The warmth, the flowing and burning air flew to greet my face.
My consciousness was brought back from the cold void.
My sense of hearing slowly returned to me.
The crackling and loud chants grew louder as I remain confused.
My eyelids slowly parted.
A flaming pyre greets my vision.
Men in robes are about, performing a ritual.
Defying the laws of physics, they all seemed to be standing on a vertical ground and stood horizontally to it...
My confusion urges me to move, my senses returning.
I was actually lying on the ground.
Hands held and tied behind my back.
Gravity made its presence known as my confusion sends my body lifted off from the ground before crashing back down.
I gasp, pain rushes through my body.
Groaning, I ignore the throbbing pain of my skull in a attempt to properly stand up.
However, my struggle had alerted one of the hooded figures who stood by.
"Finally, you've woken up buddy~"
The man picks me up. Getting me on my knee's despite the pain around my stomach and head surging as he moves me.
"I don't know you."
"Oh? You can still talk? I guess it makes sense considering your the only person in this world left with the protection of a goddess."
Protection of what?
"But with this the ritual can finally move on with the sacrificial lamb and sacrifices at hand!"
Why did you wait for me to wake up in the first place?
Is this all just rehearsal and preparation?
And what sacrifices?
"Let silver and iron be the origin-"
The man leaves me as he holds up his hand. A crimson marking splattered across it.
But with him leaving me, I get a chance to look around properly.
My eyes soon land on unconscious group.
People seemingly lying about, tied up completely from head to toe.
Why are they more tied up then me?
Putting aside my confusion, I try to get up.
Pain once more crawling through my body as I try.
My attention is finally brought to myself.
The pain being too much to ignore further and make a run for...
"So that's why..."
My leg is messed up. I can see my clothes shredded along with a part of my flesh and skin.
Was I hit by a car or a truck and send flying?
"-Fuck"
My legs give out and I fall back to the ground.
The man yet to notice me as he continues.
Others in robes finally approaching him holding... Bloodied weapons.
It finally clicks that this is a satanic ritual.
The messed up one popularized by horror movies and the likes.
Wait. There was sacrifices and sacrificial lamb.
Somebody will get a treatment worst then others. I'm the only one with a protection of a goddess.
I'm literally going to be defiled in the worst ways in that case if we follow the fact that this ritual is based on satanic ritual of horror movies.
I can't stay here!
"Oh. His becoming lively."
"We messed him up already. It makes sense he would try to get away again once he sees us."
"No worries. The ritual will be over soon, and we will just have to act as suppliers."
"After they all get killed right?"
I don't want to die!
But my pleas aren't heard.
The flames are suddenly brought to life as it shoots up into the sky.
White flames seemingly forming.
My struggles come to a stop as I look up.
Ignoring the man's maniacal laughter.
"I did it! I summoned the greatest servant there is! It's just as she said it's abilities are insane! And now I have something of equal worth to divine spirits!"
I can see 2 glowing crimson orbs.
My body shakes.
I don't want to die...
I struggle more. I manage to stand up.
I limp away ever so slowly. Taking an eternity to just move a few steps away from them.
"Then go-ahead Satan! Take these sacrifices for yourself and enjoy corrupting this sacrificial lamb! This bow protected by the god you hate someone much!"
"Lucifer?!"
I somehow managed to say those words as I turn around.
The sudden explosion of force felt from behind me making me face them again.
I see a flaming being dashing at me...
Everything is so slow as seemingly stand there unable to move fast enough to get away from the quickly approaching fire.
I don't want to die!
I manage to close my eyes.
Preparing to take whatever comes...
A surge of heat passes over me before dispersing...
Nothing happens.
I opened my eyes.
And there stood the flaming being... The fires slowly fading away revealing the black and charred coloured body.
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It roared. It made a sound.
One I could not understand.
And then it stretched something out to me.
It was a hand.
"Hey! What are you doing?"
"Something must be wrong. Let me just use a command seal to make sure it follows order if we can't satiate it with sacrifices. Now move aside and-"
The man of the group headed towards us.
Lifting its arm and...
Noticed that his hand was missing.
The hand that was being held by the monster in front of me.
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I can't understand whatever it's saying. It's not even something that can be produced by a human right?
But...
If it attacked them instead of me then I'm safe.
I should probably take that hand just to make sure it doesn't kill me.
"You bastard! You shouldn't have attacked me! I'm the master! And I said kill him!"
The other quickly ran to check up on the man.
I however didn't hear a thing as I was concentrated on the being in front of me. Holding onto the hand that still held warmth and smelled of burned flesh and Fire.
And then pain surged through my hand.
