Day after day, week after week, Andromalius trained intensely, learning many things about swordsmanship. A warrior must be able to adapt to any situation, and so one must learn stances, styles, ways of attacking, and of course, ways of defending oneself. A fight is simple: you either live or you die. You can survive without getting a single scratch or you might just barely crawl out of the battle, holding onto your dear life with whatever limbs you managed to save. The purpose of training is to minimize damage to oneself and maximize it against whoever you combat.

Fortunately for Andromalius, things went relatively well. He wasn't skilled in bladed combat before but he had potential, one that Harold proceeded to make into reality. The hell stallion, at the very least, had strength, both physical and magical, allowing him to endure way more than a regular fighter would. Even if he couldn't outperform his opponent initially, his stamina and endurance allowed him to tire them out until he could make his move.

And so, a year passed in the magical time bubble. The training was soon to end, and the hell stallion would finally return to the real world.

"Very well, Andromalius," Harold spoke near the end. "You have shown yourself quite well."

"Thank you," the hell stallion nodded, releasing a sigh, "This was... quite an experience," he looked around, noticing ripples akin to those caused by wind on water, and then returned to the vampire, "Thank you for teaching me, Harold."

"Thank you for being a good student," he smiled proudly in response, "It's been a long time since such a dedicated student learned from me. In fact, you did better than most I've taught in my lifetime," he praised Andromalius, "You have acquired necessary skills for combat and improved them through time. More importantly is that you've made a connection with your weapon," he gestured at Potentia Daemonis, "Each and every blade has its own history, and it can influence the blade, as well as its user. This weapon's true owner is indeed you. I saw the progression — at first, you acted very warily, as if you and your blade were strangers meeting for the first time. Later, however, your relationship with it improved and you started acting like one."

"So... Am I ready?" Andromalius asked, some uncertainty left in his voice.

"It depends on what you'll be fighting against," Harold replied, "The chances of them having the same skill as mine are extremely low; from what I can see, but you can never be too careful. Spend some time training yourself every day, and your skill will grow. This way, your victory will be ensured. So, in a sense, you're never truly ready."

Andromalius nodded in understanding. The spell that held him seemed to end as the hell stallion felt something unnatural... Like he was being revived, brought back from the dead. He felt energy coursing through him, filling him to the brim with life. A certain feeling appeared in his head, a pressure that was uncomfortable and yet not painful.

"The spell ends now it seems," Harold noticed, looking up. The ripples intensified, a buzzing sound appeared in the air. "Well, go on. I suppose High Lord Arantir is waiting for you."

As the last word left his mouth, the time seemed to come to a complete halt. Harold was in the middle of blinking, his mouth didn't close. The fire of the candles on the walls continued to glow but also froze in place, making a surreal scenery. Specks of dust in the air stopped as well, and only the hell stallion remained in motion.

Andromalius looked around, confusion evident in his eyes; he was silent, afraid to speak. There was something in the air, something strange; yet it was oddly familiar. Like a distant memory from the childhood, a blurry moment lost in the passage of time. Suddenly, he heard someone calling his name. No, it wasn't his human name he had long forgotten, it was his new, demonic name.

"Who are you?" Andromalius asked warily, his eyes darting around, his ears swiveling, trying to find the source of the mysterious voice. Breaking the silence with another question, "What do you need?"

"You will recognize me once you see me." The voice replied, in a sickly moment, everything around the hell stallion started to shift and bend, twist and turn, transforming into something familiar. Sickly-orange sky, black blots of clouds, lifeless dark plains with lava lakes and rivers, volcanos in the distance. The air filled with scents of smelting metals and burning sulfur. Molting and melting rock and stone found in the area. It felt similar to what he has once seen.

Andromalius knew what this place was, but his silent question was not about it but about the reason that he was there. Hell, it was a place for a demon, a prison for many. And yet, why was he there now? However, all his questions were silenced when he finally saw the owner of the mysterious and familiar voice.

