The Mastermind (A Ghostf***ers sequel)

“The Mastermind”

 

Blitzo felt like a new imp. For the first time, he was being hailed as a hero, and texts from eager job seekers for I.M.P. were spreading like wildfire across his cell phone screen.

 

“Infernal News: Victory For I.M.P.! In a surprising turn of events, today’s live execution became the stage for a theatrical revelation! As Prince Stolas’ live confession revealed, I.M.P.’s CEO, Blitzo was being actively framed for illegal use of a Goetia’s grimoire by the upper-class prince. Following Stolas’ admission of guilt, the members of I.M.P. were released unharmed from the courtroom, making them the first Hellborn to ever survive after being sentenced to death by a deadly Sin, a historical feat.”

 

“HIRE ME PLZ!”

“NEED ASSASSINS NOW!”

“How do I join I.M.P?”

“Is that the real Blitzo?”

“You’re a legend!”

“Are you hiring?”

“I want someone dead.”

“Do you only hire imps?”

“Need your services asap!”

“Let me work for you!!”

 

Blitzo smiled as he stared at his phone. Blitzo froze and stood up as a solemn Stolas walked out of the bathroom, a towel falling off his head. Blitzo fluffed up a blue pillow and helped Stolas sit down. The owl was wearing Loona’s red and white paw print sweater she had given him. Stolas lay down and Blitzo covered him with his blue blanket decorated with horseshoes.

 

“Thank you, Blitz,” Stolas said quietly.

 

“Thank you, Stolas, for saving my life,” Blitzo replied.

 

“Always,” Stolas glanced tiredly to the side.

 

Blitzo turned to look at the window covered by the blinds. He paused.

 

“Hey, Stolas I…” he began.

 

But the owl was already asleep. A gray streak of hair stood out on his feathery black head.

 

Blitzo chuckled softly. He leaned down, brushed back Stolas’ hair and kissed him gently on the cheek. Usually, Blitzo had been distant with his affections with Stolas. After all, it wasn’t too long ago that Stolas was a prince with regular powers, seemingly out of Blitzo’s league. Stolas had made plenty of mistakes and it had cost him his powers and his daughter Octavia.

 

Still…he looked innocent lying there, humbler than before. He wasn’t perfect, but out of his love for Blitzo and Octavia, Blitzo could tell he was trying to make amends.

 

Blitzo sat back on a round cushion and smiled as he watched fireworks of yellow, red, blue, pink and green light up the night sky. “We Love Blitz!” was written on banners hanging from windows.

 

Blitzo had a feeling that they could find a way through this.

 

 

 

 

Stolas opened his eyes, finding himself surrounded by Blitzo’s various horse plushies. More horse figures were on display on shelves along with a poster of a flaming horse on its hind legs with “Believe in horse-self” written on the bottom in bold letters. Near a cutout of a smiling brown horse with “Loo-Loo Lame, you must be this tall to horse” on it, two smiling unicorns were dancing on TV with a rainbow in the background.

 

Stolas looked over to see Blitzo frying an egg at the stove. He wore black shorts and a white T-shirt with a black horse face on it.

 

“Good morning, Stolas,” Blitzo smiled. “Did you sleep alright?”

 

Stolas yawned and sat up. “Yes, I guess.”

 

He glanced at the horse plushies.

 

“Say, Blitz, I know you’ve liked horses for a while now. Any specific reason why?”

 

Blitzo’s smile fell slightly, and he turned away. “It…it was a long time ago. I’ve loved them since my childhood. Being able to ride on them at the circus was…”

 

He paused as he flipped his egg with a black spatula.

 

“…one of the few good things I remember from back then.”

 

“Oh,” Stolas looked downcast. “You…don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

 

Blitzo shrugged and looked back at him. “Just a little quirk of mine.” He mentioned to a cabinet. “There’s some cereal in there if you want.”

 

Stolas stood up, scratching the back of his neck. “A-aren’t you gonna fix me breakfast?”

 

A pause.

 

“Well, I suppose I could,” Blitzo mentioned, eyebrow raised. “But remember you’re not royal anymore. I’ll help out when I can, but you gotta…ya know…” He moved his hand in a stirring motion.

 

Stolas sighed. “Start doing things on my own. Right, right. I’m sorry.”

 

He slouched over to the kitchen. “It’s still hard to get over old habits…”

 

Blitzo filled up his plate with eggs, bacon, and pancakes. “No better time to create new ones.”

 

Stolas got up, grabbed some Lucifer’s Loops cereal and filled his bowl. He sat with Blitzo at the small table. Stolas sadly munched on his cereal, while Blitzo chewed on his pancake pieces. He sipped his hot coffee from a white mug with flaming horses that read, “Yes I really do need all these horses.”

 

Stolas sighed. “I’ll admit, I do miss my old meals of roasted vole, fire koi and fresh kale salads…”

 

He trailed on, but paused at Blitzo’s look. “But…um…thank you very much…for this breakfast.”

 

“No problem,” Blitzo replied. “I can’t really afford any of those foods…but start at a new job and you can grab whatever you like.”

 

Stolas froze in fear, beginning to sob. “N-new job? Me, now poor?!”

 

Blitzo rolled his eyes. “Welcome to my world, birdbrain. Count yourself lucky you’re not living on the streets right now.”

 

Stolas groaned and face-palmed. “Auuurgh! Curse these old habits! Curse these old foolish fantasies of mine! I’ve tried to prove to myself that I could show I genuinely care about you, but…”

 

His voice wavered.

 

“…now I’m messing up again…”

 

Blitzo reached over and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I think the best thing to do is to not focus as much about the past and start getting into a stable routine,” Blitzo advised. “We can worry about the other shit later. Just…keep the royal ramblings to a zero, okay?”

 

“O-of course,” Stolas said. He stared in disgust at Blitzo’s egg on his fork.

 

Blitzo slowly put the egg in his mouth, glancing back and forth, then swallowed. “Oh, sorry,” he said. “The egg. T-that’s like cannibalism for you, isn’t it?”

 

“Well, at least you don’t eat other imps,” Stolas mentioned.

 

Blitzo spun his finger, “Weeelll if you don’t count the one time I had with Mox and Mils…”

 

“Not at the table,” Stolas hissed as Blitzo smirked.

 

Stolas then glanced over at his cell phone.

 

“Rats were Via’s favorite snack,” he added with a sigh.

 

Blitzo looked at Stolas with concern. “Still haven’t heard from her?”

 

“Not a peep,” Stolas answered weekly. “I keep trying, but she never answers. Do…do you think she hates me?”

 

Blitzo walked over, holding Stolas’ hand. “Just because you haven’t seen her for a while doesn’t mean she hates you, okay? Maybe…she’s busy…” It hurt him to see Stolas so upset.

 

“But she’s always on her phone,” Stolas’ eyes grew damp. “Maybe she’s forgotten about me…like I forgot about her…”

 

“Or…maybe something’s wrong,” Blitzo wondered. “You know…maybe the royals have something to do with it?”

