Devil's Conflict

by Percival Constantine

  “Luther, so glad we could finally have this opportunity to sit down,” he said as he approached me. He extended his hand. I hesitated, but finally gripped it in my own. I almost expected his touch to be scalding or maybe even frigid. Instead, it was stunningly normal.

  “Thanks for taking the time. I know it’s short notice, but—”

  “Nonsense, I’ve been looking forward to this for some time.” He turned his gaze to Lilith and the smile faded from his face. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to speak to Luther alone.”

  Lilith breathed slowly and steadily. Her nostrils flared ever so slightly and I looked down to see her fingers curling, almost to the point of forming fists. She was ready to strike at Lucifer, but she kept her cool and offered a deep bow.

  “Of course, Morningstar. Thank you for your attention. I’ll wait downstairs.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate that,” said Lucifer.

  Lilith turned and walked back into the elevator. Once the doors closed, Lucifer guided me over to the couch and gestured for me to sit. I did so and he sat across from me.

  “Drink?” he asked.

  Next thing I knew, I was holding a glass of scotch in my hand. I took a sip. Laphroaig, my usual brand. Lucifer now had a martini glass in his hand. He sat casually in the corner of his couch, one foot perched on the opposite thigh, the hand without a drink draped along the back of the couch.

  “Thanks,” I said. “I have to ask…about the wings…”

  “Something of a cosmic joke after the Fall,” said Lucifer. “The others, they were transformed into full demons. But me, my punishment was to hold onto my wings as a reminder of what I’d lost. I would never be an angel again, nor was I permitted to become a demon. You could say I’m a man trapped between two worlds. I imagine you can relate.”

  “Might say that. And this place? How come I haven’t seen anyone else since we passed through the gate?”

  “That’s because there isn’t anyone else here. My domain is the only one in Hell that’s completely empty.”

  I blinked. “Sorry, could you run that by me again?”

  “I rebelled for many reasons. One because I wanted what your kind had been given—free will. I wanted angels to be the custodians of their own fates, same as you,” he said. “I never wanted to rule a place where souls are twisted and corrupted. Hell tries to taint the things it takes in, but I’ve kept myself pure. I oversee the Infernal Court on the rare occasions when we hold session, but in general, the different Hell Lords are free to do as they please as long as they respect each other’s borders.”

  “So you don’t…take any action? Nothing? All the legends about deals with the devil, punishing sinners, tempting the faithful, the freaking Anti-Christ—”

  Lucifer dismissed everything I said with a simple wave of his hand as he sipped his drink. “All propaganda, nothing more. After the Fall, the Divine Choir wanted a supervillain. A common enemy to unite the angels against. And as the architect of the rebellion, I was the perfect candidate. After that, no angel would dare admit they ever entertained the blasphemous notion of thinking for themselves. No one wanted to be labeled another Lucifer. And so, the Choir now enjoys absolute obedience.”

  “You mean God, don’t you?”

  Lucifer chuckled. “God.” He shook his head and adjusted his position on the couch, sitting with his arms resting on his bent knees and hunched forward, still silently chuckling as if I’d told him the funniest joke in the world. “That’s a story for another time. And quite an interesting one. Though not the reason you came today, is it?”

  “I need your help,” I said.

  “I don’t interfere with the other Hell Lords, not even if they ask me to. I know all about Raum’s rebellion, but it’s not my problem.”

  “Raum’s only one small part of it. There’s something bigger going on,” I said. “Asmodeus is back.”

  “He escaped Purgatory?”

  “No, he was released. He’s working for Thanatos, he sent Cain after me.”

  Lucifer leaned back into the couch cushion. “Interesting. What could Thanatos possibly want from Asmodeus?”

  “Some call you the father of lies,” I said. “But I’ve also heard the opposite. That when the devil wants something out of you, he tells you the exact, literal truth and lets you find your own way into Hell.”

