UKKO

Kicking dirt with his feet and shouting was not enough for him to feel better.

The one that was supposed to help them, take Lucifer back, his friend was now lost. A dead man was right in front of them, the blood still fresh. People screaming after them.

All three of them started running away with Ukko pushing Hephaestus by the waist to keep up with the rest of them. Mordred was in front, playing with the cylinder of his pistols as the chain was getting dragged to the ground.

After they were out of danger inside another alley, Hephaestus panted and lowered their head. Thick drops of sweat fell from their brow. Ukko stretched his neck and turned to Mordred's calm eyes.

''What is a Hybrid?'' They asked Mordred. Ukko remembered the way her eyes shifted, her ears were formed. Like an actual creature of storybooks coming to life. And she was a monster from the stories. Then again what was he?

He had said the name earlier when he saw the girl. Ukko saw the hatred in Mordred's eyes when hers became red like pure blood.

''Half demon, half human'' They replied and took the bottle out of his hand without even asking him. ''And they are not welcome of any kind''

''How so?'' Hephaestus asked them, lifting their right eyebrow.

''What would you prefer to have'' They made a long pause. asking both the soldier and Hephaestus the same question. ''A piece of silver or a piece of gold?'' His voice, was soothing and curious as his head lifted.

''Two pieces of silver'' Hephaestus replied instantly with an outstretched hand.

"It's not that simple,'' Mordred said, letting out a long sigh. ''The Hybrids are...''

''I don't really care'' Ukko snorted and cocked his neck, even though he was the one to ask the question first. ''She has an incantation correct? Then she is an outcast, just like the rest of us''

The last phrase did not seem to appeal to the brooding man.

''Then why is she staying with her father if..'' Hephaestus tried to speak and their eyes looked at Ukko. He knew how it was. How can a relative or a caretaker change a child and make it feel scared so it can stay with them? He remembered that Hestia had a problem like that too when she was a kid. Felt that her father was trapping and devouring every part of her soul. ''But time passed and I met someone to help me'' She told him after that and smiled. Ukko did not speak when she was having conversations with her. She seemed relieved that she was the only one to talk and everyone else was listening to her.

I wonder if she still feels free.

''Alright,'' Mordred said and placed the bottle in the pocket of his cape. He shook his head as his eyes met Hephaestus's. ''Let's go''

''Wait,'' Ukko said as Mordred's figure became distant.

Hephaestus was now standing right next to Ukko and just like him, they were confused and shocked.

Mordred stopped walking and turned back. His eyes met Hephaestus and then at Ukko. Then back ''Our job is done'' Mordred said calmly, without any care in the world. ''Are you coming or not?''

Ukko felt a strong pain in his chest when he heard those words coming from his mouth. So the reason he was there, everything was for the bottle? Were they only messengers? Would Hestia just let them die there? Would she just let Lucifer die?

No. Ukko remembered one night when Lucifer was crying. She kicked him out of her room, telling him that she didn't need him anymore. She doesn't need anyone. But everything that she was saying was out of anger and fear. So Hestia stepped inside without any command and let the door open, just a few inches, for Ukko to listen and see.

Hestia fixed Lucifer's long sleeves and then Ukko could finally see. He could see why she was angry and in pain.

Listening to every insult she had to swallow, every pain she had to feel finally snapped.

But Ukko could always think of her as the bravest person she had ever met. And one of the stupidest.

Lucifer tried to move away from her but after that she started crying more while Hestia was hugging her tight, telling her that everything would be alright.

''Royal family my ass'' Hestia told Ukko while they were staring outside the balcony as Lucifer was sleeping deeply after the tea Hestia gave to her. Ukko looked at her confused.

''Everyone treats everybody like a piece of garbage'' Hestia explained and touched her left arm, indicating how she felt. But the guard did not try to ask her more questions.

He just let out a deep sigh and stretched his neck as rage filled his head. If he could he would go now to her aunt's room and make a mess, demanding her to do something. But he did not know Lucifer well, or her secret at that time.

The fireplace made soft sounds while the red light hit Hestia's Beautiful dark complexion and her shaved wounded head.

''You care about her?'' Hestia asked.

''Do you?'' Ukko responded, making her eyes open wide and her lips gasp for breath. She hummed, making her lips curve into a smile.

''Yes''

''You told me that the job was to find Lucifer and the bottle'' Hephaestus said to Mordred shakily. For a moment he felt relieved that he wasn't the only one who had questions about Mordred.

He groaned and played with his praying braids. ''Hestia sent a letter'' He finally spoke.

''Telling the superiors of Babel that the bottle and you with your friend have to return alive and safe''

Ukko exhaled from relief, feeling that Hestia cared about them after all. But then Mordred kept talking.

"My superior told me to take only the bottle" Later, he tried to walk away, but Ukko rushed to him and grabbed his shoulder, turning him around and pinning him against the wall. Mordred let out a muffled groan.

