Hello,

I have an announcement to make! From now on, I'll update every two weeks instead of every week. I have lots of plans for the upcoming months, but if I want to be able to prepare for it correctly, I need to slow down on this story a bit, or I won't be able to work on anything else.

I'll try to stick to it, since I'm still finishing the chapter just before posting them. We'll see how that change works!

(Also, remember a few chapters ago when I said it should be the last SA scene? Yeah... Sorry, it wasn't ^^')

Content Warning: graphic depiction of rape and torture (starts with #/ and ends with /#).

Chapter 28 – Flicker

Everything was a blur.

After Blitz and Loona left, Stolas just didn't know what to do with himself, with anything. He was just glad Via wasn't here, so he didn't need to put up some semblance of control and happiness, because he didn't have any energy left for that. He felt empty, yet his head showed him unwanted memories, and what was bound to happen tomorrow because of Blitz's implication today, and he was just so, so tired.

Andrealphus finding out about all this was bad enough when Stolas still had no idea how to get Stella alone to back off, and now Blitz was involving himself more and more. It was dangerous, and as much as Stolas almost wanted to throw up at the mere idea of what it would cost him next time, he knew it was selfish, because it was worse for Blitz. If the imp kept butting in, Stella may decide she had enough and stop playing, meaning she'd just kill him because he had outlived his use. Stolas would do everything he could to prevent that, but he couldn't outright go there to protect the assassin, he would get noticed and he was so exhausted, he wasn't even sure he'd react quickly enough.

Without any solution nor hope, all that was left was trying to drown his worries. He barely restrained himself to not get completely wasted, so he could react if Stella ever tried something on Blitz, but he really doubted it. Tho again, with Andrealphus in the picture…

He honestly didn't know, nor did he care. Time was suddenly a weird thing, he didn't feel like doing anything, so he ended up in space.

There, he finally felt peace, if only slightly. Whatever shit life threw at him, the stars were still there, the comets still followed their path, everything was as steady and chaotic as usual. It was oddly comforting, and also reminded Stolas how little he mattered in all this. It's not like if he ever had any illusion of the contrary, but at least it helped him feel a little less bad about his shortcomings.

He didn't remember when exactly he got back to his study to vaguely try and get work done. Out of habit, he visited his bedroom when the sun rose, and remembered to check if any of the demons he was tracking was around.

He half expected to feel Blitz's presence, but no, he had sent his employees instead. Stolas sighed, but choose to ignore them for now. He went into his bathroom for his morning routine, stopping by the mirror after his bath to fix his feathers without much energy. Even if Stella and Andrealphus would mock him for his appearance, he didn't feel like making efforts for them. It wasn't worth it, they'd make nasty comments either way. Besides, he really didn't have the energy for it.

He didn't want to try his healing spells further either, despite the wounds from Striker still needing it. They were even quite painful this morning, his lack of sleep probably not helping, so he opened a drawer to grab the painkillers.

He grabbed his Happy Pills instead, and blinked at them for several long seconds.

He took the habit of putting these away with the rest of his supplies, and he realized he couldn't remember the last time he took them. His morning routine has been messed up by the fact he wasn't sleeping at all recently, so it may as well have skipped his mind. But would it really help?

Shrugging, Stolas took the pills anyway and closed the drawer, having already forgotten about the painkillers. Instead, he went to make some tea, and grabbed a green bottle to try and numb the numerous dark thoughts swarming his mind.

He knew he wasn't going to do anything productive today. His thinking was all fuzzy and he was feeling weak, yet the idea of trying to eat didn't even occur to him without Blitz's texts to remind him, not that he could have tried anyway.

Still, he managed to get started on his plants, trusting his muscle memory as the alcohol reinforced the fog in his mind. It didn't help his pondering abilities at all, but at least the less pleasant sides were being silenced too. By the time the bottle was empty and he was almost done, he could almost say he was feeling relaxed… Almost.
So, of course, it couldn't last. A ringtone disturbed the quietness of the greenhouse, and he groaned, knowing who it was without even needing to see the screen.

"Yes Stella?"

"Get your ass here, and quick, I don't have all day!"

Stolas suppressed a sigh. If she didn't give him any more instructions, then it probably meant to portal to the same room than yesterday, so that's what he did, but not without a pointed look at his two spies before crossing the portal.

This time, the three hellhounds were there, and he was even less pleased to spot Andrealphus, sitting with his sister at the table, both sipping their tea with smug smiles on their faces. Stolas hung up and put his phone away, trying to keep a neutral expression while he still could as the watchdog was already approaching with the blessed cuffs.

