- Lucifer, Lucius -
Everyone was waiting by the stables for Yvere and Gwyn. Lucifer had refused Lucius's offer to have a meal before going. Lucifer was leaning on the cart speaking with Lucius.
Lucius stared at Lucifer's eyes. "Should I expect you to look like Satan next time I see you?"
"Maybe," Lucifer shrugged. "Satan is Hell's first warden, I'm the second. There isn't precedent for this and as far as I know, Satan has always been a demon."
One important fact that Lucifer was leaving out was that he received the warden's key from Satan. The warden's key, for whatever reason, was one of Satan's most tightly held secrets. Lucifer thought to himself for a moment while Lucius continued staring.
'Satan didn't know anything, supposedly, about everything that's happening to me. What would he have to gain if he was lying?'
Lucifer's mind flashed back to when he arrived in Hell with his new look. Satan had looked at his eyes and wings curiously but didn't seem overly interested or surprised. Satan's words played in Lucifer's mind.
'I don't have an answer and I don't particularly care. Tell me if you start to grow horns though because that would be funny to see.'
Lucifer grimaced after thinking about that. He touched the sides of his head.
"What's that plant that makes things taste cold?" Lucius asked.
"What?" Lucifer stopped touching his head. "You mean mint?"
"Yes, that!" Lucius said somewhat excited. "Yuki blood is so refreshing. It's always great as an after-dinner treat."
- Gwyn and Lucius -
Yvere joined the team. The irritated Gwyn behind her was a signal to Lucius that the usual goodbye pleasantries should be skipped. Yvere and Lao took their reins and headed out. Gwyn rubbed her temple as she watched the team leave. Lucius offered her a bottle full of blood.
"It's some of the yuki blood that Lucifer brought."
Gwyn snatched the bottle out of Lucius's hand and chugged the blood. She wiped her mouth and strongly exhaled.
"I wish we had more of this stuff. It's a shame that the only yuki we have trade contacts with are the ones in Hell."
Lucius scratched the back of his head. "I'm guessing the conversation didn't go well with Yvere. She's a respectable young woman-"
"She's in her seventies," Gwyn interrupted with a groan. "Just because she's young to us doesn't mean she's young."
Lucius spoke hesitantly, "Her father, Gerard I believe is his current name? Worked with Lucifer for a long time. I'm sure he told her stories of Lucifer which combined with Chaos-knows what she's been fighting out there has placed her firmly in Lucifer's camp."
"I know what she's been fighting..." Gwyn looked at the ground. "Sometimes I forget that we're young relative to the other beings in this world. Even Lucifer is far older than us..." She stared into the sky. "I feel too old and too young to be doing this."
Lucius put his hand on her shoulder. "You've done a good job, and not just good relative to past rulers but good in general. Come on, let's crack open the archangel blood that Lucifer brought us."
Gwyn chuckled. "I wish his personality was as nice as his blood."
- Death's side -
Death was drinking in an empty bar in Passage. The only other being was a four-horned demon bartender serving him drinks.
"Sorry about this," Death looked around. "I'll buy enough to make up for it."
The demon sighed. "Does that even affect you?"
"The alcohol?" Death swirled his green drink. "No, not unless it's especially potent. I just find that the best drinks in this world are often alcoholic."
The bartender shrugged and put another bottle on the table. The bottle was filled with an orange liquid with a label wrapped around it that read "Pele's Sunrise."
"I assume you're good for that?" The demon bartender asked.
"Yeah," Death grabbed the bottle and placed down a black and silver coin. "I assume you know what this is worth?"
The demon's eyes lit up. They grabbed the coin with such speed they nearly dropped it. They quickly looked around, clearly searching for a place to put the coin. As the demon moved around the back of the bar frantically Death popped open the bottle.
- Lucifer's side -
The group traveled through Vázoluna, making a quick stop to say hello to Fensyr and Vázi at Fensyr's request. Vázi was hanging off the back of Lucifer's wings laughing while Lucifer and Fensyr had a conversation.
Fensyr pointed at Lucifer's wings. "You imitating karasu now?"
Lucifer lifted the wings up and down at the request of Vázi. "Not my choice, believe me. Same with the eyes."
Fensyr scratched his face. "Come on, V-V, we hafta let Lucifer go."
Lucifer lowered the now pouting Vázi to the ground. Vázi looked Lucifer in the eyes and spoke excitedly.
"You'll be back, right?"
"Yeah, don't worry," Lucifer promised.
Shiri and the others were mostly keeping to themselves during this. Shiri and Peter watched Lucifer fake a smile towards Vázi, then looked at each other knowingly.
"What is it?" Yvere asked.
Peter spoke before Shiri could, "Just reminds me of Vázo."
'I wish I didn't know you were lying,' Shiri thought to himself.
The group made their way out of Vázoluna and through Sol. As they crossed into Heliopolis, Yvere pulled out a metal bottle from her cloak pocket. As she took a sip out of the bottle she asked Lucifer a question.
