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Chapter Text

Chapter 1: Hell to Pay

Stolas had always remembered the night that his father had told him about the Scarlet King. He had been adventurous that night, and so he had snuck into his father's study, only to find him with a bottle of the best Sloth-wine, hunched over his desk. When his father had looked at the young Goetia, he wondered if he would be punished, but something about his son had made the Archduke of the Fallen's eyes watered. Then he had spoken.

Always, he said, be grateful Lucifer never chose you, be grateful he holds the Scarlet King in check, be grateful that God's mercy still allowed them good things, even in the Pit. Stolas always wondered why his father looked so sad when he told him that. Granted he understood so little about his father, but when Paimon spoken then, he was less the 2^nd in command of Hell, less even the distant father who had no idea how to raise a son, and was something Stolas couldn't categorize, something full of regrets.

He had once asked his father about it later, and found that his father could be even more distant than he normally was. He didn't ask again.

The name of the Scarlet King wasn't unknown to any Goetia who had dealings with the mortal world. As lackadaisical as Stolas could get with his duties and his book, even he knew that, buried deep beneath many other cults were those dedicated to the Scarlet King. Whatever Demon was behind it was insanely powerful, and involved, far more than Stolas thought fun to be, with its mortal followers. Perhaps that was part of the reason he panicked when Octavia went to the mortal world without him. The thought of her being captured and drained, like so many human's were in sacrifices to the Scarlet King had filled him with dread.

It was a feeling that was entirely warranted. Because when Paimon had spoken of the Scarlet King, he had had another expression that Stolas hadn't realized at the time. Or perhaps, he hadn't realized his father could feel it.

Fear.

Demons, Angels, and Sinners. Oh my.

The battle for the Hazbin Hotel was underway. Alastor had fled, Razzle was tending to Dazzle (having barely avoided having his twin be killed) and Lucifer had come in, riding high on his daughter's admiration to put the worthless pile of dust that had troubled him since Eden in its place. Truly, all would be well for him. A few fireworks, a few flashes, one smackdown on Adam, and best of all, the adoring looks of his daughter, and all would be on track. He transformed and hit, using more and more power. He hadn't cut loose like this in ages!

But the end of the fight came not with Nifty stabbing Adam to death, nor with crunch of cannibal teeth on Angelic bone. The end came when a tremor shook the very foundations of Hell. Buildings galore, as shoddily built as most were in Pentagram city, fell to ruin as the ground heaved and bucked. Fighting ceased as everyone tried to maintain balance or took to the sky to avoid the rolling stone and earth.

Adam, holding his wounds but still grimacing, hovered across the battlefield, grabbing Exorcists as he could. When he had a free moment, he glared at Lucifer, who was holding Charlie up.

“What the fuck's the game this time Lucifuck!? Archfiend? Souped up one of the Sins?”

Lucifer however was looking at the waves of destruction spreading throughout his kingdom. His eyes narrowed as a sudden crack drew his attention. With dumbfounded expressions, they all turned to witness a great crevasse, ever widening as it spread. At greatest length, it reached the span of a football field as it crept forward. Following its course, everyone realized with a thrill of shock, that it originated from the Palace of Pride, the home of Lucifer, the seat of power in Hell.

“Oh . . . ffffffuck.”

Lucifer said it softly as he stared at the open space splitting his palace in two. Charlie was looking at him in alarm.

“What, what is it dad?! Is Heaven sending something else?!”

A harsh peal of laughter drew her eyes back to Adam. He was hovering in front of Lute, trying to tend to her stump of an arm. Around him clustered all the remaining exorcists, who were glaring at Lucifer.

“Oh that's rich! Always Heavens fault, isn't it? One of your project's blown up in your face again Lu, hasn't it?!”

Charlie's trident was up and at the ready, eager even to strike down the embodiment in her mind of everything she was set against. But then she noticed that her father wasn't saying anything. Instead he was staring at the ever widening gorge that was almost upon them.
“Dad? What are . . .”
“Charlie” Lucifer's voice made Charlie tense up. It was more serious then she'd ever heard her dad sound. “Time to go. Get your friends together and we'll-”

“̶̠̩̯̙͚͈̘͑̋͋̂̎̀̏̑̓̉̋͝ͅǪ̷̧̖̭̪̟̠͈̪̙͈̮̬̞͌̅͗̾͐̊̌̈̌̀̂͜͠ḧ̷̨̭̙̞̱̭̺̹̮͉͙̣̪̝́̆̋̑̈́͂̊̂̓̒͛͜,̷̢̮̠̖̘̰̜̘̩̝̠̲͙̝̪̾͐̓͊̈̍ ̷̡̨̡̛̺͙̗̻̺̯̤͉͕̳̞̯͙̓̅̋̉͝ṱ̶̿ḭ̴̧̖̝̥̹͔̣̥̭͍̺̖̬͌̔͑̑͂̈́̂̓͋s̸̡̝̙̙̱͎͌͂ ̸̲̣͎̰͓̫̟̺̬̮͔͑͑f̷̼̂̋́̊̈́̐͋́̐͝͝ȧ̶̧̨̛͈̹̩͔͍̲̰͙̟͖̘̺̅͝r̸̡̧̖͖̭͎̊͊̏̀̃̈̄̕ ̴̨̡̟̹̦̣̯̺͉̞̹̘̟̫̳͒̅̀̇̃̑̊̿̓̌̔͜͜t̷̯̖̤̄̽̆̀̃̄̒̚ơ̵̢̪͕̥͑́͑̆̌̈́͑̂̓̀͛̀͘͠͠o̸̡̪͍͈̹͇͇̹͔̰̓̓̽͋ ̴̧̢̨̖̺̩͉̟̜̬̗̼͔͆̅̎̅̎̍͂̅̕l̷̳̗̮̠̆́͊̓́̈͒͂͠ą̷̤̙̞̟̞̯̼̮̝͔̳̞̼̦̳͆̽̃̕t̵̯̙̱̝̱̬͕̭̘̗̲̿̂̀̓̃̔͛̇̒̋̄̈̚̚͝e̵͈̖̹͓͙̻͓̼̯̙͍̺̍̇͛͌͌͜͝ͅ ̸͇͈̮̲͇͙̈́̇͌̌ḟ̵̨̛̛͚̭̘͖̟̱̳̤̰̬̠̰̬̰͛̀͋̅̆̃͗͘͜ǫ̸̨̡̻̲̬́r̵̳̮̻̻͍͉̺̰̪̝͈͙̲̖̮̈̓͂́̈́͒́̇́̈̿͛̒͂͝͝͝ͅ ̸̧̡͙̗͕̺̭̲̥̳̬̖̫̭̩̣̓̅̊̅̊͠t̴̡̗̣̺̱͇̻̺̫̭͈͉̽̈́́̅͊̾͋̄̀͋̕h̵̐͐̅̄̿̅̍̿͗͐̋ͅä̸̤́͐̊̎̂̓͂̒̍̄t̴̨̢̝̙͔͙̟̙̙̗̻̜͚͕̺̪̃̒̀̐͆́̕͠ ̸̡̻̘͉̏̒̿̕F̷̛̤̻̎̓͗̾̋̆̋̀͗̋̇͛̚͝͠ą̴̛̛̭̳̼̖̣̗͎̑͒̽̏̎̀̍̾̄l̷̨̢̟̭̮͚̝͈͔̆ĺ̶̡͎̘̙̣̫̼́̅̄̑͂͆̑̔e̵̼̣͐̓̓͒̊ṋ̶̢̛̥̦̘̜̻̤̭͍͎̮̻̜̊͛̀̃́ͅ ̸͈͖͕͇̬̝̱̜͇͓̭͍̖̽̈Ǩ̸̛̖̽̌͂̊̽̃̑̆̓͗́̽͠ͅi̶̡̡̢̥̭̙̪̪̫͔̭̺̗̣͎̯͋̈́͂̍̉̀̎̊͑̉̃͌͒̆̕͝n̵̮̔́̈́́͛̊̌́̒̽̒̎̀̋̚͠ģ̸̨͕̱̠͈͓̇̈͌̂̔̅͘.̶̛̛̘̺̯̱̙̠̜͚̠͛̃̓̇͊̃͒̓͑̍̕̕͘͘”̷̩̖̟͎̤͉̻̈́͛̈́̎͛͆

[“Oh, tis far too late for that Fallen King.”]

Everyone clasped their ears, even Adam and the Exorcists, at those words, the mere sound of the voice was the anathema to hearing. The rumblings were growing greater and greater. Suddenly, something rose up and everyone took a step back in shock as a massive thing turned ponderously to lean over them.

It was a towering figure of black and red. Taller than the Hotel itself, its lower parts vanished down into the chasm it had opened in its escape from wherever it had come from. Its form morphed and swam, seeming to bulge and contract as though it was many things in one. Mouths and orifices indeed sprouted and vanished, seen only by the red light that shone behind them as they opened. The being's head, sitting atop the tower of terror that was its body, had many tendrils that stood straight like horns, or waved like tentacles. Blackness, not as a color, but as an absence of light, was the only way to describe it, for the only way to see depth in it was the glow of red that illuminated its eyes and mouth, as well as other cracks in its flesh.

Everyone shuddered as they stared at it, but then Lucifer was flying up.

“Alright, enough's enough. I can appreciate the lightshow and the theatrics, but it's time to go back in your box, I-”

He barely dodged as suddenly one of the arms of the creature, the size of a schoolbus shot forward and attempted to grab him. More attempts followed, getting faster and faster as the King of Hell's voice grew more and more angry.

“Okay, that's how you want to play it huh. Well let's remember WHOSE HOUSE THIS IS!”

A massive blast of energy erupted from Lucifer's hand and struck the creature in the center of its upper half. It gave a scream that felt like nails on chalkboard and drove near everyone to their knees. Lucifer landed in front of Charlie, a grin on his face as he saw that he had blasted a large chunk out of the creature. For a moment, everyone hoped. But then the piece refilled, the wound healing as though it had never been there.

The creature turned to look at them all, and on its head, a red smile split its face. Most of the cannibals fainted, the Angels shook, and Charlie felt that she had never before known what evil truly was. Then an arm raised and the creature made a pulling motion.

