Vox grunted as he forced his way through the crowd, wading his way through the stampede. There were so many people and he had to push and shove his way to the front to avoid getting trampled by the oblivious crowd.

"Out of the way!" He hissed as he shoved them aside,"Excuse me, coming through! Move it or lose it pal! You're in my way!" Ignoring the protests of the people he pushed past, Vox managed to slowly but surely make his way to the front of the ticket station.

When he finally made it, he saw someone who was no doubt a severely underpaid intern serving as a ticket handler. He rushed up there before anyone else could and said,"I've got money for a ticket, let me inside!"

The girl at the front looked at him skeptically before saying,"Did you cut your way to the front Missy? You know that's not allowed…"

Vox rolled his eyes,"So what if I did? It's an emergency and I'd appreciate it if you stopped giving me flak over it. I need to get inside. It's important."

"And what makes you think your reason for being here is more important than the rest of the line. Everyone is here for the show, you're no one special. Now give me one good reason why I shouldn't send you to the back of the line."

Vox tensed, sweat dripping down his face. This was not what he needed and he'd be sent ten steps backwards if he didn't get this woman off his back. Didn't help; he currently had an angry crowd of customers behind him that had a bone to pick with him for shoving them aside to get to the front.

He had to say something, anything at this point to not only save his ass but get inside that damn circus. He had come too far to fail now.

"Uh…I…I'm also here to try-out for the circus and I want to see the new acts they have in store to see if I can qualify…" He mumbled, hoping that the lie he was spinning was somewhat believable.

"Oh yeah?" She asked skeptically,"You know you're not the first to try that. Mammon doesn't let just anyone into his circus,you have to have some sort of talent if you want to last in there. What makes you think you're qualified?"

"This…" He then held out his hand and showed a small portion of his powers, allowing the small crackle of lighting to fester in his hands."And if you have any other questions, I'll be glad to show you a far more powerful example of my abilities. Would you like me to demonstrate because I can make it painful if you don't let me through or if anyone dares stand in my way…" To further prove his point, he struck a bolt of lighting nearby on the ground for all to see, the skies darkening above him in response.

Screams of terror were heard behind as Vox could see all of the people who saw him use his powers had fled out of fear of being next. It was just him and the lady behind the stand, who appeared to be shivering in her boots from what he could see.

Vox's words must've pierced through her because she quickly changed her tune, clearing her throat for a second before answering,"You…you've made your point rather clear young lady. Perhaps Mammon will consider you once he sees your abilities in action. A-And seeing as you…cleared all the other patrons out with your little display, I see no reason to restrict you from going inside."

Vox was going to pay her the money however she quickly stammered out,"N-No need to pay, it's on the house little girl…"

"Um…Thank you…" Vox mumbling, trying to hide his true voice in order to not blow his cover. They all thought he was a teenage girl, best to play the part until he could get what he truly sought…

He quickly entered inside, the woman at the front sweating as she left him inside. She then mumbled,"And I thought one elemental is bad…now there's two of them? My life just refuses to give me a break. I'm not paid enough to deal with this nonsense. Screw it, I'm going on break…"

As she left the station and put a 'out of tickets' sign over her station she left for a break to ease her mind.

Vox made his way inside the circus, his jaw dropping at the sight. The place was goddamn huge and it appeared Mammon went all out in making the circus look as regal as possible, no doubt a large amount of money had been put into it.

If there was one thing Vox would dare to give Mammon credit for, it was when he wasn't being a fucking cheapskate he was capable of creating the best structures he had ever laid eyes on. It was breathtaking and a sight to truly behold…

He snapped himself out of his amazement, remembering what he was truly here for.'Focus Vincent. Remember who you're truly here for. The architect cannot distract you from what this circus truly is…'

He then began looking around, now noticing that the show hadn't started yet. The masses were getting in their seats and Vox spotted an area that was open near the front in the middle. He took that seat before it got taken and sat down anxiously.

