Satasha was proud of her accomplishment. Apart from Zeta and Shettsu, everyone seemed to believe that the one in front of them was Satasha. Keno, on the other hand, had a lot of suspicion about it, yet he seemed indifferent.
The real Satasha was buried within. Once she had control over her body, now it belonged to another. Indeed, she was the vessel, yet she craved her freedom. No two souls could live in one body, so she waited. First, she had to make her thoughts and feelings separated from the other so she could scheme its downfall. She was now an observer, studying the one that had forcibly took her as a vessel. So, instead of throwing tantrums like she did first, she was awfully quiet, trying to push her consciousness further away from the other one, appearing almost undetected. She had to see which powers belonged to her and which were the other's. If there's anything she learned from Kronos, it's that the best move you can make when you face an unknown opponent is to study them.
During the trial, she saw how the other crafted the lies and woven it to be the truth; admirable, she thought. But if she learned anything from this experience, it's that she could send undetectable signals to Mika while the other was trying to take over the spell. Mika sensed the error because of her; if she didn't try to test her abilities, he wouldn't have known that he lost control. Surprisingly, the other didn't sense anything. She could see his thoughts and heart resonating as hers, yet she isolated herself from him. The other is underestimating her capabilities, and that is the advantage she's going to have. The safest way to win is to play it dumb and act like she had always did: an impulsive and eager to prove herself to others. This characteristic, which she feigned from the beginning, gained her a favor of doing things that none would believe she did. She had to change this thing, but it takes a while; fortunately, she had all the time in the world now.
...
[After Satasha and Lucifer departed]
Satasha: "So where are we heading?"
Lucifer/Shettsu: "We need to stop the uprising of the other clans; thus, we are going to offer new terms to ensure peace and prosperity."
Satasha: "Which tribe are we going to first?"
Lucifer/Shettsu: "The east. I heard your physical body is not in a good shape, so we're traveling on foot."
Satasha (annoyed): "Ugh... that's so tiring!"
Lucifer didn't reply.
Satasha (continuing): "Wait, aren't we going to use a port gate either way? Why don't we just skip to the eastern tribe?"
Lucifer: "We are going to use a port gate to transmit us to the east, but the eastern tribe isn't just one tribe that's located in a specific area. Have you forgotten? There are fifteen tribes that are ruled by the Dragon tribe."
Satasha shrugged and sighed, "Why didn't I eliminate some before my downfall? Now I have to pay all of them a visit! That's so infuriating."
Lucifer was ahead of her. He made a port gate that could transmit them to the border of the eastern tribe region. They crossed the gate, and there Ranku was waiting for them.
Lucifer: "Tell me what news you've gathered."
Ranku: "Good news: not all of them were involved in the attack the other day. It was only five tribes."
Lucifer: "And the bad news?"
Ranku: "They may or may not be dead."
Lucifer arched his brow. "Someone wants to silence them. Any lead about that?"
Ranku showed a torn cloth. "One of the victims was holding on to it."
Satasha snatched it from him, examining it.
Ranku: "Hey, that's not for you."
Satasha: "This fabric is made of silk, a high-quality one." She sniffed it, then said, "This fabric has a special aroma." She presented it to Lucifer so he could sniff it too.
Lucifer: "I know this aroma, I smelled it somewhere. Ranku, do you remember what brothel we went to a few weeks ago?"
Ranku: "My lord, I don't memorize all the ones that you visit."
Lucifer (perplexed): "The last one, idiot! The one we investigated at with Satan."
Ranku (remembering): "Oh yeah... That one. What about it?"
Lucifer: "Pay them a visit and search for a man that goes by the Butcher. See if he had made any transactions there lately."
Ranku nodded and went to investigate.
Satasha exclaimed, "Who names himself a Butcher! That's so cliché!"
Lucifer: "That's his profession; he sells meat and controls the gateway of the black market in that area."
Satasha: "What's your theory?"
Lucifer: "I think someone wants to cut off all loose ends that lead back to them. The ones who attacked from the east weren't normal citizens of the Dragon tribe; they were rogue mercenaries, and some were bandits, along with the five tribes. My guess is whoever hired the mercenaries has ordered them to eliminate the five tribes that were involved."
Satasha (arrogantly): "Well, I annihilated them on the spot, so none of the hired mercenaries survived."
Lucifer: "I think not all of them went fighting, or some escaped that day."
Satasha: "Then they'd be dead now. If I were the one hiring them, I'd kill them all, not leaving anyone alive."
Lucifer: "That's why we're going to find the bandits; they're our last lead."
Satasha: "Cool! Where to find them then?"
Lucifer: "I have a feeling that they'll find us first."
...
Both of them kept walking east for the next few days. During that time, the one that was possessing Satasha was learning more about the new world and what she had missed during her confinement, while the real Satasha was studying her abilities. She made few efforts to give the other one headaches every now and then, yet her attempts were rather meek and she couldn't shift the control back to her. Even if she did, she wasn't sure if Lucifer would help her out or suppress her back. Zeta wasn't a great choice either. She thought that even Ishtar won't help her; none will except Keno. If anyone hates the one who possessed her more than she does, it would be him. She must make her move when they meet again, just like when she did with Mark.
...
After several days of marching, Satasha was beginning to lose control of her body. The possessor began noticing limping, and the legs grew heavier as the days went by, till one day it stopped while she was walking, and she fell on her face.
Lucifer: "Maybe we should rest here."
Satasha: "I can't move, let me rest here."
Lucifer (mocking): "Does the grass smell nice, or what?"
Satasha (stressed): "I said I can't move! Help me out, would you!"
Lucifer bent down and moved her head to the side.
Satasha (annoyed): "What about the rest of my body?"
Lucifer (snarked): "Well, maybe ask nicely next time. You will be fine like this. I'll gather some wood to start a fire."
Satasha (agitated): "You aren't going to leave me like this? I literally can't move! What if I got kidnapped or a wild animal decided to attack me?"
Lucifer (indifferent): "You'll figure something out if that ever happened." He walked away.
Satasha: "What a jerk!"
After Lucifer went out of sight, she had a very strong headache that made her wince before losing consciousness.
Lucifer came back after ten minutes. He placed the branches near her, saying, "See? Nothing happened to you, you're just as I left you." He heard no response. "What now? You're going to use the silent treatment on me? Let me tell you that won't work. It would be a nice time out from your constant questions." He glanced at her and saw her asleep. He placed his hand worriedly on her forehead and sensed her temperature slightly rising. He examined her pulse and her breathing pattern. She wasn't in good shape.
Lucifer sat down as he sighed. "Great, now I have to carry you around!"
He started a fire near her and covered her with his cape. She was sweating a lot while wincing from pain every now and then.