At first, nothing seemed to happen. Then they saw a figure in red being dragged towards the thing from far away. It was fighting for all it was worth not to be brought, but it obviously had no power to resist. Within 10 seconds it was before the mass of darkness that leered over it. For a moment, due to distance and scale, they couldn't tell who it was, but with a thrill of shock, they suddenly realized who it was.

It twitched and screamed distinctively, then suddenly turned and descended. Frozen in shock, they all watched as Alastor came to rest in front of them, his face contorted in a rictus of a grin.

“Greetings . . . Charlie. This isn't . . . quite what I expected to . . . happen.”

It was Alastor's voice, and they knew that it was Alastor speaking in spite of how painful it sounded. This was made even more obvious as his eyes suddenly dilated and his grip on his broken cane tightened. The voice that issued from Alastor's lips was less eldritch than the one that had heralded the being's arrival, but still sounded utterly wrong.”

“̵T̸h̷e̴y̸ ̴l̵o̶o̴k̶ ̶a̷t̷ ̴m̷e̴ ̸i̵n̶ ̶s̵h̵o̸c̵k̴.̷ ̴ ̸D̸i̶d̷ ̷h̶e̸ ̵n̴e̶v̶e̴r̸ ̴t̷e̵l̷l̷ ̶t̴h̶e̵m̸ ̷a̸b̴o̴u̷t̶ ̴m̴e̸.̸ ̷ ̷W̶h̸y̸ ̵n̷o̵t̵?̷ ̴ ̶I̷ ̷w̸o̶u̷l̶d̷'̵v̶e̴ ̶s̸c̷a̴r̸e̸d̸ ̵t̸h̸e̸m̵.̷”̵

[“They look at me in shock. Did he never tell them about me. Why not? I would've scared them.”]

Alastor's head turned to stare at Lucifer. Everyone else did as well. The King of Hell tried to look nonchalant, and failed.

“There's nothing to tell. You were a long-term project at best, a failure at worst. Now I suggest you get back in the bed I made for you before I do something really drastic!”

Alastor, and through him, the towering mass of darkness, simply took a crazed grin and somehow made it even worse.

“̵H̶e̵ ̵p̸r̵e̴t̷e̸n̸d̵s̶ ̶t̷o̷ ̶b̸e̵ ̵i̴n̵ ̵c̸o̵n̵t̷r̸o̸l̸,̸ ̵o̵r̶ ̶d̵o̷e̶s̵ ̸h̷e̶ ̶b̵e̷l̸i̷e̷v̷e̸ ̷i̵t̴?̴ ̷ ̶H̶e̵ ̴w̸a̸n̵t̷s̷ ̴u̵s̶ ̶b̶a̴c̸k̸ ̶i̴n̷ ̷t̵h̸e̵ ̵u̵n̷d̶e̶r̵.̴ ̷ ̸B̶a̷c̵k̸ ̸i̴n̷ ̷t̸h̵e̶ ̷p̷l̸a̷c̴e̵ ̴o̴f̸ ̸r̶o̶t̴ ̵a̶n̸d̸ ̷d̴e̴c̵a̵y̵.̵ ̸ ̴B̶a̵c̸k̶ ̸b̸e̴n̷e̶a̴t̵h̷ ̷t̸h̶e̸ ̵r̷i̵n̷d̴.̶ ̸ ̸S̶o̵ ̸l̵i̵t̸t̵l̵e̷ ̵t̶o̶ ̶r̸e̷m̶e̵m̷b̵e̴r̴,̶ ̸j̶u̷s̶t̴ ̸g̷l̷i̸m̸m̸e̸r̴s̵,̴ ̴b̴u̴t̶ ̴a̵l̷w̸a̵y̶s̶ ̸h̵i̴s̵ ̸f̶a̶c̵e̵,̵ ̴a̴l̴w̴a̶y̵s̶ ̴h̸i̸s̶ ̷w̷o̵r̷d̶s̸ ̸o̴f̵ ̷p̷a̵i̸n̷.̵ ̷ ̵L̷o̵c̸k̷e̵d̵ ̶a̵w̶a̴y̴,̵ ̵f̵e̷d̸ ̶o̶n̸ ̸d̸a̵r̴k̵,̷ ̸f̶e̶d̸ ̷o̴n̸ ̴o̷t̸h̵e̴r̸'̵s̷ ̷d̷a̸r̵k̴.̴”̸

[“He pretends to be in control, or does he believe it? He wants us back in the under. Back in the place of rot and decay. Back beneath the rind. So little to remember, just glimmers, but always his face, always his words of pain. Locked away, fed on dark, fed on other's dark.”]

Lucifer narrowed his eyes.

“Hmmmmmm.”

“Dad, what's going on?”

Charlie's question caused her father to give a half second's glance that clearly told her to keep quiet. Alastor's eyes had turned towards her though.

“̷D̵a̴u̸g̴h̷t̷e̸r̵ ̴.̸ ̴.̴ ̸.̸w̸h̷e̶n̴ ̸d̴i̶d̵ ̵t̵h̸a̷t̸ ̸h̷a̶p̴p̸e̴n̸?̶ ̷ ̷N̴e̵v̷e̴r̵ ̵t̶h̴o̸u̵g̷h̶t̶ ̸h̴e̴ ̶w̶o̴u̶l̸d̶ ̷h̸a̴v̸e̷ ̷c̴h̶i̷l̶d̴r̷e̸n̴?̴ ̶ ̴N̴o̴ ̶.̸ ̵.̷ ̴.̵ ̷d̸i̴s̷a̸p̶p̵o̸i̵n̵t̵m̸e̵n̸t̵.̶ ̶ ̶H̶e̶ ̵a̵l̴w̶a̵y̵s̴ ̸w̸a̵s̶.̸ ̵ ̶S̵e̸e̸n̷ ̴o̶t̵h̶e̴r̸ ̸D̴e̷v̷i̴l̷s̶,̷ ̸h̴e̸ ̶w̵a̸s̶ ̶p̷a̴t̷h̸e̵t̸i̵c̸ ̴a̶m̶o̸n̴g̷ ̶t̴h̸e̸m̵.̴”̶

[“Daughter . . .when did that happen? Never thought he would have children? No . . . disappointment. He always was. Seen other Devils, he was pathetic among them.”]

The thing in Alastor's eyes leered at Charlie, causing Lucifer and Vaggie to close ranks in front of her. Suddenly, in an instant, Alastor's posture changed along with the voice. It did not lose the pained and violative air it carried, but the Radio Demon suddenly stood casually, and his voice grew more suave. Were it not for the situation around them and the sheer wrongness he exuded, they almost would've thought it was a normal day for him.

“Well my dear Charlotte. You seem quite curious about me, so let me assure you that my personal hatred rests on your father. He and I have some unfinished business. But perhaps you and I can come to some sort of understanding. I see you have many goals and things you wish to accomplish. I am quite adept at helping people accomplish things, so many have benefited from my guidance and patronage. Why Alastor here is one of the lucky signers of a contract with me.”

For a moment, the thing's control slackened and Alastor's smile was stretched to breaking as he twitched and shook. His voice broke out, strained and hard.

“I . . . hadn't this in . . . mind when we agreed to . . . our deal.”

Every word sounded like it cost him a piece of his sanity. The great figure's dark face simply split its grin wider.

“̴O̶h̵ ̴.̴ ̷.̴ ̴.̷ ̸b̶u̷t̵ ̵i̸t̴ ̵i̷s̴ ̵w̵h̶a̸t̴ ̴I̵ ̶d̵i̶d̸.̶ ̵ ̴A̸n̷d̵ ̵m̶y̵ ̷d̸e̶a̴r̷ ̵l̸i̸t̸t̸l̴e̵ ̸R̶a̸d̵i̶o̴ ̶S̷t̷a̵r̷,̴ ̴o̷u̴r̷ ̵d̶e̶a̸l̵,̷ ̴l̴i̸k̴e̸ ̸a̷n̴y̶ ̸o̸t̸h̴e̶r̶ ̸y̴o̷u̶ ̸h̸a̴v̵e̵ ̸i̶n̷f̴l̴i̵c̸t̸e̶d̴ ̶o̸n̶ ̴y̶o̵u̵r̸ ̵e̸m̴p̴l̷o̵y̶e̴e̶s̷,̶ ̴m̶e̶a̶n̴s̵ ̷t̴h̷a̶t̵ ̸I̷ ̶c̸a̵n̶ ̶d̷o̸ ̶a̶s̸ ̴I̶ ̸w̷i̷s̸h̸ ̴t̷o̵ ̵y̵o̶u̴.̵ ̴ ̶W̷h̸i̴c̵h̶ ̷r̶e̷m̶i̷n̸d̸s̷ ̵m̸e̶.̸”̶

[“Oh . . . but it is what I did. And my dear little Radio Star, our deal, like any other you have inflicted on your employees, means that I can do as I wish to you. Which reminds me.”]

The figure swept a hand, and Alastor did the same in a rather jerky fashion. Instantly, Husk and Nifty were tugged forward, chains materializing around their necks and linking to Alastor's hand, even as a chain around Alastor's neck flashed into existence for a second, its length leading back to the great dark creature.

“̸C̷h̷a̶i̴n̷s̴ ̶o̴f̸ ̶o̸w̸n̴e̵r̷s̴h̸i̶p̴ ̴c̶a̷n̶ ̶b̸e̷ ̴s̷o̷ ̵c̶o̴n̵f̴u̷s̷i̵n̴g̷.̷ ̵ ̷B̵u̴t̶ ̴I̴ ̵s̶u̶p̵p̴o̶s̷e̷ ̷t̷h̷i̴s̶ ̶m̴e̶a̷n̸s̴ ̵t̶h̶a̴t̶ ̶y̷o̶u̵ ̸t̴w̷o̷ ̶t̵e̵c̵h̵n̶i̵c̴a̶l̴l̶y̸ ̵b̶e̶l̵o̷n̶g̶ ̴t̷o̴ ̷m̶e̷ ̵t̵h̷r̸o̶u̷g̶h̵ ̵A̸l̴a̵s̶t̷o̸r̵.̴”̶

[“Chains of ownership can be so confusing. But I suppose this means that you two technically belong to me through Alastor.”]

Both Sinners, Cat and Cyclops, tried to look away, even as Charlie tried to fly forward to help them. Her hands were grabbed by her father and she was forced behind him, regardless of her protests.

