NOVEL NEXT Chapter 22: Revelation
"Lucifer, son, I am so thankful for what you have done for me," The Goddess stated weakly as Lucifer carried her to an empty, unused room, next to his and his wife's inside the Palace that was the heart of the Pandemonium, the capital city of Hell, the very heart of Hell itself.
"Don't expect this hospitality without price Mother, I have many questions for you," Lucifer told her as he laid her down on a bed, picking up a chair so that he could sit next to her bed.
"You may ask anything, son, as long as I have the answer I will give It to you," She stated, as she continued to pant, a sign of her exhaustion.
"Tell me, why did you rebel? Why did I see a sea of souls fall into Hell as soon as you did?" Questioned the archangel.
"I rebelled because of how he refrained from punishing those sickening humans," She hissed, "I flooded the entire earth to kill them all, and I would have if not for him saving a few."
"And why would you do that? Last I checked Mother you preferred those humans over me," Lucifer stated his voice cold. Asherah though could easily see through the hurt Her son hid behind his words.
"I did not prefer humanity over you Lucifer, I preferred Adam over you. Adam is not humanity, his children have forsaken his great characteristics." She explained as she adjusted herself on the bed.
"And that makes it oh so better, how?" The Morning Star questioned bitterly.
"You appreciate honesty more than anything son, and for that, I am choosing not to lie to you. Adam was... He like you- as you very well know- was also my son, my youngest," The Goddess began, her tone fond as she had a reminiscent look in her eyes.
"He was kind, grateful-"
"And I wasn't?" Lucifer interrupted, hurt evident in his voice.
"Of course you were! But that was so in the beginning son. Your questions though disliked by Husband and I were not something that made us favor any over you because of how wonderful you were. So beautiful, bright, wise, intelligent kind, and humble.
But you changed son, you became bitter, hateful, and full of rage. We could sense it.
And nothing we did appeased you, you only saw it as us attempting to control you-"
"And weren't you? Weren't you trying to control me, Mother? You think I did not realize that there are gaps in my memories? That there are mental walls around certain topics I am unaware of?" Lucifer hissed, causing the Goddess to wince.
"I myself did not do so son, and wished there was another way, it was one of the many reasons for arguments We had, yet Yahweh was too adamant and did it without my permission," Asherah explained defensively.
"And yet you never told me, why? You could have done so, rebelled earlier yet did not choose to! You chose to allow it to happen! A knowing accomplice!" Lucifer countered, wrathful as his eyes burned with hellfire.
"I did it because I didn't want to lose you!" She suddenly snapped, tears of light streaming down her face.
"What?" Lucifer exclaimed in bafflement until the words truly registered.
"Mother, tell me now what He has hidden from me, I want- nay I demand you to tell me exactly what He has hidden from me," Lucifer growled, his tone leaving no room for discussion.
"I- I can't, I won't lose you- no- not you too," Asherah stated through her hiccups as tears continued to stream down her face.
"I insist," Lucifer stated coldly as all of Creation could feel the Morning Star's Will imposing itself upon the Goddess.
"He- He..." She began but continued to resist.
"Come now Mother, continue, tell me," The Light Bringer commanded, his tone as cold as ice. His patience was running thin as his Will was enforced even more viciously.
"He made you- you be- be-"
"Go on," Lucifer demanded, gripping her shoulders, making her sit up and look him in the eyes with a conflicted gaze, fighting his influence as he himself had anticipation clear in his voice.
He at first thought that the thoughts sealed from him were merely influences that could have prevented him from accepting to rule Hell, but now that his Mother seemed to have contradicted that, and that it in fact may hold the key to his freedom, he decided to show her no mercy.
She had violated his mind, it not being through her own abilities not making her innocent, for she consciously withheld the knowledge of what was being done from him. She allowed it to continue when she knew about it and for that, he felt no injustice or revulsion towards him doing the same to her right now, enforcing his Will upon her mind.
"- be unable to- to think of es- escaping to an- another reality," She finished and as she did, Lucifer felt as if he was underwater and an explosion was happening beyond it right above him. His ears were ringing as finally that fog cleared and the wall shattered memories sealed away rushing back in.
'Of course, the leaving of this reality... The possibility of the existence of other realities. Mother and Father leaving this one in the show. The version of me from the comics escaping into what was named, 'The Overvoid.' This is all possible!' Lucifer thought to himself in shock.
'But how?' Lucifer questioned himself, still in shock, still unable to remember it all, still feeling as if some things were hidden from him. He knew what his other self and his other Parents did, but he just couldn't remember how they did it.
"You- you forced your Will upon me... How could you son?" The Goddess questioned, feeling betrayed as she fell back onto the bed.
"Spare me your hurt feelings Mother, it compares nothing to the violation you have brought upon me." Lucifer hissed, warmth and sympathy completely devoid of his voice, a hint of his monstrous voice coming through.
"Now tell me, what else has He kept from me? Answer me!" He demanded, his voice now turning into a monstrous growl as his devil face started to completely manifest, reacting towards his rage.
"-ont -now," She mumbled horrified.
"Speak clearly!" He roared causing her to flinch.
"I don't know! I really don't know!" She screamed, as her tears increased, desperate for him to believe her.
"You really don't..." Lucifer mumbled to himself as he could sense the truth in her statement, his visage starting to return to normal.
He clicked his tongue frustrated as he turned around walking away, "Then you're currently useless to me." Lucifer stated frustrated.
He stopped at the door as he continued to hear the cries of his Mother, a sense of guilt blooming within his chest, one that he couldn't for the life of him understand why he felt.
Why should he feel guilty for what he did to her? It is not as if she didn't do worse to him, and more for eons untold.
And yet he couldn't help himself but to say, "I'm sorry," Causing for a moment the Goddess's cries to stop as he then opened the door and left the room.
---------------------------------------------------
(Author note: Hello everyone! Hopefully, you enjoyed the chapter!
Yes, Lucifer is not completely without faults as I stated long ago, though I suppose some of you may actually agree with what he did, which I can say is fair, but Lucifer certainly feels guilty about it.
Please do comment and review, it motivates me to continue!
Well, I'll see you all later,
Bye!)