Trigger Warning: The story's content does not mean to disrespect any religion. It was all based on the writer's imagination and did not mean to make readers feel sympathy towards evil. Moreover, the content does not reflect the writer's perspective about sensitive topics in real life. Reader discretion is advised.

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒫𝓁𝒶𝓎𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘸-𝘑𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘴

≿━━━༺❀༻━━━≾

In the deepest depths of the Ninth circle of hell, within an isolated cell, there resides a man bound in chains, drowned in an unending cycle of the sins he has committed. These sins, ranging from the envy that led him to murder his own brother to the betrayal of his own soul, haunt him incessantly.

"Eden has long been tainted! You planted the seed of jealousy, and now darkness is starting to root in your heart, Cain!" Abel's voice, filled with a mix of sorrow and accusation, kept ringing in his ears.

He had seen this countless times. His hands are a canvas of blood, a testament to the repetition of his actions. Abel's last words are a constant reminder of his past and a vision of a woman he wasn't able to forget. A woman who would rather take her own life than be with him.

This is his hell. Even on his death, he could not escape it. His body and soul had to embrace this eternal punishment.

"I once had everything, but now, I have nothing but only a sinful soul." He groveled, his voice a hoarse whisper, as the fires of hell started engulfing his physical body, burning him over and over again. His skin blistered and cracked, his screams lost in the roar of the flames.

His laughter echoed. The agony he experienced was nothing compared to the relentless flood of memories that tormented him with each cycle of his personal hell.

"Brotherhood over rivalry? I never wanted that! I just wanted to be seen and valued! I just wanted to stand as your equal, Abel!" He remembers the fury in his eyes when he said those words. He was desperate to be never seen as Abel's shadow, to be acknowledged for his own worth and not just in comparison to his brother.

"Wow! What are the odds of seeing the first sinner in hell crying in blood?" Belial snorted as he entered Cain's loop. "Cain, are you playing bloody Mary?" He continued to mock.

Inside Cain's hell loop, he was on top of the mountain hill where he killed his brother with his own hands. No matter how many times he tried to stop himself from killing Abel, he couldn't control himself. Kusang gumagalaw ang kamay niya. Umiyak man siya ng dugo sa pagsisisi ay hindi niya pa rin kaya baguhin ang nakaraan.

"Urgh. . ." Belial let out a disgusted expression when Cain crushed Abel's head using a stone. Abel's bloody and disfigured face was nothing. What disgusted him was the look on Cain's face.

"Oh, look at that," Belial rolls his eyes before looking down at him.

"Isn't it too late to start a regret party now? Hell, I don't really understand why men of all different creatures went crazy for a woman!" He snorted before sitting on a giant rock to watch a full view of Cain kneeling in front of Abel's disfigured corpse.

"What do you want?" Matalas na tanong ni Cain. Napangiwi naman si Belial.

"You must be delusional thinking I wanted to be here." He countered sarcastically before crossing his legs. "I came to ask a few questions." Saglit munang napasulyap si Cain sa bangkay ng kapatid niya bago tumayo.

"What makes you think I will answer those questions?" Nagkunwaring nag-iisip ang binata sa naging tanong nito.

"Because I'm the Demon of Destruction, and I can show you the image that made you lose all threads of humanity within you. The person that caused your destruction." An image flashed in his mind upon hearing Belial's proud remark.

He wanted to see her at least once.

Kaagad na napangisi si Belial nang makita ang pagbabago ng ekspresyon sa mukha ni Cain. "So, will you answer my questions now?" Hindi ito sumagot, subalit makikitaan ng pagsang-ayon ang mga mata nito.

"Are you the serpent's seed?"

LUCIFER pursed his lips when Satan's presence faded away while he was in the middle of locating him. Hinampas nito ang manibela at padabog na lumabas ng sasakyan upang magsindi ng sigarilyo sa tapat ng gasolinahan.

What a waste of time. Kung nag live na lang sana siya ay baka marami na siyang pera na nakuha. Why does that bastard have to suddenly show up and then leave without a trace? Tsk!

Akmang babalik na ito sa loob ng sasakyan nang may marinig siya. A group of people were chanting demonic praise. But it was not the praise that got his attention but their language. How in the name of hell did these filthy humans learn to speak in Demoniac?

Feeling awfully disgusted, he followed where the chanting was coming from. He found himself walking in a ghost town that appears to be an abandoned village. Mula sa labas ay may kulay itim na bandiritas na nakasabit sa bawat kabahayan na naroon at malayo pa lang ay may naaamoy na siyang usok. And the smoke smells like those of broken bones and blood.

"A Baphomet Sigil?" He did a little laugh, roaming his eyes where he could see the symbol of an inverted cross and pentagram written in blood.

