Chapter 4: The Mixing Evil King
A tall, lean man with flowing gray robes and mousy brown, long hair stepped gracefully into the room. A cat-like grin spread across his face at the sight of Stan and Ari.
"Welcome to the new Madril Inn! I expect that your stay was to your liking?"
"Cut the crap, who are you and what do you plan to do to this town?," Ari finally spat out. Stan gave him a short surprised glance.
"Oh? A fiery one, aren't you? Surprising, if I recall, you're the overshadowed deviant, aren't you?"
Ari's face reddened, but Stan was the surprised one.
"Wait, why are you referring Ari to his old classification status?"
"Hmm?," the man tilted his head. "Don't you know? This story isn't over, not for you two. While the world might be going on as usual, you deviants just had to activate a new plot."
"Activate a new plot?! What are you talking about, you suckling?!," Stan bellowed.
"Ah-uh, address me as an evil king." The man wagged his finger. "And you...," the evil king pointed at Stan. "You activated this new plot the moment you opened that book in the World Library."
"That's...I...," Stan stammered, then fell silent.
"That's right. And all of the other evil kings along with myself know what you're up to. You're gathering power for that boy to make him into a powerful lackey, aren't you? If you ever lost your powers again, you'd need some kind of power source, wouldn't you?"
Ari's eyes widened. Stan saw his expression, the demon's face growing red in his building rage.
"That is NOT why I'm collecting power! It's none of your business anyway! Just wait until I get my hands on you!"
"Well that's the thing...you won't. Remember? Your hands are bound. You won't be doing anything to me. Especially since you drank my special concoction. I hope you enjoyed that?"
"Stan...," Ari's eyes were widening in fear now.
"I had a sip. A SIP. It was hard to stomach something so sweet. What the hell was that, anyway?"
"That was a special creation of my own. It's got this whole town enraptured." The man grinned. "And soon you two will be as well. You see, I can create whatever I want as long as I have two things to mix. I am the Mixing Evil King, after all."
There was a small silence before a snort erupted from Stan. "Mixing Evil King? Is that even power worthy?" He nudged Ari with his elbow.
"You should stop laughing and listen up, Stan," the evil king grinned again.
Immediately Stan was silenced. A slight panic settled over the Great Evil King's face as he and Ari simultaneously realized what the drink did.
"Now now, don't worry. Pending on how much you drink, it could take as little as an hour to wear off. Good thing I made it so potent. What was it you said you had? A sip? That will take at least a day. That's how it began with most of the fools in this town. All I had to do was tell them to enjoy more, and they fell right into my hands. And how about you?," the man turned to Ari. "How much did you drink? You passed out from it, so you must have had some."
Ari's face flushed despite the panic he was feeling. He hadn't had any of it, but Stan just had before he...
"None! The boy had none! He just passed out from exhaustion! You're thinking way too highly of yourself!" Stan sputtered out, breaking free from the order given to him.
A strangely gleeful look glinted in the evil king's eyes. "Already resisting my powers? How wonderful, I'll just need to go and mix something a little more powerful. Better get you some too." The man patted Ari's head. Stan audibly growled as Ari flinched back.
A sudden loud thud from the other side of the wall caught the attention of everyone. Someone was banging on the bar counter and shouting. The innkeeper stepped around the door frame, disappearing for a few moments, before returning.
"A patron is asking to see the owner of the establishment, sir." The innkeeper stuttered.
"Oh? Another potential drunk slave for me? Very well, I shall return soon to convert these two as well. Make sure you close the door."
"Y-Yes sir!," the frightened man trembled as the evil king passed him. As he began to shut the door, Stan kicked his feet towards a loose stone on the floor. It managed to reach the door frame, but it ricocheted unsuccessfully off to the side. The door was shut and locked behind the innkeeper.
"Dammit! I hoped I could block the door!," Stan kicked his legs, but his ankles remained bound.
"Hey...," Ari began, thinking back to the kiss, but thought better of it, instead choosing to ask, "Why did you say I didn't drink any?"
"I figured he'd go make some for you if he thought you weren't under his influence." Stan spat at the ground, visibly disgusted that he had momentarily lost control from the earlier command. "You only had a mist at best, hopefully at least yours has worn off. He mixed that pretty well for me to not detect the magic in it."
They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a bit. A tidbit from the conversation between the evil king and the angry patron caught Ari's attention.
"...missing spouses...here last...demand...back rooms..."
