Grail of sin
Chapter 9 - Safe haven
Zefriel exited the hotel, making his way to the main gate to see Charlie, Husk, Angel Dust and Niffty, hard at work.
"How is it coming along?" Zefriel asked Charlie.
"We are almost done." Charlie said as she dusted off her hands, inspecting their work, while Husk and Angel Dust were busy brushing letters onto the signs they had attached to the fence.
"Has Vaggie already left?" Zefriel asked.
"Yes, she flew off just a few minutes ago. Fingers crossed!" Charlie said with a smile.
Zefriel stepped out of the gate and inspected the signs as well.
"Newcomers welcum!"
"Save your soul from demons by staying at our hotel!"
"Find your way to Heaven, 50% success rate!"
"Safe haven from Demons!"
"Dammit Angel, fix that damn thing!" Husk yelled after he saw what Angel Dust was writing.
"What? It adds a lil' character." Angel Dust replied. "Make them know we like to have fun ova' here."
"I think it's fine, Husk." Charlie said. "I doubt people coming to the hotel would be turned away by a little…um…character."
"Good day to you my fellows." Alastor said as he approached from inside the Hotel. "I will see you later this evening as I have important business to attend to."
"Oh, hey Alastor. What do you think?" Charlie asked as she pointed to the new signs.
Alastor examined it, side eyed. "Charming. Now if you will excuse me, good day." he said as he made his way.
"Any Idea where he goes?" Zefriel asked Charlie.
"Not sure, but I assume he is doing overlord stuff." Charlie said. "Although lately he has been leaving more often. And when he is here he feels…distant. I wonder if he found a girlfriend." Charlie pondered.
"Any woman with half a brain would be wise to steer clear of him." Zefriel said.
"Oh, come on. He is not that bad." Charlie said as she elbowed Zefriel playfully, who in contrast seemed to be dead serious.
"Charlie, I came out here to give you a quick report and to ask you about something." Zefriel said, changing the subject "I have completed the protective warding of all the windows."
"You warded the windows?" Charlie asked, surprised.
"Yes, follow me and I will show you." Zefriel said as he walked back to the hotel.
"Guys, I have to go check on something with Zef, you guys mind finishing up without me?" Charlie asked.
"Sure thing boss, leave it to us." Niffty said.
Zefriel waited for Charlie to catch up before he moved towards the window belonging to the common room, to the right of the main entrance.
"Please observe." Zefriel said.
He waved his hand and golden chains seemed to materialize from his hand, which Charlie noticed were attached to a shackle around his wrist. He quickly spun it around to create momentum and slung it towards the window as if it were a whip.
The chain flew at blinding speed towards the window but was deflected by an invisible force that burst into light. Charlie could see a honeycomb array of small hexagonal shields appearing for a brief moment after impact. The shields then seemed to lose their brightness and disappeared again as if they were never there.
"Nothing should be able to get in through windows from the outside." Zefriel said.
"Do you mean it only works one way?" Charlie asked.
"Yes, correct. The ward is one way and will not hinder exits." Zefriel said.
"Wow…that's…amazing!" Charlie yelled as she clasped her hands. "But…are you sure it's a good idea to have these?"
"We live in uncertain times Charlie, it's best to be prepared for any eventuality. Neither Exorcists, demons or sinners will be able to get past these." Zefriel said. "On another note, there is something else I wanted to ask."
"What is it?" Charlie asked.
"As I conducted the sweep of the hotel, I found a single room that seems locked at all times. Any Idea what's inside?" Zefriel asked.
"Oh…yeah. Room 207." Charlie said
"Yes, that's the one." Zefriel said. "What is inside?"
"Umm…yeah, that's…Vaggie's room…so to speak." She said nervously.
Zefriel raised an eyebrow.
She let out a deep sigh in surrender. "Alright, just follow me. I'll show you what's inside." she said.
Charlie made her way inside the hotel as Zefriel followed.
"Hey, Zef, may I ask you a question about your wards?" Charlie asked.
"Ask away." he replied.
"Do your wards absorb impact force before remitting that same energy in the form of light?" Charlie asked.
"Yes, exactly." Zefriel replied.
"And to make the barrier even stronger you chose the Hexafoil pattern to anchor it to the walls around the windows?"
"Correct. You seem well versed in the logic of magic." Zefriel replied.
"Yes, my mother is a very powerful sorceress, so she made absolutely sure I learned magic." Charlie said.
"Ah, I see. But, I'm surprised I never see you use magic." Zefriel said.
"I was only taught offensive magic. Fireballs, lightning bolts, curses…that sort of thing." Charlie said, in a sad tone that surprised Zefriel. "But none of that magic ever felt like…well…me. I don't know if that makes sense."
"No, I understand you. The tool does not match the personality of the wielder." Zefriel said.
"Yes, exactly. I always had a fascination with magic, but I always just wanted to use it to make things better, not destroy them." she said.
"I see. Do you feel like that knowledge was forced down upon you?" Zefriel asked.
