Chapter 3: Signs

"Why you wanted to leave after dark is beyond me...it's dangerous out here if there are ghosts like that last one appearing."

"No complaining. With me here, you have nothing to worry about! Besides, the sooner we left, the better."

Ari groaned. This had the potential to be a nightmare. The full moon was overhead now, casting soft, silver light over the land. The shadows from everything seemed amplified, even from the grass blades.

"Pretty impressive, isn't it? I can stretch and darken shadows, if I so wish. Makes for an eery landscape, doesn't it?," Stan puffed out his chest.

"You're doing that? I shouldn't be too surprised." Ari smiled.

"With those shadows looking so threatening, nothing will dare approach us!"

"Are you sure about that?"

"Of course!"

Ari stifled a laugh. While the shadows were much darker and more intimidating, Ari did feel protected by them.

They continued on their way, stopping on occasion whenever one of them pointed out an interestingly timed shadow or sight. From time to time, Ari caught himself watching Stan's broad shoulders and tall back. He still found it hard sometimes to associate the powerful man before him as the goofy, floppy shadow that he used to be.

They walked on and on, until Ari's head began nodding and his feet were tripping over each other.

"Hmm? Should we stop already?," Stan turned and asked.

Ari yawned and nodded slowly. Stan glanced at the horizon stretching in front of him.

"Madril is the closest to us. Besides, we're not entirely sure where we're going to find these new evil kings. This is a good chance to see if we can eavesdrop on some people." Stan smirked.

"And stay at the inn?"

"Of course! I'll make sure you're well taken care of! Think you can hold out until then?"

"Yes, but...you're being nicer than usual, Stan...it's weird."

"W-Wha? I-I'm not! I'm still completely evil! But as my soon-to-be prince, you will automatically be treated as such!"

"You'd treat me worse if I wasn't?"

"Er...n-no! That's not what I meant! You're tricking me, slave!"

"Heh...you're all flustered." Ari stifled another yawn.

"Alright, let's get you to an inn! We'll research information tomorrow morning. No one out at this time, anyway."

Ari stumbled into Stan's back. The Evil King grinned and took Ari's hand, leading him down the path.

Madril's few lights twinkled in the distance. Just a bit further, a bit further and Ari could rest. The gates of the town finally loomed up in front of them, the giant gears parting to open the way. The town was dark and silent with no one outside. The clock in the town center read just a little bit before two o' clock in the morning.

Ari's knees buckled and he tripped, only to be caught by his arm by Stan. The jolt caused a momentary rush of adrenaline, snapping the boy into alertness.

"Do I need to carry you to the inn now?" Stan's hand was firm around Ari's arm.

"No, I'm okay!," Ari stammered, regaining his composure. "It's just right across the center any-...huh?"

The inn was indeed right where it normally had been, but the windows were dark, and the door boarded up. Ari and Stan exchanged glances before approaching the door. A tiny sign simply stating "closed" hung from a nail on one of the boards.

"That's a little strange, it was doing fine the last time we were here."

"That's business for you, slave! Either barely struggling or choking out others in the same area!," Stan laughed.

"Don't you find it even the slightest bit weird?"

"Not at all, but why do you ask?"

"It was the only inn here...surely it had enough customers..."

"Doesn't look like it's the only inn anymore, though...," Stan pointed to an alleyway across from the inn. A bright light shone from a street at the end of the alley. A sign fixed to the wall in the alleyway read "lodgings".

"I see...," an evil grin spread on the Shadow King's face. "Once again greed claims another business and forces it to close. I can feel evil brewing in this town once again."

"This is a little different than an evil king though. I guess we don't have much of a choice. Let's go."

The alleyway was much more narrow than they first anticipated. Stan stepped in slowly, almost having to hug the wall. He took Ari's hand and began leading him through the passage, growling any time his chest or knees bumped against the wall. Ari had a much easier time with the alley, only having to twist sideways in a few places.

"Putting it in such an inaccessible place is beyond me...," Stan grumbled, finally free of the tight alleyway.

