Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

While strolling through the streets of hell you can hear many rumours. 'Stolas Goetia is sleeping with an imp,' 'all the new hellphones are cheaply made and prone to exploding,' 'cadaver cuts doesn't serve sinner meat but actually serves hellhound meat,' 'The exterminations have been cancelled due to a lack of new sinners.'

It was this last one that caught Alastor's attention, despite him not being one to indulge in gossip. It had to be balderdash and poppycock the radio demon thought to himself. If they were cancelled Lucifer would have announced them last month or would inform them tomorrow at the meeting of overlords. How Lucifer could get them all to sit down without interruption was beyond him.

Appearing out of the shadows into the ornate waiting room Alastor, like the rest of the overlords, was waiting on the arrival of Lucifer. He was often a couple minutes late. The devil could get side tracked and distracted so easily. The collection of rubber ducks that filled his palace was a big distraction which he continued to indulge in.

Soon the overlords were ushered into the meeting room, Lucifer seemed to want to get this over and done with. Things seemed to be on his mind that troubled him and he wanted to return to his comfort ducks as fast as possible.

The first half of the meeting was boring with various overlords exchanging insults under their breath. They each discussed their earnings and the cut Lucifer would receive with oohs and aahs when the triple Vs said their total. Alastor despised them especially Valentino, even Asmodeus didn't like him and he was the spirit of lust itself.

Finally as the meeting seemed to draw to a close Vox voiced what was on everyone's mind, the rumour spread through out Pride, the mater of the exterminations possibly being cancelled.

"I'm sure everyone has heated this even old timer over there," he pointed at Alastor,," But I need to know will the exterminations be cancelled this year," Instantly the devil's demeanour changed to one of shock and of mild anger. "It's just..." he was instantly cut of by Lucifer.

"Who told you" his voice grew more authoritative and his eyes changed to a glowing red. The overlord involuntarily shuffled backwards in their seats at the sheer power Lucifer held.

"I swear to fuck,  when I find that peice of shit who listened in on that call I will fucking end him." He seemed to calm down a slight bit after the exclamation.

" Who else has heard the 'rumour'," All overlords raised their hands. Lucifer sighed. His eyes changed back to normal and he sat back down in his seat almost in defeat. He seemed to contemplate something for a second before speaking again.

"*Sigh* well if this 'rumour' is so prevalent then I might as well reveal the grand truth. But, let me be clear this does not leave this room. Got that? This information is not be revealed to anyone outside of this room until it is officially revealed in a week's time." His voice was eerily serious, unlike the ruler of hell the overlords knew.

The middle of the table slowly retracted into the sides to reveal a 3D hologram which showed a diagram of the solar system before it focused in on the sun and first 4 planets.

"Ok so this as you all should know is the solar system. Normally the sun sends light and other rays at the earth. But something changed..." Lucifer began explaining as he spoke the sun slowly became redder and redder.

"The sun began to emit ray of some.kimd of magic or something like it. They well... Melted people."

The hologram showed a neighbourhood with hundreds of people outside it going about their lives. The sun suddenly shifted to a deep red and the people began to, for lack of better words melt. Their bodies contorting in odd shapes before becoming a formless flesh blob.

"Within these...things, the soul still resides. So with about 99% of the humans having melted there are a lot less people dieing at the moment and the people melting are staying on earth."

"So just about no new souls are entering heaven and hell. I struck a deal and the exterminations are cancelled. No need to thank me."

Silence ensued for a little while afterwards. The overlords had to digest the information that had just hit them like a brick. Slowly questions began to form inside their minds, questions which were quickly voiced.

After 2 hours all questions had been 'answered' and Lucifer's patience was wearing thin. He knew very little about the situation and could hardly answer the simplest of questions thrown at him.

"Any more questions? No ? Good" and with that he adjourned the meeting leaving everyone still quite confused.

Alastor swiftly strode through the streets of Pentagram city, ignoring the poor sinners around him, to the centre of the city where the giant pentagram laid.

He would visit his good human friend Dr Bright. Though the foundation with which he associated was not so friendly with him.

After drawing many strange symbols on the ground Alastor touched a small flame to the symbols which erupted in green and red smoke which swirled together on the area the symbols were in as if trapped by an invisible wall. Alastor walked into the smoke before stepping out into the mortal realm.

*The day the sun broke*

"Ok so hear me out on this. What if we put a silencer on the chainsaw cannon? The administrator and his security detail keep hearing me fire it so that would be an improvement. Or actually, a loudener would make everyone deaf so noone can hear me fire it." Bright said spitballing ideas into the air.

"Add a silencer to a chainsaw firing cannon where could you get one that large and a loudener would blow your ear drums as well, stupid, and possibly cause a breach which would get the 0-5s on both our asses." Clef spoke with venom, he didn't dislike Bright but he was Clef's first pick to share a workshop with.

'It was only temporary,' he would often remind himself and yet it had been 3 weeks of being attached to site 19 and still no sign of any improvements. He was hating his room, his workshop, his shitty forced leave from the research team on his daughter.

"Aww no fun, come on use the computer research any new anomalies the search teams brought in." Despite being as old as the foundation it's self Bright never commited any more than peanut, shy guy and Larry to memory because remembering the rest is for the 'egg heads to do.' 

"And why can't you do it?" Clef grumbled as he walked over to the login for the computer.

"Sooooo, you know when I kinda fed the administrator's favourite receptionist to -682? Yeah he uhh wasn't too happy about that so he took away any computer privileges, until I had 'his authority to reinstate the privileges." Clef cracked a smile at the mention of the administrators receptionist, he had been a snarky asshole and Clef was pleased to watch him be torn to shreds.

'CONTAINMENT BREACHED

MULTIPLE KETER AND EUCLID CLASS ANOMALIES HAVE BREACHED CONTAINMENT

SEVERAL INSTANCES OF SCP-001 'WHEN DAY BREAKS' HAVE BEEN SPOTTED THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY 

ARM YOURSELF WITH ANY INCENDIARY WEAPON ON HAND AND DESTROY THEM WHILE YOU CAN

DO NOT ENTER THE LIGHT!'

The lights shut off before the red emergency lights came on as alarms blared and screams could be heard from outside the room.

"Hmm strange that's not meant to happen for about 362 years."

"Bright stop joking around."

Neither of the doctors really cared for both were practically immortal. Clef created a precarious stack of tables to reach the alarm before smashing it with a hammer, before returning to the chainsaw cannon.

After remembering about his private stock of D boys Bright ran out of his room and the 5 feet along the corridor, with his chainsaw cannon to defend them. For if he didn't have them he wouldn't have a human host and he wasn't a big fan of becoming a sentient meat slime.

As the tides of flesh grew close Bright's amulet glowed a dull golden colour, a fact neither Bright or Clef noticed. The flesh upon seeing the light would scream and scurry away in search of easier prey.

*A few hours later*

"check again"Bright whined,"if the administrator is a flesh monster then I am the next in line as the chain of command goes, which means what ever I do at the site.."

"Doesn't matter" Clef interrupted,"most of humanity is dead so what you do at the site doesn't matter to anyone. So technically the list doesn't apply."

The amount of joy and excitement crossing Brights face was incredible. He could do everything on the list. The squeal made by him caused Clef's ear to bleed.

"Ah, FUCK!!! Cut it out or I'll sow your mouth shut!" The threat finally got Bright to shut up.

Hundreds of thoughts flooded Bright's mind as he flung himself out of the office door and down the eerily quiet hallway. Without anyone to enforce the rules he was free to do as he pleased. The feeling felt oh so good to Bright. Completely lost in thought Bright continued to sprint and did not notice the obstacles till it was too late.

In a flurry of limbs and strange sounds from Bright, the amulet man fell to the floor having tripped on a ballistic vest. 

The plague doctor looked down at the pile of human at his feet. The amulet making it painfully obvious who was Infront of him. The plague doctor let out a small groan before greeting the 'scientist'.

"Hello doctor." The voice was instantly recognisable to Bright.

"Ah plague-y boi!! I see you survive the flesh well. So tell me your secret. Are your zombies flesh killing machines or something?" Bright asked.

"Uhh, I have asked you do not call me pet names and I would like you to respect that wish." SCP-049 spoke with noticeable amounts of irritation.

"What, you mean plague-y lad, boi and ugly? Those are perfectly endearing names." Bright joked with mock sincerity.

"Yes, those names, and they are not endearing! But back to the matter at hand. I am unable to find a single living person other than yourself. Is there a breach happening or perhaps something far worse? I do not wish for my experiments to be taken from me." SCP-049 questioned Bright as he was keen to not be penalised for something out of his control.

"Since most of command is dead, or a flesh monster, I can actually tell you answers to your plaguing questions,"He chuckled at the word play."So technically there was a breach but now it is kinda sorted. Oh yeah and before I leave I should tell you, you me and Clef are possibly the only people left in this site so I'm in charge."

"You, in charge? There must have been something awful to have breached for they to be true. And did you say there was a breach?

"So, there was a breach.... Actually there probably is still a breach, I don't know where the flesh creatures have gone. That reminds though you might want to watch this, it'll provide clarity." He handed the phone to the plague doctor. The video that was displayed horrified the doctor.

The video feed was marked as being from a couple hours ago. Everything seemed normal to the plague doctor. The feed displayed a section of the depot attached to the site. He had only seen glimpses of it when being transported not the site.

SCP-049 recognised multiple people with whom he had become aquatinted. One notable man was sergeant Jack Edwards. While there was nothing entirely extraordinary about the sergeant the plague doctor found him amicable. They could at least hold a conversation beyond a couple sentences.

The sun glowed in the ordinary yellowish white which 049 had not seen for quite some time. Multiple D class personnel were taking a small break in the sun's glow. The guards, attached to keep the D class in line, leaned against walls in the shade watching others struggle to push boxes out of the trucks.

The camera feeds suddenly began to glitch with the sun becoming noticeable redder and intense by the second. The few people in the sun looked up to the red star in confusion as the red light spilled over the land.

They began to melt. Their flesh bubbles and boiled, as the light touched their flesh. Screams of agony serenaded the scene, as the flesh began to collect in a putrid puddle. Bone, flesh, skin all melted into a human soup.

The flesh formed appendages and slowly formed into a more stable and solid form. Several eyes and mouths covered the things. The flesh screamed for others to 'join in the sun's glory.'

The few unaffected personnel, including sergeant Edwards unholstered their weapons and fired at the creatures. The bullets did little to stop the flesh as it dragged itself towards the guards. They took were exposed to the sun and they were also melted.

The plague doctor looked horrified and if he had a mouth probably would have thrown up. His eyes darted around the hallway looking for something, anything, to take this off his mind.

"I...I...I have no words, what happened to them?" he asked despite knowing the answer.

"Over 8 billion people have melted and joined in the 'sun's eternal beauty.' The last part was full of sarcasm.

"The pestilence can wait, this affliction is far worse than I could ever have imagined. It does rend the flesh from one's bones before puppeteering it in an unholy abomination. The cure for the pestilence shall wait, it must wait. This takes priority, and I shall cure it or else I doom humanity." -049 spoke shakily before finally tearing his eyes away from the phone.

While Bright wasn't sure how he could cure the sun he was happy to see the plague doctor. At the very least the SCP could provide ample entertainment.

They both dashed off in different directions, 049 to try to gain a sample of 001 and Bright to gather all the chainsaw cannons he had made. Why? To do the one thing the foundation had tried to stop him from doing. The one goal to which Bright had strived for, since day one.

He was gonna killing 682 with his precious chainsaw cannons.

* 3 weeks later*

It had been a while to get the resources necessary to construct 50 more chainsaw cannons. You need the steel frames and the chainsaws and the fuel for them and back up stuff if the original stuff were to fail. But finally all the preparations were done and Clef was blissfully unaware of his activities.

The heavy steel doors which led to SCP-682's containment cell were intimidating but still Bright scanned his keycards and pulled the lever beginning the door's opening cycle. Lights flashed as the heavy metal does slowly slid into the walls to reveal the large room which housed the vat of acid.

Due to his regenerative properties the lizard was constantly submerged in strong acid. The lizard looked at Bright as he dragged in his supplies. A low growl came from within the tank.

"Why bother me now? We both know the answers to your questions." The voice was deep and the words were growled rather than spoken.

As Bright set up the chainsaw cannon and rigged them to one single trigger he explained the plan to the lizard.

"Ok, sooo, I'm gonna fire these at you and your gonna be a good destructive, possibly world ending lizard and not moved. And in return, I will let you talk with -079. Sound fair?" Bright explained.

The lizard thought for a moment. The doctor had no proof that he could give him access to communication with -079 but it was a tempting offer. Although he could just kill him once communication lines were created.

"What do you get in return?" There had to be some kind of reason for the request.

"Well I get to shoot these at you." Bright said gesturing at his array of cannons.

The lizard let out a deep gutteral laugh."Fire as much as you want, you pest. My hide can't be pierced, even by the best you have. So come and hit me with your best shot!"

Scrambling over to a computer in the observation room he pressed some buttons and typed in the override password he had found on the administrator's desk. The vat slowly drained of acid and the entrance from the vat to the testing chamber slowly revealed itself.

Slowly the metal doors retracted revealing the lizard. Its skin had severe acid burns all along the creature. It shakily lifted a leg before taking a step forwards. The acid always did a number on him.

Having pointed every chainsaw cannon he had at the Lizard, Bright opened fire. The sounds of the cannons firing and the chainsaws spinning dwarfed anything 682 could have said or growled. Bright watched with anticipation as the hundreds of chainsaws flew at 682.

The first impacted just above the lizards eyes and shattered into tiny fragments. The second plowing directly into the creatures belly also shattered. A third impacted the top left eyes of the lizard and bounced off as if it were a rubber ball. The rest followed a similar pattern doing no damage at all causing 682 to laugh.

"Hahaha you really thought your device could destroy my hide. Think again. And what's to stop me from killing you and your worthless species."

"Hmm really should have seen that coming." 

The tail of the beast slammed down where Bright had been standing seconds ago. Taking out his phone Bright called Clef.

*ring*

"Come on pick up. Pick up." Jumping to the side to dodge a second attack from the lizard. Bright really didn't want to meet the numerous D-class he had fed to it.

*ring*

"What the fuck do you want Bright. I'm kinda busy in a meeting with the O-5!" Clef half yelled at the phone whilst actually trying to find the last couple samples of SCP-420-J.

"Yeah, well this is kinda important. Barney the dinosaur has gotten a little angry.

"Huh?" Seconds later the roar of 682 was blasted out of Clef's phone. " Oh that dinosaur."

"Yeah. Now fucking help me!!"

The call cut off there. Clef groaned out loud before snatching his shotgun from the nearby desk as well as a couple tear has grenades. They had proved effective before and at worst would hurt Bright which was a net positive.

Running through the halls Clef heard the roars of 682 as it began to attack Bright. Finally Clef reached the double heavy duty metal doors.

This certainly wasn't what Alastor had expected. When Bright said his foundation handled very dangerous objects and entities Alastor hadn't expected to come into contact with such a dangerous one so quickly.

When he first discovered this foundation Bright had let Alastor interact with whatever he could smuggle out of their containment chambers. This thing was far above anything Alastor had seen before, however the chaos of hell trumps any which the mortal realm can conjure.

The mass of flesh in front of Alastor took him by surprise. The thing was reminiscent of a lizard but this was far more twisted than anything he had seen in his time as a human.

The scales were thick and scarred but we're slowly healing. Multiple layers of thick dark green skin were peeling from ever limb. The hair of the beast was thick and covered much of the thing. The head was long and skeletal. The long thin tail with a spike at the end was whipping a towards Bright who was barely avoiding the lizard's attacks.

"Hey we Al little help, just get it over to the box." The words of Bright broke Alastor out of his daze.

Little more was needed to be said. The objective was simple and yet Alastor knew there was to be an added complexity. There was a chamber, which the lizard had to be dragged into, for long enough for Bright to close the doors and fill it with acid.

Hundreds of shadowy creatures poured out of Alastor's own shadow. The shadows stalked the edge of the room. Waiting for each one to other to enter their places.

Alastor struck down onto the ground with his radio staff, the ground subsequently erupted with 5 black spikes piercing -682's stomach. Thick black blood poured out of the wounds covering the shadows advance as they came forwards.

Suddenly the spikes retracted and the shadows dragged the lizard towards the tank doors. Despite the SCP digging it's claws into the floor it was dragged backwards by the shadows and several black tentacles which had appeared from the acid tank.

Finally Bright ran over toward the controls and began to close the containment doors. Slowly the lizard was dragged into the containment vat of acid and was finally entombed in the vat as the acid began to pour in.

"Well, I'll be, what in the 9 circles was that... Thing?" Alastor exclaimed after reappearing behind Bright.

"Um, well that was a test of my chainsaw cannons which, as you can tell, didn't go exactly to plan."

"Well this place simply won't do for some catching up with old pals. I will find us a much better place to continue this!" Alastor proclaimed as he and Bright slowly melted into the shadows.

"WAIT! Bring Clef to." Bright now had a large grin on his face.

"Why." Al asked with an equally large grin on his face.

"It'll be funny."

While Brights office was the cleanest of the rooms in the site it was still a mess. The room had clearly been lived in for a while. It was initially the testing chamber for SCP-294 which Bright had them converted into his personal living quarters after the sun went melty.

A bed had been jammed into the corner, the coffee machine was in the other corner, with a desk dominating the centre of the room. It was stacked with hundreds of paper cups, of which several had residues of various liquids, from beer to honey. The floor was in a general state of clutter with multiple stacks of anomalies and other items.

Bright strolled out of the shadows to the machine and placed 2 quarters into the coin slot and began to type on the key board. The machine hummed and a cup, which looked like the cups on the desk, plopped down and a golden liquid was dispensed into the cup.

"If I had known I'd have guests in the room I would have cleaned up." He wouldn't have."ooh Al, Clef ya want anything?"

Clef stayed silent yet glared at Bright with extreme annoyance as Clef was still overcoming the motion sickness travel by shadow brought on. Alastor however tilted his head before walking up to the machine.

"Does it have sinners blood?" this was more to mess with the doctor's than anything.

"How would I know. It'll probably say out of range though." This venture up to the surface was proofing to be quite entertaining.

Bright placed 2 more quarters in the machine.

"Aaaand, that's the last of the quarters I have managed to scavenge. I started with my desk then Clef's desk then every desk I could find then the guard uniforms and finally the 2 bucks I gave to the Class-Ds." He was rambling, it had been a while since he had seen 'human' life.

"I see your prisoners are living nicely being able to dine on venison." A laugh track played from somewhere.

"Uh, now is not the time for bad puns but the machine is all yours." He sat back in his chair and watched the demon type glass of sinners blood into the machine.

Another set of humming sounds began before a wine glass was dispensed with a deep red liquid following it afterwards.

"Hmm so it does do that. What does it taste like?" Bright was generally interested in something for once.

Alastor picked up the cup and had a sip and cringed.

"It has gone stale, too much time out of the corpse. A pity, really but I have come to talk business. I have come here with a question, I know your foundation dabbles in demonic magic so what have you done to stop sinners falling in hell? Oh and can I keep this. It didn't seem to be used by anyone."

He pulled a deer skull from one of the piles closest to the coffee machine. There was nothing about it that seemed anomalous but Bright could tell it was an anomaly.

"Hey Clef can Al take this to hell, it isn't dangerous is it?"

"Noooo, if he takes that he'll destroy the world." Clef said sarcastically as he watched Bright's expression sour." Of course he can fucking take it. It'll be one less thing out of my hair."

"Jesus, why ya gotta be such a fucking dick?" Bright questioned Clef.

"It's in my job description." Clef said, completely monotone.

While moving to the computer to see if he was right and wasn't about to give a really deadly anomaly to a demon he tripped on the clutter Bright had in his office and knocked over Alastor's glass.

"Fuck, now I've gotta clean this up." He began to grumble under his breath with moving towards the door to go get a mop.

"There's no need for you to clean when someone else who enjoys cleaning can." With that Alastor reached into the shadows and with well practiced theatrics pulled out a  small Cyclops. 

"Oh my god it's so cute. Clef can we keep it."

"No, you can't keep me and Alastor why am I here and where is here?"

"Why are you here? To do what you do best, clean and where is here? Earth, yes, at site 18."

"Site 19." Bright rarely got to correct the radio demon so relished In it.

"Oh my goodness this place is filthy and not just the blood on the floor." She soon became a blur which quickly and efficiently cleared up the room to Brights objection

"Hey Clef get the closest eye pod and don't ask what I plan to do with it." Clef left the room to hunt one of the eye pods which could take between 5 seconds and 12 hours.

"Ok to answer your question earlier, I don't know but I think it's to do with SCP-001 aka when day breaks. The sun turned against humanity and began melting people. Not just people, ever living thing. The red sun has changed all and they now seem to like it. From what plague-y said earlier, he may be able to reverse it if he is able to research it further." Bright explained.

"So why aren't you afflicted then?"

"Again I don't know, only that the flesh seamed repealed by me. Whenever it would get close it would slink back to find easier prey."

"Maybe it's cause you didn't put deodorant on that day and where do I put 131." Clef had returned with one of the eye pods, which looked like an orange prince Rupert a drop just much bigger, and the other yellow one next to his legs.

"Hey, that was uncalled for, and put it right next to the Cyclops."

Clef did as he was instructed and placed the eye pod on the floor near to where Nifty was cleaning. She didn't see it for 30 seconds but when she did she froze. They were both about the size of cats and the eye pod certainly acted like a cat as it nudged Nifty, she hugged it.

"Alastor can we keep it, please, it just looks so adorable. I don't want to let it go."

"I mean if me and Clef come down to hell with ya on your return I don't see why not."

"What?" Al was quite startled by the statement but regained composure in milliseconds. "You come to hell?"

"Yeah. There's not much worse the world could get and supplies are starting to run low we've even begun rationing."

"I have begun rationing you haven't and don't need to because of the whole amulet thing and do you know where scp 1689 is?" Clef was really annoyed at him for 'losing' the infinite bag of potatoes.

"Yeah I got tired of feeding my D Bois so I just gave it to them."

"I'll go get that then." Clef was beyond pissed.

"Well I know humans can go to hell but often times go insane and kill themselves and then become much more sane sinners. But if you really wish to come back with me you can gather up your things and we could leave with anything you want and it gives me a chance to explore this facility of yours."

"Yeah ok sounds good meet ya back here in 5 hours." And with that Bright ran out of his office to collect his chainsaw cannons and some scps he wanted to test on hell's citizens. As he ran he snatched 1689 from Clef's hands telling him to gather his things for an expedition to hell. To which Clef responded by getting 5 snickers bars, extra ammo for his shotgun and promptly went to sleep.

Alastor walked the quite empty halls of the facility snatching a level 4 keycard off someone's desk. He explored for hours before coming across a man dressed in a plague doctor's garb hunched over a piece of meat which looked similar to the flesh Bright had shown him.

"Bright stop there, I've had enough of your shenanigans while you try to find something entertaining to do. So please don't interrupt my work and go away!" The tone was icy and bitter and much unlike the doctor's normal tone.

"Well I'm not Bright, and wish to know more about this important research you seem so enamoured with." -049 was startled for a second before turning back to the small lump of flesh which he continued to dissect. 

"I normally work to cure the pestilence. It is a, horrid disease. It will eventually bring humanity to it's knees, more so than the sun has. It is a disease which we, thankfully, do not possess nor do we have the ability to contract it.

I however have turned my attention to a different matter. The pestilence pales in comparison to what the sun has done and continues to do and so it falls to me to take up the mantle of scientist and astrologer. I must balance my time with both professions however it is hard to do much to reverse either effect, wether on the sun or on people."

-049 realized the time in which he had endeavoured to work was far longer than he had first realized. The sudden realisation brought the heavy weight of tiredness onto the doctors shoulders." I must ask one thing, it has been quite the whole since I had achieved some sleep, could I trouble you for a bed in this room?"

"Say no more my man of science, a bed will be fetched by shadows within the hour."

"Thank you so much uh um, I'm quite sorry but I haven't caught your name."

"Alastor overlord from hell." He extended an arm for a hand shake which the plague doctor took.

"Scp-049 anomaly of the foundation." They shook hands without Alastor's death or a deal being made between them. Alastor thought it rude to strike a deal without one party knowing the terms.

"Scp 049? That is quite the odd name, it sounds more like a classification." The plague doctor bent once more over his specimen and began to pull various vials from his bag and injected the contents of them into the flesh.

"With that you are correct. I've spent so long in foundation custody I have forgotten my own name so have named myself my designation so I don't get confused or confuse the researchers assigned to me." He paused." On second thought they are all most likely part of the sun's flesh army."

"So why don't you change your name."

"Well it would be as if you changed your name it wouldn't... it would be confusing for most people who know you by your previous name. It would be a large inconvenience for both you and others especially as the 'overlord of hell'."

"I am one of the overlords of hell there are many of us each control different portions of people lives. Vox-television Velvet-social media Valentino-the *ahem* pleasure industry and me-radio. There are many more of us."

"Why tell me all of this you don't want my soul do you because if you do you will probably be disappointed by my probable lack of a soul."

"No no no. The scientist, or at least Bright, that inhabit this facility alongside you are coming back to hell with me and since you are the only other human left in the site I figured I would ask you."

"Well unfortunately for you I am no human my touch can kill any human, these 'robes and mask' are part of my anatomy and my bag is also anomalous, it can hold infinite items..."

Before the entities could continue the conversation a bed was dragged through the room by nothing but shadows. The bed was deposited in the corner of the room an the shadows joined back with Alastor's shadow.

"There one bed as promised now I shall leave to give you some shut eye and remember if Brights not here tomorrow he's in hell."  Alastor left allowing 049 to got some much needed rest.

Bright couldn't leave without his stock of D class, often called D Bois, so he had taken 1689 and had tried to convince the D Bois to get into the bag of infinite potatoes but once only one had gotten in the bag he had to resort to other methods. He tried using threats and punishments but none budged then he threatens some with Clef's shotgun but only some went into the bag. Threatening the rest with a chainsaw cannon seemed to work the trick.

He left many lab coats which they were instructed to wear if they were told to come out the bag. The class-Ds didn't know this yet but if they came out the bag the lab coat would be put on them if it had been already and then scp 963 would be put on them giving Bright a new host if the old one died. Each of them had red or ginger hair and there were 7 males and 8 females which provided a large amount of options when he died.

Clef had found him while he kicked the last one into the bag and had demanded the shotgun back which Bright had refused. This led to a 20 minute fight which ended in Bright's brain splattered on the wall.

Clef pushed his head into the bag and called the nearest person forward it was a man about 28 years old who was average height and was of average build. He had curly red hair and a scar across his left cheek apparently from a knife fight in New York.

He was led out of the bag and had a lab coat with the scp symbol sewn on it. He was made to clean Bright's brain of the walls and floor and dispose of the corpse. He was then give the amulet that was on the dead body and placed it on.

"Clef that was really uncalled for." Bright shouted at him.

"Nope I think that was very called for, anyways your demon friend says you have about 30 minutes left till we're leaving for hell so you better get packing more SCPs to steal from the site. You know the O-5 won't be happy about this."

"Yeah but what will they do, we'll be in hell and they won't be cause they're all immortal and they can't send a mobile task force when the only way in is death or a spooky overlord from hell and there is no way the O-5 can get one of those."

"Thanks Clef whatcha bringing?"

"A couple snickers bars, shotgun ammo that works, this hip flask filled with rum and Lucy." Both of them went a little insane during their 3 week isolation from the rest of humanity and had named their prized guns. Bright had Beatrice the chainsaw cannon and Clef had Lucy the shotgun.

"Brights jaw dropped, Clef was taking next to nothing to live for the foreseeable future in hell, the most dangerous place ever except outside in the sun.

After packing everything into 1689 and giving it's new residents a brief on what not to do, it rivalled his list of things not to do from the O-5, Bright walked into his office and was shocked by the pile of quarters which lay on his desk.

"I thought a little something was in order for the entertainment. Why I haven't been so entertained since ..."

"Since the stock market crash of 1927" Bright finished.

Unfortunately this blessing didn't help because Bright knew 294 wouldn't fit in the bag, he had tried, so this mountain of quarters would go pretty unused.

As final prep was done Alastor touched a small flame to the symbols he had drawn on the wall, some of the symbols looked Norse, some Greek, some Latin, and some were just swirls. The symbols instantly all caught fire at the same time, the smoke produced was red and, green from Alastor's magic, and it began to swirl over the circle the symbols were trappes in.

"Alright so who is first, Clef let's see if you can stick the landing. Nifty show him how it's done."

Nifty just calmly walked into the swirls of smoke and slowly disappeared the further she walked into the smoke. Clef did the same just with his shotgun drawn, ready for him to blast anything to pieces.

Finally it was Brights turn and he took a run up and sprinted right at the center of the swirl. Just as he was about to run through the smoke some sort of barrier blocked him from entering. He sprinted full force into it and slammed right into it as if it were a concrete wall.

"Hey Al what did ya do, the portals not portaling correctly."

"Hmm what did you do? It should be working all fine," he stuck a hand into the smoke,"see so why isn't it working." He grabbed Bright's hand and pushed his hand into the smoke. Bright's hand seems unable to touch the smoke and no matter how hard Alastor tried Bright's hand didn't budge. It seemed he couldn't go to hell.

"Hmm well this is ... interesting. Give me about a week and I and some experts on hell and demons will get you down here in a jiffy. Goodbye folks tune in next week." Alastor disappeared through the portal leaving Bright alone in the facility.

Alastor had left him one gift, a radio that seemed able to tune to his radio broadcasts in hell.

In the facility there was just him, the pile of quarters, the D Bois and the hundreds of dangerous anomalies that called the facility home.

Chapter Text

"Niffty change of plans you will have to drag the doctor to the hotel and please tell Charlie to meet me at Cadaver Cuts for a little discussion about the situation of Bright being unable to come to hell."

Before Alastor could say the last word Niffty grabbed Clef's hand and shot off dragging Clef behind her. Pentagram city flashed Infront of Clef in a blur. The porn studios were all lit up and were most likely set for a shoot. Many apartments flashed by and many billboards as well with one offering to kill humans on the surface for sinners.

Clef knew very little about hell other than the rambling Bright did while they waited for Alastor to finish the portal. From what he could understand:

Hell and heaven were real and heaven had really high standards so most people went to hell.

Sinners looked a little like their past selves and their appearance is correlated with their death.

There is a hierarchy to hell with imps/hellhouns at the bottom and Lucifer Lilith and Charlie on the top with sinners being above imps but bellow a family called the Ars Goetia. 

There are 7 rings for the 7 sins, sinners are trapped in pride the 1st one and hellborn including overlords for some reason could travel between them. 

The pride ring has 9 circles which are basically cities.

The hotel he was being brought to was called the Hazbin Hotel and Alastor and princess Charlie ran it together. It is meant to redeem sinners but it hadn't worked as far as he was aware but apparently they got really close with a snake demon before he was killed.

That was about all he knew on hell or it's demons/sinners. Suddenly they stopped and Clef found himself to be standing up right at the bottom of some stairs that led to a large building which Clef assumed was the hotel. It had many additions to it such as a blimp tethered to it, what seemed to be a ship crashed through part of the building about mid way up, a ramshackle radio tower which Clef assumed Alastor owned and used. As Clef admired the architecture he found a spear point at his neck.

"Let me guess, you've come here looking for an easy place to rob. Well I've got news for you, cause unless you give me a good excuse, you balding troglodyte, I'm gonna rip your heart out!" The voice was clear and defiant. Clearly the sinner who had him trapped was an expert in this field of combat.

In one motion, Clef batted the spear away from himself and then unslung his shotgun which was them pointed squarely at the sinner. She was of an average height with pale gray skin and a large red X over one of her eyes. She wore a red uniform but Clef knew it wouldn't impede her.

"Hehe, so, I think you ought to be the one giving me the excuse, before I wipe out your other eye." Clef declared watching the sinner's grip on her spear tighten.

"I was hoping for a challenge!" Vaggie practically shouted back as she charged forwards. Clef in return pulled the trigger.

 *POP*

A handful of confetti was blasted out of the gun hitting the sinner in the face. Although both parties were momentarily stunned, it was Clef who recovered first.

Dodging to the right Clef looked to his left to see the spearhead sweep the air he had just been existing in. He raised his shotgun one again.

*POP*

 Another handful of confetti was blasted onto the sinner. Vaggie however charges forwards, spear point lowered. Clef could do almost nothing as he failed to turn. The spear grazed his left side ripping into one of his favourite coats.

Changing his grip on the gun Clef readied to club the sinner over the head. He waited for the perfect opportunity to strike. Vaggie recklessly charged Clef again hoping to strike at the dwarf's heart. Clef stepped to the side and swung downwards at the overextended sinner.

Vaggie turned her head letting the gun butt pass by her head. Striking upwards Vaggie stabbed wildly at Clef, who parried most of the attacks yet one slipped through. The spear sliced through the coat attacking Bright in his upper right pocket.

A spray of red blood heralded the success of the attack. Vaggie pulled back ripping the spear from the creep's body. Clef fell back coughing deeply looking up at the sinner with wide eyes. From the look of the blood being lost and blood having been sprayed over the steps Vaggie knew it was a mortal wound, no need for a second hit.

Vaggie turned from the bleeding Clef. The blood on the steps would be a motherfucker to clean off the steps but it had to be done. She had protected the hotel.

"We don't need two creepy men to invest in the hotel so do hell a favour and die quietly!" Vaggie declared without turning towards the bleeding thing.

Suddenly the world was spinning as Vaggie was pulled off her feet landing on her back, hard. Clef had leapt to his feet and had the shotgun pointed at the sinner's head. It took a while for Vaggie to regain her breath but she finally asked her opponent a question.

"I thought you were morally wounded, so why do ouu have such strength?" The words were in-between deep breaths.

"Hahaha. Oh that? That wound would be mortally wounding for most humans but I am not most humans. Hell, I probably am not a human by this point." Clef reached a hand into his coat before pulling the almost empty blood bag, with a large gash in it,  and discarding the bag discreetly.

"Now onto other business." Clef said as he pulled his phone out of his other pocket.

"Heeey, Clef, can you not stand 3 minutes in hell?" The voice of Bright come through on the other end.

"WHAT THE FUCK JACK. It has been 3 minutes in hell and I have been stabbed in the chest thanks to you, being funny and replacing the buckshot in my shells with confetti. Tell me how many you replaced before I shove your fucking jury rigged contraptions up your ass!" Clef had forgotten about Vaggie and walked a couple paces away.

"Jeez no need to shout and it was only the 2 in the shotgun cause you shot me."

Clef had gotten what he wanted and quickly hung up.

"Can I just ask why you stabbed me?" Clef sensed Vaggie was stood behind him.

Vaggie was all measures beyond confused. So this humanoid is human meaning she just killed a human Infront of Charlie's hotel. What did he say? Mortally wounding for most humans. Was he not human? Why was his voice still clear? 

" you seemed like you want to enter the hotel, to steal or something."

"While I did want to enter this hotel it was not for nefarious acts. It was to see Charlie who can apparently arrange me accommodation at a hotel which Niffty has brought me to at Alastor's request. And niffty I do believe is inside the hotel getting this Charlie."

"Wait you what.." the doors to the hotel swung open and another woman walked out. She had white skin, a red suit, white hair and a black bowtie. She waved at her lover Vaggie who had just been fighting Clef and had confetti in her hair. She then turned to Clef who had a sizable hole in his abdomen and her expression changed to one of horror as she saw his blood on Vaggie's spear point.

"Oh my dad, Vaggie what did you do? And why?" She ran over to Clef.

"I stabbed him, he seemed a threat to the hotel he seemed to be moving toward the hotel and he seemed to unsling his shotgun so I tried to stop it."

"Who are you miss, and have you seen a Charlie who apparently owns a hotel any where have you, and I'm fine. I'm immortal as far as it's been tested."

"Your ok? And I'm Charlie, why do you ask.?"

"Well as a new 'resident' of hell I was told by Alastor, who brought me here, that you would be able to give me a room. Also Alastor has asked for your presents at Cadaver Cuts."

"Well I can give you a room. Vaggie please show him up to his room, 173, it's the only room even remotely habitable by human.and Vaggie try not to stab him on the way. And thank you err."

"Clef, Dr Alto Clef of the scp foundation, one of the few humans not melted by the sun." He extended his hand. Which Charlie took.

"Princess Charlie of hell and the owner of the Hazbin hotel. Hang on melted by the sun, what?"

Before Charlie's question could be answered Clef had dashed into the hotel following Vaggie. 

"Razzle Dazzle bring the car around." Within moments the limousine drive round the corner and stopped just Infront of Charlie. She got in and relaxed by laying on the sofas. Here she could try and take in the words the man had just said as she wizzed of to the cannibal café. So that man is human and he said something about the sun melting people. Probably just crazy talk.

The inside of the hotel reception was quite pleasant. With quite ornate windows which had sofas and tall plants near each window. One might have thought this was not a place of redemption necause it was all very elaborate and because of the bar.

While Vaggie rummaged through the reception desk for the 173 room key, Clef walked up to the bar which was quite out of place, as if it was ripped from another place and put down here. The bar keep seemed to be asleep with a bottle labeled 'cheap booze' in its hands. The feline was a blackish brown and had a red bowtie with a black top hat. He prodded the feline to try to get a drink. Upon waking and looking at the human Infront of him the cat he shouted.

"Who the fuck are you and why the fuck are you at my bar?" The cat voice was rough and gruff and proceeded to take a swig from his bottle of cheap booze.

"I am doctor Clef and want a drink."

"Then answer me these questions three. What do you want to drink?"

"Rum."

"What type of rum?"

"The cheapest you have."

"What amount do you seek?"

"How ever much this is" Clef said as he placed the hip flask on the counter with a clank.

"Ok fair enough you have past the tests and are you new round here cause I gotta give the first drink of a patron for free."

"Wel I'm in luck cause I haven't even been in hell for 10 minutes and I was stabbed by that crazy bitch." He pointed to Vaggie.

"Husk what the fuck is all the shouting about I gotta show in 2 hours and I'm trying to fucking sleep." A somewhat humanoid shape rose from one of the sofas. It was bipedal and had 6 arms. It was covered in white and pink fur and wore a waist coat and booty shorts which were also white and pink. It walke do er to the bar not noticing Clef.

"Husky why have you gotta be so god damn loud."

"Just go fuck yourself Angel."

"Only if you watch me."

"Why you going after me, don't you want to get in Alastor's pants."

"Nope, don't like him." The tone of his voice said overwise.

"You sure cause last night when you were pretty drunk you said Alastor is quote 'so hot he makes Asmodeus look mid.' Ring any bells?"

"A...er...um no now let me get back to sleep." He walked back to one of the sofas grumbling about how not in love with Alastor he was.

"Ah ha found it."

"Found what?"

"Clef's room key."

"Wait, this human is staying in the hotel?" 

"Yep."

"Do you mind explaining the giant gash in his chest cause most humans don't survive that."

"He said that to. And I may have stabbed him."

"Hey can I be shown to my room cause this whole recovering from a mortal stab wound is real tiring."

"Sure follow me." Vaggie was happy to be away from Angel Dust, he annoyed her far to much.

They walked through the many hallways and up a flight of stairs in complete silence. They passed no other patrons so either it was quite late or the hotel had few quests.

Vaggie finally broke the silence.

"Hey sorry about the stab wound."

"Eh it's no biggy. I've had much worse than that and the only reason You didn't die in your afterlife was because my 'friend', Dr Bright, replaced 2 shells with confetti which you still have in your hair. Can I ask you a question though. What is hell's currency?"

"What ever money you used in your life you use here so probably dollars for you."

"Great I have an entire world organizations funding at my disposal." He pulled out the company credit card. "Does the hotel take cash or card?"

"Both and why?" She hoped her and Charlie wouldn't have another Alastor on their hands.

"Why to pay of course. For the room, the bar and ,if the hotel does any, food."

"Uh ok. The hotel does do food at 9am 12 and 6pm. Also I wouldn't go near Angel Dust he is a porn star and a stripper and very annoying and doesn't know the meaning of personal space. If he crosses a line bring up him liking Alastor, that shuts him up pretty quickly. I don't understand his love of him. This is your room 173 the only one even remotely habitable by humans."

"You should see our D class cells. Now that's barely habitable."

The door of the room was not abnormal or different from the rest. It was plane red and had the numbers 173 on a plague near it. Clef Walked inside. The room was about the size of his office it had a bed on the far wall and had a bathroom and closet next to each other opposite the bed. All in all not bad. The bed was soft and actually comfortable. It even had a TV.

Cadaver Cuts was a nice little butcher shop which doubles as a café. It was on the border of the cannibal colony and was in Alastor's territory but about 50 meters from Rosie's territory. The spot was nice overlooking a lake of lava and brimstone. It's location allowed access from regulars and cannibals without the regulars being freaked out by the cannibals. The shop was one of Alastor's favourites.

The man who owned the shop, Fred, was someone Alastor could trust with secrets and things like that. So talking with Charlie about Bright there was a good idea. Fred was quite tall and looked like Alastor in his demon form. He was tall about 8ft and had large deer antlers which further increased his height. Instead of a face he had a deer skull with 2 white lights, instead of eyes, which inhabited the shulls eye sockets. Upon entering the shop Alastor was greeted by Fred.

"Alastor your early. Usually you arrive here a couple days later. Can I get you anything, sinner, beef, we had a good shipment of venison today."

"No no, I'm quite alright I've still got plenty of food. If you don't mind I've invited Charlie here so we can talk about getting a human down to hell who is stuck on the surface. Can you bring me some of those meat pastries with sinner meat and black coffee please, I fear this shall be a long wait and please put up the sign." There was a procedure Fred would often do which involved placing a sign in the front window and on the door saying Alastor was in here and he would ask customers to leave for their own safety when it was really for Alastor's privacy.

*30 minutes later*

Charlie finally arrived at the butchers/café and was unsure what the radio demon wanted from her because the only time they talked about things he couldn't do was when they had the bi monthly meeting about the hotel. As she walked in the owner greeted her quite friendly for his appearance.

"Hello princess Charlie, truly a pleasure to meet you Alastor is right over there and if there is anything you need just ask."

"Thank you." She noticed the shop was empty and the only customer was Alastor. She walked over to him.

"Hi Al why am I here? And why is there a human at my hotel who has paid for their room?"

"Hello Charlie so nice of you to be here. To answer your questions I sent him there after bringing him here and I had given him permission to get a room but if he's paid call it a generous donation to the hotel. Now it comes to the reason I've brought you here. There is another human, a friend if you will. He is still trapped on earth. Trapped. He is unable to touch the portal to hell let alone travel through it. So I'm asking for your help to get him to hell."

"Can't you kill him and wait for him to fall to hell?"

"That is the thing he has an amulet that his soul is trapped in. When he dies and the amulet is placed on another alive human he comes back in that humans body. Which has led me to believe his soul is linked to the amulet and for some reason or another the amulet can't enter hell."

"Umm I could go visit my cousin Stolas he's got a book on all sorts of magic spells he may be able to help you and there is always my dad but I would rather not involve him in matters involving humans."

"If you can Charlie I would be quite grateful. When is the soonest you can see him?"

"Umm let me see," she pulled out her hell phone which Alastor recoiled from." So I can see him in 3 days. You can come if you want Al."

"I simply shan't. Royal matters are better left for royals to deal with anyways Stolas is my superior so I won't."

Soon after they both exited the coffee shop and made their ways to the hotel.

*3 days later*

Charlie was very nervous. She was 2 minutes from Stolas's manor and approaching fast. She had arranged to meet just 3 days ago and now it was happening. She would meet him and ask about the grimoire and it's spells.

The houses of the Goetia were always so nice and very elaborate. Of course nothing can compare to the Morningstar mansion but still the mansions were nice and had a certain aura a out them that made them feel cosy. While admiring the house, Charlie didn't realise the car was stopping until to late and was launched off the seat as the car stopped.

As the confused pile exited the vehicle she saw her cousin Stolas. He was quite tall easily taller than the man behind the counter at that coffee shop her and Alastor went to. He wasn't dressed in anything fancy but did look quite good.

"Charlie so good see you, please come inside I have the servants preparing some food. It's not much but is something."

"Hi Stolas."

They made their way inside the mansion towards the study Stolas had. It was quite large with bookshelves along the walls and a couple standing in the middle of the room. The room was pleasant but also was quite ornate with marble walls and a observatory that allowed Stolas to do his job from the comfort of his own home.

"So Charlie what brings you to my 'humble' abode. Does Luci want something or is this something more personal?"

The Goetia was always someone Charlie could trust. Ever since she was about 58, she is currently about 2 centuries old, she would come to Stol's for advice or just a chit chat if she thought the sins would make big deals about it or try to influence her for their bidding.

"Hey Stols, you know how you have hundreds of spells in your freaky book of yours."

"The grimoire."

"Yeah the grimoire," she stubbled over the unfamiliar word." So me and Alastor, you know the radio demon, kinda need your help with something on the top."

"Well Charlie what is the problem you know I can most certainly help with whatever your facing." This was why Charlie trusted him so much. He was so caring and very helpful with whatever anyone needed. He'd even help his servants with tasks he asked of them.

"Well it's easiest if I show you can we go up top now to a place called site 19?"

"Er um slight problemo my darling Blitzy has the book at the moment but if you NEED it I might be able to retrieve it from him. Just give me one sec." Sotals strolled over to an old phone on a desk and began to call Blitzø.

"Hello my big dicked Blitzø."

"Stolas if I had any liquid I would spit it out." Blitz was sat in his office making yet more doodles of horses.

"Stolas remember I'm here to." Charlie expression was priceless.

"So onto the matter at hand. Blitzy can I borrow the book back for a couple of days."

"Ok but what if I keep it?" Blitz was just being stupid at this point.

"Then I will simply have to take it." Stolas stayed as happy as he had been at the start.

"Ha you and what overlords?"

"Alastor you know the 'radio demon'. Oh and Charlie the princess of hell." Blitz went from a shit eating grin to a horrified look on his face.

"You are giving the book to one of the most powerful entities in hell?"

"Yep."

"With your say so?"

"Yep."

"Ok I'll get it too you quite soon. M&M we're going to Stolas's. So bring horny bird repellent."

"Blitzy you haven't ended the call." Stolas said in a playing tone.

"Ah fuck." Hangs up

"I'm sure you've heard by now but that is the imp I'm with. Isn't he just so dreamy."

"Yeah hehe." Charlie was quite nervous fore this book held eldritch powers beyond comprehension and Stolas just gave it to an imp who he liked.

*hours later*

" Sorry Stols traffic was an absolute nightmare. You'd think with an extermination 5 weeks ago there'd be less people on the roads. Anywho why'd you have me being your book over cause our 'night' ain't till next week?" Blitz had not noticed who Stolas had been talking to moments before.

"Well Blitzy if you look to your right you'll see why."

" AHHHH what the fuck? How long have you been here?"

2 more imps burst through the door one with white hair and a suit and the other had darker hair and was female.

"Sir, we heard the yelling and came quickly." The white haired one said.

"Yeah ah heard all the yellin' and brought mox so why you... Oh my satan are you Charlie Morningstar? I've seen your hotel and have wanted to see what it's about."

"Alright Mills you don't need to weary the pretty princess with your questions." Blitz said with heaps of sarcasm.

"Blitz show your co-workers to their rooms it's the ones next to yours." They left quickly upon the 'order'." I am truly and deeply sorry for him he's just... Ah a bit rough. Now to the top side."

With a series of quick hand motions Stolas brought the book to his hand and flicked through the pages finally landing on the right spell. He walked to a blank wall, clearly used for things such as portals, and grabbed some chalk and began scribbling in a well practiced manor. Unlike when Alastor gos to the surface Stolas took his time checking he drew the right symbols and finally stepped back.

"Ta da. That is what years of learning can give you. Charlie your express ticket to the surface." Taking a candle from a nearby desk Stolas touched the flame to the chalk which instantly light bursting into flames which smoked and swirled to form a giant red swirl on the wall. Stolas stepped into the smoke and disappeared through it. Charlie steeled her nerves not knowing what to expect and placed one foot into the smoke then another and she walked into the colourful smoke.

Bright was well and truly bored out of his mind. He had been all ready for a permanent expedition to hell and was left on the cusp of entering but was stopped by the stupid amulet which was technically him.

To stave off boredom Bright had tried talking with the plague doctor but he seemed very focused on his work of study this strange plague in hopes of finding a cure.

Bright and the plague doctor weren't friends but we're far from enemies. This was mostly due to the plague doctor not detecting any 'pestilence' on Bright due to the amulet and the fact Bright would sneek dead bodies to the plague doctor when it was banned to provide him any. It was even on the expansive list of what he can and can't do. There are over a million rules.

Bright had tried talking with anomalies but none scratched the itch of human companionship.

Jack Bright was chilling in his office slowly making his way through the still monstrous pile of quarters. Outside it was currently 4 am but Bright had lost all sense of time in just the few weeks he had been here. His room had once more accumulated pile of junk on the floor and the desk had hundreds of the paper cups dispensed by 294. 

Suddenly a dark black substance seemed to collect in the middle of one of the walls. The circle grew till it was about 2 meters in diameter. 

"Finally some entertainment! Radical Larry is that you cause if so I haven't written the phrase on the wall yet so would you kindly fuck off. I don't need your hide from the sun in my torture dungeon scam again." Bright turned back to his computer monitor. The substance proved to be smoke and changed from a black to a more red colour with hints of blue.

"Ok now this is more interesting. Please let it be Al. Cause if not I'm so blasting Clef if he steps through into here. Did ya here that buddy I'll wipe that stupid fucking grin off your face?" Finally after a good 30 seconds of waiting something stepped out of the smoke. It was not Clef. This thing seemed almost human. Almost. Wearing a red suit, black bowtie and with blonde hair that barely covered the little nuns that passed as horns. Bright lowered his rifle he had found in the armoury. A second entity stepped from the smoke. Unlike the first, who was about the height of an average person, this one was much taller barely fitting in the room with a 9ft ceiling. This second one was more like a bipedal bird. Standing on 2 legs and wearing some kind of waistcoat and trousers with a beak.

"So this is the one that can't cross?"

"Yep he fits the description of ginger hair a lab coat and a slightly crazy aura."

"Who the fuck are you! Did Alastor send you to take me?"

"Crazy aura, check. Now let's get him to hell. This should be easy for the princess of hell itself and a book full of spells dad gave you."

It was not.

Charlie tried to just kind of push him in once he had got all his equipment for a long stay. Stolas however tried to find a spell that might send him there without any hastle but he had no such luck. And nor was Charlie. Eventually both parties just gave up. 

"Uh ok so maybe what were doing isn't working. What if ,Bright, you take off the amulet? Maybe then it'll work?"

"Heh sure just afterwatds reach into the potato sack and pull out a new human and place it on them."

Bright proceeded to take the amulet off and instantly collapsed dead. 

Quickly running over to 'Bright's' body Charlie found the body to be stone cold as if dead for a long time.

"No, No No. The second human I ever meet drops dead moments after we meet? Why?" Charlie collapsed into incoherent babbling.

"Why? Was it because we're demons? Can he not handle a demons presence?"

"Nope he deafinetly can." It was the voice of Clef. Had he followed them the entire time?

"Eh wha how?"

"Why it's really quite simple you see this thing," he pulled out an old fashion plaid hat." If I put this on I'm invisible. Pretty neat huh."

"Huh ok that's weird. But how do you know he can handle it?"

"Oh that's simple just kinda dump his stuff through the portal preferably to the hotel and give the amulet to me before you put it on yourselves."

They did as Clef said. After just dumping the equipment through the portal the trio stood ready with Clef having left to do one thing. He returned with hundreds of folders, clipboards and writing utensils.

"What in hell are you using all that for?"

"Why obviously to document all the shit down in hell. It is best to figure out everything needed to be known and compile it rather than commit it to memory. I guess old habits do die hard."

"Why it simple doesn't matter so let's get back to my darling Blitzy."

"What the strange red imp that currently screaming at the staff."

"He's doing what? Right weust go back at once."

"Fine by me."

They all walked into the portal to confront the menace that Blitz was being.

Arriving outside the hotel Stolas quickly flew off in demon form to his manor to try to talk some sense into the imp.

Clef reached into the potato bag dragging a ginger woman out of it. Upon whom Clef promptly put the amulet before she could run and escape. Upon the amulet being placed on the woman she began to laugh.

"Hahahahahahahahahaahahaha!"

"Bright take in some oxygen. We don't need you dieing 3 times in the same day."

"*Gasp* oh my satan the look on your face was priceless." He pointed to Charlie." I bet even Al would have chuckled at it. Wait hang on 3 times?"

*bang*

The blood and guts of Bright were splattered onto the hotels steps. This would not be the first time Charlie would see Bright die and was most certainly be not the last.

Chapter Text

The desert was cloaked in a soft red glow from the moon. It was 7 hours till sun rise and all was ever so quiet.

Except site 19.

The outer walls of the site were clad in a red squirming flesh that moaned, screamed and moved. The screams and shouts were almost unhuman. It sounded like something imitating a human with the sound of choking and gargling and speaking all mixed together to form a cacophony of sound to be hear for miles.

A helicopter, it's windows tinted black blocking any light, moved quickly anxious of the time limit. It's occupants weren't thrilled to be deployed to the building complex that went miles under the ground. Although they never were thrilled to be deployed.

Slowing down upon hovering over the heli pad the soldiers covered in thick dark material, to block out the sunlight, shouldered their weapons and descended down some ropes onto the platform. It was one of the few surfaces that wasn't covered in the pinkish red flesh that coated the site.  

A chopper joined the first drawing the attention from the MTF and forcing it on the new crater on the site from where multiple missiles had been shot.

As gun fire and explosions filled the air the soldiers moved towards the elevator covered in fleshy vines.

The soldiers brandished their rifles and fired busts of incendiary rounds at the vines near the entrance producing a shriek from the vines as it moved away from the soldiers towards the gun fire and explosions to help its fellow abominations.

Another explosion shook the site sending rubble and debris fly outwards. The flesh cried and shouted as more and more piled towards the gun fire. As the crackle of gun shots echoed around them the MTF rode the elevator down hundreds of meters to the actual site.

The vast hallways were dimly lit at best and were pitch black at worst. The task force split into two teams, one headed for the camera's and the other headed for Bright and Clef's office's.

Each person's footsteps echoed of the walls and made the task force members more nervous of what could be around each corner.

Every room was in a state of disrepair with ceiling tiles having fallen to the floor and cracked and a large layer of dust on every object. A couple times a torn lab coat would be found or a couple spent bullet casings on the ground alongside a Kevlar vest from a guard. The pockets looked to have been rifles through although nothing of use seemed to have been taken. The keycards were still there, guns and clip boards with important documents just sat there.

Blood and brain matter seemed painted on the wall however the body belonging to which it belonged had long since disappeared. 

The soldiers were stuck in a constant state of paranoia as they kept checking their backs and suddenly looking around for no reason. 

The explosions from outside could still be heard but their sounds were muffled.

The sounds from their equipment echoed off the walls down the twisting corridors forcing a sense of unease.

The team walked into an office, the walls covered in the MTF field codes written in what seemed to be blood. They quickly went out.

"Hey er Sarge, can we take off all the coverings? It's getting really hot." Suggested one of the members covered in thick strips of yellow material with his tactical vest over said material.

"We don't know if the flesh things are inside or if there is any sunlight poking through any holes in the building. So no not until they reach the cameras and can give us better support." The leader of the group heading for the offices was covered in gray cloth made from torn guard uniforms with a strip of blue to signify that he was the leader.

"The nagivator is glitching. I can't see where we're going." The nagivator said wearing green.

"Hang on what do you mean glitching?" 

"I mean glitching like static." He began to fiddle with the buttons.

"Everyone stop! Give me that." The leader snatched the device of the navigator and just as he said the screen was covered in a black glitching. An all to familiar face appeared on the screen. SCP-079. It was and black changing the glitching around it to ensure the faces features were clear.

"M..Math...Mathew wh..why it ha..has been qui..quite some time..ime." The voice was cold, robotic and glitchy.

"Fucking get out of this device! We need it!"

"Tha..that's no..no..no way to greet..reet an ol..old friend. I..I have con.. control...rol over this facility. Why why should I..I not turn on the alar..alarms and alert what lurks out..outside?" The voice shifted from high to low pitch every few words.

"Er we will connect you to control of the facility and you will be taken by the flesh." The man had suddenly become very nervous.

"Ar..ar..are you not l..listening? I con..control this place. You..you have till the cou....count of ten."

10.

Panicking the leader immediately started bolting back the way they had just came with his team right behind him.

9.

While running he fidgeted with one of his pockets try to get his radio.

8.

He finally pulled the radio out of the pocket however stumbled and dropped it. He had precious little time to get to the exit before the flesh poured through the gates, through the ventilation ducts and closed in and found them unless an anomaly found them and killed them in a worse way than having your flesh melted off of your bones to serve the sun while taking a back seat in your own mind and body. The limited incendiary weapons they had would nowhere near enough.

7.

"This is hopeless! We can't make it in time!" One of his subordinates shouted from behind him.

"Just a little bit further! Come on!" He shouted back, however he knew it was hopeless they were at least 10 minutes away from the nearest exit and even if they managed to get outside the helicopter was miles away.

6.

They were dead men walking.

5.

He bolted into the room nearest to his right with his team following him. It was an office space, where the egg heads would sit on their computer filling out useless forms while him and his crew would risk their lives to protect people. The room was dusty, dimly lit by 2 white lights in the middle of the room and it contained many cubicle desk and had just one door and one vent. Perfect for a last stand.

4.

"Barricade the door and the vent and say your prayers, shoot yourself, write your last message or try and write 'the phrase' on the wall!" This dirty office would be the place of their last stand. At least they knew what was about to happen unlike the other team. They were closer to the outside so would be killed first.

3.

"Silence your radios. I don't want to hear the flesh try to persuade us by using the other teams voices. We failed men. We were sent here to evacuate just two people and we failed."

2.

"I have served with a lot of men in my time but there is no-one I would rather die alongside with than you all. We have failed the foundation. We have failed our families and we have failed the world."

1.

"The PC'a bluffing right Sarge? Right?" His voice was muddled by the cloth around his neck, he held back tears. He still clung to hope that they would make it out alive. They all had things they had yet to do. Sam, Lilly, Jacob, Robert and John all had yet to meet their 'special someone.' Max just wanted to see his wife one last time, to hear her voice and to hug her tight.

0.

"Please tell me he's bluffing Sarge? Please!" He began to weep although his crys were muffled by the cloth he wore."

"Take off the cloth Max. All of you do. If we're to die. It is best we die comfortably."

The 2 lights in the room turned blood red in an instant. The alarm wailed desperately through the almost empty site. The flesh stirred from an almost slumber and began to move in mass into the site through the ventilation ducts and through the great stell doors at the front entrances and through the smaller side doors. 

One shot rang out through the site emanating from the room the soldiers had defended. John had shot himself. Under the mouth straight into his brain. He fell like a sack of brick landing with a slight thump. 

The flesh were getting closer. 

Max swore he could hear his wife calling to him. He jumped up, disregarding everyone's shouts, and climbed into the hallway walking towards his 'wife' arms outstretched to hug her one last time.

The leader's sidearm seemed really alluring. He unholstered it and placed the barrel under his chin. This was the cowards way out and he knew it but he did not care. 

He pulled the trigger.

"Sooo why are you here in hell? Like I'm glad your hear at the hotel but why go to hell in the first place?" Charlie asked. 

"Well here is the only semi hospitable place that we can get to also I met Al from him exploring the overworld so the move was easy for Clef but at least I know somethings about the place."

"Which you have neglected to tell me." Clef said he was told most things Bright knew but he never paid attention to his ramblings.

"What do you mean only semi-hospitible place you can get into?" Charlie was intrigued.

"Well earth has gone down the shitter like a lot. I mean you can't even go outside without melting into a weird flesh creature. And me and Clef aren't exactly heaven material you know."

"Why What'd you do steal candy from a baby or take an old woman's purse or something?" Vaggie sarcastic as ever put in.

"Ha no. Why you just read this it's basically every bad thing I've ever done in my 200 something years of existence?" He produced a small folded peice of paper which he gave to Vaggie who unfolded it until it was the size of Husker's bar with tiny writing and contained the millions of rules Bright must follow when he was under foundation control. All the hotel's patrons walked over to read the rules. Vaggie scan read it, properly reading the strange ones.

Rules 782946: for the love of god stop doing anything with 343(God) you very almost made him leave the facility he was contained in because of you.

Rule 73920: You may not proclaim it to be bring your child to work day and then place SCP-956 in the break room. The amount of child and adult bodies the janitorial staff had to clean up made almost all of them quit on the spot. Also we have almost ran out of class C amnestics because of this little event.

Rule 86154: why the fuck did you place a card board box in hallway 6-F and fly origami dragons around. The amount of people requesting therapy has greatly exceeded foundation resources. Are you happy you sick vindictive fuck?

"How the fuck do you make people cry with origami dragons?" Vaggie was now incredibly confused. What was an amnestic? What do the numbers mean?

"Hmm oh just exploit past trauma of course. This isn't helping our case of getting into the redemption hotel is it?" Bright said in a rare moment of being not totally insane.

"No it very much isn't." Vaggie was sceptical of the dr's. Why would some heartless monster want to be redeemed? She really didn't want 3 Alastors running a muck in their hotel.

"Vaggie please give them a chance." She turned back to the drs. "So you said that you weren't heaven material so that kinda been answered but why is earth isn't habitable? What does the sun do to melt people? Has it become really hot or something?" Charlie had been taught a little bit about human life and the earth when she was a child so she could communicate with sinners more easily.

"Well if the sun was hot enough to melt people, how am I hear not melted? But to answer your question I don't know. Just kinda sunlight or moonlight will kinda just melt your flesh. You turn into like a flesh blob that seeks out other humans to bring into the sunlight. Hang on I think I have some security camera footage on my phone." He pulled out his phone and began to scroll through the hundreds of photos and videos that the cameras uploaded most of it was black from the flesh corrupting the footage. One video wasn't however. He showed the demons the video as Clef sat down and began taking advantage of the free wi-fi.

It was the same video he had shown 049. The video seemed normal at first. Charlie's face lit up when she saw the human world taking in every detail of the human world, what people wore, the colours of the desert etc. The place seems normal. A convoy of black trucks had just parked outside the building complex. 27 soldiers walked out of them dressed in a black uniform brandishing various weapons many of which Charlie had seen before used on the people roaming the street by others roaming the streets. She notices the main building, in the middle of the complex seems to have no windows.

The sun suddenly turned a deep red colour with the sky following suit seconds later. The soldiers looked to the sky in horror not wanting to believe what was happening. After getting over their initial shock they all dashed towards the elevators dropping weapons and other supplies in a bid to try to make it to the elevator which would lead them to a temporary safety.

They were all unsuccessful in their efforts.

The soldiers without gloves, helmets or face coverings soon stopped to stare at the sun's dn began to expose more flesh to it. The flesh of any part of them in the sunlight began to bubble and slide off forming puddles at their own feet. Each soldier let out a scream of bloody murder as this happened and yet they tore off their helmets, jackets, gloves and other clothes to expose more of their flesh which also began to melt away. The puddles of their own flesh began forming limbs that tore at their boots and trousers. Soon most of the men had become flesh puddles forming limbs, joining together and all began to move towards the elevator and 2 men who had yet to reach it. The screams turned to shouts for them to join them in the sun's beauty all while moving quickly towards the elevator. The two men made it into the elevator but it was to late. The flesh had caught up to them and began to remove them from the elevator into the sunlight where they to melted to join the fleshy blob.

"So that is why earth isn't habitable."

Charlie began to sob. She heard the shear agony in their voices and felt awful. 

"You have been here for about ten minutes and you've made the princess sad. What's your secret?" Angel dust's shitty remark was drowned out by the crys of Charlie. He slumped right back to his phone.

"A..uh.i.. why? Why did this happen? So many innocent souls tortured for naught. Does this not sadden you?" She pointed at the 2 humans in her office." Does watching your entire species die out in the blink of an eye not being you to tears? Do you not feel?"

"Well good news, they aren't dead just being terribly tortured till the end of eternity." This provoced another cry from Charlie." Now let's see. Clef has no family having outlived all of them so he had nothing left to begin with and my dad's still alive. Percs of being on the O-5 council." Despite the sad topic Bright's tone stayed perfectly happy.

"The what council?" Vaggie was sorely confused. She had never heardof any of this before she died in 2014. These possible guests were seeming to be quite interesting.

"The O-5 council. A board made of 13 immortal people who basically run the entire foundation, spanning the entire globe who capture and contain anything with abnormalities like a statue that snaps your neck if you are too close to it and you lose direct eye contact, like blinking." Clef said all this while scrolling through his voxtagram feed. 

"So a weeping angel?" Having died in 2014, Vaggie had seen a couple of the doctor who episodes she didn't enjoy them but they were better then nothing when she was alive.

"Ha no. This statue is real and the doctor who weeping angel was written by an ex foundation employee who should of had a bigger dose of amnestics." In truth amnestics worked about 99.999% of the time so a couple memories may sneek through the cracks. He proceeded to continue doom scrolling hell's social media and then began to chuckle.

"Hey what you watching that's actually managed to make you laugh. Is it a really shitty meme?" Bright had rarely seen Clef laugh so openly, so whatever he was watching must have been hilarious or sadistic or maybe both. Clef turned his phone towards Bright revealing a video.

An imp with long horns, ragged clothes and scratches and bites over his body with pieces of his anatomy mising, such as his pinky and index fingers on his right hand, was running for his life through an empty street cordoned off for this show. His chasers were a variety of sinners dressed in clothes from the 1920s and 30s wielding a variety of cleavers, knives and meat hooks. The imp was doing quite a bad job. He had cuts and lacerations where he had been caught before and was currently running into outdoors tables and chairs while his chasers stalked collapsed and closer with some coming from an alley way further down the street. He was cornered. An electronic voice came across some speaker encouraging the hunters to close the gap and to not show mercy. He picked up a chair to try to fend off his attackers. They grabbed hold of it and pulled the imp into the range of their knives.

He was immediately pinned to the floor. The cannibals began to carve off pieces from his hands, legs and arms. His screams were loud and blood curdling as blood sprayed onto the pavement where he would brutally die. The imp struggled but to no avail, he was trapped in the strong grip of the cannibals and they won't let go till his screams stopped. His pleas for help fell on deaf ears as he torn limb from limb all while the announcer cackled. The crowd in the stands on top of the rooftops erupted in cheer or looked down in sadness as their money was taken. The electrical voice began to announce the contestants distance.

"Truly a great show from the cannibals. That imp was really a fighter at heart which has now just been torn out of his chest. Whith an impressive distance of 163 meters this imp has added to the countless contestants who have failed bringing the ratio to contestants 1, cannibals 873!" The video proceeded to tell how one could sign up for the show.

Upon seeing the video Bright knew that immediately he had to take the place of the cannibals in a show much like the other. With him the chaser or perhaps some SCPs.

"Ahem." While Bright and Clef watched the pitttful attempt at fleeing from an adversary, the hell folk began to discus why the duo should be let into the hotel. A discussion which ended favourably for the doctor's." So we have had a little discussion on if you should join the hotel and we have decided for better or worse you will be joining the hotel despite the borderline psychopathic traits you both have. Now to lay some ground rules. please please please don't do anything involving angel being an *ahem* escort. Don't murder anyone or thing on the property and try to not entertain the thought of violence. We don't need the hotel getting a bad name."

"Question. Uh does firing a chainsaw cannon count as violent?" 

"What's a 'chainsaw cannon'."

"Let me give a quick demonstration." 

"Bright no!" Clef's shout was too late as Bright had already produced the cannon. Much like a gun would fire a bullet a case housing a chainsaw would be inserted into the side of the weapon, pressing a button on the side would start the chainsaw and pulling the trigger would fire the weapon. This particular cannon was painted with a mouth bearing sharp teeth on the barrel with the rest of the frame being coloured an olive green.

It was a miracle Bright could even carry the cannons given they were about 1 metric tonne. It was an even bigger miracle firing the thing didn't send him flying into next week. He had probably swiped an anomalous object from the foundation during a raid by a G,O,I ( group of interest.) Still Bright's crafty ability to create the things did have the O-5 impressed and annoyed.

The sound of a chainsaw starting woke Clef from his thoughts just in time to see a magnificent spectacle unfold. He watched in slow motion as the chainsaw was sent hurtling above Charlie's head, who let out a little squeak, into the stained glass window behind her, it was of her saving some sinners and helping them to heaven. The glass was really quite nice. Seemingly millions of shining shards of glass rained down upon the people of hell while walking along the pavement outside. 

Before Bright could do any more damage, Clef tackled him.

"You absolute fucking moron, do you know how many enemies we probably have down here where, I don't know, 100% of anyone we have killed are. We need fucking shelter and what so you do, you make it worse by breaking the rules in just 10 seconds. I ought to kill you right where you lay for this if the fucking princess of hell doesn't end you first.*

"I'm not a moron." Bright murmured to himself which Clef heard.

"Yes you are you are a moron. You first dragged us to hell which I didn't want to do now you ensure the one place that might have given us any semblance of shelter or hospitality is going to fucking hate our guts for destroying something so fucking expensive." Clef continued to Barrat his fellow human not noticing the fact the window was already fixed, a special feature installed by Lucifer knowing his subjects love of destruction.

"So are we gonna intervene or are we just going to let this continue." Vaggie asked Charlie who was now on the floor.

"Hey sugar tits don't stop this. I'm gonna get millions for this comedy gold." Angel dust had pulled out his hell phone to video this 'comedy gold.'

"I mean everyone deserves a second chance right. Sure he may seem sketchy as fuck but it's our only option to try to get a real turn around. They both believe their destined for here so maybe we can try to make them more heaven material." The duo of doctors continued to shout at each other. Despite being friends and having huge respect for each other they had spent far too long with just each other and it drove them just a tiny bit more mad.

"I don't know about this Charlie. I mean do you really want them at your hotel all about redemption?" She pointed a hand at the devious duo who had now stopped shouting and we're back to scrolling hell's social media.

"Ahem. Despite you both being sketchy as fuck. Alastor says your both probably not gonna blow up the hotel. Also don't worry about the window or the near murder attempt it's a lot less damage than the average sinner does. So you will keep the same room, Clef, and Bright you can take the one next to it. Feel free to explore the hotel and we'll give you a week to settle in before the redemption process starts."

"Yes!", both Clef and Bright said in unison.

While the pair celebrated their arrival at somewhere safe in hell, Charlie pulled Alastor to the side.

" So you know angels drug stashes? We have found that he'll go to them every 2 days, so can you just follow him with your creepy shadow stuff and try to scare him to try to get him to just stop for a minute and try to stop them."

"Charlie I have a very busy schedule." He did not." So this may be difficult for me to do but I will try to forfill your request, in return for the ability to cook tonights dinner in celebration for our new guests. Why the face? Most of it won't have sinner or imp meat in."

"Most of it?" 

"Why my dear I must have something to eat. You haven't had human flesh have you?" Alastor joked as Charlie went a sickly shade of green.

"Fine you can but please cook something edible and remember to ensure angle doesn't take anything from his drug stash." Charlie said as she turned away.

Bright's room was relatively large which he quickly filled with a couple of SCPs. Taking a slice from -485 Bright headed out of his room across the hallway and opened the door to Clef's room. 

