Sophia's Chronicles

Chapter 53: The British Men of Letters

(Zara POV)

It was dark. It was cold. Zara tried to rub her arms to keep warm but found that her wrists were bound. Her heart raced. Her body shivered like a withered leaf. She couldn't see anything and felt what she assumed to be a blindfold wrapped around her head. Where am I? A thousand thoughts raced through her mind, none of them reassuring. Having just roused here, she didn't know what to expect. It was eerily quiet. For all she knew, this could be the end of the line for her. What then? Some murmurs sounded to her right. A door opened suddenly and she gasped, head jerking towards the direction of the noise. "Relax. We're not going to hurt you," a voice with a polished British accent said. With some fumbling at the back of her head, the blindfold came off, revealing a brightly-lit interrogation room. Lower lip quivering, Zara shrank back into her seat. She immediately shut her eyes tightly, caught off-guard by the brightness of the room. "Oh, sorry about that," the woman quipped as she adjusted a dial on the wall. The lights grew comfortably dimmer and Zara slowly opened her eyes. "It's quite a concussion you've got there."

Now that she could see properly, Zara studied this woman. She was lean and had blonde hair, with thin lips and dead eyes. "Wh-Where am I? Who are you?" Zara stuttered. She gulped, realising her mouth was dry.

The lady took a seat next to her. "My name is Toni Bevel," she introduced herself. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions. But first, let's get to why you're here." Zara looked around the room. It was plain, like the inside of a concentration camp, consisting only of a cold metal table and chairs. There was a one-way mirror on one wall near the door and a camera fixed to the ceiling. As she looked down, she noticed for the first time that she was in different clothes – a plain black shirt and pants. Who had dressed her? The thought of someone actually changing her clothes made her feel… violated. "I work for the British Men of Letters."

"The what now?" her voice creaked and she coughed.

"You could use some water. I'll be right back," Toni got up, leaving her confused in the room. As the door closed, it was followed by the clicking of a lock. The door was locked from the outside. Great. Soon enough, Toni returned with a glass of water and set it down on the table. Though it was tempting, Zara stayed put. "Go on," Toni beckoned.

"You first," Zara challenged. She wasn't just about to accept a drink from a strange lady in a strange room.

"It's just water, darling, I assure you." Seeing as Zara wasn't convinced, Toni sighed and took a gulp. "See, just water." Regarding her with a suspicious gaze, Zara took hold of the glass with both palms and downed it in one gulp. Never had water tasted so good. With a relieved exhale she set the glass back on the table. "Good."

"Where's Nick?"

"Your boyfriend?" Toni huffed. "He's in better hands, as I hear."

"Crowley's hands?" How could this lady seriously expect her to believe that?

"Unfortunately, I am not privy to the details of the… operation."

"So you don't know where he is?" Zara pressed.

Toni laced her fingers together, ignoring Zara's question. "To answer your initial question: The Men of Letters are… chroniclers. Investigators in the realm of the supernatural," Toni explained. "We're interested in you because you are the vessel of an archangel. Not much is known about the capabilities of archangels, nor their vessels."

"And so…?" Zara narrowed her eyes. She didn't know where this was going but she didn't have a good feeling about it.

"We just want your cooperation. Help us learn more about Sophia and Lucifer." So that was it, then. They wanted to use her to get information. "We can't imagine what you must have been through, being dragged around by two fallen angels. It must have been less than pleasant. You could do a lot of good by helping us. You'll even be duly rewarded."

Zara stayed silent. For a moment she looked down at her handcuffs, observing their metallic shine and tight fit around her bruised wrists. Such a funny name for it… 'help'.

"We can keep you safe from them, Zara, because we know how dangerous angels and demons can be. You've been on the run from them, I presume. If you help us, we can help you," Toni went on. Zara's wrist grazed the cuffs as a reminder of what their hospitality was like.

There wasn't much to think about that. "How about no," she rejected, staring straight into Toni's robotic eyes. There was no way she was going to snitch on Sophia. It was even ridiculous that anyone could entertain the notion. And after breaking the promise she made to her archangel, she wasn't going to do anything worse. The guilt was weighing on her again. Breaking a promise was one thing, but to intentionally give others the means to hurt Sophia?

