His body had become numb since his nerves had died a long time ago.
He had been through so much pain over the years that he no longer felt any pain.
Neither could he remember the last time he took in oxygen nor when his heart had a pulse.
With a dead heart and lungs his body was no different from a rock.
Yet underneath that dead body existed a life. A soul that death had refused to open its gate to.
He was still on the same spot as he had been a millennium ago. It was the worst condition any creature would ever be subjected to.
His body had been thrown into a pit of boiling lava with over five thousand degrees Celsius.
He was scorched in it for many years that he even lost track of how many years had passed.
He spent each day wishing to die but death rejected him.
That was his harsh reality. He was cursed to eternal life full of pain misery and lots of suffering.
At first he would try all he could to free himself for he used to find the pain unbearable.
However when years passed without any possibility of getting out of the situation he had no choice but to adapt to his destined environment.
Though he was already used to burning daily he still felt pain. A different kind of pain.
The pain of been forgotten by the person he had dedicated his whole life to.
He did not know of the others but in his mind he knew that two people were to blame for the situation he was in.
The people that he hated the most.
Even today he had no different hopes. All he knew was that he was still livinga miserable life.
He was extremely shocked when he felt his body being pulled by some unseen force.
The temperature fell drastically all of a sudden. He could not believe what was happening to him.
How was it even possible. Were they going to release him. Had someone finally took pity on him?
Wait a moment. He had been punished till the end of time. Maybe the world had finally came to an end.
His joy sunk immediately. What was the point in getting out of this hell if he was sure that he was going to burn in the real hell anyway.
He was hopeful again when he felt the ground above him opening. Then he felt his feet step on a familiar ground.
He was about to open his eyes when he felt strong arms holding him.
He was dragged to the same hall where he had received his sentence a millennium ago.
It was cold as it had been a thousand years ago.
" Open your eyes" a calm familiar voice ordered.
In the past he would have been extremely scared of defying orders but at this point he cared less.
He felt someone press his chin. " I said open your eyes Raguel Asmodeus "
He was extremely weak to the point that even blinking felt like a really hard work.
He slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry. Then a figure started forming before him.
He found himself looking at red eyes. he was looking into the devil's eyes.
Lucifer gave him a faint smile. " See now. It's not hard to be a good boy "he laughed.
" What is it that you want?" Raguel asked boldly.
" oh I see. you are so straight forward" Lucifer said sarcastically and smiled coldly.
He was emitting a terrifying cold dark aura that made everyone fear him.
" You are unwell. Just look at your body it's no different from a skeleton " Lucifer said in a mocking tone.
' was this all you got me here for ' Raguel wanted to ask but he stopped upon feeling Lucifer's cold gaze on him.
Lucifer stared at him for a while before he went to sit on his throne. He signalled all the other demons to leave.
" I see you no longer have fear for me " he said in a serious tone.
" I used to have fear for you " Raguel responded simply. " Then what changed? " Lucifer asked trying his level best to hide his anger.
Raguel saw it as an opportunity to to annoy Lucifer even more. " I realised that you are not worthy of my fear and respect" he replied coldly.
The devil vanished from his throne and in no time at all Raguel felt his presence behind him. " Are you afraid"
Raguel shook his head. " You should be " Lucifer said simply " Because soon enough I will be your worst nightmare"
The smirk on his face made Raguel curse under his breath. As long as he was concerned Lucifer was his worst nightmare already.
What more horror was there left to experience anyway. What more could the devil possibly do to him to make him fear him.
Raguel was feeling uncomfortable because Lucifer was beating around the bush on his agenda of freeing him all over sudden.
He would have asked him but he saw no need because Lucifer would have known what he wanted to ask even before he thought of it.
Lucifer vanished and solidified again. This time he was holding a mirror. He held it in front of Raguel for him to see his reflection.
Raguel found it hard to believe that it was his image.
He was very bony and barely had any flesh. His skin was a dark burnt meat. His eyes had no colour. His hair was scorched and barely present on his head.
He could have easily guessed that he was the ugliest creature existing.
He wished to shed tears but his body did not have even a drop of liquid.
All that was a product of Lucifer's wrath. How could Lucifer do this to him.
He regretted ever ruining his life and dedicating himself completely to serve the devil.
He gave up everything for him yet the devil could not forgive him for such a simple mistake.
" It's not simple as you put it to be" Lucifer said calmly. " You think I never cared for you right?" he asked surprising Raguel.
' It's obvious' Raguel thought but kept it to himself. He wanted to see where Lucifer was heading to.
" I can assure you that you can never be more wrong. I did care for you. I loved you more than a father loves his son" he said softly.
" Then where did your love disappear to father?" Raguel asked sarcastically. He stressed the last word just to annoy Lucifer.
How dare he speak of love and care. Did he have any idea of what those words meant? Which father could burn their son for a thousand years without feeling remorseful.
" You killed it the moment you went against me" he said " When you slept with my bride I felt hurt and my love for you died.
You are the one who decided to show of your manhood and had the guts to go into the devil's wife"
That was true but not entirely true. Raguel did sleep with the devil's bride but it was not intentional.
She was the one who seduced him how on Earth was he supposed to save himself. But didn't matter to Lucifer at all.
His ego was hurt and he punished him in the worst way possible. Being punished did not hurt him but Lucifer's distrust did.
Worst of it all his wife accused Raguel of having cast a spell on him. And just like a fool he was Lucifer believed her.
" I am not a fool to start with " Lucifer interrupted his thoughts.
' Yes you are ' he said in his head.
Lucifer refused to listen to him. He didn't have the time to hear his side of the story. He showed him his pride.
He forgot of their friendship ever since the beginning of time.
" Your big ego killed your love if it was even there in the first place" Raguel said bitterly.
" I have realized that I was unfair to you. But now I called you here to patch up things between us" Lucifer said softly.