Adam was old.
This was common knowledge.
The First Man had lived for nearly a thousand years.
He had fought in countless battles against beasts and even demons, denizens of Hell, the Wound of Creation.
It had been a long time since Eden. Since he and Eve had been left to fend for themselves, with only intermittent guidance from the angels.
They were to this day trying to fix Creation.
But they'd managed, although many things had happened along the way.
Children lost, some before they could even stand, others paying the price of jealousy.
Adam staunchly shoves down the grief that still plagued him, even after all these years.
But he'd had great moments of joy and could say that despite everything that had happened, he enjoyed his life.
Though even as he reached his 900th year, he still kept a good amount of his strength and figure.
He had fun growing out the beard and eyebrows, though he still missed his hair sometimes.
Scars dotted the old man's body, a testament to his will to survive and endure.
Today however, was a special day for him.
It was something that he did every year, along with Eve, before she passed.
They would come to the edges of the Garden, sealed off from Earth and teach their children about what had happened, so that they could be wise and knowledgeable.
Today however, he'd come alone to the edge, to where a familiar flaming sword appeared in front of him.
Long ago, he'd feared it. Hated it. It was a reminder of what was forever lost to him, what was sealed away.
But now he understood.
It was protection, for himself and Creation.
Everything around Eden had been affected by the Fall. By sealing away Eden with the flaming sword, the angels had at least been able to spare that piece of Creation.
And the sword was that seal.
He was grateful, hoping that after his death, he'd be able to see his home once more.
He could tell that the sword had a sort of sentience to it.
A soul.
And so, much like the animals and the life that existed in Eden, he would speak with it.
He liked to imagine that it spoke back, even though he couldn't understand it.
However, this day would bring much strife to him.
One of Seth's great-grandchildren had found him, telling him of an incursion from Hell. How his descendants were under attack once more.
News had also arrived of Lucifer and Lilith leading the attack.
Adam rumbled in fury before standing.
He knew that to stand against those two was suicide, but he would die on his feet defying them before letting them ruin the Earth for his children.
He stumbled however, age now being a serious issue for him.
And unintentionally let his hand touch the sword.
Adam found himself surrounded by fire.
But it was…different.
This fire didn't hurt him, didn't burn him.
This fire simply felt warm, comforting. It provided light and heat, life and succor.
It reminded him of home.
"I was wondering when you'd actually touch me."
Adam rolled his eyes, a familiar presence soothing any worry.
"You know, that could be taken a lot of different ways."
The being behind him snorted in amusement.
Adam turned around and saw himself, younger and more vibrant yet full of fire.
They simply looked at each other and understood.
"You'll need me to stand up against those two."
Adam nodded.
"What will happen to Eden?"
"Without me to seal it, Eden will collapse, once more becoming part of Earth…it will never be able to return."
Adam bowed his head in grief.
A difficult choice for any other…but not for him.
Not if it meant saving his family.
"And what will happen to you?"
"We will be one. One soul in Creation. I will be you. And you will be me," the Living Flame said.
"I see…do you want to do this?"
The Living Flame smiled.
"It beats standing around doing nothing."
Adam smiled.
The two reached out and clasped hands.
And Adam was consumed by fire.
Adam erupted in flames, his descendant screaming in fear as Eden suddenly began to distort and collapse.
The flames died down as Adam placed the sword to his side.
He looked sadly as his former home collapsed before bowing his head in respect.
"Goodbye…old friend."
Eden wasn't sentient, but it had been alive. Full of life and beauty, now forever gone.
"Come along, young'un…" Adam said as he stalked forward to where the battle was happening.
"We have much to do."
Demons attacked relentlessly as they attempted to take the Earth as their home.
Adam's family was strong, but even they could only do so much against the forces of Hell.
Especially with Lucifer and Lilith leading the charge.
Fire then erupted from nowhere, encircling them and burning demons to ash.
The Rulers of Hell were surprised.
This was beyond any human.
"RETREAT, ALL OF YOU! I WILL HANDLE THIS!"
The two paused, hearing the old voice and watched as the humans fled the area.
They wouldn't know this, but at the urging of one of their own, they wouldn't stop for miles.
"To think that you two would be so bold and attack us so brazenly. To dare attack my children…how far you two have fallen."
Lucifer smirked as he saw the old man in robes approach them, hobbling over with a walking stick of all things.
"Adam! This is quite the surprise…you've gotten so old, so weak."
