Hello there! Welcome my friends to the next chapter of Light Bringer Stories: The Witcher.
Hope your going to enjoy it and now time for the story.
With Potato taking care of the finer details of the party, Lucifer had taken to traveling through the Worlds to give the invites for his birthday party personally. Being almost done, he had one stop to make before he would go look for Geralt. Though this particular guest was difficult to track down, as she was usually a very busy woman. Though with the return of his wings, being back at his full power, it was a cake walk to track her down.
To his surprise he found himself in the Scottish Highlands, specifically a certain school for witchcraft and magic.
One of the advantages Lucifer and his Archangel siblings enjoyed was the ability to make themselves completely undetactable by any means, unless they wanted to. So Lucifer walked through the student body as he looked for his youngest sister.
There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones, narrow, rickety ones, some that led somewhere different on a Friday, some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump.
Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending.
But it was down in the dungeon of the castle, where apparently the classroom was located where the students learned to brew potions.
It was there he found Uri sitting on the desk, overlooking the classroom where the first year's, eleven to twelve year old's, where already gathered. She hadn't noticed him entering through the ceiling, nor when he floated down until he stood next to him.
"What are you doing?" Lucifer said as he leaned against the desk as only the two of them could hear each other.
Uri was startled as she was in some sort of trance when Lucifer had come in, "Luci!" she said, looking at him, "What are you doing here?"
"I came to visit you to personally hand you an invitation to my birthday." Lucifer said, holding a blue envelope between his fingers.
"Are you sure that's wise?" Uri said a bit apprehensively as she kept glancing at the door, "Didn't the last time we celebrated your birthday ended with the sinking of Atlantis?"
"Yes, it did!" Lucifer said with a chuckle, "Though I doubt there will be any sort of World changing event happening this time."
"Why did you have to say that?" Uri said dryly as she accepted the invite, "Now you jinxed us."
"Oh come on, I said it sarcastically. I'm sure we're save." Lucifer said, resting his hands in his pockets, "So Uriel, my favorite sister. Which of these students is going to die?"
"Nobody... Well at least not yet." Uri said, pointing to one of the children in the back, "That one will blow himself up in fifty years."
"Hope he can prevent that." Lucifer said turning back to his sister, "If your not here to reap, then why are you here?"
"Oh, no reason." Uri lied avoiding his gaze, "I was just passing through..."
The door to the classroom flew open and a man with dark swept back black hair strode into the room, his bangs hanging just above his right grey eyes.
He was dressed in a stylish dark grey waistcoat over a black dress shirt, with a long navy blue coat. His dress pants were the same tint of black as his pants, on his feet he wore black dress shoes.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power if liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death."
He came to a stop in front of the desk as he had his students undevided attention, "That is what Professor Snape said during my first Potions Class. Brilliant potioneer, but a git of a teacher." he said, hands in his pockets, "Professor Slughorn isn't feeling well, so I will be filling in for him today."
"Now then, who can tell me what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to a infusion of wormwood?"
He waited for a few moments as he half sat on the desk, as he looked around the room, "Nobody? Shame. Let's try again. Who can tell me where I would need to look if I needed a bezoar?"
A girl in a blue uniform, raised her hand and the Professor gestured to her.
"I would say, in the ingredient cabinet." the girl said, "But if you meant out in the field... I would take a look in the stomach of a goat."
The Professor gave her a small smile, something that resulted in Uri letting out a swoon. "That is correct." the Professor said, "Now can you tell me what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"There is no difference, they are the same plant." the girl said, "They also go by the name of aconite."
"Excellent. Take fifteen points for Ravenclaw." the Professor said gesturing with his wand so the instructions appeared on the blackboard.
"So..." Lucifer said as the two Archangels watched, "This is the mortal that managed to get your attention."
"...I want to bear his children." Uri said dreamily while she smiled.
"Yeah, good luck with that." Lucifer said, shaking his head, "Do you even know his name?"
"Of course. His name is Clark Kent." she said noticing his look, "No, not that one."
The class went by fairly normal, as Clark had them all mixing a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, pointing to things they could improve on.
Clark was able to prevent a possible disaster, as he stopped a student from putting in his porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire.
