Authors note:
There is...one last thing...we must address.
Chapter XLIX: Abysstaker
The Helltaker grunted a sigh of relief, placing down his dumbbells with a loud thud, his biceps were burning, Judgement had left two ten kilogram weight plates on each one. He thought he could handle the increased weight load...but he hadn't regained his true strength yet. But the Helltaker being the Helltaker, he had decided to exercise regardless, not wanting to disturb the High Prosecutor's equipment...even though it was technically his.
The man was currently in the High Prosecutor's and Justice's bedroom, since it was too cold to exercise outside, those who wished to exercise inside were allowed to by the prosecutors, their room had plenty of open space as well as having the weights bench. The two also had quite large south facing windows that could be opened to wide allow a pleasant breeze of air into the room, the bedroom could become stiflingly hot around summertime. However, for the time being the windows were only slightly ajar, the cold winter air doing well to cool the room, dropping the temperature of the entire house.
He had just finished his daily workout, another grueling one filled with heavy death metal music, the sweat dripping off of him like rain water. The Helltaker was well on the way to regaining his proper muscular physique, within a few more weeks, he should be back to how he was when he first entered Hell.
"Always like watching you build up a sweat" a voice came from the door, making him jump slightly. He turned and saw the grey demon leaning against the white doorway, she was wearing a particularly sadistic smirk on her face, the man smirking in a playful manner in return before wiping his brow with a smelly light blue rag.
"Always the perv J" he teased, the man standing now, breathing in long laboured breaths. He knew Judgement so well now, he knew her entire mannerisms inside out when it came to situations like this. She would always come off as uninterested at first, liking to observe before speaking, only when she was invited...that's when she'll let the animal out of its cage.
"I am not!" she protested, the woman trying to defend herself like usual, Judgement crossed her arms and gave him a disgusted look. "Are you still arguing with Lucy?" the woman lingering on the precipice of the hallway and bedroom.
"I'm going J, with or without her permission or blessing or whatever-" the man finishing wiping away his sweat, the rag being well and truly drenched now. He decided a subject change was in order. "I must admit, I'm unable to keep up with you anymore" he gestured to the weights, "But one day...One day I'll catch up". He now reached down to his toes and up to the ceiling, his muscles were thankful for the relaxation. After his stretches he leant down and picked up the dumbbell, carrying it over to the rack, slotting it in amoungst the rest.
"Fat chance" the grey demon now entering her bedroom, Judgement throwing her black smartphone onto her bed. "You think you can keep up with a High Prosecutor?" she grinned, coming to stand close to him now.
"Sorry, are-" he pointed at the demon, his index finger poking into her chiseled gut, "Are you one of them?" he feigned being confused, another ploy to get on her nerves.
"You only got one life left now...gonna lose it THAT easily?" despite the insults Judgement still maintained a sadistic, mischievous smile, but she secretly loved this.
"I used to be able to keep up with you, but-" the man hesitated, that signature smile appearing once more. "But I know you'll slip up", they had been taunting and teasing one another ever since they had gotten back.
"Oh! I'LL slip up?!" Judgement shoved him back, pushing him with her two hands. They were both dressed in outfits suitable for exercise, both wearing tank tops, the Helltaker, a plain red one, Judgement, a grey one with a white skull stencil on the chest. His avatar of pain was also wearing fingerless black gloves, her hands always got blisters and callouses when she worked out for too long.
The two of them were both wearing black shorts too, Judgement having a pair of white lines going down the material on her legs, almost like a tracksuit. Despite the cold weather winter had brought, the warmth and insulation of the house was quite adequate so that they weren't feeling chilled to the bone at every waking moment. The Helltaker had also bought some fresh sunglasses, matte black circular ones rather than aviators, that was more Justice's style than his. He was glad to be returning to his former self once more, both physically...and mentally.
It was refreshing knowing he was no longer in a downward spiral, exercising properly, eating properly, sleeping properly...living properly.
He had decided to buy new sunglasses, not just for fashion, but to replace the ones he had given to Justice, the ones that had been destroyed. That pair, the one that Judgement had destroyed almost entirely, instead of Justice throwing them away, she decided to keep them. What could be salvaged of the frame and lenses, Justice had simply wanted to showcase it.
The scrap metal was encased in transparent resin, the block was only two inches or so in height, the length being just under five inches. What was even more adorable was that Justice never went anywhere without it, it helped her relieve stress. She would run her fingers over it, tracing the edges of the three-dimensional rectangle. "Even though I can't fucking see it, knowing it's there...it's a comfort" she had said when making the memorabilia, it being her pet project while she was trapped in the infirmary. She had made the Helltaker return to the core room multiple times and find the scrap pieces, what was left of it anyway.