“Hey, sludge-for-brains, over here!”

Alastor, still holding Husk and Nifty by their chains, turned to stare at the Lord of the Exorcists who was giving him the finger. Adam put his hands on his hips and stared alternately at the mass of the beast, and the Radio Demon it was puppeting.

“Gotta say, if you got a beef with the short king, that puts you one up in my book, even more if your against these idiots. But I gotta ask, what comes after that?”

Alastor stared at the Chief Exorcist. There was a subtle twitch that was mirrored in the greater creature. Then its grin grew sadistic.

“̶H̵o̴w̴ ̶.̷ ̴.̴ ̸.̸ ̷f̴u̶n̷.̶”̸

[“How . . . fun.”]

The being lifted an arm and waved it. In an instant, the portal to Heaven slammed shut.

While the dark being seemed distracted, Alastor looked at Charlie. She had never seen him look so utterly desperate as he spoke, his shoulder's slumped and his voice hissing.

“My favor Charlie . . . free me from him . . . free me from this . . . thing.”

Charlie felt a tug on her soul, and knew that the deal she had made was being called in. Alastor made a choking sound as the being's eyes turned back to them.

“God no! Leave me alo-!”

His cries faltered as the thing spoke again. This time, its voice shook the air around it.

“̶̧̖͙̟͔̈́̐͗̅͋̃̀̈̆̚D̴͍͇̙̦̹͔̳͖͇̯͌͐͋̃̔͒̎͋̓̍͆̒̃͝͝ả̵̞͎̥̜̞̥̤̹͒̓́́͌̊̇̾̅͝ͅy̴̨̛̤̳̲͓̐̀̓͂͊͐̔͒͐̓͝ ̸̢̗̗̪̰͉͙͔̥͙̫̞̲̀̌̈̇͑̃͠.̷̡͕̲̳̱͙̤͌͒ ̶̨̧̦̟̘̳̦̝̥̣͚͚͓͉͍̉̏͋͆͆̿̚͝.̸͔̪̮̭̫̘̊͑͒̋̋́̌̿̈́͛͑̔̍̚͝͠͝ ̶͖͎̫̦͇͍̪̜̻̖̰̿͛͑̽̾̿̐́̾͆̔̅̀͒̌̂͠.̸̠͈͈̠̼̪̱̎̌̍̔̃̿͜ ̵̧̢̖̥̼̝̘̬̖̦̘͈̩̹̯͎̔̓̿͌̊̑͋͛͂̇͘̚͜ḧ̷̛̛̝̮̫̱̯̗́̑̽ą̷̡̹̠̳͓̗̰̭͇̭͚̘̈́̒͋͝s̴̤̱͙̩͇̰̰͓͛̅ ̶̨̧̡̪͕̲̞̯̪̊̀̈̓̐͌͜͜͝ḅ̸̨͈̹̺̪̝̘̖̠̜̍r̷̙̞͉͓̱̪̊̓̔̆͌̅̔͋͠͠ǫ̸̥̗̬̱͕̯̮͙͎̏̓̌͜͜͝k̷̲̎́̅͌͋ȩ̶̡̡̡̙̹̼̝̱̙̼̩̮̖̌̈́̉͛̄ṋ̴̛͚͇̰̬̋̒̇̿͊̅̒̎̿̎̀̄̽̄͝.̸̨̧̤̳̳̣̜͖͍̯͈̮̊̈́̋̿̏̓͗̍ ̴̪̯͚̙̣͍̩̋͌́̓̓̃̈́̈́̅̑͝ ̶̱͛̋͠B̸̧̛̝̦̭͎͔͈̳̠̳͖̹̽̈́̏̆̚͜͜͝ͅę̶̥̗̞̟͛̀̀̍̇̄͒̔̕̚h̸̛̬̭͓̜̝̬͉̰̳͍͇̿̌̈̉̑̌͂̂͊͆̕͝ó̶̧̺̻̤̼͈̫̲̗̲͚̟̝͍͒́̂́̌̑̒͝l̸̢̛̛͔͈̺̲̬͈̠̟͈̘̼̠̓̄̃̌̓̓̀̚͜͠͠d̶̡͓͇̺̝̞̣̟̍͑̀͌̑͘ͅ ̵͖̻̘̓̐́͆͐͒͂̅͘.̷̨̧̱̳̠̹̭̠̗͔͙͔̠͖̒̓̆̃͒̊͐͜͠ͅ ̴̧͕͖͖̮̞̈́͊̒͒̏̒́̈̈́̑͗̂̿̀͑̕̚.̴̧͓̯̤̲̜̭͇̞̳͓͈͔͉́́̒͛̍͒ ̴̨̛̱̖̞̻̞̦̪̼͉̮͉̖̫̪̔̈͆̑̀̊̀̽́̿͒͋͆̕͝͝ͅ.̶͓̣͖̱͍̭̝̳͓̳͈͎͚̙͍̳̌̈ ̵̢̡͔̖̲̬͙̝̱̱̮͎̲̰̩̓t̷̛̪̟̦̊̑̄̎͝͠h̸̡̧̡͓͖̲͇̝̪̭͑̅̔͒͌̋̀͗͛̈́͂̆͋͜͠e̷̢̡̪̠̣̥͕̥̲͉̎̃̌͘͝ ̴̢̡̰̦͉̗̺͍̜͇̟̞̰̾͒̐̌̃̓͗̉͑͠͝Ş̵̢̦̹̮̤̝͕̰͕̟͎͒̂͗̔͐̏̓́͜c̷͉̦̟̩̮̜̭͐̌̆̉̚͜͝ẵ̸̞͕̬͔̦͚́͝r̸̡̨̹̗͔͓̼̜̬̙̱͕̖̙͋̉̆̀̎̽͂̀͂͛͆͒̑̓l̵̡̝̰̥̟̥͇̟̲̲͙̙̳̻̝̝̝̀ę̷̗͖̗̩̫͙̏́̈́̽̋̃̂̀̀̕͘t̴̨̺̰̦̀ ̷̠͈̞̲̠̹̱̝͂͗̅͛̈́̐̑͋͠Ķ̶̨̫̯̺̗̑̋̄̄͛͜i̸̡̛̭̝̳̼̼̇̆̔͑͆̀̑̐̄̀͛̒̃͑̚͝ͅn̵̨͍͇̯̻̺͚͆̓̕͘͝ͅg̵̞̭͈̱̤͎̣̝̩̙̜̳͕̤̀͌̀̿̋̀͝ͅ!̴̨͕̪̗̜̻͐̅̈͆”̴̮͍̼̰̅̀̂̏͂͘͜

[“Day . . . has broken. Behold . . . the Scarlet King!”]

And with that, Alastor lashed out. His cane struck Lucifer in the chest and the King of Hell was rocketed back. With a cry, Charlie tried to shove her trident into Alastor's guts, but something froze her in place. The deal! She couldn't harm Alastor, she had to try and free him!

Her momentary distraction didn't let her see how it happened, but by the time she refocused, she froze. Alastor had a hand around her father's neck.

Lucifer struggled in the grip of Alastor's who was staring at him with piercing insane eyes.

