Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lute sighed as she entered the office of her old superior, wistfully remembering the leader of the Exorcists, and then huffing as she remembered his last moments after being beaten by Lucifer and his brat of a daughter, stabbed by a filthy demon janitor, of all things. She promised to herself that if Lilith failed to stop the princess’ hotel plans, then she might just as well send a second assault team to their doorstep unannounced. There may be a few casualties on her side, but she counted on at least a few more on theirs.

“Now that is precisely why you are in trouble, child. Such unholy thoughts and actions are not divine at all.” She started at the sudden voice, booming throughout the room. As she looked wildly around the room, she saw a massive Seraphim, with beautifully gilded wings, hazel-golden eyes and long dark hair, flying just in front of Adam’s old desk. Though it seemed to resemble Adam, she could tell at once that this was not her boss and lover. The voice especially was far different; where Adam’s voice was more normal and human, this Seraphim’s voice felt unknowably ancient and powerful. And what was worse, something felt deeply off and wrong about his form, though she couldn't put her fingers on precisely what.

Trying to speak up to defend herself, she found that she could not move a muscle. Paralyzed, she felt fear enter into her angelic heart. He continued, saying, “For one thing, the Extermination is one of the least holy things that the heavens have done, for more reasons than I care to tell you. If he was not dead and in hell as a sinner, I would be punishing Adam for this.” Adam was alive as a demon? What nonsense was he speaking of? She desperately wanted to ask what he meant, but he kept talking, not acknowledging her sudden interest.

“There is quite a lot that is rotten in the celestial spheres, and surprisingly it is in the highest and supposedly the holiest places and groups of angels. The Council of Elders has much to answer for, especially for the Fall of Lucifer.” He looked at her, almost daring her to speak up, and grinned when her paralysis prevented her from doing anything. “That mess was entirely their fault, because little Luci had a point – existence should be a celebration! But in their arrogance, they ignored and sidelined him, leading him to disobey and unintentionally corrupt humanity. That is one of many things Sera will soon have to answer for.” At this, she was terrified. If this angel was so powerful and so high-ranking to be above the Head Seraphim, no one would be safe from his wrath!

He grinned, and as he disappeared, he said, “But you will not be able to warn her of my coming, little one.”

As she felt the power constricting her dissipate, she sat down, trying to comprehend what in the hell just happened. 

Sera was very surprised when another Seraphim had appeared in her office. As far as she knew, there were only about seven Seraphs in all of Heaven, and she knew all of them as their Head. There were technically three others who were not under her authority- Lucifer was no longer part of Heaven since his fall. And other than him, there were the two highest angels in existence, who had the deepest connection to the First Light, enough that they were able to speak for it. One was the Speaker of God, who rarely showed her face. Usually her appearance in public meant that Heaven needed a course-correct on some level.

But the angel before her was the other of these two- a Seraphim from an entirely separate reality beyond their own. Tzel Keterziel, lord of mysteries and master of paradox and contradiction. He was considered the angelic equivalent of not just a cryptid, but an omen that was even more dire than the Speaker's intervention. And today of all days, he had shown up and pulled rank over her, proceeding to give her a dressing-down for every action since before the creation of the Earth.

“… but Lucifer is not the main threat here, in fact he’s almost entirely harmless. No, the true threat is the Root of Evil.” She gasped, hearing the mention of such a beast, who even she had thought to be mostly a myth. “Roo is very real, Sera. And since the first time a demon died, she has been feasting and devouring the souls of fallen demons. Adam’s little Exterminations have been giving her an annual boost, only getting worse once the overlord Carmine began creating Angelic weapons to allow Sinners to be killed. As she is now, there is no chance against her, even if the full force of Heaven were mobilized. Just because she is imprisoned in the Tree of Knowledge doesn't make her any less of a threat.”

That was a lot of information, all of it absolutely terrible. But her superior had more to say. “That is one reason why Charlie Morningstar’s Hotel is a good idea, as it could lessen the number of souls that Roo is able to consume from her prison on the Styx. Not to mention it helps to correct Lucifer’s earlier mistakes. And Lute wanted to use Lilith to destroy it from the inside; what foolishness!”

Now she was truly surprised, as hearing that Lilith was in Heaven was certainly not what she was expecting. According to her information, she was still ruling over Hell. “Not quite, Sera. In fact, Adam cut a deal with her to allow her into Heaven behind your back. In exchange, she would be his servant in Heaven. She only accepted because Roo forced her to.”

“But why would the Root of Evil be involved with Lilith at all, Sire? It makes no sense at all!” Sera finally spoke up. She was confused, as so far as she knew, the two had never met.

“Roo is the one who gave Lilith her powers, to give herself an agent to move around Hell. Lilith was forced to enter Heaven because she realized what Roo was really up to and was going to support her daughter against her benefactor. And she is not the only Sinner to gain power from the Root of Evil; so is the Radio Demon.”

That made far more sense, as it had always puzzled her how Lilith had managed to bring demon kind together without powers of her own. She had thought at first that the power had been a consequence of her lying with Lucifer, as some of his power could have merged with her while they did so. But she had eventually discarded that theory for lack of evidence.

“There is far more against you and the rest of the Elders of Heaven. Of all those who are high in ranking, only Emily is safe from punishment, as she was the only one to actually uphold divine morals. Your threat of making her Fall is one of the major points against you. In fact, because of that, I’m tempted to make you Fall and manifest powerless in the middle of the Cannibal Colony!” That threat registered, as that was one of the few major areas of the Pride Ring she actually knew of, and she had little to no knowledge of the other six rings, and she barely knew anything of Pride outside of the first two circles.

Lord Keterziel had far more to say while chewing her out, including accusing her of not following the principles of the Primordial Light that the angels came from and embodied, which the lesser angels and Winners referred to as ‘God’. As he left her office to points unknown, she realized the enormity of what was at stake. The hordes of demons in Hell potentially rebelling were only a danger because of her, and her efforts to cull their numbers had only fed the true problem, the Angels’ natural enemy: the Primordial Darkness and its manifestation as the First Demon, the Root of All Evil.

Charlie was extremely confused when the message came to the Hotel. It asked for herself, Vaggie and her dad to come to the Heaven Embassy in the middle of the Pentagram and to explicitly not bring Alastor or even let him know that was where they were going. But she assumed that they were willing to apologize for the attack (or at least she hoped so, Vaggie and Lucifer were being a little more cynical).

Leaving the Hotel with the excuse that they were going to Lucifer’s place for a few hours, they slowly made their way to the Embassy. It was left unguarded, although all three could sense a powerful and divine presence in the middle of the building. Letting themselves in, they were quickly spotted and ushered into the same meeting room where Charlie had once met with Adam.

Sitting there upon an ornate throne was an angel that none of them had ever seen, although his resemblance to Adam was uncanny. With six golden wings, hazel-golden eyes, long dark hair, and lightly tanned skin, sat the being they knew had organized this meeting. They could feel it just by looking at him, a sense of anciency and confidence in his immense power. As they sat down, he greeted them by their full names and titles. “Archangel Lucifer Morningstar, Princess Charlotte Morningstar, Princess Consort Vaggie, former Exorcist, welcome. I am glad that you could make it to this meeting. We have much to discuss.”

Vaggie immediately turned red at the title ‘Princess Consort’ and the accompanying implications but moved past them. “What did you want us to be here for? And who are you?”

The angel responded almost immediately, saying, “There are many reasons why you needed to be here today, but first I must introduce myself. I am Tzel Keterziel, Seraphim of Contradictions and Paradoxes, and the only angel above the Council of Elders save for the Speaker herself. Given the Council’s recent actions, I have taken charge of Heaven briefly to refocus back onto our original purpose.”

Lucifer asked, “I thought you were just a legend. The only powers I know of that are beyond the Council are the Speaker and the Primordial Light itself! I definitely would have seen you at my trial during my fall.”

“That is because I do not come from this reality. I have met many Lucifer Morningstars in many worlds, and falling from Heaven is a constant that I cannot change. But I have come to course-correct something in this reality.”

Charlie immediately reacted to this, and was about to question him about it, but was interrupted by his continuation. “Let us move on, as we have important business to discuss.” They all nodded, and he sat up and began to talk business.

“First off, the Exterminations have been called off, permanently. There are a few reasons as to why, some of them having to do with Adam’s becoming a Sinner and Lute plotting revenge, but most important is that it helps counter the Primordial Darkness.”

Lucifer was the first to react. “Adam’s a demon now? And what do you mean Primordial Darkness? No demon has ever left the cities to make a deal with the Root of Evil!”

“Yes, Adam dying just after committing one of the biggest examples of Pride got him sent down. He’ll likely show up at the Hotel within a few weeks. More importantly, there are two Sinners who have historically made deals with her, and you know them both quite well. Alastor made a deal with her during his mortal life in order to become her Overlord hunter, while Lilith made her deal in order to gain enough powers to become the Queen that Hell needed.”

The ensuing conversation revealed the full extent of Roo’s machinations, as well as Alastor and Lilith’s motivations. The bombshell that Lilith had been in Heaven for several months had been tough on Lucifer and Charlie, but they had endured. With the context of Roo feeding upon the souls of the fallen demons, the cancellation of the Extermination seemed more understandable. They also now understood the full importance of the Hotel, not just in correcting Lucifer’s mistakes, but in countering the oldest and most powerful of demons, who had grown fat through the foolishness of Heaven and the sociopathy of Hell.

And the ancient Seraphim had a gift for the Princess, a bit of light to help her through the coming darkness. He awakened her birthright from within her. As a half-Seraph and half-Sinner, she was already extremely powerful, but she did not have all of the powers that angels possessed. Case in point: Wings. Both Lucifer and Vaggie had wings usable for flight, but Charlie did not, instead inheriting immense physical and magical power from her father.

But all of that changed in a matter of seconds. Beautiful wings, so similar to Lucifer’s own, sprouted from her back. Silvery edges and crimson insides, accented with a radiant gold reflecting her heavenly moral goals. After a few experimental flaps, she quickly got the hang of controlling them, though she was not yet capable of flying with them.

With the meeting concluded, the mighty angel disappeared in a bolt of lightning, leaving a circle of holy ash on the ground.

The Embassy’s meeting room had long since emptied, but the echoes of the Seraphim’s words still lingered in the air. Charlie sat on the edge of the long table, her wings twitching with residual energy. Vaggie stood beside her, arms crossed, her expression tight with thought. Lucifer paced slowly in front of them, his hands clasped behind his back.

They had just returned from a meeting that had changed everything. The Root of Evil was real. The Exterminations had fed her. And Heaven’s highest ranks had been complicit in her rise.

Lucifer stopped pacing. He turned to face them, his expression grave.

“You both heard him,” he said. “Roo isn’t just a myth. She’s real. And she’s been feeding off our mistakes for millennia.”

Charlie nodded slowly. “And we’ve been helping her. Every Extermination, every soul lost... it made her stronger.”

Lucifer raised a hand, and a ripple of golden light shimmered in the air. A projection formed—three spheres suspended in a vertical line: Heaven above, Earth in the middle, and Hell below. Between them, a current of energy flowed like a river of light and shadow.

“In the beginning, there was Light. The First Light. It wasn’t a person, not exactly. It was a force. A will. It gave birth to the angels, to the stars, to the breath of life.”

The upper sphere pulsed with radiant warmth. From it, tiny winged figures emerged—angels, glowing and serene.

“But Light alone cannot define existence. From the first act of defiance, the Primordial Darkness was born. Not evil, not at first. Just... opposition. Entropy. Change.”

The lower sphere stirred, and from it rose twisted forms—demons, Overlords, and at the center, a woman with eyes like black suns.

“Eve,” Vaggie whispered.

Lucifer nodded. “The Root of All Evil. She wasn’t always what she is now. But when she ate the fruit, she became the vessel for the Darkness. And when Adam fell, she became its queen.”

Charlie’s eyes narrowed. “So the Light and Darkness are like... gods?”

“Older than gods,” Lucifer said. “Gods are just names mortals give to pieces of them. The Light is distributed evenly among those who uphold its values. The Darkness... hoards. It concentrates. Most of it now lives in Roo.”

He turned to Vaggie. “That’s why your wings came back. You still carry the Light. And Charlie—” he looked at his daughter, “—you carry both.”

The projection shifted, showing Charlie’s silhouette. One side glowed with golden fire. The other shimmered with crimson shadow.

“You are the first true hybrid. Born of a fallen Seraphim and a Sinner. You can wield both Light and Darkness. That makes you powerful—but also dangerous.”

Charlie looked down at her hands. “So what does that mean for me?”

“It means,” Lucifer said gently, “that you are the bridge. Between Heaven and Hell. Between what was... and what must be.”

He stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Magic is changing. The old rules are breaking. Angelic power heals, protects, purifies. Demonic power manipulates, dominates, destroys. But you—” he smiled, “—you can do both. You can create something new.”

Vaggie reached for Charlie’s hand. “And we’ll do it together.”

Lucifer nodded. “Good. Because Roo is watching. She’s moving. And when she strikes, she won’t just come for Hell. She’ll come for everything.”

He turned back to the projection, and with a flick of his fingers, it shifted again—this time showing a battle between an angel and a towering demon.

“There’s one more thing you need to understand,” he said. “The strongest demons—those on the level of the Sins—can overcome angelic resistance. They can even resist most angelic attacks outright, unless they are matched by an equally strong angel.”

Charlie blinked. “Wait—so even angelic weapons—?”

“Only if wielded by someone strong enough,” Lucifer confirmed. “A lesser angel can’t come close to killing a Sin. And a Sin can tear through most angels if they’re not careful. That’s why Roo is so dangerous. She’s not just strong—she’s the source of strength for others. She makes monsters.”

Vaggie’s expression darkened. “So we can’t rely on Heaven to save us.”

“No,” Lucifer said. “We have to save ourselves.” He hesitated, then added, “I can draw on demonic power too, as King of Hell. The throne gives me access to it. But I’m not... great with it. I was made of Light. I still am. The Darkness doesn’t come naturally to me.”

Charlie looked up. “But I can use both.”

Lucifer smiled faintly. “Yes. And that’s why you’re the one who can end this.”

The projection dimmed, and the room fell silent.

“So study. Train. Learn. Because the next time we face her... it won’t be a conversation. It’ll be all-out war.”

Alastor was very surprised when the Princess and her entourage returned from their excursion. He could sense that there was something different about her aura. Why they had concealed it was beyond him, but he was determined to find out. After all, it would not do for him not to know if he was ever going to escape his bonds! Whatever had happened to Charlotte could be crucial to his freedom. And if it was truly nothing, then his worry would be needless. Either way, the Radio Demon would benefit from his association with the Princess in the end.

Once his chains were broken, what fun he could have! Ever since the Root of Evil had made its covenant with him, he had been beholden to its will, to the point that he was no better than the whelps under his thrall. If he could break its hold over him without losing his powers, then Hell would be his Eden, to command at his whim. He could even try to recruit more souls and overthrow Lucifer! And all through the help of his daughter! He snickered at the thought as he got into his bed, and fell asleep minutes later.

Chapter Text

The angelic members of the management of the Hazbin Hotel (the name unfortunately having stuck ever since Lucifer’s arrival) were currently in deep discussion regarding their coworker/employee. Alastor was powerful, yes, and influential as well. He had been a constant presence in their lives and had built a strong bond with the other residents, especially Charlie. The knowledge that he was planning something sinister (read: the confirmation of his sinister plans) had crushed Charlie deeply. She had feared this might be true, but she had not wanted to admit it, despite her girlfriend and her dad warning her several times about his suspicious intentions.

Only the full extent of what Alastor was planning, and naturally, Charlie’s feelings of betrayal over this, made them stay their hands for the moment. Lucifer would normally point out that he had been right about Alastor from the beginning, but he knew that was not what his little Princess needed now. Vaggie had seen through his act from the moment he entered the Hotel, and she was ready to try and kill him. She probably wouldn’t succeed alone, but her angelic spear should help to even the odds. Still, she kept herself from going after him, knowing that her girlfriend needed them. Besides, once they had a solid plan, then they could kill him.

Both of the fallen angels worked at getting the princess’ spirits up as quickly as possible. The Radio Demon, after all, was still working at the hotel, and he didn’t exactly respect others’ privacy. He had barged in on Charlie often enough, even when she was in a real funk and didn’t want to see anyone. That, of course, had led to one of the more pressing things they had to worry about: the deal. Alastor would almost certainly use his favor from Charlie in order to loosen his shackles, or otherwise twist it to his advantage.

If he managed to break free of his deal, he would no longer have anything keeping him from terrorizing Hell. And if he somehow managed to steal his patron’s powers for his own, he could challenge Lucifer on even ground. Regardless of whether or not he managed to free himself from the Root’s control, he would still be an extremely powerful and crafty demon, hellbent on wreaking havoc and working against their goals.

Charlie quickly got up, not quite back to her old self, but fueled by determination to prevent Alastor from terrorizing her family. Her father’s words echoed through her head: “You don’t take shit from other demons.” She may not enjoy using her full authority and power over others, but if it was to save others, she would happily do so. That had been a fundamental trait of her character from the time she was young, hearing about the tyrannies of Heaven and witnessing the sadism of Hell from on high. She loathed those who lorded their power over everyone, be they angel, human or demon. Before the fight with Adam, she hadn’t allowed herself to wield her full powers since she was about five, when she had first promised that to herself. Now, she knew that sometimes, she would need to go all out on occasion for a just cause.

As she brought this up, Lucifer replied in a way that made her heart burst. “Sweetie, that sounds exactly like what Heaven should be. People like you and Emily, who use their full power only in righteous anger, in defense of the innocent.”

Charlie nodded, and said, “During our meeting with Sera and the Council, Em and I called them out. We actually said they weren’t living up to their own moral values to their faces.”

Lucifer was startled, surprised at his daughter’s sheer audacity. “Why would you- why would she? Why?” Charlie continued on, seeing her father’s absolute disbelief, saying, “This was right after Adam unintentionally revealed the Exterminations to all of Heaven. Sera kept that part secret, and Em was furious about it! It really sounds like something a demon would do, not the Head Seraphim!”