'It appears I'm early. No doubt the show is going to start soon. Just have to hope Helsa and Seviathan are here, else I'll have wasted my time getting here…" He mumbled, eyes darting side to side. He was still nervous about keeping his identity a secret as he didn't want anyone to recognize him before he even confirmed if what he wanted was truly there.

The lights then went dim and he could hear music, a drum-roll if he had to guess. It was too dark to see and there was no sign of a musical band in sight from the look he got earlier, so if he had to guess…it was someone messing around with magic.

He felt himself becoming on edge,'Not a doubt in my mind that Mammon is responsible for this. That means he's probably in here somewhere…' He tensed, already shaking at the notion of seeing the Lord of Greed in the flesh again.

His words were confirmed when a large gust of magical smoke appeared from center-stage, a large and prominent figure emerging from the middle. He clenched his teeth as the spotlights revealed Mammon standing in the center, the only difference from the one he was familiar with being his human-like flesh.

The moment he spotted him, he could feel his body swell up with unease the moment he laid eyes on him. Everything about him was unnerving, from the overly wide grin to his flamboyant posture.

"Greetings ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages! I welcome you to circus of Mammon, home to the most talented and strange creatures you've ever laid eyes on!" He exclaimed with pride.

Whoops and hollers were heard from the crowd, the roars threatening to make Vox's eardrums burst from the sheer volume of their cries. They were eating Mammon's words up by the second like a bunch of mindless lap dogs licking the dirt off their owner's heel.

Mammon soaked up the applause like a sponge in water, relishing in the accolades of adoration from the audience with a smug grin,"I assure you that all of your hard-earned money that you oh-so foolishly spent is being put to good use in entertaining you all as a whole! Tonight however, we're going to be doing something a little special! Want to know how?" He didn't give them the chance to think because he blurted out the answer rather quickly,"By having an audience member specially selected to join in on the performance of course!"

An aurora of surprise covered over the audience and Vox couldn't help but feel the memories flash back to him when he was a game-host and having people selected to play. Usually they were those who were on the low-ends of life and were willing to accept anything for cash.

Vox of course was willing to promise them these things if they won. Very few did win, especially in Hell where the danger was amped up by a thousand. Those who lost were tossed out while those who won went onto the next round until only one remained. If someone did manage to win, Vox gave them what they earned before sending them on their way out.

These wins happened so rarely that Vox didn't feel the need to add some sort of additional punishment, mainly because only a handful managed to make it to the end and it often drew more people if they thought they could actually win the game.

It had been so long since he experienced those days and he could feel the uneasiness crawling up his spine. The idea of being selected was so daunting and he sure as hell don't want to be involved in whatever Mammon had planned in that demented head of his...

He looked away and sunk further into his seat,praying to God that Mammon would miraculously skim over him.

Of course, God wasn't being merciful today and he decided for his luck to run out on that very second as Mammon's eyes locked onto him with a grin. He then pointed at Vox and shouted,"Hey, you there, with the cloak!"

"M-Me?" He mumbled, a tad bit embraced by how small and pathetic he sounded at that moment.

"Yes you," Mammon said, outstretching his hand towards him,"You do realize how special this is. I don't do this every day is a once in a life-time opportunity, not everyone gets a chance to be a part of the show for the night. What are you waiting for? Take my hand, else I'll have to select a more willing participant and believe me, there are plenty of people who would kill for this…"

Vox bit his lip before reluctantly swallowing his nervousness and reaching out for Mammon's hand, instant regret washing over him when he saw the Lord of Greed's malicious grin widen.

"Wise choice, darling…Now let's put on a show they'll never forget…"

Vox suddenly found himself pulled into the center ring. He could feel the judgemental gazes of the masses on him and were spiraling with jealousy and envy. A part of his body was screaming at him to get back on the bench and to pretend it hadn't happened, to pretend he was safe there but another part of him refused, believing that perhaps he'd be able to see Helsa and Seviathan close up if he stuck around…

Regardless, the feeling in his chest refused to dissipate. He could feel the tension crawling down his back as this situation was all too familiar for him. It is like the roles had been reversed and he was the helpless contestant put up against obstacles for the audience's amusement by a cruel and twisted show-man…

The tables had turned…and Vox was far from excited to see just how the odds would stack up against him.

