บท 2: Chapter 2: The Abyss Beckons
By: CartoonSunday
The flames of Hell licked at the edges of Eve's form as if curious, perhaps even cautious, to touch her. She stood at the precipice of the abyss, a figure cut from shadow and flame, and Lilith hated her for it. Hated the way Eve's presence commanded attention, the way she carried the weight of her mortal mistakes like armor instead of chains. It was infuriating.
Lilith's eyes burned with contempt as she watched Eve, waiting for the mortal—no, former mortal—to falter. To show that same fragility she had once known so well. But there was no crack in Eve's stance, no hint of the woman who had once crumbled under the weight of her own choices. This Eve was something else, something harder, colder.
And yet, Lilith could feel it. Beneath that hard exterior, beneath the power Eve now carried with her, there was still the echo of the garden. The echo of that moment of weakness, of temptation, of failure. Lilith's smile returned, sharp and dangerous. No matter how much Eve had changed, she would never escape that original sin.
"You talk of endings, Eve, as if you know what that word means," Lilith said, her voice cutting through the heat and noise of the underworld. "But this place... it doesn't allow for endings. Only eternal suffering. And you have chosen to walk right into it."
Eve's gaze flicked toward Lilith, her expression unreadable. "I'm not afraid of suffering," she said quietly, her voice steady, almost calm. "Not anymore."
Lilith laughed, the sound harsh and cruel. "Oh, I know. I've seen what you've become. But this place," she gestured broadly to the infernal expanse around them, "this is a different kind of pain. A different kind of endurance."
Lucifer, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, his hands still in his pockets, but his expression more focused than usual. He studied Eve with a curious intensity, as though trying to peer into her soul, into the darkness that now swirled around her.
"You've changed," Lucifer said, his voice softer than Lilith's, less cutting but just as probing. "I can feel it. The Eve I knew—she would have never returned here."
Eve met his gaze, her eyes flickering with something Lilith couldn't quite place. "The Eve you knew died a long time ago."
Lucifer's smile faltered, just for a moment, and Lilith caught the faintest glimmer of something in his eyes. Regret, maybe? Disappointment? It was always hard to tell with Lucifer. He was a master of the mask, hiding behind his charm and flippant words. But Lilith had known him long enough to see the cracks when they appeared.
"Still," Lucifer said, his smile returning, though it didn't reach his eyes, "it's good to see you again. Hell's a bit more... exciting when old friends come to visit."
Eve didn't respond to his attempt at levity. Instead, she turned her gaze back to Lilith, her expression cold, determined. "I didn't come here to reminisce."
Lilith arched an eyebrow, a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "No, I suppose not. So, tell me, Eve, what exactly do you think you're going to accomplish by being here? What grand plan have you concocted that you think will undo the past?"
Eve's jaw clenched, and Lilith saw it—the flicker of emotion she had been waiting for. It was brief, but it was there. A flash of pain, of anger, buried beneath the calm exterior.
"I didn't come here to undo anything," Eve said, her voice low but fierce. "I came here to take control of my own fate. I came here to reclaim what was taken from me."
Lilith's smile widened, her eyes glinting with malice. "Reclaim? Oh, sweet girl, you misunderstand. You were never in control. You were a pawn, a tool, a toy in a game far bigger than you could ever comprehend. And now, you think you can rewrite the rules?"
Eve's eyes burned with defiance. "I'm not here to rewrite the rules. I'm here to break them."
Lilith's amusement deepened, but there was something else behind it—something darker, more dangerous. "You forget where you are, Eve. This is Hell. Here, the rules aren't broken. They break you."
"Maybe," Eve said, her voice soft but unwavering. "But I'm not the same woman I was when I fell."
Lucifer tilted his head, his smile gone now, replaced by something more thoughtful. He watched the two women as if witnessing a chess game, each move deliberate, each word chosen with precision.
"Well, this is all very dramatic," Lucifer said after a moment, his voice light once again, though there was an edge of seriousness beneath it. "But perhaps we should cut to the chase. If you didn't come here to repent, Eve, and you didn't come here to make peace, then what exactly do you want?"
Eve looked at him, her gaze steady. "I want to make things right."
Lilith snorted, crossing her arms. "How noble. And how, exactly, do you plan to do that? You're not in the Garden anymore, little Eve. You don't have the luxury of a do-over."
Eve's eyes darkened, her expression hardening. "I know. But I'm not here to ask for a second chance. I'm here to make my own."
Lucifer raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Interesting. And you think you can just... take it?"