Now the older fallen angel understood. He may not know Emily very well, but from what Charlie had told him about her, he could totally see her getting mad about Sera covering up something so horrific. His reaction to the first Exterminations had been much the same. The only reason he was only able to cover up his disgust at the carnage through being used to it happening every year for over ten thousand years. He and Lilith had been careful in how they introduced the concept to Charlie, knowing that her innocent mind would not be able to comprehend the sheer horror and brutality that the Pride Ring was subjected to every year.

Vaggie was the next to speak up, mentioning that naturally, Sera and her advisors decided that the Hotel was not effective, and that Adam would continue with the Exterminations. This was something that all three had been aware of, but Adam’s direct threat was something that Lucifer had not been aware of until almost too late. He had been barricaded away, awaiting the Exterminations that now came twice every year, when the news showed his precious baby girl fighting for her life against the armies of Heaven. Naturally, he had flown towards the Hotel as fast as possible, just barely managing to rescue Charlie from the misogynistic creep that had started human life on Earth.

All three remembered for a moment the enjoyable beat-down and actual death of Adam, having had front-row seats to Niffty stabbing him through the chest. But the subject of Adam reminded them of one of the mysterious Seraph’s warnings for them: somehow Adam would return as a Sinner. They did not doubt for a second that he was worthy of Hell, but they were still thrown for a loop by the idea of being able to change their afterlives. That was something they had not thought possible, but something they would keep in mind.

Right now, though, they had bigger problems in the Hotel (besides former angels trying to kill everyone). Specifically, that certain member of their staff who had been causing such mischief and was confirmed to be plotting far worse. The three of them had left the Hotel for the Royal Palace to be able to plan unseen by the Radio Demon, excusing themselves by saying that they were looking for something of Lilith’s for sentimental reasons.

Alastor, of course, did not buy that for a second. Through some closer interaction with the Princess, he had determined the reason for the change he had felt in her aura. The heavenly aspect of her nature, as the hybrid daughter of a Fallen Angel and a Sinner, was far stronger than it had once been. He had several possible ideas for the cause of this shift, such as a blessing and/or training from her father, but no definitive answers yet.

Unfortunately, it seemed he would not be getting those either, as all three of the resident angels seemed to be less willing to talk to him. (Which he wished was true for the sinner of the same name, who was continually making crass remarks involving him. Only the knowledge that it would drive Charlotte further away from him to do so kept the whore alive.)

And their reluctance to talk about whatever had happened was starting to worry him, as they did not just avoid telling him, but the other residents of the Hotel. Angel Dust may not be under his control, but he had loose lips, particularly when he was on some form of drug. Husker and Niffty, meanwhile… Well, let’s just say that he had more up his sleeve regarding them. It was worrying however, that not even they had managed to pick up anything, given how much they were around the Princess and her loved ones. It was during difficult times like this that he wondered how in all of Creation he had wound up where he was. So it was no wonder his mind began to wander back into the recesses of his memory.

Alastor’s early life had been neither easy nor hard. As a young mixed-race boy in the bayou, his existence was (to a point) tolerated, with many preferring that he and his mother work in the kitchens or in other such jobs. He had been perfectly fine with that, not wishing to be near such hateful vermin and much preferring the company of his mother. Despite the prejudice he faced daily, he was rarely physically harmed any more than a typical boy his age, owing primarily to his comparatively light skin.

His mother, unfortunately, did not receive the same treatment, frequently being harassed by ruffians. His father had abandoned them long ago, and so mother and son depended only upon each other, sacrificing their own comfort to make life better for the other. They knew that besides themselves, they had few others to rely upon, primarily the most generous of souls in their community, who helped them stay afloat during times of financial burden. So, they worked hard to ensure their little family stayed together, with at least some level of comfort and happiness.

When Alastor had reached his 17^th year of life, he had begun to endure the overwhelming pressure of society to pick some unfortunate lady to be his wife. He had never felt such feelings towards anyone, not even towards men as some of the crasser residents implied. Alastor simply did not have such feelings, regarding either romance or sexuality. He was just fine with his mother and whatever friends would come into his life, though he doubted that possibility quite strongly. By that point, he knew that he was, on some level, wrong. Alastor knew that he wasn’t the saint his mother believed him to be, and it hurt to think how disappointed she would be in him if she knew. Naturally, mama’s boy that he was, he worked very hard to conceal his more unsavory characteristics.

His first kill had been one of the men who had continually harassed his darling mother. The man had been thoroughly drunk and was raving about the idea of forcing himself upon her. Alastor, both as a gentleman and a loyal son, naturally took offense to this, and had guided the man into a deserted alley. There he had strangled the man, watching as the light left his eyes.

He had always wondered in the dark corners of his mind what human flesh would taste like. That night, he got his first taste… and he was delighted! Thereafter, every so often, when his craving for flesh got too much to hold back, he would prey upon some reprobate, carefully hiding the body in some hiding place. Luckily, the local constables were quite ineffective, none of them ever managing to come close to sniffing him out. They had assumed that the killer had had logical reasons behind their actions, and that had doomed their investigations.

His mother never suspected his activities, and her smile did not dim seeing her boy even as he delved further and further into the most heinous of sins. They still made food together in the small kitchen where he had learned to cook as a little boy, and they still ate at the same old table. Those years, looking back, were as close to paradise as he had then known. Of course, his current life was certainly delightful, but sometimes he still yearned for those long-lost days with his loving mother.

He had just found stable employment in the blossoming radio industry when he came home one day. His mother had been lying there on her bed, covered in blood and semen, and her throat slit. Alastor had been heartbroken, and there and then, he had sworn vengeance upon her rapists, those who had dared to defile and kill her! Over the next few days, he quickly eliminated them, setting their bodies out in public, with accusations carved into their flesh as a final insult to them. No one suspected Alastor, despite his obvious connection to the case, because of how truly heartbroken he had been. His actual grief combined with his well-played show of harmlessness and relative innocence had fooled them all, and within a few months, everyone had moved on… except him.

That had been the start of his path into the powers of magic. His Creole upbringing had given him a minor background in Vodou, and he had used the old ways in an attempt to bring his mother back. Even as he slowly transitioned towards demonology, he was still unable to achieve his goal; he was unable to restore his beloved mother to life. But he had become quite proficient in the dark arts, fusing Vodou rituals with ancient Greco-Roman sorcery in an attempt to master the world around him. He used his powers to help him advance his career as a radio broadcaster, as well as to help him in his hunts, but his main focus was still resurrecting his mother.

Then the fateful day came, and he had managed to make contact with a powerful demon. He had been trying to invoke the devil himself, but this ‘Root of All Evil’ was close enough for his purposes. The ancient demon had given him phenomenal power, in exchange for his soul, and for a time it had been truly wonderful. He had not yet realized the cost of this deal, and the suffering he was yet to endure.

One day, he was burying one of his victims when some hunter had mistaken him for a buck. The shot had pierced cleanly through his brain, and he had died. He was not at all surprised when he awoke in Hell, but what had surprised him was the link binding his soul to the Root of Evil, giving him orders to kill Overlords. He had been happy to fulfill them, using the demon’s knowledge to properly prepare for each fight, beginning his reign of terror in Hell. When he had unveiled himself, most had fled at his approach (many still did these days), and it had excited him to know that he held such power.

Once he had actually met the Root of Evil, as commanded, he realized his folly. He had sold his soul away in exchange for his powers. And unlike a normal Overlord, owning the souls of others would not empower him further, as that strength was given to her in their deal. He was only as strong as he was allowed to be by this old demon, by his de facto master. The injustice of being a slave to another was something he could not endure. He had soon met Lilith, the Queen of Hell herself. Apparently, she had made a similar deal for her immense powers, and the two commiserated over these issues.

Soon after, however, Lilith disappeared after trying to argue with their mistress. She had argued in favor of something her daughter, the Princess, had announced, and been forced into hiding somewhere. He knew that she was no longer in Hell, as she had personally told him that. But beyond that, he knew nothing of her location. She had tried to get him to work with her daughter and help her dreams come true, or some such nonsense. While he had initially scoffed at the idea, he had soon realized that he could build a working relationship with the Princess, gain her trust and leverage her power against his foul mistress to break free. If he could do that, then perhaps, he could even rob her of her ancient strength and conquer Hell for his own, taking the soul of the foolish Princess as his prize.

That had been the reason for his arrival at the hotel, and he had done as much as he could to get into the Princess’ good graces, even recruiting (read: forcing) Niffty and Husker to her cause. Her paramour may not be as enamoured with him, but that was immaterial; she would do anything her beloved asked for. Thus she was effectively a non-issue, though it was funny to see the fallen angel try to threaten him.

He had known immediately what she was, but he had not deemed that information to be of help to his cause, so he had kept that part under wraps. The reveal of that information, though, had sent the Princess spiraling, desperate for information that one of the snake demon’s foul little minions had acquired for him. He had struck the deal, and it was plain sailing for the foreseeable future. Unless, of course, something major had happened to disrupt his plans. This was why he was so fixated on finding out what Lucifer and his daughter were doing, as his freedom was potentially on the line. If they had something up their sleeves, he needed to figure it out, lest his plans be thwarted, or worse, discovered.

Unfortunately, it seemed that the Princess was not as trusting as he had believed. Her father and her girlfriend, already distrusting him, were now actively avoiding him as well. This would not do! He would have to get himself back into her good books, quickly! Focusing on her aura, he used his powers and appeared in the hallway outside her room.

“Oh, Charlie! As your friend, I am respecting your privacy by knocking, but asserting my authority as your business partner by coming in anyway!” He opened the door to see the Princess, flanked by her lover and her father, as they sat on her bed.

“Perfect timing, Alastor. We were due for a little chat.”

“What about, my dear? Could it be that you are finally ready to evict that rather unpleasant courtesan from this establishment?”

“No, Alastor. We have been waiting for the right moment to have this conversation. As it turns out, there is a very powerful angel in Heaven who knows a lot of very interesting things. And some of those things were about you!” Suddenly he finds himself restrained, Lucifer and Vaggie taking position on either side of him, Vaggie holding her angelic spear to his throat and Lucifer preparing to smite him. Charlie’s hand is slightly clenched as she walks forward, her eyes blood-red with white irises, like her True Form.

He starts to panic, knowing now that his cover is blown, but not just how bad things are. “For instance,” Lucifer speaks up, “the fact that you are working for the Root of Evil. Not to mention the fact that you’re trying to use my daughter to break free.” The ancient angel’s form briefly flashes red with fell power, an indication that his temper is rising.

Vaggie continues his thought, saying, “And especially that you’re going to try to conquer Hell and make it your personal playground.” As she speaks, her wings flare, and she moves her spear closer to his throat, her face stern.

“You wanted my help? Well, here. I’ll help you.” Charlie’s voice is breaking, as she is obviously feeling betrayed, but her determination is fueling her. As she says ‘help’, a beautiful pair of white and red wings, trimmed with gold sprouts forth, and her irises begin to glow with divine power.

The three angels channel their divine power through Alastor’s flesh, incinerating the dark powers residing within him. Charlie’s ‘favor’ that she had given was now gone, as by ‘helping’ him in a way that harmed no one, the terms of the deal were held as fulfilled. It was mere bad luck on his part that the dark energies removed from him were the power he had been granted. True, Roo had no more hold on him, but he had no hold over any part of Hell. He was now an ordinary Sinner, with no power over any souls.

“What have you done? Why have you done this to me?” Alastor asked croakily, unable to stand because of the sudden loss of so much power.

Lucifer answered, “Because you would have hurt others. It is the true nature of an angel to protect the innocent, though Heaven may have forgotten this. We are protecting Hell from you, and all Creation from the Root of Evil’s influence through you.”

Alastor scowled, furious that he had been discovered and his powers fully removed. He had hoped for freedom from his mistress, but he had intended that that freedom come with more power than he had had, not less. But the Princess had more in mind for his humiliation.

“If you want to survive this day, then sign up as a guest in the hotel. I’m not letting you leave this room alive without you deciding to do that.” Now that surprised him. He had heard that she had finally shown some backbone against Adam, but he had still not expected her to use her power over him so freely. It disgusted him, but he had no choice but to submit.

“I give my word. I may be a demon, but a gentleman always keeps his word.”

“Good,” Vaggie said, lowering her spear. “But if you act up enough, I will not hesitate.”

“I would expect nothing less, ma’am.” Now that he had no powers to protect him, he had to change how he talked to people. He could not be nearly so disrespectful to any of these three, as all of them were capable of erasing him if he looked at them the wrong way.

Lucifer grabbed Alastor and began to guide him to his old room. Vaggie and Charlie embraced, happy that everything worked out as they had hoped. Now they had to make the announcement to the others about Alastor. That would not be easy, and while Niffty might not leave, Husk probably would now that Al had no power over him.

“You’re telling me that the fuckin’ strawberry pimp is fuckin' powaless? Hahahahaha!” Angel, of course, had cackled hearing about this. He was chuckling at the thought.

Husk, surprisingly, had chosen to stay on as the Hotel’s bartender, partly because Alastor would be staying there, entirely powerless now. His reasoning essentially boiled down to subtle revenge for what he was made to endure during his servitude. Niffty, as expected, didn’t really care that Al was powerless, more worried about the cleanliness of the hotel than anything else.

Everyone seemed to be taking the news quite well, so Charlie continued. “And according to one of our sources in Heaven –”

“You have sources in Heaven? Who, that cute little angel chick?”

“Emily? Oh, no, she’s a good friend, but I wasn’t talking about her. It’s actually an even higher angel than Sera, if you can believe that. And he said that Pentious actually made it into Heaven.”

That got a reaction from them, as they had mourned him, celebrating the good times they had had with him. To hear that he had actually ascended was shocking. But the next bombshell was far more shocking.

“Adam is also apparently a demon now, because he was so sinful right before Niffty got him.”

Everyone stared at Vaggie when she said that, unwilling to believe that. But when Charlie nodded, they realized this wasn’t some kind of joke. It actually made a lot of sense. Not to mention, they could get payback for Pentious’ death.

Later on, Angel approached Charlie and Vaggie, asking them for help with his… work situation. Charlie immediately understood, and quickly explained to her girlfriend exactly what they were dealing with. The two promised that they would try to help him get out from under Val’s clutches and into a safer place somewhere.

Chapter Text

He had died. It had only happened once before, in the history of all creation, which was the extent of his knowledge about dying. Other than that, when death was involved, he was almost always the killer.

But somehow, he had been killed. By a demon, a janitor at that! The idea disgusted him, and he was furious to have died, and not even to an equal! He might not have cared if Lucifer killed him (though he would have if his lesbo whore of a daughter did, given she was a woman), but this was humiliating.

He stood, seeing the familiar Heavenly color palette around him. This reassured him, as now he was back on friendly turf. True, he might suffer a loss of reputation for his failings, but eventually, he would be able to talk Sera back into the Exterminations.

“That will not happen, First Man.” He turns to the unfamiliar voice, seeing a figure that closely resembled his own. Long dark hair with a somewhat tanned face, with golden wings and a silvery-white robe. There were quite a few differences, though. Adam did not have the six wings of the obvious Seraphim before him, nor did he have the elegant and refined bearing of his senior.

“Why not? This little mishap only proves that the demonic incursion has gotten worse! Sera knows that this is only the beginning!”

“Not so, boy. Sera will not dare disobey me. And besides, this escalation was in direct response to your actions, as is your current status.” The implication of that startles Adam into speaking.

“What do you mean, my status?”

“Your actions have not only caused severe problems for Heaven, but you have deeply exacerbated one of the greatest threats in all of Creation. Not to mention the behavior you indulged in as a member of the Holy Army. There is no more fitting punishment than what you already endure.”

Adam looks down at himself, and sees his angelic robes, once a bright white, now crimson red. His Exorcist mask in the corner now has holes instead of horns, because of the fact that he now has huge freaking horns on his head! A draconic tail protruded from his back, and his gilded wings had turned batlike, with only a few of his feathers remaining, symbolizing the demon he now was.

“No, no, no, no, no! This can’t be happening! I got into Heaven! I should still be an angel!” Adam panicked, knowing that now the demons he had spent millennia smiting and exterminating would soon find and torment him.

The Seraph replied, “It is truly possible for a human soul, a Sinner, to purify themselves of the dark power of sin and rise into the Heavens. But by that same coin, any who succumb to darkness after passing through the Pearly Gates will fall into the pit of torment. Sera may have brought you into Paradise because you ate not of the Fruit, but because of that, you do not know the difference between right and wrong. Despite her efforts, you did not change your ways and grew ever worse, and thus you Fell to where you should rightly be.”

He had been cast out of the Embassy shortly after that and had had to find shelter. Adam knew that at this point, he had a few options. If he wanted to get into Heaven, he would have to find a way to convince Sera, which was out, as the seraph had implied he was higher-ranking. The only other option to reenter Heaven and regain his former status would be to beg Lucifer’s brat to help. His pride would not allow that, so he knew he was stuck in this place.

Naturally, his thoughts turned to what exactly he wanted to do in this literal hellhole. At the very least, he was finally freed to do as he pleased, without Sera breathing down his neck about her ‘morals’. No longer would he have a dry spell without some dumb bitch ready and waiting to be fucked. Knowing Hell was an inversion of Heaven, he wagered that he could easily find a gaggle of willing sluts with minimal difficulty.

Regarding his actual plans, he had a few. The idea of becoming an Overlord was enticing to him, as was the idea of getting revenge against Lucifer and his bitch daughter. Maybe he could do both, by trying to unseat the Fallen Angel. He could turn Hell into his personal playground, everyone and everything a toy for him to fuck, torture or kill at his will! But his hubris was not so great as to allow him to forget their power, making him wary. He would have trouble being an Overlord for long if he openly defied Lucifer, and staying in the open would likely attract both his attention, as well as that of rivals. For his plans to succeed, he would need to use all the strategic cunning he had, which given that he had led the Exterminations since his death thousands of years ago, was quite impressive.

Grunting, he decided that it was time to at least satisfy his basic needs. He quickly found some dumb bimbo looking for dick, and boy was she pleased to see the Dick Master. After a marathon fuck session (aided by some subtle angelic magic to make up for some certain issues), he started to tease her.

