I told him a hundred times what had happened that day. I didn't intend to hit him with a ladder. I didn't intend to damage his face, and I didn't intend to give him stitches and staples over the wounds that the ladder made when it smashed to his face. But does he care? No.

He and his friends won't stop until I pay twice the payment for what 'I' have done. Nor will they forgive my brother. Every day I feel as if they are waiting to strike, and they're waiting to kill us...to extract their revenge on us, to give them the satisfaction of righting the wrongs given to them.

And now I have had it. I want to protect my brother, I want to stop the hurt and pain. I will do anything to get away from them, I will go into the darkness and ask even for Satan's help for them to get away, seeing as God hasn't answered any of my prayers.

I'll even give up my own soul for that power...

A Change of Face

by Green Phantom Queen

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Prologue- Hidden Desire

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Scholars said that angels were just like humans. Sure, they did not need to eat, drink or sleep, but their bodies and souls were similar to a mortal's in every way, shape and form. This made them susceptible to the worst disease of all time.

Darkness.

They say that during an excavation in the area of Limbo, the virtue Diligence was shrouded in the illusion of Envy. He then killed his best friend, Chastity, all the while the virtue Kindness—his beloved—stood on. While that happened, trouble was alerted to the Hell keepers. Chiron of the Seventh Layer left the pits of Hell to speak up with the angels on all of the commotion that was going on. He had left Dis of the Sixth Layer to keep an eye out on the violent souls. Unfortunately, two of Dis's most violent souls got out, slaying him in the midst of the Seventh Layer.

Chaos soon reached a mighty peak, and it took the combined forces of Light and Darkness to stop the torture that was to come. The souls of the ones slain descended into to Earth, in order to become reborn as a human. Diligence was punished by God himself, pushed off the gates of heaven and fell to Earth. Falling, falling down until one of his own angel wings was stained black, and his ties to the Kingdom of Heaven were severed completely...until his punishment ends. As for Heaven and Hell, they still coexisted from time to time, and Envy—along with her 6 brothers and sisters—were vanished into the deepest recesses of darkness that could be found. All was peaceful in the world, and the Earth still continued its daily life, without knowing what was exactly going on.

Unfortunately, the peace did not last long...

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January 16th, 2006 6:46 PM

Matt Hardy grit his teeth in anger when he entered his locker room. Closing the door shut, his bright grey eyes were starting to glaze in anger and fury as he punched one of the lockers on his right. His fist connected with the metal, the two creating a loud thud, which bounced off within the walls of his isolated chamber. Sweat trickled from his brow as he wiped it away with his forearm.

"I have had it!" He yelled. "I am sick of those three attacking us! I am sick of them not listening! I want them to die!" The anger and frustration began to build in him as he screamed in fury in his small cubicle. Seconds passed, as he stared at the door panting, waiting for someone to enter. When no one came, the elder Hardy slumped onto a nearby chair and buried his head in his hands, cursing under his breath.

They must die. They all must die. He thought to himself. The two of us don't deserve this treatment. We didn't mean to hurt you. We didn't mean to, but you continued to attack us. You continued and continued to do so, and you didn't listen to us. We tried to be the better man, to accept what you've done and now...

Suddenly he heard knocking on the door, disrupting his train of thought. He stood up, walked to the door and opening it. He looked across the hall, seeing an arm motioning to come into the room that it was in. Matt pointed to himself, a bit confused as the hand started to bring in more freverent motions. Shrugging his shoulders, Matt walked up to the room, slowly opening the door. It was dark, so he could barely see what was inside.

"Um, hello?" He said. He was jerked inside by an arm, the door closing behind him. He was about to wring the arm off when the lights turn on. Matt was in a bit of shock when he saw Funaki in front of him, panting. Sweat had covered his shaky hands, as he took a deep breath.

"You want ultimate power, correct?" Matt nodded slowly, not understanding what was going on through the wrestling veteran's strange accent. Funaki gave a weak smile as he showed Matt a small wooden box. It was around the same size of a music box, with a strange design on the lock. It looked like a flying dragon wrapped around the keyhole. The wooden chest looked damaged; many scratches were already forming upon the polished sides.

"Take it," Funaki said, shoving the box into the Hardy's hands. "That thing...will give you the power you need to defeat your enemies. This power will make any wish come true."

"Any wish?" Matt murmured, fiddling with the keyhole. "Does this mean I can get revenge on MNM? I'll have the power to defeat them?"

"That and more," Funaki said softly. He looked left and right, darting his eyes to the door. "But whoever uses this item never comes out the same again. No matter what they ask for, no matter the desire in your heart, no matter how minor it is, there is no way to reverse it."

"But then why give it to me?" Was Matt's reply.

"Because," Funaki said, pushing him out of the room, opening the door once more. "You need it the most. I've had my chance, and I've never became the same again."

Matt used his feet to brace himself while Funaki pushed him closer and closer to the exit. "Your chance? You've been here for almost 10 years, and you only became Cruiserweight Champion. And let's not forget, you're about to turn 40 in two years. So why let me have it when you could have a better chance on a championship before you hang up your boots and retire?"

"I just told you why." Funaki snapped back at him. "I used up my one chance and now...Just get out of here! If they find out I gave it away, I will be in trouble." He panted a bit to himself seeing Matt out of his room, who was sporting a perplexed and confused look in his eyes.

