LUCIFER

She hated the dark. She was always afraid of it.The iron dust was not her friend either. Most of the time she could not sleep, when there was still light from the burning fireplace, she would often move her fingertips, creating sparks of light to keep her comfortable and keep in touch with what was going around her.

One time, when she did not use her power, two of her cousins walked inside her room and dragged her by her hair to the garden. She could hear one of them laughing as the others kicked dirt into her nightgown.

Stay calm, and show no fear.

If she would show fear, then she would lose once and for all. She would have been humiliated more and more. Her eyes were looking at the moonlight. She could imagine herself studying up and fighting back at them. That they would cry to their parents. And those words would go to her aunt's ears.

Before her parents passed, her aunt would cut off their funds or punish them in any other way.

But the day after Lucifer gave Hestia to wash her gown, she found her cousins to be scolded by their parents while soldiers were watching.

If only I could use it now to see where I am. She said the blindfolded girl. She breathed heavily and moved her body around. She wanted to scream but she felt that someone was around.

''Well....'' A cold voice with a wild accent approached her and pulled the blindfold away with his cold thin fingers. The light from the green lantern played games with her vision.

A tight fabric around her throat made it difficult to breathe at first. After a few seconds, she could only feel the pressure of it. Or she got used to it.

Finally, she saw a charming man sitting on his knees in front of her with a gray coat covering his priest uniform. Lucifer tried to remain calm. Her blurry vision found the girl who attacked her, looking away from them concerned. Her lilac eyes were darting from the fear. And her fingers could not find the artifact anywhere in her reach.

''Your Grace'' The man said with a rasp. She finally realized that she was handcuffed with iron chains, hands, and legs. She was on the cold dirty floor. A door far away from her had no window or exit. A room with no light.

She struggled once again. This made the man grin with satisfaction. ''Go on...'' He moved his hand around the circle. ''Continue'’. He sounded almost amused.

Lucifer stopped and saw that there were more people. Despite this, she glared at the one who tricked her.

''We are not monsters...We are on your side'' He got back and grabbed the girl's shoulder and moved her front and back like she was a doll.

''You should thank...my daughter'' He played with the top of her head while she was looking at the others. They were all staring at Lucifer with greedy eyes. Everyone except for her. What was her plan? What was she thinking?

''We are just gonna send you back to your beloved aunt'' He said dramatically. Lucifer moved her head to make a giant no. ''For a price of course,'' He continued and walked closer to the girl once again. He grabbed her skinny face and placed her close to his as his fingernails were pinching her cheeks. ''But I am not sure if I have to send you,'' He made a long dramatic pause. ‘’Unharmed.’’

Stay calm. Show no fear.

She scanned the room once more, searching for anything, any clue to find. There was no window, no airway, nothing. A few feet away from her on the right side of her body, there was a plate with a grayish-brown soup and flatbread.

‘’Where is Ukko?’’ That was the first sentence she let out of her prisoned mouth. ‘’What have you done to him?’’

The man seemed impressed by her words and faced the girl behind him. Surprisingly, she broke into tears, fingers slipping into her bag.

‘’He attacked Mel…’’She whimpered, exposing the military pistol to the man. His eyes drew wide open. ‘’He was the one who killed him?’’

Lucifer’s face turned bright red from anger, listening to the girl’s lies. How easily could she let her tongue spread poison?

‘’What? You literally…’’Lucifer tried to speak but her words cut in half when the man’s eyes returned to her coldly. But just for one second, they looked once again, gentle and inviting with a slight grin of his.

‘’We will see what we are going to do with him’’He let the pistol inside his coat. ‘’Let’s deal with you first.’’

The door opened. It was a girl with white fluffy hair. The girl turned towards her and sighed as her hands found the pale girl’s face.

She muttered a few words as she backed from the raven haired girl, looking back at the priest.

''Mammon'' She said and the charming man got up, leaving Lucifer to the ground.

Mammon walked closer to her, pissed. ''Don't you see I am playing with..'' The girl walked right next to the other girl with white hair like snow and stared at the man.

‘’She is terrifying’’ A boy whispered, looking at the raven girl.

