The table was set for thirteen people, with one chair at the head of the table a little more ornate than the others. Do I pick a spot, or should I wait for him to sit first and follow suit? He was unmoving, hands behind his back as he looked over the table. Was he waiting for me?

"Where should we sit?"

"Wherever you wish. It is first come first serve to the seats."

I traced my fingers along the backsides of the chairs. No names, all the same. Was I being tested? Was all of this because he was going to also nominate me for demon king like he had Iruma? I would politely decile if that were the case, like I wanted to deal with this headache.

I touched the head of the table chair, the biggest one in the room; fit for a giant. On the back it was plated. 'Demon King,' In bold letters. I traced my fingers over the engraving. All the chairs were filled with demons having a feast, and the one in front of me held a demon who was familiar to me.

He shoved his food back. "All of you are Idiots, I am leaving his meaningless meeting." He walked to the door, he turned back, shook his head and walked out. This was Deri's chair. His energy was still here, that high level of preservation magic he held was all over this room.

"I would not pick that seat if you do not wish to make a rise at dinner."

"This was Deri's chair, wasn't it?" He nodded.

I sat in the chair to the right of it." Grandpa sat across from me. He felt so far but he was maybe six feet away. Deri had made it and hated it. Was it because of me?

"Mind if I sit here." My attention diverted, Narnia with his hand on the back of the chair to my right.

"I would prefer you not."

"Perfect." He sat down anyways. Others had come in; Baal was one of them. sitting at a distance. Henri sat next to Narnia. An older woman sat next to grandpa, and then an older man next to her. They pulled out photos comparing there grandsons.

A werewolf demon of stalky build and blue fur, he had asked me who I was. The last one to come in was a girl with long blonde hair and short white horns. Dinner was brought out in the masses. This seemed like more than anyone should be eating.

If the world was hungry, then this should be feeding them. most of these fuckers could skip a meal or two and be fine. All but three of them were wearing a choker collar with the same symbol as Yodh. My nose crinkled. Why did he put this much symbolism into this world?

Baal leaned back in his chair; hand propped on a fist. "Well, it looks like the heroin of the Deviculum decided to show herself."

"I do not like titles, they are merely a string of words forming an opinion of what you should keep living up to."

"It was a complement."

"Which part, because your words show otherwise. Was it the sarcastic 'decided to show herself' or the 'Well' before the entire sting of meaningless words."

The wolf demon chuckled. "Young lady, might we learn your name from you?"

"Violetta, and you?" Amaymon was the wolf man with blue fur. Paimon was the younger girl, and Lady Levi the older woman next to Grandpa. Belial was the last one at the table.

"I am…"

"I know who you are, Sabnock Baal, and you are not my favorite person."

"That's me, right Viola?" Grandpa was pointing to himself.

I looked at grandpa, smiling brightly. "Of course, you are the greatest Grandpa in the whole Netherworld. I think you are unmatched when it comes all you do." A devilish grin on his face as he looked at Lady Levi and Belial.

"At least you are honest in your feelings." Baal sat up as food was brought out.

I ignored him, looking at the food on the table. My god, could they be any more disgusting? There were more Eyeballs in one dish then in pairs around the room. Dinner my ass, I am not eating any of this.

Amaymon looked at my empty plate and then up to me. "Violetta, how did you stop Behemoth?"

"A barrier restraint. Nothing special."

"A strong one." Narnia added. "It took every hit, then he collapsed. Do you know what he told me? He said he felt like he could not breath suddenly, and he blacked out."

"Sounds like it is a 'him' problem. I merely held debris out of the way and him down to the ground." I threw up my jazz hands. "Not hero material, just decent reflexes and use of abilities."

Narnia tapped a fork on his plate, and he looked at me. "You downplay your abilities; I have seen what you can do and the mana reserve you carry."

"Yes, I have as well." My eyes darted to Baal. "Though you lack discipline when you displayed it at the Deviculum, spoiled a little too much by Lord Sullivan."

"You lack common sense on what jars of cookies you can touch, mommy did not teach you enough." He gritted his teeth, and The Three Greats chuckled to themselves. "I have plenty of discipline for myself, he has no need to do that for me. Did you know that too much mana flowing in a small room can cause collisions and mana explosions?

Every person in that room could have potentially caused one. I surrounded them in the same barrier to keep themselves from doing that. Not a soul knew, because I have great discipline in how I use and manifest my power."

He went to take a bit of food; I placed a barrier in front of his mouth. He hit the small barrier with the fork. "Like that, but on a much grander scale."

"Do you have something against me, Viola?"

"So, you know, it is Violetta, we are not close in any means. And should I? You were the one taking the first shots, I am merely slinging them back."

"I like this one, why is she not in the candidacy for the demon king throne." Amaymon chuckled.

"Because I would decline, I did not even wish to be here, but it was mandated."

Narnia leaned back, Henri peaking his head slightly around him. "I heard enough; it is a great honor to be here."

