“The problem is not the problem; the problem is your attitude about the problem.” – Captain Jack Sparrow.

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Lucian gave Zamiel a confused look when his daughter left. Zamiel detected a hint of doubt in the demon’s eyes. He was questioning how he was doing things, but he didn’t say anything because he knew he didn’t do anything better himself. He had also let his daughter go, so he couldn’t blame anyone else.

Hazel was very sad, but she didn’t look at him with doubt or resentment. To his surprise, she crossed the distance between them and took his hand in hers. “You are not upset with her, are you? She suffered with you while you were suffering. She died on the inside. I saw her empty eyes. She was even willing to give you up, just to end your suffering. Are you giving up on her?”

Zamiel had no doubt that Heaven suffered as much as him, if not even more. No one knew the feeling of seeing your loved one hurt more than him and not be able to do anything. It was something he never wanted Heaven to go through, and that was the reason he let her go. He couldn’t be selfish and force her to stay, just because he was willing to go through the same pain again.

If he got hurt, he could always assure her that it wasn’t her fault, but if anything happened to anyone in her family, then there would be nothing he could do to assure her. She would blame herself forever.

Besides, letting her stay and assuring her all the time wasn’t working. It wasn’t effective. Letting her go, on the other hand, would confuse the devil. Zamiel knew that Heaven had a plan. She was going to get closer to her grandfather to know his ways. She couldn’t do it from where she was. She had to go to him. He was surprised by her way of thinking, but it wasn’t a bad idea.

“I am not giving up on her. I am only trusting and respecting her decision.” He said.

She shook her head. “It is a bad decision.”

“It is a logical one.” He replied. He couldn’t believe he was agreeing with Heaven. He should have been panicking and going crazy. Lock her in somewhere, if he had to. But he let her go.

He either did the right thing or the near death experience messed with his mind.

Once he got back home, he smelled Heaven’s scent. A smile curved his lips, and he shook his head. She failed at pretending to not care. He looked around to find what she took from him. He knew she took something with her that belonged to him before she left. He owned so many things, so he couldn’t tell what she took away, except for herself.

He didn’t own her, but she belonged with him. His other half was missing now.

Zamiel looked outside the window and up into the sky. It was clear blue, but not as blue as the one he saw in heaven. He remembered his daughter. Micah. She was a grown woman now. He was still in awe of her. Of her beauty, her kindness, and even her wisdom. The words she said to him before he left had stuck with him. She told him to not give up on life easily and to live as long as he could. Heaven could wait, but life only came once. Some people never got the chance to live, like herself, so he shouldn’t choose to die when he still could live.

It pained him to hear those words, but it also opened his eyes. Some people didn’t want to live and others never got the chance to live. Some only existed and others lived their lives to the fullest. People couldn’t control what happened in their lives, but they could control how they react to the things that happened to them. Maybe that is why he felt so calm now.

He was also calm, because he knew Gamila and Micah were somewhere safe and they were happy. She had told him that sadness didn’t last more than a brief moment in heaven.

“We are happy and we have everything we need.” She assured him.

Once, they had been his responsibility. It had been his duty and his pleasure to protect and provide for them. But God decided to take back what he had given him. Now, they were under God’s protection. They were in heaven.

But Heaven was on earth and just like his family had been given to him by God, so was Heaven. Now, as long as he or she lived, she was his responsibility. It was his duty to protect her. He couldn’t choose to die now, when he had chosen to live once. He chose to live the day he disappeared before Heaven could stab him.

Because of his daughter, never again would he wish to die. Death would come one day without wishing for it, so he would live. He would live for himself, for his daughter who never got to live long, and for Heaven.

To die for someone, you only needed to find courage once. But to live for someone, you needed to have courage every day.

Zamiel watched the sky change color. He had been standing and watching for too long, deeply lost in thoughts. The sun was setting, painting the sky with warm shades of orange and pink.

When the sun rises again, it would be a new day. A new day to behave differently and cause confusion. He would put his theories to test to see the devil’s reaction. Lucifer liked to know everything, to feel like he was in control. It was time to take the control away from him and make him feel like he knew nothing.

The next day Zamiel went to the castle to meet Lucian. He wasn’t surprised to find him with Roshan, but there was another demon present. An ancient demon. Darius Golchin. He was well known in the trading world, but most ancient demons knew of each other.

Zamiel knew they were discussing Heaven and her grandfather and they included him in the discussion. Roshan agreed with Zamiel to let Heaven go until they found a solution, but Lucian wasn’t hopeful.

“What can we possibly do?” He asked.

“The devil took without giving. Heaven always says it’s give and take.”

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