Chapter Six

The next day was the competition as it was the weekend. The whole crew went to RAD’s student council room where it was taking place. Asmo was the emcee, with Beel for commentary for some reason. He just ate the whole time. Diavolo was also here because he finds the whole thing very fun and amusing.

“Alright, the beautiful Asmo will be starting this off,” Asmo announced, “Drizzm, here’s your question. List the first three Lords in order of age.”

“Lord of Corruption, Lord of Fools, and Lord of Shadow.”

“That’s right! Wonderful! Levi, what is written on page 724 of Volume 3?”

Levi confidently recited it word for word then gloated, “See, Drizzm? You have no hope of beating me?”

“Yeah we’ll see,” I taunted, “I know things you wish you could know.”

“How could you know anything I don’t,” he glared at me.

“I know what happens in Volume 9.”

“Volume 9 isn’t even out yet! No one knows what happens!”

“Then you won’t mind if I say it right?”

He didn’t answer so I just started saying what Simeon told me. With every new piece of information he became more and more upset. He didn’t think that it would unfold the way I was saying. The online forums say so after all.

“This absolutely has to be a lie! Right, Diavolo?!” Why ask Diavolo?

“I can discern whether someone is lying or not,” he explained, as if he read my mind, “Drizzm, however, is telling the truth.”

Levi became irate, “You mean they know more?! After just one watching?! This is absurd! I can’t stand normies like you! Just die!”

While I expected him to explode in anger, I did not expect him to transform. There was just a blur as he launched himself to attack me. I went to dodge to the side out of instinct when Lucifer stepped in. He had 4 large, glossy, black, feathered wings, and a pair of spiral horns. It was a gorgeous form. The black in his feathers shined rainbow like oil slick.

Lucifer managed to get Levi to calm down, with him running off when Diavolo called our competition a tie. He approached me, still in his demon form, “Are you alright, Drizzm?”

“I’m fine, thanks,” I tried not to stare and check him out. He looked so good. God, I’m so gay.

“I think that’s enough excitement for one day. You’re all free to go,” he dismissed as he changed back. His human form was cute but his demon form was something else.

We all broke off to do our own things. I chose to go back to my room, followed by both Mammon and Beel. Unsure why Beel has started to hang out in here too, but whatever. They tend to keep each other distracted while I do other things and just chime in. My D.D.D. dinged when Levi texted me to meet him in the planetarium. I excused myself and went there.

“Hey, Levi,” I greeted, “I’m sorry for making you upset earlier.”

He blinked, surprised, “Oh. Thanks I guess. Um. I know Diavolo called it a draw but I think you deserve the win because of my behavior.”

“Really? I don’t mind it being a draw.”

“Just take it before I regret it.”

“Alright. Can I borrow the TSL cursed vinyl?”

He looked surprised again, “You don’t want a pact?”

Now I looked surprised, “What made you think that?”

“Mammon said that you wanted a pact if you win.”

“I wonder if that’s payback for tricking him into a pact? But no, that wasn’t what I wanted. If you would like a pact with me then I would be honored.”

“You want me to want it?”

“Of course. I know we tricked Mammon. But I’m not in the habit of tricking people or forcing them to do things against their will. I want us to form the pact as friends and TSL buddies.”

“You’re so nice,” he was tearing up, “Even after I tried to kill you and give you a free pass for a pact. You’re just like Henry! I definitely want a pact with someone like you now.”

I smiled and the same blue light came from me while an orange light came from Levi. They merged together into the blue crescent moon, with an orange four-pointed star nestled inside. It split in two and we each had a copy fade into our chests, completing the pact.

“I’ll also let you borrow the vinyl,” he reluctantly gave it to me, “Make sure you take good care of it! Don’t eat or drink around it! And you better not leave any fingerprints on it!”

“Thank you Levi! I’ll make sure to return it unharmed and pristine,” I carefully held it in my hands.

“You better! Now I’ve got anime and games to catch up on,” he waved as he left to his room.

Well, I had the goods. Time to distract Lucifer. I texted Mammon the success, including the pact he so graciously added. That’s sarcasm, I really do not care either way for these pacts. But I guess it means I’m less likely to get messed with and that’s good enough for now. I went to Lucifer’s room and knocked on his door. His muffled voice called me in.

“Hello, Drizzm,” he stood from his couch, “What can I do for you?”

“I actually have a gift for you,” I said, presenting the vinyl to his surprised form, “I heard you were after this TSL vinyl. So I borrowed it from Levi.”

“Why?”

“To apologize for my curiosity, both in the past, and preemptively for the future. I’m sure I’ll accidentally cause you headaches in the future.”

“That’s awfully aware of you,” he still took the vinyl with barely contained glee, “Besides, us demons can’t help but fall to our temptations. I shall be listening to this all night. Do you know the story of this vinyl?”

I shook my head, enjoying his excitement. He proceeded to tell me how it became cursed and that the curse killed all those who listen to it.

“Wait, then won’t you die?”

“I’m more powerful than the majority of curses so I have nothing to worry about. Now I’d like to start listening to this. So please go back to your room and don’t even think about going to the attic.”

He ushered me out of his room and I waited in mine until everyone was asleep. The sound of muffled music from Lucifer’s room accompanied me as I snuck my way up the spiral staircase. Finally up into the attic. At the top was a door with a barred window. A pale, tired man with short messy blue hair with some white streaks on his emo bang that covered his right eye came into view.

“You’ve finally managed to get past Lucifer,” he sounded relieved, “I need your help.”

“Who are you,” I reasonably asked.

“A human Lucifer has had locked up for who knows how long. I’ve been trying to get out but the door is magically sealed. Only the power of Lucifer and his six brothers can break it.”

“Why are you locked up?”

“I have no idea! He won’t tell me! Will you help me?”

“How do you know how to open the door?”

“Because it needed all of them to lock it.”

I knew that wasn’t true because Mammon was none-the-wiser about him. But something about this was still weird. I can always back out if I need to, “So how do I get them to open the door?”

“By forming pacts with them one-by-one.”

“Well, that may be a problem since the seventh-born isn’t here.”

“We’ll deal with that when we get there. Until then, I recommend forming a pact with either Mammon or Beelzebub first.”

And why would he have that opinion about the brothers? It’s almost as if he knows them more than he’s letting on. Either way, “I already have pacts with Mammon and Levi. So, next is Beel I suppose.” “You already have two pacts,” his shock was I think the most genuine emotion I’ve seen from him yet, “Impressive. You’ll have no problem with Beelzebub then.”

And why would he have that opinion about the brothers? It’s almost as if he knows them more than he’s letting on. Either way, “I already have pacts with Mammon and Levi. So, next is Beel I suppose.” “You already have two pacts,” his shock was I think the most genuine emotion I’ve seen from him yet, “Impressive. You’ll have no problem with Beelzebub then.”

“I understand. I hope you understand where I’m coming from as well. But I wish you luck either way. You’re my only hope of getting out of this attic.”

I nodded and left him as I snuck back to my room.