BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

The deafening sounds of a shotgun being fired. Even from where she was, Azrael could hear them clear as day. One after the other in a perfect rhythm. It almost sounded like a war drum.

DUT DUT DUT DUT DUT DUT DUT DUT DUT DUT DUT DUT DUT DUT DUT DUT DUT DUT

Now, it was machine gun fire. The speed at which the weapon changed surprised the Angel of Death. Although, given who she was going to see, perhaps it shouldn't.

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT

...Okay. That was a sound that Azrael had never heard before. The only way she could think to describe it was electrical. Almost as if the wielder of the weapon was commanding lightning or some other form of energy.

All of these noises were coming from a room inside a different facility. Azrael, in her pursuit of a certain mute man, had seen him board the tram and take it somewhere. As for how she could track him, that was due to the connection she made between herself and him. After such an interaction, the Angel of Death could sense his soul no matter where it might be.

With this newfound gift, Azrael followed the space marine to the facility he sought isolation in. Her best estimation of the building's purpose was for military function. It was filled with munitions, weapons, and various other supplies. All of it was designed and manufactured with the specific goal of optimizing combat against any entity.

And, in service of that goal, there was a firing range. That is where he stood with a weapon in his hands; the gun was aimed at the range but shockingly not at standard targets. Instead, myriad corpses of Demons were arranged to receive any assault. Most would find that in ill-taste and grim, but not Azrael.

After everything she saw and everything she now knew, those foul monsters deserved this and FAR worse. Azrael cast no judgment on the man currently riddling their lifeless bodies with a wide range of ammunition. If anything, the emotions she felt towards him worsened. Unfortunately, none were pleasant.

Was this the only way he could comfort the pain in his soul? Had violence become as normal as breathing? If given a choice between peace and conflict, which would he choose? These and so, so many more questions filled Azrael's mind.

But she wasn't here to pry; she'd done enough of that. If Azrael were asked, she'd vow that she would never do it again. She went into his soul with no expectations of what the memories would hold. Yet because of her demand for certainty, which wasn't unjust, she exposed a past that was entitled and then some to be kept secret.

So then, why had the Angel of Death followed? If she didn't plan to pester the space marine with more questions, what was her objective? The answer to both inquiries was easy to deduce; she wanted to know where she stood. Did the silent shooter hold the same amount of hatred toward Azrael as he did Samuel? Or was there a chance, however slim, that their "relationship" wasn't like that?

Fully aware that her presence was known since she stood at the entrance of the shooting range, Azrael waited to see if anything would happen. If Doomguy continued to ignore her, then she'd leave. She wouldn't be so audacious as to approach with the belief that she could. Not after everything that's happened.

...

...

...

Seconds became minutes. The shooting continued. Azrael watched as Doomguy continuously swapped between every weapon in his arsenal. How that was possible, since the method didn't appear to be Arcane, was beyond her knowledge.

Eventually, however, a new sound would replace the noises of Doomguy's guns. Despite her lack of expertise regarding firearms, Azrael knew what it meant for each weapon.

Click...Click...Click...Click...Click...Click...Click...

Two shotguns. An assault rifle and chain gun. Two energy-based weapons that were foreign to Azrael. A rocket launcher. All of them clicked as each was empty.

Yet, Doomguy continued to swap between them, as well as pull their triggers. He could've easily refilled their reserves, or so Azrael assumed. They were in an armory of sorts, after all. But he kept standing there, repeating these actions.

However, after a few more minutes, the sequence would slow. Doomguy pulled their triggers less and took more time to swap between the guns. Then eventually, he stopped altogether. Now, he seemed to be thinking, which was an assumption made by Azrael as his head was tilted downward.

Admittedly, upon seeing this, the Angel of Death had to do her best to keep still. She desperately desired to console him. She wanted to help this poor broken man with every fiber of her being. A feeling that she knew without a doubt the others, especially her Niece, would have if they knew what she now did.