"Lucifer…a thousand years since your betrayal. A thousand years and you have yet to change. How disappointing."
Lucifer's eye twitched in annoyance.
"And yet, who here is on the brink of death?" Lilith interjected with a smirk.
Adam looked at her evenly.
"Lilith…you who cannot have children, now seek to destroy my own? Would that be enough to satisfy your Envy?"
Lilith glared at him hotly.
"Envious? Envious!? Of what, you? You who would be the dog of the angels, you who were content being nothing more than their play toy…and now look at you, nothing more than a withering old man, who had to toil each day just to survive as everything around you dies when you could have had so much more."
Adam merely stared at her in disappointment.
She hated how that made her feel, like some kind of unruly child instead of the Queen that she was.
She buried the part of her that grieved.
A thousand years and still no child had been born from her.
"Leave, Adam." Lucifer said with a wave of his hand. "Run along now, take your descendants with you…we'll be generous like that. Once we get what's ours, we'll even leave you a continent, how does that sound?"
Adam sighed.
"They should be far away enough now…goodness, the younger generations surely are lively these days."
The two blinked in confusion.
"Either way, you two have done something unforgivable, and the punishment now falls onto me to deliver."
The two began to chuckle in disbelief.
"And what could you hope to do?"
Adam stood taller, the hunch in his back disappearing as he merely stared at them.
He raised up his walking stick which then burst into flames, yet leaving him unharmed, it slightly floated before he turned it to the side where the wooden knot was now to his right.
"This is regrettable."
The wood then disintegrated and their eyes widened as they beheld the sword in front of them.
"The-the Sword of Flames?" Lucifer asked in shock. "How did you-WHAT DID YOU DO!?"
"What was necessary."
"You damn fool. That sword was the only thing keeping Eden SAFE!" Lucifer roared, his horns poking out in fury.
"I know."
Lilith's eyes widened in horror as she understood.
"You destroyed Eden…you destroyed our home!?"
"My home," Adam rebutted. "It was never home for either of you."
Lucifer and Lilith began to tremble in pure fury.
"Now…you've really pissed me off, Adam…I promised my wife that I'd get her home back…Eden was supposed to be the capital of our new kingdom! And you've RUINED IT!"
Adam merely stared coldly.
"Then it is the latest in the long string of promises you have broken."
Adam grabbed the hilt and swung, the sheer air pressure sending them back much to their surprise.
"What are you two doing?"
Adam glared at them.
"I will not hold back…so neither should you."
He let the sword pierce the ground as he lifted his arms, his large cloak catching on the wind and floating away.
Fire soared from his body, consuming him but not harming him.
Fire would never harm him again.
Adam closed his eyes as he breathed before opening them to face his opponents.
His arms then went into his sleeves before coming out the center, baring himself to them.
The scars that littered his body glowed red, his opponents staring at him in disbelief.
He stretched out his arms, flexing his muscles and cracking his bones as the fire increased in intensity.
Reaching out with his right hand, he grabbed the hilt of his sword, fire trailing down to enshroud it as well. As he held it in front of him however, a secondary flame seemed to come from the blade itself, a roar within a cacophony.
Lucifer would forever deny that he felt fear in that single moment.
With a swirl of his blade a wave of fire came crashing against them, the two using their magic to protect against it.
Still however, the heat was overpowering, and they were shocked to notice that they were sweating.
"All Creation in the Universe, Reduce to Ash," Adam declared as he held the sword in front of him.
"Ryujin Jakka!"
And so the Sword of Flame became Ryujin Jakka, the Flowing Sword of Young Fire.
On that day, Lucifer and Lilith were cast back into Hell, their armies seared into ashes and each portal to Hell was burnt shut.
Ryujin Jakka would go dormant, taking a well deserved rest.
Thirty years later, Adam would peacefully die in his sleep, surrounded by his children and descendants.
He would wake up at the Gates of Heaven, a familiar fire in his chest as he was greeted by his oldest friends.
And Ryujin Jakka would sing.
"This is the Story of Hell…"
Once upon a time there was a glowing city protected by Golden Gates known as Heaven. It was ruled by beings of pure light, angels that worshiped good and shielded all from Evil.
Lucifer was one of these angels. He was a dreamer with fantastical ideas for all of creation but he was seen as a troublemaker by the Elders of Heaven for they felt his way of thinking was dangerous to the order of their world so he watched as the Angels began to expand the universe in their ways.
