Chapter 09: First Impressions
Stolas guided Danny to the next room, where he stood by an ornate mirror. The Goetia lord's grimoire floated beside him as he flipped it open. "Alright," Stolas said with a reassuring smile. Let's get you ready for the night."
Octavia could hardly contain her excitement. She glanced between her father and friend. "I can't wait to see what you'll look like. Dad's been keeping it a secret."
Stolas smiled softly. "It's time, then. Hold still, Danny." Stolas placed a gentle hand on Danny's head. "Dissimulare." The grimoire responded immediately, its pages stopping on a specific spell.
In an instant, a wave of magic washed over Danny with a tingling sensation. He felt his body shift. When the transformation finished, Danny found himself staring at the mirror. Feathered wings sprouted from his back. His arms elongated with sharp, claw-like hands at the end. He now had the head, wings, and arms of a Snow Owl. The feathers were pristine white with subtle black markings. His lower half had the powerful hind legs of a wolf. The fur was mirroring the black and white pattern of his feathers. In the back, a fluffy tail swayed gently.
"Woah!" Not unlike a dog, he tried to catch his tail. Rubbing his face against it, he cooed. "It's so soft!"
Octavia's eyes widened in awe as she took in his new appearance. "Danny! You look amazing!" She was practically bouncing on her toes. She couldn't resist rushing over to him and ruffling the feathers on his head, laughing softly.
Danny giggled at the feeling. He took a few steps with his new limbs. It was surprisingly easy. It must have been the magic. He looked like a true demon now. "This is so cool!" Danny marveled, turning his head from side to side to get a better look. His attire had changed as well. Instead of his regular clothes, he now wore a black suit and slacks with a crimson and gold undershirt, closely resembling Stolas' formal outfit. He even had a small pin of Stolas' seal on his lapel.
Stolas observed Danny with pride. "Something to make sure everyone knows you're with me," he said, adjusting the boy's jacket slightly.
Danny turned Stolas. "So, what's my backstory?"
Stolas nodded. "Well, your father was a Goetia, and your mother was a Hellhound. Unfortunately, you never knew them. You were raised by social services."
"That's a thing?" Danny blinked with a frown. "Is that… common?"
A trace of sadness appeared on Stolas. "Believe me, Danny. Some nobles get around and don't bother with their newborns. You aren't the first of diluted royal blood and won't be the last."
Danny hummed thoughtfully as he admired his new appearance. "Oh... Well, is there anything else I need?"
"You're still young, so others won't dig too deep into seeing another half-blood." Stolas extended a hand. With a flick of his wrist, a swirling portal opened. The gateway revealed the entrance to the Goetia family's grand manor. "Shall we?" Stolas asked, gesturing toward the portal.
Danny felt anticipation bubbling inside him.
Octavia squeezed his hand reassuringly, giving him a reassuring smile. "Let's go!"
Together, the trio stepped through the portal.
#
The familiar world of Earth vanished behind him, and Danny emerged into a realm entirely unlike anything he had ever seen before.
"Welcome to Hell, Danny," Stolas said with a slight smile.
Danny's eyes widened as he took in his new surroundings. The first thing that struck him was the pervasive red hue that tinted everything in sight. In front of him was Stolas' mansion made of dark, burgundy-colored stone. It was huge. They really were royalty. Some of the building's windows even had a sun, moon, and star motif. Turning around, he saw a beautiful lawn next to a swimming pool. "This is amazing!"
Octavia giggled. "I'm glad you like our home.
Eventually, Danny lifted his gaze, and his breath caught in his throat. The sky above was like nothing he had ever imagined. The vast expanse was a deep, dark red, with streaks of black clouds overhead. And there, hanging in the sky, the pentagram moon. Just beyond the moon, Danny could make out another celestial body. If memory served him right, that was Heaven, almost like a second moon. "Woah," Danny whispered. Octavia had mentioned it before, but seeing it in person was something else entirely.
Octavia stood beside him. "It's… a lot to take in, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Danny was unable to tear his eyes away. "Incredible."
Stolas placed a gentle hand on Danny's shoulder. "I know it might seem overwhelming at first, but you'll get used to it. Now, let's head inside. We have much to prepare for."
Danny nodded. As they made their way toward the entrance of Stolas' mansion, he couldn't help but glance back up at the sky one last time.
