Corruption
Chapter VIII
A warm body curled up next to mine woke me.
“What are you doing?” I asked, but she was fast asleep. In her sleep she had shifted closer to me, and the touch of her burnt skin, leaking heat, had woken me.
“Wake up, Lilium.”
“Mmmm?”
“I think I’m going to heal the rest of your burns now.”
“Are... are you sure?”
“Yes. It will be better for us all if I do. Are you ready?”
She nodded, and allowed me to deliver the venom, and when I pulled away, she just looked down. She couldn’t look me in the eye.
“Why are you embarrassed?”
“I don’t know. I’m not. It’s just... it’s awkward. You’re... the first person to have ever had that sort of contact with me and it was just to heal me. It just feels weird.”
I grinned. “It doesn’t have to be just to heal you. You’re a beautiful girl, Lilium. You are. Any guy would be lucky to have you.”
“I don’t want any guy.”
I rolled my eyes. “Get over it, Lilium. I will be perfectly honest, you’ll never be happy here in Hell. It’s not possible. It will never work. Get over it. He’s Lucifer. He’s pure evil. And most of all, he’s...” I froze. What if she wasn’t supposed to know that?
“He’s what?”
“Well.... He’s still in love with Persephone. Raven as she goes by now.”
“Oh,” she said, and I could see the heartbreak in her eyes. “I see. It just... it hurts.”
“I understand.”
“No, I don’t think you do,” she objected. “I don’t think you do at all. I’m so completely alone. My brother has been taken by Lucifer, my family is gone from me forever, I have no friends. I have no one. I am alone, and that hurts. No matter how awful it was, at least he was around. At least he was with me.”
“He’ll always be watching you,” I said warily, unsure if she was really upset or if it was the enzymes kicking in. Probably some of both.
“Let me guess what he said he was planning. He’s going to have you seduce me and until you do I’m with you here. Lust. And you have no say in the matter because that’s how he is.”
I was shocked by just how close she really was. “Yes.”
“Surprise, surprise,” she muttered sarcastically. “Wanna just get it over with? I’m already out of my mind anyways.”
I shook my head, irritated at her stupidity. "Grow up."
"I'm serious," she said, looking at me, though her eyes were out of focus.
"You're not in your right mind. Stop."
"But I don't wanna be alone," she whined.
"I'm leaving now," I muttered disgusted, turning away.
"Shut up," she whispered. "Don't say shit like that."
"What?" I looked back, but she wasn't looking at me.
"No! Don't criticize me! I'm the one stuck here." She paused, hearing a response that didn't exist. "No, I'm not. How on earth am I losing anything by doing that? It doesn't matter."
"Who are you...?"
"I'll do what I want," she hissed. "Who are you to tell me my 'destiny'? I will not 'rule' as you say. Just stop. I won’t be with him. He's not here, he doesn’t care, he will never choose me. Do not bring this back up again," she added harshly, and then her eyes fell on me.
"Oh. Um, sorry about that."
“What was that?”
“The spirits were talking to me.”
“The... the dress?”
They shifted around her to form new clothing, but instead of sticking in one single form, they formed a dark grey mist around her body below her neck, burying her in the clouds.
“They are angry at me.”
“They can talk to you?” I asked, shocked. I had never, ever heard of spirits talking to anyone other than Lucifer. Not even demons could without Lucifer there to give them the ability to.
“Yes. They told me... Lucifer is my destiny. I’m meant to rule beside him according to them. They said that I shouldn’t give myself to anyone else or it will just hurt me later.”
“The spirits are very rarely wrong,” I said quietly. “If they say you will rule by Master’s side, you will.”
“I will have nothing to with him,” she said darkly. “If he intends to just leave me here then he can go enjoy his lovely little sex toys’ company.”
I just nodded in agreement, knowing I couldn’t reason with her and saw no reason to.
“I don’t wanna be here,” she muttered angrily. “I don’t wanna be here. I just want to get Caius out and then do whatever is asked of me. Chain me to a wall and leave me, put to into eternal sleep, I don’t care. I just want to finish what I started.”
“Why does it matter so much that you get him out? Isn’t he liable to end up back here anyways?”
“What... what do you mean?”