It was a big dragon of dark-red. It had seven heads, ten horns, and on the horns, ten diadems. Each head represented a different being: a lion, a leopard, a wolf, a bear, a crocodile, an owl, and a human. For a moment, Andromalius was frozen in place, looking into the face of the human head. His eyes widened when he took in the features, realizing whom they belonged to. It was a person he did not expect to see. Not there, not then.

Stuttering, the hell stallion tried to speak, and yet no words came out of his mouth. He stared at the Beast, his mouth agape, his thoughts in a rush, his mind was trying to find a reason, something logical to hold on to, and yet it was failing miserably.

"You recognize me," the Beast said, a hint of sadness in its voice.

"F-father?" Andromalius said in a hushed voice, his eyes fixated on the face of the Beast. It couldn't possibly be true. It must've been a nightmare, there was no logical explanation to find. The mind of the hell stallion was overloaded, not letting him say any other word as he helplessly opened and closed his maw.

"I am," the Father nodded and sighed, "I've been avoiding it, but now I realized... It's time I reveal the truth. Please, son... listen to me. I know it must be hard for you, I can sense how you feel. I am sorry, but this is the only way I could find to let you know."

Andromalius continued to stare at the beast; his mouth opening and closing as he tried to come out of the stupor. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. Blood was pumping through his body and head, deafening him, thousands of thoughts going through his mind at once, each crazier than the other, driving him insane. There was a small part of him, a reasonable part; it demanded that he listened.

"...What, uh, what is all of this?" he finally asked, his body shaking slightly. Soon, more words choked out of his mouth, "What... what the fuck?"

The Father waited patiently for his son to calm down. He knew it wouldn't happen too well, and so he had to be patient in order to make sure that Andromalius understood everything he had to say.

"Ahem," the hell stallion cleared his throat, realizing what he had just said in front of his father, monstrous as he looked, "So... a dragon with seven heads and ten horns... Something from the Bible, right?" he mused, grabbing onto a straw of logic. "So, what is written there is truth? Are you a beast that came to people and told them to worship you?"

"The history is written by the victors." the Father started. "To answer your question — no, the Bible isn't exactly true. You should also remember that it's a book of many authors, it's a collection of different stories. Rewritten, translated multiple times, and so it doesn't resemble what it originally was."

"What is your true name, then? Your history? F-father, why didn't you tell me anything?" Andromalius asked, his voice cracking slightly as he tried to keep himself calm and yet feeling the blood rushing through his body, filling it with adrenaline, making it shake.

"I was afraid it would hurt you. I must admit, it's partly because it would hurt me." His Father replied, "If I did tell you, for example, a year ago — what would you say? I'm sure you wouldn't understand or you'd think that I'm insane, and... as a father, having my own son call me insane would hurt even me," he paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts, "However, you have seen many things you probably thought were impossible. Your mind is stronger, too. You are ready to hear what I have to say," another small pause ensued, "I am called by many names: Belial, Behemoth, Beelzebub, Asmodeus, Sathanas, Lucifer... Different people gave me different names, but the one that is true... is Lucifer."

Andromalius nodded almost automatically, trying to process the information. Some of it went straight through his head, and yet he managed to gain a basic understanding of things. At the very least, he now knew what his father's true name was.

"My history is a little bit complicated, I'm afraid," Lucifer continued, seeing that his son was ready to hear more. "I was born a long time ago, even before the coming of Jesus Christ. That was... a few thousand years ago. I don't remember the exact date, and besides — it doesn't matter," he paused for a moment, "So, I was born in Heaven, a place where basically all 'good' guys live... That's a simple version, explaining it in detail is difficult and as of now, unnecessary," he paused yet again, "Heaven is a place created by someone who calls himself God. He, along with many others, was gifted with great powers beyond belief. Making life out of nothing, destroying anything at will... That was what he could and still can do...