With the help of the Lustful Demon, Justice had engraved into one of the metal arms of the sunglasses a minuscule but readable message before they encased it in resin, not for her sake, but for those who could see it. It read;
'Fortune Favors The Blind'.
The Helltaker's back now collided with the wall, the push wasn't too forceful, playful in fact...considering it was Judgement, he smiled as he saw the pent up rage and hunger building behind those white eyes. He waited for Judgement's eyes to look away, his right hand had his rag hidden in his fist, when she finally glanced out the window he chucked the scrunched up, sweat drenched rag directly onto her face, it expanded to it's full size as it landed on the demon's face.
Bad move.
"YOU ARE FUCKING DEAD!" the High Prosecutor ripping the rag in two with her bare hands, charging over to the human. He was dead for sure.
"You're gonna slip up High Prosecutor and I'll be able to lift twice as much as you!" he jabbed further, the man readying himself for the barrage of attacks, standing sideways. "Maybe I'll become High Prosecutor!".
"OH YEAH?!" Judgement aiming her fist for the centre of his chest, the blow aiming to knock him down, but the Helltaker countered it, catching it with his right, causing it to brush off of him, pushing her fist to the side. However, Judgement had expected this and followed it up with another attack, a left fist going to for his shoulder.
The Helltaker had learned where Judgement would aim for before she struck, thankfully he was fast enough to react again, his left forearm blocking it. "We playing now are we?!" he laughed. But he wasn't expecting what came next. Judgement practically jumped on him, the demon leaping up, wrapping her strong thighs around his pelvis. His arms came down around her thighs in order to support her weight so that they didn't fall over. His hands wondering down elsewhere too...
Looks like Judgement's short lived anger and instantly turned to hornyness. As soon as he had got a hold of the grey demon their lips crashed together, the High Prosecutor had felt quite neglected ever since they had returned. It was beginning to show. Practically every single demon had missed the Helltaker's affection, sex-drive and competitiveness was at an all time high...
The demon now wrapped her arms around his neck and face, holding onto him tightly, her dark grey tongue exploring his mouth once more. The demon pushed all her body weight onto him, making him fall back onto the bed. It was a natural yet animalistic urge, Judgment had needs after all...
The family had been back on the surface for roughly a month, their lives returning mostly to normal, adapting to new injuries, all having learnt new lessons, grateful that they were still alive. One of Cerberus's body had to learn to live with one of her eyes blinded, Justice had spent a few weeks getting her teeth replaced and Lucifer had been given a synthetic almost robotic-like hand, made of some strange, special polymer manufactured in Hell. He tried to understand how it worked...but had given up trying.
They had spent roughly the equivalent of three months in Hell while Justice, Judgement, Lucifer and Cerberus recovered, all of them having to undergo extensive treatment, Hell Energy drip fed into them as their bodies recovered from corruption sickness as well as being brought back to life. Unfortunately Justice was the worst, the demon taking much longer than the rest to recover.
Jehovah and Jesus had offered to help with the healing process, but Lucifer and Pandemonica both agreed to send them on their way.
"I suppose I am in your debt" Lucifer had said coldly to Jehovah, the group having now been moved to a more comfortable, more luxurious, more accessible part of Hell's infirmary, one fit for her highness...and her demons, no more time spent in a dark crypt. The Queen was currently laying down, having a fresh set of clothes on her body now, a silky smooth black crimson robe, the queen favoring comfort over fashion right now.
"Still after all this time...you are concerned about what is owed to whom" Jehovah had sighed, the two had been having this back and forth debate over the last few hours. The Helltaker was simply sat in a leather type chair next to the CEO's bedside, quietly listening to this argument.
"I thought you never got involved, didn't reverse what has already been done. What changed?" Lucifer growled.
"Your fight with Mantus, the man hell-bent to enter Heaven. You, with the help of your brood and one 'average' human-" the Deity glancing at the human briefly, "You stopped that from happening...that's what changed" Jehovah pausing, but she soon realised this answer wasn't enough to satisfy the devil. "You have my thanks" she begrudgingly added.
"I have your thanks? I have your fucking thanks?!" the demon allowing anger to consume her. He wanted to intervene, to ask Lucifer to be civil...but he decided against it, keeping quiet for now.
"Do you wish I reversed my actions?" Jehovah trapping Lucifer in a corner of logic now, the devil glaring with hate at her creator, Jesus was stood at her mother's side, her shy, pale blue eyes glancing at the devil, the Helltaker and Jehovah but she did not wish to speak. Lucifer was quite a terrifying foe.
The CEO of Hell glanced at the human briefly, the Helltaker grinning slightly. "Do you?", the man having a fist in front of his lips, his elbow resting on his other arm.
"He convinced you...didn't he..." the devil turned back to look at the Deity, deciding not to reply to her favourite slave.
