"Ah...I needed this..." Vega breathed out while in a state of bliss, as the serenity of the Khan's garden soothed his exasperated soul.
Though he hadn't been there for too long, with the aid of the plants that made this place so enchanting the creator regained control of his mind. In doing so he was able to think about what their next moves should be more clearly, as well as the best way to ensure the others didn't get so involved that it would burden them.
"I'll have to find some way to properly express my gratitude to her." He said referring to the Khan while placing a hand on his chin, "Perhaps a gift or a gesture is in order?" He proposed to himself.
With his mind now focusing on how he could thank the dutiful ruler of the Maykrs, he decided it was the best time to return to her and Samur to see how things were going. Yet to his surprise as he approached the lift, it descended without him meaning someone had called it. Though unsure as to why they were coming to see him he didn't think much about it, believing they were just here to check and make sure he was doing well. That assumption flew right out into the cosmos of Urdak when the lift returned to the top, as both of them looked horrified for some reason.
But before he could ask them what happened, the Khan came forward and proceeded to go on a rant.
"Father!" She greeted him seeming to be in a panic, "I'm sorry to disturb you while you are recovering from your stress, but I needed to inform you immediately of what I and Samur just witnessed!" She exclaimed.
"And I take it that-" He tried to respond only to be cutoff by her.
"I know he established with us that he has this overwhelming belief that he deserves only to suffer, but it is in my opinion that there is a fine difference between repentance and self mutilation!" She stated.
"I agree, there is a fine line that-"
"What makes it worse!" She continued on interrupting him a second time, "Is that he didn't warn us of what he was going to do! He has such a disregard for his own personal well being that it...it..." She stammered trying to find the best way to describe it.
"Takes the concept of penance and atoning for one's sins to an unhealthy level?" He suggested finally able to get a word in.
"YES EXACTLY!" She practically shouted grateful for his help.
"Hm, then it appears he and Will are more alike than I thought." He admitted. "What're you talking about father? The Slayer is NOTHING like that!" She argued.
"Isn't he? Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't he take his vow of silence because he felt he no longer deserved to speak? That any words he could produce would be laced with the madness inflicted upon him by Doom's legions?" He asked.
"Okay fine, but that is just one-" She tried to refute, only for the tables to be turned as now he
interrupted her.
"AND even after it seemed that the Dark One was defeated, he pressed on to rid all of creation of corruption similar to the kind they produced?" He asked.
"...Well...yes." She answered.
"And was it not Will who decided his fortress should hover above his former home? So that every time he looked out he would be reminded of his failure to save his people?" He asked.
With that final question the Khan had nothing left to try and say, though the reason why he asked these questions wasn't to worsen her mood. To prove this Vega came closer so he could put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
"Your caring nature is one of your best traits." He began with a compliment, "But it is a double edged sword when we are faced with the two souls in all of creation, each seeing themselves are nothing more than bringers of destruction, I do not know what it is the Wretch did to unsettle both you and Samur so much, but I'm afraid it cannot be helped as like Will only he can decide when he has been punished enough, the true tragedy of that being they may never reach that point." He told her.
"The Wretch finished a prototype of the Soul Cube father, and to demonstrate to us its capabilities he had the Khan throw it to him from across the room, at which point it spawned several bladed rings made of energy around itself, before then flying into his chest and ripping it apart like the Slayer's chainsaw whenever he removed a Baron's head from its shoulders." Samur revealed finally speaking up.
"...Oh." Vega said as he honestly didn't expect that, "Wait...if that's true then how is he even alive? That sounds like it would kill him." He realized.
"True to his word the suit grafted onto his flesh and bone does ensure he cannot die, but it accomplishes this in a very disturbed manner, enough to where even I felt nauseated." Samur admitted.
"...Huh...I suppose we will have to have a conversation with him then..." Vega replied as he took his hand from the Khan's shoulder, "But it must wait until later, right now I must return to the others, I've been away for far too long and anymore might raise suspicions." He told them.
Opening a portal behind himself he turned around and went through, leaving the two Maykrs alone to continue processing what they just experienced.
"I think...I'm going to spend some time in garden as well..." The Khan decided. "Agreed." Samur said as they both needed it.
A Few Minutes Prior In Lucifer's Circle...