“̷̨̳͎̜̻͕̱̙̮͋̅͒̀̊P̴̻̞̘̭͑̽̽̀̀͌͘ą̶̬͚̫͙̹̾̏̅̽̓͛́̇͌̈̀͆͝t̸̨̢̡̨̢͍̼̤̠͉͓̪̋̓̀̍̆̿̚͝ͅẖ̷̢̢̨̛̞͖̙͈͓̆̾͛͊̆̓̓͑͆̏͘͘̕͝ͅẻ̷̛̝̪̙͋̆̒̔͊̎̓̽ţ̸̨͇̼̗̠̫͖͓̯̝̮̗̱̜̫̈́͊̀̇̎͐̇̿̽͜i̶̛̫̰̋́̐̓͐͒̎̎̄͛̏̉̚c̴̢̧̛͈̰̹̟͔̭̖͉̍͌̋̇̎̾̀͂͋̐̃̋̄̐̏̕͜ ̴̨̝̫̯͈͉͎͝.̸̰̠̬͗̌̿̇͊̄̕ ̵̣̣̰̘͖̰͙͚̮͎̂͛̉͋͗͊.̶̧̼̰̩̺̲̙͍̀̈̎́̑̂̀̄ ̵̲̓͘̚͝.̵̩͇͘ ̵̯̖̹̄̀͌̅̉̅̈́̑̌̕̕ș̵̢̢̡̡̞̜̥͕͓̦̾̉͌̌̂͌͋̒͌e̷̡̺̳̥̙̮̭͔̯͖̝̳͕̻̽̈́́̾́̍̒̂̿͂̈́e̵̛͕̔̀̂̾̆͝n̵̡͕̮̠͖̙̲̥̬̼̼̰̮͖͔̲͙͗̂̊̏̃͘͝͠͠ ̷̨̡̢̧̹̘͍͚̜̭̹͖͓̺̱͚͐͊͒̆̓̾͊́̀͗̿͝b̸̰̹͒̏͑̉̃͌̌̅͆e̵͖̖̺̊̊̃̒̂̄̓̔̕͠͝t̷̢̡̙̜̖̖̱̼̤̰̠̜̭̪̰̪͇̄́t̷̟̪̝̰͚͈̬̬͖̲̺̺̖͕̩͎̩̄̔̄̈̾̂͑́͌͑̀̊̍͌͝ë̵͔́̅͂̓͘ŕ̵̛̝̎̔̈̿ ̸̧̬̜̙͈̥̬̟͙̖̬̠̂̎̊̏͜D̸̡̡̛̝̻̯̯͓͈̞̯̹̅̈̓̌̇̾͐͂̀̄̏̀͂͠ê̷̡̨̢̠̺̺̺̪͎̺͖̯̻̯̎̒̓̾͜͜v̸͖̗͌͛̉͋̈́͗͘i̴̢̨͍̪͔͉̲̤̤̤͕̟͈͍̿͆͊͊̽̑̓l̶̢̬̟̩͔̀͛̇͒̀͆̈́̉̌̕s̵͎̝̹̏̆́̓̉ ̷̜̔͋̂̉́̋͝͠.̵̧̬̝̩͎͙̭͇̤͇̒͑̂̊̓̊̃͊̂̓̆̕̚̕͝ͅ ̸̛̻̈́̆͊͆͒̃͊̍̽̈́͗͜.̷̛̥̗̰̱̘͇̱̅̇̐̃̃̇̍̆̃͊̔̎̾͆͝͝ ̵̨̠̬̤͔̭͎̰̝̤͓̠͎͇̏̈́̈́̎̎͛̂͛̐̑͠ͅͅ.̵̡͇͚͇͇̜̤̞͚̦͎̦̙̅̇̌̇̅́̔͆ ̶͍͕͇̩̓ͅw̷̼͑̈́͂͆ợ̷̡̛̣̻̙̥̖̯̫̰͕̰̄̊̀̊͋͛́́̓̿͝u̵̧͍̪͔̿͌͑͗́̅͒̌͋̓̚̕͝͝l̴̯͍͙̪͇̞͚͎̽̇̂̀͒̎̄͛̍͗͋̓͂͝d̶̡͇̩̮̰̽͗́̉̾͆̓̑͊̿̆̑͘̕͝͝ ̴̙̣̣̫̩̦̹̯̣͚̊͗̑̈́̈́̎̌̂ý̸̧̨̺̞̀ȏ̵͕͕̤̬̝͑̊̌͂̅͑̿̈͝ù̸͖̩͚̃͜ ̶̛̪̳̮̮̜͎̰͖̭͌̍̇̃̀̂̒̊̋̓̔̇̕͝ļ̷̡̢͎̗̣̬͖͔̭͙͇̪̣̠̈͒̓̊̈́̎͘i̵̻̰͔͓̊̓̀͆̚k̴̻̥̹̭̰̮̘̔̈̒̇̋͒̐̆̀͛̂͘͘͝e̸̜͍̕ ̵̼͉̩̱̩̲͈̭̈̈́̽̎̾̑̈́͌͆̈́͑͊͘͠t̴̛̹̝̖̐͋͂̇͋̉͆̅͐͆̄͗̇͘̚͠ō̴̧̢̭͔̮͔̣̕ ̵̢͍̄̓́͛̈̆̒̅͘͘̕͝ş̴̯̙͍͒͊͂̎̏̓̈́̂͐̈͜͜͝͝ȩ̷̢̱̯̣̬͔͓̼̩̫́͒́̄̈́̈́͗͋͘ë̴̫̟̭̽͛ ̷̨̱̺̱͓̭͚̰̘͚̾̈̅͗̿̿̐̑͛͜͜t̸͔̏̈́̚h̶̼̼̞̟̜͊̃̿̔͂͊̕ȩ̸̻̹̰̺̭̯̟̥̳̳̂̅̀̎͒̀͛̈́̒̈́̊̇̌̉ͅm̸̬͎͍̝̮͜͠ ̶̡̛̟͔͓̹̺̺̳̻̳̺̽͂̈́́͛̀̌̏̒̈̄̃̾͝͝ͅṱ̸̢̢̗̬̏͛̊̆̌̏̈̇̉̍̅̿̑ơ̵̡͎̦̳͓̦͙͙͇̒͆̈́̎̿͗̏͜͝͠o̸̧̧̩̤̥̞͇̹͙͔̙̞̺̳̖̅̈́̈̄̉?̸̨̡̡̢̛̱̰̬͔̜̲̞͖̫̯̯̪̫̾̾̅̀̅̈́̾̈́̈̅̈́̂͠ ̴̨̧̢̡͚̼̦̟̹͑̔͒̈́͗̅͆̒̆̃̎̒͝M̸̛͕̯͔̠͍̤̑̒̉͌͛̍̋̋͛̍̔̈́̚̕a̶̢͕̞͇̾̓̌̀̀͆͛́̃̐̇̀̚s̵̡͔̙̭̪̯̜̻̀̓̎̋͑̇̉̋̂̉͊̓̃̕t̷̻͆̾̎͋̊́̆̐̄̈́͘͝e̷̢̟̮͌͒̊͗̀̔̕͠r̶̬̘̰͍̳̫̎͛͊̈̆͊͗̚.̶̧̡̟̳̘̼̤͈͓̗̙̽̋́͛”̴̦͎͙̗̭̋̐̈̂

[“Pathetic . . . seen better Devils . . . would you like to see them too? Master.”]

The last word was said with profound sarcasm. Then Alastor's hand started glowing. Lucifer gulped and finally managed to tear himself free. He turned, and without so much as a backwards glance, he dashed away. But only for a second for he had not noticed that the great mass that was the Scarlet King's true form had been reaching for him as well. He was caught in a fist that glowed a dark red color. Before the King of Hell could throw a punch or rain unholy energy upon his captor, he was gone. It was as though a black hole had opened and swallowed him in an instant.

Charlie was staring in shock, almost for too long before Vaggie pulled her out of the way of Alastor swiping down at her with his cane. In an instant he was in among their ranks, Husk and Nifty on his heels, striking their number and laughing while he did so. At one moment, he had locked arms with Vaggie. The former-exorcist was gritting her teeth as Alastor leered down at her. Then the possessed cannibal brought his head back and then headbutted Vaggie in the face. As she fell back, Charlie saw with alarm that Alastor was bleeding from his forehead now, but he seemed not to notice, instead turning to look towards the Exorcists.

Adam wasn't paying attention at the moment, he was making hand motions that Charlie guessed meant he was trying to open up another portal. Alastor held up his arms, and tentacles erupted from the Earth and shot up, grabbing most of the Exorcists. They struggled and kicked. A few stabbed and got free. But others had had their Angelic spears had knocked from their hands when they were seized, and now they were being drawn down towards Alastor, whose teeth were glinting. Then Adam, his eyes blazing with golden light, descended. He impacted the ground, causing a small shake. Then he was upon Alastor.

His first hit was no grand move. All it was, was his fist colliding with the possessed Overlord's teeth. Alastor was blasted away, though not as far as they expected with the amount of force Adam had clearly put into the punch.

“HEY, ASSHOLE!”

Adam rose several feet into the air, his wings thrumming and glowing golden as ball of energy grew in his fists.

“MUNCH ON THESE SINNERS ALL YOU WANT RED RETARD! BUT LEAVE MY GIRLS OUT OF IT!!”

With a grunt of exertion, the orb of golden energy was chucked, not at Alastor but at the Scarlet King's main body. It impacted it in the side of the head and the explosion was like thunder. The Scarlet King jerked back, putting a hand to its face as it cowered away from the pain.

Adam's set to work freeing his girls as Charlie suddenly noticed something. A little distance away, she watched Alastor standing up. His smile was now filled with broken teeth, which only heightened how wrong he looked. Behind him, turning back to look at them, she saw the true body of the Scarlet King raise a hand. Alastor did the same.

Two beams of energy emerged from Alastor's hands. One sped to Charlie's side, but she had no time to see where, for the other aimed directly at her. She held up her trident, but it did no good and she felt her body leave the ground. She was airborne for about 3 seconds before she felt her back slam into something hard and painful. Sliding down, she couldn't help but groan as she felt pain erupt all over her body.

“Oh get over it you big fuckin baby.”

Adam's voice brought her back to reality, if only for how unpleasant it was. She forced herself up and turned to see the head Exorcist dusting himself off, grimacing a little bit as he shook debris away. Behind him was his own impact crater into a concrete wall.

Looking back, both of them saw that Alastor was once again in among their friends and forces. Grinning, he sunk his remaining teeth into one of the cannibal soldiers Charlie had recruited. He feasted for a few seconds before flinging the body away and turning on another one, this one an Exorcist. Nifty was running around everyone's heels, stabbing and slashing with an even more insane grin on her face than was usual. Husk seemed the only one with a modicum of calm left, and it was embodied in how sloppy he was acting, as though he were deliberately trying to trip himself up.

A strange noise filled Charlie's ears and her head swiveled. She realized that she and Adam had been knocked near to the edge of the great crack that now ran out into the distance. Staring down into its depths, Charlie could only see blackness after a certain point. But presently, she saw something and her mouth fell open.

Crawling up the sides of the new canyon came a horde. Grey and red, washed out, faces blank they came on, Imps, Hellhounds, all manner of Hellborn and even some flying creatures. But ten she saw Sinners as well. They crawled forth, coming ever closer, and Charlie knew instinctively that it would not be a pleasant meeting when they made it out.

At that moment, she heard Adam sigh deeply.

“Truce . . . till we get this under control.”

Turning, she saw that he too was staring down into the oncoming horde. But then he held out a hand and Charlie stared at it.

“Wh-wha- . . . are you seri-”

“You want to gawk, or do you want to actually help our people, Princess?”

It was the last thing she wanted, but she'd seen how Adam could hurt the thing, and only her father had managed that on her side.

“No hurting each other or our friends unless we have to, till that thing's gone. Okay?”

Adam nodded solemnly. Charlie narrowed her eyes at the ease of his agreement.

“And you have to go home after we're done. No more exterminations!”

Adam actually snorted.

“No more extermination for this year spoiled-brat. Don't push it.”

Charlie glanced down, looking like she was sucking on a lemon, and then clasped his hand with hers. She was frozen still for a second before gasping. There was no deal. At least, no deal that would bind her at her soul's level. Adam was leaving it up to her to fulfill the terms laid out or not.

Seeming to guess her feelings. Adam snorted, then turned and charged back towards the ongoing fight. Charlie shook her head and rushed after him.

Angel Dust was trying to hold Husk down and tie him up, but the catlike former-Overlord was more than Angel had bargained on. He suspected that only Husk's own attempts to slow himself down were what was giving Angel an edge, supported by Husk's words.
“Get out of here kid. You ain't gonna beat me and he won't let me stop. You gotta get away from here with Charlie!”

Angel felt wetness in his eyes. It was all so unfair.

“And leave you high and dry! No can do bud! I gotta get you out from under dat bastard.”

Husk smiled as softly as he could, even as his body conjured sharp cards and threw them at Angel Dust.

“That's sweet kid and I appreciate it. But you ain't gonna do that here and now. I'm lost, so save yourself. Charlie and the rest of you might be able to change things, so get away with them and think of a way to end this. I'll see you on the flip side.”

