"And just like that, the party is officially moved to Fluttershy’s house!"

Pinkie Pie declared it with her usual over-the-top enthusiasm, throwing confetti out of nowhere like she had a personal pocket dimension filled with the stuff. Her grin stretched from ear to ear as she practically bounced in place.

The other girls laughed shaking their heads, but I could tell they were relieved. The tense atmosphere from earlier had finally eased, and now they were settling into their usual rhythm.

Fluttershy hesitatied before nodding gently. "Oh, um... that would be nice, I think. If everyone is okay with it..."

I lifted a hand, waving them off before this turned into an actual party. "I need to take Snowdrop home first. After everything that happened, she needs to rest."

Snow, standing beside me, crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Pfft, I'm fine. If the girls are cool with it, I can stay—"

"No" I cut her off before she could finish. "Today was... a lot. You almost got hit by a damn truck, and I almost broke my ribs trying to save you. You need to go home and rest. I need to rest too."

She pouted but didn't argue, though I could see the glimmer of mischief in her eye.

"Oh, but it'd be fun if she stayed!" Pinkie whined.

"Yeah, she’s already here, so why not?" Rainbow Dash added, grinning.

Snowdrop waved them off dramatically, smirking up at me. "Nah, nah, I was just messing with my bro. Probably better if I go home and rest, like he said. He’s already got enough bruises to carry both of us."

I nodded, relieved. "Thanks."

We thanked Fluttershy's mom once more for checking me over, said our goodbyes, and I turned to Sunset. She lingered by the door, arms crossed, eyes on me.

"You still owe me a talk about those chains of yours," she said, a teasing smirk playing on her lips.

I laughed weakly. "Ah, yeah. That should be fine now" At least if Hermes is in charge and not that mad god..

She tilted her head, curious. "Huh?"

"...Nothing. Just thinking out loud."

She gave me a suspicious look stepping forward and wrapping her arms around me in a quick but firm hug. "Take care of yourself, alright? You do too much stupid stuff for one guy."

I sighed. "Yeah, yeah."

Then, with Snowdrop at my side, we headed home.

The night was cold, the streetlights casting long shadows across the pavement. The air felt lighter. The kind of air you breathe when you know you did something right. But even as relief settled in, my thoughts were a mess.

"What are gods, really?"

I knew they existed. Hell, I'd talked to two of them already. But were they just watchers? Puppeteers? Did they play with our lives for fun, or was there some kind of purpose behind it? I owed Hermes everything right now—without him, Snowdrop wouldn’t be walking beside me, teasing me like nothing happened. But still...

"It would be cool to have my own story. If I did all this on my own, it would just feel better, you know?"

I glanced at Snowdrop, who was walking with her hands stuffed into her hoodie pockets. She was humming to herself, swaying slightly as she walked, like she had zero cares in the world. Then, without warning, she turned to me with a smirk.

"Sooo… how’s your love life going?"

I nearly tripped. "What?!"

She snickered. "Oh, c’mon. Don’t act all surprised. I saw how Sunset was looking at you back there."

I groaned. "We're just friends."

"Uh-huh. Sure."

"Seriously."

"So you’re telling me that you can jump out of a moving truck to save my ass, but you can’t tell Sunset you like her?"

I stopped walking, rubbing the back of my head. "...I dunno."

Snowdrop sighed, shaking her head in mock disappointment. "Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. You're out here pulling off action-movie stunts like a hero, but the second it comes to feelings, you're a total coward."

I huffed. "It’s not that simple."

"It kinda is."

I shot her a look, but she just grinned. I sighed, but then—without really thinking—I reached over and ruffled her hair. She yelped, swatting my hand away.

"Hey! Rude!"

I laughed, even as my ribs protested the movement. "You're lucky I love you, kid."

"Damn right I am."

Maybe I didn’t have control over everything. Maybe Hermes had nudged me in the right direction. But I still made the choice to jump. I still saved Snowdrop.

