Lucifer stumbled out of Family Burger, his brain feeling like it had been put through a demonic meat grinder. After hours of intense studying (and watching Sasha consume truly terrifying amounts of food), he was ready to call it a night. She'd tutor him at a later time, which was fine with him because his brain had taking enough assault for a day.
Talk about a brain dead devil!
The neon-lit streets of Paradise greeted him, a discord of sights and sounds that assaulted his already overloaded senses.
"Note to self," Lucifer muttered, rubbing his temples, "being the Prince of Darkness does not, in fact, make math any easier."
He was about to head home when a prickling sensation at the back of his neck made him pause. Lucifer had spent millennia honing his supernatural instincts, and right now, they were screaming that someone was watching him. He casually glanced around, trying to spot his observer without giving away that he'd noticed anything amiss.
That's when he saw her.
Across the street, partially hidden in the shadow of a convenience store, stood a girl. She looked to be around his age (well, his apparent age), with long black hair and striking blue eyes. But it wasn't her appearance that caught Lucifer's attention – it was the way she was staring at him with an intensity that bordered on predatory.
Well, well, Lucifer thought, a mix of curiosity and wariness stirring within him. What do we have here?
The girl seemed to realize she'd been spotted. For a moment, she looked like a deer caught in headlights. Then, with a grace that suggested more than human agility, she turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Lucifer's eyes narrowed. Every instinct he possessed told him this was not a chance encounter. He debated for a split second whether to follow her, then decided against it. If someone was targeting him, better to let them make the first move. Besides, he had bigger problems to deal with – like the mountain of homework waiting for him at home.
With a resigned sigh, Lucifer started walking. He kept his senses on high alert, noting with growing unease that the prickling sensation hadn't faded. Whoever this girl was, she was good at tailing someone. If Lucifer hadn't been, well, Lucifer, he might not have noticed her at all.
As he walked, his mind raced with possibilities. Was she a demon hunter? A rival supernatural entity? Or just some overly enthusiastic fangirl who'd somehow sussed out his true identity? None of the options were particularly appealing.
Lucifer's wandering thoughts were interrupted by the sudden blare of music and flashing lights. He realized he'd unconsciously wandered into the heart of Paradise entertainment district. Gaudy signs advertised everything from karaoke bars to "exotic dance revues" featuring performers of questionable species origin.
Perfect, Lucifer thought with a smirk. Time to see how good this little stalker really is.
He abruptly changed course, ducking into a crowded arcade. The sound of beeping games and excited shouts washed over him as he weaved through the throng of humans and demons, all too engrossed in their virtual battles to notice the literal Devil in their midst.
Lucifer made his way to the back of the arcade, where a group of teenagers were gathered around a particularly flashy dancing game. He watched for a moment, amused by their attempts to follow the frenzied patterns on the screen. Then, just as the song reached its climax, he slipped behind the machine and out through a back exit.
The alley behind the arcade was dark and narrow, littered with empty cans and discarded flyers. Lucifer pressed himself against the wall, waiting. For a long moment, there was nothing but the muffled sounds of the arcade and the distant thrum of city life.
Then, soft as a whisper, he heard footsteps approaching.
Lucifer tensed, ready to confront his pursuer. But as the footsteps drew closer, he felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to run. It wasn't fear, exactly – more like a primal instinct warning him that whatever was coming, he wasn't ready to face it. Not yet. Not in this mortal body he was gradually trying to improve.
Without really understanding why, Lucifer gave in to the impulse. He took off down the alley, his feet barely touching the ground as he pushed his mortal body to its limits. He burst out onto a busy street, startling a group of salary men stumbling home from an after-work drinking session.
"Sorry, gents!" Lucifer called over his shoulder as he sprinted past. "Just getting my cardio in!"
He ran for what felt like hours, taking random turns and doubling back on himself in an attempt to lose his pursuer. Finally, breathless more from exhilaration than actual exertion, Lucifer found himself in a small park near the edge of the residential district.
He collapsed onto a bench, his chest heaving as he tried to process what had just happened. Why had he run? He was Lucifer, for crying out loud! He'd faced down archangels and elder gods. What was it about this one girl that had him so rattled?
"You're faster than I expected," a soft voice said from behind him.
