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It had been a week since Seviathan was involuntarily let into the fold.
By now, impersonating his sister was second nature to him. He knew his sister's mannerisms to the core and her lack of voice didn't hinder this operation whatsoever.
If anything, it made this mission more simple than pie as he didn't even need to speak and they were all blissfully ignorant of his true form…
About the only 'difficult' part was finding an excuse to feed at first, however he quickly latched onto the reasoning of being a watcher at camp and that he needed to 'ensure' some animals didn't get too close to their base…
And to be exact, he wasn't really lying on that end…he did make sure that none of the animals he saw ever got close…permanently that is…
What? A Blood Mage has to keep themselves fed after all and he was certain that the bodies he left behind would no doubt be consumed by some desperate predator looking for an easy snack. It may be dry and not as nutritious but he considered his survival more important than theirs…
However, even the most simple expeditions had rather…boring parts to it. Such as having to participate in group labor in order to further their cause.
It was standard stuff, mainly gathering firewood, helping forage for food and checking the surrounding area for anything suspicious while discussing their next move amongst each other.
It was such a chore but in the very least it offered Seviathan crucial intel to communicate back to base through his clone.
Still, that didn't mean it wasn't a huge bore…
The Impersonator Prince grumbled as he carried the logs in his hands. Today was his turn to gather the logs since Velvet and Niffty had done it prior. While he wished he could've done something as simple as gathering water, Charlie had already assigned Husk and Al to do it.
It wasn't as if it were heavy or anything but he truly did despite having to carry these pieces of oak back and forth to their location all because Charlie believed it was 'Helsa's duty for today.
About the only solace was that Vox had offered to help him with this expenditure which did help take the load off of his shoulders ever so slightly.
Nevertheless, he most certainly despised being bossed around by his ex-girlfriend but he had to bite his tongue to avoid delving into pointless confrontations…
The second they arrived back at camp, Seviathan was quick to wash his hands of the responsibility of collecting logs by literally dropping the logs at Charlie's feet haphazardly, taking no care to ensure the logs didn't land on them by accident. The blonde barely managed to dodge the attack and moved out of the way at the last possible second.
'Here are you damned logs, just as you asked…' He thought spitefully as he threw them at their feet.
"Was that really necessary, Helsa?" Charlie asked, her expression both disappointed yet unsurprised.
The Feral Prince glared at her before speaking in sign language,"I did as you asked, didn't I? Is what I do not enough for you, Charlotte? Is what I do not good enough!? Am I not good enough?"
Charlie flinched, even without hearing 'her' voice, the poison being spat in her direction made her tense. It wasn't as if she hadn't had Helsa's ire directed at her before, but she never had Helsa this furious at being commanded to do something.
Perhaps it was the notion of being bossed around by her rival but even then, Helsa had done tasks like this prior without being as awful so she wasn't entirely sure what her deal was. It was as if Helsa's attitude towards her had suddenly taken an extreme nosedive over the past five days for no apparent reason.
Vox tensed up as he gently placed his logs on the ground before placing a hand on 'Helsa's shoulder and said,"Hey, hey, no need to get feisty, Helsa. She just wants everyone to pull their weight in this journey. You did your part well and there's nothing to get upset over. Say…why don't we talk somewhere…private once Charlie and I have exchanged words with each other?"
Seviathan scoffed before taking a deep breath and calming down and distancing himself between them but still remaining within range of their eyesight as he leaned against a tree with his arms folded over his bosom.
The TV Demon clutched his forehead before glancing at Charlie wearily,"Sorry about that, Charlie. I hope you're not too upset about that…."
Charlie smiled comfortingly,"It's alright, Vox. You're not responsible for Helsa's behavior. Besides, I'm kind of used to Helsa being petty towards me though I can't understand why she's so moody lately. She wasn't like this five days ago…"
"I can't tell you why, but I think maybe her brother's absence is taking its toll. Didn't help that Angel just rubbed in a sore spot purely to spite her. She's probably taking her bad mood out on you since you and Angel have a…uh…thing together…"
Charlie flushed,"Well,we're not officially together-"
Vox raised an eyebrow in disbelief at such a claim,"Uh-huh…Whatever you say, Princess…Whatever you say…"
"Vox, I'm serious!"
"Yeah sure, whatever, Charlie…" He retorted, rolling his eyes at her blatant denial,"I'm sure you'll change your tune eventually…"
Before Charlie could say anything else, Vox turned his back and eventually approached 'Helsa' whose expression was one of disdain and hate.
'Her' expression became a bit lax when Vox approached and the TV Demon's overall presence seemed to improve 'her' mood since 'she' seemed receptive to Vox. She couldn't hear what the two were saying but eventually, Vox playfully tagged Helsa before dashing off in another direction and 'Helsa' quickly pursued in a chase.
'Those two seem to like each other an awful lot…' She thought to herself. A weary yet hopeful smile etched itself across her face,'Could it be? Are they finally becoming closer than ever? Are they going to finally…fall in love?'
Upon further concentration, she began to identify this sense of…strong fondness within the air. She could feel the passion from Vox's soul and the feelings he felt towards Helsa were strong, incredibly so.
'Helsa' was on the other hand…harder to read. Unlike Vox, 'Helsa' was…hard to read on that front. Perhaps her control over sensing others emotions was limited when it came to those who were 'harder' to decipher but she still couldn't shake off the feeling something was off about her.
Regardless, she was hoping that Vox and Helsa were forming a true connection for the sake of her plan.
It was wishful thinking and Charlie knew she was being far too optimistic yet she couldn't help herself. She remembered her deal with Mammon all too well, recalling how she had made a very dicey covenant with him not long after Lucifer had made the decision to ship the others off the Belphegor.
