Author's Note: I am sorry about not updating for over I think three months. Sadly life really got in the way. I picked up extra hours. Had a couple of papers to write for class. And last but not least have had to put away a lot of money in order to go out of the country for a while. The joys of visiting family in another country is that you always spend a lot of money and then are expected to spend even more. Still I feel I owe you all an apology. Before I go I am hoping to have another chapter or two done and while I am out of the country I should hopefully be bored enough and have enough time to really get some work done on this story and on my others. Thanks again for all of you who are reviewing and to those of you who are actually following this story. The next chapter will be about the people back on Earth and how they are coping with the loss of Lauren.
Disclaimer: All characters are property of showcase and Lost girl.
"Luc, I'm tired of all of this." Lauren waved her sword to her surroundings. Three months of near constant physical training had her wondering why Lucifer always looked so refreshed while she always felt exhausted.
Motioning down Lucifer began his descent to the land beneath him. Smiling he watched Lauren frown before following him down. "Clearly you wanted to take a break. I suspect you want to stop for the day but you know that isn't going to happen." Seeing the slight disappointment flash across Lauren's face Lucifer refrained from outright laughing. "What is it exactly that you are tired of?" He asked resting his sword on the ground.
"I'm tired. I am physically exhausted all the time. I am tired of always training for a fight I am never going to enter into. You know I'm not a pacifist but I am hardly the warrior type. Why do I need to train so often? And while we are on the topic when can I return to Earth?" Lauren huffed closing her sore wings.
"You're tired because you are so young. All the new angels tire out easily, it's why you have to train. You need to build up your strength and your endurance. It takes a lot of work to fly and a lot of muscle strength." Pausing Lucifer thought over Lauren's miniature rant and smiled. "As for the training, I hardly expect you to be a warrior of the first order, or to fight in the name of God in the war. However, as an angel, and the Guardian of the Well, I do expect you to be able to defend yourself."
"What about returning to Earth?" Lauren repeated when Lucifer didn't bother to answer the question.
"We were not talking about your return to Earth." Lucifer answered simply. He always enjoyed raising Lauren's hackle's a little. He couldn't help but love seeing the fire light her eyes and the frown crease her forehead.
"Well I want to talk about my return to Earth. I've been here for months Luc. I want to know how things are going up there. I want to make sure everyone is okay. You told me that Taft died but you haven't bothered with informing me about the others." Lauren didn't bother mentioning all the people she was worried about. Nor did she want to think of the reasons why she was worried.
"Your so called friends are fine." Pausing Lucifer considered his words. "Why would you want to return to them? Why should you care how they are doing or whether or not they know you are alive?" The tilt of Lucifer's head made Lauren wonder if he was asking out of curiosity or in order to provoke her.
"I want them to know I am alive because I don't want to hurt them. I don't want them to go through the process of grieving for me when I am fine. And I want to see them because I care about them." Lauren automatically defended.
"Yes, of course, who wouldn't want to let such caring people know you were safe." Lucifer began, sarcasm clear in his tone. "I mean really let's start with Dyson; you're supposed rival. Such respect he showed to you over the years. He only threw your slavery in your face once or twice. And he never tried to turn Bo against you or make you feel like you were less because you were human."
Feeling a blush of anger and shame color her cheeks Lauren refused to either deny or affirm.
"Then there is Kenzi, the sweet little thief. You would think as the only other human in your group she would have some sense of understanding of everything you suffered. No, instead the human insulted you behind your back, said you couldn't be trusted, and made sure the woman you loved knew that you weren't the right one. What a sweet girl. It's nice to know that a human pet is so sympathetic of another human being." The sarcasm and anger practically dripped from Lucifer's honeyed tongue.
"Let us not forget Hale, the siren and interim Ash, a man you had actually thought of as a friend. When power was handed to him how did he treat you? What respect did he give you? Did he remember all that you had done for the Fae? Did he find a way to set you free? Or was he more concerned with gaining the title of Ash, of establishing himself in politics? I mean really for all his prattling about humans and equality, he still had a slave; you.
"Last let's talk about your lover; the succubus." The venom in Lucifer's voice made Lauren wince. "The woman you loved, the woman you risked your life to protect, the woman who killed your girlfriend, and the woman you thought would never treat you as if you were less. How did she treat you Lauren? Was she caring when she threw your slave collar at you? When she failed to consider what it might actually mean to be a slave, to be owned? Did she ever take the time to ask you what it was like not having any real control over your own life? Did she ever take the time to consider what would have happened to you if you didn't distract her that night she went after Vex? Did she ask you how you were punished when you failed? Did she not notice the scars on your back? Did she ask how many lashes of the whip it took before you passed out? Did she tend your aching body once your master was done?" Each question ripped at Lauren, she couldn't defend Bo, and she couldn't stand to hear Lucifer question her past. Turning away Lauren walked back to the castle. The questions continued to ring through her head and unwillingly she answered them.