But Azrael couldn't. Not unless Doomguy let her. Yet with each additional minute, that likelihood became more of a hopeful want than a possible outcome. So, deciding it would be better to leave him alone and not cause further strife, Azrael did exactly that. If what Doomguy needed was time to himself, he deserved such courtesy from the others, including her.

Slithering back to the facility's tram station, the Angel of Death boarded the vehicle. Thankfully, even with her lack of knowledge regarding most technology, the controls for the tram were wonderfully simple and accessible. So, even someone like her could understand and operate them. Hence how she managed to follow Doomguy.

Thunk...Thunk...Thunk...Thunk...

That...noise. It prevented Azrael from departing. It...sounded like something heavy was approaching the tram. It...couldn't be...

Quickly, Azrael went to the still-open entrance of the vehicle. When she did, she saw the space marine approaching. As he met her gaze with his own, he came to a halt. Leading to them having an impromptu stare-off.

But it wasn't with any antagonistic intention. Azrael was shocked to see him here, and Doomguy hadn't expected her to come and meet him at the door. However, of the two, the Angel of Death was stunned the most. What did Doomguy's arrival mean? Did he assume she was already gone? Or was this the chance she hoped for?

The answer would take time to come. Doomguy, with no actions or gestures, boarded the tram and took a seat. Yet still, he gave off no aura of hostility or otherwise. Unreadable, as usual.

After taking a few seconds to ensure this was real and not some trick her mind was playing, Azrael returned to the vehicle's controls and set their destination to Samuel's office building. Once that was complete, she took her seat. As any sensible person would do, she sat as far away from Doomguy as possible. She wouldn't take ANY chances of making a bold assumption.

Even so, this had to be a sign of progress, right? Doomguy willingly boarded the tram with Azrael. Sure, they were on opposite sides of the vehicle, but still. To her, this was a good thing.

Then again, it could be a situation of practicality. Doomguy could very well despise the Angel of Death and only chose to board the tram with her as it'd save him some time waiting for it to come back when he called it. Azrael had far too little to say definitively which of these scenarios was playing out. That is until Doomguy got up, walked over, and sat next to her.

It happened about halfway through the ride. Azrael's eyes shot wide open, and her body hardened like concrete. Was this good? Was it bad? Was Doomguy about to grab her and throw her through one of the tram's windows?!

Before Azrael's mind could continue its internal screaming, Doomguy slowly turned his head to look at her. She didn't think it would be possible for her body to stiffen more, yet it did. Unable to say or do anything, Azrael watched in a frozen state as Doomguy raised his hand, outstretched his index finger, and proceeded to make letters in the air with the motions of his arm. He did this because he assumed the Angel of Death didn't know sign language.

"Thanks for the hug"

That...is what he seemed to spell out. Thanks for the hug. Was...Was Doomguy...referring to their embrace after the soul link ended? That had to be it.

But...this was so unexpected! Of everything she anticipated, Azrael never thought she'd be receiving GRATITUDE! For that reason, the silence between them was finally broken. She couldn't stay quiet after that.

"N...No!" Azrael exclaimed, rejecting the message. "I...I don't deserve your thanks! I don't. I should've known better. This is the second time I've allowed my emotions to dictate my actions. I should've never gazed into your soul and looked at your memories. What I did is unforgivable!" She asserted.

For a moment, Doomguy did nothing. He was debating whether or not he should waste time by checking to see if he could communicate another way. In the end, he decided to do it.

"...Hold on..." Azrael muttered as she watched Doomguy perform a series of gestures. Only to realize immediately what was happening. "You know sign language!" She exclaimed in discovery.

Nodding his head, Doomguy was glad to have someone besides Olivia and Samuel who could understand sign language. That would make this next part SO much easier. As for how and why the Angel of Death knew sign language, regardless of type, the explanation was in her title. She was Death.

Azrael, in her immortal life, had met every kind of person. Those who could speak, hear and see. Those who couldn't see but still hear. Those who were the opposite of that unfortunate arrangement. And in the WORST case scenarios, she dealt with the most tragic mortal lives that barely had a chance to live as one should.

