ã€ŠThe Hateful: Downfallã€‹


 A Message

    The humans of Exia gathered in the bustling market square as lightning and rain lashed across the sky, never realising that Hateful eyes were watching them.

    But you will, soon enough¡­

    His face was set like stone, seeking to contain his scorn for them. They were gathering to oppose the latest decree from the Divinity, the order that prayers to him were now mandatory. Of course, this only applied to humans, not to his kind. No, according to humanity, his kind were the reason behind all of this, the infamous "Cursed Ones" who brought suffering upon all who lived in Ethero.

    And obviously, it''s our fault the Divinity blew the sun out of the sky too¡­

    He cast his eyes to the vast black ocean above, clenching his fists in indignation. A few seconds passed, and he forced himself to focus on the raindrops streaming down his face, soothing him as he took in a breath.

    You did it again. You almost let the voice win¡­

    He turned his gaze to the gathering humans. There was a buzz among them, an excitement that was infectious. Aware of how this could affect him, he focused on his mission.

    You bastards. You will know what it means to live as one of us. This time, you will hear my message.

    He noticed a few humans gazing in his direction, bristling involuntarily in response. He forced himself to settle, lowering his body so that he knew they could not see him. Of course, he doubted they had seen him anyway, not while the streetlights shone on their faces like searchlights in a prison. Rather, what they were more likely to see were the metal talons that curved towards them, ready to fall upon them at any moment.

    Metal comprised the entirety of Exia, its buildings like sections of a giant machine that had fallen centuries ago. Slick with wet alongside the smooth metal surfaces that ran through the city, they shone under the streetlights. The Rai District in which they stood was far rustier, shrouded with patches of bronze, a reflection of its poorer state compared to the other Districts. That meant nothing to him, however. Not when he looked back and cast his eyes towards the three great towers that rose beyond it all, residing at Exia''s epicentre. They represented more than just a few patches of rust. They represented the oppression that had led him to this moment. They represented¡ª

    Home, he thought, regarding those buildings with the same look he had given the humans, gritting his teeth as he fought himself from making the jump now, beginning his dream. Indignity gnawed at him as if he were a dog on a chain. Still, he forced himself to stay as he was; he needed to wait just a little longer. He needed to time this right. He would only get one opportunity.

    ''I will show you all,'' he snarled, resolve building as he rose to his feet. ''I will show you true defiance. You think that standing around and yelling pointless shit is going to change anything? Fools¡­ There''s only one way we can end this, and it begins now¡­''

    The rain continued to fall, indecisive between its desire to fall heavily or stay as little flurries. It appeared to settle between both. He was thankful for that. It brought him more focus, imagining it running down his long, silvery-blond hair, before trickling towards his pale, milk-white skin. Those two features were universal among his kind, symbols of their curse. Even his attire was synonymous with his race, which was why he had worn it today. It comprised a long black leather coat with silver buckles across the front, while his trousers and boots were of the same colours with silver etchings. It would evoke a response. Knowing that, he leaned forward, ready to begin his descent.

    It is time, a voice spoke from within. However, he stopped himself at the last moment, spotting a young woman coming into view before the assembled crowd, holding a megaphone while standing on an elevated platform. At once curiosity took him, forcing him to reach a hand before himself, stopping his fall as he regarded her, watching as the crowd fell into silence.

    And who are you? he wondered, finding himself keeping still. She was just as soaked as everyone else, her long brunette hair trickling across a ruby jacket before parting by her shoulders. Her figure was slim, and the rest of her clothes clung to her as though afraid of being torn away. What struck him most was her apparent fearlessness, her chin raised high as she surveyed her audience; his audience. She punched a defiant fist towards the sky, making the crowd erupt in a unified roar, raising their own fists in the air to match her stance.

    ''DEFY THE DIVINITY! DEFY THE DIVINITY!'' they sang in unison, voicing themselves with such determination that he wondered if the Council could hear them all the way from Heaven''s Gate. Opportunity buzzed in his mind, urging him to hold off a little longer. He could make his impact even stronger if he waited a few more minutes. The voice suggested this to him. He needed the whole of Exia to hear. He wanted every single human to know his dream.

    Meanwhile, the young woman prowled across the makeshift stage, fist still raised in the air.

    You seem to enjoy this, he thought, a smile emerging on his face. It''s a shame I have to ruin your moment. Still, it must be done.

    He watched her dropping her fist, raising the other hand that held the megaphone towards her mouth as the crowd fell into silence once again.

    ''My friends,'' she began, ''thank you so much for joining me tonight.''

    Another roar of approval erupted from the crowd, yet he couldn''t help but smirk at her choice of words.

    Tonight? As if a sun will rise tomorrow? he thought. For a moment, he tried to imagine what a sun above Exia would look like, imagining a beautiful orb of fire that gave warmth to all beneath it. He shuddered at the thought, urging him to wrap his arms around himself. He hadn''t realised how cold it was, but the rain had soaked his clothes, alongside the chilling breeze that swirled about him.

    ''We all know the latest decree is ridiculous,'' the woman continued, her steps full of purpose, ''But that''s not why we''re here. We''re here to protest against the Divinity himself.''

    The crowd stirred, shifting in nervous anticipation, knowing that her words were bordering on sacrilege.

    ''A concealed ruler who we never elected. A mysterious tyrant who assumes his authority as absolute. I ask you all now to utter the question that has been smouldering in our minds ever since we were born: Has anyone actually witnessed the Divinity? Can anyone stand on this stage and tell me they''ve seen the divine creator with their own eyes?''

    The crowd was silent, stunned. Of course, both questions were rhetorical. No one had ever seen the Divinity, only the Council. Still, the Hateful man felt his skin prickle at the suggestion she was making. His hate returned once more, causing him to clench his fists.

    ''My friends, we cannot continue to live this way. We must stand before the glowing radiance of the Angels, of the Council itself, and assert that we will not accept this anymore. That we should decide our own fate. Today, I ask you to voice the questions you harbour like I do: Why can''t we choose our own leaders? Why can''t we create our own laws? Why are we not allowed to choose how we live our lives?''

    She paused again. The crowd said nothing. Even from his elevated position, he saw them all gawking at her. He felt the same way. Never had such questions been uttered, especially in public. A quick glance towards the three towers told him everything he needed, discounting every word she said.

    I cannot allow this to stand. Her words, what she''s implying. If there was no Divinity, then¡­

    ''It sounds so wrong,'' she said, silencing his mind. ''Believe me, it feels wrong to even consider it, but I cannot deny the truth coming from my soul. I cannot help but ask these questions. Can anyone here confirm that the Divinity exists? Can anyone give evidence that the Divinity is real?''

    ''I can,'' he murmured to himself, before proceeding to step off the ledge. At once, the chilly wind rushed past his body, causing his black coat to flutter behind him. Upon approaching the surface, he tapped into his power, the Blessing of a Physical. A surge of strength engulfed his body, enhancing his muscle density and size. By the time the alteration to his physique was complete, he landed behind the crowd with a loud clang, drawing their attention as they gasped in surprise. He rose to his feet, noticing that many had parted to leave a gap between him and the young woman, sneering disdainfully as they recognised what he was. None of that bothered him as lightning cracked across the sky. There was only one question he wanted to ask.

    ''If the Divinity is not real,'' he began, allowing his Blessing to fade while his body returned to its normal shape, ''how do you explain my kind?''

    He regarded her intently as her green eyes looked at the floor in guilt. She had no answer for him, no justification that explained the hatred within all who surrounded them, condemning him along with his entire race.

    ''So you have nothing to say,'' he summarised, before turning his gaze between both sides of the surrounding crowd. He stepped forward, standing tall in defiance, knowing that this was his only chance to send his message, to change the fate of his kind.

    ''Cursed One!'' a member of the crowd spat, while their expressions grew more hostile. His body bristled with the desire to protect itself, an instinct he forced himself to hold as he returned his gaze back to the young woman. He opened his mouth to speak to her, but something struck him in the face. Stumbling forward as the crowd roared, he dropped to one knee, noticing shards of glass lying around him. He touched his face, seeing blood trickle onto his fingertips. Humiliation accompanied rage, and he ground his teeth as he stumbled to his feet, where he found the young woman standing in front of him. Surprise coming over him; he realised she was holding out her arms, appearing to shield him from her fellow humans.

    ''Who did that?!'' she yelled, stunning him as he looked up towards her in confusion. She was furious. ''He did nothing wrong!''

    ''He''s one of the Cursed, Diana,'' a black man said, stepping a few paces ahead of her as his own body changed, his muscles growing larger while his clothes tore at the seams. Evidently to the Hateful man, he was a Physical. ''Step aside.''

    ''What? No!'' the young woman gasped in disbelief. He guessed she was Diana. ''You can''t just¡ª''

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    ''Diana,'' another woman interrupted flatly, stepping forward as her body became shrouded in layers of ice. In her right hand she formed an icicle-shaped blade, before gesturing towards the Hateful man. ''His kind is the true reason we''re here. Why things have turned out this way.''

    Diana regarded her in utter disbelief, not able to understand what she was hearing. ''But we don''t know if that''s true,'' she said, her expression marred with guilt once more. ''It''s no different from what we''re told about the Divinity.''

    ''He said it himself, Diana,'' a third man said, stepping forward with his hands raised. His fingers twitched as everything around shifted and contorted in unnatural ways. The buildings warped and moved, while even the figures of the surrounding humans altered and changed. It was the power of an Illusionary. ''If the Divinity didn''t exist, how do you explain his Cursed race?''

    ''I can''t,'' Diana admitted, turning her gaze towards the Hateful man, ''but we share the same enemy. We should work together.''

    She hesitated, as though realising why such thoughts were nothing more than delusion. After all, thousands of years of history could not simply be erased. ''I''m sorry,'' she said to the Hateful man, her tone more accepting. ''I wish I knew more about your kind.''

    ''So do I,'' he said, voicing his own acceptance, blood trickling down his face like tears. His expression hardened, focus and resolve emerging through the cloud of hate and sadness.

    It is time¡­

    ''Why did you come here?'' Diana asked, sadly, as he stopped in his advance. ''If you knew how they were going to treat you.''

    ''To send a message,'' he said, stepping past her as his three opponents'' expressions remained darkened. They despised him. He despised them. There was nothing more to it. Tonight, however, he would change that. He would propel his race towards a new destiny. Humanity was about to receive a message it would never forget. He tapped into his favoured Blessing as a Transformative, changing his left hand and forearm into a giant revolver, fixing it towards the woman shrouded in ice.

    ''My name is Lucifer Armedeus. I will become the new god of this world.''

    He fired, unleashing a powerful blast that drowned out all sound around them, before a gaping hole erupted in the woman''s chest. She coughed out blood before stumbling back a few steps, her Blessing fading as she dropped to her knees and glanced at her wound. She returned a mystified gaze towards Lucifer before finally falling back on the floor. The surrounding crowd erupted into hysteria, scattering in all directions in frenzied panic while their screams filled the sky. Their steps sounded like a stampede as the ground reverberated beneath them.

    ''So, that''s what it feels like,¡¯ Lucifer muttered to himself, regarding the fallen corpse as blood flowed slowly towards him, glancing up towards Diana and the two men who remained. ''To kill a human¡­ Now, there is no turning back.''

    Inside, the voice laughed with glee, filling him with trepidation that fused with his growing sense of conviction, raising goosebumps on his skin.

    The Divinity shall fall, it said, while Lucifer watched the two men alongside Diana, seeing their rage as they eyed their fallen comrade. You will change the fate of your race.

    ''Yes,'' Lucifer said to himself, while the black man with the Physical Blessing stepped forward, his face fixed into an ugly snarl.

    ''I''ll kill you,'' he growled, further strengthening his power as his muscles grew, evidence that he was tapping further into his Blessing. He launched himself at Lucifer, his gigantic steps pounding into the ground as he unleashed his battle cry. He was beyond rationalisation, which was why it shocked him when he ran into thin air, a mirage that faded as soon as he made contact. Confusion emerged from him, evidently forgetting the one difference that mattered between their races.

    ''Face me! Cursed One!'' he bellowed, before the real Lucifer emerged a few feet away from him, appearing alongside where the Illusion had stood. He fixed his revolver towards the human, firing one shot. His expression was impassive as the large man fell. Then he turned towards the man with the Illusionary Blessing, who appeared to be trying to keep his composure despite having seen his two comrades die.

    ''Such a trick won''t work on me, Cursed One,'' he spat, his voice riddled with fear, which Lucifer couldn''t help but relish.

    ''I know,'' he said. ''That''s why I won''t need to be subtle with you.''

    He allowed his large revolver to fade as he raised his hand, tapping into another Blessing, which caused a small flame to ignite his entire hand. Recognition emerged on the Illusionary''s face as his eyes widened and his lips parted in fear. No doubt, he was thinking the same thing Lucifer was, that despite his power, all Illusionaries possessed the same weakness.

    The power of the Elemental.

    Lucifer swept his hand towards the floor, igniting everything before him. The Illusionary recoiled, but he had no chance of escape. The flames quickly enveloped his body as he fell back towards the floor, shrieking as he rolled across the surface, trying to douse the flames. Lucifer knew it was useless, and after a few moments, the Illusionary fell into silence, leaving nothing but the sound of crackling flames in his wake.

    ''There will be no mercy,'' Lucifer said, more to himself than anyone else. He looked beyond and saw that no human remained before him. They had gone, flocking back to their homes within the city of metal. He could hear the whispers now as he allowed his Blessing to fade, the fear humanity always held towards his kind amplifying. They had always hated how his kind had access to all four of the Divinity''s Blessings. It was why he had punished them thousands of years ago.

    Soon, I will punish him for what he''s done.

    Only one human remained, and Lucifer turned to face her. He imagined what Diana saw while looking at him. He imagined seeing his Hateful appearance marred with streaks of blood while flames seethed behind him. Yet he saw no hatred in Diana''s eyes, only sorrow and sadness, asking a silent question.

    Why?

    ''I will end this,'' he said. ''You asked whether the Divinity exists. Well, I''m here to show you he does, and that he will answer for what he''s done, just like the rest of your race.''

    Her face twitched, but Diana remained in control of herself, instead shaking her head in disbelief.

    ''So you''re seeking vengeance?'' she asked. ''You want us to fear you, to regard you in the same way we do him?''

    ''No, not like him,'' Lucifer retorted. ''Sometimes, we must become the thing we despise most to bring about change. However, I will not become like him. I will be something more. I will change this world, and I will save my race.''

    ''By becoming a god?'' Diana challenged, incredulous. ''Do you really believe that will change anything, perpetuating the same cycle?''

    ''I will not continue the cycle,'' Lucifer said, glaring at Diana. ''As I proved today, my kind will stand for this no longer.''

    He swept his hand towards the flames, as though to emphasise his point.

    ''Today, we take fate into our own hands. We will not continue to live as this world wishes us to.''

    ''You say "we",'' Diana said, her face tightening, ''yet all I see is you. Lucifer, you talk of the suffering and injustice your kind has suffered, but have you ever considered how we suffer? Have you ever considered the injustice we face every single day?''

    For a moment, Lucifer considered that, surprised to hear a human call him by his name, rather than "Cursed One." He considered how she had acted before, compared to her peers. For a reason he wasn''t sure of, he smiled.

    ''You are the first human to show me kindness, Diana,'' he said, his tone respectful. ''I didn''t think your kind was capable.''

    ''Just like how I know all of your race isn''t "Cursed"?'' Diana said. Lucifer said nothing. Diana sighed, appearing very tired at that moment, shaking her head while bringing a hand towards it.

    ''Do the roles reversing change anything?'' she asked, appearing to be asking herself the question before she lowered her hand, turning her gaze to Lucifer. ''Are we to become the ones that are subjugated, while your kind dances in meadows of pretty flowers in warm sunshine?''

    She paused, looking down towards the glistening metal surface.

    ''Our lives aren''t as great as you think,'' she said. ''It doesn''t justify what we''ve done, but we all suffer in some way. That''s just what it means to live in this world.''

    Lucifer smiled, knowing. ''Do you know what it''s like to be one of us?'' he asked, a hollowness emerging on his face. ''You talk about how I should seek to understand human suffering, yet have you ever given a thought to ours? While you made your speech today, can you tell me you had my race in mind? Especially as you spoke about the injustices the Divinity has caused?''

    He observed Diana as she appeared to consider his words. Seconds passed while the sounds of sirens filled the air. Lucifer decided then that enough was enough. He tapped into his Blessing as a Transformative as two black feathered wings emerged from his back, giving him the appearance of a dark angel.

    ''It doesn''t have to be this way,'' he heard Diana mutter behind him. ''By becoming the thing we hate, we repeat the cycle. You won''t make things better for your kind, Lucifer,'' Diana said, sounding tired.

    ''But isn''t hate what defines us?'' he asked, not moving to look at her. ''Isn''t that why we''re called "Hateful"?''

    ''You don''t have to be defined by what they call you,'' Diana replied. Lucifer did not turn back, fascinated by her. She was different. She gave him much to think about.

    It changes nothing, though. I have made my choice. Now, I will see it through.

    ''You may be right, Diana,'' he admitted, listening as the sirens grew louder, approaching, ''but I will end this. All of it. As long as the Divinity exists, my race will suffer. It has to end.''

    Lucifer half-turned to face her, his mask restored once more. ''I know you mean well, Diana, but I know you''re being something you''re not. I can smell the stench of Anubi all over you, especially in the way you speak. Don''t pretend that you can relate to these humans. You belong to a world that''s beyond even them.''

    He shook his head before lowering his body, launching himself into the air, spinning in a series of spiral twists before opening his wings and taking flight. His dream had begun, but tonight he would face another dream.

    A Hateful Dream.

 Reality

    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¡ª''

    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.

 The Lieutenant

    The Hateful man risked only a few glances behind as he ran within the Seraphu District, knowing that someone was pursing him. He sensed the predatory blur keeping up with him, moving from side to side. It had been enough to get him to tap into his own Physical Blessing, enhancing his muscles so that he could navigate along the large warehouses that populated the District. For humans, this was where they worked, a place to earn money. Hateful didn''t get those kinds of jobs. They had to resort to less-than-legal means. Means that risked pursuit from the DFA, the Divinity Federal Association.

    Of course, consisting mostly of humans, the DFA couldn''t pursue him, someone who was Hateful. While humans were certainly born with Blessings of their own, they never matched those of the Hateful. Humans were only ever born with one Blessing, while the Hateful had access to all four. They needed a specialist to pursue them.

    A specialist known as the Lieutenant, the traitor of the Hateful.

