We trudged through the dark Portland streets for some time before we finally arrived at a small hole in the wall bar. A single curved green canvas awning hung above a solitary green door. Both had seen better days and were now tarnished and splotched with an ugly brown. I had seen this bar a million times as it was just two blocks from the AmeriHealth building where I worked. I'd never given it the time of day as it seemed to be just another old run down bar for drunks. Lilith strode up and swung the heavy door open with ease. The inside was dark and gloomy and practically reeked of stale booze.
"Ace, I'm home!" she called out to the dim lit room. A chorus of groans greeted her and she drank them in with a loud inhale. I walked in behind her to see precisely what I'd expected. To my right was the bar, an old wooden counter that had seen better days. At one time it's regal carvings might have given the space class, but now they were covered with years of crumbling white paint and aged stickers from bands, television shows and characters that had long since lost relevance. Behind it were shelves full of liquor bottles and a grimey old mirror. The liquor bottles seemed to be the only clean objects within the whole establishment, likely the only thing that saw frequent restocking.
To the left of the entrance was a single line of five booths, and small ones at that. Dull green cushioned seats with the same worn look as the rest of the bar. While the tables appeared clean, they sat uneven and crooked. Putting it mildly, the whole bar was a dive. Only three patrons sat in the whole establishment, all of them at the bar, and all of them practically sleeping in booze.
A massive muscular man in a white t-shirt and denim jacket stood with a large brown bottle in one hand, and two tumbler glasses in the other, setting them down and pouring with practiced repetition.
"Lilly, Didn't expect to see you again so soon." A deep rugged voice bellowed across the tabletop. Lilith approached and sat at the first empty stool, to which the bartender slid one of the glasses before her. As I took my seat beside her, I realized this man truly was astonishingly tall. Easily seven feet or more. His face was a rugged olive color, with a dark brown beard to match. His hair was unkempt and long, but also impossibly thick. Most notably though, was his extra wide nose. I couldn't help but stare as I wondered how one could possibly have such thick nostrils.
"Thanks Ace, Yeah, things didn't go so good. Was hoping we could hang here for the night?" Lilith pointed a thumb sideways at me as she lifted her glass and gulped in one go.
"I see." The big man stroked his beard as he took me in from head to toe, as if examining my very essence with detail. I wondered what he might have already known. Lilith seemed to know him. Did he know about Lucifer? The angels? My thoughts continued to writhe in uncertainty until he spoke again. "Alright boys, bars closing early. Gonna need ya to hightail it." Groans echoed through the bar once more, along with a few curses. A stiff exhale from his large nostrils silenced all protests as they rose from their stupor to leave. "First drink tomorrow is on me. So take it outta here quietly, will ya?" Ace's heavy voice had a stern tone, but also compassionate. He did not seem like such a bad guy, the patrons apologized and thanked him all the same as they gathered their things and left without much else to say.
As the last patron exited the bar, Ace walked around to the door and locked it tightly. Turning back he took a seat at the booth across from our seats, his expression serious.
"So this is him, huh? The great and powerful Lucifer? Seems a bit… Well, no offense but, not what I expected, Sir." Ace directed the last to me, and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Ace seemed to notice, and looked back over to Lilith with a raised eyebrow, who simply sighed.
"I don't know the full story yet, but Lucifer is inside the kid. Heaven wants them pretty bad, obviously. This idiot was gonna take on Yarhibol full frontal. Almost got the two of them killed. Needed a place to lay low for a bit while we game plan. Hope you don't mind." Lilith winked at the large man as she crossed her legs and leaned back on the bar, making herself comfortable. Her lightly curled blonde hair draped the countertop.
"I see. Yes. I suppose you can stay the night, but not more than that, I'm afraid. Theseus won't like making trouble with the Christians if he can help it." The gargantuan man stroked his beard once more as he rose, taking only one massive stride to reach me, hand outstretched. "My name is Asterion, but you may call me Ace." His voice gloomed over me like an oppressive fog rolling over a seaside town. I tensed as I looked up, only to see kind eyes and a stoic smile. Reaching out, I took his massive, rough hand in mine, and we shook.