As wonderful as Bo had been, Bo had failed her. Bo had failed to see beyond the surface of the Fae. She took far too much at face value without thought or consideration for everything hiding under the facade. It was an aspect of Bo's personality that served to make Lauren cringe. Yet she had to admit for all of Bo's faults there was still something wonderful and good about her. Without being asked Bo found the cursing nail that put Nadia into a coma. Bo risked her life to save Nadia's life. Even if the end of it all still resulted with Nadia's death, Lauren was grateful for the time she was given with the woman she loved.
Shaking away the dark thoughts Lauren entered the castle and ordered a bottle of wine to be sent to her chambers. Giving thanks to the soul who bowed and moved silently away to do her bidding Lauren frowned lightly before making her way to her rooms. Where Luc had an easy relationship with the souls who worked within the castle, they still seemed to hold her in reserve. They obeyed her orders, they followed her directions, but they never spoke to her beyond the necessities. She wondered how long that would last for the idea of a silent castle for eternity held little to no appeal.
Entering her rooms Lauren disrobed, placed her sword on a side table, and entered the bathroom. She was exhausted, angry, and emotionally drained. She knew that regardless of how right Lucifer was, he was also wrong. Things were never perfect while she lived among the Fae but things had been better once Bo entered her life.
Unwilling to wait for a bath Lauren entered the shower and shut out her thoughts as she cleansed her body. She didn't want to think of everything Luc had said. She didn't want to argue with herself or with him about a past she couldn't change, about people she couldn't change. Regardless of whether they were Fae or human they were all fallible and that fallibility would mean they would make mistakes. They would be selfish and blind and self serving. The reality of the world was that they all had the ability to make their own choices and in doing so they all had the ability to make mistakes.
"When will I be ready?" Lauren asked as she stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body. After months of living with Lucifer she had lost the instant reaction that modesty required. The souls weren't always cautious of knocking and on more than one occasion one of them had seen her naked. Lucifer was the worst since he didn't consider knocking or making his presence known a priority.
"When you have trained for three years I will show you how to open a portal and then you can return." Lucifer said after careful consideration.
"Three years? Luc are you insane?" Lauren gave Lucifer a beseeching look.
"Three years isn't nearly as long as you think it is. I've already told you, time passes by differently here, it's slower. I knew I would need more time to cleanse when I created this world. For every year here only a month passes on Earth. You haven't been gone long and three years will only be three months to your friends. I know that may seem like a long time but it really isn't. You need to train and I won't let you go to Earth until you are able to defend yourself." Lucifer refrained from commenting again on Lauren's need to see a family that never acted like they cared. Instead he kept his tone calm and his facial features neutral. He knew he had pushed her too hard on the topic of her friends.
"Who would I need to defend myself from? I'm an angel now aren't I? I thought you said we were powerful and strong?" Lauren wondered why three years specifically but knew Lucifer wouldn't give her too many details if he didn't want to.
"There is a war going on Lauren. A war that has raged between heaven and the darkness of humanity."
"What?" Lauren interrupted confused by the sudden change in topic.
"I am sorry to tell you this Lauren but the only evil that exists comes from humans and the Fae since they are a branch of the human gene pool. The combination of creativity and free will gave humans and Fae the ability to become evil, to harm, to kill, and to inflict suffering. That evil, that darkness that resides in every human and every Fae can grow, can mutate the soul and become an Eytil."
"An Eytil?" Lauren let the word roll around her tongue.
"Yes. The closest thing I could describe it as, is a shadow demon. They are blacker than night and nearly as powerful as an angel. For centuries their armies have grown and the angel's have fought them. Fought to keep them from heaven and keep them from infecting all of humanity and Fae."
"How would they infect humanity?"
"You know all those wonderful cartoons and shows where an angel and a devil sit on someone's shoulders and convince them to do something good or bad?" Lucifer turned away from Lauren and made his way slowly towards the balcony knowing Lauren would soon follow.
Giving Luc a strange look Lauren made her way to her closet and pulled out a pair of slacks and a backless blouse. Not bothering with undergarments considering there was no one to impress and everything was holding high and firm Lauren dressed and walked out to the balcony. Unfazed by the sight of Luc drinking a glass of the wine she had requested Lauren took a seat before finally responding with a simple yes.