While it had been a long time since that arrangement had been made, Charlie hadn't forgotten about it and knowing Mammon, neither had he.
It was a last-minute gambit for Vox's freedom. She had been put between a rock and a tight place and she didn't want to allow Mammon to have total control over Vox's soul without a fight and this was her last card.
The gambit was one that hinged off of lucky and pure circumstance though it seemed that Charlie's eleventh hour plan was coming full circle. With her luck, Mammon's hold was weakening and if things went right, the sigil would eventually vanish entirely.
It was still a high bargain, but she was praying that perhaps her dicey deal was working out for both of their sakes.
Charlie grit her teeth, sensing people's emotions was…going to get some used to. Especially since concentrating on trying to decipher them was quite taxing the longer she did and quickly decided to refrain from using it any longer lest she faint again.
"Ugh…" She groaned,"My head…" Her body felt a tad weak and her legs wobbled.
Suddenly, she felt someone grab her shoulder and turned, seeing Angel Dust behind her with a worried glance as he touched her forehead,"You alright, Charlie? You seem a little out of it. One moment you were just staring out by the logs and the next you're quivering like a leaf and I think you're getting pale. Think it's time you lie down, babe…"
"Angel, I'm fine…I'm just tired," She grumbled and to 'prove' her point she knelt down and tried to lift the logs only to wobble a little.
She still hadn't adjusted to not being strong as she used to be and carrying the amount of logs in her hand would've been such a simple task in her normal form. This timeline however made her much weaker and made it so that carrying too much logs would make her lose her balance.
"Don't take more than you can chew, Charlie," He chided before taking some of the logs off of her,"You know you're not as powerful as you used to be and you gotta be careful lest you hurt yourself. Doesn't help you don't get any powers…"
Charlie frowned,"But Angel, I think I do..I have some sort of ability…"
"Oh yeah? Then why don't you show it to me?"
"I…I can't…It's not something I can just do on whim and it takes a lot of energy to make something of note…" She mumbled.
Angel sighed,"Charlie, Charlie, I get it. Ya wanna be cool and have powers just like the rest of us. I can't really blame you, it must be such a downgrade to go from one of the most powerful beings Hell's ever seen to…ya know..this." He said while trying to offend her by pointing at her current form,"But claiming ya got abilities when you know it ain't true is just doing yourself a disservice. Just because you don't have wacky powers like the rest of us doesn't mean you're not important and I doubt we could've gotten this far without you so don't beat yourself up over not having any talents. No powers or not, you're still the strongest girl I know and nothing is gonna change that."
The Princess made a face, she really did want to argue with Angel and claim she wanted power but she knew it was a waste of time.
Angel wouldn't believe her and really, she could hardly blame him. He didn't see her put up the shield and given how short it lasted, her powers were too inconsistent to be of any use since they seemed to be harder to control than the others were…
It was truly a shame, Charlie knew she had something special about her…but it was like she was the only one who could see it. To everyone else, she was just a powerless Princess who had to be shielded when danger came…
Instead of arguing, she simply sighed and said,"I know…I guess I just wish I could do something as easily as you guys…"
"Don't beat yourself up, Charlie, because as far as I'm concerned, you're special to me and what matters isn't the superficial abilities you possess but what's down here," He then prodded Charlie's chest,"After all, aren't you the girl who always talked about the inside of the soul being what counts? Why don't ya take your own advice and nurture your own rainbow as you call it?"
Charlie stammered,"I uh…hadn't thought about that actually, Angel…Um..Thanks. I'll try to think about that next time…"
"Ya better, I don't wanna see ya moping about not having any fancy superpowers. You're special to a lot of people Charlie and no amount of power is gonna change our opinions on that. So why don't we forget about all that nonsense and deliver all this wood to Vaggie since I know that spicy bitch is probably wondering where all the firewood is at."
"That is a fair point, Vaggie doesn't like waiting and she's probably thinking something went wrong. I say we pay her a visit before anything bad happens…"
The two agreed and without further discussion, they carried the logs off and headed towards Vaggie who gave the two of them a rather irritated look,"What took so long getting the firewood, Charlie? I've been waiting here for over thirty minutes! It shouldn't have taken that long to deliver it!"
"I uh…got caught up with a few things… "She admitted,"But don't worry, Vox and Helsa got us the wood as promised!" She said while holding up her logs with great enthusiasm.
"I'm honestly impressed she actually obeyed your order…" Angel muttered.
"Helsa is a bit…much but she does do her job when push comes to shove. Even if she's not all too pleased with doing it," She grumbled.
"Your rival is a bitch, nothing new," Vaggie sighed,"I'm just glad they got a suitable amount. This should last us a good while and will keep us all warm…" The former Moth Demon said this while putting a fair bit of logs at the campfire before using her powers to light up a flame.
Charlie quickly saw the opportunity to rest by the fire and took it, sitting down on the logs they had found lying around in the forest. Angel followed shortly after and sat beside her, allowing her to lean on his shoulder.
Vaggie then glanced at them and groaned,"Are you seriously using Angel Dust as a pillow, Charlie? You know there's a tent right over there…"
"Princess wants to be by the fire, toots. Let her rest over here. Besides, while I don't get my tits any more, I'm still pretty soft, ain't that right Charlie?"
"Yeah…very…"
"See? She's perfectly comfortable beside me…" He chuckled, admiring the sight as Charlie dozed off on his shoulder. Even if the position was uncomfortable, Angel refused to move from it and instead allowed her to rest on him without batting an eye.
