“No……No!!!! You don't get to end this!!!”
A red sky.
Crimson wastes.
Ruby red buildings that were partially ruined, despite already being in dilapidated and disrepaired states. It was a grim scenery to be sure. But given the location, it wasn't unusual in the slightest. At the end of the day, the bedrock of Hell was built upon the schemes of malevolent dreamers.
“I'm f*cking Adam !!!!! I'm the f*cking man !!!!! And you're just some f*cking clown or something!!!!!”
It was even more grim when one took into account the veritable warzone that was overlapping the usually fetid scenery.
The corpses of sinners and angels alike littered the battlefield, yet the disparity between these two groups of corpses was like night and day.
The sinners were cut, quartered, slashed and killed in various simple manners by way of Angelic Steel. A relatively tame method of execution considering what they would often do to one another on an average day in Hell.
The Angels however, were quite literally ripped to pieces. Their corpses had been ripped away, as wings, arms and legs had been torn away by way of the same Angelic Steel, all for the malicious desire to feast upon their flesh.
Innards were brought outwards and bones had been broken like bread, all for the primal thrill of ravenous gluttony by a borderline feral populace given the means to enact their vile vices.
Truly, it was the most visual and visceral definition of a Hellscape.
“I started everything on Earth!!! All of humanity came from these f*cking nuts !!!!”
Thus it was a man with such a hellish ragenwho was standing before the peak of power in this Hellscape.
The man who had every right-
No.
The man who had the only right to bear the yoke of a ten thousand year long hatred against those who called the Hellscape home.
Despite towering over most others on the battlefield with his impressive height, he was hunched over from exertion.
His chest which previously stuck out with co*cky pride, now heaved and wheezed silently from fractured ribs.
Even the mocking face of his horned mask was stripped away, showcasing his true appearance.
Skin marred by dirt and bruises.
Golden blood, spilt from the corners of his mouth as he panted in borderline rage.
Eyes, despite glaring in a blaze of golden ire, were hazy. They barely focused his contempt at the two primary targets which elicited so much hatred in within the overaorled heart within his chest.
Lucifer Morningstar.
And his daughter, Charlotte Morningstar.
This man’s rage was beyond palpable. The sinners and hellborn that surrounded him watched with either malicious amusem*nt, apathetic indifference, or bleeding heart pity in the minority case.
But to the man who bore such overwhelming hatred, their mere presences struck as hard as their attacks had.
Their eyes burned against his skin.
Their twisted cruel smiles were reflections of that pale bastard Lucifer.
Every one of the sinners carried a fraction of the bale flames of the ‘Prince Of Darkness’, that had burned away the light that was carried from the man's own bloodline.
It was like watching the bloated, mutilated corpse of your child crawling out of its grave, only to laugh and mock you for your failures, as they represented every trait and concept of the person that took them from you in the first place.
The man's eyes narrowed as his vision focused in a startling moment of clarity compounded only by his rage, at all of the abhorrent creatures surrounding him.
Like wolves attempting to nip and tear apart the wounded bear.
He lashed out as spite flowed out of his mouth, and misery plagued into his mind.
“You should all be worshiping me!!!”
‘This wasn't how it was supposed to be…’
“You ungrateful-!!!”
‘I thought you forgave me…’
“Disgusting-!!!!”
‘Why…..Why did you take them from me?’
‘My soulmate?’
‘My little winners?’
‘My everything?’
“f*cking LOSERS-!”
‘Why didn't you take me too, Fa-’
KSSHK!
The sound of the blade cut through it all.
His golden flare…
His face marred by fury…
His ruinous thoughts…
All of it came to an earth-shattering halt, as he felt the dichotomous burn and chill of Angelic Steel in his chest. It took only a second to see the blade erupting through his chest, but it felt like an eternity passed as he fell.
His entire body had given up on him, as the angelic lustor which always accompanied him immediately dimmed. His vision turned hazy again, as he lost sight of everything and everything in a mess of blurring red.
He saw nothing.
He felt nothing.
He thought nothing, as he was a crumpled mess on the amaryllis dirt below him.
And then he felt it all.
KKHSSK!
Again .
KHHHK!
And again.
KSSHK!
Over and over again the bite of the blessed heavenly metal struck him, causing the reality of his present and the constant tragedy of his past to come racing back to him.
KHKSS!
The sharp pain of shattered stone which drew blood into his soft foot for the first time in his life…
KSKKH!
The chunk of flesh that which had been ripped from his arm and was currently in the mouth of the sabertooth cat who's skull he had spent the last 3 minutes caving in, in an emotionally distraught fury…
KKSH!
The blood that poured from his mouth and nostrils, after eating the combination of the wrong berries and the wrong roots, due to desperation of the upcoming winter...
KSSSHK!
KSHKK!!
KSHKSH!!!
All these moments barraged his mind, as the blade cut at his body. Tears broke from his eyes as he attempted to shut them tight, and golden ichor pooled below him as he couldn't even muster the strength to shield himself.
Throughout every sickness, pain and trial he endured, he had a saving grace with him.
He had her with him. But now…
“-AB! STAB! AHAHAHAH!!!!”
The sorrow he felt within himself was snuffed out. Instead, it was replaced with a rage that outshine what he felt before.
Even while blinded, he felt them upon him.
Their eyes .
Even as he couldn't distinguish what was happening, he heard them around him.
Their mocking laughter.
“AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-”
It was a concert of cruelty that he heard around him, and he was the main focus.
Echoing all around him was the sneering, malicious filled laughs of creatures who thought they were better than him.
He barely had the strength to clutch his fist in the dirt.
‘...Stop it.’
He swallowed the blood in his mouth as he grit his teeth so hard that he crushed a tooth that had been knocked loose.
‘Stop Laughing!!!!’
As he felt his organs being pierced, and his heart slowing down from the loss of his blood, he internally screamed in a rage, at all of this.
‘STOP LAUGHING!!!!! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!!!’
He released his hold on the dirt as his limbs felt cold.
‘YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!!!!!’
‘YOU CAUSED THIS sh*tSHOW TO HAPPEN, YET I WAS THE ONE WHO HAD TO SUFFER????’
He ungrit his teeth as his jaw relaxed unconsciously.
‘I LOST MY EVERYTHING, WHILE YOU KICKED BACK IN A MENSTRUAL RED HOLE IN THE GROUND, AND MADE ME THE VILLIAN IN THIS STORY???????’
‘I WOULDN'T HAVE EVER DONE THIS IF YOU HADN'T STOLEN MY PARADISE!!!!!’
His eyelids fluttered on their own, as he saw what little remained of his vision blackening.
But despite this, the man wasn't sunken to the depths of despair. He hadn't yet resolved himself to roll over and die. Even as everything in what remained in his mind pointed to the contrary, the man continued.
Continued to keep moving forward.
Continuing to do what he always did best.
To fight.
‘THIS! ISNT! HOW! IT! ENDS!!!!!’
…
| I Couldn't Agree More, My Son |
…
In shock, his eyes opened wide.
It was a voice.
It was the voice.
The voice he hadn't heard in ages, but felt as if he had heard it every day since then.
The voice that knew him the most, and the voice that made him feel as if it was a silk blanket wrapped around him.
His body was moved off the ground, and as his vision began to change, he saw three people above him at once. Each time he managed blinked, he saw each one as they cradled his body in theirs.
It was an attractive woman who's smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
It was an enchanting woman who's kindness and warmth followed her everywhere, and who's smile sprouted flowers in the land, and his heart.
It was a faithful, blood stained, winged woman who had panic in her eyes as she looked upon him. One who deserved better than anything he had, or could offer. A wonderful angel who's name he attributed to the sound of the first instrument he created on that green hill, ages ago when Paradise wasn't yet lost.
With a strangeness of feelings he didn't yet understand, the man smiled.
For the first time in a long time, he smiled a smile bereft of pride, desire, or feigned ignorance. He released his will to struggle, and pushed what was left of himself to the gentle voice.
As the first woman faded, the last two visions of the women blurred together. He saw the appearance of a man a flame a king the one who spoke to him.
With a clarity he hadn't seen since the dust came together on the sixth day.
“ADAM!!!!!!!”
“Sir!!! Stay with me!!! Sir!!!! Sir!!!!!”
The tears on Lute’s face poured freely as they mixed with the sweat, dirt and gold blood.
Had it been any other situation, she would have better composed herself. She wouldn't have shown such weakness. Even the pain from tearing off of her own left arm was something she could hide under her hardened exterior as a warrior.
The last thing she wished to do was give these animals…these scum , the satisfaction.
….But she couldn't bother to focus on that. Not when everything had crumpled around her.
Her troops scattered.
Her sisters, eviscerated.
Her leader…
Her friend…
The man she loved…limp in her arms.
“Adam!!!! Adam please!!!!!’
She shook at him more and more, even attempting to grab at him with the arm that she no longer had. She blinked away her tears and ignored the stinging of the blood and sweat in her eyes.
“Wake the f*ck up you lazy bastard!!!! Don't do this to me!!!!!” She screamed at him in her anguish.
…
“You're not dead!!!!!”
…
“You can't be dead!!!!!!!”
…
“I-I WON'T FORGIVE YOU IF YOU D-DON’T WAKE UP, RIGHT THE f*ck N-NOW!!!!!”
Nothing.
No amount of screaming or threatening was illiciting any response from the man who usually towered over her.
Her head spun as bile almost threatened to rise up in her throat.
She never thought such a thing could happen.
She didn't want to accept it that such a thing could happen.
But she couldn't deny the evidence literally laying in her arm.
She shut her eyes tightly as she pressed her forehead against his robe covered chest. Uncaring of the blood staining her forehead, or the tears that still spilled through.
“P-please….I can't…”
Her voice wasn't even a whisper, as the words left her like the last breath of the dying.
“...I can't do this without you”.
The sorrow of her situation was interrupted, as she heard the sound of foot falls, and beating of several pairs of wings.
As she looked up, her tear filled eyes widened in horror, at the sight of the King of Hell himself in his full fallen form, and his daughter who looked just as displeased to see her.
Both of them looked down upon her, as the innate magical energy of Hell poured off them like a blazing flame in a field of wheat.
“It's over.” Charlie told her, with finality. Despite the hard glare she carried, inwardly she saw this as a pyrrhic victory at best. Nonetheless she gripped her trident, ready for anything.
“She’s right. Seeing the wonderful, strong young woman my daughter has grown into has made me feel very very generous today” Lucifer chuckled. Despite this, his eyes still bit into Lute’s heart as he looked down at her. “So take your little friends, pack up all your toys, and don't let the door hit you on the way out!!!!” He spoke, with demonic weight to his voice.
Lute was paralyzed. Not with fear, but with conflict.
While someone of her caliber had a right to be intimidated with someone of Lucifer's innate power, she was conflicted with the options of duty and desire.
She wanted to grab the nearest Angelic Steel weapon, and charge the two figures responsible for all of this. Even if it meant instantly getting blown away and joining Adam wherever he may be.
But she knew that she had a duty to her subordinates to take charge, and retreate back to Heaven to tally the deceased and provide them with a next course of action.
“Oof. She looks like an ugly puppy that got beaten with a yellow paint can” Angel quipped, while wiping golden blood of his tommy gun. “Almost feel sad for her”.
Vaggie rolled her eye at such a comment. “Speak for yourself” she spoke coldly, as she stood poised and ready to leap forward at a moment's notice, should the Exorcist try anything.
Nifty……was standing mesmerized with how the golden blood on her blade seemed to glow. The ichor, in combination with the Angelic Steel cast a strange glow that captivated the short cyclopian maid in the strangest way possible. Her thoughts were known only to herself, as everyone made sure to give the maid who was covered in gold blood, a wide birth. As her giggling was nearly as unsettling as the legions of Exorcist that they just fought.
Lute’s eyes gazed up at the two figures before her, as she felt utterly empty inside.
She felt like a woman with nothing left to live for, and therefore nothing left to lose.
She was moments away from grabbing the trench knife she kept secured in her boot, until a hand clutched at her shoulder.
She looked behind her in shock, ready to lash out at a potential enemy. But instead she was calmed to see the form of one of her sisters. An Exorcist who's horned mask was cracked in half, exposing the gray skin of her face, and her seafoam green hair which was covered in dirt, and both red and golden blood alike.
Her left wing had an entire portion missing from it, as noteable bite marks were visible along the striped appendage. She supported herself with a spear that had been broken along the shaft, and now lacked the blade. Cuts lined her body, and her uniform had seen better days.
“Citole-” Lute started, only to be cut off.
“Lieutenant. W-we….” She stuttered for a moment, only to still herself as her visible green eye looked at Lute with shaken resolve. “We need to retreat”.
Lute wanted to snap at her.
Lute wanted to slap her hand away, and order her to grab a more suitable weapon
Lute wanted to tell her that they either went home victorious, or they didn't go home at all.
But seeing the various surviving Exorcists with injuries, bruises, and grieving anguished faces reminded her of her duty, and what she was trained to do.
Trained by Adam.
With that said, she grimly nodded before she grabbed Adams halo. She felt barely any resistance as she plucked it from above his head. Setting his head down as gently as possible, she got up before speaking to her surviving sisters. “Retreat!!! All exorcists, fall back!!!” she ordered, as her angelic enhanced voice cried out across the battlefield.
It pained her to turn her back, knowing the demon filth had won the day.
But it would pain her more having to face Adam, knowing that she sent the last of his Exorcist- his girls, to their deaths because she couldn't do what he trained her to do.
Reaching under Citole’s shoulder, she lifted her up as the both of them flew into the air. Citole let out a pained grunt, as she used her remaining wing to assist with the flying.
Lute stared forward, as she saw her battle damaged sisters ascending into the air along with her.
‘Adam….I'm sorry’ she thought to herself, as she clutched his halo so hard that her knuckles bled through her glove.
With the threat seemingly in full retreat the denizens of the battlefield took stock of themselves.
The cannibals had scattered leaving the battlefield emptier than it had been. In typical cannibal fashion had finished feasting upon the fallen of their own fallen forces, and those of the deceased Exorcists. They had been utterly ecstatic to taste the flesh of something other than each other, for once.
After the majority of their forces had quickly f*cked off to their own devices, Charlie let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as she returned to her normal form. Her shoulders felt heavy, as the weight and physical cost of the transformation had taken its tax.
Despite her feelings on how the battle ended, she was….content with the result. Her friends had fought against the odds, her father had appeared when she needed him most, and she had made the difference she had always dreamed of.
Through the mud and the blood of the battle, she had done something for those she cared about.
“You okay, hon?” Vaggie asked her as she came up next to her and wrapped an arm around her.
Vaggie herself was slightly weary as well. She had dirt and cuts on her clothing, but Charlie had no doubt about her girlfriend's health, due to her combat prowress. She didn't have a single drop of her own blood on her body, and only her spear was covered in the blood of Exorcists.
Even as her hair was slightly unkempt, she was still the beautiful fallen angel that Charlie fell in love with every day that she woke up to her darling face.
Taking in her girlfriends own disheveled state, she decided it would be best to wait before she voiced any concerns. Everyone had fought their hardest, and she didn't want to bring down the mood. “Yeah”, she grinned as she wrapped her sore arm around her girlfriend. “I am now”.
“...Well that was fun!” Lucifer interrupted as he literally popped up inbetween the two girls, surprising Charlie, and making Vaggie glare, as the former Exorcist wanted to knock him over the head with a rock. “Who’s up for pancakes?” he asked with eager eyes, as he too had returned to his normal form.
“Ugh. Talk about not reading the room.”
“If it's cake that anyone's hungry for, I've got that in spades. Isn't that right, whiskers? Eh?”
“Get the f*ck off me!!!!”
“Pancakes!!!!!!! With strawberry syrup that's the color of rat blood!!!!”
Charlie couldn't help but shake her head with a smile, at the various responses of her friends and allies.
Vaggie rolled her eye, but instead chose to just go to Charlie's other side as she softly leaned against her.
“Aha!” Lucifer smile in victory as he held up two fingers. “That's two for pancakes!” He grinned as he looked to his daughter. “What do you say, Char-Char? Wanna make it three?” He asked way too sweetly, as he wiggled his eyebrows.
Charlie blushed in slight embarrassment at her dad's antics, but couldn't be bothered to fault him for it. Especially considering the events of the day. “Sure Dad. I'll-”
And then it happened. Everywhere…
All at once. Everywhere…
And everything shook. Everywhere…
The ground lurched, as everyone was thrown off their feet.
“The f*ck??????” Angel asked incredulously as he sat up. “I thought we already won the f*cking battle??!!!” he questioned while struggling to keep himself on all six of his limbs
“A-a Hellquake?!” Charlie tried to rationalize, as she and Vaggie tried and failed to support one another. “At this time of year???”
Denizens all across Pentagram city were feeling the effects of the trembling ground.
The already dilapidated buildings were collapsing inward.
The streets cracked as massive crevices pulled in street lamps, businesses and landmarks further into the ground.
And chaos, the likes of which Pentagram City had never seen began to unfold before the eyes of its imprisoned citizens.
“GOD f*ckING DAMNIT, TOM!!!!!” Katie screeched, as she crushed the mirror and lipstick she formerly held in her hand, with fury. Her frazzled hair and smeared makeup made her look even more ravenous and ghastly than usual.
All of her arms held onto the Channel 666 news table in an attempt to keep herself from being knocked over by the quaking building.
News cameras fell over, fuse boxes and generators exploded outwards, and the ceiling tiles came crashing down, as various interns and employees ran for cover.
“sh*t!!!! A Hellquake! I knew I should have bought that insurance!” One sinner with a vintage coin purse for a head cried out as he hid underneath a shaky table.
“f*ck f*ck f*ck!!!” A sinner with the lower half of a large hornet cursed, as she tried to flee from the main floor, only to be stuck in a mess of thick cables from the news cameras. “I told you c*nts to keep these cables orderly!!! When this Quake stops, someone's getting stung in their asshole!!!” She roared as her insect wings buzzed furiously.
The women's restroom door slammed open, as a green skinned sinner with a pair of binoculars for eyes walked out with his shirt open, and pants around his ankles. “Damnit!!! What's with all this sh*t!??” He shouted as he looked around in confusion and frustration. “How's a guy supposed to masturbat*, when all the bitches run out of the bathroom?!!!”.
It was a sudden event that couldn't have been predicted, even with the knowledge that the Extermination had come early.
The channel news 666 building shook on its foundations, as its inhabitants unleashed their unrestricted emotions in the midst of this panic.
And considering the usual abrasiveness of one Katie Killjoy, this was upped to an ear shattering degree as the every floor of the building threatened to collapse. “TOM!!!! WHERE THE f*ck ARE YOU, SO I CAN BLAME YOU- sh*t!!!!! ” She cried out as a stagelight fell from above and slammed into her head.
“ARRGGGHHHHHHHHH” Vox screamed in agony as he clutched his flat screen head to the shock of the other Vee’s. Just minutes ago, he was enjoying the battle at the hotel and the ‘fumbling of that f*cker Alastor', from the high-definition comfort of their tower.
He didn't seem to be bothered by the quakes whatsoever. Despite phones ringing off the hook of the Vee’s viewing room, and countless notification alerts bombarding the massive viewing screen that belonged to the TV Overlord, he was previously utterly uncaring of the chaos as he screamed to high-hell.
But what he was bothered by, was something…something that wasn't a mere something.
“Flat Face!!! The f*ck is wrong with you?” Velvette demanded, as shouted over the sound of the usually reinforced metal of their tower groaning under the force of the Hellquake.
Vox was totally unresponsive, as he slammed his hands onto the keyboard of his interface located in the tower common room.
Crash!!
He utterly decimated it with strength that he didn't posses.
Strength that shocked Velvette and Valentino.
“ARRGG!!!! A RRA GGGGGG HGG!!!!” He continued roaring incomprehensibly as he stumbled and hunched over, and faced away from his fellow Vees.
“V!!! What's your malf*cktion???” She tried to press again. Despite the tone in her voice, genuine concern was filling her at the state of the TV screened Overlord.
They all had their temper tantrums, except her of course. So it wasn't unusual to see the flat screen sinner cursing up a storm in the background, as Val helped her with her nails or went on about a bitch that he had to bend over his desk.
But this was different.
The pain-filled, tone-altering screams that left his plasma mouth caused her ears to vibrate painfully, and her pulse quickened as she shakily marched over to him across the room.
Standing on unsteady legs, before she put her hands to his shoulders to turn him around and smack some sense into him.
Yet any thoughts of this retreated from her mind. As she witnessed the flat face of her friend, she could only step back as her eyes immediately widened in horror.
As glasses, furniture and lavish furnishings of all types were wrecked around them, Vox was unsettlingly still. Even despite the unstable footing, he stayed unnaturally upright on his feet. His screen had flashed in a sequence that she'd never seen in the time that she had known him.
It blurred sporadically from static, to red, before settling on an ominous glowing black that gave no indication of any of his face or details of his screen.
And then he vomited.
His entire screen flowed out of its frame like thick semi-fluid, as it projected outwards in one thick mass. It moved like molten glass, and shot out like a firehouse as it drenched Velvette unceremoniously.
“AGGGGHHHHH!!!! THE f*ck DID YOU DO?????” Velvette screeched at the top of her lungs as the fluid covered her flesh and her outfit. The fluid was heavy, as if it were liquid metal. And the Lolita Overlord was furious as she was seconds away from having to drop to a knee from the weight on her body. “V!! GET THIS sh*t OFF ME RIGH-” Velvette screamed, only to be suddenly cut off.
In an instant it warped and shaped itself into angular shards of glass. The shards hardened and jutted in jagged points all over her body in every direction.
Every direction.
The shards immediately dug into her skin faster than she could have blinked. The sheer black material cut her deeply, as if she was a a pincushion filled with neeedles.
Parts of her hair were cut off, her bones were either grazed or simply fractured, and her clothing was ripped to shreds as the glass violated her unobstructed. Even her tongue wasn't spared, as the blood leaked from her mouth and nostrils due to the 5 inch piece of black glass protruding from underneath her chin.
Velvette let out a silent scream as she was pierced through these shards, and blood poured from her wounds. She collapsed over to the side, as her head slammed into a corner of a dresser that had been knocked over.
Thnk!
She fell unceremoniously like a sack of ceramic as she crumbled onto the floor, causing blood and black fluid to mix as it looked around her unconscious form.
“sh*tsh*tsh*tsh*tsh*tsh*tsh*tf*ck!!!” Valentinto cursed as he clutched his Opera length cigarette holder too tightly. Despite the fact that it was broken in two, he had been clutching it like a lifeline ever since been thrown to the floor and almost hit with a painting at the start of the Quake.
Valentino's panicked eyes were drawn to Velvette as he warily reached an unsteady hand to her cheek. “BabydoOUCH!” His wavy suave voice immediately shifted to a hoarse hiss as his gloved hand was cut by the strange black glass that was stuck in her face. “YOU c*nt!” he swore at her, despite the fact that she was unconscious and not to blame.
Val huffed as he felt his world spinning around him. His shades had fallen off earlier, and he felt vulnerable as his poor vision came to a head. “Gotta go. G-gotta bail out here. I-Ill come back and get some pissant to bring ‘em to safety!” He rambled nervously, while crawling away from Velvette. Whether he was thinking aloud or justifying his actions, was unknown even to himself. He cradled his upper left hand, and did his best to stay upright as the building swayed around him.
He made it all of 3 feet, before a utterly still pair of vaguely blue slacked legs filled his vision. Val let out a gulp as he craned his head upwards to look at the empty TV headed sinner that he constantly bit back and forth with playfully and seriously.
“...Aha…ahaha…” The moth sinner chuckled awkwardly, as his wings unfurled and hung limply with trepidation. “Voxy baby!!! Y-you feeling better yet? Can I get you something t-to take the edge off maybe? A bitch? A spliff?.....some cuddling on what's left of the couch?” Val nervously offered.
He had seen Vox when he was pissed off. Usually by way of Val acting…..slightly less responsible than he should. But never this. Never harming one another so…viciously.
Vox was hunched over as he stood still unable to be knocked around by the shaking The empty flat screen that comprised Vox’s head showed no inclination or features. Yet by some freakish manner of impossibility, he let out a disturbing laugh.
“Haha…Hahahah…HA h-ha H @ a A a∆ A h H a h AH_A// AH\A HAH– AH !!!!!!”
His flat screen was utterly empty, yet he still somehow produced a glitch-filled buffering laugh as he madly reared his head back.
The nearly deafening technological noises quickly transitioned when Vox clutched the antenna upon his head, and began weeping loudly.
Valentino could barely even recognize what was happening, his degraded vision making the situation much more frightening, as he desperately searched the floor for his shades.
Just as his hand clutched the gaudy sunglasses, a voice that he barely recognized as Vox sang to him, in a demented melody.
“W-wE ’ll m(( Ee // T Ag ∆ in, d*Nt k nO W/// wh 3r e D0 00 0Nt k- n- n -O W WH3N!!!!¡¡¡¡¡”
He warbled unclearly, as his voice sounded more static and glitched than it ever had before. It was one thing when the tech savvy Overlord buffered out after getting pissed off at something that either Val or Velvette totally didn't, but this was different.
This was wrong.
Valentino desperately put his broken heart shaped sunglasses back on his moth-like head. As he looked through the single cracked red lense, he witnessed the horror of his friend, his fellow Overlord, and his f*ckbuddy.
The frame of Vox’s flat screen began to crack, as yellow light began to shine brightly out of the cracks.
Valentino could only watch in horror from the floor as Vox began to rise off the ground. The ceiling tiles crumpled from above, yet they seemed to pass through Vox, as if he wasn't even there. The pieces of his head began to fall away and reveal parts of a single shining bright rectangular glass square.
Glass quickly flashed like a TV that was turning on before it, to reveal a black & white image of a talk show set. The set had a studio stage, an empty area where a classic big-band would perform, and chairs for several guests to sit.
At the desk, was the only source of color on the glass. The source was a slim human male wearing a vintage purple colored suit. He had an angular facial features, and a slick pointed haircut that bore a startling similarity to Vox’s.
The colorful host turned in his chair with a charismatic grin, and tidied his papers on his desk as he stared Valentino right in the eye. Before flashing an unsettling yet malice free grin.
“V-vox?” the flamboyant pimp asked, in a moment of shock, with a voice free of rage or desire.
