It had been a couple hours since Octavia met Noctis and Loona.
She did originally plan to stay quiet and reclused for the duration but found herself so giddy with excitement and joy she could barely contain herself while drawing a new sketch of the man doing what had to be more satisfying than any rare happy moment she experienced. She found herself belonging to this new friendship and decided to participate while perched on the remains of a broken statue that was moved behind the palace with the other remains.
After she had finally managed to take a breath and cheer for the togetherness she pointed at another statue piece, more specifically a destroyed sculpture of her mother from the battle with Lyoria.
She pointed right at it with her pencil, a gleam of malice in her eyes as she imagined that being her actual mother.
"That one next!"
"Coming right up!" Loona answered excitedly and tossed the head sculpture high into the air with a snarl. "Blow it!"
Noctis nodded and retracted both hands with a golden glow that channeled loudly in his fists. The lights he clenched tightly from his divine energy beamed between his fingertips, humming loudly and sparking with surges of electricity around his hands.
He smirked as soon as the compression of this energy made his hands shake. With that as his signal he thrusted both palms out and unleashed the same golden flames from fighting Lyoria but in more controlled stream that blazed high into the air.
"HAAAA!"
Using her hand to cover her eyes a little, Octavia watched as the twin flames merged and expanded before making an explosive contact with the broken piece of Stella's sculpture.
However there was a subtle change from fire to a rippling energy beam when Noctis compressed his divine energy moments. Loona was quick to notice during the explosion and wondered with a curious mind if he was developing his powers even though they came out to have some fun and blow off some of the stress.
She puzzled her chin and watched Noctis end the now formed beam, soaking in all the information of this minor change she got from watching him. As she watched him finished she took in the signs of exhaustion when he sat back down next to the elated Octavia that actually laughed at the destruction of her mother's broken statue.
"Awesome!"
Loona frowned at how Noctis was trying to stay up straight even while sitting, but her instincts caught on faster than her brain could process how he sat down to catch his breath. She checked her phone to see they had been screwing around for almost two hours and realized that Noctis had either exhausted himself or burnt up from using so much power just to entertain Octavia.
"Are you alright?" Octavia asked after she finally noticed how sweaty Noctis had become after that last blast.
"Yeah." Noctis nodded and looked to Loona for reassurance. "Just a little tired still."
"No you're not." Loona scoffed and shook her head while Octavia continued playing with Max. "You're running low on fuel."
"Well I haven't eaten." He chuckled tiredly, reminding Loona the only person who ate in the group earlier was Max. "That and my stomach feels weird."
"Weird?" Loona and Octavia questioned, making him nod before they watched him subtly rub his stomach.
Noctis couldn't even explain this feeling that had him unsettled. He knew what it meant to be hungry but this was something almost unexplainable with the sudden gurgling that was surprisingly so loud it caught Max's attention.
"Huh?" The pup squeaked, tilting his head and folding an ear.
"That was your stomach?" Octavia leaned away as he showed more discomfort.
Noctis wanted to answer but was visibly sweating so quickly it was impossible to be normal. He hugged him himself with both girls now worried something was wrong.
"Dude?" Loona was about to touch his shoulders.
Suddenly he looked up to the sky and burped and out with it came the same stream of golden fire he unleashed on Lyoria before.
Both girls yelped but it was Loona who ducked just in time from having the top of her head singed while Octavia held the amazed Max close to her chest. Obviously he didn't understand the severity of suddenly burping golden fire and thought it was just silly of his father.
Both girls stayed in place and watched as Noctis finally calmed down with one last puff of fire he exhaled. He panted heavily for a long moment and processed behind those wide eyes of his what he just did.
He slowly looked to both girls and his giggling pup.
"What the fuck was that!?" He yelled, becoming panicked when they both gawked.
Loona snapped out of her stupor and of course responded the only proper way she could think.
"You're asking us!?"
"What just happened?" Octavia asked slowly, confusion written all over her face in the midst of Noctis trying to figure himself out.
Suddenly a familiar voice came around the rubble, but he wasn't alone while startling the group with Carmilla right behind him and holding the pup she knew was looking right at Noctis.
"Well it seems you're developing." Lucifer commented smugly and crossed his arms. "Having trouble?"
"Lucifer?" Noctis questioned before seeing his mother holding the pup back on a leash. "Mom?"
Carmilla glared away from Noctis, bearing what he felt to be a deeply seeded guilt she was not ready to share while said pup whimpered and whined underneath the muzzle that Lucifer magically crafted.
"I don't want to do this." She said quietly with begrudging acceptance.
"You will or I tell him." Lucifer warned in a whisper, his eyes and smile never leaving the confused group.
Loona on the other hand responded as naturally as a hellhound should when she watched the pup reach out for Noctis. This restraint, this cold remembrance of being chained when she looked at the pup, it reminded herself the rage of being treated like an animal and she expressed it firmly.
She raised her hackles, snarling dangerously at the king and alarming Octavia and Noctis while Max tucked away whimpering when he sensed the hostility from her.
"Take that fucking shit off him!"
"Loona?" Noctis was surprised by her reaction just as Lucifer chuckled.
"No." Lucifer said in a simple tone that was masked with authority as he raised his power.
In an instant he was showing off the horns and tail that went with his transformation before he opened his eyes within his wings. Something was amiss with the King of Hell and Noctis didn't need powers to understand something ugly was about to happen.
"Having trouble regulating?" He asked in a mocking tone and stepped back beside Carmilla. "Quite the predicament when you have all that power and nowhere to let it out."
"What are you talking about?" Noctis asked worriedly.
Confusion mixed with the hostility just before Beezlebub appeared in a swirl of honey with Charlie and Vaggie. The three were dressed lazily in just bath robes after their fight in the bathroom but wide awake and alarmed suddenly with Lucifer showing so much power while Carmilla continued to hold back the primordial pup.
