Chapter Text
It’s been a year since you joined hotel. You managed to get Angel Dust in your clutches… I mean, medical surveillance and you successfully prepared your floor for redeeming rehab purposes. The main problem was that since your first day in the hotel, the number of its patrons didn’t change. Angel was still the only one of guest and his progress despite all efforts put into him, was slow and fruitless. But there was still one final test that hotel needed to pass. The one day that it didn’t had the opportunity to survive yet. Not with actual patron inside.
The Extermination Day.
That day Alastor sat down on the couch in the lobby, laid back leisurely and twirled his cane between his fingers. It was a few minutes before the whole predicament would start. The atmosphere was not indicating that in a few moments the worst nightmare of countless sinners would start. You joined him two cups of steaming coffee, one in each hand.
“How do you cope, Al?” you sat down and enchanted the cups so they levitated in the air, still within your reach, but you didn’t have to hold them in hands anymore.
“How do I cope?! Oh, marvelously, my darling! Such a lovely evening!” he reached for his cup and sipped the coffee slowly.
“What about your broadcast? I was surprised that you promised to stay here this year.. Won’t you be bored? You always wait so eagerly for the exterminations…”
“Oh, silly dame of mine I never said that I wouldn’t start my broadcast on time! I merely stated that I will stay within hotel premises until the extermination day ends. I can broadcast this just fine from here!” he waved his microphone teasingly “I already made some preparations…”
“Of course you did.” you moved closer and leaned against Alastor’s shoulder your eyes travelled down to the singular eyeball that followed each and every of your movements. “Hello, I haven’t seen you for a while!” you greeted cheerfully at what the singular eye opened and glowed in reddish hue.
“Oh of course you didn’t! This primitive excuse of your husband kept me away from such vibrant belle on purpose!” the microphone boomed and let go of strangled sound when Alastor’s hand squeezed it in warning. You chuckled at that, amused with the whole situation.
“Oh poor you… treated so unjustly. You deserve more attention….” You took the cane from Alastor’s slackened grip.
“I do agree with you my lovely! Your hands are out of Hell that is! Tender touch of a fair creature like you is worth a sin! Unlike the grip of that brute.” the microphone chirped and you looked at it.
“Oooh~ you smooth talker, you! Stop it, we have company this time~!” you grinned and side glanced at Alastor who just sat there frozen and unreadable. “I really missed you~… You know, you are the only one I really can depend on… You are the greatest listener in the whole Hell I can dump all of my inner thoughts and you do not even blink that… demonic eye of yours… ” you cooed looking at the single eye with mockery of a feeling.
“Ha Ha Ha, I got you doll! Anytime!” it replied with very familiar voice.
“Darling…?” Alastor started, the same voice, different intonation. Much more darker. “Is that a …. Betrayal of our marital vows? ” he question slowly.
“Hmmm…?~” you hummed coyly at his accusation. “A minor affair perhaps…” you drawled playfully waiting for his further reactions.
“Give it back.” He declared extending one of his arms. The second one rested confidently on your tight, squeezing it slightly. His smile dark and warning. You instead hugged the cane to your chest to its delight.
“Oh, why? We just found that real connection!” you defended with poorly hidden smile.
“Oh, yes we are tuned perfectly!” the cane interjected. “Don’t be bitter I stole your gal! It wasn’t all that easy!”
“You, what-?”
“Oh, I was never stolen by anyone…” you huffed to the cane but turned back to your husband swiftly.”… but you know… he is a charmer…” you looked knowingly at your flabbergasted hubby whose gaze switched between you and that damned cane in your grip.
“Sure thing! Precious!” the cane added oil to fire and you snickered watching as Alastor’s threatening expression started to morph into something deadly. You also felt sharpening talons circling your leg as if it was a thin, breakable twig. And under his bestial gaze you felt just like that.
“Uhm kinky! Girl in a threesome with a pimp and talking cane! That is somethin’ new.” Angel started before the situation could escalate in any way, to your greatest discontent. “I wonder what would you do with that long rod… hmm, I already have some ideas…” he wiggled his brows seductively and you glared at him. You heard the screeching sound coming off Alastor to your side, he also stopped in his tracks.
“I do have some of them as well. There are plenty places that such a… rod could be inserted, however I doubt you would find those certain areas… pleasant to be played with. Medical opinion only.” You smiled pleasantly at him, now losing all color form his furry face at the visuals.
“Yeah… whateva you sicko…” he backed off sensing that you were not in the mood for joking. “Hey, Husky~… ”
“Oh, not today! Piss off, will ya?” he wailed gruffly and without asking he prepared drink that Angel always ordered.
“Oh, you remembered!~ Sweet, just as I like…” he wiggled brows at cat demon not meaning the drink apparently. The bartender flipped him off, as the spider slurped his drink seductively, and turned away completely ignoring his nauseating admirer. “Soo, you both just sit there?” Angel turned back to you both seeing as there was no more room for his fooling around with his grumpy handsome bun.
“As you can see our effeminate friend!” Alastor started, back in his humanoid form, tearing the cane out of your grip unceremoniously. He didn’t spare you even a glance. “However I am no less surprised seeing you here! Sitting at the bar while such a spectacle is about to start outside!”
“Haha, as if I were anywhere else! Where do you think would I be during extermination? I’m not suicidal!”
“Oh no, of course! I merely thought that star like you like to be in center of attention, hahaha!”
“He is a star of different caliber, Al…” you added but the ignored you. Again. Uh, oh… He was pissed.
“It is more weird that you both agreed to stay behind in the hotel during extermination. You both get off on things like that.”
“I don’t necessarily understand what you mean, my friend!”
“He meant your broadcast, darling.” you stressed the last one in hopes that he would listen to you. “Isn’t it a time you usually start?”
“Hmm… I start with a warmup but that would be impossible as I am here this year!” he exclaimed offhandedly still not even granting you with a single glance in your direction. He was glaring down at his cane and his fingers played around it, squeezing and letting go rhythmically. You wanted to strangle him on spot. So you stood up instead.
“A pint of beer, please!” you announced with British accent that sometimes you found yourself using subconsciously. It happened only with some particular sentences that you used during your life, while you hid yourself in England. “But not the cheapest brand, would you? I don’t share your sentiment to that obvious poison...” leaning on the counter you stared at cat demon demandingly.
“You are already dead, poison won’t do you a shit.” Husk replied gruffly while already preparing you a glass. “No ladylike drink?”
“There is not a thing like ladylike drink. Now give me my beer!” you declared and he lifted his hands in gesture of appeasement.
