Author note: welcome back readers! Sorry to leave y'all hanging with that cliffhanger, but this chapter went through a few overhauls until I found it to my satisfaction. Thanks to my 13/16 favorites and followers, glad to have you all aboard! Enjoy the read!
Chapter 31: Water and fire
Taylor watched in stupefied horror as the cracks in the ceiling spread with sickening snaps and the glass holding back the massive tank full of water and fish overhead start to bow under the lack of support with a groan. Valentino, foot still planted firmly on Taylor's chest, also gawped at the precarious situation above them. Taylor snapped out of it just as a splintering crack resounded in the glass, forcing them to act quickly. They turned their head to the side and grasped the energy sphere hovering nearby with a jolt. A massive surge of energy traveled through their body, making them feel like a muscle car getting an injection of nitrous oxide, as renewed strength flowed through them. They felt giddy as their heart rate accelerated and they vibrated with barely contained power.
They quickly grasped Valentino's ankle and threw him off as if he were weightless. The force and suddenness of the action launched the overlord backwards and he landed on his back roughly with a groan and string of obscenities. With an energetic giggle, they hastily propped themselves up, summoned two flame tendrils from their back, and shot them out behind them into the corner of the ceiling like a grappling hook. They retracted the tendrils, flinging themselves backwards onto the ceiling and they hung there just as the aquarium glass shattered and a cascade of glass, ceiling debris, fish, and water came crashing down on the shrieking moth overlord. Taylor shrunk back against the wall as the room was immediately flooded. The force of the waves crashed against the walls, shaking the building tremulously and the swell climbed nearly high enough to get Taylor wet. Once the water moved away from them, they released a breath they had been holding.
'That was too close!' they thought happily as they tried to come down from their euphoric high. As the water began draining through the front entrance and holes in the walls, Taylor used their tendrils to quickly swing along what remained of the ceiling, climbed along the roof, and landed in a nearby alley with a splash. They started to hear voices approaching the scene, so they quietly absconded into the night.
Taylor ran down the darkened alleyways toward the rendezvous point where their contact was waiting, but were forced to stop abruptly when a tall, shadowed figure with pink glowing eyes stood in their way. Still feeling empowered by the collection, they got into a fighting stance and readied themselves. The figure walked into the light and Taylor tensed. Angel Dust stood before them, looking apprehensive and four hands up in a gesture of surrender.
'Angel? Oh, thank goodness, he's okay!' they thought with relief. They relaxed their stance as Angel spoke worriedly.
"Yer the Dealbreaker Demon, right? I need yer help."
Taylor clenched their jaw as a wave of guilt hit them. They weren't powerful enough to break Angel's contract yet, and the feeling of inadequacy ate at them every day, especially on nights he'd come back from work battered and bruised.
"I got a pal. They're in a real bad way, see, and they need their contract broken." Angel explained.
Taylor was taken aback, not expecting that request.
'Do they mean Husk? Or someone from work?' they guessed.
"They're one of the good ones. Fiery hair and a mouth that gets them in trouble. They live at the Hazbin Hotel. They won't admit who their dealmaker is or that they're even under contract, but they need yer help." Angel pleaded.
Taylor stiffened and started to panic.
'How does he know that? I've never said anything!' They started to step back as they began to tremble. 'What will my patron do to me when they find out?'
"If you want, I can sneak you into the hotel and ya can help them there. Charlie will keep quiet about it, promise! Please!" Angel implored.
They paled as their anxiety skyrocketed.
'Charlie too? Who else knows?'
"Why won't ya say anything? Aren't ya supposed to help us?" Angel asked angrily.
Taylor was shaken from their own worries as they took notice of Angel's shift in demeanor. They looked away and took a ragged breath, their frustration and nervousness spiking. They didn't know what to do.
'Should I run? He deserves a reason at least.' They racked their brain for a way to let him down gently but could only mutter out four words.
"I can't help you."
Angel flinched at the response, then stepped closer aggressively as his ire rose.
"Whaddya mean ya can't help? What kind of a dealbreaker are ya anyway?" He shouted.
Taylor watched passively as they let Angel approach them heatedly. They braced themselves, fully prepared to let Angel hit them if it made him feel better. He gripped them by their top and held them as he stared at them furiously.