An experience like this would've cost any fans quite a bit of money but he was willing to give Charlie a free cuddle with no strings attached. She had earned that right and he'd be damned before he allowed anyone to take it from her.
Vox felt sweat run down the side of his face as he tried to sprint away. He had decided to engage in a childish game of tag with 'Helsa' in order to lighten the mood, however there was one factor he had neglected to think about…
'Helsa' was fast. Like, incredibly so and while Vox was no slowpoke, 'Helsa' was going so fast that it would put olympic level athletes to shame.
The amazing part about it was that 'she' was doing this while wearing winter boots and a dress and neither factors seemed to slow 'her' down whatsoever. It didn't even faze 'her' as 'she' remained on his tail despite all his best efforts to distance himself.
Needless to say, it was only a matter of time before 'she' caught up with him and 'she' decided to remind him of her superiority by tackling him to the ground. Vox grunted as he collided into the grassy plains, landing flat on his back.
Thankfully the grass was pretty soft and cushioned the landing. Still, the fall rendered him breathless for a moment and his eyes were wide as could be as he locked eyes with 'Helsa' for a moment.
Despite himself, Vox threw his head back and laughed breathlessly at the situation. 'Helsa' raised an eyebrow at his sudden burst of ragged laughter. Even without words, it was clear 'she' was confused by his reaction.
'What is so funny to him?' Seviathan mused to himself, bemused by his cackles and wondered if perhaps the fall hit him hard and decided to get off of him.
Vox chuckled, his laughter dying down as he rolled over on the grass as he caught his breath,"Heh…he…You're a fast woman, Helsa…Gave me quite a workout and yet I don't even think you were trying, were you?" He asked teasingly,"Tell me, I already know the answer but I just want your confirmation. Were you humoring me by not catching me instantly? Because it was pretty obvious that between the two of us, you are the faster one…"
Seviathan nodded his head honestly. He could've caught Vox from the beginning but he didn't want to immediately catch him since where would the fun in that be?
Besides, it wasn't like Vox truly stood a chance. He was the top athlete in Hell School for a reason. Superior genetics and years of training had molded him into a quick adversary and with Belphegor's enchantments, he was the ultimate warrior and predator.
He panted slightly,"I figured as much, wouldn't have believed you if I said anything but…" He then sat himself up beside the disguised Prince before gazing up at the starry sky,"Beautiful, isn't it?" He remarked, glancing up at Seviathan with a small smile on his face.
Seviathan stared up at the sky and nodded.
The endless skies above them were wondrous and the blanket of tiny dots in the sky was a jaw droppingly gorgeous sight even for him. The wind howled and the cool air blew the trees around every so slightly, causing the leaves to quiver.
"Yeah…it really is," He said, though his gaze had refused to move from him,"You know, Helsa…Now that we're alone, I was kind of wondering if perhaps we could have a…heart to heart as they put it."
He cocked an eyebrow and signed,"What exactly do you wish to share with me that couldn't have been said before?"
"It's uh…kind of something I'd rather we keep between us. The others don't need to hear something this private," He admitted quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Seviathan could sense his heart pumping more blood than before, his voice sounding oddly nervous.
"You see, Helsa…I've been thinking for a while about how I feel about you and I've finally gathered the courage to tell you this," He then put a hand on his thigh as he said,"Helsa, I…I think I love you…"
Seviathan stared at Vox with great bewilderment before moving Vox's hand off of his thigh and glancing at him. Vox seemed a bit hurt but still gazed up at him hopefully, anticipating a response.
The Prince then searched his mind for a response.
Technically, the confession was not for him but rather his 'dearest' sister who he was impersonating.
Normally, he'd just reject Vox without much thought, however he remembered the deal he and Mammon made.
He had agreed to shatter Vox's heart and merely rejecting him while sad, likely wouldn't do the job since if he knew anything about his sister's admirers they all still harbored feelings for her even after being stood up.
No, he'd have to play far dirtier than that…The suffering would only be minimal if he played it this way.
Still, he couldn't quite reject or accept his confession as of yet. He'd have to give him a vague answer to lead him on until he could figure out what to do with this information.
"What a touching statement, Vox…Though, I must ask, do you truly believe it is wise to confess your feelings while on the run? Especially when we're being pursued as we speak…"
"I know that, but that doesn't mean I can't have feelings now can I? I've been feeling this way for a long time and I just wanted to be sure if you felt the same way…" He said,"It's OK if you don't but if you do, I'd really appreciate it if you told me…"
"I am…undecided as of now…"
"What for?" He asked,"What's stopping you from giving me a concrete answer?"
"It's awfully hard to love someone whose heart belongs to someone else don't you think?"
"What?" Vox inquired, confused by this question,"What are you talking about? It's not like I'm with Val anymore. What's the problem?"
"Not your ex boyfriend, Vox," He chided and went as far as to pick up Vox's wrist and pull it back to expose the sigil,"I'm talking about this. Have you forgotten that you're Mammon's property?"
Vox's face fell, his expression becoming sullen,"Oh…Shit…I actually forgot about that. Mammon still owns me by all accounts. I should've known that was what you were speaking of…"
"What else would you be speaking of? You know you belong to him, don't you? You gave yourself away and while you may be on the run,your binding to him remains…"
"I'm aware," The Former Overlord grumbled as he took back his wrist and hid the marking under his sleeve,"It's not exactly something I'm proud of as you can see but I don't regret it either…."
"You're not ashamed? Even after being played the fool?" Seviathan asked, recalling how devastated Vox had been over being played a fool back at the asylum. This was quite a far cry from the distraught man he had seen upon realizing Helsa was just toying with him the entire time.