He frowned and let the girl continue. ''We lost them. They are..too powerful'' She whispered. She explained what she heard. Lucifer could almost hear what was happening. Ukko found the masked person. She thought with joy and relief, they could feel her lips curving a smile.

The girl noticed it and her eyes snapped.

''I will deal with this later'' Mammon informed them and walked away.

The girl was ready to follow but Mammon stopped her and showed Lucifer his head instead. ''Keep the princess entertained ...'' He touched her shoulder roughly as he pressured his fingernails to her skin. After that. He walked away, leaving both of the girls alone.

''Ugh, I hate priests'' The girl groaned and kicked the floor to lift the dust.

The girl from Diyu walked closer to the girl from Olympus and sat in front of her. Lucifer struggled and tried to kick her with her tied-up legs but she was in pain.

The girl pulled the bottle out of her bag. ''Now'' She showed it with a calm face. Lucifer seemed to be relieved but also shocked as she was trying to move closer to it. The girl pulled it away. '' Princess, let's have a proper conversation''

Lucifer shrugged and spit on her dirty dark boots. The girl nodded and looked away. ''You don't know what you are holding'' Lucifer growled in fear.

''I know that someone wants me to get rid of it'' The girl explained with a smug grin on her face. ‘’And I really like the color’’She sighed. ‘’If I drink it…’’ Her fingers slightly touched the flask, ready to open it.

Lucifer moved in front, holding up her pain. The girl opened her mouth and laughed. ‘’Relax.’’ She raised her left eyebrow, lowering the bottle. ‘’Unlike, Mammon, I am your Savior’’

‘’You tricked me.’’ Lucifer hissed at her bitterness.

‘’Tricked you?’’ The girl gasped. ‘’How exactly Princess?’’

‘’You sent me and my bro-’’Her words were cut in half. ‘’My friend is trapped. I think this is considered a trick.’’

‘’I told you I would tell you your future and I did’’The girl revealed her hands from her pocket once more. ‘’If I had to trick you I would have lied to you.’’She flipped her hair behind. ‘’So, no Princess, I didn’t trick you. You are simply naive.’’

Lucifer narrowed her gaze at her, thinking what she could do if she was free. The answer was nothing. She did not know where she was, where Ukko was, or how many people were standing outside.

But she knew one thing. The girl had killed for the bottle to still be in her hands.

I am your savior.

Lucifer wanted to ask what she meant. But she had another question in her mind. ''How did you know I was a Royal?'' She asked in a panic.

She took out of the bag a wallet and opened it to reveal a passport. It was Ukko's passport.

''He has a sister but...'' She let out a laugh and looked back at Lucifer again. ''You do not look like you are thirteen'' She said and kept talking. ''And of course'' She grabbed her face and moved it left and right. She caressed her hair and pulled the smaragdine hairpin from it, letting her locks flip down.

The girl moved in a playful and mysterious. "Such gem like this is the royal symbol correct?" she asked, showing Lucifer the pin she forgot to remove. Her heart started beating faster from the fear. She could feel humiliation rushing through every inch of her body.

''Oh, and the army has a missing poster for you'' She was now talking with a curious tone while she took out of her bag a wanted poster with her face painted with ink. And she could not believe the number in her head.

''To be honest you look hideous on this'' The girl complained while she took another look at the poster. Her eyes returned to Lucifer, keeping her devious smile.

''I would have drawn you better''

''So you are a thief and an artist'' Lucifer scoffed, raising her brow. ''How convenient?''Her voice became deeper. Who does this con artist think she is?

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

‘’No thief, chiseler. A performer’’She corrected Lucifer strictly. ‘’There’s a difference.’’

‘’Actually no,’’Lucifer added.

‘’Well, it sounds better than a thief.’’She said dramatically.

The girl's smile faded and looked away. She then stood up and walked closer to a table. As she returned, she had a thick deep plate around her hands and spoon. ''Someone told me to find the bottle''

''What do you mean someone sent you?'' Lucifer asked.

‘’Told me to’’ The girl corrected her, moving her index finger left and right.

Her dark eyes leaned to the collar that Lucifer was wearing. Her hands were now upon the small clock. Her nails were sharp and cold and her breath steady, attacking Lucifer's skin.