"Alpha!" Said pup cried before the leash was tightened with a jerk, making him yelp.
"Mom stop!" Noctis yelled, unsure why she was holding the child so roughly against its wills while Lucifer began pacing back and forth with a malicious smile.
"She can't." The king said, deliberately stepping on the pup's tail so it cried. "She's following my orders now."
"Stop it!" Loona roared, fur bristling and hackles raised, clearly ready to pick a losing fight.
That is until Noctis got in front of her.
"Dad what are you doing?" Charlie asked calmly, trying to mediate per usual with all the problems.
"What am I doing?" He chuckled darkly and looked up to the sky. "Just doing what I do since that fight with Lyoria made me realize I was getting soft."
"Soft?" Everyone questioned meanwhile Vaggie went to Octavia and took Max from her.
His expression darkened suddenly. "Yes, soft. With extermination day a couple of weeks away I realized Noctis has healed long enough and needs to get ready."
Suddenly he summoned his glaive and tipped it to the primordial with a deeper intention that focused on the bow alarmed Noctis.
"So tell me. Can you still fight?" The king of hell asked bluntly, tilting the blade to silence the pup when it touched his neck.
Everyone, Ozzy who appeared in a flash of fire behind Beezlebub, watched as Noctis reacted just as Lucifer had predicted. His focus was locked in on Carmilla just standing there and holding the leash with deep-seated hatred for what the king was doing.
"Don't look at her. Look at me." Lucifer demanded and maintained that sinister look. "Mommy won't help you this time. She knows better than to cross The Devil."
"Charlie what is he doing?" Vaggie asked worriedly with a firm grab of her arm.
Charlie wasn't sure anymore what she should believe about her own father. He had never shown such evil intention and she had never heard of him being so cruel as to harm a defenseless child.
Until the primordial flinched and cried out in fright when Lucifer flicked the tip of his blade on the neck. Noctis immediately reacted through his emotions, flaring his aura as the scales reappeared on his arms and chest in sign of the transformation.
"I don't know." Charlie shook her, watching her father be what she never thought. "This isn't like him."
"Stop it!" Noctis yelled.
Lucifer raised an eyebrow at his reincarnated friend and started raising the glaive high over his head.
"Maybe this will motivate you."
"What are you doing?" Carmilla hissed dangerously as they watched together Noctis starting to build up.
"He needs to be able to fight anyone." Lucifer whispered from the corner of his mouth but maintained his threatening stance. "Even friends or family."
Carmilla looked to him in confusion until she realized from Noctis suddenly flaring his transformation.
"I said stop!"
Noctis felt a horrible lurching in his chest as his transformation grew to what it was before, as though these instincts he couldn't understand were screaming in his throbbing heart. He tried to stay in control but the urge to fight in disregard of who Lucifer was to him had his entire body shaking.
"Dad stop!" Charlie screamed desperately but was ignored by her own father.
"Well Noctis?" Lucifer laughed, though internally he was begrudging this little plot of his to work on Noctis while the pup cried and tried to crawl away.
He raised his glaive to its peak, glistening the magic in the hellish light.
"ALPHA!"
"STOP IT!" Loona roared, ready to pounce the king.
Until…..
Without warning Noctis screamed at the top of his lungs with his conscience now locked in on the king of hell. Every fiber, every new muscle of his growing body tensed and flared his explosive aura while the ground shook a little. The eyes in his wings opened once more and fixated on the fallen Angel just before he took off in a dead sprint.
"I don't care if you're Charlie's dad. You will not hurt a child!"
Lucifer softened his malicious smile into genuine pride of himself for baiting Noctis and getting him to attack even if was Charlie's father. The glaive swung down but in motion to block the fist that almost connected to his cheek. It was almost instantaneous how Noctis closed the gap between them, their eyes locked deeply in different motives but one factor remaining for Lucifer that he would not divulge to anyone.
Behind that pride, that distasteful arrogance that made him fall from heaven, there was still a father making himself the bad guy in front of his own child and a man who was ready to push Noctis hard to ready him before extermination day.
"I lost you in your last life, but I won't in this one!"
"Stop!" Octavia shouted with naive thinking that she could order them as a goetia. She stood up and took a few steps forward to handle it given for her stubborness.
To her dismay though came Loona holding her back after regaining her senses to let Noctis handle the situation.
"Almost felt that." Lucifer taunted quietly, pushing the handle of his glaive back to force Noctis to give space. "But you tried harder when you fought Lyoria and back when you were Roman, fighting for your marriage."
"Shut up!" Noctis snapped, pushing his fist harder against the handle. "You don't get to act like you know me!"
"Oh but I do!" Lucifer cackled and knocked Noctis back as everyone maintained distance. "I knew you back then and I know you now. Must be hard holding in all that anger inside."
"Dad stop it!" Charlie went to intervene but was held back by Beezlebub and Vaggie.
Noctis stumbled back the king shoved him with the glaive, not even caring if he was hurt when the primordial was still crying for him during Lucifer's mockery.
"I understand you more than you think—" Lucifer crossed his arms, watching his plan come with results with another push he felt was necessary. "That rage you're holding inside, I understand it more than—"
Suddenly his voice was silenced by Noctis snapping from his self-control, his transformation so profound in a burst of divine power that made the sky darken just as he roared in an otherworldly voice. His scales formed quickly this time on his chest and arms but the new shock of said transformation were the ibex shaped horns that curved around his halo-crown that ignited.
Instantly he was in the surprised Lucifer's face, slamming the fallen angel against some rubble by the throat and bellowing at his arrogance while everyone was shocked to see his transformation show so much more than when he fought Lyoria.
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND MY RAGE!"
His voice, that gentleness and love gone with replacement of this layered tone both demonic and angelic. It frightened some of the group that had gathered already, even making Carmilla step back and lose her grip on the leash and wonder just how much her child was going to change.