"A little…yes. 'A lady as pretty as you must always know how to defend herself.' Charlie said in jest with a caricature impression of her mothers authoritative voice. "That's what mother used to say."
They walked past the first floor of the hotel.
"I also noticed that you had shackles with those chains. Why is that?" Charlie asked as they continued to make their way up.
"Function. They ensure the chains are not dropped in combat. Other than that, there is no real re—." He paused for a moment. "Hmm. Guess I'm lying to myself as well."
Charlie stopped in her tracks and looked back, seeing Zefriel standing there thinking to himself.
"I suppose…I wanted to emulate my mentor, Michael. He too is able to use magical chains for combat. Other than tha—" Zefriel said.
"Wait, you were trained by Saint Michael? The Archangel?!" Charlie asked.
"Of course. You could say that he laid the sturdy foundations of all that I know about combat." Zefriel explained. "The other Archangels chipped in as well here and there. Teaching me bits of their own trade, so to speak."
"Then you must be a really powerful warrior or something!" Charlie said in amazement.
"Haven't died yet." Zefriel replied in humor as they arrived at room 207.
Charlie stood in front of the door before she pulled out her keychain.
"I hope you will understand that what's inside might upset you. I didn't want Vaggie to keep these, but she insisted. And in the end I just couldn't say no."
"You need not be afraid." Zefriel replied.
She opened the door and stepped inside as Zefriel quickly followed. Charlie turned on the light to reveal that the bedroom had been stripped of all furniture. The walls on both sides of the room's entrance were adorned with angelic weapons. Halberds, swords, daggers, the wall was covered in them, while an equal amount were on the floors in neat piles. The wall opposite the entrance was barren of any weapons…save for two. An angelic sword and a golden ax.
"Ahh, I see. The armory." Zefriel said as he looked at Charlie who was looking away sadly while holding her arm. "...or is it the trophy room?"
"Both…I guess." Charlie said sadly. She looked at Zefriel who seemed to be staring at the golden ax, mounted on the wall. "Did…did you know Adam?" Charlie asked apprehensively.
"I knew of him, but I only met him a couple of times. Typical self obsessed metal head that let his groupies get to his head." he said.
"You only met him a couple of times? I'm surprised, considering he was the leader of Heaven's army." Charlie said.
"Leader of the Heaven's army?" Zefriel said, seeming surprised. "He was the leader of about one sixth of the whole army. Even less if we take power into consideration.
"One…One sixth?" Charlie asked wide eyed.
"Yes. But you don't need to worry about the rest. Only the Exorcists are ever allowed to enter Hell." Zefriel said nonchalantly.
He remained silent for a moment before speaking again. "You know, I had the misfortune of having to play with him one time." Zefriel said.
"You were in his band?" Charlie asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Not exactly. Raphael and I were at a bar that had live music performances when he showed up. He got drunk rather quickly and wanted to play some music for the crowd. Raphael volunteered to join him...and dragged me to take over the drums…" Zefriel said.
"Oh my god, you were that drummer…" Charlie whispered to herself.
"Bastard…" Zefriel whispered to himself as he glared at the guitar on the wall, seeming to not have heard what Charlie said.
Zefriel walked up to the ax and sword, rubbing his chin. "May I?" He asked.
"Umm…I don't think we should touch them." Charlie said.
"Don't worry, I just want to see if it's still in tune." Zefriel said as he picked up the guitar.
He tested the strings, one by one E, A, D, G, B and e. All were in perfect tune.
To Charlie's great surprise, Zefriel began to play a very exciting tune with expert finesse. She continued to listen intently for a whole minute, before he stopped.
"That was…amazing!" Charlie said, enthusiastically, seeming to have forgotten the dread she felt in the room.
"Freebird, my favorite song." Zefriel said as he placed the ax back onto the wall. "But I think you are right. You should get rid of these. At least the ax. Perhaps return it to Heaven. The reason why is that this might be a magnet for Exorcists. They will want it back as they might consider it a relic."
"You think they would attack us just for this?" Charlie said with concern.
"You never know what twisted thoughts run in the minds of…fanatics." Zefriel replied with a voice that betrayed his disdain.
"You are probably right. I will talk to Vaggie about this again." Charlie said.
"There is nothing to talk about Charlie. You are the leader of the hotel. As a leader you should consider your actions very carefully, but when you have reached a decision on a course of action, you should stick to it." he said.
"But…I'm not really the bossy type." She said meekly.
"'Bossy' is the wrong word for it. Try…resolute." Zefriel replied. "Consider this a test of your leadership skills. Present your case to Vaggie. Explain to her how this room makes you feel and why you think you should get rid of the ax. Then, if she does not give you a reasonable counterpoint, put your foot down and be resolute in your decision as the leader of the hotel. Do not shy away from the decision you made."
Charlie was thinking to herself for a moment. "Alright, I understand. I have to be resolute." She said, "Have you ever had to lead anyone?" she asked.
"Yes, certainly." He replied. "Many times I have had the good fortune of having great companions on Earth. But, it was always the bad ones that gave the best lessons."