''Would you please?''Mordred asked calmly without looking back at the soldier.

Ukko had no control.

''She is in trouble. She needs help'' He yelled at him panting.

''She is a warlock'' He lowered his tone. If he didn't want to help a royal, he would help someone like him.

''My superior doesn't care'' Mordred answered, blind by his loyalty to someone Ukko didn't give a damn about.

''Hermes?'' Hephaestus asked. Ukko looked at them while they were stretching their wrists.

Mordred shook his head.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

''Maybe but do you care?'' Ukko looked back at Mordred. He exhaled deeply and grabbed Ukko's arm which was touching the wall. Ukko was way bigger than him. If he wanted he could have hit him so hard as to render him unconscious. But of course, he didn't. Then why were his fingertips making Ukko's arm twitch from the pain? He fell on his knees, looking down and gasping for air.

''You were in the army.'' Mordred had a rough burn to his voice and lowered his head. Ukko could understand now that they had never had any sign of light or sanity. What could have possibly happened to him to act like that?

''Then tell me'' He said with a shaky voice. ''What will happen if a royal is taken hostage by warlocks on the other side of the wall? People will soon find out the truth. Rumors will spread and then..''

Ukko breathed heavily and tried to attack him with his incantation.

''War'' Mordred responded calmly. ''A war that we do not have the power or the technology to win. Babel is a rebellion but also a shelter. Would you risk that? Would you risk countless lives not only from the shelter but from your home too?'' He stopped talking and pulled his hand away.

‘’For just one life?’’He cleared his throat and then looked at Ukko, nodding for an apology. He stood straight, showing his great height.

''I want to help her,'' He admitted, looking down. ''Why shouldn't I?'' He made a small pause and looked at Hephaestus for a few seconds. And then back to Ukko. ''But if I have to choose between your friend or Babel. I will choose Babel'' His tone changed again.

After that conversation, Ukko had one single thought. That he hated Mordred. He hated that he was right and reasonable. As a soldier, he knew that protecting the kingdom was his number one priority. And that was the reason he was not successful at his job. Because he always cared about something more than the kingdom. His sister, Hestia, Lucifer...

As he lost himself in his thoughts, he didn't realize that Hephaestus had pushed Mordred to the floor, removing the bottle from his pocket. Hands trembling, Mordred looked at them shocked. His mask was to the hand, next to their cane as their fingers were flickering.

‘’What are you doing?’’ Mordred asked in a panic. His expressions were clear as the day he so long wanted to see again. Eyes darting up and now. Lips quivering. He was afraid.

‘’I…’’ Hephaestus stuttered‘’I have no idea’’ They replied anxiously and looked at Ukko with a nervous smile. A loud shriek of sirens followed by iron-heavy boots sounded right behind them.

''Shit'' Ukko said and looked at Mordred whose head was looking away from Hephaestus's body, right behind Ukko.

The army.

As Hephaestus leaped in front of Mordred's back, he looked panicked at Ukko.

''Run'' They yelled. Ukko shook his head and followed them as fast as he could while Mordred tried to chase after them.

So did the soldiers as they started shooting. A bullet fell on Mordred's shoulder. Ukko heard him groaning from the pain but he did not turn back.

Then another bullet hit Hephaestus's left shoulder, close to their back. They slowed down, yelling, and Ukko ran even faster to help them out.

He had to follow Hephaestus to get out of the labyrinth, out of the dark alleys. But when he got out of the alley he had lost them.

Did they walk away? He did not know but he started asking a thousand questions to himself. But the main thing he could think of was that he had to find his friend.

How could he do it with soldiers watching every corner?

The pain was unbearable. He tried to concentrate but it was too late. He opened his eyes and he felt his limbs all tied up. How much time did it pass? Minutes? An hour? Hours? In addition, he also saw Lucifer lying on the floor with a light gray liquid dripping from her skin. No chains or ropes. She was just lying on the floor, muttering in pain.

''You '' He growled and turned back to see who had bound him with iron chains. There were two men twice his size and height, and it was the girl from before.

''I thought that you wanted to see her'' She grinned and nodded to the men to push him inside. He crawled towards her and tried to wake her up.

He had heard about this technique before. Years ago, even the priest thought that maybe there was another way to get rid of magic. And that was by placing iron inside the warlocks. The warlocks would have lived in peace as they could not use their incantation, rather than being burned at stakes. However, the project failed as more people died after a few weeks and days or hours when the process ended. But of course, some priests were still believing that there was still hope, that they could make the project work.

She is weak, but he does not underestimate her. He knew that she was strong. She had lived her entire life with iron around her eating it, wearing it, breathing it, but this was different. He had never seen her like this before.

''Don't be upset '' A charming voice announced. Ukkop turned back and saw a handsome blonde man with a pale face right next to the girl.