  Lucifer smiled. “I kind of like the sound of that. But yes, you’re correct. Lying’s always felt distasteful to me.” He pointed towards the ceiling. “Lying is what they do. In fact, they’ve created the greatest, biggest lie in the history of the universe and they’re still keeping it going after all this time.”

  “So with that in mind, if you give me your word that you’ll keep what I’m about to tell you in confidence…?”

  Lucifer nodded. “That’s right. You can consider this room your confessional, Luther.”

  “Good,” I said. “Because there’s a story behind what Thanatos is after. It’s one I’m going to tell you. Once I’m finished, I’m going to ask for your help.”

  “You won’t get it.”

  “Just listen and then decide,” I said. “All I ask is that once I’ve told you this story, regardless of your decision, you don’t tell another soul. Not the Court, no one.”

  Lucifer sipped his drink and set the glass on the table. “Very well. I’m listening.”

  31

  I told the Devil everything that had happened over the past year. I didn’t know if that was the right decision or not, had no clue if it would come back to bite me in the ass, but there were two things I did know. The first was that Cassie’s tarot reading told me I’d need an alliance with the Morningstar. And the second was that I had no other options. Gabriel ignored me, Lilith wasn’t going to be any help unless I could help her with Raum, I didn’t know how to use the Abraxas Stone again, and though Alistair meant well, he wouldn’t be enough back-up to take down Asmodeus.

  Lucifer was my only option, and he knew it just as well as I did. And so he sat there quietly, sipping his martini, listening to me tell my story without comment, without question, without any interruption whatsoever.

  And when it was over, he said, “So in the end, it was the angels who broke their word. I wish I could say I’m surprised, but I don’t have much faith in my brothers.”

  “You gave your word. This has to stay between us,” I said. “If the rest of the Infernal Court learned about this—”

  “Yes, I know. They’d vote to launch an assault on Heaven’s gates. I want that no more than you,” said Lucifer. “The Fallen, they’re strong, but not powerful enough to defeat the power of the Host. I fully believe the only reason we survived the rebellion the first time was so the Choir could create an existential threat for themselves. But if we crossed the line and launched an assault, the full might of Heaven would rain down on us.”

  “Then you’ll help me stop Asmodeus?” I asked.

  “Asmodeus has clearly become something of a problem. But I can’t in good conscience allow you to kill one of my brothers. If we’re to do this, then I’ll help you trap him, but I won’t permit his execution.”

  “That’s fine by me,” I said.

  “You have to understand as well, I can’t be directly involved,” said Lucifer. “Any appearance of impropriety on my part and it may make the rest of the Court suspicious. As it stands, they don’t think very much of you. If I support you, it could make them question my role here. But if you were to defeat Asmodeus on your own, that will go a long way towards convincing them you have the strength to fill his seat.”

  I’d been hoping for some devil strength in my corner when I met up with Asmodeus. Having to deal with him alone wasn’t exactly my idea of a good time. But Lucifer’s position was understandable. I was going to have to make concessions and if I played this game on his terms, it might make him a little more amicable.

  “What about the girl and her baby?” I asked.

  Lucifer rubbed his chin as his empty glass magicall
y refilled itself. “That’s the true question, isn’t it? A nephilim is a dangerous thing. But I believe all beings have the ability to overcome the circumstances of their birth.”

  “So the whole concept of free will and obedience warring inside him, you think that’s all bullshit?”

  “Don’t you?” asked Lucifer. “Think about it, Luther. Not only was I a pure-blood angel, but I was one of the first in all creation. If free will was truly impossible for my kind, I would never have been able to rebel. And yet, here we are.”

  I’d never considered that, but he was right. Lucifer ended up being something other than what he was intended to be. And me, I didn’t exactly turn out the way anyone had hoped. Maybe baby Malcolm could beat the odds, too.

  “There are a lot of people who would disagree with that. People who will do whatever it takes to either twist this kid for their own purposes or eliminate him completely.”

