「Vizier: Wake up!」

The demon slapped me awake.

「Vizier: Eat.」

He said, before giving me time for my brain to register the levitating bowl of mystery slop floating before me.

The Vizier forced my mouth open, and moved the bowl closer.

Knock knock. I could hear someone knocking at the door, and some impatient hisses.

The Vizier ignored the noise and inclined the bowl, sending the bitter contents down my throat making sure I swallowed. I half choked with it. The broth was bitter.

He prepared to give me another dose, but the knocking became more insistent. I saw him lose his patience and dump the whole thing down on my mouth and face as he stood up.

The moment he turned away I spat what I could to the side, and coughed my throat clear.

I started feeling sleepy again. This was what they were giving me to keep me sedated.

I watched the Grand Vizier slam the door behind him. In that moment I was alone in the room.

I double checked for Feras’ presence, but he was not here. Sadly, it looked like I would have to wait before trying out giving an order. Not that I would’ve attempted it with the danger or falling asleep the next moment.

Before letting sleep claim me, there was something else I wanted to try.

「Allen: Hey… psst.」

I whispered out, turning my head left and right. Where was the damn fairy? Had it flown away already?

I felt a rustling within my shirt and something crawling upward. I thought I was being assailed by some demonic rodent, but the next moment I saw two black eyes peek from the neck hole of my rags.

We stared each other for a few seconds.

「Allen: Hi?」

I said in a low voice.

The small creature then sent a flurry of thoughts against me. Or rather wordless concepts.

Woah,slow down! I admonished. The chaotic mixture of fear, desperation, hope, and questioning was disrupting my efforts to resist the potion my stomach was digesting.

One thing at a time! First, what are you? I queried the fairy.

The fairy replied with an impression of similar smaller creatures dancing in the air, flying, freedom, droplets of water on a leaf, and a voice. Picksi. No, pixie.

So he was a pixie… another term intersecting with my world. But I had no time to wonder about that. It was confirmation enough that he was a spirit of nature.

How did you get here?

From what it showed me, I could tell it had been lured into a trap and captured. I caught a glimpse of a portal, the evil grinning face of the Vizier. A portal… interesting.

Can you find a way out?

Despair, helplessness, feeling lost, obstacle. No. Everything was obsidian, he had had to hide in my clothes to remain unnoticed while the Vizier had the room cleaned.

My eyelids were lowering despite my efforts. Outside the demon appeared engaged in an argument.

Stay close. I may have a way to get us out. I conveyed at the pixie.

Just as I was passing out it hit me with a flurry of question, doubt, hope.

All sensations faded away and the hammering of my heart became war drums.

I was once again lost in dream.

----------------------------------------

「AAAAaaaahh!」

A loud shriek jolted me awake. It was not mine.

I opened my eyes to get a bearing of the situation. My heart was beating with anticipation.

I was still in the lab. Positioned far off from anything of value. The Grand Vizier was in the far right corner, he was holding still a screaming red-skinned demon boy by gripping his shoulder, while harnessing some kind of glowing magical tool in front of him.

Another demon girl of similar age was weakly hitting the Vizier on his leg, to which he responded by shoving her to the floor and hissing a warning. The girl, who had the same complexion as the boy, sobbed while the adult continued his work.

I didn’t know what was going on. Was it bring your grandchildren at work day? I had no clue.

My restraints had been improved. My only weapon was my voice, and fortunately I still had my tongue, which was not restricted.

The drug had wore off earlier because I hadn’t gotten a full dose. To my luck the vizier had been busy.

Feras, you there? I asked mentally. No answer.

Great.

Pixie, you there? I got a weak sensation of hopelessness in return and realzied he was still cradled inside my shirt, pressed against my skin..

The demon boy stopped screaming and went limp. The Grand Vizier lowered him to the bench he was sitting on, then stood up and walked toward the girl, who shied back. He had still the tool in his right hand and seemed about to do the same to the little demon girl.

The feeling I got was that something very wrong had been done to the demon boy.

Was this the right moment to try out if I could boss around the Grand Vizier?

