Corrupted: Death Follows (Male Reader x Charlie) (BOOK 3)

Caught in a Daunting Web

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Y/N's heart and feet were making sound in unison. The corrupted demon rushed through the streets of the City, passing under lit up billboards. One by one, they began to turn and show new footage. Defamation causing footage. They broadcasted an edited video of the body of Mammon, along with Y/N's outburst at the Vee's tower. It then cut to a video of Valentino with clearly fake blood all over him, acting like he barely survived the attack. It didn't matter how real or fake it looked at the end, it was the beginning that determines people's minds. The more demons he passed, the more ugly looks he got. The more fear he saw in their eyes. He saw multiple sinners and demons alike grip their fists, ready to strike a blow if Y/N endangered them. His mark glowed and growled, ready to consume all.

'Come on. Just a little longer,' Y/N thought as he kept running. His breaths were in quick succession, and his lungs were hurting. But he kept going, because hurting lungs were better than the majority of the Pride Ring hanging up on him. The video continuously looped on the various screens plastered around the city, only deepening the lies.

Y/N ran past the heaven embassy, and saw the overbearing clock tower adorning it.

0 0 0

That was all it read, and a great pit formed in Y/N's stomach. The extermination was today. He looked at the time on his phone.

'Ten minutes?' Y/N thought, remembering what time the rampage the exterminators went on started. He looked around. All the demons who had previously been giving him dirty looks had disappeared into buildings, quickly barricading the doors they had just entered. Y/N couldn't believe it snuck up on him. He's figured a day like this would be stained in his memory, but with everything going on, it just...

He didn't have time to contemplate. He only had time to run. And that he did. He continued his sprint towards the Hazbin Hotel, which was finally beginning to peek out over the city skyline. Soon he would be home, a place of safety. And then, he could come up with a plan.

At the hotel, the doors suddenly burst open. Everyone, who was sitting in the lobby watching the blasphemous clip play, turned to look at the sudden visitor. Y/N stood, sweating and his chest heaving. His eyes wide, freaking out internally. Charlie immediately ran and hugged him, squeezing him tight. Vaggie quickly followed and locked the doors, being precautious.

"What's going on?" She asked, wondering what caused the dreaded video to go on the air. Alastor still wore a smile, but you could tell his true emotions as he stared at the television screen.

"The Vee's set me up. They put together a video of, well that," Y/N said, gesturing to the tv. The other resident stopped watching the screen, as the star of it was standing in their lobby.

"So, who do you think killed Mammon?" Vaggie asked, putting her hand on Y/N's arm. After sharing her past with him, the two felt closer. A sibling-esque bond, with them sharing Charlie as family.

"I honestly have no idea. Wait..," Y/N said, allowing his mind to think. In all the rush, he hadn't really stopped and truly considered who could have done this. Charlie already knew before Y/N spoke the perpetrator's name.

"The Umbra Queen," the princess stated firmly.

"Vox, you conniving little bitch," Alastor said under his breath, gripping his staff tight. He knew what all his little prodigy of sorts had been through, and to ring his name through the mud like this was a low blow, even for the flat faced shit eater.