"M-Mammon…" Vox hissed as the Lord of Greed thrusted into him at a tortuously slow pace, bucking his own hips in an attempt to make him go faster, tugging on his bound arms in frustration,"Get on with it already. Quit teasing me…"
"I don't feel you've earned it yet…" He replied mischievously, his voice sending shivers down his spine.
"Please..it's been so long." He growled,"Please just finish the job…"
"Then tell me what I want to hear…"Mammon said,"You know what I want, Vincent…Just say it and I'll finish you off."
The shorter male bit his lip,"I…I don't know what you're talking about…"
"You know damn well what I'm talking about, Vincent,"He sneered, suddenly grabbing Vox's hair and yanking it back, eliciting a cry in agony,"Don't lie to me. You know I don't like liars."
To 'encourage' Vox, he grabbed his throat and choked him with his iron grip. It wasn't enough to suffocate Vox but it was enough for the air in his lungs to be cut off. Vox's vision went blurry as he tried to fight back, gritting his teeth and shaking his head."Gngh…"
"You know you can't fight me, Vincent..There's no use in fighting. It'd be easier for the both of us if you submitted. We both know that I can keep you here for as long as I desire. Now tell me…" His grip tightening,"Who do you belong to?"
Vox knew what the answer was. This wasn't the first time Mammon had asked this question. He had said no earlier but the fucker didn't like that answer and was pressuring him to say what he wanted to hear for quite some time now.
He had been resisting for so long…but in the end, it felt pointless.
Mammon had so much power over him and could do whatever he wanted to him. And the worst part was that his body was enjoying it and that bastard knew it.
"M-Mammon..please…"
"Please don't cut it, Vincent…Try again…" He then abruptly thrusted his hips into him as a way of 'correcting' Vox, hitting a sensitive bundle of nerves in his body.
The former Overlord's back arched as he let out a scream, tears threatening to escape his eyes as he pleaded,"AH! You! I belong to you, Mammon!"
"That's more like it," He grinned, thrusting into him further and faster,"Tell me more. Your pleas are music to my ears. Beg for your Lord, Vincent!"
Vox lost it and started screaming as his eyes were seeing white, he began rambling in German, a knot in his stomach building up with tension.
His face was flushed and his body was moving with a mind of it's own, lost in his own lust and desire that he could only focus on getting fucked and nothing else,"Mein Körper, meine Seele, mein Geist, alles gehört dir, nimm alles! Nimm mich, verdammt, ich brauche dich so dringend!"
Despite speaking a different language, Mammon seemed to understand him as he thrusted faster into him. He was approaching his climax and his thrusts became erratic and rougher, gripping Vox's hips and leaving visible marks on him, grunting into Vox's ear and sinking his teeth into his neck.
Eventually Mammon finished after a few more thrusts, Vox screaming out his name one last time as Mammon came inside of him.
He then collapsed on top of Vox's chest. The Lord of Greed's eyes become heavy before cuddling up against the younger male and mumbling under his breath,"You…are mine, Vincent…mine alone..."
Vox heaved, still shaking from the rough treatment he endured under Mammon. It had been a while since he had sex and his legs and insides felt like jelly.
As the tension settled down, Vox felt his stomach churn as the regret set in, his heart racing as he turned his head, looking at Mammon's sleeping form in horror.
He couldn't believe it, he had slept with him. Slept with the embodiment of greed, called out his name and let him cum inside of him…
'Shit…' He thought to himself,'Now look at what you've done, Vincent…just perfect..'
Hatred soon boiled within him and not just for Mammon, but at himself. ..
He hated himself for making a deal with that bastard, he hated that he allowed himself to be used as a sex-doll and for what? Giving a child a toy? Was that really an appropriate punishment for something so minuscule?
A lone tear trickled down his cheek as his teeth became bared, glaring daggers at the one who owned his soul. Had his wrists not been chained to the bed he probably would've attempted to stab the fucker if he was given the smallest opening.
His thoughts then drifted off to the others…Husk…Seviathan…Helsa. He wondered if they noticed he was gone, maybe they thought he was dead and had given up on him.
Did they care that he was gone? Or did they already move on with their lives and forget about him entirely?
Only now did he think about how he would explain what had happened to him…
No..he couldn't tell them this. They'd no doubt judge him for his actions. He couldn't let them know he had made a deal with Mammon, let alone had sex with him in exchange for another's safety.
He couldn't bear to imagine what they would think of him, let alone what Helsa would think of him. He could already see those icy cold eyes piercing through him,as if she could freeze him over with just one glance.