This place seems to be a cult or some kind of anti-church organization that worships demons —or so he thought.

"Sanguis bibimus. Corpus edimus. Tolle corpus Satani. Ave." Kumunot ang noo ng binata nang maintindihan niya ang isinisigaw ng mga ito. They are actually worshiping Satan? To think humans worship him as a God, how daring. Pero at least may sariling fans club si Satan.

But, well, as Satan's superior, he wanted to see how much influence he had with the filthy humans—so he decided to enter an old gothic church with dried black candles on its staircase.

"Ave, ave Versus Christus! Ave, ave Versus Christus! Ave, ave Versus Christus! Ave Satani!" When he opened the door, a bald man wearing a black cloak appeared behind it with a creepy smile that didn't even scare him.

"Are you here to worship our Lord Satan?" He raised his left hand, pointing in the direction where a certain worshipping ritual was held. There was a huge Baphomet Sigil just below the altar with a human skull and bones in its centre as an offering. Five people wear black cloaks outside the symbol, silently chanting their evil prayers. In contrast, the others knelt on the ground with their heads touching it.

"What do you call this?" tanong niya.

"This is called Satanism, my good sir. Would you like to be one of us?" He almost laughed. One of them? Does he even realize what he's talking about?

"Tell me about this Satanism."

"Unlike those self-righteous religions, we believe that everything is flawed. That absolute moral standards do not exist, and individuals bear full responsibility for their actions and the consequences that arise from them." Slowly, his head nodded. For a moment, he wanted to give them applause.

It turns out there are also humans with brains. How surprising.

"We worship Satan the light-bringer, our lord, the devil, Lucifer." Kaagad na nagbago ang ekspresyon sa mukha ni Lucifer dahil sa narinig. What the hell is this human even saying?

"Did you just say Satan and Lucifer are the same person right in front of me?" Hindi makapaniwala nitong bulalas, subalit bakas ang diin sa bawat salitang binibitawan nito. It was as if one wrong answer from this bald prick and he would wring his neck and crush his head.

There, he thought these insects had grown smart; it turns out they were just as stupid as they were thousands of years ago.

Daring to worship a demon and spread evil by using his name but could not even identify the difference between him and Satan. Absurd!

"Sir?" Napaatras ang lalaking kaharap nang makita ang pamumula ng mata nito. A unique symbol was visible in his eyes, Lucifer's Symbol as the Ruler of Hell. The Sin of Pride.

"Oh my Go—" Napatakip ito ng bibig sa gulat. A strong gush of wind extinguished the lights from the candles as the ambience inside the Satanic Temple gloomed. Dahil sa hangin ay natanggal ang balabal na suot ng kalbong kaharap ng binata at kitang-kita ang pamamawis sa makinis nitong ulo.

As a crack of thunder roared in the sky, the air had a stench of decay—as if thousands of corpses were dumped inside the temple. Fear swept through them when a shadow of a tall figure appeared before them. It was a man wearing a cold expression on his face, devoid of any emotion.

"Who do you worship, Satan or Lucifer?" Nagkatinginan naman ang mga ito. They had no idea who the man was, but somehow, his presence alone invoked that he was no ordinary person.

"Who are you, and how did you get here? Stop asking stupid questions! Satan and Lucifer are the same person!" One of the arrogant worshippers retorted.

Lucifer tilts his head, and his eyes become sharper—rendering the man who spoke speechless. "Do you want me to bring you all to hell to know the difference between Satan and Lucifer?" He paused, clicking his tongue while brushing his hair, slowly walking towards them.

"You dare call me Satan?!" Pagalit nitong tanong. Nanlaki ang mata ng mga ito nang saglit na makita ang kahindik-hindik na mukha ng isang demonyo.

Hindi nila alam kung ano ang tamang maging reaksyon nila, ang matuwa ba dahil personal silang nakakita ng demonyo, o matakot dahil sa hindi makatao nitong hitsura. The old head of the temple gathered his bravery and strength to approach him—raising both of his hands in the air as if he was worshiping.

"Alas! I knew it! Demons are real!" He knelt in front of him. "My Lord, Satan is real!" Lucifer grabbed his neck and lifted him in the air, eyes glimmering red.

"I told you, I am not Satan." The head of the temple began to suffocate as his grip on his neck tightens. "Pathetic fool! You worship upon a name without knowing who he is and understanding the weight of his name?" Bumaka ang bibig ng matanda upang magsalita, pero tila ba nawalan siya ng boses dahil sa higpit ng pagkakasakal sa kanya.

