The Beginning of the End

6. Big Bad Devil

Lucifer sat atop his black, rocky throne in Hell.

'Where to begin?' He thought with a hint of dread.

From where he sat, high above the most feared realm in all of existence, it was unusually quiet. He heard pounding on the doors of the loops, occasional muffled screams came from inside of them, but that was about as quiet as Hell got. What made him suspicious, was the lack of demons and metal accompanies that were usually running about.

He sighed and rose from his seat. The demons were most likely hiding and preparing for battle in little crevices of the God-forsaken place like cowards.

He unfurled his great white wings and took flight, soaring around the vast wasteland for a while before landing in a more open area that his denizens would often use for mauling each other or drowning souls in the fiery river.

Lucifer landed and looked around. There was nothing. No sound was to be heard save for the occasional pop of lava from the river or a pile of ash blowing over. The molten river became the only light to see by once he shrugged his shoulders and tucked in his angelic appendages.

"Children!" He called tauntingly. He smiled cheekily and sarcastic laughs escaped him.

"Daddy's home." He called out cheerily as he opened his arms out wide, welcoming the impending fight. Well, fight for them. For him, he might as well be swatting at pesky flies.

In the distance, heads began popping out around the corners of the massive boulder-like structures.

Lucifer steeled himself, ready to deal with the monstrous scum that hurt her...hurt them.

Eventually, the cowards braved forward, all clad in dark Hell-forged armor and chain male. They wielded weapons of varying kids, some native to the land, others taken from or inspired by loops from centuries passed.

They began their trek forward. Lucifer noticed, as they came closer, that a small group of demons approached toward his flank.

He adjusted his cuff links and straightened to his full height, his expression just as happily amused and dangerous as ever.

The tirade was lead by, none other than, the sleazy Dromos. Squee marched right behind him like the sick, masochistic puppy he is.

All of the demons that had attacked The Mayan, possessing the varying bodies of a local church group, were now all back in their corporeal forms; most were grotesque versions of a human-monster hybrid.

"Look," Lucifer drawled, "This can go one of two ways-"

"Let me guess," Dromos sarcastically answered, "Is one the easy way?" His voice was high-pitched, as if he were talking to a child.

Lucifer's amusement faded as he locked eyes with the leader of the rebellion.

"I was thinking more along the lines of The Public Execution Way or The Beg For Your Life As I Slowly Rip You In Half Way."

"Little on the nose," A demon from behind him murmured. Lucifer narrowed his eyes in the direction of the voice, but then turned back to a smirking Dromos.

He laughed sickeningly and taunted, "Back to being the Big Bad Devil then?" He laughed shrilly as Lucifer's expression hardened, tired of the games.

"Your pretty little girlfriend isn't here to see what you really look like in all your glory?" He continued laughing maniacally. An evil cackle wracked through the gathering as well.

Well, he had a point. Lucifer would have decapitated Dromos right there in The Mayan while restrained in the arms of Amenadiel and Mazikeen. But then Chloe walked in. He had promised her that she wouldn't have to see anything monstrous ever again, but she was a stubborn one; she almost got mauled by these very creatures, but she stayed. She really was a special one, his detective.