She'd hate him forever. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that she wouldn't. He couldn't allow such a thing to be known. He'd never live it down. He couldn't imagine the amount of judgment he'd face for doing what he did and he was certain none of them would understand why he had done this.
She wouldn't understand he had done this to protect her…and perhaps it was better off that way…
Vox's eyes felt heavy, the desire to rest and regain his strength. He desperately craved it yet his eyes refused to shut. He couldn't sleep, the event rendering him restless yet unable to close his eyes for much needed shut-eye.
So he laid there, arms bound above his head, legs spread apart and his clothes tossed aside against the bed with shame and resentment swimming through his already troubled mind.
Vox wasn't sure how long he had been tied to that damn bed. Time passed slower and his thoughts were the only things keeping him company in these trying times(and likely the only thing keeping him sane if he had to guess).
Eventually however, Vox noticed a crevice of sunlight enter the room, signaling that the sun had risen. His eyes squinted as some of the light got into his eyes, turning his head away from the source to protect his eyes from the invading rays.
Mammon let out a groan before slowly rising from his slumber, yawning momentarily before rising out of bed and putting his robe back on.
He stretched out before turning to Vox and smiling,"Oh hey, Vincent. Did you have a good night's sleep?"
Vox grit his teeth and resisted the urge to tell him to fuck off before sighing and mumbling,"I didn't get that much sleep. No thanks to you and your rough treatment…"
"Don't act coy with me,Vincent. We both know you enjoyed what happened to you. Or are you saying that calling my name and declaring me as your sole lord was all in my imagination?" He asked with a large grin that radiated cockiness to the point Vox wanted nothing more than to punch his teeth in.
"Oh shut up…"
"You know you have no power over me, Vincent," He teased,"Besides, we both know the truth. You are mine, Vincent, understand?" He cupped his chin,"Or do I have to remind you of who you belong to like I did the other night?"
"No reminders necessary. I know my place…" He growled,"Now can you let me out? My wrists are killing me…"
"I don't see why not…" He snapped his fingers and Vox was released from his binds, quickly moving to rub his wrists since his limbs had more or less fallen asleep due to the way Mammon left him after they were done having sex.
"Finally…" After soothing his joints he slowly stood up, hissing at the pain in his back. Mammon wasn't very merciful to him and he could still feel his back aching from the pain."Gngh…"
Vox then reached for the clothes that Mammon had carelessly tossed to the floor along with all his other possessions like his glasses. He picked them up before asking,"Where's the shower?"
"To the left," Mammon mentioned in a far too casual manner,"Though are you certain you don't want to come with me inside? I can help bathe if you want…"
"Not interested…" Vox then headed out to the shower(apparently Mammon had a running shower system at his house, go figure) and cleaned himself off.
As he got the musky smell of sex off of his body, Vox out of the bathtub and noticed the scars across his back.
"Of course he left a mark…" He groaned. It wasn't anything he wasn't used to but it was still annoying. Val had left marks on him(Whether that be from his claws or from his cigarettes) and Vox found himself barely wearing short sleeves due to this fact.
Worst part was that the cuts were deep, enough to draw blood. That didn't even mention the pain he was in from what treatment he received from Mammon the other night.
He hissed when he touched one of the scars before deciding to put some bandages over it so his clothes wouldn't irritate the scars.
They'd heal but it would take a while given how deeply Mammon had dug into his damn skin…
Vox sighed, his reflection looked like utter fucking shit. Hair was all over the place, his makeup was staining his face and there were a few hickeys on his neck.
Thankfully, if he knew anything about Mammon it was that the guy no doubt had a lot of makeup on him, the good stuff too. It'd likely be more effective at hiding his…blemishes from the public eye and the less they noticed the better.
He reached into the drawer and did his makeup. It took several minutes to get it right but once he was done, Vox actually looked semi-presentable if you ignored the shame in his eyes…
When he left the room, he saw Mammon waiting for him, already dressed. He wasn't sure how but if he had the guess, Mammon had magical powers that made the need to take a bath moot.
Meaning that bath was either for guests(or more likely for a show as a way to show how wealthy he was). With how much of a pompous bastard he was, Vox had a hard time figuring which one it was…
Regardless, he decided to pretend he didn't despise the guy as he forced himself to say,"Hello, Mammon. Is there any particular reason you're waiting on me?"
"Oh nothing, just making sure you get out on time. You still have a schedule to abide by, what happened last night doesn't change that. You remember your job don't you?"
"Yes Mammon, I'm well aware of my job. No need to remind me.."
