Treachery : book 2 of Codex Elysium

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Present time: Hellheim

Lucifer spat blood onto the flagstone floor. Satan's last blow had loosened a couple of teeth. She was chained to the floor in a kneeling position. He legs had gone well past numb, she was sore and exhausted. The prince of Hell stood before her, he was sweating and topless, splashes of blood dotted his skin.

Lucifer was held in place by heavy gold chains that were wrapped around her waist, arms and legs. Even her black angel wings were chained down, there was no chance of breaking free. She glared up at Satan who was flexing his swollen knuckles, the past him to the figure that was lounging in one of the skull thrones up on the diesis. Loki looked at her and yawned, he idly flicked at some fluff on his sleeve

"You know, these last three days of torture have been mildly entertaining and all. However I do find the show has become tedious, especially when the victim refuses to scream or protest"

Satan turned and gave Loki a furious glare, his eyes flashing crimson.

"So go then! I don't need you here for this!"

Loki rose and stretched his lip curling into a sneer as he spoke

"Actually, I think you do need my help. It has been three days and you have got nothing out of her"

Loki leapt down from stage and walked up to Lucifer, he looked her straight in the eyes and said

"But I know your weakness, I will make you talk"

Lucifer spat out more blood and glared defiantly up at the trickster god. She didn't trust him or his witch daughters but whatever he did to her she would endure, she would not speak or scream

"Go ahead, do your worst"

Loki looked taken aback by that, the playfulness dimmed from his eyes and was replaced by something cold and dangerous. All the lights dimmed in the hall until only the orange-red glow of the rivers of lava remained. A look of shock crossed Satan's face but he quickly masked it when he saw Lucifer looking at him. He didn't know the trickster held such powers. The shadows thickened and swelled everything dimmed until it felt like Loki and Lucifer were alone.

Loki looked in Satan's general direction and said "pay attention. I will have her spilling everything in less than three minutes, much more efficient don't you think?"

Satan growled from the shadows, his crimson eyes shone brightly but he said nothing. A sword appeared in Loki's hand even in the dim light Lucifer could tell it had a wickedly keen edge.

"Now you will tell me everything you spoke about with those meddlesome Druids and your plans or..."

He placed the tip of the blade on Lucifer's cheek and very gently traced it down her face. It was so sharp it drew a line of blood. He traced the line down onto her neck and stepped around her as the blade traced onto her shoulder. Loki's words came out as a deadly whisper

"Or I am going to cut off your wings"

Lucifer froze in horror. Even Satan flinched in surprise. The ragged scars on his back suddenly aching. For a brief moment he felt the ghosts of his blackened wings. He had to admit, that was a stroke of genius on Loki's part.

Satan had been the first angel to fall from grace, he had watched his pure white wings fade to grey then black forever marking him as a fallen, his black wings would disgrace him and humiliate him for all time. In a fit of violent rage Satan had hacked off his wings and then burnt them as a final act of defiance. He had unknowingly set a precedent when he did that, for every angel that fell after him did the same thing. Except for Lucifer.