Lucifer had seen this dream before. He sat on a giant throne, in a hall of white marble inlaid with gold inscriptions, decorated with patterns and designs he had never seen elsewhere. When he glanced to his right, he saw another throne alongside his own, while either side of them were golden bowls in which flames danced and flickered. Ahead, a group of people kneeled before him in silence. Whether they were Hateful or human, he wasn't sure. They were always veiled, dressed in elegant silk gowns, never moving. Lucifer would sometimes wonder if they even breathed, staring at them with concern, wondering if this was what he truly wanted. As he considered this, he observed the rest of the room, noting its rows of solid stone columns. It reminded him of Heaven's Gate in Greyr, but there was one major difference between it and this place: the tendril of darkness that twisted between the stone columns.

  It was a strange entity, if one could even call it that, like a long formless basilisk, never once breaking away from its established path. Yet its presence filled him with anxiety, because it was the first sign that she was coming. At once, Lucifer rose to his feet, wondering where she was. He then walked down a few steps from his throne, hearing a soft hum in the air, followed by the heavenly singing of a choir, a beautiful sound, a sweet lullaby that disguised sinister intent. Its purpose was to sedate him, compel him to sit back and relax, revel in the dream. That was how Hateful Dreams got you. They presented a gripping fantasy, granting you your greatest wishes, hiding among your deepest fears. Knowing this, Lucifer stepped onto the flat marble surface, one question remaining on his mind.

  Where is she?

  His subjects were still kneeling, their faces shrouded in golden masks that betrayed little. Once he was close enough, they would disappear like shimmers in water. Knowing this didn't prevent the shudder of fear that arose once he watched them go. Nothing remained but the marble columns and the shadow that moved in between them. Even the thrones were gone. Amid the gentle hum of the choir, Lucifer was sure there was something else, a faint chuckling. By instinct, he held out his right hand and tried to tap into one of his Blessings, knowing that they never worked here. He was at the mercy of the dream.

  'I know you're there,' he said, tensing as he noticed the flames taking on a violet and crimson tinge, while the shadow stirred beyond. Lucifer bristled in anticipation, bracing himself for what was coming.

  'Come out,' Lucifer provoked, trying to keep the fear out of his voice as he focused ahead. 'The dream always ends the same way.'

  'Does it now?' a male voice retorted, paralysing Lucifer as his lips parted in awed recognition. He had never heard it in his dreams before, but there was no denying what it was. Its tone was unmistakable.

  It was the voice from within.

  Upon realising this, Lucifer willed himself to relax, struggling to manage the fear that threatened to overwhelm him. He squeezed his fists in defiance, baring his teeth as he forced himself to step forward.

  'I will face you!' he said. 'I will become a god!'

  Little eased him as he moved, his legs threatening to buckle beneath him. Again, he tried to call upon his power, watching as a new being formed a few feet away from him. It was a muscular male figure, one with milk-white skin like his own, except that crimson markings marred it like tattoos. A violet and crimson flame enveloped his frame while his long hair flickered upward in the same colours, as though gravity no longer applied to it. Lucifer felt nothing but terror as it stepped towards him, its beaming red eyes regarding him.

  'Will you now?' the being said, its mouth unmoving despite speaking with the voice's tone. 'An interesting choice of words that you always seem to fall back on.'

  The being paused, staring knowingly.

  'Tell me,' the voice said, 'do you use them to conceal your fear?'

  The being gestured to its right, revealing the woman Lucifer had expected. She moved with elegant poise, placing one foot just beyond the other while making her way towards Lucifer. Her legs revealed themselves with each step, unveiling beautiful tanned skin. Her body was shrouded in a single piece of white silk, stretching over her forehead as a hood, appearing much like the subjects had before. It was a meagre covering, leaving a gap in the middle that failed to conceal her sex, barely covering her breasts. In her left hand, she held a golden key, while her face was hidden behind a golden mask covered in intricate black patterns.

  'You,' Lucifer said, not disguising his disdain as his eyes flickered between the being and her. If such a response bothered her, she didn't show it, continuing to step towards him as though she were unhurried. That was understandable. After all, they were in her realm.

  'No, not her realm,' the voice said, turning Lucifer's attention back to him. 'Mine…'

  The woman reached Lucifer and moved in a seductive dance, using him to spin and pivot while drawing herself closer. Her hands brushed his neck, while the inside of her thighs almost touched his sides. She even seemed to gasp in pleasure when she brought her face closer to his, yet Lucifer willed himself to focus on the manifestation standing just beyond them. She always did this, and she always changed afterward.

  'What are you?' he asked, addressing the being before him.

  'Someone who has been watching you,' it said. 'Waiting.'

  'Waiting for what?' Lucifer asked.

  The being smiled. 'To finally make the choice, to destroy him,' it said.

  Lucifer didn't need to ask who "him" was. It was obvious. Whoever the being was, whoever the voice was, they shared the same goal.

  But why do I tremble in his presence?

  Lucifer turned his gaze towards the woman, standing in front of him with one hand clutched onto his jacket while the other grasped the key.

