The courtyard survived, mostly though. That was the kindest way to describe it.
The silver-leaf trees still stood, though several branches now burned with black fire instead of silver light. The stone path had cracked in five different directions. One of the academy fountains near the training ground leaned sideways, water spilling uselessly across the ground while a group of nervous servants debated whether touching it would make the damage worse.
At the center of the courtyard, Lucian stood with one hand resting calmly behind his back. His coat was slightly wrinkled. That was the extent of the damage that he received.
Across from him, Seraphina sat on the broken ground with her sword planted beside her. Her hair was a mess, her breathing was uneven, and a thin line of blood ran from the corner of her mouth. But she was smiling crazily.
Belia sat near the ruined table, staring at the remains of the plate Lucian had carefully placed down before the fight. The plate was gone and so was the table.
Whatever had been on the plate had either escaped or died bravely, but Lucian decided not to ask.
Belia's smile trembled. "My food…"
Lucian glanced at the smoking crater beside her. "It died with honor."
Belia looked up at him, her eyes were moist.
"That does not make me feel better, Lucian~"
"I can hold a funeral for it."
Seraphina laughed from the ground. "For food?"
Belia turned to her slowly. "You have held funerals for broken swords."
"They deserved respect."
"So did lunch."
Selene said nothing. She stood near one of the cracked pillars, one glove torn, her academy uniform dusted with ash. Her breathing was controlled, but not perfectly. That alone told Lucian enough.
She was tired. More tired than she wanted anyone to notice. Unfortunately for her, Lucian noticed everything.
"You are leaning on your left foot," he said.
Selene's eyes moved to him.
"I am not."
"You are."
"I am resting."
"On one foot."
Lucian smiled faintly. "You twisted your ankle."
Selene's expression did not change.
Belia looked over at once. "Selene?"
Seraphina tried to stand, failed once, then forced herself upright through sheer violence against her own body. "You got hurt?"
"I am fine."
Lucian stepped toward her.
Selene watched him come closer, calm as ever, though her fingers tightened slightly at her side.
He stopped in front of her and knelt. The courtyard went still, and the students hiding behind the pillars forgot how to breathe.
Selene looked down at him, she seemed unsure what to say.
Lucian reached for her ankle, then paused. "May I?"
Selene stared at him, color touched her cheeks.
"You are asking now?" she said softly.
"I have manners."
"You threw me through a fountain."
"You were trying to seal me."
"You noticed?"
"I simply stepped on the seal."
"On purpose?"
Lucian looked up at her.
Selene smiled faintly.
"Of course."
He touched her ankle gently. A thin thread of silver-black light moved from his fingers, wrapping around the injury before sinking beneath her skin.
The swelling faded first.
Then the bruise.
Then the torn muscle repaired itself beneath Selene's skin with quiet precision, leaving no scar, no pain, not even the faintest trace that she had been injured at all.
Selene's breath caught, but she did not pull away.
Lucian released her ankle and stood.
"Try it."
Selene moved her foot once, then again. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Perfect," she said.
"It should be."
Belia watched with narrowed eyes, her smile softer than usual. "Sometimes I wonder how you can use a light-based element so naturally, Lucian~"
Seraphina crossed her arms. "Considering his father, is that really surprising?"
Belia tilted her head. "His father is the most beautiful angel to ever fall."
"Was," Seraphina corrected.
Belia smiled. "Beauty does not disappear just because Heaven loses custody~"
Selene looked down at her healed ankle, then back at Lucian.
"Silver light, black flame, healing, destruction…" Her voice was quiet. "Your bloodline is unfair."
Lucian straightened his sleeve. "Complain to my father."
Seraphina scoffed. "I would rather fight my old man blindfolded."
"A wise decision," Lucian said.
Belia smiled sweetly. "So humble after healing a perfect injury~"
"It was not perfect."
Selene's eyes lifted to him.
Lucian gave her a faint smile. "It was on you. That made it unacceptable."
For a second, none of them spoke. Then Belia's cheeks turned pink. Seraphina clicked her tongue and looked away. Selene held his gaze for half a breath too long before lowering her eyes.
Lucian realized what he had said. He cleared his throat.
"She is injured," he said, as if that explained anything.
Seraphina's eyes sharpened at once. "I was injured first."
"You were laughing."
"That does not mean I was not injured."
"You all need rest."
Seraphina turned back immediately. "I need another round."
"You need a healer."
"I need victory."
"You need humility."
"I am engaged to the concept of victory, not humility."
Belia smiled. "I thought you were trying to be engaged to Lucian~"
Seraphina's face went red. "That is different."
"How?"
"It just is."
Selene's voice came soft and merciless. "How eloquent."
Seraphina pointed her sword at her. "I can still fight."
"You can barely stand."
"I can fall aggressively."
Lucian closed his eyes.
The courtyard gates opened before he could answer.
A palace guard entered.
The demon wore black ceremonial armor with a crimson cloak, his steps quick but controlled. He stopped several paces away from Lucian and bowed deeply.
"Your Highness."
Lucian opened his eyes.
"Yes?"
"His Majesty requests your presence."
Seraphina frowned. "Again?"
The guard kept his head lowered. "The guest has arrived."
Seraphina's eyes narrowed. "Solomon."
Lucian's expression became calm again, but the air around him shifted. The exhaustion from the spar vanished from his eyes, replaced by something brighter.
Belia sighed softly. "There it is again~"
Lucian looked at her. "What?"
"That look."
Seraphina clicked her tongue. "He looks like someone gave him a stronger opponent."
Selene studied him. "No. He is simply a training maniac."
Lucian smiled.
"That is a better description."
Seraphina groaned. "Do not encourage her."
Belia stepped closer and fixed the edge of Lucian's coat where the spar had wrinkled it. Her fingers lingered for half a second longer than necessary.
