Run

I continued to spiral in my thoughts, walking absentmindedly down the streets considering deeply what had just occurred and what the future would hold. "That appeared to be somewhat poorly handled Desmond, though I congratulate you on shedding your oppressive corporate bonds. I am sure that hell will love to have a dreadful wretch like Rhiannon someday." I could not lie, the thought of Rhiannon in hell produced in me a wicked smile. Grinning like a madman, I crossed the street, continuing my trek for the train as I considered what her torture would entail. I shook the dark fantasies from my head, but a curiosity had begun to bloom. I had not asked Lucifer anything substantial as of yet, so I supposed now was as good a time as any.

"So you actually torture people for eternity in hell?" I asked him, genuinely curious to hear his answer. I had been raised catholic after all, and they had an especially dark depiction of damnation.

"We have to. Souls that are dirtied here on earth by sin, have to be cleaned before they can be properly stored and sent for their next life." Lucifer replied studiously. It sounded like a rehearsed answer, like he had done orientations for all time, and that was his planned reply to the obvious question.

"Wait, so they are reincarnated? Isn't that a Hindu thing?" I asked, not really following.

"Yes and no." Lucifer started. "As I recall, in the Hindu faith one is reincarnated repeatedly until they have led the proper karmic life. When they reincarnate, their personality or essence goes with them, but not their life experiences. In our cycle we wipe them clean of everything, lifetime experiences, personality, sense of self, etcetera. Then the soul is sent to heaven to be cast back down into a pregnant woman of the faith. All said, the process takes about fifty years."

"So the Bible isn't exactly correct?" I asked, growing further curious.

"As I said before, we were born of faith. But that doesn't mean we couldn't update things and make improvements along the way. Life was quite messy during those first hundred years of civilization. Humans kept being born with such hatred in their hearts, fueling their faith with it, how do you think the crusades came to be?" Lucifer explained diligently.

"Very interesting! But what about-" I started to reply but Lucifer interrupted.

"My apologies for interrupting you Desmond. I do greatly appreciate your enthusiasm, and I assure you I will happily answer any and all questions you have, but do you think this is the wisest use of our time currently?" Lucifer was so polite and spoke so eloquently that it was difficult to be frustrated with him. "Should we not begin conspiring a plan of action? For all we know the angels in pursuit could be closing in on us." Lucifer was right of course.

"Okay. So first we head back to my apartment. I grab some clothes, food, and water. Then we head to the bank and pull some money. Do you think they could track bank transactions if I were to just take and use my debit card?" I asked him. Hoping that closing my bank account wouldn't be necessary. Lucifer considered for a moment.

"Technology has advanced quite a bit since I was imprisoned in your soul. I have been reviewing your memories in order to grasp the full extent, but I still have much to look through. Angels tend to prefer divination to conventional methods when searching for something. I doubt they will use technology in that manner, though I would not give them that opportunity to start."

"Wait, what do you mean 'divination'?" I asked, he had used that term before, and I hadn't thought to ask, so overwhelmed by all the revelations before me at the time; I still was overwhelmed , make no mistake, but knowledge is power as they say.

"Ah yes, I suppose that is an important detail to cover. You see, Divination is a form of location spell, if you will. One that allows angels and demons to locate that which they desire. I have explained it in the past as something akin to using a dog to sniff out a fox in the woods. We get the general idea of where the desired object has been, and can follow it towards its current location; this can take time you see, and certain factors can slow this practice down further. Some are better at divination than others, it is a skill of course, and takes effort to master."

"Okay. I guess that makes sense." I replied, thinking he was likely over simplifying things for me, but while I was still asking questions, there was still one that bothered me. the man with the red eyes from that night. "But what about other monsters and stuff?" I asked. Of course, Lucifer knew what I was thinking, so the question wasn't really necessary.

"Basilisk. The man from that night was a creature known as a Basilisk. I suppose it is possible that the angels may use outside sources to find us. Though I believe you just had a run of bad luck. It happens. Though, more accurately I suppose he had the run of bad luck." Lucifer chuckled loudly at his own humor, though I didn't get why the obvious observation had been funny.

