Chapter 37 The Devil Wrath
The impact shook the entire palace.
Constructs slammed into the outer walls like a tidal wave. Stone cracked. Windows shattered. Guards shouted orders that were immediately drowned out by the sound of claws on stone, bodies climbing bodies, the relentless press of gray flesh against ancient defenses.
Lilith stood in the main hall, golden light already flickering around her hands. Lucian was beside her, mirrors floating around him, showing every angle of the attack.
“Eastern wall!” he shouted. “Twenty constructs! Western gate thirty! They’re surrounding us!”
Guards rushed to positions. Arrows flew from upper windows. Magic crackled through the air. But the constructs kept coming.
Sera appeared, sword in hand, face pale but determined. “What do you need me to do?”
“Stay with Lilith,” Lucian said. “If they breach the main hall”
He stopped.
Everyone stopped.
The temperature dropped. Not cold. Just different. Like the air itself was holding its breath.
A presence filled the palace. Ancient. Overwhelming. Absolute.
“Oh,” Lucian breathed. “Oh no.”
“What?” Lilith asked. “What is it?
“Father’s awake.”
The words were barely out of his mouth when HE appeared.
The Devil manifested in the center of the main hall. Not walking. Not portaling. Just suddenly there, like reality had rearranged itself around him.
He looked terrible. Dying. His skin was pale, almost translucent. His body thin, wasted by whatever illness consumed him. He leaned heavily on a cane, every breath seeming to cost him.
But his eyes.
His eyes burned with power that made Lilith’s knees weak.
“They dare,” he said quietly. His voice was soft. Conversational. “They dare attack my home.”
He didn’t move. Didn’t raise his hand. Didn’t do anything visible.
The constructs simply stopped existing.
They weren't killed nor destroyed. Just gone. Erased. Every single one attacking the palace blinked out of existence like they’d never been there at all.
Silence fell. Complete. Absolute.
The Devil stood in the center of the hall, breathing heavily. The effort had cost him something. But he was smiling.
“Insects,” he said. “Thinking they can invade while I still draw breath.” He looked at Lilith. “Are you harmed, child?”
“I no. I’m fine.” Lilith’s voice came out small.
“Good.” He turned slowly. His gaze found the breach in the wall where constructs had been pouring through. Through it, visible in the courtyard, stood the commander. The bigger construct. Staring at the palace with something that might have been shock.
The Devil’s smile widened.
He raised one finger. Pointed at the commander.
“You,” he said. “Tell your master something for me.”
The commander didn’t move. Couldn’t move. Held in place by power it couldn’t comprehend.
“Tell him I’m dying. Tell him I have weeks maybe days left in this realm.” The Devil’s voice was still soft. Still conversational. “But until I’m gone, this palace is MINE. These people are MINE. And anyone who touches what’s mine”
His finger twitched.
The commander exploded.
Not killed. Not destroyed. Exploded. Into a thousand pieces that rained down on the courtyard like ash.
“Ceases to exist.” The Devil lowered his hand. “Now run. Tell him I’m waiting.”
The remaining constructs hundreds of them scattered around the palace grounds fled. Scattered into the forest like insects from light. Gone in seconds.
The Devil swayed. Caught himself on his cane.
Lucian moved toward him. “Father”
“I’m fine.” But he wasn’t. His breathing was labored. His skin even paler than before. “That took more than it should have.” He looked at Lucian. “How long was I asleep?”
“Three days. Since my brothers left for Mammon’s capital.”
“Three days.” The Devil’s expression darkened. “And in three days, they’ve grown bold enough to attack the Vestibulum itself.” He looked at Lilith again. “They want you. Specifically. The Last Seraph. They know if you die, the prophecy fails. My sons go to war. The realms fall.”
“Who are they?” Lilith asked.
“I don’t know. Not yet.” He moved slowly toward his throne, a massive chair at the far end of the hall that Lilith had never seen him use. He sank into it like it was the only thing keeping him upright. “But they’re organized. Intelligent. Patient. They’ve been planning this for” He stopped. Coughed. Blood flecked his lips. “For longer than I realized.”
“You should rest,” Lucian said.
“I should be dead.” The Devil’s laugh was bitter. “But stubbornness keeps me breathing. Spite. The knowledge that if I die now, everything I’ve built falls apart.” His eyes found Lilith. “How is your training progressing?”
“I I can shield. Fight. I held off the constructs for”
“Ten minutes,” the Devil interrupted. “Before you collapsed. I felt it. Felt your power drain.” He leaned forward. “Not enough. Not nearly enough for what’s coming.”