Still Angel hesitated, but suddenly a hand grabbed him and hoisted him into the air. Turning, he almost panicked when he saw than an Exorcist had him by the scruff of his neck and was flying away with him. But as he struggled, he saw that off to his left, most of the crowd was being carried by the exorcists, those that weren't were running along the ground below them. Charlie was being hoisted by Vaggie and Adam himself was carrying a few of his exorcists who were injured. Rosie, it appeared had managed to herd her Cannibals to follow, though a few refused to abandon their feast and were already being set upon by the Radio Demon and his minions. 

Explosions rocked the ground as he saw Cherri Bomb tossing explosives behind her as she dashed away.

“Quit twitching hellspawn, or I'll forget that we're allied for the moment” the Exorcist said in a flat voice, and Angel ceased his struggling.

As they passed the chasm, he saw a mass of grey and red creatures cresting the lip of it and begin moving forward. A second later, the screams of Pentagram City rose higher than they had since the worst Extermination days.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: A Hellish Day on Earth

On Earth, day had broken. As in, Day had Broken. At the Foundation, Doctor Amelia Buck had been enjoying a cup of coffee as Doctor Molly Collingwood had been talking about her relationship with Agent Lawrence. A few years ago, she would've sneered at wasting time with such things, but now, she just couldn't bring herself to stop Molly from looking so happy. Anyway, she had several reports to look over and she was always good at multitasking. Molly didn't mind, and so, as Buck listened to her gushing about her most recent date, she looked over the reports.

There was increased activity by cults of the Scarlet King. That would need looking into. It was a thought that proved prophetic as, in the next moment something happened which told them that things were very wrong. Alarms suddenly blared and both Collingwood and Buck sprung to their feet.

“Alert! Alert! Scenario-696 is in effect! Day has Broken. All employees on-site are to stay indoors and secure all entrances. Total lockdown is now in effect. This is not a a dril!.”

Buck could feel her breath catch in her throat as she and Molly began running, aiming for the control room for the entire base. Perhaps there they could get a better picture of what was going on.

Gustav tried his rune again and swore. Nothing. That rune connected to the highest echelons of the Chaos Insurgency. If they weren't responding . . . Gustav gulped. Suddenly his rune flickered and he grabbed it.

“D- . . . sir! What's going on!? We've got alerts lighting up the board here bu-”

“Join the light Gustav!”

Gustav stared at his only method of communicating to his true employers as well as his father. Was this a test?”

“I . . . I don't have anything further to report. What are things like on your end?”

There was a moment's silence before the voice that he'd known his whole life, sounding wrong somehow, spoke again.
“The dark light has come! The Pit yawns open! ALL HAIL THE SCARLET KING!”

Gustav blanched. He remembered hearing discussions about that thing, but never in earnest. He knew of the Scarlet King from his work here at the Foundation, what a threat he was. But if the Chaos Insurgency had been compromised.

With a shuddering breath, he turned the rune off and put his hands to his face.

“Dad . . .”

Agent Green looked over the cameras once more, then looked up as running footsteps announced the arrival of Buck and Collingwood.

“Are the alarms accurate?” Buck asked in a clipped voice.

Green nodded grimly.

“Sites worldwide are reporting the same things. The Sun's turned red and it's somehow shining on both sides of the planet. Exposure to sunlight is turning people into . . . well, look at this. He gestured to a camera feed of the outside of their compound. Blobs of what looked like rendered fat were milling around. Some seemed to be trying to reconstitute into a human shape, but most of them were starting to concentrate against the doors, obviously attempting to force entry.

“Do we have any method of reversal?”

Buck and Collingwood glanced at each other, their despairing faces answering Green's question. Buck started to pitch forward. She was white as a sheet and barely supported herself by gripping the desk in front of her.

“This is it . . . it's . . . Daybreak.”

Green caught Buck as she collapsed, holding her tightly, trying to give some comfort to her in the nightmare that had enveloped them.

Three Cherubs woke up screaming. Unlike all the nights wherein Colin had woken them up, trying to tell them about the dreams he'd had, this time they could feel a blanket of malevolent energy covering the world. It permeated the air like a miasma. Desperately, they sought each other's hands and found them, their screams slowly fading. Prayers, bit by bit, allowed them to regain a modicum of calm. But then they heard the screams that weren't their own.

They rushed to the window and gasped. They could see humans, screaming and sobbing, some were twisting in body, and they could tell their souls were doing no better. This was not falling, this was not a choice of theirs, this was an intrusion. Possession was the best approximation, but this was, perhaps not different, but more insidious than most. This was some creature, some unfathomable malevolence invading a person's being and twisting them.

“They're hurting!”

Colin was the one who had stated the obvious. Before either of his friends could do anything, he had flitted from their group and flown out the door of the Church they'd been sheltering in. As they left the door in pursuit of him, sunlight hitting their backs, they all gave gasps of pain. The sun's rays were coated in evil, and it now hung in the sky as a dark red eye, gazing balefully down upon the world.

Colin had approached a disintegrating mass of flesh that still had enough coherency left to scream. They saw him freeze, staring in horror at the thing in front of him. They sped up, hoping to save him from whatever might happen next. Colin had always been the kindest of them, and they always worried about him when things got rough. But then, Colin's back seemed to firm and, shocking them, he laid his hands on the now quivering lump of flesh.

Muttered prayers were heard as they finally caught up and, in an instant, the human began to reform. Before long, its general shape had come back, then almost before they knew it, the human was hugging himself and shuddering, staring at the sheep-like Cherub that had reversed whatever was happening.

“Colin . . .” Keenie's voice was shocked and Cletus's mouth was hanging wide open. Colin couldn't help but give a small wry smile.

“Well . . . I kept trying to tell you guys about my dreams but uh . . . you didn't really listen.”

“He hasn't abandoned us . . . “

Cletus's voice was a mix of awe and crying relief.

More screams sounded, and all three turned to see more people beginning to melt.

“Get inside the Church!” Colin said to his healed patient, who nodded and made a break for the building. Turning to the others, Colin cleared his throat.

“So, uh . . . shall we?”

Cletus and Keenie swallowed, then gave small smiles. Really, this was what they had wanted to do all along, wasn't it. Help people.

The three exiled Cherubs turned and flew once more out, searching for more souls to save.

Agent One writhed as his arm melted like candle wax. In front of him Agent Two was already a puddle, she had been sitting under the sun for their 'strategy meeting' (it wasn't a date, shut up). She'd only had the time to look at him in horror before she had collapsed. Only his arm had been in the sun, he always preferred the shade, but it was enough, and the whatever it was was spreading, if slowly. Dimly, as he looked around, he perceived that he was witnessing the collapse of civilization. Even now, many lumps that had once been people were attempting to reconstitute themselves into their former forms, mostly crudely.

Despair gripped his heart as he sat back. Now his shoulder was sloughing off and the feeling of violation was increasing. Tears leaked from his eyes. Was this it? No doubt this was a plot of Hell. Were any of the demons he and his best friend (some days his heart whispered that she was more) had fought involved? Even if not, it did not change the fact that he had failed. Their mission, so often derided and mocked as it was, was done. This was it.

The tears that leaped to his eyes only increased as Agent Two's face reappeared. Sloppily, whatever was controlling her now spoke.

“Come on Gunther! Let the light in! Join us!”

Agent One hung his head as he felt his neck start to sag. Not long now.

“Allison . . . I love you.”

He swore he saw Agent Two's form twitch before his existence devolved to pain.

But then, as his soul writhed in agony, there was a sound of beating wings and suddenly, the pain stopped escalating. Then it began to recede.

“God . . . dear God please help us! Don't let this be a hallucination!”

The thought only seemed to hasten the feeling and, within a few seconds, Agent One opened his eyes and sprang back in his chair, his body no longer sagging like a dripping candle. Before him were three creatures glowing softly. Two looked like sheep and one vaguely like a baby in overalls.

“You okay mister?” the blue tinted sheep asked.

Numbly, Agent One nodded, then he was distracted by the rising form of Agent Two. She, or whatever she was now, was twitching and writhing. It was trying to fling itself forward towards them. Before Agent One could point or shout, his three saviors had turned and floated towards her (he noticed they had wings).

They laid hands on the twitching mass that had been his partner, and began muttering. He heard various calls to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, reproaches and orders for the Demon to get out, and saw their hands glow.

Agent Two's form slowly reasserted itself, and as soon as she was whole again, she collapsed against the table, sobbing incoherently. In an instant, Agent One was at her side, putting his arms around her. She cuddled up against him as he tried to calm her down.

“Ah, Colin, I don't think they like what we're doing!”

Looking up and around, Agent One noticed that several of the blobs formerly known as humans were converging on them. The Babyish looking creature nodded.

“Right, well we need to get these two to safety. Follow us!”

He managed to get Agent Two on her feet and half-carried her as they followed the trio of little flying saviors. Through alleys and across streets for a several minutes until they espied a cathedral. At the doors, they knocked and were asked for a password.

“Jesus is Lord!” came the reply and they were let in.

Inside was what looked to be a makeshift refugee camp. Cots and sleeping bags were laid out and chairs in the worship room had been pulled aside to make room. People of all stripes and ages were milling about, some simply staring blankly ahead, others hugging friends and family, while others were tending to the needs of the others.

“Here,” a woman had walked up to them and handed two bottles of water. Before Agent One could say anything to thank her, she was off to hand out more of them. Agent Two was still huddled up against him, tears flowing silently down her face as she and he looked out and around. His eyes were caught as he saw the three winged rescuers flitted from person to person, checking in on their wounds and muttering words of encouragement.

After a few moments they converged together and he heard them talking.

“There are some more possessed humans wandering around outside, we should go free them” the blue lamb stated emphatically.

The golden lamb nodded, replying in her feminine voice “I agree Colin, but maybe we should start thinking about what we're going to do long-term. Cletus, you said that you had something to tell us.”

The babyish one nodded.

“Pastor Todd came over and told me that he can talk to a lot of his congregation on the phone. Seems a lot of them aren't getting possessed under the sun. They're trying to coordinate up them all meeting here.”

The three Angelic beings looked around at the room at large. Presently, Colin spoke.

“I know that God wants us to keep healing people, but I feel like there's more than that. Plus, unless someone else from Heaven comes down, it'll take forever to find everyone in the world to heal them.”

“I might be able to help.”

