7. Lucifer is Dead - 1

Lucifer opened his eyes to completely different surroundings. Sitting upright he had a blank look on his face as if dazed. He tried to stand up but stumbled and fell miserably.

Pain...excruciating pain took hold of every inch of his body as a wave of emotions washed over Lucifer's head. What happened the other night, just before he lost his consciousness, replayed in his mind like a broken recorder.

"Huff...Gasp.." What seemed like years, passed in a couple of seconds. Although the pain subsided leaving him panting and gasping for air on the ground, the memory, left a bitter taste.

"What happened to mom and dad?"

Despite the pain, what Lucifer could think of, was his parents. The cries of his father getting beaten up; because of him, his mother begging for mercy; for him, and people screaming him to be a Devil; that needs to be killed were too much for a 7-year-old.

He remembered, just a few seconds before he lost his consciousness he had heard Ubel's voice. He was in a state of extreme fury, his whole body felt hot and he felt his head drowning in darkness. Then he fainted, he couldn't remember anything else.

The ground he was laying on felt hard, maybe a rock or hard floor. He couldn't see, but it seemed like he was outside, since it was hard for him to keep his eyes open, without squinting, while above.

Just then he realised, something uncomfortable, something was weird with the texture of his clothes.

"Hmm?" Lucifer gasped in surprise while fondling the weird fabric on his different body parts.

"Ohhh, it's a human!" someone whispered while hiding behind the tree.

"He is weird!" commented the other with unfazed eyes.

"He is a pervert, I guess" another one chimed in while caressing its chin. Obviously, they thought Lucifer was a deviant for touching himself since they didn't know he was just surprised due to the weird fabric.

The three beings were baby kobolds, may be of similar age, each with a height of 15 cm.

"Who is there?" Lucifer exclaimed while turning in the direction of the voice.

"Oh my! you can understand us?" one of the baby kobolds came forward with curious eyes and started inspecting Lucifer.

"Hey! be careful, he can be dangerous," another baby kobold said in a low voice while still hiding behind the tree.

"He is weird and different" the baby kobold with unfazed eyes commented again with his hands behind his back while walking forward.

"Umm..who are you guys?" Lucifer asked back while pointing in the direction with his finger. He couldn't see but by the voice, it appeared they were kids and might be of different species since they were surprised to see him; a human.

"I guess, he is the being uncle Ubel was talking about, in that case, let me introduce ourselves. I am Alison and I'm the older brother and we are the three sons of the Former Kobold tribe leader," answered Alison with his hands behind, he had an aristocratic atmosphere around himself and appeared rather calm and calculative. He wore a thin white cloth draped around his shoulders, the same as what Lucifer was wearing. [ Alison (French origin), means "noble" ]

"I'm Addison, and I'm the second brother," said Addison, while still looking at Lucifer with curious eyes.

"And I-I am Arion." said the third brother with a low voice.

"Don't mind him, he is a little shy" exclaimed Addison.

"Oh, I'm Lucifer. Nice to meet you, by the way, do you guys know where I am? it's a little urgent, I want to go back to my vill-" Lucifer stopped mid-sentence. He remembered what happened the other night, the villagers were screaming at the top of their lungs for him to be killed. How could he go back to such a place where he was not wanted? But nonetheless, he had to go to confirm that his parents were alright.

The baby kobolds looked at each other and ended up bursting into laughter. Addison asked while cracking up., "Are you talking about the only village in this forest? That village might be in ashes by now. kekeke"

"What?" Lucifer thought he heard wrong, so he asked again " What are you talking about?"

This time Alison answered, "Ahem! I'm sorry for our disgraceful behaviour, but I'm afraid what my second brother said is true, 1 week ago the village was indeed burning and mig-" but he was cut-off mid-sentence.

"Wait!..you are saying it has been 1 week since the village was burning? t-then I was unconscious for a week?" anxiety visible on his face.

"It seems so" Alison answered carefully.

"N-no! I have to go, I have to..." Lucifer couldn't think of what to do in this sudden situation. He had to go, but where? He didn't even know where he was, hell! even if he knew, how would he have been able to go? he was a useless blind after all. With every beat of his heart, his chest ached, tears burnt deep down in his throat. It felt like his world was crashing down right now, his tears have long dried up, he couldn't feel anything now, what sin did he commit to suffer like this?

He fell to his knees," just why?" he questioned.

"Brother Alison...I believe our good-for-nothing uncle Ubel said that this human was strong? but he seems weaker than the usual humans though? What's more? he is blind!" Addison commented with his hands crossed around his chest.

"Shhh! brother Addison, you must not say in front of him, he will hear us" whispered Arion fiddling with his fingers as if embarrassed.

"So what if he listens? won't he be just a burden to us whatsoever?" Addison questioned back.

"No! that's true but..." Arion shook his head.

"Both of you keep quiet! even if this human is useless, he is a guest of uncle Ubel, and I believe in him. We must not disrespect the Kobold Tribe Leader (Ubel)." Addison declared while looking in a direction with his eyes without moving his head.

" Alishon! my dear nephew..thank you for believing in mee...sniff sniff " Ubel sniffed as he said while wiping away the non-existent tears from his eyes. He had just arrived and heard their conversation.

"Ohh, quit the acting uncle," Addison remarked.

Lucifer heard a voice he had long forgotten." Ubel?" He turned in the direction of the voice.

"Lucifer! Shorry for leaving you like this, but don't worry your parents....they are fine.." Ubel said with an unsure face while walking towards him with quick steps and helping him to get up even though he himself looked quite tired and exhausted.

Lucifer got up with Ubel's help and asked back, " They are alright? y-you are not lying right?" He had a face full of anticipation as if he saw the last ray of hope.

"Yesh, they are alright but..." Ubel blurred the rest of his sentence as he avoided his gaze.

"But what? please finish what you were saying!" Lucifer shouted. Agitation and impatience were clearly visible on his face.

There was a moment of silence.

It appeared, that Ubel was contemplating the right choice of words to say as he declared "Lucifer, you are dead!"

"What?" Lucifer blurted out as his face instantly become grim.

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