"Sabrina, darling," started Hilda, her aunt, she was looking rather nervous, shooting looks to her elder sister Zelda every now and then. "Are you sure your... father... isn't..."
"What my sister is trying to say, and failing," sharply glanced at Hilda, Zelda. "How do we know this isn't one of his tricks?" asked Zelda, glaring at the man she used to worship.
"I told you, auntie, he was in my vision," tried to explain Sabrina.
"Vision supplied by him," pointed Ambrose, looking at Lucifer with an awkward and nervous look.
"True," admitted Lucifer, smirking at them. "However, I have no interest in lying to you about my son. Who, by the way, is also your nephew."
That seemed to startle the Spellmans, realization hitting them.
"Wait, he's not related to them," said Sabrina, shooting Lucifer a nasty look, for trying to manipulate her family.
"He is. Both of you are. When I gifted Edward child, I kept my promise," grinned the Devil. "You both have part of Edward. Not so much of Diana though."
"How is that possible?" asked Ambrose, bewildered.
"Angelic seed," Sabrina scrunched up her face, disgust evident, she didn't need that mental image. "Your 'mother' was simply an incubator. You and your brother, are mine and Edward's."
"Did he have a name?" asked Sabrina, her tone softening.
"I don't think so," shook Lucifer his head. "We'll soon find out, considering that the power-spike I felt, was here, in Greendale."
"Oh, that poor darling, all alone, without family," cooed Hilda, already imagining cooking his favorite meals and listening to him talk about his problems. Having another nephew would be so great.
"Speaking of that," cleared Ambrose his throat. "I just remembered. A new family is moving in that old house."
"You think it's them? him?" asked Sabrina, catching on.
"Could be," shrugged Ambrose. "Considering that they moved there in one night, without movers, it seems a little bit magical to me," admitted Ambrose.
"Then we go and investigate," suggested Sabrina. "My loving father, and darling aunties, will accompany me to greet our new neighbors as any good Christian family should."
"Christian?" spoke Ambrose with revulsion, Lucifer wholeheartedly agreeing, diva-sneering at his daughter.
"Not necessarily, but none of the Satanic stuff. We don't want to freak him out, in case he doesn't know supernatural stuff," told them, Sabrina, causing them to nod. Lucifer reluctantly agreed, but he honestly doubted that.
"So let me get this straight," started Rian, ignoring Theo's snort. "You're Archangel Gabriel, who's also my uncle, but you're also Pagan God Loki, God of Magic and Mischief and Lies and many other things."
"Yep," brightly smiled Gabriel, munching on chocolate.
"Show me your wings then," demanded Rian, clearly disbelieving.
"On the first date? my, my, you move in mysterious ways nephew," joked Loki. Rian looked unamused, but the small twitch of his lips betrayed his true feelings.
Gabriel sighed, his face suddenly serious. "Come outside and I'll show you. They're too big to unfold them in the closed space."
Going outside, Rian and Gabriel faced each other, they stared in each other's eyes.
"Don't get scared, they burst out quite fast," warned Gabriel, his eyes warm, being the color of his beloved substance, changed. Becoming gold, like molten lava.
Rian's eyes glowed purple, allowing him to see the world without the veil of reality. Gabriel unfolded his wings. Rian wouldn't be ashamed to admit that he gaped. They were huge, beautiful wings, warm like the sun. They were radiating energy that smelled like sand and wind in the desert. Playful but deadly. Gabriel's whole essence felt like a wind. Redirected at Rian, it felt like a summer breeze, gentle and full of mischief. Rian shuddered to think how Gabriel's enemies perceived him, he decided that he rather not find out.
"Step away from my son, if you know what's good for you!" they heard a masculine voice.
Both sharply turned towards it, noticing man, dressed in a red robe, together with other people, looking ready to fight. One girl stood out from the crowd, her hair was just like his, he felt connected to her. The moment she looked at him, she felt that too. Rian had no idea who they were, but he wouldn't allow them to hurt his uncle.
"Uncle Gabe, who are they?" Rian recognized his father, but he was unsure of his companions.
