Helluva Boss Season Two Episode One: "The Circus"

 

Helluva Boss Season Two, Episode One: The Circus

ORIGINALLY OWNED BY VIVIZIEPOP, NO COPYRIGHT INTENDED.

  CHAPTER I: STOLAS’ BIRTH c. 1984

 

King Paimon and Queen Nebula both sighed happily after their fun make-out session in their satin king-size bed. Nebula’s four eyes were red, her face was white, and her long feathery hair was brown. Both she and her husband were tall, white-faced, and appeared like tall owls. Her silver crown with a star on top of it lay on a nearby dresser with Paimon’s three-pointed gold crown.

 

“That was…” Paimon breathed.

 

“…fucking amazing,” Nebula finished.

 

They both took deep breaths and stared at the ceiling, then gazed into each other’s eyes. Their royal robes and garments were tossed on the floor.

 

“What a lucky man I am to spend quality time with such a beautiful lady…and the sister of Decarabia, no less,” Paimon sighed.

 

“Well, my brother does have a knack for turning things into birds and showing off his collection of precious stones,” she replied.

 

After several more minutes, the queen owl winced. “Speaking of stones, I…”

 

She grunted for a second.

 

“Are you alright, dear?” Paimon asked.

 

“Yeah, I just feel… like I’m hard inside…”

 

She groaned again.

 

“Oh, so now you decide to climax,” Paimon snickered. “At least wait until I’m fully prepared…”

 

“No, you birdbrain!” she moaned. “It’s the egg…the egg’s coming!”

 

Nebula bent over and spread out her legs. Paimon clapped his hands and a female imp servant wearing a black maid outfit rushed into the room. Owl-screeches came from Nebula’s mouth as she slowly pushed the egg downwards.

 

“That’s…an ugly sound, dear,” Paimon winced, not even trying to help her.

 

“You’re doing great, your highness,” said the red imp lady. She placed some towels underneath Nebula. After several more pushes…

 

Plop!

 

A large round white egg slipped out and landed safely onto the red towels. Nebula collapsed in relief. 

 

“Well,” said Paimon, eyebrow raised. “That was unexpected.”

 

Nebula cradled her egg close to her as the imp helped her cool off.

 

“Well at least you won’t stuff yourself with mice every couple of hours anymore,” Paimon remarked. “I was worried you’d go off and eat every rodent in the Pride Ring.”

 

Nebula could only give him a tired glare.

 

After Nebula recovered, she had the female imp put the egg in a special place to keep warm. After washing it, the egg was placed on a royal pink cushion under dark purple curtains. She even added a gold crown to the top of the egg.

 

Paimon yawned loudly. “Let me know when it hatches. I’m going back to sleep.”

 

The egg hatched a couple days later. An excited Nebula wandered over and examined her newborn hatching.

 

“Look at our son!” she said. She briefly made a disgusted face, but then she shrugged.

 

Paimon leaned down to take a closer look.

 

“Eck!” He flinched at the sight of the hatchling’s orange face, swollen purple eyes, wrinkled beak, and a few feathers atop its head. “Why are they always so ugly?”

“He can’t help it,” Nebula said. “You know he’ll grow his feathers soon enough.”

 

Nebula washed her chick and fed him a spoonful of worms. He ravenously gulped them down. Later, she wrapped him in a red bundle with a gold pin showing the Goetia family sigil on it. She placed him in a crib, where he slowly drifted to sleep after she sang a cosmic lullaby.

 

“As the stars and suns align

Know in my arms you are fine

You will be okay

Everything will be okay

In the cosmos dark and deep

My sweet baby goes to sleep

You’ll be ready for a new day

And you will be okay”

 

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Nebula exclaimed after she finished her song. She placed a green star toy and a red demon Max bunny rabbit with four small imp horns into his crib.

 

“My imp caretaker gave me that rabbit a long time ago,” she said. “I bet he will love it.”

 

“Imps,” Paimon scoffed. “Nothing special about them other than their servitude to us.”

 

Nebula looked at the beautiful starry night sky through the window and smiled.

 

“I have the perfect name for him. Prince Stolas!”

 

“Stolas! I like it!” Paimon clapped and hooted. “He’ll be a great prince in no time!” He paused. “Give or take a few decades.”

 

“Don’t rush him too much, dear,” Nebula reminded him. “Even though we completed our obligation to produce an heir, I say we enjoy our time with our child as much as we can.”

 

“Okay then,” Paimon said.

 

But several times during the days that passed, Paimon would claim he was “busy” with royal duties, a.k.a. riding his terror-inducing camel through the deserts of Wrath and drinking Lucifer’s Apocalypse Apple alcohol drinks with other rich ladies. Nebula didn’t mind too much; she herself was busy tending to the young Stolas and fulfilling her own obligations.

 

 

CHAPTER II: STOLAS’ CHILDHOOD

 

Stolas grew up fast and soon became a fluffy, adorable owlet. He cuddled his red rabbit everywhere he went, posing on a red cushion for a picture. He even had it in his arms when a giant Venus Flytrap dribbled green slime onto the top of his head.

 

“You sure are a natural with plants, son,” remarked his mother proudly as Stolas fed a small piece of meat to a baby flytrap. The plant nudged Stolas in thanks before basking in the hellish sun. Nebula taught Stolas all about healing plants as well as poisonous ones. Stolas got to gaze into beautiful crystals from far and wide. Some were tall and blue, others pulsed with red energy. A few were black and were specialized for dark energy spells.

 

“There are many kinds of crystals,” Nebula explained as she hovered her hand around lined books, skulls, and gems in one of the libraries. “Luciferian crystals, those are the black ones, for advanced hexing and magic. Satan crystals, the red ones, are for power. The purple ones from the Sloth Ring induce calmness, and the green ones create a desire for greed and accomplishment.”

 

She held up a couple teal-white crystals on necklaces, Stolas mesmerized by their glow. “These ones are special: the Asmodean Crystals. Mined by imps in the Ring of Lust, and infused with power by Asmodeus himself. Popular to use for jewelry, these crystals allow the person to project strong feelings of love and passion onto a chosen subject. In addition, it allows for succubi and incubi to access the Living World.”

 

“The Living World?” Stolas asked in wonder.

 

“Indeed. Succubi and incubi are one of few demons other than the elite who have easy access to that world. Asmodeus sends them there to seduce humans, thus encouraging them to sin. Then when they die, they help increase Hell’s population!”

 

“Cool,” Stolas breathed.

 

“Of course, they are under strict lock and key,” said Nebula, tucking them away. “Wouldn’t want any royalty or imps or villains stealing them and causing more family problems in the future! Now let’s review your demonic Latin and Enochian words.”

 

0 0 0

 

Almost every night, he and his mother would stand on the balcony together and name the constellations. Nebula often wore gorgeous gowns of midnight blue that sparkled with stars that moved on the silky fabric surface. Stolas learned about the wonders of space from his mother, who provided him with endless books and stories. Some of Stolas’ favorite bedtime stories were those about the bizarre world where mortals resided in.

 

“They have the same stars as we do, up on Earth,” Nebula said one night. “But of course, there’s no red sky there, it’s always blue. And it’s nowhere near as hot over there as it is here in Hell. Heaven kind of makes its own stars and rainbows and shit. I don’t really know.”

 

“That’s pretty cool!” said Stolas. “Could we visit there someday?”

 

“Going there is forbidden, unfortunately,” she explained. “Only mature experienced demons can access the Living World and that’s under certain conditions. We must study their world in secret and not allow any terrified humans to see us.”

 

“Well, I heard that there’s a new Imp City that was built not too long ago. Perhaps we could go there and explore!”

 

“We’ll see what your father thinks,” she said. “You know how disdainful he is of the poor.”

 

“Okay,” Stolas said with a sigh. Then he brightened and held up a brown book with a many-eyed frog and toad on it. “I know the differences between frogs and toads! Wanna hear it?”

 

“I’ve heard it five times already but okay,” Nebula giggled. She pat her son affectionately on the head and Stolas closed his eyes in happiness.

 

“Stars, plants, hell’s citizens…you will be a powerful great prince of Hell,” mused Nebula. She conjured glowing images of the constellations and Stolas reached out to touch them in wonder. The images burst into silver sparkles near his face that made Stolas giggle.

 

Looking back at the sky, Stolas’ eyes widened as he spotted a shooting star near the red and black inverted pentagram moon. “Look, Mother! A shooting star!”

 

“Go ahead and make a wish,” she said. “But don’t say it out loud or it won’t come true. Just think about it in your head.”

 

Stolas closed his eyes. “I wish I had a friend to spend time with!” he thought.

 

“I wish I could always spend time with you, Mother,” said Stolas. “We seem to be so busy a lot.”

 

“I know. But no matter where life takes us or what happens to me, I’ll never be far away from you, my little Starfire,” said Nebula, kissing her son on the head.

 

There was something else that Stolas treasured from a young age…his bond with the imps. They helped make the family dinners, clean the chambers, make the beds, and made sure things ran smoothly. His favorite companion was his personal butler imp. Whenever his father was too busy with his own lavish pursuits, the white-mustached imp butler would be there to tend to his every need. In a way, the imp was more of a fatherly figure than his own dad. Aside from helping Stolas get dressed, he often just stood there as Stolas told him all the things he learned about in his books. Although the butler had duties of his own, he was happy to listen to his prince. Stolas and Nebula never treated him cruelly; in fact, for them, the butler was just another member of the family.

 

For the most part, Stolas’ childhood was magical. 

 

CHAPTER III:  SEVERAL DECADES AGO, c. 1995…

 

Stolas was soon a little eleven-year-old owl child, bursting with curiosity and life. Stolas’ palace stood elegantly as ever in the dawn in the Pride Ring. There was a white telescope off to the left and sparkly magenta pink curtains draped over the thin pillars that lined a marble balcony. Constellations glowed against the walls and King Paimon’s four-looped sigil glowed in the front structure below the balcony. Inside in a bedroom, little Stolas snuggled happily with his stuffed red rabbit toy with sharp teeth (resembling a demonic Max from “Sam and Max”) and four small imp horns sticking from its head. There was a pink unicorn teddy bear with white curly hair off to the side. Smiling plant plushies and stuffed flowers fashioned with buttons also surrounded him. Red curtains surrounded his large bed. Wearing navy blue stripped pajamas, the young Stolas yawned, smacked his lips, and slowly opened his eyes. Then he sat up in excitement, four eyes wide.

 

“My birthday! My birthday! It’s my birthday!”

 

Stolas happily jumped out of bed, landing on all fours. He then raced into the adjacent dressing room. “Yay!” he cheered with his small black arms in the air. A butler imp with a white mustache, a bowtie, a dark gray vest, and white hair followed him. His arms were folded behind him, and his pointed tail was spiked.

 

The dressing room was dim, dark, and draped in various shades of purple curtains. The large vanity mirror was bordered by eighteen purple flower lights on a golden vine and up at the top was a structure with five slanted shapes like eyes for decoration. The purple dresser was decorated with small blue ringed planets on the drawers. The mirror reflected a white bathtub with white candles and glowing teal constellations hovering in the air.

 

“Yaaay! Birthday, birthday! Woohoo!” Stolas cheered as he pushed a red stool in place and stood on top. “Birthday tiiiime!” In front of Stolas was a small gold crown on a red crown cushion.

 

“Calm yourself, young prince,” the butler reminded him as he applied hair gel to the top and sides of Stolas’ feathery hair and face. “You know excitement is unbecoming of a Goetia.” The butler walked off.

 

Stolas chuckled apologetically. “Oh! Right.” He took a deep breath and his face lit up again. “But Father told me today is the day I am old enough to know my purpose and responsibility!”

 

Stolas’ eyes sparkled as the butler put a red vest on Stolas and buttoned it. He then proceeded to put Stolas’ red cape on him.

 

“Of course,” said the butler, putting a small gold crown on Stolas’ head. “I’m sure it will be wonderful.”

 

With the vest, cape, and crown, Stolas looked more like a regal prince. The butler then led the way to the throne room, Stolas following in excitement.

 

Down the hall were giant royal portraits off to the side. The first one showed the egg Stolas hatched from, the egg sitting on a pink cushion and a crown on top of it. The next one showed Stolas as an ugly baby hatchling bundled up in a crib in a red blanket with a gold pin with the Goetia family insignia on it. His face was orange, his eyes purple and sunken. Stolas’ stuffed red rabbit sat nearby. The next one showed a happy Stolas as a toddler holding his rabbit toy on a red pillow. In the next one, Stolas again, held his toy as a giant Venus Fly Trap plant dripped green slime on his head.

 

The double doors opened, and a shadowy figure sat on his throne under orange curtains with hanging purple and gold jewels. A long-clawed arm rose from the armrest. In a flash, shadowy monster heads roared then fused together into a fierce shadow hydra with many red eyes. The hydra briefly switched to a tall demon with ram horns, then into a monstrous elephant head, then into a flying bat-winged eye with dog heads below. Finally, the room brightened and there stood the towering owl Paimon in his ordinary form. He wore a starry red and gold cape with a high collar like a vampire. Red swirly designs curved on his white masked portion of his face, his pink eyes glowing with authority. A tall three-pointed gold crown with a red diamond and infinity symbol was perched on his brown feathery head. On either side of his crown, his hair arched upwards, giving the appearance of four brown horns.

 

The butler took his position beside the king.

 

“Ahhh!” said Paimon with a smile, arms out. “There is my little, uh…”

 

Stolas smiled gleefully at his father.

 

Paimon whispered to his butler. “Which son is this one? There’s so fucking many.”

 

“Stolas, your highness,” replied the imp.

 

“Stolas!” exclaimed Paimon. He chuckled. “Yes! Ha! Right, right! That’s the one!” He walked toward Stolas. “The owl boy.”

 

Paimon leaned down toward his son’s face, Stolas bearing a surprised look. “Well, my little one…”

 

Paimon stood up and walked in front of him. “It is finally your day of becoming a true part of the Goetia family.”

 

 Paimon briefly looked down at his son and mentioned, “How good for you,” before continuing his regal walk. “Are you ready to know what you’ll be meant to do to serve Hell?”

 

“Yes father!” Stolas stated confidently.

 

Paimon opened portal above his head, revealing a starry sky.

 

“You will be entrusted with the study of the Earth’s skies, the stars, the prophecies they hold, all that stuff.”  Stolas looked in awe as a teal green comet and a purple comet flashed across the room.

 

A bunch of green vines and vivid colored flowers burst from one of Paimon’s clawed hands. A Venus fly trap popped out and snapped its jaws. “You will study the various properties of plants, herbs, poisons from here and Earth, how they can hurt and heal.”

 

A pink flower flew in the breeze and gently touched Stolas’ cheek. The young owl giggled as he held the flower in his hand.

 

The plants vanished and in Paimon’s other hand appeared blue and red crystals. “You will also be invested in the study of precious stones, crystals, and gems in both places, how they are used in spell work, healing, prophecies, strength, etc.”

 

Stolas admired his glowing eyes reflected in the crystal’s surfaces.

 

The crystals vanished as well.

 

“Isn’t that fun?” Paimon asked, as a blue grimoire with a gold moon appeared hovering in a magic aura over his hand. On the back of the book was Stolas’ sigil. “You will begin your studies of your grimoire, which will grant you access to the Mortal Realm to study and observe…”

 

Paimon levitated the book toward Stolas, who eagerly grabbed it.

 

Paimon continued in a passionate tone. “And you will grow to be a mighty Prince of Hell with your own legions to lead and pass on your knowledge to!”

 

“I will do my best, Father!” the confident Stolas proclaimed proudly. Stolas couldn’t wait to get started! Everything would be just fine…

 

“Wonderful!” Paimon exclaimed. Then he spoke faster. “Also, son, you are destined to sire a precautionary addition to the Goetia family, so you are now engaged.”

 

Stolas paused and raised an eyebrow.  “Wait, what? What’s a precautionary…”

 

Paimon chuckled. “Oh, Stolas, it means that you are engaged to be married to your future wife for the purpose of raising a child who will help continue the family line! Congratulations!”

 

“M-married? To whom?” Stolas asked.

 

Paimon held out a picture to Stolas. “Her name is Stella. Isn’t she charming?” he chuckled.

 

In the picture was a white swan princess that gave off a bratty Azula/Angelica Pickles/Veruca Salt vibe. She wore a feathery dress of dark gray at the bottom and white at the top. Her white feathery hair was in pigtails with two pink bows and two gold crowns on her head. Her parents had given her two black fly-like dogs as a present. A disgusted Stella had stomped on the head of one and angrily choked another in her hands. The creatures cried from their yellow/red eyes as Stella’s pink eyes glowed with menace.