From the dust of Earth they created Adam and Lilith equals as the first of mankind. But despite this Adam demanded control and Lilith refused to submit to his will.
She fled the Garden.
Drawn in by her fierce independence, Lucifer found her and the two rebellious dreamers fell deeply in love. Together they wished to share the magic of Free Will with Humanity. Offering the
Fruit of Knowledge to Adam's new bride, Eve, who gladly accepted.
But this gift came with a curse, for with this single act of Disobedience, Evil finally found its way into Earth. With it a new Realm of Darkness and Sin and the order Heaven had worked to maintain was shattered.
As punishment for their reckless act, Heaven cast Lucifer and his love into the dark pit he had created, never allowing him to see the good that came from Humanity only the cruel and the wicked.
Ashamed, Lucifer lost his will to dream but Lilith thrived empowering demonkind with her voice and her songs and as the numbers of Hell grew so did its power.
Together however, they desired to bring their people to light and so sought to peacefully inhabit the Earth among humankind. But Adam, the First Man, had aged into a Tyrant. None dared defy his commands and he rebuked them. With great fire and fury, he broke the Seal of Eden, erasing it, and forced the Sword of Flame to his Will, destroying countless souls and searing the Earth shut from Hell to where it would once more continue to grow.
Still threatened by this Heaven made a truly heartless decision, that every year they would send down an army an extermination to ensure Hell and its sinners could never arise against them but Lilith's hope remained and her dream was passed down to their precious daughter, the Princess of Hell.
Charlie Morningstar closed the book that entailed the Story of Hell.
She was worried…her Hotel idea was rough, and her father had managed to get a meeting with Heaven…she was anxious about what would happen.
She and Vaggie (who was even more nervous than her, especially after their meeting) were greeted into Hell by St. Peter with a very…nice musical.
Still it'd been amazing to see Heaven.
Though Vaggie had immediately frozen upon seeing who had greeted beyond the gates.
It had been bad enough, seeing that battle-crazed captain of hers at Charlie's first meeting. Even when she'd been under her squad, Captain Lute had been…intense.
But this?
The Head Captain as well as the 1st Squad Vice-Captain.
She moaned pitifully as she met his gaze, even as Charlie cheerfully greeted them.
"Hello! It's so nice to meet you, I'm Charlie Morningstar!" she said as she stuck out her hand.
"Hm." Vice Captain Seth's eyes narrowed into a glare as Charlie sheepishly grinned before nodding and taking her hand.
"You're quite the energetic one, young'un," The Head Captain said as he politely took her hand.
She may be the daughter of his greatest enemies but he could afford to be polite.
"Come along then, young'uns. Let us see if you can prove your worth."
"Uh…could I get your name, sir?"
Adam paused and nodded.
"I am Adam. Head Captain of the 13 Heavenly Court Guard Squads, this is my Vice Captain, Seth."
Charlie eeped.
Just her luck, one of the people she had to convince was the boogeyman she'd just read about!
The courtroom was…big.
And she was surrounded by angels.
Introductions had been made and she was…presented to the Heavenly Court as well as the Captains and Vice Captains of the Thirteen Heavenly Court Guard Squads or Ten-Gotei 13 for short.
But then everything fell to pieces.
All thanks to the Captain of the Fifth.
Abel.
"You wish to speak of redemption, yet you do not even know the sins which plague your patrons," Abel said with an almost disarming smile. However, Charlie could feel the…smugness, the sense of superiority in his tone.
And it was working.
Her arguments were being torn apart.
"So tell us, Charlie Morningstar. How could we expect, nay, how could we even hope to believe that sinners are capable of redemption if we do not even know what they are being redeemed from?"
"I-" Charlie tried to speak up but was interrupted.
"Of course, there is another option to consider."
"What?"
"To present such an idea without even the barest of plans…naivete, or hopeful manipulation?"
"Manipula-"
"Did you truly think us so ignorant?" Abel asked. " That we would blindly accept the opportunity to redeem souls from Hell without any evidence or even a plan? Quite the budding manipulator you are, though it seems you've been failed by your parents."
Charlie began to lose her temper.
"I…I'm not here to manipulate anyone!"