“Well, he doesn’t strike me as the type to go to Heaven from what you’ve said.”
She looked puzzled. “But... but I’m getting him out. He’ll have another chance. He’ll have a chance to be safe from torment. Wouldn’t he take it?”
“I don’t know. It depends on the type of person he is.”
She looked slightly puzzled, but just looked sadly at me. “You’re the first person here to be even remotely nice to me. Probably for the same reasons as the rest. Please just go. I won’t make you pretend to like me because he said to.”
“I don’t have a choice, Lilium. Understand that I’m stuck here under his rule as much as you are. I either do as he says and commit a smaller sin in order to maintain my less sinful life. If I don’t, he’ll put a whip in my hand and push me to the torture chambers. It’s the lesser of two evils. It’s the same you’re in. You’d rather lose your innocence than let your brother rot in Hell. You’re... selfless.”
She laughed mirthlessly. “You don’t know me. I am my own person. I just want to get Caius out and move on. Selfless is hardly in my vocabulary let alone my character description.”
“So that’s what he’s been doing. Undermining you. I should have known. It’s one of his favorite tactics. He’s gone for now. We have two months. Two months to get your task completed. Two months of pain free life for you.”
“He... he isn’t going to hurt me?” she asked, caught off guard.
“He agreed not to hurt you. We have two months until that agreement is terminated. Is that alright with you?”
“Why would you do that?”
“So I can stop shoving my tongue down your throat just to heal you,” I mocked, and she looked irritated.
“Well, I can’t. I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Look, I appreciate you giving me these two months, but I can’t do it. I can’t do it. I’m not like that.”
“Listen to me very closely, Lilium. Your spirits are right. Listen to them no matter how much it hurts to hear. While they may say not to give your body away, you haven’t the choice. You need to do what it takes to get Caius out of here, and you will eventually come to rule Hell and Persephone was intended to. Lucifer is a very... strong willed demon to say the least, and he can make you life horrible, or he can make it bliss beyond all bliss. Aim for the middle. Take the lesser of two evils. I’ve seen the girls he has chosen before and you’re different.”
“What... what do you mean? How am I different?”
“Well, something about you is different. Maybe it’s your whole demeanor. But you must do as the spirits say for the most part.”
“Can I ask you something? Please?”
“Yes.”
“Does he care?”
I understood her question perfectly, but I knew she wouldn’t like the answer. “Lilium, he’s Lucifer. He cares about no one but himself. His so called love for Persephone has become warped into just an obsession. He doesn’t care about you and never will.”
The mist of the spirits swirled around her, turning a dark black, and lifting her into the air as if in a tornado.
Her arms spread so her body was in a “t” shape, the mist so black it was plain it was her aura the spirits were portraying, though they were no longer covering her body, and the only part of her body covered was a small silver chain on her ankle.
Her eyes began to glow a bright silver, her mouth opening and spewing the same silver light that began to pour from all over her body. I was shocked. Never in all of my time had I seen anything quite like this.
“Testing me is futile. I will not fail. Caius will be released, and Lucifer shall not be my master but rather my equal. My innocence shall not abandon me. You will all support me!” she screamed, her voice resonating with a power unlike anything I’d seen in a very long time. “I have to blood of angels through my veins, I was raised in the darkness of hatred. Between these two factors I am not to be used, I am not to be beaten.”
It was obvious that it wasn’t her speaking, but someone speaking for her. Lucifer appeared next to me and stared dumbfounded.
“Lucifer, I see you. Know you run out of time quickly. You will regret letting go, for it won’t stay yours. Phenex, you will come to own something of great value. Treasure it. I cannot survive without it and not many will have the chance to save it. I will be the great redeemer of Hell.”
“What will I let go of then?” snapped Lucifer.
The glow enshrouded him as her eyes moved down towards him. “My heart will not be yours should you let go. Decide quickly.”
“I don’t care about your stupid little heart.”
The mouth curved into a smirk, and the eyes turned to me, and I felt them boring into my very soul. “You will own it, then. Take care of it. This girl is your only chance to return.”
The glowing began to subside from her eyes as they closed, and she fell back to the cloud bed and the spirits formed a white gown around her motionless form, making her appear a murdered bride.