 

Stolas growled. “Andrealphus and Stella, no doubt. Gloating about keeping her away from me.”

 

Blitzo held out his hands. “Probably. Although…weren’t you banned from talking to her as part of your punishment?”

 

“Wait, h-how do you know what Satan and the royals did?”

 

“You were moaning about it during the walk back to my apartment, remember?”

 

“I guess not.” He narrowed his eyes. “I was too busy being slimed on.”

 

Blitzo sighed and let go of his hand. “I know you’re not the most…popular person in Imp City right now, but that’s no excuse to not go out.”

 

“Go out?”

 

Blitzo’s eyes brightened. “Yes! If you wanna survive for the next hundred years…which I unfortunately won’t…you can start by getting a job. Specifically with me at I.M.P.!”

 

Stolas sat up straighter and blinked. “Wait. Really? You’d do that?”

 

“Your book helped me get to Earth,” Blitzo shrugged as he stood up to wash his plate in the sink. “So I guess you’re technically part of I.M.P.’s foundation. And it’s not like anyone else will accept you right away, no offence.”

 

“None taken. But you’re right,” Stolas said. “I need to start somewhere.”

 

Blitzo took Stolas’ hands and helped him up. “Come on, let me show you around this hellhole.”

 

“Don’t worry,” Blitzo added as Stolas took a nervous breath. “It’ll be okay.”

 

0 0 0

 

 

Blitzo led Stolas down the street to an outdoor marketplace. Imp vendors and merchants were selling all kinds of knickknacks, tools and food. A male imp with white hair and purple overalls posed as he stood behind a counter covered with blood, meat and organs. “Authentic meat product” was written on a sign hanging from the top of his stand.

 

Stolas peered down at the meat.

 

“You guys eat this stuff?” he mentioned.

 

Blitzo shrugged. “This is Hell. We’re demons, what do you expect?”

 

The meat seller glared at Stolas as he passed by.

 

Another stand read “knives and shit,” at the top. Another imp sat at his stand with a sign that read “Please buy my stuff.” Another section had poisonous plants on display.

 

A muscular male imp wearing a purple tank top folded his arms at his stand. His banner at the bottom read “Foots and Va,” and his counter was covered with vegetables, carrots and pumpkins. An imp wearing a yellow shirt stood behind radios, keys, vases and antiques under a wooden sign with misspellings: “Things wot I found in other imp’s houses’s.”

 

“Imps and Sinners, don’t be wimps and dinners! Come buy our stuff!” one seller called out.

 

“Half off this collection of knives, good sir!”

 

“Candy for the kids! Free sweet THC sample with your purchase!”

 

“No rotten meat here! Taste my freshly cut slabs right from the cows in Wrath!”

 

“Check out my collection of genuine watches! Uh…a few of them do actually still work!”

 

“Come along,” a mother pleaded, trying to drag her little imp child away from the gleaming knives on display.

 

“Uh…I’m not really in the mood to buy anything,” Stolas mentioned as more of the vendors gave him ugly looks.

 

“Just ignore them,” Blitzo said in a low voice. “They won’t mess with you when I’m around.”

 

“Hey, fuck you, Stolas!” an imp called in the distance.

 

“Right back at, ya, asshole!” Blitzo barked back, facing the right before turning straight ahead again.

 

Stolas growled. “If only I had my powers back, I’d…”

 

Blitzo scoffed. “Turn them to stone? Yeah, no more mojo, buddy. Get used to it.”

 

Stolas then narrowed his eyes and mentioned to a small group of booing imps off to the side. “Care to explain that?”

 

Just then, one of the imps near the group held out her hands.

 

“Hey, hey, settle down, guys,” she said. “It’s common courtesy to get to know someone first.”

 

She walked over to Stolas and Blitzo, peering closer.

 

“Is…is that Blitz?” she asked.

 

Blitzo grinned. “Yes, that’s me.”

 

The imp smiled. She had long black slightly messy hair and on her head were small straight black horns with white stripes on them, and a red face. She wore dark sunglasses over her eyes. Blitzo noticed her black shoes, blue shorts and white shirt with a gold unicorn head on the front. Her long, pointed tail flickered with excitement.

 

“Oh, it’s so nice to meet you! I’m Florence.”

 

She and Blitzo shook hands.

 

“I just wanted to say, what you did in the courtroom was very brave of you. I heard Satan can be quite intimidating.”

 

“Thanks. The red asshole doesn’t even care about us imps,” Blitzo glowered. “If Stolas here hadn’t saved me…”

 

Florence walked over to the side toward Stolas. “And you must be the Goetia prince.”

 

“Was,” Stolas admitted sadly.

 

“A royal saving an imp? I never thought that would be possible.”

 

“I did what I had to do. I’m just glad Blitz is safe and sound,” Stolas said.

 

“Such a courageous act of love,” she agreed.

 

Florence then looked around. “But I don’t get it. Blitz here is praised for his courage, but you…”

 

She gave Stolas a sad look.

 

“…you are shunned by practically everyone here. That doesn’t seem very fair, does it?”

 

Stolas looked downcast. “Not really. Though I probably should’ve realized how I treated imps…how I treated Blitz.”

 

“Hey, we all make mistakes,” Florence mentioned. “I’m sure you’ll find a way to help them trust you again.”

 

She gave Stolas another concerned look. “You have a daughter, right?”

 

Stolas nodded.

 

“I bet she really misses you.”

 

Stolas began to sob.

 

“Alright,” Blitzo waved his hand. “Enough with the sad talk!”

 

Florence held up her hands. “Sorry, sir. Just wanted to see if I could help your companion. I’ll just get down to business.”

 

She beamed. “I wanna apply for I.M.P.!”

 

Blitzo’s eyes lit up. “Ohoho! I can’t believe I have so many applicants now!”

 

“How do I start?”

 

“Just fill out the application form online, make an appointment and come by my office. I.M.P. HQ. We’ll test your use of weaponry and efficiency.”

 

“I don’t know the number…”

 

“Want me to show it on my phone?”

 

“You can just say it.”

 

“Okay. It’s 666-08432190.”

 

“Oh, thank you so much!” Florence said. “I look forward to meeting with you.”

 

She waved and began to stroll away.

 

“Wait,” called Blitzo. “Aren’t you gonna type it into your phone?”

 

“It’s okay, Blitz!” she answered. “I have a very good memory!”

 

Blitzo sighed wistfully as she disappeared. He posed with his fists on his hips. “Sure is great being an assassin CEO.”

 

Stolas watched the imps hustling and bustling. He let Blitzo continue giving him a tour of Imp City.

 

 

Later at a grocery store, the clerk bared his teeth in anger as Stolas cut in front of the line. Stolas put his basket by a box that read “rot your teeth,” a bottle with a skull on it and a cash register shaped like a monster mouth. Blitzo tugged on Stolas’ long, feathered tail with a nervous expression. He pointed behind him. Stolas glanced back to see a crowd of imps in line, standing by their carts, raising their fists and complaining.