"Eh, not the first time it's happened,"He admitted,"Not that I'm happy about it but it's not the first time someone's manipulated me…Besides, I'm mostly over it."
Seviathan was certain that was a lie, but he figured Vox didn't want to admit it was still a sore spot after all this time in an effort to not appear weak in front of him, or rather, who he believed Helsa to be exact.
"Would you have done it had you known what would happen between us?" He asked,"Would you consider it worth it?"
The armor piercing question left Vox stunned for a few seconds, as if he himself was uncertain of his true answer.
At that moment, all the memories came flooding back to him at once. From the moment he met Helsa, to the second he and Mammon made their deal and everything in between. The thoughts he had so desperately fought to put in the back of his mind had come at him full force, flooding his mind with haunting yet oh-so familiar images that he'd never forget.
All of the most prominent memories however, featured Mammon. Just like in his dreams, the man's face was unforgettable and he was always there. He couldn't truly stop thinking about him when he slept and not even in the confines of his dreams was he safe.
He wasn't sure if that was due to Mammon manipulating his dreams or it was his mind trying to push him,either way, the memories dug deep and haunted him during his sleep. Sometimes he woke up in a sweat, though he'd ultimately force himself to go back to sleep as to ensure nobody would notice.
The surge of memories elicited a gasp and Vox clutched his wrist and grit his teeth.
"You seem tense, Vox…Have you been thinking about that damned Jester?"
"How can I not?" He inquired,"He owns me in my entirety. My soul…my body..even my mind…He can manipulate it all at will and I'm unable to do anything about it…He's my Lord after all and I'm merely a 'mortal servant' bound to his every whim…"
Seviathan narrowed his eyes, Vox sounded..sad yet strangely longing? It likely wasn't his place to ask such a question but he figured given his status as a double agent that it was his job to prod Vox for his weak points and this seemed like something he could exploit.
"How do you feel about him?"
"What do you mean?"
"I sense conflict within your eyes. Do you feel something towards him?"
"Why do you want to know?" He asked,"I thought you hated Mammon."
He scoffed,"Hate is too tame a word. I vehemently despise him and how can I not? He imprisoned me and exploited us for free labor while keeping us in cramped tanks and fed us leftovers. I'd have to be insane not to abhor that bastard…."
"I can't blame you, Helsa. You're well within your rights to hate him and I sure as hell won't stop you."
"But why don't you feel the same way? Didn't he exploit you too?"
"Not in the way you'd expect…" He mumbled under his breath.
"What does that mean?"
"Nothing…" He said,"Look, Helsa, I'd rather not talk about it honestly. It's something I'd prefer to leave behind and it's nothing worth discussing."
Despite Vox's unwillingness to discuss the topic, Seviathan could scenes with the way his blood was pumping that Vox was uncomfortable at the notion of delving into detail about what his relationship with Mammon was like
Either way, he'd have his answers…
Regardless, it was best to drop the subject until it'd be convenient to bring it up again. Best to file this information he had recorded for later till he was able to report back to his Master about the group's secrets.
A moment later, Vox and Seviathan's eyes caught sight of what appeared to be a shooting star soaring across outer space. Amazed by this, Vox pointed up at the sky as it flew before their very eyes.
"Woah! Would you look at that? A comet…guess even this timeline is capable of producing such eye-catching sights. He then elbowed him,"Sure is something, isn't it?"
Seviathan nodded,"It most certainly is…"
He wasn't one to look at the skies for views but even he couldn't deny that it was a fine sight for his eyes.
The Former Overlord then felt the urge to ask,"Hey Helsa, you know there's a little tradition on Earth where if you see a shooting star you're supposed to make a wish on it for whatever your heart truly desires."
"That sounds ridiculous. You can't tell me actually believe that nonsense do they?"
"Eh some do,especially gullible children. The young ones will believe just about anything," Vox admitted.
"So why bring it up if you do not believe in it?"
"It's a custom on Earth and I honestly didn't expect to see any comets out here. Besides, given how…negative our lives have been at this point, why not at least pretend to be positive and act like wishes come true for the night? Why don't we wish upon a star? Who knows, maybe if we're lucky it'll come true…"
"Hmph, seriously?" Seviathan scoffed but decided to play along with Vox's desires.``Fine, I'll play. What do you wish for on this star tonight, Vox?"
He paused, as if in deep thought before saying,"I wish for Helsa to be happy for the rest of her life."
Seviathan resisted the urge to laugh, of all wishes he could make, he chose that? All for his sister who saw him as nothing more than a tool? How pathetically pitiful.
"What about you, Helsa? What do you wish for?" He asked, snapping Seviathan out of his trance.
The Prince narrowed his eyes before signing the words,"My wish is to be admired greatly by all as everyone praises me for my power and gain…"
This of course was a rather…unfinished statement. It wasn't something he didn't want, but Seviathan left out a few key details such as the threatening part of his wish,'And force those who oppose me to kneel before me and live in fear…'
Vox chuckled,"Quite the egomaniac aren't you? Not that I'm judging, pretty much all of us are to an extent. That's certainly quite a dream you've got on your hands though maybe in enough time you'll be able to obtain it ..."
"I know it's not going to happen by wishing on a star, that's what…"
The Former Overlord rolled his eyes,"Oh live it a little, Helsa. It won't hurt to use your imagination and have some hope now would it? Just relax under the stars tonight and leave the thinking for the morning…"
"Fair enough…" Seviathan sighed before laying down on the grass alongside Vox, watching the stars twinkling above. The Prince felt Vox gently clutch his hand before his eyes grew heavy, falling into a peaceful slumber.
