Sophia's Chronicles

Chapter 14: The Cage

I stood on the balcony of the armoury, watching the scene unfold down below. Some of the Fallen were in the courtyard, eagerly training the demon Lilith. It made my skin crawl. Lilith was first, then there were the 'Princes' – Azaezel, Ramiel, Dagon and Asmodeus. It utterly disgusted me. What an obnoxious title to give an abomination… a title that should have been reserved for our children. How could something… so tortured and beaten and misshapen become invigorated with life? How could the debilitating pain make it become so strong? It seemed so counterintuitive. I could never wrap my head around it. Perhaps that was why the demons sickened me.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Lucifer's voice sounded behind me. He took his place next to me on the wide balcony.

"That's not the word I would use," I responded, hands gripping the railing.

"This is just the beginning. Soon, more will join them," Lucifer gleefully declared. He was practically bouncing with pride. "The world will behold my demon army. And they will fear it."

I said nothing, but I could feel the disgust seeping through my expression.

"Cheer up a little, would you? You are their ruler too," he suggested.

"I don't know if I'd like that," I honestly stated. "No offence, but these creatures you made are vile."

Lucifer chuckled from deep within his chest. "Thanks, I guess," he said. "That means they're fulfilling their purpose."

"What exactly do you hope to accomplish by making these demons?" I asked rather curtly.

"I will make an army of them, all fashioned from the human race," he explained. He was confident, chin held up with self-satisfaction. "I will show Him the true ugliness that His precious humans are capable of. And I will make them bow before us, the way it should be." I averted my gaze. "You… don't like this plan?"

"What's there not to like?" I dryly replied.

"You can just be honest with me, you know? Without the sarcasm," he quipped.

I let out an exhale. "You really think this is a good idea? Provoking God like this?" I snapped at him. "He didn't even like us speaking against Him. What do you think He'll do about you subverting His creations like this?"

"It'll irk Him. I am aware of that," Lucifer said with determination. "The more the better."

"Don't be foolish. He threw us out of our own home," I pointed out. "You keep testing Him, He'll test back. Heaven is watching us."

"Not a single word has come from Heaven in ages," he argued. "They won't do anything about it. They're cowards."

"If you really believe that, you're more of an idiot than I initially thought," I retorted. He took in a deep breath, lips pursed into a tight line. I knew my words were harsh but if that was what it took to hammer the message into his head, I didn't care. "What do you think's going to happen, huh? You keep making more of these abominations and they'll stay silent? They'll launch an attack. That's what will happen."

"I say, let them," he shot back with an animated hand gesture. "I'll have an army by then."

"What, this?" I pointed at the training demons below. "You think they'll stand a chance against an army of angels? I'll bet it takes at most three angels to take down one demon."

"That's why we need strength in numbers," Lucifer persisted. "At the rate we're going, each of the Fallen bringing in their own numbers of humans and turning them, we'll have a formidable force. And if you pulled your weight too, the demons will outnumber the angels five to one."

"I want no part in making such atrocities," I defiantly stated. "Creation is an art. I will not squander my talents on the waste bucket of human lives."

His head turned slightly, with a rigidness that he probably wished to dispel. "I don't understand," he began. I held back a sigh. If I could count the number of times he'd begun a sentence that way… "Is there something I'm missing? All you've done since you've gotten here is argue with me. Is something wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I snapped.

"You know you can talk to me, right?"

"There's nothing to talk about," I dismissed his concern. "You're reading too much into it."

"Am I? Then why is it that the first thing you do when you get up in Hell is… leave Hell? I mean, you didn't even talk to me for ages!" he flustered.

"Well maybe I just needed space," I rushed to answer. I was uncomfortable with where this conversation was going. "And don't distract from the topic. There is nothing wrong with me pointing out the insanity of your plan."

He sighed, rubbing his jaw. "And what would you suggest I do, my lady?" he challenged me.

"I would suggest you stop this and kill these creatures immediately. If you want an army so bad, your efforts should be directed towards converting our own people to our cause. Starting with the Grigori," I suggested. "Keeping it within the family always helps."

"You're not thinking big enough," he criticised, scoffing. "This isn't just about a military victory. We need to prove a point. Hit them where it hurts most. I want to make them watch the human race become something so disgusting that they will see how ridiculous it was to bow before them in the first place!"

"Fine, do whatever you want," I blankly answered, storming off with my arms folded. Would it kill you to heed my warning? It probably seemed drastic to walk away like that, but it was solely because I felt strongly about it. I had a sinking feeling about all this and it just pained me to hear him standing his ground, insisting on this suicidal endeavour. I knew then that God would not stay silent. Humans were the product of millions of years of targeted evolution and it just took the two of us to talk to one of them to screw things up. I couldn't imagine that finding new ways to make things worse was going to end up well for anyone. I just wanted it to stop. I just wanted us to move on and find a better way to live.