 

A scared Stolas burst into tears and turned away from the picture in fear. 

 

“Ohh!” Paimon exclaimed. “That’s an ugly noise, son. Here…” he pat Stolas on the head. “How about you cease this bitch crying?”

 

Stolas cried louder.

 

“Hm, that usually works,” Paimon said. “Oh, would you like it if I took you to the circus in town? Children enjoy the circus, right?” He pat Stolas on the head again. “Would that distract you enough from your non-negotiable future marriage?”

 

A tear rolled down Stolas’ cheek as he stood in somber silence.

 

“Butler!” Paimon called. “Bring my magic gold mirror so I can see what goes on in that dump. And bring along two Doberman dog guards.”

 

“Guards, sir?” asked the imp.

 

“Yes, guards! I don’t care much for the boy, but I don’t want him to get hurt from any rowdy commoner imps at the circus. Fetch them!”

 

“Yes, your highness.”

 

The imp bowed and wandered off. A tear rolled down Stolas’ cheek and dripped off.

 

0 0 0

 

A few hours later, a sad Stolas stood with the imp butler at the top of the stairs, flanked by the bi-pedal guard dogs in black suits. They were under a striped circus tent with hanging lights up above. Circus music played in the background. Imps of various shapes and sizes sat in the rows, their yellow eyes glowing. One fat imp was snoring in his seat while several child imps sat with their parents. Another was eating popcorn. Stolas held his grimoire in his hands. It wasn’t as comforting as his rabbit toy, but it was better than nothing.

 

In the mirror, Paimon looked around then whispered to the butler. “Is there a spot that’s close to the front, but also far enough that I don’t have to…”

 

He sniffed and gagged…

 

“…smell the poor?”

 

A few minutes later, the butler, the dogs, and Stolas stood in an empty section with a crude brown cloth sign that read “GOETIA” in dripping black paint.

 

The scene went black as two spotlights showed two imps in green clown suits and white painted faces juggling four balls in their hands. Two imps in purple suits did a series of flips and landed gracefully to the front. A young female imp wearing a yellow and green gymnastics top balanced on one hand atop a black horse with a skull face, plus a mane and tail of neon green flames. The horse had green and yellow feathers atop its head with matching colored saddle and bells. The black heart-shaped symbol seen on the foreheads of the performers was displayed at the top of the stadium inside a red heart bordered by lights. The horse galloped past Stolas and crew, but only Paimon clapped his hands and hooted with delight. “Hohohohoho!” It was a parallel to when an excited Stolas took his bored daughter to the circus in the future.

 

Stilt-walker imps wearing purple and yellow costumes were juggling balls in the air. Blitzo’s sister Barbie Wire was twirling on a tightrope wearing a purple dress and holding a yellow umbrella in her hand. She had black curled ram-like horns with small white stripes on them. She spun in the air and landed back on the tightrope. She smiled and posed.

 

“Hohohohohoho!” Paimon clapped again. Stolas half-heartedly flicked a peanut off the top of his grimoire.

 

Another performer breathed fire as a group of imps dressed in clown suits and bells over their horns balanced on top of each other in an inverted imp pyramid, holding gold rings. Two imps leaped through the hoops. Four imps balanced on a board and a small imp blew fire from a torch on top of the others. The crowd cheered. A knife thrower imp guy with white hair threw a knife near where a smiling black-haired imp woman was bond to a plank of wood with a target painted on it. Stolas bumped his head three times against his book, clearly upset.

 

Stolas then looked up as the ringmaster imp spoke up. He had long curved horns, a purple top hat, and a stitched up old circus costume of green and dark green vertical stripes. He was Cash Buckzo, Blitzo’s greedy father.

 

“Nowwww, everyone’s favorite thing about circus shit: the motherfucking clowns!”

 

The crowd screamed and gasped as ten imps in clown outfits leaped forward.

 

A small foot stepped onto a board high in the air.

 

“You ready Blitzo?” asked a young Fizzarolli.

 

A young Blitzo grinned, tugging the rope. “Born ready, Fizzarolli!” Blitzo didn’t mind the “o” in his name.

 

At the same time, the two young imps swung off the boards, holding onto ropes. Fizzarolli was a child imp, wearing a teal green suit with red markings and red bells attached to his intact stripped imp horns. He also wore a red clown nose. The young Blitzo’s face was red and scar-free, and he wore purple overalls and a pink shirt underneath.

 

This happy moment was back when Blitzo’s mother Tilla was still alive, before Barbie Wire went to rehab and before Fizzarolli lost his limbs and horns. It was clear that the two were best friends, who both loved money, Mammon, and the thrill of the show. Blitzo took Fizzarolli’s hand and together they swung around the stadium in a big arc. Both of them laughed together as they swung past Stolas.

 

Stolas’ eyes suddenly lit up as he caught sight of the happy Blitzo. The imp’s face reminded him of the comfort of his rabbit toy.

 

“A new friend!” Stolas thought, happily.

 

After Fizzarolli and Blitzo landed down safely, Blitzo balanced on a red and yellow ball with an eye design on it. He posed with a “Haaa! Ta-da!”

 

Then he said, “Heya folks! Wanna see me make a horse?”

 

Blitzo pulled out a green balloon and blew into it. He rapidly wrapped it and it appeared as a bundle of knots before it popped.

 

“Crap,” Blitzo muttered. He blew another balloon and tried again, but it popped again.

 

He tried again. And tried again. But the balloons kept popping.

 

“De-de-de-de-do-do-do-do,” Blitzo hummed nervously as a bored and unimpressed audience stared down at him.

 

Blitzo chuckled nervously. “Ah, he, he! Horse!” He showed a green balloon horse, except it had no legs. “Well, heh, it was a horse, but then it ate too much sugar and its legs stopped working, so they had to amputate, now it’s a gross worm horse.”

 

The young Stolas laughed.

 

Blitzo smiled and pointed at him. “See, he gets it because horses, they make no sense.”

 

Fizzarolli chuckled and stood beside Blitzo. “Okay, Blitzo, that’s enough ‘horsing’ around!”

 

In one try, Fizzarolli made a perfect red balloon horse, presenting it to the crowd. “Hey everybody, look at this! It’s Banana Pudding the clown horsey! Neigh!”

 

The crowd laughed as Blitzo looked down sadly and sighed.

 

“I liked his broken horse joke, it was funny,” said Stolas. “Their legs do stop working when they eat too much sugar, it’s called Laminitis.” He watched Blitzo balance on the ball with his legless balloon horse in his hand and Fizzarolli performing by his side.

 

Paimon raised a confused eyebrow at his son, staring at him judgmentally. “Perhaps the crazy owl prince would be easily entertained by that common imp,” thought Paimon. “It’d be nice to get my random son out of my hair so I can focus on more important duties. Like terrorizing desert dwellers on my camel! Or lounging with the ladies in Sloth! Or better yet, be around a dignified mature son who’s more like me.”  

 

Paimon watched the ringmaster imp retreat backstage with a bottle of Greed Mead and had a clever idea.

 

0 0 0

 

Backstage inside the Big Top, Cash Buckzo gulped his Greed Mead on an old mattress, wearing patched up gray pants, a worn pink and magenta stripped top, and an old gray patched up top hat. A pair of underwear and an old shirt hung on a clothesline above him. Mirrors, jester caps and props were stored messily in a cabinet and some boxes. A “Fortune Teller” box stood in the background. A rug showed the black heart-like circus family symbol with red and white circus stripes. It symbolized the unity of many imp families living the life of “circus freaks” as other imps called them. It was a way to get by and the bonds were enough.

 

Cash Buckzo paused in mid-drink as the imp butler and the dogs walked inside.

 

“What a show,” Paimon remarked from the mirror. “That was real great so…”

 

He cleared his throat. “That little clown you have. My son really enjoyed that one. I was wondering if I could buy him.” His hands were clenched together in excitement.

 

Cash Buckzo looked taken aback. “Buy him?”

 

Paimon put his hands together and his pointer finger moved outward. “Purchase him, yes, accurate.”

 

Paimon clapped his hands, and the butler pressed a button that made the mirror move right into Cash Buckzo’s face. Sweat dripped down his face as he felt the king lean over him.

 

“My son doesn’t have any friends you see, and he liked the little clown boy. It’s his birthday, he’s so sad and I don’t want to deal with him. Can I write a check?”

 

Cash Buckzo began, “Well, Fizzarolli is a big draw. He has a few more shows to be in today, so it would be pretty expensive.” He rubbed his fingers in a “give me money” gesture and smirked.

 

Paimon chucked. “No, no, the other one.”

 

“Blitzo?!” Cash Buckzo looked shocked.

 

“Correct. How much?”

 

Cash Buckzo stroked his small white goatee. “Wha-Well he’s my son so ah, hm, ah, how much ya got in your pocket?”

 

The butler pulled out a waded $5 bill and a pink wrapped “cumdom.” “A wadded up five and a slim-fit condom,” said Paimon.

 

An annoyed Cash Buckzo was about to demand more but saw Blitzo swipe a small horse toy from a shelf in the background…and got an idea.

 

“Ah, that’s plenty, done,” Cash Buckzo scoffed.

 

“Splendid,” said Paimon. “Fetch him for me and we will be on our way.”

 

Paimon clapped his hands and he and the butler vanished up through a red portal. The explosion caused half of the tent and a pole to collapse into debris and dust.

 

Cash Buckzo shrugged. He remembered when he first got attracted to Tilla way back when. He remembered how she always wanted to help those in need, so it wasn’t hard to pull off the “homeless victim” look. Tilla was an exceptionally good animal tamer and before long, they both became part of the circus. They had some drinks, fucked, and out came the twins. He worked his way up to ringmaster, always searching for that pretty penny. He often got frustrated whenever his family didn’t perform hard enough…especially his son.

 

“If we want to be in good standing for Lord Mammon,” Cash Buckzo would say, “We gotta look the part! Act the part! Be the part! Perform like you’ll win a million souls, or you’d alternatively face double death otherwise.” He’d also add in lines such as “Mammon sees the wealth of potential in you! Don’t you kids wanna be his stars?!”

 

“Yes Papa!” Barbie Wire and Blitzo would chime in, along with Fizzarolli.

 

Cash Buckzo wasn’t sure what to make of this unexpected situation.

 

But then again, he could always suggest to his children to do things in his favor.

 

“This’ll be a piece of hell-cake,” he thought, eyeing a bottle of Greed Mead nearby.

 

0 0 0

 

Meanwhile, Blitzo and Fizzarolli played with their balloon horses together on a purple rug with a teal spiral decoration.

 

Fizzarolli moved his red balloon horse. “I’m Banana Pudding, and I like to dance!”

 

“I am Worm Horse!” said Blitzo, holding his legless green balloon horse. “And I… I am sad!”

 

“Why are you sad, Worm Horse?”

 

“Because, I have no legs!”

 

“Oh, well that’s okay.”

 

“I lost all my legs in…The War,” Blitzo dramatized.

 

Fizzarolli gasped. “The War?!”

 

“Yes!” said Blitzo. “The Great Pirate War!”

 

Fizzarolli giggled. “No, no pirates.”

 

“It’s a great pirate warrrr!” Blitzo teased.

 

Fizzarolli exasperated, “If you keep talking about pirates, I will punch you.”

 

Blitzo dramatized as he played, “I fought bravely but I could not run fast enough. They took my legs, there was blood everywhere!”

 

Fizzarolli laughed at Blitzo. “Oh no, eww! No blood. Blood is disgusting!”

 

Blitzo stood up with a grin. “No, blood is cool!” He laughed.

 

Fizzarolli moved his horse in a dance and giggled. “Well, Banana Pudding is here to save the day with his magical feet he dances around with. He will dance all over Worm Horse and make him feel better!”

 

“And then…” Blitzo paused dramatically. “There will be more blood!” He did a fake evil laugh as he squirted ketchup all over his green horse.

 

“Blitzo!” Fizzarolli laughed. “That’s so gross! Stop!”

 

Blitzo held up his ketchup bottle, arms in the air. “Never!”

 

(The balloon toys were a foreshadowing of Fizzarolli, the green horse, losing his legs in the distant future…)

 

Just then, Cash Buckzo grabbed Blitzo and pulled him up.

 

“Boy, I’ve got a job for you.”

 

They walked off to the side, his father holding Blitzo’s wrist tightly. “You are gonna spend the day with one of the Goetia princes.”

 

Blitzo made a face. “Eww. Why?”

 

“Because money!” exclaimed his father, turning around. “Now listen carefully, you are being bought out to be his playmate, but I want you to steal as much from those rich fuckers as you possibly can.”

 

“Steal?” Blitzo asked, yanking his arm away from his father’s tight grip. He flinched. “But what if I get caught?”

 

Cash Buckzo went into manipulation mode. “Oh Blitzo. Don’t you want your family to be able to buy a bigger tent? Better food? Don’t you want to be able to help me and your mama out?” His lip trembled.

 

“Of course I wanna help Mama!” Blitzo declared. Tilla was very sick, and the imp siblings grew more worried each day. “I’d do anything!”

 

“Then you gotta do this, everything those rich fucks have will be worth a fortune!” His claws curled upwards; his eyes full of greed.

 

The young Blitzo still looked unsure. “But if I’m caught…I’m scared dad.”

 

Cash Buckzo put a hard hand on his son’s shoulder. “There are scarier things, aren’t there, son?”

 

Exorcists. Monsters. His father on a bad day.

 

“But…” Blitzo began but his father widened his yellow and black eyes into tearful puppy-dog eyes, with a trembling lip.

 

“Yes, Papa,” Blitzo responded dejectedly.

 

0 0 0

 

Later that night, Blitzo and his father traveled from their Greed Ring homeland through a portal to the Pride Ring, where Stolas and his father stood waiting. They met by the elegant trickling water fountain outside the palace. Blitzo yanked his arm free from his father’s grip and stepped forward. Both boys looked nervous.

 

“Here is your new friend, my son. Happy birthday,” Paimon shrugged.

 

Stolas’ face lit up. “A friend?”

 

 Blitzo rubbed his neck in worry. “I guess. Hi, uh, I’m Blitzo.”

 

Stolas bowed politely. “I’m Stolas. It’s nice to…”

 

Paimon smacked his son on the head. “Don’t bow to that one! He bows to us! Idiot.”

 

“Oh, right. Sorry Father.” Stolas rubbed his arm.

 

“I’m so good at daddying!” Paimon bragged as the boys ran inside the palace together. 

 

“As am I,” Cash Buckzo sneered as he snuck off toward the bushes in the shadows.

 

0 0 0

 

Blitzo and Stolas sat together in one of the libraries inside the palace. Stolas had showed Blitzo piles of books on the floor, at least twenty. The hours dragged by, leaving Blitzo in sheer absolute boredom.

 

“This is my book on the difference between frogs and toads,” lectured Stolas. He held up a brown book with a frog on it, eggs and “Frogs and Toads” on it, reminiscent of “Frog and Toad are Friends” books. “There’s a lot of differences.”

 

He held up another book with white flowers on it in a pentagon-shaped glass dome with “Botany” as the title. “And this is my book on plants and herbs. Did you know that plants can hear you?”

 

“Plants are boring!” Blitzo spat, standing up. “This is all boring stuff!”

 

“Oh,” said Stolas in surprise, briefly looking away. “I’m sorry. I never had a friend to share my books with.”

 

Blitzo slumped and looked around at all the treasures in the palace.

 

All the treasures…just waiting to be hunted for…

 

Blitzo grinned and stepped closer to Stolas. He had a sudden idea.

 

“You know what would be fun? A game!” He lowered Stolas’ book. “Let’s play treasure hunt!”

 

“What’s that?” asked Stolas.

 

“It’s where we pretend we are pirates,” said Blitzo, picking up a tan feather and wielding it like a sword. “…and we go around the house collecting all the nicest things…”

 

He picked up a book and then stepped onto two larger piles of books like stairs.

 

“…and then, we throw them out the window!” He threw the book off in the distance.

 

“We…throw them out the window?” Stolas asked in confusion.

 

“Yes!”

 

“Since when did pirates throw things out windows?”

 

Blitzo spread his arms out. “Since like the dawn of time!” He stepped down from the book piles. “Come on! Pirates are always throwing stuff out windows!”

 

“I don’t think they had windows,” mentioned Stolas.

 

“What? Did a book say that?” Blitzo asked.

 

“Yes, actually. Several,” Stolas replied, pulling out two pirate books, an orange one labeled “Pirates,” and the other blue one which was labeled “The Porthole Myth.”  

