Thank you Conejo-Sama for the edited story : D, and sorry for being stubborn and not changing the way the music is presented, hahaha x.x

I want to thank everyone for the support for this fanfiction : ). The story has hit over 2k kudos! woooo

I want to apologize for my late responses to some peeps' comments from the last chapter. I kind of got hooked into writing chapter 17 and had to write it all out before I went insane from thinking about the scenes, hahaha. The chapter is pretty long, 7 k words, so please take your time to read it and take some breaks : )

Before reading

This chapter has two songs that I recommend, like the other times I included music, to listen while reading. Just like last time, I couldn't include all the lyrics due to copyright reasons, so only added some plus the lines of lyrics one should count before continuing reading the scene as the following format: ex: [4 * lines] - which means one should wait 4 lines of lyrics : ). Of course, if one doesn't want to listen while reading, that's fine :), at least i think you should listen to the songs before reading the scenes : D
The following songs are (I have also included hyperlinks in the chapter, and if the hyperlinks don't work then for sure youtube or listen to them in a streaming song service : ))

Journey - Don't Stop Believin'

Queen - The Show Must Go On

For the second song, continue listening to the music till the very last scene, the song plays for both scenes

Thank you Luna and kar-main for looking through things, and provided feedback : )
Thank you Conejo-Sama for editing majority of the chapter : ). I will be updating the chapter once they go through the rest of the chapter : ). I just had to update so my mind allows me to write up chapter 18, hahaha, cause I can be weird that way

Guest Review and Response:

Andrej: Well, looks like we will have to find out what happens with Adam : )

Chapter 17

Heaven

The Past

"Sera and Wimdor are appointing me captain of some fucking angel warrior squad," Adam lamented to Lepin and their bandmates one evening in his living room. They had been listening to one of Adam's new songs he had made up for their next gig. "They were acting like it's some kind of honor that Wimdor chose me over others. They sat me down and showed me what I'd have to do with the girls, and I said, 'Fuck that, too many fucking responsibilities. I ain't leading no one.'"

"What did they say?" their drummer asked calmly.

"Sera gave me one of those 'you better do it' looks, which means… we ain't gonna play as many concerts as we used to, I guess," Adam grumbled, fingers strumming his guitar briefly. "And honestly, it really pisses me off. Everyone knows how much I love playing these shows."

Lepin furrowed his brow but refrained from commenting. He understood the importance of any responsibilities given to them by Sera and the others, and they had to follow them. Yet, he couldn't help but feel bad for Adam while he looked frustrated. Adam passionately loved music, becoming a much happier person ever since he discovered rock and roll on Earth. Lepin didn't see why heaven wouldn't allow Adam to continue with what he was doing.

"'Protecting Heaven is crucial, Adam,'" Adam mimicked Wimdor's voice mockingly. "'You should be grateful to defend those who care for you, blah blah blah.'"

"But... defend us from what?" the bass guitarist queried, with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe some fucking fairies, I don't know, who gives a crap. We live in Heaven; no one's gonna attack us. For fuck's sake, there's no point of having warriors, and I'd rather sit here with you guys and just jam," Adam groaned before a mischievous smile made its way on his face. "And hook up with a bunch of hot babes, of course."

The group chuckled at Adam's choice of words while Lepin shook his head at them with amusement, but soon he felt his chest churn as he noticed Adam's smile wane, replaced by a somber expression as he gazed down at his guitar.

Adam really loved his music…

"Don't worry, Adam, it might not be so bad," Lepin offered, attempting to reassure him with a supportive smile. Adam's distant gaze remained fixed on his instrument. "And who knows, maybe you'll end up loving it, too. Just give it a chance. What's the worst that can happen?"

The day Heaven lost and the exorcists returned

36 days before the present

"Adam has departed." Sera informed Lepin, Emily, and other of the young high-ranking angels, who were gathered in the council room. They had been summoned for this dire announcement, which left them all in a state of bewilderment.

"What... do you mean, he's gone?" one angel whispered. Lepin was on the brink of voicing the same question aloud.

Sera, her face devoid of emotion, closed her eyes briefly before meeting their gazes with a tired expression. "Adam fell in battle against a demon, defending heaven alongside our warriors," she disclosed. "We mourn not only his loss but also that of several of our brethren. Retrieving their remains may prove impossible, as we must sever our ties with hell to safeguard our realm from further threats."

