aumemecomm | Underworld

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Underworld

THE UNDERWORLD

There are many names for it, and many purposes. To some, it's simple the land of the dead, good or bad. To others it's a place for sinners. Or the realm of monsters. Be it a firey pit, a barren wasteland, or a series of caves, it's not a place for mortals to tread on their own. Perhaps you're a denizen of this space. Or you've ended up at the gates and you can't quite recall how. Or you're on a quest to save a loved one. Or you're hapless fool who read the wrong latin passage allowed and now you're trapped. No matter how you got there, good luck getting out.

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[ There was no map, because hell didn't work on the same solid logic as the living world. The soul wasn't constrained by things like direction or distance. So it was not coincidence when a door somewhere behind her opened, and Lucifer stepped out. Fittingly, it was father Kinley he'd paid a personal visit to. They had a score to settle, and one which he would take his time on.

He felt her presence before he saw her. The signal of a soul that should not be there. The first alarm was that they were nowhere near the gates. How had they gotten so far in? But that's when he saw her. Just as she fell. And he froze.

NO.

He could see a pair of lesser demons lurking in the shadows of the columns on the other side of her. The flash of their eyes was enough to make him move. Fast enough that when he came to a halt on front of her, his shoes slid on the stone. He took her by the arm to help her up. ]

Detective...

[ It's all he could manage, wanting to demand the how and why of her being there. ]

[ Her head jerked up as she felt a hand clamp around her arm and she was being pulled up. What a relief. He found her. She hadn’t had to go far. The heels of her palms throbbed from the fall, though. Chloe was completely unaware of the demons hanging about, she was too focused on him. ]

Lucifer? Thank god. I wasn’t sure where I could find you. Where to start—

[ He shot a glance over his shoulder. The demons were still there, trying to hide in the shadows. They would listen to him, but demons were far more a letter of the law and not the spirit sort. Chloe did not belong here, so his protection could only go so far. ]

Not here.

[ He hissed the words at her, and started back the way she'd come. He kept an iron grip on her arm, intent to not let her stray. Even if he kept her from the demons, if she lingered too long near an empty cell, she was in deeper trouble than he could thwart. ]

Not— [ Not here? He was dragging her with him and it was hard to keep up and not stumble as they went. She was hissing back at him then, ] Lucifer!

[ She was in his domain right now, she knew that, that had to be he was gripping her arm as hard as he was. A look was thrown around, back over her shoulder. Was he afraid? What was there to be afraid of? The other demons?

That was when she realized where he was taking her, back the way she’d come from, and she began to try and pull back, dig her heels in. ]

Stop. Lucifer, stop. I’m not going back!

Keep your voice down!

[ Before they got anywhere near where she'd come in, he took a turn. And immediately ahead of them, an impossibly tall spire rose into the sky. He didn't say a word as he crossed that final stretch, pulling her into a chamber at its base. Inside the massive space was rather reminiscent of his penthouse. Sprawling, open plan living quarters done in dark, warm tones. A stark contrast to the dreary blue and ash outside.

Only once he had the door closed and secured did he relax. ]

[ Who was she kidding? Of course she wasn’t able to stop him or tear free, he was Satan, and he was powerful, strong. She’d seen that for herself throughout their time working together. But now, as soon as she saw that being in here took off an edge to his earlier shock and anger, she was yanking her arm out of his grasp. Holding it up at her chest while rubbing where his fingers had dug in hard. ]

Is it safe to talk? I don’t have much time.

[ The anger wasn't completely gone. It had shifted into urgency. If he didn't get her out of her soon, terrible things would happen. He should have just taken her to the gates and the problem would have sorted itself out. But he couldn't. That would mean...not seeing her again. ]

Precisely! Because you can't be here. It's...it's metaphysically impossible!

You can explain that to me another time. You need to come back, Lucifer.

[ There was more to it. So much more. Chloe just needed to get that out first. Her hands rubbed over the sides of her thighs as she then began to pace, words coming out hurriedly. ]

Linda killed me. I’m at the hospital right now. There was no one else who could come down to get you so I— [ She wet her lips, took a breath, stopping to turn to him. ] I volunteered to come here.

[ That was a lot to process and left him feeling rather like he was on the wrong side of things. Not the first time, but still unexpected. He was supposed to be the one making rash, reckless decisions and she was supposed to be the voice of reason.

Then the reality of what she'd said hit him full force. The reason it had to be him, and then his mother, the last time this happened. It was like the floor opened up and tried to swallow him. ]

That's...not possible. When you die, you don't choose where you go. How... [ He shook his head. ] You shouldn't have been anywhere near hell, Detective.

[ Unless something drastic had happened in his absence, which he didn't want to consider. ]

Why not? [ She waved her hands, shook her head. They didn’t have time to argue. ] Doesn’t matter. We’ll hash this out later. Right now, all that matters is you find someone to run the gates and meet me back on the...land of the living...?

[ That was what it was, wasn’t it? ]

Mortal world. [ Ugh ] Whatever—Earth.

Oh, right—how many ways in and out are there?

