Post by Bene Elohim on Feb 8, 2024 14:46:39 GMT -8
The first to descend the stairs into the command center was the beautiful Asian woman known as Sariel. She crossed the space between the two doors, offering Alistair only the faintest of nods. Once inside the room, she found the others all waiting for her.
Maiko Adachi, Martin West, Chelsea Pryce, Maricela Reyes, Johnny Blank, Her Rami, Naani and Ani, Zachary Sears, and finally standing at the head of the table were the Harbinger and Lord Lucifer himself. Sariel made her way around the table and dropped into a kneel with her head bowed beside Lucifer.
Sariel: “My Lord.”
Lucifer: “Ashley and Aerynn?”
Sariel: “Should be joining us shortly, Sire.”
Lucifer gave little more than a soft nod and turned his back on the table, allowing his eyes to run over the board behind where he stood. His eyes running over the faces of the Demons, Lord Apollyon, and Sathanas in silence.
Xaria knew enough to know his mind was working. He was planning, working together something piece by little piece. Connecting dots the others couldn’t even see. Behind him, Sariel rose from her kneel and approached her spot at the table, stopping long enough to take Ramiel’s face in her hands and touch her forehead to his own.
A gesture that was both simple and profound.
There was no need for public displays of passion or intimacy between the pair. It was subtle and yet spoke to the heights they needed one another.
The group stood in silence until a voice sounded from beyond the doors.
Ashley Kenyon: “Hey, Allie.”
Alistair: “That’s not my name.”
Aerynn Donnelly: “No one cares, Lad.”
Maricela broke into a giggle, while Chelsea chuckled softly. Even Martin and Johnny shared amused glances in silence seconds before the doors of the command room pushed open. The pair walked into the room, both of them still in their full tactical gear.
Ashley even still had the Glock holstered on the outside of her thigh.
Ashley and Martin shared an unspoken look that said volumes. Martin wanted to know if they were good or if she blamed him for stopping her. Ashley slightly shook her head, giving him a small nod. She knew why he had done it.
Ashley Kenyon: “We’re good, Padre.”
Lucifer didn’t even wait for Martin to answer as he turned and crossed his arms over his chest.
Lord Lucifer: “Next time don’t keep me waiting, Ashley.”
Ashley lifted a hand and gave him the bird. The response received a narrowing of Xaria’s eyes and a little gasping chuckle from Sariel, but Lucifer’s lips curled into an amused little smile. No one but Ashley Kenyon could get away with that and they all knew it.
Lord Lucifer: “I want to make something crystal clear to all of you.”
The levity in the room suddenly disappeared as Lucifer’s tone turned eerily calm. All eyes turned to the man standing at the head of the table.
Lord Lucifer: “Everything I say, every word that I utter to the outside world? To anyone outside this room? It is all thought out carefully. Crafted to get a specific response from a specific person. To push them toward an outcome or goal of my design.”
Maricela slowly lowered her head. She knew those words were directed at her. She could feel the weight crash down on her shoulders. Martin takes her hand in his and squeezes it reassuringly.
Lord Lucifer: “The last thing I need from any of you is blundering is without knowing and ruining the weave I am so carefully crafting. Or worse, creating a whole new problem because you don’t know what I am doing.”
Johnny Blank: “Or, I know this is a weird concept but… you could talk to us? These ears aren’t just for framing my beautiful face.”
Martin West: “Agreed. Explain what you are doing so no one blunders in?”
Ramiel: “We do…”
Ananiel: “....not see fit…”
Ramiel: “...to think we…”
Ananiel and Ramiel: “...know God’s mind.”
Johnny looked briefly at the two men and then back at Lucifer
Johnny Blank: “They are super creepy, did you know that?”
The Harbinger couldn’t help but giggle.
Xaria Linette: “I like the Twins. They are sweet and our sons admire them.”
Our. It was always nice to say and hear that.
Sariel: “We are the hands of God, gentlemen, not the mind. We do not see fit to assume we know how our Lord thinks. We do as instructed, nothing more.”
Lord Lucifer: “This is beside the point.”
Lucifer cut in, sharply bringing all eyes back to him again.
Lord Lucifer: “I think everyone's a little frayed around the edges. Together, as one collective unit, we have taken out nearly two dozen Demon teams and stolen a chunk of Valdemar’s army away from him.”
Johnny Blank: “Speaking of that, where are they being held?”
Lord Lucifer: “A small percentage of them were deemed worthy of reeducation and have been absorbed by the Demons here in Hell.”
Martin West: “A small percentage? What about the rest?”
Sariel: “They are somewhere they can never prey on another woman or child ever again.”
