Chapter 4: Corruption

Hello~

This week has been CRAZY. So much homework. Ugh….

Sorry for not updating last week! *hides from flying tomatoes*

Anyway, my personal life aside, let's get on to this week's chapter and upcoming events. I have plans for an upcoming chapter (in a couple of weeks), something a little more lighthearted than what I normally write. Because everything I have written so far is very angsty/emotional or has some moral thing behind it it seems. Plus it's the holiday season and there needs to be some cheeriness. Welp. I am not done with angst, and anything concerning Ente Isla in my writing is probably going to be a little darker. Fair warning from here on out.

Personally, I believe Ente Isla is not a very good place to live and is the cause of a lot of grief and pain in the characters of the Devil is a Part-Timer. I think it is, in a way, representative of the darkness of each character's past or something like that. (Emilia's father being killed and her being taken away by the Church, Maou being a Dark Lord and slaughtering people, the corruption of the Church, etc.) What are your thoughts on this?

This is probably going to be one of the darker chapters in here. Also, it is also kinda a continuation of Not a Saint (Chapter 2).

WARNING: There is violence (torture and abuse) as well as some swearing. You have been warned.

Theme: Corruption.

Pain.

Fear.

That was all he felt. That was all he could register, but it told him something important: he was alive.

His body ached, his chest felt like it was on fire, and he had a taste like iron in his mouth. Why was he hurting so much? Why was he afraid?

Because something felt wrong. Very, very wrong.

He knew he was not safe here. If the agonizing screams coming down the hall from who-knows-where did not say that, nothing did. Not to mention, his face was covered with a burlap sack, blocking his vision and the shackles on his wrists, which were held painfully high above his head, and ankles were so tight that they dug deep into his flesh with slightest movement. To top it off, his wings were also bounded tightly to his body, restricting their movement completely..

"I see you're awake, General," a voice droned off to the side, causing him to shiver. His tired mind jerked awake as he remembered where he was. He knew that voice, knew it all to well. He gritted his teeth and yanked at the chains in a vain attempt to free himself.

"Still got a lot of fight left, I see."

"Go burn in hell, Olba!" the outraged cry made his throat burn and brought tears to his eyes.

"My, my," Olba cooed, seeming to enjoy the distress of his prisoner, "I admit I am impressed. You certainly are strong-willed, Lucifer."

Lucifer cringed when he felt the sack yanked off his head before glaring defiantly at the priest. He would not show weakness.

The bald man leaned over the fallen angel, holding his chin in his calloused fingers.

"Why are you being so stubborn?"

"Why would I tell a piece of shit like you anything?"

"I saved your life."

"And you're trying to end another for the sake of becoming a saint."

Is there some irony in all of this? That Lucifer, fallen angel-turned-Demon General, who killed thousands, is pointing out that Olba, an archbishop and ally of Emilia the Hero, is corrupt? That Olba plans to end a life (even if it is one of a demon) to gain power within the Church? Isn't Olba human? Isn't he supposed to be good? Isn't Lucifer supposed to be evil?

"How ungrateful you are," a low growl left the bald man's throat. Lucifer simply responded by spitting in his face.

"You wretched filth!" the priest roared and slammed his foot into the purple-haired demon's stomach, winding him. Lucifer would have doubled over if it were not for the chains holding him up.

His groaning turned into a yelp when Olba suddenly grabbed a fistful of violet hair and forced the fallen angel to look at him.

"Why do you suppose your army did not obey you?" the bald man drawled slowly, "They didn't respect you, that's why. They knew you were an angel at one point, that you weren't really one of them…"

His vision was fading fast, his breathing shallow, uneven, and labored. He needed serious medical attention. He was dying.

He made a huge mistake when he fought the Hero. He hesitated. He hesitated because he remembered the angel who told him she was going to change Heaven forever.

And now he was afraid. He thought he knew fear. Heaven was never the kind place humans dreamt it was, and Satan was a force to be reckoned with. But the fear of death, the thought that no one is there to help him, no one to save him, that he was alone in facing the approaching darkness, was too much. He didn't even register the tears falling down his face.

