Page 129 of Bellamy

Alastair released a shaky breath. “I won’t.”

“Good boy,” Lazarus whispered, sliding his hand to Alastair’s jaw. He then shoved away from him and took flight.

“Lazarus!” Alastair shook. With anger or something else?

With his injured left wing, Lazarus had difficulty flying and struggled to stay in the air. He then leveled off and summoned his whip as he headed toward Belphegor. The other remaining angels on our side joined him.

“What do we do?” Raiden asked. “We can’t leave them here to fight without us.”

“Gather the allies.” Alastair stared at the stone in his hand. It was about the size of a baseball and had glowing purple runes circling the outside. “We’re going home.”

Castor shook his head. “If Lucifer steps out of that doorway, Echo Bay won’t be standing for long. You know we can’t leave.”

“Lazarus gave us orders.”

“Fuck his orders,” Galen said, his eyes completely black, no whites showing. “We—”

His words broke off as the door in the stone circle opened.

It was nighttime in the clearing, the only light coming from the harvest moon and the multitudes of stars above. However, the scene shown through the doorway looked like a warm spring day, with vibrant shades of green grass, a field of colorful flowers, and cherry blossoms in full bloom. The sound of a gentle stream trickled through the now quiet clearing.

A figure appeared in the doorway.

I gaped as he came into view. Asa truly was the spitting image of his father. Lucifer’s black hair fell down his chest in the same way, but he was taller and more muscled than his son. Instead of crimson, his eyes appeared to be the same shade of blue as the sky from the springlike scene behind him.

What shocked me more than anything?

All seven of the Nephilim brothers dropped to one knee at the same time, heads tipped down. Their blood must’ve sensed Lucifer’s presence. Their souls too. And their bodies wished to obey his every command.

“Bell?” I knelt beside him, hand on his back.

He was gritting his teeth. “Can’t… fight it.”

“Welcome back, my king,” Belphegor said, kneeling in front of Lucifer. Vepar, Purah, and the rest of the fallen angels followed suit, all bowing before him.

“How much time has passed?” Lucifer asked.

Chills spread down my spine as he spoke. His baritone voice could be heard all through the clearing without him even needing to raise it.

“The year is 2022,” Belphegor answered. “My apologies for keeping you waiting so long.”

“You did well, Belphegor. I hold no anger toward you.” Lucifer peered down at Asa, a curious tilt to his head. “I forgot how much he resembles me. Interesting.”

He then stepped over Asa’s body, not giving him a second glance.

Alastair was the first one to break from the hold, and he rose to his feet. Galen was second, then Bellamy. The others finally managed to stand too, their muscles trembling.

“Alastair,” Lucifer said in a warmer tone. Way different than the emotionless one he’d used before stepping over his dead son. “You’ve become so strong. But will you be strong enough to defeat me, I wonder.”

“I ordered you to leave!” Lazarus told Alastair, his face contorting in anger. Worry was there too.

“Or.” Lucifer accepted his sword from Belphegor. The blue tint to Light Bringer’s blade glowed brighter as he grabbed it. “You could join me, just as I always intended for you to.”

“You won’t touch him!” Lazarus charged toward Lucifer.

Alastair stared at them in stunned silence.

“Al!” Raiden slapped him on the arm. “Snap out of it. What the hell are we gonna do?”