Although this was his second time being here, Angel Dust knew he would never get used to the facility he currently walked through. This place didn't seem real, from how shiny and clean everything was compared to ANY part of Hell to all of the doodads and gadgetry surrounding him. However, unlike before, Samuel hadn't been there to guide him. Granted, Angel Dust did know the way to his office, but still, that was a little weird.
Admittedly, it's not like that bothered the spider demon. He was just happy to be back, as well as getting to see Samuel again. And maybe, just maybe, he'd get to meet the mysterious partner who saved him.
"Yoohoo, Sammy boy~" Angel Dust called out with a smile, having reached the office door. "You know, keeping me waiting for so long is pretty rude. I was sitting in my room these past few days wondering if you forgot about me~" He said, eager to see and hear the doctor's reaction.
Waiting for the locks of the door to finish unlocking. The moment the entrance became opened, Angel Dust went right on in. Yet, like so many times during his previous unintended visit, he was brought to a stop as a startling sight entered his vision. The office itself was the same, and so was its owner, Samuel, who stood behind his desk.
But then, there was the oddity. It took the form of a tall person clad in armor built like an actual tank. Seriously, the longer Angel Dust stared at their biceps, the harder it was to keep his itsy bitsy spider under control. However, that is when he realized he'd seen this person before, and all it took was a glance at the statue in the office to figure out how.
"Holy shit, it's you!" Angel Dust exclaimed with a point of his finger. "You...You're the statue guy!" He added.
In response, the armored figure nodded its head. The strong and silent type. Another box checked for Angel Dust's horny tastes. Although to be blunt, a man with a pulse would also be in that category.
"I was hoping this meeting between us would've been under better circumstances," Samuel spoke, getting Angel Dust to look at him. "But, similarly to how you came to us, my associate here was about to witness a rather despicable act of depravity. Hence, he needed to act." He said.
"...Oh. So you guys ARE responsible for the Exterminators suddenly fucking off out of Hell." Angel Dust pieced together, followed by a smirk. "Knew it." He added.
"Exterminators? How interesting. So that's what the Extermination we heard of during the news broadcast was referring to." Samuel noted. "Please, Angel. Take a seat. We have much to talk about. And you have many answers to receive that are long overdue." He told him while gesturing to the vacant chair.
Like an excited child rushing to open a present, it took Angel Dust less than a second to plant his ass in that chair.
"Hold on." Angel Dust requested, taking a moment to ensure he looked good for this, even though that wouldn't do anything other than make him pretty. "Alright. I'm ready." He said.
"First and foremost, my associate's identity." Samuel began as he briefly looked at the armor-clad man. "I do not know his name; he hasn't shared it with me yet. I'm doubtful that he ever will due to his fondness for using actions to communicate rather than words. But my former staff referred to him as Doomguy. To which he approves." He continued, causing the man to give a thumbs up. "Now, before I go on to drown you in a long explanation of how the three of us came to be sitting here in my office. Do you have any questions for him?" He asked.
"Fuck yeah, I do. But I'm sure you'll answer them yourself. So, I'll wait until you're done before saying anything." Angel Dust answered.
"Understood," Samuel replied. "For the sake of time, I won't recount the entirety of the events that led to me and my associate meeting. I'll only mention the important and relevant moments." He established before proceeding with the following:
"Before the tragedy which left me the only surviving researcher of this facility, my staff and I were investigating an unknown energy source on Mars. Eventually, we would learn that this power was not from our universe, but a realm once believed to exist only in the minds of man, Hell.
However, I must clarify that this Hell is not yours, Angel. You may have already assumed that, but if not, now you know for certain. We conducted countless expeditions and experiments into and with this Hell. We even managed to capture and research the native creatures, which you would refer to as demons. Initially, we believed them to be mindless savages ruled purely by instinct. And while they're still unquestionably savage, we discovered they did not lack intelligence.
This came about as we found multiple structures within Hell. Massive temples and monuments were erected to honor the many masters and lords of the realm. Yet as time passed, we soon came across a figure in their culture who wasn't one of them. An entity that the demons referred to as the Doom Slayer.