They were wanting to see the back rooms? Ari scooted forward on his bottom, dragging himself forward with his feet.
"What're you doing, slave?," Stan watched in confusion.
"I think whoever they're talking to wants to look at the store rooms. If we get their attention, we might get help!" Ari kicked at the wall with all his strength.
"As humiliating as a Great Evil King being rescued sounds, you might be on to something there. But it might be more effective to do this!"
Stan lurched forward from the wall, kicking at one of the barrels in front of him. It rattled as the alcohol inside sloshed around, the top clanging around the edges of the hole it was in. A sudden silence from the outer room indicating that they had been heard.
"See? There we go, now that angry patron will have the door unlocked for us. And then we can go kick that evil king's ass!," Stan smirked.
Rushed footsteps rounded their way to the door. The doorknob rattled, and then heavy kicks battered the door. Stan and Ari jumped when a blade slashed through the middle door panel, however.
"Oh hell no...," Stan's face paled.
The blade slashed down, cutting the door clean in half lengthwise. The right side remained locked, but the left side swung open on the hinges. Instead of being bathed in the darkness of a shadow from the door, a pink sheen filtered through.
"Rosalyn!," Ari cried.
"Huh? Is that you, Ari?," the heroine blinked, struggling to see through the dark.
"Yes! Please, untie us!"
" 'Us'? Who else...?," Rosalyn's eyes widened when she recognized Stan's form.
"STUPID EVIL KING?!"
"...Hello, washbowl woman," Stan replied in a monotone voice. "Long time, no see. Thankfully."
"Could you two squabble later? Rosalyn, cut us free before-" Ari was cut off as he noticed the form of the Mixing Evil King looming behind her. With a wicked grin, he yanked her parasol from her hand and broke it in half over his knee. Rosalyn let out a surprised cry as she dodged forward.
"You insolent scoundrel! How dare you grab me!"
"Pink shadow, I see. You must be the hero, Rosalyn! A pleasure to meet you!," the evil king gave a little bow before stepping into the room.
"Tch...as polite as you are, I can't say the feeling's mutual." Rosalyn lept towards Stand and Ari, cutting their bonds with her rapier. The two pulled their hands and ankles free of the rope, but the Mixing King didn't seem concerned.
"Come on, you two. We need to settle this missing citizens case!," Rosalyn turned back to the man, her blade ready.
Ari stood easily, but Stan wobbled as he stood, catching onto the wall to support himself.
"Dammit...that stuff still hasn't worn off? Bastard of an evil king...," Stan grit his teeth, but his wicked grin did not waver. "Fine, we'll just have to do this the hard was, won't we?"
The demon took a shaky step into the light cast by the open door and onto Ari's shadow. The boy shivered as the familiar feeling of Stan sinking down into his shadow swept over him. In the next instant, Stan's floppy shadow jumped from Ari's. He waggled his talon-like fingers mischievously.
"Now that feels better! Never thought I would say that though. Alright boy, if you want to start this off with some of my magic, you'll have to answer one of my questions correctly!"
"Stan, not this again, we really don't have the time!," Ari replied as he reached for his sword hidden underneath his vest.
"Too bad! Now tell me, what traits does the man who sweeps you off of your feet have?"
Ignoring the scandalous glances from Rosalyn, Ari paused, and answered," He'd be tall, dark, and devilishly handsome, I suppose."
"Oh? Confessing your love finally?"
"Nope, you wish. I'm just answering what I thought you'd like to hear. At least enough to cast Burning Devil on this evil king."
"Fair enough," the Great Evil King gave his jack-o'-lantern grin. A dark, fiery aura built up from the edges of his shadow. "Let's begin, then".
The aura surged forward and surrounded the evil king, blasting a hole through the wall in the process. Rosalyn blinked the dust out of her eyes, doing her best to ignore what Stan had said, ignore what Ari had said. There would be time to be angry about that later.
The blast from the wall sent panicked bar patrons fleeing to the doors, along with the stumbling innkeeper. A few remained to gather in front of the inn, glancing curiously through the windows. It was no surprise that the Mixing Evil King rose from the rubble. The real surprise was his lack of injuries.
"Tsk tsk, little deviants. You'd be surprised how wonderfully dust can heal you, with a little magic mixed in, of course." He gestured to Stan, who flailed his arms in frustration.
"Are you serious?! Do you know what's probably in dust?! If we had the time, we could just defeat you with a bacterial infection!," Stan's face had a tint of red hot anger.
