The Devil in Me remastered

Chapter 11 - reflection

The next morning, I woke up at base. My wounds healed but dried mud still stained my clothes. I could hear Melena talking quietly with Casper in the other room. I stood up and removed my hoodie. While making my way to the girls. Melena boiled a kettle of hot water and left tea leaves on a plate. I poured myself a cup and threw some leaves in while covering the top with a paper towel. Melena giggled and Casper covered her mouth "Why is your hoodie off?" Casper laughed out loud. I raised up the dirty hoodie and joked back.

"I don't know how to wash ethier" I laughed. Melena scoffed and snatched the hoodie from my hand.

"Hey goofy, come here, I'll show you how to wash your own clothes" Melena mockingly said. She tossed my hoodie into a bucket and doused it in boiling water, she asked for my pants as well as she held her hand out. I folded my arms and she locked eyes with me "oh god I thought you were mature." Melena giggled as she ripped my pants down and tackled me to the ground. She removed my pants and tossed them into the bucket with my hoodie while pointing to a robe hung on the wall. I threw on the robe and tied the strings tight to my waist. I walked out of the room as David and Casper were ecstatic about the clothing. David told me about his first time being tackled by Melena, somehow it was for the same exact reason.

"It's best if you just listen to her Project, she can get pretty motherly." David assured me. I laughed as I grabbed my cup and sat at the table with them. David finished his cup and left the dish in the sink. He removed his clothes as well before stating that he didn't want to get embarrassed like I did. Casper folded her arms and locked eyes with me. I took another sip of my cup as she told me to go wash off. I asked if we even have a shower in this house. She nodded her head and pointed to the stairs.

I stood from my seat and gulped the last of my cup. I placed the cup in the sink and made my way to the shower. The hot water splashed to the ground and steam filled the room pretty quickly. After removing the robe, I opened the glass door and took one step into the water. As I was feeling the water slide down my back, I took one breath and turned around. I slipped and fell on my back when Casper suddenly was behind me. She giggled and lifted me up, she told me that she could wash my body clean while I relaxed. I agreed and turned to face the water again. Casper rubbed the soap across my body gently, she covered every inch of my body before letting the water splash along my skin. Her skin is so soft against mine, the ethier making her skin much softer. I could feel her chest press against my back as she twirled her fingers along my cheek "You're all clean now." She giggled and shut off the water. She opened the glass door and grabbed a couple towels. As we dried off, we could hear Melena and David bantering back and forth. I threw on my robe and we headed down the stairs. David and Melena were making fun of each other and play-fighting. Casper and I laughed at them as we all sat together. We started talking about Vendetta and how he fought with the Vector. David talked about how he hadn't seen anything like that before. Melena showed concern for Vendetta's arm. Speaking of the devil, Vendetta came from the bedroom. He dizzily walked around the room and slammed his hand on the table. He wanted to know when the next assassination mission came along, he was disappointed to hear that we all needed to rest before taking on more fights. Vendetta was escorted to the bathroom by Melena to change out his bandaging, David looked at the doorway. Casper asked if he was doing ok, David just shrugged it off and reminded us about Jack.

I folded my arms and leaned back in my chair "Judy told me something during my solo fight" I announced. The attention drew onto me. I explained how Judy talked about me stealing Casper from her for a second time. Casper added that when she met Calmer, she would always keep her from other souls. David questioned if Judy knows something we don't about the world. I felt stumped until all the memories of the family came to mind. I explained to everyone my theory that I am dead. I started with the memories of my family, how everything felt familiar, yet I could see through everything. The family also had a kid that was possessed by a woman in white. Like a reflection of myself. I widened my eyes, calling out to Mazoku. I demanded to get answers for these memories that aren't mine. When he responded it felt like he knew all this time. He talked about the family, how the parallels are there for a reason. David looked at me differently when he pointed out that he could see Mazoku. Casper turned her head to me as he was right. Mazoku was manifested behind me. He circled the table and painted a picture for us. He showed us visions of a boy named Aiden. The women in white made him kill his family and run away to the forest.

David had bone chilling spines when he and Mazoku locked eyes "Jack was found in the forest covered in blood" He mustard. Mazoku showed the exact moment the seeker clan found Aiden. He changed his name to start a new life. He was going to kill the women in white. David folded his arms as Mazoku explained how Jack never existed, but Aiden was the one who cared for David. Mazoku showed us what truly happened that fateful day Aiden died. Casper widened her eyes once she saw that Aiden passed through the portal and he was the one who burned hell that day. Aiden slaughtered all those demons and Aiden tried to kill Casper.

Casper stopped Mazoku, she pleaded that Aiden used devil magic. Mazoku shocked everyone when he said that he possessed Aiden. I punched Mazoku and knocked him to the floor. I dug my knee into his stomach and told him to reveal his true figure instead of hiding in this misty form. I demanded answers why he tried to kill Casper. Mazoku gripped my right arm, my left raised in the air ejected a blade from the wrist. He chuckled "You and I are no different, same abilities, same either tricks." I closed down on Mazoku with my wrist blade, but he caught it through the arm. Mazoku struggled with me as the mist eroded.

He was right, Mazoku and I shared the same face. His mask was no different than mine, his clothes were torn, his body along the nervous system lit up with a constant stream of fire. Although his face was different, his emotions felt stronger. Mazoku was the devil in me. His horns were sharp and jagged, his eyes had three claw marks that glowed a bright orange. I escaped the grapple and retracted the blade back into my wrist. Mazoku stood up and locked eyes with Casper. Suddenly he cried, Mazoku had tears flowing down his face at the mere sight of Casper. I glared at him, "What are you doing here?" I asked.

Mazoku lowered his hands from his face and only admitted to one thing, he claims to have come from a parallel universe. One that bled into this world and changed the entire story. Mazoku was about to say more until a hand protruded him from behind. Judy phased through the wall and kicked out his leg. She traced her hand up his chest and grabbed his neck, she squeezed so hard the blood from his neck exploded in all directions. David drew his blade, Casper froze, and I stood ready to attack. Judy danced her eyes between all of us, "he was talking too much." She coldly said. Casper slammed her hand on the table, pointing at Calmer and screaming "what did you do to him? Why are you here?"

Judy took her hand out of Mazoku and reached into his coat over his hoodie, she pulled out a scroll and read from it. The scroll was a checklist labeled how to change the past. She explained why all these events have been happening. Why the carriage attacked Casper and I randomly, why David and Melena were jumped by a small group of demons. Calmer even explained why Mazoku knew exactly what to say at any given moment. Mazoku was my future, he was destined to be the last one killed, he tried to change the story so Casper could live. Calmer dropped Mazoku and placed her foot on his back. She explained to all of us that he and I share a weak point. In between the shoulder blades where the spine resides, a weak little stomp deprives an assassin of their lives. She kicked downward and Mazoku tried to groan in pain, yet only blood came out. He fell to the ground and faded softly, "rest in peace Mazoku." I commented.