Cameraman Never Dies

Lucifer and Isadora stepped into the room like they were auditioning for a role in Professional Trespassers: The Musical. Sure, they weren't exactly invited, but the confidence was key. They had swagger, a mission, and apparently zero concerns about getting caught.

"Now, Isadora," Lucifer began, with the tone of someone explaining a board game with way too many rules, "think of yourself as a part of the system again. You know, like you're a normal human. Blend in. Breathe it. Be it."

"Oh, sure," Isadora quipped, rolling her eyes like a pro. She took a deep breath and then reappeared in the room with the flourish of someone hoping for applause. "Doesn't this place have any security?"

"It has," Lucifer replied, already moving toward the shelves.

"It has?!" Isadora echoed, her voice shooting up an octave in genuine shock. She quickly slapped a hand over her mouth, but since she was wearing her trusty mask, all she accomplished was smacking herself in the face.

Lucifer gave her a cool nod, the kind that made you wonder if he practiced it in the mirror. "More like... had. The securities are all gone."

"How?!" she demanded, lowering her voice this time as if suddenly remembering that stealth was part of the plan. "I thought you said you and the organization were just partners in crime. No 'tell me your deepest, darkest secrets about your evil lair' level of close."

Lucifer waved a hand dismissively, as though dismantling high-level security systems was a casual Tuesday activity. "Master struck Victor with a deal," he said, like that explained everything. "Trust me, that guy goes bonkers when it comes to anything related to getting stronger."

Isadora snorted, her arms crossing as she leaned against the nearest shelf. "Yeah, that... he does," she admitted. "Guy would probably sell his soul for a two-percent increase in power."

Lucifer arched an eyebrow, his expression unreadable behind his own mask. "Who says he hasn't?"

"Wait, are you serious?" Isadora blinked at him, her tone walking the fine line between disbelief and mild concern.

Lucifer didn't answer immediately, instead turning his attention to a nearby shelf. "You know, some things are better left as mysteries. Like what exactly they mean by 'natural flavors' in snacks."

"Not the same thing," Isadora deadpanned, but she still followed him, her curiosity piqued. This whole operation was weird, and now she couldn't help but wonder just how deep the rabbit hole went— or if the rabbit was also Victor in disguise.

The room was filled with a U-shaped table surrounded by twelve chairs, clearly an attempt at looking fancy but achieving only "Grandma's outdated dining room chic." On an elevated platform was another table with a grand seat in the center, flanked by three slightly less grand seats on each side. The whole setup was just a big old— "We're important, and you're not."

But Lucifer and Isadora weren't there to critique furniture or question why assassins needed such an elaborate meeting space— maybe they debated murder strategies over catered lunch? Instead, they headed straight for the shelves, which housed mission reports, secrets, and undoubtedly some awkward office gossip.

"Look at all this organization," Lucifer muttered, gesturing at the meticulously labeled files. "Even shady cult assassins know how to alphabetize. Meanwhile, I can't find my socks half the time."

Isadora rolled her eyes but stayed silent. She had no clue what Lucifer was doing but decided not to ask, partly because she didn't want to admit she didn't know what she was supposed to be doing.

The room was loaded with safety mechanisms that would have made any spy movie proud— pressure sensors, runic locks, and something that looked suspiciously like a magic laser.

Fortunately, Victor, their friendly neighborhood double agent, had already disabled everything. Truly a team player, Victor, if you ignored his eventual planned disposal... No, Early retirement, would be a better word... two words.

Lucifer quietly leafed through files, pretending to search for Noel's mission details. In reality, he was casually checking out older batches of documents. Why? Who knows. Maybe he was hoping to stumble upon embarrassing baby photos of the church leaders. Meanwhile, Isadora browsed aimlessly, completely unaware of her partner's not-so-noble intentions.

Finally, Lucifer found what he was looking for. "Isadora!" he called, holding up a file triumphantly.

