Chapter 3: Love And Family

Emily could feel herself plummeting through the air, her wings frantically flapping but unable to gain any traction. The ground rushed up towards her at an alarming speed, the wind whipping past her face and tugging at her hair. She tried to will her wings to obey, to lift her back into the safety of the sky, but they refused to respond. It felt like eternity as she fell, each second stretching on and on until she was sure she would hit the earth below, Her once-glowing halo slowly disintegrating into nothingness. Her eyes burned with an intense heat as she plummeted into a fiery lake, unable to escape its grasp.

At the pinnacle of it all, her beloved sister Sera stood. The seraphim stood smiling warmly at Emily before said smile turned sadistic. She reached out her hand and an unseen force pushed Emily backward into the waiting arms of numerous masked exorcists, ready to snuff out her very existence. Emily's heart raced as she frantically searched for a way out of this nightmarish scenario. Each exorcist's eyes burned with fervent determination, their masks hiding any trace of emotion as they prepared to carry out their dark task. The young seraphim, overcome with terror beyond comprehension, released a deafening scream.

Three hours earlier:

"Overthrow Heaven?" Angel Dust exclaimed. "That's crazy talk! No one would be stupid enough to try that!" The spider demon laughed. "That's like trying to overthrow Lucifer. It's never gonna happen!" Charlie's eyes lingered on the red sofa where Emily lay sleeping. She quietly walked over, being careful not to disturb her, and gently lifted the young girl into her arms. She tucked her in a blanket and quietly ascended the stairs of the hotel, cradling the angel like a child in her arms.

"Uh, Charlie?" Vaggie questioned, "What are you doing?"

"Exactly what my dad said to do," Charlie responded. "Giving her my protection,"

The Princess of hell finally arrived at her destination after a brief walk: a guest bedroom conveniently located across the hallway from her own. She carefully laid Emily onto the bed and tucked her in, making sure she was comfortable before leaving the room. Vaggie was standing in the hallway, a serious expression worn on her face.

"Charlie," she uttered, "I understand I haven't exactly done the most to earn back your trust," Vaggie took a deep breath, "but it seems like you and your dad haven't spoken to your brother in a long time. You've never even told us about him. Why"

Charlie wore a somber smile on her face in return. "I still speak to him occasionally, but my dad... well, it's complicated,"

Vaggie caressed her shoulders gently. "Hon, please. I'm here for you,"

Charlie sighed. "Alright. But can we talk in here?" She asked, gesturing to her room.

"Of course," the angel responded. The pair stepped through the doors into the Princess's room, a regal sanctuary painted in rich shades of red. The walls seemed to glow in the dim light, casting a warm and inviting aura throughout the space. A large canopy bed dominated the center of the room, its silken curtains draped in deep shades of ruby and amethyst. The plush bedding was adorned with intricate heart-shaped patterns, giving the room a warm, welcoming tone. It was clear that this was a room fit for a kind-hearted soul like Charlie, every detail carefully crafted to exude warmth and comfort. The Princess sat on the edge of the bed, inviting her partner to sit beside her.

Vaggie eagerly joined her, wanting nothing more than for Charlie to feel at ease and relaxed in her presence. The luxurious sheets enveloped them both, offering a sense of comfort and safety that made her feel at home with Charlie by her side. "So, you ready to talk?" She asked gently, not wanting to invoke any unease in her partner.

Charlie nodded. "I love my brother, as does our dad," She sighed. "Unfortunately, his beliefs don't exactly blend well with Dad's in particular,"

Vaggie was confused. "But, why not?" She asked, "Wasn't your dad's whole thing getting kicked out of Heaven because he questioned their Order?"

"That's exactly it," Charlie's expression visibly saddened. "Libertas, or 'Liberty' as we call him is a few hundred years older than me. In fact, he actually lived through the first Extermination,"

"Woah, quite the age gap," Vaggie chuckled.

Charlie let out a weak laugh in response. "Yeah well, I wouldn't exactly call him lucky for it," Her expression went serious again. "He was still a child at the time. Back then, there were no rules against exterminating Hellborne, so the Exorcists went wild. A couple even broke into Dad's castle," she shuddered. "One found Liberty asleep in his room. It slashed at his face... and nearly pierced his heart. He still has the scars," she said with a somber tone. "Dad was so pissed when he found him, he immediately flew up to Adam and beat him within an inch of his life. On that day, a deal was struck so that only sinners may be harmed during the Extermination," Charlie sighed, "Point is, there is nothing in creation my brother hates more than the Heavenly Order and the angels that follow their bidding. He's trained every single day since he was just twelve years old, praying for a chance at revenge,"

Vaggie was stunned. "That's... awful. Can't say I blame him for hating angels after all that," she said. "But, why doesn't he talk to your dad?"