So, with all of that considered, if Azrael were incapable of understanding any form of communication conceived by the mortals of her universe, which were humans, it would reflect poorly on her. Additionally, it would worsen the experience of the souls that met her. Imagine encountering an entity that preceded your existence by an unknowable amount of time, yet they couldn't talk to you at all. That'd be devastating beyond description to the poor soul and wouldn't make a lick of sense.

"Alright," Azrael said while repositioning herself. "Sign away. I'm ready." She told him, now face-to-face.

With Azrael's undivided attention on his hands and arms, Doomguy performed more gestures. Over the remainder of the tram ride, he would convey to her the nature of their relationship. Doomguy didn't blame Azrael for wanting to examine his memories. If he were in her position, confronted by a being such as himself, he'd also demand answers.

Furthermore, it wasn't the Angel of Death who orchestrated the situation. Samuel planned such a contingency from the beginning. In the event Doomguy did anything that he deemed inappropriate, he was going to be restrained. Admittedly, he should've realized that Samuel could use Tether in such a way. That lack of imagination on his part was laughably stupid.

However, as Doomguy repeated, this wasn't Azrael's fault. And, if Doomguy were being honest, it wasn't Samuel's, either. Although he acted on his anger and beat the ever-loving crap out of the mechanical man, the space marine wasn't without reason. Additionally, Doomguy didn't want to consider himself someone who was so thick-headed that he couldn't acknowledge when he made a mistake.

It's just...been so long, is all. For eons, Doomguy had done nothing but fight. Then there was the imprisonment, where he was forced to stew in his rage. Such a life would lead anyone to become tunnel-visioned as well as paranoid.

Doomguy barely trusted Samuel, even though he should. They had disagreements and differing opinions on nearly everything, but they wanted the same goal to be achieved. But the thought of having others, at last, join him against Doom was...hard to accept. Another unfortunate affliction you obtain when you are stuck with monsters for so long.

But that needed to change. Doomguy couldn't continue behaving as if he could do whatever he pleased, and everyone else had to accept that and follow blindly behind him. Again, as Samuel had shouted into his face, Doom wasn't a problem isolated to one man. It was a force of nature that threatened everything, including Charlie and the others' Hell.

Sure, they didn't know about Doom's existence, despite being Demons. However, neither did Doomguy or his people. The discovery of Doom happened purely by accident, a teleportation experiment gone wrong. This did add merit to a theory proposed by Samuel before, that some barrier or blockade was keeping Doom hidden intentionally.

But this was beside the point of the conversation. All-in-all, what Doomguy was trying to say yet was struggling to do so was that he didn't have all the answers. He wasn't an all-knowing authority on Doom and its Demons just because he's been fighting them for nearly an eternity. And, once more, as Samuel mentioned, without him and his people discovering the tomb where the Demons stored him, Doomguy could've been lost forever.

With all that considered and much more that they currently didn't have the time to discuss at greater length, Doomguy reached a single conclusion. Going at this problem alone wasn't possible. So, as hard as it was for him, he formally requested Azrael's aid. He'd do the same with Charlie and the others when the opportunity presented itself.

Now, all that was left was for the Angel of Death to respond.

"...I...I don't know what to say..." Azrael confessed, left speechless by what he had signed. "I...would've never expected to receive such a request from you so soon..." She said.

In reply, Doomguy, via sign, asked if that was a rejection.

"No! Most certainly not!" Azrael quickly answered. "I'm just flattered, is all. Honored, even. After all, our universe is still so unknown to you and Samuel. Even with our differences from Doom considered, it would make sense for you to view us as potential enemies. Ignoring our unfortunate interaction back at the hotel." She explained, slightly blushing from embarrassment at the last statement.

In response, Doomguy signed the following. In the long term, an incident or conflict could cause a strain between them. The future was never set in stone; anything was possible. However, Doom would always be the greater threat. So long as everyone agreed on that, then they were allies.

"I see," Azrael said once he was done with a smile on her face. "Then, Doomguy, I enthusiastically accept your request. In whatever way I can, I will be of use." She told him.