"You have chosen quite the special human Lucy, a man like him is not easy to find" Jehovah smiling gently, the tone becoming slightly lighter.
"So I keep being told..." the man chuckling silently at this remark. "Don't suppose you came back to chew the fat then..." she continued her aggression.
"No...I simply wanted to wish you well, make sure you and your demons were recovering as expected. You and me both know corruption sickness is not to be taken lightly" Jehovah noticing the silence of the other demons in the room, all of them were listening to their conversation now.
"Well as you can see...we're fine" Lucifer said through gritted teeth, the demon hating every second of being in their presence.
"I could do with some more of that funky angel magic" Justice called out, the demon receiving a few small laughs off of everybody, Jesus included, the blind demon doing well to further reduce the tension in the air.
"Be quiet Justice" Lucifer commanded, the room falling silent once more, the devil had now decided to sit up, the Helltaker moving her pillow to allow her better comfort as she rested her back against it.
"Heaven owes its safety to you, your realm has suffered much at the hands of one of our's" Jehovah trying to reinforce her earlier point. "With your sacrifice, the balance of life is maintained" a gentle smile painted on the Deity's face.
It was strange to think that Heaven and Hell couldn't work without one another. Heaven could not process 'the damned', without Hell, the paradise would become overwhelmed, anarchy and chaos would ensue. Without Heaven, Hell would also become overwhelmed, but processing 'the worthy', those worthy of eternal paradise, would gradually destroy Hell's core. Apparently a prosecutor mistakenly condemning one of the worthy caused the structural integrity of the core to disintegrate.
He couldn't understand these intricate details half the time...Basically without one, the other would suffer, angels and demons needed each other.
"Cut the bullshit and just say it" Lucifer blurted, the demon clenching her fists now, the red of her iris becoming increasingly brighter.
"What would you like me to say my child?" Jehovah asked confused. Here we go...
"That the death, the destruction and the cause of all of this was your fault" Lucifer wanting to hear her old teacher confess to her sins.
"I carry the burden of my mistakes at every moment of my existence, Mantus and the abyss, the death of your demons- yes...that was all 'my fault'. You are right and I am wrong, but as I have explained to your dear Helltaker, Mantus was simply a drop in the ocean of chaos that we must face" Jehovah's patience and neutrality was running thin.
"We?" Lucifer almost laughed, coughing slightly afterwards.
"You know this all too well, angels and demons are bound together in servitude, we drive back the darkness, keeping creatures like him-" the Deity pointing with her gloved index finger, not even looking at the man, "-out of harms way".
"But everyone must be forgiven...isn't that what you taught me so long ago? Does Mantus not deserve forgiveness" the devil taunted once more.
"Do not mistake my forgiveness as mercy...as weakness...were it not for that man I would have let you all rot" Lucifer was doing well to infuriate Jehovah, the two knowing how to get on each other's nerves. The Deity had finally snapped.
"There he is...that was the Jehovah I remember" Lucifer smiled, closing her eyes and leaning back further. "Monica?" she called.
The no longer depressed but still Tired Demon had been in the room with the rest of the demons, she was slumped in a chair between Cerberus's and Justice's bed, trying to catch up on her sleep. However she had snapped awake as soon as Lucifer called her name, a trick she had mastered over the years. Pandemonica was so thankful she was no longer in charge.
"Yes, Your Majesty?" the demon came and stood at the devil's bedside, the woman manifesting her notepad, awaiting instructions from her Queen.
"See our guests, Jehovah and Jesus out. Make sure they do not linger. They are no longer welcome" the devil ordered, the Queen still having her eyes closed. The Helltaker sighed at this order. It was never wise to alienate your allies...guess they weren't always going to be allies.
"As you wish, Your Majesty" Pandemonica turned around, but the angels were already in agreement to leave.
"I wish you well...Lucy...I wish you all well" Jehovah spoke honestly to the rest of the family, receiving only a few silent nods, "Come Jesus". The two of them began moving to the exit of the infirmary.
"Get out" Lucifer finally opening her eyes, snarling, but the devil was in no position to be threatening. She could not fight, not like she had any healthy prosecutors to fight for her anyway.
"Wait...I'll see them out" the Helltaker getting out of his chair and following them to the door, "You rest Monica", he gestured to his larger more comfy chair. The former secretary glanced at her queen and then at the chair, not sure who to obey.
"Where do you think you're going?!" Lucifer snapped, those red eyes locked onto him. If looks could kill.
"I'll be back, don't worry...Your Majesty" he curtsied in jest, again encouraging a few of the other demons like Modeus, Azazel and Zdrada to giggle.
"I hate you" she called after him as the man left their room.
"Thank you...for everything. Without-" but the human was cut-off.
