LUCIFER

The girl’s steps were faster than Lucifer had expected them to be. The figure of the woman was visible, unlike her quiet steps, which she had almost lost sight of.

‘’Wait’’ She shouted. She did not stop of course and she just kept herself rushing downstairs. They passed floors drowned with books, floors with endless doors, a floor that almost felt like a labyrinth. And there was a floor that was a garden. Lucifer was caught from the smell of the flowers contained. The glass around the room was in a light shade of pink which she could find so relaxing. Inside the garden, she could notice flowers, bushes, and plants that even her aunt had those kinds in her garden Roses, tulips, daisies, camelias daffodils. And then, there were kinds that Lucifer did not even know existed. Clamantis that had white colors, petals made of diamonds bushes that had colorful berries...

At the center of the garden, there was a statue made of black stone that had the form of a weeping woman, covered by a veil. Her eyes were facing the poppies on her feet as a sweet humming was coming from the stone. Lucifer took another look of how real the weeping woman was. Maybe if she closed her eyes and then opened them, the woman would start walking and start screaming at Lucifer, telling her to stop walking at her ruby peonies.

But when Lucifer was looking even more at the statue she was wishing to ruin it. Something of the movement of it made her hate it.

''Right''She snapped out of it and turned on the stairs.''Thief.''

Finally, on the first floor, near the exit, Lucifer managed to snatch her wrist, pulling her closer to the side of hers.

‘’We have no time’’ She said with panic.

Lucifer rolled her eyes and laughed in mockery. ‘’We?’’

The girl’s eyes snapped wide open and she pulled away, looking down.

Lucifer sighed heavily and looked around. Unlike the moment they walked inside, there was no warlock, no demon to stare at them with shock. That demon’s words were still in her mind.

You do not belong here.

Her fingers twirled around her long curls nervously‘’Go wherever you want, I don’t care’’ Lucifer grunted and turned away, noticing the light was fading from the top of the ceiling, painting the walls to a more brooding shade.

‘’Wait’’ the girl said with a gasp. ‘’Can’t you hear that?’’

‘’Your irritating voice? ‘’ Lucifer raised the speed of her steps.

‘’Of course, I do.''

A loud voice crying inside Lucifer's head, ringing her ears. Everything turned blank.

Down on her knees, now groaning from pain, Lucifer tried to look up. A drop of swear drew from her brow to her nose as she panted, waiting for the ringing and the tight knot in her heart to stop existing.

Help. The voice shouted.

Turning her head back, Lucifer could see the girl standing up, frightened.

‘’You can hear it.'' She groaned, her vision returning to normal.

She shook her head and jerked her head to the door near the gate.

Standing up on her own, Lucifer could feel down her spine that the voice was coming from the other side. Or at least. The voice called both of them.

The girl was the first one to move closer to the door. Lucifer followed her with hesitation. Shaped roses carved into the dark wood from the edges, leaves leading to the center, all ending up with a large, round open eye on both sides. Looking everywhere, following everyone with their gaze.

Help.

The voice cried again, making Lucifer more irritated.

Opening the door with both of the girls' palms, they could all see the darkness emerging. The cracking sound stopped when they were both inside and the door was shut. A cold wind like the kiss of death spread across Lucifer’s skin. Even the scent of darkness was foul, rotten, and heavy.

Her hands now, palm against palm, making a steeple of all her fingers, and waited a second till a thread of light came out of her skin.

Letting the orb flow once more, she could still see the girl’s amused face.

Lucifer sighed and looked to the left, hoping now that she wouldn’t. A dead end was one step away from her. If she kept moving to the left then…She wondered if the potion was preventing her head and bones from smashing to the ground. And she hoped that she’d never needed to find out.

The dark marble floor kept getting lower so both of them were letting her hands rest against the right side of the room, to the maroon wall.

Getting lower, moment by moment, getting passed through countless doors, a wave of pressure was trying to push Lucifer back. But she did not stop or slow her steps.

She had a cat once. Or rather, her mother had. White clean thick fur with golden yellow eyes which were drawn by shiny objects. That was the only thing Lucifer could compare her actions to the light.