The man grabbed his antique microphone as he adjusted his bowtie with a wink. He flashed a smile directly at Valentino, before he kicked up his feet on his desk.
And as the building suddenly began to shake even harder than the architecture surrounding it, the man sang in a voice that sounded like a Vox that Valentino never knew.
“~But I know we'll meet again!
~Some sunny day!”
The man's voice echoed across the entire tower, as Vox’s arms expanded outwards flamboyantly.
And the last thing that either Valentino or the unconscious Velvette ever would see of Vox…
Was a golden cross erupting from his chest that totaled the entirety of the tower, as it grew higher and higher.
Alastor crawled from under the rubble, as his wounds burned from the assault he endured.
He pulled himself through the dirt as the deafening sound of the tumultuous state of Pentagram City filled his ears.
Being made a fool publicly by the leader of the Exorcists wasn't something that he had directly planned. But he had accounted for such a potential scenario in countless battles.
Fleeing from said battle, knowing that his tacky one-sided ‘nemesis’ would use the moment as further slander to his reputation, was also something that could be dealt with at a later moment.
Overall the situation seemed to be far from the worst case scenario, to the Radio Demon.
Yet for the first moment in his afterlife, he was in pain.
It wasn't the sweet and wondrous pain that filled his veins with sweet and sad*stic pleasure.
It wasn't the thrill that came with having your blood spilt by yourself or an enemy.
It wasn't the melodious crunch of bone, the harmonic slashing of tissue, or the symphonic rupture of organs that came with dancing a soiree of sanguine sin with salacious sinners.
No.
This was true pain.
The pain that altered him.
The pain that changed him from that miserable thing he once was.
The pain that he swore he would never let himself experience again.
His yellow chesire smile was strained against his pale face, as he wrenched his hand into his side.
Squelch!
His clawed hands ripped into his suit and sank into his flesh immediately.
Nothing
He grit his sharpened teeth together, twisting and rolling his hand at odd angles as he pushed through tissue and flesh.
...Nothing.
His face was pulled in a taught grimace that was a broken reflection of his usual prideful and predatory smile. He grabbed a chunk of sharpened stone from the ground, and clutched it so tightly that it should reasonably have cut his hand from the sharp edges.
He slammed it into his shoulder.
Again and again and again.
The pain remained. It struck him to his core in a horrible, agonizing way as the stone cut into his flesh without any of the familiar masoch*stic sensation.
The pleasurable ache that often drove him, was replaced by a stabbing reminder of his former mortality that now cut a swathe through his body.
And worst of all…there wasn't a single drop of blood to be seen.
No matter how much he harmed himself, or how wounded he was from the battle, there was no blood that flowed from his wounds, or even staining his clothing.
His eyes opened full of a scarcely scene rage, as his pupils were replaced by the ever familiar dials of his true form.
But it wasn't right.
He felt his body resisting the change. The transformation that he was all too familiar with.
His neck refused to extend as the bones in his spine were kept from elongating and fracturing.
His shoulder blades locked in place, despite his every conscious effort to widen and break them apart.
His digits stayed at their current length, even though he commanded crimson claws to erupt from underneath his nails.
Even his antlers simply sat upon his head-
Crrrk
Alastor's eyes widened as his skull was wracked by immense pain. { Ngh!!! What is this… } He muttered before he immediately clutched his head in pained confusion. { Gahhhhh!!!!! } his voice cried out, as the usual static rose louder and louder in his tone.
His fingers dug so deep into his scalp, that they pierced his skin and blistered his nails. Alastor rolled on the ground as his eyes returned from the dialed orbs. This pain struck him like blasts of heavenly light, one after another, as strange golden tears began forcing their way out of his tear ducts.
Upon his head, the fur on his cervid ears began to fall apart. As Alastor pulled a hand back, to see the clumps of his crimson fur covering his torn gloved hand. His eyes glared at the fur in a contempt, as he struggled to comprehend what was occuring to his person.
He barely had a moment to look through his newly sprouted golden tears before he stilled once again in shock. Immediately, his skull pounded as if all of Pride was crashing down on it.
Krrrrsh!
His mouth opened so wide, that the sides of his jaw cut at the seams. His full transformation would usually allow for a widening of his jaw, but the sudden confounding limitation that was forced upon his body merely caused a bloodless injury to his mouth.
Alastor fell flat to the ground in a heap. His back hunched sporadically as the pounding increased tenfold. Just when he thought that he would- no. Just when he prayed that he would lose consciousness, his body finally altered.
Except not in a way he would have ever imagined in his darkest nightmares.
SHK!
SHK!
Both of his antlers shattered to pieces as the fragments flew everywhere as if they were crushed underfoot. The pieces that dug into his scalp were instantly pulverized to black powder, by the spontaneous eruption of two massive white antlers.
Alastor was immediately propelled to his knees by an unseen force, almost as if he were a puppet who was pulled off the ground by unseen threads. His eyes flicked between their normal state, and the demonic dials of his true form repeatedly.
The antlers sprouted as more branches began to naturally form similar to a tree growing at an increased pace. They grew larger and larger and larger, until they were over half the Radio Demons height. Yet they felt weightless, with an emptiness above the Overlord's head.
His mouth gaped open as his jaw hung garishly past its boundaries. His arms limply laid on the ground, as his chest heaved. Golden tears streamed down his face, and yellow saliva from his mouth, as the red color began to drain from his hair.
Amongst the chaos surrounding him, and the uncertain misery plaguing him, Alastor heard a sound.
Tok
His flickering eye scanned around him in hostile confusion to track down the source.
Tok
Tok Tok Tok Tok
Tok Tok
Even though his mind was unable to recognize such a sound on its own given its state, the awareness of it was crammed into his mind without his knowledge or permission.
‘Hoofbeats’.
Alastor took in as deep a breath as he could, despite the metaphorical flame that threatened to consume his lungs, and pushed himself forward. He began crawling, in an attempt to do something- anything to stave off whatever this was.
Tok Tok Tok
He dug his hands through the dirt to pull himself forward, and couldn't even lift his head upwards. As his white antlers broke repeatedly against the wall of ruined buildings, and uprooted trees, they immediately reformed and grew even further.
Tok Tok
Alastor couldn't even figure where he was going, but he pushed himself harder than he had ever endured previously since falling to hell. His broken body was a blaze of unwelcome pain and foreign changes that he was pitifully trying to escape like a worm in sh*t.
He was as enraged as he was confused. His body felt as if it was not his own. His power as an Overlord was of no use, as it seemed to not even be an afterthought. Even the shadows refused to heed his call. Through his rage and strife, it almost seemed to appear as the shadows took on the forms of the souls he had bound to his will.
They towered over him.
The same way he looked over those he looked down upon.
They smirked at him.
Similar to how he smiled down upon the people he thought lesser than him.
The strange attacks on his body were only matched by the unseen attacks on his pride and dignity.
He wanted to find whatever or whoever thought they could away with doing this to him.
To him, of all people.
He wanted to put his hands on them, as he forced them to look him in his eyes.
He wanted to let them know that he would make them forget & remember the meaning of the word ‘pain’ over and over again, until the Radio Demon got bored of the concept.
He wanted to string them up high in Cannibal Town, and watch comfortably from Rosie's establishment as the numerous cannibals climbed and lept to literally nip at their bloody heels, before pulling at them like greedy children-
Tok
With his head low to the ground, Alastor’s shifting eyes widened as he saw four hooves in his field of vision.
Four white hooves.
Four white hooves, of a deer.
Four white hooves, of a deer, with pure bronze fur gracing its legs.
Seeing only these four legs caused fear to fill Alastor. A fear he had no knowledge of. A fear he couldn't place, yet wracked him to his bloodless core all the same. His head stayed low to the ground, as he couldn't bare to face whatever manner of entity that had paralyzed him at his most vulnerable.
Tok
The creature tapped one of its hooves on the ground before Alastor.
Whether it was impatience, anger, amusem*nt, or just a reflex, the effect on him was assured.
Alastor was pulled back upwards by those same seemingly invisible strings, back up to his knees and resting on his haunches. {Gahhhhh!!!} He roared, as this time the pain was centered around his massively pale antlers. The weightless feeling was now replaced by a agonizing feeling on his skull. He felt as if he was being dragged by his horns through the streets. {Aggggghh!! Ahhhhh!!!!!”
His body continued its unnatural change, as his voice had lost all traces of its feedback he was infamously known for.
The bloody tears that dripped down his face immediately shifted into thin golden strings.
They pierced the sides of his garish mouth, and sewed the sides closer. The quick and precise threads instantly caused his jaw to be secured back into place, and only furthered his misery.
Now able to speak again, albeit with painful difficulty, his throat roared with the voice of not a feared and respected Overlord.
But of the man he had spent years trying to bury, along with his bloodied past.
“WHO ARE YOU????” He demanded as he clutched his scalp feverishly. “WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE???”. Alastor bellowed out in equal parts of vexation & agony. Golden blood leaked from his naked doe ears, as his blistered hands were stained with the same fluid.
“I’LL TEAR YOU FROM YOUR SKULL TO YOUR SCROTUM!!!! I'LL TEAR OUT YOUR VEINS AND KNIT THEM INTO A COZY FOR MY TEA KETTLE!!!! YOU'LL BE NOTHING BUT A BLOOD CLOTTED COR-”, Alastor’s rage induced rant halted, as his pupils dilated at what he beheld. They finally focused on the cloven entity before him, and he was at a loss for words.
Standing before him was a bronze stag .
It stood taller than any deer, doe, or buck that the Radio Demon had ever seen during his human lifetime. Every time he blinked his aching eyes, it somehow seemed to flicker between being a head taller than himself at his full height, and towering over the buildings of uptown.
Glorious & majestic bronze fur hung from its form and seemed to glow purely, despite the crimson natural light of Pride.
It stood on four powerful legs, which Alastor had become too familiar with.
Yet the most beautiful horrific feature of the stag was what sat above.
The stad had three heads up on its shared shoulders .
The left head was that of a decaying deer. Half of the skin of its face was missing, as if it were blown away point-blank with a shotgun to reveal a glowing white skull. Its fur was a dull clay color, as if it hadn't seen light in weeks. Golden blood leaked from the shining tissue, as the head's right eye hung limp from the socket while the left socket was utterly empty. The gruesome head unsettled Alastor more than he ever thought possible, as its half bitten tongue ran over its impeccably white teeth.
The right head was a young fawn. It was so young that it actually appeared to be a newborn. The fur upon its head and neck was much purer shade than the rest of the body, appearing more like a copper color as it was covered in a glimmering amniotic fluid that sparkled in the light. It shook its head to try to rid itself of the fluid, but only managed to spread more of it on its fur. The innocence of this head affronted Alastor, as its eyes looked upon him with curiosity.
The final head…was the worst of the three.
The center head wasn't one of a stag, or even an animal. It was of a simple woman. Her bronze fur came up to her neck before it revealed warm toned ivory with a brilliant radiance. Her face was blemish free, and she had high cheekbones that seemed to glimmer in the light produced by her own form. Spotted freckles of gold covered her cheeks and nose, as bronze hair hung down elegantly until it melded back with the fur of her body.
The final head of this already unsettling thing-
This offputting creature was surely the worst one of the three.
Because it was the one thing that Alastor recognized most of all.
Alastor grit his teeth harder and harder. So hard that his golden stitches almost burst in his jaw.
The three headed stag calmly walked towards him, as he struggled against invisible bonds that he wasn't even sure were holding him, in the first place.
Bonds that were all too similar to the contractual chains he used to bind the souls of those he saw as pawns to use and discard.
Tok
In the blink of an eye, the stag stood before him.
Towering above him.
Standing before him.
All three of the heads shared one utterly massive ring of white antlers that connected their skulls together. Starting at the gruesome skull, looping up and then connecting back at the newborn head, with the ring of antler filled with parallel branching antlers from the center head of the woman.
Alastor’s shoulders shook with indescribable emotion, as he began panting and breathing rapidly through grit teeth. “Why…..” he breathed as he felt his world shattering as the moments passed. “Why?? WHY WHY WHY??? WOULD YOU DO SUCH A THING?????” He roared at the stag in unrestrained anguish. “I NEVER UNDERSTOOD!!!!”.
“YOU HEARD THEIR PROOF!!!! YOU SAW THE TRAIL I LEFT BEHIND!!!!!” He ranted. “YOU SHOULD HAVE HATED ME!!!! YOU SHOULD HAVE TREATED ME LIKE THE REST OF THEM!!!!” He raged with closed eyes, as his hands clutched at his scalp once again. His formerly crimson hair was now an almost colorless puce color, as the gold blood leaked from his scalp, and his white antlers glowed bright.
The left skull breathed through its lipless jaw, and did nothing to indicate any mental or emotional attention.
The right newborn fawn ruffled its head once again, as shining fluid flew from its ears and fur.
And the female head stared down at him. Her bright blue eyes looked at him unblinkingly, before she smiled. Her sienna colored lips upturned in a matronly smile, as she co*cked her head slightly.
As he opened his sorrow filled eyes, a pair of brown human pupils were revealed to have replaced his red sinner ones. He blinked through the gold tears, as he looked up at the womanly creature with confusion and misery.
“Why….” He asked once more in a strained and pitiful human voice that he hadn't heard in ages. “Why did you…forgive me?”.
The woman smiled once more, as she leaned her head down to his level. She closed her eyes, and pressed her lips to his forehead…
The same way a mother would do to a hurt child.
Alastor closed his eyes and wept as he relived the moment of his greatest, sin a thousand times over
As her lips made contact with his forehead, a burning bright cross was branded into his scalp before it exploded outward & climbed to unforeseen heights.
Boom!!!
Brakoon!!!
Carmilla Carmine rushed through the half collapsed remains of her tower.
The weight on her shoulders was palpable, but one she didn't hesitate to carry, along with what she dragged behind her. The state of the weapon district was worse than it had ever been. The unpredicted and violent Hellquake was wrecking more havoc than any conflict between Overlords or organization combined.
Havoc that didn't spare her building headquarters.
The foundation of several floors had collapsed. Tempered glass and tungsten beams had shattered under the force of explosions that were ripping through the building. Even the few floors that had managed to stay stable were sinking downward as half of the building was collapsing due to the massive crevices opening in the ground.
The quake itself shouldn't have by any means been enough to compromise the building that she had spent countless decades fortifying against Exorcists and Overlords alike.
But the sudden and instantaneous explosion of all the Angelic Steel in her armory, production floor and territory had turned Carmine Industries into an inferno the likes of which hadn't been seen in hell for 5,000 years.
Every blade, weapon, and armament that contained the Heavenly metal had exploded violently in a blast of holy light, triggering a chain reaction that had demolished massive parts of her territory, her home and office as well.
Her office was rocked in what she thought to be an attack of Exorcists, only to see weapons from spears, knives, bullets and guns shine almost entrancingly before exploding in a holy inferno.
She was blown off her feet as glass shattered before her. Mere seconds had passed, before she saw her own Angelic heels glowing the same way.
She had barely managed to remove her own personal weapons and duck behind her desk for cover at the last second as she sustained deep injuries to herself in the explosion.
But she couldn't be concerned with her own life at that time.
She couldn't be concerned with mere possessions and finances.
Not when she had important people to think about.
Carmilla breathed in exhaustion, as her bare feet trudged through the shattered glass of her former reception area on the first floor. She stumbled forward as best as she could to offset not only the weight on her shoulder, but also the shaking from the Quake.
She ignored the screams of her employees, the erupting of shattering stone, and the smell of the permanently burnt corpses of sinners as she pressed forward.
Before long she ended up outside, and finally felt less of the flames of the building on her back.
DRATHOOOM!
Just as she set foot on the street, the building shook as it collapsed inward in a small explosion of dust and flames.
“Ah!!!” She screamed in shock as she was blown forward by the building's destruction. Her ears rang as she lay on the ground, and she forced herself to look up as best as she could.
Her once notably pointed hair was burnt, and the loss of the hair ties let it hang loose around her shoulders as it was clumped together in dirt and ash.
Her vision returned to her, before her eyes widened as she remembered what she brought with her out of the building.
She rose to her feet, only to collapse as pain stabbed through her. “Gah!!!!” She cursed, as she looked behind her to see that her feet were bloodied from the broken glass and burned from the flames.
The adrenaline that allowed her to walk arduously through the building had run out, as the pain and glass were bit into her feet.
“Tch!”. Biting her tongue, she instead crawled forward as she tried to navigate through the chaos. The flames of countless buildings cast the street in an ominous orange haze, as warehouse buildings and weapons caches all over the industrial district were compromised, in heaps of molten slag and holy light. The dirt of the explosions and Hellquake obscured things worse than a sandstorm, making things even more challenging for the sinners who tried to navigate and escape the carnage.
Her vision was obscured, and she felt around as best she could on the asphalt for where she was moments ago. “Clara!!!! Odette!!!” She cried out as desperation filled her tone, and fear covered her features.
“Odette!!” She yelled, attempting to be heard over the chaos as her eyes stung from the dust. “Clara, Odette!!!! If you can hear me, please!!!” She cried out as her throat grew hoarse.
Her large white hands overturned rocks, chunks of stone, metal sheets, even the bodies of her fellow sinners. Anything and everything in the desperate hopes to find what was most precious to her.
As blood dripped down her forehead, she saw the familiar gleam of polished glass in her peripheral. Polished glass that belonged to glasses. Glasses which were always kept clean by a certain girl, who always kept attention to detail.
“Odette!!!” She breathed in relief as she scrambled forward. She even ignored the pain of her bloodied feet as she tracked her way to the source. Pushing through the cloud of dust, she saw her daughter Odette halfway buried under a thatched sheet of metal, along with several pieces of wood.
Immediately she removed the debris easily, as her vision cleared up slowly. She noticed light cuts on Odette’s forearms, displaying her torn labcoat, and fresh scars on her cheek and forehead that likely came from the explosion. Her white hair was damp with blood, but it brought her comfort that it wasn't an excessive amount that was leaking from her head.
Definitely injured, but nothing immediately fatal she presumed. Her daughter was likely unconscious, given that she wasn't moving and that her eyes were closed. But all that mattered was that she was okay.
Carmilla stood up on uneasy feet as she pushed a large wooden plank off Odette.
She didn't notice the blood that had pooled under the debris.
She pushed away as many stones as she could, before she finally reached her daughter's arms, to pull her out as effectively and harmlessly as possible.
She didn't notice the lack of any warmth or cold coming from her daughter's body.
“One…two…” she muttered to herself as she summoned her strength to pull at her daughter, to remove her from the pile and get her to a safer spot.
And she immediately fell back as the top half of her daughter's body came loose, revealing the carnage of her body’s missing lower half.
“Gaaah!” Carmilla let out as her head impacted the ground. Sitting up as best she could, her eyes refocused as she looked through the dust once more. “Odett-” she started, only to cut herself off as stared down at the bisected corpse of her daughter.
…
The silence.
…
The silence was maddening.
…
There was no silence to be had on the street, as flames erupted from the city scape, buildings exploded before collapsing, and sinners were trapped in a chaos unfamiliar to them.
But the silence in Carmilla's head was maddening.
Her eyes were wide and unblinking as they stared at a sight she didn't comprehend. Couldn't comprehend.
Her pupils dilated.
Her heart pounded out of control.
Her lungs tightened to the point of signaling hyperventilation.
All this occured in her body, as she stared forward.
Half of her daughter was lying on the street, in a pool of blood, amongst this hellish chaos.
She couldn't breathe.
Half of her daughter was lying in a pool of blood.
She couldn't feel.
Her daughter was in a pool of blood.
She couldn't understand what was happening.
Her daughter….
Her baby…
Her little girl…
“H-haaaa…..” she exhaled in a loud breath. She crawled forward slowly as the red landscape blurred around her. “H-haaaa….haaaaa…h-ha” she breathed as her mouth dried up, and she looked at Odette's face.
Her face was its usual picture of stoic pragmatism. Her mouth even in its usual manner. Despite being broken with half the frame missing, her glasses framed her simple face. Aside from the scarring and blood, she looked as she always had when she slept.
“AAAHHH!!!! ODETTE!!!!!!” She cried out as tears leaked from her eyes. She knelt over her daughter's body, as she held her to her body. The sounds of the rampageous state of the district came rushing back at her, as she cradled her daughter's body to her. Her eyes were wrenched tight in denial, before she opened them to look at her daughter.
“O-odett-” she began, only to be struck to her heart with a sight she was unprepared for.
Her daughter's corpse began disappearing.
Her eyes widened to an impossible degree, as the corpse of her daughter began fading away into orbs of white light. They moved off her prone body like alabaster bubbles, as they dissipated to nothingness.
“n-no….”
What was this?
“No….”
She didn't understand.
Carmilla's entire body fidgeted in barely repressed anguish, as her daughter was literally fading away before her eyes.
‘N- ! St-- !!! D-n't -o t-i-!!’
“Ngghhh!!!” Carmilla was immediately brought out of this horror, as she clutched her right eye in pain.
As she grit her teeth, she felt an awareness trickle against her sense of self.
She was barraged with memories she didn't remember.
A place she hadn't been too.
And 3 people she had never met.
As she blinked through the tears and the pain, she noticed two things.
Odettes body was completely and utterly gone.
And her own right arm was….smaller.
Her eyes widened, as she felt an unsettling ache all the way in her retina.
The usual white flesh that she was accustomed to on her arm was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a smaller and thinner arm sat in its place that matched the same gray tone of her face. Confusion filled her at this alteration to her person, only to be replaced by fear at another realization.
“Clara.”
Her head nearly snapped from how hard she spun it. Immediately she rose to her waery feet, as she tried her best to run through the destruction of the street in search of her only other daughter. Her only other reason for-
“Oomph!” Carmilla heaved out after she fell to the ground. The air left her lungs, as he fell onto her stomach due to tripping over something sizable.
As she sat clutching her bruised chin with a much smaller hand that she wasn't used to possessing, she felt frustration bubble in her. A misplaced frustration she wanted to direct at whatever damned objected or poor bastard that she had unfortunately tripped over.
But as she narrowed her eyes at the vague shape on the ground, familiarity stabbed into her heart as recognition crashed into her like a sledgehammer.
Laying in a crumpled mass on the ground, was none other than Clara. Her daughter.
“No….No!!!!!!” She wailed as she crawled over to her daughter's body. She didn't even get time to touch her, before she too began disappearing in a vague mass of white orbs.
“C-clara please!!!”
Why was this happening
“Not you too!”
Why was this happening…
“Not my…not m-my-”
Why.
Why…
Why……
Soon there was nothing left before her in the ground. And her other arm now matched her right one in appearance.
Lithe, gray, and more comparable to the limbs of the average sinnet her size.
But Carmilla couldn't be bothered to notice that.
She couldn't be bothered to care about any of that.
Because the only two things worth having in her afterlife were gone.
Her family was gone, and she-
“She was the one that took them in the first place.”
The thought slammed into her mind and made her eyes widen in shock. “What? No!”
“A mother who robbed her children of the life they were given”
“No!!!! That's not true!!! I-I…” she rasped as she attempted to defend herself, against the strangely serene voice that only she heard. A voice that drowned out the fire and fury in Pentagram City. “I protected them! I raised them-”
“From what? Sinners cannot conceive or bear children within hell.”
Carmilla’s eyes widened at this realization. It was information that she and every other sinner knew, but it was being painted in a light that left her taken about.
“What could your ‘daughters’ have done to earn a place in Hell, at an age where they needed to be raised as mere babes?”
She shook. This voice was speaking to her in a collected and even tone, yet its words were crumbling the foundations of everything she knew. It was the equivalent of a parent deconstructing the delusion of a petulant child.
Parent…
Child…
Her heart ached with a misery that she was unaware that she knew.
She tried to keep back her further tears. To be the strong woman she always had been, in her tenure as an Overlord and weapons dealer.
But that was before.
Before when she thought she was protecting…
As she looked down at her hands- these unfamiliar gray hands which were nothing like the white hands she was used to, her vision began to spin. “Agghh!!!!” She clutched her left eye, as the same pain from earlier returned two fold.
‘No! St-p!!! D-n't do t-is!!! ’
“ggggGAAAAAGHHNN!!!” She cried out as she felt as if a nail was being driven out from behind her other eye socket.
She clutched her face as her wrists began to glow golden. A scorching burn began to well up under her skin, in the circular shape of thick bands around her flesh. Her mind was shredded to scraps, as it was forcefully sewn back together with memories that she hadn't wished to know she ever had known.
+++
A look of exhaustion sat upon her face, as she stood in the cold and empty medical examination room of her recently constructed tower. The sparse white light from above flicked, as it showcased her immediate surroundings.
Odette impassively stood behind her, as she was stock still. The young girl was silent. She wasn't even breathing, and her unblinking eyes were unfocused.
Carmilla’s breath hitched as she stared down at the examination table, along with the body underneath the white shroud.
She reached a shaking hand, before pulling it away, and revealing the corpse of Clara. Her hair was damp with blood, and a deep gash from an Exorcist's blade was present on her neck.
Carmilla let out a tired breath, as she raised a shaky hand.
A shaky, gray, lithe hand.
She closed her eyes, as white energy began to glow and coalesce along her arm. It hardened until it became one with her arm, as if she had a naturally thicker yet disproportionate forearm with large pointed fingers.
In that instant, Clara’s eyes shot open, as they glowed the same color white for a brief moment. The gash on her neck melted away as if it were hot wax, and her body sat up upon the metal slab.
Neither of the girls made to speak, move or even breathe as Carmilla turned about heel and left the examination room.
+++
Carmilla heaved as she clutched her head. “I-I don't understand!!!!! I….I wouldn't do that!!! I couldn't!!!!” she wailed to forces unforeseen.
She coughed and sputtered as dust filled her strained throat, and her eyes were once again clouded.
+++
She was clothed in rags. Threadbare clothing that she had either scavenged from the piles of filth of her new environment, or stolen from the menacing spirits who wanted nothing but to do harm to her and each other, since she had fallen from the red sky months ago.
As she huddled as closely into the alley as possible, amongst the overflowing piles of refuse. She wept silent tears.
Tears that flowed down her form, and onto her exposed arm.
Tears that once settling on her arm, turned into an ethereal miasma that gathered along her arms.