 

At the laundromat, a sign above showed an imp in a superhero cape that read “Mr. Sudz: do your fucking laundry you lazy imps!”  Blitzo talked with Stolas who sadly sat on a washing machine.

 

Soap suddenly spewed out of the washer, covering the space in soap bubbles. A male imp wearing only underwear glared at Stolas from within the soap bubble pile.

 

At a diner, Stolas and Blitzo sat together and silently ate. “Pridiner, serving Sinners,” a mug, and a hot dog glowed in neon red lights against the walls. Blitzo picked at his blue eggs and purple sausages with his fork. On Stolas’ plate was a green-orange slice, yellow strawberries, two strips of bacon, pink berries, and triangle waffles.

 

Blitzo looked puzzled. “How can owls eat all that stuff?”

 

Stolas shrugged. “It’s Hell, I guess. All the food is mismatched versions from those in the mortal world.” He spotted a demon eating a ‘rot-dog’ and a bowl of ‘mice-cream’ at another table.

 

Nearby, a male imp with white curly hair and sunglasses sipped a cup of coffee at a nearby table. He wore casual black shorts and a blue shirt.

 

“Hey, excuse me, Miss?” he looked up as an imp waitress walked by.

 

“Can I help you?” she asked.

 

“Imps primarily come to this place, yes?”

 

“Indeed,” she said. “Also we’ve been serving Sinners here for years. Is there something wrong?”

 

“I think I can sense that someone unwelcome might be in here,” the imp mentioned. The waitress glanced over and spotted the tall slender owl. He was hard to miss. “Word spreads fast. You know what the Goetia are like these days.”

 

“Don’t worry,” the waitress huffed. “I’ll take care of it.”

 

The imp sipped his coffee again as she headed off.

 

The heavy-set waitress came over to Blitzo and Stolas. She had thick black horns with small white stripes. She wore an apron and had her thick black hair pulled back. She poured Blitzo a cup of coffee and with a mean smirk, spat into Stolas’ drink.

 

Blitzo and Stolas both gasped.

 

A male imp popped up from behind the booth, pointing and laughing at the stunned Stolas. In anger, Blitzo took Stolas’ plate and smashed it into the imp’s face. The waitress yelled and wrestled Blitzo to the ground. Blitzo and Stolas shoved the rest of their food in their mouths and raced outside.

 

 

0 0 0

 

“Well, here we are!” Blitzo smiled later as he posed by the door with “I.M.P.” painted on the door window in red. “Welcome to I.M.P.!”

 

He opened the door, and they stepped into the space, Stolas bonking his head as he entered. Moxxie and Millie had gone home, and the only occupant was Loona, sitting bored by her bone-shaped secretary phone. A light orange paw print-shaped lollipop was in one hand.

 

“Hey Loony!” Blitzo called. “I’ve got a new employee to show around. Let’s show him the works!”

 

Loona rolled her eyes and stood up.

 

Blitzo began. “You’ve seen each other before, but just in case…Stolas, this is my daughter, Loona. Loona, this is Stolas.”

 

“Hello,” Stolas chuckled nervously.

 

Loona did a small wave.

 

“Now Loony,” Blitzo began. “Stolas wants to learn how to secretate, so show him how it’s done.”

 

Loona sighed. “It’s literally this…” She mimicked a phone with her lollipop. “’Ring, ring, hello? I.M.P. Yeah, we can kill that asshole, wanna schedule an appointment? Thursday cool? See you then, dipshit.’ Click. It’s easy as sin, Blitz.”

 

Blitzo led Stolas over to Loona’s phone. “See, Stolas?” Blitzo said. “Finally something to help you out, something to do! And I can pay you for it!”

 

Stolas sighed. “I guess it’s worth a shot.”

 

0 0 0

 

 

“Hellexa…call I.M.P.”

 

“Calling Immediate Murder Professionals Assassin Business.”

 

 

0 0 0

 

 

The bone vibrated on top of the stand as the phone rang.

 

Blitzo looked at Stolas. “Oh, answer it, answer it! You can do it, Stolas, come on, answer the phone!”

 

Stolas took a breath and held up the phone. “Hello? I.M.P. You want to come over immediately. Immediate revenge? Okay then. Thank you. Good day.” He hung up.

 

Not even a few seconds later, the door burst open.

 

In stepped a new Sinner client, wearing worn blue jeans, black shoes, sunglasses, and a red T-shirt. His skin was white, and an array of screws were stuck in various places in his arms, chest, and legs. His hair was short and black.

 

“I.M.P.” he began. “Thank goodness I found you.”

 

“Whoa that really was fast!” Blitzo began, heading over to the client. “The fuck happened to you?”

 

“My name is Roderick,” said the client. “Just yesterday, I was killed by a heinous cult on Earth. They drove screws into my body and cut out my eyes!”

 

“Yikes,” Loona muttered.

 

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Blitzo asked, raising his fists. “Let’s get this motherfucker! I’ll call Mox and Mils…”

 

Roderick held up a hand. “Actually, I’m only looking to kill the leader. Coincidentally, they sacrificed me to someone powerful.”

 

He turned to Stolas. “You.”

 

“Me?” Stolas asked stunned.

 

“Yes, I need your help alone.”

 

Loona looked up in surprise.

 

 Roderick continued. “I need you to head over to Earth, kill the leader and tell the members not to sacrifice any more people to you. For my justice, the least I can do is to have the entity they worship royally screw them over.”

 

“But…but I don’t have my powers anymore!” Stolas mentioned.

 

“You won’t need them,” Roderick assured. “They’ll know who you are by sight and show you some proper respect. That’s what you’ve been wanting, yes?”

 

Stolas slowly nodded.

 

“And don’t worry,” he said, interrupting Blitzo when he was about to say something. “If things get out of hand, Stolas can call you.”

 

Blitzo felt it odd to not go on a mission for the first time. But then again…

 

“Well…at least you’ll have your first mission experience,” Blitzo grinned to Stolas. “A great opportunity to prove yourself!”

 

“Are you sure?” Stolas asked.

 

“You’ve killed people before, right? Can’t be that hard,” Blitzo mentioned.

 

With a sigh, Blitzo removed his yellow Asmodean crystal from his wrist and gave it to Stolas. “Besides, the royals didn’t say you couldn’t enter Earth, right?”

 

“I guess not…”

 

“Then go on out there and shed some Sinner blood!” Blitzo cheered.

 

“Oh, I almost forgot,” said Roderick to Stolas. “We need to rehearse what you’re gonna say to the cult. Come with me and let’s practice real quick.”

 

“Oh. Okay,” Stolas grinned nervously. He glanced at Blitzo. “Is this part of the job?”

 

Blitzo nodded. “Good luck!”

 

Loona slowly sniffed the air.

 

Roderick held the door open for Stolas and he followed him before closing it.

 

Blitzo began playing with one of his many horse figurines when Loona abruptly slammed her fist on his desk, startling him.

 

“The fuck, Loony?”