“Chill out!” he backed off and took a generous swing from his bottle. You took the glass and turned around, propping your elbows on the counter, leaning your weight on them. You stared Alastor down as you took a generous swing of the beer. It wasn’t the best you ever had.
“You are insufferable you know that?” you accused him. “That cane of yours is literally you. So I ‘betrayed’ you with you! ” In response you received a roll of his crimson eyes and sound as if someone tried to tune radio, jumping from one frequency to another. No verbal one though. You took another tactic. “Al… darling… I am angry with you now.” You simply stated at that drew his attention.
“You are angry with me?! You whimsical creature, whatever for?! I am angry with you for a reason!”
“Oh, I am angry with you because you accused me of the adultery, despite the fact I vowed you faithfulness…” you frowned and pursed your lips in consternation. “I never looked at another man, or woman, with amorous intentions in mind, you know that, and yet you do not trust me. You hurt me.”
“Darling you were the one who started all that ridiculous conversation.”
“You got angry over nothing. Are you that jealous of me?”
“Haha, Darling I have no reasons to ever feel something so primitive as jealousy… “ he laughed and your eyes narrowed.
“Oh, there goes another reason to be angry with you. Do you not find me worthof being jealous of?”
“Uh-oh~ Smiles you’d better be careful with your answers now~” Angel snickered observing you both with peaked interest. He lowered his head connecting his lips with a straw and drunk his drink eagerly. All he could wish for to make his day any better was a bowl of popcorn.
“Darling, what are you trying to do? Is it one of those emotional games of yours? You know I am not the best at them, I regretfully admit.”
“It is not a game. I just wanted to clear misunderstanding with my husband so there would not be any disagreement between us during a day such today especially.” You pouted at him, yet there was a dose of sass somewhere in your tone. “Is it so bad of me to want to sit next to my husband as there are mass murders behind the wall?”
“You will be allowed to sit next to me if you get rid of that beer in your possession. This glass doesn’t fit your petite hand.” He retorted and that only ignited your actual anger. How dare he!?
“Excuse me? I drink what I want!”
“I don’t remember you drinking beer in that outrageous amount! Do you want to end up like our dear Husker here?” Offended and easily ignored shout was herd from behind the counter and you blinked at Alastor in actual disbelief. You looked down at your drink then at Alastor and then once more down at the glass in your hand.
“It’s just a pint. ” You dumbfounded looking back at him unamused.
“Well, you didn’t drink that much before…”
“May I remind you that we lived during Prohibition times? And I didn’t really have companions to drink with back then…” you didn’t say reasons because as you thought it through, you had more reasons to start drink than not, during your human life. “I drunk like that in ’40… I can hold my liquor…”
“Come on, Smiles! Let your lady enjoy a drink in peace! It’s extermination day, everyone copes as they can!” Angel cut in still slurping his own drink at the counter. You turned to him and he shot you a cheeky grin. You narrowed your eyes at him in suspicion instead.
“I won’t get you drugs for free.” You stated simply with dose of irritation in your tone. You knew there is nothing for free.
“Goddammit!” he cursed standing his drink down on the counter, his glass finally empty. At that familiar siren rung in the air and all of you looked in direction of entrance door. Extermination Day had officially begun.
“So it’s it.” You said neutrally and drunk a few gulps from your beer and then, you made the rest of it disappear in thin air.
“Hey! I want that glass back!” Husk yelled over to you but you waved him off sitting down on the couch, bouncing slightly just next to Alastor.
“Better?” you asked and he nodded at you with excited grin. You moved over to him and hugged his upper arm to your body, leaning your head against his shoulder. “Will you start your broadcast soon?”
“Haha, are you so eager to listen to it? I’ll start in due time, patience my Darling~!” he teased you and you pouted at him playfully. His mood was already better as his favorite day started finally. He was like a child on the Christmas Day!
Two figures entered the lobby quietly and brought the aura of depression along.
“So as you all already know…It started… I think it would be better if we all sit together… just in case…” Charlie said nervously. She looked very tired and distressed. Earlier, she called you all to do a gathering in the hotel’s lobby to discuss the strategy of survival and to keep you all within the sight.
“I don’t think that staying in the lobby is the best option, Charlie. You may hear what happens outside…” you started compassionately but got interrupted by your husband, whose voice was far from tone you took.
“Oh, Darling, it is perfect place! Our princess will be able to count all of those fools that will try to join us in here fruitlessly! I’m sure there will be plenty! Isn’t it a building experience to know that this establishment is popular?! Oh, or maybe she wants to let someone in as merciful exception?”
“…No… we cannot do that now. It already started.” Charlie stated reasonably. “It is too late.”
“How cruel and cold, hahah! But oh well, they are at fault themselves! They could check in before, hahah!”
“You have way too good mood, shitlord! ” Vaggie barked angrily at what Alastor chuckled in amusement. Yes, he usually had good mood during events that caused pain to others.
“I told you he gets off during exterminations..” Angel commented and she shot him annoyed look.
“No matter, but that’s true, we better go somewhere else. Maybe we’ll wait it all in music hall?” she suggested instead smiling hopefully at her girlfriend.
“Someone has to keep an eye on the door, I doubt that Exterminators would enter willingly but if any demon would like to get inside they more likely would try through the main door. Windows are higher on the walls from the outside…We could take shifts in guarding it.” you supplied, hinting that Charlie didn’t have to be present all the time.
“Yes, but I want us to be together for a reason…” you knew what reason that could be. You never heard of hell born demons to be erased by the exterminators so you assumed that only sinners could fear that horrible fate. After all, they didn’t belong to Hell originally. They were sent here, creating the whole issue of overpopulation. And Charlie, despite all reputation she had among denizens, was still the princess of Hell. She had to have some authority in case of troubles.
Not even a quarter passed and you heard desperate knocking on the door. Alastor chuckled and adjusted his monocle lazily, throwing his arm around your shoulders as if he was getting comfortable for incoming show. Charlie gasped but pursed her lips stopping herself from replying anything. Vaggie, immediately by her side, tried to convince her to leave the room but the princess was stubborn to stay and shook her head in denial.
“I came to redeem myself! I swear I’ll be good, just open the door!” More bangs against the door. You were surprised that the stained glass with apple emblem didn’t break.
“Please! Open the door, they are here! Oh God have mercy! ” with that there was a single choked gasp and silence. Then measured steps and a shadow behind the glass. You all observed door barely breathing. The exterminator was still outside, waiting. Or maybe… examining? After a while you heard a familiar sound of feathers beating the air and the presence was gone.