The primordial felt his freedom come when she dropped it out of fear, and ran behind Noctis for protection with the muzzle still holding in his soft whimpers. His claws dug deep into Noctis' leg, so deep they pierced the fabric of his sweats and drew blood.
Noctis wasn't registering it though. No, he was still shaking with that emotion Lucifer claimed to understand and puffing fire with each breath through his clenched teeth. The primordial, his friends, even his mates, they all seemed non-existent in the closed-in perspective of the king that continued to blatantly push his buttons for whatever reason while the rest of the Hazbin and IMP groups watched from the palace balconies of their respective rooms.
Even the royals of the goetia family were watching, including Stella and Andrealphus while their minds plotted on how to get to him.
Meanwhile there was a collective thought for Beezlebub at the situation between Lucifer and Noctis, a familiar dread that made her body tense when she noticed Carmilla standing back with the book behind her. The only familiarity she could deduce was said book and how Lucifer went from concerned to an absolute jackass about Noctis.
Suspicious of this encounter she looked up to the red sky and saw how it darkened with clouds forming overhead in a rapid fashion before raining and thunder came.
Finally it dawned to her, and although it was beneficial for everyone to see how far Noctis would go she still hated how Lucifer was pushing the matter .
Sin or not, the old part of her as a wife screamed with fury to protect Noctis.
"He's jealous…."
"Noctis calm down!" Charlie yelled but was ignored. The man she loved had her once again smirking father pinned tightly in this strange confrontation and appeared ready to fight again just as the rain started to come down.
"Look as his forehead." Octavia whispered to Loona before rapidly sketching the confrontation.
Loona had already seen the horns sprout. She was right there with everyone else so it was dumb in her perspective to look.
Or so she thought….
"Is that an eyeball?" Vaggie asked, maintaining a hold on Charlie's arm but sharing the same narrowed look at said eye opening and glowing.
"Just like his mother." Beezlebub commented, remembering that eye all too well from her time in Heaven.
"What are you gonna do?" Lucifer taunted the man and even grabbed onto his wrist. "You gonna fight me just to protect that little pup that tried to kill you."
That provocation was the last thing anybody wanted Noctis to respond to as it got worse with Lucifer now closing the gap between them.
"You gonna fight me?" He chuckled darkly and ignored the flames coming from each breath Noctis huffed in his face. "The King of Hell, the Sin of Pride. Maybe you should. Maybe I oughta give you reason!"
Nobody knew the implication behind that, but Lucifer had his ways of pushing his buttons in the middle of Carmilla retreating to the group while Noctis' anger had reached its boiling point.
True to his name as being the devil, Lucifer turned his attention down to the cowering primordial and snarled maliciously with his tongue lapping in a hungry gesture before he reached.
Noctis felt so strongly for this he actually acted beyond thinking and snatched the pup up into one of his wings that acted involuntarily. The same hand Lucifer used to to grab, Noctis squeezed it tightly in his own and acted accordingly to these instincts everyone was worried about.
The same rage he felt when Angel was hurt by Lyoria erupted when he used his strength to spin and throw Lucifer across the ruined courtyard, making his form skip across the ground like a stone over water before he he recovered with a simple flap of his wings.
"There you are!" Lucifer praised in a mad cackle. "There's the leviathan!"
Noctis tucker the primordial tighter to his chest while the king ceased talking and actually responded with violence. He barely had time to see the fallen angel come right back with another flap of his wings and attack with brutality.
"Stop it!" Charlie screeched at her father before the two connected fist to fist.
Or so everyone thought…..
Experience was something Noctis didn't have against Lucifer and it showed with how he was fooled by the sway of body movement before those same hands that healed him had suddenly grasped his throat.
"What the fuck!?" Vaggie shouted with her spear drawn just as Noctis was slammed by shock and horror of the king.
Everyone watched it happen, even the primordial pup that was instinctively cocooned to Noctis' after his other wings were pinned by Lucifer's and his pelvis straddled.
"Is that it!?" Lucifer laughed mockingly, his eyes burning red as the depth of his power showed in his lack of empathy. "That all you can do!?"
Noctis couldn't respond with the grip crushing his throat. He tried desperately to pry off the king's hands but was quickly restrained by the tail curling tightly around his wrists. He coughed and gagged up to the fallen angel smiling down at him while the intentions of his attack became clear disregard.
Even the tears in Noctis' were undeniable proof that this was the king being what he was portrayed to be.
A demon that loved pain.
"Lucifer stop!" Carmilla shouted, knowing he had forgotten why they were pushing Noctis.
"Can't even beat me. What makes you think you can beat Adam!?" Lucifer laughed, tightening his grip, relishing the the fact that he was still on top.
"He's strangling him!" Charlie cried, thrashing even harder for freedom.
Charlie was correct without a doubt. Her own father was strangling her teary eyed and terrified mate that kicked and thrashed under him. This game of pushing buttons was no longer a suspenseful wonder as to what the fallen angel was plotting in the first place but a shocking revelation that underneath the daddy persona was still a spiteful man that had snapped in some way.
"Over already!?" Lucifer questioned, his laughter breaking into a snarl that matched the jealousy growing in his expression. "You fought harder against Lyoria when—"
Suddenly there was a rope of dark magic that lashed past Charlie and the others before Beezlebub could give into her own emotions and attack Lucifer. This rope that crackled with malevolent energy latched on Lucifer immediately in a choking fashion and forced his hands off Noctis before another grabbed him next by the waist and yanked him away.
Lucifer gagged and choked after being surprised and went to escape with a simple teleportation. The demon responsible for this however had other motives for punishing him with a hard whip of said rope.
Instantly Lucifer was launched off his feet and thrown away with the rope snapping off his neck and retreating to the demon that cast the magic while he crashed into a nearby pile of rubble.
