by Jan Kopia
“You condemned yourself to death the day you abandoned your sacred duty and crossed the portal into Earth,” Imara said. “We ceased to be your brothers and sisters. You sealed your fate when you walked away from us.”
“Walked away from you?” Lucifer asked. “I loved you all. I simply wanted something different. I wanted to experience something different.”
“You wanted power,” Imara replied calmly. “You did not want to live in service; you wanted to rule. And you believed Cronus when he said he cared for you.”
Patrick watched the exchange between the two angels, and he realized that perhaps the angels and Titans of Tartarus shared more in common with humanity than they realized.
“I was a fool,” Lucifer said softly. “To believe you could trust anyone. I have since learned that lesson, and I will not make it again.” She turned back to Patrick. “I have waited a long time for that key. Give it to me. Now.”
“Let Antonia go,” he said.
Lucifer turned to Antonia and the silver rope that bound her in place fell. Antonia slipped to her knees and Patrick ran to her side.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“Patrick,” Antonia gasped. “I’m so sorry… I should have believed you—”
“Don’t,” Patrick said. “It doesn’t matter now—"
“Antonia was kind enough to call you for me,” Lucifer said. “But do not be angry with her. She tried hard to fight against me, but in the end she realized it was pointless. I will always win. Always.”
Lucifer was trying to tell him that he had no choice in this either. She was letting him know that despite his resolve and determination, she would do to him what she had done to Antonia. She would break him.
Patrick felt a whisper of wind billow through the air and then Imara’s beautiful glowing wings engulfed him and Antonia. Their warmth flooded through his soul and he wondered if Antonia could feel the same thing.
“You cannot touch them,” Imara declared. “I will not let you.”
Lucifer raised her eyebrows. “I see. And you are going to protect them forever?”
“It is my sacred duty.”
“Duty?” Lucifer cried, her voice rising to an inhuman shriek. “Duty, duty, duty! Is that what your existence means? I cannot abide it.”
“Which is why you lost your wings,” Imara said. “You do miss your wings, don’t you, Lucifer?”
Patrick could see the loss in Lucifer's eyes. She gritted her teeth, threw back her head and screamed with fury. It was a sound that could make even the strongest man cower in fear. Patrick felt Antonia gasp and bury her head in her hands.
“I lost my wings,” Lucifer said, when she had spent her rage. “But I will not lose any more. I want what is mine. I have a job to finish.”
“You will never destroy Tartarus,” said Imara. “You will never destroy Earth.”
“You give me too much credit,” Lucifer said. She seemed to be in better control of herself. “Humanity did this to themselves, as did the Titans. I only want to help the process along. I will still be standing, even after everything else has crumbled to dust.”
“I won’t let you harm them,” Imara said, blanketing her wings over Patrick and Antonia.
“I don’t wish to harm them,” Lucifer replied. “I only want the key.”
“That will never happen,” Patrick said fiercely.
Lucifer smiled. “Oh I think it will,” she said.
“You cannot take it from him by force,” Imara pointed out. “He has to hand it to you of his own free will.”
“And that he will do,” Lucifer said confidently, a triumphant smile playing on her face. “In mere moments, he will approach me and hand over the key of his own free will.”
Patrick frowned. “What makes you think I will ever do that?” he demanded.
Lucifer’s eyes bored into his. “Because it is the only way to save your daughter.”
Patrick felt his soul flutter. Had he heard her correctly? What did she know about Tess?
“What did you say?” Patrick asked.
He rose shakily and took a step forward. He could feel Imara’s great wing curl around him, trying to keep him within the circle of her protection, but he was past caring. He didn’t care what Lucifer did to him. He would do anything if it meant finding Tess and saving her life, and he was pretty sure that Lucifer knew that too.
“Are you interested now, human?” Lucifer asked with a sneer. “Do you understand that this is no joke, and I am no merciful Titan?”
“Please,” Patrick heard himself say, in a voice that didn’t feel like his own. “Tell me where Tess is. Why can’t I feel her?”
A thin smile spread across Lucifer’s face. “You can’t feel her because her soul is no longer free. She is trapped. She is a prisoner. Her soul does not float around The Hades because her soul never made it here. Do you want to know why?”
“Yes,” Patrick said desperately. “Yes, please… tell me.”
