It was a dark, stormy night. The clouds rumbled with thunder, and the city was pelted with rain, which fell in large droplets that were heavy enough to demolish a house. The sound of the rain was everywhere, pitter-pattering on the roofs and windows.
Inside the hospital room, Lucinda sat on the bed with Ralph by her side, cradling their newborn son who was crying incessantly in her arms. They both gazed down at their bundle of joy, their faces alight with smiles and laughter.
"He is so handsome and beautiful; he doesn't take after you," Lucinda teased, glancing up at Ralph. A smile curved across his face, and he chuckled, his eyes fixed on their son.
"He doesn't take after you either, but he does have your eyes," he replied, his voice filled with love. She giggled and stroked her baby's nose and blonde hair that looked like that of his father's.
"Don't cry, darling," Ralph said, using a coaxing tone in his voice. He brushed a tear off her face with his hand, his love and admiration for her evident.
"What should we call him?" she asked, looking up at him. "I don't know, we can talk about it tomorrow. I'm sure Medusa will be happy to hear that you've safely delivered the baby. I'll go and give her a call. Take care of yourself," Ralph said, planting a tender kiss on her forehead before walking out of the hospital room.
"My little baby, you fill my heart with so much joy. You are the baby I never knew I wanted," Lucinda mused, kissing him on his soft cheeks. She breastfed him, and he started sucking on her breast with his little mouth, placing his tiny hand on her right breast. Lucinda couldn't help but watch him, her love for him growing stronger by the second. She rested her head on the bed and fell asleep.
"Lucinda has given birth to a human baby for that stupid angel," Lucifer seethed, watching her in his palm with a mixture of disbelief and hatred. He stood next to his demon brother, Hades, who was standing behind him.
"What do you want to do now, brother? I thought you wanted to get your trident. I didn't break the seal to earth for nothing," Hades remarked, raising an eyebrow.
"I know, and I know just what to do. She can't live a happy life with me around. She is bonded to me. I should be the father of that child she is carrying, not that worthless angel. But I am not going to let this slide. I am going to get my revenge!" Lucifer declared, his eyes darkening with malice.
Hades waved his hand in the air, and a map appeared in front of him. "I have located your trident. It's with that guardian of the earth. I can't believe that man doesn't age," Hades said, glaring at the map.
"That's because he was created with many qualities. His trident will also be of great use," Lucifer said, chuckling. "But it's white, not my style at all," he added.
"You think we can get it? We can't grab his trident. It will turn us into ashes," Hades replied skeptically. Lucifer burst into laughter.
"Hahaha," he said, tapping Hades on the shoulder repeatedly.
"What's so funny?" Hades asked, raising a brow.
"Once I get my trident, I can use it to trap his trident. But first, I need my trident," Lucifer said, twisting his neck.
"So what's the plan?" Hades inquired.
"There is no plan. I just do whatever I want; no one can stop me anyway, not even Deacon," Lucifer declared, saying his name with a great deal of disgust. "And besides, if I tell you, it will no longer be a mystery," he added. He stood next to Hades, and they both disappeared into thin air.
Ralph was outside the hospital room talking to the nurse in charge of Lucinda's treatment.
"Can my wife be discharged tomorrow?" he asked curiously.
"Yes, sir. She is a very strong woman. She doesn't look like a woman that has gone into labor," the nurse replied.
"That's great. I'll come for her tomorrow. Here are a few things I arranged for her to eat," he said, handing a shopping bag to her.
"Why are you giving this to me? Shouldn't you give it to your wife?" The nurse asked in a confused manner. Ralph slowly opened the door of the hospital room and pushed the huge blue curtains open. "Shh, they are asleep," he whispered, turning to look at her with his hand on his lips.
"Oh," she muttered, and he closed back the curtains. "I don't want to disturb them," he whispered.
"I understand. I'll give it to her tomorrow. You can leave," she said, giving him a reassuring smile.
"Thank you, miss. You are the best. See you tomorrow," he beamed, attempting to leave when he halted for a second and opened the curtains, staring at his wife and son on the bed with a huge smile on his face, blowing kisses to them, although he had an uneasy feeling about leaving them alone.
"Sir, you can't be here. It's getting late. You should go home," the nurse whispered. He turned to look at her. "I know. I'm on my way," he replied and started walking at a slow pace, counting his steps as he walked.
The nurse noticed and smiled before closing back the curtains and shutting the door at a slow pace. Lucinda was sleeping comfortably on the bed with her son in her arms, sleeping with his mouth still on her breast as a cold breeze blew into the room and opened the windows, causing raindrops to make their way into the room. She didn't notice because she was still in a deep sleep, and the pitter-patter sound of the rain sounded like a lullaby and made her forget about her worries, snoring like a person with no worries.