  Lucifer chuckled. “Are you really asking me to be the child’s godfather?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Okay, poor choice of words, but you know what I mean. He’s gonna need looking after. If anyone knows a way to keep this kid off Heaven’s radar and away from his father, it’s you.”

  “It would be tricky, but yes, I believe I can devise a way to hide both him and his mother,” said Lucifer. “The problem, of course, is that I’d need the name of his father.”

  “That’s not something I have,” I said.

  “Then you’ll have to find it. Until then, I can give you some temporary measures. But they won’t last long.”

  “So you’ll help me find Dakota and and the kid, give me a way to stop Asmodeus, and keep them hidden long enough for me to learn the name of the angel behind all this.”

  “That’s about the size of it, yes,” he said.

  “What about Lilith?”

  “She’s your concern, not mine.”

  “She needs help with Raum,” I said.

  “That’s not my problem.”

  “Don’t forget that I’m not the only one who benefits from this arrangement. I don’t know how much Asmodeus has told Raum or Iblis. They may know about the kid and if they do, they could tell the Court just as easily as Asmodeus could. They’re both loose threads and you know it. Stopping them before they pose a threat only strengthens your position.”

  Lucifer’s eyes flashed like embers. Part of me thought he wouldn’t hesitate to just kill me right where I sat. But he wouldn’t, I knew that. I didn’t know a whole lot about the Morningstar—beyond the legends, no one really did. You get to live as long as he had with that high a profile, separating fact from fiction was pretty much impossible. There was one thing I did know about him, though—stupid was the last word I’d ever use to describe him. He was smart enough to see the value in my plan.

  “You’re right, of course.” His eyes returned to normal and my asscheeks unclenched. “I can’t risk what Asmodeus’ followers may know. Once it comes out that Asmodeus worked with Raum to foment dissent in your realm, I can use that as a means to banish him to Cocytus. Same with Iblis. Spin it as a disgraced Hell Lord trying to undermine the Court.”

  “Then I guess we have an agreement?” I asked, rising to my feet.

  “I suppose we do.” Lucifer set his glass on the table and stood as well. He extended a hand.

  There was some uncontrolled hesitation as I tried to reach for him. I was about to close a literal deal with the Devil. I’d been raised by the Sons of Solomon to believe that the man who stood before me, with a pleasant demeanor and magnetic personality, was the root of all that was evil in the world. Though I knew it wasn’t true, that these things were a lot more complicated than those simple distinctions, there was a primal part of me that couldn’t shake the feeling I was about to royally screw myself.

  But even if I did believe that part of myself, what other choice was there? I couldn’t let Thanatos get his hands on the kid and I wasn’t about to let Dakota down. Something had to be done, no matter the cost.

  So I reached out and I shook the Morningstar’s hand. Our deal was sealed. But just when I was about to pull away, he kept his grip. I looked at his hand in surprise and then up at his face. He was grinning like a satisfied cat and I started to worry I’d gone too far. Was this all some ploy? Did I inadvertently give him something I wasn’t prepared to?

  “There’s one more thing, Luther,” he said. “You forgot about what I get from you.”

  My heart started to pound inside my chest, threatening to burst through my ribcage. “This deal benefits us both, Lu. You know that just as well as I do.”

  “That’s true, but I’m risking something by aiding you. I require a similar sacrifice on your part.”

  “What sort of sacrifice are we talking about?” I asked. “Because if you think I’m giving up my soul—”

  “Oh please, you can keep your soul. It’s useless to me.”

  “Then what?”

  “When this is all over, when the angel responsible has been eliminated, I’m going to ask a favor of you,” he said. “And when that day comes, you will say yes.”

  “What sort of favor are we talking about?” I asked.

  “I can’t tell you that,” said Lucifer. “But what I can tell you is I won’t ask you to do anything that goes against your nature.”

  “Given the circumstances of my birth and the things I’ve done lately, that’s not exactly a comfort.”

  “It’s all you get,” he said. “Are you still prepared to honor our deal, or do we part ways here and now?”

