Lucifer: Godless Reawakening

"I knew you would sense me," the man said without turning to face William.

He stood over six feet tall with a lean build and perfectly straight posture.

His gaze remained fixed on the village William had come to call home.

A flicker of amusement crossed the man’s crimson eyes as he murmured, "It’s surprising to see the world’s impartial protector captivated by something as human as emotion."

William’s expression remained cold. "What do you want?"

The man, or rather, the Devil, finally turned to face him.

"I believe you already know. Or perhaps you don’t." His lips curved into a faint smile. "Considering you still haven’t regained your true strength, it’s very possible you don’t even know what we’re fighting for."

William folded his arms across his chest.

"And what makes you so certain I’m not the same person you remember?"

The Devil’s smile widened.

"The Morningstar I knew would never allow anyone to become his emotional anchor. That man was incapable of forming such a bond. He carried the weight of his responsibilities alone, never allowing anyone to get close enough to matter."

William let out a quiet hum. "You’re right about one thing. I’m not that being anymore. My priorities have changed."

The demon extended a hand toward him.

"Then cast aside this burden you insist on carrying. Give me the Key to Nexus, and neither you nor those you cherish will ever be troubled by our kind again. I, the Fifth Monarch beneath the Crown of Hades, give you my word."

William merely shrugged.

"I don’t have what you’re looking for. Remember? I’m not the same person."

The Devil’s eyes narrowed.

"Don’t play games with me, human. The consequences won’t fall on you alone."

The atmosphere changed in an instant.

The clouds above the village twisted into a massive vortex as crimson energy bled through them, staining the sky a deep scarlet.

"It would take me less than a moment to decide the fate of your people," the Devil said, his voice devoid of warmth. "You may survive, but I swear upon my name, not a single one of them will."

The threat was unmistakable.

Refuse him, and the village would cease to exist.

Yet William didn’t so much as flinch. He simply stood there, calm and utterly unfazed.

"What is it?" the Devil asked with a mocking smile. "Thinking of a way to negoti..."

His voice abruptly stopped.

A subtle but undeniable shift rippled through the air.

Both William and the Devil turned toward their left.

A figure descended from the heavens with terrifying speed, the force behind the fall threatening to shake the entire area.

Yet only a few meters above the ground, the figure came to an abrupt halt, slowing with impossible precision.

As the dust settled, the face of a black-haired young man came into view.

"You finally decided to show yourself, Skar," Kevin said.

Or rather, the one currently possessing Kevin’s body.

William narrowed his eyes.

Lord Michael.

The moment Michael sensed the Devil Emperor making contact with him, he must have abandoned all hesitation and descended into Kevin’s body.

Skar clicked his tongue, his expression darkening.

"Fidgety pigeons have no place here."

Michael’s gaze turned icy.

"Consider yourself fortunate that you’re still standing instead of kneeling and begging for death."

The warning carried unmistakable menace, telling the Devil Emperor not to overstep his bounds.

Skar let out a scornful laugh.

"And who exactly would make that happen? This frail human vessel you’re hiding in?"

There wasn’t the slightest hint of fear in his voice.

A Devil Emperor stood on an entirely different level from a General.

Serving beneath every Emperor were, on average, more than twenty Generals. Yet even a single General possessed enough power to bring an entire city to ruin on their own.

That alone was enough to reveal just how terrifying an Emperor truly was.

Skar’s very presence in this world was a calamity, a curse capable of plunging humanity into eternal darkness.

Yet neither the Devil nor the Angel made the first move.

There was only one reason for that.

Both of them turned their attention to William.

"Give me the Key," Skar demanded. "Do that, and I will spare this world."

Michael answered with a snarl.

"If you want the Key, then earn it like a warrior. Fight for it."

Skar’s eyes narrowed.

"My armies will trample this world and slaughter your people before dawn."

Michael let out a cold chuckle.

"You place far too much faith in those mindless hordes of yours. The moment you open the Gates of Hell, we’ll hunt you to the ends of the world."

"And what makes either of you think I’ll let that happen?"

The calm voice cut through their heated exchange with effortless authority.

William stood between them, his expression composed as he looked from one to the other, as though he had merely pointed out an obvious fact.

Skar studied him.

"You truly believe you can stop this war in your incomplete state?"

William let out a quiet hum.

Then, without another word, he tilted his head toward the sky and slowly closed his eyes.

Tngg

"Guh!"

Michael suddenly grunted in pain before dropping to one knee.

Skar fared no better.

His legs gave out beneath him, and he dropped onto the ground as an overwhelming numbness spread through his mind.

Both men glared at William.

His expression remained as calm as ever.

"Neither of you can descend upon the mortal plane in your true forms. And as long as you’re confined to these vessels, your lives are at my mercy."

"Y... you..." Michael growled through gritted teeth.

William’s gaze shifted toward him.

"Don’t test my patience, Michael. I’m nowhere near as forgiving as my wife."

There was no anger in his voice.

Only a quiet certainty that promised unimaginable violence should the forces of Light make the first move.

Skar slowly tightened his fist but made no attempt to stand.

"You can’t stop what’s coming," he said coldly. "War is inevitable. And this time, you won’t be able to prevent total annihilation."

William gave a small hum of acknowledgment.

"Then go ahead and try."

His answer was so casual that it caught both of them off guard.

"I won’t stop you."

Then his voice grew colder, every word engraving itself into the souls of the two beings before him.

"But remember what I told you earlier."

"I’m not the person you remember."

"So don’t expect mercy from me. Once the dust settles, I couldn’t care less whether either of your races still exists."

A chilling silence followed.

"For me, only one person’s life matters."

"If protecting that one person means erasing everything else, then I will do it without a second thought."

The message was clear. Crossing a certain boundary awaits ruin they all have witnessed before and that’s the reason why neither side could move recklessly.

This version of Morningstar was supposed to be tamer and a lot weaker. However, in those endless crimson eyes, all they saw was a promise.

A promise of carnage.

°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you have been enjoying the story till this point, I would appreciate a review. We came so far, and thanks to you guys who kept reading it, we are about to see the story’s end.

Only two Chapters remaining.