"The same reason I barely talked with him for years," Charlie explained. "Dad was too scared to do anything that went against the Heavenly Order. But where I saw a lost hope that could be revived, Liberty saw weakness that could never be overcome," She went on, "He left about a decade after I was born. Dad says that's when he and Mom started to drift apart as well. I always took her as the more radical one anyway," Charlie looked exasperated. "It's just... I know he loves all of us, even Dad. He just doesn't compromise, you know? He sees a path forward and refuses to stray from it, no matter what. Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen anyone else match his determination,"

Vaggie looked over, her eyes meeting Charlie's. "So, I take it he doesn't exactly agree with this whole 'Hotel concept' of yours?"

Charlie shook her head. "While he didn't try to stop me, he made it clear that he didn't think it would work," She closed her eyes, as if remembering back to the exact conversation. "He said I was wasting time, that Heaven was too corrupt to ever accept a redeemed soul. I thought he was just being a pessimist. But now, I'm scared he might be right," She turned to her partner, tears forming in her eyes. "Vaggie?" she whispered. "Is all of this really pointless? Is Heaven really that far gone?" Her voice began to break. "I mean, a girl as sweet as Emmie? I couldn't think of anyone more deserving of paradise than her! Why, Vaggie? Why did they do this to her?" Charlie began sobbing, unable to comprehend how anyone thought the young seraphim deserved such an unbelievably cruel fate.

Instinctively, Vaggie wrapped her crying girlfriend in a gentle hug, allowing her tears to fall on her shoulder. "Nothing you do is pointless, Hon," She said, comfortingly. "This hotel has already helped a number of people become far better versions of themselves. Myself included," She gently cupped Charlie's face with her hands. "You are Charlie Morningstar. The Princess who believes in redemption, the girl who saved Hell from extinction alongside her father," she blushed, "and the most beautiful, perfect person I know,"

Charlie wiped away her tears and brought her own hands up to caress her partner. "I love you," She said, emotion still breaking in her voice.

"I love you too," Vaggie responded. Her heart swelled with emotion as she pulled Charlie close, their lips meeting in a tender kiss. The warmth of their embrace enveloped them, melting away any lingering doubts or fears. In that moment, nothing else mattered except for the love and passion they shared. As they pulled away, they allowed themselves to fall onto the bed, feeling tiredness creep up on them after such a long day. The former exorcist met her partner's eyes as they smiled at one another.

"Spend the night, won't you?" Charlie cooed as she ran her hand against her girlfriend's cheek.

Vaggie smiled slyly. "Already planned on it," she said as she pulled the covers over them.

The two lovers nestled into each other's embrace, feeling the warmth radiating off of their bodies. Their limbs intertwined like vines, creating a cocoon of comfort and intimacy. The soft rhythm of their heartbeats echoed in sync, as if they were two halves of a whole. And as sleep took them, nothing else in the world mattered - just the tender touch and affection that enveloped them.

Three hours later:

Suddenly, a deafening scream from across the hall woke the pair from their slumber.

Charlie hastily grabbed a robe and jumped out of bed. She hurried across the hall and burst into Emily's guest room, where she found the seraphim curled up and softly weeping. The Princess rushed over to offer comfort to the crying angel. "Hey, shhhhhh..." she whispered gently, "What's wrong?" She caressed the distressed girl's shoulders, attempting to calm her down.

"Falling, I'm falling, I just keep falling!" Emily stammered out in a panicked state. "Sera hates me! Could she always have hated me? THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL ME!" Emily suddenly shouted out, her wide-open eyes staring right at Charlie. "I just want to know what I did wrong! What did I do, Charlie? WHAT DID I DO?" She began sobbing again, burying her face against Charlie's midsection.

"It's ok, everything is ok," Charlie assured her.

"Is it really?" The seraphim asked tearfully. Her body shaking with fear.

"Yes, I promise," Charlie responded. "But please, just tell us what happened,"

Emily wiped her tears away, still very emotional. "A lot happened in Heaven since the failed Extermination. It's just..." she shuddered, "terrifying."

"It's fine, Emily," Vaggie assured her. "Just tell us what you know, and..." she hesitated, "what happened to you,"

Emily looked down, still a bit distressed, but calm enough to speak normally. "Ever since Adam was killed, the higher-ups of Heaven have been in a frenzy," She explained. "Lute's gone completely berserk. She vowed to all of Heaven that she and the Exorcists will kill all sinners for good and avenge Adam's death. He's sort of become a martyr for them," She sighed. "There's something else too, something that has Sera in a frenzy," she explained. "That snake demon you were friends with?"

Charlie's expression saddened. "Sir Pentious," she uttered sadly.

"Yeah, his soul reappeared in Heaven!"

Charlie and Vaggie's eyes widened with shock. "But how," Vaggie exclaimed. "He was killed directly by an angel!"

