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Lucifer?had been pondering?the situation carefully, even before it took place. He had not been sure to begin with that uttering the names of the concerned parties would be wise, but if he mentioned at least some of the players, the scope of this game should become clearer to Halbrek's sophisticated mind and those he chose to exclude might gain the confidence he was oblivious to their presence, the confidence he could later use to undermine their efforts.

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"Well, no doubt you are aware of Azazel who actually means well, but lost his way nonetheless. There is also Molokh who was never too concerned of serving anyone's interests but his own, and last but not least, there is also Abbadon who believes in her ability to be the new ruler, disregarding my public disapproval and official nomination of a worthier candidate... You might be tempted to consider all such?issues to be petty political intrigues, and disregard them because social interactions never mattered to you, child, but you would be very wrong to do so. These are pitfalls that could?entangle the most liberated of demons...

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But enough about that, like all children, you are bound to consider words of caution to be fruitless and the more I harp on them, the more your resistance would grow. I am well aware of that balance of saying just enough so?my next words can concern the possibilities of protection instead.?For start, I can offer you a valuable pouch I have acquired recently from an ancient follower of mine. It contains the blood touched in?Egypt by the ruler of the Earth Realm whom many humans mistakenly take to be my own sire. In actuality, he was more of an elder cousin, twice removed,?but the rumors of his powers were true, I have witnessed them in the distant past and learn to respect their efficacy.

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At any rate,?my follower took care to protect the magic potency of the blood from coagulating over the years, and it has the powers of invisibility from all those agencies I named that otherwise, both of you put together have scant chances to defeat. Hidden from the eyes of your competitors, you game could acquire the edge it currently needs," Lucifer thoughtfully regarded both of his interlocutors, wondering if he would have to sweeten the deal before all was said and done.

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In the past, the?cohorts of his special agents were?impressive in their variety, but they dwindled over the years and now the time has come when special tasks?had to be delegated once again. That was why he might have refused the summoning outright ?few decades ago but was willing to offer a few Enochian sigils now in addition to the?partial invisibility offered by the long preserved blood which of he never used himself, aware of the multiple loopholes a clever opponent could use against the potency indirectly.

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"As for the Tree, it goes without saying that?all attempts to contain it, or destroy it were flustered. Adam was its first guardian, and the angel Gadriel tried after him, both faired ill. You might think you would do better and a for a time, maybe your stronger powers could prevail, but the Tree grows from another Realm, its?roots not even controlled properly by the ruler of your own realm, Halbrek. She may think she can use it, because the Tree passes through the Earth Hell, but the Tree is older than her, than her and may just outlive us all.?I assume you now understand the general danger of it, and will be paying heed.?As far as particulars, suffice it to say that destroying it could tear the fabric that separates the Earth Realm and many others, creating the very danger of ending all of us seek to avoid.

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That is why I still prefer?containment as the more tenable solution. Not permanent by any means, but at least temporary handy, until the other dangers we face are taken care of.?So, do you begin to grasp the magnitude of what you have to face yet? I don't want to waste my time on offering bargains?if you insist on thinking all of this nothing but a game..." The Lord of Fire trailed off?gauging by the response of the unlikely couple how much else he should be able to offer?from the vast treasury of resources he?could access. ? ??

Lucifer thoughtfully regarded his charges, not blinking for a while, for a certain dramatic effect. Realizing he would have to wait much longer before he could hope to impress the pompous pair, he sighed theatrically and after assuming his favorite mask of long sufferance, proceeded to offer his refutation. "You certainly did notice where others had not, but who is to say that I have not intentionally let myself be known by those select few who would not bother me too greatly when they got the clue? It serves my purpose to interact with different groups of underlings at different times, and now another such time has come. You have proved your skills at observation, but when dealing with dangerous adversaries, even such skills could be...well let's say, mishandled.

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Nor would I go so far as to say nobody is stepping up to help. Some already did other than you, some will, when they catch?up, and I am willing to wait until they do. It is the world that could be ending, and not?me. I would like it to stay around longer personally, but not at the expense of giving my plans?away. So I have to be as secretive as I can, considering how many factors are at play here.

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Your idea of slavery is overblown too. I am not interested in slaves, not even extra subordinates, I have an entire realm of those when I need them. What is required here is subtlety instead and that is the main reason I could work with you rather than many others. You don't have to tell me about the nature of bargains either, I am well familiar with those, I made up the very first bargain in this world after all. Of course I wouldn't expect your assistance for free, I would offer the very same protection you are so concerned with. Not unjustly, I might add," Lucifer acknowledged with a smug smile, reminding those present that only his help could be sufficient to overcome such difficult odds.

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"I am disappointed though. If I choose you for certain sophistication, how am I to know if you don't even enjoy playing games," the Lord of Fire wondered half mockingly. "Have you not realized yet how beautiful even small games can be, and the more so when they grow in complexity? But other than playing for its own sake, I do have another purpose in mind that you would discover in due time..." Lucifer easily reassured, not bothering to bet on the speed of the demoness's understanding since it would not jeopardize his plans. The contrary was true.