Lucifer whirled around, nearly falling off the bench in surprise. There, standing not three feet away, was the girl from earlier. Up close, he could see that her eyes weren't just blue– they seemed to shimmer with an iridescent glow. She was holding what looked like a broken sword, or more accurately, a bladeless hilt, but Lucifer would bet his immortal soul that it wasn't what it seemed.
"Who are you?" Lucifer demanded, trying to regain his composure. "And why are you following me?"
The girl tilted her head slightly, regarding him with a mixture of curiosity and... was that disappointment? "You really don't know, do you?" she asked.
Lucifer's eyes narrowed. "Know what, exactly?"
Instead of answering, the girl reached into her pocket and pulled out what looked like an official ID card. "My name is Ezra Rhys," she said, her tone formal. "I'm a Sword Saint from the Crimson Oath."
Lucifer blinked. He'd heard whispers about the Crimson Oath – some sort of shadowy group that policed supernatural activity. But he'd always assumed they were more myth than reality.
"Okay..." he said slowly. "And what does the Crimson Oath want with me? I haven't done anything wrong." He paused, then added, "Recently."
Ezra's expression remained impassive. "I've been assigned to observe you," she said. "To determine whether you pose a threat to the peace and stability of Paradise"
Lucifer couldn't help it – he laughed. The idea that he, the former ruler of Hell, was being evaluated by some teenager with a fancy title was just too absurd. "Listen, sweetheart," he said, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, "I appreciate the dedication to your job and all, but you're way out of your league here. Why don't you run along and find some nice, entry-level demons to 'observe'?"
Ezra's eyes flashed dangerously. In a movement almost too fast to follow, she flicked the hilt sideways. Lucifer caught a glimpse of something unusual about the hilt before he found himself staring down the gigantic blade of an honest-to-goodness magic sword that had just popped out of the hilt.
"What the f-" he exclaimed, eyeballs glued to the blade that wasn't there moments ago. What was more unsettling was that it didn't look solid, but watery—like highly pressurized water particles forced together into a solid blade. And to prove his suspicion, it was blue in color.
"I don't think you understand the seriousness of your situation," Ezra said, her voice low and intense. "The Crimson Oath has reason to believe you may be connected to recent resonance in the arcane boundaries. If you prove to be a threat, I am authorized to take... permanent action."
Lucifer raised his hands in a placating gesture, all traces of humor gone from his face. "Whoa, whoa, let's not do anything hasty here," he said. "Look, there's clearly been some kind of misunderstanding. I'm just a regular high school student, trying to pass my exams and maybe figure out how to talk to girls without bursting into flames. Literally, in some cases."
Ezra's grip on her sword didn't waver, but a flicker of uncertainty crossed her face. "You... you really don't know anything about the dimensional resonance?"
Lucifer shook his head emphatically. "Not a clue. The only dimensions I'm worried about right now are the ones in my geometry homework."
For a long moment, they stared at each other, the air thick with tension. Then, slowly, Ezra lowered her sword. "I see," she said, though she didn't sound entirely convinced. "In that case, I apologize for the... misunderstanding."
Lucifer let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "No harm done," he said, flashing what he hoped was a disarming smile. "Though I have to say, this is definitely the most interesting way a girl has ever asked me out."
Ezra's cheeks flushed pink, and for a moment, she looked like any other flustered teenager. But the professional mask quickly slipped back into place. "This isn't a joke," she said sternly. "I'll be watching you closely from now on. If I sense even a hint of demonic activity..."
"Yeah, yeah, permanent action, got it," Lucifer said, waving a hand dismissively. "Look, it's been a long night, and I've got a pile of homework waiting for me. So if we're done here...?"
Ezra nodded curtly, stepping aside to let him pass. Lucifer stood, brushing off his uniform. As he walked past her, he couldn't resist one last quip.
"You know," he said, glancing back over his shoulder, "if you wanted my number, you could have just asked."
He didn't wait to see her reaction, instead quickening his pace until he was well out of sword-swinging range. As he made his way home, Lucifer's mind raced with the implications of this encounter. Someone was on to him – maybe not the full truth, but enough to put him on their radar. He'd have to be more careful from now on.
But as he climbed the stairs to his apartment, a small, traitorous part of him couldn't help but feel... excited. For the first time since arriving in Paradise, things were getting interesting. And if there was one thing Lucifer couldn't resist, it was a challenge.
Bring it on, Little Miss Sword Saint, he thought with a grin. Let's see what you've got.
***