“I’m trying”
“Try harder.” His voice was hard. “Because when I’m gone, when I finally stop clinging to this miserable existence, they will come for you with everything they have. And ten minutes of combat before collapsing won’t save you. Won’t save my sons. Won’t save anything.”
The words hit like blows.
“Father,” Lucian said carefully. “She’s been training for weeks. She’s progressing faster than”
“Faster than the dead Seraphs? The ones who also thought they were ready?” The Devil’s eyes were cold. “I’ve seen this before. Watched Seraphs train and grow and believe they could survive. And I’ve watched them die. All of them. Every single one.”
“I’m not them,” Lilith said quietly.
“No?” The Devil studied her. “Then prove it. Show me you’re different. Show me you can actually survive what’s coming instead of just being another body for me to bury.”
Anger flared hot in Lilith’s chest. “I have been training for weeks, I know how to use my powers . I stood my ground when constructs attacked this palace. I’m”
“Alive because I intervened.” The Devil’s voice cut through hers like a blade. “If I hadn’t woken. If I hadn’t erased those constructs. You’d be dead right now. Drained dry like that guard you watched die. Don’t mistake my protection for your capability.”
The truth of it stung.
“But,” the Devil continued, his voice softening slightly, “you have potential. More than the others did. You fight back. Refuse to break. That’s something. Maybe enough. Maybe not.” He settled back in his throne. “We’ll find out soon.”
“How long?” Lucian asked. “How long until”
“Until I die?” The Devil smiled without humor. “Days. A week at most. I felt it when I erased those constructs. Felt something inside me crack. Whatever’s been keeping me alive is finally giving up.” He looked at Lilith. “So you have one week. Maybe less. To become strong enough to survive without me. To protect yourself. To be what the prophecy claims you are.”
“And if I’m not ready?”
“Then you die. My sons go to war. The realms fall into chaos. And whoever’s building these constructs wins.” He closed his eyes. “No pressure.”
Silence fell over the hall.
The Devil sat on his throne, breathing slowly. Dying visibly. But still the most powerful thing in the room.
“Go,” he said without opening his eyes. “Train. Prepare. Do whatever you need to do. Because when I’m gone, when my protection is gone, you’re going to face the full force of whatever’s coming. And you’ll either survive or you won’t.”
“Father” Lucian started.
“Go.” The Devil’s voice was final. “I need rest. And you need to prepare my sons. Tell them” He stopped. “Tell them I’m proud. That they’re finally working together. That maybe maybe they’ll actually survive this.”
Lucian bowed. Turned to leave. Gestured for Lilith and Sera to follow.
They left the Devil sitting alone on his throne in the destroyed hall. Surrounded by bodies and blood and evidence of attack.
But alive. Still alive. Still protecting them for now.
Outside the hall, Lilith leaned against the wall. Her hands were shaking.
“He just” She couldn’t finish. “He erased them. All of them. Like they were nothing.”
“That’s what the Devil is,” Lucian said quietly. “Power beyond comprehension. But he’s dying. And when he’s gone” He looked at her. “When he’s gone, you’re what stands between the realms and chaos.”
“I can’t do what he just did.”
“No. But you don’t need to.” Lucian’s expression was serious. “You just need to survive. Hold long enough for my brothers to help. Fight smart instead of fighting hard.”
“One week,” Lilith said. “He said one week.”
“Then we have one week.” Lucian straightened. “Come on. We need to contact my brothers. Tell them what happened. Adjust our plans.”
They walked through the damaged palace. Guards were already working on repairs. Cleaning blood. Removing bodies. Life continuing because it had to.
Sera fell into step beside Lilith. “You okay?”
“No.” Lilith’s voice was honest. “But I will be. I have to be.”
“One week,” Sera repeated. “That’s not enough time.”
“It’s what we have.” Lilith looked at her hands. Golden light flickered weakly around her fingers. “So we use it. Train harder. Get stronger. Be ready.”
“And if you’re not?”
“Then I fake it really well and hope for the best.” Lilith’s smile was weak but trying. “Worked so far.”
They reached Lucian’s chambers. His mirrors showed the forest around the Vestibulum. Empty now. No constructs. No scouts. Nothing.
But they’d be back.
When the Devil died, they’d return. With everything. With their full force.
And Lilith would have to be ready.
One week to become what she needed to be.
One week until everything changed.