"Well that is all rather accurate though it's not the 'devil' who is whispering to someone to do something evil or bad. Some souls are chosen the moment they enter the world by the Eytil for infection. The Eytil spend as much time as they can slowly influencing the person's thoughts, dreams, and actions. It is a long process and it isn't always successful but if that person can be swayed to darkness they are more likely to find others of that ilk, and of recruiting others into their way of life. A great example would be Hitler, though he wasn't chosen at birth the Eytil's influenced him and in turn he convinced an entire nation. That war allowed the Eytil's to swell in strength and power. All those human's and Fae who died were reborn as the Eytil." Lucifer paused wondering how much to tell Lauren. "Angel's also play a part in that angel/devil conference." Seeing the curious tilt of Lauren's head Lucifer smiled and poured her a glass of wine. "There is a hierarchy of angel's which the bible got somewhat right. There are watchers, warriors, servants of God, trainers, and what I have always called influencers. The watchers obviously watch humanity and the Fae, they are responsible for recording everything that every human and Fae does. This has a dual purpose one is to see which ones are being influenced, which ones are more vulnerable to influence, and once a person dies to give me a copy so I have a full history in order to make my judgment. I am sorry to tell you but your position here will involve a lot of paper work."
Taking a deep gulp of his wine Lucifer paused for a moment before continuing with his explanation. The trainers, train the new born angel's in the basics of flying, the history of our world, the edicts of heaven, and decides which position they are most suited for. Warriors are obvious, they keep the Eytil's in line and try to stop them from obliterating everything. I don't think you need an explanation on the servants of God. There aren't many of them since God only needs so much attention considering he has the whole world worshiping him."
"Luc stop." Lauren shook her head as if she had absorbed too much information. "I've heard you do this a million times and I've always meant to ask. Why do you keep switching gender when you are speaking of God? Is she a man or a woman?" Pausing to think over her question Lauren merely gave a light shake of her head and took a long sip of her wine relishing in the taste.
"I wondered how long it would take you to call me on that." Lucifer mused smiling. "I switch back and forth because God is both. Humanity was created in her image; both male and female. We were created in her image; male and female. We are all a reflection of God, in all her beauty, cruelty, and love."
Unsure how to react to Lucifer's revelation Lauren stared at him dumbly before giving a small nod for him to continue.
"Last are the lesser angel's, they spend more time on Earth than you would ever know, and their time is spent mostly guiding certain people. They find souls who are meant to do real good and push them in the right direction. They also push the souls being corrupted by the Eytil, they try to influence them to be good, to do the right thing. I find it must be a losing battle since I get more souls here than I can manage. True a portion of them have no desire to return to the mortal plane, a large percentage just aren't ready." Stopping Lucifer let the silence settle down between them. He didn't know what else to tell his protégé. How much of the realities of their world could he really reveal in one day? She wasn't human, her brain had altered to allow her to absorb millennia's worth of information but it was the emotional burden he worried about. Lauren was strong, stronger than soul he had ever encountered, he knew she could take on a lot, but he also knew everyone and everything had a breaking point. He refused to hit hers so early into her training.
"So in three years you will let me return to Earth." Lauren stated more than asked.
Grateful for the subject change Lucifer smiled and nodded his head. "I promise on the day of your three year anniversary I will personally pack you a bag. I also promise to start your training on portals two weeks before you leave."
"Good." Lauren nodded giving Lucifer a large smile. "Now I have to ask how do I get around up there if I am dead?" It seemed a logical question and it had been burning in the back of her mind since she found out where she was.
"You are still Lauren Lewis. If you wish you can take on a new name, a new identity, but I know you have come to love this one. I can remove all traces of your past crimes. I can make it so that Karen Beattie never stepped a toe out of line. As of this moment Lauren Lewis is declared dead but only to the Fae. They have no body so there is no way to declare you dead. In three years you can return to Earth and take your rightful place as my heir on Earth. I have arranged for all of my earthly holdings to be transferred into your name. When you return to Earth you will have to meet with my staff of lawyers. They will personally walk you through all of my property and finances of which you are now in control of. I recommend you leave the majority of the work to them for they are all trustworthy. They know who and what I am and they have a high sense of fear which keeps them honest. They will take care of your money and when the time comes for a new heir, which should be in fifty years, they will create a new identity for you to assume. I work a lot like the Fae in that aspect, every couple of decades I recreate my identity in order to keep all my property in my possession. It is a hassle but it keeps the rest of the world from suspecting anything. My staff will also pick out their replacements, it's a system that has worked for centuries so unless you want to personally be involved in I recommend you keep it in place. "
"I think I will since your whole process seems rather complicated.