Beyond Human: Queen's Shadow Series

14.) Dance with the Devil

~~~Apollos

I see Lucifer Morningstar, the damn devil is in my home and he's asking me to prevent his resurrection. Not only does he want me to stop it but Zamiel wants me to stop it. I hope he has a better alternative than mine. "Zamiel already told me this, Lucifer but what is in it for you?" He smiles as he says, 'The end of humanity doesn't come. I get to enjoy hell in peace,' There was an air of sarcasm that came with that response, "I don't have time for games. What do you gain from me stopping your resurrection?"

Lucifer smiles as he says, 'I gain a piece of mind and if all of mankind is eradicated, that blood is on your hands.' I'm taken aback for a second as I feel real fear in my spirit. He smiles and says: 'I don't want to do any of that. I want mankind to grow. That also means that my goals coincide with my younger sister's,' "So, then why are you here?" I ask, "If the same goals coincide with Zamiel, wouldn't it better for you to just watch everything unfold?" He smiles and says, 'That's exactly the reason why I'm here. There's something else that must be done, too'

My face is in complete shock, 'There's a vampire who thinks he can escape hell,' My eyebrow raised as Lucifer then says, 'I need you to retrieve that soul. If you do that, I'll help you in the future,' My eyebrow raised, "You'll help me in the future?" Lucifer smiles and says, 'You have no idea what's in store for you,' "What's in store for me?" I ask Lucifer. This conversation was already turning different, something was afoot I could tell, no I could feel it. 'You are not going to like what you're about to hear,' The pit of my stomach begins to drop, "What?" I say.

'Those children are going to die by your hand whether you want to or not. You're going to have to kill them because if you don't, the entire world will burn. What do you think will happen if you let them live? Do you think it just starts from me rising from the ground? No, it's much darker than that. It starts with war after war after war. It starts with you having to sell a piece of your soul to protect the ones you love. It starts with everything burning while you and three other individuals stand at the top of your loved ones' broken bodies.' I see it now, I put it all together a while ago, but it was Lucifer that perceived differently than me but I see it now.

At first, I saw Lucifer as everything I wanted. He was something then I pushed past my desires. I see the truth of the matter, Lucifer was the king of temptation. He wasn't trying to tempt me to kill these children, he could have manipulated me to do it. He was trying to save me a headache. I would have to kill these children regardless of what I wanted to do. What he's telling me is that it's for a greater good and I should let it go. I take a deep breath as I say, "Fine. Those children die but I want you to promise me one thing. After I kill them, they don't touch anywhere near Hell," 'Are you making a deal with me?' he says with a smile.

I enter my limit breaker state and without words, without thoughts, I have my hands around his neck and he's lifted off the ground. "If I even see them there, I will wage war with Hell itself to prove that Lilith's children aren't done tormenting you," Lucifer smiles, and then my grip is released, and he's back on the ground. Lucifer puts a hand on my chest. With a smile, he says, 'You know a human being threatening to wage war with Hell, you have no idea how much Lilith ran amuck down there. The fact that you would threaten to do the same thing, tells me that you genuinely are a good man. You're just doing what you can to save others and that's what makes you a good man. You're not trying to earn glory, you're not trying to be the best man in the room. You're trying to make sure everyone benefits even for those who died so I'll give you kindness, too,'

Lucifer smiles as she then says, 'Every life you took on that battlefield that day and every person you've ever killed, a majority of them passed on to a better life. It will be the same for those children,' I shake Lucifer's hand and Lucifer smiles, 'I don't give out free deals. You will have to do me a favor one day. I will also continue to help you with Zamiel where I can. Now onto the matter at hand,' I nod, 'This vampire is over 10,000 years old,' I am completely worried as this is the first time I've ever heard it, I've never fought someone that strong. 'That vampire must die. They owe hell a debt and that debt must be paid,' I nod, 'Also regarding our favor, you won't have to worry about it for at least 400 years but in 400 years, we will have to talk. We'll also maintain communication. If you ever need to talk to me or to get in contact with me, you only need to say my name. Zamiel will never know. Goodbye Apollos Morten,'