Lucifer has some knowledge of healing that he learned from his mother and tried to heal her with his power, but it seemed to create no effect whatsoever. He grew restless. Maybe he should take her to the eastern temple to heal her. While he was pondering, Ranku came to report.
Ranku: "My lord, I've successfully located the Butcher, and he confessed after interrogation that he was working with some woman who wore a cloak covering her face every time they met. She gave him a lot of money, so he didn't seem interested in her appearance. He told us she signed a contract with a weapon merchant near the sea, the same merchant that we found dead and his shop burned. She signed her contracts with the initials 'T' and 'M,' as he claimed."
Lucifer (glaring at Satasha): "As expected, it involves them."
Ranku (worried): "What shall we do, my lord?"
Lucifer: "That's not our problem to solve. We'll do what we always do: present the evidence and let them clean their mess."
Ranku: "What about lord Satan?"
Lucifer: "What about him?"
Ranku: "Won't he be implicated?"
Lucifer didn't answer. He shifted his gaze towards the fire and pondered for a moment before ordering, "Go back and report everything to him and only to him. Let's see what he'll say." Ranku nodded and got up. Before he made a port gate, Lucifer said, "Bring some remedies from Mom when you come back."
Ranku: "What kind of remedies, my lord?"
Lucifer: "Whatever suits her condition."
Ranku finally paid attention to her. He asked, "What's wrong with her?"
Lucifer (clueless): "I don't know."
Ranku asked, "Can I examine her?"
Lucifer nodded.
Ranku knelt near her and examined her vitals. He was puzzled. Other than the apparent fever, she had no reason for it to begin with. He looked confused. "I can't figure out why she is in such a state."
Lucifer: "Neither can I, brother, neither can I."
Ranku got up. "I'll do the best that I can to come back fast."
Lucifer kept checking on her temperature, trying to prevent it from rising even further. He guessed the body is rejecting its new host and this vessel is doomed to fail. He spared few thoughts for the new host and focused on the original's state. 'If the original dies, then this body won't serve its purpose,' he thought. Yet, he had no idea how to preserve both of them. 'Where is Zeta when I need him the most?' he thought again. While he was trying to stabilize her temperature, he sensed movements in the trees. The bandits had found them at last, yet he was cornered. If they took hold of her, it would be the endgame. He had to stay near her while fighting. If he moves away, they'll take her as leverage for him to lower his sword.
"Satasha," he whispered as he gently tapped her shoulder. "Wake up, Satasha, I need you to stay alert." He saw no response, only a wince. He sighed, then announced, "Whoever is lurking behind the trees, show yourself. I thought that it's a rude gesture if you kept your guest waiting."
A tall, ripped man walked with heavy paces from behind the trees, saying with a heavy, gravelly voice, "You are not a welcomed guest in these areas, my lord."
That man was a giant; he was at least eight feet tall. He wore a leather armor that barely covered his top chest. His face was scarred, and one of the scars stretched over his eyes. His skin was dark, or rather sooty, and his arms were as large as a tree trunk.
His minions showed up one by one, surrounding Lucifer and Satasha. They were shorter than their leader and more crooked.
The tall man: "I heard that you are looking for me."
Lucifer (sarcastically): "It seems that the news here travels slower than you."
The tall man smirked. "Don't get snarky here now. You better show some respect to me, or you'll end up getting your skull crushed."
Lucifer stood near Satasha. "Well, I admit that it might take some effort to kill you, but nevertheless, you'll end up dead."
The tall man: "I'll show you now why they call me Lu the Mountain."
Lucifer scoffed at him, which led him to run, swinging his large mace at him. The goons attacked him as well. They were twenty against one, yet the odds remained with Lucifer as long as he stays near Satasha. One came carrying small daggers that he kept throwing at Lucifer. He dodged some and sent few away from him. The others came with their swords, swinging at him. He dueled five of them at once. Using his powers, he sent the ones behind him flying away, hitting the trees, while holding off five swords against his. Then came Lu, launching his mace at him. He used his powers again to send those five flying away while he dodged the mace. He rolled away from Satasha. She was now behind Lu, so he couldn't use his powers to push him away; she might get crushed. Lu launched another attack at him; he dodged again. The remaining goons decided to kill Satasha. He used his powers again to air-choke them; he has to keep concentrating, but Lu kept interrupting him. When Lucifer saw that they were away from Satasha, he decided to use full force. Using his ability to tame fire, he made his sword blaze with black flames. It grew longer every time he swung at Lu, injuring him with burning cuts. Lu shrieked, stepping away. When the remaining goons saw their leader is in danger, they came running to attack him. Lucifer was faster and stronger than them; he managed to kill those who dared to attack him. He could've ended them in a minute if it weren't for what he saw. Lu grabbed Satasha from her face, lifting her up; her whole face was covered in his hand.
Lu threatened, "Lower your guard, or I'll crush her skull like a grapefruit."
Lucifer saw that she didn't fight back; she remained unconscious. He started to bargain. "You don't want either of us dead, right? You want to use me as a hostage so you could bargain with whomever you're running away from. Am I right?"
Lu tightened his grip. "Don't get so cocky, boy! I ain't dumb. I am going to kill all of your friends and family to get what I want."
Lucifer stepped closer. "And what do you want?"
Lu (warning): "Take another step, and she dies."
Lucifer raised his hand, surrendering. "You win, I'll lower my sword now. Just let the girl go away safely."
Lu lifted her as if she weighed nothing near his face to get a closer look. "Why? Is she your lover?"
Lucifer didn't know what to do next; in all scenarios, she ends up dead.
Lucifer: "She's a friend from work."
One of the goons who saw her face said, "Boss, she's the one who took all the troops out during that day!"
Lucifer closed his eyes. The worst scenario happened: they recognized her.
Lu: "Are you sure? She doesn't seem harmless at all."
The goon: "I am sure, boss, it's her!"
Lu: "Then she dies to make up for all of our lost brothers." He grabbed her waist so he could snap her in half.
Lucifer warned, "If you kill her, I'll fucking obliterate you."
Lu scoffed. "I'll take that risk."
Lucifer grabbed his sword and walked fast to kill him before he does anything to Satasha. The goons stood in front of their boss, protecting him from the attack. He swung his blazing sword and killed anyone who stood in front of him. Lu was about to snap her in half, but the moment she felt pressure, she opened her eyes and grabbed his hand. With one touch, she managed to infiltrate his skin, controlling every cell in his body. She ordered, "Explode."
