It was strange being back in a normal setting, where every step he took, he didn't need to ready himself for a fight. He could breathe easily, for now, allow his muscles to relax and his senses to be less alert; there was no immediate danger around. At least, none in the world itself.
"It was just a dream..." The Slayer thought as he waited patiently for the elevator to arrive, "You'd never hurt them...you might've before...but it's different now...they're people...not monsters..." He continued to assert, doing every he could to make himself believe his own words.
But he couldn't, whether his fractured psyche caused it, or it was that side of him that reared its head when he fought, inside of his soul, he believed if circumstances were different, or if lost in that state, he may hurt or kill those close to him. However, he couldn't share this information with them, it'd only make them worried, and they'd, of course, want to help him in whatever way was possible. This was his problem, and his alone, as cliche and unoriginal as it may sound, he had to fight his inner demons; all he needed to do so was to figure out precisely what they were first. That would need to wait for now, though, as everyone was so focused and eager to throw him another big celebration in his honor, and he wasn't going to let anything ruin it this time, especially not him.
Speaking of the others, as the elevator finally arrives announcing so with an audible ding, he was surprised to see Angel Dust and Katie standing inside as the doors opened.
"Oh hey, Will, fancy seeing you here." Angel Dust greeted with a toothy smile.
"What're you two doing here?..." He questioned, not taking the spider demon's bait for conversation.
"We came to see how you were doing with the whole armor cleaning thing," Katie responded.
"Did what I could..." He told them while looking down at his suit, "Got most of the blood and gunpowder off...but the older scuffs and stains will take a lot more to remove..." He informed.
"That's fine. It'll be plenty for Stolas." Angel Dust assured, "So, you gonna come on in, or do ya plan to take the stairs?" He asked.
Choosing the classic actions speak louder than words approach, he entered the lift and stood between them as there was a suspicious amount of convenient space already made.
"Why'd you two come get me?..." He asked the moment the doors closed, noticing how before he even got in, the lobby's button had been pressed by one of them.
"We stayed behind and cleaned up breakfast. The others are waiting for us downstairs to go to the hotel." Katie answered.
"Did they take the stairs?..." He inquired, finding it hard to believe all of them either fit in for one trip or took several during the period he was in his room.
"Yeah, speaking of, we REALLY need to get more than one elevator installed." Angel Dust said. "It's not a fucking light fixture, you know." She replied.
"No shit, but with all the foot traffic we have, only having one is proving to be a massive pain in our ass, plus you gotta take into consideration people like Pentious who are the length of three
people." He argued.
Drowning them out as they began to go back and forth over the logistics of adding a second elevator to the building, he wasn't doing this because he found them annoying or was trying to be rude. The Slayer's mind was still focused on deciphering that nightmare, trying to pinpoint what part of himself caused it. Fear, trauma, and sadism were the three significant suspects, each one he believed either contributed to it or could be the overall culprit. However, this didn't go unnoticed by his companions, and once they were confident he wouldn't realize they'd suddenly stop talking, they changed the topic of their conversation.
"He's thinking about something." Angel Dust whispered to Katie, both having been around him enough at this point to where they could tell what was going on despite his helmet.
"Yeah. I bet it's about the nightmare." She replied in the same volume.
"Look, I know we all care about him, but is it REALLY the best idea to tell Charlie and Nifty about this? Vaggie and Al are fine, but those two'll want to smother him once it reaches their ears." He told her.
"True, but what would you rather have happen? Them getting all teary-eyed and concerned when we tell them now, or we wait until they eventually find out, and then we get to deal with them being pissed at us for leaving them the only ones out of the loop?" She asked.
"Counterpoint, those two won't be able to keep from acting differently around him. And seeing as how he is easily the single most vigilant and hyper-paranoid person any of us have ever known, do you think he's not going to notice?" He questioned.
"Then we're just going to have to keep them on a tight leash." She said.
Ending their conversation once the elevator reached the lobby, all three walked out and exited the building.
"Took you assholes long enough!" Blitzo exclaimed from the limo as they approached, having stuck his head out the window so he could look at them too.
"It hasn't even been five minutes yet," Kattie replied with an unamused expression. "Every second's important when money's on the line!" He told her.
"You do remember this is about celebrating Will's return. NOT about lining your pockets with green, right?" She asked as she opened the door for them to get in.
"I don't see why it can't be both. Gotta think big after all!" He answered with a grin, which made her roll her eyes.
After the trio was seated and the door was closed, they all rode in relative silence to the happy hotel. Unfortunately, this didn't go unnoticed by the Slayer, who, true to Angel Dust's earlier comment, was consistently vigilant.
