Into the World of Twisted Wonderland Pt 2

🐍 Schemer of the Scalding Sands: Chapter 30 🐍

"No offense, but I can't let you people stay in Scarabia any longer. It's time you went back under the sea."

"Pardon?" Azul asks. "Where did this come from, Jamil? Have I done something to offend you?"

"You really don't get it?" Jamil says sadly, eyes closed. "Does the sad look on my face mean nothing to you?"

"What...?" Azul asks in confusion, looking at his face.

Jamil smirks and open his eyes. "...You made eye contact with me. Fool." Something starts to wave over Azul. "The one you behold is your master. When I ask you a question, you will answer. When I give you a command, you will assent. Snake Charmer."

"What?!" Azul exclaims, holding his head and wincing. "Gh...My head! Rgh..."

"The pain will last as long as you resist," Jamil states as he watches Azul struggling. "The sooner you give in and submit, the easier it will be for you. Go on, I'm waiting."

"Rrrgh...Urgh..." Azul grunts, trying to resist the spell, but after a while, stops.

Jamil watches Azul become still. "Azul, who is your master?" He asks calmly.

"My master is..." Azul strains and opens his eyes. "...You, O mighty Jamil. I await your command, Master," he bows.

"Heh..." Jamil chuckles. "Ha ha...Ha ha ha ha ha!" He laughs. "You thought I was a mediocre magician, but you were sorely mistaken- an embarrassing misjudgement for the housewarden of Octavinelle," he mocks. "But really..." He looks at Azul with a glare, waiting for his command. "Because of you, all my carefully laid plans have gone up in smoke. All I needed was a little more nudging from the Ramshackle visitors, and the students would have kicked Kalim out. It was my way of getting Kalim ejected from his position without getting my own hands dirty. And to make things better, Angel was a Purifier, which helped speed the process along since she couldn't suspect anything, which proved to be easier than expected. Do you have any idea how much painstaking effort I put into laying the groundwork for that?" He sighs. "First, you're going to take the twins and go home to the Coral Sea..." He pauses. "Wait, hold on. Azul. You returned all your contractually stolen powers back to their original owners recently, right?"

"Yes, Master," Azul responds.

"Tch," Jamil clicks his tongue. "So much for using you as my own personal genie of the Lamp," he mumbles. "Your signature spell is quite a valuable asset...but it would be hard to keep you controlled long-term."

"Sir," Aul speaks. "I remember the contents of the contracts."

Jamil looks at Azul. "What?"

"I remember all the secrets of the people I made contracts with. Their troubles. Their weaknesses. Their desires."

Jamil smirks at the information. "What a twisted collection," he states. "I can see I made the right call not making friends with you. Does this intellectual cache of yours include Headmage Dire Crowley's secrets?"

"Of course, Master," Azul responds. "I know one thing he would never want others to learn."

"Hah...Ha ha ha," Jamil laughs. "That's it. That's it! It's all going to work out! You really are my genie of the Lamp, Azul."

"Do you wish to know the headmage's secret?" Azul asks.

"Oh, absolutely," Jamil says with a smile. "Once I have the headmage's weakness in my grasp, I'll finally be free. I'll kick Kalim out of school and become housewarden myself!" He announces.

Footsteps approach the two. "And there we have it," Jade says.