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Fuck, fuck! Frufru was right! All of Hell was going nuts with the teories. And dang, those Sins just had to make it worse, hadn't they? It was all supposed to be a secret, and there they are, spilling it in front of everybody!

He really shouldn't expect any less from The Sins™. They were agents of chaos, after all.

A sudden ping from his phone returned his attention to it. Belle?

Oh, Belle!

BELLE: 🤔😇👩‍🦰📈🐦💬🫵👨‍👩‍👧‍👦❓

ABEL: Belle! ❤️❤️❤️
ABEL: Helloooo
ABEL: Good to see you
ABEL:

BELLE: .

ABEL: Oh yes! She's my oldest sibbling!
ABEL: Isn't she lovely? 💝

BELLE: 😇👩‍🦰🩷✨✅
BELLE: 👉🤔😇👩‍🦰⬇️🔥😈❓👀

ABEL: Oh I don't know
ABEL: I think she's here looking for dad

BELLE: 👉😇👩‍🦰⬇️🔥😈⚔️🗡️🐉🤠❓

ABEL: Ah, Idk? I don't think so. Satan already settled his punishment with Eden, didn't he?
ABEL: Last thing I knew she doesn't actually like killling and stuff? So I don't think she's here to, like, kill your friend

BELLE: 😇👩‍🦰📛➡️🌿🍎✨❓

ABEL: Yeees, her name is Eden. And yes, dad named her after the garden!

BELLE: ✨💖😊
BELLE: 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦👨‍🦳➡️🫵❓ 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦👨‍🦳🆗❓

ABEL: Yes he's here! Wounded, but alive. Cain's with him

BELLE: ⚔️💀↔️💀❓

ABEL: HAHAHAHA NO THEY HAVEN'T KILLED EACH OTHER
ABEL: They are actually big softies. They are prbly crying rn lol

BELLE: 🤭
BELLE: 🚨 👉👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🐝🍯🌲💸🐓❤️‍🔥👥💅➡️😵‍💫💥😰 ➕ 🐉🤠📵🤷‍♂️

ABEL: They are?:0
ABEL: Well tbf a lot is happening
ABEL: You don't think Satan's gonna do something crazy, right?
ABEL: I don't think Eden will be very happy if she sees him, and my bets are that she kinda hates him:P
ABEL: Besides, I know I did say she doesn't like to kill but don't take that for granted, idk I haven't seen her since, like, 900+ years ago?
ABEL: Oh God I miss her:(

BELLE: 🐉🤠💥🧠😵‍💫➡️🫵👫😇👩‍🦰

ABEL: Does he now? 🤨

BELLE: 🐉🤠🤬💢⬅️😇👩‍🦰🗡️💀⏳🔙

ABEL: Well he got that one coming. Nobody sent him to screw with my family 🙄

BELLE: 🗺️🧩✔️

ABEL: I mean I guess so
ABEL: But still
ABEL: Anyways, let's pray nothing bad happens haha

BELLE: 👉👨‍👩‍👧‍👦👨‍🦳👀➡️😇👩‍🦰⬇️🔥😈❓

ABEL: Oh shit no I don't think he knows!

BELLE: 🫵💬📢

ABEL: I will! He's gonna get nuts lol
ABEL: Lmk if anything happens your side pretty pleeease

BELLE: 🤝🫵💬📲🐑

ABEL: Count on it, sheepie! 🐑💜

BELLE: 🤭💜

Abel held the phone to his chest with a dreamy sigh. Belle was so cute!

With a silly smile, he slowly walked toward his father. Then, remembering the situation they were in gave him clarity, and he stopped halfway, blinking.

Oh, shit. How the hell was Abel going to tell his Dad about the Eden thing? He seriously doubted that he'd take it well that Eden was running around in Hell, and even more so knowing that she was walking around near the Devil on her own.

Ugh, and he'd probably have to tell him about Satan too. He didn't think Belle would have mentioned him just for the sake of it; she knew her friend well, after all. Abel just prayed that Satan wouldn't do anything dramatic and that Eden would still be the same girl who used to cry every time it was her turn to go hunting back in the day.

Abel grimaced. Yes, he somehow didn't feel that Eden was still the same, not knowing that their father had also changed so much to the point that he now worked to exterminate sinners.

He let his shoulders and head fall back and let out a pitiful groan. "This is an absolute disasteeeer! What do I do?"

He opened his eyes again, staring at the ceiling with concern. Well, it couldn't be that bad, that's for sure. If Satan decided to pull one of his tricks, Eden could surely stop him like last time (Abel ignored the little voice that told him the dragon idiot had spent the last millennia training and that her sister might not win this time).

With that resolution in mind, he headed toward where his father was again. Abel hoped that his old man had developed some kind of immunity to his children's antics, for he felt that this was one that would surely add more stress to his poor old heart.

It was another peaceful day in the paradise of Eden. The animals rested by the creek, and the First Human enjoyed dipping his toes in the water, sitting on the edge after a well-deserved bath, all while chatting with the creatures of the land.

“What do you think he has planned, Mr. Lion?” he asked, swinging his feet back and forth in the water.

Mr. Lion roared, making the human chuckle.

“You won't tell me, huh? I don't know if I like surprises yet or not,” he hummed thoughtfully.

Luzbel had been talking about this surprise he had planned for him for about a week, and it seemed that today was the big day. Adam had woken up with a funny tingling sensation in his stomach, knowing that he would finally see what his little angel had in store for him. They had been courting each other for a few years now, and had spent a lot of time together, but they had called these kinds of “surprises” dates.

Mr. Lion's roar snapped him out of his thoughts.

“Oh, what's up?” He looked at him with a frown. The lion looked back at him and snorted. Something clicked in Adam's brain as soon as he noticed the position of the Morning Star in the big sky. “Uh oh, it's almost time!”

He got up quickly, vaguely catching sight of the lion making a funny sound. He didn't think much of it, running towards the place where he usually spent the night and kept his belongings. Home, he had called it, even though it was a very scrappy version of it.

He picked up the clothes he had chosen to wear today the night before. He didn't have many clothes, since Adam actually preferred to go naked, but he owned at least seven costumes of different cuts. He had ventured into creating clothes when he noticed that Luzbel had some strange fabrics that always covered him up, and he quickly made it his mission to figure out how to make something similar himself with the materials he had in Eden to impress his little angel. Which he had successfully achieved! Luzbel had been surprised when he first saw him wearing his own robe, and his face had taken on an amused golden shade. He kind of looked like a mango.

Since then, he had made clothes from time to time. Not very often, since it was a very time consuming process, and he preferred to go naked anyway, but he had enough on hand to wear on special occasions like this. The First Human felt his cheeks flush as he thought of the violet-eyed angel again. He slapped his cheeks quickly to calm himself, letting out a squeal of excitement he couldn't restrain. 

Well, maybe he did like surprises after all.

Before starting to get dressed, Adam took his bowl made of leaves where he kept his scented oil. At first, he had made his oils using roses, but one day he found himself really enjoying the smell of the cedar trees and wondered if he could make oil with those woody notes that he liked so much. He spent some time trying until he nailed it, and it was his favorite scent until now. It also made Luzbel spend hours curled up next to him, claiming that the scent made him feel like sleeping under a fresh tree shade, and with that in mind, Adam proceeded to apply the oil to his body.

Once he was done, he started to dress himself with the linen robe he had gotten ready for this occasion. The robe came to just above his knees and had a diagonal cut in the torso area. It was a nice piece of clothing, although not as fancy as his angel's robes, but Luzbel seemed to like it.

He brushed his hair with his fingers, and as soon as he was ready, he began to make his way to the meeting point. Lucifer had previously told Adam that the meeting would take place at the Tree of Life, at the very heart of Eden. It was one of Adam's favorite places, and he also loved the fruit that grew on that tree. It was the only one that grew all kinds of fruit, and they all had a special divine taste, even though he only ate one per year. Whilst he had God's explicit approval to eat from this tree, the first human liked to keep the feeling of it being an exclusive one.