In reply, Doomguy held up his hand. He wanted to shake hers to make it official. Azrael, understanding the intent, happily took it.

"Well, well, lookie here. From mortal enemies to best buds. Must've gotten saucy~" A familiar voice teased from outside of the tram.

Startled by the unexpected commentary, Azrael looked beyond the now open doors of the vehicle, finding none other than Angel Dust standing there. As for Doomguy, he too looked but did so without any surprise.

"Angel, you jest," Azrael responded with a playfully dismissive hand gesture as she and Doomguy ended their handshake. "We did no such thing. We had a conversation, cleared the air, and have agreed to move forward with a united focus on our foes." She stated.

"Okay. If you say so." Angel Dust said with a smirk, much to the amusement of the Angel of Death since she knew he wasn't being serious. "Anyway, I bet you're wondering why I'm waiting here for ya, huh?" He asked.

"I assume Samuel's repairs have finished, and he wishes to resume discussion." Azrael guessed while she and Doomguy rose from their seats and exited the tram.

"Eh, close. The talking part is correct, but Sammy's still got some work left on him. But he can speak normally again, so that's good." Angel Dust informed them. "Seriously, big guy. You did one hell of a number on him." He told Doomguy.

In response, the space marine shrugged. After everything he's done to Doom's Demons, that beatdown was considerably tame. And that was before you took Samuel being still alive into account, unlike everything else that dared to cross his path.

"Heh. Figures that an ass whooping that severe would look like a spanking to you." Angel Dust commented with a chuckle as the trio left the tram and headed for the office. "Out of curiosity, though. Are you and Sammy good now? All jokes aside, most of us felt our hearts stop when you dragged him through the portal." He asked.

For the next few minutes of walking, Azrael and Angel Dust waited for a response. Doomguy, although not secretly planning to kill the Doctor or anything else nefarious, wasn't as sure where he stood with him as he did Azrael. On the one hand, apart from letting himself get the shit beaten out of him, Samuel tried to show he was trustworthy by removing Tether. But on the other hand, the friction between them came to a head with that interaction; it would make sense for their partnership to become even more fragile.

"If I may," Azrael spoke up, hoping to offer some assistance on the subject. "It might be best for Samuel and Doomguy to avoid direct contact for a while. To be clear, I'm proposing communication and cooperation through your newfound allies. Samuel will focus on his affairs here and be brought into matters concerning our universe and the Hell my brother governs. Doomguy will focus on interacting with people and gathering information. With us as his guides through our home, he'll learn all he needs to plan a proper course of action." She explained.

"And during all of that, we'll act like a telephone between the two of them. Telling each other what's going on and what we should do next. Which will also help prevent another ass-kicking contest." Angel Dust said.

"Precisely," Azrael confirmed with a nod before looking at Doomguy. "How does that sound to you?" She asked.

Unlike the previous question, Doomguy felt confident in his immediate reaction: approval. Unfortunately, this would be a two-part agreement. Samuel likely had an entire fully-detailed plan ready to be shared. But maybe he forgot about it after his thrashing.

"Hey! There you guys are!" Cherri greeted the trio with a smile and wave as they approached. For some reason, she was standing outside of the office. "We wondered where the two of you went." She said, referring to Azrael and Doomguy.

"Apologies for my unannounced absence," Azrael replied as the trio stopped before her.

"Eh, don't worry about it. We figured you'd want some alone time~" Cherri teased with a grin.

"Ah. I see you and Angel share a sense of humor." Azrael said with an eye roll and a smile, still amused by their jokes.

"Hey, someone's got to lighten the mood after all the fucked shit that's happened today," Cherri responded with a casual shrug.

"True. However, there is still much we need to talk about. So let's head inside and get started." Azrael suggested, receiving nods of agreement from the others.

Turning their attention to the door, the four approached it. After a few seconds, it was open and allowed them to see into the room. Samuel was still on the floor in front of his desk. But as Angel Dust had mentioned, the drones were repairing him at an immensely impressive rate.

