Grimoire 3: The Wise Man Devil Part 1

Chapter cover art: Solomon lounging on a white chaise naked with nothing covering him but a thin black silk. One of his demons is handing him a chalice full of a bubbling liquid and he is staring facing the reader with his tongue hanging out, holding a bundle of grapes in his free hand, his long blond hair falling around his shoulders.

Floating Caption: Grimoire Tokyo, Lil Victim Apartment Complex.

Panels: A little girl is watching a television show, the old TV flickers and comes into grainy focus, a song playing.

Mr. Mystery: 🎶 Oh boys and girls let's give a cheer for Mr. MYSTERY is here! 🎶 

Panels: The girl was watching intensely, smiling, to the girl the mascot on the television, a hand in a slick white glove attached to a pinstripe suit adorned arm, waved and danced his fingers around. But when her older sister looked at the tv, it was nothing but static. 

Girl 4: Miri, I kept changing the channel, don't you wanna watch something else? Like Super Action Pony Empire? It's your favorite…This is just static…

Mr. Mystery: 🎶 You can't run, nor can you hide, once you let Mr. MYSTERY inside! A happy fate, a joyous hip hurray, we all know that you can't wait to become Mr. MYSTERY's creme brulee! 🎶 

Mr. MYSTERY: 🎶 Suey, suey, suicide! Here to eye you everyday! Don't let your skies turn grey! 🎶 

Panels:The little girl clapped and giggled as her sister stared in annoyance.

Mr MYSTERY: Grab your favorite skipping rope, jump your life away! Off the kitchen counter? YES! Hurry up! Let's play! 🎶 

Girl 4:Miri come on already turn the TV off.

 Mr. MYSTERY: 🎶 To all you good boys and girls! Give it a try! Suey. Suey. Suicide! Don't be afraid! I'll be your guide! 🎶 

Panels: The little girl turned and shooshed her harshly, frowning.

Miri: Shhhh! This is the best part!

Mr. MYSTERY: 🎶 Make sure that you clutch that phone, to let Mr. Mystery crawl into your home! Go on do it, without delay! It'd be so FUN to die today! 🎶 

Panels: The sister gives up and shakes her head, as she leaves the room, Mr. MYSTERY's arms slowly come out of the tv. The girl starts giggling even more. A finger tickles her chin playfully another pats her head.

Panels: The apartment lobby is seen with two God Priests headed up the elevator. 

Panels: The girl gets up, though it's difficult as she is severely disfigured. She looks around before spotting her jump rope under the kitchen table, her face perking up. 

Panels: The phone is handed to her by someone off screen. 

Miri: Thanks!

Panels: She grins happily, insanely, as she puts it to her ear after grabbing the rope. The hands of Mr mystery are right behind her, hovering, waiting. The door bursts open right as…

Miri: FUN!! (She screams this, wild eyed, rope around her neck, jumping just off screen from the kitchen counter)

Panels: The God Priests burst in to find her hanging from the kitchen ceiling. One of them turns to the other as they move to cut her down.

Father Determined: Father Coaster, we should report back to Sister Demitoli…-AAACCK!!

Panels: A pencil is stabbed through the God Priests neck and out the otherside. Father Coaster is grabbed by the hair and a two long pale fingers stab into his eyes, ripping them out as a knee comes up to smash through his spine.

Solomon: Dantalion, come now, why do you insist on pretending to be that ingrown fingernail bastard?

Panels: As the body fell, Solomon was revealed, dressed in a shadowy black hooded cloak.

Dantalion: Forgive me Wise Man-Rav, I don't see you coming up with jingles for the Public Access Death Channel.

Solomon: Don't you Wise Man-Rav me you overworking bat, I'm trying to protect your livelihood from being discovered by God is the thing (He crossed his arms and grumbled)

Panels: Dantalion smirks, head and upper body coming out of the tv. He climbs out onto the floor, still dressed in the purple pinstriped suit, his long purple braid flowed down his back. He stood up and walked over to pull Solomon against his chest.

Dantalion: Relax So'lo-Rav. I've got everything under control with The Murder Network. Public Access will bring in plenty of souls.

Panels: Solomon relaxed against him, sighing before he pulled away a bit, looking up at him.

Solomon: Dantalion ...These…things, are going to keep popping up, and if we don't fix it before Ranmaru awakens to the truth…

Dantalion: Shhh shhh… (He hugged him close) It's fine. It will be fine. I promise. Besides, who is to say he won't figure it out before we reach all of them? He's determined to snoop into every supernatural happening he can find.

Solomon: You are right, Though he's always been rather, panicky, I am certain I am worried over nothing. 