In my disappointment, I found myself wandering to the lower levels of the palace. I paid a visit to the kennels where little Hellhounds were being housed. Such adorable things they were as pups. So ferocious and full of anger yet capable of love. I fed the little mutts, stroking and playing with them. Unlike the demons, these were creatures native to Hell. They were a true testament to the resilience of life, springing up in a place thought to be as inhabitable as Hell. The first one Lucifer brought home was a cutie named Ramsay. We both fell in love with her immediately.

One pup rolled over as I tickled her belly. That certainly lightened my mood. Just as I was about to give her a little treat, the sound of clashing metal caught my attention. I jerked my head towards the noise. It came from the end of the hallway. Though I was reluctant to leave the pups, I thought it important to investigate the disturbance. Torches greeted me as I ventured down the hallway. Soon enough, I heard voices.

"What's the matter, Smith? Afraid to honour the King?" someone hissed.

"I honour the King with swords. I have no need of your adventures," a familiar voice defended. I peeked around the corner. There, outside a workshop, I saw Hassiel being cornered by three angels, all eyeing him like fresh meat. This was not good.

"Yes, yes, swords," another pranced around arrogantly with one. From its shine, it looked to be freshly made. "Maybe we should honour you with one. Then you'd realise the importance of what we do."

The angels smirked among themselves. Two of them quickly moved to trap Hassiel against the wall while the one with the sword traced its edge.

"Hey!" I stepped out into the open. "What do you think you're doing?"

Immediately, the angels straightened up to face me. "Your Grace, we were about to leave for earth to lure humans into Hell," one reported.

"Is that so? Because I recall the exit being that way," I pointed behind myself with a thumb. I used a glare so fierce I could see them beginning to quake with fear. "What do you want with the blacksmith?"

"He doesn't want to join us, Your Majesty! Maybe he's- he's hiding something!" another angel was quick to accuse. I sighed, rolling my eyes. You could see how far the Lake of Fire had fried his sanity from his wide, deranged eyes that thought he made the whole sense in the world.

"Reza, why do you want Hassiel to join you?" I prompted to make a point.

"To… to collect more souls in Hell, my lady," the one named Reza answered rather hesitantly, evidently puzzled by the question. "If more of us go, we'll bring back more souls and please the King with more demons."

"So you want to harvest more human souls for Hell…" I inferred. "Then why are you idiots wasting time that could be used to kidnap humans in here?!" They flinched at my loud voice. I raised a palm, ready to smite some sense into them as I approached with measured steps. "And on top of that, you waste the Smith's time which he could use to make us more weapons?!"

That sure terrified them. My palm glowed with the power I threatened to annihilate with. The three angels swiftly fell to their knees. "Please don't hurt us, archangel!" they begged.

"Then. Get. Out." The angels scurried away, leaving Hassiel and me alone. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, now that you're here," Hass reassured me. He still seemed a little dazed from the whole encounter. "If you hadn't shown up when you did…"

"Is this a recurring problem?" I asked. We proceeded into his workshop for the sake of privacy.

"Almost being skewered by my brethren? No. But I can tell that they are wary of me. I haven't sunken into depravity like them," he informed me.

"That's comforting. It's hard to keep one's head in here, it seems," I observed.

"It's a clear choice to me." A moment of silence passed between us as we ruminated on the state of affairs. "Being a Queen suits you, archangel. Lucifer is lucky to have won the affections of someone like you." I averted my gaze. Though I knew he meant well, I just didn't feel the positivity of what he was saying in that moment. "Is something wrong?" I let out a deep exhale. "Lovers' quarrel?"

"Something like that," I rubbed the back of my neck. I partly reconsidered spilling my troubles to him but he was the only friend I had left. I needed to talk to someone. "He thinks I'm somehow closing off to him just because I don't agree with everything he says and does. Which is ironic considering I barely even recognise him anymore." I tried to repress a shudder. Hassiel placed a reassuring hand on my arm, giving me time to gather my thoughts. "I feel like being sane has become… wrong. Everyone around me seems to be on a completely different level. Do you know what I mean?"

"Oh, definitely," he too exhaled at the thought of it. "We fell because we wanted to do the right thing. Because we valued the goodness of truth. But now… all everyone seems to want is to be evil. For the sake of… spite. I don't know if I can go along with that."

"You speak my mind, Hass," I smiled. It was heart-warming to know that someone felt the same way I did. But my little relief faded away as soon as it arose. He was a good-intentioned angel and he was damned because he followed me into a war. I wanted nothing but the best for my friend, yet I had delivered the worst. That weighed heavily on my mind. "All I wanted was to do the right thing."

"I know, Sophia, I do," his hand squeezed my shoulder. "Lucifer is right about one thing, though." I looked to him, finding an undiscovered concern in his eyes. "You're closed off. I can tell that the guilt is haunting you and if I know you well enough, you'll wear your guilt like a collar. You need to know that none of this is your fault. You meant well."