"Uncle Gabe?!" incredulously muttered Ambrose, echoing the words from everyone's minds.
"Don't worry, Rian," winked at him Gabriel, folding back his wings. Rian felt disappointed, they were magnificent, he had an urge to run his fingers through them. Gabriel looked at him with a knowing smile, giving him a small exaggerated wink. "I'm not here to hurt him, Luci. He's my nephew for dad's sake."
Lucifer puffed out a breath of hot hair, like an angry ox, glaring at his little brother. "Then what are you doing here?"
"Introducing myself to my nephew," shrugged Gabriel. It was the truth. He wasn't here for anything nefarious. He just missed his family.
"You introduced yourself, you're free to go, soar in the clouds or whatever you do," spat Lucifer.
Lucifer's harsh words hurt Gabriel, but spending time around Pagan's he learned how to mask that. Rian was perceptive though, too perceptive for his own good, so he noticed the little pang of hurt right away. He decided to defend his uncle, his dad was being unnecessarily harsh. Gabriel didn't do anything wrong, he certainly didn't deserve such treatment.
"I don't know what type of problems you have with my uncle," started Rian, his eyes glowing purple with power, radiating dangerous waves of power, a tactic many angels used to scare off the lesser creatures. The air became heavy with tension and energies. "But you don't talk to my uncle like that. He's always welcome here," Rian shot him a small smile, surprising Gabriel, who didn't expect that Rian would stand up for him.
Rian spoke with such conviction, that it made Lucifer falter. Tears sprung to Gabriel's eyes, but he quickly hid them, bringing out his trickster persona and ruffled his nephew's here.
"You know, nephew," started Gabriel. "I showed you mine, now it's your turn to show me thine," wagged Gabriel his eyebrows in an obscene manner.
Zelda's and Hilda's eyebrows climbed their hairline, while Sabrina choked on her spit. Lucifer, on the other hand, looked a single word away from exploding. Ambrose just lurked there, an awkward presence, praying to whoever was listening to give him strength and let him survive this little encounter.
Rian just rolled his eyes, used to his uncle's perverted jokes. Breathing in deep, two large wings burst out of his shoulders, as big as Gabriel's but instead of radiating warmth, they radiated cold, dread and inevitability. Plants around Rian started dying and withering. His wings becoming more and more animated, as he absorbed the life around. Ebony black feathers, glistening with purple and blueish colors. Like personal little galaxies.
Lucifer's breath caught in his throat. His son was beautiful. Humans fared no better, the sight of the divinity affecting them and ensnaring their senses.
"How?" croaked out Sabrina. "Will I grow them too?"
"I cleansed myself from the mortal blood" admitted Rian. "With a special ritual. So, it's highly unlikely that you'll grow them on your own."
Sabrina breathed a sigh, while wings looked cool, she didn't want to give up her humanity, her mortality.
"Holy Shit!" exclaimed Gabriel. "Death, huh?!"
"Huh?" eloquently asked Rian, looking bewildered at his uncle. Gabriel waved his hand around, showing dead plants and withered grass.
It made sense. Thought Rian. Hollow, she was a devourer. She ate life. As a human, he absorbed her powers, making them his. It came as no surprise that he became an Archangel of Death.
Every angel had a domain, they corresponded to. Gabriel was a messenger. Raphael - Healer. Lucifer was Lightbringer, while Michael was the firstborn and the commander. It looks like, Rian was intimately associated with death.
"What does it mean, for me?" asked Rian. "Do I need to go around and collect souls or something?"
Gabriel let loose a laugh. Tension finally leaving his body, like a balloon deflating. "Nothing of the sort. Unless you decided to join the forces of heaven?" teased Gabriel. Rian scrunched up his face. Obeying wasn't his shtick. Lucifer let out a sigh of relief, he didn't want to lose his son, after finding him. He definitely didn't want him to be like one of those mindless lesser angels, who obeyed commands like robots.
"Um... would y'all like to come in?" asked Rian, looking at them. "We can better introduce ourselves."
Sabrina nodded and together with their aunts they went inside.
