Chapter Text
Copia's Narration
It was the year 1986 in Stockholm, Sweden and by that time there was a so-called crisis, it was not one as such because it only affected low-income people and enriched the upper class more; the rich people were dedicated to being only buyers since the economy for them was facilitated while the lower class people were the ones who gave the production to the country, you will wonder what those people work on, well these people are dedicated to many things with such to win the daily bread, there are clandestine markets, prostitution and drug trafficking but although I'm also poor, I prefer not to take risk and work on something different. I work helping Mrs. Imperator in her orphanage because she is the owner, sadly I grew up here and that is why she, seeing the situation that attacks our country for years, took pity on me and takes care of me as her son, because even I'm still a child
"Good morning, Cardi." She greeted me with a smile on her face. "Remember to come back early."
"Sure mom," I replied
Actually my name is Copia but many call me Cardi because I wanted to be a cardinal before, you know, to help in the church and so on.
I went out every day to buy food in one of those already mentioned markets because among the poor we always reach out to help. I never take a long time shopping but this time I had to look for food in good condition because the places today didn't have good food and I have to get it well so as not to give my friends any discomfort, oh right! I had forgotten that I have seven friends, they are children of the orphanage and the only ones I have because they understand me and with the country in this situation there is no time to go out to the park or play baseball with other kids; Besides, since I don't go to school, I don't know other children that aren't from there.
I bought the food that was in better condition and left there to return to the orphanage but I stopped dead halfway to observe something that caught my attention.
It was a boy who looked like of my age, dressed in black silk pants, a dark gray sack, French style shoes and an upside down cross that decorated the left side of his chest and his hair well combed.
He was walking down the street and taking pictures with a camera to different places, I would have approached him but I didn't do it because I was afraid of the guy who was accompanying him, I assumed he was a back guard who took care of him since he was also well dressed with dark lenses and a serious face.
I stared at him for a while because he was very handsome and in a moment I realized something strange; that boy said something to the guy who accompanied him so that he looked in another direction while he purposely threw a piece of paper on the floor and then they left in a fancy car.
I couldn't avoid the curiosity and I went to pick up the piece of paper he threw away, there was a long text in a strange language similar to Italian, instructions to invoke Lucifer and on the other side there was an image of a devil on a throne and below him there were some letters that said "18th Annual Ceremony" "today at 11:30 pm" accompanied by an address that I didn't know but when I saw the hour it reminded me that I should return early with the food, I kept the piece of paper to return it to the child and I walked towards the orphanage
"Cardi, where had you been? I was waiting for you to help me cook" Mama Imperator told me, she was relieved that I arrived, I think I took a long time there
"I'm sorry mom is that today the vegetables were not so good but I also kept seeing something interesting in the market" I replied while washing some vegetables
"what did you see?" she asked
"I saw another child, I was taking pictures of poor areas like this, I know he was high class because of his fine clothes and his car."
"curious"
"Yes, and he dropped a piece of paper that I have in my pocket now, I will return it today."
She took the paper out of my pocket and looked at me after reading it
"I would not recommend you go alone to return this. They are linked to Satan and the rich can do whatever they want with their money, they can do something to you if they dislike you"
"There's nothing wrong, Mom," I smiled so she wouldn't worry "I'll just go to that and that's it. I do not even know his name"
"even though that I won't let you go. I'm not mean Cardi but I look for your safety"
There's no need to argue with the woman who I owe my life. So I just kept helping her.
After eating she and I were collecting the dishes to wash them until I heard a noise in the window, it was one of my friends who was holding on a window
"Hey Copia, Copia, will you go play with us?"
"Now?" I asked.
"yes"
"I'd love to, but I can't. I have to help."
"that's boring" in a jump he returned to the garden and left
After helping mom, she told me that I could go to play so I left for a while to come back, I only played for about an hour, when I came back I heard her crying in her room, from the crack of the door I could read many papers which all said the same 'debts' in few words.
I could only be a child but I understood what this means, in times like this money is not easily obtained and nobody would be interested in donating when people barely get enough to eat. I was sad to know that she was sad, I was about to just go to my room to get sadder until then I remembered that child whose paper fell off, I can go with him and borrow some money for her to return to be happy, wait that means more debts... No, if we become friends there's no debt.