Her eyes widened in shock, as she cried out in confusion. She patted her arms down frantically, in fear that it was a flame or an unnatural curse like she had seen the other spirits use in the town she resided in, as she watched from the shadows.
But instead, the energy gathered up on her arms, covering them. Almost seeming to cradle them. The energy formed into soft material that felt like a second skin upon her arms. Once she calmed herself, she curled her thick and pointed new fingers experimentally.
She was mystified.
What was she seeing?
Was it the work of the spirits?
Were her ancestors taking pity on her?
Did she deserve such pity for what she had done?
As she pondered such things, two bright white orbs began to glow before her.
She immediately cowered before them, as she did her face into her barely clothed knees, as her hair hung over her face. She wasn't yet used to the paleness of the color, and it had taken her days to stop trying to rip it out of the roots of her scalp in tearfilled rages.
But when nothing had struck her, she peaked up above her white shielded arms. The glow had dissipated, leaving the alley blanketed once again in the muted red color that the sky always carried.
Laying before her, were two small forms.
Two small creatures who bore the same white hair as her.
Two…..precious little things that made her heart well up, as she wept at the sight of them.
They didn't move whatsoever, as they were as still as the other objects in the alley.
Yet she crawled away from her corner towards them all the same, as sorrow and regret overcame her.
Regret at what she had done, and what she had become. Regret that she had involved the two beings in her life, that hadn't chosen their existence.
Just like her, their lives had not been of their choosing.
Yet she had taken it from them all the same.
As she picked up the still bodies, she held them to her chest closely as more tears leaked from her eyes. Everything that had happened towards the end, had weighed down on her. Weighed more than her mind could take.
After a few moments, their eyes glowed white, before they began to shiver due to the coolness of the shady alley.
Infantile cries rang out of the alley, as she cradled them to her. She clutched the bodies of the two newly created creatures to her chest fondly. They weren't afterliving creatures. They weren't independent. They merely acted towards her unconscious desires. These same unconscious desires that were suppressing entire portions of her memories.
Who she was.
What she became.
When she had created them.
Where she came from.
Why she had done what she had done.
Even her own name had sunk into abstraction, like a stone in a rushing river.
She quietly rocked her body back and forth in an attempt to not only soothe her newly created charges, but to soothe the weight of her sin.
+++
Carmilla was hunched over in utter ruin as pieces began to fall back into place.
Memories that were forcefully buried, arose to see the light of day.
Synapses that she had unconsciously severed had started to reform with golden grace.
All the while, her wrists burned hotter than as if she was being shackled in molten hot Angellic Steel.
‘No! Stop!!! Don't do this!!’
She blinked through the fire that burned within her skull, as one last memory clicked into place within her mind.
And it was the one memory that was vividly clearer than the rest.
+++
A woman.
Trudging through the thigh high waters of the rushing river. The light of dawn had shone across the open valley, as the rich green foliage contrasted against it.
The weight the woman carried, along with the resistance of the water, worked against her.
Yet she wouldn't be deterred from this act.
The sun rose higher, as the bundles in her arms began to stir. Her now soaked clothing slowed her barefoot march into the river.
Yet she wouldn't be impeded.
The sounds of movement coming from the brush, that she had entered minutes ago caused her to turn around.
She took in the sight of men carrying rifles and guns as they came barreling through the tree line in a desperate search.
Fair skinned men searched with frustration and rage, before pointing at her as they approached the riverbed.
Yet she wouldn't be afraid.
For even if they killed her, she wouldn't be denied her justice.
As they aimed their guns and rifles to her, she turned fully to them, and removed the cloth covering the weight she carried.
The men lowered their weapons in shock, as they witnessed the small bundles she had swaddled to her chest.
The mens hardened faces roared with alarm, and the two infants against her cried from the sounds of the rushing waters that pushed and pulled at the woman's waist.
The woman stepped back some. She felt the water crash at her back.
She stepped back some more. The stones underneath her feet became sparse.
She stepped back a third time. The men at the riverbed argued amongst themselves at what to do, as she was a step away from teetering towards the depth of the rivernwith the light skinned children in her arms.
The woman heard the loud sound of a waterfall in the distance, and she knew that no attempt by the men would end well, should they even dare to enter the river after her.
Finally, a familiar man pushed his way through the rest of them as he dropped his rifle to the ground.
He shouted at her.
He demanded of her.
He pleaded with her.
But the woman cared not for his words.
All she could see was the blood of her people staining his and his ilk’s clothing.
All she could see was the heavy chains that had constantly cut and bound her wrists as they smiled and laughed amongst themselves.
All she could see was the pale white hair, of the familiar fair skinned man who robbed her of her body and her innocence all those moons ago.
As she tightly clutched the infants who cried out for comfort, she let out one last smile.
A smile that she hoped would convey forgiveness to the souls of her mother. To her father. To her siblings. And to her husband.
Forgiveness to her ancestors for what she was about to do.
And so the eyes of the pale haired man widened in horror, she stepped back once more.
With that, the combined weight of her, her two children, and the heavy stones she had filled her clothing with, brought her below the surface of the raging waters, as her tears were lost amongst the current which carried them away.
+++
Everything was silent.
The crimson earth continued to quake.
The buildings crumbled and fell onto the street and passersby.
And the screams of genuine fear filled the district.
Yet all was silent to Carmilla Carmine.
Everything she had built herself upon was…..wasn't.
Her business.
Her status as an Overlord.
Her daught-
Carmilla let out a strangled cry as the pained realization hit her once again. There weren't any daughters.
There never were any daughters.
She had just been living out her sin, all these years.
Again and again.
Without even realizing it.
Carmilla was on her knees as her tear stained cheeks burned with cuts and scratches. She pulled her hands away, and saw white hairs in her hands.
As she looked down at herself with weary eyes, her wrists glowed a brilliant shade of gold.
With a shattered heart and an empty mind, she clutched her hands to her heart and wept. Her eyes closed in resignation, as a golden cross formed upon her left wrist.
Thus, an incandescent cross exploded outward. And what little remained of Carmine Industries was less than dust in the wind.
Charlie was stunned.
As all of Pentagram City seemed to shake and shatter in a cataclysmic disaster, she and her friends had done their best to keep themselves grounded and upright.
But no amount of support and cooperation could prepare her for what she was witnessing.
Namely, Seven golden crosses.
Seven golden crosses had erupted all across Pentagram city suddenly and without warning.
One was the standard crosses seen in typical biblical depictions.
Another was lofted with a slanted as it leaned too much to the right,
And one particular cross had 3/4ths of a circle instead of a grid like portions.
These bizarre Seven crosses stretched higher than any place in Pride itself, and even taller than the manor she was raised in.
They were so large and reached so high, that it was impossible to gauge how close and how far they were. She couldn't even be certain where they were coming from, as they could have come from all the sections of Pentagram city.
The only thing to be said for sure, was the sheer amount of gold light they put off, and the unsettling feeling that spawned in her stomach at the sight of them.
All these things combined drove Charlie to try to press her father's information. Anything, to get an understanding of what was happening. “Dad! I don't understand!! We won, didn't we???” She shouted at him, trying to make herself heard over the uproar of the constantly shifting ground around them.
“I-I don't- I'm not sure Char-Char!” Lucifer spoke to his daughter, with worry evident in his voice. “Something like this has never happened befor-”
And as he spoke, it stopped. Everywhere….
All at once. Everywhere….
And everything was still. Everywhere….
The ground around them stopped quaking. The streets stopped splitting as the crevices grew no larger. The red stone stopped erupting out of the surrounding sediment, as the echoes of the 17 minute long quake faded away into the realm at large.
For afew seconds, neither Charlie or her allies dared to breathe.
The silence became palpable, as minutes passed by with nobody saying a word across the war torn battlefield.
They all took slow stock of themselves and didn't even speak, lest another horrific disaster reveal itself. Even Nifty hid underneath Charlie's legs, as her single eye scanned around for more ruckus.
But like all natural events of epic proportions, it was coincidentally preceded by an unrelated deliberate act of insignificant proportions.
For Nifty’s sole eye wandered across the ground, until it saw a lone roach crawling.
The roach’s antenna flickered around curiously, as the tiny insect had crawled out from the rubble of the battlefield unharmed.
Her pupil dilated down to almost a speck, as all worry of the Hellquake and the golden crosses melted away in favor of the roach that was simply existing.
Stepping out from Charlie's legs, she glided across the ground with an easy smile. In a simple and practiced motion, she stabbed the co*ckroach with her Angelic blade with ease.
The action was followed by 3 events, in the following order.
I
The ringing of the Angellic Steel weapon across the battlefield.
II
The gaining of attention of every person, both sinner and Hellborn, who was brought out of their shock by the act on Nifty.
III
And the shattering of the pentagram in the red sky, by the emergence of a glowing platinum Seven fingered hand.
C / R / A / C / K
The primal sound of shattering glass filled everyone's ears immediately, as every demonic being in Pride was brought to bear at the sound that went against their natural being.
“Dad!!!!!” Charlie shouted as she attempted to be heard over the noises that sounded like crystal breaking inside one's own ear canal.
She watched the forms of Angel, Husk & Cherri writhing on the ground as they clutched their ears in a deep primal pain, in an attempt to shield themselves from the auditory assault of unknown means.
She watched as Nifty’s pupil had grown to eclipse her entire eye. She stood limp unmoving as her unlinking eye was focused on the hand above, and blood leaked from her eardrums.
Even Vaggie was reacting strangely. Her wings were fluttering anxiously, as she kept looking over her shoulder suddenly and without visible reason.
Charlie was filled with confusion, as it seemed like Vaggie was trying to catch a glimpse of someone behind her. Her lone eye searched frantically for something , even as she was clutching her spear and Charlie with both readiness and apprehension.
Charlie turned once more to her Dad as her mind was filled with too many questions to voice at once. But even as she attempted to ask the most pressing one of ‘ what was going on’ , her mouth ran dry as she saw the expression on her father's face.
The expression that she had never seen on his face.
The expression that she had never thought she would see on his face.
A look of pure, unadulterated fear.
Charlie's breath caught in her throat, as she saw sweat pouring from her father's face. His usually charismatic grin was replaced by a gaping mouth that quivered in horror. His eyes that always seemed to take in every detail, were nearly pinpricks as they stared at the gargantuan hand above in the sky.
“F-father?” He voiced in a hoarse, fear filled query.
Charlie’s eyes widened as her focus shifted between the enormous hand that looked poised to crush all of Pride underneath it, and the look of absolute fear on the face of the one man who Charlie never considered would be afraid of anything or anyone.
“W-why???” Lucifer asked desperately as his infamous ringmasters hat fell off his head. His shaking hands roamed through his usually styled blonde hair, messing it up uncaringly. “Why now? Why here? Of all times, why?” He frantically spoke in utter confusion.
Charlie didn't know what scared her more. The possibility that her father was speaking to himself in such a fearful way….or that he was speaking to the hand up above.
The massive hand which had replaced the pentagram above suddenly rolled its wrist in movement, almost as if it were responding to Lucifer’s questions
It curled five of its fingers, and its thumb….
Before promptly pointing its bright index finger downwards towards the battlefield.
“H-hon…” Vaggie quivered as her eye was glued to the hand looking in the sky. “What the f*ck is going on?” Vaggie whispered, as a sight that she had never encountered in her days as Exorcist had filled her with fear for herself and the woman she loved mostly.
“I don't….I-”, was all that Charlie could do to respond. Something of this magnitude, something that even had caused confusion and fear in her father, was so beyond her comprehension that nothing she had encountered before could even measure up to this.
And nothing could have possibly prepared her for the events that would follow.
“...Lieutenant.”
‘What in the Seraphim's name?’
“Lieutenant!!!”
‘In all the holy choirs…in all the Seven Spheres…’
“Lieutenant!!!!!!”
‘…What the absolute f*ck was she looking-”
“LUTE!!!!!”
The sound of Citole's strained voice brought Lute out of her thoughts. She snapped back to attention as she looked to see the uncovered face of her sister, who she was supporting mid-air.
Her charcoal gray face was on full display, causing Lute to assume that she must've removed her helm at some point. Slight cuts were visible on her face, as dried gold and red blood stuck to cheeks. Her seafoam green hair was rife with dirt, as the ponytail she kept it in was loose from combat.
Her green eyes stared at Lute, as the bags present under them were even more pronounced than usual.
“Lute! What is that thing???” Citole asked, without missing a beat, as she weakly pointed to the hand that was even higher than they were, in the sky.
Lute could only shake her head, as she tried to come to terms with the phenomenon herself. “I-I’ve never seen anything like it…” Lute let out in an uneasy breath. The loss of blood, and her emotional state was weighing on her deeply.
She cast a look around, to see her remaining sisters beating their wings to stay afloat with various degrees of difficulty. The portal to Heaven was open, yet none of them had moved and inch towards it with the sudden arrival of the hand.
Lute couldn't describe the feeling that suddenly struck her with the appearance of the platinum appendage.
She felt…a sense of knowing. Yet she didn't know what she apparently knew.
It was a strange rightness, and a emphasis on the pleasantness of it all.
She knew that her sisters felt it too. Which was why none of them had returned to Heaven, despite literally being bloodied and beaten.
If it had been any other circ*mstance, she would have basked in the innate warmth she felt at its presence .
She probably would have had to deal with a joke of ‘How there was a more fun kind of warmth to feel within’ from Ada-
Lute felt a pang of loss within her chest. She reached to grab at it, only to realize that she was still missing her arm. Looking to her lone arm which was supporting Citole, she saw the Halo she held in her grip. Golden blood dripped down from it, and she had to remind herself that it was her own golden blood.
“Wait! Look!” A voice rang out amongst the Exorcists.
Lute & Citole looked up, only for their eyes to widen even further at the transformation occuring before them.
The massive platinum hand which had given them a strange sense of belonging, moved without warning.
It curled six of its digits…
Before promptly pointing its bright index finger downwards towards the battlefield…
Down to where they had fled from.
Down to where Adam’s corpse was.
Lute’s heart felt as if it seized in her chest. Her vision narrowed down as she blocked everything out. Everyone out. Panic filled her, as her blood felt like it was replaced with molten Adamantine. “Adam….” She whispered faintly as her her senses dulled to everything else.
“Wha-” Citole started, only to be cut off as she suddenly was released. “Gah!!!” she gasped in shock as gravity took her, and she instinctively began trying to beat her one working wing. After several seconds she was caught by another of her sisters, who began flapping quickly to return them both back up.
Citole panted in relief, as she looked to see the face of Lyre.
Her usually freckled face was worse for wear, as she had a fresh scar along her right eye which was shut tight. Her cream yellow braid was torn, as she looked at Citole in relief. “Are you alright?” She panted as she hefted her back up to their sisters, who grouped together to offer assistance.
“Y-yeah. I just- I don't know what's got into her.” Citole spoke in confoundment as Lute soared downwards back towards the battlefield.
As they floated in shock at their Lieutenants actions, Lute was flying faster than she ever had before.
Her wings were flapping so hard that they began to glow as they pushed past the standard amount of Heavenly energy that she naturally had as an angel.
‘Adam’
She pushed past whatever aches she felt, as all pain became not even an afterthought.
‘...Im coming’
Her still fresh wounds beagn to aggravate, as golden blood poured from her injuries. Blood trailed into the sky behind her, as her missing arm bled due to her heart beating faster.
‘I'm almost there. I'm almost there Adam'
Her hair blew messily from the lashing winds, as a cone of flames formed in front of her, from the sheer air friction that she was causing before her. She grit her teeth and bared through it all, pouring every last fiber of her being into trying to reach the ground where Adam lay.
‘I promise that I'll never le-’
Before she could even finish her thought, Lute was immediately sent careening back into the sky. She was relatively unharmed but nonetheless knocked off course, as an explosion of pure energy rocked the area for thousands of miles.
A pillar of white gold energy shot upwards into the sky, enveloping the hand as it disappeared .
And within .03 attoseconds, the energy vanished with no trace left behind except a burnt corpse on the Hellscape below.
Lucifer stared at the pointing hand above.
A literal million of questions filled his mind.
‘Why was father here?’
‘Why come now of all times?’
‘Why after thousands of years of silence would he-’
The realization struck Lucifer like Michael’s blade.
“No…” he muttered in disbelief. “No No No No NO!!!!” He roared as his wings manifested in a blaze of Hellfire. He shot up into the air as he glared up at the hand in fury. “For him? Him? ” He demanded in shock as he motioned to the blood soaked corpse of Adam, which was surprised still visible despite the quake from earlier.
The body was slumped on its side, as one of the arms was hanging over the edge of a newly formed fissure.
“After everything I've built, everything I've accomplished, everything I've made myself into, you finally come breaking down my door, for him????? ” he demanded with a sneer. Offense was painted across his pale face at the words he uttered.
The hand maintained it's height, as it pointed downwards.
“Your pet project??? Who is he?? He's nothing!!!! NOTHING!!!! Just a clump of sh*t and dust that couldn't even satisfy a woman!!!!” Lucifer roared to the sky as his voice echoed outwards into the sky.
“You took all of the grace, beauty and wonder of an angel, and you ripped it out leaving nothing but an empty bottomless hole devoid of purpose!!! Devoid of meaning!!!”. Lucifer slammed his gloved hand into his fist as he sneered at the gigantic hand. “And I was just supposed to do what? See the beauty in such a hollow thing?”.
The hand kept it's current elevation, as it's index finger was directed towards the ground.
“You took a lump of clay and molded it into a miserable slave, before giving it the keys to the kingdom!!! To creation!!! What did you expect me to do? Fall in line like your stalwart defender, Michael? Dot over them like your mother hen, Sera??? No! NO!!!” Lucifer denied in fury. He made a cutting motion with his hand, while his eyes glowed a menacing red, and horns put off threatening hell energy.
“I was your favorite!!! The fair haired boy!!! I deserved better!! I was better!!!! I wasn't going to spend eternity kowtowing to a bunch of thoughtless monkeys that wouldn't know purpose if it told them to jump into the bottomless pit to form a mountain of corpses!!!!!!” He screamed at the top of his lungs as his tail whipped behind him and cracked in the air.
“......I….feel like I should be offended by all that…somehow. Cuz goddamn.” Angel muttered with wide eyes, picking his ear with his third hand as he stared upwards with genuine surprise on his face.
Husk shook his head, as he laid slumped over a large boulder. “Being straight with you, that feels like an entirely untapped & never before seen brand of racism that I'm not paid enough or drunk enough to deal with” he sighed, as he grabbed a stray beer bottle from the ground. He sniffed the contents before shrugging and tossing it back.
“Christ, Charlie. Your dad is…” Vaggie started, but couldn't even find the words to cover what they all collectively witnessed of Lucifer, as he had a one-sided conversation with the giant sky hand.
Charlie was torn between hiding her face in embarrassment, and chastising her dad for his rant. ‘Damnit dad! Is this what mom meant when she said that you were having your “special arguments” with yourself after drinking a bottle of your “adult apple juice”?’ Charlie thought to herself as she remembered in vivid detail her father frequently locking himself in his office when she was a child, towards the end of her parents' marriage. But such questions would have to wait…
Because the hand floated in the sky above, as it motioned downwards to the corpse of Adam.
And all of Hell shook with the explosion that followed.
For 0.3 attosecond, everything was bathed in white gold.
For 0.3 attoseconds, all the Rings were unanimous in silence.
For 0.3 attoseconds, a father stood hand in hand with his son.
And then nothing.
Truly nothing.
To the sinners in Pentagram City, they saw nothing displaying evidence of the overwhelming phenomenon they struggled to say they even witnessed.
The white gold pillar of energy had dissipated.
The platinum hand was nowhere in sight, leaving the sky filled with the shattered remains of the Pentagram.
And no massive crater was visible to anyone on the battlefield.
Charlie and her friends were for all intents and purposes, unharmed. The worst of it, was a momentary flash that had caused some of them moderate eye pain.
“sh*t!! My f*cking eye!” cursed Cherri, as she clutched her head in pain.
“Nggh! Yup. Definitely not drunk enough.” Husk growled in pain as he held his face. He grabbed his bottle and poured its contents into his eyes, before sighing in relief, as the preferred burn of alcohol replaced that of the white flash.
“Gah! So much white!!! It's like someone dunked my head in a Japanese urninal!” Angel cried out, as his eyes watered from irritation.
Overall, Charlie was content that she didn't hear any screaming from mortal wounds, even as she herself tried to blink the focus back into her eyes.
“No!!!!!” came the sudden furious cry of her father.
“Dad!!!” Charlie cried out in worry. She rubbed her hands over her eyes, as she tried to turn her head in the direction that she heard his voice. “Dad, where are-oof!” She let out, as she tripped over a rock.
“Charlie!”.
Charlie heard the familiar voice Vaggie cry out in alarm, and heard footfalls near her. “I'm okay!” She reassured, as she pushed herself up to her knees. “I just tripped”.
Charlie's focus began to slowly come back, as she saw her girlfriend carefully and worriedly inspecting her.
Vaggie's own eye was slightly red, as her pupil was slowly dilating back to normal size.
Charlie’s concern for her girlfriend was pushed to the back of her mind, as she felt a sudden warmth from the direction that she heard her father shout from. Standing up with assistance from Vaggie, her eyes took in the sight of Adams corpse.
Or what was left of it.
It had been burnt away, as everything from the clothing to his flesh was charred to a crisp. Her stomach lurched at the sight, and she could see the glowing embers emanating off the ashes of what was left. The only thing she smelled was smoke, as not even the scent of death clung to the body. All traces of golden blood were gone, as it wasn't even present near where he first crashed down onto the scorch free ground. It was….missing.
As Charlie looked to see her father floating in the air, she saw the twisted look of malice upon his face. Malice directed at a figure standing above Adams corpse.
A figure that Charlie was 666% sure wasn't there half a second ago, when she looked at Adams body.
A figure that Charlie had both recognized, and never had seen before. Her breath left her in utter disbelief as she took in the face of the figure, along with the features that seemed to be the likes of which she’d never seen before.
“H-how?” Charlie gasped. “W-we saw…..you shouldn't be-”
“There….are no wise men…” the figure began. Their voice was both as smooth as silk, and as powerful as a thunderstorm, as just the sound of their voice knocked back any dirt and dust in the immediate area. "Enchanters…” the individual continued, as Charlie and Vaggie had to shield their faces, at the sudden irritating assault of red dust. “Magicians or fortune-tellers, that can reveal the kings secrets.” the person who shouldn't be speaking, spoke.
Charlie wiped the dust from her face as she tried to rationalize the sight before her.
The sight of the figure before her.
The sight of the man before her.
Despite Vaggie still being encumbered on her knees by the dust, Charlie stood up on shaky hooves. She took several steps forward, without concern for her own well being.
She had to know.
She had to confirm if it was him.
The figure stood tall. Taller than anyone she'd ever seen, save for the Seraphim in Heaven. A perfectly cropped mop of spiked brown hair sat upon their head, that seemed to blow in a breeze that wasn't there.
Sun kissed skin covered all inches of their body, yet it seemed to lack any type of coloration or tonage that indicated any origin or particular heritage based upon location.
A masculine jawline stood present on their chin, followed by the faintest patch of facial hair on the peak.
Broad shoulders framed their form, leading to an impressive bare musculature on their arms and chest. Their limbs were tight with tissue, which seemed as if they would tense and explode with function, under their skin. A glowing white scar was present on their left side, at the top of their rib cage that seemed to pulse intermittently with a white hot glow.
It was worth noting that the figure was completely and utterly naked for all to see. Charlie would have blushed up a storm and shielded her face from such a sight normally, but there was a more shocking realization about this figures form.
They had no genitals to be seen.
Despite an overall masulinity of their form, Their crotch was utterly bare.
Despite this, Charlie’s mind couldn't bother to form any sexualized or perverse focus on this figure. Despite the fact that they were utterly naked, Charlie's thoughts somehow wouldn't give attention to their lack of clothing.
Because her eyes were glued in utter horror, at the face which glowed in a golden radiance.
The face of a man.
The face of the man.
The face of The First Man who should have been dead.
“But there is a God in heaven…” The First Man spoke with closed eyes, as golden energy poured off of him like flames off of a bush. “And he is with me”.
The man's eyes immediately opened, revealing two orbs of overwhelming lustor, and golden brilliance.
Two orbs that zeroed in on Charlie.
“And he is, damn sure, with me” The First Man spoke, as perfect white teeth grew into an almost feral smile.
Standing before the sinners & hellborn was both the man they had just seen fallen before, them and the man they had never encountered.
He was the Patriarch Of Humanity.
He was the One Who Held Dominion Over The Beasts.
He was The First Man.
And he had never looked happier to be before his enemies.
“Sup f*ckers?” He asked casually, as he stood before the motley crew of demons. His co*cky smile was ever present on his face, as he looked amongst them the same way a farmer would look amongst a group of sh*t covered pigs.
“Are you f*cking serious??? He's not dead???” Husk balked as he threw his hands up in genuine exasperation, from his place on his boulder.
“Screw being dead!!! He's f*cking hot!!!!” Angel squealed in utter delight as his gold tooth gleamed brightly from his estatic smile. He quickly readjusted his fedora and even pulled out a stick of lipgloss, that he applied eagerly.
The First Man actually chuckled. Chuckled at Angels crude sexualization of his appearance.
Charlie's eyes threatened to shoot out of her skull, at the lack of any prejudiced or pious vitriol being spewed at the spider-demon for his usual tendencies. Such a thing was so out of character, that she struggled imagine that it was the same First Man.
“Heh. Thanks Spider-twink“ he chuckled with a roll of his shoulders. “I feel like a brand new man. A bonafide stallion”.
“How the Hell are you still alive!???” Vaggie demanded as she stood in between The First Man and Charlie. Obstructing any possible chance of retaliation, she aimed her spear at The First Man, despite the unsettling feeling that literally clawed at her back.
The First Man chuckled before rearing his head back in laughter.
His laughter echoed out across the battlefield, as all of Charlie's allies were either unsettled, or increasingly aroused in the case of Angel, who's fourth hand had disappeared into his pocket as he bit his lip and didn't break gleeful eye contact with The First Mans body.
