"Wake up, Valentino."
That voice, the moth demon recognized it; it belonged to that archangel bastard who not only punch his lights out but also ran him through with a fucking spear. Jolting into an upright position, Valentino couldn't see a fucking thing; he was surrounded by a neverending bright white. As for Gabriel, the son of a bitch was here; he could feel it.
"Where are you, angel boy?" He called out while getting to his feet, "And where the fuck am I? What is this your secret spot or some shit?" He asked.
"Do you not remember how you came to be here?" Gabriel asked, "The battle on Urdak, the Slayer shooting you from behind, your transformation, and death?" He listed.
"What? The fuck are you going on abou-"
Then it hit him, all at once, the memories that happened between his encounter with Gabriel that night and this moment in the present. Falling to his knees and holding his head, Valentino tried desperately to scream, but the pain he experienced, which returned full force, choked him.
"Oh no. It appears your mind tried to protect you, suppress those horrid memories so you wouldn't suffer. And here I am bringing them up to the surface causing you immeasurable pain, how tragic." Gabriel said, still not appearing in this sea of endless white, "How does it feel, Valentino? To be rendered helpless, struggling to get even so much as a whimper passed your lips? The yearning to be free of this agony? Does it feel familiar? Do you recognize it? If not, this is how all of your victims have felt. And now, it is your turn." He told him.
"F...F...Fu-"
For a second time, he'd be kept from speaking. But unlike before, it wasn't caused by the intensity of his suffering. Gabriel finally appeared, grabbing him by his throat and lifting Valentino into the air so he could look down into the archangel's eyes.
"Fuck you. Is that what you were going to say to me? Such needless vulgarity, hmph, but I suppose that describes your existence as a whole, doesn't it?" He asked as he tightened his
grip, "There are SO many things I want to do to you. So many forms of penance I want you to pay throughout eternity. But I'm afraid our court date is still far off. Right now, we'll settle for simple torture rather than Heavenly punishment." He said before slamming him onto the floor, his grip still firm around his neck, "Unfortunately when it comes to torture, I am not an expert. Penance, you see, is all about self-reflective punishment. To atone for one's sins, one must endure the same suffering they inflicted upon others. But don't worry, mister Blazkowicz, the Slayer's ancestor, has tortured quite a few villains in his past who were equal to you in their iniquity. He will be overseeing your torture whilst I shall return during intervals to question you. You see, you know many things that will be useful to us. And we intend to make you squirm until every last bit of information has been pulled from your tongue. But don't worry, even if you choose to tell us everything up front, we'll STILL
torture you for countless hours, maybe even a full day, before we let the Sentinels have a go at you." He informed.
Releasing the moth demon from his hand Gabriel pulled away, then he turned his back to him and started to leave.
"W...W...What the hell..." Valentino coughed out as he recovered from that, "You...You're a fucking angel...you...can't fucking torture me...or ALLOW me to be...that's...that's..."
"Bullshit?" Gabriel questioned as he came to a stop, "Again, such needless excessive language. Do you genuinely believe that Heaven is meant NEVER to get its hands dirty? If, when confronted by the worst of creation, we merely smile and slap you lightly on your wrist before sternly wagging our fingers to tell you not to do it again?" He asked.
"If...if it isn't...then why the fuck does Hell even exist?!" Valentino responded.
"Hmph, that's an easy question to answer. Hell as a whole is meant to help the sinful realize their faults and acknowledge their evils to set themselves on the path to redemption. But if Heaven is ever needed to be involved directly, you quickly learn that it isn't the devil and his demons you should fear." He explained.
After that, an opening appeared in the endless white void, allowing Gabriel to leave. As for Valentino, when the door disappeared after the archangel stepped through it, the white began to glow even brighter than it already was, followed by a pain that the moth demon had never felt before. The reality of the situation is what follows, Valentino's soul was placed inside the divinity machine, which was temporarily being used to bombard his soul with unfiltered purity. For as Vega had told everyone earlier that day, if their corrupt souls were put through such an experience, it'd be the penultimate suffering they could ever fear to endure.