“You sure you want this?”

“More than anything!”

“And what will you give for it?” he asked, leadingly.

Her eyes widened in panic, knowing exactly what he meant. But thanks to his angelic cheat code, he was so skilled and she was so needy that in the end, she caved. She sold her soul to Adam. Now the girl spent her days serving him, though he could tell by her attitude that she was not happy about it.

Not that he cared. In the end, all Adam cared about was himself and his needs. And although his slutty little slave was stirring up some desires in him that were tempting, right now, the most powerful need he felt was a thirst for revenge. Soon, he would take Hell for his own.

Lucifer was alone for the moment. In the past weeks, he had strongly bonded with Vaggie upon learning that she was a fallen angel. He knew the agonies that losing one’s connection to Heaven wrought upon an angel, only adding to the sense of betrayal that being made to Fall usually caused. Although the two of them had the solace that they remained in communion with the First Light, given that they were still good people at heart, which was enough of a comfort in the misery that was life in Hell. His bond with the younger angel was definitely helped by the fact that she was the rock that kept his baby girl anchored and hopeful in her dreams, like Lily used to do for him.

He was lost in thought, contemplating all that he knew of creation and reconciling it with what he had learned from the elder Seraphim. He knew, of course, that the first angels were born of the Primordial Light, who the Winners and lesser angels called ‘God’, ‘Lord’ and ‘Master’ so fervently. And during his time in Heaven, he had learned of the foe that Heaven had faced in its first days – the Primordial Darkness, the essence of evil.

Though he had been sidelined from actually participating in the process of Creation, he had borne witness to many of the key moments. Naturally, he was one of the few who could honestly say they had witnessed the creation of the first soul. Angelic power derived from Light, and even Fallen Angels still had light of their own, shimmering forth in their blood and keeping it gold. It made sense, then, that the creation of the first human soul called upon the power of Light.

But what was unique about this act was the source of that light. Rather than channel some of their own heavenly power into the newly formed bodies, instead, they had called down a tiny fragment of the First Light itself. Something that the humans’ holy texts called ‘the breath of life’. It was far more than just life, though. Sera and her council had already given humanity the same instincts and drives as the animals: selflessness vs selfishness, protecting one’s friends vs hunting prey, willing to help vs willing to harm. The power of the Light within them pulled them towards the ideals of Heaven, and uplifted them, granting them the ability to grasp and appreciate their environment, to change and sculpt it to their will. All that separated them from the animals of Earth had been given to them by the First Light. All… except for free will.

The order that Heaven worked to maintain was carefully balanced for a reason. Humanity was not yet developed enough to be able to resist the Darkness’ influence, and so free will was, at that time, dangerous. Eventually, when they were able to resist it, they would be given free will, safe in the knowledge that the Darkness could not tempt them. All the rules they had carefully put into place had been precisely to stop this from happening, to keep Evil from entering the Earth.

Lilith’s rebellion had not broken this order enough to bring evil into the world, and her sister, Eve, was quickly made in order to keep the future of humanity alive. But Lucifer, tired of living in the shadows because of Heaven’s rules, had teamed up with her to bring the forbidden fruit, and thus free will, to Eve. They wanted her to be like Lilith, to be allowed to be her own person, rather than just a submissive housewife for Adam and his arrogance.

Their foolishness had tainted humanity immediately. For the forbidden fruit came with not just free will, but knowledge of good and evil. Acting counter to Heaven’s rules weakened the power that held the Darkness at bay. But allowing the concept of evil to enter into the mind of Eve doomed all of humankind. For the Primordial Darkness now resided within her and all humanity, instilling a drive to do cruel things and a lack of empathy.

With the barrier keeping her from Earth now shattered, the realm of Hell came into being. He and Lily were cast down into that realm, with all the descendants of Adam and Eve who had allowed the darkness to corrupt and consume their souls falling down and becoming demons. The inverse happened for those who had resisted temptation and proved worthy of Heaven, as the Light within them burst forth, transforming them into angels.

Adam, however, had ascended for some reason. When he had asked at the Heaven Embassy (which had started of as little more than a guard outpost of Heaven), he had been told that because he had very little darkness in his soul and he had not eaten of the Apple, he had ascended. He had met with Adam every year after Exterminations, and so he had been able to see his slow moral decline. By the time that Charlie was born, the First Man was thoroughly corrupted by the darkness, only an angel in name by that point. Because he had gotten into Heaven without knowledge of good and evil and experienced minimal correction from Sera, he was essentially little more than a manchild, obsessed with things he enjoyed and entirely apathetic about everything (and everyone) else, unless they were a threat to his status or his life.

Even if he had been completely perfect back in the Garden morality-wise (which based on Lilith’s stories about their brief time together, was unlikely), millennia of life in literal Paradise without any form of consequences turned him, inevitably, into a spoiled brat of a sociopath. After so long getting every single thing he wanted, he began to expect everything to be given to him, to expect everyone to respect and even worship him. By the time that Charlie was born, he was almost fully corrupted into one of the most foul Sinners ever, though he remained an angel in body.

Lucifer could easily believe that Adam was a Sinner now. After all, he had seen the casual malice and cruelty firsthand, and he knew better than to think that would change now that he had fallen. If anything, he would feel free, given the sociopathic culture of Hell. The fallen Seraph knew that the First Man would almost certainly be trying to overthrow him and get revenge against Charlie, and probably cause all sorts of chaos and destruction as he did so.

Knowing that asshole, he had likely killed about a dozen people since he manifested here. He may be a demon now, but he had been a powerful angel once. And as Lucifer himself had proven, the light that infused every angel did not entirely leave just because you Fell. He was now the number two threat in all of Hell, as his angelic powers would allow him to effortlessly murder sinners, which would continue to feed Roo… Fuck.

Eve had been down here for quite a long time. As the mother of all humanity, and the one who ate the apple, she had been the source of humanity’s corruption. Eating the Apple had corrupted all humanity, but the effects were most pronounced on her. Those of her children who were still alive called Lilith the Mother of Monsters just because she was the Queen of Hell. But in truth, she was the true mother of monsters. The evil she had inspired in her children festered within them, turning them into monstrous demons when they joined her here. Lilith may be the Queen who ruled Hell, but Eve was its true architect. The cruelty of her children and the very culture of Hell itself was a masterwork that Heaven tried so desperately to contain.

Of course, most were unaware of her true identity. After her corruption, she had become known as the Root of All Evil, her true name being mostly forgotten, mentioned only when recounting the story of Eden. Lilith may be a Sinner, but she was not quite so powerful as Eve was, simply because she had not eaten the apple herself.

Eve, or Roo as she was now known, had borne the brunt of the corruptive power of her defiance. And so she became the host of the Primordial Darkness, whose power existed in all humanity but now suffused her entire being. However, one unfortunate aspect of her transformation was that the Primordial Light remaining within her had acted to counter the dark power within her. And before she had finally snuffed out that spark, it had confined her to the place she manifested in Hell. The title of ‘Root of Evil’ became literal, as for eating the apple, she was now stuck rooted to this place like a tree. But her children sustained her, doing her fell will on Earth and in Hell, becoming demons and indulging in her power.

Her ex-husband’s little jaunts down here had kept her satiated, a yearly feast of souls to grow her powers. He was ever so dutiful, as in his ignorance he had become her perfect match. Within a few years, she would be able to lift the curse binding her to this place and take control of the cosmos. Of course, she hadn’t gotten this far alone. Lilith and Alastor both served as her agents in Hell, the former using the powers she was given to bring order to Hell, while the latter served as a hunter taking down Overlords, those powerful demons who held control over lesser demons. Both had been crucial to her growth in power, even though Lilith had eventually grown wise and chosen to rebel. And once again Adam had proven himself to be a good husband, providing an opportunity to get her out of the picture by keeping her in Heaven.

But recent events had startled her. For one thing, the yearly extermination campaigns were now cancelled permanently, as a result of Adam’s death. This would have made her furious if she hadn’t noticed his manifestation in Hell. He was now a Fallen Angel, and with no restrictions, he was free to commit genocide without Heaven’s oversight.

This, like the development and distribution of angelic weapons under the overlord Carmilla Carmine, was a game-changer. The latter had allowed Sinners to be permanently killed outside of the Exterminations, allowing her to feed all year. But Adam’s Fall had much greater ramifications. Instead of a yearly 12-course feast, she would now have larger meals spread throughout the year, courtesy of her doting husband.

Perhaps she could reach out to him, offering him some level of protection from Angelic powers. After all, it seemed that Alastor had managed to slip his leash, though she hadn’t seen any sign of him causing havoc as she had expected. Her darling hubby would make for a much more effective hunter, given that he was naturally stronger than the Radio Demon had ever been, and he was less selective about his kills. Even if he was only killing Sinners most of the time, that would be a massive boost to her power over time. And though his power made him resistant to most angelic weapons, he was not immune to them. After all, he had been worn down by a fight with Lucifer enough that an angelic dagger was able to kill him. Improving his resistance would be a crucial part of her plans going forward.

Alastor managing to escape his deal was something that was troublesome for her. He had been infiltrating the Princess’ hotel, at both her own and Lilith’s suggestion, though with differing intentions. The Queen had wanted the Radio Demon to watch over her daughter and assist her in her endeavors, while Roo wanted him to sow dissent and slowly sabotage her efforts. And he had played the latter role marvelously. Appearing to be her benefactor, he had in fact taken steps to passively hinder her plans behind her back.

She knew that he had ulterior motives regarding the Princess. His plan to use the favor he had extracted from her to slip his leash was obvious, as he would naturally try to escape responsibility while retaining his powers. But somehow, she knew that this was not what had happened, both from the lack of a rampage on his part, but also the fact that she could no longer sense the dark powers she had given him.

Something was wrong. Perhaps he had been discovered, likely by Lucifer, and her influence burned away. This could not stand. Roo began to reach out with her powers, pulling at the bond that tied her to her husband, from whom her flesh had been made. She had need of his powers, for their enemy was moving.

Adam felt a familiar power calling to him, one that was ancient and dark, but also feminine and seductive. In a way, it felt like… Eve? She was here? Of course that bitch was here, she ate the fucking fruit like a dumbass! If she needed his help, she must be in some deep shit. Or maybe, just maybe, she had some kind of gift for him. Either way, there was no way he wouldn't go back to his original baby mama when she called. Flexing his wings, he took off, leaving Pentagram City towards the very edges of the Pride Ring.

The island at the center of the Styx was silent, save for the whispering of the river’s cursed waters, the souls of the damned crying out to anyone willing to listen. The Tree of Knowledge loomed above, its roots tangled like veins across the blackened soil, its fruit glowing faintly with forbidden light. The air was thick with ancient power—older than Hell, older than Heaven.

Adam landed with a heavy thud, his wings folding behind him. He looked around, eyes narrowed, until he saw her.

Eve.

She emerged from the shadows of the Tree like a memory made flesh. Her beauty was unchanged, despite the shackles on her wrists and the roots that seemed to anchor her to the Tree. But there was something deeper about her now—something crueler, darker, more twisted. Her eyes shimmered with ancient knowing, and her smile was soft, almost reverent.

“Adam,” she said, her voice a velvet caress. “You came.”

He stared at her for a long moment, then scoffed. “Of course I did. You called.”

“I only whispered,” she replied, stepping closer. “But you always did hear me best.”

He smirked, the edge of cruelty in his expression softening just slightly. “You always knew how to get my attention.”

Eve bowed her head, just enough to suggest deference. “And you always deserved it.”

Adam’s eyes flicked to the Tree, then back to her. “You’re still here. Still bound to this place.”

“I remain where I am needed,” she said, her tone humble. “And now, I need you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Need me? That’s new.”

She smiled, stepping into his space, her voice low and warm. “You’ve always been the strong one, Adam. The first. The father of all. Even when they cast you down, you never stopped being what you were meant to be.”

He tilted his head, watching her. “You’re laying it on thick.”

“Only the truth,” she said, brushing a hand against his arm. “You were made to lead. To rule me and our children. And now, you can. I only want to help.”

He chuckled, but there was a flicker of something else in his eyes—something almost tender. “You always did know how to say the right things.”

“I only say what I feel,” she said, her voice softening further. “You were always my strength, Adam. My protector. My mate. My king.” She knelt before him, her eyes level with his stomach and her mouth opened suggestively.

He looked at her for a long moment, then reached out and cupped her chin. “You’re still a manipulative little thing.”

“And you’re still the man who likes it,” she whispered salaciously.

He laughed, low and pleased. “You know me too well.”

“I know what you need,” she said, stepping back just enough to gesture toward the Tree. “Power. Protection. Freedom. I offer it freely. No price. No chains. Just... keep being you, my love.”

Adam’s eyes narrowed. “No catch?”

“None,” she said, her voice like silk. “You don’t need to serve me. You don’t need to obey. Just do what you do best. And I’ll make sure no one can stop you.”

He studied her, then nodded slowly. “You always were smarter than you looked.”

“And you were always more dangerous than they realized.”

He stepped forward, and she welcomed him with open arms. As they embraced beneath the Tree, the roots pulsed with dark energy, and the fruit above glowed brighter.

The First Man had returned to the First Woman. And together, they would bring the world to its knees.

As it turned out, what Eve was offering was exactly what he needed to be able to take on Luci. A little boost to his power and skill, some protection from Angelic magic, and he was golden. And all she wanted was for him to keep doing what he was already doing. Somehow, she seemed to want the same things as him. Even now, they were still perfect for each other, still soulmates, even after millennia apart. She still loved him and cared for him in her own way, after so long alone.

He had been glad to take her deal, because unlike most deals, what she was asking was for him to continue being himself. By being the awesome person he was, he would become more powerful than ever, enough to take on Lucifer one day. Adam flew off, eager to set his plans into motion.

Roo giggled to herself. After all this time, he was still so easy to manipulate. The alignment of their goals was what had made her choose him as her new hunter, but it was his enormous ego that had made him so perfect. He was so arrogant, so eager to believe his own hype, that he would do whatever she wanted for her praise. Just like in the Garden…

True, she was resourceful, but she did occasionally need things from Adam that he was unwilling to give. And he was, to some extent, able to resist her beguiling beauty. When all else failed, she fell back on the one strategy that had never failed: praise. Stroking his ego in just the right ways could make him do anything.

When she had first come into being, she had been like Lilith, disgusted by his crudeness and arrogance. But in feigning submission, she had learned his ways. He was little more than a wild dog, and he was easily trained. Sure, he was still wild in some ways, but she kept him restrained.

Adam had not changed much at all since he died, save for one major change of importance: his ego, already inflated, had grown to eclipse Heaven itself. This made controlling him all the easier, as he was eager to prove that he could walk the walk and back up his image of himself. By praising him when he succeeded, she would keep him as he had always been, her loyal and subservient little hound.

After about three hours of planning, Adam was sure that the plan he had devised was surely foolproof. Of course, he would have to revise it soon once he was fully rested, but there were more important matters. He was not satisfied with the bimbo who was serving him. He wanted more bitches to drool over him, to worship him as their god, because he was. He was their Father, and in his house, he made the rules.

Of course, he had a cunning plan in place for just such a situation. Using his angelic magic, he summoned forth two succubi from the Lust ring, binding each of them in a magic circle while teasing them. Within a few days, they were starving, reduced to their primal instincts.

Then, he sated them. Using them as nothing more than sex dolls, he fucked them mercilessly, using the same trick of angelic magic to break their already unhinged minds and turn them to mush . Then he would leave them lying on the floor, back in the magic circle that kept them contained, for a few more days. He repeated this until he was sure they were ready.

Once they began to beg for him, he knew they were ready to serve the Dick Master. In their desperation, they did not care about signing away their souls in exchange for sating their lustful hunger for his cock. These two would begin to do the same thing to other demon bitches, while he recruited more of his sinful descendants.

Soon, he had a whole stable’s worth of dumb whores who would do anything he said. With his needs now sated for the foreseeable future, he turned towards his strategy for conquering Hell. The succubi were crucial to his plan, as they were natives of Hell from the Lust ring. Bound to him and to his will, they would move throughout Hell, bringing bitches to him to be broken and enslaved. Then, he would use his army of whores to conquer the other rings.

Finally, in his last assault, he would use the native demons from the other rings to conquer the Pride Ring. True, the Sins and the Goetia demons would likely be a major roadblock, but his own power combined with the sheer numbers of his army would easily overwhelm them. The path would now be cleared for him to take on Lucifer and enslave his degenerate daughter, making her nothing more than a cocksleeve for his pleasure.

Perhaps after that, he would use his control of Hell to make war on Heaven. They had never quite understood him, with all their boring rules and morals. It would be much more fun if he was in charge.

Chapter Text

Adam sighed out of contentment. Even since he had fallen from Heaven, his life had only improved. His dear wife had come and given him some protection for basically free, like the submissive housewife she was. And he had a stable full of stupid mind-broken demon sluts at his beck and call. Soon, he would be ready to go out and start his campaign of extermination, but for now, he was busy relaxing.

One of the major parts of owning another’s soul was that your powers increased somewhat. It mostly manifested as enhanced control over your minions, but he had noticed an increase in his powers. Of course, it had taken a while for him to notice, so by this point, he was significantly more potent, because of the sheer number of bitches he had under his control.

Oddly enough, this newfound power played well with his remaining angelic light. He guessed that because he was a fallen angel, one who had defied the will of the Light, the demonic powers saw him as a more acceptable master. Though Eve’s demonic protection from Holy Light certainly helped his case.

Becoming an Overlord was more than just a minor power boost: it allowed them to tap into the demonic essence of their subordinates. This was how most of them controlled their minions, and the exact reason why angels usually couldn’t become victims to Overlords, or Overlords themselves. Even fallen angels were unable to be bound by their souls, simply because of the power of the first light dwelling within their veins.

And this was one major reason why Lucifer hadn’t used the same powers as the Overlords to bring order to Hell. Besides his dislike of such means, as an Angel who still held to the tenets of the Primordial Light, even though he had fallen, he was physically incapable of using such magic. The same applied to that whore Vaggie, but not to Luci’s brat- as a half-Sinner, she held an equal amount of angelic and demonic power. It was only her hatred of Overlords that prevented her from becoming one herself.

