"I need a favour." His silky voice was still the same like the last time but what had me stunned were his words. It never crossed my mind that he would ever say that, especially to a human like me. I must be dreaming or it is one of his cunning jokes to easily fall in. I scoffed but something told me that he means it this time serious. That gaze he gave and the way how he sat on the stool, nothing was amiss or unusual. Everything around me at the bar looked as it should. This is a dream or I'm already drunk after a glass of whiskey on the rocks. I laughed to his words. "That's a good one!"
His expression remained as before as he slowly revealed a bright crystal ball in his hand. The white light within looked similar to electricity only it moved slower and the light was smooth. I felt an urge to have it in my hands and reached after it but he rapidly made it vanish into thin air. "This is your soul."
My mind gathered the words he said. "You're serious?" I wondered cautious with confusion.
He grinned at me broadly as I used to know him. "What do you think? Now that I have your attention, Miss Walker. I need a favour and in return you will get your soul back."
I stared at him speechless.
"The reason is I want to speak with my Father who call you him by the name 'God'. But in order to reach him I must pass multiple tasks, among them is giving a human a second chance willingly from both sides."
"That can't be all." Rolled out of my lips before I could gather my thoughts. Rapidly clasped a hand over my mouth.
He raised an eyebrow of doubt. "What makes you think that?"
"You are not known for giving a second chance in this way, especially returning my cursed soul. Secondly, amongst one of many tasks is to just hand over a soul, are you sure it only requires that? Just simply handing over my soul in a willingly fashion from both sides? If I may ask, why do you want to speak with your Father now after all this time?" I tried to explain my thoughts. From what I've learned of Christianity, Father and Lucifer hated each other hence I would expect an impossible chance to talk.
He grinned and his dark eyes flickered. "Your intellect is refreshing, miss Walker." He gave a short laugh. "I can't believe I'm saying this but-" He sighed and looked deeply into my eyes. "Let us make another deal, I'll answer your question and you will possess your own soul."
I grinned, the deal sounds good and my curiosity is going onto his nerves. "Deal."
"Lovely, as to your question. It is a personal matter that I thought time might ease and hence dissolve alas it hasn't. As you've heard me correctly there are multiple tasks that I must fulfill to enable to see my Father and one of them is simply handing over a human's soul back to it's rightful owner." He revealed the crystal containing my soul. "So here it is."
"What if I don't want it, yet?" I wondered.
"Then I'll take another human for heaven's sake!" His dark eyes burned blood red.
He's serious. "I will take it but since you changed the favour into a deal it must be changed back." I smirked. "I will take the favour if you allow me to help you facing the other tasks."
His hands were balled into fists and his eyes burned in anger. "This is your lucky night, miss Walker." He rose from his stool. "Then I'll keep you soul safe with me."
"As always." I grinned and followed him once he and I were out of the pub. "So, what is your next task if I had taken my soul without question?"
He grunted with dislike and paced off. "Retrieving the lost sword of Richard the Lionheart."
"Never heard of a missing sword of Richard the Lionheart. I rather tend to associate with the legend of Arthur with Excalibur."
"It's not the same!" He hissed. "Why do you want to help me? You're going on my nerves!" He looked at me in rage what appeared fierce in the night with his glowing red eyes. Now I can see why many people described him as a red figure with horns, hooves and a tail along with white sharp teeth. Although he appears in the light and at first glance a simple human with dark eyes and shoulder long wavy red hair. That explains why people in the middle ages believed those with red hair are witches or connected to the devil.
"It was an opportunity." I answered.
"To what?" He gripped my hand and looked deeply into my eyes as if trying to read my mind.
"To see the truth between you and your Father, why you were cast off from heaven."
He stared at me wide-eyed and speechless. I blinked at him surprised of his reaction. Quickly he collected himself and smirked with a scoff. "You're just trying to fool me and if it is the truth then it won't make a difference, you're just a human, one of Father's silly creations." He let's go of my wrist and paces off with a grunt. "Try keeping up with me, mortal." He hissed.
Without a word I followed him but I sensed that he and I weren't walking in the world that I know. This is a different world, something beyond life that many people know. Suddenly an icy cold gust of wind blew against me and heard whispers that I couldn't understand. "What-what is this place?"
"This world has many names. I call it the world of the restless souls. Here are all the souls that couldn't let go of their lives that they lived and decided to continue as ghosts." Explained Lucifer.
"And Richard the Lionheart resides here?" I wondered while looking around me with caution. I felt like being watched and made sure I stay close to him.
"I fear so." His voice was calm and I sensed sorrow in his tone.
"What is she doing here? You don't belong here. Return from whence you came! Leave this place. She's one of the living!" I heard voices around me whispering and others shouting.
Suddenly a cold hand gripped my wrist. I looked up. A middle aged man in chain mail with a white tunic and a helmet looked down at me. In his cold grip I sensed that he could be some kind of king and was a successful warrior in battles. He spoke to me in a language that I didn't understand but guessed that he wanted to know why I am here. For no reason I felt absolutely sure he wondered about that and nothing else. "I am here to help. We are searching for Richard the Lionheart, we have a few questions to ask." I spoke in modern English without thinking that he won't understand a single word.