 

Blitzo grabbed the books from Stolas and tossed them to the side. “Well in this game, we are throwing them out the window because it’s fun!” He spread out his arms.

 

“Well,” began Stolas, “That’s an odd game.” Then he gasped. “Is this an imp game?” He tilted his head in curiosity.

 

“Sure,” Blitzo shrugged. “Why not?”

 

“Well, if it’s what you want to play…”

 

“Let’s do it!” Blitzo cried, putting his arm around Stolas.

 

An ornate crystal chandelier hung above a resplendent hallway. Blitzo laughed as he swiped ornate vases off stands and tossed them into a brown sack in his other hand. Stolas panted as he tried to keep up.

 

“Come on, come on, come on!” Blitzo called.

 

 Blitzo grabbed a gold vase with red gems, a small mirror, a thin purple vase, a thick green and yellow vase, a crystal ball, and purple crystals. He grabbed more vases from a shelf and tossed them to Stolas who put them in the sack. Stolas moved around to catch the falling objects. Blitzo climbed a shelf and gave Stolas a thumbs up. An unsure Stolas gave a thumbs up back.

 

Blitzo opened a treasure chest full of gold coins, crystals, pearl necklaces, a necklace with an eye in a red gem, goblets, and a moon watch. Both boys laughed as they grabbed handfuls of treasure and stuffed them into the sack.

 

Stolas handed Blitzo a green bottle which he had struggled to reach and smiled. Blitzo shoved a barrel off a shelf, and it rolled on the floor. Before long, they had cleared the room of crystals, skulls, books, potions, and barrels, all somehow managing to stuff everything inside the sack. After jumping on the sack in excitement, they slid other crystals and valuables from shelves into the sack as they rode on a moving ladder. They raced down vast hallways until coming up to an ornate spiral crystal chandelier just above their heads.

 

“Wow!” They breathed as they stared at the chandelier in wonder. Blitzo proceeded to snatch a string of crystals from the chandelier as they both stood in the center.  “Yay!” they cheered. The sparkling magical world spun round them, their heads in a spin. They lay on their backs on the marble floor, laughing with no care in the world. Constellations dotted the ceiling as they reached a balcony, the sky crimson red in the twilight.

 

Stolas and Blitzo danced along until a whistle from outside made Blitzo pause.

 

Blitzo walked onto the balcony and lifting himself on the railing. A rustle in the bushes sounded below and there was his father. With a grin, he mentioned for his son to toss down the sack. Blitzo glanced at the oblivious Stolas, who was trying to reach a book. With some effort, Blitzo tossed it down into his father’s arms. His father grinned sinisterly and disappeared back under the bushes with the sack.

 

“Blitzo! Over here!” called Stolas. Blitzo raced to meet his friend. The sky filled with stars and the red clouds parted to paint a calmer magenta shade. A crescent moon was at the top of a large tree.

 

Blitzo climbed the tree while Stolas read his book.

 

Blitzo looked at Stolas after falling upside down, hanging by his tail. “So, what is that? Your diary?”

 

“No. This is my new grimoire,” said Stolas. “It’s a spell book. I have to learn it so that I can access the Living World.”

 

“The Living World?” Blitzo asked, swinging. “Like the world with humans and stuff? Where the sinners come from?”

 

“Mmmhmm,” Stolas nodded.

 

“That’s cool!” Blitzo exclaimed, flipping and landing down onto a root.

 

“Yes! I’m supposed to learn to use it to study the sky!” said Stolas.

 

“Why?”

 

“My dad said I can find prophecies, but I don’t really know. But I’m supposed to, that’s what my job will be when I grow up. To join the rest of the Goetia family.”

 

Blitzo stood up confidently with his hands on his hips. He put one hand to his heart. “Well, you know what I’m gonna do when I grow up?” He climbed the black and red tree trunk and hoisted himself onto a branch. “I’m gonna run my own circus and I’m gonna be the most famous imp ever and I’ll be able to do what I want to do all day! I’m gonna make so much money and buy myself a big building with a big office!” He stood up in excitement.

 

“A big office? For a circus?”

 

“Yeah! A big office! Circus business with clowns and horses!” He cupped his cheeks and his eyes shone with giddiness. “And the horses will all have good names like Stapler and Biscuit Queen!” His eyes shone again.

 

Stolas giggled. “I’m sure you will. That sounds like a good business.”

 

“Yeah! And if you apply, I’ll hire you. Maybe.”

 

Stolas laughed. “You’ll hire me?”

 

“Yeah, if I feel like it.” Blitzo shrugged and jumped back down.

 

“Well, I hope I qualify,” Stolas replied with a giggle. “You’d be a good boss. One helluva boss!”

 

“You say that with sarcasm but I totes would!” Blitzo replied with a confident pose.

 

Both boys laughed together underneath the tree, savoring the wonderful moment. 

    CHAPTER IV: STOLAS’ TEEN YEARS c. 2003

Ever since Stella came into Stolas’ life, it was nothing short of torture. It was literally hell in Hell. Back when Stolas had still been a child, his father had nudged him forward to meet Stella face to face out by the fountain. There she was in her frilly feathery pink and black dress, pink bowties in her hair and two crowns on her head. She stood with her ice peacock brother Andrealphus and her two cold-hearted parents, Queen Eis and King Boreas. Eis was a tall swan who had ice powers like Andrealphus. Boreas was a vain peacock who was closely connected with Malphas.

 

The young Stella and Andrealphus elbowed each other until a firm glare from their mother made them stop.

 

“Your majesties, I present to you, one of my many sons, Stolas,” said Paimon.

 

“Here is my daughter Stella and this is my son Andrealphus,” replied Eis. “Stella is quite picky about food. She’ll only eat the finest raw rodents, fried eggs of dragons and the occasional mortal intestine.”

 

A black fly dog raced over and growled at Stella. Immediately, the girl screamed in anger, grabbed the creature by the neck and smashed its head several times against the cobblestone. Stolas watched in horror as the fly-puppy whined and buzzed, tears spilling from it’s yellow-sclera and red pupil eyes. After stomping on its head, the creature lay unmoving among blood splatters.

 

Stolas whimpered.

 

“Mother!” barked Stella. “I asked for two hell-ponies, not those disgusting vermin!”

 

“But you swore that you’d freeze all of Hell if I didn’t get you pets,” Eis reminded her. “The fly-dogs were the only creatures they had at the store.”

 

“Do better! I’ve already had to exterminate three!”

 

Then Stella glared at the flinching Stolas. “Ew. Who’s the pathetic little bitch?”

 

“Your future husband,” said Boreas. “Go along and play, now.”

 

“Right this way,” said Paimon to Stella’s family. “My imps prepared your dinner just as you like it, raw and cold!”

 

Stella smirked evilly at Stolas, who gulped. She stared at Stolas like a bully who spotted a kid with a target on their back.

 

Paimon clapped his hands in delight. “Oh Stolas, what a sweet charming little girl! You two will be perfect together!”

 

 

A few moments later in a hallway, Stolas was sobbing loudly after Stella dangled his red rabbit toy in the air. She used her other hand to push Stolas back.

 

“Give it back!” he cried. “That’s my special bunny!”

 

“What are you gonna do about it?” Stella mocked as she strut toward a balcony. “I always get what I want, and I want what you want the most!”

 

“I don’t want that!” Stolas pouted.

 

“You don’t want this? Good!” She cackled and tossed the toy out the window where it landed in mud. “No!” he cried.

 

Stella shouted “Freak!” from behind Stolas and pinched him on the arm.

 

“Leave me alone!” he cawed.

 

 In anger, Stolas swiped at her dress and feathers flew everywhere.

 

“That was hand-made by my imp servants!” she spat. She gripped Stolas hard by the neck as he cried out for help. Just as Stella was about to hit Stolas in the face, they heard footsteps. Stella let go of his neck, Stolas wheezing in response. Stella did an innocent curtsey and smile as the parents approached.

 

“Aww,” smiled Eis. “Look at those two happily playing together.”

 

“I knew they were a match made in Hell,” Boreas smiled.

 

Eis gave Stella some candy and a new necklace for her “good behavior.” But unfortunately for Stolas, all he got was a forced family picture with Stella and her family later that night. (Stolas had to hold the golden mirror that showed Paimon’s face for the portrait.) The parents posed elegantly; Stella glared at the camera while Stolas looked off sadly. Stella blew raspberries at Stolas behind her parent’s backs as they left. Andrealphus gave Stolas a look of superiority and didn’t hesitate to bump into him on the way out.

 

“See you next time!” Paimon smiled from within the gold mirror.

 

Stolas later curled up in a ball and cried in his dark room, a picture of Nebula next to him and his dirty tattered bunny toy.

 

0 0 0

 

Stolas and Stella got married when Stolas was only eighteen. Stella walked down the aisle wearing a white feathery dress and veil. Stolas wore a dark black suit and red bowtie with the Goetia family sigil pin on the top. Both of them wore their gold crowns…and dull expressions on their faces. They stood together holding hands from inside a Satanic church. Red and black roses decorated the aisles and black marble pillars. Stained glass windows depicted hunched over demons building Pandemonium, the capital palace building in Hell. Others showed Lucifer and Satan seated on thrones flanked by upside down red crosses. Candles glowed blue and black all around the vast chamber.

 

“We are gathered here today,” said a red bull demon with a flaming bull skull for a head, “to celebrate the wedding of his majesty Prince Stolas and her majesty Princess Stella. If you have any objections to this bond, please say them out loud and we’ll throw you into a lake of fire.”

 

Brimming in both Stolas and Stella’s eyes was a sense of non-negotiable commitment, a loss of their teenage freedom. There was a heavy sense of awkwardness and in Stolas’ case, dread. If they stared into each other’s eyes for too long, Stella’s pink eyes glowed with fire while Stolas’ red eyes shrank back toward darkness.

 

“Do you, Stolas Goetia, son of King Paimon, take Stella to be your wedded wife?” asked the demon.

 

“I do,” said Stolas with no emotion.

 

“And do you, Stella Goetia, sister of Marquis Andrealphus, take Prince Stolas to be your wedded husband?”

 

“I do,” she glared.

 

They exchanged rings as Andrealphus looked smug in a fancy white suit made of peacock feathers in the front row.

 

The demon officiant cleared his throat. “By the power vested in me by Lord Lucifer, I know pronounce you husband and wife. You may now fuck and shit.”

 

Stolas and Stella tentatively kissed as the two royal families clapped politely in their seats. Banners read in gold, “Congratulations Married Couple! May You Never Divorce!” More pictures were taken and Paimon made an appearance as well…from within his mirror of course.

 

“How mad would Father be if I ‘accidentally’ broke it?” Stolas thought.

 

Stella, of course, enjoyed the large fancy party, the drinks, and the dirty dancing. She basked in the attention and gossiped with her two white bird elite demons. Stolas, meanwhile, paid close attention to how Leviathan’s Sin Gin tasted, and was anxious to head back to the palace. Demon musicians played orchestral instruments and violins as Stolas and Stella danced. Both of them were buzzed from drinking and it was only because of the alcohol that the two did have some fun together later on. It was a blurry drunken honeymoon.

 

The days, weeks, after the wedding were one of the worst times of Stolas’ life. Stella, obsessed with parties, status, and dominance, didn’t hesitate to take advantage of her puny husband. When she got especially angry, Stolas would have to duck to avoid his potted plants crashing into his face.

 

Stolas endured slap after slap from Stella. She seemed to take pride in tormenting him.

 

“This is all your fault!” she barked, slapping him in the face again. Stolas would flinch every time. “You and your father made me marry you and now I’m stuck here as a housewife.”

 

Although they had enjoyable sex a few times, Stolas soon grew bored. One night in August 2003, Stella forcefully kissed him and shoved his dick into her hole. After some brief straining, a white egg fell out of her.

 

Stella sighed in relief, “Finally. Now people won’t pester us about whether or not we have any kids.”

 

Stolas’ eyes lit up in the dark. The egg rolled toward the edge of their master bed and Stella didn’t notice. With a soft gasp, Stolas managed to catch it in one swoop. The egg felt warm and damp in his hands.

 

“I can’t believe it,” he said quietly. “I’m a father at nineteen.”

 

“Good for you,” she scoffed. “I’m heading off to the 3AM soiree for drinks.”

 

“Stella,” Stolas breathed as his wife headed toward the shower to clean herself up. “Our first child is in this egg.”

 

“Not my problem.”

 

“You need to take care of it too,” said Stolas.

 

“Shut up and suck it! You don’t tell me what to do! Now if you’ll excuse me…”

 

She stomped off.

 

Stolas carried the egg toward the window and stood on the balcony. As the egg wobbled and cracked in his hands, he looked up at the sky.

 

A solar eclipse had covered the red hell sun and red streaks of lightning lit up the sky. Darkness permeated all of Hell, so much that Stolas had to squint slightly to see in the dark. Stolas flipped through the hovering grimoire with his other hand and found a page. He gasped.

 

“The prophecy is true. A powerful princess will be born under an eclipse and bear witness to Hell’s destruction…and help save so many…”

 

The egg burst open a few minutes later and there lay an ugly hatching, eyes half-closed. Only the light around the grimoire made things visible in front of Stolas.

 

“All my stories have been told,” Stolas breathed, sweat coating his face. “I’ve studied the stars and plants. I’ve gone to Goetia meetings and ruled over legions of demons. All my stories…except for this one.” The hatching stared at Stolas as the red light of the sun slowly reappeared, reflected in its newborn eyes.

 

“You will be okay,” Stolas said to the hatchling.

 

“Octavia,” Stolas breathed, coming up with her name on the spot, “I have a new purpose in life now…”

 

0 0 0

 

The years passed on and on. Day after day, Stolas sang lullabies to his baby owlet as Stella reluctantly played with Octavia and made her food. Stolas would sob to himself every week, enduring Stella’s abuse, and menacing taunts.

 

“I have to get through this,” he thought. “For Via. Until she can take care of herself.”

 

Stolas remembered one night vividly.

 

“Mommy! Daddy!”

 

Octavia’s cry roused the owl prince from his slumber.

 

“Via’s calling us, Stella,” Stolas groaned sleepily.

 

Stella let out a sigh. “You get up,” she replied tiredly.

 

Stolas sighed and rose out of bed, briefly putting his fingers to his head. He opened the door to Octavia’s bedroom. The wallpaper consisted of several columns of moons and stars. Astronomy books lined a shelf while taped drawings on the wall showed stick figures of Stolas and Octavia, labeled “Daddy,” and “Me.” A nearby portrait showed a smiling Stolas giving an overjoyed Octavia a piggyback ride against a blue background.

 

Stolas opened the white door, wearing his red housecoat and a pair of demon face slippers.

 

“Via? What troubles you, my owlet?”

 

A small, frightened face popped out from under the covers: little Octavia. She wore pink jammies with white stars on them. Her face was white, and her eyes were large and pink with white pupils. Three gray feathers stuck out from her feathery head, and she also had a little tail.

 

“Daddy! Daddy!”

 

She ran into her father’s arms.

 

“I had a dream! A really bad dream!” Her mouth quivered in a whimper.

 

Stolas scooped her up into his arms and yawned.

 

“A nightmare.”

 

He wiped a tear away from her face.

 

Octavia spread out her arms. “I was looking all over the palace and…I couldn’t find you anywhere! You weren’t there!”

 

Tears appeared from her eyes, and she hugged her father around the neck.

 

“There, there, Via. It’s okay. You’re okay.”

 

He pat her several times on the back and carried her into the room. A blue grimoire with a golden crescent moon on the cover floated into the room in a purple cloud of magic.

 

Stolas sat down on the bed, Octavia in his lap. The book hovered next to him, and he waved his hand to turn the pages. Stolas looked at Octavia.

 

“When you’re sacred and you don’t know where I am, you must remember…no matter what happens to me, I will never be far away from my special little Starfire.”

 

He playfully poked her on the nose, and she giggled.

 

Stolas waved his hand and magic surrounded it. He moved his hand to the ceiling and created a starry portal above their heads. Octavia looked up with wonder in her eyes. It was then that Stolas started singing his lullaby to her: “You Will Be Okay.”

 

“It always seems more quiet in the dark”

“It always feels so stark”

 

Both of them floated upward through the hole. A brilliant indigo night sky filled with stars was revealed. A small bright sun and a distant ringed planet hovered in the distance. Stolas stood on the surface of a large white moon dotted with craters of various sizes.

 

“How silence grows under the moon

Constellations gone so soon”

 

Stolas’ feet made talon bird tracks on the surface as he carried his daughter.