Lu felt an immense pain throughout his body. He dropped her on the ground and knelt on his knees, shrieking from pain. Everyone stood looking at him. His eyes burst while the rest of his body shrunk in size, then his head exploded, scattering its pieces everywhere. Everyone stood horrified. They dropped their weapons and started to run. Satasha looked at them and controlled the earth underneath them, making the spot that they stood a quicksand. They screamed for help as they were trying to save themselves. From those who ran, only one had managed to escape the quicksand, not because he was the fastest, but because she wanted him alive. He fell on the ground, crawling away, terrified. But tree roots that were being controlled by her pulled him closer; it wrapped around his body. The goon was screaming, "Please spare me! I'll talk, dammit, I'll talk!" He panicked when he saw her pitch-black eyes. She was walking slowly towards him. Lucifer grabbed her arm, stopping her from killing him. Her demeanor had changed; she was neither Satasha nor the one possessing her. Her eyes were hollowed and her skin was sunken. He was repulsed by her sensation and let her arm go. Satasha produced a shadow spear from her powers and attacked him. Lucifer managed to escape her attack; she was faster and more powerful than him. He barely dodged her next attacks before saying, "Satasha! Snap out of it! It's me, Lucifer."
It made no effect on her. She swung her spear again, striking him; his arm took the hit. He grabbed her spear and pulled her closer to him so he could punch her. Before his punch could reach her, she grabbed his arm and ordered, "Sleep."
A sudden sensation of drowsiness fell upon him. His eyelids started to close involuntarily, his body began to relax. He kept trying to escape her spell, but it seems impossible, until...
Lucifer fell on the ground, panting. His vision was blurry, but he felt a splash of water falling on his face. When his vision focused, he saw Satasha standing in front of him with a sword piercing her heart. She lost consciousness again and fell. Lucifer caught her, panicking. He looked up and saw a hooded figure standing in front of him. Lucifer held her closer to him, protecting her from the potential threat. "Who are you?" he asked hastily.
The hooded figure answered, "Mark."
Lucifer recognized him at once and inquired, "Why did you kill her?"
Mark (calmly): "I didn't. This sword can't kill her; it only stabilizes her for now. When she gains back control, it will disappear."
Lucifer (panicking): "What about the bleeding?"
Mark: "It had stopped! See for yourself."
Lucifer scanned her wound and saw no blood streaming out of it. When he looked up, Mark was already gone. He sat her down on a large tree root and covered her with his cape again. He then walked toward the goon who was trying to break free from the roots that were wrapped around him. Once he saw Lucifer, he begged, "Mercy, please! I have a family to provide! Please, my lord, I'll tell you anything you want to know!"
Lucifer bent over him. The darkness covered his face; only his murderous eyes focused on the man. He spoke softly, "No need to say anything. I'll find out myself." He extended his arm slowly.
The man, panicking, cried, "No, wait! Please wait!" He tried to escape, but the roots were holding him still. He screamed for help, but no one came to his aid.
Lucifer said, "This might hurt a bit."
The man was breathing rapidly, but when Lucifer placed his hand on the man's head, he began screaming in agony. Lucifer gained access to the man's memories and saw the man's boss making transactions with the butcher. He was paid gold ingots and handled goblin-made weapons. The man then was following the butcher in another memory, trying to see their employer. The man caught a glimpse of the mysterious woman. As soon as Lucifer saw her, he let go of the man, cussing, "You fucking idiot! What the hell got into you!"
The man lay exhausted, about to fall unconscious, Lucifer slapped him to wake him up. "Hey, you! Who else knows about the identity of the employer?"
The man, panting, replied, "The northern tribe leader. I heard she is her benefactor."
Lucifer rubbed his neck, trying to calm himself. He sighed, "I'm afraid that you cannot live, buddy! Any last words?"
The man spitefully said, "I pray to God that he'll take what you hold dear and never see happiness in the rest of your pathetic life."
Lucifer, unfazed, replied, "Save me a seat next to you in hellfire, will you?"
Before the man could answer, Lucifer sliced his throat open; blood splattered on his face and covered his hand. Lucifer stood up and went to check on Satasha.
Satasha was still unconscious. The blade had disappeared, yet her fever remained. He wanted to check her vitals, but when he saw his bloody hand, he hesitated.
"Satasha!" He nudged her gently, but she didn't wake up. He knelt near her, trying to heal her fever, one hand on her head and the other holding her hand. He tried to get her fever down a bit, but as soon as he exerted power, Satasha opened her eyes, gasping. She couldn't see who sat next to her, only a shadowy figure. As soon as she caught a glimpse of him, she pushed him away and ran frantically, saying, "Stay away from me! I don't wanna go back there! Stop torturing me!" She managed to take a few steps before tumbling and falling on the ground.
Lucifer worriedly said, "Satasha, it's me." He caught up with her, trying to calm her down, but when he touched her, she winced. "Don't take me there! Don't let them take me again!" she sobbed.
Lucifer tried to embrace her, but she pushed him away, crawling. Her arms then failed her, and she fell on her back, wincing in pain. "Not again!" Tears fell from her eyes silently.
Lucifer spoke softly, "Satasha, it's me, Lucifer."
Satasha stared doubtfully at him. Her breathing pace slowed as she was trying to focus on his face. Once she made sure it was him, she lay flat on her back, trying to calm herself. She covered her eyes with her arm, trying to hide her tears from him.
Lucifer grew worried about her state. "Are you okay?"
Satasha, trying not to choke on her words, said, "Yeah! I just had a bad dream." She tried to pull herself together before he noticed that it was her, not the possessor, who was speaking to him. "What happened while I was out?" she asked.
Lucifer replied, "Not much. You just lost control and tried to kill me."
Satasha opened her eyes and scanned her surroundings. "Who are they?"
Lucifer answered, "Dead bandits."
Satasha saw Lu's body. "I don't reckon this is your doing!"
Lucifer walked toward her, offering his hand to lean on when she got up. "No, it's not."
Satasha hesitated before taking his hand. Once she held his hand, he quickly bent over a bit so he could place his other hand on her back to help her get on her feet smoothly. She didn't thank him; she only nodded before walking away toward the woods.
Lucifer, concerned, said, "You should rest."
Satasha, disgusted, replied, "Not here! The stench is unbearable."
He followed her, trying to catch her if she fell again. She was barely walking, swaying left and right. Every step she made caused her excruciating pain, yet her stubbornness made her walk forward. Her vision began to get weaker; it went black every now and then before going out completely. She fell unconscious after fifteen minutes since she began walking. Luckily, Lucifer was right behind her and caught her before she hit her head on the rocks nearby. He sighed and carried her on his back as he walked toward the village nearby. Once they reached the village, he went to the nearest inn and rented a two-bed room.
He placed her on the bed gently. She remained unconscious, with no evident fever. He cleaned her face and hands with water and cloth. He took off her shoes and tucked her in bed. Once he made sure she was comfortable, he tried to check her vitals before leaving but stopped once he remembered her reaction. 'What is your story?' he thought. He only caressed her head, soothing her as she slept. He then went to take a bath to wash the blood off him. After the bath, he went to check on her one last time before going to sleep on the other bed next to her.