    The Hateful man was certain the Lieutenant was the one pursing him, keeping up with ease, his movements sharp, precise and well-practised. No matter where the Hateful man went, no matter what he did, the Lieutenant kept up, sending a silent message as he did so.

    You cannot escape me. You cannot hide. I will capture you.

    You could try leaping from rooftop to rooftop. It didn''t matter. You could weave through an intricate network of alleyways, streets, and crowded areas. That, too, didn''t matter. You could even be fortunate enough to have someone working alongside you, try to split up and divide his attention. That didn''t matter either. The Hateful man''s mind raced as he contemplated this, launching himself high into the air, heading towards one of the warehouse rooftops, on which he landed with a great clang. He dashed away, knowing that if he looked behind again, he would be finished. At least here he could gauge the distance between them once the Lieutenant landed on the rooftops, listening for the accompanying clang.

    Yet the clang never came. This realisation brought with it a flutter of anxiety and fear.

    Did he know what I was trying? the Hateful man wondered, fighting his terror so that he didn''t make any mistakes. Any error now would mean death.

    Gritting his teeth, the Hateful man leapt onto another warehouse rooftop, listening for the sound a part of him guessed wasn''t coming. He jumped off the rooftop and took to the road, landing on a strip that led towards the Divinity Highway. It was his best chance for escape.

    Where are you?

    He listened, trying to decipher the Lieutenant''s location. There was nothing except the rushing wind and the constant pattern of his own footsteps tapping on the metal as he moved as fast as he could.

    Keep moving! Don''t look back!

    The Hateful man focused all his strength on his running, heading towards the gigantic Highway. It began with sharp arches that curved around like upside down meat hooks, balancing the flat yet thick slate of metal that possessed no sides, and that cars used every day. Like so much of Exia, it had formed itself with little human involvement. Despite their collective dislike of him, they still called places like this "Gifts from the creator himself", compensation for what had happened all those years ago.

    And that''s why he hunts us, the Hateful man thought, his fear returning from the brief respite of distraction. Another minute and he would be free. The streetlights showed him the way. All he had to do was reach the Highway, jump onto a car or truck and he''d be safe. The Lieutenant couldn''t catch him then. The Hateful man closed his eyes, listening, trying to decipher where the Lieutenant was.

    Then it occurred to him.

    Oh, shit, he''s¡ª

    The Hateful man made the fatal mistake of turning his body as he glanced upward. For the tiniest of moments, he found himself blinded by the brightness of the curved white streetlights, glimpsing the Lieutenant soaring beneath them. He was using his Transformative Blessing, utilising the wings of a black dragon, like the Ethero Fiends of legend, waiting to spring his trap. The Lieutenant had known what he was going to do to catch him, using the Hateful man''s own fear against him. It was over; he knew that. All he saw next was the Lieutenant folding his wings before diving towards him, spiralling in the air.

    Then, the Hateful man tumbled onto the ground.

    He didn''t even realise that his right leg was gone until he tried to move, looking down and seeing the bleeding stump that began to emit steam. What was strange was that it didn''t panic him. His fear had vanished, replaced by the comfort that came with knowing one''s fate.

    I''m already dead, the Hateful man realised, gazing at his pursuer standing behind him, bearing a giant curving blade on his right arm that was now slick with blood. For a moment, the Hateful man regarded the blood, his own blood, with deep fascination, until he looked at the Lieutenant again, seeing agitation on his face.

    ''I don''t understand it,'' the Lieutenant said, taking a step towards him, moving with murderous intent. The Lieutenant was a powerfully built man, broad-shouldered and dressed in a black suit that seemed impeccable despite being covered with blood. Its right sleeve, torn from the giant curving silver blade, gleamed under the streetlights while also being marred by the Hateful man''s blood. He wore polished dress shoes, stepping with great care to avoid any further mess. Meanwhile, his face seemed weathered by years of experience, appearing in his early 40s, his hair cut short and chestnut, as was the thick moustache that covered his upper lip. These details made the Hateful man smile. He knew what the Lieutenant was. The Hateful never forget.

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    ''Is there something you find amusing?'' the Lieutenant asked. By stupidity or madness, the Hateful man''s smile deepened. In response, the Lieutenant''s face darkened as he shook his head, taking another step towards the Hateful man while raising his blade.

    ''Why don''t any of you understand what I''m trying to achieve?'' he asked. ''Why can''t you learn to work with the humans?''

    ''Because¡­they''ll never work with us¡­'' the Hateful man replied, coldness filling him as his teeth chattered. ''Because¡­they''ll turn us into you¡­Meg¡­Meg¡ª''

    He was cut off by the Lieutenant''s blade pressed against his throat; trickles of blood ran down his neck as the Lieutenant bore into him.

    ''Say that name,'' the Lieutenant growled, daring him to continue. This only furthered the rush of madness taking over the Hateful man as he drew closer to death. His hands and fingers were growing numb, and his mind dizzy and faint.

    ''I''m¡­de¡­dead,'' the Hateful man replied, every word bringing him one step closer. He noticed the anger on the Lieutenant''s face dissipating, changing to frustration.

    ''It doesn''t have to be this way,'' he said, keeping his blade held against the Hateful man''s throat. ''Our kind doesn''t have to live this way.''

    The Hateful man chuckled at such irony, looking into the Lieutenant''s cold eyes one last time before he raised his hands, clutching the inside of the Lieutenant''s arm blade.

    ''I''d¡­rather die like this¡­than stain my hair and pretend to be one of them¡­''

    The Hateful man pulled his throat into the Lieutenant''s blade, jerking to the right. He fell, his body limp and lifeless, as more blood trickled towards the surface, the suicide complete. The Lieutenant, partially stunned by the action, shook his head in disbelief. He stared at the body for a couple of seconds, before rising to his feet and allowing his Transformative Blessing to fade away, his arm reverting to normal.

    ''You don''t understand,'' he said, squeezing his fists as his body shook.

    ''YOU DON''T UNDERSTAND!''

    The tension faded as he relaxed. They had never understood him. Never understood why he had chosen this path. The Lieutenant glanced at his hands, knowing that they had killed so many, the price of salvation.

    ''Freedom always comes with a price,'' he said, repeating words he had heard long ago, coming from somewhere deep within his soul. The Lieutenant glanced at a certain warehouse that he was sure was nearby, a reminder of that very price.

    What does it mean to pursue a dream?

    The Lieutenant looked at the three towers at the centre of the city, surrounded by a great wall. He remembered what had led to this point.

    ''Everything I''ve done, I''ve done for us,'' he said, allowing his hands to drop by his sides. ''Even if all of you despise me. That is my sacrifice, the price I''m willing to pay to lead us to a better future.''

    The Lieutenant felt his phone vibrate before it started ringing. He reached into a trouser pocket and drew out a large phone with a wide screen, tapping to answer it before holding it to his ear.

    ''Captain. Yes, I caught the suspect. No, I inflicted an immobilising injury before he committed suicide. The body should dissolve before the workers arrive. Yes. Yes¡­I understand. I''ll visit her at once. What is it connected to?''

    The Captain informed him of what happened in the Rai District, including the human casualties, alongside the words the suspect had supposedly said.

    ''What?'' the Lieutenant stammered, moving the phone away from his ear and frowning towards it, questioning if he had heard the Captain right. After a few seconds, he brought it back, listening intently. The Captain described multiple claims that a Hateful man called Lucifer Armedeus had sabotaged a protest in Rai, killing three humans, before announcing his mission to become the new god of this world. As he listened, the Lieutenant''s eyes scanned towards the three towers once more, not quite able to believe what he was hearing.

    Do you know about this? he wondered, knowing that he could never return, never see her again. The Lieutenant shook his head, trying to dispel any memory from returning to him. He needed to focus. He needed¡ª

    ''Will I be able to work with Officer Greene?'' the Lieutenant asked in haste, hoping the Captain would assent to this. ''I think his way of reasoning would prove especially useful.''

    The Captain consented, which the Lieutenant appreciated. The young Officer was the only one in the DFA who would work with him. He listened to the Captain make his last few points, trying to wrap his mind around this unusual case. Normally, the Hateful would be sneaky, trying to avoid the possibility of getting him.

    Yet you''re doing the exact opposite. You want to face us. You genuinely believe what you say¡­Hmm¡­This is interesting. I''ve met no one with my conviction, with my¡ª

    The Lieutenant turned his gaze to the sky, becoming thoughtful. In a strange way, the Lieutenant respected such conviction. He knew what it meant to burn with purpose, with desire. It made him wonder. It made him search within.

    Does he have one of you? he asked, doubting that the voice within would answer him. Not even a stirring followed.

    ''Still, I do this to serve our kind,'' he said, turning his gaze towards the three towers once more. ''Becoming a god won''t change anything.''

 The Dreamhouse

    "There''s always a Dreamhouse nearby, ready to relieve you of all your suffering. In fact, close your eyes. Listen. Can you hear it? Gasps of pleasure. The giddy laughter of madness. Screams of joy. Shrieks of ecstasy. Once you listen, you''ll realise how close they are. It is the place where human beings purge their suffering."

    But, it can''t heal you if you''re Hateful, Lucifer thought, peering down towards the Dreamhouse, which was tucked away behind many backstreets in Rai. Unlike most buildings in Exia, it was made of wood, a ramshackle building that appeared on the verge of collapse. It was elevated on a silver platform as Lucifer noted the constant rising of smoke from cracks in the roof. A burly human man stood by its main door, staring down a small set of steps. Despite the old man''s words he recalled, Lucifer heard nothing except occasional bursts of laughter. He shook his head, ruing what he was about to do.

    Remember why you''re here, he told himself, taking in a deep breath. I want to know how humanity suffers. I want to understand what she meant.

    Confusion rose from within, questioning why he even cared about what a human said. He had never cared in the past, and he still had every intention of making humanity pay for what it had done to his kind.

    Is it because she treated you with kindness? Lucifer wondered, his gaze fixed towards the Dreamhouse.

    And why do I feel such revulsion towards this place?

    Knowing the spiral he was about to enter, Lucifer stepped off the building while tapping into his Physical Blessing. He landed with a loud clang before the staircase, which drew the attention of the bald human guarding it, with barrels for arms and a long beard, widening his stance. He and Lucifer exchanged stares, while the latter reverted to his normal size and moved forward, causing the human guard to move to obstruct him.

    ''You wish to use the Dreamhouse, Cursed One?'' he asked, his voice baiting a response. Despite how much he wished to rip the human apart for using the slur, Lucifer nodded instead, forcing himself to stay calm. He then ascended towards the guard, who appeared disappointed with his lack of reaction.

    ''You got credits?'' the guard asked next. Once again, Lucifer nodded, not saying a word. The guard nodded before moving aside, gesturing towards the door behind him.

    ''Any funny shit and I''ll kick you straight out,'' he said. Lucifer ignored the temptation to smirk at such a threat.

    I''d like to see you try, Lucifer thought, still saying nothing as he reached the door. When he pulled it open, he was surprised to be met by a gust of mist that raced towards the air like vengeful spirits. His nose was flooded with the smell of hundreds of toxic chemicals, causing him to stagger back as he coughed. Behind, there was a slight chuckle from the human guard, compelling him to straighten and force himself to go in.

    He entered a small corridor, hazy with the poisonous mist as strobe lights flickered, blinding him as he squinted to see ahead. Beyond was a large darkened room that possessed the same ambiance: a synthesis of warm reds, oranges and yellows that struck him without mercy. Ahead of him stood a counter with another human man smiling towards him. He wore a pair of dark-tinted glasses, while his hair was short and spiky and his chin stubbled.

    ''You alright there?'' the man asked, his smile mocking. ''Don''t think I''ve ever seen one of your kind come in here.''

    ''I don''t understand how you can breathe in here,'' Lucifer remarked, looking beyond the man and noticing three doors behind him, frowning.

    ''Those are your three choices.'' The human chuckled to himself, as though seeing what Lucifer was thinking. ''How much you pay decides which door we send you through.''

    ''What''s behind them?''

    ''Heaven,'' the man replied, his smile growing into a wide grin. Lucifer felt disgust, wishing for nothing more than to turn his arm into his favoured giant revolver and be done with him. However, he forced himself to ignore this temptation.

    I need to focus, he told himself, his head swaying a little from the overwhelming scents and tastes entering his body.

    ''I want to talk to the one who owns this place,'' Lucifer said.

    The man''s disconcerting grin never faded. ''I''m afraid he''s not in today,'' he drawled, leaning on the counter towards Lucifer as though daring him to pursue the matter.

    It''s him, Lucifer realised, knowing that he needed this man to stay alive for now. In which case, he played the fool, so as not to reveal his thoughts. He chose instead to nod in understanding while fixing his eyes upon the doors once again.

    ''Alright then,'' he said, ''I want the best one.''

    ''Oh, going for the top tier already? You must be suffering if you want to use that door.''

    ''I''m Hateful,'' Lucifer replied, directing his eyes towards the strange glasses the human wore, daring him to say something. He recalled the likes of Galli and the other Hateful who were supposedly More Cursed. The human shrugged before holding out his hand, his smile warm. Lucifer understood what he meant. He reached into his jacket pocket and drew out a roll of Divinity Credits before placing them on the counter. He doubted the human would care where they came from.

    ''I assume this will be enough?''

    There was a glint of joy in the owner''s expression as he counted the credits, although he wore the strange glasses over his eyes. A terrified shrill of a scream emerged from somewhere ahead. Lucifer couldn''t tell which door. He fixed a questioning gaze with a raised eyebrow towards the owner, who shrugged again before he corrected himself with a grin.

    ''We heal all ya suffering,'' he whispered, his voice sending a chill through Lucifer''s spine. ''We make the pain go away.''

    Lucifer said nothing to that, his face unchanging.

    ''Very well. You can go through this door,'' the owner said, gesturing towards the door on the right as more screams of ecstasy filled the air. ''Come, get ready to feel happiness again.''

    Only one person can give me that, and Hela sent her away.

    Lucifer placed his hands in his pockets as he followed. The door opened with a burst of violet vapour, which smelled to Lucifer like a gassy perfume.

    ''What is this?'' he asked, watching the gas twirl around his hand as they entered another narrow corridor. Its light was dim compared to before. Whether that was from the strange gas or intentional, Lucifer didn''t know. It was then that Lucifer realised the owner hadn''t answered his question, figuring that he wouldn''t get an answer, and that his best course was to stay silent.

    The owner and Lucifer continued along the darkened corridor until they reached another door. More sounds emerged all around them. Giggles, which sounded as though they came from a child. Heavy breathing. Gasps of shuddering pleasure.

    ''Here is the first room,'' the owner said, turning to Lucifer and grinning.

    ''I see that,'' Lucifer replied, pausing as his anxiety rose, unsure of what waited on the other side. ''Will I be alone?''

    ''No,'' the owner replied, reaching towards the door and pushing it open, turning to face Lucifer and extending his arm. ''I do hope you''ll enjoy your time with us.''

    Lucifer nodded and stepped inside. He was met by a stuffy and hazily illuminated square room as the door shut behind him, shrouded in violet and red lights while appearing full of the mysterious vapour. Sniffing the air, Lucifer deduced that a kind of drug was in it. The room was small, filled with long chairs, sofas and giant bean bags upon which humans lay, all sprawled out with mouths agape and eyes wide open. They seemed horrifyingly delighted, lost in blissful ignorance and glee. Lucifer regarded them, wondering if they were dead.

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    What is this? What''s happened to them?

    A human woman gasped alongside him as she turned in his direction, gaining his attention as he stepped away from her. She was a brunette woman with exposed breasts and white underwear, her head hanging to one side as she shot him a lazy smile.

    ''Hey,'' she said hazily, as though this were all a dream. ''Wanna fuck, Hateful boy?''

    ''What?'' Lucifer said, aghast, before his face twisted in disgust. ''I don''t like being touched.''

    ''Aw, c''mon,'' she replied, flickering her eyes towards her breasts. ''You''re here for the same reason as me. You''re here to feel good¡­''

    ''No,'' Lucifer said, shaking his head, doubting that the human was capable of any rational conversation. ''I came here to understand something before I continue on in my dream. Tell me, how do humans suffer? Why do you come to places like this ¨C Dreamhouses, I mean?''

    Lucifer looked at the other humans again, feeling increasingly horrified.

    ''Why do you do this to yourselves?''

    Lucifer watched the woman as she floated between comprehension of his words and the intoxicated state she found herself in, before she reached out a foot to touch him.

    ''You know you want to,'' she teased, before giggling again. ''C''mon, it''ll be amazing.''

    Lucifer said nothing, grimacing. The woman was lost in madness. Perhaps they all were.

    ''It isn''t real,'' Lucifer said aloud, uncertain of whether he was replying to her, or telling himself. ''None of this is real. You know that.''

    ''Of course I do,'' the woman replied, trying to suppress another giggle. ''It''s just that I don''t want to. That''s the point, Hateful boy. We can all see it.''

    ''See what?''

    ''How fucked up everything is. How fucked up we all are.''

    To Lucifer''s surprise, her face changed, the happiness and amusement disappearing, replaced by a bitterness that almost bordered on anger as her eyes widened.

    ''Oh shit! It''s wearing off!'' she gasped, before scrambling off with speed he didn''t think was possible for humans in this state. The woman dropped to all fours and crawled past him, heading towards a dish in the middle of the floor, which Lucifer hadn''t noticed through the vapour. He watched her grasp a handful of whatever was inside before stuffing it into her mouth and swallowing. The woman turned to lie on the floor when she was finished, closing her eyes, relieved.

    ''You know, I once dreamed I could become anything. I wanted to be a dancer, a dancer who swept audiences away, hearing them applaud my brilliance. But when you''re a kid, people allow you to have stupid dreams. They think it''s cute, but eventually they tire of it. They tell you that you can''t do that, silently saying that you have to become like them, suffer like they do. I tried so hard to fight against it, to be different, to break away. Everyone wants you to become just like them. Hopeless. Depressed. I realised they don''t wanna see someone else succeed, because it reminds them of their failure. They become jealous, petty¡­''

    ''And hateful,'' Lucifer added.

    The woman opened her eyes, turning towards him. ''Yes, hateful,'' she agreed, before brushing her hair back, ''But not like your kind.''

    ''No,'' Lucifer agreed. ''Not like my kind.''

    The woman nodded then, saying nothing as she continued to regard him. Though he didn''t understand why, Lucifer felt compelled to sit at her level, lowering himself so that he was sitting on the floor. The woman then reached behind her and brought the wide dish towards Lucifer, who could see what looked like hundreds of black tablets sitting within. He didn''t know what they were, nor their effects. He realised he had only a few minutes before he lost her again, his expression darkening as he returned his gaze towards her.

