In the darkest of hearts and the saddest of souls, with but only a sliver of light illuminating their eyes, all can see that the evil deeds undone may not truly be evil indeed. The darkness consuming a person’s heart may not truly have consumed it whole. The devil’s whispers may not completely control his mind, but his heart has a desire and passion that no power on earth can destroy. Something so blinding and more controlling than the devil’s temptations, his heart is forced to abide to its whim. This human’s actions may be controlled by none other than by the sheer power known as love.

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He stared at her eyes, and she stared at his. They watched as tears flowed down each other’s faces. They longed to hold each other again, but fate would not allow it.

A heart-shattering feeling erupted through their veins. It could not be. This could not be the end. He was a fool to let such a thing happened. They were so close, yet so far. He could almost touch her, but he could not even touch the hem of her dress. He saw her eyes slowly fade. This was his price for denying Death its desire. His own life he had saved, but at what cost? The cost of the one he loved. He was frozen to the spot. He was unable to move. All he could do was stand there and watch his beloved be taken by Death.

A great doorway, made up of bones and graveyard dirt with the pungent smell of death, stood in front of him. His love, wild-eyed, petrified, and misunderstanding, only yelled for him to save her. Bony arms held her, pulling her into the doorway. He could see Death himself standing on the other side, smiling wickedly at him in its triumph. The doors slammed shut and disappeared. He was free and fell to his knees, shaking with irrepressible sobs. The thought of killing her was already too much for him to bear, but the last thing was what broke the rest of him down. As the doors swung closed, a small voice was heard. The sweet, sweet voice that would forever haunt his mind and follow him till death. The voice of the one he loved uttered but one phrase.

“I love you no matter what.”