“What bargain did you make, Lucy?” Gabriel had been concerned about involving these ‘friends’ to begin with but with Sachiel now disposed it seemed his concerns were once again well founded. The barriers over Eden were still in place, meaning Lucifer was still protecting his realm from potential danger. Moreover he had closed them in tighter and now Gabriel wondered if it was just for the sake of cornering Sachiel.
“Freedom.” Ifre explained plainly. “We help you and he opens the door.”
“Free roam of Tsuriai.” Li’da added. “We have now done our part.”
“Hak! Hak! Hak!” Azrael shook his head and grabbed Samael by his wrist. “Danbol kabak besek na baknit, kosha.”
“I don’t wish to be the one to start another war.” Samael chuckled as he laid his fingers over Azrael’s in comfort. “But have you gone entirely mad Lucifer? The destruction any one of them are capable of…”
“My bargain was with Lucifer.” Ria smiled as he interrupted the smug protest of the Wyrms and stepped closer to the Dark Lord of Tsuriai. “Not his Council. I would not want this to become unfriendly.”
“Ria.” Eidolon entered the conversation carefully. He had wished to avoid it entirely, but if the scales were going to tip he preferred they tip in a reasonably harmless way. “I doubt any one of us would ever deny you freedom; we simply wish to protect what is dear to us.”
Yet with no remorse you locked us away for how long?” Ifre sneered back at him. “Fuck what is dear to you.”
“Settle down, Ifre.” Twaer sadly approached and tried to be the voice of reason for their side. Like Eidolon she preferred a more peaceful approach. If they were going to leave Eden she would rather do so without having to spend the rest of eternity staring over their shoulders. She looked to Eidolon and gave a clearer answer. “What he means is that you’ve all had the chance to find things that are dear to you. We want that chance.”
“Out of the question.” Samael clenched his teeth as he spoke. “You are dangerous. All of you. You care for nothing. Bow to no one.”
“Coming from you that’s beyond ridiculous.” Asura shook her head at him. “You can’t just lock someone away for fear of what they might do. They deserve a chance.”
“It’s no longer a matter of what we deserve, child.” Ria interrupted sternly. “We were made a promise.”
“I have every intention of rewarding you all you have done.” Lucifer smiled at Ria unblinking. “I told you from the beginning that there would be resistance to your request. I have not yet denied it. I just have other promises to consider. Promises I’ve made to each of them.”
“What you should consider is their fragile nature.” Ifre scoffed and walked off quickly creating a path of flames behind him that started to create separation in the group.
“Don’t threaten me.” Lucifer laughed. “I may forget whose side I am on.”
“There should be no side to choose.” Li’da listened to the whimpers of panic as the weakest among Lucifer’s companions clutched to those close to them. “Honor your word.”
“What have you done?” Eidolon held Karla to him as she shook. Had she not been so in need of his comfort his fury would have pushed him to a more violent course.
“We deprived them of light.” Li’da’s child like voices nearly singing together as she waved a hand over the others weeping. “Taken their sight. For a start.”
“They are not in any pain as of yet.” Ria assured their angered hosts as he continued smiling at Lucifer. “Deny us much longer and they will be.”
“You dare threaten what is ours and ask freedom?” Eidolon stroked Karla’s hair and held Kaneko tightly around her waist. He watched as Nikolai extended leashes from the cubs collars to keep them close as they stood defensively beside their Master and Asura. Raziel stood expressionless with his pets quietly suffering at his feet; Galik dutifully checking each of them to ensure they were okay. Each ‘family’ was dealing with it. Even the usually hotheaded and quick to provocation were treading carefully. For that Eidolon was grateful. “It is this abuse of your strengths that makes us hesitant, Ria.”
“None of you have ever abused your power to get what you wanted?” Ifre scoffed. “Be thankful I didn’t just set your pretty friends ablaze.”
“That’s enough, all of you.” Twaer had stood by watching the companions of Zakesalek suffer patiently and couldn’t take it anymore. She shouted for an end to it. “Li’da, this is cruel. They are children.”
“We have not affected the children.” Li’da gestured toward Neka and Evadia as she giggled over the technicality. “Though our patience wears thin.”
“If you harm my child, freedom will be of no concern.” Kage hissed and shifted closer to Neka. She looked up at him sadly from Bishop’s lap where she had been wiping the tears from his sightless eyes.
“Bishop is broken, Daddy.” Neka sniffled and tugged on the shirt of her surprisingly patient pet. “Fix him for Neka.”
“Your toy will be fine.” Kage pet her hair and looked back at Lucifer. “If this is to be a Council vote, I suggest you release them. They can do no more harm than any of us ever have. I would prefer them as allies.”
“As would I.” Gabriel sighed. “There is no reason Tsuriai can not welcome all of you, but as we live by its laws…”
“Cram your laws.” Ifre laughed. “We aren’t looking to upset any kind of balance.”
“We don’t hold any grudge against Zakesalek.” Twaer added. “We just want to be free.”
“Does your release from Eden ensure freedom?” Raziel stepped away from his frightened puppets to confront the Djinn. “It was my understanding you were created to serve.”
“That worked out well.” Samael scoffed and pulled Azrael into his arms as he pouted over the sudden change of heart the Council seemed to be having. “They have no respect for the power that brought them to life.”
“Because they were not created to serve that power.” Presia answered softly as she looked after her wounded Master but her words found every ear and they turned to hear her explanation. She smiled up at Lucifer. “This is why you requested our attendance, is it not? To show them their path?”
“What more beautiful example could there be?” Lucifer grinned. “How is he?”
“Alive.” Presia rested her hand over Nei’s heart. “Thanks to Ifre.”
“She is like us.” Li’da looked to Ria for guidance and let her spell fall away from the young vampires. “But not like us.”