Call it ironic for a TV Host to be falling into a similar plot he set up against others who scrapped for a better future but he was starting to realize how his victims felt playing his unfair games in Hell and on Earth. Maybe it was a form of ironic punishment of his past sins coming back to haunt him through timelines or a sheer coincidence.

Whatever it was, Vox wasn't at all excited for what came next, because he knew whatever Mammon had in store for him was nothing good on his end. Here he was, alone in a circus tent with a bunch of bloodthirsty and envious audience members, a depraved ring-master and his other cronies.

'Deep breath, Vincent….don't lose your cool…' He thought to himself before tensing as Mammon pulled him close,"Gah!"

"Aw, what's wrong? No need to be shy and quiet, it doesn't hurt to have a little fun! I'll gladly show you how entertaining we can be! Let's get this show started!"

Before Vox could say anything, Mammon suddenly started dancing with him,(the more accurate term was Mammon dancing while dragging Vox along for the ride against his will).Vox tried to desperately free himself from Mammon's grip but the bastard had him too tight and wasn't giving him any sort of wiggle room to assert himself.

It was perhaps the most one-sided dance Vox had ever personally experienced, Mammon's presence dominating him completely. He couldn't move or act out of line even if he wanted to, as Mammon was directing every movement with precision and grace while still keeping him in his place.

Worst part was that Mammon was an excellent dancer and dodged any attempt on Vox's end to step on his foot somehow without even looking. The knowledge that Vox was truly helpless against Mammon sunk in and he could feel a bead of sweat trickling down his face.

At this point, he wasn't a person anymore, just Mammon's little plaything until the act was over. He was just a puppet being pulled by it's strings by a man he wanted nothing to do with and the worst part was that Mammon was fully aware of how powerful he was and relishing in the fear in Vox's eyes as he danced with him for the audience's amusement.

Those sick bastards were cheering and hollering, thinking that this sort of thing was funny, entertaining even.

Vox don't share their opinion one bit and prepared himself for the worst before gasping when Mammon suddenly spun him around and released him. His mind was spinning like a tornado and when he finally stopped whirling around he had clutched his head in agony,"Ugh…Fucking hell, my head…" He then whipped around, ready to yell at Mammon for manhandling him like that only to notice the fucker had vanished into thin air,"W-What? Where'd he go!?"

His question was left unanswered as the next thing Vox knew, he was put in the center of a spotlight and darkness surrounded him. He was certain the audience was able to see him but he couldn't see them or anyone else for that matter. The spotlight was only on him and he wasn't sure what was happening.

'What's going on here? What is Mammon doing? Did he just teleport out and leave me in the center for no reason?'

Before he could ponder this more, he heard deranged laughter and the sound of what appeared to be a horn. He didn't quite understand until he heard the familiar sound of wheel's making contact with the ground and the sound was zooming closer and approaching him at rapid speed…

He nearly had a heart-attack when he saw Fizz was riding some sort of car and trying to run him over with it. Vox quickly started bolting for it. This circus was already trying to kill him and the only thing he could realistically do without blowing his cover was run for his damn life.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" He growled,"This damn clown just won't let up!" His heart raced as he could hear the jester gaining on him, the fucker was deliberately teasing him and mocking him as he ran.

"Aw, scared of clowns little girl? Don't worry, I'll be sure to eliminate that fear once I turn you into a road-kill, hahaha!" Fizz laughed, eyes wide with insanity as he was determined to run Vox over…

Vox was panicking as he tried to out-run the clown to no avail. The fucker was on his ass and no matter how hard he tried to out-run Fizz, the bastard was always behind him. He was at the disadvantage and the clown was just messing with him, purposefully trailing him and just barely managing to not run him over while still making sure he didn't have any breathing room to do much else.

