Reunion

[Mari]

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Closed to Lucifer
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Amari waved the rugged man off. “No deal.”

His cracked lips turned into a snarl, his bushy, unkempt eyebrows furrowed. “I come all the way out here, freezing my goddamn ass off -” He slammed a gloved hand onto the table. “Just for you to say no deal? Do you have ANY idea who I am?” He spat at her.

Amari shrugged, “Other than uncouth? No.”

“You fuckin’ bitch.” He reached other the table and drew a small dagger. “I’ll cut that fuckin’ face off.”

“Mmm…” Amari glanced toward the roaring fireplace. “That’s nice...” She sounded bored. Barely glancing at him as he waved the rusted dagger to and fro in front of her.

Her blaze’ reaction only angerd the man further. “I’ll do it! Fuckin’ watch me. I’ll-ARGhhhhhh.” Amari grabbed hold of his wrist. His flesh sizzled beneath her grip. Skin began to peel away. “What the fuck are you?” He hissed, trying to pull his hand away.

“I am the right hand of Master Lichensith Ulroke of the Crimson Hand. I am not to be messed with. You fuck with the Crimson Hand and you fuck with me.” The skin beneath her grip began to take on a soft green hue. “Pretty sure sellin’ us false information falls under the category of ‘fuckin’ someone over.’ She let him go. “Ya might want to go lay down, poisoning will make yer dizzy. Next time, I won’t be so nice.”

The man teetered where he stood, and tried to slash at her, but he blade missed as he fell backward. Amari calmly put her black leather gloves back on and nestled into the plush chair. Ignoring his muttering. The other bar patrons knew to stay out of any argument that involved the Crimson Hand, so kept their distance.

Amari pulled out a sheet of worn paper, continuing to ignore the sputtering curses from the man as he stumbled and struggled to push himself up. He practically crawled to the bars exit. Cursing her, and claiming he’d give her retribution.

“Miss Red. Why didn’t you just kill him?” A voice asked, it was one of the bar staff who had come to top up her drink. A man well into his 40’s. His blonde hair cut short had wisps of grey. His stubble around his chin a darker blonde, also held a tangle of silver hair. He carefully poured her a hot cup of Earl Grey and set it on the table in front of her.

“Andrew. Thank you.” She picked up the cup and bought it to her lips. “You only bought this in because of me, no?” She asked, her eyes glancing toward him.

Andrew shrugged, “A bar does not normally serve tea, Miss Red. I must say you are the main reason.”

Amari shifted her gaze back to the cup. “I don’t see the point in useless killing.” She glanced over at the man. “Would you rather me do so?”

He awkwardly laughed, and glanced away. “N-No. I uh...appreciate it actually, it’s just - The Crimson Hand are known to be cruel and absolute, you’re not-”

Amari interrupted. “I am. My Master and I simply share different philosophies on the matter.” She waved him off. “Thank you for the drink.”

Amari nestled further into the plush seat and inhaled deeply, enjoying the aroma of the tea.

It was disappointing to see the deal turn sour, but the information the man offered was useless. Ulroke already had knowledge of the other Slavic Nobles. This expedition to town had been a waste of time.

She took a long sip of tea.

Well, almost a waste of time.

[Lucifer]

Lucifer had come to appreciate some qualities of the human world, such as the sensation of a warm drink on a cold winters day. He made his way to the nearest tavern, when a sight most peculiar fell into his line of vision. It seemed to be a man with a rather strange looking hand crawling his way out of the very tavern he was headed towards.

Lucifers blood red eyes fell onto the man’s face, who was visibly irate as he cussed out to someone in the tavern. Lucifer grimaced and stepped on the man's face as he walked over him “Out of my way, scum”. The man would have most likely retaliated if not for the person sitting inside the tavern that he had been cussing out to.