Before Charlie could respond her phone alarm began to ring.
"Oh shoot. I almost forgot. I have to get going. I have an appointment with dad for lunch." Charlie explained.
"Yes, I know. I will be coming with you." Zefriel said.
"I…I don't know if that is a good idea. Besides, it's more of a father, daughter sort of thing…" said reluctantly.
"You misunderstood. I will be nearby in disguise, just in case you run into trouble. I will not be a third wheel." Zefriel said as he exited the room. "You probably will not even realize that I am there."
"In disguise, huh? Charlie said as she locked the door behind them
"Indeed. As you may recall I am a master of disguise." He said.
Charlie turned around and was surprised by a very long mustache that had appeared on Zefriel's lips when she wasn't looking. She placed her hand over her mouth and let out a heartfelt chuckle as she found it comically long and fancy despite the rest of his form being unchanged.
"What?" He asked in a deadpan voice, as if he were unaware of his new mustache.
"Ok, if you will be in disguise and keep your distance then I'll let you tag along." Charlie said.
"Excellent." Zefriel said "Secret word is 'Oranges'."
"What?" Charlie asked.
"If I want you to know it's me, I will use the code word 'Oranges'." He said.
"Ah, ok. I understand. Alright then, lets go." She said.
"So, that's the new plan." Charlie said as she munched on her club sandwich. "We are going to focus on trying to get newcomers to Hell. You know, people that require less time to be redeemed to Heaven."
"Charlie, that's probably a step in the right direction." Lucifer said as he munched on his own sandwich. "But, please don't get your hopes up."
"You don't think it would work?" Charlie asked.
"I think it will, pumpkin. But, you need to be realistic about what to expect. New sinners might be easier to redeem, but it could still take a very long time." Lucifer said in a compassionate tone.
"I know what you mean dad. But I am in this for the long haul. As long as it takes." Charlie replied confidently.
Charlie silently finished her food, while Lucifer watched her, a gentle smile on his face. She notices her fathers happy demeanor and smiled in turn.
"Gosh, it's so nice to share a meal together. I don't even remember when was the last time we did something like this…" she said.
"Oh, that was 156 Years, 3 Months, 2 Days and 14 hours ago." Lucifer said.
"You actually remember that well?" Charlie asked in amazement.
"Psych! Hahah. I'm joking, Charlie." Lucifer said as he gently booped Charlie on the nose. "I don't remember either."
"Ha—ha—ha…" Charlie said, sarcastically but still wearing a smile.
"I really missed this, Charlie." Lucifer said.
"Me too, dad." She replied.
"Charlie, have you heard anything from mum?" Lucifer asked after a moment of silence.
"N…no. Nothing. No answer. Any idea where she might be?" Charlie asked.
"Charlie, I haven't been in touch with her for decades." Lucifer said sadly.
"Dad…?" Charlie said meekly "W…what went wrong between you two?" Charlie asked.
Lucifer let out a deep sigh. "I wish I knew Charlie. I really do. One day things were going fine. You had just been born. Shortly after that, she began to change. She became distant, angry. It would seem there was nothing I could do to make her happy. Only you could ever cheer her up. To this day, I don't know what caused a rift between us."
"I…see." Charlie said sadly.
"I'm sorry Charlie, I wish things were different…" Lucifer said. "Hey, I know what will cheer us up. How about some desert! Waiter!"
"Oui, monséjour!" a sinner came running. He was a tall and skinny frog-like sinner with green leathery skin. "How can ai be of asseestance?"
"Deux gâteaux au chocolat, s'il vous plaît." Lucifer asked in fluent french.
"But of cursé! Deux choculaté cakes, comeng right up!" The waiter said as he was about to leave.
"No, wait. Please make it three. One is to go." Charlie said. "Wait, no…make it six to go."
"For all your friends?" Lucifer asked.
"Yep." Charlie said with a smile. "Speaking of which, don't be alarmed but Zef's somewhere in the area. He said he will be in disguise, just in case I run into trouble."
"Aaaaaha." Lucifer said. "He's not very good at blending in."
"What do you mean?" Charlie asked.
"That sinner has been sitting on that bench, reading that newspaper, since the moment you sat down." Lucifer said as he pointed at a sinner sitting on the bench across the street. "Man…they really dont make archangels like they used to." he said with a laugh.
"What eez zis ai 'air?! Eez zumone bothereng la lady et la jén-tellman at mon cafe?!" Asked the waiter as he arrived with two chocolate cake plates. A waitress walked behind him. She was a sleek, black spider-like sinner and carried a cake box in each of her six hands.
"Here you go miss, 6 slices to go. Hope you and your friends enjoy them!" She said marilly. "Say, you have great hair, you have to tell me what conditioner you use!"
"Not now Rachel, ur guésts are beeng bothered by zum weirdo across ze street." the waiter yelled.
"No! No one is bothering us, thank you." Charlie said.
