(Aden's P.O.V)

Maze led me to one of the guest rooms of the Penthouse. As soon as she opened the door and walked in, I entered the room and gently closed it behind me. The dark skinned beauty turned around and raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know what you think is gonna happen Kid, but I applaud your eagerness. Usually though, I like my men…", she paused giving me an once over from top to bottom, "grown."

I rolled my eyes and walked to the bed to sit on it. I gestured to the lone chair near the nightstand. Maze simply crossed her hands and looked at me. Ok, here goes.

"I wanted to ask you a few questions."

I explained.

"Please." I added while sighing.

Seeing that she wasn't budging, i decided to change tactics because clearly politeness wasn't working. Ah! Look at me trying to appeal to a demon's good nature.

"Ok, how about this, I'm sure you're also curious about me as well, so I propose we trade information."

Her face lit up in a little interest. A smile worked it's way onto my own.

"Come on Maze, I'm not asking for a lot here, just a few questions and you can choose to not answer if you don't want to."

She thought it over before finally sighing,

"Fuck it. I can spare a few seconds. Better make it quick though Kid."

Saying that, she sank into the chair, propping her hand on her cheek and crossing her legs.

"The Kid thing is getting old. Call me Aden."

I told her, getting annoyed at the way she constantly pushed my buttons. I was going to turn 18 soon anyway, so fuck the Kid thing.

"Sure thing…Kid."

I swallowed the expletives about to come out of my mouth that a kid would never utter and decided to ignore the jab for more important stuff. See, not a child. I can be mature.

"I was wondering, how does Lucifer know Vandal Savage?"

I started off. Maze shrugged her shoulders while frowning a little.

"No clue. You'll have to ask him that yourself. Though I sense a great deal of blood has been shed by his hands." She added a little lost in thought.

"Yeah, I'm not surprised." Maze turned to stare at me with a questioning look.

I hurried to explain, "He's immortal. Savage has had a hand in building most notable ancient civilizations like Babylon. It's not inconceivable that during wars to conquer lands he's killed and through 50000 years, that sort of thing adds up."

I concluded.

Maze looked surprised at that. Her brows furrowed and her hands started idly playing with the daggers she had on her at all times.

"That might explain it. Lucifer has rarely left hell before. But on the instances he has, it was during times of great importance in the development of your species. Times when hell would be crowded by very many souls. If what you say about this Vandal Savage is true then they might have met during one of those times."

Already, I'd learned more than I thought I could have from Maze. However there was one thing that bothered me.

"Hey umm...do you think they are...friends?"

It was a dumb question. I felt it the instance I said it and my face started burning from embarrassment. Maze who seemed hell bent on making my life miserable looked at me incredulously and started laughing.

I ran a hand down my face, wishing the world would open up and swallow me. To be honest, that question was as valid as any. For starters I knew next to nothing about this Lucifer. He wasn't anyone I was familiar with, so who knows. I knew his alignment was definitely not good. Just like 99% of all multiversal entities. You simply couldn't collar them with molarity. The same virtues and vices that apply to humans would not work for them because just as a hurricane is not evil yet destroys, so too are conceptual beings. Understanding them would require processing abilities greater than any super computer humanity could ever create.

Thus, I was really scared for the world if it turned out that Luci was Vandal Savage's pal. They certainly seemed to have history and given the fact that Savage had survived his first encounter with the Fallen Archangel, well...sucks for the world if my fears came true.

"Oh...that cracked me up."

Maze said while making show of wiping away tears from her eyes.

"You didn't actually answer me. Doesn't matter how stupid the question is. I need to hear your thoughts on it."

I insisted in a serious tone.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Lucifer doesn't have 'friends' at least not in the way you're thinking of. And even if he did, it certainly wouldn't be a mortal."

She replied.

"What do you mean he doesn't have 'friends'?"

Maze sighed and leaned back in her seat.

"He's the devil. The King of Hell. The Big Man's most beautiful creation. Has been ruling hell for 10 billion years. His position and power is second to only the creator. Anyone who might want to form a close relationship with him can't because, they are fearful of his power or jealous of it. So no, Lucifer doesn't have 'friends'. Unless...you count Dream and the rest but those don't apply in this context."

I caught the tail end of the statement but instead of pushing it and learning even more shit than I wanted, I wisely clamped down on my curiosity. There's a reason they say, ignorance is bliss.

