Chapter 3: Wanted
Lucifer witnessed the bolt of lightning erupt from the wand, its motion seemingly slowed, as it bore directly toward him. Yet, in a hair's breadth moment, it veered off course, narrowly avoiding impact and grazing past him. Its true aim, however, lay elsewhere.
Hendolff, positioned directly behind Lucifer, stood as the intended target.
Hendolff cradled a glass of freshly squeezed lemon juice, a heartfelt gesture meant to make amends for the earlier fright he had caused. Yet, as he drew nearer to Lucifer, his intention to apologize took an unexpected turn. Unwittingly, he divulged details about the curse's advancing effects, overheard by Hendolff.
In a swift motion, the glass of juice was abandoned as Hendolff brandished his wand, its tip aglow with a subtle white radiance, aimed directly at Lucifer. He was on the brink of uttering an incantation when Vineca intervened, casting her own spell to thwart Hendolff's intentions.
The air crackled with the impact.
Bam!
A thunderous crash abruptly snapped Lucifer out of his daze. He pivoted, his gaze locking onto the spectacle of Hendolff hurtling through the air, colliding forcefully with the walls.
Perplexed, Lucifer's attention remained fixated on the chaotic scene before him. Hendolff, against all odds, managed to raise his wand, yet his incantation was abruptly stifled as Vineca's firm grip closed around Lucifer's left hand.
"Stynom!" Vineca's voice reverberated with power, and in an instant, both of them were whisked away from the unfolding turmoil, leaving Hendolff stranded and alone.
"No!" Hendolff's protest echoed, his voice carrying a note of desperation as his wand slipped from his grasp. He succumbed to unconsciousness, the aftermath of a direct and devastating impact from one of the most potent lightning-infused spells!
.
.
.
In a distant neighborhood, a house bore the name "Ms. Helga." Situated just before the boundaries of the weathered, hut-like apartment building, stood another leafless Banyan tree, much like the one before.
Vineca and Lucifer apparated to this new location. This time, as they materialized, they once again found themselves tumbling onto the ground, mud adhering to their clothes and bodies.
Adding to their predicament was a light drizzle, which softly dampened their heads and attire, simultaneously rinsing away the traces of dirt as they regained their footing.
"Vineca, what did you just…", he paused momentarily, before continuing.
"Did you kill him?", Lucifer asked as he stared at Vineca who manually dusted of the mud.
"Heh, even if I were to unleash the most powerful lightning spell, it would fall short of ending his life," Vineca scoffed.
"But it was a direct hit," Lucifer protested. In response, Vineca shook her head and explained, "Indeed, that direct hit only managed to render him unconscious. No further harm done."
"But why? We could have..." Lucifer's questions were poised to continue, yet Vineca silenced him, offering all the desired information in one swift motion.
"See, that's Hendolff Von Craster, one of the Elders from Grencraft, a renowned school of Witchcraft and Magic."
"He holds the 13th spot on the global list of Wizards and Witches – a true master of the Lightning Element," she added.
"And you managed to knock him out with a lightning spell. Quite the twist," Lucifer chuckled.
"Not a laughing matter, actually."
"To be honest, I think he allowed me to do it," she interjected.
"Oh, come on, you're just being modest," Lucifer replied.
"No, really... You're not understanding. Being ranked 13th out of thousands of wizards... that's a significant achievement," she emphasized.
"Meh, from what I saw, I could have taken him down if I knew the spell," Lucifer persisted in downplaying Hendolff, although even Vineca found it a bit excessive.
"Let's not get carried away. You don't even know a single magic spell," she retorted.
"Fair point," Lucifer conceded, and a brief silence settled as Vineca pulled out a rubber band, allowing her long hair to cascade down.
Lucifer fell into silence, his gaze fixated on Vineca as he observed their unfamiliar surroundings.
"Come," Vineca commanded, her tone authoritative as she motioned for Lucifer to follow her.