Satasha woke up panting at dawn, she scanned her surroundings and saw Lucifer sleeping in the same room as her. She calmed herself down and got up to have a hot bath that can relax her muscles. She noticed new clothes that he prepared for her, it was oddly her size; 'How did you know my right size?' she thought. Shifting her gaze at him, she checked if he was actually sleeping so she can take her clothes off. With her powers she produced luke warm water that filled the tub, she submerged herself in it to stabilize her fever. Having two souls made her body weaker once the other soul broke it's leash, she started to have random body aches and fever every time the other wanted to take control of her body, like it was rejecting its existence. Once she finished the bath she got up and dried the tub, steam filled the room making it foggy. She wore the new dress and sat to brush her hair thinking of how to escape from Lucifer so she can find a way to separate the possessor from her body without damaging herself in the process.
Lucifer couldn't sleep the whole night, he lay facing her to check on her as she slept worrying that her condition might worsen. The moment she opened her eyes he pretended to be asleep so she can't be creeped out again. When she got into the bath he tried his best not to look, yet he failed. Once she got into the bath he tilted his head slightly so he could get a better view, her presence puzzled him, he wanted answers more than anything yet he couldn't help but to stare at her awed. He noticed the scar on her chest and her deformed skeleton, he guessed that whoever broke her bones didn't do his best to mend them properly; 'How can she move with all these deformities?' he asked himself. When she got out of bath he didn't bother to act asleep, he kept his gaze fixed on her every move. He found the act of brushing hair so mesmerizing that his lids began closing slowly till he fell asleep.
The chirping of the birds woke Lucifer up, his drowsy gaze searched the room for her. Once he saw that she's not there he jumped off the bed running down the stairs of the inn, he stopped once he saw her sitting on one of the tables eating. He thought that she ran away for a minute, he rubbed his neck to calm himself.
Satasha waved to come and eat at him once she saw him. As he was walking toward her she invited "Come eat. We have a long journey ahead"
He sighed and asked as he sat opposite her "How do you feel now?"
Satasha nodded without answering, her mouth was chewing the chicken in the soup. Lucifer chuckled as he rest assured that she was acting like her usual self, they ate the breakfast quietly. Once they finished they set off to their next destination; the northern tribe. Satasha followed him without saying anything.
The long silence made Lucifer uncomfortable, he asked "Are you upset or something?"
Satasha who was making a plan for her next move. "Hmmph?"
Lucifer arched his brows "Why are you so quiet all of sudden?"
Satasha stared blankly at him, she forgot to pretend that she wasn't the real her. She walked ahead of him not answering.
Lucifer pissed "Is this a silent treatment? For what exactly?"
Satasha still walking ahead of him "I am just tired"
He didn't believe it, yet he didn't want to call her out that he knows she is back to herself and not her possessor. He sighed "Let's rest here then for a bit"
She didn't object and sat leaning her back on a tree trunk. Lucifer knelt near her holding her wrist, she pulled it away asking "What are you doing?"
Lucifer forcefully grabbing it back "Checking your vitals"
She tried to pull it away but his grip was stronger "I am fine" he pulled her hard that her face was an inch away from his. His eyes darkened as he spoke firmly "You are fine once I say so, other than that stop pretending that you are fine" he shifted his gaze from her eyes to her lips looking at it briefly before fixing his gaze on her hand.
Satasha was taken back by his behavior, she wanted to punch his face hard enough to alter it's features, but she didn't have the strength to resist or do anything at that moment. He caressed her wrist with his thumb as he finished checking her vitals "You need to rest before we cross another port gate. Your body won't take more force than it can handle" he glanced at her again and saw the look of pure disgust in her eyes, he chuckled.
"Till when you're going to hold my hand?" she asked
Lucifer didn't realize he was still holding onto her, he reluctantly let it go not knowing why he was feeling like that. He had to get away from her so he could regulate his senses back to normal, he got up perplexed "I'll go and fetch some wood for the fire, you wait here"
Satasha was confused about the sudden kindness that he was giving her. Once he was out of sight she spoke quietly to the figure that she stared at "When will you shut up?"
The possessor laughing "I think he likes you that poor guy"
Satasha shuddered "Stop spouting nonsense"
Lucifer on the other hand was pacing away from her; 'The furthest the better' he thought to himself before stopping. "What the hell is wrong with me?" he asked himself
Lucifer lent his head on the tree in front of him trying to restrain himself but once he closed his eyes and drew a deep breath he remembered how she brushed her wet hair last night and how the water dropped from her hair to her neck and slowly descended into her dress. "I must've hit my head or something" he concluded as he pushed away his feelings aside. After he gathered some dry wood he came back to where she was, he saw her dozing off when he got near her.
Lucifer started a bonfire after setting the woods. He caught two rabbits afterwards and grilled them so she could eat after she wakes up. He stared at her as she slept, her quiet demeanor made him stare even longer, every time he tried to look away his gaze kept tracing back to her. He glared at her lips then her neck, he remembered the water drops running down from her neck to her clothing, his gaze stopped at her chest where the scar was and kept tracing it as it went up and down while she breathed.
'What is your story? Why am I acting this way? Did you hex me or something?' he thought as his gaze shifted back to her face.
He kept watching her till her head dropped waking her up.
She looked around and saw Lucifer sitting not far away from her "How long was I out?" she asked
Lucifer adjusting the burnt wood so she doesn't catch him staring "I don't know. It's getting dark now"
Satasha covered her face with her hands trying to hide the pain she was feeling.
Lucifer worriedly "Are you alright?"
Satasha bluntly "Just a headache"
Lucifer "We'll go to another village nearby tomorrow. You can recuperate there, we'll head to the northern tribe once you get better. Here eat some" he handed her a grilled rabbit
Satasha took the rabbit but she didn't have an appetite, she placed it near the bonfire saying "I just need a good sleep and I'd be well"
Lucifer "You need more than few good night sleep, you'll die at this rate if your state lasts more than a month"
Satasha snarked "You may not know this but I am a very hard to get rid off. This is nothing compared with what I had been through before"
Lucifer curiously "What happened before?"
Satasha glared blankly at him, they held their gaze for a solid minute before Satasha looked away answering "I'd rather not say"
Lucifer pushing "You were tortured"
Satasha stared hatefully "What else did you check other than my vitals?"
Lucifer lowering his gaze to where the scar should be, Satasha opened her eyes widely she felt scandalized, her chin quivered as she held back her tears. Her breathing pace grew heavier as she said "Where do think I got all of these?"