"What are you talking about?" another angel interjected, brows knit. "A demon attacking an angel, attacking heaven? Adam cannot be dead. This... this makes no sense."

Grief morphed itself upon Sera's features, a familiar look that Lepin had seen countless times among humans on Earth when they lost their loved ones. His chest tightened with an unfamiliar ache as he watched her.

Turning to Emily, who stood next to him, Lepin silently prayed for her to have her hands covering her mouth to hold back from giggling, which she would usually do when she was in one of Adam's jokes and failing to play along with it. Instead, Emily was shocked, her eyes wide, while staring at Sera.

"We shall honor Adam with a ceremony," Sera continued, her voice momentarily faltering, her gaze distant. "But first, we must inform the rest of heaven. We will-"

The rest of Sera's words turned into muffled noise, and without realizing it, Lepin fled the room, pushing past anyone in his path. He ran out of the building and swooped up into the open sky, soaring above the city and a large chunk of Heaven before he reached the area where the warriors lived. He darted through the maze of the small buildings, finally halting by a window. He knocked rather urgently after spotting Adam's primary squad gathered, all accounted for, except for Lute, which made him feel sick.

Was Lute one of the angels that also died?

"Where's Adam?" he demanded after Wildhair opened the window. His voice strained with suppressed emotion, though he longed to shout.

Wildhair, her eyes bloodshot from hours of tears, met his gaze before her face contorted with sadness. The rest of the girls, who were sitting on their beds, avoided eye contact, some breaking down into fresh tears.

Lepin felt the unfamiliar sense of anger rise in him.

"Where's Adam?" Lepin repeated.

"He..." Terminator began softly, but she faltered, unable to continue.

"What happened?" Lepin pressed, his impatience growing as the silence stretched on. "Sera said a demon killed him while protecting heaven on a mission. But Adam can't fight. He wouldn't have been assigned on such a dangerous mission. So, where is he?"

The girls continued to be silent until Rebel met his eyes with a mournful expression. Her lips pressed into a thin line before a couple of tears traced down her cheeks.

Lepin clenched his teeth. He glared at Wildhair and the others in the room before tearing himself away and shooting out to the skies, making his way to Adam's second house, which was close by on the beach.

Adam had always made it clear to everyone that the beach house was off-limits. Lepin had assumed it was a space for Adam to be alone and gather his thoughts, but at this moment Lepin didn't care as he barged in, calling out Adam's name. He made a beeline for what he presumed to be Adam's room; the walls were adorned with naked women and band posters.

No one was in the room.

Frustration gnawed at Lepin as he searched every inch of the house, checking each space to no avail. He didn't waste a second more in the building before flying back to the skies as fast as his wings could take him. He eventually landed at the front of Adam's main household.

"Adam!" he called as he stepped through the front door before he ran through the house. Darting up the stairs, he pounded on Adam's master bedroom door. "Adam, I'm coming in, and I don't care how many naked women you got there with you!" his words tumbled out in a frantic blur.

He forced himself in, only to be met with a disheveled room and an empty bed, its sheets in disarray, just like they usually were. Panic gripped his chest. He checked beneath the bed - even though he knew it was absurd to do so since Adam wouldn't fit under there - and opened the closet to find countless robes.

"Adam!" Lepin's voice cracked with desperation as he dashed through each room. "Stop playing games, Adam! This isn't funny!" His yelling turned angry as he still held on to the hope Adam was pulling a huge, mean prank on him. "You got me, okay?! I fell for it! You won!"

Room after room, he found nothing but silence and vacancy. Finally, he found himself in the theater room, the last unexplored corner of the house, where Adam loved to hang out with him and others. The dead silence in the space caused the dread within Lepin's chest to grow.

He stood there, struggling to regain his breath, but the pain ripping through his chest became unbearable. His shoulders quivered uncontrollably, and for the first time in memory, scalding tears streamed down his cheeks. He shook his head, yanking his beanie down over his eyes, his wings trembling as they fell limp.

"No... no... Adam... please..." he sobbed, the words catching in his throat as he recalled when he first met Adam, a silent human soul with beautiful golden wings. One who used to keep to himself and usually looked so lonely before Lepin had the idea to take him to Earth. The human who even helped Lepin find himself as well.