    ''What are they?'' he asked.

    The woman shrugged. ''No idea, but they make you feel good. You dream after a few minutes.''

    Lucifer nodded, pretending to understand as he considered his next question. ''Why are you so obsessed about feeling good?''

    The woman smiled, though Lucifer saw the sadness within it. ''Because I''ve felt the opposite most of my life. My head''s fucked, Hateful boy. You don''t wanna know what goes on in here. Stress. Anxiety. Depression. I got it all. Most of us do. We just wanna be free. We just wanna feel happy and¡­''

    Her face broke then, her lips trembling as tears fell. Despite himself, despite the fact he knew he should hate this woman and everyone else in the room, Lucifer leant forward and allowed her to embrace him. He listened to her sob, trying not to allow the emotions to overwhelm him. Emotions could do that if you weren''t careful. You didn''t want to take on everyone else''s pain.

    Still, one could offer comfort, even if for just a few moments.

    This is human suffering, Lucifer thought, allowing the woman to hold him despite his desire to pull away, despising the sensation as his skin crawled. Inside, he felt a strange feeling rise from within. It was like a cold flush, emerging from his chest towards the rest of his body, ending at his head, fingers, and toes. Lucifer had felt it enough times to know what it meant. It was the emergence of the voice.

    Nothing changes, it said. The dream must come to fruition.

    I know, Lucifer replied in his mind. We all suffer, but at least I can offer her this mercy.

    The woman released him, prompting him to let her go. For a moment they regarded each other in silence, he saying nothing; her appearing appreciative.

    ''Thanks, Hateful boy,'' she whispered, as tears continued running down her cheeks. ''But¡­it''s already too late¡­''

    A grin emerged then, signalling that the drugs were working, heralding the return of the madness.

    ''Wanna fuck, Hateful boy?''

    Lucifer said nothing, regarding her sadly before he rose to his feet. He then held out his right hand and tapped into his Elemental Blessing, summoning a ball of fire that drew the woman''s fascinated stare. Lucifer allowed himself to feel sadness, knowing that he had never done so for a human.

    ''I''m going to end your suffering now,'' he whispered, before tossing the ball of fire towards the floor. There it ignited and spread, while Lucifer turned and stepped towards the door, closing it behind him. Screams did not follow, only laughter and gasps of euphoria. Lucifer made his way back towards the main reception, prompting the owner to gaze at him quizzically.

    ''Everything alright?'' he asked. Lucifer answered by tapping into his Blessing as a Transformative, summoning his large revolver, before shooting him in the head. It exploded like a burst melon, and the owner''s corpse fell back before sliding down the wall, painting it in blood.

    ''That''s for taking advantage of them,'' he said, before looking ahead and noticing the large bald guard burst into the room. By this point, he knew that smoke was emerging behind him, and he shifted his revolver into a pair of razor-sharp black claws, with long silver blades for fingers.

    ''You have three seconds to run,'' Lucifer warned. The guard looked beyond him, realising what he had done. He turned and ran, leaving Lucifer to follow him while the rest of the building burned all around them. By the time he reached the staircase, he saw the guard staring at the burning Dreamhouse, glancing down towards Lucifer in horror.

    ''Tell them,'' he said, as the voice laughed from within, causing him to shudder, ''Tell them all: My name is Lucifer Armedeus, and I will become the new god of this world. I will end the suffering of my race.''

    The guard said nothing, gazing horrified towards the Dreamhouse before he span on his heels and ran. No doubt he would spread the message far. If not, the sight behind Lucifer would, as he allowed his Blessing to fade. The Dreamhouse seethed with fire, creating a mighty torch that all of Exia would see.

    ''Your suffering is over now,'' he said.

 Questions

    Diana Skagen awoke from a broken sleep, unable to keep her mind from what had happened in Rai. She could still picture Lucifer as though he were there in front of her, the Hateful man landing before her and ruining the protest she had spent weeks organising. It was supposed to be her moment where she defined herself, the moment she finally separated herself from¡ª

    I failed at that too, she thought, throwing the quilt off her body as cold rushed towards her skin. Diana swung her legs over the side of the bed, hunching with her forearms resting on her thighs. She spent a couple of minutes ruminating over what had happened, knowing that she shouldn''t, knowing the path it led towards. Still, she couldn''t avoid the fact that Jenny was dead. So were Bruce and Christian. Diana pictured all three of them, half-blown away, while the memory of Christian''s screams caused her to shiver.

    ''They shouldn''t have attacked,'' she said, shaking her head while drawing her resting hands towards it. ''I tried to stop them.''

    But that hadn''t been enough, had it? she remembered. All the mistakes. All the failures. They started coming to her like crashing waves, eternal and never-ending. Diana''s breathing quickened. It was a familiar cycle, which she had fought thousands of times before, knowing where it led. Her eyes bubbled, which only furthered her agitation.

    ''Stop it! Control yourself!'' she snapped, only increasing the feeling that she had failed.

    I wasn''t the one who called him "Cursed". I didn''t throw the bottle. I tried to make them stop!

    But you didn''t do enough, did you? Three people are dead now, and you know that more will follow.

    "My name is Lucifer Armedeus. I will become the new god of this world."

    Diana''s mind froze on that image, picturing Lucifer as he stood before her, pain strewn across his face, fuelled by what could only be years of torment and hatred.

    He was right, though. Despite all my counters, he was right about the one thing that mattered. When I mentioned what the Divinity has done, I never considered his kind. I preached to him, just like how I preached towards all the others. Yet I hardly know anything about him or the Hateful.

    ''I''m a hypocrite. Oh, Divinity, how could I not see it?''

    Her mind didn''t answer her. Diana sighed and allowed the weight of her head to rest on her hands, appreciating the rare moment of peace. She looked towards the bedside table, reaching for her phone, which illuminated to her touch. It told her it was 07:04, and that she had no messages from anyone. That didn''t surprise her. Diana had expected no one to contact her over what had happened.

    Because they pretended to be your friends, your followers. Yet, no sooner as it seems you lost, they''re gone. I''m alone with nothing.

    ''And I hate myself,'' she murmured, her mind weary from exhaustion. Diana heard something and froze. She listened for another couple of seconds, becoming certain that someone was knocking on her door. She rose, reaching for a dressing gown on the floor before putting it on. Diana made her way towards her bedroom door before entering the hallway. The knocks were becoming louder now, sounding more like soft clangs against the metal surface. Diana wondered who it could be, considering everything that happened. By the time she reached the bottom of the stairs and walked into the hallway between it and the door, she paused in realisation, feeling a sinking in her gut.

    The DFA.

    You were gonna have to deal with them at some point, she concluded. Diana took in a deep breath before she stepped forward and reached for the door handle. When she opened it, she half expected to see a young and attractive man around her age, ready to speak to her. Perhaps a rookie who was still learning how things worked. Instead, she ended up facing an older suited man who wasn''t attractive to her, but might be attractive to many women older than her. He appeared to be in his 40s, possessing a thick chestnut moustache and short hair of the same colour. He had a powerful physique, filling the suit that Diana realised was spattered with dried spots of blood and had a torn right sleeve. Unable to help herself, she frowned at it before looking up questioningly. The DFA agent smiled in return.

    ''I apologise for my appearance,'' he said, his voice rough and gritty. ''I apprehended a suspect around an hour ago. He didn''t come¡­peacefully, shall we say? As you''ve probably guessed, I work for the DFA.''

    The agent paused, expecting her to say something.

    Diana said nothing, causing him to shrug.

    ''I assume you are Diana Skagen?'' he asked next.

    ''Yes.''

    ''Very good. My name is Lieutenant Newman. I have some questions regarding what happened in the Rai District.''

    Diana bristled. ''It is well within my rights to stage a protest,'' she said.

    ''I''m aware of that,'' the Lieutenant replied, his expression impassive. ''That doesn''t concern me. I''m interested in what ended it¡­''

    Lieutenant Newman paused, as though expecting her to say something. When she didn''t, he shrugged again before reaching into his suit, pulling out a single cigarette and putting it into his mouth.

    ''Mind if I¡­?'' he asked.

    Diana nodded, and he flicked his fingers to summon a tiny flame on the end of his thumb, drawing it towards the cigarette.

    ''You''re an Elemental?'' she asked, drawing his gaze. ''I am too.''

    For a moment, Lieutenant Newman appeared to consider that. Lines appeared on his face, which surprised Diana.

    ''So, what happened?'' he asked.

    Diana pondered why he was avoiding her question. However, she knew better than to try pushing her luck with a DFA agent, the Lieutenant seeming more reasonable than any she had faced in the past. Yet even that intrigued her. Everything about the man seemed¡­off. The way he spoke. Even the way he looked. Lieutenant Newman was not like other DFA agents. There was a forced detachment to him, as though monitoring himself to keep control.

    ''Are you alright, Miss Skagen?'' he asked, snapping her attention back.

    ''Miss Skagen?'' she asked.

    ''It is your name, isn''t it?''

    ''Yes, it''s just that¡­I''m not used to being called that.''

    ''Then Diana?'' Lieutenant Newman asked.

    Diana nodded, which prompted the Lieutenant to nod as he took in a breath of his cigarette, before blowing out a puff of smoke.

    ''What happened last night?'' he asked.

    Diana figured there was no point in lying to him. ''A Hateful man interrupted us, but I think he was planning to sabotage it, anyway. I think something I said made him do it earlier.''

    ''What was that?''

    Diana paused, knowing the dangerous territory she was entering. While protesting was not a crime in Ethero, heresy was. The DFA had been created by Seraphu himself, one of the Divinity''s five Angels. Their aim was to ensure order and the Divinity''s will. Anyone who questioned the divine creator questioned the way of the world. Still, that didn''t change Diana''s views towards them, and why she wasn''t afraid to tell the truth. If she was to be punished for her beliefs, so be it.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ''I questioned the existence of the Divinity,'' she said, watching for the Lieutenant''s reaction. He grimaced.

    ''Well,'' he began, unsure, ''that''s a controversial topic. How did he respond? You think this was what provoked him to act?''

    You have no intention of arresting me for that? Diana thought, surprised. She allowed herself to nod in affirmation.

    ''Yes. As soon as he landed, he asked me if I could explain the reason behind his kind''s existence if it wasn''t the Divinity,'' Diana said, noticing a change in Lieutenant Newman as she finished. It was subtle, but Diana was sure that she saw the Lieutenant''s expression saddening, as though her words had affected him.

    ''And what was your response to that?'' he asked.

    ''Nothing,'' Diana replied. ''What could I say to something like that?''

    She paused then, noting the pain and wisdom in the Lieutenant''s eyes. A part of her was sure he understood exactly what she was saying, compelling her to continue.

    ''My fellow protesters became¡­aggravated by his presence. One of them threw a bottle at him. I couldn''t see who. Then, three of my fellow organisers turned to engage him. I''m sorry to say it, but they and the other protesters were not friendly towards him.''

    ''Had he displayed any threatening behaviour?''

    ''No. But I think the fact that he was Hateful, and because he interrupted our protest, it didn''t help. It doesn''t justify how they treated him. I tried to¡ª''

    Diana stopped herself then, her mind turning again, reminding her of her failure. She closed her eyes and willed it to stop, trying to focus, as she knew the Lieutenant would watch all of this.

    ''You did more than most,'' the Lieutenant said, as though he understood what was going through her head. There was even a warmth to his voice, a warmth that surprised Diana as she opened her eyes and stared at him. She had never expected to feel warmth from anyone who worked for the DFA.

    ''What happened next?'' the Lieutenant asked.

    "My name is Lucifer Armedeus. I will become the new god of this world."

    ''He said he was going to become the new god, before he killed my co-organisers,'' Diana said, watching as Lieutenant Newman nodded before turning his eyes towards the forever black sky.

    ''A new god? Does he really believe that''s going to change anything?''

    ''Sorry?'' Diana asked, before the Lieutenant looked down at her, smiling.

    ''Nothing,'' he said, before reaching for his cigarette and discarding it behind him.

    ''You sound like you have a lot of experience with the Hateful,'' Diana said.

    The Lieutenant snapped his gaze towards her as though afraid he had given something away. It was only a couple of seconds before his expression relaxed.

    ''My role within the DFA is to handle all the cases involving the Hateful,'' he replied, sighing. ''So yes, I know much about them.''

    Diana nodded again, considering his response, and Lucifer.

    ''He seemed in a lot of pain,'' Diana said, scratching her chin. ''He helped me realise I know nothing about the Hateful, except what everyone else has told me. I want to know how I can change that. I want to understand them.''

    The Lieutenant said nothing to that, instead turning his gaze towards the three towers that stood taller than any other building in Exia. Sadness marred his face alongside a sense of longing, like a lost child wanting to return home.

    It''s as though he were Hateful himself, Diana reflected.

    ''Perhaps he is,'' the Lieutenant said. ''Most of the Hateful are. Their minds are so different from that of a human. They struggle when trying to connect with others. Often they are isolated, and when they see how much humanity despises them, they often wonder what they have done. There are also two kinds of Hateful. The likes of Lucifer are known as Less Cursed, while in the towers the majority are More Cursed. They''re the ones who suffer the worst, including the Hateful Dreams. They''re mostly non-verbal, and their sensitivity to everything around them is amplified. Even touch can bring them great distress and suffering.''

    Lieutenant Newman returned his gaze to her then, appearing pained for even speaking of them.

    ''As for the likes of the Less Cursed, their struggle is different. Trapped between possessing Hateful traits alongside traits of humans, they feel as though they don''t belong to either. They become isolated, which fuels a sense of depression, forcing them to turn to delusions and madness in order to cope.''

    The Lieutenant paused then, as though an idea had just come to him. ''Your best bet would be to visit the Institute itself, if you can¡ª''

    His phone interrupted them. He reached into his suit pocket and revealed it, before answering it.

    ''Yes? Alright, I see. I''ll be over as soon as possible, Greene. I''m just wrapping up this visit. I''ll meet you there.''

    The Lieutenant drew the phone away and pressed the screen to end the call, his thoughtful expression returning.

    ''It''s him, isn''t it?'' Diana asked, knowing that she shouldn''t be asking. The Lieutenant regarded her then, giving no sign.

    ''I don''t know,'' he admitted, ''But my partner has his suspicions, and I trust him more than anyone else in Ethero. Thank you for your cooperation, Diana. If you hear anything or see him again, call me. Just ask for Lieutenant Newman at the DFA.''

    The Lieutenant turned and walked away without waiting for her response, walking along her drive towards a sleek black car with two seats and a long bonnet. It reminded Diana of the classic cars she would see in films. Chrome arches across the wheels and edges of the vehicle seemed to glow under the bright white streetlights, while rounded front lights flanked a silver grille. The Lieutenant walked around it and opened the driver''s door, looking towards Diana as she watched him leave.

    ''Was his name Lucifer Armedeus?'' he called out, as though only just remembering the question.

    ''Yes,'' she said. The Lieutenant nodded back before getting into the car and switching on the ignition. The older car''s engine roared into life like a blue-tongued dragon, before Diana watched him pull away. Once the Lieutenant was gone, her eyes fell upon the three towers every human being told her to avoid, stirring with the desire to act.

    Perhaps it''s time I learnt why my race hates you so much. If I wish to help others, that must include the Hateful too.

    Diana turned back to her home, knowing what she had to do next.

    I must go to the Institute.

 Investigation

    The Lieutenant smelt the scene long before he arrived, his nose turning up in disgust the closer he got. It was a vile scent, filling the air with intoxicating fumes, making him feel as if he had just entered death. Even with the car windows closed, Lieutenant Newman could smell it. He decided to park his car near the pier in Rai. He hoped the strong winds coming in from the coast would keep the odour away. Upon opening his door and stepping out, he realised at once that it wouldn''t. He focused his attention on the trail of thick smoke of greys, greens, and violets. The Lieutenant knew what he was about to stumble upon ¨C a burnt-down Dreamhouse.

    So what has this got to do with you, Lucifer? he wondered, making his way towards the mismatched buildings that concealed the origin of the multi-coloured smoke. Dreamhouses were all over Exia, hidden in back alleys, which took some effort to navigate. At least in this case, the smoke served as a beacon, making the walk much shorter. As he strode, he examined everything the human Diana Skagen had said, considering Lucifer Armedeus, and why he had announced himself the way he had.

    You only appeared when she questioned the existence of the Divinity, he thought, entering a network of narrow passageways that would lead him towards the Dreamhouse.

    Was that because your mission depends on him existing? That he alone justifies your actions?

    There were always other motives, he knew, other drives that compelled suspects to act. More often than not, they were linked to their greatest fears.

    So what are you afraid of? the Lieutenant asked himself, wondering if he was referring to Lucifer, or himself. The answer didn''t come.

    He came upon the final passageway that led to the scene, finding it already covered in blue DFA tape. The Lieutenant ducked underneath it and emerged onto an open square, the remains of the Dreamhouse within it. The husk continued to release intoxicating fumes into the air, causing him to turn up his nose, stirring memories that he didn''t want to remember.

    No, not now. That night was a long time ago. I''ve changed. I''m a different man.

    The Lieutenant forced himself to return his focus on the mission at hand, turning his gaze towards the blue-skinned Titanius who stood a few feet away from the Dreamhouse. Greene was oblivious of his arrival, engrossed with a clipboard he was holding. His attire comprised human clothes, bearing the letters "DFA" across the back in gold print. It looked strange on the small being; Titaniuses rarely reached any taller than 5 feet 6. Still, the Lieutenant smiled at him.

    ''It''s burnt down, Greene,'' he said, drawing the Titanius''s glowing blue eyes towards him. Thankfully, he had changed before arriving. Having seen Diana''s reaction to his bloody torn clothes, the Lieutenant had figured it wise not to attract anymore unwanted attention, especially from his fellow DFA Agents. He watched Greene turn and lower his clipboard, grinning in happiness at seeing him. He was probably the only being in Ethero who looked at him like that.

    ''Ah, Lieutenant,'' he said, his voice refined like most of his kind. ''I had come to the same conclusion.''

    ''At least you''re not studying that board in order to deduce that,'' the Lieutenant said, stepping alongside him as they both turned towards what remained of the Dreamhouse. ''So, what have we got here?''

    ''Depends if you believe the human who filed the report or not,'' Greene said. ''By his account, one of the Hateful came here. Next thing he knew, the owner was killed, and the entire building was set ablaze. The call was made minutes afterwards, though, and we couldn''t trace the source.''

