Oh, dear Heaven… Even the air here is cleaner, as if your lungs fill not with oxygen, but with something bright and light. The soul seems to thaw. I only had to step through the portal frame – and I felt a strange calmness envelop me. As if the light embraced me, reminding me: I have no enemies here. Here – there are all-powerful Seraphim, those who will always help… or, at least, pretend to help...
I hadn't even noticed before how much Hell weighs down on you. Apparently, you get used to it when it's all chaos and the smell of sulfur. But here... here you just want to take a deep breath. I'll have to ask someone later – maybe Sera herself, what kind of effect this is, psychosomatic or something else?
Carmilla followed. Her face was tense, her eyes awaiting a verdict. It seems she really thinks she's about to be executed for killing an Exorcist. I glanced at the head I was still carrying. The mask on it was frozen in a grimace of pain. Very… human.
A pang hit me too. Good thing Harfy and I were wearing masks – I'm not sure I could have kept a straight face. I'd hardly seen any dead bodies before. Well, my grandparents, perhaps... but I was a child then, and they looked as if they were sleeping. Here, though – death in all its glory, unadorned and without flourishes, a severed head.
"Don't worry, sinner, I keep my word," I said with a slight feeling of shame. This role again, not my own. Tired of playing, to be honest.
Carmilla cast a wary glance at me, nodded, and we continued on our way.
Thank the Lord I have Lute – she sent me the route beforehand. The building might not be large, but it certainly wouldn't hurt. Even if you can't really get lost here, it's still nice – to feel that someone cares.
We walked through corridors painted in white and gold tones. Light reflected off the smooth surfaces so that the walls seemed to breathe. Finally, we reached a massive door, adorned with shining symbols. I touched it – and it opened easily, as if it were made of down, not some kind of metal. No creaks, no resistance.
Beyond the door – a huge hall. Everything bathed in light. Walls of white radiance that didn't make you want to squint – on the contrary, you wanted to look forever. On the sides – tall chairs for the Seraphim, carved from light, like thrones for Olympian gods. Below, closer to the center of the hall – a place for the accused and accusers. A golden table and chair, but crafted with the same unimaginable precision.
(The atmosphere in the sixth episode didn't quite click with me, so I allowed myself to... rework it slightly. Just a tiny bit! You don't mind, do you?)
And then – I notice Sera. The head of the Seraphim, responsible for the safety of Heaven's inhabitants. By the way, it was she who allowed the exterminations. Back then, they were held once every hundred years. But Lute clearly explained to me: Adam can change the schedule if there's a reason. Formally, I report to Sera, but in essence… we're equals. Only I'm also the Chief Dick.
Sera appeared in human form. A tall, slender woman with cedar-brown skin. White freckles scattered across her nose. Her hair – silvery, with a smooth ombre (Yes, I Googled hairstyle names). Her eyes – white irises, bluish-gray sclera, and pupils the color of dark lilac. Six wings, not golden like mine, but pale peach, with white iridescence. Above her head – two halos. One familiar, the other – spiky, encrusted with blue stones. A crown, perhaps?
Sera looked at me with surprise. Well, logical: Adam shaves his beard, brings an Exorcist's head, brings a sinner – a classic Friday morning in Heaven. And on top of that – his lieutenant calls and says Adam has "very important information." I'm afraid to imagine what was going through her little head at that moment.
"Yo, Sera!" I wave to her with my free hand with vigor in my voice, holding Harfy's head in the other, having already disabled the voice changer on my mask. "I've brought you some fucking important information. Hey, Carmilla, care to tell her why I brought you here?" I immediately set the tone for the meeting and fend off questions by passing the baton to Carmilla. A common manipulation, but effective.
"Adam… Could you first explain what's happening?" Sera's voice was irritated, and her expression was a mix of "mother heard you dropped out of uni" and "you brought a prostitute home." A pity my "brilliant" manipulations sometimes don't work, but at least she's not throwing lightning bolts with screams about power, and thanks for that.
"Oh, my dear friend here will explain everything. Go on, Carmilla, tell her the reason you're here."
"During the last extermination, I killed an Exorcist," Carmilla blurted out. "Angelic weapons can kill Exterminators too."
…
Sera was silent. Judging by her face, she didn't know about this feature of angelic weapons. The great and mighty head of the Seraphim, it seems, hadn't read the technical manual for this invention. Couldn't they have screwed some kind of safety lock in there? What nonsense is this anyway?
"As you know, I didn't particularly keep track of the 'natural attrition' of angelic weapons before. As a result – there are now a hundred or two tons of metal in Hell that even sinners can use to kill an Exorcist. Any ideas how we can get out of this shitty situation?"