"Perhaps, or perhaps not. The truth of the matter, youngling," she bristled at the term. "Is that the cards are stacked against you, simply by your heritage alone, we have cause to not trust you. Your father's pride created Hell due to the Fall, and your mother's led to the First Rebellions. Your idea could very well lead to an attack on Heaven from the inside, where we are at our most vulnerable."
"I would never-!"
"But alas, we've devolved from the original point, Miss Morningstar," Captain Abel said, interrupting her once more.
"This Angel Dust. Perhaps he has made some admirable choices during his time in Hell…one can certainly commend a slave rebelling against its master."
Charlie seethed at the derogatory term used to describe her friend.
"But the crux of the matter is that he is a denizen of Hell. And a soul goes into Hell for a reason, little Morningstar."
"I don't discriminate against my guests!" Charlie bit back.
Abel chuckled.
"An admirable trait, if nothing less." Abel said. "Would you like to know?"
"Know what?"
"What he did, of course. Would you like to know?"
"I…I…" Charlie gulped.
Abel merely smiled as he summoned some books.
"Heaven has records of every single soul. Their lives, pains, sufferings, sins, righteous acts, all from the moment of their birth to their deaths."
He then flipped through the pages.
"Ah, yes. Anthony Valentino, an ironic name wouldn't you say?"
"Wait-"
"A member of his family's mafia, he participated in many things expected of him. Robbery, murder, sexual exploitation of others and himself, drug abuse, all manner of illegal and immoral acts expected of a member of a criminal empire…hm, died of an overdose to again, ironically enough, angel dust," the captain said as he closed the book.
"An intriguing discovery, wouldn't you say?" Abel said, his glasses glinting in the light.
Charlie swallowed.
"I…I know he's made mistakes-"
"Mistakes!?" Another voice called out and both Vaggie and Charlie winced as everyone's attention was now on Lute.
"You call the murder of innocents mistakes? Would you also call the rape and torture of men, women, and children mistakes? Because let me assure you, there are many, many sinners in Hell for those exact crimes. And they are very much crimes!" Lute declared, slamming her fist down on the table.
"Tell me, girl. Would you call the slaughtering of people, the ransacking and pillaging of villages mistakes? Would you call the desolation of entire countries, genocides of entire races, the Earth constantly in fear, would you call those mistakes!?"
Charlie stepped back as Lute seemed to loom over her.
"No…I'll tell you what was a mistake," Lute hissed. "It was a mistake for us to accept that Treaty. It was a mistake for us to not finish the job with your worthless parents. It was a mistake for us to limit the Exterminations to one single day of the year!"
There was silence across the courtroom.
Adam closed his eyes.
Pandemonium erupted.
Angels began to argue, Emily becoming the loudest voice of them all.
He raised his walking stick and slammed it down, silencing the courtroom.
"It is unbecoming of us to act in such a manner, especially in front of guests."
"Adam," Emily called out, heartbroken by Sera's admission. "Please tell me that you didn't know about the exterminations."
Adam looked into her eyes.
He could not, would not lie to her.
"I not only knew of the exterminations. I organized the Ten-Gotei to conduct them."
He could see Emily's world shatter, and admittedly, it hurt him for her to find out this way. But she had been coddled long enough by Sera.
He sighed as he saw Charlie and Emily unite.
Enough was enough.
Another slam of his cane silenced the courtroom.
"That is enough."
"No, it isn't!" Emily said as she flew up to face him. "How could you do this? All those souls down below, they're already in Hell, why do they need to be destroyed!?"
"You do not know what you speak of, child."
"I am NOT a child, Adam!" Emily yelled, the other Captains shifting away from them.
This wouldn't be pretty.
"This is an injustice! I've never heard of such cruelty!"
"Emily-" Sera tried to interject.
"How could you be so HEARTLESS!"
Adam met her eyes.
THWOOM
Emily choked.
"Ha…aha…hah…"
She tried to breathe, but she could only take shuddering gasps as an unfathomable pressure exerted itself on her body.
Falling to her knees, she still felt as if an entire planet was on top of her.
It was too much.
She had to support herself with her hands.
It was still too much.
She was gasping now, her lungs burning with breaths that she logically, she knew she didn't need.
That didn't change the feeling of how suffocating this was.
She managed to get herself back up to her knees and saw Adam looming over her.
Full of disappointment, but also an underlying fury.
She had not just stepped over a line, she'd trampled over it.
"Why do you speak of things you do not know, if you cannot even breathe?"
Emily was falling, everything felt like she was collapsing around her.