At that moment pained expression of your princess broke your resolve and you asked Alastor for help to brighten the mood. Even if only slightly. You managed to persuade him into playing some pleasant music. In the meantime he broadcasted exterminations through Pentagram City using some radio devices he placed in different spots around. Thanks to that he didn’t have to be there personally but the tradition was sacred, you couldn’t take that one away from him. But you didn’t allow him to turn any radio within hotel premises. Charlie and the rest were distressed enough. He even tried to start dancing competition for the sake of his entertainment but the only willing one was Nifty.
Watching television was out of question as well. Vox unfortunately also monopolized all channels during Extermination Days and there was nothing else to watch than those events that happened outside. Also, you didn’t want to annoy Alastor anymore. Not when you all were in enclosed space during cleansing. There was nowhere to run in case of emergency.
Husk surprisingly joined the conversation and wanted to play some cards for a change but, as Alastor expressed his willingness to participate, Husk withdrew. Alastor never played fair. Vaggie proposed some group games to kill the time and occupy minds of everyone but she was ridiculed fast by Angel. You scolded him as you, surprisingly, agreed with moth demon on that matter. When the night fell you forced everyone to head to their rooms. It was clear that no one would try to get inside anymore so it was safe to assume that all residents could go and rest until the morning. Charlie was not willing but you mothered her and assured that the door will be under Alastor’s watch. He barely slept to begin with. You also offered that you’d keep him company through the night and only then she agreed.
When you both stayed alone in the dark lobby of the hotel you finally allowed him to turn the radio on so you both could listen to, or even partake in broadcast together. He asked you nicely to greet his listeners as you did many years ago, and you couldn’t refuse. You both performed small talk about exterminations and the hotel, as you saw it fit to advertise it slightly. After that, he dutifully watched door and you snuggled to him on the couch to the quiet sounds of shouts and yells from outside. And Alastor’s humming of course. You dozed off a few times, feeling so warm and safe next to him, just like home.
And then the morning came. Charlie came in pretty early and you couldn’t help but frown at the state she was in. She clearly didn’t sleep that night, at least not as long as she should. You offered her coffee straight away and as she was taking the cup from you she asked if anything happened during night. You spared her details like a turning of the door’s handle… a few times. In the end there was no one who would join the people inside at any cost.
As you all ate breakfast, prepared by Alastor as usually, it was eerily calm. No one tried to knock at the door, no more shouts were heard until noon. Then a single thump was heard from the outside. Thump and pained moan. Charlie, hearing that, bit her lower lip and put both hands to her ears blocking sounds that she could hear. Vaggie was by her side in moments helping her slowly slid down the wall. As they both were crouching on the floor you battled with your own thoughts. Till the end there was more or less three hours. Usually it was already calm at that time. Exterminators were simply killing off anything they still managed to find but as they satiated their estimated agenda and bloodlust they were much less willing to attack straight on if they met someone stronger. So you got up.
“Al… come with me, please.” You patted his shoulder slightly and took a route towards entrance door. You passed next to crying princess and Vaggie that sat next to her on the floor, still trying to comfort her the best she could. When your hand touched the lock she barked at you, stopping you in the tracks.
“Where do you think you are going?! It is still not safe out there! You will let something in!” she yelled and you scoffed at her unamused this time.
“Hotel premises is sacred ground. I won’t let anything in.” you unlocked the door and at the sound Vaggie’s angry expression turned more scared. You never seen her like that. Without her bravado you found yourself to admire slightly as she looked almost vulnerable. Charlie didn’t say a word but also lifted her head in your direction. As you pulled the door open two bloodied bodies fell in, laying across threshold. Well… you lied apparently. You let something in.
You heard choked sobs of Charlie who started to cry heavier at the sight and quiet curse in Spanish. You cursed as well. You turned around to look for help of your husband but you only saw him observing Charlie crumbled on the floor with wide, amused grin. You didn’t like that grin at all, so you grabbed his hand for his attention. But he turned to you only when you squeezed the said hand. His eyes travelled down to the corpses and that grin widened but he snapped and with black tendrils he circled the legs of the unlucky two, pulling them back, leaving wide smudges of blood on the floor. You turned around, still clutching his hand in your grip, and headed out pulling him behind you. Asking Alastor to close the door behind him nicely, you let go of him and took the sight in front of you.
There were much more corpses outside of the hotel than just those two. All lined in attempts to get inside just in time. But it was way too late for them.
“Huh… it even exceeds my expectations!” he chuckled. “Now, what do you expect us to do, my darling?” he asked cheerfully, still drowning in the sight of massacre in front of the hotel.
“We’ll clean up the mess before vultures crawl out of their hidings.”
“Darling! This is ridiculous! Some rascals wait the whole year to do just that! You know that cannibalistic circles thrive in this particular time of the year! We should leave it to them, let us enjoy the rest of the evening!”
“I meant media, Al!” you approached him, pulling him down with vice grip on the lapels of his jacket. “You yourself are a man of media! What would your first thought be when the extermination day ends this year?”
“Why, I would turn my head towards this hotel, working for the whole past year, to report its attempt of redemption being utterly futile!”
“Yeah, and show all those masses of massacred sinners in front of entrance door that didn’t open even once when they, still alive yet, needed help!”
“Oh~ but one never opens door during extermination.”
“Everyone knows that. But it still looks bad.”
“Oh~…” he narrowed his eyes at you in playful manner. “…indeed it does…”
“Will you help me to get rid of the evidence? You were good at that, if I recall correctly…”
“Do you want them? To experiment on probably?”
“…No, they are dead already. Utterly useless in that state. But I’ll sell their parts, quite generous batch this year…”
“Perfect! But Darling~ don’t forget to spare the best parts for ourselves! I’m still counting on those candle light dinner we enjoy each year after extermination ends! Your dishes are divine!”
“Oh, flattery will take you anywhere, Al~” you approached him and scratched under his chin playfully as he tended to do quite often himself. “What would you like tonight? We have….” You eyed the corpses “Plenty of red meat and pork it seems…” you grinned at him, tapping his lips in contemplation.
“That lamb looks promising~…”
“Lamb it is!” you agreed but your smile disappeared as you noticed a few exterminators over Alastor’s shoulder. They were flying in the air and noticed you, already readying their spears. Alastor noticing your serious expression and gaze directed past him also turned around to eye the danger. Upon noticing at least three flying angels he widened his grin.
They started to approach you at fast pace but when you spread your wings behind you two they halted abruptly in midair, still at good distance from you both. They eyed each other and turning around they left you in peace. You had quite a reputation among them and were unapproachable completely for at least few decades now. Alastor sighed in disappointment.
“Darling, why did you scare them off?!”