"I could consult with the other Seraphim. There's a chance we could return most of the weapons to Heaven… But why did you bring a sinner here? And what is an Exorcist's head doing in your hand?"
"This is the head of that very Exorcist who died in the last purge. We buried her body, didn't we?" – Actually, deaths among angels have been incredibly rare lately, so practically the entire population of the city where they take place attends the funeral, and the Seraphim give speeches and do some magic stuff. I was there. It really got to me. – "I want her to find peace. That's why I'm asking – can you move her head to her body, is it possible?"
Why didn't I move it myself? As I said, the Seraphim do something at the graves of fallen warriors, so I just didn't want to spoil their work; I literally felt some dense structure of Light and didn't want to destroy that something.
"That's right, Adam. Of course, I'll do everything."
Sera waved her hand, and the head disappeared in a flash of light. Excellent. It's not right – to bury a warrior without a head. I wonder where I got such notions in my memory?
Carmilla had been standing behind me all this time, clearly not understanding why she was here. But everything has a reason. The sinner's presence distracts Sera, throws her off her train of thought. With her around, Sera won't behave as she would if we were alone. An old trick, but it works – like a mother who suddenly starts smiling when you bring a friend home, even though five minutes ago she wanted to throw you out of the house.
"So, Sera, this sinner here is one of their 'overlords.' She wants to repent and surrender her angelic weapons. She has… a shitload of them, believe me. You don't mind if I accommodate her here with us for a short while? I'll return her to Hell in the evening. Okay?"
And why do I need this? It's simple. You can't force someone to like you. Even if I force Carmilla to repent – nothing will come of it. But if I show her that she and her daughters will be safe here…
She'll come running to the nearest temple to confess on her own. Dangle a steak in front of a starving person – an ancient manipulation. For Carmilla, the main thing is the safety of her daughters and stability. In Hell, this can only be achieved through strength and power, but here in Heaven, she can live peacefully, without fearing that some freak-sinner will attack her at night.
"For negotiations? I take it you finally understood that Darkness affects your consciousness too? Commendable," Sera said calmly.
At that moment, a shiver ran down my spine. What the fuck did I just hear?
"Well, yes, Hell affects the mind of any being," I said, as if casually. A test. If I guessed wrong, then everything's screwed, but if I guessed right…
"It's surprising that you admitted it," Sera looked me up and down with slight amazement. "But I'm glad you've grown so much... Your lieutenant said you had changed…"
No way… Lute couldn't have sold me out. She couldn't have, right?
"I'm glad you finally started a relationship," she continued, shaking her head. "It was painful to watch you make do with simple one-night stands."
Phew. My heart almost leaped into my throat. For a second, I thought Lute had told her everything, and my cover was falling apart. But no. She, as always, had thought everything through. Even found an explanation to avoid suspicion.
When I get home – I'll cover her in kisses.
"Well, that's wonderful, Sera. Then consider how we can get the angelic weapons back. And I'll go negotiate the return of most of it from the Pride Ring for now," I waved dismissively, gesturing goodbye, and left the hall. Carmilla followed, looking around with an expression of complete disorientation. Apparently, she didn't expect that they really weren't going to kill her. Well, this is just the beginning of the surprises – soon I'll give her a tour of Heaven, heh-heh.
Lute and I had agreed beforehand that she wouldn't look for me until evening. After all, she doesn't know everything about my plans, which means she might inadvertently interfere. That, by the way, was her idea – to give me space. Smart girl.
But still, what tormented me most now was Sera's throwaway comment: Darkness and Hell can indeed affect the mind. Excellent. And why the hell didn't anyone warn me about this? Why the hell wasn't such important information revealed to us in the cartoon? Damn, I knew it was stupid to rely on canon knowledge, but I hoped that at least the main points would be shown normally. Then why the hell doesn't it affect Charlie? Pentious? Carmilla?
That's why I felt so strange in Hell: sudden mood swings, the feeling that I was a character in a game and everything around was unreal. It all adds up. It was Hell affecting me, corroding me from within, playing on my nerves.
What utter bullshit. And again, no information!
"God, if you're listening to this," I muttered under my breath, "then you're a very bad en-bitch-tity for not deeming it necessary to cram such important information into me during the transmigration…"
I tutted, nearly biting my tongue, pulled out my phone, and quickly dashed off a message to Lute:
"Everything went fine. I'll be home in the evening. Don't forget to warm up the pie (raspberry)."
Actually, I prefer apple, but Heaven has a very strange attitude towards apples: they exist, but they don't really like using them for food. It evokes unnecessary associations.
