LUCIFER ✦ k.th + j.jk

xiv.

jeongguk

the hair on jeongguk's arms stood up at the sound of the stranger's voice. it came from somewhere far off in the dark, but also, somewhere so close, as if whatever it was, was right next to him, breathing down his neck.

"who are you?" jeongguk called out. he felt the past was repeating itself; a deep voice, calling to him, luring him into comfort, beckoning him into deep waters, just waiting to push his head under.

"funny, isn't it?" the being mused, "how many of us end up finding their way to you,"

"us?" jeongguk whispered, standing from his couch. the room felt off, like someone laid a dark, heavy blanket on him.

it sighed, annoyed, "demons, devils, creatures of the night, we have so many names."

jeongguk couldn't seem to get away from them. no matter what, they'd find their way back to him because even he knew he was searching without realizing.

"that phrase, 'we have so many names', i've heard it before, but it isn't true. you only have one name; evil."

the demon was silent for a moment, as if it was contemplating what jeongguk had said, "evil? is that all we are to you humans?"

"yes, what else would you be? angels?"

"we were, once."

the boy hesitated.

"we once lived beneath god's will. we once watched over your creation and aided your meaningless lives on this earth."

"look at you now," jeongguk remarked snidely.

"yes, look at us. we're free. we live by our own rule. we believe what our hearts tell us is true. isn't that what you humans do as well?"

jeongguk couldn't deny the truth in the demon's statement, but neither could he deny the anger that arose in him from hearing it. "you hurt people! you drive them mad and-"

"and don't you do the same?" it interjected, "humans blame us for their misfortune, for the evil that's made a home in theirs, but what have we done to deserve such blame? who murdered, raped, and pillaged innocent villages in the name of conquest? who started wars over greed, freedom, religion? it wasn't us. we merely watch as mankind destroys itself, and as your kind points fingers in every direction looking for someone to blame but yourselves, hell looms at your feet like a rising tide."

the boy couldn't find words to counter with. after all, the demon was right, wasn't it? people don't tell stories of demons raiding cities and conquering entire continents, they tell stories of humans with deadly ambitions. demons only existed in religious texts; whispering in men's ears and watching from behind the veil. what had they done to deserve hatred and damnation?

jeongguk stopped himself. this was what the demon wanted, right? this was what taehyung wanted- no, this was what lucifer wanted; to justify the harm he inflicted. this demon was merely doing his biding.

"you can't say you're not to blame when you sit back and watch. if you don't want to be perceived as evil, do something good for once."

"and what of god? he does nothing. he sits upon his throne of light in the heavens, allowing his creation to destroy itself just to prove lucifer's fault in it all. he does the same as my brothers and i, but it's us that are deemed heinous, manipulators, seekers of armageddon." the demon laughed bitterly, as if reliving an old memory, "your god almighty has made you believe watching people burn is the righteous path; a path only he and his followers can walk; everyone else be damned."

"you're not innocent," jeongguk pushed, "your kind have pushed people to their ends, to others' ends. you've lied and persuaded people to do terrible things to the innocent."

"no one is innocent in war, boy, not even god himself. has he not asked men to show their devotion by murdering their kin? has he not set nations ablaze, flooded countries, eradicated species for his cause?" the demon's voice was suddenly quieter, further away, "all of this, this war between heaven and earth, between the angels and demons, between god and lucifer, it's merely his play. everyone has a part, but only he is both cast and audience."