Better Let Them Know Who's Boss {mxm}

15.

Life tricks us, you know?

It makes us feel things for the wrong reasons. It tells us that certain people are responsible for certain outcomes and that makes them despicable human beings. They tell us that the key to being happy and positive is to know hardship, but I happen to know that all of that bogus tale is a fucking lie. I knew hardship and it was extremely painful and hard for me to get over anything but I had to because I was forced to live a life that I never wanted.

Life tricks us in the worst ways possible. It tells us that being cautious will allow us to have a better life, but what good is a life without risks? What good is a life if you're constantly looking over your shoulder, fearful of the unknown? No one knew but they did the same thing every day: look over their shoulder.

"What's the matter?" I heard a voice and I turned to see a tall, dark-skinned girl with black and red curly hair to her shoulders. I gaped at her as she stared at me with her brown eyes, the visible horns coming from her scalp. Was she another one of Maddox's demons? Was she here to kill me? I knew that there were people who were apart of the clan that banded together in order to plot ways against me. "No need to look so scared," She rubbed the side of her neck and I narrowed my eyes in defense. A demon telling me not to look so scared. "Say that after you retract your fangs, demon," I hissed, wondering if purgatory was an actual thing.

"Greetings," She bowed to me like I was her king or something but the last time I checked, that title solely belonged to dickface Maddox. "I am Yara, Guard of Gesenia." I frowned, wondering what the hell she was talking about. "What the hell is that?" I sputtered and the girl stared in distaste, her hand on the tall staff next to her. "Have you been outside to explore the full kingdom yet?" I shook my head in reply. As far as I knew, this castle was as big as it got. "Gesenia is one of the many lands in Hell. I reside over that land with my spies. I'm not sure if you met my spy Xani yet on Earth," Yara seemed pleased with herself and I clicked my teeth, contemplating her purpose in talking to me.

"It's possible, however, I don't make it a habit to remember people," I shrugged casually and Yara chuckled lightly. "You're as humble as Pazul said that you were," Her eyes twinkled and I jumped at the thought of my teacher. "Pazul! When will she come?" I asked, standing closer to Yara despite intense heat leaving her body in waves. "You can see her whenever you like if you go visit Akeros." I had no idea what places these were but I had an inkling that this castle was only in a center of what seemed to be a version of Earth without the oceans.

"...how do you like being here, Troy?" I glared at her, knowing that I didn't tell her my name. "Relax. Everyone here knows of you as the man who stopped Alistair from killing his servant," There was a sense of pride in her directed at me and I smirked, knowing full well that Availa didn't deserve any of that. "Well, I'd do it for anyone, even if I didn't know them." With my own mindful remark, Yara studied me.

"I can see why our Sir has taken a liking to you, Troy," Yara smiled before walking off, presumably in the direction of her king. I had no type of inclination as to what she meant by that, but it was pretty evident that I needed to have a conversation with Maddox. I would not lie, the way that he appeared before me in No Man's Land and the man that I was seeing now, they were totally different people but the same person. There was no disregarding his power and danger as a lord, but seeing him so lax and calm was odd.

And I didn't even know him like that.

"Hey," I heard a body woosh in next to me and I turned to see my friendly demon torture guardian standing there with a dead look on her face. "What's up?" She said nothing, but she grabbed onto my arm and all of a sudden, we weren't on the inside of the kingdom anymore. We were outside, a distance away from that castle, the warm but cool air hitting my face as we looked into the eyes of a lava waterfall. "Wow," I whispered, seeing the red liquid descend into the pool around it. One would've thought the air would smell like fire, but it just smelled like rain.