“We are on the mission here, love. We cannot waste any time. And bringing any Exterminator close to the Hotel is really bad idea…” you hugged one of his slackened arms and rested your cheek against his upper arm. “Charlie is sad enough. And I want to enjoy tonight’s dinner. I won’t be enjoying that when my mind would turn back to her sadden face…”
“Then we need to make our princess happy again~!”
“That we do!” you smiled hopefully up at him. He had his moments… You clapped lazily once and small shadowy creatures with medical stretchers emerged out of nowhere. Alastor also called his voodoo dolls and the familiars cooperated smoothly, packing all remains neatly. After all they would be sold to your loyal customers and you took well care of your quality.
The rest of your little helpers were responsible of getting rid of the blood and collecting weapons left carelessly behind. They always could prove to be useful. You collected many things….
As you cleaned everything you both came back inside hotel, as if nothing ever happened. Angel tried to joke around, implying that you both needed a moment of privacy to ease a certain tension… caused by your sick extermination fetishes… As much as he annoyed you both you were glad that this time he seemed to have good intentions in mind, trying to lighten Charlie’s mood. Charlie, as a curios little thing asked you how many was there and you simply assured her that not as many as there could be. Never giving her the specific number. Like a bittersweet revelation. There should have been more willing demons to ever approach the hotel, but on the other hand, it was better that there were just as many because all of them died.
When the clock announced the end you could see as everyone deflated in relief and Charlie went up with Vaggie to release the fireworks as she annually did. Another year in Hell began. Another day that was not so different from the previous one. But the prospect of dinner with Alastor lightened slightly you mood. It was always as much romantic as you both were able to stand and feel comfortable with, and despite the fact that you dined together casually from time to time throughout the whole year, this one, at Extermination Day completion was quite special one…
As you and Alastor announced your departure you noticed that Angel turned on the television and News channel. And you were right. The moment the bell rung, reporters ran out to gather intel on damage and death. And their first area of survey was Hotel and its surroundings. But they didn’t find anything and showed clean and spotless front and gardens of the building. Good, it would work well for Hotel credibility.
So despite the fact that you knew that Charlie would be feeling down for a few, incoming days you enjoyed the dinner, knowing that hotel may, ironically, benefit from the extermination just the way it was this year. The lamb that Alastor chose and which you skillfully prepared turned out to be delicious, you couldn’t deny. Alastor even offered you a help in the kitchen but all he really did was to steal and nibble on unprepared lamb when you didn’t look. He ended up in the corner for the punishment. You couldn’t allow him to spoil his appetite! What kind of wife would you be to let your husband eat raw meat?
A few, lazy days passed. More or less a week, but you didn’t really pay any mind to the time so you weren’t sure when exactly you got an urgent call from Lucifer. It always looked the same way. You got the cryptic call and then a ridiculously short time limit to get to him. This time was no different, so you as usual, opted to humor your king and appear within the given time constraints. Alastor complained slightly that you agreed on such tight leash. After all, you never allowed him to have such an influence on you. You could only roll your eyes at his theatrics. You never was out for long.
Entering Magne’s residence, you flew through your favorite balcony that, despite the time, was always opened. If it was waiting especially for you, you never known. The balcony was attached to the room that was converted into something between Lucifer’s office and conference room. With his magical abilities probably not much was impossible for him.
You stepped inside confidently as if you owned the place. You felt oddly good there. Sure, nothing close to home, but that place was not alien to you. You noted immediately that Lucifer was sitting in his chair, at the head of the table as usually. On his left, there were his three counsellors seated, while on his right…
There were two of them. One, visibly shorter one, even while sitting, and second taller one, with aggression written on his face. It was clear, that they both were not happy to be there, in Hell specifically. They regarded you with distaste and didn’t bother to introduce themselves. You didn’t pried on that as well. Angels were angels. They didn’t linger in Hell for long.
You halted and eyed the two guests in silence. Under their gazes you were not completely sure what to do. How to behave? Should you sit down or greet them respectfully and stand on the side as a lowly minion? There wasn’t even a chair for you. Well…. There was one, standing directly next to them… but you didn’t feel like sitting shoulder to shoulder with angels that Lucifer himself called higher ups…
“If my presence is not required nor desired, then what am I doing here in the first place?” you asked directly sensing hostility towards your persona. Whatever Lucifer called you for?
“Your presence was requested specifically.” Lucifer answered your question, stressing each word. Very unlike him, you noted.
“Whatever for?” You voiced your mind, still somehow lost.
“We do know who you are, Emsel.” The shorter of two guests interrupted and your eyes shot in his direction. Then you recalled that Lucifer did warn you quite some time ago to keep low during extermination day, as you exactly did this year. But maybe your escapades went too far earlier and the meeting concerning you was in order for quite some time.
“You were seen at one particular location this year. Hiding.” Another one mocked and you fought with yourself not to correct him. “A certain hotel that attracted a lot of fleeing sinners, like a flame draws a moth…” you lifted a brow at him, still not saying a word. “We wondered what that particular place could be, until one of our exterminators reported to us a few days later that one of that filth he eradicated tried to beg for its life, saying that it will redeem itself at that hotel.” It? Such deep respect for one’s opponent it seemed…
“Oh~.. such a deep faith….” You mocked not turning your gaze away from the angel. “But a day of Extermination is really bad time for a change of heart…” you drawled with cruel smile that slowly stretched your lips. “Why did you call me here? You think I try to redeem?” you chuckled trying not to burst in fit of full laughter. You showed your teeth and both angels scowled at your arrogance.
“Ridiculous assumption. It never happened to be redeemed in any way or to be transferred from Hell to Heaven. For such glorification one must deserve while living human life. When they die it is already too late…”he scoffed at you and you waved your hand in air, invoking a chair to sit for yourself. You set it directly across from Lucifer and angels eyed you in disbelief. The king however didn’t even noted your arrogance. He was well accustomed to your quirks, personality and certain behaviors and he knew that you get very defensive at certain matters. In moments like this you tended to forget your submissive manners which he personally considered hilarious. He loved to rile you up to get that reaction from you, so the fact that you acted somehow equal to him or his brothers didn’t bother him in the slightest. At that moment at least.