Lucifer theorized "From your kidnappers"
She chuckled repeating "Kidnappers" she got up saying "Yeah, you're right" as she walked away
Lucifer feeling guilty "Where are you going?"
Satasha sarcastically "To my Kidnappers"
He followed her abruptly saying "Hey why are you like that?" he grabbed her arm
Satasha pushing him away angrily "I don't know maybe because you had the audacity to check me out as I was struggling to stay alive"
Lucifer explaining "I am not a creep! I only know this because I had to sustain your life for days trying to cure whatever made your temperature rise. That was how I discovered this not because I took your clothes off or anything" he lied
Satasha fuming from anger as she saw through his lie "So I am supposed to thank you for that?"
Lucifer getting pissed "Yes, you should"
She closed her eyes clenching her jaw hard so she won't snap at him. She nodded and walked away.
Lucifer grabbed her arm again "I said where are you going?"
Satasha struggled to break free from his grip but he was stronger at the moment, he pulled her close grappling her arms as she tried to break free. "You shouldn't be wondering off on your own with your condition. You might get hurt"
Satasha stared angrily at him, she wanted to use her power to get away from him but a sudden pain struck her like lightning that made her lose balance then consciousness. If Lucifer wasn't holding her at the moment, she would've fallen off.
"Satasha!" Lucifer called worryingly as he saw her losing consciousness, her head rested on his shoulder as he held her up. He gently embraced her as he was trying to check on her vitals. His hand caressed her head after checking, he called her gently "Satasha?" but to no response.
This time was different, she didn't have a fever nor wincing form pain, she was still as a corpse.
"Satasha!" Lucifer called again as he started to panic "Why are you so still? Why aren't you breathing?" he searched for a response but nothing happened. He placed his head on her chest trying to hear her heart beat but there was no sound either.
"Satasha wake up" Lucifer panicking "Why...?" he kept caressing her head before embracing her closer to him as he felt her body getting cold.
After two minutes of no response Satasha gasped, gripping as tightly as she could into him. Lucifer stared horrified at her as she was trying to get back to her senses. She saw his pale face once her eyes focused and her breaths were steady, she sensed his worried gaze following her every movement.
"What happened?" he inquired, his hands cradled her head gently as she sat down, his eyes kept scanning her to see if she was okay.
Satasha felt guilty about making him go through this. She placed her head on his shoulder trying to speak but she was overwhelmed by this situation also, the only thing she could say was "Can you hold me for a bit!"
Lucifer hugged her without hesitation, he braced her head on his shoulder so she could breathe while lifting her body closer to him with the other hand.
She couldn't move her body properly feeling as if she was drowning, "Tighter" she pleaded as her breaths were accelerating. Lucifer tighten his arm to hold her closer to him, this helped calming him down as well. He asked "What's wrong?"
Satasha closed her eyes trying her best not to get carried away "My body is failing me. I don't think it can take much longer than this"
Lucifer worrying "You are saying that you are dying?"
Satasha "I really hope so" she hid her face in his shoulder trying to run away from herself. Lucifer felt a sudden pain in his chest as he heard her say these words, he held her closer to him tightening his grip.
They stayed like this for several minutes before Ranku came from behind interrupting
"My lord? Is everything alright?"
Lucifer's grip loosened as he got back to his senses "What is it?" he asked
Ranku worried "Is she alive?"
Lucifer checked on her and saw that she fell asleep while she was hugging him. He caressed her face answering "Barely"
Ranku walking closer "I brought some remedies as you asked for"
Lucifer gently wrapped his arm under her legs and carried her "No need. Where is the nearest village?"
Ranku pointing north "This way"
Lucifer "Go ahead of us and book a room with two separate beds" Ranku nodded and left.
Lucifer's walking pace was slower than usual because he didn't want to disturb her as she slept peacefully on him. After two hours he reached the village where Ranku anxiously waited, he guided them to the room that he booked.
Lucifer "Why there is one bed?"
Ranku "That is the only room he has left"
Lucifer in disbelief "The three of us will share it?"
Ranku sighed "I'll leave don't worry. Call me when you need me master" he pouted and left.
Lucifer placed her gently on the bed and tucked her under the blanket. He caressed her face pushing her hair away from it, she was breathing normally and slept peacefully, yet he remained worried. He held her hand placing it on his forehead, he felt it's warmth and it made his sigh of relief. The sight of her lifeless body had a huge effect on him, the feeling of it made his heart ache. Without a second thought he kissed her hand, it took a minute before realizing what he just did. He placed her hand back but Satasha held into it, Lucifer didn't know what to do, he laid down near her holding her hand. Satasha placed his hand under her head embracing it.
Lucifer didn't pull his hand even after her grip loosened, instead he fell asleep peacefully because he could feel her alive and well.
In the late morning Satasha woke up, it took her a minute before realizing that she slept on Lucifer's chest and her arm wrapped around his neck. Startled she moved her hand immediately, her sudden movement made him move closer to hug her, now she couldn't escape him. She tried turning around so she could slide her head from under his arm, but when she did it he pulled her closer. His head was now was so close that she could hear him breathing steadily, he nuzzled her neck burying his head in her hair. Satasha couldn't tolerate this any longer, it made her feel uncomfortable, she tapped his arm "Lucifer" she called, "You're choking me!"
Lucifer woke up and immediately released her, he satred at her as he backed a bit "I..." he was perplexed "I am sorry! I shouldn't have done that" he nervously looked at her before getting up and left before hearing her answer, he walked out of the room nervously. As soon as he closed the door he buried his face in his hand as he crouched down embarrassed, his ears turned red as he remembered how it felt when he nuzzled her and how good her scent was. 'What is wrong with you?' he scolded himself, yet he couldn't help but to smile when he remembered how she started caressing him while she slept last night. He has to keep his calm and try to stay away from her, otherwise he won't be able to predict his actions if that happened again.
Satasha who was tired fell back to sleep after he left, she remembered now that all of this happened because she asked him to hold her last night then held onto his hand trying to keep her self grounded and not lose her control over her body. She sighed as she covered herself with the blanket trying not to overthink the situation.
She slept for day and half without interruptions. When she woke up it was night time, she scanned the room and saw that he wasn't there.
Satasha "Lucifer" she faintly called as she was still trying to process what day is it. He didn't show up, she fell on the floor as soon as she tried to get up from the bed, the sound of loud thud made Lucifer run up to her room as fast as he could. Once he opened the door he saw her crouched down on the floor struggling, he rushed worriedly to aid her
"Are you hurt?" he inquired as he sat her on the bed.
Satasha nodded "My muscles are weakened from the long time rest. How many days was it?"
Lucifer "A day and a half" he pushed her hair away from her face caressing it as he checked if she was bruised from the fall.
She nodded holding his forearm "Where did you sleep?"