Lucifer shook in anger and turned to me. “What. The. Fuck. Was. That?”
“I don’t know.”
“Whatever. If it happens again, let me know,” he muttered, obviously not sure what to think, and he just left.
“Lilium,” I whispered, and walked over to her, seeing her unconscious form laying down peacefully. I felt for a pulse and it was gone. Her body was... dead. She was dead?
“Lilium, wake up. Please wake up,” I said, unsure what to do.
“She won’t wake,” whispered a voice from behind me. “Please don’t turn around, though.”
It was her. “What... what just happened?”
“I’m not quite sure. I don’t remember. I just know that she’s dead. I’m dead.”
“So your soul and your body were separated?”
“Yes. The spirits stayed with me. They’re a part of my soul now. My body may be laid to rest.”
“Weren’t you... judged?”
*
One moment I was sitting in the clouds with Phenex and the next I was a very different set of clouds beside an angel.
“Hello, Lilium.”
“Hi,” I murmured nervously. “What’s going on?”
“You’ve died,” he said simply. “Your body and soul were separated. And now you are here to be judged.”
“For what? My past sins?”
“Yes. But... you’re a special exception. You’re to speak to the Almighty.”
“I am to see him?”
“No, but you will hear him.”
The angel vanished and a soft voice spoke to me. “Hello, Lilium. You are a special, special girl. Did you know that?”
“No,” I said nervously. I couldn’t find any fitting adjectives for His voice.
“You are. You are to be the counterpart to Lucifer. You will rule in Hell to help bring equality. You will be the one to bring reprieve to the souls down there, tormented. This is their chance to repent and return to Earth for another chance.”
“Why me?”
“Because you are pure. You’ve made your small mistakes, but you are altogether a very strong, wonderful woman. You will do an excellent job.”
“But what about... my Envy? Lust? Pride?”
“Lilium, you are human. You make the small infractions but you let them go and you commit them to save your brother. Selflessness is your nature. Phenex coined it. You will be the one to save the suffering. You will not be able to help anyone on Earth, but those in Hell will now have a chance, a chance to return and try again. A chance to not make the same mistakes. You will be their only hope.”
“What about the things Lucifer wished me to do in order to save my brother?”
“Complete his tasks if you can bring yourself to. It will not be easy to save those souls. You will have a difficult journey in front of you. Are you prepared?”
“Yes, Lord.”
“Good. Go in peace. And know you will never be alone.”
*
“Yes, I was,” she said hesitantly.
“What’s wrong?”
“I have some... big shoes to fill.”
“What do you mean?”
“I spoke with... Him. I... I am to save souls from Hell.”
“What?” I asked, completely flabbergasted. This... this could be my chance. My one and only chance to go back.
“That’s what he said. If the souls repent, they can have the chance to return to Earth and try again.”
“Interesting.I wonder how Lucifer will take that news.”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. Somehow... I don’t know what happened maybe it was when my soul and body separated, but I no longer feel any connection to him. I just feel... free. I feel freed of those bonds.”
“I see. Well, Lilium, that’s... incredible. Now why can’t I turn around?”
“My soul looks weird. I don’t look the same.”
“It’s alright, Lilium. I don’t care what you look like.” I turned and found her sitting in the clouds, her soul light. Very light. Her eyes were a light gold, her skin almost a translucent white, her hair a light silvery color. Everything about her was white. Even the clothes on her were light.
It was a stark contrast to how she used to look. Dark hair with violet eyes. No longer. She wasn’t even the same person.
“You look good.”
She smiled at me. “I can tell what you’re thinking.”
“What? Only Lucifer can do that,” I said, dismissing the thought.
“I’m your chance. Your chance to get back to heaven. I don’t know what I told you but it bothers you. When I seemed... possessed. You are deeply disturbed by it. You’re worried. It has something to do with going back to heaven. I promise to send you back once I learn how and get Caius back to Earth.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, shock rendering me speechless. After thousands of years stuck here, I finally had my chance. I had my chance to leave. “But how did you know what I was thinking?”
“I don’t know. I just felt it.”
“Interesting... Well, I suppose now it’s time to get some breakfast,” I said, grinning. For the first time in thousands of years, I had hope again.