 

“Blitz!” She barked. “Something’s not right.”

 

Blitzo folded his arms. “Obviously not. You’re hovering in my space.”

 

“No! It’s the Sinner guy! I smelled something off about him.”

 

“Well, your nose must’ve told you he recently died,” Blitzo countered. “They do tend to smell the worst when they first arrive...”

 

Loona groaned. “I think we should follow them.”

 

“We?” Blitzo asked.

 

“Yes, ‘we!’” Loona barred her teeth. “In case you haven’t noticed, I haven’t been able to go on any of the missions for months! I’m always stuck behind that stupid phone! Do you really think it’s a good idea to let Stolas do this on his own for the first time?”

 

“Um…” Blitzo paused. “It’s good experience? He’s still a Goetia.”

 

“One without his powers,” Loona reminded him. “If you want him to be independent, that makes total sense. But you know all of us at I.M.P. never go on missions alone.”

 

“But I went alone to kill that horny monster fucker girl,” Blitzo mentioned.

 

“Besides the point!” snapped Loona. “And though I don’t really know the owl, I still think we should help him.”

 

Blitzo stared back and forth between Loona and his toy.

 

“NOW!”

 

“Okay, okay!” Blitzo held up his hands. He followed Loona out the door. “Seriously, though, why do you think we need to worry about some client?”

 

 

0 0 0

 

 

Roderick led Stolas down the stairs, and they headed outside to the front of the I.M.P. building.

 

“You ready, Stolas?”

 

“Yes,” he said.

 

Roderick looked around. “We’d better head to Earth before the cult sacrifices another innocent victim.”

 

“But rehearsing…”

 

“Will be in a few minutes,” he mentioned.

 

“I don’t have my grimoire,” said Stolas. “We’ll need Blitz’s Asmodean crystal to travel there.”

 

“You have it, right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Loona rushed down the stairs, holding onto Blitzo’s hand.

 

“Loona, can you slow down and tell me what the hell is going on?!”

 

“Stolas now, talk later!” she huffed.

 

“Then I’ll take it,” said Roderick. Stolas handed him the yellow crystal and he tapped it.

 

A portal opened.

 

“After you, your majesty,” Roderick smiled.

 

Stolas peered through the hole and spotted a grim cemetery before him.

 

“Definitely a fitting place for a cult,” Stolas shuddered.

 

Loona and Blitzo burst out of the building doors. Roderick glanced back.

 

“Wait, Stolas, we’re coming, too!” Blitzo called.

 

Without warning, Roderick shoved Stolas forward hard and stepped through the portal. Stolas cried out in surprise.

 

Loona gasped. “Look! He’s not a Sinner!”

 

Blitzo froze. “What?!”

 

An eerie sense of fear and familiarity raced through Blitzo’s veins.

 

“LOONA, LAUNCH ME!”

 

Blitzo slammed into Roderick at top speed just before he could close the portal. They both tumbled to the dusty ground in a heap. Blitzo leaned over Roderick. Blitzo gasped and spotted a strange purple crystal on Roderick’s wrist.

 

Blitzo looked over to the right and nearly shat his pants. With all his strength, he yanked the crystal from Roderick’s hand and tossed it back through the hole to Loona.

 

He looked back at Loona. “ONE STAR WONDER!” he screamed.

 

Roderick tapped his crystal, and the portal closed before Loona could make it through.

 

 

0 0 0

 

 

Loona paced back and forth in a panic, picking up the crystal.

 

“What kind of city is called ‘One Star Wonder?’” she thought aloud.

 

She quickly retrieved her phone and looked up the location.

 

“A haunted hotel on Earth?” Her eyes grew wide.

 

‘Wasn’t that the same place where Blitzo and Millie went ghostfucking over a month ago?’

 

‘And why in the world was a Hellborn demon leading them there?’

 

She took and breath and gripped the crystal. “Come on, please work,” she said, frantically tapping the crystal. “My dysfunctional…crew of a family’s in trouble!”

 

 

0 0 0

 

 

Stolas scooted backwards, dusting off his long legs. “What the…where in the world are we?!”

 

Roderick shoved Blitzo off of him…and flew full speed toward Stolas.

 

“Look out!” cried Blitzo.

 

Stolas dived out of the way and Roderick zoomed past his ear. Stolas kicked him with his long leg and his sunglasses fell off, shattering to the ground. Roderick whirled around and zoomed back at him, licking his lips. His eyes were mostly sockets, the rest, glowing yellow deformed bits.

 

“STOLAS!” cried Blitzo.

 

On instinct, Blitzo leaped in front of Stolas, hands in front of him. Dark liquid entered his head, and he soon collapsed.

 

Stolas gasped. “BLITZ!”

 

0 0 0

 

 

 

 

 

Blitzo breathed heavily as the world slowly came back into focus. Rusted chains held him in place on a striped chair. He struggled uselessly as he glanced around at an abandoned movie theater, covered with coral and seaweed growing on the seats. A projector blinked to life overhead.

 

Blitzo gasped in disbelief, panic beginning to creep in.

 

‘No, not again…it couldn’t be…’

 

“Oh, but it is, little one…” mused a spooky voice.

 

In the blink of an eye, a frightened Blitzo was met with a grotesque demonic face hanging upside down, leaning close to his. The figure wore long black pants, black shoes, a black undershirt and a purple hotel uniform vest.

 

Rolando spoke in an overly sweet tone that sent chills down the imp’s spine. “Did you miss me, Bethany?”

 

0 0 0

 

 

 

Footsteps echoed as two male figures entered the pool room of the One Star Wonder Hotel. They wore red janitor suits and rolled equipment into the room.

 

“Yikes,” remarked one of them, who was staring at the last of the electricity dancing on the water’s surface. “Sure glad no one’s swimming in this.”

 

“Indeed,” the other worker remarked. “Let’s drain the pool and get it in proper condition before the guests come in the morning.”

 

They began to drain the pool with a tube device. The water slowly lowered.

 

“What’s that?” one of the workers asked, pointing to Blitzo’s sizzled ghostfucker device.

 

“I don’t know,” the other answered with a sigh. “Probably some kid playing with the cleaning equipment.”

 

They carefully stepped down into the empty pool, scanning the area.

 

“Let’s get that thing out of here,” said the first man, mentioning to the device.

 

The second man froze, pointing ahead with a shaking finger.

 

“What? What is it?” asked the first.

 

“If you mean…THAT thing, I’m out of here!” he remarked with a shaking voice.

 

They stepped closer to what looked like…

 

“Yuck! What is that thing?” asked the first worker. “A dead alien?”

 

“Looks more like a fish?” pondered the second one.

 

“Some unfortunate sea monster that got in here?!”

 

“Dude, you are NOT making me clean that up!”

 

The first man grabbed at his co-worker’s collar. “You wanna send the guests into a panic and lose our jobs? I sure don’t!”

 

They peered closer at the gray scaly corpse, its vacant yellow eyes staring at the ceiling and slowly sliding out in black blood. The first man gulped.

