UKKO

Ukko hated school. Hated studying, and attending classes but he had to because that is what the people around him were expecting him to do. But every time he was getting inside the classroom the teachers and scientist Thoth were teaching the young soldiers about the history of Akhet. But Ukko was thinking of how amazing it would be to fly.

To go on an adventure, to see the world in a completely different way than the one the history books were portraying, and even become a true hero.

The school he was going to was different from the others. You did not have to pay money to go, but you had to join the army, to study subjects, only the ones that would be useful to the fight and politics and of course. The way of teaching was different too.

''Mister Ukko'' Thoth shouted with his cranky old voice, making the thirteen-year-old boy wake up from his dream and look away from the window of the class. His eyes turned to the short man with a thick dark mustache and brown coat.

''Yes,'' He said loudly. Everyone around him restrained their cackles.

''Tell me young man'' Thoth approached him, hands crossed behind his back.

''What is the difference between a mortal's body and a warlock's one?''

Ukko looked around and waited for an answer. Hoping that someone will help him. Nothing.

''The..'' He looked down below. ''Iron correct? They can heal from small wounds but the iron is more difficult for them to heal..'' He made a long pause and played with his thumbs.

''It can kill them easily and maybe, leave a scar at them for years, maybe forever''

Everyone stayed silent. Ukko poked his nose and waited to listen to Thoth's thoughts.

''Mortals can't'' He finished his response. Thoth laughed loudly.

''Yes correct young man...but tell me how can we separate the dead mortal body from a warlock's one?''

Ukko tried to think. Nothing. Everyone started mumbling and laughing. He rolled his eyes and rested his uptight body.

The door opened with two soldiers carrying a medical bed. Ukko and the others covered their noses when they smelled the horrifying rotten scent of meat. His eyes darted as soon as he saw a woman, all tied up with chains, bleeding right from her limbs and stomach,

''Stop'' She yelled and looked around, struggling to escape.

''As you can see class'' Thoth pointed out at the woman. ''This warlock is trying to heal''

He said, looking at the wounds and flesh that were moving slowly.

''But'' He made a long pause and took a knife made of iron out of his small bag. His dark eyes fell on Ukko, showing the knife.

He gulped and stood up. As he approached the woman and the scientist he noticed that she was crying. She had to be a few years older than him.

''Stop'' She muffled.

Ukko took the knife and then moved even closer to the table. The woman kept struggling and bleeding from her wounds. Tears fell to her dirty skin.

Without any second thought, Ukko closed his eyes and placed the knife right into her throat, listening to the splashing sound. She let out a heavy breath.

He waited for a few seconds before he opened them. When he did he could not believe what he was seeing right before his eyes. Her skin was gray and thinner than before. There was a deep rotten smell of meat and her teeth became dark yellow.

''After the exact moment a warlock dies'' Thoth explained calmly. ''The body starts to rot, leaving nothing behind''

Everyone looked impressed. Ukko felt the need to throw up. He rushed away from the classroom and sapped the door loudly.

As he let everything out of his mouth, he looked back at the mirror of the restroom. He clenched his fists on the sink and took another deep breath.

''Shit'' He growled as he felt a strong itch of pain right in his hand which he was holding the iron knife before.

His eyes darted and his breath started shaking as soon as he saw a big burned wound. It tried to heal slowly but nothing was happening.

''No no no'' He murmured and covered his mouth with his other hand.

''Kala I am back'' Ukko yelled, holding Lucifer's hand as they were now inside Ukko's apartment. It was a miracle for them to return by stealing a car from the army. The car didn't survive though. Lucifer was still impressed by how Aztlan looked. Olympus looked more like a utopia than a giant machine. She hasn't seen so many people with prosthetic body parts in her life. She even got lost one time but Ukko grabbed her fast while some soldiers stared at them.

The house was enough for both of the siblings and even more. Kala’s clothes were tied up, windows were open with the cold breeze getting inside. The radio turned on with one of the reporters starting to announce the news. When the word ’ Elysium’ broke from the machine, Ukko moved to the small table where the radio was and turned it off with a kick in all of the buttons. Looking back, Ukko could see Lucifer’s fingers quivering to her skin.

Kala walked out of the kitchen and saw her brother and a strange thin girl with blood and dirt on their clothes. The plate with sweets that they were holding fell and broke. She let out a squeal and started cleaning up with her mechanical hands.

''What is the matter with you?'' She whined and stood up slowly. ''Please tell me you did not kill someone''.

Ukko noticed Lucifer's worried expression while she was moving her body further away from him and his sister.