Is that her father? Ukko asked, confused, as he could not see any similarities. Yet, by the way, he clenched her shoulder and she did not react gently, it was clear that she did not want to be there.

The man's eyes were glaring at Ukko with disgust.

''What did you do to her?'' He growled.

''I did what the spirits wanted''

Ukko growled again. He glared at Mara. ''What about her? Do you hurt her too?''

The girl took a deep breath and glared far from Ukko.

''Unlike your friend'' The man curled his lips in disgust. ''She knows how to behave'' His fingers clenched her stiff shoulder even more.

''You kidnapped her''Ukko shouted foolishly.

''No''The priest lied immediately.

''You took the princess away from her home'' He said slowly. ''And I found her. After that, you tried to kill her'' His hands played with the girl's hair. ''So when I send a man to help her''

Ukko's heart dropped. The man. The girl with white hair. His eyes looked up, right at the girl whose smile didn't fall from her wounded face.

''A trap'' Ukko gasped and moved his head left and right, panicking.

''So what is your plan?'' Ukko moved his head closer to him. ''Give us both to the Ruler? Take the money from the hostages?''.

The man tilted his head to the left and started laughing. ''No. I just saved a young girl from a warlock like a man of the spirits should have done''

Ukko's mind was filled with rage and he could finally stand up, no matter the pain he was feeling in his bones. When he tried to run towards Mara, she kicked him in the stomach and made his body shrink, causing him to cough and spit blood.

The man started laughing hysterically.

‘’I find it pathetic that a soldier like you should fall so easily'' he said and began to step closer to him as he was down on his knees.

A big grin appeared on Ukko's face. He lifted his head and stared at the man's blue eyes. ''And how pathetic are you, a priest, to use royals to take money? Being a criminal? '' He scoffed with his lips curled in a grin.

"You know how things are." The man fixed the sleeves of his coat.

''People have lost their faith. The money now is going to the army and their pretty machines rather to the temples''

''And to you'' Ukko corrected him. The man laughed and kicked with his dark shoe Ukko's face, making him fall again, this time with his head.

''There are people here that have faith in the man with the most coins in his pocket''He grinned. ''I would prefer for them to come to me to save them from their sins''

Ukko rolled his eyes and let out his tongue in disgust. The girl took a deep breath and held her laugh with her hands. The priest noticed her and let out a long sigh.

He rasped to the girl, "Let's go.".

Ukko looked at her and she looked at him. Even the candlelight around her seemed dark.

He waited for her to change her mind. To say something as she would help both of them. But in the end, she was a messenger of bad news.

''You have five hours, '' She announced. ''Make them worth something'' She then closed the door and she locked it twice.

Lucifer let out a groan. Ukko turned back and said her name. His chains and bullets were burning his skin, making her groan from the pain. But he had to restrain it.

''Ukko?'' She murmured and opened her eyes vividly. He was almost ready to cry from joy and sadness all at once but then something fell from his clothes. It was heavy. He looked down and saw his wallet. The one that he lost. But how...

While her fingers were searching the pocket for anything that might help them, Lucifer groaned more and more and tried to lift her upper body.

When she managed it she opened the wallet and gasped. She then pulled out a locket with two dark and heavy keys.

When Lucifer tried to move the keys, Ukko pointed at the lock with shaking eyes.

Upon finding the right one, Ukko heard the clicking sound as the chains relaxed around his body.

He stood up, stretching his arms and back, and then grabbed Lucifer by her waist, lifting her and using the other key for the door to open.

The room where they used to be was a small apartment inside a big dark building. It seemed ten times poorer than the FOURTH CIRCLE. As if it was haunted by lost souls. Or abandoned by them.

A chandelier with globes hung on the ceiling and they could see people around the hall. Music from a record was coming from somewhere but Ukko did not have the time to find where it was coming from.

Using his incantation and fist, he attempted to fight thieves and even members of the priest's men until they fell unconscious or even burned. The ceiling light globes burned down with glass falling to the ground.

He then stopped his weak body from being hurt by the bullets.

''Come on'' A voice complained. He lifted his head and saw the girl standing right in front of them with her arms crossed around her waist.

Ukko breathed heavily and tried to get closer to her. To attack her with his own bare hands.

But she grinned and tilted her head to the right where the stairs were. Showing their escape.

''You are helping us,'' Ukko murmured, raising his eyebrows.

''Coparating'' She corrected him. ''I am not charity''

''We can wait for the army to find you here '' She suggested and then her devious grin faded from her face. ''Or come with me''

Ukko took a deep breath and looked at her and then back at his friend. She was getting sicker. Iron was now around her mouth and eyelids.

None spoke for three seconds. Ukko did not let go of the girl's figure so she could escape again.

I will die if I stay anyway. Ukko thought and patted Lucifer's head

In the end, he followed the girl, the thief, the con artist, and the warlock who kicked his guts.