"I'm Lucifer Morningstar," proudly introduced himself Lucifer, putting a hand on his chest and puffing it out, causing Gabriel to snort. Lucifer glared at his brother, but Gabriel was to busy snickering.
"Sabrina Morningstar-Spellman," Rian gasped. So that's why she was so familiar. She was a Nephilim. Like he once was.
"I felt like I knew you," Sabrina smiled nodding her head. She felt that too. A connection.
"I'm Ambrose, we're cousins," smiled at him the older boy, Rian shook his hand, smiling in return.
"These are my... our aunties," corrected herself, Sabrina, nodding towards the ladies. Redhead and the blonde.
"Zelda Spellman, nice to meet you nephew," stoically smiled at him the redhead, though there was fondness in her eyes. So she wore the pants in the house, deduced Rian.
"I'm Hilda, darling," smiled the plump lady, bringing him in a surprise hug. Rian hugged back, surprised how easily these people accepted him.
"I'm Josie Saltzman," introduced herself, Josie, giving them a friendly smile. "I'm Rian's friend."
"And a very powerful witch," Josie blushed at Rian's kind words, missing the surprised looks Rian's newfound family shot her. They were surprised that he had witch friends. Josie felt nothing like them.
"Theo," waved Theo, while greedily from blood-bag. Ignoring their stares.
"He's uh... a vampire?" asked Sabrina, trying to be friendly, but her voice shook at the sight.
"Vampire and Werewolf," spoke Theo with his mouth full, some blood dripping down on him, painting his shirt and chin red.
"Is that even possible?" muttered Sabrina surprised. Lucifer was observing the boy in curiosity. He had never seen anything like this before.
"Manners, Theodore," reprimanded the blonde-haired lady, who yet had to introduce herself.
"You're not my mom," grumbled Theo.
"Thank fuck for that," snarked back Lilith. Rian just shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Lilith, please, not now," her name brought gasps around the room. Lucifer regarded the woman. He found it ironic, that both he and his son had her in their lives.
"You do not resemble Lilith I know," spoke the Devil, causing Gabriel to nod. Though he already knew why.
"This isn't my original body," answered Lilith, turning her eyes milky white, reminding Sabrina of herself, when she used the darker aspect of her powers. She wondered why they were so similar. She found herself liking the presence and dare she say, missing the presence of their Lilith. The woman became something akin to an aunt to her. Though neither would admit it aloud.
"These are my children," started Lilith. "Mara, Belphegor, Abigor and Azazel."
Each demon bowed their heads in greeting, their eyes turning pitch black.
"What are you doing here?" asked Lucifer.
"We serve our Lord, Dark Lord Rian," smiled Lilith a nasty smile, enjoying Lucifer's stupified expression. Everyone just looked at Rian, surprise on their faces, except Gabriel, who already knew.
"Not my idea," shrugged Rian. "I've been told the title Lord of Light is busy, Gray sounds lame..." sheepishly smiled Rian, trying not to make a big deal out of it. He didn't want to be a God. He was fine with being Archangel-Witchboy-Dark-Lord-thingy. He wasn't even sure what he was anymore
"Like father like son," smiled Ambrose trying to diffuse the tension. It worked if Lucifer's smile full of pride was anything to go by. Rian tried not to let it affect him, but despite his tries, a pleasant feeling of warmth spread through his body like a wildfire.
"There's another thing," added Lucifer, looking at Rian, trying to break the news as gently as possible. "We didn't want to overwhelm you, but since you are in the know... Hell chose you as its new ruler."
Rian gaped at his father, quite unattractively. "Me?"
"I know it's a lot to take in," started Sabrina, but got cut off by Rian.
"What would it mean?" asked Rian, looking around and noticing Theo's choking on the blood he drank. Josie was faring no better. She dropped the glass she was holding. "Do I need to be there all the time? Like, move there?"
"No," shook Lucifer his head. "Only during the meetings, otherwise you're free to do whatever you want. You're the king."
"I didn't agree though."
"Hell doesn't need agreement. It has spoken. The realms are somewhat semi-sentient. When it felt you enter this world, he chose you as his new king and ruler."
