Jack hit the ground so hard he bounced.
He rolled across cracked stone, coughing up dust, until he slammed into a rusted metal wall. Lucifer landed beside him with the grace of someone who'd done this a thousand times, wings scraping the floor like chained blades.
Jack groaned. "Bro… that crow didn't even give us a countdown."
Lucifer dusted off his coat. "Welcome to Layer One."
Jack finally looked around—towering walls, watchtowers, screaming prisoners, and the smell of rust and blood. A hellish prison yard stretched out in every direction.
He grinned.
"So… where we dropping?"
Lucifer stared at him. "We already dropped."
"Yeah, but like… metaphorically."
"No metaphors," Lucifer said, already walking. "I have a plan."
Jack jogged after him. "You always have a plan. I never get to vote."
"You'd vote for the stupid option."
"Exactly."
They stepped through a massive gate into the heart of the prison. Dozens of people crowded the yard—tall, short, muscular, starving, terrified, furious. A chaotic mix of souls thrown together like livestock.
A pig‑man waddled onto a raised platform, his snout twitching. His voice boomed across the yard like a broken speaker.
"IN THIS PRISON, THERE ARE NO RULES! You must defeat all staff… or prove yourselves worthy!"
Jack elbowed Lucifer. "Defeat all staff? Sounds like a raid boss dungeon."
Lucifer ignored him. "Follow me."
The pig‑man continued, "In ONE WEEK, an event will occur! Defeat the MYSTERY PERSON, and you may leave Layer One!"
Jack perked up instantly. "Mystery person? Ooh. A girl? Better be my type."
Lucifer sighed. "Stop drooling. You haven't even seen them."
"I have a hunch," Jack said proudly. "It's a girl."
"Your hunches are probably terrible," Lucifer muttered, weaving through the crowd.
He scanned the prisoners, eyes sharp. Then he stopped.
A young blonde kid — scrawny, nervous, barely fourteen — stood alone, hugging himself. His eyes darted around like he could see things no one else could.
Lucifer crouched in front of him. "You. Do you have long‑distance sight?"
The boy flinched. "Y‑yes. I… I can see really far. Like… miles."
Jack whistled. "Damn, kid. That's busted." The boy hesitated, then nodded quickly. "Okay. I'll do it."
Lucifer stood, offering a hand. "Then let's begin."
Above them, the pig-man laughed, his voice echoing across the prison.
"GOOD LUCK, MORTALS! YOU'LL NEED IT!"
Jack pumped his shotgun. "Lucifer… I think this place is gonna be fun."
Lucifer twirled his axes, eyes narrowing.
"No. This place is going to be war." The yellow-haired kid says corny