Art by T Poser225 https://aminoapps.com/c/hazbinhoteloffi/page/blog/vaggie-as-an-arc-angel/zBVx_YMixuYXnwVxxYoNwkP0q87LKdb2aaFn
“Moments Before the Fall” by Shannon Lane https://www.artstation.com/artwork/4bLJwW
Art by
bloodrainingnightmare
Ascension (Vaggie)
“Vagatha…”
“Vagatha…”
The sound of her name mingled
with the chorus of a choir. A black void was all she could see…if she actually
had vision. Floating in the darkness, no physical feeling…she didn’t appear to
have a body at all.
For a moment, she just…was.
“Vagatha…”
The vocalizations appeared to be
coming from above. Faint rays of white light appeared, slowly reaching out.
Though bright, it’s wasn’t blinding…it was light at the end of a tunnel of
space and time.
The light radiated closer, and
as it did, her senses sharpened.
Wait…wasn’t she…dead? Why could
she perceive this event in the first place? Death meant a change into energy, a
merging with the universe…at least that’s what many spiritualists believed.
Had the choir not sung out her
name, she may have forgotten who she is…or was.
Vagatha was apparently her name…she
knew it sounded familiar, but also wasn’t quite right. Too formal and too long.
A shorter, better-suited version
would be…
Vaggie.
She felt every inch of her
ethereal being yell out her name, but no sound came out. It was similar to a
person declaring something in their sleep, or speeches inside the mind.
Repeating it, holding onto the word that could somehow connect her to what was
before…and what was to come.
The darkness was soon dispelled
by the light and the whiteness around her gained the form of large puffy
clouds.
Moving forward until an unseen
force froze her in her tracks, the deceased soul saw a unique sight. A slightly
rusted golden gate blocked her path. A silver sign next to it read “Low Level
of Heaven.”
Heaven?
An angel appeared next to the
gate, clothed in white dress pants, a white shirt with a golden bow-tie and a
pair of white feathering wings folded behind his back. Strangely enough, his
face was completely white, with red blushes off to the sides on either cheek. His
hair was bronze gold and short, looking white. If he hadn’t looked so serene
and regal, she would’ve considered him a clown.
He stared at her and spoke
wordlessly with his golden eyes. “What’s your name?”
She knew what to say. “I am Vaggie.”
“Vagatha Gonzales,” the angel
stated, looking at a holographic list that appeared in front of him. “Formerly
of Earth. El Salvadorian ancestry, born to Jeffery and Margaret on May 10th,
1992…”
The angel’s words faded in and
out in a haze. She was on the brink between matter and ether. Until something
snapped her into focus.
“…died in 2014 of stab wounds
and homicide.”
Brief traumatic-inducing images
flashed in front of her, but she couldn’t quite piece them together.
The angel then went on naming
all the good and bad deeds that Vaggie had supposedly done in her previous
human life. He started off with the good:
“A hard-working individual,
devoted to her values/faith. Protective of children, animals, and flying
creatures: Moths in particular…”
How in Heaven and Hell could he
see through her?
And then the so-called sins…
“…harmed and maimed various
racist men in the name of your family and Hispanic women…displayed lustful
feelings toward other females…”
A boiling feeling of rage filled
her body-less form. Her previous memories started to rush back to her. “Love, not lust! It’s who I was. Who decides
what’s good and what’s bad?”
“God, the Heavenly Father,” the
angel answered.
“Read my mind again. I dare you!”
“You don’t technically have one
as of yet.”
“Then where’s yours? Did you lose it?”
The angel sighed. “Let’s just
get through this interrogation process smoothly. I have eternity to reside
here, but I’d prefer to not waste much of it on arguments.”
Vaggie fell silent. “Anything neutral about me?”
“You liked punk rock music, 80’s
music, and Latino music.”
“O…kay? When I get into this place, can I listen to them?”
“If you truly get in,” the angel
added. “All souls begin with an evaluation and judgement. The majority are
neutral, like yourself. The evil and unfaithful get sent down to Hell. Only the
heroic and legendary can reach the highest levels of Heaven and find
fulfillment with God.”
Vaggie was silent again.
The angel turned red in the face
and summoned a piece of paper in his hand, glancing down at it. “Or Nirvana. Or
Akasha. Or becoming one with the Universe and the Higher Self,” he read. The
list of other faiths went on, though Satanism and certain Pagan faiths were not
included. “Man, diverse times in the mortal realm call for more accommodations
around here…”
“Who the fuck are you?!”
“To answer your current
question,” the angel added, unfazed, “My name is Puriel. I am an examiner of
souls brought to Heaven. Each soul gets one chance in Heaven at the lowest
level. Those who can prove their worth can ascend to higher planes. It is a
starting point for the majority of souls. Sadly, there are more that end up
going to Hell, which poses a big problem.”
Puriel continued.
“But more on that, later. And
yes…other realms do exist…Enlightenment, Avalon, Summerland, the Void, etc. The
lower level of Heaven is a basic starting point for the afterlife, mostly
because it’s been woven into mortals’ minds for centuries. Souls are given one
chance, though there are, of course, exceptions.”
Vaggie could already feel
Puriel’s eyes judging her.
Puriel waved his hand and spoke
an ancient incantation. Vaggie somehow understood it: “Breath is lost, a new
life found, Temporary form to this soul be bound.”
Vaggie’s new form very much
resembled her previous human form…thought it was also very different. As a
human, she had thick dark hair, light brown skin, and a thin but strong
physique. She had gotten her muscular tone from martial arts and hard work. She
frequently wore gothic outfits of black, gray and pastel pink.
Her skin was now slightly light
gray, her hair long and white with faint bands of red along the tips. A pink
bow was perched on her head, like the one she enjoyed wearing as a human. Her
eyes were large and the sclera orange. She wore stockings over her legs, the
right one navy blue, the left one with pink stripes on it. Her white mini dress
with two xs over her breasts covered the top half of her legs and exposed her
light gray shoulders. She wore a blue undershirt and a tight collar around her
neck. A large pink X appeared over her left eye, the same eye that had been
damaged in her previous life. Vaggie’s most stunning feature was a pair of
white feathery wings that materialized from golden light and emerged from her
back. Her wings also had thin red bands along near the tips.
“This is the form that appeared
in your mind, so at your request, this is your usual form for the afterlife,”
said Puriel. “Your redeemed form will be the one you possessed as a human.”
“Thank you,” she replied,
staring at herself. She would have to get used to her alternate form, but
already it seemed fitting for her.
Puriel spoke another incantation
and several portals opened up in a row above the gate. The faces that appeared
in the holes were the faces of other angels: Michael, Raphael, Haniel, Gabriel,
and even some Angels of Death: Dumah, Azrael, etc.