"Does it matter that I meant well?" Tears gripped my voice, threatening to turn me into a weeping mess. "What does it matter that I had good intentions if they only paved the way to Hell?"

"Of course it matters. Your intentions mean everything," he consoled.

I had nothing but anger at myself at the way things had turned out. "All of this… began because I was too much of a coward to commit myself to a truce. How can you say that… to me, after placing your trust in me and being betrayed by it?" I asked, spilling my thoughts.

I must have seemed pathetic in my current state. But being a good friend, Hassiel made no comment about it. "This rebellion wasn't just your choice. It was all of ours. Every one of us chose to side with you and Lucifer because we decided you were right. You have to give us credit for our choices too," he said. He let some moments pass for me to wipe away the tears. "You know, I remember the day we first met like it was yesterday. You were just a newly-minted archangel, wide-eyed and full of curiosity, when you entered my workshop. Do you remember what you said to me?"

I sniffled a little, beginning to gain control over my emotions. "'I want to make a sword'?"

He let out a little chuckle. "Right," he nodded. "You didn't say you needed a sword made. You wanted to make it yourself. You wanted to learn from me. Most people think they're too good to learn the craft of those below them."

"I've just always wondered," I shrugged it off.

"And that's what makes you different from the others. You don't just command. You lead by empathy. By understanding the people you rule over," he pointed out. "It's one of the things that I, and many people, admire about you. I don't blame you for the Fall. I blame God for not being as empathic as you."

"You are too kind to me," I pulled him into a hug. "In retrospect, it was probably best that you were the one to craft my blade." He laughed despite himself. "You deserve so much better than this, Hass. You could be in danger for being the way you are."

When we broke apart, he was the very face of composure. "I'll manage by satisfying everyone with steel," he dismissed with a wave of his hand.

"No," I denied. "It won't be enough. I can tell things are about to get a lot worse. You can't remain here."

"But… but where will I go?"

"I don't know. I'll find out." A new determination filled me. "Hass, I'm getting you out of here."

"Your Grace, surely the safest place for me is by your side? And what will Lucifer say about his blacksmith going missing?" he worried.

"Being here with Lucifer is my destiny. Not yours. Besides, there are others who can pick up your work, even if none can match you," I stated.

"But-"

"As your Queen, I insist upon it. Will you disobey me?" I commanded.

He shook his head slightly, eyes softening. "No. Your wish is mine to fulfil," he simply said.

With that, I waited for the right time. When the Fallen were out of sight, I led Hassiel out of Hell. But the challenge did not stop there. Carefully, we evaded the patrolling angels from Heaven. Earth was under heavy surveillance from the people upstairs so it would be difficult for Hass to find refuge here. Instead, my idea was to get him out of earth itself. There were many planets that served as blind spots in Heaven's vision, seen only by those looking for them. I found one such planet that resembled earth in its size and vegetation. Here, far from earth, it was quiet and dark, only illuminated by distant stars and accompanied by the orbits of other gas giants. It had a breath-taking calm that enticed me to stay and explore its wonders. But I resisted the temptation.

"I know it's lonely but at least you'll be safe here," I told Hass.

"Solitude is the least of my concerns, my lady," Hass smiled. "I worry for you and your heart. Will I ever see you again?"

"I promise to visit you as often as I can," I said. The feeling of goodbye drawing nearer made my heart sink. "Please take care."

He hugged me again before I could burst into tears again. Why was I so quick to weep these days? I left him with eyes full of hope that gave me something to look forward to when I returned to earth. As I traversed the galaxies to return to the one I called home, I noticed several familiar spots of light around me. And no, they weren't stars. It was the fragments. I stared in shock as I turned about myself in a circle. There were so many of them! So it wasn't just earth that housed these sparks. I wanted to collect them but they looked so numerous that it seemed like it would take forever. And I still had unfinished business left at home. It seemed clear to me that I had a choice. I could return home and deal with the consequences of what I'd done, or embark on a journey that would last an undefined amount of time to collect these fragments. First things first.

But as I entered the stratosphere again, a single fragment begged my attention. At least this one was in my path. As I touched it, it exploded with light that enveloped me in its knowing embrace. In it I was entranced, and I saw… the Mark. Lucifer's arm gripped that of a human and the Mark… migrated from his arm to the human's. That was it! The Mark could not be destroyed but it could be passed on as a curse. Having seen the Mark's effect on Lucifer, an archangel, there was no telling what it would do to an ordinary human. But the Mark was the price of the sanctity of this universe, and if it had to be passed on to alleviate Lucifer of its troubles, then so be it. Lucifer paid enough of the price already… he deserved better. I would have to tell him about this immediately, before he did anything more to provoke Heaven.