"Please, you have thanked me- thanked us enough" the Deity sometimes neglecting her daughter's work like that. "Remember, if thou art to act upon that plan we discussed, thou will need Azazel to contact me".
"Noted, I'm not sure how the others would react, but yes- I won't be able to do it without your help" the Helltaker filing that information away in the back of his head. They all stopped walking now, the two holy figures turning and looking at the human. Time to say goodbye.
"Well...It was a pleasure meeting you Evan!" Jesus smiled, the three of them now stood at the entrance of the infirmary, they had only walked a few metres and they were now in a large open room, the natural red hue of Hell's 'sky' could be seen through the giant archway behind the angels. Thankfully none of the devil's servants were around.
"The pleasure was all mine-" the man did not expect the little bean to close the gap between them immediately and hug him, the woman wasn't as tall as him, so her head reached up to his torso. Naturally, he decided to reciprocate the affection, the man wrapping his arms around the small angel. "I-" the angel stuttered, still holding onto him tightly.
"You got anything to say Jesus...now's the time to say it. Probably won't see you until..." the man gulping slightly, well other than this 'plan', there was no seeing these two until...the end.
"I'm going to miss you, even though we haven't known each other for long...I feel like I've known you all my life, everyone in Heaven likes you and-" but the poor angel was ordered to be quiet.
"Jesus...please do not embarrass yourself" her mother commanded, it seemed that getting attached was frowned upon, especially when you were an all powerful, immortal being. Time took it all away from you.
"I'll miss you too little bean" he smiled, "Hey, something to remember me by" the man reached into his breast pocket, retrieving another pair of sunglasses that Justice had loaned him. They were a pair of classic aviator sunglasses, a gleaming silver frame with a white finish, the lenses themselves had a light grey tint. Jesus didn't notice it at first, but on one of the arms of the sunglasses the word 'Archangel' was scratched crudely into it with a sharp point. Another one of Justice's personal touches.
"A-are you sure?" the Innocent One taking the sunglasses in both of her hands, holding them as delicately as possible, as if they would shatter and dissolve if she moved them even an inch.
"Well, they aren't really mine...only been wearing them for a few weeks, besides, I imagine I'll be buying Justice plenty more when we get back home" he smiled, the man was now kneeling next to the angel. "Look after it for me...okay?".
"I'll- I will treasure this...no one has given me a gift like this before!" Jesus beamed up at him.
"Just don't be as careless with them as I am" he smiled, ruffling the angel's black hair, now standing and looking at Jehovah. The two staring at one another briefly. "Are you a hugger?" he grinned.
"I don't see why humans perform such a pointless a-mphm!" the Deity was shocked as the Helltaker's big arms wrapped around her in an instant, the Diety's body being squeezing against his, muffling her voice. After a few awkward seconds, Jehovah's hands moved from inbetween their bodies and reluctantly placed themselves around his waist, holding his back loosely. He felt the woman's head rest on his shoulder, Jehovah closing her eyes for a moment.
"Ah...I...see...now" the woman's voice was slightly higher pitched than before, he smiled at her words, his head embedded in a sea of black hair. When they finally departed, the Omniscient, Omnipotent Deity was blushing immensely, the woman wishing to have been held for longer. "Goodbye...Helltaker" Jehovah smiled, her embarrassment slowly melting away, the woman now poised to click her fingers.
"Goodbye Jehovah, Goodbye Jesus. Look after each other" he took a step back, the man giving them a single wave.
"Goodbye!" Jesus smiled, the Innocent Bean clutching his sunglasses tightly now. It was the last thing he heard as the two figures disappeared into golden nothingness. Sparkling gold dust fell to the black stone floor as the two Deities left, the particles disintegrating into the floor.
That was then...this was now...
The equivalent of four months had passed as soon as they had reached the surface, seven months in total since the fight with Mantus and this 'plan' of his had been stewing in his mind for far...far too long and today he decided to act. The guilt had been burning into his mind every single night he lay awake, a demon sleeping on his chest, the man unable to sleep...it was unfair.
"I swear to god if you two are fucking on my bed, I'm gonna be pissed" Justice's voice now came from their doorway, the demon may be blind but she had an acute sense of hearing and smell, and boy could she smell the pheromones. Justice had just interrupted the fired-up demon and human, making them jump out of their skin as they heard footsteps approaching.
"Uh- no!" the Helltaker quickly lifted the High Prosecutor off of Justice's bed and onto her own one. Judgement's legs were still wrapped around him, the grey demon letting herself be moved, she was too busy hiding her face with both hands, dying with embarrassment. The two of them were half naked, both with their tank-tops discarded on the floor.
"Don't crush my phone!" she hissed as quietly as possible as the Helltaker layed on the bed first, Judgement on top of him.