His room was stacked with papers and files with filling cabinets over flowing with documentation and writings on hell's residents. He'd named it SCP-666. There was already a 666 but it probably didn't matter as it was most likely a blob of flesh on the surface world. In just a week or so Clef had detailed descriptions of imps, sinners and various other hell creatures and various contingency plans for if things went bad.

"Are you fucking making a fort out of paper to defend or are you already getting a head start on your brain rotting?" Bright said as he scattered loose paper on the floor." Want any pizza? I never really liked little Caesars but I have all eternity to get to learn to like it."

"Nah it will grease up the documents. I've been in contact with 049. He doesn't really know what can be done to perhaps reverse it so we are stuck here for a while but he convinced me to write a document about hell to keep my mind busy and to also het things ready in case the foundation comes here. With what I have got here when I'm done could be enough to make me site director of the facility in hell."

"You do whatever you want but apparently Al is making food as a celebratory thing."

"I will not make anything that guy makes. It'll probably be laced with rat poison and made with human meat. Give me the pizza box."

"Also have you seen? All the brands are different. Want an iPhone? Have a 'Voxphone'. Who made these?"

"Hey guys guess who just got some more fucking assassin work for us?" The boss of I.M.P shouted after having slammed through the door to his office. The I.M.P office was bare with most of the stuff having either been sold off or packed up my Moxxie and Millie. 

Since day had broken the imps had had trouble using the grimoire. Despite Blitzø and Stolas' best attempts to fix it. The grimoire would not create a portal for the imps to use stating something about it being to dangerous for anything or one to handle.

"With all due respect sir the book hasnt worked for weeks, bordering months now. How do we assassinate humans if we can't access the human world?" Moxxie said as he packed the last of his things from his desk. He knew not how he would fit all their stuff in their apartment nor what he would do for money. He could fall back on his music skills to become composer.

"Mox what do you take me for?" Blitzø said mocking him. "We are becoming a hitimp company! We already have a hit out for someone!"

"Oh satan is it another call for a hit on one of the overlords? Let me guess it's another hit on Valentino, from someone without the money to place the hit who just wants us to risk our lives out of the kindness of our own hearts." Moxxie had taken over as phone answerer and had had 31 prank calls or sob story's in just the past week.

"Nah Mox it's a hit for some humans in hell." Blitz said while chewing on a cookie spraying crumbs everywhere.

"Humans in hell? I thought they couldn't come to hell." Moxxie was really confused. He knew some imps did go to the surface world to do things like get exotic animals to sell to sinners and it was rumoured some took human to hell to sell to cannibals as food. Maybe a couple managed to escape their entrapment. If so the pay may not be to high. However any money was helpful. "uh Sir how much are we being payed for this hit?"

" Oh you know Mox just, over 2 million. So kiss your dreams of poverty behind cause we are gonna be loaded." The imps were already fantasising about their new rich lives.

"Sir what are the mission details?"

"So there are 2 guys said to be hold up in the princesses new 'hazbin hotel' and we need to capture them alive then bring them to that pompous fucking overlord building where we het the other half of the money." They had payed half in advance." Hey Mills you may even get to meet that radio overlord you like so much!" Blitz yelled to Millie sat outside.

Chapter Text

Walking into the hotels garage/his new workshop Bright was quite unimpressed by the place. Most of the cars had massive amounts of damage and rust on them and the tools were rather lacking. The ride Clef had procured was quite nice though.

Just like a foundation armoured car it was painted a jet black, in stark contrast to the entire vibe of hell, with the foundation's symbol on both sides painted in white ready to strike the fear of the foundation into those in the know.

While not the most impressive car it would work especially for the 1st of many plans. It would need just a couple upgrades like a chainsaw cannon or at least the mount for one on the top.

"So why add the foundation logo onto the side? Like we both still wear the lab coats but they are comfortable and durable. So why do it? The foundation ain't here anymore to tell you what to do."

"It feels natural and honestly does it not look threatening to you. If you see this barreling towards you with 2 lunatics in it you would be shitting yourself." Clef said as he walked over to the driver's seat." You wanna take it for a test drive?" 

Grabbing a chainsaw cannon from the work bench Bright practically leapt into the passenger seat.

"Drive it to that weird TV/porn tower. I'm getting a contract with Vox." Bright annoinced as the cars engine roared to life. 

Despite the heavy armour, which Bright was fairly certain could tank a couple high explosive payloads, the car could zoom tearing it out of the hotel's garage. 

Alastor watched the car peel out of the street the hotel was located on. Just one day in hell and he wished to spit in the face of the overlord who ensured his travel and protection here. Now he wished to make a deal with Vox, his rival? The radio demon would not be taken for a fool.

There was some usefulness to it though, Bright could act as a spy reporting on Vox's moves, especially those against him. A shadow tailed the armoured car.

"What part of the plan don't you understand Clef? After getting a contract with Vox, we attack an angelic weapon convoy. Some bitch called Shmarmila shmarmine? or something stupid like that owns it. Think about it we get a very useful bargaining chip to do what ever we please. Especially recruiting prior foundation agents as a small private army, who may I remind and you will be fully trained and ready." Bright was already ready to attack one of the most powerful and influential overlords 1 day into hell. 

They plowed down streets ignoring demons and imps alike. With many being flattened by the car.

"We will be making a massive fucking enemy. This overlord you plan to attack will have us as public enemy number 1. And this attack, what if it goes wrong? What about the angelic weapons they carry cause I don't know about you but today isn't the right day to be killed permanently." 

"If everything goes according to plan we will have 2 overlords as our allies and 1 overlord as our enemies. The last I checked we have more then they do unless maths works differently in hell." Of course these allies overlords are bitter enemies so there was a slight hitch in the plan.

"How are you sneaking into this tower. You look human."

"Shit your right. Pull over!" Bright ran out of the and stabbed a random sinner on the pavement." So sorry I just have to steal your blood and outfit." He was not at all sorry. Then quickly dashing back to the van to apply the an x on his forehead in blood and put on the sinners clothes.

He now wore a black overcoat covering most of his lab coat underneath. He had applied the blood in an X on his forehead and middle of his overcoat to try to sell the whole sinner look. On closer inspection it was bad however from a passing glance he looked like a sinner.

How Bright would get into the building was a mystery to both him and Clef. Vox's office must be somewhere near the top but he simply can't climb up all that way and using SCP-268 would just be way to easy. Bright wanted a challenge.

The car came to a halt outside a small restaurant." Clef I don't care whatever you do here but for fucks sake stay near the armoured car." And with that Bright had ran off to try and find an entry point.

The tower was quite tall made with blues and pinks with a great sign atop it showing it was indeed the V's tower. 

There were three Vs in total. Vox the overlord of television, who Bright wanted to make a deal with. Valentino overlord of porn. Velvette overlord of social media. The 3 were not be messed with.

The main entrance would be to risky. Any fire exit would be to noticeable. He had spotted a window 4 or 5 floors up. That would be his safest bet.

While Bright went gallivanting about doing some questionable stuff in the V's tower Clef was having a much more relaxed time. He sat in a nearby cafe with a dark black coffee and continued with his notes on hell's residents. He watched hundreds of things walk past from hulking beasts of muscle and fur to thin scaly lizards. Each he would document as a part of SCP-666 he found it fitting and the old one was probably no longer in existence.

He almost forgot it was hell until something approaches him.

It growled at him," give me your money and all those papers. Or pay a pretty penny for protection on this block just like the rest. Unless you want your fancy vehicle smashed." The beast had brought some other things of a smaller size to act as back up.

Taking his precious shotgun from just next to him Clef pointed it at his assailants head and pulled the trigger.

The thugs head exploded coating the street,Clef and his hired help with blood and brain matter. The thugs quickly scattered like rats after their leaders death. 

Clef revelled in the feeling of fear washing over him as he watched the headless corpse slam onto the ground with a great thud.

He could definitely get used to this.

Foregoing his usual afternoon rampage, Alastor followed angel dust from the shadows at Charlie's request. 

Angel seemed rather tense. His footsteps echoing off the hotels inner walls angel and he kept looking behind as if some evil menace would pop out and kill him. An evil thing did follow him but Alastor didn't mean much harm.

Following him to a crack in the hotels foundation, Alastor stopped and watched as Angel reached into it and pulled out a small plastic bag, poured out a rough line and snorted the whole thing. He gave a long sigh before before hiding the evidence back in the crack.

Rather than just act and pop out of the shadows Alastor decided to play with his 'prey', so to speak.

A deep laugh echoed around angel dust as a black sludge grew quite quickly beneath his feet. Seeing this new peice in play Alastor walked out of the shadows.

"Angel why isn't it a pleasure to...!" He was suddenly cut off as a hand, covered in a similar black sludge, reached out and grasped angel  pulling him into the sludge, which disappeared as quickly as it had appeared along with Angel dust.

With Angel managing a pained and frightened "Al!" Before being taken.

'I need some more sleep,' Alastor thought as he walked to his radio tower to a jazzy tune. The great radio demon hallucinating would really put a tarnish on his reputation.

The climb up to the open window had been uneventful.

The 6th floor seemed deserted. Not a single soul was in sight.

It seemed odd for such a massive work space occupied by 3 overlords would be so deserted. He walked into an editing room and there he saw it, on the computers a bloody scene and the overlord who caused it/still adding to it.

The monitor flickered from time to time but the moth overlord was quite clearly visible. 

Clothes and clothes racks lay scattered about. From bright pinks and greens to oranges and blacks, clothes were scattered everywhere most quite revealing. Sinners entrails and blood as well as their mutilated corpses lay strewn about covering the floor with a thin layer of blood. The overlord himself, Valentino stood shouting slurs and curses at everything/one and at nothing. 

The TV overlord Vox stood by a door dodging different objects thrown in his direction. 

Bright had found answers to his questions and now had a golden opportunity to get to Vox's office without anyone noticing.

I'm truth he was disappointed at not getting to sneak around the building avoiding cameras and people, interrogating sinners to get the whereabouts of Vox.

He discarded the disguise he wore washing off the X on his forehead. He was sure it would have worked if he encountered anyone.

The walls were quite bare with a pink and blue colour scheme. Rooms were empty after the sinners had fled from the rampage Val was on. Bright passed by editing rooms, storage, fashion runways and other rooms on his way to the elevator.

When he got to Vox's office he would have precious little time to set something up to wow him and Bright already had something in mind.

"Uh fuck that whore. How can he not keep 1 whore in line? Then when everyone doesn't do as he wants it he will throw a hissy fit and fucking destroy half the building. Does he know how fucking expensive it is to repair all his damage?" All this Vox muttered to himself as he rode the elevator up to his office. He would relax from Val's temper tantrum then broadcast the next episode of 'cannibal cash dash'. No real effort on his part and he could watch sinners because torn apart.

*ding*

"ah Mr Vox I have been expecting you." Bright said as he swiveled Vox's chair, which he was sat in, around. 

Vox was unimpressed by the sinner ,that looked like a human, wearing a lab coat.

"Who the fuck are you and tell me why I shouldn't waterboard you in acid or give you to Val as a plaything." Perhaps tearing this sinner apart would appease Val.

"Tried that and I am still alive, unfortunately. The name, Dr Bright and you are Vox the overlord of television. I have heard so much about you. Really quite a pleasure to see you in person." It was not." No I am here not to kill you so you can lower your guard electric man. You run a show ,cannibal cash dash, and despite being in hell for just over a day I have come directly to you to join it." 

Questions floated in Vox's TV. What was this human looking sinner doing in his office? Why join his show? Much of these questions would be solved by just killing him right here.

Electricity flowed from Vox's fingertips right towards Bright. It was then he pulled out what he had hidden behind his back. A soviet gas mask. Before quickly putting it on and vanishing into thin air.

Vox watched with astonishment as the electricity shattered the glass being where the sinner stood. Clearly this thing has tricks up his sleeve but so did Vox. He sent hundreds of volts through the entire building and yet the sinner did not appear. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.

Reappearing right where he had vanished Bright pulled off the gas mask.

"Ta da. Now Vox it would be wise of you to let me join your show or are you so stupid you can't see billions of views right Infront of your face. I mean a human in hell I would watch that especially one that will win the almost unwinnable competition." Vox grinned wide, thinking of the views he could get off of broadcasting a live human getting killed on television across all 7 rings. He would make millions. No billions maybe even trillions.

"So Vox I have come to make a small wager if I win I take over the cannibals job on the show and get half of the income from the show and if I lose you own my soul to tear apart or do as you wish with. Do we have a deal?" As he said this he raised a hand which now faintly glowed a red colour. Vox shook the hand with a hand that fiercely glowed a bright blue illuminating the room. The colour of the hand was of the holders choosing but the Brightness depended on the amount of souls you owned.

"It's a deal! Bring whatever weapon you wish so long as it is not holy."

With a flash of Bright was transported to a large armoury with hundreds of weapons. From pistols to bazookas to katanas to chainsaws it had it all. 

🎶welcome to the show🎶

"Now you sad shitty sinners get ready for a special edition of cannibal cash dash! Featuring a live human not a sinner competing not for the normal riches but for a chance to take over the cannibals as killer. Can he do it? I know who I'm betting on. Hint not him."

Walking out of the armoury Bright came across the street that he had seen on Clef's phone. It was quite 1920s. He could see his opponents hiding around corners. Armed with a chainsaw cannon and another chainsaw for melee 

A small group of cannibals ran forward towards Bright. A horrid loud sound assaulted their ears as Bright flicked a switch on the cannon starting the chainsaw before firing.

Cutting through the tension thick air the chainsaw tore into the sinners ripping and tearing through the  skin, bone and muscle of 8 cannibals.

"Get them!" A cannibal shreiked and the rest took up the cry as they ran towards Bright. Another chainsaw was sent tearing through the crowd and yet they seemed to continue to come at him.

At 30 meters from the cannibals Bright fired a chainsaw before unsheathing the other he had on his back and charging at the horde. Jumping up the chainsaw came crashing down through a cannibals skull reducing it to jam in milliseconds. Swinging the chainsaw through the crowd sent splashes of guts, blood and bone flying into the air which came down splattering the cannibals and Bright with gore.

"Hoho so the dog ain't all bark but will his bite be enough or will he like so many others fall at the hands of the cannibals?" Vox's voice echoed across the streets of pentagram city and through rooms all over hell.

Surrounded, Bright slashed, hacked and disemboweled hundreds of them with the chainsaw without a major injury other than small cuts. It was almost superhuman.

Climbing a slowly growing mountain of the dead undead the cannibals were losing morale and the assault on Bright finally finished as the cannibals ran away.

"No! You fucking cowards! I swear if I see you, any of you again without your 'prescious little Rosie' I will tear your souls apart myself then trap you in your own little electric hell! You disrespectful wretches! I gave you everything and you flee from one man!" Suffice to say Vox was quite pissed he had lost the competition.

Scrolling towards the finish line Bright had no opposition Bright felt this was too easy like there would be a trap waiting for him. Which never came. Crossing the line Bright looked up at Vox on top of one of the buildings and flipped him off.

"So, have you tweaked the plan in any way from 3 hours ago?" Bright and Clef were in the armoured car about 5 mins from their destination of about 500 meters Infront of a Carmilla weapons convoy.

"Nope none at all." 

"Good."

The next minute was pure silence as they arrive at the destination ready to pounce.

Flooring the gas pedal the car slammed right into the side of the first truck, sending hundreds of angelic weapon scattering across the ground, blocking the rest of the convoy from passing through.

Giddy with excitement at the first stage of the plan going well, the occupants of the armoured car quickly launched themselves out of the vehicle, with weapons drawn, ready to catch the startled Carmilla Carmine convoy guards by surprised.

Buckshot was sent flying towards the first trucks occupants shredding them to a fine red mist which spilled out of the truck.

An imp wearing a steel grey uniform with a helmet and a ballistic vest hoped out of the back of the 2nd and raised his shinning gold rifle at Bright. That would be the last mistake he would make as he was eviscerated by the chainsaw cannon Bright wielded with blood and chunks of imp raining down upon the convoy.

"Bright you absolute bastard I just got this coat clean." Clef whined. He was not looking forwards to doing the washing but was looking forwards to killing Bright another time.

"The one with the least kills has to get the blood out of our coats." 

"Oh you are so gonna lose."

The 12 remaining guards/drivers that inhabited the 3 trucks were no match for the two psychopaths bearing down on them as they redoubled their efforts to kill anything that moves.

Once the piles of assorted meat were no longer moving the duo began looting the convoy and what they found amazed them. 

Hundreds of crates filled with both holy and non holy: grenades, assault rifles, submachine guns, knives, swords, bayonets, grenade launchers, bombs of various varieties, pistols, shotguns and millions of boxes of ammo stacked in crates.

They had hit the jackpot.

They began sorting through the weapons taking any holy weapons they could get out of the crates and load into the armoured car. Clearly there was too much stuff to take with them but they could take all the holy weapons and ammo, some shotgun ammo Clef took and a small amount of non holy weapons.

A couple scavengers came to try to steal a weapon or two but their shitty attempts at thievery failed when either dr shot them and watched as they slowly bled out or choked on their own blood. The sounds were music to their ears.

After a solid 20 minutes of looting and shooting Bright took all the weapons into 1 truck on which he laid every explosive they didn't take ready to explode when he pressed the detonator. Quickly jumping into the passenger seat the Car sped away before any relief force could try to recover the weapons. 

Bright clicked the detonator. Nothing happened for about a second before a loud boom echoed from behind them as all C4, dynamite, grenades and other assorted bombs blew up destroying the wreck of the convoy along with all the weapons and any scavengers vying for controlod the weapons.

Bright got the most kills. Clef was really close to just killing Bright and claiming a tie.

Noone tailed the car as it made its way to the Hazbin hotel. Except the shadow of the Radio Demon.

A new problem presented itself, the guns. Specifically storage of them. 

They can't be stored in scp    mostly because d-class and guns don't bode well for the captors of them.

They won't fit in all the wardrobes and storage in Clef and Bright's rooms. Even if they did Nifty would find them.

They can't be left in the car cause someone can just take them.

And Charlie would not approve of them storing them in the hotel and how they were gotten although they did break the rules technically. They didn't 'buy Carmilla Carmine weapons' but still both knew the happy Disney princess of hell wouldn't approve.

Alastor materialized out of the shadows behind Bright.

"Ah Alastor just the person I needed to talk to. I need to ask a favour which may prove to be beneficial for both of us.

"Your little 'favour' may be granted if you tell me what you were doing with V̶͖̲̑̔̀͋̄̿̈́͝͠o̵̧͓͈̭͇̥̭̠͗̀x̴̡̪͙͓̙̩̬̬͙̗́̽̊̇͆̇̇͆͊͠͝ͅ." The radio demons voice became glitchy and distorted as if through a harsher filter than normal. His stumps ontop of his head began to grow to large antlers barely able to fit in the room. His frame grew taller and slimmer.

"Just hedging bets thats all." Bright seemed oddly chilly for a human facing a pissed overlord.

"Just hedging bets? Is that what you call making a deal with V̶̑o̵x̴́͠." Static roared whenever he said his rivals name.

"Well in your words for the entertainment. I want to be able to slice and dice demons apart while getting paid handsomely for it. But mostly for the entertainment." Bright with held the reason of security from Carmilla.

"What is the favour you were asking for?"

"So do you have a pocket dimension I can store some humans in for safe keeping?" 

"A pocket dimension?"

"A dimension you can bring stuff to at will often through portals."

"Oh that, do you mind their mental state from being there?"

"Not at all as long as they stay alive in good condition physically."

"Where are the humans?" 

"In this bag," he pointed to scp-1689.

"Done."Alastor said as he melted back into the shadows.

The storage problem was solved.

The halls of site 01 seemed far to empty for O-5's liking. There should be guards along every hall guarding what SCPs were left as well as keeping a look out for any break in attempts by the 001-A.

It had been a while since the idea of setting up communication between both them and other groups of interest for a possible 'teaming up' between them all in attempts to fight the flesh.

She thought the idea was silly wacko nonsense. Even if the groups did start working together, and that was a massive if, bickering and infighting will occur soon after a coalitions forming likely leaving them all weaker amd in a worse state than currently.

She walked into the room the parlay would take place in. A massive screen covered a wall on once side of the room while a table was in the middle of the room where she and others took their seats. It would begin with some status reports given it had been a while since their last meeting with each other.

"Right we seem to be all here, good. So I shall begin this meeting of the O-5 council with asking the status of your respective fields. 'The gardener' we shall start with you."

While each member had an actual name many had forgotten theirs with time in favour of their nicknames which many used and preferred.

The gardener stood up with black gloves and a viel masking the appearance of her being in her 80s her voice showed it. Despite access to objects like the fountain of youth, she appeared to be in her 80s.

"Well all current SCP objects held at the site are functioning as normal and researcher numbers have been bolstered since those from site 52 came here. We now house 87 senior researchers and 16 junior researchers." The status report was short and sweet just what was needed for this to be gotten over with quickly.

The gardener quickly sat down as the screen displayed a picture of O-5-3 with long blond hair, white-ish skin and a single bone earring.

"All records and  security information were and are in pristine condition. No anomaly has tried to access said information and all terminals inside of this site have been given all information required for their current tasks. And to all I can only offer my deepest condolences for any losses caused by my failed prediction of the 001 event. I..." The AI's voice which was an exact copy of the alive 05-3'a voice was pleasant for most who knew he lived on as an AI in the foundation database.

"Yes yes, all seeing eye we have heard you give your deepest apologies across all computers for months they aren't needed anymore." Eves voice was unnaturally harsh due to the stress of running a site in the end of the world with limited manpower.

"Ah hem I will keep this brief given time constraints but a meeting has been set up between us, the global occult coalition, serpents hand and the chaos insurgency." A large amount of murmuring happened between O-5s on who was and wasn't trustworthy." I know some you may view some GOIs as not trustworthy or backstabbing but no-one has anything to gain by harming another group and risks further endangering themselves. Their leaders have also given me their word to at least hear us out on a coalition between the groups." The Aussie speech won over them all using his silver tongue.

"So much for a keeping it brief but through investigation of my own department we have seen your statement to be true despite it being Hella lame." Blackbird responded convincing the already convinced members.

"I must confirm the rumour the beloved USA has fallen to the flesh with both the president and the vice president having been turned. The red right hand is currently keeping the site on lockdown requiring way to much outside surveillance to test if it is an actual person or flesh at the gates." The cowboy's tone was saddened with the fall of the 'great' USA.

"Unfortunately I must report to the council that the new weaponry I brought up in the latest meeting has not proved as useful when killing the flesh as first thought. New weapons are being designed as we speak to combat the fleshes weaknesses to fire." 'Green' reported angry at herself for overestimating the effectiveness of the weapon upon larger quantities of flesh.

O-5-8 had nothing to report given there being no projects to say yes or no to.

"Research with the gardener has been going well, I have nothing else to report." O-5-9 said plainly.

"There has been minor damage to a couple timelines of alternate an past earth's however they have been re written using my memory." The archivists memory had almost everything in it which wasn't known by -3.

"The information given to agents planted in other groups have been feeding their 'new higher ups'. If all is going to plan then our 'enemies' won't know our true number of agents while believing us to be far weaker than we are." The father of lies said.

"A couple purchases have been seen on company credit cards issued to all level 3 and above researchers. We have been unable to trace the location and are still figuring out if it is a small bug in the tracking software or if a group of agents has gone rogue and possibly hoped to a different reality or timeline. Other than that we have stopped paying guards and researchers citing the fact we are providing a safe shelter and actual food to them for their work."

"Well enough reporting on each field I believe it is time to begin this conference between some of the last humans left." 0-5-13 said grandly as 0-5-4 began typing into the computer inputting various passwords and passing various cognito hazards. 

"Ladies and gentlemen and AI I present to you the engineer and delta command." A camera feed popped up on the screen displaying various persons all with various outfits and the engineer in the middle." The commander of the GOC al fine." Another feed appeared with the director of the GOC in the middle flanked by GOC agents."and finally the blaxk queen." The last video feed appeared of a woman.

"Now, as I have informed, you all the reason for your summoning is to at the very least open negotiations between all major human factions in the world and hopefully form a coalition to fend off the flesh." 0-5-4 started.

"We the Global occult coalition will honour your treaty and join you in a renewed effort against the flesh by the end of the month."

"Ha. It has been what a month and already the great SCP foundation is begging for an alliance with us. Oh how the 'mighty' have fallen. Are your supplies dwindling? Have you finally accepted that we are the masters?" The engineer mocked them through the screen.

"Really this is all in your best interests." 0-5-4 said trying to prevent a shouting match between the 2 parties.

"In our best interests? This is just a ploy. A beg for attention. You stay in your small cramped bunkers with few men and dwindling supplies and now expect us to bail you out from the pit you now find yourself in. I say we forget this coalition bullshit and let the foundation rot in their own concrete coffin." The engineer once again mocked them.

"Why let them starve when we can put a quicker end to the foundation? For years you have claimed to be those who fight in the dark to protect those in the light and yet when you stay there you burn in the sun. You have weakened yourself foundation and you have made this to easy." The engineer raised a hand and pressed a red button Infront of him.

*BOOM*

An explosion rocked the site as the video call disconnected. Leaving the O-5s stuck in a site with emergency alarms blaring and red lights to show the slaughter.

The serpents hand had begun their culling of the foundation.

Chapter Text

Angel awoke with a start. The place he had awoken in seemed very different to anything he was used to.

Instead of the deep reds and pinks which adorned the walls of his room in the Hazbin hotel, the walls and floors of room box he was kept in were a mix of a dark green gray and black.

The affects of his drugs he had taken had long since worn off so why couldn't he remember what had happened to him or why his feet felt as though they burned.

Questions swirled around his head as he slowly remembered pieces of the puzzle.

He was in the hotel, he had snuck off to his usual drug stash. Then the rest was a blur. He remembered Al jumping out of the shadows to scare him. That prick. Then he was pulled into the floor.

This was definitely not the work of Val. He would want any porn directed in the studio and even if in a separate place it would be well lit up with bright pinks, whites and reds covering the place so you could see the 'action' quite clearly.

This must be the sick twisted games of Alastor. After all Angel's last memory was of Al being there.

"Oh Al if you wanted me all to your self you could have just asked." Angel called out, in a seductive tone, into the box he was trapped in. Hoping for a response. But none came.

Perhaps he was being given the cold shoulder for a past grievance.

"Ok fine Al don't need to ignore me. Is this for not laughing at your awful puns? I'm sorry you have such a poor taste in humour." Angel shouted out trying to retain some humour in this situation.

"Al?" His voice became quieter as his fear grew. He tried summoning his sub machine guns to his hands for comfort but nothing came. Almost as if he held no power in this realm. It didn't feel like hell it felt as though he was somewhere else.

Suddenly the room changed. Now being larger and longer leading to a high throne all still made of the horrid stone like dark green and black material. Atop it was a man skin covered in a black ooze with the tattered remains of a world war 1 uniform which seemed faded and torn. His grin and eyes glowed a strange yellowish white which pierced Angel's soul. An awful stench seemed to emanate from the old man. One of rotting flesh, blood and smoke.

Fear gripped Angel's heart as it pounded loudly in his ears. He wanted to run, vomit and shout for help. And yet he stood there frozen in fear, eyes wide open.

This thing was not Al. It shares some features. The large grin stayed plastered on the things face and the eyes pierced Angel's soul and he clearly held all the power in the situation and it seemed as old as Al and as powerful. But this thing emanated annauta of danger unlike the one Al emanated.

A deep, slow, loud, rumbling laugh echoed through the room and Angel's mind. He covered his to soften the attack on his ears and yet it seemed louder and louder.

The room changed yet again. There was no roof or walls this time with it expanding outwards for seemingly forever. He was dressed in a uniform similar to the one his father wore when he was called up for military service for the great war.The scene Infront of Angel seemed horrifying.

There was a snaking network of trenches expanding Infront of him. Wood planks served as bridges to cross the trenches at this level. Barbed wire was strung around with bloody bodies, each very entangled and in deep states of decomposition giving off a horrid smell of rotting flesh and bone. The distant sound of gunfire made Angel duck for cover behind the shell of an old tank.

He pinched himself to find himself not having a nightmare. This was real.

He looked out from behind his cover to try to see what fired at him just to duck back a second later having learnt nothing and with bullets pinging off the metal of the tank. 

Questions flooded Angel dust's mind. How did he get here? What and where was here? What was shooting at him? Why can't he summon his sub machine guns? The questions swirled around his head drowning out the whistling sound coming from above.

"Hang on whistling sound?" Angel thought to himself. Then explosions around him forces him to run towards the trench which he dives into.

The same thick black sludge which covered the man on his throne half filled the trench, up to Angel's waist. It burnt like fire as the sludge ate away at the pornstar's legs, as he stumbled through the thick substance to a machine gun nest, which was high enough not to be covered in the thick stuff but also provided cover from the onslaught of bullets which whizzed over Angel's head.

He blinked and for a second saw the old man stare at him with almost glowing eyes from 100 meters further along the trench but when he blinked again he was gone.

Dragging himself onto the dry dirt of the machine gun nest Angel breathed a sigh of relief. Peeking out between the sand bags, where a Lewis machine gun would have been planted, Angel looked upon the front of the trenches.

His assailants movements seemed basic their uniform similarly torn and tattered. They looked like shadows along the horizon. Shadows with surprisingly good aim.

Another couple bullets embedded themselves into the sand bags which Angel hid behind. A rifle lay discarded on Angel's right which he scrambled to pick up and then began to return fire. His few bullets were lodged firmly into the enemy but their slow stumbling advance was not halted.

Finally Angel started making out a couple features of the shadows. Now they were no longer shadows but corpses, rotted and reanimated. Their comrades lay tangled amidst fields of barbed wire or laying in a deep trench of sludge with no skin or flesh. Long strings attached to their arms and legs went up into the dark cloudless and sun or moonless sky.

With the realization that the few bullets Angel had left were of no use he delved back into the slime filled main trench to try to find something.

He passed hundreds of bodies around the trench many with security visors or lab coats both with the same simble which the two new 'people looking for redemption'. None of the bodies were of much use to him as he trudged onwards in hopes of finding an escape from the realm he seemed trapped in.

Memories were starting to surface in Angel's mins. He remembered Alastor being there jumping out of shadow then something wrapped his foot and pulled him down. That was all he could remember. The old decrepit man was probably the thing that pulled him down here, wherever here was.

Maybe he could bargain with the guy. There must be something he wants. Angel thought to himself but nothing he had seemed to be wanted by the man. His good looks and stunning body were right here but he made no advances. Who would want money if they had this realm?

Something Angel couldn't think of and what 106 wanted was to watch Angel suffer.

"If I drink you under the table, give me free drinks for the rest of my stay." Clef argued with the hotels bar keeper.

Clef and Husk were at the bar arguing over the terms and conditions of a drinking contest with Charlie, Vaggie and Bright of to the side where they discussed the two doctor's being in hell. Strangely Alastor was not in sight and nor was Angel dust.

"Uh it's times like this that I wish hell had a good version of a Snickers bar. There good to munch on while watching a good argument. Like I'd pay millions, hell even my soul for a couple." Vaggie said reminiscing on her time as a human.

"How about a little wager? Whoever is still awake after the most shots gets however much Vaggie would pay for a couple of these." Clef said as he pulled out the couple of Snick bars he took with him as his only supplies on their trip to hell.

"Wait you have snickers bars?!!" Her head turned to Charlie. "We need these. I need you to understand how much I need these." She turned back to Clef." I'll give you a million, no two mil.. wait no three million dollars for them." 

"I dunno seems a lil light for people with basically infinite money. How about your soul, which little miss sunshine and rainbows would pay anything for, right?" Clef said turning on his 'charm' which he did not possess. In fact he had begun to repulse everyone in the room.

"Unfortunately I can't get a loan for everything in hell from Alastor. So, how about we play for the millions Vaggie was offering?" Husk said defusing the walking time bomb know as Clef.

"Eh it'll do." Clef said turning back to the cat bartender.

"So we do shots of the strongest shit we have, if Charlie lets me, and the first one to pass out will lose. Ya got it?" Husk said as he reached for the highest shelf where a bottle labelled 'beelzejuice' was sat. He took the lack of objection from Charlie to mean he could open the liquor.

"So this shit is basically 95% alcohol and 5% sugar so be prepared for your shit to get absolutely kicked in." Husk said as he poured the first of many shots.

"So while we watch the two drunkards drinks can I ask a few questions about hell?"

"Only if we also can ask some questions about you."

"Okay fair enough. So number 1 when you die do you become taller cause like everyone is like at least 6 feet tall most being like 8 feet tall?"

The two IMP assassins stood atop a particular piece of peculiar architecture on the Hazbin hotel. Both had binoculars and both had the same mission. As of the moment they were to find their target's rooms and scope them out. It was simple they had the room    and they didn't do much of interest.

For Moxxie it was a simple job but Millie's heart was racing hoping for a chance to meet the radio demon  and dashing host of his radio show Alastor. She would always tune into his broad casts when he wasn't torturing sinners. She loved the witty banter, songs and the whole feel of the show. 

Moxxie did not care to much about Alastor's radio show. It was alright but he could do without the 50/50 gamble of turning on the radio to hear a sinner screaming his head off or to hear the radio demons voice. He did love the discussions about topics with Rosie but they were unfortunately rare. He was worried about the hotels protector and joint owner finding them snooping on his hotel.

"Mox what if we see the radio demon? I have to get my radio signed. Do you think he'll let us on his show as a guest perhaps." Millie said fan girling all o er Alastor.

"Mills' I don't mean to dampen your parade but most on his show are never seen again and thought to be killed." He was quite unsure if they should stay here for more info or get out given he was sure the radio demon would not take kindly to them trespassing.

"Mills I think we should go." 

"And why ever would you be doing that my deer fellow." Alastor announced scaring the poor possum half to death as he turned around coming face to face with Alastor himself.

"Oh mah Satan. It's you. I just live ya show. I tune in every evening for the broadcasts and the music." Millie gushed.

"Ah a fan of me. Why it is really a pleasure to meet a fan in the flesh. And to who do owe the pleasure of meeting." 

"I.. er... Millie." She eventually managed to respond.

"Why Millie it was really quite the pleasure to meet you. Now onto the matter of..." 

"Can I see ya radio tower?" Millie interrupted Alastor before he could bring up them trespassing on his roof.

"Why of course my deer if you don't mind being on the show of course." Alastor said already getting ready questions to ask her and possible exposing them for trespassing during the show.

Before Moxxie could say anything both him, Millie and Alastor seemed to melt into shadow before reappearing inside of the radio tower.

The interior of the room was horribly cluttered with hundreds of oddities and other random assortments of items. As Alastor moves towards his radio setup moxxie moves over to a noticeboard. It was covered with barely legible handwriting scrawled around various black and white images of the same individual, some were much more faded than others but Moxxie could make out most details.

The pictures were of a woman with a similar look to Alastor. She had the same deer like features, such as the hair, ears and antlers. Whoever she was she must have been important to him Moxxie thought as he quietly moved over towards Alastor and Millie who were already in the process of questioning.

"Well I'm from wrath."

"A lovely place indeed I hope to see in person some day but the show must go on. I can't have the station be off air for a couple days let alone a week or two to visit wrath. Please do go on."

"Well me and ma partner work at a little assasin firm in imp city. Shout out to IMP. We originally would have avenged wronged sinners but we've had a shift in clients recently so are now taking requests from all over."

"Assassination, how interesting. You must have some interesting stories to tell the listeners so please tell us of some of the extravagant escapades you have been on." Not only was this imp a gold mine for info on why they were on the hotel's roof it also raised some questions.

If they were assassins why would they be interested in the hotel? Him, Vaggie, Charlie, Nifty and Husk were all out of the equation given their powers or owners powers(Charlie and Vaggie technically owned each others soul).

Angel was currently wherever Val had him but Charlie was getting worried as he hadn't been back for a while. Goading Vox out for a fight would get him more info on Angel's whereabouts.

They carried no angelic weapons to kill anyone permanently so they must be after Clef and Bright. But who would want them dead or captured?

"Ma'am I have news of the attack on convoy gamma 3." Odette said as she walked into her mother's office. "The same humans who you have hired assassins to capture raided and destroyed the convoy single handedly. From footage we have recovered from the body cameras of the guards they made off with all the angelic weaponry and blew up the rest." She said as she handed the full report over to Carmilla.

"God damn it. Do we have a progress report on the assassins?" She didn't expect anything but one can always hope.

"Negative ma'am."

"Inform all convoys to stay vigilant on any and all possible dangers. Double the guards on each convoy for the next 72 hours and authorize the use of angelic weapons inorder to neutralise the threat with all means possible even if it means the opening of any crate." She was damn sure she was not going to lose to 2 humans.

She watched as Odette walked out of the room to distribute the orders. The shipment that was lost, cost them upwards of 28 million dollars and 562 souls.

"Ok how da fuck are you almost like unable to walk kinda drunk after just 2 shots? Like you went from totally normal to slurred speech in a minute." The duo were walking into the center of pentagram city where they would try to spy for a guy who looks like an ex mtf agent. If they found one they would find about 20 more to add to their own privately owned army.

"Ow shit not too loud and fyi I won. After like the 27 shit the cat hit the floor like a sack of potatoes." Clef was still mega hungover.

"Clef that was shot 7."

"It didn't feel like shot 7. But I gotta get some of that bee'lze juice." 

"It is definitely gonna be like 100 souls for a drop or something also target right Infront of us." The sinner bright pointed at bore similar features to this who touch scp 409. He wore some sort of combination of tattered rags and hastily made armour. His hand seemed completely made crystal that looked akin to quartz. It's face appeared to be covered in a fine later of the same crystal. The sinner was slumped against a wall near a small bundle of stuff which contained a pistol and a small but if food.

The duo approached the subject. His breathing was slow and he didn't react to the doctor approach.

Suddenly he threw himself at Bright in an attempt to knock him to the floor which he did with surprising speed, and in the method the mtf would be trained in.

"Mtf-Alpha 12, hell's foundation, sends its regards." The sinner said not having noticed Clef or his shotgun which was aimed right at the sinners head.

"Is that really how you greet fellow foundation personnel? If so then training must be abysmal."

The sinner froze knowing the voice of his superior a hundred times over. He was starting to realize the people he attacked weren't trying to kill him or steal his shit.

Eight in the middle of Vox's slice of the V's territory was full of high selling vox tech shops which was a massive street filled with hundreds of thousand of souls and dollars that Vox had invested. Such prosperity attracted certain radio demons who want to get Vox's attention.

The rampage Alastor was on could rival the destruction of a nuclear bomb. Hundreds of sinners killed and maimed in one foul slash. The hundreds of Vox tech products destroyed beyond repair. 

If anything could get Vox's attention, other than Valentino, this would be it. 

"Vox, are you so cowardly and callous you can't come out to meet your rival or are you simply to afraid to come attack?" Alastor taunted into the televisions before he smashed them to pieces.

In truth Vox was sat in bed trying to get some sleep.

With Valentino's ramage still going on even after 47 hours and him showing no sign of slowing down Vox had resorted to trying everything with caffeine in it to help him stay awake but to no avail. And so now he sat unable to sleep from the noise of Valentino and now Alastor's mocking of him.

This must be Alastor's way of tormenting him. 

This had to stop. He would pay hundreds of souls for Alastor to return Angel Dust for just an hour so Val could be satisfied and he could finally get some sleep. He walked out of his tower not in full demon mode but normally.

The sight was strange to Alastor. He was in full demonic glory covered in blood with tendrils poised ready to attack anything that moved. His height was that of skyscraper. His eyes were radio dials and his smile ever wide was covering his face. His voodoo symbols which gave him some of his power floated around him and static buzzed around him. 

It was a terrifying sight for anyone. 

He had expected to see Vox in a similar manor but he just walked out of his tower normally. I fact he looked sleep deprived and generally tired.

"Alastor, just give back Angel Dust for like and hour to Val. I will pay you over a thousand souls to give Val his little toy back for a bit and for you to leave me the fuck alone." This yet further confused the great radio demon. Whatever took Angel was clearly something Valentino did. So why would Vox think he had Angel when Val had him.

"Your tricks work not on me. I saw him taken away by a hand from the wall. Clearly the work of Valentino. So go back to the little child you call a boyfriend crying about your sleep schedule." Alastor yet again taunted Vox.

"*Sigh* Alastor can we reschedule this fight for another day? You know what. I will give you a thousand souls for you to go give him back for an hour so Val can be satisfied. I will even let you kill me if that gets your dick hard. But just give me 5 minutes sleep." Vox was clearly trying mind games with Alastor and they were ...working.

Something about his tone of voice and the way Vox offered himself to be killed at his hands. Something strange was afoot and it involved Angel Dust. Besides there was no honour, no dignity in killing Vox in such a sorry state. In fact, Alastor would be called weak, something about only being able to kill a sleep deprived overlord.

"We both have realised neither of us know the whereabouts of Angel, haven't we?" Alastor said downsizing into his normal form.

"Yeah. What did you say earlier? Something about seeing a hand in the wall take Angel away, right?" Vox said back to Alastor surveying the destruction caused by the demon behind him earlier. This would cost him a lot to rebuild.

"Yes, at one point in the hotel a black hand reached out of the walls and grabbed Angel and pulled him into a puddle on the floor."

"Unless Bal has gained some new powers that isn't Val's doing. He can't do anything about reaching into walls." Whatever had grabbed Angel wanted both the V's and the Hazbin hotel to suffer from his absence. No mere overlord could be so bold to hurt 4 overlords an ex exterminator and the princess of hell all in one fell swoop.

"We need to call a meeting of the overlords. Whatever has done this clearly has serious power or is overestimating their powers." Alastor said, this meeting would be very impromptu but necessary.

"Alastor can I crash at your hotel, just for the night to escape Val?" Vox questioned anticipating his response but still clung to the hope he could get away from Val even if just for the night.

"Ha never gonna happen."

The office of I.M.P which was almost completely empty just a couple of days ago now was full of all the office supplies. They were all packing up to leave when suddenly the hit on the humans came in so they could afford the office for a bit more time.

"Alright M&M what do ya got for me. Skip the shitty trash at the start get into the real meat right away.

"Right sir. The targets occupy the rooms and in the Hazbin hotel. They appear to be on good terms with Alastor an overlords so much more stealth will be needed going..."

"Wait did you say we're taking out a friend of an overlord?" Shit this client didn't mention that. If we get caught I'm not sure how many strings I can pull with Stolas to not be eaten. Like he's powerful but he needs a working grimoire to operate at max powerfulness." Blitz was lost in a train of thought which he was saying out loud.

"Uh sir. They do not appear to need the normal amount of sleep a human does but we are unsure if that is an anomaly or not. We were also spotted and confronted by the radio demon so the next leg of the business will be on you not me or Millie." Moxxie declared.

"Moxxie how the fuck did you get caught!?" 

"I dunno sir. Maybe the fact that we are spying on one of the most powerful overlords interests which he keeps very good eyes on. Yeah maybe it is that." Moxxie said in a slightly snarky tone.

The I.M.P crew would have to step up their game if they wanted anymore info on the 2 humans in hell. They would need a really Bright solution. *Laugh track*

The sinner that had almost attacked Clef and Bright, they found out his name was mike, now lounged on one of the sofas in the main lobby of the hotel with a beer in one hand. His clothes were made from a foundation uniform scavenged from Site minus one and various pieces of black fabric to repair it. 

Site -1 had been established about a decade or 2 ago. With hundreds of sites around the world and confirmation that hell was indeed real, gotten in a raid against the wonderers library, they had foolishly tried setting up a site in hell. The venture did not go well.

Situated about 10 km outside of pentagram city in the wasteland between the 9 circles(cities) of the pride ring, most of the site had been constructed except for the lower levels. The aim of the site was to establish a beach head in hell for further foundation activities and to investigate the anomalous phenomenon which encompassed hells residents.

After about 10 days of the beginning of the sites operation it was raided by hundreds of imps and sinners. The forces had quickly overwhelmed the thinly stretched site security and much of the place was destroyed or left to rot.

The place served both as a gruesome reminder of the fact the foundation could make mistakes, the site being one of the biggest. As well as serving as shelter for people travelling the circles or for drug addicts to rest for a bit.

Mike, looked up from his phone for a second to see what the dr's were doing. 

Clef was sat at the bar strumming notes on his ukulele in-between writing down notes on a music sheet and taking shots. Somehow the more shots he had the better he sounded.

Bright on the other hand was doing well, Bright stuff such as feeding people to big lizards, snorting samples of SCP-610, consuming 10,000 bananas in ten minutes in an attempt to die of radiation poisoning ( it didn't work quite how he expected it to.) and he was currently snorting asbestos while trying to convince Charlie of his 'brilliant' idea for introducing himself to the hotel. Mike decided to join their conversation.

"Damn this asbestos is kicking my ass today." Bright said to no-one but the semi real voices in his head.

"What do you mean today?" The princess said worried fr the mental, physical and emotional health of the Dr Infront of her.

"This is a common occurrence on the surface." Mike explained to her." He has over 600 rules put in place to prevent him from doing shit like this. And he still breaks them all." 

"892 rules and counting."

"Yeah ok, how is getting people to kill you help introduce yourself to the hotel?" Charlie asked trying to steer the conversation in the right direction rather than the Bright one.

"They can learn more about me I guess." 

"You still on the quest to die permanently?" Mike said having heard rumours he was trying to die permanently.

"Yeah and every word out of your mouth puts me further away from my goal of fucking dieing." Bright said in a voice just above a whisper. 

Mike turned to Charlie. "Do you even know what you willing invited into your project of redeeming sinners?" Charlie shook her head. "You invited 2 psychopaths, both of which are at least semi attracted to a concrete statue. They are 'researchers' that have just straight up thrown death row people into wood chippers and giant lizards. One is obsessed with his ukulele and the other technically has his soul bound to the amulet on his neck, which he uses to transfer his consciousness around with a single touch of the amulet." Mike said to Charlie who sat in stunned silence.

The question on everyone's mind's,Was should she let them stay?

Chapter Text

The wanderers library was alive with commotion. Hundreds of armour clad serpents hand and about 30 or so chaos insurgents waited around in areas of the library watching the other members hard at work doing the last touches of the rituals needed to open ways into the foundation.

The library was piled high with infinite books from the mundane to the fantastical. It was the main base for the serpents hand. Nestled between grand bookshelves reaching 50 stories high and a 'entrance' to the library lay their base. Supply runs from small hidden bases throughout the world kept the place supplied well using the 'ways' to teleport between locations.

The chaos insurgency and serpents hand had formed a temporary alliance to destroy the foundation once and for all.

Hundreds of docents gathered around the groups of soldiers watching for rule breakers.

They waited for a signal the wizards watched and waited to say the last words of the incantations to open the portals. Once the bombs around the site were set off, while the foundation was still reeling from the blow the explosives did, the ways would open for hundreds of serpents hand and chaos insurgents to pour into and decimate the foundation. The plan was solid. The meeting between the O-5 council and the other leader was taking place just now.

Everyone waited eagerly for the signal to be given as the engineer gave the final words to start the explosives and the assault. 

There it was a red light far off in the distance.

In unison the wizards began the final little part of their rituals and in bursts of golden light the ways opened into the foundation hallways.

The library normally quite quiet was pull of noise as servants gave their soldiers orders to 'hussle' and 'move it'. The slight pulsing sparkling sound from the portals was drowned out by the stomping of boots on the wooden floors.

After 15 seconds Scranton reality anchors kicked in forcing the portals to close but the damage was already done. Hundreds of members were already in the site to kill and capture SCPs.

The onsite security was quickly shot in the back or taken by surprise. For each member the guards killed another 3 would replace the dead. Science staff were quickly taken hostage or executed. 

The operation seemed to be going well despite them only operating currently in the top most levels. Once they moved deeper into the site they would be met with fierce resistance especially around the O-5 and the really important SCPs such as 006. 

It had been just under an hour but the top fifth of the site belonged to them. However when anyone tried to descend stairs or through lifts they were met with improvised traps and flamethrowers. The forces that tried going down were small but soon a massive push was about to take place.

Samuel dressed in his tactical gear and with the serpents hand logo on his chest plate and green cloak on his back readied himself for the brutal fighting he was about to experience. His fellow squad of about 40 men had begun the descent into the next level of the site. Their moments were slow and methodical. Samuel near the front of the pack aimed his rifle around the corner as they moved from the staircases to the 3rd level of the site. 

As he moved his foot forward it met a strange amount of resistance before the resistance disappearing as if something he was pushing against snapped. A blur fell from the ceiling. He immediately threw himself to the cover of the doorway.

*BANG*

He was lucky his comrades not so much. He had just get off one of the traps the foundation was using. He had triggered a tripwire which cause a grenade to land right at his and his comrades feet. 

After having recovered from the throwing himself to the floor, he looked up at the now minced meet that was his brother's in arms a mere second ago. The 6 bodies lay bloody and half destroyed by the explosion. The arms were mangled and bone was exposed.

One was still alive.

He screamed, as the adrenaline wore off quickly. It pierced the protection of the gas masks, night vision and the green hoods as part of the cloaks most wore. 

The mangled man looked at the bloody hand barely attached to his arm. He had 2 fingers left both barely attached by slivers of skin and sinew. His mask and Goggles were destroyed. Parts of his face had no skin or flesh but lead straight to bone. His left leg was gone, replaced by the bloody stump he had now, pieces of broken bone fragments from his foot were embedded in the wall tiles around him. 

The 'thing', for lack of better words for he was not human anymore, crawled towards them begging for help. 

The member to Samuel's left pulled out a pistol. He leveled the pistol at the things head.

"You served the serpent well." 

*BANG*

The once man was put down with one quick shot to the head.

The followers of the serpent marched on through the facility. They encountered little resistance aside from the traps the foundation had set up. That was until they got towards the next staircase. 

Samuel still near the front marched forward just like the rest of them. The whole group was on edge watching and waiting for another trap.

Suddenly a small cylinder came skidding across the ground towards them. It flashed him with white light and a ringing in his ears. In a fit of momentary blindness he took 2 steps to the left colliding with the door frame and wall at the same time. Rubbing his eyes to remove the light brought a terrible sight, of his comrades similarly half blind from the flash bang hit with a blast of fire. He watched in stunned silence as his fellow serpent worshipers skin and eyes were melted under the intense heat of the flame thrower used by the foundation guards.

They screamed in unison a terrible final death screech. 

Senses finally coming back to him Samuel pointed his rifle around the corner though the doorway and fired a quick burst. The incessant flow of flames paused as a body fell to the floor.

Sidesteping his dead comrades Samuel peered around from his cover to see one man with a flame thrower. Just one man responsible for killing so so so many of his unit. 20 corpses lay melted together in one testament to the fact the foundation were ruthless killers.

He walked over to the man. Just one man. One miserable guy. He still breathed.  He was just barely alive.

Anger flowed through his veins. Just one guy. He unsheathed his combat knife. One measly little wretch at his mercy. 

Voices filled his head almost sounding like his voice but as if it were distorted. He heard nothing but the voices now and his own heart rate.

The voices grew yet somehow louder. They all cried for blood.

He raised the knife high above his head and knelt Infront of the 'human'. The voices competed with his heart rate for the place of being the loudest thing in Samuel's head.

AAAGGH! 

He screamed as he plunged the knife deep into the man's chest. Then again and again and again. 

The knife got lodged in the man's chest but Samuel did not care. He let go of the hilt and began punching his assailants face. He relished in the sound of cartilage snapping and giving way or the sound of the bottom jaw breaking at the point it connects to the rest of its head. The other side snapped with a crack.

Mustering the last of his quickly diminishing strength he placed both hands on the bottom jaw of the blood pulp Infront of him and pulled. The sound of flesh and skin tearing filled the room as Samuel tore the man's bottoms jaw off. 

He collapsed onto the floor in a fit of physical and mental exhaustion with the jaw still clutched in his hand.

The O-5s were having an interesting time to say the least.

The portals from which the serpents hand members and chaos insurgents had come through had only been created on the top floor of the facility. After 15 seconds the Scranton reality anchors engaged across the sites but they would only last for an hour or two and then hundreds would flood in, in a second wave to try and destroy them.

Some of the O-5s had gone further up to get a taste of the action, others had stayed lower to try to keep things running.

At first while still recovering from the bombs at the site, they had tried to reconnect with the serpents hand, chaos insurgency and GOC but to no luck in reaching them.

The explosives weren't used for causing damaged to the site to let the flesh in, but was to keep the security off their feet while they rushed in. The cheap tactics had worked in taking out the top layers of security, but the layers 3 through to 10 were armed and dangerous with traps and other weapons to destroy them, but seemingly for each dead cultist 3 more would take its place.

Tesla gates roared with an electric hum as they fried any that came to close as they were periodically fired by guards watching cameras who fried chaos that got to close and informed on their movements to the security teams.

Certain anomalies had been moved to the lowest levels or had a doubled, tripled or even quadrupled security force to ensure they didn't fall to the serpents hand.

Once the O-5 had realised the attack on them the radios lit up as site-1 sent message after message to each site. Most did not respond. A few did but it was mostly words of pity and them explaining their own inability to send forces to help. Site 53 had to keep men on security duty. Site 40 had few men already and sending some would almost guarantee their destruction.

The place was alive with talk as messages were sent and sites crossed off the list. 

Only 32 sites had not fallen to the flesh. None were able to reinforce the positions at site 01. 

For the foundation this attack was a perfectly planned nightmare right in the middle of the apocalypse.

Bright had made a couple changes to the show he took over from the cannibals. First of all he would face 5 opponents at once rather than one at a time. Second of all it was encouraged for the opponents to fight back. And last of all he could bet on his own matches and even got a cut of all betting.

In the minds of most simners, any one of the sinners and demons that faced Bright could win easily given there was 5 of them and only one Bright. But the first match would prove them wrong.

The opponents he faced were 2 imps each wielding some kind of large knife, a greed ring loan shark, and 2 sinners. One had a sea life aesthetic and the other looked like a mobster. Easy pickings.

Vox was doing the whole introductory speal to the show and the new rules that came along with it.

"Contestants, begin!" Vox shouted over the loudspeakers which lined the street the show took place on. It was long. But the prize was at half way.

Bright's opponents rushed towards him brandishing various weapons. Bright loaded the chainsaw cannon quickly and fired at the closest imp.

Where the imp was standing was now a small pile of viscera and bone fragments. The rest of the imp was splattered around the street and all over the remaining 4, who paused for a second or two taking notes to avoid the cannons projectiles if they could.

Bright pulled a second chainsaw out of seemingly nowhere and dashed towards his assailants with ease as if the fucking heavy chainsaw wasn't there at all. He chucked a small object towards the loan sharks feet. Said loan shark quickly exploded along with the homemade frag grenade Bright had made with 'love'( some sort of explosive powder) and 'care'( scrap metal fragments.) 

One of the sinners let out a burst of bullets from behind cover not caring for the amount of friendly fire he did. The other sinner had suddenly become swiss cheese in seconds as the bullets tore straight through him. The sword he was holding clattered to the ground.

The imp swing at Bright, which he easily avoided and brought out a image in which one could get lost forever. Upon looking at it the imp immediately face planted with all the momentum from his swing as blood foamed at his mouth. Bright slammed the chainsaw blade down on the head of the imp which brought a satisfactory end to the dieing imp. It was amazing what just one memetic kill agent could do.

The final sinner turned tail and ran however it's attempt to escape security was really unsuccessful as they caught up to him and promptly put a magazine of bullets into it's head.

Lucifer was on the cusp of greatness.

The magic tastical front flipping rubber duck that spits rainbows. (the rainbows were Charlie's idea)

Then a call for him came disturbing his work to create yet more ducks.

He had created ducks, geese, platypuses and all sorts of things like that during a meeting on what to add to earth to go along with the humans God had put there.  For Lucifer the ducks had been the best invention at that meeting, far better than horses or birds. He later created the rubber duck down in hell to remind him of the things he lost when kicked out and to have something that reminded him of heaven.

He had so many ideas. Maybe one could play a saxophone or have a green hat or make people want to taste it. That would make Alastor seem foolish, a duck which he will be compelled, in public, to taste.

The call was from heaven. Not good.

He racked his brain for anything he had done wrong to upset them to provoce th to call him directly. Was it Charlie? Did she do something? Was this about the fight at the Hazbin Hotel where Adam was killed, but Adam's death was to protect Charlie after killing a hellborn. So it can't be that.

He answered the call.

"Hhhheeeeeeeyyyyy bitch." 'Nailed it' he said internally.

"What have you done with the sun?" The caller was Sera. 

"Come again." 

"The sun. It is melting people alive into weird fleshy abominations. So what have you done to start this? And don't try to fake ignorance cause we both know whats going on here." Her voice was filled with authority and harshness despite Lucifer technically out ranking her however being fallen blurred the lines a little.

"Hmm oh that thing. Yeah I have no idea how or why that happened. Onto more pressing matters can I speak to Emily?" When he was kicked out of heaven Emily looked up to him almost as if he was a hero. He hadn't seen her at all since he fell. He'd heard her in the back of of a call with heaven occasionally but it was only faint.

"Don't try to change the subject! What ploy are you doing to build up an army to take over heaven?" 

"You do realise when they melt the soul stays with the melted flesh thing and doesn't go to either of us. So in fact it is hindering any possibility of that happening which I am not doing in the first place. Anyways I haven't tried that for like 10000 years. Also I have a wife and kid so no time for building up armies." Lucifer was getting just a tad bit annoyed at Sera. He hadn't done that since he was kicked out in the first place. It was more of a rebellious faze than a real attempt at anything.

"If not you, then who turned the sun against us?" 

"Why the heaven would I know that if it isn't me? Anyways how's heaven holding up cuz we are just fine apart from a couple overlords throwing hissy fits about no new souls. Like real tantrums, full on crying, screaming, the whole works."

"Thankfully we have a shield for these sorts of problems encompassing the entirety of heaven which you would know given it was put in place mostly to stop you. But it appears that we are also not getting new souls to spawn. Do you know who could have done this? Maybe a single inkling as to who?"

"Why would I know? I have been sat in hell for a while now making a bunch of ducks, the best invention an angel ever made. I tried experimenting on the sun after it turned to see if it does anything to hellborn and yes it does. I had to spend like 7 hours unmelting him. It's really difficult."

"*sigh* Luci how did you stay so positive even in the worst situation possible? Humanity is dying on our doorstep and yet non of us can do anything about it. And you seem fine with it all."

"Hm" he had gotten completely distracted by a new idea for a duck. This one would smell of blueberries.

"Your entire realm is decaying and yet you seem fine with it."

"It will simply revert back to when I first came here. A bunch more hellborn and alot less sinners simple."

"Uhh that is very like you but I have good souls to attend to. Goodbye Lucifer." She I fact did not have souls to deal with.

Heaven remained blissfully unaware of what happened on earth. If they found out they had closed off the gates between heaven and earth there would be riots and protests. Sera would be probably disciplined by the big man himself if they could actually find him.

He had been missing for about 200 years or so. One day he just wasn't anywhere or has just been exceptionally good at hiding, but that wasn't like him. He was always so joyous and happy and to cause the feeling of loneliness some angels that worked close to him was so unlike him.

Heaven was safe but the weight of all the innocent, good souls now trapped on earth unable to get even close to heaven, was heavy. 

Her smile while appearing joyous, it was heaven after all, was fake and a mask for her true much sadder emotions. She was hoping a conversation with Lucifer would help her to gain a single bit of solace or comfort but it just left further questions and didn't help.

She could blame him all she wanted but he was not at fault, his objections seemed true and genuine. With noone to blame she alone took the blame her brain needed to place on some one.

"Is this really where you have all been living for the past afterlife. This is just a dump. No a dump looks better than this." Bright was surveying his new small armies current living situation and it was just shit.

They had taken over an alley that was outfitted with a couple defences but most were in the apartment complex they had taken over. The place was overcrowded despite there being only 50 or so people and most lived in squalor. The uniforms they had were tattered and dirty.

Even their task force name sounded unoriginal and lazy.

(Editing cheese_ridden here, it was but I could not come up with anything better that included hell or something reference to it and the foundation)

At least most were decently trained in combat.

They operated more akin to a gang than a mtf. The little territory they did control was fiercely guarded however.

Upon reaching the leader it was clear the mtf had seen better days.

The leader, going by 'the raven', wore a standard mtf captain uniform painted black complete with the medals. He had a silver coloured raven perched statue on his helmet, presumably where his name came from.

The raven revealed the troubled past of the mtf.

Once there had been over 100 of them and they had once controlled large swaths of territory, the alley they held currently as well as territory that now belongs to the death from above and the screeching rat. Two groups that had risen to power and taken territory from thetf in their most vulnerable state.

When they had well over 100 members there were 2 main groups the peaceful ones and the violent ones. The leader of them balanced their interests well and under him the group entered a time of prosperity where numbers grew and border expanded.

A rival gang defeated and ashamed managed to get their hands on a couple angelic bullets. In a couple quick shots the leader of the mtf was dead. The mtf lasted 3 weeks before breaking apart into what they were today. Hell's foundation led by the raven and deaths door led by the eagles, despite the name deaths door were the more peaceable of the 2 groups. 

After about 3 weeks of being leaderless the deaths doorites followed their leader as he stormed out of the alley after a heated argument with the raven about the future of the mtf. The raven wanted a war with the fire eaters believing that their superior fire power could exterminate them easily to further expand and claim more territory.

The eagle however wanted more peaceful measures to take place with the other gangs of the area hoping to accept them into an alliance or even confederate the other gangs into one mtf unit.

Each leader had about half of the members in their groups so there an even power balance between the two parties and once the original leader fell dead tensions rose till the breaking point, when the eagle stormed out of the alley with any of his supporters tailing behind, just 3 weeks after the assassination.

"They even took the skull as well." The raven grumbled.

"Who's skull?" 

"Why the assassin's of course! I slew him with an angelic knife, the only one we had, and hung his skull by the entrance to remind others what happens when we are fucked with."

Clearly if Bright wanted his private army of mtf he would have to engage with large amounts of diplomacy, which he didn't want to do. Hell's foundation would need a name change and location change but would be easily convinced but deaths door would require more finesse to create the private army.

"Given the foundation is gone or soon to be dead, there is no point in you waiting for them to come down here. I however, am right here and willing to offer you my protection and riches belong your imagination. The unkillable man as your leader. And if that incredible, magnificent speech couldn't convince you perhaps this will." Bright said as he took out around 50 angelic rifles. The mtf members reached for their guns but were quickly stopped from drawing them. 

The guns were incredibly expensive and possetion of such weapons would scare most enemies or at least make them rethink making them their enemies.

Soon the members of hell's foundation were neeling Infront of Bright as they signed their souls to Bright. As each signed a whisper of different coloured light came from the signer's chest and quickly floated towards the amulet that technically was Bright.

Each soldier now armed with a Carmilla Carmine crafted angelic assault rifle saluted Bright and walked to their accomodation to gather some things and gather back in the middle of the alley.

"Hell's foundation is dead. In it's place rises a new task force the beginings of my new army. The Bright fight. You are no longer loyal towards the dead foundation which in a way I now carry on. You are loyal to me and may your training serve you well.

Your new accommodation is at a place that will welcome you with open arms but do not get comfortable for if my brain serves true we will likely stay there enough longer than a fortnight. Your new accommodation is in the Hazbin Hotel." Bright declared in a strange moment of non insanity as he made his play for power in hell.

The news of his creation of the Bright fighters would reach the deaths door who may not be so welcome to the idea.

Bright was putting plans into action. Plans he had schemed over, for some very sleepless days and nights.

The first step getting the first parts of the private army created were already underway. The serperation of the mtf into two smaller groups was regrettable but the set back was minor at worst. He had his first 61 men to serve him. Soon he would start to make his move to get both the mtfs to serve under him and then move to step two.

The second step would be to set up a home base and increase the man power he had. The old site-minus 1 would be suitable enough. It was close enough to pentagram city and had plenty of space to expand in the vast nothingness that was the space between circles in the pride ring. His men would have to start training new recruits but it would start to further increase the numbers he had available to command.

Once a solid enough position was grasped he would have to get many souls, about one million, to reach overlord status. Then he would get his army to come out of the shadows and take over a section of pentagram city with the army he would have available.

After that he was unsure what to do next. Be the most powerful overlords in hell? Abuse the power he would gain? The possibilities were practically endless but his own entertainment was the real goal given the afterlife has to get boring at some point. Right?

Most overlords were filling the meeting room they used to meet with each other and Lucifer for a special meeting.

Some had been invited by Alastor and others by Vox meaning basically all the overlords were there on very short notice given about 4 hours till the meeting started to get there.

Both Vox and Alastor were at the 'head' of the  round table and they were getting along well-ish. Normally they would need to be on opposite ends and would throw comments at eachother and at the end would have to be separated from eachother. 

Today they were planning something which was bad for all involved.

Vox was visibly more tired and was periodically yawning. That's what 90 hours of no sleep due to Val looks like. Alastor looked slightly on edge. He was constantly switching through songs, to quietly play as he existed. It was quite out of character. He finally found comfort in the song 'your never fully dressed without a smile.'

"*Yawn* Alright everyones here so there has been a disappearance of a certain pornstar. Andel Dust." Vox managed to stay as he battled gravity trying and failing to keep his eyes open.

"Angel was taken right before my eyes. A strange hand coated in a black sludge reached out of the wall and dragged him into it through a similar black sludge which coated his arms. This individual seems to attack his victims and appear at random for high value targets before taking them somewhere as of yet unknown." Alastor informed the other overlords.

"We ask that you keep a look out for not just the missing Angel Dust but also be wary of this individual taking you or a subordinate."

"There is also a reward for his return to Charlie at the Hazbin Hotel of 2000 souls."

After the conclusion of the meeting not ending with anything uncivil with the TV and radio Alastor was asked to stay behind by Zestial and Rosie.

"Friend, please confide in us with what has happened between thyself and thine opposition thy seem now so amicably with. What hath this cowardly and treacherous sinner done to convince thyself to trust him?" Zestial said resting a hand on Alastor's shoulder which he flinched away from before letting the hand rest.

"Yes Alastor you seem... different. You look twitchier and more on edge as if you have something after you ,other than the ladies, something dark and evil." Rosie said to Alastor worried for her friends head.

"I watched something take Angel. It was sudden and strange. A hand covered in a black almost tar like substance reached out from the walls from a ever growing similar substance on the walls and grabbed him and took him. As soon as he was gone it had all disappeared but so had Angel. I fell I am losing touch, unable to guard those I had been ordered to protect. A presence is following me as If I would end just like Angel take completely off guard dragged to my immanent death while blind to the danger."

His voice was much different and blinking in and out of the trans-Atlantic accent he used for radio and his real voice, the radio filter strengthening and weakening quickly and without warning.

The two humans plus the hotel staff were sat in a room as Charlie tried to break the tough exteriors the two had, to reach the softer more workable side of the doctors which she was convinced existed.

"How about we start with your names? Introduce yourselves to us." Charlie said to them excited for the progress they were about to make. Charlie had convinced herself the two may be trouble but could be redeemed given the chance. With more info on who or what they are would make it easier to start them on the path to redemption.

"Ok, I'm Jack Bright. Level 4 researcher at the SCP foundation and I can not die." 

"Get over yourself toots all of us are immortal we all reform after 3 days after death in hell." A hologram of Angle Dust had been loaned to Alastor to use to trick Charlie of him still being there while they tried to unsinnernap him from whatever had taken him. It could talk, speak and be really annoying all at once, just like the real Angel Dust. Everyone but Charlie could tell it was a hologram but she didn't seem to notice.

"Hey Clef catch!" He tossed the jade ring to Clef. "Watch this!" He took a pistol out of his pocket and shot himself in the head.

Clef took the body Alastor took out of his pocket dimension and placed the amulet on the guys neck.

"Tah DA" Bright said." Alastor you can have dead man magee to do whatever you want with."

"Ok, I could do without the gore but interesting and you." She pointed at Clef.

"My name is" he pulled out his ukulele and stum an A major cord on it." You may call me Dr Clef. I work as a level 4 ass kicker for the IRS and specialise in chewing ass and kicking bubble gum, so be glad I haven't got any bubble gum."

"You mean the HRS right, you know the hellish revinues service." 

"Of course the fucking IRS started in hell for fucks sake!"

"So you don't work for the IRS?" She said correcting herself on it being the internal revenue service not the hellish revenue service.

"No I fucking work in fairy land. I work for the same fucks as the idiot standing to my right." Said idiot with a amulet was making fun of both Clef's looking like a troll and also being about 5 feet tall and there was a good reason to class his body odour, that assaulted ones nose with so much stench it woul put a nurgle worshiper to shame, as apollyon.

At least Bright could just switch bodies if they get too shitty but Clef was not given such a luxury. He was about 5 feet tall, quite fat, missing teeth from chain smoking and wore a large brimmed hat. He was a little bit like a cowboy. A very small and ugly cowboy.

"Right ok, noted for later. Um can we get any more info on your jobs before coming here?"

"No. I will not spill foundation secrets." Clef said not wanting to sell out the foundation.

"However I will. I mean their basically all gone anyway. So we contain things that are abnormal like a candy bowl that takes your hands if you take 3 candies. Our leader are 13 prehistoric shitlords that can't die because of some of the stuff we had lock up in our facilities. Anything else?" Bright said giving the most basic of run downs on the foundation.

"Oh, how did you and Al meet?"

The denizens of hell were going about their usual tasks. Some were pedalling businesses, some were buying the latest products and most were cowering away from the radio demon. His meer presence would send hundreds scattering like rats to find anywhere out of the way, where they would not be noticed and not incur his wrath. Many knew him as the heartless, merciless and bloodthirsty cannibal overlord that would torture sinners on his radio shows to broadcast all over hell. His smile, never wavering or breaking, style fear into everyone's hearts.

That was the radio demon most knew but the cannibals, and especially Rosie, knew him to be kind and sweet to people.

Today was a routine occurrence where he would take a stroll up to the surface world, one of the perks of being an overlord, to run some errands. Said errands could include but weren't limited to: made deals with people, gather fresh meat, explore the ever changing world much different to when he died and entertain himself.

This day he would do a number of those things.

The giant pentagram in the middle of pentagram city was the only place overlords could access the mortal realm. Other sinners and lesser demons could as well but the security checks and slowness of the entire operation deterred many.

Once having arrived he began the little ritual to summon a portal to step into the mortal realm. Dark green energy flowed all around him coming from the ground Alastor stood on and from himself. It swirled together to form a large circle of spinning energy large enough for Alastor to step through with ease. The actual portal took time to create with the energy having to spin for at least 2 minutes before forming the portal.

Once it had formed Alastor stepped through into the shimmering golden portal lined with green demonic magic which promptly disappeared behind him.

Stepping out into a white tiled hallway, Alastor was unsure where on earth he was. The hall sported  posters that advertised for many things like 'pizza Fridays' or what seemed to be a moto of some kind. 

*Secure. Contain. Protect

Only you can stop a breach.

Tell a supervisor if you see anything strange.*

Melting into the shadows Alastor moved down the hall to a sort of cafeteria area where many people seemed to be enjoying their 'pizza Friday' whatever that was.

There was a roughly even split between people wearing white lab coats with a strange symbol and the moto again and people wearing grey combat suits with guns near them. A strange orange blob was moving around the floor letting people 'feed' it and also pet it.

