LUCIFER

Her mind and soul did not escape Naraka. The blood from the soldiers was stained in her eyes. Lucifer could imagine everyone she attacked had a family outside, waiting for their return. Children tapping their feet outside the doors of their houses and partners...families waiting for an embrace they will never experience again. Because of her.

''I killed them'' she thought. Again and again. She thought about her aunt bringing the coffins white flowers. The bodies burned in the fire. The light was only meant to bring death.

In the cave, the girl could feel her feet, which she had dragged all the way there, collapsing. The ground was rough and cold. She lifted her head and looked up at the others who were staring at her. As if they were expecting something from her.

''Right,'' She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her fingers. She let out a frown as she gathered her strength. Still trapped inside nightmares of blood and death. What if she hurt them? What if she blinded them? What if she killed them with just a glimpse of a spark of light?

Her hands began to shake just at the thought of it. There was no light at the tip of her fingers.

Her heart was racing and her eyes were almost ready to burst into tears.

''It's alright''Hephaestus moved to her side, kneeling slowly down with a cracking noise of their leg.

Lucifer shook a giant no.

''Just think happy things.'' The girl groaned from behind. ''Like your first pony,'' her voice grew louder. A grin spread across her face after she said, "Or first prince.".

Lucifer rolled her eyes and let out a tired scoff.

''Do not listen to her'' Ukko encouraged her.

''But yes, incantations come with emotion'' Hephaestus added and looked back and then at Lucifer with a slight smile. ''So it is better to think of something comforting''

Lucifer muttered a yes and closed her eyes as her lungs inhaled and exhaled three shaking breaths each time.

Hestia was in this memory. Almost every memory she could think of. She had a warm smile as bright as summer's sun. Ukko was her friend, and her aunt was almost a parent to her but Hestia was something else. Even Lucifer couldn’t describe it. All that mattered was that she was there. She loved to sing. Not every song, just a specific one.

The boy in fire loved the color red.

Loved it even when they stole it.

Loved it when they took it.

The boy without fire loved to see the fire grow.

Grow to the others.

Light came out of the darkness. Out of Lucifer's hands in the shape of an orb. Looking up as the orb began to float, she found the girl's wide impressed eyes, staring at the glimpse of light. Lucifer replied with a proud grin as she flipped her hair back.

Now, all sitting on the floor, Mordred and Hephaestus close to one another, Ukko by Lucifer's side, and Mara far from them, hugging her legs together.

Hephaestus took a blanket with a loaf of bread with cheese and meat and started cutting it into small pieces.

''How far is Babel from here?'' Hephaestus turned to Mordred.

''We either go from Aztlan which is a week road''He said roughly. Alternatively, we climb the nearest sight of the wall and travel beyond it. That is a four-day walk.''

One piece of bread was now in Lucifer's hand. She broke it into smaller pieces before taking a bite. The bread was hard, and the cheese and meat both reeked. But Lucifer was just happy that she could finally eat something without her throat and tongue burning.

''So four days'' Ukko said.

''And then what?''Hephaestus questioned.

''What do you mean?'' Mordred asked.

''The iron does not work'' They said, tapping their fingers to the ground.

''Incantations work without a source''Lucifer gasped.

''Yours maybe'' The girl shouted from behind and extended her hand, flexing her fingers.

''Still nothing'' She said.

''And then this voice'' After what the girl said, Lucifer's attention drew to her. Everyone's attention was on the girl.

''What voice?'' Ukko asked.

'It feels like someone is inside my head,' she mused and touched her raven hair tightly.

''You are probably tired'' Mordred implied.

''She is not'' Lucifer explained and found the girl's lips forming a wide grin.

''Oh,'' She clicked her tongue. ''You finally believe me''

''I believe you because I ...''

In the end, she spoke about the voice that guided her to one of the buildings. But she did not talk about her dream with the girl or the moment she found the scientist. She did not know if that was the cause of the artifact or if she had lost her mind.

''At least yours helped you''The girl raised her eyebrow.

''What did they say to you?'' Lucifer asked, confused.

The girl tapped her fingers on her knees and took one deep breath.

''That we have nowhere to hide.'' She muttered disappointedly.

A complete silence once more. Lucifer could see each one of them panicking in their silence. She was frightened too. As a cold breeze caressed her spine, she arched her back and hoped someone would break the silence.

''Whatever is happening'' Hephaestus said, panting, taking their last bite of the bread. Their fingers were smudged and dirty from oil and coal as they moved their thumb to sniff their nose.

