Authors note:
Anyone and Everyone's opinion on this is welcome.
Disclaimer: I do not own Helltaker, all characters and items associated with Helltaker belong to Łukasz Piskorz (vanripperart)
Any other named characters not associated with Helltaker who are in this story are of my own creation.
Special thanks to unbreakablegravity, all credit goes to awesome cover art for this fanfic: u/7585283/unbreakablegravity
Chapter I: A Normal Day
The orange light gently began to filter through the red curtains in Modeus's room, the birdsong beginning to welcome the approaching day. He was already awake, he had been having many sleepless nights recently.
He watched the light strengthen,simply just laying there, listening to Modeus gently breathing onto his chest, her vice grip over his torso as tight as usual. He listened to the outside world waking up, thanking his lucky stars he was still breathing since that fateful day three years ago.
Three years ago, he had ventured through the portal; the countless hours he spent slaving to manifest it. Bending the Hell Energy to his will, allowing him to arrive on that scorched earth unharmed. The same can't be said for his previous attempts.
It was only when he arrived that he remembered he had no way of returning home, "Do or die" he muttered as he turned away from where his entry point had been, he held his head up high and began the long journey through those tortured lands. He expected to find a painful death, but he found something he never knew he wanted: a family.
As the light began to fill the room with a red glow, he slowly untangled himself from Modeus. He removed his arm from her back, slowly moving his body off of the bed and gently lifting her off of his chest, a position they both knew all too well.
He gently placed her back on the bed and pulled the duvet to cover more of her body. Standing up, he walked over to where he left his clothes clothes the night before and quietly dressed himself. Doning his standard red shirt and black suit pants.
He turned to see Modeus unconsciously reaching out for him across the bed, sighing, he quietly shut the door. She deserved an extra long sleep after their movie marathon last night.
As he walked past the quiet bedrooms of his demon household, he thought back to their first few weeks under the same roof: constant arguments, the house almost being destroyed, suffering constant injuries, inflicted mostly by Judgement and Pandemonica, numerous police officers knocking on his door.
Don't even get him started about their police impersonations...
However, as time passed, they had all grown closer to him, each one in their own unique way.
He chuckled silently, still baffled at his own success. How was he able to do it? How was he able to convince each and every one of them to not only live with him, but with each other?
The unanswerable question was moved to the back of his head as he moved downstairs, hoping that Modeus wouldn't be too upset he left early.
Secretly he knew the answer to that question occupying his mind, its because he was the Helltaker.
As he walked into the kitchen, the smell of toast caught him off-guard. He didn't think anyone would be up this early.
It was Azazel, the Curious Angel. She was wearing her immaculate white hoodie with a stencil pair of grey angel wings on the back and a pair of grey shorts, her halo illuminating the kitchen table more brightly than the kitchen lights.
She was hard at work, writing in her notepad, copying and re-reading from the other three notepads scattered on the kitchen table.
"Good Morning Az", he said giving her a gentle head pat as was tradition with many of the women in his harem.
"Good Morning!" she said, still intensely concentrating on her writing. He decided to leave her to it, turning away and making himself an espresso.
Azazel had been revising for her final exams over the last few months, the subject modules ranged from the Modern Sins of Humanity, Anatomy of the Soul and most importantly, Demonology.
As much as he would like to help, he was clueless on all angelic and holy education. His knowledge extended as far as the Ten Commandments, "They taught us that on the first day!" she had once said with her big bright smile.
"Big day tomorrow ey?" he said as the espresso machine came to life, he reached into the cupboards below to retrieve the huge bag of flour, two large egg cartons, two two gallons of milk and the two large slabs of milk chocolate. He will need them later.
"Yes, lots of work to do. Sorry I've been so busy over the last few days. I hope you don't think I've been ignoring you all?" she said nervously looking up at him.
"Az, don't be silly. We all know you've been under some immense pressure, just stay focused and you will succeed. I know you have been working very hard" he said smiling at her.
She returned the smile but half as enthusiastically, "Thank you, I won't let you down" she said seemingly unsure, her voice cracking slightly.
"I know you won't Azazel" he said taking his tiny mug from the machine.
Before he was able to give Azazel a random question to keep her on her toes, Cerberus came running down the stairs, all three pushing the other out the way. The Triple Demon was awake. They stormed in and jumped up at the Helltaker just as he put his coffee down, all three pouncing on him and showering him with affection.
"Good morni-" he got out before they pounced, hugging him. One Cerberus was hugging his torso, another hugging his right shoulder and head, the losing Cerberus in the race settled for his leg. "Well, someon- some girls are in a good mood!" he smiled.