***
Deacon was lying in the bathtub of his luxurious master bedroom with a wine glass in his right hand, listening to jazz music that was being played in the living room by his computerized house. He closed his eyes, becoming one with his surroundings. When he heard the sound of footsteps and his door being opened, the sound of the heavy rain couldn't mask the noise because of his super hearing. He immediately sensed that two people had entered his home and quickly opened his eyes.
He got out of the bathtub naked and snapped his fingers, causing a white suit to appear on his body. He brushed back his long hair, tying it in a bun. He narrowed his eyes at the door as he heard Lucifer's voice. "I didn't know he would come so early. I was expecting him," he thought and snapped his finger again, causing his huge white trident to appear in his hand. He clutched it tightly, his face serious.
Hades kicked open the door of his bathroom with his feet. The door was removed in the process, and it flew towards Deacon, but he burned it into ashes with his trident, his long hair dangling in the air. He moved one leg back into a fighting stance as Lucifer and Hades made their way into his bathroom. His eyes were twitching. It was an invasion of privacy.
"Lucifer, what do you want? After all I did to you the last time you...you came back for more?" He asked, glaring at Lucifer.
"Heh heh, I came to pay you a visit. I didn't know you would be expecting me," Lucifer replied in a rumbling tone.
"What do you want? You know we aren't friends, so get to the point before I cut off your horny head with my trident," Deacon threatened. Lucifer smirked and folded his arms, standing in front of him and glancing at the trident in his hand. "I didn't know you would be so disrespectful," Lucifer said, stepping forward.
"You know what I want. Give it to me, and no one will get hurt. You know, Lucinda just gave birth, and the child is her number one weakness. The child will be safe if you hand over my trident," Lucifer said with a devilish grin. Deacon stood back on his feet with a serious face.
"Are you threatening me?" he asked bluntly, arching a perfect brow.
"You know, I don't make empty threats. Come on, I am the king of the underworld," Lucifer teased.
"I don't like your sense of humor, king of the underworld, or whatever you call yourself. Get your nasty ass out of my house," Deacon declared, and they both locked eyes, shooting daggers at each other.
"Sheesh, damn this teenager ain't got no manners," Hades remarked, putting his hand in his back and smiling evilly. He showed Deacon Lucinda's baby that was in his right hand. He was holding onto his right leg as he held the crying baby upside down, causing his screams to fill the room.
Deacon was confused. He didn't know they had a baby with them the whole time. "Don't you dare harm a hair on his head," he said through clenched teeth.
"You want to test me? Give me my darn trident, and no one will get hurt," Lucifer declared, with a mysterious grin. Deacon clutched his chest. He had no option but to give in to Lucifer's demands because Ralph's new child had also become his weakness, and hearing the baby's screams made his heart pound in his ribcage.
"I'll give you back your trident, but on one condition: you'll give me back the child, and you'll wait for me to leave before I can make your trident free to you," he spoke. Lucifer and Hades looked at each other and then back at him.
"What are you saying, teenager? Are you kidding me? You're not in a position to give us conditions. I have the upper hand, so hand over my trident or my brother here will take the baby back to his kingdom of the dead," Lucifer threatened, his eyes burning with flames. They heard a rumble of thunder coming from the clouds. Deacon looked at the innocent child. He didn't know what was happening. It made him vulnerable and furious.
He waved his hand, and Lucifer's trident came flying into the room. He started levitating in the air and covered himself with an electric shield to protect himself from Lucifer. With his gaze fixed on the baby in Hades' hand, he needed a chance to take the baby from him.
Lucifer smiled and put his hand in the air as the trident flew to him and entered his hand like a magnetic force. He clutched his trident and smiled like a man who had just been reunited with his lover, with a spark of lightning that started rounding his trident.
"Yes! Yes! At last, I got my trident back!" Lucifer exclaimed, staring at his trident. Before Deacon could process what was happening, the whole place was covered with blinding white lights that he couldn't see through. He moved a little in his shield, trying to use his magic to enable him to see, but it was no use. His magic was limited in the shield, just like Lucifer couldn't harm him in it. He was able to flee in his shield, but he was unable to save the baby who was still with Hades. It was a total disaster.
Lucifer waved his hand in the air, and all the lights disappeared like a fog, revealing him and Hades and also the baby in his hand. He walked closer to Hades, who put the baby in a comfortable position and held him in his arm.
"What should we do to the baby?" Hades asked, but Lucifer didn't respond. "I think we should kill him," he suggested.