Rain fell softly across the sanctuary.
Not ordinary rain but pure and Heavenly rain that brings peace to everyplace it touched.
Tiny shimmering droplets drifted slowly from the dawn clouds above the floating city while Luminals danced playfully between them like living stars. The sanctuary glowed peacefully beneath the storm of light, calm and quiet after weeks of fear and recovery.
But Luke could not enjoy any of it.
The boy sat alone near the edge of one of the sanctuary balconies, knees drawn against his chest while the peaceful rain soaked quietly into his dark clothes.
He had been there for hours.
Thinking. The black cracks along his arm pulsed faintly beneath the bandages while distant thunder rolled softly across the skies.
Below him, the sanctuary slowly healed.
Guardians repaired broken halls.
Architects restored ancient towers.
Luminals carried streams of Balance energy across damaged districts.
Everyone was rebuilding.
Because of the war.
Because of the Primordials.
Because of him.
Luke lowered his head further against his knees.
The thought had been growing quietly inside him for days now.
Ever since the Father of All explained that the Primordials awakened faster because the Heart had awakened through him.
Ever since the void marked him.
Ever since everyone started looking at him with worry hidden behind forced smiles.
Maybe… none of this would have happened if he had never been born.
"You're hiding in the rain now?"
Luke stiffened immediately.
Lucien stood behind him holding a dark umbrella lazily over one shoulder, crimson eyes fixed quietly on his son.
Luke looked away quickly.
"I'm not hiding."
"You disappeared for three hours."
"…Maybe a little."
Lucien sighed softly before walking closer.
Then sat beside him without another word, opening the umbrella above them both while golden rain continued falling around the balcony.
For a while…
neither spoke.
The silence between them no longer felt sharp these days.
Just heavy sometimes.
Eventually Lucien glanced sideways.
"You've been avoiding everyone."
Luke shrugged weakly.
"I'm tired."
"That is not the real reason."
Luke's jaw tightened slightly.
Lucien noticed immediately.
The older man studied him carefully for several seconds before speaking more gently.
"What are you thinking about?"
Luke stayed quiet.
Too quiet.
Then finally, barely above a whisper:
"…Everything."
The sanctuary wind moved softly around them.
Luke stared at the golden rain falling endlessly beyond the balcony.
"The Primordials woke up because of me."
Lucien's expression shifted immediately.
"Luke...."
"And the sanctuary almost got destroyed because of me."
The words came faster now.
"And Mum died because she gave birth to me and—"
"No."
Lucien's voice cut through the rain instantly.
Sharp. Luke flinched slightly.
The Demon Prince turned fully toward him now, crimson eyes darker than the storm clouds overhead.
"Do not finish that sentence."
Luke lowered his gaze immediately.
"But it's true....that..."
"It is not."
The force in Lucien's voice silenced the balcony completely.
Even the Luminals nearby dimmed uneasily.
Luke swallowed hard.
"I didn't ask for any of this," he whispered shakily. "But everyone keeps getting hurt because I exist."
The confession broke out of him all at once afterward.
"If I wasn't born then maybe—"
"Enough."
Lucien's voice cracked this time.
Not with anger.
Pain.
Luke looked up slowly.
And for the first time in a long while…
Lucien looked genuinely wounded.
The Heir of Hell exhaled sharply before running one hand down his face tiredly.
When he spoke again, his voice was quieter now.
But somehow even heavier.
"Never," he said slowly, "speak about your birth like it was a mistake."
Rain continued falling softly around them.
Lucien stared toward the sanctuary skies, jaw tight with emotion he rarely allowed anyone to see.
"Do you understand me?"
Luke hesitated weakly.
"But—"
"No."
Lucien looked directly into his eyes now.
"You thinking your existence caused suffering would be an insult to your mother's memory."
Luke froze.
Lucien's expression softened painfully afterward.
"Celestia loved you before you even took your first breath."
The rain shimmered gently around them.
"She fought entire futures for you."
His voice lowered further.
"She endured fear, pain, prophecy, and death itself…"
Lucien's crimson eyes trembled faintly now.
"…because to her, bringing you into this world was worth every price."
Luke's throat tightened painfully.
Lucien leaned back slowly, staring into the golden storm quietly.
"Do you think she would forgive me if I allowed our son to hate himself for surviving?"
Luke immediately shook his head.
"No…"
"Exactly."
Silence settled again.
But this time it felt warmer somehow.
Sad.
But warm.
Lucien closed his eyes briefly before speaking again.
"The truth is…"
His voice sounded strangely tired now.
"…I hated fate for a long time."
Luke looked toward him quietly.
"I hated the wars."
"The prophecy."
"The Balance."
The Prince of Hell's jaw tightened faintly.
"And after Celestia died…"
He stopped speaking briefly.
Like the words themselves still hurt too much.
"…part of me hated the world for taking her."
Luke lowered his gaze sadly.
Lucien continued softly afterward.
"But never you."
The words hit harder than anything else.
"Not once."
Luke's eyes stung immediately.
Lucien looked toward him fully now.
"If I regret anything…"
The older man's voice cracked faintly again.
"…it is that my only son was born into chaos instead of peace."
The honesty in those words shattered Luke completely.
Lucien smiled sadly afterward.
"You should have grown up chasing ordinary things."
The rain fell softer now.
"Friends."
"Games."
"Stupid childhood arguments."
A faint broken laugh escaped him.
"Not Primordials and prophecy."
Luke stared silently at his father.
Because beneath all Lucien's power…
all his rage…
all his fear…
he was simply a father mourning the normal life his child never got to have.
Then suddenly—
something warm bumped against Luke's cheek.
A tiny Luminal floated beside him carrying a glowing flower nearly twice its size.
Luke blinked in surprise.
The little creature chirped softly before placing the flower into his hands.
Lucien stared at it flatly.
"The star pests are emotionally spying on us now."
Luke laughed weakly through tears.
And instantly the rain above them brightened into shimmering gold again.
Lucien looked toward him quietly afterward.
Then slowly rested one hand against Luke's head.
"You were never the curse, Luke."
The sanctuary glowed warmly around them.
"You were the reason we kept fighting."