Axel's eyes flung open. He could hear many people moving around and he was worried that Minti somehow found out that he snapped out of the memories.
But as Axel looked around, he saw that people around him were just getting up and leaving to for somewhere.
With a bit of curiosity, and also because he had to, Axel began to follow the rest of the witches to a large building with a spiked top.
Nails still stuck out of the wood in random places and the wood wasn't aligned in any way. If it were to rain, Axel was sure that the rain would drip through the cracks.
The front of the building had a large image of the Minti, Axel had a feeling he knew what this was.
"Welcome welcome," Minti said with open arms.
Minti was standing at the other side of the entrance.
He was standing up on a podium watching the witches pour through the doors with a smile. Axel made sure to keep his eyes down on the floor.
Minti was an ape like demon with massive arms that looked like they could crush the podium he was on easily. His eyes stuck out from his fir like cameras out of a wall, Axel felt like he was being watch despite knowing he barley stuck out.
Beside Minti was the captain, keeping a watchful eye on all the witches coming through the doors.
'Seems like Minti has a favorite'
As the witches walk through the long single aisle, they began to sort themselves in long benches. The benches were lined up in rows, all facing Minti.
Following the rest of the witches, Axel sat down on one of the benches. He had to be careful not to sit down Surrounded by witches and the building full, Minti began to talk.
"Oh, how I am glad to see all of you here," Minit proudly stated.
'No one's talking, no one's saying anything'
"Now, of course you remember me, right?" Minti asked the crowd of witches.
Most every witch responded with agreement.
"Yes, you do," Minit stated like the world itself revolved around him.
The witches cheered for Minti, Axel kept his head down.
Axel could see Apple doing the same.
"And forgive me for being a bit prideful, but I think it's time you thank me for all the help I've given to you, so say it!" Minti said grasping the sides of the podium.
Witches from all over the building began to express their thanks. A few exclaimed their love to the demon.
"I love you too!" Minti replied to the witches.
Right after Minti said that many other witches started to proclaimed their love to Minti.
"We won't get anywhere if your all yelling, so how about you give your love to me at once!" Minti loudly suggests.
The witches cheered in agreement.
"Ready? One! Two! Three!" Minti called out.
"WE LOVE YOU MINTI!" the witches, other than one witch and a certain human called out shaking the roof.
"I love you too! Now before we get back to work, I want to thank the new scouts that have been helping us," Minit said.
The witches began to clap for the scouts. Axel and the other scouts were still wearing their unforms due to not being given a change of clothes, so it was pretty easy to know who the scouts were.
"Back to work then!" Minti said, "Remember! Magic should only be used by our higher ups, so you won't get corrupted!"
————————————————————————
"Could dropping something high up kill a large demon?" Axel asked.
"It would have to be a large something, or pretty high up," Apple replied, "And don't forget, you have to hit it without acknowledging it," they reminded.
"The memory things makes this whole thing so complicated," Axel complained.
Apple and Axel were working on some buildings, what was it for, only Minit knew and Axel couldn't really ask considering the whole 'I'll get into your mind if you physically acknowledge me thing'
With Apple by his side, Axel was looking to take out the demon, but he was always surrounded by witches. A new witch that was now always surrounded him was their captain.
The first day the captain worked like the others, but when Minti saw he was particularly powerful, he was swept up by Minti and the captain hasn't left his side ever since.
"How about a quick and powerful spell to the head?" Axel asked putting his hammer up
"That would just kill a demon," Apple replied slamming his hammer down.
"Let's put that under maybe," Axel mumbled.
"We need something now, the Emperor's coven won't like us being gone for too long," Apple said.
"Can't we, well, you know, explain our nothing predicament once it's over?" Axel asked, trying to string together a sentence that wouldn't get his mind invaded.
"Mind controlling demons don't exist," Apple replied, "At least that's the Emperor's Coven's stance on it," they explained.
"What about the whole tracking them down that you talked about?" Axel asked.
"I told you it didn't go well, and as a result the Emperor's Coven went burnt all books that talked about the demon and deleted all records," Apple replied, "Though my town was small enough that the Coven didn't try too hard, and as a result a few books of mine got by," Apple then explained.