He could see that he was close, recognizing the nearby trees. Adam had become an expert on Eden in the years he had lived there.

Suddenly, as he walked, darkness flooded the brown-haired man's vision, and the smell of apples filled his senses. He smiled broadly as he felt his angel's warm hands cover his eyes.

“Luzbel!”

“Hello, Adam.” The elder’s nervous voice echoed close to Adam’s ears, the sensation intensified by his temporary loss of sight. It sent a tingling sensation through his stomach and made him chuckle.

“Will you let me see the way? I already know we’re going to the Tree of Life.”

It was Luzbel who now let out a laugh, albeit a nervous one.

"No, no, my dear. I will guide you this time; I want everything to be a surprise." He slowly withdrew his hands from the first man's face, and as he did so, a blindfold immediately appeared. Adam pouted at this but did not refuse.

"Ah, well. I suppose I have no choice but to let my sweet guardian angel guide me," he sighed dramatically, and Luzbel felt warm all over. "You wouldn't let me fall, would you?"

“That never, love!” He gasped with fake horror, determined to play along. “Come here, buttercup.”

Luzbel gently took Adam's hand, guiding him along the path to the Tree of Life. Despite being blindfolded, Adam trusted his angel completely, though he couldn't help but let out a mocking chuckle.

“You know, I don't understand why you have to cover my eyes if we've been there before,” Adam said, shaking his head slightly. “Unless the tree has grown leggies and went off on its own.”

Luzbel laughed softly at his beloved's nonsense, still nervous, and squeezed his hand a little tighter.

"No, love. The tree is still where it's always been, I promise you. But today is... special," he said, trying not to reveal too much.

Adam made a dramatic face.

"Hmmm, I see. So, what's up your sleeve, duckling? You're acting rather mysterious," he joked, though the smile on his lips betrayed his excitement.

"Ah, it's a surprise that deserves to be kept secret," Luzbel replied with a smile that one could almost hear in the air. "We're about to arrive."

Adam laughed softly at the answer. He was used to these kinds of riddles from his dearest angel, but the thrill in the air was undeniable. The air, filled with the sweet scent of the Garden’s fruits and flowers, seemed to resonate around them with a unique kind of magic, as if Paradise itself knew that something special was about to happen.

Finally, Luzbel stopped. He gently released Adam's hands and, with a soft gesture, untied the blindfold. The sun's rays bathed the first man's face, and Adam blinked several times as his eyes adjusted to the day's brightness.

What he saw took his breath away.

Before the imposing Tree of Life, a large purple blanket covered part of the ground, decorated with precious stones perfectly placed around it that shimmered with divine sparkles in the sunlight. The purple color, which seemed to characterize Luzbel's robes, stood out in contrast with the greenness of the Garden of Eden, and upon the blanket lay juicy, perfect fruits from around, along with foods Adam had never seen before. The smells were exquisite, sweet, and unfamiliar, while the atmosphere had a heavenly, edenic air that left him in awe.

"Luzbel..." Adam whispered, moved. "This is... It's perfect!" The warmth he felt in his chest was so strong that he could barely contain himself, and, excited, he kissed Luzbel's cheek with a tenderness that made the angel blush.

"I'm glad you like it," Luzbel said, evidently nervous, as a soft smile graced his golden face.

"I love it!" Adam gently laid himself down on the blanket, scrutinizing the details. "Where did you find these stones? They're so beautiful." He picked up one of the gems, admiring its perfection.

"Oh, I've been searching all over the Garden for them for some time now," admitted Luzbel, sitting down elegantly beside him. "I wanted everything to be special, just like you."

Adam looked at him with shining eyes, unable to hide his joy. With a comfortable sigh, he began to explore the foods in front of him, curiously pointing at the heavenly foods. "This food... I've never seen anything like it. They smell incredible, what are they?"

Luzbel lit up at the curiosity in Adam's eyes.

“These are special treats from Heaven. This one,” he said, pointing to one of the most exquisite dishes, “is called gilded manna. It is a type of celestial nectar that we consume during the celebrations in my Father’s Kingdom. Its flavor changes according to what you enjoy the most at the moment.” His eyes sparkled with pride while he explained every detail.

Adam was fascinated. He took a bite of the golden manna, and immediately a sweet, smooth blend of flavors flooded his mouth, as if he were tasting the finest honey combined with the flavors of the fruits of the Garden. His face lit up with surprise and delight.

"This is delicious!" he exclaimed, laughing as she savored more. "So, this is what you eat in Heaven?"

Luzbel nodded, pleased to see Adam's reaction. "Yes. There are so many things I want to show you about Heaven." The angel gazed at Adam tenderly as he continued to taste the heavenly morsels.

Adam remained thoughtful for a moment, his curiosity growing as he savored the food. "I would love to see Heaven someday..." he said softly, as if it were a thought he had been keeping in his heart for a long time. "Do you think it would be possible? That I could see it?"

Luzbel gazed at him intently, his violet eyes softening with a tender expression. "It will be, my love. Someday. I promise to take you there, and I'll show you everything I've known, everything I want to share with you."

Adam smiled, his heart filled with hope and love. They continued talking as they shared the meal, discussing what Heaven was like, the wonders that awaited him, and how the blonde angel felt whenever he was there. Adam listened attentively, fascinated by every word, as the first star continued its slow but steady descent toward the horizon.

Luzbel, noticing the position of the Morning Star in the sky, knew the moment was approaching. He turned to Adam, his expression becoming slightly more serious, though his eyes still shone with the same intensity.

"Adam… I want to ask you a question."

The first man, who was completely engrossed in enjoying a piece of a celestial fruit, looked at him with interest. "Yes? What question?"

Luzbel smiled gently, taking one of Adam's hands in his own.

"Adam... if I told you I wanted us to travel together through Heaven and the Garden, to explore every corner of creation, to become one with every heartbeat, would you come with me? Would you accept me?"

Adam looked at him, blinking, slightly confused but excited. "What are you saying? Is that possible? That I could know it all with you?"

Luzbel took a deep breath and smiled warmly, knowing the moment had arrived.

“Recently, my Father told me of something new, something that made me think of the two of us. It’s called marriage. It's a sacred bond between two beings who love each other, a promise to be with one another for the rest of eternity, no matter what comes, and to share all of our belongings. Everything I own in Purity will be yours, and everything you got in Eden will be mine. We'll be one, in every possible way. What's mine is yours, and what's yours is mine, forever.” He paused to study Adam’s reaction, who was looking at him in awe, his eyes beginning to shine with excitement.

"Marriage..." Adam repeated softly, as if he were experiencing the word for the first time. He was.

“Yes,” the blonde continued, bowing lovingly and devotedly to Adam. Asmodeus had suggested the idea of ​​kneeling while proposing, and Luzbel had already embraced it. Adam blinked, unprepared for such a gesture, yet bursting with an indescribable anticipation. “I never imagined I would want anything more than what I already had. But then– then you came along. You changed everything, Adam. You showed me what true love was, a love so pure, so strong…”

Luzbel swallowed harshly, his own eyes starting to bulge with emotion.

“I know that you have dreamed of having children, and you don't know just how much I've grown to love the idea of such a dream. At first, I didn't believe it was possible for me... I never imagined that I could ever create a family like the one my Father made with me and my siblings. But ever since you first told me about your dream, I haven't been able to stop thinking– to stop dreaming about it.”

He paused, gently squeezing Adam’s hand.

“And with each passing day, I fall more in love with the possibility. I want to make that dream come true with you, Adam. I want to start a family, I want us to have children, and together we will give them a home in our kingdoms.”

Adam felt his chest swell with such a mixture of powerful emotions that he was barely able to hold back the tears. Luzbel's words touched him deeply, and the thought of starting a family with him was something that had made him excited from the very first moment Adam saw him. Was he really that close to making that dream come true?, the brown-haired man wondered with excitement.

"Luzbel..." he whispered, feeling tears begin to slide down her face. But his smile was so wide that the angel knew everything was alright.

