Location: High Order Facility ->Hell
How many days had passed since the last time the High Order members let her outside? How many months? Years? To Luciana it seemed like a lifetime. All she knew were the white walls and fluorescent lights of the facility she grew up in with the occasional, heavily supervised trip outside. She had long since stopped trying to escape during these times. Though when she was younger it was common for her to try to take off when they let her outside. She was currently locked in her blank white room while the members of the Order did, gods only knew what. Luci wasn’t really sure what the Order wanted with her. Did they want an object to worship, or a slave, or a weapon. It seemed that what they wanted changed on a daily basis. She was thankful for days like this, when they left her alone, although simultaneously she hated them. It gave her too much time to think. Too much time to stare at the blank walls and remember all the awful things they had done to her for as long as she could remember. One would think that she would be able to spend this time, alone, in silence, to sleep but she didn’t get much of that done either. Her mind wandered to what she would do if she ever managed to escape from the Order. Get stronger, come back and take the whole damn organization out? Fly far away and forget any of this ever happened? Luci found herself daydreaming about a world she had never seen, a world she longed to be a part of, a world where the High Order and their need to harness all things “holy” didn’t exist. It was her only escape and one she gladly welcomed.
Lust had traveled through the night to a site she had gained information on that was outside New York City in a rural area. The small farm was a dirt farm that almost looked abandoned if it wasn’t for the lights on near the grain silo.
“Still have to keep a light on for air traffic.” She chuckled darkly and landed in a nearby field then set off on foot so she wouldn't be discovered on approach.
An hour later Lust sat at the edge of a field of grass watching the four guards pace. Two were on a catwalk that circled the silo and the other two were walking around it on the ground. From this distance she could barely hear the guards but one spoke about the fiery object that looked like it crashed in a field over. Also that the scout group would be back soon. If she was going to make her move she might wanna do it now. She then got low and moved closer behind some vehicles and then behind a shed. The silo was only a handful of yards away now. Flight would make too much noise and she couldn’t let the men on the top catwalk spot her. Sighing she did something she didn’t like doing and gave herself over to the Sin of Lust even further. Her skin began to shimmer and she became more alluring then she expanded her mind towards the silo and felt the men there and grabbed at them before standing fully and ripping her skirt lightly. “She then ran around the shed and to the men.
“Someone please help me! A creature is after me. It fell out of the sky and…and…killed my boyfriend!” she gasped for air as if she had been out of it and running for a while. These men at first readied their guns but then as she got into reach with her ability they dropped them and asked if she was ok. One man told the two up top to keep an eye on the field for the creature. In their minds she looked like a normal girl instead of a blue horned demon, well normal as a busty college girl looked with a ripped skirt and tears running down her face was. She mentally groaned as their lizard caveman brains took over. One even offered his coat to her with his badge attached. With that she begged them to be let inside the silo out of fear then the two men looked at one another and let her inside, but was told to wait. Quickly she went in and smiled to herself. Inside was an elevator with a slot for a key card. She almost cackled before she turned then lit her finger with a white hot flame and began to weld the metal of the door and wall together. Shouts rang out as she did but it would be a while before they could make it through so she went to the elevator and slipped in the card that let her down the access shaft.
Once at the bottom she exited into a stark white hallway. The place looked like a psycheward from the olden days and Lust shuddered. She made her way down a hallway to what looked like a nurses station that was unguarded. Seems they might have sent the people inside to be the search party she guessed as she sat down and began to type at the old computer. After a minute she found what she was looking for.
“Project Nephilim, time to go collect that DNA sample.” Just then an explosion sounded from above and she knew she didn't have long. The lights went dim and a red glow accompanied with an alarm that sounded like a tornado siren went off. “Shit!” She ran down the hallway and crashed through a set of doors headed to the end of the complex where she hoped to find the lab or whatever held the sample.
Luci had been lost in thought for a while staring at the blank ceiling. It got to the point that she wasn’t even sure what she was thinking about anymore. Something about space and stars but it wasn’t really anything specific. She liked the stars, at least the one time she got to see them. Since then she fantasized about them a lot. She was sure she made them out to be much better than they actually were, but still, getting to see them again would be nice even for a short time. Maybe she could request that on one of the good days, since sometimes they would let her pick her reward.
As her mind wandered she heard the faint sound of an explosion. It was rare that something like that happened here but it wasn’t new to here. Sometimes things in the labs would explode, or the guards topside would get bored. However the explosion was followed by alarms blaring and the lights going red. Luci scrambled to her feet moving to the back of the room as she had been directed to do when this happened. Someone would be in to collect her if they felt the need to do so and they didn’t like when she was near the door when they entered.
It seemed like forever when a guard opened the door to her room (cell) and roughly grabbed her arm to pull her along.
“What is going on?” She asked, her voice strained, she hadn’t spoken in a while so her vocal cords hadn’t had a chance to warm up. The guard said nothing and only pulled her down the hallway deeper into the facility. It seemed wrong to her, if there was an emergency wouldn’t they want to get out? What was happening, why were they not headed toward the exit? “Where are we going?” She asked, panic now in her voice.