''It is something we have to find answers to''

''We have to move somewhere safe''Mordred interrupted.

Hephaestus lowered their head before they let out a scoff.

''And you think Babel is the most suitable option?''

''Mortals cannot pass'' He explained.

''You did not answer my question'' Hephaestus arched their left eyebrow.

Sudden silence. Lucifer could almost listen to whispers behind the walls of the cave.

Mordred sighed as he pulled his masked face closer to the light.

''It is the safest option'' He said again and faced Ukko and Lucifer.

''Hestia wanted you there, after all'' He implied as if he knew better than everyone in the room what was wrong and right.

‘’It is a shelter for warlocks and demons that got hunted by soldiers,’’ Mordred said and his breath cut in half. ‘’And might blame the Ruler and royals too’’He hummed, realizing slowly what he meant and Lucifer’s brow twitched.

‘’Let me guess’’The girl sighed.’’They hate people like myself too?’’She shwoed herself with her hand.

‘’Probably but if you do not cause any trouble…’’

Now Hephatsus’ face stiffened.

‘’Maybe, Naraka isn’t a bad idea’’Ukko suggested. Hephaestus replied with a nod.

‘’The cages were comfortable’’They added.

‘’I could get used to the screams.’’The girl continued.

‘’Probably if there was a bathtub and a decent meal…’’Lucifer tried to move the conversation with her stomach growling.

‘’OH, I would love some lamb pie right now’’Hephastus groaned.

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‘’They might have one’’Ukko hummed.

‘’Will it have smashed potatoes inside? On Aztlan, there’s a small kitchen where.’’

Mordred took a deep breath, clapping his hands close to his face.

‘’WE’’He almost shouted.’’Are going to Babel.

All of them turned to him and Lucifer faced him with a pout.

‘’You can have a slice of pie too if you want’’Hephaestus pointed at him with a grin.

Mordred groaned and took the mask out of his face, resting his eyes slowly.

‘’The council members are going to help you out.’’He found Ukko and Lucifer again and then back to Hephaestus and the girl.

Lucifer wanted to speak. But say what? She knew nothing. Nothing about the place that is supposed to be safe. She knew nothing about the people she was sitting with inside a dark cold cave. But looking back at Ukko he was shaking his head, agreeing with them. She wanted to believe in his way of thinking but it was almost reckless.

''For now'' Mordred relaxed his shoulders. ''Let's rest''

She could not rest. Not because Ukko and Hephaestus were snoring but because of nightmares. Not a nightmare. It was a memory. She was eleven. Walking at night to the hall rooms, she stopped right in front of her aunt's office. The light of the fireplace, flickering to a brooding leathered man. His mouth was stained with crimson blood and fell to the white fur carpet. There was the sound of a machine clicking right on his skin. A body froze in time as his gaze turned back on Lucifer.

As she took a step back, her mother snatched her hand and let out a whispering hiss.

''Why are you here?'' She asked.

After that, Lucifer woke up with a panting sound, looking left and right in the darkness. Her breath was cold and her hands squeezed into fists.

''Bad dream?'' Mordred's voice echoed from the right. His face was still covered with a mask and yet his words felt genuine.

''Is it safe?'' Lucifer asked him curiously. ''Babel?''

He stood up and moved to her side with their hands crossed at their waist. Sitting down, Lucifer could see his exposed neck. With the remaining light, the gray liquid was visible to her eyes. Like someone had opened their skin and put liquid inside their back and nape. Like the priest did to her. The bitter taste was still on her tongue. Each pain in her skin as he was pushing her hands away from her body for her to be difficult to resist. She glared at the greedy eyes of his as her last words to him were that he would pay. He laughed of course but for Lucifer that was the only thing she could say.

Instead of asking more questions, she decided to ignore them by looking at their gloves.

''It is beautiful'' Mordred implied. ''If you like, daily festivals and dances at least'' They lifted their palm slightly up. Lucifer shook her head, holding out her excitement. One thing she could not get bored with within Elysium was her dance lessons. Her feet slightly got out from the floor, and just for a few seconds, her breath caught up and her locks moved up. Felt like flying.

''But there is also sorrow'' They explained, lowering their tone.''People fighting, returning injured or not returning at all...'' They scratched the top of their mask with their index. ''For me, most of the time it feels more like a battlefield rather than a shelter''

Lucifer clenched her ring finger tight and nodded as she kept listening to Mordred, hoping she would find something more to the place she was headed.