At that moment, a golden gleam appeared in Luzbel's hands. Adam watched with amazed eyes while, with the angel's divine power, a golden ring materialized before his eyes.

“This ring,” Luzbel said, his voice soft but firm, “I made it from the Morning Star, that which shines above us, that which will always light our way.” He held out the ring with a nervous smile. “Adam. I want it all with you. I want our worlds to be one, our lives to be intertwined, and I want to build a family with you. And so, Adam, my sweet little apple, would you marry me?”

Emotion exploded inside Adam. Tears ran freely down his face as he smiled so hard that he could barely speak. But with a trembling laugh and a wave of happiness washing over him, he managed to say:

“Yes, Luzbel! Yeah, let's do it!”

Unable to contain himself, Adam threw himself at Luzbel, holding him with all his strength and letting out a laugh of pure joy. Luzbel hugged him back, careful not to let the ring fall, and together they clumsily rose until Adam was also kneeling in front of him. Luzbel, with a smile that could light up everything, asked for Adam's hand, and finally put the ring on his finger, sealing the commitment that would bond their lives, their hearts, and their worlds together for ever.

The last beams of the Morning Star illuminated the place, while the birds of the Garden of Eden sang their sweetest melody, as if creation itself was celebrating that beautiful moment along with them.

Charlie felt the air leave her when she saw Eden make her father bleed. She didn't think it, she didn't plan it, all she did was run, driven by rage. But before she could even get close to them, something weird wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the ground. A shiny, thick, and snaking vine caged her before she could react, wrapping her up completely.

"No!" she cried, struggling in vain against the plants that trapped her. "Damn it!"

She frantically looked around for Vaggie, only to find her in the same situation. A second vine had grabbed her, even stealing her spear, now held by the plant.

“Shit, shit! Charlie! She's your– mph!”

"Vaggie!" Charlie watched helplessly as the vine covered her girlfriend's mouth, silencing her. She kept trying to break free from her own chain of plants, with little luck.

The chestnut-haired woman felt her powers protecting the girls and scaring away any demon that was dumb enough to try and get close to them, while she focused on the king.

"That was a mistake, girl," Lucifer growled, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, his teeth stained with golden blood.

Eden squinted, looking at him with displeasure. She didn't reply. Her mind was a jumble of emotions and thoughts, struggling to make sense of what she'd just done. What in the world was wrong with her? She didn't want to start a fight. That wasn't part of her plan! She just acted without thinking. Heck, since when did she let herself get carried away like this? Eden had to find her Dad!

The crowd of demons had grown, and with it the number of people recording them. Holy Heaven, her publicist was going to kill her! What would she do now? Eden couldn't just back down. To everyone's eyes, she was now representing Heaven; if she backed down, Eden knew the demons would become more confident, and then she would no longer have only her publicist after her ass.

"Nothing to say now?" Lucifer stood up, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.

Eden clenched her fists by her sides. Oh, oh, oh, but wouldn't she love to simply fight him, to finally find out if she really out-powered her progenitor, as her Uncle Mike liked to remind her. It seemed to be the common census, since by rule all nephilim were stronger than their angelic parent. But was it really true? She had the opportunity right there, and she had more than enough reasons to wipe that stupid grin off his pale face! Surely even her publicist would forgive her if she did it, right?

The brunette blinked a couple of times, clearing her thoughts. She knew she feel bitter about Lucifer, but Holy Grandfather, was it really that bad? Was her therapist actually right with all that nonsense about, “It's not good to bottle up your feelings, Eden, or else they'll blow up in your face in the worst way”?

No, she thought. It had to be something more; she didn't lose her temper like that! Something must be happening–

"Do you really think you can come here and challenge me?" The blond man's voice cut through Eden's jumbled train of thought. "You may be family, but that doesn't mean I'll let you disrespect me like that. Because, for the record, your father also hit my daughter.”

Eden's eyes flickered with surprise at that, because what the hell?, but Lucifer gave her no break.

"So take this as an eye for an eye." He grinned wryly before throwing his first punch.

Eden shielded herself with her arms in a flash, blocking the impact and staggering back a couple of paces. Okay, she was definitely taking notes on what Lucifer had said about her Dad and Charlie, but right now she was going to absolutely kick his stupid flat ass, fuck PR!

Lucifer watched the girl glare at him. He smiled ferociously. He would teach her a lesson and take the opportunity to show off to Charlie his capacity to keep threats in line; after all, putting on this kind of spectacle has already proven successful in the last battle. It would be a win-win!

“Come on, Your Holliness! I will get old waiting.”

“Even more old?”

Eden then moved at a speed imperceptible to the eye of those present, and Lucifer escaped by a hair. Ow, what?

"What the hell? You move faster than the speed of light too?!" Lucifer dodged another punch. Phew.

“What does Your Majesty think?” Eden smirked smugly, before continuing with a flurry of punches.

Lucifer evaded every punch, surprised by the girl's skills. It was logical that she had powers if she was the daughter of one of his sisters, considering that she had to inherit the Morningstar grace, but were her powers really that strong? Charlie certainly didn't have that much ability, or at least she hadn't developed it yet.

He was so focused on that train of thought that he missed one of Eden's movements, and pain burst through his abdomen courtesy of a powerful knee strike. For those present, they had gone from seeing practically nothing to capturing the image of the King half-bent over, looking shocked to his front.

“Come on, you old Devil! Weren’t you going to take your eye for an eye?” Eden put her hand on her left hip before kicking Lucifer with her right leg right in the jaw, sending him flying a few steps backward.

As soon as he landed, Lucifer clutched his head and realized he had dislocated his neck, which explained the immense pain. He grunted, clearly irritated, before popping his head back into place with his own hands. Some onlookers winced at the unpleasant cracking sounds this made, while others grinned sadistically.

Lucifer rose to his feet with dignity and then turned to look at his niece. She was still waiting for him with her hand on her hip, clearly prepared for any move. Lucifer felt it was enough of games. He wouldn't go too far; after all, she was still his niece, and he didn't want to aggravate the conflict with Heaven any more than necessary, yet Lucifer wanted to teach her a little lesson. No one ever screws with him without consequences! So he studied her for a brief moment before attacking her more seriously.

Just as he suspected, she was waiting for him, ready to fight back. She blocked and delivered blows equally, displaying a rather unique fighting style, since angels usually sucked at defending themselves. They always went straight to the jugular, Lucifer himself included once he was done toying around with his opponents, to be honest. The only reason he had any knowledge on defensive tactics was because Lilith practically forced him to learn them, and from the looks of it, Eden had been through something similar. He attributed it to her being the daughter of a human, although Adam didn't seem particularly well-versed in self-defense techniques neither.

“Guys, that's enough! This isn't the way! Please, Dad!”

The desperate voice of the Princess of Hell reached Lucifer's ears just when he finally managed to give Eden a firm punch on her chin, making her head twist around in a weird angle, just like she did to him a few moments ago. Lucifer froze with his fist still in the air, staring at the girl dumbfounded.

But the punch, though it had dislocated her neck, hadn't moved her body at all. She simply settled her head back into place, without even using her hands, and it was only the snapping of her bones that ended the silence in the place. Even the crowd remained silent, as it was unusual for the king of Hell to make such displays nowadays, let alone in public, and even more unusual that the person involved show that much indifference to such an obviously powerful hit. Even Adam himself showed some injuries during his fight with Lucifer.

“Oh, fuck, I'm so, so sorry,” Lucifer apologized, genuine fear in his tone and expression. Even if Eden showed no signs of pain, the king knew he had already gone too far. Charlie was right, it was enough and they had to stop!

However, that only seemed to fuel the angel's wrath, as she narrowed her eyes with annoyance and let out a growl, quite clearly trying to get back into the fight. But Lucifer had already decided to put an end to the situation. That punch had been enough– Debt paid! Now he actually started to regret it, especially because his daughter looked genuinely worried. At least he could take comfort in the fact that she was safe in those vines. It didn't seem like Eden was going to hurt her, mainly due to the fact that she was the one who got Charlie to safety in the first place, and thankfully so, as he didn't want his daughter to mindlessly get involved in the fight and accidentally get hurt.