Lucifer scanned the room as he walked towards the counter. Salvar was a wasteland and was practically a breeding ground for low-life maggots. “One green tea” He spoke, his crimson eyes shooting through the barkeeps. Lucifer continued to observe the room, curious as to the previous man's condition, clearly someone would have inflicted such an injury on him.

He grinned, surprised he hadn't noticed her sooner. Amari was all grown up now, sitting all by herself and sipping a tea of her own.

It has been a long time, he thought to himself. Perhaps now was a good time to meet what his beloved sister had become. Lucifer took his tea and ambled over to her table before sitting down in front of her “I hope you don’t mind. I find tea is best enjoyed with company”

Her eyes rose to meet his in all their brilliant tri-coloured glory. Emerald eyes with a golden rim around her iris, but there was more. Shards of crimson flecks shone with a brilliant light. He knew what those eyes meant. Her bright soul was darkening.

“I do mind. Fuck off.” She said.

Lucifer grinned at her feisty reply “Hmm, now that’s not a very friendly attitude you have there, miss” His crimson eyes always seeing through those they met.

“I’m not a nice person.” She shot back.

Lucifer found it ironic how Amari would tell him that she, wasn’t the nice person. He took a sip of his tea as he thought. “I don’t think I’ll take your word for it. I have a feeling, we’ve met before?” He replied with a voice as soft as the coo of a dove. “Though that’s not exactly true, is it?” From her tone and choice of words it was clear that her soul was being corrupted, she was beginning to see as he.

“That was a nasty piece of work you did on that man out there” He noticed how she kept her gloves on, a clear sign she had trouble controlling her will over the power. “Something tells me you’re still a bit new to it, the power that is”

[Mari]

“Met before?” Amari asked incredulously. “Is that your sore attempt at a pickup line?” Despite her clear distaste of company the man nestled himself in the chair opposite her. Amari audibly groaned, adding in a sarcastic tone. “Oh yes, sure go right ahead. Make yourself comfortable.”

He responded in turn, with a snide remark. “Why yes, thank you Miss. I am quite comfortable.”

“Tch.” Amari shifted to get up and move. She didn’t want to deal with this right now. She was in a sour mood, after having the deal fall through. She paused as he mentioned the injuries she gave the man. “Oh?” She sat back down. She was a woman ruled by her curiosity, and it was just piqued. “Are you his friend?” She paused glancing him up and down.

His hair was pure white, as though he shoved his head into the snow outside. His eyes glimmered with an eerily angry red. He looked a little younger than her although his features were well defined and he held himself with an air of superiority. Amari hated self absorbed people with superiority complexes. Her eyebrows furrowed in distaste.

He shook his head grinning “Definitely not, I'm actually quite pleased. If i'm being honest with you.”

“Pleased?” Amari asked, “If you don’t know him - you’re telling me you’re pleased to come across someone who is probably vomiting in the streets? The hell is wrong with you?” She hissed. Amari knew few people who enjoyed seeing others in pain. This man would fit right in with Aurelianus and the house of sin.

“Who the hell are you?”

The man leaned forward on one arm tapping his bottom lip with his index finger. “Hmm Isn’t that a good question.” He paused for a moment, Amari wondered why. It wasn’t that hard to tell your name. “They call me Lucifer.”

“Lucifer...” Amari repeated. The name didn’t sound familiar at all. He was right, she hadn’t met him before, but she couldn’t shake the sense of familiarity that ebbed at her being. “Fine. I’m Red.”

[Lucifer]

Lucifer was easy to forget that Amari’s memories had been locked away and this was a different person. So if he wanted to somehow win her back he’d need to get to know this Amari a lot better, and then somehow get her memories back, if need be.

“Oh, Red?” He scoffed. “I know that isn’t your name, but very well, Red. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” He said as he looked up to notice the poor construction of the taverns ceiling, Salver definitely was a dump.

“No shit. Who the hell names their kid Red?” Amari shot back. “My Master gave me this name, and I can’t say I feel the same.”

