Chapter 4: The Escape

Chapter 4: The Escape

Lucifer's astonishment deepened as he tried to process the situation. "Then...?"

Amidst their uncertainty, the bathroom door remained locked, causing Helga to attempt an entry. "Lucifer, dear, can you open the door?" she asked.

However, instead of complying, Lucifer and Vineca shared a knowing glance.

"Move aside," the Enforcer commanded. Raising its scythe, the door was cleaved diagonally in a swift, calculated motion, revealing Vineca and Lucifer standing before the Enforcer.

The moment it laid eyes on them, the Enforcer sensed an unusual red glow enveloping Lucifer. "Ninety Seven... dangerous!" it warned, detecting the ominous aura surrounding him. The scythe was brought into play once more, poised for a deadly strike.

Suddenly, Helga's voice roared with authority, "That's my niece! Don't you dare harm her!"

The Enforcer hesitated, momentarily thrown off by Helga's impassioned plea. However, its control over the scythe's trajectory wavered, and the blade advanced perilously close to Vineca, who positioned herself between Lucifer and the impending threat.

"No!" Helga's cry filled the air, but her warning came a moment too late. The blade of the scythe neared Vineca's neck, the impending danger imminent.

However, it was too early for Vineca to die.

"Thundra!"

Trails of uncontrolled red lightning erupted, surging forth from a hand positioned just beside Vineca. The lightning, far larger and more potent than any Vineca had ever conjured, collided with the Enforcer. The resulting impact propelled the Enforcer away from the bathroom, hurtling through the hall, and even beyond the building's boundaries.

Vineca, her eyes tightly shut, felt the surge of energy pass, and when she dared to peek, she saw Lucifer with his right hand outstretched. Puzzled and astounded, she managed a bewildered, "What...?"

Before she could process the situation further, debris began to fall around them. However, her immediate concern was to retrieve her wand. Just as she moved, Lucifer's grip tightened around her left wrist.

"What are you doing? Let me—"

Ignoring her, Lucifer acted swiftly. The Enforcer, defying the force of their previous attack, returned with remarkable speed. In response, Lucifer invoked another spell, uttering, "Stynom."

In an instant, they vanished, leaving behind a resonating boom. The Enforcer's scythe struck the bathroom wall, causing it to crack and break under the force.

For a brief moment, silence settled over the scene, the Enforcer staring at the now-empty bathroom, its gaze fixed on the vacant bathtub before it.

Fueled by frustration, the Enforcer let out a furious cry, raising the scythe high and slamming it against the ground with a clang. "Damn it! Lucifer!" its chilling voice reverberated, echoing through the vicinity.

The sound caught the attention of nearby residents, who came rushing to the scene, drawn by the previous explosive commotion.

.

.

.

In the near vicinity of a mysterious cave, there stretched a shadowy forest adorned with vibrant trees, save for a solitary, leafless Banyan tree that stood apart. This eerie milieu formed the backdrop as Lucifer and Vineca materialized upon the scene.

Vineca descended with an air of grace, maintaining her equilibrium flawlessly, whilst Lucifer, once more, found himself intimately acquainted with the earthy taste of dirt.

Though somewhat shaken, Lucifer remained keenly vigilant. Vineca, too, cast a bewildered gaze about their surroundings, swiftly discerning that they had apparated once more. "Lucifer, this..." Her words momentarily faltered, as she struggled to fully fathom the situation before them.

Lucifer, seemingly more composed, replied, "Ah, it seems the spell worked."

Vineca's puzzlement persisted. "But how?"

"How were you able to…?"

"Wandless magic?"

"Quick, Lucifer! Check your curse progression!" Her voice rose urgently.

"Okay...?" Lucifer responded, addressing the unseen entity that had guided him through their previous predicament. A sense of familiarity washed over him, connecting him to the voice that had instructed him in spellcasting.

[Raise your hand and chant the spell!]

The weighty, devilish voice resounded within his mind during their earlier ordeal. In response, Lucifer had chanted the spell 'Thundra,' which had miraculously yielded results. The same held true for 'Stynom.'

'Say, what's my—'

[I can hear you all too well.]

The voice interrupted, supplying an unexpected revelation that left Lucifer bewildered.

[Your curse progression... it's at ninety-nine percent...]

The realization struck Lucifer like a lightning bolt, his energy drained from the exertion of the immense magic he had wielded. The absence of a wand further compounded his vulnerability, rendering him unable to stand.

The revelation of being at ninety-nine percent curse progression seemed to disconnect his soul from his body. He sank to his knees, surprising Vineca with his sudden change.

"Lucifer?" Vineca's concern resonated in her voice.

"Ninety-nine..." Lucifer muttered, his words barely audible.

Vineca's eyes welled up with a tear as she comprehended the significance. "I knew it..."

She began to explain, "You come from a lineage of non-magic people... But they can access magic if afflicted by the Devil's curse. However, the consequence is an escalation of the curse progression."

Understanding dawned upon Lucifer. The simultaneous usage of two potent spells had accelerated the progression by two percent.

"Now what...?" Lucifer looked to Vineca, his uncertainty evident, awaiting her guidance in their dire circumstances.

Vineca's eyes trembled, consumed by a singular thought.

"Listen, we need to secure the artifact that suppresses curses," she urgently proposed, offering a potential solution to stave off the impending curse.