"I don't know Charlie, I'm kind of bothered by it." Lucifer said in annoyance as he leaned back in his chair casually, glancing at the sinner on the bench.
"Zen sai non mairé monsieur!" the waiter yelled. "Hey you, freak! Gét ze fuk oot of haire befaire ai get la chef to kik yur ass!"
The sinner across the street was red skinned with black horns. He briefly lowered his newspaper, an expression of utter annoyance on his face, before he raised it back up again, covering his face once more.
"Oh, you are not goeng to leesten are you?! Rachel, call Charles!" The waiter demanded.
"Nonononononono!" Charlie said as she stood up. "It's really ok, he is not a threat to us…really!"
"CHARLES! Get your ass out here, the boss needs you to kick some guy's ass!" The waitress yelled!
"No! No one's ass needs to be kicked!" Charlie yelled. "Everything is under con—, huh?" Charlie said with a momentarily confused expression.
The cafe door slammed open and a tall, brutish sinner stepped out. He had pale leathery skin and looked like some sort of fat pigman.
"Oi, what's going on aut' her'? Who do yau neid me to wack boss?" the brutish chef yelled.
"No, please. I want you to stop this!" Charlie yelled.
"That's enough. Leave us be for now." Lucifer said calmly.
"Oh, but of curse. You 'aird le big L. He 'as evairytheng undair contrul. Gét bak inside you nitwits. Now!" The waiter said as he gestured to the other staff members to get back inside.
Charlie let out a sigh of relief as the staff left. She sat back down.
"Dad, you have such a commanding presence. All it took was a few words and they obeyed without question." Charlie said.
"Hah, years of being king have taught me a few things." Lucifer said.
Charlie silently took a piece of cake with her fork. "Dad…there was something else I wanted to ask you."
"I'm all ears, Char Char" Lucifer said as his head took the shape of an elephant's.
Charlie laughed at Lucifer's antics as he used the trunk to scoop up the last piece of his sandwich and put it in his mouth.
Charlie was silent for a moment, attempting to be serious for the further conversation.
"Dad, are you able to free souls from their bonds to overlords?" Charlie asked.
"Ah…" Lucifer quickly returned to his normal form, realizing that he should carry a more serious tone, to match the topic his daughter brought up. "Charlie…I assume this is about one of your hotel patrons?"
"Yes! Angel Dust to be exactly. I want to free him from his bondage to his overlord Valentino. Is that something that you or I can do?" Charlie asked.
"No, dear. I'm sorry. We can't free souls." Lucifer said with a very serious expression. "Soul bondage is just the way things are down here in hell."
"But, there has to be a way!" Charlie protested.
"I'm sorry, Charlie. But, if there is, I don't know about it."
"Damn." Charlie said as she looked away and bit her nail, lost in thought. "I guess it was worth a shot."
"Check please." Lucifer demanded. "This one's on me."
"Why, mon good monsieur. Yur meahls aré on la 'ouse. What else can you éxpect fair giveng us la pléasure to sairve ur bélovéd keng and 'is love-lee daughtair." The waiter said.
"Ahh, well in that case, please accept this as a tip, for the pleasure was all ours." Lucifer said politely.
Lucifer placed a 500 soul bill in the waiter's palm. The waiter opened it up, reading it, seeming to stare at it quietly for a moment, before reacting.
"Ah...t...thank you...sir. Five hundred...souls. Zis eez an incredib-lee jenairous...gift." The waiter said.
"For not spitting in our food." Lucifer whispered to the waiter.
"Ai névair said ai didn'" the waiter replied.
Lucifer and the waiter stared at each other for a moment in deadpan silence.
"AAAAAAhhhhhh." They both said in unison, smiling and pointing at each other, recognizing the joke.
"Wow, big L is a big tipper." the spider sinner said.
"He is not' just' a big L, he is the biggest' L in hell!" the pig sinner said.
"Hahaha, thank you, thank you so much." Lucifer said.
All Charlie could do was listen with a raised eyebrow as she finished her cake.
Charlie made her way back to the hotel with cake slices she secured for all her friends. She stopped at the crossroad, waiting for the light to turn, when the sinner with red skin and black horns stood next to her. She recognised him as the one that sat on the bench near the cafe.
"Oranges." The sinner said, in a voice that betrayed annoyance and disappointment.
The sinner briefly shimmered as his form changed, revealing Zefriel.
"Yeah…we…sort of figured." Charlie said with a light laugh. "You know, sitting near your target for all that time made you easy to spot."
"Oh, you think I was easy to spot?" Zefriel said with a sly smile. "You know that angels of my calibur have many tricks up our sleeves."
"Such as?" Charlie asked.
"Why don't you ask them?" Zefriel said as he gestured behind Charlie.
She turned around and was surprised to find the Cafe staff standing behind her. The frog, the spider and the pig sinners.
"Wha…what's going on?" Charlie asked, puzzled.
"You and your dad only spotted the man, guarding the outside. But…" Zefriel said.
The tree sinners transformed in a shimmer of light as well, revealing 3 other copies of Zefriel standing in front of Charlie.
