Page 25 of Uriel
“Come now, brother,” Lucifer says, taking a sip. His eyes flash with amusement. “Surely you didn’t think this was all... coincidence? The prophecy, the girl, theconvenientsolution to stop the apocalypse? It’s all a bit too neat, don’t you think?”
He offers me one of the glasses. I ignore it, my mind reeling. “Are you saying... this is allyourdoing?”
The club around us seems to pulse with dark energy. Occasionally, a burst of inhuman laughter or an unnatural shriek cuts through the music, reminding me of exactly where—and with whom—I am.
“Mine?” Lucifer laughs, a rich, warm sound that’s at odds with his sinister words. “Oh no, I’m not nearly that clever. This has our Father’s fingerprints all over it.”
“Impossible,” I breathe, but even as I say it, doubt gnaws at me. “He wouldn’t...”
“Wouldn’t He?” Lucifer counters, his voice soft, almost sympathetic. “Think about it, Uriel.The great test of faith.The chance to save the world, but at the cost of your most sacred vow. It’s very much His style, don’t you think?”
I stare at him, momentarily stunned by his intimate knowledge of the prophecy. My mouth goes dry. How does he know the exact terms? The specifics of the choice before me? I don’t even want to contemplate how he obtained this information—some questions are better left unasked when dealing with the Prince of Lies.
I shake my head, trying to clear it of the insidious whisper of doubt. “No. You’re lying. This is what you do, sow discord and doubt. I won’t fall for it.”
Lucifer shrugs, taking a sip of his whiskey. “Believe what you want. But ask yourself this: even if I’m wrong, even if this is all on the up-and-up... can you do it? Can youreallybring yourself to break your vows, to lie with a mortal woman, to give up everything you’ve been for millennia?”
His words hit me like a physical blow. Because deep down, in the darkest corners of my heart, I’ve been asking myself the same questions.
“I...” I falter, my certainty crumbling. “I don’t know.”
Lucifer’s expression softens, and for a moment, I catch a glimpse of the brother he once was. “I know, Uriel. It’s not an easy choice. But you need to make it soon. Because if you don’t...”
He gestures towards the windows. Outside, the city I had taken for a view of Los Angeles changes. Suddenly, I’m looking at a world on fire. Buildings crumble, the earth splits open, and hordes of demons pour forth from the cracks.
“This isn’t a vision of what might be,” Lucifer says quietly. “This is happening now, in pockets all over the world. Your little romance has bought some time, but the barriers are still weakening. If you don’t act soon...”
I tear my gaze away from the apocalyptic scene, my heart pounding. “Why are you telling me this? Why doyoucare?”
Lucifer sighs, suddenly looking every bit as ancient and weary as I feel. “Contrary to popular belief, I don’t actuallywantthe world to end. Oh, I enjoy a bit of chaos now and then, but this?” He gestures to the hellish landscape outside. “This is bad for business. Bad for everyone.”
He moves closer, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. “I’m giving you a choice, brother. Arealchoice, not the illusion ofone our Father so often provides. You can go back to your mortal woman, break your vows, and save the world. Or you can stand firm in your principles and watch everything burn.”
I stare at him, searching for any sign of deception. But for once, Lucifer seems to be telling the truth—or at least, a version of it.
“How do I know this isn’t some elaborate trick?” I ask, hating the uncertainty in my voice.
Lucifer smiles, but there’s no warmth in it now. “You don’t. That’s what makes it a choice, Uriel. That’s what makes it faith.”
With a wave of his hand, a shimmering portal appears beside me. Through it, I can see the cellar of my home, exactly as I left it.
“Go,” Lucifer says. “Make your choice. But remember, the clock is ticking. Forallof us.”
I hesitate for a moment, torn between the desire to stay and demand more answers and the desperate need to return to Emilia, to make sure she’s safe.
In the end, there’s no real choice at all.
I step through the portal, Lucifer’s parting words echoing in my ears:
“Oh, and Uriel? Give my regards toEmilia. She really is a delightful little thing. It would be a shame if anything were to happen to her...”
The threat, veiled though it is, sends a chill through me.
As I materialize back in the cellar, my mind is a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and emotions.
The house is silent around me, the storm outside having finally abated. I stand there in the darkness, my heart pounding, Lucifer’s words echoing in my mind.
Can I do it? Can I really bring myself to break my vows, to lie with a mortal woman, to give up everything I’ve been for millennia?
