Uncle Adam

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Five Months Before Extermination Day, 1930

Emily found that she learned a lot from Adam. Even more than she expected! It was easy to forget that he was among the most ancient of souls in all of Creation.

"Okay, Fluffcake, follow me. I got something interesting for you today."

Thus, she didn't question him before taking to the air with him and following curiously. They flew in silence for a while until they reached the Pearly Gates, with Adam taking a seat on the curled scroll bars on top. The young seraphim joined him with great intrigue as they settled into a silence, Adam leaned against the curving scrolls atop the wall while Emily sat upright and at attention. She watched on as a steady flow of new souls walked up to the entrance to the Gates of Heaven to be greeted and welcomed by Saint Peter.

"...What are we doing?" Emily finally asked.

Adam chuckled from his position. "Seeing how long you can keep your little ass still," he answered, getting a pout from Emily as she crossed her arms. "Tell me what you see, Fluffcake?"

Emily looked back out, tilting her head. "Souls walking up the path to meet Saint Peter?"

"Yep. Now, why do you think the first fucking mug a winner sees is Petey?" Adam asked with a grin.

"Because you don't want to do it?" Emily guessed, mostly joking.

"Nah, but also yeah. I left that hat a long time ago," Adam waved off lazily.

Emily blinked. "Wait, you used to have Peter's job?"

"Fluffles, I invented it," Adam said with a snort. "I had to explain this shit to Sera and the others, not surprised I need to tell it to you too. Earthborn souls leave behind their trauma and everything when they get to Heaven, but it still takes a fucking bit for it to set in. Having another human greet them makes it more real, helps them realize that they actually made it. That all the piss and shit is over. They're in Heaven, and they can rest. Relax. Enjoy fucking Paradise."

"But don't they already know it's true, in their souls?" Emily asked uncertainly. "I know Sera and the others told that a soul can feel it, as they shed the mortal coil and are free of sin's grasp."

Adam sighed heavily. "And this is some of the shit you and the other Heavenborn will never really understand, Emily."

She started a bit, redoubling her attention. With Adam, she learned if he used her name, it meant he was about to say something important.

"You never had to struggle in mud, to know how much it hurts to try so hard and lose anyway. You never knew the absolute depths of despair, or why some people thought hope was a cruel emotion. You've never known the dread of thinking something was too good to be true, and waiting for the other shoe to drop," Adam said, his tone older and wiser than he normally let it be.

Emily ducked her head a bit as she looked down. It was true. As a heavenborn, let alone a Seraphim, she had known nothing but a life of bliss and happiness in Heaven. It made her feel all the more duty-bound to help bring joy to the souls from Earth, most of whom had endured through things she could scarcely imagine.

"When people get to Heaven, they know it has to be real in their hearts, but some last bit of their lives on Earth cling to them, warning them that it can't be true. It's too perfect, too unreal. That it must be a trick, a dream. They don't WANT to believe it, because if they do and it isn't real? The disappointment could destroy them."

Emily accepted the lesson with humility and grace. "And souls instinctively know if someone is Earthborn or Heavenborn. So, it is easier for you or Peter to soothe their worries just by your presence."

"Aren't you a clever fucking pile of Fluff?" Adam praised with a grin. "Come on, let's go give them a watch."

"What?" Emily said as Adam got up and glided down to the Pearly Gate. At a loss, Emily flew after him.

"Yo, Petey!" Adam called out as he landed next to the saint.

"Welcome to- Adam?!" Peter said in surprise before turning to the newly saved soul. "Sorry about that. Welcome to Heaven," he said, watching as the souls filed in without need of a greeting. "Adam, haven't seen you up here in a while."

"Yeah, how is it going, First Pope?" Adam asked with a smirk, towering over the smaller soul as he did most of his relatively modern descendants.

While surprised by the visit, Peter still smiled. "As pleasant as always. Why, did you want to take over for old time's sake?"

"Nah, just showing the Sera-kid some of the ropes," Adam answered, raising his wing to reveal Emily, having landed behind his impressive wing span.

She smiled bashfully. "Hello, Saint Peter!" she greeted happily.

"Don't mind us, just treat the kid like a little apprentice for now," Adam answered lazily as he leaned against the wall next to the Pearly Gates.

"Oh? Does Old Adam need a nap?" Peter asked with a playful smile.

"I fucking toiled for nine hundred years and more, dammit. I sleep whenever I fucking please," Adam shot back.