In his eyes I saw clearly he understood what I meant. Is it true what many mediums have said about the communication to this world? There is no blockage of the language but almost telepathic in it's special way. He began to grin and spoke in a friendly manner. He is Richard the Lionheart also known as Richard I, King of Brittany. He was curious to what questions I have. I asked him of his sword and its location. His response was that it can only be seen with help of the moon, it lies on the northern side of the sea that up holds everything, not far from Jerusalem. In his language it sounded like a riddle, I wonder do all ghosts talk like that? Suddenly he held with both hands mine and looked into my eyes. "You have a fair and pure heart. Leave now while you still can for there is a destiny in store for you. Hard times will come and you must remain strong and true. When the hardest time meets listen to your heart!" Before I had the chance to ask he vanished into thin air.
"They always have to talk in riddles." Whispered a voice close to my ear. I jumped of fright and turned to see who whispered. It was Lucifer, he smirked at me. "Scaredy cat. Found anything?"
"I found him, Richard the Lionheart. He told me where sword is."
"Lovely, then let us get going."
"Don't you want to know where it is or did you eavesdrop all this time?" I gave annoyed with crossed arms.
Suddenly he stood in front of me, face to face and smirked. "You should know me by now." He whispered and brushed few hairs off my shoulder. I gasped to his suddenly closeness. He scoffed and walked off.
Quickly I shook my head to get rid of that feeling and followed him. Within every step the air became warmer and drier, suddenly my feet were treading through golden sand. High in the sky burned the sun with its hot blazes down to the ground. I never liked summer for exactly this reason, the burning sun is too much. I wanted to ask but the environment says it clear where we are but where is the sea? "On the northern side of the sea that up holds everything. The sea that up holds everything." I pondered. "Ships have their own design to float, so it can't be the Mediterranean sea. What if-"569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmaLuUsvIv
"It's the Dead sea due to its high salt content. Damn! I should have known!" He muttered angered.
"Where exactly are we-" My sentence got cut off by the sound of guns being fired and bullets whizzing past me.569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6UooSOaRZD
"Down!" Lucifer pushed me to the sandy ground. The shooting ended sudden and my heart was racing up to my throat. I found myself looking into Lucifer's dark brown eyes. They shone with concern, I blinked to be sure it isn't an illusion. Slowly he began to grin and stood up. He offered to me his open hand to help. "We're safe, for now."
I sat up and blinked. Where is this coming from? Hesitantly I took his hand and got to my feet. My heart still continued to race but it wasn't dread as before. I took a deep breath. "Are you alright?" He wondered and stepped a bit closer to me. I quickly nodded and forced a smile. "I'm fine, just a bit shocked after what just happened." Immediately I spotted the sea almost as black as the night. "Is that the Dead sea?"
"As recited on the northern side. All we have to do is wait until it gets dark but luckily it is past six in the evening."
"Great." I gave sarcastically. "Waiting here in the middle of a desert is very entertaining. Even if it is for a couple of hours." I sighed. "I'm confused, where are the people who shot at us?"
He laughed. "They didn't disappear, you and I did."
I stared at him baffled.
"Don't be so surprised, it's one of my abilities all along. Remember on our first encounter?"
How can I forget? I remember that night as if it only happened yesterday. He was charming and appealing in every word with his silky smooth voice and smirk. Sitting across the table and took the last sip of the whiskey that I paid. He said nothing but his dark eyes did. He can give me success in every part of my life with money, fame or even love. My inner voice told me to take this man serious but the drunken part of me doubted it all, it is all play to boast or even to take advantage of me. With a drunken voice and manner I demanded him to scram and get out of my sight. He laughed and denied. Noting he senses a deep desire within me calling out to him. "The world lacks of respect in every way, don't you want to regain that respect? Especially as a woman it is hard to receive in this society and even more in your profession as a journalist. How about I'll give you all the respect you wanted and as a bonus success in that profession?"
At the time and in my drunken state it was very tempting but was a fool not have asked for the price. The moment I shook my hand with him, I felt doom within my entire body like a dark icy cloth covering me. Lucifer rapidly pricked my thumb for a drop of blood to seal the deal. Before I had the chance to utter his name I found myself waking up at home in bed. Confused whether it was all a dream or not but my pricked thumb had the clear answer that it really did happen.
"Why did you come to me that night?"
"You seemed like a challenge at the time." He smirked.
"Huh, and now returning my soul seems like a challenge to you?" I doubted his answer.
"Why not? Doubt all you want, it won't do any good."
"Being dishonest with me is the same." I hissed.
Suddenly he stood before me very close with a smile. "Temper, temper. You want honesty from me? Then you shall have it." He whispered and held up my hand where he once pricked my thumb. "Your intuition is on the spot for a human like you. On that night I knew the moment I saw you that you were different than all the others. I saw clearly your desire and I offered it to you but you refused what had me surprised. No human can surprise me but you. As I tasted your blood to seal the deal I sensed that you have few special abilities what not every human has. One of them was what you sensed in the world of the restless souls, you felt a connection to them and called out for Richard without uttering his name."
I stared at him speechless.
He sniggered. "You only remember my second offer but not the first that you refused."
"What was it?" I whispered in awe.
"To find love."
I stared at him wide-eyed.
"Don't you remember? I was staring at you like you do now."
I shook my head slowly while trying to recall the moment. Is he lying or telling the truth? I looked into his eyes, hoping to find a clear answer. His dark brown eyes told me he wouldn't have offered any sort of love but his personally.569Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gvk24xgcV
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