Panels: Solomon slowly pulls away fully, looking away from him. Dantalion gives him a strained, longing look but his expression becomes serious a moment later

Solomon: Dantalion. Report.

Panels: With the two dead priests at their feet, they casually sit on the bodies. Dantalion scooping Solomon up before he sits, Solomon held close on his lap to avoid ruining his cloak.

Dantalion: The Murder Network's Public Access Death Program, 'The Mr. MYSTERY Show' Episode 6: Suicidal Suzie, is 50% completed. Episodes 2-5 are still Lost Media. Episode 1 has been located. The main character of Episode 6 has fled the building, She possibly attends Our Lady Rose Of Grimdark Judgement Public Magic High School where Ranmaru just started alongside Episode 1. 

Solomon: Excellent, anything further? 

Dantalion: I have an alert, brought on after I traveled with a homeless Adam's Daughter who led me to a rich Adam's Son with a very interesting dog.

Solomon: Why?

Dantalion: The Son wanted a Gallas' to help him find true love. I then took his dog.

Solomon: Sounds interesting, wait how and why did they lead you to him?

Dantalion: Shhh that's not important. His true love ended up being an axe murderer who hacked him into pieces after he caught her cheating on him with their private lawyer. 

Solomon: Wooow that explains eeeeverything (He rolled his eyes, head against his chest)

Dantalion: Shut up Rav, she was his true love but he wasn't hers, he never stated that that was part of the contract.

Solomon: What are you? A Djinn?

Dantalion: Yea sure, wanna come to my wedding? Bring a camera, take some pictures (He chuckled)

Solomon: (He smacked his chest playfully) Do shut up Danta, now go on, why take the dog?

Dantalion: The dog wanted to go, said he had a cousin that was half dog Gallas half Adam Land dog. So I gave him to my nephew, that's when I found out about Elder Brother Maggot running off.

Solomon: Wait, what?! (He looked shocked) And since when can you say his name?!

Dantalion: Yea, usually all I can say is M15 or Fifteenth Brother. But his power level must have dropped down to absolutely nothing by now. According to that dog's cousin, Maggot's been gone from the Palace for like, nearly an Adam World five…what's the word? weeks now.

Panels: Solomon stood up and sighed, hand running through his own hair.

Solomon: What's last known about this situation?

Dantalion: Heard he went to visit that Nomad Clown Town he got kicked out of for eating one of the larvae, Hanasu. But he went back to see the Grand High Chancellor Of The Blood for his Sulthar's funeral.

Solomon: The CDC?! How does he even know he's there?! Much less that his reproductive hate mate is dead?!

Dantalion: Dunno (He shrugged) Ask that Jackal Skull wearing Corpse Caller that let him in past service hours, Brixkii, you remember that guy, he owes you money right? Dude was the last to have saw him, the last I heard anyway.

Solomon: Fuck!

Dantalion: (Snickering) Heeey watch your language there are children and men of God in here!

Panels: Dantalion poked the girl's dead body before reaching down to pull one of the priests heads off before yanking off the other one. He moved their jaws with a finger as he waved them like puppets in the air. 

Dantalion: (mockingly) Oh no! Father Determined! I have to contact the Neo Vatican! (He holds up the other head as Solomon starts laughing) It's ok Father Coaster! I'm already dead, see? (He crushes the heads together in a violent kiss before smashing the bloody pulp into the wall, using the gore to draw a pentagram that glows into a portal to a Door in an abandoned warehouse) 

Solomon: Thank you, Bat.

Dantalion: No problem, just your friendly neighborhood Nightmare. Have a fun time shaking that loser down!

Panels: Dantalion kisses the back of Solomon's hand as he helps him through the portal. It closes and he sighs, staring at the wall sadly for a moment before he sits down next to the dead girl to flip through channels and lounge back on the couch, watching two bishounen guys on a music variety show hit each other on the head with coconuts.

Floating Captions: Hell, Circle 8, Nomadic Clown Town Hanasu, near Glate City.

Panels: It's night time, the town is made up of a series of purple and green circus tents. Solomon in a hooded robe is walking among the throngs of JUGGLERY JESTERS getting ready for church services in the Big Top. He grabs a stout looking clown wearing a jackal skull and yanks him into an alley.

Solomon: Where is he?

Jackal Skull: Who are you motherfuckin looking for this time, Wise Man?

Solomon: Where's Maggot? He isn't allowed in this particular Clown Town after what happened and you all kicked him out the first time anyway.

Panel: Solomon grabbed the short clown by the collar and slammed him into a wall.

Jackal Skull: (panicking) Look I don't know ok?! He showed up to give The Divine Highblood his condolences about the motherfucking war aight? I let him past service hours, that's all I did I swear!

