Soulscape

Chapter 23. Soulscape

Fluttering sand particles caught up in a storm—no, golden mist swirling erratically overhead; that was what she saw after opening her eyes. She didn't bother moving from where she lay on her back, her wide emeralds fixed on the queer sky. Perhaps calling it that was not even correct, because no blue peeked through the gold, only the churning mist. There might not be a sky in this place, for all she knows. This might be a place without a sky.

What was this place?

She slowly rose to her feet, and her heart jumped into her throat as she looked down. Beneath her sandals was a golden floor—no, a golden sea, she corrected herself . It appeared liquid and viscous to her. Its texture seemed thick and oily at first glance, but no matter how hard she tried, it refused to give in and dip her toe into its damp surface.

Describing it as a sea blanketed with a thin layer of plastic sheet wouldn't be too off the mark. At least in effect, if not in appearance.

As she looked around, all she could see was this sea running in every direction. She jerked her gaze back towards the mist acting as the lid of this peculiar world and got her confirmation.

This was indeed Magiscape.

…But there were no silhouettes. Her body was actually here; her physical self was really here. She pressed her palms down over her dress, and there it was: the warmth of her skin seeping out through the fabric.

She was truly in Magiscape. There was no doubt about it.

Gulping down the excess saliva down her parched throat, she closed her eyes and retraced her memories.

She had been in the basement with Alice. Harold Greengrass' life was sacrificed to obtain the golden glob of magic. She ingested it and regained the ability to access Magiscape. She had asked Alice to kill Rookwood so she could follow magic back to its source. Everything had gone as planned. With her temporary magic, she had slipped into Magiscape and formed a blood-red tendril. Then she touched Rookwood's magic the moment he died. And here she was now.

Her eyes snapped open when she sensed a presence around her.

There, right in front of her, was a small rowboat. And lounging in it was a man. His hair was as dark as moonless night, and his skin was light brown. But what took her breath away were his red eyes. If not for those, she'd have written him off as some handsome middle-eastern man. He was clad in a three-piece blue-white suit, and his appearance couldn't be any more out of place here. He stood out like a sore thumb in this rich, fantastical environment, like an advanced computer in a mediaeval tavern. And his powerful aura only added fear to her previous bewilderment.

"Who're you?" She managed to ground out, taking an instinctual step back.

The man clicked his tongue. "In my time, people introduced themselves first before asking that question."

"In my time, people didn't appear out of thin air unless they were magicals. Now, who the fuck are you?" She spat, her panic giving way to anger. But it was better this way. Sounding furious was preferable to coming out as meek.

He let out an amused chuckle. "Fine. Come, take a seat, child. No need to be standing there all alone. We can then have our pleasant chat. It's been a while since my last one."

She froze, wondering if she should decline his offer and run away. Then what? Where would she run to? How would she get out of here? She had never imagined she'd be trapped in Magiscape someday. Her only option was to talk and wrench out every last piece of information from him. And if she was correct in her assumption, he wasn't an ordinary man. No, he must be some supernatural entity in charge of this world, which only made her paranoia worse.

Adopting a blank expression, she climbed into the boat and sat down on the plank of wood in front of him. The boat remained steady, not shaking from her movements. Then again, credit might be given to the quirky sea underneath it. "I am Lily Evans. There, I introduced myself. Your turn."

"I am Lucifer, the first fallen, the devil, the progenitor of demons and sorcerers," he announced, his lips curling into a mirthful grin.

Lily was stunned into silence. "What? You're Lucifer? Lucifer Lucifer?"

"Yes, that guy."

Her mind raced while her body trembled. This man was Lucifer. The Devil. The Satan. And didn't he just say he was also the progenitor of demons and sorcerers? Did that mean he created the first wizard and witch, like God created Adam and Eve? Did that mean God was real? Did that mean the Bible was actually fucking right in condemning magic?

"I am speechless," she mumbled.

"I can see that."

"You're going to devour my soul now?"

He laughed and swept his hand around him. "No, soul is one thing I try not to meddle with after the creation of this realm."