Emily winced at the rather aggressive response, but Peter just chuckled. "Don't mind him. Adam might be a bit of a crouch and is the Patron Saint of Profanity, but he wouldn't hurt a soul in heaven."

"Oh, I know he wouldn't," Emily assured, glancing back to the large angel, Adam's mask devoid of a face as he took a standing nap with his arms crossed. "Has he always been like this, Saint Peter?"

"He's gotten a bit more free with his cursing, but he's been like this for the nineteen hundred years of my existence," Peter answered with a smile. "Oh. I'd talk more, but it looks like we have some souls that need help."

Emily watched in rapid attention as she saw Peter greet a handful of souls, each waiting their turn. An old man, happy and content while looking forward to seeing her. A young mother, her life cut short, saddened to leave her family behind. A man who lost his leg in life and couldn't believe it was back. An atheist Peter had to reassure that lack of religion was no issue for Heaven and needed no apology. Smiles and cries, tears of sorrow and joy, regrets and even laughter! Peter treated each one as a long-lost friend, all too eager to be a shoulder to lean on and tell their stories.

"Well, it looks like that's all the souls for now," Peter said as a group of souls past through the gates. "So, now that we have a moment. Emily? How many ribs did it take you to bribe our Esteemed Ancestor to get off his lawn chair?"

Adam snorted as he leaned off the wall, flipping the grinning saint off. "Funny. How's the smell of feet, Simon?"

Emily gasped. "Adam! You shouldn't say that!"

"Huh? Why?" Adam asked with a raised eyebrow.

Emily was about to answer but noticed even Peter seemed confused. "Because you're...mocking how he died...upside down? Aren't you?"

Peter blinked before chuckling. "Oh no, no, nothing like that, your grace!"

"Petey over here is considered the Patron fucking Saint of Foot Problems and Shoemakers," Adam explained with a snicker.

"Oh...why?" Emily asked with a furrowed brow.

Peter shrugged. "I haven't the slightest idea. I guess they just blew that "washing feet" thing way out of proportion. So, how many ribs?"

"Umm, none? He actually offered to help teach me," Emily answered bashfully.

"He did?" Peter asked in surprise, looking up at Adam now. "You did?"

"Yep, I did," Adam answered, looking down at him with a raised eyebrow. "Surprised?"

"Sorry, it's just...usually you aren't that active with the running of Heaven anymore," Peter said in interest before his eyes twinkled. "Wait, did having a young Seraphim in need of help trigger Old Adam's grandfatherly instincts?"

"Grandfatherly...?" Emily repeated in surprise.

Adam rolled his eyes. "I want to make sure this one doesn't end up like Sera with a rod where Heaven doesn't shine. So I'm helping the Fluffcake out, that's fucking it."

"Fluffcake," Peter repeated with a wide smile. "That. Is. Precious. I love it! Please, keep doing this."

"I can and will stuff that book up your ass and out your throat, Footboy," Adam warned with a flat tone.

"Adam? Saint Peter?" Emily spoke up with a small voice. "More souls are coming."

Both men looked out across the heavenly bridge. There, in the distance, was a thick horde of souls approaching them. Men and women, young and elderly, all Middle Eastern in appearance.

"Are there... supposed to be so many of them like this?" Emily asked in concern. "And so many children. Whole families. Was there...was there a plague? A disaster?"

"Emily, come on, we need to go," Adam said with a frown. "Simon is going to be very busy in a moment."

"H-huh? Oh, alright. Thank you for the time, Saint Peter," Emily answered as she took to the sky with Adam.

"It was nice to see you, Emily!" Peter called after with a wave before turning solemnly to the front.

Something clawed at her heart though as she turned around, hovering in midair to stare at the mass of souls. There had to be hundreds, maybe thousands of them. She clutched her hands to her chest in sorrow.

She didn't need to look to know that Adam was hovering behind her. "What happened to them?"

Adam didn't answer for a moment, debating answering at all. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Emily turned to look up at him with soulful eyes. "Yes. Please, Adam?"

Adam looked off to the side, into the abyss of clouds outside of heaven. "They tried to break away and form their own country. The country they were already a part of decided to make an example out of the region. Entire families and villages bombed away."

Emily gasped, hand to her mouth. "W-why would they...how could they..." she shuddered. "I knew humans do terrible things to each other sometimes. I knew...I knew innocents get caught between others fighting, but this...!?"

Adam hummed as he looked away from whatever he saw, looking at Emily again. "I didn't think you'd have to see something like this when we came down here."

