Chapter Ten: Rebellion Brewing

Disclaimer: See chapter one

Hey, everyone. I am glad you all are enjoying this story of mine and are looking forward to what I have planned. Last time, the Lord told Lucifer to arrest Lilith and told the rest of the Sons to prepare for war. In this chapter, well just enjoy it.

Oh, controversial subject warning, you'll know it when you get there and it does come up as a plot point through out. It is just that that is how the story presented itself to me in my head and that is how I am telling it. I am sorry.

Anyway, On with the Show:

A few days of spending time recovering in Heaven, and once Raphael said that Emily was healthy enough to resume active duty, Lucifer and Charlie knew they would have to return to Hell and draw out the Arch-traitor, the Queen of Hell and bring her to justice. As much as Sera did not want Emily to return to Hell after being stabbed, she knew that Emily would want to continue to help her sister. In a messed up way, they could spin the story and use this attack on her life as proof that they were doing the right thing. At the very least, both Lucifer and Sera convinced Emily to ask her Uncle Michael to train her to defend herself.

As for the instrument of betrayal, he had sat in a makeshift holding cell, under Exorcist guard, partially wondering if they were going to execute him, despite being bound to Charlie now and powerless. He had a laugh when being thrown in there as Michael had commented that the Lord had a file on his sins that was very long, especially as it included all of his kills while already in Hell, and counting the thousands of Souls he had made deals with for power. Fortunately for him, death did not come, but the one that held his leash did when it was time to go home. Archangel Michael bound his hands behind his back and they led them to the gates.

Hell

The Morningstars lead Alastor back to Hell with hands cuffed behind his back. Once they got back to the Hotel, Michael released the former overlord from his cuffs and returned to Heaven, the portal closing behind him.

"My dear, I know I am not in a position to ask this, but I need to make a deal with someone," Alastor asked permission, while rubbing his wrists.

"What? Why would we let you make a deal with anyone considering what you used those contracts to do," Charlie got angry with the Radio Demon.

"My dear, for the sake of everyone here, it is better that this person is under contract than let free," he said, hoping to convince them, everyone in the room gave him a suspicious eye.

"Who?" Vaggie asked, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Niffty in the corner, looking like a gremlin that she sometimes does. "Niffty?" Alastor nodded at them. Everyone else silently looked at each other, contemplating whether it was a good idea.

"My dears, I am the only one that she truly listens to, and…" Alastor contemplated telling them this, as it would make his actions seem worse in the eyes of Lucifer, "and I care for her in my own way," he settled on. He almost said that Niffty was like an obnoxious adopted daughter to him, but he knew it was not the time to say that. Not with Lucifer breathing down his neck at all times.

"Alright, but she is the only one that you get to make a deal with, and it is only to keep her more crazy side under control." Lucifer agreed, as Niffty scared even him at times, and Sera was worried about the gremlin doing something against Emily.

"That is all I will ask of you, my king." He went and sat down in his favorite chair and Niffty came over and sat in his lap. "Niffty, my dear, I reoffer the contract that we had before. Work, for my protection," he held up a hand that weakly glowed with power. Niffty immediately took his hand and the deal was struck once again, the green chain appeared briefly before disappearing. He patted her head, she hugged him, he returned the hug with her. He met everyone else's gaze and his look told them that only Niffty was allowed to do such things. He sent her off to do her work around the Hotel.

He turned to Husk at the bar, "I am surprised that you are still here, Husker. Knowing you, I figured you would run as soon as your leash was broken."

"Well, I have nowhere else to go. I am no longer an overlord and I know if I leave, I am going to wind back up in a situation like I did with you." Husk's gruff voice responded as he cleaned glasses. "Besides, there is someone else here that is counting on me," he said as his hand slid over one of Angel's. There was also the fact that Pentious and Cherri were around and he considered them friends. Charlie got that look in her eyes seeing love blooming.

"Very well, just thought I would let you know that I cheated at that game anyway," Alastor admitted to Husk's surprise.

"I fucking knew you must have had cards up your sleeves," Husk said in anger at him.

"Not in that way, Husker, the dealer was one of mine. He gave me all the cards I needed to beat you," he said as he stood up, leaning on his cane. Husk was furious with him. "Oh, don't look at me like that, I could have killed you, like I did to the rest of the Overlords I took down. Besides, had I not rigged the game, you would have cheated to beat me. Admit it, you regularly would cheat to gain more souls in deals." Husk did not answer that with a response. He merely grabbed a bottle off the shelf, and drank half of it before Angel took it from him, took a sip from it and corked it, putting it to the side so that Husk didn't pour from it for a hotel resident. Husk looked at Angel in bitterness for taking his bottle from him, Angel winked at him, knowing that they would be hashing it out later, in bed. He knew Husk would end up cuddling into him later.

"In any event, Charlie, Vaggie, follow me, we need to look for Lilith and try to get her to stand down. Angel, Husk, Pentious, watch him," he motioned at Alastor.