"Good morning!" they all said in unison, a feature that he had become used to during their time together. They were all wearing their standard black blazers over their red long sleeve shirts, black ties ontop.
He head patted and properly hugged each Cerberus individually, he learned not to cause any jealousy between the three girls early on in their cohabitation. Besides he loved each one of them equally, even if they were all one 'being'.
"What are you three doing up so early anyway?" he asked as he resumed his morning coffee, relaxing as the caffeine began to wake him up. He was almost as bad as Pandemonica.
"We couldn't sleep" they said, "Once we heard someone walk past our room we had to investigate".
"Couldn't sleep either?" he said, looking them over to make sure they hadn't been fighting again.
"No, we just have too much energy!" they said, one Cerberus was peering over Azazel's shoulder to see what she was writing, the other two were still staring at him expectantly with that dopey smile.
"Spending too much time corrupting the mortal realm?" he joked, only to receive looks of confusion on their faces in return. "Nevermind" he smiled, turning to look out the kitchen window, slurping down the rest of his coffee. The window overlooked the open ocean and the beach below.
His house had been constructed in a small bay, it was connected to a private beach which was a few miles in length, from one headland to the other. The beach was quiet even in the daytime, but the mornings always allowed the family from Hell to have the beach to themselves. He had an idea.
"Fancy a walk Cerberus?" he said without thinking, knowing exactly what was coming. He instinctively prepared for the incoming excitement.
Each Cerberus exploded whenever that accursed word was mentioned and now they were bouncing off of the kitchen walls, one Cerberus threw herself at him while the second chased the third one around the kitchen in a circle briefly screaming with joy.
Once he had the first one over his soldier he then separated the other two, their demon tails moving faster than Malina to grab her seat on movie night.
"Be quiet you three, you'll wake the rest of the household!" he said with a slightly raised but not angry tone. He placed the Cerberus that was on his shoulder down and all three embarrassingly looked at the ground in synchronization.
"Now-" he said gathering himself, "Go and get ready". They all excitedly scarpered to the front door to get ready for their morning walk.
As the Helltaker went to retrieve his black jacket and the sunglasses within it's inner pocket he passed by Azazel before heading into the hallway.
"Would you like to come on a walk with us?" he asked. She had been silently concentrating while Cerberus was running riot.
"A walk?" What do you mean a walk?" she asked tentatively. He stared at her with wide eyes and a confused look, the man subconsciously kicking himself for being unaware that she probably never even considered doing exercise.
"Yeah, a walk. Along the beach. Helps clear the mind, makes you feel refreshed" he explained. "Besides we can talk while Cerberus looses all that energy she has got built up" he smiled as he put on his sunglasses.
She hesitated for a moment before putting her notepad down, she nodded and silently went to go put on her white sneakers.
As she awoke from her deep slumber, she rolled over to see that yet again there was no presence of her Helltaker in the space next to her. She groaned, expecting this, this was usual behaviour from him.
It wasn't the first time he had been too much of a coward...bailing on her.
"Bastard" she sleepily muttered. Eventually she rose from her slumber, the CEO of Hell, the Queen of the Nine Circles, the second best chocolate pancake chef.
Lucifer climbed out of bed, her black crown discarded on the nightstand. She drew the curtains apart, basking in the radiant sunlight of the mortal plain. It was surprising how pleasurable it was to experience real, natural warmth rather than having to deal with the constant smell of sulfur fire. Hell would be a cold place without it.
As she opened her eyes and took in the horizon, she spotted five figures walking along the shoreline, leaving footprints as they went. One big pair of footprints alongside a small pair, while following three identical pairs ahead of them.
"Bastard never takes me on beach walks anymore" she muttered as she turned away.
"So what are you plans after you have graduated then?" he said a bit louder than usual so he could be heard over the sound of the crashing waves. Azazel didn't reply, she was watching Cerberus up ahead investigating a few washed up shells.
He knew there was something bothering her, she was remarkably the opposite of curious, usually replying to anything he said giving him several questions to answer afterwards.
"Az" he said again, snapping her out of her trance.
"Y-eeah?" she said trying to remember what he just asked her.
"Tell me what's going on in that curious mind of your's" he said comfortingly. She sighed, slowing the pace of their walk. The Helltaker slowed to the angel's pace, walking a little closer to her.
"I- I.." she stuttered. He waited with bated breath, knowing that he would support her no matter the nature of the problem, he questioned whether the doubt may be beginning.