“Just shut up and follow me.” Was the only response she got from the guard. He didn’t even look at her when he spoke. Panicked Luci tried to resist his pull causing his grip to tighten and the man to pull her harder along, to the point where she had almost lost her footing. She would bruise from his grip for sure. The two moved down the halls silently for a moment, the only sound being the alarm his booted footsteps and the slaps of her bare feet against the facility’s cold tiled floor. In this time Luci had imagined about a million horrible things they could be planning for her. If something had happened where they couldn’t move toward the exit to relocate her would they kill her? She didn’t doubt it, but she figured if they were going to kill her they would have just done so in her room, there would be no point in moving here. Was there a secret back exit she didn’t know about? It was possible. Once again she struggled against the man’s grip this time with more strength behind it than he could counter. Honestly nothing but fear was stopping her from using her abilities. If she attacked this man, and they captured her again, she would be punished, at the same time, if she managed to escape, she would be free. Was this her chance? She would hate herself if she didn’t try, she would hate herself either way really.
Gathering up her courage she decided to try it. After freeing herself from the man’s grip she caused a flash of light to go off right in front of his face, giving her time to turn around and run. Though she hadn’t thought about what to do after this. There were more people in the facility, surely they were all concentrated near the main doors if they were going somewhere else, surely she would get caught there. It was too late now though, she had made her decision she couldn’t go back on it now. So she ran, she ran as fast as she could until she could turn a corner and bend the light around her to hide herself. If she moved slow enough, and stayed to the edge of the walls, she should be able to stay hidden to anyone who wasn’t paying enough attention. Though she could only hold it for a short while. Eventually she had to stop in a lab near her cell to catch her breath, which she hadn’t realized she had been holding.
Lust ran avoiding hallways with voices and a brilliant light shone around a corner and a guard fell over into view. Lust ran at him and stomped his face to knock him out and took off. Stopping at an intersection she sniffed the air picking up a strange scent and followed it. The lab had to be here but this strange scent smelled divine in nature, which was weird cause a sample shouldnt have that strong of a scent. Stopping, she found the lab doors and the scent came from inside. Lust was now very cautious and slowly opened the door.
“Hello? Anyone in here?” She stepped in and slowly walked till she found a girl huddled in the corner.
Luci had only been in the lab for about a minute when the door opened and a voice sounded through it. It was an unfamiliar voice but still she didn’t trust it. She was about to attempt to hide herself again when the woman who the voice belonged to entered the room, spotting her in the far corner. It took a moment for Luci to fully register what she was looking at. The woman in front of her was definitely not human blue skin, horns, pointed ears. Though her skin seemed to be free of any Order brandings, so either they were hidden in areas Luci could not see, the woman had never been branded, or this woman was what put the facility on high alert. Either way Luci stood as quickly as her tired legs would let her. The hospital-like gown she wore did not cover her own scared arms as she extended them in front of her.
“S-Stay back.” She stuttered out her voice betraying her even as she extended her wings to try to make herself seem bigger than she was. She was fully prepared to defend herself, her hand glowing with a faint golden light. Though she had no clue how that would work out against this woman in front of her. She was blocking Luci’s escape route so honestly what would she be able to do? Probably nothing, but she didn’t want to risk this woman working with the Order. Luci would be severely punished for her escape attempt.
Lust took a step or two back as the little girl threatened her then ducked as two high order members ran by.
“Put that out girl!” Lust said in a harsh whisper.
“This room is dark and your light gives us away!” Lust then took an IV stand, stripped it down to just a bar, and inserted it in the door handles before bending it like it was nothing so the doors couldn't be opened.
“My name is Alice. I was sent to get you out of here. Please let me help get you away from this place.” As Lust said this she was scooting closer to Luci and as she had noticed the scars.
“These people deserve to burn for what they have done to you…” Alice was in control now as a memory took hold of a few years she had been in a state home. The other girls torturing her and the boys…well they were worse. Shaking away the memory Lust’s energy slid back into place and Alice could feel the calm cool demeanor take back over.
“All you have to say is get me out of this place and I’ll grant that wish.” Alice extended her hand towards Luci as the soldiers from before tried the door finding it locked then trying to break in.
“I…” Luci paused as the woman bent an IV pole around the door handles. The action both confused and startled her. Though it stopped to make her second guess her initial thought that this woman was with The Order. She hadn’t fully processed what the woman said at first, but when the Order men started trying to break the doors down she was sure the woman was her ticket out. Why would they go to such an extent to trick her if not?
“I want out, please get me out.” She wasn’t sure what would happen after those words came out of her mouth but regardless they did and the light on her extended hands faded as she placed one of her hand’s into the woman’s extended one. If this was her chance to escape she was going to take it.
As Alice took the girl's hand she felt her skin burn at first and noticed that Lust’s influence faded. A warmth had spread through Alice and as it did she felt clear. Outwardly Alice’s horns shrank into her head, the heat that had been in her skin cooled, and while she was still blue she became a lighter shade. Alice then stopped for a second as her mind became wrapped in another memory but this one very recent. A man and a woman stood in a cell pleading to Alice who had been Lust at the time. They had said that all they wanted was their little girl back. They felt like they had only been gone for a second and now their daughter was this person bringing them to the ruler of hell? Pain flared through Alice’s mind as she recognised their faces. Her parents…were alive?