"On it, my short king," Angel told him. Lucifer's eyes narrowed at him for pointing out his height. Angel recoiled behind the bar counter at the King's glare. "Sorry, my liege, won't mention it again."

Lucifer and the two girls exited the Hotel, Charlie hanging on to Vaggie's neck as they flew over the Pride Ring. After a few minutes of flying, Charlie spoke up. "Where are we supposed to look for Mom?"

"I have a few ideas, Char. She knows I would expect her at the Palace, so she would not be there," Lucifer told her. The wind for once felt good on his face as he flew through the skies that evening. Ill fitting in his opinion, for this night, but in some ways it meant he was coming to appreciate the little things that he had shunned before he became more active in his children's lives and they had a positive effect on him.

"Do you think she knows that Alastor told us?" Vaggie asked, concerned that Lilith would be either waiting for them in ambush or long gone.

"I don't know, based on the way Alastor tells it, if he had succeeded, the chain would have broken on its own. Also, assuming it would happen once Azrael had done his Father-given job. A Soul Contract can break in multiple ways, one is the overlord just releasing them. Another is fulfillment of terms, as well as true death of either the overlord or sinner. Finally, in the case of Alastor's souls, openly acting against me. If he had told me that it was Lilith before I broke his leash, it would have broken immediately." He said in bitterness, Alastor had to leverage the information like he did.

"In every case except the first, the owner is none the wiser as to how the leash was broken, just that it is broken." Lucifer told them, deep in thought. It was possible that Lilith knew, but he didn't know. She may have civilized Hell, but it was him that set up the Soul Contract business, and he had intentionally made it so that the owner would not know why a contract may break.

While Lucifer was lost in thought as they flew, Charlie noticed something odd. She saw a horned, human figure standing upon one of the tallest towers at the center of Pentagram City, looking upon the Clock Tower and the Heavenly Embassy. "Dad! Down there," She called up to him. Lucifer looked down at the figure. He knew it was her, seeing the purple dress she was wearing, with her crown atop her golden head. He turned to land atop the tower followed by Charlie and Vaggie. He landed, but did not retract his wings and drew his sword, Vaggie drew her spear, and Charlie, her trident.

"Luci, Charlie, I am surprised to see you here, how was Heaven?" She said as she turned around to see them. "What is with the hostility?" she asked, trying to play innocent, but had a secret feeling that they knew.

"Lilith Morningstar, in my father's name, you are under arrest for the attempted murder of Emily Morningstar," Lucifer's voice turned to his command voice that he used when he addressed the people.

"I take it that the angel lives," Lilith said as they approached, noting that he said attempted murder, not murder. Her saying that confirmed to them that she was guilty. "Did you kill my pet?" she asked after Alastor.

"He still lives, for now, currently bound to our daughter. He was the one that ratted you out," he told her, feeling no pity or guilt in telling her this information.

"Can't find good help these days," she commented as she began to pace. She was not worried about the fact that the others bore weapons, she had her own powers and Roo inside her.

"Lilith, in the name of our marriage and millennia of love that existed between us, please listen to me. This is your one chance, stand down and come with us, because you will not get another chance." He tried to reason with her, hoping that she would not make this difficult. " Heaven is preparing to drag you into the light by force. Sera will kill you on sight and Dad is feeling like going back to his Old Testament Wrath mode to deal with you. As for my brothers: Michael is training and arming the Heavenly Host again, with Lute having been Dishonorably Discharged from his service. Gabriel is spreading the word that you are persona non grata in Heaven. Raphael is considering the human idea of protecting life by taking life. Uriel is using his talents to make the weapons that Michael needs. Zadkiel himself is running out of mercy, and Azrael, well, he is waiting for your name to appear on his list." He pleaded with her to see reason, as she would not have another chance that was not by force to surrender. "This is your only chance, come quietly, Lilith, and submit to judgment."

"I think not, Lucifer, even if I went with you, I know what fate would befall me, so I must decline," she turned her back on him, looking out over the city that she helped to build.

Getting angry, "Tell me why you did it, Lilith! Why try to have Emily murdered?" he shouted at her.

"I gave you the chance to let me back in as your loving wife, and I gave Charlie the chance for me to be her mother again, and you both chose Sera over me," Lilith said, not even turning around.

"Sera was more of a mother to me in the past few months than you have been in seven years. You abandoned me and Dad, you never returned my calls when I needed you the most, only to find out that you have been vacationing in Heaven. Also, lest we forget, you tried to have my sister murdered," Charlie shouted in hatred at her mother, her partial demon form showing as her eyes changed color and her horns began to sprout out.

"She is not your sister, Charlie. She never should have existed," Lilith told her daughter, having turned around to look Charlie in the eyes as she said it. Charlie and Lucifer got even more angry with her.

Let me speak to them, Roo told her, deciding it was time to reveal herself, putting her plan into action.

You sure, old friend? Once they know you are involved, the Lord will come down here, Lilith warned her.

