Chapter 3

Chapter 3: No hope

Linus didn't listen to Jacob. He continued to live in the human world, but contrary to what his friend wanted to happen because he did what he wanted. He killed ordinary people he could see, for no other reason, he just wanted to play. The demons were whispering to him what he should do and he just followed them.

"He has no hope of returning to being an angel." said the angel officer Walt.

The other angel officers who were with him nodded. They had watched what Linus does every day from above. They have seen also how demons hover around Linus and whisper to him. Those kinds of incidents were not new to them. Many of the angels could not bear to see the human they were guarding die. Their hearts are soft, and fragile, which makes them easy to pity. Some of the angels didn't follow through and succeed in their mission so they were punished like what happened to Linus.

They also became disciples of the demons until they lost their lives. They are now suffering in circles of hell and unable to do what they want. They thought that what the whispering demons were saying was true. They are all deceitful, liars, full of sins. They trick the weak into joining them. It's just for their selfish desires to become even more powerful. They are given strength when they capture a weak soul. Linus is one of those weaklings.

"There's still a way to get Linus back here, right? Nothing's impossible, right?" Jacob insists, there is still a part of his heart that seeks hope.

"There is hope but only Linus can help himself if he will not follow the whispers of demons around. Lord Rasmus is forgiving. He's fair to everyone, whether you're human or an angel, or a demon. Linus will go back to the way he was before if he will stop evil deeds like killing and be drowned in selfish deeds." said Walt.

Jacob sighed deeply. "I will help my friend. Even if I have a mission, I will not leave him. I will help him to divert his mind to good deeds."

"Many demons come to his place. You can't stand being close to them, it’ll burn you. Be careful if you're really determined to help your friend. Bringing back an angel whose wings have been cut off is a much more difficult mission than on the vigilance of an ordinary man until he dies." said another angel officer, Peter.

"For my friend, I can handle it," Jacob said and the angel officers just smiled at him.

Meanwhile, Lord Rasmus is still keeping an eye on Linus. Others thought that he didn't care about that boy anymore but he is still worried. He saw how the demons followed Linus and commanded him to do evil. Lord Rasmus doesn't want that to happen but only Linus can help himself. He hoped that he will have a change of heart and return as an angel.

Linus looked in front of him. He has killed someone again. The man he killed did nothing but overcharge his buyers. Aside from being able to move things, Linus can also recall events in a human's life. He saw that this man was deceiving people just for his own benefit.

He just killed him so that he wouldn't find another person to deceive again. He also killed some men and women in the past few days... and he feels like he's losing his excitement about things. He won't be sentenced to prison because people can't see him, let alone if he has any intention of showing up. His whole body is not visible in the cameras as if there is a ghost encountering the people he killed. A ghost. A nightmare that no one could bother to fight. That was Linus's life now and there was nothing he could do but accept his punishment.

He quietly returned to the house that Lord Rasmus had given him. And when he went there, he saw his friend Jacob.

"What are you doing here? Won't you stop nagging me? Just focus on your mission and don't come to me anymore." Linus said and went straight to the bathroom to wash his hands. It was filled with the blood of the person he had killed.

"I will help you because you are my friend. There is hope to come knowing Lord Rasmus has mercy on all people. I will not leave you." Jacob insisted and Linus just sighed.

"The friend you are talking about is now a demon. My level is far from yours and I am an evil creature."

"But what you also killed were the evil creatures," Jacob said immediately. "Lord Rasmus has mercy and is always watching over you even if you think he doesn't care about you anymore. You are the only one who can help you, so don't lose hope to continue and do good deeds for the humans."

Linus shook his head. "Many demons are whispering to me and I can't resist it. I do things because of my anger at what I see. I can't help it, Jacob. I'm sorry."

Jacob just smiled. His friend is still able to apologize. Doing good things is still not lost in his heart. "Don't worry. I'm just here to always remind you of the right things to do."

Days went by as Linus and Jacob always did their job together. Linus is still getting carried away by his feelings of anger but he is helping himself to avoid it. The world of humans is filled with evil deeds of man so he is driven to do the same things that they do.

He has money, clothes, food, a house, and friends to run to. All that was given by Lord Rasmus. All he has to do is wait for his punishment to be lifted so he can return as an angel.