"Please, you can't... not you... please, this can't be happening... not to you."

His cries grew as he sank to his knees, feeling nothing but pure anguish. He finally understood how humans on Earth felt when faced with the loss of their loved ones. It was a pain he wished he never had, and amidst his grief, anger simmered, directed towards Sera and the others for thrusting Adam into the role of captain. Adam didn't want such burdens; he merely wanted to enjoy playing his guitar, sing, and get admired by his fellow humans in heaven. Why couldn't the high-ranking angels have left him be like they have done with the other human souls?

The anger grew a fiery red within his soul, as he recalled how, for a while, Adam would become so withdrawn into himself once he became captain and was sometimes consumed by bouts of anger. But the very thing that made his rage so painful was the fact he, himself, had encouraged Adam to do what Sera and the others wanted.

Lepin wanted to scream, as loud as his lungs were able, but all that escaped him were wrenching sobs as his wings wrapped around himself, his soul devastated by the loss of his close friend, one he had loved almost as a brother, one for he had only wished to have seen happy forever…

33 days before the present

When news spread of Adam's passing, the inhabitants of heaven were plunged into disbelief. After all, Adam wasn't just a human in Heaven, but also an angel, meant to be immortal in the promised land of everlasting happiness—a reward for righteous living on Earth. The realization that someone could be killed shattered their sense of security. Many succumbed to sorrow, not only for losing a beloved figure but also because Adam's death stirred memories of loved ones who were not among them and stuck in Hell. Despite the many years they lived in Heaven, they never once forgotten those who they cherished.

A few days had passed since the news broke out yet mourning persisted among the human souls. Molly and her two friends were in her shop, baking as many cupcakes as they could in order to uplift the spirits of their grieving companions. However, even while they worked, they felt the heavy pain in their chests.

Molly finished boxing some of the treats and walked out of the kitchen, setting them on the counter so she could look at her phone to respond to a text message she received a while ago – she usually forgot to take her phone off silent mode - before she glanced at a framed picture on a wall: a cherished memory captured with Adam during his first visit to her shop. He wore his iconic horned mask, flashing the rock sign, while she mirrored his gesture with a radiant grin. He had an arm around her waist, all the while sticking his tongue out with a playful charm. It was a moment she cherished so much. After all, she owed her shop's existence to him.

Before opening the bakery, Molly's life was rather dull, a repetitive routine of just waking up in the morning, socializing with her friends as they reminisced about lost loved ones and their past, and yearning for her brother at night. She would often feel a pang of sorrow whenever she thought about him.

She always found her brother being in Hell unfair. While they both lived on Earth, he had sacrificed so much for her, to protect her, and she fully believed he deserved to be in Heaven. There were times she felt maybe she should commit a terrible act so she could join him in Hell, but… was it even possible to be sent there? And would her brother want that?

She used to hear stories about Hell, how terrible it was, and she thought to herself, maybe her being in Hell would only be a burden to her brother since he would, once again, do anything he could do to protect her.

Yet… she wanted to be with him. She missed him so much.

She had hoped so badly that maybe one day he would join her in Heaven, that someday, Heaven would forgive him after a while. After decades of hoping, she almost gave up on such a dream, just like many around her had done.

But then, she had gone to a concert that removed her doubts, one that held a special place in her heart. Thinking about the memory evoked a gentle smile, making her search for a song cover - a piece Adam had once played, "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey. She pressed play, and her phone began to play the song.

"Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey

She closed her eyes and allowed the piano to pull her back to the night when Adam had sung in front of her and others in a large garden. They had been perched on some tree branches as he stood on stage, grabbing the mic as he smiled at them before he began to sing.

"Just a small town girl

[4 * lines]

… going anywhere."

Molly remembered how she had been silent while he sang, listening to his voice, to the words that made its way from the mask. As he played his guitar, it gradually became louder, yet maintained a softness to it, one that reached her heart gave her a sense of comfort as she too felt Adam's unyielding hope for something.

"A singer in a …

[8 * lines]

… in the night."

Molly pulled herself back to the present and smiled. She gathered the boxes in her arms and made her way out to the streets. After all, she had some cupcakes to give out to help people, just like Adam had done for her by pushing her to hold on to her hope to see her brother again with that song.

