12: Overture 1
Allison yawned as she sat up on her bed. She rubs her eyes sleepily before getting out of bed. She fixed it up before getting inside the bathroom to change. She put on her coat once she was freshened up and with her clothes on as she adjusted her tie while looking at herself in the mirror. She couldn't believe the week she had. Alastor came to the hotel after Charlie's failed interview where he told them that he wanted to help which he did so. They renovated the entire hotel to be a bit more livable and not run down. To say the least, it made Charlie really happy.
She sighs softly before heading to the door. She left her room before moving down the hall but stopped when she noticed that Charlie's door to her room was open. She felt something was wrong and went to it before pushing the door open.
"Charlie?" She called in concern.
"Oh fuck!" Charlie jumped as she turned to her in surprise.
"Allie, you scared me." Charlie laughed nervously as Allison smiled apologetically.
"Sorry. I just felt that something was wrong and that I should check in to make sure." She said as she went to her side. The resident hotel's cat rubbed against her leg asking for pets with soft purrs.
The little fella is a small black and white cyclopean cat. She has white spots on the tip of her ears and tail, the spots on her ears forming a heart when close together. She has scruffy fur, one eye with a red iris, and a red collar on. Allison picks Keekee up before sitting down next to Charlie.
"What's that?" She asked, pointing to the book that Charlie has.
"Oh, it's a book that I was given when I was younger. Tells the story of how Hell began." Charlie said and Allison grew curious.
She's a bookworm and wants to learn everything but the origins of how Hell was created always piqued her curiosity. She tried to ask Sera what happened back then but she always avoided the subject.
"Is it okay if you read it to me? I'm kinda curious actually." Allison said as she set Keekee on her lap. Charlie smiled and opened the book and started the story as illusions of the past appeared from the book as Charlie read.
"Once upon a time, there was a glowing city protected by golden gates, known as Heaven. It was ruled by beings of pure light. Angels that worshiped good and shielded all from evil."
An illusion of a glowing white city known as Heaven stood tall behind golden gates. Angels came from the place as two sides: light and darkness stood on either side.
"Lucifer was one of these angels. He was a dreamer with fantastical ideas for all of creation. But, he was seen as a troublemaker by the elders of Heaven. For they felt his way of thinking was dangerous to the order of their world. So, he watched as the angels began to expand the universe in their ways."
A silhouette of an angel with a top hat flew. This was Lucifer. The youngest of the Archangels. He made a wisp of golden lights, made fireworks appear and he looked so happy doing so. Yet doing so just brought displeasure and wrath from those older than him. He looked so sad as they discriminated against his ideas and he watched with a saddened and longing expression as the others watched over earth and expanded it.
"From the dust of Earth, they created Adam and Lilith. Equals as the first of mankind, but despite this, Adam demanded control, and Lilith refused to submit to his will."
A hand seems to grasp golden dust as two humans appear. The first two humans ever created; Adam and Lilith. The silhouettes show Adam with a fit built with Lilith being slim and curvy with an hourglass shape. Adam seemed to be pointing something and was acting all arrogant but Lilith refused.
"She fled the Garden. Drawn in by her fierce independence, Lucifer found her and the two rebellious dreamers fell deeply in love."
The silhouette of Lilith running from the Garden of Eden where she was crying, sitting on a rock. Lucifer flew down to see what was wrong and the two instantly fell in love with each other on sight as Lucifer held her hands tenderly in his.
"Together, they wished to share the magic of free will with humanity, offering the Fruit of Knowledge to Adam's new bride, Eve, who gladly accepted."
The silhouettes of Lucifer and Lilith standing by the forbidden tree are shown as Lucifer, in his snake form, slithered down where a new human woman, Eve, was seen sitting down. Lucifer regained his human form and offered the fruit of knowledge to Eve who accepted it greatly.
"But this gift came with a curse. For with this single act of disobedience, evil finally found its way into the Earth. With it, a new realm of darkness and sin. And the order Heaven worked to maintain was shattered."
Upon receiving the fruit of knowledge, Eve's silhouette was black but with a menacing glowing red coming from the fruit as she bears a sinister yet mysterious smirk. Roots came from the darkness below and grasped earth within its gripped as eyes opened in a menacing red color as earth was shattered with the angels in shock and horror of what has been done.