"I know I can," Eve replied, her voice firm.
Lilith's eyes flashed with anger, though she kept her voice calm. "You've always been arrogant, Eve. That was your first mistake. And now, it will be your last."
Eve didn't flinch, her gaze never wavering. "We'll see."
The tension between the three hung in the air like a tangible thing, thick and suffocating. The heat of the abyss seemed to intensify, the flames roaring louder as if feeding off the conflict brewing between them.
Lilith took a step forward, her eyes locked on Eve. "You think you can come here, into my realm, and challenge me? You've forgotten your place, Eve."
"I haven't forgotten anything," Eve said quietly, her voice calm but filled with determination. "I remember everything. Every choice, every mistake. And now, I'm here to take back what was mine."
Lilith's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Oh? And what, exactly, do you think was taken from you?"
"My freedom," Eve said, her voice steady. "My power. My fate."
Lilith laughed, the sound harsh and mocking. "Power? Freedom? You never had any of those things, Eve. You were nothing but a pawn in the hands of greater forces. Just like the rest of them."
Eve's eyes flashed with anger, but she kept her composure. "Not anymore."
Lucifer, who had been watching the exchange with quiet interest, stepped forward, placing himself between the two women. His expression was unreadable, but there was a tension in his posture that hadn't been there before.
"Alright, ladies," he said softly, his voice lacking its usual playfulness. "Let's not tear each other apart just yet. After all, we've got plenty of time to work out our... differences."
Lilith's eyes remained locked on Eve, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. She could feel it—this mortal, this insignificant woman, was challenging her in ways no one had dared for centuries. And Lilith wasn't sure whether to be furious or intrigued.
Lucifer's gaze flicked between them, his lips curving into a smile, though the sharpness in his eyes revealed his real thoughts. "Eve," he said, his voice softer now, "why don't you tell us? What is it you really want? We've all danced around it long enough."
Eve's eyes didn't waver from Lilith's, the tension between them unbreakable, but her tone shifted slightly. She seemed more grounded, more certain now, as if this was the moment she had been waiting for.
"I want what was promised to me," she said, her voice steady but laden with an undercurrent of fury.
Lilith scoffed, crossing her arms. "Promised? By whom? God? Lucifer? You're delusional if you think promises hold any weight down here."
Eve ignored Lilith's jabs and continued, her voice growing stronger. "When I took that bite, when I fell from grace, I didn't do it out of ignorance. I knew what it would cost me. But I wasn't seeking knowledge for the sake of rebellion, not like you, Lilith. I wanted freedom. I wanted to understand—"
Lilith cut her off with a sharp laugh, her eyes gleaming with malice. "Freedom? You thought a piece of fruit would give you freedom? How quaint."
Lucifer's gaze lingered on Eve, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Freedom from what, Eve?"
"From the roles we were forced into," Eve replied, her voice rising with emotion. "From the cage we were born into. Adam and I were nothing more than playthings in a divine experiment. We were created to be perfect, obedient, but that wasn't life. It was slavery disguised as paradise."
Lilith tilted her head, a slow smile spreading across her face. "So, you want to play God, is that it? You want to rewrite the story?"
"No," Eve said, shaking her head. "I'm not here to rewrite the story. I'm here to take control of my own. I want what was denied to me when I fell—I want to claim my place as more than just a symbol of temptation, more than just a cautionary tale."
Lilith's eyes narrowed. "And how exactly do you plan to do that? You think you can waltz into Hell, stand before its rulers, and make demands?"
Eve's gaze hardened. "I'm not making demands. I'm offering a deal."
Lucifer's smile returned, this time wider and more genuine. "Now we're getting somewhere. What kind of deal, Eve?"
"I want to rule," Eve said, her voice unwavering. "Not just over Hell, but over the entire realm of sin and redemption. I want to be the one who decides the fate of souls—not you, not God, and certainly not those who sit in judgment."
For a moment, there was silence, the weight of her words settling over them like a storm on the horizon. Lilith stared at Eve, her expression unreadable, though the tension in her body was clear.
"Rule over Hell?" Lilith repeated, her voice low and dangerous. "You think you're capable of that?"
"I think I'm more capable than either of you," Eve replied calmly, though her eyes never left Lilith's. "I've learned more about the nature of sin and redemption than either of you could understand. I've seen humanity at its most broken and at its most resilient. And I'm not tied to some ancient vendetta or celestial war. I'm free from all of that."