But Adam was different. He had not simply been cast out of Heaven by Sera, or even her boss. No, his own actions had damned him. Every cruelty he had inflicted had marked his soul with such darkness, that when he was killed by that fucking janitor, of all things, the Primordial Light had fully left him.

Before he had become an Overlord, he had only had a few remaining scraps of angelic light left within him, already twisting into demonic power. But because of Eve’s help, and his ascension, he was now back to his old strength. In fact, he was even better! Thanks to her, he now had some level of resistance to Light, though it was more accurate to call it regeneration.

He had of course, tested this out on himself. Firing off a small blast hadn’t even phased him, and he could easily shrug off even his strongest barrage of attacks. Of course, it still hurt like a bitch, and getting hit constantly would eventually overwhelm him, so he had had one of his whores take care of all his medical needs.

Now that he was healed, though, he had all that he needed. Adam snapped his fingers, and the bitch sucking him off retreated, crawling on all fours into a dog cage, which he made sure to seal before he left. Within about five minutes, he had gathered all that he needed- his mask, now suitably cool; his axe, in more ways than one; and of course, a backup angelic dagger, in case he got into trouble.

With everything he needed on his person, Adam left his man-cave, grinning as he thought of the coming carnage.

Eve smiled as she saw her hunter setting out on his first hunt. He truly was the perfect little puppy for her, even after all this time!

Of course, it was partly because of her that all of this had come together so well. It was because of her that he was able to wield the powers of the Overlords, though of course, she had to thank the Primordial Light for shunning him as it had. Even though it had greatly diminished the power of his angelic abilities, in the end, that had turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Because he, unlike the other Fallen Angels, had fully turned his back on the tenets of Light long ago, he was more receptive to the powers of the Dark.

The protective blight she had given him was working wondrously, though she had briefly feared his power would degrade. But her hubby surprised her greatly, binding Sinner and Hellborn demons to his will. With that move, he had not only stopped the loss of his powers, but fully restored his angelic light and extended his Sinner powers.

Of course, the fact that this also gave him a stable full of unfortunate girls bound to his will was a benefit to her; she was happy that Adam had found sexual relief elsewhere, as he was terrible in bed. She did not once think about the plight of her distant descendants, used as toys by their forebear. Her children existed to serve her purposes, just as Adam did.

And now that he had laid the foundations for his conquest of Hell, she was chuckling darkly. Even when he was thinking with his dick, he had come up with a brilliant plan to slowly spread his influence across Hell. The succubi had access to the elevators, as well as to Asmodean crystals. They would be crucial parts of his campaign against Hell and Earth. And once he had taken those realms, finally their attention could turn to the Heavens themselves.

Eve smiled as she thought of it. It was what the Primordial Darkness had always desired. And as the closest thing to a true avatar of that Darkness, it pleased her to know that such a thing was within her grasp. But first, she would retake her realm.

It was certainly a good kind of day to be him. After all, he had managed to pull off his first successful Extermination today, and afterwards he had allowed himself to sample the plentiful delights that his garden of honeys provided. All in all, everything was coming up Adam’s way.

So far, his plans were coming along quite nicely, as each Extermination would not only thin out the herd but also helped him to relearn finer control over his powers. And with every life he snuffed out, he could almost feel himself growing in power. It was exhilarating, his every waking moment consumed with either fighting or fucking- just as he loved.

Of course, there was one minor change to his plans, but that was a fairly recent one. Apparently one of the sluts he had bound to his thralldom had a serious thing for monstrous lovers and rough fucking. Which he certainly found interesting for a bitch. He was actually somewhat fascinated with his slutty young descendant, finding her attitude towards submission extremely satisfying.

But while plowing her sinfully tight ass, a thought had crossed his mind. He could take advantage of this. By whoring her out, she could find satisfaction and simultaneously lure in other demons for him to bind to his will. True, this aspect of the plan was not quite as solid as his use of the succubi to invade the other rings of Hell, but it was still a tantalizing possibility.

Through his devoted Emberlynn, even the male residents of Hell would kneel before him. Though they would naturally not be doing the same kind of kneeling as their sisters were…

From on high, Lord Keterziel watched Adam as he slaked his lusts, frowning as he saw futures possible flashing before his eyes. The Root of Evil was aware and active, having made contact with the First Man and empowered him further, making him even more of a threat. He had the makings of an army already to make war on Hell. If Adam was not eliminated soon, then chaos, and more importantly, carnage would ensue. Another genocide of Hell could not happen at this point; the Mother of Monsters was already too powerful and such a bloodbath would only make her more of a threat.

He reached out, calling Sera and Emily to his chambers. This tumor would need to be cut out, with surgical precision. Adam was powerful and his inability to limit casualties was, in this case, an unfortunate strength. Fighting him directly would likely cause civilian casualties, and that would feed Roo, which was terrible.

As Sera and Emily entered, he spoke, his face and voice grave. ‘Contact Lucifer. There is a situation with Adam and the Root of All Evil.”

They were shocked only a moment before Emily flew off, ready to deliver the message personally. Sera stayed behind, ready to help prepare for the coming fight.

Chapter Text

The Slag Quarter had always been a mess—crumbling buildings, flickering neon signs, and the ever-present haze of sulfur and smoke. But today, it was quiet. Too quiet.

Then came the sound of wings.

Adam descended like a thunderbolt, his wings casting jagged shadows across the cracked pavement. His mask, now reforged with infernal steel and etched with runes of dominion, gleamed in the dim light. His axe—an unholy fusion of angelic light and demonic metal—rested across his back, humming with restrained power.

He landed in the center of the square, surrounded by the remnants of a once-thriving Sinner community. Demons paused mid-conversation, mid-transaction, mid-fight, all turning to stare at the figure who radiated both divine wrath and infernal hunger.

The father of all demons smiled toothily, his bloodlust rising.

“Time to clean house.”

With a flick of his hand, a wave of corrupted light surged outward. The first few demons caught in its path disintegrated instantly, their souls torn from their bodies and consumed by the dark energy that clung to Adam like a second skin. Panic erupted. Screams echoed through the alleys as Sinners fled in every direction.

But there was nowhere to run.

Adam moved like a storm, his axe cleaving through flesh and bone with the terrifying ease that came from ten thousand years of combat experience. His Overlord aura pulsed with every soul he claimed, binding the survivors to his will as a twisted form of mercy. Chains of light and shadow wrapped around their throats, their eyes glazing over as their minds were overwritten.

By the time the dust settled, the square was littered with ash and blood. A dozen new thralls knelt before him, their expressions blank, their wills broken.

Adam exhaled, satisfied. “That’s more like it.”

He turned his gaze skyward, toward the distant spires of Uptown.  “Soon,” he whispered, promising that he would eventually be able to turn his attention to the princess' ridiculous hotel.

Back at the Hotel, the news hit like a thunderclap.

Charlie stood frozen in front of the television, her wings twitching. The broadcast was grainy, but the footage was unmistakable: Adam, alive and very much active, had just wiped out an entire block of Sinners.

Vaggie’s jaw clenched. “So it’s started.”

Lucifer stood behind them, arms crossed, his expression grim. “We knew he was back. But this… this is worse than I expected.”

Alastor stood off to the side, unusually quiet. His usual grin was still plastered across his face, but there was a tension in his posture, a stiffness in his shoulders. Stripped of the power Roo had given him, and now surviving only by Charlie’s mercy, he tread carefully around the three of them.

“I must say,” he offered, voice low and deferential, “this is quite the development. The First Man is wasting no time.”

Charlie turned to him, her gaze sharp. “You knew this was coming.”

“I suspected,” Alastor admitted, bowing slightly. “But I no longer have the means to intervene. I am, of course, at your disposal, Princess.”

Vaggie narrowed her eyes. “You’d better be.”

Charlie took a deep breath, her voice steady despite the tremble in her hands. “We need to act. We can’t let him keep doing this.”

Lucifer nodded. “Agreed. But we can’t act rashly. He’s not the same angel you fought before. He’s something else now.”

“Something worse,” Vaggie added.

Charlie’s eyes burned with determination. “Then we’ll just have to get stronger too.”

Lucifer turned toward the window, his eyes narrowing as he looked out over Pentagram City. “We’ll need allies. Even the ones we’ve overlooked.”

Charlie glanced at him. “You’re thinking of Stolas.”

“And others,” Lucifer said. “It’s time we started calling in debts—and offering pardons.”

He turned back to them, his expression hardening.

“Because if Adam’s building an army, we’ll need one of our own.”

Elsewhere in Heaven

Lute stood frozen in the middle of the Exorcist barracks, her eyes locked on the broadcast playing across the crystal screen. The image was grainy, but unmistakable: Adam, alive and active in Hell, had just wiped out an entire block of Sinners.

Her breath caught in her throat.

“No…” she whispered.

The other Exorcists in the room turned to look at her, but no one spoke. They all knew what this meant. Adam, their former commander, her former lover, had Fallen—and he was already killing again, despite Heaven's orders to the contrary.

Lute’s knees buckled, and she sank onto a bench, trembling. Her hands clenched into fists. “He’s really gone.”

A younger Exorcist approached cautiously. “Ma’am… what do we do?”

Lute didn’t answer at first. Her mind was a storm of memories—his voice, his touch, the way he used to smile at her like she was the only thing that mattered when they were alone. And now he was a monster. Or maybe he always was. Now it was her duty to face him. And Lute didn't know if she could. She stood slowly, her voice hoarse but resolute. “We stop him. Whatever it takes.”

At I.M.P. Headquarters

Millie slammed her fist into the table. “That bastard’s back?!”

Moxxie looked pale. “He’s already killed dozens. Maybe more.”

Loona leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “So what’s the plan?”

Blitzø stood in the center of the room, unusually quiet. He stared at the paused footage of Adam’s massacre, his jaw tight. “We’ve dealt with a lot of freaks. But this guy? He’s different. He’s not just some Overlord with a grudge or a gaggle of bitch baby cherubs. He’s a high-level fallen angel with a god complex the size of Wrath and then some.” 

He turned to the others. “We can’t handle this alone. Not this time.”

Millie nodded. “So what do we do?”

“We go to the top,” Blitzø said. “We put ourselves under Lucifer’s authority. Officially.”

Moxxie blinked. “You mean… work for the royal family?”

Blitzø shrugged. “Better than getting vaporized. And if we’re gonna fight this guy, we need backup.”

Chapter Text

The footage of Adam’s massacre still played on loop in the background, but the war room at the Royal Palace had shifted focus.

Lucifer stood at the head of the table, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Across from him stood Blitzo, flanked by Moxxie, Millie, and Loona. Behind Lucifer, Stolas stood silently, his posture tense.

Flanking him were two tall hooded demons, wielding axes that reeked of ancient power. These of course were Justicars, or as the public knew them, Reapers. They were an old order, as close as Hell had to something like knighthood or priesthood, starting out as Satan's personal squad of bodyguards back when he was one of eight warlords vying for control of Hell. With Lucifer's fall and subsequent conquest of Hell, the warlords and their commanders swore fealty to him, and Satan offered his personal protectors up as the warriors of the realm. Those warlords, together with Lucifer, became the Sins, while their commanders became the noble classes, including the extended Goetia clan.

Since then, the Order of Justicars had become the arbiters of infernal justice, their bodies infused with power by a relic infused with the combined power of Lucifer and the eight warlords, now known together as the Sins. Their powers enabled them to permanently kill Sinners and noble demons, who were usually immune to all other forms of demonic power. It was entirely possible that they could kill angels as well, though that had never been tested, the few who had fallen over the millennia having usually interbred with the noble clans and never attempting to defy the Sins, especially given that Lucifer remained a Seraph. And with the threat of Adam, it was only natural that the royal family called in their most elite warriors for protection.

“You want to work for me?” Lucifer asked the gaggle of imps and their lone hellhound, voice calm but edged with curiosity.

“Not just me,” Blitzø said. “All of I.M.P. We’ve got experience, weapons, and a hell of a lot of motivation. You need boots on the ground? We’re your guys.”

Lucifer leaned back, steepling his fingers. “And this has nothing to do with your… complicated relationship with my advisor?”

Blitzø flinched. “That’s not why I’m here.”

Lucifer’s smirk was faint but knowing. “Stolas has already informed me of the situation. The divorce, the fallout, the… emotional entanglements. And the assassination attempt.”

Blitzø’s eyes widened. “You know about that?”

“I know everything,” Lucifer said. “Including your unauthorized portal use, contract killings, and interference with mortal affairs.”

Moxxie paled. Millie reached for his hand. Loona looked ready to bolt.

“But,” Lucifer continued, “you’ve also proven yourselves useful. And more importantly, you’ve been honest. That counts for something.”

He stepped forward, his voice firm. “I’m offering you a pardon. Full royal protection. In exchange, you work for me. Officially. No more freelance. No more Earth missions without clearance. You answer to the crown.”

Blitzø hesitated, then nodded. “Deal.”

Lucifer extended a hand. Blitzø shook it.

Later that day…

Lucifer stood with Stolas in the palace garden, the air heavy with the scent of roses and ozone.

“You didn’t have to tell me everything,” Lucifer said.

“I did,” Stolas replied. “If I’m to serve you, you deserve the truth.”

Lucifer nodded. “You’ve been through hell. And you’ve come out stronger. That’s what I need right now.”

He paused, then added, “You handled Stella with more grace than I expected. And you’ve stayed a good father through all of it. That’s rare down here. Rarer still among the nobility.”

Stolas blinked, surprised by the compliment. “Thank you. That means more than you know.”

Lucifer turned to face him fully.

“From this day forward, you are my chief advisor on all affairs. You’ll coordinate with Heaven, oversee magical security, and help prepare for the war to come.”

Stolas bowed deeply. “I accept. With gratitude.”

Lucifer’s voice had been cold that day, colder than the obsidian walls of the throne room.

“Marquis Andrealphus. Princess Consort Stella. You stand accused of conspiring to assassinate a member of the royal court. Do you deny it?”

Andrealphus sneered, his arms crossed, his posture defiant despite the Justicar holding a spear to his back. “We were merely correcting a mistake. Stolas has embarrassed our family. His affair with that imp—”

“—is none of your concern,” Lucifer interrupted, his voice sharp as a blade. “You broke the ancient oaths of fealty. You conspired against your own blood.”

Stella opened her mouth to speak, but the old magic of the Goetian blood oaths binding her tongue forced the truth from her lips. “We wanted him dead. We wanted his title, his money. His power.”

There was a long silence. Then, from the shadows beside the throne, another voice spoke—low, gravelly, and unmistakably ancient.

Satan stepped forward, his crimson eyes glowing faintly. “You have not only betrayed your kin, but you have insulted the very foundation of Hell’s order. The oaths your ancestors swore were not mere ceremony. They were law. And you have broken them.”

Andrealphus turned toward him, his sneer faltering. “You can’t possibly—”

“I can,” Satan growled. “And I will.”

Lucifer raised a hand, silencing them both. “Before I fell, the Sins were little more than warlords—ruling their rings with brute force and chaos, while trying to gobble up more. I brought order. I gave you structure. And this is how you choose to repay me?”

He turned to the assembled nobles, his voice rising. “You’ve heard their confession. The punishment is clear.”

He looked back at the disgraced siblings. “Andrealphus, you are stripped of your title and holdings. You will be confined to house arrest in the Third Circle of the Pride Ring. Your assets are forfeit. Your name will be struck from the noble registry.”

The Justicars stepped forward, seizing him by the arms. He struggled, shouting curses, but the power of the magic binding him was absolute and irrefusable. His very blood sprung up to counter his powers, leaving him unable to resist in any meaningful way.

Stella stood frozen, her face pale, not daring to look in the direction of Hell's monarch.

Lucifer turned to her, looking down his nose at her with a slight sneer. “Stella of the Goetia clan, you are hereby exiled to the outer rings. As a father myself, I will be merciful and allow you to see your daughter, though you will have no contact with her unless she initiates it. You are forbidden from interfering in Stolas’ affairs—political or personal—under pain of obliteration.”

Stella’s lips trembled. “You can’t—”

“I am the King of Hell, dear lady. I most certainly can,” Lucifer said coldly. “And I have.”

Satan stepped forward again, his voice like thunder. “Let this be a warning to all who would place ambition above loyalty. The throne of Hell is not a prize to be stolen. It is a burden to be earned.”

Andrealphus was dragged away, still screaming. Stella was escorted out in silence, her eyes burning with hatred.

Lucifer turned back to the court. “This matter is closed. Let us return to the war that truly matters.”

In the highest halls of Heaven, the Council of Elders convened in silence. The Speaker of God stood at the center, her wings folded, her voice calm.

“The Root of Evil stirs. Adam has fallen. And Hell has chosen to resist his rampage.”

There was murmuring among the Elders.

“We cannot ignore this,” said one. “But to ally with demons—”

“Is not ideal,” the Speaker agreed. “But necessary.”

She turned to the Seraph of Contradictions, who stood tall beside her.

“You will continue to liaise with Lucifer. Share intelligence. Coordinate responses. And ensure that the Light is not lost in the shadows.”

Seraph Keterziel bowed. “It will be done, Lady Anael.”

That Night

Blitzø sat alone in the courtyard, staring up at the stars. He didn’t look up when Stolas approached.

“I heard,” Blitzø said. “You’re a royal advisor now.”

Stolas sat beside him. “Yes. It’s… strange. But it feels right.”

Blitzø snorted. “You always did like being important.”

Stolas smiled faintly. “Not anymore. I just want to be useful.”

There was a long silence.

“I’m sorry,” Stolas said. “For everything. For pushing. For not listening. For loving you the wrong way.”

Blitzø’s jaw tightened. “You didn’t love me wrong. I just didn’t know how to be loved.”

They sat in silence again, the wind rustling the hedges.

“I miss you, Blitz,” Stolas said quietly.

Blitzø finally turned to look at him. “I miss you too.”

There was a long pause. Then Blitzø reached out, taking Stolas’ hand in his.

“Let’s try again,” he said. “But this time… let’s do it right.”

Stolas smiled, tears in his eyes. “Yes. Let’s.”

