Vaggie had joined the exorcists with a fiery determination and a strong belief in their cause. She was all in, convinced that keeping Hell's worst from breaking through to Heaven was a mission she could get behind. Hell was supposed to be a prison for the scum of the Earth, and she was set on keeping it that way.
At first, it was all straightforward. She was out on the streets of Pentagon City, fighting sinners with her team, feeling like she was part of something important. But as the years went by, something started to gnaw at her. The grand rebellion she'd been promised seemed more like a distant fantasy. Instead of a fierce army ready to storm Heaven, all she saw were scared, desperate souls trying to dodge their grim fate.
The more she witnessed, the more her confidence began to crumble. It didn't feel like justice anymore. It felt like a never-ending massacre, and she was starting to question if she was on the right side. Still, she kept at it, pushing her doubts aside and focusing on her duty. Hesitation was a luxury she couldn't afford.
Everything shifted the day she cornered a boy. He couldn't have been older than twelve, and his wide, terrified eyes were like a punch to the gut. In that moment, she found herself hesitating. Was she really an angel if she could go through with killing a kid? The guilt hit her hard, and she made a split-second decision—she let him go.
That's when things went from bad to worse. Lute, her lieutenant, showed up like a storm cloud, his eyes blazing with anger. Without a word, he attacked, ripping her wings off and gouging out her eye. The pain was beyond anything she had ever felt, but it was the betrayal that cut deepest. As she lay bleeding in the alley, she watched him spit on her and sneer, "Traitor. You don't deserve to be an exorcist."
With that, he left her behind, alone and in agony. The streets were still bustling, but for Vaggie, everything had gone silent. She was left in a heap, broken and abandoned. But even as she struggled to breathe, she found a flicker of peace in her decision. In saving the boy, she had lost everything—her eye, her wings, and her place with the exorcists. But she knew she had done the right thing.
In that dark alley, amidst the pain, she made a silent promise to herself. She wasn't done fighting. She'd find a new path, search for answers, and maybe even find some redemption. She would survive this, not as an exorcist, but as Vaggie. And no matter what, she wouldn't let this end define her.
Vaggie stumbled into the alleyway, her body barely holding together after the brutal beating. She could barely make out her surroundings through the haze of pain and despair, her left eye missing and her wings a mangled mess. Just as she was about to collapse, a figure appeared from the shadows.
It was Charlie, her golden hair glowing faintly even in the dim light of the alley. Vaggie's breath caught in her throat. Despite everything, there was something so ethereal about Charlie, a kind of beauty that seemed almost out of place in Hell. The demoness looked at Vaggie with eyes full of concern and compassion.
"Hey, you're going to be okay," Charlie said gently, her voice soothing. She carefully began to tend to Vaggie's injuries, starting with the gaping socket where her left eye used to be. Charlie's touch was tender, her movements steady and deliberate as she worked. The kindness in her touch felt like a balm to Vaggie's tormented soul.
As Charlie worked, Vaggie couldn't help but be mesmerized by her. She had always thought of Hell as a place full of cruelty and darkness, but here was Charlie, an embodiment of something pure and caring. It was hard to believe someone like her could exist in this place.
When Charlie was finished with her makeshift bandaging, she helped Vaggie into a waiting limousine. The ride was a blur, the pain and confusion mixing with a growing sense of bewilderment. When they arrived, Vaggie was led into a building that looked more like a hotel than a hospital. Inside, there were hellhounds, imps, succubi, and even sinners working together, treating the injured with a care that seemed so foreign to Vaggie.
The sight of it all was almost too much to bear. Vaggie's mind raced with guilt as she saw firsthand the suffering that her own kind had inflicted. The very people she had been fighting against were now being treated with a kindness she hadn't thought possible. It was a stark contrast to the destruction she had been part of.
Charlie led her to a bed in a makeshift hospital room, her voice steady and reassuring. "We're doing what we can to help those who need it most," Charlie explained. "In a few months, I'm opening a hotel to help rehabilitate sinners. For now, my staff is doing everything they can to get through Extermination Day."
The mention of Extermination Day hit Vaggie like a punch to the gut. She had been so caught up in her mission that she hadn't fully grasped the reality of what she was doing. Extermination. The word echoed in her mind, heavy with the weight of the truth. She had been part of a campaign of mass slaughter, not a fight against a rebellion.
Suddenly, the world tilted around her. The realization was too much to bear, and Vaggie felt a wave of nausea rise up. She threw up, the sickness mixing with the pain and guilt gnawing at her. Charlie's worried voice cut through the chaos as she called for a doctor, but Vaggie could barely hear her through the fog of her own misery.
Before the doctor could arrive, Vaggie's vision blurred, and she collapsed, her body giving in to the overwhelming mix of pain, guilt, and nausea. She passed out, slipping into unconsciousness as the world around her continued to spin.
In her unconscious state, Vaggie felt a strange mix of relief and despair. The kindness she had encountered from Charlie had opened her eyes to a different side of Hell, but it had also shattered her understanding of her mission. For now, though, she could only rest and hope that maybe, just maybe, she'd find a way to make amends for all that she had done.
When Vaggie woke up, the first thing she felt was the cold touch of a wet towel on her forehead. The coolness was a relief, cutting through the burning heat that had been plaguing her. Her vision was still fuzzy, but she could make out Charlie's silhouette as she gently replaced the towel. The demoness's face was a soothing presence in the haze of pain and confusion that Vaggie was drifting through.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Charlie's voice was soft, filled with a comforting warmth that contrasted sharply with the coldness of the towel.
