The Snake‘s Wedding

There was light in the darkness.

But it was a burning light, ferocious and full of suffering.

A sacrifice to protect the minuscule area it's shine reaches, restricting the darkness to enter.

Unfortunately to realize that the light is in the depth of darkness territory.

…

In a mansion in the outskirts of a bustling metropolis a soon to be wed couple was busily preparing for their big day.

The mansion was so big that the both of them were separated in the two wings.

Lucius found himself surrounded by a lively group of friends in a room adorned in luxurious black.

He was currently in the bathroom, styling his black hair into a middle part.

Leaning onto the sink and giving his hair the last perfection, the occasional laughter of his „friends" echoed throughout the surroundings.

Taking a look inside the living room, he saw them clinking their glasses and playing cards on the black leather couch.

Lucius then looked for his suit, realizing that he forgot it in the changing room.

He stepped out of the bathroom, the opening of the door attracting the attention of the others.

A whistling came from a man in the center of the group.

„Ulala, look at our handsome soon-to-be groom, hahah," Micah laughed while looking at Lucius who's upperbody was exposed, filled with muscles to the brim.

A lot of scars of different sources were left on his whole body, while a slightly smaller cut was left on his eyebrow and going down to his left eye.

„Ayay, don't make such a face. It's just a joke," Micah said with a grin on his mouth.

„Hurry up a bit, Lucius" another man intervened. „We need to be there in an hour," Max said while taking a sip from his whiskey.

„Don't drink too much or else you won't be able to drive…," Tony added while being on his phone.

„And you don't talk too much. Are you addicted to your phone? How about laying it beside for just one day, huh?" Max countered in a harsh voice.

Tony narrowed his eyes and calmly said.

„Time is money,"

„Shut your mouth or else I will stab your face and feed your balls to the dogs!" Max shouted while punching the desk infront.

„Short tempered as always. Is that also why you failed on taking over that club downtown?"

„You fucking… I will kill you!" Max stood up and right before he could take out his knife, a firm hand grabbed his neck from the side.

„Sit down, and finish the game.." Micah said in a threatening voice.

Ignoring the group of members, Lucius walked past them and entered the changing room next to the bathroom.

There he saw his suit.

It was a simple full black suit.

Black shirt, black jacked, black tie, black pants, black leather shoes.

It was as if he's going to a funeral and not to a wedding.

His own at that.

But exactly this suit was given to him by his boss Falcone.

That's right.

Lucius is part of a mafia called the Crimson Falcon.

They dealt with every crime you could think of.

As of why he joined them, it's a long story to tell.

Lucius was born in a family where his mother was a whore and drug addict.

He didn't know who his father was.

Probably one of the men who came over in the past.

His childhood was rough.

There was no room for weakness.

From being bullied for his family situation at school to being abused by his mother at home.

Deep scars were left on his body and soul.

On his 11th birthday, another lover of his mother came over.

This night changed his life.

Lucius was alone in his room while his mother and her lover were „celebrating" his birthday.

Of course, there wasn't even a cake do begin with.

'Something horribly will happen tonight.'

Lucius had the premonition that this night may become his last one.

His mothers screams were louder than usual.

And no one in this district would care about a pair of whore mother and bastard son.

Lucius hid a knife behind his back.

His small children hands were shakily holding onto the knife.

When her screaming turned into pleading and finally subsided entirely, the apartment fell into silence.

Minute after minute Lucius waited in silence.

He was used to it already. Forced into it. Made into it.

Lucius' shaking turned into uncontrollable shivering.

As if stranded in the depth of a snowstorm.

The floor creaked because of the heavy footsteps of the stranger man.

As the steps finally passed his room, the built up tension finally receded.

„I nearly forgot about that brat," a loud and deep voice boomed.

The man then kicked the door open with all his might.

„What a miserable and disgusting family you two are," he scrunched his nose.

When he saw Lucius shivering like a small mouse, a grin appeared on his face.

„Your fucking mother had to pay for her disobedience. Using her and seeing her pained expression got me excited at first…"

„But now it's boring. I need something new…"

He then stepped forward and held a glass bottle in his hand.

„Don't you want to show a bit of resistance, little mouse? Show me your struggle for life. Just like your whore mother did…" his expression then turned maniac and he erupted into a crazy laugh.

Lucius still grabbed his knife behind his back.

His miserable life flashed past his eyes.

All the suffering he had to go through.

Never experiencing his mothers love or anyone else's.

Always reliant on others.

He realized in this moment.

That in order to live in this society, he needs to be strong.

He needs to trample on the weak.

Show no weakness.

He needs to be strong.

His eyes then turned into determination.

His dead eyes turned into the eyes of a predator.

When the stranger was only a few meters away and lifted his bottle into the air, ready to strike.

„Have you regained your sense, bastard!? Hahah, show me your struggle!!"

Lucius changed his position, ready to launch forward.