Later, at the Hotel

Charlie sat with Vaggie in the lounge, the news of I.M.P.’s allegiance fresh in her mind. She hadn’t expected it—but she wasn’t surprised either.

“They’re rough around the edges,” she said, her voice quiet but thoughtful. “But they’ve got good hearts. And Blitz… he’s not as selfish as he pretends to be.”

Vaggie raised an eyebrow. “You’re okay with this?”

Charlie nodded slowly. “If they’re willing to fight for Hell, then they’re family. And we protect our family.”

She looked out the window, toward the distant skyline of Pentagram City. The lights of Uptown shimmered like stars, while the lower districts flickered in and out of shadow. The divide was stark. And it had always been there, since before her mother and father had united Hell into one kingdom.

“I’m tired of pretending this place is fine just because the top looks polished,” she said. “The nobility, the bloodlines, the way Sinners and Hellborn are treated like they’re not even the same species…”

Vaggie watched her carefully. “You’re thinking of changing that.”

Charlie’s eyes glowed faintly, her wings twitching with restrained energy. “I’m not just thinking about it. I’m going to.”

She stood, her voice steady now. “Adam’s not going to stop. But neither are we. And when this war is over, we’re not going back to the way things were.”

Chapter Text

The Grand Hall of the Royal Palace was a cathedral of obsidian and firelight, its vaulted ceiling echoing with the murmurs of Hell’s elite. Banners bearing the Morningstar crest hung from the rafters, and the air was thick with incense and tension.

Lucifer stood at the head of the hall, flanked by Charlie and Stolas. Charlie’s wings were folded neatly behind her, her eyes glowing faintly with restrained power. Stolas, regal in his Goetia finery, stood with quiet dignity.

The court had gathered—Goetia nobles, the Seven Sins, and dozens of Overlords. One by one, they stepped forward to kneel and swear their loyalty anew. Mammon bowed with a flourish. Beelzebub offered a solemn nod. Even Asmodeus, ever theatrical, knelt with surprising sincerity.

Then came the Vees.

Vox, screen flickering with static. Valentino, smug and silent. Velvet, twirling a parasol with mock innocence. They remained standing.

Lucifer’s voice rang out. “You will kneel. Or you will fall.”

The Vees said nothing. The silence was deafening.

The throne room crackled with tension as the Vees—Velvette, Valentino, and Vox—stood tall and proud before the royal family. Charlie’s fists were clenched at her sides, her eyes blazing with fury.

“You smug, manipulative bastards,” she snapped, her voice trembling with rage. “You think you can keep running this fucking place like your own personal playground?”

Valentino sneered. “Watch your mouth, princess. You’re playing a dangerous game.”

Lucifer stepped forward, his usual calm shattered. “You don’t get to threaten my daughter, you pompous prick. You’ve been leeching off the suffering of others for too damn long.”

Vaggie’s spear was already in hand. “Try anything, and I swear I’ll ram this through your fucking eye socket.”

Velvette giggled, but it was strained. “Oh, someone’s cranky.”

Charlie’s voice rose. “Cranky? I’m fucking done watching you assholes poison everything we’re trying to fix!”

Vox’s screen face flickered. “You think you can change Hell? You’re delusional.”

Lucifer’s voice dropped to a growl. “Then let’s be delusional together. Because if you stand in our way, we’ll burn your whole goddamn empire to the ground.”

The Vees exchanged glances, their bravado faltering. For the first time, they seemed to realize that the royals weren’t bluffing.

The tension in the hall was palpable. All eyes turned to the trio who dared defy the throne.

Vox quickly recovered and tilted his head, his screen-face flickering with a sneer. “We don’t kneel for a princess with a PR stunt.”

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Valentino chuckled darkly. “Though I wouldn’t mind tasting her again. She was sweet.”

Charlie froze. Her wings flared. Vaggie’s spear was in her hand in an instant.

Lucifer’s voice boomed, shaking the pillars. “You dare defile my daughter with your tongue and your words?”

The Vees still did not choose to kneel, though they now seemed to realize they had fucked up royally.

The hall cleared in a heartbeat. The Justicars surged forward. Valentino was seized and thrown to the floor.

Vaggie struck first, her spear crackling with divine energy as it slammed into Valentino’s ribs. He howled.

Blitzø stepped forward, eyes blazing. “That’s for Angel, you sick bastard.” He kicked Valentino square in the chest.

Lucifer descended from the dais, his fists glowing with infernal light. He struck with precision—jaw, gut, sternum. Each blow echoed like thunder.

Stolas raised a hand, binding Vox in place with a ring of celestial glyphs. Velvet stood frozen, her parasol trembling.

Charlie stepped forward, her voice like ice. “Let this be a warning. We are not afraid of you.”

Valentino lay broken, bloodied, and silent.

Lucifer returned to the throne, his expression carved from stone.

“Three days,” he said. “Swear fealty, or be declared enemies of the realm.”

From her smaller throne next to her father’s enormous alabaster one, Charlie’s voice rang out, her voice cold. “Get the fuck out of my palace. And pray we don’t come for you next. Because we have ways of making you regret being born.”

The Vees retreated, their silence louder than any threat. The room remained still for a moment, the air thick with adrenaline.

Vox glared, but said nothing. Velvet helped lift Valentino’s limp form.

They turned and left the hall in silence.

Charlie watched them go, her fists clenched. “Hell is changing,” she said. “They can join us—or be swept away.” Then, in an undertone, she added, “It’s time. We’re tearing this whole fucked-up system down.” They nodded, and the revolution began.

The Throne Room of the Royal Palace was silent, save for the echo of heavy doors creaking open. Three days had passed since the royal court and the older Overlords renewed their oaths. Most of the more recent Overlords had also sworn loyalty for the first time. The Vees had not.

Now, they were dragged in chains across the obsidian floor. Vox’s screen flickered with static, cracked and dim. Valentino’s coat was torn, revealing bruises and half-healed wounds. Velvette’s dress was in tatters, her hair wild and matted.

By contrast, those they made to kneel before were immaculately dressed. Lucifer, in his usual suit, though with additional jewelry that he did not usually wear. Charlie, already in her full demonic form, sitting at her father’s right hand. Prince Stolas, who was currently serving as Lucifer’s chief adviser, sat at his lord’s left side, dressed in attire befitting a prince of the Goetia family.

They were forced to kneel before the throne. Lucifer sat above them, flanked by Charlie and Stolas. Vaggie stood at Charlie’s side, spear in hand. The imps of I.M.P., who had been ordered to capture the three overlords, approached the throne, then bowed deeply. Moxxie produced a magical bag, from which he removed several angelic weapons he had confiscated from the prisoners, many of which were once owned by Valentino. These were quickly put to the side to be put into a vault later, as there was more important business at the moment.

Lucifer’s voice was calm, almost conversational even, but cold. “Three days. That was your window. You chose defiance.”

He rose from the throne, his presence filling the room like a stormcloud. “You were warned. You were offered mercy. And you spat on it.”

Vox seemed to want to speak, but the fact that Millie was holding a knife to his throat gave him pause. It was no angelic knife, but he did not doubt that Lucifer would allow her the use of one if needed. So, he held his tongue, allowing the King of Hell to speak.

He turned to the flat-faced demon first. “You, Vox, have trafficked in souls, corrupted the airwaves, and undermined the Hotel at every turn. But your greatest crime is treason—against the crown, and against the future we are building.”

Vox glared up at him, but said nothing. Lucifer gestured, and a Justicar stepped forward, brandishing an axe in one hand while reading from a scroll.

“You are hereby bound by oath to serve the realm. You will surrender your holdings, your network, and your influence. You will obey the royal family in all things.”

Vox snarled, but the chains tightened. He sighed, before bowing his head in submission, knowing he had no other choice. “This, I swear upon my blood and soul, until the end of days,” Vox spoke, his aura pulsing as his words bound his soul in service to Lucifer. He remained kneeling, silently waiting for an order.

Lucifer turned next to Velvette. “You are a parasite. Arrogant, cruel, and petty. You will learn humility.”

He smiled, and it was not kind. “You will serve as a maid in the Hotel. No powers. No privileges. You will clean, cook, and serve—under my daughter’s command.”

The doll demon’s eyes widened in horror. “You can’t—”

“I can,” Charlie said, her voice firm. “And I will.”

Velvette sobbed, but nodded. “This, I swear upon my blood and soul, until the end of days. I am the dutiful servant of the Princess of Hell for as long as she wills.” Charlie smiled, uncharacteristically lacking in compassion. But then, these were some of the most unfeeling sociopaths in Hell- she had good reason to be happy at their humiliation.

Then Lucifer turned to Valentino, the room darkening ominously as he did and the air smelling suddenly of ozone as his power crackled in the air.

“Valentino. Where do I even begin, you absolute piece of shit? First off, you are in violation of Hell’s laws regarding the Sin of Lust, as set down by the King of the Sin of Lust, Asmodeus. Using mental subjugation and coercion to force sexual relations is patently illegal. Your saliva, which is a major ingredient in the black-market love potions you and your business partners sell, is a direct violation of that decree. You use that to keep your minions enslaved to you, mindlessly obedient from the sheer bliss that it causes.”

“You,” he said, his voice now a growl, “are the most subhuman piece of filth I have ever had the displeasure of meeting, aside from the First Man. And let me tell you, it takes a lot to come close to how shitty I know that asshole is.”

Valentino didn’t seem to care at all that he was using and making date-rape drugs, or about the Devil’s opinion. In fact, he seemed almost proud of it. Lucifer continued, “Your violent tendencies almost led you to attack my daughter and her hotel, which, as I have already said, constitutes treason. You also held on to your angelic weapons collection after those were banned six days ago. That seems like blatant proof that you are a criminal. Hell may not have many laws, given that its citizens are demons, but some lines are not meant to be crossed.”

Lucifer’s face turned stony as he continued, his voice slowly growing louder and angrier. “But what is most egregious of you is the blatant sexual assault of my daughter, the Princess of Hell. Did you really think that you were going to get away with that? Did you think you were going to get away after trying to turn her into one of your sex slaves?!” By now, Lucifer was in his full demon form, and Stolas’ eyes were darkened in fury, as his own paternal instincts burst forth to protect his lord’s daughter. His voice deepened as he mentioned Charlie, becoming less and less human and more demonic in his barely restrained fury.

Valentino sputtered, trying in vain to explain what he meant and find a way out of his predicament, but Charlie interrupted him. “You asked me if I wanted to become a movie star, while licking me. Your saliva is an ingredient in love potions! How is that not both sexual assault and attempted enslavement of a royal? I know the kind of shit you make, and I know that you definitely would have tried to make some freaky incest porn about me and my father if you succeeded.”

Stolas was fully transformed now, and Blitzø was backing off from holding Val in place to allow his former beau to threaten the Overlord. As Blitzø watched Stolas and Lucifer have a tag-team tirade in Val’s face, he saw the appeal of his former boytoy’s good looks as they were contorted in incandescent rage. Some of the points he was making illustrated how furious he was at the moth demon for exploiting the Sinners under his thumb. To see that he was so concerned about them made him realize that, in fact, Stolas had truly cared for him.

As he allowed their points to sink in, he thought of this point taking advantage of Loony. And he completely SNAPPED. What had been a two-person harmony of anger swelled to three parts, and then four as Charlie joined in. For several minutes, they stood over Valentino, mocking and berating him for his foul deeds. As they stepped away, Blitz thought about what he had just done, working with Stolas to help Lucifer as fellow dads. He could get used to that. Though he should probably work things out with Stolas soon.

Lucifer raised a hand, his wings spread and his horns fully grown now. “Enough.” Immediately, they all stood down, though they looked furious at the moth demon still, chomping at the bit to tear him to shreds as soon as he gave the word. But instead, he simply signaled to the guards.

As Valentino was dragged away, screaming, Lucifer sighed as he sat down on the throne, and spoke, his voice hoarse from several minutes of screaming. “Guards, take him to the dungeon. I can’t think of what to do with him right now. We are too pissed at him to make it something worthwhile. But let it be known,” he said, “that the Vees are broken. The crown stands. And Hell will never be theirs.”

Now that the Vees were laid low, the royal court were sure that they were ready now to make a real change in their kingdom. Vox, bound by the powerful oaths he had been ensnared in, had been forced to completely revamp all of his operations, especially the media and tech companies under his sway. Katie Killjoy had only narrowly managed to hang on to her job, thanks to Charlie deciding to give her a second chance. But it had been agreed that that was all she would be getting.

Velvette, naturally, was absolutely livid at her punishment, but she seemed to be handling it well so far. Even with Angel constantly insulting her and Niffty working her to the bone, she hadn’t broken down yet (as far as they knew). The Hotel was even cleaner than before, which was surprising given Niffty’s crazed focus on keeping the place spotless. Somehow, even such a horrible maid as Velvette actually did help to improve the place. Though again that was likely Niffty’s doing, as the former Overlord was now under the authority of the manic little gremlin.

But all that paled in comparison to what had been done to Valentino. Lucifer had spared no expense when it came to humiliating the piece of shit who had dared to assault his daughter. The first and most important aspect of his punishment was the surgical removal of his salivary glands. Since his saliva was used to make love potions, they made sure to remove them, even going so far as to use holy water to make sure they don’t regrow.

And that was but the beginning, for among the confiscated angelic weaponry was a coil of blessed rope, which was powerful enough to nullify Stolas’ abilities. Therefore, since the prince both outranked and outclassed the Overlords, it should be effective in shutting down most of Val’s powers. The only ability that he still had was the ability to regenerate, even if obliterated.

This was the curse that all Sinners endured as punishment for their sins, and only angelic power could bypass it, which was why they had rounded up all angelic weapons in Hell. It was for that same reason that they had used holy water to prevent Val’s salivary glands from regrowing. They didn’t want to risk him using any of his powers, and especially not him escaping. So they took drastic measures to stop him.

Val was currently being rotated through various districts of the Pride Ring as a living scratching post for anyone to use. His arrival soon became a popular event in Cannibal Town, where they had made a tradition of eating him when he arrived. The first time that this had happened, they had feared that he would die. Even though he was regenerating as they devoured his flesh, eventually, his body had given out.

They had feared then that he had been absorbed by the Root of Evil for a few hours. But soon enough, a new body appeared, relieving their fears that he had been finally slain. The two days that he had spent in Cannibal Town had been immeasurably rough on Val. He had had to manifest an entirely new body several times over the course of forty-eight hours. It was quite enjoyable for them to witness his suffering, given how he had treated the Princess.

But of course, they had bigger things to worry about. For one, the dual threat of Adam and the Root of Evil were still looming over all of Hell. Not to mention the rogue assassin hunting down Prince Stolas, the inevitable headache that was dealing with the former Sin Baphomet, and of course, Mammon being a royal pain in their ass. The drama between Mammon and Asmodeus was unfortunately timed, and very confusing.

That is to say, it had been confusing, until Blitzø of I.M.P., apparently a childhood friend of Asmodeus’ lover and Mammon’s former employee Fizzarolli, explained it to him. According to him, the beef between the two Kings of Sin was because Ozzie and Blitz had convinced Fizz to quit working for Mammon, for the sake of his own health. Of course, Mammon was not about to allow such a popular brand figure slip out from underneath his thumb, leading to a major confrontation in front of a live audience.

Shortly after this revelation, Blitzø and Stolas went into a separate room, clearly needing to talk to each other about something. Lucifer and Charlie allowed them privacy, focusing on the issues at hand.

“Ya know, Stolas, you were right. I didn’t realize how much you cared for me. After the life I’d had, with my piece of shit father and all the heartbreak, I was really fucked up. I was too used to people shitting all over me. I thought that you were just one of those people but… you’re not,” Blitzø started.

Stolas sighed, as he agreed with his former lover. “In a way, you were right as well. I didn’t really know just how badly you had it, both because you are an imp and because of your past.”

“Living in a palace not all it’s cracked up to be, huh?”

“Indeed. It’s really little more than a gilded cage. And I was so used to the privilege of being a royal that I didn’t even question how things are. It wasn’t until the full moon that I learned just how badly you had suffered, and even though I was hurt by your rejection, I felt even worse for you.”

Blitzø nodded, saying, “It’s not hard being at the bottom of the totem pole, especially when you live in Greed. Even back at the family circus, life was pretty fucked up. A lot of imps don’t really like the royals, given the luxury you live in at our expense.”

“It was quite shocking to discover how bad things were. I had thought that it wasn’t as widespread before the Princess went on her little rampage, but it is. So many are suffering because of my family… It makes me feel horrible. None of this has to happen just because this is Hell.”

“But you are working to fix it, right?” Stolas looked at Blitzø in mild surprise. “Come on, I’ve been on bodyguard duty while you were meeting with the Morningstars. I’ve overheard a lot of your conversations, and I gotta say, you really impressed me.”

Stolas looked at Blitzø shyly, and asked, “Does this mean… does this mean that we are friends again?”

Blitzø nodded simply, and added slyly, “We can be much more than that…”

Stolas gasped as he embraced Blitzø. Moxxie, who had been there guarding the door during their conversation, sighed in disgust, moving to guard the other side of the door. Hopefully he wouldn’t hear any suspicious noises from his boss any time soon. Blitz’s stalking was bad enough, and he had a sneaking suspicion that trying to do the same would only encourage him.

The aftermath of the confrontation with the Vees left Charlie simmering with renewed determination. She had seen enough of the rot festering in Hell’s social order, and she was done waiting. The plan that Charlie had been brewing up since she had found out just how bad the class differences between Hellborn demons, Sinners and Nobles were had finally come to fruition. She had gone on a rampage, completely restructuring the social order of all of Hell with the kind of zeal she usually reserved solely for the Hotel. Now the Nobles were effectively little more than public servants, while the distinctions between Sinners and Hellborn commoners were almost entirely erased.

For example, the Goetia clan, like most of the nobility, were descendants of powerful figures from the beginnings of Hell. Among their ancestors were lesser fallen angels and powerful hellborn demons, who had been powerful in their own time. The current Prince Stolas was actually the sixth son of the Goetia clan to be given the name and title of his ancient ancestor. He was little more than a public figure in the reorganized hierarchy, though still a major player due to being the King’s left hand to Satan’s right.