"I know, I just wanted to make myself clear after what you pulled earlier. Remember, you got lucky, Vincent so don't take my patience for granted. I'm giving you a second chance so I trust that you're going to behave yourself this time. Is that clear?" He asked this while holding Vox's chin up in a patronizing manner, as if Vox were a bloody child and not a grown ass man.
"Yes Mammon…"
"Just Mammon? Aren't you forgetting something?"
He bit his lip,"My apologies Lord Mammon.."
"That's better…" He grinned,"Now run along. Fizz will lead you back to the carnival and I trust that you'll do your job as planned, am I correct on that assumption, Vincent?"
"Yes you are my Lord…"
"Good boy…" Mammon cupped Vox's cheek in a far too loving manner, Vox doing his best to resist the urge to move away.``Run along now, I shall be seeing you and your friends soon. Perhaps I'll even visit you for another 'private' performance…"
Vox tried to pretend he didn't shiver at that last sentence and merely nodded before rushing away. The moment Mammon was out of sight he let out a sigh of relief.
'Holy shit…I never thought he'd leave…Thank god he's gone…'
The relief was short-lived as he heard familiar maniacal laughter behind him. Fizz had appeared behind him and Vox nearly jumped out of his skin at the sight of the mad jester before scowling,"Oh god it's you again..Don't tell me you're here to try and get me in trouble again are you?"
"So long as you keep yourself out of trouble I won't tell Mammon anything," He sneered,"I hope you've learned your lesson, Vincent. You know what it and what isn't allowed and you should consider yourself Mammon likes you enough to keep you around after that display.." He then got in Vox's face,"But enough of that, tell me, did you enjoy yourself last night?"
"How did you-"
"I was listening to you two the whole time," He admitted without a hint of shame,"And from what I got...you were incredibly loud. He honestly should've gagged you with how loud you were screaming the other night…"
It was taking all of Vox's self control to not strangle him as his face heated up with embarrassment. It was one thing for that bastard to fuck him(and he'd do it again if it meant securing the other's(mainly Helsa's) safety).
But the idea that this sick perverted freak show was listening in on them made his stomach churn.
"You sick fuck…"
'No need to be so rude, Vincent. I was only curious you know," he chuckled, trying to play off his intentions like they were innocent.
It was a lie of course, if Fizz's tone didn't give it away that sick and sadistic smile on his face sure did. Worst part was that the fucker could've been doing anything behind that door.
As far as Vox was concerned Fizz had no shame(and given who he was, why would he?) He was the literal embodiment of attention-whore and put Vox himself to shame when it came to seeking attention, no doubt the fucker was somehow getting off to the situation at hand.
Fizz seemed to pick up on this and giggled in a manner that was likely meant to be playful but came off as creepy from Vox's perspective,"Aw don't look so flustered, Vincent. Many people would've killed to be in your place! There's no need to be flustered, after all, you were SO loud that I'm pretty sure everyone in the land could hear you!"
"That is not true!" He hissed, embarrassment flushing his cheeks. He knew Fizz was just trying to piss him off and he hated that the clown's tactics were working. He knew it was foolish to give Fizz the time of day but he couldn't help but be defensive over the situation he was in."Quit making stuff up, Fizz or else I'll have to hurt you…"
"Oooh! I'm so scared, won't someone help me?" He called out before laughing,"Not! Honestly, Vincent, I'd think we both know you can't really hurt me. Mammon wouldn't be all too pleased if you harmed his one and only top performer now would he?"
Vox's fist clenched with fury, oh how he wanted to just strike this bastard with lightning until he was nothing but a charred corpse. The temptation was so hard to resist…yet he knew the clown was right…
Because really, what could he do? Hurting Fizz would incur the wrath of Mammon and Vox had no interest in dealing with whatever punishment Mammon decided to throw at him. If he was willing to have sex with him to 'make up' for the fact he gave a child a teddy bear who knows what he'd do if he actually laid a hand on Fizz.
The fucker was particularly untouchable and the jester knew it and was rubbing it in his face like there was no tomorrow. Fizz could do anything and Mammon wouldn't bat an eye and Vox was forced to bear through it lest he incur the wrath of the Lord of Greed at full blast.
In the end…he was powerless. There wasn't anything he could do to Mammon. The bastard had him beat on every field imaginable and Vox doubted there was anything he or the other's could do to him, at least not directly…
Before he could ponder anything else, Fizz snapped him out of his thoughts with his irritating voice saying,"If you're done staring out into space like an idiot, I do believe we should get going. We still have jobs to do you know and I'm certain after your little…night of fun that you're more than willing to do your job correctly, right Vincent?"
"Yes…I am…" he grumbled.