Lucifer stopped for a moment, not exactly sure what it was he just heard her say. His eyes fell back to her, his face still upwards at the ceiling “Master?” Lucifer could feel his human blood rushing through his veins as hot as magma, adrenaline pumping. His muscles began to stiffen, his grip tightening around the warm cup of tea before crushing it into small pieces. “Did I hear that right?” He seethed with rage, but kept his composure relatively still, dead still, his crimson eye flaring. It seemed within his rage he had lost control of his aura, the wooden table visibly decaying under his form.

“Yes.” Amari said matter-of-factly. As though someone claiming ownership of her was a completely normal thing to do. Her lips curled up into an amused grin. “Gotta problem with that?”

An Ar’Tuel reduced to nothing but a pet. This, was an unforgivable. “A problem you say?” A maniacal expression wore his face. “Lets just say, I'm not a fan of pet names, shall we?” He spoke through a bitten tongue. “And who might this wonderful master of yours be?”

Her expression darkened. “You aren’t from around here are you? If you were, you’d know. And since you don’t, that information will cost you.”

Lucifer snickered, how human she had become, this whole situation made him sick to his stomach. He reached down slowly to his button up shirt and began to undo the top. “Very well, information for information. You tell me about this big daddy of yours and I’ll tell you... what this is.”

He pulled on the collar of his T, revealing the Ar’Tuel marking burned into his chest. “You have one too, don’t you?” His eye twitched as the decay began to spread to the floorboards.

[Mari]

“The hell?” Amari snapped. Her eyes focused on the mark on his chest. It looked like some sort of intricate tribal tattoo. Amari would have passed it off as just that, if it didn’t look so damn familiar. There were a few seconds of silence, one could almost see the gears slowly clicking away in her head.

Where the fuck have I seen that before? I know I’ve seen it...and I’ve seen it recently…

Lucifer muttered the words, ‘You have one too, don’t you?’ Her eyes widened and she quickly stood up when it dawned on her. “That’s MY fuckin’ birthmark!” She exclaimed, pointing an incriminating finger at his chest.

Lucifer seemed to be laughing under his breath at her slow realisation. This didn’t help her mood. She shoved the table to the side and kneeled down, taking a closer look at the mark.

Line for line, stroke for stroke. It was the same fucking Mark.

“Who the fuck are you?” She grabbed hold of his shirt. “Why the fuck do you know I have one of these too?”

Lucifer grinned, “No, no. First. You tell me who your wonderful master is.”

Amari dropped his shirt, swearing. “Fuck.” She pushed her hair up and out of her face. Calm down Amari. Calm down. She turned her back toward Lucifer, taking a few deep breaths. She’d get nowhere fast if she just lashed out at him.

“Master Lichensith Ulroke.” She said. Her back still toward him. “Leader of the Crimson Hand.” Her voice shook, but had calmed down considerably from her earlier outburst. She glanced over her shoulder at him.

Amari had been searching, struggling to find something, anything that gave her a clue as to where she was from and what she really was, and the damn thing had just wandered through the door of a seedy tavern - with a shit eating grin sprawled across his face.

“I serve him without question, and if you have an issue with him - you have an issue with me.”

[Lucifer]

Lucifer was enjoying himself now, his once seething anger turning to amusement, her expression was priceless. “Oh yes, the Crimson hand. I had heard about them.” He considered this information, wondering just what to do with it, and what the best way to deal with this wretched scum would be. “Hmm I see, that’s quite unfortunate.”

He had intended to tell her about the mark, but this just seemed like much more valuable information than a simple name. He was sure that Amari would be willing to spill some more for him.

“You know, there’s comes a stage in a person's life, when they begin to reconsider everything they knew about themselves and the world around them.” He crossed his legs as he began to go on a short rant “They begin to ask, what is it that I really want from this life? Why am I listening to this person? Who am I? What is waiting for me outside of this empty life?”

Amari scoffed, turning round to fully face him. Crossing her arms over her chest. “My, someone is doing a bit of soul searching, aren’t they?”