He watched Vox before thinking,'Hmph…he's gone to bed. At last. Took him long enough. I was thinking he'd never go to sleep…' He sighed,'Now with him unconscious, I think it's about time I contacted the others about my findings and see what they make of this. It's a tad late but better late than never…'
He then used his powers to come in contact with his clone.
Considering his clone was more or less just an extension of himself, it had no true free will and operated off of his command, thus allowing him to occupy the vessel temporarily while his true body remained operational.
His eyes came open and he found himself back at base. He turned and saw Helsa staring at him in bemusement.
"Why hello there, sister…have you missed me?" He taunted, chuckling at the sight of an unnerved expression before putting on a faux sorrowful tone,"Aw, I'm so hurt, you didn't even notice I was gone did you? Then again, you did have my clone to keep you company. But don't worry, I wasn't alone at all! For I had my betrayers to keep me company!"
Helsa flinched and he decided to continue his rambling,
"And do you wish to know the best part? Of course you do, why wouldn't you?" He said, not giving his sister a choice in the matter of having the news delivered,"All of them believed I was you, dearest sister! Even your boy-toy couldn't tell us apart!" He cackled madly.
The Princess of Envy was horrified at this news and sent Seviathan a glare,"You better not have hurt him, Seviathan…"
"Don't be a silly sister, as tempting as his blood is, I haven't laid a hand on him," He chuckled,"There's no need to be so cruel, siblings share everything you know? It's not fair to hog your toys! I have a right to play too!"
"Vox is not your toy…"
"Tch!" He scoffed,"What's wrong, sister? Don't like me toying with your little doll? It's not fair to hog things, sister! Learn to share your possessions, will you?" He then rolled his eyes,"Not that matters. I'll put your toy away this time! Playtime is over and I think it's about time you retired this little charade! After all, it's not as if you ever cared for the man, you told me yourself you were just using him. If it bothers you so much you can always find another guy to fool once this is all over. Then we can put this all behind us and be a family!"
The Princess stared at her brother in silent terror as he rambled about delusions of a grandeur without the slightest bit of hesitancy.
Even with the mask concealed his entire face, she could already sense the lunacy in his eyes and the deluded flicker of twisted hope for them to be a 'family' at long last.
"Unfortunately, that will have to wait. For I did come here for a reason and I have business to attend to. Don't worry, we'll all be together soon. We just need to settle unfinished business first…" He sneered,"Speaking of which, what brings you here, Jester? I don't remember inviting you to our conversation…"
Despite the soft-spoken nature of Seviathan's voice, venom was blatant in his tone as he turned his attention to Mammon.
The venom was returned as Mammon scoffed before saying,"Oh my apologies, I simply don't recall ever needing an invitation to join a conversation."
"You should give this matter between 'family'.."
"Tch, family? Is that your poisoned mind speaking once again, child?" He asked,"If anything, your sister is more than likely fearful of you. It's plainly obvious she's petrified just being in your presence…"
"What would you know? Don't act as though you know her like I do! You have no right to speak as if you know her after your stunt prior!" He snarled fiercely,"Do not try to turn my sister against me with your words!"
"I think you're doing a swell job of that by yourself, monstrous freak," Mammon retorted apathetically,"Regardless, I suggest you stop rambling to the captive. You do have a reason for plaguing us with your irritating presence do you not?"
Seviathan grit his teeth,"I have, Jester…I've come back to report my findings and discuss them with my Master…"
"Hmph, I figured as much. Perhaps sending you wasn't a complete waste of time. Though we should discuss this away from your captive sister. This is something that should be kept between us since she's still not on our side. Now are you going to relay the information or what?"
"I shall…" He mumbled.
Mammon narrowed his eyes before motivating Seviathan to follow him, leaving Helsa alone. The Princess was tempted to follow them but Mammon sent her a look and said,"Do not even think about it, beautiful. Now do us both a favor and be a good siren and sit there obediently unless you wish for things to get worse…"
"Do not threaten my sister, Mammon…"
"I'm merely reminding her of her place, Seviathan. Do not berate me for having to care about our privacy…"
The two then left and headed to Belphegor's place of residency. The Lord of Sloth had set up his own miniature lab of sorts and was currently filing things away for later use when Mammon and Seviathan entered.
"Master, I have returned!" The Prince proclaimed.
"Seviathan," The Lord of Sloth rose from his studies, smiling fondly at his experiment with great pride,"Welcome back my dear nephew, and what brings you here? Shouldn't you still be with the others?"
"I still am actually," He admitted,"I'm merely using my construct to speak to you. My physical body remains elsewhere though I assure you that I am very much present either way…"
"Fanicinating," He said,"Such an intriguing connection you have with your clones. Perhaps we'll research that at a later date," Belphegor remarked as he made a small note in his file before putting it aside,"Regardless, I am pleased to see you again. Tell me, how has your mission gone?"
"Absolutely spectacular!" He boasted with pride,"Your plan has gone down without a hitch! Not a single soul is aware of my true identity!"
"Splendid,"The Lord of Sloth applauded,"I knew you could slip into the fold without question. What else have you learned?"
"They still plan on going to Gluttony. If I had to guess, they plan on losing us by sea. They've also become quite accustomed to living out in the wilderness as they seem quite comfortable for escaped convicts…"
Mammon scoffed,"No duh, there's nowhere else they could go by now. Tell us something we do not know. Don't tell me this is all you've managed to acquire during your stay because I'm tempted to believe you did nothing but waste everyone's time…"
"Why you-" He snarled only to stand down when Belphegor sent him a glance. The Prince became subservient at his Master's glare and refrained from any hostile movements before directing his gaze at Mammon.