"Ok, so telling the Emperor's Coven about this isn't something we can do," Axel mumbled to himself, "So you're right, so how about you give off some ideas as well," he complained.
"My talents lie in beast taming, and there isn't beast near here either dead or working with us," Apple said before pointing to his side.
As he did that, a large furless demon with was looked like a skinless cat walking on its hindlegs walked by carrying wood on his shoulder.
"Fair enough," Axel said before getting back to hammer on the wood under him, "Hold on," he said before looking around, "Is everything here made of wood?" he asked.
"Yeah, their clearing out the wood for more space to build, while using that wood to build more things," Apple replied, "Feels like we're building a whole town out here," they commented.
"I have an idea, but I need you to get everyone who's not nothing out of here," Axel said.
"Well, if I get a small distraction, I could probably get them out, but not for more than a few minutes," Apple replied.
"Let's get you that distraction," Axel said before getting up.
"What are you doing?" Apple asked watching Axel walk to another work group.
Axel began to look around at the other workplaces.
One had two witches that had a bright smile on their faces, another had two demons also smiling, and another had one witch smiling and another who was not happy.
She was still smiling, but when put ageist the genuine smiles of the other witches it was obvious it was forced. She was trying to put a screw in, but the head had stripped, and the witch was continuing to try and screw it in.
'Frustrated and looks to be easily irritable '
"Hey," Axel whispered gaining the attention of the already frustrated witch.
"Yes? What do you need?" the witch questioned in a strained voice, gripping the screwdriver tightly.
"I wanted to tell someone who was obviously trustworthy something," Axel said, "A witch back there was talking weird," he explained.
"Oh?" the witch said.
"Things about getting the Emperor involved, and thinking that a certain someone is going insane," Axel explained.
"Someone's thinks Minti is insane?" the witch said getting closer to Axel, "Who?" she asked.
"That guy back there," Axel answered, pointing at the physically largest witch he could see.
'Minti doesn't like witches using magic for whatever reason, so he should be good enough to cause a long distraction'
"I need to tell Minti about this," the witch said getting up.
"Actually, I was hoping we don't need to get any higher authorities involved, I was thinking you could just deal with him," Axel asked while putting a hand on the witch's shoulder.
"Me?" the witch asked pointing at herself.
"Yes you! I've seen you working and I know you're a reliable witch!" Axel passionately told the witch even though this was the first time Axel had ever seen her.
"Truely?" the witch murmured, "Me?" she asked.
"Yes you, I'm a part of the Emperor's Coven remember, I know witches with potential," Axel said.
"You're right!" the witch said getting up, "Thank you," she genuinely said before leaving to go walk over to the large witch.
Axel then quickly walked back to where Apple was previously. Apple had left as soon as the other witch stood up.
'Now all that's left is to wait for Apple, good thing I have some entertainment'
Axel could hear a solid punch land from where he had sent the witch to go mess with the other witch.
'Huh, that witch got hands, who knew?'
————————————————————————
"That was fast," Axel whispered.
"There was a griffin not too far from here," Apple replied with a whisper.
The two scouts were sitting right behind one of the finished buildings out of sight from the other witches.
"Good, good," Axel murmured, "Now I need a few minutes to set up before you let loose the distraction," he explained.
"What are you going to do?" Apple asked.
"Call it a surprise, just make sure no one's near you know what," Axel asked.
"It's going to be a problem getting the captain out," Apple muttered.
"Don't worry about the captain," Axel then said.
"Beetle!" a witch yelled out, "The Great Minti wishes to speak to you in the chappal immediately!" the witch said.
"Five minutes," Axel said before getting up, "In five minutes get them out of here," he told Apple.
"I'm putting my trust in you," Apple said.
————————————————————————
The sun was still high in the sky as Minti waited on the podium for Axel to arrive.
He had gotten reports that Axel got two witches to fight each other by making the first witch think that the second larger witch was going ageist Minti.
As a result, the second larger witch ended up with a concussion and a broken nose, and the first witch had asked Minti for praise.