“What are you doing?” I asked, but she was fast asleep. In her sleep she had shifted closer to me, and the touch of her burnt skin, leaking heat, had woken me.
“Wake up, Lilium.”
“Mmmm?”
“I think I’m going to heal the rest of your burns now.”
“Are... are you sure?”
“Yes. It will be better for us all if I do. Are you ready?”
She nodded, and allowed me to deliver the venom, and when I pulled away, she just looked down. She couldn’t look me in the eye.
“Why are you embarrassed?”
“I don’t know. I’m not. It’s just... it’s awkward. You’re... the first person to have ever had that sort of contact with me and it was just to heal me. It just feels weird.”
I grinned. “It doesn’t have to be just to heal you. You’re a beautiful girl, Lilium. You are. Any guy would be lucky to have you.”
“I don’t want any guy.”
I rolled my eyes. “Get over it, Lilium. I will be perfectly honest, you’ll never be happy here in Hell. It’s not possible. It will never work. Get over it. He’s Lucifer. He’s pure evil. And most of all, he’s...” I froze. What if she wasn’t supposed to know that?
“He’s what?”
“Well.... He’s still in love with Persephone. Raven as she goes by now.”
“Oh,” she said, and I could see the heartbreak in her eyes. “I see. It just... it hurts.”
“I understand.”
“No, I don’t think you do,” she objected. “I don’t think you do at all. I’m so completely alone. My brother has been taken by Lucifer, my family is gone from me forever, I have no friends. I have no one. I am alone, and that hurts. No matter how awful it was, at least he was around. At least he was with me.”
“He’ll always be watching you,” I said warily, unsure if she was really upset or if it was the enzymes kicking in. Probably some of both.
“Let me guess what he said he was planning. He’s going to have you seduce me and until you do I’m with you here. Lust. And you have no say in the matter because that’s how he is.”
I was shocked by just how close she really was. “Yes.”
“Surprise, surprise,” she muttered sarcastically. “Wanna just get it over with? I’m already out of my mind anyways.”
I shook my head, irritated at her stupidity. "Grow up."
"I'm serious," she said, looking at me, though her eyes were out of focus.
"You're not in your right mind. Stop."
"But I don't wanna be alone," she whined.
"I'm leaving now," I muttered disgusted, turning away.
"Shut up," she whispered. "Don't say shit like that."
"What?" I looked back, but she wasn't looking at me.
"No! Don't criticize me! I'm the one stuck here." She paused, hearing a response that didn't exist. "No, I'm not. How on earth am I losing anything by doing that? It doesn't matter."
"Who are you...?"
"I'll do what I want," she hissed. "Who are you to tell me my 'destiny'? I will not 'rule' as you say. Just stop. I won’t be with him. He's not here, he doesn’t care, he will never choose me. Do not bring this back up again," she added harshly, and then her eyes fell on me.
"Oh. Um, sorry about that."
“What was that?”
“The spirits were talking to me.”
“The... the dress?”
They shifted around her to form new clothing, but instead of sticking in one single form, they formed a dark grey mist around her body below her neck, burying her in the clouds.
“They are angry at me.”
“They can talk to you?” I asked, shocked. I had never, ever heard of spirits talking to anyone other than Lucifer. Not even demons could without Lucifer there to give them the ability to.
“Yes. They told me... Lucifer is my destiny. I’m meant to rule beside him according to them. They said that I shouldn’t give myself to anyone else or it will just hurt me later.”
“The spirits are very rarely wrong,” I said quietly. “If they say you will rule by Master’s side, you will.”
“I will have nothing to with him,” she said darkly. “If he intends to just leave me here then he can go enjoy his lovely little sex toys’ company.”
I just nodded in agreement, knowing I couldn’t reason with her and saw no reason to.
“I don’t wanna be here,” she muttered angrily. “I don’t wanna be here. I just want to get Caius out and then do whatever is asked of me. Chain me to a wall and leave me, put to into eternal sleep, I don’t care. I just want to finish what I started.”
“Why does it matter so much that you get him out? Isn’t he liable to end up back here anyways?”
“What... what do you mean?”
