He felt it again.
The vivid connection that almost made him go crazy. It has been going on like this and it feels like ages, his bride was messing his mind from time to time that he questioned his existence in general. The ring was already worn, the bond tugged and for a fleeting maddening moment he had tasted the sweetness of power long denied, a tantalizing tease of something he couldn't reach but then like always, the connection snapped.
"Curse it all!" he growled under his breath, the sound reverberating through the cavernous hall.
Hell had shifted under the weight of it's king's torment. The throne room was vast and endless, built from obsidian stone as though it carried the beat of a dying heart. Shadows clung to every corner, twisting into shapes that whispered forgotten sins. The air was heavy, a constant suffocating him of power and anguish intertwined.
Lucien Draven sat upon his throne with stillness that belied the storm ranging beneath his skin. His long fingers tapped against the carved armrest, his sharp eyes burned with hunger that patience could never tame.
Beyond the throne Ignis Vox-music obsessed demon, fiddled with enchanted violin, the strings shrinking a discordant wail. His crimson eyes burned with frustration as he paced. "This is absolute torture" he hissed clutching the violin like a lifeline. "If the lord's suffering drags on we'll be consumed by it, doesn't he know the agony is tenfold our own?" he spoke louder knowing pretty well Lucien is hearing it all if he wanted maybe that should be a reminder to keep himself calm.
"He knows, but you'd be wise not to remind him. His patience is thinner than the veil between realms" Asmodeus the fashion obsessed demon reminded.
"He's right. Ignis what happened to the luring him cross over the bridge though? I thought you said you got it 'handled'?" Dorian the smooth talking demon lawyer asked Ignis mockery dripping off his sharp tongue.
"Well, I did lure him even Asmodeus had something to do with his dreams but....I don't know. The bond is forming or might have been already formed but..I don't why he doesn't seize it?" Ignis spoke with more frustration.
"Size it?" Lucien's eyes snapped open, the room fell deathly silent, his voice was silk over steel. He rose slowly, each movement deliberate, graceful and filled with menace "would you have me force the bridge, corrupt the bond. I told you from the beginning it was a bad idea" Asmodeus swallowed since it was his idea and bowed deeply "forgive my outburst, I tried my best we had to do something about it" he defended "tried, more like scaring him away" Lucien added his frustration adding even more. The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken impatience and dread.
"I feel it again" Lucien closed his eyes, his senses reaching into the fabric of reality. He felt the pull of the ring, a silver thread fragile but growing stronger with every passing moment. He clenched his fist, nails biting into his palm. He's near.
The power surged, sweet and searing filling his veins like molten fire. It was intoxicating. Dangerous. Forbidden. Yet felt so right at the same time.
"No!" he snarled to himself, he had pulled away again, the bond snapping back with a greater force. He feels him but so far it's eating his inner peace. He can literally see his shadow over the bridge but he wouldn't cross it at all, what's so hard about crossing a damn bridge, humans were so easy to manipulate and lure them just anywhere but this one, he's a hard nut to crack for sure.
"stop y'all" he snapped his voice sounding so impatient "what do you mean?" Asmodeus asked with a confused gaze "stop luring him, stop forcing him to cross over. He has to face this either or I am going to drag him myself all the way here" they might have mistook their master as a calm demon but they were all wrong, Lucien was never the calm one.
"Our last idea is..." Asmodeus was about to give them a sick idea again "no need, now we wait and this is your fault we shouldn't have followed your stupidity" Ignis groaned and Asmodeus felt offended "says the one who had a absolutely no idea how to speed up this, very helpful" Dorian added, mockery dripping in his voice.
"These idiots-" Lucien could feel his headache sum up not very helpful of them, all they do is make him more angry and he wants nothing but to burn them out of existence, thanks to them this wasn't going to work out easily or was it? . But suddenly something happened...
The air shifted.
Lucien stiffens. The bridge had formed again this time "he's crossing it" at the mention of that everyone fell silent immediately.
The realization hit Lucien like a blow to the chest. His eyes burned with intensity that could devour worlds and for the first time in decades a wicked smile curled his lips. The connection had surged, it felt so good.
Power flowed into him, dark and heady wrapping around his heart like silken chains. His breath hitched as the boy's soul brushed against his own, a fleeting tantalizing touch that left him reeling.
"Finally" a whisper, soft as sin echoed through the bridge
"Come closer my bride"
The fog of hell trembled, its endless gloom brightened for a fraction of a heartbeat.
"It's finally happening" Ignis spoke with a smirk on his handsome featured face. "We are finally saved from the demon" Asmodeus added playfully "uh your a demon too bitch" Dorian grunted as Asmodeus rolled his eyes.
If there was anything their master Lucien was losing, was himself. The ring had come like a curse to him. Ever since the prophecy was passed down he's been absolutely out of it for almost forever but now that something was happening this was a new beginning and hope.