 

“After you, then.”

 

They moved an inch closer when…

 

…its head rose forward and lowered with a sickening crack.

 

The men gasped and reeled back.

 

“It moved!” the second one cried.

 

Shadowy fingers yanked at the second man’s shadow, causing him to fall and slide backward. The first man grabbed the second man’s hands just as the monster’s claws caught the man’s ankles.

 

“ZOMBIE!” wailed the second man. “GET IT AWAY!”

 

“Hold on!” urged the first man.

 

The second man cried out as the monster managed to slowly lean forward and bite hard into his leg. A few strong bites and the man’s lower leg slid apart in a gory mess of muscle and bone.

 

The first man let go. “Fuck, no! I’m out,” he shrieked. He raced full speed and jumped up to reach the ladder at the side of the pool. His comrade’s screams faded as he reached the top.

 

He stared at himself and breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, that was close! I’m alive! I’m a…”

 

Seconds later, the man screamed as an invisible force from the monster knocked him backwards over the edge of the pool. He fell with a sickening thud on the pool floor, red blood spreading from his head and still body.

 

 

 

 

Back in the hotel lobby, black slime slowly poured from a vent in the wall and splattered onto the floor. The goo gradually molded and morphed into a human-like shape.

 

Toledo the Igor, babbled and drooled in his red bellhop uniform, his back hunched over, his eyes unblinking and his fingers misshapen. He swept the floor and paused when he noticed the slime.

 

“B-bitch?” he wondered in curiosity.

 

He crept forward as the goo dried and revealed a fallen man. He was wearing a torn red vest, tattered long sleeve gray undershirt, black pants and shoes. His pale white skin and mostly bald head were covered in burns and his dirty blonde combover hair was almost completely singed off.

 

The man groaned and stood up.

 

“B-Bitch?” asked Toledo.

 

He slowly turned his head.

 

Toledo yelped and stepped back.

 

The man’s eyes were mostly black sockets with black blood staining underneath. His sunglasses had been shattered.

 

Stumbling, Rolando sniffed the air, turning toward his assistant.

 

“Toledo,” he rasped with a cough. “You will not tell anyone about this!”

 

“Biiiitch?” Toledo asked, with surprise in his voice.

 

“Yes, I’m alive, barely,” he mentioned. “Those filthy lowborn imps almost fried me to smithereens!”

 

It was hard for Rolando to see, but he could still sense where others were by their thoughts.

 

“Bitch?”

 

“Who was there? You know, the blond Blitzy and Silly the farm girl?”

 

Toledo shook his head.

 

“Good. The less you know, the better.”

 

Rolando had only made it as far as he did, thanks to the fears of the two men he could weakly feed on.

 

“Bitch…” Toledo said again, gently tapping Rolando’s hand.

 

He brushed it aside. “Yes, I’m alright…I think. Don’t you have bags to carry?”

 

Toledo froze and blabbered again.

 

Rolando peered into his simple mind. “An unfortunate service boy born crippled, further experimented on by his own father, the previous hotel manager of this fixer upper. And all you can say now is ‘bitch, bitch, bitch!’ Almost no insecurities in your head at all! You’re lucky I decided to keep you to move things along…”

 

Toledo dragged a suitcase…very slowly, to the other corner.

 

“I need you to help manage some things for me, okay? Keep the guests at peace, don’t let anyone see me. In fact…”

 

He stumbled forward on his long shaking legs and thought…

 

‘I need to get back to Hell and give those little red freaks a good kick in the…’

 

“Argh!” Rolando cried out in a hoarse roar as he ran face-first into the blue “staff only” door. He groaned and turned his head.

 

“Hey, boy! I need this door open!”

 

Toledo babbled with his eyes sparkling as he drooled on a cracked picture in his hands of a kissing Blitzo dressed as Bethany Ghostfucker.

 

“Excuse me! Your boss is speaking. Open this door, now!”

 

This time, Toledo stepped forward…very slow steps…and inched his hand toward the doorknob. The door finally opened with a creak and Rolando shrugged.

 

“Bitch!” Toledo pipped up, hugging Rolando’s leg. He shook him off.

 

“You babbling idiot, I’m not your friend. I told you a million times! I have no friends! And no, no, I’m definitely not your dad! You’re just a sidekick…hell you’re not even that, you’re a one-word wonder! Now go clean every room in this place! Shoo!”

 

Toledo the Igor wandered off to clean the hotel some more.

 

Rolando sighed and headed into the dim room. He managed to avoid the desk, cabinet and the small meeting room. He stopped at a row of small square cubbies. He concentrated and hovering into his hand coming from his cubby was a small black box. He tapped it three times and it opened. In the box was a diamond-shaped indigo crystal…one from Envy that had allowed travel to Earth and throughout all of Hell by creating portals.

 

Rolando gripped his crystal hard like a lifeline as he shifted back to his aquatic demon form.

 

‘You’ll fucking pay for this, Blitzo!’

 

“Florence,” the imp at the coffee shop, and “Roderick” shared evil grins as they watched the chaos around them. The imps showing their hate for Stolas, the waitress tackling Blitzo, more imps arguing as a black Hellexa speaker was stolen from under their noses.

 

Blitzo’s thoughts were all too familiar and Rolando filled with hate every time he could sense him around.

 

Stolas on the other hand…was very easy to follow.

 

Stolas had lost many things in his life.

 

He had lived with an ignorant royal father.

 

He had been forced into a marriage that neither he nor his ex-wife wanted any part of.

 

Striker had almost killed him in the Wrath Ring mines.

 

He had been stripped of his powers at the trial.

 

Worst of all…Stolas had lost connection with his own daughter.

 

It was enough to make Rolando’s mouth water.

 

 

0 0 0

 

 

“Y-you’re supposed to be dead!” Blitzo cried out loud.

 

“Good to see you’re disappointed,” Rolando replied.

 

“How the fuck can you even see?!”

 

Rolando pointed near what was left of his eyes. “Just because I can’t see, doesn’t mean I can’t sense where demons are. Their thoughts never cease.”

 

He trailed a clawed finger down Blitzo’s throat. “You know…I was going to feast on the birdie buffet…but now that I’m inside you again…perhaps I can see how fast you can break before your boyfriend. You did try to kill me…now I’m just returning the flavor!”

 

Rolando chuckled darkly and lounged on his seat with a tub of popcorn in his hands.

 

“Let’s see what you’ve been up to while I was gone, shall we?”

 

The curtains opened and “3, 2, 1,” spun on the green tinted screen before memories flashed in front of Blitzo.

 

 

0 0 0

 

 

Satan spoke in a low rumbling voice, clenching his thick fist. “We are here to sentence the criminal imp…Blitzo.”

 

“A-actually sir, the ‘o’ is…” Blitzo began nervously.

 

Satan glared down at him and snorted close to his face in warning.

 

“Totally there!” Blitzo squeaked. “You nailed it, great job.”

 

Satan pointed an accusing claw at the other I.M.P. members.

