Chapter 93 - Reunion with Diablo

How could he have forgotten that face?

Leonardo could barely move, he felt so terrified. It was as if he could see the blood splattered all over the floor and the abuser's mutilated body falling lifeless in front of him. Chaos and dread surrounded him that night, and all that creature knew how to do was laugh like he was watching a comedy play.

He was completely delighted.

— You've come sooner than I expected — Diablo commented, inclining his head towards Aslan — Why, has our magician's little toy finally come to meet me?

Aslan took a few steps back, grabbing Leonardo's arm.

— So it's you...

Diablo completely ignored Aslan's presence, and promptly cracked a smile when he saw Benjin. The puppet seemed to completely despise the presence of that hideous creature, showing no fear whatsoever.

— Benjin, it's been a long time! To think you'd take your human into your own hands. That lesson really was effective.

Lesson?

Leonardo arched an eyebrow at Benjin, who for the first time didn't have his docile expression. Oh, so he was angry too? And what on earth was Diablo talking about?

— I only came to accompany my young master. We don't intend to stay here too long.

— Really?

— Where's Gustavo?

When the red eyes focussed on Leonardo, he hesitated. It was too frightening. Now that they were face to face, the boy realised how small he was in front of a non-human creature.

— Of course. He's very well. I'm not a bad host, you know.

— Take me to him now.

With a peek, Leonardo remembered that the man in front of him was a demon. Not that he had forgotten, but the idea was too vague. Associating him with the attractions he lived with was a mistake. Diablo was showing his massacring, terrible presence.

Leonardo wanted to run.

He had to find a way to survive.

Urgently!

And it wasn't just Leonardo who felt intimidated by the demonic presence. Benjin and Aslan couldn't move either.

— You know, I'm in charge here. Since I'm the one who created this world to make the beloved Dreamland exist — Diablo approached Leonardo, gently touching a lock of his hair — Even though there's an annoying brat trying to steal my home away from me.

Raising his head, which was quite an effort, Leonardo was sweating just looking at Diablo. Even though he was shaking, he gave a sly smile.

— Your home? Can a place like this be called home?

— Don't judge someone else's home, Evilian boy. Do you think your beloved mansion is the only one that harbours those who don't have a family?

He knew well what was going on in the mansion, Leonardo realised. He certainly knew about Giovani and Aslan, the only humans living in the mansion that Diablo had never met before.

As he thought, he was right to keep the detective away. He should have stopped Aslan too.

— So you're telling me that this decrepit place is home to people who don't have families?

Diablo laughed, turning away from Leonardo. Approaching a tall tree, he stared up at it with a certain familiarity. How could he have such a calm expression?

Leonardo was terrified when he realised that another person was dead on the branch. Almost hidden by the foliage, an unfamiliar face that seemed to be sleeping in a fairytale.

— What the hell...

— All those who have a broken home, those who wish to escape from their families are welcome in the Mirror World. At least here they can dream forever without ever knowing sadness.

Dream forever? What was that bollocks?

Wait...

— Are you saying that you kidnapped the people who wanted to run away from home?

— Bingo!

— And where did you get the idea that Gustavo would be like them?

Again that creature laughed. He was writhing around laughing so hard, making Leonardo slightly irritated.

Would it be all right if Leonardo punched him in the face?

Just once?

— Well, not that it matters now. How about we get down to business?

An icy wind blew through that dreadful world. Leonardo closed his eyes instinctively, and when he opened them, he was startled to see Diablo's hand just a few centimetres from his eyes.

He narrowly avoided touching him as Benjin held his wrist.

— Please don't touch my young master.

— Your young master? Or your lover?

Smiling proudly, Benjin squeezed the creature's wrist.

— Certainly both. Since our relationship has been made official, as you know.

The creature grimaced in disgust. The glowing ring on Benjin's finger was proof that their relationship had indeed been sealed. Although Leonardo was surprised that Diablo pretended not to know about it, since Giovani said he had seen him at the inauguration of the square.

— You've always been annoying, Benjin.

The trapeze artist tried to seize the chance to land a blow on Diablo, but the creature managed to dodge and move a few steps away from Leonardo.