He drank coffee at a coffee shop and was wearing formal suit attire. He noticed the way people look at him which annoyed him.

"That man is handsome. Maybe he is a boss in a company." said a woman from the table near Linus.

"If he's my boss, I won't be lazy. I'll come to the office really early just to see him. It's possible that he'll be the---" The woman stopped speaking when she saw that Linus was no longer in his seat. "Wait, he was just there earlier, right?"

Linus left the coffee shop because he was irritated by the way people looked at him. He thinks they are judging him even though they don't know that he is an angel who was exiled to earth and turned into a demon. People's eyes are judgmental and that's what he hates about them.

He continues to walk past several large establishments around him. The coffee he was drinking wasn't finished yet, so he finished it and was about to throw it in a trash can when suddenly a hand came before him to throw away a paper. He looked at that person and saw that it was a woman wearing glasses.

He threw away his cup of coffee and was about to leave when he felt a strange aura coming from the woman. His eyes immediately narrowed when he saw demons hovering over the woman. He was surprised at what he saw but when he heard what the woman was saying in her mind, he was enlightened.

"What an annoying boss! He doesn't even see what the supervisor is doing to me! He didn't do anything but watch that maniac torture me. They all did nothing but torture me at work! I did everything to just finish my work but their other personal matters are not my work! Even buying napkins, I will be the one to order? Huh, the nerve!"

The woman had her fist clenched and anger was evident on her face. It was too late when she noticed Linus looking at her. She just ignored him and walked back to the office as if nothing happened.

Linus just laughed at what he heard. His powers are really different. He also hears what is in people's minds. Anyone would be envious of his power. But that's the power of being a demon, should he be thankful?

Linus walked until he got back to his house. But when he entered his house, a sudden black smoke enveloped his surroundings. He wondered what was happening, so he thought of nothing else but to call his friend's name.

"Jacob! Jacob! Help me!"

His cry seemed to go unheard because the smoke that surrounded him only grew thicker and he was surprised when a red creature, with two horns, and a long tail appeared in front of him. A demon.

"What are you doing here? Why are you here?" Linus asked fearfully.

"I'm going to give you an offer." The demon laughed hysterically and showed an event just like Lord Rasmus was doing. "You killed a lot of people... and in exchange for those souls, I will give you power. You will be able to do everything. I will make you my disciple and you will not have to think about what else to do. I will let you, unlike Lord Rasmus who stops you from everything you want and punishes you. Will you agree?"

He gritted his teeth. It is true what other angels say that demons are very cunning. He is now being given temptation because he is a fallen angel who has been punished. But he felt something inside him that he wanted to accept the offer. He can do what he wants to do and no one or nothing can stop him. To kill someone, as he had done in the past few days and he is used to it, he will have more power than other people and angels cannot do. He will live in the human world like a strange, free creature.

"I feel that you want to accept my offer. You have nothing to lose. Angels who have become demons have no hope of coming back. Lord Rasmus just made you hope and you believed? You are a weakling for what you think of it. That’s too good to be true."

Linus' eyes suddenly turned red because of what he heard. His anger prevailed and especially towards Lord Rasmus. He immediately clenched his fist and gritted his teeth.

"I will accept your offer. Make me your disciple. I will do what you said. I will kill people... so give me the power that people cannot do... angels... and even Lord Rasmus. I have nowhere else to go... I have no one to cling to. You are the only one who comes to me so take my soul!" Linus's shrieking cry made the demon's laughter grow louder.

"I see... a demon contract...." the demon said and a cloud of thick smoke that mixed red and black enveloped the surroundings.

Linus felt a different sensation in his body. The red and black smoke brought him in front of the mirror and there he saw himself transfigured. Two horns, and red eyes. That form of his disappears whenever he wants. The demon was very happy with what happened. He has another disciple. The contract with the devil causes Linus to no longer be able to talk to other angels including Jacob and he will only see demons around. Those demons will push him to do vile things.

Linus just smiled and seemed to have no regrets about his accepted new life. "I have no hope of going back to being an angel either, so look, Lord Rasmus, look at what you’ve done to me! You let the demons do this to me! Look at me becoming more powerful than you!"