''If you want me to say that everything will be alright''Mordred sighed. ''I am sorry but I can't''

''I know that'' Lucifer agreed, disappointed.

''But the people who were in charge loved Hestia'' They explained. ''And a lot of them would not resist but follow her last wishes''

Lucifer's chest pumped as a warm wind caressed her cheeks.

''How was she?''She asked Mordred. ''When she was not..''She played with her fingers nervously, waiting for their answer.

''Annoying''They replied. Lucifer held her laugh as she wanted to agree with them.

''But also brave. And powerful'' They said after with warmth. ''My superior told me she had once managed to burn half an army'' They took a long pause of admiration. Her fire could look like a bird made of inferno''

There was a sort of chill drawing to Lucifer's spine, listening to those words.

''Do all of the people fight?'' She asked nervously. ''If I wanted to not...''

''I am ...'' They sighed and turned their face to Hephaestus whose mouth was wide open as they snored out loud. Mordred groaned and looked at Lucifer.

''Take a rest with the others.''They said and patted their hands to the floor before they stood up.

There was that memory once more. Hestia was there. Surrounded by a figure made of shadows and darkness. Her waist pulled closer to it as for a weapon it was a silver dagger.

She moved her arms to her head, covering half of her upper body, and held her laugh, thinking she had now completely lost it. Maybe it was all an awful dream.

The next day, she woke up to the Girl's screaming. Lucifer stood up as the others were slowly waking up, only to find the girl was not inside the cave.

Millions of thoughts. She had run away. She got kidnapped from the army and screamed for the others to wake up.

If the army took her, who knows what the scientist or her aunt could do to her?

Getting outside panting she could see the sun clear to the winter day. And it was the first time she saw the Girl's face clear to the sunlight.

She hated thinking that she was even more beautiful. Golden threads fell to her hair, exposing a few of her white locks. Her skin was smooth like silk and her smile was gentle and amused as she looked up at the sun. Her scar had the shape of a half-moon. Stepping messy with her boots to the ground, it looked as if she was dancing and her red dress shifted with the soft sunlight slightly touching it, making it look like petals of flowers. She was not in danger. She laughed. Laughing loudly with pride because she was outside. Without any care in the world.

Her crimson, black eyes found Lucifer staring at her surprised, even shocked.

Lucifer’s eyes shifted to the girl’s ears. They were long, longer than hers at least with a broken glass end shape.

She had studied about the first indicator holders. The fall of the Spirits created wrath to the sky and the Demons caused chaos to the earth. The girl’s mark was not the symbol of the demons but half of it. If she was a Hybrid, then that meant she was not welcome by the demons. She would be a sign of weakness and foolishness. For the mortals, she was considered the same as any other warlock. As for the warlocks…She was not sure.

The girl lowered her head and let out a grin.

''You have drooled,'' She said, moving her sharp nails to her chin.

Lucifer could feel her cheeks becoming warmer in the cold and started wiping her face slowly and moving a few of her hair from her lips.

''I thought that you were in trouble''Lucifer cleared her throat, avoiding her stare.

''Oh,'' The girl clicked her tongue. ''You were worried about me?''

Her gaze looked back at her silver heavy coat. The thought of the priest's hands, the dagger, the iron on her skin, on her blood. Lucifer could quiver just remembering it.

Lucifer raised her brow and held her anger and pride. The last thing she wanted was to get closer to her. The faster she was far away from Lucifer and the rest, the better. Just her actions, the way she was talking to her like she was common, irritated her. Reminded her of her family, and her cousins back in Elysium.

''If you got kidnapped that would mean...''

''Relax Princess'' She interrupted her. ''I won't be in your worries for much longer'' She reminded her.

She restrained her smile of relief and looked once more at the coat.

''Why do you have it?'' She asked steadily.

''It would be a waste''She said, keeping her balance on her right leg as she lifted her leg, shrinking it. She made a small jump, landing on a rock close to the brief river. And then jumped to one more rock. Her eyes found an apple tree whose most of the flowers were still being bloomed.

Words shaking, iron doesn’t work…Flowers blooming in winter is probably normal now.

The girl’s fingers reached the tree branches with her toes keeping the balance. But instead of taking the nearest apple, she snatched one of the smallest flowers and tried studying it.

A smile sighed at her face and looked at Lucifer with intrigue.