“Yes.” Ria smirked. “With a similar curse.”
“Nonsense.” Lucifer laughed. “Presia is entirely unique and not one of you was cursed. She and each of you were given a gift, a choice.”
“Choice?” Twaer crouched and looked at the relief of the Council’s treasures as they regained their sight.
“We were created to serve a master of our choosing.” Presia smiled as she explained their gift. “Without that bond we are forever incomplete.”
“You sneaky fuck!” Ifre shouted at Lucifer. “That’s why we only reach our potential paired with you.”
“It is also what makes our long years in Eden all the more cruel.” RIa dropped his eyes sadly. “We were wronged more than I realized.”
“Not entirely my decision.” Lucifer looked at his nails as if completely disinterested in the newly discovered pain of his Djinn. “I have also not left you entirely alone. Lets not be melodramatic, Ria. It is not as if any of you were in a cell. You had all of Eden. I visited frequently.”
“We’re supposed to what?” Ifre howled at him. “Start bowing out of gratitude? You promised us we could leave Eden and live as we pleased. Now we’re supposed to pick one of your friends to serve?”
“Have I once suggested you swear loyalty to anyone here?” Lucifer answered angrily and Eden shook beneath their feet. “My delay in your release has nothing to do with you. I have other troubled minds to consider and I won’t lift this veil until I am certain there will be no war over this.”
“So you do intend to put this to a vote?” Eidolon cringed at the thought. He feared the divide it could cause. “Lucifer, this bargain was yours, just honor it. Delaying this further is cruel, and Maefyl and Sanguine are still absent.”
“We also still have to discuss what’s to become of the girl.” Gabriel whispered to Lucifer. “I may regret this, but just give them their freedom.”
“It was your intention, my Lord.” Lilith quietly agreed as she squeezed close to Lucifer. “We can deal with the Wyrms discontent later.”
“So much for your Council.” Samael sneered at Lucifer. “When it should matter most, you will always just assume authority.”
“When it matters you are often no where to be found.” Maefyl seemed distracted as he arrived, but was well enough informed of the conversations to join them without hesitation. He paced through the gathering with an awkward confidence and gave Samael a wink before he continued. “But despite the hypocrisy, Samael has a point.”
“You suggest I risk them?” Lucifer pulled Maefyl by his shirt and gestured to their fragile loved ones. “Don’t be foolish, boy.”
“Don’t be modest, Dad.” Maefyl laughed and glanced fiercely back at Ria as he pulled away. “I’m merely suggesting we make it clear that we are on more equal footing than they seem to think.”
“You?” Ifre burst into a fit of laughter before breaking into several small fires and spreading at Ria’s feet. There was a crackle of laughter in the voice of the flames as they mocked him. “Zakesalek couldn’t control us, what can you do?”
“You pose no threat.” Li’da added as auras of white and black spread around her. She cast a glance at Ria and he became the wind and they resumed their vicious threats. The young vampires started to gasp for air and Li’da smiled cruelly at Maefyl. “You can not catch the wind, or hold a raging fire in your hands. You could never contain Twaer’s tides…”
“No! Stop this!” Twaer ran to Vikarr and Eliza and wept over the girl trembling in his arms. “I won’t be a part of this.”
“Maefyl…” Gabriel was relieved Asura had been spared the pain the others were in, but she was nearly in shock from the horror of it. Each of them under the spells of the Djinn convulsing, their skin dry and red as if they were burning from inside. They had been careful not to assault the direct family of Zakesalek, but these were still their friends. Still their loved ones. “I know you have a point to make, but at what cost? Enough of this.”
“Agreed.” Maefyl grinned and suddenly slammed his fist into the ground at his feet breaking through it until he could feel his fingers around the frightened throat. Threa screamed as he pulled her into proper form and he held her in front of him. “I can most definitely crush a stone. Care to test that?”
“Threa!” Ria released the others and hastily took form in front of Maefyl. He dropped to his knees and reached for Threa’s fingers. “Please. Give her to me.”
“You threaten my family again and I will destroy yours.” Maefyl tossed the trembling Djinn into Ria’s embrace before casually lighting a cigarette and returning to Gabriel for an embrace of his own.
“Understood.” Ria watched Maefyl in awe as he gentle comforted Threa. “We managed to over estimate our position.”
“Just remember that.” Lucifer sighed. Maefyl’s interference had not been at all planned, but it could not have been more effective. “You will need to settle eventually and inform the Council of where. In the meantime, have a look around and follow the rules.”
“You’re letting us go?” Ifre was certain their plans were finished when they stumbled upon a champion that could exploit their weaknesses. “Just like that?”
“That’s how he does everything.” Samael grumbled. “I want it known that I am opposed to this.”
“Noted.” Lucifer smiled wickedly before dropping the veil and permanently making Eden a part of his own realm. He walked to Ria and pulled him down by the hair for a final word. “One more thing before you go…”
“As you requested.” Ria answered softly. “Safely protected as always in the womb of Eden.”
“Enjoy Tsuriai.” Lucifer turned to the others and sighed as the Djinn left Eden. “I don’t imagine any of you are up for a picnic so I’ll see you in the Council hall.”
“I am taking my Lord Frost home to recover.” Presia wasted no time on unnecessary partings. They had played their part and she wanted to return to Drifa with Nei.
The others just waited quietly. Some still trying to take in the full scale of events that happened so quickly, others agitated by another of Lucifer’s quick Exits, some just relieved to be unscathed and with the ones the loved after a journey they had embarked on with no real certainty of either fact.One however had a sense of dread that deeply stained his relief and he could not stop his tears as he held Evadia in his arms for what he was certain would be the last time.
Tsuriai 