"When you said you were coming up here for a workout, now I know what you meant J!" the Awesome Demon actually coming into the bedroom and shutting the door behind her, turning the lock. Justice was now in her usual attire, the demon did not wish to subject her body to tight clothing until she was back to full health. This was one of the first days she had decided to dress normally. The Awesome Demon in all her sharply dressed beauty...
"Uhh...what are you doing Justice?" the man was currently on his back with Judgement straddling him, the two thinking that if they kept silent and didn't move then Justice would have kept walking past.
"Oh I'm sorry! Thought you treated all your demons equally? I need a workout too!" the woman slowly beginning to undress, starting with her gloves. "You WERE fucking on my bed, really J?" Justice was literally staring at them.
Gulp.
He looked at Judgement's bright red face, he too was beginning to blush with embarrassment himself. The man had never been with two of them at a time before and for good reason, jealousy had no place in the bedroom...What had he gotten himself into...
"W-ee got a little carried away...Sorry, I'll ma-" Judgement's innocent side began to show, moving herself off the Helltaker, but she didn't get to finish her sentence.
"Shut the fuck up and deal with it" Justice sassed with a mischievous grin on her once again immaculate face, throwing her tie at the High Prosecutor, the second object thrown at her face today. The Blind Demon also leant on her friend, placing a hand on Judgement's bare shoulder, shoving the demon to sit back down ontop of him as she removed her shoes.
"J-Justice I d-" but again Judgement's sweaty, nervous protest wasn't allowed to finish, Justice had already begun taking her shirt and suit pants off.
"Shut it ya frigid prosecutor. Think you can handle both of us big guy?", both demons now looking at their human.
"W-We'll have to see won't w-we" he gulped, oh boy...
After a long shower, the Helltaker doing a deep clean, scrubbing the sweat and...other...bodily fluid off of his body, he exited his en-suite wearing nothing but a red towel, walking over to his wardrobe. He decided that no suit would protect him this time, the man simply going for the standard red shirt and black suit pants. His door opened quietly, but he heard it just fine. "I'm gonna bet ten bucks it's Mo-" he said aloud, but he wasn't allowed to finish. His bare ass was on display to whoever the intruder was as he put on his boxer shorts.
"Why don't you listen to me? Why doesn't anyone listen to me?!" it was Lucifer, an angry Lucifer. She stormed into the room now, the devil too had reverted back to her old, traditional, sharp CEO outfit. He was glad they were all sharply dressed once more. "I am the-" but this time she wasn't allowed to finish.
"The goddamned Queen of Hell, I know Lucy, I know. Does that make me the King?" he joked, only infuriating the devil further.
"Why are you not listening?! Why are you doing this?!" Lucifer was now stood behind him, the man still not turning around, adjusting his shirt and talking through the mirror instead.
"Because she would do the same for me" he said simply, trying his best not to raise his voice. Lucifer knew he was right...
"You know damn well that's a lie!" she countered, the demon's fury growing exponentially. "That women has only ever been selfish, its just take, take, take with her!" this was slowly turning from demanding to convincing...to begging.
"I am not...going to abandon her Lucy" he said, finalising the adjustments to his outfit, tucking his shirt into his pants, tightening his belt a little more. The man also deciding to wear a watch, telling the time might be useful.
"Why the heroics now? After everything we have been through you are going to throw yourself head first into danger...AGAIN!" the devil shouted as he went to his watch drawer. He did not reply, his back still turned to his partner.
"LOOK AT ME!" she screamed louder, tears beginning to form in those deep red eyes. The man sighed, obeying and making eye contact with her. She looked like she had just been betrayed...
"I cannot abandon family...even after everything she has done, it was my fault she ever went to give Mantus his soul back" he answered honestly, cautiously stepping towards the devil.
"You'll die..." she sniveled, she couldn't have her heart broken again...not again...In an act of sadness, the CEO of Hell actually held out her arms to him like a child wanting to be picked up. Those white gloves hands on their sides, fingers slightly apart. "Come here".
He obeyed, their bodies interlocking, Lucifer crying into his shirt once again, the Helltaker simply holding her tight and saying "Shhhh, it will be alright". His big arms were wrapped around her sides, his hands resting on the back of her shoulders. "After everything we have been through, all the battles we have fought, all the pain we have received, all the torment...me...you and our family have endured..." she sobbed.
"Our family is not whole, I cannot- I refuse to abandon Beelzebub. She deserves better" he spoke honestly, it was the truth.
"What if you die?" she withdrew from the hug temporarily, but kept him at arms-length. "We no longer have a way out, we have one chance...we...can't...waste...this" the tears still rolling down those pale cheeks.
"One chance is all we need, I'm sorry Lucy...but this is something I just have to do" he gently leaned in and placed a single kiss on the CEO's lips. A tender silence followed, Lucifer keeping her eyes closed temporarily as the feeling of this kiss soon faded.