"I'm Desmond Murphy. Nice to meet you, uh… Ace." A moment later the gorilla sized hand released mine, and he took another large step back.
"I should go get Theseus. He'll want to hear what you've got to say, we will also need food and drink." Asterion nodded to Lilith and turned to the door at the back of the bar, opening it and going upstairs, his massive footfalls echoing with each step.
"Wow. That dude is huge." I mumbled under my breath as Lilith and I turned back to the bar.
"Well duh, what'd you expect? He's a minotaur. Their whole thing is being huge." she replied offhandedly while leaning over the bar, grabbing a large brown bottle of whiskey and setting it down in front of her.
"He's a minotaur?" I asked, incredulous. The only strange thing about him had been his size, but even that wasn't so strange. "Do Minotaur's not have horns or anything? I've never seen one before" I found myself continuously glancing back at the door he'd disappeared through, suddenly nervous for his return. Lilith finished pouring herself another full glass and finally turned after taking a long gulp.
"Do I look like your teacher? I'm not gonna hold your hand here. If you have a question, ask Lucifer, if Lucifer doesn't care to answer, ask someone else. I'm only here to protect the big guy in your head. That. Is. It." her finger jabbed into my forehead to punctuate her point.
Dejected, I turned away and realized I'd not heard from Lucifer in quite some time. Not since our encounter with Yarhibol.
"Hey Lucifer, you okay?" I thought to him, starting to get nervous what would happen if I didn't get a reply and Lilith found out. Her 'flaying the skin off my body piece by piece' metaphor still stuck clearly in the front of my mind. My anxiety rose sharply the whole minute it took before Lucifer found the energy to reply.
"Yes, Desmond. I am…. Okay…. Just tired. I need to rest. Holding control in your body without manifesting takes much more energy than I expected…. Should be right as rain tomorrow." His voice was groggy, as if he was hung over and trying to sleep it off. I sighed in relief as the door to the back swung open again.
They appeared similar, yet distinctly different. Olive skin and short dark brown hair. He wore a small beard that hugged his chin tightly, yet it couldn't hide the fact that his face seemed overtly angular. Strong cheekbones and a jawline that could have cut glass, but most notable was his vibrant green eyes. They seemed to shine in the darkness and were pointed directly at me. His white shirt and hairy body did little to hide his rippling muscles underneath. He looked as if he'd been sculpted from stone, as he walked intently towards us, I reeled backward in my stool until he finally sat beside me, looking me up and down with fascination. He took several steps around me as he studied me from all angles.
"Eerie, isn't it." Lilith spoke without looking, still focused on her shrinking bottle of whiskey..
"Absolutely astonishing. They are woven so tightly that it almost appears as if they are something else entirely." The man gripped my hand to inspect closer "Only upon closer inspection do you realize they are two separate beings." The deep green eyes finally peered up and met my own. "I am very pleased to meet you, Desmond and I'd course, Lord Lucifer. I am Theseus. Warrior hero and founder of Athens. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance."
"Oh boy, here we go." Lilith interjected with familiar annoyance. Theseus offered no hand to shake, but simply spun his stool to face the bar.
"Oh Come now Lily. Unlike you, I am proud of my part in history. Do not blame me for making those who do not know of it, aware of it." Theseus peered back at me curiously. "You do know of my mythos, do you not?" I shook my head in reply, looking back over at Lilith, who rolled her eyes and began refilling her drink once more.
"Ah, I see." His eyes sparkling with an almost practiced glee. "Well, allow me to regale you! My tale is one of strife, determination, cunning and heroism!"
"He was gonna be a sacrifice to a Minotaur in order to save a village. He chose to kill the minotaur instead and saved the village that way, going on to found what is now known as Athens. Except he and the minotaur fell in love and live on in the ages together in Irony." Lilith interrupted and smirked dubiously at him. "Sorry. But we need help for things happening now. We don't need your old stories." She didn't seem the least bit apologetic now, her face set seriously. Theseus only seemed to grin, unfazed by her interruption.