He was still at the balcony, despondently looking out at the open beyond our castle. The skies were an infernal red and there were flashes of purple lightning in the distant hills. The ground far away was an arid wasteland with few desolate trees strewn about. It begged the question of what the point of life was in Hell if it only ever looked lifeless. All of this, Lucifer beheld from his vantage point on the highest floor of his palace, hands gripping the railing. I took my position next to him and followed his gaze into the distance.

"And where have you been?" he demanded, demeanour calm but meaning stern.

"Just out," I nonchalantly replied.

"Just out?" he huffed. "So you just happened to be out at the same time the Smith went missing?"

"Alright," I relented. "I helped him escape."

Lucifer was clearly struggling to stay calm. "Why? You know what, forget it. I'm tired of this."

"Look, I know it seems like I'm working against you but that is not the case. I'm doing what I think is right and I just wish you'd respect my decisions," I honestly expressed.

His shoulders eased with an exhale. Whatever his internal state of mind was, tension seemed to dissipate and evolve into something else. "You know, I can't help but wonder… whether you'll come back every time you leave Hell," he confessed. "Sometimes I'm just afraid you won't."

Oh no. I wanted to prove to him so bad that he was wrong. I needed to. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I left him to think that way. Which meant that bringing up the fragments would be a tricky thing to do. I rubbed his shoulder. He retreated into my touch, pulling me into an embrace. "I could never leave you. You are my home," I said, my hands going up and down his back. Inevitably our lips found each other. Love was known and forgiveness was sought.

"I need you," he whispered in between kisses. "I crave you." His arms tightened around my back as he bent down to deepen the kiss. Now our bodies were gapless, tightly bound against each other. The friction between us was tantalising, begging to be undone. I found myself unlacing my dress despite myself and his fingers clamoured to help me. Within seconds, the cloth dropped in a messy heap around my feet. I stepped back into the shelter of the armoury, my lips enticing him to follow as I helped him with his pants. My skin tingled with anticipation in the fractions of time before our bodies met again, entwining and contorting to fit each other.

We found ourselves on the floor of the armoury which was meant for sparring. This too was a type of sparring, with both of us competing for dominance. How could either of us truly win in the match to rub and pull against each other? But Lucifer usually emerged the victor, deciding how I should receive him with his strong, muscular arms that commanded my body. He flipped me onto my knees this time, ruthlessly leaving me to wonder about my effects. I lost myself in his movement, slave to his desires. The King of Hell was cruel and unforgiving in his speed and force. Grunts and moans escaped my lips – sounds I didn't know I was capable of – and confused the line between pain and reward.

With no semblance of mercy, he held my elbows tightly behind me. I was helpless against his iron will. As he slammed into me again, I felt a release that took me by surprise. "You Devil!" I yelled against my better senses. I heard a deep smirk behind me as he finally paused to give me a break. He turned me onto my back and I complied with the flow of his body. "You evil, evil-"

He cut me off with a kiss, pushing into me again. He went slower and gentler this time as he caressed my face and neck with his lips. "Your screams… are so sweet…" he whispered into my ear.

"The whole world… could have heard us…" I said while gasping for breath.

"Mmm… maybe they should…"

I stole glimpses at him and found that sadistic smile on his face again. But every time it was aimed at me, nothing but ecstasy resulted from it. That smile could send me into a peaceful death. I moaned more fully this time, feeling our peak approaching. And when it did, we met in a mutual sharing of satisfaction. Our eyes were resolutely fixed in each other as we exchanged the joy of our love.

We lay under his robes, caressing and cuddling each other. We liked to be silent in the afterglow, simply enjoying each other with a content minimalism. I traced his upper arm and felt his bulging muscles. Then my fingers wandered lower to the Mark on his right arm. I suddenly remembered why I'd shown up in the first place.


And so here we were. Sitting in the throne room, hand-in-hand, where the story began. Demons and fallen angels, coming forth and speaking to us about matters I didn't know we were interested in. Lucifer's scarlet eyes comforted me, telling me to hold on until the court session ended and we could retire to our room again. I supposed this was the new normal now. Every day drudged on and on for eternity. More demons joined us. "Tea, Mother?" one demon lowered a tray in front of me. I rolled my eyes as I accepted the cup. Thoughts of the fragment numbers in outer space occupied my mind. Death's warning came to mind. He'd said something about me facing the consequences. Were these what he was talking about? On top of that, I longed to breathe the fresh air of earth and to be surrounded by the vastness of space again. But I'd promised Lucifer that I would be a Queen – that I'd help him run a kingdom. For the time being, at least, I would remain here with him.

I'd told him about the vision given to me by the fragment. I said he had to find a willing human participant to bear its burden. Finding a human participant was easy. But a willing one? That would be tricky. Which was why we were still seated here in the throne room. Our soldiers brought us news about the humans, telling us of their piety and attitudes. It was all in preparation for our endeavour to persuade. The demons had been wandering among the humans, serving as the best means to infiltrate their populations without getting spotted. I'd chosen a few young children as candidates, seeing as they would be the most gullible. But Lucifer refused. He wanted only one man. Abel – Adam's son. Even for such a formality, he wanted the element of irony to stick it to Heaven.

