Lucifer

Lucien opened his eyes, a painful memory flashed into his mind. The last episodes he knew. He raised his head slowly, slightly not expecting that he was still alive. He believes that a moment ago he had a dream that his body was buried in the ground by the assassins that Victor hired to eliminate him.

"Dark?" Lucien muttered under his breath. He had no idea that the world would seem this dark. But at the edge of the darkness, he saw someone with a bright light shining on his body walking towards him.

"You are Lucien, how are you?" Asked the mysterious man engulfed in bright light.

The man stretched out his hand, helping Lucien to stand up because he knew that humans who had just come to this place wouldn't be used to having their feet to stand on.

Lucien looked at this man with a serious face, he was sure that he did not know him at all. His soul, which is too alert, does not necessarily accept every helping hand from someone, even just to help him stand up.

"Who are you? I'm sure I don't know you?"

"Yes, you don't know me because this is our first meeting. But, you can trust me!" He said. This mysterious man once again tried to extend his hand. But Lucien just shot him a suspicious look.

"I see, someone who gets killed is indeed going to carry his suspicions all the way to the afterlife!"

"Killed dead? What do you mean?"

"I'm sure before opening your eyes, you want to remember, right?"

Hearing this mysterious man's question made Lucien begin to suspect that something was wrong here. He looked around him, he could see nothing but a very quiet and empty empty space.

"Where is this?"

"Afterlife!"

"The afterlife? What do you mean?"

"'This is a place that humans who have recently experienced death, like yourself, go to."

Lucien froze, a dead human? This is a place for people who have died? He almost couldn't believe it. He could still feel his body, it would be impossible if he was dead.

"No way! What do you mean? There's no way I'm dead-"

"Why not? You're dead, that's the truth. It doesn't matter whether you want to accept reality or not, you're still dead."

"Impossible-"

Lucien trembled, he was dead? He didn't even notice. He felt that he had just woken up from a long, terrible dream, where he was killed by assassins hired by his former boss who wanted revenge on him.

Lucien remembered that during his last miserable moments, he was buried in the damp earth in the middle of the forest before they shot him in the head to end his suffering.

"You remember now?"

"Then, my body is still in the middle of that forest, right?"

"You don't need to worry about that. Your body will slowly decompose and only bones will remain. But the most important thing is that his soul is free. I will take you somewhere!"

"Where to?"

"To a beautiful place, a place where you don't need to suffer anymore. A place where pure souls will be awake. I will take you to heaven."

"Heaven? Me? Did I hear right? How can I go to heaven?"

"You died trying to make a living for your wife, the last few months of your life, you managed to be a good husband and a good man to people who know you. Because of that you deserve to be rewarded."

"But, my wife, what will happen to her if I'm not around? She doesn't even know that I'm dead!"

"About that it is no longer your responsibility. Your task in the world will be finished on the day you die. Humans who are still alive including your life, they will live their lives according to the fate line they live and also the choices they will make. You don't have to worried about that!" The man said calmly. Lucien was stunned, he didn't know if this should be the end of the life he was living? Died without anyone knowing about his death and where his body was buried.

He lived alone since childhood, without knowing a father figure and had to lose his mother at the age of four. Life moves from one orphanage to another, from one house to another until he lives and becomes Victor's loyal follower for eight years until he finally has to die because of his wish.

"Ruby?" His hands clenched into fists. He loves Ruby so much, he knows Ruby can't live without him. During the three years they lived together, Ruby always depended on him and he swore he would always protect Ruby. But now he has to break his promise, he is dead and he can no longer protect the woman he loves.

"What are you waiting for? Come with me!" Said the man. Lucien got up and walked right behind the man.

The dark part of the road slowly became light as the man passed by. But suddenly, he saw a black-robed man standing on the left side of the road. The man kept looking at her with a cold smile.

"Who is that man?"

"Lucifer!"

"Lucifer?"

"He will surely come to a place where souls still filled with vengeance will be led to heaven, like you."

"What does it mean?"

"Go watch him. Just ignore him if you don't want to fall into his trap! He will incite you to take the path of darkness!"

Even though he had been warned, he was still curious. He often hears about Lucifer, the legendary demon who is called the king of demons. But he did not expect that Lucifer's form was not like what he had in mind, he looked like a human.

"He knows what you're thinking! He can read your mind."

"What?"

"Don't let yourself get lost in his whispers!"

"Whisper?"

After being warned, Lucien realized that something was whispering in his ear. Voices that somehow penetrated into his soul.

