"The 'heroic system' I'm giving you might as well be a villain for you. You will now experience what it's like to have a villain looming over you, as you did to so many in your world." The goddess spoke with a tone of finality,
"Good luck in that hell of a world," she added, her words echoing with a mixture of challenge and prophecy.
Despite his shattered knees and bleeding mouth, Lucifer stood up, his posture defiant. A wicked grin spread across his face.
"Hell is something I rule, Goddess," he retorted, his voice dripping with audacity.
But the goddess's expression remained serene except her words carried a dire warning.
"Remember, if you die in that world, there's no coming back. You'll burn in hell for all eternity."
"Let's get this party started, Goddess. And you should pray to yourself that you don't see me again." Lucifer's grin widened.
The goddess smiled, a mysterious glint in her eyes. "I work in mysterious ways," she said, and with that, she raised her hand. A bright beam of light shot out, enveloping Lucifer.
Lucifer felt as if his soul was being torn from his body. He saw his physical form collapsing to the ground, a realization dawning on him that the goddess was stripping his soul from his body, sending him to a new world. As he was pulled into the bright light, the last thing he saw was the serene wheat field and the goddess's enigmatic smile, before everything faded into a blinding white void.
In a remote village in the Kingdom of Elveron, in the world of Faerion, a serene, snow-covered landscape stretched as far as the eye could see. The quaint village, blanketed in a thick layer of snow, was a picture of winter's quiet embrace. However, the tranquility was contrasted by the harshness of a raging blizzard. A few villagers, clad in clothes ill-suited for the winter's fury, shivered violently as they dragged dried wood into their humble homes, their every breath visible in the frosty air.
In one of these snow-laden houses, a frail youngster lay motionless on a bed. His long black hair sprawled untidily around his pale, lifeless face, and a few flies buzzed lazily around him, a grim testament to the stillness of death. The room was cold, the air heavy with an unspoken sorrow.
Suddenly, a bright ball of light materialized in the room, a stark contrast to the dim, somber setting. It floated gracefully towards the boy's body and gently entered it, infusing the lifeless form with a radiant energy.
After several seconds, the youngster's chest heaved with a sudden gasp for air. His eyes snapped open, glowing with an unnatural crimson red. He sat up abruptly, confusion etched on his features. "Where am I?" he asked, his voice unfamiliar to his own ears.
In that moment, it was clear that Lucifer had settled into his new body in this new world, a world that was about to be irrevocably changed by his presence.
As Lucifer acclimated to his new surroundings, the cries of several villagers pierced the quiet of the house. Their voices were tinged with shock and disbelief.
"What is happening?" one exclaimed, his voice trembling with fear.
"Look at the sky!" shouted another, urgency and awe mingling in her tone.
"Red lightning! Have you ever seen anything like that?" a third villager's voice rang out, expressing the collective astonishment at the unusual phenomenon.
Inside the house, Lucifer, now inhabiting the body of the young villager, turned his head, taking a moment to feel his new form with his hands. He scanned the room, a mix of curiosity and contemplation in his eyes.
"So, this is the world that needs the Demon King to save, huh?" he mused aloud, his voice carrying a hint of irony.
He attempted to stand up, only to stumble as he did so. The body he now occupied had been lifeless for several days, and it was still adjusting to being animated again, especially with a new soul at its helm. Every movement was a struggle, muscles weak and uncoordinated after their brief tenure in death's embrace.
Slowly, he made his way to the window, stumbling over the uneven floorboards. His hands, still unfamiliar with their new vessel, wiped away the frost from the window pane. Through the clear patch he created, Lucifer observed the streak of red lightning in the sky, now fading into the gloom. Below, villagers gathered, pointing at the sky and talking among themselves in hushed, shocked tones.
As he took in the scene, a sudden, sharp pain seared through Lucifer's head. It was the memories of the body's previous owner, flooding into his mind with overwhelming intensity. Images, emotions, and experiences rushed in, a torrent of a life once lived, now merging with the consciousness of the Demon King.
For a moment, Lucifer grimaced, grappling with the intimate, yet foreign, echoes of a life he had not lived.
As Lucifer stood at the frosty window, the deluge of memories from Archer Godfrey's life crashed over him like relentless waves. Each recollection, vivid and intimate, painted a tragic portrait of the young noble's life.
He saw flashes of Archer's childhood on the farm, the golden fields of wheat stretching under the sun, the laughter of his family echoing in the warmth of their home. Richard Godfrey, Archer's father, a stern yet fair man, and Liana, his gentle mother, appeared in these memories, their faces etched with love and pride for their sons.
