This chapter is more of a character dive into character of Healer. Hope this will be good for all of you.

Chapter 15
"A Devil Healer"

Healer was silent for a minute. Stood in front of Lucifugus with her eyes closed. She seemed to be thinking deeply about how to tell her story. Pen was shaking with anticipation while Lucifugus was silently waiting for her next words. Then finally she spoke again.

"*sigh* Okay. I think I'm ready."

Healer spoke to Lucifugus as she opened her eyes.

"Let's hope this waiting was worth it." Lucifugus was quite an impatient Devil now

"Given the subject that is me it most likely was not my lord." Healer really didn't seem to think much of herself "You probably know that already, but I'm from the 4th level."

"(Belphegor...? Why did I say that?)" A strange thought

"It was definitely strange, being a Healing Devil. Among every other devil on my level it was always like being on a knife's edge between complete loneliness and being surrounded like a prey. Most Devils there despises me and yet everyone very much needs me. I can't bring despair and pain and the only thing I can do is heal. In short, I'm a failure."

"I know a thing or two about being a failure..." Lucifugus admitted

"ME TOO!" Pen joined in as well

"You don't Pen" Lucifugus corrected him

"Oh... yeah... I just wanted to make her feel better..."

Pen said in a embarrassed tone. Healer didn't seem to know how to react so she continued.

"As I was saying. As much as I was shunned and despised among them there always was a moment when I was sought after. Always to heal a Devil after another brutal fight."

"Couldn't you refuse?"

Lucifugus was perplexed to say the least.

"I could, but I don't have that much strength." Healer showed her small hands, those wouldn't be able to harm anyone "At the time, I would never be able to really refuse."

"So you never tried."

Too weak to even try

"No..." Healer admitted "Well... sometimes... but overall I never wanted to try..."

"...What?"

Now Lucifugus was very confused.

"What?"

And Healer was confused about his confusion.

"You never wanted to try? So you are saying you wanted to help those that were treating you like trash?" Lucifugus couldn't understand this thought process

She is lying

"I...Yes. Ever since I was little I always helped other Devils... I guess because of that I grew fond of doing it." Healer looked at her hands that were now glowing with her strange healing magic "Even if they were ungrateful, spiteful or horrible... I never refused or thought of refusing. It's just... always when someone needed help I tried to help... But that also came with something else..."

"Which is?"

"At some point Devils started dragging me into their fights. They thought it would spare time and make fights more engaging. The victor would get... healed by me." Healer's tone grew more weary all of the sudden

"So you were a price essentially." Lucifugus already figured this was a touchy subject

"...Yes..."

Healer just looked down when she said it. Lucifugus could tell immediately.

"(Sometimes a price in more ways than just healing)" Lucifugus figured out

Then for the first time he actually looked at her body. Bottom part of her body coated in black energy shaped like a snake, but still nicely shaped around her waists, the black energy on her body covering her left and right sides of her curvy upper body leaving only middle part exposed, her arms slim and long and with 3 fingers at the end of each hand (strangely enough though something seemed to be missing on them), a pair of big black wings on her back that look like they had black feathers, her face though... he finally realized what made him so uncomfortable about it, she looked like Megi in how her face was structured, but with only 2 eyes that are not covered in those weird dark spots, long black hair almost touching the ground and horns shaped like spirals. Her tail's end had 2 lines coming out of each side of her tail and those 2 lines having crescent moon symbol on them. Surprisingly nice looking for a Middle (even with her face being similar to Megi of all Devils that made Lucifugus want to tear it out for a moment).

No... Often a price in more than just healing way

"Lord's been staring at her for a while..."

Pen finally said after Lucifugus was silently looking at her for a solid minute now

"What?!"

And Healer snapped out of her depressing looking at the floor and quickly his her face behind her black hair. Weird reaction to say the least

"Hmm... For the first time I actually looked at you." Lucifugus didn't really bother hiding what he was doing "You look interesting... although your face reminds me of Megi..."

That last part was filled with venom

"Oh..." She slightly made her face visible again. Lucifugus almost thought she looked adorable like this

Almost.

"OOH OOH! NOW ME! NOW ME!"