"Magiscape?" She took in the expanse of the golden sea and mist with wide-entranced eyes, her terror lessening. He was the creator, wasn't he? The source who had forsaken her and revoked her privilege to use magic? Would she be able to change his mind and get her magic back?

A wry smile made its way to his face. "I haven't given it a name. But Magiscape is misleading. Soulscape or Graveyard would be far better terms."

It took only a second to comprehend his meaning.

She gasped and proceeded to facepalm, everything becoming clear to her. "I was wrong. My hypothesis was incorrect."

"Your mistake was in assuming this realm was the source of magic. Your downfall was thinking you were right and everyone was wrong. Augustus Rookwood wasn't inaccurate when he said blood was power. Though he was mistaken when he said that purity matters. The only thing of importance is my blood in your veins and if it's awakened or not."

Lily rubbed her forehead, looking at her memories through a new lens. The grey and golden silhouettes hadn't been representations of magic or non-magic. She never saw the magic or lack of it when she used Magiscape. No, the thing she actually saw was the souls of magicals and muggles. It had been Soulscape all along. Then that meant she and Harry hadn't been manipulating magic whenever they used the tendrils; no, they were exploiting the soul itself. Maybe there had never been a distinction between magic and soul in the first place; the two might be intrinsic to one another.

"When I touched Rookwood's magic—or his soul—to be correct, I was overwhelmed since Greengrass' soul was already attached to me. The two souls dragged me to where the magicals go after their deaths. Here. The Soulscape." She stated her observation, finally realising why she was here. Magic and soul weren't separate energies, like she had thought. They were one and the same. It was the Devil's blood that gave them the ability to use magic. It was his blood that changed their souls.

"Correct." Lucifer nodded, throwing his leg over his knee, revelling in her amazement. "The moment you are all born, your souls are thrust knee-deep into the golden waters of this realm. It is a shackle that keeps your souls bound to this sea, not allowing you to return to our original world after death. After all, God is waiting there to damn us all. To save my children from eternal torment, I created this realm."

"What are you saying? Can you start from the beginning?" Lily barely got the gist of it but was eager to learn more. It wasn't every day that she met their creator. Becoming the first person to know their origins was a big gift. And she planned to make use of it.

Lucifer beamed as if he'd been waiting for a long time to answer that. "First, you must understand that this world is not singular. There are infinite numbers of realities in the multiverse. Even I have only visited a handful while on the run."

"You're saying the multiverse theory is right," she interrupted.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. There are various versions of you out there. The same goes for me. I even stumbled upon a world where the Devil was the owner of a nightclub in Los Angeles and worked for the police department." He chuckled, nostalgia shining through his eyes.

Lily raised her eyebrows, unable to picture this all-powerful deity working to solve mundane cases. "...I see."

"As I said, this world is merely a drop in the sea of realities. Anyways, returning to the story, I'm not from here. I'm originally from another world, a world where God is real. But unlike his other noble iterations that can be found throughout the multiverse, this one is a prideful warmonger, desiring to be the one true God, teaching his followers to kill any who do not worship him. I didn't have any problem with it, of course. I was his most fervent angel. Father's conquest was my conquest. Killing or converting pagans was the right thing to do. That was my mindset until I fell in love with a 'pagan' priestess." He chuckled again, this time there was a hint of pain mixed in with nostalgia.

She remained quiet, guessing where this was going.

"He ordered Michael to kill the priestess and sent her to hell, where the souls of pagans suffered until they converted. I rebelled and got my arse handed to me. In a sadistic move, Father cast me down to purgatory and turned my wings black to immortalise my shame. He appointed me as the overseer, and I could do nothing but watch as she was tortured and humiliated by my own minions. I wanted to help her. I wanted to free her soul, but I was weak and frightened.

"Still, I could only take so much. My cowardice had its limit. So I snatched her soul and fled from that world after a while, from my own home. I stumbled through different worlds in my journey to be free, but wherever I went, there was always another powerful entity ruling at the top. And after my fight with Father, I never wanted to live under someone again.