"Why are all of you so quiet?..." He questioned.
"Can't we just enjoy a nice quiet car ride together?" Moxxie asked. "Are you fucking serious? THAT'S your response?" Blitzo responded.
"What? What's wrong with it?" He asked.
"That was the MOST suspicious thing you could've fucking said," Blitzo answered. "No, it wasn't." He refuted.
"Yes, it was." Blitzo countered.
"NO, it wasn't." He repeated with emphasis.
"YES, it was." Blitzo also repeated, doing the same as him.
Watching the two enter a shouting match with each other, which devolved into insults and some physical interactions that Stolas and Millie would stop, this surprisingly worked in making the Slayer feel at ease.
"Hm...guess I was just paranoid..." He decided, chalking that up to his mind being on edge from his nightmare.
For the remainder of the ride, nothing much else happened apart from a few idle conversations, which didn't ring any alarm bells in his head. Arriving at their destination, they got out and made their way inside, with the Slayer trailing behind all of them. But before he was even halfway towards the entrance, he heard Angel Dust, who was at the front, shout out.
"What the FUCK is this?!" He asked while throwing his arms out in front of him.
Admittedly curious about what could catch him and the others by surprise, as the Slayer got closer and could start to see into the building, he found the cause. The entirety of the lobby was filled with small tables, each having a different assortment of objects. Yet they all shared one thing in common, each pile of items was meant to serve some purpose in his celebration; why they'd been set up like this none of them could figure out. But that wouldn't be an issue for very long, as the perpetrator of this display came hurrying over when she heard Angel Dust's voice.
"Oh hey, guys!' She greeted with a smile and her usual bubbly enthusiasm, "What're you doing here so early? I thought you were going to come by at lunch?" She asked.
"We decided to get a jump on things. Much like how you seem to have done so yourself..." Katie answered while looking over the lobby.
"Yeah, sorry, I just couldn't help myself." She confessed.
"I thought the plan was to keep this a secret? Hard to do when anybody could walk in and see all this shit." Cherri commented.
"True, unless all of the guests' programs were suddenly extended for the rest of the day~" She replied whimsically.
"Damn Charlie! That's some cold-hearted shit, I'm impressed." Blitzo complimented. "How is more rehab in a luxury hotel a cruel punishment?" Vox questioned.
"When you're the kind of assholes who're shackled to it, that's how." He explained.
"Actually Blitzo, aren't you supposed to be taking part in the programs too?" Charlie asked, causing his eyes to go wide, "Come to think of it, I don't remember seeing you here over the last six months." She admitted.
An awkward silence then filled the room as all eyes fell onto the Imp, who just stood there like a deer in headlights, not responding.
"Hehehe..well...you see...funny thing about that..." He began to say before bolting towards the doors.
Sadly for him, there was a big muscled marine between him and freedom, who, when he saw Blitzo approaching, grabbed him by one of his horns and lifted him from the ground.
"WILL! This is NOT the time for your goodie two shoe routine!" He exclaimed, squirming to get free.
"Blitzy." Stolas spoke up in a disapproving tone while crossing his arms, "You've been telling me that you were going to your programs." He said.
"He told us that he was going in the afternoon because he was busy working with you!" Millie joined in, speaking in the same tone as him.
Even with his back turned to the others, he could FEEL their looks of anger and disappointment, which left him with the only option he had remaining to try and escape.
"Okay, here's the deal." He whispered to the Slayer, "You throw me as hard as you can out the door so that I can get a head start. Do that for me, and I'll get you whatever you want." He promised, hoping to strike a bargain with him.
For just a split second, a hopeful, excited smile appeared on the Imp's face as it seemed like the Slayer would help him out as he turned around to face the entrance. However, it turned out that his sense of humor was just as sick as theirs, for what he ended up doing was closing the two doors, thus ensuring there was no way out.
"You're a dick," Blitzo told him bluntly before he turned back around and walked towards the group.
"Blitzo, I'm really disappointed in you," Charlie said once Will brought him before her. "Loony's never come either!" He exclaimed while pointing to his daughter.
"What the FUCK Blitzo?!" She shouted at him.
"If I'm going down, I'm taking as many of you assholes as I can with me!" He replied before moving his finger to the two Vs, "They haven't come either!" He added.
"They don't need to attend because they already paid their dues when Will went to Porn Studios." Charlie explained, "And as for Loona, while she was a part of your assassination business, you, Moxxie, and Millie made most of the killings. For a majority of the business, she was just a secretary and occasional helper." She added.
"BOOM. FUCK YOU!" Loona exclaimed triumphantly while flipping him both middle fingers. "Oh, come on! That's bullshit!" He argued defiantly.