"Why did he look human then? I thought basilisks were lizard creatures that turned people to stone?" I questioned.

"Creatures of mythos and fantasy cannot allow themselves to be seen. If they did, humans would become frightened, gather, and exterminate them. So the Greek mythos of creatures developed a ... disguise, if you will. More accurately, we call it a glamour. It allows a creature of any origin to assume the appearance of a human. Though they can often be lacking in terms of language, or intelligence." I stepped up onto the bricked stone train stop ready to ask more questions, but said train arrived before I could. I boarded and sat in the nearest open seat.

"What do I do if we come face to face with an angel?" I asked trepidation oozing from my mind, knowing whatever he said wouldn't be good.

"Excellent question, Desmond." Lucifer started, hesitating before giving me his answer. "I would prefer not to kill you, So manifesting my powers within you is our absolute last resort. All other options must be exhausted before we consider that avenue." He trailed off. I assumed because he had nothing else worthwhile to suggest. This brought another frustration to my mind. He could always hear my thoughts, but I could never hear his. Which always gave him the upperhand in our conversations. Reminding myself that he could hear even that, I continued.

"Well? What should I do?" I repeated, eager to hear some form of tactic that would help me from being turned into smote ash.

"Definitely run. Run fast, and do not move in one direction for more than a moment. We angels are very fast, and very confident. They will aim for your head or your heart, the quickest death that will ensure our shared demise. They will likely attack from the air, using their superior speed and airborne agility to their advantage. The nature of this tactic means it can only be made in a somewhat linear fashion, like a bombing run from an airplane. If you will. So long as you can dodge effectively, you should be okay. Hopefully."

"Run and dodge… Sounds fool proof." I chuckled dryly.

"Are you making a joke? This is no laughing matter, Desmond. They will never tire, never sleep and never exhaust. You will. Your only hope is to outsmart them." Lucifer was practically growling at me.

"Okay! I'm sorry.. Trying to calm my nerves, ya know?" I replied sheepishly. Clearly joking with Lucifer wasn't a good idea.

"Jokes are fine. As long as yours, and thus by extension my, lives are not on the line." Lucifer warned.

"You really need to stop doing that." I mumbled aloud, causing the person in the seat across from me to look up from their book and glance directly at me. Quickly breaking eye contact, I slouched in my seat.

"You really should stop doing that." Lucifer chortled at my slip up.

"I thought now wasn't the time to joke?" I countered, and Lucifer merely scoffed as I stared out the window to see the darkening skies of Portland. People wandered about the streets, in no particular hurry. It was not raining today, but the clouds looked as if they would release any minute. Every corner seemed to house a coffee shop, and they all were packed full of people either on their way home, or looking for someplace warm. The air had not quite gotten crisp yet, but it was certainly chilled. People would of course be wanting something warm to drink. As I watched the streets of my hometown pass by, my mind naturally began to wander. The image of my dad in the hospital bed popped into my head, and I felt my chest tighten.

"You loved him, didn't you?" Lucifer chimed in, almost as if on queue. I knew we both couldn't help it, so I did my best not to be annoyed.

"Well yeah, of course." I replied looking longingly out the window.

"Tell me about him then." Lucifer requested, which snapped me out of my daze.

"Why would you care to know anything about him?" I retorted, once again forgetting who it was exactly that I spoke with.

"Listen Desmond. We are in this for the long haul, and I don't foresee you partitioning your mind for some time, so if I am to be forced to hear about something, or someone, I may as well know exactly why that is." Lucifer was pragmatic once again, offering sound logic to my emotional dilemma

"Well… My dad was gone a lot as a kid. So I spent a lot of time with my mom. When he was home we would play video games, go shopping, study. We were practically attached at the hip whenever he was home." I answered, getting lost in the quick flashbacks of him playing Mortal Kombat and hitting me with paper towels in the grocery store. "He was-he was great." my voice caught in the back of my throat as I did my best not to cry.