The second rope stopped as soon as it got Noctis to safety with Bee, Charlie and Vaggie quick to rush over and check him while said demon stood in front protectively with his wings fanned.
"What in the nine rings are you doing!?" Stolas bellowed angrily and turned his neck 180 to the choking man. "Is he alright?"
"No!" Beezlebub wasn't sure to cry out of anger at Lucifer or that her reincarnated husband was clutching his neck and coughing. "He's gonna bruise!"
"Baby breathe!" Charlie pleaded while rubbing his back with Vaggie.
"Dad!" Octavia was more than glad that her father appeared and intervened. She embraced him with so much gratitude that even he smiled for a brief moment before glaring back at the recovered king.
"Explain yourself now!"
"Stay out of it!" Lucifer snarled after he dusted himself off. "This is part of getting him trained!"
Loona finally ran over to help check on Noctis in the midst of Stolas bristling with fury not even his daughter had seen before. Stolas was always calm and collected even in critical situations, but this was something he would not stand for as a calm prince that just witnessed a new friend being strangled cruelly by someone supposed to be helpful.
It didn't take a genius, not even Blitz who stayed behind him with a pistol ready, to see the depth of his fury radiate in how much magic he unleashed across the grounds.
"Where is there a part in training that involves strangling!?" Stolas raised his voice higher to match his dark aura. "King or not I will not stand by and allow this savagery to continue in my presence!"
"You challenging me?" Lucifer asked angrily, stumbling a little from his own unnatural desire for combat.
Stolas was no fool to the level of power Lucifer possessed even beyond his own domain. He was the King of Hell for very dark and sinister reasons so very few were aware and they made his feathers ruffle as he summoned his grimoire to defend Noctis from the savagery he did not deserve to endure.
Or that's what he believed he would do until a gust of wind pushed him from behind and followed with the same terrifying pressure that came when Lyoria was fought. This wind, this ominous touch that billowed his feathers and cape made him freeze with wide eyes while the others looked right at the source of the power erupting behind him and Blitz.
Said imp looked back suspiciously to see what made this fluctuating power ruffle his secret lover. "What the fuck?"
"Noctis?" Charlie loosened her grip on the man when he stumbled to his feet, ignoring the quickly forming bruises around his neck.
Everyone, especially Carmilla, had the expectation that Noctis would be afraid of Lucifer now and traumatized for being strangled moments ago. They believed like all moments of his vulnerability this would be another with him having a breakdown in the arms of his mates.
That wasn't the case though when these new winds swirled around his form with electricity crackling between his new horns and his new eye pulsing with the ones in his wings as he slumped to his feet.
He glared right at the still transformed king and growled so deeply it vibrated from his throat.
Stolas felt a chill run through his whole body and dared to slowly look over to his shoulder when this same power from fighting Lyoria clearly magnified to a new level from the horns and third eye. He couldn't move like the others that were now concerned with the man when he sensed how dangerous Noctis just became from the emotions he sensed.
Octavia looked back with clear fascination of the divine beast, feeling her father's wing curl around her. "Dad, is he okay?"
Lucifer on the other hand relished the display of Noctis tapping into more of his own divine power.
"Now we're getting somewhere."
The primordial that was still tucked away to his chest was taken by Vaggie in a matter of haste before Noctis could scream to the darkening skies and disappear with sheer footwork.
"Where did he go?" Charlie yelled as only Beezlebub, Lucifer and Stolas could see what happened.
Before a blink could be made Lucifer swayed just in the right moment to dodge the fist that almost connected after Noctis reappeared in front of him midair. Even he was surprised for a brief moment until he saw the look the man was giving underneath his hair.
"Uh oh…."
He suddenly felt his arm grabbed and used for momentum before the heel of Noctis' foot connected to his jaw with an audible crack. The pain was evident but not as much as realizing his reincarnated friend used momentum midair to recover and make a connection.
Charlie, like everyone else, was baffled how such a traumatizing confrontation with Lucifer did not emotionally break him into fear and distrust. Anyone with a sensible mind would be absolutely terrified after being manhandled and strangled just moments ago. However, the rage Lucifer taunted was now visible in the way he recovered and tried to attack his daughter's mate once again, only to be stumbling from his own recklessness when the man did what nobody expected.
"Is he dancing?" Ozzy finally spoke up, gawking at how the divine beast was throwing his body into a multitude of flips and spins to avoid every connection of Lucifer's hands.
Carmilla didn't believe it either and actually dropped the book in shock of her own child using what she had taught him over the months of their togetherness. Though her jaw fell she smiled with pride that her son was moving gracefully and countering every so often to hit Lucifer with the strength in his legs. This was truly unprecedented for an overlord of such meticulous planning and calculations, but it was still a reward for her as a mother to see him take her teachings and use it to his advantage.
"He has learned from me….." She could almost feel a tear escape before wiping it away from the back of her hand.
"Calm down buddy." Lucifer growled, dodging another swift kick that cut his cheek. "Just wanted to test you."
Words were not as powerful from the king like they were with Charlie and the others. Whatever pull they had on his heart Lucifer did not and now he was regretting the entire ordeal of his intentions when Noctis responded only with a growl that very mixed with angelic and demonic power. But of course the cultivation of a divine was those two and it showed when he started speeding up to almost dangerous speeds that had the king worried.
A shockwave echoed from them before the fight paused with both at some of their potential, or in this case Lucifer was keeping his abilities at level with Noctis to ensure he doesn't make a mistake.
Frustrated and regretful, said king shook his fist against Noctis' and tried again to calm him down. "Noctis you can stop. I just wanted to see your resolve!"
Nothing, not even a flicker of recognition was seen in those eyes focused on Lucifer with so much malice. It was as if he gave into himself completely and wanted only to put Lucifer down while their fists connected rapidly.