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"In truth, we are being watched by interested parties so I will make it short. I want you to either guard yourself or hire someone to guard that Tree, you know the one, it was not supposed to grow..." Lucifer admitted thoughtfully. "In return, I can bind you to so that I would know?when?an enemy threatens you..." Noticing Castiel's horrified look, Lucifer's smile grew as he quickly?modified his offer. "Or, I could ask you to possess the human bodies of very specific hosts, ones with connection to me. I can?fortify their souls to resist your presence in their bodies, and through their souls know of their whereabouts. Well, how does that sound, has any demonic father?ever been kinder to one of his children?" the Lord of?the Fire Realm sweetly inquired. ??

As soon as the young demoness began her whiny little speech, Lucifer just knew it would turn into a tantrum and when it did, he waited with a patient smile on his lips, not even bothering to shake his head in negation of all the obvious errors. Some demons had?it and some clearly didn't. He?may not have had the time to elaborate on?everything wrong with Halbrek's words, but he could pint out a few ideas that even if she didn't find illuminating could?prove useful?for him.

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"You were correct to think me wise, little daughter," Lucifer allowed himself with a small smile. "I am older than you and stronger than you, which ought to have been sufficient in itself, but I suppose you have learned from the weakness of humans to always need more confirmation, so I could also mention how I reason outside of any text into which every single entity in this world attempts to place me," the Lord of Fire placidly remarked, still forced to comply with his doting father role until this kind of summoning was over.

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Naturally neither of the two would even see the relevance of his comment but if they were able to rise above themselves, and miracles did happen in this regard once or twice, they could appreciate his succinct commentary and the genius behind it. After all, whatever other games he may be playing, and there were several to choose from, he could not disobey the indirect constriction of the summoning forcing him to be helpful, and helpful he has been.

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There was obviously no good reason?to refrain from the air of mystery that he did not only personally enjoy but also consider fundamental for obscuring his true intentions but carrying the power he had, he could indulge his passion for subterfuge and still be helpful to his summoners, if they ever chose to heed his warning.

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"You see, what you need to realize," Lucifer continued in his soothing, gently reassuring voice, "is that I have already given you some help. Your intentions to be useful are only good if you could execute them,?but it is no small task and until you can do it yourself, or?be prepared to work?in an alliance with those who can,?all of your good words don't mean much in the face of your failures. ?

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It is not only power that I am offering, not even the ability to use it well, but a good purpose towards which it can be directed. You have gone so lackadaisical, the two of you, that you don't even conceive of rising in power, which is in part necessary for your intentions not to blow up in your face.?For all these reasons, you need me, you cannot keep surviving without my?guidance," at this point Lucifer almost?allowed his eyes to glow red for emphasis but it seemed to have had a better effect on humans so he decided not to waste such a splendor on these?rather average minds that even Destiny itself could not shove into greatness,?or so it seemed.

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"Keep me here, send me away, what does it matter to me," the greatest of the underworld masters shrugged non chalantly. "I don't stand to gain anything from your folly, you will lose everything if you don't accept my advice at the very least, if not my complete patronage. You are out of your depths and this cannot be fixed with a simple lashing out, that would just be childish, but then, appropriate in a sense too, if you are truly my child," Lucifer concluded with a delightfully wicked smirk. ? ??

Lucifer, shrouded in his concerned father persona forced onto him by the summoning spell, seriously nodded in response and began choosing his words very carefully, so that the course of future events could be steered only so but not otherwise. "Do I understand what is going on? Well that depends on how many conclusions can be allowed from my observations..." Lucifer hedged, as was appropriate for such a bargain when the benefit was only partial for both sides.

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"I did observe certain events in motion, certain forces rising, and then, to make matters worse, the principal ruler of this realm is somehow missing while the danger he sought most severely to avoid is taking root, if you know what I mean..." the entity that occasionally presented itself as the Father of Lies slowly commented.?"Whether you accept my explanations or not, I feel like some of my children might have been led astray by the new powers..." Lucifer declared with slow deliberation, "but the extent of my revelations could depend on your reciprocity," he reasonably added with a hint of a smile. He could help for free, it was true, but trades were about exchanges of energy and he never liked feeling his energy tendrils leaving him, even if he happened to benefit from the trade in the long run. Especially when he had a choice on the matter. The concern writ large on both faces possibly signified that all the best of aces were presently part of his playing hand.

The pact with his acolyte was an easy one. Touching the sleeping man with a single clawed finger onto his forehead,?the Lord of Fire Realm brought?the necessary?illumination to the Luciferian adept.?It was a small investiture since he did not have to undergo true transference of power or sorcery of any kind. Mainly invoking?Ford's own innate knowledge and sprinkling them with a hint of Satanically related mental chatter that served to entertain him, the entity known to some as a fallen angel smiled at his own creativity. Leaving traces at such an ominous time was dangerous and he was happy when he could be truthful to?his promises, without showing his whereabouts.