 

“I used to think that I was bold

I used to think love would be fun

Now all my stories have been told

Except for one”

 

Stolas looked down at Octavia’s innocent eyes as their faces shone from the pinkish light of the nearby star.

 

The ringed planet hovered beside another planet bathed in purple-pink light. A rocky meteor caught on fire and soared toward a molten planet.

 

“As the stars start to align

I hope you take it as a sign

That you’ll be okay”

 

Stolas sat down on a small rock and held his daughter close.

 

“Everything will be okay.”

 

The meteor slowly dipped into the molten planet, turning a fiery orange. The meteor broke through the planet, causing it to break into rocky pieces. Stolas and Octavia sat on a floating chunk of rock as light burst upward from between the gaps of the planet debris.

 

“And if the Seven Rings collapse

Although the day could be my last

You will be okay. When I’m gone you’ll be okay…”

 

Octavia yawned and nestled into her father’s feathery chest with a small smile on her sleepy face.

 

Like any good parent, Stolas wanted what was best for his child; to pass down existential knowledge for her to remember.

 

“And when creation goes to die

You can find me in the sky”

 

Seven planets and the moon they were on were pulled toward the pink sun, creating powerful impacts. The planets turned ashen black before everything burst into an explosion of light. Stolas’ vocalizing face was illuminated by the large pink smoke from the galactic explosion.

 

Tears pooled in Stolas’ eyes as the portal closed behind him, now back in the bedroom. A red and gold metallic model of a solar system hung from the back wall. Stolas lifted the starry blanket and draped it over a sleeping Octavia.

 

“Upon the last day

And you will be okay…”

 

Having finished the lullaby, Stolas walked toward the door, looking at his daughter lovingly again before closing it. Octavia slept peacefully in her bed like a happy chick in a nest.

 

Stolas spotted a shooting star in the night sky. He remembered to make a wish.

 

“Mother, please let my daughter be okay.” 

CHAPTER V: AROUND THE TIME OF THE 2019/2020 PIOLIT…

 

Stolas’ only solace besides Octavia in his adulthood were the times where he could talk to and see his best friend…his best friend turned lover, Blitzo.

 

Stolas slowly opened his eyes as he lay on his bed. He sat up and groaned loudly with his head in his hands. He pulled at his baggy eyes and pushed aside the sheets. With a tired expression, he slipped on his red robe and red slippers…and stared at himself in the mirror.

 

Broken. Blank. Barely alive.

 

He brushed his feathery head with a hand and took out a pink bottle. It was a pill bottle labeled “Belphegor’s Hard Candy Happy Pills,” Hell’s version of antidepressants. He popped a couple into his mouth and slouched on.

 

He wandered over to his bookshelf and grabbed the grimoire from the top shelf. He opened it and the glowing constellations appeared from the book in front of him.  

 

Stolas didn’t notice Blitzo just outside a pink glass window. His eyes darted around until they widened at the sight of Stolas and the grimoire. Stolas snapped the book shut and continued on his way.

 

Blitzo frantically tried to pull open the window. When Stolas yawned and walked away, Blitzo gave him an angry look, hands against the pane.

 

For the sake of his business and his survival…and for the chance to finally see horses…he had to get that grimoire!

 

Stolas walked toward a door with three white stars on it. He slowly opened it and smiled at the sight of a sleeping teen Octavia. She lay peacefully with her eyes closed, just like she did as a young girl. Her rug was dotted with constellations, her purple sheets had crescent moons and stars on them, and a hanging planet mobile hung from the ceiling. White unlit candles were attached to the walls. Stolas smiled and gently closed the door. He walked into the kitchen and picked up a copper pot to make coffee in. Stella was talking on her feathery pink rotary phone. An imp held the phone stand.

 

“I know we’re together, but it seems like I’m married to a fucking board. Stolas just lazes around and pouts. Everyone else gets better-mannered spouses. I know still being married isn’t a big enough occasion, but to be fair, it’s no picnic being married to a boring stiff like Stolas.” She glared at him before turning back. Stolas opened his mouth to speak, but she held up a finger and turned away.

 

Stolas poured his coffee into a blue mug with yellow stars on it. He sat at a table and took a sip of his coffee, using his magic to flip open a newspaper. A headline read “NOT DIVORCED ANNIVERSARY PARTY! Couples Only.”

 

“Stella, what in hell is this?” Stolas asked in disgust.

 

“Urgh Stolas, you know I like throwing parties. Plus, it’s true so, you can come if you want.” She flipped back her long white feathery hair and walked away, beak-nose in the air.

 

Stolas dropped his newspaper and groaned in disgust. He figured he’d get it over with. He sipped his coffee…

 

…and several hours later, he sipped wine from a glass at the party. Verosika’s sultry music theme from Spring Broken played in the background. Bird-like demons wearing royal garb chatted together in groups around the chamber-like room. A gray quail and a smaller blue parrot-like being danced together, both wearing fancy suits with long trims at the ends. The parrot held his partner under him in a dance. There were silver curtains hanging by the glass windows and spiral silver plants were displayed in pots. A female imp was serving a drink to a lady wearing a yellow dress, while another imp held two wine glasses on a platter. Another lady wore a magenta dress, fancy golden gloves and pink tips in her white feathery hair. She was with a gentleman bird who wore a matching magenta coat.

 

Near the crystal spiral chandelier, Stella and two white birds dressed in formal attire were laughing and holding wine glasses in their hands. They loved gossiping and dressing up. Stella wore her usual white dress with a pink top and her gold crown on her head. The yellow-eyed woman owl wore a pink dress and a pearl necklace, while the male white bird wore a tuxedo and had yellow eyes.

 

Stella laughed loudly as she gossiped. “No! Stolas is terrible in bed! I swear to fuck he just lays there staring at the wall, and I have to do everything! It’s embarrassing!” She sighed. “I’m glad one egg fell out of me so I could stop pretending to want to fuck his scrawny twig ass.”

 

Stella gulped down her drink and tossed her wine glass at the window, causing it to shatter. All three royals laughed loudly, while a grumpy Stolas stood stiffly under a blue banner reading “Not Divorced!”

 

The three white birds walked off, Stella in the middle. Stella turned back and sneered at Stolas. “What a pathetic fucking man! Ha!”

 

Stolas seethed and made hawk-like bird noises.

 

Stella talked with her friends some more. “Poor people! Ugh! I’m so glad they’re not allowed in this thing! I don’t want them anywhere near me. Can you imagine if you didn’t have money?” She laughed derogatively.

 

An imp waitress with black hair in a long ponytail, a white shirt and a black bowtie walked over. Stolas held up a finger.

 

“Do you have anything stronger than this?”

 

“We have absinthe, your highness,” she said nervously. She held out a plate bordered by a design of moons and constellations. Three gray dead mice on skewers lay on the plate.

 

Stolas placed his empty glass on the plate.

 

“Bring me all of it.”

 

Stolas grabbed all three mice kababs and stuffed them into his mouth in one bite.

 

The imp hurried off as Stolas chewed.

 

The female imp shoved a male imp waiter forward toward Stolas. He caught a flying cup on the platter. Nervously, the imp poured a green alcoholic beverage into a small cup from a green heart-shaped flask on a platter. Stolas instead grabbed the flask and proceeded to gulp down as much absinthe as he could.

 

“Stolas, sir?” asked a male voice.

 

Stolas spat out the drink and coughed.

 

“I’m fine!” the waiter called.

 

Stolas saw two bi-pedal guards, one with a doberman head and a collar around his neck, the other gray and wolf-like. Both wore dark suits with neckties and dark sunglasses. In-between the guards, horns coated with mud and a yellow flower was none other than…

 

Blitzo!

 

“We got this nasty imp trying to sneak into your chambers,” said the wolf. “What should we do with him?”

 

Blitzo smiled nervously at Stolas.

 

Stolas’ face turned pink. His heart fluttered.

 

“Into my chambers? Really? Oh well that is concerning,” Stolas pondered then cleared his throat. “Leave him to me.” His face turned pinker as he smirked. “I’ll deal with him accordingly.”

 

The guards dropped Blitzo and the doberman lowered his head in disappointment.

 

Blitzo stared up at Stolas on the floor as Stolas’ silhouette came over him.   

 

“Follow me, imp,” Stolas deadpanned. Blitzo did so, looking very out of place at the fancy soiree. He folded his arms around himself.

 

 

Blitzo glanced at the portraits that lined the hall.

 

Stolas appeared in a gloomy father-son portrait, wearing a suit and a serious expression. His father Paimon appeared in red in the golden mirror in Stolas’ hands. In another portrait, Stolas wore his red royal cape and vest and his crown with a black top hat. Stella wore an elegant white dress, a red necklace and earrings, and a gold crown with a purple gem on her head topped with black feathers. Her thick eyelashes extended past her face. Stolas held the grimoire in his hands, and both wore annoyed scowls. In sharp contrast, Stolas and a young Octavia were smiling in the cosmos by a ringed planet in another portrait. Pink magic light zipped around them.

 

Blitzo held up his hands. “Look I-I didn’t mean to interrupt your whatever party, I was just trying to…”

 

“Don’t bother with excuses. I know why you were here,” Stolas replied.

 

Blitzo’s face froze with fear. “You do?”

 

This was it. He was going to get ratted out for breaking in and trying to steal the book.

 

Stolas opened the door to his bedroom, holding it open for Blitzo. Blitzo wandered inside and Stolas shut the door behind him.

 

“Yes,” Stolas smirked with a crooning pose, arm to his head. “You were here to ravish me, weren’t you?”

 

Blitzo stared in disbelief. “Uhhhh…you?”

 

Stolas looked at Blitzo with curiosity. “Why else would you be breaking into my room? You could’ve asked to visit, you know. It’s been a long time, but I have a very good memory.” He clapped his hands and a candelabra lit up.

 

Blitzo then noticed the grimoire with the fancy blue and gold spine with a red gem in the center. It was on the highest shelf. His eyes widened.

 

Blitzo grinned and decided to play along. “Oh yeah…yeah, well, uh you know, I figured, you know since you’re a prince and all, it might just be easier to scale the walls and slip on in.” He crouched closer and posed with his hand behind his head. His eyebrows bounced. “It certainly is easier than going through your fucking staff.” He briefly winced in pain. 

 

“One would think you might be here for nefarious reasons,” Stolas smirked, wiggling his fingers. He lowered his voice in a seductive tone, “...if you are sneaking in during the cover of night.” 

 

Blitzo grinned. “Oh, I wanted to crash the party and it’s always more fun, you know, to make an entrance.”

 

Stolas glided over to a heart-shaped couch and Blitzo rushed over to sit by him. “I recall how you enjoy making an entrance.” Blitzo brushed off dirt on his shoulder.

 

“I know we may have hung out in our teen years a bit and started to fall in love…well at least I did for sure since it’s not easy being alone,” Stolas mused. “But still, it’s been so long since I’ve last seen my favorite entertainer.” Stolas tilted his head. “Last time I remember seeing you, you were with teen Fizzarolli at the circus. Are you still a circus clown?”

 

Blitzo scoffed. “Oh no, not anymore. No.” He grinned. “I kill people now.”

 

Stolas chuckled nervously and pulled away slightly. “Oh, how afraid should I be?”

 

Blitzo spotted the book again.

 

“Well, I mean…” he then spoke in a seductive tone. “How afraid do you want to be?” He touched Stolas’ fingers with his own, leaning in closer with a sharp-toothed sexy grin.

 

“Oh well, um well I uh,” Stolas stuttered as Blitzo crawled forward, backing him into a corner on the couch. “I was teasing. I don’t really…”

 

“You seem pretty tense,” Blitzo mused. He gently pushed apart Stolas’ long legs. “How about I help you out there?”

 

Blitzo placed his hands on Stolas’ knees.

 

Stolas flushed and left the couch. Blitzo fell to the floor.  “Um you get, you know this is, um, getting a wee bit, is it hot?” He used his finger to pull on his furry spotted part at the top of his robe. Blitzo inched closer and closer. “I’m starting to feel it getting very hot.”

 

Blitzo slammed him against the bookshelf, pinning him.

 

“Oh! What are you doing?”

 

Blitzo watched as the grimoire wobbled on the shelf before it fell and bounced off to the side.

 

“I barely remember you name,” said Stolas. Blitzo glanced at the book off to the side. 

 

Blitzo grinned…he had an idea.

 

He used the ladder to zoom to the side, lowering Stolas in a ballroom dance dip.

 

“It’s Blitz.”

 

Blitzo used his pointed tail to grab hold of the book.

 

Stolas began, “Didn’t it have an ‘o’ at the end like a clown name? I remember…oh!”

 

Blitzo and Stolas tripped and fell off the ladder. Blitzo hit the floor and the book bounced off. Stolas hit the side of his bed with his back as he stumbled backwards. The book slid to a stop on the pinkish purple starry floor. Stolas lifted up his head and Blitzo pinned him onto the bed. 

 

“Yeah well it’s silent now, okay?” Blitzo stated, his long snake-like tongue sticking out. So call me…Blitz.”

 

Stolas stuttered and chuckled nervously as Blitzo pursued him further down the bed. The red sheets bore the Goetia family sigil.

 

“Okay, Blitz, what are you doing to me?” Stolas asked as Blitzo crawled toward him. Blitzo spotted the book off to the side.

 

“What do you want me to do to you?”

 

“I, uh well,” Stolas stuttered. Stolas looked to see a blank spot where his grimoire used to be. Blitzo caught onto Stolas’ suspicion and distracted him…with a large bite to his feathery neck!

 

Stolas’ face turned bright pink, he flustered and moaned. Sweat poured down his face. “Oh my fuck! Oh wow!” He collapsed into the bed. “Oh you are so forward, Blitz!” Stolas could feel the heated hints of an erection.

 

Stolas began to sit up. “Oh, what are we doing?”

 

Blitzo, bent over the edge trying to get the book, saw Stolas and leaped onto him.

 

“No! No! Stay down, dammit!”  Blitzo gripped Stolas’ arms.

 

“Oh, so you like to command, you like being in charge, hm?”

 

“Yeah, I sure do,” Blitzo replied. He grinned and reached out his hand for the book…

 

Stolas suddenly bounced Blitzo in the air with his feathery butt and moved him sideways.

 

“Oh, so you’re a kinky little imp, aren’t you? Do you like it when I talk dirty to you? I want you to f*** me with your **** **… Get it me through…”

 

Blitzo turned Stolas’ head around and covered his mouth with his hand.  “No. Stop it.”

 

“Yes, if that’s what Blitzy wants,” Stolas replied.

 

Thinking fast, Blitzo grabbed the curtain from the bed poster and ripped it. He made strips and tied them around Stolas’ eyes.

 

“Blitzy! Oh, my, yes!” Stolas moaned in pleasure, BDSM fantasies rummaging through his head. Blitzo tied Stolas’ hands and feet to the bed as well.

 

“Oh, I’ve never had anyone want me this way,” Stolas mused.

 

Blitzo grabbed the grimoire and started to leave. He looked around.

 

Stolas smiled and sighed. “You have no idea how long I’ve craved this kind of passion, and how much it means that the one who wants me is…my first ever friend…”

 

Blitzo froze. Like Stolas, he didn’t really have any friends. Could he actually become friends with someone so different in status? At the moment, he felt a sort of pity for the bird prince.

 

Blitzo sighed and rolled his eyes. “Alright, fine, I can do this real fast.”

 

The Morning After ‘Real Fast’…

 

Blitzo snuck out of the room as Stolas slept, feathers shedding. “I got the book, I got the book, I got this fucking heavy book,” Blitzo whispered with a grin as he snuck toward the window. He placed the book on the ledge and climbed on top…

 

The book started to lean forward and fall.

 

“Oh shit!” Blitzo cried.

 

There was a big splat as Blitzo crashed into the fancy teal cake that was present at the tea party with Stella and her white elite friends. They sat in pink heart chairs. Stolas rose out of bed and looked outside.

 

“Sorry I fucked your husband!” Blitzo called to Stella before running for his life with the grimoire.

 

Stella turned to Blitzo in a fury, brown tea splattered all over the royals’ faces and clothes.

 

“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT STOLAS?!” Stella fumed. She smashed her teacup onto the cobblestone ground.

 

Stolas grinned in victory. “That…was the sound… of a FUCKING DIVORCE!”

 

In one swipe, he ripped the blue banner in half.

 

The “Still Not Divorced!” banner now read “Divorced!” in gold.  

 

Stolas held his arms in the air and laughed in triumph. 

 

CHAPTER VI: PILOT (RECAP)

“So…” Blitzo beamed nervously at the I.M.P. office, “What can I do you for this time, Stolas?”