"I will make Him watch as His most pious devotee turns into a demented maniac," Lucifer vowed. There seemed to be no limit to Abel's religiosity. He made offerings to God on a daily basis. It would be tough to make him stray from his path, but Lucifer tried anyways. Lucifer tried to impersonate the Grigori in conversing with Abel, which truly enamoured the man. He was deeply enthused to have the opportunity to speak to one of God's servants. Lucifer could barely hold back his laughter in talking to the poor man. I shook my head in boredom though I had to admit, the situation had its humour. Lucifer tempted him with messages of how God wanted someone devout like Abel to do a special job for him and Abel said he would think about it.

When Abel left, Lucifer turned to me, as though to gloat about how it wasn't as difficult as I had said it would be. For both of our sakes, I hoped he was right. I could sense the winds of change from above. There wasn't much time, I believed, before Heaven's army would reappear before us. What we were doing, was pushing the limits of what could be done under the scrutiny of the angels. Just as I was contemplating this, a human voice broke me out of my thoughts.

"I know what you are. Abel may buy your lies, but I won't." We turned to see a man, visibly older than Abel with a fuller beard and moustache. It was Cain, Abel's brother. His eyes darted about in our general direction, unable to see us but still aware of our presence. "I've noticed your kind around my people."

"Have you now?" Lucifer strutted up to him, sizing him up by walking around him. Then, he leant in close to Cain's ear, whispering, "That's an astute observation. For a human."

Cain flinched at his proximity. "Leave my brother alone, creature of Hell," he warned with a voice laced with bitterness. "Leave him alone or I swear I'll-"

"You'll what?" Lucifer reciprocated the harsh tone. It was remarkable how well Cain was holding it all together. That was the tone that reduced demons to ashes when they weren't compliant. "You'll… kill me? Kid, you can't even see me."

"Look," he gulped. "I don't know what you want with Abel, but I'm begging you, please stop."

"Hm." Lucifer paused to look at him, inspecting this new opportunity. "I get it, Cain. You love your brother. I can understand that. But what are you willing to do for love?"

"I'll… I'll do anything," he said resolutely.

"Anything? That's a big word, son of Adam. I don't think you understand what it means," Lucifer taunted. "Is his life worth yours, I wonder?"

"Please," the human begged. "What is it that you want?"

"Will you go to Hell for love?" Lucifer asked, ignoring his question. "Will you sacrifice your eternity for his?" He continued in a circle around the man. "An eternity is a fairly long period of time."

Cain's light blue eyes zoned off as he contemplated eternity as much as the human mind allowed. "I'll do it," he answered.

"That didn't sound very convincing to me," Lucifer grumbled. "Abel was more… keen. He might be better suited to the challenge."

"No! Wait," Cain bid him. "You can't. Abel's soul belongs in Heaven. I won't let you take that away from him!"

"Will you now?" Lucifer smirked maliciously. He paused, allowing Cain time to grow more anxious. "Alright, I'll let your brother go. But only if you do what he was meant to do."

Cain heaved a sigh of relief. "Yes, of course. Anything," he spoke, looking forlorn. How sure he sounded… though he knew he was signing his life away. That was love. If there was ever one thing we had in common…

"If you do what I say, your soul will belong in Hell and your brother's in Heaven," Lucifer declared. "But first, I need to know that you mean what you say. You will send Abel to Heaven yourself."

"Send Abel to…?" he repeated the commandment under his breath. A strong frown beset his face. He seemed absolutely bewildered by the task. And then I remembered.

"Lucifer," I whispered. "He doesn't know what murder is."

"Oh," he mouthed to me. Then he leaned in closer to Cain. "Kill him. Hit him, stab him, I don't care. If he bleeds enough, he will die."

Cain froze, the magnitude of his decision weighing down on him. He seemed shaken to the core. But determination filled his eyes. That night, he set off to save his brother's soul. A historical night it was - the first murder was committed and the blood of a righteous man was spilled onto the earth, its crimson tendrils black under the moonlight. With each strike, the stone used by Cain dug deeper and deeper into Abel's flesh, his tears and cries of shame fading. When he was done he stood up, blood drying on his torso and arms. His gaze hardened as he waited for Lucifer to appear before him.

Just as it was in my vision, Lucifer's arm gripped Cain's, the Mark glowed and it migrated, dissipating from Lucifer's arm and reappearing on Cain's. Lucifer took a few deep breaths, finally relieved that he would deal with the Mark no more. After years of watching Lucifer suffer with the Mark, he was back to his fullest self, yet I could still see that he was irreversibly broken by what it had done to him, his family and Heaven. At least he would have to deal with the curse no longer, and that was the best anyone could hope for in that situation.