"And where can we..." Lucifer began, his inquiry cut short by a deep and commanding voice that intruded upon their conversation.

"Hands up!" A tall man approached Vineca and Lucifer, brandishing his wand at them, a gesture demanding their compliance.

"Absolutely," Vineca acquiesced, raising her hands, and Lucifer mirrored her actions.

The man scrutinized them for a moment, his gaze lingering on Vineca. Standing beneath the barren banyan tree, the moonlight cast her in clear relief, revealing her features without obstruction.

As for himself, he remained beneath the tree's shade, keeping his face concealed from view.

Evidently, the man appeared to recognize Vineca, as he uttered, "Vineca? Is that really you?"

Startled, Vineca promptly lowered her hands, her gaze fixed on the man who drew closer, his attractive countenance now unveiled.

His skin boasted a snowy complexion, marred only by a scar that traced a path from just beneath his left eye down to his lips, skimming the edge. This blemish was complemented by his deep voice and commanding stature, which somehow combined to enhance his appeal despite the scar.

"No wonder the voice felt familiar! Daniel!" Vineca's voice rang out, her excitement evident as she rushed toward him, wrapping him in a tight embrace. Daniel reciprocated the hug warmly.

For a fleeting moment, Lucifer felt an inexplicable twinge of jealousy, a sensation he struggled to articulate. Yet, he had little time to dwell on it as Vineca beckoned to him, saying, "Lucifer, I'd like you to meet him. This is Daniel."

Upon hearing the boy's name, Daniel inquired, "Isn't he the one depicted in those wanted posters?"

Vineca nodded, but before she could provide any further explanation, Daniel's voice rose in assertive inquiry, "Then why is he roaming free?"

"You should have restrained him with shackles!"

"N-no, Daniel, please listen—" Vineca began, attempting to elucidate the situation.

And so, she recounted the sequence of events that had transpired, methodically sharing each incident as they settled upon the dampened logs.

"I have a question, Vineca," Daniel inquired, his wand still trained on Lucifer after absorbing the tale. "Why are you extending your assistance to him?"

"Indeed, my question exactly. I'm curious as well," Lucifer chimed in.

"You've placed yourself in harm's way twice now... Don't tell me you secretly harbor feelings for me?" Lucifer jested, his tone playful, yet harboring a hint of longing deep inside.

"Love? Absolutely not."

"It's just…"

"Just what?"

"Forget it."

"Nothing! Alright? Must there always be a motive for helping someone?" she retorted, her frustration palpable in her response.

Lucifer held his silence, while Daniel affirmed, "Absolutely not."

The two of them appeared to find common ground, but Lucifer could only offer a soft chuckle as he met their unwavering gazes.

'I've never encountered someone who extends a hand without ulterior motives,' he ruminated inwardly, his gaze dimmed, as though a hint of vitality had been drained away.

After fist-bumping Vineca, Daniel turned his attention to Lucifer, the current situation fresh in his mind.

"So, you need the item to slow down the curse?" Daniel inquired.

Vineca nodded in confirmation.

Directing his gaze at Lucifer, Daniel stated, "Alright, I've got just the thing."

Upon his left wrist, Daniel wore a silver bracelet emitting a faint white glow, displaying illuminated numbers: 53.5%.

Vineca's voice was barely audible as she murmured, "Unbelievable…"

"Daniel... is this why you've been absent from Glencraft?" Vineca's eyes widened in realization.

Daniel's response was a solemn nod, accompanied by a sigh.

"Hendolff was the only one aware of this," Vineca began, "but I've learned from others affected by him that he enslaves those whose curse crosses the 50% mark."

"I had to flee," Daniel added, his tone heavy with the weight of his actions.

A surge of pity welled up in Vineca as she embraced him briefly.

Breaking away from the hug, Daniel unclasped the bracelet and handed it to Lucifer.

"Here you go. Wear this," he instructed.

Lucifer's mind churned as he received the bracelet. 'He's presenting himself as the hero in front of her... Yet once she departs, will he reveal his true colors, like so many others?' Lucifer speculated silently.

Vineca's voice interjected, "And what about you, Daniel?"

"Well, he needs it more urgently."

"I can always purchase another one from the store below," Daniel suggested casually.

Vineca's suspicion surfaced. "Store? Are you referring to the Black Market?"

Daniel nodded affirmatively, conceding, "Something akin to that."

"Follow me," he declared, standing up and beckoning for Vineca to accompany him.

It was as if the two of them had momentarily forgotten Lucifer, who remained seated on the log, engrossed in studying the bracelet. Slowly, he secured it onto his wristband. Instantly, crimson lines materialized on the bracelet's silver surface, appearing on both sides. In the next moment, red text hovered above it, emanating a scarlet glow, revealing a reading: 99%.

This figure indicated the extent to which the curse had progressed. Seing it fade right after that, Lucifer could only muster a single word in response: "Fascinating."

[Fascinating indeed.]

The devil's own voice echoed within his mind, as if equally captivated by the artifact.

Yet, amidst his fascination, Lucifer was snapped back to the present by Vineca's exclamation.

"Lucifer! Let's go! What are you waiting for?"

In response to her urgency, he stood and swiftly followed, venturing out to explore the enigmatic market that Daniel had alluded to – a market concealed within a cave, as they soon discovered.