Lucifugus turned to Pen who was pointing at himself. Now that he thinks about it, he never once bothered to focus on how Pen actually looks like aside from his L shaped horns. A tall for a Low, lean, but strangely muscular body, weirdly humanoid almost like a High Devil, but his feral background can still be seen with big amount of spikes on his back and big hands with claws, a tail that ends with 5 pointed star, his wings looked very normal, only a bit torn up in places and his head reminds him of the Fortune teller from 1st level, only more rounded, with 3 eyes and top of his head is cracked like an egg and chunk of his brain is exposed, but he always has that grin on his face with his sharp teeth filled with blood, most likely his own. Rather unpleasant sight.

"You look interesting too... but mostly due to what I did to you." Lucifugus didn't know if he was insulting being nice in this situation and he didn't care

"THANK YOU MY LORD!"

Pen was content... Healer and Lucifugus were not

"Don't thank me/him for it Pen"

Both Lucifugus and Healer spoke in unison. Lucifugus didn't react to it unlike Healer who seemed pretty embarrassed as she looked at the floor and again hid her faace behind her hair, Lucifugus was beyond being embarrassed by such a thing. (Okay Lucifugus was a little embarrassed, but he hid it well deep within his unfeeling Heart)

"...Anyway. Continue your story ..." But he still didn't care to dwell on such things

Healer then came back to reality

"Ah yeah.. Right... Where was I..." She was lost now

"You were a price..." Lucifugus was really blunt

"Ah yes yes... As I was saying... I was forced to watch them beat each other up, it was often bloody, sometimes they tore off each other's limbs or even their horns, some were psychotic enough to tear off their own limbs and horns to use them as weapons. I saw a lot in those fights, to the point where I'm barely surprised by any acts of cruelty until I met you."

"And the winners..." Lucifugus wasn't bothered by that last part

It's more of a compliment really

"Always got healed..." She said with a bit of shame in her voice

"And losers..."

"Thrown away like trash... I often went out looking for them. I helped some of them, some were missing, but others... Sometimes there was almost nothing left to heal. As I was healing those Devils after those fights I grew to despise violence that we inflict on each other. The way we are so self destructive... I hate it... with every fiber of my being." Healer's voice became more heated with her distaste

"Hmm... Why do I feel like you have a particular story to tell?"

"Because I do... It's about one High Devil of that level. Called himself Warmonger because as he put it There is no Devil I will not desire to fight with." Healer seemed to try to imitate someone's voice now, she tried to do a deep voice, but it didn't really work that well.

"Did he also mean..."

Was he this stupid?

"Yes... But he knew that he most likely would stand no chance so before that happened he wanted to become stronger by fighting every Devil he came across. After one hard fight he seeked help... me.

Back in the past

"Little Snake! Can you help me with my wounds?" The Devil asked her from behind and startled her horribly

"Excuse me mister?" She tried to remain respectful

"Heal my wounds Little Snake... I heard you are good at it." He answered with a cheerful smile

His wounds were pretty deep, his face was burned on one side, one of his lightning shaped horns had a crack in it and his guts were slowly slipping through the cut on his stomach. Quite nasty

"I... Right away mister."

And she started to heal his wounds. Slowly they started closing, cuts were sealed, his horns became whole again and his burned face had it's bone white color restored entirely. But as it happened one question was on Healer's mind which suddenly slipped through her mouth

"What could bring someone like you to do ruin yourself like this..." Then she realized she said it out loud "OOPS!"

She quickly shut her mouth, but Warmonger just laughed.

"HAHAHA, Proof of my existence!"

"Wh...what did you say?"

Healer was confused. Proof of what?

"Proof of my existence. All of us fight each other endlessly, wage wars, scheme, destroy... all of this is just so... pointless. Because we give those things no meaning. I decided to face against each and every Devil of this world. To make them remember who I am. Make them remember me..." The Devil said as he pointed at himself. He was confident, that's what she could tell right away, but it still seemed so strange to her

"Why? What's the point?"