Pulling back, I hold onto my right arm.
The pain of something burning itself into my arm could be felt.
And then the thing began changing bringing silence to the panicking group behind it.
Like a snake, the black charred body began shedding. White seemingly popping out from the hard shell. Slowly revealing... A woman. With horns. With large demonic wings. With scales all over its body and the unexpected thin with a arrow shaped end tail. All in white with black carving all over or colouring abnormal parts of the body.
She was far less threatening now despite the all remaining bloody eyes like that of a beast.
"It's not even 5 minutes and you lost control of berserker! Forget about sticking through the war Now let's get out of here before it completely loses it and kill us all!"
"Shut! Didn't we bring enough sacrifices?!"
"AAAAARGHHHHHH! JUST STOP THE BLEEDING ALREADY!"
"You can't stop it yourself?! What happened to your magecraft?!"
"It's gone okay! Whatever that thing did took out all my magic circuits!"
As their group began falling apart from that revelation.
Lucifer turns around to face them.
Stretching out her hand towards them and pointing at them.
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And they all scrambled away.
Tried at least. Fire bolts were thrown towards me and the thing.
Lucifer easily sweeping it away with her hand before dashing at that insane speed.
I find it odd I'm somehow fine now though.
The pain that coursed through me came to an end, my body seems... To be handling the pain well despite how it was torture moments ago.
"Guess I took the right choice?"
Though who the hell knows why. Hopefully I didn't enter a contract for my soul or something.
I once more stared down at my body ignoring the vain struggle before me.
I see I'm still messed up but... The parts I thought were all ruined seemed to have gone back to normal.
Guess she healed me?
Looking back up at the one sided slaughter.
I see she's taking her time.
Making circles around them.
Taking care of whatever is being thrown at her and breaking their limbs of outright cutting and skewering their body.
I see thin strands being held by her bloody fists.
The weapons she has been using to destroy her.
But looking closer, squeezing my eyes to get a better look.
I see those hands are more like claws, same with her feet.
Guess that makes sense that she's using those to cut or break.
"I'll just... Lie down now."
I can feel fatigue swell forth.
I'm burning up.
I didn't do much, but I guess with a mangled-up body moving around it makes sense.
So I slowly bend the knee and try to sit on my ass.
No surprise I fail and fall on it instead. Pain oozing from my knee after I was unable to balance myself with my hands behind my back.
Pain rushing through my arms afterwards...
Even if they aren't messed up now, I guess the surface level stuff Will always sting horribly.
"I'll just... Lie down here."
I can't find the strength to move now...
Wow, this is really tiring. Or is it just the blood loss getting to me?
Maybe I'm actually dreaming, and I might be already dead.
Ah...
I can see an angel approaching me even.
Holding onto thin strands like that Lucifer held.
And then she shoves into my stomach-
Okay not a dream not a dream!
Pain rushes through me once more. Something burning within my body.
Far worst then just moments ago.
I think it's even acting up again.
But I try to endure it.
My eyes fixed on the Lucifer before me who looks completely different from just a moment ago.
Having lost nearly all her demonic features and appearing before me as this pale beauty in the nude.
Sending only one thought through my mind.
How long am I supposed to endure this?!
The answer was simple.
Not long as she finally removes that fist from my stomach.
My body suddenly energized letting me roll to the side and ball up a bit.
... It wasn't that painful after, just a simple stinging pain continued from there.
I can see however that I'm all good now.
My body has been healed completely. Even my clothes.
She even removed the bindings on my hands now that I ended up showing my back to her letting me finally lie down here for a moment and relax for a bit.
"Don't stare at me like that..."
I say that but I'm staring at her features...
Not bad.
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I don't understand you...
In any case she's trying to lift me up.
Or get me to lift myself up on my feet.
So after a moment, I do.
It isn't like I can just sleep here or pass out now that I'm full of energy.
"Let's... Check if they got a car around here."
Logic dictates that they got here with a vehicle. No way they're going to carry people and material by hand out here in the middle of... Nowhere.
"They probably left their phones in there hopefully. That way I can call for help."
I can't just leave these people out here.
Though it'll bite me in the ass later since I have to get taken in for questioning, I'm sure.
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Lucifer points in a direction off in the darkness of the night...
Can she see in the dark?
Putting some blind faith since she can't actually speak and since I don't want to become a target of her wrath like the mangled bodies of the satanic cult.
I walk in the direction she points.
After a short walk into the field, ignoring how Lucifer was walking behind my back with what I'm guessing is a torch.
I'm not even going to try and turn around and see just in case this is a cheap horror trick tactic.