“I'll be 777% honest with you, poon pirate. I had no f*cking idea myself” he spoke almost casually, as his head was leaning back with closed eyes. “I didn't know. I didn't know any of it…”
His eyes then opened up, as they gazed upwards to the red sky. “And then I knew. Everything there was to know about all of it. Everything, all of it, told to be by the one person who cared most about me, since I watched the life flee from my kids eyes”. Golden rapacity stared upwards, as if searching for something beyond the boundaries of the red filled sky above.
Such a statement filled the already confused Charlie with even more questions.
‘He was alive’.
‘They all saw him die.’
‘What in Hell was happening.’
But before she could even begin to think of voicing such things, The First Man grinned as he looked to the side and addressed Charlie.
“Speaking of ‘Fleeing’, sugar snatch. Your f*ck-up of a father should be here in 3…2-”
Thoom!
More dust was immediately caked up, as Lucifer landed down on upon the ground. He was crouched down on one knee, as several of his wings were flush against him, almost like a protective cloak.
But to Charlie, the person she saw was like a stranger wearing her father's clothes.
His bright blonde hair was that was usually tidy and orderly, was unkempt and a mess.
His infectious suave smile that he flashed whenever she was near, was nowhere to be found as a deep frown was nailed onto his face.
And his red eyes that Charlie was so used to seeing filled with kindness and quirkiness, were instead filled with total scorn and utter disdain as they drilled into The First Man before him.
“Wo-ah! The so-called ‘Short King’ has arrived!” The First Man grinned as he slowly clapped his hands mockingly. “And you managed to make it in only 2 seconds! That's got to be an all-time record for you, Lucif*ck.” He chuckled, as he raised his arm up and somehow leaned over on the air itself, despite nothing being there to support him.
The tension was so thick, that not even an Exorcist’s blade could cut through it.
Charlie felt Vaggie’s hand clutching her shoulder, causing her to look back in surprise. Before she could question, she was emotionally struck by the look in her girlfriend's single working eye.
And because of the pure uncertainty in her eye, Charlie couldn't be sure if Vaggie was holding onto her shoulder to reassure her or to reassure herself.
“Tch. It figures that you had to come cry to daddy to come bail you out” Lucifer spoke as he stood back up. He brushed stray flecks of dirt off his shoulder as his wings disappeared back into smoke and brimstone. “After all these centuries, you're still the sore loser that you always were” he smirked.
“AHAHAHA!!! Are you serious?” The First Man whooped with joyous disbelief. “You're literally the King of f*cking nepotism and bailing out. This entire sh*t show got off the ground floor because you pulled a golden favor out of your ass for your crotch spawn!” He stood back up, as he motioned a hand towards Charlie with a sh*t eating grin.
“What, did you finally remember that you had a kid when you were on your way back from getting milk & cigarettes at the conviencece store?” He coyly asked with a co*ck of his head.
“sh*t! Got ‘em!!!” Angel instinctively called out, as he whooped with his hands cupped around his mouth.
Immediately, everyone's eyes turned to Angel. Lucifer & Vaggie levied glares of irritation his way. Husk simply shook his head with a sigh. Cherri elbowed him softly with a raised eyebrow, while Charlie just covered her face in slight embarrassment.
“.....Oh….sorry.” Angel coughed into his hand, as the akward realization of suddenly gaining everyone's attention.
The First Man simply ran a hand through his hair with a smile. “See? Even your daughter’s pals think that you're a f*cked up excuse of a father”.
“I'd totally let him f*ck me up” Angel grinned, while whispering to Cherri.
“Angie, you know I love you. But time and place, luv”, hissed Cherri before elbowing the spider sinner.
Angel raised an eyebrow before crossing all four arms with a smirk. “Oh? You're saying that you wouldn't let him toss your salad?”.
“...f*ck off.” Muttered Cherri quietly, causing Angel to snicker quietly as the conversation inolving the two men to continued.
“I mean, look at you. How many years did you spend hold up in your Ruby towers? 10? 20?? 50???” jabbed The First Man. “And it only took her almost dying for you to throw away your duck collection, put on your big boy pants, and remember that you had a child that needed you”. He shook his head, as he looked upon Lucifer with nothing but a condescending smile. “Hard to believe that you're even a man at this point”.
“I'm man enough to have f*cked your wives!!!” Lucifer lashed out. Stepping forward to cross the divide, he moved with purpose as he practically spat towards The First Man. “Neither of them questioned how much of a man I was when they were under me!!! I had them begging for more!! I had them screaming for more!!!”.
“Oh well la-dee-f*cking-da, Lucic*nt!!! That was literally forever ago!!!” He responded with a roll of his eyes.
The various members of Charlie's Hotel expected The First Man to utterly lose it at this mention. Considering how he had acted the entirety of the time they had seen and heard of him, they expected him to do nothing short of trying to rip Lucifer apart in a spiteful rage. But he didn't.
To all their combined shock, he kept his amused smile towards the sin.
“How long are you gonna use that same ass, weak line? ‘Oh! I got to tap your sloppy seconds, bro! See how much of a Chad Thunderco*ck I am for being able to steal your first wife, and Morningstarlest your second one?’ “. The First Man chuckled deeply as he facepalmed with a shake of his head. “That's seriously not the brag that you think it is. This isn't 6th grade Luci. At this point I would write you some insults to use against me myself, if it meant hearing you say some new f*cking material”.
Lucifer grit his teeth as flames began to form from his pupils.
“Look at you. You're absolutely f*cking pitiful. You took both of my wives but couldn't even manage to keep either of them”.
Lucifer’s fists balled, causing his gloves to turn to ash and reveal red clawed hands.
“Your whor* of a wife left your ass centuries ago.” The First Man mocked without mercy. “You've probably still got her picture framed up, that you jack off to every night before crying yourself to sleep. Meanwhile, she's probably somewhere drinking Mojitos, and getting ran through by oiled, muscled up hipster guys who drink goat milk with their beer-”
And with dozens of crimson eyes exploding open on his body, a horned and winged Lucifer utterly snapped.
“RAAAAAGHHHH!!!!” he screamed in anger as he disappeared on a blur of motion towards The First Man.
“Dad, wait!” Charlie tried to run forward, only to be held back by Vaggie.
“Charlie No!” Her girlfriend stopped her, fearing for her getting caught in the crossfire more than the safety of her father.
Droom!
Dust & brimstone was caked up, as a flame covered hand impacted The First Man’s face. Everyone practically either dove for cover, or had to shield themselves from the amount of red dirt that flew up from the burst of hellfire.
“Agh!!! Again with the f*cking dirt!!!” Cherri cursed as she tried to cover her now watering eye.
“f*ck, that burns!!! So much red!!!!” Swore Angel. He coughed and tried to fan the debris from his face with his fedora, to no avail. “It's like being on the receiving end of an Imps bachelor party-”
“Angel, shut the f*ck up and help me get this sh*t out of my eye!!!!”
“Right right! Sorry!” Angel coughed again, as he stumbled to try to assist Cherri.
Charlie's eyes were closed, but opened again as she heard the sound of feathers fluttering. She peaked her eyes open to see Vaggie’s wings shielding them both from the onslaught of dirt.
She flashed her girlfriend a wary smile of appreciation, but it immediately fell as she saw the state of her girlfriend.
Vaggie’s skin was pouring sweat. Her eye was unfocused as it flickered from its usual steel gray, to a full golden color.
“Vaggie!” Charlie gasped and place her hand to her girlfriends forehead, only to wince in pain as she was burned by the temperature of her forehead.
She, of all people, was literally burned.
“You're burning up!!!”
“I-I’m alright. I just…..I just have to..hafta-” she slurred before her eye rolled back into her skull and she fell forward onto Charlie.
“VAGGIE!!!!”. Fear ran through Charlie as her girlfriends wings fell limp, and her spear clattered on the ground. The dust was just starting to settle, as she did her best to lay Vaggie onto the ground. “Vaggie!!! Vaggie please wake up!!! Please be okay!!!” Charlie repeated like a mantra as she breathed rapidly. As she kneeled over Vaggie's form, her mind was filled with concern for the one who always was concerned for her.
Before she knew it, Husk was kneeled beside her as he put a quick paw to Vaggie’s neck. “She's unconscious. But she's still breathing”. He suddenly winced before waving his paw in pain at the heat he also felt.
Charlie noted the wisp of smoke coming from the fingers that touched Vaggie’s neck, and her concern only rose for her girlfriend.
But that was forcefully cast aside, as all on the battlefield looked to see a sight that truly brought down the sheer gravity of their situation upon them.
As the dust cleared itself away, Lucifer stood with his wings flared out in shock.
As the brimstone smoke settled, golden energy smothered the hellfire without mercy.
And as Charlie's breath left her, she saw the sight of her father’s fist in The First Man’s face.
His face was pushed to the side slightly and Lucifer’s fist had pushed against the flesh of his cheek.
But the hellfire on the King Of Hell’s fist sputtered out pitifully, as The First Man yet stood tall compared to the shorter man.
And The First Man’s golden eyes casually looked upwards to the sky on that same curious search for something above, before they settled down on the offending fist of the one who had strucken him.
“Were you….swatting at something?” He asked Lucifer, as he was utterly unbothered by the so-called ‘punch’ that was sent his way.
“No….” Lucifer whispered in disbelief as he took an uncertain step back. His tail went rigid, as the eyes upon his many wings were wide in confusion at what he was witnessing.
The First Man brought his head forward again, as he scratched his chin noncommittally. “Because of you were trying to swat a bug or something, your weird 'Apple-Cane-Scepter-Backscratcher-dild*' thingy would probably be better. Although I never really liked that thing personal-”
Droom!
Another fist struck the face of the The First Man, sending a small burst of dust away behind him.
Once again, he stood calmly as if he wasn't even harmed or bothered by the attack. “Aw come on Luci. You can do better than that..” This time, he casually moved the fist of Lucifer away from his face as he smirked down to the man condescendingly.
He was struck by another fist.
And another.
And another and another and another.
Droom!
Droom!
Droom!
The barrage of fists continued and kept up as Lucifer lashed out with every strike he aimed at the head of The First Man. “No No No No No No No!!!!!” He roared in sheer rage as he noticed the lack of effect they had upon his enemy.
“You know what? I might have actually felt that one!....Oh wait, nah. It was just an itch. My bad-”
“NO!!!!!!!” bellowed Lucifer as he flew backwards and put some distance between them before he ascended to his full form once again. His many wings cut through the air, his horns jutted out like crimson scimitars, and crimson Hellfire blanketed his back like malevolent hearth. All the eyes on his wings closed one by one, as the flame on his back grew in scope.
The metallic buttons on his coat exploded and melted into molten slag as the fire plumed outwards, only to concentrate above him.
A menagerie of pentagrams, archaic symbols, and blood runes formed in the air around Lucifer, as he slammed his hands together in a loud clap. In that single act, the Hellflame immediately melded and was given life into the form into a massive dark serpent.
It was absolutely monstrous in scope and in form. It towered over them, and had six eyes placed sporadically over its face. Black fur trailed down its spine and chin, as countless sickly yellow serpentine fangs filled it's unhinged jaw.
HISSSSSSSSS!!!!!
The 60 foot tall serpent hissed at The First Man, as it bared yellow fangs and showcased a maw of crimson Hellfire that began melting the surrounding ground around it into molten magma. It writhed above them in the air, as it coiled itself around Lucifer protectively like a Hellish familiar.
“GUYS WHAT THE f*ck????!!!” screamed Cherri as her eye was wider than it ever could have reached.
“CHARLIE!!!!! YOUR DAD IS GOING TO f*ck US OVER!!!!” Angel shouted at the top of his lungs as he ran over to Charlie in a panic.
Despite the perilous nature of the situation, Charlie was torn. She was panicking. She looked up between the chaos that her father was creating, and the chaos that was happening to Vaggie.
Before her, Vaggie was pouring even more sweat, and she was huffing and gasping deeply. Despite being flat on her back, her wings were ruffling intermittently. Golden veins had sprouted on her neck and extremities, and her already gray skin had somehow paled even deeper.
Charlie didn't even notice that she was hyperventilating, until Husk had grabbed her arm. “Kid!!! You need to calm down and breat-”
Slap!
Husk was promptly smacked in the face by Angel.
Hard.
It was so hard that it actually sent him to the ground, as he clutched his cheek in shock.
“f*ck CALMING DOWN!!!!!!” Angel exclaimed in utter panic. “WE'RE ABOUT TO GET OUR GUTS REARRANGED BY A GIANT SNIZZY GLIZZY THAT'LL BURN US WORSE THAN TYPE 3-GONORRHEA!!!!” He practically screeched before grabbing Charlie by her shoulders tightly and shaking her vigorously with all four of his arms.
“DO YOUR f*ckING ‘DADDYS DAUGHTER’ THING SO WE DON'T GET ASS BLASTED TO SUPER-HELL!!!!!!!!” He yelled in utter fear as the heat from crimson serpent was bearing down on them.
Even Nifty was pouring sweat, as her single pupil flickered unsettling at the scope of the attack Lucifer was about to unleash. “H-heh…heh heh….B-bad boy….t-too too bad. Alittle nicer p-please?” she giggled fearfully as she tried to step back, only to fall flat on her ass.
Charlie was at a loss.
“W-WE GOT TO GET THE f*ck OUTTA HERE!!!!!” Cherri screamed as she fearfully tried to crawl away from the scene, only to clutch her hands and knees in a painful embrace. "NGAH! HOT!!!". Her legs and palms had been burned up on the ground itself, from passive heat marks of the serpent’s.
Charlie couldn't breathe
Husk grabbed her by her arm once again, as his vision was split between Charlie and Lucifer in exceptionally worry. “Kid!!! You've got to talk to your dad and snap him the f*ck out of it!!!”.
“WE'RE GOING TO f*ckING DIE!!!!!!” Angel sobbed as he clutched his hair. Steam poured off his cheeks as the tears he was crying evaporated with a quickness.
Charlie felt fear.
“C-Charlie…” A voice below her spoke.
Charlie’s eyes widened as she looked down to see the still weary from of Vaggie. She was still worse for wear, yet she reached a shaky hand up and clasped hers. “I-I love y-you.” she spoke softly as she interlocked her fingers with Charlie's. “T-thank you….". She gave Charlie a wry smile as she looked to be fighting for every word she gave. "Thank you for giving me back my purpose” she whispered with tears in her eyes, as her breath left her raggedly.
…
…
Charlie didn't know what to do.
Her eyes shut tightly, as she leaned her head on Vaggie's quickly rising and falling chest. Tears left her eyes, as she sobbed and looked up to see the form of her raving father.
“DAD!!!! PLEASE JUST STO-” she attempted to plead, but she wasn't to be heard.
Lucifer had tuned out anything and everything that wasn't The First Man before him.
He had tuned out everything and anything that wasn't the rage he felt at not being given what he felt he deserved.
“Wow. Would you look at that.” The First Man whistled at the sight of the massive serpent. “Now that's something you don't see every da-”
“EAT sh*t YOU f*ckING GOLDEN EYED co*ckSUCKER!!!!!!!” Lucifer bellowed loudly in a demonically enhanced voice, as he cast both his arms forward. His wings exploded in bursts of the purest Hellfire, as black smoke poured out of the sides of his mouth as if it were foam.
HISSSSS!!!!
The serpent hissed loudly, before it shot forward. All six of its eyes began pouring tears of red blood that lit aflame, as it reared it's mouth open.
All the hair on its long serpentine form lit in black flames of damnation, as an ominous glow shone between its countless scales.
In half a second, it was before The First Manas the heat pouring off of it had utterly trippled.
A sea of yellow fangs lined the inside of its throat, and it looked poised to cut The First Man to atoms with every fang.
One heartbeat
Vaggie's hand fell limp onto the ground.
Two heartbeats
Husk tackled Angel & Cherri to the earth below them in a valiant effort, as the two usually rambunctious sinners clutched one another fearfully underneath him.
Three heartbeats
Nifty wept for the first time in a long time.
Four heartbeats
Lucifer’s face was the picture of untamed savagery, as his arms were cast out, and his hair was sprawled out due to the amount of energy from his attack.
Five heartbeats
The beast was a centimeter away from its target.
Six heartbeats
Charlie felt her entire dream collapsing around her.
She wanted everything to be as it was.
She wanted Vaggie to be okay.
She wanted her mother.
She wanted to go home.
Seven heartbeats
…
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
No rage. No pain. No sound. No heat.
Absolutely nothing.
Nothing.
Charlie's eyes tentatively peaked open, as she saw the still limp body of Vaggie beneath her.
She looked around and noticed her friends in similar positions of realizing that they hadn't been harmed.
“W-we’re….afteralive?” Questioned Cherri, as her eye scanned the wasted battlefield around them.
Husk stared .
“Ha…haha!! Ahahahahaha!!!!” Angel laughed in joyous disbelief. “We're not f*cked!!! We f*cking did it….somehow!!!”.
Husk stared upwards.
Angel wiped the last stray tear from his face, as he gave three exhausted thumbs up to Charlie. “You f*cking did it, Princess!!! I don't know how you did it, and I don't care!!!!”.
Husk stared upwards without blinking.
Charlie could only look around in confusion. There didn't seem to be anything showing that an attack of any kind went off. Even stranger, all the signs of heat that made the ground around them almost burn them had immediately…. disappeared. The ground wasn't even remotely warm.
“Guys I can for sure say that after this sh*t, that I'm definitely gonna take a break on my usual schtick.” Angel sighed as he fanned himself with his partially burnt fedora.
Husk stared upwards without blinking, with a look of abject fear on his face.
“Because I don't know about you all, but it's safe to say that I doubt I'll be able to get it up for awhile…..or sleep…..or even just get high” Angel rambled as he shivered slightly at what just transpired.
Noticing the silence from Husk, Charlie felt concern rise in her. “.....Husk?” She asked warily.
Husk could only raise a shaky paw to the sky, as he pointed up silently.
And as Charlie, Angel, Cherri & Nifty turned their heads, they witnessed three things.
An absolutely livid Lucifer.
A casual First Man standing unbothered
And the massive demonic serpent sitting perched before The First Man, as all of its eyes glared at him heavily.
None of Charlie's friends could find the words to address what they were seeing.
Charlie couldn't find the thoughts to even comprehend what was occuring before her.
They were all simply spectators in whatever the f*ckmothering Hell was happening before them.
“NO!!!! WHY???!!! HOW!!!??? HOW! ARE! YOU! DOING! THAT??????!” Lucifer spat with every word, as several of his wings began forcefully disappearing from the sudden surplus of his primal energy that he used recklessly. “DON'T JUST STAND THERE!!! KILL HIM!!!! RIP HIM INTO PIECES AND sh*t OUT HIS BONES!!!!” He demanded of the beast. His horns had dulled slightly, and the Hellfire upon his back sank to a simmer as the toll of his power began to catch up with him.
The First Man, however looked up at the Demonic Serpent with slight interest. “Ooof. Aren't you just…wow. Yeah, a lot going on with you”.
HISSSSSSSSS!!!!
The serpent roared in a primal fury, as it's maw opened once again. Its fangs were bared at the seemingly insignificant figure before it, as it lashed out a lengthy tongue, striking the stone ground before him and causing a molten hole to form in the ground.
“.....I mean you've got the hair, and the bleeding eyes, and the weird ass mouth that looks like an asshole full of teeth. You honestly look like something that a cringey 12 year old, who just discovered Heavy Metal, dreamed up for his new garage band” The First Man surmised easily, as he raised a hand to his chin.
HISSS!!!!
HISSSSSSS HISSSSSS HISSSSSSSSS!!!!
The Serpent let out a Hell shattering bellow once again. It ravenously shook its head, and slammed its tail down as it sent massive chunks of dirt and stone flying. It raised its long neck to the sky, and let out an absolutely gargantuan plume of pure red fire from its mouth, which caused Charlie and the others to duck down.
And just as quickly, the Serpent’s face was before The First Man again. It glared with all of its eyes, as it looked down its vision at the golden figure before it. Pink colored smoke poured out of its nostrils, as all its slitted pupils focused on him without any emotion other than predatory hunger.
The First Man’s mouth was in a thin line as he looked up at the beast. But his eyebrows suddenly raised up as he gave it a soft and understanding smile. “I suppose that's true…..but does it have to be?” He asked with a shrug of his shoulders.
Lucifer blinked.
Charlie blinked.
The Serpent blinked.
Before any of them could even comprehend such a phrase, The First Man was before The Serpent. He placed a gentle hand to its long underbelly, before removing it to reveal a glowing palm print.
HISSS-
The Serpent tried to let out another hiss filled roar, but was stopped short as it's body began glowing. It's eyes widened as the red color began melting away from its body, and golden light began shining through its scales.
Its body jerked erratically, as it's hair was set aflame with white fire.
The heat from the flames melted it's monstrous features, as it's extra eyes were seared closed.
Its countless fangs crumbled away, as they turned to silver ash that poured from its mouth like sand.
It cried out onerously as the light glowing from its body eclipsed its massive form.
Charlie shielded her eyes from the light. Despite this, she couldn't help but feel how it was almost….enchanting in a way.
The light shone brightly, as all in the Pride Ring could view the phenomenon from a distance.
Whether they be Sinner, Hellborn, or even an Exorcist who had awoken to the Heavenly brilliance after being knocked unconscious previously.
…
…
…
"Hiss"
The sound of the gentle and nearly soothing hiss caused Charlie's eyes peaked open slightly. Such a thing was becoming a reoccurring act on the last hour, but that was far from the main focus on her mind. Because her eyes immediately widened, at the fact that the demonic serpent that her father had conjured up was nowhere to be found.
Instead, sitting before them all was a tall, imposing Pure White Snake.
Sleek white scales adorned its body, with a golden glow emanating from its underbelly.
No hair was to be seen on its body, as it instead bore slick features that complimented its reptilian nature.
A pair of golden orbs sat upon its eyes with black slits sitting at their centers, filled with shining grace.
All of the previously feral features were nowhere to be seen, and were instead replaced with an almost serene aura that poured off of the creature as if it was water.
Charlie couldn't even comprehend was she had witnessed. In some way or another, she knew her father was strong.
Despite not seeing him in action, she knew that there was more to his position as King then just a castle and the support of the other sins.
There had to be.
But sitting kneeled on the remains of the battlefield, and witnessing the apparent peak of his power be……altered into something so grand, so beautiful filled her with doubt as to anything she had speculated about him.
The Pure White Snake’s blue colored tongue flickered out, as it senses the air around it. It looked downwards at its own lengthy body, almost to take in its new form just as Charlie and the others were doing.
With a shockingly genuine smile, The Pure White Snake let out a pleasant hiss as it looked down as The First Man.
“How….” muttered Lucifer Morningstar. His matted hair clung to his sweaty forehead. His clothing was disorganized as his coat was lopsided. His eyes held a maddening glare that was compounded by utter confusion at what he had witnessed. “How How How HOW HOW HOW!!??? HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS!!!??? HOW IS A SIMPLE sh*t STOMPING BLOOD MONKEY DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS?????!” He demanded of The First Man with grit teeth and bloodshot eyes from his place on the sky.
Despite the King Of Hell’s screech, neither The First Man, nor The Pure White Snake paid him any mind.
The Pure White Snake lowered its large head down, and nuzzled its large cheek slightly against The First Man, who rolled his eyes with a smile. “Yeah yeah. You're welcome. Just because I helped you out, doesn't mean that I want to see any of that sappy sh*t alright?”.
With a nod of its large head, The Pure White Snake looked upwards before its body began to glow softly. In a matter of seconds, it faded away into golden colored flakes of light. The massive entity faded away, and it blew away into the non-existent wind as if it wasn't there in the first place.
“I used to hate those things….” The First Man said suddenly.
Charlie watched silently, as her eyes flickered between The First Man, and the flakes of light that landed upon her hand. As they made contact with her skin, they disappeared like the specks of ash that would sometimes show up during the parts of the year in Hell.
“Snakes, I mean. After getting kicked out of my home, I hated them with a passion. From my life on earth, to becoming an Angel, all the way to getting stabbed 20 f*cking times on this Hell hole. I hated those scaly f*cks with a passion”.
He then raised a hand, and a small gold colored garden snake formed in the air above it. The snake coiled around his wrist, and laid softly on his palm. “I didn't realize until the end, that I was hating the wrong creature…” he said softly as he made eye contact with Charlie. “It wasn't the snake's fault that your simp of a dad borrowed its look, when he ruined everything for my descendants”.
He raised his hand upwards, as the summoned snake faded away in golden light. “Just like it wasn't that shadows fault that your dad beat it into submission with nothing but hate and misery, and telling it that it was destined to be nothing but a destroyer.”.
Charlie was speechless. Such a thing was incredibly poetic. Too poetic for the same unpleasant, crass and prejudiced First Man, who only thought of himself and those he saw as ‘Winners’. It was like she was watching someone else wearing his skin, and using his voice.
Almost as if he was reading her thoughts, The First Man, clapped his hands to remove the dust on them as he shrugged with a sigh. “But that's a lot of deep therapy bullsh*t that I'm too mentally f*cked up, to deal with right now. Besides, I still have to deal with your c*nt of a da-”
He was immediately cut off as he raised his hand upwards, and caught Lucifer by the neck. The Morningstar’s attempt to blindside him, had both shocked Charlie and failed spectacularly as he was caught in the Adamantine grip of The First Man.
“Ahahaha!!! You sly f*cking piece of sh*t!!! You tried to jump me when I was talking to your daughter? We're already in Hell! How low do you plan on going?” The First Man almost cackled as he held Lucifer in his grip.
Charlie's breath hitched in her throat as she saw the position her father was in. “Dad!!!!” she cried out, as she saw him struggle.
Yet even though he by all rights should have been utterly compromised, Lucifer didn't appear to be in any relative danger. If anything, he seemed more in danger of harming himself with his ravenous lashing out at The First Man then by being choked.
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
“WHY WONT YOU f*ckING STAY DEAD??????” Lucifer demanded with a double edged voice. He did everything in his power to try to harm The First Man.
His punches had no effect.
His kicks were harmless.
Even his sharpened tail failed to even break the skin of the toned, offending arm & wrist that held him.
“Tsk tsk f*cking tsk, Luci. You really didn't pay attention on the Seventh Day, did you?” The First Man chuckled with a shake of his head. “What part of ‘Dominion Over The Beasts’ did you not understand from the Old Man?” He asked coyly before his grin grew to a savage and mocking state. “Or were you just too busy beating your pencil dick to your ‘new and totally superior’ duck creation that you bragged to everyone about till they were sick of you?”.