‘’Kala,’’Ukko sighed. ‘’This is Lucifer’’He pointed at her. ‘’She will stay with us for a while’’

Kala narrowed and groaned her lips with mistrust.

‘’And also needs to stay a secret’’He explained after.

The girl sighed and shook a yes.

''It is not much I know'' He said looking around his small apartment they had a couch and the bedroom had two beds. ‘’We have no flowermilk for you to shower but we have soap without iron dust’’ He whispered close to her.

The only photos or paintings were of Ukko and his little sister. The scent of the house was different from Elysium. It smelled like an open bakery and wine at the same time.

''So, it is better than nothing'' He chuckled. Lucifer shook her head silently and sat down on the couch, letting out a small groan, and looked away from them as she was now playing with her broken ring. The purple gem had a small crack because of the fall but Lucifer did not let go of it.

''You told me that you would stop getting in trouble'' Kala whined and looked at Lucifer. She took a deep breath and walked closer to her, exposing her mechanical arms. Every movement of her fingers, of her metallic bones there was always a ticking sound. Ukko let out a long sigh.

''Did he kidnap you ?'' She asked, confused.

Lucifer blinked confused.

''What kind of person do you think I am?'' Ukko gasped as he heard his sister's words.

‘’He did not kidnap me’’ Lucifer tried to smile as she kept shaking.

Kala let out a sigh of relief and walked back to the kitchen.

‘’Do you take sugar in your tea?’’

‘’No. No thank you’’ Lucifer replied fast and nervously.

Kala was a few years younger than him. She had turned thirteen a week ago. But everyone was telling her that she was mature for her age. Sometimes even Ukko felt that she was taking care of him, instead of him taking care of her.

She returned with a cup of tea and gave it to Lucifer who was still shaking from fear.

''I will come with new clothes'' She said and looked at Ukko with a concerned gaze. He just thanked her, shaking his head slowly up and down.

She walked inside her room and slammed the door. Ukko noticed from the corner of his eye that Lucifer was dazzling around.

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''Alright,'' Ukko started jumping up and down, looking forward to an explanation. Lucifer took a small sip from the tea and let out a small cough ''Ukko if you do not mind " Her fingers stiffened, placed the cup down on the table before she started her habit of, playing with her left ring finger. Clenching it, twisting it...till she found the right moment to speak again.

''I will take the bottle and leave. I can manage to do the rest of the things alone'' She lifted her lilac eyes and looked at Ukko's idiotic expression. ''Stop doing that'' he complained. Lucifer moved her shoulders behind and let out a prideful scoff.

''I am trying to protect you'' She pointed. ''You have a family, I cannot risk..''

''What about you?'' He asked her. Lucifer closed her mouth and looked away from him. Tell him. Tell him the truth.

''It doesn't matter about me'' She twisted her ring and looked back at him with a calm face. He hated it.

''That again, trying to play all mighty'' He complained and moved closer to her. ''Tell me what is going on, and then I will decide if I follow you or not''

The girl stopped playing with her hands and exhaled shakily, leaving a small grin on her face. She had known him for a while. She knew what he would say no matter what. But she also knew that she could trust him.

''I knew for a while that my aunt was plotting something'' She finally spoke. ''A few walls are very thin'' She let out a small chuckle and fixed her hair. She stopped talking.

''Listen'' Ukko placed his hand on her shoulder. ''You know that I respect and care about you, '' He stopped talking.

''I do not want to push'' He finally spoke. Lucifer nodded. ''But your aunt tried to kill us'' he showed the door with his hand. ''Our friend, died''

Lucifer looked down with her lilac eyes ready to burst out in tears. Ukko felt bad for her but it was the truth. He knew that she was close to Hestia. And he also did not expect her to be a warlock. Or a thief. He had seen her spending most of her free time flirting with the other maids or even teasing Lucifer. Nothing else.

The way she stood right in front to protect them. Ukko felt that he was owing his life to her.

''Don't you think that I ..'' She stood up and restrained her tears.

‘’She was…’’Her cheeks began turning red. ‘’A phoenix holder’’She tried to avoid the truth.

But Ukko knew how she felt. It was obvious enough that even Hestia knew the truth and yet she never admitted it to Lucifer. Maybe because she didn’t even reply to the same feeling.

‘’Yes,’’ Ukko nodded. ‘’She was but that…’’

‘’What if someone killed her? What then?’’ She began panicking.

‘’She didn’t though.’’ He reminded her. ‘’She died naturally.’’