''You don't need a collar'' She explained to her. ''You will not go anywhere'' Her voice was sharp and poisonous with her smile big enough to cover even her eyes.

Lucifer murmured behind her teeth and spit right at her face. She could not read her expressions or her actions. Was she getting the collar out of kindness? Or was it a way to make her feel ashamed?

''I had worse''She cleaned her left cheek from Lucifer's spit and moved the collar inside her bag. The girl from Elysium looked at the collar around the girl's neck. Still attached and a red light glowing at the top of it.

The girl grabbed a plate next to her and tried to feed Lucifer. She moved her head left and right. She saw the cold gray soup that was ready to go inside her mouth.

''You are skinny'' The spoon was around her lips right now, forcing her to feel the thick bland porridge. Lucifer pressed her lips to a thin line and tried to forget how awful the smell of the soup was. Despite her disgusting reaction,girl still tried to force her to eat. ''Your aunt will think that we don't treat you right'' She frowned and rolled her eyes.

''Well,'' She said and pouted. ‘’You know what I mean''.

Lucifer snapped as she raised her legs and pushed them to the girl's body. The girl groaned as her back was on the cold dirty floor. Trying to reach something on the ceiling, she lifted her arm. She got up and saw the soup was all spilled.

Lucifer yelled with hatred, "You people are nothing but thieves and threats."She tried to clean the mess by grabbing a broom that was close to the door.

'' You are just greedy petty people and..''

Lucifer stopped talking as she saw that the girl's eyes were empty like darkness emerging from them, ready to swallow the whole world. She might have crossed the line in that moment but how couldn't she as she was handcuffed in pain? No sign, no light of hope around the area of forsaken.

‘’You killed one of your own.’’ Lucifer tried to remind her.

‘’Technically he wasn’t’’ The girl explained. ‘’And what about it?’’

‘’You lied to your father,’’

‘’Not father and besides’’ She arched her arms. ‘’In this world, you need to deceive for survival. To lie’’ Her eyes narrowed to Lucifer as her lips curled one more smile. ‘’Sounding familiar?’’

Lucifer struggled and groaned from the pain once again. ''But you are an actual thief''

''If I am, then tell me'' The girl faced back at her with a deadly and cold glare.

''Does that mean that you, or any other person from Olympus, is kind and generous just like the rumors say? If yes...'' Her soft footsteps approached her avoiding the spoiling mess of porridge and with the spoon she made Lucifer's chin rise up against the cold metal. ''Why are you here?''

Lucifer didn't respond to that. She just felt more humiliated than before. She was attending family meetings at the insistence of her aunt and she was always far from the other family members. But that did not stop her from standing her opinions. She heard about how people in Diyu became sick from the water and they were trying to steal more and more from the other areas. She wanted to share her ideas that could help the citizens of that place.

But when her aunt heard her plan, she disagreed. Lucifer explained to her that there might be a possibility that it would work. Still, her aunt ignored her, telling her with that soft grin of hers to stop searching for solutions to this. It sounded more like an order to her.

''The area was once rich. The true position of our kingdom. But the "mother of the deep '' cursed it. How can we be certain if the citizens there truly believe in us, in the spirits, and not in her?'' Boudica asked.

Lucifer could listen to one of her uncle's opinions. Suggesting to lower their income, and bring less food and fabrics. That made the Great Ruler interested. Another one, one of Lucifer's cousins suggested bringing more priests to the area. Make them believe in something. When she agreed with that opinion too, her cousin faced Lucifer with a snark, hiding her giggling behind her emerald fan.

None disagreed with the Great Ruler. Some of them even laughed and mocked. Lucifer did not speak or argue either. If we do not help them.. then...

The girl scoffed and walked away once again. ''I figured'' She said and continued wondering around.

''I am sorry for Mammon..'' She touched her left arm. ''He is a righteous person...a friend of the spirits'' She said mockingly.

Lucifer couldn't understand and started laughing. With her hand shaking, the girl laughed too.

''I hate priests'' She mumbled and pulled back her dark raven thick locks that were falling to her face, hiding half of it.