"WOwwhatthefuck!?" Charlie said as she stepped back in surprise. "You can be in multiple places at once?!"
"Yes." Zefriel said.
"Wha…how long were you at the cafe?!" Charlie asked.
"The whole day." Zefriel said. "I scouted out the cafe last night. Ambushed the real staff this morning and tied them up in the back."
"W…W…WHY?!" Charlie yelled.
"Well…I had to make sure they don't poison your food…or forget their hygiene protocols." Zefriel said.
"So, are we just going to stand here all day?" Asked the Zefriel copy number 1.
"Oh, Oranges by the way." Said copy number 2.
"Right. Oranges." Said copy number 3.
"Oranges." Said copy number 1.
"Yes, I got that its you!" Charlie yelled.
"Alright. Get in line boys." Zefriel said.
Zefriel stood in place as his copies walked right into him, merging as if they were made of liquid.
Charlie was just flabbergasted as to what she was witnessing.
"Hon, Hon, Hon." Zefriel said humorously as he crossed the street towards the hotel.
"Asshole." Charlie said with a pout as she followed with heavy stomps.
Zefriel sat down in his office, enjoying some peace and quiet as he was in deep thought. After a few minutes, he pulled out a piece of paper from his drawer and began writing on it.
What he wrote were not letters of any language used on earth, but instead a cipher. He expertly wrote down the symbols, one by one, seeming to have done so many times. As he finished, he rolled up the paper and with a flick of his fingers opened up a small golden portal. He quickly tossed the paper through it before the portal dissipated.
The roll of paper landed on an oak desk at the center of a well lit and ornate office in Heaven. Giant hands gently picked up the piece of paper and unraveled it.
Avis sat in his oversized chair, reading the cipher intently. Having done so, he disposed of it in a flash of red fire.
Avis stood up and walked out of his office with purpose.
Avis walked up the stairs of the palace in stride, preferring to walk rather than use his wings, taking the time to admire the beautiful sights before him under the shining sun. The stairs leading him further into the palace were a hundred meters in width and upon the end of each side resided gushing torrents of water. This water, while used primarily for decoration, was yet another testament to the divine nature of these steps. The water as it turns out, flowed upwards, defying all aspects of physics or logic.
As Avis reached the summit of the stairs, he could see two massive doors, seeming to be as tall as the stairs were wide, leading into the next section of the palace. The doors were made of polished stone, depicting the creation of heaven itself with the flame of the lord at its very center. Around it were etched images of angels in its presence, some humanoid and beautiful while others aldrich and outworldly. Installed at the foot of these gates were smaller doors, allowing easy access to angels, should they choose to walk.
He walked closer and placed his gigantic palms on one of the smaller doors and pushed them apart with little effort despite their mass, entering the inner sanctum of the palace. Behind him, the doors slowly and silently closed on their own with a final thud. The sight before him was breathtaking. He knew that as a literal fact in his case, as when he had been brought to the palace as a child, he had been so awestruck by its majesty that he had to be reminded to breathe by his custodian.
He proceeded down the long hallway, treading over an immaculate blue carpet while admiring the most beautiful gardens that mortal eyes could ever witness, to his sides.
Flowers, trees, bushes. Some of which, as far as he could tell, had never existed on Earth.
Within the gardens dwelled animals of all types. Lions, deer, wolves, elephants to name but a few. Predator and prey frolicked without fear by the gentle rivers, flowing in from the outside, seeming to have abandoned their old rivalries that would cause natural conflict.
He stopped at a crossroad, not far from the throne itself. It was a modest, yet comfortable looking seat, said to have been crafted by Lord Yeshua himself. There were 50 seats to each of its sides that belonged to the heavenly saints, but much like the throne, they were empty.
Behind the seats of the saints stood just as many Seraphim, arranged in loose rows and on foot. They performed their duty, singing their hymns, praising the lord for all its creations.
Avis observed them wondering if he would see a familiar sight, and sure enough, there she was. Young lady Emily, stood with her fellow seraph, performing her duty, ignorant of his presence. They would perform this task for no longer than an hour before a fresh batch of Seraphim would approach from behind, joining the choir of voices, allowing the previous seraphim to bow their heads and depart.
Behind the throne was a lavish wall of polished marble and floral vegetation. One floor above the throne was the holy altar, upon which lay the flame. It was a roaring blaze of golden fire that spanned half the width of the room. Avis gave it a respectful bow, despite still being at a considerable distance from it.
Avis took a left turn from where he stood and followed a separate path into a different hallway. He followed it for a full minute, so massive was the inner sanctum, at which end was a lavish door. He opened without hesitation and found himself in a spacious office at which back stood a man on a balcony, gazing out.
This man had short blond hair, and wore simple steel armour with a billowing red cape. He was gazing out the balcony as he rested his hands on his greatsword, pinned to the ground, reminiscent of a cross.
"You are late, my young ward." the man said in a deep and stoic voice.