In this unfamiliar environment, he complied without a word, maintaining a distance of about a meter behind her as she strode ahead. They came to a halt before a house adorned with the label 'Ms. Helga'.
Vineca raised her voice, calling out, "Aunt Helga, are you there?"
Despite the late hour, the house remained illuminated, and a silhouette emerged from what seemed to be a chair, moving toward the door. With a click, the door swung open, revealing an elderly woman – far older than Lucifer had anticipated. Her grey hair and pronounced wrinkles were reminiscent of Hendolff's. Rather than "Aunt Helga," "Grandma Helga" might have been a more fitting title.
She stood there, gaze fixed on Vineca, and inquired, "Who?"
"It's me, Vineca," Vineca responded.
"Vineca? I don't recall knowing anyone by that name," she replied, her eyes narrowing in scrutiny.
Almost instantly, Lucifer shifted his gaze toward Vineca, his expression silently conveying a cascade of questions: "Are you absolutely certain this is the correct place?"
Exchanging glances, Vineca locked eyes with her aunt and began, "Aunt..."
Interrupting her, Helga burst into laughter, saying, "Hahaha, I'm only teasing you, my dear Vineca." She stepped forward, enveloping Vineca in a warm embrace.
"How could I forget my favorite niece?" Helga's smile was as genuine as it was heartwarming.
Lucifer breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, receiving a knowing look from Vineca.
Curiosity piqued, Helga extended her gaze to Lucifer, gesturing for them to enter as she widened the door. "But who is he?"
"He is..."
"Wait, don't tell me, he's your boyfriend?" Helga interjected, her eyes still squinted playfully.
"He?" Vineca pointed at Lucifer in genuine bewilderment.
"Me?" Lucifer's surprise was palpable at the assumption.
In a synchronized denial, both of them exclaimed, "Absolutely not!"
"Haha, I was just having a little fun," Helga chuckled, her eyes twinkling with mirth.
Noticing the intensifying rain and their drenched state, Helga ushered them in, saying, "Enough with the jokes for now. Come inside already!" Her hand gestured once more, urging them to enter her home.
"Thanks, Auntie," Vineca expressed her gratitude.
Lucifer followed suit, adding a mumbled "Thanks" that was barely audible.
"Go ahead and dry yourselves," Helga instructed, handing them towels. Vineca used hers to dry her hair.
Lucifer, however, spoke up, "Um, do you have a darker towel?"
Helga's curiosity was piqued, and she quirked an eyebrow. "Oh? Getting picky with your towel color? Racists are we?"
Lucifer hastened to clarify, "No, no. It's just that I don't want to soil the towel."
He explained his reasoning further, "The rainwater has loosened all the grime and dirt on my skin. If I use a white towel, it might end up turning black unintentionally."
"Haha, don't worry, dear. Use it as you need. And if you'd like, you're welcome to take a proper bath here," Helga offered, her tone non-judgmental.
"I really appreciate the offer, but..." Lucifer began to decline, only to be interrupted by Vineca abruptly standing up.
"Please, do take a bath," Vineca insisted.
"Huh?"
"You probably don't realize how much of a 'Stink-man' you are right now," she pointed out.
Lucifer chuckled awkwardly, acknowledging the truth of her words. "Ah, yes, yes. A bath sounds like a good idea."
In that moment, it struck him how considerate Vineca, Hendolff, and even Helga had been. None of them had mentioned the odor, sparing his feelings. Not a single action hinted at them trying to hide their discomfort or pinch their noses shut. It was a realization that brought a sense of gratitude and humility.
Lucifer sprang to his feet and hurriedly made his way to the bathroom, leaving Vineca and Helga alone in the room.
"Vineca dear, why don't you change your clothes? I have some magical suits that will fit you perfectly," Helga suggested, indicating a room nearby.
"Oh? Let me take a look, Auntie," Vineca responded. With curiosity, she got up and crossed over to the mentioned room, where she proceeded to open the wardrobe and search for the enchanted garments.