"Damn, Gabriel." BJ greeted him as he approached, "Hell of a speech you gave, almost better than hearing this bastard scream." He said.
"Thank you. Although I am fairly certain no words I could say would outclass this beautiful sound." Gabriel replied while closing his eyes to savor it, "Tell me, what are your plans for him?" He inquired.
"We cook him for about six hours straight, I go in and beat the shit out of him, cook him again for another six, and then I sit down and listen to what he has to say. Once I'm sure we've gotten all we can out of him, we cook him some more, only this time, Sentinels will be inside as well. Showing them a little hospitality." BJ described, "How about you? What're you going to sentence him to when you get him in your court?" He asked.
"I'll have to get back to you on that. There are so many possibilities it'll be hard to narrow them down. Or, I could give them to Valentino all at once." He suggested as he reopened his eyes, "But for now, I will leave you and the Sentinels to your task. I shall reconvene with the others in the dining hall and make sure everyone's alright." He said before departing.
"Alright. We'll be here having a cookout." BJ replied as he returned his focus to the machine and the screaming demon within.
Meanwhile, In Urdak...
"Ugh...Will wasn't kidding about the adrenaline dump..." Angel Dust groaned.
As predicted by the space marine, everyone was currently catching their breathes and relaxing after their intense battle with the giant insect demon. Well, except for Katie, she was standing on her own two feet, not seeming to have a care in the world.
"Man, that must suck." She said to them with a bit of smugness, unable to keep herself from being amused by their current state.
"Why are YOU the only one who doesn't feel like shit?..." Cherri asked. "No body, remember? All soul." She answered while gesturing to herself.
"Why haven't WE ditched our meat suits yet then?..." Angel Dust questioned.
"Because Angel, it takes time and effort to do that. "Lucifer responded, both he and Lilith staying close to Charlie and Vagatha, "Believe me. When my father first created my siblings and me, we were nothing but shapeless energy. It took SO much effort to control our souls to look the way we do." He said.
"Does...that means you've been energy this whole time?...Then...how does Charlie have a body?..." Moxxie asked.
"No. I created a vessel for myself, so I wouldn't have to do that anymore. Trust me; it is FAR less of a hassle in the long run." He promised.
"Katie...you're not a dumbass...is that true?..." Cherri asked, not caring that she just insulted the devil.
"Nope." She answered with a pop on the P, "I don't get tired unless I'm put under an extreme amount of strain, sort of like what happens with Pentious and Vox any time they go near that forge back with Sentinels. I don't have to shower because the soul doesn't have an odor like a body, and if I get shit on me, it comes right off as if I were covered in oil. I don't get hungry in a sense I can starve, more like I get a craving for food every once in a while. Oh, and I can do this crazy shit." She listed before she phased her arm through a nearby pillar, "Don't ask me the science or magic or whatever behind this. I can go intangible whenever I feel like it, BUT the catch is that I have to focus on it. So when we're neck-deep in a fight and my mind's occupied by that, I can't suddenly turn into a ghost. Or maybe I can; we'd have to ask Vega to explain all the details." She concluded.
"Your response?..." Angel Dust asked as everyone looked at Lucifer, who seemed unprepared to say anything.
"Okay...so...it IS pretty nice not to have a body...BUT...it takes SO much effort before you can do that, as I said before. And if all of you remember, Katie had to wear that collar Will gave her because otherwise, she wouldn't be able to hold herself together. It'd be impossible for her to maintain her presence in any realm." He countered.
"Hmm...so...no positives to having a body..." Angel Dust pointed out in a very sarcastic way.
"You may as well give up, dear." Lilith told her husband, "No matter what you say, you're climbing uphill with a boulder on your back." She said.
"I dunno; I think he has a point. After all, Vega DID put his soul back into a body." Vagatha reminded.
"Ah-ha! See? She understands my side of this!" Lucifer exclaimed triumphantly.
