Death's Daughter

Chapter Sixty One: A Visit From Hell

Am I insane? Am I utterly bonkers? No Raven, now is not the time to be doubting yourself. Then again, if I wasn't doubting myself, I wouldn't be sat on the endless plains in the underworld.

It's quiet here. For a place full of death, you'd think it would always be quiet. Sadly, there's always a few souls crying out to be rescued, or some crap like that. They don't realise how fortunate they are to even be able to do that, most souls down here don't even know who they are anymore.

That's the problem with humans. They never appreciate anything. Not life, not death. Ungrateful beings if you ask me. I still hate the thought that I fell for one. Like father, like daughter I suppose.

Oh this is hopeless! Even when it's quiet I can't think!

"Struggling Raven?" A voice says behind me.

Immediately, I turn around and I am met with the fire blazing eyes of Lucifer.

"I didn't think the plains of the dead were to your liking Lucifer. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"I believe it is I that can help you. My son seemed rather distressed after his meeting with you"

"I'd hardly call it a meeting" I say, rolling my eyes.

"To me Raven, you are very much the same child I met all those years ago in Hell. You haven't changed at all"

"I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't call me a child. My father doesn't see me that way"

"Your father has seen many things in all his years. But one thing he could not bare was seeing both his children grow up. You are still a child in his eyes, as Leonardo is in mine"

"Children don't go to war"

"But children pretend they do. Raven, has your father ever spoken to you about this war?"

"No. He trusts me to handle it"

"Wars cause a lot of death and destruction you know. Are you sure this is necessary?"

"Yes I am sure. I don't appreciate you undermining my judgment. I've had other gods do the same, and I do not need to be treated like a child. You may think, compared to all the years you and my father have been around, I am a child in comparison. However, age is just a number. And you of all people know that in this profession, you need to grow up quickly"

"Yes, but I often wonder whether your father was too soft with you"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, I just find it rather strange that he hasn't confronted you about this war when he's spoken to me about it"

"He's spoken to you about it?" I ask, shocked. Lucifer puts his hands in his pockets as he simply stares at me, nodding.

"Yes he has. You may think he trusts you Raven, but I'm not sure he entirely does"

"Are you saying my father has doubts in me?"

"Everyone has doubts in people Raven. You have doubts in the Angel Goddess don't you?"

"What? Of course I don't!"

"See, I would be inclined to believe you if I hadn't heard off Leo how you berated the girl for wanting to keep her child"

"Surely as the god of hell, you agree her giving birth to a demon is just a disaster waiting to happen!"

"I could say the same for your brothers child"

"That is completely different, I solved that problem"

"And you couldn't solve this one the same way?"

Is he suggesting I'm being too rushed in my decision to be rid of the child? No, surely that is the only feasible solution. What else could I do? I can't risk the child of the vampire king to be born after all.

"No. I couldn't. Are you not telling me something, Lucifer"

"Raven, there's a 50% chance that the child does not belong to your enemy. And there's also a 50% chance that the child will be born out of pure love"

"I don't like those odds Lucifer"

"You're scared Raven. Admit it, you're scared because you don't really know how to handle the situation. Destroying everything isn't the answer"

"I am not scared! I will be the future goddess of the underworld, I know exactly what I'm doing"

"So you intended to push your close friends away?"

Push them away? Is that what I'm doing? No, I'd never aim to harm my friends... would I?

"This is just a small setback. Things will fix themselves soon enough"

"Raven this isn't a typical argument with your friends. You threatened to kill Ally's future child. Do you not understand how scared she is?"

"Like I said, it's just a setback"

"You can't treat your friends like tools for you to use whenever you want. They have feelings. I have never seen Leo so angry with you before in my life, but that is exactly what he is feeling right now"

"Leo's really angry with me?"

"Indeed. He's so angry that he offered to take on torture duty"

This is bad. Leo hates torturing souls. It's just not who he is. Sure he is a demon, and he can be intimidating when he wants to, be he gave up all the torturing when he was little.

"Do you understand now Raven? This won't be a situation that will fix itself. You need to fix this"

"Well what do you suggest I do?"

"For starters, console Ally. And get the idea of terminating her child out of your head. It is her body, and if she wants this child, she is entitled to keep it"

"And then what do I do?"

"Cancel this stupid war"

"What?"

"Raven you don't need a war to solve your problem with the vampire king. All you need to do is put him in his place"

"With all due respect Lucifer, I think my age has biased your judgment on this whole war. The vampire king is dangerous, and the only way I can put him in his place is to strike him down in front of those that think highly of him. So I will take your advice and apologise to Ally and Leo, but this war will be happening. Whether you or my father wants it to or not"

Lucifer silently stares at me for a few minutes, the fire glowing brightly in his eyes. He finally sighs before he resumes speaking.

"I hope you know what you're doing Raven"

And with that, he is gone in a puff of red smoke.