"I beg your pardon?" Toni seemed genuinely puzzled.

"You heard me. I'm not doing it. Let me go," she demanded, holding out her cuff-bound wrists. In the back of her mind, she must have known that it wasn't going to be easy to get out of this. But it felt like she had nothing left to lose. She didn't really know where she was. She didn't know where Nick was. She didn't have her blade with her. She was painted into a corner and so she was just doing whatever came to mind. Toni's lips curved into an impatient half-smile as she studied the dishevelled young woman sitting before her.

"I don't think you understand how this works," she slowly warned. Zara noticed how Toni's chin tightened when she spoke, like she was forcefully enunciating every word. She reminded her of the uptight teacher in charge of discipline in high school who she tried to avoid as much as possible. Immediately, Zara knew she resented this woman. "We will get what we need from you. But how comfortable this whole experience is going to be is entirely up to you."

"Lady, if you think I'm going to snitch on an all-powerful being, you've lost your marbles," she shot back, strangely sure of herself.

"Very well then. Enjoy your stay here," Toni said pointedly as she stood up.

Stay? Zara needed to act quick. Taking a gamble, she shot up and swung the chain between her cuffs around Toni's neck in an attempt to strangle her. As she found out, she greatly underestimated her enemy. Toni reacted with a quickness that she wasn't used to, dodging her attempt at a chokehold. The Brit's agile fist landed a blow on Zara's jaw, knocking her back into her seat with a short groan. Pain flared in her left temple as a reminder of where she'd sustained a concussion, warning her to not try anything like that again. Surrendering to her spinning vision, Zara simply dug her head into her palms.

"I'd think twice next time, if I were you. Especially with a baby on the way," Toni warned.

Zara panted heavily, fatigued from the exertion and the rough few days she'd had. "How did you know about that?" she asked, instantly regretting the move as a sharp ache pulsed in her head.

"We know everything about you, Zara. We have no intentions of hurting you or the baby. But I recommend not forcing our hand." With that, Toni left and two stocky men entered. They grabbed her by the arms and forced her up. She didn't even look where she was going. That punch really did a number on me, she grumbled internally as her eyes shut tightly and her fingers massaged her temples in an attempt to ease the pain. Eventually, she was laid down on a bed in a room somewhere and the cuffs binding her wrists were unlocked. Relieved to move her hands freely, she rubbed her wrists and hugged her arms to her body. Before she could collect herself and ask the two gentlemen who'd handled her so nicely for a painkiller, the door to her room was shut abruptly, leaving her in the dim red glow of the lights from the far wall.


Zara's Cell, British Men of Letters' Temporary HQ – Probably 2 November 2011, Unknown Time

Once the pain had more or less subsided, Zara got up and wandered around the room. It was spacious, with only one bed on one side of the room. There was another doorway that revealed a minimalistic toilet and sink in a room the size of a broom closet. At least everything was clean and spotless - not the worst life for a hostage. As Zara sat back on the bed, she noticed a blinking red light coming from the ceiling. Another camera. She couldn't even scratch her nose without being watched, it would seem. There wasn't even a window in the room so she wouldn't be able to tell if it was night or day.

Now what? She lay down on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. She tried praying again. It was all that was left to do. Thoughts about what might have happened to Nick swirled in her head. She held onto the last image of him she remembered. There was a cold fire burning in his eyes. She saw it whenever she closed her own eyes. He was strong. He would fight for her. And she would fight for him too. Wherever he was, it was now her life's mission to find him. Her hands encircled her tummy, feeling the life beneath them. Now it was about more than just her. Now she had something worth living for. Something worth fighting for. It felt like a connection she had with Nick that spanned the distance between them, wherever he may be. A sudden longing for his large arms to surround her overtook every ounce of will in her body and she almost shuddered at the thought of his absence. There was no comfort for this woman in a lonely bed with nothing but a ghost of a memory haunting her. Uncontrollably, a plump tear fell from her eye and stained the pillow. Zara curled into a fetal position, hairs on her skin standing as they came to terms with the empty coldness of the air. I should've listened to you, Sophia. I'm so sorry. I was foolish for ever doubting you.