The dents made in his head were gone. Nearly all of the damage to the torso was fixed; only the internals was still being worked on as they were the most delicate. The arms and legs, however, were receiving the least attention. Of everything that Samuel currently lacked, his limbs weren't the most important.

As for everyone else, they were either gathered around the robotic doctor, looking at the items in his office, or gazing out at the Martian landscape through the window. Of course, they all looked at the room's entrance as the four standing outside entered.

"Welcome back." Samuel, surprisingly, was the first to greet them. His ability to speak had been fully restored. "I presume that any remaining complications have been worked out?" He asked.

"They have. As we told Angel a few minutes ago, we're focusing on Doom. We haven't the time to spare on anything trivial or otherwise." Azrael answered while Doomguy nodded.

"That's good to hear," Samuel replied as he shifted his gaze to the space marine next to her. "And how about us? Have you vented your anger towards me? Or will I need to prepare some defensive measures for myself?" He inquired.

In response, Doomguy performed a series of gestures.

"What's he saying?" Vagatha asked. Everyone looked at Samuel as they assumed he understood the signs.

"Heh. He says that things between us are settled. However, should I try anything like that again, he won't be so nice next time." Samuel informed the group.

"THAT was nice? Seriously?" Husk questioned.

"If you'd like, I could show you footage of how my partner is when he isn't feeling merciful." Samuel offered.

"Nah. I think I'm good for now." Husk rejected. He needed SOME reprieve from the insanity of today.

"Very well," Samuel said. "Now then, if there's nothing else anyone would like to say, we should begin discussing our next moves." He told everyone.

"You sure you don't want to wait until you're in better shape?" Angel Dust asked.

"Your concern is appreciated. But it's not as if my legs and arms will somehow affect the conversation." Samuel replied, earning him a chuckle.

"Yeah, that's true." Angel Dust said as he crossed his arms. "So, who's going first?" He inquired while looking at the group.

"I'd like to," Charlie responded while stepping forward. "That is, if I may." She added, addressing Samuel.

"Please do. I prefer you and Azrael to go first. Knowing what you two think will help me to adjust what I have prepared." Samuel encouraged.

"Thank you," Charlie replied with a smile before continuing. "Now, as I've already suggested to Samuel, Doomguy, Olivia, Angel, and Cherri, the next best person to approach would be my Uncle Gabriel. Although our Hell is where our attention currently lies, I don't think anyone here would argue when I say that going to my Dad with this would be...complicated." She stated.

"More complicated than Azrael getting punched in the face?" Husk questioned.

"Reminder, I did start that." Azrael chimed in. "Also, I agree with that logic. Gabriel is the most pragmatic of our entire family. No matter how absurd it may sound as we share what we know, he will wait until all information has been presented and then form an opinion. Whereas Lucifer is likely to start flapping his mouth when we mention the existence of a Hell that predates his." She said.

"Even so, it might be best for our punch-happy friend here to avoid seeing the Archangel until things have been explained," Alastor advised. "Not that I assume you'd start another brawl, mind you. It's simply better to be safe rather than sorry." He said, speaking to Doomguy. Who, surprisingly, nodded his head in agreement.

"But does that mean Doomguy will stay here or at the hotel? It feels a little weird not to use him in some way. I mean, from looks alone, he commands attention." Vagatha asked.

"Hm, a fair point, Miss." Samuel agreed. "However, another part of our approach is to spread the knowledge of Doom and its Demons to all of your Hell. If I'm not mistaken, you've been in contact with a prominent figure of your Hell's news." He said.

"Oooooooh, that's right! We've got Killjoy on speed dial!" Angel Dust remembered with a snap of his fingers. "Okay. So, how about this? While Azrael and Charlie talk with her Uncle upstairs, we bring Katie into the mix so she can help us get the word out." He proposed.

"Would that be wise?" Olivia challenged. "I'm not too familiar with the woman myself, but it's clear as day that she's self-interested. Although I can't say for certain how she'd use any information we'd give her for personal benefit. That possibility can't be ruled out, either." She argued.