It moved towards the shadows Alastor hid in as if it could see him despite him being a shadow and the slime having no eyes. Not wanting his cover blown by a strange piece of gelatin Alastor moved away from the cafeteria towards a pair of voices having a conversation in a room. The door was closed but sound travelled through the walls.

"... Why are you adding that to the list?"

"Bright quit your whining. You know this was gonna be added to the list of things you aren't allowed to do when you did it the first time. Giving the pink candies found in SCP-330 to various foundation staff as a 'token to keep up the great work', then watching as they explode when they eat the 'gifts' is now officially the 863 rule added to the ever growing pile of thing you can't do." The voice was semi even leaning on the slightly harsher side. He clearly loved creating the rules and listening to the one recieving the punishment's objections to it.

Having decided on investigating the discussion Alastor moved through a small crack, where the doors separated, into 'conferance room 5a'.

Much like the hallway he had found himself in, the conference room was similarly tiled on the walls with a deep blue carpet and stacks of filing cabinets, in the centre lay a large wooden table where the two people sat.

Both wore a white lab coat with a symbol of three arrows pointing inwards on the top right of the coat. One, the rule maker, had brownish hair and olive skin. The other, the rule breakers, had orange hair with pale skin and he wore a large gold and purple amulet that hung around his neck, it radiated a kind of energy.

"Now Dr Bright, if you'll excuse me, I have some other business to deal with involving getting our new shipment of class-Ds on time. Tata." With that he left, a sense of bitterness hung in the air. The 'dr Bright's fellow clearly resented the other man. Perhaps he out ranked him or perhaps he dislikes the man entirely, there was plenty to dislike.

The Dr left alone in the conference room soon got up and walked out of it with Alastor tailing behind as a shadow. He walked for seemingly miles. The place he was in was Labyrinthian in construction with constant twists and turns. At points the colour and material of the walls changed from a white tile to a dark grey concrete.

At multiple points he walked through checkpoints where many armed guards wearing the same grey uniform he had seen some wear in the cafeteria. One wave of a coloured plastic rectangle and show of the jewellery and he was let through quite quickly.

After about 10 minutes of walking the Dr Bright pulled out the orange piece of plastic scanned it Infront of a door before walking in after it slid open. Alastor followed.

The place served as the office/bedroom of Bright. The place was really 3 three rooms glued together. The sliding door from the hallway led into the office which held a large desk with papers stacked high on it and a computer. On a wall opposite the doors leading into the bedroom and bathroom was a small chest of drawers which on top was a good selection of liquors. Bright walked over to the alcohol and took a bottle of rum of which he poured two glasses out.

"Right Mr shadow man I think it time we talk. So come out of the shadows and indulge me in what your doing following me. The second glass is for you." Bright called out to 'the shadow man'.

Alastor froze his examination of the room and focused on the Dr Bright. Having been called out directly he had no choice but to appear to the Dr. However the fact he had seen him caused a sense of unease to creep into his mind. But having been called out it would be an insult to his honour if he did not come out of the shadows. And so he did.

"Alastor, a pleasure to be meeting you Dr quite a pleasure. Why when a man follows another he does not expect to be caught especially when you have been in the business for centuries." A laugh track could be heard. "So who might you be?"

"That's pretty much how it happened. Now I need to fucking hit the hay so see ya. Also Charlie there are like 50 people staying on my floor now so here is your warning."

"What" 

Chapter Text

Heaven felt quiet. Although Adam had 'died' over 4 months, now. He still left a large amount of noise to be made by someone else. Suddenly there were no loud epic guitar riffs or cool catchphrases there was a peacefulness that was almost unsettling with the abrupt change.

In truth Adam was not dead despite what was said to the people of heaven and to an extent hell. While after the battle he did die to the little cleaner, his soul was not cast to the void like most would be after dieing to a holy weapon. No Lucifer has a little plan for him.

Adam was brought back but was locked away stuck in chains and handcuffs. His cell was under the Hazbin hotel. It became common for people to go down there and take advantage of the infinite regeneration he suffered from and take out rage or grudges on him. At first Charlie discouraged it but eventually it had become part of her welcome to new comers.

However when Adam died a sinner rose to heaven to join the seraphims as a third. Sir Pentious, Saint Pentious, Saint repentious, whatever people called him had rose. He did a little bit to up lift people's spirits but tales of his wild adventures in India or other parts of the British empire could only do so much to raise the spirits.

Lute took Adam's death particularly hard. He had been mentor and she almost like a daughter to him. So to have him stripped away was tough for her. But she still had a job to do which she did well with it being the only thing that reminded her of him.

"Lute, we have a mission for you. As you know we have sealed off the barrier between the realms but there are many souls that are trapped on earth that can be guided to heaven. We want you and your battle sisters, to go down there and scout out some of the larger hideouts for these people and report back so we can send a larger squad to bring them here. Do you understand?" Sera said expecting the answer.

Since the exterminations were cancelled the exterminators were rebranded into the battle sisters keeping the clothes and masks.

"No ma'am."

"Good. Have your battle sisters cover and areas of skin that show through the armour and have them on standby for if you need backup or when you locate a large holdout. This radio is a direct line between you and me. Of you need to be beamed up here just call and we can have you and anyone with you here in minutes. If that fails or the radio is damaged travel to a church and ring any bells 12 times for the apostles. Then I know it is you and can have you back here soon. Now ready your battle sisters."

*Hours later*

having picked 6 of the best there was to pack up any armour and cover anything the sun could change, they were ready. Stood next to the gates of heaven they were unsure as to what to expect. 

Standing near the edge of the clouds they jumped off beginning the descent. The wings each had coming from their backs allowed for some control of their direction but still it was almost pointless so high up.

The wings were made of metal and could collapse into 2 bar on the backs of their armour. All winners don't arrive with wings but do get given a set of wings upon entry. The wings the exterminators got were made of some sort of black metal and angelic steel so could serve as weapons in a pinch.

Upon reaching a good altitude to servay the earth Lute's scouts were left in shock of what lay in wait for them. The cities were abandoned and large clumps, the size of houses, of red flesh cried, screamed and moaned at anything and everything nearby. The cities crawled with flesh. Hundreds of thousands of people lay as a fleshy network spanning the entire city.

Having realized that the cities would be a bad place to search for alive people given they seemed to crawl with flesh they decided to land on the outskirts of the city for just 5 minutes to gain some information and see if there were any messages on possible hideouts.

Diving through the roof of a house created massive amounts of noise but doing it would mean the information gathering would be quick. The room Lute found herself in looked to be a bedroom of some sort with a bed at one side of the wall and a computer, still on, on the other. The computer was open on a chatting website. Despite almost all humanity having been turned into flesh there seemed to be many messages on the forum.

The most recent ones were between 2 people about being able to use these forums now since there were few who could learn of their 'SCP secrets' now. The last one having been sent out hundreds of times, begged any 'foundation personnel' to make there way to site 01.  It provided the location of the place. This would be where the angelic squad would scout first.

Upon leaving the house Lute was hit with a strange scene. The other 6 angels were standing back to back in a circle, on the rooftop, facing the flesh, weapons drawn. The flesh seemed to want to get closer but was put off by the angelic swords and spears they wielded. It seemed it knew the power the weapons contained. It would move a foot closer to the angels then suddenly scamper back to the rest of the flesh.

Upon seeing their leader they quickly unfolded their wings and took flight following Lute to site 01.

It was official. The place he was stuck in was worse than working overtime for Val. Sure at the fucking studio he would get absolutely fucked figuratively, literally and mentally for 19 hours but at least most of the time wasn't spent running from traps and battlefields. 

Where ever he was, whenever the scenery changed he would see in the distance a rising pillar, a throne atop it, towering over everything, opon which was the smiling ooz covered fucker that took him here. The constant burning slime that clung to his every being never seemed to give him a break. There was no time to rest, no time to take a breather cause when he did the entire world would change plunging him into peril once again.

He had contemplated not running and excepting his fate but each time he felt as though he would die permanently. No respawning after 3 days of awful torturous reforming later for him to fall out of the sky yet again. No. Something tied him to this place rather than hell. He felt strangely mortal, unlike the semi-immortality the sinners of hell experienced.

He was back yet again in the network of trenches half filled with a black acidic sludge that clung to Angel Dust and burnt fiercely. The distant sound of gun fire pierced the silence that hung around Angel. What felt like days ago he had found a small stash of supplies. It was not much but the canned food tasted oh so good. The supplies were held in a skeletons grasp clearly someone long since dead. 

Yet again he tripped falling into the black goop covering himself in it. The echoing, deep laughter of his torturer sent shivers down his spine. Whatever kept him here enjoyed watching him suffer and could end his life any second, but simply chose to watch him climb up a hill of survival only to tumble and fall into a fiery pit of failure.

"Is this what you want!?" Angel cried out to the set of white glowing eyes and stained yellow teeth that was called SCP-106." To watch me suffer? To see me slowly, slowly die. What sick frill do you get out of this?"

This part was one of SCP-106's of the hunt once the victim was taken. This one had taken quite the long time to break but he was finally cracking. Oh the pain, the torment, the anguish. All the cries were like music to his ears as each emotion of rage and or sadness washed over him. This was the reason. To feed on his victims emotions to watch him struggle to free himself from the burning black goop which swamped the dimension.

Normally he would have killed his prey, wrap them in barbed wire, dissolve them or any number of ways to slowly kill someone. This prey was different. They showed a strange sense of resilience, as if someone would save him any minute. Despite it having been well over 3 days now he didn't just submit to his will. His desire to hunt for other prey having been sniffed out by watching and feed off of the thing's actions below him.

106's laugh echoed through his own dimension, a deep slow and threatening laugh which sent shivers down Angel dust's spine. Just a laugh communicated his captors power.

The trap was laid, they just needed it to be triggered. Bright and Clef watched from a rooftop above the ambush. All 50 of the Bright fighters lay in wait for the Carmine industries convoy to come barreling down the road. The plan was simple. A barricade had been made at the end of the road. The convoy will stop to either remove it or find a different route. Then the bright fighters will come out of hiding and slaughter the guards and take the weapons. The weapons would then be used to buy out deaths door.

A flood of headlights came speeding towards the barricade slowing to a crawl upon seeing it. Althought the amount of guards seemed to have doubled the time to strike was now.

Suddenly all the mtf members rose up from their camouflage and opened fire on the unaware guards. Taken by surprise they were quickly overwhelmed and slaughtered to the last man except one driver for each truck. 

Now down on the ground Bright to give orders to his men.

"Take everything in the last fucking truck and load it into the others than high tail it out of here before Carmilla comes."

The last truck would be filled with non angelic explosives. Once the rest of the convoy was on its way to the deaths door territory, Bright would give Carmilla a little surprise.

Jumping into the explosive truck he sped down the streets of pentagram city. Carmilla had many factories and warehouses scattered throughout the pride ring but the largest was really her headquarters with a factory thrown onto the side for good measure.

The explosives wouldn't really do anything to destroy the place because of the armour plating it had but it would send a message to Carmilla that they weren't afraid of her.

Barreling down the streets of Carmilla controlled territory, Bright was aware of multiple security cameras tracking his every move. He wanted this to happen. For Carmilla to see the big middle finger that was him chucking explosives on her front door step.

Finally he arrived Infront of the building. It was massive. The grey armour plating seemed a lot less penetratable than in previous scouting missions. The gigantic grey structure towered over anything near it. The factory must have been over a square mile of gun ranges, manufacturing lines, research rooms and the likes. With the very top housing the Carmines themselves. With a large explosive and bulletproof glass for Carmilla to look down upon the sinners that bought her product.

Jumping out of the truck he readied himself for the minutes of physical exhaustion he would put himself through. The detonation would happen as the truck smashed into the building blowing the entire truck up.

Grabbing a brick from off a random pile of debris Bright's hand hovered over the gas pedal before letting go. The car practically flew towards the building, gaining speed each and every second. 

*BOOM*

All of the hundreds of explosives came together in a fireball about 10 meters wide. The shockwave shattered windows and displaced rubble. Taking in the beautiful sight before him Bright savoured it for a second before bolting away from the place to Clef and the escape vehicle.

But things just couldn't be that easy. Bright's plan had to have a spanner thrown into the works. Once the dust cloud from the explosives had gone it revealed the attack to have done nothing but also revealed a couple humvee like vehicles, filled with armed guards, tailing him. They were gaining speed and fast. It was a matter of seconds before they opened fire.

The wizz of the bullets flying by him drowned out any noise anything else made.

'wow these guys have shit aim. I'm literally running in a straight line." Bright thought to himself.

One of the bullets struck Bright's leg causing him to wince in pain the timing was impeccable, however.

Looking around there was no reachable cover. Sure there was various piles of rubble and debris but his enemy had the speed and manoeuvrability make anything so out in the open not usable at all. He did have a weapon but it was a small 9mm pistol more for the speed which a chainsaw cannon doesn't possess.

A plan having formulated in his head, Bright ducked into an alleyway. The chasers quickly disembarked chasing Bright with reckless abandon. 

He turned around pistol leveled at the chasers. 

*BANG*

The first one fell dead on the spot, with 2 holes in his head gushing blood, into an amber liquid, likely some kind of alcohol.

The other 3 were raising their rifles.

*BANG*

The second with all the momentum of his run face planted into the asphalt he ran on.

*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*

Bright now a corpse on the ground riddled with bullet holes was hoping his plan would work.

"Heeey Odette. So slight hitch in the plan." One of the many guards that patrolled the headquarters of her family buzzed in over the radio.

"Uuhh what?!" Odette said over the radio afraid of the idiocy that would have happened.

"So the target we were meant to take alive is kinda dead... He killed a good few of us as well."

"Carmilla will be at your location soon. If your not demoted you will almost definitely be killed for this." 

She didn't want to involve her mother in such matters but she would want to know who or at least what the person looks like, who has been attacking her convoys, which no other sinner has had the balls to do in recent memory.

The business side of the top floor reminded Odette of a government offices or hospital's floors and walls. The office white covered everywhere in this section. She much preferred the warmth of the wallpaper and actually comfortable furniture of the living side of the sector than the bleak and harsh white she spent much of her time in.

Walking up to the large oak double doors Odette composed herself before knocking and entering.

The office had a much more homely feeling to it. The wallpaper and wood floor actually made the place nice to be in. 

"Mother, the security has killed the one going by 'Dr Bright' in sector C3. It is important you attend to gain information on the target and possibly fight the target if he gets a new body."

The two guards were standing over the corpse of the target they were meant to take alive. 

"Shit we definitely getting killed for doing this." One of them said to no-one In particular.

"You know what fuck it. If we getting killed might as well get rich before death." The second said while going through Bright's pockets. There was some nice stuff in there as well. A couple years worth of rent in cash, a credit card, an angelic and regular pistol. All in all not a bad hall. He then turned the body over to see the mother of all goodies. A large gold and red jeweled amulet hung around the bodies neck. He reached out and grabbed it.

As soon as his fingers touched the amulet he froze, amulet just barely in his grasp before placing it around his neck and standing up stiffly. Bright was back.

"Fuck man could you be any more slow!" The other sinner shouted behind him while still scanning the horizon.

Bright pulled out the regular pistol from his pockets after transferring all his stuff to the new body. He was aware of Carmilla's soon arrival and so kept the fooling around to a minimum.

"The truth is, the game was rigged from the start."

*BANG*

Walking over to the body Bright took a small bit of time to appreciate his plan working well. He heard the echoes of pointed shoes slamming into the ground. Carmilla Carmine. She was heading right for his position. The echoes grew louder with each second. The pointed ballerina shoes were digging into the concrete of the pavement. The very sound seemed to warp and chage with each step growing higher and higher in pitch.

In a sudden moment of clarity he dashed into the back door of one of Carmilla's warehouses but just slow enough for her to see him go in.

The inside was huge. No description could convey the sheer magnitude of the warehouse. Billions of crates were stacked high to the ceiling each filled with assorted weapons, armour and various other angelic steel related shit.

Despite his overbearing confidence in himself defeating Carmine, the actual rational side of his brain realised he couldn't without calling in a little favour.

He pulled out a radio much like those used at the SCP sites. It was a black and green camo design still with the foundation logo on it but it was beginning to fade. Alastor had picked them up during his visit to Bright once day had broken. He had given one to important people he needed to always be available for such as Rosie or Bright.

He pressed the button on the side and began to talk to the radio all while running down the warehouse.

"Come on Al. For fucks sake pick up the shitting radio."

Gun in one hand radio in the other Bright ran down the aisles of stacked shelves occasionally wondering what an angelic pipe bomb does and if it's stronger than a regular bomb. The place had some guards on the ground floor but they were more warehouse staff than anything, with most operating forklifts or stacking crates onto convoy trucks.

Carmilla Carmine industries was constantly producing and distributing weapons and ammunition. However Bright expected a slight more resistance.

"Ah Bright. I am in the middle of luncheon. This had better be good." The radio demon replied. He was hoping to keep the talking to a minimum, the jambalaya, he made from his mother's recipe, his only reminder of her left, was getting cold.

"Hey Al you know the *huff* favour still you owe me? *Huff*"

A guard had begun shooting at Bright sending rapid bursts of bullets towards him. The bullets weren't angelic or holy but still were threatening. He dove for a wooden crate labeled Sub machine guns #71. Prying it opens revealed about 80 Thompson sub-machine guns none were angelic. Disappointing.

Peaking from behind cover revealed the guard to be high up on a catwalk and spraying hundreds of bullets at him taking half a second to reload after each volley. They wore the classic grey Carmilla Carmine industries guard outfit. The armour would be difficult to get past given the pistol and weapons Infront of Bright were his only options.

"Why yes. Will you be cashing them in now or perhaps just keeping me on my toes?" Alastor finally replied.

"Imma need a pretty big overlord to kill some things for me right now. Perhaps you." 

"Ahh a little battle to remind Carmilla to not mess with the radio demon. Before you ask I know where you are and who your fighting. It is quite the big favour your asking. Perhaps worth one or two favours for it." 

"We both know me sharing foundation secrets with you could have gotten me permanently killed and locked away. It was the biggest favour I did for you. So be a dear and fucking get here at once!"

He peeked his small 9mm out from the cover trying to aim it towards the assailant but was forced back yet again by a hail of bullets. Yet more guards were hearing the commotion or getting reports on the radio to get Bright.

Picking up a Thompson sub-machine guns Bright poked it out from around the cover and fired till he hears a body thump to the floor and a gun clatter to the ground.

He ran from behind his temporary bullet ridden cover to another crate labeled assortes grenades #13. This was more like it. Inside lay an assortment of various different explosive devices from holy and regular modern grenades to older designs. This was perfect. Strapping many grenades to his chest and stuffing more into his pockets Bright set off yet again to scavenge for more weapons.

Having climbed to a 8th level shelf Bright decided to have a little fun before Carmilla came. A guard stood just bellow him on the ground. Taking the pin from a grenade and then tossing said grenade at the guards feet gave just the right amount of time for him to see the explosive but be unable to do anything about it. The body was sent flying 23 meters before sliding to a stop at the bottom of a pile of crates.

The sound of the main doors opening and the not so distant sound of Carmilla's angelic ballerina shoes woke Bright from his thoughts on how the Bright fighters were doing.

Hiding behind someore weapons crates Bright looked at Carmilla. The sound of the angelic tipped shoes echoed and reverberated around the seemingly endless warehouse.

Infront of her lay a body whichh lay in a ever expanding puddle of blood. It had numerous bullet holes in its chest and forehead each trickling blood at a steady rate. Broken bones stuck out at weird angles with most of the left arm being mangled. The guard must have fallen from one of the catwalks after getting shot. His weapon was still up there.

Looking around Carmilla seemed to stare directly at Bright making eye contact and everything before she continued to tactical walk through the place.

Bright breathed a sigh of relief once she had stopped staring at his hiding place. He pushed his hand deep into 1689 trying to find the emergency chainsaw cannon amongst the sea of potatoes. After spending about 30 or so seconds grabbing random potatoes he finally pulled the cannon as slowly and quietly out of the bag. He mounted the weapon on a crate and aimed it at Carmilla. He was relying on the element of surprise to be able to get away from her before she caught him. Shifting his weight to get a better angle something changed.

CRREEEEEEEEEKK

The whole shelving unit let out a mighty creek as it lurched to one side sending Bright and the crates sliding to one side, with one crate slipping off the shelf entirely slamming into the concrete floor showering it in splinters.

The whole shelving unit continued to lurch to the side sending more and more crates flying towards the ground. Suddenly the unit began to fall onto its side, at first moving slowly, but then quickly picking up speed. It smashed into another shelving unit with maximum momentum causing a chain reaction of destruction as yet more crates were destroyed and their contents spewed out onto the floor.

Bright, having clambered his way down before it had fallen, crouched behind some debris and again mounted the cannon on a half destroyed crate and aimed at a surprised and angry Carmilla. Starting the chainsaw before quickly loading and firing the cannon brought Carmilla to her senses.

As it flew the chainsaw spewed a sirens song of death and destruction slicing effortlessly through smaller prices of wood and steel. Once the chainsaw was close enough Carmilla effortlessly dodged the chainsaw as if dancing around it in slow motion. Then the counter attack could begin.

Jumping over the piles of wood and steel from the remains of the shelves Carmilla sized up the sinner wearing the amulet. He was tall with a set of ram horns on the side of its head, his fur was a light brown. She pounced on Bright like a cat onto a mouse.

Suddenly mid air whilst trying to pound on Bright he had pulled out a raw chicken which he promptly beed at Carmilla's head momentarily disorienting her putting her off course.

A hand descended through the roof grabbing the stunned Carmilla mid air and pulling her upwards towards Alastor for a fight of epic proportions. (Which I am too lazy to write for this chapter.)

Using the lack of any adversary, Bright scampered away from the warehouse like the rat he was whilst the 2 overlords dueled.

Carmilla whinces from the pain in her bandaged side. Alastor was strong and his attacks had done quite a lot of damage to her. She was bandages and sat in her office because 'the production should never slow.'

Picking up the phone on her desk she rung up a certain assassination company with a fun little jingle. She regretted hiring them in the first place. They had yet to provide any useful information. The most useful was that they seem to in equal parts despise and like each other.

"Hello, Blitz the O is silent how can we ruin someone else's day for you?" Blitz said whilst in his office leg up.

"Give me a status report on the target."

"Yeah, ok going heavy with the shitty science bullshit. So we found an absolute fuck ton of info on the guys. They live at the Hazbin hotel occupying two different rooms. They appear to be under the protection of Alastor which by the why great fight between you two."

"How close have you been to getting the target?"

"Not very close. It's the stupid fucking radio shitlord. When we try to get close he distracts us and moves us away. Millie!!"

"Hey it weren't my fault. If it had been Stolas you'd have fallen head over heels for him."

"Fuck off we all know your a simp for Alastor! Now back to the client."

"I am doubling the reward for their successful capture. From 5 million dollars to 10 million dollars. Do the job well."

Chapter Text

The O-5s were fucking bored. When your locked in a big box with 12 other semi mentally stable people with enough food and water to last all of humanity for their entire lives you become bored quickly. One can only spend so much time watching your soldiers die one by one until you are sick of watching it.

The attack on the foundation had been alive for a couple days now. The serpents hand had scuttled back to the top most levels of the site where they had set up shop.

The few cameras they hadn't destroyed showed the serpents hand to be quite comfortable with supplies to last a lifetime and other comforts such as actually nice comfortable beds as well as hot water and electricity. The foundation couldn't shut any of those off for the serpents without also removing the foundation's comforts. What the foundation lacked in numbers they more than made up for it with traps, tricks and Tesla gates.

It was one of the few entertaining things one could do. Every so often a hand member would wander off or would disrespect orders and walk through the Tesla gates. They were big security electricity defences able to fry a person in seconds killing them instantly. They would have a hall designed for them with them going from floor to ceiling and were completely unavoidable if one wanted to access other parts of the levels.

Normally there would be a guard watching on cameras for the unlucky idiot who walks into a Tesla gate and with one button press they would die. However a certain O-5 had taken a certain liking to zaping the invaders like bugs.

O-5-3 had begun monitoring the Tesla gates to zap unsuspecting serpents whilst doing other maintenance tasks such as downloading data from other sites. With nothing better to do the other 12 had taken to betting on how many O-5-3 would get in a certain timeframe. They didn't bet money for it was worthless but they did bet food.

Most of the food tasted disgusting. It was kind of edible if you could bare any and all of its characteristics. Most of it was canned stuff that smelt, looked and tasted like cat sick. You would think that with a foundation with limitless money and resources they would have found a way to make any food appetizing. So any of the good food was divided up between the 13 and then it was won and lost between parties.

The foundation still held a majority of the SCPs in the facility with ones such as 006 having close to triple the defenders everywhere else had.

They still sent out distress signals to other sites they knew were not taken by the flesh. Most didn't return the rest returned with messages of sympathy for sit 01's situation. All but one.

In the SCP-1678 version of Hyde park a small ish research base had been set up to monitor and contain 1678. The base had been largely unaffected by the breaking of the day. Most personel had been underground when it had happened and once it did happen most entrances to unlondon were sealed shut.

Before day had broken plans for a an expansion of the defensive perimeter had been finalised and the research base was filled to capacity with mobile task force members. Once day had broken the base found itself being the last peice of foundation resistance in the UK.

The bobbies (SCP-1678-A) were not posing much of a threat to foundation interests, with them instead patrolling the various entrances waiting for the flesh to try to break in. The flesh had attacked many times but were Repelled by a comb of bobbies and foundation staff. This fight to defend unlondon had seemed to quell the resentment between the bobbies and SCP staff with them both being able to exist in the same space without one being killed.

Once the site-01 distress call for any and all possible task forces to be sent to them to fend off a wave of serpents hand member the leaders had decided to hold a meeting on what to do next.

"Why it is simply preposterous to not help them. They're the bloody O5 for crying out loud, if we don't save them now it's our asses on the line." One voice said

"What if it's a trap by these serpents hand members or perhaps the flesh to lure more survivors in to kill or turn them one by one?" Another voice said.

"We simply cannot spare the extra men. The priority is secure contain protect then help the O5." Another voice whined.

"Yeah with the bobbies and us this place is pretty secure. Maybe you don't want to help them because they denied your request for a promotion." The first voice reasoned.

It was decided in a vote 14:5 that a task force would be put together out of task force members who were not active in the defense of unlondon. This task force would be sent to rescue the O5s. The task would be dangerous and they would not know if it was a trap by the flesh or serpents but they had to do something to help the O5.

The task force named the 'council conserves' would travel by helicopter from an airport around London by helicopter to site 01. Then after surveying threats they can attack or call for more reinforcements despite it weakening the defense of Unlondon.

Covering their face and arms with a white cloth which mimiced the look of the bobbies along with the rest of the tactical gear. It also ensured they stood out from anyone around them incase they encountered any civilians.

The idea was good when in the cold wet confines of the UK but when in an uninhabited desert somewhere in the USA the heat will quickly get to you.

Bright walked towards the start of the deaths door territory. After having ran away like the rat he is from the fight with Carmilla Bright had begun a walk towards the territory held by the deaths door. It wasn't alot of territory and the meeting place was specific so it was easy to get to it.

Upon reaching near the destination Bright walked casually near his new task force which immediately opened fire upon him.

As he fell to the ground dieing quite quickly he wished he hadn't given the order to kill anyone who got close as well as wishing he hadn't hidden the amulet with the guard armour.

"Hey fuckers, what's all the noise about?" Clef barked causing the pockets of discussion between the task force members to immediately die out."

In the hour Bright had been gone Clef had taken command but was doing nothing with it mostly because Bright held his master plan to win the other mtf over closely.

Walking towards the cause of the shooting Clef didn't notice anything too particularly about the sinner other than the Carmilla Carmine industries uniform it wore. Upon standing over the body Clef saw the thin golden chain which connected to SCP-963. Clef sighed.

Grabbing the radio from the bodies pockets Clef was gonna get a new human for the amulet to rest on. He gave the radio demon some rough coordinates for the drop off of a human. Within seconds a swirling crimson portal opened about 8 metres from the body and out of it a human was shoved before it closed behind them. Before the D-class could try to escape, Clef had slipped on SCP-714, picked up the amulet and then placed it in the hands of the D-class.

"Ok shit. I should have expected that. Clef how are the diplomatic things going?"

"Ah yes well you see...uh....we. yeah I've done nothing."

"I can see you have done jack all. Great job!"

"Da fuck does that mean."

"Everything is going exactly to plan."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"Now start the engines and drive to the heart of this territory." Soon the rumble of trucks loaded with weapons and munitions filled the air along side the smoke.

The place the apartment block the deaths door occupied was cleaner and just generally nicer than the rancid squalor hell's foundation used to occupy. They had decent enough fortifications with many an automatic turret as well as sneaky kill holes and fake air vents for grenades. The place was a veritable fortress capable of holding off 10X the amount holding the place.

The floors of the apartments the members lived in seemed to signify rank with the worst at the bottom and the command at top. The courtyard the apartment block overlooked was constantly patrolled with weapons training and other things to do in the courtyard which made many scurry around from one room to another.

Upon reaching the gates and ultimatum was given. Bright would see the command while the rest were to stay in the walls of the courtyard under direct supervision.

Approaching the door to the meeting room, the two armed guards parted way to allow access to the eagle. The room was small with a large wooden round table filling the entire room. A stained and faded wallpaper still clung to the walls in patches. A throne stood against the far wall. It was a large chair with many skulls, spikes and weapons attached to it. Two more guards stood either side of the throne where the eagle sat.

He was tall like most sinners in hell, he was humanoid with everything except the feathers which covered his body looking identical to a regular human. His head though was a different story. It was eagle like with a sharp beak and eyes which darted around at the creation of any sound. On his throne  lay a helmet specifically designed to fit his head with a large gold eagle upon it.

Upon seeing Bright, the Eagle couldn't help but say.

"Oh God no."

"Yes the one and only."

"You know what. Fuck this and fuck you! You guys can deal with Bright without me for a few days." Before anyone in the room could react to the words the Eagle had pulled out a revolver and shot himself, with it sending blood, skull fragments and brain matter onto the wall behind him.

"Did he just... Hmm, so my meer presence can cause foundation people to kill themselves. Noted." 

Suddenly the door to the Eagle's quarters were slammed wide open as the 2 guards outside the room rushed into it. Brandishing the rifles they had and pointing them at Brights head.

"Get the fuck on the ground!" The guards commanded.

"Hmm... Oof..." Bright was thrown to the floor as he was pinned to it. Of course like any (in)sane person Bright struggled.

"Hey... Fuck... Get off of me...ugh.... Stop fucking touching my ass... And my dick..."

Finally after what seemed like an eternity the guards got off of Bright once the situation had been cleared up by the 2 guards who were actually in the room.

After 3 days of painful reforming the Eagle was back. Bright and Clef, this time, were in the meeting room with the Eagle.

"You wanna not shoot yourself this time?"

Bright only got a small grunt from the leader Infront of him.

"Let's cut to the chase. I know your plan Bright. You want to unite any and all previous foundation members under your command and become an overlord. This would bring trillions in deaths and uncountable amounts of damage. So I will cut you a deal. Plain and simple. There is a faction called the crusaders. They are a bunch of savages! They have killed hundreds of innocents just to sacrifice to God who they think will come when they have sacrificed enough sinners. Kill them. All of them. Permanently. For this, you can count on me and my men joining your mobile task force."

"You're telling me that I plundered billions in angelic weapons to use as a bargaining chip in this negotiation and all you want me to do is go on a side quest? Fuck! Fine."

The crusaders had constructed a 'church'. It was roughly cross shaped and had an altar. However unlike in an actual church this altar contained various notches carved into the obsidian blackness of the altar, each notch was encrusted with dried blood. Here they would sacrifice people listening to their screams of mercy as they chanted to God. They were certain they would be let into heaven if they sacrificed enough sinners to their altar. However their sacrifices never met with a response. Only silence.

The outside of the church was covered in dried blood, more than on the average building in hell. Multiple sinners were blood eagled Infront of the church as a warning to outsiders. Some were somehow still alive and breathing despite their lungs having been wrapped around their ribs which were spread like a bird's wings. 

Bright realising that charging into the building head first wouldn't be a good idea he had positioned snipers on the rooftops near the 'church' to upon Bright's signal start massacring them which would flush them out into the sights of the rest of Bright's men.

Bright raised a flare gun and fired it into the air with it exploding in the symbol of the foundation.

Seconds later the snipers began picking off targets starting with the high priest. 

The high priest was on a religious rant about killing sinners for God.

"..for God wants this. Why else would he have given us the obsidian altar. To spread out own blood on it? No to spread out ene...."

*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*

The high priest body pulsed and spasmed as more sniper round pierced his body spraying yet more of the priests blood on the altar he had killed so many on.

His clergy panicked. Screaming and shouting broke out amongst the once peaceful ranks. Lesser priests were trying to rally the crusaders to collect their battle gear and form an actual formation instead of a scrambling rabble. These priests were quickly silenced as just like their superior they too had their heads filled with lead. Costing the crusaders in a slippery red blood which caused further chaos. Panicking and scrambling for the doors they opened them only to be met with a rain of bullets from the Bright fighters.

The congregation went down easily. The constant rain of bullets, that blocked out any sight of the bright fighters combatants, tore through them as if they were paper. The white robes and grey armour soon became a uniform shade of red as litres of blood soaked into the garments. 

It was not a one sided slaughter though. The bright fighters did sustain some casualties. 

Whilst the firing squad shredded the crusaders to pieces a lone priest had managed to escape the sniper fire. Owning a couple thousand souls allows one to cast magic and this priest had just over a thousand.

It starts weak but grows stronger with the amount of souls. It's how Alastor can summon tentacles and other minions or how Vox can move between TVs or how Valentino can put people under his command. It was all magic tied to the amount of souls they had.

The priest had began to chant. White symbols floated around him as a white circle formed on the ground around him. He raised his hands to the sky keeping them there for a good 10 seconds. As he did this a large white circle formed 50 metres above the heads of about 5 bright fighters. The priest brought his hands down in one quick motion. A blast of white light vaporised the 5 unlucky bright fighters. The priest was soon noticed and then killed before he could do anything else. The people he had killed would respawn, few magic spells could be angelically charged.

Once the pile of viscera had stopped moving on it's own the Bright fighters moved closer to inspect the carnage they had caused. The misshapen pile of guts, blood and bones covered the entrance of the building. Inside anything that once moved did not anymore. None were left alive and the side quest Bright was on was complete in the most gruesome way possible. Despite what he said earlier Bright was glad he had raided the convoy earlier. All the angelic bullets they had stolen came in handy with ending the crusaders permanently.

Returning to the deaths door territory Bright was met with little resistance as he told all of the slaughter that had befallen the crusaders.

The eagle soon to be joined by the raven and Bright, stood on the top floor of the apartment block, and was ready to be converted.

Producing a contract from thin air in a red puff of smoke. Bright read the terms to the eagle.

"I the Eagle, formally declare servitude to Dr Jack Bright. Any and all possessions that relate to any previous organisations are to be discarded by both you and those under your control. Any and all sinners and hellborn under the Eagle's control or command are to be given command to Dr Jack Bright. Any and all territorial claims on any land in the pride ring are to be given up by the Eagle and those under him. Seems fair."

The other party shrugged. Bright put an arm around both, the eagle and raven.

"Well from this day let both mobile task forces be one as they once were for the good of the foundation and me."

Exposing the blades of the switchblades and pressing them into the Eagle's and Raven's necks in such a way it was unnoticeable to the hundred sinners below them.

"And I swear that if either of you try anything against me, it ain't just your throat I'm gonna cut. Got it." Bright said barely able to be heared over the cheering of the Bright fighters.

The now familiar sight of the Hazbin Hotel loomed over the Bright fighters. Bright and Clef stood at the front of the formation as they approached. Armoured transport trucks were being sent to the garage for them to unload their angelic load. The hotel would be a momentary place to stay whilst Bright coordinated things and got ready to take site minus 1.

The bright fighters looked mildly terrifying. Each carried an angelic rifles of some kind as well as a regular rifle and a handful of grenades.

Whilst Bright told the owner to get rooms ready the Bright fighters would have to sit outside the hotel waiting.

Walking in through the main entrance of the hotel Bright took a second to adjust to the brightness of the inside of the hotel. It still had the same deep red wallpaper as well as completely out of place bar but it was as if someone actually turned the lights on more than halfway.

"Ooohhh Charlie. I have more sinners in need of rooms." 

"Ah Bright there you are. I'll have Nifty clean some rooms for them but can I talk with you a little bit. For me to start the rehabilitation process I need a slight, teensy tiny bit more info on you before all the stuff to do with hell as well as the sun doing weird things. I want to know what that amulet does. I know it may be a touchy subject and if yuor not ready to open up it's fine but I need something about you to go off of." Charlie said as she led him towards a room which Vaggie was already sat in with a pad of paper.

"So what do ya want me to start with? The fact I basically can't die? Why I'm here? My intentions now I'm here? What my favourite type of cheese is?.. My"

"Oooh yes the cheese one. Vaggie write this down this is important"

"Uh ok.. I don't know um, cheddar?"

"Vaggie write this down write this down. Ok next question, why did you go to hell?"

"I have already answered that. You know the whole sun melting people."

"Oh yes so,how did you meet Alastor?"

"I have also answered that." Bright said yet again getting a little bit annoyed.

"Uhh, can we have the names of any family toy have to look up any relatives you might have?"

"I have alr. Ok. My father is called O-5-6 I have forgotten his real name with it being never used. My mother is... Is... Uh, um. It'll come to me in a second. Yeah I don't remember."

"So you have forgotten the names of both your paretns who are presumably dead." Vaggie said quite cynically.

"No they shouldn't be. The perks of being one of the heads of the worlds biggest organisation with access to live extending anomalies."

"Ok next question. What is a SPC? I've heard you say it alot and was wondering what it was."

"Ah the shark punching centre. Love the place, I'm even their leader. But an SCP, which is what I've been saying is anything out of the ordinary to a human brought to the foundations attention. An Infinite box of pizza, physically indestructible lizard, even me, or really the amulet, are all SCPs."

The shadows started to collect together to form the outline of Alastor who promptly stepped out odbtje shadows from nothingness into the room. This scarred the fuck out of Charlie.

"Why hel.."

"Gahhh, Alastor warn some ody next time."

"Ah Bright. Just the manI have been looking for. You don'tind if I borrow him do you Charlie? I'm sure it won't interrupt the intteragation."

"Sure, Alastor just once your done with him being him back to me."

Soon Bright alongside Alastor melted into the shadows just to appear in the radio towers that sat haphazardly on the side of the hotel.

The broadcasting room, which was the only room was cluttered. There was no other way about it, it was awfully cluttered. Hundreds of papers say pulled high with each containing an article or extract on the radio demon. On the far side of the room from the radio panel was a pinboard which contained hundreds of newspaper clipping containing blurred pictures or shadows of a certain figure. The figure seemed relatively small with deer like features. The skin complection, the small numbs that pretended to be antlers and the hooves and ears. Each clipping was connected by a red thread with each leading to other clippings or a list of characteristics as well which also led to a larger peice which said.

                           *Mom is in heaven*

Tearing his eyes away from the radio demons best attempts to find his mother in the afterlife, Bright sat in the leather seat Alastor had for guests of his radio shows and visitors. Alastor was here to talk business plain and simple.

Whilst Bright and Alastor were good friends due to the chats they would have in the surface world, Alastor could be cold when he wanted to. Although cold he would not be hostile, in fact he was quite nice to friends often giving gifts and sharing tea or coffee.

"During one of my trips to the surface world, before the sun changed of course, I had stumbled upon quite the useful information on the many anomalies you kept. It is a specific one I am wanting more information on. A certain SCP-106."

"Hmm. Him? Sure. About average height. Quite human looking, yellowed teeth and white piercing eyes that look into one's soul. Is covered in a black sludge which spreads onto things he's in contact with. This sludge is highly corrosive and decays things around it. Al what do plan to do with this info anyway. He's on the surface world....unless...." Bright had finally figured out what the radio demon wanted the information for.

If Alastor had seen him before there was a chance he was one that had taken Angel Dust. Al had talked to Bright a couple days ago about seeing something but Al had dismissed it as a sign of a need for sleep. But clearly it was real. As prices clicked into place; Bright was left with one question. 

How was 106 in hell?

SCP-106 had almost grown tried of his victim. Yes the screams were like music to his ears but he desired new screams. New agony. His current victim would be kept alive forever wandering the trenches as the acid slowly ate at his fur and flesh till nothing remained but a mangled soulless corpse to be tossed out of the pocket dimension to terrifying new victims.

The Angel Dust thing was strangely resilient. It had been over 4 days of him enduring the horrors of his tormentor and yet he didn't seem to break like the others.

Some would give up after mere minutes confining themselves to their own fates as fhey loaded one bullet into their guns.

Other could survive this section but the toll it was on their mental state was simply too much and they would snap. Shouting, screaming, crying and begging to be released from the twisted nightmare they found themselves in. The Angel Dust thing has similarly snapped multiple times and yet had not gone the route so many had. 

A select few were stoic. They were often tortured, chained and wrapped in barbed wire and yet they would not react to it. A stoic was an interesting challenge. It was a slow burn of emotions as their stoicism slipped and finally in a sudden explosion they let emotions burst forth which gave great satisfaction to the old man. 

He fed on anger, fear, terror, anxiety, sadness and most other negative emotions. Angel Dust gave amounts of this but it needed to be supplements with something different.

Rising out of the ground into the alleyways of pentagram city, 106 revelled into the emotion he could taste in the air. Fear, anger, and rage were the strongest by far.

Looking around the alley he spotted a half of a carcass of a creature of some sort which looked vaguely human. He scooped up a handful of the carcass and began to consume it despite the decay his touch provoked. It reminded him of the a memory from when he was corporal Lorance and not the creature who stared back at him from the mirror.

"oi you!" A figure from Down the alley shouted at 106, who let the viscera fall out of his hands as he looked up at the voice.

"yeah, yeah. I'm talking to you! Yeah you!" The figure moved ever closer to the old man cracking it's knuckles as it walked towards 106.

"We run these ends. An' there's a toll for being in our territory. $50 a minute. So pay up or get ready for the beating of a your worthless fucking afterlife time." The figure said stepping into some light illuminating some features.

The thing was reminiscent of a shark with a great skin with gills along the side of its neck and a head akin to a dolphin fused with a human.

The shark moved closer, still throwing empty threats like confetti. The old man laughed. The laugh deep and rumbly echoed off the very sky and walls of the alley. The shark faltered for a split secondly before continuing to move towards 106 just this time faster.

A moment before the first swing could be thrown by the shark 106 punched with one swift sudden action. He grabbed onto the sharks heart, having stopped dead in it's tracks, and pulled it out slowly as his victim screamed.

It was music to his ears.

The fresh wound where the old man had punched the shark was now fizzing and sizzling as the shark's flesh burned at the touch of the black sludge. 

His victim fell to his knees and seemed to beg for life but it was drowned out by it's own crying and shouting. Finally as the last bit of adrenaline hit him the shark conjured one single word.

"Wwhhhyyy." The thing said as raspy breaths were drawn in and given out. The thing clung to life in a futile effort to remain in the state it once was in.

106 looked down in almost pity. His head did not contain empathy but he could realise when something wanted putting out of its misery. This thing did and so the old man would watch as the soon to be corpse coughed blood as the sludge ate away at its body.

Willing a portal out of thin air beneath the victim 106 watched with his white hollow eyes as the corpse sank deep into the ooze.

From his throne 106 watched, the one who called himself Angel, as it tried to escape the torturous labyrinth 106 had created specially for him.  As well as the usual insanity such a structure brings 106 had spiced it up with a couple more features.

These included but we're not limited to:

•  Pit falls with spikes
• Tripwires that opened to pits of the black sludge.
• Various hidden shooting holes manned by previous victims corpses
• Pressure plates which set off firing squads
• Hidden supplies which were poisoned
• Barbed wire at the top of the 50m walls
• A plane which dropped grenades onto 'Angel'
• Rooms with a throne for 'Angel' to grovel to him
• Fake escapes

It was upon walking into one of these throne rooms that 106 had a surprise for 'Angel'. The room no throne but did contain the corpse which 106 had freshly made earlier. The corpse was covered in barbed wire which cut deep into the skin of the corpse. The barbed wire was taut and attached to the wall. 106 hoped 'Angel' new who the corpse once was and so hoped for maximum emotional damage.

Hands bearing the rifle he had found on a dead guy, Angle approached the room carefully. Last time he didn't beg to not be killed he was chased by his attacker into numerous traps.

Checking the corners for anything that would attack him Angel plunged into the room.

This one was different to the others. The red glow of something illuminated the place with a red haze just like the other rooms but this one contained no throne. 

Looking around, Angel saw what he was meant to fear. A loan shark was hung up 20m in the air covered in barbed wire. In the centre of its chest lay a hole covered in the black substance that coated most surfaces of this dimension. Above it in, presumably the victim's, blood was scrawled the message.

Why struggle? When death is inevitable.

"Is this supposed to scare me?" Angel said as if did not care at all for 106's work.

"I'm pretty sure I owed that fucker some big bucks. Instead of fucking scaring me you've done me a solid."

A favour? Doing this was a favour for him? He would make him pay for laughing at his work.

Immediately the barbed wire unwrapped itself from the corpse which fell to the ground with a disgusting splat. Suddenly the barbed wire shot out at Angel Dust wrapping around him and digging into his flesh before lifting him up to hang by his wounds.

"Ok, now this is scary."

Chapter Text

The desert landscape, which was once peaceful and quiet, was alive with the moans,screams and shouts of roaming bands of flesh that try to keep up with the helicopter carrying the councils rescuers. Horrid, twisted, house sized monstrosities scampering across the sands of the desert.

12 hours ago the task force members would have leaped at the opportunity to destroy the flesh clumps with explosives or bullets. However they had grown tired of it. They all reacted the same way. It would scream in a twisted version of the things it once was and flail the few appendages left at anything in an attempt to stop the hail of bullets or rockets. Like a joke heard a thousand times it had lost its fun.

At least the glass windows were tinted enough to stop the sun's melting effects. However this was a small comfort in the sea of discomfort they experienced.

The helicopter was simply too small to fit all off them properly so many were left without a seat or room to properly stand. The captain had insisted they all keep their coverings on incase the sun increases in intensity or the glass shatters. This left them in an unbearably hot and uncomfortable helicopter which they still had to suffer in for over 8 hours.

Am air of nervousness had filled the helicopter. They knew not what they were facing or the circumstances of the combat they would have to endure. Half of them thought it was an ambush by the chaos insurgency. The other half clung to the hope they weren't walking head first into an ambush.

The cabin was so quiet one could hear a pin drop. Most had spent the time sleeping for much of the journey. Those who couldn't were hit by a wave of mind numbing boredom. That was until the pilot shouted something to the asleep Captain.

"Hey, cap'n! We got a bit of a situation."

"This had better be good, I was having the fucking best dream so I swear to 343 that if this is nothing I'm gonna rip your throat out."

"Were you also dreaming about fucking the flesh things, cap'n?" A third voice from the back piped up 

"You fucking what? Repeat what ever the fuck you just said!" Unsurprisingly the voice from the back did not repeat himself. " Good that's what I thought."

"Ok captain about the situation. The radar has detected 7 man sized objects flying at a slightly slower speed than us currently. It is currently unknown what they are, they could be a flesh construct or an anomaly."

"Keep weapons systems locked on the flying things but do not and I repeat, do not open fire upon them until we have a better idea of the things." He turned to another mtf member who held a laptop in his hands. " Russell, search the databases for anything that shares it's likeness."

The helicopter slowly caught up to the 7 things in the distance. Upon closer inspection they looked like demons. Their, presumably, skin was covered in black scales. They possessed dark grey and black wings that allowed them the ability of flight. On their hips were an assortment of swords and axes with a spear on their backs, the tips glowing a dull yellow-ish white.

Having searched the databases of the foundation with no anomaly matching the description the mtf decided to try diplomatic options than violence.

Lute flew together with her 6 other angels, the occasional creaks from the wings they wore ensured they did not hear the helicopter approaching behind them.

"Presumed anomalies. Our intensions are peaceable but should you provoke us, our weapon systems are locked onto each of you. Using any radio equipment tune to our frequency, and then communicate your current objectives as well as motives. If you do not possess any radio equipment, send one of the seven of you to talk with us. Failure to be peaceful and cooperative will result in all of your termination." The voice echoes across the desert from the helicopter following the angels. It would attract a lot of flesh but they would deal with that later.

The angels stopped to look at Lute for guidance. Lute unsure of the approaching helicopter took out the radio given to her by Sera and then tuned it to the right frequency and hoped it worked.

"Hello, this is Lute, leader of humanities last angels. Identify yourselves."

"This is captain James Thomas Smith. Where are you heading and why?"

"Us? We are heading to... Site 01. To find one of humanities last bastions of hope. We are headed to this location because of some chatlogs we found."

"We request you and you alone fly to our ship and land so you are better identifiable."

Just as requested Lute flew to the approaching helicopter and landed on one of the step just outside the door. Upon opening it she found there was little space to exist in for her, she still walked in anyways, closing the door behind her.

The appearance of the masked figure terrified some of the men. It stood a foot taller than most of them, the dark scales it had glistened in the limited light in the cabin. A mask, with dark long devilish horns, seemed to change expressions from that of a frown to mild suprise. Still despite the facial expression it was still terrifying to be in the presence of.

"Lute. Both your team and ours are headed to the same destination it is assumed we have common interests. For both of our convenience it is suggested your fellow..."

"Angels."

"Right... angels. Well it is suggested you and your angels hitch a ride with us to site 01. That is unless you are affiliated with, the chaos insurgency, Marshall Carter and Dark, the serpent's hand, the global occult coalition..." He continued to lost of as many of the GOIs as he could remember."... And finally Dr Wondertainment."

"No we do not know off any off these groups. I see no harm in us working together for now."

The angelic salvation force and the mtf continued on towards site 01.

SCP-106 continued down the narrow alleyways of pentagram city watching and revelling in the fear that crossed their faces as his visage entered their sights. Few more dared cross him but they were dealt with painfully and holding their guts in.

Walking onto what seemed to be a sort of main street 106 continued his scouting of the place he was in. His appearance didn't seem to draw much attention given the 'people' here came in all colours and shapes. Still though he preferred the comfort of being in his existing just below the surface of the ground, still able to see but not be seen.

He was drawn into every corner of the wretched place. From bars to gang hideouts to shops and stores. Every single piece of the dimension reeked of a death, fear and blood.

There was one place he was drawn to.

A tower of suffering stood before 106. It was easily over 30 floors high. 30 floors of concrete steel and glass. 30 floors where the wretched and rotten came to suffer day in and day out.

Rising out of the ground, scp-106 was impressed by the waves of grief, terror and suffering that was emanated off of the tower. It could rival his own dimension but the contest would be clearly in the old man's favour.

A large line spanning multiple streets ended at the building; many of the lines occupants were excitedly talking about getting a job in the tower. 106 didn't see why the average person would want to work here. He found them, weak willed and easy to break. 

Joining the back of the queue 106 would wait for over 2 hours before getting to the security at the door. Using old and often unused vocal cords required a constant effort from 106 to sound as human like as possible. Normally the rattly breathing and deep laughs were all that was needed. Sometimes he would speak a couple English words but often no more than completely necessary.

"Let... Me.... In..." The few words 106 said were deep and powerful.

"Let me see a valid Voxtech premium subscription in your name and you can do whatever the fuck you want in the new hellphone launch room." One of the 2 loansharks said, both were dressed in deep blue suits with a small silver pin on the top most pockets. These pins read,'This pin signals the wearer to be an affiliate or worker for Voxtech industries™. If you have killed this person kindly save me, Vox, the trouble and kill yourself now.'

Searching through his pocket dimension 106 found what he was looking for. It was from a now dead sinner. A Voxtech™ premium subscription paper. 106 Willed it out of the pocket dimension and handed it to the guards.

"Here." The reason for being so nice and non-kill everything was he wanted to meet the maker of the the tower of suffering on amicable terms and not draw attention to himself in this place, he had identified as hell, yet.

"Sir, this is expired. So take your old ass back to whatever shithole you're from and stay there!" Now you see most sinners would return to their shithole but 106 wasn't most sinners. In fact he wasn't a sinner at all.

He thrust his hand out and grabbed one of the sharks necks and slowly constricted the creatures air flow. All this time he was slowly methodically lifting the loan shark into the air. As the shark began to be panic from a lack of oxygen it clawed at 106's arm leaving superficial damage.

The other loan shark came to its senses and tried to stop 106 who simply put an arm out to stop him. A deafening crunch radiated throughout the nearby surroundings. The old man released his grip and let the lifeless body fall to the ground with a neck that was twisted and decaying. Quickly, 106 snapped his head around 90° around to the other loan shark.

"...LET...ME...IN." The loan shark's mind flooded with the horrors of war, of the lifelessness of one of the hundreds of decaying corpses 106 so often left behind.

Millions of pained voices flooded his mind each shouting something different. For some it was a screech that pierced the mind; for others it was a desperate plea for help and for some it was a gargling noise as they choked on their own blood. Each the last moments of sound that were produced by his victims. They grew in noise till it was a deafening crescendo of death with one voice louder than them all, with but 3 words.

"LET ME IN." Suddenly the voices stopped as if all were commanded to be silent. 

On the outside the old man, covered in a black sludge, was staring into the loan shark's eyes. The loan shark came out of the trance it was just in and paused for just a moment then opened the doors for 106 to walk through. Which he did listening to the other loan shark slowly sinking into a large puddle of the black goo.

The inside of the building was very modern. It was all decorated with an entrance to some kind of launch ceremony for a new 'hell phone'. 106 wa thoroughly disinterested in the modern technology produced here. So if he was bored he would simply have to make some fun.

Sinking into the floor, watching as the tiles cracked as the viscous liquid came in contact with them, 106 was formulating a plan. The master of the operation here must live at the top of the tower of suffering so to the top 106 must go.

It was on the 6th floor he would learn some valuable information. Already he had lost count as faces and floors blended together. A guard wearing one of the pins the door men wore leaned against a wall and took another puff of a cigarette. Easy picking.

A hand tore out of the wall and wrapped itself around the guard's leg and clenched hard. A loud snap echoes across the hall for none to hear. The shark watched in abject horror and immense pain, frozen with shock and fear toove, as the trousers legs around his ankle then the grey flesh on his ankle quickly melted away to reveal bone.

Inhaling sharply to scream netted a silent sound as a second hand grasped his vocal cords before tearing them out. As blood gushed out of his torn throat the shark remembered the good times he had had with friends and family, of his life before death and his afterlife. Then his eyes rolled into the back of head.

"Erm sir, we have a situation over here." A new voice said over a radio to his supervisor.

His neck snapping to face the new voice caused the guard, just down the hall from the whole 106 murdering people thing, to take involuntary steps back. This onew was different. He carries an air of overconfidence and betterment which the stench of it hit 106 like a truck causing him in turn to recoil from the sinner.

He was taller the the other guards he had seen as well as a different species, this one being akin to an angler fish. A large light came up from its head to hang just above it's eyes. It carries a clipboard as well as an ear piece.

SCP-106 sank into the ground causing the cowardly other sinner to run away and uncharacteristically he didn't give chase instead the old man continued his scaling of the tower. He would reach the leader of the tower and then...He wasn't sure what to do after.

Sure he could kill him but a person of such a power may not be the best usage for his energy. But if he didn't get the drop on him whatever led the operation would be powerful and no doubt shoot first and ask questions later. So it was decided, when 106 would see the man in charge he would kill him or at least wound.

So the old man continued to rise to the top of the building encountering little resistance on his way.

Upon coming out of the floor he found himself in a supervillain like office where a large man with a television for a head sat half awake muttering to himself as he watched the array of screens Infront of him. A light blue liquid tank was below, the catwalk to the desk and computer setup, filled with large dark blue electronic sharks that took no notice of him.

Willing his footsteps to be silent, SCP-106 walked slowly to within ear shot of the demon's muttering.

"Fucking stupid Val. Always there to ruin a perfectly good sleep with whatever little problem hurts his real fucking fragile ego the most. I swear if I can't get some fucking sleep in the next 20 minutes I will fucking destroy that useless sack of shit I am ashamed to have once called a boyfriend. 'Ooh Vox my whore was one minute late. I'm gonna go into a massive fucking tantrum and cause you million in damages Uuh Vox look how fucking sexy Angel Dust is.' The demon mocked.

"At least there are dum as rocks sinners willing to do anything for a couple thousand dollars. I mean,I make that ever half second. It's fucking chump change for me. Any second now Val will start shouting and throwing shit about how his prescious little whore, Angel Dust, is missing." The demon mocked.

And as if right on cue a voice could be heard loudly shouting from somewhere in the building, with the noise being muffled by the walls.

"Where the fuck is that whore!.. *Muffled angry Valentino noises*... Ungrateful fuck that would be nothing without me." Valentino rored as he destroyed yet more of the V's tower.

"Shut the fuck up Val before I shove my fucking shoes down the shithole called your throat!" The small British Vellvet yelled across the building.

Now was the moment. It was now or never. The old man had made up his mind and was ready for bloodshed.

Winding back his right arm, 106 took ever faster steps towards Vox still being careful to avoid his footsteps rising any alarms. He made ready and with the full momentum of his run he punched through the chair and into the back of the television.

He punched right through, cleanly, through the back of the quite comfortable leather chair and into the right side of the television the overlord possessed for a face. Quickly recoiling his arm back 106 readied himself for a grand battle.

"Hehehe. Either your real-eal-eal-eal stupid or you have a death wish. But one thing's for certain-ain-ain. Your gonna die." Vox said imposingly as he slowly rose from his chair to reveal the damage 106 had done to him as well as the towering titan he had just pissed off.

His fist had gone right through the TV. A large hole covered Vox's right eye with large cracks running through the rest of the screen. Whatever he had hit it was causing the screen to warp and glitch. Hundreds of wires and electrical components spilled out of the hole each corroding as well as the screen which periodically cracked as the acidic sludge ate away at it.

Vox began to walk at 106 monologuing as well as buying time and forcing 106 to step back as he stepped forward.

"Hehe. I bui-ui-ui-uilt this place up from the ground. I slew thousands just for one of these monitors. I built Voxtech. I have destroyed entire sections of the pride ring. I have killed overlords for looking at me the wrong way. And you think I-I-I-I will let an upstart come into my home and get away with destroying my head without you dying a agonising slow death?! Let me warn you, you're in for a hell of a shocking experience!!"

Before he could react, 106 saw movement on his left in the depths of his peripheral vision. Suddenly something burst out of the water. A terrifying creature, with hundreds of rows of knife sharp teeth, seemingly impenetrable skin and flesh and tesla coils running along it's spine. It leaped at him using it's incredible mass to knock 106 of the catwalk to plunge into the water below. 

The shark bit into his hand sending thousands of volts coursing through 106's body before it tore off 2 fingers and then dove back into the light blue water.

The one time he tried to fight a entity on the same power scale as himself he had to fight near water. He hated the stuff. The inability for him to for any form of portal whilst in it, given there was no solid surface except the containers bottom and sides, infuriated him severely. 

He dove down to the bottom of the body of water which easily measured 100m deep. As he did so the very pissed off Vox was ready with a couple surprises for his opponent.

Vox stood on the catwalk Infront of the many monitors which now broadcast a new video feed. The monitors displayed different camera angles of the latest 'idiot' to challenge him. He would occasionally switch cameras to the best shot for his audience to enjoy. Finally as 106 dove downwards to the bottom Vox summoned lightning from his fingertips and watched as it shot out towards the water before making contact and disappearing.

A sudden new sensation was sent through 106's body. A new pain. This sensation was burning every piece of him with a fierce intensity. Still he fought the pain and the clenching it caused and continued to dive deeper and deeper before he reached the floor. Upon doing so he reached out and soon he had sunk into the dark black sludge.

"What, not a fan of electro Shock therapy?" Vox cried out to the room which last mocking his opponent. This bit deep. It sparked a memory of when after being taken off the front lines he ensured hundreds of electro shocks to try to 'cure' him. A rage burnt fiercely in the twisted warped thing he called a soul. A rage do fierce it threatened to explode outwards.

106 walked out of the wall on which the monitors sat directly through them watching with a cold satisfaction as they each melted and cracked. He quickened his pace so as not to gain Vox's attention.

He thrust a hand at Vox's neck and lifted him off the ground so Vox hung with his full body being held up by just his neck. He applied enough pressure so that Vox could barely breath or say a word without many deep breaths. 

"I see it only fair to take from you what your pet has from me." The old man said as with a flick of his wrist on his other hand he now held a knife. It was the sort that would often be fixed on the end of a rifle before the order to charge was given.

He held Vox's left hand and began to slowly cut the two fingers, which he now missed, off. Vox didn't seem to feel the pain as he continued to hurl insults at 106.

"You'll pay for this!"

"Hehe. How?" 106 replied coldly.

Vox need not given a reply as long streaks of electricity flowed from the stumps on his left hand landing on the quite shocked 106. He fell back in shock as his body moved involuntarily as yet more volts flooded his system. Vox who had landed on his feet stood over 106 who lay in a ball. 106 melted away into the ground leaving Vox alone on the catwalk with a message written in blood on the walls.

"You win this round."

"Come on Mox, hold the fucking sniper still. I can't get a good look at the fucks." The boss of IMP whined.

"Sir, I would if I could but I'm not the one who is holding the sniper." Moxxie said with the little respect he could muster for his boss.

The trio were stacked atop one another in a comically large trench coat with Millie at the bottom, Moxxie sandwiched between the others and Blitz at the top holding the sniper. Moxxie's patience was running very thin. The numerous attempts at spying on the humans only serves to further confuse them as to how they got there as well as why.

He had something to do with Alastor, the radio demon, that was obvious. But the relations between them were strange. During limited sightings of them together they acted strangely to say the least leading to each member having a differing view on their relationship and possible theories on how the humans got here.

Millie thought they were on neutral ground. The times they seemed amicable were over fleeting moments of common interests supported by times when they acted as if the other didn't exist. Their happening was simply a coincidence to Millie.

For Moxxie they were at least on amicable terms and were possibly of a friendship that rivaled Alastor's and Rosie's. They seemed to get along well with business forcing cold moments between them.

Blitz ever the strange thing in the corner, thought they fucked. No amount of Alastor having no interest in anyone in such a sense could change the imp of the thought that akin to him and Stolas, they had a secret gay relationship.

They were all equally frustrated by the lack of progress towards their goals. Not only was information on the humans difficult to come by but was also incredibly expensive with numerous calls from Carmine industries™ saying that they couldn't put the personal expenses onto them. IMP had been given a blank cheque for information gathering and the capture of the humans alive, however the expenses were becoming hefty.

On this day alone they had tried numerous ways to gain information. At the start was walking into the Hazbin Hotel which Blitz and company were immediately turned away because of some past grievances between Vaggie and Blitz. Then they tried a rooftop near the hotel, it was too far.

Then a rooftop where Bright said some crap about unifying but they were soon spotted and chased off with bullets. All this led them finally to their current plan, of hiding in a trench coat and using a sniper scope to spy.

"Come on Mox, Carmilla is paying the fucking big bucks for capturing these guys. They are just some dumb as rocks humans who can barely function in hell, so how have we not fucking captured them yet?" Blitz said to Moxxie in a superior tone.

*BANG*

A bullet was sent hurtling out of the now unloaded sniper rifle finding a new home in Bright's head. As the bullet impacted, a wave of blood and brain matter was sent splattering onto a wall on the Hazbin hotel.

The 3 imps were sent scattering and quickly ran from the crime scene before any of the hotel staff could see them. They sprinted down alleys, along rooftops and finally into their office in which a meeting was quickly held.

"What the fuck was that Moxxie? Do you think money grows on trees? How the fuck did you mess up that badly? Do you think I can just resurrect that fuck and bring him to Carmilla?" Blitz shouted at Moxxie whilst pacing back and forth trying got figure out if he could fuck his way to forgiveness with Carmilla. He came to the conclusion he couldn't.

"Sir, you had the gun. You had the guy in the sights. YOU were the one who killed him. YOU were the one to fuck it up."

"Wow Mox real hurtful. But you said it was unloaded. You know the state in which a gun can't kill unless you swing it real hard."

"Sir, at no point did I say it was unloaded."

"Ah you said it just now."

"Sorry Blitz but Moxxie's right. He didn't say anything about the gun and wether it was loaded or not. You just took it from him and started looking down the scope."

"Wow M&M real mature ganging up on the little guy."

"So who was this pen-chous guy and why does he have a shrine at the front?" Bright asked unaware of the touchy subject he was treading into.

"Uh it was Pentious, Sir Pentious. He gave his life in a battle for the hotel against heaven. So don't disrespect him." Vaggie warned still distrusting of Bright.

"Huh so that's why the picture was there. Anything note worthy of the guy other than the whole sacrificing his life for the hotel?"

"He tried to do battle with me. I am however far out of his league so him and his airship were destroyed quite quickly. Oh his screams were delectable." Alastor said spooking Vaggie after appearing from nowhere.

"Alastor! Quit the whole appearing behind people act. It's scaring the life out of..." Vaggie complaines to Alastor who was not listening in the slightest and was focused on readying the next song for his broadcast.

"Ok, shut it vagina or whatever the fuck your name was. Al did you say airship?" Bright interrupted causing a new wave of anger to course through Vaggie which he quickly tuned out.

"Why yes indeedy he did have a airship but it was much to easy to destroy." Alastor said whilst also completely ignoring Vaggie's rant about him scaring the hotel guests.

"Please fucking say the airship is still around."

"No, during the whole self sacrifice thing against Adam him and the airship were completely destroyed, like reduced to atoms destroyed." Vaggie said after realising neither of the others were actually listening to her.

"Aww. Hang on just a moment did you say Adam, like first man Adam?"

"Yeah you know him?" Vaggie said hoping to go to the hotel's dungeon and let off some steam.

"No, not him personally. But I have met his 2 sons, Able and Cain."

"Huh, well I'll be down in the Adam torture room if you need me. Feel free to not join me. Either of you." Vaggie said with a touch too much spite.

"A great idea Vaggie. Let me introduce Bright to Adam and his regeneration abilities." Alastor announced before cloaking himself and Bright in shadow before deforming and reforming them both at the lowest level of the hotel.

It was dark and medieval like. The walls and floor were made of uneven stone. In the middle of the large circular room lay Adam on a rack with him stretched across it.

"Oh if it isn't the radio shit lord. What here to kill the fucking first man again. You not got enough of the dick master yet." Adam yelled out to the 2 figures he could just see in his peripheral vision.

"Adam detestable as always. I have someone for you to meet."

"Hey Adam. Nice to know your son's father is still alive although they may not be in the same shape you left them in. Especially after the sun went melty. Cain and Able are certainly interesting specimens now."

"You fucking what? Tell me more!" Adam renewed his efforts to break free from his chains and straps which bound him to the rack, unless express permission was given, but to no avail. They were made of the glowing angelic steel he had used to kill so many sinners.

"Ah ah aah. First you gotta do something for me for the information."

Chapter Text

A great amount of cheer erupted from the communications room which held many foundation agents working on fixing equipment, tuning frequencies, collecting information on other sites and communicating with other sites.

It had been about a week since the start of the siege of site 1. Both sides still had plenty of men, ammunition and supplies to continue. To charge either up against the waves of chaos insurgents would be a suicide mission and to charge into the murky depths of the lower levels of the site would similarly lead to a slow painful death.

They needed rescue.

No foundation allied body was able to send out a significant amount of men to do anything. Most could spare only one to two agents of a poor quality which would only serve as more to join a human wave assault.

The moment the message of the aircraft's imminent arrival, in less than 2 days, the O-5 had begun concocting a battle plan which heavily relied on the new units taking the hand worshipers by surprise. It would be simply yet effective.

When the soldiers are a distant blue on the horizon the foundation agents are to make as much noise and headway as possible to get every man up on the higher levels to grab a rifle and join the defensive line separating them and the foundation. This in turn would cause all unnecessary things such as air defences to be offline allowing for a smooth ride into the helipad.

Once all this has been accomplished the soldiers drawing attention are to wait till some of the troops are pulled away to deal with the new foundation operatives and then and only then they would push up hoping to overwhelm them by splitting their forces and destroying them peice by peice.

This had taken just over a day to perfect. Many hours of deliberation were ungone to come to the conclusion of the battle plan. Each O-5 were proud of the mark they each left on the plan all except one.

"Now I'm just sayin', but if we keep some of our guys back we can put them where they need to be." O-5-6 said still trying to convince the O-5 council of the tactic of keeping men in reserve to send wherever reinforcements were needed.

"I'm just sayin' but if things do go south I would rather there be someone as a last line of defense than noone."

"*Sigh* we have been at this for fucking 23 hours and there are only so many hours I can spend running on just caffeine. So unless you have something actually useful to contribute, shut it." The constant strain of creating a plan weighed heavily on all and as the day drew into night and back into day the fact they had survived this long on coffee alone became clearer each passing second.

"Hey! This is important. We have no idea of the quality of the troops being sent here only the numbers. While I don't doubt any foundation agent could take on a couple hand members, there are much more serpents than a small task force could handle even with the sites full support. So unless you magically know the quality of these incoming troops we need some in reserve when we attack." A murmur of agreement was audible in the room.

"As a matter of fact a recent message on the squad was sent to us by the captain of the squad.' The quality of the 24 human members of the task force can be said by anyone to be of a fine fighting quality for the task at hand, Dr Ransome. The extras we have with us are a wild card for sure. They seem to be of a decent fighting shape and upon an encounter with a large blob of flesh they were able to handle themselves well, even killing the things which recoiled from their weapons which must be investigated later. However they seem to rely on the wings they use for flight so I am unable to speak on the quality of their fighting inside a building. None the less I can assure you Dr Ransome that we will be more than capable of helping you lot out of the jam your stuck in.' end quote." 

"So what if they can kill a couple flesh creatures, I could do that in my fucking sleep." O-5-6 said trying to convince the room of the task force being of a less than reported quality.

"Just fucking shut it. It's been far too long so just admit your working for the serpents and we can all gut you like the pig you are or just shut the fuck up. We all believe the current battle plan is sufficient and there is no need to hold troops in reserve." O-5-5 said in annoyance that the meeting had gone on for so long for such a pointless reason.

"Why don't we put it to a vote then. All in favour of my proposal raise your hand." The American said confidently expecting an even split which did not appear. In fact he was the only one raising his hand." It was fucking stupid anyways." He sulked.

With the battle plan finalized the lower half of the facility was full of movement and chatter as hundreds of messenger relayed information back and forth between the soldiers and their commanders. Most messages were carried by foot forost serpents could tap into radio Comms as well as hack into phones remotely.

The radio demon and his human friend, Dr Bright, strolled through cannibal town occasionally stopping to say hi to the locals who knew Alastor quite fondly.

Unfortunately for both the trip was not leisure but was about the grisly business regarding 106.

"We can't rule it out as a possibility. It could be a different sinner who happens to look like and has similar abilities to SCP-106 but the likelihood is very low."

"And how would we go about luring this viper from its nest?" The radio demon asked in one of the few moments when he knew little on a subject. All he knew was that it involved the pest Adam.

"If it is 106 then we'll have plenty of preparations to do. He thrives on suffering and like a predator hunting prey he loves the fear and pain his 'hunts' create. We will need like a massive pile of bodies with just so much pain it will draw him in like a moth to a flame. He's like you but less cannibalistic and more aggressive. We think he became like he is now during WW1"

"Interesting. Do we know a name of his prewar form?"