And that had to count for something.

As we reached our house, I looked up at the night sky. A single star twinkled, brighter than the others, just for a second.

Then another did. And another.

I stopped for a moment, staring up at the night sky. Weird… Maybe it was nothing. Maybe I was just overthinking it. But after everything I had been through, could I really ignore something like this?

Could it be Hermes again? Or… someone else? A cold shiver ran down my spine at the thought. What if not all gods were as “friendly” as him?

Snowdrop’s voice snapped me out of it. “You coming?”

She stood at the front door, one hand on the doorknob, looking at me like I was a total weirdo. Which, okay, fair.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming,” I muttered, taking one last glance at the sky before following her inside.

She smirked. “Weirdo.”

I scoffed. “It’s genetic. You’re weird too.”

That wiped the smirk off her face. “Excuse me?”

I chuckled, stepping past her. I barely made it three steps toward my room before my parents intercepted me in the hallway.

My dad’s eyes narrowed. “What happened to you? You look like you jumped out of a moving car.”

I blinked. Damn. Good guess.

From behind me, Snowdrop peeked around the corner with a massive grin. “He did.”

My mom gasped, her hands trembling as the glass she was holding slipped through her fingers. Shatter! The sound echoed through the house."WHAT"

“NOTHING!” I practically lunged at Snowdrop, shoving my hand over her mouth before she could say another word. “I was just, uh—playing soccer! Yeah, soccer! I was the goalkeeper, and I got a little too enthusiastic. No big deal.”

My dad folded his arms. “Soccer?”

“Y-Yeah,” I nodded rapidly. “Lots of diving, you know how it is.”

Snowdrop’s eyes glinted with mischief. Then, before I could react—she licked my hand.

I recoiled instantly. “Ew!”

She wiped her mouth and smirked. “Serves you right.”

My mom, still recovering from the shock, stepped forward and grabbed my arm. “You’re bruised! You’re hurt! Let me see.”

I tried to brush it off. “I’m fine, Mom. Fluttershy’s mom checked me out. No broken ribs, just some bruises.”

I turned toward Snowdrop and grabbed her by the collar like a puppy. “Come on, we need to talk.”

She just grinned up at me. “Aww, big bro’s mad?”

“Yes.”

I dragged her down the hall.

And let go of her once we were in the hallway, away from our parents. She rubbed her neck dramatically, pretending I had been choking her. “Geez, you’re so violent.”

“You know, you could’ve just let me handle that back there.”

She smirked. “Where’s the fun in that?”

I groaned, running a hand through my hair. “You almost gave Mom a heart attack.”

She shrugged. “You should’ve come up with a better lie.”

“…Okay, that’s fair.”

She crossed her arms. “So, are we going to talk about what happened?”

I leaned against the wall, suddenly feeling really tired. “I mean… you almost died today. I just did what I had to.”

Snowdrop frowned. “But how did you know?”

I hesitated. “It’s… complicated.”

How was I supposed to explain this? That some unseen force nudged me in the right direction? That a literal god whispered a warning into my mind? No way. Snowdrop might be a little naive, but even she wouldn’t buy something that absurd. I had to come up with something believable. A sibling bond? Some kind of gut feeling? No, she’d just make fun of me for that.

"Let’s just say I had a feeling, okay?" I finally said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Snowdrop raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced, but she just rolled her eyes. "You’re such a dork" she muttered before quickly turning toward her room.

“Oh, you little—”

Before I could chase after her, she paused in the doorway and glanced back at me. The playful smirk on her face softened, her expression turning more sincere.

"…Thanks" she said quietly.

And just like that, she disappeared into her room, shutting the door behind her.

All of that… just for a "thanks," huh? But she was alive. She was safe. That was all that mattered.

I let out a long breath and turned toward my own room, shutting the door behind me. I sank onto my bed, staring at the ceiling.

So… what now?

Do I just pray before bed now?

