For My Deadly Sins

THE VOID

LUCIFER

"It would be for the best if we move our third quadrant to the Vaname outpost. We have the most elemental wielders-"

I nodded blankly. "Yes, sure" I said, barely registering Boudicca's words. Her gaze narrowed on me, "You should parade around the western front with nothing but your underwear."

"Yea ok, sure." I said, as I twisted a pen in my hands idly, still only paying half attention until I replay what she said in my subconscious when I realised...my head snapped up to meet the general in the eyes. "What?" I demanded.

She smirked, "You should be paying attention Lucy, or I might just make you promise something that you can't go back on. Stop thinking about our newest arrival day and night."

I crossed my arms and gave her a look. "It is a punishable offence to humiliate Satan. I might just burn you in an untamable fire or I might keep you in a room of spikes forever, Disa. And as for our newest arrival..." I glanced out the window as if it would somehow show me directly into Petrah's chambers, "It is a big change. Mostly people aren't comfortable with living in hell."

"Give her some time Lucy. She's the strong type." -

"I know, I know. She'll be fine." But the words are more to reassure me than anything else. It had been a week since I'd seen Petrah, she looked tired, so tired. And there was such sadness, such hopelessness in her eyes, I wondered if her guilt would eat her alive. Even if she didn't realise it herself, I knew she blamed herself for the betrayal more than anybody else, I knew she wondered where she went wrong, what she didn't do for her sister and her lover and I definitely knew, that the wondering would destroy her.

"Is she eating?"

"No.." she said, when the roaring fireplace dimmed, worry clouded Boudicca's eyes. "Lucifer come on, I checked in on her in the morning. She's fine, albeit a bit emanciated and weak. But she'll be fine. In fact, she'd asked if she could go out to do a little exploring in the city as well." I rubbed my temple with a thumb and a pointer finger. I'd seen many arrivals let grief consume them and throw away their second chance to live before they even realised that it wasn't over. But such had the church convinced them that hell was evil, a realm for eternal punishment that nobody took that second chance and went straight to the void to end their existence. I heaved a sigh and watched the setting sun, draping the sky with the colours of black and violet hues and the farthest end, at the east, it was peppered by shimmering stars. I wondered how many people entered the void today either finding peace with their life having done with it or being punished for their sins.

The Void...I shot up from my chair, startling Disa. "Who's taking her sightseeing?"

"Nobody. She wanted to go alone. Why what happened?" her brows furrowed in confusion.

"I need to find her now."

Disa blinked but doesn't miss a heartbeat in calling in Rein and Winter, my best trackers. She shot off the commands and they're off. I had a distinct feeling that I knew where she was but I desperately hoped I was wrong.

Even though it was a late-June evening, the night was nippy and cold. I raced through the streets to reach the heart of the city, the Void. The Void was a black sparkling pool of chaos. It was where all creation came from and to where they all eventually returned. Those who'd performed heinous crimes and didn't deserve to take even one more breath were sent to the Void. Such a blight was their existence. No matter how much the people are warned and regaled of stories of hell, the number of evildoers never decrease. If anything, they multiply. But the Void was also a symbolism of peace. After those who were satisfied with how they'd lived out their lives here in Hell, contented, they would enter the Void. There were many though, who'd come grappled with hysteria and disbelief that they'd been sentenced to hell that just to avoid the punishment they assumed they would be receiving, they'd jump into the Void. A good many were lost in this way. And I didn't want to lose her too.