This is the last chapter of To be or Not To Be. It is also most likely the end of the series. Most likely, but it has a very open ending. I might pick it up again in the future. That chance is very small, though.

Disclaimer: not mine

Warnings:... Well, that would give the entire chapter away. But it is related to the title of both the story and this last chapter

Enjoy!

Human (Epilogue)

oOoOoOo

"He has been asking for you," the voice of his sire came from behind him. He just shrugged in response, even as he softly stroked Roäc's feathers. He had been lounging lazily on top of a very high building enjoying the view over a large city he couldn't remember the name of. Not that he cared for the city, he just enjoyed the sight in front of him. He enjoyed the slight wind in his hair. He enjoyed the large amount of truly delicious souls he could eat without having to try very hard to find something. But most of all, he enjoyed the feeling of true freedom. He was no longer bound to the earth as he had been when he had just been another weak, wingless, pathetic, mortal, human being.

"He procured some very nice souls for you," the older demon continued with a dark purr in his tone, "very rich, almost like a fine red wine or dark chocolate. I believe you shall enjoy them immensely."
"What does he want now?" he asked with faint amusement even as he turned around to meet his sire's amber-reddish eyes, "I already left him alive all those years ago – granting him near immortality at that – and did not kill the rest of his army or those of his followers he sent after me."

Both of them had not changed at all. The older demon was still dressed in his neat butler suit and he still took care of his every need, even though he was no longer a 'little demon', or human. Mostly, he still had his bad days during which his nearly lost humanity reared its annoying head.

He himself looked exactly the same as well. His clothes were still rich, and they were still according to the height of wizarding fashion. His eyes were still a vibrant green, though they did tend to turn the same hellish red as his sire's every once in a while.

They were both also deemed extremely attractive in the eyes of their prey, something his sire had always been and something he had had to grow into.

"I believe he misses his master," the amber-reddish eyes flashed a hellish red in wicked amusement. He could feel his own eyes do the same. Voldemort has miscalculated rather badly. The fact that a piece of his soul had made its way into his body during the attack on All Hallow's Eve all those years ago had not turned him into a mindless, demonic slave forced to do his every bidding as soon as he had ascended. Nor had it been devoured as the older demon had expected. Their souls had grown together too tightly for that.

The horcrux inside of him had bound the two of them together as master and slave, but not the way Voldemort had expected. The demon hadn't been bound to the human. No, the near-human had been bound firmly to the newly born demon.

He had wanted to kill the snake-like man after he had finally managed to regain his strength. But two things had stopped him. The first thing had been his sire. The older demon had pointed out that he could either kill Voldemort and be forced to eventually devour those he had fought so hard for to defend. Or he could leave his new slave alive and have him find those depraved or depressed enough that they tasted good. The second thing that had stopped him had actually been his own instincts. The man had become part of his murder. Granted, he was at the very bottom, but he was his. That, and he was amusing with his tantrums and his small acts of rebellion.

"Hm, I guess I could visit him," he murmured dryly, "see what he has been up to since the last time I had to threaten him to behave."
That had been little over a decade ago, and it had been both beautifully gruesome and horrendously amusing.

His sire stalked closer until he was leaning against the same part of the structure he was lounging against – a chimney of some kind. His gloved hand fell down upon his head and he almost tenderly carded his hand through his hair. He nearly purred at the pleasant feeling that small show of affection brought him.

He had learned not long after he had matured that his sire's behaviour towards him was considered odd by the rest of the demons. Demons were loners by nature, and they rarely had young. And if they had, they raised them just long enough until they could take care of themselves. They fed them and they defended them, but that was where their 'care' stopped.

His sire had been taking care for him far beyond that point, and he had done more for him than any 'normal' demon would ever consider. Even now, when he had been a nearly fully matured demon for decades. His sire still bathed him, still clothed him, still fed him, still healed his wounds when he got hurt, and he still provided him with entertainment when needed.

He just went with it. His lingering humanity – the piece of him that he had fought for so hard, and which had slotted nearly neatly with his new nature – demanded the company lest he become lonely.

But some days his humanity returned with full vengeance. Those days were rare, and became more rare with every decade he was alive. But they were there. And they were terrible for the young, broken, lonely, kind-hearted boy he had once been. Because that young, broken, lonely, kind-hearted boy would be confronted with every single thing he had done since before his change of species. He would be confronted with every single, thoughtless murder because someone had been in his way. With every single broken soul because of his entertainment. With every single friend he had killed because he had been hungry and they had been provided to him. With every being – human or otherwise – he had tortured to see what their reaction would be. With every unforgivable sin – not those created by humanity as a whole, but those he had created for himself – he had ever committed.

One day, that young, broken, lonely, and kind-hearted boy would disappear fully. He would seize to exist completely. There was no question about that. And that day would come soon, he could feel it in his bones and the very depths of his soul.
But. Would his former humanity take the new him with him as he disappeared? He now knew multiple ways to end his own existence. It was not that hard actually. And he would not be the only one who would disappear if he were to seize to exist.

His end would also mean the end of Voldemort as they were bound so very firmly together. His end would also bring about the destruction of the demon currently still tenderly carding his hand through his hair as the being cared too much about him. It would not destroy him physically, but it would shatter him completely mentally.

That knowledge was firmly rooted in the same part of him that also housed the remnants of his humanity. It was that knowledge that would let him win the game the two males had started so very long ago. He could still win. It would be the ultimate victory for his human self.

He would find out soon enough. For now, he had a dark lord turned slave to deal with. And a whole world he could play with.

I hope you guys enjoyed this series. It has taken a while to write everything, but I am rather happy with how it turned out.
I would like to thank everyone who stuck with me to the end.

Reviews are always appreciated.

~Marwana