"Sorry, traffic was terrible." Avis replied in jest as he closed the door behind him.
"Lies are not becoming of the prince." the man shot back.
"Michael, come on. It was a joke." Avis said.
Avis could hear sounds of battle coming from outside the balcony and approached to see what St Michael was watching with such keen interest.
Two floors below them on the holy grounds, a legion of Exorcist sisters, a thousand strong Avis thought, were doing battle with one another. They sparred with swords, spears and even bare hands. The combatants all wore chest plate armor, as well as newly fashioned helmets, providing a considerable boost in protection they had previously lacked.
Amongst the sea of voices, one stood out to Avis. Lute walked the rows between the combatants, yelling out instructions and insults to her sisters that she deemed to be underperforming. Her arm had been recrafted, as if it was never severed, no doubt made possible by talents of Raphael and his Hospitallers, Avis thought. She was closely followed by another Exorcist warrior, her new lieutenant that Avis didn't know the name of, carrying a notepad and jotting down Lute's observation on the performance of each and every one of her sisters.
Lute spotted one of her sisters having difficulty against an opponent that had a considerable height advantage over her. She grabbed the short one by the collar and pulled her away, taking her place.
She demonstrated to her struggling sister the footwork required to close in to her opponent from a low angle and strike upwards with a fist to the jaw. She then shoved the exorcist back into the fray with ample insults.
"They are relentless." St Michael spoke.
"Hopefully not reckless to boot." Avis added.
"Hah. So the pot has finally found the kettle." St Michael said, a faint humor in his voice. "Your choice to propose to Lucifer's daughter is down right brazen."
"I learned from the best." Avis said with a chuckle.
They stood there in silence, for a minute, not saying a word before Avis spoke.
"I think it's time for the princess of hell to properly meet the prince of Heaven, bells, whistles and all that." Avis said. "In that, I was hoping you could lend me a feather."
"What would you need from me?" St Michael asked.
Avis continued to observe the Exorcists, without a word.
Avis has returned to his office, taking a seat at his desk.
He took a moment to enjoy the peace and quiet before he jotted down a cypher on a piece of paper. He rolled it up and tossed it through a tiny portal he manifested.
The paper landed on Zefriels desk. He unrolled it and read it intently before burning it in a flash of red fire.
It was late in the evening as Alastor walked the outskirts of the city, alone. This part of the city was old, decrepit and abandoned…or so he thought. A shadowy figure silently stalked him from behind, with a knife in hand. The sinner, too focused on what he believed to be easy prey, was unable to see a black tentacle slithering towards him. Before he even knew what happened, he was dragged away by his ankle, screaming, to an unknown fate in the dark. All Alastor could muster was a bored yawn as he kept moving.
He continued on for several more minutes before he stopped at an intersection and looked around, inspecting his surroundings. From within his coat he pulled out a small piece of paper and examined it. The paper had nothing on it except what seemed to be a scribbled up emblem.
He observed the door to his right, but, not finding what he was looking for, continued to walk slowly. He examined the next door, and then the next. He continued this process three more times before he finally found what he was looking for. A marking, etched in the door frame, matching the emblem on the piece of paper.
Alastor approached the door and knocked. As he waited, he let out a wet cough. Alastor pulled out a handkerchief, covered in dry blood, and coughed in it. He noticed fresh blood, but paid it no mind as he placed it back into his breast pocket.
The door opened on its own and Alastor stepped into the dark. He walked down the hall, at which end he found a door emitting an eerie purple glow, through which he proceeded, silent as the night.
"Show yourself, I do not have time to waste." Alastor demanded.
"Twenty five percent." A raspy voice came from the dark.
"Beg your pardon?" Alastor said. "You must be joking."
"Twenty five percent." A sinner repeated as he exited the dark. "I do not have time to waste, either."
The sinner before Alastor was some form of human with the skin of a Lynx cat, seeming to be ancient due to his frail form and gray fur.
"Who are you, exactly?" asked Alastor.
"I am Doctor Galen. In life, I have served Emperors. In death, I have served but one king and his beloved family. That is all I am interested in divulging to you." Dr Galen said.
"You? You used to be the royal physician? Pardon me, but that does not inspire confidence in your skills, considering where you ended up." Alastor said, mockingly.
The sinner laughed. "I remain here, not out of necessity…but out of desire. Whether you like it or not, I am your only hope. If that were not the case…you would not be here."
Alastor was dead silent, considering his options. "Fine! I will grant you twenty five percent of all the souls I possess. However, you will be paid only if you are able to heal my wound."
"You will find my skills up to the task. Now…show me where the Angel's struck you." Dr Galen said, calmly.
Alastor glared at the sinner in silence. He suddenly slammed his cane onto the ground and let go. The cane stood upright in place, seemingly held by an unseen force. Alastor removed his coat, then his waistcoat and finally his shirt, letting them all fall to the floor. His chest was hidden under several layers of bandages, covered in blood, both fresh and old…
"Lie down, let me take a look at the damage." Dr Galen said, pointing at an examination table.