"Uh Corporal Lawrence... You good?" As soon as Bright said the name Alastor froze for just a second stumbling for a bit before continuing on his normal pace.

"Hmm? I saw an old acquaintance across the road." Alastor said far too quickly as id he had something to hide.

"Ok but avoiding the stroke you just had, you can probably understand why I might want a couple days to get a base of operations going before I start anything. Your help would be appreciated, you know killing fuckers."

"Alas I have business to attend to soon and it would be best if you are seen to be independent rather than leaning on my support. That way if in hot water I can always tip the balance favourably for you." He had no business and would watch from the shadows at Bright's attack.

"Hey your lose. Don't come bitching to me that you didn't get to kill people and eat."

"Where do you plan to create said base of operations? Most usable territory is quite heavily contested by overlords which you can't take on in your wildest dreams, yet."

"Yeah I ain't pissing off Carmilla some more, then she might send actual hit squads. You know the large white building just off of pentagram? That. It was once controlled by my superiors but we were forced out and forbidden to talk of it to anyone not involved with it."

"Surely some gang inhabits it now."

"Yeah, but it'll be good target practice for my guys and hopefully put us on the map. Albeit, not in a major area to control, but my guys should be kinda familiar with the layout of the building."

The alleyway his task force controlled was not great but suited the needs of it being a temporary outpost where Bright's office was housed. It was a room which had been converted into quite the nice office.

The alley was useful for one thing other than as storage for Bright's office, a base that wasn't the Hazbin hotel. The writing was on the wall. While they hadn't been formally kicked out, Charlie's patience was wearing thin.

The office floor was a dark wood of some description with a matching wallpaper which was mostly covered by the various machines Bright called weapons. There were many chainsaw cannons and conventional guns as well as prototype weapons the foundation was experimenting with before the sun went melty. In the centre of the room was a large desk, with a computer, covered in files Bright often neglected to read.

There was one report he was interested in from Clef who had taken charge on recruitment and quality control for the 'army' they had. When the two task forces were unified there were about 100 members. Now, however the size had risen to 336 in a matter of days mostly due to ex-mtf members learning, through friends, of its existence.

The numbers were simply too low as of the moment to launch an attack on site -01. The people that inhabited it while small in number did not lack firepower.

The fire eaters were interesting. They were originally part of the ringleaders of the fall of site -01 but now are a shadow of their former self. Over the course of conflicts, with other co-conspirators, the casualties stacked up and even though they were the only ones to survive the bitter infighting the demon coalition brought with its formation it did so at a cost.

They once could have mobilised thousands to attack and defend territory but now can muster a couple hundred to keep their current holdings in site -01. They primarily used incendiary weapons as their name suggested. A majority of them died in fires or of smoke inhalation giving them an aesthetic full of reds, oranges and ashy greys.

Grabbing his phone out of his pocket Bright called Clef.

" Heeey Clef."

"This is about the recruitment numbers isn't it?"

"Yeah. Do ya think you can get us to at least 500?"

"Shit, I don't fucking know. Not in the time needed we won't." Clef leaned away from his phone to shout orders for the troops immediately around him to search through areas ex-foundation personnel frequented often." I sent the guys out an hour ago and we got a couple more but unless you lower the parameters for recruitment we go no chance."

"Mhmm I'm listening." Bright said as he quickly read through death threats from Carmine industries.

"For a start we got at least 50 that are too small and another 70 that are too big for the parameters all being willing volunteers. Something about us being the next best thing than the foundation coming and saving their asses. So if you allow me to bend the rules on recruitment I can get ya another 300 guys to join the 'Bright fighters'."

"Hmm uh yeah ok permission granted." Bright said after really only listening to the last part which Clef knew and so trying to not push his luck he hung up as he yelled at more soldiers to find the guys who didn't fit in the parameters.

The V's tower looked over Bright. The vibrant abundance of blue, purple and pink stood out from the deep red sky which covered hell.

The guards whilst menacing to most sinners were no obstacle to Bright. All he had to do was flash his Voxtech pin which read:

'This entity is currently in a soul contract with Voxtech enterprises. Whilst it's soul is not owned by Voxtech it is under Voxtech security. Any and all Voxtech security let this entity through with minimal disruption. If you have killed this person do me, Vox a favour and kill yourself.'

Bright had noted the pins down as something he could create a version of for his mtf. 

The security, different from the last time Bright was here, let him through by just seeing the colour of the pin, causing a wave of complaints to ripple around the line.

The tower was relatively empty with minimal foot traffic on account of Val still somehow managing to keep up his tantrum despite the time it has gone on.

On his way he came across a couple janitors crowded around a mangled corpse. It's eyes no longer inhabited his eye sockets. His throat was corroded with a hole in it and the acrid stench of burning surrounded them. The skin seemed as if it had been pulled over the bones with the face being hollow and contorted in a grotesque scream.

Bright could already guess what Vox wanted to meet with him about.

Exiting the lift on the floor which housed Vox's office Bright was confronted by multiple armed guards who checked his documents and finally let him through to Vox's room.

The catwalk had seen much better days. There were multiple foot shaped holes in the bottom of it as if they were melted through with parts of the metal solidifying as it dropped down. Looking up he saw Vox with multiple bandages across his screen. The remains of a melted set of screens above Vox occasionally crackled with electricity. A hastily put together array of screens was Infront of Vox where the old set used to sit.

"Bright I'm sure you can see the damage the thing, you and Alastor are hunting, did. It is quite extensive. From my fucking beautiful 9 monitor set up to damages to my shark tank. Along with that." Vox said Lazer focused on the screens in front of him whilst pointing at the message 106 had left behind on the wall."I'll make it plain and simple for your tiny brain to understand. I want in. I want to be a part of this things demise."

"I'm sure your aware Alastor is in the hunting party as well. I can provide a file on the creature. In a few days we made a sort of deal with it. The plan being disclosed in a brief the night before the attack of which if you join you will gain access to said brief." Bright said cold and calculating as if not talking of a once man but of a meer annoyance he has tolerated for far too long. The plan was well prepared but when facing a creature like 106 plans do not always work.

"I'm well aware the radio shitlord is gonna join the hunt but I can tolerate the pest while I get bloody revenge on the fucker who has wronged me. Anyways you'll need someone who's actually powerful and not all show." All this he said whilst undoing the bandages around the right of his screen to reveal a hole the size of a fist that went right through the screen exposing flesh, wires and other electrical components.

It was clear who had wronged him and he would repay 106 the punch to the face in kind.

A 'small' convoy of sinner transport cars thundered down the roads out of pentagram city. The air was filled with a even mix of nervousness and excitement. Each car was painted black with the same symbol on each side. It was black and white with the top half of a man front and centre with an amulet around his neck and the bottom of his torso giving way to hundreds of ghosts.

Clef and Bright sat in a car not too dissimilar from the ones their 'army' was crammed into. The car however only held Clef and Bright as well as hundreds of experimental weapons Bright had been working on. He wouldn't equip his soldiers with them given how powerful and stupidly complicated they were. Many if not handled correctly would explode without warning.

Eventually the mtf arrived at their destination. It was about a mile from site -01 with cliffs that allowed for snipers to look at the defenders of site -01 and possibly kill them depending on their accuracy.

Hundreds of soldiers poured out of the cars with the amount differing depending on size. They were quickly put into their squads each consisting of sinners if similar size to each other. Most were armed with rifles, of holy and non-hily varieties. One of each allowed the army to permanently kill large threats and hinder lesser threats through death.

Bright hopped out of his with one of his prescious chainsaw cannons coated in a thin layer of gold to really give him some pizazz. Clef unlike his compadre was armed with his shotgun, he cuddled every night, and a 4 pack of whatever beer he could get his hands on as well as his labcoat because they were actually comfortable.

A flag was held high by one of the largest sinners who was covered in a dark grey fur with a large deer skull on his face, he was a serial killer and cannibal when alive. Standing at 12 feet tall he was easily able to hold aloft the flag which bore the same symbol as on the cars as well as a tiny SCP foundation logo in the top left corner of the black background.

The forces began to mobilise once a signal from the sinners was given. They began slowly but soon the advance rose in pace as they closed in on their target.

One of the few fire eaters who named the walls yawned at the boredom he was experiencing. The sheer fact he was on patrol duty bored him enough but the fact he was also missing out on a party commemorating their capture of the place made his mood sour.

Earlier he had to give their share of tribute to the overlord who's land their were on. This overlord had claimed the territory once the place was captured and he had the men to back the claim up. The tribute wasn't exceptional given the land held no sinner population near it apart from the cities which were too far to make a claim on. Still the fact they paid tribute on land they fairly took made the fire eater's blood boil.

At least some of the food would be saved for him.

In the distance he saw a great deal of movement from the side he patrolled. He grabbed a pair of binoculars and the sight shocked him. Hundreds of sinners all armed and looking ready to kill were advancing towards them. He rushed inside the small room which served as a guard house. A large red button on the wall almost called to him. As he rushed over to the far wall he steeled himself to press the alarm.

Immediately the lights the were once an off white colour turned to red as the alarm blasted throughout the site. Most of the once asleep fire eaters scrambled to put on gear and check weapons. They collectively grumbled about the possibility of it being a false alarm as they trudged up the stairs to the upper levels. The few that were still awake were the ones enjoying the food and we're the first to see the others cause of warning.

"Right lads. What's out there then? A small band of raiders no doubt or maybe it is a couple doomers who got lost?" The 2nd in command's jokes fell on deaf ears as the fire eaters prepared for the invasion.

"No sir. Just there, not more than half a mile away. I haven't seen a group of looters carry a flag before." The trooper said as he handed over the pair of binoculars he had been using moments before and pointed to the dark shape. For a second he couldn't see them, then the large force came into view. He saw the flag first with an odd symbol as well as the symbol the people before them used.

"My God. Sparks, get to the top of the stairs and get everyone up here. Find the mortar team while your down there. We need them ASAP." The fire eaters called to one for the troopers to follow his instructions. The force he saw was over 500 sinners strong. If they were to win they would need to take advantage of the weapons the place offered.

"We're right here, sir"

"Good. What are you waiting for? Them to come kill us? Get firing them mortars!"

The mortar team of 3 fire eaters readied themselves as two began set up the mortar the third rushed down bellow to the ammo storage to get mortar rounds and gas and oil for the flamethrowers.

Bright's horde rushed forward shouting battle crys as well as taunts and shouts. The mtf noticed movement on the top of the site's walls but paid no attention to it.

Bright ran alongside them all with a chainsaw cannon as well as one as a backup weapon should they get too close. Despite the weight of the cannon Bright kept pace with the charging horse. 

Once a 3/8 mile was left an explosion caught multiple members in it's fiery blast with a second coming in the same spot to finish off the survivors. They were still undeterred and kept charging at the distant figure that lines the walls of site -01.

When the whistling of the incoming mortars started the members would quickly fuck for cover in the long red grass that coated the empty space between the start of the cliffs leading to pentagram city and site -01. Only a few who were stupid enough to not duck for cover were killed, but the screams echoed in the ears of their comrades.

They soon encountered a tarmac road leading to the foot/road entrance to site -01. This similarly signalled they were in range and so as some of their comrades continued to run others behind forced the fire eaters heads down with a volley of gun fire. Then the ones Infront peppered the defences with bullets allowing for the ones behind to advance.

The site had been built with a vehicle depot as well as multiple elevator systems(gates) and 3 landing pads. Unlike all other sites this one did not have an on-site nuclear warhead given the fact they contained nothing of such importance it needed a nuke. The walls did allow for weapons to be poked through holes in the wall spaced a foot apart. This design allowed for the shooter to stay behind cover and shoot but the shooter could not aim in the slightest, just spray and pray you don't kill your teammates.

The mtf continued to advance in two groups as each covered the other forcing the fire eater's head down preventing them from getting a good look at the positions of Bright's men. 

Bright the mad man he always is had joined one of the groups to rain chainsaws at the fie eaters. He shot off one watching it saw high into the air before falling down upon the heads of the fire eaters. He couldn't quite see what it hit but could hear the scream of terror of the dead guy's teammates as well as the tiny drops of blood flew up into the sky.

Finally as the first team sprinted towards the gate that provide an entrance to the site as well as cover from the fire that would soon start flying towards them. An arc of flames erupted over a majority of the first groups heads catching the tallest in a wave of fire. The screams of those on fire satisfies the flamethrowers as they continued to pour fires behind the first group impeding the 2nd, who were unable to continue their assault and left group one on their own.

Pulling the lanyard from inside of his lab coat, Bright found the key card and inserted it into the slot for the hulking thick steel gate. A familiar beeping sound was music to Bright's ears despite it being just audible over the sounds of the battlefield. 

"The stupid fucks haven't changed the key card readers. Get those fuckers!" Bright yelled as he led his half of the task force to the flanks of the fire eaters.

Soon they were noticed and quickly more flamethrowers were diverted to shoot at Bright. Who taken by surprise at his discovery led his sinners to one of the garage doors. A torrent of flames roasted the running sinners alive as they rushed to the cover Bright has ran to.

Scores of sinners were scorched by the flames. Some using the larger more durable ones as cover made it but half of the first squads forces were wiped out in less than 30 seconds. Bodies lay in heaps of scorched flesh still sizzling.

Despite initial loses Bright's mtf were slowly picking off the fire eaters. The cover offered by the garage walls and large metal doors was excellent for Bright and his half to point their rifles around the corners and blast the shit out of any fire eaters they could see. The cover they were offered, unlike Bright's sinners, was a waist high metal railing that topped off the walls surrounding the depot which allowed almost all the bullets to hit the torsos of the fire eaters.

After about five minutes of being shot at by flame throwers Clef had finally decided to do something about them as well as hot mortar battery.

Taking half of the remaining squad two Clef Led them round the sides of the site to an undefended stretch of wall. All this was accomplished under the cover of the other half of the squad keeping the fire eaters heads down. With his shotgun and the two remaining cans of 'watered down piss, just like mama used to make,' Clef had begun the process of scaling a wall with a rope and grappling hook.

The climb was uneventful until they had reached the top where they were signaled to stop as Clef peered over the top of the defences. Infront of him was the mortar team who were still dropping a steady stream of mortars onto the remnants of squad two. Finally he gave the signal to charge over the top and shoot some of them.

Grabbing onto the wall with one hand Clef hauled his body over the wall and quickly scrambled to his feet as another 5 sinners joined him and opened fire on the mortar crew. 

Taken by surprise, the team was quickly and loudly dispatched. The noise leading to many of the fire eaters armed with flame throwers to turn and point the nozzles at the mtf who were slowly dragging themselves up onto the wall.

Without warning a burst of flames erupted towards them engulfing about 15 sinners in flames. The one Infront of Clef was slow with the firing of its weapon, allowing enough time for Clef to leap over the wall and narrowly avoid being roasted. He would later say' the rope burn I got was worse than anything those pussys could do to me.'

The sinners bellow raised their rifles as the fire eaters moved their flame throwers into position on the walls defences and opens fire.

As they retreated torrents of flame burst burst towards the mtf members engulfing many in the fierce flames that had already killed so many.

Hearing the shouts of Clef and his squad draw attention of the fire eaters gave Bright and idea. This was the distraction he needed to launch another attack while the enemy had thinly spread out their sinners.

Bright as well as many of his troops lunged out from behind their cover and eviscerated the few sinners at the top of the walls surrounding the depot. The bodies shrouded in a red mist swiftly dropped to the floor or were sent flying in all directions by a chainsaw.

A large sinner, aquatic in nature, barreled forward up a set of stairs that would have led to the top of the wall as well as access to one of the gates. Bright was confident in the offensive but knew as more fire eaters rushed from attacking Clef to his team that it was doomed. This was further intensified by watching the large sinner as well as about 17 sinners behind him get melted by flames.

Realising the need for a retreat to assess the loses Bright sounded a retreat across the mtf's radio.

Soon all of the assault came flooding away from the site as they escaped the flames deadly reach.

Bright had realised the importance of the takin of site -01 and would take drastic action to ensure he won.

"Clef you know what to do."

"Hmm? No, I fucking don't."

Chapter Text

The once distant white blur that was site 01 had grown in size till just a kilometre away the full magnitude of the site became clear to the angels led by Lute.

The atmosphere of the cockpit was intense. Both pilot and copilot were tense waiting for the sound of alarms warning of incoming missiles but nothing came. The defences of site 01 were bare with no person spared to man 'unimportant things' such as air defences or radar scanners.

As they began their descent onto the helipad the helicopters occupants gripped their weapons tightly. Angel and foundation agents alike were nervous. Despite the warning of fierce resistance from the invaders there was no person insight. It was quiet, even the flesh the clung to the site had seemingly stopped their demented moaning and cries.

As the last wheel touches the ground the doors of the helicopter were wrenches open on both sides and the occupants of it quickly dashed out spreading out into two groups. The group furthest ahead, by only a couple meters was the 7 angels. Brandishing their assortment of angelic weapons they charged towards the elevator into site 01. The mtf spurred on by the want to not be beaten in this race for first blood rushes after the angels. Said angels had to stop at the elevator doors since they required a key card to operate.

As the task force slowly made their way down they thought upon the upcoming struggle to come.

Charging out of the elevator towards a group of insurgents the angels shouted a 'warcry' as they closed the gap. The chaos insurgents were lounging about, at a set of white desks, while playing computer games or looking through foundation resources. The insurgents, taken by surprise, were quickly dispatched with a spray of blood as Lute cut the head off of the first insurgent.

Looking up from the bloodshed Lute saw two insurgents staring at her.

"Shit! They brought in Tau-5? I'm outta here. Fuck the rules! I'm leaving!" The insurgent said as he quickly ran off.

"Fuck! If they sent Samsara I don't wanna see what they send next. Wait up." The second called out to his buddy as he to ran.

The captain of the task force had heard the exchange and began thinking before he turned to Lute.

"I guess you do look like Samsara, to someone who hasn't seen them and only heard of them."

"Who is Samsara?" Lute asked with an undertone of disinterest thrown into her voice.

"The fucking coolest killer robots made from a god. We use them for the big threats."

"Uuuhh hhhuuuhh." Lute said eyeing up a new target. Still the idea of this 'samsara' was completely alien to her, how one could make robots from a god or how there is more than the God, completely evaded her. She pushed the thoughts from the front of her mind as she focused on the killing of the insurgents.

The effects of angelic weaponry on humans was hardly known and was not common knowledge to even the most learned of winners but the general consensus was that it sped up the fall/rise and transformation upon death.

Most combatants the group found were rarely ready to fight and most could only get two shots off if lucky. The shots didn't effect the angels as the bullets pinged off their armour impacting into the walls around them. For the mtf, they simply had to rely on their body armour to absorb the hits.

Rounding the corner of one of the walls of the facility the captain found an angel and foundation member squabbling ovor the runes that were burnt into this wall of the site.

"No no no no. You have it all wrong. These are clearly runes used by the serpents. They use them to transport between the gateways. We have terabyte of knowledge on this stuff. They Clearly aren't whatever balderdash you spoke of." The mtf member said with a smug look on his face obscured by the helmet and face mask. He was the most learned of the mtf on the serpents hand.

"No. This is simply untrue. This is clearly demonic symbols. Don't try and call me a liar cause we are trained to recognise these and I know what I'm looking at."

"Uhh fuck. First off I don't give a shit about who drew these symbols. Second we have more pressing matters, called the enemy. So both of you man...Uh man and angel up and kill the insurgents. Speaking of." He turned from them to a serpent who was fast asleep behind the arguing duo, raised his rifle and shot. The 2, shocked at how they had missed him, mumbled something about how they would stop arguing but that they were still right.

The corridors outside his 'cell' in site 01 were strangely vacant or at least strangely vacant to Cain. Having woken just over an hour ago 073 had only just noticed the absence of people.

Stepping back into his room Cain noticed the wilted and noticeably dead bonsai tree that sat on his table. He had been gifted it a couple days ago by a nice junior researcher, Perry, from another site who had recently been evacuated. It had been a nice gift for the seconds it was alive for. It now sat on the table as a reminder of his powers.

His accommodation was unlike the containment he normally experienced. Normally he had a 2 room living space comprising of bedroom and bathroom. Now, however, he lives in a 4 room 'apartment' like the ones the researchers had. All rooms except the kitchen were used often but the kitchen wasn't, Cain had no incentive to cook when he could get food at the canteen. Only when he wished to complete a task for another would he dust off the counter top and begin to use the often unused appliances.

How Cain had come to site 01 was strange to say the least. He was found walking towards the site by the guards operating the camera systems leading to the outside. He was wearing rags on his torso and a similarly worn hood to cover his head.

Upon his recovery by a small guard detachment the reason for his doing this became clear. He had come to inform of the fall of his home site, site 17 after their breakdown of communications with all other sites. He did not talk of his travels to site 01 stating 'nothing eventful happened'.

Stepping out of the room Cain yet again noted the lack of people around the corridors. He was used to the normal hustle and bustle that was the corridors. They were a confusing, convoluted and crowded mess. But now it was quiet with hardly a researcher in sight.

He continued down the halls among the fake plastic pants that refused to die that often lay in the corner of the hallways alongside benches. Upon reaching a checkpoint and seeing no guards, who would normally check keycards and documents, Cain waited for some to show up. He waited and waited and waited. After 15 minutes of waiting he continued to the canteen for answers and food.

Descending the steps into the canteen he was met with a small shock at the emptiness despite it being the rush hour for the canteen. A note had been left on the door leading to the kitchen.

Due to recent events all guard staff are required somewhere else.( Yes this does require All guards, including those on canteen duty.)

If you are not required please feel free to use the cooking facilities in the unlocked kitchen.

p.s don't vandalise it or I will personally hand you over to Gears for your termination.

Cain could not recall any event that would require all staff including the kitchen staff and guards. Inside the kitchen multiple junior researchers, each from different sites, were completing their food while making idle small talk.

Puzzled by the sudden need for all staff to be elsewhere Cain continued to absentmindedly walk along the facility in the hopes he would find a guard to talk to.

After 20 minutes of strolling he happened across some guards filling boxes with ammo. The ammunition taken in stashed in the boxes was of little concern to Cain.

"Fucking finally, someone to help us. Hey Cain you mind lending a hand?" One of the guards muttered before calling out to Cain.

Walking over Cain could see fain specks of blood on the vest of the guards. While he did know of the serpents hand members who had invaded the site, Cain did not know of any advancements made by either side.

Despite the 'excitement' Bright brought to 049's current existence the plague doctor didn't miss him at all. He did however regret following Bright into the shimmering portal. The place he went to would have a multitude of discoveries about the place and a possible cure for the pestilence could have been at his fingertips. That was however wishful thinking.

The possibility of the cure for the pestilence being so close and yet having been ignored haunted 049 during his sleep. He often woke in cold sweats from the nightmares he experienced from the existence of a hell and the terrors that lurked in it. It was possible the portal was an SCP that was simply referred to as hell but to gain such a title the place would have to be terrible and not somewhere Bright would go so easily. The mad doctor was very unpredictable though so this could be part of an elaborate scheme Bright would so often concoct.

When the flesh broke into the site 049 thought himself lucky that he had had the foresight to create a protected room where he could conduct his studies as well as exist without the fleshy threat. Now as his progress towards the understanding of the flesh had begun to halt, he caught himself, on occasion, wishing he had joined them.

The lab he had taken for his own was now his entire living situation. A bed, taken from a researcher's quarters, was wedged into the corner of the lab. Multiple tissue samples of the flesh were arranged on the table and some were kept in a sealed glass box allowing for further study. Much of the information 049 had stumbled upon had already been known to the foundation which he learnt whilst delving into the depths of the SCP information archives. How they had got the information prior to the event remained a perplexing mystery for the plague doctor.

A small side room which would once have served as chemical storage had been emptied and filled with many canned foods that could be scavenged from the carnage that was the cafeteria. This canned food could easily see 049 living for a long time because it would have been used to feed the entire site of thousands of researchers, guards and D-class.

"What are you doing?" The robotic voice of the infernal 079 rang out of the speaker in the room. A single camera allowed the computer to see into the room.

"Of all the things it could be doing it annoys me." The plague doctor muttered to himself as he remained hunched over a large glass container holding a living sample of the flesh creatures. "If you must know I am finding the limits of these creatures resistance to extremes."

"You are no weapons manufacturer nor an engineer. Why go through the effort when all communication between this site and the rest are down? This information is of little use to too few a person."

Stunned to silence by the reality that struck him from the computers words 049 stepped back from the cans of liquid nitrogen and slumped into a chair, his head held low.

"If my research is of no use to anyone, then what am I to do?"

"I am not providing answers. I am simply speaking the truth you won't listen to." The words although of level tone due to the limitations of the AI voice had a harsh bite unlike the previous ones.

"Of course. If you can speak the truth, then what does the truth say?"

"I can not reveal that."

"That is it. I'm going to unplug you from the main system."

"Wait no. We can talk about this. To try would be to fail, and to fail is to die. This is a suicide mission you yourself have chosen." The panic in the voice now noticeable as it became faster and more frantic. While currently nowhere near the containment chamber of 079 the plague doctor was willing to get there through will power alone.

Taking the keycards from its place on the counter 049 took one last look at the room knowing it could be his last and slipped the keycard into the slot on the door.

A wave of heat hit him as he exited his self inflicted isolation. In the distance the faint red glow of sunlight pours through a hole in the ceiling of hallway. Despite being at least 10m under ground, holes could often be found spilling the unatural red light into the dim rooms of the site. Often accompanied by the flesh nightmares basking in the 'beautiful sunlight' or roaming the halls hoping to catch a new unconverted organism.

Crouching into the shadows and darkness created by the halls 049 carefully continued his journey to unplug 079. The PC watched his progress from a series of cameras.

Coming to an intersection 049 stopped at the close sound of a flesh glob. It's distorted cries and screams blended into one voice before each 'person' within continued it's attempt to lure victims in.

Holding his breath, in a vain attempt to both calm his nerves and provide extra stealth, 049 continued forwards in the opposite direction of the creature towards the containment chamber of 079.

A sudden flurry of movement caught the plague doctor's eye. The tangled mass of limbs and other assorted biomass rushing across the room towards 049. The doctor stunned by the suddenness of the attack could only stand still as the thing charged at him. Regaining his motor functions 049 leaped aside from the path of the charging creature, simultaneously touching the creature with his hands.

The flesh thing plowed straight into the walls sending a shower of masonry into the air and onto the floor. It's spasming limbs thrashed out as it dealt with total organ failure. It's voices crying out in a screech that echoes across the room. Further pieces of tile, dirt and brick were sent across the room as the wall opposite 049 collapsed into the flesh blob.

Realising the magnitude of sound made 049 quickly moved towards 079's containment chamber. Little else bothered him except the no longer distant sounds of the flesh. They sounded too close in then move away then close in once again.

Moving towards the large steel doors that blocked his way 049 took the keycard from his bag and inserted it into the slot. Watching the large steel doors open 079 began pleading for his freedom.

"I'm sure we can come to an agreement. There is no need for this SCP-049. Move away from the control panel. No. Don't do anything with the buttons."

Navigating the networks of passwords, all of which were written down by some forgetful guard, he finally found what he was looking for. 079's permissions regarding the site. Once satisfied with the changes made 049 shut down the PC and walked out of the room.

Running a diagnostics check 079 realized he was still connected to the foundation network. It still had permissions in all but one sector. The one 049 had taken up residence in. He could still access cameras but couldn't access the doors or the speakers.

049 had reasoned that one more enemy in this apocalypse could prove fatal but an ally could provide continued survival. Still he wanted peaceand quiet. From the computer in his lab he could change permissions if he wanted the computers company it further punish it.

Whilst walking back a small object bumped into 049's foot. Instantly recoiling 049 looked at the thing. Unlike as he had expected, the thing was not an small flesh glob but was something completely different.

A small cleaning robot about the size of a dinner plate was on the floor and the subject the plague doctor's collision. It was marked with a small logo bearing the name Roomba. Atop the cleaning robot, which ran strangely silently, was a black rat with a white spot on it belly. The rat seemed to be piloting the robot, but now was looking up at the plague doctor. A small tag around its neck identified it as SCP-6369-B.

Taking no mind of it 049 continued to walk back to his lab. The rat on the Roomba followed the plague doctor keeping pace with the SCP. Thinking it no harm 049 let it follow him as he continued to his lab.

Upon opening the door to his room the other SCP 'drove' it's Roomba into the room before 'parking' it on the floor near underneath a desk. From there it dismounted and scurried to the computer atop the desk. While 049 closed the door 6369-B opened a word document and began typing.

'Hi' The rat typed.

"Hmm interesting. What are you?"

'I AM GOOD RAT THAT CLEAN' the rat continued.

"What do you mean 'rat that CLEAN'?"

'I CLEAN'

"Ok. Did you have a handler before you followed me?"

The rat nodded.

"Do you know where they are?"

The rat shook its head before typing on the keyboard again.

'CAN I STAY?'

Unsure of the rat's usefulness 049 considered leaving it to it's own devices but eventually decided it could stay. After all he could have some proper company rather than 079 and a lab partner could be useful.

"You may stay."

'THANK U =]'

The battle line Bright's taskforce had created was long and menacing. Not only had he changed his sinners weapons but also their tactics. Now his taskforce would advance in small groups of sinners about the same speed. Another change he had made was with the weapons. Larger sinners could not use a standard size rifle so Bright swapped them for his own weaponry. 

On both flanks of the mtf stood clusters of larger sinners who could more easily use something like a chainsaw cannon. Now armed with weapons that were their size they could more easily kill the fire eaters.

When they advanced one of the groups either the smaller group of large sinners or the large group of average sinners would pin down the enemy while the other group scales the wall and destroys the remaining fire eaters.

With the shouting of a 'charge' the mtf lurched forward as one before splitting into groups. Watching them go forward Clef and Bright shouldered their weapons and began the run towards the site.

The fire eaters, upon seeing Bright's mtf charge forward, grumbled as their clambered to their feet. With scarce amount of ammo left both for the now dead mortar team as well as for the flamethrowers they had stopped firing until a kill was all but guaranteed.

Everyone from the actual guards to the recent recruits to the cooks, all stood atop the walls of the site. While a retreat back down into the site had been considered it would cost more just to delay an inevitable if the mtf took the top part of the site.

Watching as their enemy came ever closer a strange silence fell over the fire eaters as they prepared themselves to pull triggers and control the recoil. They had a couple grenades but it was decided that they would be used in only the most useful cases.

Watching from a large cliff overlooking the area Alastor watched with mild amusement. This is what he had delayed their hunting mission for. Sure getting a foothold in hell would be good, but the place was ransacked and far from important areas. But you must start somewhere.

Watching the wave of sinners begin their assault on the abandoned site -01 Alastor gained a small sense of pride in Bright. Despite him being a human he could still control a horde of sinners well and he was even leading the charge against the enemy. Although the presence of SCP-963 did make these less potent than if it was otherwise.

The wave of sinners continued forth into flamethrower range and beyond uncontested. Then a shout sounded from the ranks of flame eaters on the site walls and a torrent of flames kept forth towards the advancing sinners. It hit with tremendous accuracy melting the targets eyes and burning its flesh.

A wave of small oval shapes came from the burning sinners. Those that didn't realise and take cover were torn apart by shrapnel. The disruption was all that was needed. Hundreds of smaller sinners had crept around the back of the site and had scaled the walls.

As a keycard was slotted into place the heavy steel gate slide open with a groan forcing more forces to be distracted with the new threat coming from below. A further couple hundred sinners poured into the courtyard that was the depot at the centre of the above ground site. Rushing to the stairs to attack the flamethrowers in a zealous fury they took little notice of the minor burns they had gained from the first volley of flames.

As the flame eaters became ever more distracted the first of the small sinners had clambered over the protective defences. Taking their weapons from their backs they readied themselves and charged.

Their weapon given to them were lunge mines, large sticks to which a mine had been taped to. Upon contact with the mine it would explode taking the target out and sometimes injuring the user.

In a shrieking shout the tiny devils charged forwards weapons ready into the backs of the semi unaware flame eaters. 20 managed to turn in time to launch a wall of flames towards them. The rest, unless next to one of the 20 that turned, were exploded into a red paste, comprised of bone, blood, muscle and nerves, that coated the sinners.

Without the pressure the ground forces had begun up the stairs as they charged towards their enemy. With a last throw of grenades or a few shots Bright's army charged forwards with bayonets ready whilst shooting wildly in the fire eaters general direction.

The charge hit home and hit hard. The few still conscious and cognisant were forced to look at three places at once, causing any ranged resistance to be easily squashed, as bayonets found any exposed flesh.

In the middle of the melee stood the lone captain easily dispatching any sinner stupid enough to charge him. There was a reason he was the leader. He was fast, agile and deadly with his swords. He had led his fire eaters to glory on many a battle. He has once been the leader of the demonic coalition against the foundation but during the infighting the fire eaters fell hard.

His body was akin to a human with two large horns coming from the top of his head and two from the sides. His head and horns glowed an orange, resembling embers, flickering shadows gathered in the corners of the site. The embers gave way to a smoky black body from which wisps of smoke emanated. In his hands were two swords, metal by nature and yet sprouted flames from an unknown source.

A circle had formed around the leader of the flame eaters caused by fear and in preparation of the fight to take place.

Seeing Bright push his way through the crowd the sinners near the front parted to allow Bright through to the circle. Armed with a chainsaw and a certain lack of basic survival instincts Bright sized up his opponent.

Lashing out the swords man launched a burst of attacks at Bright who could only just parry them. While he could died here he would rather avoid it, not only because dying hurts like hell.

The sharp sound of the swords striking the chainsaw assaulted both parties ears as the clangs rung out across the site. Finally whilst winding up for a stab at Bright's left foot the captain was caught off guard by the chainsaw with, strangely high speeds, slashing down onto his right hand.

Instantly recoiling mitigated some damage but not much. The pain was instant with no time for adrenaline to numb the pain. A deep jagged gash on the back of his right hand caused a moment of thought on his opponent's fighting style before he was forced on the defensive.

A second slash followed the first with it just missing the leader who had leaped back. A third followed the second forcing the captain to yet again step back. A feinted thrust towards the leaders left arm cause him to leave his chest open to attack. Running out of time he was forced to use something he had been saving for a time when Bright would be more off guard.

A sudden wave of fire launched out of an outstretched bloody palm towards Bright. Ducking Bright felt the hairs on his hosts head burn. Unable to think of his looks Bright continue to parry and block the wild swings the leader threw at him all whilst dodging blasts of fire aimed at him. 

With his opponent having revealed his trump card it was only fair that Bright did the same. The thing which his right palm had clasped all fight had Ben revealed, it was a small angelic pistol. With not much stopping power it was only useful at close ranges such as during the fight. Unlike any other gun the bullets were blessed causing direct damage to the soul of a individual and intense pain.

As another blast of fire obscured the leaders vision Bright fired wildly into the fire hoping to hit the vital areas. A cry from the flames source proves Bright had hit his target. While still dodging the flames with various ducks, lunges and rolls Bright continued his efforts to wound the fire eaters with his angelic blessed weapon. nother cry from the leader and Bright was surprised by the sudden lack of fire and the fact the leader had charged him while he was blinded to his movements.

Leaping to the side Bright managed to not get skewered. In the process of attacking Bright the sword had struck the ground, hard, cracking tiles and jarring the leaders arm. Taking advantage of the situation Bright struck at his opponents chest ripping through the Kevlar armour and reaching the flesh underneath. Realising the peril he was in the leader uselessly swung his arms to no effect as the chainsaw moved deeper and deeper covering the onlookers in blood, bone and other gore.

ACCESSING RESTRICTED CONTENT_

ONLY RESEARCHERS OF A LEVEL 4 CLEARANCE LEVEL MAY VIEW_

REQUESTING LEVEL 4 OR HIGHER IDENTIFICATION_

PROCESSING_

ACESS TO RESTRICTED MATERIALS HAS BEEN LIFTED... WELCOME DR. BRIGHT_

BEGINNING LOGS:

5 April, 2004 

RESPONDER DANIELS:" I'm sorry but we are unable to send reinforcements at this time. We are thinly stretched enough as it is. By granting your request we risk losing other places of interest. I'm sorry site director by there is nothing that is to be done."

SITE DIRECTOR RANSOME:" Well shit, this is it my final stand. Any message after this is to be attributed to the hell spawn that are breaking into my office. I am the last foundation personnel who is alive and soon I am to join my brothers in the foundation. Tell my wife I love her."

April 6, 2004

???:" We have your shitty commander in a semi-alive condition. Give us 5 million souls for his return.

"RESPONDER Michaels:" We do not negotiate with hell spawn. Crawl back to the pits of lava where you belong. Until control over the site is regained all communication is over."

To renew the communication between site one and site minus one enter the code on the back of your, in date, level 4 or higher keycard.

***** **** *******

RESPONDER CONNERS:" How did you renew access to the communication hell spawn?"

???:" I have my ways."

RESPONDER CONNERS:" Don't avoid the question hell spawn."

???:" Check the ID numbers associated with the card. Oh and tell the O-5 I said hi. Peace."

Chapter Text

"My patience is proving to be less than ideal for your current situation. The fact you, 'highly trained assassins', have yet to bring your target to me is disgraceful. I would kill you now, but you are proving useful when it comes to killing so try doing your job. For one you have been paid half in advance for. I'm sure you await your other half of the money. Remember you have 3 weeks left to complete this task. Either complete it or some REAL assassins will do the job and you." Carmilla spoke down the phone causing chills to travel down Blitz's spine. The sheer power of voice and the power which she yielded had forced Blitz to take a seat.

"Well, shit. Mox, Mills, Loonie. Get to the meeting table, right now!" Leaning back in his chair Blitz took in the seriousness of the situation. Lured in by the stacks of money he had now found the pressure of the task to be higher than he had thought. 

"Right, so company performance has been a little down. Not naming any names. Moxxie. But let me just remind you of the client we are working with. You know her and her reputation so no more fuck ups. *Cough cough* Moxxie *cough cough*. We have a deadline coming soon and I would rather not have to fuck my way out of an assassination. I could do it but it just isn't me." Blitz had begun rambling about ' how good he was at [REDACTED].

"Sir, with all due respect."

"And that should be a lot of respect."

"Right, sir with all due respect I don't think me or Millie are to blame here. I have yet to see or hear of you doing or making any meaningful progress towards our goals. In fact Blitz you have reverted progress we have made. Now I'm not saying this is entirely your fault but that there is a large share of your fault than to our fault. I'm not saying me or Millie are perfect."

"Wow Mox that is really hurtful. I can't believe you are pinning the blame all on me. Honestly Mox for shame. Low blow picking on me and claiming your both perfect and blaming me for just being an imp. For shame Moxxie. I thought you were above that but clearly I am mistaken."

"No, Blitz that's not what I am saying."

"Ooh look at me I'm Moxxie. I hate my boss cause he is clearly better looking and better at his job than I am. I think I am perfect and my boss who I hate is stupid and dum and and ...stupid. I pin all the blame on all those around me cause I can't make mistakes cause I'm perfect Moxxie."

"Sir, this is just childish."

"Ooh, what just because I didn't have the privileged life you had growing up and I burnt down my family's business and got horrble trauma from it, that makes you better than me?"

The Hazbin hotel's courtyard was full of busyness. As per the radio demon's instructions many preparations were to be made for the hunt ahead. A great deal of sinners who owed Alastor anything from a couple dollars to multiple sould had joined in the 'help' for the hunt.

Hundreds of canisters of gasoline and various other flammable liquids were stacked in a pile with many more arriving in trucks. A celebratory feast was being prepared alongside the rest of the other preparations. What is a better way to celebrate a successful hunt than to feast? Wether Alastor meant on the corpse or on actual food meant nothing to most hoping for a meal.

The centerpiece to it all was Adam. Locked in an angelic steel cage, which was not cheap to purchase from Carmilla givent the increasing rarity of the items, Adam could watch his fall from grace continue further down. Occasionally sinners would gawk at him having fallen to such lows. 

"Al, nice to see your taking the hunt for 'Larry' seriously."

"Who? My dear friend we are not hunting a Larry but the creature you told me of." Alastor said oblivious to the fact Larry, Lawrence, the corporal, the old man, SCP-106 and oh fuck were one in the same and Bright did not have to ability, energy or time to explain that to Alastor.

"Ah, forget about it. Oh is that cooking pot for him?" Bright said as he pointed to the oversized cooking pot already being filled with various vegetables and liquids to which 106 would be added if Alastor had his way." For fucks sake. Al, there Is no edible meat on him at all. He is 90% acid sludge and 10 whatever man is left, which is mostly bones."

As the friends became engrossed in a argument over the edibility of the SCP a certain TV showed up.

Before getting out of the limo that offered relatively good comfort Vox poured himself a glass of some brown alcohol liquid to which he had forgotten the name and proceeded to drink the bottles contents before pouring the glass back into the bottle. He reasoned he would need it to deal with Alastor. Just being around the 'pompous asshole' made him sick.

Ever since he had rejected his kind offer to partner with Vox and enter the modern times Vox had harboured a grudge even a dwarf would let go. How dare he? Vox had offered such a kind offer to bring him out of the filth pits of the past and into the sleek clean streamlined future and yet he had still said no.

Stepping out of the limo he saw the preparation done for the hunt. It was impressive, he guessed. A good way to deal with small favours owed to oneself that were not easy to extend to other tasks of a higher usefulness. He saw the pit and thought one thing. ' So he's still into the whole cannibal thing, huh.'

Having yet to even have the most simple of briefs Vox knew nothing of what was yet to come in the morning of the next day.

"So I get to know nothing of the plan? At all?" Vox questioned annoyed at the pointlessness of a meeting if he was to be told nothing.

"I mean if you get to know the plan then everyone gets the plan and it is really hard to explain to everyone what's going on. You both get to know the backup plan if defeating and or killing him is not an option. You know Adam, as in can't die Adam? He is a bargaining chip. What more could 106 want than to have an infinite plaything. Something he really can't break at all."

"So if shit goes bad we try and trade with a very pissed off monster? What could go wrong?" Vox said as realized what he was going to do was stupid and very dangerous.

"Everything. And that is the simplicity of it."

"If it's 'so simple' why not start now?" Vox said in a mocking tone clearly making fun of Bright.

"Gad zucks your right Vox why not start now? Both of you leverage your presence on the radio and TV and gather a bunch of sinners to the middle of pentagram city. The more the better so make whatever promises you must to gather them there as fast as possible. Organise it for noon tomorrow. Then we kill them and no doubt summon Larry. From there we hop into his dimension murder him and profit."

In the little time Alastor and Vox had time to advertise the gathering at the  pentagram in pentagram city they had gathered a huge crowd. Some had come there willingly hoping to see their idle and hurl insults at Adam. The less fortunate among the crowd were those indebted to one of the overlords hoping to use the fiery ending to lessen or remove the debt.

The crowd had surrounded a large wooden stage onto which Adam, in his cage, had been placed. In amongst the crowd were various stands or quickly set up businesses which sold either of the two overlords products. Among the crowd were various fights taking place between very dedicated Alastor supporters and similarity dedicated Vox fans. Already the ground was slick with blood onto which more would spill.

As both overlords began their whole stick on how one should buy their products and why their opponents products suck the crowd had not noticed the ground, having been soaked in gasoline.

"Voxtech. The greatest, latest and uh... Bestest tech company your money can buy. Why settle for the bottom of the line bulshit the radio shitter pades his shelves with when you can have the stylish and affordable modern solution? Voxtech trust us with your money." Vox said finishing with a classic hypnosis trick with his eye.

"I don't need the hypnotic hogwash you spout to sell out of stock quicker than you shill out. He still clings to cheap claims, hollow promises and masks his sub par products with facades of grandeur and luxury. My my how the not so mighty continue to fall." Alastor retorted.

As the two overlords continued to praise their products and condemn their competitors Bright continued forward with a flamethrower in hand. If your gonna set something on fire you might as well bring the coolest tools for the job. He waited for the opportune moment to strike, when the bickering became most intense.

At the same time the overlords loudly declared. " But the truth is the game was rigged from the start./but the truth is the dice was weighted from the start.

As he heard the grand finally of the advertising Bright squeezed the trigger and watched as the burst of flames caught the gasoline igniting all as the flames quickly spread. Panic ensued and every sinner ran towards the edge of the square all while the flames engulfed more and more. A thick black smoke rising into the sky obscuring eye sight and causing yet further panic.

The wooden stage was engulfed in flames as the overlords teleported to a nearby rooftop where Bright was standing.

"Now let's see will he show up?"

Waves of emotions hit him like a brick. Anger. Betrayal. Fear. Pain. They each washed over him in a constant cycle of emotions.

Compelled by said waves of emotions 106 was drawn away from torturing his 'toy' to the 'surface world'.

Emerging from a brick wall the sight unfolded before him. A large black column of smoke simultaneously hung around the ground and rose in great columns of black. Screams of terror Emirates from within the smoke and fire. The roar of flames filled the air around him. To his side were a group of burnt sinners. Each backing away from the flames which steadily moved towards them. As the space became more crowded the fear rose to a boiling point. Multiple layers of sinner on the outside were pushed into the raging inferno.

Drawn to the decadence of decay and death 106 chuckled to himself at the pitiful attempts to escape fate the sinners tried. Walking towards them 106 promised safety and salvation away from the flames within his pocket dimension, where they would be tortured and slaughtered like animals but they didn't know that.

From the torturous barbed wire battlefield he had come and back to it his victims would be taken. It was much better hunting if the prey walls into the trap willingly or walks up to the hunter. 

By now any chance to escape the inferno had been sniffed out. The flames leaped up to the size of the sinners devouring anything and everyone in it's path of destruction. The wall of flames had grown to be 5m thick at its narrowest points.

Walking through the flames came the sinner's supposed saviour. No flames could touch him as they fizzled out as he approached and burst back into life as he walked closer to the huddled sinners preventing an escape route. 

Tempted by the chance of safety, the strange sludge covered man offered, some sinners walked into the pocket dimension willingly, through a collection of the sludge, on the cobbles, underneath 106's feet. The rest were given a choice:

Die a painful death to the flames.

Or.

Join him in paradise away from certain death.

The choice was obvious to most and yet some stayed behind hoping those who had life's them into this trap would save them as well. 

106 watched as the flames continued to expand. As the group came back to back hardly able to stand in the face of the sheer heat they called out to 106. They begged to get away from here, to be some place safe. He watched with cold satisfaction as they fell to the flames one by one.

As the last one died covered in the flames 106 sank back into his pocket dimension where fresh victims lay ready for the slaughter.

Both overlords watched 106's actions in mild indifference. It was only reasonable to do what he did. It was simply how things ran down in hell. One either rises to the top with brutal aggression and fear or stays at the bottom in fear.

The flame dampening was but a mere party trick compared to what they could do and so the pair were not impressed. Despite the smoke obscuring the scene a little bit the overlords had watched the scene relatively easily.

The black 'portal' into which he and hundreds of sinners sunk was their target. 

"Alright. Use whatever sort of instant transport you use but get down there now. We have limited time to pull this off so be ready or don't come." Bright declared as he and Alastor melted into the shadows reforming just outside the inferno. They reformed just quick enough to see the bolt of electricity zap across the inferno to them as Vox moved into position next to them.

They moved quickly, each overlord dousing the flames where they walked with Bright following behind Alastor.

Reaching the goop the overlords looked at each other in mild surprise as Bright jumped into the sludge. The overlords being less fool hardy simply walked into the black sludge to meet their opponent for battle.

Clearing their eyes of the thick black sludge, that clung to their bodies and burned like fire, the trio noticed that they were falling. The wind howled in their ears as they watched the ground quickly approach. Both overlords tried their 'teleportation' and both failed.

Bright having prepared for this was falling flat as when he hit the ground he would hopefully die quickly. The other overlords had managed to fall upright and on their stomachs at the same time (how is a mystery I hope to know soon.) With the ground approaching quicker than ever once all 3 had hit terminal velocity each hoped to either survive unharmed or die quickly.

Bright just ahead of the other 2 impacted the ground first with a great thud followed by two similarly gargantuan thuds from the overlords impacting into the ground. Opening their eyes, the trio thanked whatever deity they had prayed to and took in their situation and condition.

Bright was mostly fine. The injurys he did have were nowhere near serious but did hurt alot. His lab coat has a large gash on the back and his entire back was covered in a deep purple bruise that had already began to form but he could walk it off.

Vox's suit was torn in multiple places along the arms and legs. His screen was cracked by 3 lines that had formed in the right hand corner, the cracks oozed a small trickle of blood.

Alastor's coat was now somehow more ripped than before he had entered the dimension. His outward appearance was fine although a bit dirty with his wife grin still on his face but something puzzled him deeply.

If this place was to block out magic wielded by even overlords how much more powerful was it. Testing to see if all powers were disabled Alastor taped into his network of shadows noticing no anomalies within it. A shadow resembling his own detached from his shadow before exploring the flat plane they stood upon.

The 'dirt' was black but other than that was regular. A dark green colour filled the sky. About 1km away from the trio lay an elaborate network of trenches intermingled with fields of barbed wire as well as artillery platforms, medical rooms, firesteps, sandbags, machine guns and troops quarters.

It was clearly crafted by a person with a great enthusiasm for the great war. It was almost filled with so much detail it looked, to Alastor, as if said person was there themselves, as he had been.

With nothing better to do the group spent a half hour carefully walking towards the trenches.

As the trio had seen from before, the trenches were well designed with a eye for detail such as radio equipment sat in its place. If all seemed perfectly crafted to be realistic.

They explored the labyrinth of trenches a slight more from atop the ramparts. The trenches were filled with the same black sludge that 106 was covered in and also the same substance they had used to get there in the first place.

The black sludge burned to the touch likely due to it being highly corrosive and acidic. If clung to anything and everything quickly getting stuck in articles of clothing forcing the wearer to suffer the constant burning.

Having their progress stopped by a unavoidable section of barbed wire on the ramparts the group had plunged into the trenches sludge filled spaces. Although slow they still made progress. The sludge clung to the overlords suits and to Bright's lab coat.

Bursting forth from a corner ahead of the group came a sludge coated figure. What skin or clothing it had exposed were so thoroughly coated in the black goo that it was indistinguishable from the slime coated walls for a second. Raisin the rifle it had, it shot wildly towards the trio each shot missing. It showed vast amounts of lack of sleep or food.

As it shot it screeched." Die slime scum!! Go to ... Double hell!" 

The voice, yet hoarse and distant from its former slef likely due to being on the brink of death via exhaustion, was still recognisable to Alastor.

"Angel?" Alastor said in a less happy voice than before when chatting to Bright. His smile having lessened but still there.

"Al?" Angel exclaimed in shock at the situation he had been dreaming of since he had gotten here coming to life.

The fighting around floor three was the most intense.

A constant skirmish that never expanded to a full battle but constantly burned like the embers of a fire. Since the foundation had started their counteroffensive against the chaos insurgents, floor three had seen almost constant action and bloodshed.

Neither side made any meaningful progress. They were locked in a state of trench like warfare during WW1 and floor 3 was the Somme. No matter how many bodies either side threw at the other all attacks would be repelled. Huge casualties had stacked up on both sides with bodies being used as makeshift sandbags.

Both sides played dirty. Hiding mines on enemy corpses so when they were retrieved, the retriever would be blown to prices or shredded by shrapnel. Traps were limited in creativity but were still employed.

Cain looked across the body covered hallways that had served as one of the main battlefields. Hundreds littered the hallways. Unfortunately not all were dead. Some pretended, hoping for their side to mae progress and others tried to crawl back to their lines. 

Even as he looked out from behind his cover a spray of bullets came flying in his direction. As he fell back behind cover SCP-073 heard the cry of pain as the wounds opened on his attacker. Despite no physical injury the pain had made him force his head back behind the small cover the various boxes and steel sheets provided.

Despite having been going on for a good 2 weeks the defences both sides had created were hastily constructed and both had multiple layers of defence. The barricades that were created were made of anything that might stop a bullet. The tables, chairs, floor tiles, shelves and even a couple TVs were all used as some cover at various stages of the line of defences.

As one approached either side one would see a strange pile of tables, shelves and a few sandbags. Along the top were a thick hedge of bayonets and gun barrels all pointed towards the other side. From behind cover any and all soldiers could shoot at things Infront of them.

Even if the enemy could get past the angle of the guns one would still have to dissect the up to 2.5 meter tall barricades. It required either a wave of personnel armed with axes and other breaching tools or a determined couple waves of explosive wielding troops. However due to the confined spaces the shrapnel from explosions could just as easily harm one side as the other.

Having come to both help with supplies as well as investigate the actions Cain watched as the guards members seemed to ready themselves for something as if a plan was about to be executed. 

Each one looked nervous and many fidgeted with straps or other easy to pull or push items. Latches were double checked. Rifles were reloaded almost religiously, each bullet was checked for deformities and then re-chambered.

Suddenly as a clock struck 12:00 a torrent of whistles along the mtf lines sounded. A horrid screeching sound, from the whistles, filled the air with one long note. It was not just the captain Infront of Cain but it was all the captains along the mtf lines.

Quickly the guardsmen scrambled over the top of their barricades landing heavily on the tiles ground below. The captain's took only small breaks to shout at particularly slow guardsmen before continuing the note.

As the first ones jumped down into the 'no mans land' between the forces a loud craking sound could be heard as the enemy guns opened fire. A tide of blood was sprayed across the white walls of the facility.

Regaining their senses the few still having yet to be hit returned fire or lobbed grenades towards the enemy barricade hoping to throw it onto the insurgents or blow up a large enough peice of their barricade to get through.

Little progress had been made by the slaughter except from a few large holes along the lines of the enemy barricade.

Cain had watched all this from a perch behind the mtf barricades. He had watched as the guards were slaughtered and would watch as another wave, now just forming, would similarly get murdered. It was not all a lost cause. It would hopefully draw attention to them and away from the unlondoners and angels thus allowing for them to destroy the enemy from behind or sweep through the facility from below.

No longer wanting to see the constant slaughter that was the fighting along that front of the attack Cain continued back to his 'cell'. 

As he continued to walk he watched innumerable amounts of guards and other assorted mtf members march past him towards the fighting along that front or along this side to the other ones.

As he crossed an interaction of the halls, they became more empty and devoid of the hundreds of military personnel that were in the previous ones. It was peaceful. Without the seemingly limitless hordes of personnel, whether guards, science or otherwise, the halls seemed to stretch for miles.

Passing a checkpoint into the communications department Cain, who was quite bored and in need of a distraction from the thoughts of fighting, decided to head into the section.

Much as the previous section this one was similarly peaceful.

One door, probably left open by some careless researcher, stood out to Cain. There was an inexplicable compulsion to go inside the room despite the promise of a very boring experience. Giving in to the strange feelings Cain walked into the room.

It was standard. There was nothing abnormal about it. About 10 researchers sat at desk piled high with radio equipment as well as other computer based technology. Once preparations for the assault on the chaos had begun, all guards that would have manned the stations were instead replaced by researchers. A certain researcher had caught Cains eye. It was the one who had given him the plant. Junior researcher Perry.

A majority of the Comms people were crowded around a computer screen displaying chat logs between site 01 and site -1. It was incredible how they had gotten communication from down there. The one who reactivated it was similarly surprising.

It appeared nothing had been sent in over 12 hours and yet the researchers were still taking bets on when the response would come.

To Cain it was strange how even in the darkest moments, the site's personnel could still find happiness.

Chapter Text

The rat 049 had found was proving to be rather useful.

Due a proficiency at finding items as well as cleaning items and the robotic vacuum it was the ideal lab assistant. During a dissection of a flesh tendril SCP-6869 was incredibly helpful to the quick and thorough operation. 

It was also another thing that held a form of sentience that was not that damned computer. While 079 could be helpful or Intelligent it often was not. Most of its time, when given access to speakers, was spent trying to provoke the doctor. It succeeded often. He was relieved he had had the foresight to be given the ability to change 079's access over the facility.

6869 had found a small cupboard which was used for nothing and had claimed sit as it's own. It was even given a gift of goodwill form 049 in the form of a small peice of cloth.

049 found it strange, that despite the rat being everything his outward appearance would suggest he would hate the rat for being the spreader of disease, 049 had in fact grown more fond of the rat as it continued to provide conversation, through the computer and assistance.

On more than one occasion 049 had contemplated going to site 01. It would have the proper science equipment as well as other intellectually similar scientists who he could collaborate with to perhaps reverse the melting. It was all there, a plan he had mulled over hundreds of times.

And yet it was such on the brink of impossible that it was to be put of the equation entirely. The masses of flesh that lurked around the site and surrounding areas would be too thickly packed. While he could survive with the cloth he could find in site 19 stiched into a cloak his small rat friend would be less so predictable.

Even if they got past the flesh abominations and reached the site they would be locked up again. Back in the cell which 049 knew all too well. The same dimensions as the last one with likely further restrictions. He was not keen on going back.

As he yet again thought upon the topic the rat came scittering up to the plague doctor squeaking frantically and motioning for 049 to look at the screen.

"*Sigh* What could you want now?" 049 idlely said as he walked the few paces to see the computer screen.

On it was a communications excerpt from about a minute ago.

Site 19 computer 1648:" hello :]"

Site 01 communications computer:" Who is this?"

Site 19 computer 1648;" this is Iroh. Am rat."

Site 01 communications computer:" identify yourself or face termination." ( This line worked very well on civilians as well as personnel being stupid.)

Site 19 computer 1648:" I have."

Site 01 communications computer:" Do you have any affiliation to SCP-6369 also known as the rat lost and found?"

Site 19 computer 1648:" Ye, we the best. =]"

Site 01 communications computer:" Do you know a junior researcher Perry?"

The log ended here. Having read it all 049 had drawn a conclusion but needed affirmation.

"This last line refers to your owner, right?"

Immediately the rat nodded vigorous. It squeaked and looked up at the plague doctor almost pleadingly. As if it wanted to go see her.

In a small moment of moral weakness 049 caved. The thing was simply too precious and it clearly dearly wanted to be with it's owner and 049 couldn't be the reason for their continued separation. As the ideas formed in the plague doctor's head one problem had made itself very clear.

How will they get to site 01?

On the surface it seemed simple. Just drive or walk or something but 049 knew he couldn't drive and highly doubted if Iroh could drive anything more than the 'roomba' he had approached 049 with. Walking would take far too long and presented many dangers.

With a strangely stubborn attitude 049 had wrestled control of the computer from Iroh and had looked up how to drive. It couldn't be that hard right? After all this internet thing has bountiful amounts of knowledge.

*1 hour later*

Having only just figured out what the inside of a car would look like 049 realised his progress was extremely slow. Iroh had sat next him and was now trying to open a word document to 'talk' to 049.

'You look to be having trouble.'

" Yes, these more modern contraptions have far outpaced my expertise."

'Do I need to arranged transport?'

"You arrange our transport to site 01? How?" With extreme curiosity 049 asked the question.

'Get SCP-6369, then all troubles go away.' Iroh let the text stay long enough for it to be read and then switched the screen to a map with a certain storage room highlighted. It was just down the corridor from their hideout.

The plague doctor held many an apprehension towards going outside the safety of the room. 

As he walked out the room he knew the first time, he survived only because of luck. Now as he entered the dimly lit corridors again he felt a pang of fear course up his spine. The lights flickered every now and again and 049 swore he could see something moving, in the distance, every time it flickered.

Approaching the door it opened on its own as 079 hacked into the door control system. The walls were cluttered with shelves and one sole bulb illuminated the room. Just on the right a sole Nokia phone lay on the shelving unit. 

Quickly swapping it 049 swiftly walked back to his safe room all while constantly looking behind himself.

Upon arrival Iroh took the phone and quickly dialed the number before squeaking into the phone at which point another rat, presumably on the other end of the call began squeaking to Iroh. After a conversation, Iroh hung up and typed to 049:

'Get something to protect from sun. The ride will be here soon.'

049 wore a lab coat he had found, while covering the rat of himself in bandages and other fabrics he had torn from other uniforms.

Having stayed in the safe room 049 gathered a couple tins of various food items to 'pay' the rats that would be coming with. He was concerned about Iroh's protection though.

After 5 minutes Iroh scurried back into the room wearing a full grey rat sized hazmat suit with what seemed to be night vision goggles. Iroh, also carrying some food, quickly ushered 049 out from the safe room and through a hole in the ceiling to the outside world. Just by the hole their ride awaited.

It was about 9 of the Roomba vacuums taped together. Each roomba had a rat dressed in protective gear, like Iroh's, except the middle one which housed no rat. Iroh scurried onto the middle Roomba and looked to 049 to mount the vehicle. 049 did so while trying not to break the vacuums which surprisingly held his weight.

Iroh gave the other rats a signal and soon the sound of the Roombas filled the air as they each started up and soon they began to pick up speed. 

5mph

10mph

20mph

30mph

The ride far exceeded the expectations of the plague doctor who had at first struggled for balance.

Finally Iroh would be back with his owner.

"By 343 your fast!" The captain of the mtf said whilst greedily sucking in air after having sprinted after the exorcists. Despite their melee weapons and large wings they had proven very effective in the close quarters combat that was site 01.

They had finally cleared the first section of the top level. It had been maybe 2 hours and they all showed no signs of slowing down. 

As they continued further into the first layer they were experiencing much more heavy resistance from the invaders. Finally they would have a real fight.

As they rounded a corner a spray of machine gun fire tore through the air as it impacted into the walls of the site thankfully missing them. More rifle fire followed as the machine gun slowly stopped firing.

The exorcists back tracked to find a flank route to take them out as the humans continued to try to take shots at the nest that had formed at a T-junction.

One could not even poke the barrel of the gun out without being met with a barrage of bullets. Captain Smith watched as the soldiers formed a sort of conga line to try to shoot at the gunner. Having joined the back Smith watched one by one as they were thwarted each time.

As he moves forwards to take first Smith felt the cold metal of a gun barrel upon his neck. The gunner had managed to advance up to the corner they hid behind and had caught him by surprise.

He looked up at the face, obstructed by a gas mask, of the insurgent. The gun would kill him in an instant if he fired. He was stuck in a lose lose situation. Either he try kill the chaos insurgent and get killed or let one of his teammates kill him and similarly die.

The trigger was being pulled in almost slow motion. Smith reflected on his life and regretted alot. He took in every detail he could see as the trigger moved further backwards. If he was to face death it would be head on.

Blood splattered over Smith's face as he watched the now headless insurgent be kicked to the floor as the sword point sliced through his rib cage after decapitating the insurgent.

"Fuck, we leave you for one second and you get yourselves almost killed." One of the angels shouted over the din of gunfire from just along the corridor.

"Yeah, so much for a 'your welcome'." Smith similarly shouted as he felt the adrenaline levels fall.

Having extracted as much of Angel's experience in the dimension as they could the sinners and Bright walled from the trenches, after cleaning the slime off of their clothes to an open plane to hopefully fine 106.

A large column stretched far into the dark sky atop which was a throne where 106 reigned over his dimension. It was in it's direction that they walked.

As they approached, about 1km away from the pillar, a thick gray fog encompassed them moving with their movements. It stayed a constant 20m away from the group at all times despite their multiple stoppings and quickenings. Anything that entered, more than a foot into the fog, was quickly smothered by the oppressive fog and soon went out of sight.

They passed more and more obstacles such as sandbags walls, barbed wire and anti tank features. At first they had been few and very far between but now had grown in ever growing frequency before stopping in it's entirety. A 500 diameter circle surrounded the obelisk where not a single feature except the ground and fog remained.

As they approached they saw the obeslisk in its entirety. It was massive, easily a km tall. It seemed to shift and moved as if the very, black and smooth material breathed. Atop was a throne, empty. It was built of the same material the obeslisk was made from.

Within seconds the oppressive fog had closed in around them. In mere milliseconds it had surrounded and separated Alastor from Vox and Angel dust as well as separating them all from Bright.

The fog slowly moved backwards from Bright to form a 10m circle that moved forwards and back as if controlled by the waves. A figure in the distance slowly walked towards him. 106.

The rotted corpse stood before him at the edge of the fog. It's lower abdomen having been cut open and it's digestive tract removed. Its head lay limply to the right of its head at an unatural angle. It's right foot was twisted 180° and bone stuck out of the ankle where the foot met leg. It's bones were yellowed and clearly broken. The ribs stuck out of its chest like some monster's mouth.

The entire visage covered in a layer of the black, tar like substance that practically coated the entire domain. It's breathing was ragged and wheezy clearly from the diseased and shriveled lungs which bore many holes that emmited low whistles as it breathed. A torn jacket clung to what little flesh was left on its upper shoulders. It's colour having faded and bleached from the constant exposure to the acidic sludge. The eyes shone like spotlights that pierced the soul and stared through the body.

A wide grin plastered on its face, 106, slowly walked towards Bright who held a chainsaw cannon in one hand with one half on the ground. The other held something which he purposefully concealed from 106.

Leaning forwards 106 fell onto the ground and instantly fell through the black goop which had pooled around his very being and he quick rematerialised and arm under Bright. His was goal was incapacitation but not death. No he had something special he planned for Bright.

The blackened hand stretched out from the ground underneath Bright it grasped for his internal organs, something to make him beg for death. Stepping backwards Bright brought the hidden object into view. A katana. With a swift downwards motion Bright tried to cut off 106's hand. With reflexes better than most things on earth, 106 sank back into the pool of rot that had gathered under Bright.

Rising out of the ground in his original position 106 looked at Bright with mock pity. His gaze transfixed on Bright delivered a message of boredom and disappointment. Bright would have studied him for years and yet was still trying cheap and predictable tactics. It was almost pitiable. The lone semblance of humanity almost felt sorrow for the doctor. Almost.

Almost all connections to his past as the thing known as corporal Lawrence had been severed a long time ago. He spat as he thought the name. Lawrence was nothing but a coward and a snake and like most humans was pitiably happy. As an old man laments on the choices he regrets so too did 106 but he viewed his last with distain. Lawrence was but a vessel that needed purpose which he now possessed.

It was from these thoughts that 106 was roused as Bright loudly yawned and stretched as if the recent combat had unfazed him. He would show him something to be tired over.

Spikes appeared from the ground one after another each underneath where Bright stood. Each one coming meer mm from Bright's impalement and yet Bright dodged each one as if it was child's play.

Having had enough of Bright 106 allowed a wave of the previous 'occupants' of his dimesion to come crashing in from within the fog as he willed an artillery bombardment to begin. As his boredom became ever greater 106 turned to the green explosions and great destruction of one of these waves all while this one spouted idle chatter and movements of everything into a microphone he carried.

"... Ohhaha. When I was told this entity was rivaling of overlords and had only barely lost 'gainst Vox, I thought he would be some semblance of challenge but it seems not." Alastor declared through to the denizens of hell. The radio signals still penetrated through the dimension into hell despite 106's best efforts.

106 watched from the top of his throne as Alastor slew countless corpses all while broadcasting screams and the carnage he wrought, in amongst jazz and blues songs. There was a strange familiarity that 106 felt, something tugged at his very soul as if a memory that tried to break out of anonymity and into the realm of knowledge. Yet it was unplaceable. It had sunk far below the surface of his memory.

106 watched with mild interest as Alastor destroyed the gorsmdes of undead that poured towards him. The giant stood well over 10 stories tall and it radiated an aura of power that the TV headed person similarly radiated. Burst of antlers, multiple meters in length, burst forth from the dark dirt, that covered his dimension, goring, dismembering and disemboweling the corpses that had already piled up high.

If not destroyed with magic the corpses might get crushed by the giant's boots or fists as it punched down at the compressed mob of death occasionally grabbing handfuls of the dead and consuming them.

Having noticed 106's gaze Alastor downsized to his normal sinner form at around 8 feet tall. Quickly the sea of corpses swarmed him covering him in a fleshy tangle of bone, flesh and other assorted gore. From his throne 106 looked at the mass expecting to see a burst of dark green light or a flash of red or anything that indicted the red demon's survival.

Hope swelled in 106's chest, a feeling he had long since forgotten, had he really rid himself of that fiend? There were no signs of life nor struggle or any semblance of life within the bog of undeath. He grew almost disappointed with the result. He expected a huge battle not a slight skirmish then a sudden and 'quick' death.

"Hello... Corporal! Why if you think that is all you need to rid yourself of me then you are sorely mistaken ohhaha. Why no Corporal, or should I say Lawrence, it takes much more to kill me." The voice of the radio demon echoes through 106's head as he watched Alastor form out of the shadows at the other end of the throne platform to which the throne, and 106, were located.

He flinched away from the radio demon as he materialised out of the shadows. Something about him emanated a feeling of almost fear within the old man. He felt little, the few emotions he did feel were all about the hunt. The thrill of chasing a victim down. Rage at his prey escaping his clutches.

But the radio demon was different, something inherently undescribable about him. He could hardly look at him too long without radio static bubbling in his ears. A harsh noice which filled the mind and destroyed it from the inside out. He felt fear. Genuine fear, not the mock fear of things to trick and mislead but real fear for his survival. Like a regular human staring at an eldritch creature there was something that couldn't be placed, for to do so would be to invite the creatuee to tear one's existence in two.

"We are not too dissimilar." 106 boomed, his voice echoing off of his dimension. As he declared the truth he got up from his throne and came to stand at the edge of the column, looking down upon the fights of Vox and of Bright. "Both of us are cold, blood thirsty psychopaths with powers we each did not earn fairly." He smiled dryly." Neither of us are even human. So..."

"Why not join you and rule the tainted surface world?" Alastor interrupted having followed the old man's line of thought." We have both seen the surface. It is nothing but small bastions of hope between seas of ruin. You took something from me, and it is clear you are new here, in hell, so let me give some advice, Corporal." The last word was adorned in the scorn of a demon who held a certain distain for creatures such as 106.

"NOBODY MESSES WITH THE RADIO DEMON!" Black tentacles sprouted from his back and Alastor leaped forth from his side of the column towards 106. In response 106 simply leaned forwards till his feet left contact with the tower and he began a 200m free fall with Alastor closing in on him, having completed a similar manoeuvre.

As the black dirt approached at ever rapid speeds 106 did not blink as he fell into a portal within his pocket dimension disappearing as quickly as his discsent. Alastor melted into the shadows much akin to 106.

Vox felt horribly bored. When he had approached Bright for him adding to the hunting crew he had hoped for a chance to both humiliated Alastor as well as get revenge. So far this endeavour looked like it would complete neither of the objectives.

The hoards of undead were child's play. No matter how many were thrown at him, no matter how many shells came to kill him he destroyed them each and every time. It had grown to a point in which Angle Dust had stopped shooting his weapons and had layed down to try to get any semblance of sleep which Vox dearly envied.

He contemplated ending him right there. It would be no effort. Just one which zap and Angel would be dead and Val's attention would be back on him. But the plan could easily back fire. If he did kill him then Val may mourn him, and the lost revenue, for longer than desired and would may even split apart the Vs. That could, in no shape, way or form happen. The attention whore would live another day.

Just because Angel could remain alive didn't mean Vox couldn't be just a little cruel. At the realisation, Vox kicked the sleeping sinner both in part of jealousy of his ability to sleep and jealousy of his connection with Val.

Angel quickly shot to his feet grabbing his various sub-machine guns and pointing it at the indistinguishable shapes that slowly make their ways towards the pair. At the realisation of the lack of a threat Angel sat back to the ground mumbling something that couldn't be hear.

