The Demon’s Bride

The conditions weren't doing great. Lucifer was unconscious while Gabriel was poisoned. To find out who done this was not quite hard when Ernest's identity had been revealed. But their current problem wasn't finding the culprit anymore. It was to stop the war from happening. But how?

Ian continue to stare at his uncle with an indescribable expression before his eyes narrows down.

"Is there any way you could call grandfather, Orias?" Elise asked. The King was the vital piece to any war and for them to decide whether this war will start or not. After her last meeting with the angry angels, Elise knew persuading them and explaining the truth all will sound like an excuse that they won't give a minute to hear. 

"I will try calling his majesty now," Orias excused himself and left the room in quick speed. 

Elise placed her hand on Ian's back, "I'm sure he would be alright." She said and Ian turned with a small nod as his answer.

Though from other point of view Ian's and Lucifer's relationship was akin to oil in water, in truth, both of them cared for each other. The blame that Ian once to put on his uncle had disappeared once he knew the truth of what had happened and who the true culprit was.

After the lost of Lady Lucy, they only had themselves to care for and after knowing the existent of the other, their care grew stronger despite their actions that were sometimes lukewarm or filled with arguments.

Knowing how it felt to lose someone dear Elise could sympathize with Ian. 

Not long a demon had entered, the same demon who was known to be adept in the expertise of curse. When coming to Lucifer, the demon began to perform a few checkups using his magic.

"What did you find?" Ian questioned and the demon shook his head in response.

The demon bowed, "Apologies lord, but I could not sense any curse plaguing the Duke. There are some noticeable wounds but…"

"But?" Elise was the one to hurry the demon.

"Those wounds weren't made normally and neither it was made by an angel. It is created from whip and I sensed a demonic presence from it," replied the demon who looked more hesitant as if his tongue was tied. 

Ian who didn't have enough patience glared at the demon, "Get to the damn point."

"The demonic scent is similar to… you." The demon answered. When one's smell is over the other, it acts as a proof which meant Ian had been the one who attacked Lucifer. It was why the demon had hesitated as he thought he had to lie but in front of Elise, the princess, the demon couldn't do so.

But the people in the room didn't suspect Ian as they immediately knew the answer.

"It's Caleb," Esther said aloud, breaking the silence which was fragile as a soap bubble. 

As they were surprised by one revelation to the next, the bell tolled again, alarming the entire castle. Orias came back to the room in a rush, "Your highness, his majesty request for your presence.

Elise looked at Ian who said, "I'll come with you."

Both of them left the place at once, making their way to the throne room where Satan had stood. His body was fully adorned by his armor and he had stopped maintaining his human-like appearance, letting his horns grew as well as his wide wings that rest on his back.

The rest of the demons in front of him had also adorned the same armor, clearly preparing themselves for a war. 

"Grandfather," Elise quickly dashed to Satan who raised his hand immediately to dismiss the other demons around him. "What is going on?"

"War, isn't it?" Ian let the question out, staring at Satan's eyes with the same fierceness. 

"The angels declared the war. I do not fancy the idea of war between Hell and Heaven but I have no intention to let my kingdom grind to ashes," answered Satan decisively. "The war will begin when the angel start the attacks.

"It doesn't make sense, the angels, they are too hasty with their choices," Elise stated, "The proof they has was only Heaven's words."

Satan sighed. Neither he seemed to expect this to occur. "The true enemy aren't humans, angels, or demons, Elise. It is the demon within one's self— their burning anger. Anger is everyone's primary enemy and no one can escape its clutches. Anger can cause a person's own demise and others around them. The angels are blinded by angers and to change their mind is close to impossible unless one of them could put their anger under control."

"However if Michael himself cannot control his anger, I doubt everyone else in Heaven could do it," Ian answered with his forehead creased into a deep frown. 

"I would expect Raphael to be the most level-headed person in Heaven but he was the one who had given you the punishment. If the war is unavoidable even I won't be able to do anything but as a King my kingdom place first over anything else. Whether it is the angels or the entire Heaven, I cannot allow them harming this place," said Satan with his resolute tone. 

Which meant… if Michael put a move to Hell and start the war, Satan wouldn't hesitate to defeat the angels.

"This is what he planned for," Elise said in the moment of silence, "Apollyon's plan was to have Heaven and Hell to wage war. There is only one method to stop this."

Ian understood Elise's plan. She didn't want war between Heaven and Hell to start especially when the angels had used her and him as the excuse of the war.

"It's either we can bring Gabriel to state the truth or we have to find Apollyon. However I heard Gabriel is in this castle, poisoned," Satan assessed with one eyebrow raised. 

Ian hummed and his aggressive red eyes stared at the King, saying, "The first one I will leave it to you as for the second, I and Elise would do it together."

Elise looked at Ian with a surprised gaze. Noticing this, he turned his face and gave a smile toward her, "This is a matter we both have to solve. I will not leave you alone to stop this madness. Never."

"Thank you," whispered Elise. Ian had saved her many times in her life it was inevitable for her to love him. She could not imagine her life without him and she would never allow Apollyon or Ernest to steal Ian again from her. Never, thought Elise where her blue eyes glimmered in a brighter golden color, almost dissolving any trace of blue.