"Have you tried actually talking to him?" Lucifer said as the class ended, "I mean, it's possible to fuck him without his knowledge, but a romantic relationship is a bit difficult without communication."
"Well... No." Uri admitted, "I've just been watching when I got some spare time."
"Like when he showers?" Lucifer said.
"No!" Uri protested, her cheeks becoming pinkish red, "I'll have you know that Clark takes baths."
"Well I stand corrected." Lucifer said, throwing up his hand, "So you haven't even talked to him."
"No, no, I haven't." Uri admitted, looking down as she rubbed her upper arms, "Who could fall in love with Death?"
"...Doesn't that purple Josh Brolin look-a-like with the raising chin simp for you?" Lucifer pointed out, "Besides that, have you seen how you look? Just between you and me, there is this certain white haired witcher that thinks your the most beautiful Archangel out there."
"That's because he hasn't seen She-Lucifer or She-Michael..." Uri said with a laugh.
"He said it after he saw female me." he pointed out.
"Oh..." Uri said surprised, "But it won't work between me and Clark..."
"Nobody would believe it would work between me and Cirilla and look how we turned out!" Lucifer said, "So why wouldn't..."
But he got his anwser when the door to the classroom opened. A tall and willowy woman, with an air of grace that made her seem like she was gliding when she was walking, she also had beautiful silvery-blonde hair that fell almost to her waist and fair skin.
Clark was sitting at his desk, sorting through homework assigments. "Hello, Professor Kent." the woman said.
He smirked slightly, getting up from her desk and walked over to her. "Hello, Fleur." he said, "Is there something I can help you with?"
"I was feeling hungry." she said, pressing herself against him as she trailed a finger over his chest. Her warm breath tickling his ears, her fingers playing with his black hair, "Thought you might could help me sate my hunger."
"Mrs. Kent. I do not condone this kind of behavior in my classroom." Clark said seriously as he pushed the taller woman off him, "I will have to give you detention. Our bedroom, tonight."
The couple giggled as they looked deeply into each others eyes before kissing each other softly.
Lucifer and Uri had left the room a while ago, now sitting miles away. Sitting on a bench near the water somewhere in London.
"So that's why. Your Clark is married." Lucifer said as his sister nodded as she looked down at the water, "That's rough little sis. Speaking from experience, the first cut is always the deepest."
"Yeah... I just... I never felt this way, about anyone. It happened the first time I laid eyes on him. I got this warm, complete feeling. Like I found a piece of myself I didn't even know I was missing." she said with a sigh, rubbing a hand through her hair, "You know what I mean?"
"I do." Lucifer said putting an arm around his younger sister as she rested her head against his shoulder, "I feel that every time I think of Cirilla. The feeling increased a thousand fold when I actually see her."
"That's what I want... I want what you and Ciri have. Hell, I'll settle for what Raph and Shani have." Uri said sadly, "I've been alone for so long... All because of my job..."
"I know." Lucifer said gently as he rubbed her shoulder, "Maybe there is a version of him out there in the Multiverse that is still single? That's one of the perks of being us."
Uri nodded as she sat there with her brother. "It's going to be alright. Any bloke would be damn lucky to have you as a significant other." he said, "Or lady. I won't judge you.", getting a small sad smile from her.
It was during a warm evening that Lucifer appeared in the streets Beauclair, the capital of Toussaint.
It was a small autonomous duchy under the banner of the Empire of Nilfgaard, famous for its wines, enabled by the region's volcanic soil and ideal combination of sunny and rainy days. Toussaint does not maintain a large standing army of its own, instead relying on a few regiments of knights-errant, watching the borders and roads in conjunction with Ducal Guard.
Despite being a vassal state of Nilfgaard, Toussaint maintains high level of autonomy and the Nilfgaardian Empire does not tend to impose imperial authority on its internal affair or violate its borders for the most part.
Lucifer had tracked his target to an empty warehouse, where the sound of battle could be heard from the outside. Stepping inside he saw Geralt with his back turned to him, his Silver Sword drawn. The witcher was looking around for his opponent.
"Geralt!" Lucifer greeted cheerfully.