Lucifer chuckled at her silly question "I booked another room, your snoring was unbearable"
Satasha glared annoyed at him after punching his shoulder, he smirked. They held their gaze for a moment, he saw her gaze warming up to him as she held his arm momentarily before shifting her gaze away. His heart flattered, he couldn't keep his cool and smiled faintly.
Satasha flabbergasted "What's so funny?"
Lucifer's eyes sparkled as he smiled, she felt like it's out of his character. He didn't answer but offered his hand to help her stand up, she hasitated before taking his hand.
He bit his lower lip as he help her stand, he sighed as he stared at how her hair kept blocking her face every time he tried to take a good look at it. He gently placed it behind her ear whispering "You need to braid it"
She noticed how his eyes kept sparkling even after his smile faded. He was busy placing her hair away from her face not noticing how close they were, after his gaze traced back to her eyes he saw how beautiful they were, he never noticed how her grey irises had black streaks in them. His hand rested under her ear as he tried to keep her hair from falling down on her face while the other holding her arm, he stepped closer to her trying to test if she'd try to punch him or she allow him to push his luck. All he could think of for the last few days was her, the idea of her tempted him every time he tried to make up his mind if she was a friend or a foe. His gaze slowly shifted to her lips as his hand moved slowly under her chin raising her face up abit.
Satasha had to admit that he was indeed handsome and saw why many fell for his charm, yet she remained unfazed. She had to contemplate whether she give in; make him feed his curiosity, or keep declining him so he gets tangled with the idea of desiring her. She had to think and fast, then the perfect plan came to her.
Satasha tried to push him away but his grip didn't loosen, instead he wrapped his arm tightly around her back pulling her closer, his other hand moved closer to her lip caressing it with his thumb.
She turned her face away from his.
Lucifer who was on the edge of losing himself in his desire pushed her hair away from her neck and kissed it. Satasha was surprised by this and tried to push him away but he was stronger at the moment. His kiss turned to a bite then followed by several kisses that moved from her neck, to her cheek, then to the corner of her mouth. There he stopped looking at them before biting her lower lip gently, once he felt resistance he kissed her. Her resistance made him thrilled to try and push his luck further before she regains control on her power. Her frail attempts to use her strength to push him back made him amused, this now felt like a tug war which one of them would win. It wasn't long before she gave in on using strength to keep him away, her hands rested on his arms as he continued kissing her lips softly. His kisses had swayed her a bit, it was strangely strong in gentle way. Once he sensed that she gave in he pushed her jaw down with his thumb and dived in for deeper kisses, his tongue gently brushed hers as he kissed her. She didn't participate only waited for him to lose interest, little did she know that he was enjoying every bit of it. Her lips were too juicy for him that he couldn't get himself to stop kissing it, even when he was screaming inside for his body to stop he couldn't. His body didn't obey his mind, it gave in to his desire long ago. His hand now began caressing her back as he stepped forward, the other gripped her hair gently. When they got near the bed edge, he pushed her back to it, only then he stopped kissing her and stared at her expression.
He whispered "Tell me to stop"
Satasha out of breath "Why does that turn you on?"
He smirked biting his lower lip, his lust blinded him at that moment that he couldn't think straight. He started kissing her lips, her chin, then moved to her neck and collar bone.
Satasha's plan worked, that poor boy is about to be under her spell if he kept contact with her. Now she has to play hard to get for a bit before ending this sweet moment for him, she tried to push him away, as she expected, he held her arms with one hand. He stopped looking at her eyes huffing "Try to relax my fair lady" his other hand moved from her face to her legs spreading them apart. He saw her worried look and whispered in her ear "Don't worry, I'll be gentle".
Her rapid breaths were music in his ear, he licked her neck before gently biting it again, with one hand stabilizing her and the other moving down from her knee to her genitals. Once he inserted his finger she left out a moan, he smiled and released her arms undoing his pants. She held onto his head as he started kissing her breasts and scar. Lucifer kept teasing for a while before stopping to look at her aroused expression, she was panting and relaxed.
He gently warned "I'm going in now" she nodded.
Once he got the confirmation he inserted it slowly in her, she twitched and moaned loudly, he closely watched her face as he began going into it.
"It's so big" she said mid moaning, "I can't take it" her legs squeezed his torso as he continued.
Her silent moans turned to bites on his shoulder as he started speeding up a bit.
"Lucifer" she moaned in his ear
This made him erect, she moaned again "Don't stop!" he smiled nuzzling her neck as he continued thrusting.
Lucifer didn't stop till the morning.
...
In the morning Lucifer didn't sleep at all he stayed up after they stopped just to see her sleeping face next to his. He never felt the blessing of this calmness before, it felt serene. He showered her with kisses to wake her up, he missed her talking to him.
Satasha who was sleeping in his arms was annoyed from his kisses, she buried her face in his chest hugging him.
Lucifer amused "Wake up we need to go to the northern tribe"
Satasha mumbled "Thanks to you I can't move, leave me be"
Lucifer chuckled "Don't worry I'll carry you"
Satasha sulking "Rent a carriage"
Lucifer teasing "And?"
Satasha "Prepare a bath for me"
Lucifer smirking "For us you mean"
She lifted her head from his chest to object but once she did he kissed her passionately. She held into his neck as he got on top of her trying to have another round but once his hands reached her thighs she stopped him, he stopped kissing her.
Satasha "If you continue with this we might never reach our destination"
Lucifer pouted and sighed "You're right!, I'll prepare the bath for you"
Satasha smiled softly as she kissed his cheek. Once he left her act dropped, she had him hooked now. Even if she stayed in control of the body at least their strongest warrior won't complain. Now she needs him to be completely under her control so she can convince him to help her out, having him as a bodyguard is better than being her executioner.
She activated the spell of heart binding using the remants of his semen that was left in her, sealing his trace in her that will make him unable to resist her requests or do her harm. 'Even if I lost control he'd try to get me back' she thought.
...
After she took her bath they set off to their destination, he rented a comfortable carriage for her and brought few clothes and food for her also.
Ranku who was sitting in the carriage felt like he was interrupting their honeymoon. Lucifer would peel the fruits and feed her.
Ranku cleared his throat "So..." he got their attention "I don't want to know what happened between you two, I just need to remind you that we're heading to a dangerous zone. Try to stay alert all the time"
Satasha inquired "How so?"
Ranku "The weather and landscape is as dangerous as the tribe members, it would get worse from now on"
Lucifer "Don't worry, I will protect you" she smiled
Ranku rolled his eyes trying to bare their lovely-dovy behavior and don't let it go under his skin.
After few miles the weather turned from green landscapes to snowy mountains. The wind was no help either, a snow storm was about to hit them.
The carriage driver "We have to stop and take shelter or else we'll freeze to death!"