"At a table full of idiots? This whole dinner seems meaningless. You all are eating like kings while others starve. Cozied up in this room while demons run rampant in evil cycles causing grief and war on others. So blind that even one of your own attacked a part of this tower, and I am not talking about Behemoth.

The netherworld is in chaos and disarray. Yet, you all sit here having a casual dinner to interrogate me to know where I stand. It is not here; I have a better brain than the box of rocks I have been presented with." I looked at Deri's seat. "I see why you left; I wouldn't want to deal with this either."

Baal chimed in again. "He left and the world went to chaos slowly. If he never left, it would not be an issue."

I held up one finger. "Rather pathetic that one person was to hold the whole world together when there are thirteen of you. That is a heavy burden for one, but an easy load if shared. Why would I ever want that kind of responsibility? Taking care of twelve adults like their mother. They broke his spirit and killed his kindness, so he walked out.

Overworked and underappreciated; until he left. When he did, it only proved how much everyone depended on him rather than pitching in on the workload or learning a damn thing from him. Nine days, utter chaos. That is what is sad."

"You talk like you were there."

I looked down the line of faces slowly. "I can feel him, his magic is still here. He was sad, angry and so fucking tired. I was mandated to come, but not how long I had to be here. Stay, enjoy the full belly." I closed my eyes, returning home.

Yodh was standing outside Eli's room. 'You are back early.'

'I am'

'I must tell you something, please keep calm as I am not sure. I do not think Eli is Eli. He smells off from what I remember.'

Eli was not Eli? I took a whiff of the air, I only smelled him, but Yodh would not stir me wrong. "Viola, you are home." I placed a shield around us.

"Opera, could someone use a poly-transfiguration potion and look like me?"

"Yes, but they would not hold up to the antidote like you or Eli. It is a short-lived potion only lasts about three days."

"I need the antidote."

"We should have some in the reserve, but what for?"

"I am making Eli take it. Bring it to the kitchen" I looked at Yodh. 'You stay, alert me if he leaves this room.'

I went to the kitchen, collecting Kalego on the way. I told him my assumption, and that I had to check. I brewed the hot coco and poured it into two cups. Opera poured a portion of the Antidote in both cups so I could let him choose.

"Make sure you stand by, if something happens, I will need witnesses." Kalego and Opera nodded.

I knocked on Eli's door and entered. "Hey, bug."

"Your home earlier than I expected."

"It was a meaningless meeting. I came by to talk to you; I made your favorite hot coco."

He leaned up. Eyes locked on the tray. "For me?"

I sat on the edge, Kalego in the doorway and Opera by my side. "Yes. I realized I have been hoovering a little too hard, and you need your own space to thrive."

He took a cup, looking at the liquid. "I am sorry too. Kalego said you only care for me deeply."

I handed Opera the tray, taking the other cup. I took a long drink, Eli doing the same. He finished the whole thing in one go. "Can I have another." His hair morphed to black, and his facial structure also shifted. He was just a child, only a little older than Eli.

"Yes, but I need to know something. Where is the real Eli?" I felt my eyes water.

He looked down and pulled at his long black hair. "I'm sorry, he told me too. He said I could have a good life if I did this."

"Who?"

"He did not tell me his name, but he had yellow hair."

"Viola."

"I am in check Kalego. He is only a child. I need you two to write a statement, as well as this little one. Everything you remember, okay."

"What are you going to do now?" Opera asked.

"I do not know."

"He was still in Baal's castle when you picked me up, but he was below it all."

I tilted my head. "How do you know?"

"I had to learn how to be him, Eli told me all kinds of things you did for him and how you two play all the time. I was so jealous he had a great mom because I had no mom."

I pressed my lips and walked to Kalego. "I going to lose my mind. Give me a minute to think."

If he was still there, but below the surface, then I still had a chance. It had been seven days; he would not kill him if he had another plan. I snapped my fingers, teleporting back to the dinner. All heads turned to me as I stood behind Henri.

Henri looked up. "Your back, came to apologize?"

I chuckled, "No. I need you." I placed my hands on the back of his chair, teleporting to Baal's castle.

He looked around, his eyes widened, as he stood from the chair. "This is trespassing, and kidnapping. I can have you arrested for this."

"Trespassing, not the worst thing I could do. Kidnapping is a little overstatement. You're an adult, and you can leave, but you might want to stick around. Eli was not Eli; I need a witness and not a: he say she say."

He said not another word, ushering me to proceed. I titled my head; he was letting me do my thing? I took my hearing suppressants off, putting them in their case, and listened to all the noise echoing off the walls. Following the chatter, to two housekeepers.

They went on about this chore and that. The ones they hated most, and ones they were glad they did not have to do. One being taking care of the kid that was now in my possession. I rounded the corner, tapping the little noise maker, and held them in place.

"I'm going to ask one question, and I do not want to run around. Little boy, green hair, purple eyes, looks just like me, where is he?" I waited to see the color pour from there words.

"He's not here, you took him." The pink hair girl spoke on the left, red and yellow.

I shook my head, "wrong answer." I gripped around there lungs. "Where is he?"

