retrieve what it believes to be rightfully God’s. But it will not find it here.” He paused, glanced at Ghost and then back at the audience, murmurs breaking out when he took off his crown. “My time has come to an end. A new era begins today, one that will be led by two High Kings and not one.”
Noah’s eyes went wide. What? Lucifer was stepping down? And two High Kings... that couldn’t mean… Noah glanced at Reign, who was looking at him with a soft expression that confirmed his suspicion.
“Sairreign, Noah.”
Noah squeezed his hand in a fist. Was he hallucinating? Still dreaming, stuck in that strange dreamscape? Reign hadn’t told him anything about this. It was too sudden; he wasn’t ready for it.
Lucifer tipped his head at Reign, who held out his arm at Noah and smiled. “Don’t be nervous, Noah. We will do this together.”
“You will, and it fills my heart with joy to see it. The two of you were always meant to end up here, to lead Hell as its High Kings, to guide all those who’d lost a piece of themselves to God’s greedy appetite. To conquer the Heavens, if that is what Fate has in store for you,” Lucifer said, ushering them forward.
Noah’s head was spinning. The two of them becoming Hell’s next High Kings right after Noah had woken up sounded crazy. But the more he turned it over in his head, the more it settled and felt right more so than ludicrous. Because he and Reign did have one thing no other demon currently possessed, one advantage: their souls were not tainted by Heaven. No parts of them were stolen and the whole that their two halves made was thus capable of caring for the people of this otherworldly domain.
“Sorry, Noah. I meant to speak to you about it first, but I didn’t expect Lucifer to step down so soon,” Reign said, sounding a little regretful.
Noah took Reign’s hand and led them to the front. “It’s okay. I’m just a little surprised.” Shocked too, scared, but those feelings were already subsiding, replaced by excitement and anticipation.
“You will learn. From your Kings, from your mistakes. From mine. Now kneel and bare your necks.” The authority in Lucifer’s voice brought silence across the room.
Noah dropped to one knee as did Reign, offering his neck. Lucifer traced the sigil at the back of it and transferred his gift of turning, unleashing a wave of pleasant warmth that calmed Noah further.
“Rise now,” he said taking off his crown. He split it in two, making from each part a new one that he placed on each of their heads. “Rise and let the Realm welcome its two High Kings.”
The audience exploded, no longer whispering but only cheering, a crowd of crazed demons that Lucifer’s Kings themselves led. Apprehension and confusion evaporated from the hall, replaced by ravenous excitement and curiosity, every demon eager to shake hands with Noah or Reign.
The congratulations carried on for a while and by the time Noah and Reign finished their rounds, Lucifer, Ghost, and their mysterious guest were gone. With the help of Barbatos and a few of the Kings, Noah and Reign searched the entirety of Asmodeus’ place, then the Bone Palace after another unpleasant trip through the summoning rune. But they came up short, convening in the throne room when they finally gave up looking.
“Thank you for the help. You can return to Asmodeus’ banquet and enjoy yourselves for the rest of the night,” Reign said once Barbatos delivered the last report.
While no one argued with that, Belial stayed behind. “Seeing as your coronation was so sudden, I will start preparing for a proper celebration. Should we hold it here in the Bone Palace, or would you prefer to host it at your own one?”