"Should...Maybe we should stay and help?" Emily asked softly, floating back to the gate slowly. "There are so many of them and-"

Adam placed a hand on her shoulder. "You can't help them. Not yet. Saying the wrong shit is sometimes worse than saying nothing at all. Simon can handle it fine, and he has help if he needs it."

"I...I think I...I think I need to be alone," Emily said softly before flying off suddenly.

Adam watched as she left. He glanced back out to the clouds and shook his head. His gaze went down to Earth, and his golden sun eyes looked up a river.

A river filled with bodies, filled to the mouth.

"Fucking Ararat."

Extermination Day, 1930

"Hease oo Lone?"

Lute tilted her head as she read the words painted onto a cloth draped over Razzle's back, the beast angled for them all to see. The message was obvious, but it was equally obvious that someone had been too generous with the paint and the letters had begun to run and smear.

"Hi, Adam! Hi, umm, Miss Lute? Many Miss Exorcists?" Charlie greeted with a wave.

"Princess Hellspawn," Lute greeted, cold and neutral.

Charlie wasn't sure what was harsher. Lute's frosty greeting, or the lack of one from the other angel.

"Sup, Hellflake," Adam greeted idly. "What's with the art display?"

"W-well, I just remembered that, with everything going on, I kind of didn't always ask you all to go home and, umm, not have an Extermination Day?" Charlie answered sheepishly. "I know you're not going to stop yet, but I thought I should keep asking."

She could feel the stares of the hundreds of angels piercing into her. Some judging, some utterly indifferent.

"Well, I guess we better head off, Hellflake, "Adam said, waving over his shoulder to the angels. "Have fun, Ladies, I'll catch up later."

They all split off without a word, Adam starting them on their path.

Charlie was so deep in thought on the attitude of the angels, that she didn't realize how quiet the flight was until Razzle neighed at her. She blinked, realizing Adam hadn't said a word, hadn't even offered to let her ride on his back yet.

"Adam? Is something wrong?" Charlie called out, getting no response. "Adam?!"

"Hmm? What'd you say, Hellflake?" Adam called back. "Want this year's ride-along?"

"No. Well, yes, but...," Charlie frowned in concern, practically a pout. A selfless pout but still. "You seem like something is bothering you."

"Nothing you can help with, kid," Adam assured flatly.

"Probably not. But I can listen, and that can help a bit, right?" Charlie offered softly.

"Why are you so worried about me?" Adam asked idly. "Shouldn't you be happy? Maybe I'll get depressed enough to not bother with the Exterminations?"

"I don't want that!" Charlie answered quickly. "I know everyone has bad days, but-"

"Charlie, I'm from fucking Heaven. We don't HAVE bad days," Adam pointed out with an eye roll.

"... Then why are you upset?" Charlie asked.

Adam glanced to the side as something exploded down below. "Jump on my back before you get hit out of the air."

Charlie obeyed, Razzle joining her soon after in his smaller form.

Adam took a breath as Charlie settled in. "So, I fucking talked to Emi-phim the Fluffcake. We hit it off as a teacher-student thing, but I kind of fucked up a while ago."

"Oh no, did Emily get hurt?" Charlie asked in alarm.

"Not physically, no," Adam answered. "I took her to see Simon."

"...Who?" Charlie asked with uncomprehending eyes.

"Saint Peter? Fucker at the Pearly Gate?" Adam tried again.

"His name is Simon?" Charlie asked in bewilderment

"Yeah, Simon Peter, otherwise known as the first fucking Pope," Adam elaborated. "Anyway, I took her up to see him greeting souls that just arrived. You know, see how earthborn souls are before they adjust to being in Heaven and how having some friendly human mug to greet them helps."

"Okay, that sounds...like something good for an angel to understand?" Charlie answered carefully, making sure to word it best. "But how did that go bad?"

Adam sighed and relayed the story as concisely as he could, with plenty of expletives.

"Oh. I think I know that day," Charlie said softly. "There were a lot more souls coming in months ago, but only for a few minutes."

"Upstairs or down here, souls dying in one event tend to show up together, even if they died a day apart," Adam mused.

"But is Emily okay though?" Charlie prompted.

Adam sighed. "I think I shot her confidence in the fucking foot. I don't know. Sera thinks I was showing her that flood of souls as some kind of fucked up lesson, so she doesn't many me near her right now."

"...Like how Daddy didn't want us to meet anymore at first?" Charlie asked with a raised eyebrow.