His eyes then darted around for some type of escape, anything that would grant him a way out of this twisted game Mammon was making him play. Just then, an idea hit him and he abruptly stopped and turned around before taunting him

'Aw, is someone tired of running? Finally come to accept your fate?"

"You could say that…I'm tired of running, Fizz. So why don't you finish the job and come to me, that is, if you have the balls to do it…"

"I have that and more. Prepare to die you little brat!" Fizz then charged his cart in Vox's direction. As the cart came speeding towards him, Vox jumped out of the way at the last second, allowing Fizz to crash head-first into a stand(the stands were high enough that the audience wasn't affected) but there was a large gaping hole left in the wall.

Vox heaved a sigh of relief as his narrow escape before flinching at the audience's roaring applause. He wasn't sure what they were cheering over but apparently seeing him dodge the on-coming attack was enough to elicit cheers.

Whether they were cheers for him to be put through more torture of cheers of praise was something he couldn't tell and frankly…he wasn't intent on finding. It was clear this circus was trying to kill him for the audience's entertainment like some twisted game show where it wouldn't end until his blood was spilled.

'Holy shit…that worked…' He narrowed his eyes at the hole in the wall. He wasn't sure if Fizz was alive or not…but he would prefer it if he wasn't. And if he was, he was praying to God that he'd stay unconscious until he could find Helsa and Seviathan….

Suddenly he heard a familiar voice from behind him. He gasped and turned to see Helsa and Seviathan on some sort of rock-like structure that was positioned on an elevated platform, having a sea-like aesthetic.

Helsa and Seviathan were singing together in harmony, Seviathan singing words while Helsa sang out melodies instead due to her muteness. Mammon was up there as well and he seemed to be spectating the view, much to Vox's chagrin.

'Guess my suspicions were confirmed right…' He then began trying to run into dancing women who were dressed in regal ocean themed attire. Vox gritted his teeth before trying to move past them but these women were blocking his path."Uh excuse me, I'm trying to come through! Move please!"

Vox's pleas fell on deaf ears as these women kept putting themselves in front of him, going as far as to dance with him against his will. Vox attempted to escape but the second he got one woman off of him, another whisked him away out of nowhere.

'There's too many of these women! They keep blocking me!' He hissed to himself before struggling to try and reach Helsa and Seviathan to no avail. They were pulling him back, forcing him to dance with them while the one he truly desired remained up on the top to perform.

As he struggled to fight his way through the girls, he desperately shouted out in hopes that the twins would hear him,"HELSA! SEVIATHAN! OVER HERE!"

Helsa's head turned towards him at the sound of her name being called. Her eyes were skeptical for a moment before a tinge of hope appeared in her icy blue eyes.

This hope became dashed when Mammon put a hand on her cheek, caressing her face. Helsa's attention directed towards him, the older male smiling at her with a cocky grin. She then narrowed her eyes at Vox before grabbing Mammon's and locking lips with him passionately.

Vox's face dropped at the sight, his heart threatening to shatter in that very moment. Rage boiled within his body as she kissed him, jealousy and anger swimming inside his mind. The fact Mammon of all people managed to kiss Helsa but he couldn't it was sending him into a frenzy of rage.

'That should've been me…not him…That's it…I need to get to her before I lose my chance forever…I need to seal the deal no matter what…' He growled, eyes burning with determination, helplessly calling out to her to no avail.

Seviathan looked at this display with disgust, averting his gaze while doing his best to pretend as if his sister wasn't locking lips with their enslaver. The audience seemed to eat up the display as the hollers and cries were enough to make his eardrums bleed.

Eventually the show finally finished, Helsa laying down on Mammon's lap while Seviathan did the same on the opposite side with a hidden scowl on his face. Helsa's eyes then made eye contact with Vox's for a second before ultimately deciding to look away as he pushed back.

Mammon chuckled as he collected the earrings from the show. Today was a great show and he knew spicing up the routine was worth all the trouble. The audience member he had selected had been so entertaining that he was willing to do it again just to see such a spectacle.