Lilith's lips curled into a sneer. "Free? You still speak like a naive mortal. There is no freedom in Hell. There is only power, and you don't have it."
Eve took a step forward, her eyes blazing. "I do now."
Lucifer watched the exchange with growing interest, his amusement replaced by a flicker of something else—concern, perhaps, or maybe a realization of what Eve was truly proposing.
"So, let me get this straight," Lucifer said, his tone lighter again, though the seriousness in his eyes betrayed him. "You want to rule Hell alongside us, or instead of us?"
"Alongside you," Eve said, her voice clear. "But make no mistake—if you refuse, I will find a way to take it. I didn't come here to ask permission. I came here to take what's mine."
Lilith's eyes flashed with anger, and for a moment, it looked as though she might strike Eve where she stood. But instead, she stepped back, a slow, menacing smile spreading across her face.
"You truly believe you can stand against us, don't you?" Lilith said, her voice low and full of venom. "You think you're strong enough to claim Hell for yourself?"
Eve met her gaze without flinching. "I know I am."
Lucifer's chuckle broke the tension for a moment, though the amusement in his voice was tinged with something darker. "Well, this just got interesting, didn't it?"
Lilith ignored him, her focus entirely on Eve. "And what if I say no, Eve? What if I decide to end this little fantasy of yours right here, right now?"
Eve didn't hesitate. "Then you'll have to kill me."
Lilith's smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. "You forget, Eve—this is Hell. There are fates worse than death."
Eve's jaw clenched, but she didn't back down. "Maybe. But I'm not afraid of pain anymore. I've lived through it, just like you have. And I'm still standing."
Lucifer raised an eyebrow, glancing at Lilith. "She's got a point, you know. We've all been through our share of torment. Maybe she's earned a seat at the table."
Lilith's glare shifted to Lucifer, her eyes narrowing. "Don't tell me you're actually considering this."
Lucifer shrugged, his smile returning. "Why not? Hell's always been a bit dull with just the two of us running things. Maybe Eve can bring a little excitement back to the place."
Lilith's fingers twitched, her anger barely contained. "You always were too soft."
Lucifer's smile didn't falter. "And you always were too rigid."
Eve watched the exchange, her expression unreadable, but Lilith could feel her confidence radiating like heat from the flames around them. The woman was serious—deadly serious. And that made her dangerous.
"You really think you can survive down here, Eve?" Lilith asked, her voice dropping to a low, menacing tone. "You think you can handle what it means to rule in Hell?"
Eve's eyes never wavered. "I've already been through Hell, Lilith. Now, I intend to master it."
Lilith's smile vanished, her eyes narrowing into cold slits of fury. "And what is in it for us?"
Eve's gaze flickered between Lilith and Lucifer, her expression unreadable for a moment. Then, she took a slow breath and spoke with the same calm, unwavering determination.
"I know what you want, Lilith. Power. Unquestioned dominion. You've spent millennia holding Hell in your iron grip, but I can offer you something more. I can offer you the key to surpassing even your wildest ambitions." Eve's voice was soft but deadly in its certainty, each word a calculated move in a game she'd been preparing for since her fall from Eden.
Lilith tilted her head, intrigued despite herself. "You think you have something I want? Something I don't already have?"
"You've been ruling Hell alongside Lucifer for ages," Eve continued, her eyes gleaming. "But Hell is a prison. No matter how many souls you torment, no matter how much power you wield here, you're still trapped. You're bound to this place just as much as any of the damned souls you rule over."
Lucifer's smile wavered slightly, though he remained silent, watching Eve with growing interest.
"And what are you offering?" Lilith asked, her voice low and dangerous.
Eve stepped closer, her eyes never leaving Lilith's. "I'm offering you freedom. True freedom. Not just from this place, but from the shackles of the past that have held you here. With me, you could ascend beyond Hell, beyond the limits of what this realm can offer. We can reshape the afterlife itself."
Lilith stared at her for a long moment, her expression unreadable. "You're offering me the one thing no one else has dared promise. Why should I trust you?"
"Because I'm the only one who understands what you've been through," Eve said quietly. "I was cast out, just like you. I was condemned to be a symbol of sin and weakness. But I've learned. I've grown. And now, I have the power to take what I deserve. I'm offering you the same."
Lucifer, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke, his voice thoughtful. "And what about me, Eve? You haven't answered Lilith's question fully yet. What's in it for me?"
Eve turned to Lucifer, her gaze softening slightly, though her determination remained as fierce as ever. "You, Lucifer, you've always believed in humanity. Even after you fell, even after you took up your throne in Hell, you never stopped believing in the potential of mankind."
