LUCIFER

AGE TWELVE

It was hunting season. While the adults were hunting around or chatting in their colorful tents, Lucifer was sword fighting with her cousin. The adults were impressed by her elegant moves. She didn't even sweat.

''Poor thing'' Someone hummed. Her parents died less than a year ago when she was ten. But it didn't seem that she was reacting badly. She still had that joyful smile and bright lilac eyes.

''I won'' Lucifer shouted with pride and looked at her cousin with a beaming smile. He on the other hand got up and looked at the other kids. ''Let's play another game.'' He grinned back at her. Lucifer hummed a yes. ''Hide and seek''

She got lost of course. Her cousins tricked her. She was now deep inside the peaceful forest. The sound of the riffles echoes far away from her. She was glad about that and breathed heavily. She looked around the forest. She was cold as she stepped on fallen leaves. From the corner of her lilac eyes, she saw that some bushes were shaking. 'It's a deer,' she thought naively as she grinned and whispered. She walked closer and closer until she looked up at the trees. As her lilac eyes lost all of their naive brightness, they began to dart in fear. She saw one of the hunting animals but it was strange.

An animal didn't have human skin, an animal didn't have human eyes, and an animal didn't cry or pray like a human.

But it wasn't a human. Lucifer saw that the clothes that the animals were wearing were burning their skin. ''Warlock'' She mumbled.

They noticed her. While they stared at her, raindrops of sweat fell to the ground. She looked down at the trees and saw fallen bodies that had iron bullets in their heads as blood fed the earth.

Lucifer turned her head towards the bush and saw the ''deer''. It was a girl, probably younger than Lucifer. Despite bleeding from her left eye, she grabbed her leg with her stained hands.

''Please'' She begged with a shaking voice. Lucifer just stood there watching her suffering. ''My brother...I need to find my brother.'' A strong shot was fired at the girl's head. Lucifer's ears started ringing for more than they should have. Then the other warlocks got shot and fell.

Lucifer's heart started pumping fast. She just stood there watching everyone around her die. ''Lucifer'' Boudica shouted in relief and hugged her tight. She didn't react at all. Her eyes shifted from the blood to her aunt, noticing her carbine around her waist. She then turned back to look at every warlock. ''Oh,'' She shouted like it was nothing. ''Apologies'' she smiled and played with her niece's hair. ''I got carried away... I thought that they might hurt you.'' She cupped her niece's left cheek with her index finger, pressing her skin to hers

When she turned back to the tent she saw a boy playing with his baby sister. She looked away and saw people dragging warlocks with ropes like they were horses. ''My sister'' A boy screamed. ''I need to find my sister''

Lucifer's skin started burning from her iron fabric clothes. Her magic had awakened. She tried to remain calm and saw her aunt walking close to her and playing with her ring.

''Are you alright?'' She asked her, concerned and playing with her hair. Lucifer didn't respond as she finally had a clear picture of her. The sun cast a shadow over her because of Boudica's, feeling the cold breeze to her core.

After that, Lucifer was afraid of her aunt. No. No, she despised her. No. She wanted to be her.

Mordred and Lucifer were running away with Lucifer but she started coughing and spitting blood. Mordred touched her back and pushed a wave of energy at her. Cold sweat blew over her, making her feel as if her body was being energized. In front of her, her eyes were drawn to the white mask he was wearing, which covered every expression he was showing at that very moment. And that terrified her. Could it have been a trap and he was smiling? Was he afraid and crying?

''Better?'' They asked her.

'Thank you,' she said with gratitude as she looked at them. Mordred shook their head and continued walking to the roof, jumping from building to building. But Lucifer's clumsy steps made them move slower than they should have.

The iron bullet struck Mordred's shoulder, causing Lucifer to fall to the ground away from them. She let out a sound of pain and lifted her head to look at the situation. She clenched her fingertips around the bottle.

"Run!" Mordred called, turning to her side and looking at her. She stood up slowly and started running away. She could hear Mordred fighting but she did not have time to speak.

Earlier Ukko told her exactly what had happened between him and them. That their superiors had ordered them to leave her and her friend behind. It doesn’t matter now, she thought. Now she had to run away, to escape, to go back to the sun, to find an exit out of that horrible place.

She finally ended up back on the ground and lifted her head to see if Mordred was following her. None appeared. She played with her ring finger and started running away again.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Ukko found Lucifer running from the soldiers. Their eyes met and they breathed a sigh of relief. Lucifer ran up to him and hugged him tightly. ''I am sorry'' Ukko repaid her by wrapping his broad arms around her skinny back. ''It is all my fault'' Lucifer took a step back and smiled nervously. It was as if a glimpse of realization struck Ukko. ''Wait it can...'' He tried to touch her but she flinched. She apologized and walked away. ''We have..'' She showed the bottle. ''To go..they will find us later, right?'' Ukko agreed with her and they began running again.

Both of them were running in the dark, hoping to see a few soldiers at the exit. Ukko just hoped the others, even Mara, were right.

As she panicked, he tightened his grip on her hand. ''Everything is alright we...'' Lucifer gave him false comfort.

He sniffed as he saw his friend ready to collapse. ''It is all my fault it is,'' He repeated to himself. Lucifer laughed. ''Don't be immature...'' She continued walking as she smacked his left cheek with her hand. Soldiers started to appear.

''You are still my guard right?'' She grinned with pride. As more and more soldiers surrounded them, he hit them with his fists and struck them with lightning. At the exit, both Ukko and Lucifer could see that there were still a lot of soldiers. They had nowhere to run. Riffles ready to snap to their bodies, chains to dress their limbs and throats. Ukko flexed his fingers with his other hand, pushing Lucifer behind him, protecting her from the enemy’s force.

