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English
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Part 1 of Universal Games
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Published:
2024-03-07
Completed:
2024-04-01
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113,489
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25/25
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Chapter 25: Epilogue

Notes:

And that's it for part one of Cosmic Chess~! I hope the epilogue was satisfying to you all!

Tem and I have not had a chance to write as much lately, so we don't have much of a buffer for the next part yet although we have plotted a lot of it out. So we will be taking a week break before starting the next part. So stay tuned!

Tem is so grateful to all the comments that give her life! She's so happy you all enjoy it, and she is eager to show you what we have in store.

Chapter Text

Lucifer had been very patient; he had stood aside with Alastor, waiting until Charlie finished speaking to the assembled army, waiting for them to disperse before he forced his entire pack into a nest (which at the moment also included Vaggie and to a lesser extent Angel Dust, Husk, Cherri Bomb, and Niffty) in the foyer and did not let anyone leave until he was satisfied with their health. 

He had been a bit reluctant to let anyone out of his sight, but he did allow the denizens of the Hotel to leave when he was certain they were not direly injured. But the rest of his pack he was more obsessive with, including Vaggie who reluctantly allowed his anxious affection. 

He had Adam and Alastor laying down in the center with Emily between them, and Charlie and Vaggie to the side. He was purring quite loudly as he was tending to their injuries. He had bandages, ointments, and was also using his own magic if necessary. Of course he was still down an arm, but he managed. 

He was most concerned about Emily and his mates of course. Worried about Alastor’s physical health and Adam’s mental health. Emily still had not woken up. He was frantic with worry but trying his best to stay calm and radiate soothing pheromones.

-- -- --

Emily was trying to escape, floating in a black void to escape the pain and the awful truth…daddy torn apart like an animal- that the ones who had hurt him were his own ribs…that they hurt her

Her wings

But a soft voice, almost familiar, called out to her. It was a warm voice…and a warm scent. So sweet…her eyelashes fluttered and she groaned weakly. The pain… She gasped and sat up, eyes wide and filled with tears. “Daddy!?” she cried out in terror and grief. 

“Emily, Emily, it's okay we're safe now. Safe” Adam stroked her hair. “We're at your mom's and sister's place no one can hurt you here” Adam pulled her close. He felt different which wasn't too shocking he'd been torn apart but he felt way different.

“Emily? You're awake, can you see us?” Charlie's voice rang out with worry as she cupped her twins face.

Emily flinched, struggling briefly before the voice of her father and twin registered and she slowly relaxed, eyes wide as she stared between the two. She practically melted into her twin’s hands, but her attention was on her father(?) as she tried to adjust to his changed appearance. “Daddy…?” she asked cautiously. 

Lucifer slowly approached, kneeling between Charlie and Adam, but not trying to overwhelm her. He was practically vibrating with anxiety.

Adam smiled a bit and gave a finger gun “Yep it's me the A-Man in- well the flesh? Sort of. I kinda…Fell hard. But you're still okay! You're just really banged up!” He assured her, Father he didn't even know how they were going to heal that central eye.

Adam looked back at Lucifer and beckoned him over “Um, Emily this is your mom. Lucifer Morningstar, you know the devil? Kinda? Way sweeter though, I promise! Don't mind the missing arm that … probably will grow back. Right?”

Emily lifted her hands up to slowly remove Charlie’s hand from her cheeks so she could get a better look at everyone, although she did not release those hands, but tightened her grip. She gazed at Charlie for a long moment before smiling sweetly. “I knew you felt…different.” she said softly before letting her gaze return to her father, although it lingered for a moment on the blonde fallen angel between them. 

“Daddy…does it hurt…?” she asked softly, face full of empathy and concern. She bit her bottom lip, not buying his flippant attitude. But she was more than willing to be distracted and when Lucifer held open his arm (where was the other one?!) she released Charlie’s hands and threw herself at her mother, sobbing. “Mama…”

Lucifer clung to his daughter, doing his best not to break down crying too as he pet her hair. “Hi baby…I’m so so sorry, I didn’t know, honest I didn’t…I would never have willingly given you up…” he murmured. He glanced up at Adam from underneath his eyelashes. “It’ll regrow…” he added softly. He grimaced slightly as he gave Adam a quick once over. “Any pain…?” he asked in a smaller voice, clutching Emily tighter. He was also worried about that hole gouged out of her chest…

“Not as much pain as before, it's all good! I am sure the missing arm and eye hurts a lot more, don't worry.” Adam assured and got pat by Charlie. 