"I know what Jehovah told you...that Beelzebub hadn't been the same since she had returned to the abyss, don't forget I supported you...supported your decision for his soul to be returned" she coughed down the next wave of tears. "There may be nothing left of her".
"I have to know...and there is only one way to find out" he brushed a strand of Lucifer's ashen hair backwards. "You are so beautiful" he smiled.
"S-sweet talkin-" she smiled slightly, the doubt was beginning to thaw, "-won't save you this time". Her synthetic hand came up and held the left side of his face, the cold material rubbing his cheek.
"I'm going with Azazel to Heaven, this is the last time I will seek Jehovah's help...then this will all be over" the Helltaker moved his hands down to her hips now, giving her a little squeeze.
"Then- then I'm coming with you" Lucifer said defiantly, the man not expected such a reaction.
"Will they even consider it?" he smiled, interlocking his left hand into her right one, lifting it up, the man beginning to sway gently, her body following his, slow dancing.
"They better, or else there will be hell to pay for" she smiled back, her body moving naturally with his, their feet moving gracefully without mistake.
A tender silence followed, both of them were contempt with being held and swaying gently as if music were playing. He leant his head closer to the devil, resting his forehead against her's, the Helltaker closing his eyes. Their bodies moving as one, swaying ever so slowly now.
"I promise you, I will do everything in my power to come home to you in one piece" he whispered. "I promise".
"I'll hold you to that...we have finally been given a chance...Our...Last...Chance".
"I know, but I need to push our luck just a little further...then we can properly retire" he half joked about the last part.
"We deserve it...I'll go change".
"Why change? You already look stunning" he flirted, the gentle swaying finally coming to an end.
"Shut up and kiss me".
"Are you prepared?" Jehovah asked, they were stood amoungst the clouds once again. There were five of them currently in a restricted part of Heaven, they weren't in the APD, they were further beyond...far enough away that they wouldn't cause any harm. Where the clouds stretched eternal, there was no end, there was nothing.
The area they were all stood in was big enough to allow for their plan to go ahead undisturbed, the population of Heaven and their angels would remain unharmed if things were to go awry. Besides they had the most powerful beings in existence for that scenario too.
"Go over it again once more" he smiled, trying his best to adjust the white belt of Holy Energy around his waist. It felt like it was becoming increasingly tighter.
"I will give you an entry point to the abyss, as soon as you are inside we will shut the portal" Lucifer began, looking over at her creator with passive discontent.
"Me and Jesus will maintain the interdimensional tether, it will grant you immunity, a temporary protection to the abyss's corruption. You will have a limited amount of time to find and extract Beelzebub, but when the tether is about to break we will bring you back with Lucy's portals...we will have to try again if that is the case" Jehovah looked at her daughter, Jesus nodding in response.
"How will I let you know I'm ready to be extracted?" the man giving up on adjusting the halo of white light around his waist. The man looking at the three angels and the devil. Azazel was wearing those diamond cross earrings Justice had bought at the mall for her graduation gift...all those months ago...god it felt like years...
"We will be seeing through your mind, your senses, touch, sight, smell, you know the rest! The tether connects us to you!" Jesus smiled, Azazel was stood next to the Innocent Bean, nervously rolling her thumbs as she held her hands together.
"Alright, sounds simple enough..." he looked over at Lucifer. "Piece of a cake right?" the man unaware of the danger, a stupid smile of confidence on his face.
"Try not to die...or get yourself imprisoned or literally anything!" Lucifer not sharing his confidence.
"You have no faith" he smirked, the two Archangels were now preparing to maintain the connection to the Helltaker's tether.
"I'm serious, find Beelzebub and get out" Lucifer gave him a stern look, the devil preparing to manifest her portal into the darkness.
"Yes boss" the man gulping down the last of his worries.
"Good luck!" Azazel squeaked, the angel terrified of what might happen, he looked over at his angel and smiled calmly. The young angel had really matured over the last few months and now as she stood in front of him, dressed like she was, earrings and all, he couldn't be more proud of her.
"Who needs luck when I have my guardian angel watching over me?" he smiled, hopefully this wasn't going to be last time he saw her...saw them. The Helltaker turned his head to look at the devil. "Ready?".
"Ready" Lucifer nodded, he turned and looked at the Mother and Daughter stood side by side, both them nodding in sync. Hell Energy began channeling across the devil's body in brilliant bolts and arcs of power. She clapped once, throwing her hands forward, projecting a beam of orange light out of her body and into the space ahead of them. Another swirling, more powerful, more concentrated orange gateway opening before him.
Another fucking portal...the darkness hidden beyond it.
"Go!" Lucifer shouted, even the devil was struggling to maintain the opening. Without hesitation he sprinted forward, charging head first, leaping into the dark void.