Blinded by rage, Eden then launched herself into the attack, jumping straight towards where the king was currently standing. Lucifer quickly slipped away as he considered how to de-escalate the situation. What should he do now? Come on, come on, it was time to think!

"Ugh, come on now, fight!" snarled the younger girl, throwing another unsuccessful punch.

Eden hadn't held back for centuries from coming all the way down here to confront him, to punch him in his stupid face, just so that when she finally got the chance, Lucifer wouldn't even bother to fight back. The thought of him suddenly finding her not worthy —after Lucifer managed to land that stupid punch— only made her angrier.

"Kid, please," the blond man pleaded, hearing his daughter's worried cries in the background. He didn't know how to de-escalate the situation yet, but he did know that it was best not to go on the offensive. From now on, it was all defense. He mentally thanked Lilith for the lessons.

"You cannot demand ANYTHING from me!" Eden stomped on the ground with a heavenly force, sending a quake that shattered the street's pavement all the way to Lucifer's feet. He stumbled briefly, to which Eden took advantage and gave him a strike that sent him into the air. Lucifer spread his six wings and flew away before hitting the ground, barely rising a couple of meters above before hearing a frantic “Oh, no, you won't!” and feeling something get tangled around his feet, stopping him from flying and forcefully pulling him back to the ground.

Shit, he thought in a daze as he morphed into a snake to slip away. However, Eden grabbed him by the tail, making him choose to turn into a bird and fly away. Then again, she snapped her fingers, and Lucifer shifted back to his original form, confused. Fucking how...? Not giving him a break, Eden started throwing punches at him, each one more and more precise than the last.

She's definitely trained, Lucifer noticed as he continued to defend himself. The girl knew how to use her powers well. And, in fact, those vines… Raphael?

The powers regarding plants and healing were usually controlled by Raphael, who was the main one in charge of filling Eden with exuberant flora. Lucifer dodged another blow while thinking about how could she have inherited his brother's powers. Was it possible to get powers from the uncles? He hadn't seen her use any other abilities, apart from a fighting style that was somewhat similar to Michael's, and her ability to move faster than light, but all of his siblings were capable of that.

Unless… Adam, in his creation, had possessed the gift of creating life within himself. Both man and woman had this gift. What if, when he arrived in Heaven, he got his gift back?, Lucifer speculated, his heart racing at the possibility. Adam couldn't have had a child in the Garden; he was Lucifer’s then. Eden must have been born later, much later, after their split. Lucifer trust that Adam didn't betray him, and besides, he had already been punished with partial infertility on Earth, so it was also impossible for him to conceive there with a man. During that period, he would only have been able to have children with women, either human or angelic, so if there was a possibility that Eden was the daughter of one of his brothers, that could only have happened in Heaven.

Ah, crap. Now that he thought about it, he remembered that one meeting where he scared Adam from behind, and how, on Winstagram, he saw him giving a heart to a photo of Raphael with two girls he had never seen before. He barely glanced at it, but now he was sure one of them was Eden.

What if Raphael is the other father?

Lucifer caught one of the green-eyed girl's fists —Raphael has green eyes— and studied her in a new light. He grabbed her other fist and pulled her closer to him to get a better look, hovering near her face. He noticed Eden's expression shift from fury to bewilderment in a second. There were no green spots on her cheeks, not even any marks, he mentally noted. Though perhaps she'd got that from Adam. He wasn't sure if every Virtue's child had to get the mark of their virtue. After all, Charlie had gotten his corrupted mark, but maybe that was an exception?

Eden watched the Devil stare at her, as if in a trance. His face was covered in scratches and blood, and his once neat hair was now completely disheveled. He seemed to have aged eons in a single moment. She let out a sigh she hadn't realized she'd been holding, as she felt her anger slowly cool.  

What was she doing? This was her father. The only one she had left during a brief, endless, and horrible moment. Eden could deny her association with the fallen angel all she wanted, say she wasn't really his daughter, but it didn't change the fact that he was her other father. 

But he hurt Dad, she recalled with pain, while wearing his wedding ring, of all things.

Everyone in Heaven took it for granted that his Dad married the angel Luzbel. The Holy Family had never actually confirmed it, but with Adam getting the Morningstar Palace and taking his surname (for a while, before making up his own maiden name in the middle of a tantrum —how come that only that bunch of pricks have a surname? Fuck it, if they didn't give me one, then I'll fucking made me one up!— at least artistically, since on paper he was still a Morningstar), and becoming the new ruler of the Purity's kingdom– Well, the truth is that no one needed to confirm it. What it was true was that theories about when they got married were abundant; whether it was before Lilith, after, or even when Eve was already present.

But Eden knew the truth. It was right before Lilith, before everything went to hell, literally. The first romance of creation, and the first interspecies couple, too. She grew up loving that story, witnessing the sparkle of love that twinkled in her Papa's eyes whenever he talked about his Morning Star angel, even though that sparkle faded over the centuries of living in the moorlands with no glimpse of the fallen angel's presence. Even after she found out that Luzbel didn't die, but instead changed his name and fell from grace; even with all the confusion, anger, and disappointment that came with that knowledge, Eden still loved the idea of her parents loving each other until the end, or at least respecting each other.

So to see the shadow of what was once a righteous angel, the very Virtue of Purity, whom she had long been proud to call her father in the moorlands, strike the one who raised and protected her all her life, her dearest Dad, whom the king had sworn to love so much that he put a ring on his finger… and then Lucifer used that same ring while… to her Dad…

Eden let out a soft sound, almost a sob, her eyes filling with pain. Then she thought about the question that had haunted her like a ghost ever since she found out that the dreamy father she'd been told about wasn't busy fulfilling his fierce dreams, but had instead become the Devil himself.

Why?

Were Lucifer's dreams truly more important than his true love? Than her? 

Why?

The Devil's heart broke when he saw his niece's shattered face. It reminded him so much of Adam's, the one from the Garden. What was wrong?

A loud cry suddenly pulled them out of their thoughts.

“She's your half-sister, Charlie! Ugh!”

“She's my WHAT?!”

Lucifer gasped with surprise, blinking and leaning closer to the face of the woman in front of him for a better look. Eden took an involuntary breath, startled by the sudden invasion of her space and the abrupt reveal. The Devil eased his grip on the hands of the girl he now figured was his daughter. His daughter.

Could it really be? Oh, of course she was Lucifer’s, wasn't she? Whose else could she be? She was his, not his siblings'. She was his. His and Adam's, she was theirs. Oh, shit, he had a child with Adam. Adam carried his daughter in him. Holy Father, holy shit, how was that possible? How, how, how? Adam had lost his ability to get pregnant after he ate the fruit, and Lucifer was pretty damn sure he would have known if they had had a daughter before that. They fucked just once back then!

Eden watched her father's eyes fill with tears as he stared at her with an expression of shock, wonder, curiosity, and fondness, and soon her eyes were watering too. She felt her heart thumping in her chest, and in panic, the thought of erasing all their memories crossed her mind. That would work, yes, except that out of the corner of her eye she saw the flash of a bunch of cameras recording the whole exchange.

Oh heavens, it's damage control time, Eden thought, repressing the inner chaos she felt. She quickly took advantage of Lucifer's momentary drop of his defenses, relaxing his arms around her. Fast and determined, she grabbed his arms with her left hand, pinning them against his side, while with her right hand she grabbed him firmly by the shoulder.

Lucifer, surprised and confused, stared at her, unable to comprehend what was happening. But before he could react, Eden made him disappear in a golden glow, removing him from the scene without giving him time to object.

“Wait, Dad!”

Lucifer popped up in the Antarctic in a golden glow, still shocked by the revelation. The cold didn't bother him at all, especially with all the fury boiling inside of him, burning hotter than any fire in Hell. His mind was racing with a flood of questions, only further amplified through his solitude.

How the hell was that possible? He had only once been with Adam in the Garden, and at the time, he was sure that nothing had come out of that one occasion.

Or so he had thought.