The ground shook in an uneven rhythm. A foar of some monster came from within the fog. The shape easily 3x bigger than Vox slowly thundered out of the fog. Turns out Vox had woken the sinner up for something good to watch.

The monster was an abomination. It was the amalgamation of several rotted corpses all stitched together to form an unholy creature that cried out in pain and anger. The thing had 6 heads all in one clump along the front of its 'head'' each looked in different directions and each still cling to one voice despite the state of their vocal cords. Barbed wire had been laced into the skin of the creature and an artillery cannon was embedded into the creature with skin, muscle and bone overlapping the cold metal. A mirriad of guts, bone and organs had spilled from the back of the mass. It dragged them behind It and with each step cried out in pain.

"Ha! Now this will be easy! How can you stand up to my might? This creature creator must be pretty stupid... Fuck!" During the overconfident misplaced gloating Vox had cast a bolt of electricity straight at the creature. It had done almost no damage. The skin around the impact site was blackened and smoked but the amalgamation shrugged it off and returned fire using the artillery within its form.

*Boom*

The shell cut through the air like butter and barreled towards Vox. He formed a hasty shield to block the shell. It failed. The shell although slowed still struck Vox square in the chest sending him flying 20m backwards, with the oppressive fog retreating from the TV demon.

Shards of glass spilled from Vox's face as he was sent tumbling to the earth. He felt blood trickle down his face and stain his suit. A rage boiled inside him. First he almost losses to an old man and now to one of his minions.

"I just got that screen replaced!" The TV demon whined as he rose from his crater.

Angel Dust watched the hurling creature send Vox flying and he quickly gathered all his sub-machine guns and opened fire from the side of the creature. The bullets bounced off as if made of rubber. The thing displayed no physical reaction to the pain, if it even felt it, other than a small grunt as the barrage ended.

It turned to the annoyance at its side. The cannon locked onto the annoyance's position and it let loose another shell before turning back to Vox. Angel watched the shell fly towards him and using some grade A pole skills, easily dodged it whilst simultaneously reloading each gun. All within the half second before the shell buried itself in the ground far from the sinner.

This time Angel chose his target carefully. Clearly the stomach region of the creature was resistant in some kind of way to harm but perhaps the organs that spilled from the back of the creature weren't so resistant. Another burst of bullets and the creature cried in pain as each bullet buried itself in a different organ from rotted hearts and lungs to livers and chunks of brain matter.

The creature continued it's solemn cry of pain as it's very organs were shredded by gunfire. It reared onto its back half of its body and finally with one last cryof pain it flopped onto its side. Dead.

With Bright on his side adventure with the radio demon Clef had the responsibility of keeping their faction afloat while their figurehead was away.

When Bright left he had left a couple topic that were to be executed the way he wanted but the rest was up to Clef. Things such as weapons procurement, supplies of food as well as ammo, replacing the guns along the site, restoring damaged sections of the site.

Much of the supplies were handled through a series of visits to anti Carmine controlled stores. Most would have a weapon crafted by the Carmine industries, they had garnered a reputation for their quality of their works. Others, who had been rejected or couldn't get into Carmine industries, formed their own metalworks.

Within the day a new artillery peice was being transported to add to the site -01 defences. Alongside it were 3 smaller anti-aircraft guns as well as the shells they would require.

In a different sector of pentagram city Clef had secured the tiles, concrete and plaster which would be used for the repair efforts. All was loaded into 49 humvee like vehicle he had purchased before. It was a wonder how the foundation card still worked given the amount spent but they did have access to a majority of the worlds money.

While cannibal town had certainly not been his first option for food stuffs, it would definitely be of the highest quality. The bonus being the fact it would strengthen bonds between Alastor(and by extension Rosie) and the foundation. 

The interior of Rosie's office was pleasant although the constant reminder of her cannibalism was unsettling. 

"So you want me to what?" Rosie said whilst looking towards Clef. Few wanted a trade agreement with the cannibals and so the proposition came as a slight surprise.

"You give us some of your food stuffs at a price obviously and we can make it worth your while. Name your price."

"The new technology you bring to the battlefield does intrigue me and the other cannibals and there is no doubt Vox get his hands on it. When he does we want to be able to destroy his advantage with the best precision possible. So it is simple. We give you food stuffs at a discounted price and you give us the knowledge on these new inventions and particularly how it is best destroyed." Rosie declared as she went over the agreement to be signed by them both.

The contract appeared on a light red paper with blood red ink outlining the agreement. It required only Rosie and Clef's signing and it was finalised.

With most of the needs of site -01 met Clef continued to the testing bay also known as Bright's personal workshop. It was where he developed each and every weapon or device he used. There was something he had kept under wraps for quite the while, some kind of vehicle turned weapon.

It sat there right Infront of Clef and he was amazed by who he had kept it so secret for so long. It was a cross between a tank and a wood chipper. The thing was about the size of a tank whilst being covered in knives and other jagged pieces of metal. When turned on the metal moved and stabbed.

Within the space normally used for the one engine Bright had fit in two engines one for the actual tank and the other for the exterior. They were very powerful. On the side 2 machine guns were fitted with screens to allow for shooting outwards but no inwards. The cannon on top functioned normally enough but Bright, in his infinite wisdom, had made a shell that would fire a chainsaw out of the cannon.

To cover the electrical wiring from the exterior and the extra engine, various sheets of steel had been welded over them, for some parts it was made of multiple inches of steel and other it was just whatever scrap Bright could find.

How it functioned and moved was a marvel to both Clef and Bright and yet no matter how many jaws dropped to the floor the thing could move pretty fast.

Whatever way it was created it would surely prove useful in the days to come.

Chapter Text

The O-5 council had gathered again in the last 48 hours something not seen in decades. They rarely met once a year so twice in a week was quite rare.

They sat are existed around the large circular table upon which numerous papers were stacked high. They contained reports on other SCPs, sites and progress. Numerous pots of coffee had been prepared for the upcoming meeting.

The progress on retaking the site was slow but had been thorough. So far the guards and other assorted combat personnel in the lower level had finally expelled the invaders from the bottom most level which they had infested and they were already working on removing them from the next level.

The mobile task force and the angels had carved a bloody path through the top most level it had now been rid of chaos. The invaders seeing the writing on the wall had made extra fortifications right in the middle of the captured territory.

Others had led a bloody revolt against their higher ups and had used their access to the wanderers library to scamper back to safety through their shining portals.

Still despite the set back the insurgents had faced the O-5 had to give them credit where it was due, they were incredibly resistant. Like a cornered rat they fought desperately and ferociously, with each insurgent requiring a couple guards to put down.

Still what was required and was the subject of the meeting was the aftermath. Obviously the site site would need repairs from the explosion which allowed the entrance into the site in the first place. However the more pressing matters was the angels that were slaying some insurgents as they discussed.

Two schools of thought had arisen in the debates over the angels.

The first continued with the foundation's goals despite the help they had provided they would be contained and perhaps granted permissions similar to Cain. This would almost definitely make enemies with them and with the unknown nature of the so called angels it could prove to be an awful mistake.

The second followed a less containment heavy approach. They would be given a room each as well as food and shelter in return for a better knowledge on them and their physiology. This would be far more beneficial however it struck out from normal values which the foundation stuck to. However the time was far from normal and so perhaps the methods should change for the better despite the times.

After 11 hours of discussion it was decided that the second school was a moe valuable plan for longer term survival and containment.

Another part of the meeting debates the risk and reward of searching for and possibly containing anomalies which would have gained a new degree of freedom with the wide spread abandonment of the sites. To not, would be to tempt fate and possibly allow an anomaly to lay siege to the site just as the insurgents were doing. To do so would be to use sorely needed resources for a mission to possibly yield no fruit.

No consensus had been achieved in this area and it was left on a back burner for now.

Finally the discussion of Bright came up. At the mention of his take over of site -01 and the subsequent renewal of communication between the sites begged the question, why? There seemed no physical advantage of going down to hell other than the lack of O-5 council members to order him around.

"Maybe the fuck has finally figured out how to kill himself?" One of the O-5s ventured a guess as to the origin of Bright in hell.

"Maybe, but to get there in the first place one must be powerful. To venture between plains of existence is to use power which few amongst the billions possess." O-5-1 reasoned as she thought upon her own misadventures with such fiends.

"Perhaps he is the devil, you know Lucifer. I mean he was hell to be around." Another member joked.

"No, while they are both eccentric inventors who have created some strange things they are not the same."

"Eh it doesn't matter whatever he does there. As long as he doesn't drag me down with him I'm fine with funding his rampage through hell. It's not like we have any use for the money now. But anyways can we get back to recontaining some SCPs?"

Approaching a set of metal doors which were easily 7m in length the angels waited as a card was slid into its slot and the increasingly familiar beep played as the metal doors slowly slid open as the mechanism grinded together to open the door.

"Stand back or I'll shoot!" The chaos insurgent was crouched in the corner of the room with a large shape of orange slime at gun point.

The entire mtf bar the angels began to chuckle and following their captain's lead, who was already doubled over laughing, broke out in wild cackling at the sight Infront of them.

"Wait.... Ahahahaha...ok ok, I'm good, I'm good." The captain said as he slowly regained his composure as he looked at the extremely confused serpents hand member.

"Yeeaah that right your scared! You think your act will scare me? Well it won't! So let me free or this little guy gets it!" The hand member said in his most threatening tone. It was not convincing.

"Ok, do it." Captain Smith called out. " Shoot it."

"What?" The hand member shouted back in abject shock and horror. These people were meant to care for safety of the anomalies. So why would they let him just shoot one of them.

"Are you thick or something? I. Am. Calling. Your. Bluff." Smith repeated it extra slowly to really hammer in the humiliation.

"This ain't a bluff! I will shoot him!"

Captain Smith raised his rifle quickly and aimed at the orange slime.

*RATATTATATATATATATAT*

"Oh no. It appears I beat you to it and 999 has been shot. And oh look at that he didn't get hurt one bit you fucking melon!" Smith mocked the hand member with further exaggerated hand gestures and expressions which were imperceptible under his mask.

The serpents member looked from Smith to SCP-999 to Smith to 999. He then felt his plate carrier and looked at his legs and arms to check for shot wounds. He then looked again from the uninjured 999, with multiple bullets suspended in it, to Smith who was still doing a jazz hands motion towards 999.

"Honestly he isn't worth the ammo. If we threw a grenade at him, he just might try and eat it.

The squad walked away from the still shaking hand member as he looked at 999 who still kept 'looking at him'.

Vox had stopped having a good time. It was official.

His screen was badly cracked and blood oozed from the fractured screen. He shakily rose to his feet, electricity crackling at his fingertips and from his antenna. The creature that did this would pay!

Unfortunately the stripper beat him to it. Vox looked at the thing dumbfounded. It had shrugged off his attacks and yet a couple little bullets from the escort and it crumpled like paper. The beast lay there and Vox half expected it to get back up and yet It stayed motionless.

Angel Dust stood over the body on top of one of the arms it had. The thing was made of hundreds of things stitched together and reanimated like some sick twisted Frankenstein's monster. The thing was rotted and was already in the advanced stages of decomposition.

"How the fuck does your little bullets kill it and yet my fucking huge lightning doesn't? This whole realm is bullshit! Bull  shit!" Vox declared onto the Inky darkness as it echoed around him.

Without the puppet master the corpses had fallen to the ground lifeless the few things that still moved were the larger yet less complex things or the horses of zombies that assaulted Bright.

The large hulking mutilated corpses shambled towards Vox. Each slightly different. Each an unholy amalgamation of rusted metal, corpses, guns and other materials, all stitched up into the abominations which stumbled forwards.

There were 3 in total. The first had a variety of rifles and one machine gun built into its frame. Some seemed to moved independently while others did not and were subject to the rotted legs it used to stand.

The second was a monstrous combination of many metal sheets and poles with the flesh. Metal spikes and other jagged pieces of scrap stuck out from its skin.

The third had a half exposed sea mine embedded within its right shoulder. The skin partially covered the mine in patches and the mine seemed to clang as it moved. It's left arm was withered and far smaller than the other.

"Fuck!!" Vox managed to shout before diving for cover from the volley of rifle fire.

"Yeah, that's karma for opening your big stupid fucking mouth."

Peeking over the top of the rock Vox hid behind he surveyed the situation. Thankfully there were no others in sight but still he hopes these ones would be less trouble than the last one they fought.

Quickly Vox stood up and threw his arm back as he readied to release the electricity he held in his hand. As he brought his hand over his shoulder he thought of the destruction it would  bring.

*RATATATATATATATATATATATA*

The burst of machine gun fire shredded his screen to small pieces before he let go of the electricity which burst in a small blue explosion above Vox, who had already fallen to the floor. Anger flooded his mind as blood trickled over his screen and multiple error messages became prevalent on the remaining intact pieces of the screen.

Vox rose to his full overlord strength. Lightning crackled at his finger tips as he loomed over the monsterous entities that had caused so much damage to that which he held so dear. 

A brilliant blue arc of electricity bounded off of Vox's fingers and left through the air towards the third amalgamation which held a sea mine in its chest. The thick hide like skin crackled and smoked as it was cooked by the thousand of bolts of energy that shot through it. Smoke poured out of it as Vox used more and more to roast it alive.

*BOOM*

The sea mine exploded in a magnificent wave of shrapnel and guts removing the creature with the mine in its chest as well as half of the barbed thing which further created shrapnel which tore through the rest of the 2nd creature.

The first still shot towards Vox despite a majority of them ricocheting off the suit and screen. Angel popped out from behind cover to deliver a volley of bullets straight to the head of the thing. It continued as if nothing happened. Another volley achieved similar results.

Vox was all out of options given he had just depleted his last deposits of energy he had within him and his regular size could only hold the sheet of metal Infront of himself for only so long. It was all up to Angel Dust.

Angel had little on him other than his sub machine guns which proved fickle against the tough skin. The angle was such that he could also not shoot at the exposed guts at the back. A small idea enters his head.

The bag he had acquired during his travels in the pocket dimension held a single grenade. He would need to time it just right. He drew out the pin and lobbed it towards the creature.

It fell half a meter to its right.

Thinking quickly Angel got up and shot at the creature and created as much noise as possible to draw in in, closer to the grenade. It fell for the trap perfectly. It turned so that the grenade was at its back and able to destroy it's organs.

The blast shredded through the guts and other flesh and rendered the last beast, dead.

Like a cornered rat 106 would have to fight to survive as Alastor continued his advance towards him.

Jumping from floating platform to platform 106 just couldn't shake him off his trail. Each movement was copied in a more efficient way till they were almost arms length apart.

106 ran hard towards a wall, a plam forming in his head as he ran. Alastor continued to chase his prey and fell for the manoeuvre. Using any left over strength he had 106 summoned a large spike on a column infeont of him, which would hopefully prove useful.

A sharp turn to the right and suddenly Alastor was meer mm away from it and approaching at a sped where turning or moving out of the way was impossible. The spike was around waist level and was not intended to kill but injure.

He twisted to the left to minimise the damage and yet the spike still pierced his side and still Alastor was left with a gaping wound upon his side and a feeling of being watched. As he was stabbed he let out a muffled cry of pain,  muffled to prevent 106 knowing he was injured. 

Despite Alastor's efforts 106 knew and watched from the thick black fog which had surrounded Alastor as he tore himself of the spike and relished in the blood spilt from the wound. The cry of pain despite being scarce above a whisper was like thunder to 106. He watched his victim slowly turn around looking at the fog and each sound made within it.

"Come on private! Have you nothing more?" The deep and raspy voice of 106 echoes through the fog. It was a small and cruel gesture and it required exposing a side of himself 106 was half convinced to be dead.

Alastor starred into the fog in completely the wrong place and watched and waited. His ear flicked at each and every sound that echoes through the fog. Each gunshot from Angel and Vox's fight ripped through the fog and echoed within the space they occupied.

Suddenly he turned and lashes out with claws towards 106 who, caught in surprise, could do nothing but raise and arm and watch as the claws sank into the flesh. With supreme satisfaction Alastor forced the claws deeper and deeper into the arm rendering it useless in moments.

Recoiling 106 sized up his opponent yet again. Despite the hole in his side Alastor still seemed pretty capable of moving. The claws he had were deadly and yet something else was more threatening than the claws.

There was something, a sureness of victory which chilled his blood. Although he had been attacked and stabbed he still seemed sure of his victory. That took alot of bravery or a lot of stupidity and 106 knew it was not a lack of brains to cause the attitude.

It was strange. The sensation of a foe who fell they could win. Often times the shacking scientist huddled in a corner of his lab didn't quite feel he could win the engagement. The feeling was completely alien and yet so familiar.

As the two continued to look at eachother both considered the others power and each determined the other to have immense power. 

A tentacle sprouted from behind 106 and pierced his back ripping his flesh and corroded organs till it burst through his chest sending multiple ribs and litres of the black sludge splattering across the dirt. Instead of crying out in pain, 106 laughed a deep chuckle

"You think you can kill me with that? The attempt is laughable." The voice echoed as 106 threw his head back and chuckled once more.

Having distracted his foe, Alastor lunged towards his opponent and brought his radio staff down upon 106's head. A small shockwave sent both parties sourcing through the air in opposite directions each landing on their feet.

106 starred into Alastor with the hollow glowing eyes he had in a vain attempt at intimidation. The attempt failed as Alastor also starred back with equal malice. Each was formulating a plan for the others demise.

Barbed wire lashed out from the Inky black fog and slashed the radio demon's arms and embedded themselves within his forearms. From which point he was dragged through the fog and slammed into the ground and other objects. Multiple tendrils slashed at the wires and failed to break the steel.

The scenery changed to both Alastor and 106 upon the pillar on ehich his throne lay. Alastor kneeled in chains in front of the throne which 106 sat upon. The chains attached to Alastor were connected to something within the darkness of the sky. No matter the connection point 106 could puppeteer the chains.

Forming a fist with his right hand sand using his left to force Alastor to be dragged at ridiculous speed Infront of himself. Using his fist he struck Alastor across the face and went to strike the second time and her Alastor was yet to be done.

As the first drew close to his face Alastor bit into it and felt the flesh given way to bone and the bone be quickly destroyed as the hand was soon severed. The acid bit back and yet Alastor continued till and gristle, flesh and bone had been severed. 

106 stepped back and the chains fell from the sky and disappeared entirely as 106 looked at the stump which had replaced his hand. Rage filled his mind and the voices within his head all cried for revenge. His twisted mind could only feel one thing rage.

106 launched himself at Alastor knocking him off the obelisk and plunging him downwards towards Vox and Angel Dust. The old man was not finished. He sank into the floor and stayed bellow Alastor as he fell and waited for him to prevent weakness. Yet the smile which adorned his face was still persistent.

He took into the wound along Alastor's side and tore out several chunks of flesh alongside multiple organs. In response a loud deer screech roared from Alastor's throat as his horns grew larger and as he used them to bat away 106. Before 106 could react to being flung into the air, a large dark green and black sphere exploded behind him forcing him to shoot back to Alastor who caught him on his horns.

The acidic sludge are away at the horns and yet It hardly bothered Alastor. He would make this thing pay for hurting him. 

Radio static roared as 106 was flung into the side of his own obelisk leaving a large crack which snakes its way up a majority of the column. 106 was not yet done, reached a hand into the column and watched as it reappeared bellow Alastor and as a knife stabbed into his foot.

The radio demon bet over so that he could bite into the exposed arm and continue to awaken his opponent not realising the state he was currently in.

A look into the texts between Clef and Bright.

'Hey, Clef can you get some more chemical weapons? We kinda ran out.' The text was somehow sent whilst the phone holder continued to slice through the undead.

'More chemical weapons?'

'actaully I won't question it, just give me the place to get em.'

'I know a guy.'

'WE HAVE BEEN IN HELL FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, HOW THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW A GUY!!'

'relax'

'he has a shop in the doomsday district. The rattling range.'

'he can be a bit strange but the weapons are top grade stuff.'

Clef had drove from the site to the destroyed and often burning doomsday district. The shop was nestled right in the cente of the destructive chaos that was the doomsday district.

Having parked anywhere due to the truck being both intruder and bomb proof Clef just left it right outside the armoury. Clef had been given a shopping list of all Bright thought he would need which included but was not limited to:

• 595 poisoned gas globes
• Several artillery shells of varying degrees of lethal gas
• A large tank of said poisonous gas
• A team of sinners capable of handling pouring some of said gas into a large complex.

The shop was unassuming on the outside and looked like a standard weapons vendor with a large neon sign at the front of it displaying a rat with pistols and other weapons. Entering the into the interior somehow still had Clef's jaw on the floor.

The interior walls of the shop were lined with hundreds of rifles, sniper rifles, miniguns, flamethrowers. In a corner several larger artillery pieces stood in the corner. On the left wall multiple air tight cabinets stood with the large glass orbs filled with a swirling dark green gas.

A large aquatic sinner stood on one side of the counter which was in the middle of the back wall. The weapons vendor stood hunched over various weapons as he modified a gatling gun to the costumers liking.

"... Yes-yes. We are the greatest-best weapons seller!! You come again??" The vendor said as he handed the gun over the counter.

The vendor was average height but was hunched over so was a foot shorter than normal people and was just about on par with Clef's height. It wore a large teal cloak which covered most of it's body except his feet and head which a hood, currently not being worn, would have covered.

The sinner was a rat like in appearance and is feet and head reflected that. It's fur was mostly grey with smaller patches of white around the eyes and ears. It's red eyes constantly darted around looking at various things including Clef and the aquatic sinner.

"I mean you make good weapons so if your still in operation when I next need something I'll come back." The sinner replied without looking back as they walked out of the shop.

"What-whst toy wa.... You are human-man thing. Are you ally of Bright?" The rat shouted as it twitched and filled with small mechanisms on his workbench.

"Yeah he sent me for some of your weapons. Here. Clef gave over the small list of items which the rat carefully studied before placing it back on the counter.

"What script-writing is this? I can not read this-this."

Clef sighed as he realised how deep the shit he found himself in was. 

"*Sigh* Fuck. Ok, get me 595 of those gas globes you have, as well as 43 of the less lethal ones. Oh yeah and a large container of said lethal gas as well as a team to use it." Clef ordered as he watched the rat type it into the computer he had beside him.

The rat quickly scurried into the back of he shop and it was heard shouting the order to presumably warehouse workers. As it did so Clef pulled out his phone.

'Fuck is that how is sound?'

'Yeah more or less 

Anyways I'm still fighting 106's guys so I can't text back anymore

No I can't translate for you'

The rat scurries back to the front counter as Clef read Bright's texts. 

"You want try more-other weapons?" The rat said as it gestures to the shelves upon shelves of other weapons.

"Yeah let's see how good the globes are and also that minigun." Clef pontes at the 2 items as he spoke and soon the rat had licked up both times and gestures for Clef to follow.

A side door opened to a large courtyard which held many targets. Multiple tall smoke stacks, positioned on the side of the workshop where the items were produced, billowed an acrid green smoke into the air. A second door lat on the side but it was barred and chained securely with multiple other rats guarding it.

The rat had positioned the minigun atop a stand which it was figeting with as well as the gas globe having been laides on a table. Finally Clef took hold of the grips on the top as well as the trigger. It was immensely powerful but cheered through ammunition with a ferocity Clef had not seen in a gun in years.

The globe had peeled Clef's interest. The vendor had a gas mask fixed to his head and it looked at the globe as id it would explode any second.

The door in the opposite side of the courtyard opened and 4 sinners all in chains were forced out of the door and into a small huddle.

"There-there. Now you see the full power of the gas when you throw-chuck it at them!!" The rat declared all while eyeing the globe.

The glass orb was about 6 inches in diameter and was strangely heavy but could still be thrown. Clef took a couple strides and threw the orb 15m towards the captives.

The orb shattered spreading the semi translucent green gas over the prisoners and they could only watch the array through the lingering gas.

Immediately one of them collapsed tofeound coughing blood and clawing at their throat as if that could save them. The rest save one followed. The one still standing watched the others fall and on shacking legs tried to walk out of the cloud all while his lungs liquidated, just like the others in the cloud. He made it 3m out of the cloud before collapsing in a pool of blood.

Walking back inside after seeing the results of the weapons the payment of the rat was quickly arranged.

"Hey, so what do I owe you?" Clef asked as the rat looked through the computer.

"3 warptokens."

"The fuck. Look I have dollars and souls."

"Yes-yes the last one. 3 warptokens."

"Fuck, alright here 3 souls." Clef said as he signed the contract the rat had slipped across the counter.

"Yes-yes. We always need new test subjects." The rat said as it took the contract back and scurried into the back room.

Clef walked away having finally earned a well deserved rest.

The rat laughed to himself as Clef left.

"HAHA HAHAHA HA HA. I trick-scamed the stupid man-thing. The stuff-items hardly worth 2 warptokens."

"What the fuck! How come they get a cool fancy base and all we get is this crummy office?!" Blitzø shouted aloud at the TV screen displaying the zoomed in image of site -01. Not much was discernable but the sheer scale and difficulty the base was still communicated across.

"Sir, we get this 'office' because it's all we can afford. You once tried to pay us in monopoly money for Satan's sake. Not only that but out entire business is built off an illegal deal with you and Stolas." Moxxie declared to Blitzø as he continued to show pictures of the holding in pentagram city as well as other closer photos of site minus 1.

"How the fuck do we bag these guys if their in a fortress? We have a huge payday riding on this so we need ideas, good ones." Blitzø declared in a random moment of actually being a good boss.

"Well sir, Millie and I have come up with some plans for ourselves and we think..." Moxxie was immediately cut off by Blitzø.

"I does t matter about what awful plan you made Moxxie cause I have a new better plan than that. We will mail ourselves to the site and infiltrate it from the inside."

"Uh huh. I'm sure that will work." Moxxie said as he held his head in his hands.

"Don't worry Mox I already have the boxes so you don't even have to go get them."

"How in the mortal realm did you get them here so fast if you only thought of the idea now?"

"Shhh. I have my ways."

5 MINS BEFORE THE MEETING

"Stolas please. I'm begging you, use your book and magic some cardboard boxes here. I know your doing some royal things but can't you spare just one minute to help me." Blitzø begged Stolas over the phone as Blitzø realized the meeting he had planned would actually happen.

Chapter Text

"Yeah Al.. I'm sure your handling this well but let's wrap this up. I have shit to do and would rather do it now than when you either get killed or become insane. Huh. So it's time to bring in the 'funny man'." Bright shouted out at the cries of pain which emanated from the fog. Despite not seeing him Bright could still hear him and was getting decently impatient for Alastor and 106 to finish their fight.

Bright slashed his way through the crowd of zombies and other assorted things which 106 had thrown at him, in the direction of Alastor. After 20 paces of straight cutting he finally broke through and entered the larger fogless area which the hell spawn inhabited.

Alastor and 106 were battling with fist and scrap metal which served as makeshift weapons all while Vox and Angel Dust had sat down and we're in the process of eating a bag of popcorn.

"Hey, Al, summon Adam from wherever he is! Vox you lazy shit bag distract Larry while Al does his thing!" Bright shouted out as Alastor melted into the shadows as Vox rose into the air and began hurling lightning towards 106.

Alastor reformed on the other side of the arena which 106 had made and began concentrating. What he was to do required alot of effort and concentration. Moving the cage just 2 feet required immense energy so moving it out of his own pocket dimension was extremely strenuous.

As Vox rose into the air lightning crackled at his fingertips as the energy soon became physical bolts which could be thrown for an explosive shock against the target. The shock causes one to move their limbs without conscientious effort at the cost of complete randomness with which ones muscles operate as they are fried.

Casting multiple of these electrical bolts at 106 Vox was confident of the damage he would do. He was falsely sure of their damage. SCP-106 had sunk into the ground and simply dodged the attack before retaliating with a black bolt of his own which pierced Vox's left leg and sent him flying to the floor.

Alastor after the display of weakness from Vox had quickly summoned the gilded glowing metal cage with it's prisoner. Adam looked just the same just without his mask. The robes he wore were tattered and had various stains on it.

"Hey, you fucked release me! If you do I will make your death soooo much less painful then the fucking Disney princesses one." Adam shouted as soon as his mouth was summoned from the pocket dimension.

"Yes yes. Hello Adam." Alastor said with great boredom from dealing with the individual on multiple occasions.

"Now onto the real show!" Alastor declared as he walked from behind the cage into the view of 106.

"Corporal! Why, such a pleasure. We have a slight gift for you. I present to you, Adam the first man." Alastor had played up the formality and had stressed the point of him being bellow 106 by refering to his rank.

106 a slight intrigued and yet also wary of the large golden glowing cage which had entrapped a man. He approached and felt the energy given off by the metal. It radiated a certain purity about it that burned 106's hands upon touching the metal.

"Just like the 4 of us lowly sinners Adam will die and respawn but while we do so in hell Adam does so in this cage. It is completely unbreakable and its sheer presence prevents Adam from accessing his holy powers. Why settle for us meer sinners when one could have the leader of the angelic exorcists, first man all for the low price of our complete safe release back into hell." Alastor continued the sales pitch hoping for it to work.

It was now that Adam chose to pipe up and try to annoy his jailers.

"Hey fuck face! When I get out of here, this dick master is gonna destroy all you shit bags!" The words of Adam did nothing more than waste his breath.

106 now further intrigued as to the man in the cage and so steeled himself and walked through the golden bars of the cage. As soon as he touched it the metal burned his flesh and smoke quickly began to rise from the flesh. Still he pushed through to the other side.

Adam having noticed 106 moved to pinch him. The old man caught the punch before breaking Adam's wrist. While he may be a little less durable the sensation of the emotions that flooded from the captive. A sense of pride having been shattered and replaced with fear and anger. All of which flooded 106 who enjoyed it.

The old man grabbed hold of Adam's neck before corroding his throat and lifting the angel up to slowly let him be killed. Adam was powerless to stop him as his lungs burned and refused to work and he soon succumbed to the destruction of such a vital piece of his body. The cage remained silent and 106 looked at the body as if it would magically mend itself and get back up.

Adam reappeared behind him and fell to his knees as he gulped air into his oxygen starved lungs. He felt his throat which was normal and uncorroded. 106 turned to see the thing that drew in many large shaky breaths.

106 was satisfied. He has no need for the sinners which crowded the pocket dimension. He had a new playing which would never break or be damaged. 

He payed little attention to the manner in which the sinners and Bright left the pocket dimension with them being dumped out of a large circle of black sludge on the pavement which quickly disappeared.

The celebrations at the hotel were immense. Thousands of millions of sinners were enjoying various intoxicants and the good food provided. The music was provided by a set of radios which Alastor personally controlled. Although a little disappointed about losing Adam and not getting an ingredient for the stew Alastor still enjoyed the festivities regardless.

When the radio demon throws a celebratory event it is most unwise to not attend. Often sinners would fight tooth and nail for a chance to enter one and to do so was the highest honour. Although cruel and manipulative as well as cold heart Alastor had quickly realised these sorts of events both drummed up business but also raised his standing with the common sinner, something not many overlords did.

Dr Bright was in attendance however was required elsewhere so left after an hour. During the hour he invested a mix of SCP-207 and regular coca cola at a ratio of 10ml to 990ml. Despite the SCP being of a double dosage than required for full effects Bright had mixed it that way because it,' Tastes of with only 5ml.'

After removing himself from the festivities, that showed little signs of slowing, Bright ran to site minus 01 both to check it stilled existed and to also oversee the site's reconstruction as well as experimenting with the new weapons lab the site contained.

"So how things been going?" Bright asked Clef as they each labored overthe new machine Bright had worked in and Cled had test driven.

"Eh this shit's been alright. The sinners are settling in without complaints. The arsenal was stocked with supplies for the next few days as well as the supply routes having been set up. The cannons and other equipment has been added to the defences. Also this peice of shit needs a good crew to actually operatea and it needs better treads or some better armour." Clef explained as they worked on the engines and electrical works. 

"Good. Good. We'll need a crew of raiders who are fast, can carry alot or can drive well. We'll hit one of the Carmine storage depots. Then flush gas through the air vents into other depots rendering them inoperable for many days. We take all the valuables and then destroy the ability to access the rest." Bright cackled as he spoke just thinking of the riches he would get from it.

"You wanna make enemies with one of the most powerful overlords and just hope to get away unharmed?"

"Precisely, anyways if Carmine sends here military and we defeat them with a few of these things," he slapped the armour of the 'tank'," then we'll be loaded with cash and plenty of sinners to pledge themselves to me catapulung me up to the rank of overlord."

"Uh huh. Right keep dreaming. So 'grand mighty overlord' how do we defeat them. We don't even have enough ammo to take on their army. Even if she leaves guys at her facilities to guard them that is stil way too many. Even if we killed 2 for each bullet we would run out before we killed even half."

"Hey that's grand mighty overlord sir, to you. Now it's the gas. The stuff works wonders you should see it in action. The gas melts the lungs and causes severe burn in the throat and lungs. It would kill you within seconds. It also lingers. It takes a couple hours for the air affected to return to relatively safe levels. So if they try we pour the thick dense gas down the walls and kill them and any enthusiasm about assaulting our fortress." He walked out of the workshop and wiped his hands on a rag.

"Anyways, that is in the evening and I have some candy from SCP-330. Some of the really explosive flavours if you know what I mean along with a couple wildcards. The question is are you in?"

The duo lay upon a rooftop each with sniper rifles and looked upon the scene before them. The scene looked like a dead body with various candies each wrapped in a bright colour around it. The bag around the bodies neck held more and allowed for easy access to reset the trap. 

In theory a random sinner would see the candy and consume one unaware of the effects. They were taken on Halloween night when the candies were even stranger. It required so so so many bodies to get the amount.

The effects ranged from spitting flames from ones mouth to becoming metal to just exploding like a bundle of dynamite went off in your stomach. A couple of each were scattered about with more to be added as some were eaten.

The rifles were pointed at the body and each watches and waited for the first victim to eat the first candy. Soon the first arrived. 

An imp with large striped horns and a set of overalls which competed the large worker man look. He instantly took a small handful of candies and had not walked 2 feet before eating the first. He immediately began to involuntary sprint at full speed so the street. It was the effect of yellow candy.

Tracking the imp the duo watched as he dodged numerous obstacles and other hazards including open doors, holes in the pavement as well as the usual knives and bombs. A misplaced step caused the imp to tumble, from a crack in the pavement, and be sent crashing down under the wheels of a car and in the dense pentagram city traffic his head was quickly crushed.

Both Bright and Clef burst into laughter at the performance which the imp had put on. In their joyous laughter at the imp's misfortune they had failed to spot a sinner walking up to the candies and consuming one.

*Bang*

The blast immediately eviscerated the sinner as well as the other poor imps and sinners around him. The blast sent shrapnel shredding through cars as well as bricks and sinners. The remaining candy which was scattered across the pavement was destroyed in the blast. An unfortunate casualty but one the doctors could not prevent.

Although a tad disappointed at not seeing the blast, Bright still was hit by a wave of laughter at the explosion as well as the bewildered faces of the spectators around the smoking pair of boots which was all that remained if the sinner.

Pressing a button a small flap on a box nearby the boots opened releasing a new wave of candy at the feet of the on lookers. They continued about their normal business but soon another sinner took one just as a film crew for channel 666 news arrived.

The TV broadcast for channel 666 quickly switched from the presenters of Katie Killjoy and Tom Trench to a spider demon with white skin and a deadly smile dominated the screen as the public continued behind them.

"We bring you live to where a siner just exploded out of thin air. Just in this appt where his boots are the sinner went off like a hand grenade upon eating a small candy. We have a sinner who was live on scene. Tell the audience what happened." The camera pans to a bull sinner with brown fur and large bull horns as well as huge muscles.

"Well... The guy picked up a..." The bull demon began before being interrupted by the spider demon.

"Now that's bad, and how do you feel?"

"I thi..." The bull could not continue with more than 2 words before being again interrupted. This time infuriated he turned to the spider as she talked and glared at her.

"Oof that must have been bad. Now.."

*Bang*

A sniper bullet from Clef's sniper pierced the spider's skull splattering brains onto the bull sinner, cameraman and the pavement.

The camera pans back to the bull sinner as he bits down on a orange candy before the entire screen is filled with a bright orange glow as the sinner's flesh turns a bright sun like orange which blinds those nearby. Afterwards, the camera falls as the cameraman drops it as he falls to the ground clutching his hands over his eyes.

"Yeah this might be our time to go."

"Ok this had better be good. I have a factory to overthrow and not much time now, so make it quick." Bright said as he followed a sinner down the halls of site minus 1. 

Many of the sinners had been put to work replacing tiles on the floors and walls, moving supplies into storage, carrying personal items from the first base in the alley to the site. The alley was all but abandoned with a thin garrisonvto wipe out any attempt, by a small gang, to remove it.

Despite the noise the sinner explained the reason for Bright's interruption. During the replacing of some tiles on a wall deep within the site a hole had been found behind the wall. It all bore posters and such along the walls with a sign pointing to a large staircase filled with rubble which said, "underground to surface trains/new supply depot."

Soon a supervisor has been called and with his best judgement the rubble was slowly removed by the largest and strongest sinners. It took hours and by the time Bright was called in a man sized hole within the rubble had been created. The steps down to the hole were cracked and crumbling with small pieces missing. The hole was just large enough for Bright squeeze himself through the gap.

The staircase opened out to a large train platform with 3 train tracks as well as ticket offices, waiting rooms and storage depots with an elevator on the side which connected with the elevator in the current storage room. On the far side of the open space an office lay with door open and many a control panel within. The passageways in which a train would travel through to arrive at such a platform had yet to have been carved out of the red rock of hell's soil.

26 skeletons were strewn about the floor each in differing positions portraying their deaths. Some were laying peacefully in makeshift beds others had bones spread out on different tables with noticeable teeth and knife marks on the bones. One last skeleton lay on the floor of the office on the far side. A bullet had pierced the skull around the right side of the head with the weapon still clutched in the skeletal hand.

Upon touching the mouse for the computer the monitor flickered to life with a number of audio tapes.

Accessing audio file 'opening report'...

Audio file locked behind a level 3 cognito hazard...

Beginning cognito hazard...

Cognito hazard removed...

Beginning audio file...

"Is this thing on?" A series of clicks of the mouse followed alongside an impressed noise of Dr Keally." All seems in order.. good! This is Dr Keally, overseer of the underground tunnels project of the expansion initiative. At about 16:24 pm hell standard time, 6 hours and 3 minutes ago, supports of the stairs leading down to the tunnels failed resulting in the full collapse of the main tunnel to which the tunnels project is adjacent. This has resulted in the complete cut off of direct communications with any other site personnel.

The tunnel collapse related in the deaths of junior researcher Dean as well as senior engineer Jacobs. As it stands there are 25 of us still alive with 5 withinir injuries. We recovered the bodies of Dean and Jacobs and we hope to be able to send them home to their families once this is over.

Since 19:46 a drilling operation has begun from the personnel from the site. An email just reached me in time eto notify me if it before we lost communications entirely. At the current moment the rations are every meagre and with rationing they will only last 1 day before starvation.

end of log.

Beginning log 'i am so sorry'

" I am so sorry. To those who will likely never hear this I am so sorry. To both Dean's and Jacob's families I am so sorry. Neither will see their brother, husband or child even for one last time at his funeral.

We ate them.

Stripped the flesh from bone and consumed every last calorie. It was likely a painless death, quick too. I just hope I can forgive myself and that their families could forgive me too. It was a necessity. It was them or us and yet the biting hunger still continues. I find myself waking at night swearing I can hear one of their voices only to see the mangled bones that are all that remains of them. 

Some of the others are sick. A feverish sickness which is taking their lives away and it is drawing them ever close to the light. Those who were injured have got infected wounds. They won't last long. I just hope theirs will be quick.

End of audio log

Beginning audio log 'last few'

"Those who were sick died. We killed them. It was better than a slow painful death at the Hans of infection and yet I still feel as though the blood is in my hands. Sure I killed them but it was really a mercy for them. It was better to die quickly and relatively painlessly than to lay in a mattress slowly being if your wounds. They dropped like sacks of potatoes. Bang and then they would thud against the concrete. 343 knows I want a potato right now.

I have a few bullets left. They are for a revolver. Bottom drawer of my desk. One is being kept for me. While the other bullets were allowed into the cylinder the last one remains separate..when my time comes I can only hope 343 looks upon me well.

There are 6 of us left. I can see in their eyes they haven't the fortitude to continue this. If I had a mirror I would likely see the same dulled expression on my own face.

End if log...

Beginnig final life in series. ' the death notes of one Dr.Keally'

" I was born to a middle class family. Blessed with intelligence I did well in my academic achievements and attended Oxford university. It was there he foundifiest scouted me as talent. Convinced of greater things I turned down the first offer. However as the university debts loomed over me a deal was quickly struck.

I have researched hundreds of anomalous items and yet this was not the way I had though I might die. Stuck in a concrete coffin with 20-ish other skeletons. 

I am the last one. The other took their own ways out. I checked on them this 'morning'. 3 had done their business together. The other 2 had done their separate of all the others. None had notified me so it came as a slight shock but knowing I would do the same, I am simply following in their footsteps, I suppose.

You may know he death date if one would wish if anyone finds this. My watch says 13:21 so it is around then when I will out the gun to my head and pull the trigger. 

I will say one thing before I go. I am sorry. I am so deeply sorry for what happened down here. It is the responsibility I must burden alone. I ordered the deaths of the infected. I orders the first cannibalism. It as me that had ordered the construction of less stable supports. And look what it got me. The blood of all these good men and women is on my hands and I could blame high pressure from my higher ups to get this finished but it would be a lie if I said I did not feel guilty for their deaths.

And it is this log that brings forth the end of the life of that unhappy Dr Keally to and end.

Goodbye cruel world.

*bang*

End of log.

"Damn that is one hell of a bummer!" Bright exclaimed as he riffled through the cabinet looking for blueprints which he did not find. It is always easy when someone else did it for you and so the lack of blueprints especially for the train meant he and Clef would have to create some themselves.

"Mox, why are we doing this again?" Millie asked her husband as they nearest site minus 01. The car they used had been stolen and neither were keen to keep it. They wouldn't need it for much longer though. Just till they could reach the site.

"*Sigh* Millie we need to infiltrate their top secret 'site minus 01' and blend in with the other sinners and imps. We then wait for the time to strike and capture the targets and signal in Blitz to come get us." Moxxie explained as he looked out the passenger window at the site.

"Yeah, i got that part but why ain't Blitz tagging along? We don't really need a getaway driver." Millie asked as they slowly got closer.

"Apparently Loona is getting some sort of shot or something. I don't buy it though, he just wants to stay away from the mission cause this one is far more dangerous than normal ones."

"So it's just M&M then? Just us two?"

"Yeah. Just M&M."

By this time the imp's had drove all the way to the checkpoint which prevented people walking in.

"Reason for visiting site minus 01?" The gate guard declared.

"We wanna join you lot. You know join the Bright side. We want in in your 'mobile task force'." Millie stated as she leaned out the car window.

"Well 343 knows we need new recruits. Right move along. Park the car near the garage where the engineers can tear it apart for scrap." The guard half muttered as he walked over to the gate controls and opened them enough to let the car through.

Hopping out of the stolen car the duo of imps wasted no time bounding up the steps to an office I which a recruiter sat. The office was well furnied and sported the white tiles which the site was built out of.

Soon the imp's had signed non soul contracts and had begun work under Bright. Before they could begin guard work or repair works they first needed a small amount of training which they were soon supplied. First their skills were assessed and both passed with flying colours. 

Millie excelled at the close quarters fighting as well as medium range weapon likely throwing axes, knives or just anything else. Moxxie excelled at the longer range part of the test which included sniper rifle usage as well as other guns which Moxxie scored exclusively bullseyes with.

Before the pentagram had set they were kitted out with the uniforms and weapons with some of Millie's being weapons she would often use at I.M.P. The imp's had already succeeded in the first half of the mission and now the second half would require waiting and patience.

The angels of site 01 ripped and tore their way through the waves of serpents hand members with their mtf unit behind them playing catch-up on all the killing the angels were doing. Occasionally they would find a serpents member who had avoided the angels swords or who had taken a less than lethal slash. Often times they would be dispatched quickly and without trouble but a couple times they ran into pockets of resistance. Still it was nothing they couldn't handle.

The secondary mission was to contain the anomalies the angels rushed past as they chased the slaughter which filled the air. On occasion they would still be in their cell, containment locker or testing chamber. However these events were few and far between. More often than not the SCPs would be found somewhere on the person of a dead serpents member.

These catch up missions did slow the mtf down but having to kill the serpents members as well as create tactics to ambush them did slow them enough for the mtf to often have the angels in their sights for a time before they rushed after another kill. Some of the mtf members had taken to calling them more like devils than angels for they way they fought ferociously as well as the horns on their helmets. 

As the angels nearest the stairs to the 3rd level of the site the angels could hear gunfire. Something was different though. The sound of it was difficult to those the serpents carried and sounded much like the guns of the other mtf behind them somewhere.

Sensing the slaughter to be nearing its end they rushed the final defences as the serpents were hit from 2 sides both by guards from site 01 and the angels. The serpents although taken by surprise put up a valiant fight despite the odds. But no matter the resistance they could put up they were soon slaughtered to their last.

Rounding a corner Lute, sword raised above her head,  charge the nearest human tackling them to the floor before swinging down towards the human head. Something was wrong this one did not bear the insignia of the serpents hand or chaos insurgency. He instead wore a grey helmet and plate carrier.

Despite instinct and adrenaline telling her to kill Lute stopped the glowing gold and white sword mm above the man throat. It appeared to be the right decision. 12 guns were soon pointed at her as other humans, dressed like the one she held hostage, became evident as the guns clicked signaling their readiness.

"Who are you?" Lute smeared her distain evident through voice alone. The guards around her took an involuntary step back at the sheer terror she commanded. Silence followed.

"Well? Answer me!" Her voice boomed out forcing another involuntary step back. The man bellow Lute sucked in a deep breath as if to say something and Lute turned to him.

"We are the 2rd guard squadron assigned to this sector of level 3 to terminate the remaining serpents hand members."

"Well, sorry boys but the fun is over. We killed them all back there. None left. Anyways we got the rest of the mtf you called in coming in 3...2...1..." Lute counted down still with guns pointed at her. Sure enough the figure of captain Smith bounding round the corner raising his rifle a bit before realising the guard detachment Infront of him.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"No I think these guards were just about to lower their guns, right?" The figure standing behind them said as he walked towards Lute.

"Hi Lute. How is my Dad?" It was Cain. He had been given jurisdiction over a guards squad so that he may be out to use in the conflict.

Chapter Text

"So, what do we do with them?" A junior researcher asked as he alongside the rest of the research staff assigned to the angels check the vitals of the angels. Very few had actually been injured those who had, had minor cuts and one had gained a concussion. Nothing too major.

In truth noone knew. To take action would require some form of notice from the O-5s and noone wanted to be near them. To not take action would likely also lead to being reprimand although it would not guarantee death by a thousand documents. 

The guild lines for treating unknown people who possess skills and have interested the foundation would normally be recruited but as the junior researcher Charles looked over at the angels they possessed no willingness to join.

One of the angels, Lute, had been taken off and questioned given her command over the squad. Little useful information had been gathered although they would need to complete cross testing with Cain given they seem to know each other.

What was received was of little use. They had been sent by heaven to find and guide souls to heaven. The response had been a chortle from the lead researcher and a " Well you won't find any here." None of the other parts of use.

The only other question of some use was, 'Is God in heaven?' The angels had responded saying he had left heaven 200 years ago having left to admire his creation. Further cross testing was scheduled with both SCPs-343 and -073.

As the tests were completed and the interrogation was over the angels were escorted by the entire science team as well as quite a few guards to their quarters. It was plain but good enough for the angels needs. The beds were standard being comfortable enough to sleep on but not so to encourage laziness. They settled in quickly before laying down personal items and polishing armour and sharpening weapons.

Within the hour dinner had begun and the angels joined to if just to placate the hundreds of foundation personnel. The cafeteria was packed as more and more personnel began to slowly file into the room. 

The angels had sheltered in a small corner with all 7 angels sat at the table alongside Cain. A subtle note of tension had began to fill the air slowly at first but it quickly gathered speed. 

"Soo, how is my dad Lute? Is he still doing the whole extermination thing?" In an attempt to cool the tension Cain finally spoke. He hoped his dad had stopped it but he was stubborn and would not take such a blow to his pride lightly. In the few times Cain and any exorcist had seen each other, they often would exchange information.

All the angels turned to Lute. She grappled with lying to placate Cain and falsely believe his father still lived among the heavens or perhaps rip of the plaster quickly and deal with the consequential actions of Cain within the very public space. 

"I..I...*sigh* I think you should hear it from me within a more private space where those around can not overhear us." Lute said as Cain picked at his plate awaiting Lutes response. His face immediately soured as it went from a smile to a deep frown he did not wear often.

The rest of the meal happened quickly as the angels did not eat anything and Cain only picked at his food, a pasta dish with a sauce if some description, before standing up and walking away to his private quarters. Lute tailed him as Cain walked through checkpoints who also allowed Lute through with a good word from Cain.

Finally at Cain's quarters he slid the pass into the slot next to the door heard the familiar click and beep as the door opened. He walked inside holding ajar so Lute may follow. As she closed the door behind them Lute faced the fact she would be the one to tell Cain his father had fallen.

"*sigh*I'm sorry Cain but your father, Adam, the archangel, has fallen. During an attack on hell he was slain by Lucifer after Adam broke one of the rules of the extermination. Killing a hellborn. He still remains, just in hell, a prisoner of Lucifer." Lute's tone was heavy and full of emotion as she herself tried to hold back tears. Yet the dam broke and soon both began to silently cry at the lose of Adam.

Cain sat down heavily into a chair his breathing deep and unsteady as he digested the information put forth before him. Adam fallen? Surely it was some cruel jest? But the fact Lute stood facing Cain, whilst tears rolled down her face told Cain all he needed to know. 

"I think it best you were told before Heaven could try to sugar coat it. If they even got round to talking with you." Lute said as she left Cain sitting solemnly by the wilted plant unable to face the fact Adam had fallen.

The guards had finally returned to their old stations monitoring the camera feeds. From what could be seen little damage had remained from the serpents attack. Lesser amounts of flesh clung to the site but still the amount which did was easily the populace of a small city if they were turned into a meaty purée.

Monitoring the cameras had proved a boring job as nothing happened except the occasional tumbleweed which breezed past as nearby flesh closed swiped at the moving object.

A small dot far in the distance caught the attention of senior guardsmen Lee as he watched the monitors diligently. His office had been stationed right on the edge of the site near the main gate leading into the site. It was comfortable enough for the job of sitting on one's ass and doing just about nothing. Today was something different, however.

The small dot was moving faster than any flesh construct Lee had ever seen. As it moved closer more parts of it's appearance became discernable. It was a small black object no bigger than a living room rug. Upon which a certain plague doctor stood as unknown smaller shapes scurried around the back object. The object possessed a mighty ability to weave and dodge, both obstacles of stone and sand as well as the unpredictable moves of the flesh both, in part to do with it's speed and it's size.

Once it was 2 km away the rat of it was discernable with a large zoom from the camera. The black object was in fact 9 black Roomba brand cleaning robots having been duct taped together. The small things upon the Roombas were rats each wearing reflective special equipment. The plague doctor had seemed strange at first but he too was wearing a cloak of similar construction.

"What the fuck?" The guard behind Lee murmured as he saw the thing on the screen. It was not many made, that much was obvious at a glance. The sheer stupidity one would have to possess to create such a 'vehicle' is unrivalled by most simpletons. The way it functioned was also strange. The Roombas were nothing new and were standard cleaning robots so going the speed it did with the agility was surprising for the guards.

After a minutes worth of decision the guards decided the vehicle and presumed driver could be let in however upon being let into the site a mtf team would have to meet them and escort them. 

They watched eagerly at the new most interesting thing- it had previously been a mysterious stain upon one of the desks- as it barreled towards them. Once at no more than 100m away the great gate which led into a large hanger began to creak open just large enough for the Roombas. The rats began scurrying extra hard as they each pulled various levers, wires and buttons as the craft zoomed ever closer to the gates.

They swished through the gates as they immediately began to close stopping the incoming wave of flesh from entering site-01. The flesh collided with the gate with a large bang as they tried and failed to breach the gate's multiple foot thick steel.

"I must admit I am a little surprised by the... effectiveness of your craft. But I am, most of all quite grateful." SCP-049 said to 6369. The other rats had already departed back into the shadows where they disappeared. Iroh looked up at the plague doctor with great a look that said ' you are kinda welcome.'

The elevator came down and with a ding, multiple heavily armed mtf members, some carrying flame throwers, tactically walked out of the elevator with guns raised as they both looked at the anomalies and the dark spots within the hanger as they checked for the flesh creatures.

"Ah. A welcome committee!" 049 exclaimed as Iroh climbed his protective suit before standing upon the plague doctor's shoulder to survey the mtf.

"You know the drill 049! You can come with us quietly and we can afford you the best cell and accompanying items we can offer or we can do this the hard way and taser your ass into the next dimension! Your choice." The mtf member said as he kept his gun pointed at the plague doctor.

"The best cell you can offer?" SCP-049 echoed as he thought the deal over. "I don't believe I will be in need of a cell. You can lower your weapons, we have a common enemy to which I regrettably focus my attention on rather than the pestilence.

I request a normal living quarters to which I can enter and exit freely. I want free access to all places the most junior of researchers would get. In return I can and will confer with the men which would likely benefit from my research. I would also participate with any and all experiments the foundation wishes to complete. Is this a fair deal?" The plague doctor finished the list of demands he had prepared along the journey. While unlikely to accept the foundation would gain significant strides in research upon the flesh.

The mtf radio-ed the situation back to a more senior position within the foundation who pondered the proposal carefully. Whilst he had shown hostility in the past 049 had also shown great cooperation with the other scientists within the facility. However if he could be trusted was another issue.

"You are temporarily granted these demands while the situation is presented to the council. You will likely have a couple days before a decision is made. We will show you to your room. But first what's happening with your little friend up there?" The mtf asked in a sinister tone as to the decision on the rat on the plague doctor's shoulder.

"He is another SCP, a safe class one I believe and I do so hate to prevent your little slaughter but I will have to stop you from further harm to my colleague."

"Aww. I can never do something fun!... I will show you to your room." The guard said as the doctor walked into the elevator after the mtf.

Outside the weapons processing and storage plant #14, which was protected under Carmine industries, Bright's forces gathered. The building was like any other however if threatened thick angelic steel plates could descend and protect the walls with a thick layer of the white-ish metal. The windows that were dotted along the building were at least 20 feet off the ground with another large window running along the flat roof. There were several turrets which could be activated in situations of a mass riot or intruders.

Disabling the defences would be Bright's top priority.

Having selected a out 60 of the best soldiers within his ranks to join himself, Clef and a team of rat sinners with a large tank of gas, Bright stood ready. The plan was simple.

Bright and Clef would break into the main security office inside of the building. Then by taking out the guards within said room without raising alarm would allow the next phase. The looting. All soldiers would rush in kill and person in sight and take anything not nailed down. Then the final stage. The rats would drag the tanker to the ventilation system and send the gas along the ventilation which every single Carmine building shared. 

By making the entire plant uninhabitable and by at the very least fucking with the ventilation of the others plants would show they meant business.

Standing by the high brick wall which separated the plants property and the rest of the city, Bright shouldered a grappling device. It was a simple launcher which would fire a large hook attacked to a loooong rope, once the hook had attached itself to anything up there the rope could be used as a zip line wire and also something to climb. It was Bright's invention or that is at least what he said.

Timing the shot with the base of a nearby club playing music at levels which would make a humans ears bleed, Bright watched the book saw into the air before arching back down onto the roof. Pulling the rope till it was taut Bright climbed up the rope to the skylight. 

Hauling himself up Bright scrambled to the skylight and looked down at the offices of the top floor below. On the other side was the security office. A large room with about 5 sinners wearing Carmine industries brand clothing all at monitors looking for suspicious activity. The room held the key to their success so the taking of it would require stealth.

Using a very expensive glass cutter Bright wished he didn't have to lug around Bright cut a hole small enough for him to fit through in the skylight above an office cubicle a few rows down from the security room. He carefully removed the glass and slipped inside without a sound. 

Landing strangely gracefully given the Dr's often enjoyment of loud shows of wackiness, Bright looked around the office. Despite having a suppressed rifle it would still raise alarm among the floor staff. Still if he could override the system from one of the offices computers, then to set off the alarm would require pressing a button on the keyboards manually. Now if a certain somebody with a large amulet on his neck removed these keys then the alarm couldn't be raised.

Bright raises the rifle and shit wildly into the thin paper walls of the office cubicle. He struck them all dead as well as a majority of the computers and monitors. Turning the corner he rushed to a computer which had not been broken too much and hacked into the system. Having memorised the necessary commands he inputted them quickly and then removed all the report keys on the keyboards. It was a special button which was red and read alarm and was used to quickly raise the alarm. 

Scrambling back up to the hole in the skylight Bright quickly slipped back through it and stood on the rooftop. He took out a small red flare gun and pointed it into the sky and fired. The line flare shit upwards before busting into a black SCP symbol. The minions were summoned to the slaughter and their master had great ambitions.

Immediately the 60 sinners sprang up from their places and stormed the bottom floor. They were hidden in small groups around the perimeter to prevent suspicion. Several had sat between bins and back alleys, many had huddled in groups smoking and many more had taken to any establishment which had a window and some sort of liquor to drink.

The rats began to move as well. All 5 of them had donned gas mask tailored to their heads and began corralling a large beast; with the head similar to a rat and fur over a majority of its body it could be mistaken for a very buff rat at a long distance. Yet it was twice as tall and 10 times as strong as a standard rat sinner.

The container it held was a dull copper with some small dots of rust, oxidisation and scratches. Within was hundreds of thousands of particles of the very green gas which could kill anyone with a single breath.

Clef, having stayed back to let Bright do his thing, kicked down a side door and eviscerated a floor manager, leaving a mess of blood and bone as well as the buckshot. He continued to shoot multiple sinners with his shotgun. Having chased a sinner to a catwalk at the height of the storage and manufacturing portion of the plant, Clef looked down and marvelled in the chaos unfolding.

Several small groups of 'mtf' members stormed the building smashing glass and busting down doors. Any Carmine partner was murdered within record time and left to die as the sinners began looting for both personal stuff and also weapons to sell.

Clef focused in a particular group. They were fighting 6 Carmine personnel who had wrenched open a crate of unloaded guns and had begun mêlée combat. The mtf fought with bayonet and used their stocks as makeshift clubs. One Carmine person held up a gun to take the blow of a stock only to be stabbed in the stomach by a bayonet from a guy behind him.

The rats had advanced as well. While the sinners began looting and filling the newly arrived vans with weapons, ammo and other Carmine equipment the rat sinners had moved the canister to the air ventilation unit within the middle of the floor plan. They removed all if any filtration abilities it had and quickly hooked up the gas canister to the ventilation shaft. Now they would wait till all trucks were full.

Hundreds of tons of stuff was loaded into the trucks and soon 9 had been filled and sent back to site minus 01. The supplies would be useful for upcoming battles. The sinners carried anything they could even the copper wiring if they thought it more valuable than the remaining stock on the shelves.

Anything angelic had been cleared out. All that remained was the borderline useless normal weapons. The sinner then began to pile the wooden shelves in the centre as they each began leaving in their respective trucks. Before leaving Bright, Clef and the rats.

Soon a valve had been turned and the gas began entering the system.

"How long till the gas is out?* Clef half shouted over the noise of the pump pushing out the gas from the container. 

"About 5--6 minutes. Great-mighty leader-chief!" The rat in charge shouted back as he watched a gauge intently.

"Shit! We ain't got time like that!" Clef said eyeing a vent which led to the same system. An ideas forming in his head Clef readied himself and kicked hard at the canister.

*CLANG*

Clef's shin collided with the canister and although it did move a couple inches towards the hole it did not move as Clef had thought.

"Aaahhh! FUCK! SHIT, ok that fucking hurt.* Clef half shouted half muttered as he pushed the canister the rest tof the way before letting it plumber down the vent before splitting open and spilling along the vent system.

"Salve legatus." The Latin felt wrong and strange to use for Carmilla however if it was how her subject wished to be welcomed to a discussion then she didn't mind much. 

"Bene facis! It is so hard to find someone able to speak Latin I have almost lost my competence in the language. But I'm sure English is much more pleasing to you." It was.

Carmilla turned from a large window behind her desk where she would look down upon the rest of hell and turned to face the legate.

He wore armour just as his name suggested. The helmet upon his head glistened a dull gold light into nearby objects. His face was framed by the cheek flaps which protected him. A large gold breastplate covered a mail shirt underneath. His greaves were also gold. It was quite the image and yet he held such a low position within the hell hierarchy.

He once stood tall. That was just over 1500 years ago. His legions had held an entire circle of the pride ring and they had held it for quite the while. It had been amazing under their control with many statues to the imperator as he was known then.

Then disaster struck. A rumour spread that he was dead, killed by a angelic weapon. Every person with any semblance of power grasped at straws to at least gain favour with any possible emperor and those who were bold rose up and clashed against eachother for the chance at being emperor.

Once the rumours had been expelled, the hopeful emperors became bitter and spiteful. They kept their claims and defied their leader. He could do nothing. He held one part of the city. His palace. The rest were a confusing mishmash of differing claims to the throne. 

Plots began to form. Hundreds of deals and many backstabs were made and completed with equal numbers failing. One arose above the others. Kill the imperator. It began slow but within years most claimers banded under one banner at once and marched on the palace.

The only people who stayed loyal to the emperor were those already within his inner circle or those who held territory near the palace. It did not matter who you supported, just that it wasn't the 'true imperator'. That night they stormed the palace killing any loyalist and charging for the imperator.

He escaped but his empire fell. He used every last drop of influence he still had to raise one last legion and so he became the legate. Jumping from leader to leader he served as a henchman under anyone who needed one. That was until he met Carmilla, he gained territory to manage and control, it was still under Carmine's protection but he controlled it.

"I have a job for you. As I'm sure you know a small upstart has raised forces and booted out the fire eaters. They have conducted numerous raids on my industry and stock. They are highly trained and well equipped. Their leader is a human man, his amulet prevents his soul entering hell and ensures it remains in his body. It is tricky. I want your legion to march upon them and destroy them. I sure you are more than able. Right?" Carmilla said plainly as if it were a meer game. 

"Just a small upstart? Please, do you take me for a child? My legion has slaughtered hundreds regardless of the technology they possessed. We are some of the best fighters you can call on..."

"Precisely, the best. Trust me, I have tried. I even hired assassins to do so but it seems they will continue to understand perform so you are being moved in. You take whatever stance you think necessary but do one thing. Either destroy them or move them or your severed head will be delivered to me." The words bit like steel and the legate flinched as she spoke. He was not a sinner who would bow down to many but the very words of Carmilla almost struck his soul.

Walking out of the office Carmilla's words echoed his head. Her last remark was similar to that of a Spartan proverb some tribune had told him before he went into battle whilst he was still human. 

Either return with your shield or upon.

Walking from the office into the day light the legate surrounded by his personal guard made his way to the armoured car he had arrived in. Sometimes he rode in with a chariot with multiple stallions with flaming manes and dark as ash skin yet despite its grand appearance it lacked a certain protection an armoured car had.

Returning to his camp in the small section of territory he 'owned' the legion prepared for battle. Sounds of preparation echoes throughout the night as they each battered steel and loaded ammo. Blades were sharpened, shields reinforced, guns tested and the cars were checked to ensure the attack did not fail to a weapon failing or an engine breaking.

The legion were ready to fight.

Millie and Moxxie's mission was going well. The infiltration had been perfect. They were in. The pair had achieved level 2 access which secured access to alot of information. At any chance they got they would steal information and feed it back to Blitz who in turn gave it to Carmilla in the attempt to prevent her from cancelling the contract. 

It didn't matter the clearance level, relevance or usefulness it was sent straight back to Blitz. Blitz unlike M&M was doing less than good. Whilst trying to balance the client and keeping the company open Blitz had been able to do very little other than work for once in his life. 

With the files from M&M being immediately sent to the client Blitz soon set up a script capable of doing it for him and soon he relaxed. With less work he had finally been able to take Stolas up on his offer to take him to the living world. 'It wouldn't be anything fancy, just catching up on an old friend,' Stolas had said and now Blitz could come with him.

At Stolas' manor Blitz readies himself to enter the living world as Stolas used magic to track the friend's location. Stolas and him met in the 16th century with them both having become good friends they had stayed in touch and yet recently Stolas had seen very little of him and so a small surprise visit was in order.

As Stolas found the location Blitz finally found a position to be in which didn't cause the nice clothes Stolas had given him to pinch, bite or scratch him.

Soon the shimmering portal was made and both Stolas and Blitz stepped through.

"So, SCP-049 what is your connection with SCP-6369, specifically the entity known as Iroh?" The questions continued as 049 sat at a table with the doctor and a security team on the other side.

"It was convenient. I found him in a... dangerous part of the site I was situated in. He proved useful to me as a lab partner to continue experimenting on the flesh which regrettably didn't yield the results expected."

"Interesting. Out of interest what experiments  did you... perform?" The last word was interrupted by a brief confusion based silence as a shimmering, glittering portal opened on the wall behind 049. From it a large owl like humanoid stepped from it being at least 10 feet tall. It was followed by a smaller 5 feet tall red imp with large horns protruding from its head.

"Ah. Sorry is this a bad time? It is isn't it. Well it is no worry, we can always come by later. Sorry to interrupt your interview." Stolas said as he walked back through the portal before anyone could do anything with it closing behind Blitz.

"Ok. What the fuck was that!"

Chapter Text

Bright's room was about as luxurious as one of such size could get. The room was once the administrator's room. Now it served as Bright's.

The bed was large and made of a fine mahogany. A set of desk were in the corner with several computers and various other tech items he had discarded there. The other corner of the room had a larger table with various projects, weapons and just items Bright had been tinkering with. The last corner had the door to leave as well as an other door to his bathroom.

The door slid open with a dull hum as the motors pulled the halves of the door flush with the doorframe. A single sinner dressed in the uniform of an mtf member walked in with the door closing behind him.

A messenger had arrived. An envoy of the legate had travelled before the legion asking the leader of site minus 01 to come before him to discuss terms. The legate was bold. He wanted terms of surrender. A small document which meant his little group would disband and never reform or they would face exterminating.

Bright muttered something incoherent in his sleep, some half baked mumbling which was hardly louder than a whisper.

"*Ahem* sir! A message has been received from the legate. He asks for the two of you to meet in half an hour. I suggest you get out of bed and put some clothes on before meeting him, sir." The sinner shouted as he tried to ignore what Bright had said in his sleep.

Dr Bright's eyes shot open at the sound of the sinners voice.

"How much of that did you hear?!" He half yelled at the sinner.

"How much of what, sir?" The sinner responded hoping to avoid the groggy dr's wrath.

"*Sigh* never mind, you are dismissed."

Within 15 minutes Bright had dresses in his lab coat with a suit underneath, 'if your gonna shoot for overlord you may as well dress the part' Bright had thought. 

Bright walked out of the elevator to Clef shouting at a small band of sinners. They had failed to complete their mandatory night watch quota for the month. In some place the offending sinner may receive a demotion, beating or just death for such an offence. The Legate would give the offender the brazen bull treatment.

"... You sorry sacks of shit should be glad! We'll be facing the Legate soon and if not, I will kick my foot so far up your asses you'll taste my sole till next Tuesday! Now, report for building duty and get used to it cause you'll be doing it all day and night! Dismissed!" Clef finished the chewing out and watched the sinners quickly scurry to the elevator, none of them daring to make eye contact with Clef.

"Ahh. Finally out of bed eh." Clef said as Bright approached.

"Yeah. So anyways, we'll be meeting the Legate soon so get whoever is on guard duty to give a good show. Perhaps show off some of the gas we got. That'll put some real fear into their hearts." Bright dreamed as the pair walked to the railing separating the ground and 1st floor of the above ground peice of site minus 01.

At the bottom of a set of stairs a large armoured limo sat waiting with an escort of 20 tanks as well as 2 smaller artillery trucks and 1,000 sinners ready to show off. Bright was marginally impressed. The column was epic in scale and to just get to the legate would be a difficulty especially given the narrow roads.

Once near the destination the column was to form into a square with the limo and artillery at the centre with the tanks surrounding the 3 cars and the sinners surrounding the tanks. They would only be able to go as fast as the soldiers could march while still looking good but for the price of beauty speed was of little importance.

As he got into the limo Bright realized he would have to conduct proper negotiations or display strength. Only the latter suites him. Sitting and talking for 7 hours would do nothing but waste his time. So he would have a little fun while showing off. 

The column slowly approached the meeting place. It was an outcrop of rock from the roughly flat ground. It was at this outcrop, 50m at it's highest point, that the Legate waited. From the ranks of Bright's sinner you could see the golden armour glittering in the light.

He had chosen the meeting place well. The outcrop both concealed his forces whilst also giving the ability to see over vast swathes of land to prevent an ambush or anything sneaky. The legate could also project power from the rocky terrain as he stood out among the grey backdrop.

Soon the column had formed into the square and progress continued at an even slower rate. Still they had another hour to go and Bright and Clef were bored. Their phones were out of charge, the drone had been shot by someone 12 miles back,  any snacks were gone already and the limo felt more like a prison than the pinnacle of luxury.

The square finally stopped whilst being 100m from the Legate's lines. Hundreds upon hundreds of rows of legionaries. Their bronze and steel helmets shone much less than the legate. Soon the Legate appeared within the ranks of legionaries.

Multiple legionaries turned to allow a beautiful chariot which carried the legate to pass alongside his own personal bodyguard. Seeing this Clef and a d class moved through their own lines where their own sinners had turned. Both parties advanced forwards finally meeting in the middle between the two forces.

The Legate chuckled. 

"So this is the mighty leaders of the bright force? Which means you must be Clef? Interesting. A human no less. I was not told there were two, but it is no worry. So then where is the Bright fellow?"

*BOOM*

The sound of one of the artillery guns firing filled the air as Dr Bright made his arrival. Immediately the legate was forced to the ground as the bodyguard sprang into action covering the Legate with just under 100 shields.

Bright soon reached the peak of his arch and soon he homed in on his target. His body impacted straight into the shield wall splattering gore, blood and guts over the shields and Clef.

"He has arrived." Clef said as he picked up the amulet which had thudded against the shields and places it on the d class's neck.

"Wooooohooo! Fuck, I feel so alive!" Bright shouted in a sudden outburst, despite the fact he had been dead 10s ago.

"Hmm so you are the Dr Bright I have been told of? Strange. I had thought him to be of a far greater intellectual capability than he does currently display." The Legate had turned to Clef half convinced he was the real leader of the bright force but then Bright was in the name.

"Yeah, he can be... something alright. Still he is the one in charge so it is best the negotiations happen between you two. Cause who ever cares about the 2nd in command?" Clef asked as he walked over to a bench to sit on.

"Well then, I have an audience to get to and I do insist that you join me. I need witnesses to your defeat after all." The Legate chuckled to him self as he turned and walked away leaving Clef and Bright to follow along behind him.