Cain, on the other hand, was plagued by the magnitude of his decision. I could see it in his eyes – how the sight of blood fuelled his killer instincts. His hands were stained with it. And no matter how much he washed them, the blood would not come off. The red was an indelible stain on his soul, a tag that meant he had only one final destination.

For centuries, Lucifer and I ruled Hell. It was clearer now that God had damned those He deemed unworthy among the human race to Hell. We didn't even have to lure them in as we normally did previously. I rested easier knowing that some people just sent themselves to Hell through their actions. That meant we wouldn't have to be so conniving in what we did. There was more dignity in this. Yet, the demons persisted in making contracts with people which I supposed was a fair compromise.

And then, one day, Cain finally arrived. "Welcome to eternity, Cain," Lucifer greeted as the Father of Murder stood before us. "A lot has been told to us of your great deeds."

A fully converted demon, his soul finally was at ease with the history of murders he'd committed. He was in a place where there was little judgment about such matters, though I could not speak for the subjective experienced of being a demon. Lucifer was duly impressed with his record. So much so that he knighted him and appointed him the leader of the Knights. Again, I was uncomfortable with the idea of a group of demons having so much power, but it was clear that a hierarchy was necessary if matters were to become automated.

One day, I finally decided to bring up what had been on my mind for centuries. We were sitting in bed, cuddled in each other's arms and sipping glasses of wine. "The demons seem to really like you," Lucifer broke the silence.

"They worship you," I too pointed out. "They call you their father."

"I know. But I'm just saying, I know they are vile and disgusting corruptions of humans. But they'll do anything for us. Isn't that something to be happy about?" he suggested.

"I suppose," I simply said. "You got what you wanted. You have your army."

"What next, I wonder? What do you propose?" he asked. "Maybe the pagans deserve some of our attention."

He had a refreshing calm about him, like the world was just clearer in his eyes. The noise behind his eyes had disappeared and I felt like he was more present than ever before. There was no describing how grateful I was for this. "Actually, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about," I brought up.

"Oh no," he worried. "Am I in trouble?"

"No," I smirked. "Though it isn't unlike of you to be so… distressing."

I meant that as suggestively as possible. He sure loved hearing about his own misdeeds. "So what bothers you, love?" He caressed my back, rubbing his hands gently up and down. "Other than me, I mean."

"It's the fragments," I blurted out, straight to the point. He sighed, setting his glass down on the table next to the bed. "I know how you feel about this whole topic. But I can't help but feel responsible. I need to do something about it."

"If it bothers you so much, imagine how much it bothers God," he remarked.

"That's besides the point. Do I need to remind you how it was one of these fragments that cured you of the Mark? The 'Mark of Cain' would still be the 'Mark of Lucifer' if not for me stumbling upon one on earth," I pointed out.

"Alright…" he relented. "So what would you like to do about it?"

"I… I just want some time to go out there and find as much of them as I possibly can. I doubt I'll be able to get all of them in one go, but I need to know more about what I'm dealing with," I stated. I took in a deep breath, ready with an arsenal of statements for further convincing.

"Fine. Don't blame me if it gets boring," he assented.

I gaped for a moment in shock. "So… you're okay with it? You're not going to pout like a baby when I get back?"

He glared at me with narrowed eyes which only made me chuckle more. "If you really think this is worth your time… why not? Thanks for the heads-up, by the way. I appreciate that."

"I'm still learning," I said in response. My heart jumped in its seat. I carefully set my glass down with his and then smothered his lips with kisses. When enough love was made to last a few centuries, I prepared myself for the trip. Though the farewell was reluctant on both our parts, we parted ways with the knowledge that we would only cherish each other more after this brief separation.

As a first order of business, I went to check up on Hassiel. But as it turned out, I couldn't find him. I did find a note, however, in which he said he wanted to explore other worlds on his own and that he hoped our paths would cross again. Though I was mildly heartbroken that I wouldn't be able to speak to him, I respected his decision. We had all been through too much, and some reorientation was needed if we were to get back on our feet again.

Years I spent, away from Earth, scouring the universe for these fragments of light. Every time I found one, more seemed to appear in sight around me. The task was daunting. Occasionally I passed the time watching life form on different planets. Sometimes they survived long enough to reach higher levels of complexity, sometimes they didn't. The solitude was really humbling. The vastness of the universe was something to witness, even for a mighty being like me. I remembered the sweet memories of just sight-seeing the universe with Lucifer and Gabe. How I longed for that sanctity again… Now it was time for new memories to be made.