"Hehe... It may be alien to most, but to me it's only logical thing to do. Try with all your might and soul to leave something behind, to leave an impact on the world, even if it hurts you, even if it kills you or drives you insane, it will all be worth it because you'll leave the proof that you existed at all. THAT IS WHAT I WANT! I want to show this world that I exist and for it to NEVER FORGET IT!" He threw his hands into the air as he was doing his speech

"... But how will they remember you?" The first question that came to her mind

"Heh, doesn't matter. They remember you and like that you shall never be truly dead! After all isn't that why you try so hard to help other Devils?" He pointed at her, still keeping this strange smile

"...I don't... (do I?)" She couldn't help, but question herself

This Devil was definitely weird...

Present

"Proof of one's existence..." Lucifugus repeated. Those words... They make him feel... different.

"It's strange my lord, I know, I never truly understood it." Healer admitted

But Lucifugus at that moment did not listen. Just looked at his law book. Something he has been writing endlessly for the last hundreds of years...

"(Is this what I want? Leave something so no one forgets I existed at all? I want to... live forever?)" Lucifugus was trying to think about it... Could this be the reason?

"MY LORD!"

Pen's scream snapped Lucifugus out of his thoughts.

"You were deep in thoughts there..."

"I know Pen..." Lucifugus was very annoyed now "As for you Healer... I guess he finally had his dream come true?"

"Yes and... no..."

She said as she touched the parts below her both hands and that's when Lucifugus noticed it. She at some point had 4 hands.

"Ahh... So he wasn't very good client." Lucifugus said wi-

"NO!" Then Healer loudly screamed

Lucifugus and Pen were taken aback at her sudden outburst. Healer noticed it and quickly hid her face behind her hair.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I... I think I should explain. He never... he never was rude to me... he almost never hurt me. He is the only one that ever gave me a choice about healing him and... watching his fights. His magic was some kind of Chain magic. He was capable of creating chains all over the area and his style of fighting was extremely graceful. He fought with unmatched passion."

Healer's mind was filled with images. A view of Warmonger jumping across the sea of chains with his opponent chasing him. He was having so much fun.

"Gotta try harder mate"

"Sometimes he used his chains as fighting ground between him and other Devil."

She looked now as the the Devil was constantly falling down as Warmonger kicked him whenever he tried to get back on the chains

"Come on you little shit, you have to do this with some semblance of grace!"

"Sometimes he quickly bound them and forced them to submission."

The Devil was lying on the ground, tangled in a big pile of chains and Warmonger was sitting on top of him.

"It's not a good idea to chase after someone who controls chains you are surrounded by. Be sure to remember that"

"He had many ways of fighting. He was the only one that made me feel like there is beauty in fights."

She was now healing him again. This time opponent was a little harder, but he still managed to pull through with his sharper chains. But his legs were in terribly bad shape.

"You should really be more careful with your opponents... Not every one of them will be easy able to beat, some of them may be impossible for you"

"Ehh... I know Little Snake, but it's so much fun! There is nothing quite like exchanging blows with someone else. Seeing and analyzing the way they fight and thinking how you can overcome them and getting them to think how they can overcome you, it's an amazing thrill... Also I want to be remembered. So I have to make those fights as memorable as possible so neither me or them will forget each other!"

His smile was bright as ever, even if his teeth were now crimson red from how own blood. But she didn't mind. It made her smile too. Finally his legs were healed.

"Thanks Little Snake!" He said with a smile and hugged her with his right arm. It was nice. For once in this world she felt safe.

"He gave it meaning."

Healer's voice was now more warm. Seems like those memories were very good for her. But Lucifugus knew what was coming now

"Until..."

"Until a High Devil from far deeper level came. Called himself Emissary. That's at least what he called himself. A Devil without horns."

That one bit made Lucifugus interested.

"Hmm (Hornless Devil... that reminds me of something)" Bits and pieces of memories resurface, but not enough to tell what they mean.

Healer paid no heed though and continued

"Warmonger challenged him to a fight and none of us knew at that point where he came from." Her tone was slowly, but surely changing

"That's when he died." Lucifugus guessed

"No... He died when I was taking care for him. The fight was very short. That Devil was nowhere near the level of what Warmonger fought before. He couldn't be bound for long and was capable of breaking his chains with ease, but even then he was capable of landing one good hit on his face, leaving a deep scar on him, but that made him only angry and punched Warmonger so hard his chest burst open and his Heart could be seen, impact of that punch shook the area where the fight took place in. He was defeated and that High Devil left." Healer finished her little tale

"He didn't kill him?" A Devil that didn't kill his opponent. Rather strange behavior

"I could tell he was mostly just annoyed. He just left him there to die. But I started to help him. But then I saw what happens when he is so horribly overwhelmed."