The pressure stopped when they were finally closed in front of a similar door to the one they found upstairs. This time, the leaves of the old roses were falling into a mouth. The door did not make any sound when they were finally inside. In the endless darkness, the silver moon bathed the room, so there was no need for light. There were windows, exposing a night forest. It could be an old library, frozen in time, based on the countless shelves and books. Or a weapon room based on the swords, bows, and arrows, hung by the ciel walls and cream blue ceiling. Or a room that belonged to a painter from the paintings that were close to each wall or the pictures being painted on the walls.

Events. Events of the warlocks, taking their gift by the Spirits. No, not talking. The spirits, bright like the sun, were offering a dark orb from their hands to small people. Humans. Humans that became warlocks had now kingdoms, and empires all built. But the mortals betrayed them by casting them away with iron.

‘’That is not right’’ Lucifer muttered, investigating the drawings.

‘’What do you mean?’’ The girl asked.

‘’The first warlock stole the gift from the Spirits by force’’ She explained. ‘’They were tyrants and…’’ The girl sighed, lifted her arms, and walked away, closer to the wooden chests that were close to the window.

‘’Why would they lie like this?’’ Lucifer kept pointing at the paintings.

‘’Things are not always what your aunt taught you to’’ The girl explained. ‘’Nothing is what it seems’’

''It is clear history,'' Lucifer stated.

''And what the history books of yours say?''The girls asked.

Lucifer gulped slowly moving her hands behind her back, ready to give a girl a lecture like she did back in Elysium.''Thousands of years ago there were five kingdoms. They lived in bloodshed and wars.No magic, just violence human violence''

The girl's brow arched.

''In the end, the Spirits appeared and a bright light destroyed everything. Some people are calling that moment the rebirth of the world.''She took a deep breath and stretched her ring finger.''Then, the Spirits created the Made Ones, the saviors with the gift of incantation. And they became...''

''Tyrants?''She asked.

''They were the saviors, messengers of the Spirits, trying to lead the humans to the right path.''

''And where did they go?'' The girl asked again. Was she playing dumb? Was she testing Lucifer? Or was she just curious about what Lucifer knew?

''Then, some mortals fell for the incantations, for the Made Ones.''

''So, it is a love story now?''

''I am just repeating the books''Lucifer stated with a soft smile.

''The humans fell for them, felt envious, jealous and they thought, if the Spirits gave the Made Ones those gifts, they could ask too.''

The girl moved one step closer to Lucifer's side.

''They prayed, they sacrificed everything, even their lives, and yet their madness grew more and more in the end, killing the Made Ones for the Spirits to appear in the sky.''

''The Spirits were gone?''

Lucifer nodded, forgetting to put that detail before. If it was her tutor, he would have given her a small pinch on her cheek and a laugh but her cousins would have destroyed her.

''In the skies..when they appeared again and the humans asked for power, they disagreed. So, those mad humans found a way to kill them, taking the power but that made...beasts, while beasts that almost destroyed the world again.''She stopped her lecture. She stopped talking and watched now the girl half snorring.''Well, that was a boring story.''

''It is history, it shouldn't be entertaining.''

''Well, lessons are boring''She pouted.

Lucifer decided to ignore her again and moved the shelves, taking one of the heaviest books she could find. Dust floated away from the dark blue leathered-made cover. Golden letters were knitted to the front, with letters that Lucifer was not familiar with. And yet, she could read out loud perfectly.

The first incantation.

Her eyes were drawn to the almost ruined pages and the drawings depicted within them as she snapped out of the thought. Beasts were creatures with horns, scales, and wings but for each one of them, there were three twisted circles all together, marked for each of them.

‘’Demons?’’ Lucifer gasped and began reading. That they were the first creatures, the purebloods of incantations. The ones that could bend one element each.

When the fall of the Spirits happened, they lost their sanity, making them violent to anything that was stepping in front of them

Each eye color represented the element they could bend and their species.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

Blue are the eyes of nymphs. A sudden image of the demon inside the council room appeared. So his incantation was command of water in any shape and form. Seeing his peaceful gaze painted in violent red was beyond comprehension.

‘'Oh no,’’ the girl whimpered in fright.

Lucifer moved her head up fast and looked at the chest now wide open and the girl still staring inside.

‘’What did you find?’’

‘’The…’’ The girl panted, standing up with a heavy item. As she turned, the girl showed Lucifer a bright yellow gown.

