The main porch area of Everwood trembled as the massive convoy drew closer.
Lucifer stood ready. He wore an obsidian-black matte sacrificial robe, his silver hair fluttering in the wind, emerald eyes shooting venomous poison. In his hand rested the same obsidian-black cleaver. No one knew where he had gotten that robe or those boots. No one dared ask.
When Westeria reached her room, she saw a figure that looked like Lucifer yet wasn't. An aura of pure bloodlust and death surrounded him. Allen stood beside him, shivering uncontrollably.
Lucifer spoke to both of them, voice cold and commanding.
"I'm going outside. Make sure Mom, Amelia, and Dad are present there within two minutes. Take Travis out and tie him to the nearest tree. Surround the house with one layer of protective barrier and another layer of sound barrier. I don't want any unwanted guests intruding."
He left without another word.
None of the servants spoke, but they all knew one thing: either today Lucifer and the Purefield branch family would die, or Lucifer would eradicate them all.
Soon Mia, Amelia, and Christopher arrived and asked, "Where is Lucifer?"
Allen answered flatly, "He left."
Westeria added, "And he asked us to bring all of you outside, create a protective barrier and a sound barrier."
Allen continued, "And to tie Travis to the tree outside…"
As he spoke, a small whisper reached only Allen's ears:
"Allen, bring Mephis out with all of you. Prepare two large containers and two big buckets."
Allen murmured, "Yes, Master," and went to fulfill the commands. He had no idea how Lucifer had spoken directly to him without anyone else hearing, but he was certain it was his master.
Now the whole of Everwood was awake as the convoy finally reached its destination.
Lucifer stood two hundred meters in front of his house. The servants, Amelia, Mia, Westeria, Christopher, and Mephis stood about twenty meters away from the house. Travis was tied to a tree — awake but powerless.
Lucifer called out, "Allen and Westeria, listen well. Allen, come here with a container along with Mephis. Westeria, come with the bucket. No one from this convoy will go back today."
Seeing this, the head of the convoy — Cedywin — declared, "People of Everwood, we have no animosity with you. Just hand over the Purefields and Lucifer's head, and we will leave peacefully."
Lucifer's voice cut through the air like ice.
"If any one of you — any single one — steps even an inch outside your houses, no matter if it's men, women, children, elders, or animals, they will die by my own hands. If you think I'm blowing this out of proportion… try me."
No one dared speak or move. They had all seen the recording. Right now Lucifer looked far more menacing than in the video.
Then Lucifer spoke again, voice dripping with deadly calm.
"Now I'm going to give you all a fine example of what happens if you mess with the devil in an angel's family."
He gestured toward the mages in the front row.
"You ten — say goodbye."
The moment the words left his mouth, he vanished from everyone's sight. Sudden screams tore through the field as twenty severed hands dropped to the ground.
Lucifer ordered Allen, "Collect all the organs and mutilate them into bite-size pieces."
To Westeria he said, "Come here and collect all the flowing blood in the bucket."
Everyone stood dumbfounded. Was this the same Lucifer they knew?
Lucifer didn't stop. He grabbed a fallen forearm, placed it carefully on the ground, and showed Allen exactly what to do.
"See and do exactly what I'm showing you. If you fail to learn it… forget that you ever had hands."
Allen stood drenched in sweat. Westeria was equally drenched, having never seen this side of Lucifer before.
Lucifer raised his cleaver.
Thwakkk… Thuddd… Thakkkk… Thwaekk… Thudddkk… Thakk…
He mutilated the arm into perfect 1cm pieces and said, "Just like these bite-size pieces. Put them in the container. Understand?"
Allen's eyes contorted in horror as he nodded.
Mia, Amelia, and Christopher were speechless. Mephis was frightened to his core, lowering his head the moment Lucifer's eyes glanced at him.
Lucifer then began butchering the ten mages in earnest. After slicing off their hands, he handed the cleaver to Allen and one by one gouged out their eyes while they screamed in agony:
"Aaaaaghaaaaaaaaa…!"
"Oooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas…!"
"Haaaaaahaaaaavaaaaaaaaaooaaaaa…!"
"Pardon me… par… par… paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…!"
"Forgi… aahaaaaaaaaaaaaaoooahhhhhh…!"
"Help… help me… helaaaaaaaaaaaaaassaaaaa!"
"No… no… no… nooooooooooooooo…!"
"Devil… devuuuhhhhhhhuhhhhhhhhhhh…!"
"Leave me… I'll give you womemmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…!"
"Oooooaaaaaahhhoooooooohhhhhhhhh…!"
Once all eyes were gouged out, he grabbed their jaws, pulled their tongues out, twisted their legs at impossible angles, and finally ripped their heads from their torsos.
When the ten mages finally met their end, Lucifer told Allen, "Collect all body parts, chop them, collect their blood, and cast it aside."
Only Lucifer's voice echoed across the silent field. Cedywin had lost all courage to speak.
Lucifer warned once more, "Those who turn their backs and run will be the first to die by my hands."
No one dared move. Village chief Derek was vomiting — it was the first time he had witnessed such brutality.
Lucifer looked at the remaining mages and said coldly, "If you don't want this kind of end, stay right here. Make one wrong move and I'll cut your dicks, shove them up your own assholes, cut your balls and make you gulp them down. Understood? Or do you want a demonstration?"
All remaining mages immediately dropped their wands and waited silently for death.
Then Lucifer gestured toward Cedywin.
"You all are knights of the Asher Duchy, no? The strongest household of Lustbound Heaven? The king's mother comes from your lineage? Let's see what you've really got."