"There is something you must remember, Young Master–"
And with this, Jackle snapped his fingers, bringing back the mirror from earlier and holding it in front of NiGHTS so he might see his reflection. The younger demon hesitantly took the mirror into his hands as his mentor continued.
"Master Wizeman has created all of us with very specific goals in mind," he explained. "And it's true, I'm quite a fright to behold, aren't I? A great illusionist and conjurer, the Mad Mantle, an expert in terrorizing Visitors by any means!" Jackle flared his mantle out behind him and grinned broadly, flashing his sinister jaws and looking quite terrifying. NiGHTS stared at him, envy once again simmering quietly in his gaze, and Jackle laughed at his indignation.
"And what of you, Young Master? Take a look at yourself, go on–give me three words that might describe your appearance." Jackle took the mirror back from NiGHTS and held it up to his face, waiting for the younger's response.
NiGHTS hesitated, glancing upwards at Jackle's looming, sinister face, then back down at his own, reflected in the mirror. Sweet, sleepy eyes, soft skin, delicate features… He sighed his reply,
"Kindly…lovely…not very frightening at all."
Jackle snickered. "Kindly and lovely and not-very-frightening-at-all," he echoed. "Quite a mouthful! And you are right on those first two, naturally–Master has made you quite kindly and lovely to look at." He patted the younger on the cheek and regarded him affectionately for a moment. "And do you know why he made you in such a way?"
NiGHTS looked up expectantly, but did not respond.
Jackle smirked. Was it naivete that kept NiGHTS from answering, or something else? He circled behind his apprentice and brought his face down to his level, so both visages were reflected in the mirror at the same time. The next word he spoke came out in a hiss,
"Deception."
"What? Really?"
"Of course! Think of it for a moment… You were created in the image of an absolute angel, but naturally, you are no such thing, right?"
"Right…"
"So kindly looking! So sweet! Oh, Mr. NiGHTS is here, he's our friend, he will protect us!" Jackle cried in a mocking tone, imitating a child's voice before continuing in his own. "You gain their trust with such a lovely face, making them believe you are their friend, and guide, and protector. You'd never hurt them, not looking like you do!"
A slow smile was starting on NiGHTS' face.
"Oh, but then…there is the reveal! Not a friend, or a guide, or a protector! And thereafter, the most crushing and humiliating of all human emotions–the sense of betrayal and disappointment." Jackle feigned an expression of despair, theatrically tossing a hand back over his forehead. "No, please, it can't be true! And like that–POP!–" He thrust a hand out and retracted it just as quickly. "–in that moment of pure, emotional weakness, there is the Ideya, ripe for the plucking."
NiGHTS nodded slowly to himself. "I suppose… I just often wonder why I'm not as outwardly frightening as everyone else. Or even as Reala."
Jackle patted his shoulder encouragingly. "Don't be so short-sighted, Young Master! We are all created to serve the advancement of Nightmare, and each in our own unique ways. And always remember this–" He smirked.
"Humans place so much unnecessary trust in things of beauty and grace. They are drawn to it. They are comforted and consoled by it. But if their myths and fables have taught them nothing else, it's that their worst devils often take the form of the most beautiful angels of light. But how quickly they forget–"
A stream of chuckles interrupted him, and in a moment laughter had nearly consumed him as he crowed out again,
"But how quickly they forget!"
.
Night Over.