Meanwhile, Helga remained seated, extracting her wand from her bushy hair. She pointed it at the fireplace and incanted, "Flamo." A burst of red light shot from her wand, igniting the wood in the fireplace. The flames swiftly caught, casting a warm and comforting glow throughout the room.
As Helga conjured the flames, an unusual sight unfolded. The fire seemed to take on an unconventional dance, and amidst its flickers emerged a piece of paper, accompanied by a section of a newspaper.
"Ah... seems I forgot to retrieve yesterday's paper," Helga muttered, flipping through the paper and stumbling upon a prominent poster at the front.
The poster bore a conspicuous headline:
Wanted, Dead or Alive.
Name: Lucifer.
On the poster, there lay a greyish-white depiction of his likeness, a portrait strikingly accurate to Lucifer's appearance.
Initially, Helga didn't make the connection, not realizing that the portrait resembled Lucifer. It wasn't until Lucifer dashed out of the bathroom, clad only in the white towel now serving as makeshift pants, that the truth dawned upon her.
"Um, do you have something I could wear? Like a pair of pants and a shirt?" Lucifer inquired.
Coincidentally, the poster Helga had placed before her unintentionally overlapped with Lucifer's frame, revealing the undeniable resemblance. Shock washed over Helga as she muttered, "Good God..."
"Um, Aunt Helga?" Lucifer called out tentatively.
Her reply was notably different from before, now carrying an icy tone. "Not really. No man comes here, so there's nothing that would fit you."
The abrupt and almost sharp response startled Lucifer, causing him to visibly flinch. He managed to respond with a meek, "Oh, alright."
Vineca, having changed into a different outfit – a red shirt paired with a white skirt that grazed her knees – emerged from the room and heard the exchange.
"Is something the matter, Aunt Helga?" Vineca inquired. As her words reached Helga's ears, she hastily retrieved the poster, concealing it within the folds of the newspaper.
Helga approached Vineca, her tone attempting to deflect suspicion. "There's not much, my dear. Just stay put for a moment. Aunt Siala called me from the neighboring house. Let me go check on that..."
"Alright," Vineca responded, perplexed, watching as Helga left the room.
"Her expressions… is something on the newspaper?"
Baffled by the situation, she hastened to investigate the newspaper, where her wide eyes locked onto the incriminating poster.
Silence lingered in the room as the flames of the fireplace danced momentarily.
In a rush of realization, she dashed back towards the bathroom, where Lucifer still stood, attired in his disheveled and odorous garments.
"Lucifer, come out!" she shouted, startling him.
"Whoa! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Lucifer's voice quivered.
Ignoring his complaint, Vineca raised her voice, urgency evident, "Never mind that, come out quickly!"
Her tone and demeanor left no room for delay.
Lucifer, failing to grasp the seriousness of the situation, made a jest, "Back to your violent phase, huh? Crazy girl. Haha."
"Lucifer, now is not the time for jokes," Vineca's voice conveyed urgency. "Aunt Helga has already seen a wanted poster with your face on it. We need to leave immediately."
The levity vanished from Lucifer's expression as he stepped out of the bathroom, only to be greeted by Vineca clutching the damning poster.
"Good Lord," Lucifer muttered, his surprise evident. However, before he could say more, a faint whisper reached their ears, soon accompanied by the sound of approaching footsteps.
"Over here... he's in the bathroom."
An Enforcer had been summoned by Helga, arriving with a foreboding scythe in hand.
"Little Lucifer, where are you?" The deep, resonant voice of the Enforcer, distinct from the one they encountered before, sent shivers down Lucifer's spine. He and Vineca had taken refuge in the bathroom, anxiety dripping from their brows.
"Let's use the warp, now!" Lucifer whispered urgently, his eyes wide with fear.
Vineca's response, however, shattered their hope. "I left my wand in the room..."