"That's what I thought…Now come along..Let's get going…"
Vox then felt his stomach growling and asked,"Actually…I think it's best we hold off on that…I'm kind of hungry…"
"Ugh, for real?" Fizz rolled his eyes,"Fine, just make it quick. Consider yourself lucky Mammon is in a good mood today since I believe he'll actually share his food with you if you ask…"
Vox scoffed,"Whatever…"
Husk's eyes shifted nervously. He hadn't seen Vox since he dismissed himself the other night. Normally he wouldn't care but Vox had promised to help get out of this godforsaken circus and he was a little concerned that something may have happened to him given his tent was empty when Husk went to go and check on him.
"Where the hell is he?" Seviathan asked,"Seriously, it's one thing for him to not come visit us but it's another for him to not show up to practice. Where did that fucker go?"
"Beats me," Husk admitted,"I have no clue where Vox went after he gave that kid his toy. He said he'd be back once he excused himself but he never did…"
Helsa narrowed her eyes before speaking in sign language,"Do you think him giving that child the doll had something to do with him being gone?"
"About 90% certain. Mammon ain't a fan of giving shit away for free and something tells me that he had one of his spies watching us, more specifically Vox to see if he'd do his job right. When he failed that test Vox likely had to be escorted out for his 'punishment' so to speak."
Seviathan cringed,"You don't think Mammon did anything to him…right?"
Husk cringed,"It's Mammon..he could do anything. If there's one thing I know about him, Mammon is as unpredictable as he is greedy and something tells me he didn't like Vox giving things away for charity. All I can say is that I hope for Vox's sake it wasn't too terrible because I certainly wouldn't want to be in his position right now if I were him…"
Helsa then signed,"Guys, Vox is coming back…"
They all turned and saw Fizz and Vox walking back together, the former TV Demon appearing somewhat uncomfortable but otherwise physically unharmed(from what they could see anyway).
Other than looking a little shaken, Vox appeared to be perfectly fine, something that they considered a little surprising. They had expected Mammon to at least give him some sort of bruise or even a broken limb as a lesson but it seemed like Vox was in good health.
"Well well well, look at what we have here. It appears you've got some friends here, Vincent. Ain't that sweet? They must've been looking for you! How adorable ain't that nice to have people who care for someone as pathetic as you, Vincent?"
The tone in his voice was maniacal and fake, his voice oozing with sarcasm. It was like he was trying to act friendly but his disdain for them kept slipping through the cracks every so often.
"What would you know about having friends, Fizz? Nobody likes you…" Vox retorted flatly.
"That's a lie, I'm loved by everyone!" He bragged,"I've got everything you four don't, a loyal fanbase, all the money I could ever ask for and lots of friends, ain't that right Susan?"
One of the dancers that Fizz called out to then said,"Who are you talking about? My name is Carol..and I don't know you…"
"Don't listen to her, she's just being silly!" Fizz laughed maniacally,"EVERYONE here at this circus is my friend…well everyone except your four..I don't like you…"
"The feeling is mutual clown," Seviathan hissed,"We don't like you either…"
"Well I don't particularly care for your opinion,"He admitted dismissively,"After all, the only thing I really care about that this circus runs as it's supposed to and I'll be damned before I let some arrogant newbs ruin our careers that we've poured sweat and blood on for centuries, you got that?"
Before they could respond, some shouted,"Hey Fizz! We need you to do your little act over here! Kelly is sick and you're the only one who can do this unicycle juggling trick!"
"I'll be right there!" Fizz then sent him a look,"Well, looks like I'll be seeing you all later. The carnival can't exactly run itself and even losers yourselves are needed unfortunately. Just remember that if I hear anything about you four pulling anything…you won't like what happens next…Especially you, Vincent…"
He sent Vox a look before leaving to tend to his duties as the star attraction. Once Fizz was out of sight, everyone let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank god, I never thought he'd leave…"Husk said, wiping his brow.
"About time…" Seviathan muttered,"I can hardly stand that sorry excuse of a jester. Can't believe he actually has a devoted fan base. How can they like someone like this? He's downright insufferable!"
Vox scoffed, "Probably because they don't see this part of him when he's on-stage. Everytime the crowd sees Fizz, they see his affable mask on display but the moment they're gone, Fizz is allowed to act as nasty as he wants towards everyone, us included. It doesn't help that he can just cry to Mammon and sick him on anyone who does anything he doesn't like."
"Speaking of Mammon," Husk started,"What did he do to you, Vox?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean. We know you got in trouble earlier and we were wondering what happened to you when you didn't show up. What happened?"