"That's how I ended up in this world, a relatively new plane of existence bereft of any divinities. I created an unaging body for my wife, and we lived here peacefully. That was until she died with some of my children, having lived long, fulfilling lives and wanting the restful peace of death. Alas, we were mistaken about what would happen afterwards. I miserably watched as their souls were rejected by this reality and sent back to my original world." He frowned at his hands and curled them into tight fists.

"I wish I could say I ran after her to bring her back. I wish I could tell you how I took my children back from my Father. But that would be a lie. I had other children and descendants too, and the very promise she had extracted from me stopped any rescue attempt. I had to take care of them.

"That's why I sacrificed my own body and most of my power to create this realm. Now, I'm merely a shadow of my real self, trapped here by my own design. If only that was the problem. No, I had to watch as some of my children strayed and created the very religion that forced me to run away. They thought worshipping him would lead to salvation, not knowing that my blood in their veins was enough to earn them a ticket to hell. If not for the safety of this realm, they'd see the real face of Father. Lucky bastards, if I were like Father, I'd have released their souls from here and let them return to the 'kind' God." Lucifer ended the story with an eye roll, the sorrow evaporating as his ever-present grin returned.

Lily blinked at his blasé attitude. For someone whose wife was probably getting tortured right now and whose children had betrayed him, Lucifer seemed quite indifferent.

"Don't give me that look." He smirked, apparently reading her expression. "My wife would've lost her will and converted by now. The same would've happened with the few children who followed her in death. They will be fine—probably—having changed their religion. And I've forgiven my other selfish children. I can't really blame them when I'm the epitome of all sins. Even their betrayal seems endearing to me. And all this happened so long ago that they now rarely feel more than a dream."

Who'd have thought the devil would be more merciful and fatherly than God himself? But after listening to his explanation, she wondered if there was another world where God was just as kind and loving as the church proclaimed and the Devil was just as loathsome. Honestly, after this, she wouldn't be surprised if all the faiths existed somewhere in the multiverse. Maybe she herself was a goddess in some other world. Who knows? Anything was possible.

"Let me get this straight. There is a multiverse. You are not from here. You came here with your wife to escape from an evil version of God. You had a number of children who would later become sorcerers. We, the magicals, are your descendants. But since we are foreign to this world, it rejects our souls. To save us, you created this realm where all our souls rest for eternity in a limbo state. Did I get it right?" Lily recited, wishing she had pen and paper to note it all down. She might end up writing a book if she was able to get out of here. This tale was too brilliant not to share. Though she feared the general populace would see it as nothing more than a Satanist's delusions.

"Yep, you got everything right except the last part. Do you see that?" He pointed to somewhere behind her.

She looked over her shoulder, and an awed gasp slipped through her lips. Hoisting herself up, she stared at the massive tree that hadn't been there before.

White as chalk and as thick as some expansive skyscraper, it grew to hold the roof of this world. Its gnarly branches were so wide that she would look like an ant if she crawled over them. One thing that caught her attention was the golden mist swirling around the leafless branches. The view made her think that this realm was a tent, with the tree acting as the tent pole and the mist as the canvas. Though the mist around the tree was more… solid—for lack of a better term—and darker.

"After death, the souls of magicals rest in the sea for a long while, slowly losing memories and sense of self, becoming blank. Then the roots of the tree transport this clean 'water' to the branches and turn them into mist. From there, the last process of wiping my taint on their soul starts. Once they lose everything, even my taint, they become grey mist and escape this realm. Outside, they get accepted by the world and are allowed to reincarnate, like muggles instantly do," Lucifer explained, smiling at his masterpiece.

He had every right to be proud. To create a system to cleanse the soul. To give them a chance to belong here. To allow them foreigners a new opportunity at life after their first one as magical was simply divine. She couldn't create something like that with all the power in the world. "How did you come up with it?"

"Every world has a different way of dealing with death. In mine, people either go to heaven or hell. But here, there's no such system. Instead of rewarding or punishing people, the world simply reincarnates them," Lucifer was answering, his tone soft and full of awe and respect. "Of course, time is not linear for this great natural power. So it also allows reincarnation at different ages. A man who had lived in the present time could reincarnate in the second century. There's no limit to its power. I simply copied the way it dealt with tainted souls and created my own little realm to cleanse the souls of my children so they can enjoy this benign experience."

