Chapter Text
.
“OH, bad tickles. Bad. … Bad tickles.”
Fuck…!
The current was messing with his brain. Whichever that fucked up square screened idiot wanted, Lucifer did not care. He needn’t care of anything ever since Charlie had left the chamber. Whisked away by Alastor, who seemed to be equally glad and hesitant to leave him behind.
Perhaps the wretched sinner found it a pity not being able to watch the king of hell squirm? He seemed quite entertained ever since he figured out he was not the only one who had idiotically fell into Vox’s grasp.
The fallen angel swore that the moment he leaves this fucking bulb, he would make sure to put that fawn in his place. Perhaps muting his radio tower. Or turning him into a duck until Charlie pesters him to reverse it.
But all of that disappeared as a bolt of electricity struck him, forcing a broken scream from his lips.
“Fu… fuck!”
He was never prone to swear words. Yet as every bit of pain came piercing his muscles, fraying his senses as if he had been alit alive, he could not do anything else but to mutter profanities, wishing the next blow would be more subtle. Which was exactly the opposite from the status quo.
He coughed into a violent fit as he felt his powers being extracted.
The scent of apples and cinder wood would thickly coat his mouth. Telling him that his insides were starting to fuck up since he was coughing up blood.
“—No.”
And as fleeting each piece of sanity was he managed to keep between waves of pain were, Lucifer could calculate how much the machine was extracting.
Once was almost a quarter when he rebuilt Charlie’s hotel.
Twice almost took enough to create a forest.
Three times, was halves akin to the amount of vigor he summoned to rebuild pride.
What were they even thinking? No machine, angelic steel or not would be able to withstand it. And as if it proved the speculation, the machine began to hum. In a bad way. Joints clocking and electricity ricocheting every once in a few minutes. Making the shocks more intense.
It was getting harder to stay afloat.
Lucifer bit his lips. Black dots were dancing in his vision. He can’t go unconscious just yet. He needs to. He needs. …
‘Keep your shit together, Lucifer Morningstar!’
He grit his teeth. Charlie needed him. He could not even taste his blood clogging his mouth anymore. But he did not care
‘Keep it together. She needs. … She will need you.’
And the fourth. Fourth? No, he could not have it.
They were extracting power out of him, fishing for unused pieces of star dust and life which the Morningstar had set in reserved for his dying realm. And each time, whichever the machine was built for, it was becoming better at doing it. Tearing out screams from his already hoarse neck, with golden inklings littering the glass.
And as Lucifer desperately squirmed in his shackles, a faint voice, was heard.
“Hear my hope —“
A voice of a girl. Fragile, but yet still strong.
He knew that voice. That was the voice which he had or had not heard an eternity ago.
A song which his brother had sang when the forces of heaven barely made past the dawn as everything almost collapsed into nothingness. A note so fragile, which would be quashed by the wind in seconds. A flower floating midair amongst the storm.
But the petals still refused to give way. Bleeding and mangled. Yet still afloat. Very much vivid.
Paving itself into everyone’s ears.
And then, another joined in. He knew that voice too.
“Take my hand. Never let go -”
“ —Charlie.”
It was a world of pain. Struggling made the energy bolt travel further into his arms. Ripping his muscles.
But perhaps.
Lucifer took in a breath. Coughing as he inhaled not only air but his blood. Seraphim blood carried which they were built from. And Lucifer Morningstar, both a star and the creator of hell carried both starlight and hellfire in his blood.
Arghh!
His vision turned white as he tugged one of his hands. Fingers were already mangled inside the case. Each time the energy volt struck, it buried itself into his flesh. Unforgiving, to milk which they wanted to take. But for once, he was grateful. For it was making it easier to tear away at his own skin.
“—I am not! Going to!”
Charlie needed more time. She needed more time! Whichever she was planning to do, an another extraction would not do. He did not even understand why his girl did not leave the site. Alastor, that damned fawn has just made a deal to keep her safe.
Or perhaps he may be dead? Lucifer did not know.
But one thing he was certain, was that Charlie was there. Upwards. Trying whichever she could do to prevent a war from happening. And not in the seven rings would he leave her there to fight alone…!
“…!”
A wail escaped as he forced his hands outwards. He could hear his own bones crack. Fingers, dislocating. As he pulled. And pulled.
Finally with a sickening pop and a mouthful of blood, Lucifer was able to pull one hand, out of the case. His breath was coming in shallow pieces. Body swaying dangerously as he saw red.
He pulled at the strands of cords which were piercing his chest. His torso.
Each pull felt as if his brain was being crushed.
The bulb was becoming more suffocating with thick bloodied odor.
And after he pulled out all which he could manage, he faltered. Ready, or trying to get ready for the hurt he was just registered to. And he pulled. This time, it was easier. Or perhaps harder? His senses were numb. The pain was less. But it made it harder to move his hand. Though eventually he managed to pull his other hand out after which felt like the fifth attempt.
His body gave way as there was nothing more to hold him upright.
His vision was blurring. But he could hear.
“Hear my hope. Let it echo, …. In every soul that needs, something to, …believe”
Charlie. He believed in his girl.
“Charlie!”
He screamed. The leg was terrible. Oh gosh. Pulling out the legs was certainly not a good idea. But for fucks sake, he had to.
Lucifer doubled over as his ankle dislocated.
“… I am sorry. I am sorry … Charlie.”
A bone was protruding his flesh. He almost threw up, wheezing. Perhaps it was better to just cut it off? He can heal later. He was not the angel of vigor for no reason. He could create.
“Fu… ck!”
He could not summon his starlight. Or whichever sharp enough to severe off his feet.
But it was finally then, when the ground gave way. The whirling had stopped. He could feel his powers faintly activating for whichever reason.
‘… It stopped?’
He hurriedly summoned starlight in his hand. Light flickered. A faint, almost transparent flame which would be out in minutes. But it was more than enough. He placed his hand on the shackles which entrapped his legs. The flames scorched both his flesh and metal. Angelic steel can hurt immortals they say, but they were never above seraphim power if only given time.
Lucifer breathed as he freed himself of all bonds.
He gathered hell fire in his blood which had already littered the bulb. And ignited it. The room easily exploded, and he could easily find a way out. Tracing the wind.
He pulled his wings out and fluttered. It almost felt like falling again. Or oh, he was falling. He did a squirmish to fly upright. Falling in this state, into the fire would really fuck him up.
He could hear his feathers getting singed. Damn it. Bel would have a field day if she ever saw him like this.
And as he reached upwards, opening up the hatch which led him to fresh air.
“Dad?”
”Don’t go down there. It’s …, a world of pain”
He blinked.
Once.
Twice.
He could not see, still. But two arms which encircled his shoulders were more than enough.
“Hey, duckie. … Hear my hope, eh?”
He slipped a shaky chitter as he felt something being wrapped around. Voices were screaming around him. Though He could not distinguish in between.
“Don’t be sad. I’m here.”
He muttered.
“Are you still mad that I’m late?”
Though it was just a bluff. He could already sense his daughter’s hand behind his head.
“… I love you, Charchar. I would always. …”
And a touch would coax him into his slip.
“Thank you, dad.”
Was which he heard. As he slipped down underneath the surface. His daughter’s words chiming like bells. Soothing and coaxing his nerves.
”You did well. You can rest now.”
“…”
“I will be next to you when you wake up. I promise.”