The witcher had just turned around when Lucifer felt something impact against his back. Turning around confused, he saw a vampire with a stomp where his hand had been before it was completely crushed against Lucifer's back, like a piece of fruit hitting an iron wall at high speeds.
Before he could make a move, another vampire appeared from dark grey smoke, taking a hold of the first one.
"I know you're in trouble." the second one said, "I can help."
"I'll help myself." the first one growled, struggling to get out of the grip of the second one.
"No." the second one pleaded, "He's my friend."
His words did seemed to have some sort of effect on the first, as he seemed to calm down a little before letting out a roar that would send fear into normal humans. With one last glare directed at Lucifer and Geralt, the first vampire turned himself into a trail of red smoke, rising up into the air before leaving the building through a hole in the ceiling and escaping into the night.
Geralt looked from Lucifer to the second vampire, who turned around and simply said, "Yes, Geralt. It is me. We've not seen one another in ages, my friend. At least in human terms, that is."
"Regis? I..." Geralt said as he put his sword away, surprised to see his old vampire friend alive and well again, "How's this even possible? Last I saw you..."
"I was a bubbling, shapeless smear. Having been rather spectacularly melted into a column of a certain castle." Regis said with a smile as he and Geralt embraced each other like brothers, "In somewhat better shape now, as you can see. Hardly peak form, mind you, but were I human, folk would think me a demigod, I daresay."
"Oh, please. Mortals believe the most outlandish things." Lucifer said with a roll of his eyes, "Though to be honest, vampires aren't all that different."
But he got a smirk when he saw the look of recognition in Regis eyes. It was that look of fear he would receive once the truth had set in, which was always followed by the tension that filled the air once someone realized what kind of primordial force older they where truly dealing with.
"Lucifer." Geralt was the first to speak, "What are you doing here?"
"Geralt." Regis said worried as he turned to his friend, "Do you have any idea who this is?"
"Yeah, he's the Devil." Geralt said calmly, "He's also my son-in-law."
"What." Regis said flatly, "Satanael fell in love?"
"Yes, I did indeed, Child of Caine. Honestly, why do people find that so unbelievable?" Lucifer said turning to Geralt, "As for why I am here. I would like to extend an invitation for my birthday. Which will take place in a couple of days." producing an envelope from his coat pocket.
"I would like to come, Lucifer." Geralt said, "But I can't. Got this contract I need to take care of."
"...Well that won't do." Lucifer said as he envelope disappeared, "Guess we need to team up once more. Team Luciralt is back again!"
"Please, don't ever call us that." Geralt said annoyed, "So why do you call Regis 'Child of Caine'?"
"Obviously Regis isn't biologically a son of Caine. But we can speak about that at a later date." Lucifer said, "I guess the other one is the reason you are here? Hunting a Higher Vampire. That's dangerous, even for a witcher."
"Satanael is right. I guess we are both here for the same reason. For Dettlaff." Regis explained, "I feared he's become entangled, landed himself in serious trouble."
"So that's his name." Geralt said, "He's your... friend?"
"You might call it that. Though Dettlaff is... how would you humans put it... more bestial than I am." Regis said, "But not to worry, I'm working on him."
"Haven't exactly done a great job with that." Geralt pointed out, "He's killed one knight since I got here, least three others before I arrived."
"For good reason, I'm sure." Regis said, "Understand, Dettlaff is not some decadent shit who kills for sport or to assuage a dryness of throat or a dullness of mood."
"Seem pretty damn sure of that." Geralt said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"I am. Because I know him very well." Regis said, "Despite appearances to the contrary, you two are quite alike. You've both noble hearts yet you both wont to preform ignoble deeds, when circumstances force you to, of course."
Lucifer had taken a seat upon an empty crate, resting his feet on another one as he listened to the two talk.
"Remember the year 964?" Regis began, "Blind fear gripped Rivia, Lyria and Spalla. Women and children were dying, their mutilated, dismembered corpses littered the fields."
"Brute of Lyria, read about it." Geralt said, "Chewed up almost two hundred, then fell to a common poacher supposedly armed with a dagger blessed by some prophet..."
"It fell to Dettlaff." Regis corrected, "Who then found a poacher asleep in the brush near his snares and dropped the fiend's corpse at his feet. And thus, a legend was born."