A young woman with golden hair and blue eyes often appeared in these memories – Elisa. Her beauty, which intensified over the years through the lavish use of potions and cosmetics, was a constant presence in Archer's life. "Elisa, I'll do anything for you," a younger Archer's voice echoed in Lucifer's mind.
Scenes of Archer and Elisa's early romance flickered by. His family's acceptance of their relationship, despite the social divide, was evident.
"We only want your happiness, Archer," his mother's loving voice resonated in the memories.
The transition of Elisa from a commoner to a mage of the prestigious Arcane Academy unfolded. The Godfrey family, believing in her potential and her love for Archer, poured their wealth into her education and needs. Receipts, letters of expenses, and scenes of the family sacrificing their comforts for her flashed through.
But the memories turned bitter with the revelation of Elisa's betrayal. Lucifer saw through Archer's eyes the painful moment when he discovered her with Prince Roland.
"A mage like me can't marry a poor guy like you, Archer." Elisa's cruel words rang out.
The downfall of the Godfrey family followed – their lands taken, their wealth drained, their status diminished. The elders and members departing, leaving only Richard and Liana behind, their faces marked by despair and betrayal.
Lucifer felt Archer's heartbreak and despair as he witnessed the final days of his parents, their bodies wasting away from hunger.
"We gave everything for her... for what?" Richard's voice was a mere whisper, filled with regret.
As he was bombarded with the vivid and painful memories of Archer's final days, the pain in Lucifer's head intensified. He saw Elisa with Prince Roland in her dormitory bed, their laughter and whispers a stark contrast to the betrayal they represented.
"You're just a poor noble, Archer. I need someone who can give me the life I deserve," Elisa's voice echoed in the flashback, her words dripping with ingratitude.
Prince Roland's arrogant voice followed, "Your family is minor, Godfrey. A declining line. You're nothing to me."
The memory shifted to a brutal beating, the prince's guards descending upon Archer with merciless blows.
As Lucifer experienced these memories, he also felt the emotional aftermath. He saw Archer returning home, broken and defeated. Richard and Liana, their faces etched with worry and despair, tended to their son's wounds.
Whispers from the Godfrey family elders filled the room, their voices a chorus of blame and regret.
"It's their fault... they should never have accepted that commoner girl," one elder muttered.
Another said, "Archer's infatuation has brought us to ruin. We've lost everything because of this foolish love."
The scenes shifted to the last days of Archer's parents. Their conversations were filled with love, yet overshadowed by a sense of loss and defeat.
"We did what we thought was best for you," Liana whispered, her voice weak.
"We never regretted supporting you, son. Remember that," Richard's voice was a gentle rumble, filled with unspoken apologies.
Lucifer, through Archer's memories, felt the weight of the young man's depression. He saw Archer's tear-streaked face, his solitary walks through the now barren fields of their land, the empty halls of their once joyful home. The final moments were the most painful– Archer, alone and despondent, succumbing to hunger and heartbreak.
"I've lost everything... my love, my family, my purpose..."
Through these flashbacks, Lucifer not only understood the tragic story of Archer Godfrey but also felt the profound depth of his despair and loneliness, a stark contrast to the former Demon King's own experience of power and control.
"What a loser..." Lucifer muttered under his breath, a sense of disdain washing over him as he sifted through the remnants of Archer's memories. He reflected on his own ascent to power, starting as an orphan and a low-level demon, climbing to the pinnacle of the demonic hierarchy. His path had been fraught with impossible odds, far greater than those faced by the Godfrey family. To him, Archer's downfall seemed a product of naivety and misplaced trust, a fate he, Lucifer, would never have allowed for himself.
As he ruminated over these thoughts, a sudden chime echoed in his head, startling him out of his reverie. It was the system that the goddess had mentioned, announcing its activation in a way that was impossible to ignore.
His vision was momentarily obscured by golden letters forming in front of his eyes, presenting him with a new objective:
[New Heroic Quest Initiated: Seek Justice for the Godfrey Family. Make Elisa realize the error of her ways]
[Reward for Completion: Unlocking of System Store and 10,000 Heroic Points]
Lucifer blinked at the text, a mix of amusement and irritation crossing his features.
"A 'heroic quest', huh?" he scoffed. The irony of the situation was not lost on him – the Demon King, now in a foreign world, tasked with a mission of justice and redemption, something so far removed from his past exploits.
He considered the quest before him. While the concept of 'heroism' was alien and somewhat laughable to him, the prospect of regaining power, even in this bizarre new form, was enticing.
"Well, this might just be interesting after all," Lucifer mused, a cunning glint in his eyes.