Barbatos's heart

Secrets.

News of Michael's visit to Devildom spread fast. Everyone at the Palace was preparing for his arrival, except Barbatos who seemed to disappear all together. Elaina tried to get in contact with him but he wouldn't respond to her efforts. It was starting to worry her. She would raise the question to Diavolo and Lucifer but they would just brush it off as if it were no big deal.

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Barbatos stood in the dungeon underneath the castle, looking around at all the carnage that he had induced over the years. The walls stained with blood, the slick and grimey chains, the cages, some still inhabited by rotting remains of creatures long deceased. He sighed deeply at the sight. He was a monster. He always was. Lucifer, Simeon, Luke, and Michael... They all knew and now he would meet Michael face to face again for the first time in thousands of years. Why did he have to meet Elaina of all beings? Michael despised Barbatos as much as he despised Diavolo's father.

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When Barbatos was very young he served Diavolo's father. He was in charge of the punishments of those who disobeyed the laws and torturer those who entered Devildom from the human realm after death. Although the old ways have since passed Barbatos was still haunted by the memories. Barbatos was a different demon back then. He was more feral and destructive. He enjoyed seeing those in pain and causing it. He would eagerly await his next victims, torturing them in various ways, always experimenting.

Diavolo saved Barbatos from himself. When Diavolo's father retired into his slumber, being bored with his realm, Diavolo put a stop to the constant slaughter and torture. Although it never stopped completely. Those who were judged unredeemable by Diavolo would still suffer the fate of Barbatos's torture and a painfully slow death, although very rare.

At first, Barbatos was unable to control his anger and destruction, often finding different ways to release his aggression through sport. He would hunt behind Diavolo's back trying to fuel his addiction. Evenutally Diavolo caught on and imprisoned Barbatos in his own dungeon. Diavolo spent a lot of time getting Barbatos to become more civilized and calm. He wouldn't give up on this lost soul. He started giving Barbatos daily tasks to help keep his mind off of violence and eventually shaped Barbatos into what he was today, though it wasn't an easy task. Barbatos owed everything to Diavolo. He kept himself distant from everyone for this reason. Diavolo was the only one who ever believed in him, the only one he felt he could fully trust.

Of course, after years of service to Diavolo, he was there when the brothers fell from grace. He became close with Lucifer and the brothers. He kept his dark past hidden from all but Lucifer. Although once during a dinner party there was an incident, where on one of those rare occasions, Barbatos had to take care of "business" and a scream echoed through the halls of the palace. The brothers were present and rumors started to spread. Although nothing ever came from it Mammon still gets the creeps staying at the palace and is the most apprehensive around Barbatos.

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Barbatos never wanted anyone to know his deep, dark past. He wanted to keep it hidden forever, but now that Michael was coming he knew he couldn't keep it secret any longer. He was angry and scared. What would Elaina think? Would she run? How could she look at him the same? He'd have to let her go and he had to be ready for that. He would be alone again, just like before. With a heavy sigh, he began to clean his old stomping ground. Visions of the old Barbatos started filling his mind. His heart ached, his vision blurred, and his tears fell. He started to realize he could lose her. He started to realize he didn't want to, he loved her.