“Don't bottle it up, we all saw how that turned out” she said awkwardly the evidence of her ‘tantrum’ was still outside.

“Bitch that was so rock’n’roll! I don't know what you're talking about! You should totally go nuts like that more often!” Adam denied her self depreciation. “If you can fucking bend hell like that when you need to you should totally remodel this place!”

Lucifer’s eyes widened. “Eye? What eye? Who’s missing an eye?!” he asked worriedly, starting to check everyone over before pushing Emily back slightly and staring at her chest. “Oh…” he realized. “Ffffffuck…” he groaned between grit teeth. “Shit…baby…does- of course it hurts…dammit…” he stammered, horrified. Too bad the ones who had did it were probably already dead. He gestured for Adam to take her. “Here, hun, let’s see if I can heal that…” he said soothingly. 

Emily cautiously climbed into Adam’s lap facing Lucifer, looking a bit dubious. She would usually trust him, but she was tired, and still in pain. It fractured her idealist nature a bit. 

A red cervine skull bumped into Emily; gently, reassuringly, it was attached to a vaguely human monster body wrapped around the nest. It's red eyes were pupiless; instead of pupils they seemed to be dials? It's antlers were large with many points but it seemed to be careful not to hit anyone with them.

Charlie reached out and stroked the creature on the forehead “She'll be okay Al!” Charlie promised.

Al. Alastor. This was her stepdad? Wasn't he a sinner? Not a monster?

Lucifer reached out to stroke Alastor’s snout. He was wracked with guilt over the form Alastor had metamorphosed into after ingesting his blood and flesh…but he didn’t seem overly concerned and was lucid…so Lucifer put it on the back burner. Although…his scent was changing too…and it was so alluring. He bit his bottom lip and inhaled slightly before refocusing on Emily. 

“This is Alastor, Emily…he is a bit changed…but he’ll take care of you too,” he said reassuringly.

“Now…let me see…you had an eye here…?” he asked as he leaned forward, gently tracing a finger around the wound before concentrating and manifesting his angelic energies.

“He's gnarly looking, hopefully that sorts out, definitely do not want to fuck that,” Adam said and was promptly slapped by Charlie “Ouch, ouch, joking, joking! Uh, yeah, Em’s a seraphim. they got lots of eyes,” Adam rubbed his arm grumbling. Not his fault he thought lanky redheads were hotter than… whatever deer guy had going on right now.

Lucifer hummed absently and leaned closer. “I’d still tap that.” he said softly, and he was being completely honest. He really liked that feral thing Alastor had going on now. He was pouring more power into his hand and he focused on that before glancing up at Adam. “I was a Seraphim too, you realize?” he asked pointedly before returning his attention to the wound he wanted to heal…not just heal, but he needed to regrow her eye…that was more delicate. He needed to concentrate.

“Were you? Man it was so long ago I barely remember? I just remember blue… and soft” Adam admitted looking off in the distance”You were so sweet back then.” He blushed as he remembered that.

“I really don't want to hear about your love life,” Charlie said pointedly.

“Hey I wasn't getting graphic! I barely remember that too except it was probably banging!” Adam defended.

Lucifer glanced up at Adam’s wistful tone and froze, uncertain how to feel about that statement. Guilty? Resentful? Wistful? More depressed? After a long moment he decided to settle on wistful and he smiled sadly. “You were sweet and soft too. So innocent and curious. Precious even!” He cooed. And for once he didn’t jump to apologize to Charlie for her discomfort. “Of course…you certainly weren’t too innocent to know what to do when you caught me during my first heat!” He added with a laugh. He shook away the thought that Lilith had also been there…they had shared him…but she had been so selfish…

Why hadn’t he seen the red flags?