Emily shook her head. "No. He wasn't killed," She explained. "You see, there are seven Archangels in Heaven, each with their own line of duty. Sera is the Archangel of Judgement, as she rules over the Angelic Court," She continued, "Another, Raphael, is the Archangel of Law. His role is to enforce whatever Sera and the court rules on. There's also Naomi, Malik, Raziel, and Gabriel, the Archangels of Beauty, Nature, Death, and War. And at the top of it all, there's Michael, the Supreme Archangel and Leader of Heaven. All of them have heard about your hotel by now, and their opinions on it are, pretty divided," She paused, letting Charlie and Vaggie take the information in. "Anyways, Raphael, one of the Archangels in support of your hotel, defied Sera's ruling that sinners can't be redeemed. He personally yanked Pentious's soul out from Hell before it was destroyed and brought it up to Heaven. He even confronted Sera personally on the matter. He wasn't happy with her ruling,"

Charlie and Vaggie were stunned. "This Raphael guy, have you talked to him before?"

"A few times, yeah," Emily responded. "He's unbelievably kind. It isn't hard to imagine him going against Sera like he did," She sighed. "He and I started talking, and we agreed that Heaven needed to change. But as an Archangel, he didn't want to cross more lines than he already had, so I started spreading our beliefs myself. I was doing just that one day when..." She stuttered, "when I started falling," She started tearing up again. "I just don't understand how she could do this to me!"

Charlie looked at her, worried. "What do you mean?"

Emily's voice began to break. "Sera! The two of us used to do everything together! We would tour Heaven, visit the Court, even occasionally bring messages down to the mortal world! She taught me everything I know! She was my sister! I loved her!" The young seraphim finally broke down completely, quietly sobbing into a pillow.

Charlie quickly wrapped her in a hug. "Don't worry," She said comfortingly. "You're still loved. We all care for you. We're all here for you whenever you need us,

Emily tearfully looked up at her. "You mean it?"

Charlie gave a bright smile. "Of course!" She exclaimed joyfully. "That's what this hotel is for, after all!"

Vaggie gave her a smile too. "That's right, and we'll fuck up anyone who tries to hurt you,"

Emily smiled back through her tears. "Thank you," She choked. "I love you guys!"

"And we all love you too," Charlie responded, planting a comforting kiss on the seraphim's forehead. She and Vaggie beamed at her before exiting the room and returning to their own, having calmed their new friend down. Once they were back in their room, however, Vaggie noticed Charlie's fist clenched tightly, her body shaking. "Hey, is something wrong, Babe?" She asked, concerned. Then, she saw her expression. The Princess of Hell's normally yellow sclera had gone blood red, her face twisted with barely controlled fury. Vaggie had never seen Charlie like this before and was deeply worried.

"Vaggie?" Charlie uttered, her breath shaking with rage. "We are going to change Heaven, once and for all," She turned to face her partner. "Whether by diplomacy or destruction, this shit will change!" Her voice briefly distorted as her demon form could barely contain itself.

Vaggie, who herself was deeply angered by Heaven's cruelty towards Emily, nodded in full agreement. The path forward becoming ever more clear. Either they change the Archangel's minds, or they destroy them for good.

Meanwhile, in Heaven:

Lute, Commander of the Exorcists walked briskly through the massive halls of one of the Heavenly palaces. Her neck-length silver hair slicked down in a perfectly smooth linear pattern, covering many of her battle scars suffered on that day. Her severed arm, now replaced with one made of pure Angelic steel, gleamed beautifully in the reflected light of the palace. After a brief moment, she reached the end of the hallway, where a massive set of double doors was located, decorated with unbelievable opulence. They were adorned with intricate carvings of gold and jewels, which reflected light in a dazzling display of opulence. Every inch of the doors seemed to shimmer and sparkle, beckoning all forward with their extravagant beauty. Taking a deep breath, she gave a brief knock before the doors opened on their own, pushing inward to reveal what could only be described as a battle preparation room fit for a king. Dazzling weapons of all kinds made of divine materials, decorated in a shining platinum finish littered the walls. Spears made of Angelic steel, firearms that shot bullets made of pure Holy Iron, and retractable Soul Energy blades were among the most opulent weapons on display. And at the center of it all, a being of unbelievable grace stood, his back to the entrance, with short and smooth black hair, and 3 pairs of pewter wings tucked at his back. Lute quickly kneeled before the being as he turned to face her.

"Sir, the plans are being drawn up as we speak," She reported. "It won't be long before our full-scale assault on the Pride Ring will be ready for its preparing stages.

The being smiled and stepped towards her. "Excellent work, Lute. Adam always spoke very highly of you. And it seems you are living up to his words,"

Lute bowed her head. "Thank you for your praise, Sir,"

"Rise,"

Lute got up to her feet and stood next to the figure. They were standing in front of a giant glass window that looked over an endless void of clouds, the sun setting on the horizon. The figure smiled chillingly.

"At last we can purge these disgusting sinners from Creation. As it was written,"

To be continued...