The sun was setting, bleeding orange and red across the cracked skyline as the four of them made their way toward the glowing Great Wall. The air shimmered faintly with divine energy, but that wasn't what made the air tense.
No — the real heat came from Valerie and Hana, walking side by side.
Correction: walking side by side but glaring daggers so sharp they could slice steel.
Lucien walked behind them with his hands in his pockets, humming casually, while McGruffin dragged his feet nervously between them like a prisoner of war.
"So," Hana said sweetly, her tone laced with venom, "how long have you known Lucien?"
Valerie smirked, flipping her hair. "Long enough to know he doesn't like loud girls."
"Loud?" Hana's eyebrow twitched. "At least I don't sound like a broken fridge when I talk."
Valerie's eyes glowed faintly red. "You wanna say that again, Barbie Cotton Candy?"
"Gladly, Miss Inferiority Complex."
Lucien tilted his head, smiling like he was watching a show. "Ahhh… this is better than TV."
McGruffin whispered under his breath, "I'd rather fight ten demons than stand between these two."
Lucien grinned, "You are between them."
McGruffin froze. "Wait, wha—?"
Before he could finish, both girls turned on him at once.
"You!" they shouted in unison.
He blinked, startled. "Me? What did I do?"
Hana jabbed a finger at him. "You're the one who said I was 'kind of cute for a human'!"
Valerie's flames flared. "Oh, so you flirted with her too?"
McGruffin threw his hands up. "I was just being polite!!"
"LIAR!" they both screamed.
Lucien was now sitting cross-legged on a rock, munching conjured popcorn. "You're doing great, champ."
McGruffin ducked as a fireball whizzed over his head, followed by Hana punching the air so hard it sent a shockwave through the dust.
"Girls, please! Let's talk—"
"Stay still, traitor!" Valerie shouted, chasing him with a fiery whip.
"Yeah, let's 'talk' about your terrible taste in men!" Hana added, charging in.
Lucien whistled. "Man, I missed this kind of chaos. Earth's better than Netflix."
McGruffin darted behind a rock for cover. "Lucien, do something!"
Lucien leaned back lazily. "Nah, character development looks good on them."
The fight quickly devolved into an explosive yet hilarious brawl — Hana summoning wind slashes, Valerie throwing fireballs, McGruffin dodging and pleading for his life while Lucien narrated it like a sports commentator.
"And Valerie goes in with a triple spin inferno slash — oh, and Hana counters with a sidekick! What a combo, folks! We might need an angel referee soon!"
Finally, the two girls stopped, panting, smoke rising from the ground between them.
Lucien stood up, slow clapping. "Bravo. A standing ovation for the two most dangerous women I've ever met."
Valerie folded her arms, glaring at Hana. "Don't think this means I like you."
"Good," Hana snapped. "Because I don't like you either."
"Perfect."
"Wonderful."
"Fabulous."
"ENOUGH!!" McGruffin screamed, holding his singed hair. "My poor scalp can't take any more!!"
Lucien snickered. "Hey, at least now you look 'smoking hot.'"
McGruffin groaned. "That's not funny, boss…"
By the time they reached the Wall, the air between them could have been cut with a sword. Hana kept her eyes forward, Valerie pretended she didn't care, and McGruffin walked five feet behind both, muttering about how unfair life was.
Lucien, meanwhile, had the widest grin.
"You know," he said, "if this keeps up, I might not want to go back to Hell."
Valerie side-eyed him. "You might not get the choice."
Hana smirked. "Guess even devils get what's coming to them."
Lucien just chuckled softly, the red glow in his eyes flickering like embers.
"Yeah," he murmured, watching the massive glowing gates ahead, "and maybe this time… it'll actually be fun.
Perfect setup 😎 — this scene has prime comedy potential while still moving the story forward into its next big arc (the Demon Agency arc).
Here's how this scene can play out, complete with comedic beats and sharp dialogue tiThe holy gates of New Eden shimmered with blinding golden light, the divine inscriptions pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.
Hana led the group closer, flashing her ID at the guardian drones that hovered above.
"Alright, act natural," she whispered.
