Mephis shuddered. The deep rumble of thunder rolling across the land sent shivers down his spine. He stood by the window with his eyes closed. The cliffs below. Yes, it was certainly not a mistake to move into the castle above the city.
The view was just wonderful.
Like many nights with a full moon, he had already stood at that window, staring out at the sky for hours, completely overwhelmed by the beauty of the moon.
The thunderstorm seemed to be getting closer, because the distances between the lightning and the thunder grew smaller and smaller. He couldn't wait for the storm to sweep over the castle.
But he should soon find out that he would be disappointed this time, because the storm took a different route. Sighing, he opened his ruby ​​red eyes and looked wistfully after the storm.
The clouds cleared and gradually the sky became clearer and clearer. The stars literally danced their merry dance in the sky, while the demon just continued to stare out of the old castle window.
For so many years nothing, absolutely nothing, had changed. He loved this castle, as well as the night sky and the woods. But he also hated them too. This land that never changed no matter how much time went by.
Was this the price he paid for immortality?
Or would something change someday in his eternal life?
What was it that he was measuring?
Didn't he have everything a man could want?
He was rich, had many servants and, above all, beautiful maids.
He was never alone unless he wished to be.
And yet he felt strange. What was that feeling?
Was that the loneliness that people spoke of so fearfully?
But he was an ancient, powerful demon. Why should he have the same feelings as a human? People were stupid, foolish, and weak fools.Not more.
What did they know about loneliness and security? Of love and hate?
Mephis had seen so much of all of this over the years, centuries, even millennia. Wasn't he more experienced? Shaking his head, he turned from the window and sat down on one of the antique-looking leather armchairs.
Before he knew it, he jumped up again and ran out of the room. He stormed down the stairs into the entrance hall, opened the heavy gates in a single push. Then he ran.
He ran and ran and ran. Without a real goal in mind. Soon he had reached the whale that protected the castle. He instinctively found the path that the messengers always took. It was the only way up from the town to the castle.

A whimper ripped the demon out of his bloodlust. Where did this sound come from?
It was the middle of the night! Who would be leaving town at this time?
Confused and curious, the demon followed the whimper. To his surprise, he came to a clearing in the forest. The view became a little clearer as the light of the stars could now light up his way a little.
"Who are you…?"
Startled, he raised his head and grabbed his belt, on which he always carried a dagger. However, he paused when that whispering, grief-stricken voice spoke again.
"Who are you?"
This time a little more solid in the sound.
Mephis straightened up again, but by no means relaxed. As long as the demon didn't know who was talking to him there, it was a potential danger. Man or woman, it was the same. For at that time a man's word was worth as much as a woman's loyalty. Nothing. Honor had become completely useless. For most of them a foreign concept.
Live or die. Eat or be eaten. In this world the law of the strong counted.
"Who are you? Are you going to betray me?"
He knitted his eyebrows. How was he supposed to betray someone he couldn't even see?And what use could he get from it?
So he cocked his head a little and barely noticeably shrugged his broad shoulders.
"No, I won't betray you. Now come out."
There was silence for a while, then he heard the whimpering sound one last time, followed by a rustle and a throat clearing.
"Here I am," came the voice again.
Not far from him a shadow had actually appeared. A woman's silhouette. But he had already heard that from her voice.
Questions arose to the demon. Why was a woman alone in the woods at night? Why did she cry? Could she be one of those poor souls to whom honor was really worth something and whose husband she loathed for it?
With a quick shake of his head, he threw away all suspicions.
"What are you doing here?" The demon asked the woman. His voice was muffled, but it was hard and cold and heartless.
"I am waiting to die," replied the woman. Her eyes filled with tears again, which Mephis could not see.
"But ... But" again the woman broke into sobs again. "But he hates me! He doesn't want me!"
This exclamation confused the demon.
Wasn't it the people who preached about immortality because they strived for it so much and yet never got it?
"Or ... Or are you my angel of death? Will you lead me to the other side? Are you the good soul who will take care of me?"
Mephis shook her head at so much human stupidity. A human life was worth nothing in his eyes. It was so short. So why quit? It would end one way or another in maybe half a century if the woman got that old.
"Tell me the reason you want, woman. Why should I be so gracious to take your life?"
"Because life is not worth it. What is a life without love worth? A life without affection and fun ... What is it worth if the heart only feels cold?Why should I live when I'm already dead anyway? "
Her answer startled the demon. For a long time he thought about what the woman had said while she quietly crept closer and looked at him.
Full of fascination, the woman looked at the fine scar over his left eye, the silvery line on almost white skin.
"I live too ..." said Mephis. Mumbling softly, more to himself than to the woman, who had been a little shocked when he suddenly began to speak.
"Are you happy?" She asked him back.
"Happy? I have everything to be happy."
“ARE you happy?” The look of her sapphire colored eyes literally pierced him as she glared at him and urged him to be honest. To her and to yourself.
The demon thought for a long time again, not realizing that the night was gradually giving way to the dawn.
"Do you know what happiness is?" Mephis asked the woman back.
"Yes I know that."
"Then tell me what is happiness? How does it feel?"
"Well ...", the woman began and sat down in the damp grass, directly in front of the demons, "Happiness cannot be bought and also cannot be forced. Happiness is to have found someone who feels like you. Someone who feels the same Fate shares. To know that you are not alone in this world. That is happiness. "
Confused, Mephis looked down at the woman. Didn't she just want to die? Why did she now speak so longingly of happiness?
"And how do you know what happiness is? Then why are you not happy?"
"Really, its me."
"Since when?"
"Since just now," she said, giving the demon a warm smile.
"Why?" He asked.
"Because you are like me. Because we share the same fate."