Chapter VII: Concealing the True Intentions – A Clash Beneath the Waters
The suffocating silence of the cave deepened as Lucifer McKenzie's gaze lingered upon the two figures standing before him. Their presence, unlike the stifling air of the Underworld, did not invoke fear, but something deeper—something primal, an instinct buried beneath centuries of suffering.
Lucifer's expression hardened. His eyes—clouded from the disorientation of his rebirth—flickered briefly as the two intruders approached.
Lucia Williams, the former queen of the Mermaid Country, advanced first, her movements fluid as a serpent navigating the cold waters. She was a weapon in human form, her spear held with the effortless grace of a born killer, her aqua-blue hair flowing like the tides of the deepest oceans.
Her daughter, Bernice Williams, followed close behind. A sharp contrast to Lucia's composure, the younger woman exuded the energy of a wild storm—her silvery hair catching the dim light of the water cave, her crimson eyes like the blood of a thousand storms. A bow made from the finest coral adorned her back, an arrow formed from water itself poised with deadly precision.
Lucifer, still groggy from the effects of the Divine Water, forced himself into a kneeling position, gritting his teeth as he fought the dizziness. His body felt heavy, sluggish—vulnerable. A far cry from the relentless force of death that had coursed through him before his descent into the watery sanctum. He had barely adjusted to this new form, and yet here they were—two high-ranking members of the Mermaid Kingdom, with lethal intentions.
He watched them approach, the faint ripple of their steps barely disturbing the surface of the pond. Then, just as Clara (as he had known her to be, though by another name) raised her spear to strike, Lucifer's tired gaze met hers—and everything stopped.
It was not a sensation of time halting. No, it was far deeper than that. It was as if the very concept of existence itself shuddered at the weight of his presence. A pulse of unnatural coldness swept through the cave, as if the shadows themselves bent to Lucifer's will. The two women froze, their bodies rigid, their hearts racing with an instinctual dread.
Lucifer stood, his body no longer betraying him to dizziness. He stared directly into Clara's eyes, a cold smile playing on his lips. His voice, deep and unfaltering despite the fog in his mind, rumbled in the stillness.
"Who are you two?"
His words were calm, but the air around them seemed to thicken, becoming suffocating. The terrifying presence he exuded was enough to make even the most hardened warriors falter. It wasn't just death he radiated—it was the absence of life itself.
Clara's throat constricted, her hand tightening around her spear. Her eyes narrowed, instinct telling her to retreat, yet something deep within refused to let her move. She could feel it—he was no mere mortal. No, this boy—this being—was something more. A force beyond the boundaries of the living.
Lucia, who had remained still, now regarded Lucifer with a cautious yet calculating gaze. Her voice was strained but clear as she spoke, her words holding a weight of respect, fear, and fascination.
"Forgive our intrusion, Exalted One," Lucia said, her voice a soft whisper in the cave's oppressive quiet. "We did not know the Divine Water pond was under your dominion. We will leave immediately."
Bernice, standing slightly behind her mother, lowered her bow but kept her arrow notched. She was still wary, her mind racing with the implications of their meeting. But there was something else—something that gnawed at her gut as she observed the boy before her. His eyes. They were far too calm. Too collected for someone who had just risen from the brink of death itself.
Lucifer, however, remained still. The cold smile did not waver, but his mind raced beneath the calm exterior. His thoughts screamed at him—'This is bad. This is so bad.'
Why did they have to come? Why today, of all days?
He clenched his fists. He knew these two. Knew them better than he should.
Lucia Williams. Former Queen of the Mermaids. A tyrant. A deadly warrior of unmatched skill. And Bernice Williams…
The daughter. The heir. The future ruler of the Mermaid Kingdom.
Their arrival here wasn't a mere coincidence. No, it was far more deliberate.
He could see it in their eyes—their greed. The desire. The hunger for power. They had sensed the Divine Water's pull, as any who understood its significance would. It was a fabled relic, one whose properties could elevate the strongest beings to godlike heights. And the women who stood before him—while deadly in their own right—had only just begun to understand the magnitude of the power they had stumbled upon.
Lucifer forced his mind to calm. He had to play his cards carefully.
"Well," he said, his voice low and even, "I can give you the pond... but..." He allowed the sentence to hang in the air, his eyes narrowing with a knowing gleam. "I would need something in return."
Both Lucia and Bernice froze at the suggestion, a flicker of suspicion crossing their faces. They tried to hide their thoughts, but Lucifer could see it all. Every last fragment of their desire, their desperation.
These two... They think they can outmaneuver me.
He smiled, feeling a dark satisfaction as he continued, his tone colder now, like the ice of forgotten tombs.
"Tell me, what is it that you would offer in exchange for this blessing? The water, after all, is not a gift freely given."
Lucia's gaze hardened. She stepped forward, her voice sharp and commanding. "What do you want? Speak plainly."
Lucifer's grin deepened. He was enjoying this—more than he should have. "Why, your loyalty, of course," he said smoothly, his voice dripping with a quiet malice. "And perhaps a little... favor."
Lucia's eyes narrowed, and she glanced at Bernice, who seemed to be considering her options carefully.
They'll agree, Lucifer thought, his smile widening. They'll think I'm offering something they can use. But little do they know, this pond isn't for the taking. Not by them. Not by anyone.
"I see you're not entirely without sense," Lucia said, her voice tinged with reluctant respect. "We will make a bargain. But be warned, boy. You're playing with forces you cannot begin to comprehend."
Lucifer nodded slowly, his gaze steady. "Indeed. But remember this... you came to me."