~I simply love the fact that everyone I thought to be friends, turned out to be my enemies, and enemies, allies and friends in one night... but what's this power? It beckons to me, tempts me, it turns me into a monster.~

Deception

Michael

I could not believe how she just left like that. Did she not take anything into account? She didn't remember our times together? All she focused on was the bad times that just happened to be more than the great ones?

I wondered if I have failed. Just as I had failed him. Him. My biggest regret. And to see him again was supposed to alleviate my guilt... but it didn't. It made it worse.

He had become my nemesis. The thorn in our bond. I had failed him; now I will pay.

I didn't want to keep this from her. I didn't want her to know that this was my redemption mission. One to let the Protectors regain trust in me again after that incident. But I had failed it again, my target to protect lost to an unstoppable force.

Maybe I had lied to her for the sake of the mission. Maybe our love wasn't true. Maybe I was caring just because I was acting according to the Protector code. But it can't be all fake. What was the short moment of love we shared the other time? Was that on impulse?

Now I'm technically the last of the Protectors. Everyone else is gone. There's no way I can save them now.

He's reached his goal. I can remember his resentful gaze, his words to me before we parted, "Help me, Michael!" And then, he was consumed by a dark, endless pit. I wonder how he became who he was...

He was doing this to get revenge, wasn't he? I had let him get his way, maybe due to my ineffectiveness, but I have a responsibility unparalleled by any other now. I have to stop him before the situation spirals out of control...

Storming out of my daze in my room, I went out of the cube shelter Elise had created, alone. Fallen were roaming the plains as if they were zombies.

One of them almost set their eyes on me. I had no idea how to react, and so ran into the trees, hopefully leading me to a town to source out some brave souls... and possibly Protector survivors hiding somewhere.

"Ahh... where's dinner?" Oh no. Desperately searching for something...I checked that I was not in Knight form.

"Oh, look what we have here?" He found me, although just in time, I hid my face in a mask coincidentally found on the ground, just when I needed it.

"And who might you be?" I asked as he checked me out.

"Well, just human. Unlike those zombie asses out there, plus their talking counterparts, I'm just a survivor. You... you aren't one of them, are you? You're masked, just like them."

"Well, I'm not comfortable giving my identity to strangers at this point in time... but the name's Michael."

"Trevor. If you don't mind staying in this dark a while longer... let's go get some food. It's going to be very difficult if we don't get it now."

"No. We don't need to." I was out here long enough. Students were stuck, fearing for their life.

"And why do you say that?" Trevor seemed surprised.

"I have... shelter." Trevor continued to stay in the same state of shock but followed me.

I couldn't focus on anything... and I believe I might have fallen into some sort of trap. I can't stop thinking about her... I can't stop thinking about how to live without her, can't imagine the state I'm in. As the mask felt less obvious as we walked back, I felt a familiar presence, just... hidden. She's dangerous now... should I still wait for her to come back?

I turned around hoping to see her. Saw nothing. Trevor's beatboxing was the only sound audible.

She had to be here. She couldn't leave without seeing me safe.

* * *

Elise

Michael was right. His love may not have been a lie all along. It was just me, my delusions thwarting me from the truth.

But my intuition can never be wrong.

Gripping my mask tight, I wore it again. I wasn't far from home. Well, I could... just see it one last time, right? Fallen walked past me, some glancing at me and realising my scent was different, before walking away.

"You don't seem to remember that I can follow you whenever you want when you wear that, do you?" Xandor covered my mouth to prevent me from letting out a scream of annoyance and possibly, even fear.

"Mmpf... mmpf!" Xandor scanned the surroundings, and he seemed to know.

"Your little cube is somewhere here... isn't it? Why are you alone out here? Abandoned your schoolmates? Why would you? And your sweet, loving Michael? You left him to fend for himself and help take care of your schoolmates you promised to protect? An amazing act of cowardice. Maybe I can rectify that if you walk back in a true Fallen, fighting for a different cause... to exterminate all threats to us." Still covered, my mouth couldn't speak a word of logic to him.

"All you wanted was to see him one last time? Oh, how much love can take over you." In a flash, we were on a tree branch, near where the hideout was. Michael and another man I have never seen before were walking back together. Michael was masked, but how?

"He didn't wear that mask on purpose, it seems. This man he saw makes him fear that if he showed his identity, it would cause chaos. Ah, Trevor. That's the guy's name. I can play with him a little. This will be fun." Pointing a finger at the man named Trevor, Trevor's movements suddenly slowed a little as if the body was unresponsive, before continuing whatever he was doing.

"What did you do to him?" It was merely a smile that I could deduce. Xandor's expressions were still far from identification by me.

"You'll see." Michael was about to actually reveal the hideout when Trevor manifested as something similar to Venom, an alien symbiote equivalent engulfing him. Michael took up arms and fought him, the symbiote leaving its trace on his body, and when he was not focusing, the symbiote made its way up, rendering Michael immovable. That's when he noticed the source. He sensed two Fallen, nameably Xandor and I.

"You... two..." His hand in our direction, the symbiote took control of his mind. Collapsing, Michael fell to the floor, body limp.

"I have to admit, it didn't go so well when done indirectly," Xandor admitted.

"You plan to infect him again?!" I mean, I fell out with Michael, but indefinitely. He is still the idol that I looked up to since childhood, but I just hate the things he's done to me for his personal gain.

"Maybe... just trying out the new sample for my suit upgrade on him. He's the next best person I can choose." Next best person? Why did he say Michael was the next best suitable person?

"Happy guessing." He leapt from the tree branch, kneeled down beside Michael. As his eyes opened, a different gaze peered at me.

It was as if he understood the feeling of being controlled. And a very sorry look emerged on his face. I followed Xandor and squatted on the grass, placing my head on my arms which were resting on my knees.

