Barbatos's heart

Michael Arrives.

Diavolo met Barbatos in the dungeon after a few hours. The dungeon was the cleanest it had been in years. The cages remained but were now empty, the chains were wiped down, as were the walls and tables. Barbatos sat in the corner with red watery eyes. Diavolo slowly approached him and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

"How are you feeling?" Diavolo asked kindly. Barbatos slowly looked up from the ground to meet his gaze. "This is why I didn't want to fall in love." He cried, but it was barely a whisper. "Barbatos," Diavolo knelt in front of his friend. "Nothing has even happened yet. Don't fret over this. Unless you looked into it?" He questioned. "No, my Lord. You know I don't look into my own future." Diavolo nodded. "I wish I would have just stayed away from her. I shouldn't have given in to my emotions. I gave in and now I could get my heart broken." Barbatos cried. "Or... Elaina will understand. She loves you, B."

The two demons made their way back up to the main level of the palace. When Elaina spotted Barbatos she ran over and wrapped her arms around him. She noticed his dismal expression "Batey, what's wrong?" She asked giving him a worried look. He wanted to tell her... He was about to steal her away to speak to her before she could hear it from anyone else but as he was about to speak the portal opened and from it emerged two angels, Simeon and Michael. "Father!" Elaina beamed ecstatically as she ran to her father and hugged him. Michael left out a soft chuckle and hugged his daughter tightly. "I've missed you, my daughter" he whispered.

Barbatos took a step back, about the flee the scene when a firm hand gripped his shoulder. Diavolo stepped in behind him and furrowed his brows. "Don't even think about it! You have to face this." He spoke firmly. Barbatos nodded. Diavolo was right. He couldn't hide from his past. He couldn't hide it from Elaina. It was time, he just wished he could do it on his own terms.

After he hugged his daughter, Michael looked around at everyone in the room. His eyes wandered from one brother to another acknowledging each with a head nod. He looked over the demon prince for the first time since Diavolo was young and then finally spotted Barbatos. Michael held Elaina close and glared daggers at Barbatos. The last time Michael saw Barbatos was the last time he visited Devildom. His hair was a mess, his pupils dilated, blood on his hands, a wicked, evil smile. He had killed one of Michael's servants under the king's instruction. He let Barbatos loose and ensued chaos during what was supposed to be a peaceful banquet. His servant wasn't the only one who got hurt by Barbatos that night, several angels and even other demons were attacked.

"Brothers, Lord Diavolo, ...Barbatos..." Michael greeted as respectfully as he could without cringing. He had no ill-will toward the brothers and was rather impressed with the progress Diavolo had made since his father's reign, but he found it hard to even utter Barbatos's name. "Michael, it's good to see you again" Lucifer stepped forward to shake the angel's hand. "Likewise, how are you, my brother?" Michael asked, embracing Lucifer. Lucifer's eyes widened in shock before he chuckled and gave into the hug.

"Elaina..." Michael called to his daughter who had rejoined Diavolo and Barbatos. "I would like to have a word with you...alone." He added in a more serious tone, as he glared at Barbatos. Elaina knew Michael was not happy about his youngest daughter being connected for eternity to a demon, but there seemed to be more to his dislike than she anticipated. Something was different. She gave one last worried glance to Barbatos, who held on to her tightly before Diavolo escorted everyone else out of the room. Elaina could feel the anguish and fear coming from Barbatos as he was forced out. His eyes never left hers as he shut the double doors behind him.

"Father, please listen. I know this is hard, me finding my soulmate in Devildom but Barbatos is--" "A monster and a liar!!" Michael angrily interjected making Elaina's eyes go wide at her father's sudden outburst. "I wish I could be happy for you. You found your soulmate. That's something everyone in all three realms ever wants but most never get. It doesn't matter to me where you found them. What matters is that it's him." Elaina was shocked. She could be fated to a demon, but not Barbatos?? Did he know him? "Why?" She asked in a confused whisper. Michael turned slowly to face his daughter. He came here with all intent to tell her about Barbatos and his past but as he looked into her scared eyes, he almost didn't want to. No matter what happened now she was connected to the demon and always would be. Telling her the truth would hurt her terribly, but would not telling her be any better? She would find out eventually, at least if he told her now she could leave before she got even more attached. She could go back to the Celestial Realm with him and be with her sisters and have the support she needed. "Why don't we go for a walk?" He sighed guiding his daughter out into the garden.

Michael held nothing back as he told Elaina all he knew about Barbatos. He told her about his service to Diavolo's father. About the torturing, the murdering, the misery, and how Barbatos was the one behind it all. He was the one who felt no shame, gave no mercy, and actually found joy in it all. He told her about the banquet, about his feral nature, his sudden outbursts, his maniacal laugh, how he injured or killed a dozen beings, the crazed look in his eyes. Everything he knew about Barbatos was laid out for Elaina. By the end of it all, it was late in the evening. She was shaking, her eyes were watery, and her heart was broken. How could she be fated with someone so violent, so evil? How could he be the same person she saw in front of her? This couldn't be her Barbatos he was talking about! "B-but... Barbatos is so polite. H-he's so gentle and honest." Michael looked down at his youngest, who was now sitting on a bench in tears. He sat beside her and held her small hand tightly in his. "Maybe he is now... but does that erase all of the horrid things he's already done and still does?" Elaina whipped her head up in shock. 'Still does??' She thought to herself. "The torturing and death do not stop. Since Diavolo has taken over it has decreased immensely, but I guarantee, when it does happen, it is still Barbatos that carries out the punishment."

Elaina tried to make sense of all of this. 'Barbatos is a demon. It's obvious that he would have done evil things. I know this, but I didn't expect it to be so bad. He was feral. He was a cold-blooded killer. It was fun for him, or it used to be. Now it's just a job. Someone has to do it. Obviously, he isn't crazed or wild anymore. Something must have happened.

Was that why he was so cold toward me in the beginning?

That's why he didn't want to give in. That's why he had been trying to avoid me. It makes sense now. He didn't want to fall for me, only to be ripped away because of his past. He regrets it.' She realized.

She smiled softly to herself. "He's changed, father. Maybe you don't want to believe that because he's hurt you. Maybe you're afraid he'll hurt me too, but the Barbatos I know is not the one from the past." Michael looked at his daughter with admiration. She wasn't so little anymore. She had grown into a fine young woman. Strong and determined, just like her mother. It was true, what she said. He was afraid of her being hurt, but he realized he had to let her go, to make her own choices. She had a connection to Barbatos whether he liked it or not. Only she could decide what she wanted, as much as he didn't like it. "Please excuse me father, I have to find Barbatos. I have a few questions I'd like to ask him." The father and daughter both stood and face each other. "I think that would be a good idea..." Michael smiled proudly at Elaina. "...And I would like to go spend some time with my cousins and Lord Diavolo." They parted ways to go find their loved ones.