The past

"I... lost... lost..." Warmonger was repeating those words for a while now. She tried to comfort him somehow

"Don't worry... You've been beaten before..." She tried to reassure him as she was healing his body

"I... made no progress. I will die..." He sounded like he was on the verge of giving up

"No! I will help you." She burst out as her magic grew a little bit stronger "Your heart is still..."

"I will be forgotten...! Forgotten..!" He didn't seem to listen anymore

Healer then touched Warmonger's forehead with her lower left arm.

"I wont forget." She said with a smile, hoping it would help somehow

"No... nononononono..."

Warmonger's body started to heat up, his heart started beating so fast Healer thought it was about to explode...

"NONONO! I WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN!"

He suddenly grabbed her lower arms and tore them off. The pain was horrible for her and she screamed extremely loud, but what she saw in Warmonger's eyes was even more painful. The pain, the misery, the blinding rage... he thought he was still facing that Devil... Shehad to help him!

"PLEASE SNAP OUT OF I-"

But he quickly grabbed her by the throat. Was this it? Is she going to die like this? But then she saw it... his eyes for a moment became clear... for a moment he regained his sanity... And he looked right at her face...

"Little Sn-"

And then looked at the bleeding parts of her body where her lower arms used to be... And saw one of her hands lying on the ground, slowly turning to ash and the other one in his free hand

"Warmonger please..."

But before she finished she saw something. His eyes seemed to... bleed?

"Is this... proof of my..."

Then he quickly let her throat go and dropped her other hand and just as quickly chains were wrapped around his beating heart. He grabbed both ends of his chains and pulled. Healer knew what he tried to do.

"NO WAIT! STO-"

BOOM

And his heart was squashed by his chains and blood was splattered on Healer's face. She was just sitting there after that... she looked as his body slowly dissolved, turned into dust, his face twisted with despair, his bleeding eyes filled with sorrow, forever imprinted into Healer's mind. And as his body disappeared she still sit there... looking into nothingness. She didn't know what she felt... or what to say... then the pain from her body snapped her out and she closed the wounds where her second arms used to be. But the pain never stopped.

Present

"That was... quite depressing." Lucifugus felt weird, he didn't know what to say "But also strange..."

"In what sense?" Healer asked him

"A High Devil killed himself over a Middle... I don't think I've ever heard of something like that... or bleeding eyes... I think..." He still tried to look into his mind. Still not enough memories resurfaced

"...I told you what I saw... I... I don't think I will ever forget it."

She again looked at the floor, but then she felt something. It was Pen and he was... hugging her again... he was smiling.

"We will not leave you!"

Pen said with a big smile. Healer didn't know know how to respond.

"Don't talk for me here Pen. But I do have to agree. You are welcome here." Lucifugus said with as sincere tone as he could muster

"I... thank you my lord."

Healer bowed her head. Or at least she tried with Pen still hugging her.

"Let go of her Pen."

And Pen did let her go. And quickly went up to him. Awaiting his further use. Lucifugus then turned to Healer.

"I know, it probably wasn't easy to tell us about it, but I do appreciate it... Thank you."

That was the first time she heard him say those words... Truly... For a moment she almost forgot about how cruel Lucifugus can truly be. But then Lucifugus grabbed the Pen again.

"Okay, now we have to go back to work. And please don't comment on every fucking sentence I will write."

Then she remembered again, but... she did see something in him. Something better. Maybe she CAN help him. Somehow, someday and make it Proof of her own existence. But for now she flied up and sit on his shoulder and saw him write again. Now this is her life. But as she thought about it she touched the part of her body where her second arms used to be.

"I promise you... I will never forget"

TBC in chapter 16

"A bit of World Building"

That's all for now. Hope it was enjoyable dive into Healer's character and I hope Warmonger also was compelling enough.