A flutter of feathers protected her as Sera knelt over her caringly, her hand on Emily's head.
"It's alright." Sera said. "Just breathe, Emily."
Emily shuddered, taking in deep breaths, sweat and tears falling down her face.
"You have coddled her long enough, Seraphiel."
Sera swallowed as she held onto her a bit tighter.
"I'm so sorry, Emily." Sera gently said. "I shouldn't have brought you after all."
She flashed away with her, appearing in their home and laying her gently on the bed before flashing back to the courtroom.
'...Just by making eye contact…I've never felt such an oppressive force on me…no wonder he's the Head Captain…I was so naive, I'm sorry Charlie…but it's hopeless…'
Back at the Trial
"I don't see why we're even still talking about this…the fact of the matter is that Hell is Forever," Captain Lute said as she glared at the two. "And in a month's time, we'll be down there to exterminate your hotel."
"You-"
"You are a naive child, who thought she could come up here and judge us?" Lute snarled. "Were it not for the Treaty, I would love nothing more than to slaughter you, Hellspawn, and as for you, traitor, I'll take great pleasure in finishing the job."
Charlie blinked in confusion as Vaggie stiffened in horror.
"Traitor?"
Lute raised her brow before smiling wickedly.
"Oh? She didn't tell you?" Lute chuckled darkly. "For shame, Vaggie…after all, relationships are built on trust and loyalty, isn't that right my former Vice Captain."
Charlie felt her world crashing down around her as she stepped away from Vaggie.
"Vaggie…you…you're an exorcist?"
"Charlie, I can explain-
"Not just any exorcist!" Lute called out. "She was my Vice Captain, second-in-command of the Eleventh Division. In case you're wondering, it takes a lot of dedication to reach that status. She's personally exterminated thousands upon thousands of sinners. Climbing the ranks until she stood by my side."
Vaggie was shaking now as Charlie continued to look at her in disbelief and betrayal.
"But of course, she betrayed us…and that is no light matter for those of our station. Fitting that she ended up with you, however…a traitor for the daughter of traitors," Lute smirked.
With the entire day's events being too much, Charlie fell to her knees in despair.
"It is the decision of this Court that no evidence of the Redemption of Sinners from Hell can be reasonably identified. The Hazbin Hotel project has been rejected. Although, as a courtesy to you, Charlie Morningstar, you may spend the rest of the day here before returning home."
Charlie merely bowed her head as the angels left, not even letting Vaggie touch her.
Tok
Tok
Tok
"H-head Captain, sir," Vaggie bowed her head out of habit, she was quick to stand in front of Charlie to protect her, not that it would do much…
"You may stand at ease, Vice…Vaggie," Adam said as he stared down at Charlie. "For the moment, we are not enemies…I see no need to treat you as such."
Charlie looked up and saw him extend his hand out towards her.
Shakily, she took it and he guided the two outside to Heaven proper.
"Why?"
Adam hummed.
"I'm sure your parents have told you all manner of tales about me. Have they not?"
"...they called you a Tyrant…who exerted his Will over all…they said that you broke Eden by taking control of a Sword…" Charlie slowly admitted.
Adam hummed again.
"I am not surprised. If there is one thing that I have learned, it is that history is written by the victors, yes, but also by the vanquished. Many times Hell breached Earth, many times were we forced to fight back, many times I was forced to bury my children. My descendants. And many times did those who seemed pure, betray us."
Charlie gulped, knowing that if she spoke, it wouldn't end well.
"Tell me, child. Why do you wish to do this? Do not hesitate to take your time with your answer."
Charlie huffed at being called a child but contemplated the question.
"Normally, I'd say it's because…I just want to help them but…it's more than that…for so long I've seen them suffer, seen them exterminated…it…hurts to see that…" Charlie trailed off. "All I've ever wanted was to try and give them something better. I…I know that I'm supposed to be the Princess of Hell…that I shouldn't care…but I can't help it…if I want to help them, is that so wrong?" Charlie asked.
Adam looked at her for a long time before sighing.
"No. I suppose not. You are prideful, young'un…your intentions are noble, but be wary. The intentions of your parents were supposedly noble as well, yet here we are, left with the pieces of Creation."
Charlie bowed her head sadly.
"This is the only advice that I can give you young'un. You cannot stand against the Extermination. Run. Live to continue your dream another day…then with more time, you may yet provide fruit. If you do not however, then nothing will change. Perhaps you may prove that you are in fact different from your parents."