    ''Encrypted?'' the Lieutenant asked. In the corner of his vision, he saw Greene nod.

    ''So he didn''t want us to find him and ask more questions,'' the Lieutenant said, folding his arms. ''He feared being detained himself.''

    ''I would come to the same conclusion,'' Greene said. ''Our operations against drug trafficking have been increasing. The Captain wants the Dreamhouses shut down. Perhaps our Hateful friend is trying to help us?''

    ''But where''s the link?'' the Lieutenant asked. ''Assuming that the report is true, does it tie in with what happened yesterday? Does it connect with Lucifer Armedeus?''

    ''Perhaps these do?'' Greene asked, reaching into his pocket and drawing out a small transparent bag. It was filled with black capsules. The Lieutenant recognised them at once, his expression darkening as he reached out to take them.

    ''Beelzel pills,'' he hissed, disdainful, as he turned them in his hand.

    ''You obviously know what they do,'' Greene said, his tone requesting further elaboration.

    ''Hallucinogenic,'' the Lieutenant said, ''Made with the purpose of giving the user the closest experience to Hateful Dreams.''

    ''Oh,'' Greene replied, awkward.

    The Lieutenant understood why. He continued before the moment festered something within him. ''They can only be bought in once place. If these are circulating, then we have a much bigger problem.''

    ''What do you mean?''

    ''I mean some humans know of "it",'' the Lieutenant said.

    Greene frowned and opened his mouth to speak, no doubt to ask what he had meant by "it". However, they were interrupted by voices coming from behind. Without hesitating, the Lieutenant placed the bag of Beelzel pills in his suit pocket, knowing that Greene would notice this and interpret it as a signal not to mention them. In the small passageway, two more DFA Agents emerged, one of whom scowled at them.

    ''Oh, grea¡­just fucking great,'' the scowling DFA agent said. He was a Lieutenant like Newman, though he wore similar attire to Greene. His dark hair was receding, showing signs of balding. His build was that of a fat, middle-aged man. He was alongside a much younger human who was likely an academy graduate. He possessed slick styled black hair, was clean shaven, and walking with an air of arrogance Lieutenant Newman recognised in most human recruits. The sense of power was an intoxicating drug on its own, despite the substances wafting to the sky behind them. Both human Agents were glaring at them now, approaching with strides that showed a readiness to fight.

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    ''Lieutenant Dest,'' Lieutenant Newman said, crossing his hands behind his back as his expression darkened. Lieutenant Dest regarded him with a sneer, as though he were worse than the smell that hung in the air between them.

    ''Hello, Lieutenant Dest,'' Greene said alongside him, far more kindly than the man deserved, stepping between the two lieutenants and smiling. ''I appreciate your presence here. Lieutenant Newman and I have secured everything we could. We just need a clean-up squad to go over this place and¡ª''

    ''You''ll hand over your evidence to me,'' Lieutenant Dest interrupted, his voice tense. ''I didn''t give you permission to go over my scene.''

    ''I wasn''t aware that I needed your permission,'' Greene answered, speaking in a way Lieutenant Newman and he knew Dest would despise. The human''s face reddened in rage, and he took another step towards Greene.

    You lay one hand on him, Lieutenant Newman thought, considering shifting his arm into his favoured arm blade. Please, just give me a reason¡­

    Its presence grew stronger within, stirring as it filled him with the desire to kill, the desire to enact forbidden temptations.

    Newman, he warned himself, recognising the path his mind was about to wander. Remember your dream¡­

    ''Now, you listen here, you dumb machine,'' Lieutenant Dest hissed, stepping right up to Greene, who remained unperturbed, ''just because your kind never sleeps or eats, it doesn''t mean that you''re better than us. Your kind exists to serve us, nothing more, so don''t you dare try to be clever with me. This is my scene, and you will hand over your evidence to me. Then, you can fuck off, you bastard Titanius.''

    Lieutenant Dest stopped himself then, glaring at Greene, who remained calm despite the insults. Had that been directed at him, Lieutenant Newman knew he would''ve done something. Indeed, it was Greene''s lack of a reaction that kept him still. Inside, his instincts battled against his logic. The presence within wanted to act, wanted to shred the human apart, wanted him to tap into his Blessings. However, Lieutenant Newman didn''t move, his gaze now fixed on Greene, who took in a deep breath before answering.

    ''I''m sorry, but I''m not aware of any orders from the Captain,'' he said. ''However, if you wish to work alongside us, I''d be more than happy to collaborate.''

    Lieutenant Dest appeared baffled, squeezing his fists. Lieutenant Newman readied himself to act as Lieutenant Dest leaned towards Greene. ''If you think I''d ever work with a Titanius, or a fake, you are gravely mistaken.''

    ''Dest,'' Lieutenant Newman said in response, his lips curling into a smile that contained all of his own rage. ''Please, call me a fake again¡­''

    The Lieutenant tapped into his Blessing as a Transformative then, turning his left hand into a small blade that he held towards Lieutenant Dest''s throat. The human Lieutenant snapped from his anger then, realising he was a few seconds away from death. His partner stepped away from him, horrified at what was taking place.

    ''I assume that we have resolved our misunderstanding?'' Lieutenant Newman said, feeling his desire to take the next step.

    Do it, a voice said inside of him, a voice that Lieutenant Newman knew wasn''t his own, filling him with hatred. Kill them¡­

    No, Lieutenant Newman answered, his smile fading as he reasserted control over himself. I will succeed in my dream.

    He forced himself to take a step back, relinquishing his power, before he took in a deep breath. He glanced at Greene.

    ''Let''s go,'' he said, saying nothing more while moving to leave the scene.

    The Lieutenant and Greene entered his car a few minutes later. Lieutenant Newman exhaled as he rested his head back against the seat, feeling Greene''s gaze on him.

    ''I wasn''t going to do it,'' he said, aware of how close he had been.

    ''Dest will report that back to the Captain,'' Greene said, his tone emotionless as usual. ''That won''t help our cause.''

    ''Neither will allowing them to think they can treat us like that,'' Lieutenant Newman said, despite knowing the truth in Greene''s words. ''It doesn''t matter now. It''s done. We need to figure out what we''re doing next. Though I''m surprised you found the Beelzel pills back there, I''m not sure if they link to Lucifer. It also doesn''t explain why he would go to a Dreamhouse. The move seems random, as though he thought of it on the fly.''

    ''Perhaps he did,'' Greene said, ''But you said that they give the user Hateful Dreams. Perhaps that''s the link. Maybe he has an issue with humans making a mockery of something that your kind suffers.''

    ''More likely,'' Lieutenant Newman agreed, opening his eyes and folding his arms. ''Still, it''s a faint link. I''m more concerned over the possibility of humans discovering "it". That will cause a lot more problems later down the road.''

    ''You mentioned that before,'' Greene said. ''What is "it"?''

    ''A place that doesn''t exist. Well, at least to humans it shouldn''t.''

    ''Do you think Lucifer knows about it?''

    ''I''m not sure,'' the Lieutenant admitted, ''but at least it''s something; a direction we can go in.''

    He turned to look at Greene, who was staring towards the three towers. They both knew they could solve the case faster if they visited them. Indeed, the Titanius''s face almost seemed to suggest it.

    ''I can''t go there, Greene,'' the Lieutenant said. ''You know why.''

    ''Yes,'' Greene said, adding nothing else before Lieutenant Newman sat up and reached forward to switch on the ignition. He had not expected this investigation to take this turn. He had not expected to go to The Place That Doesn''t Exist.

 A Familiar Voice

    Lucifer awoke to the roars of dragons. He wasn''t sure what kind. Slowly opening his eyes, he stared up towards a black sky, squinting in confusion, positive he should''ve seen something. His head throbbed in pain, while throughout his body coldness came from his own sweat, accompanying a chill that filled every breath. He went up to one elbow while a wave of nausea struck him. His mind spun, forcing him to close his eyes again. Lucifer focused on his breath.

    Did I have another dream? he wondered, trying to scan his memory for any remnants of what could''ve made him like this. It wasn''t until he looked around and noticed a trail of smoke coiling towards the sky south of his position that the pieces fell into place.

    The Dreamhouse.

    It made sense. His body had probably inhaled countless substances that it had never experienced before. He didn''t take any drugs, so his body''s reaction made sense. Lucifer recalled his head throbbing a few minutes after taking flight from the Dreamhouse, before falling and crashing on the rooftop he now rested on. He had fallen asleep shortly after. Remembering this, he cast his gaze over the surrounding buildings, noting that most of them possessed rooftop gardens as well. He considered that for a few moments before he realised.

    I''m in Anubi.

    He almost fooled himself into thinking that he could smell the abundance and excess wealth that humans living here enjoyed. It didn''t represent the vast majority of humans, but it still made Lucifer sick. Most of his kind were confined to tiny rooms that were the size of the garden he had landed in. Another bellowing roar drew his gaze towards the forever black sky once more, but still there were no signs of any dragons nearby.

    ''I could be imagining it,'' he muttered, shrugging before attempting to get to his feet. At once he regretted the attempt, stumbling a few times while another wave of nausea struck him, forcing Lucifer to hold out his arms and breathe in laboured inhales. Lucifer wondered if this was what it meant to have a hangover.

    ''Why do you humans do this to yourselves?'' he gasped before he remembered the human woman from the Dreamhouse. His expression darkened.

    ''I understand now,'' he said, shaking his head before making his way to the edge of the building. He was indeed in Anubi. The metal buildings were rounded and better shaped, alongside being much bigger. They rose towards one half of Exia Mountain, which it shared with Greyr. Unlike Anubi, Greyr possessed very few buildings, with leaning columns leading towards a single monument that wasn''t made of metal.

    Heaven''s Gate.

    Lucifer froze, unsure if he should go there next. An instinct within told him no, that it was too early and that he needed to build his legend first before making the challenge. Lucifer fought his rising impatience. Impulsive emotions were to be controlled. If one lost themselves to them, then they had failed.

    And you''re not here to help me, he thought. A sense of longing emerged, and Lucifer banished the feeling as soon as he felt it, not wishing to indulge in such thoughts. That was another way emotions got you. Emotions were smart like that. If you were looking for them, they''d find subtle ways of infecting your mind, blurring the lines as you dwelt on something, fooling you into that emotion. Lucifer knew the trick too well.

    You''re trying to do it now, aren''t you? Lucifer asked his mind, allowing himself a wry smile. He distracted himself by focusing his attention on the rest of the city, watching as it thrummed with life, while humans went about their business. The Divinity Highway nearby seemed especially busy, while many sirens indicated the DFA was mobilising. Lucifer guessed it was almost midday, giving him time to consider his next move.

    What would spread my message the best? he wondered. Lucifer didn''t think there''d be many protests happening in Exia today, especially after what he had done. He didn''t doubt, however, that Dreamhouses would continue as though everything were normal. His actions against one wouldn''t make much difference to the rest.

    They probably appreciated me wiping out a competitor¡­

    His gaze turned to the large square building that sat between the Districts of Anubi and Greyr north of the city, not far away from the infamous Carnal Sector in Anubi. It was surrounded by walls that were smaller than the ones at his home, situating massive searchlights that cast beams of blinding light all around it. The DFA''s base, Lucifer recognised at once, figuring that striking such a place would perhaps send the loudest message of all. Temptation burned at the prospect.

    No, not yet, the voice within uttered. For a moment Lucifer paused, frowning as he held himself. To him, it made the most logical sense. To strike at the Divinity''s law enforcement would surely make the greatest impact? He contemplated why it would ward him away, wondering if it was something else he hadn''t sensed.

    ''What is it?'' he asked, before turning around and finding himself staring at a nimble figure shrouded in black, standing a few feet away from him. Despite knowing that this figure''s emergence should concern him, Lucifer felt nothing, instead turning to the side before tapping into his Blessing of a Transformative. He summoned his large revolver, keeping it down against his side, using it more to send a silent message, which he didn''t doubt the shrouded figure could read.

    ''I didn''t even hear you land,'' he said, unable to hide the fact that this impressed him from his tone. ''How long have you been standing there?''

    The figure said nothing, regarding him as the sounds of the city filled the air between them. Deciding to take the initiative, Lucifer raised his revolver and fired a single round. The figure flipped away from the attack, landing gracefully before giving Lucifer an unimpressed head tilt. Unwilling to be lured, Lucifer unleashed a barrage of rounds in quick succession, sure that the figure would struggle to avoid them all. However, he watched as the figure performed a series of acrobatic flips and spins, avoiding each round as easily as they had avoided the first, before landing on the opposite side of the rooftop. Lucifer, stunned, studied the figure as they raised their arms, summoning a concentration of visible white air that swirled around them.

    An Elemental, he recognised, watching as the figure sent a hard blast of air his way, sending him over the ledge of the building. Knowing he only had a few seconds to save himself as he fell, Lucifer tapped into his Blessing as a Physical, relinquishing his revolver and enhancing his muscles as he tumbled towards the street. He landed with a loud clang, drawing gazes from all the humans who surrounded him.

    ''It''s him!'' one of them gasped, while fearful mutterings emerged. Lucifer allowed himself to smile, looking up and expecting to see the being falling towards him. Wind stirred, touching his skin like a cold kiss before a bolt of electricity raced towards him. Lucifer leapt into the air to avoid the attack, hearing the electricity strike the metal ground, which caused it to be conducted. Its current travelled across the surface, making humans scream and spasm in shock, while car alarms erupted. Landing on a lamppost and gazing down, Lucifer saw no humans were hurt, just immobilised. That gave him a vital piece of information about his opponent.

    You''re not trying to kill me, Lucifer thought. He glanced at the assailant who was standing on the ledge of the building above him, staring down in his direction. Still using his Physical Blessing, Lucifer launched himself in the air, missing the assailant who stepped aside, their cloak fluttering from the air generated by their Elemental Blessing. Lucifer landed on the edge of the rooftop, spinning towards the assailant while tapping into his Transformative Blessing. There, he conjured two black feathered wings while turning his hands into bladed claws. In response, the being whipped up another gust of air, this time to serve as protection from Lucifer launching himself at them.

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    ''I won''t lose,'' he said, ignoring the temptation to tap into a second Blessing while using another. Such a move was practically suicide; the body couldn''t handle it. But it didn''t matter. The only thing that mattered was that Lucifer knew the assailant was an Elemental ¨C a powerful one at that. With that information, he could utilise one of the few advantages his race had over all the others: access to all four Blessings.

    And the Elemental is weak against the Transformative¡­

    Lucifer launched himself at the assailant, coming into contact with another gust of wind, which he figured was to thwart his movement. He had been counting on that, using the feint of showing his claws to fool the assailant into thinking that he was going to use them. Instead, he used his wings along with the wind to launch himself high into the sky, whirling in the air. Using his momentum as a distraction, he turned his claws into arm blades before closing his wings and placing his arms high above his head. Lucifer then spun in a twist that cut through the air, knowing that only something akin to a hurricane would stop him. That, however, took time to conjure; time Lucifer knew the assailant didn''t have. He cut through the air with ease, landing right in front of the assailant before swiping his arm blades in an outward slash. To his surprise, he cut through thin air. He looked up in surprise as he saw the being still standing before him, their body shimmering like ripples in water.

    ''An illusion?'' Lucifer said, calming himself as he rose, relinquishing his Blessing as he turned and expected the assailant to be there.

    ''You''re one of us,'' Lucifer said, sensing the battle was over. ''Have I been fighting your illusion this whole time?''

    ''Pretty much,'' a female voice emerged, causing Lucifer''s heart to sink in realisation.

    No, he thought, peeling his eyes away from her in disbelief. Things made sense then, especially why Hela had not seen him yesterday.

    ''She brought you back,'' he said, his sense of longing returning. Other emotions returned with it. Exhilaration. Sadness. Hurt. Pain. Happiness. His mind raced, doing the one thing he despised more than anything, losing the sense of control he had been building within himself. Even the voice within stirred at her arrival, as though it too despised her presence. Lucifer forced his eyes closed, trying to steel his mind, while a shiver ran down his spine.

    ''Ven,'' Lucifer uttered, before making himself look in her direction. He watched as she reached towards her hood, pulling it back to reveal the face he loathed and adored in equal measure. It was soft and round, and her hair was like his, long with flickers of gold and silver. Even as she looked at him, Lucifer felt the awkwardness this meeting was bringing her.

    ''She sent for you, didn''t she?'' he asked, already knowing the answer.

    ''Nice to see you too, Luci,'' Vennifer said, sounding as disappointed as he felt. ''And yes, she sent for me. She figured I might be the only one who could help you see sense. Divinity knows why.''

    Lucifer said nothing at that, listening as she stepped towards him.

    ''Do you wanna know what the worst part is?'' she began. ''I wanted to see you. After what happened¡­well, I was just happy when Hela asked me to return. Then she told me why.''

    Vennifer paused, forcing Lucifer to return his gaze to her. She seemed saddened, as though every bit of this conversation hurt her. For a moment, Lucifer wished his actions hadn''t resulted in this.

    I chose this when I pursued my dream, he thought, trying to find resolve within himself. Not even you can stop this.

    ''We need to talk, Luci,'' Vennifer said, her expression and tone showing her seriousness. ''What you did in Rai¡­this¡­Dream. I''ve only just returned, and already I can hear humans talking.''

    ''Good,'' Lucifer said, recalling how the humans had reacted to him just before. However, Vennifer shook her head.

    ''No. You don''t realise what you''re doing. The humans, they''re afraid, not just of you but of our entire race. They think we''re gonna start leaving the Institute now, hunt them down and slaughter them one by one. I don''t know why you''re doing this, or where it''s even come from, but what you''re doing is causing nothing but harm for our kind.''

    ''No, I''m sending a message,'' Lucifer said, steeling himself as he looked into her eyes. ''I will end our suffering, Ven. The humans, they need to change. We cannot spend the entirety of our lives locked away in those towers!''

    As though to add emphasis, he held out his arm and gestured towards the Institute.

    ''Something has to change, Ven. I know our lives mean more than what humanity has decided for us. However, for as long as he lives, nothing will change. We''ll still suffer.''

    ''But even if you succeed, we''ll still be Hateful, Luci.''

    ''That''s not the point, Ven. What matters is that we can be free. Ever since the beginning, they''ve despised us and blamed us for everything that''s wrong in this world. Something has to change, Ven. I cannot stand aside and live with this anymore.''

    ''But you have for so long,'' Vennifer protested, shaking her head. ''You never had these thoughts before. Where did they come from? What''s changed, Luci?''