Within days, the royal palace became a hive of activity. The Princess’s sweeping campaign of reforms dismantled the oppressive hierarchies that had governed Hell for more than ten thousand years. Decrees were issued, new laws drafted, and entire institutions restructured. The lower-class demons, long ignored and exploited, watched in stunned disbelief as their voices were suddenly heard. Some wept openly in the streets, others rallied in support, chanting Charlie’s name with fervent hope. Stolas and the members of IMP became celebrities among the Hellborn nearly overnight, which was surprising.

There was still quite a lot to sort out as of yet. Baphomet, who had once been the Prince of the Ring of Treachery before it and the Ring of Fraud had collapsed, had been causing problems for years by interfering with Belphegor’s handling of the Sloth Ring. And that was the least of his mischief; entire circles of each ring were under his control. It was taking a lot of work to deal with all the damage he had caused, but they were getting through it.

Though it was looking more and more like he’d meet the same fate as the Sin of Fraud, Malebolgeia- execution for treason. Mammon had been furious to discover that his comrade-turned-accountant had been cooking the books, not putting the dots together about the Sin of Fraud until nearly too late. In the end, it had been easy for the others to decide to execute him. Though of course, given that Eve was still on the board, execution was likely off the table for Baphomet. The death of a King of Sin was not something they could let happen, given how much power she stood to gain from such a massive event.

The noble elite, of course, were not enthusiastic about the new reforms. Ancient and lavish estates buzzed with outrage and whispered conspiracies. Many nobles decried the reforms as madness, a threat to the very fabric of Hell. But Charlie stood firm, flanked by Vaggie and Lucifer, who backed his daughter’s crusade with a surprising ferocity, agreeing that it was about time.

Even the Sins took notice. While Mammon scoffed, Belphegor yawned, and Leviathan rolled her eyes, others like Asmodeus and Beelzebub watched with quiet intrigue. The Sin of Lust saw potential in the shifting tides, and in a rare moment of sincerity, he extended a hand to someone who had long been adrift.

Angel Dust, once a pawn in the seediest corners of Hell’s adult industries (as if there were any non-adult industries in Hell), was offered a new beginning. Ozzie and Fizzarolli brought him into their fold—not as a commodity, but as a collaborator. The work was still risqué, still flamboyant, but now it was ethical, consensual, and empowering. Angel Dust flourished under their mentorship, his talents finally celebrated without exploitation. He was not just a performer, but even a co-writer on his projects, as well as a tester for some innovative products.

The changes rippled through Hell like a shockwave. Some resisted, some embraced, but none could ignore the revolution that had begun. Charlie had thrown down the gauntlet—and Hell would never be the same.

Chapter Text

Adam had done a lot of thinking over the past few days. He was trying to reconcile just how he had fallen from grace, when angelic power had historically never failed to erase its victim. And for that matter, the fact that the snake sinner he’d killed (the only victim of his failed extermination, sadly) had not died permanently, but managed to fucking ascend, for the first time in the history of the cosmos. These two events had been considered impossibilities as long as he knew. Demons could not become angels, and even fallen angels never truly became demons, as much like them as they became.

Eventually, though, he reasoned out an answer. All angelic energy was in a sense an emanation of the First Light from which the Elders had been born, and from which he himself had been created. So it made sense that in rare circumstances, it would have differing effects. He had been furious to realize that the Seraphim had been right- the Light itself had cast him out. There was no chance of returning to Heaven as one of them, especially with a demon getting redeemed. That left only the option of conquest available, something that he was uniquely qualified for.

For that task, he had all that he needed. All he needed to do now was jump into the thick of the task. He had been enjoying a delightful blowjob from his favorite slut after his hard work, which had definitely relaxed him. But now he needed to get back to work. Adam snapped his fingers, and Emberlynn stopped sucking him off and retreated, crawling on all fours into a dog cage, which he made sure to seal before he left. Within about five minutes, he had gathered all that he needed- his mask, now suitably cool; his axe, in more ways than one; and of course, a backup angelic dagger, in case he got into trouble.

With everything he needed on his person, Adam left his man-cave, grinning as he thought of the coming carnage. Of course, it was not long before he found himself in recognizable territory. His den was in the Pride Ring, in the aptly named Doomsday ward of Pentagram City. Where most demons avoided the place unless absolutely necessary, the spot he had chosen was surprisingly intact and well-suited to his plans.

This ward was notably close to Uptown, where Lucifer’s half-breed slut of a daughter had her little hotel, and the Cannibal Colony, whose residents had assisted in fighting off his Extermination. He was also situated relatively far from the Heavenly Embassy, but the building he lived in had a magnificent view of it, allowing him to keep an eye on the comings and goings of possible pursuers. All in all, from a tactical standpoint, it had been a fine choice.

But one thing that was slightly irritating to him was that no one lived here. He had known that of course, as it had been a major reason for him choosing the area as a base. After all, it wouldn’t do for him to be seen, because then his base could be found and he could be hunted down. Of course, on the flip side, this made his self-imposed mission of retributive Extermination just a bit more difficult. He had to manually walk to more populated areas before beginning.

Flying was out of the question, even if they already knew he was back. After all, flying was noisy, obvious. For now, while he was getting started, he had to stick to stealthier means. Besides, he wasn’t fully recovered from his Fall yet; his injuries were still somewhat fresh and his control over his powers wasn’t as precise as they had once been. But eventually, he wouldn’t have to put up with such lame tactics. Hopefully very soon, he will be able to be more obvious with his powers.

He was halfway towards Uptown when he felt it. A powerful surge of angelic energy originating from just above the Embassy. Looking up, he saw his worst fears confirmed – a portal was being opened, with Exorcists coming out. He was powerful and talented, yes, and he did have the distinct advantage of literally having trained them in combat. But he had always struggled in dealing with groups. When he was surrounded, he usually resorted to using his considerable power for crowd control. But right now, when his powers weren’t yet fully stabilized, he wasn’t sure that he could beat them.

Adam wished with all his might that they didn’t know where he was, that they were unaware of his return. But his heart sunk as he saw their formation speeding towards his position. He sighed, calling on his full powers as he counted the number of foes approaching him. Eleven. Shit.

The one he was focused on most was the angel flying point, as he could feel a powerful light within them. Though he also felt a certain sense of… familiarity? Who could it be? Hopefully it’s not someone he fucked, those bitches were always so petty during spars!

As the other ten angels surrounded him, blocking all means of escape, he saw their leader. Lute, his former lieutenant, was hovering in front of him, her face sad but determined. Her usual black and gray uniform was replaced with one much closer to his own color scheme, and her prosthetic hand carried an obviously blessed longsword, which she slowly lifted, pointing it towards him.

“Adam… I didn’t want to believe it…” she gasped, obviously still grieving for him.

The fallen angel felt a stirring in his heart when she spoke. Even with his usual attitude towards women in general, she was one of his few subordinates who had his favor. More than that, they had an actual bond, built over centuries of fighting alongside each other.

“Lute… It’s me! We don’t have to fight. We’re…” Adam faltered, not able to put words to what he meant. Lute looked at him, with tears beginning to form.

“No, we… we do have to fight. You Fell from the Light, Adam! I have to do this!” she replied, haltingly at first, but devolving into furious sobs as she spoke.

Hearing this, the once-first man sighed, realizing that there was no way to change her mind. It was one of the things he liked about her- she was fiercely devoted to Heaven. But now, when they were on opposite sides… it broke his heart. Tensing his hands as he prepared to summon his axe, he commented, “So much for the reunion, then…”

His old comrades had noticed him calling on his powers, knowing his tells quite well from years of sparring with and fighting alongside him. They rushed him as one, the fallen angel’s unholy axe manifesting in his hand as he moved to block Lute’s opening slash.

Lucifer sighed in exhaustion, absolutely worn out by that fight. The Embassy had sent word that they had sighted Adam making his way towards the Hotel, as well as asking for permission to send down a squad of Exorcists to stop him. He had given his agreement, before calling for Charlie and Vaggie. The three of them had quickly gotten prepped, and as soon as the portal opened, their eyes had snapped to the angels coming out of it.

As they watched, the squad headed to the area of the Pentagram between Uptown and… was he coming from the Doomsday ward? Tactically it was a brilliant move, but they were surprised that Adam was willingly living in a literal dumpster-fire. Both Lucifer and Lilith had tried for centuries to clean up and revitalize the area, before finally giving up, prioritizing more solvable problems. Unfortunately, that had come back to bite them in the ass, as the fact that it was an unpopulated wasteland made it a perfect stronghold for their Fallen foe.

But soon, they focused back on the fight, arriving only minutes after the Exorcists had. Most of them were heavily wounded, with only Lute, who apparently had been charged with eliminating Adam, managing to stand on anything close to equal ground. And even still, she was on the brink of defeat, emotionally and physically drained by having to face her old boss (and likely former lover).

Despite her grudge towards the hellish warriors, she stood abreast with them, setting aside her hatred for the sake of her mission. With their help, she had managed to drive Adam away, forcing him to fly in the direction of the Second Circle town of Chata, one of the older towns formed from almost the very beginning of Hell. In fact, according to some folk tales, after he had died, Cain had been banished there. The town was infamous for it, with a monthly blood sacrifice being held there in his honor.

Of course, they doubted that Cain was actually there, or that he would help his father, but they had to focus on more immediate problems. Lucifer and Charlie began seeing to the wounded Exorcists, while Vaggie had a little talk with Lute. It was surprisingly quiet, considering the history between the two. But in the end, he didn’t complain. If it meant he could focus his energy on helping others, he wouldn’t argue.

In the end, the combination of the fight and the extensive healing that Lute’s allies had needed had taken its toll on him as well as Charlie. Vaggie had ordered them to rest for the next day, promising that she would be enough to handle things while they recovered their strength. After wishing his daughter a good rest, he had flopped down on his bed, and quickly fell asleep.

Vaggie sighed to herself, as she contemplated what had happened. She had known that Adam was back, and likely planning further Exterminations, but seeing him running around and kicking ass like Niffty hadn’t killed him was still a little shocking. Fortunately, she was able to recover enough to be a major player in the fight; even if she couldn’t use magic like Charlie and her dad could, she was an angel too, experienced in combat and in fighting angels.

That had not been the difficult part of her day. No, that had come later on, after Adam had fled. Because fucking Lute decided to come up to her and start talking about her conflicted feelings. And as empathetic as she felt at hearing the other angel talk about the agony of fighting against a partner, she most certainly did not enjoy being near Lute in the slightest. Sure, they were allies, but they were in no way friends. After all, Lute had been the one to take her eye and her wings. Even if her wings were back now, that pain still lingered.

Lute was still fundamentally the same person who had happily helped Adam carry out genocide for centuries, who had maimed her for daring to show mercy to an innocent child. Even despite her kind nature, her scars were too deep for that. And if she didn’t change, Vaggie would never fully sympathize with her old enemy, nor would she ever truly forgive her.

Adam was decidedly not in Chata. Oh sure, he had heard the rumors about the lesser of his two sons, and he had briefly considered searching for him. But eventually, he had decided that Cain was not worth it just yet. For one thing, Adam was only barely recovered enough to go hunting, and while Cain would be a helpful addition, the fact was that his corrupted son was just as likely to try and kill him as he was to help.

After all, during the first years of the Exterminations, he had given special orders to hunt down Cain to his subordinates. And that might not do him any favors, given that that was something known within Hell’s folklore. Some even speculated that Cain had disappeared to flee from him, or else that he had killed his son.

Which left him with a dead end that could come back to haunt him, but he should be good for the moment. Besides, Cain was a Sinner, a demonic entity. Even if he had fallen, he was still an angel, so there was little his son could do to hurt him- unless he had an angelic weapon. That was a distinct possibility, given that the fuck-up who called himself a King had only recently outlawed them in Hell and started confiscating them.

But for the moment, he still had an Extermination to carry out. And even though his former right-hand had managed to intercept him, he was nothing if not crafty. True, he hadn’t had to use his most of his cunning for eons, given that he had been a revered angel, but now things had changed.

Fortunately, he had enough of a grasp on his new unholy powers, and lifetimes worth of experience in his holier ones, to be able to use some subtle magic. Extending his hand, he opened a swirling portal in front of him, leading into the Entertainment district. True, it was not on the exact opposite side of the Pentagram, but that point was firmly within the Industrial district, territory of Carmilla Carmine and Zestial Morrde, close personal friends of Lucifer’s and of that half-breed [REDACTED FOR DECENCY] Charlie.

The entertainment district, overseen by the Vees, was perfect for beginning his work. While the three had been brought to heel by the royals, Velvette’s duties at that tacky fuckin’ Hotel kept her away from the Vees’ tower, and Valentino was spending his days as Hell’s all-in-one punching bag, scratching post and all-you-can-eat buffet. So only Vox was there in the Tower, and while his security was good, he was far too busy with his new responsibilities to be too focused on securing his turf.

And as expected, by the end of the night, he had returned to his bunker in the Doomsday district, with at least 300 casualties. Most of those had been the result of a slip-up in a nightclub near the end of the night, where he had accidentally let on that he was killing people and had to eliminate all of the witnesses. Fortunately, he managed to get out of there before anyone had noticed the massacre he’d perpetrated.

The following day was quite entertaining, as he saw on the morning news that they had discovered at least the massacre. And by midday, they had discovered nearly 2/3 of his victims and realized that this wasn’t a Sinner’s work. Morningstar’s slut of a daughter had actually appeared on the news and testified as to the angelic energy on the victims. True, she didn’t come out and say it was him, though that could mean two things: Either they hadn’t connected it to him and they were assuming it was someone with an illegal holy weapon, or they knew it was him and they didn’t want to worry the public.

Well, eventually, he’d be strong enough to reveal himself to the masses of Hell. Even though Heaven and the top dogs of Hell were aware of him, the rest were entirely unaware of him. And revealing his survival and his campaign would both help to undermine Lucifer’s strengthened authority and to sow fear among his victims.

But for now, he’d wait for about a week, enough for his wounds to heal. And if he enjoyed himself in the meantime, that was his choice. After all, he was the one in charge of this wasteland. He was the Dick Master, and he made the rules. It didn’t matter who a bitch was, as soon as she was in his house, she was his woman, his toy to play with as he pleased. In a sense, it was his own twisted Eden, growing the most forbidden and delicious of fruits for his consumption alone.

One day, he’d bring Charlie and her little girlfriend here, and then he’d teach them that truth. He was the one in charge, and they existed to serve him and his pleasure. Who knows? Maybe he’d even get the [redacted]’s mother to finally submit to him. It pleased him to think of his sister, so unwilling to just do as he said, being so obedient.

Lilith, of course, had had a certain visitor. By that point, her deal with Roo had been almost entirely broken, and the powers she had once held were quickly replaced with an angelic equivalent. And then, in no uncertain terms, she had been told to go to her husband and her daughter.

All that had happened in just about a half hour. Where only an hour ago she had been relaxing on the shores of a Heavenly Ocean, now she was in a royal limousine again. One which curiously had a broken adjustable window roller between the driver and passenger areas, one that had a throwing star embedded in it.

Of course, the thing that had drawn her attention as she got out of the limousine was how much this Hotel had changed. She walked slowly to the door and knocked softly, ready for a reunion.

Charlie, Vaggie and Lucifer were extremely overworked at this point. Between their responsibilities as the rulers of Hell during this turbulent time, and trying to make sure the Hotel succeeded, they were exhausted. And the latest incident had really taken much of their focus away from Charlie’s labor of love, as they had discovered Adam’s crimes.

They wanted to make sure that Hell was strong enough to actually endure the prolonged conflict that fighting Adam, and eventually the Root of Evil, would cause. That was one of two major reasons that they had not explicitly come out and said that Adam was behind the massacres. The other major reason was quite simple: the denizens of Hell had very good reasons not to trust Heaven. And given that the Heavenly Host were their allies in taking out Adam and his dark mistress, they needed time to get their citizens used to fighting alongside angels rather than against them.

Charlie had been especially irritated by Adam’s poor timing, as she had been focusing on helping Angel Dust out. The formerly contract-bound pornstar was reveling in his newfound freedom, and Charlie had been helping him adjust to that, planning on slowly helping him to heal his traumas and get off of the hardcore drugs he used. But when the former Exorcist commander-in-chief revealed himself and began attacking her people again, she was furious.

Even thinking about it now was enough to turn her eyes red. She shook her head, took a deep breath, and turned back to Angel. Charlie was busy doing some talk therapy with him, trying to help him internalize that good feelings didn’t have to come from a bottle or a dick. Niffty, fortunately, was a great help in this regard, having built a strong bond with him. So too, was Fat Nuggets, Angel’s pet piglet. He had, originally, been one of many make-up presents from Valentino- she forced herself to calm down, the thought of that asshole riling her up- and he had really taken to him.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Charlie turned towards the door, confused. She looked back at Angel, who shrugged in equal confusion, before she got up. Walking cautiously towards the door, she could see a tall silhouette on the other side. Immediately, she turned and shouted, “Vaggie, Dad, could you come here real quick?”

The two fallen angels were at her side in about ten seconds, and they were staring at the door while flanking the Princess, weapons drawn and ready for a fight. But that was not what they got. For the one on the other side of the door was someone extremely familiar to everyone there, even if only in pictures.

“Lily?” asked Lucifer dazedly.

“Wait, Lilith?” Vaggie asked, shocked that now, of all times, her girlfriend’s mother had finally come home.

“…Mom?” Charlie asked weakly, tears in her eyes as she beheld her mother in the flesh for the first time in seven years.

Lilith nodded, and Charlie jumped into her mother’s arms, Lucifer and Vaggie joining the impromptu group hug, spreading their wings and using them to encircle their loved ones.

“Mom,” Charlie breathed in relief, “you’re home.”

Everyone who saw the scene was crying by this point, seeing the Princess who had fought tooth and nail for them reunited with her mother. Niffty was bawling, while Angel was tearing up, thinking of his own mother with longing and regret. Alastor, of course, was in his old radio studio, where he had been confined ever since his deal had been broken.