“What about a concept of purgatory? Where is that something in between? I would say there is no single human that would never commit even a tiniest sin… So who decides which sin is damning and which is not?” you wondered “I’m not talking about extremes here!” you assured immediately having a feeling that catching all your errors would be their favored line of defense. You were talking with angels! You didn’t even dream to waste such as opportunity! “What if the sin was committed unknowingly? Like, when someone was manipulated to do something.. What of such a poor marionette?” You thought about your dutiful assistant who got to Hell probably because of you. You led her to do tiny deeds that might have, or might have not, ended in patient’s death as result. She was innocent…. Before she died… Now, in Hell, she changed like everyone. And you personally could confirm that this rabbit demon had claws…
“Sin is a sin. Ignorance may be part of it but, the sinners are at fault themselves…”
“So… you claimed that there was no one that managed to be redeemed before. But that doesn’t mean that you can know for sure that redemption is impossible, is it correct?” you started carefully. You needed know that. Simple yes no question. “So if you start to unknowingly lie to me, insisting that it is impossible, even if you do not truly know that… would you be sinning? ” All gathered looked at you as if you grew second head. Angels were staring at you, the one that seemed more balanced and calm observed you with unreadable expression while his companion started to boil inside.
“With your twisted way of wording sentences…. I might agree.” The more civilized one answered hesitantly and second angel and Lucifer snapped their heads in his direction.
“Is redemption possible?” you asked straightforwardly, waiting for their definite answer. None came this time. “So technically, it is possible to redeem.” You stated and no one corrected you again. Your eyes widened and heard one weak attempt, “It never happened before. ” line that tried to pull you away from that marvelous realization. But you knew better. They came here because they feared that it indeed may happen. They didn’t know the truth themselves and it meant that someone may be redeemed as well! “Charlotte would be ecstatic to now that!” You interrupted your own internal brainstorm, staring ahead at the king of Hell for a moment.
“She would if she knew. But she must know that first, Emsel. Do you understand?” Lucifer replied demandingly and you froze. Turning your head back to him you eyed his form for a few seconds in silence. At first you were not really sure what he meant. Or rather, didn’t believe that he could mean that.
“Are you serious?” you started but didn’t really wait for his reply. “That, my dear king, is ridiculous.” You hissed though your teeth. How could he keep her in dark?! Your well natured mood dispersed, only to be replaced by anger.
“The idea of the hotel is ridiculous. Sinners belong here and here alone. They had their chance once.” He said coldly.
“One does have the whole eternity to understand their mistake and regret it honestly. That is punishment enough for the most of the crimes that sinners committed before. I do find many of them sent here unjustly to begin with.”
“You, out of all sinners, have the least right to judge anybody.” One of the angels cut in rudely drawing your attention immediately. He started to openly scowl at you. You wouldn’t end up as best buddies it seemed.
“Do I?” you wondered aloud. “I know very well why you say so… And I assure you that… showing mercy and having empathy towards others sometimes mean… completely different things….” You grinned slowly. “I am showing empathy right now. Everyone is capable of doing so if they were willing to try and they try hard enough…” you explained smugly. Feeling tension in the air you allowed yourself to look aside to other overlords who sat there almost rigid, not saying a word. “What? Did I say something wrong?”
“You sinners have tendency to egocentric point of view, thinking way too high of yourselves. That itself directs you here…”
“It’s called god complex, I believe you’re referring to…” you explained matter of fact, grinning at them both, smugness literally radiating from you. You could swear that Lucifer’s lips twitched slightly up but he tried to maintain serious expression on his face.
“Call it whatever you desire. The name itself cannot change a fact that humans are merely speck of sand of this universe. They don’t mean a thing in the game that you yourself cannot even comprehend.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt that, never have. Humans are the whole entity of their own. However, they are no different from any of you. In fact…” you put the emphasis to make them listen to you. “Angels, demons, humans… are all the same. The only disadvantage that humans have is their mortality and lack of any magical abilities, but after death they become sinners or saints and the difference between us all vanishes. Here, it doesn’t matter.”
“You are wrong severely.” He started to growl then… here we go!
“Oh, am I? You claim perhaps that heaven belongs to angels, hell belongs to demons and earth belongs to humans… but after they die, which is not their fault fundamentally, they were made this way, they are send here or there. Overcrowding both places. Correct me if I’m wrong but I understand it this way. When it happens in Heaven you simply push down those poor souls for a mere sin, overpopulating hell even more. And when that happens you come here, out of your realm, to erase them…. Eternally. How does it make you any different from common human killer?” you lifted a single brow in question. But immediately you feigned shock putting a hand up, hiding your lips behind. “oh pardon… it’s even worse.” You gasped but your expression darkened immediately after as you resumed your speech. “We, humans, are constantly fed with fear of death and what happens afterwards. Everyone is told that it is desirable to go to Heaven, many people strive to that. They live in fear that they do something wrong, they would sin enough to be doomed for eternity. To be sent here.” You stood up and approached one of the windows that showed the city tallest buildings in the distance. “For all my human life, I was like that.” you admitted wistfully. All aggression you displayed with your voice vanished. You sounded almost regretfully. “Threatened and scared into submission.” You turned back towards the table, slowly approaching it again. “But I don’t find you so intimidating anymore…”
“You-...”
“I am NOT done yet!” You said harshly and slammed your claws on the table making deep incisions. As everyone looked up at you, you took another step back and spreading your arms you turned to them. “Look at this place. It’s filled blood, death, erasure…” you looked at them pointedly “but the evil of this place was not caused by demons, oh no…” you knew you had a point. The demons, original demons were chosen to be send here and residue in Hell since their creation. It was chosen for them to live in place so twisted and soaked in sin and evil. “It’s you who made it this way!” you exclaimed and the taller angel jumped to his feet, cutting the distance between you two in seconds.
“I can erase you just right now!” he spat staring down at you, his hand was surrounded with light energy, he wanted to summon a weapon of sorts, you thought.
“Emsel, sit down.” Lucifer ordered from his seat but was easily ignored.
“Go ahead and prove my point!” you grinned inches from angel’s face. Your snarl was equal to beast’s maw but the angel in front of you was not any different, his expression equally non-angelic. None of them was ever different.
“This meeting is to establish certain details concerning the closest future. We do not mean commotion or any other unpleasant events while it lasts. I plead for your reasonable responses.” Calm voice of reason reached your ears and you allowed yourself to look away from your offender. Your eyes turned to another angel, still sitting in his chair, seemingly unperturbed by the sudden aggression.
“I am overly reasonable right now. Despite all that I managed to experience of your annual visitations for the past decades… Believe it or not.”
“You also should believe that we act as reasonable towards you as we possibly can. Do you think we are not aware of your immoral escapades during cleansings? We tolerated it long enough, as exterminator sent to hell has to be aware of the risks.” His manner of speech was much more leveled that his hot blooded brother’s but they shared the same point of view, obviously. Which for you was the same evil. “What happens in Hell, stays in Hell. Exterminator stands for themselves if they lose the possible fight, the consequences are theirs solely. Yet, what you do each year managed to plant the seed of fear into their hearts. There are less wiling volunteers as the years follow.”