“Shit!” he cursed aloud, kicking his feet in the snow out of frustration.

Was it really from that one time? The only other occasion Lucifer had ever had sex with Adam was at a meeting a couple of decades ago, and as young as Eden certainly seemed, her eyes and stance had the bearing of someone who has been through quite a lot, not just some twenty-something-year-old girl. She looked older than Charlie.

“No, no, no, this isn't happening!” he exclaimed as a couple of nearby penguins stared at him, confused. "How did he dare not to tell me ANYTHING? A DAUGHTER? Are you fucking kidding me?” He kicked an ice-covered rock, sending it flying, and continued walking in circles, ranting and raving. “And this isn't even a new thing! This shit must have been going on for millennia! For a millennia, dammit! He hid her from me for a fucking MILLENNIA!” The icy wind whipped his golden hair, tousling it, but the Devil was so caught up in his inner turmoil that he simply ignored it.

Then the photograph he'd snooped on his phone years ago came back to him. He'd recognized Raphael, and he'd noticed two girls with him in what looked like an ice cream shop. He'd barely seen any detail, since Adam had put his phone away as soon as he felt Lucifer's presence behind him, but he'd managed to notice that one of the girls looked a lot like his sister Sera, and the other bore an unsettling resemblance to Adam himself. 

Another flurry of anger hit him. That time he had asked the chestnut-haired man who were the girls that were with his brother, and Adam had answered that it was none of his business.

“Fucking bullshit, it was clearly MY FUCKING BUSINESS! That stupid spoiled brat, UGH!”

Holy Father, never in his life did he imagine he would be facing a situation like this. Yes, he had imagined some scenarios where maybe he and Adam managed to have a baby, but in all of those fantasies, Adam always told him! And Lucifer was always there to look after his baby, and they all lived happily ever after!

It was at that one thought that made Lucifer feel a heaviness inside, as if something were ripping him apart from within, and his eyes began to sting. Then reality hit him like a freight train.

Lucifer had another daughter, and he missed out on her entire life. He wasn't there when she was born, nor to hear her first words or to witness her first steps. And she seemed to be much more connected to her angelic powers than Charlie, so he missed out on her angelic growth as well.

He had treasured every moment he had with Charlie as much as he could, and watching her growing up had always brought him great pride. Just looking at her filled him with such wonder because how could it be that someone so perfect had come from him?

Then Lilith separated them, and he started to see Charlie more and more less often, and so he would miss big moments of Charlie's life. Good Lord, was he really doomed to always have his babies taken away from him? Was he somehow cursed? Wasn't it punishment enough that he never got to know the human kindness? Wasn't it enough to see his dreams crushed?

Tears began to stream furiously down his face, and he then started rubbing his face to wipe them away, trying to keep some composure and control his panting, only to fall to his knees, feeling weak. At this point, it felt impossible to pretend that everything was okay.

Adam had hidden a daughter away from him! Did his family even know about this? Did Gabrielle? Good heavens, if she knew and still didn't tell him...

He stopped abruptly, looking around as if the white landscape held the answers he sought. Oh, shit, Gabrielle had to know too, hadn't she? If Maggie knew, then everyone over there had to know. He closed his eyes with pain, with betrayal. His arms fell to his sides, his body bent over the ground, and he dug his fingers into the snow, completely overwhelmed by the mixture of emotions.

Luzbel.

Lucifer tensed, slowly opening his eyes. He looked around, lost, and raised his head to the sky, still on his knees.

“Father?” he asked weakly, tears still falling uncontrollably from his face.

Had he imagined it? The voice of his Father, comforting and warm. It had been a long time since Lucifer had last heard Him.

“Father, please. Please…”  I need you, he didn't say. Instead, “Why, Father? Wasn't I your most perfect creation? Why am I cursed like this? Haven't I already completed my penance? Hasn't it been enough?”

But the nothingness answered him. As it had for the last ten thousands of years. He felt like a failure, just as he had felt for the last few centuries, so he dug his nails even deeper into the ground, wanting to draw blood but knowing it was a pointless effort. The thought made him clench his teeth.

What was the point of his suffering? His Father would not let him die either, as he was created to be perfect, immortal, and impossible to kill. Lucifer would know, he did tried that before.

Damn it. His mind was filled with all kinds of thoughts, giving him such a terrible headache that he even started blaming Him. This was also somehow His fault too! Why did He separate him from Adam in the first place? He could have created another man, just like He created another woman after Lilith! But, oh no!

“Oof! You totally knew about this too! Didn't You?!” he yelled, clumsily getting up due to pure adrenaline. He started walking forward, staring at the sky. He stumbled, but ignored it and just kept walking, lost in his mad complaints. “Of course You fucking knew! That's why You never spoke to me again! Isn't that right?! It seems like the whole damn world knew before I fucking did!”

A few penguins looked at him again, and Lucifer, in his desperation, shouted at them:

“Can you guys believe it?! Hiding MY DAUGHTER from me! WHAT THE HELL WERE EVERYBODY THINKING?!”

The penguins tilted their heads, as if judging him, and that only made the blond man’s mood worse.

“I HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ANGRY, YOU LITTLE BASTARDS! She's MY daughter too! MY DAUGHTER! MINE!” Snow flew beneath his feet as he kicked it in rage. “Adam hid her from me, HE HID HER FROM ME! Who the hell does that? Fucking who? Ugh! Fuck Adam! Fuck all my stupid siblings! And fuck You too, Father!”

He grabbed a handful of snow, squeezed it in his hand, and threw it fiercely at the frozen horizon, where it fell quietly. The icy emptiness of the Antarctic provided no comfort for his fury. It only gave him only more silence, and more space for his thoughts.

He felt his eye twitching madly, so he screamed desperately in response, trying to fill the silence, and a blaze of hellfire engulfed him, consuming all the snow surrounding him. That scared the penguins away. He fell back to his knees, his eyes closed in pain, and began pounding the ground furiously between mournful cries.

Lucifer let out one last cry, his pained voice echoing in the vast frozen void. He hit the ground one last time before stopping, his body shaking and no thanks to the cold, but because of the wrath and frustration that were eating him up. He took a deep breath for a good while, trying to regain some control. He knew he couldn't stay there forever, just venting. There was something he had to do.

He struggled to his feet after a few moments, his eyes burning with a renewed determination. If Adam thought he could keep something like this secret for a millennia and face no consequences, he was dead wrong.

Lucifer clenched his fists, his gaze fixed on the frozen horizon. With a swift gesture, he vanished in a golden gleam, determined to get back to Hell. He was going to find Adam, and when he did, he would damn well demand answers. And this time, he wouldn't stop until he got them all.

“Wait, Dad! What did you do to him?!”

Charlie watched her Dad disappear into the arms of the tallest girl, and a feeling of anger began to take hold of her. How dare she! 

“I just sent him to Earth, he's fine. He'll come back.”

Eden started walking back to the two of them, taking slow breaths to calm her emotions. He knows, she knows, he knows. Once she got to them, she looked at Vaggie with a resigned look.

“So, an eye for an eye, huh, Vaggie?”

Eden knew that her Dad had stepped in and told Charlie about Vaggie's secret. Now, after revealing her relationship to her sister and the king, in addition to taking Lute's arm, Eden presumed they were finally even. Vaggie just gave her an angry look.

“She had the right to know.”

Eden made a thoughtful sound, still frustrated with the white-haired girl, yet not really holding anything against her. She knew Vaggie was angry and understood her reasons, though she couldn't help but feel irritated that she hadn't been the one who told Charlie the truth. She had nobody to blame but herself.

“On that I do agree,” she finally replied, accepting responsibility even though the resentment remained.

“So is it true, then?” Charlie said, feeling a heavy weight on her chest and a sharp pain in her head.

Eden looked at her with drooping lips, observing Charlie's incredulous face, and once again regretted her decision to not approach her earlier. Seeing the guilt in the older woman's eyes was enough for Charlie's question to be answered.

She let out an unbelieving scoff. What the hell was going on this year? First Vaggie, now this. Was it the fucking year of keeping secrets from Charlie, and she was the only one who didn't get the memo?