"Yes, of course. My tale is not what is important today, but yours. Please, tell me everything. I will see how I might be able to help you." Theseus's eyes bore into me with complete fascination. My head spun with all the information that was being input. Theseus, a Greek hero, a minotaur he supposedly killed, but instead fell in love with…
I did my best to tell the story accurately. However, without Lucifer there to catch me where I was wrong, I was worried I might embellish. I started with my encounter with the basilisk and my first meeting with Lucifer. Theseus hemmed and hawed along with the story, seemingly fascinated. Lilith even began to listen as I continued. I explained how I had woken up, our trip into my soul, leaving out my encounter with the book and my memories.
"So you're a thrice damned wizard?!" Theseus leapt from the bar and took several steps back, his hand reaching for some absent weapon at his waist. A mix of fear and hate reflecting in his green eyes.
"I uh… I guess. That is what Lucifer said… I don't know anything about it though." I replied, startled by his change in demeanor. I had yet to see a reaction like this regarding wizards. Lucifer had said they were powerful, but not much else. "Are wizards bad or something?" I asked, concerned with Theseus's reaction. He was a self proclaimed warrior hero, and even he seemed afraid, or at least on guard. There was also the pause that Yarhibol had when Lilith mentioned them. He had us practically in the palm of his hand, yet let us go. As moments passed Theseus finally settled back into his seat, though wearily this time.
"Wizards are the caretakers of earth and the humans. I suppose I can try to explain quickly." Thesus adjusted in his seat, pouring himself a drink from the other side of the bar. Shooting the whole thing in one go before continuing. "Humans have the incredible power to birth beings through common or shared belief. These beings are born to their own unique worlds that mostly play out as the shared belief dictates. However, eventually they become curious and come to this one. Think of them as separate, but connected realities. We mythos, this is what we call beings derived from a religious pantheon, or mythological story. we contain the power given to us by your faith. Many of us live out our lives here on earth, enjoying the many luxuries you humans have cultivated. We Greek mythos, we have more power than most, which is enough to get us into, and out of trouble. But that is besides the point." Theseus paused to down another drink.
"Some of the Gods of the larger pantheons, they began to want more than what we had in our own worlds, or even the meager living we could cultivate on earth. We began to conquer and destroy what was here. The city of Atlantis was the first and most advanced of the human civilizations to fall before our might. The humans began to fear us, but could no longer destroy us, for we had become too powerful. So they created something…. More. Wizards. They are limitlessly powerful, intelligent and immortal beings. Their spells keep them eternally young so they can keep the peace and order for all time. Even with their numbers being so few, they have done an excellent job. No god or mythos is willing to step out of line enough to be noticed. That Basilisk would have eventually been found by a wizard and ground into dust. Two humans in one day? How foolish of him. They would have found him and made him pay for his transgression, of that I can assure you."
Theseus filled his glass once again, emptying its contents into his mouth. Wiping it clean of the warm liquid. "It's strange though, I have heard of new wizards being born from time to time. Though, not in the last thousand years or so. Not since they purged themselves from human history. I am younger than many mythos though, so you may have to ask the older ones if you want to know more. Perhaps the Taoists? No. They don't really talk to anyone these days. The Hindi or the Buddhist's wouldn't be a bad idea." Theseus ran his fingers through his hair as he turned to face me. "It's a lot. I know. You have to understand though, wizards scare the shit out of us mythos.. Though you don't seem too bad.."
I sat there, staring at my hands in wonder. I couldn't begin to believe that I could possibly belong to something so grand. I was just some insurance guy. I ran reports for a living, how could I be some immortal spell slinging reality cop? "Yeah. This is a lot. So then, if I'm a Wizard, that means they might come looking for me soon." I spotted both Lilith and Theseus nodding in unison beside me. "Great. Can't just have Angels coming after me, but Wizards too." Pushing my stool back as I leaned my forehead on the bar, mentally exhausted but still thinking through my options.