"Where is Vega, by the way?" Millie asked, "Shouldn't he be here in case more demons show up?" She added.
"That won't happen." He answered, "The infiltration that took place here was a moment of opportunity for them. As I understand the situation, the Dark One has yet to reclaim even half of his power on earth. Attempting to launch any attack, especially now that we're on guard for one, would be no different from the demons hanging themselves. Also, the Maykrs who weren't killed are working on getting the barrier back up, at which point Urdak will be safe again." He explained.
"Ya know, for the devil, you sure know a lot about this shit." Cherri complimented, even if sounded backhanded.
"I was an angel first. THEN a devil." He clarified.
"What was the like?" Alastor inquired, "And I'm not asking for the details regarding the war. I mean, what was creation like before...everything happened? When it was just you, your siblings, and Vega?" He asked, eager to know.
"Yeah! Also, why the FUCK are your other brothers and sisters in Hell not doing anything?! Or the ones in Heaven?" Angel Dust asked.
"First of all, WE'RE in Heaven. Urdak is a section of the realm as a whole, just as my circle a portion of Hell. Second, the ones here in Heaven are working. Although it may not seem like it as they're not standing around like we are, you have to understand existence is much larger than the world you come from and the universe it exists in. Every section of Heaven, which is managed by one of my siblings, Urdak excluded, is busy making preparations in case things escalate into a full- blown war. Or if the demons from Doom get clever and try to invade other realities while on our earth. If we needed their assistance, father would've informed them of such already." Lucifer answered.
"And the ones in Hell?" Vagatha questioned as he seemed to leave them out.
"They're a bunch of absolute assholes." He said, "Like, no joke, fuck every last one of my brothers and sisters in Hell EXCEPT for Abaddon. Nothing but bastards and bitches." He asserted.
"Oh, come on, dad. I'm SURE they're not THAT bad." Charlie argued. For even though she didn't know the rest of her family, uncle Gabe and auntie Az were terrific. So this had to be some kind of misunderstanding.
"Nope. If all of them died right now, I'd leap for joy." He promised.
"Didn't you guys band together to start that war, though? Which is what LED to Doom being created?" Moxxie asked.
"Yep. But as time passed, each circle became its own; we all drifted apart because they're a bunch of assholes." He repeated, wanting to rub that in as much as possible.
"Okay, I'm starting to see now why Abaddon didn't like you or Gabriel so much," Katie commented.
"Why don't we move away from the topic of Lucifer's family? At least for now." Lilith suggested.
"Or, we could talk about it more." Velvet countered as a grin came to her face, "We'll start easy though, like how come Vega isn't here helping the angels fix this place?" She asked.
"He's busy elsewhere. And trust me, you DO NOT want to know the details. I'm serious." Lucifer warned.
"Aw, okay. But that means we have to talk about the rest of your family~" She teased.
Pinching the bridge of his nose because they weren't going to stop, Lucifer let out a long sigh before he caved in.
"Fine. I'll tell all of you a LITTLE about my family. But we're mainly going to focus on Gabriel and Azrael. I'm more than willing to share information about both that neither would want you to know." He said.
"Oh? Do tell." Alastor welcomed as everyone got closer so they wouldn't miss anything.
Meanwhile, In Abaddon's Circle...
The Garden of Eden, the name given to the endless lush paradise Abaddon transformed their circle into. Before their circle of Hell was a barren wasteland, a reflection of how empty they felt inside and their desire to be left alone. But now, thanks to their family slowly coming back together and the Wretch being okay after all he's been through, Abaddon felt like they did before all the tension and the drama. Henceforth, they wanted their circle not to be one of despair and desolation but rather one where souls could come and rehabilitate themselves in a safe, comforting space.
Which, on an unrelated note, was a passion they unknowingly shared with their niece, who they've yet to meet. However, for all of those reasons, Vega decided this would be the best place to take Helsa after he made sure Abaddon would welcome her with open arms, which they did. Here, she'd be in a safe and relaxing environment, which would help her recovery, but it was still up to him to get things started.