The young princess clenched her fists as her mind tried to process the news. A cousin was one thing, but a sister? The word echoed in her head like a broken melody, its rhythm matching the increasing pulse in her temples. She knew her parents kept stuff hidden from her, but, dang, a sister? A half-sister.

It didn't matter that the other parent was Adam, why didn't Mom told her about Eden? Charlie did ask for siblings before! Eden seemed to be older than her, and she actually looked like a nice person —before she'd attacked her Dad— then why not tell Charlie about her? It didn't make any goddamn sense!

“Why would Mom hide something like this from me?” she asked, her voice breaking and feeling extremely confused and tired. Hurt.

Confusion flashed in Eden's eyes, tilting her head to the right as her eyebrow furrowed slightly at her sister's words. What did Lilith have to do with...?

She blinked, slowly. 

Ah.

“Wait, Charlie, she's not... She's... What?” Vaggie's voice trailed off, her eyes flickering as if she'd lost her train of thought. She looked around, disoriented. “What–?”

“No, she was!” Charlie shouted, assuming Vaggie was defending her mother. Her voice, soaked with fury, trembled as her hands clenched into fists. “But this makes absolutely no damn sense! Why would Mom do this to me? Why hide something like this from me?”

Her gaze locked on Eden, her anger intensifying with each passing second. What had begun as disbelief soon erupted into pure rage. Eden actually seemed to know too! Charlie really hoped she'd found out recently, and that's why it was her who had come down to meet her at the previous reunion and not anyone else. Eden was going to use the time to tell her, right?

For the sake of her mental health, Charlie hoped so.

“And you? Obviously you knew too. For how long?”

“Charlie, I–”

“For how long?!”

Eden pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes in pain. She looked at her, straight into her beautiful red eyes, defeat written all over her face.

“… Since... always.”

Charlie felt something inside her break as she heard the brunette's words.

Since always.

The phrase hammered at her chest, ripping out pieces of something she didn't know she had. Since always? She knew since always and never said anything?

Her breathing became ragged. Charlie looked at her, but she no longer saw the stranger woman she had considered kind, even charming, and that she wanted to bond with earlier. Be friends, if possibly. Family, after discovering they were "cousins".

“Since always...” Charlie repeated, almost in a whisper, feeling the heat of tears welling in her eyes. “And it never occurred to you to tell me anything? You never cared if I would have liked to know? If I would have wanted to... meet you?”

Charlie wasn't stupid. She knew her father maintained contact with Heaven annually, just like her mother did before she disappeared to who-the-hell-knows-where. And if Charlie could attend a meeting, then she didn't see why Eden couldn't have arranged a meeting to reveal this to her. The only reason she wouldn't have wanted to tell her could be…

Oh.

“Or is it because you… you don't like me?”

Eden, for her part, pressed her lips together at what her sister had said, vehemently shaking her head in denial.

“No, no, that's not it! I adore you, Charlie, my decision wasn't because of you!”

“What? Then why?!”

Things were making less sense with every passing second! Anger began to cloud Charlie's vision, her thoughts tangled in confusion, pain, and the rage she had been holding back for too long since all the secrets had begun to hit her in the face.

The angel opened her mouth to respond, but Charlie didn't let her. She snarled and fought furiously against the vines that imprisoned her, every movement tense and charged with fury.

“Charlie, please,” Eden said, her voice low but firm, trying to calm the storm that was clearly brewing inside her sister. She made a reassuring gesture with her hands toward Charlie, trying to control the chaos and noticing that the horde of demon pointing phones at them was growing by the second. “We can talk about this another time. There are things you still don’t understand, dear–”

“Of course I don't understand!” Charlie shouted, her tone tinged with bitter wrath. “Because NO ONE EVER tells me anything! First Mom, then Dad! Fucking everyone! Always keeping secrets like I'm some stupid porcelain doll!”

Charlie was tired, fed up, with everyone seeming to treat her like she was about to break down at any moment. Her mother wouldn't reveal where she'd been for the last seven years. Hell, she hadn't even spoken to her since then! Then there was Vaggie hiding the fact that she was an angel, and then her Dad not telling her that she had aunts and uncles– more family! Hadn't Charlie the right to know her goddamn roots?

The vines began to creak beneath her growing fury, a consequence of the demonic power that had been building up inside Charlie slowly being released without any restraint this time. Every thought intensified the rage she felt, pushing her toward the edge.

Why did they always hide things from her? Was it because they didn't trust her? She had always been honest with everyone, without reservation, out of love. No one loved her enough to treat her with the same honesty?

Was she really that untrustworthy to everyone?

Shit. She was tired of them never telling her fucking anything.

With that thought fueling her inner self, she unleashed a bloodcurdling roar as she managed to break free from the plants that held her captive. Her demonic form emerged fully in a flash, and her eyes blazed with unstoppable fury.

Eden stepped back just in time to dodge Charlie's first attack, leaping backward and moving some meters away. The blow, delivered with all her rage, destabilized Charlie's stance as it missed its mark, causing her to stumble forward before falling to her knees, but her fury propelled her to her feet almost immediately.

With eyes blazing and without pausing, Charlie lunged at his sister again. Each step was faster and more determined, her rage transforming into an unstoppable force that echoed in her footsteps.

Eden, with no intention of fighting, kept her distance and raised her palms in a sign of peace.

“Princess, that's not it–”

“So what is it?!” Charlie lashed out again, moving faster, with a blind fury that made each blow more desperate. “Nobody never tells me anything! No one trusts me! Why? What am I lacking?”

Charlie's voice echoed through the street as Eden, pain in her eyes, dodged each attack, taking a step back each time, feeling she could do nothing but watch as her sister unleashed all her pent-up resentment. She knew she should have spoken to Charlie sooner. Guilt weighed heavily on Eden, and it showed in every glance she gave her sister. 

Eden knew she couldn't fight Charlie; it wouldn't be fair. This wasn't a real battle at all, it was a catharsis her sister needed to have, just like she herself had done moments before against Lucifer. She understood that Charlie had the right to release her anger, as much as she wished it hadn't happened in the middle of the street, in front of everyone–

This was on her for letting the situation get to this point, thanks to her own outburst with Lucifer moments before. A pang of shame and regret crossed her face. She was supposed to be better than this; she was The Eldest, for Grandfather's sake!

Surrounding them, the demons crowded together with a mixture of amazement and delight. Some were recording with their phones; others were wagering on who would strike the first blow in cries that were full of anticipation and mockery.

“Come on, Princess Charlie! Show them what the fuck we’re made of here in Hell!” a nearby sinner yelled, her cries amplified by the cheers spreading through the crowd.

"No! Hot Angel, you'd better kick her fucking flat ass! Make daddy earn lots and lots of money!" another one shouted, laughing as he pointed at Eden.

The elder couldn't help but roll her eyes. If there was one thing that demons, angels, and humans had in common, it was their unsatiable appetite for gossip and entertainment. She was sure that at this moment they were the talk of all of Hell, as she could see that they were being filmed, meaning Eden had to be very careful with every single thing she did. If Adah's project was approved, which it seemed that it was going to be the case, soon Heaven and Hell would be in much more frequent contact, and that meant she had to work on her presence in Hell, which also meant she had to earn the demons' respect if she wanted to do her job as a Virtue in peace.

She took a deep breath, stepping back as Charlie charged again, rage alive in her eyes and her demonic energy running wild. Eden knew she could win this fight; after a millennia of hard work and training, she had every move and every glint of power fully calculated and mastered. However, Charlie's brutal power was quite impressive, even if she lacked experience. She really had a lot of potential. Eden, despite everything, was very proud of her little sister.

Charlie, fueled by rage, attacked with power but without precision, and each missed blow only make her frustration go up, causing her to lash out more violently. With a furious cry, the blonde lunged again. Eden leaped back, landing gracefully as she watched her sister stumble to the ground once more, though she immediately got back to her feet. Charlie continued to approach, her footsteps echoing down the street. The crowd cheered from the sides, while the green-eyed girl quickly evaluated her surroundings and her strategy.