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As his very essence began tingling with the familiar vibration of a summoning pull, Lucifer began wondering?if he truly managed to be circumspect as he had hoped.?Feeling through the energy cords pulling at him, the Lord of Fire breathed out with relief. The cords were attached to a different matrix spell?and dictated a shape different from the one he was forced to wear at present. No more silly demonic templates, no?masks of the rebel, or some ancient teacher of illumination and righteousness. He could simply remain himself this one time and step aside from all the Edenic stereo types that forced him to reconfigure his form into something ridiculous like a serpent or a lover. He did not object to playing either, and could proudly grow horns when required, but humans were becoming more and more?superficial with their claims on his attention. And in their stupidity, they never failed to undermine his own grandeur.

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He was Lucifer, the eternal ruler of his own realm, with incredible knowledge of Fire and Earth that was always his and lesser abilities with other elements, gained over the years by incorporating other roles into his repertoire. Why would he need to battle the ruler of this realm or rebel against its mandate, when he was never at his service even if he did have a healthy respect for his powers, he did not know. Neither did those humans who insisted on their self deception in dictating what his true nature?is supposed to?be.

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Yes, it felt really good to relax, comforted by a different type of summoning that gave him some license to be closer to his true nature, even if it had some other limitations that this kind of summoning required. But, being lascivious father?Lucifer was always better than being demon Lucifer, Satan Lucifer,?Devil Lucifer or any other such untoward disguises.?He did not even object to?playing his true role and allowing illumination to take place so long as he didn't have to be constrained into always remaining the Illuminator. Yes, being Father Lucifer would do nicely, the Lord of Fire knew as the essence in him reformed his?body into?the human vessel he has been wearing most recently.

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"Ah, child, have you come to ask about the prowess of your Mother at last? I remember fondly that wretched demoness, even if I suspect?she gave me her Venereal disease," Lucifer pronounced non chalantly when he showed up, the smirk on his lips?betraying nothing of the seriousness of the matter in which he became greatly interested of late. ? ? ?

Cordelia pocketed the napkin with a phone number scribbled on it, while a little eager to leave the diner as well she waited long enough to ensure the other hunter had more than enough time to finish his meal before leading him from the establishment. Passing the time by taking him to a local bar so that both of them could get their hands on some cash via hustling a few games of pool and playing a little poker. After which she’d gone about helping him get some supplies?(clothes, weapons, etc.)?then taking him back to the hotel where she was staying so that he could get a room and some rest.

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Once he was settled in she returned to her own room which was two doors down from his own and went about her own nightly ritual which basically consisted of getting a shower followed by curling up in her pajamas while doing some research on her laptop and watching a little television. Trying desperately to find something that might shed some light on her?‘headless friend’?and finding a few Revolutionary War tales about someone matching his description though this one was not so headless.

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(ooc: Always sucks when you have to do a complete rewrite like that. Part of why I got to where I write my posts in Word and save them. Couldn’t think of anything else to write for Cordelia yet but wanted to move things along a little bit. Not sure if the Dean player is still around but this puts him alone in his own hotel room for now.)

“There could be any number of reasons this person?(whoever it is)?sent you that email. One possibility being that it’s someone who’s secretly working against Eve and can’t afford going after her?‘head on’. Another being that someone out there is attempting to get you to do all the work while they wait until its found and take it by force so they can use it to gain her favor or perhaps kill the bitch themselves. Maybe Eve herself is behind it. She could want it found so that she could in turn take it off the table. Or someone hell-bent on protecting her.” Jenica knew none of those were possibilities the sisters would want to entertain as she herself didn’t particularly care to imagine the outcome of any of them. The look on Abby’s face all but silently confirmed what she suspected but the former princess didn’t have the luxury of ignoring any of the facts.

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Abby took a moment to let it all sink in before speaking up. “So, what you’re saying is ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’? Because without this weapon we don’t stand a chance against Eve, but if we go after it we could basically be painting a gigantic bullseye on our backs.” She didn’t much like the odds but knew if Corbin was alive he would likely see this through based on things she had read in his journals.

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“Either way, it isn’t going to be pretty.” Jenica rarely ever sugarcoated things as she found it to be a rather useless tactic when things got rough or on the verge of becoming so. Something which probably had a great deal to do with her upbringing. “Bingo.” Her single word response to the younger sister’s statement about who Eve was. The words that came next bringing a mildly amused smile to her face. “If we’re talking ‘heaven and hell’….it’s all real. Angels. Demons. The Devil.”

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She thought back on things heard over the centuries. “IF?one believes the rumors…he could possibly have become the first?‘knight of hell’?though I am not certain about likely that is. It’s like anything else…things get said…stories get circulated. So, it’s a bit hard to sort through what is fact and what’s fiction.”

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Casting a sidelong glance to the other sister who while apparently listening had begun pouring over one of the many books lying about. “What they did was perhaps considered to be the first sin, so, naturally it would have pissed the big guy off. However, it played out…she played right into Lucifer’s hands. After her death, he tortured and twisted her soul until all humanity was stripped away and the first demon was born so to speak.”