Vampire Progenitor System

Lilith's strength didn't last long.

Her voice softened, her eyes losing some of that renewed glow. Lucifer noticed it instantly and stepped in before she pushed herself too far.

"Rest," he said. "You've got time now. No need to burn it all in one go."

She didn't argue—just gave him a look that said she understood, then leaned back against the pillows. The flicker of crimson in her eyes dimmed to a calmer hue, her breathing evening out. Within moments, she was slipping back into a quiet, steady rest.

Lucifer waited until her breathing settled fully before turning toward the doors. "Come on."

Ruka glanced once more at her, then followed. Daniel was already halfway to the exit, his steps sharp and measured.

The three of them walked the long hallway back toward the throne room. The air between them was heavy, not with silence alone but with the weight of years and everything unspoken.

The throne room was empty when they arrived, the wide blackstone floor stretching out under the vaulted ceiling. The massive crescent-shaped throne at the end was bathed in a thin beam of violet light from the skylight above.

Daniel stopped in the center of the room and turned toward Lucifer, his expression unreadable but his tone edged. "How did you do it?"

Lucifer didn't pretend not to know what he meant. He walked casually toward the throne, letting his hand trail lazily along the armrest before sitting down, one leg over the other.

"Just a little bit of my blood did the trick," he said with a faint smirk. "You know—being the ruler of blood does have its perks."

Daniel's eyes narrowed. "Bullshit."

Lucifer tilted his head, amused. "Oh? Then enlighten me, little brother. How do you think she woke up?"

Daniel took a step forward, his voice dropping lower. "Who sent you to wake her? She was fine the way she was."

Ruka's eyes shifted between them, but he didn't step in yet. He leaned against one of the pillars, arms folded, watching.

Lucifer's smirk widened, the faint glint of his fangs catching the light. "Ah… now we're getting somewhere."

Daniel's jaw tightened.

"You're upset," Lucifer said, his tone almost teasing. "Not because she's awake… but because you thought she'd stay in that state long enough for you to make yourself the 'true' king of the demon realm. Then, when she eventually woke, she'd see the good job you've done and—what? Retire for you?"

Daniel didn't respond, but his silence was answer enough.

Lucifer chuckled low, leaning forward on the throne. "Your plan's pathetic."

Daniel's eyes hardened. "Careful."

"I'm serious," Lucifer said, his voice calm but sharp. "You think being a king or a ruler means anything? You think a title changes your worth? It doesn't. You could wear a crown, sit on the throne, command every demon in the realm… and still be weak."

Ruka's eyebrow lifted slightly at that.

Lucifer stood, the air around him thickening with that subtle, dangerous presence he carried when he was done playing games. "What you should be aiming for isn't a seat in a room or the respect of subjects. What you should be aiming for… is power."

Daniel frowned. "Power?"

Lucifer stepped closer, his voice low but every word carrying. "Not the kind you get from ruling over territory or collecting titles. The kind that lets you stand in front of progenitors… and surpass them. The kind that lets you decide the rules instead of living under them."

Daniel's brow furrowed slightly, but he didn't look away.

"Do you know what a crown really is?" Lucifer asked, circling him slightly. "It's a symbol people cling to because they're too afraid to acknowledge the truth—that real power doesn't need symbols. It doesn't need thrones, or titles, or ceremonies. It just is."

Ruka's gaze lingered on Lucifer now, his interest caught despite himself.

Lucifer stopped behind Daniel, speaking over his shoulder. "A king is just a man who convinced enough people to kneel. A progenitor? A god? They don't need anyone to kneel to them. Their existence alone bends the world."

Daniel didn't move, but the muscle in his jaw twitched.

"That's what you should be aiming for," Lucifer continued, stepping back into view. "Power that doesn't care about politics or councils. Power that even the gods flinch at. You think the Demon Realm matters in the grand scheme of things? It's one piece on a board full of predators."

Daniel finally spoke, his tone sharper now. "And you think you're the one to decide what I aim for?"

Lucifer shrugged. "No. I'm telling you what you should aim for. Whether you listen or not is your problem."

Ruka pushed off the pillar and walked a few steps closer. "He's not wrong, you know. Titles can be taken. Thrones can be burned. But real strength? If you have that, nobody can take it from you."

Daniel glanced at him. "You siding with him now?"

Ruka gave a small smirk. "I'm siding with the truth. I've worn a crown for about a day now and I already know it doesn't mean shit if you can't keep it."

