Here we have a new world in which to play in - that of Lilith. Other in habitants of this world are Asmodeous, Lord Iscariot and even the most reknowned devil of them all Lucifer (he actually does have to answer to Asmodeous if he is caught upsetting the balance too much).
I will say that these people are a whole lot darker than what I usually write so I hope you enjoy what you encounter here.
Below you will find an introduction into their world that for the time being satisfies me - just remember i reserve the right to change it if need be.
The early afternoon suns here in the Other World beat heavily down on the town below it. The double suns seemed to scorch anything – be it animal or human – that dared to leave the protection of the cloth awnings of the mud brick buildings. There wasn’t even a cloud in the sky to offer protection to those poor and weary souls on the ground.
Despite this intense heat there were dozens of people crowding the narrow streets. The low din the populace of this city was making was occasionally pierced by the Crows of Asmodeous that were circling overhead. Collectively all crows were known as Asmodeous’ Crows due to it being general knowledge that King Asmodeous used the birds as his spies among the Other World, although in this city the birds were unable to land due to the neutrality of the border city.
Walking carefully through the crowds was a tall, slender figure wearing a navy blue cloak that went from her shoulders to her ankles. Her brass colored hair was piled intricately atop her head.
She appeared to ignore the vendors that offered their wares for sale. She paid even less attention to the children that were weaving in and out of their parents legs all the while screeching in laughter.
Nor did she pay attention to the many animals that seemed to roam in herds along the narrow streets – although the malodor they let off would wrinkle anybody’s nose.
Her own musings were running their often travelled route through her head.
History had wronged her in a great number of ways. The Theologians had made her out to be far worse than she actually was. They accredited her with a great number of things that needed to be given some sense of order (so that their tiny little minds could attempt to contemplate all the knowledge of the Celestial World), but her sin wasn’t all that great. Her only fault had been leaving – and that was the biggest sin that mortal man could have according to the scriptural works that they followed (and those scriptural needed to be updated sorely).
Mind you she was no saint, and she was far from being one of the exalted Seraph’s, these days. But none of that made her evil. These days she was forgotten by most mortal men but not here in the Other World was she forgotten. Never here, for the denizens of the Other World owed her much. Most of which they would never be able to repay.
All these thoughts and more passed through the mind of the brass haired beauty as she walked gracefully through the streets of Yenne Velt. Of all the cities in both this world and the Other, Yenne Velt was by far the greatest in her opinion. It wasn’t the brightest and gaudiest (as well as the oldest) that honor went to Jinna.
Jinna with its glaring lights at night and sensuous palms during the day, was a city with a proud and debauched reputation. Many of its buildings were decorated with peacock feathers that had been set into the sides of the white plaster that was lathered over their basic brick structure. Several of the doors were adorned with precious and semiprecious stones to entice tourists and locals alike to enter the establishment. The city of Jinna was a well known point amongst the residents of the Other World. It was said (and truthfully so) that Jinna catered to every vice known to Mortal, Devil, and Demon alike. When you combined that type of repute, with the status of literally the oldest city in the Other World than you had a city that existed for the depraved of Soul.
Just as the city was well known so was the path to it, for on all sides the city walls were surrounded by the Forest of the Night. Travelling that road wasn’t even safe for the vilest of demons. Asmodeous himself was known to take a host of demons with him to ensure he reached the more or less in one piece. Many said that the Forest only added more allure to the City of Debauchery for the Depraved.
Nor was it the most ostentatious. That honor went to Ghidi.
Ghidi with its opulent homes built solely of alabaster and marble, homes that were made with the sole thought of impressing their neighbors. The dark beach front where brightly hued glass routinely washed up from the ocean’s bottom was often a destination for those of the Other world to go for sheer pampering and luxury. There was nothing in all the Other World that could match the budding metropolis for sheer ostentation. This was the city in which all the truly powerful being lived in. That power base also explained why Asmodeous kept a residence within it (although he spent very little time there).
The Seven Cities could have their unique wonders, but what made this city unique was that it was the only border city in existence. This was the only city in either world where mortal man openly interacted with demons, devils and Lucifer himself. There were good reasons why Yenne Velt was still the same as it had been two millennia ago.