"Nope. I'm sorry, Blitzo. But you're the only one in the wrong here." She said sternly, "Now, in light of this discovery that you've been avoiding your programs, I think it only fits you to attend them right now while the rest of us get to work on planning Will's celebration." She suggested.
In response, the others either nodded their heads or verbally agreed to the notion, adding to his frustration.
"THIS IS BULLSHIT! YOU'RE ALL ASSHOLES!" He shouted, trying a second time to break free of the Slayer's hold on his horn.
"Will, if you'd be so kind, could you please take him to where he needs to be?" Charlie asked, receiving a silent nod in reply, "Thank you. Just take the elevator to floor thirteen. That's where the programs for murderers, assassins, and other such individuals are being held. You can toss him out once you get there, so no one sees you." She instructed.
"I'LL GET ALL OF YOUR FOR THIS SHIT!" Blitzo threatened as he was carried away.
Waiting until the screaming and squirming Imp was taken away higher up in the hotel before they did anything else, Charlie clapped her hands together to get things back on track.
"Alright, so here's how I thought we could do this!" She exclaimed with a smile as she gestured to the tables, "We'll have Will go from table to table, pick out what he likes from each section, then once that's done, we'll start assigning everyone jobs based on which task suits them the best and what they want to do the most, sound good?" She asked.
"What about the others?" Moxxie inquired, referring to Vagatha, Alastor, and Nifty.
"They're in the kitchen with mom. The chefs are making a bunch of sample platters for Will to try so he can decide what food should be served at the event!" She revealed with glee.
"Speaking of Will, we need to talk real quick." Angel Dust said before grabbing onto her arm gently.
Caught off guard by the sudden action and the serious tone he spoke with, though she wasn't sure what was going on, she let the spider demon take her to the kitchen so the others could also be a part of the conversation.
Meanwhile, On Urdak...
As the drones under the Khans and Samur's direction quickly constructed a new facility to house the Dark One's power, the Wretch distanced himself by keeping an eye on the sphere. At first, the Khans wanted to stay with him, or at the very least have one remain in case something happened, but he assured them no issues would arise as he wouldn't allow himself to be entranced as before and make contact with it. However, he still wasn't alone; standing beside him this entire time in silence was the creator, the reason for his presence unknown.
"Do you want to speak about our conversation?" The Wretch asked, assuming that is why he was there.
"No. While your intentions for yourself are alarming, it is not my place, nor anyone else's, to decide what becomes of your life. To deny a soul the freedom of choice, they are innately owed would betray the very reason I allowed other conscious life to exist alongside myself." Vega answered.
"Are you worried I may fall prey to the energy that lies within the soul sphere again?" He inquired. "That is a concern, but it is not the reason for my being here," Vega assured.
"Is it my place to know the answer?" He asked.
"Of course. I have no reason to keep that from you." Vega answered. "Very well, why are you here?" He asked.
"I've been thinking in private of what we could do with this power." Vega began as he moved closer to the sphere, "To most this appears as the most dangerous object in creation. Few such as you and Samur see all the possibilities it can be used scientifically. But for me, I have another possible idea." He revealed.
"Which is?" The Wretch inquired.
"What if, after all is said and done, when the Dark One is captured and properly sealed away forever this time, I were to make a new opposite of myself?" He suggested.
"I don't think I understand." The Wretch confessed.
"The reason why the Dark One is the way he is has to do with his origin. He was a mass of unchecked corruption that, over time, obtained sentience. His beliefs, motivations, and perceptions of how things should be are based entirely on that. So what if I were to create a new counterpart to myself, a god of evil as powerful and purely corrupt as the Dark One, but is given a life that is not driven to cause such suffering and acts of evil." He explained.
"That...is a dangerous idea creator, but not because it is foolhardy." The Wretch replied as he put a hand to his chin, "In theory, it makes perfect sense. Create a sentience that understands its position and the importance of its task, so it doesn't misuse the power bestowed upon its soul. But the power given is volatile and can break even the strongest of wills; the sentience would need a great deal of time in training and teaching before it could be done." He advised.
"Unless the soul already had such knowledge and experience, then with proper precautions, it could be done much sooner," Vega said.
"If you find such a soul, please let me know." He requested jokingly, as that idea was preposterous.
"You'll be the first to know." Vega promised before turning back around to face him, "But let us move onto a different topic of conversation, one that I've meant to have with you since the Khans were released from the singularity." He admitted.
"If this has to do with their abundant concern for me, I will leave the room." The Wretch warned.
"Not this time, but next time perhaps." He replied, causing the demon to let out a sigh, "I wanted to get your opinion on naming them, to see if you have any suggestions." He explained.
