The Deal With The Devil

The trickling of water broke the silence, pulling Lucifer from his uneasy sleep. He opened his eyes, squinting as he tried to adjust to the dim, unnatural light around him. The sound felt wrong, like it didn't belong in a place so cold and empty.

That's when he noticed it. The cold. He shouldn't feel cold. Immortals didn't feel things like that—yet here he was, his body aching with the unfamiliar chill. Something was wrong.

He reached out instinctively, placing a hand against the icy wall beside him. Pain shot through his fingers, sharp and biting, forcing him to pull away with a hiss. The sting lingered. His eyes narrowed as unease crept over him. Where was he?

It took effort, more than it should have, but Lucifer managed to push himself upright. His legs felt heavy, stiff. His fiery red eyes scanned the unfamiliar space as he moved cautiously. A cave.

The walls stretched endlessly, smooth and reflective, glowing faintly with a pale blue light that didn't seem to come from any source. Icicles hung from the high ceiling like jagged teeth, their sharp points ready to drop at the slightest tremor. Beneath him, the ground was uneven and laced with frost, leading toward a frozen lake at the cave's center.

The lake's surface was unnervingly clear, like a sheet of glass over an endless void. Thin cracks spread across it, delicate but unbroken, as if daring someone to step closer. The silence was heavy, broken only by the occasional drip of water echoing faintly in the distance.

Time didn't exist here. It felt like hours, maybe days, since Lucifer had started walking, searching for something—anything—that could explain this place. His wings occasionally scraped against the icy walls, the soft rustling sound the only thing keeping the silence from swallowing him whole.

Exhausted, he crouched down, letting his wings fold around him as he tried to catch his breath. Then he heard it.

A voice.

It was faint at first, echoing softly through the cavern. Feminine and masculine at once, its tone was strange, almost hypnotic, as if it didn't belong to any one being.

"Don't give up yet."

The words reverberated, lingering like the hum of a broken record. Lucifer's eyes snapped open, his breath catching in his throat.

"Don't you care about Rose?" The voice was louder now, clearer, almost familiar. "Remember your promise. You swore you'd get her back."

Rose. The name sent a jolt through him, something between pain and purpose. He pushed himself to his feet, drawn toward the sound as if it held the answers he desperately needed.

"Now is your chance," the voice urged, more insistent. "We are here to help you."

Lucifer stepped forward, his gaze locked on the shadows ahead. The voice tugged at him, a thread pulling him through the suffocating emptiness. For the first time in what felt like eternity, there was a flicker of hope—and something darker stirring in the depths of his soul.

Lucifer walked, his steps echoing softly through the icy cavern. For the first time since he had been trapped in this place, he saw something different—a path stretching ahead, cutting through the emptiness. It led somewhere, though he couldn't tell where.

Cautious yet driven by curiosity, he followed it. The path twisted and turned, pulling him deeper into the cave until it opened up into a massive chamber. At the center stood a throne.

But it wasn't an ordinary throne. It was carved entirely from pure ice, its sharp edges glinting like daggers in the faint blue light. The throne emanated a power so vast and overwhelming that it stopped Lucifer in his tracks. It wasn't just stronger than his own—it felt ancient, boundless, and far greater than even the gods of Heaven.

He took a cautious step closer, his fiery red eyes locked on the empty seat. It called to him, and yet he didn't dare approach. The weight of its presence pressed down on him, making the air harder to breathe.

That's when the voice returned, cutting through the silence. It came from nowhere and everywhere, echoing in his mind as much as the cavern around him.

"Lucifer, you are the first to show our daughter what true love feels like."

Lucifer froze. His gaze darted around the chamber, trying to pinpoint the source, but the voice seemed to come from all directions at once.

"Your daughter?" he asked, his voice steady but uncertain.

"Yes," the voice replied, soft yet commanding. "Even after her death, her soul still screams for you. That is something extraordinary. We do not let such things go easily."

Before Lucifer could respond, a faint light appeared, cutting through the gloom. A translucent, bluish orb floated toward him, its surface shimmering like liquid glass. It pulsed softly, rhythmically, as though alive.

He recognized it instantly. The primordial stone.

His breath hitched as the orb hovered closer. The answers he'd been searching for—the way to bring Rose back—were within his grasp.

Lucifer stretched out a trembling hand, his movements slow and deliberate. He didn't want to risk breaking the fragile essence of the stone. The moment his fingers brushed its surface, a rush of warmth spread through him, a stark contrast to the cold that had consumed him for so long.

"Thank you," he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. Then, louder, "Thank you so much!"

The cavern echoed with his gratitude, but no reply came. The voice was gone, leaving him alone with the stone and the overwhelming responsibility it carried.

Lucifer's joy was tempered by reality. He knew better than to linger. This place wasn't meant for him, and staying any longer would only bring more questions—and dangers. But there was one problem: he had no idea how to leave.

The paths he had taken earlier led nowhere, and the cave seemed to have no entrance or exit. He clutched the stone tightly as he began his search once more, retracing his steps with renewed determination.

This time, the search didn't last long. A new scent filled the air—fresh vegetation, rich and unmistakable. The frozen air began to warm, and the faint sound of rustling leaves reached his ears.

Lucifer quickened his pace, following the signs of life until he found it. A break in the ice, light streaming through, beckoning him forward.

Without hesitation, he stepped out of the cave, leaving the cold and silence behind. The warmth of the world outside wrapped around him, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, Lucifer allowed himself to breathe freely. Rose wasn't lost. Not yet.