"Why though? Why won't ya even try!?" He asked scathingly.
'But maybe…' a hopeful voice rang in their head.
Something in their mind snapped, and as if possessed they reached out toward the spider demon. They clenched their hand and suddenly they were clutching a smoky red chain between their fingers. Angel gave a terrified gasp and let them go before he gripped his neck where his collar now sat. Still in their trance-like state, they pulled the chains back and started squeezing with as much force as they could muster. Narrowing their eyes, the silver flames roared to life and traveled along the chain length, startling Angel as he tried to pull away fearfully.
"Wait, I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean ta grab ya! Honest!" He sputtered out in a bid to deescalate the situation.
Taylor didn't hear him in their hyper focused state. They kept feeling for a difference in the chain's durability, but nothing was changing. They ground their teeth and pressed harder, making the flames grow larger and Angel cry out beside them. Tears started to blur their vision as they saw another rendition of Angel's memories with Valentino, but they let them fall as they continued their battle.
For a few more moments more Taylor kept at it, ignoring Angel's pleas for forgiveness before they sighed exhaustively.
'It's still not enough.' they thought defeatedly. They let go of the chain and the flames extinguished. The collar and chain billowed away into nothing as they heard Angel stumble away from them. Winded, they wiped their sweat and tears away before they looked up at the unnerved spider demon and spoke ashamedly.
"Can't help you. Not yet. Sorry."
Angel's eyes grew wide in disbelief for a moment as he processed the statement. Then he gave his trademark crooked grin and replied in their usual confident tone.
"Eh, it's alright, toots! Ya just keep knocking down those dealmakers and when ya can, ya know where to find me! The Hazbin Hotel, same place as the buddy I mentioned!"
Taylor was stupefied for a second time that evening. A weight was lifted as the guilt and shame they felt before was replaced with relief. They chuckled gratefully before they straightened themselves and smiled.
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Now, unless ya gonna start paying, get outta here. I don't stand around chattin' for free ya know, and I don't think ya can afford me." He waved them off as his toothy grin spread wider.
Taylor chuckled as they nodded and moved past the spider demon before running into the shadows.
'Thanks Angel.' they thought spiritedly as they sprinted away.
Taylor found the contact soon after and quickly swapped into their normal garb. Changing their appearance to that of a cyclops stopwatch-headed demon, they nodded their thanks to the contact before they strode into the well-lit streets to make their way back to the hotel. As they walked, they ran through the events of the tumultuous night in their head. While in the end the job got done, things should have gone way smoother. Having a head-on conflict with an overlord was more terrifying than they anticipated, and the memory still made their heart race uncontrollably.
'Good thing about the aquarium, or things could have gone much worse.' they brooded. They walked along the sidewalk across the street from the front of the bombed out and waterlogged Club Hell 666, but they ignored the commotion as they passed behind a crowd of onlookers distractedly.
At that moment, Alastor stood outside the front exterior of Club Hell 666. One of his ink demons had called for him when it heard explosions ring out inside the club and he arrived just as a crash and swell of water could be heard within. When the water settled, he eagerly sank into the shadows and made his way into the soaked building. When he materialized, all he found was a soggy and sputtering ram demon and, to his surprise, the despicable Valentino of the three Vees sprawled out under some broken glass. He willed his shadows to scan the surrounding area, but they couldn't sense anyone else nearby. At this, his grin grew into a snarl as thick static surrounded him; reality glitched as symbols and figures started to swirl around him and his shadow stretched behind him, its red eyes blazing, and sadistic grin twisted. He had waited weeks for his prey to resurface and he missed them again, and he felt murderous. He was about to turn his wrath onto the ram demon who had gotten to his feet and was wringing himself out but was forced to retreat when Valentino started to come to; he had no need to get into a spat with an overlord tonight, despite his desire for carnage. Thus, he stood outside the club, silently beside himself in fury, plotting the excruciating things he would do to the ram demon as soon as things settled down. He was so deep in his sadistic train of thought that he didn't pay heed to a one-eyed watch-headed demon that walked behind him absentmindedly.
After Taylor arrived back at the hotel, they retired to their room and endured an extensive debriefing with Antonio over the phone about what happened. Once they were done, they tiredly got ready for bed and before they nodded off, they wondered how Angel knew about their contract.