Solomon: (looking annoyed) How did he know the Divine was going to be in this exact Clown Town? Your Clurch is Nomadic.

Jackal Skull: I'm just a Corpse Caller man, I don't motherfucking keep tabs on what the higher up clowns be getting down on! 

Panels:Solomon shook him violently and he wiggled in his grip. 

Solomon: We both know you'd sell out your brothers and sisters to the God Priests if they had enough Ash to give you Brixkii. Don't fuck with me!

Jackal Skull: Fine! Fine! He came but then he said he had to go talk to someone in Adam Land, near that school the Acolytes frequent now that Man doesn't mess with that place no more! I swear that's all I motherfucking know, don't tell the Rara Avis if you see him, fuckin please, I'll get excommunicated for what happened before!

Solomon's thoughts: Elm Street Elementary…

Solomon: We had a deal, you low level wanna be highblood. Remember that or I'll not just report you to him, I'll tell the Divine himself too!

Panels: Solomon's eyes glow a dark, angry purple inside his cowl that is obscuring his face, Brixkii yelps as he is thrown to the ground. Solomon dumps a small bag of Bronze Ash at his feet which he scrambles for.

Caption: Ash, the currency of Gallas, is collected from devouring the souls of Man.

Panels behind Solomon as he walks away: A tall dog demon successfully fulfilling a contract, the human's daughter's life was saved, he corners his human summoner to devour them.

Caption: Gallas incubate the soul in their digestive system, taking nutrients from it and vomit out the indigestible parts into ashes.

Panels: He carries on walking, images of demons making contracts with different humans playing out behind him.

Caption: The color depends on the value of the soul. Silver, Neon Red and Gold ash are the highest of all currency 

Caption: The souls of the insane are worth Silver Ash

Panels: Humans in straight jackets escaping with demonic help only to be devoured once the contract has been fulfilled, ash being vomited onto a scale by that same demon.

Caption: The souls of virgins are worth Silverish Gold Ash

Panels: A slumber party turns into a massacre as three girls play with a Ouja board, one of them summoned a demon to kill the others. The demon later sat in his car and vomited their ash into a large sack, the summoner girl's bloody, shocked severed head on his car dashboard.

Caption: There are other value colors, the one I gave Brixkii was Bronze, the lowest in value.

Panels: He looked over his own claws as he walked. Smiling to himself. 

Caption: I collected it myself, I'm no Gallas however. Not even a Myr'rysia truly.

Caption: I'm something, else.

Panels:Solomon quickly walks away from the alley, leaving the town.

Caption: My name is Judah Solomon. 

Panels: He walks on, headed toward the Door that sits growing out of a cliff in the far off distance.

Caption: I have contracts with Hell's highest ranking Gallas' The Princes. Inherited them from my past life but I have found only 25 out of the full 72 so far.

Panels: He ties the thread to the door, it's mouth opens and he walks through, the thread comes undone as the Door closes behind him. It floats on the wind, carried to settle on the ground in the city.

Caption: I am the son of the strongest Myr'rysia in much of the world, Diavolo. 

Panels: He walks through an alleyway wall and heads out of it onto the streets of Tokyo Noir.

Caption: But I stand on my own two feet with all my demons around me, especially Dantalion. Soon, soon I will have all 72 contracts sealed.

Panels: He smiles to himself as he leaps up onto a roof and leaps away into the darkness of the night.

Floating Caption: Judah Manor

Panels: Solomon dropped down into the courtyard past the front gate. He walked into the manor, pulling his cowl off his head. A regular house cat sized black cat in a butler uniform walked over to take his cloak in small strong jaws after Solomon handed it down to him.

Solomon: Hello Nocra, give me the nightly report on what my Princes have been up to while I was gone?

Nocra: (Flashsteps away with the cloak, returning to speak) 1st Prince left a message for you, 68th Prince is in the tea room, several of the Princes numbered 5 to 11 went to a carnival in Hell, and 71st Prince is waiting for you in the parlor. The others are in Hell tending to their respective duties. Princes unaccounted for: 14, 15, 45, 37, 62 and 70.

Solomon: Thank you Nocra, that will be all. Tell my father I won't be available until tomorrow night if he calls.

Nocra: Yes, Master Wise Man.

Panels: Nocra bowed his kitty head as he spoke before Solomon waved him away. Nocra vanished in a series of blue lines, leaping into the air in a pounce. Solomon made his way to the parlor. 

Solomon: Dantalion.

Dantalion: (lounging on a chaise with his devimonitor, a bat, asleep on his chest.) Yes Solomon-Rav?

Solomon: Pack your things we're going back to high school.

Grimoire 3 End.