 

The owl overlord replied, lounging on his couch in a royal red robe and a crown.

 

“Remember that time when I told you that a political candidate was causing problems up on Earth for a few of my associates? That he tried to convince people that global warming existed?”

 

“Yes?” Blitzo answered.

 

“And that it does, but more people die when nothing’s done about it? Oh, how lonely I felt.”

 

“Okay well, yeah that makes sense,” Blitzo said.

 

“But now…” he hooted in laughter. “There are tons of new sinners coming down here every day! I just had a feast and a murder party several nights ago. I wondered why a horde of people arrived and it’s because of a disease called the coronavirus! My, it’s the best thing to ever happen since my wedding and my darling daughter Octavia’s graduation from flight school!”

 

“Well…I’m very happy for you, sir,” Blitzo said. “I hope that…corn-ah virus does its thing.”

 

Stolas sighed. “My wife Stella wasn’t happy with me, though. She said you fell onto a cake in the middle of a lunch with her and the royal officials during her tea party.”

 

A tense silence.

 

Blitzo examined his chest and arms. “I still have the talon scars and peck marks to prove it.”

 

“And she also said that you stole one of my books, is that true?”

 

“No! No way!” Blitzo lied with a nervous laugh. “That was another imp long ago. I…may not have sneaked out while you slept and shed feathers and said, ‘I got the book, I got the book, I got this fucking heavy book!’ And then I yelled, ‘Oh shit!’ and fell down from the balcony into the cake with the book. Then I told her ‘Sorry I fucked your husband!’”

 

A tense silence.

 

Blitzo added nervously, “Can I tell you how great it felt…sleeping with you?”

 

“Indeed,” Stolas agreed with a contented sigh, forgetting about the imp’s troublemaking. “Your sharp horns and claws ruffling through my feathers, and my talons and beak exploring your multicolored flesh. You know what happens when I’m lonely, Blitzy?”

 

“Oh, god fucking dammit…” Blitzo muttered to himself.

 

Stolas’ eyes grew red. “When I’m lonely, I become hungry. And when I’m become hungry…I want to choke on that red dick of yours!  **** your ***** then lick all of your *****, before taking out your **** and **** with more teeth until you’re screaming ******** like a fucking baby!”

 

Blitzo hung up the phone, the words on Stolas’ picture reading “creepy mouth: aka one night stand bird dick.” And smashed it with a rotary phone. He threw the pieces into a blender and mixed it up.

 

“Eat this!” he told Loona who walked in and drank the red liquid.

 

“And then y’know that bridge over the freeway?” he asked.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Shit off it! It’s time for the meeting, let’s go.”

 

CHAPTER VII: MURDER FAMILY c. 2020 (RECAP)

Ring! Ring! Ahh!

 

A startled Blitzo scrambled to retrieve his yellow cellphone, which was ringing a yelling ringtone. He eventually caught the phone before pressing it to his ear. The phone had a GFY (Go Fuck Yourself) on it and a laughing devil emoji with imp horns.

 

“This is a really bad time,” Blitzo whispered harshly.

 

At Stolas’ palace, the owl prince was currently lounging in an ornate bathtub, several lit candles with blue flames positioned around the edges. Astrological symbols glowed white in a circle on the floor. The midnight blue curtains looked like the night sky, with starry designs on them. Floating constellations hovered around the room. He was the prince of astronomy as well as being horny.

 

“When isn’t it a bad time, Blitzy?” he mused, stretching his long slender arm. He held a rotary phone to his ear, the speakers shaped like sunflowers.

 

Blitzo sighed in frustration. “What is it?”

 

Stolas’ four red eyes blinked. “I’ve been meaning to follow up on our last conversation regarding my grimoire?”

 

Blitzo’s angry face appeared in a bubble.

 

“What did you just call me?” Blitzo asked. Stolas popped the bubble with a finger. “My book, Blitzy. The book I was given to do my job that I have allowed you to use to do yours?”

 

Blitzo ducked as a bullet flew through the tree, he was behind. Martha’s shadowy figure appeared in the hole, her eyes and mouth glowing red.

 

“I can hear ya, darling!” she called out.

 

“Shit,” Blitzo muttered, scurrying off.

 

“Any who,” Stolas continued. “I have been thinking. You know, I have been permitting you to access the mortal realm less than legally for quite some time now, but I do need it back to fulfil my duties. I was thinking, what if we worked out some sort of exchange?”

 

He ran a finger along the edge of the tub. He then did a walking motion with his fingers as they glowed red.

 

“Favors for favors? Doesn’t that sound…” He spoke seductively, “…enticing?”

 

Blitzo skidded to a stop as another bullet hit a tree. He ducked behind another one and frantically whispered, “You gotta stop using your fancy-ass rich people talk, okay? I’m trying to concentrate on not getting fucked in my hay!”

 

Bam!

 

Another bullet hit a spot on the tree.

 

“Then let me keep it simple,” Stolas explained. “Once a month, on the full moon, you return the book to me, followed by a night of…”

 

His eyes glowed red, his beak open in lust…

 

“…passionate fornication.” He briefly slid lower in the tub with a blush before rising up to lean against the tub.

 

“And…you get to keep it the rest of the time. Sound fair my little imp?”

 

“Fine, whatever!” Blitzo replied.

 

Stolas let out a happy sigh. “Oh Blitzy! I’m so excited! I cannot wait to fill your slimy cock inside of my mouth…”

 

Blitzo cringed as Stolas went on about the sexual things he planned to do to him.

CHAPTER VIII:  LOO-LOO LAND c. 2020 (RECAP)

 

Octavia jolted awake suddenly, her pink eyes angular with constricted white pupils. Her hand rested by her face. Her eyes narrowed in anger; her fist clenched as piercing yelling from another room echoed off the walls.

 

Her parents were having yet another fight.

 

Octavia knew that her regal mother, Stella was pissed that Stolas had fucked the imp Blitzo behind her back. Octavia often worried that Stolas would go on some honeymoon with that creature and leave her behind with Stella. Stella wasn’t cruel but she was sterner than Stolas was. Octavia didn’t know which was worse, her father’s childish attitude laced with a perverted nature…or her mother’s cold critiques of Octavia’s behavior. Stella loved her but expected her to mold into the royal role she was given from birth. Stella was more concerned with tea parties, fashionable attire and her appearance than Octavia’s many thoughts.

 

Currently, Octavia was just a typical emo/goth teenager who had to deal with a lot of shit going on. 

 

Octavia’s room was currently different as well. More spacious, it had a couple of slanted windows between purple drawn curtains that let in some light. A solar system mobile hung from the ceiling in the center of the room. A mirror hung on the wall along with several banners with suns and moons on them. A long couch in the style of white feathers sat off to the side, complete with comfy cushions and pillows. There was a smaller purple telescope as well. Her bed still had the sparkling starry drapes and above that, were hanging purple drapes with a small moon on it and a large pink eye at the very top. Her bedspread was midnight blue with crescent moons on them and the chest by her bed was plainer than before.

 

Octavia sat up in bed, with her feathers ruffled, quite literally as well as figuratively. With a grumpy look on her face, Octavia inserted earphones into her ears and held a blue phone in her hand, decorated with a yellow crescent moon. Octavia got dressed in her usual pink shirt with stars on it, black pants, shoes and a crown on her head.

 

A playlist of songs appeared, the majority of them were by My Chemical Romance and some were by Lilith. An icon with flames and a sad face appeared on the screen and she pressed the play icon. Pop music played in her ears as a person sang: “My World is Burning Down Around Me.”

 

“My world is burning down around me

My deep despair is what surrounds me, (yeah)

 

The dark decay

I feel so sad

It’s black and gray

I hate you, dad

 

You’ll never change

You’ll only lie

It’s all the same

 

My world is burning down around me

My deep despair is what surrounds me, (yeah)

My world is burning down around me

My deep despair is what will drown me, (yeah)

 

It’s not a phase

It’s not a phase

It’s not a phase

 

It’s not a phase

It’s not a phase

It’s not a phase

 

Mom, I swear, it’s not a phase

My world is burning down around me

My deep despair is what surrounds me, (yeah)

 

My world is burning down around me

My deep despair is what will drown me, (yeah)”

 

The screams grew with intensity as she got out of bed and walked down a hall lined with Venus Fly Trap plants of different colors. They were arranged in a pattern of brown, magenta and purple. One poor potted planet crashed to the floor in front of Octavia. She stepped over the mess as she continued listening.

 

She could hear the vehement arguments form her parents as she walked into the spacious kitchen.

 

There was her mother, Queen Stella in a white dress with the top part of her outfit a light pink. A crown was on her head and light gray feathers fanned from her head like long hair.

 

“I can’t believe you slept with an imp, in our fucking bed!” she screeched.

 

“It was unexpected!” Stolas replied. “I didn’t have time to go to a motel!”

 

Stella seethed in disgust. “A motel?! Like a fucking plebian?!” (Roman word for commoner)

 

Stella screamed in rage.

 

“You want to fuck this one too?!”

 

In a fury, Stella grabbed a small white dressed imp butler and violently tossed him at her husband.

 

Stolas flinched, holding up his hands. “No! Of course not!”

 

Stella pointed a condescending finger at him. “You are a god damn embarrassment! I’m not spending another moment looking at your pathetic, imp-sucking face!”

 

Stella stormed out of the room, tossing and breaking more of Stolas’ beloved potted plants as she yelled.

 

Stolas sighed in exasperation before turning to look at his sulking daughter who was sitting at a table with a box of cereal.

 

“Good mooorning, Octavia!” he greeted. “Did you sleep well, my owlet?”

 

“Was that a serious question?” she deadpanned as she drank coffee from a mug.

 

“Mm-hmm…” Stolas began as he walked to an old-fashioned white refrigerator with the royal crest on it. He opened the door and took out a slab of zebra meat on a plate. In a corner shelf was a can of soda and a cartoon of chocolate milk. In a zip-lock bag were three white dead mice for a later snack. (They were owls after all!)

 

“What’s that you’re listening to?” he asked, with a snap of his fingers.

 

“This song is called “My World Is Burning Down Around Me.” It’s by Fuck You Dad. It’s a band.”

 

“Ohh…how charming…” Stolas chuckled bemusedly, hurt by what he heard. He shut the door and fed the meat to a large white potted plant in a small alcove off the kitchen as he pet it. The satisfied plant closed its three eyes. A starry calendar hung on a nearby wall.

 

“So…you two done screaming for the day?” Octavia asked with a sip of her coffee.

 

“Um…” Stolas began as Stella let out another scream of anger along with a shattering of another object.

 

Stolas walked over to Octavia, who had a box of Robo Fizz’s Greed Seed cereal next to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder. “You know what I haven’t done in a long, looong time? I haven’t taken you to your favorite place in all of Hell! Why don’t we go to Loo-Loo Land?” He mentioned to a portrait of Stolas, Stella and a happy child Octavia in a dress at an apple theme park.

 

“I’m not five anymore,” Octavia muttered.

 

“You always were so happy when I took you to Loo-Loo Land! What do you say we go there again, have a day, just the two of us!”

 

“I’d rather kill myself,” she deadpanned.

 

“There we go!” Stolas beamed, bypassing her comment. “Anything but staying in this house.” He lifted a finger. “Now, I’ll arrange our security.”

 

He picked up a white rotary phone carried on a platter by the battered imp servant.

 

“Security for a theme park?”

 

“We are rich, and we’re hot. People want our money and our bodies!”

 

“Our money, maybe,” Octavia said under her breath. Stolas rotated the dial a few times.

 

“Speak for yourself, Princess. Now, I’m calling the only man who can fuck me!”

 

Octavia looked with disgust, cereal falling from her hand. “What?”

 

“Who can protect me! Us,” Stolas said. “Being part of the Goetia family is rather valuable, you know.” The imp collapsed.

 

Octavia groaned and pulled her hat down over her eyes.

 

At the I.M.P. office, there was a picture of Blitzo wrapped in a towel with the words “#1 Bitch” on it, with the word “BOSS” in red over the letters. A paper crown rested on one corner of the picture frame.

 

Blitzo played with crude representations of Moxxie and Millie made of office supplies. “Millie” was made from a stick and clips while “Moxxie” was made from an eraser.

 

“Oh, Blitz, you’re such a good boss!” Blitzo impersonated Millie. “Yeah, I really want you sir,” he impersonated Moxxie. “Me too!” he said as Millie. “Let’s three-way!” he said as himself before lowering the office puppets to his crotch. The screaming ringtone of his cellphone interrupted his pansexual fantasy.

 

“What?!” Blitzo yelled angrily into it. He lounged in his chair; legs propped up as he drank iced coffee from a bloodstained mug. A poster with SpindleHorse on hind legs with “Wild and Free,” hung from the wall.

 

“Why hello, my big-dicked Blitzy!” Stolas spoke lustfully.

 

Both Blitzo and Octavia forcefully spit out their coffee. Blitzo slammed his “Boss Bitch” mug onto his desk.

 

Blitzo spoke angrily, “What…”

 

Octavia said, “The…

 

Blitzo: “Fuck…”

 

Octavia: “Dad?!

 

“Language! Everyone!” Stolas shouted out loud before speaking into the phone again. “I have a special request...”

 

“Aw G- Look,” Blitzo mentioned, “I just had a chemical peel, so you’ll have to find someone else’s face to plant that feathered ass!” He was in no mood for another intimate session.

 

“It’s for my daughter.”

 

A session with Stolas’ daughter? “Ah, well make sure she washes it.”

 

“Oh! No! No, no, no!” Stolas cried taken aback. “I’m taking my daughter to Loo-Loo Land, and I was hoping you brave little imps would accompany us!”

 

“We’re assassins, not bodyguards, ‘kay? Don’t invite us to shit unless someone’s gonna die.”

 

“I’ll pay you.”

 

“With what?”

 

“Money.”

 

“Done!” Blitzo yelled in confirmation, accidentally smashing his phone against the desk.

 

 

0 0 0

 

Meanwhile at Loo-Loo Land later on, Stolas pulled Octavia close with a gasp, letting go of his balloon.

 

“Oh, look, Via! You used to cry such tears of joy at this show!”

 

Stolas mentioned to a large circus tent with promotional signs of Robo Fizz on either side. A mother imp tried to drag her crying child toward the tent.

 

“Oh no…” Octavia breathed, her white pupils constricting. A flashback of when she was a young girl came back to her. She was pushed against the stage by other cheering imp children. Robo Fizz was a robotic imp jester who posed on the stage with his arms spread out. An animatronic band was behind him. A neon sign above read “Fizzarolli and Friends,” with the “R” burnt out which made it look like “Fiends.” Robo Fizz sparked and cackled, wiggling his fingers and leering over a crying Octavia. Off to the side, a scowling Blitzo was dressed in clown makeup and attending a food cart.

 

Back in the present, Octavia and Blitzo muttered at the same time: “I hate that fucking clown!”

 

Meanwhile, Stolas happily waved as he was being held captive in the air by the gang of imps pointing weapons at him.

 

“Oh Blitzy! I need my bodyguard, please!” Stolas smiled unconcerned before another imp jumped up and put a purple cloth sack over the owl’s head. Another imp grinned and held Stolas’ wallet. One imp jumped, trying to skewer him with a pitchfork. Blitzo turned around and fired his rifle, shooting the imp in the torso. Black blood splattered against the cloth sack over Stolas’ head. The imps dropped him and quickly scattered away. Blitzo carried Stolas into the tent and set him down on a wooden bench before leaving. Octavia sat next to him, rolled her eyes and removed the blood-soaked cloth from Stolas’ head. The owl blinked, wondering where he was.

 

Two spotlights merged into one on the stage and Robo Fizz flapped open the curtains. He wore a jester outfit, and his horns were covered with stripped cloth and little bells hung from the ends. A happy face and sad face pin were by his shoulders along with a string of lights as a necklace. His pants were striped, and he wore gloves. His shirt had small white broken hearts near the bottom and his eyes glowed an eerie green.

 

Six lit up arrow signs pointed to him and read: “Fizzarolli,” “Robot property of Mammon,” “Look at him go!” “Yes! Love 2 c it!” “Wow!” “He.”

 

Robo Fizz held up a sign with “Lu” crossed out in red with “Loo-Loo, the better one,” on it. He also briefly held out a red and gold contract signed by Mammon: “This is a statement regarding the unfair accusations that my theme park “Loo-Loo Land” is trying to profit off my friend and ruler Lucifer’s park Lu World. This is false. These allegations are baseless and untrue. You are all just dicks. Fuck right off and stop saying that, alright? They are legally distinct. I checked. Signed Mammon.”