The wizards might be able to remove Lucifer from me, without killing me. Or they might just kill me in order to rid themselves of Lucifer. Just like the Angels. I couldn't let the Angels, or the Wizards catch me for now. If what Theseus said was true, it was just a matter of time until the Wizards got their fingers into me. Anxiety began to take a grip of my lungs when I felt Theseus place his hand on my shoulder.
"Listen. I'm sorry for reacting so…. Poorly. Before. Just because you are a wizard, does not make you inherently… like them. We have some choices to make, do we not? Luckily, I am already forming a plan. Though, I doubt anyone is going to like it." A mischievous grin flashing over at Lilith. My chest still felt like it might explode, but I sat back up beside Theseus nonetheless.
"For your problem with the angels, you need a cloak. You need a means of hiding, becoming invisible to them. There is one capable of doing this." Theseus began. "A warlock." Lilith practically choked on her drink.
"Are you insane!? We can't trust a warlock!" Lilith spat across the bar.
"You will have to." Theseus asserted, holding his hand up to prevent interruption. "Only a warlock who has made a pact with a devil can hope to provide you a means to avoid divination from heaven. You know that as well as I do."
"Oh please, Theseus. I know dear old daddy Poseidon or Zeus could probably do the same. Why not call one of them up?" Lilith retorted, her annoyance plain.
Theseus barked a laugh in reply, much to our combined surprise. "Dear old daddy? Oh my, that is rich. Poseidon and Zeus wouldn't even consider risking their favor with the christians, not for all the gold coins on earth. Lilith, do not forget we are a waning pantheon and a yet more waning mythos. The Judeo-Christians hold much influence over the older and younger sects. My gods are no exception. You need one who has already turned away from heaven, forsaken their favor. A warlock."
Theseus wore a deadly serious expression, his eyes locked on Lilith in a staring match. I could see the muscles in her jaw flex as she fought some internal urge to hit something or someone.
"Damn it. Fine. You could be right." pressing her fingers into the side of her head she groaned loudly. "There is only one warlock close enough to travel to."
"Malekith" Theseus nodded with a grin. Everything progressed so quickly, I found it difficult to keep pace.
"Who is Malekith?" I asked, only to be answered with a sideways glare from Lilith.
"Did you not just hear us talking? He is a warlock. Not just any warlock either, he's under the patronage of Asmodeus. Seventh prince of hell and patron devil of Lust. Malekith spreads his influence and sin in California." her voice was writhing with annoyance. She glared down at her empty bottle with open rage.
"What Lilly here means, is that a Warlock is a sort of wizard who has sided with a pantheon instead of true magic. They have abandoned their humanity and their duties as a wizard. They use a mixture of the two powers to spread their allied deities' influence." Theseus leaned in as he spoke to say the last into my ear. "She is really just upset because they were partners for a thousand years. Rumor is he dumped her." Before I even realized what happened the bronze dagger was out and a loud thump hit the table as she drove it into the bar right next to Theseus's hand.
"That's a damn lie, and you know it." Her voice, laced with demonic reverberation oozed malice as her dagger shook from the pressure of her grip. Tense seconds passed before she returned to her seat. When she sat back down her eyes were a solid blood red, and the skin around her eyes were pitch black and cracked.
"Careful Lilly, you're gonna scare him off." Theseus teased, unconcerned with any possible consequences resulting from his carelessness.
"Whatever." She barked as her voice returned to normal. I could see through the mirror on the other side of the bar that her face and eyes had returned to normal. "What's Lucifer got to say? I doubt he will be okay with Malekith. He's never had it in good with Beelzebub."
"What?" I asked lost in the drama unfolding.
"Lucifer! He hears and sees everything you see and hear, right? He can talk in there can't he? Ultimately he calls the shots. What does he say?" Her voice tinged with yet more irritation. .
"Oh. Uh. He's sleeping, I guess? He said that the encounter with that angel took a pretty big toll on him. Something about taking control of my body while holding back his powers from manifesting, takes a toll on him." Silence echoed in the room and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as a thick pressure filled the air that froze me solid. Instinctual fear gripped my heart as they screamed to me to run away from this dangerous aura.
"Now, Lilly…" Theseus warned...