Gabriel woke up screaming.
Pain burned through his chest.
It felt like someone had stabbed his heart with a burning blade.
He collapsed onto the cold stone floor, gasping.
"Again…" he whispered.
Blood dripped from his lips.
But there was no wound.
No blade.
Nothing.
Only pain.
It had been happening for years.
Random agony.
Broken bones.
Burning flesh.
Stabbing wounds.
All without a cause.
Gabriel slowly stood up, his silver eyes dark with exhaustion.
"I didn't get hurt…" he muttered.
"So why do I feel like I'm dying?"
Then it happened again.
CRACK.
His ribs felt like they shattered.
Gabriel fell to his knees, coughing blood.
Somewhere…
Far away…
Someone else had been injured.
And Gabriel felt every second of it.
Suddenly a voice echoed behind him.
Slow clapping.
"Well done, boy."
Gabriel turned.
A tall demon stood in the shadows.
Black wings.
Golden eyes.
A smile that looked like death itself.
Lucifer.
Gabriel's heart froze.
Lucifer walked closer, amused.
"Do you know why you feel that pain?" Lucifer asked.
Gabriel said nothing.
Lucifer leaned close and whispered:
"Because it belongs to your brother."
Gabriel's eyes widened.
"My… brother?"
Lucifer laughed softly.
"Yes."
"Alex."
The name felt unfamiliar… yet strangely important.
Lucifer continued.
"You share a mother."
"But not a father."
Lucifer's eyes glowed like fire.
"Alex is my son."
"And you…"
He smiled cruelly.
"You are his chain."
Gabriel felt the pain again.
This time worse.
Like his arm was being torn apart.
Lucifer watched calmly.
"Every wound Alex receives…"
"You will suffer."
Gabriel trembled.
"Why?"
Lucifer's smile widened.
"Because you cannot die."
"And if Alex ever tries to kill me…"
Lucifer leaned closer.
"You will break first."
Gabriel slowly stood despite the pain.
His eyes filled with quiet hatred.
"So I'm just a tool?"
Lucifer laughed.
"No."
"You are motivation."
Then he disappeared into the shadows.
Leaving Gabriel alone.
And far away in Hell…
A boy named Alex wiped blood from his sword.
Surrounded by the corpses of demons.
He smiled coldly.
"The throne will be mine."
And somewhere far away…
Gabriel collapsed again.
Feeling every drop of that battle.