"It..it was nothing…" Vox lied.
"Do you really expect us to believe that?" Seviathan asked,"Come on, Vox. What type of idiots do you take us for?"
"Yeah…" Helsa spoke, holding up her fingers to communicate to him,"You can tell us, Vox. Fizz isn't here to tattle on you. We're not going to rat you out. There's no harm in talking to us about it…"
"Guys…it was nothing. Mammon just…just…"
"Just what?" Husk pressed,"What did he do, Vox? You can tell us, we're allies for fuck's sake. There's no need to stumble over your words. We're not gonna laugh at you…"
"He…he…" He hissed, the words dying on the tip of his tongue before he snapped,"Look, nothing happened, OK!? Seriously, just drop the subject already. Mammon and I merely had a…talk about what I did. He voiced his disapproval and after a little back and forth we resolved the issue and I told him that it wouldn't happen again, are you happy now!?"
They all stared back at him, flinching at his irritated tone.
"You can't seriously tell me that's all what happened, is it?"
Vox gritted his teeth,"Helsa, I swear, Mammon and I just had a talk. Nothing more,nothing less…"
"And that talk took hours to do?" She asked with a raised brow, her icy eyes piercing into his soul,"Come on, Vox. Please be honest here, something else is going on and it wouldn't hurt to spill. There's no use in pretending otherwise. It won't help anyone and it won't help you…"
"It's nothing," He assured,"Look, I get your concerns but I promise that what happened between Mammon and I was nothing out of the ordinary. Just had a little talk about my behavior, nothing more,nothing less."
He had tried to sound confident but Vox's voice stammered and he was unable to make eye contact with her. Normally Vox could lie and most would be unable to tell the difference but in front of Helsa he could hardly keep his tone straight, let alone lie to her face in such an obvious manner.
Worst part is it seemed no one was believing him.
They probably would've prodded him more had not one of the workers shouted,"Hey you four, get to work! You're not being paid to stand around and chatter amongst yourselves! Move it!"
They all let out a groan of frustration, Husk being the first to say,"Well, guess it's time to get work."
"Yeah, how unfortunate…" Seviathan grumbled,"I fucking hate working here…It feels like we're a bunch of slaves…"
"We may as well be.." Vox admitted, taking advantage of the situation in order to get out of discussing the uncomfortable topic at hand"It's not like we have a choice. If we don't do what we're told Mammon will get on our asses about it. It's best we drop the subject until further notice…"
They didn't seem to like this but ultimately decided to give in. It wasn't like they had a choice in the matter. They had to get to work and unless they wanted to attract Mammon's ire by not doing their jobs it was in their best interest to play along until they had a proper plan on getting out of the circus…"
When after hours finally arrived, Vox was more than relieved.
Seviathan and Helsa were stationed at the dunk tank again but they weren't allowed to see each other given they were at different locations, much to Vox's dismay as it meant someone else would be tending to them instead.
In the meantime, he and Husk had spent the entire day selling deluded customers' dolls(most of whom were of Fizz who happened to be a glorified mascot of Mammon's carnival).
The only other dolls were of Mammon himself and maybe just maybe a few teddy bears…
'Narcissistic fuckwit…' Vox thought,'Can't even bother to offer variety in these shitty stores. Fucking asshole…'
By the end of the day Vox was beyond exhausted and was more than happy to close up shop. Having to sell toys was one thing but having to see those stuffed toys of two men he despised made it ten times worse.
Even as marketable plushies they had the most punchable faces he had ever seen….
As they were walking out, Husk pulled him to the side and asked,"Hey Vox, you alright?"
He brushed him off,"Course I'm alright. What's it to you?"
"You looked like you had a rough day today. Have you gotten any sleep? Cause from the looks of things I'd say you didn't get any rest…"
"It's nothing. I just had a long day that's all…"
"We both know that's bullshit Vox. I know you don't wanna talk about it but I know Mammon did something to you. I refuse to believe otherwise…"
Vox's teeth grinded against each other as he clenched his fist,"Husk, I'm going to say it once and only once, Mammon did nothing to me. We just had a talk, that's all. There's nothing more to it and if you don't wanna believe me then that's your choice but for the love of god stop pestering me about it. My answer is not gonna change by being badgering over something completely irrelevant."
Husk seemed taken aback by Vox's reaction, not expecting the hostility towards him. Given howw Vox behaved around him prior, this reaction wasn't something he was prepared for.
Still, after a few moments of silence, Husk decided to take Vox's warning and changed the subject to avoid provoking the former overlord any further,"So…do you have any ideas?"