"Ah, Michael. Always the helpless one."

"Xavier... you need to come to your senses. You're dragging Elise down with you." At least he could speak... normally?

"It's now Ophelia, Michael. She has a new name. Now, tell me... how does it feel?" Xandor sneered.

"As if... you have invaded my mind to corrupt the very meaning of my current existence." Michael hissed.

"Oh, perfect. Phase two." The more I saw the two argue, and how Xandor dominated the entire thing, I felt myself cheering him on. A dark feeling that had eluded itself from me for years.... the secret love for evil.... rising again.

Maybe that had been the cause of how he had chosen me...

"What... the fuck?" Trevor. He's awake. I dash to his side and greeted him.

"Hi." I waved my red gloved hand.

"..." No response? I shook him a little, but his eyes glazed over.

"Your touch is enough for a normal human to turn, Ophelia," Trevor's eyes reopened, the red gleam leaving me in a state of shock.

"Lady Ophelia..." Trevor sat up and greeted me with respect.

"See how loyal he is to you? You can do anything you want with him." The lifeless eyes of Trevor, the weird satisfaction of devouring souls, and how easily Xandor had done it...

"Elise... no... I can foresee what you want to do..." The screams of pain Michael let out, as my excitement peaked, was so gratifying, helpless Trevor being held by his neck, mindlessly donated his soul to me. I threw his lifeless body on the floor, the corpse quickly rotting, another zombie rising to roam the plains. His experiences, his memories, they are flowing through me... and they all turned into black as the essence of his soul revealed itself to me, letting me take it in.

"That was faster than I thought..." Xandor ignored Michael and stood up, as illusory chains strapped Michael to the ground. I smiled as Xandor came closer, wondering if he was actually impressed beyond belief.

"The first soul that you devoured... what changed you?"

"Like how you have your secrets... I want to keep mine. Respect me, or open up to me. It's your choice. Either way, I will still stay with you... it's part of... the promise."

"I actually thought you came back... to me, okay, maybe not me, but at least your friends!"

"I changed my mind. The promise I made, wasn't the only deciding factor. It was the fact I couldn't find and attain a higher level of power with you, Michael. I also can't believe... that you are keeping me safe as your redemption mission when you are actually on the brink of being exiled from the Protector cause. Of course, when I'm more powerful than you, do you think I need the help of someone like you?"

"Ah... that's the best line I've ever heard, coming from you." Clapping. Acknowledgement... as much as it sounds ridiculous.

"Oh, by the way, Michael, that is not any ordinary liquid. I think you know you're an experiment for my new creation already, don't you? Enjoy... Be on your own, turn others to be like you, I don't fucking care. All I want to see is you falling down the pits, and understand how it feels to fall."

"Damn... damn it!" Michael still in his hopeless state, I sat by his side, and with the most sinister grin I have ever had, I whispered, "Sometimes, you should just let your mind run wild, really. The last final gate I've locked has been unlocked by Xandor... and I really want to thank him. I don't need to care about looking good anymore. Just let it devour you, Michael. That's all you need to do."

"Where did the former you go, who detested such evil things? You could even fight back!"

"Helplessness, Michael. Helplessness. It can change a person, to tempt them to get out of their current state. Xandor brought me back. I discovered... something simply amazing, the true meaning of life. Good came from evil. Evil is the root of everything... and isn't it great that I am now one of them too?"

"Maybe to ease your pain due to my good conscience haunting me to help you, I'll give you a nice room out in this crazy place, with top-notch privacy, you'll actually thank me." A transformation... Xandor, what are you planning? You never fail to amaze me. Making sure this was the last thing I willingly did for Michael, I made the room filled with nightmares, that he will never survive through.

"Ophelia... you need to stop talking to him. He's not worth your time anymore after you've seen through him."

"I can... but I can't. The Protector side of me is strong... no amount of passion, hate, anger or evil can break it to smithereens, it is embedded... and I need help to evict it forever."

"Oh, I can help with that, dear Ophelia." Hand brushing my hair, he pulled my face to his lips, the familiar feeling when our tongues roam each other came back, a sensation filling my entire existence, the Protector side of me slowly withering away...

Xandor stopped the kiss, to hear more screams of fear. Memories remain, however, especially those with Michael. A grand appearance, to showing me things beyond explanation, and finally his downfall against me.

"He will soon understand... and he will come back to thank us."

"Yes, Xandor... I wholeheartedly agree... I am willing to be your Queen now... will you forgive me for all that I've said before?"

"Why do I need to? I wanted you by my side, now I get what I wanted. It's time to let him rot on his own, Ophelia, we shall go back and have our own special time together." Holding my hand, Xandor opened a portal to Esmonia - a place I thought I would never see again, and led me through.

I think if I was actually faking all those good times, this is the best show of deception, ever. Being evil is fun. Why did I not notice it at all?

Author's Note

Sounded slightly paranormal, or really shell-shocking, right? Please don't be surprised at all... it was the thing I wanted to do since the beginning of writing the originally supposed third book in this series, Back To Square One. After the revamp, Most chapters in previous books were found to be simply fillers so now the idea of virtual me turning evil, its brought forward, of course.

Oh, next thing. Don't hate me for making Michael sound so weak, and all, plus the fact that I'm now another addition to the bullies. Please don't. The "Mature content" label is there for a reason, it's disturbing. Maybe I didn't really show it in my book description enough, I should get back to it.

Ah, last point. You have to admit, watching Joker taunt Batman and even cripple him once is really satisfying to watch. Or is it just me? Call me sadistic if you want, I have a friend who told me she was masochist and sadistic.

Now, have fun keeping your suspense in check... if you like this book and have read this far.