"I can resurrect you and bring you back to life in the world."

"You missed your wife so much, didn't you? You wanted to save her!"

"That man will sleep with your wife and maybe he will kill her like he killed you."

"Stop...!"

Lucien shouted and immediately covered his ears, when he heard the whispers getting louder and louder. The glowing man stopped his steps and turned towards Lucien who was trying to fight back from Lucifer's influence.

He realized that it would be difficult for Lucien to resist Lucifer's influence while his soul was still lost in the world. He still thinks about the people he left behind, especially his wife. He held a grudge in his heart and he still hasn't accepted his death.

"I don't want to die! No, I can't die like this...!" He growled in annoyance. His expression turned dark and cold, all the hatred accumulating in his heart depressed him.

Lucifer seems to have succeeded in influencing him and at this rate it will be difficult for the man of light to show him the way to heaven.

"You will gain nothing if you follow his instigation!"

"What do I get if I follow you? Peace?"

"Yes, peace!"

"I don't need peace, I just want my revenge."

"Once your revenge is avenged, what will you do? Will you be satisfied with that instead of being by God's side, in heaven?"

Lucien was silent for a moment, this was the first time he felt so difficult to make a decision. He wanted to protect Ruby, take her away to a safe place. But after that happened, he didn't know what else to do.

"I'm used to walking the arduous path, peace is definitely not for a human like me. If there's anything I can do to avenge myself, I will definitely do it even if it means flying my soul to hell."

"Is that so? Well, it's all up to you. I was only asked to pick you up and take you to heaven's door. But if you don't want to, what can I do?"

"Who are you really? You haven't answered my question!"

"I am an angel sent by God to guide weak souls to the place of immortality."

The glowing man slowly disappeared, but he came back after realizing he had something to say.

"I want to warn you one thing, Lucien. One hate will breed another and it will never end. Make sure you don't regret your decision to take the path of darkness, because people change, including the heart of the wife you love. If you change your mind before you take that path, you can summon. However if a pact is made, it means your soul will be cursed forever."

The angel disappeared with a white light that shot fast like lightning in the sky. There was no longer any white and bright light shining in this dark place. Now the only light that he can see clearly is a reddish black light like burning coals surrounding the smiling devil.

Lucien walked up to him with renewed determination. He stood right in front of Lucifer who could already read all the intentions and plans in his head.

"Are you sure you're giving up your heaven to become my retainer?"

Lucifer grinned, showing his sharp fangs. From a close distance, the demon king's aura was strong. The gleam of his black eyes clearly showed who he really was.

"It all depends on what you have to offer!"

"You challenge me? Hmm? Don't you know who I am yet?"

"Stop your bullshit and show me what you can do to bring me back to life!"

"Tsk, arrogant human? You challenged me? Hmm? Lucien Sanders, I know everything about you, from the time you were born into the world until your death. Your mother was a prostitute and your father was one of her loyal customers. Your father was a very famous mafia leader, but I won't tell you what it's called, hahaha...are you starting to feel my prowess? Hmm?"

"I don't really care about that-"

"Ok, I understand. I still don't know enough about you. You were born on November 1, 1995, your blood type is AB, you are a genius with an IQ of 179 and you have a photographic memory, you are a casino jockey who is targeted by gambling mafia and wants to marry a woman of Asian descent named Ruby Lim. I know everything right? Hahaha…”

Lucifer laughed out loud, but the reaction shown by Lucien made his laughter stop instantly. Lucien looked at him with very cold eyes, he could see the light of darkness deep within his chest. A very strong grudge and it makes him happy.

"Fine, I'll stop playing games with you since it looks like you can kill a demon."

"Show me your power!"

"If I show you, what can you give me?"

"I will do what you want if my revenge has been avenged."

"Really? Do you think that's enough to satisfy me? Even without me having to show my power to you, you've come naturally to me and given up the peace you get in heaven. Because I wanted something interesting than just doing what I want."

"Just tell me what you need from me!"

"Are you sure? Hahaha...you know? I won't ask for something as trivial as your eyes or your heart. I want something bigger than that, namely your soul!"

"My soul?"

"Yes, I want your soul, Lucien. A soul so powerful and filled with hatred is delicious food for a demon like me. I will make one offer for you!"

"Offer?"

"Yes, one offer and make sure you won't refuse. Because if you refuse, I will continue to push you until you accept."

"Tell me what offer is that?"

"I will revive your dead body, return your soul to your body, give you a chance to live again and avenge you. But as a condition that you must fulfill, give me your soul and be my follower in hell."

***