That is the plan, my dear, I have a revenge to carry out, Roo told her. There was a score to settle and she intended to do so.
Just give me back control, when you are done, and don't hurt them. Lilith had to agree with the entity inside her. If she didn't, then Roo might actually take over fully.

Of course, my dear. Secretly though, Roo was getting tired of holding back. She needed a kill, and soon. The blood-lust was creeping up in her, and she was hungry for chaos, as it fuels her power.

"Lord Morningstar, I think it's time I owe you an explanation," Lilith said in a voice that was not her own.

"What?" They asked, confused. They could only watch in horror as Lilith's appearance changed. Lilith's golden hair turned flame-like auburn black, her horns were replaced with a wide brim black hat, her dress became a black tube top and pants, and a red sleeveless overcoat formed around her. Her pale lilac skin became as paper-white, and her light violet eyes became red sclera and white irises, with burgundy eye-shadow. Within a moment, Lilith no longer stood before them. It was Roo herself.

"Roo?" Lucifer asked, a bit scared. "How long have you been inside my Lilith?"

"For the past few months, since she returned to Hell, and made a deal with me, but we have been business partners for many years. It was I that got her into Heaven, after I helped incite the uprisings that got Heaven to start exterminating Sinners. It was I that convinced her and Eve to trick you into having an affair with Eve, and it was I that proposed the idea to have your precious angelic daughter murdered," Roo laughed an evil laugh. It was clear that she was feeding off the chaos of Hell. Lucifer's parental rage came in hot, igniting his blade. His wings extended and he flew in hatred at the entity that inhabited his wife's body. Roo stood there and as Lucifer approached, she teleported to the side making him miss her.

"So close, and yet so far," Roo taunted. With supernatural speed, she was able to dodge every strike that Lucifer tried to land on her with his Sword. "Oh, don't think it was all me though. I may have offered the ideas, but it was Lilith that acted upon my suggestion. She weaved the spell on her own that disguised Eve as her, so that she could separate from you and take Charlie with her. She was the one that talked Sinners into uprising to their final deaths. She is the one that Alastor made a deal with and she was sent to watch over and manipulate Charlie at the hotel." As Roo said it, Charlie grew more furious with her mom. "And it goes without saying, she was already considering doing something to get rid of the Angels if talking did not work. I merely advised her that it was time to act on that idea." So it seemed that both were to blame. Roo was making sure that Lilith would go down with her if she failed. Lucifer and Charlie, now joining her father in attack mode, tried to strike the Origin of All Evil, but her powers allowed her to avoid all strikes. She chuckled as they tried to hit her. Vaggie tried a different angle on her and yet it did not work. Merely stepping out of the way as Vaggie jumped at her from a diagonal and missed her.

"Tell me Lucifer, how did it feel? As you turned your head and saw the assassin's blade in her gut?" Roo was messing with his mind. There was something she wanted him to do, that would make it all the easier for her going forward. She just needed to turn up the heat.

"Shut up and stand still!" he spat at her.

"Oh, how I would have loved to see what was going on in Heaven that night, to hear the bitch Seraphim scream for the life of her bastard child." Roo grinned, showing many of her very sharp teeth. With such familial fury, both father and daughter, with one in her full demon form, channeled power to their fists, and both managed to strike the entity, one in the face with his fist, her in the stomach, mighty sucker punches, that sent the entity a few meters across the roof. No one speaks of Sera and Emily like that to them, no one. Immediately though, Lucifer felt guilty for laying hands on a woman, even if she had it coming. Charlie felt similar to having to punch her mother's body that was currently under a different entity's control.

Getting to her feet, holding her jaw a second, cocky half grin on her lips, "This is the perfect time for me to bow out. See you real soon, Lucifer." Roo smirked evilly, and stepped backward off the top of the building, in a free fall. Everyone raced to the side of the roof to look at the falling woman, who before she hit the ground, she vanished.

Once safely away, Roo relinquished control of their shared body and reverted to Lilith just as she promised. It would also serve them better in Lilith's form to go about their future plans. Lilith had to look at her reflection, the bruise from Lucifer's punch starting to darken.

He laid a hand on you, Roo said to her, trying to justify what she wanted.

You provoked him, you provoked both of them, Lilith replied, a bit shocked that Lucifer was actually capable of hitting her. She was more surprised that Charlie, the cinnamon roll she was, was capable of hitting her. Perhaps they had pushed too far with this one.

Well, in any event, now he knows and he will tell his father. It's time to carry out the final plan, Roo told her, a mental evil grin behind it.

War, Lilith thought, she had noted that Heaven was also preparing for war if need be. They may as well have an army behind them, as to distract the Heavenly Host from them for the time being. Such a war would allow Roo to power up.

I will deal with the Creator, we just got to get him down here, Roo told her.

So how do we gather our army? Lilith asked for guidance for what to do. Roo was the one that had given her ideas of how to recruit for the uprisings before.

My dear, you have the answer on your face, use it, Roo told her. Lilith's hand went to her bruised cheek, and it became clear. Alastor and his radio tower were unreachable to her now, but there was someone in the media business that could help her.