To kill a man several times your height and bodymass, you need to stone his vital points.

His neck, eyes or heart.

„I will kill you! I will kill you!! I will kill you!!!"

Lucius screamed at the top of his lung.

He grabbed the pillow behind him and threw it at the man, blocking his vision for a short amount of time.

Lucius then sprinted explosively at the stranger and sprang into the air wirh all his strength.

Easily reaching the height of the strangers head, Lucius rammed the knife into one of his eyes.

Holding upon the knife, he fell together with the stranger onto the ground.

The glass bottle dropping on the ground and shattering upon impact.

„Ahhh!!? FUCK. SHIT. WHAT DID YOU DO??! I WILL KILL YOU"

He screamed while clutching onto his eye.

Lucius held upon the knife which was stuck in the strangers eye.

Intending to end it all, he tried to pull the knife out to stab him multiple eyes.

But the man catches his hand and flung him to the side, crashing into the grey wall.

„YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!"

He grabbed a shard from the ground and slashed infront of him, hitting nothing as his vision was covered by blood.

Lucius breathed in ragged air.

His body was hurting all over.

A single action from the man left him in this state.

'I need to focus. Think, Lucius, think.'

There was no time left.

The man got closer and closer, slashing anywhere his hands could reach.

Lucius spotted the pillow he threw once again.

It was on the other side behind the man.

He then evaded the stranger and run in a circle around the small room.

Having reached the pillow, he threw it at the side of the man, leaving his other side wide open.

Thinking he can finish the brat off, he slashed with all his might in the direction the pillow came from.

Lucius then sprang once again and punched the handle of the knife again, burying it fully inside the man's skull and penetrating his brain.

The man then fell onto the floor in a thud, creating a puddle of blood and brainmatter.

Lucius sat down and leaned onto the wall, sitting in the small room filled with blood everywhere.

Blood sprayed the walls, the bit furniture he has, the floor and on himself.

And beside his small malnourished stature laid a man twice his height and bodymass, with an expression of grievance.

'What now? Where will I go? What will I do?'

He was just a boy of eleven years old.

Today was his birthday.

'This all… did I really deserve it? Is it fair?'

He spent hours sitting there frozen in the corner of his room.

His stomach grumbled but there was nothing to eat.

In fact, he didn't eat for days already.

Standing up and intending to steal something at the local marketstore, he turns to the corpse of the man.

After killing him and spending hours in his small room, he not only got back his knife from the man but also channeled his frustration and anger onto the man.

He was now left with holes all over his body.

His once clean clothes resembled now shreds of a beggar who died in an alleyway.

Lucius left his room and while passing the living room and going to the corridor to leave.

He saw his mother lying in the midst of chaos.

All furniture was reduced to nothing.

Chaos littered everywhere.

And so did the smell of alcohol, tabac and semen.

Her body was naked, covered by fluids of all kinds.

As well as burnmarks of cigarettes and bruises ranging from all kinds of sizes.

Her black eyes were lifeless.

She laid on the floor with her eyes looking into his direction.

Beside her head laid teeth and glass shards.

She did not resemble a dead woman, his dead mother.

It was a horrific.

Something Lucius wants to forget.

Going outside the house, he saw a man going into his direction.

His expression turned into interest as he saw Lucius covered in blood.

„You give off a sinister look, young man."

„Are you perhaps the boy named Lucius? Care to follow me?"

…

Dressing into his black suit, Lucius left the changing room and entered the living room.

„You look quite like going to a funeral with that suit. Are you sure you want to go like that?" Micah asked sincerly.

„The boss told me to. It looks good though. Evangeline also wished for a dark wedding, not the traditional one. So it's okay."

He then sat down beside them and when they finished their card game, they set off.

Lucius and Evangeline will marry in the church.

God will be their witness. Give his blessings so they can live a carefree life.

That's what Evangeline told him.

Being in the mafia, the consequences of leaving will be harsh.

Sometimes paying with your life.

They left the big mansion, and walked to the courtyard to enter their cars.

Black limousines with a falcon ornament.

There were ten in total.

They drove through the metrapolis, no one daring to block their way.

„I heard there is a snake in our family." Micah began to say when the car turned into silence.

„I wonder who would betray the family..?" he contemplated.

„Afterall, we care about every of our member. Give a good life filled with luxuries. Who would want to betray us, and why?" Micah then turned his gaze through the mirror at Lucius who was seated behind.

Lucius remained silent.

„Micah, stop your bullshit," Tony intervened.

„Let's enjoy our day to the fullest," Max said while cackling.

As they drove past.

The people looked at them in fright.

Some ignorant children recording them.

The wedding will be hold in the biggest church of the city.

When they arrived at the church that easily measured a few hundred meters in height, they left the cars and walked on the blood-red carpet spread infront of them.

Walking on this carpet the group passed hundreds of people on the sidelines, who took pictures or watched intently.

Some lost their families to them.

Some their posessions.