As soon as his powers were muffled, the hound manhandled him so he was standing near the two siblings, a hand still gripping his clothes.

"Well, what's that Stolas? You really think it changes anything if it's your fucktoy's employees watching you instead of him? Either you're stupid for not noticing them, or you are for being incapable of chasing them away. In both cases, you deserve a little punishment, don't you agree?"

She had turned to her brother as she asked the question, and the peacock put his cup down, still smirking.

"You are right dear sister, you gave clear rules and he can't be bothered to follow them! What a shame, really, you seem to have been quite generous so far. Maybe I should help… Up things a bit, don't you think?"

His gaze was directed toward Stolas, but he didn't bother to answer, guessing the question wasn't for him. At least he was towering over the two like this, since they were siting and he was still standing, but it was a small comfort, really. They all knew his neutral expression wouldn't last. It was already showing weakness, and Andrealphus' smirk only got wider as Stella answered him.

"Honestly, I've been more than generous! It's like I can't get anything good out of him, I swear! He was almost showing improvement, but now…"

She sighed, shaking her head in dramatic disappointment, and Stolas had to remind himself he wasn't supposed to react. He couldn't afford to make matters worse, he had to focus the little energy he had left into this single, simple goal: not make things worse. For Blitz's sake. Because the imp was at least trying, even if he didn't know how dangerous that single action was. If Stolas had tried half as hard, maybe it would already be over, and he wouldn't be at their mercy…

"So, tell me, what's the most effective? I'm sure you have noticed some… Methods worked better than others, don't you?"

Stella scoffed with a wide hand movement.

"Oh, really, even that is complicated with him! What seem to affect him the most barely makes him more compliant… I don't know what to do with him anymore!"

"Please do enlighten me, it's still a good start", Andrealphus smirked, chin on his hands.

Stella looked at Stolas with a wide anticipatory grin as she answered: "In that case, I've taken the habit of letting the hounds fuck his scrawny twig ass as a punishment for his fucktoy's implication, it should be a good start."

"Hm, but wouldn't he risk to like it? He's already getting it on with imps after all."

"Oh no, don't worry, he does not! He tried to bluff his way out of it, but they can smell the truth, and it becomes obvious quickly enough, you'll see." She snapped her fingers while looking at the hellhounds. "Come on, take his pants off and have some fun!" #/

As they talked, both Goetias kept observing Stolas' reaction, and the owl managed to keep a relatively straight face, but he couldn't help the slight flinch as the watchdog's hand went to undo his pants and slide them down.

"Are you anxious dear brother?" Andrealphus smirked, signaling the hound to bring Stolas closer to him. "I'm curious, you should be used to making a fool of yourself. Let me see, while they move that piece of furniture here so we can be on the front row when they'll go next."

Andrealphus' hand immediately went to grab between Stolas' legs, grin widening as he felt the owl tense and the watchdog tighten his grip to prevent him from moving back. The prince stayed silent, but was now glaring back at the peacock. Andrealphus scoffed, not minding, instead starting to search the feathers for the entry to Stolas' cloaca, measured interest beneath his smirk.

"You are indeed not very cooperative. Come on, spread your legs. I thought you wanted to protect your little toy? Or do you wish it was his fingers instead of mine?"

Stolas didn't utter a word, only obeying slowly, allowing enough access for a finger to slip into his hole, making him tense even more.

"Ha, you're so dramatic Stolas, they already did way worse to you", Stella commented while the other two hounds moved a piece of furniture close to the table. Stolas had a good idea why it was there, but ignored it in favor of glowering at his brother-in-law.

"It is to be expected dear sister, after all he didn't bed another Goetia since you two made Via, the poor thing isn't used to his own kind any more. That is so sad, but it can't be helped. I understand why you weren't attracted to him with this attitude, and his feathers, really..."

Stolas couldn't help but raise a brow at that. If he was so terrible, then why did Andrealphus keep touching him, even adding a new finger? Like Stella, he could just let the hellhounds fuck him, but no, he wanted to do it himself, and the owl had the unpleasant feeling of knowing why, if the light in Andrealphus' eyes was anything to go by. Even the watchdog still holding him snorted lowly, probably feeling some kind of arousal from the marquis.

But no one dared to say anything, Stella simply watching with a smile as Andrealphus kept going, rubbing the edges of Stolas' cloaca with his thumb to get more reaction out of the owl, until the prince gave up trying to resist, knowing it wouldn't stop until he gave them what they wanted.