At least, Maze had assured me that Vandal Savage would not get an ally in the form of the Frigging devil in his crusade to fight the Justice League. If that happened, I'm finding a way to get the fuck outta dodge. At least the M.C.U's problems can be solved by simply nuking Thanos from his ship.

"My turn."

Maze's voice pulled me from my thoughts and I turned to her, waiting for the question. The Lilim smiled mischievously and leaned forward. My sight fell to her chest portion and I swallowed before my eyes darted back up to her face. Man, that cleavage though.

"When are you planning to get a girlfriend?"

She teased.

Out of all the questions I was expecting...this was not it. I had thought she would ask about the origin of my powers or where I came from. Or how I seemed to know so much but...she had completely thrown me off.

"I...I...is that...that's not important."

I was totally stumbling around with my words like an idiot. I thought this thing only happens in the movies. I'm Aden Strong for fucks sake. The Avatar, master of all the elements. I could get any girl I want. I'll get a girlfriend when I want!

I took a deep breath and coughed.

"That's frankly none of your business."

I said, keeping my voice even and level.

A smirk appeared on Maze's face.

"Aaaw, are you shy? Its alright. I have a couple of my sisters who I think would be open to..."

I immediately cut her off,

"No. No. No. For all that's holy and good, let's go back to your rude and sarcastic self. I can't bear it if you start acting matchmaker."

My words set her off to another laughing fit while I rolled my eyes at her antics. All things considered though, it wasn't so bad. I noticed that she had a cute laugh. And the way her chest jiggled as she chuckled was sinfully ( simply) pleasant to see. Still a bitch though.

"Hey Maze," I spoke up after her peals of laughter died down.

"I know the task to capture Cheshire and the other two was a test but it got me thinking. Had Lucifer chose to intervene they would never had stood a chance. So here's my question, How powerful is the devil?"

All cheer escaped from Maze's face and the vibe in the room completely changed. She leaned back and watched me as if contemplating whether to answer me or not.

"Michael The Demiurge has the power to bring creation out of nothing...Lucifer can shape that creation to his own whim. Creation is nothing but putty in his hands. Everything that you see around you...all this is as a result of his will. The deep well that has no ending because it does not have a beginning. Lucifer is creation and his power is unfathomable."

I gulped. Shit. I'm definitely dealing with the comic version then. At least in terms of power. Didn't want to believe it but Maze more or less confirmed it for me. The only being who can actually take him down is his twin brother Michael and if they ever met in the battlefield, all of creation would be at risk. That means this guy has almost unrestricted power in the DC verse. I looked at the wall of the room towards where the living room was. 'And he's less than 20 meters away from me.'

(General P.O.V)

"Well, take a seat then."

Lucifer offered Savage. The gruffer looking man narrowed his eyes and complied. There was nothing he could do if this being chose to kill him. Sitting or standing would not make a difference. His eyes made contact with Lucifer's own and blinked. Since the boy and the woman had walked out, the whole atmosphere in the room had changed. Vandal knew that he probably wouldn't be walking out of here. That is...if he didn't have a plan. He allowed himself to spare a glance at the boy standing behind him vigilantly.

"Many centuries have gone past yet... you're still stuck playing puppeteer in the shadows. How Wasteful."

The Devil commented softly.

Vandal bristled in anger inside but showed no outward reaction on his face.

"I have protected and preserved humanity from its own fallacy and stupidity along with external threats from the stars and the mystical side as well. Some of those threats being from your own dimension. I have been their guiding light."

Despite the phenomenal control over his emotions, the comment came out defensive and biting.

"Yet all I see is failure. The prime example being the boy sitting on a bed, the next room over and on a wider scope, the Justice League. People who are dedicated to stopping you, despite insisting you are humanity's protector and their light. Is that how you treat someone who protects you? If you truly were their guiding light, they would adore you, love you, worship you or at the very least work with you. Yet all I see opposition." The Lightbringer pointed out while chuckling a little at the irony of the whole situation.

Then he went on to say,

"Granted, I don't know a lot about humans from this era. And frankly any little interest I had has been swiftly killed by your presence. So answer me this Vandal Savage. Give me a good reason why I should not unmake you where you stand."

Lucifer threatened.