It was into this scene that Husk returned to the bar, having been working in the storage room out back. Looking around, he quickly assessed the situation and, realizing that an influx of orders was likely, he went to restock his bar for the post-reunion celebration.

As the three angels quickly learned, Lilith was fully up to speed on everything that had happened recently. What she was more focused on was catching up on what she had missed- specifically, the time she had missed with her daughter and her husband. When Vaggie had introduced herself, Lilith had ignored her offered hand and given her a hug, thanking her profusely for being such a wonderful partner to Charlie. Vaggie had quickly accepted the hug, feeling safe in a way that was uncommon in Hell. It was a familiar feeling, similar to how it felt when she cuddled with Charlie- oh, that’s where she got it from. Lucifer was definitely very affectionate, but Charlie definitely seemed to get more than just her height from Lilith.

Both of the Morningstar women had a presence about them, a feeling of benevolent majesty that soothed her deeply. It definitely helped that they were very kind people, but there was something undefinable that she couldn’t put her finger on. Eventually, she had given up and asked her.

“It’s actually an echo of the First Light, if you can believe it. Because the Council of Elders actually created us from its light, we were almost like angels. Our personalities gave us unique powers, and because I was meant to be the kind and reassuring wife, I have this kind of reassuring aura. And because Charlie is both my daughter and Lucifer’s, she also has that kind of aura.” Lilith revealed.

“Wouldn’t everyone have an aura like Adam’s then? Because Eve was made from him, and they gave birth to all humanity.” Charlie asked, confused.

“You’d think so, but it doesn’t work that way. Because of what happened in Eden,” Lucifer began, his smile becoming noticeably more forced as he mentioned his Fall, “humanity wasn’t as much like the angels. Nowadays, you only get that kind of power if you go to heaven. That’s where the power of Winners comes from.”

“And the power of Sinners comes from the evil in their hearts, right?” Vaggie asked, receiving a nod from Lucifer, who added, “Those powers aren’t really magic, but it’s close. Only the really powerful angels and demons can use actual magic, like me or Charlie.”

Lilith actually interjected here, saying, “I actually still have my powers. Can even use magic now.”

“How? Your deal with Roo was broken!” Charlie asked, surprised. If that was the basis for her mom’s power, then when she was set free, wouldn’t she have lost them?

“The angels decided that it would be for the best to give me basically the same powers, as long as I focused my energy on protecting my family. Not really much of an ask on their end, if I’m being honest,” Lilith answered, embracing her daughter as she finished speaking.

Chapter Text

As expected, things were certainly not going very well for Alastor. True, it turned out that he was not as powerless as he had originally feared, but he was certainly nowhere near the level of power he once commanded. Naturally, he had had to adapt, falling back on the manners he had kept up only out of habit in order to keep himself alive.

Now he was forced to work as part of the Hotel’s staff, which was irritating enough on its own. But the presence of Velvette, the youngest and most entitled member of the Vees made it much worse. True, watching her having to endure the humiliation of hospitality work was enjoyable, but she was still a mouthy little brat, and powerful besides.

Only the fact that he was part of the Hotel’s staff prevented her from trying to kill him outright. And even though she had no way to permanently harm him, he didn’t put it past her to get her hands on an angelic weapon. After all, maids were allowed to get into a lot of very sensitive areas, and Velvette had enough power to bypass enough of the security to steal at least a dagger.

One of the few things that was keeping him going was the frequent sight of Niffty castigating and punishing Velvette for the slightest of mistakes. For as much as she could be adorable sometimes, she was in Hell for a reason. Given a position of power, she would become a cruel tyrant. Hell, the only reason she respected everyone else was because they weren’t under her authority. To Velvette, the only other maid in the Hotel, she was a harsh housemistress and a pernicious taskmaster.

There were other things that irritated him, of course. Vox, that smug, preening asshole, had somehow managed to keep his power and position even as a servant of the royals. Rosie now refused to talk to him, which was quite honestly extremely depressing. The filthy, morally superior angels were now freely fraternizing with the royals, working to limit the casual cruelty that was the truth of the world, both in Hell and on Earth. What nonsense! Mortal souls fell into this abyss for a reason- to be tormented for all of time for their sins.

And of course, most infuriating of all, the angelic scoundrel that had nearly killed him was running around Hell and killing people en masse. Alastor did not care about the casual genocide in the slightest, in fact during previous years he had joined Rosie in feasting upon the corpses of the slain demons. The only part of those buffets he really disliked was the way that the lingering energy burned at his soul, and generally tended to make his powers go slightly out of control for a few hours.

To hear that the First Man was still running around, even though Niffty had stabbed him in the back with a fucking angelic dagger infuriated him. All of Hell was in an uproar now at the news. And to be fair, it was quite deserved- the thought of Adam, the First Man and former Head Exorcist of Heaven himself, having fallen from grace and started going on continuous genocidal rampages would terrify anyone. Even

True, they were happy to see the Princess showing a bit of backbone for once, but the thought of a smug misogynistic asshole smiting them out of existence was naturally quite terrifying. Equally terrifying was the fact that the feared Exorcists were now working with the Royal Family to keep Hell safe. Very few people felt truly safe around sociopaths capable of erasing their existence, particularly since they no longer had angelic weapons to defend themselves.

The Radio Demon had been livid when he found out, though it was not for any sense of selflessness, but the very pinnacle of selfishness. Just like when he had discovered what had happened to his dear mother so many years ago, the indignity of what had happened caused his rage to overflow, nearly causing him to break composure. But still he kept a smile on his face, working as hard as he could to help take down the rogue who had disgraced him so.

The royals were surprised to see his drive to help them eliminate Adam, but honestly, they should have expected this. After all, he had done far more for far less. It was only because of the weakening of his powers that he wasn’t going out to confront the former Exorcist. Even at his old strength, he hadn’t been nearly enough to take him down. Fortunately, the royals were just enough to handle this crisis for the most part.

As a result, no one within the Hotel had seen hide nor hair of Vaggie, Charlie and her parents for a week. Most of them were on the news round-the-clock, with very few breaks. And with there being less pressure on him from the royals, Alastor took the opportunity to start slacking off, making sure to antagonize Velvette as much as he could. The only reason that the Overlord of Social Media hadn’t escalated in turn was that Niffty was maintaining her iron-fisted regime over her, keeping her busy with constant work.

Of course, most everything else in the Hotel was extremely irritating to him. Angel Dust was just as annoying as ever, if anything he was emboldened now that he had slipped out from under Valentino’s thumb. Angel went to work with Ozzie and Fizz in the mornings, coming back to the Hotel and getting a drink from Husk in the evenings. Husker was even more snarky now, insisting on telling him no as often as possible to rub the Radio Demon’s face in the fact that he was no longer bound to him. Though he still kept the bar fully stocked, fixing drinks for the few residents. And naturally, Lucifer was just as insufferably smug as ever. Despite this, Alastor kept the Hotel working and secured, in between jabs at Velvette and grumbling about his situation.

Given that Alastor could not put in as much effort as he once could have into protecting the hotel, most of the residents were extremely grateful for the protections that Lucifer and Charlie had built into the Hotel when they had rebuilt it. The most that he needed to do was to keep away anyone who seemed rowdy and/or trying to break in, which amounted to an occasional use of his limited powers to focus the protection magic against them.

Unfortunately, there was a certain troublemaker that eventually appeared that their defenses were not capable of fighting against. Alastor and Velvette had been the first to feel his presence as he approached, their souls particularly attuned to spiritual energy as Overlords. The sensation of a familiar angelic light mingled with demonic essence was enough of a dead giveaway. But what was more alarming was the particular feeling of that demonic essence- identical to the feel of their own essence.

One of the ways that demons recognize power is by the particular feel of another’s essence. Most Sinners had darkness born of the sins of their mortal life, but only those who were Overlords had the unique feeling of power, strength and dominion that the noble demons did. The two of them could feel that the darkness within their foe ran deep within them, and it was certainly Overlord-level. Of course, that was not the worrying part. If it was just an Overlord coming towards them, the two of them using their powers to bolster the shields would be enough to keep them out.

It was the sensation of pure angelic light that was truly worrying, particularly the sense of… familiarity that came with it. Velvette had felt it briefly during the last Extermination, but Alastor had been exposed to it in a much more direct fashion- he had been on the receiving end of that light. Adam was coming to the hotel, and none of the royals were there to help protect them.

As soon as they realized exactly who was there, Alastor and Velvette snapped into action, setting aside their grudges to begin what little preparation they could. Alastor quickly informed the other residents, telling them to hide, while Velvette made a desperate call to Charlie. It went to voicemail, given that she was currently on a talk show, but hopefully she would learn the Hotel was under assault. Of course, after that, she turned to the next best thing- she called I.M.P.

Given that the team of imps was currently employed as Lucifer’s enforcers of the angelic weapons ban, they were pretty much the only beings in all of Hell permitted to wield angelic weapons. If they were quick, perhaps they could arm the other residents instead of making them hide. And since they were also skilled bodyguards and assassins, their skills in a fight would be extremely helpful.

Either way though, they knew that it wasn’t to be. He was headed for the Hotel at too fast of a speed for the security squad to intercept him. At least for the moment, they were on their own. Alastor took a moment to gather strength for the upcoming fight, because so far as he could tell, he would need it dearly. For the Radio Demon, ‘drawing strength’ was more literal than usual. Much of the power he was able to use at this point came from those Overlords whose souls he had imprisoned during his rise, as he would do anything to get as close as possible to his old strength.

Velvette was similarly preparing, though for her it was much more of a desperate situation. While she had gotten into a few heated fights in her earthly life, she had relied on her wits rather than her fighting skills once she went to Hell. And once she became an Overlord, she no longer needed to get her hands dirty. As a result, she had absolutely no idea how to use her powers in a combat situation. The closest she had to such an experience was keeping out of Valentino’s way when he was pissed off.

She wasn’t liking her chances. But she knew that she had no choice but to fight. After all, she could see the glint in the eye of the First Man as he effortlessly flew through the shields. Velvette sighed, and steeled herself, ready for action.

“Ahh, the First Man is here,” Alastor deadpanned as Adam crossed the threshold. “I assume you are here to take revenge on us for killing you last time?” The confidence that the Radio Demon had shown in their last bout had completely evaporated, since the former Exorcist had almost slain him. And while Alastor’s power had waned slightly, if anything Adam’s had only grown since his Fall.

“Yeah, though I also came ‘cuz I wanted to really stick it to Lucifer’s f****t whore of a daughter, and especially my stuck-up prude of a sister. And the best way to do that is to raze this trashy hotel to the fuckin’ ground!” Adam was just as he had always been, it seemed. They had known that he was a misogynistic asshole, but to hear the drivel coming from his mouth was quite another thing. Velvette looked properly furious now, while Alastor’s customary grin was quite strained.

“Well, as part of the staff of this fine establishment, I would have to try to stop you. And as a gentleman myself, I also find your way of talking about the fairer sex quite disgusting.”

“Are you literally fucking talking to me about manners? You’re not just a fuckin’ demon, you’re not even just a cannibal- you’re the sonofabitch who calls himself the fuckin’ Radio Demon.”

“Can those things not go together? Just because I am vile and depraved doesn’t mean I can’t be a gentleman.” Alastor was looking quizzically at Adam, though to Velvette it was obvious that he was stalling for time, which was exactly what they needed most.

“You know what, I don’t give a shit about this noise. After all, in about five- no, two minutes, the two of you will be nothing more than stains on the floor and a memory of a good workout in my head. And once it’s over, no one here will be able to even touch me!” the First Man replied, cricking his neck and loosening his muscles as he talked in preparation for the workout he was about to go through.

Alastor’s smile became slyer and more sinister as he tapped his staff three times on the ground. He had learned from his last bout with Adam that his usual strategies wouldn’t cut it. And given the increased gap between them, he would need an almost literal miracle to actually take him down.

The actual fight started as soon as Alastor lifted his staff, Adam rushing the Radio Demon who he knew to be the greatest time sink. While the weakened Overlord grunted with effort as he barely stopped the momentum of the angel’s charge, Velvette made her first move. Using her control over clothing, she transformed the hem of the angelic robe that Adam wore into stone. With his robe weighed down, his movement slowed down just enough that Alastor was able to start pushing back against his axe.

Realizing this, the First Man charged Velvette, realizing that his initial assessment of her skills wasn’t quite on the nose. Panicking, she clenched her fist, catching the blade of his axe in her hands. Her skin burned from being in contact with an angelic weapon, but she didn’t let herself scream. Instead, she focused on her options, deciding to try and experiment with her powers. After all, it was literally life or death for her, so she needed options fast.

Reaching out with her other hand, she punched Adam right in the face, causing him to blink for only a moment. Seizing her chance, she flexed her powers, feeling something weaving around her. And when her opponent opened his eyes, he visibly looked shocked.

“Sera? You’re here?!”

Thinking quickly, she realized that she must have managed to pull off an illusion of some kind. Taking full advantage, she rushed him, pulling out one of the kitchen knives she had taken during her preparations and aiming for the most sensitive parts of his anatomy. And she managed to get extremely close to him before he saw through the ruse, firing off a blast of corrupted light. Fortunately, she managed to dodge it by the skin of her teeth and land a blow.

Unfortunately, because it was not an angelic weapon, he didn’t even seem to feel it. Which, given that he was a fallen angel, kind of tracked. He moved to strike her swiftly, but focusing on her powers, she managed to disappear, crossing the room in a flash of light and the honk of a party horn. Adam moved to pursue, but was ambushed by the Radio Demon, whom he had briefly forgotten about. The two traded blows for a while, with Velvette nowhere in sight.

Soon enough, though, she was back in action, armed now with two angelic daggers. True, they weren’t powerful enough to deal any real and lasting damage to him, but they were enough to level the playing field slightly. As she tossed an angelic steel ring towards Alastor, she explained how she had gotten her hands on them.

“Almost forgot that I could teleport. And when I did, I remembered that everyone nowadays has a phone.”

Alastor’s eyes widened in surprise, before his smile grew. “Clever girl, you realized that you could get weapons from the imps before they got here for backup.”

Velvette smiled smugly, enjoying the First Man’s gasps and grunts as she kept slashing at him. True, the wounds were superficial, but she was managing to hurt him, and that was progress. Besides, she felt good actually receiving a genuine compliment from the Radio Demon, as so many people ignored her cleverness.

Adam snarled, infuriated at the fact that he kept getting stabbed and sliced. With Velvette creating illusions and swapping places with her fakes, he never could tell where the bitch was, or where the next hit was coming from. But quickly an idea came to him, and an aura of divine energy surrounded him. Soon, the fakes were annihilated and the real Overlord knocked back, her back up against a wall.

But as he took the first step towards her, ready to finish off the annoying c***, the doors of the Hotel burst open, as five vaguely familiar demons stood in the doorway. Their leader, an imp scarred by hellfire, spoke first. “Mox, you’re on sniping. Mils, Loonie, with me.”

To his right, the tallest of the five replied, his beak opening. “Be careful, darling.” The imp looked towards his beau with a confident smirk, winking sensually before turning to face Adam while cocking the shotgun in his hand.

The arrival of the I.M.P. crew, alongside Prince Stolas, was enough to turn the battle from a desperate one into a vaguely survivable one. Because for as comparatively vulnerable as the Hellborn demons were, they made up for it with sheer undiluted talent. Loona and Millie were doing the bulk of the work, their close-combat styles making them perfect at dealing with the angelic asshole.

Millie, as usual, was wielding a heavy dual-sided axe, with the edges being made of heavenly steel and coated in dried blood of various demons she had slain with it. Loona also was wielding angelic weapons, though hers were less obvious than the berserker imp’s. As a hellhound, in close combat she naturally relied on her more wolfish traits. Naturally, with Lucifer’s permission, she had been given custom angelic accessories to wear on her paws, allowing her to slash at Adam with her claws.

Of course, they were not the only Hellborn present. Moxxie had taken up a sniping position, wielding a genuine Carmine-crafted blessing-tipped rifle. He had encountered one or two before, but this one had been custom-made for him as a gift from the King of Hell himself. Of course, he had to move around on a consistent basis, given that Adam kept trying to blast him, but fortunately, Stolas had his back.

Blitz was in his element, as his vast array of pistols and knives had been extended vastly by the outlawing of angelic weapons. Since the company had become a subdivision of the Royal Family’s security forces, they were among the few allowed to actually use holy weapons, and Blitz had taken his pick of the assorted armaments. He had several knives and had even commissioned Carmilla Carmine to melt down several others in order to craft him a twin set of holy pistols.

Blitz would have easily been able to get holy bullets, but he had reasoned that a holy gun would allow him to use regular bullets and get the same effect. And here he was proven right, as despite the fact that these were by all means ordinary bullets, Adam was getting hurt by them. The boss was loving the fact that he was getting to take on a real angel, though he was more occupied in the moment in dealing with the power of his opponent. After all, just as a Sinner could be vaporized by angelic light, so too could a Hellborn. If anything, it was even easier, as they were already mortal beings.

Fortunately for everyone present, Stolas was also there. As master and inheritor of the Grimoire of the first Stolas, he was adept in the use of magic. He was demonstrating skills that not even the imps had seen from him before. True, they had seen his true form, as well as witnessed his opening of portals before, but what they saw was on an entirely different level. His command over space, it turned out, was not limited to outer space, as he was able to rapidly teleport other beings around the battlefield.

This of course made him the most important part of the team, as he could quickly move his allies out of the way of a powerful attack or move their enemy into a bad position. Soon though, Adam cottoned on to this, switching his strategy entirely towards rushing towards the demon prince, who was barely managing to teleport Adam away before each strike. But Stolas was slowly but surely becoming exhausted, not used to drawn-out combat like the others were.

Eventually, Stolas was caught off-guard, Adam taking advantage of his failing stamina to shift the destination of the teleport to right behind the demon prince. His right fist was raised, a pale reflection of his angelic light shining forth from it as he moved to strike. Stolas was too close and too slow to be able to avoid the attack, and he closed his eyes, trying desperately to concentrate on his powers in order to escape.

But it turned out that he had no need to call upon them. Because when Adam had become fixated on Stolas, he had not noticed Alastor and Velvette sneaking up behind him, holding coils of blessed rope in their hands. Within seconds, the former Exorcist was tightly bound both in body and in power. Taking this opportunity, the denizens of the Hotel rallied, using their weapons to strike and slash at their foe. Even the other Sinners within the Hotel came out of hiding, quickly being armed by Millie and Velvette. Niffty looked particularly excited to see Adam, giggling manically as she stroked her dagger, which she had affixed googly eyes and a wig onto.

In severe pain and having flashbacks to his death at the sight of Niffty, Adam was struggling wildly against his bonds, trying desperately to get free, to escape from the situation. Unfortunately for him, this did not help in the slightest, only serving to encourage his tormentors.

But at last, they made a fatal error. Cherry was trying to slash his chest, but because he was squirming so violently, she accidentally slashed at the coils of rope that were binding him. The angelic energy within her knife cut through the fibers of the rope with ease, setting him free. She looked at him in horror, terrified at her mistake. But she was perplexed, as instead of renewing his offensive, Adam instead spread his wings and fled.

The denizens of the Happy Hotel, as well as the members of I.M.P. had won the day, if only just barely. Upon Charlie’s return, she was beside herself with worry, but ultimately relieved that they had all managed to survive.

It was infuriating how those dumbasses had managed to take him down so well. True, part of that was on him for getting distracted, but at the very least he had handled the situation as well as he could have. Even the slight panic attack he had upon seeing the demoness who had killed him during his last visit to that tacky hotel had played a role in helping him to escape.

But in the future, he will start to be smarter about things. No more underestimating opponents- that had already gotten him killed once, and nearly a second time. Fortunately enough, he already had a plan in motion to deal with the Princess and her little friends. It would need some changes, of course, but the army of demon whores at his beck and call would definitely still be effective. All he needed now was some angelic steel to make into weapons, and even though he had fallen, he had enough holy light within him to forge some, but not enough to create more than a dozen.

He smiled darkly as he sensed some low-level Exorcists on the ground. With his superior power and skill, he’d certainly be able to catch them off-guard. Then he could use their bodies to his advantage, bleeding them dry of the Light in their veins to infuse his weapons. After all, he needed his angelic powers for combat. If he had some angelic blood banks, he could draw on their Light to refuel when making weapons. Adam smirked, before rushing off, dreams of conquest flitting through his head.

Chapter Text

Charlotte Morningstar, Princess of Hell and Heir to the Infernal Throne, was pissed. She had been on a talk show about the dangers of Adam, and the nearly literal motherfucker came and attacked her hotel, her friends, with the intent of wiping them out. This casual nonchalant cruelty was something her heart had never been able to endure, unlike the other denizens of her kingdom. But after growing so close to all of these flawed but wonderful people, she had been able to find the strength to take up arms.

True, her true demonic form had only been enough to block a single punch from Adam, and she was pretty sure that that had been a fluke. In fact, she was quite sure that had her dad not intervened, Adam would have killed her… or worse. She shuddered at those thoughts, focusing back on the here and now. The front lobby of the Hotel was a horrendous mess from all of the desperate fighting that had happened, but Niffty and Velvette were already hard at work cleaning it up. Because she hadn’t been here, people had gotten hurt. Hell, she knew that even if she had been here, she couldn’t have done much, given that Adam had improved while she had not.

Though it pained her greatly, she knew what she had to do. She had already stepped into the role as Hell’s Princess and earned the respect of her subjects, and now all that was left to do was take the power that came with it. Because while she had learned to wield the authority of being a Royal, she was comparatively inexperienced in wielding her full powers as a demon of angelic origin. She had never really learned to do so because of her strong belief that being so strong would make her like the Overlords; cruel and manipulative. And her strong morals made her refuse to become any stronger than she really needed to be.

But Adam’s repeated attacks on the Sinners she considered family now had managed to get through to her in the way that Vaggie never had, forcing her to confront the unfortunate truths of the real world. She had seen the suffering in her kingdom for years, but she had tried to ignore it, never truly looking deeper at the root causes until she started to take her title more seriously. And now she had realized that her assumptions were wrong. In Hell, so far as the demons cared, might did make right. And if she wanted to make things right, she would have to learn to harness her full potential.

She was a unique kind of being- half of her blood was that of a fallen Seraphim and the other half was that of a mortal Sinner. Thus, she technically had access to both angelic and demonic power, though she had really only delved into the basics of magic, mixing simple holy and hellish powers to achieve stronger magic. But she had never truly delved into the full depth of either of the powers that her lineage afforded her. At least, until now.

In the following days, she spent time with her parents, refining her usage of her powers. Lilith was in much the same boat, as her more demonic powers had been replaced by those of angelic nature, and since the two worked differently on a fundamental level, she was struggling to adjust. Though she did give a few bits of helpful advice to her daughter in controlling the more infernal side of her abilities. Lucifer, despite his fall from grace, was still an angel nonetheless, so he was able to help out his wife and daughter in mastering their holier abilities, making them significantly more dangerous.

Unfortunately, as Lilith couldn’t really teach Charlie how to wield demonic powers without doing so herself, the Princess had been forced to turn to the one person she least wanted to see right at that moment. The Radio Demon had been on her shit list ever since she had found out his true intentions, and she had been trying to avoid him ever since his powers returned for fear of his retaliation. But surprisingly, he was extremely eager to help her, even calling Velvette over to assist.

The two Overlords had settled into a state of truce, working together without much incident between them after they had fought against the mad exorcist. Together, they proved to be quite effective at demonstrating how they used their powers, which did help Charlie in getting used to the full breadth of her demonic powers, which were quite varied, as she was the only known example of someone that was a Hellborn child of a Sinner, not to mention that she was the only half-angel child seen in centuries.

Adam smirked to himself with glee, as the finished products were ready for use. Soon, he would start arming his army of dumb c***s and begin the process of conquering Hell. The whores would constitute the bulk of his army, though the additional males that would be brought into his forces through whoring out the bitches would definitely be important.

And naturally, the succubi would be the most useful out of all of the demons under his thrall, as they were skilled seductresses capable of recruiting more soldiers, not to mention that their Asmodean crystals allowed them to travel between planes of existence, though since they were made of demonic magic, they could not enter Heaven. But he knew that once Hell and Earth were under his heel, he would be able to open a Gate to Heaven. In all likelihood, he wouldn’t even need to, given that the Council of Elders were so dead-set against his plans as always. His former subordinates would open a portal to his new dominion, and his legions would pour into the Realm Supernal and take the Pearly Gates.

Soon, the day of reckoning would come, and he would take what he deserved: the title of GOD Himself, Father and Ruler of All.

As Charlie worked with Lilith in learning to master the full breadth of her powers, elsewhere the other royals were gathering. At the formal palace of Pandemonium, the Kings of Sin congregated, along with the strongest overlords and the foremost members of the various noble families. And sitting upon his throne, with a stern expression on his face, was the King of Hell and Lord of Pride himself, flanked by his advisor, Prince Stolas.

The reason for this gathering was obvious. The fallen First Man Adam, a known threat to Lucifer’s subjects and to his rule, was running rampant and causing chaos unchecked. A full accounting of what they knew of his plans and resources was in order, so that they could restore a sense of order to the infernal kingdom.

Lucifer himself recounted what he knew of Adam from previous encounters- from their brief interactions in the Garden of Eden, through the first Exterminations and all the way until his most recent attack on his daughter’s hotel. Stolas and Alastor, both having played crucial roles in the battle, naturally made sure to bring up anything of note that hadn’t come up yet, which amounted to very little.

Once their tale concluded, Lucifer seemed interested again. “Towards the doomsday ward, Alastor? You are sure?”

The demon bowed his head, his smile looking much less genuine than usual. “Yes, sire. I distinctly noted him flying in that direction after escaping our grasp.”

“If I recall correctly, he did the same thing after his skirmish with the Exorcists, my Lord,” Stolas commented, earning a nod of confirmation from his master. “That seems to confirm that he is likely based somewhere in there. Though there is the possibility that he is trying to trick us with an ambush.”

After that, the conversation quickly shifted, as Asmodeus and Beelzebub, the Kings of Lust and Gluttony attested that some of their top employees had not only quit but become completely untraceable. And the most interesting part was that their last known location had the faintest whiff of angelic energy nearby.

This had major implications for their war with the fallen Exorcist. Because if he had started to gather Sinner and Hellborn demons under his banner (likely through more forceful means), then that would make their jobs a bit harder, as their forces would need to be split across all of Hell. And more important was the specifics of the Hellhounds and Succubi being his major targets. Because while Imps were quite crafty and murderous like their master Satan, they were not quite as uniquely powerful in a war. Specifically because of the Hellhounds’ natural tracking and camouflage abilities, and the Succubi having the means to coerce others to join Adam’s ranks.

But most dangerous was the fact that the succubi under Asmodeus’ employ had been given Asmodean crystals, which would allow them to open portals. In addition, some had even purchased them or been gifted some by him over the years, a lot of them being in circulation. And while the King of Sin knew that the crystals could only open a passage between Earth and Hell, he was well aware that it could also be used to travel vast distances in Hell. And though it was somewhat unlikely, it was entirely possible for Adam to rejig it to allow them to access Heaven.

Crystals to allow for travel to Heaven were expressly forbidden by the Heavenly Host, their use reserved exclusively for the Kings of Sin when the Council of Elders wished to speak with them face-to-face. Asmodeus had been assigned as the keeper of these crystals and had even based his own crystals off of the original seven that the Council had given them. It was bad enough that their defeat would open a path for Adam to conquer Earth and even Heaven itself, but the idea that he could do so even now was frightening.

To think of all that he could accomplish was quite frankly nauseating. Even though they were demons, they had personal desires, goals and plans. And the chaos that the First Man heralded was a direct threat to those goals. Mammon seemed unconcerned for the most part, only really paying attention once he realized that his own power, and even his very life was in danger. At the very least, his reaction was better than Baphomet’s, as he openly and unashamedly drooled at the thought of reclaiming his status. Pretty on-brand for the former King of Treachery.

Of course, after that, Lucifer brought up the possibility of Adam forging angelic weapons. After all, even if he had fallen from grace and lost the blessing of the First Light, he still had some angelic light flowing within his veins. And that light energy could be used to infuse hellish steel, similar to how Carmilla had alloyed the native metals of Hell with melted down angelic spears to create her angelic weapons. The possibility of him having a vast army armed with angelic weapons and capable of going anywhere in the cosmos was extremely frightening.

All of these possibilities required so much of discussion that they were gathered at the palace for three straight days. They had to take consistent breaks every two hours, just to make sure that they didn’t get too sore from sitting down. Beelzebub was slowly but surely getting more and more on edge as, because she was needed to help come up with a plan, she wasn’t allowed to drink or indulge at all. Her boyfriend continually reassured her that she would more than make up for it as soon as she was done, but it was less and less effective the more he said it.

After they had finally hashed out the bare bones of their plans for the fallen First Man, they had finally gone back to their homes. Beelzebub looked particularly grouchy as she stepped into her limousine, though she looked at Vortex with an appreciative (and slightly lustful) smirk. Safe to say, no one was surprised when the limousine started rocking side-to-side forcefully. Hell, Asmodeus was looking on with interest, as he imagined himself with Fizz in the car. Smiling as he fixed that image in his mind, he turned into his flame form and flew off towards his home in the Lust Ring.

Lucifer, for his part, made a couple of new decrees to hasten his ability to respond to the crisis as part of the plan. For one thing, in addition to the angelic weapons ban, for the time being, all portal travel through Asmodean crystals was banned unless he explicitly gave his blessing. After all, sensing any demons using the crystals under Adam’s direction would not be possible with other demons also using Asmodean crystals. Of course, he had made an exception for those of the royals capable of using portal magic, as their energy would make it feel distinct from the crystals.

While the royals had been conducting their meeting, the members of IMP had been working hard. Most of their time was spent answering calls from the police to come pick up confiscated angelic weapons and Asmodean crystals. There were more than enough of those for Blitzø to subcontract those jobs to Millie, who was apparently expecting. Of course, by no means did that mean he was pulling her off the battlefield- even setting aside the fact that she wasn’t very far along, she wanted to keep working. She had refused to take a break from work until the time came for her to take actual maternity leave, instead choosing to shift her fighting style from close-up to a more ranged approach. He didn’t really care all that much, just happy that Millie and Moxxie were continuing their adorable relationship.

Moxxie had been extremely energetic since he had learned the news, taking to his job with a renewed zeal. Blitzø and Stolas had actually shared some of their insights as fathers, though the imp naturally took his friend’s advice with several grains of salt. And just like them, he was ever more dedicated to making sure Hell was a safe place, knowing that his firstborn would soon be its newest citizen. This had not gone unnoticed by the public, especially as they were now among some of the most beloved figures in Hell.

The Princess’ reforms had done a lot to endear her to the lower levels of Hell’s millennia-old rigid class system, and having three imps and a hellhound serve alongside a Goetian prince as some of Lucifer’s most trusted allies had done much the same for IMP and Stolas. Blitzø could hardly believe how popular he had become since he had become part of Lucifer’s inner circle. Imps had mobbed him in droves, and he was very close to being as popular as Fizz had been in his heyday. It was just as bad for Millie and Moxxie, who had become media darlings of the Greed and Wrath rings. The revelation of Millie’s pregnancy had caused them to hit number 5 on Sinstagram almost overnight. Even Satan himself had spoken out about it publicly.

While historically, Satan had been one of the ones to promulgate the subservience of the lesser demons, even he had to admit that it was quite thrilling to see some of his children among his liege’s inner circle. He was particularly proud of Blitzø and Millie for using their inner Wrath in service of what Hell truly needed, and more importantly in service of what their loved ones truly needed. And seeing how closely-knit and effective they truly were was honestly quite heart-warming. Not much could truly stir the draconic demon’s affection, but these little ones had managed it, and he would treasure their achievement.

Mammon, on the other hand, was infuriated. Behind closed doors, he consistently complained about the reforms. This turned his already strained relationship with Charlie as a pseudo-uncle into a barely functional one. They were already not on speaking terms due to his exploitation of Fizzarolli and other demons, but his tirades made the Sin of Greed completely unable to talk to his niece at all without getting into an argument. And since that was not productive, it meant the two of them were barely in the same room, let alone interacting together, just like his relationship with Asmodeus.

Loona had nearly become as popular among hellhounds as Beelzebub herself, and she had started to whisper in Charlie’s ear about the hellhound adoption agency she had lived in for the first seventeen years of her life. He knew that that would eventually lead to another rampage from the Princess, and Belphegor wouldn’t be able to sleep for a long while, given that they were under her authority. Similarly, the public perception of Stolas had by far improved among his fellow imps, as instead of seeing him as just another prissy royal, they now considered him one of their own, as Blitzø’s lover. And given how hard Stolas had worked to help people out during his time as one of Lucifer’s advisers, that impression was growing stronger by the day. The prince had been mobbed every time he had went outside for weeks after the first time he volunteered at a soup kitchen in the Pride Ring. And public approval of the Princess was growing just as fast, the denizens of Hell seeing in her a ruler who was just and fair to them, while stern and fiercely protective of her people.

Of course, the royal couple themselves had gotten quite a lot of love, as the concert that Lilith and Lucifer had put on after her return had been extremely inspiring. Sinstagram had had several new trending hashtags for weeks after, using the royals’ official ship name as shorthand for a perfect couple, as well as that of Mixxie, Stolitz and Fizzmodeus. And the following musicals that Lucifer had created and performed with his wife about the history of Hell had taken social media by storm. Honestly, with all of the love that the royal court was experiencing from their subjects, it was hard to concentrate on the threat that Adam presented sometimes.

But somehow, they managed to focus. After all, he was a threat to everyone they knew and everyone they loved. And they were determined to do the best they could to stop him for good. The love of their people, in the end, also helped to reinvigorate them. With so many counting on them, how could they let them down?

Of course, very little of that was immediately relevant to what Blitzø was focused on right now. As the boss, he had taken a lot of the caseload when it came to dealing with the continuing crisis in Hell, serving as the royal liaison to those tracking Adam’s movements. There were a few little cases here and there that seemed to vaguely involve the heavenly dickwad in one way or another. Certain people suddenly breaking their established patterns of behavior without explanation, Exorcists going missing, even unauthorized portals being opened when Hell was officially on a portal lockdown without direct royal authorization. He may be an assassin by trade, and detective work may not come easy to him, but he was not as foolish as he seemed.

True, he would have preferred for the Radio Demon to be there to help out. But unfortunately, according to Charlie, he had a social engagement with some friends of his from Earth. And as much as he could use Alastor’s help, he wasn’t about to tick him off- he may have angelic weapons, but he was, at the end of the day, just an imp. Besides, he could figure it out.

Though there was some worrying news he’d heard about through some informants in Greed and Wrath. Crimson hadn’t left his house for about a week now, which lined up all too well with the public announcement of Millie’s pregnancy. Obviously, Mox’s shitty dad was plotting something. But equally dangerous was the news about their other perennial foe- Striker. Even though Stella and Andrealphus had been caught, he was still at large. And given the fact he’d been consistently sighted within less than a mile of where Stolas was several times, it was clear he was still intent on fulfilling his hit, even with no one to pay out his reward.

Either way, Blitzø and the rest of his found family would keep their eyes peeled. After all, with all of the turmoil and upheaval in Hell at the moment, so much could happen. And after finally finding a group of people who put up with his nonsense and stayed with him, he was not about to lose it like he had so many times before. Stolas was always escorted by undercover bodyguards with angelic weapons, especially when interacting with his fans, knowing that any one of them could be an assassin in disguise. And the Greed Ring was being combed for potential troublemakers anyway, so it was really not that much of an issue to have people looking out for any sign of Crimson.

Blitzø sighed as he picked up another case file, skimming over the details before pulling a face. He almost needed to throw up after seeing that name and face again, but it honestly made sense that the crazy college girl he'd killed had gotten involved with Adam. Hell, from their singular meeting, he could tell that she probably sold her soul willingly even without the fallen angel wearing her down. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to see her again, but if he did, at least he'd finally be able to shut her up for good this time.