Veiled in Shadows and Brimstone

2

Charlie stood at the entrance of the cave on the outskirts of the Wrath Ring, the furthest corner of Hell where her uncle, the Sin of Wrath, Satan, ruled. She had received a cryptic note from Roo, the demoness who owned her husband Alastor's soul, asking her to meet at this secluded location. The note warned her not to let Alastor know about their meeting. As she entered the dark, eerie cave, Charlie could feel the tension in the air. She could sense the presence of powerful demons lurking in the shadows. She took a deep breath and made her way further into the cave. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the darkness. It was Roo, a beautiful demoness with dark black hair and piercing red eyes. She looked at Charlie with a mix of surprise and curiosity. "Welcome, Your Majesty," Roo said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "I'm glad you could make it. "Charlie straightened her posture and held her chin up. "You wanted to talk about Al's soul. Let's talk, Eve." Roo's expression darkened at the mention of her former name. "That isn't my name anymore," she hissed, her eyes flashing with anger. "And I will not release Alastor's soul. "Charlie's heart sank at the news. She had hoped that Roo would be willing to negotiate. "Why won't you release him?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. Roo's eyes narrowed as she stepped closer to Charlie. "Because he belongs to me now," she growled. "And there's nothing you can do about it." Charlie felt a surge of fear coursing through her veins. She knew that Roo was not someone to be trifled with. But she couldn't just let Alastor's soul be trapped in the hands of this dangerous demoness. "Please, Roo," Charlie pleaded, her voice shaking. "I'll do anything to free him. Just name your price." Roo let out a cruel laugh, sending shivers down Charlie's spine. "You think you can bargain with me, Queen of Hell? You are nothing compared to the power I wield just by owning your Sinner King's soul." Charlie stood her ground, refusing to back down. "I will not let you keep Alastor's soul. He belongs with me. He doesn't deserve to be chained like some...some animal!" Roo's eyes gleamed with malice as she raised a clawed hand, glowing with red energy tinged with green and black, ready to strike. "You dare to defy me?" she snarled, her voice dripping with venom. "You will regret this, Charlotte Morningstar. Mark my words. "But before Roo could make a move, a group of shadowy figures emerged from the darkness. It was Charlie's cannibal bodyguards, the ones Rosie had lent to her for protection. They stood tall and menacing, their eyes fixed on Roo. "We will not let you harm our Queen," one of the bodyguards growled, his voice deep and threatening. Roo's expression hardened as she realized she was outnumbered. With a frustrated snarl, she retreated back into the shadows, disappearing into the darkness of the cave. Charlie let out a sigh of relief, grateful for her bodyguards' quick thinking. She knew that the danger was not over, but at least she had bought some time to come up with a plan to save Alastor's soul. As she turned to leave the cave, Charlie made a silent vow to herself. She would do whatever it took to free her husband from Roo's clutches, even if it meant facing 'The Root of all Evil' herself.

🗝️ sixteen hours later 🗝️

Charlie stood nervously in the main lobby of the Hazbin Hotel, her six kids running around and playing with Husk and Angel. She knew she had some explaining to do to her overprotective husband Alastor, who had been searching for her for the past 16 hours. As she tried to approach Alastor, he cut her off with a harsh slap across the face. Charlie looked up at him in shock, tears welling up in her topaz eyes. Al froze, realizing he had let his anger get the best of him. Husk held Al back as Charlie ran away from him, hurt and confused. She made her way to the roof of the hotel, curling up in a ball as the rain poured down on her, shivering from the cold. Three hours later, Al found her asleep on the roof. He gently woke her before lifting her into his arms and carrying her back inside to their room to warm her up. Once she was settled, he finally asked the question that had been weighing on his mind. "Where were you, Charlie?" he asked softly. Charlie hesitated before answering, "I confronted Roo to try to free your soul." Al pulled her into a hug, feeling a tiny bump on her belly. Confusion clouded his mind until he thought back to the past three weeks. Charlie had been tired and sick, especially during the Winter Ball. It suddenly clicked in his mind - she was pregnant. However, he didn't let on that he knew. Instead, he held her close, relieved that she was safe and sound