The same song also reminded her of the promise that she had made to her twin long ago, one she finally decided to fulfill. She wanted to make him proud of her when he finally joined her in Heaven and saw her bakery, to show him his sacrifices, while they were alive, were not in vain.

Of course, she was going to try her best and help others, in the same way her brother used to help her: by baking treats to comfort her during tough times in their lives.

As she walked down the almost empty streets, she swayed her head to the music. She would come across people who were walking as well, and they would hear the music coming from her direction. As they turned to her bemusedly, she would make her way over to them, opening the boxes to offer them the baked goods, which they would take with soft smiles that replaced their dimmed expressions, bringing her warmth in her chest and encouraging her to continue her mission.

She would fly back to the bakery to retrieve more filled boxes before she went back out. Sometimes she would go into other shops as well, handing out cupcakes to anyone who was inside.

As she continued to spread her good will to the people of Heaven as best as she could, her phone received a series of text messages after she failed to answer a few phone calls:

Kelly: Molly, omg, Molly!

Kelly: Answer your phone!

Kelly: You're never going to guess what Johnny found while camping out with his boyfriend!

Kelly: He found some little egg man and he says he came from hell!

Kelly: Can you believe that?!

Kelly: You were right all along Molly!

Kelly: People from hell can join us! ? ? ?

24 days before the Present

Sir Pentious was sitting on the couch by himself, flipping through channels aimlessly till he decided to turn the television off. With a sigh, he leaned back and closed his eyes.

He had been in Heaven for almost two weeks, and truth be told, he wished he were back in Hell, in the hotel, with his friends and his egg boys. He recalled Charlie's enthusiastic descriptions of Heaven. She had painted a picture of Paradise as a place of unparalleled beauty and joy, promising him endless happiness and fulfillment. Yet, here he was, unable to shake the feeling of emptiness that seemed to gnaw at his insides.

He remembered how, back at the hotel, surrounded by people who became his friends – Charlie, Angel, Husk, and Nifty – he had hardly noticed the void that had been his companion for most of his lifetime. Their presence, the interactions he had with them had been the best experiences he had ever had in his entire existence. He cherished such memories. And now, he felt depressed not being around them, not seeing their faces, hearing their voices.

In addition to missing his friends, he began to feel regret. He regretted not having the courage to be more upfront with Cherri about his feelings for her. Sure, he had kissed her before his 'death', but now he wished he had taken the opportunity to truly open up to her, to have had genuine conversations and got to know her on a deeper level.

But now, he probably wouldn't ever get the chance to befriend or have something more with Cherri, and he would never see his friends again… unless Charlie was successful with her mission to redeem people from Hell.

Actually, the more he thought about Charlie, the more felt bad for doubting her. She had already proven that her dream, her mission, was not impossible. He was physical proof that people could change. He, who was even surprised, should have been the least likely to be redeemed from the hotel.

And, since he had believed Angel was going to be the first one to be accepted into Heaven, then he should expect his friend to be the next one to show up soon… hopefully.

Sir Pentious heard the door creak open down the hallway, and soon, Sera emerged, followed closely by Emily, who wore a look of frustration.

Emily had called Sera over to talk about letting him out of the apartment, and he assumed Sera was going to continue to maintain him a secret from the rest of Heaven. At this point, he was prepared for the bad news.

"Sera, you can't do this," Emily protested.

"Adam is gone," Sera replied calmly. "There is no reason to keep his things in those houses, taking up space that others could use."

Emily swiftly moved in front of the door, blocking Sera's path. Her expression hardened as she stared up at Sera. "Why… are you doing this?" Emily's voice trembled with a mix of anger and sadness. "It's like you're trying to erase him from our lives. He meant something to us, especially to you, Sera. I don't care how much you act like he didn't, deep down, I know you're hurting badly. Because to you, Adam was…"

Before Emily could finish her sentence, Sera silenced her with a curt "Enough."

Emily's eyes welled up with tears, but she maintained her expression hard on the elder angel. "You can't just erase him like he never existed. You were there, Sera. You were the one who picked up the dust from Earth, who held it while the other angels and you used magic to bring him and Lilith to Life. Adam… he wasn't just another project… He was special. He was yours… Sera. You… you were more than just his creator."