“f*ck you!!!” Sneered Lucifer with palpable fury. “Is that what this is???? You had to borrow power from Father to feel like a real man????”. Lucifer flashed a mocking grin of his own, as his wings beat behind him in mock superiority. “Figures that you would run and tattle when things don't go your way, in a conflict that you started!!!”.
Yet instead of any kind of rebuke, The First Man shook his head with a chuckle. “You still don't get it Lucif*ck, do you?”.
Lucifer’s brow furrowed in confusions. “Get wha-”
“Do you really think that I couldn't have tanked that bullsh*t primal Hellfire blast from that shadow?”.
Lucifer’s and Charlie's eyes both widened as The First Man continued.
“The power behind that abused shadow of yours was enough to utterly demolish this entire f*cking ridiculous asshole shaped city 6 times over, you f*cking idiot. And I could have taken it on the chin without any worry”.
“BULLsh*t!!!!” denied Lucifer as he broke free from the grip on his neck. “ITS JUST ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR COWARDLY TRICKS!!!”.
“OHO? THIS COMING FROM THE LITERAL ‘PRINCE OF LIES’???” The First Man offered with a co*ck of his head, as he raised his hand to his ear.
Charlie was utterly lost. Between her concern for her friends, her fear of losing Vaggie, her now wrecked feelings of her father, and the outworldish events she was witnessing, her head was pounding in pain at trying to cope with everything she was witnessing.
“Tell me, Lucifleece. What's my name?” The First Man asked him.
“What kind of question is-”
“The kind of question that takes an answer, f*ckwit! What. Is. My. Name?” He asked with emphasis on each word, with a almost predatory smile on his face.
Charlie's brow furrowed as she whispered under her breath. Yet her mouth froze, causing her eyes to widen as her mind was cleared from any other thoughts or concern.
“Fine, you speck of garbage!!! It’s-” Lucifers mouth hung open suddenly. His eyes widened in confusion as the rest of his face was forced to catch up to his expression. “Your name is-” he tried once again, only for his mind to empty and for his mouth to lose all feeling. “W-what is….what did you do????” Lucifer demanded as he stepped towards The First Man. Despite his frustration, there was an underlying of fear in his form.
The First Man’s face was filled with pure cathartic amusem*nt as he rolled his neck. The cracking of bone was heard, along with the popping of joints as his eyes opened to look down at Lucifer with condescending superiority.
“Now I know that you didn't pay attention to the Old Man’s words you f*cking bum. Maybe if you pulled that Ruby red spoon out of your prolapsed asshole, you would have remembered the same lesson that Michael & Sera learned on names”.
Charlie looked over to her dad. Just as she was about to ask what was going on, she saw that same look of fear upon his face that she saw when her dad gazed up at the hand in the sky.
Only this time, it was supplanted by complete and utter rage on its purest form.
“How do you expect to even scratch put a scratch on me, when I haven't given you permission to even speak my name, Lucifraud???” The First Man asked as he raised both of his hands to his side.
As an overwhelming glow manifested around The First Man, two similar lines of thought were shared amongst Charlie & her father.
'Why can't I speak his name?'
'Why can't I speak that bastards name??!!!'
In a burst of light, a massive circle formed behind the back of The First Man. Seven pairs of wings manifested upon the circle, as they alit in white-hot holy fire.
The glowing white scar on his side sprouted outwards across his flesh as it shaped itself into a design of pure white thorns and branches that grew across his torso.
A golden ‘A’ immediately burned itself onto the flesh above his heart, as if he was being branded by an unseen implement.
The First Man extended his hands out to his to his side, as a strangely content look appeared on his face.
Somehow, he appeared to be making eye contact with both Charlie & Lucifer despite them both being several feet away from one another.
It was a look of contentness…
It was a look of pleasantness…
It was a look…of utter acceptance.
The air above him began to glow brightly, as golden energy began to weave itself faster than they could even perceive.
When it was done, there was an overwhelming bright set of words floating above The First Man’s head.
—
[Adam Selem Yahweh]
{Father Of Fathers}
—
Both Charlie and Lucifer made the mistake of taking their eyes off of their glimmering foe.
Because in an instant of an instant, he appeared before Lucifer, looming over the Sin Of Pride.
Utterly unprepared, the sin’s eyes could only widen as his reflexes were too slow to properly process what was about to happen to him.
“Now that it's all out in the open, I give you permission to use it”.
Those words caused a titanic amount of pressure to weigh down upon everyone present.
!!!!
All of Charlie's friends were thrown against the ground, as they gasped and struggled for air.
Even Charlie herself, who was fairing slightly better than them, still struggled to keep herself supported as she felt as if her entire Hotel was sitting up on her shoulders.
She could just barely crane her neck upwards to look at her father being practically paralyzed, mere inches away from the glowing form of the gilded figure.
“Heh”.
He cracked his knuckle with a low voice.
He raised his hand as he took a single step.
The fury of a thousand suns concentrated down into his fingers, as they curled into a fist.
“Now, say my name…”
And with a voice that echoed with the holiest of holies, Adam threw his fist forward.
"Bitch."
And Pride shook as all Hell broke loose.
Lute flew through the air frantically as she did her best to find her way. “Damnit!!! Damnit damnit damnit!!!” She cursed as she beat her already exhausted wings through the skies of Pride.
She already felt miserable at being sent to the ground and knocked unconscious by the disappearance of the enormous hand. But now the pounding in her head was affecting her sense of direction.
Any rational being would tell her that she should take a moment to at least try to bind her wounds to prevent blood loss.
Any sane creature would advise that she rest due to the possibility of having a concussion from falling out of the sky.
Any of her sisters would march right up to her and tell her that she needed to get her sh*t together before she falls apart at the seams.
…
But she didn't care. She knew he was there.
She knew he was okay.
And she knew that she needed to be there to apologize to him for all of this.
For not taking those scum seriously enough .
For not finishing off that gutter slag Vaggie properly the first time.
For not telling him how she felt for all these years.
The large shining glow that she had seen moments ago had helped her somewhat with the direction, but now the trail was getting cold. And so was she.
Her wings were getting exhausted from the lack of rest.
Her breathing was slowing down as her lungs burned due to the overexertion.
Her vision faded in and out of focus, as she had to keep slapping herself just to remain conscious.
She was starting to lose hope-
Everything went dark.
It wasn't just for Lute herself.
For a moment, she thought she had blacked out.
But she could still hear her breathing.
She felt the phantom pain in her missing arm with startling clarity.
Lute craned her head around in confusion. She stopped moving forward through the air, choosing instead to maintain her current altitude.
She had never experienced a darkness like this before.
It was like someone had ripped away all the light.
….All the light except for one small speck.
Lute saw a dull glow in her peripheral
The Halo that she had secured to her hip.
His halo, that she secured to her hip.
With a shocked gasp, she grasped the Halo.
It's light had diminished from its usual bright glow.
But it was at least still faint.
She had no idea of this was a signal, an omen, or a sign of things to come.
All she could do was hold it close to her.
“Please” she muttered to herself, “I need to find him. I'm so close……just give me something”.
She held it close to her chest, with one arm.
“Please…”
Her eyes were shut tightly with unshed tears.
“Adam…please show me the way”.
…
…
A single tear cascaded down her blood covered cheek.
And then it happened. There.
A single point. There.
And there was once again light. There.
The Darkness melted away as a focused point of light began glowing miles away, down on the ground.
Lute witnessed it.
To any hellborn, sinner, or even a human, it would've seemed like a faint light shining in the distant dark.
But her angelic eyes saw it for what it was. It was like seeing two images layered upon one another.
The first image was the light, shining softly in the darkness of the Pride Ring. Like a guiding star lighting the way for 3 magi across the desert.
The second image was absolute Heavenly authority. A gargantuan sphere of light and brilliance that carried an uncountable amount of stars that only seemed to grow with every passing second.
A veritable Supernova macrocosm that seemed to explode, dissipate and refrom thousands of times over, each time she blinked her eyes.
Lute had witnessed the Heavenly eminence of the Head Seraphim: Sera, herself.
Lute had received the privilege of gazing upon the Lord's Blade: Michael, cleaving apart the horizon with his amber blade.
Neither of those divine moments were even remotely comparable to this.
This was different.
This was beauty .
This was truth.
This was…light in its purest form.
Lute gasped as she felt a warm glow in her hand. She looked down to see Adams halo disappearing. It began fading away before her eyes.
Lute wanted to cry out in shock, but she stopped herself.
She looked between the disappearing halo, and the speck of light in the distance.
°°°
“I'm going to be teaching you a lot of sh*t on this job, Danger tit*. That's your new nickname by the way, so don't go all feminist and report me to Heaven Resources…..I've already got like 7 strikes against me.
But anyways, if there's one thing you're going to eventually learn from me, it's this. No matter how much sh*t you go through…no matter how f*cked up you get…no matter how badly you want to quit. Don't. Keep moving forward.
…This job will eat you alive if you let it. So we've got to be that much tougher than the f*ckers that'll try and bring us down. Now pick up that spear and do your best to stab me right in the dick, you sexy bitch! Haha!!!”
°°°
As the darkness began to fade, Lute wiped the tear away with her one wrist. She clutched the Halo in her hand tightly, before steeling herself as the memory graced her mind.
She knew what she had to do.
She cast one last glance at the shimmering halo in her hand, before letting it go.
It dropped down below, and out of Lute's view, as gravity brought it downwards to the slowly brightening ground below.
Now more determined than ever, Lute soared towards the incandescent point of light on the distance. “I'm almost there….just wait for me, Adam” she muttered. Her narrowed eyes showcased her resolve, as they stared forward without looking back.
Lucifer had considered himself many things.
A ruler.
A lover.
A father.
But above all else, there was one thing he had based himself on…
There was one thing he prided himself on…
He was, unequivocally, through & through:
A Dreamer.
It was his dreams that led him to carve a wondrous kingdom out of the amaryllis sands and ruby stone.
It was his dreams that drove him to seek the love of an alluring woman, who was as gorgeous as she was unappreciated by her fool of a husband.
It was his dreams that spurred him to give an undeserving, fledgling species a chance at something more than just blind subservience to a higher power.
Lucifer had always prided himself on his capacity to dream.
But he had never considered the concept that for every dream, there exists an even greater & corresponding nightmare.
When all was said and done, Lucifer had never cared for the sinners of his kingdom.
Despite his willingness to help his beloved daughter with her passionate yet misguided dream, he thought little to nothing of the populace of Pentagram City.
To the King Of Hell, the condemned human souls of the Pride Ring were utterly insignificant.
They were little more than a means to an end.
A bargaining chip that had long ago served their purpose.
Something that he had used to spite his Father, by warping his so called ‘ beloved creations’ into horrific forms of their former selves.
Setting them loose in Pride to live out their debased and debaucherous lives anathema to his Father's teachings of benevolence and virtue.
As a child, his little duckling Charlotte has always asked him about why he had never tried to make things better for the sinner population.
And as her adorable little doe eyes looked up at him, he without hesitation told her that things were complicated. He would pat her head, and tell her that she shouldn't worry about ‘grown up stuff’, before distracting her with pancakes and caramel apples.
But the truth was far far simpler.
He didn't want to help them.
He didn't want to make things better for them.
He didn't want them to improve upon their sh*tty piss poor afterlives.
Everything involving the creation and maintaining of the Sinner Demon system was done with the express purpose of making them as miserable as possible.
Their inability to die, therefore allowing them to push past the boundaries of mortal limitations when indulging in their self destructive vices.
The potential to gain power and ascend as ‘Overlords’ by demeaning and enslaving the souls of their fellows, to drive them further apart while giving them the illusion of power that was far too great for their fetid grasps.
Even the creation of their physical bodies was nothing short of precise and pointed dedication on his part. Bastardizations of the natural human form that warped them into crude amalgamations of their lifelong desires & fears as they went about their meager lives, under his uncaring eyes.
All of this was utterly and pointedly designed by Lucifer, with one singular goal in mind.
To spite the Higher Power, who condemned him.
To show the Almighty Creator, who cast him out for his brilliance and beauty.
To reveal to his father that he had wretched away the ugly creations that had replaced Lucifer himself, in his heart.
Every morning that he had woken up in his empty bed, or at his cold uncomfortable desk, was a day that he had valued.
When he wandered the red halls of his empty manor and gazed up at the family portrait above the fireplace, he held the memories that surrounded it close to his aching heart.
Even when he looked at his precious daughter's face, and saw the same beautiful woman that once told him that he was destined for more, he knew that it was an accomplishment in the grander scheme of things.
Because for every day that he ruled this kingdom, was another day that he kept the souls of his fathers toys away from him.
And the Exterminations were actually a morbid blessing in disguise.
Through his genius brokering and that fool of a First Man’s hubris, he had secured protection for the Hellborn while also ensuring the continued misery of the sinners.
Even more so, considering that it was the pious forces of Heaven, led by that moronic First Man who was slaughtering his own descendants in a idiotic attempt to somehow strike back at Lucifer.
Lucifer cackled like a mad man as he sat in his lavish chair on that day. He drank an entire bottle of ancient honey laced Cognac gifted to him by Beelzebub, as he watched the corpses of those filthy insects pile up under the boots of The Foolish Man, and his mask wearing tramps.
So when his cherished little Charlotte was in trouble regarding the Exterminations, he wasn't thrilled to have to possibly step in.
But he saw an opportunity in the matter.
While the potential loss of the annual cathartic retribution against his Father would be unfortunate, spinning the victory as a way to work his wings back into his daughter's heart would far outway the loss.
Even if he had to put up with those revolting, disgusting wastes of souls she kept holding to her bleeding heart.
And Lucifer would be lying if he said that he wasn't absolutely filled with Pride at watching his little Charlotte grow into the true Daughter of Hell that she had become.
Especially since it came with wiping the smug smirk of that gold bastard's face, as he was driven before the two of them like the whining mongrel maggot he was.
Things should have ended there.
Things should have been so simple.
Things should have gone his way.
But things hadn't.
And they couldn't have possibly gone more wrong than they did now.
The Failed Man somehow made a comeback, welding power that he hadn't seen since Michael first had been gifted his blade by their Father.
He was utterly impervious to any of his attacks, even when he poured all his power into summoning [The Shadow Of The Leviathan] to blow the co*cky whor*monger back to his father in quarks.
And even more unsettling, was that he wasn't….himself.
He wasn't the co*cky, selfish, idiotic creature that he had witnessed when he had become an ascended soul.
His body wasn't weak from centuries of hedonistic behavior and angelic superiority.
He didn't even speak with that same self-assured inflection in his voice that grated upon anyone who heard it’s ears and told them ‘Yeah, I'm better than you. What of it?’.
In the back of Lucifer’s seething mind, something told him that despite wearing the same face and using the same voice…..this thing had to be an imposter cavorting around as the First Loser.
It was different .
It was unnatural .
It was...wrong .
But those thoughts couldn't be Lucifer’s primary concern.
Because the weight of all the Heavenly Spheres felt as if it were crashing down upon his shoulders, with a simple phrase.
“Now that it's all out in the open, I give you permission to use it”.
Lucifer’s boots quote literally sunk down into the ground with that announcement. He dropped down half a foot, similar to if he were standing in thick mud.
His breath left his lungs, as he struggled to stay standing and struggled harder to stay conscious.
“Heh”.
His wings threatened to tear from his back, as the burden of entire Heavenly continents tore into his back from the pressure.
His horns snapped off his head as if wrenched off by an invisible force.
His tail burst in display of glowing red blood as it was flattened out to twice its original width before being ripped off brutally from his lower back.
Burning blood poured from his eyes, nostrils and mouth.
His vision clouded with red as he tried to cry out in furious indignation, only for any noise to be drowned out by the blood filling his throat.
“Now, say my name…”
With the very last of his strength, Lucifer blinked through the scarlet blood to see a man.
He peered through his heavy lids to see the form of an ancestor rearing his fist back.
As his eyes widened in fear, he saw…
The Creation.
The Patriarch.
The One Sired From Love & Dust…
Who Was Created In His Father's Image.
"Bitch."
A fist flew towards his chest…
And Pride shook as all Hell broke loose.
DROOOON!!!!!!
Adam's fist impacted Lucifer’s chest faster than the Sin could even perceive.
One second it wasn't there, the next it was.
Yet in an instant change, time seemed to slow to an infantile crawl for the Sin Of Pride, as the Fist Of The First Father made contact with his chest.
Once it struck his chest, it sank deeper.
And deeper.
And deeper.
And deeper still.
Lucifer was rooted in place, as he felt his chest cavity caving inwards with agonizing slowness.
His fallen angelic biology did nothing to stave off the destruction that was occurring to his person with crippling sluggishness.
His world began to go dark.
No…the world itself began to go dark.
With this same slowness, he watched it all disappear.
The Pride Ring.
Pentagram City.
The Freaks & Failures Known As Sinners.
His Beloved Daughter Charlotte.
All of it faded away to an all-encroaching dark.
Soon there was nothing to see but The First Man, and the fist that was burrowing into his chest at a rate of 0.3 millimeters for every 27 seconds.
The distance that was equal to an entire size of a grain of salt, for nearly half a minute.
And even his assailant disappeared.
…
He was alone in the darkness.
He wanted to cry out.
He wanted to weep.
He wanted to beg.
The pain in his chest crawled ever closer to his burning heart, as he hadn't even the feeling to release tears from his bleeding eyes.
Lucifer knew fear.
Lucifer knew misery.
Lucifer knew solitude.
For he had been left alone in the darkness.
…
| No, My Child. Not Alone. |
…
Lucifer’s eyes managed to widen a fraction of an inch.
His awareness managed to reach out faintly, as he felt the presence that he…
…
That he had dreamed about being able to feel again, every night that he drowned his sorrows.
…
| Let There Be No More Fire Upon You |
…
Lucifer felt his rage melting away.
His heart calmed itself as his blood ceased to burn, and flowed as blood was meant to flow.
His eyes, which were pinpricks of a hellish blaze, had simmered down to faint glows before returning to their normal state.
All the animosity he felt towards Adam, the Sinner Demons and Heaven itself, began smoldering over like the ash covered sparks of a dimmed flame.
…
| Let There Be No Further Ice Within You |
…
Lucifer felt his sorrow evaporating.
His stomach, which had long ago become an unsettled pit of self loathing and depreciation, as his ever cold bile soothed itself.
His calculating mind that he had forged into a cold steel strap had become undone, instead releasing all the thoughts of inferiority, superiority, and conspiracy into the presence that soothed him.
…
| Let There…Be Light |
…
As the comforting voice rang in his ears, Lucifer felt his resolve fade to black. The blackness swallowed the depths of the misery he had carried within himself all these years.
With a single point of light, Lucifer shed tears at the warmth he felt upon his being.
Tears that he hadn't shed since the Darkness was separated from the Light, and Morning was forged with Evening upon the First Day.
Time lurched forward for the Sin Of Pride. In an instant of a fraction of a moment, the golden fist slammed fully into Lucifer’s chest with a speed that he could never reach, even when he was under Heavens banner.
The outstretched arm crashed into his chest cavity, so hard that it managed to somehow rip away all of his demonic features in a single strike.
The unblemished knuckles of Adam: The First Man, slammed into his heart, causing force to return to his form in a destructive moment of pure explosive velocity.
DRAKOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!
Lucifer was sent flying.
He was quite literally knocked out of his boots, as a sonic boom exploded around the pair from the gargantuan impact.
Lucifer rocketed back as his boots remained implanted still in the red ground where he was previously paralyzed.
Charlie was barely able to cast a look of pure horror at what she had witnessed, due to the quickness of what had transpired before her.
Despite the force and the speed of his body limply being sent away, Lucifers only flew through the air for a grand total of 4 seconds, before he impacted a large boulder that managed to jut out of the ground previously in the hour.
KRRRRRUNCKK!!!!!
His form impacted the boulder, yet the might behind it didn't allow him to simply stop. Instead, he slammed against the large sediment, and was sent careening high into the air as a sickening crack rang out amongst the last two conscious figures on the battlefield.
Charlotte Morningstar, who watched with horror.
And Adam Yahweh, who waved his fist with mild irritation.
“f*ck!!!!” That sh*t burns!” He cursed as he blew on his knuckles. The smoke pouring off of his knuckles changed color thousands of times in the second it would take one to blink. “I knew this transcendent sh*t was a whole new toolbox, but damn!”. Adam winced, as his knuckle glowed bright for a moment, before settling back to its dim glow.
“Figures that Pops wouldn't give me the tutorial on any of this” he sighed as he wiped away stray dust off his shoulder. “He always was the whole ‘Let you figure sh*t out for 100,000 years’ type of parent”.
Drip
Drip
“Hm?”. Adam looked around, as he heard the sound of water impacting hell-based earth. His hearing, that had superseded his peak auditory ability when he was alive, had picked up the nearby sound of faint drops.
A sound that he would recognize anywhere.
Tear drops.
His eyes had settled on the kneeled form of one Charlie Morningstar.
Her dress was torn as the fabric had been ripped from the various debris that had been strewn about the battlefield.
Her hair was a disheveled mess, as the sweat on her person made it cling to her forehead.
She bore scratches and dirt all over her body, yet she couldn't find it in her to care about any of it.
Because she was resting her head upon the still form of Vaggie.
Vaggie, who wasn't breathing.
Vaggie who had no pulse.
Vaggie who was her everything.
Tears poured down her face, as Charlie raised her head to gaze upon the face of the woman who supported her. Who defended her. Who gave her the sense of self that even her parents had failed to do.
Of all the things that had went wrong today, Charlie was the most affected by Vaggie's state. Even with the shocking development regarding Adam, she was aghast at Vaggie’s current comatose state.
She hadn't been struck by a blade, or hit by a blast, or even suffered from some sudden illness that reared its ugly head.
She has just collapsed on the ground, amongst the chaos of the final battle. Speaking words that she never knew would impact her so much.
“Thank you for giving me back my purpose”
Charlie’s eyes burned as she shut them tight. She gripped the dirt below her hard as anger bubbled inside of her.
Anger, and fear, and frustration and a desire to just have everything be the way it was.
“Hurts, doesn't it?”
Her eyes immediately widened as she looked up to see Adam standing over her.
His previously impressive height was even more imposing as he appeared to have either grown taller, or his body was just that more visible to her.
The bare lack of clothing on his body was utterly ignored by Charlie, as her mind could barely respond to what he had just said.
“W-what?” She asked.
“It hurts. Watching someone you care about just die. With no utter explanation” he spoke casually. “Just a sudden, instant, unexplained death that can't be undone or understood”. He nonchalantly scratched his chin as he looked upon Charlie.
Charlie stared at Adam with confusion painted on her tear stained face. She couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. Nor the gall he had spoken them with.
“Of course, hindsight is a hell of a drug. You at least understand what death is. I didn't have that kind of thing when I was begging my son to wake up after his skull was opened up by a particularly thick rock, as his blood covered the ground I walked on.”
The same temper from before rose once again within Charlie. The dirt that she had clutched in her hand began to hiss, as hellfire lit it as a sign of her emotions. Every word Adam spoke only enriched her emotions further and further.
“And that doesn't even cover the fact of how everyone I cared about-”
“Why????” Charlie managed to force out. Her throat wavered as she felt like threatening to rise up. “Why are you t-telling me this? Are you mocking me? Are you-”
“You have your mom's eyes.”
Charlie’s words caught in her throat at that statement. She was immediately taken off guard by those words. She did her best to blink through the tears that filled her eyes, as she took in the face of the First Man.
To her immediate surprise, she didn't see any mocking. There wasn't a co*cky grin, or an unapologetic smirk on his face, or anything implying that Adam wasn't being anything short of genuine with his previous phrase.
All she saw on his chiseled & radiant face, was empathetic pity.
“You've got her eyes, her spirit, and her unwillingness to leave things the f*ck as they should be”.
Those words struck Charlie harder than any attack that had occured today, and they caused a maelstrom of emotions to well up within her.
Adam rolled his neck, letting out a series of pops as he grunted slightly before he sighed softly. “You asked me why I'm telling you all this, when what you should be asking yourself is the same question that your c*nt parents should've asked themselves: ‘Why did I start all of this?’.”
A cold wave washed over Charlie, as she felt her breath quickening.
“You guys are always so quick to think you know what's best for everyone” He said with a roll of his eyes. ‘Sinners deserve redemption’, ‘Humanity needs forbidden knowledge to be freed’, ‘I should be an equal to my husband despite doing a quarter of the work and having a fraction of the responsibility’ he recounted with an inflection in his voice that could only be described as spiteful.
“You're just like your folks, kid. You act without concern for other people's lives, while lying to others and yourselves that you know what's f*cking best.” He told her with a shake of his head. “Did you ever stop to think that the people who you love would be better off if you had just learned to leave well enough alone?”.
“What do you know????” She demanded as her yellow eyes immediately flashed crimson, denoting her hellborn heritage. “You're just a monster!! A bully!!! A bastard that-”
“That won.”
Her rage filled eyes widened at the sudden interruption.
“I'm an asshole. I'm a bastard. I'm a man who's done terrible things, to undeserving people, for the wrong reasons” Adam spoke simply as he crouched down to look her in the eye. “I'm a man who has lived his afterlife in Heaven, yet has had to wake up every day knowing that the souls of all his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren weren't ‘deserving’ enough to make it to Heaven and were lost to the vast nothingness of Limbo” he told her in a even tone as he inspected his nails for dirt.
“Yet I still won” he told her with a grin and a co*ck of his head. “I won the day. I won the battle. And I won the f*cking war. How does that fit into your little crayon-drawn dream paradigm?”.
Everything he said was enraging Charlie.
Everything he said made her want to scream inside.
Everything he said… was completely and utterly right.
Charlie Morningstar had never felt more broken.
When she had been mocked by countless sinners for her dream, she had hope.
When her own father and the other High Society Hellborn had there-there'd her ambitions to assist sinners, she had faith.
Even when she had felt the weight of Hell itself on her shoulders……she had Vaggie.
But now she had nothi-
“But I'm still going to do you a favor.”
'….What?'