This world must really be a wonderful place to exist when even the Devil himself was mesmerised by it. She was glad to have been born here, in this world bereft of megalomaniac entities parading as lords of the universe. A world where nature nurtures and gives second chances instead of cruel judgement. What else could be better?

"I will reincarnate after my death. I may be reborn as some wealthy citizen in the future or a sick peasant in the dark ages. Can't say I'd be too unhappy since I'll keep getting chances to have another life. This birth-death loop has taken away all my trepidation regarding death. But I'm not dead yet, am I?" Lily turned around and faced him. She still had a warm body, and her lungs were working, as was her heart. That could only mean she hadn't accidentally killed herself in that ritual.

"You're not. You're not even the first woman to hitch a ride with a soul to come here." Lucifer commented with some amusement, plopping down back in his seat.

She remained standing. "Oh?"

"Her name was Belphegor. You might have heard of her." He snickered at her pale face.

"I have."

"Well, she was a witch some four hundred years ago. Then she stumbled here and, upon being given a boon, asked to become a demon. It's a tragic story. You better ask her about it when you meet her." Lucifer revealed, his lips twisted in a coy smile.

"You know the future?" Lily was sporting a concerned look.

In response, he conjured a thick tome. "The Tale of the World."

She shot him a glare. "You must be kidding."

"I'm not. You can say there's a symbiotic relationship between me and this world. It had learnt to tolerate me and grant me these tomes that contain its history. At the moment, I've read its history up to the year 5300."

"But it hasn't happened yet? How can it be history?"

"Time is not linear. It has already recorded what is going to happen. And I've read it all. And no, I won't reveal anything. Spoilers." He zipped his mouth and threw the imaginary key into the sea.

With twitching eyebrows, she asked, "How can I return to my world?"

"I'll send you back after I'm done granting you a boon. The last outsider asked to become a demon. I wonder what you'll ask." The way his eyes gleamed was enough to tell her that he was aware of her wish.

"Give me my magic back."

"No, it was a deal between you and me. Yes, it was me who struck down Voldemort in exchange for your life. Fortunately for you, he didn't die completely since he had soul containers. So, you slowly began to lose magic instead of your life."

Lily's heart chilled as she slumped down on the plank of wood. Did she lose her magic for nothing? "Is the Dark Lord still alive after my sacrifice?"

"No. Someone made a deal with Belphegor to kill Voldemort too. Their deal is done, and he is dead. Completely this time."

She sighed and pressed her hands on her face. "I can't get my magic back in any way then?"

"Well, you can't ask me to overturn the deal. It is sacred to us. Perhaps you can find another demon to make a new deal. I wonder who that could be."

"Can my son get the boon in my place?" She asked suddenly, jumping to her feet, wanting nothing more than to make her boy more powerful.

"No, I can only affect you since you're here. Rules."

What else could she ask? Immortality? No, it would be a tragedy if she failed to share it with Harry. Should she become a demon too, like Belphegor? Definitely not. Then should she get an unaging body? No, when she regained her magic, it would be taken care of. What should she ask for then?

Stilling for a second, she exhaled and looked down at him. "What do you suggest?"

He smiled gently and stood up. Closing the distance between them, he placed his hand on top of her head. "I take away all your physical and mental restrictions. There will be no upper limit to your power. The more you train, the stronger you become. You might even surpass me. You might even surpass God. You might become the strongest. Or you might become nothing. All depends on you. Go forth, Lily Evans, and show me your unbound power."

"Thank you." Nothing felt different for her. But she was sure something must have changed. It wouldn't be a hoax, would it?

"It's time for you to return. A last favour for you, child. Stay where you are until she appears. She'll give you your magic back for a price."

She offered him a nod before a flash of light blinded her.

~xXxXx~

"Lils?" She was jumped by Alice, and she could do nothing but embrace her back.

"I'm fine."

"What the hell happened? One moment you were dead, then your body was folding in itself, then it disappeared, and now you're here."

She gently prised off Alice's constricting grip from her shoulders. "How long was I gone?"