“I’ll treat it as compliment actually.” You backed off and sat down on your spot once again. The second angel did the same. “But…do you honestly try to justify cleansings as moral escapades instead, hm…?” you mocked indifference lifting your gaze to the calmer angel. “I wonder if you ever heard yourself… Other perspective can do wonders…”
“Let’s go back to the matter at hand.” Lucifer announced, interrupting promising discussion. What a shame... “The main subject which is… Hotel.”
“Ah~ yes…However I believe we already can say that everything was finalized. All required agreements and your personal lack of resistance is provided.”
“What is finalized? Someone will enlighten me, perhaps?” you demanded, not caring of manners at all. You wouldn’t think of asking them of anything.
“Silence Emsel.” A female Overlord sitting next to you hissed in warning. It was the first time that any of demons, apart from you, spoke up. None of them said a word during all that ridiculous meeting.
“Again… you were not asked.” You scolded her, unimpressed with her hostile expression. She seemed to try to keep you in line somehow. You noticed her odd way of looking at you , as if she warned you for your own good this particular time. But your felt like being arrogant and definitely you weren’t going to show submission in front those two egocentric creatures!
“Nor were you… You really annoy me…!” at least one of them was as arrogant as you at the moment. Your least favorite from three brothers you had the honor to meet…
“And you know what annoys me? Exterminators with killing intent coming towards establishment that strive to redeem sinners!” you growled back at him but you didn’t like as his lips actual twitched in smirk at your words. “If you sent your exterminators towards Hotel premises ever again, I guarantee I will be there, slaughtering any single winged friend of yours.” You assured and his smirk widened. “This is my turf and as such I won’t let any harm to come to it.“ he seemed to plot something but you were yet to find out. You didn’t care who you threaten at this point. Those creatures were so full of themselves thinking that they had the right to decide who is allowed to end up in hell or not. Or even, who should be erased.
“What a hypocrisy…” you turned to another angel that sat there quietly, the calmer one. They didn’t even bothered to introduce themselves! “You support the dream of redemption yet you want to guard it with promise of murder. It is quite contradictory if you ask me.”
“You do have a point, but it seems you didn’t understand me the way I wished you would. I don’t seek redemption for myself. Not anymore. Our ideals are way too different, and I realized that I don’t want to go to place that would monitor me and try to control each my move. Even being in Hell I’ve met too many angels for my likening. You both only proved my dislike towards your kind more.” You explained calmly. “But I know that it matters to other sinners. People that genuinely want to be better. And it matters to Charlie, who by the way, is destined to the worst fate out of all.”
“Your fondness for my foolish daughter will be your undoing…” Lucifer mumbled lazily. He barely partook the whole meeting.
“Oh, shut up, would you?” you forced out through your teeth.
“Pardon?” he choked an angels looked at both of you curiously.
“You heard me right, Lucifer. Charlie is far from being a fool you make her be. She bends her neck, sacrifices her own sanity, just to save someone who probably would not even be grateful for all her efforts. She is a martyr of this place.”
“Out of stupidity!” he exclaimed in frustration yet didn’t do anything to punish you for this lack of respect.
“Out of pure heart!” you both argued back and forth and two angels looked at you then at Lucifer and then back at you with something close to disbelief on their faces.
“Haha, pure heart. Ridiculous, she is my daughter!”
“Yes, that is why I was surprised at the beginning as well. But she proved me wrong. She is honest about what she does. And she is genuinely worried and saddened each year that extermination happens. You may sit here with your blasted wine in hand, enjoying the show, but she spends that day crying her eyes out!” you yelled. “And I witnessed it this year. If you are elated with my hellish torment then yes, her tears tormented me more than anything here ever managed!”
“We already discussed with Lucifer that what Charlotte tries to achieve is a threat to balance of the whole universal peace. Things were thought carefully and they are this way since the beginning. Annual exterminations are to keep everything in check and they are good.” The calmest of the brothers cut short your argument and you rolled your eyes. He really used that line on you.
“… destroying the weakest, leaving stronger, overlords and true evil behind…. Fair enough…” you scoffed at hem very unamused. “You are just scared that she is right and that she manage to prove you wrong as well. Where is your angelic compassion towards her? I heard you are in favor of self-sacrifices?”
“As it was stated before you can spare us your judgmental comments. You are here just on Lucifer’s request, if it was up to me you would be erased with the rest of that filth as it happens now. So you just shut up and at least pretend you do not exist.” The taller of the two angels growled at you as you eyed him oddly from where you stood.
“What is that supposed to mean?” you enquired in suspicion.
“It means exactly what my brother said. It already started. There is nothing more to be done.” The angel seemed to be bored by keeping up any conversation with you. “We merely came here to discuss and finalize details.”
“Details of fucking what?!” you turned sharply to Lucifer demanding answers. You lost your patience at the beginning of the meeting.
“Everyone in that hotel will be erased, minus princess Charlotte and maybe you if you behave. Building demolished.” The shorter of two angels answered it for you calmly and you turned to back him in disbelief.
“I’ve done you a favor so sit down and accept that, Emsel.” Lucifer said coldly. Whole this time he was serious. It should ring a bell. “Ah~ and don’t worry, Alastor would back off on his own too. I don’t imagine him sinking down with that ship…” he added counting on your cooperation.
Your head snapped back to him. You stared at him wide eyed, yet your expression was unreadable. It didn’t show anything. Your body language didn’t show a thing. Yet your mind… oh it was reeling on the light speed. You thought of everyone in the hotel. All staff members and your singular guest. All of them annoyed you to some point and because of different traits of theirs. But… they were friends. Husk, Nifty, direct associates of Alastor. Angel Dust, annoying, disgusting pornstar and a spider, but in the end the only hope of the hotel at that point, even after a year of its existence. Even Vaggie, with her paranoid, overprotective approach and open distrust towards you. All their faces crossed your mind for a fraction of second. And then Charlie’s smiling one. And something snapped in you. The last person that you thought of was Al. You hoped that he would indeed leave hotel avoiding the possible erasure but… you had a gut feeling that he wouldn’t do so. And that thought alone made you transform in fury.