Now suddenly melancholy he dropped his eyes back to Emily’s chest. “Let’s see if I can get this fixed up…” he muttered, feeling guilty for making her wait while he teased her father. She should be his priority. He was making a bad first impression…

“Hey birds and bees are as natural as can be, no shame there, I bet you and Vaggie-” Charlie began whacking the shit out of him knocking out of the nest while he laughed his ass off giving Lucifer room to work as he began running from Charlie.

Alastor curled tighter around Lucifer and Emily, nuzzling them both while bumping Lucifer in encouragement. This new daughter would need feeding. She was injured and too skinny; it should hunt soon. It's shadow separated from it. Hades looked normal as he stretched, master was out of sorts at the moment, he would function until he was normal but for now they must feed. He kissed Love on top of the head and vanished. 

Lucifer felt his soul lighten as he watched Adam tease their daughter. She looked indignant and angry…but in the way all teenagers were when faced by a teasing father…and it was nice to see. He giggled softly and relaxed further as Alastor and Hades both showed him affection…it was good. It would be aright. He wasn’t alone. He had his mates…his daughters…he wouldn’t lose any children ever again.

It was good.

Emily was looking a bit tired, but she was smiling as she watched them, slowly absorbing their pack dynamic. There was room for her here…she could feel the space she could slip into. She would help mama keep everyone calm and be a balm for the craziness. She also could tell her poor mama was a tangled skein of anxiety, fear, guilt…self hatred. Poor mama…she would help mama too. “Go ahead, Mama…I trust you.” She said softly and leaned back against Alastor. It was a bit too tiring to try and sit up without the assistance. 

Lucifer nearly cried. Emily was so sweet and kind and so cute! He nearly squealed. Instead he leaned forward to kiss her brow before sticking his hand into the wound, healing it inside out.

Emily stiffened, instinctively clinging to Alastor as she grunted, trying not to voice her pain. She sweat slightly, but managed to watch Lucifer’s face, admiring his concentration. He was so powerful..

Alastor nuzzled new daughter’s head and licked her cheek. The scent of Magnolia's filled the air to soothe mother and child. The healing was slow but the dials turned in his eyes as he watched it was astounding the power his Love welded that felt in himself due to what he'd eaten. Red saliva built in his jaws but he swallowed it no more devouring mate there were more to eat throughout the underground the feast of angelic hosts was enough golden ichor for him.

He went back to attending to new daughter, nipping her hair. He could sense Hades at work so many of their contractees had died their bodies all over hell, even poor sweet Mimzy, such a lovely gal he'd mourn when his mind was right he was sure. But for now all he could think of was how nutritious she'd be for their family. 

Lucifer started humming softly, a song from the angelic choirs. Emily was briefly startled but then started to hum along. He was baking progress, he’d gotten the main supporting veins and ligaments reformed and was working on the delicate organ now. 

Emily giggled a little when her cheek was licked. She glanced at the skull beside her. She wondered briefly at his form. It was so unusual. Not quite sinner anymore. Not any of the hellborn species. Not quite angelic either. But something like all those things. She could sense a mind in there though, so she was willing to wait and see. She leaned closer to him and closed her eyes. His scent was soothing….almost like an Alpha’s….

As her center eye healed, hopefully her connection to heaven would too; she'd be able to contact Sera and let her know what happened and to tell her to free the other Exterminators from Adam's manor, the ones who stayed loyal to him. He was worried about them though with his new sinner status who knew if he could get back into heaven himself.

Emily was nearly asleep when Lucifer finally finished reforming her eye. She shifted as the last of the pain vanished (Lucifer had moved on to fix her poor mangled wings. She had barely noticed that pain behind the pain of her eye), and she sat up, blinking and patting herself down. “Oh! Thank you mama…I feel so much better!” she said brightly and threw herself at Lucifer. 

Lucifer was a bit startled, but happily returned the embrace, albeit one armed. He was feeling a bit tired now. A little drained. Very hungry. But he was satisfied with his work. His baby was healed. Her poor wings…he was relieved that he had been able to heal them completely. His own ached in sympathy. Who had hurt his sweet baby…? 