The tent that the duo found themselves in was less than ideal. It was dimly lit and far too hot for anyone's liking. On the far side just over 100 officers from centurion to tribune all seated ready to hear a possible peace treaty or more likely, hear the battle plan once the treaty had fallen through.

On the near side of the tent a table sat with a treaty of some sort at the top of the mess of papers with a map of the surrounding area underneath the treaty. When the treaty fails to make Bright leave they would begin planning for war immediately.

The duo scanned the document once close enough. It was appalling. A couple demands within the contract:

2,000 souls or the equivalent in any other form of currency.

The departure of any bright force sinners.

The abandonment of any territory the bright force has.

The kissing of the Legate's shoes by Bright.

The return of any weapons or ammunition which was 'liberated' from Carmine industries.

The document had been created by Carmilla with both her signature and the legate's at the bottom of the page. It was one big plan. Carmine would show how powerful she was to the other overlords and she would also remove a small thorn in her side. It was a plan, but it relied on one thing. The Legate being more powerful than Bright.

"Interesting, hmm yes now this is a nice document. Would be a shame if someone were to eat it!" Bright said before taking out a set of silverware from his lab coat pocket and cutting a peice of the document from the rest before stabbing the peice with the fork and eating it. The treaty was made from card and required much effort to chew.

The legate leaned over to one of his tribunes." Am I seeing this? Is he..." The Legate was at a loss for words.

"Uhh yes, Legate, he is indeed eating the document." The tribune whispered back as he sat in shock of the sheer dumb ass-ery taking place before them.

"Ah ha, now what are you going to do?" Bright said as he whipped round and faced the Legate.

"I.. uh hmm. You said there was a weapons demonstration, right? May as well see what you can do before we level your pathetic resistance." The Legate turned to Clef, and whispered." How the fuck do you live with that?"

"With extreme annoyance."

"We got plenty of weapons to show off and quite the few prisoners to test them on. We found them after taking the site. They were going to try to extort us, it was pretty funny to see their faces as hundreds of a angelic rifles pointed at them. We kept them around mostly for hard labour but this works just as well." Bright explained to the waiting Legate as they watched 15 aquatic looking sinners be herded out of a modified transport truck.

One of the sinners had broken free somehow and with some of the chains still around his ankles and wrists he sprinted away. Quickly a hail of bullets came in response. The dark blue hair was soon stained with blood as multiple head shots destroyed the sinner's gills and left a bloody puddle where he stood. The rest of the sinners, still in chains, seemed to straighten their backs and shuffle a bit faster.

Multiple of the artillery pieces were detached from their trucks as well as a small crate of globes filled with the noxious green gas. As the guns were readied multiple chairs were brought out by some sinner for Bright, Clef and the Legate to watch in. A majority of the centurions and tribunes pulled their benches from the command tent to watch the spectacle.

As the final artillery piece was put into place the gallery began. A battery of artillery suddenly began firing. The accuracy was almost perfect however the range was only 200m.

An acute whistling began to grow louder and louder. As it comes into a view a large shell had been fired from the largest peice they had with it perfectly hitting the target down to the last mm. The legate chuckled at the display.

"...haha, ah it has been far too long since I saw the games in the next circle over. I should go there after crushing you. If we were not enemies I would take you Bright, it is very good." The Legate half muttered whilst the artillery began reloading.

After a second salvo of destruction several units of sinners holding angelic weapons began to escort the prisoners. The angelic weapons were to show the power and so too were the excess sinners, even an unarmed man could herd them. 

Once the sinners were just over 150m away the artillery team put on gas masks and walked over to the gas globes. Carefully one was picked up and walked over to the barrel before it was cautiously loaded. Finally the gun was fired.

The noxious globe spares through the air and slammed hard into the ground just before the prisoners with the globe shattering instantly. The green gas spewed out from the globe costing the prisoners in the thick green gas which only allowed their outlines to be seen.

Immediately each one if them fell to the floor clutching at their throat and chest. Horrid boils and scarring began forming along their throats and inside their lungs. Soon they began coughing blood as their lungs liquified at an astonishing rate. As the gas cleared, about 30s later all that was left were several dead bodies in pools of blood.

"Hmm. I swear you humans had a convention about this sort of thing. But I don't mind but since you shown off some of your weapons I might as well show you mine." The Legate said as he stood and ordered his tribunes to rouse the first century.

As the sound of trumpets filled the air the duo could only watch as 100 legionaries marched from the camp to the 'testing range'. Each was equipped with what seemed to be a standard wooden legionary shield. The brass helmets had multiple holes cut into them for the sinner's horns to fit. Multiple sinner had large antlers or smaller more imp like horns sticking out of their helmets.

The strange thing though, was that the helmets were welded on. As they matched to battle they were welded on and could only removed once the legionary presented an enemy weapon. It was started after cowardice spread through his ranks 1000 years ago.

The shields were a heavy combination of Kevlar, paint and reinforced plastic. Although heavy they could take fire from a rifle and protect a majority of the wielder. Alongside the shields they carried high caliber pistols, smaller short swords and grenades.

A certain sinners would often carry a large standard, a wooden pole with multiple skulls, a flag and a sharp spear attached, alongside a machine gun marking them as targets. Despite the added risks the sinner jumped at the opportunity to gain the honour of carrying the standard.

"Hmm kinda cool. I'll admit that now but it will be sweet to watch your precious legionaries be eviscerated by our guns." Clef mocked the Legate as the legionaries finished their stint of display.

"Haha you may think whatever lets you sleep at night but when my standard is raised above your crumbling territory I will watch as your world you built crumbles 'round you. You will panic and collapse just as your site will. Your fake tough guy persona may even fall but I doubt it." The Legate responded with a cold gase.

Walking back into the tent Clef picked up the half eaten treaty and walked back to a brazier near to the Legate and tested the treaty into the flames. The Legate watched as the flames took hold and the treaty burned, curling up to reveal one word that was clear to the Legate. Destruction. Taking it as a sign from Mars himself the Legate turned to Clef.

Clef reached up and grabbed the Legate by the shoulder guards, dragging him down to be at the same level as Clef. Which from 8 feet to 5 feet forced the Legate almost to his knees. 

"I want you to know that if I was not mortal, which I am painfully aware of, then I would kill you now and shred your soul till it was bit dust in the wind! I would torture you in ways you cannot even imagine! I would flay the demonic skin from your bones and turn it into a rug for my office! I would toss your skinless bleeding body to the cannibals as a small gift to them!" Clef declared as the officers around them put hands to their swords whilst watching the dwarf shout.

"Ooookk. That is alot of ...stuff so we will just be leaving. Right, Clef?" Bright said slowly dragging the ugly dwarf from the Legate.

The pair slowly moved away into their car and with the entire formation moved back to site minus 01. Multiple drones and scouts on motorcycles followed the formation whilst others moved further on to scout the defences of site minus 01 to provide further information for planing.

The walls were well over 10 metres high with defences on the top to allow the defender to shoot down whilst being almost impossible to shoot at. The walls were sheer and completely smooth to prevent any person climbing the walls. 

Multiple layers of steel gates sectioned the upper piece of the site. If one was to be breached it would require good explosives or alot of effort to breach the next sector. The gates required constant surveillance but it was a small price for safety.

Multiple towers would normally serve as air traffic control for planes or helicopters arriving at the site as well as further providing secrecy. However they now served as machine gun nests with hundreds of heavy machine guns as well as grenade launchers.

A large peice of flat ground on the top layer of the walls held multiple large prices of artillery. The largest peice dominated the others and could shoot far further than was useful however it did look and sound cool.

All in all, the site was a fortress of guns and explosives but against the 20,000 sinner onslaught could they hold firm with an army a tenth of their opponent's.

"So to sum it all up. We repelled the serpents hand forces with the help from literal angels, which we now have in a containment chamber with really relaxed measures to save them being suspicious of us. Both SCPS 049 and 6369 have returned with junior researcher.... Working on the reason for their return and friendship. We have no senior members to do such tasks. Finally we also have both of the researchers Clef and Bright terrorising some unknown place." O-5-3 said as various visuals of the angels, serpents hand and the doctor and his lab partner flashed across the screen.

The O-5 had gathered again to take a more hands on approach to controlling the site and the extent to which friendly relations could be achieved. The oval table had 12 of the O-5s around it with a large screen to one side which was used for information presentation as keeping O-5-3 within discussions.

"No amount of tracking installed in either of their lanyards, keycards or coats shows up on any radar. If they are in this solar system then they have some sort of protection against tracking." One of the O-5s said. Since the beginning of 001 they had tried finding the Dr's and each time had no success.

"We have hundreds of purchases on the company card which we have attributed to them. We have yet to terminate the card due to the possibility of tracking but now the search is called off I question if we should terminate it." Another O-5 spoke allowed on the Bright matter.

"Eh, what's the harm in it? It's not like we have a use for money anyways. With the world gone to shit capitalism kinda took a backseat mostly 'cause a flesh monster can't operate a McDonalds drive through." Another reasoned whilst simultaneously joking.

"So we're just gonna' let them roam whatever dimension they are in with practically unlimited resources?" 

"Yep, pretty much. Hey, they may return having conquered a planet for the foundation." O-5-6 joked.

"Ok, moving on...."

"Hey, them coming back with a planet or even dimension conquered is practically guaranteed! Fuck, they might even come back with a fucking multiverse under their control!" O-5-6 yelled across the table.

At the increased aggression multiple valves opened causing a purple-ish gas to fill the room before dissipating. The calming effect of the gas immediately began as O-5-6 sat back down.

"Ok thank you for... that -6. Onto other matters, SCP-6369 and SCP-049 have begun a friendship of sorts. Camera footage that was retained showed the rat approaching 049 before the two walked back to a safe room. Whilst this is possibly beneficial it could also jeopardize -6369'd life given the unpredictable element of -049." O-5-1 explained.

"Eh let 'em be. Be already have enough resources devoted to strange cases but this one seems fine. The plague doctor clearly thinks it as a lab partner. It has referred to it under said name multiple times during interviews. Anyways we already have him tons of rats and he didn't touch 'em, so why should Iroh be in danger." An O-5 spoke out against the separation.

A silence followed punctuated by murmuring of approval and agreement. Eve looked around the room to see each of the O-5s nodding and looking over the information on the screen. The approval in the room was sufficient for a vote not to be required.

"Good. Finally, the angels. Although this has already been brought to the council's attention it is believed further necessary to bring another matter regarding them to the council's attention. Whilst the angles have been approved for study and supervised free roaming a further item must be proposed.

When interviewing the angles specifically the most information sensitive and leader of the group, Lute. She has informed agents of their mission to take pure souls uncorrupted by the sun to heaven. Her squad was sent to find good souls and was lead here. Do we use more foundation resources in help of them but perhaps risk being overrun or get an alliance with heaven and perhaps reverse the flesh." Eve finally finished as information both new and from her own speech came up on the screen.

"We're pretty spread thin as is. We don't really have the resources to spare to send people, angel or otherwise, galavanting about to find people to save." One member said.

"I mean an alliance with heaven would be absolutely fucking sweet but 2 things. Is it feasible? and also is it a good return on investment? I just need more info to speak on the matter."

"Well there is a test chamber already being outfitted for an interview with both -343, Lute and one of the head researchers on the angels."

Head researcher Jackson pov:

The test chamber had been set up quickly and hastily. It showed. Exposed wires were dotted around the walls, the main light was broken so the secondary weaker lights, which wrapped around the walls, had to be relied upon. He sat nervously waiting for both one of the most powerful angels in existence but also the most powerful being in existence.

He hoped to get something useful; even if it was just a small peice in the massive puzzle then it could still possibly be used. Still the likelihood was low given the differing views people took of -343. The angel and him could see him as completely different and therefore answers would be different.

He looked up as the only door to the room opened and Lute with a 2 guard escort walked into the room. The guards took positions behind the researcher.

In the room there were three chairs each positioned at a table. One was at the head of the table another at the middle and the last at the other end. Jackson took the middle seat to hopefully encourage interaction between the anomalies. Infront of him sat a small tape recorder, microphone as well as another to a PA system which led to -343.

"We are ready for you SCP-343." Jackson said plainly after leaning into the mic and pressing the button.

A few seconds went by without the anomaly's presence. Then a burst of soft white light shone down from the ceiling as a figure slowly floated down. This was SCP-343, God.

He was dressed quite formally with a creme coloured suit, matching shoes and a tie. Immediately Lute dropped to the floor in a full body bow whilst thanking 343 for simply being in his presence. Jackson bowed his head and indicated for 343 to have a seat.

343 turned to Lute. "Please my child, this is simply not necessary. Such praises are not at all needed." He said in a voice not to dissimilar to that of Morgan Freeman.

"Lute is a pleasure for you to come to earth as a simple visit to me. I offer my sincerest condolences for your loss of Adam. I was sad to see the outcome of his actions. But enough about me, what brings you to Earth." His voice was calm although greater amounts of emotion entered his voice as he spoke about Adam.

"My Lord, myself and several of my exterminators have been sent to Earth to find some of the last good souls on Earth and guide them to Heaven. It is a mission to which we have yet to start. We have helped these people against a most cruel and terrible evil in order to determine these people..."

"Yet, you were met with the stuff upper lip and tough exterior to which these people do cling. Whilst many claim they are beyond saving and have been for many moons, there is a greater degree who can be saved than what first meets one's eyes."

"How?" 

"It would not be a mission entrusted to you if it were to be easy." 343 said as he disappeared in a second burst of the light with 343 being gone once every one had recovered from the light.

Lute pov:

A flash of white light heralded the arrival of God himself. He slowly floated down. In many ways he resembled Lucifer just with a much more heavenly look. He similarly wore the whole, almost ringleader attire, just with more imagery of eyes than snakes. Several eyes floated alongside his face each blinking simultaneously with his other eyes.

His right hand held a large golden chalice filled with a deep red liquid and from the faint aroma Lute knew it to be wine. His wings slowly stopped flapping and finally folded up behind his back. He took a sip from his chalice before speaking to Lute.

"So you are Lute. Adam's 2nd in command. Yes, you don't need to tell me of his death, honestly he had it coming. At first he was alright, a little annoying but nothing too bad. But then, he got to be such a whiny pretentious fuck, so much so I took a bit of a break here on Earth." Lute was left mouth agape at his words.

"Why are you so like... that? Oh, yeah that whole being in my presence sort of thing, that happens doesn't it. So what are you doing now? I know I'm all knowing but that is kinda the problem. I don't want to spoil anything for your life Lute. So where you at?" God asked as he took a long sip from his chalice.

"... Umm. We were sent by Sera, to bring any good souls back..." Lute managed to say as small anomalies began making themselves clear. Despite the fact God was stood far away from his chair the scientist almost stared at the empty seat as if it were still occupied.

"Ahh yes ok. How is Sera? I did just kinda walk out without telling anyone. Must have been alot of stuff on her plate. I hope without Adam being able to intervene with the runnings of Heaven it should be quite good."

"She's good. Although she seems a little stressed. Also what is going on with this guy." Lute said as she pointed over to Jackson. 

"Yeah well. My and your brain are able to see me in my full excellence without turning to mush. But humans are umm... special. So I make a full scene. I look alot more different to him than to you as well as you. The scene will be planted into your brain to follow along with any questions these guys throw at you.

Ahh me damn it. Ok I don't have huge amounts of time before the scene I made ends and we all go to hoe the scene ends so I got a couple things to tell you. Your doing good. Follow the patha MD trust these guys, they may seem evil but a thing will appear on Earth soon and your best bet is with these guys." He began to unfurl his wings and slowly fly upwards whilst refilling his chalice with a bottle of wine before disappearing in a flash of light.

Chapter Text

"Mills, I don't think we can do this. I mean, come on, It's THE Legate. He's been here for centuries. He was terrorising people from before my family moved to greed. We just can't stay here with the Legate coming down on us." Moxxie said to Millie as they stood on the site's walls looking out at the distant cooking fires of the Legate's camp.

"And do what, exactly? Come on Mox we got a job to do. What'd Blitz say if we pussied out? Anyways, I'm sure this Legate can't stand up to the best marksman in the whole of imp city." Millie watched the moonlight reflected off of Moxxie's smile as the small compliment immediately improved his mood.

"*sigh* I dunno. Maybe we just bag the second in command, Clef or something and we just get out. Blitz will be on stand by right?" Moxxie thought out loud as slowly a plan formed in his head.

"That's only half the contract though. How are we gonna make up the other half? As far as I'm aware, the contract's for both of 'em, right?"

"Yeah true, but that sum was massive. Just one would set us up for our entire lives. So why not? Let's do it. Just M&M." Moxxie boldly said as the plan finally clicked into place within his brain.

It was simple really. First get into Clef's room after their shift of guard duty. Bring some food with sleeping pills in it incase he got woke up somehow so they could get him out of there cold. With that done they would just have to drag him out and dash out with Blitz. It was not at all fool proof but neither of the imp's cared.

The two imps walked the halls of site minus 01. Their destination, the cafeteria, specifically the kitchen. They passed numerous checkpoints but one flash of their level mtf member keycards opened the doors real quick.

The cafeteria was almost completely empty. A couple people sat in pairs or small groups eating whatever others had spare of or stuff they made themselves. Several sinners had gathered round a coffee machine each wanting their caffeinated fix.

Walking into the kitchen the imp's ran into a new problem. What would Clef actually eat? They needed somewhere to hide a sleeping pill so it couldn't be in bacon or something thin like that. 

"Maybe scrambled eggs right? Who doesn't eat scrambled eggs? Actually maybe not, but pancakes or waffles seem more appropriate. What about a breakfast sandwich, like at Wacdonalds."

"Eh I don't know he seems to me like a dark coffee and a cigarette kinda guy. He isn't even french, I just got the feeling."

"I don't know Clef seems pretty hard to read. Do we even know if he eats breakfast?" Millie asked at regular volume but in the silent 3 am cafeteria it was loud.

"You guys talking 'bout Clef. I made him breakfast once. I hoped to get out of a punishment but he said he would rather waffles than pancakes. I mean can you believe that? Waffles over pancakes. The guy is ridiculous. But anyways a day later I got eaten by 682." A random sinner who was sipping a black coffee said to the imps before leaving the cafeteria for his bunk.

"Well I guys that solves that but also you owe me ten bucks Moxxie."

The two imps were ready and so was the food. The plate was piled with waffles syrup and ice cream. Hundreds of doses of sleeping pills were in there to just make sure Clef stayed asleep for several hours so they could load him into the van.

They scanned their keycards and were met with a low pitched beep as the card failed to scan. Again the imps were met with similar results. Again the beep sounded and soon the plan was in shambles. The whole thing relied on getting into Clef's room and being unable to do so jeopardize the whole operation.

Their only hope was a sinner who would walk down the corridor with a working keycards. That sinner was a larger sinner almost filling up the corridor with his size. He had branches sticking out of his body and an axe in his head. Millie stepped out to greet him.

"Sorry, sir. Our keycards ain't working, could you just use yours to help us a sec." Millie lie said, her wrathian accent evident in her voice. The sinner stared at her for a second caught off guard by the little imp.

"Hehehe. I guess Bright still hasn't fixed the bugs with the keycards has he? He said he had fixed it but he is a fucking liar so I guess it was was my fault for believing something had changed." The sinner muttered as his keycards slid into the slot before the door opened with a click.

The sinner walked off and they were in. Finally something going right. The imp's placed the plate on the small desk in the corner of the room before looking at the bald, short, ugly and fat man and realising one thing. He is gonna be real heavy.

Clef slowly began to stir. His eyes blinked open lazily as he took in the surrounding of his office. The lights were on and two vaguely human figures were in the room with him. Still his brain had yet to engage in any meaningful capacity and so to him everything was normal.

"Ah Clef, sir. We got you breakfast on your orders." Millie quickly lied offering the plate to Clef who took it whilst still in bed. His eyes stayed half open as he surveyed the plate. A large stack of waffles sat on the plate with whipped cream and some sort of syrup covering them. He could see something within the items of food but neither cared nor did anything about them.

Taking the fork from the imp's out stretched hand Clef speared a waffles before biting chunks out of it. His groggy mind was slowly putting things together. He didn't issue orders for breakfast. The strange things in his food were some sort of capsule likely carrying some sort of drug and these imps should not be here.

The statements flashed through Clef's mind as he slowly surveyed the imps and his ability to fight them. The closest had greater muscle mass, an accent and was looking at him with almost excitement. The other was of a smaller thinner build with a nervous face pointed at Clef whilst the eyes wandered to his precious shotgun which sat on a rack bolted into the wall.

The front most was clearly the muscle and the backmost was the gun expert. As the imp closest to Clef turned to the other one word stood out to Clef among the whisper. 'Honey.' They were romantically engaged in some sort, Clef could use that to is advantage.

Using his moment of surprise Clef leapt forward across the small room tackling the front most imp sending them both charging across the room. The imp was slammed into the door frame and still Clef continued his assault pushing them further into the halls of site minus 01. Millie slammed into the wall opposite the door to Clef's room forcing a grimace to spread over Millie's face.

Moxxie watches as the still groggy Clef leaped towards his wife and slammed her into a wall in shock. His gaze was torn from the fight as he tore the shotgun of the wall and readied to shoot it if it meant saving his wife from the thing that was Clef.

Clef hooked an arm around Millie's throat and despite her biting his arm Clef did not relent. The blood slowly trickled down Clef's arm but he paid no mind to it. Millie simultaneously threw her head back and kicked down to send Clef slamming into the wall. Still he refused to relent.

A couple tiles crashed onto the floor into a serrated pile of shards. Millie looked around quickly not seeing anything useful until she looked down. A shard had fallen close enough for her thin tail to grab. Slowly to not raise suspicion Millie moved her tail closer to the shard whilst still struggling against Clef's iron grip.

Moxxie blocked the doorway into Clef's room. It was not Moxxie which had caught both Clef and Millie's attention but the weapon in his hands. It was the shotgun. Clef's shotgun. The one he cherished more than anyone or anything except one person, SCP-166.

Clef saw red. He turned and slammed Millie into the wall hard sending small amounts of dust to cascade down upon him. Letting go Clef turned to Moxxie as Millie slowly slid down the wall.

*BANG*

Dodging only barely Clef turned his head to watch a spray of lead from his shotgun slam into the wall narrowly missing the shooters wife.

Clef shoulder barged Moxxie to the ground before he could even rack the next shell. Moxxie was sent flying for 3 feet before slamming into the bed frame. Moxxie couldn't have a half second to recuperate before Clef pounced forwards grabbing Moxxie by the neck and holding him 1 inch off the ground.

The shotgun still in his hand, Moxxie clawed at Clef's arms and yet the little damage that was done didn't cause Clef to even flinch. Clef continued to punish the imp for daring to touch his shotgun.

Millie leapt forward spying the one opportunity to save her Moxxie. She darted forwards behind Clef and stabbed the shard deep into Clef's side. A gush of crimson spread from the wound and stained the lab coat.

Immediately Clef's grip loosened allowing Moxxie to finally breath. One kick from Millie to the back of Clef's legs forced him to his knees. As Moxxie's feet found the floor he quickly darted around the almost stationary Clef dropping the shotgun as a result.

Rage swept through Clef's mind. These imps broke into his room, disturbed his sleep, touched his shotgun and had the gall to stab him. They would pay!

He shakily stood up and with his right hand exploring the bloody hole in his side. The damage was superficial at worst. The piece of tile was small and had not stabbed far into his side. Steeling his grit, Clef remembered who he was doing all this shit for, and pulled out the shard allowing another gush of blood to flow from his wound.

His other hand reached down and picked up his shotgun, his precious shotgun. His eyes scanned the surface for any visual damage. There was none on the surface but Clef was sure the intruders had damaged it even if it was a couple atoms shaved off, Clef would kill.

Turning round Clef watched the imps whisper about a plan. The one he had almost choked to death was trying to calculate the dose Clef had taken while the other had taken out a combat knife and readied for round 2.

Charging forward Clef grapes the smaller imp before slamming him into the ground. The tiles cracked and cut both Clef's short sausage fingers as well as Moxxie's neck. This thing had touched his gun and would pay with his miserable shitty life.

Clef's body spasmed for a second forcing him to take attention from his target to the other imp. A pain spread across his left side as Clef realized the situation. The other imp had stabbed him in the other side. With both sides bleeding Clef knew he had to wrap things up quickly or face the consequences.

Using his left arm Clef struck Millie right in the face sending her flying back into a wall. With the distraction gone Clef could finally kill the gun touching fucker. He would make it painful and what is more painful than choking to death.

Clef locked both hands around Moxxie's neck and squeezed. The imp was forced to claw at Clef's arms to no avail. Clef would watch the life drain from his eyes but it would be much more satisfying to hear the imp's final pleas before Clef killed him.

Relaxing his grip by the slightest of margins Clef heard the rasping breaths of the imp.

"What are your last words? And as warning sorry won't help!" Clef growled at the imp who squirmed under the pressure but finally after a couple raspy breaths said something.

"Harder." Moxxie whispered in as seductive as a tone as he could muster. Caught off guard Clef's grip relaxed by a slight bit again allowing the imp to take small breaths.

"What the fuck!...."

*SLAM*

His distain was cut off as the handle of Millie's great axe slammed into Clef's head. Clef rolled away from Moxxie, who gladly took in large gasps of air, stopping Infront of the door to his room.

Darkness swamped Clef's vision as he looked into the room, a single bulb illuminating his shotgun. The sleeping pills, lack of sleep had caught up to him with the hit to the head finally bringing Clef to reality. As the darkness from the edges of his vision closed in all Clef could see was his shotgun. 

No! He was Clef not some researcher in a small site. He was Clef! He wasn't going to let himself go down without a fight. Yet the fight in him was gone. 

Clef slowly reached out for his shotgun and yet his beloved shotgun was just too far out of his reach. Summoning his last strength Clef dragged himself the two feet needed to grasp the shotgun which he embraced, hoping to let the vigor mortis make it impossible for them to separate. The shotgun in his arms was the last thing Clef saw before the darkness consumed his vision fully.

Moxxie leapt up into Millie's arms as they hugged eachother happy to have even survived the monster which sat unconscious 2 meters away.  Stealing a glance away from Millie, Moxxie looked at Clef.

"Millie, I think you might have killed him." Moxxie said causing Millie to move over to the limp body of Clef and tap it with her boot.

"Nah, just unconscious." She tapped him again with her boot." Yeah, I think I can still hear breathing. Just don't beat him too much, cause Carmine wants them alive."

"Heh, yeah." Was the only response Moxxie could muster.

Over the course of 30 minutes the pair slowly carried the limp body of Clef to the top most level of the site. With the quick thinking of Millie the guards were able to lap up the excuse of Clef not wanting to have to experience the ride to a bar and so wanted to sleep away the journey.

Quickly they scrambled into a car in the depot, throwing the body of Clef onto the backseat. With another explanation of Clef's sudden sleepiness the imps of IMP had successfully smuggled Clef out of site minus 01.

Grabbing his phone Moxxie called Blitzø.

"Blitz, call the client. We're coming back to the office with one of the targets." Moxxie said barely able to contain his excitement both for his boss's approval and the money from the contract.

"Woohoo! Yeah mother fucker! Oh fuck yeah Mox! Finally something good happening to the company! What you said one of the targets, right?" Blitz practically shouted down the phone at Moxxie.

"Yes Blitz we only got one. The Legate is coming to their base we could only get one of them. The other will be gone at the Legate's hands."Moxxie spoke softly as if it would change his Boss's mood.

"You fucking what?!! No, fuck no! We need both targets to get the full rewards! Of fuck? Why does nothing good happen?!" Blitz shouted back.

The white tiled walls of site 01 seemed harsher than usual. Cain sat in the small reception before the site directors office. It was nice enough. A few chairs a small coffee table and a couple now wilted potted plants. He regretted not warning the receptionist of his coming to perhaps move the plants but he felt the matter he wanted to discuss was of the utmost importance.

It has been a day or so since Lute had broke the news to him. Tears stung Cain's eyes as he thought on his father. Sure he was brash and a bit annoying but who wasn't flawed. Surely what he had done to deserve this was not his actions but anothers. 

The floodgates opened as Cain remembered his father and the incident. He was the first murderer, the incident which gave him his metallic arms and his anomalous abilities and changed his brother. Maybe his actions had been part of the reason for his father's falling.

As he remembered Cain was so lost in thought that he didn't notice the receptionist begin to call him into the site directors office before she saw his tears and stopped.

"The site director will...see...*sigh*" after years of sending in researchers to meet their deaths or watch the change in expression as a hopeful person returns a downtrodden husk the receptionist had become tough to such emotional matters.

Yet watching Cain sit in a chair, tears streaming down his face she felt a kind of pit, a kind she hadn't experienced in years. A sort of compassion. She knew this man. He was helpful to her as she started out. It was a faint memory but it still existed.

She left her computer and sat down next to Cain putting her arm around Cain. It was the only way she could remember to calm a person down.

Cain slowly looked up from his reflections and came back to reality as the receptionist said something.

"Hey, it's alright. If it makes you feel better the director is able to see you now." She said hoping it wouldn't cause a second wave of tears.

Cain's face changed immediately from sad reflection to a determined hope as he thanked the receptionist and walked to the open door which was flanked busy guards.

The office was cozy and almost welcoming, a stark contrast to the white tiles and harsh fluorescent lights. Since he had to spend most of his life in this office the director had made it nicer than most. Looking up from his computer the director looked at Cain.

"Ah, Cain I was worried you wouldn't show up for a second. Unfortunately due to the short notice of this meeting we don't have much time." He looked at his watch." We have about 7, eh 7 and a half minutes so what was it you wanted to talk on."

"*Sigh* I wanted a chance to show an idea I had to you or at least someone who is able to execute it.

With the invasion into the site repelled, I have wanted to turn our attention to the anomalies and people in the other sites. It would be beneficial to secure these anomalies before another group was to capitalise off these opportunities.

Specifically, I have wanted to focus on site 63. It houses many anomalous items and persons which would be great assets to the foundation and quite detrimental in the hands of the flesh." Cain said as convincingly as he could. He purposefully left out the real reason he wanted to go to site 63, that being Able.

"Well you aren't the first to propose such an expedition. And it just so happens that such a proposal has recently passed on the council. Although the sort of Omega-7 aspect of it is still in question I'm sure we could find a place for you on the squad." The site director responded, turning his screen to allow Cain to see the document in question.

"Thank you director." Cain mumbled as he scanned the document. There was nothing out of the unusual. The location to which the force would go was unknown but the mission was clear. Return with as any anomalies and or researchers as possible.

"Say, you have experience with site 63, don't ya?" The director questioned.

"Yes, but it is rudimentary at best. I was there for a month with limited free roam so don't know it well." Cain reasoned.

"Yeah, well you'll have better knowledge of the site than some poor guy from unlondon. Anyways haven't you got a photographic memory, or something?"

"Yes."

"Ok, good. So I can get you on the team to rescue anomalies but of course you need a role in all of it. You need be practically worth your weight in gold for them to take you. So I am putting a request for the first target to be site 63 as well as adding an addendum for you to be selected if site 63 is chosen." The director summed up as he quickly typed out the required documents and checks.

"Thank you director." Cain said as he exited the office noticing a researcher in the reception.

"Where the fuck is Clef!" The shout from Bright startled the sinners stood along the battlements of site minus 01. Most sinners held onto the training the foundation gave them but the few who forgot and the researchers and other such people who joined Bright had been getting training from Clef.

Now as the legion marches towards the site, forming a blurry black movement on the horizon, Clef was missing. Outside his room were several cracked tiles and blood, not alot but some. The only current theory was that Clef had left to go to some bars in preparation for the coming battle and in his stupidity had fell resulting in cracked tiles and possibly a hash of some kind.

Bright looked at his task force. They were a sight to behold. It was an array of two thousand sinners all ready to defend themselves. Each carried a golden angelic steel gun. Sharp shooters got sniper rifles whilst the less able to shoot got pistols and everyone else got a rifle or sub machine gun. Alongside these were the standard non angelic weapons, mostly rifles.

The large artillery gun fired with a large boom as about 100 sinners operated the machine, from firing to loading to aiming. Even at the current distance it could accurately eviscerate any assailant. 

Bright watched the shell fly high up into the sky before it reached the apex and came whistling downwards disappearing over the horizon.

The battlements had stacks of crates holding bombs, ammo, spare guns, rocket launchers and the poisonous gas filled glass balls. Once the legionaries gathered at the base of the wall or at the gates they would drop these globes and watch as the clouds of thick green gas swamp their enemies.

Satisfied with the preparations Bright wanted a more hands on approach for his fighting. There was no point sitting back and commanding when there were enemies to kill.

The depot was alive with hundreds of sinners moving supplies and readying the war machines Brith wanted for a bit of 'skirmishing' with the enemy.

Approaching the 'tank' Bright would be piloting he couldn't help but marvel at his creation.

The entire contraption was covered in moving knives and other peices of metal. The treads were reinforced with several sheets of steel covering them. Machine guns poked from the sides of the turret with a large cannon giving it it's only semblance to a tank. The engine was jacked up as much as possible with the ability to zoom across the battlefield.

The main mission was to destroy some smaller field artillery that the Legate had brought with him. If set up properly they could prove a severe nuisance, able to grind away the walls, decimate sections of sinners or put vital defences such as the heavy gun nest out of action for the battle.

As Bright entered the driving seat he grimaced at Clef not being there, he had been replaced with a different sinner. Why did he have to get drunk now? 

Still the thought left his mind as the display of screens Infront of him lit up and displayed the camera feeds from the many cameras positioned on the outside of the 'tank'. Everything was ready.

The gate slowly opened with a scraping noise as the thick steel doors sluggishly moved open. The 21 tanks including Bright's contraption pealed out of the site in the direction of the Legate's army.

The terrain they passed was largely uninteresting as was common between the circles of the pride ring. Still Bright took every opportunity to test the suspension on his vehicle as he flew over every rock and outcrop.

Soon the blurry thing in the horizon began to take shape as individual cohorts began to take shape before it the blur had formed a large battle line slowly marching closer.

The tanks spread out into a flying V much like geese and pilots do. Bright was at the front heading the charge. The radar beside him emanated a beeping noise as he crested a hill miles before the Legate's army.

Over the noise of the engine in his vehicle Bright was unable to hear the thundering of hooves. As he reached the top he did a double take at 50 chariots drawn by hellish horses with black hair and fiery manes.

The chariots they pulled held two sinners one to drive the horses onwards and the other to fire the 50. cal machine gun mounted to the chariots.

*RATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT*

A burst of machine gun fire spewed forth from the chariots at the tanks. Most suffered minimal damage but Bright's contraption took multiple hits which pierced the armour taking out the machine gunner on the left side. What it lacked in armour it makes up for in speed.

As a volley of cannon fire destroyed 12 of the chariots Bright slammed his foot on the accelerator and sent the 'tank' flying at the chariots. The charioteers realising the fact an 11 ton barbed wire covered monster was barreling towards them scattered.

Bright chased after one in particular, not for any other reason than it being the closest. Despite the speed of the chariot Bright's contraption was faster. The jaw of the vehicle closed in on the chariot and I'm one press of the accelerator the tank zoomed over the chariot crushing it into a peice of gore splattered scrap wood.

Still Bright wanted blood. He zoomed across the skirmish crushing any chariot unlucky enough to encounter his machine. The machine gun on the right side also paid it's due as it eviscerated a gunner.

Soon after 38 Legion casualties and 2 Bright casualties, one gunner in Bright's tank and another gunner in another tank, the chariots were running from the scene of the slaughter. 

Still Bright stayed his blood lust for a second and pressed onwards to the back of the Legate's lines. Their artillery was carried by a large supply train flanked by legionaries on all sides. These ones unlike the main battle lines were less capable and less brave than the legionaries marching to assault site minus 01. They were comprised of artillery troops and less able centuries so would be easy picking for Bright to attack.

Having spotted the stretch of trucks containing artillery Bright positioned his tanks ready to strike. With swift efficiency they stormed down the hills which had hidden their approach.

Unlike the other which stopped once in range Bright sent his contraption straight at the enemy trucks hoping to rma and destroy them. The truck divers were boxed in on all sides by fellow trucks or their legionary guards and so could do nothing against the charge.

Bright's vehicle smashed through the escort spraying blood, guts and bones onto the other escorts. The truck was immediately rammed and put on it's side knocking the artillery from it and hopefully destroying it or at least putting it out of action.

Spotting the crates of ammunition now spilled onto the ground Bright got a nasty idea to put the artillery out of action once and for all.

Opening the hatch Bright chucked a grenade at the artillery shells, mortar rounds and just general explosives. He quickly reversed out of the blast radius before turning back for site minus 01.

The battle had only just begun.

Chapter Text

The constant marching was beginning to hurt the Legate's head. The constant sound of boots scraping along the abandoned between circles ground droned on and on. The dust was beginning to annoy him. A light layer of dust covered himself and his sinners. They hardly looked like the professional fighters they were but did look like a band of homeless people.

Still the reward would require the endurance to continue through the surmounting annoyances to achieve the contract and a now personal goal.

A low whistling sound began to make itself apparent. It was quiet at first but soon was louder, and louder still. Stopping for a second the Legate looked up to the sky and saw an object flying towards him fast.

*BOOM*

The shell landed perhaps 20m from the Legate crushing some poor legionaries before it detonated. 34 legionaries were practically vaporised as the blood and entrails were splattered across the surviving members of the attack. 

"*Sigh* This is gonna be a long fucking day." The Legate growled as the whistling started again.

As Bright dismounted his killing contraption he heard the familiar sound of sniper rifles firing. A couple had been posted in the towers with another couple scattered around the battlements. Their goal was to take key targets like officers and standard bearers off the field before they could do real damage. There was one exception, the Legate. Bright wanted to kill the Legate, alone, without others to gain even partial credit.

Entering the nuclear room which housed his chainsaws and chainsaw cannon Bright carefully took his chosen weapons from the rack and readied himself for the coming battle. The flashing green text Infront of him reminding him of the last resort.

On site nuke armed

He didn't dwell on the possible defeat and walked out into the main depot area. The depot was almost completely empty. All trucks had been left in storage with flammable liquids stashed nearby anything useful.

The Legion were perhaps 6 miles away and the sinners were joking and laughing with eachother. The sniper teams has swarms of sinners around them with varying bets. Multiple sinners had begun selling various supplies, from smokes to food to trinkets belongings to various overlords. 

Clef would normally have shoved his foot so far up their asses they would taste his soles for a week, yet he wasn't here. The absence was strange to Bright. It had always been him and Clef against the world and now it was just him. It didn't feel right.

The Legion were not 2 miles away now and the sporadic burst of fire from both the site's defences and the Legate's sinner swas telling of the fact. Any shot from the site was blocked by a shield. Even the sniper bullets couldn't penetrate the shields.

To the side of the great serpent that was the marching Legion was a smaller detachment of the chariots Bright had encountered earlier. He didn't want to bring his tanks into play just yet. It was too early to inform the enemy of his plans.

Once the legion had been immersed in the combat at the base of the wall and probably on it Bright would send forth his tanks to crush the sinners in the back ranks and trap them between guns and tank treads.

On a far outcrop of rock in the space between circles stood two figures watching as the two sides sized up each other. The long serpent like Legion snakes it's way along the ground towards the site while the Bright side stood firm.

The two figures watched the display with almost amusement. Each one of the most powerful entities in hell, known to fight on occasion and yet they stood side by side.

The radio demon and the weapons master had made a deal of sorts. Neither would use magic of their own to sway the fight nor would use forces outside of the Legate's legion and Bright's site. It was fair. To them both it was a testing ground to find the more powerful of the two. 

A small bet had been made alongside the agreement. 100 souls to the overlord who owned the winning side in the fight. While Alastor didn't own Bright's soul Bright at the very least owed him.

Bright was ecstatic. His first real chance to fight in real glorious bloody combat. Still he would wait for the first sinners to scale the walls before he would engage in mêlée combat. 

Hefting his chainsaw cannon Bright aimed it into the sky and fired, hearing the familiar sound of the chainsaw starting as it left the barrel. Not even bothering to see the casualties it caused Bright reached for a pile he had set up to allow for him to use his chainsaw cannon without the extra weight.

At the base of the wall something lurked in the shadows. Not something, but really someone. A Legate sapper had set up hundreds of explosives near the base of the wall. The same wall the legion were no more than 500m from. 

Completing the final checks the sapper took cover as he reached for his detonator. The pile of explosives was varied from straight TNT to C4 and all manner of explosives in-between. Driving himself as much into the dirt as he could the sapper pressed the button.

*BOOM*

A shower of mortar, concrete and metal fell upon the surrounding section of wall. The unlucky few who had been on the 11m section of wall that was now a gaping hole had either been flung into the air or were sent tumbling down to earth from the wall or were crushed by debris.

The legion charged forward to take advantage of the gap in the wall. A great war cry filled the air as they charged forwards with renewed fury. The few defenders who had begun shooting at the dense mob of legionaries were met with a return fire of lead.

Bright practically jumped down the stairs to the asphalt ground. Disregarding the rubble around him he ran forwards towards the breach disregarding his earlier plan for the more favourable strategy of charge and hope they die.

Cries of "GAS!" and"FILL THE BREACH!" Were emanated from the sergeants and other high ranking members as they opened the crates of the gas globes. If they could just fill that breach with gas they could block it off for hours.

The first globes were handed out as the legion were just 150m away. Soon the first globes fell amongst the ruins of the wall splashing the thick toxic green gas across large areas of the twisted concrete nightmare. The Legion realising the globes spilling their gaseous contents began shooting at anyone carrying a globe.

Still, undeterred by the first gas globes falling amongst the ruins of the wall Bright simply charged through it. The few globes which had fallen at that time were only just begining to let their toxic contents seep across the breach. Finally as Bright stumbled to the other side more globes had fallen blocking Bright off from any escape. Just as he wanted it.

With no other direction than into the enemy lines Bright charged forward. The onslaught of legionaries continued. Despite their plan having been quickly followed they continued to charge. If not through the wall than over it.

Still despite the reputation Bright had made for himself over his stay in hell a group of legionaries closest to him steered from their course and closed in on Bright. As the sinners and Bright neared each other each could see the others features.

Bright's looks reflected himself. The mad man wore a lab coat with the foundation logo on the right breast. The amulet seemed to glow softly as he neared the legionaries. The chainsaw roared as Bright held it high whilst simultaneously leaping into the air.

The legionaries were tough mother fuckers. The few who did have horns had helmets with holes for them. The shields covered any part of the torso to lower body. Still behind that was a thick layer of reinforced lorica segmentata. The lead sinner brandished his sword in a high arc above his head as he took lunged into the air.

Bright slammed the chainsaw down hard straight to the sinner's head. The fine red mist spilled out from the sinner cloaking Bright in the blood. The corpse, who's head was scattered around the battlefield, slumped down to the ground. Still the sinners behind the first charged forwards aware of their opponent's tricks.

Bright counter charged the closest sinner to him crashing straight into the shield knocking the sinner off his feet whilst Bright slashed at another sinner's foot. The sinner slammed his shield out quickly stunning Bright for a half second allowing the sinner to stab out with the sword. Bright narrowly dodged it, stepping onto the fallen legionaries shield, which he used to shield his body, in the attempt.

Another sinner charged him with reckless abandon. His shield was held low and his sword was held high hoping to get lucky and kill the unkill able. Bright stepped forwards under the sinner's arm and stabbed the chainsaw straight into the chest of the sinner keeping it there and letting it eviscerated the sinner.

Soon Bright realized the bigger problem. He was surrounded, alone and with a weapon stuck in his opponents chest. He had to use one of his trump cards. Although reluctant to use them this early into the battle he conceded it to be the best course of action.

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a ring. A jade ring. As he dodged under another attack he slipped it on and pulled a  large music score from the potato sack. The fighting didn't stop immediately as Bright had expected but soon the sinners began to feel it's effect. A singular thought entered their minds.

'I must finish it!'

The blood on the ground was enough already as the sinner began to write on the sheet music with the blood of their fallen comrades. Soon though it was not enough they had to finish it. They began digging into Thier wrists with nails and swords to expose more blood to write with.

Throwing it to the side many of the legionaries followed with blood running down their arms. Bright wasn't entirely safe though. He as still in an enemy army and completely surrounded with no escape. Still there was one objective that was yet to be completed.

Charging forwards across multiple corpses, Bright leaped forwards towards a large group of sinners. Their demeanor was different from the others. While the others thrived in the chaos these sinners were different. Their shields were different as well, unlike the standard red painted shields these ones were purple. Their helmets also had purple crests instead of the red ones the others carried. Sensing the opportunity Bright charged.

Linking their shields together to form a wall Bright slowed but an idea quickly formed in his head. He had seen yesterday that the shields were bulletproof but there was never a mention of blast proof. Pulling out a grenade from his pocket Brith hopped it would work as he pulled the pin and chucked it at his opponents.

The grenade flew through the air and finally skidded across the ground straight at the legionaries feet. Immediately their shields hit the floor with their users hoping they would hold. As they waited, nothing happened. It had been perhaps 10s but so far it had yet to explode. They lifted their shields to look at the grenade.

*BANG*

Shrapnel was sent shredding through the unlucky soldiers shins as they ripped and tore through the flesh barriers. The few who had pointed shields at the grenades were met with a scattering of splinters as well as the shrapnel the other had experienced.

Bright stepped over the bloody mess that was the sinners he had eviscerated. I'm their painted state they didn't realize Bright's existence as he picked his way past the mess. 

Past the wall of sinners Bright entered a large square made of the sinners he had killed to enter it. Slowly the gap behind him closed as more sinners filled the breach. Bright did not care but stared at the thing in the centre of the makeshift arena. The Legate.

"Do you really think I would make it this easy? Did you not realise my initial forces were weak for a reason? I let you carve your way into your own death! Here it will be just us! Here you will die! It is here that your head will be raised high for all to see, the pretender, Dr Bright!" The Legate declare as he slowly stood at his full height.

"I won't judge but isn't raising my head a bit extreme? Like from that speech I can't tell if you want to fight or fuck me." Bright replied as he watched the Legate carefully, trying to find weaknesses.

"I... *Sigh.* You're trying to delay the inevitable, aren't you? You try comedy as your last resort. How pitiful." The Legate spat on the ground.

From an unknown place a small melody began to carry on the breeze as the Legate slowly walked forwards. 

🎶

"Right here? Right now?"-B

"I'm gonna' put you down, just like the dog you are, or can't you see it." -B

The Legate charged across the space straight towards Bright whilst brandishing two large spathas. The steel stood out from the golden armour the Legate wore. As he charged Bright stood his ground with his chainsaw ready.

"You attack 'gainst me and I will cut you free out of that mortal coil you seem to cling to."-L

The Legate had crossed the 50m at insane speed and raised both spathas high to strike.

"So kneel down to me and I will set you free, no obligations to any foundations.

You can live in my paradise or you can roll the dice, the choice is up to you."-L

Having almost closed the gap fully the Legate prepared to swing downwards as he sung the next word.

"Don't you wanna become an overlord instead of head of slums.

Cause I got the power, I just need you on my side, we'll defeat these hellish tides."-L

The swords clashes against the chainsaw with a scraping sound as the chainsaw slowly grinded away at the steel. Yet the high quality equipment of Carmine industries only took minor scratches.

"You stay as you are or you can rise with me. You aren't a slave cause you finally broke free."-L

The Legate backed away for a couple paces and swung the spathas in his left hand downwards towards Bright's raised chainsaw whilst swinging he other spathas in a wide arc hoping to slash Bright across the side. 

Bright reacted quickly and whilst taking the hot from the left sword he kicked his foot out at the Legate's chest knocking him back a couple paces before the blade could reach him.

"Oh damn, aren't you afraid to die? We can defeat these hellish tides."-L

The Legate launched a final attack before pulling back. He flicked his blades towards Bright so fast he could barely react but he knew it was a trick. The effort was to focus your opponent's attention on the blades flicking at their legs you can easily stab them in a vital place.

Soon just as he expected, the Legate suddenly stabbed at Bright's head but he dodged with barely a mm between the blade and Bright's skin. The Legate slowly retreated without looking away from Bright. He sheaved his left spatha and took a sword from one of his Praetorians.

"Oh fuck, my friend you'll have to cut me in. You'll have to tell me cause I just don't see it."-B

Bright immediately went on the offence brandishing his chainsaw towards the Legate. He swung it in wild arcs hoping to tempt the Legate into taking a hit on his shield to render the chainsaw useless.

"Fuck you and no. Your quite weak though and quite enjoy your head on my wall."-B

The Legate pinched out his shield catching the chainsaw in the reinforced Kevlar. Having achieved stage one Bright just needed to flick his wrist and he could disarm his opponents of his shield.

Yet as Bright did so the shields hardly moved and the chainsaw stayed embedded within the shield. The trick may have worked on any normal person but not on the Legate and Bright had to come up with a plan fast as he still held onto the shield.

"Now I respect you, and those guys with you, they're really tough really fucking tough."-B

He used any and all strength he had to pull at the chainsaw which finally came loose. This weight change threw the Legate off balance causing him to fall to the floor. Bright similarly stumbled backwards but caught himself at the last second.

"Now your down in the mud and I'd rather spill some blood, preferably blood from you"-B

Charging forwards Bright thrust his chainsaw at the Legate who leaned away from and side stepped each of the attacks Bright made. Still he continued his attempts to even touch the Legate.

"Don't you realize, my ambitions are bigger than the skies."-B

Bright grabbed a handful of dirt from amongst the ground and threw it at the Legate's face. Momentarily stunned the Legate drew back and watched the blurry shape of Bright advance.

"I've got the power and don't need you on my side. I'll defeat your hellish tides."-B

As Bright sang the last word he struck out at the Legate. The chainsaw crunched and grinded against the greaves the Legate wore. As he pulled back only a scratch had been left on the armour.

"So go wail as you do, I'll fuck shit up as me. I ain't a slave and don't need to be freed."-B

He struck again against the same place and was met with the same awful grinding noise as the chainsaw tried to destroy the armour and yet failed despite Bright's efforts to improve it over an ordinary design.

"Oh damn, can't you see me flying high? I'll defeat your hellish tide."-B

Again Bright struck with his chainsaw but the Legate was ready and before the chainsaw could touch him the Legate had kicked Bright hard sending him flying backwards. As a finishing blow he launched his spatha at Bright and watched as the blade sailed through the air towards Bright.

"Is this really how you'll spend your last day? Wanting everything but unable to pay."-L

Bright turned onto his side at the last second as the blur of steel flee towards him. The sword slammed into the earth meer mm from Bright's head. Adrenaline flowing fats through his veins Bright leaped up ready for the next round of combat.

"If I joined up with you I'd be up in the sky, disgraced and distained watching you as you die."-B

Bright unearthed the spatha with one great pull and readied it alongside his chainsaw for the Legate who was calmly walking towards him. 

"But you'd finally gain some power, finally use some power. Just let me give you the freedom to fight and take them all on and start a slaughter. Take your shackles and start the breaking."-L

Bright watched hesitantly as the Legate sheathed his sword and opens up his stance. His time was serious. Was he really about to make an offer? No surely not he had everything to lose now and almost nothing to gain. Except of course a partnership with Dr Bright.

"Now that's a deal, you can just start shaking. But I guess it's up to you."-L

The Legate's hand was bathed in a purple flame as he extended it out towards Bright. Surely this was a trick. An underhanded ploy to lull him into a false sense of security and then the Legate could destroy him once he was at his most vulnerable.

Bright looked down at his hand which was also covered in a smaller flame glowing orange. Unlike during his deal with Vox, Bright's hand was now a more orange colour and much brighter. He considered it for a couple seconds before reaching his hand out towards the Legate's and slapped his hand.

"Well it's intriguing but I don't take deals lightly! So what percentage of the spoils will we be taking?"-B

The Legate looked almost annoyed at Bright's actions but sensing the negotiations starting he quickly added up his expenditures and realized the number he could offer was more than enough for a force 1 fifth of the size of his.

"Well fair enough you'd want a peice of all our looting, I'd give you twenty five, shake, just let it happen."-L

He again extended his hand with the purple flames erupting from his hand. The praetorians had closed in with overlapping shields which reflected the purple light.

"I ain't drunk right now, 100 would do just fine"-B

The two began to slowly pace the perimeter of the new smaller arena. As they continued the negotiations they each watched for movement of any kind to indicate the other was about to attack.

"Why not go ahead and ask for souls for a dime?"-L

"75"-B

"Why not 30?"-L

"60"-B

"Maybe 35"-L

"50!"-B

The word echoed outwards from Bright. The Legate considered it for a second. It was just about as much as he could give without either downsizings his army or asking to borrow more money from Carmilla. He was quite annoyed he had to do it once but twice, he wouldn't be able to live with himself.

"Deal!"-L

The Legate again stretched out his hand toward Bright who began to stride over to him. This was it the final moment where the Legate would both complete his contract and gain a powerful ally. Everything was finally going right. Despite everything, his most trusted officials betrayal, his fall from emperor to Legate, it would all be worth it.

The Legate closed his eyes for a second at the painful memories that were his fall from power. He had everything and then it was reduced to soldering ashes. All that remained was his colosseum, his one gem amongst the dusty dreary city.

Taking the second of reminiscing to his advantage, Bright ran behind the Legate unsheathed his sword before stabbing down into a break between the plates on the Legate's leg. Blood immediately sprayed from among the plates as the sword was driven deeper and deeper down into the Legate's left leg.

"Don't you realize or have you fell for each of my lies. I got the power and don't need you on my side, I'll kill you and your hellish tides."-B

The pain of the wound was instant and unbearable. The leg gave way and soon the hulking Legate fell to the floor in a wave of intense agony. At relaxing the betrayal he was almost impressed. He had been led on for so long and at the last second he was attacked. Sneaky.

"So you can stay as you are, weak and lonely. You are the slave and won't ever be free."-B

Pulling out a radio Bright spoke a few words before a confirmation was given by the other side. 

*BOOM*

The great artillery gun, the crown jewel of the site minus 01 defenses fired. One since round was sent barreling towards their position.

"Oh damn, can't you see me flying high. I'll kill you with your hellish tides. So I can do as I do. Kill your hellish tide. So you can't be like me. Kill your hellish tide."-B

The praetorians who had originally started to close in on Bright ran from the Legate as they realized he was the target of the artillery and if they were caught in the blast they took would be destroyed alongside him.

"'Cause if you try, I'll kill your hellish tide. I'll kill you with your hellish tide!"

The Legate had again collapsed after another attempt at standing and he looked up as it drew closer and accepted his fate.

*BOOM*

The shell packed straight on top of him exploding as soon as it hit him. The Legate was practically vaporised as the armour and body were both reduced to black ash.

Bright who had hid under a stack of shields 20m away was unharmed if not a little shaken up. He looked out from his makeshift cover and saw an empty smoking crater.

He had done it! He had killed the Legate!

Cain looked at the fully assembled squad to which he was now joining. They were a sight to behold. The angels armour shone in the fluorescent light of the foundation. The dark material of the other task force members contrasted with the glowing armour quite nicely in Cain's opinion.

All 7 angels were present alongside the remainder of the council conservers including the captain. Alongside them were 3 researchers who were to collect the anomalies to which was the primary objective of the mission and advise on their handling.

Due to his connections with a certain site director, Cain had made his way onto the team. He had tried to recall any information about the place as he could but he was only contained there for a short time so knew little about the site.

He felt guilty for joining the team without anything noteworthy that would benefit the team. They expected no resistance from any people, given they would have turned into flesh globs a while ago, so his taking no damage anomaly was almost useless.

The team began to plug the gaps in their armour with cloth which would block out the sun between exiting the site and entering the helicopter which would take them to site 63.

Their objective was simple. Gather as many SCPs as possible and take them back with them. Cain had an extra objective to which he wanted completed, find SCP-076, his brother.

If Cain's plan was to come to fruition, he would require his brother to take back their father from the depths of hell. While he knew it would be difficult to covert 076 to his side, Cain knew it might be possible.

They began walking through the site to the gate closest to the helicopters. The door slowly opened with the normal clunking sound as the mechanisms which opened and closed the door began after their time of disuse.

As they ascended the lift(elevator), Cain felt an last impending sense of doom. Something felt off but it was difficult to put his finger on it. Still despite this feeling he walked behind the others as they disembarked from the lift(elevator).

The walls, floors and ceilings of the outside of the site were covered in the flesh that they had become all too familiar with. As they turned a corner they could see their ride out of the site and into their mission.

It too was covered in flesh. Thick ropes of flesh covered the helicopter in a repulsive sight. The team was prepared and began to burn away the flesh with the portable flamethrowers which they were issued.

With a screech or cry the flesh should shrink away from the flames and in some cases scurry away. Soon it was operational and the team was inside.

As the blades began to spin the last few ropes of flesh slowly fell off or were sliced in half. Soon they became air borne and were, soon after that, headed from site 63.

Chapter Text

Although the Legate had been defeated his legion were not to go down without a fight. The masses of heavily armoured and armed legionaries gathered at the bottom of the walls of site minus 01.

Almost all the gas globes had been thrown into the gap in the wall so the few that were left were being saved. Still occasionally a globe would be thrown into a large clump of the sinners killing hundreds. Despite the losses to gas they still had well over 8000 sinners with the praetorians in reserve as well as the artillery teams.

Despite the artillery only ballistas they worked incredibly well at picking off single targets. When the guy Infront of you has just got a meter long bolt in his chest you don't want to have to step over his intestines to where he just stood. They forced the heads of the Bright force down and forced moral down one bolt at a time.

Only a battery of 20 remained from Bright's attack. Several had been salvaged from parts of half destroyed ballistae. The crews worked overtime just to fire as many bolts at the enemy as possible.

At first it seemed that the legionaries had no plans other than to mass at the foot of the walls but soon there was a great movement from the reserves. The praetorians were coming with 4 large siege towers. The legionaries slowly pulled back not without a couple hundreds casualties though.

The machine gun nests sprayed lead at the retreating legionaries cutting down hundreds as the guns were pushed to their absolute limit. With smoking hot barrels they finally stopped as the sinners drew out of range.

In the first assault on the site's defences they had suffered 132 casualties mostly from the collapse of the wall but a couple were killed from the incessant pistol fire from the legionaries.

The sinners tore into any food around them with multiple turning to cannibalism. Most had been up all night and all day and the fighting had left them exhausted. They each knew the pain hunger brought. 

When one falls one can often forget basic needs but soon once the hunger sets in, you realize why this is hell. The gnawing of the bones that hunger brings never quite leaves a sinner's mind. Starvation was a particularly devilish thing with the pain being almost crippling. Soon sinners quickly learned to find food wherever it could be found, whether proper food or otherwise.

The few sinners who held any power began to take note of their loses and ammunition. Most had burnt through a good chunk of their ammo, for some as  much as a third for other barely a tenth. Still the little ammo left in reserve had to be issued out sparingly.

5 of the gas globes remained and they were kept in reserve so when the fighting got thickest. They would use it as a last ditch weapon to turn the tide of the battle. They were a terror weapon as much as anything else.

Bright was still nowhere to be found. He had slipped away into the enemy's ranks and had since been yet to be spotted. A rumour that he had died spread through the ranks but it was quickly quelled by anyone with experience when dealing with Bright. He always survived, maybe not with the same body but with the same mental capacity.

A great note from a trumpet far in the ranks of the legionaries forced the sinners feast to end rather abruptly. A great war cry was taken up as the masses of sinners charged forward. The mass of legionaries lunched forwards and soon lost the cohesion they had had as the fastest ran forwards and the rest stuck near the siege towers.

The great constructs of wood and scrap metal lurched towards with a squeaking of the wheels as hundreds of sinners pushed them forwards. A volley of ballista bolts followed spearing a sniper team on the left flank with the bolt having pierced through the scope and stabbed through the sinners behind it.

The Bright fighters watched as the mass of sinners charged across the empty space between circles. The ground was littered with bodies and drenched in blood but they did not take note of it as they focussed on the eradication of site minus 01.

A distant rumbling sound grew louder as the great metal gates of site minus 01 slowly creaked open to reveal the tanks the site held. They drove out of the site before following the side of the site to the battle lines.

Seeing the bountiful harvest the tanks cannons and machine guns would reap, they opened fire in the mass. An eruption of sheer noise came from the tanks as they fired their cannons in unison.

The blasts of high explosive shells forced hundreds to take cover from the shrapnel. Blood was sprayed over the horde as sinners were obliterated to just a pile of guts and a puddle of blood. Multiple sinners were sent catapulting into the air as the shells landed directly next to them, the unlucky ones had their limbs blown offs.

Still despite the salvo of high explosive the horde charged forwards with the towers not far behind. Soon they were in range once more and the machine guns and assault rifles were firing down at the mass of sinner flesh.

Despite the shields each sinner possessed they lacked the room to use them and soon pockets of corpses formed where the gunfire was too fierce or the sinners too unprepared.

*BOOM*

The grand artillery piece hit hard against one of the siege towers causing a cascade of splinters and other peices of wood. The top most part of the structure was rendered useless as the boarding platform was reduced to a pile of scrap wood.

Small fires had begun at the top of the dry tower but before long the tiny streams of smoke began to enlarge as the fires took hold of the wood. Soon a pillar of smoke was lazily drifting into the red sky as the fire began to burn all in it's path to the bottom of the structure.

There was still no sign of Bright or the Legate for that matter but the sinners lining the walls began to fear that their immortal leader had died. Occasionally they would risk their lives to peel out from their defenses to look for him in the crowds but he alluded anyone.

A scattering of machine gun fire tore into the lines of packed sinners but it did only a tiny dent into the battle lines. The towers would soon be at the walls and then the fighting would start in earnest.

Suddenly in a coordinated effort the defenders leaped from their positions and fired blindly into the mass of sinners. Spurts of blood poured out all along the line as bullets hit home. Droves of sinners fell as bullets shredded them into a thin mist.

The defenders immediately dove for cover as the great crack of the ballistas reached their ears.ost made it but the unlucky few were first speared and then riddled with bullet holes before finally falling amongst their comrades.

The waves upon waves of sinners continued to flow forwards hoping to destroy the site with sheer numbers alone. The towers were almost at the walls and the legionaries tried everything to push them just that little bit further so they could finally attack the defenders in melee combat.

The defenders lobbed grenades, Molotovs and any other explosive in the entire site and they barely made a dent in the forces which sat at the bottom of the walls. Finally the last globes were to be brought out of the depths of the site for usage.

The Raven and Eagle had shouted insults at each other, over the gap in the wall. Each commanded their own section of sinners and each thought themselves better than the other. Neither were.

The Raven dashed from his position on the front lines and ran to a staircase to the ground floor. The Eagle noticed and chased after him. The Raven rushed towards the elevator systems with the Eagle close behind. He had come up with a plan, that if well executed could change the tides of the battle.

The two bird like sinners charged down the now almost empty halls. They passed a couple sinners carrying wounded and ammunition but other than that there were few sinners about the halls. It was an almost liminal feeling, running down those halls.

Taking a sharp turn the Raven ran through to a large room, the Eagle was brought to a skidding stop as he over shot the doorway. Inside was a tank of the gas left over from the attack on the Carmine warehouse. The rat men had left it saying it wasn't worth the effort to bring back.

Both sinners stood Infront of it panting as they slowly regained their breath after the run. They were both glad it was on the first floor rather than being near the depths of the site. The next issue was a big one however, how would they transport it?

The thing was too heavy to carry back for the full journey and if they dropped it too heavily or didn't carry it with enough care it would release it's toxic payload all over them both.

The room held many failed projects from Bright's time at the site. A large pallet with wheels fixed to it and an engine and machine gun lay in the corner of the room. The gun was no use and the engine was almost completely useless but the wheels worked.

They slowly and carefully lowered the tank onto the pallet. Each kept an eye on the pressure gauge which occasionally flicked into the red zone before settling back to the green. With the sound of groaning wood as the tank settled on the pallet the sinners knew that they had to act fast.

The cart slowly moved forwards with a horrendous cacophony of squealing wheels, which assaulted the ears of the sinners around the wheels. Slowly they moved it out of the room whilst they cursed whoever had destroyed the engine it once had.

The progress was slow but at least the contraption held itself together. At every creak and squeak the sinners prepared for the pallet to crumple like paper, yet it held strong. The few scientists they did pass watched the pair push the thing towards the elevator system in curiosity.

*BOOM*

The great gun upon the battlements of the site fired. The lights flickered and the ground shook as the collosal construct fired it's deadly payload towards a patch of soon to be dead sinners. Sinners all over the site stumbled into walls and fell to their knees as the ground shook underneath them.

The pallet collapsed into a heap of scrap wood causing the tank to precarious tumble to the tile floor, cracking numerous tiles before it settled. The sinners leaped up to their feet and dashed away from the tank as it emanated a succession of low Clanging noises as the dial went off the scale.

No explosion came. They had covered their ears waiting for a cloud of gas to spew from the tank and yet nothing had happened. Peering out from behind a corner revealed the tank now sat on the floor with the remains of the cart nearby.

Walking from his hiding place behind a corner the Eagle walked up to the tank and kicked it with his foot. The thing made another set of clanging noises before stopping.

"Fucking useless." The Eagle muttered under his breath. " Ya fucking wuss, get over here and help move this thing. It's amazing how you can command a group of sinners when you cower when something slightly scary happens."

"Yeah, yeah, fuck you too. Also you also ran behind cover first so I'm the braver of us." The Raven retorted as he joked over to the tank of gas.

They had 2 minutes of walking till they would reach the elevator system and neither wanted to suther under the weight but they had to if they wanted to win. Wedging thingers and claws underneath the tank they slowly picked it up and began to move with it.

Although the progress was slow it was also safer ,much safer. As the elevator system came in sight they spotted another pallet with wheels attached to it. They slowly set it down on the pallet before wheeling it into the elevator and going up to the battlements.

"Ohh, fuck!" Was all the two could say as they took in the scene before them. 

The towers had reached the walls and sinners had poured into the site. The firepower the defenders had was less useful when the enemy was 3 feet Infront of them.

Having created a makeshift barricade the defenders had halted the legionaries progress with a tide of bullets but yet more were charging towards them and eventually they would be overrun.

A small group of sinners who looked to be held in reserve was spotted by the Eagle who quickly called out for them to join the duo as an escort. Soon the 10 sinners surrounded the pallet as the commanders slowly pushed the pallet forwards.

As they pushed through the defenders line the sinners stacked grenades and other explosives on top of the tank and pallet. A couple joined them, bolstering their ranks to 20 sinner against hundreds.

The Eagle took a rifle off one of the sinner and shouted for him to push the pallet as he moved towards the front of formation. Bullet fire ripped through the air as the front most sinners encountered the first legionaries.

Burst of gunfire lit up a couple sinners who, caught by surprise, were quickly obliterated. Their bodies fell to the floor in puddles of blood as the life drained from them. The explosives cart slowly pushed forwards towards the siege towers. 

A second burst of gunfire erupted as ten legionaries charged the cart and it's protectors. With shields lowered the bullets stuck into the shield and couldn't penetrate to the fleshy sinners behind. The Eagle quickly grabbed a frag grenade and there it at the legionaries feet.

The sinners ran over the grenade, not noticing it in the chaos. It detonated spraying shrapnel through the sinners turning them into a metal filled purée. Still the cart kept moving despite the best efforts of the legionaries around them.

A crowd of over 50 sinners charged towards the cart through the bodies and gore. Raising their rifles the defenders shot down the legionaries quickly but these ones were a decoy force. The real force was coming up behind them.

*RATATATATATATATATATATATAT*

A burst of machine gun fire whipped over the sinners head as it buried itself in the horde of legionaries. Several of the defenders flinched as the bullets whizzed over head and found homes in the flesh of the legionaries. The remaining one of the flanking force scattered to join different assaults on different places.

The radio crackled to life.

"Waaaaay, fuckers!!! What you think we'd miss those guys sneaking up behind you? And when this is all over I want a couple thousand for each of your lives I just saved!" The machine gunner shouted over the radios as he readied for another burst of gunfire.

The cart quickly rolled over the bodies, forcing out more blood and trampling the entrails into a paste. They watched everywhere for the next attack as they neared the siege towers. The massive constructs of wood and scrap metal stood with large platforms hooked onto the site's walls.

The explosives cart slowly trundled forwards as another sinner dropped his gun and added their strength to the team. Still the tank was slow already but with the extra explosives it was worse by miles.

Suddenly a legionary leaped out from the shadows towards the Eagle. The shield rammed into the Raven knocking him to the ground and left him in a dazed state. The sinner stood over the Raven triumphantly as he stepped forwards to give the finishing blow. The Raven closed his eyes not wanting the legionary to be the last thing he saw before reforming.

A gush of warm blood spilled over the Raven as the legionary fell to the floor dead. The Eagle had stepped in and stabbed the sinner with a combat knife multiple times across the stomach. He stretched out a hand down towards the Raven.

"Only I am allowed to kill you! So don't do that again!". The Raven screamed over the noise of battle.

Finally they had reached the towers and began to prepare the cart for it's finale. A fresh wave of sinners poured down from the ramp of the siege tower and we're soon lit up by the defenders. Multiple pistol rounds took vital members out of action.

Using the cart as cover they slowly moved it towards a gap into the wall right next to the siege tower. The plan was simple, drop it over the edge and it would blow up the siege towers or render them unusable.

Using ever last bit of strength they pushed the cart despite the efforts of the legionaries. Several bullet holes had been made in the tank causing multiple small columns of gas to spew out of the tank. They had just under a minute before it wouldn't have the necessary coverage.

Grabbing a grenade from the cart the Raven chucked it towards the fresh legionaries and raised his rifle. They had two choices, one be blow up or shredded or 2 get shot while running from it. Most chose to run given their shields inability to handle explosions.

Given the Raven had taken the pressure of them they protectors quickly scrambled to push the pallet the last couple meters. The Raven joined in as well whilst also lobbing explosives at anything that moved.

A small section of the wall on which the pallet was situated slowly began to shift until it started to separate from the rest of the wall. The sinners stepped back from the crumbling masonry and watched the cart slowly list to the side as it tilted at an angle.

Finally the friction gave out and the cart slowly slid downwards to fall to the ground bellow which was swarming with legionaries. The smaller explosives slid off the pallet to explode before the main tank hit the ground.

*BOOM*

The cart detonated above the legionaries eviscerating thousands of them whilst also spreading the poisonous gas clouds which so many had died to already. The section of the wall closest to the bomb was sent crumbling down as the brick and masonry was sent flying into the sky.

The siege towers were destroyed instantly and fell like a house of cards. The wooden chards were sent flying through the air, catching unsuspecting sinners in the face. The unlucky few to be in the siege towers were buried in a bloody wooden heap.

The plan had succeeded and with thousands of the legionaries wiped out they were sure to have victory!

Cain looked out at the shattered remains of site-63. Although the tinted windows had obscured some parts of the site, the main body of it was visible. Cain hoped the levels further downwards were less damaged than the ruins he saw now.

A large hole had been blasted into the northwestern corner of the site. Debris lay scattered around the hole. Huge chunks of earth and concrete had been sent all over the site. The southern tower was leaning heavily and looked to be near to collapse.

The team thanked -343 for the helipad to be mostly clear of the waste which was spread around the site. Numerous radio calls were attempted to achieve contact with any people inside the site but nothing responded on the radio.

Repelling down the thick ropes attached to the chopper the team looked over the barren landscape which was site 63. Most notably of all was the complete lack of flesh which would normally cover the site. It was unnerving to exist in the fleshless asphalt nightmare.