Charlie looked away.
"Why are you saying this?"
"It is up to you to figure that out," Adam said before disappearing.
One Month Later
Adam honestly found himself disappointed yet not unsurprised.
It seemed that the youngest Morningstar had decided to not heed his advice.
He gripped his walking stick.
Angelic steel. The very weapon wielded by his troops, now used to slay them. Irony at its finest.
He could see Lute and Vaggie fighting, the latter doing admirably against the relentless force that was the Kenpachi.
Lute was actually having fun as well, unheeding to the amount of blood now pouring down her body.
She would…take a while to be pacified.
He unleashed his spiritual pressure, catching the attention of every single person on the battlefield.
"ALL EXORCISTS. RETREAT."
They were quick to obey, even though Lute grumbled petulantly.
Yes, she would definitely take a while to be pacified.
Adam landed on the ground, his wings folding in.
"Adam…" Charlie said as she faced him.
"I find myself disappointed, Morningstar. I counseled you to run. Warned you that you could not face the Extermination," Adam said.
"I couldn't run away. I'm going to protect my dream no matter what."
Adam sighed.
"Then it seems that I was wrong. You are exactly like your parents."
Charlie tried to ignore just how…stinging that was.
"My father is coming, Adam…"
"I am counting on it."
"What?"
"The Treaty is broken. Angelic blood has been spilled. Were my captains to come, they too would be at risk of falling. As such, the punishment for you young'uns falls to me."
Adam raised his walking stick forward.
And it disintegrated once more.
Adam's body exploded into fire in front of the army of sinners, the heat and light so powerful that nobody could get near and no shadow could form near him.
All of Hell began to fear as they sensed the sheer amount of power coming from Pride.
"All Creation in the Universe. Reduce to Ash."
The fire began to burn away at Adam, his wings disintegrating into embers as he visibly aged in front of them.
"Ryujin Jakka!"
FWOOOOMMMMM
The sudden explosion from the epicenter that was Adam was devastating, Alastor was barely able to put a shield up around them as fire incinerated every single cannibal nearby.
Over half their army, gone in an instant.
The shield didn't even last either as they'd all been pushed back, knocking a hole into the wall of the hotel.
"Well…I had a good run," Husk said, accepting his fate.
"Vaggie…did you know he could do this?" Charlie trembled.
Vaggie shook her head.
"No…I knew he was powerful, but not like this!"
Charlie began to shake in fear.
She was in over her head.
"So that's the Flaming Sword."
"I'm sorry, my dear." Alastor interrupted. "But did you just say the Flaming Sword? As in, the sword used to block EDEN!?"
"Eheh…yeah…?"
Alastor opened his mouth.
"ADAM!"
They all looked outside to where Lucifer had finally arrived, already in his full form, landing across the field.
"Lucifer."
"I won't let this stand, Adam. The Treaty's broken now, and you're in my house now."
"Exactly, the Treaty has been broken, which means that I have come all this way to finally kill you."
"You'll try, old man."
"Dad! Let me hel-" Charlie tried to intervene but choked and fell on her knees, an entire world of pressure on her shoulders.
'Is this what Emily felt?'
"I have neither the time nor patience to teach an infant how to breathe."
Lucifer manifested his own sword of dark magic, clashing against Ryujin Jakka in rage.
"Surprising, isn't it? I suppose in a way I should thank you, Adam. When you cast us down all those years ago, I threw myself into training my power. To think that some measly human, a waste of dust could defeat us!? Defeat ME!? It should have been anathema! But now I have the power to destroy you and take back what's rightfully…MINE!"
With a roar, he managed to push back Adam with an explosion of magic, sending him rocketing towards the Embassy and crashing through it.
Lucifer flew after him.
"Ryujin Jakka: Hitsotsume Nadegiri." [The First: Killing Stroke]
Lucifer grunted as he threw himself to the side, the Embassy split in half with one blow.
He snarled as one of his feathers was sliced off.
'NO HUMAN SHOULD EVER BE ABLE TO TOUCH ME!'
"Taimatsu." [Torch]
Lucifer screamed as he fought against a wave of pure fire before using his angelic might to dispel it away from him, the resulting flames incinerating the entire area around him.
Summoning a dark orb of power he thrust his hands at Adam and a dark wave of power speared towards him.