  All throughout my life, in all my studies of the supernatural, in all the battles I’d fought, there was one thing I could never quite understand. Why would a human ever strike a deal with a demon? It always seemed so ridiculous. And yet time after time, going back centuries, that’s exactly what happens.

  I’d made deals in the past, but almost always structured in a way that benefitted me. This deal was different. I was going in blind, committing myself to something without any real knowledge of what I’d be facing. Could I risk that? But again, did I have a choice? And the answer to that question was no.

  I met Lucifer’s gaze and nodded. “We’ve got a deal.”

  “Excellent, I thought you’d see it my way.” Lucifer released his grip and walked away from the table. He approached the wall and touched it. Once he did, an opening appeared there, and he gestured towards it. “After you.”

  I slowly walked over to the new doorway and stepped inside. It was dark at first, but once I entered, the lights came on. Lucifer came in after me and the doorway closed behind him, as if it had never been there.

  I looked around the room. It was large, with pedestals arranged in a grid-like pattern. Each one had a glass display case on top and inside was an artifact. I slowly walked past the exhibits, looking at the various artifacts Lucifer had on display. There were clay tablets, ancient parchment, and small items such as ancient weaponry or chalices in each case.

  “What is this?” I asked.

  “You might call it a trophy room,” said Lucifer. “Various items of significance which I keep locked away. Naturally, my collection isn’t complete, but I do have quite a few things in here which may prove useful. In particular is this.”

  Lucifer approached one of the cases. He reached his hands for it and once his fingertips brushed against it, the case vanished. Gently, he lifted the item with both hands. It was a dagger, old and ancient. He carried it over to me and held it up so I could see it clearly.

  “This is what you’ll need,” he said. “You’ll have to get close to Asmodeus, close enough so you can jam this into his heart. But before you do that, it has to be coated in human blood.”

  “Will my blood work?” I asked.

  Lucifer nodded. “You’re half-human, so yes, it should work.”

  “Should?”

  “This is hardly an exact science we’re dealing with, Luther. But the blood the blade is coated with must be fresh,” said Lucifer.

  “And
once I stab him with it, what happens then?”

  “The magic locked inside the dagger will be unleashed and Asmodeus will be transported directly to Cocytus, chained beneath the frozen waters, unable to break free until the end of time itself. ” he said. “But be careful. The magic inside is powerful. Once it’s unleashed, it will consume the dagger as well. If you don’t get it right on the first try, you won’t have a second.”

  I held my hand out. Lucifer gently set the dagger in my open palm. “And how do I keep Dakota and Malcolm hidden from the angel?”

  “With this.” Lucifer snapped his fingers and a piece of parchment appeared in his hand. He handed it to me very gently. “Be careful with it, it’s very old and very delicate. A spell never seen by human eyes. It will keep your friend and the child safe no matter where they are, at least until you can learn the angel’s true name.”

  I was careful as I picked up the parchment and looked over it. The spell was written in Latin, so no problems there. Ingredients seemed simple enough. But like the dagger, I could see it was a blood spell.

  “I’ll probably need a transfusion when this is all over.”

  “Assuming you survive.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  Lucifer chuckled. “Believe me, Luther, I truly am rooting for you. If I could provide you with more help, I would. But as it stands—”

  “Right, this is all you can do for now. I get it,” I said. “So once this is all over, what happens next?”

  “I’ll contact you,” said Lucifer. “So be ready. And good luck.”

  32

  Lucifer then led me into a large, empty room with a dome ceiling. On the floor was the Sigil of Baphomet and he asked me to stand in the center. I did as I was told, carefully folding the parchment and putting it inside one of my jacket pockets and slipping the dagger in the other.

  “You sure this is gonna work?” I asked.

  Lucifer nodded. “Connections exist between souls. If there’s a strong enough connection and you have the proper skill and knowledge, you can locate one soul through another. It’s a rare spell, and not one easily performed without consent.”