I Scored Myself A Mate

"Well you were locked up in that tower back there for three hundred years and the moment you were released you left. You shouldn't blame them, should you brother?" the man said. "Hello everyone. My name is Vines and I am Asmodeus' twin brother." He introduced himself.

"Shit, shit, shit Ea we need to run" The small elf heard his husband whisper in his ear while he pulled on his sleeve. 

"Shut up and play dumb. He won't create any problems in an official visit."

Mark recognized his voice, he had heard many sides of it, mostly the sadistic one that loved to torture him. He hadn't died so prettily back then. Coming back as a zombie paled in comparison to the things he had gone through, maybe that was one of the reasons why he had been so calm about that. Maybe once you visit hell everything seems less. 

Things though were different right now, his own Satan himself was standing right in front of him and he couldn't help but wither behind Asmodeus' tall figure. He was scared, no matter how much he wanted to convince himself that he would be fine he was too afraid to step forward and show that oh well, Vines had failed. He was alive and well, with his brother. 

"Brother you seem a bit grumpy." The demon said and after a while he noticed Mark. His eyes widened and his smile broadened the moment their eyes met. He looked insane, right from the start and he didn't care about hiding it. "Oh, I see. Well you seem to be alive. Did he tell you brother? About how I killed him?" he asked, his tone easygoing and Allias for the first time made a sound. He had gasped as he realized that the person in front of him was the murderer who had killed his best friend years ago. Vines noticed his reaction and shook his head. "Excuse me. You're not here for that are you? You have a trial soon and my beloved brother has to go through his own little…test with you, human. I have to say these chains brother don't look good on you." He commented and the other demon scoffed. 

"Petty doesn't look good on you brother but as it seems you don't care that much. Take us inside. Achlys is waiting for us." He said. Asmodeus did not wish to continue this conversation any longer. He just wanted to find some time and be alone with Mark so they could talk. He really had been wishing that his brother wouldn't be there. 

"Let's go then. I will show you to your rooms, Achlys will accept you tonight. You see, we have other guest coming too. Your trial is a very big event." The demon said as they walked through the last part of the city. Huge mansions were everywhere, with wide yards and very luxurious carriages were on the roads right next to them. The gap between the rich and the poor was so big in this city they didn't even care hiding it. 

"Who will be there?" Allias asked when they finally reached the palace. The doors opened on their own, revealing a very luxurious grand entrance. It was dark, with only some dim light from a few candles. A chandelier hanged above their heads, made from shining gold while their feet stepped on a very soft red carpet. The stairs that led to the many floors were made from black marble while in the walls the tapestry showed fights. Demons killing angels, taking over and burning cities. It was very disturbing to watch but at the same time the elf king noticed how well made they were. Art, in all of its cruelty and rawness, right in front of his eyes. 

"Well, the angel representative will be here, sadly. Then we have Dionysus and Suijin, I am sure you are familiar with them and he said he wanted to bring more of the pantheon here, the reason why, I do not know. Ah, there will also be a witch. We are expecting them." They went up a few floors, passing by narrow and dark corridors. The first that were led to their rooms were the elf king and the general. Allias and Theseus disappeared instantly into their bedroom not wanting to spend another moment with the crazy demon.

"I don't want us to be staying high up." Asmodeus commented as they walked. They had remained silent for a while, the mood was too heavy for any chit chat and Allias had only asked questions when he needed to know the answers, not really caring about etiquette or manners. Asmodeus did not blame him, Vines had that aura around him. One of certain hostility. 

"Why? I thought you would love to stay in your own room? Or the place you were confined too stuffy now? Does it scare you? Maybe it's because it will be harder to escape if you fail your test…"

"We will stay in his old room" Mark stated. It took so much strength to voice out this sentence. Just a few words and he already felt exhausted, as if that was the best he could do for now. Vines' eyes widened as he looked at him, his smile revealing his teeth. 

"Did I ask you?' the demon told him. 

"We will be staying there then. Also, I want to see my men later." He said. "My legions." 

"Well then I will have them notified. You know the way to your own room don't you?" he asked his brother. "Don't make me go this high up, it's out of my way" he said. Asmodeus was glad, he was finally getting rid of him. He grabbed Mark's hand and they went further up, leaving the demon alone with Ares and Ea. 

The two younger elves were stiff, following him the unknown man always in a safe distance. He didn't say anything nor tried to do something and after a few turns they had finally arrived to their room. Vines opened the door for them, holding it and Ea was the first one to step in. The moment the younger elf was fully inside the room he pulled it, closing it and he kept his hand on the handle. 

"What are you doing?" Ares asked him. 

"There is no way you have forgotten me" The demon said with a grin. 

"Yeah, it's impossible to forget such a psycho."

"You ran away from me Ares." He told him. He released the door handle but the door remained closed. All Ares could hear was the knocking as Ea tried to be let out. The demon approached him and he took steps back. One for one until he reached the edge of the stairs. 

"I did, didn't I? There must be a reason for that" he told him and Vines laughed. 

"Probably. But look, I am sure this is fate."

"No fate, just here on an official meeting. Also I am married now. Happily so. That's why you need to let me go." He said and smiled awkwardly. He knew Vines. He had spent time with him and for a while he had though he was happy. Deluding himself, running away from his responsibilities the demon did everything he had asked, showed him a life of lust and luxury and made him believe he could live like that forever as long as he remained with him. Had he loved him? He never knew, he never even thought about it. Sometimes he missed his easygoing attitude, the full acceptance of himself. Sometimes until he managed to be with Ea, he had him now and he would never let him go, Vines was simply a part of his past. One filled with horrors and excitement. A reminder of all the things he didn't want to be again. 

"Married? You?" Vines asked him and he laughed hysterically. "With that thing?"

"Don't call him a thing. He is my husband." He told him while looking at him with an angry stare. 

"Well, I wonder for how long. I missed you, I have always been thinking of you and our…adventures." He said and caressed his cheek. Ares shivered. 

"What do you mean with that?"

"What? The fact that I missed you? Isn't it perfectly normal to miss of an old lover you didn't want to let go of?"

"Not that Vines. You said for how long. Don't do anything, if you do I swear that…"

"Did I say that? Poor me, I must be getting old. Forgive me. Now, rest, while it's possible." He told him.