Adam paused for a long, long moment. "You are a horrible influence sometimes, you know that?"

"I am?" Charlie asked in surprise.

"SIR, LOOK OUT!"

Adam made a sharp turn to the left to avoid being hit by something. "Flake, hold on tight or get the fuck off with Raz!" he warned as he came into an upright position. He looked up and saw Lute trying to stab a particularly agile demon. It had a human torso, but the head was a bird and the wings were arms. It was also devoid of anything below the waste, except some tentacle-looking bits.

"Hold still you damn-!" the exorcist growled out in frustration.

Charlie pulled herself up with Razzle's help to be holding on over Adam's shoulder. She immediately regretted this decision, seeing the sinner lose a wing and go tumbling down to the ground below. She trembled and pulled herself back down so she didn't have to see Lute zooming down to finish the job with a final strike.

"Charlie."

Her shaking stopped at Adam's strong voice. Not soft. Not hard. Just strong.

"You still want to try and change our minds, right?"

She didn't speak, she just nodded against his shoulder blade.

Adam suddenly let out a whistle, drawing the exorcist's attention to come up to him. "Lute, get your ass up here!"

"Sir!" she greeted, flying up to him at full speed. "I'm sorry. I thought it was a centaur type, but it turned out to be two-."

Lute stopped as she saw the Princess of Hell poke her head over Adam's shoulder. "I thought it was too early for you to be done with her," Lute said neutrally.

"Lute, take your mask off," he instructed simply.

Lute raised an eyebrow, but obeyed the instruction nonetheless, revealing her golden eyes and white hair.

"Hellflake, this is Lute, my second in command," Adam introduced. "Lute, this is the Hellflake."

"Hello," Charlie greeted, her smile wide even if her voice was less energetic. "It's nice to meet you."

"Princess," Lute returned coldly with her arms crossed. "Are you going to ask me to stop killing sinners and go home?"

"No, I already know you wouldn't," Charlie said with a frown. "But...you would if Adam told you too, right?"

"Yes," Lute answered instantly, without even giving it a thought. "You believe it would be easier to convince him than all of us?"

"No. Yes. Maybe?" Charlie answered uncertainly. "I know you don't like me, but I just...want to understand."

Lute glanced at Adam, who made no reaction or gesture. "Understand what, exactly?"

"Why you all do this every year. Why this can't...just stop," Charlie said with a frown. "You think you're protecting everyone in Heaven by doing this, don't you?"

Lute rose a single sharp brow at the question. "Think?"

Charlie winced. That was somehow more brutal than any other answer.

"Let me ask you, Princess? Have you ever considered what happens if we stop?" Lute asked pointedly.

"What do you mean?" Charlie asked with interest.

"We stop. The souls keep pouring in. What happens?" Lute prompted.

"I...don't know? We get more overpopulated?" Charlie asked uncertainly.

Lute shook her head. "Just like your parents."

Adam shifted. He didn't say a word, he just seemed to hold himself a bit taller. It was all that was needed to put their attention on him, Lute seeing the disapproving look displayed on his mask.

"Apologize, Sir, if I overstepped," Lute said with a dip of the head.

"It's fine, Lute. Carry on with the purge," Adam dismissed.

Lute nodded, redonning her mask and taking off.

"Are you...mad at her? For what she said?" Charlie asked.

"No. I don't agree with the fuck she said about you, but I can't really be mad at her," Adam said with some strange fondness.

Charlie wasn't sure what to make of that and was more troubled by something else as Adam resumed their flight. "You say I'm nothing like my parents like that's a good thing. She says I am like them as if it's the worst insult she can give."

"It is," Adam answered bluntly. "Comparing you to the Big Ls is literally the worst slander a soul in Heaven can give."

"They're still my parents," Charlie reminded with a frown.

"And you have my sympathies," Adam countered without pause.

"Adam!" Charlie said with a bit of frustration.

"Them being your parents doesn't change who they are," Adam reminded bluntly. "And before you defend them, do you even know who they are? Really"

Charlie paused with a frown "I only know what they tell me. And what you tell me. Neither of you tell me very much."

Adam took a breath before he said something horrible. "Kid? I hate your parents, but I'm not petty enough to casually destroy your precious image of them just to spite them. You don't deserve the bullshit that comes with being born into your family."

Charlie fell silent at that.

"Let me guess, they gave you a laundry list of reasons why not to listen to me, how horrible I always was, and all that," Adam said with an eye roll.

"...Mommy told me you named a flower after her. The Lily," Charlie said carefully.