‘’The most hideous dress I have ever seen’’

Lucifer narrowed her eyes and closed the book instantly.

‘’That’s it?’’ Lucifer asked dryly. ‘’A dress?’’

‘’A yellow dress’’ The girl grunted. ‘’Not my color’’She jerked her head up.

A picture of the girl, dressed in a yellow dress, just like the one she was holding came to Lucifer’s mind, making her almost expose her laugh. She looked terrible in it.

The dress was probably two centuries old. It had long, wide sleeves that the arms had to carry the entire weight of the fabric. The waist seemed tight so they had to use a corset underneath it and keep every part of her body, the lower of her head secret. She would look like a puffy yellow bird.

‘’No, it’s not’’ Lucifer finally replied. ‘’But can you focus?’’

But Lucifer did not know either of what she was looking for. She just knew that a voice was calling them here.

She half shrugged, and her fingers rubbed the leather of the book.

''But I like beautiful things.'' She grunted, bending the dress close to her and swinging it left and right with a laugh. ‘’Beautiful dresses, beautiful jewels, beautiful shoes, beautiful daggers...’’

‘Beautiful men?' Lucifer’s eyes shifted up, looking at the girl as she asked that question. Rubbing nervously on her ring finger, she tried to look away. But it was too late.

‘’Beautiful women’’ she replied with an amused smile.

Oh, Lucifer's cheeks turned dark bronze-red while her shoulders were lifted.

‘’Is there a problem with that?’’ The girl asked with a pout.

‘’No…’’ Lucifer lowered her head, looking at the pale floor.

‘’So, what about you?’’ The girl asked, tilting her head to the right with her raven hair falling to her shoulders.

‘’What about me?’’ Lucifer lowered her eyes, facing the girl’s moonlight scar.

The girl grinned.

Trying to force a smile Lucifer scoffed bitterly, hoping that the girl would notice it, even in the distance.

''Why would you like to know?'' She replied with a flirt. ‘’You think that you have a chance?’’

The girl’s fingers traced the desk, letting the dust fly into the air as she approached Lucifer slowly.

‘’Aren’t female suitors on your list your Grace?’’

Lucifer chuckled. ‘’Would you like to enlist?’’ Her smile faded fast as she let those words slip from her mouth. She did not have an opinion of who she would fall for, or who she would choose to love for the rest of her life. Everyone she was meeting was just numbers and titles.

I am not on Elysium, on Olympus anymore.

She had flirted before with suitors. Forcing a smile to gain their trust. To not betray her. What difference would it make if she played the exact game with a thief?

The girl laughed, looking at the book Lucifer was holding. In response, Lucifer lifted her shoulders, moving the book closer to her chest with her eyes, looking at the floor.

Keeping searching around, she found an open container. Well, a force opened one at least. It seems it was made of iron, melted enough for it to open violently.

There was the whisper again, growing louder with the box close to her. As if there was something important once. Something haunted.

‘’What is it?’’ The girl asked, watching Lucifer, to lift the box.

‘’Nothing’’Lucifer let the box down and reached for the book she was holding once more.

Lucifer grunted and opened the book again, restraining her frustration as much as possible. Another page fell in front.

HYBRIDS

Unlike the demons, they looked deformed and swollen as if they were not meant to be born. And it seemed that she was right. They were not. The mark on their skin was only one twisted circle.

They thirsted for blood, according to the book. It was clear that their true nature was far more terrifying than anyone could have imagined.

‘’This is you?’’ Lucifer asked, almost frightened showing the page.

The girl moved her thumb and index finger close to her chin, studying the pages and pictures.

‘’I mean, I don’t look like I am a hundred years old’’ She frowned.

‘’But these are just like’’

Letting out a heavy sigh, the girl stood straight.

‘’ Who do you think wrote this book?’’ She asked.

Lucifer looked away cowardly.

‘’History is always twisted in books and paintings,’’ she explained.

‘’How do you know that?'' Lucifer asked.

‘’When the demons lost their minds for blood, it meant weakness for them...Hybrids are considered a weakness’’ She said, moving right next to her.

‘’So you do not..’’

‘’Are you a monster who has a hunger for power?’’ She crossed her arms and arched her brow cockingly.

Of course not. Lucifer thought to say to her. But it seemed that it was not the time for it.