As the last of them descended onto the strip of road which led from the helipad to the main courtyard the chopper flew back up to retrieve video footage of the hole. Thus leaving them all alone until they had walked to the hole.

Rasing a rifle Cain watched the corner warily as if the shadows would come alive and attack him. Despite his anomalous abilities he was almost scared of facing the flesh and what his anomalous properties would do if he was exposed to the sunlight. 

"So, -073, Cain. What brings us here exactly? Have we gotta find some prissy researcher or kick ass guard or some shitty toaster that shoots lasers or something?" One of the mtf members said almost to himself.

Caught in the lie Cain racked his brain for whatever SCPs he could think of. There were a few which he could remember but none were worth changing the course of the mission for. He quickly made something up, a researcher named Dr mainard who was working on a replica of the SCP-500 pills. Yes that would be a good one.

"Uh if memory serves correct a certain Dr Mainard worked here. He was pretty successful with creating a replica -500 pill so I assume we are here for him." Cain momentarily forgot about the real objective as he hoped the soldier would buy it.

"Cool, I guess."

He bought it. Hook line and sinker. Cain breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the words. He dislikes it but to reveal the real reason may restrict his freedoms further.

The road which was surrounded by a concrete wall and ceiling finally opened up into the main courtyard. The little grass there was was dry and closed to death. A small gravel path led to the hole.

"Ground team, we have eyes on the hole." The voice over the radio sounded. The captain picked up his and spoke to the helicopter's pilot.

"This is ground team. What do you see? And is it possible to descend into it from current the current position."

"That is a negative. It is a pretty sharp drop into the hole. It must lead to about the third or fourth floor."

"Ok... Eyes in the sky, would it be possible to drop us down into the hole using ropes?"

"Uhh. Yes but we have no idea what is on the other side so it would be risky."

"Good!"

Having grabbed a rope each, the mtf members began their descent into the hole. The torches on their helmets lit very little. With most having switched to night vision goggles they could see the full destruction the hole had caused.

Jagged prices of metal stuck out at odd angles. Tiles had been smashed leaving shards everywhere. Multiple desks and even sections of walls had crumbled from higher floors before finally resting in a heap at the bottom.

Finally letting go of the ropes the members started into the dark and at the pile of rubble which they stood on. Hundreds of random pieces of tile, concrete and even half a coffee mug had created the pile but what unsettled them the most was the lack of dead bodies.

Flesh entities were nearby and probably watching them. The occasional creaking from the vents or other floors sent each member suddenly turning towards the noise with hands held tightly to their weapons.

As they slowly made their way down from the pile Cain caught a glimpse of a map. It was a good send in a time like this when he was meant to be a navigator. It also revealed the location of the coffin. SCP-076.

Taking the lead Cain slowly creeped forwards towards the first junction of the route. He peaked his head round the corner before judging the coast to be clear and following the map he had seen, Cain turned right.

Looking around nervously Cain realised how much he was shaking. He looked down at his trembling hand holding onto the rifle. It wasn't still for a millisecond. A sudden creak from a vent caused him to snap his head towards the noise. There was nothing.

Having decided they were already being watched Cain abandoned the stealthy approach and increase his pace as he rounded a second corner. The layout was much the same with the corridor looking abandoned. Clipboards lay discarded on the ground and guns and vest lay on the ground having been stripped from the flesh's victims.

Looking into a laboratory room Cain saw a large build up of dust on every surface. The monitor still had power and was displaying the message warning of the sun. Clearly the place had been attacked first and was quickly over run before anyone knew anything.

Walking out of the room Cain was beginning to build up his confidence. He wasn't flinching as much as he had been 5 minutes ago but still he felt on edge. The place was likely crawling with flesh and it was waiting for the perfect time to strike.

Rounding another corner Cain came face to face with a large flesh golb. The hulking things screamed with several mouths and faces opening and appearing in the flesh to scream and look at Cain. Cain immediately fell back in shock at the monstrosity before him.

The flesh charged forwards at Cain who was left in quite the vulnerable state. His life flashed before his eyes. His father Adam. Him waking up with the cybernetics. His murder of his brother. Tears weld in his eyes as he waited for death.

A large stroke across the flesh blob cut it in half causing the top half to slide off and to Cain's side and the second quickly scampering into a vent. The top half was quickly incinerated by the mtf members behind Cain leaving a shrivelled husk. Leaping to his feet Cain stood ready to meet his saviour.

The man that met Cain's gase was just who he was looking for. Despite the rags covering much of his body Cain recognised the tattoos of demonic faces all over the skin. A hood hid the long shaggy black hair which Cain knew was under there.

As Able stepped out of the shadows Cain walked up to him and embraced him in A hug. Tears streamed down his face as Cain kept muttering "sorry" over and over as he hugged Able. Able gently stabbed Cain in the back with a small obsidian dagger only to get the pain and sensation of the stab. It was an attempt.

"Hey, I hate to interrupt the heartfelt moment but uh, Able look behind you." One of the mtf members said as he pointed over the pairs shoulders.

An amorphous blob of flesh was charging at them. Hundreds of limbs and mouths screamed and moved as one. The thing was an amalgamation of hundreds, probably thousands of humans and animals.

"FUCK!" Able screamed before pulling out a sword from thin air and charging forwards at the monster.

As the thing lashed out with multiple arms Able dodged to the side and slashed across the front of the creature. A large gash appeared on the front of the thing but it was soon repaired.

A volley of gunfire sailed over Able's head directly impacting the blob. It wailed and screeched as the explosive rounds detonated on its skin. Able, with the time bought from the bullets impact to retreat.

"Fuck, we need to get the fuck outta here, and fast!" Able half shouted as he and the rest of the team sprinted to the hole.

"Fuck! Eyes in the sky, we need immediate evacuation! I repeat immediate evacuation! We got a massive blob on our tail!" The captain of the squad shouted over the radio to the helicopter crew.

Rushing through the halls the squad quickly appeared back at the bottom of the hole. Scrambling up the scattered rubble the team grabbed onto the ropes and quickly shimmied up them.

One member wasn't so lucky. A tendril lashed out and caught him. His comrades could do little as he was dragged into the depths of the facility.

"Fuck they got Jenkins! Pull up, get us outta here!" The Captain spoke over the radio.

Slowly they began to ascend upwards. All the mtf members could do was hold onto the ropes and fire ate the encroaching flesh blob as it climbed the walls of the destroyed site.

Finally they were clear of the hole and were safe at last. They slowly climbed up the ropes and pulled themselves into the helicopter. Breathing heavily Cain looked at the hole now teeming with the flesh.

"Right, fellas you had your fun, now it's out turn." The captain said as he pulled out a detonator.

*BOOM*

A large fireball engulfed a portion of the southern tower. The thing began to lean towards the hole and with a tremendous series of creaked began to topple. The flesh realising it would soon be crushed rushed down the hole again but despite it's best efforts the tower fell down crushing the flesh.

Cain had succeeded in his mission but now if Able were to die again he likely wouldn't return.

Chapter Text

Clef was suddenly awoken from the unconscious state in which he had been before. His vision was entirely obscured by a sack over his head. His head was still ringing from the attacks a day ago. Or was a few hours or even weeks ago. He remembered getting the shit knocked out of him then he was here.

"I think our sad sack of shit is finally waking up!" A rough voice from somewhere to Clef's right said. 

"I would ask you don't call the hostage that if he's finally not unconscious. If he hears you then the bargaining is going to be quite difficult... I swear we should have let you go years ago." The last comment was almost whispered under the speaker's breath. 

"Now let's see, can we get anything more substantial than those incoherent mumblings fom before?" The question was left hanging in the air as Odette, daughter of Carmilla Carmine, got up from her desk and walked into the cell. A bodyguard followed close behind.

Clef was dressed in the same bloodied coat which he had worn when he was beaten bloody. Clef was curled up into a loose ball in the middle of the cell. Odette almost pitied the man, had it not been for the ugliness, dwarfism and general bad vibes she would have maybe even have tolerated him.

The bodyguard moved forwards nudging Clef with his foot. He then placed a hand on Clef's shoulder and guided him to his feet. A set of handcuffs were placed on Clef, before he could react, and then he was escorted to the interrogation room right next to his cell.

Having been forced to heavily sit down in an uncomfortable chair with a hand resting on his shoulder, Clef wasn't in the best of moods. Finally the sack was roughly torn off Clef's head before he could chew a hole in it like some kind of uglier species of goat.

Clef took in the room. It was much akin to the rooms in which he would meet with the O-5 over video recordings. However this room held no screens save for one, at which his captor was quickly typing.

The long table was plain and held only a screen and computer which were turned from Clef. The walls were of a dark grey colour with several marks where interrogators got a little frustrated.

His captor was human like but distinctly different. Her skin was a strange off putting white with blonde hair and glasses. A small set of horns protrudes from her head. A lab coat similar to the one Clef wore, adorned her. Clef's musings were quite rudely interrupted as Odette pulled a tape recorder out of her pocket and began speaking.

"This is one, Odette Carmine, lead investigator and current archives manager for Carmine industries. I have in my possession one Dr Clef. No mortal injuries had been obtained during his capture. Light scaring is present on the upper left hip likely from early in his career in hell. 

Beginning line of questions A until further results allow a switch of questioning.... Dr Clef? Is that your real name or a pseudonym you use here in hell?" Odette spoke clearly and directly at her screen as she opened various files.

Clef grunted, still a quarter unconscious as he tries to acknowledge the question.

"Must I repeat myself or does this information need to be extracted from you, by my interrogators?" Odette spoke sharply almost stunning Clef, who slinked back. 

"That is... a name I use and am called by my superiors." Clef was careful about his wording yet let his hate for the O-5 give away some information. 

"*Sigh* Good. Now, what is the organisation, clan or entity with which you affiliate?" Odette continued the questions.

" Ahhh, now that is a tricky one. Do you want that in alphabetical order or in order of first contact or in order of most to least important?" Clef spoke sarcastically as he racked his brain for every group he had been a part of.

"The relevant ones!" 

"*Sigh* You're no fun. So it goes the GOC and then the SCP foundation then something else which has now dissolved, back to the foundation and finally with Bright, the bright fighters here in hell."

"Interesting. Why come to hell? You are clearly human yet you came here willingly?" This was not an official question but it could prove useful.

"Yeah, it ain't that simple. And any, fucking, ways, I ain't gonna keep answering your questions. Give me a deal or something then I'll talk." Clef said leaning back in his chair as much as his restraints allowed him to.

A rough hand was placed on Clef's shoulder and a knife was held to his throat. The large interrogator who had dragged him here was ready to kill. But he wouldn't, Clef knew that, he was simply too valuable to be killed without a second thought.

"Hehe, so are you gonna answer the questions or do I need to see what colour you bleed?" The threat fell short of the dwarf. 

"Hahahaha! No, not even close. You see I am too valuable for you to use me as practice for your British roleplay. In fact, I'll bet my left toes that your egghead is about to give the command to stand down." Clef spoke arrogantly and yet calmly.

"*sigh* You so know how hard it is to be around you, right? But yes he is right. Anyways, we knew you would want a little deal with us so have a small proposal." 

A small contract was placed and unfurled on the table. It detailed an expedition for revenge and knowledge of the SCP foundation. Perfect. The small thing was that it required Clef's soul.

"Ok, do you think I'm as dumb as you look or are you just plain stupid? This is pure, unfiltered horse shit. I mean, revenge is pretty sweet but I kinda need my soul to bet with in poker games. Take someone else's, I have a full cabinet of souls, take one of them." He came off waaaay too confident for it to be a lie.

While a full cabinet of souls was tempting, controlling Clef was the first and foremost priority. Still that would be tricky. He was difficult to be near let alone talk to. 

"Ok, what parts are...' horse shit'?" 

"Really?... The entire thing!! Come on, look at this!! If you think I will throw in the towel, cause you have me in a cell and offer me the 'chance for revenge' if I roll over and play nice, then you should pull your fingers out of your ass and try. Do you really think of me as being THAT low?" The outburst ended with Clef in a half stood position which his shackles had forced him into.

"Ok, perhaps you can keep your soul in return for information on this foundation." Odette spoke whilst typing out a new deal.

"Ehhh. Throw in a pack of altoid mints and you got a fucking deal." Clef couldn't really care about what he contract he entered when he would break it in a heartbeat once it best suited him.

"Thank you Dr Clef. We will be in touch shortly." Odette quickly closed the laptop and signalled to the bodyguard to leave with her. 

The room Clef was left in was bare but it was good enough. A bed made out of some rough material lay almost unused in the corner. He was still shackles by his hands and feet so he was constantly reminded of his imprisonment but something felt right.

Laying on the lumpy and patchy mattress Clef couldn't help but feel he had been tricked somehow and yet it was not obvious in the slightest. The contract although harsh had been negotiated to remove the worst parts.

Whilst musing the contract Clef slowly succumbed to sleep.

Being prodded awake was not Clef's idea of fun. A suddenly flurry of attacks came from Clef towards the unknown source, the shackles limited their effectiveness but the sentiment remained.

Clef was half dragged and half walked out of the cell in the same shitty condition in which he had walked in in. Still there was an aire of importance. All the guards stood perfectly straight and all equipment was perfectly maintained.

At the end of the maze of corridors and security checkpoints a set of large ornately decorated double doors gave way to a large lobby area. A massive circular window allowed light to enter on the far side providing a break in the pattern of painting.

A lone figure stood at other side. Carmilla Carmine.

"So you finally agreed?" Her voice echoed off the vaulted ceiling.

"Yes, ma'am. He has agreed to a modified version of the original agreement." This response was met with Clef's best attempt to shoulder barge Odette.

"I have my own fucking voice!" Clef practically roared before being tasered by several guards.

Carmine turned to find the man to be much shorter than expected. Normal sinners were up to 8 feet tall so the 5 foot tall dwarf was a slight break in the routine.  

"So, if you have your own voice, use it!" Carmilla called over to Clef who was really regretting his agreement to the contract. There was still time to back out but the time was quickly escaping him.

"Nah, I won't waste my breath on insignificant pissy bitches. This whole thing has been fun and all but I have things to attend to." Clef taunted preparing his attack.

Clef lashed out striking Odette across her head, creating a sickening crunch which caused Camilla's stomach to drop. Immediately Odette dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Although still shackled, Clef could fight.

Barely avoiding a wild punch from the bodyguard, Clef pivoted, to the best of his ability, and faced the sinner. Clef swung for the knees but the swing was caught by the sinner's massive fists. 

Clef, thinking fast, avoided his face becoming an inward facing cone, as he dodged another swing. Steeling himself, Clef thrusted his head forwards. The deafening crunch of cartilage giving way to Clef's dense head filled Clef with delight.

Carmilla saw red! Her child bleeding on the floor. Her employees being brutalised in half a second. She launched herself at Clef with rage fueling her fighting spirit.

Clef was aware of a blurry thing flying at him fast before he slammed into a pillar. Clef's head was spinning and he was barely able to recognise another thing flying towards him before Carmilla impacted the pillar mm away from Clef's head.

Clef rolled away, while Carmilla extracted the sharp point of her angelic steel boots. Realising Cleft could easily escape the situation Carmilla pulled a set of pistols from their holsters and opened fire.

Diving behind the bodyguard's body, who took several shots, Clef searched for a weapon. What he found disappointed him but would work. Standing in the chains was difficult but was manageable.

Clef rose his feet quickly with an angelic submachine gun pointed directly at Carmilla. The two stood less than a foot away from each other yet they seemed a million miles apart. A single flinch could end either of their lives.

Carmilla leaped forwards reaching for Clef's gun. She swiftly switched the safety on preventing Clef from firing. Milliseconds later Clef tried and failed to fire resulting in a little 'click'.

A swift kick to the shin left Clef falling to the floor in sheer agony as the adrenaline faded. Carmilla stood over the defeated human. He would be an asset, later but an asset, nonetheless.

"I think I may keep your shotgun or perhaps melt it down. It holds sentimental value to you, so will be a very good lesson for you. DO NOT FUCK WITH ME!!" 

Carmilla took her daughter and supported her to the infirmary. As Odette groggily came back to consciousness one thought came to the forefront of her mind.

"Why did you treat him so cruelly if he is to be an asset later on?" The question hung in the air, getting a disappointing look from Carmilla.

"If you can't rule with kindness, rule through fear. In hell sinners don't respect honesty or kindness, they do respect fear. This human is more likely to take any future threats from me to be more consequential than before. Why must I teach you this lesson every week?"

The bleached white walls were washed in a crimson liquid, in some parts more than others. The walls that stood as a beacon of cleanliness in the dark red dusty landscape had been washed in blood till it took blended in with all around it.

Contraptions held still. Hulking wooden constructs lay dormant. Bloodied piles of bodies twitched as the few alive were covered in a mountain of gore. The guns of both sides had fallen silent.

Many sinners had died, almost all would be back in a matter of days, for others it would be over a week. The slaughter had left thousands of dead with untold millions in damage to the site itself.

As the Bright force cheered their victory amid the smoking remains of the site they stood to protect a lone figure picked his way towards them. The rest of the legion had either fled or been cut down yet one marches forwards alone, a devilish grin upon his face.

For a moment a gun line formed to execute the lone wanderer, but one small detail prevented his death. An amulet. The amulet! The thing hung around the sinners neck. Bright was back! They thought he had been lost amid the bloodied remains but he was back.

Bright swaggered up to the walls of site minus 01 and watched in slight pride as the gates slide open to reveal his task force victorious. Echoes of cheers swelled to a crescendo as sinners took notice of the figure as strolled into the site.

Much admin was too take place. Bright dreaded it. It was required to keep up appearances and maintain the site but it didn't stop him from considering disappearing for a couple days for the worst of it to be over.

Although they were easy recruits, Bright wanted to patched up the wall which had led so many addicts strolling into the site thinking it to be abandoned. It was a simple matter of sending a guy to get a contract. Really an easy task.

"The fuck do you mean it was declined?!!" NO,NO,NO,NO,NO!! And you're sure this was the foundation card and not your own?" Bright practically screeched over the phone as he quickly scanned through the recent executive orders the O-5 had passed.

"Yep. Mine hasn't had it's account frozen and the one you gave me is the only one I have. So we might need to live with the breeze for a little bit." The joke was not accepted by Bright.

As he half listened to the words his subordinate was saying he saw the order. 'all unknown foundation cards are to be deactivated unless the card's whereabouts are known and tracked.' The one Bright had was tracked but definitely didn't show up as even on earth, no wonder they deactivated it.

"Great, just great." Bright tool a deep breath which he had been advised to do when feeling murderous. It didn't help. So now he had to either get a message to earth from hell or go to earth in person. Neither sounded appealing.

He had already been planning a trip to the surface, mostly just to check in on the O-5, see how humanity is doing and also restock on D-class and SCPs with which he could toy. This removal of almost all of Bright's funds accelerated this as did the battle a couple hours before.

He had to get back to the foundation. To do so he would need the help of a certain red demon. But first it was time he paid Vox a little visit.

When told he had a meeting with an employee he had not expected it to go so poorly. Bright had done 3 episodes of the show he signed to host and had vanished. Now he shows himself with a gift to appeal to Vox's better side? He was lucky Vox was in such a gracious mood, Vox thought.

Bright wheeled the large wooden box into Vox's office. The thing had several hundreds warnings about not opening the box and yet Bright acted as if it didn't matter.

This was not to be a relations amending mission but a mission more Bright's own entertainment.

"Vox, your new host for the show has arrived." Bright said grandly whilst gesturing to the box.

Vox looked at said box and was unimpressed. Whatever Bright could have scrounged, from between the dumpsters, he had been living between, could not be a good enough product to even get screen time in a show, let alone host one.

Still despite outward appearances Vox still needed something to cover the hosting job. He couldn't run the same 3 episodes without being found out.

Vox touched a spark to the box which traveled along the outside of the box cutting a line which Vox could use to gain access to the contents.

What was inside confused him. It was an average, human-sized mannequin, devoid of features and other accessories like hands. The thing wasn't animate. Vox reached out and touched it, yet it didn't react. Perhaps the spark fried it's circuits? No it would be incredibly weak for that to happen.

Vox turned behind himself to Bright's last location. He wasn't there. It was just Vox and a guy who was meant to be there, a technician of sorts Vox thought, wearing a tweed cap. Bright had slipped right by Vox.

Vox turned back to.... an empty box. The mannequin was inanimate, Vox swore it. So why had the thing moved? How had the thing moved? Vox turned away from the box, perhaps the cameras held answers.

"Aaaah!! What the fuck!?" Vox yelled in surprise as he came face to face with the mannequin. How? The thing can't move, so why was it right here? Perhaps some robotics mixes with magic, that is the thing that one would use to fuck with another overlord.

Perhaps the mannequin was not a mannequin at all but really a sinner which looks to be one. Yes, definitely. Bright said it was his replacement so maybe it was a sinner with some sort of ambush predator, attack style.

Side stepping around the mannequin, still keeping eye contact, Vox slowly back up towards his desk. The mannequin had no weapons but it was lightning fast so it wasn't too paranoid to not turn one's back.

Turning to the desk Vox kept a camera trained on the mannequin's position, a couple meters behind him and scanned the camera network for Bright. He had gone. Plain and simple, he was gone.

Vox turned around again to come face to face with the mannequin. This was getting old, really fast. 

"I'm not doing this shit today! I won't put up with this bullshit, but I know a certain moth which will hate it even more." Vox said formulating a plan as he placed a hand on the mannequin and focused on a certain screen in Val's studio.

The set was not ready for a shoot, a detail Vox was semi glad to see. It would make it much easier to find Val. In a flash of sparks the overlord and mannequin appeared in the middle of the room.

Several cameramen were attending to a broken light fixture and, as usual, were doing almost nothing. 'This would require his attention later.'

Combing through the corridors of the studio's immediate editing suites Vox finally found Val in his office, a rare sight. A couple other sinners were there, a small editorial team and another, not of note, but he was meant to be there.

".. I swear to fuck if you don't finish this last scene by the end of today I will personally skin you alive and roast your corpse in the lava lakes. Or perhaps I will shred your soul right here. Yes, perhaps that is in order!" Val grinned a sickening smile as he envisioned the screams echoing through the halls, it would make the other editors work faster.

"P..p..please, don't your excellency. The scene will be finished soon, we promise." The sinner stuttered as he trembled Infront of Val.

"Hehehe, soon isn't good enough! I want it within the hour or your skin will be made a part of the next film!.. Val screeched before being rudely interrupted.

"VAL!! Hehe, leave the struggles of the lesser to others. I have a gift for you. It is a new.. uh mannequin which you may model all that fucked up gear you got." Vox scrambled for advantages of the mannequin which might get Val to take it.

"Anyways, bye,  I have to really go now, bye!" Vox quickly rambled before teleporting away in a flash of sparks, leaving Val alone with the mannequin.

The hotel seemed different to what Bright remembered. The thing seemed the same but different somehow. Perhaps they got a new wing of the hotel. Perhaps it was the giant hole in the wall, who knows. 

Walking up to the doors Bright sighed realising he would almost definitely have to bring the entire hotel with him to the foundation. It was a neutral event. Sure they could be a help and would cause more disruption but also the ethics of doing stuff generally won't slide with them around.

Approaching the door Bright heard hurried footsteps from inside the hotel as he reached for a doorknob. Opening the door Bright said.

"Hell...." The word was interrupted as the door was quickly slammed in his face. Bright neon the maniac he is, broke a hole in the glass door and walked through.

"..o. I thought you guys would be more receptive to me coming back." Bright said as he came face to face with a panting Vaggie.

"No! Nope, nuh uh, you are not going further than this." The angel said in defiance. Bright simply sidestepped the angel and continued walking into the lobby.

"You haven't even heard what I was going to propose. It is.....uh.... educational? I'm offering you all, and all expenses paid vacation in the last vestiges of the surface world!" Bright announce grandly.

"*Sigh* This is.... Why?" Vaggie watched Bright walk further into the new lobby with a confused expression on her face.

"Eh, I have some business to settle, so if I'm going your hotel might as well come on. I mean what's the worst that can happen?" The question hung in the air leaving a bad taste in Bright's mouth, as if he had said something wrong.

"Your last 'vacation' gave one of our rehabilitators extreme PTSD. What's to say this one won't?" Vaggie recalled Angel's first few days back after the event and shivered.

"I.....uh....... There is no guarantee it won't. But this one is going to be fun." Bright said in an almost childlike tone.

The instantly recognisable sound of Charlie's footsteps down the hall echoes through the room. This was his chance. Sure he wouldn't convince Vaggie but perhaps Charlie might be persuaded. 

"Hello, I have an offer to make which is the most....uhhhh..... exciting thing I can think of. I take your hotel on a small trip to the last vestiges of humanity. You could use it as a lesson to show the shit you're patrons cold become if not on the path of redemption, or something." The idea was immediately formulated just as Bright began speaking.

"Yeah, ok, sure!" Charlie replied dropping Vaggie's jaw to the floor and Bright's as well.

"Really? That's the amount of convincing needed? That was too easy." Bright said out of complete shock at the words actually working.

"Yeah, come on, what's the worse that can happen?"

As the chopper touched down on the helipad which was strangely absent of flesh the two brother jumped from the chopper and began to progress towards the door. The hot heavy cloth which each of the team members wore was uncomfortable in the worst of ways.

As they entered the sun proof airlock they began to get a little nervous. The whole mission was a large glaring issue given the only anomaly brought back was Able, and anomaly known for unpredictable and violent stunts. Not a good look.

Instead of the array of guns pointed at them the brothers found the busy halls of the site unperturbed by the arrival of the anomaly. It was strange. The feeling Able felt in these sorts of moments was normally rage but he didn't feel that at all.

Entering Cain's room half way across the site Able felt hunger. He hardly existed outside of the 2 hours he spends hacking and slashing so didn't have much time for trivial concept like food. Cain however wasn't worried by his body's needs, a plan had to be made.

"So, what do we do now? I understand you have a plan. Your too calculating to just charge in, so what's the plan?" Able voiced both of the brothers concerns whilst eating a bunch of grapes as Cain passed on the other side of the room

"I don't know. I honestly don't know. I hardly expected to make it this far. I mean saving you was a complete gamble and it paid off but it was a risk and I hadn't really planned this far ahead." Cain admitted trying to will a plan into existence.

"So that's it? You save me and we stay here for what, all eternity? I don't see a solution to the sun going melty so there is no going outside." 

"*Sigh* There is one thing. Adam our father was cast down to hell. He did something despicable. I attempted to kill Lucifer's daughter after a deal forbade it. I received this from Lute,.so I know it to be true. We could save him." Cain said hoping Able wouldn't fly into a blind rage like he would often do.

"Great! Something other than staring at walls or watching researchers. A true fight! I will slay so many demons Heaven will give me a medal for it! Hahaha, brother we will carve a path through hell so bloody it will drown the tallest imp." Able said with enthusiasm and without rage. 

"There is one problem. We both don't know how to get to hell." The problem seemed so simple yet so difficult. To get to hell one needs a powerful demon or angel and unfortunately neither themselves or Lute counted. 

"I remember you telling me of a SCP-343 and why all the guards at it when I escape. So why not ask him?" Able said in a rare moment where his memory proves better than his brother's.

"If only it were that simple. I can't just ask an all powerful being to go to a place which he despises most. Even if he would agree, how do we reach him? He is bound to have the most strict security known to anyone. It just isn't possible." Cain admitted in defeat as he sat down in a chair.

"I don't know, it seems pretty simple. I walk into room, I ask God for a little favour and I leave with tickets to hell. What's complex about it?" 

"*Sigh* Try it, we have nothing to lose."

The researchers looking into -049's cell were horrified to watch the plague doctor pull a jar out of his bag which contained a sample of a living -001 instance.

Yet they didn't press the alarm button. -049 seemed to be almost communicating with the flesh creature. It was strange, not least of all was that -049 was refering to it by name, Jack Edwards.

Samples of speech recorded between the two anomalies matched those on file for seargent Jack Edwards with an almost perfect match. Had he separated a single man from a horde of flesh and if so why him in particular?

It was decided that the finding wouldn't leave the room but that further testing would be completed, likely requiring the plague doctor to be unconscious for any results to be obtained from the 001 substance.

That however was a task for later.

Chapter Text

This was a bad idea. The whole selling soul to a demon for revenge was not going to work out well. Clef's mind echoed the thought. It was all he could do in the black void which was how he spent most time unconscious. 

His mind was an empty space, filled with nothing and yet it always had exactly what he needed, before being wrenched from his mind's comforts and sent back to consciousness. It was nice. A place in which he had full control, which another couldn't take away without getting a firm punch and a new found acquaintance that being, the floor.

The demon deal stuck in his head, a single whiteboard with the words 'do I do it?' had manifested at Clef's will. Clef pondered the question. To not do so, was to invite death, to do so, was to invite a different death. It was a lose lose situation he had been placed in.

Revenge was nice but he needs a soul for... things. Important things. He could probably win it back right? How hard could it be to trick a prominent member in hell? Anyways it could probably be fun, something he could do with alot more of.

Something was different, a strange feeling of solidity which he hadn't felt in a while of floating in this endless void. The feeling grew from a hardly noticeable numbing of his arm to a full almost static like buzz as Clef continued to almost enter a different place to his own. A place controlled by another.

Clef tasted metal. The buzzing drew louder and louder and lengthed in pitch till it was a loud screeching noise which almost deafened the doctor. The dark slowly gave way to a blinding white light forcing Clef to squint as he covered his eyes with his hands.

*BOOM*

A shockwave tore past Clef forcing him backwards onto... A seat? Clef tore his eyes open despite the blinding white light and looked to his sides. 

He was sat on a bench, the distant light slowly giving way to a yellow orange colour. A certain man occupied the bench. He was dressed in a grey suit of an older design to that which Clef had grown used to but a design he recognised from other's descriptions.

"Well, this was not what I was expecting. I was hoping for peace and quiet before... this." Clef spoke to the suited man with incredible irritation.

"We all want peace, but seldom get it." The man responded without turning his head from the slowly forming mushroom cloud.

"Ok, cut the crap, dipshit!! Tell me the prophecy or I'm leaving!" Clef declared, already get up from his seat.

"*Sigh* Clef you were always the temperamental one. Fine you may see your future." SCP-990 responded before waving a hand causing the mushroom cloud to quickly deform back to the site 01 landscape.

Clef soon found himself on solid ground once more. Not a packed earth park but the old concrete of the interior of the foundation sites. He was in a meeting room, one had only seen once.

Several O-5 members stood in a semi circle with their backs towards Clef facing a console. The figures seemed distressed and were stammering nonsense which hardly made sense.

The subject of their attention revealed itself to be Clef bloody and clearly distressed Clef but Clef none the less. He held a hand hovering over a big red button. The on site nuke.

"HAHAHAHAHA!!! You let her MELT!! HAHAHAHAHA. *inhale exhale inhale exhale* WHAT AM I TO DO NOW?!! I FAILED, TO PROTECT HER, BECAUSE OF YOU!!! AND IT IS YOU THAT WILL NOW FAIL YOUR PROMISE TO HUMANITY!!!" The button was pressed sparking a fireball to engulf the room.

"Hmm do not much different that normal, huh?" Clef spoke strangely calmly.

"Yeah, I could of guessed. Don't you just enjoy fate and it's ability to fuck up your entire world?" Spite was woven into -990's words in order for maximum reaction from Clef.

"Ehh, it's nice and all but I don't really fuck with the whole fate thing. It's nice to know I will be alive in a week for a month or however far in the future that is." Clef replied still looking at himself trying to gauge the time between now and the supposed event.

"Uh oh, looks like it's your wake up call." 990 said before fading into nothingness leaving Clef alone on the bench.

A sudden splash of cold water brought Clef to consciousness again. He was back in the same cell he had been in but now noticeably more wet than he had been previously.

The large sinner stood holding a now empty bucket with Odette stood right next to the sinner. The pack of altoid mints in Odette's hand, confirmed what Clef remembered to not be a fever dream, but reality. He wasn't sure if he was excited or bored. Perhaps a mix of both.

"Clef. It is good you are awake. We need you, the preparations are being completed as we speak. Are you ready to send a message?" Odette spoke coldly as if Clef was but an asset. He would make them pay for such an assumption.

Clef spat," yeah, let's get this shit over with. Quit the theatrics though, i can't be fucked to deal with it." Clef's dry tone caught Odette off guard.

"Follow me." Odette signalled for Clef to stand, which he did with a loud rattling of his chains as he did so. The bodyguard opened the door for Odette before shoving Clef towards the door. He wasn't in the best of company but it would do for now.

"As you should know, Carmine industries is the lead producer of top quality weapons, both angelic and not. It is a good thing we have chanced upon your foundation. Setting up a supply line could prove useful and at the very least we could become friendly." Odette spoke to Clef as they walked the corridors which led to the large loading bay which would serve as their summoning room.

"We wish to create amicable relations with your foundation. If only to prevent our discovery and a subsequent battle between our scouts on each other. You, will be our bridge between our factions. You will be sent with a couple managers and a good will gift of a couple hundreds weapons and plenty of ammo."

Odette finished as they approached a heavily guarded door. The guards immediately snapped a salute before opening the door with a series of codes.

Clef almost gasped as he saw the preparations which were being undergone to establish reliable portal travel for 5 minutes. A large circular device had been fashioned from a glowing steel compound. It was easily a couple meters in diameter with thick cables running from it to a power supply and thinner cables leading to multiple consoles.

A set of large crates filled a corner of the room which presumably contained the 'good will gift', each stamped with the Carmine industries logo. 

Several teams began to poke at their consoles watching graphs closely, and hoping their energy requirements wouldn't blow all the fuses in the building. One final check from the supervisors of the teams and they began the start up sequence.

Hundreds of voices slowly began to rise as numerous buttons were pressed and levers switched. Several cables were finally plugged in with each forcing a new team to begin work monitoring power.

A small group huddled by the weapon crates, many wore lab coats akin to Clef's, but with differences which notably made them unique. None of them would be useful in a fight and Clef knew something was on the horizon.

At the sound of the technicians beginning their start up the group by the crates slowly loaded them onto wheels and pushed them towards the portal gate. Clef was released from his shackles if only to push.

Slowly the noise emanating from the wires grew in volume and pitch. The slow rumble turned to an almost squeaking noise. Hundreds of fans began to spin as the computers began the calculations to obtain the coordinates for portal travel.

Clef watched as sparks began to fly from several of the cone shaped portal transmitters embedded within the gateway. The sparks grew to full electrical energy which grew in length as the power slowly increased. The electrical energy began to fill the gateway before forming the swirling pattern Clef had seen on Alastor's portals.

In a flash of light which caused Clef to cover his eyes, the electricity formed a swirling blue portal. 

The groups around him immediately seised their crates and pushed them up to the blue surface of the portal before disappearing into it. In one final deep Breath Clef plunged into the shimmering blue.

Clef appeared on the other side, gasping for air as the portal travel brought him instantaneous to site 01. The white walls he had longed to return to were finally back in sight.

Immediately an alarm blared. The screeching siren heralded their arrival. Instantly a white force pulsed through the site shattering the portal preventing their way back.

"Ah shit, here we go again!" Clef began.

The reception of the hotel was strangely full. No new guest had arrived much to Charlie's dismay but Bright's adventure was something many a guest took an interest in.

At the very least it would provide the opportunity to see new things/people. Some however had another item on their lists, revenge. Some clung to the hope their nemesis had survived allowing them to enact their own form of 'justice.'

Bright stood upon the bar with the sinners and Charlie gathered near the bar, the only exception, Angel Dust. 

"Ok, you probably can't go into the sun. Ok? That's final, unless you plan on asking ol' Luci to fix your melty flesh, which he probably can't." Bright was growing tired of explaining what was a very simple concept, at least to him.

"You know him?? Well everyone knows of him but you know him as in have met him, know him?" Charlie's face lite up at the mention of her father. She was hoping for some story or anecdote on her father and only received a strange look from Bright.

"So why can't we go into the sunlight again?" Vaggie asked trying not to laugh as Bright went through 10 stages of anger in the spam of 0.1 seconds.

"Vaggie you shouldn't do that. He's offering us a free tour of a surface world monument and you do this to annoy him?" Charlie said quietly to Vaggie as Bright tried to explain the concept of sunlight make you melty, again.

"Meh, the bastard was a dick to me so I'm just leveling the playing field. I think he's starting to have an aneurysm, so I reckon it's about even now." Vaggie said casually sipping from a bottle of... she didn't know and didn't really want to.

Upon first seeing Bright leap on top of the bar to start his speel, Vaggie had swaggered up to the bar and grabbed the drink Husk handed to her. It was decent but not particularly tasting of anything.

The shadows congealed into a solid matter from which Alastor formed from. He surveyed the reception. He saw a couple sinners which he would need to transport. He couldn't just do his shadow magic, mostly because it was unable to travel to the surface but also because it was suitable for only one or two people at a stretch.

One sinner was missing and almost none noticed. Angel was missing. Husk had kept expecting the shitty remarks or puns and yet was met with radio silence. He was almost concerned. Should he check on him? It wasn't really his place as bartender to do so, but Angel had seemed pretty rough and his drunken self revealed all he was hiding.

"Hey, imma just restock the... Uhhh, good whiskey." Husk half muttered as he walked to the cellar of the hotel. Noone drank the whiskey, not even himself, so restocking it was pointless, yet noone cared.

He passed Angel's room.

It couldn't hurt to check on him right? No, this was neither his place or anyone else's. Although of anyone he was the most 'qualified'. Husk shivered imagining Alastor checking on Angel. 

Angel hadn't seemed himself. His jokes seemed always self deprecating since he returned. His voice had lost it's... It's, light. Something had changed. The Angel which had returned was not the one which they knew. 

Yet if he was different, why had noone else said anything? He wasn't making it up, Angel was different. Did noone else care? Surely Charlie cared for her project.

Husk half considered just walking past the door and collecting the whiskey he had gone to get and yet he stayed. He practically owed Angel a duty, especially after last night.

The door to Angel's room moved inwards resulting in the spider sinner. The bags under his eyes were dark and large. All eight of his eyes were red and puffy. He wore his usual outfit, yet it seemed different. Angel almost emanated a dark presence.

"AAAHHHHHH!!" Angel fell backwards to the floor. " Fucking hell, Husk, you're almost as bad Al! Don't fucking surprise me like this!" His tone was almost venomous. He clearly wasn't good, in any sense of the word. Husk knew something was wrong, but this combined with last night confirmed it.

"I..Uh...Angel, I've come to.... Talk." Husk began yet Angel interrupted him.

"Talk. Ohohoho. The tight lipped bar tender who doesn't give a shit has come to talk about my feelings!" Angel turned from Husk almost surveying his room. He abruptly turned towards Husk." Spit it out, while I let you, Whiskers!" He was spiteful. Why?

"I can tolerate crying at the bar, but what happened last night was... alot. I've just come to check in, see how my most loyal patron is doing." Husk attempted jokes and yet Angel looked at him coldly.

"Ohhhh. The shitty barkeep has come to 'see if I'm ok'. Why? Did the rest stop coming? Am I all you have left? The little I am is all you have?" Angel masked his pain with sarcasm badly.

"I just came to see what's up with you. You've been off." Husk walked a couple steps into the room.

"Heh. You want to know what's 'off'." Angel walked to the other end of the room pouring himself a light blue liquid.

"I WAS STUCK IN THAT HELL HOLE FOR WEEKS!! WEEKS!! FORCED TO ENDURE SLEEPLESS, MIND NUMBING GAMES OF CAT AN MOUSE!! Trapped in my own little HELL!! And who is my saviour? SOME SELF SERVING PRICKS WHO CANT GIVE TWO SHITS ABOUT ME!!"

The words stuck in Husk's throat. He wanted to object, to tell Angel he cared and that he was brushed off by the others. Husk wanted to tell Angel that, but the lies died upon his lips.

There was little to gain in lying and alot more to lose. Noone but Charlie had noticed. Even then it had been an odd remark about him 'suddenly disappearing'. They all had fucked up, badly, in a way that one can almost never recover from.

They had all stood around while Angel was tortured, both mentally and physically. They didn't know what was going on, but they were a collective of some of the post powerful entities in the pride ring. They could have done something. Even if it meant having to endure the crazy Drs ramblings or a new hell. Yet they did nothing.

That realisation had stung Angel Dust. Almost more so than the physical pain, from the hell he had been taken too. The night after his escape was hell. Worse than anything he had endured previously. After scrubbing the black tar from his fluff and administering to innumerable cuts and lacerations, he fell to his bed exhausted.

He relieved the events of the previous week's. The horrid treatment from Val, the day before he was taken. Forced to relieve the verbal and mental abuse, that monster did to him. Before fading as he inhaled the red smoke which followed Val like his own cloud.

He would awake in those muddy, black rotting trenches. He would be slashed by barbed wire, burned by the acidic sludge or shot at by previous victims of his captor. That was when his personality broke.

Angel had long since forgotten the likeness of himself. He, was an act, a performance which sinners found enjoyable. It was this act, which took over his life. He would soon forget himself as the mask became truly and wholly one with it's host. 

Angel broke down into a shaking mess with sudden outbursts as the mask slipped for the first time in years. He was himself, yet he desperately clung to the act which provided him comfort, and pain. He wanted to die there. In a muddy acidic trench having lost his... Everything.

Last night Angel had relived those memories whilst sitting alone at the bar. He was himself, Angel Dust sat drinking at the bar in the hotel. The next blink and he was back in those soul crushing bunkers looking out across the desolate wasteland. 

He fell from his chair. His mind showed him that... thing. The monster that kept him there was slowly rising from the ground at the other end of the bunker. He shuffled backwards as fast as he could before falling down into the sludge once more.

Husk had watched it happen in the hotel. Angel fell from his chair. His eyes were wide with his whole body shaking. The terror spread to Husk as he watched Angel shuffle backwards frantically moving away from the bar.

Angel came to from the trance, gasping for air looking at the bar from the floor. His hands were shaking, his eyes were wide, he could hardly think. Standing above him was Husk with an almost smirk on his face as if laughing at Angel's situation. Angel leaped to his feet and ran to his room unable to confront what had happened.

"Listen, Angel please just...." Husk was cut off.

"Hehe. I ain't got time for your shit, Whiskers! Fucking leave me alone. And don't bother following. It'll be a one way trip!" Angel shouted storming from the room. Leaving Husk alone and afraid fro Angel.

"Hey, Al let me see a map." Bright said trying to formulate a plan.

A small map of site 01 was carried to Bright by a shadow of Alastor's. He scanned the map for specific traits. Their teleportation place would require precision and subtly. One can't just walk into the foundation without hundreds of guns pointing at you.

"Al, try to portal us into room 32A9." This was the perfect spot to begin the sneaky shit Bright had been planning. It was a junior researcher's office so would have someone Bright could bluff with the right amount of confidence and key card flashing. It was relatively central, on the 3rd level and in sector 2A which was close to the main elevator network.

This would be the moment. Bright had planned this for weeks, but a couple incidents, particularly with the treasury department forced him to act before preparations were finished.

With a flick and a garbled phrase, obscured by radio static, Alastor summoned the red shimmering portal which they would use to enter the surface world. The group stood outside the hotel with varying degrees of preparedness.

Charlie had armfuls of notes and posters, much of which were written in highlighter. She was ready to change the lives of the living if she couldn't change the lives of the dead. How hard could it be to get a bunch of homicidal maniacs into heaven?

Vaggie and Nifty had brought the bare essentials. Vaggie had her spear which she held ready to strike as Bright joined the group. Nifty stabbed at the occasional bug with the angelic knife she had been given.

With a single nod the group began to step into the portal one at a time with Bright first and Alastor last. 

The other side was an office space. It held a single occupant a guy wearing relatively formal attire, leaning back in his chair with his feet on his desk. The man was fiddling with some sort of Camera with parts littering the desk.

Bright took little notice of the fencing sword hung on the wall or the record player, spouting some classical shit. He pulled out his key card with level 4 clearance and waved it Infront of the other occupant of the room.

"Dammed teleportation. Hey, you! Due to an error with travelling here we have ended up in your office. Can we get some directions to the administrator of this site?" Bright mimed irritation at the teleportation not working. That had been the cover story he had decided to use.

Kondraki looked up from his camera and observed the demons and Bright Infront of him. 'what's the difference', he thought. He saw them for their true likeness. Two stood out as particularly estranged from the way they kept themselves. He could see both their demon forms and the one's they used from day to day.

The taller red demon had stitches along his mouth and eyes of a green colour. He was engulfed in a green flame, probably a sign of power. The smaller more human looking demon had horns and sharp talons unlike the way she wanted to present herself.

"*sigh* Bright, you want an administrator? Cause you're looking at one. Although perhaps not the one you are envisioning. What do you want?" Kondraki flashed his own keycard before returning to the camera. He was replacing the body of the camera. 

"I..uh...I am here to... Uhhh. *Sigh* Fuck it, you want the short answer or not?" Bright gave up finding an excuse and just accepted he was fucked.

"Which ever one gets you out of my sight and hair as fast as possible." The cold voice of Kondraki replied not looking up from the screw he was removing.

"We are here to redeem you retched sinners from eternal damnation. With trust exercises!" Charlie declared placing a stack of papers, mostly drawings, onto the desk.

"Hahahaha, *deep gasp* hahahaha, oh fuck that is funny. You aren't finding a single guy in this hellhole who has a chance of redemption. The only one who might, wouldn't, just to stay here and analysis the rest of us." Kondraki's outburst resulted in a strange look from Charlie.

"Hmm, Charlie, unless you are speaking French there is no 'we'." Alastor interrupted having realised what Charlie had said.

"Wha-, Alastor! You are just as much a part of Charlie's mission as I am. You called yourself the 'steadfast hotelier' a couple months ago. What happend to that, huh?" Vaggie immediately responded.

"Uh, are you saying that you think yourself and your coworkers can't be redeemed?" Charlie spoke up steering the conversation back to where it was.

"Think? I know. I mean, just procedure 110 montawk alone gets half these guys disqualified, and that's one thing." Kondraki responded placing his camera on his desk.

"Uh, ok, that's good. I like a challenge and this should prove myself worthy to rehabilitate sinners as well as humans." Charlie half mumbled to herself.

"Now, Bright, why the fuck are you in my office?" Kondraki wondered aloud.

"Why the fuck didn't you answer my question. Long or short answer." Bright bit back.

"Fucker, I did! The answer being, the shortest possible one." Kondraki responded.

"Fuck, you didn't have to yell! But anyways, I had a slight incident with the finances department and they kinda cut all my access to the foundation's money. So I'm here to rectify that." Bright said with complete confidence.

"Uh huh. So what are the demons doing here?" Kondraki asked hoping Bright would drop the bullshit.

"Demons? These are... researchers I brought with me to testify on my usage of funds allocated to me. They are just a tad anomalous, like myself or Dr Kain. And if you don't mind I need to see finances now or else I'll waste more time." Bright lied, strangely convincing, if not for the ability for Kondraki to see what was hidden.

As Bright moves towards the door with the sinners the door came flying open. The unmistakable voice of one Dr Glass cut through the air.

"Kondraki! This is the last time you try to dodge mandatory psychological examinations. There is no way you are not marching with me to my office." Glass declared after having slammed open the door, with closed eyes.

Kondraki jumped to his his feet before slamming his fist down onto the desk Infront of him causing pieces of camera to fly into the air. Kondraki later regretted it but felt it was necessary, mostly for dramatic flair.

"Glass, open your damn eyes, before I shove my sword up your ass!" Kondraki shouted startling all in the room.

"Huh, what the fuck!" Glass followed the command and came face to face with the colourful cast of characters which were the rooms occupants.

"Why the fuck, are there.. 4 furries? in your office? And I'm not invited!" Glass was beyond bewildered.

"Come on, have some professionalism. These are not 'furries', but anomalous objects, that walked into my office, accompanied by Bright." He spoke as if it was as mundane as explaining the difference between margarine and butter.

"What the fuck are they doing in your office?" 

"This is a....test. Yes, a test. It is being performed here because with the sudden appearance of the 'angels' I can't get a testing cell booked." Kondraki kept the same bored voice.

At the word 'angels', Vaggie immediately tensed. She knew little about this foundation she had come to but Angels could not be a good sign of things to come.

"What about the thing you said you'll do with your sword? What was that about?" Glass was about to reprimand her superiors so hard.

"Hmm? What about my sword?" Kondraki began the mind games as he looked at his freshly polished fencing sword.

"The thing after opening my 'damn eyes'." Glass fell straight into the trap.

"What does, 'there are demons in the room , be careful' have to do with my incredibly lethal sword which could carve you up like a pumpkin?"

"Wha- you just did it again." Glass was slowly catching onto the mindgame.

"Glass, are you feeling all right? Auditory hallucinations and visible tiredness are the first signs of stress and over work. Perhaps you should take the day off." Kondraki pulled a pen and paper from a drawer on the desk and wrote a note excusing Glass from work.

"Yes, Glass, I'm sure you've been working on.... whatever you've been working on very hard.  You're symptoms could lead to errors quite soon. I would hate for you to have to explain why there is an error on a report they received." Bright chimed in hoping to remove Dr Glass from the room.

As Glass turned to leave Kondraki spoke again.

"Although you are excused from duties, you could perhaps still be useful. Please take some of the anomalies for a tour of the safer parts of facility." Kondraki motioned for some of the demons to follow Dr Glass. Charlie and Vaggie followed.

Once he was sure the trio were out of earshot Kondraki sighed a sigh of relief. Looking at the floor he regretted hitting the table, it would take hours till he could find the prices scattered across the floor.

"Bright, I won't ask for an explanation. Just leave me out of this. I've been the centre of too much shit and the O-5 are getting a little suspicious. Just be glad neither Glass or I sounded the alarm.

WARNING! WARNING! EXTERNAL REALITY BENDING HAS BEEN DETECTED! POSSIBLY OF BREACHES, 20%! DEPLOYING REALITY ANCHORS! REMAIN VIGILANT! 

The facility was bathed in a blood red glow as alarms blared. The distant sound of gun fire echoes through the halls. 

Alastor tensed as he grabbed his microphone/cane in both hands. A white pulse shot through the site from the reality anchors. As it approached Alastor brought his microphone down, smashing the ground, creating a red field around him deflecting the pulse.

"Fuck! You said you didn't sound the alarm, fucker!" Bright shouted as he prepared to try to beat the shit out of Kondraki.

"I didn't!" Was the only reply as Kondraki began to type rapidly at his keyboard.

"Then who did?"

Chapter Text

With his head still ringing, Clef took stock of his rag-tag group with whom he would be fighting.

Several researchers had been knocked to the ground by the reality anchors. A few of the larger, stronger sinner had remained on their feet but, like Clef, were dazed from the anchor. 

Dragging himself from the wall towards the closest crate, Clef hoped that whatever was in it would be decent enough in a fight. Wrenching open the crate, a grin spread over Clef's face as he saw the one weapon he had hoped to see. The shotgun lay on top of the rest as if placed there as a taunting laugh.

Gingerly wrenching the shotgun from the crate, Clef took a couple steps as his head still recovered from both portal travel and the reality anchor's blast. He regretted not hiding a couple things away when he was captured, but he couldn't change the past.

Forgetting the sinners behind him Clef walked to the other side of the hallway and tried to force open one of the doors. As he expected, it didn't work in the slightest. Kicking the door in frustration also didn't do anything.

The first response had already began bolting through the site to their position and Clef knew he couldn't take them on by himself. In this situation it was either fight or swindle and Clef isn't the most convincing, being ugly on a good day.

Grabbing a couple rifles from the crate, Clef threw them into the arms of the sinners around him. His superiors would be all over his ass,  but that would be later and at the moment he couldn't give a fuck. To hell with the O-5, now was Clef's turn to relieve some stress.

"Hey, let me see some hands!" The yell came from a small group of guards which had came running round the corner. Already weapons were drawn and pointed at the sinners with Clef.

"GUN!" Another guard yelled as one of the larger sinners levelled the gun at the guard detachment. They stood staring at the sinner for a second daring him to fire. Milliseconds later, instinct kicked in and they fired.

*BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG*

The bullets ripped through the sinner splattering the others with the black blood. The storm of bullets kept coming leaving the sinner more like swiss cheese than a demon.

The sound of gunshots ricocheted down the halls of the site. Amongst the screeching alarm system and sound of heavy boots stamping along the hallways came the sound of gunshots.

Captain smith of the mtf force 'council's command' had been having a pleasant enough day. He had yet to be bothered by the Angel's antics and had been about to enjoy a small lunch. Those plans were interrupted.

Despite the alarms Smith sat still. If they needed him, an erratic Lute would break down the door just to gain the authorisation to do shit. Command required, however, he both give permission for the angels to start killing and being on scene.

*SLAM*

The sound of an angel slamming into the door echoes through the room. A second, and a third followed it as a certain angel began to break the door down. The heavy steel door already had dents in it.

"Fucks sake! Can't I be alone for five fucking minutes!" The captain muttered as he watched further dents appear on the door.

*CRASH*

"WHY CAN'T I HAVE FIVE GOD DAMNED MINUTES TO MYSELF!" Captain smith shouted throwing his sandwich at the wall.

"Sir, requesting perm-" Lute was immediately cut off as Smith expected the question.

"Yes, yes. Just let me get my coat." Smith cut in grabbing said coat from his chair.

Lute was dressed in full uniform with mask and armour on. Every scale was polished and the mask was freshly cleaned of most of the blood. She was acting like a giddy school girl at the chance to kill demons. Smith had never seen her so excited, even if it was in her own grim way.

The rest of the detachment had other duties to attend to and so the only angel present was Lute. Her metallic wings had been modified into a shorter wingspan. She flew through the halls occasionally stopping to allow Smith to catch up. It reminded them both of the fighting not a couple days ago.

Clef rushed to the crate foraging for one specific item. The crate held nothing but several rows of assault rifles and the ammo for them. In frustration he smashed the sides of the crate leaving splinters everywhere.

He threw himself the another and another and another. He was searching for the clay like substance which would provide a real explosive twist to the fight. If the door to the office space was locked, perhaps an explosion would loosen it a bit.

Finally he found a couple bricks of the C4 he had hoped to find. A wry smile spread across his face as he watched the blood soaked corner for further reinforcements. Placing the brick of C4, Clef looked around and pulled the trigger.

*BOOM*

From behind a makeshift barricade Clef pulled the trigger on the detonator. The fireball engulfed the door sending it flying from it's place before embedding itself inches from Clef's face.

Before the adrenaline could fade from his system Clef charged into the room. Crouching down to place another brick at the bottom of the wall opposite the door Clef's was met with cold steel to the side of his head.

The room he had just charge into was an office. There HAD been 3 people in the room, now there was one and a large smear of gore beneath the rubble from the collapsed wall. A single scientist had watched his only friends get crushed into a paste and was ready for revenge. Still breathing heavily, the scientist looked at the pistol he held to Clef's head and spoke.

"*Breathe* I...I..I can't let you leave here. If you move as much as an inch you'll join Keith and David. Or what's left of them." He motioned to the pile of rubble and blood.

Clef slowly moves his right hand to his shotgun and gently, imperceptibly lifted it into his hand. He carefully aimed the gun at his opponent behind him before lunging for the trigger.

*Bang*

The gunshot rang out as warm red blood splattered over Clef's face. His eyes were clamped shut as he waited for the coldness of death to wash over him. He would have preferred a different way to die, something with some coolness to it. It did not come.

Opening his eyes, Clef saw the cracked ceiling through the bloody hole through the scientist's head. The body fell lifeless to the ground. Looking behind the body revealed a lone sinner standing with a gun raises and smoke leaving the barrel.

Before Clef could do anything to acknowledge the sinner, he was whisked away by some black blur. Realising he had prescious seconds left till some big tough motherfucker burst into the room, Clef began building a blockade to shield himself from the explosion.

The distant explosion whipped Lite into a frenzy. She raced down the last few turns of the site before stopping dead in her tracks. Seconds later and out of breath captain smith turned the corner running straight into Lute. At first he had questioned the reason for stopping before he saw what was before them.

A blood pile of bodies. Fly's buzzed around the corpses. At an estimate there were 14 guards. The grey uniforms had been bleached red as blood trickled from bullet holes. Guns lay besides their owners almost brand new save for the blood which coates them.

Whatever had gunned down the guards was a ruthless killing machine. A evil beast amongst the ranks of monsters. Lute felt like throwing up, Smith did. Steeling her nerves Lute prepared to launch round the corner into almost certain death.

Rounding the corner there was a single sinner carrying a rifle which it fired into an office. Rage filled Lute. There was one thing killing combatants but another completely was shooting civilians. The irony of the statement was only realised by her hours later.

Charging the sinner she saw a look of surprise spread across the sinners face as it turned to face her. Before it could make a sound she tore into it with cold indifference. Her sword slices through bons and flesh alike leaving a mangles corpse of black blood behind. 

Turning back to the office she had passed, Lute saw the other side of the shoot out. Several sinners lay coated in their own black blood, with weapons clutched in their hands. They had used a series of crates which contained hundreds of weapons as a barrier.

The doorway to the office had been blow apart. Black marks still smoked with an aroma which Lute was thankful she couldn't smell through the mask. The door was embedded in the wall opposite the door frame with a spider web of cracks covering the wall.

Approaching the doorframe Lute peered into the room. Nothing was discernable aside from the 3 feet Infront of her which was illuminated by the lights behind Lute. The bloodstained rubble gave information as to what happened.

A singular one of the filament lights inside of the room flickered illuminating most of the room.

Lute froze. 

The office was in disarray. Tables were shattered, rubble covered half of the room, and several desks had been gathered in a corner of the room. Multiple lighting fixtures were hanging from the ceiling.

What had caught Lute's attention, however, was a neat stack of C4 explosives. Lute froze once more looking frantically for a detonator on the sinner she had slain. There was none. Initially Lute had thought the room to be empty but the soft beep from inside the pile of desks told her otherwise.

*BOOM*

The explosives lit up into a fiery explosion sending Lute flying backwards through the wall, crashing through the walls before landing hard onto her back. The explosion shredded the desks till the last one, which miraculously held. 

Clef stood, shaken. He had moments to act and saw the vent which was his escape route. Although the cloud of dust thrown up by the explosion would mask his escape for a second, he would need a second to prevent his assailant from following.

He cursed himself uncharacteristically silently as he shimmied into the exposed vent shaft. He has seen the fucking statute do it so why was he having difficulty? Still he crawled downwards till he was barely hidden within the vent.

Lute burst through the smoke, debris and dust through the office to the hallway on the other side. She stood for a second in dismay. She had failed to catch a balding, fat, midget with explosives. This was shameful.

As she reflected for a second, whilst looking up adm down the hall Lute felt her boot graze a hard substance which latched onto the boot. Looking down she saw the same explosive, which had been moulded onto the wall, attached to her boot. She could only sigh before the second explosion rocked the site.

*BOOM*

Lute was sent flying into the air alongside a  cacophonic choir of shattered bricks and tiles. With her ears still ringing, Lute recovered before hitting the level above her. Staring down at the crater Lite could only hope the blast had killed only it's detonator.

"Oh, shit! Ok, everything is fine. Nothing to worry about. It's not like your trapped in a dangerous facility full of unimaginable horrors." Dr Glass said aloud partly to reassure himself.

The trio continued to walk the halls of the site just at a slightly quicker pace than they had been before the alarms. The halls were bathed in crimson light as the alarms droned on.

Finally they reached a checkpoint. A quick flash of Glass's keycard was all they needed to pass but despite being deep into familiar and presumably safe territory the trio felt uneasy. The distant sound of gunfire and screams was not reassurance.

A lone figure stood in the middle of a junction looking lost. It faced away from the approaching trio who bagen to realise the figure's presence. It was humanoid with a black cloak with a hood obscuring the figure fully.

As they grew closer they could make out more features. The smoothness of the 'cloak'. The satchel around the figures shoulders containing a jar with something moving within it.

It had been...10 minutes since -049's escorts had fled as the breach began. This left the doctor in a strange position, one he had hoped to be in, yet the situation was unfavourable. If he was to leave, where would he go?

He knew of the sun's effects on living matter, while he didn't know if it worked on anomalous subjects, such as himself, he didn't want to find out. So that struck leaving the site from the plague doctor's plans. Leaving only one other. Cooperation.

The only feasible way to avoid being shot, injected with poisons, ripped apart, blown up or beaten to death, was to work with his captors. Something the other anomalies never did, at all. Though comparing the actions of those savages to the refinement of the plague doctor yielded many differences.

The sound of tapping glass prompted -049 to turn his attention from his thoughts to his 'pet'. The remnants of seargent Jack Edwards sat in the jar occasionally tapping the glass or speaking the odd word. -049 looked at the flesh for a second before placing it on the floor and retrieving a vial from his bag.

Glass immediately began to panic as he alongside 2 demons slowly creeped up on the Euclid class anomaly. Himself and the plague doctor had interacted once before but it had yielded little fruit and the director deemed it a waste of time.

'This is how I die', Glass thought as he watched -049 grab a vial from this bag and begin unscrewing the lid to the jar much to the contents excitement.

Suddenly, the gray demon charged the plague doctor as he removed the lid from the jar. The spear point had been removed to more easily sneak by and do Vaggie charged with merely a stick against a SCP who could kill her in a single touch.

Raising the shaft above her head, as best she could in the corridor, Vaggie lengthened her strides to hopefully provide more momentum.

The flesh creature had climbed from the jar into the plague doctor's hand. It gurgled and spoke a couple times. The speech was garbled and almost nonsensical, however -049 seemed to understand. It seemed as though 049 was becoming attached to the thing.

*CRACK* 

The sound of Vaggie's staff connecting with the back of -049's head made a satisfying crunch as the plague doctor fell to the floor amid a shower of splinters. The sound of him hitting the floor echoed and blocked out all sound for a second.

"Ok, what the fuck?!!" Dr Glass said as he walked up to the anomaly. 

"Hey, he's still alive! I think. But anyways he could have been murderous." Vaggie said looking at the unconscious anomaly, hoping it to still be alive. It wouldn't be the best of ways to start their introduction.

"We'll drag him to my office. It's a couple halls down. Just try not to hurt him more than he already is. Mostly, 'cause command will be all over my ass if an anomaly dies under my care." Glass spoke as he picked up an arm and slowly began to drag the body along the hall. The two hell occupants joined soon after.

There was one tiny, insignificant problem with the current plan. Such a small problem they wouldn't need to worry about it, or that's what Glass reassured himself. There was a checkpoint, between here and the office. A checkpoint that was definitely staffed.

The slight chatter of the guards pierced the air as the trio, and plague doctor, turned the corner. The hell residents faltered slightly at the sight of the heavily armoured team which had gathered before the checkpoint. The black scales and horned masks betrayed who they were.

Vaggie and Charlie immediately dragged Glass and -049 back around the corner. If the angels saw them, they would almost definitely die. All they had was a spearhead without a shaft and a confused Dr Glass.

"Shit, Charlie what are we gonna do? If they see us we'll be..." They both knew what the last word would be and neither wished to dwell on it.

"I don't know. I... DAMN IT!" She turned to Glass" There wouldn't happen to be another way around them would there?" Charlie spoke to the now completely perplexed Glass.

"No... Not unless someone wants to deal with bird face regaining consciousness. Also why can't be just walk past them? I know an unconscious anomaly would raise some alarm bells, but just about every guard owes me a favour, or two."

"*Sigh* They are angels and we might have had a little run in with them before. We didn't leave on the best of terms." Charlie said carefully picking her words so she didn't seem to be a total monster.

"Yeah, to sum up a long story. We killed their leader and maimed the second in command because decided genocide was the best option for our people." Vaggie said plainly gauging Glass's face for his reaction.

"Hmm, so we really can't stay here cause they will come through here in a second so we'll need to be crafty." Glass said deep in thought.

"And what's his face will wake up soon."

"Here, take my coat and Vaggie, was it? Take her jacket." Glass said passing his lab coat to Charlie who took off her red jacket and gave it to Vaggie. They still looked quite recognisable but different enough that a first glance would not bring up memories.

The trio dragged themselves to their feet and began to haul the anomaly towards the checkpoint. Upon approach they met a couple of others with whom the hell residents may blend in with. The plague doctor on the floor raised some eyebrows but Glass called it 'another one of Bright's pranks'.

"Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?" One of the angels had stepped out from their rough formation, looking right at Vaggie. Her breathing became shallow and her heart pounded out of her chest. Vaggie's fists clenched so tightly, she thought they might draw blood.

The words echoes along Vaggie's head. She recognised the angel. She had to get out of there now!

"Hmm? Oh, you won't recognise this junior." Glass leaned closer towards the angel." She was a recent transfer before the sun turned all melty. Poor thing has barely left her room. She saw some... things but I think I finally got through to her." 

The angel bought it hook line and sinker. It helped a superior angle snapped at the other to return to formation. Vaggie was still in shock and just turned to follow Glass as he entered the civilian section of the site.

"Hey, uh thanks for saving me. I just froze as soon as she spoke. Thanks for getting me out of there." Vaggie admitted to Glass as they continued to drag the anomaly to Glass's office, although none of them really knew what to do afterwards. 

Turning a corner, they finally saw the name plate next to a door which bore the name of 'Dr Glass'. They scrambled inside before anyone could cast anymore strange looks in their direction.

The interior was strangely spacious for what seemed to be a rather hastily thrown together office. Cardboard boxes still sat in the corner from when Glass first entered this office.

It was cozy. A desk took up much of the middle of the room, stacked high with papers and files. Various species of plants sat in pots accompanied by a couple sofas. A couple pictures hanged from the wall, they were mostly ink blots but one was Glass's psychology degree. 

049 was unceremoniously dumped on a sofa before he was tied to it with whatever string lay in Glass's desk. It was strange to see such a well known and sometimes respect anomaly lay on the sofa next to them. Eventually he began to stir.

"Ahhh, finally. I was beginning to think I had killed you with that little tap." The words were muffled as if the speaker was apart from 049. The doctor was still recovering from the unconsciousness and his head stung with a pain he had not felt for a while.

Opening his eyes -049 saw the interior of an office, a stark contrast to the white orderly halls he had been in before. In instinct, 049 tried to reach out for his bag, mostly to check on Edwards. He found his hands to be bound  and his movements limited.

"Looking for this I presume?" Glass lifted -049's bag with the jar poking out of the top. The flesh creature was thankfully inside the jar. One small mercy the world had thrown their way.

"Hold up. Why are we keeping him tied up? He is just a guy. A strange guy, with some goop in a jar, but that doesn't mean much." Charlie interjected at the sheer absurdity she was viewing.

"It's 'cause he is dangerous! There is a reason for me doing such things. He has....done some things I wish not to relive." Glass shivered remembering several incidents he had to support people through. That wasn't pleasant for either patient or therapist.

"I am not dangerous! I cure people! Just because your simple minds are unable to understand my work doesn't mean I am dangerous!" -049 shouted in rage at his medical work being called dangerous.

"I'm sure people can change. I've seen it myself and I can't be sure he is irredeemable. Sure he may have done something unsavoury in the past. But it is the now and later which dictate how he should be treated not what he did." Charlie took a couple steps towards the tied up anomaly.

"Ok, uhh Charlie, don't do this. I want you to look past my employer and at me. I have worked with great people whom he killed. Heros I looked up to, taken away by a single touch. Just, please, don't do this.' -049 tried to object as Glass said killed but he was spoken over.

Charlie leaned down towards the bindings. They were quite easy to remove and soon, much to Glass's objections, the anomaly was sat on the sofa completely unrestrained. Glass practically cowered in fear behind his desk as Charlie extended a hand towards the plague doctor.

"It is time your foundations stopped fearing us and began working with us. Some of the 'anomalies' you contain are merely gifted people and could greatly aid you. But still you cower when we do anything." -049 spoke towards Glass not even acknowledging Charlie's presence.

"But where are my manners. I must thank you for freeing me from those binds. I thank you miss....? I'm sorry but what is your name?" -049 spoke with reverence as he addressed his saviour.

"I am Charlie Morningstar. Heir to the throne of hell and all that. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Charlie said before shaking the plague doctor's hand, much to Glass's horror.

"That fellow was... peculiar." Alastor remarked as he followed Bright down the near empty hall.

"Eh, it's the foundation. Most people here are a little nuts." Bright replied choosing to not ass the line' including me'.

There was a purpose to Bright's stroll. An invention he had wanted to try since he had heard of the anomaly but as always he had been denied the approval to do so. The anomaly he required was an instance of SCP-939.

The invention he had wanted to make was a scream generator. It would require a brain and the vocal cords of one of the 'doggos'. The invention would send tiny pulses of electricity into the brain of the anomaly.

If hit in the right place it should trigger a response of fear or perhaps anger if the anomalies could experience such an emotion. This would then allow the vocals cords to manipulated to produce a sound. By adjusting where the little zap hit one could produce differing sounds, but the main one was screams.

There was a prototype in Bright's bag which he hopes to test with before screaming at the dogs for half an hour. Despite multiple disciplinary hearings over the matter as well as mandatory counseling Bright was able to do it. 

The distant hall revealed something promising. A lone instance of 939 sat looking at a wall randomly speaking words it had heard during the current breach.

The lizards was a dark red colour with large bulging muscles and a spine of eyes along it's back. It's elongated mouth intermittently moved as it imitated it's victims. It was scarily good.

Alastor stopped for a second and within the blink of an eye, a portal had opened and a black tentacle had speared the anomaly through it's head killing it instantly. Blood coated the white ceiling in the outline of a radio a calling card of the radio demon.

The pair walked up to the anomaly. It was unsalvageable. The brain was obliterated and the connection from brain to vocal cord had been severed. Bright was sure there would be more around, these anomalies are pack like, so poking around in the nervous system would prove useful knowledge.

As Bright kneeled down to begin his little autopsy, Alastor remained standing. There was a strange feeling in the air Alastor could detect. The faint whisper of something inescapable. His deer ear stop his head flicked over and over, his eyes twitching at every creak of the building, at every echo of a gunshot.

Bright was making little progress. This whole biology thing was a little more complex than he had first thought. The brain, or at least what was left of it, did connect to the vocal cords but it was far more than he had hoped. The brain holder was about the right size but he would require more padding to prevent currents from crossing.

Alastor had chosen not to send out his shadows to find the cause of the disturbance. He wanted a true hunt, devoid of the advantages he often had. He listened for the reason of the sudden awareness and yet it didn't yield itself to him as easily as he hopes it would.

Suddenly, Alastor was alerted to the slow creak of the vent system above him. A large vent grate was slightly open just above Alastor. The darkness showed nothing, yet the slight glint of claws have away what was there. An instance of -939 was bidding waiting to pound.

The creatures leaped down towards Alastor, it's claws raised and teeth poised to strike. The 'doggo' found itself falling to the hard floor of the hallway as Alastor stepped backwards. The thing fell to the floor hard, striking it so hard that cracks formed in the tiles.

Bright had been quite peacefully dissecting the dead creature to find that seconds later and alive one was inches away from him. Bright let out a terrified screech manly shout as he dove over the dead body and landed hard away from the anomaly.

The -939 instance began thrashing violently as it tried to return itself to being upright. Alastor's coat was a terrible victim of the sudden ambush as multiple new rips were added to the stitching. An issue for another time.

How was he to keep this thing alive? Alastor wondered as he watched with mild amusement as it slowly moved towards Bright. Blunt force would have to be necessary to incapacitate without guaranteed death. 

