Chapter Text
The Crimson Dice Casino was packed. Chips were clinking, people were yelling, and the roulette wheel was spinning like crazy. Mammon, naturaly drawn to the thrill, was in his element. He walked through the crowd, his eyes shining with excitement. He was with his so-called "friends", a group of demons who also liked to gamble and have fun.
"Mammon, you have to try this," Xylo, a gambling partner of his for a long time, said, pushing a small, fancy bottle across the table. Inside, a sparkly powder moved in the light. "It's called Astral Dust. It'll give you a real advantage."
Mammon laughed, as he looked closely at the bottle. "Advantage? I don't need an advantage. I'm the great Mammon!"
"Come on dude, just a little taste." Xylo said, smiling. "It'll make you feel like you can win anything." Mammon was curious. He had heard stories about Astral Dust, and how strong it was but never bothered to believe them.
"Okay. Fine." he said, trying to act cool. He eyes the small vial, the shimmering of the powder inside catching the dim casino light. He hesitated for a moment, a flicker of doubt crossing his face, but quickly masked it with a cocky grin. He brought the vial to his nose, tilting it slightly. He took a short, sharp sniff, inhaling the Astral Dust in one quick motion. He felt rush as the powder hit, his eyes widening a fraction. A quick, suprised breath escaped him, followed by a wide grin. "...Wow," he said, grinning. "This is amazing."
"What'd I tell you?" Xylo said, taking his own sniff, his expression a mix of pride and a knowing smirk. "Now, let's see who's the real winner."
Mammon started gambling, and he kept winning. He laughed and bragged, feeling like he was on top of the world.
huh. He hasn't felt like this in such a long time.
...
Back at the House of Lamentation, the brothers were gathered in the living room. Leviathan was watching anime on the large screen, his eyes glued onto the screen. Satan was reading books, his face serious. Asmodeus was painting his nails, his reflection gleaming in the polished surface. Beelzebub was eating his sandwich. Belphegor was asleep.
"Where's Mammon?" Leviathan asked, without taking his eyes off the screen. "I forgot to ask for my money back."
"He's out gambling." Satan replied, not looking up from his book. "He probably spent it all by now."
"Tsk. That idiot! I shouldn't have let him borrow some money." Leviathan scoffed, "He's probably already begging someone for more grimm. Pathetic. He's like a noob grinding for loot, but he always gets ganked. Total scrub."
Lucifer entered the room, his expression calm, yet observant. "He's been spending a considerable amount of time at that casino lately," he remarked, his voice laced with a hint of concern.
"He enjoys the thrill of gambling," Beel rumbled, taking another large bite of him sandwich.
"He's going to get himself into trouble," Lucifer said as he frowned while his eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of unease crossing him.
...
Dawn was barely breaking when Mammon stumbled back into the House of Lamentation, his pockets heavy with winnings and his eyes still glazed from the Astral Dust. He was buzzing with a restless energy, desperate to show off the grimm he had won at the casino.
He practically bounced down the hall, a grin splitting his face, completely oblivious to any notion of quiet.
"Mammon?"
Lucifer's voice, sharp and laced with an almost weary patience, stopped him dead in his tracks.
Mammon spun around, a manic grin still plastered on his face. "Lucifer! My big brother! You're still up?" he exclaimed, his voice a little too loud, a little too enthusiastic. "Perfect! I've got so much to tell you!"
Lucifer stood at the end of the hallway, arms crossed, he barely concealed his displeasure. "It's three in the morning, Mammon. Care to explain where you've been?"
"Casino! Winning! Big time!" Mammon practically shouted, waving a handful of Grimm in the air. "You wouldn't believe it! I was on fire!"
Lucifer's gaze narrowed. "Mammon, you're behaving erratically."
"Erratic? No way! I'm just... energized!" Mammon said, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Supercharged! Like I drank a whole barrel of, like, demon energy drinks!"
Lucifer sighed, a flicker of concern warring with his frustration. "Get some rest, Mammon. We'll discuss this in the morning."
"Mammon, still high, nodded and ran to his room, the jingling of his winnings echoing through the silent house. He collapsed onto his bed, with a wide grin on his face. He was on top of the world, invincible, and nothing could bring him down. At least, that's what he told himself.
...
Lucifer stood in the hall, a cold feeling settling in his gut. Something was wrong, more than just Mammon's unusual antics. He'd never seen him act quite like this. The energy, the wild eyes... it was unsettling. He knew he had to investigate. He turned toward his office, a sense of urgency driving him.