 

“You and your crew are on trial for stealing a powerful Goetic heirloom for undocumented personal use in the mortal realm. How do you plead?”

 

“N-not guilty, Your Infernal Honor,” Blitzo replied in a shaking voice.

 

Andrealphus strode forward and shoved Blitzo so hard that he flipped over his stone stand. “This vile hideous imp has put his kind to shame! Committing such hardened acts to GAIN THE UPPER HAND AGAINST OUR NOBLE CLASS!”

 

Whispers and a few gasps echoed in the chamber.

 

 

“What a disappointment,” Satan remarked.

 

Satan turned to the Sins and the crowd. “Why don’t we take a vote? Who wants to listen to hours of testimony?”

 

Asmodeus, Vassago, and Beelzebub raised their hands, as did Millie and Moxxie. Loona reluctantly raised hers.

 

“Who wants to kill this imp bastard and go home for lunch?” Satan smirked.

 

Everyone else raised their hands.

 

Striker winked and grinned before being lowered down, tipping his hat.

 

Andrealphus gave Blitzo a smug smirk. “You should’ve stayed in your place, imp.” He walked down platforms of ice. “You see, this is what happens when lesser demons try to step out of line!”

 

Blitzo flinched as Andrealphus pressed his icy high heel into his forehead. He smirked again and vanished with a wave of his cloak.

 

Satan glowered. “For the treacherous crimes of stealing a Goetia’s grimoire for illegal use, bringing harm to a Goetic prince, and accessing the mortal coil without clearance or procedure…”

 

Satan pointed a claw. “…you, Blitzo, and your crew are hereby sentenced…”

 

Satan stood up, “…TO DEATH!”

 

Blitzo and his crew gasped in horror.

 

Satan continued. “…and due to your bold actions against the laws of Hell, your execution will be broadcasted across the Seven Rings, to remind all of imp kind why our power must never be challenged again.”

 

The ground rumbled and a half-circle execution block appeared in front of Blitzo. He struggled against his chains and muzzle.

 

“No!” Blitzo cried as two reapers appeared behind his employees.

 

“Not them, Your Highness!” Blitzo cried, stepping forward. “It was me, it was all me! Y-you can’t expect to teach anyone a lesson by killing all of us!”

 

Satan stomped forward and leaned forward. “YOU DARE TRY TO TELL ME HOW TO PUNISH?!”

 

 

The reaper removed the chain around Blitzo’s neck and steered him toward the execution block. The reapers released Moxxie and Millie and soon vanished.

 

“Do you have any final words, imp?” Satan asked as he sat down. “We’ll pretend to care.”

 

Blitzo blinked his eyes shut, tears threatening to fall. “All I was trying to do was rise above the stupid fucking place YOU ALL FORCED US INTO! Treating our kind as nothing more than dirt to stomp on! My people enduring mockery and misery for centuries…you should’ve known some of us would get tired of that shit!”

 

“Your Highness, please!” called Millie. “Blitz just…”

 

“Mox, Mils, stop,” Blitzo responded.

 

“We can’t let them do this to you!” Millie choked.

 

Blitzo looked downcast. “This big, red bitch, never planned on hearing us out. Just…”

 

Blitzo looked up at a sad Loona, his eyes growing wet with tears, he choked, “J-just take care of Loona for me.”

 

Moxxie cried, tears falling. “No! I can’t look, Millie!”

 

More chains manifested and latched onto a new black collar around Blitzo’s neck inscribed with the red Sin sigils. The weight forced Blitzo onto his knees. He took big shaking breaths as a menacing executioner with bloodstained black robes manifested a giant deadly black axe with red eyes on the blade. Flames glowed in the dark void of his face.

 

Moxxie cried into Millie’s arms. Blitzo slowly lowered his head onto the execution block. Loona whimpered and turned away.

 

The axe was raised higher. Blitzo turned his head to look at his crying friends. Millie bravely eyed Blitzo, letting him know he was not alone.

 

“I love you guys,” Blitzo whispered, tears in his eyes.

 

The axe came down…

 

Blitzo looked up, stunned to see…

 

“STOLAS?!”

 

The owl prince was back, manifesting a starry tear in reality, and blocking the axe.

 

“WHAT IN MY OWN HELL IS THIS?!” Satan roared.

 

 

 

Satan then sat on his throne, pointing at the imps and hellhound. “Release the pawn!”

 

The chain unlatched around Blitzo’s neck.

 

“Stolas of the Ars Goetia,” Satan growled. “YOU ARE A DISGRACE!”

 

Blitzo stumbled and raced over with an outstretched hand. “No! No, th…”

 

Blitzo grabbed onto Stolas’ red cape. “Stolas, you…you can’t! You can’t do this!”

 

Stolas turned away.

 

“Stolas, please!”

 

Blitzo found himself being dragged away by the guards. “GET THE FUCK OFF ME!”

 

He struggled from their grip. “Stolas!”

 

A manifested rope caught around Blitzo’s neck, dragging him back. His hands were bound in manacles.

 

“Fucking… use your powers! Do something!”

 

Tears spilled from Blitzo’s eyes. “STOLAS!”

 

Blitzo was shoved onto the ground, the chains vanishing.

 

“AH! LET ME BACK IN!”

 

The doors slammed shut, the glowing designs fading.

 

“Might I suggest something, Your Majesty?” Andrealphus grinned and slid over to Stolas on his ice slide. He lowered a finger and burnt away the chains binding Stolas’ arms. The reapers vanished.

 

“I think you should banish this shameful excuse for a prince and allow someone else to take over his legions. Considering the heir isn’t yet of age, I’d be happy to volunteer. After all, I’m everything he is, but NOT a deviant piece of shit!”

 

Andrealphus sneered next to Stolas.

 

“Yeah, that works,” Satan replied, standing up.

 

 “STOLAS!” Satan, announced with authority. “I HEREBY STRIP YOU OF YOUR STATUS, YOUR POWER, AND YOUR TITLE…”

 

 “…FOR THE NEXT HUNDRED YEARS!” Satan finished.

 

Satan conjured five magical giant golden rings, with the Seven Sin Sigils glowing on them in pink.

 

The rings lifted up Stolas, black electricity zapping around him. Stolas’ eyes turned black, and he writhed in pain. He could feel his power and energy being zapped away, all the magic sapped from his veins. The rings soon dropped him to the ground in a heap and hovered back into place, lowering out of sight. His royal hat and crown toppled away. His red cape was torn.

 

Stolas moaned weakly, his red eyes now having white pupils.

 

Satan added, “You will have to live amongst the citizens of Hell and revel in your own failings!”

 

 “But what about my daughter?” Stolas weakly asked.

 

Andrealphus bore a look of haughtiness.

 

 “She’ll be safe and sound…with her mother. The wholesome parent!”

 

 

Rolando smirked. “So that’s what’s been going on. The birdie gave up everything to save your pathetic little life.”