"Rise and shine, little one~." called out a sweet-sounding sing-song voice close by.
Taylor gasped as they bolted awake, and a feeling of dread made their stomach drop.
'Of course. The cherry on this crappy sundae of a night.' they bemoaned. They sat up and spied the young girl with orange coiffed hair in a purple dress from their very first meeting in Hell sitting in the armchair, one leg crossed over the other and head in one hand watching them with an amused grin. They got out of bed as the girl followed them with interest in her eyes.
"Don't dally now, sleepy head, there's so much to do. Let's pick up where we left off last week, shall we?" they urged as they straightened out and made to get off the chair.
Taylor gulped dryly as they replied meekly.
"Patron, I don't mean to be contrary, but it's been a little over a month since your last visit."
The girl paused in their dismount for a moment before they leaned back and regarded them. Their smile had dropped into an unreadable expression, making Taylor uneasy. They looked away as they snapped their fingers and a small book appeared and hovered next to them with a pop. They flicked their finger repeatedly, making the pages turn as they read and muttered to themselves.
"Meeting, research, banquet, testimonials, equitable distribution, visitation…"
Taylor stood by stiffly as they waited, heart beating like a drum in anticipation of the response from the mercurial being. The book suddenly snapped shut and disappeared with a pop as the girl turned their attention back to them with a wave of a hand and a laid-back expression.
"It appears you are correct. I'm afraid time has gotten away from me once again, little one."
Taylor's gave a small sigh of relief at the coolness of the answer.
The girl leaned to the side and put their head in their hand as they spoke wearily.
"If you recall, I'm in charge of arbitrating an affair between two of my superiors, but mediation has failed, and divorce proceedings have begun."
Their voice rose in disbelief. "Divorce! Can you imagine? It's been quite the scandal!"
They gave an annoyed huff. "As such, I've been roped into managing the whole affair." Their expression soured as they grumbled, "If I never have to listen to that shrill woman and her snooty brother, it'll be too soon."
Taylor tried to their best to decipher what their patron was talking about for clues about what kind of being they were, but it was all too vague for them to discern anything.
The girl seemed to suddenly remember who they were talking to as they sat up and jumped off the armchair.
"But enough about that. I suppose you'll have plenty to update me on, so let's shake things up this time."
They clapped their hands and the round table set for afternoon tea appeared in the middle of the room. Taylor took their seat warily as the girl bounced to her chair and snapped her fingers, making the items hover around the table and serve them. After the teapot poured both teas, the girl glanced at their thrall cheerily as they settled in with their drink.
"Now then, do tell me what you've been up to, little one!"
Taylor gave the highlights of the last month, leaving the more personal details to themselves. Their patron didn't seem to sense their omissions, as they were busy reveling in their exploits and taking too much sadistic interest at the more painful parts of their stories.
"You told that silly princess you burned to death in a restaurant fire? I suppose there is a kernel of truth to it. Ah, I do remember fondly your screams, simply divine."
"So you went to a sex dungeon and were thrown into an active turf war as forms of trust exercises? Ha ha ha! How droll yet thrilling!"
"What silly little activities you do at that hotel, but a little fun never hurt anyone, I suppose."
"Excellent to hear the wards are working. Perhaps you'd be interested in another deal for something stronger? No? What a shame."
"My, my, that heat syncope ability is quite useful, very clever of you! And you got drunk off soul deal energy? Who would have thought that was a thing? How fascinating. If only I could gather enough contracted Sinners or dealmakers even, I'd love to research this intoxication phenomena in person..."
"That was quick thinking of you to cauterize that wound, it seems our medical reviews have come in handy. And I'm pleased you refused that overlord's deal for a job and protection; things would have turned quite messy if you had tried to accept."
"Your little network for finding dealmakers is doing quite well. That kind of dancing surely wouldn't be seen at the soirées I attend, but the idea to hide in plain sight was crafty."
"An overhead aquarium shattered and nearly fell on top of you? How exciting! Ha ha, I'm sure that overlord will feel that for days to come! How opportune for you! Though it is a shame you didn't have the opportunity to break his chains. Oh well, all in good time, I suppose."