I went to the address indicated and arrived safe even though I got lost sometimes. It was a church that in the back had a large house very well protected on the outside with electric bars and bushes, I couldn't go over because there were many spikey edges but the good thing is that I'm a good excavator and I could cross the fence below. Since I was in the garden I saw that there was only one light on from all the rooms that could be. From a bush I pulled out many elongated branches and tied them together to form a kind of rope that would help me climb the brick wall; when I had already arrived up there I saw that same black-haired boy sitting in front of a mirror combing his hair while singing this time he had white and gold clothes. I tapped on the window and he looked at me in the mirror
"what an ugly kid" he sighed
"Open it please" I said "I'm going to fall"
He rolled his eyes and approached the window, the rope I made didn't hold much and began to break, when he opened the window the rope broke but at least I could grab the edge and be safe
"Are you a thief?" He asked me
"No" I jumped into the room "I came to give you this."
When I handed him the paper he dropped in the morning he opened his eyes wide open and made a face of annoyance
"Don't give it to me, keep it"
"why?"
"Because I don't need it" his countenance changed to a normal look "it can also help you"
"So you give it to me?"
"yes"
"Yay!" I hugged him and then jumped for joy while he had taken a small white handkerchief out of his pocket to wipe his clothes from my hug. "Thanks, it's the first time someone gifts me something!" He looked at me incredulously.
"Hahaha that's impossible"
"It isn't, right now you just gave it to me," I pointed to the paper
"I'm talking about all the children receiving gifts, at Christmas, your birthday, children's day and that"
"They never give me anything in those days."
When I said that he looked at me from head to toe and raised an eyebrow
"By your clothes I think your parents are very poor"
I don't have parents… Well, I'm an orphan and I have an adoptive mom… Or so I think"
"As you say," he looked at the handkerchief "I also give you this."
On the handkerchief there was a name embroidered with purple thread 'Terzo'
"Terzo ... Is that your name?"
"Yes" he smiled
"Very well, then I'll keep it as a memory" I smiled
"what is your name?"
"Copia. But everyone calls me Cardi by Cardinal and Cardinal is because I always wanted to be a church cardinal and I always wanted to be because-"
"Okay okay" he interrupted me "you're very friendly even though you're poor"
"... and your are too" then I saw that in his room he had a table with black, red candles and a powder jar "and this?"
"It is to invoke Lucifer, you can also take that if you want"
I thought for a moment, of course! Lucifer can give me much more money than Terzo
"I'll take it too," I said grabbing those objects.
"Terzo, are you ready?" We hear the voice of a man on the other side of the door
"It's my dad" He looked at me. "You must get out of here"
"Oh oh well"
While he answered I hung back from the window to get down carefully but in a bad movement I slipped and fell, I fell into a bush so I didn't get hurt. I got up shaking the dust from my clothes and before leaving I said goodbye to Terzo raising my hand and he did the same, then I went home carrying the gifts he gave to me.
Tonight it was especially raining a lot and the thunder lit up every so often the streets and part of the room where it was. He already had black and red candles, the circle and star drawn on the ground with gunpowder and the paper with the words to invoke it
The circle turned gunpowder into a very bright fire from which in the center came a dark and very large figure similar to a human. He growled and the darkness left revealing a devil with round horns and yellow eyes
"Who is looking for me?" He asked in a deep loud voice.
I was very scared behind a couch shaking with fear because what I saw was real, well, I had caused this myself so now I would have to continue
"I was" I said slowly coming out of my hiding place
The red man ducked his head to see me and then crossed his arms as he raised his head again
"and what do you want? Usually minors do not invoke me"
"Mr. Lucifer. I just want one very little thing, there is a rich boy named Terzo and I want him to be my friend to give us enough money so we can save the orphanage"
"Child, I'm a devil, not a saint who works miracles"
"What can I give him in return?"
"The only thing I can accept is your soul, that serves Lord Satan"
I opened my eyes wide as I didn't expect that, I knew very well that it was risky and that Mama Imperator could realize my absence
"... no ... Is there anything else I can give? -
"No, there is nothing else"
Then I remembered the image of Mama Imperator when I saw all the debts she had, she has a big big heart and that is why she helps all the children here; we can't put her effort in the trash
"all right. I will give you my soul but with the condition that mom Imperator doesn't realize that if I'm not in home anymore or she's going to get sad"
"Well, how many friends do you have?" He asked me
"Only seven, sir."
"Write their names on paper"
I listened to what he told me and I brought the nearest paper and pen
"And what is that for?"
He didn't answer me, just levied the paper towards him and read it. I could see how a dark aura brought the little bodies of my friends who were still sleeping and levitated to where Lucifer was.
"What are you going to ..."