Ranku inquired "Where is the nearest village?"
The carriage driver "There are no villages nearby, this is the furthest I can go in our journey. From this point you are on your own"
Lucifer "There is a cave nearby, we'll take shelter there till the storm pass"
The carriage driver "My lord you aren't a local so you don't know that this storm is no usual storm, it won't stop unless we turn back and not venture any further"
Ranku "If we venture further, won't the storm reach you?"
The carriage driver "No sir, this storm is unusual. It won't surpass the mountain line, even if you decided to go ahead it won't reach this carriage"
Lucifer ordered Ranku "Give him his fee and help him unload our luggage"
Ranku did as he told.
Lucifer took the cloak he had bought for Satasha and helped her wear it, it was made of fur and wool, it made her warm.
Satasha holding his arm "What about you?"
Lucifer softly "Don't worry, I'll wear mine"
Satasha shyly "Let me help you wear yours then"
Lucifer couldn't stop himself from kissing her lips. He whispered "This is the last one before we reach there"
Satasha "What are you afraid of?"
Lucifer remembered her lifeless body and kissed her brows.
Ranku interrupted "All set" as he pushed the carriage curtain away seeing them being intimate, he let out a cough as he walked away.
They got off the carriage and went north into the storm. Once they reached the mountains, Satasha could feel the barrier that circled the area. Lucifer stepped forward and placed his hand on it, the barrier reacted with his touch making a hole in it for them to pass. They crossed the barrier unharmed but the strom blew strong on them once they stepped forward. Ranku and Lucifer grabbed Satasha as the wind pushed her back.
Ranku shouted "Why this is happening? They never did this before?"
Lucifer announced "I am here on behalf of the temple to invite you to the peace treaty gathering. You cannot treat your guests like that?"
An old woman walked toward them, the storm didn't have any affect on her. She replied "You my lord is a distinguished guest of ours but not this vicious woman, if you let her go I'll let stay"
Lucifer "I am afraid that you have to let her stay with us. I have a letter that explains it all"
Ranku handed her a letter.
The woman took the letter and read it. Once she finished reading she waved her hand and the storm stopped. Satasha fell on her knees, Lucifer caught her and helped her walk. They followed the old woman.
The scenery changed once they walked away from the mountains, deep to it was the northern tribe city. With all the snow that filled the place Satasha didn't feel the coldness from the air, she pondered at the architectural beauty of their homes.
The buildings were made from glacier, with sculptures of creatures fillings its' roof tops. There were farms and children playgrounds also, the children laughter and the locals talk made the atmosphere feel lively and warm. Satasha felt happy to see such beautiful scenes, she never stopped to look around before only concerned about her survival, seeing this now made her regret not living in the moment. When they walked forward the houses began to get bigger and more separate with less locals walking in the streets, then they reached the end of houses to a spacious land with only one building in the middle. It was the northern temple. Unlike the other buildings this one was made of stone with lot of columns. When they got near it Satasha saw that these weren't columns but sculptures of giants holding the roof on their backs. The sculptures accurately depicted their exhausted expression, like they were actually carrying the heavy roof on their backs. It made Satasha feel uneasy when she kept staring at them, she walked closer to Lucifer seeking comfort.
The inside of the temple was far more unsettling, there were sculptures of people holding various objects; one was on his knees holding the table, the other was made into a chair, several ones made stairs with their arms and hands. Everyone of the sculptures had the same exhausted expressions and some were agonized. The ceiling depicted a battle with dead bodies that were brutally killed and their eyes sunken, the corner of the ceiling had sculptures of screaming faces of men, women and children. This made Satasha's skin crawl, she felt that these were living people petrified into these sculptures, her gut screamed for her to leave. This is no temple, this was a burial place or worse these people actually celebrated their brutality as accomplishments. The painting on the walls were no different, it held the story of a man holding a sword and killing enemies. As she kept walking the paintings stopped, the last one was a portrait of a woman with long white hair, Satasha couldn't get a closer look to see who she was, she felt like she had seen her before.
The old woman lead them to the dining room were they sat on wooden chairs; this made Satasha less uncomfortable. Lucifer and the old woman were discussing the process of the gathering and what were the pros and cons, Satasha on the other hand was struggling not to stare at sculptures. One was made into a lamp, the other was carrying the mirror, two holding the fire place, five on their knees carrying the table, and several others scattered. After the dinner they were lead to their rooms, Satasha had her own room. It was the first time she felt like she needed to share the bed with Lucifer. The bed was made of wood but there were few sculptures in the room also, one was holding the sink, the other was made into a sofa, one was holding the mirror. She walked toward the one holding the mirror and touched it, the stone felt cold and rough. She placed her hand on its head trying to see what's inside, she closed her eyes and used her power to reveal the truth. Her worst fear turned to be true, as she speculated these were a living being once. The one she held had a family of four and had a beautiful life before his land was forcefully taken away from him and turned to stone. Satasha stepped back falling on the ground, this made her nauseous and angry. How cruel these people were, then a knock on her door distracted her from this heinous crime. Lucifer entered the room rushing to her after he saw her on the floor "What happened?" he inquired
Satasha held onto his arm as she got up, her gut kept screaming for her to run as fast as she could but with her state, she won't last a minute if she got caught. "Let's leave this place, I can't stay here for another minute"
She said as she held his arm tightly.
Lucifer patting her head "We'll leave tomorrow don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you"
Satasha hugged him "Then don't leave me alone, this place gives me the creeps"
Lucifer embraced her gently "I'll stay near you don't worry about anything, try to rest while you can"
A knock on the door interrupted Lucifer from comforting her.
A servant "Dinner is ready missus"
They went to the dining room to eat. Ranku followed them. During dinner the atmosphere was rather gloomy, they didn't talk much only small talks here and there. After dinner they brought desserts, Satasha barely ate anything the unsettling feeling lingered with her. Everything seemed off, even Lucifer wasn't his usual self, she sensed a scheme was going to be executed on her at any given moment. She needs to be fully prepared for anything, she refined from drinking or eating, few orchestrated bites, some false drinking were made to evade suspicion. As she observed, the old woman was far from gentle, her ruthless expression was evident when she looked at her, if her eyes could kill, she would've died long ago. After dinner Satasha went back to her room trying to lay down a bit, she couldn't close her eyes for a minute fearing that someone might try to take her out. After few hours of pure silence her eye lids began closing, she dozed off for a bit before waking up startled. Hearing a woman humming from outside her room, she hesitated for a bit but the familiarity of the sound ignited her curiosity. She walked out of room following the sound, it led her back to the corridor that had the paintings on it, she glanced and saw the portrait of the lady. Her dark skin and white hair were beautifully drawn, the commanding presence that she had was unmatched, Satasha knew instantly who that was 'Ananke' she thought. The humming started again, she followed the sound to a dark corridor, it was headed down to the dungeons. Satasha walked carefully trying not to make any noise and alert the person who was humming. The stairs ended with another dark corridor, she walked slowly toward a faintly lit room. Once she reached there the humming stopped.
