Chapter 8: A voice under the Maple Leaves...

A week after their spa escapade, Tucker found himself nestled in a tranquil scenic spot unlike any other in Hell.

He was sitting on a grassy brown hill in a reserved park, a place usually off-limits to most, accessible only to Hell's elite.

It was called The Morningstar Park, and it was apparently, one of the locations the King of Hell himself liked to visit, and none could really blame him, this area was beautiful.

Now normally with Tucker's status, he wouldn't be allowed inside, but thanks to Valentina's connections, he had managed to secure a spot to relax for the day.

The park was not anything like he'd seen in Hell or even in Wonderland. It was a serene, beautiful landscape, complete with trees shedding maple leaves that danced in the wind.

As Tucker lay on the grass, he couldn't help but reminisce about his past life, a time when he would lie under cherry blossom trees instead of maples.

He would lay down under the rising sun, eat watermelon rinds, and let his skin soak in the rays of the sun.

'Sigh, this is nice, I have not felt so...connected in such a long time.' As Tucker reminisced, he suddenly remembered something he also did when relaxing.

Seeking to reconnect with those memories, Tucker summoned a traditional Japanese flute he had crafted over two centuries ago.

It had all sorts of makings of mythical creatures and cherry blossoms etched on its casing.

He played a few notes just to get rid of the rust that piled up...and then he played.

As he played, the melody's soothing tones floated through the air, the melody was catchy yet felt ancient, definitely not something you would hear in this day in age.

During his performance, a woman approached along the stone path.

She was strikingly beautiful and tall. Her presence was magnetizing, her long locks of hair as golden as the sun, and she wore a black sun dress that split at the bottom showing both of her well-defined thighs.

Her facial features were slightly covered by the black sun hats she wore, but that didn't mean one couldn't tell she was a looker, a woman you would think about for a month after only looking at her once.[Pic]

Tucker sensed her approach but remained focused on his music, eyes closed, lost in the melody.

The woman, drawn by the music, sat on a nearby bench, her eyes fixed on Tucker.

As he changed the tune...she began to sing, her voice harmonious with his flute.

Tucker found himself slightly entranced; her voice had a quality he hadn't encountered before, not even in Valentina's singing.

....

How I wish it were only a dream

Even now I still dream of you

I brush the dust off from old memories

Like returning home to retrieve a forgotten item.🎵

In the end, it was you who taught me that

Some happinesses can't be reclaimed

My dark, hidden past I dared not speak of

Without you, they would have remained forever dark🎵

As she sang, Tucker felt some type of power fill the air, it incorporated itself into the surroundings...from the worms that wriggled underneath the earth to the Maple leaves that just fell from their trees.

I know there is no way I could ever hurt

More than I do now...🎵

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Their was a pause—as if the world stood still for a moment...and then it moved.

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Even the sadness from that day, еven the pain from that day

I loved it all, togеther with you

The bitter scent of lemons remains embedded in my heart

Can't make my way home 'til the rain lets up

Even now you remain my light🎵

In the darkness I traced the outlines of your back

I remember it's contour so clearly

Every time I encounter something that's all too overwhelming

It's the tears that won't stop overflowing🎶

What were you doing, what were you watching

Your face in profile, with a look I'd never seen🎵

Her voice was enchanting, he never knew when but he ended up standing up as the wind blew wildly, it was a sort of... controlled chaos.

If you are out there somewhere now

Lost in the same tears, the same loneliness as I

Please won't you just erase me from your memory

This I pray for from the bottom of my heart

Even now you remain my light🎵

Even the sadness from that day, even the pain from that day

I loved it all, together with you

The bitter scent of lemons remains embedded in my heart

Can't make my way home 'til the rain lets up

Like a piece of sliced fruit

Even now you remain my light🎵

...

He continued to play, and she sang louder, her voice weaving a spell around them.

The surroundings responded to her song; leaves whirled and twirled, forming shapes of animals and mysterious figures.

Tucker sensed the power in her voice, a command over nature that was both beautiful and surreal.

As their impromptu duet reached its climax, the wind calmed, and her voice faded, leaving Tucker to conclude the melody.

When the last note lingered and faded, Tucker and the woman found themselves back-to-back in the centre of the park.

For the first time since his self-imposed isolation, Tucker opened his eyes and turned to look at her.

She, too, turned, and their eyes met – his golden gaze locking with her greyish lilac eyes.

At that moment, there was a sort of recognition, a sense of meeting someone who was not just another soul in Hell but a kindred spirit.

"Your song... it's beautiful," she said, her voice soft yet commanding with an unspoken strength and authority. "I couldn't help but join in. I hope you don't mind."

Tucker shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "Not at all. Your singing... it's unlike anything I've heard. It brought the park to life."

She laughed, a sound that was as melodic as her singing. "I am...Lilit. I often come here for some peace and quiet. It's rare to find someone else here, especially someone as talented as you...im sorry I still dont know your name."

"Tucker," he introduced himself. "I'm somewhat new to these parts. This place, it's a rare find in Hell, and I just couldn't help myself when I heard about it."

Lilith nodded. "I see, it's so rare to find people with such love of nature..but tell me, Tucker, what brings a demon like you to play such soulful music in a place like this?"

He looked away, his gaze settling on the dancing leaves. " I just wanted to reminisce a bit, and the music...well it's an important part of my past that I just couldn't let go, it's a part of me that I love, and so here I am."

"I see, that is beautiful" Lilith said, her eyes reflecting a depth of understanding. "We all carry pieces of our past with us, no matter where we go."

Their conversation flowed so naturally. It was honestly astonishing to Tucker.

When they talked it felt like talking to a friend you haven't seen in years...Yet no matter how much time passes you can instantly get that connection back.

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As the sun began to rise, casting a warm glow over the park, Tucker and Lillit continued to talk, their connection deepening with each passing moment.