An Epic Tale - 18. Vision

She took my hand, and I was in another place.

It was dark. It was cold. A full moon was hanging over the sky. In the distance, I could hear someone shouting. Someone laughing. Someone crying.

Then I was gone, and there was a city. I saw men tearing great stones out of the earth, and buildings grow up from them. Then the men were dead, and the buildings were being torn down. I saw ghoulish monsters pluck babies from their cradles, and dash their brains out on the street.

The sun set, and I knew it would never rise again.

"Are you all right?"

The girl - Miru - was staring down at me. I must have fallen. Her hair hung about her face. She looked at me with a certain curiosity - less concerned than confused.

"I'm fine," I said. I took her hand and she pulled me to my feet. "What happened?"

"You fell," she said. "But then you got up."

"And now I'm fine," I agreed.

Was she actually afraid of me?

"She should be," whispered the voice in my head. "That was a powerful curse she laid on you. You're lucky I still find it useful to have you around."

I opened my mouth. Then I closed it again. It serves me right, I thought. Trusting girls only leads to trouble.

"Too true," said Lucifer. And for the first time I did not doubt his sincerity.