You don't know me

MICHAEL

I think you should know what she did to you a very long time ago. I scoffed. No matter what Nowel did or the devil claimed she did to me can never outweigh the good and positive things she has done in my life. According to Levi, my demonic mentor I should never listen to whatever the devil says because ninety percent of whatever comes out from his mouth is lies.

''So...you are not moved?"

I shook my head. The devil showed me a vision of my younger years when I was escaping the warriors of Avalore with my mother. The girl that almost pierced me with a sharp sword and denied me her lamp was...surprisingly, Nowel. I hissed, I am sure if I were in her position I would feel threatened and confused about a stranger covered in sweat and bruises asking for the only source of light I had with me in the dark.

''Nope, not at all. I won't hold her for not giving me her lamp.''

''Even if she almost killed you with her sword?''

''I would have done worse in her position.''

''Are you now telling me that you forgive her even though her kingdom lowered you to nothing but a mere errand boy?''

''She never made me feel that way. She was different.''

The devil fell silent. We were standing outside in the snow by the castle's enormous fountain. There was one certain thing I am sure that Nowel never treated me the way others did. Even when I was forced to be under her as a male servant, she chose to be different and saw me as a human and not a condemned freak of nature.

I owe her a lot for her kindness.

''Very well,'' The child said, '' I guess she has finally brought out the very best of you. You seem to be in a forgiving mood these days. The Michael I know and watched grow into an adult holds everybody accountable for their actions towards him. Even if it's a kingdom, am I right?''

I know what he is trying to do and I won't fall for it. ''Or maybe you only watched me grow but never knew I could be capable of forgiving if I had the chance to. You only watched me grow but never knew me.''

''So, she knew you?''

''Yes.'' I hissed.

''She knew you enough to take sides with me, to listen and to believe my point of view about you? Or to find out your disgusting heritage and decide not to let you know about it. She was ashamed of it and kept it to herself.

Don't deny it, Michael, She even tried to assassinate you the moment she found out the abomination you truly are.''

My heart sank.

''All fingers point to her Michael. She even silenced the only person who truly felt something for you. She murdered Hazel.''

''She did not kill Hazel, that was all you!''

''But she wanted it.''

My shoulders fell in defeat as my mind tried so hard to understand all of this. Why the devil is so bent on painting Nowel as a bad person pretending to care about me and then only to kill me? For what? Knowing what I truly am? A name to my weird existence?

''It was still her decision to make. And she welcomed the idea of murdering an innocent princess. She even stooped to the level of letting a monster like me take hold of her body to do the dirty job. If she could do that to an innocent princess, then she could attempt to get rid of the abomination.''

No...''No, no...she is not that kind of a person!''

''A murderer? Listen, Michael, the better you wake up from that fantasy of yours that someone can love or accept you the way you are the better for yourself. All that is and has been happening to you is because of what you are. And you need to get rid of it before it gets rid of you first.''

No.

''Listen, I am here to help you. To make you feel better and to bring you out of your misery. I am not Nowel who fakes to be an angel of salvation, love, and purity. I come to you in my original form to help a fellow friend like myself.''

I shook my head, ''No, I am not you!''

''Of course, you are, I have also suffered just like you. I know what it means to be hated and judged because of what you are and nobody gives a hell about who you can become if given a chance--''

''No!'' I yelled as I grabbed my head in pain as memories of my childhood and unjust abuse flashed before my very eyes.

''You didn't choose to be like this. It was never your fault...so why the hell do they hate you for that?!''

''No!'' I felt the stinging sensation of the time my stepdad tried to burn my lips because I tried to consume the lantern on that day. I cried, I cried so much. I have never been more traumatized.

''I could turn the tables around. I could make them fear you, respect you, I could make them bow on their knees before you."

I went on my knees as I gasped and then later screamed as my demon was enraged by Lucifer's torments.

''I. could. make. them. worship you. If you submit to me.''

My claws came out and my eyes turned red. My fangs came out forcefully as I transformed into a beast and roared in pain and remembrance of all the pain this world had put me through. I remembered every single moment.

''I could give you the deliverance you crave, a permanent separation from that pest attached to you. I can make you a great man if you join me."

My wings freed themselves from the space between my shoulder blades painfully.

''I can give you the whole world if you want. All you need to do is to give me that woman that betrayed you and wanted to take away your life because of who you are and thou shall have thine deliverance.''

I growled monstrously as I stood upright with my wings flapping behind me. My mind was lost and my being controlled by my emotions.

Was this all a pretense? Her words of protection, love, and friendship...did she say all that to manipulate me to have her way with me?

Could the devil be telling the truth?

The devil smiled as I glared at the space in front of me with malice and he brought out a small sack and came closer to hand it over to me.

''Bring her to me the first thing tomorrow morning with this and you shall have your deliverance.''