Lucifer's eyes flickered, a dark blue light igniting within their depths, illuminating the dim room like a brief flash of lightning.
In an instant, a pale blue snake emerged, coiling gracefully around his wrist. Its scales shimmered like the surface of a tranquil lake under the moonlight, captivating in their beauty.
With a gentle touch, Lucifer's gaze softened as he stroked the snake's head. "Ori, go and play by yourself," he murmured, his voice a soothing melody amidst the quiet tension.
The snake, with its curious nature, flicked its tongue in response, as if acknowledging his command before slithering away.
As Ori explored the unfamiliar surroundings, its pale blue scales glimmered like precious gems very similar to Lucifer's eyes.
The room was filled with shadows, and a shabby panda toy sat forgotten in one corner, its once vibrant colours dulled by time.
An almost sinister smile crept across Ori's face as it zeroed in on the panda. With deliberate movements, the snake slithered closer, its body undulating in a hypnotic and unsettling rhythm. It poked the panda's back playfully with its tail as if testing its resilience.
In the corner, System 4858, held its breath, quietly as it attempted to remain unnoticed. 'It's over! Why did the host let this crazy gut outside?'
"Ssss," the snake hissed softly, the sound reverberating through the still air like a whisper of impending doom.
After a few moments of chaotic distraction, Lucifer returned to the bed, his body sinking into the soft linens. He closed his eyes, appearing to drift into a peaceful slumber.
System 4858 knew better, held his breath, and dared not to breathe loudly.
Eventually, Ori, feeling a pang of boredom, slithered back to Lucifer, curling itself around his hand like a protective bracelet.
With a soft sigh, the snake nestled its head against its master and soon fell asleep, its rhythmic breathing harmonising with the silence of the room.
Lucifer stayed in his home for the next few days, immersing himself in the many levels of this new world for three full days. In an attempt to fully understand everything around him and put together the pieces of information, he dug deeply into the original owner's memories.
Even though he had the original owner's memory he always did this whenever he arrived in a new world.
In the meantime, chaos broke out in the busy capital. The stock market, which had been steady, was suddenly thrown into a whirlwind of uncertainty.
System 4858 dedicated its time to gathering information and earning funds for its master, navigating the tumultuous landscape of finance while the world spiralled into confusion.
Whispers of a mysterious figure behind the stock war circulated among the masses, fueling paranoia and intrigue. People scoured every corner for answers, desperate to uncover the identity of the master who had set the chaos in motion.
After a full three days, Lucifer had gained a thorough understanding of this world, including its complex financial networks and political structures.
The room was unnervingly quiet, the kind of silence that pressed down on the walls and seeped into every corner. The stillness was broken only by the soft rhythm of tapping.
"Tap… tap…"
In the hushed room, the sound echoed with eerie clarity. Lucifer turned, his gaze settling on the shabby panda-like creature at the far end of the room. Its fur was matted, its eyes dull, and it was rhythmically banging its head against the cold, unyielding wall.
He watched it in silence for a moment, but said nothing, choosing to ignore the pitiful creature's self-inflicted torment.
"Tzzzzzz..."
The sudden buzz of his phone shattered the fragile quiet. Lucifer's hand moved with languid grace as he picked it up, glancing at the screen before answering.
A sharp voice erupted from the speaker, impatient and filled with frustration.
"What took you so long? Why weren't you picking up the phone? Didn't you say you would come a few days ago? What's the delay?"
Lucifer's lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. The voice on the other end was insistent, pushing, demanding.
The system, quietly observing from the shadows of his consciousness, metaphorically raised a candle in sympathy for the unfortunate soul who dared to demand anything of Lucifer
.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" The person on the other end was clearly growing more dissatisfied, the tension in their voice rising with each unanswered second.
Lucifer's smile widened, though his voice remained soft and measured, like a cool breeze brushing against the skin. "Hmm. I'll be there tomorrow," he replied, his tone as unhurried as ever.
On the other hand, Mr. Lu got a chill after hearing the cold voice but soon sneered and went back to his work.
He ended the call with a slight flick of his wrist, the screen going black. For a moment, he stared at the phone, lost in thought, before turning his gaze toward the panda once more.
The small, pitiful creature had resumed its head-banging routine against the wall, the soft thud of the furred skull on stone becoming an odd, persistent soundtrack to the room.
Lucifer watched with detached interest, his eyes narrowing slightly as the panda continued, its body slumping with every hit as if determined to punish itself.
After what seemed like an eternity, the creature stopped, finally succumbing to exhaustion. It looked up at Lucifer with a pained expression, its voice weak and strained, "Don't you feel anything when you see me in pain?"
The system was hopeful, eyes filled with a flicker of desperation as it awaited Lucifer's response. For the first time in what felt like forever, perhaps there was a glimmer of empathy, of understanding, lurking beneath the cold surface of his master's heart.
Lucifer, still as a statue, met the creature's gaze and unexpectedly nodded. His expression softened for just a moment. "I felt it," he said.
The system's eyes widened, a small flame of hope kindling in its chest. Could it be? 'Do you feel distress for me? My hard work finally paid off! This demon finally feeling something.'
"What did you feel?" The panda's voice trembled with hope.
Lucifer's grin widened, revealing a row of gleaming teeth. Without warning, he reached out and grabbed the small panda, lifting it with ease.
His fingers dug slightly into its fur as he pulled the creature closer. "I felt very happy," he whispered, his voice thick with twisted delight. "Why don't you do this every day? Hmm?"
"Hmm?" The panda's eyes went wide, filled with confusion and horror. For a brief moment, it didn't understand. Then, the reality of Lucifer's words hit.
Lucifer's smile remained bright, a chilling contrast to the sheer malevolence in his gaze. The panda trembled, frozen in Lucifer's grasp before wrenching itself free in a desperate escape bid.
Once again, it turned to the wall, slamming its head against it in a frantic, repetitive motion, the dull thud filling the room once more.
'I knew it!' the system thought, panic flooding its circuits. 'What did I expect from this tyrant? I didn't even get paid for the job I had done. Sob sob. Miserable too miserable.'