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pacing back and forth inside her room, heavy black eyebags, and wild untamed hair, Charlie desperately tried to figure out what has gone wrong.
☆It's been years, years!?☆, 20 to be exact her mind 'reminded ' her 'helpfully ', since she redeemed sir Pentious, but after Heaven informed her of his redemption, Charlie wasn't able to redeem another Sinner.
To make matters worse Heaven told her about it on a message, then collapsed their embassy, and cut off all communication with Hell.
Charlie remembered how at first how she thought that it was simply Heaven being stubborn and refusing to admit that the Exorcists death was justified self-defense, and that the Exterminations were wrong.
But throughout these 20 years, with Angel Dust quitting drugs, only resulting to violence to defend himself, being in a committed marriage with Cherri Bomb, and Velantino freeing him in exchange of rescuing Vox from the clutch of a technology obsessed Ars Goetia, weren't enough to redeem him.
Sure Angel humour is still very much crude, but the existence of Adam proves that swearing isn't a deal breaker for entering Heaven.
And with more and more Sinners checking in the hotel, hoping to redeem themselves and follow on Sir Pentious footsteps, only to see their efforts amount to nothing.
Some found inner peace through bettering themselves, while others began despairing thinking that their crimes couldn't be atoned for, and the worst were those who started to resent her whispering about how she gave them false hope, how indeed she is the devil daughter.
Even her life has gotten worse, while her relationship with her father became somewhat better, they still couldn't connect, they simply have to different interests, with almost nothing in common,☆ Turns out that believing in my dream doesn't mean that we have anything to talk with each other ☆, Charlie bitterly thought.
Her girlfriend, now wife of ten years, who seemed fine, happy even, at their victory against the Exorcists, slowly spiraled into a nervous wreck, years of therapy weren't able to help her with the guilt she felt for helping & killing her former sisters, Vaggi confided to her, that she always sees their accusing eyes, following her wherever she walked, even her night filled with various corpses of dead Exorcists asking why their big sister killed them?!
Husk, the one she thought was getting better, only became better at hiding his resentment of them , the reason for why he stayed to defend the hotel bugged Charlie endlessly, bonding with Angel wasn't enough, Husk still hated Angel, seeing their agreement to help each other, as nothing more than a grudging acknowledgement that two souls with similar problems, can forcefully drag the other from wallowing in their misery.
Finally snapping three years ago at her pestering him, coldly stating that the only reason that he fought for her dream, was Alstor forcing him too.
Fittingly Nifty stayed the same, what Charlie thought of as creepy then endearing, was a tragedy that she couldn't fix no matter what she did, Nifty traumatized every therapist she was sent to, and permanently killed 5 of them, Charlie is loathed to give up on anyone, but the small maid is simply incurably insane.
Alstor was the only one who got everything he wanted out of her hotel, watching as residents one by one fell into agony and despair.
Charlie searched high and low, books from Hell and Earth, provided to her by uncle Asmodeus, everything written about redemption, religious texts from all religions, philosophy masterpieces, and betterment books, but nothing worked.
" Hey Charlie, are you awake?", Angle Dust voice came from the other side of her room door, making her jump ☆ great I'm so consumed by my thoughts, i didn't notice him coming to my room ☆, Charlie cursed beneath her breath, fixing her hair as best she could, " Just a second Angle ", her voice didn't tremble at least.
Opening the door, she is faced with Angle smile, one that quickly turned into a concerned frown at seeing her sorry state, his concern didn't sting as badly as the understanding look in his eyes.
"Um, Char, if you want to vent, just say so, okay?", Angle warm tone, and his understanding not to push made her hesitate many times, but alas he will fail to reach her again.
"It's nothing Angle, don't worry about it ", her plastic smile wasn't very convincing Charlie knew that, but she still couldn't bare to burden her friend like that, she will figure it out eventually,...right?, right.
Sighing at his friend stubbornness, Angel handed her the letter, hoping that this will lift her spirits.
" Is this...? ", a question filed by disbelief, hope, and fear.
"Yes sweetcheeks, a letter from Heaven ", Angel grinning face, and happy filled voice, barley anchored her to reality.
Not wasting a second, Charlie nervously torn up the envelope, straightening the paper, she began to read.
"After cacarefully considering the facts and evidence, Heaven decided to discuss redemption with Hell, at thursday nine pm,
Signed,
Seraphael, Head Seraphim of Heaven "
Gathering her courage, Charlie knocked on the new embassy door, an unknown angel opened it, looked at her up and down.
"Follow me Princess, the Head Seraphim is waiting for you ", was all he said, before leading her through the hallways to the meeting room.
Charlie couldn't help but notice that the walls seemed fragile isn't the right word, but not as concrete as the last one.
" we are here ", pulling her from her musing, Charlie nodded, and opened the door.
"Welcome O' princess of Hell ", Sera calm voice greated her, but unlike last time she saw Sera, Charlie thinks her voice is sharper, putting it out of her mind.
" Hello, long time no see, how are you doing ", she replied with what she hoped to be a confident and warm tone.
" I'm as well as one can hope on thus circumstances, i would prefer to skip pleasantries for the lord work is never done", came the emotionless answer.
"Right, sooo what do you wanna talk about?", Charlie politely inquired, bulldozing through the silence, before it becomes awkward.
"Do you know how souls enter Heaven, not what deeds, but the path from an aimless soul to landing to Heaven?", Sera questioned her with a raised eyebrow.
Um, no not really, i never thought about it, all i know that it happens ", caught off guard, but replying nonetheless.
" After the Fall, we of the Seraphim thought that man was forever damned due to the actions of the First Woman, and the stubbornness refusal that the First Man expressed in relation to the topic of leaving her", Sera lifted her left hand to stop Charlie from interrupting her.
"The pious life of the First Man & his blood, quickly proved our assumptions wrong, with the exception of the Father of Murder, which followed his Mother path, all of them were enacting Father will", Sera was so immersed she didn't notice Charlie angry glare when she put the blame of Cain actions on Eve.
"Thus, my brothers and I fashioned a link between Heaven and Earth, the first link being the First Man himself, leaving the judgment of they're worthy or not to the realm Father created, not us flawed creations ", her eyes were hazy, Charlie stomach began to sink, ☆no no no, keep it together Charlotte, it's not what you're thinking, it's impossible ☆.
"From your pale face, i see you're starting to understand the ramifications ", Sera dull voice sent shivers through her spine.
" Unfortunately what you're suspecting is true, that link was severed, ending the link that starts from Hell to Earth, and upon redemption to Heaven, upon the First Man death ", she finished her explanation.
"Bu_- t, but couldn't you reestablish it with another soul?", hopefully asked.
"We could , but there isn't 'we' anymore, Azazel has gone rouge alongside the overwhelming majority of Watchers, forever imprisoned on Purgatory with his traitorous ilk, Michael is still injured from facing him(Azazel) and Lucifer at the same time, Azrael has lost hope with humanity, and refuse to aid me, Emily simply too weak to be of help ", the soul crushing reality slapped Charlie in the face.
"So congratulations Charlotte Morningstar, you lived up to your parents legacy ", Sera broken voice delivered the last blow, Charlie sunk down to the floor and wept tears of blood.