Adam swung his blade, fire obeying his command and consuming the dark wave until both attacks canceled each other out.
He narrowed his eyes and swung his blade in a wide circle until fire completely surrounded the two of them, cutting off Lucifer's mobility.
"Jokaku Enjo." [Fortress Blaze]
The two floated in the sky, Lucifer through his wings, and Adam through his fire.
Lucifer was snarling in fury. The mere sight of Adam's old form igniting rage and hatred within him.
This was not the young Adam, freshly arrived in Heaven, who had first dived into the pits to exterminate his fallen descendants.
This was not the young Adam, who slayed overlords and hellborn.
This was the Adam of old.
This was the Adam who began the Ten-Gotei 13 on Earth, soon after unleashing Ryujin Jakka for the first time.
This was the Adam who eviscerated the Archfiends under his command, crushed the Sins so thoroughly that they were shadows of their former selves and seared the Earth against Hell.
The same old man who dared to stand against him so long ago and burnt him and his beloved wife with the fires of the sun.
It was a mockery to his Greatness.
And he would destroy it.
Adam idly looked to his side, noticing the small drone that followed.
"Very well…if you wish to see, then stay out of the way."
With that, he launched forward, clashing against Lucifer in a deadly dance of blades and magic.
Lucifer was far more agile and crafty, but he was limited by space, taking care to avoid burning his wings off.
Adam was powerful, but old. A tradeoff necessary to use this portion of his power.
But he was experienced.
Hundreds of lifetimes within a single existence.
Thousands of battles against millions of foes.
Though only a few did he care to remember.
They clashed multiple times, fire burning against shadow.
Lucifer knew well enough to never use fire against him.
Fire could never hurt him after all.
But fire could definitely hurt Lucifer.
When they separated, the flames around them dissipated, revealing 7 pillars of fire erupting from Pride, reaching the top of Hell itself.
Adam smirked.
Granted, there had to be some exceptions.
"Ennetsu Jigoku." [Flames of Hell]
Irony at its finest.
The center of Pride exploded like a supernova.
And exposed the rest of the Rings.
The two enemies, both burned and seared, an unfamiliar feeling to Adam if he was being honest.
The effects of Ennetsu Jigoku had burned an enormous hole through all 7 rings.
Good…it was about time that the Hellborn remembered who he was.
With all the extra space, he'd sent fire everywhere, slashes that gave enough time for Lucifer to dodge but had the added effect of increasing collateral damage.
However, there was another reason for this.
"I admit…you've grown strong, Lucifer."
Adam's wounds were not only from Ennetsu Jigoku.
Lucifer panted as he used his magic to heal himself.
"I'm glad."
Lucifer blinked in confusion.
"What?"
"It means that you're using all your power to defeat me. Which means that I can use all my power to defeat you. So that I can crush your flesh, blood, bones and magic, until there is nothing left of them!"
The fire around Adam exploded outwards before suddenly disappearing.
All of it, all the fire that Adam had unleashed had disappeared.
On Earth, there was a record high heat wave across the entire world, so bad that nobody could stand to be outside.
In Heaven, golden blood dripped to the ground.
Sera raised her hand to her lip.
"My lips are splitting…he's using it."
Lucifer looked at him in confusion.
The only change to him was that his blade was now black, but cracking as if it were lava trapped inside.
"Bankai. Zanka no Tachi." [Longsword of the Remnant Flame]
"What? What is this!?"
"This…is the culmination of my power. All the flames I have unleashed. Now condensed into a single blade…why don't you take a look around you?"
Lucifer couldn't help it, he looked and saw that not only was all the fire gone, but there was such great heat across all of Hell that all the water that existed was simply gone. Evaporated.
There was no moisture at all.
"You weren't there. Lilith and the other Sins had all attacked me at once. It was the first time that I unleashed this, one thousand years ago. The surrounding area still lies in ash."
Lucifer looked at the admittedly unassuming blade in slight terror.
But he snarled in fury upon recognizing the emotion.
"It won't be enough! I'll take great pleasure in taking that blade from you!"
"You could split it from me as much as you could split my soul."
Lucifer rushed him but with a swipe of his blade, Adam split the skies of the Wrath Ring, and eviscerated everything in the sword's path.
"What!?"
"Zanka no Tachi. East, Kyokujitsujin." [Rising Sun Edge]
He turned back to face Adam.