Before Lucifer could fathom what he triggered in the man he was backed into a corner of fighting much faster now with their standoff in a heavy clash—every punch and kick causing little shockwaves.
But the worst part was how the foolish king had to dodge each bite that came as well, making him understand he went too far.
"Fuck. He gave into his instincts!"
"Noctis calm down!" Vaggie finally made her voice heard, but was ignored entirely and still holding Charlie back with Beezlebub.
Loona on the other hand was absolutely giddy with a sparkle in her eyes, mesmerized at the sheer dominance Noctis displayed. It was safe to say her tail was twitching and a rather moist area was growing the longer she watched with that wide smile.
Thankfully someone was brave enough to intervene and put a halt to this senseless brawl between the two.
"That is enough!" Stolas shouted with full flare of his grimoire.
In a desperate attempt for peace he lashed chains from one of the more forbidden spells in his back and targeted Noctis specifically in hope of de-escalating the fight before it became too dangerous.
These chains launched and extended out of the pages, but they did not reach Noctis as the Goetia Prince had intended.
Swiftly the fight paused with the man swinging his hand back before they could wrap around his body, and in one motion they shattered as if made of glass.
Everyone stood there shocked to the etheral remains clattering onto the ground before disappearing at his feet.
"Stay out of it." Noctis growled in warning.
It took a solid minute for everyone to understand that he was still conscious through all the rage he displayed, even making Lucifer drop his jaw while recovering from the stinging in his limbs.
The hostility was still there though, unmoved and radiating in his eyes when he scowled back at the king with unshed tears.
"This is your idea of pushing me!?"
Lucifer flinched at the accusation before a punch was connected to his jaw, and said violence was more than enough that the princess could handle.
"Noctis stop!" Charlie finally broke free from Beezlebub's grasp, ignoring her father falling back on his rear and holding his chin.
Noctis suddenly spun to his approaching princess with Vaggie and the others behind and quick to follow, but refused to drop the clenching of his fists.
"Stop?" He laughed bitterly, thrusting an accusatory finger down at Charlie's father after she got close enough to touch his chest. "Why should I stop when that motherfucker did the shit he did!?"
"Noctis…..please, calm down." Charlie asked softly, but he shook his head and raised his voice at her.
"No, I won't calm down when that piece of shit was using a pup as a hostage and strangled me, ALL BECAUSE HE THINKS I NEED TO BE PUSHED!"
Charlie knew from the raw intensity he had every right to angry but amongst the rage streaming through him it was still her mate that was just as scared as her. After collecting her own thoughts she was aware that things needed to said, to be heard.
"Baby you have every right to be angry. It was wrong and—"
"Wrong!" Noctis interrupted with his voice raised, pointing at the growing brusies. "You clearly have no idea since you're not even mad that he—"
"I AM MAD BUT YOU ARE MY PRIORITY!"
Noctis froze at her sudden screech and softened his anger at how her eyes shined with unshed tears but still attempted to be calm through the entire mess.
"I am angry!" She grasped his hands tightly, holding back the quiver in her lip. "I am so angry I could hit him but I'm not going to because YOU, NOCTIS, are my mate and my main concern when he pushed you so hard you have a third eye and horns now."
He flinched at the last part before seeing what Charlie meant when she took out her phone and showed the selfie screen. "I what?"
"Yes." She pushed the screen closer to his face while Vaggie held his arm. "You got so angry."
Noctis couldn't believe that this was happening, the whole world around him falling out of the sky even being in hell. He had a third eye on his head and horns curling around his halo crown. Nothing felt comprehensible anymore, there were too many things to process and all of it was crashing down while both of his mates tried to hold him.
He turned away and screamed for all it was worth at the cost of flaring his aura with Charlie and Vaggie inside it. This was all he had left in him, unable to find any shred of fight left in him.
Charlie knew he was going through too much and tried to put on a smile to deflate his emotions. "They're not bad, baby. I think they look good."
"It's part of his old self." Lucifer commented, dusting himself off but ignored entirely by his own daughter that barely glanced at him.
He was definitely in a lot of trouble.
"Your emotions are tied to your growth." Stolas suddenly gave his input and stepped into the conversation with a firm tone for the man. "Lucifer was pushing to see if your resolve was true but ultimately pushed your power even harder instead."
Noctis rolled his eyes and scoffed at the obvious. "No shit, I—"
"That's enough!" Stolas scolded with a stern finger.
Noctis flinched at the change of demeanor from the prince but made not a peep when said finger was now thrusted to the palace while the prince towered him , casting a shadow over him.
"While I do understand what you experienced is cruel I will not be spoken with such disrespect. Take your mates, your pups, and march back inside and compose yourself."
"My pups?" Noctis asked softly before looking to the primordial that was still holding Vaggie by her other hand. "That's not my kid."
Stolas remained firm on the matter, he crossed his arms and glared down at the divine beast with no room for argument.
"That pup chose you. You are its alpha. Now march young man while I handle Lucifer and your mother."
Noctis was going to argue though, but found his silence held with a simple kiss from Charlie before she and Vaggie dragged him away with the pup, loona, Beezlebub, and even Octavia to follow who was still sketching with excitement.
The Goetia Prince waited for them to be out of earshot before he diverted his attention to the King and Overlord that were still standing defiantly about the problem they caused. His gentleness was not for them, not in the slight in that hard glare he gave both while using his own grimoire to confiscate the heavenly book.
"You have a nasty way of pushing others." He scolded quietly to Lucifer who only shrugged at his own evil.
If Stolas was a less composed demon he would have bristled at such nonchalance, but he maintained his authority in both his emotions and his title as he looked to Carmilla.
"And you, the one who claims to be the mother, yet you stood by out of fear." He spat those words with hate.