Lucien gave a weak grin, wobbling on his feet. "Define natural. Because I currently feel like overcooked spaghetti."
Valerie rolled her eyes. "You're lucky you're still breathing. Keep walking."
As Hana stepped through the gate, the divine light shimmered harmlessly around her. But when Lucien approached…
BZZZTTT!
The air cracked. The symbols flared red. And then—
Lucien tripped.
Right through the gate.
Face-first.
He landed on the other side in a heap of dust, steam rising faintly from his body.
Hana gasped. "Are you okay!?"
Lucien groaned, lifting a hand weakly. "Apparently… yes. Also, I may now be half-angel. Do I get wings or something?"
Valerie sighed and strutted up to the gate. The holy barrier sparked like it sensed a threat. She stared at it with her usual glare — and the barrier simply parted like it was afraid of her.
Hana blinked. "That shouldn't be possible…"
Lucien, still on the floor, muttered, "Yeah, remind me never to argue with her again."
McGruffin, looking nervous, tiptoed after Valerie — the gate snapped shut right before him.
"Oh come on!" he hissed.
He looked at both sides, then at a nearby guard drone and said in his best fake accent,
"Maintenance check! Holy energy… uh… leaking!"
He dramatically pointed behind the drone and while it turned to look, he belly-flopped through the gate in slow motion, screaming "FOR HELL AND GLORY!"
He made it halfway before the barrier zapped his butt.
Lucien couldn't stop laughing, despite the pain. "Welcome to the club, crispy cheeks!"
Inside the city, the holy energy was everywhere — glowing halos as street lamps, priests preaching peace on holographic billboards, and little kids selling angel plushies.
To three demons (and one confused Lucien), it was like Disneyland but allergic to sin.
Lucien sniffed. "Ugh, everything smells like… forgiveness."
Valerie whispered sharply, "Keep your mouth shut, or they'll smite us on the spot."
McGruffin adjusted his collar. "Relax. We just gotta blend in."
They passed a group of nuns handing out "purity leaflets."
One smiled sweetly and said, "Blessed day, strangers!"
Lucien, trying too hard to act normal, replied:
"And a hellish evening to you too!"
Everyone froze.
Valerie immediately fake-laughed. "Hahahaha! He meant healing evening! You know — translation issues!"
Lucien nodded too fast. "Yes! I'm foreign. From… um… Hel…sinki!"
The nun smiled awkwardly and backed away.
Valerie facepalmed so hard it echoed.
After several "close calls," Hana finally led them to her apartment — a cozy, two-room space with glowing charm sigils on the windows and way too many plants.
Lucien immediately threw himself onto her bed, groaning. "Being weak sucks… I feel like a dying Wi-Fi signal."
Hana frowned. "You could at least ask first."
Valerie crossed her arms, glaring. "You're unbelievable."
Lucien peeked up at her. "What? You jealous she offered me a bed?"
Valerie's eye twitched. "I will personally turn you into ashes if you don't get up right now."
Hana coughed awkwardly. "You two… fight like an old married couple."
Both: "WE'RE NOT!"
McGruffin poked his head out from the kitchen. "So, uh… where do I sleep?"
Lucien: "Outside."
Valerie: "The trash can suits you."
McGruffin sighed. "Ah, family."
The next morning, Hana briefed them on city life, handing over job pamphlets.
"Since you can't just hang around, you'll need a cover — or the D.K.A. will come after you."
Valerie scanned the pamphlet. "'Join the Demon Killing Agency — Protect Humanity.' …This is a joke, right?"
Lucien looked at her with a smirk. "Oh, come on, Val. What better cover for demons than becoming demon hunters?"
She glared. "You just want the uniform."
Lucien gasped. "You mean I get a uniform? Sign me up!"
McGruffin clapped his hands. "Yup. Nothing could possibly go wrong with this idea."
Cue cut to the next day — Lucien, Valerie, and McGruffin standing awkwardly in front of the D.K.A headquarters, surrounded by glowing angel statues and a massive sign that read:
"NO DEMONS ALLOWED."
Lucien grinned. "Well… this'll be fun."