Villain

NOWEL

It should be a dream. Or...am I still dreaming? I was surrounded by ancient walls made out of fine red stones with diamonds encrusted in each of them. Twelve pillars held the golden ceiling high and proud above me. The pillars were also made out of solid gold and other precious unknown materials. Some were quite familiar and others held me in awe for hours and I was captured by each one of them. They were worldly precious jewels that you could easily give up your life to acquire a single piece of them.

The floor was made of solid marble stones and three mighty seats to my right and four to my left. One stood at a very high place. Distinct from the other ones present in the room. There was a very large serpent diagram drawn just above the highest throne and it scared the life out of me. It was that forbidden.

A big spherical structure stood before the high throne. It was in the shape of an eyeball but it was transparent. It sat down majestically on a pyramid made out of fine brass. The architectural design and interior decor of this room are quite sophisticated and expensive. It should be worth a hundred times the worth of my country. I marveled.

My hands and feet were bound in chains in the middle of the large hall. I was confused as to where I was at the moment. Am I in heaven?

''No. You are in Hell darling, my territory.''

I jumped back ten feet from where I was standing out of fear as I saw the devil casually leaning against one of the walls of the large room. A black and golden Egyptian robe was tied around his waist. Nothing above but jewelry, tattoos, and forbidden inscriptions and writing all around him. No horns or wings or claws or fangs. He looks a bit human to me and normal if not for his beauty and luxurious long-red hair. He flashed me a smile.

''Hell?'' I sounded dumb. ''It-it exists?''

''Yes, my darling. It's real and I am the King over here.''

That doesn't sound good. I look around in fright.

''Oh, don't worry my dear. This is the center of excellence. It doesn't burn with fire here every day. It has a timetable. I think...em... Fridays and Thursdays?''

My jaw dropped. ''Lucifer! What am I doing in Hell?''

''How should I know?'' He shrugged innocently, ''I am not the one that dragged you down here. I was taking a sweet nap when you arrived.'' he smiled. ''Maybe we can start from there. Why are you in the devil's territory and bound in chains?''

Oh-no. Did...did...Michael sold me out to the devil?''

''I guess so too.'' He grinned.

''Welcome.''

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.

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''Lucifer,'' I began calmly, trying my best not to freak out. ''Why am I in Hell?''

''You were expecting to be in Heaven?''

''No! That's not the point! Have you met with Michael and what did you do to him?''

He smiled. ''Yes. I met with Michael.''

''So...what happened? What did you say to him?''

''I-''

''Did you use my body to kill the Northern witch and the Royal wizard?!''

The devil sighed. ''You have to pick one. I can't answer both.''

''Fine! Why am I here in the first place?''

I can squeeze the other answer to my second question out of him later. Why am I bound in the devil's territory is the most pressing question.

''Your darling mate sold you to me in exchange for something much more important than you.''

''What?!''

''It's such a shame because I tried my best to talk him out of it. But it appears that your value to him is lower than a penny. Such a shame.''

My heart burnt because I was overwhelmed by a thousand different emotions. This is even worse than heartbreak.

Michael just sold me over to the devil?! Why in the hell would he sell me over to the devil? It just doesn't make any sense!

''What do you have that Michael probably wants so badly to sell me for?''

''Hmm, let's see. Deliverance?'' He smiled.

''What?'' That was surprising. ''Deliverance? From what?''

The devil chuckled as he moved away from the wall he was leaning on. He moved closer to stand in front of me.

''Your darling mate wants to be separated from his demon for good and he has to pay for it.''

I stumbled, what? How come? Is that even possible? Can he even survive without his demon? It was there for a reason. Nature did it and why are you not...my eyes widen. Just like Ashura! Michael's biological grandfather. He never once in his life accepted the way he was made. And what was the aftermath? Death.

Oh no.

''Michael can't survive without his demon!'' I said.

''That's what you think. He sees a good light in his separation from his demon form. It is good for him.''

''No, it's not! He would be torn apart!'' I wanted to strangle the devil if not for the chains that withheld me. I cursed.

''You are encouraging him to destroy himself! I thought you were his friend!'' I cried out. Someone, please knock some sense into him!

''I am his friend. That's what friends do, We support each other.''

Nonsense! You don't support each other in doing rubbish!

''Besides, if it is something that would cause him harm...I won't let him do it. I am not foolish to lose him. He is a very important masterpiece in my plan. I won't let any harm befall him.''

What plan? His he being sarcastic?

''Also, you being here was also part of my plan. He sees you differently, and I see you as a distraction. I get rid of any distraction that stops me from getting what I want?''

I frowned, distraction? Plan? What does he want? I don't get it. ''You want Michael, why?''

The devil sighed as if tired of explaining simple things to a child. ''It's not Michael I want but what I can achieve with Michael by my side.'' He smirked.

''What would you achieve with Michael on your side? If he can easily give up his mate for the impossible, that tells me how low and stupid he is.''

He laughed.

''Now, that's where you got it all wrong. Dumb victims with hidden potentials that can be harnessed for evil purposes are the devil's best bet. I saw the crazy Northern witch as a distraction and the sad, old white wizard and I used you to get rid of them. You were so weak and vulnerable that I couldn't resist not taking advantage of you, My dear. And you previously had grudges against those two good for nothing which made you an interesting vessel to use.'' I watched in horror as the devil circled me to confess his sins. His sneaky sins.

''I thought all roadblocks were out of the way when I used your body to eliminate those cruel magic freaks. I felt threatened again when I saw the way Michael fought for you, cared for you, and defended you. Now, I can't kill you because that can make Michael mad and hate me for eternity, I had to be diplomatic. So I manipulated and told a bunch of convincing lies to make him hand you over to me and far away from him. Here in my captivity, where I can easily have my eyes on you and probably figure out a way to sever the mate bond.''

I was... speechless.

''Your biggest mistake ever was to place your trust in me even after My wishing well exposed who I was to you. It revealed to you that I was the enemy. Do you remember?''

My...God have I been foolish all along. What have I done? I saw the devil go up to his high throne and glare daggers at the helpless and dumb queen below him and his mercy. We have all been fooled.

''One thing is that the devil never fakes to be an innocent angel from Heaven. I'll surely let you know that I am the bad guy one way or the other and later convince you that I can be good. It's now left to you whether you would give me the chance in your life. You let the devil into your life never by force or by trickery but by choice. I love my victims to that extent to give them the choice to either accept me or reject me.''

A solid lump formed in my throat. I began to tremble.

''I guess, I am just too good to resist that's why Hell would never be empty.'' He smiled. ''I am the real villain in this story. Not you or the Northern witch nor the white wizard. Even Michael is still innocent at some point. You were all just helping me to achieve my dreams either knowingly or unknowingly, you were all just playing for the devil and following orders. If not for all your cooperation, Michael wouldn't have submitted to me and my ways. He would not have been under my control and use as I like.''

My heart raced like never before.

''I would forever be grateful to all of you, including Michael. The devil's dreams are about to come true.''

Oh no.