The rustic sound of a door opening caught her attention. She rubbed the tears away and sat up straight. Two men entered and stood guard by the door as a third entered. Against the bright light of the hallway of the outside, Zara could only make out his silhouette. "You're not gonna cause any trouble, are you? Because handcuffs are inconvenient," he said calmly. He too had a British accent and for a moment Zara wondered if she'd magically been transported to Britain. Zara simply shook her head. "Good. You have an appointment now." The man gestured towards the hallway. Slowly, she got up and stepped out of the room under the cautious gaze of the two guards. "I'm Thomas Murray. You can call me Tom," the man said.

She took note of it but didn't say anything in response. He had reassuring brown eyes and coiffured dark hair but Zara didn't look. She kept her eyes on the ground. The cold marble ground was a distinct change from the carpeted interior of the dim room to her bare feet. Quietly, she followed Tom as he guided her down the hallway to a small office that was filled with so many books and other office materials in such an orderly manner that you wouldn't believe that it had only been occupied for just a few weeks. Inside, a man wearing a lab coat and stethoscope waited for her with a smile so wide it achieved the opposite effect of what the man would have intended. "Zara, this is Dr Berg. He'll be your medical consultant here," Tom introduced. Why… would I need a medical consultant? she grimly thought. The longer she stayed her the more it felt like she was in a sci-fi horror movie, with all of the ghastly white walls and people walking about with posh accents and now… her medical consultant.

"Hello, Zara. It's nice to finally meet you," the doctor extended his hand eagerly. Again with the British accent. Warily, Zara returned the gesture with a weak grip, which Dr Berg noted and reciprocated with a gentle handshake. He was clearly an experienced doctor, judging from his aged appearance and white hairs on his head and jaw. Exchanging a nod with the doctor, Tom closed the door as he left, leaving the two of them alone. Dr Berg's wide grin faded into a moderate one as he beckoned her to take a seat and sat next to her. "I know this must all be very scary to you, young lady, but I will make sure that no harm comes to you or your child." Again, how did this guy know she was pregnant? Did they run tests on her while she was unconscious? Why did everything everyone said around here make her feel uncomfortable? "First things first, let's check on that concussion. I've been told Lady Bevel got physical with you and I let her know that that is no way to treat a frightened young woman, especially one who is with child." The doc checked her pupils and then her heart-rate. "Tell me, are you experiencing any pain?"

In my soul, yes, quite a lot. "I h-had a headache earlier which seems to have subsided… but I-I still feel it," Zara answered with a weak voice.

"Any other symptoms? Nausea? Memory loss?"

"Not since coming here, no."

"Good, good," Dr Berg nodded. "Then I'll just prescribe some paracetamol with your next meal. Have plenty of rest. And my advice is also to not resist them because you really shouldn't strain yourself physically while recovering from a concussion."

Listen, doc, if you think it's gonna be that easy to make me comply… "What are they gonna do to me?"

"Oh, nothing much," he answered. "They just want to ask you a few questions and ask you to perform some tasks."

"So basically they're gonna run some tests on me? Like experiments?" She gulped, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand.

"Crudely put, yes. But like I said, it's no cause to worry because I'll make sure you're well-taken care of. Your safety is my utmost priority, Zara." That one statement sent a shiver through her body. There was no way this man she'd never known before actually meant that. It was always safe to never trust people when they said things like that, she thought. It was something that saved her a lot of emotional distress in the past. "Just cooperate with them and everything will go smoothly." Whoever 'they' were, Zara knew that she didn't like them. Her resentment towards the situation was evident from the way she avoided his gaze and touched her arms like she was keeping to herself.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, speaking slowly so it wouldn't sound like she was yelling at him. More than anything, she was just confused by this whole arrangement. "Why do you even care what happens to me?"

"Because…" the doctor began. "There has to be a… a certain ethic behind what we do here. As Men of Letters, we just want to rid the world of evil. True evil. But in doing so, it is easy to forget that we aim to protect humans. All humans, including you. So we are compelled to follow a code when it comes to interrogating or testing human subjects."