In that room stood a larger greenlit crystal that emerged from the floor and fused with the ceiling. As she stepped forward she noticed that the crystal held a woman body; it preserved it from decaying. Strangely she didn't feel threatened by it, she was rather calm, the humming sound came from the crystal again but this time it was so sad that made her tear up.
"Come forth child" the woman in the crystal called.
Satasha walked forward unconsciously placing her hand on the crystal, she felt that she knew this woman, she looked familiar to her yet she had never met her. "Set me free" the woman pleaded.
"How" Satasha asked.
The woman "Say my name"
Satasha confused "I don't know your name"
"Say my name" she repeated
Perplexed Satasha tried to break the crystal with her power but it didn't work, she placed her forehead on it trying to think of a name. The energy flow in the crystal soothed her for a bit, it felt warm and familiar, then it clicked 'The tree!' she remembered the tree in her childhood house. It felt the same when she grew it for her mother. 'It can't be' she thought.
She scanned the woman again saying "What is the meaning of this?"
The woman "You know me child, say my name!"
Satasha overwhelmed, she shook her head in denial "That's not possible"
"It is" the woman
Satasha "How?" tears started to fall
The woman softly "No time to weep child, they might come and harm you, say my name"
Satasha began to breathe heavily as a sudden wave of sadness fell on her. Before she could speak, a dagger struck her heart. The attacker twisted the blade before pulling it out.
Satasha fell on her knees panting, she looked back and saw the old woman standing at the entrance and two woman next to her, one held the dagger. She spat blood as she leaned her back on the crystal.
"Why?" she asked
The old woman viciously "You must die so our lord can live"
Satasha barely talking "You know..."
The old woman mocked "Of course we know!, you are a vessel kid. The moment they reported back to me I knew what you are. Once your soul leaves this body then our lord will come back to us, to lead us like he did before" one of the women walked closer to Satasha and dragged her from her hair away from the crystal, then dropped her near the old woman, she continued "Your kind never learn, we exterminated your tribe many years ago, you should've died in your mother's womb that day but our lord's body was destroyed so we needed a vessel. You were never meant to be born, you died in your mother's womb that day. Every breath you take is thanks to his lord, he brought you back from the dead to serve him as his vessel, and now your purpose is due. Give him your body and soul, and serve him till we repair his original body"
Satasha spat blood on her feet "Keep dreaming bitch!"
The old woman slapped her so hard that her ears began to buzz, then she stabbed her abdomen with a metal spike. Satasha gasped, she felt the metal melting inside of her, the pain was unbearable yet she couldn't shout out for help.
The old woman hatefully "Even if you lived this will chain your soul away so he could have full control over you"
Amid all the pain and suffocation she was experiencing she heard that voice again saying "Say my name"
Satasha was twitching from pain but she tried to crawl back to the crystal, the old woman pinned her hand with her cane "Stay still it won't take long"
Satasha felt numb from all the pain she was experiencing, if it was a normal being she would have died by now, yet again she was far from normal. "Over my dead body" she mumbled as she felt her possessor gaining control. Satasha used her last breath concentrating on escaping, with her remaining strength she teleport far away from them.
Satasha fell on a snow pillow, she scanned her surroundings and saw that she was still in the northern tribe. Her power wasn't enough to teleport her away, she tried to get up but she was bleeding heavily, the only thing she could do is to lay on her back waiting to heal. Her possessor was preventing that, she tried to stop him but her spell did no harm to him, it was too frail.
"Just give up" he said
Satasha's vision began to blur "I'd rather die"
She heard footsteps running toward her but she had bo strength left to fight.
"Satasha!" that man called, she recognized it, it was Lucifer.
He ran quickly to her aid, frightened from the pool of blood that she lay on he hesitated before touching her thinking that she was dead, her eyes were unfocused and her face was pale. "Satasha" he nudged her gently
Satasha made no reaction, tears fell from her eyes as it began to close slowly.
"No!" he cried as he embraced her "Stay with me! Don't close your eyes!"
"Stay away from her" said the old woman as she marched with twenty men "It won't take long before our master comes back to us"
Lucifer panicked, he didn't want Satasha to die nor his master. He wished that they were in separate bodies and things didn't have to end this way. He tightened his arms around her trying to feel her one last time.
Satasha knew that this was bound to happen soon, his betrayal was expected. She chuckled and thought 'I am not going to die'. As a final blow she unleashed all her powers, her body would evaporate and none shall take advantage of it anymore. The sudden blast of energy send everyone flying away from her, she barely stood up leaning on her knees, unable to balance she produced a staff from her blood and cried "Not today" as she continued unleashing raw power that shook the ground. The impact of her power made a big avalanche that covered the city, an earthquake followed by snow storm circled the region. Satasha did not care who lives or dies, no one will imprison her again. She continued unleashing her full strength trying to reach her limit, yet she felt like she didn't reach it, her powers were vast and unexplored to it's full.
Her possessor felt threatened by her, if he couldn't control her then she must die. He used his power to bind her soul with his trying to stabilize it from exploding. The moment he succeeded Satasha heard that voice again so did he 'Say my name' it resonated in her head loud and strong as she tried to destroy her physical body.
The possessor objected "Stop this we'll die"
'Say my name' the voice pleaded
The possessor frightened "Don't say her name"
Satasha sensed his scheme behind his false concern, yet she didn't know if she should do as he say or the opposite. She felt the metal spike trying to encircle her soul, she tried to take it out of her with her hand but it kept penetrating and fusing in her body. The possessor immediately expanded it throughout her body so he could have full control. Satasha enraged, turned the staff to a sword and sliced her neck smooth off.
Satasha fell on the snow motionless, she entered a comatose stage. The earthquake stopped as she lost consciousness, so did the storm.
Lucifer who was fighting his way to her all this time ran to heal her wounds, he tried to take the metal spike but didn't succeed, he only managed to heal her wounds leaving scars behind.
Lucifer tried to wake her up but she made no response, he ordered "Take the metal spike out of her now!"
The old woman standing near them "Not a chance my lord, remember our plan"
Lucifer felt guilty, he never thought about the consequences nor about her when he made this plan with Ishtar 'How brutal!' he thought 'What was I thinking?'.
"Satasha" he softly called her trying to wake her up, yet nothing. He cradled her cold body back to the temple, placing her on the bed, he sat next to her waiting for her to wake up.
...
The next day Lucifer and Ranku set off with Satasha back to Ishtar's temple, Satasha remained unconscious.