"...He wanted what's best for humanity, he wanted to help it grow and prosper, possibly becoming what people call 'utopia'," his voice became slightly lower, filling with a mix of sadness and sorrow. "Unfortunately... things became worse. The power he had, It drove him mad. At first, it wasn't noticeable, but it increased and increased until it was apparent," Lucifer hung his heads, looking down at the ground. "He decided that he will help people only if they worship him. And so, he sent his son Jesus Christ on a mission to spread his word. However, there were many against him, against the cult of personality that God made. I was as well... and you see what became of me."

"Wait--wait!" Andromalius stopped him. He shook his head slightly to clear it, attempting to digest the information. "So... Heaven exists? Why hasn't humanity seen it yet?"

"It is a different dimension entirely. It's not on Earth, and only a selected few can even know where it is," Lucifer explained. "Until God decides to show Heaven to others, it will stay hidden. There are many things beyond the reach of most of humanity, and this is one of them."

Andromalius nodded, allowing his father to continue his tale.

"So, I spoke against God and his methods, tried to reason with him even. Remind him of the ideals we shared before," he continued. "I was sent to the ground as a mortal because of it. I've never had as much power as God, I couldn't possibly stand against him. I lost my wings, I lost most of my powers, and yet I was determined to change things to how they were and how they should be," he looked away for a long moment. "I went against God again, as a mortal. But I failed, and was imprisoned in Hell until the end of times, turned into this monstrosity you see now...

"...Yes, I am Satan himself... the King of Hell... A king of my own prison, to which I am bound until no end," he finished with a somehow soft voice.

"I... I..." Andromalius sighed, then swallowed nervously, his emotions going out of control, "But I've seen you!" he gestured at him, "You are human!"

"Pitying me, God allowed me to walk the earth once in a season," Lucifer explained patiently, going slow as not to overwhelm his son, "We met once a season, son. Four times a year."

"And... Who am I? What am I?" Andromalius asked, his mind flooding with many questions, "What is my true name?"

"Your true name is Andromalius. The name you chose for himself in Equestria is your true one, your current body is how you were born," he replied, "It felt rather natural when you saw it for the first time, didn't it?"

"I was born... Like this?" the former human couldn't believe his ears. "I can't understand! I was human this whole time!.. Or not? I don't know!"

"You were not," Lucifer shook his heads, "The answer to your question lies in your distant memories. You can't remember the first ten years of your life, can you? I can tell you why it is so. But first, tell me what you do remember."

"I... I remember the starlit sky," Andromalius began hesitantly and nervously, "With thousands of stars... In the patterns I've never seen on the Earth..." he slowed down when he finished the sentence, "Am... am I... an alien?" he asked, stuttering.

"In a sense, you are," Lucifer nodded in confirmation. "Those ten years you've spent in your true form, learning many different things. And... Equestria is not just a random place among thousands of different worlds. You were born not on Earth, but here... in a sense," he let out a deep sigh. "I know this will be a difficult one to accept, but... You were born on the moon which Luna controls. And Luna herself is your mother."

A silence fell on the two as Lucifer finished. Andromalius stared at him in disbelief and then sat on the ground quietly. He never knew his mother when he was on Earth, and finally hearing about her made him happy but also shocked. It seemed impossible, and yet the facts were there, he just needed to accept them. He did feel a certain connection between Luna and himself, and he was never able to put it together until now.

"I know it is hard for you right now, but—"

"How did all of this happen?" the hell stallion asked, interrupting his father, "How was my birth possible? How can Luna be my mother? It all makes absolutely no sense!" he raised his voice in denial. The facts were there for him to accept, but such a task was difficult if not downright impossible at the moment. It all indeed seemed like a nightmare, one worse than his own physical form.