 

 

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey Implings!” he said in his showman voice. “It’s me, the Robotic Fizzarolli! Shipped from Mammon’s factory to bring you a wonderful show celebrating Loo-Loo Land (spelled with Os to avoid lawsuits!) H-H-H-H-Hit it!”

 

He snapped his fingers. Rows of spotlights lit up and he began to sing. The curtains opened and Robo Fizz’s Five Nights at Freddy’s band played. An open clown mouth served as the stage backdrop. Robo Fizz rapidly pointed at a boy imp and a girl imp and made his rounds toward Stolas and Octavia. He moved back to the stage just as Blitzo aimed his sniper at him in warning. The band played on a rising structure shaped like a cake, decorated with eyes and sharp spikes.

 

 

“Loo-Loo Land, Loo-Loo Land!

Everybody sing along with the Loo-Loo band!

Every girl, every boy, every woman, every man

Loves Loo-Loo Land!”

 

An animatronic bear and a smaller rabbit meshed together played a red banjo with a pentagram on it. A lopsided dinosaur played a guitar decorated with flames. A green frog with large human teeth played the Robo Fizz head drums and a brown dog played the triangle. The two speakers on either side were shaped like weapons and had skulls on them. “Fizzarolli and Friends” sign glowed at the top.

 

“Loo-Loo Land! Loo-Loo Land!

Everything is beautiful in Loo-Loo Land!

Ugly children holdin’ hands

In Loo-Loo Land!”

 

Robo Fizz briefly pulled a crowd of imps into a hug before spinning around and tossing them aside. They crashed back into the stands. He hugged the animatronic dinosaur which fizzled and slapped the bear and rabbit, which squirted black ink at a nearby imp.

 

He poured gasoline onto a pile of “cease and desist” papers, causing them to go up in flames.

 

“Everybody’s friendly, and nobody is mean

No copyright infringement’s ever seen!”

 

In an imitation of Princess Charlie, Robo Fizz then posed on top of a piano. He stood on top, hand over his heart in the spotlight.

 

“I have a dream…”

The backup singer added (“He has a dream…”)

“I’m here to tell…”

(“He’s here to tell…”)

“About a magical fantastic place called Loo-Loo Land!”

 

He spun his body around and landed in a pose with arms and legs spread out. Octavia watched with disgust and boredom.

 

“Loo-Loo Land, Loo-Loo Land!

Everybody sing along with the Loo-Loo band!

Every girl, every boy, every woman, every man

Loves Loo-Loo Land!”

 

The show ended with a pyrotechnic display. Green flames ate up one of the curtains and Robo Fizz laughed manically as he did a final pose up front. Octavia leaned her head back and pounded her fist on the bench in annoyance. Stolas cheered and rapidly clapped.

 

“Ohhohohoho! How delightful!” he hooted. “Haven’t had this much fun since the last Harvest Moon Festival…” Octavia hid her face in her hat again.

 

Behind Stolas, an imp armed with a wave-shaped keris sword rose from beneath the seats, ready to stab him. The imp’s head was quickly blown apart by Blitzo at the back seats.

 

“Oh! My, what aim you have, Blitzy!” Stolas praised.

 

“Ugh! I can’t do this anymore!” Octavia shouted in fury.

 

“Octavia!” Stolas reached out in concern as the owl teen stormed off. Stolas chased after her as Blitzo followed suit. Robo Fizz cackled as he spotted the imp dashing along.

 

“Mu ha hoho-oh! Is that Blitzo my sensors spot up there?” He emphasized the silent “O” in his name. “I bet the kiddies are still running away from you, huh?”

 

He spun his head around in loops and cackled.

 

“The ‘O’ is silent now!” Blitzo stopped and yelled.

 

Robo Fizz mocked him some more and did wild dance-like poses. “A-awwww, just like your audience always was when you to-told your lazy jokes here!” He laughed.

 

Blitzo tossed his sunglasses aside. “I make more money killin’ people than you do being a cheap-ass robo ripoff of an overrated sell-out jester!”

 

Robo Fizz glitched. “Oh ho! Someone’s salty! Real or not though, people love me! Does anybody love you…”

 

His face turned dark, and his eyes glowed menacingly, grin stretched wide, “Blitzo?!”

 

“No. But I’m really good with guns now!” Blitzo took out his sniper. “Dance, bitch!”

 

Blitzo slammed a new magazine into his rifle, switched it to full-auto and opened up on Robo Fizz, who cartwheeled out of the way of the rounds. He rapidly spun like a wheel up the stairs to where Blitzo was. He coiled himself around Blitzo like a snake, before using his momentum to launch the imp out of the tent.

 

“Ohhhh! Fuck meeeee!” Blitzo yelled.

 

Outside, Wally Wayford, an imp with a southern accent was selling lit torches from a cart. There were two posters of Robo Fizz, the first was “Fizzarolli and the Handy Dandies.”

 

The other showed Robo Fizz with handcuffs: “Robo Fizz Personal Companion. Gives and receives. Ribbed for your pleasure. Real tentacle action. Ten speed vibration. BDSM feature. Machine Washable.”

 

“Torches, I say, I say!” Wally said in a southern accent. “Get your inconvenient torches here!”

 

Blitzo landed on the cart with a yell, which scattered the green torches everywhere.

 

“Oww! I say ow!” Wally screamed.

 

The flames lit the big top of fire. The emerald flames rapidly spread to all corners of the park. The burning melting animatronics fled the tent as Robo Fizz cackled with demonic glee at the chaos.

 

Back at the blaster game, Blitzo had crash landed through the roof and into the pervert carnie just in time, saving Millie.

 

“Sir?!” asked Moxxie, surprised.

 

“Oh hey guys!” a dazed Blitzo replied. “You should probably go and uh…make sure Stolas is okay! I got some…unfinished business to take care of.”

 

Blitzo stood up and drew a brown flintlock pistol and fired. Robo Fizz swayed creepily toward Blitzo, a red eye showing on his burning grinning face, green flames behind him. His metal arms and body were revealed. The impact spun Robo Fizz’s head around…but the jester was unharmed by the shot.

 

“Oh what a mouth!” Blitzo exclaimed as Robo Fizz caught the bullet in his mouth and spat it out. Blitzo grimaced as Robo Fizz rolled at him again. Moxxie, Millie and Blitzo jumped out of the way as the jester hit the booth, destroying it in a large explosion. Shrapnel and several white imp head prizes flew through the air on fire. The piece of a stuffed animal hit a young imp boy on the head, leaving him unconscious. The photographer then snapped the picture of the imp family.

 

“Goddammit Nathan!” the fat father yelled to the fallen boy. “You ruined another bloody photo! Why were you even born?!”

 

Stolas wandered around other booths: Aim and Fire Shoot Apple, Happy Ducking, and a bomb themed Knok game. One was called Eggs in the Basket, Poison Apples sold caramel apples decorated like slimy skulls and a dunking game was called Drown the Sinner. 

 

Stolas then gasped. “Octavia?”

 

“Just leave me alone!” she fired.

 

Octavia ran into a fun house shaped like an elongated head of Lucifer. The face was white with the blushes on the cheeks and the eyes were green and snake-like. The steps were positioned onto a long tongue and the fun house entrance was shaped like Lucifer’s fanged mouth. A top hat and an apple reading “Fun House” was at the top. Stolas followed her inside as two grinning imps held rope and weapons close behind.

 

The neon purple interior was filled with eyes, tubes, swinging pendulums, mirrors and disembodied hands. Stolas went further into the room and looked around. A sign reading “Smile” had an arrow pointed down at a tunnel. A shadow appeared behind Stolas as a random imp jumped onto his shoulders.

 

“Um, I think I’m supposed to be body-guarded right now!” Stolas said, annoyed.

 

The imp covered Stolas’ mouth with his shirt sleeve, but was shot in the head, falling to the ground. Moxxie and Millie appeared in the entryway, Millie had just shot the imp.

 

“Ugh. That’s better,” Stolas said, brushing his sleeve. “Where is Blitzy? He’s my knight in shining armor, not you littler ones.” Even his apple hat got an annoyed expression on it.

 

The imps came over to him, Millie hugging the thing stuffed animal. “He’s…uh busy.”

 

“Being a fool,” said Moxxie.

 

“What kind of fool?” asked Stolas.

 

“The “everything is now on fire,” kind,” Moxxie replied.

 

Stolas left the imps, dodging two swinging pendulums, and headed down a tunnel into an adjoining room filled with eyes on the wall. He then spotted Octavia sitting in one of four apple-themed rail cars, crying.

 

“Octavia…” Stolas breathed. He took off his apple hat and it fell to the floor, the goofy face now a sad face, reflecting Stolas’ emotional state.

 

Stolas scooted next to Octavia, leaving a bit of space between them. “I take it you are…not having fun.”

 

“I didn’t even want to come here!” Octavia protested; arms folded.

 

“I’m sorry, sweetie. I…I thought you loved it here.”

 

Octavia glared at her father and sniffed. “When I was a kid and my parents didn’t hate each other, and my dad didn’t flirt with some…weird red dickhead the entire time.”

 

Both owls looked downcast.

 

“I’m sorry, Via,” Stolas said. “I’m sorry for…everything happening right now. I know it’s a lot but I…uh…I should have listened.”

 

Octavia sobbed. “I just want to go home, but home doesn’t even feel like home anymore. You ruined it.” More tears fell from Octavia’s eyes as she shook her head and wiped more away with her arm.

 

“You need to understand, you mother and I…” He stroked the back of his head, nervously. “I just…I felt…she’s always been…I haven’t been…” He stuttered, “…we weren’t in…” He buried his head in his hands, “I’m sorry, I-I-I don’t have the words.”

 

“Are you going to run off with him? And leave me behind? Go away where…I can’t find you?”

 

“What? No!” Stolas pulled her close. “No, no, never. I’d never do that. Never.”

 

Both of them embraced in a tight hug for several quiet moments.

 

“I think it’s time to leave this place,” Stolas said. Octavia smiled a bit through her tears. Despite his mistakes, her father loved her dearly. It wasn’t too hard to forgive him. Stolas lifted her up into his arms and continued, “You were right. You are too old for it, anyway.” He walked through an apple shaped opening.

 

Stolas carried Octavia out of the Fun House as an imp grinned manically in the space above the drop-ceiling. The imp dropped down and flicked open a switchblade behind him. Stolas immediately turned around, his red eyes glowing brightly. The frightened imp was turned to stone on the spot, then was knocked over by a pendulum.

 

As dusk feel outside, the park was reduced to pandemonium. Millie tried to shoot Robo Fizz who wildly rolled around. The red dragon picked up Robo Fizz, tossed him into the air before catching him and swallowing him whole. On the dragon’s back, Moxxie gaped in terror.

 

Stolas and Octavia left the park gates.

 

“So, what would you like to do now?” Stolas asked.

 

Octavia smiled. “Oh, can we go to Stylish Occult? They sell weird taxidermy there.”

 

“Hmm,” Stolas said reluctantly, but then said “Okay.”

 

Octavia let out a small laugh. “Thanks, dad. You’re okay sometimes.”

 

Stolas smiled down at her; his face bright against the starry sky above. It was nice to get a compliment from her. “Thank you, Via. Thank you…” 

CHAPTER IX: HARVEST MOON FESTIVAL (RECAP)

Sunlight cast a cheerful reddish light against the polished walls of the exterior of Stolas’ palace. The double doors displayed half a sun and a crescent moon on them, while thin see-through drapes curved over the balcony. Stolas’ sigil glowed on the wall below the balcony. An array of coffin-shaped stained glass windows added to the decorative design.

 

Inside Stolas’ bedroom, Stolas let out a deep sigh of passion. Sunlight shone through the stained glass windows. The tied up curtains, walls and hanging banners all bore small crowns within the family crest designs. Blitzo lit up a cigarette and proceeded to smoke with his hands folded behind his head against the pillows. Blitzo glanced over as Stolas leaned his head toward him.

 

Stolas smiled. “I’m sorry for having to move our little rendezvous early. I have an engagement this month on the full moon.”

 

 

 Stolas briefly moved his head upside down playfully. His gray feathery chest was visible, with leather straps crossing his chest and shoulders. Both his black hands were tied over his head with rope to the headboard. A red ball gag was around his neck and a harness. Blitzo’s chest was a natural red and white and a small black sleeveless jacket was the only thing he wore.

 

Blitzo reached up and pressed his cigarette tip against the rope, freeing Stolas’ hands. Stolas took a long drag from Blitzo’s cigarette.

 

“When this happens, it’s not really something I fuss about,” Blitzo mentioned. “But do you really need the book for this farm bullshit? I have like fifteen new clients waiting for heads to roll.”  Blitzo tapped a finger to his palm several times for emphasis.

 

“As shocking as it may seem, Blitzy, my grimoiiiire is actually incredibly important,” said Stolas. “And it isn’t supposed to be lent out to itty-bitty imps like yourself.”

 

Stolas put out the cigarette on Blitzo’s head and pinched the imp’s cheeks. An annoyed Blitzo grunted and shoved his hand away.

 

“The Harvest Moon is a very special occasion!” Stolas explained. “It’s been my annual duty to showcase it in the Ring of Wrath.” Stolas flexed his thin dark arms while Blitzo pulled a stray white feather out of his mouth in disgust. “It’s celebrated by a very charming little festival with the locals,” Stolas added. Stolas rested his head on his hand close to Blitzo.

 

“Wrath, huh?” Blitzo asked. “My employees are from there. I’ve never really been there. I’ve heard it’s full of inbred chucklefucks.”

 

Stolas sat up in excitement. “Oh! Why don’t you all join me at the festival? I can guarantee you all…”

 

With a playful shake of his shoulders, Stolas pulled the cover over his head. His grinning face then appeared near Blitzo’s crotch.

 

“…special access.” Stolas chuckled, holding onto Blitzo’s legs.

 

“Look, I told you, we’re not bodyguards, okay?” Blitzo explained. “That was a one-time thing we did badly.” The Loo-Loo Land event wasn’t something he’d forget anytime soon.

 

“I’m simply offering a work-free day of fun!” Stolas mentioned. He stood up with the covers on his head and did a playful owl head tilt. “I feel quite safe at the Harvest Festival. It's the same every year.” He smiled, eyes briefly closed.

 

Blitzo sighed. “Well if you promise this isn’t some fuck fest invite, it does sound like it could be a blast and a half. Plus, it’s not like we can do jack shit without your book anyway.”

 

Stolas leaned toward Blitzo and spoke in a baby talk voice. “Aww, I’m sowwy your clients will have to wait.”

 

Blitzo chuckled and waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, fuck my clients!”

 

0 0 0

 

Wally Wackford stood on the wooden stage, holding a gray microphone decorated with an eye in the center and small horns on the top. He wore his usual white shirt, vest, white pants and dark boots. He twirled his black cane and tipped his black top hat. Large speakers with skulls on the inside stood off to either side. Nested under a stripped tent in the back center of the stage sat Stolas on a stool. He wore his usual crown, black top hat and royal red robes. The grimoire lay on his lap. A white banner held up by high spears read “Harvest Moon Festival” in bold blood red letters. Stolas’ sigil and a pentagram decorated the banner background.

 

Wally Wackford spoke dramatically through the microphone.

 

“Welcome, I say-a welcome all to Wrath-a Ring’s annual Harvest-a Moon-a a Festival! To kick things up, we have the great prince Stolas-a here to user in this here Pain Games!”

 

Stolas took the microphone from him and chuckled in slight embarrassment.

“How kind, Wackford.”

 

Stolas then addressed the audience. “Greetings tiny Wrath Ring imps! I hereby welcome you all to another year of celebrating the spoils of your labor that continue to feed the citizens of Hell!”

 

A crowd of imps glared at him and several boos were heard. Many of these Wrath imps were impoverished farmers who lived on scraps, meat or good crops if they were lucky. The food they worked so hard to produce was consumed by royalty and those in the other Rings. But the reward for their work was being underfed, underpaid and underappreciated instead. The unbalanced cycle had lasted for generations.

 

Striker too, stared at Stolas with a burning hatred. Here was this owl prince who paraded around in his garb while he had to deal with war and a daily battle for survival.

 

Stolas obliviously continued. “I’m happy to kick off the start of these games that will challenge the toughest imps to show their skill and dominance.” He did a little wave with his fingers. “Good luck to you all!” He noticed Blitzo in the crowd beside Moxxie and Striker and spoke lower. “Especially that sexy little one there! Yoo-hoo! Blitzy!”