It was, once again, awfully long and awkward until he came on the cold fingers, that of course he was forced to lick clean before they were wiped on a clean napkin, and Stolas was almost surprised the peacock didn't use his magic, until he was pushed against the furniture nearby, stomach pressed on top, all so rough and quick the furniture moved back. Andrealphus smirked and pointed his fingers toward the furniture's legs, trapping them in ice.

"There, go ahead, it won't move. Give us a show now, will you?"

Of course. Using cold magic would have made him numb, and the siblings didn't want that. The watchdog went first, unzipping his pants and thrusting directly into Stolas, making him wince and gasp.

Then, the brutal pace started, and he quickly drifted off into his mind, barely aware of the voices of the siblings still commenting here and there, until a hand yanked his head up, and he blinked.

A little stepladder made of ice had materialized on the other side of the furniture, and the shar pei climbed on top of it, dick already out of his pants as he gestured for the prince to open his mouth. Stolas did without a second thought, letting the hound fuck into his mouth to the point of choking him. It wasn't any better than what was happening to his cloaca anyway. He was just too tired to care, even amidst the pain.

They took turn for a while, and tears quickly gathered in Stolas' four eyes, but it still wasn't enough for their audience, until of course Andrealphus pipped up.

"Now, he doesn't seem very reactive anymore, why don't you try something a bit more… Innovative? You two are close in height, I'm sure you can both fuck him if you hold him upward, come on."

Stolas froze, his expression letting show some of the dread he felt at the idea as the chihuahua took him off the furniture. His legs were in no state to bear his weight, so the shar pei took him with the help of the others, carrying him in a way that allowed him to fuck him from behind, legs in the air, while the chihuahua took the free spot before the owl, a smirk on his face as he lined himself up.

Then, he pressed inside roughly.

Stolas shrieked as he felt the pressure tear his cloaca, and the other hound tense behind him. No way was that comfortable for any of them, but the one in front of him still smiled as they both started thrusting, and all Stolas could do was desperately try to muffle his moans and whimpering of pain, wincing all along.

Once they were done, the hounds let him fall to the ground, and Andrealphus towered over him, still smiling widely.

"I knew you could be entertaining with the right idea. Why not keep innovating, shall we?"

He gestured for one of the hounds to take out a knife, while another hoisted Stolas up. The peacock was whispering almost constantly to Stolas' ear while they took turn raping him, beating him or stabbing him, managing to do two at once and even three the more time passed, using the jostles of the fucking to make him stab himself repeatedly on a nearby fixed blade, and so on.

/# "Did you think it'd go smoothly, turning your back to your family, to everything that was given to you so generously, including my dear sister? Shaming her that way then throwing her out. This punishment is barely enough to start to compensate for all that, you know? But don't worry, I'm sure we'll be able to work on some… Agreements later, don't you think?"

Stolas knew what Andrealphus was doing. He couldn't tune him out, for the peacock often waited for a nod from him and he didn't want to nod to anything either, but at this point, his breathing was already ragged, the blade having gone through his lung. But it didn't take a genius to realize Andrealphus was trying to ingrain into him the idea that he owed his sister by saying how shameful he was and how wronged she felt, Stella sometimes confirming or adding something to her brother's speech, but mainly letting him to the talking and leading the hounds.

It was a wonder that Stolas was still conscious by the end of it, tho he did faint a few times, but never for long, they didn't let him. Andrealphus straighted up with a dramatic sigh.

"Aaah, it is so tiring to overlook such things! Besides, look at you, poor thing, you're not in any state to understand what I'm saying anymore, aren't you? We will resume this discussion tomorrow, but I'm sure you got my point, right? This is what happens when you don't behave like the prince you're supposed to be, so keep your dirty little thing away and be good, and maybe I can show some mercy, we'll see!"

The hellhounds dropped him to the ground, and Stolas barely felt the cuffs being removed, panting heavily, vision blurry, and not only because of the blood that ran down his face. He had to fight to stay conscious, waiting minutes after everyone left the room before rolling onto his back with a hiss.

He had no idea how he was going to go home, but he had to. He somehow managed to check Blitz's position, and groaned painfully when he felt that, of course, he was into the palace, probably with his employees, tho he couldn't be bothered to check with the little energy and attention he had left. He had wanted to see if he could portal back directly, but of course not, which meant he'd have to go first to… The starts, probably, it was the easiest way to not bring too many smells with him, tho he couldn't do anything for the ones on his clothes.

Somehow, he managed to get up, wipe most of the cum with the remaining napkins, not paying attention to the wounds he reopened with his cleaning, and put his pants back. He was numb to the pain by now, there were just too many injuries, and the blood loss didn't help. He acted almost mechanically, stumbling and fighting to move his limbs around, until he decided he was as ready as he could be to go back, portaling to space first before opening the portal to his bedroom on instinct, not having enough brain power left to even try and avoid Blitz.

