Lilith - TI3

by Fran Heckrotte

  "Then there's no reason for me to pretend, is there?"

  The dark Underlord laughed and motioned for her to sit. Walking to a small refrigerator, he opened the door and pulled out two chilled bottles of coke.

  "Humans would be so appalled to know we drink this stuff," he said, holding up the small plastic bottles, "or that we have ice here."

  Handing Lilith one, he tapped his against hers in a toast.

  "So. What can I do for you? This isn't about those whores again? I've told you I’m too busy entertaining to take an interest in such trivial matters. I don't have to collect souls anymore. The humans are quite proficient at condemning themselves to damnation. My coffers are overflowing with lost souls."

  "So you say."

  "Surely you of all people don’t doubt me. You live in their world. Can you honestly say they have gotten any better in the last ten thousand years? All I see is death and destruction in the name of their gods... and then I get blamed for their failings... as if they needed any help with that. Besides, I'll gladly arrange a tour to the belly of my dungeons if you'd like to see for yourself. I may have to expand them if things don't slow down."

  Lilith couldn’t argue the point. The newest trend of the religious right becoming more righteous was disturbing but she was sure the pendulum would swing the other way eventually. It always did.

  "No. I believe you. Humans are still experimenting with their beliefs. They're a young species but I think they'll learn in time."

  Dis snorted.

  "You always were an optimist, Lily. Perhaps that's why you are... were my favorite wife. I guess the transformation from human to demon wasn't as complete as I thought. This new breed, however, think they should sacrifice all for the glory of one, whether it is one god or one of their own. That’s their weakness and also why I will always win."

  "No, Dis. That’s why you’ll eventually lose. You think nothing of sacrificing everything as long as it makes you happy. Those who follow you do so out of fear, not love. Given a better choice they would abandon you without a second thought."

  Dis half-smiled to himself. He wasn’t stupid. There were few demons in the Underworld who weren’t ambitious. Most of the inhabitants would destroy him in less than a heartbeat if they had the guts. The only thing between him and annihilation was his Twin and a few loyal demons. He and his brother were equally powerful. If the Underlord ever lost his throne, the Legion of the Elite and the rest of the demons would have to serve his Twin and life for them would be a different hell... one of righteousness. Even he found the thought revolting. Chuckling at the irony, he looked up and grinned at her. It was satisfying to know that no one in his domain wanted that and therefore no one dared to overthrow him.

  "And that’s the beauty of it, isn't it? Who here wants my job? I’m the only thing that stands between my brother and them... and there isn’t one demon or minion that wants to give up what they have here for his paradise."

  He was right. The older demons still remembered a time when the Twin reigned supreme. Life had been peaceful, too peaceful. The inhabitants were encouraged to read prose, write virtuous parables about those they admired and meditate on ways to better improve their existence. Sex was not that way, nor an option in his world, but it was essential to the demons. Their lives had been... boring.

  "You’re probably right, but that’s not why I’m here."

  "I didn’t imagine it was, my dear. So, what is it this time?"

  "It’s about our child."

  "Your child. I disowned her the day she was banished." To Dis, his daughter was a closed subject. "Now, unless you wish to discuss something else, I have guests to entertain."

  "They can wait until I’m done... and you can sit down and discuss this with me. The other option is for me to go into your bedroom and tell everyone in there that the party is over... and I really don’t think you want that."

  His laughter was like the deep rumble of a waterfall.

  "No. I definitely don’t want you mixing with my guests. They are already afraid of you. I’ve only managed to get them back under control after your last visit."

  "Good! You need a little disrespect now and then. It keeps your head from exploding. We both know how big it has gotten in the last few years."

  "Lily, if I didn’t care so much for you, I’d banish you myself."

  "You’d try... but enough of the banter. I want to talk about you about the Child."

  Sighing Dis adjusted his robe and leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs. Bare-footed, he reached down to flick a piece of yarn off a polished cloven hoof.

  "You still haven't given yourself feet. How come?"

  Raising one hoof in the air, he turned it back and forth, admiring its smooth, glossy shape.

  "Why should I after all of this time? I find them interesting. Besides, ordinary feet would be soooo boring, don't you think?"

  Lilith had to agree. Even she enjoyed the aesthetics of them, not to mention the unusual clicking noise they made when he walked. It was unique to him and a few demons carrying his bloodline.

  "Anyway, why bring her up after all of these years," he asked, switching back to her original topic. "She’s where she belongs. You knew the terms of her banishment and agreed. What was done can’t be undone."

  "I don’t believe that... especially now."

  "And what's so different about now?"

  "She and I talk."

  "Talk?" he asked, straightening in his chair, showing the more serious side of his nature. "Talk how?"

  "I don’t know how."

  "When did this start?"

