The Time Key

This Life is Perfect

Rin stood next to Mephisto. The boy was distraught; the Demon King of Time had taken him to the past. Rin was here to witness the travesty of his birth, the Blue Night.

"I can't watch anymore." Rin turned away, burying his head in his hands. "Mom is in so much pain."

"Rin." Mephisto placed a clawed hand on his shoulder. "None of this is your fault."

"The old man," Rin whispered. "If only he let Mom go and wasn't so mean to Satan."

"Do you think Satan is evil?" Mephisto questioned.

"Yeah, he is," Rin shrugged his shoulders. "But I mean, he can also feel love. He doesn't know any better, and he's only known violence and jealousy. Nobody taught him the right things."

"It takes years upon years for a demon to learn the right things." Mephisto sighed ruefully. "Sometimes thousands of years, if they are especially thick-headed."

Rin's eyes widened at the desperate fight happening below.

The current Paladin, Abel Franken, had been killed by the demonic powers of infant Rin. He lay in a bloody stain on the floor, missing one leg and one arm. To Rin's astonishment, the Paladin regenerated and fought to stand. It appeared the man wasn't actually human.

"Father." He spoke to Mephisto (the past version). "What should we do with the child?"

"Fujimoto sealed his heart in the Koma sword." Mephisto gently picked up the cooing baby and placed him in Yuri's arms beside Yukio. "To hurt this child will do us no good. It will create another Lucifer or Satan. A lack of love and empathy creates monsters. Abel, that is something you could never understand, despite how many times I tried to teach you."

"Thank you Sir Pheles." She whispered, holding her babies close. "I will never forget your kindness."

"Darling," He replied sadly. "Don't think me, the worst is yet to come."

In reply, Abel began to laugh. The laugh deepened to a paranormal and diabolical resonance, making the hair stand up on Yuri's arms.

"He's here!" Yuri gasped, pointing at the Paladin. "It's Satan!"

Abel charged at Yuri, spitting with a sudden bestial anger. 

"NO!" Shiro tackled Satan to the ground. "I won't let you hurt her again!"

"How could you leave me for him!" Satan screamed at Yuri from Abel's lips. "I needed you, and you abandoned me! We could have been happy together!"

"I didn't mean to hurt you!" Yuri cried. "They took me away!!"

"I tried to love you! All I needed was a body!" Satan hissed. "And you betrayed me, you useless bitch!"

"Don't talk to her that way!" Shiro growled. "Demons can't feel love! You are nothing but a liar!"

"If I can't have her!" Satan roared. "Neither can you!!"

"You did this!" Shiro shouted. "You tortured her!!"

"So did you!" Satan raged. "You are guilty!!"

It was then that Satan possessed Shiro.

"SHIRO!!!!" Yuri screamed. "Satan! Let him go!"

 The pain caused the exorcist to fall to his knees. Shiro took a dagger from his pocket and prepared to stab himself to death. He'd be able to rid himself of Satan and save Yuri.

"SHIRO!!" A deep male voice halted his actions. "STOP!"

Shiro raised his bloody head and stared at an older version of himself.