Revenge is sweet

 
Titus felt as though his head was exploding, light blazed through the swollen slits that were his eyes. He couldn’t contain the pained moan that slipped past his split, bloodied lips.

“Lie still”, a voice thundered, causing a new round of unbearable pain to erupt between his eyes.

Battling against the pain, Titus pried his eyes open. At first he thought he’d lost his sight, something the confused him seeing as how every other beating he’d endured had left him in agony but without lasting damage. At least without lasting physical damage. It’s difficult to destroy an eternal body.
Slipping his tongue out between his ragged teeth, he gingerly licked his bloody lips. The metallic tang of blood mixed with a saltiness that he took to be sweat. He laid perfectly still, waiting for the pain to subside enough to move, unaware of the blood tinged tears that coursed from his blackened eyes.

Suddenly warmth enveloped him. He felt himself rise into the air only to be slammed back to earth. He held his breath waiting for the pain to return only to be pleasantly surprised when it didn’t. Gingerly opened his eyes once again. The light wasn’t quite as blinding and he took a quick glance at his surroundings.

Not recognizing this place, he wondered if Lucifer had come up with a new and creative torment to drive him out of what was left of his mind. Closing his eyes again, Titus resigned himself to the fresh hell he just knew awaited him.

“Open your eyes chicken shit, we need to have a talk.”

His eyes slammed open at the insult. He didn’t recognize the voice, but the words were oddly familiar.

Sitting up he once again stared around him. He was in the middle of a large, empty room. Sunlight streamed through the windows that lined one wall, beyond them trees swayed in a light breeze and birds flitted from branch to branch.

Titus was so stunned by the peacefulness of the scene that he didn’t notice the figure leaning against the opposite wall until the man cleared his throat.

“Titus, do you know who I am?”, the man asked.

Ever on guard, Titus sprang to his feet and landed in a fighting stance. And unfamiliar feeling crept down his spine and it took him a few seconds to realize it was fear. He, Titus the greatest warrior of his time, was frightened.

“Calm down, idiot. If I wanted to harm you I would have left you with that fucktard, Lucifier.”

At once Titus realized that standing before him was the one being he had been hunting for weeks. The reason for the latest torture he had endured leaned against the wall, his ankles crossed and his arms relaxed at his side.

Titus began to laugh. He laughed until he was weak in the knees and when he collapsed to the floor he continued to laugh. He laughed until tears streamed down his cheeks and his bladder screamed for relief.

Death sighed, he’d seen this reaction before. Usually it was from hapless souls that realized they were forever doomed to roam the world or were headed in a direction they hadn’t counted on. The sudden end to warrior’s life usually caused them to reflect, but Titus wasn’t just a warrior. He was a demi-god. Of course he didn’t realize that, the minions of evil had taken great pains to keep that information from him. It was time to enlighten him.

Death smiled and waved his hand, a luxurious chair appeared out of thin air. Seating himself, Death patiently waited until Titus managed to get himself under control. Of course when Titus’ laughter diminished to hiccups, he turned and saw Death sitting in a crushed velvet recliner and began to wail with laughter again.

Time passed, the minutes bled one into another as Titus wailed with laughter. Soon the laughter turned to tears and the tears to sobs. Ashamed, he tried to hide his face, but Death quietly crossed the room and wrapped his arms around the much larger man. As the waves of emotion assaulted Titus, the tears turned to anger, the anger to sorrow and the sorrow to wonder. Here he sat, sprawled on the floor of a strange room, wrapped in the arms of the most feared creation ever. Death was comforting him.

When Titus calmed, Death eased away from him and returned to his recliner. Kicking the footrest up, he sighed as he sank into the velvet softness of his favorite piece of furniture. Waving his had absently, he caused another chair to appear, along with a table loaded with food and drink.

“Help yourself. You’re going to be here a while and I want you comfortable. Just wake me if I doze off, I am wore the fuck out!” Death closed his eyes and relaxed. He knew he had Titus just where he wanted him, and now he could take a well-earned nap.

Titus looked around, the room had no doors and the only furniture were the two chairs and the table burdened with food. The odor of venison tempted him, venison was always his favorite food and since he’d lost his soul he had been denied even the smell of it. Not caring if this was a test or a dream, Titus crossed the room and load a plate with some of the most succulent food he had ever seen. Sitting down in the matching recliner, he ate until he couldn’t contain one more morsel then he closed his eyes and drifted off into the first peaceful rest he had experience in thousands of years.

Death opened his eyes at the change in Titus’ breathing. Seeing the man relaxed and comfortable, he realized that what he was doing would not only put a target on his own back, but it would place Titus directly in the line of fire.

Pausing at the thought of this man suffering more than he already had, Death heaved a sigh. He knew what must be done, he had no doubt that there would be casualties, he just hoped Titus wouldn’t be one of them.

Shaking his head, he waved his hand above Titus’ sleeping form. Chuckling, he sent the image to Lucifer along with a message.

“He’s mine now. I gave him back his soul. Soon he will know exactly who he is. Do NOT fuck with me Lucy, you will NOT win!”

The very rafters of hell shook with Lucifer’s fury.