"Sounds to me like he was an excellent sort of gentleman then." Lucifer added praising him. I smiled at the thought of him finding out that Lucifer, the devil of all people, had complimented him.

"Yeah. He was. He always had a weak heart though. My mom told me it was something he was just born with. He was always in and out of the hospital as a kid." My vision blurred, but I was able to keep the tears at bay. "Do you know why I saw him in that book? Back in the castle." I added, changing the topic before I began to weep openly on the train.

"I inspected the book after you left. It was called 'Dolor" which in Latin translates to a few different things. But given the context of what it showed you. I believe the most astute translation would be. Grief." his words had an almost somber-like quality, like he felt bad for me. "There is much I am still discovering about your soul Desmond. But there is one thing I know for sure. You are a wizard. A sorcerer. You hail from a sect of humans that hold their secrets close to their breast. So, my best guess is that it may be a library for your memories, one that allows you to peruse at your leisure. Which, I must say, will be quite beneficial in the future." His musing voice echoed as the train came to a stop, the doors sliding open to allow more passengers on and off.

"A Library in my soul? Well, I suppose-"

"Silence!" Lucifer cut me off, as he did the hair on the nape of my neck stood to attention, giving me the all too familiar sense of dread.

"What is it?" I asked, looking around in alarm.

"Stop looking around like a damned fool! Simply glance forward and you will spot them. The three men that boarded the train over there. With the umbrellas. They are angels, and they are searching for us." Lucifer sounded almost worried. "While it appears they have narrowed down their search to this train, they have not located exactly which passenger we are yet." My heart raced, and my mind reeled with a hundred thoughts.

Run. Lucifer had said to run. We can't run on a train. What, if we just stayed in populated areas?

"I said silence! I can't think with all of yours… Firstly We cannot just simply run. Like I said before, we have to outsmart them." Lucifer's words were harsh, but he was right. I took a deep breath and looked at the three men with the umbrellas. The other passengers were giving them strange looks as they made no attempt to hide the fact they were looking for someone.

Slowly they began making their way towards my end of the train car. All three men appeared average. Like businessmen who were just commuting home. Except for their bizarre behavior, that is. Aggressively looking at each passenger. Lifting hats, grabbing chins to inspect them more closely. What was it with monsters and businessmen? I wondered, as I slowly began to regain control of myself.

"Businessmen are forgettable. Something angels and monsters can utilize easily for glamours. Now, listen to me closely. Get up and depart on the next stop. Walk calmly and do not look at them. From this moment forward you do not see them, they do not even exist. Understood?" Lucifer instructed, however I couldn't help but keep stealing the odd glance, something about them seemed. Off.

At first glance the men appeared quite average. Dark creased suits with equally dark hair, plain faces with no beards or facial hair to speak of. The angel in front was the only one wearing glasses. Thick, dark and black with horn rimmed edges. Upon closer inspection though, showed key errors in their glamours, errors that one could spot even from this far away. Firstly their eyes appeared unfocused, as if they were blind or dead. While their heads turned to inspect our fellow passengers, their pupils didn't move to follow, and their skin was a few shades too bright to be naturally human, though no one else seemed to be noticing these details. The last thing I noticed as the train began moving again, was the fact that their umbrellas seemed… rigid, too rigid. Even in this train car there was some amount of breeze, enough to at least ruffle the thin fabric, but they remained frozen.

"Desmond, I said to stop looking at them, and for your information those are not umbrellas, those are spears. Weapons from heaven used by angels to slay their enemies with viscous precision. If they find us, rest assured they happily present you with an up close and quite personal view. Through your chest." I gulped down the image of one of those umbrellas through my chest and swiveled my head away from them just as the horn rimmed one looked down the car my way.

'You're just looking out a window, just a regular guy looking out a train car window.' I assured myself as I watched the outside world pass us by, unaware of the train car of death I now found myself locked within. A bookstore, a deli, a sports emporium. They all seemed strange now, as if shopping was already a foreign concept to me.