In my pursuit, I soon realised that the fragments seemed to follow a pattern. It took me a while, but I managed to synthesise a map detailing where I expected to find more fragments. This was somewhat of an epiphany for me. I could finally take a moment of rest! Future trips would be made so much easier by this algorithm. Once I had decided that I had collected enough fragments for the time being, I decided to find my way back home. Ah, home. I thought of Lucifer. I missed him dearly. By now, his kingdom would be far larger and more powerful. I couldn't wait to hear him boast about it.

I felt euphoric approaching the familiar solar system, the brilliant light from the sun welcoming me. Earth looked beautiful, and I admired its landscape, as I always did, while I descended into its atmosphere. It didn't take long before I found the gates of damnation.

I stepped into Hell.

An uneasiness stirred within me. Something was wrong. I took a few steps down the hallway. There I spotted a figure on the floor. A million negative thoughts raced through my head as I approached the limp figure. I knelt down to the ground, hand trembling as I flipped him over. Dead. His eyes were burnt out, leaving only charred, bloody sockets. Despite all reason, I told myself that this demon probably did something to warrant a death sentence from his King. I continued down the hallway.

There was another dead demon. And then another. The trail went on and on, deeper into Hell. This was not the warm welcome I had anticipated. I assumed a fighting stance as I ventured further. My mind was fully alert, ready to incriminate anything that moved. I came upon the doors to the throne room. I could only hear my own shallow breaths. Uncertain of what I would find, I placed both palms on the doors and pushed.

My mind went blank as I trudged inside. It was a bloodbath. The thrones were the only empty seats. The others, occupied by dead angels slumped over. Wings burnt and eyes rolled back, they finally found their peace in death. A whimpering noise came to my attention. I spun around to find a tearful demon at the threshold. It was Lilith.

She ran over to me and fell to my feet, muttering incomprehensible words. I placed my hands on her arms to usher her to a standing position. "What happened?" I demanded to know.

"Th- they just came out of nowhere!" she cried. "They came all at once. And the fallen… the fallen tried to protect him… and they killed all of them!"

"Lilith! Lilith," I repeated her name to get her to calm down. "Who came?"

That's when she uttered the words that terrified me to the core. "The angels," she blurted out. "Archangels too."

My chest sank in horror. It was what I'd feared all along. And seeing the death around me, I could only imagine the rage they'd brought with them. "Lilith, I need you to hide," I commanded her. Not bothering to wait for a response, I took off. I followed the continuing trail of dead demons until the sound of clashing metal got louder. I quickened my pace.

I arrived in the large open courtyard. I froze in my step at the sight before me. There, Lucifer was knelt and bound in shackles, Michael standing over him. The years of not having seen him had made him appear like a total stranger to me. That, and the uncaring frown on his face that meant nothing good.

"If you have the guts, undo these shackles and fight me, Michael!" Lucifer yelled through gritted teeth.

"The day for a reckoning will come, brother. But today, I follow Father's orders," Michael announced coldly.

"Michael?" my voice was meek in comparison to theirs. I approached slowly with nothing but dejection written all over me. "What's going on?"

Lucifer's eyes widened in a split second. "Sophia, run! It's a trap!" he warned.

Before I could fully process what he said, I felt a strong, blunt force knock me down from the back. I fell onto my knees, my hands braking the fall. I was dragged to a position in front of Lucifer. "Good, we have both of them now," I heard a deep voice say behind me. Raphael. I'd recognise his bitter voice anywhere. He bound my hands in shackles too. As I inspected them, I found that I had never seen shackles like these before. They would have to be specifically made for holding archangels. This was a planned attack.

Lucifer and I craved each other most in that moment, proclaiming our love for each other with nothing but our eyes. We both knew something horrible was going to happen. But whatever we faced, we knew we would be able to face it together. That was our only respite in that moment. "What are you going to do to us?" I growled.

"The both of you couldn't just serve your sentence in peace, could you?" Raphael derided.

"Father's orders were to put you both under lock-up," Michael informed us.

"Isn't it enough that you threw us out of our own home?" Lucifer hissed. "What kind of justice is it to lock us up for eternity?"

"Michael, think about this! Do you think this is fair?" I weakly argued. "How can an eternity of punishment be justified by a limited sin?"

"God's justice is the only true justice," Michael monotonously replied. "His ways are the fairest."

"Give me a break," Lucifer muttered. "Don't do this, brother, I'm begging you! We can find another way."

"I'm sorry," Raphael said rather unapologetically. "But we do as Father commands. It's one of the many reasons we aren't here in this pit of misery with you." He hoisted me up onto my feet. "Now, Sophia, you can experience the pain of betrayal first-hand," he said, leaning in close to my ear.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused.

"Bring the cage!" Raphael yelled.

A fleet of angels brought down the large metallic structure, a giant box fortified with spikes on its edges. There were some bars on one side so that it would be somewhat transparent. With a swift motion, chains attached to the vertices of the cage sprung out into the abyss of Hell and extended into the distance, attaching to some arbitrary points out of sight. Its massive door swung open, revealing the claustrophobic interior. The angel fleet stood at the sides of the door, as though they were to prevent any futile attempts at escaping the eternity of entrapment that awaited us. At one such side, there was a shuffling of the angels and soon an angel emerged, having been shoved onto the ground.

