Prologue
Lucifer sighed. They stood at the farthest edge of Hell– where darkness stretched endlessly, lit only by faint flames, exhausted from their own burning.
The Dreamer stood before him, while Lucifer sat on a jagged rock, his elbow resting on his knee and his hand supporting his chin.
His gaze was distant, as if eternity itself had lost its meaning.
Lucifer: All those humans… I’m tired, so tired and I feel nothing, not anymore– adrift, exactly the same feeling I had when I was falling.
Almost 10 billion years ago ,when we first came here , many things have changed, even you Dreamer of Hopes.
Dreamer: How?
Lucifer: You were very optimistic back then, you always found a way to see the light, even when it wasn’t possible.
But you are no longer like that, you have changed, now you are more realistic, there isn’t always hope, especially here, in the reign of demons and damned.
You may have been right about myself. I changed.
But Ask yourself, Lucifer Morningstar, do you really think that no demons or damned trapped here is hoping to realize his dreams?
At the Dreamer’s words, Lucifer’s expression twisted — not quite a sneer, more like a faint, brief laugh that died almost instantly.
Then, his eyes ignited with fury, burning brighter than the infernal flame consuming all the damned.
Lucifer: Hmph… You also, alike the others, don’t understand a thing.
There will never be hope until God won’t fall off his throne, you should be a god,yet you speak as if you were his own private puppet.
The dreamer with a calm, yet aggressive tone responded with his eyes containing pure determination symbolizing the strength and truth of his words.
Dreamer: Samael, as always, you let your mere feelings overwhelm yourself.
I can see it in your eyes, the wound that caused you to change, the scar inflicted by your father
I see it clearly in your most terrible nightmare.
The moment you became The first among the fallen.
The day that will torture you for eternity.
Lucifer:You will never understand.
Lucifer stood up on the rock, blocking the weary hell’s flames with his wings to show even more the enormous difference between them.
His voice suddenly changed, deeper— and sharper than the first sin’s sword itself.
As well as his eyes,they became darker, so dark and striking, that was the real gaze of the Demon king.
In that moment the Dreamer’s body perceived a life threatening menace.
The combat spirit of the Demon king, hidden all this time, suddenly burst out of his body.
Lucifer: Now tell me, Dream.
Do you know why I did it — why I chose to defy God Himself?
Dream: W-we a–all know, you wanted everythi– control.
Lucifer’s brow lowered, and his anger surged — so powerful that the air itself began to tremble.
Lucifer: It was never about control. I never cared for ranks, or any of that foolishness.
I will tell you the reason that pushed me to do such a thing.
When I lived high above, in the cold halls of the Silver City oppressed by his presence, the omniscient, the one who knows everything.
You feel fear towards me, don’t you? I give you my word that I will never do anything to harm you.
So now, answer me sincerely Dream, is that really the freedom all of you hope to achieve?
A tiny smile emerged from Hope’s mouth, his head raised to equal his presence.
Dream: is that all? Is that really the miserable conclusion that led you?
Freedom isn’t about being unseen, Samael. It’s about choosing to be seen, even when it hurts. Even when everybody looks at you.
Actually, I wasn’t surprised about what you said.
Those humans you consider such wretched creatures… They carry something we lost long ago.
They fall, they break, they sin — yet every time, they rise again.
They dream, even when they know their dreams may die with them.
That’s what you never understood, Samael. Their weakness is their strength.
The Demon mind’s control game stopped for a moment.
His face jaw muscles relaxed as he began to pronounce his phrase.
Lucifer: As always talking to you is never pointless, You’ve given me an idea, and I truly recognize your merit.
I will close down hell and reach the Garden of Eden– the place where all humans belong.
Dream: Don’t expect anything from me–’cause I won’t give you any help in pursuing your ignoble goals.
Lucifer: Don’t dare to think you are a necessary person, all of you, including you are sheer items to serve my will.
Dream: You still believe power is freedom… then you’ve learned nothing since the Silver war.
Lucifer’s disrespect for all the creatures, showed off once again, as if it was a distinctive trait in his instinct.
Lucifer: Your time has ended, disappear from my sight, miserable rat.
Dream, kneeling on one knee in a false gesture of respect that concealed his mockery, met the Demon’s gaze with a challenging stare.
Dream: As you wish, but remember my words– those humans will strike and blow your chest even deeper.
And at last they will eventually reach your never healed wound.
In a brief moment Dream vanished– somewhere in the vast infinity of the universe.
Those words pronounced by Dream, left Lucifer’s mind consumed by doubt.
Despite this a new purpose for his life awakened.
The journey to reach the mortals had just begun