With the number of different beings that were in residence within the city walls at any given time the amount of hostility in the air was almost tangible – the mortal proverb said that tensions were so high that you could cut it like a knife through butter (and never were truer words spoken). Long ago, when they all were still new to the ways of the Other World Lucifer had decided he would start picking among the other beings to see who would survive. The ensuing war that had been caused by his antics had been so full of, bloodshed, gore and chaos that to this day the City of Yenne Velt was neutral because in that war the city never sided with anyone and ensured everyone’s safety that it was felt if Yenne Velt could do it once than the city could do it for all eternity.
Of course what most mortals failed to realize was that even Lucifer had to answer to someone, and that someone was King Asmodeous. And Asmodeous had not sanctioned his Lieutenants actions. What Asmodeous had done to Lucifer was still whispered in the shadows and that still cost Lucifer necessary prestige points.
Asmodeous was among the first and most powerful of the Fallen. Not only that but legend had it that Asmodeous was literally the first Fallen – he was the very first Seraph to go against the Creator and that fact had sealed not only his fate but the fate of any who followed him into the Other World – once a Seraph chose to Fall there was no redemption for them.
Asmodeous was Lord and Master over all manner of devils and demons. He even had a tenuous hold over some of the other Fallen. Such was the case with the brassy haired woman. Her youthful face gave lie to her true age and her regal bearing demanded respect from those around her. Her cinnamon colored eyes could scold or terrorize a person.
It was in fact, due to Lilith’s exotic beauty that had led mortal man to many of his innumerable troubles –Lilith wasn’t known as the First Mother in only the Other World she was also known as such in the Normal World and had once been told that even the Seraph’s called her such. Between her looks and reputation Lilith was more of a danger to the human race than many of the demons and devils she had spawned.
Lilith had walked under the Celestial Bodies since the Creator had given breath to this planet. Therefore she felt that she knew just about every that mankind had, there were days Lilith regretted her parting of ways with the Creator and His divine Hall. But she had to do it.
The offer she had gotten from Asmodeous (delivered by Lucifer, no less) was one that could not be ignored. He had offered her the rare place of honor for a woman as well as several titles the greatest of which was First Mother. Because Asmodeous may have been the first Fallen Seraph but Lilith was the first female of the Fallen. She had created more lines of demons and devils than most could count and for that choice she was held in disdain. Did mortals not realize that the Seraph’s had the same choices as they did in following their own wants? Several million apparently did not and that meant that as a Fallen Seraph she had little say in how she was regarded by the mortals and their judgmental ways. The way the other Fallen regarded he was entirely different and she enjoyed what she was allowed here in the Other World.
Each of the Fallen had been born with the knowledge of the Heavens inside of them, but some of them had come into existence with the need for something more. That need was the desire for power or something very similar to it. And power was exactly what Asmodeous had given her. Lilith had earned her title and place among mortal man - she was known as the “Mother of Demons”.
While she had been reminiscing her course along the dimly lit dirt road (which barely passed for a path) had never strayed, she now stood at the entrance to a dingy, two-storied building made out of sun-baked mud bricks with rough hewn windows on all four sides as well as top and bottom. There was a water trough on each side of the door.
From where she stood Lilith could see young boys tending to farm animals out behind the building.
Letting a small sigh escape her perfectly formed lips as she entered the building Lilith could only remember the days when that was a common site.
Upon entering the establishment Lilith’s eyes were met with a familiar sight. A dark, heavy curtain divided the room in two, separating the men from the women. On the side that the entrance was were several long tables which were laden with fresh bread and stew that was being eaten by the men sitting on the long benches provided for their comfort. Lilith was certain that she would find the same scene on the women’s side of the curtain.
There was a hearth on the far wall next to a doorway to the kitchen where there was like to be spice racks, vegetables, fruits, cured meats, as well as, nuts, berries and roots.
The establishment (like the rest of the city) had not changed overly much in the two millennia since it had been founded. Even though the mortals had advanced their societies to the point that everything and anything was questioned, this city had remained the same, much like the rest of the Other World. This city, in fact, held the same name that the Other world was formally known as – Yenne Velt.
If Chel’a was to be considered the first city than Yenne Velt was the second. And all that came here for whatever reasons knew it. As Lilith glanced around the room Lilith noted the wary glances that she received. The tiniest of smirks appeared on her face with that knowledge.