"Ideas on what?" Vox asked, raising an eyebrow in the older man's direction.
"On how to get out of here? Because I don't know about you, but I don't fancy staying here any longer than I have to. And it's not like Mammon is gonna just let us waltz on out of here by asking nicely. There's got to be a plan…or have you thought that far yet?"
"Listen, I've got a lot on my mind and I don't need you pestering me about ideas.."
"Hey, the idea of escape was your idea, Vox. Don't get mad at me for asking questions," Husk shot back, sending him a glare in response.
Vox looked away for a moment, not entirely sure what to say without sounding pathetic in the process,"Look…I…I don't really know how to get out of here just yet. But that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about it. The opportunity just hasn't presented itself yet."
"Do you have any ideas on what you would do to get out of here at the very least?"
Vox narrowed his eyes before admitting,"There's a lot of shit I would do to get out of this damn circus. I abhor this place with all my heart and I can hardly stand working here, let alone having my labor being used to profit some asshole who I don't like. To be so powerless…it's beyond infuriating…"
"You sure you're not talking about yourself there?" Husk asked,"Because I'm certain the people who worked under you for years would describe you and your company like that if they had the chance. "
"What are you talking about?" Vox growled.
"You know what I'm talking about, Vox. I know how you Overlords operate. The exploitation may be different but it's still exploitation at the end of the day. Perhaps now you know how all your workers felt working under you. They probably felt the same way you felt towards Mammon."
"Do not compare me to that fucking bastard. I'm not him…"
"You may not be but that doesn't make it any less ironic. For someone who used to be on top of things you sure do act like the rest of us once you no longer possess the power and influence you once had. Honestly, the longer I talk with you, the harder it is for me to see why Al was always so jealous of you. I don't see what there is to be jealous of, maybe it was the attention you got but other then that, you've got nothing worth emulating in the slightest…"
The blonde scowled,"Oh shut up! Do you not know who I am!? I'm the fucking TV Demon you asshat!"
"Correction, you were the TV Demon. Maybe you haven't caught up yet but you stopped being a TV Demon quite some time ago. You're not the feared Overlord in Hell you used to be. You're just like the rest of us and it's time you've realized that…"
"Shut up!" He attempted to hit Husk in the face but Husk caught his fist and twisted, eliciting a cry in agony,"Ah! Let go of me!"
Vox attempted to kick Husk when he refused to release him but the elder male sensed an attack coming and with his quick reflexes kicked Vox in the leg, knocking him to the ground as he screamed in pain.
"You…you've got some fucking nerve to knock me down like that! How dare you, you little fuck…"
"That was your own fault, Vox. You should know better than to get into fights you can't win, especially since without the durability you used to possess as a sinner, you're far more fragile than you realize."
"I…I am not weak!" Vox then tried to stand up but gasped when his leg gave out, "F-Fuck!" That hurt a lot more than he expected and he actually felt teary eyed just from how hard Husk had kicked him…
Husk looked down at him, pitying the blonde. A part of him had trouble believing that THIS was the person who was once a renowned Overlord of Hell. This was who Alastor was envious of for so many decades.
The Overlord who controlled all technology and struck fear into the hearts of countless demons world-wide…
Was now the same person who could barely stand up and looked on the verge of tears just from the excruciating amount of pain he was in.
At the moment, Husk saw what was really there underneath all that bravado and confidence. The man who propped himself up as this all-powerful and menacing being looked more akin to a lost child than any Overlord he had ever seen.
It was the look in his eyes…those eyes he had seen before. The eyes of a broken soul who didn't know what they were even fighting for anymore.
He knew that feeling all too well..as a soldier, he always questioned why he was even fighting anymore. Even after the war was over, there were times he honestly had wished he walked into the line of fire to end his suffering as he withered away from age, having lost all his loved ones to old age or to the war itself…
Vox wouldn't know anything about that…but he knew the guy was broken and was desperate for anyone who'd give him the time of day. Perhaps that was why he chased after that siren so badly, hoping that someone would love him after his multiple failed relationships…
It was a pity…Husk knew what Helsa really had in mind for him. The siren didn't love Vox, she was just using him as she had done to every other man in her life. He was just her latest victim. She saw his desperation for love and took full advantage of it just to get inside his head and tear him apart from the inside.
A part of him did want to tell Vox the truth but he knew it wasn't his place. He'd find out one or another and Husk preferred not to be the one to tell someone that the girl they had gone through so much trouble getting to was using them the entire time for their own benefit.
Because Husk saw Vox for who he really was. Strip the majority of his powers from him and give him back his humanoid form and you'd see that without the screen, he was really just a broken soul just like everyone else.
