The Devil & The Draxon

61. Forever

"Nyxeus!"

Lucifer kneels next to his lover's body instantly, turning him onto his back and cradling him gently. La'rayel crouches next to him, God walking over worriedly. Amenadiel watches Michael carefully, though it's unneeded as God has warded the archangel and demon from leaving where they stand.

A few strangled breaths pass Nyx's lips, more blood trickling out of his mouth. His eyes are closed, signalling he's unconscious yet his muscles are tense.

"Can you do anything?" Lucifer asks, sounding almost desperate—the devil doesn't sound desperate, does he?—as he looks at La'rayel and his father.

In response, God reaches out to place a palm against the draxon's chest. His magic flows out in soft waves, trying to find the problem.

"His lungs are struggling," the celestial says, eyes closed as he focuses. "His heart will stop soon... I can't find a problem. Wait..."

Lucifer's eyes shoot up to his father. "What?"

"There's a hole—actually there's a few of them—in both his lungs and down his throat. The cause... I'm not sure..."

"Well, the look the dragon has says she does," Michael says, pointing at the horrified-looking La'rayel.

All eyes turn to her as she stares at her brother's body.

"La'rayel," Lucifer whispers. "What happened?"

She turns her gaze to the devil for a second before looking back at Nyx. "When we were fighting... I didn't even think..."

"About what?" God asks.

She shakes her head slowly. "I can breathe a poisonous, pale blue smoke... He went right through it like it wasn't there."

"Are you telling me he's dying because of you?!" Lucifer hisses, his arms tightening around Nyx's body.

"Hey, part of it is his own fault," Maze says. "He could've avoided it. Now is he gonna die or not?"

Just as she finishes speaking, Nyx's body stills. Lucifer's eyes widen as he stares down at his lover's body before he pulls the body against him and squeezes his eyes closed.

"Dammit, Nyxeus," he whispers. "Why do you always do this to me?"

"Come on, Lucifer," God says softly, "Let's get him somewhere more comfortable. Would you be so kind as to host us in your penthouse?"

Lucifer nods without really thinking. Carrying his lover's body, he flies to Lux and lands on the penthouse balcony. His eyes stay on Nyx's blank face as he walks to the bedroom and places the body down gently.

"You can't be gone again, love," he whispers. "Why haven't you disappeared like you normally do?"

"Don't tell me he died again."

Lucifer turns to face the red-eyed man leaning against the bar. The other divines appear a second after Lucifer walks down the steps, La'rayel carrying Maze and God pulling Michael by his ear like a naughty child (well, is it really that far off?).

"Jinx," God says. "What brings you here?"

"The sudden oppressive feeling in the air in the Dragonlands. It feels like something's not right and it seems it isn't. Why is Nyxeus dead?"

"Accident," Maze says.

Jinx's lips purse, his eyes suspiciously glancing to La'rayel before he looks back to the devil. "Well, the gates aren't closed at least. Now tell me what's happening here, you guys always hog all the fun. And please tell me I can kill Michael."