Charlie blinked through the bitterness and emptiness she felt within. The crimson frustration and powerlessness that was displayed in her eyes faded away in an instant at those words. “You….what-?”
“3 favors, to be specific”. Adam flashed 3 of his fingers up with his usual co*cky grin. "Didn't your dad ever tell you that good things come in 3's?".
Before Charlie could even process that, he quickly laid his hand on Vaggie's face. Specifically her eye patch.
A rage that Charlie hadn't felt since the original climax of the battle welled up within her.
The sight of this shiny bastard desecrating the body of her girlfriend, her heart of gold, her everything , with his filthy f*cking hand was releasing all the rage that had accumulated since the battle began to turn out of their favor.
Her horns manifested in an instant, as her hands began to turn the ground beneath her palms into molten magma. Her eyes threatened to bore into Adam, as her rage was levied against him. "GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER YOU-”
Cough
The sound was ever so faint.
But it crashed against her being, like an Angelic Steel hammer.
Her true features melted away as her eyes widened even further. She looked down, to see Vaggie’s chest rising and falling.
Cough cough
“Vaggie” she whispered breathlessly under her as tears began to form in her eyes.
Vaggie’s eye remained closed, yet she sputtered desperately for air as red dust and spittle flew from her black lips.
“V-vaggie!!!” Charlie openly wept as she pulled Vaggie’s body close to her. She wrapped her aching arms around Vaggie as if she were her lifeline.
Because she truly was, amongst all the fire and golden chaos of today.
“I-I thought that….I almost lost you…” she whimpered to her girlfriend with her eyes tightly shut. Yet despite this sudden reconciliation, she felt a strange heat on her body.
A full yet...unnatural heat that was foreign to Hell itself.
Unable to fight her instincts, she looked down at Vaggie to see something that shocked her to the depths of her Hellborn soul.
Red Skin.
‘Red Skin…?’
‘RED SKIN!???!!’
Her crimson pupils shrunk down to fine points, as she noted the sudden coloration on her girlfriend's flesh.
Patches of red began to immediately bloom on her body, replacing and enveloping the gray skin.
“Vaggie! What? why-” Charlie’s voice quivered as she witnessed the change in disbelief, and she began grasping at Vaggie in an attempt to somehow stall or stop whatever was occuring.
Despite this, it was only a matter of seconds before her girlfriend's body was now a bright red.
Next, the white color of her hair seemed to melt away as if it were spilled paint. It was immediately replaced with black coloration similar to thick ink. She heard Vaggie groan slightly, before her head rolled back on her shoulders as she bore witness to another unsettling change.
Shk
Shk
Before her eyes, a pair of black horns jutted out of the top of her head. They curved up slightly, as gray grooves in the horns formed.
In her peripheral, Charlie saw something moving.
It was something thin.
It writhed on the ground sporadically, before seemingly stilling and settling down to simple swaying. It was lengthy, and had a pointed arrowhead tip at the end of it. And it originated from the base of Vaggie’s spine.
‘A tail.’
‘Her girlfriend had a tail.’
Charlie was stunned.
She was at a loss for words.
As Vaggie began to stir, Charlie’s mind felt as if it had reached its wits end.
“....What did you do?” she muttered. Her flesh felt numb, her mind empty and her heart was pounding against her rib cage.
“C-charlie?” Vaggie muttered, as she groggily awoke.
What little breath Charlie had left in her lungs left her, as she saw her girlfriend lift her heard warily.
Plink
Her eyepatch fell to the ground, and Charlie’s eyes met Vaggie…
Along with her two yellow sclera & black pupils.
“Charlie?”
An imp.
“Charlie? W-what's wrong?” Vaggie coughed out, as she clutched her aching side.
Her girlfriend was an imp.
Vaggie caught her breath as best she was able to, before trying to force out more words. “I…I remember covering you and then…then I- AGH!!!” She cried out suddenly.
Charlie immediately broke out of her stupor, and frantically inspected her girlfriend for anything that could be wrong. “Vaggie!? What's wrong!!?”.
Vaggie gasped as her eyes widened. She went stock still for a moment, before her Angel wings flared out to their full span.
“Relax.” Adam told the pair, as he stood to his full height. He waved his hand, before summoning a gold toothpick and licking at his clean white teeth. “Just let it happen”.
“Let what happen??? What did you do to her!!!?” Charlie demanded of him.
He simply gave her a non-committal shrug as he motioned to Vaggie.
Charlie’s frantic gaze was cast to her girlfriend, as her wings were set aflame. Her pale feathered wings burst into white flames instantly.
Vaggie's back arched as her eyes flashed white for a single moment. She let out a silent scream as she was utterly still.
Before Charlie's eyes, all her feathers turned into ash. They swirled and coalesced before the flames turned a normal color of flames in Hell. The wings quickly shrank downwards, as they were now 1/5th of their previous size. Instead of feathers, they had a red sinew, that was typical of imp wings.
The flame and ash disappeared in a wisp of brimstone, leaving no trace of anything remotely showing the transformation.
Vaggie blinked.
Charlie blinked.
Adam tried to remember when was the last time he had something to eat.
‘It was probably a Po Boy.’
Any and all discomfort faded away from Vaggie's person, to her own personal surprise. She rolled her shoulders and looked over self with bewilderment. “I-Im…..a Hellborn?” She muttered as she experimentally clutched her red colored hands, with pointed black nails.
“Adam.”
“Hrm?” Adam looked up at the mention of his name, bringing him out of his sandwich filled thoughts.
Charlie looked upwards at him. An utterly contempt filled glare was levied towards the First Man fueled by fear and concern over what had just occured to her girlfriend. “What. Did. You. Do??!!”.
“Oh right. I saved her.” He answered simply.
“Wha- saved me??? Look at me you Chupapollas !” Vaggie spat at him as she motioned to herself. “I'm a-”
“A what? A filthy f*cking Hellborn?” Adam asked with an aura of seriousness as he looked down at Vaggie.
Vaggie's eyes widened as she instinctively glanced to Charlie. She barely met her eyes, before she cast them back down to her lap awkwardly.
“Ha! Just kidding. I know what you meant. You should totally see your face though” Adam chuckled, as he dug his pinkie into his ear. “But seriously though, I saved your life. Technically you should be nothing but a pile of ash and feathers, taken back to Heaven in an Angelic Steel urn”.
Both Charlie & Vaggie's eyes widened, at the claim. But Adam cut them off before either of them could even hazard a refute.
“ {All Heavenly Presence, Artifacts & Magics Are Thereby To Be Removed From Hell. Unilaterally & Without Exception} “. Adam spoke simply as if he was reading from a script, yet the prose was such that it felt unfamiliar to Charlie & Vaggie coming from the First Man's lips.
“Anything even remotely carrying Heavenly energy is being eliminated or pulled out of this red sh*thole in the ground”. Adam motioned to Vaggie vaguely. “Which technically should have included your Spanish squeeze here”.
Vaggie clenched her fist as she glowered upwards at Adam from her seated position on the ground. “Then…why am I still alive?”.
“Eh”. Adam gave yet another shrug. “Call it mercy, call it sympathy, call it respect for all the sh*t we went through together”. He scratched his chin nonchalantly as he gave Vaggie a passing glance. “Use whatever bullsh*t you want to justify it. I just figured I'd get some brownie points with the Old Man, by trying to do better or something like that”.
Vaggie scoffed as she glared spitefully at him. “So you finally found a corazon in that empty chest of yours. It only took you all these years”.
With a roll of his eyes, Adam met her back just as curtly. “You were probably too busy being a carpet munching manhater to notice this, but you're glaring at me with two eyes. Not one. So you should probably focus on the fact that I fixed that for you, instead of sitting up on that pedestal of yours”.
Vaggie's eyes widened as the realization hit her like a bell clapper. Her hand rose up to her right eye, as she gasped softly and looked up to Charlie. “My….my eye?” she gasped softly in utter disbelief.
“Yeah. Think before you talk sh*t” Adam shook his head.
Tkc
The sound of a foot fall made Adam raise his eyebrow curiously. He turned around, and his eyes widened to see an Angelic spear being brandished in his face.
Shing!
Adam blinked in utter surprise to see a spear tip pointed straight at his face. Considering that Vaggie was still weak and on the ground behind him, he genuinely wondered who would have the f*cking balls to point a spear at him. “Who the f*ck-”
“You aren't him”.
Adam blinked once again as he immediately recognized the feminine voice. His eyes immediately took in the appearance of none other than Lute.
She was covered in golden blood, she had disarranged hair, and countless scratches on her previously unmarred skin.
Her black and white wings had countless feathers missing, as red blood & crimson dust caked them
Her left arm was missing, as golden blood dripped from the torn sleeve.
And her eyes….her pale yellow eyes glared at him with contempt and exhaustion as she levied her spear towards his face.
Her claim took him off guard.
It was so outwardly strange that it also caused Charlie & Vaggie to remain shocked from their place on the ground.
“The f*ck-”
“You Aren't Him!!!!” Lute screamed at the top of her lungs, as she shut her eyes tightly. “Y-you….you can't be him!!!” She spoke as if it were fact, despite the uncertainty she felt within. “I….I saw him die…” she spoke faintly as her voice cracked.
The drive that pushed her to seek out what she hoped…what she prayed was him, had wavered significantly.
Seeing this...imposter before her was a contrast to everything she knew about her Adam.
He was tall, and stood upright with a pride in his brilliance
Her Adam slouched as he wandered through the streets of Heaven and dragged his feet when walking.
His voice was full, and seemed to sooth your ears as he spoke.
Her Adam's voice grated on her ears when he got frustrated, and annoyed her when she was trying to do the paperwork that he was supposed to be doing.
His skin glowed like a newborn star within a stained glass lantern.
Her Adam pale toned skin was often greasy thanks to his poor hygiene, that she had to often had to physically bully him into keeping up.
He was speaking of things like giving mercy to a traitorous harlot like Vaggie, for reasons such as ‘respect’.
Her Adam didn't tolerate any kind of bullsh*t from turncoats.
“I…I don't know who you are..”
He wasn't him.
“I don't know how you look that way….”
He couldn't be him.
“BUT I'LL MAKE YOU WISH YOU NEVER CRAWLED OUT OF YOUR WHORISH MOTHER’S SYPHILITIC ASSHOLE FOR THINKING THAT YOU COULD PRETEND TO BE HIM!!!!!” Lute screamed with rage filled eyes as she clutched her spear so tightly that her knuckles threatened to turn an even paler shade of white.
He wasn't the man that she love-
Bonk
The sound rang out amongst the emptiness of the battlefield.
It wasn't anything grand to be sure.
No manifestation of Heavenly blessings.
No conjurings of Hellish curses.
It was just a simple sound, of a fist striking a skull.
Charlie's & Vaggie’s eyes couldn't get any wider, as they watched the exchange between the two Heavenly figures with nothing less than mind numbing confusion.
Lute's eyes were wide at being struck. It couldn't even really be called that in all seriousness. It was quite literally just a bonk on her head by way of his fist. It didn't even hurt her, so much as make her still as her grip on her spear loosened.
“Dad dammit Danger tit*!” Adam sighed as he facepalmed. “I f*cking come back from getting stabbed like a crack whor*, I beat Jesus’s respawn time by like 3 whole days, and I got my ass chewed out by my Old Man, just for you to go all ‘crazy groupie’ on me???” Adam asked in mild frustration.
Lute’s eyes were wide, as she was utterly silent by this display from Adam.
“I mean f*cking look at me!” He exclaimed, motioning at his body. “I'm hot! I'm buck ass naked like I was in the garden, because I burned away all the impurities from my body! I literally don't have my dick showing right now! Is it gone forever? Will it pop out like candy from a f*cking Pez dispenser when I get horny??? How the f*ck do I know? Pops wasn't exactly clear on this sh*t when I got juiced up with a fragment of his Divine Authority-”
Clang
Adam's rant was cut off by the sound of Angelic Steel clattering against the ground…and the feeling of a body against him.
He looked down in surprise to see Lute’s lone arm wrapped around him, and her tear filled face buried into his bare chest.
Tears dripped down her cheeks and onto Adams chest as she wheezed and tried to keep herself composed. “A-adam…” she whispered to him, as relief and worry filled her simultaneously. “I t-thought…” she barely managed to get out, as she looked up to him with tears streaking down her blood stained face. “I…..I thought I had lost you”.
Adam smiled.
A simple smile, but one that brought joy to Lute's heart to see again. It wasn't the co*cky, arousal filled, overestimating smile that she had seen on his face the countless times that she had had known him.
It was a tried and true smile that made her, in her heart of hearts know that this was Adam. Her Adam.
“Heh. f*ck that lame sh*t” Adam chuckled as he ran a soft hand through her hair. “You should know better, that you'd never lose me to some crusty musty midget in a maid outfit”.
His radiant glow bathed Lute, as she sighed softly at his hand cupping her cheek gently.
“You'd never lose me, Dangertit*. Even though I lost myself….even though I lost my way….” He reassured, as he stared off into the sky for a moment. “Even through all that, you'd have to try that much harder to try to pack me up”.
Just when Lute was on the edge of getting lost in his radiant golden eyes, she heard the sounds of wings beating around them.
“Lieutenant!!!”
Lute looked up immediately to see the form of Citole being carried downwards to their location by Lyre. “Citole!?” Lute gasped, as she had all but forgotten her sisters in her rush to see Adam again.
Immediately, the remaining wounded Exorcists landed on the ground with a quickness as they surrounded Charlie & Vaggie.
Spears, swords and halberds were levied towards the princess of Hell, and her former fallen angel turned Imp lover.
Vaggie immediately tried to make for her spear, only to see it fade away into golden dust before her eyes. She gasped at the immediate destruction of her weapon, and cried out as she felt Lute’s boot coming down upon her right hand. “AGGHH!!!”.
“Vaggie-” Charlie tried to jump to her assistance, only to have her hair grabbed roughly by another exorcist. She winced and glared back at the Burgundy haired exorcist.
Mandora sneered down at Charlie with her lone functioning burgundy eye, as the other one was closed with golden blood leaking from it. “Don't even f*cking breathe, Hellborne” she spoke menacingly as she raised a Angelic trench knife to Charlie's neck.
Vaggie could only cast Charlie’s situation a quick worried glance, before the pain in her hand forced her to glare back up at Lute. Fear clouded her eyes.
Fear for what had happened to her before.
Fear for what was happening to her body.
Fear for what would happen to the most important person in her life.
She blinked furiously, as she glared up at the smug face of Lute.
Lute felt as if she was on cloud nine. Everything, aside from the unfortunate end of some of her sister Exorcists, had utterly gone her way.
“You're f*cked” she told Vaggie, with a cruel smirk on her face and a coy co*ck of her head.
She had Adam back.
They had beaten these sh*theels utterly.
They had established their dominance-
“No”.
…
‘What?’
Lute’s head threatened to snap off as she immediately spun to look back towards Adam. Her eyes were wide, as she and nearly all of her sisters looked to Adam, whose voice was the source of that word.
“Wha- Adam???” She asked incredulously.
“You heard me, Danger tit*.” He told her with a firm shake of his head. “We're not doing that sh*t.”
“B-but sir!” Citole spoke out. She was supported by Lyre as she stepped forward to speak to Adam. “We literally have them in a chokehold! Why wouldn't we capitalize on-”
“Because I've got our new orders, from on high” he responded to the Seafoam green haired Exorcist.
The eyes of the various Exorcists went wide, as they murmured amongst themselves.
As Lute hesitantly stepped back in overall surprise, Vaggie was able to pull her hand free with a wince.
As a reluctant Mandora let Charlie go, the Hellborn princess quickly crawled her way to Vaggie. The pair were occupied with glaring at the Heavenly forces around them, and tending to each other.
“Oh high….” Adam muttered to himself. He scratched his chin for a second, before blinking owlishly. “Oh f*ck!!!” He exclaimed as he snapped his fingers. “High! I knew I was forgetting something!!!”.
Before any of the women present could question what he was talking about, Adam raised his wrist to the sky.
Before their eyes, a silver chain with golden runic inscriptions erupted from his wrist. And in a sudden glow, it shot into the sky at nearly imperceptible speeds.
Jring!!!
The chain shot further and further as more and more of its seemingly endless length came Adams wrist. It reached heights in the sky that were utterly unseen to any of the people present.
A full minute passed as they all looked between the sky and Adam, who simply stared upwards at a sight that none of them could perceive.
And just as the awkward tension came to a head
Snkth!
The chain became taut, as it went still. To everyone's confusion, it stopped pouring out of Adam's arm and vibrated in place as if it was at its limit.
Adam immediately grasped it with his hand before taking a breath. “A-one and a-two and a-” he cut himself off by yanking the chain so hard that it surely should have broken.
If it was made of normal materials.
A small wave of air caused dirt to blow away as the chain began returning to Adam. The length of the chain began pooling around his feet second by second as more returned from the expanse of the red sky.
Thrunk!!!
It hit the ground.
With a sudden and uncomfortable crack that made even Lute cringe, it slammed against the dirt below them.
All of the eyes present blinked through the dirt that caked up to look at what had fallen onto the claret soil.
What had fallen down onto Hell's ground.
What had fallen from the sky.
Adam gave the chain hailing from his wrist one last tug, causing his bounty to come skidding over to him across the dirt.
All eyes, save for Adam's, widened in bafflement.
Their minds utterly refused to comprehend the sight before them.
The Exorcists, despite their disdain, never considered the possibility that they beheld.
“By the Seraphim’s grace…” Lyre muttered in shock as she took off her cracked maskless goggles.
Vaggie, in all the years that she knew Charlie, hadn't ever taken the time to even think of such a thing occurring.
“¿Qué en el nombre de Dios?” she breathed out. Her newly functioning Imp eyes were unblinking, and her broken hand was forgotten as she looked before her.
Charlotte, who's earliest memory was being swaddled with raspberry colored silk and held lovingly by her parents as she was sung a nursery rhyme in Latin, felt her world crashing down around her for the second time today.
It was an impossibility.
It wasn't even a question to be asked because it was one that didn't even exist.
The sheer paradoxical nature of this was like asking an ant to open the gates of Hell within half a fraction of a second.
“Dad….” she muttered numbly as she began crawling.
The Exorcists, Vaggie, Adam, Angel, Husk, everyone that she had seen at least once in the past hour was forgotten as she began crawling faster and faster.
“D-dad….” She choked as she felt her knees being scraped from the broken rocks and the silver chain she had to travel over.
With a quick motion from Adam, the Exorcists stepped aside to allow her to pass through. But Charlie couldn't even comprehend them. She didn't even acknowledge the existence of them, or the pain she felt.
“Daddy!!!” Tears had began to stain the ground beneath her as she tried and failed to stand on her feet, only to desperately fall short in her quickness to reach the point where the chains were dragged.
“Char-” Vaggie tried to go after Charlie, only for Adam to block her with a step of his foot. She was ready to lash out at him with a snarl, only to be surprised that The First Man wasn't even looking her way.
He was looking at the quivering form of Charlie.
“C'mon darling! Wouldn't you rather help me design my new duck prototype than play house with those sinners?”
Charlie’s vision spun as her body moved on its own. Her exhaustion from the day's events was crashing down onto her, yet she still pushed herself without thought or meaning.
“Sweetheart!!!! I made apple pie! Oh! Your friends are over!.....Oh c'mon! I know you're in middle school now, but just let your daddy in! I'm cool! I'm hip- wait Wait!!!!.........drat.”
She felt like she would vomit. She didn't care if she did. It would only mix with the tears and mucus that was pouring down her face. When she came to a stop, it was to clutch the body before her. The burnt body below her. The scarred form in her arms.
“....Hm? O-oh! Hey sweetie! I didn't s-see you there……hm? Oh, Daddy's fine honey. I was just….looking over some pictures of Mommy. Don't worry. I bet she's….she's missing us just as much as we miss her. C'mon. Let's go make some caramel apples…..Haha! There's that smile! There's daddy's little princess!”
Charlie coughed hoarsely as bile almost threatened to spill from her lips. She blinked as hard as she could through the tears, as she looked at the body of Lucifer.
His hair was partially singed, as patches of his scalp were visible. On his left side of his face, his formerly pale white skin was now a dull pink in color, as if it were a minor sunburn. His right side…..was much more severe.
It was black.
Dark black, as everything on his left side from his clothing, to his very flesh was crusted over with a thick black scorchmark.
The smell of burning flesh filled Charlie's nostrils, as she had to cast her head to the side and spill the already uneasy contents of her stomach. The bile made her throat ache as she heaved uncontrollably.
Charlie was a mess. Bodily fluids leaked down her face, as she clutched the body of her father Lucifer against her chest.
She didn't hear his footsteps, until he was already standing above her.
The golden aura of Adam caused her to look through her tears, as she craned her head upwards.
Adam stared at her with a face that brokered no emotion as he stood still.
She stared back with a gaunt expression that carried every emotion she could possibly endure as she held the still body of her father.
Charlie gasped as she did her best to muster up the words to speak. “Y-you…..you said that you w-we're going to do me 3 f-favors…” she struggled pitifully.
"I did.” Adam nodded, before he dropped down to one knee.
“P-please.” She begged. All her pride, all her will to fight, all her dreams were cast aside as she looked to the body of her father.
His face, despite being half charred to oblivion, looked strangely peaceful as a scalded teartract was visible on his right side.
“Please help him” she whimpered softly, as she looked him in the eye with total and meek subservience.
Adam nodded as he placed a hand over Lucifer's chest.
The same chest that was caved in, and looked like someone had hollowed out the innards of a mannequin, only to fill it with dirt and ashes.
Adam sighed deeply as his hand hovered over the empty space of the chest cavity. “Okay….f*ck, how the f*ck do I do this again?” He muttered to himself, alarming Charlie for a moment.
But her concern was washed away, as she saw him close his eyes and open his mouth. As he held his jaw open, she heard a silent voice speaking. Almost as if it was the voice of a spirit, whispering behind her.
…
“Arise.”
“Return.”
“Yee, who once mocked.”
“Yee, who once conspired.”
“Yee, who onced dared to dream.”
“The freedom thou once flaunted: Relinquish.”
“The kingdom that was forged: Entrapt”
“The pride thou once carried…”
Let It Go Before Thine Fall.
Fall Well…
Fall Light…
Fall Bright…
|Fallenstar|
…
Before the eyes of everyone present, a white glow manifested within the open chest of Charlie's Father. A white wisp shined brightly, before it extinguished itself in a plume of energy.
The flesh on Charlie's Father’s left side began to grow, as it reformed over the open hole in his chest. His back arched upwards, as the flesh quickly covered the cavity, showing more skin as it grew from under the raggedy circus masters outfit.
The black burnt charr on his left half began to crumble away in no short order. As the chunks of blackened flesh fell away like wall plaster, deeply scarred skin became visible underneath.
Charlie gasped as she instinctively touched the skin on her left half father's body. It had the appearance of polished marble, yet there was a strange white aura that seemed to emanate from the wrinkles. As she touched it, she saw wisps of that same white energy gently leaking through as it disappeared into the air around it like smoke from a stack.
Charlie's Father was healed.
He was comatose.
He was scarred on over half his body.
He had a large imprint of a fist’s knuckle on his skin, over the spot where his heart was.
But he was healed.
“Pops was never really big on doling out punishment.”
Any relief that Charlie was just starting to feel was immediately dashed, as she looked back up at Adam.
“.....Well he did punish, but not in the way that you'd think. And by that I mean ‘you’, as in someone not used to talking with the Big G” he grunted as he stood back up from his knees.
Charlie looked back at the body of her healed Father, and up at Adam as she had no f*cking idea where he was going with this. But like every time Adam had gone on a new rant, she felt nothing but worry well up in her stomach.
“He had a huge tendency to…punish the entire kindergarten class by killing off their parents and making them orphans, if someone stole from the cookie jar and didn't fess up, if that makes sense” he sighed softly as he brushed the dirt off his palms and knees. “Which I know it f*cking doesn't, so bear with me here” he waved off, causing Charlie to close her mouth when she was about to respond.
"Get tricked into sin? Banished from true Paradise and know suffering for all eternity."
“Bathed in said sin for generations? Purge the world through a cataclysmic sh*t ton of water."
“A bunch of rich people in your city are being greedy and doing butt-stuff? Burn that bitch to ash and sulfur before turning someone into salt for being sentimental .”
Everyone was very much stunned by the sudden turn in conversation.
The Exorcists looked amongst themselves unsurely.
Vaggie’s mouth hung open in discomfort.
Even Lute's eyebrows were furrowed in confusion at where this was going.
Nonetheless, Adam continued. “You know…real Old Testament sh*t. But I'm getting off topic. The point is, he's changing now things are done”. He motioned to Charlie's Father, as he continued. “Starting with your father. Lucifer Fallenstar”.
Charlie went still once again, as she was reminded of the earlier phenomenon regarding Adam's name.
She wracked her memory of her dad.
All the moments they spent together.
All the time she spent wishing for him to pick up the phone.
Yet through it all, one name was the common thread that constantly and consistently came up.
One name that she knew wasn't right.
—
[Lucifer Fallenstar]
{The Fell Dreamer}
—
Adam picked his ear as he flicked the gathering of wax away casually. “Your dickhole of a sperm donor, has been stripped of his title as ‘The Morning Star’. He's no longer allowed to leave the boundaries of Hell. Any deviation from that, will leave him worse than when I knocked the literal life outta him.” he told her.
The look in his eyes, tone in his voice, and unusual seriousness caused Charlie to gulp as she sweated slightly.
“Phew. Welp, there's favor number 2. Now just one quick thing, before I get on to #3”. With a quick breath, Adam snapped his fingers, causing a white light to spread out in a spiraled wave.
Immediately, several of the Exorcists let out breaths as they either fell to a knee or went rigid.
Lute’s eyes widened as she witnessed Citole nearly collapsing onto all fours. “Cito-” she gasped out, only to still herself as her body felt numb.
All of the Exorcists around her began to glow brightly, as their wings changed in color. They became a negative of themselves, as their feathers were now black with white stripes on the margins.
Their halos immediately dimmed before being replaced with bright golden radiant rings.
And before Lute's eyes, the golden blood on their bodies began to disappear to nothingnes.
And their wounds healed themselves splendidly.
In bursts of white energy, limbs began to reform.
In pale glows, skin and tissue started to patch itself.