"Do you doubt the power of Lucifer?" He interrupted me
"No sir" I ducked my head
"all right. Then I will give them new names; They will be called Cirrus, Cumulus, Earth, Fire, Swiss, Aether and Water. Now write here the name of the rich boy you told me"
When he gave me the paper again, I saw that the names of my friends were gone, but those of Lucifer. With some fear I wrote his name 'Terzo' and gave it to Lucifer who raised his arms and made thunder sound and the light along with that noise filled the room for a second while he prayed a rare phrase
"Mutata in foris, sed intus is intact. daboque tibi et abundantia eaque reddere debitum"
the bodies of my friends began to mutate, their skin became gray, horns came out of their head like a tail for each one and their eyes became colorful; I felt a heavy pain in my basins and my right pupil hurt a lot.
When he finished saying that another lightning struck and my friends now turned into some kind of demons were still sleeping very deeply and were carefully laid down by Lucifer on the floor and then he looked at me
"They will help you to fulfill your wish, no one but those who are marked by the spell can see them as ghouls"
Now this is very confusing, my friends are now ghouls
"The clock is now 11:58 right now, today is Sunday, you have eight days to achieve what you want, a Ghoul will help you per day and on the eighth you will have to try it alone; Achieve or not what you wanted, on the eighth day at 12 at night I will come for your soul and erase you from everyone's memory as if you had never been born" as he said this a floating hourglass appeared next to him and began to work
"Listen," I raised my voice because it didn't seem fair "I called on you only to give me money"
"I do not work in the human world, I have helped you from the underworld and you should feel pleasant about it. Nothing is easy in this life Copia, that's what the deities are for"
When he said that an aura of darkness covered Lucifer and he only disappeared by extinguishing the candles and spreading the powder a little through the breeze of air that brought the open window that collided with the wall.
I took a breath, I felt very tired, immense sleep invaded me and I could only close my eyes.
Terzo's narration
Thin sunbeams pierced the holes that remained between the window and the curtains thus giving a light to my face that made me open my eyes, a new day began.
The first thing I did was clean myself in the bathroom and after getting dressed someone knocked on my bedroom door
"Who is it?"
"Secondo"
With that I knew it was my older brother Secondo because I had another older brother named Primo and I am Terzo
"Come in" I replied.
He opened the door and looked at me madly as usual, he came over and handed me a red piece of paper where it had written a speech I should learn for today and that's why I got rid of it ... Until now
"You said you lost it and Omega found it in the trash" he said scolding me.
"I don't know how it appeared there," I said as if I didn't know while I was adding me some perfume and looked in the mirror
"I bet you know but you play dumb"
He continued talking and talking about the same thing but since I don't like to hear his barks I spit perfume on his face which he started coughing and gave me time to think about how to get rid of that paper once more
"Why did you do that?" He coughed
"I don't like it when you get mad at me"
"You can't spend all the time breaking the rules"
"Secondo, I don't like this. The regime of this church is always the same, when dad turned 18 he became Pope, Primo also became Pope, now you will do the same and when I grow up I will do the same. I want to explore new things, leave home, meet other people besides Omega and not do more homework"
"Don't complain about homework, you're not even 15 years old; Look Terzo you're still a child so you don't understand adult situations ..."
While he was talking to me I looked at the camera I bought yesterday perched on a piece of furniture in my room and then I looked back at him interrupting him
"Okay" I took the paper and put it in my pocket "since you're here, why don't you come with me to take pictures to poor places?"
He was surprised
"for what?"
"I want to show dad how the new camera works and at the same time remember how great we are in these times of hunger" I invented an excuse
"that's weird"
"I know, come on, today is your birthday rejoice"
He seemed to have reconsidered that today was that special day and his face showed less anger
"You owe me one to take care of you and that nobody will kidnap you there and we'll have to go back early"
"I'll pay you with another favor later" I grabbed the camera and tilted my hand to tell him to follow me
We sneaked into dad's car (yes, in his car because he doesn't take care of his keys) to one of those ugly poor places where incredibly I did take pictures of things that seemed interesting to me, there were many people in so much poverty that it made me think ' I'm glad that's not me ' and while my brother was looking at me I felt a chill on my back, he didn't take his eyes off me and so I couldn't throw the paper away, so I invented an excuse again. I waved my hand to get close and that did
"I want to go to the bathroom, let's go home," I whispered in his ear as I threw the paper behind me
"We haven't spent half an hour here"
"come on. Still we must return early"
He huffed and led me by the hand
"let's go"
I was finally relieved of finally getting rid of that damn paper and when I got home I saw Omega planting roses in the garden, he is my personal servant; We call these servants 'ghouls'
"Omega" I was glad to see him and I ran to hug him "Omega Omega!"