"Helsa. Wake up." He spoke to her gently, wanting to ease her into this as much as possible.
Currently, both were in an open field. Green grass with a few patches of flowers and nothing else as far as anyone could see. He chose this location because of how normal it was, which was important because normality is what she needed right now, among other things.
"Helsa. Wake up." He repeated a bit louder this time, but he refrained from touching her even in the slightest way as he feared it might cause an adverse reaction.
Slowly she stirred from her slumber, nothing but a few light twitches from her eyes, but eventually, they opened, allowing her to see the sky above. But it also allowed her to see Vega, who was standing next to her, and that brought her out of her daze immediately in a startle. And yet, she didn't make a sound or say anything, her eyes though wide with fear it wasn't because of him; Vega knew why she was so scared.
"It's alright. Valentino's not here, and the demons aren't here. You are in a safe place, I promise." He quickly assured her, hoping to settle the panic she immediately felt.
Looking around the area like an animal checking to make sure no predators were nearby. Once she made sure that neither her assailant nor those monsters were present, she calmed down by a tiny margin. Even so, she was still confused, afraid, and silent. Vega expected as much, for anyone who endured as much as Helsa had would've become mute due to the trauma.
"I'll be brief." He began, not wanting to overwhelm her with information, "We're still in Hell, but
not your circle. This domain is governed by a sibling of Lucifer, another of my children. Which in turn means that yes, I am God. The reason why you are here is not to be punished for anything you did while your body and soul were not your own. Everyone is well aware of the situation or will be informed of it shortly. You will not be held accountable for what Valentino and the demons made you do. As for what both did to you, I hope it will bring you some form of joy or comfort that Valentino is being tortured as we speak. The first of many grueling endurances that he will face for his crimes. As for you, you are here to relax, to recover, to get to a point where you feel as close to your old self that is realistically possible. It doesn't matter how long it takes, what you need, or what you want. Everything will be taken care of, as will you." He explained.
Looking into her eyes to try and learn what she was thinking, at best, Vega could see a mix of understanding and confusion present in her gaze. But she didn't dare try to speak, if she could, that is, nor did she attempt to reach out to him in any form of physical communication. She just sat there, staring with widened eyes at him.
"I...know this is a lot to take in. I'm so sorry to add more weight to your mind and soul with everything else that has been forced onto you. But please know that I am here to help in any way you want. Even if that should be my departure so you can have some privacy." He told her.
That seemed to do something as she finally moved her head away from him to look down at herself. Her expression changed to show sadness and quiet suffering. For Vega, this was all he needed to know. She didn't feel like having company; Helsa needed to be alone for a long time before interacting with anyone.
Turning around and preparing to give her the space he assumed she wanted, he was stopped when a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed onto him. The grip itself was firm, but the arm behind it shook as Helsa looked at him with tears in her eyes, begging not to be left alone. So he didn't; he lowered himself to the ground so they could equal to each other, and once seated, she latched onto him and buried her face into his shoulder. For however long she needed, this is how they would remain; he'd let her cry as much as she could with his arms wrapped around her weeping soul until her tears finally ran dry.
Meanwhile, In Lucifer's Circle...
Samur was always unquestionably the most efficient Maykr ever created. Even when compared to any of the seven Khans, his diligence and speed were unrivaled. Yet now that he had a new robotic body to work with, somehow, he managed to be twice as efficient as he was before. In addition to his unique cybernetic appearance, the Khans struggled to understand.
"How is this possible?" The seventh whispered to Vox, Sir Pentious, Stolas, and the Wretch. They also watched the Seraph conduct himself better than before, "We've barely had any time to speak with him or you about his...current condition. And yet he's managed not only to get the facilities up and running again, but he's also overhauling the entirety of our security measures." She said.
"Ask Pentious; he was the one tasked with handling Samur's brain while Vox and I worked on the body." The Wretch replied.