"Patience Mammon," Belphegor said,"Allow Seviathan to finish. I'm certain he's got more to share. Isn't' that right,Seviathan?"
"Very much so," He sneered,"Anyhow, before I was interrupted. I was about to explain the most important part. You see, not too long ago, Vincent and I were mingling with each other in private when the poor fool 'confessed' his undying love for me!"
"He what?" Mammon exclaimed, his eyes widening.
"You heard me, Mammon," The Prince cackled,"Though, to be exact, the confession is aimed at my dear sister. I just so happened to be the reciprocant due to taking her place. Poor bastard was just pouring his bleeding heart out as if it would give out at any moment."
The Lord of Greed narrowed his eyes at this revelation, a flicker of envy within his eyes before regaining his composure with a huff,"How did you respond to this confession, Seviathan?"
"I left him on standby," He responded,"I wasn't prepared for him to confess his feelings for my sister but I'm not complaining about the opportunity that has been presented to us. It makes our deal much easier to fulfill, doesn't it, Mammon?"
"What deal?" Belphegor asked, bemused by this topic,"You two made a deal with each other?"
"Of the sorts,"Mammon admitted,"I agreed to leave his precious sister alone if he managed to lure Vincent astray and break his heart…"
Belphegor paused, raising an eyebrow before chuckling,"Oh I see now, is that your way of securing your concubine, Mammon? What an amusing plot…"
"Concubine?" Seviathan inquired, seeming bemused and a tad distrubed as he said,"Vincent is your concubine? A mere peasant? How low of you, Mammon…"
The Jester scowled,"He is not my concubine, he is my property and has been ever since he thought rescuing you and your little sister was worth trading himself away."
The Prince of Envy seemed…conflicted for a split second upon being reminded of this. It had been a while since that had happened and he almost forgot until Mammon had graciously reminded him.
This certainly explained why Mammon was so keen on having him break his heart before returning Vincent to him. It all made sense now…
The conflict waned as quickly as it came, remembering his duty and that he could not disobey his command this far into the mission. He had come to finish what his dearest sister started and it was about time to sever this connection once and for all…
"Your relationship with Vincent is irrelevant to me," He stated,"However, I must ask how exactly you wish for me to shatter his heart. He already had his heart broken by sister yet he still remains attached. How do you propose we tear their relationship beyond repair in a way that makes it stick?"
Mammon paused, he hated admitting it but Seviathan brought up a fair point despite his blatant mental instability. Vox was incredibly resilient and trying to break his heart for good would take a very devastating blow for the mission to be a complete success.
He put his hand under his chin in deep thought before a sly grin grew on his face,"A fair question..Thankfully, I believe we are in luck. I have an idea and I believe it could work with the proper planning and convincing…"
"What type of plan is it?" Belphegor asked,"I'm curious, Mammon. Show us your genius…"
"Tch, as if you wish…" He snickered before using his magic to show an illusion with his dark arts for the three of them to see,"It's quite simple really. We've established Vincent is just head over heels for Helsa and since Seviathan is impersonating her, he in turn wields his trust in her. It should be quite simple for him to lure Vincent away for us to ambush him."
"But how will this break his heart exactly?" The Prince asked.
The Jester grinned madly,"Don't you see, boy? It's quite obvious. If we make it seem like Helsa lured him into a trap and sold him out, he'll no doubt crumble. Vincent's quite delicate underneath that exterior of his and I'm certain being played for the fool after confessing will break him entirely…"
"That…is quite a plan,"The Sloth Lord admitted,"I must commend such a well-thought proposal. I believe this can work, we just need an army to ensure he doesn't get away…"
"Tch, as if he could," Mammon said,"He is bound to me, have you forgotten? He may be able to outrun some mortal guards, but he cannot escape me when I pursue…"
"I understand,d but it's still best to limit the areas he can run in. never know what those mortals will pull…" Belphegor said,"Say, Seviathan, how does that plan sound? Are you up for it?"
"I am more than willing to serve,especially given your approval of said plan," He remarked,"I simply wish to know if Mammon is going to continue leaving sister when I help him…"
He scoffed,"So long as you return Vincent, your sister is of no concern to me, Seviathan. However, in order for this plan to stick, I do believe it's best to ensure Helsa and Vincent do not interact and to limit her movement…"
"Worry not, I'lll take care of her, she is my dearest niece after all and I'll be sure to make things go smoothly for you back at camp…" He said,"And Seviathan, once you finish this task for Mammon, be sure to keep an eye on the group once you return. Vincent's absence will likely be noted so you'll have to find some sort of excuse to alleviate suspicion."
"Already on it," He said,"Farewell, Master…Mammon, I shall see you soon…"
Seviathan then let his clone evaporate into thin air and left the two Demon Lords be. The second he was gone, the Lord of Greed glanced at Belphegor before saying,"You know that boy is dangerous, don't you?"
"No duh, he's my best experiment yet and my ultimate weapon. What's it to you?"
"Your experiments are always over the top but this one is pushing it too far. Blood Magic is bad enough but the fact he can imitate people? What made you think that was a good idea?"
"Multiple skills can be useful in the right hands…"
"And dangerous in others. Who's to say he'll stay loyal to you, Belphegor? You know that power is quite the tempter and that if he finds out you're hiding things from him, he might just decide to turn on you…"
"He wouldn't," He said,"Seviathan is loyal to me, he believes I am his savior, the one who gave him a chance when the others didn't. He values me…"
"Until you no longer give him what he wants…"
"Pessimistic as always," Belphegor huffed,"Have some faith in me, Mammon. I have Seviathan under control. He's eternally grateful and he's intent on serving me out of his own free will. Your paranoia is quite irritating.."