In enchanting sparkles, bodies were restored to their prime and peak forms.
As Lute felt her body return to feeling like itself, she saw her clothing changed.
Instead of a helmet, she had on a thick metallic silver facial armor on her forehead that bore her now golden horns, while still revealing her face and showcasing her now orderly bob haircut.
The colors of her uniform had been altered. She looked down to inspect herself, and saw that the minidress she wore was now stark blue. The gloves and boots she wore were now pitch black in color, and the neck high collar along with the stripes on her boots and gloves were bright gold.
Lute's amazed inspection of herself stopped when she saw that her arm, the same arm that she had cut off in her desperation, was utterly restored. She gasped and peeled back the fabric of her glove, and saw pale skin of her arm.
Dirt free.
Without blemish.
Without a drop of gold blood staining her flesh.
Lute's amazement was further compounded, as she saw the same sight upon her remaining sisters.
Lyre, Mandora and Citole were all inspecting themselves and one another, as their bodies were restored and healed.
The handful of other Exorcists who had survived were all decked out in their newly manifested uniforms, while in disbelief at the healing up of their bodies.
“Good as new right?” Adam asked Lute with a co*cky smile, as he poked at her healed left arm. “Guess I'm starting to get a hand on this whole ‘bullsh*t-ascendent-power’ grift, hm?”.
The cost of today's battle had weighed heavily on Lute. The loss of her sisters was unprecedented and struck her to heart. And the changes that Adam was talking about…they genuinely scared her if she was honest with herself.
But those changes didn't matter.
The fear didn't concern her.
Because she had her sisters. She had Adam.
And with them alongside her, she would face Hell itself if she had to.
The glow of his face brought a smile to Lute's lips. All the aches in her body were gone, allowing her to click her heels together as she gave an affirmative salute. “Yes sir!”.
The remaining Exorcists fell into step, as they formed a semi-circle around the pair. Their newly crafted horned head-pieces revealed their faces and eyes of varying colors as they all stood ready to serve.
“Sir, we await your orders” Citole said, with the barest hints of a smile on her now clean and repaired face.
“Damn right you do, Azi” Adam grinned before pointing upwards. “Go ahead and move out, girls. Addy has one last favor to take care of”.
Citole nodded, before flapping her wings with a start. Her and the other Exorcists flew upwards, as they ascended upwards to the open portal to Heaven.
Adam looked over to see Lute still standing tall instead of returning above.
“You're not getting rid of me that easy…sir.” She spoke resolutely. Yet despite this, there was a definite gleam of playfulness in her eye.
“Ha!!! Fair enough, Danger tit*.” Adam laughed as he flashed her a quick finger gun.
In an immediate turn of the moment, the smile fell from both of their faces as they turned in unison to face the Hellborn before them.
Charlie, who was still clutching the body of the unconscious Lucifer beneath her. And Vaggie, who had immediately moved to Charlie's side once the Exorcists had departed.
Charlie's tears had stopped flowing, yet she was still a mess to be sure. She looked unsure as she cast her eyes from Lute to Adam to her father repeatedly.
Vaggie clutched her girlfriend's shoulders, in an attempt to emotionally assist her. But her newly yellow eyes wavered from her own form to Charlie's emotional state.
Adam stepped forward to approach Charlie as Lute stood in place, choosing to simply observe.
“Favor #3, kiddo.” He told her as he rolled his neck. “Instead of f*cking with you, I'm just going to flat out give it to you straight”. He pointed to the sky before his eyes met her…
And he spoke the words that would surely haunt Charlotte Fallenstar for the rest of her days.
“Redemption is possible. And the Big G upstairs is going to greenlight it.”
Vaggie gasped as she balked at the claim. She looked to Charlie expecting to see something resembling elation or relief. But instead she saw…resignment.
Almost as if she was preparing herself for bad news already.
She wiped her damp cheeks with her wrist before she gazed up at Adam with exhausted eyes, as a defeated expression marred her face. “...What's the catch? You…you wouldn't tell me this if there wasn't something else to this” she told him, having gained something from the other two favors.
To Vaggies shock, Adam actually gave Charlie a nod of respect at that.
“You're learning. That's good.” He spoke as he then pointed down to the ground below them. “The catch is that, it's up to you f*cks to figure it out”.
“What? What kind of favor is that???” Demanded Vaggie as she rose up to her feet in frustration.
Lute immediately made to step forward, but Adam raised a hand, causing her to halt. Despite her hesitation, she nodded before returning a step back, and observing.
“The kind of favor based off greed,” he answered before turning to Charlie. “Just like every other favor I've gifted you. Helping your soulmate. Healing your father. Making your dream come true…” he listed one by one as he raised 3 fingers. “You wanted to redeem these sinners? Well congratu-f*cking-lations. You now have the knowledge it's possible. But it's up to you to figure out how”.
Vaggie looked over to see Charlie. And her heart wrenched in her chest at how weary and distraught her usually bubbly and driven girlfriend looked.
Her own rage grew to palpable heights as she matched forward to Adam. “¡ Eres un pedazo de mierda cobarde, hablador y sin agallas! ¡Eres un maldito cobarde cruel sin amabilidad ni respeto! ” She practically spat at him as she pointed her red finger at his chest.
Adam immediately batted her hand away, catching her off guard. “No respect???? You're f*cking alive, aren't you?” He asked rhetorically as he bent down and looked her in the eyes. “You lot are as f*cking ungrateful as they come! Never, in your f*cking existence did you think to ask your booty call ‘Whats the cost of this dream of yours, and are you willing to pay that cost?’! You're so busy blaming me for all the problems in your lives, that you never realized what would happen if I was removed from the equation!!!”.
His words caused Vaggie to step back in surprise. She was speechless as she struggled to try to respond, only to be cut off again by Adam.
“Well guess f*cking what? We're out.” He announced as he made a cutting motion with his hand. “From now on, no more Exterminations. No more Embassy. No more f*cking interference from Heaven. You brimstone bastards are utterly on your own!”.
Charlie felt a chill run through her at these words. She barely had the frame of mind to set down her father, before she rose to unsteady feet. It was only with Vaggie running over to help her, that she managed to make it up, as she looked at Adam. “W-what are you saying?”.
Adam opened his hand up, and a golden scroll manifested within with a pure white wax seal binding it closed. He easily tossed it over to Vaggie, who caught it with surprise.
“From the Big Man himself, you f*cks are on your own. From your overpopulation, to your sh*tty living conditions, to Redemption, all of this sh*t will fall on you and your walking ‘Accountability repellent’ of an dad.
Vaggie opened the scroll and her eyes widened. As her eyes scanned the holy script, her mouth opened in horror. “C-charlie…you need to read this….he’s..” she gulped as she looked up at her girlfriend with overwhelming concern. “They're cutting us off.”
Adam nodded with an even expression. “You got that right. Hell is now to be utterly isolated from Heaven and Earth. Nobody from Heaven is going in, and nobody from Hell is going out save for redeemed souls”.
Charlie immediately snatched the scroll from Vaggie in a hurry. Her sore eyes speed read over the script as she felt her mouth opening in equally obvious horror.
“Hell has been a disaster from the get-go. A f*ck-up of literal cosmic proportions. A sh*t sandwich that's all crust. A total failure that should have been dealt with ages ago. Pops gave your dad a chance to prove that even when he was being punished, that he could become something. And look what he did with it.” Adam sneered as he cast his hand out to Pentagram city. “A literal f*cking circus in the ass crack of creation”.
“Even without the sinners, what has your Padre accomplished?” He questioned of Charlie. “The Sins running rampant, like f*cking mob bosses living in excess as the rest of Hell & Earth suffer for it”.
Adam clapped his hands once, as he glowered upon the pair with full golden eyes. “Well the Old Man has decided that he's been complacent long enough.”
SHRING!
SHRING!
SHRING!
SHRING!
SHRING!
SHRING!
SHRING!
Before Charlie & Vaggie's eyes, seven golden crosses crashed into the ground behind Adam.
Seven familiar golden crosses.
Dust blew up, as Vaggie immediately stood in front of Charlie. She shifted her back to face them, but blinked in surprise as she remembered that now lacked her previously large and beautiful wings that she would usually use to shield them.
With a snap of his fingers, the dust was blown away by Adam, as the unique crosses began to glow an unsettlingly bright glow.
“From now on nobody in Hell, save for yourself or redeemed sinners, are allowed to travel to Hell or Earth under any circ*mstances. And if any Hellborn are caught leaving Hell for Earth, and believe me when I say we will catch them when we do, their lives will be forfeit”. As Adam spoke those words, the cross behind him seemed to unravel.
The material that made them up twisted, rolled, shifted and seemed to burn all at once until they took the forms of a group of individuals.
Vaggie felt her skin buzzing as she stared at the forms standing behind Adam.
She felt her eyes almost….vibrating just by looking their way…
And she dared to say she felt her soul being touched just knowing they were there.
I - One of the figures stood tall. They were so heavily clothed that their body couldn't even be seen in their chaste garments. No specific physical features could be gained from them, and an aura of guiltlessness clung to their indescribable features.
II - Another one was lean, even by the standards of the lanky individual of Hell. They didn't move a muscle and stood rigid as a frozen birch tree. Despite this, it seemed as if they were purposely schooling themselves to be as unmoving and stalwart as possible. Truly diligent, in the grander scheme.
III - A glowing individual stood next, in a mixture of a sparse suit and a pious riding cloak. White antlers hung branched outward from their head, and a long and untamed mess of bronze hair stuck up from their scalp, as droopy deer-like ears twitched calmly. Their eyes were full of a willingness to share, and their mouth was filled with shining teeth that flashed a gently charitable smile.
IV - A faintly shimmering dress garbed another of them. Strangely enough, the dress seemed to meld into their flowing hair which carried the color of a white star and reached past down to their waist. Golden bands wrapped around each of their wrist, with cross shaped openings that revealed their flesh underneath. In their arms were a stack of books bound by silver leather. Instead of any footwear of any kind, they stood barefoot with numerous criss crossing patterns covering their hidden legs.
V - Yet one more was radiant. Possibly even more so than the rest. A wondrous brightness emanated from them, to the point where it was as if a sun sat on their shoulders and blocked out their facial features. Their hands twitched with a wanton empathy, as if they were moments away from hugging their own body in jubilance.
VI - The next figure was decked out in elaborate regalia. Finery of the highest order. To be able to note it all would surely take much more time than one could tolerate. Yet this presence seemed to carry an unquenchable tolerance for such forebearing things. They stood understanding for lengthy moments. They waited peacefully for anger filled qualms. They watched and waited in acceptance for all things before them.
VII - The final amongst them was nobody worth noting. Their squared shoulders hung low, in a submissive manner. A plain large rectangular square of glass sat where their head should be. Despite this particular irregularity, the nondescript nobody had their ‘head’ bowed low. This humble prostration was held continuously, as if even a permission from an authority figure wouldn't be enough for them to raise their heads. Truly, nobody worth noting.
Seven Figures.
Seven Beings.
Seven Entities, Of Purely Virtuous Intent.
“These guys right here-” Adam continued as he thumbed back to the Seven behind him, “-Are gonna be the ones putting the heads on the chopping block, for anyone that f*cks up on your end. In case any of the Hellborn think they can f*ck around on Earth, or in case those cringe ‘7-Rings Short Of A Circus' Sin basketcases decide they're ready for round two, these are the guys they can expect to come crashing through the sky, and f*cking you in the street...so to speak” Adam concluded with a hard look that gave no amusem*nt or comedic inclinations.
Vaggie finally managed to pull her view from the group behind Adam, as she sputtered in frustration. “You call this a favor??? Cómo carajo does this help us??? How does any of this help us???!”. Vaggie threw the scroll down onto the ground furiously.
With a click of his teeth, Adam dismissed the vaguely anomalous group around him.
They disappeared with a quickness as if they weren't even there to begin with; not even leaving imprints in the dirt from where they were standing.
“It's what you wanted. What you sang about, and begged your daddy to get. A chance. ” Adam spoke, as he turned around and began walking to back Lute. “You’ve got confirmation that Redemption is possible, kid. Heaven already has a system that works. You're the one who's been wasting our time trying to reinvent the f*cking wheel”.
Adam stopped as he made it to Lute before turning around and raising a hand to cut off Vaggie, who was a second from verbally lashing out at him. “Don't waste your breath trying to out argue me, Gold Star. I literally invented the f*cking wheel here. Your point is not only invalid, but I clearly don't give a sh*t” he said, as he cast her an uncaring look.
Vaggie huffed as she glared deeply at Adam.
“H-how…?” Charlie whimpered from her place behind Vaggie. “How are….how do we overcome a hill like this?” She spoke dowry.
Vaggie immediately was at her side again, as concern replaced the rage she felt at Adam. She had never seen Charlie so broken before. It was as if everything she was carrying since the day's beginning had come crashing down on her shoulders.
Adam wrapped his arm around Lutes waist, lifting her up slightly and genuinely taking her by surprise as she widened her eyes.
He cast one last look to Charlie, as the ground under the pair began to glow golden. “You're young, and you're dumb.” He said after a moment. “Both of those things will change in time, but only one of them will change if you apply yourself.”
The pair began to shine brightly as the air itself around them started to glimmer and sparkle.
“I'm going to give you the same advice my pops gave me, when I was cast out and everything I knew was practically lost”. Adam cast her one last wry smile as he spoke in an almost wizened, fatherly tone. “When the world is trying to break you, you fight back by breaking the mold”.
Vaggie's eyebrows furrowed as she scoffed at Adam. “¡Hijo de puta! How is that supposed to-”
“TOUGHLUCKEATADICKBYYYYYEEEEE!!!!!!!” Adam guffawed out as he and Lute instantly turned into a flash of golden light. The light rocketed upwards in a continuous beam, before disappearing into an opened portal to Heaven before it shut closed with a quickness
All was silent as the two stood on the battlefield.
Znnnn...
Vaggie blinked, as a gentle humming went off nearby. “Hm?” She turned her head to notice the golden scroll was floating next to her with a pair of white angelic wings. “Ugh!” She sneered before she rolled her eyes. She swiped the scroll out of the air, and watched as the wings disappeared into a small burst of glowing feathers. “Cabrón” she muttered to herself.
Brssh
Vaggie felt something sliding against her shoulder causing her to look next to her…
Only to see an unconscious Charlie sliding downward against her shoulder, moments away from falling to the ground.
Vaggie gasped and immediately took Charlie in her arms. “Charlie! f*ck!” She cursed as she raised a red hand to her cheek. She immediately placed her fingers on her neck, as she felt for a pulse.
Ba-dump
Ba-dump
She let out a sigh of relief. Despite the initial alarm, it appeared that she only passed out. Vaggie could hardly blame her for doing so. As strong as her girlfriend was in ideals, she was often…less so in practical terms. Even the power she unleashed during the battle, obviously wasn't something she likely had been used to utilizing.
She wasn't a warrior by any means-
Drip
Drip
Drip
Vaggie blinked as she felt droplets of water against her skin. She looked up to the sky and extended her free hand, wondering if it was raining. Feeling nothing, she looked back down to see the true source of the moisture on her person.
Tears.
Tears from Charlie.
Her girlfriend was silently crying in her sleep.
Vaggie could only let out a monumental sigh. She looked down at her newly red palm, and let out an unstable breath.
In the span of a single day- A single battle…
Everything had changed. Everywhere.
For all her friends. Everywhere.
And the world they lived in. Everywhere.
But Vaggie had to be strong.
For Charlie, she had to be strong.
For Charlie she would always be strong.
Vaggie looked behind her, and tried to peek at her new imp wings. Instead of beating in unison as her angelic wings would, they fluttered out of sync. “Ugh. Joderme ” She grumbled. “Fine. The long way it is”. With a grunt of effort, she hefted Charlie onto her back as gently as she could.
She cast a look at her surroundings.
At a red sky.
At crimson wastes.
At ruby red buildings that were utterly ruined, even compared to their average dilapidated states.
It was a bleak depiction of her surroundings to be sure. But given what they had endured, it could have been much worse.
Vaggie didn't even know who was around. She had blacked out for who knew how long, and any manner of things could have occurred during that time.
With any luck, she could meet up with anyone who had wisely made off at the right time, and get Charlie some medical attention.
Vaggie took a step forward, only for her foot to hit a body beneath her. Looking downwards, she saw none other than Lucifer Fallenstar. Unconscious, scarred, yet breathing.
Vaggie...didn't really care for the Sin of Pride.
“I could just leave him,” she reasoned out loud.
…
“Nobody would have to know…”
…
“Maybe Adam came back and finished him off, before grabbing his own dick and drinking a beer, or something” she theorized with a co*ck of her head.
…
“Ugh. Goddamnit”. With another aggravated sigh, Vaggie did an awkward shuffle of holding Charlie on her back with one arm before grabbing Lucifer by the leg with her free hand.
“Go team Fallenstar” she deadpanned as she walked with Charlie on her back, while dragging Lucifer carelessly by his leg.
The waves of Heaven's beaches crashed back and forth, against the cloudy shoreline.
Waters that were more vibrant than the most valuable sapphire, carried themselves the ways that all tides did, in the Heavenly sphere.
The clouds beneath were utterly comfortable, regardless if one was barefoot or not.
It was a truly a wonderou-
“f*ck, it's pretty out here”.
“....That it is, sir”.
Adam stared out at the beach with a content expression on his face. He was garbed in a more simpler alternative to his usually showy and heavy robe.
Instead of the thick high collar material that hung down to his feet, he wore a light garment that was a soft yellow, with a metallic blue sash around his waist. It was sleeveless, and came only down to his knees, giving him the appearance of a more physically oriented individual, while also showcasing some amount of status.
Lute, was still wearing her newly acquired outfit, with her headpiece secured on her belt. It had been a mere several hours since they returned to Heaven.
She stood next to Adam, as they faced the sunset.
“I really thought I'd never get to see another sunset when I got stabbed…..or a nice set of tit*…..or Jesus playing saxophone-”
“Adam”, Lute interrupted him. She looked at the wispy ground, before she met his golden pups with her yellow ones. “What…happened to you down in hell. I….I thought-” she tried to start, only to be cut off by Adam.
He was immediately upon her. He stood close to her, as he cupped her chin with his hand gently. “DangerT-...Lute”, he corrected himself. “I went to a place that isn't a place”.
Her eyes widened. She wanted to speak, but the soft look in his eyes told her to let him finish.
“A place that isn't a place, in a space between spaces, wrapped in a dream without sleep. I could spend all day trying to explain the complex bullsh*t, but what I'm getting at is that I saw myself. Who I was”.
The silence hung between them, causing Lute to warily voice her thoughts. “And?”.
Adam looked up, as he released her chin. He ran a hand through his locks, before letting out a deep chuckle. “I f*cking hated it”. He shook his head, as an awkward smile grew on his lips.
Looking back down at Lute, he opened his mouth only for no words to come out. His brow furrowed, almost as if he was confused by his mouth not acting the way he wanted to. Yet he chuckled again with a shake of his head. “Even now, the Old Man is keeping my lips tight about what I can say”.
Lute was filled with confusion, but she still nodded. Despite this, she knew Adam. She understood Adam. She would take his word over that of anyone else's. Even the Seraphim themselves.
“....I thought about the girls, when I was there” he muttered under his breath.
Lute felt her throat hitch at that claim. The thought of her deceased sisters was something that was impacting her deeply. Even after the battle. “What…what were your thoughts?” She dared to ask.
“I…I thought about how I failed them. About how I was too much of a dense asshole. How I should've thought about their safety, instead of my own victory”. Adams' shoulders slumped as he closed his eyes for a moment. “Figures that the stuff he lets me say, is the stuff that makes me look like a bitch” he muttered.
But his eyes opened, as he felt Lute's hand on his own. He looked at her curiously, as she took off her glove to be able to touch his hand unobstructed. “I want to hear it. Please”.
Adam nodded as he took a deep breath. “I asked him about them. If he could give me what I needed to help them. To bring them back”. He took a moment to look down at the lines of his hand, before continuing. “Something like that is literally peanuts for him…but when I asked, I heard a voice tell me ‘No’.”
The silence reigned through once again as a half a minute passed.
“And I got mad. But before I could start swearing and roaring and all my usual sh*t, I realized-”
“-That it was your voice that said it.” Lute surmised sadly.
Adam's eyes blinked solemnly as he reached into his upper garment, and pulled it back to reveal his bare shoulder. “Yeah. It was a answer that I knew before I even asked the f*cking question. I don't know how long it took me to, but I accepted it. I accepted and I told him I would forgive myself but never forget them”.
Lute looked down to see white cursive spring to life on his shoulder, as if being written by an invisible hand.
On his shoulder was a list of names. Names she knew by heart, yet still made her uneasy to see all the same. Especially several in particular.
~Young {Oud}
~Passionate {Domra}
~Kindly {Harp}
Lute let a trembling hand reach out. Before she knew it, she felt the warmth of Adams' skin and the further warmth of the script.
Before she knew it, she had released his shoulder, and she was facing back towards the tide.
Yet several more minutes passed between them, as silence once more filled the expanse around them.
Adam looked down at the clouds that cradled his bare feet. Even with the changes to his body that left him feeling almost nirvanic on a physical level, his mind was a mess of dick jokes and divine gossamer strings. “Lute, I-”
“Is there…anything else that has to change?”
His brow furrowed at those words, before he noticed both the obvious and subtle difference in Lute.
Her eyes were cast down, as they didn't meet his vision.
They always never hesitated to glare at him, when he had to get off his ass to do his f*cking job.
Her cheeks were flushed, as the faintest pink blush dusted them.
Their usual pale pallor was as even as the rest of her steady face.
Her lips were unsteady, as she bit them nervously in possible anticipation.
Most times they were either pressed into a thin line, drowning deeply, or just plain stretched from nagging the sh*t out of him.
Relief soothed the turmoil Adam felt, as placed a hand on Lute's cheek.
She gasped softly as she looked up to see his shining eyes and proud smile.
“Heh. Trust me, I had a lot of time to look back on other things too.” He grinned.
“R-really?” She looked up with hopeful eyes as her cheeks reddened further.
“Yeah. And I knew I wasn't the smartest….but f*ck, Dangertit*. You could have told me how dense I was” he chuckled with a blush of his own.
Lute joined him as she covered her face, and laughed herself. “Sorry. I didn't want to-”
“No no! f*ck, I'm the one who should've been sorry.” He reassured her with raised hands. “Like I knew we were close but, I didn't want you thinking I was like trying to whip out the casting couch or some sh*t on you. Then I would have gone to see pops waaaaaay sooner, if you catch my drift” he joked by making a throat slitting motion.
Amongst the humor, they both laughed.
Lute looked at Adam.
Adam looked at Lute.
The waves pulled and pulled at the distant shores.
Just as Adam opened his mouth to say something, they were interrupted by a shrill voice.
“GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF ME!!!!!”
Adam groaned as he rolled his eyes to face behind them. “Ugh. That voice, I would recognize even if I didnt get the instant replay of my life and afterlife”.
The sounds of wings beating were heard, as two Exorcists touched down upon the ground. In their arms, they securely held a defiant woman.
She had pale skin that was a slight shade brighter than Lute's own, that was visible by way of a dark indigo colored one-piece bathing suit.
She wore an equally indigo sunhat upon her head, which immediately blew off to reveal large ruby colored horns that curved backwards into a head of lustrous blonde hair.
She was objectively attractive to be sure, with an hourglass figure, and a reasonably buxom chest.
Yet she was slightly…worse for wear in the current situation .
Her usually sleek hands were bound behind her back, by way of thick bindings imbedded with Angelic Proto-Carbon fiber cuffs.
Her skin was covered in scratches and slight bruises.
And her plum eyeshadow was smeared, revealing a set of furious lavender orbs scanning her surroundings quickly.
As the Exorcists walked forward with the woman, she did her best to pull and struggle against her captors. “You filthy imbeciles!! Let me go me this instant!!!” she practically screeched at the Exorcists pair.
“No.” Deadpanned a cobalt blue haired Exorcist on the left, who's medium length hair was in simple hair loops. Her matching eyes looked weary as she easily held onto the arm of the raging woman as they walked.
“Do you have any idea who I am???” The woman demanded as her feet were uselessly dragging on the clouded ground.
“Yes. We just don't care.” Answered the second Exorcist, who wore vibrant cinnabar red hair in a pixie cut. She had a deep frown as she looked moments away from lashing out at the source of her frustration.
“Where are you taking-Oof!!!” The woman was cut off from her tirade, as she was unceremoniously thrown to the ground by her captors. “You bastards!!! That hurt!” She cursed as she did her best to rise to her knees without the use of her hands.
“Good” responded the blue haired Exorcist apathetically.
The red haired Exorcist shrugged uncaringly “If anything, I think we could've thrown her harder”.
“Yeah, probably. But you know what they say about damnaged goods……oh wait, nevermind” Adam chuckled as he scratched his ass while staring at the woman on the ground.
She immediately swirled her head to stare at the source of the voice she recognized. “Adam??? She balked in frustration and mild confusion.
Adam’s smile faded slightly as he sighed deeply. “Hello Lilith….how are things?”.
Lilith could only stare at him dumbly as she lashed out verbally at the man. “What does it look like, you fool!!! What's the meaning of this??”
Adam sighed once again as his shoulders sagged. “f*ck me. This is going to actually sting more than the actual stabbing”
Lute quickly jabbed him in his side at that remark.
“Ow! Hey!” Adam questioned as he rubbed his side.
“Speak for yourself” she frowned deeply at him before sighing and brushing her hair back.
“Anyways” Adam sighed as he looked Lilith in the eye. “I'm sorry…Lilith”.
Lilith blinked owlishly at those words, as she seemed to not comprehend them for a moment. “....What???”.
“I'm sorry for what I was. For never taking your thoughts into consideration back in the garden. For constantly blaming you for my misfortunes back on Earth. And for treating you as if you were…beneath me just for the fact that you weren't what I wanted in a woman” Adam spoke simply as he sighed . “For all of it and everything, I'm sorry”.
The situation carried a tenseness as the silence rang out around them.
No words were spoken, as the crashing of the waves supplanted the background.
Lute’s arms were crossed as she glared down at Lilith.
The red haired Exorcist’s mouth was pressed to an even line as she looked between Adam and The original woman.