 

“Ugh. Fuck me,” Blitzo scowled.

 

A gun went off and the games began.

 

 

The first event was the race. Moxxie was instantly trampled by the other racers.

 

The second event was the high jump. Striker climbed over the high wooden ramp structure with ease and raced after Blitzo who jumped past him. Moxxie struggled to keep his balanced as he reached the top. He slipped down, trying to use his claws to hold on. He fell with a splash in a small puddle…and was promptly chewed on by a monstrous black and white shark with several red eyes.

 

The third event was an event with rope. Striker grinned as he held a tied up Blitzo. Blitzo’s arms, legs and horns were all tied up. Moxxie gulped as a stronger grinning imp tied him up with ease.

 

The fourth event was tug of war. The crowd cheered as the two teams pulled hard. Striker, Blitzo and Moxxie were on a team. Moxxie stumbled and fell into nearby water, where the shark attacked him again.

 

The fifth event was mud wrestling. Blitzo and Striker grinned as they wrestled each other, Striker getting the upper hand as he held Blitzo down, arms locked. Moxxie was instantly crushed in a football hurdle by a group of imps. As they got off of him, Moxxie sat up. And the shark leaped out of the water and over the fence.

 

“Mother fucker!” Moxxie screamed as the shark crushed him. (Moxxie somehow survived all this.)

 

Wally Wackford was back on stage.

 

“I say, I say for the first year ever, we have a tie for winner of the Harvest Moon Pain Games!”

 

Stolas took the microphone from him again.

 

“The winners are…Striker, aaaand my darling Blitzy!” Stolas did a one-legged pose as the crowd cheered.

 

“Just say my name right!” Blitzo hollered. He muttered “Fuckin’ dick!” as he and Striker walked onto the stage.

 

0 0 0

Back on stage, after tapping the microphone, Stolas magically flipped through his grimoire, which hovered in front of him.

 

“My dear commoners of the Ring of Wrath! I Stolas of the Ars Goetia, hereby curse this year’s harvest with the glow of the true Harvest Moon!”

 

The sunset sky swirled above him until a portal appeared with a light purple sparkly rim. The portal revealed a beautiful pink-orange colored full moon in a clear starry night sky. The imp audience oohed at the splendid sight. One of them yelled out that he knew that Stolas would do the portal trick.

  CHAPTER X: TRUTH SEEKERS (RECAP)

Moxxie banged on the door. “Quick! The book!” he called to Loona. Loona growled and squinted.

 

“Shit,” she muttered. “I can’t…I can’t read the spell in this light!” She slammed her knuckle on the page and squinted her canine eyes. “I can’t see dick!”

 

For the first time, Loona and the others had fearful looks on their faces.

 

“Well shit! Looks like we milked this weapon dick dry and now we’re out of badassery.” Blitzo groaned.

 

“Ha! You demons aren’t going anywhere now!” Agent Two laughed as she and Agent One aimed their guns. The crew growled at them.

 

“Ah!”

 

Suddenly, a multi-eyed shadow growled and appeared high on the wall. It appeared to morph from Blitzo’s imp shadow. The agents lowered their weapons and glanced around. A screen fuzzed to static near them, showing a grainy image of something plowing through the metal door. The screen shook then clicked off. A pair of glowing red eyes appeared in the screen reflection.

 

One by one, the screens snapped off from the pipes and wires, crashing to the floor. A chilling voice whispered…

 

“Who dares threaten my impish little plaything?”

 

“Who said that?!” Agent One demanded, aiming his gun at the ceiling.

 

  Faint bird prints appeared on the linoleum tile floor, near I.M.P. Agent One aimed his weapon but a screen crashed into his head, knocking him down. He glanced over at Agent Two, who stood in a very strange manner. She was moving her head rapidly from side to side, her arms slack at her sides.

 

“Agent Two?” he quavered in fear.

 

Her face was contorted in pain, her mouth open in an angular shape. Her hands cupped her cheeks and her eyes were wide with red irises. Behind her, the bodies of other agents rose, their eyes sunken black, faces blank. Agent One extended a shaking hand toward her…

 

She whirled around and Agent One screamed as he flinched back. Her eyes took up much of her face and she bore a wide sinister grin with sharp white teeth. Veins popped out on her skin and eyes. She cracked her neck a few times.

 

“What’s the matter, demon hunter? Never seen a real demon before?”

 

Her voice was intermingled with a darker voice and appeared to be distorted. As Agent Two let out a demonic laugh, Agent One noticed the mindless agent bodies, eyes black and empty, drawing Stolas’ sigil in their red blood around her feet. They were creating it at breath-taking speed. Before long, Agent Two fell to her knees and a gush of black energy rose from her mouth. Agent Two, now free from the possession, coughed, black liquid around her mouth. Her eyes were wide in fear as she gasped at the horrific sight before her. Feathers fell around her.

 

Blitzo and the others watched as a huge shadowy bird slowly rose over them, dark feathers dripping red. Its body was interlaced with what appeared to be red liquid energy that merged with its body like lava. Two demonic red eyes stared back at them, while its mouth displayed a gaping beak with five sharp claw-like appendages on either side of it.

 

The two agents cowered together in fear on their knees as the towering owl demon owl beast roared at them with a terrible screech. They covered their eyes as the monster showed four glowing red eyes on its face and a gaping open mouth with little sharp teeth on the sides. Its feathery body was silhouetted in the crimson light, as was its talon feet.

 

With a swoop, the beast diminished in size, twirling in a spiral until revealing the angry four eyed regal figure of Stolas. He glared down at the cowering agents before turning on his heels. Stolas pushed a button and all the doors unlocked, the red light fading.

 

Stolas walked over to the group, his eyes glowing under the flickering florescent light. His face was in shadow before a light revealed it.

 

“Stolas?!” gasped Blitzo in disbelief. “Wha-hold on, how did you know we needed help?”

 

Stolas smiled and lowered to Blitzo’s level. “I have my ways, darling,” he mused. He cupped Blitzo’s cheeks gently. “Are you alright?”

 

“Ugh, I’m fine, Stolas,” Blitzo muttered.

 

Stolas pat his head. “Mm. Good.”

 

Then he roughly grabbed Blitzo’s cheek, eyes blaring in anger. “How the fuck did you get caught by humans?!” He then stepped back and addressed the crew. “Are you little creatures not being careful up here?” He booped Blitzo in the nose. “You know, if you get in trouble, I get in trouble. We don’t want that!” He pinched Blitzo’s cheek hard and he glared.

 

“They caught us off guard, your highness!” Moxxie exclaimed.

 

“Yeah, you can unclench your bird-puss, Stolas, it’s not gonna happen again, okay?” Blitzo remarked.

 

“Luckily for you, most don’t believe the word of the demon-obsessed lunatics,” Stolas mentioned. He bent down toward the shaking agents in the corner. “They are seen as kooks!”

 

Stolas stood up and giggled. “Kooks! Such a silly word.”

 

Stolas clapped his hands. “Now! Let us all return!” He spread his hands as if opening a curtain and blue light appeared around a portal. The I.M.P. office lay before them.

 

“Yes please!” Moxxie said. “I’d like to get back to the correct hellhole as soon as possible.”

 

Moxxie then glanced back at the cowardly agents and a look of concern came to his face.

 

“Wait...don’t you guys think we should kill off those agents first? Or at least wipe the camera feed?"

 

“Nah,” said Blitzo. “We won that fight.”

 

“Seriously! Why are they still there?! We’ll get in trouble once humans know about our existence…”

 

“Come on, Mox!” Millie called, dragging the protesting imp through the portal by his hand. Stolas, indeed figured that the two agents were not worth his time…but Blitzo certainly was.

 

Loona carried the grimoire through. Stolas scooped up Blitzo in his arms before he could walk further.

 

“Am I going to get any thank you for the rescue, Blitzy?” Stolas asked.

 

“Well, I suppose you should. Want me to fuck your brains out tonight?” Blitzo replied.

 

Stolas beamed, eyes briefly closed in bliss. “Very much so.”

 

“Alright,” said Blitzo with a chuckle, caressing Stolas’ head. “But you’re keeping quiet or I’m using those bear traps!”

 

He ran a slow finger down Stolas’ feathery neck and the owl prince shivered and sighed in delight. His face was beat red as he said in lust, “Oh, please do.” Blitzo and Stolas then merged their mouths together, their long tongues intersecting and dancing in a passionate French-kiss.

 

The two agents stood and stared in disbelief as the portal closed and the blue light vanished, a blue compass symbol blinking away.

 

“So what now?” asked Agent Two.

 

“What now?!” Agent One beamed with his hands out. “We finally got the evidence we needed to be taken seriously!”

 

With a swoop of his hand, he cleared a space in front of him. Among the ruined bloodstained pipes, he typed rapidly on a keyboard. Four camera screens lit up after static appeared. The first one showed Blitzo and Moxxie fighting the agents, the second one displayed Millie fighting with her ax. The third showed Loona fighting a guy with a curved sword and the fourth showed in red, Stolas appearing in his demon form, the agents cowering.

 

Under the flickering rectangular ceiling light, the two agents smiled and put on their sunglasses at the same time.

 

Agent One paused the screens, showing the faces of a smiling Blitzo, Moxxie, Millie with an ax, Loona with teeth barred and a regal Stolas in battle. The screens faded as “no signal” appeared on them in green.  

 

“Nobody in corporate is ignoring this,” said Agent One before letting out a dark evil laugh. 

CHAPTER XI: OZZIE’S c. 2021 (RECAP)

Stolas poured milk into his bowl of cereal at the palace dining room. He used a purple spoon to eat. His cereal had blue, red and yellow stars and moons in it. The purple and yellow bowl had the family crest on it.

 

Stolas slumped in a high-backed purple velvet chair, his glowing red eyes slanted and fatigued. He heaved out a sad sigh, sitting all by himself at the long empty table. A bronze space mobile quietly creaked from the ceiling while the hanging potted plant stems extended outwards, giving the room an unkempt look.

 

Stolas, too, appeared unkempt and dreary. Every day, his relationship with Stella grew worse and worse. Without a word, Stella had led Octavia outside and into their family car. Octavia was spending the weekend with her mother instead, a temporary truce. But one piercing glare from his wife’s pink angry eyes and Stolas knew divorce was imminent.

 

How cold and empty his castle felt without his family there. But it was even darker without his lovely imp companion. How could Stolas reconcile with his wife and daughter after being so tempted by his sexual desires for him? As fun as being intimate with Blitzo was, a part of him longed to step out of his sensual comfort zone. If he could gather up the courage to really get to know Blitzo…who he was like on the inside…hell forbid, actually feel genuine romance as well…

 

But everything was so hopeless; he was all alone after all. Would he ever see his loved ones happy again?

 

Scooping up his cereal bowl, Stolas slumped onto the couch, his red housecoat drooping on his arms. He clicked on the television; the Hell-G Network activated. On the screen, “Hella-novela” appeared in elegant writing. As the show started to play, Stolas turned up the volume several times, briefly escaping from the dullness of reality. He slumped lower in his seat.

 

Against a pink and white bubbly background, an imp woman with long black hair with a white streak, black horns, and a black dress appeared on screen. She wore a gold necklace, a bracelet and matching hoop earrings. Her mascara trailed down her face like black tears.

 

“Why, why won’t you love me, Alejandro?” she sobbed.

 

“That’s a mood, Gabriella,” Stolas sympathized sadly, eating a spoonful of his cereal.

 

Just then, the rotary phone on a side table rang. The phone speakers were shaped like sunflowers. The ringing of the phone sounded like owl hoots; “Woo-woo-woo-woo-woooo!” Smoke rose from the phone and appearing in lavender letters was a bold message: “Blitzy Is Calling.”

 

Stolas’ heart leapt; his eyes went wide, and he briefly chocked. He frantically reached for his phone, knocking over his bowl of cereal in the process. He lifted himself up from the couch and hastily grabbed the phone.

 

“Helloo? Hello Blitzy!”

 

“Stolas, hey you-uh, shit,” Blitzo stuttered. “You busy tonight?”

 

Stolas glanced at his spilled cereal on the floor. “Umm, why do you ask?”

 

“I was wondering if you…wanna come with me to a club tonight?”

 

Stolas’ eyes lit up. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Are you asking me on a date, Blitzy?” He blushed, white hearts appearing in his eyes.

 

Blitzo paused. “I-yes, I suppose that is what’s happening. How fast can you get down to Lust?”

 

Stolas eagerly leapt from the couch and raced to his room.

 

“I can be ready in 20!”

 

He searched through his closet, pushing aside a hanging red and white shirt from Loo-Loo Land.

 

“Alright, fantastic. See you soon,” said Blitzo.

 

“I’ll see yooou, Blitzy!” Stolas crowed as he hung up. He put on a fancy outfit and applied eyeliner in front of a large vanity mirror bordered by purple flower lights. He happily put on blush and admired himself again. With a snap of his fingers, a portal appeared to Lust.

 

0 0 0

 

Blitzo paced back and forth on the street next to the “Horny Hotel,” “Position,” “Chucklefucks,” and “Fun House.”

 

“Come on, come on, come on,” the impatient imp tapped his foot.

 

“Oh Blitzy!” called a familiar voice. Blitzo turned around and spotted a glowing bluish portal. Stolas strolled out of it. “I’m here!”

 

Stolas wore a fancy dark high-collared suit with white buttons and a white frilly ruffle. He had long sleeves with white trim by his hands. His magnificent robe displayed a moving red night sky decorated with stars. Blitzo thought he was looking at outer space through Stolas’ clothing. Stolas’ head of feathers was sleeked back.

 

A spotlight randomly shone on Blitzo, illuminating his dark spiked leather jacket and reddish shirt. “Wow. That’s a bit overkill, don’t ya think?” he deadpanned.

 

Stolas chuckled nervously and blushed as the portal closed behind him. “W-well I-I just wanted to look a little nicer for you. This is our first real date after all.”

 

Stolas offered Blitzo his hand and he reluctantly took it. They walked hand in hand toward Ozzie’s.

 

“Oh yeah, I guess this is, huh,” Blitzo replied, unsure.

 

They walked up to Jesse the bouncer. He spotted Blitzo and glared.

 

“You again? Beat it, shithead…”

 

“Ahem,” Stolas cleared his throat. “Do we have a problem?”

 

Jesse looked taken aback at the sight of the towering prince. He bowed apologetically. “Oh uh, shit…my apologies, your highness. Uh, please go right in.”

 

Stolas and Blitzo walked up the stairs and into the building. Blitzo briefly peered from behind the curtain with a triumphant grin and flipped off the angry bouncer before going inside.

 

Blitzo sneaked around with darting eyes as he entered. Stolas, however, grinned and stood amazed at the grandeur of the dinner theater. He gasped.

 

“Oh my!”

 

Blue and pink lighting filled the elegant space. Drapes and string lights hung from the ceiling and blue lotus lights added to the attractive contrasting atmosphere. The wallpaper consisted of Asmodeus’ crest with bull and ram imagery. Blue flames burned behind glass in an impressive display. A mural of an imp with a white dress with a heart on it was displayed on the ceiling. The light fixtures were shaped like large hearts, decorated with dotted lights. 

 

Under a chandelier with blue inward facing drapes and blue flames were hovering cages with glowing teal bars. Inside the cages were dragon-like demons, contained for sexual purposes. A red female imp with dragon wings flew around with a platter of food.

 

“Oh no; no, but yes!” Stolas contradicted himself as he glanced around in childlike wonder.

 

Near the penis-shaped runway stage was an array of round tables with white tablecloths and two heart-shaped chairs at each one. A short squat imp waiter showed them to their seats. One of the seats had a stack of books on it. The waiter pushed Stolas’ chair in and left. Stolas happily sighed and sat down in his seat as Blitzo sat on the stack of books. A blue candle was in a holder at the center of the table.

 

“Oh, Blitz, how romantic is this?! What made you choose such a place to bring me?”

 

“Oh, it just sounded like…” He pulled out a pair of binoculars, “I just thought we’d have a blast here, you know?”

 

Blitzo peered through his binoculars. At one table, he saw the white-dressed imp butler surrounded by a harem of demons at one table. There was a fat female imp, a slender female imp with curved horns and a blue flame candle on her head, a snake-like jester, a black-haired imp wearing upside down cross earrings and a fish net shirt and finally a large goat with an upside down cross and a red flame candle on his head. The butler held a glass of orange liquid, a look of satisfaction on his face.

 

At another table, Josh and Ace, two male members of Verosika’s crew, sat together at a table, leaning close to each other.

 

At a third table, a muscular imp appeared to be thrusting and receiving oral from another imp under the table, a long tail pointing out.

 

Two winged succubi kissing at another table…a lone imp raising a glass…

 

…Moxxie and Millie staring at each other lovingly at their table.

 

“Gotcha!” Blitzo grinned.

 

Stolas sat confused. “Oh, Blitz. What are you looking at?”

 

Blitzo stayed in place. “I’m looking at nothing; how about that?”

 

Just then, a small female waitress imp named Crane came up to the table. She wore a feathered headband with a small teal heart on it.

 

“Can I get you two off…I mean, start you two off with some drinks?”

 

“Yes!” said Stolas, looking at the menu. “Um, perhaps some wine to share; do you prefer red wine or white wine, Blitz? Or perhaps some champagne?”

 

“Yeah, whatever,” Blitzo shrugged, still not turning around.

 

Stolas chuckled nervously. “Well, perhaps all three. Why not?”

 

The waitress scribbled down their order and walked away. Stolas tapped a finger on the table. “So, Blitz, how was your day?”

 

Blitzo finally looked at Stolas. “Huh? Oh, good I guess. We killed a bunch of beardos.” He glanced back through the binoculars.

 

“That sounds fun!” Stolas added. “How did you kill them?” He asked a question like it was a typical conversation starter for a date.

 

Blitzo turned around.

 

“How? I-I-I mean, there was a lot of them, so I- bullets.”

 

Stolas laughed nervously again, wondering why Blitzo was acting so standoffish. Maybe Blitzo was nervous at this first date and was trying to act disinterested in him. Or was it an act?

 

Stolas continued. “Right, right…so what made you decide to ask me out after all this time?”

 

“Uhhhhhh….”

 

Blitzo couldn’t tell him about him wanting to spy on Moxxie and Millie. He didn’t want to hurt his feelings or say he wasn’t interested. Mostly he wanted to avoid this awkward moment and go back to looking at his employees. Seeing the people he knew were so happy together…it secretly warmed his heart. But it also made him envious. They could please and love each other as they wanted, with no worry of betrayal. Why was he the one stuck with Stolas who wanted to use him for his own pleasures?

 

This owl prince who somehow accepted Blitzo for who he was, despite his lower status?

 

The one who seemed to care for him underneath the lustful exterior?

 

 

 

Stolas stood up in concern for Blitzo during the lust song. Fizzarolli winked at Asmodeus.

 

“Who’s that at the table? Is your date a demon prince?” Asmodeus asked in song.

 

Fizzarolli looked at Stolas through a pair of binoculars next to him. The red spotlight shone on Stolas and a frightened look appeared on his face as he looked around.

 

“Stolas, is that you?” Asmodeus asked.

 

“Are you sleepin’ with an imp?!” a surprised Wally Wackford bellowed, pointing.

 

“Wooo! My dark lord, how the mighty do fall!” Asmodeus added in song as Fizzarolli leered at Blitzo on the ground.

 

Asmodeus sat Stolas in a heart-shaped chair. Appearing on either side of Stolas from blue flames were illusions of Stella and Octavia, eye glowing, faces stern.

 

“You used to have a smoking wife, a kid, you had it all,” Asmodeus mused.

 

The illusions disappeared in front of him, only leaving a humiliated Blitzo that Fizzarolli placed onto the chair.

 

“I hope you didn’t give it up, so you and him could get it on!”

 

Blitzo and Stolas looked away from each other in shame. Stolas hid his face behind a menu.

 

Asmodeus was tickled pink at Stolas’ mistake. “You sold your life for a thrust!

Now that’s the spirit of lu-u-u-ust!”

 

Before long, Stolas looked with concern at Blitzo, who was angry and closed off. Stolas tentatively reached a black hand to comfort him, but Blitzo pulled back with a clenched hand.

 

“You know what? This was a mistake. Alright, let’s just…let’s just leave.”

 

A disheartened Stolas responded, “Oh. Right. Of course.”

 

Both of them got up from their chairs.

 

“I’ll take you home in my van,” Blitzo offered, looking straight ahead.

 

“Ok then.”

 

Blitzo crossed his arms and Stolas clutched his head, both of them feeling vulnerable, exposed and worn out.

 

Blitzo drove the IMP van through a portal that Stolas created, stopping by a water fountain at the front of Stolas’ castle. Stolas winced as he bumped his head getting out of the van. Stolas tossed some apple-shaped straw holders back in the van before closing the door. He peered through the open window.

 

“Thank you for…inviting me out tonight. Despite everything that’s happened, I…I enjoyed spending time with you.”

 

“Yeah,” an irritated Blitzo replied, not looking at him.

 

“You know, I have some more wine in the house. Octavia’s with her mother this weekend so we could…”

 

“I’m not fucking you tonight, okay?” Blitzo spat. “I’m really just…” He sighed. “I’m really not in the mood, Stolas.”

 

“We could talk, or…watch a movie, or…maybe cuddle?” Stolas suggested, trying to soften the mood.

 

Blitzo glared at Stolas, anger and pain in his eyes. “Stolas, don’t act like what we have is anything but you wanting me to fuck you, okay?” His voice broke in sadness, “You make that really clear all the time.” He added, eyes downcast, face turned away, “But I just, I-I can’t do it tonight, okay?”

 

Stolas and Blitzo stared at each other with sad looks on their faces. “I’m sorry,” said Blitzo. 

 

“Okay,” Stolas sighed, with a sorrowful bow. He stood up and stepped back. “Goodnight, Blitz.”

 

“Night,” said Blitzo.

 

Blitzo drove away from the castle and out of sight. Stolas was left all by himself again. Shedding a tear, he sat alone on the steps, head in his hands. Everything was his fault, it seemed. Just when he thought that he and Blitzo had grown closer…Blitzo had pushed him away.

 

Just like Stella and Octavia.

 

All because of his sexual urges and mistakes.

 

More tears fell from his eyes. Would Blitzo break up with him like Stella? Would he be truly alone?

 

Stolas looked up forlornly at the starry crimson sky…and for the first time, he felt like the cosmos and fate were watching over him instead of the other way around. 

CHAPTER XII: NOW (c. 2022) …

 

 Stolas groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He found himself staring at a pink stained glass ceiling dome decorated with crescent moons. Hanging from the dome was a golden mobile shaped like a sun. The rest of the ceiling looked like the night sky.

The world shifted into a clearer focus. Stolas sat up and wiped away the green remains of the absinthe he had gotten hungover on. He was still wearing the starry red cape and fancy dark suit he had worn with Blitzo at Asmodeus’ club. Several striped Venus Fly Trap plants looked at Stolas in curiosity. He put his fingers to his aching head and wandered toward his vanity in his room. Stolas sighed with melancholy, black mascara dripping from his red eyes. With a finger, he knocked over his bottle of happy pills, took three, and popped them into his mouth.

Stolas then scrolled through his cellphone, looking at pictures of Blitzo. One pictured showed a grumpy looking Blitzo in Stolas’ room. Another showed Blitzo’s drawing of a brown horse with white wings. Another showed Blitzo in a tired, mad position in his horse hoodie near a starry curtain. The last picture showed Stolas smiling and posing with his collection of monstrous plants behind him. Blitzo glanced off to the side, looking bored and unhappy. Stolas then realized his mistakes.

“Blitzo…wasn’t happy being with me,” Stolas thought sadly. “I didn’t consider his feelings. What have I done?”

Blitzo didn’t want to fuck him, nor be with him. He had only wanted the grimoire to expand his business.

Yet Stolas wondered if there was a part of Blitzo that secretly longed for a friend and partner. Both of them felt lonely and lost, surrounded by a variety of people. Some were friendly, while others shunned them away and downright hated them. Stolas thought that his dates with Blitzo was the beginning of not only freedom from his daily struggles…but also a spark of true love and freedom.

And now it was gone.

He walked into the night air and paced back and forth near the double glass doors, which glowed pink and magenta in the light.

0 0 0

Octavia finished her cereal at the kitchen table, while listening to punk music from her earbuds. She rose to put her stuff away, then headed back toward her room. She was glad that her taxidermy books didn’t judge her, at least.

“Octavia!” barked a voice.

Octavia took out her earbuds and saw her mother’s face.

“The fuck do you want, now?”

“I just want to talk.”

“Shove it,” Octavia scoffed. “I’m not in the mood for your fucking monologues.”

“But this is important, Octavia. It’s not about etiquette or rules this time. It’s about your father.”

Octavia seethed and made her way out toward the balcony.

“He’s been under a lot of stress, lately…”

“Gee I wonder why,” Octavia deadpanned. “With you two constantly bickering, I’m not surprised.”

Stella put a hand on Octavia’s shoulder. “I know I haven’t really been…the most attentive mother, but you know I’m only trying to do what’s best for you in this hellhole.”

“Neither of you know what’s best for me.”

“But you still love your parents, don’t you?”

“Yes…”

“And I love you, too, Via. Your father however…not so much.”

Octavia then turned to look at her. “What do you mean?”

“This may be hard to hear, but he really is a pathetic excuse of a father. We were forced to marry each other and every day I wish things were better.”

“But why is he so sullen and nervous around you?” Octavia asked suspiciously. “If he’s really pathetic, why do you constantly scream at him and argue every chance you get?”

Octavia’s pink eyes narrowed, and Stella raised one brow.

“Don’t think I’m not aware of certain things,” Octavia said, arms folded. “I know you are a big part of the problem. Perhaps if you’d just fucking leave me and dad alone for once…”

Stella put her hands on her hips. “And let him be a bad influence on you and fuck around with more common imps? I know I may be very stern, but you have to trust me that I only want what’s best for you and our family.” She smirked. “Us ladies have to stick together, after all.”

She stroked Octavia’s shoulder and Octavia stepped back. “Still…that’s no excuse for your behavior. How do I know you’re just using me?”

“The real question is…” Stella’s eyes glowed with menace. “How do you know your father’s not doing the same?”

Octavia paused. “What?”

Stella scoffed. “Clueless as ever, I see.”

“If you’re fucking abusing him, tell me!”

“I may get angry, but I’d never resort to such uncouth behavior. But I’ve seen Stolas talk to himself at night. I’ve seen right through his innocent behaviors and now know he has more nefarious purposes…”

Stella widened her eyes in a tearful look. “The truth is, dear…Stolas doesn’t really care for you.”

“Bullshit,” Octavia scoffed.

“It’s true though. The only reason you were born is because you were raised to be a precautionary heir to the Goetia line. Stolas never really wanted any kids. The only things he cares about are money and screwing imps. Any kindness he has shown you is just a façade. He’s the one who’s abusing me in private.”

“That can’t be true…” Octavia breathed.

“And he’s only been so withdrawn and flinchy around me because he doesn’t want to admit the truth. Your dad not only hates you, but he’s also burdened by your very existence!”

Tears began to well in Octavia’s eyes. “What…why tell me now?”

“Stolas has been wanting a divorce for a while now. He wants…” Stella sniffed dramatically, “…to leave the palace and leave you behind.”

Octavia’s eyes widened. “My dad…doesn’t really care for me? But…”

“But what? What is there left to do? Stolas can’t wait for you to turn eighteen, because once you do, you won’t be his problem anymore!”

Octavia gasped as more tears rolled down. “No, no, no, no. I can’t fucking believe it.”

A pause of dread.

“I’ll leave you alone to think about it,” Stella said, pulling her into a hug. “Stolas is inevitably going to leave. But I promise, I will make my amends and keep looking after you. I’ve only wanted you to live as normal of a life one can live in a royal family. I hope you’ll forgive me someday.”

“Okay, mom,” Octavia cried. “Just…leave me alone.”

They separated and Octavia raced out of sight, head in her hands.

After Octavia vanished, Stella smirked. “How pathetic.”

0 0 0

Stolas sang his lament out loud, tears welling in his eyes as he wandered into his library.

“Out in a cage
You show your age
Your sweetness has run foul

Without a change, you’re lost, exhausted
By your time on stage

Then you walked into my room
And light sparks in the dark
Life was suddenly thrilling and new

What’s between you and I
Just a comfortable lie
I’m the fool who believes when you look in my eyes”

 

Stolas grabbed another fancy book titled “Asmodeus King of Lust”, flipped through the pages and stopped on a page on Asmodean crystals. The text was written in runes.

“Asmodean Crystals: Bestowed to mainly succubi and incubi by the king of sin and lust – these crystals allow access to the mortal realm.”
“My hellborn in possession of a registered crystal may be granted portal summons.”
“It is common practice to have the crystal paired with another object of convenience.”
“Jewelry is the most popular option.”
“This writing in runes shit was fun at first but I know I am definitely not doing this right. I should be spending more time with my friends and family.”

Stolas dropped the open book on his bed. He imagined a teal Asmodean crystal soaring though the air like a shooting star, lighting up Blitzo’s silhouette beside him. His mascara ran like black tears down his face as he sang.

“Prince, all alone, upon your throne
Your power is so frail
You raise your voice
You have no choice
Inside your gilded jail”

Stolas’ voice cracked as he reached his hand toward the red starry sky in vain. Two bushes of flowers sat in crown-shaped holders.

“The fuck are you doing?!” called Stella’s voice from behind him.

“Reflecting,” Stolas replied, still staring straight ahead.

“Well, stop!” Stella demanded as she walked toward him. “It’s annoying to hear you screeching your silly woes all the time!”

“Why are you still here?” Stolas demanded, turning around. “You leave with Via on weekends but then you stay around the house despite everything.”

“I like tormenting you,” Stella smirked, holding out a finger. “I want to keep reminding you of what you did.”

“I know what I did!” Stolas yelled, leaning his face in. “I would feel bad if I hurt you, but we both know I didn’t do that. You and I were arranged for one reason; to birth a precautionary heir to the Goetia family, nothing more. I tried so many years to make it comfortable for us; to have this family, but it was never enough. The only reason I have endured your constant insults and cruelty was for that girl to have a normal life. I cannot do this anymore. I want you out. Now!”

Stella looked taken aback. “What do you mean, out?”

Rage flowed through Stolas, no longer contained inside. “I mean out! Out of this palace, out of my life! We are getting the divorce!”

Stella’s eyes twitched in fury. “How dare you?!”

She stomped forward, pointing at him and Stolas shrank backwards, hands in front of him.

Stella spat, “What do you think the rest of the Goetia family will think? Andrealphus…”

Stella raised her hand to slap him…only for Stolas to grip her arm, blocking her attack. For so many years, he had endured her horrible abuse. But anger and newfound courage had now enabled Stolas to stand up for himself.

“I don’t care what your arrogant brother thinks!” Stolas fired back. “And the only thing the Goetia family wanted from our marriage is already seventeen, so it’s over! I’m DONE!”

Stella briefly stared wide eyed in surprise at Stolas’ sudden defiance. Then she glared and pulled her hand away from his grip.

“Fine,” Stella scoffed. “I have no desire to stay in the place of a traitorous embarrassment. You have fallen from what little grace you had, and I know…”

She smirked evilly… “…you’ll pay for it.”

Stella stomped off, leaving Stolas alone.

Stolas sighed, hand briefly over his face as he looked forlornly at the sky, his cape making a dark fan-shape near the ground. Another shooting star zoomed through the sky.

“I wish things didn’t have to end like this,” he thought.

From behind a wall, a figure gasped softly, shaking. Tears rolled down Octavia’s face. She had overheard the whole argument between her parents.

“I can’t fucking believe it,” she thought. “They are getting a divorce. Now I’ll be left all alone.”

She wiped away her tears and raced back inside. She walked into Stolas’ library and stared at Stolas' grimoire, the one that allowed the imps to travel to Earth. “If only there was something that could help me…some sort of spell in the grimoire or one of these books…” she thought. Looking down at the open book on the bed, she spotted the page on Asmodean crystals.

“Access to the Living World?” she thought. Octavia pondered over her future responsibilities as part of the Goetia family and maintaining the cosmos. She had her suspicions that Stella and Andrealphus had sinister plans to aid in her father’s further fall. But if Stella was right and her father didn’t really love her…who could she really trust?

Octavia was still a lonely, antisocial, young teen. She could do magic easily, but she felt far from ready when it came to taking on her father’s role. If she couldn’t fully trust her mother or her father or that imp pal of Stolas’…she’d have to go on alone.

Octavia could fulfill her predestined role… or alternatively, she could perhaps start a new life somewhere else. An independent life away from her parents…or at least somewhere where she could take time to reflect. A place to figure out her true divine purpose, aside from being an heir.

She examined the grimoire again.

A look of pain and determination was set in Octavia’s pink eyes.

She knew what she had to do.