He was a trembling mess on the ground, surrounded by the condescending looks of Heaven's servants. The angel looked dishevelled and burns were present on his wrists and ankles where there still was rope attached. His fatigued eyes met mine. It was Hassiel.

"I'm- I'm sorry, Sophia! I had no choice!" he said, weakly.

"No!" I yelled, struggling. Raphael held me back, denying my resistance. "What have you done to him?"

"Do you see, Sophia?" Raphael hissed in my ear. "What you made us all feel? Your own loyal friend, used to build the prisons that will hold you."

Fire coursed through me, threatening to destroy everything in my path. Were it not for the dampening effect of the cuffs around my wrist, I might have set all of Hell ablaze. There was nothing I wanted more in that moment than to shove a blade through Raphael's mouth just so he would shut up. But something he said resounded in my head. "Prisons?" I whispered. Plural?

I received no verbal answer. Michael lugged Lucifer away from me and against my cries of protest, he shoved his own brother through the doorway of the Cage. Lucifer's hands gripped the door frame to regain balance. His shackles were undone. Before he could turn around to say anything, Michael pierced his own brother with a lance through the back. I felt a stab of pain in my own chest at the sight. Impaled, all Michael needed to do was give him a shove and he fell into the Cage. The doors were slammed shut before me. My life, my love – it was taken from me when the wrought doors came to a certain close.

"Put me in there with him! What are you doing?" I screamed till I could bear it no more and became a bawling mess on the floor. Worse than seeing him trapped in that giant box was the realisation that I would not be able to comfort him or keep him company. The doors clicked shut. My struggling arms surrendered to Raphael's firm hold. Raphael grabbed me by the neck and pulled my head back.

"Does this hurt you? Father had the wise foresight to order two prisons. Truly, He knows what's best for you," Raphael snickered. "It is best that you rot alone for all eternity."

Like a clockwork, hundreds of seals moved into place on the Cage's exterior. All those locks to keep him in. How much did they truly fear him? It was no wonder. Fear was how they ruled. Fear gave them power over those below them. Lucifer appeared behind the bars, longingly staring at us.

"I will make all of you pay for this. When you think you're winning, when you think you have the upper hand, I will bring my rage and I will destroy you. Just you wait, Michael!" he snarled.

"Father isn't unjust. He promises you this chance for a day of judgment. A final battle as the verdict of your cause," Michael promised. The brothers exchanged an intense eye contact as if to swear on it.

Lucifer's irises came to rest on me and softened. "I'll come find you. I promise," he said firmly. Our eyes locked for one last moment until Raphael punched me, knocking me back to the ground. My jaw throbbed, the first of much affliction.

"That is, if he finds where you'll be kept," Raphael said to discourage me. "You're going someplace no one will be able to breathe within miles. I doubt anyone would ever be capable of finding you. You'll be lost to time, a name that no one remembers. Then it'll be like you never existed, just the way it should be."

I tried to stand in anticipation of my trip to this unknown confinement. I sensed a swift movement. And then, only pain. Shocked, I looked down at my abdomen where it hurt. Three spikes protruded from where a trident had pierced me. Never had I seen my own essence flow so generously. But no, this would not kill me. That would be too easy. I cried out in pain, my hands instinctively grasping at the puncture wound. My body breathed around the spikes, every pulse only rewarding me with more waves of torment. But this was only the beginning.

With another shove, Raphael forced me forward in a command to move. And this was how I was made to do the walk of shame to my cell.

In pure agony, I was forced to fly out of Hell and into the cool embrace of earth. At some point my eyes were tightly shut from the piercing torment and I had only Raphael's hostile shoves of the trident to navigate the path. Eventually, we entered the depths of the ocean and as I saw, a grand vault was built underwater in which I would be left to spend my days. My shackles were undone, and I was taken into the literal clutches of the seabed – actual wiry appendages sprung out from a black pit in the sea. Some life form I had never seen before. This was a rude introduction, with them all but killing me. I felt invaded, every protest of my limbs only exacerbating their hold on me. With each prick, I felt the energy flowing out of me. "Wh- What is happening to me?" I asked, growing weaker by the moment.

"Oh that?" Raphael replied, amused. "You love nature, don't you? Well, you will be pleased to know that these creatures will benefit greatly from the energy you have to offer them. A living dead thing, you'll be. Goodbye forever, Sophia."

I felt myself sinking deeper and deeper into the pit, helpless against these snake-like things. Seriously, where were they from and how were they so strong? I heard the doors slam shut and I was left to succumb to my fading vision.

A last exhale left my lips before my head went under.

And then it all went black.