Some both of the former.

But did they dare to make a scene at the wedding?

They didn't.

The Falcone Family left them spared so they can watch and be humiliated.

When Max walked past a young man his age, the young man's expression grew wild.

Max looked at him with a grin.

He can do whatever he want.

This is the power of their family.

Who would dare to betray them? Is he scare to die??

The young man was alone, on his ring finger was a mark left behind.

The group the entered the church, which was bustling with fewer people but all of them were dressed in red and black.

'Is this really my wedding' Lucius wondered.

'It really looks more like a funeral. Did he find out afterall?'

Lucius separated from his group and walked to the first row of seats where he spotted his Boss Falcone.

„Ahh… Lucius, my dear Lucius. To what a man you grew up. I still think about the day I saw you on your 11th birthday."

„To what a man you grew up. You made me really proud. You're my best man afterall!" Falcone laughed joyfully.

He then rested his hands on Lucius shoulders.

„This is your day. The moment you waited your whole life. Enjoy it to the fullest and let me take care of everything."

Falcone then took out a black rose and stuffed it into Lucius chest pocket.

„Give this rose to Evangeline afterwards. Black is her favorite color, right?"

'Actually she loves white…' Lucius thought to himself.

When the bishop arrived at the altar, Lucius walked up the stairs and stood beside him.

The bell sounded throughout the whole city.

A stunning beautiful appeared at the entrance of the church.

She wore a long black dress, with its fabric reaching tens of meters behind her.

The end of her dress was being carried by several women.

Evangeline resembled a queen without a crown.

Her long black hair reached her chest in waves.

Her steps were slow but graceful.

She walked up slowly as the bell rang consistently and the crowd watched her intently.

Evangeline walked with her head high, exposing her beautiful neck.

She then walked up the stairs with the help of the women, and when she reached the altar her dress was fully covering the stairs.

Seeing his woman walking to him, he extended his hand and held her small petite one.

Facing eachother, they looked into eachother eyes full of love.

She was the woman he wished for in life.

The only one capable of loving him.

A smile appeared on Lucius face.

A smile stunning even Falcone.

'This ruthless and cold bastard really is capable of love?'

The bishop the extended his hand into the air.

„Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, and most importantly, the beautiful couple before us today, Evangeline Meadows and Lucius Falcone."

„We gather here in the presence of family and friends to celebrate not only the union of two extraordinary individuals but also the profound commitment they are making to one another."

„Today, I stand before you as a humble witness to this union, honored to share a few words as Evangline and Lucius begin this new chapter in their lives. Marriage is a spiritual bond that transcends the boundaries of earthly existence. A commitment to love and cherish, to support and uplift, in times of joy and in times of hardship."

„May your union be blessed, and may you find in eachother the greatest gift of all, endless, enduring love."

„I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may seal your union with a kiss."

Lucius then lifted up the veil of Evangeline.

He looked at her face full in love and obsession.

It was as if looking at her for the first time since years.

Her carribean blue eyes looked at him in pure innocence.

There was a burn mark extending from her eyebrow to her eye.

And also a scar left at her lips.

But Lucius ignored all this.

She was the most beautiful person he had ever seen.

His other side that calms him down in all the darkness.

He wants to protect her from the bad.

A man being her backbone.

Listening to her suffering, her joyful and happy moments.

The important and unimportant things.

‚I want to be hers forever'

Lucius lifted Evangeline's face and place a gentle kiss on her lips.

„I love you, Evangeline."

„I love you too, Lucius."

They two looked at eachother in silence, enjoying the moment to the fullest.

The crowd erupted in applause.

„It is my great pleasure to present to you for the first time as a married couple, Mr. and Mrs. Falcone."

Lucius and Evangeline turned to the crowd, and looked down at them from the altar.

'God is our witness. May he protect us from all. Even though I am all of Sins,I beg you for forgiveness so one day I can face you in all my goodness.'

Lucius looked to Falcone, who's face was unexpectedly grim.

He held eye contact with Lucius.

„I am sorry, Lucius. I love you. I couldn't bear to see us suffering anymore. I want to live a carefree life with you. That's why I did what I needed to do…" Evangeline whispered to him in a sad voice.

„I know…" Lucius sighed helplessly.

„I am sorr-.. you what? You know I betrayed the family? And you still want to be here with me?" Evangeline asked in shock.

„There is no way out. There never was. I want to live with you happily, but I don't think we ever could in this life…"

„This day is dedicated to us my love. You and me forever. In this life and the coming ones."

Lucius then placed his hands on her cheeks, fearing that she might go away anytime and placed a gentle kiss on her lip.

He cherished the moment.

It felt like slow motion as the bullets penetrated his back, protecting Evangeline from it.

Evangeline opened her eyes and looked at him in shock.

But they never ended kissing. The bloody taste never stopping them from enjoying their moment.

After minutes of shooting, Lucius body was covered in holes.

…