In the very center, another
portal opened, revealing six winged seraphim angels guarding a hovering throne.
God Himself, appearing as an elderly man with a great white beard, gazed upon
his subjects and attendants. He began to talk with the council of angels
residing in different spheres of Heaven.
Vaggie couldn’t make out the
words, as they were speaking in a divine language only few had the privilege to
learn.
After what felt like an
eternity, God left and one by one, the angels and the portals vanished.
Puriel turned to Vaggie.
“Your misdeeds by themselves would originally
send you right to Hell, but you also have a chance to repent based on your
values of justice and wisdom.”
“You have several choices.
First, you can return back to the void of nonexistence. No feeling, no memory,
nothing…thus bringing balance to the universe. For what emerges from the ether
must eventually return. Those who die a second time in Hell, Heaven, or any
realm, will cease to exist again.”
“Just stop with the philosophical bullshit.” Vaggie clenched her fists, eager to get past this unbearable lecture.
“Second, you can travel to other realms and
see if they’ll let you pass…though it may take a while and it’s not guaranteed.
Third, you could go straight to Hell and become a demon…though it’s not
recommended.”
“…Or, if you choose to stay here…you are to
become a member of our Exterminator Angels of Death. This is determined based
on both your proficiency in fighting and weaponry…but also on your neutral
nature overall. Though your past human actions would be considered malicious,
your overall intentions were pure. Once initiated into the soldier ranks, you
will need to prove yourself in order to potentially ascend to higher levels of
Heaven. What say you?”
Vaggie thought for a moment. “I want to stay in Heaven and see my
family.”
“Do you solemnly swear to serve
in the name of Christ the Lord and embrace His ways and the ways of the
citizens of Heaven?”
“I accept.”
A flaming white halo with little spikes through the brim appeared above
Vaggie’s head. A small white arrow with the shape of a French emblem appeared
in the center of the halo.
“Close your eyes and focus,”
said Puriel. “Say, ‘Saint Samael, I’m ready for duty.’”
Vaggie did so, and she instantly
transformed.
A harpoon weapon appeared in her
right hand and an LED mask in her left. Dark curved horns arched slightly past
her head, her white hair vanishing under a dark hood. Her wings now sprouted
black feathers which were both strong as steel and lightweight for graceful
movement. In replacement of her normal outfit, she now wore a kind of black
body suit with feathered gauntlets over her arms and lower legs, all black. She
stared at the LED mask which displayed a glowing white eye to the left, an x in
place of an eye on the right and a large glowing white grin. There appeared to
be faint red stains off to the sides. Vaggie almost recoiled at the grotesque
item. Hesitantly, she put on the mask and was still able to see clearly.
“Archangel Vagatha,” Puriel said, declaring
her new title. “Your fate has been decided. Your mission is to purge the
demonic citizens of Hell once a year to reduce overpopulation to a set quantity.
Any relationships and fraternization with the citizens of Hell is forbidden.
Your training begins at twilight.”
The gates finally opened
soundlessly and Vaggie flew through. She was amazed at how she quickly got used
to her wings, like they were a second pair of strong arms. Her harpoon somehow
felt natural in her hands. She was half tempted to throw it at Puriel, but she
knew that the mostly immortal being would not be happy.
Was he immortal? Was she
immortal, even in this peculiar plane of existence?
“And Vagatha,” warned Puriel as
she briefly glanced back at his row of strangely sharp white teeth, “Break the
rules of God, and you’ll fall from grace. Your halo will vanish and your wings
will burn off. You will become nothing else but a demon of Hell forever.”
Preparation (Charlie)
“Charlotte, it’s almost time for
the show to begin. Hurry on down!”
A young teen demon was sitting
in front of a mirror decorated with yellow eyes with black pupils along the
elegant rim. She put on a dash of red lipstick while her two goat dolls, Razzle
and Dazzle fixed her hair.
“Dad!” called the blond-haired
princess from inside her room, “I told you to call me Charlie! Charlotte sounds
too…strange.”
“Well that’s your name, you
should be used to it by now.”
Charlie rolled her eyes and
stared at her reflection: golden yellow eyes, a ghost white face with red
blushes off to the side of her cheeks, razor sharp fangs when she smiled. She
was so excited, she could barely sit still.
When her attendants were done,
she stood up to admire herself and her outfit. A candy red pinstriped dress
nearly touched the floor and felt slightly tight around her waist. An enchanted
light purple snake was wrapped around her waistline, both serving as decoration
and self-defense in case of grabby onlookers. It was very similar to the snake
that her father Lucifer kept around his white top hat (though both were
protective of their owners thanks to Lucifer’s magic). Spider web leggings
covered her pale legs and on her feet were black tap-dancing shoes. One of her
feet was already moving up and down slightly. Finally, Charlie wore a black
spiked crown with a red apple gem in the center.
“My 150th birthday!”
she exclaimed, doing several happy jumps. “I’ve been waiting for this moment
for a while.”
Indeed, it had been 150 years
since she had been born in Hell to the king and queen. Unlike humans, the
demons hardly aged at all, or if they did, it was a very slow process. (Then
again, they were already dead, so it didn’t really matter.)
But Charlie had heard of the
interesting human tradition they called “birthdays” on Earth. She insisted to
her parents they had to celebrate hers once a year.
While Lucifer
had been reluctant, Lilith agreed.
“We can’t
participate in that foolish human tradition,” Lucifer argued. “Especially since
we aren’t alive and our people are supposed to be suffering twenty four,
seven.”
“If it makes
our daughter happy, then so be it,” she said. “Besides, no one else has to
know. It’ll be one of our traditions.”
“Very well,”
he said. “But since Charlie gets a special day of her own, why don’t we make
some days special for us…if you know what I mean.”
He gave her a
devilish wink and she grinned in return. “A special day for domination…I’m up
for that.”
Charlie had
then entered the room, asking “What’re you talking about?” and the topic was
changed.
“So, about
that meeting with the other overlords?” Lilith asked her husband.
“As usual, I
warned them they needed to know their place.”
Rolling her
eyes, Charlie had left to play the grand piano.
“Are you
coming or not?” Lucifer asked, snapping her back to reality.
“I’m ready!”
she called, opening the door.
There was her
father in front of her, smiling his nearly ever-present grin. Like her, he had
(much shorter) blond hair, a white face, blushes on his cheeks, and yellow
eyes. He wore his usual white and candy red suit, with his white top hap with a
snake along the rim. A black staff appeared in his hand with the Forbidden
Fruit on the top: a red apple. Lilith walked over to stand beside him, wearing
an elegant red dress and her usual black crown between her red horns on her
head. She had blond hair even longer than Charlie’s and was taller than
Lucifer.
