As we enter the Domain of Death, my wings morph from white feathers to red poxy leather with thorny spines. The warmth of the eternal fire envelops me like the embrace of a loving mother, and I finally feel at ease.
I take the Lady to her castle, where Beelzebub impatiently prances around the throne with a tall stack of papers. My feet gingerly brush against the hot floor as I land. I bend over to allow the Lady to dismount, then return to my cage on the far end of the balcony.
“The numbers are rising, Lucy.”
“I fail to understand why that should make you nervous.”
“What did the Big Man say?”
“Nothing that concerns you.”
“So, we can keep Alfred?”
“Like I said, it doesn’t concern you. Leave the reports and find your way out. Oh, and tell Mark I want to see him.”
Beelzebub bows low and takes his own sweet time to leave. An hour later, Mark walks in.
“You wanted to see me, my Lady?”
“Yes, Mark, how is Alfred doing?”
“Better than I hoped. Monsters are spending more time on the mortal plane for fear of the training. However, I cannot attest to the chaos they are causing.”
“Oh, I have all the proof right by my leg, Mark. Make his father win the lottery. Twice the amount on the contract as a reward for a job well done.”
“It shall be done, my Lady. Is there any other way I can serve you?”
She stayed silent. Mark bowed and backed away… slowly.
“What is it, Mark?”
“Why such generosity?”
“Fear is good for business. Heaven is bustling with the energy from their worshippers – mortals who lock themselves into buildings with crosses every time fear engulfs them. I myself feel positively giddy with power. I can only imagine how strong the Big Man must feel.”
The Lady laughs. Her laughter is melodic, like the symphony that accompanies melancholy.
Strip everything else, and it always comes down to this.
Power.
Anagha Baheti 
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