The pitch black orb hovered quietly in my palm as I shifted it between my hands. I could feel its insatiable hunger, even now. I somehow knew what was required to control that hunger; Driving up the force of its density increased its gravitational pull, while the opposite reduced it.

I glanced back towards the cosmic door, and wondered what I should do now. If I attempted another spell, would I get some greater insight into more magic? How would I even start? What were the rules? My mind reeled with the possibilities and with a grimace as I ceased that train of thought.

"I need to get back... But how?" I contemplated quietly as I tested my abilities playfully. Wherever I willed it to go, the orb would stay there unmoving and immutable. Through my brief experimentation I found that I could remotely control it as well. Mental commands seemed to make it move up, down, left or right. I could also increase its size, shape and density.

"You could come quite a bit in handy..." I mused, spinning the ball around in a figure eight above my hand before turning back to the cosmic door with renewed nervous energy. I needed to get back to Lucifer, I could not continue wasting time here. Whatever I needed to know for the Moirai's prophecy, I knew it now. Agreus stood no chance, of that I was confident.

"Lets see him block this..." I teased, mentally pulling the orb back into the palm of my hand before severing the magical link that fed it.

Without any flair whatsoever, the orb blinked out of existence as if it had never been there. With no other alternative, I took a deep breath and straightened myself; Chest puffed and shoulders back as I strode into the doorway with the confidence that I had only ever seen Lucifer exude. As the cosmic scene washed over my vision, the sensation of rippling water and thick sludgy goop enveloped me. I'd learned from my last experience with portals to hold my breath. I would not be fooled twice.

Finally, after five or six steps, I reached the other end. Entering a rather mediocre sized room that was circular in shape and with no windows. The yellow stonework clearly indicating I was still within Arce Elymas. I quickly searched the room for any clue of something that might immediately assist me.

A black metal circular staircase rose from the dead center of the space. The wooden floorboards beneath me were covered with nice carpets of various reds, blues and yellows; Desks filled with papers and bookcases lined the walls on all sides.

I turned to look behind me for the cosmic door, but found it to be shut once more. Turning my attentions back to the curiosities surrounding me, I picked up a large hard cover book from the nearest desk. Its cover was a deep purple with circular patterns. It felt heavy in my hands, heavier then a book this size should have been. Turning it over to its spine, I read the title.

"Spatium Temporis" I rolled my eyes.

"When am I gonna learn this language..." I grumbled aloud before dropping the book back on the desk. Sifting through the loose papers, I found only more notes scrawled in Latin. Turning away from the useless scribbles and books I decided it was time to ascend the steps to whatever lay above.

"Desmond!" The voice rang clearly behind me. It was Lucifer.

"Oh shit! I need to wake up, I have to help him!" I chastised inwardly for allowing myself to become so easily distracted by this new space and the knowledge I knew it contained. I would have time to explore it to my hearts content later. For now I shut my eyes and drove my consciousness back into my body, just as I had done a several times before.

*****

With a panicked gasp I opened my eyes to find myself flying, pain and fatigue radiated through my entire being as I took in my surroundings.

"Desmond, you're awake!" Lucifer's words rang out with relief, but then sharpened with clear purpose. "Pay attention, he is preparing another attack." Lucifer pointed my attention below me.

I was flying awkwardly just a few feet off the ground, Argo firmly planted in my hand. Bright brilliant white wings had erupted from my back and were beating without even a thought, as natural as breathing. My shirt had been torn from my body, and what remained was bloody. An open wound still bled from my chest, but light emanated brightly from it, and I could feel it healing from within.

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Agreus stood atop the roof of the taverna, his spear gone and his shield damaged as if someone had tried to cut it clean through from various angles. In place of the spear I had shattered, he held a new one conjured of golden light. He was panting now, but looked far from defeated. With a dreadful glare, he pulled back on the spear and fired it at me.

Unsure how to dodge while flying, I simply dropped back down to the tiled roof, letting the spear fly harmlessly over my head. Agreus wasted not a moment and dashed forward, a new rod of light in his hand. If looks could have killed, his certainly would have.