I let go and they gasped, catching their breath. The one on the right spoke. "Downstairs." She coughed. She might be telling the truth. Her brow homed visible sweat, and she was looking to the ground.

"She's lying. He's not here." The pink hair girls shook her head, shouting.

I smirked. "I don't think she is." I blocked pink hair off. "Can you take me to him."

"I can." I let her go, and she pointed down. "Below the castle, there are holding cells. He is in one of those."

From there on out, I had Henri and I shielded in sound like armor. It was easy getting in, but it would be hard to move around in peace. I followed her, and Henri leaned over my shoulder.

"I don't trust her."

"I do, the little boy that's at home told me the same thing."

"Be weary and be ready."

"Oh, I am not worried. When they said I stopped the war, I literally stopped it dead. Every demon was squished to the ground unable to move. I forced them to work their differences out and moved on."

He caught up to walk beside me. "The article said that, but there was no picture poof."

I covered my mouth chuckling. "It is true, I swear on it. I actually enjoyed it too."

"Narnia has promoted your name, more so now that you named a public hero. Are you even interested in that?"

"Not interested in working for border patrol. I did not grab you to prove myself to you. I think I wish to pursue peace keeping, outside of the crowns. It would make the world a safer place. With my power, I know I could do that."

"What are all your powers. I've seen barriers, you use that the most. You create images and so far in depth it seems real."

"Super hearing, and sometimes I see colors when someone is talking, but I have to actively look for it."

"You suffocated those maids."

"Barrier, organs are not strong enough to fight back like arms and legs."

The servant we had been following stopped at a wall. She pulled the lever and the wall turned in the middle, opening up a staircase. "It is down there. I will not go that far."

"Yes, you will." I raised a hand, lifting her off the ground.

She covered her face. "Please. Don't hurt me."

"I'm not, if your lying to me I watch you suffocate to death while sip on wine and cackle like a hag."

She gripped her cloths. "He is there, but you will not like what you see."

"He better be alive. Let's go."

If I was not going to like what I saw, then what had he done? The worst images filled my head, tied up connected to tunes. Were they draining his mana? Starving him? I swear to the deities if he looks like he is on the brink of death I will murder Baal.

Every step is a new thought. Swimming, drowning. My pace quickened, what if I was taking too long? I turned the corner without listening, running into someone. They punched me in the chest, and I went flying backwards. I coughed, holding my chest. The noise maker was busted.

The barrier released; the housekeepers gathered around me. They laughed, their eyes turning black. Henri knocked the man back. He staged but regained his stance. I stood, Henri was attacked from all sides, and was defending himself. Their eyes resembled mine. Origin demons, Baal had succeeded.

Henri had been knocked back on me. "Look at the hero now. Her and the sidekick are powerless against us."

"Why do your eyes look like that?"

"We have purified our blood. We no longer have a drop of human left."

I laughed, growing more intense. Moving out from under Henri. I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. The man punched me in the face, I snapped my head to him and spit blood in his face.

"Get the fuck away from me, or I promise you, that you will not walk away from where you stand."

He backed, and he blinked. He paced. One step closer, two steps back. He was struggling, the ones around him were pacing along with him.

I narrowed my eyes, the tunnel of black growing thicker. "Get on the ground." He dropped to his knees, the two housekeepers following suit. I stood, wiping the blood from my mouth. "See, I told you. I got this." I giggled, as I rubbed the man on the head.

I grabbed the hair, yanking back, cupping is chin with my other hand. "Be a good boy, take me to Eli." He nodded, and I shoved his head. He stood, walking blankly.

Henri walked up next to me. "What did you do to them?"

"Evil cycles, which is a new power. If I'm pissed and command something they listen. They don't have gems on them, so something is different about them. Baal is hiding something deeper than just kidnapping. They triggered their own evil cycles."

Balam had said that my blood itself held power. That there was nothing like in all his research. I was a walking anomaly, a curiosity. If they figured out how to purify themselves then I need to know too.

He stopped at a metal door. "Open it." He ripped the door from the hinges. "No key?" He shook his head. "Stay and be still." I walked into the dim little room, lighting it with a small flame. Eli was balled up in a dirty bed, shivering.

"Please no more, I want my mom."

"Eli, honey. It's mommy."

"Your lying! Don't touch me!"

"Elijah." His whimpers softened, and he uncovered his head. "Come here bug."

His eyes watered, then be broke down crying and held his hands out. "Mommy." He had needle marks on his arms and around his neck. One needle still in his arm connected to tubing. I gently removed it and put pressure on the wound spot with cloth.

His little arms wrapped around me, and I pulled him in to embrace him closely. "Let's go home."

A phone rang behind me. "Yes, I'm fine."

I held a finger to my lips and mouthed. 'Element of surprise, you might need me.'

"I will talk with you shortly, Narnia." He hung up. "We need to detain all of these demons." He pulled out a bag, and put his hand inside, pulling out collars and cuffs.

We collared and cuffed the three demons that were with us. I took Eli home first and came back. Then I took all the demons and Henri to border patrol headquarters. Other patrol officers took them away, while Henri and I had gone back to the crowns dinner.