It was such a sad sight to see and when he offered his hand towards Vox, he stared at it for the longest time before saying,"Are…are you trying to trick me? To pull me up so you can knock me down again? I'm not that stupid, Husk..I won't fall for something so obvious…"
"It's not a trick. I'm just trying to help you, you look really pathetic right now and you look like you could use a hand…"
Vox's eyes flared up with rage,"Don't you dare pity me…I don't need your sympathy or your help for that matter.."
Husk scoffed,"Fine then..If you want to stay out here all night then be my guest. Just don't say nobody tried helping you…" He turned his back to walk away.
Vox stared at him in disbelief as he walked away before shouting,"Hey! Get back here! Don't just leave me out here! My fucking leg hurts and I can barely get up!"
"Weren't you the guy who just said he didn't need help mere seconds ago?"
"That was then..this is now…" He muttered,"Look, I don't know what point you're trying to prove here but if you think you're telling me new information then you're mistaken. I know I'm fucking terrible, I've known that for years..decades even…I..I never thought I'd end up in a good place when I died and when I did end up in Hell..I knew I wasn't gonna see her again. Lenore was too good for this world. She was too good for me…"
"Did you ever wish she could've been in Hell with you?"
"I would've wanted her to be with me in every way imaginable. But I know she would've never survived down there. Hell isn't for people like her, the poor girl wouldn't have hurt a fly, let alone a person. She deserved to go to Heaven and I wouldn't deprive her of that to be with me. Besides...if she saw me for who I am now, she'd want nothing to do with me. Hell..she would probably hate me if anything for becoming this way and I wouldn't blame her whatsoever.."
Husk shook his head,"You're a sad, sad man, Vox…"
"Shut up! I'm not sad…I'm just…tired..so goddamn tired.." He hissed,"I'm just so tired…I'm tired of everyone..I'm tired of this world world… and most of all…I'm tired of myself…" He then began rambling, his voice ached and exhausted,"I've made so many mistakes in my life…But the biggest one was not taking my own life when I had the chance. I should've left myself to the Exterminators years ago, would have spared me all this trouble had Just ended then and there. Non Existence would be preferable to the Hell I'm experiencing at this bloody carnival.."
"So that's just it? You're gonna give up now? After you've come so far?"
"I have nothing to live for…My wife is gone…Val hates me and Velvet probably thinks I'm dead. Vark…I have no idea where he is but assuming Val didn't kill him, he's probably barely managing to scrape by on the streets. He probably thinks I've abandoned him for dead…Everyone I cared for is gone, Husk…They're all gone, one way or another. I have no one left to care for…"
"What about the girl? Don't you like her?"
"Who? You mean Helsa? Yeah…I like her…more than you realize but..I'm not sure she feels the same way. I know it sounds paranoid but after all my past relationships I'm a little scared to fall in love again. Who's to say she won't die on me like my wife did or throw me out when I become unbearable like Val? I can't handle another fucking loss at this point in my life…"
Husk stammered for a moment, of all people who knew what loss was like, he was particularly an seasoned expert yet he felt uncertain how to approach this situation. He had never seen someone so powerful just crumble to the floor like a sheet of paper, no doubt on the verge of tears with how shaky his voice was.
"Vox…I know this sounds really corny…but you can't just give up here."
"Oh and why is that? Is it because I have so much to live for'?" He asked sarcastically."Please, we both know that's a lie…"
"I'm not enough of a fool to believe that," Husk retorted,"Believe me, I know the feeling of wanting to give up. I've contemplated ending my own life so many times and I still do. I still don't know why I never ended it all..maybe because I wanted to fight it or because I was too scared to do so. Regardless, you're not alone but you can't just give up here, not while this circus still standing anyway."
"What do you mean?"
"So long as this carnival stands, the rest of us will never know freedom. Sure, maybe you and I could run away, maybe if we got far enough we could go by other names and start over. But Helsa and Seviathan don't have that choice. They can't leave. If you give up they'll be stuck here for the rest of their lives. Do you want that for them?"
"Of course not…"
"Then you need to understand that you can't give up, because they still need you. Maybe you don't care that much for Seviathan but I know you care for Helsa. She needs you, Vox and while she can't say it to you out loud, you know deep down she needs your help more than anyone else. I can't promise anything but I'm certain she'll at least grow a bit fonder of you if you help get her out of this circus…"
"Are you certain of that?"