Ari followed behind, trying his best not to laugh at the dirt on Stan's jacket. Sure enough, a large inn was nestled at the back of three buildings, which formed a box-like enclosure. Unless there was an entrance through one of the twisted, towering buildings, the alley was the only entrance.

Stan brushed at his dusty sleeves, looking the place up and down.

"Not bad...location sucks though."

"Was this place even here last time?"

"I'm not sure, but I'm merging with your shadow again before we leave through that crack in the wall. Good thing it's only for one night."

"Can you hear that? There's so many voices coming from inside. It must be really busy."

Stan's ears perked up and he nodded.

"Maybe there's more to this place than meets the eye."

"Alright, let's go check it out."

"That's my slave! Starting to think more like me!"

"As if, now come on."

Ari started towards the noisy and bright inn with Stan in tow. As they neared it, warmth could be felt from the building and raucous laughter erupted from the windows. Taking another glance at each other, Ari reached for the door and opened it.

A warm gust of air enveloped them and they stepped inside. They were met by a currently unoccupied front desk, the surface of it embellished with gears of multiple sizes. To the right they could see what seemed to be a bar, with stairs leading to the second floor in the far corner. The bar was packed with Madril's residents, mainly men, but a few women mingled in. All were cheery and welcoming, although that could be contributed to intoxication. Surprisingly enough, residents from both the upper and lower level or Madril were socializing.

An older man tending to the bar counter caught sight of Stan and Ari as they entered and rushed to the front desk.

"Welcome to Madril's newest inn! Traveling, are we?"

Ari nodded while Stan leaned across the desk, stating, "And we would like a room for the night."

"At the moment all of our rooms only have a double bed. We'll be upgrading soon to meet the demands of travelers like yourselves, but you must understand we're still in the renovation process. I hope this is alright?"

"Perfect! Isn't it, Ari?" Stan nudged the boy with his arm. The man gave them a strange look, which caused Ari to turn even redder than he already was.

"Alright, I'll just need you to sign this ledger here, and your room will be the third door on the left."

Ari dug out the right amount of sukel while Stan took the key and wrapped his free arm around Ari's shoulders, leading him through the crowded bar. Someone whistled as they passed. Ari thought he would die of embarrassment. Stan, however, couldn't have looked any prouder.

"Feel free to come down and join us after you've settled in!," the barkeep called after them as they began to ascend the staircase.

"Why did you have to do that?," Ari whined.

"Because you are mine, and everyone will know it."

"I'm not yours yet."

"You said 'yet'," Stan grinned.

"You know what I mean. Now everyone will be staring at us!"

"Let them stare! Soon they will know better than to mess with anyone associated with me!"

With this, Stan unlocked the door and escorted Ari inside.

"Alright, my slave, hop in the bed," Stan unfastened his jacket.

"You're not up to anything, are you?"

"Eager, boy? No no, nothing like that. I'm thinking I need to rest an hour or two as well. Your mind certainly jumps to interesting conclusions when you're tired." Stan pulled back the covers and patted the bed. Ari sighed, but removed his vest and belt. He was too tired to think of a comeback to Stan's statement.

The boy kicked off his shoes and climbed into the soft bed. Stan climbed in next to him, upsetting Ari's balance with the added weight. Ari fell backwards onto his pillow as Stan pulled up the blankets.

"I'll be up in an hour or two, then I'll head downstairs to gather some information. People are always more willing to talk when they're drunk." Stan grinned.

"Will you be alright on that little sleep?" Ari realized that he had never seen Stan even sleep before, since the blond man had left immediately after regaining his form.

"I'm an Evil King, sleep is not a high priority. I could run off of five minutes if I had to." Stan settled himself on the pillows.

Ari shrugged and nestled down into the blankets, facing towards the wall. Stan slid down next to him, turning the lamp off in the process. Ari felt the man's warmth near his back. His foot brushed Stan's and he tucked his knees up to his chest.