I watched as people milled about the sidewalks, a few stopping to window shop and chat as if it was just another day to them, I tried not to think about whether I would be allowed to do something so simple ever again. Perhaps one day, but to get there I needed to follow Lucifer's directions. Run. Survive.

Thankfully, we were still in the downtown area, so the next stop wasn't far, but that didn't change the fact that it felt like an eternity. Even without my eyes locked on the angels, my other senses were. Over all the idle chatter, all the creaks and groans of the train car, I heard the angels footsteps. I could hear their slow, uniformed breathing.

I could even hear the sound of them gripping a handrail for stability. Each one that got closer gave me a deeper sense of dread and despair. I began to sweat as I tried not to picture what would happen if they found me before I could flee. While the next stop wasn't far, it seemed ages away.

Finally, as if answering my prayers, the train began to slow its approach to the scheduled stop. Once we finally arrived and the doors hissed open on my right, I stood and turned to the exit behind me, away from the three angels who continued their search. Stepping off the train I felt my legs buckle, struggling to keep their strength.

My stomach rolled as I tried to keep from vomiting. There I stood at the Portland state college downtown campus, with no idea what to do next. Lucifer's words echoed in my head and I found myself walking. Cobble stones clacked under my feet as I walked in a random direction away from the train, unsure of where to, only sure that I had to get away.

"Good, very good, Desmond. Now we need to keep moving. You take care of doing that, I will search Arce Elymas Magus for some idea of how we might hide ourselves."

"That is my soul right? Why would my soul have anything that could help us?" I thought to him as I continued walking, attempting with great effort not to appear outwardly distressed.

"I understand that there is much you do not know. I plan to teach you what I can, but Desmond, you must understand that wizards are powerful. There is a reason monsters and gods hide when they can. The few wizards of the world keep them in check." Lucifer continued, doing his best to explain the start of what would be a very vast and likely alternate history to the one I was taught in school.

"What do you mean there are only a few wizards?" I asked, using Lucifer as a distraction from my plight, fighting the urge to look over my shoulder as I turned right onto another busier street. Perhaps it was all the movies I'd seen, or books I'd read, but I figured the more populated the area, the better off I'd be. Right or wrong, it really did feel good to be in the company of other people, even if they had no idea what I was fleeing.

"Well, that… is… difficult to explain…" Lucifer avoided the question awkwardly, sounding distracted. "Desmond, we will have to go over this at another time. I need to focus on searching for a spell or a ward or something that can help us, and you need to focus as well. I do not know for how long we will have evaded the angels, they will likely have gotten off that train soon." With that very statement went all the feeling of "safety" I was trying to cultivate being in a populated area.

"Will they attack us in a crowd like this?" I questioned, growing concerned for the people around me. Lucifer's lack of response was enough to make me second guess my earlier decision, each and every face I walked past now appeared to be a liability, each of them could become a victim to a danger they did not even know or understand. It would be all my fault.

Seconds turned to minutes as I continued down the street, paranoid. Minutes turned to five, then ten, then a dozen and more. My heart had incrementally stopped pounding in my chest, which left me with that empty sort of fear.

That dread of knowing something awful was coming, but taking so long that it almost felt like it might never actually do so. That dread of knowing they could strike without my ever knowing, without ever seeing it. I took a deep breath. I was working myself back up into a frenzy once more, I needed to calm down. Lucifer had said we needed to outsmart the angels, and a clear head would be paramount for that task.

Slowing my pace, I stopped altogether to lean on the cement wall of a building to my right. Looking up at the now dark sky I tried to drink in the nighttime beauty of the city. To my left and right all stood office buildings, they were all practically identical, bland and boring. Matte gray with black accents and tinted office windows. There was nothing unique that made them stand out, except for the one across the street from me.

It was a beautiful red brick building with long vines stretching down from the first balcony. Perfectly sculpted shrubbery sat on either end of the front office door. Tiny potted plants lined the outside of every window. Its outside was a wall of evergreen with two thin trees at either side of the intricately detailed metal gate. Something about this building seemed interesting, and peaceful.