Carmilla finally cracked with emotion, every word from the prince feeling like a knife driven straight into her heart as he turned away and took the heavenly grimoire. She felt worse then a failure for allowing herself to be so afraid that she allowed Noctis to suffer for the sake of seeing how much resolve he had.
They knew now but there was most likely the cost of trust. It didn't matter though, at least not in her mind that was thinking how she could get close to her own child once more.
"Understand this—" Stolas paused to look over his shoulder, his eye glowing with a quiet fury of his own. "You two are no longer esteemed guests in my palace. You are welcome to stay but you will not be allowed near Noctis without supervision. And Lucifer….."
Said king remained quiet but locked eyes on the Goetia member.
"Let this be a lesson for you that you are not the most powerful being in hell anymore."
Such words had more meaning for the arrogant than anyone knew. While Stolas walked walked away with Blitz and Carmilla soon to follow from a little bit of distance, Lucifer seethed in the quiet of his own mistake and stayed behind.
Reincarnated friend or not, there was a reason he was the sin of pride and it showed in the subtle clench of his fists when he finally thought how he no longer stood at the top as the most powerful. He growled, even hissed dangerously before this burning jealousy was expressed in how he kicked a boulder across the courtyard.
"I'm the fucking king!"
"You sure know how to fuck up still." Ozzy lectured before leaving lastly.
Lucifer didn't want to admit how foolish he was for pushing Noctis, and he wouldn't when his pride was already cracked.
Instead he screamed out of frustration and stomped away while Alastor appeared from the nearest shadow nearby and chuckled with a puzzled chin.
"Getting that boy will be easier than I thought."
Little did the radio demon know that his intentions blinded him to the obvious truth around him, hovering just out of sight a single drone and magnifying the recording for a power starving tv demon that watched from his tower back in the tower.
"All that power….." Vox licked his screen with ravenous hunger and smiles sadistically. "And only a fraction."
He laughed in the darkness of his own power.
————————————————————
Angel Dust remained in his spot on the bed after the abrupt return of Noctis and the others , already seething with hate after he finally got his cuddles that he was owed. Right now he had Noctis as a pillow after everything calmed and the man was back to normal with no third eye or horns but a mild headache from all the chaos earlier.
Said demon laid back on the man's chest but stared at Charlie in shock that her own father went to such extremes. He blinked to each detail after expressing his anger after he saw the marks around Noctis' neck.
"You're dad did what!?"
Charlie nodded in disgust and joined the cuddle pile by taking the left side on Noctis, taking in some comfort from his touch but choosing not to interrupt him petting Angel Dust repeatedly on the head.
"I don't know what my dad was thinking."
Husk grunted with the same disgust and poured himself a drink but did not bother questioning for more details at Lucifer's stupid choices.
Still he had concern for the man sitting back on the headrest with his eyes shut. "Are the bruises bad?"
Charlie looked up from her spot and frowned at the mild coloration that started to show. "It doesn't matter. My dad went too far."
"No shit." Angel Dust said sarcastically and rested his head back on Noctis' chest. "Your dad is a fucking prick. And you know what else—" he pointed a finger at Charlie. "Your dad has only given a shit about Noctis, and in a shittier way than about your hotel."
Charlie frowned at that obvious accusation and rolled herself deeper into Noctis' side, already regretting having her father around to help Noctis get better.
"I know that already." She sniffled into his ribs and felt his free hand rest on her head.
The unbearable silence of of the princess and her family issues kept going while the others watched her play with his hair in thought. It didn't help that Angel Dust was always pointing out the obvious but in this case it was needed for her to have a wake up call.
Said silence continued with frowns all over the room until Loona looked from her spot from the window. "Beezlebub is still pissed."
"What makes you say that?" Vaggie asked before she looked outside to see the sin yelling at Ozzy in the destroyed gazebo. "Damn she's really snapping at him."
"What's her problem anyway?" Cherri Bomb asked whilst adding her own fun in the room with how she poked the primordial that tucked under Noctis' wing after scrunching his nose.
"Does have to do with Noctis being her husband from his previous life?" Pentious asked while going over the book after it was given back by Stolas.
Charlie nodded with Vaggie. "Probably since that's all she's been worried about."
Suddenly a growl startled everyone in the room and it echoed. It even made Charlie recoil before they all knew who that growl was coming from.
"Sorry. Haven't eaten all day." Noctis admitted without moving or opening his eyes.
Pentious looked up from the book and tilted his head. "That was your stomach?"
"Sound like a damn monster crawling around." Cherri Bomb cackled.
Hearing all though gave Charlie an idea that would make everyone's day improve, maybe even a lot if she played her cards right. She perked up with a smile and hopped right off the bed to run over to the window and open it to the screaming sin.
"Hey bee!"
"What!?" Beezlebub snarled up to the window, flaring her third eye open.
Vaggie raised an eyebrow before touching the princess on her shoulder with concern. "Babe, what are you doing?"
"Making everyone feel better." Charlie whispered before she hollered at the agitated sin with a mischievous smile. "Noctis hasn't eaten all day is kinda cranky. Think you can make food in the room."
Like a light in a room the Queen of Gluttony had her mood switch instantly with Ozzy flabbergasted at how she could just go from pissed-off to happy in less than a second.
"My hubby needs me?" She squeaked excitedly with her wings buzzing rapidly.
"Charlie what are you doing?" Vaggie whispered in disapproval.
The sky princess looked to her with a softer gaze and answered in a surprisingly thoughtful tone. "The only way Noctis is gonna get enough peace to get ready for Adam is that we get everything back on track, starting with handling her."
Vaggie widened her eye but frowned at her intention.
"Fine." She crossed her arms and huffed. "But I don't like it."
"Thanks." Charlie pecked her lips and leaned back over the window with the same smile. "Yes he needs you."
Beezlebub scrunched up and squealed before zooming up and into the window like a rocket, almost knocking Charlie over.