"Satan is the Sin of Wrath, one who accuses and tortures filthy lambs like you. He is my shadow, my echo, who carries my will for vengeance and destruction." He proudly said, eyes darting at them like burning coals.

Even if they were to tremble and faint in fear, he couldn't just let it pass. They dared to create their own fan club and didn't even know the difference between them.

"I am Lucifer, the Sin of Pride! The Ruler of Hell! The punisher! The Rabel!"

"L-Lord Lucifer, please forgive our ignorance." Pabalibag na binitawan ng binata ang matandang sakal-sakal niya. Tumama ang likod nito sa candle stand pero kaagad din itong lumuhod sa harapan niya upang mag bigay pugay.

"Hail, Lord Lucifer! The true Fallen One! Our God! Lead us to the right path and give us salvation!" Parang may pumitik na ugat sa ulo nito nang sabay-sabay nila itong sabihin.

Salvation?

"Your naive pleas of salvation are laughable." A dangerous chuckle left his lips. "Don't tell me you will also ask for redemption?" With a flick of his finger, the tall chair from the center of the temple dashed in front of him.

"Salvation is a luxury you can't afford, for humans like you are already damned. Your deeds have always betrayed your words," mapaglaro nitong anas bago umupo sa upuan.

"But we remained loyal to you, Our Lord! We have faith in you to save us!" He crossed his legs and leaned both arms on the chair's armrest, looking at them as if they were useless little pests he could kill in just a snap.

They ask a demon—no—the devil to save them?

"You embody all that feels broken in this world. You confuse lust for love and deception for truth. Your hearts are stained by filth. You envy. You cheat. Your soul has long been sold to me when you started harbouring hate and intent to murder your kind." Bawat salitang binibitawan nito ay tila ba sunod-sunod na saksak sa kanila bilang isang mortal na tao.

"There is no salvation or redemption for you but only endless torment."

For Lucifer, the existence of humans is a mockery of life. They were rotting of sin and only bred suffering. They were nothing but corrupt, unworthy animals like you.

"Yes! Yes! You have blessed us with your presence and wisdom! Humans like us are weak; you are one mighty being who could save us all from this wicked world!" They continued to worship him.

He stood up and clenched his fist as memories began to surge in his mind. Save them. Save them. He had heard enough of those words since the rebellion. He can't save them. He could never.

In a rage, his wings erupted from his back. They all look at him, his majestic white wings emanating a different kind of light that could devour every lingering darkness in the world.

And that's when they realize that demons are not just all about gruesome faces and ugly horns and tails. He was Lucifer, the light-bringer, the once beautiful angel that was God's favourite.

PAGBUKAS ni Ammon ng pinto ay napamura ito nang may sumabog na confetti sa pagmumukha niya. Inikot niya ang paningin niya sa paligid at kaagad na nangunot ang noo niya sa nasaksihan.

Baal just popped the confetti in front of him with a party horn stuck in his mouth. Mali ang pagkakahawak ni Satan ng confetti kaya sa itlog niya ito sumabog. Asmodeus wrote a "HOMECOMING PARTY" with a creepy font on the white concrete wall using red paint.

Belphegor was wearing a party hat, sleeping on the couch with an icing cake spread in his face na mukhang kagagawan pa ni Loki na nakadapa sa dibdib niya. While Avalon runs towards the kitchen to give an ice pack to Satan's swollen balls.

What chaotic homecoming party is this?

"Baal, you bastard!" Satan yelled, bumunghalit naman ng tawa si Beelzebub. "Huwag mo sabihing kasalanan ko rin yan?" Nang-aasar nitong binugahan ng hangin ang torotot sa bibig bago beletan si Satan.

"Kasalanan ko bang baliktad pagkakahawak mo sa confetti popper? Ulol!"

"You—"

Nagising naman si Belphegor nang marinig ang ingay ng pagbasag ng mga pinggan at kung ano-anong bagay sa paligid dahil sa paghahabulan ni Satan at Baal. He grimaced and immidiately created a small barrier to protect Loki in his arms. Inaantok itong bumangon nang hindi pinapansin ang lagkit ng icing sa mukha niya.

"What the fuck is that?" Nakataas kilay niyang tanong nang makita ang ginagawa ni Asmodeus.

"Are you really trying to welcome him or wishing him of his death?" Sarkastiko nitong bulalas. Napangiwi naman si Asmodeus. "Hindi mo ba nakikitang 'Homecoming Party' nakalagay?" Napailing na lang ito at humikab.

"The font you're using looks like a warning from a kidnapper demanding a ransom. You suck." Padabog siyang dinuro ni Asmodeus.

"Shut up! Why don't you help decorating instead of sleeping your ass off!" Nginuso niya si Loki na kinakapa-kapa ang dibdib niya sa ilalim ng shirt na suot niya.

