The smell of pizza wafts through the room, and my stomach growls loudly, betraying me. Elene perks up at the sound, turning her big, innocent puppy eyes on me.

“Can I get a piece?” she asks sweetly, clasping her hands together like she’s praying to the pizza gods.

“No.” I cross my arms, holding firm. Those puppy eyes aren’t going to work this time.

“But it’s going to get cold!” she whines.

“We’re waiting for Maria.”

“Maria, Maria, Maria. You only ever think about her,” she pouts, though there’s a slight edge to her voice that I choose to ignore.

“Fine, get a piece.” It’s not worth the headache to argue with her dummy-sized brain tonight. Plus, I’m starving too.

Elene snatches a slice and tears into it like it’s the only food left on Earth. Strings of melted cheese stretch from her chin as she stuffs her face without a care.

“Clean up. You’re making a mess,” I say, handing her a napkin.

She brushes it aside like I’ve interrupted some sacred pizza ritual. Before I can press the issue, a knock at the door catches my attention. My heart leaps. Could it be Maria?

I rush to the door and throw it open, only to freeze. A man stands there, tall and smug, with a grin that doesn’t belong on the face of someone knocking on a stranger’s door.

His appearance is peculiar, almost out of place, like a relic from another time. His clothes scream sophistication, yet there’s something about him that feels calculated, as though every detail is meant to leave an impression. If I had to compare, he looks like one of those old photographs of self-proclaimed dandy gentlemen, the ones who took pride in their elaborate style.

He’s wearing polished leather shoes that reflect the dim light of the hallway, perfectly tailored dark pants, and a sleek, dark coat that fits him like it was made just for him. Beneath the coat, a crisp, white shirt clings tightly to his frame, accentuating his sharp features. A neat bow tie completes the ensemble, an anachronistic touch that makes him feel even more out of place in this modern setting.

His posture is impeccable, his movements smooth, and his confidence radiates like an aura. He looks every bit the picture of a man who thrives on attention, yet there’s something about him that unsettles me—something I can’t quite put into words.

“Hello, ladies. I’m Asaul,” he says smoothly, tipping an imaginary hat.

I blink, caught off guard. “Isn’t it a little late to be selling garbage to the neighbors, sir?”

He laughs, a low, unbothered chuckle. “Oh no, no. I’m not here to sell anything. I’m here to talk about Maria.”

Maria? How does he know her? Is he her boyfriend or something?

“Are you Maria’s boyfriend?” I blurt out before I can stop myself.

His grin twists into something sharper, darker. “I don’t have bad taste.”

Elene slams her pizza down and stands, fire blazing in her eyes. “Do we have a problem here?”

“No, Elene,” I say quickly, raising a hand to stop her. “Sit back down. I’ve got this.”

She huffs but listens, sitting back down with a glare that could kill. I step outside and shut the door behind me.

“So, how do you know Maria?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady despite the unease creeping in.

The easy charm evaporates from his face. His expression darkens, and his smile turns cold. “Maria is… in Italy, Fiumicino now.”

I stare at him, dumbfounded. That makes zero sense. Maria couldn’t have flown to Italy in the last few hours. Something isn’t adding up.

There is only one logical explanation for this. I never thought I would say something like this in my life. I hope It doesn’t sound cringe.

“You’re a demon, aren’t you?” The words spill out of me. It is weird, now I sound like the crazy one somehow.

He starts laughing slowly like he is feeling pain. He looks me straight in the eyes.

Without me even responding, he grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

“What makes you think I am a demon?”

“I do not think a sane human would respond like that” I say it while I try gently to get rid of the awkward handshake.

Is like he is following me in the game, that makes me think he is a demon. Or perhaps I am the one whose brain has started to have screw loose by being with demonic entities all the time.

“And you are so normal now, aren't you?” He smirks

“Huh?”

My breath caught as his surroundings darkened.

Before I can react, the door gets ripped in half, the high top side flys out.

“Elene!” I shout. But she is already on the move, tackling Asaul with enough force to shake the building and take him off from the second floor to the ground.

The two of them crashed through the floor with an ear-splitting boom.

“What…” My words die in my throat as I look at the wreckage. All I can think about is how much it is going to cost to fix that door. My deposit is doom.

From the floor below, I hear laughter, guttural and mocking, as if the impact didn’t faze him at all.

“This new avatar update is amazing—I can’t feel a thing!” Asaul’s voice rings out, his tone as cocky as ever.

Elene, still pinning him to the ground, looks absolutely livid. Her fiery eyes narrow as she growls, “What’s your rank?”

Asaul sneers, glancing at her. “What’s it to you, little succubus? Think you can handle me?”

Before I fully grasp what’s happening, an eerie sensation creeps up my arm. My hand starts twisting—slowly, unnaturally, like an invisible force is bending it against my will.

“What the—?!” Panic surges in my chest as I try to resist, but it’s futile.