  'Who are you?' he asked her in a whisper. The woman didn't reply, only continuing to stare at him as though he awed her. It was the prelude to her transformation. Soon, that key would turn into a knife. All around them, wisps of violet and crimson circled them, while the being stepped forward, holding out his arms.

  'Your ascension,' it said, stepping to Lucifer's right side. 'And where I correct my mistake.'

  Lucifer turned his gaze back towards the woman, noting that her elegant white dress became a tattered black, while her once perfect skin tore and bled. Blood trickled from the bottom of her mask like thick red tears, while in her outstretched hand she held the golden knife. This was always how she changed. This was always how the dream ended.

  'It begins now,' the being said, his voice a faint whisper.

  'It begins now,' Lucifer repeated, and then the woman plunged the blade deep into his chest.

  Lucifer awoke afterward, the absolute whiteness of his dream replaced by a room that was scantly lit by the light that penetrated through his curtains.

  My room, he thought, relieved because of this, settling back on his bed before realising that he had been sweating, his sheets cold and damp. Lucifer threw his quilt away from his body, swinging his legs to his left so that he was sitting by the edge of his bed, hunched forward and exhausted. He stayed there for a few minutes, resting his elbows on his knees and his head on his hands. He contemplated trying to sleep again, before choosing against it and rising to his feet. His dream would not wait for him.

  Is it my dream, though? Or his?

  Lucifer considered that, remembering when the voice first emerged. Originally, he had taken it as his own, whispering his desires. The more he listened to it, however, the more he realised it was something else, something that existed within. Until today, it had never shown a physical form.

  I wish I could ask Ven about it, he thought, ruing Hela's decision to send her away. Lucifer then wondered why Hela had not visited him. Surely she knew what he had done? He didn't doubt that humanity would talk about him now, yet his mind still lingered on Ven, desiring her comforting presence and her listening ear. The voice was growing and changing. He understood that now.

  But what does it mean? he wondered. What does it want?

  If you're already beginning to question me, the voice said, speaking as though it had been listening to his thoughts, listen to the symphony surrounding you. Listen as your kind suffers…

  Lucifer heard them, a chorus of agonised moaning, accompanied by a cacophony of walls being struck like booming drums. Knowing where this would lead, he stepped towards the wardrobe, his legs threatening to buckle beneath him as he held out his arms for balance. Time was short. If the noise continued, it would set off all the Hateful within the tower. Lucifer moved, putting on his clothes before heading towards the door and stepping out of his room.

  He emerged into a dimly lit corridor, whose candles always appeared on the verge of guttering out. They never did. Not wishing to waste a second, Lucifer steered himself to the right, not doubting who had begun all the noise. A few doors down, his suspicions were confirmed, as he heard the source of the moaning accompanying the struck walls. Listening for a moment and despising the guilt that rose from within, Lucifer sighed before raising his fist to the door and knocking on it. An abrupt silence met him.

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  'Galli, can I come in?' he asked in a hushed voice, listening for any kind of response. Lucifer knew Galli would never answer him verbally. He couldn't. He was one of the Hateful that the humans called "More Cursed". The label infuriated him, but he needed to discipline his mind and remain calm. Despite being More Cursed, the likes of Galli and all the other non-verbal Hateful possessed a keen sense of feeling emotions. After a few seconds passed, Lucifer knocked once more, praying that Galli gave him some kind of sign. Yet nothing came but tortured whimpering, a shifting sound that showed that Galli was rocking, no doubt hitting himself like all the less fortunate Hateful did.

  'Are you alright, Galli?' he asked, knowing that it was a stupid question. Even if all his kind suffered, the likes of Galli suffered more. Lucifer opened the door with some hesitation, glancing into the barely lit room. A Hateful man sat on his bed, cross-legged, rocking back and forth while tapping himself on the head, uttering a constant humming sound. Galli was trying to control himself. Guessing that he had just wanted someone to see him, Lucifer stepped into the room, while Galli started hitting himself a little harder. Lucifer, however, made no move to stop him. There was no point in doing so. The likes of Galli seemed to find catharsis in performing this action.

  Lucifer then listened to see if anyone else was making any sound, relieved to hear only a few more muffled moans. He decided he would visit the others, but not before he closed the door behind him, causing Galli to pause. It was then his fellow Hateful turned his attention towards him, staring with horrified eyes.

  Oh no…

  White phantasms rose from the floor, writhing ghouls and spirits that called towards Lucifer.

  Leave!

  Bleed!

  Die!

  'Galli,' Lucifer said, relieved that his fellow Hateful had chosen an Illusionary trick as he stepped over the writhing spirits, watching them as they lashed at him with claws and sharp teeth. The spirits weren't real. Lucifer was just glad that out of the four Blessings, Galli had chosen the one least likely to cause any more noise. Unlike the likes of himself, the More Cursed of his kind seemed to possess an abnormal amount of power with the Blessings, unable to restrain themselves in any capacity. Had he chosen the likes of the Transformative and the Elemental...well, urgency was still important, and Lucifer needed to act quickly before Galli changed his mind.