He spoke in a riveting tone, wanting these questions to be burnt into her mind. “Not everyone is destined for great things, but you, you are. It’s common for humans to buy into delusions and fantasies, thinking they have free will, thinking they in any way are gifted or that their existence means anything good. It’s all, an illusion” He said pointing to his chest. “You were lied to. This mark, is proof of who you are.”

He paused for a moment, analysing her countenance "It really is a shame that you lost your memories” He stared off into the distance, visibly disturbed.

After a brief moment his eyes wandered back to her. “Yes...” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small maroon medallion with the same marking held onto his chest on one side, and on the other had a symbol of setting sun, however the sun seemed to resemble an eye in some way. On the rim of the medallion it read, ‘Order of the Dusk’ “Don’t lose that now, it’s very important.”

[Mari]

“Free will doesn’t exist.” Amari said. “It’s simply a matter of cause and effect.” She repeated the words that her Master had literally burned into her head. “Choice is an illusion.” She wholeheartedly believed her Master's words, and some snowy haired self righteous shit wasn’t going to change that thought process with a few articulately spun sentences.

Lucifer frowned at her statement, and silently shook his head, slowly turning the medallion between his thumb and forefinger.

Amari continued, “If that mark is proof of who I am, then you are the same as me?”

Lucifer smiled. “I suppose so.” He said in a sing-song voice.

Amari grimaced. He wasn’t going to give her the answers she wanted freely. She couldn’t blame him. If the roles were reversed she’d do the exact same thing as he. Still...the answers she sought were so close. So tantalizingly close. Yet they were still far away. They sat before her in the form of this man. This…’Lucifer’ and that pissed her off.

He offered her the coin. Amari accepted it, inspecting it. She slowly turned the bronze coin over and over in her hands. She squinted, trying to read the small writing around the rim, but she wasn’t that well read - she struggled to read children’s books. “What does this say?” She asked softly.

“You can’t read it?” Lucifer asked, taken aback. “It says ‘Order of the Dusk.’ Don’t lose it.”

“Order of the Dusk…..” Amari repeated, staring at the mark that was imprinted on the coin. Her birthmark. None of it made sense. Why did he have a coin with her birthmark on it? Why did he have the same mark? Were they related somehow?

No…

Amari didn’t recall having any other siblings other than Lamont.

“Memories?” She asked, lifting her tri-coloured eyes to meet his with a questioning gaze. Her anger had all but subsided, and had been replaced with an agonising curiosity. “Do I know you?”

[Lucifer]

Lucifer nodded “Yes, memories. Your real family is waiting for you, but they can wait”

Lucifer was very pleased with their progress at this point “I have yet to reach my zenith yet. But when I do, I think I’ll pay Mr, Lichensith Ulroke a visit.”

“Is that a threat?”

He could almost feel the intense anger radiate from her in those few words. She was so loyal to this Master of hers. It was both comical and sad.

Lucifer considered her question “Hmm, think of it, as retribution. I’m not a forgiving person, and I will have my vengeance”

His words seemed to spark something within Amari. In one swift motion she had ripped off her gloves and forced herself onto him, knocking him to the floor. Straddling his lap. Lucifer laid there still with a sly grin on his face as she jumped at him instinctively.

“If you dare lay a fuckin’ finger on my Master. I will rip that smirk clean off your face.” Her hands found their way to his wrists and he could feel the corruption seethe from her palm and pierce his mortal flesh, his spirit however, welcoming this feeling.

Small burns erupted from his skin, they continued. His skin bubbled and cracked and he began to laugh deranged, as the pain spread through his body, it was as if it had been burned alive, but of course he had that same power. "So that's what it feels like" He groaned under his breath as he laughed.

Then, as quickly as it had begun, the pain began to subside - and the angry red glow shifted to a golden one, as she healed the wounds she inflicted onto him.