"To you it may, but I know you. Your curiosity never stops and sooner or later, you'll decide he isn't good enough for you and find someone else more interesting to test on, like his sister. He might take it poorly if he thinks you'll replace him so I suggest you watch your back…"
Mammon soon took his leave and Belphegor rolled his eyes,"He's such a Drama King…Oh well, I better go and grab Helsa so that the mission isn't compromised though I should ask her parents first to ensure they don't have any objections…"
Later The Next Afternoon…
The next afternoon, Seviathan had requested Vox to 'follow' him outside of camp a few hours after they had finished their duties for the day, claiming that he had some sort of 'surprise' for him.
Of course, Vox was absolutely giddy at hearing this and was more than willing to follow his lead even as they ventured into foriegn territory.
Still, the Former Overlord must've noticed how unfamiliar the area they were in was and that had been traveling for several hours without any sign of stopping and decided to ask a question,"Uh Helsa, I uh…don't want to question your judgment or anything but I noticed that we're kind of…far from camp. Like, really far and I don't even think we went through this part of the forest. Are you certain this is where the surprise is located?"
His voice was slightly nervous and Seviathan felt a tinge of pity for how utterly oblivious he was to the danger he was in.
Regardless, he knew not to satisfy fear and instead signed to him,"I'm very certain that this is the place. It's just a little further, I promise…."
Vox still seemed uneasy but ventured forward nevertheless.
The duo continued forward before Seviathan eventually came to a halt.
By now, they were deep in the forest that the Former TV Demon couldn't tell where he was, no longer recognizing the area he had been led to. All he could see was forest as far as the eye could see and he wasn't entirely sure where he even was…
"Helsa…where are we?" He asked only to be taken off guard by 'Helsa' laughing maniacally,"Helsa…are you OK?"
Seviathan scoffed before speaking, using his sister's voice to put on a charade,"Yes, but you won't be…"
The Former Overlord gasped,"You..you can speak!? Since when?"
The Prince sneered,"It's irrelevant, you naive fool…"
"Helsa…what's gotten into you? I thought we had something together…that you had-"
"Changed?" The Feral Impersonator butted in,"That I had grown to 'love' you? Ha! What a pathetically childish concept. Love is for fools and I most certainly wouldn't fall for some peasant loser who is all too easy to manipulate."
Vox's jaw dropped,"I…I don't understand. Why would you try rebuilding a relationship with me just to try crushing it once more? What was the point?"
"Amusement, what else? You know it's hard to find good entertainment around these parts. Unfortunately, you've exhausted your use and I believe it's about time we've ended this little charade…"
"But..but I…I loved you!"
"Aw, how touching…Truly heart wrenching," He mocked,"Now if only someone out there loved you…"
Vox was hurt…very much so but his hurt quickly meshed with his panic when he caught sight of people in the trees and in the bushes. It became apparent that this was an ambush attack and that he had been sold out.
Panic consumed his being as he found himself put between a rock and a hard place. He had been betrayed by who he believed was the one who he truly cared for, his other allies were too far too help and he had no idea where he was…
There was only one real option in this scenario.
Run.
And so he did, making a mad dash in a random direction in a desperate bid to get away from his pursuers.
"They always run," Seviathan said simply only to pause when a familiar Jester growled at him, to which he reverted back to his normal voice,"What?"
"Don't 'what' me you abominable creature! What was that? Why didn't you grab him?"
"Tch, I was asked to break his heart, not restrain him," He retorted,"That was the deal we agreed on. If you wanted something else you should've specified…"
The Jester pinched the bridge of his nose,"You're deliberately trying to anger me on purpose aren't you?"
"Even if I was, you know I'm right. If you want to get Vincent yourself, you're free to try. He's your concubine after all and I'm certain you can pursue him if you wish…As for me…I'll be going. I've fulfilled my part of the bargain and I have an obligation to serve you any longer. Farewell, you greedy cretin…"
The Prince then vanished into a puddle of blood and Mammon grit his teeth before sighing irritably,"Ugh, what an irritating little brat…."
"Lord Mammon, your property is getting away. Should we pursue him?" A guard suggested.
"That will not be necessary. I will recapture Vincent myself," He responded firmly.
"Are you certain you wish to do it alone? We could always help…"
"I assure you, I will be fine on my own. It's not as if we have to worry about him getting away. Vincent doesn't know this area and in all likelihood, he's probably gotten even more lost than before…" The Jester admitted,"Besides, he's only mortal and he'll eventually tucker himself out. He can't get that far and I am more than capable of handling an unruly mortal…"
The guards backed off from this statement and allowed Mammon to settle his business.
Meanwhile, the Former Overlord was running as fast as his legs could carry him.
Adrenaline was pumping through his veins and his mind was stirring with conflict and paranoia. The sound of his own footsteps clashing against the ground, the sound of snapping branches against his boots were enough to send his heart-rate sky-high.
He was dashing through the forest, trying to desperately find a way out, his mind cursing the indisputable environment. All the trees were dreary, foreboding and blocked out most of the sky.
He found himself going insane from his surroundings, all the trees looked interchangeable and he could only feel himself getting more and more lost the further he went yet he didn't dare stop. He may not have been able to hear anyone pursuing, but that didn't mean he wanted to pause and grant the enemy a chance to catch him slacking.
Eventually, Vox's luck came to an abrupt end as his foot tripped over a large rock. He fumbled and tumbled to the ground, letting out a pained cry as he landed into the dirt that stained his clothing and his face.
He whined in agony, pain wracking his entire body he struggled to get up. The former TV Demon was breathless, wheezing and hacking on the terrain.