Elene’s eyes dart to me, anger flashing across her face as she turns her face back to Asaul and look him straight to his eyes. “Stop it! Now!”

“Oh, what’s wrong, succubus?” Asaul grins like a predator. “Your pathetic little tricks not working on me?”

She raises her hand to strike. “I’ll make you regret that,” she hisses.

Meanwhile, my other arm starts twisting as well, and the pain—although slow and gentle—is unbearable.

Elene freezes, her expression softening for just a moment as she looks back at me. “Stop this!”

Elee grabs him from his coat and starts shaking him and pounding him into the ground, but Asaul does not flinch.

“Please, stop this” She says quietly, almost pleading.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

But Asaul’s grin only widens. “Please? You think I care about your please? Giving a weak human like her a chance to live? You’re pathetic. No wonder your brother finds you disgusting.”

The mention of her brother hits Elene like a whip, her expression momentarily faltering. Before she can demand an explanation, Asaul’s arm morphs into the shape of a lion’s paw, brimming with grotesque muscle and razor-sharp claws.

With a single swipe, he sends Elene flying. Skidding to a stop far beyond my line of sight.

My arms stop twisting, but the relief is brief. Asaul glances at me lazily, brushing nonexistent dust off of his clothes. “Yeah... if you bled out here, I’d probably have to deal with more paperwork. Lucky you.”

The noise of the commotion draws attention, as doors creak open and neighbors begin peering out.

In a heartbeat, Asaul’s body shimmers, a radiant cascade of iridescent light rippling over his form. The transformation is hypnotic, every detail shifting with a strange, fluid grace. His tall and commanding stature begins to shrink, his broad, angular frame narrowing as though being molded by invisible hands.

His dark hair lengthens, strands spilling down in soft, glossy waves until it reaches his shoulders. The color shifts too, to a light purple type of color, the strands gleaming with an uncanny vibrancy. His strong jawline softens, the sharp contours melting away to form delicate, rounded cheeks. His nose slims, lips plumping slightly.

His chest swells, curving outward in a way that makes my stomach twist uncomfortably. His waist cinches in, hips widening with exaggerated femininity that accentuates the new form. Even his hands transform, the fingers becoming slender and graceful, nails taking on a polished appearance. Even the clothes he has transforms to a feminine big coat as the only piece of cloth he has. Barely covering all these new features of him, but now her.

After the transformation ends I have a feeling that I know her but before I can figure out, her expression twists into one of feigned terror, and she collapses to her knees, trembling as if she’s been wronged.

“Help!” she cries, her voice wavering. “He tried to take advantage of me!”

The neighbors’ wide eyes turn to me, their faces contorting with judgment.

“You should be ashamed!” one mutters, disgust dripping from their voice.

Phones come out, and someone is already calling the cops.

I take a step forward, trying to explain. “Wait, listen to me! That’s not—”

Before I can finish, someone tackles me from behind, forcing me to the ground.

“Ah!” I gasp. My voice sounds strange, deeper—too deep. Panic bubbles up as I glance toward my apartment, desperate to prove my innocence. But to my horror, the door is completely fixed, as if nothing ever happened.

Silence grips me as I lay on the floor, surrounded by murmurs of contempt from the crowd. No one is going to believe me.

Minutes later, the police arrive, cuffing me and dragging me to their car. I barely resist, too stunned to fight back.

As we drive off, I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the car window. My body feels the same, but my face... it’s different. Masculine.

If this world has demons, succubi, and who knows what else, then Asaul must’ve used some twisted magic to fool everyone.

Through the car window, I catch sight of him—her, now—standing amidst the concerned neighbors, her face a perfect mask of innocence.

Asaul’s lips curl into a sly smile, and I know then: this isn’t over.

The clang of the cell door echoes as it locks behind me. The officer barely spares me a glance before tossing over his shoulder, “Wait here. Someone will be back to take your fingerprints and handle the next steps.”

I sit down on the cold bench, crossing my arms and staring at the cracked tiles on the floor. This night couldn’t get any worse. Could it?

I feel the weight of this problem making me weightless.

“Who am I kidding? I’m hungry. I wanted more pizza.” I slump back against the wall, but the thought of cheese and pepperoni taunts me.

“Does his spell have an unlimited range?” I murmur to myself.

Out of nowhere, a sudden, disorienting pull jerks me forward. I barely have time to register what’s happening before I’m dragged straight through the cell bars like a ghost. The cold night air slaps my face as I tumble onto the pavement.

“You okay?” a familiar voice asks.

“Elene, You are okay!” I scramble to my feet, brushing off invisible dust. Relief washes over me as I see her, standing there with her usual smirk. “How did you know it was me?”

Elen nods but I can feel she is feeling some pain. It might be that the damage she received is painful since it was unexpected for her.

Elen dangles a small talisman in her hand and also handles my phone as well.

“The talisman, remember? I had to find it back at the apartment.”

“But,” I stammer, glancing down at my illusionary masculine form. “I mean... you didn’t doubt it was me? I’m a man now.”