"Oh hello Terzo" he said without returning the hug
"Look, I took pictures with the new camera" I showed him the pictures and he was amazed
"Is that close to where we live?"
"No, we went in dad's car"
"Alright, what a ... " apparently he didn't know what to say "beautiful photos"
"yes"
Then Secondo rang the bell and Alpha opened the door
"Good morning, Mr. Secondo"
"Hello Alpha" he replied
"Good morning, Mr. Terzo"
"Terzo boy" I said "I'm still very young"
He closed the door and my dad came out to meet me. How naive, he doesn't even know we went to such ugly places with his own car
"There is my favorite son" he said happily and hugged me while I laughed happily "How are you?"
"Very good dad. I took pictures with my new camera"
"Very well," he lowered me
Then he continued his step towards the front door while Secondo saw him
"Dad, you haven't greeted me."
"oh right, hello son" he said without looking at Secondo and then he left
Secondo stood there for a few seconds and stared at me
"..."
"..."
"It would be very immature to argue with you but sometimes my father's favoritism towards you annoys me"
After that he climbed the stairs to his room while I clicked my tongue
"He's envious" I murmured "It's better than being like Primo. There are times that dad forgets that he's our brother"
And speaking of the elder brother, he left his room greeting Secondo and then walked towards me; he was just bathed and wearing new, well scented clothes
"Terzo, do you have dad's car keys?"
"where are you going?"
"to visit Elizabeth"
"I'm surprised that your car hasn't returned from the mechanic yet, but, here they are" I gave them
"thanks"
He put the keys in his pocket and left at the same time that my dad came back from outside with a confused look
"son, have you seen my keys?"
"No dad" I replied pretending not to know anything
"Okay, I'll keep looking. Meanwhile go bathing remember that today is the great day"
"Yes dad" I rolled my eyes
I went back to the garden to see Omega without getting too close to the earth so as not to get dirty
"Omega, heat water in the tub so I can bathe, but first clean that dirt off your pants."
He got up and put both hands on his hips as he looked at me with narrowed eyes
"What is the magic word?"
"now"
"No, you should know if you're a rich boy with manners"
"Abra Cadabra"
"That's not it"
"Enough, just go heat the water even if you haven't finished doing this task, you can come back later and continue"
He grumbled and went inside the house. Why does everyone get like this with me?
[...]
After my bath, I put on my white suit with gold details that they had bought me yesterday, now finally that I no longer had that ugly paper I had an excuse not to learn the speech. I was happy in my room arranging for the ceremony until I heard a few touches in my window, I turned my eyes and on the mirror I saw another child standing in the window; with dirty stitched clothes and with a very ugly face, how did he get here?
"what an ugly kid" I said
"Open it please" he said "I'm going to fall"
I rolled my eyes and approached the window, the rope he was carrying didn't hold much and began to break, when I opened the window the rope broke and he quickly clung to the edge of the window
"Are you a thief?"
"No" he jumped into my room "I came to give you this."
But how-? It was exactly the same role of speech that I had to learn for today. How? I don't care, I just wanted to avoid the long ceremony
"Don't give it to me, keep it"
"why?"
"Because I don't need it" I relaxed my face and gave him an excuse "it can also help you"
"So you give it to me?" He smiled.
"yes"
"Yay!" He hugged me very hard and he was very happy, I separated from the hug and took out my hanky to clean my clothes because he was very dirty "thank you, it's the first time they gift me something!"
I looked at him incredulously and laughed
"Hahaha that's impossible"
"it's not, right now you just gave it to me" he lifted the paper
"I'm talking about all the children receiving gifts, at Christmas, your birthday, children's day and that"
"They never give me anything in those days."
When he said that I saw his body completely, I felt sorry and not in a good way; it was obvious that they were not going to give him anything
"By your clothes I think your parents are very poor"
"I don't have parents… Well, I'm an orphan and I have an adoptive mom… Or so I think"
"As you say" my hanky was already dirty with who knows what that child has been stained of and obviously I wasn't going to keep that in my clean clothes "I also give you this"
He read my name embroidered on it with purple cloth and then turned his gaze to me
"Terzo ... Is that your name?"
"Yes" I smiled. Other naive
"Very well, then I'll keep it as a memory" he also smiled
"what is your name?"
"Copia. But everyone calls me Cardi by Cardinal and Cardinal is because I always wanted to be a church cardinal and I always wanted to be because-"
"Okay" I interrupted "you're friendly even though you're poor."
