The hardest part was entering the fortress without anyone raising the alarm but now it should be an easy task to find her target thanks to all the darkness that enveloped the place.

Old memories flooded her as she wandered through the cold corridors of the so-called palace. Memories of laughter during happier days with her twin brother and Caspiel as they enjoyed the gardens of their home. Everything perfect. Everything wonderful. Just as it should be.

Tears rolled down her human skin and her legs threatened to lose their strength. Feeling the crippling pain of loss every time she adopted her human body had become the norm. Her original form― the spiritual one― also felt pain but couldn't express it because it was pure energy.

She knew her whole plan was crazy but she couldn't sit idly by anymore while her own twin― born and created from the same solar ray than her― continued causing so much suffering to their mortal siblings, the Great Father and to herself.

Lord of Heaven, forgive me but I can't continue seeing thousands suffer under his hands while you wait for the fulfillment of a prophecy that will eventually destroy many. I must do this even if I may lose my wings.

Waiting for the Judgment Day to wage a battle against her brother was illogical when all you had to do was cut off the head of the snake. Literally. Kill it so that the peace could once again return to the world. To everyone except her... she would never return to the innocent creature she once was anymore. Not when she had witnessed how the purest light of the universe could turn into the darkest evil.

A twisted winged monster peered down the hall in which the angel was, sniffed the air and― just when she thought her mission would be over― the beast continued on his way with obvious disinterest. Hidden in the shadows of the corridor, the girl breathed a sigh of relief and continued on her way.

Even without ever been in Hell, her steps were directed towards a specific point of the macabre mansion. She could feel the dark and twisted soul of her twin waiting not far from her position. The female gripped the hilt of her angelic sword for courage and more tears rolled down her face as she remembered her brother giving her that very same weapon when she received the title of "Protector of Light". Honor only granted to archangels.

When she arrived at the door that hid her brother, vivid images of her shackled, her wings being plucked and flesh eaten as Lucifer smiled in a corner, flooded her mind like a bloody stream. She took two steps back, shaking from head to toe at what her Eyarim had just showed her. Again she stepped back until her body hit the dismembered corpse of a celestial warrior― in full armor― mounted as an ornament on the wall. The breastplate that covered the torso of the puzzle that once was one of her brothers stumbled and fell. Luckily, her reflexes enabled her to catch the piece in time or the consequences could have been dire... The demons weren't known for their kindness to angels, much less when said angel was the sister of their king who wanted to kill him.

She looked back to that comrade exhibited in pieces on the wall like a trophy and felt disgusted to share kinship with the evil being who enjoyed seeing that carnage every day. Another tear fell down her cheek but she quickly cleaned it up with the back of her arm.

Luzbel, stop crying as a human child and open that door. Your chosen fate is waiting for you.

The female warrior looked one last time at the body of the angel, whispering a prayer for his spirit, put her hand on the doorknob and opened the door.

Darkness swallowed her. Silence stretched giving the illusion no one was in the room, however she could still feel the presence of her brother in that place. Slowly she soundlessly drew her sword and used her Eyarim to search the room for the electrical signals that every creature produced. An initial glance left her with nothing until she looked over her shoulder. Just behind her, and too close to not perceive it before, several electric sparks were forming a figure.

Huge flames suddenly burned in a fireplace that mimicked a fierce dragon's mouth while strong arms immediately immobilized her when she made the mistake of getting distracted by the fire. Her sword fell to the ground with a metallic cry that echoed in the chamber.

"Look what I caught scurrying about! A fearful little mouse!" the fallen exclaimed, his lips close to the warrior's ear. "You really thought that no one had detected your presence, sister?" He enjoyed feeling how his gannet ishar tensed up as realization dawn on her. "I felt you coming from the moment you forced Uriel to open the doors of my prison."

Lucifer took the heavenly sword from the ground without any reaction― even when his hand was scorched by the contact― and stood in front of his twin. His eyes softened fleetingly before his cold mask was put back into place.

"You're still the same as ever, Luzbel. So predictable..."

The eyes of the celestial warrior widened, surprise flooded her whole countenance. It could not be! She could not believe what her eyes were showing her. Her brother still looked... he still looked like before his fall.

The same straight hair as white as the clouds of Heaven fell to his waist, his eyes hadn't lost the intense golden color that characterized them nor his skin had ceased to have the beautiful pearly tone that identified the servants of the Lord. The only difference: his wings had turned black, black as night and all their tips, which used to be golden, were now a deep blood red.

She hoped to meet a dark spawn half monster, half goat with long horns and terrifying wings, not the brother she remembered from her youth! It wasn't fair! How would she kill him now if her spirit writhed in pain and all willpower had left her body?

Defeated and vanquished, without even having fought, Luzbel collapsed to the ground clutching the cloth covering the area of her heart in a desperate attempt to calm her agony. She never stopped to think what would happen if Lucifer was just as she remembered him...

And these were the consequences.

"Why did you unhand me?" Her voice sounded as broken as her spirit.

"Did you miss me so much that you came to Hell just so I could hug you?" Lucifer said with a half-smile as he leaned over his sister to have her face to face.

Her brother's sarcasm was enough to tear her heart out and feed the dogs with it. She gazed with dead eyes to the ground for mere moments before her twin forced her to look back at him.

"I see you're suffering for our separation so I'll do something that will brighten your day: I will make you one of my minions, that way you'll never be far from your beloved brother ever again." Long fingers stroked the pearly face of his little star. "Do you not think it's a benevolent act on my part?"

The smile he flashed her would freeze anyone's blood, but Luzbel was no longer able to feel anything. The painful memories had seen to that.