Agent One strode up to the three, pulling off his sunglasses and sticking out a hand.
“Agent One, my organization was attempting to track Demons and other Demonic related activities on Earth. I think we might have common goals.”

The three angelic beings looked between each other, then the baby-like one shook his hand.

“Who were you working for mister?”

Gunther smirked.

“We were a subsection of it, but broadly . . . the SCP Foundation.”

Chapter Text

"Carmilla, open up!"

There was no answer.

The motley group of Exorcists, Cannibals, and Hotel Residents were standing in front of Carmilla's factory complex and Vaggie was banging on the door. There were distinct groups as none of the Exorcists wanted to stand near the Cannibals who had been eating their friends and so Charlie, Angel Dust, Razzle, Dazzle ad Cherri Bomb were standing between the two groups.

The giant form of the Scarlet King could be seen in the distance, and a massive outpouring of cries were shaking Pentagram City as whatever minions he had summoned moved into it. The normal cacophony of gunshot and explosion was ratcheting up as a new type of violence moved on them. It was impossible to tell if they were simply running roughshod or if the Sinners, so used to turf wars and violence, were putting up a good fight.

"Carmilla, I know you can see what's going on, you need to let us-"

The loudspeaker on the side of the massive doors crackled to life.

"Leave. Now. You've brought enough problems to my doorstep, so leave or else my defenses will make short work of you."

Vaggie glanced back at Charlie helplessly before preparing to knock and speak again. However, she was shouldered out of the way by Adam who placed a hand on the door and spoke to the intercom in a distinctly unamused voice.

"Bitch, you can either let us in, or I am going to break these doors down and leave you at the mercy of all the fucked up bullshit going on. Don't forget, I got a personal beef with you for making the weapons that got my girls killed, which, now that I think about it . . . you killed the first one, didn't you?!"

There was a moment's silence. Then the intercom crackled.

"I want exemption from Extermination for myself and my daughters . . . for eternity."

Adam actually burst out laughing.

"Hahahahaha, that's rich! I'm willing to entertain not targeting you anymore than I would any other sinner, but bitch, that's too big an ask for anything. Now open the doors, or I'll knock them down."

There was a moments silence. Adam cracked a knuckle and tapped the door, knocking out a set of notes that Charlie thought Alastor might've done the first time he arrived at the Hotel.

Soundtrack: Shave and Haircut, Two Bits Knock

At the last two taps, he hit harder than before, though nowhere near his full power. Even so, the impact shook the gates and caused a backblast of air that ruffled everyone's clothes. Charlie couldn't help but gulp at the reminder of how dangerous he was. Adam crossed his arms, giving the camera an expectant look

After a moment, there was a tone, and the doors creaked open. Everyone hurried inside and the doors shut behind them.

Carmilla was waiting for them in the main entryway, and she had what looked like an army's worth of sinners wielding an armies worth and type of gear. Guns, mortars, and whatever other type of military equipment you could think of was being trained on the intruders into the Carmine factory district.
"That's far enough."

Carmilla was standing on an elevated platform above them. Her eyes were narrowed and she was staring down at them with a sneer on her face.
"Now . . . give me one good reason not to erase you all here and now."

Charlie stepped forward.

"Carmilla there's a new monster that's threatening us all! He's called the Scarlet King-"

"I can well see the enemy from my windows Princess," Carmilla cut her off with a sharp look. "In fact, I would be very shocked if any soul in Hell with access to Voxtech networks didn't know all that has gone on. You and your father truly have made a mess of things."

She turned her eyes on Adam.
"And then there's you. You also have yet to give me a reason not to erase you from existence. And before you get cocky, I am the foremost user of Angelic Steel, there is enough in my weapons to put you out of action for good."

Adam stared at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, real smart there. Threaten some of the only people in Hell who might be willing to have your back and can actually damage that giant fuck out there. It continuously amazes me how you filth just seem to degrade in every department over time."

Carmilla's face tightened, she raised a hand and countless laser-sights flicked on. Most of them trained onto Adam who stared unblinking at the Overlord.

There was a long minute of silence as everyone stared each other down. Finally, Carmilla sighed, and dropped her hand. The Laser-sights clicked off.

"As I said before, I have my price for allowing you all in." She fixed Charlie with her gaze. The young girl gulped.

"I want a pact with you for the coming days. Should we succeed in vanquishing the foe, I shall not be interfered with and will become the sole supplier of your forces."

She turned her gaze on Adam, who crossed his hands.

"And as for you. As I said before, I want Heavenly protection from exterminations. I did not seek confrontation with your Exorcist's, I was only defending myself and my daughters when I struck down one of your number. In the short term, I will agree to a pact of alliance, with the agreement that after the current crisis is over, we shall speak again and make terms. If any harm comes to me or my daughters via treachery or if you attempt to make the future negotiations all about punishing me, then the deal will be broken with penalties on your end."

She held out her hand.

Adam stared at it, then looked back at his Exorcists and the rough shape they were in. He blew air through his nose and then sighed.

"I'll accept on condition that no harm is done to my girls and they get medical treatment. Plus, if you try and demand something stupid for the future deal, like my head on a platter or your own heavenly host, then the deal's off and I'll make you pay. I'll be fair and say that negotiating for your life-" he glanced at the two girls behind Carmilla and Charlie swore his face softened just the tiniest bit, but she must've imagined it "-or your daughters, isn't under the aforementioned stupidity, but I ain't gonna trust you further than I can throw you."

Charlie nervously spoke up.

"Uh . . . yeah, I agree. We can talk later, but if any of us tries to get something really pushing the envelope out of it, we can opt out."

The three clasped hands in turn, and the pact was sealed. Carmilla immediately turned and began issuing orders to secure the perimeter and to get medical equipment for the wounded.

In the confusion of the next hour, Charlie hardly knew where to turn next. She dreaded talking to Rosie, considering how horribly things had turned out, but was shocked when the Cannibal Overlord had been less angry than she though she would be. In fact, while Rosie had been rather put out that she was far from Cannibal Town at the moment, and even somewhat down at Alastor's fate, she nonetheless seemed ravenously happy that she had managed to taste Angelic flesh. Charlie had to stress to her that she and her Cannibals couldn't do that at the moment, and while Rosie had eventually accepted this line of reasoning, there was a look of animalistic greed behind her eyes that shook Charlie.

Her check ups after that had found Angel Dust sitting at a table, being tended to by Cherri Bomb. The bomb-throwing Sinner wasn't doing or saying much, but occasionally patted her friend's shoulder as Angel Dust talked about how worried he was about Husk and Nifty. Charlie had offered what condolences she could. Angel Dust had appreciated it, and Cherri Bomb had waved her off. She seemed oddly a bit more subdued than Charlie had ever seen her. She got a clue on why as she left and heard Angel make a sly comment about Sir Pentious kissing her, and that she'd apparently liked it. That had brought a mix of pain and amusement to her.

Razzle and Dazzle needed healing as well, but after that, she found a new focus when she turned a corner and found a sight that made her blink. Adam and Lute were talking to Vaggie, and she wondered how that had happened. Charlie appeared to come into the middle of their conversation, and she hurried to Vaggie's side to show support.

"You wanted me to kill a kid."

Adam snorted at Vaggie's protestations.

"Tell me you know nothing without meaning to Vags. Let's play that out okay. If the kid was actually a kid, why was he in Hell?"

Vaggie rolled her eyes.
"Because you dumbasses are way too uptight about what gets people into Heaven."

"EH!, Wrong! Why do people go to Hell Vaggiepuss?"

Vaggie narrowed her eyes. Charlie hopped in.

"You don't know, you said so!"

Adam rolled his eyes.
"I don't know the absolute specifics, one thing aside, but bitches please, I've seen all of human history. Get that through your admittedly hot heads. All. Of. Human. History. Therefore, I think I'm a little qualified to say that if anyone goes to Hell, at best its because they were bad and did bad things. Didn't do anything against their nature in other words. Most of the rest of them did pretty depraved stuff. And darling, for a kid to fall down here, let me tell you, he didn't just steal candy from another kid, he did stuff so bad even I don't want to talk about it!"

His chest was heaving and the two girls had taken a step back, surprised at the vehemence in his voice. Then Adam continued.

"Of course, how do you even know that was a kid?"

"What?" Vaggie asked in a confused voice.

Adam blew air out through his nose.

"How many kids do you see in Hell. How many have you seen since that kid?"

Vaggie opened up her mouth, then shut it again, looking a bit shocked.

"Eeeexactly. Now, a lot of forms people take in Hell tend to me more ironic than not, when their not just weird. So tell me, what sort of people associated with kids would wind up down here?"

Charlie was starting to feel sick, as well she knew Vaggie would be as well. She didn't want Adam to continue, but he did so mercilessly.

"I can tell you both get it, but let me spell it out. Congrats Vaggasaurus, you defended and let go what probs was a child-serial killer and/or a pedophile. All because you were so eager to think well of these FUCKING DISSAPOINTMENTS!"

"Dissapointments?" Charlie said in confusion. She saw Adam's eyes twitch and his hands clench.

"That still doesn't excuse what you did to me?!" Vaggie roared. "Why did you mutilate me?!"

Lute spoke for the first time.
"You proved yourself a traitor! We are an elite unit! We go. Into. Hell! Weakness will be taken advantage of and eaten up by the Pit and we could not have you putting the rest of us at risk!"

"Then why did you abandon me!" Vaggie screamed, tears in her eye.

Adam's expression didn't drop, but it did tighten with something indefinable. Even Lute looked to the side. Both of them were silent for a long moment as Charlie and Vaggie stared.

"Honestly, you shouldn't have been an exorcist" Adam said in a flat voice. Before Vaggie could open her mouth in rage, he went on. "We train hard and do a hard job. We have to be ruthless and on guard, because this Pit will jump on any openings. I wondered how much you paid attention in classes but I brushed it off thinking you'll learn on the job. But me putting it off just let things get to a point where all of us blew up."

"I . . . I can only say that we were in the heat of the moment . . ." Lute said through gritted teeth. "Perhaps I . . . overreacted."

"Maybe . . . we . . . were . . . wrong." Every word sounded like it cost Adam something to say that. They looked at him in shock. He himself looked shocked as he turned and looked at his reflection on one of the metal walls.