Lucifer spread his hands like that settled it. "See? Even the Gluttonous King gets it."

Daniel looked between them, his expression cooling again. "You two can talk about chasing the strength to surpass progenitors all you want. But some of us still have a realm to keep in order."

Lucifer's smirk returned. "And some of us understand that keeping a realm in order is easier when everyone knows you could crush them without moving a muscle."

For a moment, the room was still. The faint hum of magic in the air was the only sound.

Daniel finally turned away, walking toward the steps that led to the side hall. "Keep your lectures, Lucifer. I don't need them."

Lucifer called after him. "You'll remember them when the day comes you meet something your throne can't protect you from."

Daniel didn't look back.

Ruka let out a low breath once Daniel was gone. "You know, one day he's gonna try to prove you wrong."

Lucifer glanced at him. "And when that day comes… maybe he'll finally understand what I'm talking about."

Ruka gave a faint grin. "You love poking at him."

"It's not poking if I'm right," Lucifer said, lowering himself back into the throne. He leaned an elbow on the armrest, eyes half-lidded. "He's got potential. He just wastes it chasing recognition from the wrong people."

Ruka nodded slightly, his gaze drifting to the empty doorway Daniel had left through. "He's not stupid. Just… stubborn."

Lucifer smirked again. "Takes after someone."

Ruka raised an eyebrow. "You?"

"God no," Lucifer said.

The quiet settled again, but it wasn't tense this time. Just the kind of silence that came after truths had been dropped and couldn't be taken back.

From somewhere deep in the fortress, the faint sound of Lilith's attendants moving through the halls carried to them. She was still resting. For now, that was enough.

Lucifer leaned back, one leg over the other. "Let him stew on it. The day will come when he'll need more than a title to stand tall. And when it does… well, maybe I'll be in a generous mood."

Ruka chuckled, shaking his head. "You're impossible."

Lucifer's smirk didn't fade. "That's why I'm still here."

Inside the lower halls of the demon palace, far beneath the throne room and deeper than most dared tread, the chamber was quiet. A slow drip echoed from somewhere in the darkness—water or blood, it didn't matter. This place had long since forgotten the difference.

The floor was stone, etched with faint glyphs that pulsed with reddish-black light like veins beneath skin. Chains hung from the walls, some broken, some still warm. There was no sound but the low hum of demonic magic, like a heartbeat waiting for orders.

And then—

A slow gasp.

Remu's eyes opened.

For a moment, she saw nothing—only blurred shapes and dull red light. Her fingers twitched weakly as she pushed herself up, breath ragged in her throat. Sweat clung to her skin. Her limbs were sore. Every inch of her body ached as if she'd been dead.

Maybe she had.

"Where…?" Her voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. "Where am I?"

She sat up fully now, her long hair hanging down in damp strands, her back pressed against the cold wall behind her. There was no bed. No softness. Just stone.

Her head pulsed.

Then it hit her.

The memories came crashing in like a tidal wave.

The witches' citadel. Her mother—Greta, Queen of Witches. The coldness in her mother's voice. The shadow of Lucifer always looming. The jealousy twisting inside her.

The hate.

She remembered it all.

The first time she touched the forbidden magic. The ancient text she found hidden beneath the vault. The name she whispered into the void.

Daniel.

The prince of the demon realm. The one who answered. The one who made her feel seen. Respected. Wanted.

Together, they tore into the mortal realm. She led the monster race through cities, breaking the veil between the hidden and the known. She'd watched hunters fall. She had walked over ashes.

And then—

Lucifer.

She clenched her jaw.

He killed her.

No—destroyed her. Shattered her spine, burned her essence, left her to rot. That final look in his eyes before everything went black.

But she was alive now.

Somehow.

"How…?" Her voice trembled, one hand clutching her chest. "How am I still…?"

She looked around again, finally noticing the sigils circling her. A ritual chamber. Old. Ancient. But not of her people.

Demonic.

Her breath quickened.

Before she could think further, a voice came from the darkness near the door. Calm. Cold.

"You are finally awake," it said, echoing through the chamber.

Remu's head snapped up.

A figure stepped forward, wearing dark robes etched with red markings. His eyes glowed with dull violet light. A minor demon—no one of real power. Just a mouthpiece.

He stopped at the edge of the circle.

"Good," he said with a smile that didn't touch his eyes. "Lord Daniel still has uses for you."