Alastor's glare had not waned, but he hesitantly agreed and laid down on the table.
The doctor examined the bandage for a moment, before pulling out a pair of scissors from his drawer. Alastors eyes focused on every move Dr Galen made, like a hawk, tense and ready to strike his prey should it make a wrong move. Dr Galen cut off the bandage, covering the wound, before letting out an amused laugh.
"What is so funny?!" Alastor demanded angrily.
"I'm not sure whether you saw a back alley doctor who got his degree off the back of a cereal box or a tailor who was the unfortunate lovechild between a bat and a mole, for this level of…craftsmanship." Dr Galen said, mockingly.
The wound on Alastor's chest was a deep laceration that spanned from collarbone all the way to his abdomen. Fresh blood still oozed out of the parts where the wound was not stitched properly. Despite the attempt at sealing the wound, it seemed to not heal at all.
"The wound seems very deep. No doubt made by a halberd or an ax. I'm impressed that you survived it." the doctor said. "However, you would have been better off just…using some duct tape…compared to this mess. I hope it wasn't the same guy that fixed your teeth."
"He was severely punished for his incompetence, rest assured of that." Alastor said as he glared at the doctor, angrily.
"Hah! Good. Now, don't move." Dr Galen said. He pulled out a sharp scalpel from the drawer and cut the threads that bind the wound. "You know, I was joking earlier about the tailor, but this seems to have been done with a straight needle, so I may have been right on the money."
"It's no longer important, just fix it!" Alastor said.
As the doctor continued to cut the thread, pulling out each one, the wound opened up completely and blood began to flow onto the floor. Neither the doctor, nor Alastor seemed to be concerned about the loss of blood, or the hygiene of the procedure. After all, patients cannot die in hell. The wound the doctor saw before him was so deep that he could see Alastors ribcage without difficulty.
"They really did a number on you, eh?" Dr Galen said.
"Hah, you should have seen what happened to him…" Alastor laughed.
"Him? This was not from an exorcist?" Dr Galen asked. "Honestly, it doesn't matter." He pulled up his magnifying goggles and examined the wound more closely. He shone a light directly at the wound and could see tiny golden glimmers in the wound, seeming to infect the surrounding tissue like some terrible holy illness. "Angelic steel dust. Mostly microscopic in dimensions, but they prevent your wound from healing at all. As it stands this wound will take decades if not centuries to heal. A dangerous prospect for an overlord of your caliber."
"Fix it." Alastor hissed. "You were recommended to me specifically because you can treat this sort of wound!"
"Then you were well informed. Why else do you think I can afford to do business in the middle of nowhere? When you have the skill, the job will come to you. Now be patient." Dr Galen said as he removed his goggles and put away his tools. "I must warn you however, the treatment for this…ailment…is excruciating."
"I am willing to accept the pain as long as I have results to show for it." Alastor said calmly. "Proceed."
"Very well.." said the doctor as he snapped his fingers. With blinding speed, several giant hands emerged from underneath the table and grabbed Alastor firmly in their grasp. He was held in place by the arms, the legs and even his head.
Alastor struggled for a moment, thinking that he was being double crossed, but relaxed when he saw the doctor approach with a distinct piece of wood, wrapped around by a soft thread.
"Bite down on this. It may help." the doctor said.
Alastor bit down, hard. Not out of any fear of pain, but out of anger for the humiliation that he had to endure.
The doctor pulled out what seemed to be some sort of talisman, out of his pocket, and tied it around his wrist. He then stepped back and cast an eldritch incantation that Alastor had never heard before.
A small fiery portal opened up in front of the doctor before he gently reached into it with his hand.
After a minute he gently pulled out his hand. The talisman was now gone, and in his hand he held a small vial of black liquid.
The doctor walked back over to Alastor as the portal closed behind him, holding the vial close to Alastor so he could see it. "To think…something so small has the power to shape the destiny of many great men."
Alastor stared at the black liquid, trying to figure out what it was. It looked like liquid tar, but there seemed to be no reflection coming from the liquid. It was as if it was devouring the light itself.
The doctor opened the vial and carefully poured it into a spray bottle, filled with water, and shook it violently. The whole contents of the container turned black.
"Now…let us begin the hard part…for you." The doctor said as he placed a protective mask over his face and eyes. He leaned over onto Alastor and gently sprayed the liquid into the wound.
Alastor was surprised, he felt no pain. Infact, the pain from his wound seemed to disappear completely. But, as though the liquid was trying to make him fall into a false sense of security, it began to burn him, escalating the pain tremendously quickly.
He kept trying to bite down on the wood provided, but the intense pain increased so dramatically, all he could do was scream at the top of his lungs.
Vaggie and Raven finally arrived at the hotel, well past midnight. Vaggie stopped at the gate to examine the signs the team had set up.
"Oh for fuck's sake, Angel." Vaggie said as she rubbed her forehead in annoyance.
Raven read the signs, one by one.
"Come on, let's get you inside." Vaggie said as she entered the gate.