"What?" Isadora snapped to attention, nearly dropping a folder she'd pulled. She hastily shoved it back into place and rushed over. "Did you find Noel's file?"

"Not exactly," Lucifer said with a grin that could light up a dark alley— or maybe just creep out anyone who saw it. "This one's about you."

Isadora snatched the file, her curiosity instantly piqued. "Lemme see," she demanded, pulling it closer as they read it together.

Subject 01167

Name: Isadora Saight (Currently under the name Isadora Rivet)

Age: 19

Relation: Neutral (Controlled by ally)

Origin: Lambar Village (Destroyed)

Specialty (If any):

Believed to have completely digested divine power from a Lunaflame flower that held divine strength due to unknown causes. To be kept under constant watch for any anomalies. Subject displays enhanced resilience and latent ethercraft potential linked to exposure to the Lunaflame.

Data:

Valuable asset. Retrieved from the village following an incident resulting in the destruction of its population. Subject 01167 and Subject 01166 both having similar attributes were subjected to experimental ethercraft procedures. Subject 01166 had perished due to constant and consecutive experiments, with traces of the Subject's divine power consolidating within Subject 01167. Further experiments suspended indefinitely to preserve asset viability, Subject 01167 had been noticed of Subject 01166's unfortunate demise over an accident in the lab.

The Subject displays psychological imprints associated with the Lunaflame, potentially due to childhood exposure and personal trauma linked to its significance. Mission details indicate Subject 01167 was placed under the guardianship of Master Noel Rivet through unspecified agreements involving debt repayment or leverage.@@novelbin@@

Notes on Lambar Village: Incident caused significant loss of life (Reports suggest everyone in the village had been killed). Survivors reduced to Subject 01167 and Subject 01166 (deceased).

The investigation results have revealed it to be done by the two holders of Lunaflame's divine power. Post-incident evaluations indicate traces of advanced fire ethercraft manipulation at the site. Unverified accounts mention the continued blooming of the Lunaflame near the destruction, an anomaly that verifies previous thoughts of the involvement of a Lunaflame with divine power.

Recommended Actions:

Monitor the Subject for signs of destabilization or irregular ethercraft activity. Continue surveillance under Master Noel Rivet's discretion. Limit direct interaction to prevent potential triggers related to the subject's unresolved trauma.

— — —

The more Isadora read, the angrier she became. Her grip on the file tightened as if she might crush the paper through sheer indignation. "What is this?" she demanded, her voice sharp enough to cut through steel. "If I am 01167, then 01166 should be my sister— they KILLED her? It wasn't an accident?"

Lucifer frowned, genuinely surprised. "I thought Master mentioned something about documents showing you were being used, but… this? This is straight-up mad scientist territory."

Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire

"'Posing as my husband'?" Isadora spat, her eyes blazing with fury. "Noel asked me to marry him. That wasn't part of some shady deal!"

Lucifer gave her a sidelong glance. "You sure about that? I mean, I know you're head over heels for the guy, but this whole 'subject' thing kinda suggests some strings were attached."

Isadora shot him a glare that could have vaporized him on the spot. "I swear, if you say one more word— "

Lucifer held up his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, don't shoot the messenger. Or, you know, punch me in the face."

As they continued reading, Lucifer couldn't help but add commentary. "'Divine power absorbed'… 'unique ethercraft potential'… Honestly, this sounds like the plot of a bad dime novel. Next thing you know, they'll say you have a secret twin or something."

Isadora didn't respond, too busy processing the revelation that her life had been reduced to a clinical report. The words "valuable asset" echoed in her mind, making her feel more like an object than a person.

Lucifer glanced at her, noticing her clenched fists. "Hey," he said, his tone unusually soft. "You okay?"

"No," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucifer nodded, for once not cracking a joke. "Then let's burn this place down when we're done."

"That's the first good idea you've had all day," she muttered.

"Hey, I've had plenty of good ideas. You're just too stubborn to admit it." He paused, "Shall we look for Noel then?"

"Yeah, I am gonna personally see to his person."