Once more unto the breach.
He fell head first into the infinite sea of black, he had entered standing, but now he was falling rapidly. Thankfully he was able to reposition himself so he was going feet first down, but at this point he could be falling in any direction. He didn't remember gravity being a thing in the abyss, when he had arrived the first time to meet Beelzebub he had simply appeared, not moving at all.
The cold touch of the abyss once again began caressing his skin, but the choir of whispers no longer scared him. The Helltaker remembered that Beelzebub saved him from being consumed, his only lifeline now was the holy tether, he hoped those two wouldn't gouge out each other's throats out while he was gone.
Still he was falling...falling...falling...falling, somehow it was becoming increasingly dark as he descended, as if the abyss could get darker. Then something bizarre happened...
Polaroid photos began moving past him, a shower of photographs surrounding him as he fell. When he finally looked at one he saw the pictures within them, they were varied snapshots taken from Zdrada's Polaroid camera and placed in that scrapbook she hid, she thought he didn't know about it but Malina had shown him once while drunk. He didn't know what Zdrada was saving it for but he awaited the day she completed it.
Photos of them at the beach, photos of their seasonal parties, Halloween, Christmas, New Years Eve, Thanksgiving, they were all there. There snapshots of him, when he had passed out drunk on the sofa, the photo of Judgement in her white dress on their date night, a selfie of himself and Beelzebub, a photo of Zdrada charging at the camera in anger. The abyss had all of his memories.
Despite this rainfall of photos, he was unfazed, ignoring this tactic to put him on edge. The man could feel wind moving past his face along with the edges of the photos, yet he knew there was no such thing in the abyss, no gravity, no wind, no light...nothing.
His descent was slowing now, but the time he was in free fall and unable to move made him wonder what had happened to Beelzebub, was she consumed by the abyss? Or was she simply awaiting him on the purple circular bed in her castle?
He would find the answer soon enough...one way or another...
The man had finally stopped descending, once he was able to move freely he sluggishly turned his head to see if there was anything in sight other than the slow motion falling photographs. Amazingly...there was.
In the distance, a minuscule red and white dot could be seen, no bigger than a pixel on a monitor, impossible he thought. Being the only thing visible he decided to head out of the shower of memories and towards it, what else could he do? Without his special power, he pondered what would have happened if he died in the abyss with it still active, would he be trapped in an infinite loop? Yes.
There would be no way to cheat that one.
At least he didn't have to worry about Mantus anymore, he hoped...he begged. Surely he wasn't still alive, after everything they had done, they had banished him...twice. A conversation he had had with Zdrada while he was sat at the Prosecutor's bedside was now being replayed in his mind, for some reason he couldn't ignore.
"You made us weak! If you hadn't come along we would still be bad ass warriors!" the Bitch Demon giving out to the Helltaker once again.
"You didn't have to join the harem Zdrada, you're welcome to leave" the only thing he could do was joke back.
"Don't change the subject, you made us soft, that's why we were unprepared and unable to kill Da- Mantus on our own" Zdrada growled, she was now receiving support from Judgement as she nodded in agreement.
"Malina kinda did all the carrying though" he argued, the man hearing the Sour Demon's voice coming from behind him.
"Like always!" her voice sounding as sour and cranky as usual.
"Zdrada has got a point though, ever since we joined this harem our combat skills have dropped dramatically" Judgement sitting on the edge of her bed, dangling her legs.
"Well if you really feel that way, I suppose I can find some angels instead who want to-" he began to stand, but Judgement yanked the man back into the chair. He looked across the room and noticed Modeus giving him a sad look, actually believing him to be serious. "When was the last time you had to fight anyway? Besides Mantus and Behemoth" the man looking at the High Prosecutor now. "When was the last time you had an invasion?".
Silence.
"One point eight million years ago" Pandemonica chimed in the, the demon had been catching up on her sleep, the older woman still sat in a cushioned chair inbetween Cerberus's and Justice's bed.
"A fair point darling" Lucifer chimed in, they all turned to look at the devil. "What?!" she gave her demons equally as weird looks.
"Darling?" he chuckled to himself.
"Fuck you!" Lucifer turned over on her cushioned bed, facing the wall, wincing slightly as she did so.
"What she said...Fuck. You" Zdrada stormed off, her point falling on deaf ears. Yet her point hurt him in a way, that he was the cause of their weaknesses...
He shook his head as he continued walking, was he the source of their weakness?
Was he holding them back from who they were supposed to be?
He was now approaching the red and white blur, it looked like a strange mirage in the desert, as if he needed glasses. It was Beelzebub for sure...but how?
"Beel?" he called into the darkness, hoping that she would respond.
Silence.
He was drawing closer to his destination, hoping that the tether wasn't about to wear out.
There she was...
