Page 149 of Alastair

“Then we have no choice but to stand against you.” I unsheathed Night Fall. “I call this checkmate.”

“The game is far from over.” A wicked smile twisted his features. “The only way this night ends is with the eight of you dead at my feet.”

“Big words.” Galen rolled his shoulders, his irises flickering to black and swallowing the whites of his eyes. Wrath had shared control with him while saying goodbye to Simon but had consumed him once again. “Let’s see if you can back them up.”

“Bring it on, Lucy,” Castor said, gripping his golden dagger. “We’ve kicked your ass once and can do it again.”

“It’s interesting.” Lucifer gave a slight tilt of his head. “When I was shown the vision of my death, I saw all of you motionless around me. Which means one thing: you can only beat me by sacrificing yourselves in the process.” As he unsheathed Light Bringer, the blade hummed. “So you see? Win or lose, none of you will live to see morning.”

“We’ll do whatever’s necessary to stop you,” I told him. “We’ll pay any price.”

“Heroes to the very end.” Lucifer almost looked impressed by that. “Unfortunately, that sacrifice will be in vain.” His blue eyes fell to me. “You were my son once. Not by blood, but I raised you as my own. For that reason alone, I will offer you one final chance to stop this nonsense and take your place by my side.”

Memories flitted through my head of Lucifer smiling over at me as we ate our meals. I recalled him sitting by my bed the time I’d caught a cold as a boy, before my Nephilim healing powers had kicked in. So many moments, all special in their own way.

But they had been lies. Just part of the manipulation.

“Enough talking.” Galen’s head twitched, and a ripple went through his muscles. “The only sound I want to hear is you choking on your blood!” He then bolted forward. Wrath had reached his limit and needed to expel his rage, or he’d go mad with it.

Lucifer threw him back using only his mind, but Galen jumped back to his feet, even more pissed and stronger than before. He lunged again.

The dark witches swarmed around us. Or tried to. Clara and Sirena cut through them. The ones who weren’t blown apart by Clara’s witch bombs or decapitated by Sirena then tucked tail and ran.

It allowed us to focus solely on Lucifer.

Castor ducked low and struck at him. Then Raiden joined them. Kallias slashed at Lucifer as Raiden was thrown backward. His blade skated across Lucifer’s fair skin, not leaving a scratch.

This was how it began—how we tapped into the synchronized style of fighting that would allow us to defeat him.

Daman added his blade to the mix, followed by Gray, who had absorbed more energy from a demon to ensure he’d be alert enough during the most important fight of our lives. Bellamy and I then leapt forward.

None of us left a mark on Lucifer, but we would eventually. Because I had seen it all play out. I had seen every detail of this moment.

The end had reached us at last.

It was poetic, really. My brothers and I would give everything in the place we’d called home for so many years. Our safe haven would be the location of our last stand.

***

An absolute good or evil didn’t exist. We were all capable of becoming monsters if provoked enough. Lucifer had taught me that.

It was why I couldn’t fully hate him despite everything that had happened. It was why Michael sometimes spoke of Lucifer with a sorrowful ache in his eyes. Why Lazarus had created an eternal spring as his prison when we’d caged him.

Lucifer had meant something to all of us once. Killing him would be, in many ways, killing those memories of him as well.

As my brothers and I circled him, attacking one after the other, I didn’t strike him with hatred in my heart. Was I angry? Yes. But I didn’t allow that ire to consume me. Not anymore.

Perhaps, even after thousands of years, I still had room to grow. As a warrior. As a man.

“Are you all right?”I asked Lazarus.

“Don’t worry about me. Focus on the fight with Lucifer.”

“So bossy.”

“Always.”

Hearing his voice, even telepathically, gave me a boost of strength.