In a corner nearest to the heavy curtain that partitioned the room was a shorter table and bench only on this table there was no bread and stew, but perfectly shaped apples. Lilith could see at least three different varieties present. There were red, yellow and green apples within the bowl, and every one of them was perfect in shape and had been polished to a high shine. The variety before her was enough to tickle both Lilith’s taste buds and her curiosity.
This clay bowl full of luscious apples was designed to catch a person’s eye. More specifically, to catch her eye, for no other being could so appreciate the sweet delight that the often shiny fruit could yield in a connoisseur's mouth. Slowly Lilith walked over to the table, never once taking her eyes off of the bowl fruit that she so coveted.
After a moment of undisguised desire within her cinnamon colored eyes Lilith turned her eyes to the apparent human sitting at the table. He had a wiry build that suited his thin face perfectly. His salt and pepper colored hair was cut short and well groomed, he wore a goatee around his mouth. He also gave off an arrogant demeanor that suggested he was used to getting whatever he wanted within moments of asking for it.
With nary an emotion on her face Lilith acknowledged the man, “Lucifer.” Her tone was colder than the winters in the other world. Her eyes were harder than the claws of a Lamia. He was not who she wanted to see at the moment and she let that fact be known by her disposition.
With the elegance of years of passion Lucifer asked her, “Won’t you join me for lunch, Lady Lilith?” His tone held within it a combination of respect for her position in the Other World and a bit of playfulness – as if he knew something she didn’t. Lilith could also detect the note in his voice that he wanted something. That tone didn’t surprise her as when dealing with Lucifer he always wanted something, it was just a matter of figuring out what he wanted and if one felt like paying the price that Lucifer’s wants tended to accrue.
With a frosty smile on her face to acknowledge the courtesy done her, Lilith sat on the bench opposite Lucifer. She really didn’t want to see him and was one of the few being capable to show her displeasure to him and faced very few, if any, reprisal from him.
More amused than anything at her behavior Lucifer made her an offer that was beyond tempting to the aged Lilith. “Would you care for an apple? I picked them myself out of a little orchard I know of.” His tone was slightly taunting and she was quick to pick up on it. She would not be taunted as though she were a Newly Fallen.
Letting a hiss escape her perfectly shaped mouth Lilith demanded, “What do you want, oh Fallen One?” If Lucifer wanted to play a game filled with taunts and sharply baited barbs, than Lilith was more than happy to appease him with one.
At Lilith’s reference to his state among the Seraph’s (as they all were) amusement fled Lucifer’s handsome features and anger quickly blackened his countenance.
Before he could reply to her, Lilith flicked her tongue out to Asmodeous’ second-in-command, warning him of the consequences.
At the sight of Lilith’s forked tongue Lucifer could only scowl harder (if that were actually possible). For she had a point in reminding him of her capabilities in this establishment, here they had to follow the old customs that had been made law by Asmodeous when he had first Fallen, because if they didn’t than it was highly probable that more than one war would break out amongst the many demons and mortals that were presently within the city of Yenne Velt.
The only reason that Lilith was allowed in the male half of the hall is because she had the power that she had always craved and everyone within the room knew it. They would all also testify to the fact that if Lilith felt slighted in any way she could and would make the rest of their eternity unbearable. The relatively few mortals that did business (of one sort or another) within the Other World learned quickly that Lilith was not to be slighted.
“Can’t one Fallen want the company of another of his kind,” Lucifer asked false purity in his voice.
“If they were others besides you and I than yes,” Lilith returned sharply.
“You really aren’t one for small talk, are you,” Lucifer asked his guest.
“I never have been. Now what is it that you or Asmodeous want,” she demanded for a second time. As she finished her demand a second time she reached a pale hand towards the fruit that was on the table for her pleasure.
Lucifer watched her as she began to slowly consume the bright red fruit. He allowed her to enjoy a few bites of the fruit before he went on to state, “The end of mankind.” Lilith did nothing more than to raise an eyebrow at the blunt statement that Lucifer decreed. To Lilith it seemed like every other century that Lucifer wanted the destruction of the Normal World for one reason or another.