    Hela took you away, Lucifer thought, forcing down the pain as soon as it emerged. Vennifer almost seemed to sense this as she eyed him, reaching her arms out towards him as Lucifer fought every fibre in his body from stepping away from her. Again, Vennifer seemed to sense this, pulling her hands back slightly before allowing her arms to fall by her side.

    ''She was right,'' she muttered, while Lucifer was sure who she was referring to. ''Something''s wrong. There''s something you''re not telling me.''

    ''I don''t care what she thinks!'' Lucifer spat, causing Vennifer to frown. At once, Lucifer admonished himself for sounding so petty and insolent, relaxing his face with a sad smile.

    ''I''m sorry, Ven,'' he said, ''but Hela wants things to stay the same. She doesn''t want me to act because she''s afraid of change. Most of our kind is. However, if we don''t change, then nothing else will.''

    ''But what gives you the right to decide that for us, Luci? Who are you to make such decisions?''

    Lucifer considered that, feeling the voice stir again.

    ''Sometimes, someone has to make the choice no one else will make. It''s easy to allow things to remain as they are, because everyone else around you cannot comprehend of another way. I''ve seen it, Ven. I''ve dreamt it hundreds of times, and every single time I''ve been told the same thing. We must make this challenge. We must destroy him!''

    ''But what gives you the right to decide our future?'' Vennifer asked again, her expression becoming one of disbelief. ''You''re not thinking straight.''

    That''s where you''re wrong, Ven, Lucifer thought, keeping it to himself, I''ve never thought more clearly. Yet, I still have the one weakness I''ve always had. Deep down, you know it.

    He reached towards her face, only stopping himself when a great wave of pain filled him, causing him to hesitate as he grimaced. Vennifer glanced towards the hand, then back at him.

    ''You can touch me, Luci,'' she whispered, the words and their meaning hurting him more than anything else could. Lucifer forced himself to turn away, the voice inside saying the one thing that he already knew.

    She is your greatest weakness.

 The Wall

    Much to Diana''s dismay, there was no entrance into the Institute, not without finding a way over its famous wall. It stood at least fifty feet by her estimations, possessing no gaps or entrances. She had spent the last hour walking around it to confirm this. That was after telling the taxi driver to drop her somewhere close by, and walking the plain of metal that separated it from the rest of Exia beforehand.

    The place is a fortress, Diana thought, glancing behind towards the empty metal plain, supposedly created by the Divinity to separate humanity from the Cursed abominations that plagued them. Diana considered that, along with many questions that rose in her mind, like how did the Hateful get food or water? How did they live? Would they be how Lieutenant Newman described them to be? A mix of More Cursed and Less Cursed? If that was true, did that explain Lucifer''s motives? Justify them? These thoughts bubbled in her mind, but really they just confirmed the one thing that was obvious to Diana.

    I really know nothing about them¡­

    Diana took a couple of intentional steps back and folded her arms, examining the giant wall that separated her and humanity from them. Why would I? All I remember is being brought up to fear the Hateful, to distrust them and call them ¡°Cursed". Still, I can''t say much about my kind. Not everyone is the daughter of the beloved Darling of Exia...

    Diana bit her bottom lip, reflecting, as a sense of agitation emerged within her. She had spent most of her life trying to differentiate herself from that person. She would not¡ª

    I''m doing it again. Hurting myself. I can''t stop¡­

    Diana squeezed her fists while closing her eyes, forcing herself to focus on her breath, breathing in and out.

    ''I will be better,'' she said, determination rising. ''I will be better.''

    She returned her attention back to the task at hand, wondering how to scale the wall.

    If I''d been born a Transformative, I could''ve flown over it. Had I been born a Physical, I might have been able to jump over it.

    Unfortunately, Diana was neither of those. She was an Elemental, possessing the power to manipulate whatever element she wished. She could choose from the likes of fire, water, earth, air, and electricity, but sometimes Elementals could gain access to metal, light, and darkness.

    But which one could I use? Water? Use it to conjure up a staircase of ice?

    Diana grimaced at the prospect, considering her other options.

    My fire isn''t strong enough to propel me to the top. Earth is pretty much useless here, and I''m not strong enough to produce any elements out of the original five. That leaves only one option.

    Air.

    Diana strode forward, knowing that what she was about to do was a rather crazy idea. She pictured herself conjuring a powerful wind, a gale that would lift her and make her soar like a Dynamesian falcon. By the time she got to the bottom of the wall, within reaching distance, she forced herself to hold out her arms, summoning wisps of air all around her.

    This is stupid, Diana! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

    Diana forced herself to tap further into her Elemental Blessing before she changed her mind, the swirling air strengthening with each second. It cooled her skin while blowing her hair in all directions. The wind enveloped her, creating a cyclone so strong that had anyone been near her, they would''ve been caught in it and thrown away like rag dolls.

    But I will not be thrown away. I am the vortex. I am the storm.

    Diana closed her eyes, knowing that her body was lightening as the air swept underneath. In her mind, it wrapped her in a cocoon of air, a small hurricane that would lift her above the wall. In all her life, Diana had never allowed herself to truly unleash her power, removing all restraint and not fearing the consequences.

    I feel so alive, she marvelled, unable to suppress a delighted grin. Diana was close to achieving levitation now. She sensed it. Her wind continued to whistle towards her, as though questioning her audacity to even attempt this. Diana grinned more. She could do this, she knew that. All she had to do was release herself, surrender to her power, go beyond.

    And then she would levitate.

    That was when Diana opened her eyes, seeing nothing but a white blur engulfing everything around her. She glanced down at her feet, knowing that they were in the air, as she was. Joy rushed to her mind, realisation emerging.

    I''m doing it! I''m flying!

    A few more seconds passed before the white blur changed, becoming brighter while three tall shapes emerged through it. Diana recognised them as the three towers of the Institute, causing her to marvel at her quick ascension. However, she noticed another shape emerge at the far right, a long rectangular shape that stood alongside one of the towers but nowhere near as tall.

    What is that? she wondered, before all her power dissipated into tiny wisps of air. Diana hung in the sky, staring towards the building, which she knew her kind would never see. A coldness engulfed her skin, as though the natural air of Ethero could finally embrace her. Unfortunately, this also brought with it a new realisation within Diana.

    She had stopped concentrating on her Blessing, and she had not considered how she would land.

    Diana fell, flailing her arms as her mouth opened to scream. Nothing came. The cold air rushed into her throat, making her breathless as she hurled towards the wall. Panicked, Diana tried to tap into her Blessing again, conjuring a few more pathetic wisps that did little to slow her descent.

    Oh, shit, she thought, knowing there was nothing she could do.

    I¡­can''t do anything. I''m¡ª

    Something slammed into her side, wrapping itself around her body. Time froze, and it was a couple more seconds before Diana realised she was no longer falling. Whatever had caught her had let her go. Diana looked up towards the black sky, her body frozen stiff from fear, lying across a cold, solid surface. She heard the light whistling of a breeze touching her skin. A few seconds passed, and Diana allowed herself to breathe again.

    What just happened? she wondered, her neck loosening so that she could turn it. To her left, the three towers of the Institute stood tall, illuminated by large spotlights. Alongside it sat the bigger but much shorter building, which had caught her attention earlier, a rectangular silver construction with windows running across the upper floor. Frowning at it, Diana cast her gaze to her right, seeing the vast open plain of metal between her and the rest of the city.

    ''I''m¡­on the wall,'' she gasped, turning so that her chest was against the narrow, flat metal surface she was lying on, her hands clasping both edges, closing her eyes.

    This was such a stupid idea! Why did I do this?

    Diana forced herself to breathe, relaxing her grip before opening her eyes. She shifted to her right, casting her gaze in the Institute''s direction once again. She looked down from the wall, finding herself staring at a sight that stunned her.

    The grounds of the Institute.

    It''s a garden, Diana marvelled, her eyes grazing over the patches of grassy surface that were layered with many winding paths and organised flower display pathways. It was illuminated by a series of dimmed yellow spotlights that ran across the ground, leading towards the three towers and the large rectangular building. From what she could see, there was no sign of any Hateful. Even as she looked at the Institute itself, there was no sign of any life, as though the towers were empty. Still, Diana couldn''t help but stare at the garden in awe.

    ''Amazing,'' she said, before swallowing in realisation. ''But I didn''t get here by myself, did I?''

    Diana risked a glance upward, seeing what her suspicions had been telling her for the past few seconds.

    ''You helped me.''

    ''I did,'' a Hateful woman replied, standing a few paces ahead with her arms folded. She looked quite amused as she regarded Diana. She appeared to be in her late 30s with almost perfect skin. Her curves were pronounced, pressing against the Hateful attire that Diana had recognised from Lucifer, figuring that they all must wear similar clothes. Her hair was long and streaked with gold and silver, reaching towards her shoulders. Diana compared the woman to Lucifer, finding something different about her. While he seemed a brooding presence, heavy with the weight of his kind on his shoulders, the Hateful woman seemed to possess an air of seniority.

    ''I must admit, I''m quite impressed,'' the Hateful woman said, sounding genuine. ''I don''t think I''ve ever seen a human Elemental try that before.''

    ''Thanks,'' Diana said, her arms tightening around the top of the wall as a strong wind threatened to lift her. ''Are you not angry with me?''

    The Hateful woman knelt on one knee, looking confused by the question. ''Why would I be?''

    ''Well¡­I kinda tried to break in.''

    The Hateful woman''s frown turned into a smile, amused.

    ''Unless you tell me otherwise,'' she began, ''You don''t seem to be a human that wishes to hurt us. I''m curious to find out what compelled you, but you don''t strike me as someone who would call us "Cursed". In fact, I sense curiosity from you.''

    Diana nodded, unsure of what to say. She had not expected the Hateful woman to read her, so she changed subject.

    ''Why isn''t there an entrance?'' she asked.

    ''Well, I would''ve thought that was obvious,'' the Hateful woman chuckled, her soft laugh infectious. ''We don''t want anyone getting in.''

    Diana nodded again, acknowledging the stupidity of her question. ''What if someone wanted to talk to you?'' she asked.

    At once the Hateful woman''s smile dimmed. ''Do you know many humans who wish to talk to us?'' the Hateful woman asked, waiting for a response she knew wouldn''t come. Diana said nothing, feeling some embarrassment as the truth was obvious.

    ''I appreciate your sentiment,'' the Hateful woman added, as though sensing Diana''s change. ''I''m still impressed at what you did to get here. There''s me thinking we only had Transformatives to worry about.''

    ''I wouldn''t have made it without your help,'' Diana said.

    The Hateful woman''s smile grew, knowing. ''Yes, but you''ve been rather persistent, haven''t you? You still took the chance, despite how nervous you were.''

    ''You''ve been watching me the whole time?'' Diana asked, stupefied.

    ''Yes.''

    ''So you could''ve helped me earlier?''

    ''I''m on guard duty,'' the Hateful woman replied, rising to her feet. ''Kinda defeats the point if I help you in.''

    ''But, you have,'' Diana replied, her frown deepening in confusion.

    They''re so genuine¡­so blunt and genuine.

    ''You think my way of thinking is strange,'' the Hateful woman said, appearing to not phrase it as a question.

    ''No. It''s quite refreshing,'' Diana said. ''It''s nice to meet someone so honest.''

    ''And what about you? Are you honest?'' the Hateful woman asked.

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    The question surprised Diana, but she was more drawn towards how it was asked. Her eyes narrowed in mock suspicion, deciding to trust her intuition. ''You''re testing me,'' Diana said, convinced that it was true.

    ''I''ve been testing you since this conversation began,'' the Hateful woman said, her eyes glowing alongside her radiant smile. ''After all, I''d expect no less from anyone on guard duty. I like to remind everyone that I''m no different from them.''

    Diana''s mind stirred. Those words had been intentional. They were the words one used in a position of power, revealing another facet that she had not expected of the Hateful.

    ''Your kind has a hierarchy?''

    ''Not much of one,'' the Hateful woman said, chuckling to herself, ''Unless you count one leader as being an entire hierarchy, that is.''

    ''So, you''re the leader of the Hateful?'' Diana asked, unable to keep her surprise from her voice.

    ''Only in Exia,'' the Hateful woman replied.

    Diana considered the implication of this, unable to contain the smile that came to her lips.

    I''m learning so much about them. This is incredible.

    ''What are you thinking?'' the Hateful woman asked, drawing Diana''s attention back to her. ''Your mood has changed.''

    ''Sorry,'' Diana said, knowing that her face was reddening. ''I was just realising how much I''m learning about your kind. I mean, you''re so different from him.''

    ''Him?''

    ''Lucifer Armedeus.''

    Diana noticed the twitch in the Hateful woman''s face before she looked away at the mention of his name, sighing before scratching the back of her head.

    ''I''m having problems with him,'' she said, appearing to consider how much to say to Diana. ''He''s not well.''

    ''He seemed pretty well to me,'' Diana admitted, keeping her focus on the Hateful woman. ''He inspired me to come here. Alongside the DFA, strangely enough.''

    ''The DFA?'' the Hateful woman asked, her eyebrow arching.

    ''Yes. He already has their attention. They questioned me earlier this morning. The Agent was¡­strange. He seemed to understand your kind very well. He told me to come here if I wanted to learn more.''

    Diana stopped herself, her eyes widening towards the Hateful woman who snapped her head away angrily, as though she were on the verge of exploding.

    ''What was his name?'' she asked, this time avoiding Diana''s gaze. When Diana didn''t answer after a few seconds, the Hateful woman whipped her head towards her, her eyes burning with rage.

    ''What was his name?!'' she barked.

    Diana quivered under the Hateful woman''s fury, not understanding why she had changed. At once she searched her mind, picturing the Lieutenant at first before his name followed. ''Newman,'' she said, unable to hide the fear and confusion in her voice. ''Lieutenant Newman.''

    ''Shit!'' the Hateful woman spat, shaking her head before returning her gaze to Diana, forcing her face to relax. ''I''m sorry for snapping at you. You didn''t deserve that. I can only pray to the Divinity that Vennifer finds Lucifer. If my¡­no. If the Lieutenant gets to him first¡­''

    The Hateful woman stopped herself, taking in a breath before turning to regard Diana once again.

    ''Thank you,'' she said. ''It''s good to know that he''s on Lucifer''s tail. If we can get Lucifer back here, then he won''t bother us. Of course, that depends much on whether Lucifer listens to me.''

    ''Why wouldn''t the Lieutenant come here, though?'' Diana asked, watching the Hateful woman look away again.

    ''It''s¡­complicated,'' she said, unwilling to say anything further. Before Diana spoke, the Hateful woman stepped towards her. She felt herself lifted in the air, opening her mouth to scream before she was lying on grass. Frowning, she looked around, noticing the surrounding plants and winding paths, all of which were illuminated by dimmed yellow spotlights.

    I''m inside the walls, she realised. I''m in the Institute.

    ''Tell me the truth: Why are you here?'' Diana heard the Hateful woman ask behind her, drawing her stunned gaze. Diana could tell that the Hateful woman was still reeling from before, her face a forced mask that somewhat betrayed the emotion.

    What was it about the Lieutenant that set her off? Diana wondered. Is he connected to this place? He certainly acted as though he were one of them¡­

    ''Well?'' the Hateful woman urged, sensing what she was thinking. Diana allowed herself to relinquish her thoughts, glancing at her hands and considering why she had come here. Was it because she wanted to learn and understand their race? Or was it the same sense of guilt that drove her? That this was her own distorted way of running from the person she feared she might become?

    Perhaps it''s all of them, she figured. It was enough for her expression to sadden, looking down at the floor.

    ''I don''t know,'' she admitted, smiling before turning her gaze upward. ''After listening to Lucifer and the Lieutenant, I guess I started questioning myself. I''ve never liked how my kind has regarded yours. I mean, it seems far too convenient, blaming your race for everything that''s wrong with the world. It''s a perfect way of justifying why we''ve not moved forward. Yet, no one questions it. We''re told you''re to blame, and that you''re Cursed because of it.''

    ''And you don''t believe it?'' the Hateful woman asked.

    Diana''s smile grew. ''What if I told you I don''t believe in the Divinity? That I think both our races alongside the Titaniuses are being lied to? I think something else led to this, something the Council doesn''t want us to know. Would you say I''m crazy?''

    The Hateful woman matched her smile, appearing amused by the question. ''I already assumed you were. After all, you did just try to fly over our wall with no plan, just so you could talk to us.''

    ''That''s true,'' Diana agreed, falling into silence. She considered what she had said to the Hateful woman about the Divinity, remembering how they had drawn Lucifer out back in Rai. She wondered if that held any significance.

    ''He didn''t agree,'' she said, realising that she had spoken the words without context. ''Lucifer, I mean. I think I forced him to reveal himself when I revealed my beliefs about the Divinity.''

    ''Makes sense,'' Hela sighed, folding her arms once again. ''After all, if the Divinity didn''t exist, who would he challenge? What would that do to his dream?''

    ''So you already know of it?'' Diana asked.

    In return the Hateful woman nodded. ''Yes. He''s never believed that I''ve done enough, that I''d rather keep things the same than strive for change.''

    Though her face twisted in agitation, there was also a pained acknowledgement within her expression.

    ''Maybe he''s right. Perhaps I''m not doing enough. However, I know there''s something wrong. There''s something he''s not telling me.¡¯

    Diana opened her mouth to reply, but was silenced by the sound of flapping wings, as though a dragon were nearby. When she looked up, she saw two Hateful flying across the wall, heading towards the tower closest to her. One possessed black feathered wings, while the other had white feathered wings. By the time Diana returned her gaze to the Hateful woman, she noticed a sternness emerging from her, a darkening in expression.

    ''She''s brought him back,'' she whispered, sounding relieved yet agitated at the same time. Diana didn''t need to ask who. If anything, she wished to see Lucifer again.

    ''Are you going to talk to him?''

    The Hateful woman''s eyes fell upon her again, her face unchanging.

    ''Not yet. I''d end up pushing him away again. I''ll let him settle with Vennifer first, before I go to see him. Truth is, I''m not sure what to do with him. He''s not like anyone I''ve dealt with in a long time, not since¡­''

    The Hateful woman shook her head, allowing a faint smile to return. ''What am I doing? I barely even know you and I''m talking about this. I shouldn''t be doubting myself in front of you.''

    ''Perhaps you needed someone to talk to,'' Diana said, unsure if she was approaching dangerous territory or not. There was always the risk of getting yourself too involved with others'' problems. Soon enough, you become the person who seeks them.

    ''Perhaps,'' the Hateful woman agreed. ''Although, I do find irony in only opening up to humans.''