Atop the tower

As soon as Lilith and Roo were gone, Lucifer started to panic. He looked over at his daughter and her girlfriend in shame for striking Lilith with his fist. Charlie gave him a forgiving look, "Dad, don't feel bad, I punched her too, for talking about Emily and Sera like that."

"Thanks, Charlie," he said in thought as he calmed down a moment before pulling out his phone.

"Who was that other woman?" Vaggie asked, confused.

"That was Roo, literally the Root of all Evil. The one that my father and Sera tried to keep out from creation that Lilith and I mistakenly let in when we gave Eve the Apple from the Tree of Knowledge." He told Vaggie, as he scrolled through his contact information to his father. "I need to call my Father, to tell him to get the Heavenly Host down here." He hit the call button. As it rang, he hoped that his father would answer the phone. Finally, God picked up the phone.

"My son, how did it go," the Lord greeted.

"Badly, father. Don't worry, we are all fine, but Lilith got away, and confessed to her treason," He told him. He couldn't believe it had all come back to her.

"So, I suppose we go with plan b? I send your brother down to help drag her out?" God asked, ready to do it.

"Not just Mikey or the others, send the fucking entire Heavenly Host, when they are ready for war, we have bigger problems down here," Lucifer told him.

He could feel his father's face grow stern, considering how Lucifer was talking, "how bad are we talking?"

"It's Roo, Dad. She has been behind everything, Lilith leaving me and Charlie for Heaven, the Uprisings that led to the Exterminations, Emily getting stabbed, everything. She has been feeding off the chaos, growing in strength." Lucifer ran a hand through his hair to calm down.

"Roo? She got out of her pit?" God asked, he had to make sure.

"She has been out for a while, and is currently cohabiting Lilith's body," Lucifer made sure not to say possessing, as that would shift blame when both were guilty.

"Cohabitating, meaning that Lilith obeyed her orders of her own volition?" God asked him.

"Yes, they are both guilty for what happened to Emily," Lucifer told him, his parental rage building up again.

"It's a good thing that I already told your brother to prepare for war," God told him. "Something is bothering you, what is it, my son?" He had picked up on that Lucifer was not telling him everything that had happened.

"Roo managed to get under my skin, and I, along with Charlie, punched her so hard in the face and stomach to send her flying across the roof we are standing on currently. I feel guilty for laying hands on Lilith like that," he told his father.

"I see, what did she say?" God asked, wanting the full picture before he judged.

"She was mocking me, she said she would have loved to have seen what happened in Heaven the other night, calling Sera a bitch and Emily a bastard child. That she would have loved to hear Sera scream for Azrael not to take Emily's life." He breathed hard through his nose, trying not to lose it again, when recounting the last few minutes.

"I see, It is understandable, my son. Your duty is more to your children anyway, they come first, and you were defending them. I forgive you for it. We will discuss this later. For now, return to the Hotel and plot the next move," his father told him. "Michael is training the Heavenly Host and will be ready in a few days, just in time to aid you, as no doubt Roo will need time to gather her forces as well. Gather what allies you have down there, and prepare for war," his father ended the call. Lucifer silently motioned to the girls to follow him home, as he left his cane at the hotel.

V Tower

To say that the reception Lilith received as she entered the tower was frosty was an understatement. She was met with weapons drawn by every security guard the Vees had left. They knew her face, the Queen of Hell and wife of the King, the one that butchered his way through the tower and murdered one of the Vees. "I am Lilith, Queen of Hell, and I demand an audience with your masters," her voice had command to it, partially from Roo, partially her own.

"And why would we give it?" Vox asked, having come up from his security room, as he had seen her on the cameras.

"I am in need of your services. Alastor has failed and betrayed me, and I know you want revenge for your friend." Lilith had heard about Lucifer's cull when she was around the Hotel from Angel Dust.

Vox stood there, hands behind his back in thought. "Why would you, the Queen, want to move against your husband?"
"Many things, but currently…" she motioned to the bruise on her cheek. Roo told her to use what Lucifer had given her against him and she was going to do so.

"He hit you?" Vox asked, a bit surprised. While he was used to being in an abusive relationship with the late Valentino, the word had been around Hell that the King and Queen had a relatively healthy relationship, and that the King would never lay a hand on her.

"He did, just a few minutes ago," she left out the fact that she was behind things, but Vox put it together as she had mentioned Alastor had failed her. He was curious enough to call Velvette down, "Velvette, meet me in the conference room, now," he said into his wrist watch. He showed her, under guard, to the conference room.

"Where's the fire?" Velvette asked as she came in. Vox pointed at the other woman in the room, drink already in his hand. "Oh shit, your majesty," Velvette put on a respectful face, as she thought Lilith was here on behalf of Lucifer, hoping that the King did not find out about the deal with Alastor. "What are you doing here," Velvette asked as she took her seat next to Vox across the length of the table from Lilith.