As they walked inside, Raven was on full alert for danger. She was looking left, right and her rear in quick successions as she followed Vaggie close by.
As they reached Dazzel's statue, Raven quickly read the plaque underneath before she quickly ran to catch up to Vaggie.
Vaggie reached the front door and knocked. The door was opened by Husk. But, before he could say anything, he was bumped out of the way by an excited Charlie, eager to see her new guest.
"V…Vaggie. Where is the girl?" Charlie asked with a little bit of concern, only seeing Vaggie.
Raven gently peered over Vaggie's shoulder, to see who had such interest in her.
Charlie squealed in excitement as she saw Raven's golden eyes. She grabbed her hand and shook it vigorously. "Welcome! You must be Raven! Allow me to introduce myself, I am Charlie, the owner of this lovely hotel and these are Husk and Niffty." Charlie said as she gestured to Husk and Niffty respectively. "Please, come in! We are soooo happy to have you here!"
"I…is she the one?" Raven asked Vaggie.
"Sure is. You can trust her, don't worry." Vaggie said.
"H…Hello Ms…Charlie." Raven said nervously as she stepped into the hotel, observing her surroundings.
"Come on, let's have a seat." Vaggie said to Raven as she gestured towards the common room.
Raven followed Vaggie, reluctantly.
"Boy, that girl is a wreck." Niffty said. "She will get eaten alive out there…lucky."
"Hey, Husk. Do you mind, you know what I mean?" Charlie said as she signaled at Niffty with her eyes.
"Don't worry princess, I'll keep her away from the new girl." Husk said as he picked up Niffty. She let out a disappointed "Awwww…" as she got carried upstairs over Husk's shoulder, like a toddler.
Charlie quickly entered the common room to see Raven sitting down on the couch while Vaggie was standing next to her. Charlie quickly took a seat in the chair opposite of the couch.
"Raven, it is such a pleasure to have you here. I don't know if Vaggie has explained to you our situation in the Hotel on your way here." Charlie said.
"Yep, explained everything to her." Vaggie said.
"Wonderful! So, first thing in the morning, we are going to start doing everything in our power to make sure you get into heaven as soon as possible!" Charlie said with a smile.
Raven was dead silent. She was completely unmoving, unblinking even. Her eyes seemed to be looking at Charlie, but her mind was elsewhere.
"R…Raven? Are you ok?" Charlie asked with concern in her voice.
"A…Am I…really…dead?" Raven asked slowly.
"Yes, I'm afraid so. I'm sorry." Charlie said compassionately. "But, there is still hope! Death is not the end as you can see. And it can only get better from he—"
A single tear streaked down Raven's bird-like cheek. Charlie stopped talking, realizing that she was taking this far too nonchalantly. She was used to interacting with Sinners that had been in Hell for years, and this was her first interaction with one that had just arrived in Hell.
Raven began sobbing…and then crying uncontrollably. It seemed that the calm environment had allowed her a moment of safety where she could finally fully process what was happening to her. All the emotions that fear had suppressed began floating to the surface.
"Mom…Dad! Cody…! I'm sorry!" She yelled. "I…I'm so sorry. I should have listened to you…" Raven cried. "I'm sorry for what I did!"
Raven's display broke Charlie's heart. To see such a young girl suffer so deeply, hurt. Tears were beginning to form in Charlie's eyes, but Vaggie remained stoic. Charlie wiped away her tears and took a deep breath. She stood up and sat next to Raven.
"Let it all out, it's ok." Charlie said with a compassionate tone. "You have no reason to hold back your emotions any more, just let it all out."
Raven continued to cry profusely as Charlie placed her hand over her shoulder as a means of comforting the girl. Raven seemed to have completely forgotten about their presence, in a world of her own.
"Vaggie, thank you for everything you did for us today. I will stay here and take care of Raven. Please rest, you must be exhausted." Charlie said.
"Are you sure? I can stay all night, really." Vaggie said.
"No, you already did so much. Please, I will see you in the morning." Charlie said.
"Ok, but call if you need anything." Vaggie said as she left.
Raven continued to cry profusely for a few more minutes before she started calming down into a quiet sob.
Charlie realized that this was the time to act. "Raven…" She said gently. "Please lie down on my lap. You must be exhausted."
Raven, without saying a word, obliges. "She…she could be a Demon." Raven thought to herself. "This hotel could be a trap that I walked in. For all I know they are going to tear me apart and eat my soul…but, thenagain, I don't care any more. I don't care about anything…anymore."
Charlie began to gently caress Raven's head as it was in her lap, facing away from Charlie. She continued that motion, delicately, for a whole minute. And then she began to hum gently.
Her humming was incredibly soothing to Raven as it reminded her of her mother, but the memory no longer made her cry, she had exhausted her tears and had no more to shed. She just laid there in Charlie's lap, enjoying the first moment of peace and comfort since she had arrived in Hell. She slowly closed her bright yellow eyes, wondering if she would ever open them again.
End of Chapter 9