"Oh shit." Husk grumbled, knowing this would not end well and poured himself another.
In an instant she summoned a table full of food after landing on her feet and skipped over to the surprise Noctis that tried to scoot more to the middle of the bed.
"Oh hubby~"
"Fuck." Noctis muttered before glaring at his princess that smiled sheepishly before the interaction took a turn with him blushing at how she was clearly displaying her curves to him.
Angel, injured or not, craned his neck up and smirked devilishly while everyone else gathered at the food.
He knew exactly what Noctis was looking at.
"Guess I'm rubbing off on ya." He teased.
"Shut up Angel." Noctis growled.
"I've got all the good shit!" Beezlebub gestured with sickening enthusiasm and invitation, her intentions showing in how she wiggled her butt after leaning down to grab a platter. "Steaks, burgers, turkey legs, chicken wings-" she spun the platter into his space. "All the stuff for my busy bee."
"Busy bee." Husk snickered, earning that same glare from Noctis before his mouth was given a bite of chicken from the piece in her mouth.
"Hey!" Vaggie yelped jealously at the sin for using such a tactic to kiss her mate.
Of course Charlie saw it all but maintained her stiff composure of friendliness to go with her twitching smile. However, she radiated just as much jealousy and possessiveness as Vaggie when her body tremble and her pupils shrank to pinpricks.
If only they could hear her screaming internally for this idea.
"THIS WAS A MISTAKE!"
After the kiss was parted there a collective brace for another emotional explosion from Noctis when he stared blankly at the bold sin licking her lips after she got the food in his mouth.
"New life and still taste the same." Beezlebub praised flirtatiously and winked with expectancy of him to respond.
"Hit the deck!" Husk dove behind the couch with Pentious and barely peeked over to watch what would happen.
Charlie and Vaggie even got ready to intervene and calm down their mate. Even Loona had a mix of defensiveness in her bristling anger toward the sin that moved so uncaringly to put more food readily in his mouth.
To their shock though there wasn't an explosion nor an outburst from Noctis when he stared so calmly at the gluttony demoness waiting for him to act out. It was her way of feeding and to have enjoyment in having her husband back.
So why wasn't he acting out?
"Baby?" Vaggie loosened her posture, confusion in her eye when he continued being eerily calm.
Noctis' only response was reaching back under the spread of his wings and pulling the whimpering primordial from under his feathers. With careful gentleness he lifted it up by the nape and adjusted so that both hands were under the armpits.
Now everyone, save for Loona, was confused by him acting so different with the primordial that growled with curiosity and tilted his head.
"Alpha…." It said quietly.
"Okay what is with that?" Cherri asked out of the blue before using her brash thinking to get some answers from Noctis.
Loona stopped her though after Noctis tilted his head in the same direction as the primordial.
"Don't." She advised and looked to the others. "He's connecting."
"Connecting?" Charlie and Vaggie questioned in unison while maintaining a curious glance at their mate.
A slight nod was given from Loona before she explained.
"Just because a hellhound senses strength doesn't mean they pick so easily. They form a bond with who they believe is trustworthy. Like your Max."
"Oh great." Husk groaned in annoyance and hung himself lazily over the couch. "So now we are an adoption agency."
The primordial licked Noctis on his nose, and to their surprise he licked it back on its nose. The pup immediately brightened like a light and hugged him tightly on the neck with happy yips and loving licks on the cheek.
A few raised eyebrows happened while Loona crossed her arms and grinned. "He just accepted the pup."
"He did?" Pentious asked, wondering what this was meaning.
A chuckle left the hellhound as they watched how he ignored the kiss from Beezlebub and started holding the primordial while continuing his cuddling with Angel Dust.
"Yeah, that lick was the pup saying he chooses Noctis fully. And when he licked back he accepted."
"He wasn't like that with Max." Vaggie pointed out and pondered this strange behavior while watching him sit there and allow the pup to nuzzle his neck. "Then again that was when we all thought he was human."
"Maybe the more mundane instincts?" Charlie puzzled her chin to the idea.
Noctis merely smiled at the primordial's affection and turned his gaze to Beezlebub. "I'll take some of that steak please."
Beezlebub looked at the man nervously and blushed for the first time at how soft his voice became. Not wanting to ruin this moment, she grabbed a plate and used her powers to fill it, laying it at his side just within arm's reach.
"Thank you." He turned his attention to the others. "Let's all eat, because tomorrow I gotta start reading that book you guys were talking about."
Everyone was surprised by the calmness but nodded in approval before getting their own portions and taking spots on the bed to join, some being spacious while Charlie and Vaggie found their place at his sides. Not wanting to lose the moment, he took a hard bite of the steak and held the next piece to the primordial that eagerly chomped down.
Together they created a peaceful silence before Angel Dust took the remote on the night stand and turned to a specific channel, wondering what made the man act so mature but not question it when it was the most peaceful h muse been in a couple weeks.
"I love you." He murmured to Charlie, already closing his wings around her and Vaggie. "And I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier."
"It's okay…." Charlie replied. For the first time since the fight with Lyoria she felt as if her world was whole again.
For a moment that is.
"My turn." Beezlebub chimed as she used her powers to replace the pillows behind Noctis with her own body.
It didn't take long for that calmness to to turn into a fluster after she adjusted with herself to have Noctis lean back with his head between her breasts and all of her arms holding him in what wasn't taken in the cuddle pile.
"This is bullshit." Angel Dust muttered to himself and laid deeper against the blushing man. "Supposed to be my fucking cuddles."
Vaggie peeked over Noctis' left side and smirked underneath the glare she bore into the regretful princess.
"Any regrets yet?" She asked quietly through clenched teeth, ignoring the sin as she licked and groomed Noctis on his head.