Taylor used the more thrilling parts of their update to mask the parts they didn't want to share, namely the dreams about Heaven, their inability to break Angel's contract, Vaggie nearly skewering them, their ability to melt angelic steel, Carmine's friendship offer, and that Angel and Charlie somehow knew about their arrangement. They knew it was risky, but they hoped their plan would work. When they were done updating them, the girl asked a dangerous question.
"Anything else?" They said with a sweet smile.
Taylor steeled themselves and put on a neutral face.
"Nothing outside of mundane things like having nightly drinks, going to work to break individual contracts, or practicing my fire abilities around the hotel."
They watched cautiously as the girl regarded them for a moment before setting their tea on the table and nodding.
"Very well. You did well despite my absence. It looks like we have just enough time for you to show me your fire abilities and then we shall part ways again. I will try to keep to our schedule for next time." They said in a business-like tone.
Taylor nodded quickly as their tension was lessened and they silently cheered that their plan succeeded. They proceeded to show off their weapon summons, maneuvering with their fire tendrils, and the fire barrage they used in the turf war trust exercise with enthusiasm. They tried to demonstrate their heat exhaustion ability, but the fire beings were seemingly immune to it.
After the girl dismissed the flame soldier, they stood before their thrall and spoke sternly.
"The last thing I want to see is that silver fire again. I'm going to summon your collar and chain, but if you behave, it will remain loose. Understand, little one?"
Taylor's heart rate and breathing climbed in apprehension, but they nodded mutely.
"Very good." With a wave of their hand, they felt a weight around their neck, but as promised it didn't constrict their breathing. Taylor gulped thickly as they grasped the slack chain with shaky hands and willed the flames to come to life as they squeezed. With a quiet whoosh, part of the chain length was set aflame, causing their patron's eyes to widen in fascination. They leaned in closer to get a better look, but were wary of the flames this time, keeping their fingers just out of reach as they waved their hand this way and that around it. Taylor barely heard them murmur to themselves as they observed the flame.
"Ridiculous…cannot manipulate this…not even handle... How…disgusting Sinner…what I cannot?"
Taylor flinched slightly at the rude comment but pretended not to have heard it. The girl leaned back and waved their hand again, dismissing the chain and collar as Taylor relaxed some with the weight gone. The flames sputtered out before touching the ground.
"Very well. One final thing. Since it's been so long since our last visit, I will now pass along the knowledge you would have learned had we had more regular meetings." They said as one of their hands stretched into long orange claws. Taylor panicked and stepped back as their heart rate went through the roof.
"You're not adding to the mark, are you?" They said fearfully.
The girl didn't look at them as they stabbed their palm with their claws, causing black inky blood to pool. They replied in a blasé tone.
"Since you were so good, I wasn't planning to…" they tilted their head over to look at them with a fiendish grin that made Taylor's blood run cold. "But if you're volunteering, I won't complain." Taylor shivered and shook their head quickly in horror. The girl shrugged as their smile reverted to a bored look. "Pity. Now come closer and kneel, little one."
Not wanting the unpredictable being to change their mind, they stepped closer and sat on their knees to be eye level with the girl. The girl roughly gripped their jaw with their normal hand, making Taylor's stomach do somersaults as they tried to pull back, but their patron's grip held firm. The girl pressed and lifted their clawed fingers into their cut palm, causing beads of black blood to sit on the claw tips. The girl reached up and Taylor shuddered as they felt the pointed tips trace something on their forehead, the sensation of the warm sticky liquid making them grimace. For a minute, the two were quiet as Taylor felt intersecting lines, dots, and circles be drawn on their face.
The girl leaned back and admired their work.
"Perfect! While it doesn't give me the opportunity to hear your melodious screams, it will get the job done."
Taylor sighed in relief.
'That wasn't so bad. Gross, but better than the alternative'
Suddenly, their face felt hot. Their forehead started to burn and sting where the blood was spread, causing them to hiss in pain. They tried to wipe it off, but their sleeve came
back clean and the burning intensified. They looked over at the girl in a panic, only to see them gaze back with a malicious grin.
"Until next time, little one!"
It felt like their forehead was on fire. Their vision blurred and they clutched their face as searing pain and an overwhelming influx of information hit them like a train.