  "Not long ago. I don’t know how we do it but we do it."

  "How do you know it’s she?"

  "How could I not know? She's my child, Dis."

  "You bore her, Lily, but that's all. So don't go getting all sentimental and motherly now. She should never have been conceived and you know it."

  "And is that really the point, now? She's our daughter... my daughter. Maybe I didn't know what to do with her when she was born, but you did. Instead, you took her from me and gave her away."

  "For you own good and hers. It was the right thing to do and I'm not going to sit here and argue with you over something that happened that long ago," growled Dis, angrily. The vessels in his neck pulsed visibly... a sure sign he was beginning to lose his temper.

  "You're right," agreed Lilith. "It was a long time ago and it's done... but this is now and we've changed... all of us."

  "Not all, my dear. Maybe you are willing to forgive her, but I'm not. She forfeited any consideration when she broke the rules and betrayed us. The Great Battle was painful for everyone but we had reconciled our differences with my brother. Angels and demons were just starting to get along again. Then she came along and broke the truce. Our lives were changed forever."

  "She was only a child, Dis."

  Rising to his feet, Dis walked onto the balcony overlooking the Underworld. Before him burned the eternal fires of Hell, their flames dancing gracefully between the buildings as far as the eye could see. He enjoyed their flickering colors in much the same way humans found trees and forests pleasing.

  "A child, yes... but she was our child... my child. She knew the rules but ignored them. Besides, her actions were not those of a child... and the chaos she caused was inexcusable. Look!" he commanded, motioning toward the scene in front of him. "Once we lived in peace with my brother's people. Maybe he and they didn’t approve of our ways but there was no animosity after the terms of the Truce were agreed upon. We had put our differences aside. As beautiful as this land is, it lacks the color we once had when we were as one."

  "I know. Remember, I helped write the Truce."

  "Yes. All the more reason why this discussion shouldn't even be taking place. You of all people know what was lost and the price we still pay for her indiscretion. Had she not pissed off my brother, we would have harmony here. Humans would be living blissful lives and my Twin and I would be having silly argument
s over his latest experiments. She got what she deserved."

  "And what about us?"

  Dis frowned.

  "Us?"

  "Yes. Are we so blameless?"

  "If you were asking me this about the Great Battle, I would say no. We both knew it was a just war. In this, however, I say yes."

  "Well, I disagree. Listen, Dis, I’m not here to defend her actions. What she did was horribly wrong and every living thing suffers because of it. There's no going back, but you and I, we took no interest in her. We abandoned her and expected her to follow our rules unquestioningly. Did you know it was your own demons who poisoned her mind?"

  Dis shrugged. The conversation was making him uncomfortable... a feeling he didn’t like.

  "I suspected as much."

  "And you did nothing to punish them? Why?"

  "It would have served no purpose. By the time I found out who else was involved, the Child was in the Netherworld, the truce was broken and we needed every demon we had to balance the odds. It was a matter of survival."

  "You banish your own daughter to an eternity of loneliness and yet you do nothing to those who betrayed you?"

  "Our daughter," corrected Dis unconsciously. "And like I said, I needed them. We had already lost too many. I owed it to my people to protect those who were left. Now, I really am growing tired of this discussion. What is it you want of me, Lily?"

  "I want her freed."

  "Impossible. The Netherworld was a one way ticket then and it still is now. Nothing has changed. Once she passed through that door, for all intents and purposes she no longer existed."

  "I don’t believe it. If that were so, she couldn’t communicate with me."

  "Exactly! So I would say you're imagining those talks. For some reason, you're suddenly feeling guilty and your mind is playing tricks."

  "Don’t be an ass! That's ridiculous and you know it. She's as real as you and I."

  Knowing it was useless to argue with his ex once her mind was made up, Dis decided on a different approach.

  "OK. Let's say you're right. What do you want me to do about it?"

  "Tell me how to release her?"

  "There is no way!"

  "When she was banished, you said she wouldn’t be able to talk to anyone, either... but she talks to me. If you're wrong about that, then there has to be a way to return her."

  "Trust me, Lily, if I knew I'd tell you just to get you off my back, but if you figure it out, let me know. In fact, my complete resources are at your disposal. Consider it my contribution to your theory. Feel free to make use of anyone or anything in the Underworld. Now, do you mind if I get back to my guests? I think they've waited long enough for the party to begin."

  Lilith recognized Dis had reached the limits of his patience. Although she wasn’t afraid of him, she didn’t want to alienate him either... and besides, she had gotten what she wanted... his permission to free the Child. Without it, even if she found a solution, there would be no place for their daughter to live. With that problem resolved, the only thing left was to discover a way to free her from her prison.

  "Thank you, Dis. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me and accept your offer. Just one more thing, if you don't mind."