"Yeah, that was on my list of things I wish I had renamed before shit went south," Adam said darkly as they approached the Devil's Manor and Charlie's balcony.

Charlie sighed as she slid down his robes. "That's a little much, isn't it? I know you hate them, I won't argue that, but do you really need to make it like they never existed?"

Adam paused before turning to look down at her. "Hellflake? All of creation would be a better place if they never existed," he answered bluntly, a strange softness to his voice. "You're the only good thing that came out of them since Eden."

Charlie blinked at the strange compliment. Every praise from Adam always seemed to come as an insult to her parents. She didn't like that, but it was still...something.

Adam gave a small huff. "We got so sidetracked with my shit, never really got a chance to let you ask or tell me much."

Charlie glanced out to Pentagram City, currently being attacked by angels. "I won't ask you not to...do what you do, but could you stay a little longer Adam?" she requested sincerely.

"As long as your parents don't show up," Adam agreed with a shrug.

"Why do humans believe in gods? I mean, there is no such thing as God, right?" Charlie asked curiously.

Adam took a breath. "Okay, wow, you brought out the heavy stuff. The answer is complicated, but the simple ass answer is; No, technically, God isn't real. Big G or little g. At the same time, every religion and myth is probably true in a way."

Charlie blinked. "What? But how does that work?"

"It's a long, horrible, shitty story. But the shortass version is that mortals can't fully comprehend angels or demons anymore. Or even visions of them. So they interpret them however they can," Adam explained.

"I don't think I understand?" Charlie admitted with a frown.

Adam thought for a moment. "Okay, here's an example. I'm Odin."

"...What?" Charlie blinked. "Isn't that supposed to be the leader of the Norse Gods?"

"Right, he also has a magic spear," Adam summoned his own into existence to make a point. "And has an army of winged battle babes that he takes on a yearly hunt."

Charlie's eyes widen for a moment before squinting. "Wait, but Odin only has one eye?"

"And that is where humans muddle the details because they get these visions like dreams," Adam answered, dispelling his spear. "They saw a vision of me and the girls. They can feel in the vision that I am ancient as fuck so they make me an old man. But the detail that the Exorcists' helmets all have a crossed-out eye got blurred and became the idea of the leader being one-eyed. Hence, Odin."

Charlie was utterly fascinated by this point. "So...none of the myths and legends are really right, but they're not exactly wrong either?"

"Oh no, some of them are wrong as fuck! But those are the ones humans just made shit up on their own," Adam corrected with a smirk.

"But, there are a lot of gods? They can't all be you and the exorcists," Charlie realized.

"Nah, those are the other angels too. And demons," Adam answered with a frown. "We have a whole group of angels tasked with figuring out the damn connection between human myths and shit that actually happened."

"That sounds...kind of fun. Like a puzzle or a riddle," Charlie said with a small smile.

Adam didn't say anything for or against that, waiting patiently.

"...Adam? Do you...think I can meet Emily one day?" Charlie asked cautiously.

"Sure," Adam answered casually to her surprise. "What, you're both immortal. In a thousand years, you'll probably meet her at least once."

"I guess that makes sense," Charlie agreed thoughtfully. "But...Mommy and Daddy said they haven't spoken to you since Eden, until...well, me."

"Yeah, that was intentional. The longer I'm in the same room with either of them, the more likely the treaty gets broken," Adam answered flatly.

It went without stating that Adam had forced himself to be almost civil around the Devil the past few years, if only for Charlie's sake.

"See you around, Hellflake," Adam said, unfolding his wings.

"Wait, one last thing?" Charlie said quickly. "...why are the Exorcists female?"

"Hm?" Adam looked at her curiously.

"Well, it's just...I kind of wondered. Is there a reason? Mommy thinks you...like bossing women around," Charlie answered carefully.

"Snake-fucking cunt of a whore," Adam cursed under his breath. "First fucking off, your mother LOVES being in charge, so I don't know where the fuck she gets off saying shit like that. Second? Yeah, there is a fucking reason. Several.."

"Like?" Charlie repeated with a furrowed brow.

Adam rolled his head back and forth. "Kiddo, we weren't always the only angels raiding hell."

Charlie blinked at that.

"I guess history isn't a big fucking focus down here. Figures," Adam muttered. "See you around, Hellflake."