"I am in need of your services, Vox with his control over television and your control over social media. Lucifer has proven that he is not going to play nice, and he has laid a hand against me," she motioned to her cheek, hoping that Velvette would take her side in this matter, which it seemed like she was. "I know what my husband did here a few months ago, and I have a feeling that Alastor came here to get help with a task I sent him to do."

"So, it was you that wanted Lucifer's other daughter dead, to try to control him, and he found out about it," Vox had figured it out.

"Yes, however, it would be best for you to help me. Once Lucifer finds out that you helped Alastor try to kill that little angel, he will return here and finish what he began. Of course, you both don't wish to face his blade, right?" She tried to convince them. Velvette looked scared of the idea, and Vox hid his emotions well enough on that matter.

"What makes you think you even have a chance against him?" Vox asked, not feeling like helping anyone right now.

Roo, mind helping, Lilith asked the entity.

I'll be quick, Roo told her. Lilith let Roo have control, the transformation scared the Vees a bit. They had heard only rumors of her. "Proof enough for you all?" she asked.

"More than enough, what do you want?" Vox asked, scared of the woman in front of him.

"I want you both to spread the word, ruin Lucifer's image, tell all of Hell that he is a wife beater, tell them that he would rather kill them all just to avenge a pathetic little girl. Spruce it up, and send it out to all the Rings, it should generate enough outcry that we should have an army that would be able to take on gates of Heaven itself." Roo ordered, a toothy grin on her face, frightening the Vees into compliance.

"We'll need weapons, and the problem is that Lucifer confiscated most or perhaps all of Carmilla's angelic weapons, as well as the fact that she is loyal to the King," Velvette told her.

"Angelic weapons are not the only thing that can kill an angel. Are there any other weapon makers around Hell?" Roo asked, as a plan formed in her mind.

"There are enough smaller ones that could supply us, it's just that Carmine is the largest manufacturer of weapons in the Ring. Couldn't tell you about the other rings as we are confined here," Velvette told her. Lucifer had made sure that Sinners were confined to the Pride ring to protect the Hell-Born demons, which Valentino used to rant about not being allowed to visit the Lust Ring.

"Get me my army, and enough weapons for them and I will take care of the rest. I can place a curse on those weapons that can rival the heavenly blessing on angelic weapons." Roo insisted that she gets her army, the chaos that the war would generate would feed her greatly to the point that she would be able to stand against the Creator, or so she thought.

Vox and Velvette looked between each other, it seemed that they had no choice in the matter. "Very well, you will have your army, but it will be in the Queen's name." He told her.

"As it should be, Hell mostly won't know me, but they will know Lilith. When all is done, I will reward you handsomely," Roo stood up and turned and left the room.

Once alone, the two remaining Vees sat in silence for a moment, Vox taking a drink down. "We're in it now, Vel," Vox said, taking a sip of his drink.

"I am already putting the word out on various social media, that will help, but you need to go make a broadcast," Velvette told him, scrolling through her feeds.

"I just hope we live through this," Vox sighed as he finished his drink. He got up from the table and went down to his room to make the broadcast.
Hotel Lobby

Once they got back to the Hotel, Lucifer gathered the staff to tell them that things were going to get ugly and that Roo and Lilith were working together. That they would need to prepare for war, and that he would track down the few allies he has in Hell and bring them to the hotel, but not to despair, as they had allies in Heaven coming down. Things, however, got worse, as Angel's phone was going off with social media alerts. Checking them, his face grew concerned, "uh guys, turn on the tv," he told them. Turning on the tv, there they saw the face of the overlord of television, Alastor's face grew in anger a bit, seeing his rival, despite their deal to aid each other. Thing was, that deal hinged on him being free, and he was not free, and had very little power left.

"Today, dear citizens of Hell, I come bearing gravest news. Our King, Lucifer Morningstar, is not who he says he is. He is a brutal sadist that delights in causing suffering, remember, dear Sinners, he murdered Valentino, tossed him out off his own balcony and made the overlords kneel before him." Vox announced on the screen as a video from the tower's security feeds showing what happened in the tower that day. Everyone there was unphased by watching Lucifer carve his way through the security forces, and freeing others. Angel, Husk, and Cherri watched in satisfaction, Niffty and Alastor in dark glee as Lucifer threw the Porn Lord off his balcony to his death, and then went after the others. Pentious was glad that it meant he would never have to see another one of Angel's films again. Charlie merely buried her feelings on the matter as something that had to have been done to make the Realm safer for her sister and second mother to come down. Vaggie was also glad to see the moth gone, for how he greeted Charlie.

"It has also come to our attention that he is a wife beater. Lilith Morningstar, the beloved Queen of Hell, walked into my tower this afternoon, bearing a bruise on her fair cheek from the hand of Lucifer himself." A picture of Lilith's bruised face appeared on screen, as Vox continued his news broadcast. Lucifer grimaced in thought about what he did. Yes, Roo pushed his buttons and his dad had forgiven him, but he knew he should not have done that.

"My lord, what happened?" Angel asked, a bit concerned.