  Sighing, the red giant rolled his eyes and looked at her distrustfully.

  "Quit that!" admonished Lilith. "You can be such a baby! Agra has sent you a soul she wants given special attention."

  "Really. She hasn’t actively participated in that practice for over a thousand years, although Sanarixs came close to losing his a while back. What’s so special about this one?"

  "He tried to kill one of her whores."

  "And for that she’s out of retirement? She must be getting soft," he snorted.

  Lilith shrugged.

  "Well, the least I can do is accommodate her wishes. It's good to see she still has it in her. Tell her I’ll let the Erinyes have him. They have a special knack for punishing the dead." (Erinyes are the furies or the righteous fury, originally they were in a way similar to angels, especially when it came to vengeance for crimes committed against women).

  The demoness smiled. These three sisters had perfected the art of torture. As the demonesses of vengeance, they were even feared by the inhabitants of the Underworld. Only Dis's promise to provide them with an inexhaustible source of victims kept them satisfied enough not to seek subjects from his realm. Whips were their favorite tools, although they had many devices at their disposal. Eternity with them wasn’t necessarily the worst thing, but it came close.

  "That will work! She'll be pleased. Now I must be on my way. Thanks again."

  "I'll always have time for you, Lily. Are you sure you don’t want to join me? It would be like old times and relieve some stress."

  "I doubt it. Demon orgies don’t interest me anymore."

  "I’m sorry to hear that... as will be my guests. Forgive my manners for not escorting you out of the Underworld but my guests are waiting. You understand."

  Leaning down, he kissed her gently on the cheek, removed his robe and walked away, his hooves clicking lightly on the hard floors. Lilith watched him disappear into the bedroom. She still admired his physique. He was magnificent.

  * * *

  "Yes, he is! Even though he is my Father, I can’t deny his attractiveness," observed the Child, breaking into her thoughts.

  "There’s nothing wrong in appreciating beauty. Do you see and hear everything I see or think?"

  "No, not everything. Most of the time I can see and hear you and them... all of them ... but I can’t touch anyone. It’s like looking at the world through a two-way mirror... so close but untouchable... and, of course, after so much time no one knows I ever existed... well, almost no one. You and Father think of me occasionally even though you disowned me thousands of years ago. Humans can be difficult to hear. Demons are the easiest but I’ve found trying to listen to everyone too confusing. Hearing billions of thoughts is overwhelming, even for me, so I only focus on those I think important. The others serve no purpose unless I sense trouble."

  "It must be very lonely!"

  "Lonely? I've always been alone. Perhaps I was too harsh in judging you. After all, you had no idea of what pregnancy was or let alone knowing about raising a child. I knew you were miserable. Father could have helped you understand, but he didn't want to deal with a child. It would have interfered with his relationship with you, so he arranged for demons to nurse and care for me. You accepted his decision and explanations without question. That hurt!"

  There was nothing Lilith could say about her daughter's revelation. Everything was true.

  "Anyway, knowing this and believing that Adam was behind everything bad that had happened to you and then hearing how much he loved Eve, well... I hated him for being happy."

  "Adam wouldn't have known how to care for you any more than I did. At least Dis knew what was happening," interjected Lilith.

  "I know that now, but I’m a lot older... and wiser. Poor Adam! He didn’t deserve my hatred. I still blame him for your banishment from Paradise and always will, but it was Eve that I wronged the most. Eve... innocent, naïve, trusting... the perfect wife... the perfect victim."

  "Eve wasn’t a victim. She was happy. That’s why we left her alone. Do you think I would have left her with him if she hadn’t been the perfect mate for him or if he had misused her? As much as I disliked his attitude toward me, I never wanted him to suffer. Her innocence protected them. They were safe from the sorrows I experienced in the Great Battle... the losses both sides suffered. We knew pain. Eve didn’t and that's how I wanted it."

  "I know but that didn't make any difference. I heard the stories, whispers spoken quietly amongst the minions of the Underworld. In the beginning I thought I wasn’t meant to hear them. Of course later I found out it was all a ploy... a way of manipulating me into serving their vindictive little minds. It started as a subtle campaign to poison my mind. They knew you and Father had no patience for gossip, parti
cularly if it pertained to you and him so they made sure only I heard."

  "Why didn’t you tell me? I could have stopped the gossip."

  "Tell you! Do you think I would really ask you? You barely knew I existed or cared once Father turned me over to his nursemaids."

  * * *

  The Child was right. When Dis carried the infant from her bed, Lilith was relieved. The crying had made her uncomfortable. His assurance that the child would be properly cared for was enough. It was easier to believe him than question the strange emotions she was experiencing.

  "They weren't so bad. It was a long time ago."

  "Too long."