    ''You''ve talked to other humans before?'' Diana asked, unable to hide her surprise.

    ''Oh yes,'' the Hateful woman replied, her smile warming. Diana froze, her eyes widening. It was the smile she recognised, though in this context it would mean something that was taboo between their races. Still, there was an undeniable sense that her instincts were telling the truth.

    No, that cannot be¡­

    The Hateful woman gave her a knowing look, still smiling.

    ''Go on,'' she said. ''I know what you''re thinking.''

    Diana nodded, her body tingling in amazement. She considered the best way to phrase the question, before the Hateful woman shook her head.

    ''I''m not interested in playing with flowered words,'' she said, ''Say it.''

    ''You''ve been in love with one of us,'' Diana said, unable to process it as she spoke the words. Yet, the Hateful woman''s smile seemed to glow.

    ''I have,'' she admitted.

    Diana felt as though her mind had blown into thousands of pieces, stunned at such a notion. Hateful and humans, together?

    ''That''s incredible,'' she marvelled, finding herself wishing to uncover more but stopping herself out of decency. ''I mean, you are beautiful. I just¡­''

    ''I know,'' the Hateful woman said. ''It still amazes me too when I think about it. But yes, I was once in love with a human.''

    Once in love? Diana wondered, watching as the Hateful woman seemed to read this question in her, becoming grave before she forced herself to look away.

    ''It''s a long story,'' she said, turning away. Sadness and longing emitted from her. Diana wished to hug the woman to reassure her.

    ''I''m sorry,'' she said, ''I didn''t mean to¡ª''

    ''No. I''m glad that you asked,'' the Hateful woman interrupted, still looking away, ''You''re the only one who''s allowed me to talk about it. Believe it or not, it''s not just your race that finds it taboo. Whether my kind will ever admit it, we''re not so different. Anyway, why don''t you come with me? Perhaps we can help each other.''

    She regarded Diana again and her expression hardened. Diana, however, still felt the anguish emitting from her, the pain of loss that the Hateful woman was fighting to contain, wishing that she could help.

    Her past haunts her too¡­Do I even mention my mother?

    An understanding silence emerged between them, one that neither wished to break until the Hateful woman glanced at the sky, allowing a slight curve of her lip to emerge.

    ''You know, I hope that you''re right. If Ethero knew the Divinity didn''t exist, I wonder how much would change between us. When we remove the walls that we build between ourselves, what would we build in their place?''

    The Hateful woman paused, her eyes fixing on Diana.

    ''What''s your name?'' she asked.

    ''Diana. Diana Skagen.''

    ''I''m glad that you came, Diana,'' the Hateful woman said. ''My name is Hela Dionysus, and as you already know, I''m the leader of the Hateful. Come, let''s see how we can help each other.''

 The Place That Doesnt Exist

    The Lieutenant had been silent since leaving the burnt-out remnants of the Dreamhouse, so much so that Officer Greene contemplated whether to ask him about it. The Lieutenant often went through phases like this, sitting in contemplative silence, ruminating. Greene had learnt to appreciate it within the Hateful man. They were the only non-humans in the DFA. They were all the other had.

    If it weren''t for him, I wouldn''t have gained this chance, Greene knew, and it hurt him whenever he questioned the Lieutenant. Still, something wasn''t right. The way he had interacted with Lieutenant Dest¡­Even if the Lieutenant had been defending him, something about his demeanour troubled Greene. He just didn''t know what.

    ''What is it?'' the Lieutenant sighed, drawing Greene''s attention as they drove along the Divinity Highway. It was quieter than usual on the road, with few other cars to obstruct their path. It made the journey faster, but it also emphasised another one of Greene''s concerns as they approached wherever they were going. He had never heard of The Place That Doesn''t Exist. Until that point, he had been sure that the Lieutenant kept no secrets from him. From that thought, it took him a couple of seconds before he realised he hadn''t answered. If he had done that with a human, there would have been repercussions. However, since it was the Lieutenant, he had time to think.

    ''I''m concerned,'' he admitted, only able to say it as he felt. ''You seem¡­not yourself. I feel your unsettledness, your agitation. Before, I thought you were going to kill Dest. You''ve never reacted like that before. Even when they''ve tried in the past to¡ª''

    He silenced himself then, noting how tensely the Lieutenant was gripping the steering wheel. Greene then watched the Lieutenant ease his hands, knowing that he would have figured why he had stopped speaking.

    ''They''ve always hated us for what we are,'' the Lieutenant sighed, allowing himself to reveal the tiredness he obviously felt. ''They blame us for everything, and they turned your kind into slaves. Do you ever wonder why we do this? Trying to show that we''re different, showing that we could be so much more if we worked together. Yet, they still spit in our faces, curse us, treat us like we''re nothing more than fools who haven''t figured out their place yet. Does it not tire you, Greene? Does it not tire you that we have to endure their hate?''

    ''But we remember why we''re doing this,'' Greene said, suppressing his amazement at the Lieutenant''s words. ''We''re trying to create a better future for both our races.''

    ''And that''s what he thinks he''s doing,'' the Lieutenant said, his voice quiet. It didn''t take Greene much to figure who he was referring to. ''He shares the same dream.''

    ''But he said he wanted to become our new god.''

    ''And why do you think he wishes to accomplish that?'' the Lieutenant asked simply. Greene said nothing, considering that as he turned his gaze back towards the road. The Lieutenant turned off towards the Seraphu District.

    ''Does it concern you that much?'' Greene asked.

    ''Yes,'' the Lieutenant admitted.

    They entered the Seraphu District. Apart from the Dragonport and the Grand Library at the bottom of the district, the majority of Seraphu comprised large warehouses, providing much of the industry and employment for humans. Watching them as they worked, Greene wondered what they would say if they knew a Hateful was driving among them. Greene looked at the Lieutenant, remembering that he had been here just a few hours ago. A question arose in his mind.

    ''What happened to that suspect you were pursuing through here?''

    ''He committed suicide,'' the Lieutenant said, his voice level, betraying nothing.

    ''There has been a lot of them recently,'' Greene said, keeping his eyes fixed upon the Lieutenant. While they worked together almost exclusively, Greene''s speciality was in collecting information and locating targets, while the Lieutenant went to apprehend them. He was the only one who could. Still, it hadn''t escaped Greene''s attention that many of the Hateful suspects committed suicide before being detained. Whether that was coincidental, he wasn''t sure. It was just one of those things he had noticed. It was his job to notice things.

    ''Why do you think they keep doing it?''

    Once again, the Lieutenant said nothing, manoeuvring the car past delivery trucks and occasional humans who wore colourful reflective jackets as they worked.

    ''Probably because of me,'' the Lieutenant said, speaking as though this shamed him. Greene left the conversation at that, knowing that beings like humans and Hateful often fixed their minds on things they didn''t like. While he himself couldn''t grasp why, it was one of those things he had learned about them. Then again, he knew that he wasn''t like most other Titaniuses. He could see a few of his brethren as they drove past the warehouses, working alongside humans while wearing similar attire. However, Greene knew it wasn''t the same as Lieutenant Newman and himself. Those other Titaniuses would not be working as equals. All it would take was one order, and they would obey without complaint. Something twisted inside Greene at that notion, a strange feeling that he didn''t understand. Titaniuses weren''t meant to have feelings, so he wasn''t sure what to call it.

    If I were human, I would call it shame, he thought, glancing at the Lieutenant and knowing that they felt the same thing.

    It was almost as if the Lieutenant had chosen a warehouse at random by the time they stopped, pulling up alongside a security booth with a reflective barrier that shone against the car''s headlights. Having expected something different, Greene frowned as he looked at the Lieutenant.

    ''So¡­The Place That Doesn''t Exist is a factory?'' he asked, noting the Lieutenant''s wry smile at the question, his earlier thoughtfulness dissipating.

    ''Yes, and so much more,'' he said, unwinding his window while the security booth jerked open, causing it to shake as Greene reached for his Life Essence. Yet it was the Lieutenant''s lack of a response that stopped him, forcing Greene to gaze at the security booth, as a cloaked figure emerged from the darkness of the booth. It was then Greene realised that the entire booth was encased in darkness.

    And that the figure was the biggest he had ever seen.

    Oh, Divinity¡­the size of him, Greene gawked, staring at the cloaked figure. He figured it stood at least 6 feet 5, weighing over 300 pounds. Watching it with awe and fascination, Greene observed it moving to the Lieutenant''s side, not speaking. As though such a colossal mass didn''t concern him, the Lieutenant turned his gaze towards it.

    ''We wish to go down,'' the Lieutenant said, with no trace of nervousness. The figure, who Greene took for a guard, still said nothing, instead reaching towards the window with a cloaked arm while revealing a colossal hand that was ghostly white, tipped with black fingernails that could almost pass for claws. Its hand clasped the door and squeezed, causing metal to groan as the car shifted in the guard''s direction. It was a simple demonstration of strength, a classic intimidation move. Still, Officer Greene couldn''t help but admire such strength, wondering only one thing.

    Is that thing human?

    The Lieutenant somehow remained unperturbed, glancing at the hand before looking up towards the black void where its face should''ve been.

    ''Remove your hand,'' he said coolly, ''or I''ll remove it for you.''

    This time, it was the guard''s turn to appear unperturbed, remaining still. Greene felt his concern rising. It never worked out when anyone challenged the Lieutenant. Normally, the threat was enough. However, the Lieutenant sighed instead, before shaking his head.

    ''It would seem that we are not welcome,'' he said, before a smile emerged on his face, surprising Greene somewhat.

    ''Don''t worry,'' he said, ''I''m just showing you something. If you ever come here, make sure you''re alone. No human must ever know of this place. I cannot stress that enough. It must remain a secret. If anyone were to find out¡­''

    He paused, allowing Officer Greene to use his own imagination. He didn''t need to say anymore. The Lieutenant gestured towards the hulking mass still standing outside the car, as though he were no threat at all.

    ''Our friend here always guards the entrance. He will let no one pass unless you speak his language. If you don''t, he''ll destroy you. Do you understand, Greene?''

    It made little sense to Greene, but he nodded anyway. When the Lieutenant appeared satisfied with this, his expression became thoughtful, contemplative, as though he were debating whether to say what he was thinking.

    ''Just so you know,'' he continued, ''what you''re about to see will change everything, Greene. Trust me when I say that no human knows of this place, nor of its residents. There is so much more to this world than they realise, and they have allowed ignorance to blind them. It is because of that ignorance they have disguised others, others who hide in plain sight, others who would terrify them far more than your kind and mine. We''re about to enter their world now. Humanity must never know of this place.''

    Without waiting for a reply from Greene, the Lieutenant turned his attention back towards the silent guard, who still clutched his car in his massive hand, forbidding them to pass.

    ''Duischk iashk uolka,'' the Lieutenant growled, using a tongue that Greene had never heard before. It was as though he had tapped into some kind of primordial beast''s language, rather than any form of comprehensible dialect. Yet, it prompted the cloaked guard to make his first movement since leaving his booth, releasing the car from his grasp as it rocked a little from side to side.

    ''Hoiaskl ulp shly,'' it replied, using its own primordial growl. It turned back towards the booth, reaching for something inside. A few seconds passed before Greene felt the car jolt underneath them, accompanying the sound of a mechanism coming to life. A second or so passed before Greene noticed the guard and the booth elevating alongside them.

    No, not rising. We''re going down.

    Darkness enveloped them as though they were being swallowed by some colossal beast, which didn''t concern Greene as he felt the Lieutenant''s ease. He glanced towards the Lieutenant then, seeing only the faintest outlines of his face.

    ''Remember those words, Greene,'' the Lieutenant said. ''They will keep you alive.''

    Greene considered that. Despite the myriad of questions that danced in his mind, he decided to ask only one.

    ''What was that language?''

    ''The language of his people.''

    A vibration reverberated through the car as they continued to descend, while the sound of metal groaning echoed all around them. Light emerged somewhere below, for which Greene couldn''t make out the source as he tried to look over the side, seeing it coming through tiny gaps and shifting. He turned towards the Lieutenant once more, noticing his silent contemplation.

    ''What is it?'' Greene asked, forcing the Lieutenant to flick his eyes towards him. A wry smile soon followed.

    ''It''s nothing,'' he said, though both he and Greene understood the lie. Greene maintained a level gaze, his expression expectant until the Lieutenant looked away.

    ''I''m not looking forward to seeing who we''re here to visit,'' he admitted. ''He''s¡­strange. He''s a man you cannot trust, no matter what he says.''

    ''Who is he?''

    ''That''s not the right question, Greene.''

    ''Alright then; what is he?''

    ''A sorcerer,'' the Lieutenant replied, causing Greene to frown as he opened his mouth to speak. However, no words left his lips, as the light from below gave way to a sight that stunned him into silence.

    This was a place that possessed a sun.

    It was unlike anything he had seen before, a sphere of pure white and amber, sitting atop a black spire at the centre of a vast dome. Revolving around it were rings of wooden buildings, stalls and huts that grew with each layer, divided by sand. After a city that was made of nothing but metal, all of this seemed a perfect contrast. Greene''s eyes returned to the orb of light, wondering what Exia would look like underneath it.

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ''What is it?'' Greene asked, unable to hide his awe as he spoke. He was almost sure he could feel the Lieutenant''s smile alongside him.

    ''The closest thing we''ll ever get to a sun, Greene,'' he said, his words carrying a similar awe. ''A gift from the man we''re here to see.''

    ''He''s capable of making something like that?''

    ''Yes, and so much more,'' the Lieutenant said, his voice lined with melancholy.

    Greene looked towards him again, seeing his sadness return. ''What is it?'' he asked.

    ''Nothing,'' the Lieutenant lied. However, rather than try to force the issue, Greene returned his gaze to the new world. The Place That Doesn''t Exist. He felt the elevator vibrate more intensely as they descended, seeing the large black metal frame shake as though the burden were too great. Gears turned, while pulleys lowered them down. As Greene''s eyes followed the machine, it ran across the edge of the giant dome, heading towards three different tunnels, which were dispersed in a triangle formation. There was a small gap between them and the outer ring, filled with stalls like the ones Greene often visited in Rai, which were run by his kind along with humans.

    I wonder if any of my kind are here? he thought, ignoring the temptation to ask the Lieutenant as they appeared to reach the end of the elevator. It was then Greene saw many beings and races that were not meant to exist. The first was a creature possessing a tiny body and a comically enormous head that flew in an awkward arc towards them with black dragon-like wings that fluttered wildly. Its skin was ghostly white, while its eyes were pure black. The last detail that stood out were the two sharp teeth on either side of its upper jaw, which protruded through its lips when it closed its mouth.

    ''Ah, Lieutenant Newman,'' it said wheezily, sounding as though it were being choked. ''By what pleasure do we owe this visit?''

    ''I''m here to see Barbatos,'' the Lieutenant replied, speaking to the creature as if its mere existence was nothing more than an agitation to him. ''Is he here?''

    ''Perhaps, perhaps not¡­''

    The Lieutenant shook his head, waving the creature away as he switched the engine on, as the elevator completed its descent with a groan. There he put the car into gear and began pulling away, moving towards a space where he could park.

    ''He''s an asshole,'' the Lieutenant muttered, parking the car before switching off the ignition. He paused, then turned his gaze towards Greene.

    ''A word of advice, Greene. If you ever come here alone, just shoot him with something and he''ll leave you alone. No one likes him.''

    Greene frowned as the creature, whatever it was, flew away before appearing to pester another creature, a dragon but shaped like a human.

    ''What was he?'' Greene asked, his voice disbelieving.

    ''Would you believe me if I told you he''s part of the same race as our friendly guard up there?''

    ''How?''

    ''No idea. Just is,'' the Lieutenant said, shrugging as he fumbled at his pockets, searching for something.

    ''One more thing. Don''t stare at anyone unless you want to get yourself killed. Remember, we''re here for a reason.''

    Greene said nothing, trying to calm his expression and resume his more neutral look, which he used often while dealing with humans.

    The Lieutenant nodded. ''Alright, let''s see if our suspect has been stirring around here.''

    Greene found it difficult not to stare at the incredible beings that now surrounded him, struggling to avert his eyes. The first beings he noticed were gaunt humanoid creatures that were as ghostly white as the strange creature that had spoken to the Lieutenant. The difference was that they seemed evenly formed, possessing the same black dragon-like wings and long black hair. Even the most meagre of glances towards them drew hostile hisses and bared teeth, revealing the same set as the little creature. Greene figured that they too must be of the same race. As they turned towards Greene menacingly, the Lieutenant intervened.

    ''I wouldn''t recommend anything stupid today, boys,'' he said, his voice layered with ice. ''I''m working¡­''

    They returned the Lieutenant''s threat with a hiss before turning and walking away. In their wake, Greene noticed another race as he stood trying not to gawk, beings that were half human and half machine. Unlike the gaunt white creatures, they minded their own business, possessing various mechanical sections across their bodies alongside organic ones. Greene watched curiously as they came from stalls with dentist-like chairs; vendors that enabled them to switch and change parts of themselves at will.

    ''Newman,'' Greene said, watching, ''what are they?''

    ''You mean the robotic humans?'' Newman asked, stopping as he looked in the same direction. Another being was working on one of its kin, using overhanging tools that they grabbed and used like a mechanic, switching pieces around, causing sparks to fly.

    ''Cybernetics,'' the Lieutenant answered, while Greene watched in fascination. ''Probably the closest our kinds will ever come to being one. Some say they originate as deformed humans on the verge of death, before their machine god finds them and infuses them with the machinery you see.''

    ''Machine god?'' Officer Greene asked, having never heard of this before.

    The Lieutenant turned to face him. ''Do you think the Divinity is the only god? Every race has their own. Unfortunately, I know little about them. They share little with outsiders.''

    ''And¡­what are those beings with the white skin and black wings? They seem especially hostile towards me.''

    ''Don''t take it personally,'' the Lieutenant replied, smiling. ''They''re like that with everyone, even their own kind.''

    ''Yes, but what are they?'' Greene asked, as the Lieutenant''s smile faded.

    ''Ethero Fiends.''

    Greene''s mouth dropped in amazement.

    ''But¡­they shouldn''t exist. They''re myth. Legend.''

    ''You''re forgetting the name of this place, Greene,'' the Lieutenant said, stepping towards the strange wooden buildings, leaving Greene to ponder what he had just learnt.

    ''None of this exists. It shouldn''t be real,'' he said, gazing up to the orb at the centre of it all.

