Need to read from the beginning? Click here for Chapter ZERO.
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Sybil had not seen him in all the years since she'd left that place and even today he struck a strange obeisance in her heart that she wanted to fall to her knees at once. An impulse forged by years of training kept her knees above the ground and she stood facing the man who'd made her into what she was.
"I need your help, father."
Lucifer smiled at her and it curdled her blood. "Of course you do, my darling. It's been so many years and you chose to call upon me now? In your time of need?"
"It's about blood. Your blood. And The Thirteen have dared to defy it."
"Now, now, are you trying to emotionally blackmail your old man? Talking of blood? What about all the years that I missed your company? The joy I missed of watching my seed flourish?"
"You will no longer have a flourishing seed if I don't make it out of this time loop tonight. There are greater forces in motion and the fate of the world might be in danger."
Satan sighed. "Understand this, sweetheart. The fate of the world is always in danger. But what matters is what you can do in the here and now. So, tell me what do you have to offer in return for my help?"
Sybil's eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to bargain with your named daughter?"
"What else did you expect when you called Hell's ruler to this devil forsaken place? A time loop, of all things? I should take you back just to teach you a lesson for this kind of transgression on my time."
"Father, I don't want to lose my son. I need your help."
Lucifer laughed. A sound that shriveled the grass at his feet. "Oh, I'd help you. I'd love to do that. But can you help me too?"
"You want another year, don't you? I agree if that's the case."
"A year in my company. In hell and without the company of your usual retinue. Is it agreed?"
Sybil said nothing. It was too much. But she didn’t see any other way out without Morningstar’s help.
"I agree. Now tell me how to get out of this jam."
A smug expression shrouded Lucifer's face. "Now listen closely my dearest, for I will tell this only once and after that, once you've decoded my meaning, you will be on your own. This is your fight and even though every denizen of hell would be watching, we don't want to spoon feed your victories to you. Earn them."
And so he told her. He sat down and spoke of angels, a story that was more song than was words. Who knew the ruler of Hell could be so poetic. Lucifer pulled an ancient desire, a tune, a song, a memory from the recesses of his mind corrupted by years of loneliness. He spoke, he whispered, and he sang.
Once he was done, tears were streaming down Sybil's eyes.
For the first time this night, she knew what she had to do.
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Sybil had not seen him in all the years since she'd left that place and even today he struck a strange obeisance in her heart that she wanted to fall to her knees at once. An impulse forged by years of training kept her knees above the ground and she stood facing the man who'd made her into what she was.
"I need your help, father."
Lucifer smiled at her and it curdled her blood. "Of course you do, my darling. It's been so many years and you chose to call upon me now? In your time of need?"
"It's about blood. Your blood. And The Thirteen have dared to defy it."
"Now, now, are you trying to emotionally blackmail your old man? Talking of blood? What about all the years that I missed your company? The joy I missed of watching my seed flourish?"
"You will no longer have a flourishing seed if I don't make it out of this time loop tonight. There are greater forces in motion and the fate of the world might be in danger."
Satan sighed. "Understand this, sweetheart. The fate of the world is always in danger. But what matters is what you can do in the here and now. So, tell me what do you have to offer in return for my help?"
Sybil's eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to bargain with your named daughter?"
"What else did you expect when you called Hell's ruler to this devil forsaken place? A time loop, of all things? I should take you back just to teach you a lesson for this kind of transgression on my time."
"Father, I don't want to lose my son. I need your help."
Lucifer laughed. A sound that shriveled the grass at his feet. "Oh, I'd help you. I'd love to do that. But can you help me too?"
"You want another year, don't you? I agree if that's the case."
"A year in my company. In hell and without the company of your usual retinue. Is it agreed?"
Sybil said nothing. It was too much. But she didn’t see any other way out without Morningstar’s help.
"I agree. Now tell me how to get out of this jam."
A smug expression shrouded Lucifer's face. "Now listen closely my dearest, for I will tell this only once and after that, once you've decoded my meaning, you will be on your own. This is your fight and even though every denizen of hell would be watching, we don't want to spoon feed your victories to you. Earn them."
And so he told her. He sat down and spoke of angels, a story that was more song than was words. Who knew the ruler of Hell could be so poetic. Lucifer pulled an ancient desire, a tune, a song, a memory from the recesses of his mind corrupted by years of loneliness. He spoke, he whispered, and he sang.
Once he was done, tears were streaming down Sybil's eyes.
For the first time this night, she knew what she had to do.
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I hope everyone is liking it so far.
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