"I said, that's enough!" Sera's voice raised in irritation. She closed her eyes and took a slow deep breath to steady herself. "We can't afford to dwell on those who are no longer with us," she replied firmly, her tone devoid of emotion. "Especially when we have humans acting rather distant from us. I need you to attend to them, Emily, help bring joy back to Heaven. Now, please step aside."

Emily continued to stand there, the tears still gathered in her eyes, but she did her best to hold them back. "I'll only do as you say, but only if you promise not to remove Adam's things from the houses."

Sera frowned at Emily's request, and the two stood there in a tense silence that even Sir Pentious felt. After a moment, Sera sighed. "I promise," she conceded, her voice resigned.

Emily visibly relaxed and let out a nod of gratitude, even though she still looked unhappy with Sera. She moved away from the door to let the elder angel leave.

Eventually, Sera stepped outside of the building and couldn't help but notice how a couple of humans down the street were looking at her with fear in their eyes before they flew off around the corner.

Sera had a bad feeling about the way people have been acting around her and the other natural-born angels the past few days; humans were now keeping themselves inside their homes more often, avoiding them.

She feared the human souls found out about the yearly exorcisms. But… there was no way they could have found out. The council would never go against orders and say a word about it.

She was beginning to believe maybe sending natural born angels to investigate what was causing the humans to act strangely would be a great idea.

For now, she flew off and made her way across the land, eventually finding herself standing before a statue of Adam. The statue stood tall and proud with a gentle smile gracing his lips, hands clasped together in front of him, as if in prayer, and his wings neatly folded against his sides. Surrounding it, a profusion of flowers bloomed, all planted by Vineat.

As Sera gazed upon the statue, she couldn't help but feel sick, angry, and...

She disliked the prayer-like position of Adam's hands. It was unlike him, a complete lie just like the one they'd given to the rest of Heaven regarding Adam's fate.

"He was special. He was yours… Sera. You… you were more than just his creator."

Sera felt her eyes close as her chest twisted and turned, recalling the day Adam and Lilith were created. How she had held a handful of dust from Earth in her open palms, hovering high in the sky alongside the other high-ranking angels. Having gathered around her, they had all joined hands and focused their magic on the dust, casting a spell that had made it glow with a golden light before she had infused her own magic into the glowing dust. She had watched the golden light swirl around her palms, delicate forms beginning to take shape into two tiny, embryonic beings suspended within a soft glow, a thin magical string connected to her magical essence.

Everyone had watched in awe as the forms had slowly evolved, their features becoming more distinct with every pulse of magic that they had continued to use. Eventually, the angels had paused their magic when the two beings had formed into newborns, their forms fragile, so warm and beautiful. Sera felt so happy as she had held them close to her chest. The magical string had turned into a faint shimmering cord extended from each of the babies' abdomens, still connected to her aura.

Everyone was warmly observing their new creations. A very powerful surge had washed over Sera as she had gazed down at the sleeping newborns, their tiny forms nestled against her. She had softly pressed her face on their tiny heads. A part of her had longed to keep them close, to witness how they would grow as she had held them. However, she had known she couldn't act on her own desires. After all, they had a plan to follow, one they had agreed to. With a heavy heart, she had reluctantly relinquished her hold on the infants, allowing the others to break the connection she had with them and pull them away from her with their magic.

At that moment, she had felt something stir within her. She had felt pain for some reason, and the babies' faces had also contorted with sadness as they had stirred when they had lost contact with her. But she had remained steady, as they had begun to quickly undergo a rapid transformation. Their bodies had elongated and stretched, their features morphing and shifting with each passing moment. Sera had felt rather put off by the process and felt the painful tug in her soul getting stronger.

Eventually, their new creations had become fully-grown adults. Sera and her siblings had sent them to stand on Earth's soil, all while giving them the knowledge they needed so they could thrive in the perfect land. They had made sure the two humans were facing one another so the first thing they saw when they opened their eyes was each other. The moment the humans had finally woken up, the angels had teleported one by one around their new creations with excitement.

Though they had created countless beings in the past, these had felt different, special, perfect. As the angels had sung praises around them, Sera couldn't help but marvel at the curious faces of their creations.

Adam and Lilith, they had named them, and with a tender smile, she had informed them of their origins, telling them they had been crafted from dust and blessed to exist in their celestial realms. The other angels had joined in, explaining to the newly formed humans who they had been and their significance.