Somehow Zara found that hard to believe. They drugged her and brought her here in cuffs. How humanistic could they actually be? And she got hardcore evil-nurse vibes from Toni so… "In that case… you'll be busy, doc," she quipped.

"If I may just suggest one thing," he held her gaze with a solemn expression. "There is no point in lying to them. They have ways of knowing."

Zara's eyebrows crinkled ever so slightly. "They don't have anything on me. They can't. I'm nobody," she said.

"An organisation like ours… we have access to resources that even your government doesn't. Here, your life is an open book." Wow, don't creep me out even more or anything. Zara simply shrank further into her seat in response. Noticing that, Dr Berg sighed and his eyes softened in pity. "I don't mean to put you at unease. All I'm trying to say is… it is in your best interest to cooperate. Believe me when I say I want nothing more than to see you through this pregnancy. But after your child comes into this world, then what? Will you be running from everyone forever? Think about the things the Men of Letters can do for you. A safe home, an education for your child, a life with purpose."

Zara said nothing. A life with purpose… Sophia was her purpose.

"Very well, then." With that, Tom escorted her to another room, similar to the interrogation room she'd been in before. This one was much smaller and it had a camera poised on a tripod opposite her chair. Meekly, Zara rubbed her ankles together in nervous anticipation. Her long, dark hair was let down and hung messily around her face, giving her a more rugged look than she had mere hours earlier. She fiddled her thumbs, trying to stay grounded though her anxious heart wouldn't relent. What has it come down to?

Another pair of footsteps accompanied Tom's as they pulled up chairs and sat at the sides of the table, leaving a clear view of her for the camera. "Shall we get started?" Toni said, to which Tom responded with a nod. "So, Zara, tell us about Sophia. What is her relationship with the Devil?"

"You're the experts. You tell me," she said monotonously.

"Hm." Toni held her gaze threateningly, unfazed by the snide remark. "They had a child together. I assume you must have been the carrier." Carrier. Was that what they were calling her? The one who had physically birthed the archangel child and loved him like her own? "What was the child's name?"

"Don't know," she shrugged.

"I think you would find it best not to lie, Ms Joshi," Tom advised.

"Not lyin'." She shook her head slightly, not even bothered to speak in full sentences. "I have no clue what you guys are talking about."

"Really?" Toni opened up a file and pulled out a small piece of paper and set it down on the table. Zara's pupils widened in recognition, though she tried her best not to let it show. It was the photograph of her holding Luciel. Did they go through her wallet? How dare they go through her belongings? "So you had no idea that Sophia had used you to give birth?"

"Maybe you've never been the vessel of an archangel, but I can tell you first-hand that once they're in, you don't see anything," she argued. "So no, I don't know what she did with my body."

"See, I refuse to believe that," Toni pressed.

"That's your choice."

"Let me tell you why." Zara could tell that Toni was trying really hard to keep calm. She could tell by the way her chin tightened again and how she spoke slowly that she really wanted to lash out but couldn't. "We here at the Men of Letters believe in the scientific method. We don't believe in trusting mere instinct in dealing with the supernatural. We like to be certain about the claims we make."

"And…?" Zara wasn't really seeing the point to this.

"We have research that proves that the vessel is able to witness the actions of their possessing angels, even if they weren't conscious of it at the time."

Zara looked puzzled. "You have… research… on angels?"

"We do," Tom confirmed. "And as a scientist yourself, you must know how rigorous scientific experimentation can be." That made her gulp. How could they have gotten a willing angel as a participant? She didn't want to think of what the logical next conclusion was.

"You're bluffing," she declared, though there was the slightest hint of reservation in her voice.

"We're not," Toni snapped, getting impatient. Zara held her ground, gazing into Toni's eyes with a fiery intensity that was also reciprocated by the Brit. "But the same can't be said of you."

"Okay," Tom interjected, sensing the tension brewing between the two of them. "Okay. Assuming that what you're saying is true, there must have been some time before you were possessed when you were aware of what was happening."

Okay, she couldn't argue with that.