Only through the gates...

[ If it was bad enough for her to even find a way down here, he was going to need Amenadiel and Mazikeen. That left few options for who could guard the gates, but he had an idea. It was risky, but he absolutely could not leave such an avenue open to any ambitious demon seeking a leg up. ]

I'll go, just tell me what's happened.

[ While he continued to try and cope with the fact that Chloe was in hell. Dead, and in hell. It still had him rooted to the spot. How could Chloe end up in hell?! ]

Are you familiar with a man named John Constantine?

[ Chloe folded her arms and stood there, jaw setting as she said the name. ]

[ He considered the name for a moment, even though it didn't ring a bell right away. A lover, perhaps? Maybe one he hadn't managed to get a name from. There had been several named John, after all. But after a moment, he just shook his head. ]

I can't say that I am. By that vein in your neck, I feel I should be.

He came by last week for a little “chat”. About you. About demons. About Hell.

[ And boy, he had a lot to say. ]

I don't see why that's such an emergency. Plenty of people know about demons.

[ There was a slight, frantic edge to his words. What wasn't she saying? ]

In a biblical sense, Lucifer. People know about demons and you through the Bible.

[ Chloe then gestured sharply to the doors behind him. ]

You're here for nothing, do you understand?

[ There were two responses that jumped to mind. The first being that there were indeed many people who knew either him or Mazikeen in the "biblical" sense. The other being that he meant people like her, or Linda. People who knew the actual truth. Mostly terrified people he'd flashed his eyes to, but still.

But her question killed both of those before he could utter either. Or rather, the implication of those words. It made his blood run cold. ]

You're saying that there are still demons on earth?

There’s been sightings.

[ Chloe wasn’t sure how he didn’t know. He was the King of Hell. Wasn’t there some kind of demon spidey-sense that came with the position? It baffled her, standing there now as she was staring at him, her surprise shown in the raise of her brows. ]

New York— Lucifer, the church... [ Her brows dropped. She took a step forward. ] There was an explosion.

[ That was all he needed to hear. In fact, all he needed to know was there'd been sightings. That froze him in place for a moment. Not out of fear, but out of fury. They'd disobeyed him right under his nose. He would not stand for this.

Chloe had barely stopped speaking when he grabbed her hand. ]

You should have led with that!

[ It was all he said as he went for the door. ]

[ Her heels dug in and she was tearing her hand from his before he could grip too hard, before the grip became unbreakable. They didn’t have much time. ]

Stop! I have to go back first. Linda is—

[ And just like that, Chloe was gone. Up top, in the hospital bed, she came awake. Alive. She took her first breath, sucked it in loud, body jolting beneath the paddles as Linda leaned over her. The air burned her throat. ]

[ He'd started to ask "Linda is what?" as he turned to look at her, but she wasn't there anymore. ]

Detective? DETECTIVE!

[ He looked for a moment as if he might actually find her in the room, still. Even though he could feel she was gone.

Meanwhile, on earth, what seemed mere moments later, he appeared in the room with her. While they were all distracted with her waking up there was a sudden burst of wind in the room and he was there. He pushed Linda aside, standing over Chloe's bed. ]

Right. Like I said, you should have led with demon sightings. Where are they and how many?

[ He’d barely given her time to get her body to lay completely flat on the bed when he was appearing. She’d just voluntarily died to go to him, to seek out his help. Why wouldn’t he start off with his demands? So like him.

Chloe stared up at him. She was still as pale as the sheets, breathing ragged, waiting for it to calm before trying to speak. Her voice was hoarse, a croak; it was a struggle to push up onto her elbow. However short a time she’d been down there, dead, it’d felt too long for comfortable. ]

Lucifer... [ Linda was speaking up for her behind him, a warning tone. It’d been easy for him to die and come back. But a mortal? ] She needs a moment.

[ He half spun, half stepped back, looking as if he was surprised Linda was there. Even though he'd just pushed her out of the way. ]

And you! There ARE easier ways to get in touch with me! Your dear-- [ What did he even call them? ] --Baby Daddy for starters! How did you even figure out how to get the Detective of all people into hell? I told you the last time a soul has to be destined there in the first place, and there's no way she was supposed even be there!

[ Linda was no stranger to Lucifer’s outbursts. Calmly, the paddles were placed back and she smoothed her hands down over the scrubs she’d “borrowed” as if wiping them clean of what she’d just done. Second time wasn’t as hard as she thought it would be. Her chin tilted up as she faced the Devil. ]

Right now, Lucifer, that’s not important. Just know that I always keep an extra card up my sleeve when it comes to you.

[ This was giving Chloe the time she needed to push past the dizziness that came with sitting up, a hand gripping the bed rail. She was going to be sick, she could feel it, the bile burning at the back of her throat. ]

[ He looked genuinely offended at that. But not for the obvious reasons, because he always anticipated Linda to be sharp. ]

You don't understand. Sending a soul to hell that doesn't belong there has consequences! You're lucky I found her when she did, she was nearly eaten alive! Well, eaten dead. But the concept still applies!

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