". . . why was that so hard to say? . . . When did it get so hard to look at myself?"

His words were soft and quiet. So quiet they almost didn't hear them.

"Well . . . at least we can agree now." Charlie's voice was tentatively hopeful.

Adam blinked, then frowned.

"Oh no. Don't go thinking we're all buddy buddy Princess."

Charlie frowned herself, and a pleading note entered her voice.

"But you just said you might've been wrong. I always wanted to work with Heaven. If you could just support my hotel then-"

Adam was giving her a very unimpressed look.

"Me being wrong about how I treated Vaggie doesn't make you right."

"Seriously?!" Vaggie's voice carried immense frustration. "Are you so far up your own ass that you can't even give Charlie the time of day!?"

"Why should he give the Hellspawn a chance, she-" Lute began vehemently before Adam held up a hand. At her silence, he gave her a sharp look.

"Lute, go and make sure the defenses are holding. Strengthen them where you can, and make sure none of the disappointments have given into their base instincts. I'll handle this."

Lute looked like she very much wanted to protest before sighing and nodding. After she had left the room, Adam turned back and Vaggie and Charlie both felt a pressure descend on them as he looked them dead in the eyes.

"When did you give me a reason to take you seriously?"

Charlie gulped, but then rallied.

"I tried to talk to you. At the meeting! I tried to pitch my hotel and you sung me out of the room while you rubbed another extermination in my face."

Adam snorted.

"Bitch, I was supposed to meet your dad. One of my girls had just died-" Charlie and Vaggie shivered at the chill that momentarily hit the room at those words. "-so pardon me if I wasn't in the best mood possible to listen to bratty half-pints who have no idea how the real world works."

He took a deep breath, then let it out through his nose.

"But I'll give you a minor credit. You're better than your parents, if horribly naive which is a step above the hidden sociopath I thought you probably were. At least you wanted to help things get better down here, even if you botched it completely."

Charlie's face just looked blank.

"So why did you treat me so badly?"

Adam fixed her with his eyes, and she was unable to see the full depths of them. It came home to her just how old Adam really was. So much swam behind those depths.

"Princess. I've known your family my whole existence. Trust me when I say that I know more about the horrors and deprivations your Mom and Dad have wrought than almost anyone else in the cosmos. Imagine, if you will, someone who seduces Vaggie here away from you, made her hate you, made her think you wanted her to be slavishly submissive. But no, they aren't satisfied with doing that, they come back and feed your new flame, who you love just as much as the old one, a poison worse than any other in existence. A poison that is going to cripple any and all your children and fuck the whole world up beyond recognition. You take the poison and join your new love in trying to live with it. Not content with that even, the person and Vaggie tempts one of your kids to kill the other for starters, then proceeds to spend the rest of their immortal life making sure the poison has an easier time of it ruining your whole bloodline. Even after you're dead and gone, they don't stop, because they can't stand that other people love your kids enough to not give up on them. Worse still, the kids who give in, who die and go to be with them, they do nothing to help. Hell, literally, they make the world such that it rewards people for being horrible to each other. Don't!-" Adam snarled the last word as Charlie raised a hand. "-don't pretend that your parents ran Hell well at all! They let crime-lords take advantage of others, let them out to hurt the living when they could and didn't lift a finger to make anything better unless it affected them. Not even for the Hellborn."

There was a potent silence as Adam pinned both girls with his eyes.

"Now imagine, if you will. That this person and Vaggie have a kid. Now that kid, who shows up randomly to a meeting that you were supposed to have with their dad. A meeting I will add, that you called after someone you love who was supposed to be with you for eternity, has been killed in their kingdom. So, admittedly, you're annoyed and burnt out on meetings that don't really get anywhere, so you bitch and moan for a bit to let off stress and to annoy her but you get to the point eventually. You even do the kid the courtesy of letting her go first and what does she do? She tries to pitch you a half-assed plan about fixing things with crayon and marker with no idea what she's doing after obviously trying to stroke your ego into it, so you can already tell she thinks the worst of you and is more than willing to try and manipulate you. Now tell me. How seriously would you take her?"

Charlie and Vaggie stared.

And stared.

And stared.

"I j- . . . just . . . wanted to help."

Adam snorted.

"Maybe. But I don't think you can. You never gave me any reason to think you could actually make any difference or that you had any interest in an equal partnership."

"B-but-" Charlie had tears in her eyes. "-why couldn't you just listen!? Even if I was winging it. Why didn't you give me advice!?"

"Why did you think we were automatically evil when we didn't cave to your wishes? When we said, 'hold the fuck up, this could go bad.' Your Mom and Dad have made an existence out of trying to reshape reality to their whims and fucking things even worse than before. The best reasons you ever gave me for why we should let this happen boiled down to 'you're mean if you don't do what I say' and 'you're job seems annoying, let me do this completely untested and liable to blow up in our faces thing to let you out of it.'"

His gaze pinned Charlie as he continued.

"Also, you never asked. I mean, really, both times you talked to Heaven about it, you never once asked for some advice, you were a sterling student of your father in Pridefully acting like you knew everything while not having a fucking clue what you were doing. Or worse, knowing exactly what you were doing and just keeping on trying even when people with more experience tell you to stop and rethink."

Vaggie gritted her teeth, looking back and forth between Charlie and Adam.

"You didn't give us a choice, dick! You threatened us and spat on us! Charlie's not evil and you treated her like she was!"

Adam was silent for a moment, giving Vaggie a hope she'd struck a blow. Then he shrugged.

"Maybe I should've been a bit more tactful. The fact remains that when reality didn't bend you your whim, you two demanded to see life's manager like an angry Karen. Why the here did you demand a meeting in Heaven if all you were going to do is scream at us for not following you?"

"You treated me like a spoiled brat!" Charlie growled, her eyes going red for a moment.

Adam sighed.

"Okay, the courtroom wasn't my best moment, but keep in mind Princess. I hadn't seen you in five months, and suddenly you're in Heaven, trying to go over my head. My 'asking to see the manager' comment writes itself. Also, again, one of my girls was dead, so I already had reason to think this was part of a larger scheme."

"You tried to blackmail me!" Vaggie growled.
Adam narrowed his eyes, and sniffed. "You aligned with the daughter of the literal devil Vaggie. Again, maybe not my best moment and I should've dealt with things sooner. But your coming to Heaven, in her company and supporting her goals, pretty much broadcast that you were pulling out all the stops, willing to spill any secret, do anything to get back at us. Call me paranoid if you want. But before you do, spend ten-thousand plus years dealing with this Bitch's dad-" he gave a dismissive gesture to Charlie, "-trying every which way to fuck over you and your kids and their kids on and on ad infinitum before you use that word. And once again, kinda convenient, isn't it. I lose an exorcist, and then another one gets killed? So forgive me for being suspicious."

Adam shook his head, sighing in an exasperated way.

"Really, did you expect anything good to come of you just waltzing back in after everything? You could've at least sent a message through the Embassy to let us know you were just there to support her, or even just told her everything. But no, you valued the good feelings she gave you over the actual integrity of your relationship. The whole trip to Heaven was a clusterfuck finally running together with you in the driver's seat."
Charlie was breathing heavily.

"What else was I supposed to do?!"

"HOW ABOUT PROVE IT WORKS!" Adam roared, and for a moment he looked deranged and Charlie and Vaggie did take a step back. Eyes alight, Adam continued.

"You two think you know everything! You think no one ever tried before! You think I never did! It doesn't happen! I have so many people gone that I'm never going to see again!"

His shoulders slumped and his eyes went to the ground and the heaviness in the room changed in tenor. The tears that came to Charlie's eyes were no longer solely for her own sake.

"I would've been thrilled if you'd succeeded Princess." Adam's voice had dipped, now low as the Ocean Floor. "If you had shown me that a soul was redeemed I would've supported you. But no, you acted like it was already a done deal and then kept antagonizing me, kept drawing attention. You had no proof, your spider-whore's good moment didn't land him in Heaven and you got angry at us when we didn't try and break the laws of reality because you asked. Maybe worst, you made Emily feel like Hell was innocent. Innocent." He laughed, his voice growing truly venomous. "Your little duet in the courtroom was one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. 'If Hell is forever, then Heaven must be a lie.' What a load of demon-shit . . ."

There was a long silence, before Adam suddenly straightened up. The pressure ceased and his face went back to the calmly confident look that had so aggravated Charlie and Vaggie before.

"Well, not that any of this matters. Don't know really why I'm telling you all this. You've made it pretty clear I'm the villain in your story. Ah well. Suppose we'll see how that turns out once the Scarlet Bitch is dead. See you later."

And with that, he turned and walked out of the room. He was gone so fast that the two women were left blinking. Staring at at the door. Not sure what to do in his wake. Vaggie seemed to come out of it first and she hugged Charlie, whispering soft nothings in her ear. Normally Charlie liked that, it helped drive away the bad feelings when something got in her way. But this time, after a minute or so, she couldn't forget Adam's words, Adam's expressions, Adam's points. She squeezed Vaggie one last time and set off, not quite sure where she was going.

She wandered for a bit, trying to put everything in perspective, to square it with what she 'knew' of the world.

She was failing.

Then she turned a corner and heard a whimper. It had come out of a room on her right and she cautiously poked her head around the door.

To her surprise she saw a gathering of about three of the Egg-Bois that had always been at Sir Pentious's side. She had all but forgotten about them in what had happened since the fight for the Hotel had begun. In fact, now that she thought about it, she was honestly surprised that they hadn't all died when Adam had wiped Sir Pentious and his blimp out of existence.

Her heart throbbed as she stepped into the room. The three diminutive beings all looked up at her, blinking. There was a red liquid running down their shells that looked something like egg-yolk and all three were holding hands.

"Hi . . . sooooo . . . what's wrong?" Charlie could not for the life of her think of anything better to say.

The three stared up at her, then their eyes drooped to the ground.

"I miss boss" the Egg-shaped minion said in a heavy, subdued voice.

Charlie stared down at the few Egg-Bois, all that remained of the once numerous crew, feeling tears coming to her eyes. With a sob, she knelt down, and swept them up in a hug, trying to process everything that had happened, that her father was gone, that one of her friends was . . . gone.

She was there for a long time.