Perhaps it was wiser to wait until we were alone.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

No.

I felt my heckles rise up. This was it. This was the moment to act. I took a slow shuddering breath.

The little girl had backed up until she hit the wall, all the while pleading in Demon tongue. I felt I had to do something.

Even if it was a demon, I still didn’t feel good about child abuse. Children are the future... and stuff.

Against my better judgement, I spoke out.

「Allen: Stop!」

The Vizier cast a quick glance at me, but otherwise ignored me.

Of course it wouldn’t be so easy! But wait… I knew it was a curse. I knew little about them, but I remembered I could feel it squirming over my spiritual body.

I couldn’t access magic, but I could feel my spirit body. I had practiced extensively in that particular area.

By some vague instinct, I tried touching that squirming thing. It was slimy and twitchy, it really didn’t want to be in me. I couldn't get a grasp on it.

In a moment of inspiration I recalled how the Bodystealer had assaulted me, the feeling of spiky tendrils, and I attempted to do the same to the curse. I was not sure if that made any difference, but I managed to hold my grip onto it. Then I spoke again.

「Allen: I order you to stop!」

This time the demon stopped. My heart beat louder in my chest. Holy shit, did it actually fucking work?!

My grip on the curse slipped, and I felt a sudden wave of pain, almost debilitating to the paint of passing out. It was gone the next moment. I was still conscious.

I hated how, despite my battle rager trait, and my extreme mental fortitude, spiritual pain was making me pass out, for some reason.

The Grand Vizier slowly turned toward me, his expression hard. He was probably wondering if I knew what I had just done, or if it was a fluke, and considering the options to shut me up permanently.

It was time to spin the bullshit I had prepared.

「Allen: Yes, ExFeras told me the trick to the Demon Lord’s Mantle.」

I lied with a face full of unwarranted confidence. I still had no idea how Violet could know before me, but I’d make use of anything I had.

「Allen: As you can expect, I would not know how to do so if I hadn’t submitted.」

The Vizier stared at me with wariness and suspicion, the demon girl forgotten. Her stare dancing between me and the Vizier.

「Vizier: The Great One did not warn me…」

He hissed.

「Allen: The Great ExFeras is busy elsewhere. He wants you to bring me to him.」

Appeal to higher authority.

I had rehearsed in the void. I knew there were portals, and I knew the pixie had been carried through one. This was a gamble—a big one—to trick him into gating me elsewhere without demons.

Portals close to human were likely guarded, asking about them would have been suspicious, but what about an unrelated party, the Fae? Less suspicious, and more confusing.

Confusion is good, nobody can think straight when faced with confusion. Add hastiness to the mix…

「Vizier: Bring you where?」

Great! The Grand Vizier didn’t know where Feras was either. Maybe this is actually gonna work.

I kept my thoughts and emotions under tight leash. I didn’t want to risk him getting wind of my deceit by reading my surface thoughts or some shit like that. Being fucking paranoid pays out sometimes, and my programmer's job taught me to expect everything going to shit, always.

「Allen: To the portal closest to the Fae. Now. Just you and me.」

The Vizier raised his eyebrows.

「Vizier: Why there?」

Because you gotta have caught that fairy somewhere, and I expect it to be the least guarded portal. Not to mention, the least suspicious request to get away from this damn place!

「Allen: He didn’t tell me. I was just ordered to tell you, and to compel you if you make him wait.」

The Demon hissed dangerously.

「Vizier: I’m in the middle of something here.」

The two demon kids were an unforeseen variable. I hate unforeseen variables, but I have a soft spot for kids.

I noted that the demon boy was still unconscious. Maybe it was too late for him, whatever the Vizier had done to him.

「Allen: Aren’t you eager to get this curse off me?」

I leveraged his dark desires. I could see in his eyes he wanted this damn curse for himself.

「Vizier: They are under my charge.」

「Allen: Will the boy wake up soon? Maybe you can just bring the girl along so she doesn’t wreak your room, no?」

He cast a glance to the little demon girl, which was cowering hopelessly. I told myself I would at least try to prevent her from suffering from the same fate. Whatever that was.