"You went missing in October 2009. What happened that night?" Tom asked, observing her composure intimately.

"I don't remember it," she lied again.

"Do you remember the psychedelics found in your apartment?" Toni pressed. "You know, the ones you presumably acquired illegally and can be persecuted for." Zara shot her a bored look. Of course it's illegal. "Or maybe you remember the spell book and ritual materials you were using."

Zara huffed, smiling at the memory. Such a rudimentary grasp of magic that she used to have. I knew nothing. "That? I bought that stuff on Ebay. Just for shits and giggles."

"Yet, you managed to summon Lucifer," Toni rebutted with a condescending tone, like she should be ashamed of what she did. "You think the occult is for shits and giggles, Zara?"

"I uh… never actually expected it to work," she admitted, despite herself.

"So you did meet Lucifer that night?" Toni caught on. Shit. She defiantly turned her head away, refusing to answer. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Zara, what did Lucifer want from you?" Tom spoke up. "Where did he take you? Which demons were part of his inner circle?"

"I'm still not giving you anything," Zara snapped. The room fell silent. Toni glanced at Tom, who simply sighed and wrote something down on a clipboard. Zara swore she saw a faint smile on Toni's face. What could that mean?

"As you wish," Toni said coolly, before getting up and leaving. She had an unusual confidence about her, almost giving off an aura of excitement. Tom, on the other hand, had a foreboding look on his face as he massaged a temple with a few fingers.

Later, Zara was returned to her cell. She sought refuge in that comforting red glow and dark interior – it reminded her of Lucifer. Suddenly, she felt so silly for ever thinking that he would take out his frustrations on her. And even if he did, it would be temporary because he never did things without reason, not that she recalled anyway. Why am I so bad at making decisions? she asked herself. Again and again, she found herself making the same mistakes throughout her life. It was just who she was. It seemed ironic to her that she lacked the wisdom and foresight that her archangel was known for having.

The noise of a slit in the door opening caught her attention. A tray of food was passed through. For 'prison' food, it appeared quite nutritious. With it came a cup of water and some dubious pills. Dr Berg did say that he was giving her paracetamol. But there was always the possibility that these pills were something else. What if the food was spiked? Curiously, a small piece of paper was tucked under the small plastic bowl of pills. Unfolding it, Zara found a message tailored to her very scepticism: "Think about the baby". Alright, you freaks. Swallowing her suspicions, she satisfied her hunger.

When she was done, she put the tray back through the slit and walked about the room, stretching her legs. What's next? Naturally, she was drawn to the part of the room where the red light was strongest. As she admired the hue and how it reflected off the walls, her vision began to blur. What the hell? Her muscles grew weak and a buzzing feeling emanated from the centre of her head, making her light-headed. In the struggle between consciousness and the lack thereof, she tried her best to stay awake though her better instincts drove her to the bed. Unable to fight the dizziness she gave in, plopping her head on the pillow and falling asleep.


Birds chirped noisily in the distance. Zara snapped out of her daze, quickly recognising where she was. It was the front porch of the house – Sophia's house. An unshakeable calm settled over her like the mystical fog over the acres upon acres of plants in the garden outside. Even knowing where she was and how this place came to be, it never stopped seeming magical to her. Sometimes she doubted whether this was Heaven or earth. A place made and maintained by archangels was bound to bear resemblance to their former home. Evidently, this small corner in Illinois represented their idea of what a home should be like. A soft cooing caught Zara's attention and she looked down. "Oh, hello, you," she giggled as she looked on adoringly at the beautiful bundle in her arms. He was still an infant so she held him so carefully – supporting his neck with one palm and his body with another. He smiled so innocently with rosy cheeks as his enchanting eyes looked into hers – they were light brown with little green flecks that made him look like the mystical creature that he was.

"Such a sweet little thing, isn't he?" A warm hand rested gently on her shoulder and she turned to see Nick standing next to her, just as happy as she was to see the child in her arms. She exhaled contentedly as he kissed her on the temple.

"I think Luc wants to take a walk," she said, eyeing the excited baby. Nick agreed and they both stepped out into the garden, sauntering through the rows of flora. It all looked so vivid and glowing, like they were living an old VHS tape.