Charlie watched him leave with a confused expression. In her hundred and some years of life in Hell, she had never really thought much about the deeper history of the past ten thousand years. Sure, she knew a few things. Like the revolt the Sinner Crusaders tried to lead against her parents, Dracula's attempt to unite Pentagram City against the Exorcists, and even some attempts by the Romans to form an Overlord Republic to instill order in the city.

But that was all relatively new history. Anything less than three thousand years ago was a relatively modern history for Hell. The other seven thousand? Almost no sinner remained that knew of that history, and her pants had never been eager to touch the topic. Did the family library even have books on what happened?

The extermination was a relatively normal one for Adam and the Exorcists. No overlords, just thousands upon thousands of sinners slain.

"Lute."

She stopped in midflight, looking back at her leader as the others continued home. "Sir?"

"You didn't overstep, for the record. I'm not going to ask you to pretend to be nice to the Hellflake on my account," Adam said simply.

Lute studied him for a moment. "You don't want to give her false hope."

"I don't believe she'll ever find a reason for us to stop," Adam admitted flatly. "But I do fucking believe she really wants to try."

"Is it not more cruel to let her believe she can, Sir?" Lute asked with a frown.

"If a child's dream must die, it should die gently, Lute," Adam said with a sage tone.

Lute stiffened before bowing her head deeply to him. "Of course, Sir."

"Danger-tits, unless you want to suck me off, raise your damn head."

One Day After Extermination Day, 1930

Adam searched thoroughly but quietly for Emily. She wasn't with Sera, he already knew that. Peter hadn't seen her since that day. She wasn't in her own room.

Eventually, he found her out by the waters outside Heaven's city, the same shore he had started teaching her own.

He landed and watched as her wings were out, curled forward. A ball of holly light formed at her wing tips, a pleasing glow of gold and white.

If Adam listened carefully, he could hear a soft tune of comfort in the air.

And then it popped.

Emily didn't get angry. If anything, she was disappointed in herself before trying again.

"You know that's pretty fucking hard to do," Adam said suddenly before she could start properly.

"Wha- Adam?!" Emily greeted in surprise, smiling before looking away. "I'm sorry. You must think I'm a failure."

"The hell you get that impression?" Adam asked with a frown. "Did Sera tell you that?"

"No. Though, she said I probably shouldn't bother you anymore," Emily said with a sigh.

"Then where is all this fucking shame practically bleeding out of you coming from?" Adam asked with a frown.

"I wanted your help, to teach me how to aid souls settle into heaven. But the moment I saw others in need, I fled and allowed sorrow to hold me back," Emily said softly.

"Emily, you're a fucking kid. Hundred years or not. You're allowed to not know how to handle this shit yet," Adam said with an eye roll.

"But then...why have you been avoiding me?" Emily asked curiously. "I thought I was...a disappointment."

Adam stared for a long moment, several memories echoing in his mind. "I hate kids like you."

"Huh?" Emily said in surprise.

"Not really, dammit. But kids like you are so fucking responsible and considerate, you make most adults look incompetent in comparison," Adam said with a head shake. "Fluffcake? I was avoiding you because I thought you were still...trying to deal with what you saw. And because Sera was pissed I let you see that."

"I told her it wasn't your fault," Emily said with a frown. "I wouldn't lie to her."

Adam shrugged. "Come on, let me give you some help with that trick of yours."

Emily smiled eagerly at his offer.

End of Chapter

So, free admittance? I tried to keep this from becoming a 1-year chapter. But I kept getting writer's block on how to minimize the Emily scene before I just decided to go with it. Still, there aren't going to be many 1-year chapters or Emily-focused chapters. Still, kind of glad I did. Emily and Charlie have this same inner nature of being deeply sympathetic to and concerned for others they can't actually relate to. There is a slight bit of alienness to their inner workings that is fun to explore.

Oh, right, and the massacre victims Emily and Adam saw at the bridge? Zilan massacre, Ararat Rebellion. I stumbled on this event after the name "Ararat" caught my attention for hopefully obvious reasons.

Also, Charlie has a brutal but honest conversation with Lute and we get more hints at the passed. Yeah, Adam and the exterminators weren't always the only ones raiding Hell. They're just the only ones doing it now. Which has many potential implications for Charlie(and all of you) to stew over. And yeah, all gods in this setting are Angels or Demons being interpreted by humans. Adam and the Exorcists are Odin and his Valkyries on the Wild Hunt. All religions are technically wrong, while still having some truth to them. There are no alternate pantheons or anything, just the beings of Heaven and Hell being interpreted through different cultures.

Until next time! And any that do so, have fun checking out the TV Trope page. XP