I could feel the difference now in the power within me. The divinity felt closer, more pure and more concentrated. Lucifer had been forced to manifest, that much was clear. The power was still brimming within and searching desperately for a way out, while at the same time it was healing my wound, the manifestation was still stuck in a cycle of healing and destruction.

Lucifer's divine power was still far too strong for my mortal body to contain, it was simultaneously melting my muscles and flesh while its holy properties instantly healed the damage, allowing me to painfully continue my fight. The healing could not keep up though, and I could feel it taking its toll... I did not have long.

"Desmond, focus!" Lucifer desperately warned as Agreus thrust his spear to my mid section.

With a flick of my wrist Argo intercepted the blade. With these further heightened senses, I could see how Lucifer had pushed Agreus back so much. I felt powerful and I felt good... All things considered.

Shifting to the left I brought my sword forward for a horizontal cut, only to meet his shield. Rather than deflect my strike, the edge of my blade cut deep into it, almost reaching his arm. Agreus seemed to expect this though, and twisted it upward, forcing Argo out of my grasp.

I refused to go on the defensive; So instead I pushed onward, striking the inside of his right leg with a powerful kick. He let out a howl in pain as his leg gave in, forcing him down. Balling up my fist I punched with as much strength as I could muster, sending him spiraling backwards.

Less quickly this time, he rose to his feet and summoned a new spear of light. "I will admit that you are more powerful in your angel form, Lucifer. But you still stand no chance of beating me while you heal that whelps body." His words sounded less confident than before, as if their battle while I was unconscious had humbled him.

"Nope, no more Lucifer I'm afraid. The whelp is back now, and ready to put you down this time." I replied taking a fighting stance with my fists high. "I'm gonna make you hurt for whatever you've done to Theseus."

Agreus starred blankly at me before erupting in a raucous mocking laughter. "Freshly defeated and already you come back for more? You should have allowed your archangel to fight this battle for you, at least then you stood some small chance of surviving. Come then, perhaps if you can defeat me there will still be some piece of Theseus left to save."

Rage bellowed freshly from within, and I lunged at him wildly. He made no attempt to move, and simply raised his conjured spear resting it atop the corner of his damaged shield.

"Vacuus" I said coldly as I continued straight for him, undeterred and singularly focused.

Lucifer cried out in my mind for me to move, or evade. That rushing toward him head on was a recipe that would result in our demise... But he did not know what I now did.

My spell activated and the smallest, tiniest black orb blinked into life within my palm. I stretched my hand outward so the spell would meet the spear tip, however rather than stop, I continued my momentum through it. I pushed more density into the orb as it consumed the conjured spear, eating it and leaving nothing behind.

With his weapon absent from the equation, I willed the orb into him from his hand, coursing up his arm then down into his chest for his vital organs. His arm split in two as he screamed in agony, clutching it to hold the segmented pieces together.

It was a brutal yet effective way to put an end to him, but my partially dulled emotions allowed me to feel little if no remorse, only permitting me to vent my hate for what he had said and done to Theseus.

His eyes went wide as my spell entered his chest. "That was for Theseus." I growled as I kicked, sending him reeling, my hateful revenge satisfied. I had to admit to myself that even I was surprised at how effective the spell had been. Agreus had not stood a chance.

"Finish him now, Desmond!" Lucifer's now devilish voice commanded from the back of my mind veering away from his previously cautious and logical advice. I could feel his palpable bloodlust and I gave in, letting it to flow into me freely, feeding me.

Agreus coughed and blood splattered from his mouth violently, dropping him to his knees. I willed the orb to finish the job, just as Lucifer had instructed. His coughing silencing as the sphere left his chest from where his heart would have been. Its task complete, the pristine black orb returned to my palm and vanished.

Even with my emotional senses dulled from manifesting Lucifer's divinity, I knew that I should have felt something then. I had just killed him, no matter how evil I had considered him to be, there was no avoiding the fact that it was I who finished him; But the cold numbness only allowed me to feel triumph at my victory and nothing else. With my abilities as a Wizard awakened, it had been so easy, so simple. A foreign and wicked smile crept across my face.

A carnal scream echoed in the distance, interrupting my reverie and turning my attention to a man soaring through the sky fast approaching.