"Roo taunted me, she said that she would have loved to hear Sera scream for the life of Emily. I was so overcome with paternal rage that I struck her,"

"I was there as well, Angel, and I punched her too," Charlie said, hating that she had to do that.

"I am the witness to this," Vaggie said. Angel took that to mean that it was not so much spousal abuse, but people protecting their family.

"Stand with Lilith against this tyrant, and King Lucifer, if you are watching, enjoy your last days of power, cause the people will oust you for this," Vox said on the news, his hypnotic eye active.

"Shut it off," Lucifer said.

Angel turned the tv off and checked his phone for what people were saying about this. "Oh boy, social media is blowing up on this, my lord," he told them.

"We need to get our side out there, Alastor?" Charlie turned to the radio demon.

"On it," he stood up, grabbing his microphone cane, and began to head up to the studio.

"Pentious, Cherri, watch him," Vaggie said, and said staff members followed the radio demon up to his studio. They were not going to let Alastor out of anyone's sight again for a while, despite being depowered.

Despite the setting sun, Lucifer knew what he had to do, as he picked up his apple cane. "Hold down the fort, I'll be back. The guests are probably going to need to be reassured, Char."

"I'll take care of it," She said, blowing out a breath. "Where are you going at this hour?"

"To gather my old friends, among the overlords," he said as he opened a portal to his destination.

"My lord, should you not wait until Alastor makes his broadcast?" Angel asked him out of concern.

"The sooner I grab Carmilla and her girls, the better. Roo and Lilith will likely come knocking for weapons," Lucifer said as he stepped through, and the portal closed behind him.

As if it was prophetic timing on his time, the lobby became flooded with guests looking for answers as to what Vox was talking about. Charlie and Vaggie brought them all into the auditorium used for lessons to explain things to them.

"People, settle down, and let us explain what happened," Vaggie raised her voice to be heard.

"Is it true what the King did?" a Sinner asked.

"It is true that he culled the worst elements of Hell, and he met out Hell's justice upon those that were deserving of it. He killed one overlord that had to go, and to send a message that he would not tolerate the Overlords being cruel for the sake of cruelty to those that they hold under contract. Our own dear concierge, Angel, suffered under his deal with the moth, and he sexually harassed me when I met him." Charlie told them, there were a few murmurs among the gathered guests, many understanding the reasoning as to why that Vee had to go. "He is no sadist, he did only what he had to do to make Hell a better place for all of you." Charlie changed the topic to the more severe question on everyone's' mind.

"As for my mother, she is a traitor to Hell. No doubt many of you have heard of the plot against my sister, the Seraphim Emily Morningstar, the angel that has been working here to help you all out." The sinners looked at the princess in question as to where she was going with this. "Well, my mother is the one that concocted the plan to murder my sister, so as to get me and my father back under her control, with the aid of an Eldritch Horror known as Roo, the Origin of all Evil." Many in the room were clearly shocked at the news as they had every right to be. "What Vox clearly left out of his broadcast is that my father was not the only one to strike her in anger, I did it too." Charlie owned up to it, she did not like the fact that she did it, but she had been very angry. "Roo taunted us about what had happened in Heaven where my one uncle was nearly forced to collect my sister's life, and called Sera, a woman that has been more of a mother to me in the last few month than Lilith has in seven years, a bitch and it crossed the line for the both of us."

"I was there alongside her, it's all true, I saw the whole thing," Vaggie said. The room grew quiet as the Sinners looked among each other.

"In a few moments, Alastor should be issuing a radio broadcast to get the truth out there. However, if any of you feel uncomfortable staying here any longer, we will not force you to stay," Charlie said, hoping they would not lose many

Only a handful, literally about five of the residents, out of hundreds left, the rest sought their redemption and believed Charlie's story about her father.

What helped the matter was that Alastor had gone live with his broadcast.

Radio Tower

With Sir Pentious and Cherri Bomb watching him, with hands near weapons, Alastor fired up his broadcasting equipment, hijacking every radio signal, even Vox's signals, to make sure this broadcast got where it needed to go. "Salutations, dear sinners, It is I, your favorite radio host coming to you with a special broadcast at this evening hour. Vox has filled your minds with lies, the King is not some brutal, sadistic, wife-beating killer. He may be a total goofball at times, but he is a family man, and cares for the people, if you can believe it. Valentino had to go, as a message to every Overlord that times were changing and for what he did to the Princess," he told all of Hell.