"You never told me his name," Nick remarked, his gaze extending into the distance. Truly, the scenery here was breath-taking, especially since there weren't any buildings or roads in sight.

"Oh yeah," she realised, surprised by the fact. "It's Luciel." She smiled serenely, admiring the baby as his tiny hands gripped tendrils of her long, dark hair. "God's blessing, Sophia would say."

"Hm," Nick considered it absurd. "Weird, isn't it, for a fallen angel to invoke God's blessing?"

"I don't think Sophia ever hated God. Not really," Zara answered truthfully. "Can't say the same for myself though," she smirked. They came upon the jasmine bushes and Zara stopped, kneeling down to feel the moist petals of the flowers. "Oh, you could just bathe in the scent!" She took a deep inhale of the sweet fragrance. Luc's hand reached out to do as she did and now he was a little bigger than before, sitting on her waist. Wait, when did that happen?

"Why do you say that?" Nick pressed. He was still standing, observing them with quiet tranquillity. "That Sophia never hated God?"

Zara turned her attention back to him, standing up with the child on her hip. They continued down the path demarcated by empty soil. "I don't know. I just never felt like she was doing what she did out of spite. Most of the time, anyway. She had her own mission, like Lucifer did with the apocalypse."

Now that she had a free right hand, Nick intertwined his fingers with hers. It felt so safe and comforting here that Zara couldn't question it. It hadn't even occurred to her to question it. Nick, on the other hand, seemed to have an endless supply of questions. "And what mission would that be?"

"Hmm…" Zara had to think about that one. "They called her the Keeper of Knowledge. I guess she was too attached to the title."

A cool wind blew, feeling so fresh that she had to close her eyes to fully feel it on her skin. Its coldness was piercing like a needle yet she felt comfortably warm. Not even a shiver erupted from her skin. She opened her eyes and frowned slightly, confused by the sensory mismatch. "Who called her that?" Nick asked. This time she looked at him – really looked at him. He gazed at her the way he always did – gently, affectionately, genuinely – with those light blue eyes that could look so lifeless sometimes. Light glinted off his pale skin and blond hair and she observed his features, seeing nothing mistaken about them. But why did he have all these questions?

"The uh… the apprentices…" she recalled. She scanned the landscape, finding again unmistakeable beauty in all the colours and scents of the large garden. "Why are we even talking about this?" she asked out of the blue, more rhetorically than seriously. She breathed in deeply, feeling invigorated by the smell of the damp earth. "You're loving this, aren't you?" she said to Luc as she rained kisses on his cheeks and forehead, causing him to giggle. Warmth sprung from deep in her bones, feeling her love as true as the colour of the sky or the chill of snow. This, she knew for sure, had to be real.

"I'm just curious, is all," Nick shrugged nonchalantly. Zara noticed how calm he looked. It was an unusual calm, like he'd forgotten all his past burdens. It definitely wasn't a bad thing, but it was just new to see him this way, strolling through the garden with her without a crushing sadness behind his eyes. Soon, they came upon a large tree with dense branches that provided ample shade as they sat at its base. Its bark was so wide that they could both sit side by side. Such were the nourished trees in the orchard that Sophia grew.

As they sat, Luc pointed a finger excitedly at something. "Bubberfly!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, it is a butterfly," Zara beamed, following his gaze to the winged insect. Eagerly, Luc got on his legs and ran with his childish gait towards the wandering butterfly. He's… walking? she wondered briefly, before her doubt, just like the previous one, faded from her mind. Just like his mother could, Luc summoned the creature to his finger with ease, observing its bright orange wings with uninhibited wonder. Soon, more small butterflies followed and took his fingers as a resting place.

"It's amazing how he does that," Nick said, arms folded as he leaned back against the tree.

"Yeah, it comes naturally to him," she replied, though she was still confused about what she was seeing. Luc now appeared to be a toddler, running around freely and using his magic effortlessly. She enjoyed watching him play in the soil, picking up various rocks and insects, though a sneaking suspicion crept up in the back of her mind that something was off. But she couldn't quite put her finger on it…

"Woof!" A large brown retriever appeared from the tall grass.