"And what's next?" Carmilla was still walking behind me, slightly to the rear, but her voice no longer held its former aggression – more like curiosity mixed with caution. Naturally, she tried to hide her emotions and looked calm, but skills of that level don't work on me.
"And next…" I drawled with a sly smirk, "you and I will take a little walk around Heaven. And then I'll tell you a tiiiny little secret. After which I'll let you go back. Alive and unharmed. Deal?"
She thought for a moment, her gaze becoming heavy.
"…Deal," she finally exhaled.
I put aside my anxious thoughts about Hell's influence until the evening, when, perhaps, I could think everything through more calmly. Right now, I had another goal – to focus on Carmilla. I needed to achieve her sincere repentance, not just words, but a real desire to atone for everything. And after that, to get into Heaven.
Before leaving, I opened a portal to the outskirts of the city. Narrow cobblestone streets, blooming trees, the scent of flowers lingering in the air… Everything around seemed to sing.
"Everything here feels kind of… unreal," Carmilla muttered, looking around. "Too clean. Practically sterile."
"That's just because you're used to dirt," I chuckled. "And to the fact that around every corner, someone is eating or killing someone else."
She smirked in response but didn't argue.
We entered a small park; Lute sometimes dragged me here for a run. I didn't see the point, but I didn't want to argue with my woman over such a trifle. In the center – a fountain, singing a gentle melody of water. Souls sat on benches, mostly in silence – some were reading, others were feeding heavenly pigeons (they were of various "cute" colors here and glowed slightly). We approached a bench under a tree and sat for a bit, just enjoying the silence.
"You know…" she said after a pause, "it really is beautiful here."
"That's because for the first time in a long time, you're in a place where no one wants to use you, kill you, or screw you over. Any ideas why I'm showing you this?"
"You want to punish me for killing your subordinate?" she said very pessimistically.
I just shake my head and get up from the bench. Right now, I see in her not one of Hell's overlords, not even a mother, but an ordinary woman who has spent her whole life in some kind of… Fucked-up situation.
Then we went into a cozy café on the corner. Its facade was adorned with ivy. Inside, it smelled of cinnamon and vanilla. We ordered pancakes (American style. Also called flapjacks) – mine with cherry jam, Carmilla got hers with caramel and nuts. She cautiously tried the first piece… and froze. It seems she didn't expect it to be so delicious. Yes, the local chef has been doing his job for three thousand years, so his skills are truly divine.
We sat for a long time, discussing all sorts of little things: how Heaven is structured, who is responsible for what, jokes about angels with control mania (Sorry, Sera, couldn't resist), and even argued about what would happen if the local chef opened a café in Hell (She claimed he would become the most influential overlord because sinners would sell their souls for his cooking). Carmilla laughed often – a little tiredly, with a hint of sadness, but sincerely.
And that was important.
Closer to evening, as the sky over Heaven began to paint itself in soft shades of peach and gold, we went beyond the city limits and headed towards the cemetery.
It was located on a hill, overlooking the surroundings. Unlike familiar earthly graveyards, everything here looked… bright. Not gloomy, not sinister – rather, calm.
White tombstones, neatly laid paths, tall trees with silvery leaves rustling in the gentle wind, as if whispering prayers. The air was filled with a subtle aroma of incense and something else – something that couldn't be described, but could only be felt here.
No gloom, no shadow of death – only a feeling of peace. As if everyone resting here had truly found what they had been searching for their whole life: peace.
Carmilla slowed her pace, looked around… and immediately understood everything.
She gave me a strange look – there was no fear in it, but no confidence either. It was that very look people give a closed door, knowing that behind it lies an answer they don't want to know.
But she said nothing.
"You know…" I began, looking ahead, not turning around, "this cemetery is different from the others. Do you know how?"
"No," she answered, a little quieter than usual.
I gave a sad little smirk. I had taken off my mask back at the café; it didn't interfere with eating, but I was more used to being without it.
"Only Exorcists rest here. Those who fell at the hands of demons."
No answer followed. Only a light exhale and something like a suppressed cough – maybe from nervousness, or maybe she just choked on dust... Which has never existed here, yeah.
We walked along the central alley until we stopped in front of one of the graves. Small, neat, adorned with lily branches that didn't wither here. A name was carved on the headstone:
Harfy Marielle.
"May her light be eternal."
Carmilla stopped as if rooted to the spot.
I said nothing. Just stood beside her. Words are unnecessary in moments like these.
Does her behavior surprise me? Definitely.
In the cartoon, she seemed completely different. But, it seems, she was portrayed... superficially there. An image. A persona. Not a personality.