"The intensity of my flames concentrated on this blade's edge. It neither burns nor erupts, but anything it touches is eradicated into nothingness."
With a blur, he was already on top of Lucifer, the latter dodging.
But not fast enough.
With a cry of agony, two of Lucifer's wings are half seared off, not even turning to ash, merely atoms.
He falls to the ground, crashing with a great roar as he spits out curses and launches more blasts at Adam.
Adam flashes forward and Lucifer dodges again, this time launching thousands upon thousands of dark orbs at him.
It was a constant barrage that was seemingly overwhelming Adam.
It wasn't enough.
"You have grown stronger, but I stand before you, ready to show that you and all your kingdom are nothing more but a horde of corpses ready to be burned!"
"Zanka no Tachi, West: Zanjitsu Gokui." [Remnant Sun Prison Garb]
Lucifer tried to rush him but as soon as he approached the sheer amount of heat made him screech back.
"I am enveloped with the fires of the Sun. That's over 15milliondegrees celsius. No one can touch me unless Iwillit. No one can even see this, unlessIwill it."
Adam's body was coated in flames.
'I feel like I'm burning…my hair, my skin, my throat…everything!'
The very ground beneath Adam's feet was melting apart as he walked towards Lucifer.
"Let us end this once and for all, Lucifer. Even if Hell and I are burned away by my own power, you will be destroyed, nothing you can do will be enough."
The two battled once more with Lucifer on the retreat, as he gathered magic into his hands to create a trap.
"Unholy Chant: Perilous Defamation!"
A large pentagram appeared with runic symbols, protecting Lucifer.
"Try and touch this, Adam! See the full might of Hell brought down upon you!"
"IT'S NOT ENOUGH!" Adam roared as he struck the ground in between them.
"Corpses. Come forth and help me."
Lucifer's eyes widened in shock.
"Zanka no Tachi, South: Kaka Jumanokushi Daisojin." [Great Burial Ranks of the Ten Trillion Fire Dead.]
From the ground, thousands upon thousands of corpses rose, skeletons from battles long gone.
They burst through with such force that Lucifer's spell was splintered.
"What is this!?"
"I awaken those I have slain by heating their ashes with my blade. They who have died, now fight for me."
Shocked by the callousness of such an act, Lucifer almost didn't register the fact that the corpses were grabbing him.
"You dare-!"
He froze as the corpse suddenly began to grow flesh and skin and a familiar face looked at him with a glare.
"Samyaza?"
He looked to another.
"Cipactli? Typhon? Lucifuge?"
"Behold your lost subordinates, now your destroyers."
"You are truly cruel…how dare you use my people against me!"
"You of all people speak of cruelty? How ironic. Can you do it then, Lucifer? Can you destroy those that followed you unto death? You had no problem climbing over them in your attempt to destroy us."
He was getting covered by them, they were holding him down and he could hear their screams.
MURDERER!
LIAR!
BETRAYER!
YOU PROMISED US PARADISE!
YOU LED US TO OUR DESTRUCTION!
SOME KING!
FALSE KING!
DECEIVER!
YOU SHOULD TAKE OUR PLACE!
JOIN US! JOIN THE PEOPLE YOU SO PROUDLY LED TO THE SLAUGHTER!
Lucifer snapped, roaring in hatred in fury as he exploded outwards with all the demonic energy in his body.
"I will DESTROY-"
Lucifer's eyes widened as he saw Adam already there.
"Zanka no Tachi, North: Tenchi Kaijin." [Heaven and Earth End in Ashes]
Hell turned white.
And that's it for this one! Pfew…this was a doozy, but I had a lot of fun writing it!
Notes!
1. Adam looks how he normally does in Heaven, but when he uses Ryujin Jakka he ages. Something something symbolism aka I wanted it to be like that.
2. Yes. Lute is Kenpachi, make that of what you will.
3. Yes. Abel is Aizen, no he's not a traitor. Make that also what you will.
4. Unholy Chant: Perilous Defamation is supposed to be an exact opposite to Ywach's Sankt Zwinger because the literal translation is Holy Chant: Sanctuary Veneration.
5. He basically gave Charlie a chance to run and hide with her friends, if they'd taken refuge in say, Lucifer's manor, nothing would have happened. The hotel might have been busted, but what's more important, the building or the people inside?
6. Y'all can decide whether or not Lucifer survived that or not.
Give me your thoughts please!
Next chapter
Hell: Minus One