"Stanley, seriously! We do not have the time for your anger!," Rosalyn snapped. "If magic won't work, then blades it will have to be. Come on, Ari!"
Hesitantly, Ari stepped forward with Rosalyn, crossing their sword and rapier, and charged towards the grinning man. He raised his hands gracefully, in front of him, causing the rubble to rise in a block. It began to meld and smooth over, creating a shield in front of himself. Rosalyn cried out and skidded to a halt, sending Ari stumbling forward. With a squeak, his sword clanged against the concrete. The boy froze until Stan yanked him backwards by his jacket collar, just in time to avoid the rubble shield crumbling back on top of him.
"See that, cow thighs? Swords aren't too effective either," Stan gave his best smug grin. Rosalyn grit her teeth.
"Well, you weren't much better, spatula face!"
Ari sat as the two bickered over his head. How were they going to do this? This was only the first of the evil kings...
"Whoa whoa WHOA!," Stan lept back. Ari turned his head in the direction and had a similar reaction to Stan and now Rosalyn. Pieces of the concrete now circled the Mixing Evil King, blazing with Stan's previous Burning Devil magic.
"Like these? I enjoyed that magic so much earlier, I thought I'd save some."
"You can't do that! That's mine!," the Great Evil King spat.
"Too bad."
A rock shot itself towards the trio, splitting them apart as they dodged. Ari flung himself behind the bar, stiffening as one of the flaming rocks slammed against the counter.
"Look at all the damage you three have caused me. Once I defeat you, I'll have you drink my concoction again and rebuild."
"Not on your life, you miserable evil king! I thought I had seen the last of you when that idiot changed back from that!,' Rosalyn pointed to Ari and Stan.
"Oh? Then do I have some bad news for you, hero." The man smiled gleefully, as if he had the best news in the world to share.
"Don't tell me...," Rosalyn glanced at her two companions. "It has something to do with you two..." Ari glanced down while Stan put his hands on his hips.
"It might, but it's none of you business if it is!," the shadow replied.
A blinding flash from another of the flaming concrete pieces interrupted their conversation as everyone ducked away for cover again. Ari braced himself and Stan underneath the bar counter, covering his head as bottles of various alcohols rattled around them. The boy's shoes slipped in some that had leaked from a cracked bottle. The label on the glass caught his eye. Maybe this was the solution!
"Ari?," Stan watched as the boy grabbed the neck of the cracked bottle. He stood and threw the bottle at the Mixing Evil King. The man caught the bottle, displeased that the strong alcohol splashed onto his clothes.
"Stan, now! Burning Devil!," Ari pointed to the evil king. Stan's large yellow eyes widened as he realized what Ari was indicating, and he quickly cast the attack towards the man. The evil king's eyes too widened, but too late to counter the flames.
The alcohol ignited, and the Mixing Evil King vanished in a strange silvery mist before them, a few embers falling to the floor. The trio stared for a moment before Stan and Rosalyn turned to Ari.
"How...what?," Rosalyn began, yet she could not finish the sentence.
"That alcohol was about ninety proof. If Stan's attack didn't work like it had, the evil king would have used his reserve of Stan's magic and set himself on fire instead."
"And if that hadn't worked at all?," Stan asked.
"Uh...well...I hadn't thought about that. This was the only idea I had."
"Heh...hehehe...," Stan began laughing. "That's my boy for you! Thinking on your feet!"
" 'Your boy'?," Rosalyn whipped her head around. "What do you mean by that?"
"Uh...probably not a good time to explain that," Ari began.
Fire had spread from the embers that had fallen onto the floor. Drops of alcohol had led it to the bar. Soon, huge flames would be engulfing the room.
"We have to get out of here! Do you think everyone is out?!," Rosalyn glanced from one side of the room to the other.
"Everyone high-tailed it when our battle began, and no one else was staying in the upstairs rooms besides us at the time! We're fine!," Stan was pulling himself towards the door.
The three ran from the building, Ari crouching to grab his sword as they passed it. When they emerged into the large plaza outside the inn, they saw that no one was around. They could see glimpses of a large crowd through the narrow alleyway from which they had entered that early morning. Rosalyn slipped in first, followed by Ari. The last he saw of the inn, flames had begun bursting out the windows. Hopefully the other surrounding buildings would be okay. Rosalyn helped Ari out of the alley once she had stepped out. They finally took the chance to catch their breath, watching along with the crowd as the inn burned through the crack in the buildings.