Treachery : book 2 of Codex Elysium

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Present time: Midgard

Lucifer stood on the roof top of the town hall, the wind blew her dark hair and ruffled the black feathers of her wings. Below her, the four main streets all linked up in a cross roads. A lone man stood there in a long green trench coat, his grey hair and beard wild and unkempt. Beside him was a board which had several quotes from the bible written upon it. He was preaching from the book and haranguing the passersby. Countless people milled about their business, darting in and out of shops but not one person paid the man any notice. He had a wide clearing around him. It seemed to Lucifer that people would rather steer clear and bash into others rather than risk getting stopped by the preacher. The princess of Hell smiled sadly and crossed her arms. What had happened to these mortals? Why were they afraid of one old man? It wasn't like he was speaking truths. Of course the mortals didn't know that. What was more baffling to her though, was that not one single mortal noticed the woman in a scarlet dress with black angel wings standing on a rooftop and watching them.

Lucifer sighed deeply at the preachers words drifted up to her. "....God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son..." it was all lies. Up until about fifteen hundred years ago, the mortals had worshiped her, loved her, made sacrifices in her name, and named her a goddess. She was their champion of light, her followers questioned and challenged everything until they found the truth and true enlightenment. They sought the keys to the universe, wanted answers to all the big questions. Such wise and noble men and women. All long gone. Lucifer shivered and crossed her arms, she scowled down at the preacher as he spoke of Jesus's love and how their souls could be saved. The princess laughed bitterly. She knew the truth and it was a million miles from what he spoke or the book he preached from. No the mortals no longer cared for their souls or their spiritual needs. They didn't care for gods or the old ways. No they had new gods now, T.V's, the internet, computers, their phones, celebrities. These were what the mortals worshiped now.

Lucifer chuckled as two mortals collided and went down in a heap, they were too busy looking at their phones to pay attention to where they were going. They got back and carried on without even acknowledging what had happened, then went straight back to their precious phones. Lucifer ground her teeth in sheer frustration. She was trying to find a way to save these pathetic mortals, why? They didn't deserve it, they all deserved the end that was coming but still she wanted to defend them. It didn't make sense. If she was honest, in the back of her mind Lucifer hoped the final war would come. The violence and horror would shock the mortals back into seeing the truth of things, they would go crawling back to the old gods begging for forgiveness, begging to be saved.

A group of four mortals was making its way through the crowd. Even though they wore the same clothes and looked like all the others around them, the group still stood out like a sore thumb. Lucifer had been tracking them all morning. She watched them continue up the street. The clear leader was the man with the shoulder length brown hair, he had such an edginess about him. His head never stayed still, he was constantly scanning his surroundings. The three girls with him also seemed on edge. Lucifer casually strolled along the rooftops as she tracked her targets, from her view point she would see any Witch Hunters coming from a long way off. But would she intercede? If she helped them, then when Satan found out, there would be Hell to pay. Literally.

The princess of Hell stood and barely flinched or showed any reaction as crimson flames suddenly erupted in front of her. Satan appeared looking his usual slick self in a very expensive beige suit.

"Just what game do you think you are you playing now? I gave you strict orders" Lucifer gave the crown prince of Hell a sweet and innocent look.

"Why I am simply out taking a walk"