I mean, what else am I supposed to do? The story that the other god wrote got overwritten, meaning there's something new in place. Something different.

I sat up and clasped my hands together dramatically.

"Oh, gigantic, most powerful Hermes," I said mockingly, "if you could please bless me with your presence in my life or my dreams, my life would be fulfilled with your wisdom."

I closed my eyes.

A pause.

Then I peeked one eye open.

Still my room.

I looked left.

Looked right.

Still nothing.

Well, that didn’t work.

I sighed and dragged myself into the bathroom. The second my shirt was off, I got a good look at myself in the mirror—and immediately winced. Damn. The bruises looked even worse under the bathroom light, deep purples and blues spread across my torso like some kind of abstract painting. No wonder everyone freaked out.

Carefully, I stepped into the shower, hissing whenever the hot water hit a particularly sore spot. I avoided the bruises as best as I could, but every little movement still sent a dull ache through my body. Whatever. I’d been through worse.

Once I was done, I dried off, threw on a loose T-shirt, and collapsed into bed.

I stared at the ceiling again.

Why couldn't I sleep?

Maybe it was everything that happened today. Saving Snowdrop. Almost dying. The fact that an actual god was involved in my life now.

No—multiple gods.

That star from earlier... it wasn’t just Hermes. Someone else had been watching, hadn’t they?

I turned onto my side, folding my arms under my head.

Was I being arrogant? Thinking that I could just ask a god for help whenever I wanted?

No… it wasn’t arrogance. It was opportunity.

Hermes wanted to help me. I could feel it. But in the end, he was still a god. And gods—at least from what I’d seen—enjoyed spectacle. They liked watching stories unfold, didn’t they?

So… what if I gave them a story worth watching?

A real spectacle.

If I made this world interesting enough, if I played my part the way they wanted, maybe… just maybe, I could bend the rules a little.

Make things work in my favor.

That evil god—whatever his real name was—he had rules. He had control over my story, my fate. But now that Hermes had rewritten things, maybe the rules weren’t set in stone anymore. Maybe I could push the boundaries.

Maybe I could win.

The idea sent a shiver down my spine.

I don't trust gods.

Not one bit.

But if using them was to my advantage… then why the hell shouldn’t I?

After what felt like an eternity, my eyes finally closed. Sleep took me—finally.

And then…

FUCK YEAH! Again in thi—wait. Fuck. Where the hell am I?

This wasn’t the golden hallway where I had met Hermes before. No, this was something entirely different. The place was too luxurious, too polished. The couch I was sitting on? It was massive, made of velvet so soft it felt unreal. The walls stretched up into an endless ceiling, decorated with chandeliers that glowed like stars.

A fireplace crackled nearby, illuminating the room with a dim golden light. Where was I now?

“Ah, you’re awake, i mean here” a soft, almost embarrassed voice spoke.

I turned my head so fast I almost snapped my own neck.

Sitting next to me—way too close to me—was a girl.

No, not just a girl. She had wings. Large, white, pristine wings folded against her back, feathers shimmering like silk. Her long blonde curls framed a delicate, almost doll-like face, her bright green eyes staring at me with barely contained excitement. She had both hands covering her mouth, as if she were suppressing a gasp.

Oh my fucking god.

Hermes, if this is you fucking around, I swear—

“I-I’m not Hermes,” she stammered suddenly, as if she had read my mind.

FUCK. FUCK. FUCK.

This isn’t Hermes. Then who the hell is this?

Did I just get myself in even deeper by trying to reach out to him? Is this what happens when you start praying to gods? I knew I shouldn’t have done that. This was greed. This was me overstepping.

I scrambled backward on the couch. Was this another mad god?

“I’m so sorry! Oh no, no, no, don’t be scared!” she suddenly yelped, waving her hands in front of her. Her wings flapped slightly, making a soft whoosh noise. “I’m not here to hurt you, I swear!”