"Come back after you meet him," she said.
Lucian looked down at her. "Are you ordering me, Bel?"
"Asking sweetly~"
"Dangerous difference." She smiled.
Seraphina stepped in front of him next. "Do not let that old magician steal you for the whole day."
"Jealous of Solomon?"
"Yes."
Lucian blinked.
Seraphina did not look embarrassed.
"I appreciate the honesty," he said.
"I appreciate you remembering it."
Selene came last. She only looked at him with those calm eyes that always seemed to catch the thoughts he had not spoken yet.
"Be careful," she said.
Lucian's smile turned faintly amused. "With Solomon?"
"With yourself."
That stopped him. For a second, the teasing faded.
Selene's voice remained soft.
"You chase walls too eagerly, Lucian. One day, one might open before you are ready for what waits behind it."
Lucian held her gaze before he inclined his head. "I will remember that."
"You better."
Belia smiled. "Selene is scary when ignored~"
Seraphina snorted. "Selene is scary even when she is breathing."
Selene looked at her. "How flattering."
"It was not."
"I accepted it anyway."
Lucian turned before they could begin again. He looked at the guard. "Lead the way."
The guard bowed and moved. Lucian followed, leaving the courtyard behind.
.
.
.
The guard led Lucian down through the western wing, past the lower court, past the sealed archive, and toward a part of the palace few people ever saw.
The Hall of Thrones.
Lucian had been there only twice. Once when he was seven and had asked too many questions during a council session. Another when he was twelve and Lucifer decided he was old enough to watch a traitor be judged. Neither visit had been boring.
The doors opened before he touched them.
Inside, the hall stretched long and dark, lined with empty thrones carved from black stone. Each throne belonged to a Sin, a Duke, or an ancient noble house that had once ruled something powerful enough to deserve memory.
At the far end of the hall stood Lucifer Morningstar. Beside him was Lilith.
Lucian slowed.
Lilith rarely attended ordinary meetings.
The Mother of Demons stood with one hand resting lightly against a black cane, her long dark hair falling over one shoulder. She wore a fitted black dress threaded with crimson, elegant enough for court and severe enough for war. Her beauty was different from Lucifer's.
Lucifer made people want to fall.
Lilith made people wonder if they had already fallen and only realized too late.
Her eyes moved to Lucian, she smiled. "Little prince."
Lucian bowed. "Lady Lilith."
"Still polite." Her smile deepened. "How disappointing."
"I can be rude if you prefer."
"I prefer honesty."
"Then yes," Lucian said. "I am very curious why you are here."
Lilith laughed softly.
Lucifer looked mildly amused.
"Solomon is not an ordinary guest," Lucifer said.
"I assumed that when you called him annoying."
"Many people are annoying. Few require witnesses."
Lucian's gaze shifted, at the center of the hall stood a man. He did not look impressive. That was the first thing Lucian noticed.
White hair, plain robes, and a wooden staff held loosely in one hand. No crown, jewelry, and obvious aura pressing against the room. He looked like an old scholar who had walked into Hell by mistake.
The man turned. His eyes met Lucian's. Solomon looked at Lucian for a long moment.
Then he sighed.
"So," he said, "you are the child God made me lose a bet over."
Lucian paused. Lucifer closed his eyes as if already regretting the next few minutes. Lilith smiled like the day had improved.
Lucian looked at Solomon, slowly, he smiled. "Then I hope the bet was expensive."
Solomon stared at him. For one second, nothing happened. Then the old king laughed with genuine amusement of what he just heard.
"Oh," Solomon said. "This one is going to be troublesome."
Lucifer opened his eyes. "I warned you."
Solomon glanced at him. "No, you complained. There is a difference."
Lucian stepped forward. His posture remained flawless, his expression polite, but his eyes had sharpened.
"Lucian Morningstar," he said, bowing with perfect courtesy. "It is an honor to meet the legendary King of Magic."
Solomon studied him.
"Very careful hmm~?" he said. "I assumed your father warned you to watch your manners."
Lucian smiled. "He did."
"And yet you are already using them as a weapon."
Lucian's smile did not change.
Solomon's eyes narrowed slightly, then he looked at Lucifer. "You are certain this boy is fifteen?"
Lucifer sighed.
"Unfortunately."
Lilith's smile widened.
Solomon turned back to Lucian.
"Tell me, prince. What do you want from me?"
Lucian did not hesitate.
"Knowledge."
"Everyone says that."
"Then everyone is imprecise."
Solomon's eyebrow rose.
Lucian continued, calm and charming as ever.
"I want names that cannot be silenced. Laws that even gods must obey. Seals that hold when strength fails. Contracts written deep enough that thrones have to respect them."
His smile appeared slowly.
"And," he added, "I would like to know how a mortal annoyed Hell enough that three Dukes still curse when his name is spoken."
Lilith laughed.
Lucifer looked at his son.
Solomon leaned on his staff and stared at Lucian for a long moment before he smiled.
"Very well," Solomon said. "Let us see whether the son of Morningstar can survive being taught."
Lucian's eyes brightened.
The old king sighed.
"Ah," he said. "There is the madness."
Lucian bowed his head. "I prefer ambition."
"I have met ambitious men."
"Then perhaps you have been meeting the wrong ones."
Solomon looked at Lucifer again. Lucifer spread one hand slightly, as if to say he had done all he could.
Solomon exhaled through his nose. "Troublesome," he muttered.
Lucian's smile deepened.
"Thank you."
"That was not praise."
"With respect, Master Solomon," Lucian said, "from you, I suspect it is close enough."
For the second time that day, Solomon laughed.
And somewhere above Hell, beyond fire, throne, and shadow, a presence older than all of them watched quietly.
Amused.
Very amused.