“Well, he doesn’t strike me as the type to go to Heaven from what you’ve said.”
She looked puzzled. “But... but I’m getting him out. He’ll have another chance. He’ll have a chance to be safe from torment. Wouldn’t he take it?”
“I don’t know. It depends on the type of person he is.”
She looked slightly puzzled, but just looked sadly at me. “You’re the first person here to be even remotely nice to me. Probably for the same reasons as the rest. Please just go. I won’t make you pretend to like me because he said to.”
“I don’t have a choice, Lilium. Understand that I’m stuck here under his rule as much as you are. I either do as he says and commit a smaller sin in order to maintain my less sinful life. If I don’t, he’ll put a whip in my hand and push me to the torture chambers. It’s the lesser of two evils. It’s the same you’re in. You’d rather lose your innocence than let your brother rot in Hell. You’re... selfless.”
She laughed mirthlessly. “You don’t know me. I am my own person. I just want to get Caius out and move on. Selfless is hardly in my vocabulary let alone my character description.”
“So that’s what he’s been doing. Undermining you. I should have known. It’s one of his favorite tactics. He’s gone for now. We have two months. Two months to get your task completed. Two months of pain free life for you.”
“He... he isn’t going to hurt me?” she asked, caught off guard.
“He agreed not to hurt you. We have two months until that agreement is terminated. Is that alright with you?”
“Why would you do that?”
“So I can stop shoving my tongue down your throat just to heal you,” I mocked, and she looked irritated.
“Well, I can’t. I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Look, I appreciate you giving me these two months, but I can’t do it. I can’t do it. I’m not like that.”
“Listen to me very closely, Lilium. Your spirits are right. Listen to them no matter how much it hurts to hear. While they may say not to give your body away, you haven’t the choice. You need to do what it takes to get Caius out of here, and you will eventually come to rule Hell and Persephone was intended to. Lucifer is a very... strong willed demon to say the least, and he can make you life horrible, or he can make it bliss beyond all bliss. Aim for the middle. Take the lesser of two evils. I’ve seen the girls he has chosen before and you’re different.”
“What... what do you mean? How am I different?”
“Well, something about you is different. Maybe it’s your whole demeanor. But you must do as the spirits say for the most part.”
“Can I ask you something? Please?”
“Yes.”
“Does he care?”
I understood her question perfectly, but I knew she wouldn’t like the answer. “Lilium, he’s Lucifer. He cares about no one but himself. His so called love for Persephone has become warped into just an obsession. He doesn’t care about you and never will.”
The mist of the spirits swirled around her, turning a dark black, and lifting her into the air as if in a tornado.
Her arms spread so her body was in a “t” shape, the mist so black it was plain it was her aura the spirits were portraying, though they were no longer covering her body, and the only part of her body covered was a small silver chain on her ankle.
Her eyes began to glow a bright silver, her mouth opening and spewing the same silver light that began to pour from all over her body. I was shocked. Never in all of my time had I seen anything quite like this.
“Testing me is futile. I will not fail. Caius will be released, and Lucifer shall not be my master but rather my equal. My innocence shall not abandon me. You will all support me!” she screamed, her voice resonating with a power unlike anything I’d seen in a very long time. “I have to blood of angels through my veins, I was raised in the darkness of hatred. Between these two factors I am not to be used, I am not to be beaten.”
It was obvious that it wasn’t her speaking, but someone speaking for her. Lucifer appeared next to me and stared dumbfounded.
“Lucifer, I see you. Know you run out of time quickly. You will regret letting go, for it won’t stay yours. Phenex, you will come to own something of great value. Treasure it. I cannot survive without it and not many will have the chance to save it. I will be the great redeemer of Hell.”
“What will I let go of then?” snapped Lucifer.
The glow enshrouded him as her eyes moved down towards him. “My heart will not be yours should you let go. Decide quickly.”
“I don’t care about your stupid little heart.”
The mouth curved into a smirk, and the eyes turned to me, and I felt them boring into my very soul. “You will own it, then. Take care of it. This girl is your only chance to return.”
The glowing began to subside from her eyes as they closed, and she fell back to the cloud bed and the spirits formed a white gown around her motionless form, making her appear a murdered bride.