Beelzebub was 'The Exiled' once more, the poor woman lay face down, he could see that her red fly blazer was ruined, her crimson waistcoat and skinny red suit pants were in tatters. Her horns had been shattered, her demon tail cut half way down. What was worse is that he noticed she no longer had any hair, the woman was rendered completely bald.
"Oh Beelzebub.." he was now only a few yards away, the man sighing intensely. He knew it was her...and he knew this wouldn't be pleasant. Now that he was closer, he could see that her entire being was consumed by this blur effect, the details of her clothing, her facial features were all blurred, indistinguishable, he could only make out the colours and quality of her outfit and skin.
He knelt down next to the woman, hesitant touch her
. .
. . .
. . . . .
...No...he had come to far to hesitate now.
"Beel...rise and shine" he whispered, grabbing her by the shoulder and shaking her gently, since that didn't work he rolled her over onto her back. "Hey B" he said slightly louder.
No response. From what he could tell her face was sheet white, in her current blurred state it looked as if she was on death's door, probably on the stairs up to it...
"Time to go home B" he now placed both hands on either shoulder, shaking her more vigorously. He was probably going to be carrying a corpse home.
His eyes glanced down to his left wrist, noticing the activity of his silver watch. He had only just noticed that the arms of his watch were moving insanely quickly, the second arm going counter-clockwise and the minute hand going clockwise, both speeding and slowing at random intervals. There was also a tiny compass built into this watch too, that was spinning rapidly too.
He should not linger...
"Please wake up, this is no place to die" the man glancing around the darkness incase something had appeared to ambush them, nothing would surprise him now. Against all odds...Beelzebub actually woke up, regaining consciousness slowly, her eyelids opening sluggishly. Thank god...a smile growing across his face.
"Hi B" he said when the wom an had opened her eyes fully, showing awareness of her surroundings. Weakly, she reached out her only gloved hand to his face, her right hand holding onto his left cheek. She looked terrible.
"Y-you came b-baack for meee?" her voice was deathly hoarse, the woman sounding like him when Judgement had strangled him. Poor fly.
"I'd never abandon you" the blur that had surrounded Beelzebub had now dissipated, its effect weakening as soon as he touched the Queen of Darkness.
"W-where are we?" besides her deep voice...she actually sounded...afraid, but the fact she didn't know where they were was worrying.
"You don't know where we are?" the man moving his hands underneath her body, figuring out how best to carry the demon.
"N-no, where are you taking m-me?!" he hadn't noticed it at first but she was reluctant to let him touch her. She really was afraid.
"Home B, d-do you know where that is?" his arms were now fully underneath her, he was going to carry her bridal style. "Lean into me", the broken demon obeying.
"N-no..." he lifted the demon up, kneeling at first, then standing as soon as he had proper balance. He almost cried at how fragile Beelzebub felt, how thin she was, months of starvation, how little she weighed, he could carry her with ease, how much had she suffered?
"D-do you know who I am?" the man afraid of asking the question, afraid of the answer.
"You- you a-are my Hell...taker" she rasped, the woman hadn't moved the slightly torn red gloved hand off of his face, never wanting to let go. If she let go...she was afraid she would fall further into the darkness, never to see the light of day again.
"Good enough" he held the woman tight to his chest, the man looking around their surroundings. "Anytime...Your Holiness" he spoke into nothingness. The choir of whispers was surprisingly beginning to subside.
"I-" the demon was beginning to sound delirious, he looked at the woman as she had started her sentence, her hairless face, the stubs of those white demon horns, his stomach churned at such a sad...painful sight. "I don't- don't want to be Queen of the Abyss...anymore" the woman permanently leaning her head into his chest now, the top of her bald head just beneath his chin. "I don't want to be a Queen-".
The tether around his waist began glowing brightly, the energy within it vibrating rapidly, it was sending sparks of warmth throughout his body and through Beelzebub's, replacing the cold that the abyss had provided.
"Nah, that's just the delirium talking" he joked, giving Beelzebub a slight squeeze, just to make sure she knew he was still there. The two of them were beginning to become a magnificent gold colour, their beings becoming imbued with holy light. Her skin was beginning to become even whiter than it had before, the woman looking like she was about to pass out.
"We're going home B" he whispered close, clutching her tight, soon they would disappear and leave behind this wretched hive of evil and corruption for good.
At last...their journey was finally going to be over.
Their bodies became so imbued with light that he could no longer see anything, both his and Beelzebub's skin was reflecting so much white light that the details of their faces or bodies were no longer visible. An orange swirling mass, the beginning of a portal appeared where he was standing. When it was full formed he would fall through it.
The last thing he could hear as they left the abyss was her voice.
"I-I m-miss...L-Lucy...I...miss...her...so m-much T-taker...I m-miss her-".