"It's from my experience Vampires rarely help humans, unless it is to their own benefit." Lucifer said, "So what was the benefit for him?"
"He slew it for one reason alone." Regis said, "The monster killed a lad who once, in the street, had offered Dettlaff an apple, expecting nothing in return."
"How terribly noble of him." Geralt said dryly.
"Vilgefortz melted my body. Dettlaff found what was left. As per our codex, he had a choice. To leave me where I was, or to care for me, nurture my remains." Regis continued, "He chose the latter. Regenerated me at no small expense in his own blood."
"Bloody hell." Lucifer said, sounding genuinely surprised.
"I should have guessed, you of all people would know what that means to a vampire." Regis said with a nod to Lucifer.
"It made you blood brothers." Lucifer said, "Its why you know something is afoot."
"I do. Dettlaff shuns the company of humans." Regis said, "If he walks among them, killing egregiously, it can only mean something's upset him. Immensely."
"Anything specific?" Geralt said, "Some set of things that'd be likely to set him off?"
"A woman." Lucifer said wisely, "It's always a woman."
"You jest, though unlikely but it's not impossible." Regis said with a nod, "Dettlaff doesn't understand men, their world, its rules, it conventions."
"Sounds like a certain Devil I know." Geralt said, giving a glance at the blonde.
"Oh, I do understand. It's just your rules don't apply to me." Lucifer said with a shrug, "Sounds like this Dettlaff is more naïve than anything."
"Naïve or not, gotta find him." Geralt said, "Before something upsets him even more and all Beauclair is awash in blood."
Suddenly the sounds of horse shoes comes galloping to the ware house, turning the three to the wooden door.
"The posse." Geralt said, "Knights must've tracked me here."
"I'd prefer they not find me here." Regis said turning to the two, "I've makeshift quarters at Mere Lachaiselongue cemetery. We'll meet there."
Geralt nodded and Regis turned into a vapor of dark grey smoke, rising into the air and taking off into the night sky as the knights opened the door.
"Witcher! We flew here as fast as our coursers would carry us..." the Toussaint Knight Captain said, before drawing his sword upon seeing Lucifer.
"Good evening, boys." Lucifer said as he stood up, "Thanks to for the help, but me and Geralt got everything under control."
"Halt!" the Knight Captain said, "Who are you?"
"Lucifer Lux." the Devil introduced himself, "I'm honestly disappointed that you do not recognize me, Damien."
He smirked as he felt the familiar sense of recognition. Though unlike Regis, it wasn't one of fear of facing a being capable of turning entire Worlds to dust with a snap of his finger. This one was one of respect, even if it was forced upon by once duty.
"Lucifer Lux?" the Knight Captain said, "Forgive me, it's been a long time."
"You are forgiven." Lucifer said dryly, "Though I doubt I have changed that much."
"Indeed." Damien said, "Still dress in white, purple, black and gold."
"So, how is Anarietta doing, by the way?" Lucifer said smirking upon seeing Damien's reaction, "Oh come now, your still not sour about me being allowed to call her that? I distinctly remember her Lady Duchess commanding me to call her Anarietta. Or at least that's what it sounded like when she moaned."
"Goddamn it, Lucifer." Geralt said annoyed, having a feeling that his son-in-law was enjoying pushing the Knight Captain's buttons.
"My father has nothing to do with that." Lucifer said glancing over his shoulder, "Though I have made many men and women call his name... Which I find completely distasteful."
"I am not surprised. You have not changed at all, Lucifer." Damien said shaking his head, turning to Geralt, "Is it true Lucifer is with you witcher?"
"Yeah." Geralt said, "You can say that."
Damien gave a nod at this, "I'll inform the Duchess of it." he said turning to Lucifer, "You better be there when she has her breakfast."
"Well, since I'll be here to help Geralt, might as well go for a fancy Beauclair breakfast." Lucifer said with a smirk.
And that was the chapter, hope you enjoyed.
Anyways many thanks to everyone who read, reviews, favorites or follows this story, you beauties.
I wish I could put some sort of like button on this chapter, so I could say '1 Like = 1 hug for Uri'.
If you enjoy my work, I would be pleased if you leave a review and I hope you will join me next time.