Changing topics, It hurt Alastor to say it, but he knew what he had to do, with Charlie holding his leash now. "As for the business with Lilith, it is a lie. Let me tell you all something, Lilith is a traitor to the realm, she forced me to make a deal with her," a lie on his part, but a necessary one. "She gave my leash a tug and forced me to try to kill the King's angel daughter, so that she could try to control the King and the Princess again. She forced me to commit an act that would have gotten me killed and all the souls I had released. It is by the King and Princess' mercy that I am still here to spread this information to you, fair denizens of Hell." Oh Alastor knew it would not sway the entirety of the Pride ring, but hopefully, with any luck it would be enough. "What is even worse, dear listeners, is that Lilith is in partnership with an entity of absolute Evil. They will use you as pawns for their twisted game, so I ask you to resist the temptations of their song." He made it seem like was begging to make it more convincing. "Vox, old friend, listen well, you and Velvette are running out of time, and it would be wise to beg for forgiveness now," he warned his old friend and rival. "As we gain more information, we will continue to cover this story as it unfolds. This is Alastor, the Radio Demon, signing off for now. Stay tuned for more information." He shut down the transmission, took a sip of his tea and turned to his observers, who merely showed him the way back down stairs to help Charlie and Vaggie with the guests.

Carmine Weapons

Lucifer knew he was taking a gamble walking the streets of Hell alone after Vox's broadcast. He kept a hand on his sword hilt at all times, any demon that saw him either ran from him, or just stood silently watching him. As he walked, he did hear Alastor's broadcast begin. While he knew Alastor was lying at certain points, like Lilith forcing him to make a deal, instead of him going to her first, he couldn't fault how convincing he made it sound. The majority of it was true and that was what mattered. As he continued to walk after the broadcast, it seemed to him that Alastor still had enough influence that people were not as afraid of him, and looked at him in curiosity as to where he was headed. Soon enough he reached Carmilla's business and residence.

As Lucifer walked into Carmilla's office, she and Zestial became tense seeing him, considering what happened the last time he was there. Her hand went for a drawer in her desk, as she now kept an angelic pistol in it, just in case. "My Lord?" She greeted him, phrasing it to ask why he was there. He held up his hands near his chest and away from the sword on his hip to show that he was there in friendship and not in wrath. He walked up and sat in a chair in front of her desk, hands on his apple cane to show that he was no threat. Carmilla relaxed a little, as did Zestial sitting next to her.

"I come in peace, my old friends," he told them.

"I hope that is true, considering that friendship led to me being choked out against the window," Carmilla said to him, a bit bitterly.

"I'm sorry about that, however, from one parent to another, what would you have done to me if our positions had been reversed? If it had been either Clara or Odette dying and I was the one that had given the assassin the blade that did it?" He tried to reason with her.

Carmilla had to admit, he was right. She killed an Exorcist to save her daughters during an Extermination. If one of them had gotten stabbed, she would bring down on the one that did it a new meaning to the name of Hell.

"Fair, what do you want my king?" Carmilla asked him.

"To protect you and your girls, my old friend. I offer you and your daughters refuge at the Hotel," he told her and hoped she would take him up on the offer.

"A Hotel that seems to be a magnet for trouble as of late," Carmilla said as she stood up and went and looked out the window. Zestial stood next to her, silently looking at the King, in suspicion, rightfully so as to what he walked in on the other day.

"While true, we also have a shit ton of Angelic Weapons in the hold, by that matter, the Hotel is probably the safest place in Hell right now," he said, reminding them of the weapons both bought and confiscated from Carmilla's operations.

Carmilla sighed through her nose in thought, she had made the deal for the angelic knife with Alastor to get her girls on the Hotel's waiting list to save them. She also knew that the Hotel was going to come under fire soon. However, she had to admit, among the weapons that Lucifer had confiscated were Gatling guns with angelic blessings and there were some experimental explosives in there. There was also an army of sinners that wanted their salvation there that would probably be willing to fight and maybe die for that salvation. She and Zestial could also call in their contracts to get more to help defend the place, as between them, they had nearly a couple million, most belonging to Zestial. The King and Princess themselves were powerhouses in their own right, plus the High Seraphim that could probably level armies on her own like the former leader of the Exorcists. If word was to be believed, Lucifer may also have the aid of his brothers which would turn the tide in their favor. "What do you think, Zestial?"

"Verily, What the King says is true, that hotel is probably the best place for you three. Prithee, my friend, do not commit folly by not protecting them," he said, hoping that Carmilla would do the right thing for Clara and Odette.

Turning back to the King, "is Zestial welcome as well?" She cared for him as well and didn't want him to get hurt.

Lucifer thought for a moment, unlike Carmilla or her kids, Zestial was not likely to seek his own salvation, he knew the sinner well enough. On the other hand, with Alastor depowered, they would need someone of power like him around to help out in the coming battle. "Yes, we could use his power."

Carmilla looked at the Overlord that was like a father-figure to her and grandfather-figure to her daughters to see if he would accept. Zestial seemed to laugh in dark mirth, concerning both of them. "I do so revel in screams, and there will be plenty of that in the coming battle." Lucifer's view of the eldest overlord was proven right again. "I shall indeed join you, to see that my grandchildren get out of Hell safely."

"Good, I have so few allies among the Overlords, and I want to protect my friends," he said as he stood up. "We should go now, before Lilith and Roo decide to pay a visit." Carmilla grabbed a few things from her desk, her side arm among them, and they went and got the girls, packed light bags and Lucifer used his cane to get them back to the Hotel. Once they were safe, he went for the other Overlord that he knew was loyal to him.