"I never thought you'd look as in my memories." She put a hand on her twin's cheek just so she could feel in touch with him again. "I had imagined a cruel and heartless monster that would be easy for me to kill, but..." She closed her eyes for courage and let her heart speak when she opened them once again. "I must ask you this or I will lose my mind: return home, Lucifer. Please."

"No." His eyes changed to white with golden streaks and shined with malice a second before the angel's face distorted with obvious pain. "I'll never return to that place. Not as long as they remain the favorite ones."

Luzbel grabbed her belly and a warm liquid soaked her hands immediately.

"I'd forgotten how beautiful it's the blood of His servants." Lucifer stepped back, showing her the sword covered with a thick silvery liquid. "And the taste..." He ran a finger along the bloody edge and took it to his mouth, licking his lips with delight. "Yours is permeated by suffering, making it even more delicious."

Luzbel's vision clouded over when she tried to rise, causing her dizziness and throwing her to the ground. She tried to stop the bleeding with her hands but it was impossible without being able to regenerate... And her healing powers would not work with that kind of injury because it was not her physical body the one that had suffered irreparable damage. A wound with an angelic sword created a tear in the spiritual body that never healed. Many celestial warriors had died when Lucifer rebelled because of the same reason. He used the only weakness of the angels against them: their own weapons!

Her body began to become heavy; her limbs, her eyelids, even her breathing was becoming irregular. She tried to speak but couldn't, gave a last look at the fallen― who smiled leaning against the wall as he watched her die slowly― and stopped fighting. Why you did this to me if I still loved you, brother?

Blood covered his claws and dripped slowly to the ground making a small puddle as he looked out the window. Sometimes he wondered if he really was the ruthless creature his wives thought him to be. Not one of them had accepted him as he was and as consequence their lives ended abruptly.

His dark thoughts were interrupted by the demon king ordering him to report at the palace. He hated when Lucifer called him with telepathy as if he was a dog that didn't deserved the courtesy of a visit, but that was what you got when you swore allegiance to the Prince of Darkness.

Licking clean his claws, he stepped over the body of his fifth wife... Or was it the sixth? Ahh, it didn't matter! He just continued, careful not to step on the pool of blood that grew bigger with each passing second, took the thin silver crown resting on a small table, and transformed his body into a colony of bats that flew away from his castle.

Upon his arrival, he found an old fish-faced demon who was awaiting him at the reception of the palace. If he wasn't mistaken, the creature was one of Lucifer's mystics. What are you scheming inside that Machiavellian mind of yours, Lu?

"His highness is awaiting you in the playground." The raspy voice of his escort brought him back to reality.

"You know what happened?" He hated entering a battlefield without all the details first. Not that he expected to be sent to another battle so soon, but he preferred to have the strategic advantage. As the saying went: prevention was better than cure.

"The Lord of Darkness has an angel in the cells, my lord," the fish said as he slowly walked away.

It would be a miracle if that demon arrived for dinner at the "playground" and he wasn't known for his patience. Much less he wanted to walk seven floors to the catacombs!

"I'll wait for you downstairs, old man." He winked to the mystic and transformed his body into a thick fog that seeped through the rocks of all the floors within minutes.

Laughter filled his ears when he reached the catacombs and transformed back to his natural form... if he could call it that given his past.

"Always taking the easy way! I thought you were Avarice not Sloth." Lucifer smiled mockingly. "Does her blood already cover your hands?"

"You never miss one fucking detail," the newcomer murmured and stared at the floor with rigid fists at his sides as memories of what happened a few minutes ago boiled his blood. "She should not have given her little bastard to her lover. The boy was my property." A sigh coming from the left made him look at his old friend and fearsome monarch. "Oh please! Don't tell me now you give a fuck about the little whore's fate!

"No." The king sighed wearily and smiled, showing his fangs. "It's just that now I must find you another wife because I can't accept any of my governors living without female company." Lucifer made a thoughtful pause and then his lips curled into a twisted smile. "And I have the perfect candidate..."

"Enough of insignificant chat, Lu!" His words to the frightening king might seem arrogant, but their shared past gave him certain privileges he always took advantage of. "Why did you call me here?"

"Look in the cell to your left."

What he saw there froze the little blood still running through his veins. An angel with long white hair tied in a high ponytail, her tunic torn in several places, and majestic wings white as snow that dragged to the ground, hung from thick spiky chains coming out of the wall. The face― which was partially hidden from sight― seemed to have the same features of their monarch, only delicate and softer.

The image of him lying over the lap of that very same angel while surrounded by hundreds of flowers with different colors and forms, hit his mind without warning causing old feelings to resurface with greater force than ever before.

"Is... is..."

"She's my sister, Gaap." Lucifer glanced at his comrade and saw the reaction he expected. "I see you still remember her fondly."

"What will you do with her?" The governor asked without taking his eyes off the girl.

"Turn her into a Nocte Vespertilio," the demon king said as he stared at his twin. "It will be her punishment for even thinking about killing me; and your gift for destroying those damned Incan demons and increasing my power, bringing me all the souls from their underworld. You can do whatever you want with her, but I would prefer you marry her."

"You want me to take your sister as my wife?" Although the idea was a dream came true, he should not accept it, nor did he want to decline it. "You know exactly what happens to all my women at the end."

"You always coveted Luzbel for yourself; that was the reason you fell from Grace." Lucifer's eyes turned white with golden streaks. "For your own welfare, you should make sure that she does not share the fate of her predecessors." He turned without further comment toward the burly guards who were guarding the cell and his face regained his usual cold mask. "Rip her wings out! She will no longer need those she has and I want her awake on her rebirth."

***************
A/N: At the top I leave you a foto of the twins. Plus down here you'll find more words for the dictionary.

Song: The Kill from Thirty Seconds to Mars.

☆ Eyarim= mind's eye or third eye (enoquian)
☆ Gannet Ishar= little star (demon tongue)