“Oh Charlie,”
exclaimed her mother in a soft voice, “You look so beautiful! You remind me of me
when I was your age.”
Charlie
embraced her mother in a happy hug. “Come on, now,” Lilith said, letting go and
beckoning her to come forward. “Our guests are waiting.”
The “guests”
were actually some of Lucifer’s snakes which he reluctantly enchanted to take
on the appearances of…
“Disney
Princesses and Harry Potter wizards,” Lucifer muttered in disgust. “It could’ve
been wounded demons sprawling in pain on the ground like in the past…”
Charlie walked
down the curving staircase down to the lobby of her family’s mansion. The
“princesses” smiled and waved at her and some threw flower petals to her (which
were actually dried scales dyed pink.)
“You know how
much she doesn’t like that,” Lilith mentioned. Charlie took the stage and began
to sing.
“But those
enchantments aren’t even real,” he said. “It’s one of the ways to prepare her
for her future duties as Hell’s princess.”
“And what’s
the other way?”
Lucifer
whispered into his wife’s ear and her eyes widened in both delight and
hesitation.
“Oh that’s
right. Today is also that day.”
“Surely she
will enjoy getting a glimpse of what happens out in the world,” Lucifer smiled.
“But…what if
it’s too much for her?”
“Too, much?”
Lucifer asked. “She’s 150 now. She has to be ready. It’s a growing up right of
passage that cannot wait any longer.”
They watched
Charlie take a bow as her doll demons clapped.
“Trust me,”
said Lucifer. “She’ll be delighted to witness her first…”
“Cake!” Charlie squealed. “Oh my
Satan, that’s amazing!”
A devil’s food cake was rolled
and set on a table in front of her. It had chocolate frosting (per her
request), spidery snakes on the top and a fat red apple candle.
After singing to her in their
deep hellish voices saved for certain occasions, Charlie pointed her clawed
finger at the candle and the flame shot into the air, bursting into red apple
fireworks. The noise spooked the apparitions and the regular snakes appeared
once more.
For the first half of the
private party, Charlie entertained her parents by demonstrating her dancing
skills up on stage. For Charlie, dancing wasn’t just a hobby: it was a way of
life and a method to express her deepest feelings that she couldn’t put into
words. Razzle played the grand piano and Dazzle played a violin as Charlie
sang.
As the day neared its end, the
clock outside rang out twelve times. In the past years, Charlie would head
upstairs to her room to watch musicals while her parents went outside for some
“entertainment.” Now this time, Charlie would get a chance to be with her
parents.
“It’s a special surprise,
sweetie,” said Lucifer. “Since it’s a big day for you, I’d like you to follow
us.”
He said it as if it were an
order. Feeling bewildered, but still very excited, Charlie let her parents led
her up the elevator and toward the uppermost balcony. Razzle and Dazzle
followed close behind.
Soon, the group walked onto the
balcony that overlooked the crimson sky and dark clouds of hell.
Charlie stared out into the
distance as the clock tower rang one last time.
“I don’t see anything,” she
said. “Are we waiting for fireworks? Or a rainbow?”
“Silly Charlotte,” said her
mother with a smile. “You’re about to witness something even better than those
things.”
“A spectacle that you’ll gladly
remember for years into your rule,” her father added.
Charlie smiled wide, until
seeing a speck of something in the distance. It looked like a circle of white
light that slowly grew larger into the shape of a portal.
“Huh?” she asked.
Lucifer smiled. “Charlotte,
welcome to your first Extermination.”
Then…a swarm of dark flying
creatures burst out of the portal. The shadowy figures rained down on the city
below. Charlie looked closer and could see they had black feathery wings, dark
curved horns and glowing white halos on their heads. Each one carried
variations of spears, harpoons and other weapons in their hands.
“What are those things?” she
asked.
“They’re angels,” said her
mother.
“Angels?” she asked. “You mean
like the ones in human myths?”
“No, dear,” said Lucifer, his
grin wide. “These are no myths.”
All of a sudden, one flew close
by and Charlie reeled back in fright. The angel that glided past had an LED
mask on with a large sinister grin and an x over its right eye. The angel threw
the spear in his hand, and the weapon struck a large parrot-like demon in the
heart. The bird let out a shrill squawk as it plummeted to the ground.
Charlie glanced down at the
streets and let out a sharp gasp.
Down below, demons of all shapes
and sizes scattered from the onslaught of angels descending on them like hungry
vultures. A demon with three heads was unfortunate enough to have a harpoon
struck through all his heads, causing the creature to collapse. Two other
angels were choking a red dragon demon, the creature’s eye bulging. Two
hellhounds whined in pain as electricity from another spear struck them both in
the backs. The bipedal canines crashed to the ground and did not move again.
Nothing but screams, robotic
laughter, and carnage. The longer she watched, the more frightened Charlie
became. Soon, the rotten stench of death filled her nostrils.
She glanced back at her parents
casually watching the show from their chairs like it was a musical.
Tears sprang from Charlie’s
eyes.
“What is all this?! Why are you
showing me this?”
“It’s a yearly extermination to
reduce the population of sinners once a year,” explained Lilith. It was like
she was talking about the weather.
“Those are our people!” she
cried. “And you’re just letting this happen?!”
“There’s no need to act so
brash,” Lucifer scolded. “It’s just a natural way of ensuring that evil gets a
through cleansing.”
“Cleansing? This is murder!”
“Sadly, it’s a necessary act,”
Lilith added.
“As you know, I was once an
angel,” said Lucifer. “I was banished down here and nearly killed myself. But
then God, the angels and myself came to an agreement. The Exterminators could
kill citizens in Hell once every year, while we, the royal family, would be
left alone. It does make sense, considering we are the most powerful
individuals here.”
Charlie took several ragged
breaths. “What’s so special about us? What about them?!” She pointed down
toward the fleeing demons rushing into cars, stores, and even dumpsters to try
and get away. Down over at the poor section of Imp City, the imps were even
less lucky. The one ones who could escape were ones with enough proficiency to
create small portals or to shapeshift into Exterminators to trick them.
“This is Hell, Charlotte,”
Lucifer said, eyes narrowing in frustration. “Suffering is what those lowlife
scum deserve to experience. Just be lucky that we don’t have to deal with
that.”
“Vaggie,” Charlie breathed
almost in a whisper, already concerned about her friend.
“Now stop fooling around and
embrace this momentous occasion,” said Lucifer.
“No,” Charlie said.
“Excuse me?” asked Lucifer,
eyebrows raised.
“NO!” she cried, tears running
down her face. Her eyes turned red and her long horns emerged from her head.
“I’m not gonna sit here and let more of my people die. I can’t believe you hid
this from me all these years!”
