Deja Vu

Chapter 11: Airing Out All The Dirty Laundry

Upon reaching the house, the group checks Levi's room first. He's nowhere to be found, and somewhere along the way, you guys lose Beelzebub. Lucifer and Satan decide to split the group up, the three of you taking the upstairs, and Mammon and Asmodeus taking the downstairs.

You mention that splitting up might not be the best, given that whatever is happening has already hit Beelzebub and Levi, both being pretty strong themselves, but the group counters that without splitting up, the culprit is likely to escape now that they're more easily outnumbered, if there IS a culprit to begin with. Hence the splitting into groups decision.

Upstairs, Lucifer begins to muse about a story about the House of Lamentation - It had a counterpart in the human realm before it became a staple of the Devildom world. Its halls were home to an atrocity of a massacre in a single night. A whole family, taken out one by one. The culprit killed themselves, ending the research into the matter. But, later on, news came to light that the true culprit could have been a brother who had negative relationships with his siblings. He was the sole survivor. Ultimately, he never came to justice.

Lucifer goes on to explain that even though the House of Lamentation is beautiful, with a rich history outside of that one bloodied night, its time in the human world was marked by rumors of hauntings and voices arguing and screaming.

Which is how the house got its name.

Your mind couldn't help flashing to Belphegor in the attic. The idea of a brother going nuts and killing everyone one by one.. Not outside of the realm for someone who has been trapped up there for who knows how long. Then again, however, Belphegor made it abundantly clear that if he was going to get out, he wanted it to be without putting his brothers in danger. That's the entire reason you had to keep him a secret in the first place.

But he was known to lie to get what he wants. And you still haven't verified that it is, in fact, Belphegor in the attic.

You feel a pit in your stomach as you just utter "Well that's terrifying" as the story comes to a close, which causes Satan to laugh. He seems tickled that even though you live with the most infamous demons in all of Devildom, you've spoken with ghosts, he knows you've lived with ghosts, and yet you're scared of a ghost story.

When he comes down from his laughter, he mentions "I know it's not exactly the best of times for this.. But, I'd still like to make a pact with you."

You're visibly confused, to which he says he's not sure why you're confused, and looks to Lucifer, explaining that this isn't some kind of dig at him. He's not doing it because he wants to cause trouble for him. Lucifer, seeing the look of determination on Satan's face just smiles and nods, acknowledging that he knows that isn't the case. Satan asks for a moment of privacy with you, eliciting laughter from Lucifer, who gives you two a moment alone.

Satan explains that you helped him come to understand that he doesn't have to let his ties to Lucifer determine anything of the person he is in the present. He recalls the lamentations of Grisella, the witch whose murder you solved, and how she mentioned that one's past isn't what dictates one's future, it's what you choose to do in the moment. Even if something feels like it's set in stone, any number of things could change the roads of fate we walk.

"I was only able to come to understand that because of you. It just so happens that I don't like owing people, so, if this pact can help you in any way similar to how you've helped me, then I'm happy." He smiles and you accept his pact, giving him a warm smile in return.

With that, you've collected one more pact, getting you just ever so much closer to putting a rest to all of the meddling you've done so far.

Shortly after you two seal the deal, all three of you hear the screams of Mammon and Asmodeus deeper in the house.

You three rush to the source, and Satan begins to go over the possibilities aloud as he brings up the rear, only for his voice to get caught short.

You and Lucifer turn to look at where he was, only to find that he's completely disappeared.