    They reached a small building close to the magical orb. Greene wasn''t sure why, but the Lieutenant appeared quite uncomfortable as he glanced towards the building and back at him.

    ''Let me do the talking,'' he said, before appearing to consider something else before they moved to enter. ''Like I said before, Barbatos isn''t someone you can trust. He enjoys playing games, trying to confuse you and twist your thoughts. Don''t let him. Treat him like you would any suspect with a silver tongue.''

    ''Alright,'' Greene said, not sure but nodding anyway. This seemed to satisfy the Lieutenant as he turned towards the building, stepping into the door. Their arrival was announced by the light jingling of bells. They were in a small shop stacked with shelves that contained an assortment of glass jars and vials, filled with different compounds. Greene wasn''t sure what they were, nor of their purpose, but the sight of them fascinated him. After a quick glance around, he was unable to resist reaching towards a strange-looking concoction, whose deep sapphire contents looked like a cross between liquid and dust. After picking it up, he shook it a little, watching as its strange contents seemed to bond and almost sparkle with flickers of gold. He turned to ask the Lieutenant what it was, surprised to find the Lieutenant glaring at him.

    ''Put. It. Back'', he whispered.

    ''Oh, don''t spoil his fun,'' a husky voice rose in reply, drawing both Officer Greene''s and the Lieutenant''s gazes towards the counter on the farther side of the shop. There was a blue-skinned man, his eye sockets powdered with black make-up, emphasising his almost dazzling gaze, while his long jet-black hair reached all the way to his shoulders. He wore a black costume that looked unbearably tight, covered in random black straps with ruby buckles. In his right hand he held a black sceptre with a protruding emerald orb, wrapped around a tip of ruby bandaging, which he pointed towards the vial in Greene''s hand. His grin was undeniable.

    ''Though, I must admit, that potion will set you back a few credits, unless you have something interesting to trade?''

    ''He has nothing of value to you, Barbatos,'' the Lieutenant answered before Officer Greene could speak. ''I was just telling him to put it back.''

    ''So I heard,'' Barbatos said, his voice hinting annoyance. ''As for whether he has anything of value, I''ll be the judge of that.''

    ''Leave him out of this,'' the Lieutenant said sharply. ''I have business with you.''

    ''Oh, I already know about that. You have a Hateful issue?''

    The Lieutenant''s expression darkened, glowering at the sorcerer. ''Has he been here? Have you seen him?''

    ''No, I have not. Unfortunately,'' Barbatos said, but the grin that emerged on his face suggested otherwise.

    The Lieutenant stepped forward. ''But you know something.''

    ''I know many things, Lieutenant,'' Barbatos replied, his voice barbed. ''Yet, one thing I am yet to discover is the fate concerning our little deal. Do you have any results for me?''

    ''No, not yet,'' the Lieutenant answered, surprising Greene with how suddenly the sorcerer seemed to control him as he backed away. He frowned at the Lieutenant before turning his gaze to Barbatos, who he then saw was smiling.

    ''Such a shame,'' Barbatos said, folding his arms. ''Though, I am not surprised. It was always going to take something substantial to force you to use them. Perhaps your fellow Hateful could help you with that.''

    ''It''s far too early,'' the Lieutenant replied. ''Lucifer hasn''t shown himself to be worthy of that, yet.''

    ''Ah¡­but he sees himself as worthy enough to challenge the Divinity.''

    ''A delusion, nothing more.''

    ''Yet, he seems to possess the conviction.''

    ''Only I do,'' the Lieutenant replied, his voice containing traces of ice that surprised Greene, understanding that there was another conversation taking place within this one. A pause emerged between the two of them before Barbatos returned his gaze to Greene. Realising that he was still holding the vial, he reached to put it back on the shelf. Barbatos appeared to smirk at this.

    ''So, Titanius. What do you think of this place?''

    ''Very¡­interesting,'' Greene replied, not sure if he should remain cautious or not. Either way, Barbatos smiled at him.

    ''That''s one way of putting it. So many new races you''ve never seen, so many cast as legend. Yet they exist, and they thrive in places like this.''

    ''But why are you hiding?'' Greene asked, as Barbatos regarded him as though he were an innocent child.

    ''Surely, of all the races, your kind should understand why the rest of us would hide from humanity.''

    Shame filled Greene then, causing him to look down and say nothing.

    ''Do not be ashamed of what you are, Titanius,'' Barbatos said. ''After all, it is not your fault. Like the Hateful, your kind shares history with humanity, but a more important part of that history was erased from your minds.''

    ''You know of our history?''

    ''I possess knowledge of many things, my dear Titanius,'' Barbatos said, leaving the words hanging in the air as he turned towards the Lieutenant. ''As for you, perhaps Imperi might have something of more substance. I believe his stall is near the outer rings. Catch him before it''s too late.''

    ''What does he know?'' the Lieutenant asked.

    ''Why don''t you ask him and find out?'' the sorcerer said, stepping towards the shelf alongside Greene and reaching for the vial he had held before. He proffered it to Greene, who took it with a questioning look.

    ''Keep it. It might come in handy one day,'' he said. ''If you have questions about your race, please visit again. In the meantime, I believe you have someone to visit?''

    The Lieutenant said nothing, his face hard as steel as he turned and walked away, while Greene followed. On the threshold, Greene turned and looked back into the store, haunted to find Barbatos grinning at him.

    ''I''ll see you soon, my dear Titanius.''

 Hela

    Diana didn''t know what to expect as they made their way to Hela''s office in Tower 1, having followed her through the many bleak candlelit corridors of the infamous Institute to get there. While doing so, she had considered Hela and what she had said so far. It was becoming obvious to Diana that the Hateful were nothing like what she had been told about them. The stories and rumours about them appeared to be untrue. She could sense that as suffering pervaded the Institute like a looming shadow, permeating from candles that never burnt out. Moans and low wails sounded all around her.

    ''You seem tense, Diana,'' Hela said ahead of her, reading Diana''s discomfort as she hugged herself, looking at the walls. ''Is everything alright?''

    ''Yes,'' Diana lied, knowing that the question had been rhetorical. Still, the sounds of pain were disconcerting. They filled the air like ghouls threatening to rise from the surface.

    ''You''re thinking about the sounds from the others,'' Hela said over her shoulder.

    Diana frowned, her face twisting into a grimace as she listened. ''The others?''

    Hela stopped, turning to face her with a saddened smile. Diana said nothing, allowing the sounds of moaning to continue. It was then Diana remembered Lieutenant Newman''s words about the Hateful, the ones he had referred to, but she had yet to see.

    The More Cursed¡­

    ''Hela, the Lieutenant mentioned something about there being two different kinds of Hateful.''

    ''Did he now?'' Hela said, her tone restrained while her expression darkened. She forced it back into a smile. ''Well, it''s a very simplistic way to view our kind. I assume he described us as either Less Cursed or More Cursed.''

    Diana nodded.

    ''The Lieutenant''s not wrong, but he didn''t tell you the entire truth. The fact is that our kind reside on a scale of severity. I despise the slur of being "Cursed", because being Hateful is not a curse. It is a condition, a mental disability. Each of us exists somewhere on the scale. Those you can hear exist on one side, while the likes of Lucifer and I exist on the other. Still, we all have our struggles. The difference is that we can choose how we live. The others do not get such a choice.''

    ''So who looks after them?'' Diana asked, finding all of this fascinating.

    ''We do,'' Hela said, turning to resume the direction they had been heading in. ''But you must understand that pain is universal, Diana. We all struggle with it, humans and Hateful alike. Yet, none of our suffering comes close to them. The more unfortunate of our kind have everything enhanced. Every emotion. Every feeling. They cannot even speak or communicate what they need or want. Lucifer may claim that he seeks to end the suffering, yet him becoming a god will not change their fate. I fear he''ll fuel a cycle of vengeance between our races.''

    ''A cycle of vengeance?''

    Hela paused, this time not turning to face her, considering.

    ''There is always someone who suffers more, Diana. There is always someone who feels vindicated to pursue what they consider justice. However, such justice is nothing more than delusion. It is retribution veiled behind lies; hatred disguised as love. One group tries to gain justice from another, and that group attempts to enact justice towards the previous group in return. It is a cycle that never ends. My fear is that Lucifer will ignite such a cycle upon us, and that he will become¡­'' Hela stopped herself, allowing the thought to slip away as she turned and smiled at Diana. ''I''m sorry. I have had much on my mind lately. You''re the first person I''ve been able to talk to about this.''

    When they reached Hela''s office, it almost appeared she had chosen a door at random, pulling out some keys and twisting them in the lock before opening it. She gestured for Diana to enter, revealing a tiny room with a large wooden desk with chairs on either side, flanked by two massive bookshelves. Diana stepped inside while taking in the vast collection of books on the shelves, her curiosity rising as she pulled a chair and sat on it.

    ''Are some of those¡ª''

    ''Written by our kind?'' Hela completed, closing the door before moving towards the bookshelf on the right. She appeared to search for a particular title, using an index finger to trace along the many book spines that faced her. Hela spent the next few minutes doing this, before pausing at one tome that caught her attention.

    ''There you are,'' she breathed, her tone affectionate in a way that startled Diana. She watched as Hela reached forward and drew out a large crimson book, drawing it towards her chest and hugging it as though it were a long-lost lover.

    ''You know, I haven''t touched this in years,'' she said, her voice a whisper. ''It hurts me so much, but I still feel the warmth.''

    Hela took in a deep breath, turning towards a confused Diana before holding out the book towards her.

    ''This will help,'' she said. Diana took it while keeping her gaze on the Hateful woman, expecting an explanation. Hela smiled instead.

    ''Open it, Diana,'' she said. Diana, accepting this to be the closest thing to an explanation she would get, nodded before stroking the leather-bound cover and opening it. From first glance, the pages were mostly white but showing signs of yellowing, while Diana read the handwritten title on the front page.

    The Hateful: A Comprehensive Study by Philippe Zimbardo.

    Oh, shit, she thought, her eyes widening in realisation.

    ''This is him, isn''t it?'' she asked, drawing out a smile from Hela.

    ''He was like you. Curious. He was a trainee psychologist, but he wanted to learn about our kind. Philippe didn''t like how humanity viewed us, and he believed that the old theories were lies. So he came here, trying to communicate with us. I was on guard duty back then too, and I watched as he yelled and jumped, waving to get our attention.''

    Hela chuckled, showing more of the warmth that made her look beautiful, prompting Diana to smile as she sat in silence, allowing the Hateful woman to reminisce.

    ''Though he couldn''t have done what you did,'' Hela continued, radiant as she appeared lost in memory. ''Philippe was an Illusionary, and a poor one at that. For a long time I sat there, watching him. Back then I despised your kind, corrupted by the hatred that both our races share. However, as I would soon learn, Philippe was, above all else, persistent. He kept shouting and waving for me to come down, so I got annoyed and jumped down to meet him. I listened without a word, hearing his motivations and what he wanted to do. Once he was done, I turned and flew back to the top of the wall, figuring he''d get dejected or at least tired.''

    ''But he never left,'' Diana said.

    ''He never left,'' Hela confirmed. ''He wouldn''t go home until we talked. Those were his terms. However, stubborn as we Hateful are, I figured that he''d give up, that he''d get rained on and decide to leave. But he stayed. Even as the rain fell, he never moved an inch, allowing himself to get soaked, while I continued to watch him from the wall. By this point, I expected him to get angry, to complain and curse our kind. Yet, he didn''t. He stood and looked at me, resolute. Time passed, and guilt filled me. I hated him for that. I didn''t want to trust a human, but another part of me didn''t want him to suffer either. So, I caved in. I dropped back towards him, asking him what his problem was and why he wouldn''t leave. Even as my hatred spilled from my lips, he was calm, asking if I would let him inside so that we could talk. I agreed, so long as he promised to leave afterwards. He agreed to that, and so I brought him over the wall, taking him to my room so that he could shower. It felt wrong having a human in my room, yet¡­''

    ''A part you liked it?''

    ''Yes. I liked having him there. It felt wonderful to have someone in my room. All these strange feelings and emotions stirred in my mind, and it scared me, because I quickly realised I was attracted to him, a human. I became angry at myself more than him. I tried to be more distant when we talked, but he knew what I was doing. Anyway, I listened to him as we finally talked. I remember finding it so refreshing, finding a human who didn''t think we were Cursed, who was kind and genuine, that believed being Hateful was¡ª''

    ''A condition,'' Diana completed, connecting the dots as they formed in her mind. ''It was his theory, the scale.''

    ''It was,'' Hela agreed, smiling as she sat on her chair. ''But he didn''t come up with that theory until a few months later, while he wrote that book. After we talked, I brought him to our leader. While they distrusted him along with the rest of our kind, they agreed to him staying. I volunteered for him to stay with me. Again, our leader and the rest of my kind didn''t like this either. As you''re well aware, the idea of our kinds mixing in any way is taboo. The thought of us falling in love¡­''

    ''Which is what happened between you¡­''

    ''Yes. But I denied my feelings for him for a long time. I kept myself distant, and he spent much of the time sleeping on the floor. Philippe would share his theories with me, concluding that our races were more alike than different. As I lay there, listening, I knew he would eventually ask the question most never ask. The same question I know is on your mind now, Diana.''

    ''Where do you come from?'' Diana answered.

    Hela smiled as she sat back. ''You''re so much like him,'' she said, folding her arms. ''What would you say if I told you we come from you; from humans.''

    Diana''s face dropped in shock, her lips parting in stunned silence. She wished for words that would not come, feeling useless as Hela regarded her, waiting a few seconds before continuing.

    ''We come from your kind, Diana. There''s not enough of us who could reproduce. No, most of us come from humans. It''s just that most humans who give birth to us cast us away in shame, unwilling to speak of the experience. Lucifer''s mother and father were both human. It''s the part of himself he despises more than anything.''

    Diana held herself, trying to comprehend the gravity of this revelation. She felt unable to say anything, paralysed by the thought that the race she was brought up to despise was actually part of her own. Hela, as though sensing this, leaned forward on her desk, her look becoming sympathetic.

    ''That''s why I know he was right, Diana,'' she said. ''We''re not Cursed; we''re disabled. Being Hateful is a human condition. Once I revealed this to Philippe, he looked at me much like you are right now. He took a moment to process it, before revealing his conclusion, his belief that the only way our races could ever change was through love. Philippe believed that our races should mix and form relationships. I remember looking back at him just as horrified, because a part of me wanted that so much. I didn''t know what to do. But then, he hit me with his final blow.''

    ''By admitting that he loved you,'' Diana said, knowing it to be true.

    ''Yes,'' Hela admitted, ''and I had no way of answering him, except by throwing myself at him. I lost my mind. Yet it felt so right. I wanted him. By the time it was over, I lay in his arms, both of us knowing that we''d committed the greatest of taboos. But, I didn''t care. I wanted to be with him, and he wanted to be with me¡­'' Hela paused, anguish emerging in her expression. ''But sometimes, things don''t always work that way. Love doesn''t always win. Love can lead to the greatest of pain¡­''

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    ''What happened?'' Diana asked, knowing that she didn''t want to hear what happened next. She sensed Hela needed to tell the rest of the tale, despite appearing on the verge of bursting into tears.

    ''I miss him so much,'' the Hateful woman said. Diana''s heart ached for her, wishing for nothing more than to step around the desk and hug her. She didn''t, though. Hela needed to end this. Diana watched as the leader of the Hateful took in a deep breath, resolving herself.

    ''Lucifer wasn''t the first to think that our kind needed to do something. He wasn''t the first to believe that there had to be another way of ending our suffering. That distinction belonged to the leader before me, my brother¡­''

    Hela paused again, unsure whether she could continue as she saw Diana''s surprise. She nodded to herself, taking in a breath.

    ''He¡­despises your kind. The problem is that he doesn''t realise it. He''s always wanted to connect with humans, even as a child, but every single time he tried he was shunned, disregarded, hated. Over the years, he developed a warped sense of what it would take to end the hatred between our races, and it became his obsession. Philippe''s presence ignited something within him, a sense of disgust he couldn''t fathom. As our relationship formed, his hatred only grew.''

    ''Even if it was benefitting your kind?'' Diana asked, prompting Hela to shake her head.

    ''That''s not my point, Diana. Like Lucifer, he became engrossed with his fantasies, imagining himself as some kind of saviour of our race. He cannot distinguish between his anger and hatred. In the deepest part of his heart, I know he despises your kind. He''s just so determined to make his vision come true that he''ll do anything to make it happen.

    ''Anyway, Philippe didn''t come back to my room one day. Now, while he sometimes did this, I just felt something was wrong. I searched for him, before one of my kind revealed that he was on the grounds with my brother, and that things were getting heated. I rushed there as fast as I could, emerging to find my brother confronting Philippe, armed with a blade and moving as if he had every intention of killing him. My brother screamed that Philippe had corrupted me, that humanity would hate us for coming together in such a way. Meanwhile, Philippe was calm, probably knowing what was about to happen next. Still, he explained to my brother that his love for me was genuine, that he¡­''

    Hela stopped herself again, revealing how much she was struggling with the tale. Still, Diana remained silent, noting the watery glaze in the Hateful woman''s eyes. Sometimes, there were moments when it was better to be silent, to allow those to speak at their own pace. Diana sensed that with Hela, along with what she was about to say.

    ''Wanted to spend the rest of his life with me,'' she said, her voice a faint whisper as tears rolled down her cheeks. ''He explained he wanted to stay and help our kind, help my brother achieve his goal. I remember everyone falling into silence, too stunned to speak. A few seconds passed, then¡­''

    Hela closed her eyes, squeezing her fists in a combination of anger and anguish. Diana''s heart wrenched, wishing that she could take the pain away.

    This is the Hateful. These are the beings we call "Cursed". Oh, Divinity, if only we all saw this. If only we understood their pain¡­

    Diana rose to her feet, stepping around the desk as Hela continued to struggle and strain. Diana could tell that she was fighting hard to hold her emotions, not allowing them to release. She shook her head before moving to embrace Hela, wrapping the Hateful woman in her arms as she felt Hela''s straining cease. There was a moment of stunned silence, comprehension, before she felt Hela look up towards her, raising gentle hands and pushing her away.

    ''It''s alright, Diana,'' she said, as though remembering who she needed to be. Diana looked down and frowned at her, confused.

    ''You''ve not been able to grieve, Hela,'' she said. ''You need to let that out.''

    ''Not now,'' Hela said, before she forced a smile on her face, gesturing towards the seat. Diana nodded before moving back towards her chair.

