Lily closed her eyes, waiting for a sharp pain, but she felt nothing. She opened her eyes and saw Sebastian standing in front of her. The knife was in between his fingers, and Lily sighed with relief. Really, she knew that she should have had more faith in him, but it's not every day that one has a demon protecting them.

"It's unusual for a servant of God to harm someone," Sebastian stated, calmly.

The angel formed into human. "It's unusual for a damned one to guard a human."

"I suppose life has many oddities. Anyway, I must inquire why you attempted to harm my mistress."

Lily added, "And why you killed my aunt and uncle!"

"Why, you ask?" the angel smiled. Its smile made Lily uneasy. "I'm afraid I cannot tell you that. You see, I am sworn to secrecy. Keeping promises and defeating evil are virtues, nothing either of you know anything about."

"You know nothing about good! You are evil incarnate!" Lily shouted.

"My lady, allow me to-" Sebastian started.

Lily interrupted him. "Not until we get information! Tell us why you committed those acts!"

The angel sighed. "I suppose it was going to come to this. I can't break my vow."

Sebastian said, "Then let us make a deal. You and I shall battle, angel against demon. If I win, you must tell us everything."

"And if I win, I shall kill Lady Athelward."

Sebastian was silent for a moment. Lily whispered, "Do it."

The butler turned toward her, shocked. "My lady!"

"Do it, and win." She unbuttoned the top button of her dress. The contract seal glowed, and Sebastian took off his glove, revealing his own. Lily looked him straight in the eye. "That's an order."

Sebastian bowed. "Very well, my lady." He looked at the angel. "We have a deal. Let us fight elsewhere."
"One more order, Sebastian."

"Yes, Lady Lillith?"

"Take me with you."

"Yes, my lady."

The angel raised its eyebrow. "Just like a demon to serve anyone other than God."

Sebastian said, "I serve only my mistress. It is time."

Sebastian, the angel, and Lily were in a barren field. The butler and angel faced each other, standing many feet apart. Lily stood a safe distance away from them, watching, trying not to show fear.

Sebastian said, "May you tell me your name? I would like to know the name of my enemy."

"Thrine."

"Such an unusual name."

"Much better than yours. No more talk."

At that moment, Sebastian and Thrine rushed at each other. The impact knocked Lily off her feet. She tried to keep track of their movements, but all she could see were blurs of black and white. Then, the demon and the angel were standing face to face. Sebastian looked at Lily out of the corner of his eye. "Mistress, I must ask you to look away. I am your butler, and I cannot tarnish your opinion of me. Close your eyes, and don't open them until I give the word."

Lily closed her eyes.

Sebastian turned his attention toward Thrine. "This hasn't been a fair fight," the demon smirked. "I have not shown you my true form." He walked toward the angel. With each step, he gradually changed. Lily heard Thrine gasp and scream. Lily could not keep her eyes closed; she had to know who Sebastian really was.

Lily opened her eyes and saw Sebastian getting closer and closer to Thrine. Her eyes widened, not in fear, but in shock and awe. He was graceful. He was strong. He would not fail her. He was beautiful.

Sebastian, in his demon form, delivered the next to final blows to Thrine. The angel, still conscious, lay on the ground. Lily got up and ran to them. Sebastian's eyes flashed red. He slowly turned into his human form. "Lady Lillith Athelward, you broke your word."

"I made no promises," Lily said, unphased. She kneeled by Thrine and demanded, "You were defeated. Now, tell us why you did all that you have done to my family and myself!"

Thrine coughed up blood and replied, weakly, "I was called to destroy the demon and the wretched one who summoned him. At the same time, I was told by someone that the best way to destroy you was to destroy everything of yours. Thus, he and I agreed to help each other."

"Who is he, and were you involved with my parents' disappearance?!"

With a weaker voice, Thrine replied, "I was not. I knew nothing of your parents."

"Tell me the name of the one who helped you!"

"Walter Dellmore."

Time seemed to stop. Lily felt frozen, and her heart felt like it was no longer beating. Only the sound of Sebastian's voice brought her back to reality. She looked at him, then at Thrine. Her voice was shaky. "Mercy is another virtue, but protecting the ones you love is more important than mercy. I wish I could show you some, but your twisted perception of evil has killed my relatives and nearly myself. Who knows what other lives you have damaged. And so, to protect others…" Lily looked at Sebastian. "Sebastian, I order you to end Thrine."

Sebastian nodded. "Yes, my lady." With that, he destroyed the angel, whose body disappeared in a glow of light.

Lily looked at the ground. She did not speak for many moments. "It was Walter. Walter was behind this. All the peril I was put in was his doing." She laid on her side. "Why would he do this to me? Why?"

"I do not know, mistress. We need to go home."

"No. I want to stay here."

Sebastian, still standing, stated, "I told you to keep your eyes closed."

"So I would see you the only way you want me to? Your human form is like a costume. You have refused to show me the true you, the you that is in the costume. Hate me if you want, but I think no differently of you than I did before. No matter what you look like, you cannot frighten me. You cannot repulse me. You cannot make me think of you as anything but beautiful."

Sebastian looked surprised. "Surely you are jesting."

"I am not, and to prove it to you," she stood up, facing him, "I order you to change into your real form."

Sebastian glared, then bowed his head. "Yes, my lady." Then, right before her eyes, he altered his appearance until the facade stripped away.

Lily watched him and did not turn away. She stood closer to him and looked him straight in the eye. His red eyes reflected in her green ones. She reached her hand out to him and touched him. He did not move. "I will never think badly of you, Sebastian. You may change back."

When Sebastian was in his human form, Lily's hand was on his side. He simply said, "You are different than other humans."

Lily sat back on the ground. "I still cannot believe Walter caused so much harm. He wants me to suffer; he wants me dead. What will we do?"

"We must confront him about it. It is late, and you need sleep. We will speak to him tomorrow."

Sebastian picked Lily up. She laid her head against his chest, and he raced home.

The butler stopped in front of the manor. Lily, who was halfway asleep, immediately woke up when she heard a commotion. Police officers were there. One yelled out, "There they are!"

Another yelled, "Put Lady Lillith down!"

Lily clutched Sebastian tighter. "What is going on?!"

An officer yelled, "Look at them! They are covered in blood! That proves it!"

"Proves what?!"

Walter, Bard, Mey-Rin, and Finny rushed out. Walter said, seemingly relieved, "Lily, thank God you are alright! I thought this monster had killed you! You were missing for so long!"

With disgust, Lily yelled, "Sebastian is not a monster; YOU are! You had an angel kill my aunt and uncle and had it try to kill me! You wanted to chip away every bit of my life until nothing was left of me!"

Walter seemed startled, but his expression turned angry. "This man has poisoned her mind! Arrest him!"
The police officers rushed at Sebastian and Lily. Two of them tried pulling Lily out of the butler's arms. Lily spotted a gun and grabbed it. As she shot an officer in the shoulder, she was separated from Sebastian. She screamed and reached out to him, but the police took him away. One of them forced the gun from her hands. She tried to get away from them. She heard Walter's voice yell, "She's mad! Don't let her get away!"

Lily ignored him and continued screaming. Suddenly, she was hit in the head, and everything went dark.