"Would my having feathers cause complications?" asked Rian.
Lucifer snorted and shook his head. "You have competition, though."
"Who?" asked Rian tilting his head.
"Caliban," spat out Sabrina with contempt. "He challenged me to the throne, but since Hell itself chose you, it's null and void. Be careful though, I don't doubt he'll try something."
"Caliban like the son of Sycorax?" asked Rian, getting surprised looks. "I read Shakespeare."
"He's made out of clay and mud, later reanimated. He was born from the pit, and that makes him think he's entitled to the throne."
"He's no obstacle," waved them, Rian, off. "Lilith, make sure he's dealt with, but don't kill him. Make an example out of him."
Lilith bowed her head, sinister grin adorning her face. She vanished from her spot.
"How do I go about claiming my throne?" asked Rian, surprising everyone how easily and in-stride he took it and adjusted.
"It can wait," spoke Lucifer. "I'd like to get to know you... and your aunts too, I'm sure. If you want to that is..."
They all nodded and got comfortable. Mara served them their refreshments, tea with cookies, some fruits and candies.
"What would you like to know?" asked Rian.
"What happened to you?" Lucifer's question was sincere, so Rian decided to come clean. He didn't wish to build a relationship on a lie.
"As you can tell, I was tossed into another dimension. I didn't have a body, so my soul or essence went into the womb of a woman who was about to give birth," told them, Rian, as his family listened to him with great interest. "From what Lilith explained to me, I took the baby as an example and fashioned myself a flesh vessel. Long time I thought that I was related to her."
Josie placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, causing Rian to smile gratefully at her.
"There was this thing, Malivore," spoke Rian, catching their undivided attention. "It was a golem, created by the blood of a witch, werewolf and vampire. Its only purpose was to devour the supernatural. I thought I was like Hope, my sister, so I jumped there. The thing about Malivore is that it erases you from the memories of the living."
"They forgot about you," stated Hilda, pity in her voice. Rian nodded.
"I got out, eventually. My blood was poisonous to him, so he spat me out," smirked Rian. "Things changed when I found out I was celestial. Girl, who I thought was my sister openly rejected me, so I collected a few items for the ritual and cleansed myself of mortality," admitted Rian. Lucifer just listened to the story, feeling sorry for his son, and wishing he got his hand on that Hope chick.
"I met Lilith and her children. Josie and Theo were already my good friends. They left for their own reasons, but the point is, nothing was holding us there anymore," shrugged Rian, trying to downplay his hurt.
"What's your favorite color?" asked Hilda. The question was so random that it short-circuited Rian's brain.
"I'm torn between black and purple," kindly smiled at her Rian.
"Why purple?" asked Sabrina, honestly curious.
In answer, Rian's eyes glowed said color, smiling at them.
"I don't get that," started Ambrose. "Lucifer's eyes glow red. Why do yours glow purple?"
"In order to make purple, you mix blue and red," admitted Rian. "Blue comes from Inadu."
"Who's Inadu?" asked Gabriel, he never heard that name before, and he heard many names.
"It's a long story, are you sure you want to hear it?"
"We'd love to," smiled Sabrina, making herself comfortable.
"You never told us either," pouted Josie, sitting on the couch next to Hilda, who smiled at her.
"Story-time, I suppose," sighed Rian, mentally preparing himself for the long-ass story he had to tell.
"It all started approximately 1500 years ago when two warring tribes were looking for the way to stop the war and unite their tribes."
"Let me guess," interrupted Gabriel, bouncing in his seat like a kid. "They decided to marry their children," smirked the trickster. It was common practice back then, especially among the Pagans.
"Correct. Elders of the tribe, blessed the babe, for nine months of pregnancy with their magic, but they overdid it," sighed Rian.
"When Inadu was born, the blue light illuminated the clearing. Growing up, she lacked what made humans, human - humanity. She was emotionless, brutal and she craved power. They called her Ouroboros, the serpent eating its own tail. For she was always hungry. Elders had another name for her though, The Hollow," his story entranced everyone. They were listening with fascinated faces, none more than Lucifer.
