Be Careful With What You Wish For

'...

To be honest, I didn't think there would be someone trying to recruit me.

Didn't the earlier chase not reveal anything about me? I. WANT. TO. STAY. HUMAN. DAMMIT'

"Take however long you need to think about it. I have plenty" Lucifer grinned.

"How about we go back to the building? I had it specifically built for you."

He had retracted all of his presence flawlessly, giving him the image of a kind-looking man in his prime but the same eerie feeling persisted.

Aster did not budge from his position. With utmost confidence, he shared a piece of his mind.

"No."

"Now, now. Isn't it too soon to answer? Let's go back and think it over some nice liquor while discussing the options."

"If an option lets me be alone and free exists, then I am willing to."

"Wonderful. I am sure we can reach a compromise if we talk it out!"

'No, we won't.'

Despite knowing better than to trust a demon, he went back to the ruined room and sat on the dusty bed.

He stared down at the groaning duo that tried to bewitch him earlier. 

They seemed to be not really specialized in combat since his negative fireball did this much damage to them.

'Shame they didn't die. I could have used the extra EXP, maybe the soul fragments, and whatever angels and demons drop.'

The succubus eyed Aster with newfound resentment. She got up and bared her fangs that could make a vampire laugh in pity.

She continued to do so even after Lucifer made his way into the room through the hole made in the wall. That was just how masterfully he had hidden his presence despite having a truly ridiculous level of mana and miasma amassed within.

"That is enough. Cease all hostilities."

"Who the fuck are you-"

The succubus was dragged away by her nemesis who was profusely sweating while trying to hide the resentment in her eyes.

Aster had expected Lucifer to blast the head of the demoness as soon as she didn't fulfill his order within the first millisecond but he was mistaken.

'Seriously, is this demon trying to look like a good person in front of me?'

Lucifer did not stop and continued walking. He beckoned Aster to follow him which he did reluctantly.

He opened the door and stepped into the grand hall that awaited them. The hall was decorated with paintings depicting the conflict between heaven and hell.

The artwork was brilliant no doubt. But the etched memory of the intricate barrier woven out of countless mana strings that seemed like an eternity ago nullified any amazement he would have had for the paintings.

He felt a little bad for the artist. Despite how much effort one puts into their own work, it would be very rare to beat the mystic feeling of magic.

There was something addictive about spending mana. It was a feeling most poets would have a hard time describing it accurately.

The fact that the paintings were separated into three groups did not help him appreciate them at all.

The hall was covered with paintings on both sides. Each side showed a very exaggerated depiction of either angels or demons.

Most of the paintings on the left side painted the demons as strong and beautiful creatures, honest to the core, triumphing over a mountain of something that resembled angels. 

Considering how they had their iconic white wings, it was certainly clear that they were but almost every one of them looked identical to each other. There was something uncanny about how angels were drawn and Aster guessed it was to make him feel repulsed by the divine race.

Some other paintings on the left side showed a different outcome but the same message. Uncanny-looking angels, borderline horrifying, laughing over many children struggling in a deep hole.

The bottom layer of the left wall showed a third party in the pictures.

Humans wailed in suffering as the battle of the near god-like beings raged on in the sky. They were painted as ugly, pig-like creatures that made humanity look pathetic and worthless.

The right side was not much different either. Paintings on the right side showed what demons really are, despicable, voracious, vicious beasts that would stop at nothing.

The bottom layer of the paintings on the right side also showed humans.

One particular image stood out most to him.

On a wooden stage, angels stood with golden halo sitting on their heads like crowns with their arms stretched out to the people holding onto the wooden platform.

Most wore cloaks to hide their faces but Aster could see the hidden details with barely any effort.

Most people in cloaks bore similar features as demons with scaly skin, horns, sharp claws, and tails. A metaphor for how most of the time, humans are just like demons.

The outstretched of the angels was directed towards the minority who looked like actual humans. 

This painting touched Aster in a way. Back on Earth, and still on Gaia, many people took advantage of others and did despicable actions.

The decent ones needed guidance and protection. The angels were willing to provide exactly that.

'Mom… Dad… Sister…'

They were certainly good people. Good people who suffered from 'demons.' He wanted to be able to protect them but he doubted the chances of him walking away safely.

He was more inclined to convert to an angel than a demon if need be. Even then, a haunting thought planted a seed of doubt.

'What if the angels in this world are hypocritical kind?'

He certainly felt stupid for comparing life to pieces of media products. He was an avid user of the internet and consumed many fictional products and a good number of them portrayed the demons as noble creatures and angels as power-hungry, hypocritical, misogynistic, etc.

Aster was ashamed to realize this but it seemed he used to be what was called 'Chronically online.'

Their footsteps echoed through the hall in a rhythmic manner. The previous harmonious song was disrupted by the appearance of Lucifer so it was nerve-wracking silent.

Soon, the brain-frying hall of artwork was over and Lucifer stopped in front of a humble-looking door.

He flashed a grin and Aster as if to say 'Don't worry' and opened up the door.

'Whoa~ 6, 8, that's 12 wings!'

'That's gotta be a high-ranking angel for sure. I hope no fight breaks out here.'

Uriel was sitting on a chair alongside several other angels in the room.

Right opposite of them were several demons looking comfy on a chair, Aster recognized one.

He diverted his sight to the sole chair away from both factions with equal distance and realized that was his.

He went and sat on the chair. Lucifer took his seat soon after.

Aster felt like a criminal being judged by two political parties by how the seats were arranged.

He sighed.

'Let's get it over with.'

He bravely stared at every person present in the room.

'3 demons and 3 angels. Seems balanced.'

"You know the deal and we all do. But in case you don't, let me explain it to you.

We will try to convince you to join one of us. You can choose me, Beelzebub, or Acedia from the demonic faction.

You can choose Uriel, Raphael, and Michael from the angelic faction. You might get the question, 'Why can't you just forcefully convert me?'

Well my dear friend, doing so would mean war since you are just so valuable. Neither side is prepared for a war at this moment so it could spell mutual destruction or destruction from assault from other parties when we are all weakened.

So, let the contest begin!"

Six hot gazes from entities capable of laying destruction to countries with ease burned through Aster's confidence.

He wished to just teleport away from here with every cell he had.

Who would have known it would come true?

Mixed with various emotions such as amusement, suspicion, anger, and the like, the 6 beings could only suspect each other as Aster's own shadow swallowed him up.