#
The grand foyer was alive with activity as red-horned creatures scurried about. Their small hands moved fast, adjusting ribbons, hanging banners, and placing centerpieces.
Danny tilted his head. "Huh. So those are Imps."
Stolas nodded with a faint smile. "Yes, but let's not bother them. We wouldn't want to cause any delays." These Imps had important work to do.
As they moved further into the mansion, a pair of Hellhounds in sharp, tailored suits and sunglasses approached from the side. Danny, feeling a bit out of place in his new form, offered them a simple wave and a friendly smile.
The Hellhounds exchanged a brief glance, their brows raised in surprise. They hadn't expected a Halfblood to accompany the royal family. But they quickly dismissed any questions and focused on their job. "Prince, your wife asked us to keep an eye out for your return," one of the Hellhounds said in a gruff tone.
"She requested that you, the young mistress, and your... guest... meet her in the grand ballroom for photos," continued the other.
Stolas nodded appreciatively. "Thank you. We'll be there soon."
The Hellhounds bowed their heads slightly before stepping aside.
As they walked, Danny couldn't help but marvel at the mansion around him. There were tall, elegant windows with pink stained glass. Intricately designed vases lined the halls, each one filled with exotic, possibly carnivorous plants. Stolas really did love his plants. He even spotted Stolas petting one before giving it a treat.
The ceilings were adorned with elaborate star and moon patterns, and night sky imagery seemed to stretch endlessly above them. Stolas' glyph was carved into various places along the hallways and balconies.
The two patiently waited for Danny when he stopped to stare at paintings of Stolas' family. The Swan demon, who he assumed to be Stolas's wife, was rather pretty. He looked forward to meeting her. Some of them were quite fancy, while others were rather cute. "Oh, my gosh, Octavia. You're so small."
Danny pointed to a painting of Stolas holding a baby Octavia in his study.
Stolas giggled. "She was just over two years old since she hatched."
Octavia went bashful. "Dad..."
#
Soon, they finally reached the grand ballroom, the heart of the celebration. More Imp servants scurried about, meticulously placing decorations and setting up tables under Stella's watchful eye.
Stella finally turned away from the bustling scene and focused on the trio. "It took you three long enough to get here. The guests are about to arrive soon." Her eyes drifted to Danny, and she raised an eyebrow. "And who might this be?"
Stolas sighed. "If you recall, this is the guest we said we would pick up."
"Ah, your new student." Stella hummed before turning her attention to her daughter. "So, Octavia, this is your new... friend."
Octavia nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Mom, this is Danny."
"Danny?" Stella's eyes narrowed slightly as she scrutinized the young demon. Her gaze lingered on his Snow Owl head, wings, and Hellhound hind legs. "You and Stolas didn't mention he was a... Halfblood... with a Hellhound of all demons."
"Will that be a problem?" Stolas huffed.
"That depends." Stella turned to Danny. "Introduce yourself, boy."
Danny, remembering the etiquette lessons Stolas had drilled into him, bowed politely. "It is an honor to be a guest in your lovely home, Lady Stella. My birth name is Daniel, but my close friends call me Danny. It was about a month or so ago that I became acquainted with Sir Stolas and later with Octavia. Sir Stolas was kind enough to take me under his wing for my astrological studies."
"I see," Stella assessed him with a critical eye. '... At least he's civilized, unlike some little monsters she's met.' "I don't see much of... your kind that are not in a family's service around these parts. They are usually several neighborhoods away."
"My upbringing was rather unique." The subtle jab in Stella's words went right over his head. "If I may be so bold, you're more beautiful in person than the portraits suggest."
Stella rolled her eyes and glanced at Stolas and Octavia as if checking to see if this was some kind of ploy to flatter her. However, both of them seemed surprised. When she looked back at the boy, she raised a brow at the level of sincerity. Then again, Stella was a sucker for compliments to her own ego.
"Well... thank you, young man. I'm glad someone in this house noticed. It's clear that the imps we hired at the time were incompetent. They couldn't truly capture my magnificence on paper," Stella replied in a haughty tone.
Octavia gaped at the interaction.
Stolas silently groaned at her self-indulgence.
Stella gestured to her husband and daughter. "Daniel, I'll be needing my family for a moment. Take a seat at table four while we complete some last-minute preparations."
