Lucifer hears a young demon scream in what sounds like pain. He dashes down the corridor and sees many guards surrounding two young demons. He realizes who the young demons are. It is Xylek and Princess Lucinda. Gunther looms over Lucinda, holding her leg. A white flame emanates from the lord of war’s hand onto Lucifer’s daughter’s flesh.
As the guards drop the princess, Lucifer runs up to his writhing daughter.
“Lucinda!” Lucifer cries out as he approaches his daughter. “What did they do?” He looks at Gunther. “What did you do!” he shouts.
“I placed the scar of wrath on the heathen.” Gunther says with pride in his tone. “A fitting punishment for someone who lets their anger rule them.”
Lucifer fills with rage. Trying to hold composure he growls, “Xylek, get my daughter out of here.”
Xylek follows the order and carries Lucinda through the corridor, through a door and down a flight of winding stairs.
Lucifer stands, squares his shoulders and puffs out his chest. He feels rage like no other build within him. Lucifer is not a fighter. He knows if Gunther, a giant of a demon, lays one punch on him, he will go down like a sack of turnips. Instead, he tries to use his words.
“How dare you? How dare you use such a punishment on my daughter?” the king seethes. “And Serafina,” he looks at the lady. “Fi-fi, I know you started this. Didn’t you?”
The snow white demon smiles. Lucifer knows that smile. It's a grin of malice. She begins to speak. “Lucifer, you haven’t been yourself since Mai passed. You are soft and lack what this kingdom needs. We are just trying to help.”
“Torturing my daughter and starting an uprising?” Lucifer begins to fill with rage even more. He hasn’t felt like this is a very long time. What if he releases his divine flames? He begins to vibrate with the rage building up. “You are just jealous I chose Mai over you, Fi-fi.”
This catches Serafina off guard. She stands stunned for a moment before composing herself. “I was never jealous of the peasant. I was annoyed by the way she had you wrapped her little finger. She had you listening to her more than the council that you appointed.”
Lucifer begins to glow a vibrant iridescent purple. The flames are beginning to expose themselves. “She told me the nobles I appointed would overthrow me if I wasn’t careful. So, I kept you close to ensure I was careful.”
Serafina speaks again. “She was never good for you. She would do nothing but soften you. You were a grand ruler before her!”
“I’m still a grand ruler!” Lucifer shouts. “How dare you question my competency!”
Lucifer erupts into divine flames. Hot, purple fire engulfs the king and he opens his palms to begin to manipulate the fire. As he starts to conjure a flaming orb in his hands, several of the king's royal guards appear behind Lucifer right as he releases the orbs.
The king’s guards remove the swords from their holsters and charge in. In a boom of unison, they shout, “For the king!” But this catches Lucifer off guard and he barely misses Serafina, catching her dress on fire. Astam starts to stomp on her dress, putting out the flame.
While the king is distracted, the council’s guards rush in and pin Lucifer to the ground. He spits and screams at the council, bursting further into flame. But his fire does nothing to his captors.
Astam slowly approaches the subdued king. He kneels down and grins maliciously at Lucifer. “Don’t worry,” he begins to say. “I’ll keep the throne warm while you are away.”
The guards are then instructed to take Lucifer to the dungeon where Lucifer is thrust into a cell. He hits his head off the lumpy cot on the far wall of the tiny confinement. The prison bars slam with a loud clang.
One of the guards speaks. “We are sorry, your majesty. But you have lost your touch.”
“Enjoy your stay, your highness,” says the other guard. “Hope you get your mind back.”
Lucifer slumps against the wall. What has his world come to? His daughter is seen as a fugitive. He, himself, locked up by his own council. The whole kingdom is exploding into chaos. Was he wrong to listen to his wife’s advice? Or was he wrong to have chosen a council of toxic beasts? Lucifer has plenty of time to think over his decisions. And so much more.
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