She let out a deep breath. ''Someone paid me a lot of money to take it away from a girl with lilac eyes. To destroy it'' The girl's voice sounded almost just like she was trying to reach Lucifer's trust.

''It was long ago, a week I think, so I almost forgot about it...''

''Who was it?'' Lucifer asked. ''Was it a man ?''An image of the scientist came to her mind. But then she regretted it. It couldn't be. Why did someone who made it want to destroy it?

''I think a woman, I couldn't see her face pretty well'' She pinched her arm and nodded. ''The point is that she also told me that she would give me more money after that. Obviously, she lied. But…’’ Her fingers played with Lucifer’s hairpin as she moved it back to her hair, close to her jewel. ‘’I found it interesting''

Lucifer lifted her right eyebrow and narrowed her eyes. The girl laughed. ''Why does someone like you have something '' She showed the bottle again. ''Like this? And why someone told me to take something that valuable '' She leaned her face closer to Lucifer once again.

‘’Interesting story that I want to listen to more of it’’

‘’You like stories?’’ Lucifer mocked her.

‘’One story can have so many others’’She explained. ‘’I love to see each one coming to life.’’ She tilted her head to the right.

Lucifer took a deep breath, trying to look away. At first, she refused to speak. But then, she looked at the girl’s pout lips and her bored hands who were typing her thighs.

She did not want to trust her. Then again, what a mere thief could do against the rest of them? What could have possibly changed?

‘’I would have met a person with a white mask’’She said.

‘’A white mask?’’ The girl gasped, impressed by her words.

‘’And what? You would have searched the entire area for a masked person?’’She scoffed. ‘’Pretty stupid idea’’

‘’You asked, I answered your question’’ Lucifer rasped.

‘’Now my question’’

The girl shook her head, moving her hand to her side. ‘’The floor is yours’’She showed the dirty poridge.

‘’What does your father want from my aunt?’’ Lucifer breathed shakily.

The girl sighed, lifting her hands, and giving up.

‘’He is not my father, he takes care of me’’ She corrected her. ‘’And your aunt has money’’She explained. ‘’Money that can bring him strength, instead of people hating the beliefs of the Spirits’’

‘’Money?’’ Lucifer rose her right eyebrow mistrusting the girl’s words.

‘’There are few priests in the world that still care about beliefs’’She explained. ‘’In this area, the one that has the highest mountain of silver, is the one who people believe in’’

Lucifer’s cheeks turned in heat, thinking of how naive her thoughts to the priests were. Everyone she had met, had the same warm smiles and wrinkled hands but also were trying to inspire everyone they could meet to the Spirit’s help. Even the one who made her coming-of-age ceremony tried to persuade her with gifts and oaths.

An idea appeared in her mind, making her lips curve a grin''And who do you believe in?'' Lucifer replied disappointed. Eyes shone with rage as she was looking at the girl.

''The money that you will take will make sure that you will be out'' She jerked her head to the left. ''If your priest father will give you any to see the sun''

That made it. That was her plan after all. She was aware that something was strange about her but she still could not understand what.

''Probably he will let you rot like all the others'' She said, singing melancholic with a dramatic whimper. ''But if you help me out'' She looked around her body to show her the chains.

Lucifer let out a long sigh trying to persuade her to let her free''Maybe I will''

The girl burst into tears of laughter. ''Spirits'' She scoffed and walked around herself, looking up to the ceiling.

''You royals are all the same'' Her right foot was jumping up and down repeatedly. ''A few gems and fancy dresses and there is the air around your heads. Making you think you are better and smarter than everyone else''

I am not like them. I am nothing like them. And that is the problem.

‘’The color red of their hair was a gift from the Spirits, showing to them that the sun will shine at the top of their will and mind’’ The girl said the old folk tale to Lucifer, as she hadn’t read it a thousand times. Her parents told her to sleep. Her tutors forced her to learn it.

‘’I think that the red color is the blood from the bodies they left behind when The Mother of the Deep cursed the land’’ She finally finished her lecture, studying Lucifer’s hair. ‘’Guess the blood doesn’t run into you, does it?’’ She chuckled with a twitch.