Charlie summoned Razzle and
Dazzle and the two goats lifted her up and carried her down to the streets.
“GET BACK HERE AT ONCE!” Lucifer
bellowed.
Ignoring her father, Charlie
landed down on the cracked asphalt, nearly stepping on a severed horned demon
head. Razzle and Dazzle hovered nearby.
She saw three angels corner a
frightened cat demon with a spotted brown face who held her paws up. Spears pointed
toward her head and heart, the feline gave one last sorrowful meow.
“HEY!” Charlie bellowed in her
demonic voice. She was seeing red. Her black shoes clacked against the
pavement. “STAY AWAY FROM MY PEOPLE!”
The three angels turned at the
same time, their eyes glowing red and teeth spread out when spotting her. The
cat demon scurried up the wall with her claws and leaped from roof to roof out
of sight.
Flames receding from her body,
horns shrinking back, Charlie backed up in fear and gulped as the angels
advanced, their weapons at the ready. Razzle and Dazzle shuddered and held on
tightly to Charlie’s hands. Just as the angels threw the spears and Charlie
closed her eyes…
She heard a sickening thud.
The spears had struck a pair of
black fiery wings. The spears vanished in flames before flaming swords
materialized out of thin air. The angels were struck by the swords, causing
them to back up.
Lucifer’s eyes were red, his
temporary black wings made from his enchanted snakes merged together.
“LEAVE.”
His demonic voice could stop the
heartbeats of an entire group.
Charlie slowly stood up once the
angels had retreated and stared into Lucifer’s glowing red eyes. He slowly
turned his head toward her. Though he was furious with her, she could see a
small tear roll down his cheek before being evaporated by the heat.
“IF YOU EVER DO SOMETHING
FOOLISH LIKE THAT AGAIN, I’LL MAKE SURE YOU NEVER LEAVE OUR MANSION. YOU WILL
BE GROUNDED UNTIL THIS PLACE FREEZES OVER. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”
Charlie nodded with a whimper.
“YOU WILL ACCEPT YOUR ROLE
WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.”
Charlie glanced over toward a
group of demons and gasped. As her father raised his hand toward her, something
inside Charlie stirred. A peculiar feeling in her temple, just between her eyes
began to tingle with warmth. It was almost as if time stood still.
When Charlie stared hard at the
three homeless demons from a distance, she could almost see their faces briefly
morph into their formerly human ones from their past lives: a white skinned
bearded man with a bottle of alcohol in his hand, a mother with a cut-up face
in torn prostitute clothing, a sobbing blonde boy in the mother’s lap just
learning how to use a gun…
Before Charlie could say
anything, a glowing magenta pentagram surrounded her and she was transported
back to her room with Razzle and Dazzle.
Progression (Vaggie)
Vaggie couldn’t believe her
eyes. Being so overwhelmed the day before with dying and becoming an
Exterminator, she hardly had time to admire the shimmering city in the clouds.
But now, as she made her way to
the armory for her training session, she couldn’t help but stare in wonder.
The architecture of the
buildings ranged from Victorian mansions, to modern tech buildings made of
glass and metal, to grand temples made of gold and silver, devoted to various
gods, but mostly to Jesus. The streets were spotless and the roads were made of
polished obsidian that was always smooth. Solar panels lay on every roof,
powered by the sun. In the center of Holy City stood a mighty cathedral made of
marble, reminiscent of Notre Dame. Several roman-style fountains were scattered
around the city. One was a statue of Mary and Jesus as a little boy.
Looming like Mount Olympus stood
God’s palace, made of gold and precious stones, the gates made of
indestructible diamond. A nearby garden connected to the palace housed the Tree
of Life and the Tree of Knowledge, guarded by several angels and a golden
dragon.
What was perhaps more intriguing
were the citizens themselves. Some of them resembled typical white-winged
angels: blonde or light colored hair, pale white faces with red blushes on
their cheeks and yellow soulful eyes. Ironically, many of them had razor sharp
teeth. The clothing they wore varied just as much as the outfits in Hell,
coming from many periods throughout time. She noticed a dozen different ones:
Roman tunics, medieval dresses and suits of armor, Egyptian clothing made of
silk, top hats and suits from the 1900s. Some of the more casual people even
wore modern jeans and t-shirts.
Like in Hell, other angels had
characteristics of animals and items. Vaggie spotted men with dove wings, women
with white swan feathers for hair, and dozens of bipedal cats and dogs getting
along just fine. A few other angels had heads of flowers and some had the heads
of lyres, trumpets, and other musical instruments. None of them had to worry
about falling; they could either fly or walk on air. There were several
mythical creatures as well, including dragons, a few unicorns, fairies, and
Thunderbirds.
Several angels were in a circle
in the sky, dancing the kumbaya and singing prayers while holding hands. Vaggie
felt some nostalgia, remembering when she would wear brightly colored festival
dresses for Cumbia dances and family events. She remembered dancing with her
parents and extended family as upbeat Hispanic music played. How she longed for
the taste of steamy quesadillas and juicy fresh fruit.
Just where were her parents? And
how safe could she really feel, even in paradise? The last thing Vaggie needed
was to be gang-raped and murdered a second time by a bunch of beastly
homophobic men.
In the city around her, angels
worked in ordinary jobs, especially in churches. There were also a few mosques,
Buddhist temples and synagogues, but paled in comparison to the number of
Christian places of worship. Volunteers and charity workers labored by the
dozens, sending out food, blessings and miracles to the homeless and those
residing in the lower levels of Heaven.
Already, Vaggie was feeling like
some sort of outsider.
A small portal opened up to
another heaven next door. Vaggie could see a glass building with bluish stained
glass windows and classic art inside. A large sign on the roof read “Haven
Hotel.” A bunch of angels were lining up and receiving white-winged keys in
their hands. The portal closed before Vaggie could observe further.
Soon, Vaggie reached the armory,
a building shaped like a small white fortress. She stood at attention next to
several angels, already fitted in their black Exterminator uniforms, black
wings and LED masks. Vaggie looked and saw two muscular angels carry out a
brown chest with planetary symbols on it. They opened it up and there lay
dozens of sharpened harpoons, spears, and swords in neat rows. They were new
weapons to be used for the time after the Purge in the next year. After a brief
prayer, the recruits were called up in alphabetical order by a slender angel
with long blonde hair and a light blue suit to retrieve a weapon of their
choice. Gabriel stood next to Samael, the leader of the Archangels. He had
red/brown curly hair and pulled out the flaming sword weapon he already had.
Michael, another Archangel Leader, held a sword of his own: Excalibur, the
weapon that defeated Lucifer. Raphael, the healer angel with long brown hair
stood in the distance to watch.
Samael called out the names of
both new and old warriors one by one.
“Azrael.”