"Hey, look, it's Dog," Zara recognised. Dog stuck his tongue out as he approached her, awaiting his mandatory pats and rubs. She obliged, chuckling at the way the mutt yielded to her affectionate petting.

"You named your dog, Dog?" Nick laughed softly at the absurdity, rubbing its belly. The dog in turn rolled over onto its back, content as all Heaven.

"Wasn't me. I guess Sophia didn't have time back then to stop and think about a suitable name for this good boy here," Zara said as she scratched under the dog's chin and behind his ears. When her hands grew tired of petting him, the dog got up and whimpered sadly. "Oh you've had enough, you adorable mutt." It circled itself once and then proceeded slowly towards Luc, nudging him on the tummy. The kid stumbled slightly backwards but chuckled and regained his footing with determination. Zara observed as Luc put his free hand – the one without the butterflies – on the ground and sprouted a brightly-coloured flower. Though it was short, the flower that grew was large. Evidently, a technical disproportion that only a child could envision. "What do you have there, Luc?" she asked.

"They're hungry," he answered with his childish simplicity. His butterfly friends all migrated to the flower and began feeding on the nectar, crowding around its petals. "Now all of you can eat," he said to them, growing more flowers just as benevolently as God in the beginning of creation.

"Isn't he the purest thing?" Zara smiled.

She giggled as Luc petted Dog and then tried to mount him like a horse, reaching one tiny leg across the dog's back. While he struggled at first, Dog relented and sat on his four legs, lowering himself so that Luc could get on. Victorious, Luc spurred the dog on. "Go, doggy, go!" he tapped its back, urging it to run like the wind. Gripped by the sight of a fallen apple, Dog lazily sauntered to it and began nibbling on the fruit.

"Isn't it a bit disconcerting, though, that he has so much power?" Nick watched the kid with a suspicious gaze.

"What?" Her smile faded quickly and she turned to him, puzzled, like he questioned something so sacrosanct. "Why would you say that?" she whispered pointedly, wanting to keep this taboo conversation out of earshot.

"I'm just saying…" Nick held his arms up in surrender. "Kid like that… if he throws a tantrum, we could lose a continent."

"What?" Her frown deepened. "You have to be kidding me." Her heart raced, rushing to the defence of her beloved child. "You can't just judge him like that!"

"Woah, calm down, Zara," he reached out to hold her hand but she pulled away, suddenly awakened by a string of thoughts, all arising at the same time. "I didn't mean to offend you."

She nodded slowly, taking deep breaths. Why am I getting so upset? "I'm… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lash out like that," she apologised, pulling a hand down her face. She tried to cast it out of her mind but a strong gut feeling wouldn't let her. "I'm just… confused…"

"It's okay. Focus on the here and now," he advised, running his thumb in circles on the back of her palm as he held her hand.

Speaking of here… "How did we get here?" she suddenly asked, alarmed that she couldn't remember anything before this.

"You brought us here, Zara. Don't you remember?" he said, his eyes beckoning her to accept the reality of their surroundings. "You said we'd be safe here. How'd you even find this place anyway?"

Her eyes sharpened, uncertain of what to make of his question. "Wouldn't you know? You were here when… when Lucifer gave it to Sophia."

"Oh, right, sorry. I'm a little fuzzy on the details," he nodded, running a hand through his blond hair. "Why did he give it to her again?" Zara pulled her hand away sharply, scrambling away from him. Her eyes widened but her vision blurred in and out. As Nick got up and approached her, she held her hands up to protect herself, trembling. She didn't know why, but she just felt like she was in danger. Something in the deep recesses of her mind was telling her that she was in danger and that she had to get away. "Zara, are you okay?" Nick asked, looking at her with nothing but concern. He looked so real, so genuine, so how could she be unsure of any of this?

"I…" The blurring intensified so much that she had to shut her eyes tightly. Gradually, feeling returned to her limbs. With a gasp, she awoke in a completely different place. She panted heavily and things began to appear in her vision, though she was disoriented and couldn't make sense of her visual input at first. Then she felt someone's arms on her shoulders and upper arms. Is someone… comforting me?

