27

'What's happening?!' said the bewildered Kuro, looking from side to side, first at Grace and then at the door.

'I don't know!!' said Grace, looking at her cross with a mix of shock and fright, her heart beating faster as the knocks came again, loud and distinct.

'Someone's knocking at our front door,' said Lucien, looking at Grace in surprise. 'We'll deal with that first, and then with whatever is going on with her...'

'Who could it be? No one ever visits us,' said Kuro.

'Aside from the Devil's Assistant at night, maybe,' said Grace with sudden realisation. 'Lucien, don't go!'

'No, it's fine,' said Lucien. 'No one can enter unless I wish them to – even if I open the door.'

Knock knock knock!

Lucien walked down the hallway and opened a small door within the large one. 'Who is it?' he spoke through it, looking out.

'Me,' said a soft, solemn voice that sounded familiar.

'Oh, it's you! How come you're here today to visit a demon like me?'

'I'll tell you when you let me in.'

'All right, the door's open. Make yourself at home.'

'Who is it?' said Grace curiously, but she saw for herself immediately after asking the question. 'Azel?! What did we do now?'

The angel sighed and ran a hand through his silvery hair. 'You didn't "do" anything, I only came here to... ask some things.'

'It's not glowing anymore,' said Lucien, looking at Grace's cross before turning to Azel. 'Well, what did you want to say?'

'What isn't glowing?' said Azel suspiciously.

'Her cross. Don't know what's been going on with her lately...'

'Ah, just like I thought...' said Azel, turning to Grace, his deep blue eyes laced with a mix of worry and surprise. 'This is what I wanted to talk to you about! How many times have you felt the glow so far?'

'I'm not sure,' said Grace. 'But I don't understand, what is all this?'

'I'm quite surprised, to be honest,' said the angel, looking at her intently. 'Your cross glowed because of the immense light energy that you're giving off – it's the very opposite of the dark one found here in Hell. Humans sent here rarely give that off.'

'Well, she wasn't sent here, genius,' muttered Lucien. 'Like we told you before, she doesn't belong here!'

'I do wish you could be a tad more respectful,' said Azel. 'But I suppose, for a change, a demon actually told me the truth. Perhaps she really is innocent and you're the one who did something to her after all.'

'Hey, he's innocent too!' said Grace indignantly.

'Believe whatever you like,' said Azel, 'but as far as I know, the creatures of Hell are not to be trusted or befriended. They are all the same.'

Lucien rolled his eyes. 'Yeah, yeah. Me and Kuro and the Assistant are all in the same league to you, I suppose.'

'As for you, Grace,' continued Azel, ignoring the demon. 'I admit that I may have erred in my judgement of you. I can see your soul, uncorrupted by the darkness that you're surrounded by. And I heard reports that in the nearby marketplace, people felt something uncanny and strange amongst them, and that, I am now certain, was you, Grace.'

'Me?' said Grace, puzzled.

'Yes,' said Azel calmly, his lighted aura filling up the room as he looked at her. 'You.'

'But, how? What did I do? I only just came here the other day, and I've been trying to live in peace since then. Nothing less, nothing more. I really haven't the faintest idea about this light energy or whatever this is.'

'"Living in peace". That's exactly it. Despite your circumstances, your heart and soul have hope and peace and love in them; and that, Grace, is the equivalent to faith. And faith in Hell... it's a very powerful thing. It creates light energy, and it only increases every time you feed it with its fuel.'

'Fuel?'

'Just like the Devil's Assistant's plethora of dark energy is fed by dark deeds, light energy is fed by good deeds. Technically, it's possible for anyone to wield light energy even here in Hell, but it's practically impossible because, well, everyone is evil. And even the ones who are a little better than the others often get demotivated quite fast in this dark environment and lose their potential.'

'So that's why people were staring at her weirdly when she went to the market yesterday?' asked Lucien. 'Because she has light energy or something?'

'Yes. Both dark and light energy can be felt distinctly. And depending on your temperament, one of the two will disturb you considerably.'

'But I wasn't that remarkable or anything,' objected Grace. 'I didn't do anything extraordinarily good... neither here, nor back on Earth. I just tried to get through each day with my dignity intact.'

'Sometimes, just getting by is an act of faith,' said Azel kindly.

Grace looked at him, and felt rather touched – that simple sentence seemed to wrap itself around her heart like a warm hug and heal it a little.

'But, I must give you a warning,' he continued. 'Having light energy in Hell can be a magnet for some dark forces you would not like. Actually, considering the state of things, it would be far easier for you if you didn't have it...'

'You, an angel, are saying she's better off without light energy?' said Lucien. 'Seriously? Hell's getting to you, Azel!'

'Demon, I request you to keep your snark to yourself and mind your words around me!' said Azel exasperatedly.

'Oops, can't help it if I have personality, like a certain someone said to me once,' said Lucien, winking at Kuro, making the cat burst into laughter.

Azel closed his eyes and opened them again, seemingly unbothered. 'I'm not against light energy,' he said. 'I fear for you, Grace, because it's going to attract the darkest things of Hell to you, to obliviate it and increase their own power tenfold. Including, perhaps, even the Devil's Assistant himself.'

'That explains why he's after me!' said Grace. 'Isn't there a way to stop him from coming here?'

'He's approached you already? He's sharp, as always,' said Azel worriedly. 'I'm afraid I cannot protect you from him. The only thing you can do is to wield your light energy against his dark one. If you are resolute, you may be able to keep him at bay.'

'What do you do, anyway, apart from dishing out warnings no one asked for and leaving all the work to us?' said Lucien, annoyed. 'And foiling legit escapes, of course.'

'I do my duty and adhere to it,' said Azel patiently. 'I do my best, and I'm proud of it. Maybe you should try something you can be proud of, too, instead of spending your days in pointless endeavours that mean nothing and add to the chaos.'

'Pointless endeavours? Sounds like the two of us!' said Lucien. 'Guess I can be proud, then.'

'You're hopeless,' said Azel with a sigh. 'You have heard me, Grace. You somehow possess light energy, which is both a power and weakness. How you use it – or whether it fades with time – is entirely up to you. I'll take your leave now.'

'Wait a sec!' said Lucien. 'If she's all lighted or whatever, why won't you let her return to Earth? You said you believe she's innocent!'

'It's strictly against the rules to let a human out of Hell on any pretext whatsoever,' said Azel regretfully. 'I really wish I could bend them this once, but so it is.'

'So you're just going to slave to rules and duty and ignore justice?' said Lucien. 'Sometimes you HAVE to bend them, you know!'

'Even the Devil's Assistant follows a protocol, a set of rules,' said Azel solemnly. 'Rules are what maintain order. They must be followed.'

'This is why I hate angels,' grumbled Lucien. 'If I were you, I would have let her out by now!'

'And that is exactly why demons are... demons, no matter what,' said Azel. 'And don't forget you're the one who brought her here for your selfish reasons.'

'I made a mistake, okay?!' said Lucien dejectedly. 'Don't roast me over it! You're just as bad as I am for not letting her out for a bunch of sloppy rules! Ugh!'

'I must leave,' said the angel quietly. 'Goodbye.'

And just like that, he left, leaving behind a trail of bright white light and a tide of puzzlement that washed over the three of them as they sat in silence, processing the new information he had given them.