That was the way that Lucifer worked. He always wanted something that he couldn’t have or get for himself. Lucifer knew just as well as she did that the Other World (and by extension all people in it) could not exist without the Normal World. The cold hard truth was that they needed each other to survive. Even the Creator couldn’t change that law (and Lilith was sure that there were times the man thought about it most enthusiastically).
Lucifer noticing that his remark had garnered little reaction from the Mother of Demons decided to elaborate, “What do you think His precious mortals would do if they lost hope?” His eyes gleamed with a light that reflected the very hellfire of the Damned pits that he tended to roam.
Lilith detected a vicious note in her dining companions mind and she would have groaned if it wouldn’t have been beneath her to do such. Some mortal must have upset her fellow Fallen greatly…again. Yet if the truth were told it wasn’t Lucifer’s tone that worried her but his eyes.
Those dark eyes held the burning embers of Asmdeous’ brimstone pits and when they got that bright chaos was sure to follow. Whatever Lucifer was up to this time would be panic inducing amongst the masses of both worlds. Strangely enough this thought settled fairly well in the pit of her stomach. The Other world had been too placid of late and Lilith felt that the place could do with a bit of shaking up.
Lilith allowed the frigid features on her millenniums old face thaw slightly before giving in to her curiosity and replied, “What exactly are you planning Lucifer?” Her tone was also less frigid and Lucifer felt a little more relief add to his amusement at her attitude.
Lucifer knew that he needed an ally in what he wished to see done and Lilith – the First Mother of countless demons and devils – would be a strong one. And a strong ally was what he needed most in order to set this scheme up with very little interference from King Asmodeous.
Looking around the room he saw that no one was paying them the least bit of attention and he could hear little noise on the other side of the curtain from the women’s side. With artful innocence on his handsome visage he replied, “Do you think a holiday would be declared with the arrival of a new Fallen. I mean really, there hasn’t been a new one of us in so long that I think several beings are starting to wonder if we are telling a version of the truth about walking the Celestial Halls of above.”
Thinking quickly Lilith looked at him and in a tone of total disbelief replied, “You know as well as I that there are none among the current ranks of the Seraphim who would willingly Fall!” Had Lucifer finally gone daft enough to suggest such a thing?!
“Sure they would…if given the proper motivation,” Lucifer suggested cunningly.
Shock was now clearly evident on her face as she stared at the devil seated across from her. He wouldn’t dare try to start the game again! After all that Asmodeous had subjected him to last time Lucifer shouldn’t even dream of such a thing?! After several moments of silence Lilith was able to generate her icy façade once more. The look she gave Lucifer would normally have chilled even the brightest of brimstone embers but not this time. This time her icy stare only stoked the fires deep in his heinous soul. When Lucifer continued to look at her steadily Lilith asked, “Do you know what treatises you would be breaking, if you attempted such?”
“I know of several of them, and might I remind you that any actions or inactions from either of Them mean that I would have to get caught first,” he responded confidently.
“You realize that if you were found out that both the Creator and Asmodeous would be displeased with you. As opposed to just the Creator who is disappointed at best with us at the moment,” Lilith continued in the same vein.
Lucifer just nodded his head in confidence while a smirk formed on his face because a temporary alliance was born this day.
***
The skies above the Other World were dark and heavy. To some it appeared as if it might finally rain after several century’s draught. If any of the long term residents of the Other World still held any type of affinity to their Creator than they would have seen such portents as a blessing. These days if they felt anything at all towards the Creator it was contempt and a tad bit of wariness (not that they would admit the latter). Thunder was heard rumbling from one end of the Other World to the other – and it made all but the highest ranked of the Fallen shiver in fear that they were unaccustomed to feeling.
As for the Fallen some ignored the anger of the Creator, while others thought to figure out what had caused this latest storm upon their rightfully appropriated World. Two others shook their heads as if to say that this too shall pass. And there was one who smirked as though he had an answer to the whole problem.
This last person was deep within the Forest of the Night on what appeared to be a leisurely stroll. A black hooded cloak covered the man’s lanky frame and conveniently obscured his face from view. All that could be seen of his face his bright orange glowing eyes. Slowly Lucifer approached a small encampment that consisted of a large middle tent that was surrounded by four smaller tents. All the tents were black, and outside of the smaller tents were thick wooden posts carved in obscure runes that few could read.
Without looking left or right Lucifer strode into the camp and directly to the High tent without once losing the arrogant strut that he was accustomed to.