The adrenaline rush had taken a harsh turn on his body and the rough landing did him no favors. His energy was spent and his body was weak and exhausted…
Vox shook as everything came crashing down, his world shattering as he stammered in a whispered tone,"She…she betrayed me…I..I can't believe it…she actually betrayed me…Why would she do that? It doesn't make sense…I don't get it…I thought she really liked me. What did I do wrong!? Was I just not good enough!?"
He slammed his fist against the ground helplessly with great fury only to whimper from hitting his fist too hard. He then began screaming in frustration, hurt and rage being the only thing that kept him from collapsing right then and there.
Eventually, his screams died down, having worn his voice out to the point the only thing he could truly do was ramble quietly under his breath, shifting from German to English mid-sentence.
He only stopped when he heard an all too familiar voice beckwon to him,"Vincent?"
'No…it can't be him…' He froze up, his heart threatening to burst out of his chest when he heard the Jester's all too familiar voice. He turned around and saw Mammon standing there, his expression was difficult to decipher. From where he was he looked at Vox with an expression best described as disappointment and slight pity…
"How long have you been standing there?" He asked hauntingly.
"Long enough," He professed, refusing to give Vox a straight answer and instead approaching ever so slightly,"Are you alright?"
"Does it look like I'm OK?" He spat harshly, his voice still breathless as he struggled to keep it steady,"I just got fucking betrayed by the girl I liked for thes second time in a row, only difference is she fucking let me out to the dogs with who I assume as your vanguards. So yeah, outside of that, I'm just fucking peachy!"
Mammon glanced at Vox similar to the way a parent would look at their child whenever they did something wrong,"You should've known better than to trust her, Vincent. I did warn you that she was using you and yet you didn't listen…"
Vox choked up for a second and rambled,"But I thought that she-"
"Changed…Yes…And how did that work out for you?"
The former TV Demon remained silent as he averted his gaze, refusing to grant Mammon a response to the question that they both know the answer to.
The Jester Demon Lord sighed,"I told you that this would happen, Vincent. Yet you didn't listen to me. You didn't listen and yet when she betrays you, it leads you back to where you started, all the way back to me. Funny isn't it how life works out that way?"
Vox remained silent as Mammon said these words. The Lord of Greed's unwavering stare made him pathetic, small and humiliated and the only thing he could do was sit there as he verbally put him down without even raising his voice…
And the worst part was…he knew that all his words were true, that was what really stung.
The Embodiment of Greed then spoke up again,"Vincent…I know you're hurt. Greatly so. Your heart is weeping and the pain must certainly be unbearable. But you must be aware that I did warn you of her true nature before? I've told this before and yet you never seem to listen. When will you learn, Vincent? It pains not only yourself, but me as well to see you in such a sorry state…"
The former Overlord said nothing and Mammon wondered if he was even conscious anymore.
The Demon King knitted his eyebrows together with great concern,"Vincent, I understand your pain, but you still need to come home. Your rightful place is by my side and it's a shame it took this much heartbreak and pain for you to realize this pitiful romance was not to be. And now that the chase is up, I believe you know that too…" He then beckoned, extending his hand to motion him forward,"Come to your King, Vincent…"
Slowly but surely, Vox got to his feet, his knees wobbling as he struggled to maintain his balance as he stumbled over. It was truly a pitiful sight and the man was clearly exhausted beyond belief as he forced his body to continue moving.
Abruptly, through a burst of energy, he ran at Mammon unexpectedly. The Lord of Greed gasped as Vox embraced him a hug.
The action took him by surprise, even more so when Vox started to sob violently into his shoulder, tightly grasping onto his clothing and refusing to let him go. A wet patch formed on his clothing as his tears seared into his clothing.
"Vincent?" He asked, bemused at this display of physical interaction.
"Was…was it all a lie?" He sobbed,"I…I tried so hard and she still betrayed me…I don't understand what I did wrong…I sacrificed so much and she just…just tossed it all away as if nothing I did mattered! As if I didn't matter!"
"It wasn't your fault…" Mammon soothed, stroking Vox's hair gently with his fingers in an attempt to soothe him. The blue haired male melted into his touch and his sobbing became softer, burying his head into the taller man's shoulder.
"I'm so sorry…" He mumbled,"I should've listened to you…I should've …should've…"
"Shh…" The Jester hushed,"That's enough rambling, Vincent. It's going to be alright so long as you obey me I won't let anything happen to you, understand?"
"Mhm…"
"Good," He ushered,"Very good, Vincent…Now I must say, while I am still disappointed in you for running, I am glad you are seeing reason at long last. It's about time we've headed back to camp and taken you home as my prize for this overly drawn out goose chase…"
"Are…are you going to chain me up?" Vox sniffled.
"Of course, you still need to be restrained until I can fully trust you…" He explained,"I may be excited for your return but I must remain practical. Whether you go along with this willingly or I have to drag you remains to be seen because either way, you're coming with me…"
"That won't be necessary…" Vox then separated himself from Mammon and held out his wrists, beckoning Mammon when he stared at him in shock,"Go on…do it. I won't resist…No point in trying at this point."
Mammon assessed the situation and secured Vox's wrists together with his magic. The former Overlord surrendered to his fate with dignity, closing his eyes solemnly, his face stained with tears as his eyes were puffy from all the crying he had done.
Just then, the Jester then reached out to wipe his tears with his sleeve. A silent gesture of kindness that he accepted before he lead him away.
Thanks for 21,236 views, tell me what you think below!
Enigmus-288: This story is a dark one so that's to be expected. It's quite a twisted story when you think about it for too long honestly...