Existence floated quietly through the vastness, feeling the weight of what he had just sensed from Lucifer. The subtle darkness in his friend's light left him uneasy. Lucifer had always been curious, bold even, but this was different. He knew he couldn't ignore it. He needed to understand what was happening before it was too late.
He focused his energy, moving toward the place where Lucifer often lingered; a realm filled with glittery stars, each a small spark of creation. There, within the swirling lights, he found Lucifer gazing into the distant cosmos, lost in thought. His form shone with its usual brilliance, yet something felt… off.
"Lucifer," Existence greeted him, approaching with caution.
Lucifer turned, a faint smile appearing as he recognized his friend. "Existence. What brings you here?"
Existence hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "I've felt a change in you, a restlessness. And… something more."
Lucifer raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "A change?" he repeated. "Perhaps you're sensing something I haven't even noticed myself."
"Maybe," Existence said softly, watching him closely. "But I've known you for so long even before you were created, Lucifer. This feels different. It's as if… something is pulling you away from the light we were created to uphold."
Lucifer sighed, glancing away. "And why shouldn't I feel that way? We've been given immense power, yet all we do is observe. Witness. What if there's more to our existence than simply watching?"
Existence felt a pang of concern. "What are you saying, Lucifer? The Creator entrusted us with purpose, with the duty to ensure harmony. That is no small role."
Lucifer nodded, though his gaze remained distant. "Yes, harmony," he said, almost to himself. "But can there truly be harmony without understanding both light and darkness? Why must we stay bound to only one side?"
A silence settled between them. Existence felt Lucifer's words echo in his mind, each one heavy with questions he had never dared to ask.
"What are you trying to understand?" Existence finally asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Lucifer looked back at him, his eyes gleaming with a strange intensity. "I want to know why the darkness exists. If it was meant to balance the light, then perhaps there's more we were meant to explore. Perhaps even more than the Creator intended us to."
The boldness of Lucifer's words struck Existence. He took a step back, struggling to process what he was hearing. "Lucifer," he began slowly, "you're speaking as if… as if you question the Creator's purpose."
"Maybe I do," Lucifer replied, without concern. "Maybe I wonder why we must follow a path we never chose."
Existence felt a surge of worry. "But the Creator knows all things. We were made with purpose, with care. We are part of a design, one that keeps the universe in balance."
Lucifer laughed, a sound both sharp and bitter. "Balance? Or control? How do we know that our purpose is truly ours? Perhaps we're just pieces on a board, moved without choice. You are supposed to know better, you are the first of all beings"
For the first time, Existence felt truly afraid. The darkness he sensed in Lucifer wasn't just curiosity—it was doubt, deep and growing. "You're allowing the darkness to cloud your mind, Lucifer. This path… it could lead you away from everything we've known."
Lucifer crossed his arms, his gaze unyielding. "Then maybe I need to see where it leads. If the darkness is part of the Creator's plan, then why shouldn't I understand it?"
"It's not about understanding alone," Existence urged. "It's about staying true to the purpose we were given. If you stray too far, you may lose sight of who you are."
Lucifer looked at him, and for a moment, Existence saw a flicker of uncertainty. But it quickly faded, replaced by a cold resolve. "Perhaps who I am is changing. Perhaps there's more to me than what I've been told."
The weight of Lucifer's words settled over them like a shadow. Existence felt a deep sadness, as if he were witnessing the beginning of something that couldn't be undone. He reached out, hoping to find a way to bring his friend back.
"Lucifer," he said gently, "you don't have to go down this path alone. We were created together, bound by light and purpose. Don't let the darkness pull you away from that."
Lucifer softened, just a bit, and for a brief moment, Existence thought he saw his friend again—the same being who once marveled at creation beside him. But then, Lucifer shook his head, his expression hardening.
"I need to find my own path, Existence," he said quietly. "I can't ignore the questions that burn within me. I can't pretend to be content with merely observing."
A silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken fears and unbreakable bonds. Existence wanted to reach out, to stop Lucifer from moving further into the unknown. But he knew he couldn't force him. Lucifer had to make his own choices, just as he himself had to hold to his own path.
"Then promise me one thing," Existence said, his voice steady but filled with a quiet plea. "Promise me you won't let the darkness consume you. Whatever you find, remember who you are—who we all are."
Lucifer looked at him, and for a moment, there was a flicker of something—perhaps regret, perhaps doubt. But it faded as quickly as it appeared, leaving only a cool, determined gaze.
"I'll remember," Lucifer replied, though his words felt distant, as if they were already slipping away. "But remember this, Existence: sometimes, to truly understand, we must break free of what we've been told."
With those final words, Lucifer turned and vanished into the depths of the cosmos, his form swallowed by the shadows beyond. Existence stood alone, feeling a chill settle in his heart. His friend was slipping further into the darkness, and he could only watch as the distance grew between them.
The Creator's warning echoed in his mind: "The darkness will tempt you, confuse you. Trust in what I have shown you."
But as he drifted back into the quiet expanse, Existence couldn't shake the feeling that he was losing something precious—a bond forged in light, now tested by darkness. And he wondered if he would ever see Lucifer the same way again...