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𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄:
𝐒𝐖𝐀𝐍 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆.
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❛ 𝘞𝘌𝘓𝘊𝘖𝘔𝘌 𝘏𝘖𝘔𝘌 ❜
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𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐋 𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 nephilim came back to himself. Flashes of lightning illuminated only slightly as thunder roared fiercely. There was a tint of red gleam that hardly let Nathaniel make out where he had woken so suddenly. But when metal bars came into view as they entrapped him, the nephilim was sure where he resided.

Nathaniel had seen it too many times in his dreams before to even begin to mistake it.

Hell.

"Welcome home."

Thunder blasted and Nathaniel almost chuckled at God's comedic timing. The realization of him being dead and Lucifer standing just feet away- in the flesh- made Nathaniel smirk humorlessly. Leave it to the almighty being that was the nephilim's grandfather to make Nathaniel bunk with his deadbeat of a father.

Nathaniel hummed. "You've been waiting a long time for this, huh."

"You can only imagine," Lucifer smiled wickedly in Nathaniel's direction. "And just as I told you it would happen, did it not?"

"Yup," Nathaniel popped the last letter. "Gave up my life in a second."

There was pride in that sentence. Because dying in Hope's place felt like an honor if that meant she could still have a life to live. But Lucifer only shook his head with an incredulous laugh, as if he were mocking Nathaniel's choices.

"Silly boy," Lucifer tsked. "Got that from your mother, I suppose. Couldn't be me."

"Good," Nathaniel instantly responded. "Would've offed myself sooner if I was anything like you."

Lucifer hummed before pacing.

In all of Nathaniel's dreams, Lucifer had been different to how the fallen angel was presenting himself to be with the nephilim standing just mere meters before him. More serious, threatening, menacing. All traces of humor and playfulness nowhere in sight. Lucifer meant business, and Nathaniel could only scowl at him.

"The door's unlocked," Nathaniel noted, eyeing the metal bar door just behind Lucifer. "It opened when I died. Why are you still here?"

Lucifer smiled. "I can't just go topside without tying up some loose ends."

With that, realization washed over Nathaniel's features- Lucifer needed his grace. It was the only reason the fallen angel had tried to stick around Genesis until Nathaniel was born before the two hunters locked him away. Nephilim's would always be stronger than their successors and Lucifer was well aware of that.

Nathaniel was a loose end.

"You can't degrace me, hotshot," Nathaniel looked his father up and down. "It's not that easy."

Lucifer snorted sarcastically. "I've been around longer than you have, stud. Don't you think I'd be well aware of that by now?"

"So, what's the plan then, Luce?"

Something clanked on the ground and Nathaniel's eyes instantly fell on the piece of metal that had been tossed into the cage, making the nephilim's heart skip a beat- it was Michael's sword. Lucifer turned his back to Nathaniel in order to pick it up before turning with a smirk on his face. The nephilim went stiff in his place.

"A little birdy told me Hope Mikaelson used a black magic spell from her grimoire to suck the grace out of you," Lucifer recalled and Nathaniel's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I sent the birdy to go off and find it for me but he was unsuccessful."

Nathaniel followed Lucifer's eyes to the person standing just outside the cage and-

"Jed," Nathaniel breathed in disbelief.

Jed smiled and blinked once to reveal black eyes before softly waving at Nathaniel.

The nephilim felt like he was going to be sick.

"Jed hasn't been Jed for some time now," Lucifer chuckled harshly.

Just following protocol-

Don't trust anyone, not even those closest to you-

It all had been right in front of Nathaniel- how did he not see it? Jed constantly pushing the nephilim towards Hope Mikaelson, trying to take out Landon Kirby in order for there to be no other competition. They needed Nathaniel to love her enough to die for her. It was all a plan. And it worked out accordingly.

"Anyway," Lucifer brought Nathaniel out of his thoughts. "Turns out Hope burned the spell, much to your luck. But Michael's sword just happened to be laying in a safe down here and Gabriel timing you out was enough to crack it open."

Nathaniel's face turned blank. "You sent that demon to Mystic Falls High in hopes I would burn off my grace by smiting it."

Lucifer winked. "Smart boy."

"So Gabriel was in on this too?"

"No," Lucifer responded. "I just happen to know my brother well enough."

Nathaniel hummed sarcastically. "Well, congratulation, Lucy. You're a deadbeat but it's nice to see you're good enough to see a plan through, at least."

Lucifer rolled his eyes.

But Nathaniel didn't let him speak.

"Come on. Let's see you use that thing."

▆▆▆▆▆▆ ★ ▆▆▆▆▆▆

unedited.
the end.
so, big reveals huh? i told you not to
trust anyone and ya'll had jed on a pedestal. everything had a meaning. this finale is
literally the same finale i had in my head
since i started this book. never once
changed it. so i'm really happy.

thank you so much for reading.

and see you in part two (hopefully).