Johnny Blank: “For the sake of my sanity I’m just gonna assume that means they’ve all been taken to the same farm my childhood pets were all taken to...so they can roam free in the fields and be happy.”
This didn’t seem to sit well with the former Catholic priest, but he couldn’t seem to find the words to voice his concern. How did you defend men who would hurt innocent women and children? How did you explain that perhaps they deserved a second chance at life? Lucifer glanced around briefly before continuing.
Lord Lucifer: “You have all been working harder than I ever expected you to and I think you deserve a break.”
At this, the Demon Knight of the Children raised an eyebrow.
Zachary Sears: “Vhat does zhat mean?”
Lord Lucifer: “Take a couple of days, maybe a week, and go and visit your loved ones.”
Lucifer glanced over at the pair of women in tactical gear.
Lord Lucifer: “Maguire, take Ashley and Maiko and go see your children.”
His eyes then shifted to Zach, who looked more than a little excited.
Lord Lucifer: “Go and spend time with your sisters and your fiancé, Zach.”
And finally, his attention turned to the two most recent groups to join him.
Lord Lucifer: “The children are staying here, so I’d imagine you will want to remain… But I don’t see why you four can’t take the children somewhere nearby. Somewhere you can all have fun.”
Johnny Blank: “We could go visit the farm with all my old pets and those demon guys!”
Martin shoots him a glare.
Johnny Blank: “Crap. Right. Fake farm. Dead pets. Dead guys. I forgot.”
The group began to talk amongst themselves and drift away from the table when Lucifer raised an arm and added.
Lord Lucifer: “But no one travels alone. Zach...take Nani and Ani with you.”
Zachary Sears: “I’m not sure if they vould fit in…”
Lord Lucifer: “Safety first, Zach. Apollyon isn’t going to be happy about the number of Demons he’s lost. I won’t risk any of you.”
Zachary finally just gave a nod and turned, leaving the room behind Ashley, Aerynn, and Maiko who were excitedly talking amongst themselves. When Johnny, Maricela, Martin, and Chelsea began out of the room, Lucifer glanced over at Sariel and Ramiel and motioned with two fingers at them.
The command was understood without needing to be spoken.
Ensure the children stay safe at all costs.
The two gave silent nods and would follow along behind them in silent, watchful protection. Once it was only Lucifer and Xaria remaining in the room, she approached him to stand at his side and slipped an arm around his waist, laying her head on his arm.
Xaria Linette: “Are you sure about this, mon Seigneur?”
Lucifer: “Absolutely. What could go wrong?”
Maiko Adachi, Martin West, Chelsea Pryce, Maricela Reyes, Johnny Blank, Her Rami, Naani and Ani, Zachary Sears, and finally standing at the head of the table were the Harbinger and Lord Lucifer himself. Sariel made her way around the table and dropped into a kneel with her head bowed beside Lucifer.
Sariel: “My Lord.”
Lucifer: “Ashley and Aerynn?”
Sariel: “Should be joining us shortly, Sire.”
Lucifer gave little more than a soft nod and turned his back on the table, allowing his eyes to run over the board behind where he stood. His eyes running over the faces of the Demons, Lord Apollyon, and Sathanas in silence.
Xaria knew enough to know his mind was working. He was planning, working together something piece by little piece. Connecting dots the others couldn’t even see. Behind him, Sariel rose from her kneel and approached her spot at the table, stopping long enough to take Ramiel’s face in her hands and touch her forehead to his own.
A gesture that was both simple and profound.
There was no need for public displays of passion or intimacy between the pair. It was subtle and yet spoke to the heights they needed one another.
The group stood in silence until a voice sounded from beyond the doors.
Ashley Kenyon: “Hey, Allie.”
Alistair: “That’s not my name.”
Aerynn Donnelly: “No one cares, Lad.”
Maricela broke into a giggle, while Chelsea chuckled softly. Even Martin and Johnny shared amused glances in silence seconds before the doors of the command room pushed open. The pair walked into the room, both of them still in their full tactical gear.
Ashley even still had the Glock holstered on the outside of her thigh.
Ashley and Martin shared an unspoken look that said volumes. Martin wanted to know if they were good or if she blamed him for stopping her. Ashley slightly shook her head, giving him a small nod. She knew why he had done it.
Ashley Kenyon: “We’re good, Padre.”
Lucifer didn’t even wait for Martin to answer as he turned and crossed his arms over his chest.
Lord Lucifer: “Next time don’t keep me waiting, Ashley.”
Ashley lifted a hand and gave him the bird. The response received a narrowing of Xaria’s eyes and a little gasping chuckle from Sariel, but Lucifer’s lips curled into an amused little smile. No one but Ashley Kenyon could get away with that and they all knew it.