"A good counterargument." Alastor complimented her. "However, I'd like to remind everyone here that Katie isn't our only method of information domination. I AM the Radio Demon. If we can't fully trust that lovely mantis and her television broadcasts, we can rely on the oldest and most reliable method of reaching the people. The tales of Doom's wicked beasts and horrors would make for FANTASTIC serials. The public would be GRIPPED by stories they believe to be fiction, only to have their souls FILL WITH TERROR at the reveal that it's real!" He exclaimed, with a smile that was a little TOO happy.

"Ignoring his sadism for a second, Al's idea isn't too bad," Husk commented. "Plus, shouldn't we try to keep the people who know about this limited until we can control all the crazy shit that will undoubtedly happen when we tell everybody?" He asked.

"Crowd and damage control will be a priority. However, I feel that Katie deserves to know. She IS our public relations manager, after all. Plus, on a more personal note, our relationship has gotten SO much better. I don't want to throw all that progress out of the window because we kept this from her and didn't ask for her assistance." Charlie answered.

"I agree with Charlie." Samuel began, getting the attention back on him. "Having the most recognizable face in your Hell's news would be advantageous. However, if we cannot make her an ally, we can handle the broadcast ourselves." He stated.

"Wait, you can? How?" Vagatha inquired.

"During one of my associate's scouting expeditions, we infiltrated the building channel six six six operates out of. We've been tapped into every broadcast since. If we wanted, we could take control of the station." Samuel explained.

"You know, I think you're scarier than the silent punch-happy guy in the armored suit," Husk told him, making him chuckle.

"Why? Because we have technology capable of such a feat?" Samuel asked.

"Among other things." Husk vaguely answered.

"Hmph, good to know your perception of me," Samuel replied before returning to the conversation. "Anyway. Unless someone has any objection to what I suggested, I think we've sorted out our assigned duties for the time being." He said.

"Not an objection, but something else I'd like to add," Azrael spoke. "Angel and I discussed it with Doomguy on our way here. We decided it'd be best for you to avoid direct contact for a while. The rest of us will act as a middleman." She informed him.

"I assume you came up with this out of concern that we might have another disagreement?" Samuel guessed.

"You are correct," Azrael confirmed with a nod. "Do you object?" She asked.

"Not at all. If anything, it'll be nice to give my responsibility of making sure he doesn't amass a body count to someone else." Samuel answered. Whether or not he was joking with that last part was hard to tell.

"Gee, thanks," Cherri said with an amused smirk.

"Okay!" Charlie exclaimed with a clap of her hands and a smile. "So, here's how we should be grouped. My Aunt and I will see my Uncle Gabriel and probably Uncle Michael since he'll come to greet us. Alastor and Vaggie will go and talk with Katie and bring her back to the hotel. Doomguy, Angel, Cherri, Husk, and Nifty will stay at the hotel. Lastly, Olivia and Samuel remain here on Mars." She listed. "Does anyone have any issues with that arrangement?" She inquired.

"I have but one question," Samuel responded. "Regarding the Grimoire, what do you want us to do about it? Shall it be returned before your Hell learns of us or after?" He asked.

"Oh! That's right! Thank you for reminding me, Samuel." Charlie said, having forgotten about it. "Um...I...don't know what would be better, to be honest. It might help if I knew who you took it from. If it belongs to a Noble or Overlord, it would be better to return it once my Dad and Mom are involved." She told him.

"Olivia, did those Imps have such a connection?" Samuel asked while moving his gaze to her.

"I'm sorry. I don't know if they do or not." Olivia apologized. "Although, it would explain how such low-level mercs for hire possess that item. I have no idea for what purpose a Noble would part with or, at the very least, lend a Grimoire to barely professional killers. But the likeliness of that being the case is considerable." She added.

"Hm, better to be cautious, then. We'll wait to return the book until after we've handled our current objectives." Samuel decided, to which everyone agreed with a nod.

With that, everyone knew what to do. Apart from Olivia and Samuel, the group returned to the Slipgate and opened a portal back to Hell.