He didn’t bother waiting for the tent flaps to be opened to him either – he just walked right on in. To all and sundry it appeared that he and he alone owned the area that he was entering.
In the tent apparent waiting for the well known devil was a man with a slight build and a full beard on his tanned face. His raiment was at least a millennia out of date and he had a cynical expression deep in the slight wrinkles upon his face. When Lucifer laid his eyes upon the man he gave a slight bow and greeted, “Lord Iscariot.”
The bearded man cast a disdainful sneer upon the much renowned devil. After a heavy silence Lord Iscariot replied, “Dark Seraph.” His tone was as bitter as the cynical look on his face that shone from deep within his eyes.
With a low chuckle Lucifer responded, “I am no Seraph.”
“Just because you fell from the Creator’s path makes you no less a Seraph. What you once were you still are, for even the Creator cannot undo what has been done,” Iscariot replied.
“And that makes you less a traitor, how,” Lucifer retorted.
“The Creator does not forget,” Iscariot intoned. This was a fact that Judas Iscariot strongly held on too, for his soul would not allow him to believe else wise. Because the fact of the matter was that Judas needed something to believe in until he was redeemed in the eyes of mankind.
“Enough with your common drivel. I don’t understand you! The Creator left you here after that incident and then he let his precious creations smear your name – and still you defend him. Why,” Lucifer sneered.
With his head bowed and his pride up, Iscariot began, “I am only immortal Lucifer. Until wrongs are righted I will be the one to watch as mankind changes in its own time. I can be maimed and broken but if you continue your disdain of my practices than you shall find yourself short on help for your lofty goals,” Iscariot informed him with steel in his deep baritone. Most people were afraid of the Devil that stood before him – Judas Iscariot was not one of those people. Judas feared something far more powerful than a mere devil – he feared the Creator and only the Creator.
“You’re starting to annoy me,” Lucifer threatened whilst his eyes began to glow ever brighter.
Iscariot just stood before the well known devil in a quietly defiant stance. All the while looking straight into those eyes of burning brimstone.
The standoff that followed seemed to take an age but in the end it was not Iscariot that looked away. Lucifer was many things but a fool was not one of them. He knew he needed the help of the Lamia to even begin his latest plan.
***
On what could be considered the other side of the Other World in the capitol city of Chel’a the storm was brewing ever stronger. Heavy winds whipped through the streets threatening to blow anything that stood in its path away. At the first signs of this storm beginning every resident within the city hurried to their domicile and began to secure their belongings. They all knew that storms of this magnitude were caused by one of three people.
One of those people was, of course, the First Mother. Most people in the city knew that storms weren’t exactly her style (she preferred subtlety to get her points across) but she had been known to have a tantrum or two throughout the ages.
Another was King Asmodeous himself and storms were very much his style. All the residents of the Other World knew that the King liked to throw storms around when he got into a fit because someone or something did not go his way. For the residents of Chel’a this was something of a regular occurrence.
As for the third person who could create a storm at will – very few actually considered him. And of those that did consider the Creator all but two trembled in fear. The only ones who even thought it might be the creator were the older Seraph for they knew what the Creator was capable of, and with the intensity of this current onslaught they feared that the Creator might finally destroy their world and force them into another.
On a decadent balcony inside of a lavish palace that over looked the Dark Ocean sat two people. One was the brass haired beauty known as Lilith. The other was a dark haired man with red eyes. Each was seated on a gilded chair with a multi-colored chess table between them. The dark pieces were of the Fallen whilst the light pieces were of the Seraph’s. There was a pitcher of a mulled drink and two dainty wine glasses on a dark wood table that sat to the right of the marble chess board. Both of them sat with a regal bearing their spines never touching the backs of their chairs. Both of them also had slight sneers on their faces.
“What do you think He is up to,” the dark haired man asked of Lilith whilst his red eyes never left the game in front of him.
“I would presume that He is trying to discourage your lieutenant,” Lilith answered him.
“In other words he doesn’t suspect a thing,” Asmodeous asked with a steely smile on his face as he moved a pawn forward on the marble board between them.
“Neither of them do,” Lilith answered confidently, her sneer becoming almost feral in nature and her split tongue coming out to caress her blood red lips.