Chapter Text
Flame landed outside the massive black castle, the sun behind the spikes. His armour was tainted and dirty, the diamonds on his trims covered in red.
He scoffed, his demon tail thrashing in annoyance. He opened the big crimson doors, walking through the main room and up the stairs. He pulled off his armour, placing it carefully on an armour stand.
Ashen barked, greeting him back to the base, his tail wagging. Flame cracked a small smile, bending down to pet his soft pelt and scratch behind his ears before focusing back on his armour stand.
He was a diamond trim. It was somewhat recent, maybe a week or two but he was enjoying what he was doing. He had a place to himself, and the trims made his pride grow.
He didn't like cool colours very much, but he loved knowing he was the highest possible role he could get to in the Mafia, just under Ash. He never once spoke, never once lost his invisibility. He rose through the ranks rather quickly, and Ash trusted him with the more dangerous missions to accomplish.
He came back to the armour stand, his dreads swinging lightly as he moved to clean the red off of it with a cloth.
He took a lot of pride in his armour. It made him feel like someone, someone to be recognized. To be feared. He was strong, and those diamond trims screamed it to everyone else around him.
Honestly, if he could, he wouldn't wear invisibility. He wanted to be seen, wanted people to know he was there. His name would grow that way, but Ash made sure what would happen to people who reveal themselves. He watched them as he rose from copper to iron to gold, people disappearing into thin air or being killed in front of a squad as a reminder.
“You. You are to NEVER reveal yourselves you hear me?! THIS! This is a reminder, you will not leave without your life.” Ash’s words echoed in his head as he finished, the diamonds shining brightly once again.
His veil loosely sat connected to his horns, covering his already blindfolded eyes. He examined his armour to make sure it was fully clean before slipping the chestplate back over his shoulders.
He stared at his right arm, now mostly metal as he scrunched his fist into a ball then opened it, fire licking up the partly fake arm. It didn't hurt, and quite frankly came in use when fighting.
It was now metal for the better anyways.
He put the fire away, staring into a mirror as he fixed his veil and drank another invis pot. He got used to the taste and the side effects of disorientation, fixing his light unbalance by cementing his feet.
He smiled under his veil.
A netherite sword on his hip, a pack of strength, speed and fire resistance. He didn't really need the resistance to the flames, since he was a demon, but it helped in the long run. He would still burn to multiple flame bow attacks or fire aspect on a blade if he wasn't careful.
He could live in some pretty hot conditions, preferably taking missions in the desert or a jungle. He has taken missions in snow, but it would take him a bit to recover his body heat.
He moved away from the mirror, walking back down the stairs. His armour clanked a familiar sound, one that filled the massive castle-esque base up in the sky.
He was alone.
He'd gotten used to it.
Flame has tried to make friends, at least when he first joined. The first week, he lost them all: either on a mission, trying to run away, or to Ash himself. Ash gave him a lesson, it was a mistake. Something he did wrong. The only thing he did wrong.
People leave. They leave, and they don't care. Not about him at least. Flame learned that the hard way. Not only here but when he was younger–
“Hey Scorch.”
Flame quickly turned, standing tall once the glitch’s appearance emerged from the doorway. Ashen quickly moved to Flame’s side, the dog’s hackles slightly raised as he stood in between Flame's legs. “How's it going! You seem to be making this place your home.” Ash looked around the main floor, most of the decoration exactly where he left it.
The other five diamond trims at least liked putting something in their bases. A picture, a relic, a family heirloom.
Flame didn't add anything. Other than Ashen of course.
The demon didn't speak, his normal horn and one dark glass horn glinting at the setting sun poking through his windows. “I knew you were one to be loyal to the cause.” Ash fixed his suit, walking around his base.
The ranks were given their means of talking: No trim and copper ranks using signs, iron and gold ranks using notepads and diamond ranks..
They got their communicators back.
Communicators weren't allowed in the Mafia. It was a means of communication, a way to contact the outside world. Talk to friends, family.
A revolution.
Mafia members weren't only required to throw a pearl, the comms were taken from them as well, at least until they or if they.. qbecame diamond ranks. Ash trusted them enough to not betray, since his ideals were already rooted in their brains. His plans, his perspective.
Flame understood the perspective.
Scorch: What missions are available?
Flame texted it to Ash, the Mafia Leader taking his comm out to read it. “Lots. Too many. We are running behind, and you've been given enough time to prepare. I'm giving you your own squad, after this mission I have for you.” Ash sent him a file, Flame swiping it upwards to float like a hologram just above his communicator.
“The Resistance in the Farlands. I need you to scope it out.” Ash put his hands behind his back, holding his comm in his hands. Flame rested his hand on his sword hilt, nodding.