Azrael was the first angel. He
strode up and picked out a scythe, then pulled a hood over his head of long
dark hair.
“Camael. Cassiel. Dumah. Haniel.
Hafineal. Israfil. Jegudiel. Jerahmael. Japhiel.”
Vaggie yawned.
“Kepherel. Munkar and Nakir.
Metatron. Raguel. Ramiel. Raziel. Sandalphon. Sarathiel. Selaphiel.”
The list went on and on.
“Uriel. Uziel. Zachariel.
Zadkiel. Zaphael. Zephaiel.”
Finally Samael said “Vagathaiel…um,
Vagatha? Is that right?”
Vaggie looked up. “It’s Vaggie.”
“Right. Come on up.”
Vaggie strode forward, ignoring
the murmurs and whispers of her colleagues. It was embarrassing enough to be
the last one chosen on accident, not to mention the only female angel in the
group.
Vaggie picked up the only weapon
left in the chest, a harpoon spear. It felt good in her hands…like she was
meant to wield it. Vaggie walked back to stand next to an angel with blonde
unruly short hair, dressed in white.
“I’m Sam,” said the angel. “Many
people call me Samael, but the real one is up there.”
He mentioned to the lead Angel
of Death: Samael. He had long flaming red hair, a white face, and crimson eyes.
A scar ran along his neck. He enjoyed tormenting sinners more than anyone. He
morphed into Exterminator form.
“Welcome to training session and
orientation. After our recent successful Extermination, it is now time to
review what went well and discuss methods to increase efficiency.”
Vaggie and the others flew
thirty laps around a group of clouds then sat down for a lecture. The lecture
covered Heaven’s history, Exterminator origins and the fall of Lucifer.
For the next half, Vaggie
practiced on using her weapon. She threw her harpoon at a demon training dummy
at various distances. She worked on blocking, stances, aim, and flying
patterns. At other times, she worked with other angels in a group.
“Strike the head, between the
eyes, the chest, abdomen and back,” Samael advised as he walked, observing the
practicing soldiers. “Never get too close to some demons: their bites are
venomous.” To others: “Swipe your weapon at the legs to trip your enemy. Keep a
firm grip on your weapon. Follow orders and stick with at least two other
angels during a raid.”
He continued: “If not enough
demons are exterminated, then you all will have to repent for your failure of
duty for three to seven days. Excitement of Ten Commandments, community
service, fasting etc. Yes, I know we are all dead, but that doesn’t matter to
the All Mighty Yahweh. Serve Him and happiness will serve you.” Samael showed a
row of sharp teeth and a few angels flinched. “If you kill too many and linger
too long and the portals will close and you’ll be trapped in Hell for a year.
Either way, the demons must know their place, least they feel the need to bring
war to Heaven.”
He glared and stopped where
Vaggie was.
“Vagatha, your stance is way
off. You need to spin faster when attacking multiple demons at once. Let your
instincts move your body. And show less mercy to them or you’ll be begging for
some during flogging, flying laps and scrubbing!”
Vaggie worked harder, feeling
the pressures of this strange Heaven boot camp that felt like a living Hell.
After the intense training, they
reviewed the Nine Circles of Hell, the seven sins and the seven virtues.
Vaggie was glad when the session
was over at the start of twilight. Fortunately, she only had to attend six long
days every other week (Sunday was rest day), as soldiers went on shifts. Walking
into her designated home, Vaggie took off her uniform and tossed the mask
aside, the creepy grin face staring at the ceiling. She concentrated, clearing
her mind and the uniform appeared back on. Focusing again, the uniform came off
next to her. She placed her weapon against the wall, not too far from reach. She
lay down on a comfortable bed in a small house, which looked like the place she
lived in when she was a human. In fact, other angels were living in different
spots, in places that resembled their environment in their past lives. Colorful
dresses and gothic outfits were neatly folded in nearby drawers. Punk rock
posters from 90s bands were already hung up in her room. All of her favorites:
Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Blink 182. A nearby iPod had those songs
along with Cumbia, Salsa, Reggae and other music from her parent’s home
country.
Vaggie was starting to feel creeped
out. Everything seemed…too perfect. The room was mocking her, displaying her
favorite things from her past…even an exact replica of a portrait of her and
her parents! Her mother and father, both with dark hair, wearing practical
clothing. Her as a little girl with light brown skin, long black hair, and both
of her brown eyes. Her birth certificate was even in another drawer: “Vagatha
Gonzales, New Mexico, May 10 1992 to September 11 2014. Age 22.”
She sobbed.
She screamed.
She ripped out chunks of her
long white hair.
“My life…or death is not the
same anyone! I’m not gonna sit here and pretend like it is. Fuck you!” she
yelled to no one in particular.
Vaggie sighed in exhaustion. She
wasn’t sure what would happen next. She missed her parents and her previous
girlfriend. She missed music and soccer and martial arts. If only she could go
back to worrying about jobs and kicking douchebag boys in the nuts. She never
asked to be an Angel of Death with a possibility of going to Hell.
She buried her face in her
hands. “What have I gotten myself into?”
Contemplation (Charlie)
The young demon princess lay
down on her queen-size bed, complete with an apple-shaped headboard, velvet red
sheets and matching curtains. Her room was a blend of a vampire’s room and a
little girl’s room: among the spider webs and skulls along a dresser were
drawings of unicorns and bottles of makeup. Drawings of demons holding hands
hung from old branches sticking out from inside the wall. One drawing showed a
smiling Charlie and Vaggie in between her parents. Scattered among the dark red
walls were rainbow paint splotches and a painted sketch of a flower. A typed
motto of “Don’t worry, be happy” was taped to the side of a mirror.
But on this particular day, the
usually happy-go-lucky girl found it hard to be positive.
“He…called me a failure,” she
said softly. Razzle and Dazzle nudged her head affectionately, their faces full
of concern.
“Just before sending me here,”
Charlie said. She stared at a crumpled piece of paper with her drawing of a
hotel on it. The sign read “Happy Hotel” but the page was ripped thanks to
Lucifer’s accusing claw tearing through it.
He had paced back and forth,
clearly frustrated. “Ever since your foolish fiasco on your birthday last week,
you’ve been…shall I say…frying my nerves with your random ideas.”
“What’s bad about a hotel that
redeems sinners?” Charlie had asked.
“I’ll tell you what’s bad about
it…everything! First, there is no hope for those low-class demon trash. They
were sent down here for a reason; because there’s no chance for them to ever
change their ways.”
“Dad, that’s not true…”
“Second,” he interrupted, “You’re supposed to
keep up an important reputation as heir to the throne. No one will take you
seriously again if you blab on and on about some fantasy you insist upon.”
“It can be true, though!”