Cannibal Town

Lucifer arrived in Cannibal town, as the sun was nearly fully set and had to remark how emptier it was lately. They really took a population hit as an army for his daughter. He headed to Rosie's Emporium, any Cannibal that saw him either waved or hid out of sight, considering his cull in recent memory. He entered the place, and looked around for the Overlord in question. Upon seeing him, Rosie shooed everyone else out of the place, knowing that this was business of another sort. "My king, what brings you to my abode?" She asked as she showed into the back rooms to have a cup of tea with him.

"War, Rosie," he said as he took a sip from his cup of tea.

"War?" she asked, concerned. She did not have the manpower anymore to make a stand.

"Indeed, Lilith has betrayed me, Roo is active again, and Hell will rise up in revolt, I know it."
"I knew Vox was spewing a load of shit, also sorry to hear about your daughter, bad business." Rosie said, she also had heard Alastor's broadcast, and she was nine times out of ten going to take Alastor's word over Vox any day. "So, what can I do to help you, my Lord."

"What I want is to protect my allies, as I know only three of you are truly loyal to my cause. Carmilla and Zestial are already at the Hotel to protect themselves," he told her as he took a sip of his tea.

"So now you come for me?" Rosie asked as she took a sip from her own cup.

"Yes, as despite the fact I know you and Alastor are good friends, I know you had nothing to do with the attempt on my angel daughter's life," he said. Alastor had told him as much, but he already had suspected she was innocent in the matter.

"Speaking of, what did you do to Alastor?" Rosie turned serious, hoping that her friend was not seriously injured.

"Other than beating his face in a bit, he still lives, for now. Charlie bound him to her in a contract, and she took his power from him," he answered as he finished his cup of tea.

"I see, very well, I have no intention of dying in this war, I will join you. Besides, I can keep Alastor in line for you," Rosie told him as she finished her cup of tea and stood up. Lucifer opened a portal back to the Hotel and both of them stepped through.

The sight that was before them when they returned was humorous to Lucifer, but concerning to Rosie. Carmilla was beating the shit out of Alastor, not like he didn't have it coming, and he could do nothing about it, with no power. Zestial stood behind Carmilla watching. Rosie raced up to them and grabbed Carmilla by the arm to stop her.

To the rest of the staff of the hotel, it was an odd sight to see at least three Overlords in the hotel with one beating the crap out of a former overlord.

"What did I miss?" Lucifer asked, confused.

"Carmilla attacked him upon seeing him, for basically setting you against her," Angel informed him.

"Good," Lucifer remarked, before shifting his attention to the former overlord. "Alastor, we need you to make a broadcast come morning, any sinner that is either on our waiting list or is even pondering whether or not seek redemption is to take up arms and fight in my name. My friends, I would suggest calling in your contracts to get us some numbers as I have a feeling this will be a full scale Civil War." While the number of Sinners that would be against them was a problem, it would be worse if the other Rings got involved. He would need to have a conference call with the other Sins come dawn. "For now, we take a moment to rest, Charlie and Vaggie will show you to your rooms."

Rosie greeted Charlie with the same peppy attitude that she did the first time she met her, and Vaggie and Carmilla shared a knowing look between themselves. Alastor got to his feet and wiped the blood from his lips, Zestial standing there watching him in disdain, to which a bit of fear went into his heart. Zestial was the one Overlord that even at the height of his power, Alastor would never have tried to face, and was the last of the Old Guard overlords that was still in power from when he showed up and started killing or subduing the Overlords.

"Thou put the woman I see as daughter in peril, even risking my granddaughters, over some foolish errand?" Zestial questioned him.
"I had no choice, old friend. I couldn't access the weapons here, and I told the truth to her, Lucifer would have found out, and I would be dead," Alastor explained to him.

It was Zestial's turn to threaten the Radio demon as a long slender clawed arm came out of his cape and grabbed the demon by the neck. "If thou ever commit such folly again, I will revel in hearing your screams. Doth I make myself clear?"

"Clear as day, old friend," Alastor choked out.

Releasing the deer cannibal demon, "Now, showth me to mine room." Alastor dusted himself off, picked up his cane and showed the ancient overlord to a room next to where Carmilla was set up.

As the sun had fully set, Lucifer returned to his room to sleep, as he would have a busy day come the break of dawn. They all would, but he was glad that he had managed to get his friends and allies to come stay at the hotel for a little bit. War was coming and he was hoping that they could win it, for the sake of his kids, for the sake of all redeemable souls in Hell.

Hey everyone, I hope you enjoyed that chapter and are looking forward to the next. Roo has finally revealed herself and is brewing war to feed of the chaos. Lucifer gathered the only overlords that he knew were loyal to him to the hotel, and that was a funny scene to me of when he returned with Rosie.

So, next time, it will be a long chapter as I have a war to write, and such. I know I have been pumping chapters out like fire lately, but this one will take me a little while to write as I have a lot to cover.

See you all next time.