So when he saw a shadow loom over him, he thought he was saved. All he could utter was one faint word. Perhaps he had come to help him. Perhaps he was not alone after all.

"S-Sa...tan…"

Lucifer said nothing as he stared at the man with a gaze that did not hold anger. It held a something much more solemn. It held knowledge where the words being said were leading to.

"...What the hell made you think they would respect you? That they would accept you? You aren't a demon. You are an angel, like it or not. And because you are fallen, you don't belong among angels. You definitely don't belong with humanity, seeing you are the farthest thing from human…."

"Shut up…" the fallen angel whispered. He knew what was coming next. He knew what was about to be said was true.

But he did not need to hear it. Especially from an enemy.

"You don't belong with anyone."

"Shut up!"

This time, Lucifer's words left him with a shrill cry, making his already burning throat ache even more. He squeezed his eyes tight, trying to desperately stop the memories from coming. He didn't want to remember.

Olba smiled to himself.

He finally hit Lucifer in the right spot.

And now the fallen angel's defenses were starting to break down.

It was not Satan who saved him. It was something far more sinister that kept him alive.

The Church.

Lucifer thought he knew corruption. Heaven was not the happy place humans liked to believe. Demons were said to be the embodiments of evil.

But the Church gave Paradise a damn good run for its money and committed crimes that would make the Devil horrified.

Lucifer laid on a wooden table, shirtless and chained, the open wound on his. . Groaning he lifted his head and tried to look around, his eyes landing on a hooded figure in the corner of the room.

He felt his heart sink.

Satan wasn't here to save him.

"And to think you had faith that the Demon King would save you," Olba laughed, "he cares about no one but himself."

"That's a lie!"

"Is it? Especially when he didn't even search for you? Or that he left this world though the Gate, leaving you behind, just to save his own hide?"

"W-what?" Lucifer's eyes widened. Satan would never leave him. Right?

Right?

"You are alone. No one can save you. No one will help you..."

"No…"

And just like that, the fallen angel's hope shattered. He stared at the ground, trying to process what was said to him. Then, he gritted his teeth.

He had no one.

"Let me go!" Lucifer demanded, fury rising in his throat.

"Why would I do that?" the hooded figure replied, removing the cloth from his head.

Lucifer growled and struggled against his restraints, but it was useless. He had used too much of his magic and, in his injured state, he would not be able to get far.

Olba began walking closer to him, a smug expression across his old-man face, until he was right beside Lucifer.

"Get the fuck away from me."

"Watch your tongue," Olba growls, jabbing two fingers into the purple-haired captive's chest wound, causing him to cry out in pain.

Olba leaned down, his face inches from the fallen angel's.

"Tell me everything you know about Heaven, the Demon realm, and God."

"Go to hell if you want to know about demons so bad, 'cause you ain't gonna go to Heaven when I kill you."

That was the first day of the several hellacious weeks Lucifer would spend in that Church, each day spent in pain from daily interrogations and beatings.

Olba smiled. He had Lucifer right where he wanted him. Hopeless, alone, and afraid. He was broken.

"Except for me."

Lucifer looked up, eyes ablaze, yet lifeless. He looked defeated, but angry.

"I can get you a one way ticket back to Heaven," Olba smirks and Lucifer's eyes narrow.

"At what price?" The fallen angel knew the archbishop wanted something in return. As much as Lucifer hated the rules and lifestyle of Heaven, it was his birthplace and, deep down, his home. As much as he did not want to admit it, part of him wanted to go home, but he also knew if he did go back, he would hate it there and hate himself even more.

"You have to help me kill the Demon King and the Hero Emilia," Olba answered simply, "Do as I say, no questions asked, and I will reinstate you as an angel."

He had to kill Satan? Lucifer did not like that.

But he left you to die. And he did say that if you were ever unhappy while under his leadership, you could kill him. He deserves it.

"I accept."

I have no where else to go. This is my only option if I want to get out of here.

As much as Lucifer justified it to himself, he could not deny the sinking feeling in his heart. He always was horrible at lying to himself.

Earth was a strange place.

The people were kinder here than in Ente Isla. It had technology, something Lucifer came to like. He liked computers, and would often go to internet cafes. He actually liked it better here, but there was only one thing….

