===Zix===
After close four days in the cell, he could step outside. He didn't like that strange collar they made him wear, but he had no option.
Zix, Corienla, and Astherielle met for the first time face to face. It surprised him seeing Astherielle being human size as most times they were tiny. However, he had heard changing between those sizes as part of their magic.
They got outside the base with Dyan, who told them he wanted to have a walk with them. The woman who captured him, who he heard was named Mady, also joined them. Zix noticed Mady looking towards him when she thought he wasn't watching, and when he turned, she looked away.
He couldn't see if she had whatever was the source of the chains she used at him last time. However, he was careful of her and Dyan in case he had something similar.
He was still recovering from that day and was far from being in full power. If only he could consume a soul or two, he could have enough energy to break free. But, for now, he just played along.
As they walked a bit, following Dyan, then Dyan stopped moving.
Everyone stopped moving, but not like they reached their destination, but like they had frozen in place, but there was no ice.
Zix could still move but felt a chill going up against his spine. He was very familiar with that feeling, and he didn't look forward to what would follow.
Close to him, there was a puddle of water, which its water started raising and forming a figure. As the figure became more detailed, the color of the water changed color to become light red. Then, some became golden yellow, which formed the figure's long hair, and finally, some blue for its eyes.
In front of him was a naked female figure, another Demon like him. Even if both had reddish skin, he was darker since he just had the Fire Element, while the figure also had the Water Element.
She was Nephele, a former lover of Zix, and he didn't have a healthy separation. Technically, they never separated as they didn't talk about it, as Zix just left.
"So here you are. I was looking over you all over the place, mister runaway."
Zix knew that all of this wasn't real but part of an illusion of one of her abilities.
"So, do you have to say anything about yourself? Because I see you surrounding with three women, while you should be at our wedding three months ago."
Zix forgot he had made that promise to tell the truth, but he wouldn't say that out loud. He knew that the punishment would be severe if he did.
"Babe, hear me out. As you can see, they have captured me. I have nothing to do with those women, and one of them is the one who got me here. They used some unknown artifact to weaken me and keep me away from you all that time."
He didn't know if she knew how long they captured him, but he took a chance to use this to his advantage.
"I see, so these humans dare keep my future husband away. I will burn them and then freeze them alive and then burn them once more."
It seemed like his plan worked out. With her help, he could get free with less effort.
"Where are you? Do you know where this human base is?" Zix asked her.
"It took me a long time to make a connection with you, but I still can't tell exactly where you are. It will take me more time to find out."
"We shouldn't be far from the Deserted Grove as that was where they captured me."
Nephele nodded, and at that point, her body started to lose its shape and looked like she was melting slowly.
"I need to go, but I will try to come to you as fast as I can. You better not do any funny business with those three, or at the first night, you won't be able to fulfill your duties… or any night after that."
Zix didn't for a moment doubted that she would do what she said. Nephele was the daughter of one of the strongest Demon Lords, and only the Demon King could overpower him. He didn't know who she was when she first met her, and he was just messing around with a new beauty before moving to the next place, but when he learned who she was, he left as fast as he could.
He didn't want to settle with someone and make a family, as he was a free spirit.
But at that point, she was welcome. As for what would happen afterward, he would have to improvise at the moment.
Everyone unfroze and could move once more. Of course, in reality, they didn't freeze, but Nephele connected with Zix's brain and could send her images of what she wanted him to see so fast that the entire conversation took just a couple of seconds in his mind.
He had a tremendous headache from that, as a side effect of getting that much info so fast. But nothing he couldn't handle or wouldn't pass by, giving it some time.
They just took a walk around the base and reached a wooden table with wooden benches instead of chairs.
"Come on, everyone take a seat."
Dyan was the first to take his seat and asked for the rest to do so.
Zix and the rest did so, as they had no option really. They had a few sessions with Dyan, and especially Zix was impressed by the human.
Sometimes it was like he was speaking to a Demon, as he used his words cleverly enough to change what he actually meant and lead people to do what he wanted. But Zix had much experience in that, as he used those methods many times too.
He couldn't advise his two fellow prisoners of those tricks, as he knew Dyan watched over them all the time. He didn't want to tell him that he knew what he tried to do.
Dyan brought out some plastic cups and had some juice for everyone to drink. Zix would prefer something more potent, but it was a hot day, even for him. Being a Fire Demon didn't make him immune to hot days; he just could handle them better than others.
He kept looking around to see if he could see any signs where they were, but there wasn't something remarkable as a landmark other than the human base.
Hopefully, Nephele would find him soon, but in the meantime, he had to make some preparations.
He had formed some plans for a young female soldier.