Gifted

Part 74: Alice Returns

I sat on my bed. Alice sat next to me. I couldn't bring myself to look her in the eyes, I was too furious.

"I need to speak with you, Nora." she said to me.

"So, you're back in this time period." I said. I wasn't surprised that Alice had that capability. "Why do you make contracts with people? You clearly are not on the side of the demon hunters. So, why make more? Why make more heroes to protect this world if you just want to destroy it in the end?" I asked. Alice chuckled.

"Destroy this world? Why would I want to do that? I have nothing against humans. I think you are all wonderful creatures, so sinful and vulnerable. You are all perfect combinations of greed, naivety, and ambition. Even those who are lazy strive to be as lazy as possible. It's quite amazing. No. I don't want to destroy this world. I want to make it better for all of humanity. That is why I make humans more powerful. I want to satisfy those ambitions and desires. What happened to Jordan was merely a rare unfortunate aftereffect." Alice explained.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked. I refused to believe anything she told me anymore. She was full of lies, I was certain of that. I no longer trusted her.

"Everything comes with a price. That much is obvious, even to humans. There is nothing wrong with that. It's natural. Humans have been bartering and paying for things since the beginning of civilization."

"Not with their souls!" I countered. She smiled at me.

"But it makes sense, doesn't it? The only way to satisfy ones' soul desire is to trade their soul itself? It's ironic, yet it's the same as anything else. The price of being born into this world is the promise of eventual unavoidable death. The price of love is always mourning or a broken heart. The price of pleasure is understanding the concept of pain. Nothing is free, and nothing should be." she explained. "It astounds me that whenever I explain this to a human, they always seem so shocked, as if they had not lived with this fact throughout their entire lives. How can something so common and simple be ignored by an entire species?" she sighed. "The whole purpose of becoming a demon hunter is to become more powerful, so naturally the price is to put that power to good use. That is why contracts are made, to ensure that demons are destroyed by those who have already sold themselves into the trade. You are now all of my soldiers, and you have submitted to me so willingly. If I make enough contracts, and enhance enough abilities, I could restore order to not only this world, but all the worlds, including heaven and even hell. The demons of this world are the ones that were cast out of hell because they wouldn't submit to me. They even tried to start a rebellion! The nerve of them! But now, with the power of the demon hunters by my side, I can destroy all that apposed me and take back my crown. It is my duty as the former queen of hell to restore order and expand my empire." Alice explained.

"So, that's why. You're a demon too. And you say that you're the queen of all the demons? So, does that make you the Devil? Is that all we are to you? Just disposable solders? I thought we were your friends! Do you even care when we die? Two of us are already dead! And I haven't even made a contract! Like hell I would at this point anyways!" I said.

"In my world the term 'devil' is like a title. My father, Lucifer was a king, and his father before me, Satan. I was the first female born into royalty. My family called me Lucy. I ruled for many years after my father died. But, the demons, my own subjects, couldn't tolerate the idea of female leader as apposed to a male. The Devil had always been male. No one took me seriously. It was unheard of. That's when the rebellion started and I was forced to abandon my kingdom and escape here, to earth. I killed a woman named Alice, possessed her body, and stole her name." Alice explained. "You are more than just soldiers to me. You are the future nobility of my new world. You are the aristocrats that stuck with me from the very beginning. You all will have a special place in my court and will be rewarded with whatever your greedy human hearts desire. You will be fed only the best food and shall have as much of it as you want! You will have many men fawn over you. You will have as many partners as you want, and I will make certain that they are all attractive by the highest standards. They will fulfill any and all of your sexual desires without question, because you will be in a grand position of wealth and power. They won't have the right or the urge to say no. You will have all of the riches and materials that you want. There will be no limits to your salary. It will be ever-expanding like the universe. You will have the pride of a queen, and if anyone disrespects you, I will have them executed immediately. I will also have them made into slaves if you so wish, for you to play with. You can torture them at will, discipline them. Let them feel your wrath. I can also make you even more beautiful than you are now physically. You will be so irresistible, that you will have to stop yourself from staring in the mirror too long. Others shall stare as well, especially males. You will never have to lift a finger. After we take back my crown, you will end your work as a soldier. You won't have to work at all anymore! Now, what human wouldn't want a life like that?" Alice asked.

"Don't you dare try to tempt me. I am not about to become one of the Devil's soldiers for the sake of a comfy life." I said. "Do you know what kills me?" I bellowed. "We all trusted you! Mackenzie died and Jordan became a demon! And it was all because you wanted to be queen again! In the beginning, you called us your friends! Who would use their friends like that? All you did was lie to us for your own personal gain!"

"I told you that I could give you powers. That wasn't a lie." Alice said.

"Well, you left everything else out!"

"I'm sorry." she said.

"I don't believe you."

"Nora," she said. I turned away from her disgusted. "If you gave me a chance, you could become the most powerful demon hunter that ever lived, then afterwards, you could have enough power to surpass even me. You could be the next queen of hell." she said. "I wasn't lying when I said you had potential. I'm not only trying to regain my kingdom. I'm thinking of its future. Nora, I want you to be my heir to the thrown. I want you to be the next ruler. You could have everything!" I felt sick. I continued to look away from her. "I see." she said disappointed. "If you ever change your mind, please let me know. I will wait forever if I have to."

Alice stood up and made her way to my bedroom door, and then she was gone. A tear fell from my eye. Then, I ran to the bathroom and wretched my guts out.