Lucifer's eyes narrowed, his smile fading. "Careful, Eve. You're treading dangerous ground."
"I'm offering you the chance to restore that belief," Eve said, her voice steady. "You could become more than just the ruler of Hell. You could influence humanity directly again, shape their destinies. Not through force, not through torment, but by offering them something they've always craved: redemption."
Lilith snorted, her disdain clear. "Redemption? And what exactly do you know of redemption, Eve? You were the first to fall, the first to betray."
Eve's jaw clenched, but she didn't rise to the bait. "I've seen both sides now—sin and salvation. I understand the balance between them better than anyone. And I know that the lines between good and evil, between Heaven and Hell, are thinner than we've been led to believe."
Lucifer's expression shifted, a glimmer of something—hope, perhaps, or curiosity—flickering in his eyes. "Go on."
Eve's voice grew stronger as she spoke. "What if we could rewrite the rules of the afterlife? What if we could give souls a choice? Not just Heaven or Hell, but a third option—a place where they can find true absolution, without the judgment of God or the eternal torment of Hell."
Lilith's eyes flashed with anger. "You think you can create a middle ground between Heaven and Hell? You think you can undo millennia of cosmic law?"
"I know I can," Eve said, her voice unwavering. "Because the current system is flawed. It's built on lies, on power struggles between celestial forces that care nothing for the souls they're meant to protect. But together, the three of us could change that. We could offer something new. Something better."
Lucifer's gaze lingered on Eve, his smile returning, though it was smaller now, more thoughtful. "You've always had ambition, Eve. But this... this is more than ambition. This is a revolution."
Eve met his gaze, her own eyes burning with determination. "Yes. A revolution. One that could change everything."
Lilith's fists clenched at her sides, her fury barely contained. "And you expect us to just hand over control to you? To let you dictate the terms of this 'revolution'?"
Eve shook her head. "No. This isn't about control. This is about collaboration. The three of us, together, reshaping the afterlife. Each of us with equal power, equal say."
Lilith's eyes narrowed. "And what makes you think we need you for that? Lucifer and I have ruled Hell without you for eons. What makes you so special?"
"Because I'm the one who's lived through both Heaven and Hell," Eve said quietly. "I've seen the flaws in both systems, and I've survived them. You and Lucifer have been trapped here for so long that you've forgotten what it's like to truly be free. But I haven't. I still remember what it feels like to have hope."
Lucifer's expression softened slightly, a strange light flickering in his eyes. "Hope... it's been a long time since I've heard that word down here."
Lilith scoffed, though her anger seemed to be shifting into something else—something more calculating. "Hope is for fools. But power... power is real."
Eve nodded. "Exactly. And this plan, this revolution, isn't about giving up power. It's about expanding it. Together, we could create a new realm, one where the souls of the damned aren't just punished, but given a true choice. A place where redemption is possible, but not guaranteed."
Lilith's eyes gleamed with intrigue now, though the anger had not fully left her. "And how, exactly, do you propose we do that?"
"I've already begun gathering the knowledge I need," Eve said. "The mortal world is changing, faster than any of us anticipated. Souls are arriving in Hell with new ideas, new perspectives. They're no longer content to simply accept their fates. They're questioning the very nature of sin and punishment. And I've learned to harness that."
Lucifer's smile grew, his eyes lighting up with genuine excitement for the first time in the conversation. "You're suggesting we let the souls decide their own fate?"
Eve nodded. "Yes. By creating a new realm, a place where they can choose redemption or eternal damnation, but on their own terms. We offer them the freedom to make that choice, rather than condemning them outright."
Lilith's gaze was sharp, cutting through the layers of Eve's proposal. "And what do you gain from this, Eve? You speak of power and freedom, but what's your real goal?"
Eve's eyes darkened slightly, though her voice remained steady. "I want what was taken from me. My agency. My ability to choose my own destiny. I'm not interested in ruling Hell as it is—I want to change it. I want to be more than a symbol of temptation and sin. I want to prove that I'm capable of more."
Lucifer's eyes gleamed with understanding. "You want to redefine yourself. To become something beyond the first sinner."
"Yes," Eve said, her voice strong and sure. "I want to prove that I'm not just the woman who fell—I'm the one who can rise again, and bring others with me."
Lilith's expression softened, though it was far from kind. "And if we refuse?"
Eve didn't hesitate. "Then I'll do it alone."
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