"... and you are too" then he looked at another part of my room and his eyes lit up "and this?"
"It is to invoke Lucifer, you can also take that if you want" of course, I won't need it if I don't give the speech
"I'll take it too" he said grabbing those objects
"Terzo, are you ready?" we hear my dad's voice outside
"It's my dad" I said, "you must get out of here" I knew that crackhead could enter without permission and I didn't want him to see this dirty boy with me.
"Oh oh well"
I looked at the door, he hadn't entered and I just answered
"almost done"
"Well, don't be late"
When I heard that his footsteps moved away I looked back, he was gone, I looked out and saw him down there in the garden, he said goodbye raising his hand and I did the same. I really liked that boy, Cardi, he is very naive but that makes me laugh and gives me tenderness in a way.
[...]
It was already 11:30 pm, we were in the main church room sitting while my dad was in the front
"Thanks dear sisters and-..." seeing that the guests hadn't arrived at the ceremony he tried to do best "dear servants, today is a very special night in which we will celebrate the 18th birthday and promotion to my son Secondo"
Few applauses were heard while Secondo looked at the door awkwardly to see if any guest arrived or at least Primo arrived
"To start the great ceremony we have prepared a Latin speech by Terzo" said that they applauded again and he went down to take a seat
I smiled slightly as I walked forward to the large desk and everyone looked at me, when I was already there, I inhaled and said
"I lost my paper"
"Didn't you learn it?" Secondo demanded
"of course not" I replied "you don't learn anything for my birthdays, anyway, what do you need it for?"
The ghouls laughed after that and Secondo looked at them badly to silence them which worked but there was a laugh that didn't stop, it was my dad's
"Hahaha" dad laughed "it's true-" he looked to his left to meet Secondo's angry look. "Oh, I mean, Terzo, if you didn't learn it, come back here and sit down." He looked at me again pretending to be mad at me
"Can't I go to sleep now?"
"No, you'll stay anyway" he replied
I made a short tantrum and went to sit down again while dad came back to the front, I was supposed to not learn the speech to leave early but it didn't help.
"Now the eldest son, Primo, will have the honor of giving Secondo the miter and papal clothing he will wear"
This time there was less applause because I no longer wanted to applaud, I wanted to go to sleep.
We waited. Primo didn't come, we kept waiting and he didn't come, until I remembered that today he had gone with Elizabeth
"dad" I raised my hand "Promo is hanging out with Elizabeth tonight"
"how bad" he said and snapped his fingers at Alpha, making him quickly bring the things up.
When Secondo was already in front of dad, Alpha arrived in his robe and miter, Secondo took them and bent down while dad raised his arms and said other rare words.
"Dies irae, dies illa, solvet in saecullum …"
For Satan's sake, I just wanted to leave here
"We will proceed to invoke Lucifer to seal the new papal service of Secondo"
After they all said the words together to invoke Lucifer the gunpowder ring was already set on fire and from the center of it came a little red demon, very thin but potbellied with straight horns and an ugly smile
"Lord Lucifa is in invocation service now," said the demon
"What-?" Secondo didn't believe what he was watching
"But we have otha demons with different services like Asmodeus, Satan, Levia-" the little demon was taken by the neck by Secondo who approached him to the face very annoying
"Explain that"
"Really, I swear it for the 10 billion souls in hell" he said scared
Wow, everything went worse than I expected
"And when will he be available?" dad asked.
"Look fo' him tomorrow, now, he must respond" a flame replaced the demon and then went out and it appeared elsewhere "if he doesn't respond you can invoke anotha demon and we will inform y'all"
And with another flame the demon left
"Well, I guess we'll celebrate your birthday tomorrow," dad said looking at Secondo and then looked at me. "Go to sleep now."
I obeyed and headed to my room while I could still hear them talk
"Dad no one but our servants came to my ceremony, Terzo forgot his speech and Primo sure is having a better time than me with his new girlfriend"
"Don't worry, son," he said. "I'll bring you a present for your next birthday"
Our ghouls were barely preparing dinner but I wasn't hungry, I was sleepy at how boring and long this was; From the windows I could see that it was raining as I climbed the stairs to my room, I could finally go to sleep, I washed my face and teeth to get into bed and close my eyes.
[...]
I woke up scared by a strong thunder that woke me up, many rays were falling outside, I closed the window curtains and went back to my bed. Suddenly my hands and my face began to hurt, I covered myself completely with the sheet to sleep and closed my eyes, sure so the pain passes.