Shaking memories off for the second time as the High order was beating down the door she took a crystal out of her pocket and smashed it on the floor. Where she did, a portal opened, heat and the smell of sulfur drifted through.
“Trust me for now this place is going to be alot better and I need you to play along.” Her eyes, different than they were a moment ago, pleaded with open honesty that this was going to be rough but Alice would get her through this one way or another.
Luci watched as the woman seemed to give pause for a moment, her appearance changing ever so slightly as she did so. Her hand heated slightly when it connected with the other woman’s, but only briefly to the point where Luci wasn’t sure it had actually happened. She flinched a little as the crystal was smashed on the floor and pulled back a bit when the portal opened. It was hot, and it smelled, and Luci wasn’t sure where it was, but at the moment it was anywhere but here. She tried to comprehend what this woman meant by needing to play along, and the expression on the woman’s face was one Luci couldn’t quite read, though she made note of the changes in her facial features. Nodding Luci gave the woman a very tentative
“Okay.” She wasn’t sure she trusted this person, but anywhere but the High Order sounded like a solid option for now. If she needed she would fight and claw her way to freedom from there, this was only the first step, the hardest one she hoped. She wanted to trust this woman but she couldn’t help but start coming up with back-up plans in case this was an elaborate trap.
Alice grabbed Luci quickly and rolled through the portal as the door burst open. Quickly Alice grabbed with her mind at a medical cart making it tumble into the way of the man that broke through the door. The cart fell halfway through the portal and onto the stone floor cutting part of it in half as the portal closed. Alice quickly grabbed a syringe that had landed on the stone and stood still holding Luci as she ran down a corridor before Mephisto was alerted.
“Sorry by the way. My name is Alice, I have a long story to tell but to make it short I was tricked into finding a piece of Divine which I guess is you. I don’t know what you did kid but you pushed my inner demon away and showed me a memory that was used to trick me. I am going to make this right but this is going to hurt.” They came to a very large door and Alice stood Luci in front of her sticking the syringe in her arm drawing blood as the door opened. A servant stepped out and Alice took it by the horns.
“Listen this girl is under my protection and therefore under Al’s. She is a prisoner of ours and is to be treated like a guest but isn’t allowed to leave.” As she said this her demonic side began to take over again but it felt different this time as if she was more in control and her horns grew back with her voice deepening.
“UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS ANYONE BUT AL AND I TO KNOW SHE IS HERE!” She looked at Luci and calmed.
“Again I am sorry kid but you will be as safe as you could be here and I won’t leave you here. Just give me a while to lie my way out of here and get my parents somehow.” With that she turned as the servant took the girl inside Al’s chambers. Alice looked down as her skin began to glow once more and in her hand rested a syringe filled with blood that pulsed with a white light every so often.
To say that Luci was experiencing severe sensory overload would be an understatement. She could barely take in the woman’s, Alice’s words as she spoke. Piece of Divine, what was she talking about, as far as she was aware there wasn’t a shred of actual Divine power in her. She had constantly been told that she was nothing but a lab experiment. Luci was so lost she didn’t even process the syringe until it was already in her arm. She tried to move away but it was too late, Alice had already drawn some of her blood and was man handling another individual. Her brain however did pick up a very distinct word, prisoner. Great, out of the frying pan and into the fire, the thought frantically looking for an escape. There was one huge problem. She had no clue where she was. Deciding to play along for now, as Alice had instructed she was led into the chambers where she wandered a bit and eventually found somewhere to lay down and stare at the ceiling, unsure what exactly was going to happen next but mentally preparing for the worst.
A single tear dropped from her eye as Alice heard the door close. She had to suck it up now otherwise she'd be no good to her parents or the little girl. Steeling herself she entered the maze like halls and finally got to the torture chambers where she knew Mephisto would be. Entering she marched up to his side as he looked out over the pits.
"Took me a little longer but I've found it. It has to be the real deal cause I can feel it weakening me. May I take my leave to recover my lord?" Mephisto turned his head and smirked. "Finally though I'd hoped for the whole angel. Midnight told me that Cull had a very opposing effect on him. No doubt that is going to set a blaze under the magician. I might have to send you after him. Of course you'll need a bump in power for that.” He took the syringe from her as he spoke and sneered. “Once I have corrupted this blood with the Tear you'll have all the power you need. As will I as I ascend the true throne of hell. We will rule hell and earth once I am finished then we will use the mad titan as our herald into space.” Fear chilled Alice’s blood and for the first time she felt what it was really like to be in Mephisto’s presence. She had been Lust during the other times and had the demonic confidence but she knew now that fear is what Lust should have felt. She smirked and bowed.
“Yes my lord. May I take my leave?” He side eyed her and gave a wave of his hand dismissing her and she walked as calmly as she could from the room, back into the maze of hallways to get to Alistar’s room.
Shadow Dragon
sly13
