The Forgotten Celestial (Hazbin hotel AU)

Chapter 16: The Calm Before the Storm

The tension in the room was thick as **Alastor** and **Lucifer** glared at each other, their playful teasing moments ago now tinged with something darker. It felt like they were sizing each other up, their egos clashing in a silent battle, and I was stuck in the middle, unsure of what to say or do.

Before things could escalate any further, **Charlie** stepped in, her hands raised in exasperation. "Alright, enough! Stop teasing Y/N, both of you. We have bigger things to focus on. Can you please behave, just this once?" She sighed, clearly used to dealing with their antics but not in the mood for it today.

Alastor's smile remained, though his eyes flickered with something unspoken as he glanced at Lucifer. The King of Hell simply smirked, giving Alastor a sideways look before stepping back. The tension eased a little, but I could tell it wasn’t completely gone.

As they both finally left the room, **Charlie** turned to me with an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. They can get... intense."

I let out a small breath of relief and nodded, still trying to shake off the unsettling feeling from moments ago. "No, thank you for stepping in, honestly. You saved my butt back there."

We both chuckled, the weight in the room lifting slightly as we shared that moment. But the humor was short-lived. Reality was pressing in, and we both knew what was coming. The **extermination** was upon us, and the air was growing thick with dread.

The preparations for the day had taken up most of the morning, but I hadn’t been able to shake the nervousness that gnawed at me. As I checked the time, it hit me—**it was time**. The moment I had been dreading. My heart began to race, my hands trembling as I realized how quickly everything was happening. It was like the ground beneath my feet was slipping away, and I was powerless to stop it.

I looked around for someone to talk to, and my eyes fell on **Vaggie**. She was busy coordinating with the other residents, making sure they were ready, but I had to speak to her before it was too late.

I rushed over, grabbing her arm gently. "Vaggie, I need to talk to you."

She looked at me, concern in her eyes. "What’s wrong?"

Taking a deep breath, I tried to keep my voice steady, but the fear crept through anyway. "Promise me, Vaggie. Promise me that no matter what happens today, you'll protect Charlie. If anyone so much as lays a finger on her—" My voice faltered for a second before I found the strength to continue, "—you kill them. No hesitation."

Vaggie’s eyes softened, and she placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Of course. You don’t even have to ask. She's my girlfriend. I’ll do anything to keep her safe. Whoever dares touch her... they're dead."

Her words gave me a small sense of relief, but the fear still clung to my chest. I nodded, forcing a smile. "Thank you."

Vaggie smiled back, her usual sternness giving way to something warmer. "Hey, we’re going to get through this. We’ll protect each other, no matter what."

The truth was, I didn’t know if I could believe that. The extermination was something far beyond anything I had faced before, and it wasn’t just about survival—it was about choices. About where my loyalties really lay. Every second that ticked by brought me closer to a decision that I wasn’t sure I was ready to make.

Charlie approached us, her face tense but determined. "Alright, everyone," she called out to the room, "it’s time."

The weight of her words sent a shiver down my spine. **This was it.**

As everyone moved into position, preparing for what lay ahead, I stood frozen for a moment, my heart pounding in my chest. I wasn’t just scared of the extermination itself—I was scared of what would happen if I couldn’t go through with my mission. If I couldn’t betray them.

I looked over at Charlie, her bright optimism shining even in the face of doom, and then at Vaggie, her fierce loyalty evident in every move she made. They were both so brave, so sure of themselves.

And then there was me.

I had never felt so torn in my life.

**Could I really go through with it?**

Would I be able to watch this all play out and just... let it happen?

As the hours ticked by, the sky began to darken, signaling that the extermination was about to begin. The energy in the air shifted, the quiet before the storm settling over us like a suffocating blanket. The streets outside were eerily silent, as if even Hell itself was holding its breath.

I stood by the window, watching the dark clouds swirl ominously above, and I felt it—**the beginning of the end.**

Whatever happened next, there was no turning back.

My hands tightened into fists at my sides, and I closed my eyes, trying to calm the storm of emotions raging inside me.

Then, without thinking, I whispered to myself, “Please… don’t make me choose.”