As he sat up he glanced around, looking for Vaggie, Charlie and Adam. He felt a brief spike of anxiety before relaxing as he caught sight of them. 

Adam was playing dead on the floor, tongue sticking out and everything while Vaggie and Charlie sat on his back like they'd conquered Mount Olympus. Charlie had never really had a ‘fun’ parent so maybe her and Adam would be bonding that way. Even if they still had a lot of stuff to work through.

Hades soon returned to them with some questionably sourced meat but it was cooked and even had vegetables on the trays from the garden behind the hotel that had survived the battle.

Adam quickly shot up knocking Charlie and Vaggie off making them both squeal in shock, “Oh holy shit is that food!” He nearly drooled, scrambling over back to the nest before stopping. “Wait a second…” he looked between Alastor and Hades. “Uh, Shadow buddy, uh, what is this?” Damn it smelled so good though…

Hades tilted his head and took a bite and rubbed his tummy and smacked his teeth in a yum yum motion. It was food, good food!

Alastor butted Adam toward the food, other mates needed to eat too!

Lucifer laughed when he saw Charlie and Vaggie conquering Adam and he nuzzled Emily closer. When he saw Hades reappear with a whole pile of food his stomach growled. He carefully shifted Emily off his lap, making the conscious effort to not just dump her on her ass. “Ohh, that smells so good, Hades~!” he cooed. He placed a bit of emphasis on the name, glancing at Adam meaningfully. 

Emily realized how hungry Lucifer was and quickly got up and off to the side, peering at the food curiously. Dad had said not to accept food from Alastor…but it smelled really good. And she was hungry. 

“Oh you got a name now. That's cool” Adam said “Bit on the nose there but that's pretty sick we could totally make a rock band now” he offered and Hades mimed laughing at him. Before offering a bite of the food to Adam all but pushing it in his face.

Adam cringed but still opened up and allowed himself to be fed surely he'd notice if it was a person or not right? He chewed it huh it was good. “It tastes like chicken, is it chicken?”

Hades nodded and gave two thumbs up. The sinner it came from was indeed avian! Adam was so smart!

Adam gave a sigh of relief. “Okay I guess it's safe then.” 

Of course it was safe Hades would never poison his Loves silly mates. It was important not to starve, all food was good food. When the master was well then the real cuisine would be had.

Lucifer and Emily sat beside Adam, one on either side, and they each accepted a plate too. “This tastes great, Hades!” Lucifer praised brightly. He ate hungrily. He had a lot of energy to make up for. And babies to feed. Lots of babies. He eyed Adam cautiously, suddenly losing his appetite. He needed to tell Adam…but he didn’t know how…he wanted to enjoy this moment…this peace. Surely there would be so much more trouble to navigate up ahead…he forced himself to continue eating, hoping Adam didn’t notice. 

Emily took her plate and went over to sit next to Charlie, smiling brightly. “This was not the way I hoped we’d meet, but it’s still wonderful to see you again!” she said chirpily. And she began to eat. Being healed was hungry work too.

Charlie beamed at her “Me too I've been so excited to meet you since we learned the truth I just knew there was something special about you in heaven! I just couldn't figure out what it was!” 

She hugged her gently “I vaguely remember you too all the blue it was so lonely without you” she said. “I am so glad we're going to get to know each other now”

“Me too” Adam said “You two deserve to have a proper life that and the re-ah well the um” shit should be tell Lucifer about the others in heaven yet or give it a bit this is kinda all happening a bit fast… he stuffed his mouth full of food and chewed “Um man I hope we can check on the girls soon I'm really worried about them” at least they weren't tortured like he an Em were as far as he were.

Emily hugged Charlie happily, giggling in relief. “I felt the same way when I saw you!” she declared. She was so relieved it was reciprocated. When their father joined them she got up to sit on his knee, getting the chance to really look at his new form. “Are you in pain, daddy…?” she asked softly. 

A moment later there was a small fizzle and an iridescent orb appeared and a familiar voice said, “Hellllo?”

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