Or at least whatever part of nature it was. What was the crystal that she was holding? And what was the artifact she risked her life for?

‘’I saw something there’’ Lucifer broke the silence.’’Someone..’’ Lucifer corrected herself with a stutter ‘’There was …’’

She did not finish her sentence. Ukko noticed her hands were shaking. He apologized with a mutter and let her rest for a few minutes.

After ten whole minutes of awkward silence, she swallowed dry and took another small sip before she started talking so she could let the burden out. ''A scientist was working for her''

''Thoth?'' Ukko asked. He would not be surprised if he had a part in all of this. His lessons revolved around blood and flesh.

''I wish he was'' She took the cup and continued drinking, back in her seat. ''I have seen him a few times,'' She placed her hand on her new dress, trying to think of the next thing she had to say.

''I...'' She stared at her fingers. ''I don't know ... I heard someone else talking to my aunt.'' She raised her head to the ceiling.

'' It's done'' Lucifer mimicked the voice that brought chills down her spine. She clenched her tongue and looked at her friend again.

''Did you know that Hestia..'' Ukko tried to ask her but Lucifer shook her head before finishing his sentence. That actually made Ukko feel kind of relieved, thinking that he was not the only one who had been kept in the dark.

Ukko asked another question. ''What did she mean about a white mask and Diyu?'' Lucifer didn't know. She was as confused as he was. Diyu was a place that was filled with criminals. None of the citizens have seen sunlight in their lives because of a giant veil that was covering it. But they knew that they couldn't go back.

Kala opened the door furious and sat next to Lucifer with her legs crossed. She turned to the young royal and started asking her questions again. But Ukko pushed her again inside the room.

She fixed her hair and waited for him to speak. She waited for him to say anything else that was the answer she was sure she would take from him. So, she just took a deep breath, cleaned her face, and played with her ring as her posture was now fixed and still like a wide thin tree.

''Diyu is a dangerous place'' He threw the bottle to her and caught it with her shaking fingertips, almost making it fall. He leaned his head closer to her and a grin was placed upon his dirty face. ''You will need a strong and powerful guard'' He placed his hand on the opposite shoulder. ''Like me''

Lucifer let out a chuckle and coughed. ''This will be our death sentence, your'' She pointed at him with her eyes. ''Death sentence for sure'' She moved her head around.

''Oh please we were already in danger since the day we opened our eyes'' He explained, keeping his bright smile.

''At least we will have a dangerous adventure'' He played with his tongue. ''And who knows'' He opened his arms wide. ''Maybe we will find friends, 'runaways' like us and''

Lucifer laughed again, feeling relief. ''Maybe there is a chance for us to not die on stakes just yet''

The girl agreed and stopped doing her old habit for a little while and looked outside the window. The sun was ready to set. Even with the giant fog coming from the engines, which surrounded the sky, the orange and purple color was still shining bright.

For Ukko, it was a moment that he dreamed of his whole boring life. Even if the situation was not the best he could not hide his excitement that he could finally have an adventure, just like the ones he imagined when he was bored in classes

''We also will fulfill Hestia's job'' Ukko finally finished his speech, making Lucifer laugh for a while, at least. She agreed with him with a small nod and stood up with a small smirk.

''Well, then '' She offered her hand to him. ''I suppose we will do all of those things '' Ukko was ready to grab her hand but she pulled it away. ''But the runaways have to be nobles too''

''You ask way too much now'' Ukko laughed. Lucifer nodded a yes and placed her hand back and both of them made a strong handshake. Suddenly Lucifer's smile faded again and looked away with a mourning gaze to the sky.

''Are you alright?'' Ukko asked. Lucifer pulled away and played with her finger again, keeping herself far away from him. ''Your sister must worry, you will have to ...'' She stopped talking and looked at herself in the mirror.

Ukko had to say something to his sister that he knew he would regret. Even if it was the only way he had to. He went inside the room and looked at her with a giant grin. Kala rolled her eyes and looked outside the window. Young kids were playing with their parents. Ukko's eyes filled with envy and grinned his teeth. He then walked closer to a drawer under his desk and gave Kala a folder with a letter inside. She placed her copper fingers on the paper and took the candle wax stamp away from the paper before she opened it. As soon as she read the letter, her hazel eyes shone with joy while Ukko stared away.

''He wants to see us?'' She asked with joy in her voice. Ukko pointed with his finger to his sister.

''He wants to see you..'' He stretched his neck and looked at the floor. ''My ...reputation ...won't help him'' After everything was happening he had to keep his sister safe. His father had learned about the fights that he caused and he would probably learn about his treason. He had done everything for his sister. And it seemed that everything was not enough.