Sure, the circus got a bit damaged but that was nothing new. Fizz was used to those stunts and getting injured was pretty much a daily occurrence. The kiss was just an extra piece of icing on the cake.

That technically wasn't part of the act but Mammon wasn't complaining. The siren was giving him affection and it'd be rude to have not returned the kiss.

Her lips could've given any normal man frostbite, but he wasn't a normal man and no amount of icy cold would draw him away.

Besides, while she and Seviathan weren't enthusiastic about their situation, it seemed the morning routine managed to tame any of their bad behavior and they were willing to cooperate…

Perhaps later he'd reward her but right now he decided it would be best to put away the cash for the night. Wasn't like the twins don't have someone taking care of them, Husk had been told to not perform for the night so no doubt he'd be able to handle the two after the show was over.

As he walked away, he couldn't help but feel someone was following him. Next thing Mammon knew, someone had attempted to punch him and he turned around and caught the person's fist in his hand, twisting his hand hard enough to elicit a pained cry from his attacker.

To his surprise, his attacker was the audience member he had selected not too long ago. He wasn't certain what the reason for the attack was but he assumed that they hadn't taken being embarrassed too well.

"Oh…it's you…" He said,"Can't say I expected you here, lassie. Tell me, what is your reason for attacking me? Did you not like the show? Or are there other reasons for your behavior? Because the only other assumption I can make is that you're trying to take my money off of me and I'll be damned before I let some homeless girl take what is mine…"

"First off, I'm not a girl," Vox said, lowering his hood so Mammon could see his face,"Second of all, the reason I'm here is because I wanted to join your circus troupe…"

"Oh really? That's why you attacked me?" Mammon seemed skeptical of this and Vox had to back off his lie to ensure his rash decision didn't end with things going south for him.

"Yeah, it was to catch your attention…" He mumbled, trying to pretend he hadn't secretly wanted to bash Mammon's face in with his bare hands moment's prior. He still felt the urge coursing through his veins and it was taking all of Vox's self control not to try again with his free hand.

The Lord of Greed didn't quite seem to believe him though he still decided to question Vox regardless in an attempt to pry more information about what he truly wanted."I see…still, I'd like to know what makes you think I'd even consider allowing you to join my circus. Not only have you attacked me but you don't appear to have any skills that would make you a noteworthy member…"

"That's only because you didn't give me the chance. I can do a lot more than you think I can do…"

"Oh yeah? Then show me…" He said, releasing Vox's hand to allow him to demonstrate.

Vox narrowed his eyes before summoning a lighting charge in his hands before throwing it near Mammon, the Lord conveniently dodging the attack."Good enough for you? Or would you like another demonstration of my powers?"

Mammon clapped his hands with a cocky grin,"Impressive, I haven't seen an electric elemental in a long time. Have to say, I'm amazed at your talent. You seem to have a good grasp on your powers, don't you? Say, what's your name?"

"Vincent," He said,"My name is Vincent…"

"Vincent eh? Interesting name, tell me, Vincent, do you have other motives for joining this circus?"

"What's it to you?" He replied flatly.

"A good boss should always know his employee's key interests. Though I am curious, what reason do you have for wanting to be a part of our show? Are you poor? Life not treating you right? Have no one to go back to?"

Technically Vox was all three of those at this point in his life but he would've preferred to not admit it. Ignoring his reasons to rescue Helsa and Seviathan, he needed money, his life had hit several low-points and the only friend he had prior to falling likely thought he was dead.

Vox refused to admit this, though Mammon must've been able to read desperately in people's faces. No doubt from past experience and Vox hated every second of it.