"You are fucking insane." Husk whispered to Alastor while staring at him with widened eyes. "Oh come now Husker, it's not that big of a deal." The radio demon insisted in the same volume.
"Al you have done a lot of fucked up shit, made me take part in a lot of fucked up shit, but what you are asking me to do is without question the single craziest fucking thing that's ever popped up
in the static filled head of yours!" He exclaimed.
"Really? Hm, then perhaps I am insane, because to me this is by FAR the most mundane thing I've ever asked of you." Alastor said.
"What you want me to do on its own isn't a big deal, hell people do it all the time, the problem is you want me to do it with the ACTUAL angel of death!" He explained.
"So what if she's death incarnate? The grim reaper with an hour glass figure? She's still a person Husker." Alastor argued.
"Yeah, but unlike Charlie who can shoot fire from her fucking hands, or Vaggie who can summon or spear, or even Cherri who can nuke an entire city block in a few seconds, Azrael can straight up make me not exist anymore!" He told him.
"Not true, remember when Vega told us that a soul can't ever be destroyed?" Alastor asked.
"You know what I fucking mean!" He replied with a slam of his fist on the desk, "Listen Al, I've done a lot of shit for you, told a lot of lies and danced to a lot of tunes, but this is by FAR the WORST thing you've ever asked of me! I don't even care about the booze anymore it's THAT bad!" He explained.
Allowing a brief pause in their conversation to happen so he could think of what he was going to say next, Husk's passionate stance on this matter made Alastor realize that he was asking him for quite a lot, so he decided to make it easier for him.
"You're right Husk, I'm sorry." He apologized as sincerely as he could, even using the other's actual name to prove he meant it, "With that being said however I am still incredibly curious, so how about you only go along with this plan of mine for as long as you feel comfortable, the moment you decide you've had your fill you can call it off, and I give my word to you I will never for the rest of our shared damnation down here in Hell EVER ask something like this of you again." He swore.
Taken aback by how considerate and understanding he was being, while of course still trying to get what he wanted, Husk took a moment to debate whether or not he should play ball.
"...I can really call it off anytime I want?" He asked just wanting to be sure.
"Mhm, and as an added bonus I will even hand over my shadow, just to show that no underhanded tricks or misdeeds shall come from me." Alastor answered as his darker counterpart came up on the desk and bundled into a ball.
"That's...honestly the nicest thing you've ever done for me Al." He said as he carefully picked up the shadow ball and looked it over, "I can really hang onto this? Just for insurance?" He asked.
"Yes sir, my shadow is yours to own so long as you do this for me." Alastor promised.
"Heh, guess all this rehab mumbo jumbo ain't just high education bullshit after all." He admitted as he held out his hand, "Fine Al, we got a deal." He told him.
With a grin as wide as a crocodile's and a brand new pep to his step, Alastor happily shook his hand to solidify their deal. This proved to unknowingly be perfect timing, for as their handshake was through a portal opened in the center of the lobby, and out came the man they'd all been waiting for.
"Hey you're finally back!" Vagatha said as Vega stepped through, "Nifty, could you go and get them?" She asked referring to the Charlie and her family.
"Mhm!" She responded with an eager nod before zooming out of the lobby, only to return after a few seconds, "They're on their way." She informed.
"Thank you." Vagatha said as she and everyone else gathered around Vega.
"Took you long enough." Angel Dust greeted with a smirk while crossing his arms, "What happened? Get lost on your way back?" He asked jokingly.
"You'd be surprised actually at how easy it is to lose your bearings in Urdak." Vega admitted.
"Yeah, it did seem pretty confusing when we were there, all that advanced technology and yet you guys can't make a few signs?" He said, managing to get a laugh out of him.
"I'll be sure to mention that to the Khan next time I speak with her." Vega replied.
Before anyone else could say something the sound of running footsteps was heard, followed by the appearance of a fairly excited Charlie from the ground floor hallway.
"What did they say?!" She asked while running over to him, unable to contain her eagerness to know how it went.
"Just like the rest of us they too were surprised to hear about a demon from Doom that managed to avoid Will's wrath, even more so that they helped him, but be rest assured they will lend their aid in finding him." He answered just as Lilith and Azrael appeared from the hallway as well.