It received this name for the realm itself was named Doom. As for the Slayer part, I'm sure you can guess what that was for. Depicted as a seemingly human man, the Doom Slayer culled Doom's hordes with nothing more than his fists. Occasionally, he'd wield his silver-toothed sword, which cried out for carnage. Or perhaps he'd bring forth one of his many armaments and eradicate his quarrel with unrivaled firepower. Regardless of the method, it was clear to Doom and its denizens that he needed to be dealt with.
So, they laid a trap for him. The demons lured the Slayer into a blood temple, then proceeded to drop it on top of him. With great haste, the most powerful users of arcane arts that Doom possessed began enchanting the stones that surrounded him. The Slayer nearly managed to free himself from the rubble right as this process was complete. Now bound within a field of Hell Energy, unable to do anything, the casters formed a sarcophagus around him.
But why did they choose to do this, you may wonder. Why not kill the Slayer rather than imprison him? The answer? They couldn't. He was unkillable. Unyielding. How? Neither he nor I have been able to find the answer yet. Although, by that point, the Slayer had begun to believe he had somehow become a god. How else could one person defeat the legions of Doom with little to no effort?
The demons thought the same. This was no man; it couldn't be. Despite how the Slayer may appear, with the flesh and bones of a mortal, he was something never seen by any of them. Including the ruler of the realm, who we still do not know the name or nature of.
This is why the only thing the demons could do was seal him away and hope he never returned. Within a part of Doom known as the Kadingr Sanctum, a tomb was created to house the sarcophagus. There is where the Slayer rested until he was found and retrieved by an expedition team led by me.
What happened next...I would prefer not to say at this time. It's...still too much to think about. However, I will say this. I used to be a prideful man. So confident in my intelligence and leadership that I could never make any mistakes. But then...everything went wrong. And no matter how much I want it to be true, to place all of the blame on someone else, as the head of this operation, the responsibility for what occurred falls onto me.
The experience has done more than humble me. It's made me realize how reckless I was in pursuing progress. So now, I wish to dedicate myself to truly helping people. It's what I always wanted, but I lost sight of that once my ego eclipsed everyone and everything around me. But with the Slayer's help, I can hopefully make amends for my mistakes. Which finally brings us to you and your Hell, Angel.
Once a true partnership had been formed between us, we set out to ensure no one else would suffer at Doom's hands. The Slayer took care of any remaining demons on Mars while I severed any connections between our reality and theirs, no matter how small. However, in doing so, I discovered a new tear that had been created due to an earlier event. It went unnoticed as we were focused on Doom's attempted invasion.
But after I examined it and brought it to the Slayer's attention, we learned that it didn't lead to Doom; it led to an entirely different Hell. Of course, we couldn't ignore this. So, after preparations were made, the Slayer entered this new reality so we could understand precisely what it was. It was during his first survey that he found you, Angel."
Wow. Okay. That...was...not the story Angel Dust expected to hear. Doomguy and Samuel knew this because he's had a wide-eyed vacant star since the halfway point.
Out of courtesy, neither Doomguy nor Samuel said or did anything. They understood that this would take ANYONE a fairly long time to process. But as the minutes passed and entered the double digits, both were beginning to worry that their guest wasn't returning to them any time soon.
"Angel? Can you hear me?" Samuel asked while Doomguy waved a hand in front of his face.
"...Uh..." Angel Dust...spoke? Reacted? They weren't sure.
"Angel?" Samuel repeated, hoping he was getting through to him.
"...Uh...yeah...I'm...here..." Angel Dust slowly replied with a blink.
"Do you need anything? A drink? A place to lie down?" Samuel inquired.
"...No...I...I think...I'm good..." Angel Dust said, blinking his eyes more as they were a bit dried out by now.
"Don't rush it. We can wait for as long as you need." Samuel told him, to which Doomguy nodded in agreement.
"No, that'd be rude to you guys. Which is the LAST thing I want to be." Angel Dust responded, now sounding more like himself. "It's just...it's so fucking insane! There's another Hell besides the one I know. And this BEEFCAKE standing next to me is an unstoppable murder machine. It's a LOT to digest!" He exclaimed, unable to refrain from mentioning Doomguy's beautifully sculpted physique.