Your eyes lost focus and their pupils lost their usual cat-like shape. Instead one of them took the form of ‘X’ while the other elongated vertically, optically cutting the whole eye in half. Also your fangs became more prominent, changing the shape of your jaw to fit them all, as your face contorted into more triangular shape. Your wings grew, feathers changed into something that looked like sharp shards ready to cut everything on their way. Your set of wings also seemed to be more like bat ones at that point as they lost their softness. Your limbs seemed to elongate as well and twisted, popping the joints at unnatural angles, especially your clawed fingers. You, in general, started to look similar to your beloved Alastor in his final demon form. Not to mention the dark energy and shadows literally swirling around you.
Your abrupt change in appearance surprised everyone gathered. Overlords and Lucifer were staring at you, jaws on the floor, they never witnessed your true form, you probably never transformed fully before. Angels were much more wary towards you. One of them leaning back in his seat, trying to avoid your crazed gaze while the other stood up with already summoned angelic weapon in hand.
He also started to morph but the energy that was surrounding him was unnaturally light, almost blinding. He made a move towards you but as your attention snapped to him he was already flying back with incredible force you struck him with.
“Emsel stop this instant!” Lucifer yelled angrily and lifted himself, palms slammed against the table. He stared at you with authority you never saw him call upon before.
“I lost the last scraps of respect towards you, Lucifer. You are nothing more than a piteous coward you self-proclaimed kingshit.”
“You took a step too far this time, Emsel!” the king started to transform as well. You wasn’t sure if you ever seen him like that, but you certainly heard ugly rumors about Lucifer in state of fury. You never dreamed that fury of his would be ever directed at you.
“Likewise!” you turned around not waiting for his attack or any move at all and stormed out towards the balcony you entered through. You felt something grabbing you and your head twisted to see the face of your least favorite Lucifer counsellors, the demoness snarling at you. So you snarled back and she let you go with surprise written on her face. She must have seen something she didn’t expect. She also didn’t try anything anymore as you and all of your dark aura flowed out on the balcony and soared in the sky with ease.
You didn’t know when you ended up above the hotel, circling like vulture. You already saw as a swarm of exterminators tried to pry any possible door and window open, just to get inside and erase every living soul inside. Some of them managed to destroy stained-glass portals getting inside.
They never got inside before. You knew why. Wings are great asset, but only there where it is a space to unravel them fully.
You summoned a circle of angelic weaponry, spears mostly, you managed to collect over years. All of them twirled around you turning their sharp ends the way you wanted them to and with a flick of a wrist they fired ahead, piercing through air and some of the exterminators.
With that alone you erased at least a dozen.
At that point, you were noticed. But that worked for your favor as exterminators were actively flying your way, at least part of that swarm left the hotel behind and targeted you.
You turned your head towards building at the loud sound of breaking glass. Your eyes widened at sight in front of you. You observed as all exterminators that managed get inside before, were now simply pushed out through windows by black mass filling each of window opening. So Alastor was there too. Good. You didn’t know what happened inside but you knew he would get that covered. In that case you could take care of the mess outside. And you proceeded with that task alone, slash here, cut there, you didn’t even pay all that much attention to what you were doing anymore, acting on muscle memory, until you heard familiar, distressed voice.
Down, in the distance you noticed Charlie being dragged away by at least three exterminators. It was hard to estimate as they swarmed around her in hopes to subdue her struggles. They tried to get her away from the building. She was in her demon form, fire surrounding her trying to scare off her offenders, but exterminator’s suit can protect from many things, heat included. That you also knew well .
You memorized that Charlie and you were to be the only ones to survive that outrageous stunt that Heaven pulled on you all! Well, you probably just forsaken your own immunity. You knew that they would not hurt her, not physically at least, but they wanted to hurt her friends. Erase her girlfriend! Leaving her alone in Hell, while any other demon ridiculed her! Vaggie was annoying, but she cared for princess. And you gritted your shark teeth.
The next exterminator that came on you were torn into pieces by your bare hands.
Moreover, they wanted to erase Alastor. Well, he deserved that one, but it still pissed you beyond any belief. You were in Hell because of him, and with him you will remain!
Another two exterminators lost their limbs as they got too close to your wings.
Just as you were to go down to help you lovely princess in distress you felt something that you could describe as killing intend and you turned just in time to block a strike directed at your head. It was one of the angels that were present on the meeting. Taller, better built and definitely more aggressive.
But he looked nothing like angel you opposed a while ago. His form wasn’t even hinting for him to be angel in the first place. He actually looked more terrifying than any demon you managed to encounter here, in Hell. Ever. Bloodthirsty Alastor looked like baby deer in comparison.
“You, atrocity of the universe dared to touch me, push me with those filthy hands! To think I even considered Lucifer’s plea… sparing you out of mercy!”
Mercy?
Where was his mercy now? Not for you, but for Charlie? Weren’t they family of sorts? Didn’t he see all her efforts? Her hurt each year as seemingly innocent sinners die eternally?
You pushed him before so he pushed you now. Much stronger than you did though. You ended up crashing straight into building of the hotel, literally tearing one of the extensions off the main construction. The rubble buried you alive but despite all damage it caused you, it didn’t render you unconscious. You crawled out hearing screams of your name. It was Charlie that managed to free herself and ran toward you. You glanced at her but immediately your gaze laded at angel speeding in your direction with actual sword in hand. Holy weapon. Charlie was too preoccupied with your condition to notice him. And he looked very determined to end you. He already prepared himself to swing that weapon of his when Charlie was by your side. You assessed the distance and you knew. He wouldn’t manage to stop in time. And Charlie was in the way.
Your body acted before your mind even started to comprehend everything that happened. You spread your wings in attempt to dodge the assault but at the same time you turned to princess encasing her in your clawed hands. You hugged her and with as much forceful push as you could muster you jumped aside with her in your protective grip. The slash came down as you expected but the intensity of the pain that followed immediately after was not what you imagined at all.
Your grip on princess slacked slightly but you let go of her only a few good meters away of your initial spot. As you lost all support that her body provided you fell down to your knees. And you saw your own reflection in blood puddle that formed under your form.
“Y/N?!” Charlie screamed in fright and was kneeling by your side with hands hovering just above you, not sure if she should touch you in that condition. You lifted your head and assessed her wellbeing. She seemed unharmed but you still opted to ask. She looked at you in disbelief “Y/N I’m fine but… you…” she started with shaking voice, she was in quite distress. You already knew what was taken away from you eternally. You just felt the spot where the holy sword sliced, leaving burning pain and gaping wound behind. You managed to turn your head back to see your right wing laying on the ground, few meters behind you, being stepped on by the angel that severed it. Diminished to nothing, like a piece of garbage. The man was already turning your direction ready to end what he started but something above you stopped him in his tracks.