‘’All I am saying is that History and legends are twisted by the ones who are writing them. And the ones who are writing it are wrapped in strings from the ones who Rule’’ She lifted her arms, giving up. ‘’You can’t trust stories if you do not live them.’’

Can I trust you then? Lucifer thought by just looking at her. There was a tingle pinch to her face again. The girl moved away to another self, trying to find something But both of them knew nothing that was there to find.

‘’Can you detect lies?’’ Lucifer asked as she kept reading the book.

‘’Demons can, but Hybrids are rare’’ She said.

‘’I didn't ask you that’’ Lucifer sighed, blinking twice.

The girl shook her head and kept moving. ‘’It feels like when you say a lie, I can hear the truth after.''

‘’I don’t believe you’’ Lucifer laughed.

‘’You said that only because you want me to prove it’’ The girl replied with a smile.

Lucifer tilted her head to the right and moved her body around.

‘’I like sugar on my tea’’ She said after tricking the thief.

‘’You haven’t tried sugar in your tea at all’’

Lucifer’s eyes snapped with her fingers clenching tight to the cover of the book. She didn't know if she had to believe her or not. As her statement was true, maybe it was pure luck or the knowledge she had of her. The iron dust in the tea could melt fast, especially if it was hot, or make Lucifer’s body a fool, telling it she was just drinking a hot cup and not poison. The sugar would only cool it down and slow the process.

Lucifer shook her head and kept looking around. ''Why do you want to run?''

‘’They want to keep us here as weapons''The girl shrugged tired.'' I can’t do that.''

‘’Why not?’’ Lucifer asked. ‘’Don’t you want to help?’’

The girl laughed. ‘’No, I do not think that they wanted me to help either’’ She said, now moving a pile of papers out of a shelf. ‘’And then again, they also lied to us about more’’

‘’What do you mean?’’

‘’You have seen people rule, people vote’’ The girl opened her fingers and faced Lucifer with a strategic glare. ‘’What is your opinion about them?’’

There was a long pause, letting Lucifer think about her answer. Remembering their faces, their voices, all of their ideals.

‘’There is no balance.’’ She answered. ‘’Not a leader,’’

‘’But they said there is one correct?’’ Mara added.

‘’And they seem to be absent. An absent leader with members of a council that is making decisions on their own, even with a vote.’’

‘’So?’’ Mara asked, taking a deep breath. ‘’Would you like to fight for them?’’

Lucifer backed away, trying to think. There was no balance that she saw firsthand. She had read countless history books to know how council’s, how old kingdoms like this, or even family lines ended up.

‘’I would like to help someone honest with me’’She said. ‘’Who will not betray me.’’Her eyes glared at the girl.

And she grinned with a deep inhale. ‘’Now you are getting interested’’ She jumped to one other pile of books.

Lucifer scoffed and kept searching in a different direction, keeping reading a different chapter.

FORSAKEN was written as the title at the top of the page.

And in the chapter it was written that every incantation has a price. A sort of life energy as soon as they cast it. But then few incantations had a greater price to pay, either because it was too powerful to balance the body, or because of something else.

Lucifer knew one of those FORSAKEN incantations. After all, Hestia held one of them. Her mind returned to the dark shadow that was conquering her. Was it actual smoke? Or was it her mind, playing tricks on her?

Keeping reading the book, she could see the rest of the Forsaken indications. Just like she thought, The Phoenix holder was first. But then it was Time as if it could bring the holder in great pain and suffering. And the other one was…

‘’Curses’’She muttered out loud and noticed that there was a half ruined page, almost burned to crisps. Her eyes zoomed on the burned drawings with a woman holding four things tight in her four hands.

A golden goblet was one of them. A sword made of flames. A red ribbon and…

She wanted to read more of it, but the girl snapped her out of it.

‘’Who is…Hestia?’’ She asked, reading a few pages of paper.

Lucifer jumped from her place to the girl’s snatching the papers from hers.

Her eyes snapped open, shocked. She just wished the girl could not listen to her fast heartbeat.

‘’Is she your girl-''

‘’No’’ Lucifer shook her head with a pant.

She will be your maid and main assistant from now on. Her aunt’s voice returned to her head.

‘’She is…’’Lucifer tried to speak.’’ was..’’

Her eyes kept searching for words in the papers.

