EdanXIII
"I broke my vows to shield my flock from a tyrant on Earth; do not think I won't tear Hell apart to do the same thing."
In 1945, Father Julian Mercer went down in flames. Literally, a ruthless regime set his parish ablaze on a random Sunday Morning. He used his final breaths to usher every single soul to safety, staying behind just long enough for the cathedral ceiling to collapse, consuming him in a fiery martyrdom. He woke up in Purgatory, scarred by the ash and the weight of his "sins"-secrets of forbidden love, broken vows of celibacy, and unsanctioned same-sex marriages performed in the dark to protect his people.
Eighty years later, the waiting room of the afterlife finally spits him out. Julian drops straight into the chaotic madness of the Pride Ring in 2026. Transformed into a ram demon with sweeping horns and the permanent burns of his execution, he has no interest in Heaven. He knows exactly why he was sent below, and he is entirely unapologetic.
Seeking nothing but a quiet place to exist, Julian stumbles into the Hazbin Hotel. He expects hypocritical lectures on morality; instead, he finds Charlie Morningstar's genuine, naive hope, a cynical bartender who remembers the old days, and Anthony-Angel Dust.
For the first time since the 1940s, Julian finds a soul who speaks his language, shares his era, and carries an internalized shame that Julian spent his living life trying to heal. As an ancient pastoral instinct sparks to life, a slow, fiercely protective bond forms between the former priest and Hell's favorite star.
But what happens when Father Mercer finds out the man he's fallen for is owned, and he happens to have enough money to buy the contract?