The stillness of the celestial realm hung heavy as Existence wandered the boundless plane of the universe. Thoughts swirled within him, weighed down by Lucifer's recent distance and the tension in their last meeting. Yet, he found himself drawn toward the heart of light, where he often went to clear his mind.
Suddenly, a soft, warm voice interrupted his thoughts. "Existence?"
He turned to find Aura, her gentle glow casting a calming light around them.
"Aura… you're here," he said, surprised yet relieved. "I didn't expect anyone."
"Neither did I, but I sensed you were troubled." She moved closer, studying his facial expression. "What's on ur mind?"
Existence sighed, looking away. "Everything feels… different. I don't know how to explain it. I feel an unspoken force shifting, pulling… and then there's Lucifer." He paused, his tone tinged with regret. "I hardly recognize him anymore."
Aura nodded slowly, understanding. "Lucifer has changed, yes. I have sensed it too. There is something odd about him, something restless. But he was once close to you; perhaps he still trusts you to guide him."
"I've tried," Existence replied, his voice softening. "But every time we speak, it's as if he's not listening. There's a defiance, a refusal to accept… everything."
Aura placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Perhaps it's not guidance he seeks, but understanding. Lucifer has always questioned, always desired more. Maybe what he needs is someone willing to see things through his eyes."
Existence considered her words, letting them settle within him. "You're saying… I should listen instead?"
"Exactly." Her voice was reassuring, her light warm against the shadows in his thoughts. "Listen, and perhaps he'll open up. But do not let his struggles become your burden."
He nodded, feeling a newfound resolve. "You're right. I'll try to reach him, to truly listen."
WHOOOSH!
A sudden, distant light flickered on the horizon, pulling their attention. It was faint, like a single spark in an endless night, but unmistakable.
"What is that?" Existence asked, narrowing his gaze.
Aura's expression shifted, her usual calm replaced by a hint of worry. "I do not know… but it feels strange, like something born out of conflict."
Without another word, they moved together toward the light, their forms gliding effortlessly across the realm. The closer they got, the stronger a sense of unease grew within Existence. It was as if a part of him resisted, sensing something foreign, something… unnatural.
At last, they reached the edge of the light's origin, and there, standing at the center, was Lucifer. His back was to them, his figure outlined against the glow.
"Lucifer?" Existence called out, with a loud voice.
Lucifer turned slowly, his eyes intense, his posture rigid. "I knew you would come."
Aura stepped forward cautiously. "What is this, Lucifer? What are you doing here?"
He raised his hand toward the light, a proud, almost bold look in his eyes. "I am searching for answers, for truths that have been hidden from us."
"Hidden?" Existence questioned, trying to understand. "The Creator has not hidden anything from us, Lucifer. All is revealed to those who seek with open hearts."
Lucifer scoffed, a cold edge in his voice. "Is it truly? Or have we merely accepted a half-truth, a reality shaped by the Creator's will alone? I seek to understand everything; not just what we are shown, but what lies beneath."
"There is no 'beneath,'" Aura argued, her voice soft yet firm. "We are meant to bring harmony, to uphold the Creator's vision. What purpose lies in seeking beyond that?"
Lucifer looked at her, a hint of sadness mingling with the boldness. "Purpose? Purpose, Aura, is not so easily defined. If I am meant to uphold harmony, then why do I feel drawn to the unknown, to the depths that none of you dare to touch?"
Existence stepped closer, his tone careful. "We all have questions, Lucifer, but seeking answers alone… it isolates you. It drives you further from us. From me."
For a moment, Lucifer seemed to soften, his gaze meeting Existence's with a flicker of the bond they once shared. But then, as quickly as it came, his expression hardened.
"I am not alone," he said, his voice with firmness. "I walk a path others fear, but that does not make it wrong."
Existence felt a pang of sadness, but also a surge of determination. "Then let us walk with you, Lucifer. You don't need to carry this burden by yourself."
Lucifer shook his head. "You wouldn't understand. You're bound to light, to purpose… but I feel the pull of something else. Something beyond the Creator's design."
"What could be beyond the Creator's design?" Aura asked, her eyes wide with worry. "Lucifer, you risk everything by questioning the foundation of creation itself."
"It is a risk I am willing to take," he replied firmly. "For I believe there is more; more than light, more than harmony. And if that makes me an outcast, then so be it."
Existence took a step back, a deep sadness settling over him. "I don't want to lose you, Lucifer. Not to this… darkness."
At the word "darkness," Lucifer seemed to recoil, a look of frustration and boldness flashing in his eyes. "Darkness? You speak of it as if it is inherently wrong. But what if darkness is simply another truth, one we have yet to accept?"
"There is no truth in isolation, Lucifer," Aura said gently. "All truths are connected, interwoven with purpose. To sever one from the rest is to risk everything."
Lucifer closed his eyes, breathing deeply, as if wrestling with an inner disturbance. When he finally opened them, there was a fierce resolve. "I know you fear for me. But this is my path, and I must follow it. Even if it means walking alone."
Existence reached out, a last attempt to connect with his friend. "You don't have to be alone. We can walk with you, explore with you… but please, don't push us away."
But Lucifer only looked at him, a sadness in his eyes that Existence could not fully understand. "Some paths, my friend, can only be walked by one."
With that, he turned and disappeared into the light, leaving Existence and Aura standing in silence, the weight of his words lingering in the empty space he left behind.
After a long moment, Aura spoke, her voice barely a whisper. "Do you think he will come back to us?"
Existence looked toward the fading glow, a mixture of hope and sorrow in his gaze. "I don't know. But I fear he's walking toward something he cannot return from."
They stood there, side by side, feeling the balance of creation tremble ever so slightly, as if it, too, sensed the change unfolding within one of its own.
As they stood, Existence felt a strange chill ripple through the realm, an unsettling silence where light once flowed freely. He looked to Aura, whose eyes were wide with worry.
"Do you feel it?" she whispered. "It's as if something… has shifted."
Before he could answer, a distant, echoing laughter filled the air-cold, haunting, and unmistakably familiar.
Ah! Ah!! Ahhhhhhhh!!!
Lucifer was no longer the same.