Charlie replied. “I’ve seen what those demons are like. Sure, they did bad
things, but everyone deserves a second chance.”
“There are some people who don’t
get second chances,” Lucifer answered, with a faraway look in his eyes. “And
that also applies to those people out there. It’s just the way afterlife works,
Charlotte.”
“What if, it doesn’t have to
always be that way? There is a more humane way of reducing overpopulation
without all the senseless slaughtering…”
“There is no other way!” Lucifer
said, raising his voice. Charlie flinched back a bit. “If hell becomes
overcrowded, then God and the Angels will not hesitate to eliminate the threat:
us.”
He paused. The king hadn’t
considered the possibility of a second death before…the final journey to the
void.
“Dad, listen, I know it sounds
far-fetched, but I’m confident that my idea will work. I just need to spread
the word about the Happy Hotel.”
“And embarrass yourself and our
legacy? Along with putting yourself in danger?!”
“I can defend myself, easily!”
“You may be powerful, but this
place crawls with overlords and who knows what else that will kill you.”
“But we’re already dead.”
“No. I was born an angel, near
immortal. You were born here in Hell. If you want to be able to have a stable
future here, you will stop with your nonsense.”
“I’m not going to give up. I
know there’s a rainbow inside every demonic soul. I’ve seen…”
She hesitated, debating on
whether to tell him about the anguished human faces she had seen during the
last purge.
“…humanity,” she finished.
As if reading her mind, Lucifer
leaned in close, flames in his yellow eyes. “Do not think like an inferior
human mortal. Humans are nothing but temporary bland prototypes to demons. All
arrogant, not worthy of divine respect.”
“Have you even met a human?”
“I’ve learned enough about them
to stick to my conclusion.”
“Many humans are good, just like
other demons can be. Demons, after all, used to be human! Maybe they can become
human again. Redeemed souls will be sent
to Heaven and everybody wins! No more killings, no more sorrow. Enough with the
“us versus them” speech. You will join me in paradise, Dad, then you’ll see.”
Lucifer growled, and flicked his
daughter backward across the hall with his power. She landed on her butt and
back with a surprised yelp of pain, as Razzle and Dazzle lifted her up off the
floor.
“THERE IS NO PARIDISE FOR ME,”
he boomed in his deep demonic voice, eyes red. It sent chills up Charlie’s
spine. “NO HAPPY ENDING FOR ANYONE.” He sighed heavily. “The sooner you realize
that, the better. You and the other demons will never leave Hell, I’ll make
sure of it.”
Charlie’s mind began to whirl.
What did he mean by that?
Charlie began to speak but her
father held up a hand. “Not another word. One thing is for certain: based on your actions thus far, you are
nothing but a failure.”
Tears pooled in Charlie’s eyes.
“You…you don’t mean that, do you?”
Lucifer pointed toward Charlie’s
room and then looked away. “Get…get out of my sight.”
Charlie could only stand frozen
in disbelief and sadness as her father departed down the hall, staff in hand.
After tossing the worn paper aside, Charlie
turned around and sobbed into her pillow. Later on, she sang a lament while
walking to her balcony outside. Razzle and Dazzle even howled mournfully with
her as she sang. It was the only way for her to truly express herself and let
out her emotions.
“Why
am I such a failure?
It
always seems to be
Destined
for the throne, yet I feel so alone
What
is truly best for me?”
“Happiness
lies at the end of the rainbow
Feeling
like that’s the place to go
An
endless distance, out of reach here
Lost in emptiness, foreshadowing fear”
“Inside
of every demon is a soul (is a soul)
Trapped
by events beyond their control (their control)
I
try to help and brighten their day (to find their way)
But
my hopes and dreams fade far away”
“Seeing
the light in the darkness
In
this world I’m blind
I
wonder why I cling to hope
For
those cruel and unkind”
“Goodness
beneath the surface
Redemption
beyond the mask
What
is my role, my purpose?
How
can I complete my task?”
“Peace,
love, is all I ask
(Oooh,
oooh, oooh)
Peace
and love, is all I ask
(Oooh,
oooh, oooh)
All
I ask…”
“Inside
of every demon is a soul (is a soul)
Trapped
by events beyond their control (their control)
I
try to help and brighten their day (to find their way)
But
my hopes and dreams fade far away”
Extermination (Vaggie)
It was now time for Vaggie to
put her skills she had learned to the test. One year had passed and the time
for the Purge was upon her. Despite being a newbie in comparison with everyone
else, Vaggie had become one of the best fighters among the Exterminators. The
fateful day soon came, and Vaggie lined up in position with the other
Archangels. All dressed in black. Vaggie’s harpoon was in her right hand. She
had requested that her wings stay white, with the red line through them like
her hair. Although she didn’t like to think of herself as a murderer, she told
herself that it was for the greater good. Sinners would get what they deserved
and balance and cleansing would be brought to Hell.
The angels all saluted when
Samael strutted over. He had a black scythe in his hand, black flames rising
from the blade. His red hair was tied back in a tight ponytail, his dark
uniform, horns and mask ready for use. He walked over to Vaggie, approval in
his eyes. “Your dedication to the Lord has been commendable. You’ve adapted
well from your previous novice status. As such, I now assign you with an
additional task.”
He continued, “You are to spy on
Hell’s princess Charlotte, find her, and make her surrender to us. Be wary of
her pyro kinetic powers. If she does not comply, you are to kill her on sight
before the days end.”
Vaggie silently gulped as she
saluted.
“But,” Samael added. “Don’t
forget about the other demons. And…do not try to reason with Lucifer. The
traitor and his promiscuous queen sealed their fates long ago.”
“Yes sir,” said Vaggie.
Samael nodded and walked toward
the front to address the winged assassins.
“Remember to aim for the head,
chest, groin and pressure points. Show no mercy to anyone or anything. May the
Lord bless you and all your endeavors. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit will
reside in our souls always. May He deliver us from all evil. Amen.”
“Amen!” the angels repeated.
Michael waved Excalibur and a
round portal to Hell appeared against the white clouds. Samael led the way and
the angels filed through, Vaggie following close behind.
Vaggie descended into the
crimson chaotic world. The Big Ben-like clock tower rang twelve times, the *BONG*
*BONG* rings echoing like hell’s bells of doom. The citizens screamed and
scattered and scurried in the streets below. The angels were black vultures,
circling around their prey. The thrust their spears forward. One angel managed
to stab through two chubby orange demons like a gruesome shish kabab. Another
demon in a black and white stripped outfit fired a gun at an angel to no
effect. The demon teased the angel by appearing and disappearing around him.
The trickster’s antics were cut short by a well-fired bolt of electricity
through the demon. Two spears crisscrossed through the paralyzed frazzled demon,
finishing him off for good.