He collapsed as soon as he saw the portal open on his bedroom, unable to register anything, not even Blitz's arms on him nor his voice, as the darkness that surrounded his vision finally engulfed everything.

For some reason, he expected pain, but he was met with warmth instead. A sense of calm. Maybe even a sense of… Security?

Weird. He was pretty sure it has been a long time since he felt anything remotely good while sleeping. In fact… It has been a while since he woke up at all.

Something wanted to emerge at this, a memory that he could guess was unpleasant, maybe what happened the last time he went to sleep? Yet something was keeping it away. A sound. A rumbling.

He was on something soft. His bed. But it was different from before, he wasn't vulnerable for some reason. Why was that? Was he under the covers? No, he was… He had clothes on.

That, and someone next to him, a voice lulling him back to reality, while a hand was stroking his head feathers.

Slowly but surely, Stolas opened his eyes, confused. His body felt stiff and a bit numb and aching, and there was still exhaustion creeping in the back of his mind, but the voice was calling him. A red and white figure, next to him, a familiar and reassuring voice.

"Blitz?" He asked.

After all, maybe it was a dream. It was surely a dream. He was sure he fell asleep in a completely different state of mind, he shouldn't wake up so peacefully.

"Yes birdie, it's me, I'm here. You're okay, you were healed…"

Healed? At this, suddenly, everything that happened in the morning before passing out came back, and Stolas' eyes widened, before going to look over at his body, searching for bandages.

But of course, he couldn't see anything, he was clothed. But he… He didn't feel hurt either. He tried moving his arms his hands, his fingers, and even if he could still feel the injuries from Striker, everything else that should be there was gone, and yet… Yet this really didn't feel like a dream. Besides, he did remember going back to his bedroom, knowing Blitz was there. But still…

"How…" Stolas wondered aloud.

"Ah, yeah, I bet you expected to wake up with bandages. Let me explain real quick…"

Stolas immediately turned his head toward the assassin, worry already appearing onto his face.

"Who… What happened?"

"Someone healed you, all your wounds from today, with something similar to your magic I guess. It's a good thing he could, or else we would have probably needed to bring you to a hospital…"

"He?" Stolas asked, panic starting to blend into his voice. "Who? Blitz, who did you bring into this?"

Seeing the owl's fear, the assassin quickly tried to adopt a comforting expression and voice.

"Stolas, don't worry, it's alright, we got this, I promise. We'll help you out of this, it's okay."

But the panic wouldn't leave, the prince already shaking his head, tears pooling into his eyes as the fresh memories from his morning's torment came back to him, violent contradiction to his almost unharmed state.

"No, Blitz, I…"

Stolas choked on a sob, unable to form any more words. He now envisioned what would await him the next day, and he couldn't, he couldn't do this anymore, he was going to get Blitz killed, and it would be his fault, when the imp was trying so hard to help, why…

"Hey hey, birdie, please calm down."

The voice was soft, as were the hands that took him into a hug, and Stolas gripped onto the little demon's clothes desperately as his head was pressed against Blitz's chest, his sobbing getting louder and erratic as his walls were knocked down by everything that happened since it all started, all his fears, all his hopes, all his pains…

"Shhh, it's okay, it's gonna be okay, trust me Stol's, please. I swear, we're going to get you out of this shit today."

Stolas was barely registering the words, his sobbing too loud. The scarred hands were stroking him, the embrace firm but comforting, strong, safe.

"Let go Stolas, let it all out. I'm here, I'm not leaving. I'll help you through it and after too, if you'll have me, alright? Just… Let it out. It's okay, it's okay. You're safe, they won't touch you ever again, I promise."

Stolas wasn't sure he had heard that right, nor if he could trust it, but he trusted the warmth, and the hands petting him. Maybe it wouldn't change anything, but he couldn't keep it in, and Blitz was welcoming his breaking down, even encouraging it, so he let go. It was ridiculous of a prince, he was sure, he could almost hear Stella and Andrealphus' voices in his head, but Blitz's voice was louder despite still being so soft, so caring…

Little by little, Stolas relaxed, the sobbing slowly coming to a stop, eyes now dry without any more tear to shed, breathing matching Blitz's deep inhales and exhales, until someone knocked on the door, making the owl tense all over again as an unfamiliar rough voice asked:

"Can we enter?"

28/08/2024

It's silly, but I still find it funny to post the chapter 28 on the 28th x)

See you in... Well, in two weeks now I guess! Take care ;)