Lucifer returned to his chamber, the weight of his failure pressing on him like chains. Shadows flickered across the obsidian walls, dancing with the turmoil in his heart. He stood motionless, his crimson eyes burning with regret.
He had failed again.
He clenched his jaw. "Damn it," he muttered, almost to himself. "What have I done...?"
A knock came at the door, soft but firm. The General stepped in, armored in blackened steel, his eyes cast downward in reverence and fear.
"My Lord," he said cautiously, "shall I carry out the order?"
Lucifer turned slowly, his face a storm of fury and sorrow. "No," he hissed. "The child and the mother would be… banished."
The General froze. "Banished, my Lord?"
Lucifer's fists tightened. "They are a stain upon my legacy. A reminder of weakness. I will not see Hell reduced to sentimentality."
The General took a step forward, dropping to one knee. "My Lord… please. Reconsider. This child… he is the only heir of Hell."