“Consider that a fuckin’ warning.” She hissed. “I don’t care what you know about me, how or even why. I will fucking destroy your body and have your soul wither away if you hurt him.”

Lucifer would have retaliated if it were anyone else, but he wouldn’t hurt Amari. “Both healing and corruption, now that, is an interesting show of events. Unsurprising, I suppose” He gazed carefully into her eyes “After all, you still posses that superfluous shade of gold, though it’s rather modicum right now isn’t it.” He raised an eyebrow at her “Consider myself warned.” He tilted his head briskly “Now may I get up?”

[Mari]

“Corruption? The hell...” Amari shook her head, not entirely understanding his words. The man could have been speaking an entirely different language. He frustrated her. It felt like he knew everything about her, and she, nothing about him.

Her emotions were a cascade, a whirlwind of confusion and anger. Both fighting for control. “Gold?” She questioned. “My eyes always have been that colour. The hell do you care!?” She picked him up by his shirt and slammed him into the ground. Her response was an amused laugh. He reached out and brushed fallen tendrils of scarlet hair behind her ear. Amari quickly withdrew.

“Don’t fuckin’ touch me.”

He laughed again, requesting that she move off him. Amari complied, standing, but as he went to lift himself up Amari planted her foot on his chest. “Heed the warning well, Lucifer.” Amari stepped off him.

Lucifer picked himself still wearing a shit eating grin as he dusted himself off. “I’d say that went rather smoothly.”

He has a damn odd sense of what 'smoothly' means Amari thought to herself.

“Whatever. I’m done here.“ Amari muttered as she straightened her jacket. “Lucifer, was it.” She gave him a final once over. It was clear he wasn’t going to give her any more information. He was just baiting her, but - like the curious fool she was...she fell for it. Hook, line, and sinker. She didn’t want to just let him go, no - that’d be a waste, but she knew that their abrupt and messy meeting was at an end.

“But -” She paused. “We’re not done, I want more information. How would one contact you?” She bought her fingers to her mouth and gave a loud, shrill, whistle.

A Raven fluttered in through a small, high, open window. It landed on her shoulder and affectionately nipped at her hair. Amari rose her hand and ran a finger along it’s head. “Messenger bird suit you?” The raven cawed indignantly. “Right. Sorry. Will Altissia suit you?”

[Lucifer]

Lucifer cocked his head as a raven flew in onto her shoulder, and seemed to caress her lovingly “Oh yes, messenger bird works quite well.” He put his fingers to his mouth and whistled but it wasn’t a regular whistle, it was somewhat silent, or rather too high pitched to hear for common ears.

Another raven flew into the tavern, this one with black feathers of gleaming crimson, and bright red eyes which pierced the soul. The raven landed on his shoulder, its talons digging deeply into his skin. “Look out for the dusk ravens, they’re most commonly used by our order. This one’s name, is Life. He’s the one with the white talons”

Lucifer pet his dusk raven tenderly with a single finger, gently massaging it under its feathers with the tip of his finger. “You can find one of our meeting places in the outlands. If you’re brave enough to search the jungles of Dheathain, that is. It will have the same mark as the one on that medallion, it’s hard to miss.”

“Alta” He chimed, causing the Raven to fly off. Lucifer clapped his hands and rubbed them together as if the cold was getting to him. “It’s rather chilly in these parts isn’t it.” He was sure that she would contact him soon, she had many questions for him.

He began to walk out of the tavern, stopping just before he passed her. “Oh, one more thing. When the sun sets and the sky is lit in all its twilight beauty, the lonely raven sings its last song.”

“The fuck kind of dumb ass shit is-”

Lucifer cut her off as he leant in close to whisper in her ear “I’ll be waiting for you, A-ma-ri” He wore his favourite grin once again as he continued out the door of the tavern one exuberant step at a time, leaving behind the rotted mess he had caused earlier.

Amari called out after him, asking why he knew her dead name, but Lucifer didn’t respond. He just chuckled at her confusion. She’d learn everything, all in due time.