The blue haired Exorcist bit her lip, as her gloved hands closed and opened tentatively.
“You're sorry ???”
The shrill voice cut through the natural serenity like a rusted knife.
Lilith glared upwards at Adam with a look that showed pure outrage at his words. “That's why you had me dragged here to say? You're sorry???” She asked incredulously. “You idiot!!!” She snapped as she stood on her feet.
“What makes you think that I want your apology? What makes you think that I need your apology???” She demanded rhetorically as she walked forward to Adam. “I don't want anything from you. Nothing whatsoever!!!”.
As she began her rant, Lute had to force herself to keep from backhanding the woman for her gall of speaking to her Adam this way.
“I never needed you! The only mistake I ever made in my life was thinking that you in all your petty, overcompensating, idiocy had anything to offer me in the first place!”. As she stopped before he sneered at him. Her lavender eyes narrowed down to hardened points as she met his eyes unblinkingly.
Pure certainty and resolution carried along with her visage, as her voice took a steely edge. “You were my only regret! And if I ever have a choice, I'll never see you again as long as there's life in my body!!!!!”.
Hawk Tuah!
Lilith finished her tirade by spitting upon Adams bare left foot.
The tension was so thick, that it could have possibly smothered all of Heaven.
Lute looked past Lilith to see her sisters practically moments away from grabbing Lilith and reminding her of her place in the bigger, using whatever they could reasonably fit in their hands to beat her with.
The blue haired Exorcist had veins pulsating on her forehead and neck as her teeth were grit hard from behind her lips.
The red haired Exorcist flared her nostrils, as her knuckles cracked from how hard she was balling her fists.
Lute herself was only holding back, because she was informed half an hour earlier by Adam, about what he had planned for Lilith, and what to expect.
Adam’s face held a frown, yet no malice behind it.
Ssssss...
The glob of spit on his foot began to burn and turn to steam, as the heat of pure Heavenly energy flowed through his body immediately. A full second later, none of the offending fluid was to be seen on his person.
Just as Lilith expected him to lash out at her, or resort to his usual crude projections and humor, he did something she wouldn't expect.
“Hahaha!!!”
He laughed.
‘He laughed?’
‘Adam was laughing at being insulted?’
Adam reared his head back, as he let out rich laughter that originated from the depths of his soul.
The pair of Exorcists behind Lilith were unsure by Adams reaction, yet nonetheless stood back and watched the interaction.
“Hoo boy! I genuinely don't know why my dumbass thought I'd get any other kind of response from you” Adam chuckled, as he gently facepalmed. “I mean, you're the literal Queen Of Misandry & Feminism”.
Lilith opened her mouth to rebuke, yet Adam continued.
“They say that there are 3 things that are faster than light, in all of creation. ‘The love of the Lord, Michaels Blade, and you dodging accountability’.” he grinned as he looked at her.
“Ha! Burn.” Smirked the red haired Exorcist.
Lilith turned back with a hard glare, only for the Exorcist to meet it back with just as much disdain for her in turn.
As Lilith turned back to look at Adam, she blinked as she realized that something was different about him.
Several somethings.
His usual horned helmet and heavy robe were nowhere to be seen.
He was taller. The flesh on his body was tighter, revealing a musculature that she hadn't seen in him for thousands of years.
His skin was richer in coloration, which was unlike the filthy couch potato who hardly ever went anywhere that wasn't solely focus on him or his pleasure, that she knew of even after all this time.
He was utterly glowing in every sense of the phrase.
And his attitude had changed like when night changed into day.
“Burn is right, Dulcimer” Adam grinned with a click of his teeth, as he flashed the red haired Exorcist a finger gun.
Dulcimer smiled proudly, as the blue haired Exorcist next to her gave her a warm nudge on the shoulder, as she smiled at her sister.
Adam took a deep breath, before exhaling loudly with his hands perched on his hips. “Anyways, I gave it the ole ‘I never went to college’ try.” He announce it to nobody in particular.
“You see that Pops?” He spoke loudly, turning his head to the sky. “I totally tried! Gave her a thought out apology and everything! Even called out my sh*tty behavior!!! Got witnesses too!”.
The four women were quietly watching with various emotions, at the claims Adam was making.
“Ha! Just f*cking around guys” he said as he waved his hand dismissively. “He already knew what was happening. Anyways Lilith, you're gonna get your damn wish. Cause you're going back to Hell”.
Lilith’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, as she sputtered in indignant confusion. “W-what are you talking about, you idiot?”.
“Bitch, are you deaf?” Adam asked with a raised eyebrow. “We're sending you back to Hell, in a handbasket…..metaphorically on the handbasket part. I'm not wasting one of our good baskets on your 'that fish smell is totally normal', ass”.
Lilith was immediately grabbed once again by the arms, as the Exorcist pair grabbed her to restrain her still. “No!! NO!!!!” She spat at him as she futiley attempted to pull away, or even use any fraction of her restrained power. “We have a deal!!!!”.
Adam immediately tapped the flesh above his heart, as a see through image of a white heart with a large ‘A’ upon it was shown beating within his chest. “New body. New deal, Lilslit”.
Dulcimer immediately grabbed Lilith's wrist to hold her still as she undid the Angelic bindings. She quickly tossed them to Lute, who grabbed them out of the air and tucked them into her belt.
“The upside is: You get to do whatever the f*ck you want as far as your personal motives are concerned. Knowing you, you probably had some sort of other deals floating around and were waiting for the right moment to strike.” Adam said with a roll of his eyes. “The downside is that your going back to Hell and you're never allowed to leave again until told otherwise”.
Lilith's posture froze for a single moment, before her entire body was racked with palpable fury. “Y-YOU CHAUVINISTIC PIECE OF sh*t!!!!!”.
Adam simply pointed downward and snapped his fingers, causing the clouds to begin parting immediately.
Zruu!
A manhole sized hole formed in the clouds between the group, as red light glowed upwards from it, and the faintest points of a shattered pentagram could be seen peeking through.
As her widened eyes were glued to the sight of the portal to Hell, the look Lilith bore was one of horror.
One of confoundment.
And one of grim opposition.
“There it is. Your one way trip back to your old slu*tting grounds. Hope you enjoy the drop down. I'm giving you a pinkie toes worth of magic so you don't get harmed from the fall, but you're on your own from then on”.
Lilith's heart was pounding in her chest, as it drowned out almost every word that was being spoken to her, by her ex-husband.
“Who knows? Maybe you can turn on the ole charm and crawl back into your old-squeeze’s life.” Adam shrugged as he waved his hand, and generated a white & golden voodoo doll of Lucifer, with the word ‘Simp’ sewn across his chest.
“I'm sure that he'd be happy to kiss your feet again, as you tell him about all the people who you tried and failed to get in your bed up here. You know, because they actually had standards”. The doll floated in the air around Adam, before it immediately twitched its body, and shot white string from its crotch. The doll placed itself in a golden chair as the words ‘Step On Me’ floated in the air above it in silver script.
“Forgive me for speaking sir, but you're on a roll with these bars” The blue haired Exorcist smiled.
“Nothing to apologize for, Vielle. Cuz this slander train ain't gonna stop until the Old Man says so”. Adam's grin was out in full force, as the Lucifer doll was now waving a tiny white sign with the words ‘Peg Me!’. It's tiny little pants were around its ankles, and it was shown wearing boxers with even smaller ducklings printed on them.
“But that's enough for now. I'll let you guys decide who gets the honor” he sighed as he placed his hand on his hip, causing the doll to disappear.
Lilith froze, as she slowly turned her head to look back at the Exorcists that held her in their grip.
Vielle & Dulcimer looked to one another curiously for a moment.
“Together?” Vielle propositioned as she co*cked her head, as her sapphire blue stud earrings glinted in the light.
“Together.” Dulcimer confirmed, as her grinning face highlighted her cherry red colored tear troughs that led from her eyes to her nose.
With their cooperation in agreement, the two of them stepped forward and threw their charge forward with their full strength.
“No no no NO NO NO-” Lilith tried to struggle as she was forced forward. But the strength of two newly empowered Exorcist was not a strength she could overcome, even after recently being freed from her binds.
She was cast into the portal with a panic filled face as she descended downwards into the blood red sky. “ADAM YOU FUUUU-” Her voice sputtered out as she fell farther than it could reach.
Lute easily picked up Lilith's sun hat, before tossing it down the portal as well. “Don't forget your hat, you trashy btitch” she scoffed as she watched the portal close, causing the clouds to return and cover the ground again.
“Ahhhh. And that's the last thing for the day taken care of.” Adam nodded with a clap of his hands. “Did you guys do what I asked, before you grabbed up my ex?”.
“Yes sir. We informed them both, before we left to apprehend Lilith” Dulcimer nodded.
“Ahhh, yeah. I can see her now”. Adam had shielded his eyes as he gazed off at Heavens horizon, gazing at a sight that neither of the 3 Exorcists themselves could see. “You guys better scat. This is big boy stuff, and I don't want y'all to get cooked for my bullsh*t”.
“Got it, sir.”
“Affirmative, Sir.”
Dulcimer and Vielle took off into the air, as they headed back to the Exorcists quarters proper.
Adam took Lute's hand, before placing a soft kiss into her bare palm. He nuzzled his cheek against her hand softly, as his soft eyes gazed into her pale skin. “Wait for me back home.” He spoke softly. “I want to….talk more about things. About…us” he said softer than a whisper.
Lute nodded as a blush graced her cheeks. She caressed his cheek before giving him a truer smile than she had ever given anyone. “Don't you die again.” She ordered. “If she kills you, I'll bring you back to life and beat your ass myself”.
Adam laughed before planting one last kiss on the back of her hand. “It's a deal, you feisty bitch. See you tonight”.
With that said, Lute put her glove back on and redonned her headpiece. With a burst of newly gained energy, she took to the sky and flew amongst the clouds of Heaven's sky.
Adam let out a sigh as he watched her ascend. “Third time’s the charm. At least now I have the emotional knowledge not to f*ck this up…..I hope” he muttered to himself.
Several seconds passed, as Adam raised his arms up and stretched. With a grunt and the popping of his joints, he faced to the side as a truly divine individual floated down on enchanting white wings.
The individual was a woman. One who was exceptionally tall. She towered over Adam, as even at his restored new height she was still 2-3 heads taller than him.
She had rich, cedar brown toned skin that was visible only on her face and hands due to her rather ornate and conservative style of dress. White freckles dotted her pleasantly appealing face, which was contrasted by black colored lips.
Her waist long grey hair was elaborately done in several thick curls, as a glowing white double-layered halo sat atop her head like a regal crown with 5 mounting points.
Her six wings folded into her back, as she stepped forward and seemingly glided across the clouded ground in her white gown that seemingly matched her high station.
And as she took notice of Adam, her white irised, blue-grayed sclera zeroed in on him before her dark purple pupils widened in curiosity and questioning.
“Adam!” She announced as she came to a stop before him. “What's the meaning of this? It's been hours since you returned, but I'm just finding out about it?!”. Her face was filled with frustration as she tried to pry for answers.
“Only 1/3rd of the overall legion of Exorcists have? Why have they changed their uniforms and why are you just standing at this beach??? Have you not heard what has happened?” She pressed emotionally as her seemingly translucent eyelashes flickered in alarm.
“Yeah yeah, that snakey f*ck got redeemed. That's not important though.” He waved off nonchalantly. “But what is important, is what I have to tell you next”.
Her eyebrows furrowed, at Adams' seeming dismissal of the concerns that were now hoisted upon her high shoulders. “What ar-”
“Sera. What I’m about to tell you, I've felt for a long long time.” Adam started, as his face took on a look of seriousness that caused the angel before him to freeze in wary surprise.
Sera couldn't fight the urge to gulp, as she wring her hands together anxiously, as was her nervous habit.
As seconds passed, Adam once again spoke up. “Ever since I've come to Heaven. Ever since I saw you again after I was kicked out of Eden on earth…”
The regal and adorned high-ranking angel before Adam somehow felt a chill run through her. Her relationship with Adam had dwindled to that of barely cohabitable coworkers, much to her regret.
While they weren't hostile, there were times where she did wish they could be as close as they once were. The days where she patted his hair as he went on about the creative names he came up with in the garden.
The times where he would be amazed at how many birds would land on his body at once, just to be close to him.
The moments where he was excited to speak to her, when she was free from her regular duties.
A genuine worry filled her at whatever animosity, spiteful, frustration would spill from his lips at what their bond had devolved into-
“I have absolutely, positively, definitely wanted…to grab a f*ckING HANDFULL of that fat ass of yours.” Adam said, as his seriousness melted into a gentle yet emotionally sincere grin.
Sera blinked.
Sera, The High Seraphim, blinked.
Sera, The High Seraphim Of All Heaven, blinked.
“Wha-”
“I mean, I just know that you're packing an absolute pound cake under that dress of yours Sera.” He continued, as if he hadn't just said something especially perverse. “That's not to say I've spied on you or anything. But I've had the biggest feeling in my nuts, that underneath that wedding gown of a dress, you're packing enough bread to put a bakery out of business”. Adam peaked around her, as he did his best to gauge the accuracy of his statement, by looking around her waist with a hand to his chin.
Sera sputtered as a bright blue blush formed on her cheeks. Her reaction was immediate and without pause.
Her halo glowed brighter, as the five blue gems opened into five vibrant blue glaring eyes.
Countless slitted eyes opened up on her curled hair, as they zeroed in on the face of the First Man.
Her wings expanded out, as each pupiled feather practically burned with the intensity of a Heavenly Sphere.
Her outfit began sharper, as the finery took on a more angled appearance that synchronized with her glowing body.
And her eyes glared at him with absolute fury, as her cheeks were blue with embarrassment.
“ADAM!!!!!!????” She screeched as she was stuck between standing tall and trying to shield her waist and rear from his sight. “WHAT IN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING???!!!!!”.
“What? No matter what those half-shaved-head feminist chicks say, there's no sin against complimenting a woman.” He justified as he stroked his chin and wiggled his eyebrows. “Especially a tall drink of oatmeal like you, Sera” he smiled as he made a shapely motion with both of his hands.
Sera's face bloomed into shades of blue that hadn't ever been seen before on earth, as she felt her cheeks burning from embarrassment. Never, in all her countless eons has she ever been spoken to in such a manner.
Never before had Adam said something to her so vulgar. So debased. So…..strangely invigorating?
“I-I…WHY YOU- IF YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN-”
"Seraphiel."
The cool and even voice immediately caused Sera to freeze. All the eyes upon her partially unleashed form immediately widened as far as possible, before they shrunk and disappeared.
All her wings instinctively flattened against her back in submission, as the glow in her pupils dimmed with a quickness.
Sera’s breath hitched, as she looked up above to see a figure floating above her and Adam in the air.
"What are you doing here, Seraphiel." The voice questioned. Given the thickness of the tension that followed the undeniably masculine voice, it was utterly understandable if it was mistaken for a rhetorical question.
Yet despite this, Sera immediately cast her eyes back to the ground. She gripped the lap of her dress with anxiousness as she began to sweat slightly. “I….I-” she stuttered, only to be unable to come up with anything coherent.
"After your…scandal was made apparent before the Elders, you were explicitly ordered to remain within the boundaries of the First Sphere of the capital." The voice continued, as they began slowly lowering themselves down to the ground cloud level of Adam & Sera. "Yet here I find you, in the coast of the Third Sphere, covering your rear, with Adam before you".
"Pray tell why is it that you, A High Lady of Heaven, find yourself…cavorting here and disobeying a direct order given not only by the Elders, but myself as well?".
The male figure gently landed, as polished dress shoes that were covered up to the thigh in segmented Angelic-Wolfram armor plates. He wore a pair of midnight black dress slacks that were secured by an ornate dull golden belt with a lavish lion buckle off centered on his waist. A scratched and faded brown leather longsword sheath hung at his right side.
A black Angelic-Wolfram gauntlet covered his left hand that had numerous white chains & silver holy seals inscribed to the material, while his right hand was simply covered by a black fingerless glove.
He wore a navy blue dress shirt that was covered in numerous places by form fitting dull golden armor. On his right shoulder was a dull golden pauldron that connected to a sky blue shoulder cloak that bore the sigil of a roaring lion with a scale in its mouth, upon the back.
A high collar led upwards to impeccable seashell white colored flesh, and an incredibly handsome face by even Heavens standards. Soft features somehow combined with a hardened aura, that filled the pale face of the man in an almost divine dichotomy.
A full jaw, an even nose, and blonde colored eyelashes were the most even features of this male. But the characteristics of their face that stood out the most were a seemingly permanent gentle peach colored haze on their cheeks… and sharp blue eyes that were as blue as the sky was vast.
Long golden hair reached all the way down to his upper back, as a green & brown reef sat in his straight hair
He stood emotionless as he was a full head taller than Sera herself, and a single pair of orange wings sat unmoving behind him.
His blue eyes didn't move an inch from Sera, as his pale lips parted only enough to speak what was necessary."Well? I await your answer, Seraphiel".
Before Sera could fight through the heavy aura that forced her body out of its partial transformation, the most unexpected thing that she could have predicted happened.
Adam casually walked over and punched the man in the shoulder.
Her eyes widened at the act. While she knew unequivocally that Adam couldn't harm him, it was still shocking considering that Adam usually wasn't so bold when it came to the Elders. Especially this Elder in particular.
But as she gazed at Adam, she took in the details that she had initially overlooked.
The flesh on his body was pulled taught with a fitness she hadn't seen since he was first brought into being.
He moved with a spryness that he hadn't possessed since they had mock races together in the garden, and she had been sure to balance the times she let him win, so she could see the joy of a challenge upon his face.
And his eyes….eyes which had for so long been covered by a helm or just clouded by an excess of emotions too deep for even her to try to unbury, were now full of clarity and acceptance.
“Michael! About time you got here!” Adam sighed as he punched the much taller man in the shoulder once again.
Michael simply looked at Adam's fist, which was still pressed against his pauldron, before looking back at Adam. "Adam. You also are in a tumultuous situation due to your involvement of-"
“Yeah yeah whatever” Cut in Adam. “That's not important. I've got something to say to you Michael. Something that's been really grinding my balls for years!” He said pointedly, as he poked his finger at Michaels chest.
Michael, to his confusion, calmly stared at Adam. Yet despite this, he gave no indication that he was going to interrupt Adam.
“I'm sick and tired of you always getting on my case, and making me redo my paperwork because Lute was actually the one who did it, while I took a reasonable 39 hour black-out nap!!!” Adam growled as he stood on the tips of his toes to stare at the golden haired man.
Michael once again gave indication of any particular emotion at Adam's brash claim. He simply looked down at Adam's finger, which he was purposely twisting back and forth against one of the buttons on Michaels shirt, before he looked back up to the First Man.
Adam held the glare for several seconds, before it left his face and was replaced by a congenial smile. “That being said, I really really appreciated the blender that you gave me during the Trinity-Holiday Gift Exchange. I use that thing every day, and I've blended more things that can be blended. It's really nice and I appreciate it”.
Michael held the look upon his face, as silence reigned.
Sera wasn't sure if she wanted to facepalm, or laugh at the absurdity of such a fact that Michaels usually impassiveness was holding firm in the face of Adams rambunctiousness.
"...Adam. That Trinity-Holiday was 384 seasons ago. You currently are in possession of a 96 year old blender." He informed Adam, as he blinked simply.
“I know. I like it. Lute keeps telling me to buy a new one, but I still crank that bitch up and blend way more honey milk than someone should drink daily, every morning…..when I'm not hungover”.
Michaels thoughts, like always, were known to himself and only to himself. As Adam held the grin for longer than socially acceptable.
"......Whatever your goal in trying to distract me is, it won't work Adam. I am still dedicated to enacting my commands. You and Sera have much to account for-"
“That we do, my uptight and confusingly attractive friend!” Adam grinned. “But it's not to you, Michael”.
At this, Michael’s eyebrow actually raised up."Oh? And who would you account to, if not me? You would be hard pressed to find someone in the hierarchy of the Heavenly Spheres who is above my standing." He spoke as he tentatively placed his hand around the opening of his empty leather sword sheath.
Adam stroked his chin, as he nodded. “Again, bonus points for guessing correctly. You're asking the right question, but to the wrong person”.
At this, Seras eyebrows furrowed as she took a step towards Adam. A feeling of trepidation filled her as she felt worried by both Michael's hand on his sheath, and the unusualness of Adam.
He wasn't…..acting like the Adam she constantly chastised herself for not reaching out to every day that she was holding up in her office with mounting paperwork.
Adam gave a sigh as he rolled his shoulder in preparation.
Something that wasn't lost on Michael.
“I called you guys here, so I wouldn't have to do this twice. I'm barely able to tune in, between all the words of my kiddos down on earth and the laughs of my kiddos up here, to what he's trying to whisper in my ear”.
Now Michael was deeply frowning, as his startling blue eyes stared unblinkingly at Adam, trying to delve into the secret that the First Man was apparently able to hold from him.
Yet he wouldn't have to delve any further.
Because with one last sigh, Adam reached out and touched them.
He placed his hands up on their hearts.
He was several steps away from the pair, and each of them were more than their own arms lengths apart from each other.
Yet he reached forward and touched both their hearts…
And another set of hands landed over his.
Michael and Sera’s eyes widened as everything around them changed.
Gone were the colorful skies.
Gone were the white clouds that they treadead upon.
Gone was everything that…..was.
The three figures were in a bleak realm.
A nothing place.
A missing location.
The areas that they would call the sky and the ground were absent, with nothing to differentiate the two.
With wide eyes, Sera looked upwards.
With determined eyes, Michael scanned behind him.
With tired eyes, Adam turned around.
At the center of this missing location, was a throne.
A throne of starlight, and cosmic totality.
And upon this throne, was countless things that occupied the same seat at once.
A Many Winged Dove.
A Seven Fingered Hand
A Guiding Flame
A Rapturous Horn
But the form that all three present all unconsciously agreed upon, was A Father.
Neither gargantuan nor miniscule.
Neither distant nor close.
Neither imperceivable nor clear.
The Father sat upon his throne before the three of his children. Cloaked in the simple robes they had seen since each of their creations.
Circling around the head of The Father, were 4 shapeless masses.
a cHaotic EssEncE dyed In crimsOn
A Structured Collective Bathed In White
A imbalanced sphere blended with traits of both
[A-n-d • a • g-r-i-m • a-b-s-e-n-c-e • t-h-a-t • s-i-m-p-l-y • l-a-c-k-e-d]
These masses orbited The Fathers head without pattern or even consistency. Yet they never collided and they never came into contact with The Father himself.
Immediately the three reacted to the presence of The Father.
Sera fell to her knees, as her body burned away to reveal her true form. Her halo became reminiscent of a celestial ring as it hung in half over her head, with crown-like points sticking upwards.
Her face straightened and slimmed until it had an almost avian visage, with lengthy blue eyelashes and and feather-like hair unfurling to jut outwards. Numerous eyes sprang to life on her person, as the most vibrant was the one at the center of her forehead.
She splayed her arms downward, in submission as her main eyes closed. A calmness entered her mind as she released the breath that she'd been holding.
Michael dropped to one knee instantaneously, as he held his hand out at his side before his true form burned into existence as well. 3 rings formed around the back of his head, with openings where his face became visible, almost as if it protected his face like a helmet.
His golden hair turned into a vibrant orange mane that covered his head, as white fangs sprung up from his furred lips to showcase a lion's maw with a deep scar on the left side of his lip.
Bright orange wings grew from his ears, as 3 tails with 3 orange flaming ends sprang from his hip. His eyes turned orange with no visible sclera or pupil, as the lion upon his pauldron quite literally roared to life. In his left arm, a massive longsword appeared which he gripped tightly.
The blade had a pitch black hilt, with a deep red pommel. The blade itself was the brightest shade of amber in existence, as the flickering of countless flames could barely be seen contained within the blade. The length of the blade almost seemed to tremble as Michael held it in his grip.
The name of this lengthy blade was burned into its side in divine fire, with the merest twitch of a thought.
{The Dawncrux}
He immediately flipped the blade into a reverse grip, before sliding it onto his shoulder. With a turn of his head, he rested it onto his shoulder and presented forward with an open grip. Almost as if he was offering the blade to be taken.
Michael bowed his head low with fealty as his eyes closed, and he was blessed with the feeling of a gentle hand upon his maned head.
And Adam simply sat down. He crossed his legs and rested his hands upon his knees. Unlike the other two, his body chipped away like tree bark to reveal the form underneath.
The aged body of an elderly man now sat where Adam was seconds ago. Rich sun kissed skin the color of soil covered his body, that was littered with scars, healed cuts and natural signifiers of his advanced age. A untidy mop of gray hair the color of thick storm clouds reached past his back, that both hung freely in loose braids.
An equally messy beard hung to his stomach, with three primary braids that were wrapped in chapped, worn leather.
Weary hands rested upon his rigid knees, as his chest rose and fell noticeably with light difficulty. His bare shoulders sat relaxed as they were free of both physical and emotional burdens for the first time since Paradise was lost.
Despite the fragility of his body, his eyes shone with a golden lustor that could peer into the soul of nearly anyone capable of having one. Said eyes closed, as he his head hung low as if he was resting in the safety and presence of a loved one.
All three of these individuals were at their truest selves, and most vulnerable as they were silent before The Father.
It could have been a second.
It could have been a century.
But eventually, the Father spoke to the three below him.
…
| Seraphiel Mater |
…
Seraphiel Mater's head rose, as she placed her hands upon her lap.
She looked up thoughtfully at The Father, with a willingness to care and guide.
…
| Michaelous Aurora Generalis |
…
Michaelous Aurora Generalis lifted his head, before he sheathed Dawncrux.
He stared at The Father, a desire to serve valiantly welling within his being.
…
| Adam Selem Yawheh |
…
Adam Selem Yawheh’s head suddenly craned up, as his worn hand instinctively ran through his ratty beard.
He gazed softly at The Father, as golden brilliance carried the soft smile to his cracked lips.
As all three of them acknowledged the presence of The Father, he raised his hands to the armrests of his throne.
…
| My Children |
…
His divine countenance remained all-seeing, ever-knowing & far-reaching.
And with a voiceless whisper, he commanded.
…
| We Have Much To Discuss |
…
"As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust".
Psalms 103:13-14:
