I have noticed that some people apparently don't know what Doom, Hazbin Hotel, or either of these franchises are. I don't think you'll get the most enjoyment out of this story if you aren't aware of a lot of the lore behind DOOM and the basic plot of Hazbin Hotel. I encourage you, if you haven't played the 2016 game, or if you haven't watched Hazbin Hotel, go do those things. And even if you don't want to play through all of DOOM, just look up a summary of the game and then come back to this. Trust me, gamers.

Nonetheless, enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 14: A Way To Redemption, After All…

There it was.

The Capital.

Charlie felt her heart pounding rapidly as she looked to the Doom Slayer next to her and the countless demons walking behind them. The last thing she wanted was for the demons in the Capital to panic and launch an attack on the Doom Slayer, so she got herself ready to present herself to the front gates.

Already, she could see people on the ramparts of the walls panicking as they saw the terrifying sight, and so Charlie unfurled her wings and flew over towards them.

"HOLD ON, ALL OF YOU!" She shouted, waving her arms at the demons on the ramparts, who looked to her.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, PRINCESS CHARLOTTE?!" One of them shouted. "THE DEMON SLAYER IS HERE! GET OUT OF HERE NOW!"

"No!" Charlie exclaimed. "He is not here to do harm! He wants to negotiate!"

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU SMOKING?!" Another demon shouted. "HAVEN'T YOU SEEN WHAT THIS GUY HAS DONE FIRSTHAND?"

"HEY!"

The demons were shocked into silence by the Princess' sudden transformation into her true form, and the harsh tone that came with it.

"Look at him!" She roared, pointing at the Doom Slayer. Everyone's eyes followed.

He had no weapons in his hand, and he was walking as if he were ready to do business with someone. He looked up at them, and all of the demons cowered in fear.

"Are...Are you sure about this, Princess Charlie?!"

"Would you prefer annihilation?"

The guards went silent, with a few of them taking another look at the Doom Slayer idling below the gates.

"Well, I mean...he isn't giving me the same vibes of merciless slaughter that he did before...maybe…"

"LET HIM IN ALREADY!"

"O-OKAAY!"

Reluctantly, the demons opened the gates to the city, their eyes glued to the Doom Slayer, who walked through with an almost angry gait.

As he passed through the gate, the demons below, who were unaware of his presence, and immediately he was met with dozens of pairs of eyes.

"Um…" One demon muttered. "Is this a joke?"

Some of the demons walked up to the Doom Slayer nonchalantly.

"Dang, man, that's a nice costume you got there!" One of them said. "Almost looks exactly like the Demon Slayer!"

Charlie was thoroughly confused as to what was going on. She flew down next to the Doom Slayer, looking between him and the demons that had formed around him.

"What...are you guys doing?"

"Just admiring this fantastic costume this demon made!"

"Wha- why do you think he's not the Doom Slayer?"

"Well, I dunno about this 'Doom Slayer' fellow, but you can see behind the visor that the guy is clearly not human- GHK!"

The Doom Slayer had grabbed the demon by the neck and brought him face to face, a low growl emitting from inside the helmet.

"Hey- hey, why are you angry?!"

"Doom Slayer, I believe these demonic features you've taken on are meant to help you better infiltrate into this demon society." VEGA beeped. The Doom Slayer continued staring at the demon in his grip, before promptly letting him go. The demon fell to the ground, coughing harshly.

"Jesus...well, you got the same terrifying energy as the Demon Slayer, as well! 10/10, I must say- Hey, where are you going?"

The Doom Slayer stormed through the streets of the town, with more and more people coming out of buildings and alleys to get a look at him. The majority of them wore nervous or tense faces, while others seemed impressed and even delighted, very likely because they didn't think he was the actual Doom Slayer.

Charlie walked alongside the Doom Slayer, occasionally darting her eyes around at all of the demons. She noticed that a large swath of military troops were stalking the Doom Slayer at a distance, and several more were running around them towards the palace, likely to alert Lucifer of this situation.

"Wow...uh...they're taking your presence a lot better than I expected."

"What are we doing to convince these demons to follow the path of redemption?" VEGA beeped aloud. "Surely we're not just marching through this city for intimidation."

"Well, I was thinking, you know, that maybe we could just find a nice spot in the middle of the city to, like, I dunno...preach?"

"Preach?"

"Yeah! As in, like, tell them about your plan and everything. You know, redemption...and stuff."

"I see. Then you will need to be the authority voice in this matter. If you are royalty, they are very likely to take this compromise seriously rather than dismiss it. After all, you best understand these heathens."

"That was rude."

"I wasn't programmed to be polite."

The Slayer's army was also following close behind, and some of them were being held back by the regular demons.

"Tracy, is that you?!" One of them said in disbelief. "I...I thought you died in Elysium! I saw you die in front of me!"

A growing number of demons started to notice the seemingly deceased demons now walking the streets behind the Slayer.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Another demon questioned.

"Is this some sick fucking joke?"

"How...how is this possible?!"

Eventually, the Slayer's army was being trailed by a vast majority of the residents of the Capital, either out of shock of seeing their friends and loved ones alive again, or out of sheer curiosity of what was going to happen.

Finally, the Slayer reached the peak of a hill that overlooked the majority of the city, with the giant mass of demons surrounding the hill.

"I have never, not once in my programmed life, been in such an odd situation like this, especially with demons." VEGA beeped. "Nonetheless, I am intrigued to see what will ensue. Go ahead and give your speech, Charlie."

Charlie looked over the gathered masses of demons, all of who were looking up at the Doom Slayer and Charlie.

She took a deep breath, and began to speak. (Begin epic motivational music)

"My fellow demons, we've been faced with a crisis with the likes of which have never been seen before. Just after the most recent extermination, we were attacked once more by a man who came to be known as 'The Demon Slayer'. In just a few short days, everything we've known in Hell has been turned on its head ever since he came along. He killed many of us, and sent us to the horrible lower levels of Hell. We were in fear for our lives, for we knew that there was much worse in store below. But…"

Charlie looked up at the Doom Slayer, who was standing idly, almost menacingly.

"Now, we have not just salvation before us, but an opportunity. An opportunity to better ourselves, an opportunity to make amends with the sins we've committed and the wrong decisions we've made! We have the ability to improve ourselves for the better, and earn everlasting bliss and happiness at the same time!"

She raised her arms.

"We have a chance at redemption!"

Silence. The crowds looked on at her, their eyes widened.

And then, they erupted with laughter.

Pure, raw, unadulterated laughter, cackling and sneering.

"Are you FUCKING KIDDING me?!" One demon shouted out. "Why are you pushing for this shit NOW?!"

"We're in the midst of being fucking wiped out from the face of this awful plane, just to get sent somewhere else! And now this dumb bitch of a princess wants to preach to us like the priest that molested me!" Another cackled.

"Goddamnit, I'll tell ya what, this princess is damn good at cracking jokes, I tell ya what!"

As the masses of demons cackled and roared with laughter, as they slapped their knees, palmed their faces, sneered at her, threw insults at her, questioned where her mind was at,

Charlie was filled with rage.

An indescribable, blood-boiling rage that ran through her veins and bubbled in her stomach. She felt years of pent-up resent and frustration pulling at her skin, screaming at these demons.

The Doom Slayer noticed Charlie's hands balling into fists, her knuckles turning white. He noticed her horns growing out, her eyes turning red, her teeth turning into fangs.

"Oh, boy." VEGA beeped.

"FINE, THEN!"

The crowd's laughter suddenly died down as the air around Charlie had suddenly burst into flames.

"DIE FOR ALL I CARE! YOU WASTES OF FUCKING SPACE! YOU BOTTOM OF THE BARREL PIECES OF SHIT! YOU CONNIVING, SLY, CLEVER LITTLE DEGENERATES!" She roared, her voice having dropped several octaves, as if Lucifer himself were speaking through her.

"I DID EVERYTHING I COULD TO HELP YOU, TO KEEP YOU SAFE, TO KEEP YOU ALIVE! I WANTED THE BEST FOR YOU, I BELIEVED THAT ANY AND ALL OF YOU PATHETIC LOW LIVES COULD REDEEM YOURSELVES! I SPENT YEARS OF MY FUCKING LIFE DOWN HERE WONDERING WHAT EARTH WAS LIKE, ALL OF THE WONDERS AND BEAUTY THAT I WAS MISSING OUT ON, WHILE MOST OF YOU GOT TO SEE THAT BEAUTY FOR YOURSELF, AND YOU FUCKING SQUANDERED IT! YOU GAVE IT UP FOR SOME PATHETIC EXCUSE TO MURDER AND RAPE AND STEAL!"

She pointed one claw at the Doom Slayer.

"NOW YOU HAVE A PRESSING REASON TO REPENT YOUR UNDESERVING SOULS, TO REDEEM YOUR HORRIBLE WAYS! IF YOU DON'T REPENT YOURSELF, IF YOU DON'T ACTIVELY DROP YOUR DEMONIC WAYS…"

She closed her hand slowly, as if crushing something in her palm.

"...THEN YOU WILL DIE AT THE HANDS OF THE DOOM SLAYER, AND I WILL FEEL NOT A DROP OF REMORSE OR PITY FOR YOU! I WARNED YOU ALL, AND I AM BEING SO INFINITELY GRACIOUS TO WARN YOU AGAIN! YOU WILL REPENT, OR YOU WILL SUFFER A HORRIBLE FATE IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF HELL!"

"WE DIDN'T GO TO THE LOWER LEVELS OF HELL!"

Everyone's eyes turned to the demon that had spoke up. It was Vaggie. She seemed to be struggling against the energy binding her to the Doom Slayer to speak.

"We...we...didn't go to the lower levels…"

The crowd was deathly silent.

"Wh...What do you mean? Are you saying...you died and came back?" One demon spoke out hesitantly.

"Yes...I died...at the hands...of the Doom Slayer."

"Who the hell is the Doom Slayer."

"THE DEMON SLAYER!"

The crowd gasped. Charlie, wide-eyed, was still hearing the first words from Vaggie reverberate in her head.

"What do you mean...you didn't go to the lower-"

"We didn't go down...there. We went...somewhere...much...much...worse…"

Everyone was silent as she continued speaking, although her voice was heavily strained.

"We...went to a different place...a horrible...place...there was...blood...and guts...everywhere...there were...monsters...people...being tortured...decorations...of human bowels...hanging cages...bridges made of bones...carcasses lying everywhere...voices...cried out...they sounded like...loved ones...I had..to fight...just to keep...my body...from being taken...by another soul...I had...to survive...every second...it felt like years...years of...pain...and suffering…"

She broke down crying, falling to her knees.

"There...was no...remorse...those demons...they were real demons...my god...I never...want to go...back down there...again…I'll...do...anything..."

Charlie was horrified by Vaggie's description of this place, and so was the crowd, with several of them having disturbed and even terrified expressions on their faces.

And in the silence, a single person was laughing.

The Doom Slayer.

He laughed so loudly that it echoed across the city, resonated in each and every hallway of every building, rang in every open and closed space, from the sewers to the skyscrapers.

And then he stopped, though still everyone's eyes were on him, as if they were shocked by his sudden jubilancy.

"What in the name of myself is going on here?!"

Charlie heard a familiar voice, and looked through the crowds to see her father, accompanied by a heavy personal guard, swaggering through the masses of demons, all of whom bowed to him. He fiddled with his staff and tilted his hat, a grimace on his face.

"Oh? And who have you brought to the center of our city, Charlie?" He mused. "None other than the Demon Slayer himself!"

Upon hearing this statement, several of the demons looked up at the Doom Slayer with abject horror, seemingly having not believed he was the actual person until Lucifer had said it.

"Dad, I can explain-"

"Ah-ba-ba." He shushed her, holding one claw out, as he walked up to the Doom Slayer, who stared down at him. "Well, I'm surprised to see that you aren't rampaging about and killing my denizens. Though I am a bit thankful. We do have an overpopulation problem after all."

The Doom Slayer was silent, continuing to stare down at him.

"Well, you aren't very talkative, huh?" Lucifer prodded. "Maybe I should introduce myself."

He held out one claw, a mischievous smile on his face.

"I am Lucifer, ruler of Hell."

"Funny joke." VEGA beeped aloud. Lucifer stepped back in mock surprise.

"Oh, so he does speak! Though I didn't expect you were a robot! After all, you do look like a demon to me."

Charlie flinched, expecting some sort of attack from the Doom Slayer. Surprisingly, however, he remained silent, his visor somehow unable to be seen through at this moment.

"Come on, now. Shake my hand. Don't worry, I know you're probably paranoid of that whole 'deal with the devil' thing, but most of them are over-exaggerated. Most of them."

He outstretched his hand, and the crowd waited, staring at the Doom Slayer.

A moment of silence passed, and Charlie was tense as he wondered what would be happening.

Then,

In just one swift motion,

The Doom Slayer shook his hand.

…

…

…

Lucifer's face paled, the smile dropped from his expression, and his eyes were filled with abject horror as the Doom Slayer held his hand in a vice grip. Lucifer tried to tear away, but was unable to as the Doom Slayer continued to hold his grip.

"NO! NO! GET ME OUT OF THIS!" Lucifer screeched, his eyes clouded over, his features turning into various types of demonic imagery. The landscape in and around the city warped and twisted, as if congruent with whatever type of endeavor Lucifer was enduring. He continued trying to pull away, turning into various forms of animals and demons to try and slip out of the Doom Slayer's grasp, but none worked, as the Doom Slayer only tightened his grip with each transformation.

The skies turned grey, then black, with wild and violent thunderstorms raging overhead. The crowd of demons yelled and screamed in fear, cowering against the ground.

And then, in just one instant,

The Doom Slayer released his grip.

Lucifer bolted, tripping and stumbling as he ran screaming and wailing away from the Doom Slayer.

"WHAT IS HE?! WHAT IS HE?! GET HIM AWAY! GET HIM AWAY!"

Silence.

Everyone looked to the Doom Slayer.

Then his army got onto one knee and bowed their heads. The other demons saw this, and immediately followed suit. The masses of demons before him all knelt before him, bowing their heads.

Charlie was torn between shock at seeing her fearless father running off screaming, relief at seeing the demons finally comply, and trepidation as she looked over once more at the Doom Slayer.

"WILL YOU ALL REPENT?" VEGA beeped, his voice projecting loudly, as if through a megaphone.

"YES, DOOM SLAYER!"

Charlie was both in awe and embittered by all of this. She was relieved that she had finally, after all this time, found a solution to redemption for all of the demons...but…

Will this really be redemption? Charlie thought sorrowfully. If they are only doing it through fear?

She noticed the Doom Slayer turn towards her.

"Where did you say this 'hotel' of yours was?" VEGA beeped.

And finally, we begin the most exciting arc. Stay tuned.