The Fallen

Epilogue

After months in Hell, things started to look a little different.

It wasn't until the Throne clarified that the state of Hell was Lucifer's own depiction of it, that things started coming around. With Lucifer on the throne, taking full responsibility for his kingdom, torture chambers were abolished. He refused to believe that about 70 years on Earth, no matter how much sinning a soul committed within its mortal life, warranted eternal suffering. He decided that the punishment did not fit the crime, and so, the entire system of Hell was abolished.

The souls who wanted to be punished for their sins, who couldn't come to terms with what they had done with their own hands, were granted their wishes until they found themselves absolved. Others were taught to manage their grief in ways that were more constructive, which didn't include them being tortured by demons for eternity.

It took a long time for the demons to come around, most of them knowing nothing but violence and torture for centuries. But with the help of the Princes of Hell, Lucifer managed to reconstruct his kingdom in a better image.
No longer was Hell a fiery pit that descended into a frozen lake. To my utter surprise and joy, the temperatures were controlled, and the atmosphere became a lot more survivable. I suppose it took that gruesome fight back on earth and the intervention of God himself for Lucifer to finally understand. Hell was what he made of it, instead of what was forced upon him as punishment for a sin he never committed. As he worked through his own guilt and suffering, his new kingdom reflected his journey towards healing, and Hell became his refuge.

As for me, things were rocky at first. I missed earth terribly, and knowing that I could never go back made me spiral. I spent days on end cooped up in Lucifer's room, crying in his arms as he held me tenderly and without a complaint. He did everything he could to make my stay as comfortable as possible, and a part of me suspected that revamping Hell was more for my sake than his. He even went as far as redesigning a whole level just for me. Through that dark corridor that separated the stairs, the one I refused to walk down all those weeks ago for the fear it sprouted inside of me, a new path was created. A garden, one that rivalled Eden in its beauty, yet was its complete opposite, stretched across the whole floor. A silver moon, one that was always bright and full, shone over the dark foliage. Black, purple, and burgundy flowers of all kinds surrounded a marble fountain, adorned with a statue that looked far too much like me.

As time went by and things started to get easier, I found myself remembering why I was willing to risk Heaven and Earth for him. The love I felt for him only grew with every passing second, and I cherished the long nights we spent talking about anything and everything. I found comfort in his embrace, his love for me clear in all of his looks, kisses, touches. We were practically inseparable, making up for centuries worth of separation in only a few weeks. He would come to me for advice, ask for my opinion on every little detail. He would listen to me, implement my ideas, and give me credit for anything I added to the new and improved Hell. The lowest level soon became our spot, with more paintings adorning the walls every week. They varied from moments we shared in our new home to memories from our time in Heaven. He even managed to paint the night we met again when he dived through my window and whisked me away, changing our lives forever.

Soon after, when I settled into the idea of being here for eternity, Lucifer offered me a seat by his side. He shared his throne with me, making me his equal, his woman. It was something foreign in Hell, just as much as it was in Heaven, and it changed the hierarchy of our kingdom forever.

And with that, I went from being known as Lady Lilith, Lord Lucifer's wife and right-hand woman, to Lilith, The First Woman, Mother of Demons, and Queen of Hell.