"Yes, ma'am." Danny bowed again.
As the parents walked away, Octavia let out a quiet sigh of relief and leaned in to whisper to Danny, "I can't believe that worked."
Danny tilted his head. "What worked? I was just being honest."
Octavia patted his head. "I think you'll be just fine."
As Octavia followed her family, Danny was left alone. He absent-mindedly watched the imps go about their work. Danny didn't even notice some people approaching until one of them spoke.
"Hey, kid."
Danny turned around at the voice and smiled at the two Hellhounds. "Oh, hi again, uh, security guys."
The two Hellhounds exchanged a glance, noticing that the royals were preoccupied, and relaxed their stances. "Heh. Name's Axel," said the first, a muscular Hellhound with dark fur.
The other with a lighter shade and slimmer build nodded. "Brody."
Danny's smile widened. "Nice to meet you again, but I thought you guys were watching the front?"
Brody showed his watch. "Shift change. We'll be assigned to the princess shortly."
"For what?" Danny asked.
Axel waved it off casually. "They'll tell you soon."
"Oh, okay," Danny hummed. After a moment, he asked, "So, what's it like working with Octavia's family?"
Axel snorted, crossing his arms. "It can be a mixed bag at times. It's… interesting, to say the least. The job's got good pay."
"It just depends on who you're assigned under." Brody hummed. "The position of protecting a royal family is not so easily earned. Even then, some can be insufferable." Danny frowned. "Oh... Are Stolas and Octavia like that?"Brody blinked before he chuckled. "Those two? Nah. The kid's alright. She has a good head on her shoulders. Doesn't have that whole 'I'm-better-than-everyone' attitude. It's refreshing. Her dad can be eccentric at times, but damn can he sing."
Now Danny really wanted to see his mentor in action.
Danny nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, she seems pretty cool. I'm glad she's my friend."
Axel's grin widened. "You're a lucky kid. Not many get to be friends with royalty, especially not people like us."
Danny kicked around his wolf legs. "Yeah. The 'cool' kids at school don't like me either."
Brody huffed. "Ah, forget them. Probably can't even see past their noses."
Axel patted Danny on the shoulder. "Listen, if any of those snotty brats gives you trouble, Stolas gave us a little authority to pull them away, especially after last time."
"What happened last time?"
"They made Octavia cry." Brody shivered. "The fear on those kid's faces."
Danny nodded. "Yeah. That sounds like Stolas." He loved his daughter very much.
"If anything goes down, we got both your backs."
The boy nodded before he raised a brow. "Huh... What about Stella? You guys didn't mention her."
The Hellhounds exchanged a look. Axel raised an eyebrow while Brody let out a slow breath.
Brody chose his words carefully. "She can be... difficult. To say the least."
"Yeah. I've seen the way she looked at Stolas and Octavia. It's kinda intense for a mom," surmised the boy.
Axel let out a short, humorless laugh. "That's one way to put it."
Brody made a face. "Stella's… complicated. She can be very... verbal when it comes to things and people she dislikes."
Danny frowned, trying to piece together what they were saying. "So, she doesn't… care about Stolas or Octavia?"
Brody hesitated before answering. "Stolas? Definitely. Octavia?" He gave a so-so gesture. "It could be worse."
Axel added, "She's not someone you want to cross, kid. Stolas knows how to handle her, mostly."
"Oh... I guess that explains some things."
Brody nodded. "Just keep your head on straight, and you'll be fine."
Brody smirked. "Come on, lil' dude. Us Hellhounds, even halves, gotta stick together in the long haul."
Danny smiled along. "Thanks. That means a lot. Actually, you two are the first hellhounds I've ever met."
Axel and Brody expressed their confusion. "What? No way. Which pound did they get you from? The one in Sloth, Gluttony, or somewhere else?"
Danny tilted his head in confusion. "Pound?"
Before they could talk on the subject more, Axel and Brody quickly snapped to attention. Danny turned to see Stella and Octavia approaching.
#
AN: Special thanks to Seana, Jebest4781, Charles, vividlearner744, OmegaDelta, Henry Stickman, fearmegu, Kitsune Robyn, Salo Guzman, Traiton Moses, SonicSonicsSonic, KA012, Monkey, Tapion, Roger Cornejo, Dragon lord, and JJsouza09!
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