Three bullets fell to Ukko’s body, pulling him to the ground. Soldiers emerged, picking him from the ground, and dragging him from the knees far from Lucifer.

She tried to reach him with her hand. In the few seconds she was free, she could just hope for a miracle to happen. Light. She hoped for light to snap from her fingers. Light to blind everyone who hurt her friend. Light to make the veil disappear from existence. She wanted light.

But the soldiers pulled her by her waist back and forced her by her shoulders to get down on her knees.

‘’Let me go’’She whispered in pain, panting as her eyes found Ukko’s. The blood could not stop. His face, rough and wild, almost seemed decayed.

‘’Do not hurt her’’ A voice echoed behind the crowded army.

Boudica emerged closer to her niece with a smile of relief. Lucifer looked away, hoping she could not listen to her fast heartbeat. Her aunt played with her ring and took a deep breath.

‘’What happened here?’’ She panicked, touching her iron painted face with her long nails, studying it from each angle. ‘’Why...’’ She flinched her green eyes.

Her aunt taught her how to dance. Her aunt comforted her when her parents passed. She visited the graveyard with her every time she needed to meet them once more. She loved her aunt more than anything.

So, the shock in her aunt’s eyes was painful to see, even if she was expecting it.

‘’I will fix this’’ She kneeled, cupping Lucifer’s face with her hands.’’I promise’’ She panted shakily. Lucifer felt the warmth she was spreading.

‘’Leave her alone’’Ukko growled.

Her green gaze snapped as she got on her height, turning back to Ukko. The woman laughed. ''I have heard a lot about your father. ''

Ukko responded with a grin. ''And not about me? I am disappointed''

Boudica's smile faded and she looked at Lucifer with a worried face. Her voice, everything shifted as it seemed she was trying to restrain herself from embracing her niece.

''Thank the spirits you are alright'' She said and smiled again. Lucifer did not respond. Instead, she looked away. Her aunt rolled her eyes and let out a long heavy sigh.

''Enough of this childish game'' She rasped. ''You can give me the bottle now''. A soldier shot into Ukko's leg with an iron bullet. Lucifer gasped and tried to help him. But the soldiers did not let her free from her bloody restraints. '' Don't hurt him.'' Her aunt ordered, looking down at Lucifer once again. She could control his life. If she wanted one more bullet into his head, he would have.

Lucifer clenched the bottle even tighter. ''But once again you decided to look in places you shouldn't.'' She kneeled and grabbed the little girl's face closer. She could feel her long nails being shoved deep into her cheeks. ''Do you remember what happened the last time?''

She stayed speechless as she felt a strong bitter taste inside her mouth, playing with her mind. Boudica played with her ring. The little girl turned back to Ukko. '' I... I used...'' She whimpered. ''I know what you want'' She admitted, breathing heavily.

I have no idea what you want, just leave my friend alone.

The soldiers started dragging them away from each other and trying to search for them. They found a bottle but it had normal blood. Lucifer suggested it if there was a chance of getting caught. A fake will be taken to the exit, while the real one will be back. A stupid suggestion as it also failed.

Boudica exhaled and stared at Lucifer. She kneeled down while her niece struggled. ''You have a choice...'' She smiled softly. 'Let's...forget about what happened.' Lucifer stroked her ring finger and swallowed the awful taste deep inside her.

''You saw nothing, Hestia disappeared, you are just a mortal, everyone will think that you are at least Ukko and...his sister'' The young man flinched from the shock. ''And you will live the rest of your life in peace...'' She snapped her fingers. ''Just like that, I can make everything disappear, and you know it'' Lucifer nodded her trembling head and moved closer to Ukko.

''The only thing you need to do is tell me ...where is it?''

Her lilac eyes started darting as she bit her lip with anger'' I...'' The iron won the best of her as she almost collapsed to the ground and her tongue ran out from the blood.

''Lucifer?'' Boudica cried, cupping her cheeks tight, making her look up vividly at her.

''No''Lucifer muttered.''I won't...''

''No, dear you are hurt''She whispered. ''He will...he will fix it''She looked on the ground. ''We just have you to get you back.''

''Don't hurt her'' Ukko yelled as his selfishness won.

He showed Lucifer with his darting eyes as sweat fell from his brow. ''Or my sister'' He let out a long sigh

Boudica looked at him with satisfaction. Lucifer stayed silent while her aunt moved closer to him and caressed his left cheek.

''Tell me then''

''Swear to your throne'' Ukko repeated and looked at Lucifer, nodding a yes. ''I swear upon my throne;'' She mumbled and pulled her body away.

''It is back to the smoke. In the building that is above,'' Ukko turned his head down, stared at the dirty ground, and held his breath. ''Are you happy?'' He yelled and crawled closer to her face. ''Now please...'' His tone changed as he started begging again.

Boudica stood up and stared at him with her green snake eyes. She snapped her fingers and the soldiers backed away from her. Her eyes met Lucifer. ''I won't get any better''She cried, thinking of the image of their cousins seeing her die on Elysium. All poor and pathetic to her bed like a child.

And her aunt knew it. Even for a moment of hesitation, she knew, that her niece would not live. She played with her ring. She knew what she had to do now. ''Send him to Naraka'' She announced to the soldiers with hatred and anger. Ukko gasped and shouted no. ''You swore ''He tilted his head up and glared at the ruler.

''I cannot make a promise with a horse, or any other animal'' She leaned her head closer to him, smiling with greed.

''What makes you think that you are different?''