"Wait, they don't have names?" The Wretch questioned.
"There's never been a need to name them. Up until recently, only one Khan has ever been physically present. Now that they've rejoined us and there is no reason for them to return to an ethereal state, it only makes sense to give them stronger identities beyond the order in which they were created." He reasoned.
"That would make speaking to them FAR easier." The Wretch agreed before crossing his arms, "Even so, why ask me about this? Is this not a matter that they alone should be consulted on?" He asked.
"I thought it'd be something nice to surprise them with," Vega answered.
"...Your mind is an enigma wrapped in mystery creator." He responded in as dry of tone he could manage.
"Oh come now, Wretch, with how serious everything has been, a fun little distraction like this is good," Vega argued.
"I've endured many trivial things since coming here; I've had my fill." He told him.
"Are you sure? Because I could always go inform the Khans that this was YOUR idea, which may very well have them swarm you asking what you are considering." Vega suggested.
"...You...are a cruel god..." He replied, accepting defeat.
"What's the point of being divine if you can't have a little fun now and then?" Vega asked before clapping his hands together, "Now, let's get to brainstorming!" He exclaimed, eliciting a groan from the demon.
Meanwhile, In Doom...
This wasn't the first time the current Khan Maykr had been inside the corrupted realm, but this second arrival was far more relaxed than before. When the domain was first filled with demons' corpses, they still had their mission to reform both Heaven and Hell to a brighter future. But now, even with the Dark One still, at large, her mind was at greater ease, for without his power, there was no risk of these foul abominations regaining life before their bodies were destroyed. Luckily for them, the Dark One managed to do one good thing in his entire cursed existence; he gathered all of his minions in front of his stronghold, making the cleanup much more straightforward.
"At this rate, we could be done before the day is over." She said to herself, slightly amused.
"We still have the landmasses and structures to deal with." A Sentinel commander who stood at her side reminded.
"Of course. But at least with that, there isn't the stench of blood and flesh burning, nor the sound of bones being crushed to powder beneath powerful hammers." She replied.
"That is rather nice." The Commander agreed.
Continuing to watch the soldiers go about their jobs with diligence, soon both the Khan and the commander would be approached by a Sentinel assigned to the stronghold's deconstruction.
"Is something wrong?" She asked for they had come from within the structure itself.
"We've found something, deep below the ground in a sealed chamber, took several detonation charges to open it." They answered.
"What was it that you found?" The commander questioned as he and the Khan were now concerned.
"We honestly have no idea what to make of it, sir, hence why I was sent to inform the Khan and ask her to assess it. For what we can determine is it appears to be some kind of experiment." They explained.
Experiment, that word alone sent alarms off for both of them, which is why they followed the soldier into the keep to see this for themselves without saying anything else. It took a few minutes to get there; to their surprise, the structure went deeper than even their initial scans had shown. But the Khan knew why; looking at the walls as they went, she noticed they were lined runes and markings meant to hide whatever was kept here. Soon they reached a set of massive metal doors, which the group of Sentinels waiting inside already opened.
The first thing both saw as they entered the chamber was the demons' bodies unaccounted for outside. The hulking mass of the Cyber Demon, three empty bodies of Hell Guards with no sign of the parasites, with the twins Resurrector and Mother of all demons being the last. And while this was shocking on its own, what laid on the far side of the room was worse. A massive contraption that none of the Sentinels had ever seen, possessing what appeared to be chambers once filled with blood now that were now empty, indicating the machine had been used at some point.
"By the Heavens...what heresy is this?..." The commander questioned, unsure of where to begin his train of thought.
"Have the bodies sustained any kind of injury?" The Khan inquired, examing them as she moved about the room.
"No, mam. We've gone over them thoroughly, and there is no biological reason explaining their current state." A soldier responded.
"That...is what I was afraid of..." She admitted.
"May I ask what is going through your mind, great angel?" The commander requested.
"With their bodies in perfect condition and lying near this apparatus, I fear the Dark One's Hell Wave may have served yet another purpose. And if I am correct, we have a great deal more concerns on our hands." She informed.
"Shall we contact King Novik and the creator then?" He asked.
"Not yet. It is entirely possible they could still be in the realm avoiding detection just as this chamber did with the aid of powerful arcane markings. As such, I believe it is our best course of action to investigate this further before we add any stress to our superiors." She answered.
"I'll inform the other commanders then." He decided, giving her a quick salute across his chest of respect before departing.
Remaining where she was to continue her examination, all of the possibilities for what this could mean didn't sit well in her mind, as all of them brought only trouble.