- Lucifer, Death, Peter -
The others had left the room, leaving just Lucifer, Death, and Peter, with Hades continuing to stand watch outside of the door.
Lucifer rubbed his left eye. "Alright, what do you know?"
Death sighed. "The warden's key might be demonizing you."
"I coulda guessed that..." Peter mumbled.
Lucifer's right eye narrowed in irritation. "I know there's more than just that. The only two living beings in this world that know as much about being Hell's warden as Satan, are you and me. I know your hesitation wasn't for THAT."
"Take out the key," Death asked.
Lucifer conjured the key and tossed it to Death. "Go on."
Death held the red key up. "Well, as you know, the key doesn't actually unlock anything, in theory at least."
The "in theory" got both Peter and Lucifer to raise an eyebrow.
Death continued, "Getting the key and receiving the ability to enter the illusions of the prisoners did happen simultaneously but they were irrespective of each other. I don't fully understand the key myself, believe me. The only one who knows everything about it is Satan and he's...difficult to get complete information out of."
Lucifer continued rubbing his left eye. "What's your basis for the key demonizing me then? I know some humans associate blue fire with demons but from what I've seen it isn't a trait that demons, at least Hell's demons, have."
"Yer gonna rub yer eye out of its socket if ya don't stop," Peter said.
Lucifer stopped rubbing his eye. "And, red eyes, or irises, aren't specific to just demons. If I was being demonized shouldn't my skin being turning red or my wings becoming more bat-like?"
Death tossed the key back to Lucifer. "My theory has to do with the Chaos connection."
Lucifer's eyes went wide as the key turned to smoke. "NOW you want to talk about that? Every time I have ever brought this up with you you've handwaved it as if I was searching for nothing. Now you're telling me you have a theory about it?"
Peter tilted his head back and looked at Death. "Ya probably shouldn't have gotten him started on this."
Death, seemingly ignoring the two, kept speaking, "I'm specifically talking about the Seventh Day Theory."
Peter leaned his head on his hand. "Not this shit again..."
Lucifer clicked his tongue. "Figures I need my eye to randomly transform to finally have a conversation with you about this."
Death kept going, "I think the warden's key is slowly turning you into what reborn think you should look like. I don't know what's triggering it, or why it's coming in pieces, but it isn't the first time I've seen something like this."
Lucifer leaned forward so quickly that he nearly fell out of his chair. "Who? Who have you seen this happen to before?!"
The room's short silence filled Peter with anxiety. He sunk down in his chair, suddenly wishing he hadn't asked to be a part of this.
"Me..." Death said softly.
Peter's eyes shifted from Death to Lucifer. The out-of-place feeling grew worse. He was torn between wanting to leave and wanting to hear more. He folded his arms and decided to stay, despite his better judgment.
"What exactly are you talking about?" Lucifer asked.
Death conjured his scythe. "The ability to conjure this. I didn't always have this power until one day I suddenly felt the ability to create it."
'Not lying...' Lucifer thought to himself as his eyes started to glow. 'Something sounds off. Why does something sound off though? I have no reason to doubt what he's saying. Is it the warden's power?'
"You don't believe me..." Death sighed as he returned his scythe. "I understand why, given everything that's been said so far but please, trust me on this."
Lucifer rubbed his temple. "You haven't seen this with any other god?"
"No," Death answered. "In fairness, I haven't asked every god I know, but even if I did and there were changes like this happening, I doubt they would tell me."
Lucifer's eyes went to the door. "Alright, tell me if I have this correct: You believe that obtaining the warden's key is demonizing me in a way that lines up with various human images of me? You believe so because you gained the ability to conjure your scythe one day? And you think this all has to do with the Seventh Day Theory?"
"That's right," Death nodded slightly.
"There are too many holes in the correlation," Lucifer said. "I understand why you didn't want to tell me."
Death exhaled a small sigh of relief.
"But-" Lucifer continued.
Death's relieved expression went away instantly. He knew what words were coming next.
"-what I don't understand is why you never told me about your conjuring ability."
Death couldn't hide his irritated expression. "I know how you are with these things. I didn't want to give you false hope."
"Right..." Lucifer stood up. "That's one thing you two have in common," He looked from Death to Peter.
Peter snapped back into the conversation. "Luce come on..." He sighed. "There's nothin' wrong with not wantin' to spend time searchin' for pointless answers."
"Whatever..." Lucifer mumbled as he opened the door and walked out.
- Peter and Death -
Peter instinctively wanted to follow Lucifer out but knew he should wait. The fact that Death was also waiting filled the room with even more uncomfortable tension.
"I'm on yer side with what ya did," Peter quietly said to Death.
Death was surprised. "Really? I...I didn't think you would be."
Peter cracked his neck. "Don't get the wrong idea. What ya did at Passage isn't forgiven. I'm just sayin' that in regards to this," he whirled his finger, "I at least understand where yer comin' from. Luce's obsessions with that fuckin' theory took centuries to go away," He rubbed his neck and looked at the ceiling. "Unfortunately, I think Elijah might have reignited those embers."
"I'll have to ask Satan more about the key after this..." Death's face scrunched. "That's going to be a fun conversation given how he is about that stupid thing."
Peter raised an eyebrow. "Do ya know why he's so particular about it?"
Death shrugged. "No. The worst part is, this could all just be another game of his. I don't think it is, but I can never be too sure when it comes to him."
Peter sighed. "I'll try talkin' to Luce for ya. I snapped him out of this obsession once, I'm sure I can do it again."
"Aren't you worried about his transformation?" Death asked. "What if he fully transforms into a demon?"
Peter stood up. "Cross that bridge when we get to it. We don't know what's causin' it. We definitely don't know a way to stop it. And, most importantly, we don't know if it even matters. Maybe Luce transforms and is still the same mentally. In that case, all this worryin' was for nothin'."
- Lucifer -
Lucifer walked right past Hades. The frustration he felt was gnawing at him. He walked quickly through the palace, ignoring the guards that were clearly staring at him. His vision would dart to the staring guards quickly enough for them to stop staring and then back in front of him. He didn't know why the palace guards were suddenly staring at him but there wasn't enough room in his head to concern himself with it.
Lucifer continued his stride through the large halls of the palace. The only thing slowing him down even slightly was his thoughts.
'Why am I surprised? I'm disappointed with myself. I should know better. Of course he was hiding more information. Why wouldn't he? You two are so afraid of me questioning this, but why? Are you scared I'll waste years of my infinite lifespan?'
As Lucifer's thoughts raged in his head he did start to notice something. It was faint, but he could hear the whispers of some of the palace guards. He slowed the pace of his walking so as to not show he was listening in.
"It certainly complicates the timeline," One guard whispered.
"It might be for the best though. Two heads one swipe," The other guard whispered.
Lucifer's eyes glowed. As he listened he suddenly felt the guards' words get louder. It sounded as if the two guards were right next to him. He turned his head in a jolt. The guards were nowhere near him. Even more worrying, was that as he looked around he didn't see any sight of two whispering guards or any kind of illusion magic that might hide them. Where he was in the palace was too open for anyone to be close by but not in sight.
'What is happening to me?'