"What do you mean--" Was the last words Matt said before Funaki slammed the door in front of the man's face. The Hardy brother looked back once more, and inhaled deeply. At the exhale, he looked at the chest, letting his fingers run across the scratches of the wood.

Excellent.... A voice whispered in his ear. Matt whirled his head behind, wondering what who was behind him. Not a single person was there. He just shrugged his shoulders as he walked away into his locker room, unaware of the wisp of shadow that had started to be released from the keyhole.

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A lone figure, silhouetted by the darkness of the moon and stars stood there. Stood there, as if he could stay there forever. Two beautiful feathery wings arched from his back, and draped on his was a white tunic. Gripped in his hands was a rusty sword, and surrounding his blonde hair was a crown of thorns. His eyes were glowing in hatred, a deep scowl on his face as he wiped off the blood on his cheek.

"You made a big mistake, you damn seraphim." He muttered, turning away. "Because unfortunately for you, I was able to take something before you pushed me off your lofty clouds you call 'home'".

He closed his eyes, concentrating on something as a circle of black smoke started to form behind him. As his chanting becamse faster, a figure rose from behind, locks of red spiky hair covering his green cat eyes, while a white collared buttoned shirt covered his torso, and a pair of black pants covered his legs. Black boots with silver studs were also on him while he had a cigarette in his mouth. Taking it out and letting out an exhale, the man smirked seeing the person.

"So," he said. "What pleasure do I have in seeing you this evening Di?" A soft wind blew across them, the man's red bangs covering his face like a red veil.

"Di" snapped his head around, angry at the name he was given. "Don't you ever call me that!" He barked at him. "You at least better be lucky that I got you out of your prison, or else you would've spent a VERY long time with your sister."

"She was the one who was scorned, I just pushed a guy into a river of muck and you put me as the same class as her?" The man said with a hint of sarcasm.

"That's because you were able to break free, but were too lazy to get your brethren out." A cold smirk crept on Di's face. "And that's why I need you. I want you to do me a favor..."

"I don't do favors for free, you know that." The man took a long drag from his cigarette before speaking. "So, what will I get in return? And just what is this 'wish' that you want from me?"

Di turned around, revealing to the man black makeup around his cold blue eyes. Stretching out his hand a small artifact began to appear. It was a silver locket, in the shape of a heart, with a small lock for a key to be placed in. With a flick of his wrist, it vanished, soon reappearing around the man's neck. An evil glint was in Di's eyes, baring a demonic grin staring at the man's look. A laugh escaped his throat as the moonlight revealed his wings, one white and one black.

The man smirked, rolling up his sleeves, revealing a tattoo of black and red flames on each arm. Walking up to Di, he licked his lips in hunger as the air around them started to become warmer. Di's eyes started to glow a soft yellow, like a set of glowing fireflies attracted to a candle. The man wrapped his arms around Di's neck, his red hair falling softly against Di's chest, hearing his soft heartbeat, getting a soft trail of kisses down his neck.

"And I thought you didn't like me," He whispered softly. "Are you saying you want to go there? To change yourself? To let me take over?"

"Of course," Di said, eyes lowering and a smirk on his lips. "But I don't want to attract attention, I'll have to call you Belphagor for now, until I can truly call you by your real name. And there is a good benefit for this little wish I asked from you, you know."

"And what's that?" Belphegor, slowly raised his head, nibbling on the shell of Di's ear gently. "You're stuck here for your sins, and you've given up any remainders from your Nirvana, and you became tainted, you're no longer pure." He smirked lazily at Di, running his hair against the thorny crown and golden tresses. "But I would want it that way, my light becoming so dirty and let his darker half take entrance, and become one."

"Stupid older cherubs," Di muttered. "They said when an angel accepts their darker half they become a "Nothing", because they are not sided to the light or darkness. And now is the right time to become one; I heard your father is about to arrive, and by doing so, he can open the gates to let your brothers and sister be free."

"And are you going to call them stupid pet names, or is that a privilege I get?" Di closed his eyes, wrapping his arms against Belphagor's neck, inhaling the scent of smoke into his lungs. Even if he was an angel, it felt so right to be in this person's arms, just standing there under the night sky. Running his fingertips through the ruby tresses, he felt the warmth from Belphagor's flesh burning through him; and he loved that feeling.

"You get that privilege because you're my half," Di said in a soft loving tone. "I'll call your family members pet names if they behave. But enough of that Belphagor, fuse with me. Now."

"As you wish." Di grit his teeth in pain as Belphagor's hands became covered in fire, pressing onto his angelic form. He tried to scream, but the pain wracked against his nerves as if a current of electricity was coursing through his veins. Slowly Belphagor pushed, and pushed until his body started to fuse with the angel's. Time slowly passed as Di's physical appearance changed: His tunic soon split, half of it become a shadow black, his blonde hair was tipped in a black and red hue, and his eyes shifted into a cat's eye shape. And with a last burst of strength, Belphagor thrusted himself into Di, a grey aura surrounding the two.

Di/Belphagor looked at his hands, wrapped around them were flame tattoos and on his neck was the silver heart necklace. A grin appeared on his face as he looked up at the night sky, as if looking down on the stars and moon shining upon him. Energy flowed into his body like a rush of heat as his wings started to extend, making him give the appearance of a gargoyle.

"Excellent...." He said at last.