"YOU handled his brain?!" A second Khan asked in a surprised manner. Although, all seven looked rather shocked by this news.
"Why does it surprise EVERYONE whenever I do something brilliant? I'm a GENIUS, for crying out loud!" He hissed.
"Forgive our reaction. We just assumed that Wretch would've handled the most important part to saving Samur's life, is all." A third one explained.
"Oh great, so now it's weird for me to be given an important task? Does EVERYONE just enjoy insulting my pride?" He asked.
"Pentious. No need to be dramatic." Vox told him, which caused the snake demon to sigh.
"You're right. My apologies, ladies. I was too sensitive." He admitted, "Now, to answer your question. To ensure that Samur's brain wouldn't dry out or expire to either the power used by the demons or from natural causes. We had to make sure it stayed fresh as if it were still inside his original body. Doing so took me only a minute or two as it wasn't a complicated device to create. But then I started thinking, what if I added some additions that could ENHANCE his mind to levels no one has ever dreamed possible? So, after a little tweaking here and some modifying there. I turned the housing unit for his brain into a supercomputer that turns it into a SECOND supercomputer! Pretty neat idea, huh?" He explained, ending with a question of his own.
"Pentious. Of all times to explore your scientific curiosity, was doing so amid a delicate situation the best choice?" The Wretch asked, though surprisingly, he didn't sound upset.
"I wouldn't have done anything that could've jeopardized his health. I only wanted to give him some extra benefits since we were shoving him inside of a tin can." He answered.
"How considerate of you." Stolas sincerely complimented.
"Mhm. You should also know that I made other enhancements. For example, I ensured that the artificial replacements for Samur's biological senses were far greater too." He mentioned.
"That you did." Samur spoke up, catching them all by surprise, "Now then. If you're done speaking of me behind my back, there's something I'd like to show all of you." He informed.
Regaining their composure after that humbling moment, everyone huddled around their mechanized associate and looked toward the screen connected to the terminal he was working on.
"Samur...what have you been working on?..." One of the Khans inquired, amazed by what she was seeing.
"Although a simple security measure, we have cameras installed in every facility and corridor. However, unlike those you'd find in a simple store or shopping center, these cameras come equipped with many unique features. One of which detects and analyzes any spiritual or energy- related anomalies. The explosion responsible for my new body is such an occurrence." He said as he pulled up a set of new images on the screen, "By studying the power utilized to cause it, I can compare it to all documented types we have on record. In doing so, I immediately eliminated Archviles, Summoners, and a few rare instances in which a Baron or other demon equal in power was responsible for such arcane mastery. This led me to the only three remaining creatures that could've been responsible. The Icon of Sin, who is dead. And the sister demons who we know are still alive. I believe we can use the data I've gathered here as a means to track them down on earth. Which would grant us an advantage they'd never be able to see coming." He explained.
"See?! I knew making him a super genius times two was a brilliant idea!" Sir Pentious exclaimed in triumph.
"Pardon me if I should sound ignorant here. But could we use this for the others as well? The Cyberdemon did attack Urdak, and the remaining two brutes were here, if I'm not mistaken." Vox
suggested.
"The Hell Guards are, unfortunately, non-sentient organisms. Merely extensions of the Dark One and the other Marauders. But, to our fortune, we have a plentiful amount of parasites thanks to Valentino that we can use to track them. As for the Cyberdemon, I'd have to see if any data was recorded during his time on Urdak before I can definitively say anything." He replied.
"Even so, Samur. This is remarkable! This could be the start of us turning the tides of war in our favor!" The seventh Khan praised.
"Shall I go inform the others of this development?" The Wretch asked.
"Yes. Everyone should know the potential this has." Samur answered, "The drones should be done fixing the Slipgate. You may use that for convenience sake." He said.
Nodding in reply, the Wretch, Vox, Sir Pentious, and Stolas hurried to return to the Sentinel homeworld while the Khans remained there to return to their work and finish it before they could help Samur with his.