He didn't have another choice anymore. He had to help his friend... and protect himself and his sister.

The cogs and wires from Kala's hands were making strange noises. Ukko smiled and told her to give it to them to find a workshop. Kala pulled one of them out and Ukko helped her to take the other one by pressing a small button. He walked away from her and tried to find a box to put them inside.

''Are you ...'' She tried to speak .''Okay?''

I am a fugitive, a traitor and I will probably die soon. Ukko thought but in reality, he smiled.

''Of course''

He walked around to find an open workshop but the sun had already set. He saw people inside the temples praying to the spirits. He continued walking to try to find anything.

With the corner of his eye, he saw someone working inside a workshop. He could hear them singing the melody from the record. He slowly saw a person around his age working on a pistol. ''One two...'' They mumbled and grabbed a crescent made from steel. Ukko saw that there was a prosthetic leg wide near their table. He looked up and saw that a giant box was moving up and down. Ukko yelled. ''Your box''

The energetic person turned back frightened, letting out a small scream. They then turned back and stopped the record, letting out a chuckle, and stopped wearing their goggles to take a better look. ''I am sorry ...'' They apologized. Their blue eyes lifted with amusement as they realized who was talking.

''The scary one'' A sigh of amusement escaped their harsh mouth. Ukko forced his lips together and lowered his back.

''What?'' He asked confusedly and looked at his now clean clothes. He had even washed his face of the blood. He did not think that something around him was terrifying, not even the slightest.

His eyes returned to one of the devices that fell from the box. He got on his knees, taking the copper orb which had a painted donkey with a white pastel shade. Ukko did not know if he should laugh or be impressed by the small detail of it.

‘’Yours?’’ He asked, offering it back.

‘’Of course’’The mechanic slightly grinned, taking it back, and putting it back in the box. ''It's one of my masterpieces.''

Ukko's gaze arched and looked around.''But I thought only inventors are licensed to invent''

Their thick brow started sweating as their faces lost all color. ''It's my free time.''They said fast.''Please do not arrest me''

Ukko replied with a harsh laugh, watching how frightened the mechanic became after his words. If he was a soldier, a proper soldier he might would give them a warning. But he wasn't.

''I have a day off''He replied.''I saw nothing''

The mechanic let out a deep breath of relief and their lips made a quirky smile.

They grabbed their cane and stood up to grab the prosthetic hands. Ukko tried to help them but they stopped walking and looked at him with a big grin on their face.

''I am Hephaestus'' They introduced themselves with an energetic tone and started looking at the box. Ukko offered it to them and they rushed to open it.

''It's beautiful work'' They admitted with a big smile. ''It will take...'' They turned back at him as they were wearing their goggles. ''Ten minutes... feel free to look around...''

And he did. He looked at some other machines. He noticed that most of those he had used before.

''You work for the army?'' Ukko asked nervously. Hephaestus yelled to cover the noise from the tools.

''Yeah the boss is making deals with them'' They grabbed a screwdriver and a gear. Cold sweat showered Ukko's face. He saw a gun that was down and tried to point at it thinking that it didn't have bullets. He then saw that Hephaestus was moving half of their body around. Ukko raised his hand with the gun up and pulled the trigger. It didn't have bullets but this gun had a fire.

''Shit'' he yelled as a deck from the ceiling fell down burning. Hephaestus turned slowly back and saw the small fire. They tried to breathe properly as their darting eyes started going up and down. They stretched their wrists and watched Ukko turning off the fire with a bucket of water that was used for the metal.

''Are you alright?''Ukko sked the petrified mechanic.

Hephaestus snapped out of it and returned to their work. Ukko moved closer to them to see what they were doing. Their head turned closer to his and smiled. With their free hand, they showed one of their arms. The gears and wires had been replaced while it was smelling really strong oil. ''Here'' Then they turned smiling once again.

''You are fast'' Ukko said with admiration towards Hephaestus. ''Most of the time'' They admitted.

The soldier looked around once again and saw that next to the leg were a lot of wanted posters. He grabbed them and saw that everyone there was a warlock. He then turned back to Hephaestus who was humming a melody.

''Why are you...'' They never answered as they gave the last one. ''Twenty Eke'el'' They announced. Ukko groaned and gave them a small bag'' Hephaestus thanked him. He thanked them and looked one closer at the arms. ''They seem better than the last time they got fixed'' He turned to Hephaestus who blushed from embarrassment. ''I could...''They stretched their wrists. ''I could have done better''