He turned quickly towards the doorway before Ash cleared his throat. Flame stopped, Ashen running back up the stairs to the second floor. He turned towards the glitch, grabbing another invis pot from his pack.
“You've been doing a good job recently. I'm glad you're working with me.”
Flame’s pride grew the slightest bit as he opened the door, drinking another invis pot. He drank strength too, since the demon doesn't get much time to sleep. Even if he does, his invis will run out. So, he was to rely on strength potions and speed potions when staying awake.
Ash walked back towards the door, walking through it and giving Flame a look through his veil, through his blindfold and straight into his eyes. A dark look.
His rookie days were behind him. He wasn't fighting to escape, he wasn't trying to make friends or protect others.
He was just a soldier. Ready to do work.
He put on his elytra, locking the base doors and flew up before diving down, his eyes going over the different levels of the Mafia base. It was massive, the only thing you could see for miles and miles, enormous platforms holding up bases, houses, then the lowest level for the no trims.
He landed on the lowest level path, the invisible people walked away from Flame as he looked back up to see his base on one of the highest levels, the sun now covered by it.
Let's get this done quickly. No point in wasting time.
He flew up again into the skies, the air blowing his invisible dreads. He twirled in the air, smiling as he went up then back down. He was flying towards a mission, could he not enjoy a few tricks on the way?
As he flew, a noticed a small settlement but flew past it. Him being in the sky and being noticed by a villager was enough to warn them that the Mafia was near.
He launched another firework, a sound hitting his ears. He quickly changed his elytra to his chestplate, stopping mid flight, then put his elytra back on, diving towards the sound. It sounded annoyed, which intrigued him.
Maybe it was other Mafia members on a mission, or a new person to recruit. He landed in the trees, his back against the bark. He felt the branches sway beside him but he didn’t move. He heard the fast clashing of blades.
He listened first with demon’s heightened hearing. One was panting, heavy footsteps, much older than the other. The second felt more.. chaotic. Like he was untaught, just trying to survive. That made his footsteps lighter, and faster.
That could work. He could work with that.
Flame poked his veiled face out from the top of the tree, noticing the younger, and considerably smaller one, was a demon like himself. That gave Flame a second to watch. To see what he knew.
He noticed the demon hybrid used a lot more defensive tricks, and only went offensive when he knew he could land a blow. Though, he was getting tired, Flame could tell. His armour was chipped, and the older man had more stamina. More energy. More experience.
Flame saw himself in the smaller demon. When he was much younger, he had no idea what he was doing, and would fight in a very familiar way. His tail thrashed as old memories came back but he shoved them away.
They weren’t important right now.
He sat down on a branch, his metal arm cold, attached near his elbow. He drank another invis pot, watching his vision swim then a strength. His adrenaline ruse came back as he sat, clearly in the open a few feet above the ground.
The older noticed him first, his eyes widening which gave the demon hybrid a chance to land a blow.
When the older didn't move for a second, he turned, seeing Flame in his netherite armour, a veil connected to his horns and the diamonds glimmering in the sun.
“Hello?” The demon demanded, swinging towards the older once again. This time, he focused back on his fight and staggered the demon hybrid back.
“Are you just going to sit there?!” The demon yelled, panic slipping into his voice as his sword clashed with the other he was fighting. Flame didn't answer, getting comfortable on the branch as his demon tail swished in interest.
The demon below scoffed, continuing to fight but Flame could tell there wasn't enough energy left in his tank.
Flame grumbled. Why was he having trouble sitting back? He's done this before, and watched the person he'd want to live die, but now he couldn't help the urge to step in. The demon hybrid had spirit, just like him.
Flame unsheathed his sword, jumping down from the tree. The older swung at his opponent’s forearm, a large gash appearing from the blade. Along with his other injuries, Flame stepped in.
The older one was no match for him. Flame was much more experienced and had a strength potion in his system. He made quick work of him, stabbing him through the heart with his sword then through his shoulder. He quickly fell, Flame’s patting his hands together to get the dust off.
His veil face turned to the younger demon, a surprised look on his face. He almost opened his mouth to talk, but snapped it back shut when Ash’s teachings surfaced in his ears.
So he stood there in the small clearing, his blade lowered and tainted with red. He stared at the younger one, his identity hidden and mute.
“Hello? Do you.. speak?” The demon hybrid tilted his head at Flame, waiting for a response.
Nothing.
He wasn't breaking his oath.
He slowly held his hand out for the young one, secretly hoping he would take it. He did, standing up and wobbling, but Flame didn't help him otherwise.
He had to learn to stand on his own.
“You are a great help.” The demon hybrid grunted in annoyance.
Flame swiftly moved his sword to the other's neck.