Lord Lucifer: “I want to make something crystal clear to all of you.”
The levity in the room suddenly disappeared as Lucifer’s tone turned eerily calm. All eyes turned to the man standing at the head of the table.
Lord Lucifer: “Everything I say, every word that I utter to the outside world? To anyone outside this room? It is all thought out carefully. Crafted to get a specific response from a specific person. To push them toward an outcome or goal of my design.”
Maricela slowly lowered her head. She knew those words were directed at her. She could feel the weight crash down on her shoulders. Martin takes her hand in his and squeezes it reassuringly.
Lord Lucifer: “The last thing I need from any of you is blundering is without knowing and ruining the weave I am so carefully crafting. Or worse, creating a whole new problem because you don’t know what I am doing.”
Johnny Blank: “Or, I know this is a weird concept but… you could talk to us? These ears aren’t just for framing my beautiful face.”
Martin West: “Agreed. Explain what you are doing so no one blunders in?”
Ramiel: “We do…”
Ananiel: “....not see fit…”
Ramiel: “...to think we…”
Ananiel and Ramiel: “...know God’s mind.”
Johnny looked briefly at the two men and then back at Lucifer
Johnny Blank: “They are super creepy, did you know that?”
The Harbinger couldn’t help but giggle.
Xaria Linette: “I like the Twins. They are sweet and our sons admire them.”
Our. It was always nice to say and hear that.
Sariel: “We are the hands of God, gentlemen, not the mind. We do not see fit to assume we know how our Lord thinks. We do as instructed, nothing more.”
Lord Lucifer: “This is beside the point.”
Lucifer cut in, sharply bringing all eyes back to him again.
Lord Lucifer: “I think everyone's a little frayed around the edges. Together, as one collective unit, we have taken out nearly two dozen Demon teams and stolen a chunk of Valdemar’s army away from him.”
Johnny Blank: “Speaking of that, where are they being held?”
Lord Lucifer: “A small percentage of them were deemed worthy of reeducation and have been absorbed by the Demons here in Hell.”
Martin West: “A small percentage? What about the rest?”
Sariel: “They are somewhere they can never prey on another woman or child ever again.”
Johnny Blank: “For the sake of my sanity I’m just gonna assume that means they’ve all been taken to the same farm my childhood pets were all taken to...so they can roam free in the fields and be happy.”
This didn’t seem to sit well with the former Catholic priest, but he couldn’t seem to find the words to voice his concern. How did you defend men who would hurt innocent women and children? How did you explain that perhaps they deserved a second chance at life? Lucifer glanced around briefly before continuing.
Lord Lucifer: “You have all been working harder than I ever expected you to and I think you deserve a break.”
At this, the Demon Knight of the Children raised an eyebrow.
Zachary Sears: “Vhat does zhat mean?”
Lord Lucifer: “Take a couple of days, maybe a week, and go and visit your loved ones.”
Lucifer glanced over at the pair of women in tactical gear.
Lord Lucifer: “Maguire, take Ashley and Maiko and go see your children.”
His eyes then shifted to Zach, who looked more than a little excited.
Lord Lucifer: “Go and spend time with your sisters and your fiancé, Zach.”
And finally, his attention turned to the two most recent groups to join him.
Lord Lucifer: “The children are staying here, so I’d imagine you will want to remain… But I don’t see why you four can’t take the children somewhere nearby. Somewhere you can all have fun.”
Johnny Blank: “We could go visit the farm with all my old pets and those demon guys!”
Martin shoots him a glare.
Johnny Blank: “Crap. Right. Fake farm. Dead pets. Dead guys. I forgot.”
The group began to talk amongst themselves and drift away from the table when Lucifer raised an arm and added.
Lord Lucifer: “But no one travels alone. Zach...take Nani and Ani with you.”
Zachary Sears: “I’m not sure if they vould fit in…”
Lord Lucifer: “Safety first, Zach. Apollyon isn’t going to be happy about the number of Demons he’s lost. I won’t risk any of you.”
Zachary finally just gave a nod and turned, leaving the room behind Ashley, Aerynn, and Maiko who were excitedly talking amongst themselves. When Johnny, Maricela, Martin, and Chelsea began out of the room, Lucifer glanced over at Sariel and Ramiel and motioned with two fingers at them.
The command was understood without needing to be spoken.
Ensure the children stay safe at all costs.
The two gave silent nods and would follow along behind them in silent, watchful protection. Once it was only Lucifer and Xaria remaining in the room, she approached him to stand at his side and slipped an arm around his waist, laying her head on his arm.
Xaria Linette: “Are you sure about this, mon Seigneur?”
Lucifer: “Absolutely. What could go wrong?”