Charlie had the same look as she tried to to watch the tv, her attempt to stay calm almost failing as she did indeed regret including Beezlebub.
"Shut up." She growled quietly.
"Wanna know a secret?" Beezlebub whispered in Noctis' ear, her tone flirtatious and bold but so satisfying at how he shivered. "You're the only who makes my kitty purr."
Noctis could only sit there and suffer at this point as his face turned completely red.
————————————————————
Stolas was sitting in his seat alone in the matter of Noctis. He couldn't find a moment of peace in this emergency meeting with the Goetia Family when their thoughts all correlated into a single chaotic thought they all expressed in the council room through insults and shouting while Paimon tried to calm the situation.
He rubbed his temples out of frustration while Octavia sat in silence and shared the same annoyance that this was how the royal family acted when matters needed tending, like a bunch of children.
"The boy is dangerous!"
"He is bringing nothing but trouble to our lands!"
"He is not dangerous. He is just a boy!"
"We cannot condemn a boy that knows not his power."
"Morons." Octavia huffed with her arms crossed.
Stolas couldn't agree more with his daughter when she and himself were the only two that actually had some interaction with Noctis during his stay in the palace and have yet to make an outburst.
"What's up their asses?" Blitz whispered from his seat behind Stolas.
"Oh the usual." Stolas leaned back and groaned tiredly, rolling his eyes uncaringly. "Power and status and with Noctis being an esteemed guest of power, not to mention his rank. They want to align him with the family."
"Good luck with that." Millie giggled quietly with a few thoughts of her own. "The princes will tear them apart."
"Order!" Paimon shouted, drawing their attention before the argument turned violent with a slam of his gavel. "Everyone compose yourselves right now."
Thankfully the Goetia members were still composed enough to settle down and focus their attention on Paimon while he addressed the matter after the room went silent.
"Now then, we are all aware of the divine beast in our palace but a decision is to be made about his presence."
"The decision is simple." A lesser Goetia slammed his palm on the table. "After all the damages and loss there must be compensation and I say it should be his—"
"Lucifer is already covering the damages." Stolas interrupted lazily.
The goetia that spoke up pursed their lips before looking away with a huff. However Stolas wasn't done addressing this matter when it happened involved Noctis' safety that was in his hands. He stood up from his seat to address the entire family, glaring at each member but locking his gaze on Paimon.
"With all due respect father but the relationship with the boy is delicate as is with these developments of him being the mate of the Morningstar Princess and her guard. There is also the claim of Beezlebub being his wife from his previous living and frankly I'd rather not invoke anything just yet when he has so much authority protecting him from down here in hell to his mother that is the high seraphim."
Paimon wasn't one to back down from his own desires and intentions but pondered to himself the consequences that could unfold after Stolas sat back with a smirk.
"Dad what did you do?" Octavia whispered, knowing that cocky smile of his.
He answered proudly in a hushed tone only for her and the imps. "I've simply laid the severity of them attempting to coerce Noctis into the family." He leaned down and whispered a chuckle. "Quite foolish of them when we know how protective some of them are."
Octavia was quick to catch on and although she had animosity to her neglectful father she couldn't help but be impressed by how quickly he was deflating the council with the facts.
"Yes quite right." Paimon hummed before his decision was made. "Right then, moving on. Stolas, did you confiscate that book?"
"Yes father I did, but I handed it to the one known as Sir Pentious after I handled the ordeal earlier outside."
Andrealphus raised an eyebrow and leaned with mock curiosity. "You handed over a heavenly relic that is on the Goetia Amanda and is therefore property of the palace?"
All eyes turned the prince who stood up again and cleared his throat to answer the peacock demon in the same mock fashion. "Yes while it is on our lands it rightfully belongs to Noctis since it did appear out of thin in the hands of Sir Pentious. And since it does not show up in our listings that alone makes it the property of Sir Pentious and his friends.
Murmurs spread through the council as Andrealphus growled at the smug prince, elevating more questions than answers as he continued explaining.
"And while he needs to be trained, rather than Lucifer doing it I will be the one to help him harness his magic."
"You?" Stella spat in disbelief before laughing whilst her daughter glared. "You can't even maintain this marriage. What makes you think you can train a divine beast?"
The council expected marital bickering from the two, especially from Stolas with how his misery is sourced by his hatefully smiling wife. However with the given circumstances he remained very composed and not only ignored her insult but also faced Paimon with great control in his voice, as if Stella never existed in the room in the first.
That alone made her scowl.
"Father I have had connecting encounters with the boy to where we have spoke understanding of his ordeals. There is trust and compliance when I can tell him to do something and he listens. He has respect for me."
"Does he now?" Paimon leaned forward in his seat. "And you believe you can have him ready for extermination day?"
Stolas nodded without hesitation or even a second thought. "I know I can. I will have him trained enough to bring down Adam."
"What about Lucifer?" Vassago asked.
"Noctis no longer trusts Lucifer after what happened." Stolas answered sharply and gestured to himself. "If anyone can adapt him to his own potential then who else than someone who has their own grimoire!"
Paimon smirked knowingly the capability of his own son. Though Stolas was not at all prominent in his marriage he did have one deciding factor in the Goetia family that beamed above his title as high prince. He was a talented magic user and above all a talented teacher.
And that alone gave prideful convincing.
"Very well." Paimon slammed the gavel down. "If you are permitted by him then you are to teach him so that he may be ready to defend hell."
Stolas kept his composure as best as he could underneath that smile he had directed to his fuming wife.
"However," Paimon broke the intensity again and glared down at his son. "The others are to return to their homes so there are no distractions, so I will leave you to that as well."
And just like that he bit off more than he can chew when there two mates particularly not fond of being separated and one very adamant sin on getting him.
"Oh shit…."
"You're fucked." Octavia and the imps commented.
It was going to be a long journey of growth for Noctis.