As Adam and Lilith had gazed up at her with wonder and longing, as if they held a connection with her even now, Sera had felt the strange sensation in her chest again. It had been an odd feeling; one she couldn't quite comprehend. She had wanted to go down to them and hold them close to her just like she had done when they had been newborns, but she had brushed it off as overwhelming joy at witnessing the creation of such beautiful beings and simply offered them a gentle smile.

Sera pulled away from the memory, feeling the pain in her chest again, and decided it was now time for her to follow through with the secret that she had decided a while ago she would hold from her brothers and sisters.

She slowly looked around herself, her gaze sweeping the area to ensure that no one was nearby. Once she was certain of her privacy, she focused her magic to teleport away. In an instant, she vanished from Heaven and appeared above the vast expanse of land that had been created for Adam as his punishment, one she had pushed to make happen. It had been the only solution she had to protect him and Heaven, to thwart Moro's proposed idea.

As she looked down at the vast forest, she couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that gnawed at her soul. She remembered the cruel words she had spoken to Adam just days ago, how devastated he was. Of course, she had only been so harsh in order to play the part, to trick her brothers and sisters. She reassured herself again that he was strong, that he would eventually get over it, especially after she promised herself she would visit him from time to time.

Because deep down, she wasn't going to allow Adam in isolation forever. Adam may be their creation who has failed, but he was more than that to her. Emily was right, he was… special…

Adam and Lilith, they were created as a way to honor their father, and unlike other creations they have made, a direct connection was there between them and her.

When Lilith was sent to Hell, she had felt pain, but now, she felt she couldn't bear the thought of Adam being alone, of him falling apart even further than he already had in the past years. Not after believing he had truly died days ago.

When Lute came to them about Adam's death, it had been so devastating, an agonizing blow to Sera, one that left her feeling as though her own soul had been tearing itself apart. She had hidden away from everyone for a time. Her soul was filled with grief and regret. She had berated herself for not doing more to have not prevented his death, for not keeping him in line more…

She felt she had failed him…

Then, when she discovered that Adam was alive after all, even though he had fallen and become corrupted, a surge of conflicting emotions washed over her. Despite Adam failing the role given to him, she couldn't bring herself to care. All she could think about was protecting him, shielding him from further corruption, and keeping him from getting destroyed.

Sera paused in her thoughts when she noticed an area below was charred and wrecked. She assumed Adam must have lost his temper after they left him.

She descended towards the land and began calling out for Adam. However, there was no response. She called out again as she flew through the forest. Still, there was nothing but silence, broken only by the sounds of the artificial nature around her.

Growing increasingly uneasy, Sera searched deeper into the forest, finding trees, rocks, bodies of water, flowers, dirt, vines, but no Adam.

There was no sign of him anywhere.

But… How was that possible?

Suddenly, Charlie's voice replayed in her mind, when the hybrid had yelled at her and her siblings before they had left Adam behind.

"How could you even think this is okay?! He's one of your own! He's practically begging! Can't you see he's hurting and scared!? Please, you can't abandon him just because he's made some mistakes! It's not right to leave someone alone forever like this!"

Sera felt nothing but dread as she stood in the forest, alone, realizing Lucifer's daughter had once again succeeded in messing things up for her, but this time, in a way that would bring nothing but misery for Adam.

20 days before the Present

Hatred... She believed she had felt the emotion countless times, especially when she had run her spear through the disgusting sinners during the raids into Hell. Yet... now, as her chest burned an ugly red, to the point she felt it suffocating her, she realized she truly never experienced the dark emotion until she lost the one that truly mattered in her insignificant life.

She had spent days not talking to anyone, shutting herself from everyone. And oh... the uncontrollable rage that boiled in her almost drove her to lead her own massacre in Hell behind the high-ranking angels' backs. However, she had a feeling that soon she would be getting her chance to tear apart the monsters that took everything from her.

Lute was in the colosseum, large looking tarantulas launching at her, creatures that Wimdor had created for her. She sliced legs off from some while others their heads violently. The angelic steel arm that replaced her missing appendix glowed white as she used it.

She screamed with anger as she ran her new arm down to a spider's head when she tackled it to the ground before slicing another one with her spear that tried to attack her from behind. Four other spiders came at her from different directions, and she effortlessly dodged their legs that attempted to stab her, flying out of the way. She shot up to the sky before diving back down and running her angelic steel talons in one swoop.

