Monday arrived like a punch to the face.
The prison yard was quieter than usual, the chaos simmering under the surface. Jack sat on a broken slab of concrete, cleaning his shotgun even though it didn't need cleaning. Edward stood nearby, fidgeting with his hands. Lucifer paced in front of them, wings scraping the ground like chained blades.
Jack finally asked, "So what's the plan, wing‑boy?"
Lucifer stopped pacing. His expression shifted — serious, almost… human.
"I wasn't always like this," he said. "Before I became a crook… before I died… I was a priest."
Jack blinked. "A priest? You?"
Lucifer nodded. "I felt something back then. A holy energy. Pure. Warm. It flowed through me. And even after I fell… even after I became this…" He gestured to his chained wings. "The energy never left."
Edward swallowed. "What does that have to do with us?"
Lucifer stepped closer, voice low. "You all have energy inside you. Not holy. Not demonic. Something in between. If you learn to feel it… You can spread it through your body. Strengthen your abilities. Control them."
Jack raised a hand. "So… meditation?"
Lucifer glared. "No. Focus."
Jack shrugged. "Same thing."
Lucifer ignored him. "Sit. Close your eyes. Feel the energy. Spread it through your limbs. Let it fill you."
Jack sighed dramatically but obeyed. Edward sat cross‑legged, trembling. Lucifer placed a hand on each of their shoulders.
"Now… breathe."
Day One — Awakening
Jack felt it first — a spark in his chest, like a match being struck. His guns hummed in response.
Edward gasped. "I can… see farther. Like the horizon is closer."
Lucifer nodded. "Good
Keep going."
Day Two — Strengthening
Jack summoned a pistol. It appeared instantly, glowing with hellfire.
He fired at a rock.
The bullet exploded into a burst of compact flame.
Jack grinned. "Oh yeah. This is getting fun."
Edward marked a wall with a glowing symbol. The mark pulsed, then vanished.
"I… I can feel where it is," he whispered. "Like a second sense."
Lucifer smiled faintly. "Excellent."
Day Three — Expansion
Jack summoned a shotgun. When he fired, two small fire tornadoes spiraled out, ripping through a pile of debris.
Edward marked a bird flying overhead. His eyes glowed gold.
"I can see through the mark," he whispered. "Like I'm there
Lucifer's axes crackled with energy. Keep going."
Day Four — Mastery
Jack summoned a riot shield. The word RAID glowed across the front.
Lucifer stepped back. "Jack. Don't—"
The shield expanded, the letters stretching, twisting, becoming a spinning fire drill that tore a trench into the ground.
Jack laughed. sighed. "I LOVE THIS PLACE."
Edward marked Jack's shoulder. "I can send locations to allies now. Directly into their minds."
"Ja"Jack. ck… Jack "Bro," "Bro, "Bro,"Broshivered. "Bro, don't send me weird stuff."
Edward blushed. blushed. blushed. "I won't!"
Lucifer shook his head. blushed. head. head. "Children."
Day Five — Revelation
Lucifer stood in the center of the yard, eyes closed. closed. closed. His axes floated around him, spinning slowly.
"Watch," he said.
He opened a portal.
Then another.
Then another.
Each portal connected to the others with crackling lines of energy — like lightning linking storm clouds.
"This," Lucifer said, "is my true ability. ability. ability. The more portals I create… create… create… the more links form between them. them. them. And the more links…" links…" links…" He snapped his fingers.
A bolt of lightning shot from one portal to another, blasting a crater into the ground.
"…the more charge I can build."
Jack whistled. whistled. whistled. "Okay, that's actually badass."
Edward nodded. nodded. nodded. "We're ready."
Lucifer looked at them—the—the—the reckless human with hellfire weapons; the scrawny kid with marks and sight; and himself, the fallen priest‑angel with lightning portals.
"In five days," he said, "you've all grown stronger."
He tightened his grip on his axes.
"Good. "Good. "Good. Because the event is coming. . And the mystery person won't be easy."
Jack grinned. "Bro," and "Still betting it's a girl."
Lucifer sighed. laughed. please stop."