transgressings | inbox for duplicity;

[ It is a long time before she says anything at all, though she seems to understand that this is far from the end of the story — but rather, its own beginning. ]

Yes. He and I are... well-acquainted. As you've seen.

[ Though she hasn't gone into detail about her history with the deceiver, but she has also been tormented by many a demon, not just the ruler of them all. ]

You were also his desired?

( she's quiet for a moment, this becoming a heavy part of her life, particularly with what she's started realising over the more recent months )

For a long time, I believed so.

( she'd been with him for 6000 years and though he'd turned cruel long ago-- she'd believed in his plan )

But-- I was simply his handmaiden. Not what he'd promised.

[ She nods, understanding the deception, the empty promises, the reassurances of power before it all becomes obviously apparent that he would only use her as a means to an end.

It had been like that for her, once — not just the devil himself but the man purported to be his brother, the monster who had corrupted Mina, who had sought to make her his bride. Now, she sees that manipulation for what it truly was, his desire to use her to destroy the world. Her hand weighs Lilith's in her own, maintaining that light clasping. ]

And when you discovered what he truly was, what did you do?

( her gaze falls here and there's something similar to shame at what she feels, not for her actions over the years but really for how long it had taken for her to really accept that lucifer had never meant for her to ascend )

I still serve him.

( the words are quieter still before her head rises again, giving more to her answer )

I did until this place. ( it had begun to put things into more context for her, particularly with the knowledge that nick had delivered to her ) He had been all I'd ever known and-- I wanted what he promised.

( she still did but at least now lilith knows that she'll get it if just in a different manner than expected. perhaps in a way more satisfying. but she'd been taken in by him. lucifer had been kind and it had taken him transforming into the beast for that to begin to crack, for his darkness to be truly revealed. but she was lost by then -- in love, a promise in her future and her own destiny in mind. restore his angelic form and restore her lucifer to her.

some of that had fallen away over the years but she'd still been stuck. there had been no escape for her, she didn't need to try to know what would happen to her. the crown and throne may have kept her there but they were also more desirable, a light in the darkness that her life had been. and when she did well-- well, it made it easier to ignored everything else )

[ It is not so simple as simply freeing one's self from the influence of the dark master, the one who lures and seduces and tempts with promises that you will be treasured and worshipped in a way that your God cannot; she'd fought the spell of his power countless times but given in to it even more when he'd come to her in familiar forms and whispered words of desire and love, promising to devote himself to her always.

Of course, he is equally talented at deception, and she cannot determine if she feels more of a sympathy or an understanding — or perhaps even closer to a relief at the notion that Lilith had too been manipulated as she had, even if it had taken her slipping out from beneath his clutches to truly understand how she'd been misled.

And her hand smooths over Lilith's in silent acknowledgment for what she's experienced, so similar to her own history. ]

But he isn't here, is he?

( lilith hadn't expected vanessa to draw her in, not after her own unwelcome dealings with lucifer but it seemed that the woman was continuing to surprise her, drawing her closer, almost reassuring her )

He isn't.

( there was a technicality about that but there was no need to introduce that. she did have one piece of hope though )

He may not be anywhere for too much longer.

What do you mean?

[ It doesn't even seem like a fathomable possibility, that he could simply be nowhere, cease to exist just like that, but her voice seems to be holding that note of optimism, one that engenders a similar feeling of hope in her too — that maybe, just maybe —

She reels herself back with a small shake of her head, not wanting to completely dismiss the remark off-hand but still unwilling to believe it fully. ]

I don't see how that's even possible.

There's someone here from my future.

( the admission comes as a whisper, lilith's gaze coming slowly back to vanessa )

Who told me how we overthrow him. By imprisoning him.

( lilith won't say where considering that's here but they have a lot of magic guarding it )

Who?

[ The question leaves her before she fails to realize that Lilith may not necessarily want to disclose that information — and yet she has been fairly generous so far in offering her story, so perhaps it is not anything that needs to remain confidential. ]

To conjure enough to subdue him — the level of power that would take —

[ She cannot completely disguise the awe in her voice, as well as the concern. ] How do you know his prison will hold?

( it's a great deal of power, lilith knows this already before even engaging in it. but nick's assured her that the spell would hold and they've taken further precautions since. though in hell-- well, she'll come to that once she's lived it )

Because the human body is the strongest prison the false god created.

( yeah, it wasn't a great fate for anyone involved but-- )

They volunteered. For all of our sakes.

( and lilith will eternally respect nick for that because it isn't a good fate )

You —

[ No, it wouldn't have been her, but perhaps someone close to her, someone who would have been willing to use themselves as a vessel in order to contain him, and she doesn't know why that fills her with sudden dread but it does, the notion of the sacrifice that would entail.

She weighs it over with a small shake of her head, but then something else settles in her stomach, creeping concern. ]

And this volunteer. Are they here? Do they know the fate they have consigned themselves to? [ And if the vessel is here, in possession of that knowledge, wouldn't that mean that they have essentially brought him to this city with them? She can't disguise the worry in her face, the look that knits her brows together. ]

They're who told me of what we do.

( nick hadn't known who she was when she'd first arrived but much had come from his sleep, from the memories of his life that he'd gotten )

Lucifer won't walk here. We've taken precautions.

( and lilith knows she'd be one of the first he'd punish for her betrayal of him )

You'll forgive me if I still have my concerns.

[ About the possibility for what could happen, were he to escape; she won't pretend that she doesn't still harbor a deep worry in her chest, knowing the Lucifer that she does, knowing what he's capable of.

But she also knows she wouldn't be alone in facing him if it were to occur, and she sighs, glancing down at her hands. ]

But I've seen your strength. What you're capable of.

They're concerns that would be shared.

( for all of lilith's confidence there's a deep terror that runs through her at the thought of lucifer being free, of knowing of her betrayal and the other witches would be foolish if they weren't afraid )

But until that possibility occurs there is little more that we can do. I believe him contained and I'll act for that outcome.

Of course.

[ Many of them would have a price to pay were the unthinkable to happen, and she cannot forget that; her struggle against Lucifer had been a lonely one, back in her own world, but here it is a battle that she would not have to take up arms against alone. ]

And I believe your belief. [ She has no reason not to trust Lilith in this, not after everything. ]

( her hands reach across, grasping vanessa's, comforting )

He won't come for you.

( lilith would stop him before letting him go for someone she cared for )

Much as I'd like to believe he would spare me —

[ She glances down to the tether of their hands, a smile flickering over her mouth that does not fully reach her eyes when she lifts her head. ]

Often there are forces beyond our ability to control. And I would not see you bring harm to yourself if you tried to stand in the way for me.

If what I've been told is correct--

( which is only in snippets but it's better than no knowledge )

I stopped him once. Or will. I will again.

( and maybe with a better solution )

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