Minutes elapsed before I realized this wasn't the time to admire an empty building of all things. I needed to do something, anything. Those angels wouldn't be fooled for long, and I needed to keep moving. I began to push myself backward off the wall but the hairs on the back of my neck stood erect once more, putting me on high alert. I had noticed this feeling a lot in the last two day's, I was beginning to understand that it meant danger.

"I thought I smelled you getting off the train." A soft voice echoed from above me. Spinning on my heels I looked up to see the horn rimmed Angel standing above the wall I was just leaning on.

"Lucifer!" Panic and dread filled my chest as I called out in my mind.

"Hello, Brother. I must say, I hoped that I would be the one to find you. It appears fate is on my side" The angel's voice purred in greeting. The sensation of falling backwards struck me even before I realized it. When I caught myself, I was looking through eyes that were mine, but not. It was as if I was looking through from the end of a tunnel.

"My apologies Desmond. I hope you don't mind my taking over. I will try to stall him for as long as I can." his voice reverberated through my mind as I watched him look up at our pursuer.

"Greetings, Brother. I must apologize, you have caught me at a terrible time. I'm afraid I don't have any tea to put out for you." Lucifer offered a short bow and the angel simply sneered. "Now now, Yarhibol. No need to be nasty." Lucifer prodded as he took a few steps to the side. The Angels gaze following closely. "Why don't you come down here so we can talk peaceably?"

"Desmond." Lucifer spoke quickly in my mind. "It appears that I cannot hold this for much longer. When you take back over, you will need to flee. Run away as if your life depends on it, because it does. Understood?" I nodded fervently in reply but then added "understood" once I realized he could not see that.

Yarhibol jumped down from his perch and twirled his open umbrella with menacing ease. "You know, I never liked you, Lucifer. You and the other Archangels think that just because you are the favorites, you can do whatever you want, but I was there before you were born. Yet I must wallow in anonymity." His scowl deepened with each step closer that he took.

"Listen, Yarhi. I know you despise us. Hell, I despise us! We are quite similar in that regard, you and I. I simply wanted the freedom to do as I wished. Not to grovel at the feet of humans who could no longer understand us, or even themselves for that matter." Lucifer's charisma oozed outward in a practiced fashion.

"You will not sway me, betrayer. But please feel free to beg. It will make the tale of slaying the great and beautiful Lucifer all the sweeter." Yarhibol continued to stalk closer to us as Lucifer steadily backed away.

"You misunderstand my meaning, Yarhi. I am simply trying to save my elder brother's life. Your life." I felt a trickle of sweat roll down my face as Lucifer strained to keep control. Yarhibol looked puzzled, then burst into laughter.

"My life? You believe it to be MY life in danger at this moment? I am about to slay Lucifer, the devil, the great betrayer!" Lucifer strained a weak unconvincing laugh.

"Do you think I stay in this body because of its gracious good looks? Yarhi, use your brain and think, what sort of being could possibly hold the power of an archangel, let alone trap one within it." Lucifer forced the words out with a painful determination as he stared gravely at his angelic brethren, whose face turned from confusion to a pale fear of understanding.

"Desmond. I cannot hold this any longer, my divinity is attempting to manifest every moment that I stay in control, threatening to destroy this body. You will have to take over and flee. He is unsure of your strength now, and therefore cautious. This may be your only opportunity. So run!"

Before I even began to comprehend what Lucifer had said, the sensation of falling washed over me once more.

Pain echoed through my mind and body as my knees threatened to buckle under the switch. My mind felt like it was split in two and I staggered backward, trying to regain my precious balance. Resting my hand on a bike rack that sat just before the end of the sidewalk, I finally stabilized myself. I looked up briefly to see that the Angel had stopped moving forward, a stunned expression on his face.

"Desmond…" Lucifer wheezed in the deep recesses of my thoughts, his voice echoing in and out in waves. "Desmond, listen to me. He is afraid of you. Use it!"

