The End

They only spread rumors about him, avoided him, or simply ignored him. And so when the flood of fire poured itself down upon The Valley, the demons were unable to react.
Instead they were left for dead or let off in order to spread the word. After all, that's what they did best.

“It's about sending a message.” The Gunslinger mimicked. They didn't have to die, it was more out of cold-blooded revenge than anything.

The Gunslinger saw it as important to keep his blood cold in these parts, there was enough heat in hell already for his liking.

The Power of 2 rested inside of him, a terrific sense of both fight and flight simulated his way through The Valley with ease. At last he was truly living up to his name.

Up and through the gates he went, obeying the prophecy. He was a ghost passing through, the minions and all their mite couldn't halt him.

And so down went the grand door that separated Lucifer from his realm. His guards — dead in an instant. But much to Lucifer's awe, The Gunslinger began to make a pile of weaponry out of his entire arsenal on the ground between them.

“You're giving up already?” The king smirked.

“My bullets cannot harm you.” The unarmed trooper stated. “You and that golden, jewel encrusted monstrosity you sit on are untouchable.”

Lucifer leaned back on his throne smugly, “And so you came all this way for nothing? Just to tell me that my reign will last forever after?”

The Gunslinger looked through the now open doorway from which he came. “This kingdom you reign over... I believe you know nothing of it.”

“Of course I know my own fucking Kingdom!”

“Oh but you see... for it to be your Kingdom, you must be a rightful King — which you are not. You are a virus, Lucifer, all that is bad. And what was good was made your prisoner...”

“My daughter!”

“She is not your blood! She was once the harp to your pitchfork. Until your deceit destroyed her.” The Gunslinger pressed his hand against his heart. “But she lives on not through me, but WITH me.”

“Madness...”

“Not only have you been keeping what is good prisoner, but also the rightful King!”

“The Messenger...” Lucifer gritted his teeth, clenching his fists against the sides of his throne. “Please, just tell me, who really are you?”

The Gunslinger walked towards one of the walls, each bearing torches to light the room. “Your people call me The Gunslinger, yes? But... what I really am is what many may interpret as the Messiah. The form of the rightful King who can do what is right for this world, who can protect it, who can FREE IT!”

Lucifer looked on in disbelief.

“And now with her inside me, I know I can do good, and earn my wings for the both of us.”

“By bringing the end of days!?”

“No... by bringing YOUR end of days!” The Gunslinger forcibly threw one of the torches at his arsenal; setting it alight.

Lucifer exclaimed, “What are you doing, you fool!” But as he gazed upon the blaze of weapons he noticed a distinct dampness around his feet.

There had been a petrol tank hidden amongst the clutter, slowly leaking it's contents down to him throughout their face-off. The fire furiously ran the course and quickly ignited the throne.

“You are a virus, Lucifer. And I am a firewall. Bullets cannot kill you, but what you made can. The fire that consumes YOUR crooked kingdom, the throne that YOU survive upon...”

Lucifer laughed, “But you threw the torch, boy. And I sure as hell didn't make you!”

“Well actually... wherever there is evil, there will always be someone to fight back. So I believe I am no less the spawn of you than I am The Messenger...”

“No, no, it can't be!”

“Until next time, Lucifer...”

“NOOOOO!”

A light. The light. What he had been chasing for so long.
A voice. The voice. From father down to son.

“I have been prisoner for many years,” it said. “But you have freed me, and my world. You have truly earned your wings. And I am glad to see peace has been made between you and your alter. Together you shall help guide me through 'till the end.”

The son reached towards the light, smiling, as it started to come towards him too.

“But first, you must make the ultimate sacrifice...”

A clattering sound grew louder, his senses started to grow, and then the light him...

The 21:12.

“He came so close to entering reality...”

“But you didn't allow it?”

“I decided it best for him to remain up here...”

“That was the right thing to do.”

“But now that I know they can get out, separate themselves, and become an entirely different organism... well, it brings this war to a whole new level...”

“What do you mean?”

“Imagine if I could rule over reality too...”

“Okay, I need to know who is talking to me. Is this The Messenger?”

“No, no, no. But I have got a message for you...”

“Lucifer? Gunslinger? I demand to know who I am speaking to!

“Welcome to the end of all our days!”