"A couple of seconds," Alice replied, staring at her as if she was seeing a ghost.

Stepping forward, Lily hugged her one more time. "I'm alright now. My experiment was successful. Now all we have to do is wait."

Alice perched her chin on top of her head and gave her a relieved squeeze. "I thought you were dead."

"I'm not." Lily reassured her, patting her back before pulling away. "Let's clean this up and take some rest."

"What about him?"

She glanced at the cowering rat and shrugged. "The experiment is done. I won't be needing him now."

"Then I'll kill him." Alice brandished her wand and trained it at the crying man.

Lily stepped between them. "I think not. I've realised that death is not really much of a punishment. Let him rot in Azkaban. Let him despair under the Dementors."

"I hope you're not going soft." Alice grumbled, but did sheathe her wand.

Lily chuckled sharply. "No, if anything, the realisation has only hardened me. Vanish the remains of the other two. We'll hand Pettigrew back after I regain my magic. Until then, he'll starve."

Her friend looked intrigued by her words. With a wave of her wand, the bodies disappeared. Even the magic circle was gone. The basement was back to its pristine state. Then the lights were snuffed, and the two climbed out of the basement, leaving the crying man huddled in the shadows.

"So, what happened?" Alice asked again as they sat down on the sofa.

Lily thought of lying but decided against it. While she was not going to share the method to use Magiscape, however trustworthy and useful Alice seemed, she didn't see any harm in revealing everything else. "I met the man from whom we are descended…"

Alice listened to her with growing scepticism until Lily reached the part where Lucifer asked her to wait for Belphegor's summoning. "What's with that face?"

Her friend flashed her a nervous smile. "You sure you want your magic that badly? Are you willing to sacrifice an entire village full of people for it? Innocent men, women, and children? Because that's the price."

Lily opened her mouth to wave away her concerns before her eyes narrowed in fury. "How do you know what the price is?"

"Because I was the one who unintentionally summoned her on the night of Halloween in ninety-eighty-one." Alice confessed, closing her eyes and baring herself to her judgement.

Lily scowled and squashed the urge to punch her. She replayed the words that had turned James against her; that had given him the ammunition to paint her guilty. 'A desperate mother wanting to save her child.'

No matter how much she tried, she couldn't hold onto her anger; it kept dissipating, like water through sand. In the end, only disappointment remained. "You know, I don't even care that your deal resulted in the Hogsmeade massacre. I'd have done the same in your place. The only reason I'm cross with you is because you kept it a secret even from me, even after it was me who had to pay for your crime. The least you could've done was tell me when I returned to wizarding Britain."

"I'm sorry. I didn't have the courage to take the blame when everyone declared you the culprit. I was too scared and heartbroken to carry another weight." Alice wiped her eyes, looking at her imploringly. "I know you're angry. But please give me another chance. I don't want to lose you. You're the only friend I have."

Lily released a groan and tugged at her blood-red hair. "Fine, I forgive you. I'm in a very good mood. But that doesn't mean you can get away scot-free. If you want us to continue as friends, you'll owe me three favours for all that I've suffered in your place. I can call on them whenever I want. You'll be obliged to do as I ask without any questions. Of course, if these tasks seem too drastic, you can simply break our friendship and walk away."

Alice nodded without any hesitation. "Deal."

Lily was a bit taken back by her eagerness, but then again, Alice knew she wouldn't ask too much, and if she did, she could simply decline. It must be her good mood that was making her so forgiving. Because if this confession had happened yesterday, Lily would've punched her pretty face and wouldn't have wanted to see her ever again.

It was the sweet taste of accomplishment that made her mellow. Just a little more, and then she'd have her magic back. And armed with magic and Magiscape, and armoured by her new limitless mind and body, she would be unstoppable. She would be the greatest witch to ever exist.

Was she excited to sacrifice a village to that demon? No, definitely not. But would she still do it? Yes, of course.

It wasn't like the people who'd die wouldn't be reincarnated. Death and Rebirth were part of a natural cycle. She was willing to quicken this process in return for her magic.

Now, how long until Belphegor appeared?