For Lucifer that was it. Her eyes snapped open and let out a growl, moving her body even closer to the girl. Glaring at her, she found that her expressions weren’t mocking or satisfied.

''You have no idea who I am. Thief'' Lucifer talked to her roughly. ''Do you think that you are the first ones to try to fight Royals?'' Her eyes darted up and down as her fingers were shaking. ''Everyone who tried is now with the Spirits as an example’’

Everyone. Even warlocks. Even Royals.

The girl did not seem to mind, getting called out with words of hatred, the words she got used to being called. Her knees shrunk with a jump as she was now at the same height as the Princess, looking at her invested.

Eyes cold like ice, screaming to not be trusted. At least that is what Lucifer was thinking, remembering how easily she could shift her expressions.

With a heavy breath, she finally replied softly, ''Mara'' Her eyes looked around vividly ''That is my name’’And then back at her with a grin’’...Warlock''

Lucifer's heart skipped a beat after she heard those words coming from the thief named Mara, making her lose the upper hand.

''My, isn't that ironic?'' She said and played with her tongue inside her mouth. ''Am I really a threat?'' Lucifer tried to move once again and shouted from the pain. ''Hypocrite but'' She stood up. ''That explains one of the reasons you ran away''

Lucifer's jaw clenched tight. ''What do you want from me?''She said breathlessly. If the girl hated her ‘father’ that could mean that her plans with her were different from his.

‘’To trust me of course’' Her tone was full of energy like a little kid’s.

‘’Why should I?’’

‘’Why shouldn’t you?’’

‘’Oh, I don’t know, because you kidnapped me?’’ Lucifer raised her voice.

Lucifer’s eyes looked at the girl’s presence. She looked more than she should have. Her dress was in filth, her face wounded and her hair unwashed. And yet she looked like a queen from the stories she had read when she was younger. Even in the darkness, Lucifer’s eyes were shining from the girl’s features.

In the end, the girl spoke again.‘’Because I am the only one here who is willing to actually help you’’ Her voice soothing to Lucifer’s ears. Almost making her believe her words. But the girl from Elysium could not trust the girl from Diyu with only her words. She backed away, letting out a groan of pain.

The girl sighed, cursing in the dialect.

The door opened and Mammon appeared. Mara put the bottle inside her bag as fast as she could. She then changed eye contact with her and Lucifer.

''Did she make any noise?'' Mara looked at Lucifer and stood up at her height. ''She is...'' Lucifer's heart started beating fast from the fear. Mammon caressed her shoulder and then down to her left arm. ''She is hurt...she would be better with ropes'' Mammon turned to Lucifer and agreed with Mara. The girl looked left and right.

Mammon ignored her suggestion and sat in front of Lucifer. ''In one day she will be here with the army'' He pulled a dagger from his coat. The priest grinned and pointed slowly the dagger to her left lilac, darting eye. Fat tears shed from it and the man laughed. ''Well look at that....'' He giggled. ''She can cry after all'' Lucifer whimpered and tried to look away from the dagger. She breathed shakily as her dirty face was decorated with tears.

The girl looked away hearing Lucifer crying. ''I order you to stop'' She screamed like a spoiled little girl.

''It's alright'' The man murmured with his eyes shining with insanity. ''Is what the spirits want''

''She told you to stop'' Mara shouted right behind him. Lucifer saw Mammon's eyes and face turn to her side with anger.

''Her aunt will take your head if she sees any damage to her precious little princess'' She explained with a mocking voice. Her steps were soft and slow. But her shoulders were stiff.

''You would be happy with that though wouldn't you?'' He asked her as if he already knew the answer.

''You know that I could take you out years ago'' She jerked her head to the right. ''And yet here I am ''

Mammon stood up and walked closer and closer. ''You are right but then again..''

Lucifer couldn't listen to their conversation. But she could see the girl's movements. She was arguing about something. So did he. And he won, as Lucifer watched her walk away in total defeat.

‘’No.’’ The priest sighed, with a pout. The girl stopped walking instantly, turning her hands into tight fists. Mammon’s lips twitched, curving a greedy smile.

‘’You will stay to watch.’’