"Hey, hey, Zara, you're okay," a man's voice said. A different voice. Now that her vision was returning to normal, she could see that she was cuffed to a chair in a dark room lit only by dim yellow lights.

"Tom?" she identified. He was kneeling in front of her, studying her face for any signs of abnormality. He held her face in his hands and squinted, looking at her pupils. This is all wrong. Everything's wrong. Her mind flustered, finding no acceptable explanation as to why she wasn't in her paradise. There was nothing in this dingy, dark room but disappointment that Nick and Luc weren't there with her. I want you here. I need you here, Luc.

"Breathe easy, Zara," he ordered. She hadn't even realised that she was taking such fast breaths. She could have hyperventilated at that rate. Consciously, she took in one deep breath and held it in for a while before releasing it slowly. She repeated this again a few times until she felt more grounded. "That's right. You're doing good."

"What- What's happening?" she croaked, feeling that her mouth was dry. As she looked on, she saw a camera on a tripod standing a few feet away behind him. A blinking red light on its side indicated that it was recording. Seeing that she was okay, Tom got up and turned off the camera before moving to undo her cuffs. She rubbed her wrists, detesting the feeling of confinement. "What did you do to me?"

"What you experienced was a hallucination created by a potion and powerful spell-work," he explained. Zara was simply taken aback, unable to process what he was saying.

"You went inside my head?" she asked accusatively, beginning to feel annoyed and violated. It seemed to be a running theme in this place.

"Not exactly, but I could see some of it. And I must say, if that is your paradise, we might be alike after all," he gave her a reassuring smile. She simply stared, dumbfounded. She thought she was talking to Nick this whole time. And it felt real and convincing. Descartes was right all along, she thought wryly. "Admit it, it was fun while it lasted."

"You… you tricked me…" she shook her head in disbelief. That, or there's an evil demon deceiving me that this itself is real.

"You weren't willing to cooperate and we didn't want to resort to enhanced interrogation. It's against our code," he said nonchalantly as he stood over her. "Unfortunately, we can't do this again because your brain would liquefy and we don't want that."

"That's comforting," she snarked.

"We've learnt a lot nonetheless. See, it won't be so difficult if you just opened up, Zara." He beckoned her to get up and soon they were walking down the blank hallways with the many doors. Her legs felt like jelly and she relied on Tom's grip on her elbow to guide her. They eventually stopped in front of her cell and Tom regarded her for one more time. "There's more to you than other people are willing to see," he said unexpectedly. He had concerned brown eyes and freckles on his nose, she noticed. Immediately, warning bells went off in her head that he could be trying to manipulate her.

"Yeah, well, that's not exactly useful to you, is it?" she spat out bitterly.

"All I'm saying is," he sighed, stroking his chin with his fingers. "I'm willing to convince the others to go easy on you if you give us something to work with. And who knows – with what you bring to the table, you could join us in the fight against evil." He looked her in the eye, gesturing with a head tilt that she should consider. "Working with us has its perks. For one, you wouldn't be a prisoner."

"I see," she gave him a short nod, holding his gaze. "But no thanks."

His eyebrows crinkled slightly and relaxed, moving to hide his emotion as quickly as he felt it. Perhaps he was wondering why she would refuse their offer. But that didn't matter to her. They could think her a fool as much as they wanted. "Sleep on it," he suggested.

With that, he closed the door to her cell, leaving her alone in the darkness with the hypnotising red light. As Zara sat on the bed, she thought back to the hallucination. It was all… fake…? Pain throbbed in her chest as she held the image of Luc in her mind. It wasn't real, no matter how much she wanted it to be, and that hurt a lot. She felt like getting stabbed in the chest would be less painful. But how? It had felt so… so… true when she looked into his eyes. Having a child was like… falling in love. And the absence of him hurt like hell. I miss you so much, Luc. Her hands moved to her tummy. Now she had another on the way. A small glimmer of hope lighted within her to think of this new child she would bear. Finally, she saw something in the future to look forward to – falling in love again.