"How do they plan do accomplish this? Or have they yet to even figure out a plausible method?" Vox inquired as the Maykrs' technology fascinated him to no end.
"Long ago the Maykrs created a device known as a celestial locator, which allowed them to instantly acquire the coordinates for any location in the mortal realm, of course they only used it in Will's universe as that is where Doom's focus was, but they plan to expand its design in the hope it could be used to locate a specific soul anywhere in creation." He explained.
"That's...that's..." Vox stammered with widened eyes in amazement, his screen obtaining a slight bit of static as a result.
"Easy there tube head." Cherri told him while patting his back, "Don't go having a nerdgasm while we're all in the room." She said.
"Perhaps when this is settled Vox I could ask if Samur would be willing to show you the Maykrs' technology? And if you'd be willing to have him teach you he could show you how to replicate it here in Hell." Vega offered.
Having his eyes widen to cartoonish sizes which was possible thanks to the uniqueness of his head, more static filled up Vox's screen before it suddenly shut off, followed by him passing out on the floor.
"Holy shit, I wasn't being serious about the nerdgasm." Cherri said as they a looked at him.
"The dangers of modern technology, I've been saying it for YEARS." Alastor chimed in with a bit of smugness to his voice.
"We should probably get him home, the last time his screen went out he was unconcious for hours." Velvet suggested.
"On that matter, it would be best if all of you retired for the evening." Vega advised as he brought his hands together, "There's nothing more that can be done for now, we have to wait and see what comes from the Maykrs' work, along with the hopeful outcome that Lucifer and Gabriel return having gotten information from Abaddon." He said.
"Yeah Vega's got a point." Katie admitted as she let out a yawn, "Plus after everything I've been through today I NEED to sleep before I pass out..." She added.
"All of you could spend the night here in the hotel? We have plenty of spare rooms all on the ground floor you could use." Charlie offered with a smile.
"That's nice of ya Charlie, but like Katie said after today I need to go home and fall into my absurdly expensive bed, fucking thing's like sleeping in a bowl of soft served ice cream, the kind that feels like whipped cream." Angel Dust replied.
"Same goes for us." Blitzo chimed in as his and Stolas's bed was just as luxurious.
With it seeming unanimous that everyone wanted to sleep in their own beds, they all politely declined Charlie's invitation before heading out, with Katie while showing some impressive strength carried Vox out. As for Alastor, Husk, Nifty, and Vagatha, they just like Charlie were living in the hotel so they only needed to go to their rooms. Yet before everyone departed, Vega told them that they could go about their normal lives and he'd bring them together when there was a new development, which they all agreed to. And now that the only two people who were still in the lobby were him and Azrael, they could speak to each other openly.
"So, what do you want me to do father?" She asked them once there was silence, curious if he had any specific directions for her.
"Would it be any trouble to request that you stay here with everyone? Just to do as much as we can to avoid raising suspicion?" He requested.
"Not at all, but what about the Soul Cube?" She inquired.
"From what I've been told it's coming along at a surprising rate, however I must speak with the Wretch and see what else must be done, your contribution will come once all the other preparations are in order." He explained.
"That's good." She said as a heavy sigh escaped her, "To be honest with you father I want this to end just as much as they do, after all he's been through Will deserves his peace." She admitted.
"Agreed, this nightmare has gone on long enough, it is time that he and the rest of us are allowed to wake from it to a much brighter reality." He told her.
With that there was nothing left that needed to be exchanged between them at the moment, so both opened their own portals to return to their respective realms, as Azrael would return come morning when everyone was awake.
Bright vibrant blue and white illuminated the walls of a massive dark cavern, these colors coming from an uncountable number of sparks flying wildly from welding torches. The sheer number being used all at once could easily be regarded as the greatest fire hazard in history, though it mattered not as those who wielded them were immune to such things. Arachnotrons that had been
modified for labor rather than combat crawled all over a massive hulking form, ensuring that the metal being grafted onto its skin and bone was fused as much as possible. Meanwhile below them on the cavern's floor Revenants and Hell Knights marched around carrying heavy loads of metal, all that had been stripped and remolded to what they needed.