I had not even one moment to consider what he meant, and before I realized it, I was already in motion. Fist balled up I stepped forward and struck the horn rimmed angle square in the face. A look of surprise colored both of our faces as the angel stammered backward. A million new thoughts dashed through my mind as I realized I had just punched an angel square in the face. I shook the stupor from my mind and quickly turned and ran before the angel could begin pursuit, dodging past several gasping pedestrians that had witnessed the assault.

My knuckles screamed. I had never punched anyone before, but it appeared to have good effect, for as I rounded the first corner, I did not see the angel in pursuit. Returning my focus to my escape, I searched for other routes I might use. Now that I was no longer on a busy street, there were fewer people. My ears rang with the sound of my footfalls as I raced down the sidewalk for safety, exhaustion was already beginning to take hold of me.

"Look out!" Lucifer warned, barely audible but just in the nick of time. I leapt to my right against a red bricked landscaping wall. I felt the crushing of pavement vibrate in my feet, and the boom of cracked earth in my skull. I peered to my left to see the horn rimmed angel dragging his now sparkling gold spear from the crater in the ground. Even in the darkness of night the spear seemed to emit a low glow. Brilliant white wings fluttered from the back of the man's blazer as he prepared to swipe at me once more.

"Move!" Lucifer shouted hoarsely. Instinctually I listened, leaping over the bricked wall, I heard something behind me as I raced across the front lawn of some poor bystanders house. I didn't dare look back, instead I ran to the next yard continuing my own flight. Awkwardly leaping over a hedge, its branches scraping at my legs, tearing pieces of cloth away. Tunnel vision narrowed my sight as I was consumed by fear. Run, run straight? Faster, get to the street? Safety, find safety. I was pure instinct acting on deep rooted impulses in my DNA, impulses that had not needed to be used in generations.

I pulled myself over another landscaping wall, my feet landing hard and turned back down the sidewalk at a furious pace. My legs threatened to give out as I pushed a stranger out of my way as I ran. I could hear wings flap behind me and the hair on my neck stood on end. I jumped left, into the street, just in time for another deafening crash. My hands coiled around my head as I spilled into the street, tumbling onto the ground. I saw headlights and heard the screech of tires, but it was too late. Cowering in the middle of the street, arms still wrapped around my head and body, I waited for the impact of the screeching car and my fragile body, but felt nothing. I peeked through one eye to see the bottom bumper of an old Cadillac. Sitting up, I stared in disbelief at the shadow of the driver waving his fist at me, cursing.

Peering behind me, I saw my pursuer stand, his righteous spear clasped in hand as he glared back at me, his eyes were a blinding white, and I could see the fury in them. The dust still hung in the air around him from the crushed earth below his feet. The hair on my neck stood on end once more. My instincts told me danger. Shadows grew longer on the curb first, then nearby street lights turned dim. The horn rimmed angels' eyes were growing brighter by the second. Recognition dawned on me as I recalled the last time I had seen such an effect.

Scrambling to my feet I glimpsed the driver watching the angel, his brightly lit face frozen in a stupor. I realized at that moment I couldn't run. I couldn't hide from this thing that chased me. I could no longer do as I was instructed, to run away and flee this foe that I had no hope of escaping. Anxiety swirled in my mind as I continued to search for a place to hide.

The car was no option, as the old man would surely die and I would never make it across the street before his blast killed me... I could save myself, but only at the cost of this man's life… Resolve clenched within my knuckles and an unknown courage filled my chest as I took my first step forward to what would surely be certain death.

The horn rimmed angel must have recognized my determination, for the white light growing in his eyes grew faster. I don't know how I knew, but the beam would fire any moment, melting anything and everything in its path. Each second lasted what felt like an eternity, but I continued my reckless charge, my eyes locked on the angel and his on mine. Taking another step, I felt my momentum jerk backward as a hand grasped my collar from behind. Thrown backward and onto the ground just as the beam fired. Night turned to day as white hot light shrieked from the angel's eyes. I recoiled, covering my head with my hands once more. Moments passed as an uncertain calm filled the air, nothing happened. Confused, I looked up to see a thick red smoke permeating the area and the silhouette of a figure. A breeze caught the smoke and blew it away before too long.

