A World Like That

Chapter IV

-Dantalion-

The next morning he was woken up by Xaphan, his father's right hand demon.

"Your father wants to see you," Xaphan barked, rapping on the entrance to Dante's chamber with a rock.

Grumbling, Dante got up and flew to the innermost part of Hell. Lucifer was giving orders to a few other demons, and once they were gone, his father beckoned him closer.

"I hear you caused a bit of a stir last night."

Clenching his jaw, he said nothing.

"I don't want to hear about you getting in fights. I talked with Shax and he says you threw a rock at his face."

"I did not!" he protested. "Shax is a liar. I threw it at his food."

"I'm well aware Shax is a liar. But I'm also aware that you've been lenient on an angel you attacked. That's not how we do things around here."

"But I was going to -"

"Silence. I don't need a son who is going to fail me where it matters. Get it together."

Fuming, he flew out of his father's chamber and headed straight for Earth.

-

He circled and circled, looking for the angel. He'd show them all that he was more than capable of causing suffering. When he finally spotted the angel, he smirked when he noticed the angel was alone again. He had apparently learned nothing after yesterday.

He swooped down and landed a few feet away. The angel was visibly startled, but he saw a flash of recognition in his eyes. As he stepped towards him, the corner of the angel's mouth lifted in a hesitant smile. This both confused and angered him that this angel's reaction was to smile instead of cower in fear.

He shoved the angel down, pinning him to the ground and pulling on his wings, making him cry out in pain. When he turned the angel over, slamming the angel's shoulder into the ground, the angel's eyes met his. There was fear in those eyes now, and they seemed to plead with him to stop.

He drew his fist back and the angel cowered, squeezing his eyes shut and turning his head. The angel's body was trembling and a tear leaked from his closed eyes. He looked down at this terrified angel, who had been kind, and although naïve, trusting enough to talk with him. His anger was fading, and as much as he tried to convince himself to hit the angel, he found he couldn't do it. He lowered his fist and loosened his hold on the angel.

After a few seconds the angel opened his eyes, wondering why the blow he'd been anticipating hadn't come. They locked eyes, and something in the angel's light blue eyes calmed Dante.

"I'm sorry," he said, breaking the silence. "I shouldn't take this out on you."

The angel swallowed hard, still looking terrified, but there was a hint of curiosity in his expression. "Take out what?" he asked, his voice quiet and shaky.

Dante sat back on his heels, taking his hands off the angel. "My father. Nothing I do is ever good enough. My friends don't help either."

The angel's eyes implored him to continue. Even though he knew it was a mistake to confide in an angel about anything, no one else had bothered to listen. Besides, he couldn't tell the other demons these things.

"Lucifer is my father," he began. The angel's eyes widened at that statement. "He expects a lot of me. I work most days, doing whatever needs to be done to punish those in Hell. The other demons enjoy it, but it's become rather monotonous. There are only so many times you can whip someone or throw them into a boiling river or cut off their fingers before you want to do something different. My father disapproves because I don't find it more exciting. I like Earth better. I know that's wrong, and it makes me feel like an outcast. And even though I like my friends, they make me feel like an outcast too."