"Can't you see I'm babysitting this little punk? Mabuti ka pa 'yan lang ginagawa mo, e ako—Aww! Hey!" Napaigik ito sa sakit nang lapirutin ni Loki ang nananahimik niyang utong.

"Lord Satan, here's the ice pack! Are your balls okay, My Lord?" Tila walang narinig ang mga ito at patuloy na nagkalat at naghabulan sa loob.

"Don't worry about his balls, Avalon. Why don't you check mine if it's still okay?" Nakangising pagpapapansin ni Asmodeus dito na ikinairap lang niya. Kaagad naman tinakpan ni Belphegor ang tainga ni Loki na walang kamuwang-muwang na sinasampal-sampal ang mukha niya.

"Lord Asmodeus, I believe you have bedded me once, and I can attest that your balls are just fine." May bahid ng sakrasmo nitong sagot.

"Get a room! May bata rito!"

Hindi na napigilan ni Ammon ang sarili niya at natawa na rin sa kaguluhang nasaksihan. Be it in the Infernal Regions or in this realm, they are still the same chaotic unhinged psychos.

"Ammon, have you me—" Hindi naituloy ni Lilith ang sasabihin niya nang mabungaran niya ang kaganapan. Sakto namang naghagis ng lumpia si Satan at naiwasan ito ni Baal kaya tumama ito sa noo ni Lilith.

Mabilis na natigilan ang mga ito dahil sa nangyari. Katahimikan ang bumalot sa mansyon at wala ni isa sa kanila ang nakagalaw. Halos nga hindi na makahinga ang mga ito habang hinihintay kung ano ang magiging reaksyon niya.

"Kneel!"

Paglaan ng ilang minuto ay parang mga bata itong nakaluhod sa harapan niya. Tanging si Loki lang ang pagapang-gapang sa sahig habang tinatawanan silang lahat.

"Why am I even dragged into this?" Buntong-hininga ni Ammon na siyang nakaluhod din sa harapan ni Lilith kasama sila Avalon. Mukha itong nanay na nagdedesiplina ng mga anak.

"You've grown pubic hairs and still act like a child!" Asmodeus raised his hand to interrupt her.

"I'm shaved."

"Me too!" Sang-ayon ni Baal.

Malakas na binatukan ni Satan ang mga ito sakaya sabay silang napaingos. Pagkatapos ay napalingon naman sila sa gawi ni Belphegor nang bigla itong bumagsak sa sahig at tulog na tulog na naman. Sumusukong napasapo na lang ng noo si Lilith. Konting-konti na lang ay uubusan na siya ng pasensya.

Kumuha ito ng upuan at pumwesto sa harapan nila bago ito umupo roon. "Explain why you're here in one minute, Ammon before I kick you out in the mansion naked and leave you in the streets." Hindi makapaniwalang umangat ng tingin ang binata sa kanya. Nagpipigil naman ng tawa si Asmodeus at Baal sa narinig.

Bakit ako pinagbubuntungan niya ng galit?!

And so, he explained what happened. Matapos niya naman magpaliwanag ay muling nananahimik ang mga ito. Bakas ang pagtataka at pagkagulat sa kanilang mukha. They couldn't believe that Lucifer had a twin, and that the Savants have recognized Lucianna as the new Mistress of Hell. It was even more absurd to think that Lucifer willingly gave the throne to his twin like nothing.

"And that's how I managed to live in Japan," pagtatapos niya ng kwento.

"Wow, and there I thought Asmodeus had it rough to find a sugar mommy and become a porn star, and there you are—the Sin of Greed becoming a famous thief slash cosplayer? How insp—"

"Could you shut up for a minute?" Seryosong pakiusap ni Satan dito. Baal bit his lip and smiled awkwardly. "I've been to Europe, but there's not a trace of an Archdemon." Napatango naman ang mga ito.

"Eve said they could have hidden it to hide from the sight of Archangels," Asmodeus commented as he picked up Loki on the ground.

"We only need to find Levi and Luci. Europe and North America, right?" pagkukumpirma naman ni Baal.

"I can try to find Lord Leviathan and Lord Lucifer." Napatingin sila kay Avalon. Ammon and Asmodeus agreed, but Baal and Satan bare the eyes of hesitation. Dahil kung aalis si Avalon ay silang dalawa ang mai-istress sa pagbabantay kay Loki.

"Stay here and keep everything in place. I will find those bastards." Their lips formed thin lines when they saw her eyes flaring red for a few seconds.

And the Archdemons could only wish she would bring them back in one piece.

G O L U C K Y C H A R M