Ugh, Eden really needed her publicist right now. There was just too much going on that needed to be managed. The brunette had been through an emotional rollercoaster in the last twenty-four hours, and there were so many decisions she had to make all at once.

“Eden, it seems that souls can be redeemed, should we stop the extermination?”, “Eden, your father's dead, how are you going to tell the news to your family and all of Heaven?”, “Eden, your sudden coronation will be in two days, do you want the complementary color to be candy yellow or Morningstar yellow?”

Well of course she wanted Morningstar yellow! That's literally one of her official colors! So many huge things had happened in such a short time that she had pushed her emotions aside for a more appropriate moment, because Eden was a goddamn adult woman that had a ton of responsibilities to attend to. Unfortunately for her, it had taken just seeing that stupid wedding ring on Lucifer's hand to finally set her off. And now she had to think of a good way to get a good image of herself in this dumpster, while also not affecting Charlie's reputation as Princess of Hell. How, how, how?

Charlie's next attack came with even more force, but Eden dodged it effortlessly, moving with instinctive agility. She could feel Charlie's anger like a scorching wave of heat. She knew that behind that incandescent rage, what her sister was trying to unburden was a deep pain, a wound Eden hadn't sought to cause, but was now exposed in the open street, in front of that hungry multitude eager for a decisive blow.

Eden wouldn't hit her, not when Charlie had every right to be mad at her. But even though her patience seemed endless, every angry word from Charlie stung. Not because Eden opposed her, far from it, but because she knew Charlie was right. All of this could have been avoided.

“Who the hell you think you are, anyway?!” Charlie roared as she lunged again, her voice cracking. “You came here to my house and dared to fight my Dad, my family, as if... as if that's your stupid right! I didn't even have a fucking clue who you were five minutes ago!”

Eden just listened, letting her sister vent every ounce of frustration. As she dodged the blows, her mind desperately searched for the right way to handle the situation. She couldn't simply tell Charlie that everything was going to be okay, not after what she'd discovered. Not after years of choosing not to tell her the truth.

“Charlotte, please, just– listen to me,” she tried to say while dodging another attack, but Charlie didn't want to hear any reasons.

“No!” she shouted back. “I don't know what you're trying to do, but I won't let you come here, hurt my family and get away with it!”

The truth in those words struck Eden, making her hesitate for a moment. This was Charlie's first time seeing her, and it had been under the worst possible circumstances. Her arrival in Hell had been rushed, and her encounter with Lucifer had ended quite violently. Eden had been so focused on avenging her Dad’s honor that she hadn't considered what all this meant for Charlie. To her, Eden was nothing more than an intruder, someone who had appeared out of nowhere, ready to confront her father without warning.

Good Lord, what had she done? 

“I didn’t come here to hurt your family, Charlie,” she tried to explain, blocking another blow. Every word that came out of his mouth seemed to fuel the demon princess's fury even more, so much so that Eden even vaguely wondered if her– if Satan was somewhere close, up to his usual tricks, but she quickly dismissed the thought. “I know this is hard to understand, but–”

"Hard to understand?!" Charlie let out a bitter laugh, pausing for a moment to stare at her, though her eyes were still full of rage. "First I find out my Dad has brothers? Then I'm told you're my cousin, and now it turns out you're my damn sister! What the hell am I fucking supposed to do with that?!"

Eden pressed her lips together, her heart pounding in her chest. The weight of everything that had happened in the last few hours was starting to overwhelm her. She knew her sister had every right to be furious, to be confused, but she was beginning to despair at not being able to de-escalate the situation after minutes of pure fighting. Eden had always managed to calm her siblings– it was her job as the eldest! Why was she failing? What was she doing wrong?

Suddenly, Charlie seemed to stagger, as if something had suddenly hit her.

"Oh, for Uncle Satan..." she muttered, looking at her in horror.

Eden was a little taken aback. Uncle? The hell did Charlie mean by uncle? What–

“Did my dad even know about you?!” The thought left the blonde bewildered. She hadn't even considered that her mother might have kept it from her father too! “He didn't know, he thought you were his niece... Oh, Holy Hell! Mom cheated on him?! WITH ADAM OF ALL FUCKING PEOPLE?”

Okay, that did offend the brunette, who frowned slightly. Her Dad was an honorable man, the living embodiment of God's love; and yes, he may have started to let his hatred get the better of him lately... like, a lot– but! He would never sink to something so low!

And apparently, even the demons around were shocked, watching the scene with their mouths hanging open.

“Charlotte, please, that is enough,” she scolded, her voice coming out harsher than she intended.

Charlie clenched her fists, her anger fueled by Eden's comment. How dare she reprimand her? The wrath in her chest surged back, causing her to scream and lunge at her opponent with everything she had. Her fist moved swiftly, driven by the rage and betrayal she felt.

The green-eyed girl saw the blow coming. She knew Charlie was blinded by anger because of everything she had just discovered, in addition to the conclusions her creative mind was reaching. There was also the fact that Charlie was young, so Eden knew her sister still had plenty of energy to burn, and words clearly weren't working; so, instead of fighting back, as she had done until now, Eden decided not to move. She was already exhausted from trying to reason with her. If this was what her sister needed to let out her frustration, then so be it. She closed her eyes and waited.

The impact was powerful. Charlie punched her in the face with the full force of her anger, and the echo of the blow reverberated through the place, which was filled with gasps from the audience. Eden felt the pain explode in her cheek, staggering back a couple of steps from the force of the impact, but she stayed on her feet.

The pain in Charlie's hand came almost immediately. She felt her knuckles crack against the brunette's cheek, and the adrenaline that had been sustaining her began to dissipate rapidly as she processed what she had done. Anger turned into a cold feeling of disbelief at what she had just done, and she regretted it instantly. As soon as she saw that Eden wasn't even trying to defend herself or hit back, something stirred inside her.

“Shit…” Charlie muttered, bringing her aching hand to her chest as she backed away. “Oh, shit!”

Eden's eyes snapped open at the cry, watching Charlie rub her hand after the impact. A pang of worry shot through her chest as she remembered she'd been wearing makeup to hide her Mark of Virtue. Quickly, she brought her hand to the right side of her face, where Charlie had hit her. With a light touch, she felt the makeup begin to flake off, revealing part of the golden mark she'd been trying so hard to hide. Realizing the blow had smudged her makeup, she pressed it back on her cheek more firmly, trying to disguise the gesture as if she were simply reacting to the pain.

“I'm so sorry…” Charlie let her arms fall, dazed and ashamed, her eyes filled with regret as she looked at her hand, and then at Eden's face. “I shouldn't have… I didn't mean for it to go this far– I mean, I just– I didn't–”

The words stuck in her throat. The anger was completely gone, replaced by guilt. She had never really wanted to hurt anyone like that, much less a person who —even though everything was still very confusing— she now knew was her sister.

“Charlie,” the older woman's voice was filled with affection. It brought tears to Charlie's eyes, and Eden's instincts kicked in at the sight. “It's okay, sweetie. It's all right.”

“But… I hit you,” Charlie murmured, taking a step back, tears finally welling in his eyes. “How could I…? I never do things like this, I…”

Eden watched as her sister struggled with herself, clearly trying to make sense of all the chaos that had occurred, and she felt sorry for her. 

“You needed it,” Eden said, keeping her voice calm and looking at Charlie with understanding. “You needed to express yourself, and I let you. Don't feel bad about it. Now it's time for us to breathe, okay?”

Charlie blinked, surprised by the calmness in the older woman's words. It only made her feel worse.

With a gesture, Eden freed Vaggie from the vines, sadly acknowledging that she would be better able to comfort her, and returned her spear. The white-haired woman, who had remained silent throughout the whole discussion, as soon as she was free grabbed her spear and ran to Charlie's side. Fuck, maybe that hadn't been the best way to drop that bombshell...