"Relax, Ari...I told you I wasn't going to do anything...," Stan drawled, sleepiness beginning to show in his voice.

Ari relaxed his legs, once again brushing his foot against Stan's foot. He fought the reflex to jerk his foot away, but his heart continued to race. One thing was certain, sleep would not come easy that night.

Shortly after the town's clock had struck five, Stan stirred. He lay blinking in the dark and yawned, stretching his stiff muscles. Looking to his right, he saw Ari was still asleep, but was now facing him. Stan grinned and resisted the urge to brush Ari's hair from his face. The emotions the Evil King had been feeling for the boy were new and complex, but he vowed to himself that he could convince Ari that he could love, and that being loved by someone such as himself would be amazing.

Stan carefully climbed out of the bed and pulled his jacket on. Now that it was early morning with the sun not even risen yet, hopefully a one-on-one talk with the innkeeper would be possible. So naturally Stan was surprised when he came downstairs to find the bar still as active as it was around two o' clock. Some of the patrons, if not all of them, were there from before. They cheerfully greeted Stan as he strode towards the bar, extending invitations to have him at their table.

'Perhaps news of my conquests have yet to reach this part of the world,' Stan thought as he turned down a third invitation. 'Otherwise they would be shaking in fear!'

Stan selected a stool at the bar counter situated away from everyone, at least as much as he could in the crowded room. The innkeeper took notice of him and approached.

"So, what brings you and your young friend here?"

"I'm glad you asked. Actually...we're on a search for the rumored new evil kings. Perhaps you've heard something about them?"

The man's face paled, but he didn't seem too concerned.

"We haven't had anything like that since the Sewer Evil King. Come to think of it, didn't we have that Teen Idol Evil King too? We definitely don't need anymore though, good riddance! The two heroes that drove them away a few years ago have our thanks! Or was it three heroes the second time?"

Stan stiffened. He realized he had been a shadow at the time, but how dare they not recognize his part in that! Not that he was a hero or anything.

The barkeep noticed Stan's sour expression. Deciding to change the subject, the old man grabbed a glass and poured a dark red liquid into it. He set it down in front of Stan.

"How did you and your companion enjoy the inn last night?"

"I'm sorry, I don't have the money for this...," Stan eyed the drink The mystery glass looked expensive.

"Don't worry, my friend! The first glass is on the house! But we'll charge after that. Feel free to take a glass up to your companion too!"

"He's a few years too young to be drinking yet," the Evil King laughed as he took a hesitant sip. He struggled not to choke on it and spit it out immediately. It was sickeningly sweet, with hardly a hint of alcohol in it. No wonder the residents were in the bar so long, it must have taken a long time just to feel tipsy! Stan pushed away the drink.

"Nothing strange has been going on anywhere near here?"

"Hmm...nope, nothing at all."

Stan raised an eyebrow. No strange occurrences at all? Even though the countryside was crawling with ghosts? The peace currently resting over Madril seemed too peaceful...

Ari stretched as he opened his eyes. Although still tired, he felt considerably more rested than when they had arrived. He then noticed that Stan wasn't next to him. Ari glanced around for a clock, discovering it was just after six thirty. Just when Ari began wondering if he should go downstairs to search for the Evil King, Stan burst through the door, giggling slightly when it bounced back towards him. Ari stared in disbelief as the demon closed the door with his foot and stumbled towards the bed. Had he been drinking?! Stan fell forward into the covers with a grunt and met eyes with Ari, who continued to stare incredulously.

"Stan, did you go downstairs and drink? What happened to gathering information?"

"Bu' Ari, I only had a sip, I swrrr...," Stan slurred, doing his best to concentrate on the boy's face. "It jus' hit me outta nowhere!"

"Yeah right...I didn't take you for that type...should have guessed though. I'll go down myself...," Ari began to get up, only to find himself being pushed back against his pillow by powerful arms.