"After I graduate, I don't know what I want to do with my life. I have no direction in my life.." she paused. "I don't think the Monastery would want me, and I don't want to be drafted into the Legion".
He was caught off guard by this, again kicking himself for never asking more questions about her life before he met her, he was the one always answering questions!
"Monastery? Legion?" he asked seeing her beginning to get nervous.
She stopped in her tracks and began to sweat, "W-ee weren't suppose to tell mortals abou-" she squeaked as she tried to hide herself in her big white hoodie.
The thick morning gloom was now dissipating as the sun was climbing above the ocean horizon. He came over and hugged her gently, he could tell she needed it now more than ever, she now began to break down. He didn't think that his bundle of joy and never ending questions would ever become burdened by these problems.
"Az, I know things seem like they don't make alot of sense right now-" he spoke slowly, "-but no matter what you decide to do. Come rain or shine, I'll support you. We all will. You know that right?" he reassured.
He parted from her but held the angel at arms length. She hid the first tears he ever saw her shed.
"Y-y-yes" she coughed out...She resumed the hug but held onto him tighter, he returned it with equal affection.
As he looked over her shoulder, he saw Cerberus walking towards them. He shook his head silently, implying they back off for now. They understood and ran off to inspect the next thing they could find on the beach.
"I-..I- don't know what I would do withou-" she began into his chest.
"Shhh now" he said before she could finish. They hugged for a few more seconds then departed. He placed his hand beneath her chin and made her look at him. "Chin up, okay?" he smiled.
She wiped away the tears that did not fall, he was proud of her.
"O-kay" she sniffled.
"That's my girl" he said.
"Come rain or shine?" she asked curiously trying to compose herself,
"Another human saying-" he began to chuckle but was cut short. "HEY! CERBERUS!" he then shouted, his eyes catching what they were doing after looking past Azazel, "DON'T PUT THAT IN YOUR MOUTH!". He quickly walked past the angel to wrench a hermit crab still in its shell out of one of the Cerberus's mouth.
"Come on, how many times do I have to tell you?" he scolded. Azazel watched as he gave their demonic pet a telling off, she smiled and looked out at the retreating tide.
"So what do you think I should wear to the graduation ceremony?" the mortal man asked. "I'm thinking the red shirt and white suit combo, or the black shirt and white suit combo?".
They were now on there way back to the house in time for breakfast, Cerberus was playing with the waves, competing with each other to see which one could get closer without getting wet. "Cerberus don't get too close!" he called out.
Azazel was stunned at the question, not out of indecisiveness, but due to the man wishing to be present at the ceremony. "You'd come to my graduation ceremony?!" she queried.
"Oh you thought that I wouldn't?!" he countered giving her a big smile. She suddenly jumped onto his back hugging him, the Helltaker felt warm inside knowing she would want him there.
"THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" she said, Cerberus seemingly becoming jealous that the affection was not being directed at them, turning their heads away as if they weren't looking.
"I'm not sure how I'd get there, without you know... dying" he joked. "But that isn't going to stop me from being there".
"Don't worry" she said getting down from his back, and holding onto his little finger which was the girth of one of her hands. "I can transport us both, but I-..I can't take anyone else" she said sadly.
"Yea, I don't think that they would allow demons or the literal demon queen into heaven" he replied. "I can film it if they are that butt sore about it" he smiled. "Anyway you didn't answer my question". She stared at him for awhile before realizing.
"Oh definitely the red and white...with the Gerbera Daisy. The real 'Helltaker' look" she laughed. He reminded himself to get a new flower for his lapel.
"Okay, will do. How do you think they will react to a living human by the alias of 'Helltaker' in Heaven?" he pondered aloud, actually considering the severity of the situation. Could he be locked out or even banished from Heaven?
Azazel's grip on his finger tightened, "Well I'm allowed to bring my mentor or my guardian angel. But I wasn't assigned one.." she trailed off. The man not wanting to probe too deep as to why she wasn't.
"I am technically your guardian since I look after you little demons all day everyday" he said ruffling her hair, "I'm sure they will make an exception" he reassured her. They were nearly at the house now, Cerberus was ahead of them and they had just reached the final stretch of the beach. He had another idea.
"Hey, what do you say we race Cerberus back home?", he said already crouching down and placing Azazel on his shoulders. He made sure she was securely onboard with her hands holding onto his forehead and legs hanging over his shoulders.
"Wait, why do we need to race THEM-" she was cut-off as the Helltaker took off running across the hard sand. The first time in a while, he heard Azazel actually laugh, a warm joyous laugh.