"As punishment for their reckless act, Heaven cast Lucifer and his love into the dark pit he had created, never allowing him to see the good that came from humanity, only the cruel and the wicked. Ashamed, Lucifer lost his will to dream."
Lucifer and Lilith are shown as the angels cast them out of Eden and into the dark pit where Lucifer's wings changed colors from pure white to crimson red and white as fire consumed them. Lucifer watched as the light from his magic was instead replaced by the magic of hell. He felt ashamed and guilty for what he did and he walked off with his head down as if accepting his fate.
"But Lilith thrived, empowering demonkind with her voice and her songs. And as the numbers of Hell grew, so did its power."
Lilith's silhouette was seen above Hell as it grew and became home to demonkind. Her songs empowered the hellborn.
"Threatened by this, Heaven made a truly heartless decision. That, every year, they would send down an army, an Extermination, to ensure Hell and its sinners could never rise against them."
A silhouette of the head seraphim was seen looking down as if in regret as one with golden wings stood menacingly with angels with weapons rained down upon the realm of fire to kill off souls that have fallen when they died.
"But Lilith's hope remained. And her dream was passed down to their precious daughter, the Princess of Hell."
The white silhouette of Charlie standing in front of Hell was seen as she had her hands where her heart is as she opened her eyes. Showing that the future of Hell and her mother's dream has been passed down to her.
Upon finishing the story, Charlie closed the book with the title "The Story of Hell on the cover. Allison was in awe, shock and sadness by the story she just heard and for some reason, she couldn't help but feel sorry and saddened for Lucifer. She's been told that he was evil and cruel yet hearing how Hell started made her views change on him.
"That's... wow..." Allison breathes in shock as Charlie sighs softly as she looks out at Pentagram City sadly yet with determination in her eyes.
"Don't worry, Mom. I'll make you proud." She whispered.
Allison looks out the window of Pentagram City with Charlie, who has a somber expression as the city was burning to the ground just as someone came in.
"Charlie? Allie?" That made the girls jump in surprise as Keekee scurried off the bluenette's lap as the two turned to Vaggie who smiled apologetically.
"Geez, you scared us, Vaggie." Allison put a hand on her chest.
"Oh, shit. Did you hear all that?" Charlie asked nervously as Vaggie came up to them with a smile.
"Uh, yeah. I was right there." She said as she pointed her thumb to the doorway.
"Sorry. I get pretty worked up after an extermination happens. The story helps..." Charlie said as she gripped the book on her lap.
"How long have you been reading it exactly?" Allison asked curiously.
"A lot of times actually. I think I memorized the entire story by now." Charlie said shyly.
"Don't worry. I enjoy your theatrics." Vaggie chuckled before noticing that Charlie was still down.
"Are you okay?" She asked in concern as she sat down next to her.
"I'm fine. Just... thinking, ya' know? Family stuff." Charlie nervously said as she looked down at the book.
"Did you hear from your mom yet?" Allison asked but Charlie shook her head in dismay, indicating that there was no reply to any calls or messages from Lilith.
"Oof... how long has it been now?" Vaggie asked and Charlie cringed.
"Not that long, only... seven... years, off doing something important, I'm sure!" Charlie said and Allison looked at her.
"That was the last time you heard from your mother, Charlie?" She asked as Keekee jumped into her arms, mewing for more pets.
"Yeah, but, this kingdom was something she really cared about. Something I care about." Charlie said as she stood up and looked out to Pentagram with a solemn smile.
Vaggie smiled softly and put a hand on her girlfriend's cheek.
"Well, at least you're not alone." She said as both of them sat down.
"I just hope that what I'm trying to do here will work." Charlie said with a hopeful smile.
"It will work, Charlie." Allison said as Keekee mewed in agreement. Charlie smiled and pet her cat between the ears.
"See? Allie and Keekee agreed. I have faith in you." Vaggie smiled softly as Keekee leaps into her owner's arms while Vaggie stood up.
"Alright, come on, you two. Alastor says he has something to show us." Vaggie said as she leaves the room.
A loud bell rang throughout the city making Charlie turn around to the bell tower of the Heaven Embassy. She looks on in sadness, knowing that it will be another year before the next Extermination comes again like every year. She just hopes that she can prove that redemption is possible.
She followed Vaggie and Allison out of the room as they went to the lobby where the others were.
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