"The last straw for the tribe was when she killed her father," Hilda gasped, horrified. Rian couldn't help but smile at the kind lady... aunt.
"Why would she kill him?" asked Sabrina, trying to find a reason, a justification for that behavior. For all they know, her father could've been horrible.
"Because she could," shrugged Rian. "So tribes came up with a plan. They used ropes, made out of the fur of the wolves and bound Inadu, rendering her magic useless. The leader, enchanted the mighty ax, with the help of the elders and gave it to the mother, for she was the one who brought her into this world, she should be one to send her away from it too."
Zelda felt sorry for the mother, as she listened to the fascinated tale.
"She killed her daughter, but before she could strike her, Inadu cursed the whole tribe. The curse was solidified with her death. Her death gave it power and made it potent and permanent."
"What was the curse?" asked Sabrina.
"She forced them to turn into the beasts, that they used to take away her magic, once a month, when the moon is full," told them, Rian. Sabrina, and witches present in the room, were in awe. To create such a powerful curse, in your last moments, with your magic bound.
"Elders separated her bones, so she could no longer exist, even as a spirit," finished Rian.
"It's fascinating, but what does it have to do with you?" asked Ambrose, drawing glares from his family.
"In our days, her bones were brought back together and Inadu possessed me. Uncle Henrik, in order to save me, split her in half, leaving me the powers and memories, while he took her soul and consciousness," seeing their uncomprehending faces Rian added. "Inadu's eyes, glowed electric blue, whenever she used magic."
They all 'Oh'-ed together, realization dawning on them.
"Your world sounds, fascinating, I'd love to hear more about it," remarked Lucifer. "It's getting late, we should probably go, but Rian... do you mind having dinner with me, tomorrow?" asked Lucifer, Rian easily picked up nervousness and insecurity in his eyes.
He went forward and hugged him, surprising the older angel, slowly unfurling his wings and cocooning him in them. Lucifer enjoyed the gesture, melting into his son's embrace, remembering his scent. It reminded him of times when he would hurt himself, playing in the garden and run to Michael crying. Michael would wipe his tears away and kiss his boo-boos while hiding him from the world in his majestic wings.
"I'd love to dad," smiled at him Rian a brilliant smile, causing Lucifer to choke out a wet laugh. Not expecting his son to accept him this easily.
"It was nice to meet you, Rian, I hope we get to know each other better," smiled Sabrina, hugging him tightly. Ambrose and aunties soon followed the example.
"Goodbye, my love, do visit us, okay?" asked Hilda, Rian promised he would and he intended to keep his promise.
"You'll most definitely see us more," smiled Josie. "We are enrolled in Baxter High."
"What?!" demanded Rian, having no idea of that little tidbit.
"We gotta fit in," smirked Josie waving at Rian's newfound family.
Rian wanted to run out after them and spend more time with them. He felt Gabriel's hand on his shoulder, who looked at him with such understanding, that it broke his heart. He turned around, hugging his uncle.
"You don't mind?" asked Rian.
"What?" Gabriel was confused.
"That I'm the new king of Hell?"
Gabriel snorted and ruffled his hair. "I love you kiddo, it doesn't matter honestly. Plus, I missed my family."
At the admission Rian squeezed him tighter, reminding that he was here, with him. Gabriel understood and smiled gratefully.
"He's gonna come around, eventually," told him, Rian. "I'll even speak on your behalf."
"Thanks, Rian," smiled Gabriel. "It means so much for me."
"That's what family's for, Uncle Gabe. Though I think telling him the truth will accelerate the process. He's gonna find out eventually, when Uncle Mikey and Raphie visit," Gabriel smirked at the nicknames but acquiesced and nodded his head.
"You're right, I'll tell him next time I see him," promised Gabriel.
Together they sat there, on the couch, Rian cuddled to his uncle's side, listening as Gabriel read him a story while being cocooned in Gabriel's wing like a baby bird. He fell asleep soon, even though he no longer required to sleep, old habits were hard to break.
AN: Whooo! almost 4k. I hope you guys are enjoying it as much as I enjoy writing it. xoxo ♥♥♥