Not What It Seems

I don’t know how long I had been in the cell. But sadly, I was used to isolation. My many years in the mirror made it so I knew how to sit in silence and keep myself company. The only problem was the fact that it felt so lonely. After being freed, and staying with Zeriah, I didn’t like being alone anymore.

Why is it taking so blasted long for me to disappear? I questioned myself.

“Here he is, Lord Xegon.” Ripper’s voice entered the silent cell and my eyes glanced up at the Devil I once followed.

He didn’t look like any of us. Red eyes glared down at me. His large black wings almost filled the entire opening of the cell. He was an intimidating character the brought fear on anyone who looked upon him. To describe him perfectly was impossible, and I remembered learning that he looked different to everyone. His appearance changed according to people’s fears of the devil. Some saw him as a human, a person that looked like they could be trusted, but was the worlds enemy. Others saw him as a grotesque monster that would only live in one’s nightmares.

“You decided to betray me, Vudu.” His harsh otherworldly voice echoed against the walls. “Why?”

I turned my head and refused to answer. I didn’t care what he did to me, I knew that my Firefly was safe. He wouldn’t get ahold of her again. At least, that was my hope. My silence angered him further, and before I could fully comprehend what happened, Xegon’s grasp was wrapped around my throat and my back was slammed against a wall.

“What was so special about that mortal that you would go against my word?” His intense glare bore into my eyes, demanding an answer.

Courage filled my chest that I didn’t know I had. “She saw me as more than a monster. She saw me as a living being.”

His eyes widened and he dropped me to the ground. Backing up, his glare remained, but there was something more. Fear?

“You will be made an example of.” He threatened and turned to leave.

I shouted after him. “Mortals are living beings. They are not our toys! Until you understand that, you will never leave Diab!”

Xegon disappeared from my sight, but Ripper remained. He looked disgusted with me. His arms crossed in front of him and he leaned against the wall opposite of me. I knew he didn’t like me, but why was he staying around? Did he just want to rub it in my face that I was again trapped in a prison? I didn’t care, I was only waiting for death anyway.

“I always knew that you would be a problem.” Ripper broke the silence.

I didn’t look at him. “If you knew that, why not have Xegon just destroy me like he does any other demon he doesn’t like.”

“Xegon doesn’t like anyone.” Ripper retorted. “And as much as I’m certain he would like to. He can’t destroy you.”

I paused. “What do you mean he can’t?”

Ripper rolled his eyes. “I’m surprised you never figured it out. The reason you’re so different from ever other created demon here is because you were a pure soul.”

For the first time in a Millenia, I felt my heart stop. I thought I didn’t have one anymore. I used to be a pure soul? What differences did that cause?

“I was the one to drag your sorry excuse of a life to Diab.” Ripper continued. “So disgustingly good and caring for your fellow man, it made me sick. I was glad to extinguish such a light from Romos’s world. Your soul was the one that allowed Xegon to escape last time. Too bad it was wasted, and he was sent back here. And to add salt to the wound, you just had to be given to my demon parents, making you my brother. Disgusting.”

All of a sudden, everything made sense. Why Ripper hated me. Why I seemed to care more for non-demons that any other demon. Why I had always felt a connection with Zeriah. I used to be just like her. Was that the reason I hadn’t disappeared after acting on my feelings?

Ripper let out an annoyed sigh. “I told Lord Xegon I would gladly dispose of you, seeing having you trapped in a mirror wasn’t enough, but he ordered me not to.”

Wait, what did he say about the mirror? “What do you mean ‘having me trapped in the mirror?’”

He sneered at me. “I commissioned a warlock of Draugr’s to trap you in a mirror to remove you from my life. There had to be a condition to break it, and so I told him to set it to be that only a pure soul would be able to free you. I never thought it would be possible to actually happen. But of course, Romos had to set one right in your path. Even as a demon, He still has blessed you.”

A new kind of rage filled my being. As the truth set in that Ripper had trapped me for centuries in a mirror to leave me there eternally, I wanted nothing more than to rip is throat out. But a new thought came to my head, calming the anger. If I hadn’t been in that mirror, I would have never met Zeriah. I never would have changed. I never would have fallen in love.

I gritted my teeth. “Are there any other secrets you wish to divulge to me today? Or are you done torturing me with the fact I will never see Zeriah again?”

Ripper looked unimpressed. “Right, you were waiting to cease to exist because of your affection towards her. Yeah, that’s not going to happen. I was just watching over you until it was time to take you out to Xegon.”

A couple of demons appeared at the door of the cell and grabbed me by my arms and dragged me towards the meeting area of the demons. Xegon was going to make me a spectacle to all demons and show them what would happen if they disobeyed like I did. A fear tactic that I had often seen in my time working for him. Obviously, it didn’t work that well seeing how often he had to do it.

My mind turned to Zeriah. I deeply hoped that she would stay away. That she wouldn’t find a way back to Diab to try to save me. There was nothing she could do. She didn’t have her staff. She couldn’t defend herself. She would be alone. I wanted her to return to her home. Move on with life and forget about me.

It hurt to think about, but I truly wanted her to just find happiness without me. I didn’t want her to see me broken and beaten for what I did. I knew the consequences of my actions, and I was willing to accept them. She would live, and that’s all that mattered to me.