Elene’s grin fades as she gives me a scrutinizing look, her brow furrowing like she’s solving a difficult puzzle. I don’t like the way she’s staring. Then, without warning, she reaches toward my chest.

“Hey!” I slap her hand away, my face heating up. “What are you doing?!”

“Relax,” she says, rolling her eyes. “I was checking something.”

“What could you possibly be checking?”

She shrugs. “You’re still a woman underneath. If you were really a man, my eyes would have an effect on you. So it must be a kind of illusion” Her matter-of-fact tone doesn’t help my rising embarrassment.

I rub my temples. “ Let's just focus, okay?. How do we stop this illusion?”

Elene taps her chin, looking far too casual for someone who just saved me. “Honestly? I don’t know.”

“Great,” I mumble. “Just great.”

She folds her arms, leaning closer. “So, what’s the plan now?”

“ We can’t stay here, they are looking for me. Well the male me. So we should search for Asaul”

I take a deep breath, trying to focus despite my swirling thoughts. I remember why this began, Asaul used maria as some kind of decoy that led me to this problem.

“We need to find Maria. She could be in danger.”

Elene arches a brow, clearly unimpressed. “Seriously? You’re in the middle of your own identity crisis, and you’re thinking about Maria?”

“It’s not like I want to!” I snap, then soften my tone. “But if I’m this scared, she must be terrified. At least I have you, but Maria... she’s alone right now far away. We can’t just leave her alone in Italy”

“And what if he is lying, maybe Maria is right now in your apartment”

“ Right.. You have a point. “ I started calling Maria. The phone is answered right away

“ Hello,hello” A mocking tone of a female voice going through the speakers.

“ Who are you”

“I think you know. You thought Maria was saved didn't you? That I was inventing the whole story up, let me tell you this isn't the case.

I hung up the phone knowing the situation was clear enough.

Elene sighs, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Fine. Where are we headed, then?”

I rack my brain, replaying Asaul’s earlier words. “He mentioned Fiumicino. But if the police are after me, they’ll stop us at the airport.”

“Then we’re flying,”

“Wait, flying?!”

“Yeah, flying. You’re lucky you’ve got a succubus for a friend,” she teases. “Now, come on.”

Before I can argue, Elene hoists me into her arms like I’m a sack of potatoes.

“Do you have to carry me like this?” I grumble, heat rushing to my cheeks.The wind rushes past as we take off, soaring above the city lights. Below us, the world blurs into a mosaic of glowing streets and rooftops. Despite the situation, I can’t help but marvel at the view.

“Hey, Elene?” I ask after a moment of soaring through the air in the ethereal form.

“Yeah?”

“Do you even know where Italy is?”

Her silence answers the question better than words ever could.

She stops at the top of a building.

“Hmmm… I have an idea,” she finally says.

Elene, with an idea. Every time I think I’ve seen it all, she pulls out something new to surprise me.

From one of her jacket pockets, she pulls out a tiny coin purse—a dainty, old-fashioned thing with a floral pattern that looks like it belongs to someone’s grandma. Slowly, she unzips it, revealing its mysterious contents.

“What is that?” I ask warily, watching her fingers dig into the purse.

With a smug grin, she pulls out a single strand of yellow hair.

“We’re going to use Maria’s hair to locate her,” she declares with the confidence of someone solving a world crisis.

“How—? Wait. Maria’s hair?” My voice rises in disbelief. “Why do you even have her hair?”

Elene smirks. “Oh, Elysia, don’t act so surprised. I’ve got at least one strand of hair from everyone, just in case you know. You, Lord Azazel, even your boss.”

The casual way she says it sends a shiver down my spine. Part of me wants to interrogate her further—like how in the name of all things holy she managed to pluck these hairs without anyone noticing—but another part of me isn’t ready for the bizarre explanation I know is coming. I decide to pick my battles.

Elene reaches into her other pocket and retrieves the talisman she’d used earlier. It glows faintly in the moonlight. Holding Maria’s hair against the talisman, she lets it hover as the amulet starts humming and glowing brighter, scanning the hair like some kind of magical GPS.

“And now,” she says triumphantly, “we use the talisman to detect Maria's presence when we get closer to her, this baby will sound louder also while following the GPS to Fiumicino. With a bit of luck, we’ll find her before she ends up in worse trouble.”

She stands there, chest puffed out like she just solved an unsolvable puzzle. To be honest, it’s not a bad plan. If Maria’s in a small town, a magical tracker might be just what we need. I can only hope this wild scheme pays off.

I exhale deeply, sending a silent prayer into the night air. “I hope Maria’s safe.”

Elene looks at me and smirks again. “Don’t worry. With me on the case, how could she not be?”

I roll my eyes but can’t help a small smile. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go, Elene.”

“Hold on tight, Elysia,” she says, gripping me a little tighter before shooting into the dark sky.

And Just like that next destination, Italy.