Vaggie flew down and landed on
the ground, stomping after other demons. One demon climbed up a tree, Vaggie
followed it, lifting herself up, spear in her mouth and swinging up the
branches. She sliced off the demon’s blue head then landed gracefully on the
ground on one knee. Standing up, she spotted a red vampire with black wings.
She threw her spear and the creature was struck down in a splash of blood.
Retrieving her spear, she attacked other demons that got too close…or ones who
ran in her line of sight.
“CLEANSE! CLEANSE! CLEANSE!” The
chants rang out like a constant war cry. A demon held a sign that read “Fuck you,
Heaven!” in large red letters. Nearby, demons with six arms held up protest
signs which displayed hellish slogans on them: “God spelled backwards is Dog!”
“Hail Lord Lucifer, our true savior!” “Salvation, Sex, Substances, and
Slaying.” “Asshole Archangels Suck Dick!” “Go Home Jesus, We’re Drunk As Shit!”
Vaggie quickly made short gory
work of them.
Then, Vaggie saw some things
that made her freeze. A green frog demon was nursing a wounded doll child back
to health. A long dark green snake demon hung motionless from a streetlight,
looking like a piece of thick string in the shadows. Whining could be heard from
a gray teenage hellhound wearing a black tank top in the middle of a road. She
was kneeling next to the furry corpse of her hellhound boyfriend. She lifted up
her head and howled in sorrow. Small mouse demons scampered away in fright when
they saw Vaggie.
Vaggie stared at her
bloodstained hands. “Have I truly become a remorseless monster?”
“CLEANSE! CLEANSE! CLEANSE!” The
shouts pounded through the dark among the sounds of breaking glass, screeching
cars, demonic laugher and the flickering of flames.
Vaggie’s gut clenched. There was
no way she could kill these souls. They did bad things, yes…but surely there
was still some light in them. “I never fully believed all they taught me,” she
thought. Heaven isn’t perfect at all. It’s ignorant and exclusionary! How could
I have followed through with that for so long?”
Around midway through the Purge,
Vaggie finally spotted the person she was looking for. The demon princess with
her long curly blond hair and pal face was looking forlornly from a balcony.
She was wearing a red Victorian style dress with apple designs along the ends
of the long dress.
Clearing her throat, Vaggie
flapped over to her, spear at the ready. The girl’s eyes grew wide as she
approached. Vaggie’s outfit morphed from plain black to an elongated version of
her usual stripped leggings and white tank top with Xs over her breasts. Still,
she kept her mask on, her horns extended in slight curves. The girl turned to
run, but Vaggie waved her hand and the doors locked. She spoke in an emotionless
voice, “Princess Charlotte.”
“W-what do you want?” Charlie
asked, her voice tremoring in fear.
“I have arrived here on behalf
of my leaders and the word of God. You are to surrender yourself peacefully and
come with me. You are now an official prisoner of Heaven.”
Tears welled up in Charlie’s
yellow eyes. “N-no! I can’t leave Hell and my people. I can’t leave my family!”
“I will resort to physical force
if necessary.”
Flames erupted around Charlie
and her straight black horns protruded from her head. No other words were
needed to get the intention across.
Vaggie raised her spear. “If you
won’t come with me…then perish!”
Charlie flinched back. “Leave me
alone and hear me out!”
Vaggie stared longer at Charlie.
She lowered her weapon. She wasn’t allowed to feel emotion for any demon, let
alone the princess of Hell.
But this…peculiar feeling of
warmth…was something new. Like a trace of her humanity was rising to the
surface.
Charlie stood up, breathing a
small sigh of relief.
“I don’t want my people to be
slaughtered every year. It truly breaks my heart. I know there’s good in
everyone…including you.”
Vaggie lowered her head.
Charlie continued. “I am
proposing a way to redeem sinners by introducing a new hotel to help them
reform.”
She mentioned to the building
she was in, the one with the sign that read “Happy Hotel” in large pink lit up
letters on the roof.
“I’ve tried for months but no
one listens to me. It’s like I don’t really belong here. If you believe that
there’s a soul in everyone…if you have a heart…”
Vaggie stood, conflicted. She
had been taught to ignore pleas and cries of mercy. But this was different. It
appeared that Charlie felt like an outcast as well…
…and the rare humanity that she
showed, despite her status as the daughter of Satan himself.
“I…I…can’t do it!”
She dropped her spear and
collapsed to her knees.
Transformation (Charlie)
Charlie did all she could to
promote her hotel. Nobody would listen. No matter how many songs she sung, art
she created or speeches she made, she’d always be ignored, taunted, ridiculed
or even threatened. Food would be thrown at her as demons booed. Her rival
Hesla called her a crazed Barbie bitch. Aaron von Eldritch, her former tall
green boyfriend, son of Helsa, told her to get a grip and to “start being the
pretty, polite, and passive princess she was before.” Out of a new desire to be
with a caring woman partner, Charlie broke up with him. Her parents were not
pleased.
Lucifer was vivid when he heard
the news. “You’ve just severed a valuable alliance with the Eldriches. Now
they’re our rivals. We can’t afford to have more competition against us than we
already have. A family like theirs could easily turn the tides against us when
they badmouth us to our citizens!”
Lilith was disappointed as well
and a little surprised with her daughter. “You want to date girls now?” she
asked. “How will you raise your heir in the next two centuries?”
“Yes,” Charlie said. “I love
both men and women. I don’t see what the problem is.”
The only one who’s the problem
is you,” Lucifer seethed. “You’ve never done anything right for so long and,
frankly, I’m getting tired of your teenage nonsense. Break away from your petty
fantasies, stop tainting our legacy…” his eyes turned red, voice lowered… “And…
Grow. The. Fuck. Up.”
Charlie raced into her room,
crying fresh tears as she wondered over to the balcony. Lilith was chiding her
husband in a harsh voice over how hard he was on her. Charlie looked away when
she heard the clock ring out.
Now here she was, with an
Exterminator angel sobbing at her feet.
Charlie stared as the angel
slowly stood up, picked up her spear, and then removed her mask. A beautiful
angelic face appeared, light gray skin, long white hair, a yellow eye, and
white shimmering wings. “I am Vaggie, but people call me Vagatha.”
“I am Charlie, but people call
me Charlotte.”
“It sounds too formal,” they
both said at the same time.
They looked at each other some
more, surprised to find they had so much in common on their first meeting day.
Vaggie spoke up. “I was sent
here to restrain you or kill you so you wouldn’t be a threat to Heaven. But
now…that’s the last thing I want to do.”
“So…you’re not going to kill
me?” Charlie asked.
Just then, Samael spoke
telepathically to Vaggie. “Based on my observations, the princess cannot be
reckoned with. Exterminate her and return to the portal. Over.”
