The work often starts by exalting the person's talent but ends by destroying their character or relationships.
"I don't need to take it back," the man said, turning to leave. "The ten years are up. Your hands are yours again." devils_work
The man smiled, and for the first time, Elias saw the "Devil's Work" for what it truly was. It wasn't the evil he had done; it was the humanity he had traded away for the sake of being "perfect." The work often starts by exalting the person's
"I don't want your soul, Elias," the man said, his voice smooth as polished marble. "That’s a poet’s fiction. I want your work. I want the next ten years of your hands." Your hands are yours again
The devil often offers a way to bypass the struggle and patience required for genuine growth.
Theology suggests the "work" is meant to keep individuals from their divine purpose through addiction, pride, or fear. If you'd like to explore this further, I can:
On the eve of the tenth year, the man returned. He found Elias sitting in the center of his greatest achievement, a marble palace that was freezing despite the summer heat. "Ten years," the man whispered. "You’ve done well."
