"So, Father, what brings you to visit?" Lucifer asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Rizevim," Satan answered flatly.
Lucifer's expression darkened.
Rizevim, frightened, ducked behind his mother, whose face had gone stern.
"What business do you have with my son?" Lucifer asked, his tone grim.
"The other Factions won't take long to make their move, and you won't be able to be there every moment to protect your son," Satan said solemnly. "All my children need to be out on the battlefield — we can't afford to let God or Azazel breach our Territory."
Lucifer's expression stayed dark.
"The fallen don't worry me — the remaining fifty-five Pillars won't let them through. I know devil pride when I see it; they'd die before letting an invasion of the Underworld happen on their watch," Satan continued, rising to his feet and pacing across the room. "But God, on the other hand — he's my top priority. I have no doubt he'll try to invade the Underworld through a war of attrition. While the Devil Houses are busy defending against the fallen, he'll send half his forces to strike Grigori, wiping out the fallen's strength."
Lucifer clenched his fists, unconsciously releasing his aura, frightening both his wife and son.
"With the fallen out of the picture, we'll be the only threat left to the Heaven Faction. With our forces seriously depleted and scattered across the territory, you already know exactly what their next target will be," Satan said, stepping closer to Lucifer.
"The capital of the Underworld. Lilith," Lucifer said, power radiating off him in waves that began cracking the floor.
"Exactly. Heaven's primary objective will be the conquest of Lilith. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they've already learned of Rizevim's birth," my father said, worry etched into his voice.
BOOM
Lucifer's aura tore straight through the ceiling, blasting open a massive hole.
Rizevim was terrified.
"The only option left to us would be direct confrontation. Logically, I'd be forced to fight God myself, just to keep him from confronting you directly," Satan went on, his aura flaring, fury building.
KABOOM
My father's aura punched a hole through the ceiling that tore straight through every floor above, and the ground beneath them had caved into a shallow crater. The earth trembled — all of Lilith could feel the shockwaves of power being unleashed from Lucifer Castle.
"Your brother Asmodeus will be up north in his territory, fighting against at least three Seraphs, struggling to protect the evacuation of the city, attacked from every side, and with civilian protection as his priority, his only option will be to fall back toward the center," Satan continued, his fury mounting. "Then your sister Leviathan, down south — knowing she can't use her full power without massive collateral damage, and knowing exactly how ruthless God can be, he'll send two Seraphs after her, and her only option to avoid wiping out our own soldiers will be to retreat toward the center as well," he said, his aura flaring even higher.
Lucifer bowed his head in defeat.
He was the second-best strategist in the family, right after his brother Asmodeus, and he knew every word of this was true.
After all, it was his father who'd taught him strategy, years ago, before the Fall.
"Your brother Beelzebub will most likely be confronted by Raphael and Uriel, since the two of them make for a devastating combination. Beelzebub builds his attacks around controlling flies and his demonic power, and he's also an excellent close-combat fighter — but none of that will matter against Uriel's divine fire pinning him in place, combined with Raphael's tremendous healing ability, and that's not even counting that Raphael himself is an excellent warrior," my father, Satan, continued, clenching his fists so tightly that blood began seeping from them. "Your brother, overwhelmed by that combination and trying to minimize civilian casualties, will do the only obvious thing."
"Fall back to the center," Lucifer said, already discouraged.
"Yes. But Lilith has an SSS-rank barrier spell protecting it — only God himself would be capable of breaking through it," Satan said, calming slightly.
"That's true," Lucifer said, brightening.
"But we can't stop a considerable number of troops from getting into the city before the barrier activates," Satan predicted, settling into a thoughtful pose.
"That doesn't matter — we'll crush them," Lucifer answered, morale high. "Between all of my siblings, we'll be able to take them down."
"I won't deny that, my son, but you're forgetting something important," Satan countered.
"What am I forgetting?" Lucifer asked.
"Your son," my father answered flatly.
The joy that had just been on Lucifer's face vanished in an instant.
"What do you mean?" Lucifer asked, fear creeping in.
"Michael and Gabriel will lead the assault on the city — that much is certain. While all of you are busy fighting them, and every available troop is occupied annihilating angels — who's defending Lucifer Castle?" my father asked, with almost diabolical calm.
Lucifer went rigid, shaking from head to toe.
How could he have forgotten something like that?
"Your brothers' children will be taking shelter with Rizevim in the basement. Shalba, Katarea, Creuserey, and your son will be sitting ducks for any soldier who manages to breach the Castle," Satan continued, resting a hand on Lucifer's shoulder as he trembled like a leaf. "But they won't kill them. They're far too valuable to just kill outright." Lucifer's trembling eased, feeling the warmth and power radiating from his Father.
"They'll simply use them as hostages to force your surrender, and let's be honest — you'd surrender the second you knew your children's lives were on the line," Satan said, unflinching.
Lucifer nodded.
"All of you would surrender... and they'd take you as hostages too. They'd threaten to kill you. And I, for my children, would do absolutely anything — even surrender myself and let God finish me off," my father concluded, sorrow in his voice.
Lucifer wept silently, ashamed at not being strong enough, ashamed at being the indirect cause of his own father's death — the one who had given him life and loved him like no other being in the world ever could.
"Don't cry, my son. None of this is your fault for not being strong enough," my father said, pulling Lucifer into an embrace, comforting him. "If anything, the fault is mine, for not being a good enough father."
"Don't say that, Father. You have been the best father I could have ever had, and the best I will ever have. Even if it took me all of eternity, I could never repay you for everything good you've done for me and my family," Lucifer said, moving his father deeply, to the point of tears.
"Heheh, well, I suppose that's easy to say when I'm the only one you've got," my father said dryly.
"Hahahahahahahahahahahaha—" the two devils burst out laughing together.
"And that's exactly why I've come to train Rizevim personally," my father said, catching both parents completely off guard. "I won't leave my son's grandson defenseless against a possible invasion," he concluded.
"Thank you, Father," Lucifer said, gratitude filling his entire heart.
"Alright, Rizevim-chan, time for your training," Satan said cheerfully, approaching the boy, who straightened up with courage and resolve, solemn, every bit his father's son.
"Now, as you should know, I'm your godfather, so first, let's start by getting to know each other bet—" he couldn't finish the sentence, thanks to one small detail.
He accidentally stepped on Rizevim's foot...
Quite hard...
Right on the little toe...
Unsurprisingly, it hurt Rizevim quite a bit.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Rizevim roared, unleashing his aura with brutal force, sending the Demon King flying clear back the way he'd come.
"Incredible, this power is immense!" Satan exclaimed, holding tightly onto Lilith and Lucifer, who were struggling just to keep their feet on the ground as their "little son's" aura overwhelmed everything around them.
"You said it, Satan-sama — I think he's already surpassed his father!" Lilith said proudly, and if it weren't for Satan holding her steady, she'd have already been blown off her feet.
Lucifer stood there, stunned.
A smile slowly spread across his face.
He was happy.
Incredibly happy.
That didn't go unnoticed by Satan, who, seeing the smile on his eldest son's face, found himself drifting back to memories of days long past...