Vaggie gulped.
“What’s wrong?” asked Charlie.
Vaggie looked around
frantically. A few other angels stood in mid- air, watching her and waiting to
see what she would do next.
“I really can’t do it…” Vaggie
said, her body shaking. Charlie comforted her with an embrace. Vaggie stood,
stunned, but briefly returned it. Both of them were bonding…and gradually
falling in love.
Samael’s voice rang through her
mind, making her flinch back. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING, VAGATHA?! FINISH HER OFF AND
RECONVENE WITH YOUR ASSOCIATES AT ONCE!”
Vaggie put her mask back on and
stepped back. “I promise, Charlie, I will do whatever I can to help you out.
Everyone deserves second chances.” She flew off.
Damnation (Vaggie)
Vaggie flew toward the open
portal. The angels turned their heads and their eyes glowed red. Samael pulled
out his black scythe. Vaggie stood in front of him.
Samael pointed behind her. “Get
back down there if you know what’s good for you. Kill her, or I’ll do it
myself.”
“No,” said Vaggie.
Vaggie couldn’t believe the word
flew out of her mouth. Her thoughts were faster than common sense. Vaggie could
no longer hide behind the metaphorical mask of indifference, nor her physical
mask over her face. Vaggie took off the black abomination and tossed it to the
ground far below.
Samael’s eyes gleamed
dangerously red. “What did you just say?”
Vaggie pushed down her fear. “I
said, NO!”
Samael growled, showing sharp
teeth. “You dare disobey a direct order given to you?”
Vaggie pointed down to Charlie
on the balcony. “Charlie wants to rehabilitate sinners and bring them to
Heaven! Why should I stop her from pursuing such a merciful goal?”
Samael leaned in. “You should
know that we do not accept any sinners. They are inferior to us, plotting our
destruction at every moment. Even God has limits on who He can let in.”
Vaggie clenched her fists. “But
that’s not just! Slaughtering people without giving them a second chance. I’ve
seen bad demons, yes, but others are just innocent families that are poor
shadows of who they once were on Earth. Whatever happened to “love thy
neighbor?” “Love thine enemy?” Why would God just turn people away?”
“Because,” Samael stated,
“They’re monstrous scum. Filthy bugs and maggots who need to be eliminated. They’ll
kill us all if their numbers are too great.”
Vaggie shook her head. “Charlie
has shown more humanity in her soul than anyone I’ve met. And I’ve only just
met her today!” Vaggie stood, defiant and filled with a new purpose. “I refuse
to continue with my mission.” But her confidence wavered as more red eyed,
angels closed in on her. “Blasphemy…mutiny…” they muttered, emotionless behind
creepy grinning masks. One by one, they pointed their weapons at her.
If you won’t obey the will of Christ
and God…” Samael held out his hand…”then you’ll burn in Hell just like the
rest!”
From down below, Charlie gasped
in terror. Vaggie screamed in agony as her gray skin peeled away in chunks. Her
spiked white halo broke in little pieces above her head. Her horns and dark
uniform vanished. Worst of all, her beautiful white wings rapidly caught fire,
burning off feathers that flew to the ground, some stained with blood. Soon her
wings were completely burned away, the remains turning into streams of multicolored
light that vanished.
Vaggie plummeted to the ground
with loud screams, spear still clutched in her hand.
“Vaggie!” Charlie cried.
Samael rushed at Charlie at
lightning speed, weapon raised, but someone else was faster.
Lucifer landed a punch that sent
Samael flying backwards in an arch. He flew after the angel with six black
wings that materialized from his body. His eyes glowed demonic red. He spoke in
a deep voice that shook the ground and seeded sheer terror to anyone who heard
it.
“NO ONE TOUCHES MY DEAR
DAUGHTER! RUN YOU COWARDLY PIECE OF SHIT, OR I’LL DESTROY YOU WITH A FLICK OF
MY FINGERS!”
Samael and the angels retreated
into the portal and it soon closed.
“This isn’t over, Lucifer!” came
Michael’s voice before the portal completely snapped shut.
Charlie jumped off the balcony,
her body surrounded by flames. She caught Vaggie before she hit the ground.
Vaggie opened her eyes, now in
base demon form, a large pink X over her left eye. White tank top and leggings,
back to regular size. She gave Charlie a sad smile before passing out.
Restoration (Charlie)
Vaggie woke up in a comfortable
bed in the Happy Hotel. She opened her eyes and saw Charlie standing nearby. Her
back and hands were bandaged up, her hair spread apart like resting moth wings.
“Charlie?” she grumbled.
“Yes, I’m here,” said Charlie
sounding relieved.
“Thank you for saving me like
that,” Vaggie said. “But…why would you do that? I’m your enemy.”
“Not any more. You’re my new
friend,” Charlie mentioned. “I don’t want anyone to suffer, not even one of the
Exterminators.”
Vaggie sighed, feeling her back.
It felt naked and vulnerable without her wings.
“Well, I’m not anymore.” She
glanced at her spear, leaning against the wall. “But at least I still have my
spear. I think they let me keep it in the hopes I would repent and kill more
demons. Which won’t happen,” she added. “But make no mistake. I will strike
anyone down who lays a harmful hand on you. You’re too good for this world. Me
though…I’ll never be redeemed.”
Charlie smiled and placed a
small kiss on Vaggie’s head. She picked up a discarded pink bow and put it on
Vaggie’s head of white hair. “You can redeem yourself,” Charlie said. “By
helping others redeem themselves. Help me with this hotel. This is your new destiny.
Our new destiny. We can live a new afterlife together, and we can get through
whatever comes at us.”
Vaggie believed her words with
all her soul. Then she glanced down, sadly.
“What is it?” Charlie asked.
“I didn’t get to see my family
in Heaven.”
“I’m sorry,” said Charlie. “You
must miss them. You were human once, right?”
Vaggie nodded.
“I was born here in Hell, but I
can understand how you must feel. I promise we can make things right for both
worlds. I’ve seen for myself that humanity can exist even in the blackest
hearts.”
Vaggie sighed. “Not sure if I
can agree with that part, but let’s see how it goes. You’ll need me to keep you
grounded.”
Charlie rolled her eyes. “Don’t
remind me, I’m still grounded by my parents. I broke up with this guy and challenged
my parents’ opinions.”
“Do you feel guilty about it?”
Vaggie asked.
“Sometimes I do,” Charlie
admitted.
Then she squeezed Vaggie’s hand
affectionately. Vaggie squeezed back. “But for now, I wouldn’t have this moment
any other way.”
Vaggie laughed. “What do you see
in the future, crazy girl?”
Charlie just smiled. “Rainbows
inside every demon.”
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