Lucifer's Soulmate

The last thing Athena Mikaelson remembered was the screech of tires, the blur of headlights, and her impulsive dive to save a kid in a booth at Joe's Diner. After that? Nothing. A black void, like someone hit the reset button on her brain. She figured this was it. The end. A tragic footnote in her underwhelming existence.

But then, there was light—blinding, irritating light—and not the soft, welcoming glow people talked about in near-death experiences. No, this was more like getting flash-banged by the universe itself.

Athena squinted, trying to shield her eyes, but her arms weren't cooperating. As the brightness faded, she found herself standing—or floating?—in the middle of a place that looked like it had been ripped straight from one of those cheesy fantasy novels her co-worker at the diner was always talking about. Rolling hills of lavender-colored grass stretched endlessly in every direction, and the sky... it was every shade of pink and gold, like some kind of permanent sunset that had overdosed on optimism.

"Okay," Athena muttered, looking around. "Definitely not Brooklyn."

She pinched her arm. Nope, still here. No dream. No coma-induced hallucination. Well, maybe. She wasn't ruling anything out just yet. But if this was a coma dream, her subconscious had a serious flair for the dramatic.

"Right. So, either I'm dead and this is the afterlife... or the accident scrambled my brain, and I'm currently drooling on a hospital bed." She sighed. "Either way, not ideal."

"Greetings, mortal!" boomed a voice behind her.

Athena jumped, spinning around to find a man—or what she assumed was a man—dressed in what could only be described as celestial armor. His hair flowed in the nonexistent wind, shimmering like liquid gold, and his wings—yes, wings—spread out behind him like an eagle that had just discovered conditioner.

She blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

The winged man stepped forward, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "You are in the realm of Lanom, a place between worlds, where the fates of many are decided. I am Taye, your guide."

Athena stared at him, her brain struggling to catch up. "Lanom? Between worlds? Does... does this place come with a manual? Because I'm really not following here."

Taye gave her a patient smile, like he was used to mortals being confused by, well, everything. "You have been brought here for a reason, Athena Mikaelson. Your life on Earth was but a prelude to your true destiny."

"Uh-huh," Athena said, crossing her arms. "And what 'destiny' would that be? Do I have to join a cult or something? Because I really don't have the energy for that right now."

Taye's smile faltered, clearly not prepared for sarcasm. "No, not a cult. You have been chosen for a grand purpose."

Athena raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. Look, buddy, I work at a diner, I live with parents who are basically walking anti-PSAs, and I saved one kid from getting flattened by a car. So unless the universe suddenly has a soft spot for underpaid waitresses, I think you've got the wrong girl."

Taye's wings twitched, like he was trying very hard to maintain his composure. "You are more than what you believe yourself to be. Your actions—both in life and beyond—have led you here. This is the beginning of your true journey."

Athena sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Okay, sure. Let's just pretend for a second that I believe you. I've been transported to some... fantasy dimension because I'm, what, destined to do something important?"

Taye nodded, clearly relieved she was starting to catch on. "Exactly!"

"Great. Cool. One tiny question, though." Athena gestured to the landscape. "How do I get out of here? Like, back to Earth? I've got bills, man."

Taye blinked. "You... want to leave?"

"Well, yeah. Not that your, uh, pastel nightmare isn't nice and all, but I kind of prefer oxygen and gravity."

The winged man frowned, clearly unprepared for this line of questioning. "But you're... meant to be here."

Athena shrugged. "That's cool and all, but I'm meant to be binge-watching bad reality TV, too, and I feel like I'm missing out on some quality episodes right now."

Taye opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, there was a rumble in the distance. Athena turned to see a massive, golden castle rising from the ground, its spires piercing the colorful sky. It looked like something straight out of a Disney movie, except there were dragons circling overhead. Actual dragons.

She sighed again, rubbing her temples. "Of course there are dragons. Why wouldn't there be?"

Taye, undeterred by her lack of enthusiasm, gestured to the castle. "That is where your journey begins. The castle of Lanom. Your fate awaits inside."

Athena gave him a long, hard look. "Okay. Quick recap: I'm dead, or maybe in a coma, and now I'm in a magical world full of dragons and destiny. And my fate, whatever that is, is waiting for me in that castle?"

Taye nodded, beaming.

She threw her hands up. "Well, why didn't you say so? Let's go meet my destiny. Maybe they've got snacks."

As they started walking toward the castle, Athena couldn't help but think that if this was her new reality, at least it wasn't boring.