Chapter Text

Sir Pentious's soul reeled and shook. He had already been dead when the Head Exorcist destroyed him. What comes at double-death? All in all, he wasn't satisfied. Perhaps he should've been, things had been getting better. He had made friends for the first time in over a century of loneliness that he'd papered over with ego since he landed in Hell. He had even managed to kiss Cherri Bomb. The last six months had been among the best he'd had since he died, which admittedly wasn't a high bar to clear. And overall, if he'd had to die (double-die?) again, he could think of far worse ways than trying to save his friends.

But . . . no, he knew it wasn't enough. And now it was home to roost. Every Sinner felt it at bottom, and he wondered if Charlie, or even Vaggie could understand. He wondered if most Sinners even understood, he thought they might if they stopped to self-examine. Perhaps that was why none of them ever tried much. Ever tried to be better than the things that had damned them. Because deep at their core they knew a simple truth.

It was hopeless.

Even now, the feeling that lurked in every sinner was suffocating, brought to horrific reality. He was being dragged down, to worse than Hell (or maybe it was true Hell where he was going) because Sin had him and would not let go. And perhaps worst of all, he could do nothing. None of them could. Even they at the Hotel, who Pentious knew to be among the best of those living in the Pit, were helpless in the end. That Sin that started in life, that had clung to humanity since Adam and Eve had bitten that damned fruit, was drawing him deeper. There was no filter anymore, no drugs, no ego, nothing to shield him from that emptiness that now claimed him.

And he knew all he did, could do, would do, was for naught. He could not escape it, could never do enough to be free of it. Even if he had lived the most virtuous life possible, he would've given in somewhere, and this Sin could still claim him. Nothing he did, no human effort could ever be righteous enough to escape it. It would be like him trying to lift a mountain with only his mortal hands.

Perhaps this was the truth of Sin. It was not only a violation of yourself, it was a deprivation of reality, of metaphysical law. It was emptiness, it was lack of good, and right now, it had him.

Sir Pentious writhed and shrieked, desperately trying to remember Charlie in her genuine but naive wish to do good. Was this what her father and mother had gifted Sir Pentious's race when they gave them the fruit? Anger and pity warred him him as he wished he could see her again, to save her from her father's lies. He wished he could see the others. He wished he could do something, anything to be better. In greater effort than ever before, he thought desperately.

"Someone . . . anyone . . . please help!"

And he looked up, realizing he had eyes. He was caught in a miasma of blackness, like tar, slowly sinking (he wondered if he had managed to break the surface, and wondered how, if that were the case). In a more scientific frame of mind, he might've mused on it being some sort of metaphor, but now there was merely a momentarily banished panic replaced by wonder. For standing upon the tar, untroubled and unsupported was a man. No wings, nothing special looking about him, he wore a plain white robe with a piece of rope around his middle to hold it in place. He looked down at Sir Pentious with eyes that were somehow stern and soft at the same time.

"Phineas Fogge, do you want to be set free?"

Pentious, gasped at the sound of his human name, he had almost forgotten it after so long.

"Of course!"

The man knelt slightly, holding out his hand, palm open. It was a simple gesture, a helping hand outstretched, waiting to be grasped.

"Then take my hand."

Somehow, inside, Pentious understood it was more than that. It was simple, but not. He must turn, must admit, must commit. But to commit would be choice, it would mean an about face, to realize the truth. That he could not save himself, but this man could. He could not rely on himself, could not afford ego, could not afford his pride, could not put up any pretense. He must strip naked of his defenses, of the habits that had driven him to Hell, and then been his shield during his time there. The choice that he and so many others had made in life and death, to turn away from the light that showed him for all he was, must now itself be turned from.

The concept terrified him.

The tar pulled at him, and he felt himself sinking. The man abided, waiting on his choice. There was pity in his eyes, but it was a hard pity. Pentious knew at the bottom of his soul that this man could not be induced by pleading to a halfway rescue, to a rescue on different terms. It was Pentious's choice now to make.

Desperately, still he tried to compromise.

"Will you promise not to change me?!"

The man, calm as ever, simply shook his head solemnly. Pentious's heart sank.

He tried to steel himself, but his pride tugged at him, was he to beg at a commoner's feet? Next, fear came. What if this was all a trick, a cruel jest to enhance his suffering? Then an anger, why must he make a choice like this!? Why did he have to change?! And finally, despair, for already his shoulders were sinking. He didn't want to change, but he knew what he'd been . . . no, what he was, wasn't working. It never had.

"I can't do it, I can't make a choice! Please, help me make the choice!"

It was a strange thought, to ask for the strength to make a choice. And rising to his mind were memories of his youth, before he became obsessed with invention and his own fame. Back in old England, he remembered Sunday school and for the first time in over a century, he thought the prayer that so many had throughout history.

"Our father, who art in Heaven."

So strange how little they thought of God in all this.

"Hallowed be thy Holy Name."

He had denigrated so much Holy, as had so many others.

"Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done."

A verse of that old book he had once dismissed said that the Kingdom was within his people. Well, the Kingdom Pentious had fallen to, had become part of, was not a Kingdom to be proud of at all.

"On Earth as it is in Heaven."

It was strange, and yet not strange at all as he thought that all this started the moment he was born. For all moments of life, he and those he knew had been becoming what they were in the present. Hell had simply stripped the veneer. He had no one and nothing to blame but his own choices for what he had done with the circumstances of his life.

"Give us this day, our daily bread."

His soul cried out, so long divorced from that which he knew would be the only true nourishment.

"And forgive us our trespasses."

So much to forgive. His pride, his anger, his dishonesty. Sin clung to him, and he had acted in concert with it. Been a slave to it.

"As we forgive those who trespass against us."

He didn't want to, but he knew that he should, for not to do so would be to flee from his own culpability, from his own guilt, from his own choices.

"And lead us not into temptation."

He needed help, needed guidance. He didn't know the way.

"But deliver us from evil."

Please . . .

"For yours is the Kingdom, yours is the Power, and yours is the Glory forever. Amen."

.

.

.

"I'M SORRY!"

The tar was around his neck and lapping at his chin, but Pentious could only stare at the man as tears ran down his scaly face. Every word burned as he pushed his hand forward, fighting against the cloying darkness to try and take the proffered palm.

"I WAS WRONG! I SINNED! I DID WRONG! PLEASE HELP ME! REMOVE THIS ROOT OF EVIL FROM ME! I CAN'T DO IT! I DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE THIS ANYMORE! DEAR GOD PLEASE HELP ME! BE MY SAVIOR, BE MY LORD! I REPENT! I-"

Foul sludge filled his mouth and his head slipped down and back into the grip of Sin. Darkness filled him with no veil, no escape. His hand disappeared below the surface and Sin claimed him.

But then something grabbed his arm and pulled. Once more, his hand broke the surface. He felt the blackness contract. It didn't want to let him go. But it had no power to withhold him as the fingers gripped pulled him up.

His head emerged and he spat and choked as he spewed the tar from his mouth. The man was lifting him, pulling him up until he was fully free of the muck. Supporting Pentious, he pulled him along, and presently, he felt solid ground beneath his tail and hands. He pressed against the grass, cool and waving and still felt the darkness within him. He looked up, into the eyes of infinity that the man looked at him with.

"P-please . . . h-help me."

The man smiled, and it was the most beautiful sight Pentious had ever seen. A hand was placed on his forehead as he was drawn into a hug, and after a moment of warmth, the snake doubled over, coughing. Then, coming from somewhere deep inside him, he vomited black tar. Blacker and blacker it was as he expelled it from himself, so black as to be absence of color. It hurt horribly, worse than any pain he had felt in his life and unlife.

He was 16 years old, and he was smarter than anyone else he knew. Inside him he felt pride, and it soured, he looked down on others. It grew throughout his life until he thought himself the most important person to have lived. It only changed in Hell in that it became a cover, his shield to run from the fact that he was consigned to the Pit.

On and on, every choice he'd made in life laid out before him, with full context. Every angry word said that caused another pain. Every moment of pride and self-aggrandizement. Every moment where fear, even if unacknowledged, had prevented him from reaching out and being a friend to people who needed it. There were some good too, but none of it changed his nature, his choices, that insurmountable weight that sickened the human race. If life were an account, he had run into so much debt that he could not repay it. He had turned from the transcendent, throwing it to the side in the attempted fulfillment of naught but his own selfish endeavors. But then, the man was there, and he held Pentious up, pulling him up and away from the mistakes and choices that had doomed him.

The hands and chest of the man cushioned him, occasionally rubbing, sometimes slapping his back to help him get rid of larger bits of the un-light. The man massaged him in a way, using some sort of technique that repeatedly forced the darkness out of wherever it might be hiding and out through Pentious's mouth. The only thing that saw him through the getting rid of it was the knowledge that he must do it, and the man's comforting presence.

Finally, as his retching calmed, he opened his eyes and looked around. The darkness swirled around them, its malevolence apparent. Fear seized him that it would come back, bind to him again, drag him back. But a flash of red drew his eyes.

Blood, red blood was spreading through the darkness, and wherever it went the darkness sizzled and faded. Before long, the blood sank into the earth, and from it sprouted the most vibrant grass ever to be seen. Within seconds, the green earth leading to sandy shores and gentle rolling waves under a bright sun was all there was, the black tar nothing but a bad memory.

Finally gaining the courage to do so, he looked up. The man was still holding him, but now a smile was in his eyes.

"Welcome back Phineas, my son."

Really, Phineas had known who it was from the moment he'd seen him. And if he had any doubts, the holes in the man's wrists, from whence had come the blood, would've left him with no doubts. And now, as light blossomed within, he found himself smiling and glowing.

Literally, he realized. He was glowing. The black scales that had been his body since he had fallen were shining with a golden light. In a moment and a flash, he had transformed. He was clad in white, and he stared down at himself. On an instinct, he concentrated and, low and behold, he stood upon two feet again. Phineas Fogge, a man who had lived and died, inspired books, made inventions, and fallen to Sin, stood once more in his human body.

He could access both his human form and his . . . it wasn't a sinner form anymore was it? No, it was as God did with all who came to him. It was redeemed.

Phineas smiled, the tears streaming down his face now showing his happiness rather than his despair. He flung his arms around his creator's chest, and Jesus, laughing with delight, hugged him back.

Soundtrack: Newsboys - Amazing Love