As long as I don't know what's happening behind me I won't shit myself before dying suddenly.
"Ah. A van."
And I finally reach a vehicle.
It was turned off and sitting in the middle of nowhere, ignoring the small path that it used to get here and how it's probably connected to a actual road.
There's no way I'm walking and no way I'm take the car that's going to get cops on me and suspect me of murder and kidnapping...
There's no way they'll believe that the girl behind me killed them.
"Time to check it out..."
Checking out the car.
I open the door...
It's not locked.
I get into the car and check around...
Keys are here, guess there's no automatic lock in this car.
I take the keys and turn the car on.
It roars to life and the door lights open.
Okay now to check it out completely.
Rummaging through everything here, I find a a bag... Filled with phone and cash.
"Probably the goods that belong to everyone they kidnap. I can see my phone even."
Taking it out, I can see it's all cracked and broken... Yup, I got hit by this care probably.
I try and turn it on and... It works.
Though I can't see anything clearly though all the cracks on the screen.
"Hopefully I can get this fixed..."
And just like that, Lucifer moves across me and takes the phone before pulling back...
I can see that the source of light does come from burning piece of wood. Nothing frightening like I thought aside from how her hand was in the fire...
She holds up the phone and... I can see something forming around it. The cracks slowly fade...
The phone now looks good as new and she hands it back to me.
Picking it back I check it out and everything is back to normal.
Guess the Devi is good at fixing stuff...
Ignoring that train of thought, I open a road app... Okay got the location, I'm not that far from a village and not far from where I am.
Closing the phone... I take a moment to think how I'll get the cops to check up the location here without them coming to get me...
No way trusting Lucifer with something like that considering she can't make any human sound...
Don't look at me like that, read the situation here.
"Guess I'll have to act."
Guess that turned out fine...
Seems like they're going to come over now.
Better hurry out of here...
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Don't look at me like that.
I can't leave the cash here.
At least I left the phones behind for them.
And since everyone who possibly owns the bag is dead, I don't have to worry about people searching for it.
And the clothes I'm giving you. Can't have you walk around naked.
"But I'm definitely going to be beat once I get back if I have to walk all the way."
As though hearing my complaints, Lucifer moves again.
She grabs me and holds me up in a bridal style...
You know, this position is uncomfortable.
And then she leaps... I don't see anything anymore.
She dropped the torch...
It's becoming cold...
The wind is blowing strongly against me.
Yup we're flying I'm guessing.
"Do you even know where we're going?"
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Well then, I guess I'll have to get my phone out and hope I don't drop it...
So, this is surprising. My car is still around the place I left it...
Checking the pockets of my new bag, I pull out the keys of my car.
Wow, it's still in good shape.
It looks bloody and stabbed into me once when I got hit.
I try it out and it works. I manged to get in the car without issue and Lucifer sits down next to me.
"... You're going to keep following me right?"
She nods.
"God this is going to be hell to explain to my dad."
She looks over to me unfazed... Before looking away.
I mean come on, read the mood.
Help me out here.
With a sigh I drive off.
"Where have you been?"
I enter through the front door. My father stands there. His enormous form looming over me despite the business suit he wore.
"I... Had connection issues with my phone. Sorry."
"And?"
"I brought a girlfriend home."
I look over to Lucifer... She's literally glaring at me.
My father is shocked to the point he didn't process her face at that moment.
He recovers and so does she as she walks into the house closing the door behind.
"... Pleasure to have you over. What's your name sugar?"
OH god are you trying to smooth talk to a girl who can't make human sounds-
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"I see. Hope my son takes care of you. I'll leave you 2 be now then. Have a nice night Lucy, good night son. Me and your brother are going to sleep now."
I follow them as they leave the living room heading upstairs to their bedroom talking to each other over my success...
I can feel a Deathly stare from that success though.
"If you could have talked then maybe you should have done it before?!"
I shush at her in order to not be heard. Walking over to a sofa and sit down to relax.
She follows me and sits next to me...
Why not all the other seats around?
"Yeah I need a way to communicate with you."
She nods, and I get up.
Heading into a room to search for the easiest tool to communicate.
Coming back to her, I hold it out for her.
"Here's my old phone. It's not the best but with this you can send me messages that I can understand."
Once she grabs hold of the device.
I let go and sit down next to her again to show how to use it...
She sends me a message using the app I left on for her to try... Without help.
Guess she knows.
"Let's see."
Checking out what she had send. I open my own phone...
"I created illusions to my dad. But it doesn't work on me? Okay... Guess that explains that. Anything you want to say to me and explain? Like the important stuff?"
She taps away and... Sends me a wall of text.
