He waited on his throne for his minions to return. He waited for them to bring her to him, alone and motionless. A dark figure atop an obsidian throne. He had managed it, obtained the power he always wanted. No! The power he needed to save them.

As he waited, he wondered. How had it come to this? What reason had they to turn on him? Why did they have to force his hand? He wondered again and again. The same questions followed by the same answer – I cannot understand.

He flexed his mighty fist, the powers of destruction crackling at the palm of his hand. How easy it would be to end it all. To obliterate the world. It would end his torment. Thunders rolled through the dark grey clouds above his head, reflecting his mood. Lightning struck just a few steps away from him, scattering the creatures who bathed in his shadow.

There were those among them who were attracted to his power and there were those who coveted it, wanted it for themselves. The fools. As if impotent things like them could even pose a challenge for him. At least they proved a good distraction for his aching mind and burning nerves.

He dreaded seeing her. He dreaded not seeing her. He had delayed the moment as long as he could justify it to himself. But the thought was there, at the back of his mind. Eating at him, plaguing his every moment.

He had prepared a grand speech for this very moment…

The telling sounds of chains and spears hitting the cold stone steps to his throne froze him in place. His mind went blank. His very soul shook in horror as he saw the guards, with her a step behind them. What could he tell her? What would she say to him? How had it all come to this?

Before he knew it, they were at the bottom of his throne. The guards yanked her chains and she fell on the cold stone floor. She was a mess. Her smile, which had wormed his existence, was gone. The glistening silver-plated armour was nothing but scrap, barely clinging to her body. The love in her eyes was gone, replaced by coldness and primal hatred.

He could not stand that gaze. It tore his heart apart. He loved her. He always loved her, even when she chose another. All he did, all he sacrificed was for her. He defeated the gods so that she could be happy and free. And now she hated him…

“Are you happy now, you monster!” There was no scream, just a cold voice.

He did not dare move. A single motion would betray his anxiety, the fear building inside him. So, he just stood there, not even looking at her. How could he? He could not stand the accusation in her gaze.

“I am sorry.” She said, sadness in her voice. “I am sorry I ever thought there was something good left in you. I am sorry I staid the hand of my love when he wanted to end you, just because I believed you could turn back.”

“Why?” His voice sounded as hollow as he felt.

“Why? You ask why! Because I thought I knew you!” She hissed back at him. “Because I was the fool! The only one who denied the truth! You were a monster, even back then!”

“A monster…” He lowered his head to hide his tears. “A monster…”

“YOU. KILLED. THEM. ALL!!!” There were hatred and fear mixed in her voice.

It struck him like a knife through the heart. Why was she so blind? They all were blind! What was he supposed to do? Let them kill him when he had done nothing to them. He had saved their lives by absorbing the rampant energies, which would have torn them asunder.

He sacrificed himself for them. They did not understand the pain of having one’s soul torn apart and reshaped. He would have welcomed death at that time. It would have been a blessing. Instead, they healed him just enough to try and kill him.

“They forced my hand.” His words barely reached her through the lump in his throat.

“Is this a joke!” She screamed. “You became the monster they had recognised!”

“Is that I am all to you? A monster.” He could take it no more, his sadness turned to burning anger.

For the first time since she was brought to him, there was fear in her eyes. That much he could understand, after all, his emotions were a physical manifestation. Flames had engulfed his eyes and the throne began to bleed a dark ooze.

“I became a monster for you! I saved you! I saved them!” There was no holding back his emotions. “I took this power just for you!”

He paused for a moment to reign in his emotions, less they engulfed him completely.

“A monster.” He repeated sadness in his voice once again. “Yes, I am a monster. I am the monster who destroyed all monsters. I trusted you all as friends, to have you stab me in the back. Was there anything you should have been unhappy about? No… I brought peace. I ended all wars. I reshaped the world. Just to make sure you were safe…”

“Peace!” She exclaimed. “You call this peace?! The world is your slave! The people dread you might turn your gaze on them!”

“I loved you…” He managed to squeeze the words through the lump in his throat.

She stared at him. Her mouth moved, trying to form words, but failing. Had she finally realised it? This was his chance.

“Yes, you heard me correctly. I loved you. I still do.” He softened his voice. There was no need to be vindictive. “A single command. That is all it would take for you to love me from the bottom of your heart… But there would be no point. It would be a false love, a forced love. I cannot do that to you, because it would not be you any longer.”

He paused once more. He enjoyed that shocked expression of hers. Finally, she understood her mistake.

“I never wanted this power, yet I took it. Even though I knew you all were simply using me. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. I knew you all took me in, only to exploit my talents. However, I never got angry about it. I did not hate you for it. I can never hate you.”

He leaned forward on his throne and offered her his hand.

“Please… I beg you, join me. You can be a goddess. You can be by my side. I… I need you… I will bring them back for you… Please, stand by me…” He felt his voice break. “I cannot continue without you…”

They stood like this for minutes. Frozen in time, frozen on a crossroad. She looked at him, really looked at him. Tears run down her eyes and she spoke in a soft voice, lacking any emotion.

“You are a monster. A cruel monster, nothing more.”

His outstretched hand felt heavy. His heart shattered. His biggest fear became manifest. Slowly he leaned back into his throne and placed a hand over his face to hide his pain.

“A monster… Yes, I am a monster.” He whispered. With a single motion, her body crumbled into dust. “But I am not cruel… I love you, even though you will hate me for eternity…”