In an admittedly sweet gesture, Doomguy placed a hand on the frantic arachnid's shoulder and gently patted it. Hoping it would help comfort him.
"Thank you." Angel Dust said, gladly taking this opportunity to touch Doomguy's gloved hand with his.
"Now then, Angel. Since you seem to be back to yourself, are they any questions you'd like to ask?" Samuel inquired, even though he knew exactly what the response would be.
"OH. QUESTIONS? YEAH. SURE. I GOT A FEW." Angel Dust replied as dramatically as possible. "How about we start with Doomguy here and where he came from?" He suggested.
Suddenly, Doomguy tightened his grip on Angel Dust's shoulder. But it didn't hurt and wasn't meant to be interpreted as a threat. It was an instant reaction from Doomguy's body, and he regretted it as he pulled his hand away immediately afterward.
"...Fuck. Shit. I'm sorry." Angel Dust apologized after realizing his blunder. "I didn't mean to touch on something sensitive." He added.
Doomguy waved his right hand to show it wasn't a big deal. Yet, as he did, he averted his gaze, which told Angel Dust the opposite.
"Unfortunately, even if it weren't an old wound for him, I know nothing about my associate's past," Samuel spoke, regaining Angel Dust's attention. "That, of course, extends to any other questions regarding him. That isn't to say he's opposed to giving you answers, but he likely won't respond to anything that relates to his past or is too personal." He explained.
"Which I totally understand. Everyone in this room's got shit they want to stay buried. I promise I won't try and pry where it's not appropriate." Angel Dust vowed.
"Although we expected as much, we appreciate that," Samuel replied.
"No problem. It's the least I can do after all you've done for me." Angel Dust admitted. "And Now that I know all of this, I'm confused about something. Why'd you save and take care of me? You guys have a history with demons, and it's all shit. So, even though I was about to get all my holes stuffed, why bother helping me? I'm a demon. Shouldn't that mean you'd want to kill me or something else along those lines?" He asked, moving his gaze between Samuel and Doomguy.
To Angel Dust's surprise, Doomguy abruptly walked out of the room.
"He's going to get something," Samuel informed. "We prepared it ahead of time. We knew you'd be perplexed about our intervention and care for your well-being. What you're about to see should help clarify it." He explained.
Oh boy. That set the mood in an instant. Angel Dust, without anything else to say, stared at the entrance. Both eager and nervous about what would come through.
It'd take a few minutes, but soon Doomguy would return. Pushing with him a cart of some sort that carried a fairly large tube that contained...holy fuck.
"What...What is that thing?..." Angel Dust asked. His eyes were wide from shock caused by the horrifying appearance of a creature unknown to him.
"That, Angel, is a former human," Samuel revealed.
"NO FUCKING WAY!" Angel Dust denied while whipping his neck around to look at the doctor. "That...That THING isn't human! It's missing most of its face! It's just a big gaping hole in the middle of the head!" He exclaimed before returning his gaze to it. "And...it looks so...disgusting. Its skin is clinging to the fucking bone, on top of looking dry as shit. Sure, it's got two legs and arms, but that's the only way this ugly bastard resembles a person." He said.
"This is the result of possession. Caused by a demonic entity known as a Lost Soul. It attacks its prey with an explosion of Hell Energy, forcing the victim's soul out of their body and allowing the demon to take control. What becomes of the body, you're seeing for yourself." Samuel explained.
"Jesus fucking christ..." Angel Dust muttered, still unable to accept that THIS was once a human being. "If this is what the demons you guys know do to humans. What do the demons themselves look like?" He inquired.
Like before, Doomguy left the room. But his absence was far shorter as the next specimen was waiting outside since he brought it with him alongside the first. Although a TINY bit easier to look at, this creature was still gnarly. But not in a punk or grunge way.
It had long spikes coming out of its shoulders and back. Several dagger-like teeth creeped out of its open maw. Its body was covered in brown armor-like plates, and its skin seemed purple. As for the face, Angel could barely look at it without feeling uneasy.