Standing on the bench closer to the view were Wimdor, Moro, Uner, and two angelic warriors, two of Wimdor's top lieutenants. They all observed her, Moro wore a pleased expression, Wimdor a thoughtful one, while Uner seemed conflicted, especially when Lute finished taking the last spider down by ripping open its back, blood spurting everywhere, all while she imagined all the faces from those from the hotel.

She found herself standing among the corpses of her targets, panting heavily, glaring at the pools of blood gathering under the bodies, reminding her of the blood that gathered under Adam while she had screamed for him, all while he opened his tired eyes and offered her a soft yet sad smile, a sort of smile she had never seen him give before, one that caused her heart to ache so painfully that it almost brought her to tears any time she thought about it, haunting her tirelessly. She didn't understand what his last expression had meant. She had expected him to lash out at her for failing him or to beg her to save his life. Instead, he had a broken sorrow to him before he passed away.

She spent days trying to understand how she had failed him. Why had she allowed herself to be blinded with her rage against Vaggie instead of watching Adam's back? She hated Charlie and her friends, but most of all, she despised herself.

After all, Adam's death was mostly on her.

"Exceptional!" Moro exclaimed from the stands.

Lute wiped the blood off her face before walking over to them.

"You use that new arm of yours very well," Moro commented as he eyed the sharp talons that slowly retracted into the prosthetic arm. "It's remarkable how seamlessly you've adapted. Very powerful indeed… Imagine the possibilities if more of our forces were enhanced like this."

Uner frowned at Moro's words.

Moro shifted his eyes to Uner with amusement. "After all, sometimes, there is no other way around things. Isn't that right, Uner?"

Uner met Moro's gaze in silence.

Moro had reached out to him to create a weaponized prosthetic arm for Lute, made out of angelic steel. Uner was an angel who enjoyed experimenting, especially in regard to innovating their technology. He had only agreed to give Lute an arm to have the means to defend herself and continue to protect heaven in case Hell decided to attack them as well as to thank Lute for her services. But even then, he felt uneasy having her carry such a dangerous weapon. It was unnatural for anyone to have angelic steel as part of their body.

Moro turned his attention back to Lute, who was standing stiff with her arms behind her back.

"Thank you, sir," Lute said tersely. "I'll make sure it's put to good use. I'll do everything in my power to not fail you nor Heaven again."

"I know you will, lieutenant," he said. "And Heaven will need you more than ever before, especially with the troublesome situation we will have if we don't handle a… particular problem."

Lute's gaze steadied on Moro. "I promise I'll make sure every one of those foul creatures in Hell is torn into pieces," she said coldly, which made Moro chuckle, while the other two high-ranking angels remained silent.

"I appreciate your words, lieutenant," Moro stated. "However, the flaws down there," he gestured vaguely downward, "they're not our current concern. We have more pressing matters at hand. You, Lute, like the rest of your sisters, were created to protect and serve Heaven, and you, especially, have never wavered from that path. Your dedication has been proven time and again over the years, even though there may have been questionable moments. But, I believe, after the recent devastating mistake, you have learned your lesson and have evolved to be the warrior you were meant to be. You are the only one that can fulfill this important mission."

Lute felt her chest tighten, her hatred for herself, as well as Charlie and her friends, growing.

"Now, listen to me closely," Moro said, as his voice morphed into a serious tone. "You are to bring someone to us, a demon. Retrieving this individual won't be easy and there will probably be retaliation. Do whatever it takes to ensure the success of this mission, no matter what. And I mean it, Lute. No matter what the cost is, you must return him to us alive."

Lute's rage grew when she heard she had to bring a demon to the high-ranking angels, but she felt the desire to fulfill the mission grip her soul, especially as Adam's last smile continued to crawl into her mind.

"All of Heaven depends on this."

"Yes, sir," Lute said as she shoved all her emotions aside, except for the hatred she for everyone in Hell.

"Now, I suppose it's time to explain exactly what you have to do," Moro said, as his face returned to one of calmness.

As he explained the details of her mission, Lute's eyes slowly widened as they were filled with despair. She felt as if the floor turned into a massive black hole and sucked her in. All the while Moro's tone remained indifferent.

"Help us maintain order in Heaven, and I promise you, we will also restore Adam to his full glory."