"One can say that two lost souls met each other on one fateful night," Lucifer sighed softly, "I remember that night clearly... I was in my human form, weakened, knowing what my fate was — to rule my prison. However, I found something interesting... I discovered that I had some of my power left, a fraction of it but it was there. I delved deep into it, trying to find the answers, to find the solution to my hopeless situation. And then... I discovered many worlds, all interconnected through ways I can't understand even now," a small pause ensued, "And in one of them, I met her. Nightmare Moon, as she called herself back then. It was the second to last decade of her imprisonment. She was lost, desperate, craving for love. What we had at first was rough, but soon, it felt like we knew each other for as long as we were alive. One thing led to another, and... you were made."

Andromalius listened closely, still having it hard to believe in. However, a small part of him assured him that it was the truth, one he had to accept completely.

"I don't think Luna remember much of what we had now. Her Nightmare form... it damaged her, and even I couldn't fix it completely. And yet, I'm glad she is healing. She still has that connection with you, one that only a mother can have, and I'm sure that both of you will build a good familial relationship."

"How do you know it?" Andromalius asked, his voice becoming quiet as he calmed down again, regaining the control over himself.

"I don't think you'll understand," Lucifer replied, shaking his heads slightly, "This is too complicated to explain... I just know."

"So, why was I human?" the hell stallion continued asking questions as they all boiled in his mind, begging to be let out, "And why am I not living on the Earth right now? What forced you to transport me to Equestria?"

"Your human form was made just so you would fit among other humans," Lucifer explained, "The Earth was an ideal place for you to grow into a strong individual. Equestria has gone soft in its many years of peace, unfortunately. Humanity has much more knowledge than any other community I know, too."

Andromalius nodded for what seemed like a hundredth time, having nothing else to add at the moment.

"Now, I need to tell you something very important," Lucifer continued, "A year ago God found something out, he became suspicious of me. There is a prophecy, and it was said that my son, the 'antichrist' as God calls him, will be God's end. He started searching for you, and that is why I was forced to transport you to Equestria, where God wouldn't find you. He didn't know of other worlds, so I thought Equestria would be a perfect place for you. Yes, it is much different from what you used to know, however, I knew that there were those who needed you... The demons."

"But why don't free the demons that are from your Hell?" Andromalius wondered. "What's the difference?"

"God would destroy you in a moment if he found out," Lucifer replied. "You are powerful, your potential is great, perhaps even greater than mine, but God... He is much more powerful than us both. Besides, if demons return on the Earth... The consequences will be the most destructive," he paused. "However, you can help those in need here in this world. You are the one to guide them to peace... But don't fall like God once did. Stay true to others, be a good ruler, and harmony that is known to reign in Equestria will prevail.

"Truth be told, I have a very bad feeling about God... It's possible that he discovered this world. At the very least, it's a possibility that I cannot ignore. You must prepare for it... There might be war. A conflict, a destructive one has a high chance of happening.

"So, I will grant you a gift soon, my son. It will happen as soon as you free the demons and restore the Demon Alliance. Good luck, Andromalius. I am afraid I have to go."

"But there are so many questions I want to ask you, father!" Andromalius protested. "I haven't seen you in so long... Why do you have to go? I can help you!"

"Maybe someday, my son." Lucifer sighed. "Maybe..."

Author's Notes:

I am well aware of the controversy this chapter caused when I originally wrote it. You've read an edited version, which is hopefully better. In any case, here is the remaining Author's Note almost how it was back when I first wrote it:

I know some people may yell at me for being a blasphemer of some sort, but hey, you are all free to believe in anything and anyone you want. But I can and will write about anything I want. I am a writer, and this is my interpretation of Christianity. I am no believer, but I sure do love supernatural stuff. So, if you are offended by what I wrote, you are completely free to stop reading my story. But you cannot insult me or force me to write what you want.

So, I hope at least some people enjoyed what I've written. None of you expected such a turn, right?

Looking back at it now (more than a year after I wrote it), it's not the best twist. In any case, it was written, and all I can do is edit it to be the best it can be.