"Why did you hesitate?!"

That.

"The woman had a child, ya jackass!" Lucifer shot back, "I may be a demon but seriously? They were defenseless!"

Smack.

The fallen angel fell to the floor, placing a hand on his stinging cheek. He yelped in surprise and pain when Olba grabbed him by his hair.

"LET ME…!"

"Don't you want to return to Heaven?" the old man snapped.

Lucifer fell silent and looked at the floor.

"ANSWER ME!"

Lucifer flinched but whispered, "...Yes…"

Olba threw him back to the ground.

"Then know your place and do as I say."

Lucifer growled to himself. He should not have to put up with this shit, right? Whatever. He would make Olba pay when he got back to Heaven.

Picking himself off the floor, the fallen angel left the "high school" Olba and he were staying at. He needed some fresh air.

He hated it. He wanted nothing more than to run and leave Olba behind him. But where would he go? Who would help him? Not Satan. He left him to die.

Lucifer froze when he heard voices, a young man and a woman.

Who the hell are they?

He crept closer, seeing a man with dark hair and orange-y red eyes and a woman with bright green eyes and magenta hair.

"Emilia the Hero?!" the shrill cry left the man's throat.

If that's Emilia, then….

The dark haired man must be Satan.

Lucifer froze. He tried to process what was happening. He was barely registering that the two were talking. The only sentence he clearly heard was from Satan.

"If you believe the ends justify the means, then how are you any different from demons?"

I have to get out of here….

Lucifer fled the scene. They could not know he is here. Olba would kill him. However, Satan's words repeated themselves in his head.

Had Satan changed? No, that can't be. People don't change. Demons don't change.

Satan will never change.

Lucifer found them again, in the same place as the first night. He could finish them now. He had the magic, which he gathered through means he rather not elaborate. He could end this, so he could return to Heaven and leave Olba behind.

Purple orbs floated around him as he aimed one at Satan, who sat on his bike. Then he fired.

And missed.

It startled Satan, and Lucifer had to suppress a laugh. He was being melodramatic, yelling at his bike as if it had died. He wondered how Emilia did not find this amusing. She actually seemed rather annoyed.

Lucifer fired another and another, missing every time. He growled.

Why am I missing them? Dammit!

They took off running and Lucifer raced behind them, firing his magic bullets. Suddenly his vision blurred and he fell to his knees, scraping them.

Why couldn't I hit them?

Lucifer could practically taste the negative emotions coming off of Chiho Sasaki. He hated attacking her, as she had no means of defending herself. He hated attacking defenseless opponents.

But maybe Satan will finally understand what it means to be defenseless.

"You are such easy prey…" Lucifer murmured to the crying girl, startling her, "Your heart falls so easily to despair…"

But didn't his heart too?

"Chiho Sasaki."

It did not take long for Satan to show up to the rescue. Lucifer would not have expected any less. He watched as Satan climbed up the wreckage as he landed on his feet. Emilia and Alciel were standing beside the Devil.

"It can't be…" Emilia gazed at him, almost in a trance, "I killed you."

"Yes, I took your sword to the chest," Lucifer replied coolly, his Demon General facade taking over, "I should be dead, shouldn't I? But, yet, I am still here."

He looked her dead in the eye, the fear and shock in them so obvious that Lucifer wondered how she even was the Hero.

"Now why is that?"

"I knew it was you," a cocky voice spoke from beside Emilia. Lucifer fixed his attention to Satan.

"Why doesn't your friend join us? Isn't that right, Olba?"

Emilia looked at Satan, confused, while Olba stepped beside the fallen angel.

"Olba...?" Lucifer could sense her feelings of betrayal and sympathized with the girl. It was the same emotion he felt towards Satan now. However, perhaps, if she survived this somehow, it would do her good to the the priest's as well as the Church's, true colors.

The colors of corruption.

Wow, this is a long chapter. I hope this makes up for me not updating. And don't worry. There is going to be a Part 2 to this, I won't leave you hanging! ;)

Again, I am sorry for the long wait and not updating on time! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Also, a special thanks to all my reviewers! You guys make me so happy!

Thank you for reading!

-Fallen