"Brace yourself," Samuel warned before sharing the creature's name. "That is an Imp." He revealed.
Hearing that made Angel Dust's jaw drop. This...was an IMP?! It wasn't short, red, and lacked any horns or tail. HOW COULD IT BE AN IMP?!
"Angel, are you okay?" Samuel asked, concerned he was getting overwhelmed again.
"Yeah, don't worry, Sammy. I'm starting to get used to this." Angel Dust answered. "However, with that said, I'm still confused. Sure, these demons are WAY worse than anything from my Hell. But that doesn't explain why you'd go out of your way to help me. I'm still technically a demon. I might've been a human in my first life, but I got sent to Hell for a LOT of reasons. Doesn't that still fit your criteria of demons being bad and needing to be stomped out?" He inquired.
"No. Because you are a person, Angel." Samuel said. "Your Hell may have transformed into something new. A process neither of us understands yet. But you are still a person who is capable of feeling emotions and empathy.
Furthermore, you can suffer. Yes, the demons we've faced can feel pain, but they seem to revel in it. They're constantly fighting in vicious ways. Tearing each other apart, for they know they will always return due to their masters' powers of resurrection. You would never see a single one cry or beg for mercy. They will behave like monsters until they're put down." Samuel Explained.
"That doesn't mean I'm not a fucked up, though. You guys don't know anything about me. Maybe I shoot kids in my free time. Drown puppies in a bathtub for shits and giggles. I could be a ruthless serial killer who just happened to have some karma come his way when your pal stumbled onto me. What proof do you have that I'm worth all this kindness and not a bullet to the head like the rest?" Angel Dust argued.
Whether it was just a need to fully understand their reasoning or a part of himself refusing that he deserved to be treated positively, Angel Dust wouldn't let up on this. Sadly, he wasn't prepared for the response that followed. Mainly because it was a harsh truth that he never wanted to hear.
"Angel, when my partner brought you to me for treatment, I needed to remove your clothes. When I began my examination, the first thing I discovered wasn't an injury related to your confrontation with those men. What I found was multiple scars across your entire body. Some were old, others were fresh, but the one thing they shared was variety. Burns, cuts, welts, and so much more. Now, you make a valid point. For all we know, you could be a disgusting person. Someone who is so heinous that they deserve this treatment. But from the little time we've spent together, I feel confident in saying that isn't the case." Samuel told him, leaning forward so their faces could be closer. "Whatever you did in your life led you to Hell. That was your punishment for those crimes and sins. But what you've endured since is not. It is abuse from another sinful soul. Who? I do not know, and I don't care to. For what's important is that you are a victim. That shouldn't be overlooked simply because you aren't a Saint." He said.
There...were no words. None. Angel Dust's mind was blank, and his body became stiff. All his life, be it on Earth or in Hell, everyone he's known has said he deserves what's happened to him. Even his blood...his father...believed he wasn't worth shit...
And yet, here these two were; strangers who had no reason to care or pay attention to someone like him, doing more than anyone else had ever done. Wait...no, that wasn't true. Charlie had also done so much for Angel Dust; she was just as nice as them. So...why was it only now that he realized it?
The answer was simple. Charlie, although an actual Saint among Sinners, was still the princess of Hell. The Devil's Daughter. All of her attempts at charity and kindness were seen as either naïve or flat-out stupid because she was the spawn of the lord of evil himself.
But now that Angel Dust had Samuel and Doomguy treating him this way in addition to Charlie, it felt...real. Like he didn't deserve the shit he got, that this wasn't part of some Heavenly justice. As that sank in, making itself real to him, Angel Dust fell to pieces. Tears, so many tears, poured out of his eyes like a flood, accompanied by pained wails and cries.
For the next several minutes, no one did anything. Samuel and Doomguy didn't feel it was their place to try and comfort him when they were still strangers to each other. However, Angel Dust wasn't bothered by this. How could he be? These two people, who he'd known for so little time, gave him something he'd long been denied. He wasn't worthless. He didn't deserve to suffer. His life wasn't a mistake.