✔ 𝕮𝖗𝖔𝖜𝖓𝖑𝖊𝖘𝖘 𝕮𝖍𝖔𝖎𝖗𝖘

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈

Benjamin led the angel across the city. In the meantime, two hours had passed and life between the concrete blocks had filled with hustle and bustle. Cars blocked the traffic, honking their horns, people rushed from one place to another on the sidewalk. The sky was still red, but you could clearly see the difference between day and night as the color had turned a bright orange. Nevertheless, they were still in hell and none of the people took any notice of them.

Finally, they reached a secluded alleyway where a small antique workshop was located among the modern buildings. The sign above the door was faded and covered in rust, but the warm light coming in from the windows told them that the store was open.

Benjamin opened the door and entered, followed by Asmodeus.

The smell of old wood and dusty books lingered in the air as they strolled through the narrow aisles among the antique furniture and quirky artifacts.

The walls of the store were lined with shelves displaying a variety of antique objects. Old vases, ornate caskets and ornately carved statues found their place here. The wood of the shelves was dark and aged, but the objects on them radiated a mysterious aura, as if they were telling stories from times long past.

In the middle of the store was a large work table covered with tools and materials for restoring antique pieces. An elderly man with gray hair and glasses perched on his nose was busy repairing an old clock. His skillful hands moved with quiet precision as he concentrated on his work.

Asmodeus let his eyes wander curiously over the broken chandeliers, taking care not to knock over any of the objects on the floor.

"Good afternoon," Benjamin greeted the old man, who looked up, but only as far as he could see through his glasses. He seemed to know Lucifer's son, because many wrinkles formed around his eyes as he smiled. "We're here to see Mr. Morningstar."

The man nodded and gestured to the door on the right side of the room, past the counter.

With a grateful nod, Benjamin walked on, closely followed by his companion. The door led down a flight of stairs into a cellar, which was full of odds and ends, but still had enough space to accommodate a couch, a workbench and a bed. Tariel was lying on the bed, this time whimpering less than a few hours ago. His bare chest was bandaged and his still intact wing was sticking out of a gap. In front of the workbench itself stood an older man with short, black hair. He was handsome, with high cheekbones and very narrow eyes.

"Assi!" Tariel exclaimed as he caught sight of the seraphim, causing the man to turn to the two of them.

"Benji!" the guy at the workbench echoed euphorically, indicating that the man was Lucifer Morningstar. He spread his arms, walked up to his son and greeted him with a hug so strong that it lifted Benjamin off the ground. He was then adorned with fatherly kisses all over his face.

The scene took Asmodeus by surprise. He had expected a distant or even hostile relationship between Lucifer and his son, based on what he had heard about the dynamics between the higher powers of hell. But the warm welcome Lucifer gave his son was entirely unexpected.