 

He gripped Blitzo’s neck, and he flinched. “It will all be in vain, I’m afraid. You’ll be a lifeless husk before Stolas can even reach you! HAHAHAHAHA!”

 

0 0 0

 

 

“Blitz!” Stolas shook him. “Wake up, wake up! Please!”

 

Blitzo unnaturally lifted himself up, his joints creaking, his eyes glowing blank yellow. Stolas gulped and stepped back.

 

Possessed Blitzo cocked his head, speaking in a distorted voice of Blitzo’s and Rolando’s. “Would you look at that? Stolas, the powerless prince all alone on Earth!”

 

Rolando flew forward with a mid-air twist and slammed into Stolas, knocking him back. Stolas dodged his fists as he scrambled to get up.

 

“How does it feel to fight with no powers, hm?” Rolando taunted, jabbing at him with his pointed tail. “To be kicked out of your family and scorned by the ones you most love?”

 

Stolas punched him several times in the face and tossed him to the ground on his back with a grunt.

 

Stolas raised his fist again, landing a few blows.

 

“Wait, Stolas, it’s me!” Rolando imitated Blitzo’s voice.

 

Stolas breathed heavily and paused. “Blitz?”

 

Rolando kicked him hard in the groin with his feet. He stood up and blocked more of Stolas’ punches.

 

“Whoever you are, get out of Blitz, now!” Stolas cried.

 

“Or what?” Rolando asked. He hovered in the air and lifted up Stolas by his long owl legs. He spun him around, cackling until he tossed Stolas into a nearby headstone, cracking it. “Bore me with royal lectures?”

 

Stolas groaned as he stood. Rolando rushed toward him and kneed him hard in the chest.

 

“Oh, how about this…” Rolando continued, his smirk growing. “You’ll try to be the hero and save Blitzo again. Or if you’re smart…”

 

He smashed Stolas’ head into the cracked headstone, the owl crying out in pain.

 

“…you’ll lay down your life now like you did in the courtroom.”

 

Stolas landed weak punches, which Rolando easily brushed aside. Seeing the hideous unnatural grin on Blitzo’s face was worthy of nightmares.

 

“What would your daughter think of you now?” Rolando leered. “Her own father foolishly abandoning her for a lowlife imp. So desperate for his pathetic pampered lifestyle that he’ll escape into romance fantasies, too sacred to share his true feelings.”

 

“Stop it!” Stolas begged, tears falling. Every flaw that was mentioned tore into his soul.

 

Rolando drank the owl’s tears with his long yellow tongue. “Oh, I’m just getting started, birdbrain. I should thank you for walking into my trap and providing me with such…delicious despair…”

 

He licked Stolas’ neck, the owl whimpering in response.

 

 “Now everyone knows you’re an incompetent…”

 

He punched Stolas hard.

 

“…selfish…”

 

Stolas cried out again as Rolando continued.

 

“…sex-craved…”

 

The owl sobbed and flinched, black blood trailing down his face.

 

“…shitty excuse of a dad!”

 

Rolando leaned back and laughed as lightning and thunder crashed against the sky.

 

Stolas groaned, barely able to keep his eyes open.

 

“NOOO!” Blitzo bellowed, sobbing and struggling in his chair back in his mind. Rolando grinned behind him as the screen showed long fingers gripping onto Stolas’ throat.

 

“My revenge has come at last, in a much better way than I expected,” Rolando laughed as he spoke. “After you watch your savior die by your hands…it’ll take no time to break you down once and for all!”

 

Stolas’ eyes bulged and his face began to turn blue.

 

Rolando leaned toward Stolas, his hungry mouth open wide. “Say goodbye to your daughter, your imp toy…and NOW YOUR LIFE!”

 

 

…

 

 

A portal opened nearby.

 

“Finally, I’m here,” Loona sighed. She glanced off and spotted the hotel in the distance. “Guess I’m at the right place.” She looked around some more and gasped. She spotted Blitzo by a large headstone…choking the life out of Stolas?!

 

Loona growled loudly and charged forward on all four paws.

 

Rolando barely had time to look before Loona shoved him off the weakened Stolas. She pushed him backwards until he flipped over her head, landing on his feet.

 

He leered at her and grinned. “Well, hellloooo there, fine little furry!”

 

Loona stared in disgust and a fearful shock. Whatever this thing was, it was clearly not Blitzo.

 

She raised her clawed fist. “The hell did you do to my dad?!”

 

She leaped forward with her claws unsheathed, but Rolando moved out of the way. She tumbled into the dirt before shaking herself off.

 

“Woof woof,” cooed a distorted voice from behind her. He grabbed her butt hard with his hands. Loona screamed and whirled around to swipe where he had been moments before. Rolando kicked dust into her face, and she coughed.

 

“If you’ll excuse me, bitch…” Rolando snapped, kicking her backwards so she slid on her back… “…I have a little birdie to feast on.”

 

Loona groaned and stood back up, her legs shaking. Rolando was already back by Stolas, pressing his foot into the owl’s neck!

 

“NO YOU FUCKING DON’T!” she yelled.

 

The hellhound jumped into the air again, landing in front of Rolando. He smirked and reached for her breasts, but a swift kick to the face sent him stumbling backwards. Loona looked with concern at Stolas, barely alive and badly beaten.

 

Loona turned around and grabbed Rolando’s arm hard as he tried to sneak up behind her.

 

“Get the fuck outta Blitz!”

 

She gripped his other arm and slammed him down on his back.

 

“Loony…” he mused in Blitzo’s voice.

 

She pressed her foot hard into his chest. “Shut up!”

 

Loona punched him several times in the face. Black blood trailed down his face and he cried out in distorted yells. He then began to chuckle, making Loona pause with her fist in the air.

 

“What?!”

 

“Such a temper you have, my dear. How predictable of you to beat up your so-called dad.”

 

“Get out of him!”

 

“Over my dead body…or should I say, his…”

 

Loona froze, glancing at her sharp claws aimed toward possessed Blitzo’s neck.

 

“Kill me, bitch. Go ahead. My rival and I will die together by your fuzzy hands!”

 

“D-Don’t kill him!” she stuttered.

 

“I’m already killing him…nice and slowly,” he sat up, licking his own blood from his face. “You’re just in the way.”

 

He stood up and they resumed fighting.

 

Rolando smirked. “Blitzo should’ve left you at the pound. You’ve been too much of a burden to him.”

 

Loona growled, trying not to let his words distract her.

 

“Hell, I’m surprised he doesn’t call you his pet. Would explain why you hardly go on any missions with your co-workers.”

 

He chuckled as he dodged her fists, Loona shaking.

 

“A grumpy goth hound doesn’t deserve any friends!”

 

“I have friends,” she growled. “Moxxie, Millie, Blitz, Tex…”

 

She punched him again. “Most of all, I have ME!”

 

She stomped on his foot before he swiped at her with his claws out.

 

“I don’t expect a slimy eel like you to understand.”

 

Loona stared at his broken eyes and then at the landscape around her.

 

Rolando mocked her again.