‘’I haven’t seen flowers like these before.’’She said, picking one of the petals and placing it close to her lips, sniffing the rose pink plant.

‘’Can you eat it?’’ She asked Lucifer, blinking her doll eyes confused.

She twisted her finger.‘’You can bathe with it. Soap, milk, and flowers will make your skin soft.’’

‘’So, no eating’’ The girl said and nibbled the petal.

Lucifer laughed and jerked her head to the apple tree. ‘’You can take the red apple.’’

The girl shook a yes but she still was munching the petals.

The winter wind blew Lucifer's hair behind her nape, exposing her remaining bruises. Her hands were now crossed and her face was even stiffer.

The girl began to jump around the rocks with Lucifer following her, studying the way she was munching the petals of the flower.

‘’So,’’ the girl sighed. ‘’How does it feel that your dear aunt wants you dead?’’

Lucifer rolled her eyes. ‘’She does not want me dead.’’

‘’The bullets and pyres said otherwise.’’

‘’She is the Great Ruler. She did not have another choice.’’

The girl stopped walking. Lucifer turned behind her and noticed her stretching her arms, trying for her fingers to reach the branch of the tree.

''Talk'' Lucifer commanded.

‘’I know stories from the Great Ruler.’’ She tilted her head to the left. ‘’She rules with a mighty fist and yet she could make the sun rise from the west with a simple snap.’’

‘’You are assuming that if she wanted me alive, I wouldn’t be here.’’

‘’I am not assuming your Grace’’ The girl leaned lower to Lucifer’s side.

‘’I am stating facts.’’

‘’Now’’Her lips made a smile.’’Be careful of what are you stating then’’

She wanted to disagree with her. She was against everything she was talking about. And yet she could feel a knot in her stomach telling her otherwise. Maybe her aunt hated her. That she might want her dead just like any other person in her family.

Then why is she still alive?

Lucifer took two steps closer to the girl, staring at her with a prideful grin.

‘’I think that stories have different perspectives.’’ She mimicked the girl’s words in the end.

She laughed harshly, now her only balance was being held by a thin branch. Her wounded face was too close to Lucifer’s, letting her see clearer through her peculiar eyes.

‘’Perhaps, but what part of the story are you playing?’’

Her heart slowly sank once more as she twisted her ring finger. Her part?

She lifted her gaze to her, inhaling deeply. ‘’What is yours then?’’ She wondered about the silver coat. The one that the priest wore. The one who called the girl's daughter. The one who…

‘’What do you want it to be?’’ She replied with a flirt.

Lucifer backed away before her cheeks tried to become red.

The girl laughed once more.

‘’I can be your friend if you want.'' She stood down from the rock, away from the branch.

‘’I do not need friends like you.'' Lucifer scoffed, arms crossed around her waist.

‘’Charming and funny?’’

‘’Liars and thieves.’’ She glared back with hatred.

‘’It’s a shame, Liars and thieves are the ones you trust the most.’’

Lucifer’s brow arched confused. ‘’Why is that.’’

‘’Because you are expecting that they will betray you.’’ Her eyes faced to the ground and then back at her.’’There won’t be any surprises.’’

‘’You are telling me that you will betray me.’’

‘’I might. I might not.’’

A cracking sound echoed from the forest. Both of the girls turned to the sound. The Girl opened her palms wide, exposing her sharp nails, ready to freeze whoever was about to come out.

Lucifer’s heart raced, waiting for the enemy to appear or for the rest of them to wake up and help them.

But instead, a melody broke out. A melody that Lucifer knew very well, coming from a young cheerful voice.

The boy in fire loved the color red.

Loved it even when they stole it.

Loved it when they took it.

The boy without fire loved to see the fire grow.

Grow to the others.

Hestia's song.

From the winter shadows, a young boy at the age of four emerged with tears on his deep red cheeks. His clothes were heavy and thick made of fur and animal skin. He was breathing heavily and sniffing loudly, but he kept singing.

Lucifer looked at the girl whose guard had lowered as soon as the boy showed up, and she put her hands inside her pockets.

The boy in fire loved the color red.

Loved it even when they stole it.

Loved it when they took it.

The boy without fire loved to see the fire grow.

''Who is that?'' Hephaestus gasped from behind.

Lucifer looked at them whose fingers were tapping to their cane nonstop. Ukko who was stretching his shoulders and Mordred who was yawning behind their mask were approaching after.

A bullet from a carbine struck the trees and slightly hit Hephaestus's left shoulder.