"In chunks next time please."
She sends a message again asking what I want to know...
"Okay let's start with what you are."
She answers.
So she's something spiritual with a physical body known as a servant, taking part of a war with 7 others like her for the holy grail with a master.
"Why do you guys need a master? What's the grail?"
The holy grail is a nigh omnipotent wish granting device which will lead to one's dream. Servant's require a master to take part of the war to supply them magical energy in order to continue existing, mainly Magus's are masters and they are the ones who summon servants.
"Makes sense considering you for summoned and didn't just pop up choosing someone... What's a Magus and magical energy? Won't you vanish since I ain't one?"
A Magus is a mage of the current era. They are humans with magic circuits that generate magical energy to use thaumathurgy, magical formula's in order to control and create natural phenomenon such as fire and etc, using magical energy as resource.
I will not disappear as I have embedded into you the magic circuits of all the mages who were present during the summoning ritual.
"I see... I suppose this is all surface and simple to understand information since I wouldn't understand the more complicated subjects, right?"
She nods.
"Am I able to use thaumathurgy?"
She shook her head.
"Yeah guess not."
I mean I didn't learn how to use it before. Getting used to it would take god knows how long to someone who didn't have it from birth.
"Then since I'm part of the war will I die?"
I will do my best to avoid that.
For that purpose please go to the church tomorrow.
"Why the church?"
The church is an organization who oversees the war. They protect master's without servant and thusly masters who gave up or lost their servant's.
"What will you do?"
Hypnotize them into aiding you. Hiding us. Until our existence is revealed. Where I will have them protect you and I will be defeated.
"Be passive in the war... That's good. But you said hypnotize right?"
She nods.
"Then while we're laying low will you help me and use those abilities to improve my life?"
She nods.
"So, this is where the church guy is?"
Lucifer nods as she exits the car behind me.
It's nearly lunch time so I pull out a sausage roll to eat as I head in.
She follows me as she eats a sausage roll, she seemed to have wanted it so I got it for her as well.
It's a really nice meal.
But that aside, I open the door and walk in.
The large open hall stands before me.
It looks run down.
"Hello! Any church fanatic around here?"
I walk in, being mindful of the rows of benches sat up, they look more decent.
Though on the other hand as soon as Lucifer finishes her meal, she smacks me in the back of my head.
"Lucy please don't smack me for a joke will yeah. I don't there's any that's more fanatic then you."
Rubbing the back of my head.
Doors on the opposite side of the entrance, on the side not actually opposite to it, opens up as a man enters the large room.
Scratch that, an old man and all his white and old features enters.
Wearing a simple white shirt and black trousers... Revealing his rippled muscle body.
What is this? An old man in anime?
"Ah. Welcome to the Christian church. My name is Richard, please don't mind to much the current state of the church, it's an old church build in the ancient ways. The government pays to maintain it so we can't make much changes to make it more presentable."
He approaches me and extends his hand.
I shake it of course responding only after I had finished my meal... Lucifer is still standing behind me.
"So how can I assist you?"
And then Lucifer steps up.
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She says it makes a weird sound like usual.
The man nods.
"I shall. I will do whatever I can to assist you in this war."
Okay that's effective.
"Mind keeping us informed about what goes on in the war? We're going to be passive about it."
"I will do that. Mind giving me your contact number? Oh, and are you interested in joining the community church group?"
Hell no. I don't want to go to church on Sunday's, it's my only off day.
"Sorry but I have to refuse. But here's my card. The number is here."
I take my wallet out and pull the card out for him.
Making sure my wallet is well tucked away.
He seems to stare at it intently before putting it away.
Though his eyes are glaring at Luci and me for some reason.
"This will do. Anything else?"
"I need help to make sure Lucy's magic stuff isn't spotted. I'm going to go around banks in order to get them to give me under the table cash."
"In that case, we can start tomorrow. I'll set up bounded fields for her to use it."
"Great. Oh, and tell us about who's in the war and their servant's info. If I actually stand a chance to win, I'll take it."
"I will do my best. I don't have any servant or proper means to learn it in detail but I can gain some level of information."
"That's good. Guess that's all."
"What are you saying. Lucy is over there praying."
I don't reply.
I turn around...
I turn back away from Lucifer who's well seated, praying with her hands clapped.
"How long does this last?"
"An hour or two."
"Okay is there a charger or a batter bank?"
"No charger. I did bring a bank though since I got it as a gift. I'll go get it."
And so, he leaves...
I slowly get sit down next to Lucifer with some distance between us.
I pull out my phone and start making plans...
This is going to be a long and tedious month.