 

“Hey now, stick around! Once your friends abandon you, you’ll have plenty of furry fans to drool all over you!”

 

Loona barred her teeth, gradually becoming unfazed by his taunts.

 

With determination, Loona sprinted off to the side and leaned against a nearby dead tree, waiting.

 

Rolando charged at her at full speed…

 

Loona dived out of the way, the infestor demon ramming headfirst against the tree.

 

“OW!”

 

This time, Loona smirked. “Forgot you can’t see, bastard eel?!”

 

Rolando groaned and after shaking himself off, spoke in a distorted angry voice.

 

“Alright, mutt, no more playing nice.”

 

He twisted backward in the air and rammed his head hard into Loona’s stomach. She stumbled backwards with a grunt and Rolando tripped her as he swung his leg against one of her legs. She fell on her back. Wasting no time, he dug his claws into her arms, drawing black blood. He pressed his knees against her chest and opened his mouth to tear her throat…

 

BONK!

 

A rock hit Rolando square on the back of his head. He spun around and spotted Stolas weakly lowering his arm and falling on his knees.

 

He stared at Stolas with rage and confusion.

 

“YOU’RE DOUBLE DEAD FOR THAT!”

 

Before Rolando could move, Loona grabbed both of his arms and slammed him belly-first against the ground with a roll of her body. He roared in protest. She held his wrists in her tight grip and planted her large canine foot on his back. He struggled against her, but her Hellhound strength served her well in keeping him down.

 

Still, one false move…

 

“Stolas!” she cried. “Blitz needs you!”

 

Stolas moaned as he crawled over. Tears fell from his eyes as he stared into Blitzo’s empty ones.

 

“My sweet little imp…I know you’re still in there…”

 

“You’re never seeing him again!” Rolando sneered before Loona pressed hard against his back.

 

“Blitz…Blitz, can you hear me? Wake up…wake up, please!”

 

Blitzo gasped in his seat as the screen cleared. He could see Stolas’ face in front of him, his eyes filled with worry.

 

“Listen to me, Blitz,” Stolas said.  “Whatever that demon said to you, don’t let it get to you. I’m here for you…and so is your daughter.”

 

Loona lowered her head a bit.

 

“Loony?” Blitzo breathed in his seat.

 

“She’s okay. And I know you’ll be okay,” Stolas said, cupping Blitzo’s face from outside.

 

Stolas continued. “I saved your life in the courtroom. And I’ll gladly save your life many more times if I have to.”

 

Rolando growled from inside Blitzo’s head. 

 

“I love you, Blitz,” Stolas declared.

 

“I love you” echoed in Blitzo’s head.

 

“I love you just as much as Via. And I am honored to be able to spend time with you, even in my exile.”

 

The dark waters of Rolando’s powers receded more and more as Stolas’ words filled him with comfort and strength.

 

“You’re nothing, Blitzo!” Rolando roared.

 

“You bring so much to people’s lives…and you’ve brought so much to mine,” Stolas added. He pressed his head against Blitzo’s forehead, even as he struggled weakly.

 

Rolando hovered his claws ominously over Blitzo’s eyes. “Let’s see how an ‘eye for an eye’ works out for ya!”

 

Blitzo struggled and shook his head, focusing on Stolas and Loona as much as he could.

 

“Come on, dad!” Loona urged.

 

“DIE, BLITZO!”

 

“Blitzy, you can do this. I’m here…I’ll always be here!”

 

“Wake the fuck, up! Fight him!”

 

Voices pounded chaotically in Blitzo’s head…

 

…until Blitzo felt the gentle kiss from his owl companion being planted on his forehead. The chains binding Blitzo cracked away in streams of bright light.

 

Rolando’s hand lowered for the final blow…

 

Loona slammed down her foot onto Blitzo’s back.

 

Blitzo’s head lifted up, mouth open in pain. A stream of black goo exited his mouth, moving backwards into the shadows.

 

Rolando rematerialized and looked up…

 

…and let out a distorted cry as Loona pounced upon him. Thunder rumbled again as Loona mauled into Rolando’s chest, biting furiously as black blood splattered onto her face. She shook her head wildly and from her mouth, she tossed Rolando’s head away. It fell with a thud next to an exposed skeleton, expression vacant.

 

 

 

Blitzo groaned and shook himself out of the trance, his eyes returning to red and yellow.

 

“The fuck happened?”

 

Stolas sat beside him, moaning in pain.

 

Blitzo gasped. “Stolas, you’re hurt!”

 

“It’s…okay,” he grimaced. “Thank Satan you’re alive.”

 

Blitzo spotted Loona walking over and stumbled forward to give her a tight hug. Tears fell from his eyes.

 

“My sweet girl, you’re okay!”

 

Loona paused, eyes closed in both sadness and relief. Then she sighed and moved back. “Alright, enough sappy shit.”

 

“Sorry…for not trusting your instincts earlier,” Blitzo said to Loona. “If you hadn’t been there…”

 

“Yeah, I know.”

 

Blitzo held Stolas’ hand. “We need to get him to the hospital, stat!”

 

“On it,” Loona mentioned, reaching into her pocket and tapping the yellow Asmodean crystal.

 

Loona carried Stolas through the portal and Blitzo followed before it closed.

 

 

 

They were now in front of the same hospital that Stolas had been in when he had been maimed by Striker. Already, demons in black cloaks and bird plague masks lifted him up, carried him on a stretcher and left without another word. The doors closed and Blitzo was left with a dreadful sense of déjà vu.

 

“Should we go?” asked Loona.

 

 

 

Stolas lay peacefully in his hospital bed, an IV attached to his arm and bandages covering part of his head and much of his body. His phone lay on a side table near a vase of red flowers with eyes in the center.

 

Stolas slowly reached over and picked up his phone. He stared sadly at the screen, as he saw his old texts. Blitzo had not answered at all.

 

Stolas felt lonely again. He was going to be by himself, left to heal once again.

 

Then he looked up. Blitzo stood by his bedside, head lowered.

 

“You came?”

 

Blitzo nodded.

 

“Thank you, Stolas,” Blitzo said softly. “For saving my life...again.”

 

Blitzo lowered his hand and taking a breath, he squeezed Stolas’ hand softly.

 

Stolas looked at Blitzo, wide eyes filled with appreciation and love.

 

“Blitz, you took me in when I had nowhere else to go. You stopped the demon from entering in me. You already saved mine.”

 

“You’ll be here for me, right?” Stolas added after a pause.

 

Blitzo showed a small smile. “Always.”

 

They stood in silence for a while, thankful to be alive.

 

Two red flower petals fell and landed together on the table.

 

Before long, Stolas and Blitzo sat together on a couch back at the I.M.P. office. The door opened and Moxxie and Millie came into the room carrying boxes of lights and decorations for Sinsmas.

 

“Oh, hey Blitz, Stolas!” Millie called as Moxxie struggled to carry his load of boxes. “What’d we miss?”

 

Stolas, Loona and Blitzo shared looks.

 

They had one helluva tale to tell.