"Hey. Long time no see. Mind if I step in?" A female voice cut through the night air. My eyes were still readjusting as I tried to discern who it was.

"Damned detestable demon. What are you doing here? This has-"

"Yep, gonna have to stop you there, big guy. You see all these people and all these phones here?" the mysterious woman pointed to the growing crowd at the end of the street. The whole encounter had lasted only a handful of moments, but the bright lights were more than enough to draw a crowd.

"I figure you can either get outta dodge, or let the wizards put you down when they get here. Me? I'm gonna take the kid and run." she started to turn as if to walk away. "You're free to follow if you think you're holy enough." The demonic reverberation in her voice sent chills down my spine. Yarhibol, the horn-rimmed angel glared at her for several moments, still deciding what to do.

"Running outta time big guy. Make a choice." The woman mocked as she tapped her fore finger on her wrist.

"Fine." He huffed in frustration, then fixed his gaze upon me once more. "We settle this next time, human, and I assure you there will be a next time." His words were like ice in my veins as his wings buffeted the ground and he vanished up into the night.

The woman before me turned and gripped my shoulder, pulling me up to my feet. I opened my mouth to start to speak but she began pushing me off the street, urgency in her steps.

"No talking, just walking." She growled. I hadn't the faintest who this woman was, but it was clear… she had something to do with Lucifer.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked in my head, checking to make sure the devil in my soul hadn't sustained some sort of injury.

"I'm fine... I just need… To rest." Lucifer's voice was still strained. Remarkably so. "Go with her... She can... Protect us..." Lucifer's hoarse whisper tapered out into quiet silence.

A crowd had begun to gather as she and I quickly fled the scene. I hadn't gotten a good look at her yet, but in the darkness I could only make out a few stark details.

She was wearing a black leather jacket, had long hair and denim jeans with high top sneakers. Hardly the outfit of a warrior, I thought. Then again, that angel that had just tried to kill me was dressed as a career businessman. I was surprised by how quickly everything had ended and how calm I now felt. Something about this new stranger put me at ease. I chalked it up to the fact she had just saved my life.

"You gonna keep skulking behind me? Or you gonna keep up?" she called out behind her. I realized I was doing just that. With a brief trot I strode up next to her.

"Sorry. Uh. Thanks for that. For, saving my life and all." I stammered, not quite sure how to thank someone for saving my life. I awkwardly scrubbed at the back of my head as we walked. .

"Yeah. let's stop right there, alright?" she stopped dead in her tracks and looked me square in the eye, her glowing red orbs peering into me with thinly veiled rage. She stood more than a few inches shorter than me, but somehow her intensity pushed past that and hit me right square in the face.

Her blonde slightly curled hair framed her face in an unkempt mess. her face was similarly symmetrical like Lucifer's. However, unlike lucifer, her high cheek bones and soft wide jawline made for more aggressive appearance. Gulping back the saliva in my mouth I retreated a step, to which she promptly advanced.

"I didn't save your life. I saved Lucifer's. You just happen to be the meatsuit he's inhabiting. I hear he's back and come to get him, and here I found some idiot about to get him killed!" Her voice was growing angrier and darker by the moment.

"The next time you do something so stupid, I will personally flay the skin from your body and separate you from him piece by bloody piece. Understand?" she was now holding a strange bronze dagger in her hand. I hadn't seen her reach for anything, but it's pointed tip inched closer and closer to my throat. Fear crept up into my stomach as I raised my hands up in surrender.

"I-I understand" I replied, sheepishly.

"Good." With a flourish the dagger disappeared from the angry woman's hand. "Now, we need to find somewhere safe to hide out for a bit. Come up with a plan. Lucky for you, I know just the place, and it's nearby." she beckoned me on as she stuffed her hands into her leather jacket, an upbeat skip in her step, as if saving my life, then threatening it was just another day.

"By the way, you can call me Lilith." she called out over her shoulder, not bothering to even look backward.