"I didn't say it would happen. Don't take my word for it. Just saying it'll boost your chances considerably. Maybe things have changed since my time but I do recall people being thankful when you help them. If Helsa has a sense of gratefulness in that black heart of hers then perhaps you might be able to win her over…"
Vox was hanging off every word he said, like a desperate man looking for a sip of water.
"What do you call Vox? Are you willing to take that chance?"
He nodded weakly,"Yeah…I am…I know it's a longshot but I'm willing to give it a shot for once. It's not like I have much else to lose anyhow…"
He then tried to stand up but cringed at the pain he felt in his sore leg. Husk extended his arm out to help him. Vox gripped his hand and slowly regained his balance
"Shouldn't I be getting a thank you?" Husk asked when Vox began brushing himself off.
The blonde scoffed,"I'm not thanking the guy who knocked me down in the first place. Don't know where you're from but where I come from it's not normal to thank someone when they kick you in the shins…"
"Ugh,don't make me regret helping you, Vox…"
"Whatever.." Vox said,"Make no mistake, I don't like you, Husk, not all. And you should consider yourself lucky I was stripped of my demonic form when I fell into this world else this would've ended much, much differently. Just know that the moment this is over I'll be sure to get you back for this…"
"Is that a threat, Vox?"
"No…it's a promise. And when I make promises, I intend to keep them. So you better watch your back when that time comes."
Husk seemed unamused by the threat, waving the former TV Demon off,"I'm not afraid of you, Vox…"
Vox growled,"You should..you really should…" He then narrowed his eyes,"Consider yourself lucky I have bigger problems to deal with and that working together is in both of our best interests. We are not friends by any means but Mammon's too big of a threat to be dealt with by one person. We shall remain allies but I cannot promise we'll stay that way once he is dealt with…"
He rolled his eyes,"You done with the ominous threats or what? I get the point, Vox. No need to hammer it in…"
"Just making sure you know where you stand with me. I am only tolerating you until it is no longer necessary. Do not get in my way, got that?"
"Yeah. I get it.."As Vox turned away to leave, Husk decided to say one last thing to him,"And one more thing, Vox, if you're trying to be intimidating
try not to look like you're pouting. It makes you look like a kid.."
"Why you little-" Vox then cut himself before saying,"You know what? I'm not even gonna bother with you. Good fucking night…"
Vox then stormed off to his tent, fury and embarrassment flooding into his mind.
Old fucker still had a lot of fight left him and his veteran reflexes were still there, something Vox had learned the hard way and he was beyond embarrassed about had basically gotten his ass kicked by an old drunkard.
Oh how he wanted to strangle him with his bare hands. Yet he knew it'd just end up with him crumpled up on the floor again. The worst part wasn't even that he kicked his ass, he literally saw him at his weakest and the fucker PITIED him.
Him. The fucking TV Demon. He was meant to be feared yet he ended up breaking down in front of a fucking war veteran. If the people back in Hell heard that he'd never hear the end of it, he'd be a laughing stock for years…
As angry as he was, a part of him deep in his soul knew that Husk was right. He couldn't give up, not yet anyway.
Seviathan and Helsa needed him..and while it may have been a pipe-dream, he was hoping that by helping Helsa, maybe she'd return his feelings for her and that he'd finally be able to be happy for once in his life…
But he couldn't be happy…Not while he was bound to Mammon, not while the circus still stood.
The carnival was a place that made him feel nothing but misery and suffering and he couldn't rest until it was reduced to atoms….
He then had an idea…He didn't want Mammon to salvage anything from his carnival. He wanted the fucker to feel pain and wanted to get him where it hurt.
He wanted to see the carnival erupt into flames, ideally with Mammon inside.
That bastard would feel his pain and he'd make him suffer for what he had done to him..for what he had done to them.
Vox reached into his uniform and pulled out one of the Mammon dolls he had snuck into his outfit from the store before pulling out several pins and stabbing them into him, mainly stabbing where his heart and dick would be located.
He knew it wouldn't do anything, the doll wasn't cursed(unfortunately) but it made him feel better about what happened. Since a part of his body he was deeply ashamed of did enjoy what had happened and he was disgusted with himself liking it.
'Much better…he looks so 'handsome' now..' He grinned before tossing the doll aside and finally heading to bed, his body sore as can be…
He wouldn't escape tomorrow or the next day for that matter...but he swore that he would get out. No matter how long it took...
Thanks for the views, tell me what you think below! I'd love to know how you love the story so far!
BTW I'm not sure if google translate is right but if you wanna know what Vox said in German he said:"My body, my soul, my mind, it's ll yours, take it,take it all! Take me dammit, I need you so badly!"
Enigmus-288: Mammon is a dick, no surprise there.