「Allen: Or dunno... We could just wait and see what the Great ExFeras has to say about us being late. What could go wrong? Surely he won’t ask someone else to remove this curs-」

「Vizier: Shut up!」

He growled, but then set to action. He grabbed and wore an overcoat in which he hid the magical tool he had been using on the demon boy, hissed a warning to the girl, and finally approached me with the set of keys to undo my bindings.

I remained as calm as possible while the chains dropped. The demon stepped back, scowling at me the whole time.

I helped myself up with difficulty. My limbs hadn’t moved in god knows how long.

「Allen: My rings?」

I asked. The Grand Vizier narrowed his eyes.

「Vizier: What do you need them for? I scrubbed your communication ring the moment I found it. The other had peculiar spellwork but no real offensive or defensive capability.」

I had expected he would destroy the comm ring, but I bet the All-ring had piqued his curiosity enough not to warrant scrubbing all the magic off.

No way he had found the time to understand the magical engineering secrets within it. I had to retrieve it at all costs before there was a chance it happened.

「Allen: I don’t care if you scrubbed them of magic. They are still valuables and I refuse to leave without them.」

The Vizier hissed with aggravation, but he moved to fetch the rings and slapped them on my open palm..

「Vizier: Here are your damn rings! Now let’s go.」

I put them on my fingers. I couldn’t activate the All-ring, be it whatever was blocking my magic or the Vizier damaging it.

He grabbed me and the girl, pushing us where he could watch us.

「Vizier: Stay there, I will open the portal.」

The demon began chanting in a low sibilant voice and weaving his hands. A portal shaped in the air before him.

I masked my excitement by thinking about bugfixing and corporate meetings.

The Grand Vizier went to grab the demon girl, who ignored his warning and rushed at the exit door, only to find it locked. I remained still and impassive. Waiting.

Can you do one thing for me once we cross over? I addressed the pixie who was holding onto my side inside my shirt.

The pixie sent a questioning feel.

Once I give the signal… I imagined little pixies attacking the Vizier eyes, spraying pixie dust. I had no idea of an actual pixie's capabilities. I only had the novels I read to go on.

The pixie returned a mental nod. He had agreed!

Perhaps fear of the Vizier would discourage him from bolting off immediately. This demon appeared magically strong. I had to assume he was stronger tha Violet. A scary thought.

What I planned to do was probably suicide.

The girl tried to resist at first, but then after some hisses and other exchanges I couldn’t decipher, she just resigned herself to be dragged along.

The Grand Vizier shot me a look.

「Vizier: Don’t leave my side.」

As we started moving I hastened my steps just enough that I would leave first through the portal. I immediately began turning as I crossed, feeling the tingly sensation of passing through a portal, and faced the demon as if I were inviting him to hurry up.

I was sure the Vizier was extra wary, watching for my littlest misstep.

He pushed the girl through first. I grabbed her arm, so he would think I was cooperating and he could feel more in control with both hands free.

Be ready, I thought at the small fairy. He conveyed anticipation.

Now was the time.

The Grand Vizier was between me and the open portal, the little demon girl was on my right, sobbing and whimpering.

Before he could realize Feras was not here, I focused again on the alien thing twisting across my spiritual body to issue an order.

「Allen: Close the portal.」

I ordered. His face twisted in outrage.

「Vizier: But-」

I had imagined many possible orders to issue, like “keep your mouth shut and go eat shit” or “kill yourself”, but I wasn’t keen on testing just how far it was possible to push him around with the Mantle.

I expected there would be limits to causing self harm, or that I would not be strong enough to make them stick.

Closing the portal was probably an annoyance, as he would lose a convenient quick way back, but not something to actively fight against.

I inclined my head to the side and yelled out loud.

「Allen: We have come!」

It was a ruse, of course. There was no one expecting us here. As anticipated, the wave of pain coursed through me.

I focused my whole being into not passing out. I almost lost my footing.

Pleased by my suffering, the Vizier made a dismissing wave toward the portal.

Now! I thought at the pixie.

The next moment felt like an eternity.