Lucifer shook in anger and turned to me. “What. The. Fuck. Was. That?”
“I don’t know.”
“Whatever. If it happens again, let me know,” he muttered, obviously not sure what to think, and he just left.
“Lilium,” I whispered, and walked over to her, seeing her unconscious form laying down peacefully. I felt for a pulse and it was gone. Her body was... dead. She was dead?
“Lilium, wake up. Please wake up,” I said, unsure what to do.
“She won’t wake,” whispered a voice from behind me. “Please don’t turn around, though.”
It was her. “What... what just happened?”
“I’m not quite sure. I don’t remember. I just know that she’s dead. I’m dead.”
“So your soul and your body were separated?”
“Yes. The spirits stayed with me. They’re a part of my soul now. My body may be laid to rest.”
“Weren’t you... judged?”
*
One moment I was sitting in the clouds with Phenex and the next I was a very different set of clouds beside an angel.
“Hello, Lilium.”
“Hi,” I murmured nervously. “What’s going on?”
“You’ve died,” he said simply. “Your body and soul were separated. And now you are here to be judged.”
“For what? My past sins?”
“Yes. But... you’re a special exception. You’re to speak to the Almighty.”
“I am to see him?”
“No, but you will hear him.”
The angel vanished and a soft voice spoke to me. “Hello, Lilium. You are a special, special girl. Did you know that?”
“No,” I said nervously. I couldn’t find any fitting adjectives for His voice.
“You are. You are to be the counterpart to Lucifer. You will rule in Hell to help bring equality. You will be the one to bring reprieve to the souls down there, tormented. This is their chance to repent and return to Earth for another chance.”
“Why me?”
“Because you are pure. You’ve made your small mistakes, but you are altogether a very strong, wonderful woman. You will do an excellent job.”
“But what about... my Envy? Lust? Pride?”
“Lilium, you are human. You make the small infractions but you let them go and you commit them to save your brother. Selflessness is your nature. Phenex coined it. You will be the one to save the suffering. You will not be able to help anyone on Earth, but those in Hell will now have a chance, a chance to return and try again. A chance to not make the same mistakes. You will be their only hope.”
“What about the things Lucifer wished me to do in order to save my brother?”
“Complete his tasks if you can bring yourself to. It will not be easy to save those souls. You will have a difficult journey in front of you. Are you prepared?”
“Yes, Lord.”
“Good. Go in peace. And know you will never be alone.”
*
“Yes, I was,” she said hesitantly.
“What’s wrong?”
“I have some... big shoes to fill.”
“What do you mean?”
“I spoke with... Him. I... I am to save souls from Hell.”
“What?” I asked, completely flabbergasted. This... this could be my chance. My one and only chance to go back.
“That’s what he said. If the souls repent, they can have the chance to return to Earth and try again.”
“Interesting.I wonder how Lucifer will take that news.”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. Somehow... I don’t know what happened maybe it was when my soul and body separated, but I no longer feel any connection to him. I just feel... free. I feel freed of those bonds.”
“I see. Well, Lilium, that’s... incredible. Now why can’t I turn around?”
“My soul looks weird. I don’t look the same.”
“It’s alright, Lilium. I don’t care what you look like.” I turned and found her sitting in the clouds, her soul light. Very light. Her eyes were a light gold, her skin almost a translucent white, her hair a light silvery color. Everything about her was white. Even the clothes on her were light.
It was a stark contrast to how she used to look. Dark hair with violet eyes. No longer. She wasn’t even the same person.
“You look good.”
She smiled at me. “I can tell what you’re thinking.”
“What? Only Lucifer can do that,” I said, dismissing the thought.
“I’m your chance. Your chance to get back to heaven. I don’t know what I told you but it bothers you. When I seemed... possessed. You are deeply disturbed by it. You’re worried. It has something to do with going back to heaven. I promise to send you back once I learn how and get Caius back to Earth.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, shock rendering me speechless. After thousands of years stuck here, I finally had my chance. I had my chance to leave. “But how did you know what I was thinking?”
“I don’t know. I just felt it.”
“Interesting... Well, I suppose now it’s time to get some breakfast,” I said, grinning. For the first time in thousands of years, I had hope again.