  With that in mind, he glanced at the floor alongside Galli's bed, seeing a soft toy of a blue-tongued dragon lying on it and figuring that had caused his distress. They were sapphire scaled beasts that possessed a white belly and two sets of wings, used for small parties to travel around Ethero. Lucifer took it in his hand before holding it out towards Galli as more illusions tried to kill him.

  'I've got it; it's here,' he whispered. The illusions all around him faded while Galli turned and regarded the toy as though it amazed him.

  'It's alright,' Lucifer said, moving to assure him as he reached the toy towards Galli, 'I'm—'

  Before Lucifer finished his sentence, Galli swung a hard fist into his face, sending Lucifer flying into the wall before tumbling to the floor. Freezing, Lucifer remained still, holding himself as his face throbbed in pain, praying that the noise didn't ignite chaos. A few seconds passed, and no other moans joined the others. Lucifer allowed himself to breathe in a sigh of relief then, before moving to get up as he regarded Galli. His fellow Hateful seemed more relaxed now, rocking back and forth while clutching the soft toy in his hands.

  'I wasn't going to steal it,' Lucifer mumbled as he rose, knowing that he still needed to calm the others. He dusted himself off then, stepping towards the door and opening it, before turning to look back at Galli once more, his expression saddening.

  'I will end this, Galli,' he said. 'I will end our suffering, once and for all.'

  It took an hour before Lucifer was done with the others. Unlike Galli, they had been simple to calm. The Illusionary Blessing worked wonders if used in such a way, even if it was often used to strike horror into others.

  Sometimes, the Blessings do not need to inflict harm, Lucifer thought, now standing alone in the corridor, looking at the staircase that led to the rooftop. He contemplated his next move before tapping into his Blessing as a Physical. He focused on enhancing his muscle density rather than size, wanting only access to speed before he opened the door and bolted up the stairs.

  The Blessing made quick work of the climb, bringing Lucifer all the way to the very top of Tower 2 before he emerged onto the rooftop. There the freezing cold of constant darkness met him, while the wind swirled around him, as though reproaching him for entering its territory. Lucifer paid it no mind, allowing his Blessing to fade as he made his way towards the edge of the tower and crouched, perching on the ledge. His long hair fluttering, he turned his gaze towards the city of metal and its four other districts, the fifth in which he stood being scorned just as much as the race that occupied it.

  It's not just here though, it's every city in Ethero, Lucifer thought, remembering Kyrios before forcing his mind away from it. Those memories were not worth revisiting. He turned his attention to the rest of the city, recognising the slums of Rai in front of him, west of the city. Beyond that there was the vast black ocean, while to Exia's south was the industrial district of Seraphu. It comprised rows upon rows of warehouses, while the Dragonport and library resided in the furthest reaches of the district. Beyond them and surrounding the Anubi District to the east were the open plains that led towards the Darklands of Ethero. No one knew how far it stretched, nor what existed within it. As far as anyone was aware, there was only the other three major cities, Kyrios, Dynames, and Virtue, and even fewer knew where to find them. Though he had braved the journey between Kyrios and Exia himself, Lucifer knew that little existed in the darkness between. He cast a quick glance towards the Divinity Highway, which circled the entirety of Exia before branching off towards the other four districts.

  So few places to spread my message, he thought, knowing that the Carnal Sector in Anubi and the hidden Dreamhouses would be the best places to go next, considering how late it probably was. It was an infamous collection of buildings that were known for offering humans the opportunity to indulge in a variety of unique pleasures. They were legalised Dreamhouses in essence, coupled with whorehouses and many bars. It was a popular area within Exia. While he had no intention of ever visiting the place the idea of Dreamhouses intrigued him.

  "Have you ever considered how we suffer?" He heard Diana's voice in his mind as he cast his eyes towards the Rai District, considering.

  'No, I have not,' he admitted, 'but I've always wondered why you humans destroy yourselves. Why you intoxicate your minds and pursue pleasure. If I was to understand why, would it help my cause?'

  Lucifer turned towards the Anubi District, which was east of the city but expanded to the north towards Exia Mountain. From there resided the final district of the four the humans cared about, Greyr, which sat just before Exia Mountain began. It was the most beautiful of all Exia's districts, covered with stone columns built on top of slabs of stone atop the metal surface. Heaven's Gate was there, the monument that served as the meeting place of the Council, where they conferred with the Divinity. The prospect of meeting him filled Lucifer with anticipation, stirring him towards action. He needed Exia to acknowledge him as a legitimate challenger first. He needed humanity to accept what was coming. Lucifer then cast his eyes down upon the final District of Exia, Orphani. It comprised only the Institute and the open land of metal that surrounded it. Known for being the realm of the Angel that betrayed the Divinity. Lucifer cast his gaze back towards the Rai District as he thought about that, remembering Diana's words as he considered his next move.

  If I understood human suffering, would that change anything?

  He listened for the voice, hearing no response. He didn't feel its presence at all. Shrugging his shoulders while rising to his feet, Lucifer tapped into his Blessing as a Transformative, summoning black feathered wings on his back before launching himself off Tower 2.

  My dream has begun, but I feel I must do this before proceeding.