“Patrick, please!” Antonia called from behind him. “Don’t listen to her! She’s a liar!”
Lucifer smiled triumphantly, and Patrick knew he was playing right into her hands. But how could he turn away from her now, knowing she had answers that no one else did?
“Tell me,” Patrick said, ignoring Antonia.
Lucifer nodded with satisfaction. “He’s learning,” she said. “Very well, I will tell you where Tess is. Or better yet, I can show you.”
Lucifer spread her arms out on either side of her. Patrick found himself taking a step back but he still couldn't take his eyes from her. Swirling mist seemed to engulf her form. As Lucifer lifted off the ground, Patrick thought he felt something familiar… was that Tess he felt? Was she close?
When Lucifer opened her eyes, they were filled with blood. She looked at Imara. “You want to know what I did with my time on earth, sweet sister? I became a collector. I collected the rare and the powerful— fresh, ripe souls, bursting with potential.”
She looked down at Patrick. “You want to see your daughter? Here she is.”
Lucifer brought forth a ball of light, so bright and beautiful that Patrick was forced to look away. But even though he couldn't see it with his own eyes, he could sense it burning fiercely.
“Tess,” Patrick breathed, as his eyes adjusted to the beautiful light and he tried to look up. “Tess?”
“Tess was one of those perfect souls,” Lucifer said. “So innocent, so loving. I added her to my collection, and she will remain in my collection until I need her.”
Patrick felt horror wrap itself around his being. Lucifer had his daughter’s soul.
“Lucifer,” Imara implored. “Those souls are not yours to keep.”
Lucifer ignored her. “This is my offer to you, Patrick,” she said. “Hand me the key, and I will release Tess’s soul. You and your daughter will be free to return to Earth and live out the rest of your lives. You will be able to watch Tess grow into a strong and mature young woman. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?”
Patrick opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Was he really willing to sacrifice the key? The answer came to him easily; there had never been a choice for him.
“Antonia,” Lucifer continued. “Your human life was cut short, but that doesn’t mean it has to end here. Join me, work with me; give me your loyalty and I will raise you high.”
“Patrick, Antonia, please,” Imara said. “You cannot trust her.”
“I am the only one who has given them a real choice," said Lucifer, "a fair trade. What do you have to offer them, Imara?”
Imara stood slowly and spread her wings. They were so beautiful that Patrick found himself getting lost in them.
“Antonia,” Imara said, addressing her first. “You were robbed of your life, but you made a difference in your time on Earth. Your work as a scientist will go far, but your life as a human is over. Even so, you still have the chance to save humanity.”
Patrick watched as Antonia frowned.
“I don’t understand—”
“Become a Titan,” Imara said, and there was weight in her words. “Become a Titan of Tartarus, and you just might help save two worlds from the brink of collapse.”
Antonia stared at Imara for a long time. “You want me to become a Titan?”
“The remaining Titans need strength,” said Imara. “If you were to join their ranks, it would strengthen them. You can do no more as a scientist, Antonia. But perhaps you can do something new; something that will make a difference.”
Imara turned to Patrick. “I offer you the same, Patrick,” she said. “Become a Titan and save two worlds.”
“And my daughter?” he asked. “Lucifer has her soul.”
“We will find another way to get it back,” Imara said.
“And if we don’t?”
Imara looked down, her wings drooped with foreboding. “Patrick—"
"You want me to accept this?" he demanded, pointing at Lucifer. "Just accept that my daughter is being held hostage by the devil herself? Just abandon my child?
“You cannot give Lucifer the key, Patrick,” Imara said.
It was the wrong thing to say. Patrick had come here for two reasons, to save his daughter and to save the world. But if it came to a choice between the two, Patrick knew what he would choose, every time.
Patrick felt himself walking forward until he was only feet away from the beautiful woman that was Lucifer.
“No, Patrick!” Antonia screamed. “Please don’t! Please! We can become Titans, we can stay in Tartarus! We can save everyone, including Tess! Patrick, please—"
Patrick lifted his arm; the key was clutched tight within his palm. Lucifer stretched her hand out to him, and he revealed the key in all its ornate beauty.
“Take the key,” Patrick said, feeling himself tremble.
He heard Antonia and Imara screaming behind him, but he didn't care. This was for Tess. He dropped the key into Lucifer’s open palm. Light flashed across the sky like lightning.
It was done.