19 days before the present

"The Show Must Go On" by Queen

Lepin jolted awake, eyes widening as the music blared through the room. He had been sleeping on one of the seats with his wings thrown over his body like a blanket.

"Adam?" Confused, he sat up to find an old recording of one of Adam's concerts playing on the screen before him. The room was then filled with Adam's voice as he sang.

"Empty spaces, what are we living for?

[2 * line]

… what we are looking for?

The memory of the concert flooded back to him: it had taken place a couple of years ago when Adam was in a much happier mood, adorned in a golden robe with matching metal mask horns.

Lepin had been holed up at Adam's place for days watching all of Adam's recorded concerts all by himself, not having the energy nor desire to leave Adam's home.

As Lepin tried to make sense of how the music video - featuring Adam's cover of "The Show Must Go On" by Queen - had played on its own, he sensed a presence beside him. Slowly, he turned his head to find a woman, her attention drawn to the screen, seated right next to him.

She was strikingly beautiful, her long blonde hair stretching down to her legs, and she wore a form-fitting purple dress.

Baffled by her sudden appearance, Lepin wracked his brain as he felt he had seen her before. Then again, it was hard for him to keep track with so many faces passing through Heaven. He had also seen way too many people on earth. His brow furrowed when he noticed the absence of a halo above her head. Instead, it rested in her lap, under her folded hands. The halo looked strangely familiar…

The woman then turned her head. Her purple eyes held a calm sharpness to them as they met his gaze, making Lepin's breath caught in his throat. He slowly left his seat as he backed away from her, his wings up in alarm. His eyes widened when he realized who she was; he had seen her before from images he had dug from records, driven by curiosity about Adam's past.

The woman seated before him was none other than Lilith.

"You're..." Lepin uttered quietly, his mind racing as he assumed why Lilith was holding what he believed to be Adam's halo. He recalled what Sera had said to him and others over a week ago regarding a demon taking his life. "You killed…" His words trailed off as his throat tightened, his gaze flickering down to the halo before he managed to glare at her.

Lilith raised a glowing finger, causing Lepin to tense, anticipating an attack. Instead, the volume of the music lowered.

"Adam isn't dead," Lilith said calmly, causing Lepin's wariness at her presence into confusion. "We aren't as fragile as you all like to believe." She lowered her hand and glanced back at the screen, where Adam was rocking out. "Lepin, is it?" she inquired. "If you truly care for him, unlike the rest of your… kind, then you're going to help me save him." Lepin's bewilderment increased as Lilith paused, a faint smile making its way on her lips as she observed the grin on Adam's mask on the screen as he sang. "And, of course, to protect the rest of the realms from the mess they have made..."

Hell

Present

Sinners were drawn to a warehouse that erupted into a roaring blaze during a late evening. The air thickened with smoke and for a fleeting moment people saw a twisted grin form, sending shivers down most of their spines before it disintegrated.

Those closest to the burning building saw a horned creature emerge from the heart of the inferno. Tattered, burned rags clung to his crimson fur frame, obsidian wings unfurled as if to make himself larger, golden eyes blazed dangerously as they hissed a threat to them all, making them back away with fear. Then, just as he had done after bringing destruction in the past days, Adam shot up in the sky and vanished into the unusually quiet city.

[1 * line]

"Show…

(The show must go on.)"

Author's Afternote

And that is the start of part 3 : D. Phew... writing this chapter took a lot out of me, hahaha. But i'me excited to write the next chapter : )

Yeahhh, the egg bois, hahaha, surprise suprise : )

And oh, look at that, Sera does care for Adam? What? more on that will be slowly revealing later in the story : )

What is Moro planning with Adam...?

And an appearance of Lilith? Whatttt? : D

So yeah, please let me know what you all thought about all the scenes, hahaha, i know, it's a lot x.x. And that last scene, hehehe, looks like Adam is causing havoc in Hell? : 3

Oh, and for those who heard the music while reading for sure let me know what ya thought about the music choices and stuff : D

Welp, next chapter, will be back to Adam : o

Thank you peeps for the kudos/comments/reviews/feedback 3. I appreciate them : D!

(Please, if you can leave a kudo in archive of our own, I would appreciate it : ). Just helps boost the story up and hopefully gets new peeps to read it, trying to get peeps to like Adam more, hahaha (my secret mission :D)