    ''I don''t think I need to say what happened next,'' Hela said, before glancing at the book that sat between them, the last remnant of her love. Diana ignored her urges, which told her to argue that she did, that she needed to unleash her withheld emotions. Instead, she bit her bottom lip while folding her arms and sitting back in her seat.

    ''What happened to your brother?'' she asked.

    Hela''s smile wavered.

    ''I banished him. Once he killed Philippe, the rest of us called a hearing, declaring him unfit to lead us, while I took his place. He swore before us he would succeed in his dream, that he would convince humanity to work with us. Meanwhile, the rest of us watched him leave. I wanted him to pay for what he had done, but I remembered what Philippe had told me about the cycle of vengeance, and I swore that I''d honour his memory by carrying on his work. As for my brother, he walked out of here and joined the DFA shortly after.''

    At that moment, a sinking realisation washed across Diana, causing her face to twist in horror.

    ''The Lieutenant,'' she said.

    Hela nodded in agreement, confirming why the Lieutenant had seemed to strange to her. He was the former leader of the Hateful, and he was Hela''s brother.

    ''And ironically, he sent you to me,'' the Hateful woman said, unable to hide the vehemence in her tone. ''I don''t know if he''s trying to apologise to me, but either way, I''m glad you came, Diana. However, my brother is an issue I''ll deal with another time. He won''t dare step foot in this place while I''m here. My main problem now is the other Hateful who you''ve encountered recently.''

    ''Lucifer.''

    ''Yes,'' Hela replied, speaking the word as though it exhausted her. She even sat back in her own chair to emphasise this, glancing up at the ceiling. ''He''s¡­a unique case, but he shares many similarities with my brother. But, unlike him, Lucifer has no intention of uniting our races.''

    ''He wishes to subjugate us,'' Diana said, drawing a shake of the head from Hela.

    ''No. He wishes to save our race by showing yours our power. Whether you care to admit it, humanity has always held a certain sense of fear and anxiety towards us. After all, we can tap into all four Blessings. The only thing that stops us from utilising this power is our mental struggles. Our minds carry many difficulties, with most of us unable to even live independently. From those who can, we''re the ones left who can take care of the others. That doesn''t stop the guilt, though. It doesn''t stop the thoughts that tell us we don''t deserve the mental capacity we have, especially as we see the others suffer. Lucifer''s mental health is deteriorating, hence his desire to pursue this goal. He''s always felt guilty about our kind, and¡­'' Hela paused then, appearing more tired with every second that passed. ''He doesn''t believe that I''ve done enough, that I wish for things to remain the same, to keep us locked away in these towers for the rest of our lives. Perhaps he''s right about the first part. I''m not sure what to do.''

    ''Perhaps I could talk to him,'' Diana offered, drawing the Hateful woman''s gaze. ''Back in Rai, I argued some points with him and he seemed to listen.''

    ''Then perhaps you could help me more than you realise,'' Hela said, allowing a smile to return. ''However, the only thing you have against you is that you''re not Vennifer. Although she doesn''t mean to be, she''s also part of the problem with Lucifer.''

    ''What do you mean?''

    ''Because he loves her. The issue is that our kind can become so overwhelmed with emotions that we try everything in our power not to allow them to take over us. We cannot regulate as well as humans, and I know Lucifer''s past also makes it more difficult for him¡­'' She stopped herself, her expression becoming thoughtful as she scratched her chin, looking up at the ceiling. ''I''m imparting so much information to you,'' she said, shaking her head. ''We''ve only just met.''

    ''I appreciate it,'' Diana said. ''I''ve learnt so much about your kind in the past few days. I want to help you.''

    ''Why?'' Hela asked, regarding her again. It was a simple question, but Diana couldn''t help but wonder how to answer it.

    I''m still trying to figure that out myself, she thought, knowing that Hela needed an answer.

    ''I¡­I''ve always wanted to help people,'' she said, while something stirred within, thoughts and feelings she didn''t want to acknowledge. Diana held herself for a moment as they swirled, knowing that Hela would see this. She forced resolve and allowed determination to show in her face, defiance against the feelings that threatened to crush her as they always did.

    No, I will not allow them to win. I will speak¡­

    ''I want to help your kind,'' she said, steadying herself. ''Lucifer pointed out to me that I was being a hypocrite. I want to change that. I want to¡­be better.''

    ''Better than what?'' Hela asked, causing more uncomfortable feelings to stir within Diana.

    My mother, her head answered, but she would not dare let the words leave her lips. Diana fumbled inside to speak, to answer the question without telling the truth. Disgust rose at that, knowing it to be a betrayal of the person she aspired to be. She became flushed with procrastination, glancing at her hands, unsure of what to say. It wasn''t until Hela rose from her chair that she looked up, praying that the Hateful woman wouldn''t pry any further. Thankfully, the smile on Hela''s face seemed to show as much.

    ''You can tell me another time,'' she said, allowing relief to wash through Diana''s mind. ''I can see that you''re being genuine. In the meantime, I''m guessing you''re staying for a little while?''

    Diana regarded Hela in confusion. ''Stay?''

    ''Yes, unless you wish to return to the other side?''

    ''No, no, I want to stay,'' Diana said. ''I want to learn more about your kind.''

    ''Very well,'' Hela said, before reaching for Philippe''s book and handing it to her. ''Read this. Philippe''s work will save you a lot of work. In the meantime, how would you feel about joining a Tower Patrol tonight? I reckon you and Pauli would work well together.''

    ''I assume Pauli''s like you?'' Diana asked, taking the book while finding herself nervous at the prospect of meeting other Hateful. As though reading this in her question, Hela''s smile became more genuine.

    ''In a way¡­He shares my philosophy, hence why I placed him in charge of educating our youth.''

    ''I''d love to meet them,'' Diana said, considering what Hateful children might be like.

    ''Then make a good impression with Pauli tonight. You''ll find the Tower Patrols very insightful. Make sure you get some sleep.''

    Diana watched as the Hateful woman made her way towards the office door, opening it as Diana moved to follow her. For a moment, she contemplated whether to ask what a Tower Patrol was, but decided against it since she figured Pauli would be the best person to ask. She emerged into the candlelit corridor and glanced at either side, seeing no one and hearing nothing, before she turned back to Hela, who was locking her door.

    ''I''m glad you''re here, Diana,'' Hela said. ''In time, perhaps we can make a difference for both our races.''

 The Monster Within

    What''s got into you? Officer Greene wondered as he struggled to match pace with the Lieutenant, navigating their way towards the outer rings. There was so much Greene wished to discuss, especially after the exchange with Barbatos. Throughout the conversation, he sensed that another had taken place, something that had caused the Lieutenant to turn like this. Something had ignited within him, a contained rage that he channelled through his footsteps, prowling like some kind of predator looking for prey. Greene fumbled to put the vial Barbatos had given him inside his jacket pocket, thinking back to that conversation, to Barbatos himself.

    He seemed to hold great interest in me. He claims to know of our history.

    They continued to flicker between stalls, met by many hostile looks, mostly from Ethero Fiends, who bared their teeth. However, there was something else within them as the Lieutenant strode past them, oblivious to this.

    They''re moving out of the way. They fear him, Greene realised, wondering why they would. What had the Lieutenant done to warrant such widespread avoidance? Still, the Lieutenant prowled as though he were the apex predator, his steps suggesting everyone else back off. Greene wondered if it was linked to the Lieutenant''s past, to being Hateful. He had never asked what led him to join the DFA, or why he specialised in hunting his own kind.

    It''s his dream, a part of Greene answered for him, remembering the first thing the Lieutenant had said to him once he revealed his true nature. Before then, he had thought the Lieutenant was human like the others. He hadn''t possessed the trademark gold and silver hair of his race.

    "I dye it, Greene. I make myself appear human because then I can prove that there is no difference between us and humanity. That we can work together and ignore our differences. One day, I''ll succeed. One day, I will save my race from its cursed destiny."

    Such thoughts rang hollow as he followed the Lieutenant now. That had been years ago. Their co-workers, the humans, continued to treat him and the Lieutenant like the outcasts they were. Still, the Lieutenant had maintained a hopeful outlook, even after Greene had questioned him.

    "What does it mean to pursue a dream, Greene? What is left if we stop? Hopelessness. Nihilism. Hatred. These things pervade my entire race. They always have. It is up to me to end it. I will save them, no matter the cost."

    Greene considered that as they reached the outer ring, heading towards a pocket of stalls that seemed to specialise in weapons that were rare among humans, including gigantic swords, axes, war hammers, armour and shields. The sight surprised Greene, and he fought not to grimace at the grisly tools.

    Who would need such things? he wondered. The humans and the Hateful have access to the Blessings, while even my kind has the Life Essence.

    The Lieutenant stopped, forcing Greene to return his attention to the task at hand. He focused on where the Lieutenant was looking, his own eyes widening in realisation.

    Hateful, he spotted, noticing the man standing amongst the stalls, wearing the customary look that all Hateful wore: black leather pants and jacket, with silver buckles and studs across the shoulders, and tall black boots. His silvery-golden hair shone against the light coming from behind, shimmering between both colours like an Illusionary trick. Greene then turned his gaze back to the Lieutenant, noting the hostile stance he had taken. His feet were more than shoulder-width apart, leaning forward, his face marred with tension. Greene noticed that one of his hands was shaking, contorted like a claw, while something faint swirled around him. Greene narrowed his eyes, trying to distinguish what it was. If hadn''t been for the clear signs of movement, he figured he wouldn''t have noticed. Yet, something was there, the faintest aura of violet and crimson swirling around him. He returned his gaze to the Hateful man, trying to figure out what Barbatos had said to provoke such a reaction.

    ''Lieutenant?'' he asked, annoyed at how small his voice sounded. If the Lieutenant had even heard it, he gave no sign, his focus intent upon the Hateful man, reflecting contempt and anger.

    ''Lieutenant,'' Greene said, more assertive this time. The aura of violet and crimson around the Lieutenant dissipated. The Hateful man turned his head in their direction, freezing in recognition of the Lieutenant. His expression turned into a scowl.

    ''Newman,'' he said, making no effort to disguise his own contempt. ''I should''ve known Barbatos would send you. How is the bastard anyway?''

    The Lieutenant didn''t respond, his expression hardly shifting as he glared at the Hateful man. A few seconds passed in tense silence, before the Hateful man shone a contemptuous smile.

    ''So it''s like that, is it?'' he said, regarding the Lieutenant. ''By the way, what do they call you these days? Is it still Newman, or have you decided to use your real name?''

    Real name? Greene wondered, regarding the Lieutenant in confusion. The question drew a knowing smile from the Lieutenant, prompting him to step forward.

    ''My name is irrelevant,'' he said, his voice layered with ice. ''And yes, Barbatos sent me in your direction. He claims you might know something about our friend in common, Lucifer Armedeus.''

    ''He ain''t been here,'' the Hateful man said, shrugging in dismissal. ''Not as far as I''m aware, anyway.''

    ''Oh c''mon, Imperi,'' the Lieutenant said, ''You must know something.''

    ''No more than you,'' Imperi retorted, holding out his arms by his side. The Lieutenant stopped and took in the gesture, before returning it with a look. Greene couldn''t help but feel that here too there was another conversation taking place within this one. He also noticed many beings were now watching the interaction, crowding around in what seemed like eager anticipation.

    ''You know I''m gonna need more than that,'' the Lieutenant said.

    Imperi bristled. ''I have nothin'' for you, traitor.''

    Silence emerged between them. Despite the eeriness of it, what caught Greene''s attention was the way the Lieutenant''s expression had shifted. The way his jaw had tightened, his brow had furrowed, and his eyes sparked with hatred. Though he didn''t understand how the Lieutenant was a "traitor", clearly the word had struck a nerve.

    I need to do something before it''s too late, Greene thought. He stepped forward, placing himself between the Lieutenant and Imperi, raising a hand towards his fellow DFA agent''s shoulder.

    ''Lieutenant. There are too many eyes here. You''re not acting like yourself.''

    ''Oh, he''s acting like himself, Titanius,'' Imperi countered. ''This is the true Lieutenant, the one who betrayed our race and now hunts us down like a human pet.''

    Feeling something resembling the human emotion of panic, Greene turned to the Lieutenant, noticing how his expression had intensified.

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    ''He''s baiting you,'' Greene said, yet the Lieutenant said nothing, acting as though he didn''t exist.

    ''That ain''t going to work, Titanius,'' Imperi said, causing Greene to turn cold within. ''You don''t get it, do ya? He hasn''t told you why he hunts down our kind ¨C the true reason, anyway. Sure, he''s probably told ya about his dream, about how he thinks he''s the one who''s going to save us. But ask yourself this: What kind of man who seeks to save his race ends up hunting and killing them? I bet he hasn''t even told you his real name, what he used to be, and how far he''s fallen.''

    ''Imperi,'' the Lieutenant drawled, as he pushed Greene aside, his face a mask that Greene could not read. Though, he didn''t doubt what was boiling beneath the surface, finding himself drawing close to what humans would describe as fear.

    ''That''s enough.''

    ''Why? Because you don''t want him to know the truth?''

    ''No,'' the Lieutenant said, almost whispering. He then held out his right arm, allowing it to form into a long, curved blade. It was his favourite weapon. Layers of black muscle formed between it and the Lieutenant''s arm, tearing into the sleeve. The Lieutenant regarded Imperi ominously, raising the blade towards him.

    ''Because you''re about five words away from me ripping you apart.''

    ''Is that so?'' Imperi said, challenging. By the time Greene turned to look at him, he too had tapped into a Blessing, his body growing with thick muscle that stretched his Hateful attire. ''I''m ready.''

    ''No! That isn''t why we''re here!'' Greene spoke up, remaining between Imperi and the Lieutenant. ''We''re here for Lucifer!''

    ''I know nothin'' about him,'' Imperi said, forcing Greene to ignore the urge to face him. ''Except that he actually cares about our kind, unlike the fool standing before you.''

    ''He''s the deluded fool,'' the Lieutenant growled, maintaining his Transformative Blessing. A sense of powerlessness washed over Greene: if the two fought, he couldn''t stop them. The Lieutenant''s expression suggested that he was aware of that too, glaring at Greene. He felt the silent warning.

    Move away.

    Greene surprised himself by remaining between them, keeping his arms extended to ward off the Lieutenant, trying to steel his own resolve.

    ''Maybe so,'' Imperi then said, sounding thoughtful, ''but at least he uses his real name, Megidra.''

    ''Megidra?'' Greene stammered, frowning as he glanced between both men. ''That''s your name?''

    ''My Hateful name,'' the Lieutenant corrected. ''I choose not to go by that name anymore.''

    ''Because he despises being one of us,'' Imperi said. ''Because he used to be our leader. He''s so ashamed of being Hateful that he calls himself by that disgusting human name.''

    ''That''s enough, Imperi! I will not warn you again!'' the Lieutenant snapped.

    Imperi smiled at this. ''What difference does it make? One of us is about to die anyway.''

    ''No! It doesn''t have to be this way!'' Greene protested. ''That''s not what we do!''

    ''You''ve been deceived, Titanius,'' Imperi said. ''Ask yourself, out of the Hateful you''ve helped him find, how many have actually been detained? How many times has our race died while he''s hunted them?''

    Greene considered that for a moment, his expression darkening as he regarded the Lieutenant, thinking about how many Hateful killed themselves before the Lieutenant could take them in.

    ''You know I''m telling the truth,'' Imperi said, speaking to Greene, sounding calm despite the threat facing him. ''Why do you think he wants Lucifer? Do you really think that he has any intention of detaining him, or could it be something else? Perhaps Lucifer''s a threat? Never has our kind taken the stance he has; to stand before humanity and say that we won''t take their shit anymore. No one has ever stood with the true intention of saving our race. That fool in front of you, he doesn''t give a shit about us. He even fucking despises humans, too, but he cannot see that yet. One day, he will. One day, he''ll break. And when that happens, many people are going to die¡­''

    He paused then.

    ''Because he hates everyone, and everything about this accursed world. Deep down, behind all the lies and delusion, he knows it.''

    Haunted by Imperi''s words, Greene turned to the Lieutenant, watching as he allowed his Transformative Blessing to fade away, returning his arm back to normal. He then stepped past Greene towards Imperi.

    ''One day, you''ll understand,'' he said. ''One day, you''ll all appreciate the sacrifice I made to save our kind. But let me tell you this, Imperi. I''m willing to bear all of this. I''m willing to bear all your hate. I''m even willing to bear the fact that my kind regards me as a traitor. Because I will save our race, and I will hunt down Lucifer Armedeus and tear him apart, limb from limb. I will show him and every single one of you that he is nothing, that I am the one who shall liberate us from this purgatory.''

    Imperi smiled then, as though the Lieutenant''s words amused him. He stepped closer to the Lieutenant a final time, leaning towards his ear. ''You deluded fool. Your entire existence is nothing more than a Hateful Dream.''

    ''No,'' the Lieutenant replied. ''My existence is nothing more than a Hateful Nightmare.''

    In a blink of a second, the Lieutenant shifted his arms into bladed claws, stabbing them into Imperi''s gut as everyone gasped in horror, including Imperi. The Lieutenant ripped his claws outward, tearing Imperi into bloody pieces as he fell. Screams erupted from the crowd as they turned and scattered. Meanwhile, Officer Greene remained as he stared with his jaw agape, stunned.

    Why? Why did you do that? he thought, as the Lieutenant turned towards him, covered in blood. The torn mess that had been Imperi dropped to the floor behind him, creating a pool of blood beneath the Lieutenant.

    ''Change is carved in blood, Greene,'' the Lieutenant said softly, appearing as though the kill had relieved him. ''He was simply another sacrifice.''

    ''But why did you do that?'' Greene asked, unable to mask his horror, noticing a few Ethero Fiends hovering over Imperi''s steaming corpse, while the Lieutenant reverted his arms back to normal.

    ''What are they¡ª'' he initially said, but silenced himself when it became obvious, his eyes widening as he looked at the Lieutenant.

    ''No. We''re not going to let them¡ª''

    ''Yes, we are,'' the Lieutenant replied, glancing towards the Fiends as they almost seemed to wait for his permission.

    ''He''s all yours,'' the Lieutenant then said, and the Ethero Fiends rushed towards the corpse like a shoal of piranhas. The feeding frenzy that followed was perhaps the most horrifying thing Greene had ever seen. Once it was over, he turned towards the Lieutenant, who regarded him. In that look, Greene could sense something had changed.

    ''Come. There''s something I want to show you. I realise now how urgent our situation is. If we''re going to catch Lucifer, we''re gonna need help. Barbatos was right: it''s time I unleashed our experiment.''