By this point what was once the Slayer's mech, an impressive achievement of Sentinel engineering was no more, as it was from this great invention that these materials were harvested. All so that they could be added to the a towering behemoth who grew closer to renewed life, which showed in a slow but steady progress from the arcanists that brought back its flesh, which then allowed the Arachnotrons more places to added the metal handed to them.
"Look at'em, all working together in perfect silent obedience, the Dark One really has shit figured out." Valentino said as he watched them, wearing welding goggles so he wouldn't be blinded by the lights, "How long till this big bastard's up to deal with our rambunctious house guest?" He asked.
"SoOn..." Sir Pentious answered, though he kept his attention on making sure the other demons carried out their duties.
"Soon huh? We talking hours, days, maybe even weeks?" He questioned. "SoOn..." Sir Pentious repeated.
"Tsk, maybe I should tell the Dark One to give you a new body, I think the brain in this one's rotten." He said as he poked him in the head with his cane, though due to how much force he used it was no different than if he had struck him, "I swear between this, your little pet who's ALSO getting fixed up, and the fact that you managed to lose ol' angel boy, I'm starting to wonder if we should've got Vox instead, cause you keep acting like you're some kind of retard." He carried on "poking" him again with his again.
Continuing to do it over and over again just to amuse himself, Sir Pentious felt his fingers curling inwards to his palms, his anger for the moth demon overcoming the augments that controlled him.
"STOP IT!" He managed to yell out in rage with his normal voice, turning around so he could lunge at Valentino.
Sadly this was the single worst thing he could have done, as the former pimp easily dodged the attempted assault and hit him for real with the head of his cane. Being sent to the ground he'd soon realize just how bad his mistake was, as a series of savagely brutal blows were delivered to his skull.
"Oh ho look at you! So big and bad now!" Valentino taunted while the other's skull began to cave in, "You think just cause there's some spine left in that shit suit you're wearing that you can try and step to me? You think that's how things work around here?" He asked just as Pentious's eyes popped out of their sockets.
Beating him for a near ten full minutes before stopping, only Sir Pentious's head was destroyed while his cane was perfectly fine, excluding the blood that now covered it. With a tooth filled smile and a satisfied breath he leaned against a nearby wall, taking out a rage so he could clean his accessory. As he did this the augments in Pentious's body went to work, slowly regenerating the obliterated bone, muscle, and organs so he could get back to work.
"Ah, good as new~" Valentino said once he finished cleaning his cane, "And I guess you're looking okay too." He added.
Though there was still much that needed to return he knew Pentious could hear him when he said that, which is while he squatted down beside him to say something else.
"So listen, I get it, you hate your life." He began as more of the other's face was reconstructed, "But here's the thing, you have always been a bottom feeder looking to be a big fish, problem was back home no one really helped you to realize this fact." He continued as his tone became scarily serious, "But now THIS is our home, and when its everyone else's you'll get some friends to grovel with when I beat all your asses to the dirt, starting with those two backstabbing assholes..." He told him referring to the other two Vs.
"H-How?..." Sir Pentious questioned, being responded with at first a low sinister chuckle.
"The Dark One sees everything his minions do dipshit, including that conversation you had with them back in the hotel, ya know before the lost soul blew your ass up like a firework?" He reminded, "Oh it was just so sweet, Vox being all compassionate and understanding, and Velvet with her stu-stu-stu-stutter, we could write a sitcom about you three and all the wacky adventures you get into." He suggested as a sadistic grin appeared, "But I think before that we'll help little ol Velvet get over that quirk of hers, or help her get it back if she's lost it by now, hell with enough brain damage she may only speak in motorboat sounds." He joked.
"P-Please...no..." Sir Pentious begged with what little freedom he had left, as his head was nearly back to normal.
"Aw what's the matter snake boy? Scared she might be my new favorite after I start mashing up her insides like yours?" Valentino asked as he stood back up, "Don't you worry, you will always be my favorite, you've even managed to surpass Angel in the getting beat like a bitch category." He said while actually poking him with his cane rather hitting him, "Now you've had a long enough break, get back to work and make sure our golden ticket out of here isn't shit like your other inventions." He instructed before taking his leave.
Remaining on the ground even after he left and his augments finished their work, due to the sounds of their work no one was able to hear the strained whimpers that came from his throat.