She placed a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder, preparing to say something, when a flash of light appeared behind them. Instantly, the Devil materialized in his imposing demonic form, enveloped in fire and light. He exuded fury, his hands arched as if ready to sink his claws into something, his knees spread to anchor himself firmly to the ground, as if ready to leap, while his eyes blazed with anger.

Nevertheless, as soon as his eyes fell on Charlie, looking droopy and rubbing her wounded hand, then on Eden covering her bruised cheek, and finally on Vaggie's worried face while a sea of phones and cameras pointed at them, Lucifer figured out what had happened and his anger faded in a second. With a quick movement, the king transformed back and threw himself between his daughters.

Oh, holy fuck, Lucifer forgot he'd gotten into a fight with his daughter! And on top of that, he dislocated her damn neck! Double fuck, dammit. If it weren't for the fact that he was already with them, he would definitely be having a meltdown right now. He had to make it up to Eden for that one, soon!

But first, damage control had to be done. It seemed that his two girls had gotten into a fight as well, much to his concern.

“Are you girls okay?” Lucifer asked, worried, his gaze going back and forth between Charlie and Eden.

Eden, her lips slightly pursed at the change in Lucifer's demeanor, let out a soft sigh of relief, but the clamor of the demons around her quickly intensified. The crowd was eager for a fight, for blood, and for any hint of entertainment.

“And that’s fucking it?! What a crap!”

“Yeah! What the hell was that? Just one fucking punch and that's it?!” another one shouted.

“Shut up!” Charlie winced as Katie Killjoy's voice cut through the crowd, brazenly striding toward Eden with a microphone and a cameraman at her side. “The really important thing here is, are you really Queen Lilith's and the leader of the exorcists bastard daughter?”

Lucifer made a face of indignation upon hearing that disrespectful reporter. How fucking dare she! He started walking towards them, only to be stopped by a hand gesture from his newly discovered daughter, who had noticed him rolling up his shirt sleeves.

Eden watched the reporter approach, the microphone almost too close to her face, and her eyes locked onto Katie with an intensity that made the woman take barely a step back, though she maintained her defiant air. The older woman knew very well that, in Hell, any sign of weakness would be seen as an invitation to challenge her, and that just wouldn't do. Demons needed to know their place.

And so, with a slight tilt of her head and a quick pat on her cheek to fix her makeup, Eden smiled, her voice soft but clear enough for everyone to hear.

“Hmm. Katie Killjoy, right?” Eden said, her gentleness silencing the murmurs in the crowd. Hearing her name come from the lips of an angel who was supposed to have never set foot in Hell, Katie hesitated, but regained her composure almost immediately, looking at her with disdain.

“Yeah, that’s right,” Katie replied, though her tone sounded less confident than before. Eden let out a giggle, as if she found the situation amusing. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a sinner with a golden glint. 

Oh, cute. That'll do. 

“Well, Katie —can I call you Katie? Yes, I will just call you Katie— ah, I appreciate your approach, ha, truly do. Love the interest,” What's taking them so long? Come on, little sinner, stab me! “However, I strongly encourage you to save all that enthusiasm for another time. If you want more information, official communiqués will be released at a later date.”

“WHAT WE WANT IS BLOOD, YOU DAMN BITCH!”

Eden whirled around quickly, faking a confused face, ready to finally let herself be stabbed, but before the sword could thrust through her, she saw a figure step in between them. Lucifer, in a flash of speed and fury, snatched the angelic sword from the sinner and pushed him hard backwards, successfully pulling him away from Eden. Without even transforming, the King of Hell grabbed him and began to beat him mercilessly.

“YOU DARE TO DISRESPECT AND ATTACK HER, YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT?” Lucifer snarled, each word filled with icy loathing.

Eden watched the scene, somewhere between wanting to cry over her failed master plan, yet unable to deny that the king's defense took her by surprise. Lucifer struck the sinner with an intensity that made his power clear: he probably had more power in one nail than all the present sinners and demons combined, and she was pretty sure he could end him with just one blow, but Lucifer was striking him with the least amount of strength he had just to extend his pain. That sinner was either suicidal for taunting the king like that, or he really thought Eden wasn't important enough to him to defend her.

If Eden herself was honest, she hadn't expected Lucifer to defend her like this either. She was genuinely touched... However, this wouldn't do her any good; the brunette still had to earn her own respect, she couldn't just depend on the king! Eden didn't even know if Lucifer truly liked her or not, despite all this fuss he was making about defending her honor. And anyways, relying on his protection wouldn't bring a good reputation to her name; one only had to look at Charlie to see how badly that had worked out for her.

She cleared her throat loudly, intending to get the old angel's attention. It worked, as Lucifer stopped mid-stride and turned his head upward, looking at her. She wagged her head slightly in denial and started walking towards them.

Lucifer dropped the unconscious sinner to the floor as his daughter approached him, looking at him with her lips pursed. He didn't understand. Did she have a problem with him defending her? Charlie felt bad back when he didn't defend her and her hotel the last time. Wasn't this the same thing? Though Lilith didn't like him interfering in, and he quotes, “her business.” Was Eden the same?

Once she arrived, she offered a slight nod. Yes, it was true that she didn't want to look helpless, but she was pretty sure Lucifer had thousands of fans here, and being ungrateful wouldn't look good for her either. She again regretted attacking him this publically; her publicist was really going to be after her neck once she found out about this whole mess, and Eden was not holding her breath.

She would have to deal with that mess later. This whole situation had already taken up enough of her time, and her Aunt Gabrielle would be screaming blue murder if she didn't get back on time and the others noticed her teeny-tiny absence.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Eden said, sounding sincere for once. Lucifer looked at her, feeling her honesty, and his face brightened. Had he been transformed, his tail would surely be swinging enthusiastically. He did something right!

“Oh, hoho! Don’t mention it, princess! Anything for you, haha. Seriously, name it and it's yours,” he said, his demonic voice slipping out unintentionally due to his enthusiasm.

Eden blinked at that, glancing slightly behind Lucifer and making eye contact with Charlie. She looked just as lost as she did. To be fair, everyone was confused by the king's excitement and the gossipy whispers started right away.

“I appreciate it, but that's not necessary–”

“I insist, please! What could a princess like you possibly wish for, huh?” he wondered, switching to his best showman's voice. He waved a hand, and enormous, glittering gems appeared between his fingers. “Jewels, perhaps?”

“No, really, there's no need–”

Lucifer didn't give up. With a snap of his fingers, he pulled out an ancient book, covered in dark runes and decorated with fangs. “An ancient grimoire, then?”

Eden raised a hand, starting to decline, but Lucifer was already moving on to the next offer.

“What about Pentagram City?” With a grand gesture, he produced an enormous red key engraved with the city’s emblem.

Charlie’s mouth fell open with indignation. That was her heritance! Why was her father being so nice to her, anyway? Wasn’t he angry with her mother?

“Or maybe some pancakes?” He conjured up a plate of fluffy pancakes smothered in syrup, a pat of butter melting on top.

“Really, that's not necessary.”

… Did he just offer her the whole city? What was his deal?

“So, no pancakes?”

“No pancakes.”

“What the fuck is happening…” Charlie muttered, comforted by her girlfriend's soothing touch. 

Lucifer sighed, making everything vanish with a dramatic gesture, while Eden took one last look around. The astonished gazes of the demons and sinners were fixed on them, clearly fascinated by the spectacle.

This needed to end.

So, with a broad, theatrical smile, Eden leaned forward, raising her arms gracefully.

“Thank you all for your lovely attention!” she exclaimed, her tone so magnanimous it revealed the spark she'd inherited from her angel father. Lucifer's eyes gleamed, noticing it instantly. Oh, oh, she was like him! “Unfortunately, this show must end here! I hope you enjoyed this rather unexpected act, though. See you again until next time!”

With a dramatic bow, Eden gestured widely, never lowering her head. She raised her arms, and a brilliant burst of golden light erupted, temporarily blinding everyone present.

When the demons blinked, rubbing their eyes, the royalty had disappeared, leaving only echoes of their stunning presence in the air and an almost-killed sinner on the ground, now healed.