"I knew it,"Mammon chuckled,"You know you're not the first person to come to me in desperate times right? I've had many over the past centuries from impoverished backgrounds crawl to me on their last penny, begging for many things. Sometimes it was wealth, sometimes it was fame, sometimes it was shelter. Regardless, none of these things can come for free…"

"Lemme guess, you want my soul or something?" Vox asked, already having a feeling where the conversation was heading."What? You think I don't know how this works? I'm not a moron, Mammon. I know how your kindness operates, tricking people into selling themselves off of false promises and kind words in order so that they'd serve you for the rest of their pathetic lives. Don't think for a second you can fool me, Mammon. I know your game and I won't fall for your act…"

"Well, I'm certain we can work something out eventually, Vincent. There's no need to be so hostile to your future boss…" He chuckled, clearly seeing Vox's hostility as a light-hearted joke.``Because I can promise you a lot of things. Fame, fortune, protection. All you have to do is serve me and you won't have to worry about any sort of trouble at my carnival. Do I make myself clear?"

"Very…."

"Good…now, Vincent, my good friend, tell me do we have a deal?" He asked, outstretching his hand towards Vox. His powers then began to act up as Vox could see satanic sigils and chaos energy swirling around him, Vox's hair blowing back at the sheer voice of it all.

Vox stared at his hand with great disdain, he didn't want to sell his soul to Mammon and would've told him to fuck off had he not needed to get close to Helsa. This was the only way he could get close to her and Seviathan.

'I've come too far to turn back. And drastic times call for drastic measures…Just hope this works…' He cringed before reaching for Mammon's hand, the greedy bastard's grin widening before lunging in and grabbing Vox's hand, sealing the deal with a firm shake.

A bright light nearly blinded Vox for a second and the former TV Demon couldn't help but feel something about him had changed….

He then rolled up his right sleeve and gasped,'Oh my god…'

On his hand was a demonic symbol, appearing to be a pentagram with an infinity sign inside of it. He tensed before looking up at Mammon,"What the hell is this?"

"That my friend, is the symbol of Mammon. Welcome to servitude Vincent, I'm certain that you will enjoy your stay at the carnival with the rest of the other attractions,"The Lord of Greed said smugly, soaking in Vox's horror with enthusiastic glee.

By now, Vox was already feeling the instant regret flooding into his veins. He knew he had made a beyond stupid call, signing his soul away in hopes that he could get close to a girl who he hadn't even decided in great detail how he felt about…

It was a dumb decision he had made in the heat of the moment…but it was one that he couldn't take back. That boat had long since sailed and now…he was Mammon's property just like the rest of them…

He grit his teeth at the mark before pulling his sleeve down, determined to keep the mark of ownership hidden at all costs. He couldn't let the others see he had sold himself to Mammon, he'd never live it down if they saw that damn mark on his hand….

Regardless, Vox's game plan hadn't changed, even though he had sold himself to Mammon's service, that didn't mean he was actually loyal towards him. No doubt this mark was just a way of keeping him in line,but that didn't mean he couldn't escape. It'd just be significantly harder than he had originally planned….

He don't have all the fine details of his escape plan ready yet and it wasn't going to be an easy exit. He had to get a layout of the area before he even dared trying to escape, especially since he had to take Helsa and Seviathan with him. He wasn't sure how he was going to pull it off, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try because it wasn't like he had much else to lose at this rate…

And he would leave...no matter how long it took. Mammon may have owned his soul and bound him to him for 'life' but Vox had no intention on serving out that term until his dying days. He had a life to live and this circus wasn't going to be where the final chapter of his life would end. Not if he had anything to say about it anyway.

"Come along, Vincent," Mammon called out,"It's time we introduce you to the rest of the circus. I'm certain everyone will be so excited to meet you. You've got lots of friends down here so it's time you get comfortable with those you'll be staying with for the time being..."

Vox grit his teeth before reluctantly following Mammon as he lead him away, giving the man a death glare the entire time.

Thanks for the 4,180 views, tell me what you think below!

Enigmus-288: Helsa considers Charlie weak and pathetic. The Eldritch family just don't say it in front of the Magne's but since Charlie is soft Helsa is more willing to tell her that she's a weakling whenever she's alone because she doesn't understand what love is. The twins just don't get it whatsoever.