That’s exactly what someone who’s about to kill you would say.

“Who… Who the hell are you?” I managed to get out, my throat dry.

She blinked, as if she hadn’t expected the question. “Oh! Oh, um! My name is—” She hesitated. Then, she smiled nervously and clasped her hands together. “Lucifer.”

Silence.

…

…

WHAT.

NO. NO NO NO NO.

Did she just—

“WAIT, WAIT, WAIT,” I practically shouted, pushing myself even further away from her on the couch. “Lucifer? As in—THE Lucifer? Devil Lucifer? Fallen angel Lucifer?!”

Lucifer—this girl—flinched as if I had just smacked her across the face. “Eep! Oh no! No no no, it’s not like that! It’s—oh dear, I knew that name was going to make things worse…”

She let out a whimper and hid her face in her hands for a moment, clearly flustered. Then, she peeked at me through her fingers. “I swear, I’m not evil! I mean, I don’t think I am? I don’t do evil things, at least… I hope?”

Her wings twitched awkwardly.

I was still trying to process what the actual fuck was happening.

This girl—this cute, nervous, completely different from what I imagined girl—was Lucifer?

But Lucifer was supposed to be… well, you know. The dark, menacing, all-powerful ruler of hell. And this girl looked like she belonged in a storybook about angels and tea parties.

“…What?” I finally said, my brain completely fried.

Lucifer giggled nervously and folded her hands on her lap, looking down like a child being scolded. “I-It’s complicated. But I promise I’m not here to punish you! I just… I just wanted to meet you.”

Oh great. That didn’t make it any less terrifying.

I swallowed, forcing myself to stay calm. “Okay… then what the hell are you?”

Lucifer straightened up a little. “Ah, yes! I was going to explain! I mean, I should explain, right? That’s what gods do when they appear out of nowhere? Right? Haha… ha…”

Her wings fluttered awkwardly again.

I just stared at her.

She cleared her throat and quickly composed herself. “Alright! So, um, gods! You see, they aren’t just… well, beings that exist.”

She gestured vaguely.

“Gods are more like… concepts,” she said carefully. “They are shaped by belief. They are… created when something is believed in enough to become real. That’s why different worlds have different gods. The Greek gods, for example? They weren’t gods in your last world, right? But here, they are, because people believed in them long enough.”

That actually… made sense?

“So you’re saying gods only exist because people believe in them?” I asked slowly.

Lucifer nodded eagerly. “Yes! Well, kind of. It’s not just believing—it’s more like… when an idea takes shape, when it becomes something that affects reality, that’s when a god is born.”

I processed her words.

“So that means…” My eyes narrowed. “You don’t even know if you’re the Lucifer?”

Lucifer pouted, crossing her arms. “That’s rude!”

I raised an eyebrow.

“…Okay, fine,” she sighed, twirling a strand of her golden hair around her finger. “I don’t know if I’m the one from your world’s Bible. But I am Lucifer, and this is the form I’ve had since the beginning. I don’t know why, but I just… exist like this.”

She suddenly turned her head away, as if speaking to someone who wasn’t even there. “And before anyone watching says anything, NO, I did NOT choose this appearance on purpose! I was always like this! It's not to have you entertained i just like it oki? :3 ”

Who the hell was she talking to?

I was about to ask, but she suddenly clapped her hands together. “Anyway! That’s not why I brought you here!”

I stiffened immediately. Here we go.

She scooted a little closer to me, then hesitated and backed up again. “Ah—s-sorry, I got too close, didn’t I? Oh no, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable! I just—um—I just wanted to, um…”

She was so awkward.

“You did something to Hermes, didn’t you?”

Lucifer blinked in surprise. Then, she smiled sheepishly and nodded. “Ehehe… yup. I did.”

“So what does that mean?”

Lucifer twiddled her thumbs. “It means… I get to watch over you now instead of him. But don’t worry! Your story is still in his hands! He just—well—let’s just say I was more persuasive than him.”