“You dared to hurt my lovely dame!” familiar voice you heard seemed so foreign as it was lacking all radio static. You never heard it so enraged. And since you were in Hell, so human. Lifting your head up more you saw. Alastor also didn’t look like a demon you knew, he was past the form even you thought was peak of his abilities.
He looked like nothing and there was nothing you could compare him to. But at the same time he was so much at once. He wasn’t Radio Demon anymore, he was the whole new entity on his own. You felt as Charlie trembled. If it was actual fear you didn’t know, but she observed Alastor as well, still remaining at your side.
Alastor didn’t attack yet, he approached his victim, hovering over him like an ominous cloud. And the angel, despite his demonic appearance that managed to scare you, looked like scared, vulnerable child with a tooth pick for a weapon. But you couldn’t let anybody destroy Charlie’s dream, you couldn’t let her see you being so weak, while defending it for her. So you also called upon all your remaining strength and you felt as your own magic came back to life.
Black shadows started to move on their own around you. They took a shape of your lacking wing and took its place behind your back. That allowed you to maintain your balance and, slowly, you rose to your full height. Charlie protested but you didn’t listen. Seeing that you, despite nearly fatal injury managed to get up, the angel actually took a few steps back. He opposed two enraged demons and seeing them like that, made him feel really small.
As you stepped ahead with some difficulty you felt something pulling you back, not so gently. You grunted but due to your weakened state you allowed it to push you back to your knees, panting heavily. Your vision started to wane already but you knew the shadow that seated you back, keeping you away from any possible harm. It flashed you it’s permanent, unnerving grin and circled you like a cocoon while it’s master was readying himself to eradicate the possible danger.
In the meantime lesser exterminators didn’t stop their attempts to get inside, as there were still other targets they were to eliminate. Earlier, Vaggie with help of Husk barricaded front door at the very beginning but when exterminators got inside through windows it was Alastor who had to interfere. He did so gladly. In the chaos, however, some of them managed to grab Charlie and drag her outside. Vaggie tried to protect her but she didn’t manage to pry them off princess. She was outnumbered and had to be very careful not to get hurt with angelic weapons they wielded. Vaggie felt falling apart when her girlfriend disappeared behind broken front door. She failed to protect her. She needed to get to her, she needed to! But angels kept everyone inside purposely. Hotel staff, plus Angel Dust, could keep them at distance with Alastor’s help buy when he freaked out suddenly and disappeared outside they were left to fend for themselves.
None of them knew what had happened but Radio Demon seemed to forget of anything and rushed out like a pure mass of murder intent. He swept, consumed, everything on his way, a few exterminators included. All that commotion allowed Vaggie to slip out the building as well, in contrary to her better judgement, and she already knew what got Alastor so agitated.
You were sitting on your knees, in the puddle of your own blood, missing one of your impressive wings. You looked more scary, not like a demon she was accustomed to, but Charlie was also in her demonic form, kneeling just next to you. Safe and sound thankfully! And Alastor… oh Alastor was looming over someone, someone that she didn’t know, yet that someone reminded her of Lucifer. They even looked alike somehow. Then it clicked. It was not a common exterminator but higher angel in his… angelic form? Well he was no less scary that either of you there. Other exterminators were also staring at the monsters in front of them and it was the moment that Vaggie decided to approach you and help somehow. As she took some steps ahead angels seemed to shook off their surprise and resume their invasion as well.
“Enough!” booing voice tear through the chaos stopping everything once more. The other, shorter angel that was present on the meeting appeared, descended in all his glory. ”It went too far. We leave.” He announced and his brother wanted to protest, but a single sharp glance in his direction silenced him immediately. The shorter of the angels turned to you still sitting on the ground. “Now I see that your promise of murder wasn’t empty. But was it worth it all?”
“You can say… anything now, yet… you ask me that? ” you huffed in exertion. Your blood didn’t stop flow, nor you started to regenerate. You wouldn’t, they used that special weaponry to hurt you. There getting rid of that pain would take some time. “My murder is nothing to the sin you just committed!” the taller angel looked as if he tried to retort but his brother lifted a hand stopping him. “You should burn in Hell here with us all! Hahaha, wouldn’t that be oh, so entertaining!” you laughed maniacally unhinging all your turmoil. “YOU! You just attempted to break the most pure soul that this universe of yours ever seen! NO, you almost erased it, wiped out like some dirt! You almost broke the deal! HA! Now you tell me if it was all worth it?!” you felt as your eyes watered and a few teardrops slid down your cheeks but you were still grinning mockingly.
“As I said. Things went too far, it wasn’t exactly as it should and for that… I should…. Apologize. ” The shorter angel added unwillingly as if apologizing demon was below lowest low.
“And I think you should go. ” Charlie started, still in her demon form, stood defensively in front you. Vaggie also stepped behind her, appearing quietly to your side. She fell to her knees to help you out supporting you and trying to stop the bleeding. She surprised you with that caring side of her, directed at you. She even smiled at you sadly and you smiled back in the same manner. The pain and blood loss started to take its toll on you. “What happened here should never take a place but I would never guess that you would go that far. As if blood spilled annually was not enough.” Charlie continued accusingly, her tone sharp and unyielding. Yet her eyes were still crying. She didn’t try to hide her emotions and it was clear that angel in front of her felt uncomfortable. “I still believe in redemption and I still will be doing what I can to redeem those that want to be better. They deserve that.”
“You fraternize with monsters, those two are the best example. Forlorn that mission of yours! Sinners belong to Hell , Charlotte!” the taller angel interrupted approaching princess. His brother, the one that actually stopped the whole extermination, stood still and silent.
“It’s Charlie now!” she shouted angrily at him. “They are all my friends! Supporters and closest to family I ever had! They are helping me, while no one else believe in redemption at all. What happened here was brutal but also self-defensive!“ she glared, hands balled in fists. ”In this very moment is it you who I see as monsters!”
You paid very close attention to what was discussed literally in front of you. But that task was getting harder and harder by any minute. You glanced at Alastor who remained in his demonic form but was frozen, completely unmoving and his eyes were staring at you. Only at you. You were actually surprised he allowed Vaggie to approach you, going through his shadow barrier, but she didn’t mean you any harm. At that point your senses were swimming, or more like drowning in nothingness. First you felt as your touch started to be a little numb, then your ears stopped register any sound apart from unbearable high-pitched ringing. You didn’t even notice when sense of smell and taste were gone too. The last one that left you hopeless was your sight. You were sure you didn’t close your eyes, despite heaviness of your eyelids, and yet you didn’t see a thing. At that point you were grateful that Vaggie kept you upright because that was your last coherent thought before you lost your consciousness.