Vaggie groaned softly, the chill from the towel soothing the feverish heat radiating from her. "Better...a little," she mumbled, her voice hoarse. The words were barely more than a whisper, but they carried a heavy weight of exhaustion and relief.
Charlie's smile was patient and kind. "That's good to hear. My father told me that the discomfort and high temperature will be with you for a while. Losing your wings is a huge change for an angel's body."
Vaggie's eyes widened in shock at Charlie's words. "Father?" she repeated, her voice trembling. The only fallen angel she knew of was Lucifer. Could it really be that this sweet, caring demoness was the daughter of the Devil? The very idea seemed to clash with everything Vaggie had been taught about Heaven and Hell.
Charlie's smile didn't falter. She continued her gentle care, as if Vaggie's shocked reaction was just another part of her day. "Yes, my father. And don't worry, I'm the only one who knows about your... fallen angel status. You're safe here."
The reassurance in Charlie's voice was genuine, but Vaggie couldn't shake her confusion. "You know I'm an exorcist?" Vaggie asked, trying to make sense of the situation.
Charlie nodded, her eyes serious. "I do. I saw you had some holy power left when I found you. It made me think there was a reason behind why an exorcist would end up like this."
Vaggie's mind was racing. "Why did you help me, then? If you knew who I was?"
Charlie's expression was thoughtful. "There must have been a reason why exorcists are turning against each other. I couldn't just ignore someone in need, especially not after seeing the state you were in."
Vaggie took a deep breath, struggling to reconcile her understanding of the situation with what Charlie was saying. "I... I've started to doubt the lies we were fed. Lute and Addam kept talking about Hell rebelling, but I couldn't kill that young boy simply because he was a sinner."
Charlie frowned, her confusion evident. "Rebellion? Hell has never tried to rebel. No one in Hell cares about Heaven's affairs; they're too focused on keeping their power as the numbers of sinners increase. The only reason I'm involved in rehabilitation is because Heaven has been obsessing over those numbers and exterminating my people in return."
The realization hit Vaggie like a ton of bricks. Her face went pale as she struggled to absorb what Charlie was saying. "So... this war, this extermination... it was all based on a lie?"
Charlie nodded, her gaze sympathetic. "It seems that way. The truth isn't always what we're told. Sometimes, we're manipulated into believing things that aren't true."
Vaggie felt a wave of nausea—not from her physical state, but from the crushing weight of betrayal and confusion. The foundation of her beliefs had just been shattered. She had been fighting a war based on lies, killing and destroying under false pretenses. Her entire world seemed to be crumbling.
Charlie reached out, placing a comforting hand on Vaggie's shoulder. "I know it's a lot to take in. But you're not alone. You're safe here, and we'll figure things out together."
Vaggie looked up at Charlie, her eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and sorrow. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I don't know what's real anymore, but... thank you for being here."
Charlie gave her a reassuring smile. "It's going to be okay. We'll get through this, one step at a time."
As soon as Vaggie drifted into sleep, Charlie's demeanor shifted. The caring smile that had been a constant for Vaggie turned into a tight-lipped frown. She was alone now, her thoughts racing. The revelation she had just uncovered was huge—something that could be used against Heaven. Extermination Day was built on a lie. This could be the key to ending the senseless destruction.
Charlie's mind was already buzzing with plans as she stood up. She straightened her clothes and took a deep breath, steeling herself for the conversation ahead. Her father's palace wasn't too far from where she was; it would take only a few minutes to get there. The thought of how to present this new information to Lucifer occupied her as she walked, a sense of determination guiding her steps.
When she got to the palace, she couldn't help but snicker at the sight of Lucifer scrambling to straighten his clothes. The evidence of recent "activities"—love bites on his neck—was hard to miss. Charlie's amusement bubbled up despite the seriousness of her mission. She had to admit, it was kind of hilarious seeing her dad in this flustered state.
In the beginning, it had been strange for Charlie to see her father with someone other than her mother. Lilith's departure had left a gap, and while it was odd to adjust to the idea of her father with someone new, Charlie had come to understand that people needed to move on. Seeing Lucifer smile genuinely again had been a rare and beautiful thing. It was clear that Alastor brought out something in him that had been missing for a long time.
Still, Charlie couldn't help but wish that her father and Alastor would just make things official. They had been in this "figuring things out" phase for a decade now, which was getting a bit ridiculous. Charlie understood that being eternal made time seem different, but there had to be a point where you stop dragging your feet.
She snapped out of her thoughts when Lucifer finally addressed her. "What's got you looking so thoughtful, my dear apple?" he asked, his voice a mix of curiosity and concern.
Charlie took a deep breath, her expression growing serious. "I've just come from helping a fallen angel named Vaggie. She's an exorcist who's been deeply disillusioned by what's been happening. It turns out the exorcists have been lied to. They believe that Hell is planning a rebellion. Vaggie saw the truth and couldn't continue with the killing."
Lucifer's face darkened as he listened. The fury that crossed his features was palpable. "They punished her for doing what she thought was right?" His voice was low and dangerous. "And to think they've been lying about Hell trying to rebel..."
Charlie nodded, her gaze steady. "Yeah. It's all a ploy to justify their actions. And now that I know, I think we might have a chance to end Extermination Day for good."
Lucifer was silent for a long moment, his anger and disbelief mixing into a storm of emotions. A rebellion? The very idea was absurd. Lucifer had no desire to deal with Heaven's machinations. If anything, he wanted Heaven as far from him as possible.
After a long sigh, Lucifer finally spoke, his voice carrying a weight of resolve. "It seems like it's finally time. I shall talk with Michael."