Here, in Heaven, she reveals herself completely differently. Slowly, as if layer by layer, the makeup of Hell is being removed from her. Yes, she definitely killed – well, how else, if she lived in Hell?
But it seems that killing a pedophile-maniac and killing an angel – for her, strangely enough, are not the same thing. And that's good. Very good. It means she still has morals.
I think the way she's treated here also played a role. The residents of Heaven… they're just different.
Nice, friendly, with sincere smiles and wishes for a good day. Someone offered help, someone just waved passing by. And, most strikingly – none of it was feigned. No pretense, no falsehood. People here were genuinely kind. Truly.
This pleased me.
But for her, it seems, all this broke her template.
In Hell, they say completely different things about Heaven – that there are arrogant bastards here, hypocrites, that heavenly beings despise the fallen and will never accept them. But so far, all she had seen were bright smiles, open faces, and… benevolence.
Yes, she still carries Darkness within her. Everyone feels it – too black an imprint not to notice. But I was with her. Adam.
And that was enough for no one to ask questions. Even other Exorcists we met in the city – they nodded to me, greeted me, exchanged interested glances, but no one said a word, no one even cast a sidelong glance at Carmilla.
What tolerant residents they have here, it turns out.
They definitely wouldn't tell you about this in Hell.
We had been standing at Harfy's grave for some time. The wind gently tousled our hair; time seemed to have stopped.
And suddenly Carmilla spoke, quietly, almost in a whisper, as if afraid someone else would hear her:
"You know… I deeply regretted killing her."
I looked at her silently.
"I understand why exterminations are necessary. I was ready to die that day, admitting my foolishness, but my daughters…" She gritted her teeth. "But for my daughters, I'm ready for anything. Even a suicide attack. That's normal, right?"
"That's human," I replied. "And that, believe me, is valued more in Heaven than you think."
She didn't answer, but lowered her gaze, as if ashamed of her sincerity.
"Remember I promised you a surprise?" I asked, changing my tone to something a little lighter.
"I remember," she replied with a note of caution, as if expecting some kind of test or trick.
"The surprise is this: if you atone for your sins…" I paused. "Then even a sinner can get into Heaven."
She slowly looked up at me. And for the first time in all this, something appeared in her eyes that I hadn't seen before – hope. Fragile as glass, but bright as the first ray of sun after a long night.
"Is that… possible?"
"If I were lying, you wouldn't be standing here anymore. And I wouldn't be wasting time on a walk and pancakes, do you think?"
Carmilla chuckled quietly, wiped the corner of her eye – either the wind or a tear, it didn't really matter.
"I don't promise I can fix everything right away." She hesitated. "But I want to try. For them."
"That's precisely what matters," I nodded.
We walked silently through the cemetery a little longer. She looked around less often, appeared less lost. It felt as if the storm inside her was beginning to subside.
"I have a certain amount of angelic weaponry at my disposal."
This is exactly what I was waiting for. She brought it up herself.
"Quantity?"
"Seventy tons of spears, five tons of swords, about ten tons of various firearms – already reforged in Hell."
"You keep it with you?"
"No. It's all hidden in several locations. Hell is unsafe, unlike Heaven."
"You sure know how to cheer a guy up," I said with light irony. "Alright. Do you have the means to bring it all to one place?"
"Yes. I'll need three days."
I was silent for a moment, then nodded. Quite fast for such a quantity of weapons. Considering a spear weighs about a kilogram…
"That works. When it's ready, send me a message." – We exchanged numbers. Strange that communication works between dimensions; it still surprises me a little.
Finally, we stopped near that park.
"It's time," I said.
Carmilla simply nodded.
"See you, Carmilla. But next time – you'll have to come here yourself. Deservedly."
I extended my hand, and the air before us vibrated. A soft, white radiance swirled, forming an arch – a portal to Hell.
Carmilla looked at me one more time, nodded, and stepped inside.
The portal closed.
Only a light silence remained. And the feeling that someone at that cemetery had taken the first step towards redemption.
I hope it all works out.
And now, it's time to go home.
Talk to Lute, finally discuss the "influence of Hell."
And then ... REST. Tomorrow is a day off. No Training, no proceedings or New Plans. Just A Day Off. I've earned it, Damn it.
But the day after tomorrow…
I could drop by Charlie's hotel. I think she'll be glad to see me — her bright naivety, strangely enough, is even fitting right now. Sometimes it's useful to remind yourself what all this is for.
But Vaggie…
It's more complicated with her. She's quite the ticking time bomb. Her reaction should be thought out in advance. How to approach her, what to say, and whether it's worth it at all. She's not one to forget or forgive quickly. And I probably wouldn't forgive something like that either…
Alright. That's for later. Now — home.