— How about you just do as the young master says? I want to get out of here as soon as possible.

— Hahaha — Diablo laughed, appearing in front of Benjin in the blink of an eye — You're a very abused puppet.

Pushing Benjin's head, the demon knocked out the trapeze artist, pinning him to the ground.

— Benjin!

With the same agility, Diablo came up behind Aslan and struck him in the back of the head, knocking him out. Leonardo barely had time to realise what had happened, Benjin and Aslan were already lying on the ground.

With only Leonardo and Diablo left, it was clear how weak he was. Not even the certainty that he couldn't be touched thanks to the contract.

Certainty that he would die.

Certain!

— Now that I've got rid of the nuisance, can we get down to business, Evilian boy?

Swallowing dryly, all Leonardo's courage fled. It would be better to agree with what he says. Especially as he didn't know Gustavo's condition at first.

Satisfied with his visitor's caution, Diablo walked silently through the circus, finding the foremen's areas completely collapsed. Fearful of leaving the two behind, Leonardo bit his lip, not knowing what to do.

— Leave them — Diablo ordered over his shoulder — An annoying brat will probably look after them and won't let anything bad happen to them.

— And can I really trust you?

— Of course not! Haha, but I always honour my contracts.

Leonardo didn't want to leave them alone. He really didn't.

Damn.

Grunting, Leonardo turned his back on Benjin, promising himself that he would be right back. He would finish this as soon as possible to rescue them. If regret could kill, he would be dying for letting them follow him.

Diablo led him through the circus, following a route that Leonardo already knew. Reliving the path he had taken with his brother years ago increased his discomfort. Sweat dripped from his forehead and his heart beat painfully fast.

Before they left Dreamland, there was a huge secluded tent. It looked like the illusionist's tent he had visited earlier, but it was located differently.

As far as he could remember, Dreamland Circus didn't have a tent like that in that lot. One this big would be hard to miss.

Entering it, Leonardo was relieved to see Gustavo sleeping serenely on an upholstered seat.

— Gustavo!

— Shh! He's asleep, we don't want to wake him, do we?

He'd be scared if he was awake. Swallowing dryly, Leonardo stroked his forehead, feeling his head ache.

His friend didn't seem hurt, just asleep. He could see his chest moving, a sign that he was still breathing.

— What do you want to negotiate? You said you wanted to negotiate with me.

— I like straightforward people like you! — Diablo laughed, sitting down in an armchair and crossing his legs — You want your friend back, don't you?

— It's kind of obvious.

— Then give me Dreamland.

Leonardo wanted to laugh.

It was ridiculous. Although he'd already imagined that kind of approach. Benjin was right that Diablo would try to use Gustavo to get to Leonardo.

But he couldn't be swayed.

He had a great advantage.

Taking a deep breath, Leonardo crossed his arms and raised his head in an overbearing pose. He would no longer show Diablo how shaken he was. The more fear he showed, the worse it would be.

— You're very abusive to try to proposition me like that.

— Don't you care about your friend's life? How cold...

— A life for a legacy? That doesn't seem fair.

Squinting his eyes, Diablo thought for a moment and then raised his hand. A tremor spread throughout the strange world. He had to hold on to one of the poles supporting the tent to stop himself from falling.

— Now that my roots are in Dreamland arresting your precious clients, would you accept my offer, Evilian boy?

What the fuck was that?

Roots?

— What have you done?

— I was very patient in reminding you of my presence. In fact, wasn't I very helpful? — Diablo smiled, trying - unsuccessfully - to stifle his amused laughter — Some of your attractions need repairs, and I kindly warned you about them.

Wide-eyed, Leonardo remembered the vision he'd had in the haunted house. That huge hand projected onto the wall. Ray had said that he'd seen similar patterns on some other attractions, the same ones that broke when they were working.

That means... That at the lift of a finger, that demon would have broken more attractions, putting customers' lives at risk?

His clenched fist was shaking with rage. Leonardo had completely forgotten the fear he felt just by standing in front of the notorious Diablo.

— You son of a bitch!

— So, which answer are you going to give me? Dreamland or your beloved friend?