"What's that plant that makes things taste cold?"
"Mint," Lucifer responded quickly.
Shiri, now radiating an icy mist, poked his head out of the cart. "I'm curious, what does demon blood taste like to you?"
"Uhh..." Yvere stammered as she tried to come up with the description. "Lucifer what's that spice that's brownish and kind of looks like wood before it's turned into powder?"
"Cinnamon?" Lucifer guessed.
"Yeah, that" Yvere took another sip out of the bottle. "Demon blood kind of tastes like cinnamon. Or the mana does. It's difficult to tell apart most of the time."
Shiri nodded his head in interest and leaned back in the cart. Yvere's cart had Sabu, Peter, and Shiri in it, while Lao's only had Lucifer. Lucifer flew out of the cart and next to Lao, offering a clear bottle.
"Here."
"Thanks," Lao took the drink and gulped down the icy blue liquid. "Shiri is a blessing," He wiped his mouth and gave the bottle back to Lucifer.
Instead of continuing north after leaving Heliopolis, the team went east. Most of the trip was uneventful, with the only thing of note happening being Yvere switching riding duty with Peter. Yvere wanted to get to know Shiri better and had been asking him questions. Eventually, she asked him about how he arrived in Hell.
"Yuki-onna society looks down on male yuki," Shiri explained. "Male yuki tend to produce what are viewed as "weaker" offspring. The females pass down stronger yuki traits, such as our resistance to cold and capability with our bloodline magic."
"I hated the way I was being treated so I left. I wanted to be as far away from that place as I could be, which eventually landed me in Hell. I hadn't initially planned to travel to Hell given the rumors I had heard but as I traveled from land to land I grew sick of how I was looked at."
Yvere was fully invested in Shiri's words, leaning forward and nodding as he spoke.
"The yuki ability to produce ice was highly sought after. Everywhere I went the leader of the territory would ask for my services in one way or another, along with women who wanted my children. Truthfully, I held a grudge against women at the time, especially those that were just looking at me as a means to gain something."
"I left every territory I attempted to stay in once it became clear that I wouldn't be left alone. I had felt so defeated about everything that I traveled to Hell out of desperate curiosity. The first day I was there my presence was requested by Satan. When we met he asked me something I'll never forget."
Yvere spoke as Shiri paused for a moment, "What was it?"
Shiri smiled. "He asked what I wanted. At first, I was hesitant to answer. I thought it was some merchant's ploy but I soon realized after I answered that it wasn't. I told him that I wanted to be left alone. He responded by telling me he would respect my wishes so long as I made ice for him every now and again."
Yvere leaned back a little. "He probably wanted the ice for something food-related, right?"
Shiri chuckled, "Yes, in fact. Demon lord, one of the most notorious beings in the world, wanted ice for culinary purposes. As decades passed and lord Satan kept up his end of the deal of making sure I was left alone, I grew... comfortable. It was in that comfort that I realized the other outcast members of my kind needed help."
Shiri grimaced. "Satan's image in Han'ei has been warped by the biases of the yokai rulers. After having enjoyed peace in Hell, I knew it was the best option. I told Satan that I was returning to my homeland to tell the other members of my kind that Hell was a better option."
Yvere questioned, "I'm surprised he was okay with it."
Shiri grinned. "He wasn't just okay with it. He gave me two of his soldiers as insurance. I made my pilgrimage back and proceeded to spread the news about Hell."
Shiri paused for a moment, smiling and looking out the back of the cart as it bounced a few times. He looked back at Yvere and continued.
"Obviously I was viewed as a madman but there were some that joined me on the return trip. I told the other yuki what to expect, and while they didn't believe the kind words I had to say about Hell and Satan, they did believe my hatred for the yuki rulers. Lord Satan does say that hatred often unites faster than love, though the unity made from hatred is temporary."
"I spent a good few centuries making back-and-forth trips until eventually, Satan set up a team of demons and yuki who could do the job for me. He said he would prefer I stay in Hell and help lead the growing yuki population."
- Satan -
(Past)
Satan was sitting in a chair eating what looked like ice cream as he spoke to an echo that sat on top of the table in front of him.
"He's just there to spread the good word of Hell, nothing more. If some of the disenfranchised males of your kind should happen to join him, so be it."
A female voice, strict and condescending in tone, came out of the echo. "What exactly is he worth to you?"
Satan put his bowl down and leaned closer to the echo. He spoke with a slow threatening tone that made the guards near him shudder.
"I consider him one of my kind. I want you to remember that your deal with the Izas would not cover a war with me."
"War?!" The now befuddled voice said.
Satan grabbed the echo and moved it closer to his mouth. "I've made myself clear. I recommend avoiding the paths that lead to one's own execution."
The female voice grumbled. "So long as the boy doesn't bare fangs, he will be left alone."
Satan leaned back. "Of course, which is why I've sent two demons with him to confirm that nothing happens."
"You-"
Satan ended the call and tossed the echo onto the table.