Stan swayed over him, pinning him down by his shoulders. The demon's strength was overwhelming. His face was so close that Ari could smell the sweet alcohol on his breath. The smell disappeared and was replaced by another overwhelming sensation, this time warmth. Stan's lips were pressed against Ari's, firm yet gentle. The boy's eyes widened and he gave a yelp of surprise in the back of his throat. The yelp quickly turned into a gasp when he found Stan's hand had snaked its way up his shirt.

"Wa-Wait, Stan! What happened to not doing anythi-ah!"

Stan' hand had brushed over a particularly sensitive spot along Ari's sternum, causing the young man to shiver. Stan's mouth had now found its way to Ari's throat. In his just awakened state, it was so tempting to slide his eyes closed and let Stan sweep him away in his pace. Ari let out a sigh...

And just as soon as it had started, it ended. Stan swayed a bit more and rolled off to Ari's side, fast asleep. The boy blinked a few times, suddenly very aware of the heat in his face and his heavy breathing. The heat intensified as anger built up in Ari's chest, tears stinging his eyes. The sweet taste of Stan still filling his mouth, the boy turned to him.

"Stan, you stupid, idiotic, drunkard of an evil king! Of all the things you could be stupid enough to do, I never expected anything like th-"

A sudden dizziness swept over Ari, blacking his vision out at an alarming rate. His building panic quickly died as he slipped down next to Stan, passing out.

A strange sound was the first thing Ari noticed cutting into his sleep. He very badly wanted to block out the rhythmic sound, but it was steadily growing louder. After a particularly loud slapping sound, Ari's eyes shot open. His head felt groggy and heavy, his eyes barely wanting to stay open. The boy made a move to rub at his forehead, only to discover his wrists were tied together with rough rope. Fear gripped his chest, discovering his ankle were also bound in the same fashion.

Ari sat and tried to calm his breathing, taking the chance to examine his surroundings. The room he was in was dim with only a little light filtering in. Large barrels laying on their sides in front of him turned out to be the source of the repetitive sound. A dark red liquid was dripping slowly from the bottom end of the barrel, splashing lightly into a small puddle on the dirt floor. The source of the light came from holes drilled into the wall through which the barrel's taps had been fixed through. It appeared to be a backroom of the inn, somewhere behind the bar.

Stan...

Ari darted his eyes around the room, finding Stan's form to his left. His master seemed to be in the same state he was in. At the moment, Stan still seemed to be asleep, his head bowed to his chest. Maybe he really wasn't drunk this morning. But what has happened then? Was it a spell of some kind? Just as Ari pondered this, a door at the far end on the room opened, blinding him temporarily.

"Awake now?"

The voice belonged to the innkeeper. His face was visibly distressed as he wrung his hands, but he made no move to step closer to the pair.

"Are you the one that tied us up?," Ari accused, a fierce glare replacing his confused expression.

"W-Well, I mean...I did, but...it-it wasn't my choice!," the man stammered. "The evil king, he...he ordered it!"

"And here I thought you said there wasn't one in the town. What a dirty liar you are." Stan lifted his head, a demonic smile spread across his face. The mere sight of it sent a strange chill down Ari's spine.

"Care to explain why you've lied to the Great Evil King?"

"Y-You're Stan?! I knew I shouldn't have taken this job! Please spare me, my boss ordered me to!"

Ari swore he saw Stan's chest swell with some sort of egotistic pride.

"I'll spare you...slightly. Just tell me who your boss is, and pending on your answer, I'll decide your fate."

"I-I can't tell you that, he'll-"

The air began to crackle dangerously. Any light that dared to show through faded away, with the only thing still visible in the room being the glow from Stan's eyes. The molten gold flashed as he spoke.

"Whatever your boss threatened you with, it is nothing compared to what I can do."

The man gulped, visibly weighing his options. Finally, with a heavy sigh, he spoke.

"My boss...the evil king currently residing in this town, was responsible for monopolizing the business off the inn and taverns...he wants the townspeople all gathered here in one place."

"And why is that?," Stan growled.

"I believe I can answer better than this lowly minion."

The innkeeper's shadow stretched as a taller figure stepped behind him in the doorway.