Minti was thinking that running this whole operation was getting a bit difficult, but nothing he couldn't handle. With his powers and a captain from the Emperor's Coven, there was nothing he couldn't do.
"Forgive me Great Minti, my scout seemed to have gotten lost," the captain said.
It had been a few minutes past when Axel was supposed to show up.
"Do not lower yourself for a not on tim-"
As Minti was about to finish his sentence, Axel walked through the door.
Axel began to make his way through the isle with, for some reason, a chair in his left hand. The screeching of the wooden chair on the unfinished floor became more and more noticeable as Axel got closer.
"Afternoon Captain," Axel greeting looking directly at his captain.
It was then that Minti understood that Axel knew what he was, and that he was avoiding having his mind taken over.
"How about you take a seat?" Minti kindly said extending a hand.
In response Axel looked to the wall behind Minti, puffed up his cheeks.
And blew the loudest raspberry he could make out of his mouth.
"PBBBBBT!"
Immediately after doing this, Axel took his chair and ran directly out of the chapel.
"GET BACK HERE," a mad Minti yelled out jumping over his podium.
Minti began to run after Axel along with the captain.
The demon and witch saw Axel quickly run into an unfinished building.
"Great Minti," the captain said, "If you go in and distract the scout, I can go around and flank them," the captain explained.
"That's why you're my right-hand man," Minti said with a smile before running into the building.
Charging into the building, Minti looked around for other witches that had defected.
There was only a single person in the building, it was Axel sitting in the chair he had been dragging around, facing away from Minti.
"If there's one person I can trust, it's the captain," Axel commented, "He's smart, in fact he's probably trying to come through this door as we speak," he explained pointing to the door in front of him.
The door that Axel was referring to was not blocked in any way, it was almost like Axel was waiting for someone to come through.
"When my right-hand man breaks through that door with his magic, we'll have a nice long talk," Minti said.
"Truely, I have a trust worthy captain," Axel continued, ignoring Minti, "And I know that he doesn't want anyone to die, which is why he won't be coming," Axel said.
"Who's in danger?" Minti asked.
Moments after he asked, a large explosion rang out throughout the camp, answering Minti's question.
Looking up through the unfinished roof, Minti could see one of the larger buildings built near the one the two were in now engulfed in flames.
"What did you do!" Minti angrily asked.
Axel said nothing, he just continued to sit in his chair and look at the door.
"I said, WHAT DID YOU DO!" Minti roared.
Before the demon could move, the building that he had previously seen fell on top of the building they were in, blocking Minti from going to Axel and catching the rest of the building on fire.
After seeing this, Axel got up from his chair and took a single piece of paper with three connected glyphs on it.
Touching the combo, a small ball of light materialized in Axel's hand, before throwing it.
Quickly, Minti dodged out of the way.
"You missed!" he taunted.
Minti then heard something strange behind him. Turning around to the door he had come in from, Minti saw that it was frozen shut.
"No, no no no no no!" Minti said looking around, "My children, help me!" he called out.
But no one answered.
"YOU!" Minti said pointing at Axel through the burning building, "You ruined my perfect town!" he called out.
Axel said nothing to Minti, he simply walked through that door.
"Come back!" Minti yelled out, "Please I'll be better, I'll work for the Emperor's Coven just please don't leave me here to burn!" Minti pleaded.
However, Axel was already gone. The door was closed, sealing Minti's fate.
"BEETLE!" Minti roared.
'That went as well as I could have hoped'
Axel began to make his way through the smoke and fire, trying to get to where Apple was gathering the witches.
Frankly, Axel didn't want to kill Minti, but in his mind there wasn't much of a choice, though burning down the place may have been a bit-
"You," the captain called out.
The captain was standing with a hunched back in front of Axel. His white unform had several burn and ash marks, and Axel could see his eyes almost popping though his mask.
"Captain," Axel calmy greeted.
"You don't get to call me that," he said raising his hand up, "For the crime of murdering a great demon, and for setting this town ablaze, I shale take your life," the captain stated.
'Minti must not be dead yet, the minute he croaks the memories should go away, I can't beat the captain, but all I need to do is stall him or get away'