I swallowed. “Persuasive how?”

Lucifer gave me a look. “I asked really nicely.”

“…That’s it?”

She nodded, her expression completely innocent.

I didn’t believe that for a second.

But still… she didn’t feel like an enemy.

I glanced down at the table in front of us. It was filled with food—warm, fresh, inviting. Everything about this place felt too perfect.

I wasn’t sure what to think yet. But one thing was clear.

Lucifer was dangerous. Maybe not in the same way as a mad god, but she was still an unknown divine being. And I had no idea what she really wanted from me.

I needed to be careful.

I took a deep breath, my heart still pounding in my chest.

“…So what now?” I asked.

Lucifer’s green eyes sparkled.

“Oh, that’s easy,” she said, smiling warmly.

“I’m here to help you.”

"And also you just want to be entertained, right?"

Lucifer tilted her head, looking me up and down.

"Actually, no."

"...No?"

"Yeah, I can entertain myself," she said casually, then giggled. "I just… fell in love with your character."

Silence.

"...What?"

Lucifer’s entire body tensed. Her wings flared out, and in a flustered panic, she shot up into the air. "O-OKAY! OKAY! Sorry, sorry, sorry!" she yelped, covering her face. "I got a little too invested—hi!"

Oh my god.

This is one messed-up god.

Wait. She what?!

I finally processed what she just said, and my face must have been priceless, because she started waving her hands frantically. "I just really liked how your story started, okay?! Maybe it's just the beginning, but I know it'll be amazing—I just know it!" She placed a hand over her chest, her voice raw with emotion. "I just… I want you to be happy, that's all."

She hesitated. "...Maybe a little simcom—"

"No."

Lucifer blinked, looking at me with wide eyes.

I exhaled sharply, steadying myself. "I don’t love Snow in that way."

Lucifer's expression faltered for just a second. A flicker of disappointment. But then she pouted, crossing her arms. "We’ll see abo—"

"No."

She groaned dramatically, then laughed. "Okay, okay! Maybe a harem?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'd like to stick with just Sunset for now, okay?"

Lucifer beamed, clapping her hands together. "We can start with that!"

But then…

The air shifted.

Something changed.

The warmth of the fireplace grew too hot. The golden glow of the room darkened, as if the light itself was retreating. I felt the temperature rise not from the fire, but from her.

Her expression hardened.

Her entire presence transformed.

No longer the flustered, lovestruck angel, she now radiated something ancient—something terrifying. Her once pristine wings darkened, splitting in two—half blinding white, half consuming black. The flames from the fireplace bent toward her like they were bowing.

Her voice, still soft, now carried an edge that shook my very soul.

"I don’t get called the King of Hell for nothing."

My breath caught in my throat.

This… this wasn’t just a god.

This was a queen.

Majestic. Divine. Unstoppable.

The pressure in the room was suffocating. It was as if the very world had acknowledged her power, bowing in submission. The fire itself feared her.

She closed her eyes. But when she spoke again.

"I want what's best for you," she said softly. "Not entertainment. Not some game."

Her gaze locked onto mine, and for the first time, I saw genuine devotion.

"You deserve happiness. You deserve to be with her. To have a future worth living."

The flames surged behind her, but they did not burn. They bowed.

"I will not let Oblivion take that from you."

I swallowed. Hard.

This was Lucifer.

Not the devil. Not some trickster like hermes.

The King of Hell.

Author's Note

Hey, i feel a little, ill... so the promised marathon will be a little deleyed, but here is a sneek peak, i wanted to show lucifer from the beggining, but hermes fitted better to show the hierarchy of gods, ahh yeah the hierarchy, it will be also a lot of it in next chapter, okey okey i know the story is getting sidetracked, but im not feeling that well at the moment, so this is the best i can come up with, i have a list of things i want to do with this story and we are... 4% in? So here comes the chapter while i'm drinking tea with my medicine :)