Beautiful Monster

Shades of Gray

Evelyn walked down the hallway, shocked, as Vassago’s screams still echoing in her ears.

“Why?” Evelyn asked Asmodeus.

“She insulted Leviathan.” Asmodeus said, understanding what she was asking about. “So Leviathan had to show her what such disrespect earns.”

“But she didn’t have to kill her to do that.” Evelyn cried.

“Leviathan won’t kill her.” He said, still guiding Evelyn through the building by his hold on her hand. “Probably.”

“Exactly my point.” Evelyn said. “Leviathan gets into a killing frame of mind simply over a few words.”

“Those few words were poisoned bards designed to do maximum damage.” Asmodeus said.

Evelyn tore her hand away from Asmodeus’s and threw both of them up in the air, but continued to follow him. “So they were just words, stick and stones and all that.” She said.

Asmodeus chuckled. “Did you ever truly believe that saying?” He asked.

Evelyn scowled. “No, but Leviathan didn’t have to be so cruel in reaction to what she said.”

“Cruelty is in our nature, just like how it is in humans.” He said, shrugging.

“Well, we humans also have the capacity for kindness, which stops us from hurting innocent people.” Evelyn said.

“Do you honestly believe Vassago to be an innocent?” Asmodeus asked her.

“Well, although she did insult Leviathan those words weren’t enough to garner such a response.” Evelyn said, unsure at first but voice gaining conviction as she continued speaking.

“The world isn’t only in black and white little one. It is filled with shades of gray.”

“So?” Evelyn said, impatiently.

“Vassago is one of them. Not long before you arrived Vassago tried to kill Leviathan. Vassago ambushed her and tried to behead her.” Asmodeus said.

“Really?” Evelyn asked, shocked. “Then how was she still alive to antagonize Leviathan?”

Asmodeus shrugged. “She must have been having a good day on that particular day I assume.” He said.

“Must have been one damn good day.” Evelyn said.

Asmodeus grinned. “Maybe it was.” He sobered up. “But more importantly we rarely let our prey go, because for us mercy is not something we often are inclined to give, much less to the same person twice.” He said coming to a stop, Evelyn following suit.

“But still, what she probably did, if the screams were any indication, was unnecessarily cruel.” Evelyn said.

“And you are being irrational.” Asmodeus said.

“Excuse me, I am being perfectly rational, you’re just, just, just.” Evelyn stuttered angrily, while Asmodeus waited for her to continue with an eyebrow raised, highly amused. “Ugh.” She finally said turning around, and walking head first into large wooden doors.

Asmodeus doubled over laughing as Evelyn lay sprawled on the floor after she rebounded off the door and tripped.

The doors flew open to reveal Belphegor standing there with a bewildered expression on his face. “What just happened?” He asked looking back and forth between Asmodeus, who was doubling over laughing, and to Evelyn lying down on the ground.

 “When did that door suddenly appear there?” Evelyn said rubbing her nose, ignoring Belphegor’s question.

Sudden comprehension light up his eyes as he realized what had happened. Just as quickly that understanding came to him, he burst out laughing. He laughed so hard that he slid down to the floor, his legs no longer able to support him.

Evelyn blushed as they continued to laugh. “Stop laughing.” She commanded them. But upon seeing that this command had little effect on the two males still clearly still laughing, she decided to leave them be.

So, still flushed from embarrassment, she steeped over Belphegor, who was still on the floor, making sure to kick him as she stepped over him. The only effect this had was to make him laugh harder.

“Men.” Evelyn muttered under her breath as she walked into the library and attempted to lose herself amongst the endless shelves of books.