First, a folder. A folder about her and a blonde boy, probably five years older than Hestia. It was a photo of an article. She was far younger than she believed in that photo, as she still had long dark curly hair and a rare innocence in her beautiful eyes.

Focus. Lucifer shut her eyes and then opened them to keep reading the folder. She did not know why but finding Hestia was hiding more secrets about her, about her past, it felt that the Spirits played with her emotions and her life.

Spirits, she had fallen for a liar. And now the liar was dead.

FOCUS. Her eyes are on the article.

Two kids out of the ruined noble house with a fire burning all over it like a giant bird, made of smoke and fire lights.

She decided to read the article. About five kids missing from the noble’s house. Their bodies were never found as the main head was standing close to the fireplace with a bottle of Nektar.

That is what the soldiers found out. The first daughter of the main noble was the only one to be found alive, with fatal wounds. The boy next to her stated he managed to protect her inside the house from the fire.

Lucifer kept looking at the folder. Hestia was eleven. The other boy was sixteen with scars all over his face. Just like Janus.

And then Lucifer decided to look at the other papers.

There were letters.

A set of letters for a man named Janus.

She heard the council members calling the man with the swollen face by that name. Her countless letters to him indicated they were close enough. Most of them were a decade old so Lucifer decided to start reading the most current ones. The ones that came when Hestia arrived in her life

Janus.

You know when you said that in the mission I would be wearing dresses I did not expect the maid ones. I was noble for Spirit's Sake. My burned hair is itching from that stupid hat.

Anyway, If you see this letter it either passed two hours after I sent it or a week because you prefer to ignore my letters. I am now a maid to a noble girl…she has no parents and she is…I don’t think that you will care. I still have nothing for information only that the Ruler hides something.

Hestia.

Janus.

I haven’t sent you a while. I think A year, maybe I don’t know. The crows do not work anymore. I think that Boudica is onto me. She asked me if I was from my old noble house. But when I lied, she did not seem to believe me. If you can send me the azure crystals. At least five of them. And also rose tarts, I am vanishing here.

But yes, I haven’t found anything more than there is a dark room, hidden in the palace.

The one strange thing that I have seen is in the catacombs. I mean the outside part of them. Military cars are getting inside with wagons full of warlocks.

I don’t know how long it will take but I hope that I will meet you again. And you can meet this royal girl. She is kind…when she needs to be.

Hestia.

Janus, please listen to me. There are warlocks. Warlocks are used for something. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS BUT EVERY NIGHT I CAN HEAR THEIR SCREAMS AND AGONY. JANUS PLEASE INTERACT. PLEASE SPEAK TO THE LEADER ABOUT THIS.

Hestia.

Do you remember when I told you sneaking into Elysium was a terrible idea?

I was right. And I found the truth about what Elysium is hiding. But I can’t say it.

It’s not because I don’t trust you (even though I believe I have to) that I believe that there is a spy in Babel

No. THERE ARE SPIES. Spies working for Elysium, Spies working for the Ruler.

Just please be safe.

Hestia.

COME.

Hello Lucifer.

If you find this then, I am dead. I do not give a damn, I just hope none killed me. It would be trouble for everyone, especially for those who did. Anyway, I hope you are safe. In my last meeting with Janus, I told him to let this library hold the letters. No one would be able to find them because they are forbidden except for the council members. Janus would say that there is nothing left inside this place. He certainly did not read this letter because I told him it was about my secret love. After that, he just rolled his eyes and walked away.

Of course, Ukko would never accept the word forbidden. But now, listen to me carefully.

GET OUT

DO NOT TRUST ANYONE, AND DO NOT STAY IN ONE PLACE. THE ARTIFACT MUST BE DESTROYED.

Your damn aunt had figured it out. The scientist has figured it out. The artifact is a taboo.

I am sorry for everything. I just hope that you will know. It’s not your fault. Remember that.

Love, Hestia.

The papers were drenched with tears, falling from Lucifer’s darting eyes. The letters quivered underneath her fingertips, clenching tight.

‘’Princess?’’ The girl asked.

Lucifer lifted her eyes to find a masked person holding an iron dagger to the girl’s throat. Moving her head up, there was a sudden cold caressing her neck.

‘’You die if you move.'' A whisper growled in her ear.