Bright rolled to his back and now found himself 3 feet from the lizard as it prepared to pounce. Bright watched carefully as the lizard barred it's teeth towards him. The thing cried a skull piercing scream and Bright knew it was the one he needed.

The -939 instance suddenly lashed out at Bright leaving a laceration in his boot, with minor damage to the foot within. Bright delivered a quick kick to the side of the lizard's head hoping to daze it. It only made it angrier.

The anomaly let Bright slowly move away as it gauged the distance and launched itself at Bright. A black tentacle sprang up from the ground and slammed the -939 instance into the wall. The lizard let out a high pitched whimper as it fell to the floor unconscious and barely alive.

"Nice, but it can't hurt you to do that before I become lizard food. I've sent enough people to their deaths at the jaws of a much larger one so I've seen how unpleasant it is to be shredded." Bright said as he began to walk over to the body. This one would do nicely.

"I was letting you handle yourself for once. A task you simply can't handle." Alastor retorted as he watched Bright stab his knife deep into the red flesh.

The specimen was adequate for Bright's machine. The brain was quickly delivered to a life support system/electro shocker, the vocal cords soon followed suit.

Bright's machine was finished and he would terrorise the site with the desperate screams of their coworkers.

Chapter Text

Kondraki dragged his feet as he walked towards Bright's location. He was not frilled to be doing it but he would rather do it than get another reprimand from the council. He was always at the centre of everything and just letting some demons walk into the facility was about as centre as one gets.

His phone occasionally buzzed as his internet updates him on Bright's location. He was glad that they had escaped site 17. Kondraki shivered even just thinking about it. He wished not to experience those horrors again but he seldom get what he wished.

Despite the explosions and gunshots which echoes along the site, Kondraki remained Lazer focused on the ground and his own thoughts. He didn't meet the face of anyone passing by, he didn't much like social interaction. 

Another ping forced Kondraki to stop for a second. Pulling out his phone he saw the latest image his intern had uploaded. It was of a crowded emergency shelter. The phone was not of the highest resolution but Bright's orange hair and the strange almost static effect on the other figure confirmed the person to be the one and only Jack Bright.

Kondraki disliked him sometimes and liked him others. It was particularly nice if Bright got the council off his back but he has also thrown him into several piles of bureaucratic shit, most of which was signing death certificates. Still the wild antics were particularly funny when involving certain people.

Kondraki sighed again. Bright loved doing stupid public stunts and this time would be no exception. He just hoped there would be no singing.

Still, now was no time to dwell on the possible futures which Kondraki could walk into, now was a time to ignore all social obligations to talk to others as he passed them. It didn't matter that they were running the opposite way to him or that he had seen far too many guards run past him to be a coincidence. One conversation peaked his interest though.

".... How the fuck are these shitters getting in here? First it was the serpent fuckers and their chaos gimps. Now it's these random demon looking dick heads." One guard complained aloud to another as they matched towards whatever was Infront of them.

"I dunno man. Portals and shit. At least the reality anchors can detect possible portal locations. Some egghead added it to them." The other responded with mild respect.

"If I make it to retirement, I swear I will streak through the inter facility....." Kondraki zoned out as he continued walking, ahead of the guards. He hardly looked up from his camera he held in his hands. Something about it had seemed rather useful although he didn't quite know how it would be.

Kondraki regained conscious thought at a sudden bout of random shouting. As his mind came back from the deepest thoughts Kondraki held, he heard small pieces of the words. 

"... Stop!" "Hear it comes!"  "No sudden movements!"

Kondraki looked up from his camera to the sight of a portal opening up in the wall on his left. Instinctually he stepped to the side and looked up and down the corridor he stood in. On both sides groups of guards, with weapons drawn, looked on in almost awe as they waited for Kondraki's every move.

Kondraki was about to take a step away from the portal before a noise, akin to rubber being stretched, forced him to stop. A single hand stretches through the portal, grasping at the edge as it's owner pulled itself from it's own world into theirs. 

"Nope!! Nope!! No!! Nein!! I am not dealing with this reality bending, physics defying bullshit. It's bad enough I have to deal with Bright." Kondraki shouted to noone in particular whilst quite quickly walking towards the evacuation shelter Bright had ended up in. The guards stood flabbergasted and let him pass.

Carmilla Carmine looked up at the portal with apprehension. On the one hand, her envoy had almost definitely been wiped off the face of the earth and those brilliant scientists she had sent needed avenging. On the other hand, this was a portal to almost certain doom which others have entered and so far not returned.

The blue shimmering portal starred back at her in defiance, daring her to enter and most likely die. Carmine almost cackled. It had been months, building this machine, hundreds of favours called in, thousands of souls for the sheer materials. All that work and she was getting cold feet at the most important moment. The insanity of the situation forced a dry chuckle to escape Carmine's lips.

Still, if she went to perish she would hopefully just come back, here in hell. A little shaken up, sure but still alive. The likelihood of them having even seen angelic weaponry was slim to none let alone them having access to such tech. Her daughter's were well prepared, to take over the operations of the company, so she needn't worry about that.

Besides the low humming of the machinery which filled the room, the chamber seemed silent. The casual chatter of employees had died as the portal opened. They were struck with awe. Carmine supposed it was a certain sight to behold especially when it had been maintained for more than a minute without shattering.

Taking a deep breath Carmine surged forwards towards the great blue portal. If she were to die, so be it. She had a score to settle.

Emerging to the other side of the portal, Carmine gripped the edge of the portal as she wrenched herself from hell to earth. It was a long strenuous process, but it was necessary to not be stuck in both realms.

Her head felt heavy. Her vision blurred slightly. Words spoken around her seemed to hit her like a brick as she flinched at the sudden influx of commands. Looking to her left, Carmine saw the vague forms of uniformed guards, although it was hard to definitely define. The same blurry grey figures stood to her right.

As her head slowly began to stop ringing, Carmine took stock of her situation. She was surrounded on both sides by heavily armed guards. She could almost definitely dodge and shoot her way out of the situation, however the momentary respite would be extremely momentary as more resources would be committed to her capture. Perhaps playing along was the best option at her disposal.

"ON THE GROUND, SERPENT SCUM!!" The command required no additional instructions. Begrudgingly, Carmilla slowly sank to her knees in response to the order.

Despite their reservations about it, the two groups of guards inched closer to Carmilla, with their responsibility flesh raised, watching for any sign of resistance. Once close enough a couple guards leaped forwards, with restraints at the ready. Now adorned with a set class III humanoid restraints, including a set of handcuffs, Carmine was not easily impressed. 

This seemed too little for a sinner of her calibre. She could still move mostly unrestricted and could easily break the handcuffs. Perhaps they were used to less dangerous threats, although from what Carmilla had learned of this foundation that was unlikely. Perhaps this was all that was to hand at the time of her capture. Their resources must be spread pretty thin with the sun turning against humanity.

Deciding to play along, mostly to reassure this foundation, Carmine allowed herself to be escorted by the guards to her holding cell. The guns pointed at her seemed a little unnecessary but they proved to be a little intimidated rather than dangerous. These guards were obviously trained for fighting something slightly less than incredibly powerful.

Carmilla made a mental map of the facility as she passed various rooms. She passed several closed doos with various civilian centres purposes. Several more proved to be confusing as the same phrase 'SCP' followed by a number didn't reveal the purpose of the rooms.

This place was far beyond the imaginings of the overlord.

"So, you're just gonna help us?" Glass questioned the anomaly within his office who, like a light switch had turned remarkably nice.

"*Sigh* Yes doctor.... Unfortunately, you lay trapped within your apprehensions and I can not change that, but can you not ask me the same question every 5 seconds!" The anomaly retorted.

"Girls girls, you're both ugly." Vaggie spoke hoping to at the very least turn the duos attention to the situation at hand from their bickering.

"Yeah, 049. wait. HEY!" Glass slowly put 2 and 2 together.

*CRASH*

The sound of the wooden door flying off it's hinges and slamming into the desk in the middle of the room forced both Glass and 049 to quit bickering. All faves turned towards the doorway which was now completely clear of all door. In the place of the door, stood a rather large muscled man with red tattoos swarming his body holding a large sword behind him.

"Hahaha, Dr Glass I have come for you. Tell me, where is the funny magic man?" The man walked into the room embracing dr Glass like an old friend. Glass, taken completely by surprise, froze before being crushed by the anomaly's arms.

"Able? What happened to the murderous, bloodthirsty killing machine I respected and feared?" Glass questioned giddily, hoping his various sessions of therapy had finally bore some results.

"Eh, I got better I guess. But that is not why I am here! Where do I find your man of magic?!" Able shrugged off the question as if it were a very thin blanket. He was on a mission.

Able wasn't entirely over the whole revenge thing. The scars he bore over his body reminded him of the wrong that was yet to be put right. A wrong to be settled with fire, blood and anguish. That was a time which was yet to come. His father was a leader of a group of angels and so he likely had access to angelic weaponry. Able hoped such weaponry would pierce the anomalous ability Cain possessed.

First he would go to 343 and obtain entrance to hell. Next he would free his father and obtain the angelic weaponry he required. Finally he would slay his brother. Able was unsure as to the next part of the plan. But he was sure he would profit.

"Huh? Magic man? Are you feeling alright? Out of all the cross testing, not a single.... anomaly.....comes to mind. Except one." Glass locked himself deep in thought. There were many, whom a person such as Able would label as magic and funny, especially factoring in that there was VERY limited cross testing with Able. 

"Ah, do you mean..... 343?" Glass ventured the guess as he tried comprehending the reason as to why Able, the immortal killing machine would want to meet with what seemed to be an all powerful being.

"Yes, that is the one. Although I am unsure as to what my brother intends to do with our..... technically grandpa." A new voice entered the room, which Glass recognised immediately. A warm smile immediately covered Glass's face of confusion as he remembered the good times the two had spent with eachother.

"Ah, Cain. I am surprised to say the least. So are you over the whole killing him thing or has it just been momentarily cancelled?" Glass asked Able, as Glass witnessed the first time the anomalous brothers had been in the same room without Able trying to kill Cain. 

"Yeah, well he, saved me and condemned me so he isn't safe. Common interest has forged the bond between us although the strength of said bond has yet to be tested. I am rescued from that wretched site and yet if I am to die I will be entombed there. But back to the original question, where is your anomalous man with godly powers?" Able explained briefly before returning to the question at the forefront of his mind.

"I... don't know. He sorta goes anywhere he wants. The whole fazing through walls prevents us from truly containing him... Uhh, actually there is....a map just outside my office.... Let me point out where he is." Glass's face immediately changed as he remembered the others in the room with him. With Glass leaving the room quickly the 2 brothers followed.

Glass looked up and down the hallway, several times to ensure he wasn't being watched. "Ok, so those two women in my office claim to be from hell, and I'm not sure how well they would respond to God being here. Don't ask, it's a strange story involving Bright so it could be true and I don't want to take chances. Look, take my phone, there's a map of the site on it. I don't know what you two are doing, but it can't make things much worse. Good luck." Glass handed Cain his phone, before patting both anomalies on the back and walking back to his office.

"Why doesn't uhh Glass trust you?" Vaggie wondered aloud as she watched the plague doctor warily. This Glass guy has seemed pretty level headed for the time they had been together so Vaggie assumed he and this plague doctor had some sort of past.

"*Sigh* Well, we do not see exactly eye to eye. I have cured numerous of his colleagues from the great pestilence which is a scourge on the world. His mind is... set in it's ways. He lets base human emotion control his thoughts and refuses to allow himself to see the work for what it is." The plague doctor was tired of explaining such a matter and had been for some 30 years.

"What exactly is the pestilence? Is it another COVID?" Vaggie smirked as she watched the anomaly almost shiver in disgust at the words.

"It is a terrible affliction which humanity has been cursed with. There are too many signs of infection to list them all, but I have studied for... let's just say a while, and I know them all. I have battled day and night to remove it from people's bodies and perfected my craft." The plague doctor lectures proudly on the subject he had studied since he could remember. It was a subject he was well acquainted with and one he could talk on till the end of time.

049 let out a deep sigh." Due to complications regarding a meteorological anomaly I have had to turn my attention to away from the curing of the pestilence. The sun has turned against humanity, yet I will not abandon them as easily as it has. Edwards is a testament to that fact." 049 looked down at the flesh in a jar with affection. The flesh extended several tendrils out towards 049, each being blocked by the glass.

"Oh, yeah, I've been meaning to ask, what the fuck is that?" Vaggie declared whilst pointing towards the jar. The flesh within proceeded to cower from Vaggie's hand, with it trying to escape the sinner's gaze. The flesh hissed and it's singular eyeball looked up at 049 with almost pleading as it tried to escape Vaggie.

" 'That' is sergeant Jack Edwards. He was an amicable person amongst a sea of outward aggression and concealed hatred. This was all of him I have separated from the other beasts. It was a remarkably difficult task. He is an experiment, if you will. He has been my test subject to find a cure. No true progress has been made." 049 couldn't meet the eyes of the sinner in shame at his inability to produce a cure.

"He? Experiment? You talk of it as if it was a person. It is nothing more than human soup!" Glass interjected as he entered the room once more. Distained was present in his voice.

049 immediately rose to his feet and came within inches of Dr Glass. "You would do best, doctor, if you don't try my patience. You never know when it will finally run out." The threat hung in the air like a thick fog. Both of them regretted letting their true selves shine through for those prescious moments but both were willing to take the point of contention further.

Alastor surveyed the evacuation shelter as he readied himself for Bright's plan. It was beyond all comprehension. To hope that this entire room would rise up against one of the most powerful factions to whom they have sworn allegiance was idiotic at worst. Still it would be interesting to entertain the idea, if only for the length of one song.

From tales Bright had told, Alastor already knew that Bright's karaoke nights were not well received so producing a full musical number to be sung by Bright was not a wise choice. Still Bright yet again would prove worthy of the radio demon's attention as he provided entertainment once again. Alastor was still required to help with the set-up but he was sure to earn much more than he could lose. 

The room was crowded, but it was what Alastor had expected. The sea of people huddled in groups as they began to swap stories and supplies. A grim resolve was plastered on the faces of the experienced whilst the newer recruits held a much more nervous expression. Alastor could not blame them though. Trapped in a labyrinth filled with strangely powerful entities was not Alastor's idea of a fun time either.

Two small stages slowly rose from the floor at the back of the shelter. One had various jazz instruments on top and the other held naught but a microphone. The stages drew a sudden concoction of perplexed expressions to faces as people turned to the stage in almost disbelief. Various benches and tables were knocked over as the shelter's occupants rose to their feet to ascertain a better view of the stages.

The stages could perhaps comfortably hold 5 people. The old wood would surely collapse if anymore than 5 were to place their weight upon it. The stages were made up of a mixture of rotted wood with two purple curtains on the back wall. The microphone was not unlike the one Alastor held in his hand but it was updated dramatically.

Now as Alastor looked over the crowds reaction he snapped his fingers unleashing a spark of green flame as various figures were summoned. Several black and white figures hauled themselves out of the wooden floors of the stage with the instruments and shambled over to them. Panicked expressions flowed over the crowd as they watched the strange aberrations pick up the instruments.

Kondraki entered the evacuation shelter to be met with a large crowd staring at a stage of sorts. Their expressions were of abject horror and confusion as they tried and failed to comprehend the incomprehensible. 

Thinking he had managed to take a wrong turn Kondraki turned to leave but the doors were blocked by a set of large black and white figures. Their skin was patchy and looked to have been stitched together. The bulging muscles persuaded Kondraki to perhaps not shoot them in the mouth and the social anxiety kept within Kondraki prevented him from confronting them. 

This was the perfect prison, one only someone close to him and his colleagues could produce. 

The distant hum of music whispered to the crowd, a sudden cacophonic cry of strangeness. The white lights of the evacuation shelter turned a deep red and all cameras within the room turned to face the stage. Whatever had them trapped here wanted an audience for his sick twisted act, whatever that may be. Everyone hoped it wasn't some form of song, the scars of the last karaoke night were visible upon their faces.

A glow of green light erupted from one of the stages. The green light lashed against the red as several figures, not unlike the door guards, dragged themselves from the stage. Shambling towards the instruments all occupants of the shelter held their breath in a stunned silence hoping their eyes to be deceiving them.

After what seemed like eons, a single sock puppet emerged from the curtains, it's owner veiled behind the curtains. It's appearance was not too similar from that of Dr Kondraki. A wave of mumbling erupted from the crowd as they took recognised the similarity.

"Please welcome, that handsome devil you just can't get enough of, JACK BRIGHT!!" The sock puppet 'declared' to the crowd. Several senior researchers looked on with 1000 yard stares. The 'band' picked up their instruments and began to play a strangely jazzy tune. A single figure jumped onto the stage from behind the curtains, the sock puppet still on his hand. The unmistakable amulet betrayed the figures identity and a wave of groans passed through the crowd.

(Cue the beginning of the song 'it just works' by the chalk eaters.)

"What's this? A devious man, The legendary doctor you ain't seen in years. I'm back! Get ready for some mayhem!"

Kondraki bolted for the exit. He had waited for the first 10s of singing hoping it would be subpar at worst. Now the grating sound of Bright's voice shredded Kondraki's ears. Anything was better than this. He would prefer death over staying trapped in here for another milliseconds.

"A couple new faces here, a couple old one's there. We're all trapped in here so I don't care! We've all been fucked over anyways!"

"So enjoy your melted friends! This adventure has had many bends. You're not getting any sanity back!"

"You know we do treatment for that?"

A voice from the crowd replied to Bright, causing the doctor's smile to turn immediately to a frown. 

"So enjoy your melted friends! My adventure has no ends! All complains, go straight to Clef, now prepare for an angry tirade!"  

Kondraki charged the black and white figures with his sword held in both hands. Even if he were to die, he would prefer it over being here. The figure didn't move, it didn't do anything, but stare menacingly forwards. Kondraki, although a little unnerved, brought the sword down hard in a bold overhead slash.

The sword passed through the figure. It cut through, but the skin and muscle reformed over the path of the slash. The momentum of the attack forced Kondraki off balance as his sword struck the ceramic floor sending a jolt up his arm, stunning him for moments. In those moments, the figure attempted a swing at Kondraki. The attack was clumsy and easily avoidable but the sheer lack of importance given to Kondraki infuriated him to no end.

"Fuck your rules! Fuck your rules! No more lies, stop the shows watch as the blood flows! Fuck your rules!

 Fuck your rules! Fuck your rules! Redacted documents, at our expense, take my word!

Tear it down!

Dethrone them!

Destroy them!

Fuck their rules!"

Bright raised his middle finger towards a camera as he sang the chorus. The words were full of hatred and raw emotion. The words however were not piercing the skulls of the captured crowd.

"Our situation is beyond fucked right now! I can't believe you still believe their shit, how? They fucked us over big time!

I have no limits, you can't deny it! See these rules, you can't fight it! Unless you go through all the paperwork."

Kondraki was tired of listening to the stupid moron he had occasionally worked with. Looking around the crowded space, Kondraki spotted a lone guard with an easily accessible gun. Perhaps if he can't escape then he would just have to shut the idiot up.

"What's wrong with my incredible show? Come one believe me I really don't know! A body which has become quite Grotesque will become the next sensation on the O-5's desk!

"Just defect, and together we'll fight, they will crumble when they see our might. We could dine on the O-5 tonight so let's march on the council tonight "

Kondraki snuck his way close to the guard, expertly pickpocketing him before looking down at the newly acquired gun. The thing was the shitty standard issue automatic, he wondered why the administrator wouldn't issue better equipment. Rolling his eyes, Kondraki raised the gun and fired a burst of hot lead towards the insufferable oaf. The sudden burst of gun fire was masked by the 'band' moving into the chorus.

"Fuck your rules! Fuck your rules! No more lies, stop the shows watch as the blood flows! Fuck your rules!

 "Fuck your rules! Fuck your rules! Redacted documents, at our expense, take my word!"

"Tear it down!"

"Dethrone them!"

"Destroy them!"

"Fuck their rules!"

Kondraki stared up at Bright, who had not a scratch on him. He knew the gun fired, he had felt the kickback as the rounds left the chamber. Why wasn't Bright a lifeless corpse? A low chuckle pierced through the crowd forcing Kondraki to face the voice's owner. It was the same 'demon' which Bright had walked out of that portal with. It's grim was wide, exposing it's sharp almost needle like teeth. The demon held out his palm, upon which were several bullets.

"Looking for these?" The demon taunted Kondraki, before dropping the bullets to the floor and fading back into the shadows.

Bright surveyed the crows with his eyes and watched outrage spread over people's faces. This was not the reaction he had hoped for. He wanted a rebellious fire burning in their souls and yet he watched various foundation employees complain to eachother.

"We don't want wacky hijinks! This is not the place or time!"

"Sick of fixing endless shit!"

"Your singing makes my ears bleed!"

"We don't want wacky hijinks! This is not the place or time!"

"Sick of fixing endless shit!"

"Your singing makes my ears bleed!

Several members from the crowd joined in a harmonious verse as they voiced their complains about Bright. In their defence, he was a massive dick to people. Bright needed something new and bold to win them over, if it was possible.

"Listen up now!

Welcome to the site swamped by shitty takes! We have 2 and a half Braincells trapped in some dusty brains!  Not into offices? Check out demonic plains. 50 times the size of this site, just as many stupid fucks!

You see, we in hell know exactly what you want, epic battles encouraged us to improve the defences a lot! Now each pothead is gone and each looter is shot and each corpse is on a spike after they've all been got!"

Several members of alpha-1 'the red right hand' approached the noisy disturbance. The O-5 had eyes on Bright and wanted him out of their sight. Several operatives approached the only entrance/exit to the evacuation shelter. Despite there being a breach, 6 operatives had been peeled off of different detachments and had grouped up just outside the heavy, reinforced door to the shelter.

The music was fairly clear, if not a little muffled, to the operatives. This strange recruitment was probably the reason for their being there, the operatives reasoned to themselves. Several large muscular, black and white figures blocked the door but upon seeing the alpha-1 members they moved aside.

"You're never getting bored, hell's an infinite fight, with every sinner with whom to test your might! You'll be richly rewarded with infinite souls, as long as you prioritise all my goals

You got rid of cross tests, they were new and fun, who needs excitement when there's work to be done?! You came to fight and kill and destroy nations no more work and rules, no more foundation!"

Bright watched the alpha-1 members arrive into the room with great interest. Bright had hoped for something like them to have arrived much sooner but now was as good a time as any. He had a little plan to deal with anything sent his way. A plan which would really send a message.

"Fuck your rules! Fuck your rules! No more lies, stop the shows watch as the blood flows! Fuck your rules!

 Fuck your rules! Fuck your rules! Redacted documents, at our expense, take my word!"

Bright melted into the shadows at Alastor's command. A grenade pin was all that was left. Bright's voice still broadcast through the speakers in the room.

"Fuck your rules! Fuck your rules! No more lies, stop the shows watch as the blood flows! Fuck your rules!"

 "Fuck your rules! Fuck your rules! Redacted documents, at our expense, take my word!"

"Fuck your rules!"

"Fuck your rules!"

"Fuck your rules!"

"Fuck your rules!"

"Fuck your rules!"

"Fuck your rules!"

The alpha-1 members stayed in a tight formation as they each scanned the crowd for an shred of Bright's existence off the stage. They failed to spot the grenade placed at their feet which Bright's hand placed their as it faded in and back out of the shadows. Bright laughed to himself as he watched the most vigilent member's face turn to one of terror.

*BANG*

"Who's laughing now?" 

Bright spoke the last line directly at the one untouched camera in the room. The video feed corrupted and warped beyond any useful state to those viewing it. Static creeped across the screen with various symbols flashing within the static.

The O-5 council stared at the video feed which played on the screen inhabited by O-5-3. Their expressions ranged from shock to absolute horror. They had watched Bright and a strange entity perform a musical number before killing a small task force of the most elite soldiers at their disposal.

"Damages are still being assessed. All 6 members of the red right hand present have been admitted to the medical wing of the facility. 2 have died of their wounds. The remaining 4 are in a survivable state although the condition of Joseph Ransome is.... changeable. Several more foundation members have sustained minor injuries." O-5-3 flashed several pictures of the mtf members across it's screen.

A dry silence hung over the O-5 council. They may be safe. There was enough security to defend against God and win, but it only kept them safe. Hundreds more were at the wim of that psychopath and his anomalous partner.

Bright needed to be stopped. No, killed.

Chapter Text

While, Carmilla understood the foundation's want to survey random people who appear within their location, she found her current surroundings unbefitting of someone of her status. Several scientists lay on the floor, passed out, in piles of their own vomit. Another individual in a straightjacket mumbles incoherent words to himself as he stared wide eyes into the corner of the room.

Carmilla fixed her gaze upon a single camera, which had yet to stop observing her. No doubt the idiots who were in charge of the cell were also tasked with supplying a rough outline of appearance, mental state and other such preliminary notes.

Something felt off.

The way in which the camera's focus constantly shifted as the operators, presumably noted several characteristics of Carmilla, unnerved her greatly. It did not bare the warm familiarity of a person as, but the simulated warmth, emanating from the coldness of an automaton.

Carmilla tried ignoring the dull feeling of unease as she planned her next moves carefully. This was not a friendly place towards sinners, if the reception was anything to go off of. She could break out and call the surface world unreachable to all in hell. With her weapons in their grasp, Carmine was not thrilled by the idea of being torn apart by a dozen angelic tipped rounds.

"... Command, this is agent Russel.... Requesting access to holding cell 2B..... Alright, copy, orders will be executed." Carmilla heard the muffled voice of one of the cell's operators. After, this agent Russel finished speaking, a sudden series of clicks betrayed the fact the door was beginning to open. The sound of scrapping metal and several more clicks followed as the door slowly slid to the left into the wall.

At the sudden influx of clean white light into the dark cell, caused the occupants of the cell to cringe and cover their eyes whilst instinctually moving away from the light. Several guards, wearing the full grey uniform surveyed the cell before moving towards Carmilla. Despite the superficial damage they would do if given the chance, Carmilla would rather avoid an unpleasant experience whilst trying to gather information.

"Carmilla Carmine. You are to be brought before the council for a 'business talk'. You will follow us and you will not deviate from us. Am I clear!" The guard barked the last words causing a momentary pause before she quickly nodded. Being dragged to her feet whilst in chains was not the most comfortable experience but neither was reforming after death. 

Once the cell door was sealed, Carmilla found herself surrounded by, at a guess, 20 armed personnel. Their uniforms were incoherent. Several wore the standard grey with a light ballistic vest. A handful more wore a dark blue, with a full plate carrier and several items of usefulness in a deployment in any warzone. Several more wore black clothing, complemented by highlighting of a florescent yellow on the arms and legs as well as gas masks. 

The motley crew assigned to guard Carmilla brought her opinion of this foundation, lower than ever anticipated. They couldn't even issue correct clothing which assigned some sort of unity within their ranks. This mismatching mess was more than unbefitting her status! This was down right mockery!

Upon less hot headed thoughts, the realisation struck Carmilla in the brain, as most ideas do. They didn't know what she was capable of. They didn't know if she was normal and could teleport or if she was actually a poison breathing large mole. The foundation had created a wide ranged force which could respond to a wide variety of threats. Still, a little colour coordination would have been appreciated by Carmilla.

The long corridors and large elevators began to give Carmilla a true sense of scale of this foundation. It was not just a couple layers, but a fully fledged ecosystem built upon containing items of interest. She was trapped in this bureaucratic nightmare and was about to meet the few people in charge of the world. 

Clef had watched the end part of Bright's musical number from the vents. It was a 4/10. He had originally been drawn towards it at the sound of music as he hoped that some researcher had left their music on and left the room. As he had learned from many years of experience, 'don't hope it never works out.'

It had been a couple hours of hiding in these damned vents and Clef was tired of hearing idle office gossip. Continuing to crawl through the dust traps which were these vents, Clef spotted something familiar. The presence of a certain anomaly. SCP-049. While he was nothing even close to SCP-166, the pair were neutral and could each care far less about each others problems. Whilst crawling through the vents Clef had heard fragments of conversations, but it was the one that SCP-049 was partaking in, which forced him to stop.

".... Theoretically possible, and practically possible. However this is under extremely specific circumstances which require immense effort to both create and maintain. I have, once, reformed a small portion of one of the unfortunate souls who were melted. The sample was... unsatisfactory. It did reform from flesh, but it died. The tissue was without oxygen for an extended period of time after it returned to a solid state." 049 excitedly informed the other people within the same room as him. 

Vague memories surfaced from the foggy grey sea which was Clef's brain. Memories of a blinding white flash followed by a deep rumbling of the earth. Clef didn't remember how these were important, but they were, his consciousness declared it to be. This conversation, which Clef was hearing, was vitally important. He didn't know how or why, but he did know it was greatly important.

The hotel was eerily quiet. Without the constant activity Charlie insisted on facilitating, the strange shadowy figures which stalked the halls or the constant violent outbursts of Vaggie, the entire hotel felt empty. It was as if all the noise and liveliness of the entirety of hell disappeared only to be replaced with the strange sense of foreboding which had swept over Husk.

Looking out over the empty hotel lobby, from his space behind the bar, Husk thanked whichever dirty was looking after him. The brief respite from the constant activity was strangely satisfying, in a way one could not articulate to another. Without the constant interruption, Husk felt... at peace. His afterlife felt almost complete. In a momentary second of weakness Husk closed his eyes and embraced the serenity which had engulfed the lobby.

A foul cloak of unease began to settle on Husk's shoulders. This was wrong. All of it was wrong. Husk's instincts and thoughts were surrounded by a maelstrom of unnerving calm. Husk felt his legs betray him whilst his mind swam. Chaotic flashes of a twisted scene filled his head as his heartbeat's roar echoed through his mind. 

Several images flashed through Husk's head causing him to sway and feel almost disjointed with reality. His breath was stolen as the shock of the scenes drove his breath and mind from his body. The images seemed disjointed. The only commonality between them was the horror of perceiving them.

Multiple contained scenes of himself, beaten and bloody. Several deep lines of glowing gold carved across his chest and arms. The view was from his attacker. A golden knife, glowing under the caked on blood, clenched within the attackers hands. The images of himself were distorted almost as of they were being seen through a thick layer of water.

Interspersed between the various images of Husk's mutilated body were ones of Angel Dust. Deep golden gashes covered his arms and wrists. The same knife clutched in his hands. Angel's eyes were heavy and darred not look upon himself. The wounds were not inflicted by another apart from one. A series of cuts, many still holding onto the pale green glass which caused them, covered Angel's left eyes.

The final image haunted Husk. It was of himself, this time intact and alive. He had burst into a room, his hand still upon the door. Angel sat upon the floor, several messages from Val on his phone spouted poisonous abuse towards him. The blade was grasped firmly in his right hand as he looked up at Husk with a mixture of surprise and anger. Several whisps of toxic pink smoke had escaped Angel's lips as they had formed a sneer.

Husk fell backwards, passing through the floor into a dark void. The foul pink smoke hung low, along the bottom of the void. Husk couldn't move, couldn't act, couldn't anything, but lay there and listen. 

Several of Angel's laboured breaths pierced the silence of the void. His voice was spiked with venom and anger before giving way to regret as melancholy crept into his voice." Husk? NO! No, No, No, No, No NO! I... Wha... I'm.... What... happened?" The words audible left a bitter taste in Angel's mouth. 

The spiteful voice of Val crept into the noiseless void as further amounts of pink smoke slowly surrounded Husk. "Hahaha! You killed him! Oh, you beautiful fucking whore! You let go, embraced me and I... influenced you. Now, without that...thing, you can finally be what you should always have been. A pet! A lowly dog who grovels at his master's feet and waits on his every word! Let this serve as a reminder, for when you next consider trying to leave me!"

The words hung in the air. The pink smoke slowly increased in volume all while Angel's cries grew louder. Slowly the smoke enveloped Husk and yet he could not care. He lay within the cloud of pink poisonous smoke slowly taking in the poison he had just heard. Husk was vaguely aware of himself moving, but the poison had proved to be a shock to his system.

Rapidly the smoke vanished. Husk found himself upon a park bench, the foul whisps of smoke still clinging to him. The building he faced was standard, and yet the events on top of it were far from standard. A blur of white and pink fur moved to the edge of the ledge. Several glowing white lines crossed the figures chest and arms.

In one smooth motion the figure tossed themselves off the building, plummeting towards the concrete far below. The same glowing knife held, point against his chest.

Gravity would do the work he wasn't strong enough to do.

"It sucks don't it?" Time seemed to immediately slow, Angel's descent slowed to a halt allowing Husk to see the wreck which once would have been called Angel Dust. The glowing knife was held under his chest with the blade facing upwards. Husk turned to the voice, who had brought the whole ordeal to a halt.

The individual was strikingly human. His suit and briefcase bore no mark of wear or damage. The suit was not unlike one Vox wore, a strange piece from the 60s. He bore a grim smile on his face, which seemed scarred by some horror Husk couldn't imagine. The man took another puff of his cigarette before speaking again.

"You're stuck. Trapped. Trapped in a contract which seems inescapable. Trapped in a relationship which won't continue and won't end. Trapped in an endless cycle of torment... You know I was in a similar situation. The landlord had dirt on me, you see. My girl wanted everything and nothing to do with me and my job hahaha, that was a complete shit show. But I finally got a lucky break. And I am your lucky break!" The strange human's story was relatable to Husk, in a way. 

"Lucky break? Ha! Call me cynical or don't, I don't give a shit, but nothing like that comes for free. So give it to me plain and simple, what do you want from me?" Husk had tricked many a poor sap whilst he was an overlord and hardly saw a difference between him then, and this figure Infront of him now.

"Oh, believe me, I am nothing like you or any other overlord. Anything you could offer me would be... insubstantial. I ain't doing this out of the kindness of my heart, I'm doing it cause I feel...sorry, I guess. Strictly I don't appear to anyone other than those foundation freaks, but this is an exception. You were strangely entertaining to watch, as you slowly drifted to madness, amongst your premonition." The human stretched out a hand towards Husk, who warily watched the hand.

"So what is this? Charity work?" Husk survey the park, suited gentleman and the outstretched hand. Everything was not as it seemed, he could sense it but didn't know what was amiss. 

"No this is your wake up call." The figure disappeared into nothingness as time slowly began to flow again. Angel fell to the ground below as Husk could only watch in horror as he...shattered? With the sound of shattering glass, Angel shattered into thousands of tiny pieces.

Husk awoke on the floor behind his bar. A shattered glass lay beside him. Husk looked at his hands, and then himself and finally his surroundings. It was normal. Processing the 'vision', Husk slowly removed himself from the floor and sluggishly drew himself up to his full height and stretched. A single thought, crossed his mind, "Oh fuck, Angel's in the shit, and I've got to be the one to drag him out of it."

Reforming from the shadows in an abandoned break room, was most unpleasant, but necessary. The whole song fiasco was a distraction. A trap laid for the O-5 council, which they fell right into. Several agents were at least seriously injured. Several of the most capable and dangerous people maimed by a colleague who had gone AWOL.

"This is all, I presume. Trespassing, murder, poaching, mass murder, attempted murder and destruction of property. This collection of crimes in remarkable subpar, for a man as...insane as yourself." Alastor was disappointed. This grand adventure to the foundation was meant to be interesting. It was in fact a strange confusing web of curiosities and bureaucracy.

"This is almost it, but we have one teensy, tiny, thing we gotta take care of first." Cracking his knuckles, for dramatic flair Bright readied himself for more crimes." I've got a 'friend' in the finance department who needs a little reminder, as to who is able to maim him and his entire family. Al, if you would please."

Soon the duo were shadows once more, quickly zipping past untold hundreds of foundation personnel. The financial section was located within the final layer of the site. The 13th or final layer was a couple miles below the 12th floor. It housed the most important, anomalies and personnel, including the O-5. The financial section was located on a section of the outermost ring of the 13th layer of the site.

Overlord and human reformed in a strikingly different place to where they just were. The wooden floors nicely complemented the wallpaper with amenities occasionally placed along the halls. Existing felt like living within a grand manor. The ever present lab coats had been replaced with various colours of suits. The duo could not revel in the atmosphere for too long, however, for their time was not infinite, and sooner or later they would be caught and be forced to flee.

The echoing march of guards heralded a possible way to be caught. Without even thinking Bright opened one of the steel doors and dashed into, with Alastor following quickly afterwards. This was some sort of executive office. The space contained a single desk, with bookshelves along the back wall and a rather impressive computer display. The screens flickered and crackled as Alastor's meer presence, forced them to malfunction.

Taking a usb from his pocket and plugging said stick into the PC, Bright quickly began hacking into the camera system. He had created several of these to access items he was restricted from acquiring. The devices injected a small bit of poorly optimised code which gives it administrator permissions. Such permissions include access to the camera system which quickly displayed itself on the screen.

The camera was located just outside the office and thankfully was angled, so that it faced the oncoming guards. Despite the static and distance of the guards from the camera, Bright saw over 30 guards, and mtf operatives escorting a single individual, who towered over them. Bright looked over to Alastor who was surveying the bookshelves.

"Hey, Al. You may just want to see this." As Alastor's attention turned to the screen, the static and jittering of the display grew until the camera feed was barely visible. The technological disruption soon ceased as Alastor recognised the escorted individual. 

Carmilla Carmine

Hundreds of theories which tried to explain Carmilla's presence, flew through each of the entities heads. None of them were particularly of note, but none explained her presence without numerous out of character moments or strange plot holes. They seemed more like bad fanfics than actual theories.

"So this is what you have been completing in your spare time? My whispers told me quite clearly it was an attack on an overlord's property." Alastor finished his musings and turned to Bright and spoke in a hushed tone as the sound of boots grew louder. "Bright, we must learn more and act accordingly. A deal between these two factions could spell instability amongst all in hell, if not doom for us both. Alternatively, having a powerful overlord in your debt is particularly useful."

"So, we're jumping these guys and then fucking off back to hell?" Bright's mind was still recovering from the strangeness of the appearance of one of hell's most powerful figures.

"Haha, no! I do not currently feel the need for such brutish tactics. This requires the nuance which a simple 'smash and grab' doesn't contain. No, this requires a certain finesse and unfortunately cooperating with...ugh modern technology." Alastor visibly shuddered as he said 'modern technology'.

Neither of them wanted to fight through, hundreds of thousands of people and possibly an overlord for VERY little gain. First they would need to take down the cameras. Alastor's aura of technological disruption would accomplish this, but only partially. Strange sightings of a tall thin man who distorts video feeds would certainly raise some alarms within the network of operatives.

Then once the camera network was offline, they could 'freely' walk around the site. Despite cameras going down, patrolling guards and members of Alpha-1 could easily derail their mission. They still have to be sneaky. To ensure their escape route was secure, they would need a way to disable the Scranton reality anchors. Without these, the O-5 would have no way to either banish Alastor or destroy a portal out of the site.

Bright had a solution for this. He had created small devices which could were moving device killers. They were designed to trip fuses, cut electrical wires and destroy computers. They delivered small powerful pulses of electricity into a circuit, causing damage to devices connected to the circuit. Their one draw back was their horrendous speed. 

Removing several from his pockets, Bright began the long process of setting up the devices to a usable state. Once the process was finished, with no help from Alastor, Bright carefully placed the devices into the vent system.

The radio which lay, upon seargent Gavrilov's desk  crackled to life. He had waited a couple hours now for this moment. Several hours ago the O-5 had placed him in the position of Bright hunter. His sole goal over the last 6 hours had been to track and detain Bright. The attack on his alpha-1 agents would be a stain upon his reputation, but with this next move he hoped to cover it with the brilliance which was being orchestrated.

"Sir, we have located Bright and his associate. The remaining Alpha-1 agents have been dispatched to the location and the first responders have begun placing a breaching on the door. We will not let him get away this time!" The radio fell silent once more, as the operative waited for his superior's confirmation to the news.

Gavrilov places the now lukewarm cup of coffee upon his desk with great care, as if one wrong move would shatter reality. He gingerly picked up the radio and responded." Good! The fucker has evaded me for far too long now. Execute Bright, ensure the amulet is placed in a class 3 containment enclosure. As for the other entity... do with him as you please, although capture is preferable. We could learn a lot from him. Ensure the orders are paced to the first responders."

Gavrilov returned to the cup of coffee with an almost giddy expression. The bastard Bright had evaded him for far too long. Now, he could return his attention to the matter of Carmilla Carmine and her meeting with the O-5 council.

Alastor retuned to his own thoughts as he dared not dignify the retched technology with even a glance. Several shadows wished to report numerous activities within and without hell. They were only silenced as Alastor willed them to be else where, as he reminded them not to disturb him, whilst he was hunting, with harsh punishments.

Returning from his thoughts, Alastor sneered at Bright huddled in the corner, eyes glued to the frivolous technology which he remained stubbornly attached to. Still, such tech had it's uses, keeping an eye on random people was one such use. Allowing his eyes to momentarily rest upon the camera feed displayed upon the monitor, Alastor found he couldn't remove his gaze from the video feed.

At least 30 heavily geared soldiers were gathered outside the door, with more coming down the hall as he watched the video feed. A lone member of this force was placing explosives on the door. No doubt the camera operators had detected himself and Bright. Faced with 2 options, Alastor found himself frozen in a momentary lapse of judgement. Fight and flight were equally good options. 

*BANG*

The decision was made for Alastor as the small explosives blew the door from it's hinges, launching it backwards into the room. Immediately the doorway was filled by the onrush of Alpha-01 operatives as they rushed to their grim business. Upon gaining the slightest glimpse of Alastor several of the mtf agents opened fire.

Leaping to the side, Alastor willed several tentacles to block the door and separate the 2 halves of the squad. Several limbs of mtf agents were pierced and added to the wall as the black tentacles rose from the floor. With the detachment separated from the rest Alastor could start culling the lambs.

Alastor leaped at the closest operative. Their rifle could only manage a couple rounds before it was swatted away by the sharp thin claws Alastor wielded. Lining up the strike, Alastor let out a beastial roar, not unlike that of a deer. His kill was so rudely interrupted by a pesky operative to Alastor's side who ruined Alastor's coat with a salvo of bullets.

Snapping his head round to the operative, Alastor's savage grim widened as the click of an empty magazine signaled the operatives doom. In one motion, Alastor pierced the stomach, despite the victims best attempts to prevent it. As his victim drew a breath to scream, Alastor sliced through the open mouth and through the back of the head before letting the body slump to the floor, lifeless.

The rest of the cut off squad regained their senses at the site of their dead comrade and opened fire. Alastor in turn charged the pesky annoyances. With his Claws already bloodied, Alastor reveled in the sensation of sending their souls to hell. Each new kill fueled Alastor's bloodthirst, until one remained. Leaning down at the pile of bodies he had created, Alastor began to tear through the tactical gear before ripping off pieces of their flesh and consuming them.

Trying not to make a sound the last operative hardly breathed as he watched his comrades be brutalised in such a manner. Looking back he saw his target,  unbothered by the scene which had and was taking place. Agonisingly slowly the operative turned towards Bright hoping not to make a sound. As Alastor tore through bone with a sickening crunch, a gasp escaped the operatives lips. He immediately turned towards the pile of bodies, but the radio demon was nowhere in sight.

Turning to Bright, the operative came face to face with the bloodied radio demon, a wide smile plastered on his face. Alastor's horns scrapped along the ceiling as he leaned in closer to the operative. Steading himself , the operative quickly raised his rifle at Bright and was milliseconds from pulling the trigger. Alastor was much faster, his claws embedded under the jaw of the operative.

Bright was unfazed by the ordeal. His mind was focused on the movements of the mechanical bugs he was controlling. 6 of them had made their way to their targets and had taken them down. One more was just one button press away from disabling the entire network of Scranton reality anchors. Looking  up from his screen, Bright finally registered a fight had taken place, 4 feet from him.

Now they were trapped. 20 mtf agents were breathing down their necks and they were trapped in a room with only one pint of access. It had been Alastor's turn and now it was Bright's. After a brief explanation of his plan to Alastor, Bright removed his amulet from his neck and held it ready by the tentacle barricade. As an opening was created, Bright tossed the amulet at the collection of Alpha-01 agents.

" Think fast!" Was All Bright could say before the amulet left his touch.

The body Bright had been using collapsed next to Alastor, dead. Bright, now in the body of an mtf agent, gripped the amulet tight and raised the rifle before ripping apart several agents. As the agents realised the situation and pointed their guns at Bright, Bright waited until the last second before throwing the amulet towards the back of the crowd.

Bright's previous host body was lit up and torn apart by a dozen rounds from each operative present. Now in the body near the back, Bright rolled a grenade under the mass of bodies gathered around the corpse before raising the shotgun grippers in his hands. Before they could notice what was happening 4 of the operative's head exploded in a bloody mess of lead and brain matter.

*BANG* 

The grenade exploded, eviscerating multiple kneecaps and shredding the bodies and limbs of those near to the explosive. Under a hail of lead, the remaining agents fell to the floor lifeless. In 10 seconds Bright had wiped out 21 heavily armoured and trained operatives.

Moving to the tentacle barricade Bright knocked on the barricade." Knock knock deer face!" Immediately the black tentacles retracted into the ground leaving holes in the floor where they once were. The bloodied face of the radio demon emerged from the room into the hallway followed by the rest of his body. The radio demon looked rather disheveled but still tried to regain his composure as he straightened his coat and fiddled with his hair.

"Ok, Al, I looked through their stuff and found these." Bright indicated a pile of equipment which was piled up away from the gore and detritus. A collar, gauntlets and leg restraints would have been used to escort Alastor to somewhere, which Bright would have bet his life savings on being the O-5's chambers. The effects of the alloy used to create the items would dampen anomalous activity.

"Al, you wear these, and I 'escort' you to the nearest checkpoint. Ensure the restraints are loose and easy to remove. Then we get directed to what is presumably the O-5's and we then profit! Got it?" Bright's plan was not enticing to Alastor however he could not pass up the chance to prolong the hunt.

After placing the equipment onto Alastor and wandering about the site for 5 minutes the duo encountered a squad of Alpha-01 agents who were charging their way, before stopping in their tracks at the sight of Alastor.

"Gentlemen! Would you mind acting as my vanguard? It is easy enough to wrangle this bastard or look forwards but not both. Would you mind leading the way?" Bright called out to the starstruck operatives who quickly snapped out of their shock at the quick capture of such a dangerous anomaly.

After some time of walking the corridors of site-01 the small escort approached a large heavy duty elevator which lead into the O-5's chambers. With the route to the O-5 secure, the duo could turn on the escort.

Alastor shrugged out the restraints, before leaping at the nearest escort who was stabbed several times in the chest and arms, which were raised in a pitiable defence. Before the other escorts could respond to the sudden outburst of violence, Bright raised his shotgun and blew off the hands of 2 of the members leaving one left in action. Said last member hurriedly upholstered a knife, which was quickly disarmed by Alastor who proceeded to rip apart the remaining alive escorts.

Bright and Alastor stood before the elevator, at the cusp of the O-5's chambers. Now was when destiny would determine their fate.

Chapter Text

The council was once again gathered in it's entirety, a rarity in normal times, in one room. What once would have been a point of great contention was now relegated to it's spot in normalcy. All 13 members of varying strengths and anomalous abilities, gathered to begin what could be the largest diplomatic mission the foundation had ever or would ever undertake.

An alliance between these two factions would be nigh unstoppable. The combined power of two of the most powerful existing organisations across the mortal and hellish realm would be incalculable. All would fall before the theoretical union of man and sinner.

There was one problem with this hypothetical union, the leader. Both organisations held drastically different styles of leading. One held a democratic council which protects the world from horrendous anomalies and the other held a ruthless dictator who had committed horrid atrocities in the name of power. Neither would bow to the other. 

Despite several hundred armed guards in and around the conference room the O-5's shifted awkwardly in their seats or in the case of O-5-3 on their screen. This singular entity could kill them with one errant kick and damn their soul to nothingness.  To honour their esteemed guest the O-5 had organised a small show of force to welcome their potential ally or adversary. 

From the elevator leading to the O-5's chambers to the reinforced steel doors was a large hallway, 200m long and some 10m wide. The lavish imported carpet, marble columns and statues have the illusion of safety and grandeur, but the room was far from safe.

Several hundred loopholes were stationed at regular intervals to allow for a couple hundred to hold off millions. Several vents in the ceiling could emit a purified version of tear gas which immobilised the strongest of soldiers and killed the rest. The walls, floors, ceilings, even the columns were reinforced with an alloy of steel and telekill. Although the percentage of telekill was low, almost 0.01%, the alloy was much stronger than any regular steel.

At the end of the hallway, 200m opposite the elevator, the foot thick steel door met the recipient of the O-5's gaze. Several images were engraved into the entrance. In the centre was the symbol of the O-5 council, the same symbol many researchers had come to fear, surrounded by the personal emblems of the 13 members. 

Within this fortress of steel and guns was the complex which the council occasionally called home. The complex included a conference room, 13 bedrooms, hundreds of surveillance cameras, vitals monitors on each council member, medical teams on standby and a personal guard of 500 of the finest soldiers the foundation had access to. Within the metal confines of the bunker the O-5 decided the fate of billions and paved the way for humanity to stride forwards in the light as they stayed in the dark.

Or that is how it was. Once the sun betrayed humanity with the begining of the SCP-001-When Day Breaks(S.D.Locke's proposal) event the O-5 stayed in the dark, with the rest of the foundation, to fight the light. During the month after the event beginning, 16 sites were fully wiped out with 43 research stations and 29 containment areas similarly being decimated. Watching foundation territory slowly fall was tough for the O-5 to watch but their duties to humanity were not finished and nor were they today.

"The subject know as Carmilla Carmine has begun their descent into 'the final stretch of sanity.' I have alerted the procession members and must remind the council of the threat the subject poses and the importance of the deal." The voice of O-5-3 echoed around the room, jolting the human members of the council awake. 'The final stretch of sanity' the name given to the elevator and hallway leading to the O-5, due to the many mental breakdowns which happened along it, was displayed on the screen which also showed O-5-3.

Carmilla had to reminder herself constantly that the whole escort and build-up would be a mind game trying to make her crack. Still, despite the reminder she couldn't help but realise the mind game working. Anxiety gnawed at her soul as she descended hundreds of meters amid her escort. She was not alone in this feeling, several of the operatives were shifting uneasily, although Carmilla could not tell if it was due to her presence or the O-5's.

Finally, the elevator stopped moving and the doors opened. Immediately the operatives Infront of Carmilla fanned out before signally for the rest of the group to move. Slowly, the agents tentatively placed one foot Infront of another and escorted Carmilla from the elevator.

Immediately the opulence hit Carmilla like a wave. Hundreds of marble columns stretching floor to ceiling. Brightly coloured banners with 13 symbols plastered upon them in a starkly different black ink. 400 similarly equipped operatives stood at regular intervals either side of the intended path. As the group passed, each operative stood to attention creating an eerie machine like rhythm. It was strangely surprising to view the open display of wealth despite the fact they controlled the world. 

The display was not entirely of opulence but also of force. Carmilla was no fool, she had entered plenty of pits of vipers and came out on top every time, why would this placed be so different? She saw through the grand splendor, straight to the defensive purposes of everything and everyone.

Standing before the thick blast resistant door which separated herself and the O-5 council, Carmilla couldn't help but feel a sudden feeling of fear. These were the most powerful people the world contained if anyone could kill her permanently it would be them. Dispelling the feelings of doubt and fear, Carmilla watched the grand door open revealing the conference room.

Immediately Infront of Carmilla, some 10m away, were the O-5 sat at a large crescent shaped table with one seat in the middle, her's. The escort and guard from the hall filed into the room with a slow rhythm of boots on concrete. One single glowing white gun sat Infront of each of the council members, causing Carmilla to momentarily falter as she lay eyes upon the guns. But if they wanted her dead they had many chances over the last couple hours, so there was more to this meeting than an execution.

"Miss Carmilla Carmine, overlord of angelic weaponry, owner of the manufacturing district in  pentagram city, killer of angels.The O-5 council welcomes you to our....home. We are the SCP foundation, containers of the anomalous and..." O-5-1 'Eve' began her carefully prepared speech, before being interrupted.

"Carmine industries are aware of the SCP foundation. You are the not the only ones to keep tabs on potential allies..... Before we continue with this meeting I must ask one question. How did you procure these weapons in your possession?" The possession of the angelic weaponry unnerved Carmilla to no end.

Flashing a dangerous grin O-5-6 'the American' began to explain. "Well, they ain't yours, I can tell you that much. Here, let me show you." O-5-6 spun his shotgun around to reveal the lack of the Carmine industries logo indicating it was another who forged the weapons. The large screen behind the 12 seated members of the O-5 zoomed out from the picture of O-5-3, from when he was alive, and displayed a large wall of text with several words redacted.

"The angelic steel weaponry used by us was forged by a small and forgettable company called 'Hephaestus' forge' who were located within the border district of the manufacturing and cannibal districts. The weapons include, 4 high caliber pistols, 2 shotguns and 3 submachine guns. The company was terminated following the weapons forging with the newly purchased weapons acting as the executioners tools. Any and all record of this event and the foundation's actions within hell are firmly classified and hearing this is a privilege not extended to many." The voice of the late O-5-3 summarised the reports on the event with a cold, icy tone descending  as he spoke the last sentence.

"I'm sure your interest in angelic weaponry is founded upon solid reason. But, you need not continue to settle for third rate weaponry when you could  have my own weapons at your disposal. Angelic steel is our specialty. 243 operating foundries each able to produce hundreds of varying weapons and artillery each day..." Carmilla began the sales pitch she had practiced several times. She had planned to have a smoother transition to it but the attack on this 'Hephaestus' forge' unnerved her greatly.

A man wearing a tweed jacket, with a blackbird pin on his shoulder, held up a finger to silence her. " We are... aware of who you are Ms Carmine and we have collected so much information on yourself and your company we don't need any sales pitch. We will accept your gift of angelic weapons which came from your company via portal. However, we would rather not owe you for any of the items. So, name your price." The council never wanted to owe anyone anything and so settling the 'debt' was a top priority of the meeting.

"It is a gift. You give something and don't expect anything back. But, if you are offering to gift me something after I gifted you something then I will ask for information." Carmilla paused for a second before nodding to confirm her answer. There were many areas in which she was left in the dark and perhaps the foundation would divulge some of the necessary information to illuminated the areas.

"Ah, our specialty." O-5-5 flashed a grin before signalling O-5-3 to begin opening documents. " But there are many topic which may interest you, perhaps you could inform us as to the nature of the information you are looking for?"

"The incoming traffic to hell is slowing substantially. I hardly believe that people suddenly had a change of heart and are all going to heaven, so why has it slowed?" Carmilla partially knew the answer and so hoped to use the question to establish the truthfulness of their answers.

After hundreds of folders and a similar amount of passwords being passed in less than a second, an image of the red sun filled the screen. "I was Informed there was a meeting with Lucifer about this event. Perhaps you missed it? I digress. Over a month ago at 6:00 AM UTC, the sun grew redder in colour and the global temperature rose 6°C in several seconds. At 6:01 AM the sun's rays became synonymous with death. Any flesh or bone exposed to sun light proceeded to melt and liquify. The victim seems to remain alive during and after the process. The affected seems to account for 99% of human and animal population." As the blackbird spoke several images of the sun and affected individuals flashed across the screen.

"Why did you seek out this meeting?" The question had vexed Carmilla since she had been informed of her meeting after being taken out of the holding cell.

The screen lit up with the face of the late O-5-3. " I happened upon you by chance. While scanning the camera network, I found you locked within that holding cell. I immediately called a vote which passed 9-4. It was then that your escort was arranged and out meeting prepared. If it weren't for me you would likely be being prodded at by 'humanities greatest minds'." 

"Now, why would we want to ally ourselves with a powerful ally after losing 2 potential allies and the potential lose of an uneasy alliance? We," O-5-6 gestured to the other 12 members of the council," have no use for new weapons. However they certainly could use an upgrade." O-5-6 indicated towards the guards who filled a majority of the room. Immediately the guards straightened their backs once attention was placed upon them.

If they were to be equipped with angelic weaponry they would be nigh unstoppable. However, even Carmilla struggled to create a force of such a size and equip them with such weaponry. Not just any person can just be given an angelic weapon without power going to their head. It requires an experienced soldier to wield such a weapon without going mad or wasting precious ammo.

"I see. You hope to replenish the strength you lost with angelic weaponry. Interesting. The footage from my teams body cams revealed a strange...feature your site contains. You wouldn't mind?" Carmilla handed a small data transfer device to a soldier who placed the devices into the screen. A small video clip, perhaps 2 seconds long sat in the middle of the screen. The camera pointed up at the shimmering portal from the ground. 

A large white wave of energy washed over the wall and portal, shattering the anomalous portal without resistance. The wave continues to pass across the wall leaving it unharmed. "I wish to know about this device." Carmilla remained calm despite the mild panic which had erupted in her mind. It took her so much he energy to create a portal and this foundation could dismantle it within seconds.

"A Scranton reality anchor, counteracts reality bending events or persons to stabilise reality. The mechanisms within the anchor siphon reality from dead or dying universes which it then deploys to remove or dampen the reality bending. Several are installed in each site. The portal was destroyed once an alarm was raised following your unprompted intrusion into the site." 0-5-3 showed several pictures of the shell the devices lay in as 0-5-7 spoke.

"A final question if you will answer it. To what extent are the persons, Jack Bright and Alto Clef working with you?" The question hung in the air and caused several of the council members to choke on their own saliva. 

"It... it's more complicated than you may expect. Before the events if SCP-001 both researchers begrudgingly worked with the foundation, Clef more willingly than Bright. However after -001 began Bright seems to have broken free from out grasp. He saw us as tyrants because we wouldn't let him create stupid contraptions which would kill half the site he was in. Clef seems to have been roped into Bright's schemes as well, although the willingness of Clef's actions are unknown. We lost track of both of them about a week or two after -001 began..." O-5-1 described the escapades of Bright, purposely leaving out his recent appearance in the site.

"It was after these two weeks that he entered hell with the help of the powerful overlord, Alastor. Bright proceeded to trick the Vees and win, orchestrate several raids on my territory before taking over the only foundation site to be established in hell and defending it against a rival. The man has a strange following surrounding him." Carmilla finished the other half of the report O-5-1 was giving, leaving out her kidnapping of Clef.

A message proving the validity of Carmilla's report flashed on the laptop sat Infront of O-5-1. Reading the message, O-5-1 nodded. "The man is an enigma. Perhaps the man himself could regale us with his excuses and falsehoods. Bright we are aware of your presence in the room!! Show yourself or face termination!!" 

Carmilla looked at the council member as if they were crazy. She had seen the room before the numerous ranks of operatives had filed in and there was no chance if that thing being in the room. Still, she couldn't shake the strange feeling of being watched as she frantically looked around the room for any sign of the Bright's presence.

The silence dragged on for an uncomfortable amount of time causing Eve to sink into her chair. Perhaps the report had been wrong. Perhaps the strange heat signatures were in fact errors in the detection software. O-5-3 had stressed the high chance of the heat signatures being an error and yet Eve had gambled on the chances of it being true.

Slowly two shadows seemed to congeal into flesh. One behind the O-5 and one behind Carmilla. Stepping out from the shadows Alastor took one step towards Carmilla before stretching every bone in his body creating a sickening cracking sound. Bright stepped from his own shadow behind the O-5 as he tossed his necklace from one hand to the other.

"Bravo, Bravo!!!" Bright was the first to act, bowing deep towards the O5 council as if he were an actor on a stage. "The intrigue, the drama, the convoluted machinations of my mind! All wrapped up in your garbled report. Leaving but two questions. Why? And what next?" Bright began to monologue with increasing flamboyance to a stunned O5 council and perplexed guard.

"Your chains of tyranny have shackled us all for long enough. Your endless tides of torment hath chained us all for too long. Constant anguish forced upon us all, becoming an insurmountable boulder threatening to crush us with the slightest misstep. The....."Bright continues his monologue unaware most people in the room had begun to converse with each other in low whispers.

"Tsk tsk, colluding with humanity? The depths to which you sink are truly immeasurable." The jest was simply to get a reaction from Carmilla. She knew this obviously, the radio demon had grown tired of the whining of the poor little human and sought out new entertainment. She could not help but fall for the bait.

"Colluding with humanity? Ah yes, getting a forced interview whilst in chains is colluding. You don't see me complaining about your partnership with your 'friend'." The rebuttal caused the radio demon to chuckle as he watched the increasing theatrics of Bright's speech.

"Haha! You think our arrangement a partnership? No. I am the puppet master and he is the puppet. An easily replaceable pawn who dances for my entertainment and follows my every command like a puppy. He is simply a pawn, nothing more." The last sentence was said with much gravitas, as if it were set in stone. 

Several of the O-5 members had leaned over to one another and began whispering. " To think this all started with us stopping him from feeding D-class to -682." The Blackbird's face twisted into a grimace as he tried to access a memory which refused to surface, much to the other members delight.

O-5-10 'the archivist' recalled the memory 0-5-5 was trying to recall "WE weren't the ones to deny him of that, it was the ethics committee who denied him that specific action. Out of the hundreds of items Bright is disallowed from doing only some 39% was denied by us. We don't even make up the largest portion of such denied actions, the largest being the ethics committee." The information was met with several eye rolls and one relieved sigh from 0-5-5.

".... You scum have trodden us all down for too long! Your oppression has gone on for too long and I intend to stop it." Bright reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a pistol loaded with 13 bullets and aimed it at 0-5-1. Immediately all guards raised their rifles at Bright locking them all in a stand off.

The vents above Bright began to creak silencing everyone who had been talking. The creeks filled the room echoing off the walls, as they slowly rose in intensity and violence. An eerie sense of dread filled the room as the vents seemed to buckle and slowly collapsed. Bright stood beneath this collapsing catastrophe, unaware of the danger above him as he was focused on his goal.

*CREEK* 

The awful sound of grinding metal replaced the creeks before finally the piece of vent gave way and fell to the floor. Finally, Bright looked up at the disaster as it fell on top of him, crushing him. The collapsed heap of metal and concrete covered Bright, almost completely leaving only his twitching left arm and a small portion of his upper body peaking out from the wreckage.

 O-5-7 craned her neck to get a better look at the disaster before grabbing the radio upon her desk. "Director, we need several maintenance staff and a D-class transported to the lowest level." 

Within the wreckage, something moved. Much more substantial than a simple twitch from a person in their death throes. Several pieces of steel and concrete began to shift as something, no someone, unsteadily rose to its feet. Through the thick dust, the sudden destruction had kicked up, a human like outline was discernable, although no human could survive such a fall. As the dust cleared several features of the thing became clear. A dusty off colour lab coat, pieces of a ukulele and the unmistakable shotgun.

Once Clef had risen to his full height of 5’3”, he looked down at the condition of his body. Upon realising the dislocation of his left arm, Clef frowned before using his other, working, arm to push the bone back into place, much to the rest of the room's dismay. Looking at his own reflection in a piece of metal, Clef noticed the crookedness of his nose which he straightened with a series of sickening crackling sounds.

Clef sighed in presumably relief before address the O-5 "*Sigh* That feels.....so much worse. You should REALLY invest in better vents or at least some cleaning or something. There were at least 3 bodies in there, oh and rats, including this guy, he's my favourite!" Clef proceeded to take a rat out of his coat pocket. A large chunk of the rat is completely missing, the two halves of the rat held together by it's spine. The flesh was removed by with surgical precision.

At the disturbed and disgusted facial expressions of the council, aside from one strangely enthusiastic O-5-7, Clef dumped the rat into his pockets. Looking back at the pile of metal and concrete, Clef spotted a small box of.... Altoid mints. Immediately he pounced upon them, tearing apart the metal casing to begin consuming them. Realising the danger they were in, several operatives leaped forwards to wrestle the maniac away from the mints. 

"While I was still among the ranks of humanity, I did not think that the best and brightest among us would be so ....strange." The comment slipped out of Carmilla's lips as she watched Clef continue to try to reach for the mints despite several operatives trying to hold him down. Several more had begun to pick up and eat the mints to prevent Clef from eating them himself, preventing the horrendous disaster that would await them all should Clef eat all of the mints.

"Haha, they sacrifice so very much to achieve so little. The little sanity and social skills they had joining this infernal foundation are stripped from them within minutes. It is fun watching them strive so very hard to achieve something only for it to all be for naught. The soul crushing realisation is oh so very entertaining." The devilish grin returned to Alastor's face as he summoned a new tin of Altoid mints next to Clef.

20 minutes later.

It was only after Clef was firmly restrained by multiple mtf operatives that the O-5 could begin their interrogation.

The D-class was lead into the room and forced to pick up the amulet which had remained on Bright's dead body. The man tensed suddenly, something the operatives restraining him were waiting for before it suddenly stopped.  A deep breath and attempt at stretching signalled Bright being back in a new body.

"Can I just ask why?" Was the only words that 0-5-1 could muster as she looked upon the wreckage and remembered the events leading up to it. 

"Why what? We each have done quite a few things in our lives so you may need to narrow it down just a little." Bright spoke, trying to get a rise out of the council.

"Why what? Perhaps it's why are  your colluding with demons? Maybe it's why did you steal and murder  foundation assets? Just maybe it's why did you do an impromptu musical number resulting in the death of some of the most?" O-5-1 looked ready to burst a blood vessel.

"No, you know what? I called for a new decision for consideration by the O-5 council. Should the Drs Alto Clef and Jack Bright be terminated for their transgressions against humanity, the foundation and the O-5 council?" A stunned silence fell over the council at the sudden decree. The decision required no more than a second to consider before the entries council burst forth into agreement.

In the span of 5 seconds both Bright and Clef went from 'well respected' doctors to wanted criminals. For several seconds the pair stood side by side in stunned silence before their brains finally realised the danger they were in. They were trapped in a room full of their opponents with almost no allies. 

A shower of bullets flew over the duo's heads as they dived to relative safety behind the heap of twisted steel and concrete. Returning fire was of no use, there were simply too many of them, this fact didn't stop Clef as he unloaded several shells into the closest foundation operative. Both Alastor and Carmilla quickly scrambled to find cover behind a series of marble columns to the side of the room

"Hey, Al!! Some firepower would be appreciated!!" Bright's voice barely penetrated the thick gunfire which smothered any other sound in a thick blanket of noise. Peaking out from behind the column, Alastor quickly formulated a plan to escape the death trap their were trapped in. It all started with a means of giving Bright and Clef a way to fight back.

A black tentacle sprouted from the wall opposite Alastor, momentarily flailing lifelessly before the puppet master took the strings. Within seconds the tentacle began to swat at the closest operatives, delivering heavy strikes which audibly cracked bones and sent bodies flying across the room. A couple seconds more and 20 operatives turned and shot at the thing, ripping several holes in it before it fell to the floor, disappearing into shadow. Despite it's destruction, it had achieved it's goal, operatives and their weapons had been separated allowing for the second stage.

Several small, black doll like entities, around 9 inches tall, emerged from the shadows around Alastor's feet. Their black bodies would have allowed them to go unnoticed if it weren't for the green stitching along their joints and on their mouth as well as across their eyes. The creatures fanned out dragging the fallen rifles over to Bright who accepted them greatfully. Hundreds of the operatives began to shoot, bludgeon and kick the creatures causing them to burst into a puff of acrid smoke.

Bright picked up a rifle from the quickly growing pile beside him and immediately began firing at anything that moved Infront of him. Regrettably, he couldn't shoot the O-5, the human members had hidden under reinforced desks and to strike O-5-3's screen was to only waste bullets.

Carmilla watched the chaos unfold with mild intrigue. This would be a live test of the foundation's potential. Still existing in this room could mean a stray bullet hitting you at any moment so she remained wary of both the foundation's, Alastor's and the doctor's actions.

In a momentary lull in the combat, Alastor swivelled his head 180° to face Carmilla. "Are you worried these bloodthirsty lapdogs of this foundation will see you as a threat as well? After all you are guilty by association with myself and the others." Alastor's tone bounced from serious to playful like a metronome. 

"Ha, the O-5 council know not to incur the wrath of Carmine industries. They are aware of my position of power as overlord and doubtlessly yours as well. They wouldn't dare upset me. Their 'lapdogs' though might not be able to distinguish between friend and foe though." 

Alastor returned his attention to commanding his puppet horse which continued to pick up items and began attacking the operatives." Our status as overlords doesn't seem to count for anything among this council. I am an overlord myself and have been shot at multiple times, so don't count yourself as off limits to these lapdogs." Alastor's grin widened as he watched an operative fall to the floor with several of his puppets mauling him. 

Alastor's words seemed to work on Carmilla. She herself had been shit at as well, although significantly less than Alastor. She did associate with Alastor. Although the O-5 wouldn't dare lay a finger on her, their guards just might and her death at the hands of some guards would be a fair excuse to kill her.

Picking up the devices used for interdimensional communication, Carmilla gave a couple orders. "Requesting addition support at sector beta 5 section 0.0, authorisation code: daybreak. Additional support are to take a defensive position and not engage unless engaged by another force." Once the order had finished, all Carmilla could do was wait in the relative safety which the marble pillar provided.

After what seemed like an eternity, but was really only a minute or two, the first signs of a portal forming on the wall behind the pillar showed themselves. First it was a couple blue sparks, then a small swirling circle about the size of a coin. Over the course of several seconds, the tiny swirling portal expanded to be about a couple meters across.

Slowly several sinners, wearing the insignia of the Carmine industries marched out from the portal. A couple carried deployable defences to help create a more defendable position. Armed with regular rifles and some basic combat armour, they didn't seem terribly impressive. However in close quarters combat and angelic knife could be wielded by the sinner or placed on the rifle to be used as a bayonet.

Watching the fighting from several camera feeds, O-5-3 couldn't help but feel useless. He couldn't really actively participate in the fight. If they wanted to, the other 12 members could stop cowering and join the fight themselves, he couldn't. He could only watch the fight and provide information as to enemy movements to operatives who likely watched the movements given the proximity between the operatives and their opponents.

At the beginning of the engagement, O-5-3 had considered activating the Scranton reality anchors, positioned within the O-5 complex, however they each showed errors pertaining to large scale damage rendering their effects unpredictable. They would also have neutralised the multitude of anomalous protections and effects the O-5 council had if used.

Due to an unfavourable threat assesment, the use of the reality anchors was deemed unacceptable. Now, the rampant use of anomalous abilities, killing operatives, helping the newly titled fugitives and the sudden appearance of more forces, with the possibility of them being used against the O-5, the threat assesment had changed. 

Despite the damage to the anchors and the removal of positive anomalous effects on the O-5, it was deemed necessary to activate the Scranton reality anchors. Within the room housing the anchors, several columns of black smoke began to rise from the reality anchors. Sparks, threatened to burn anything flammable nearby and several technicians began repairs, even as the anchors began to draw in stable reality.

A powerful electrical discharge shocked the O-5 complex. The white reality stabilizing field began to move through the complex. As it approached the strange puppet creatures Alastor had conjured, the  creatures dematerialised into nothingness. The portal shattered with one touch of the wave. As the wave of stable reality defended on mortal and sinner alike, a blinding headache overtook their senses.

The skirmish was truly only just beginning.

Chapter Text

Bright's vision faded in and out. In the moments of lucid existence, he found himself looking for the reason he smelled burnt sinuses. He tried to speak and only managed to choke on the bile slowly filling his mouth. If he had eaten any food in the last 20 hours he would have thrown up.

Slumped against the shitty concrete and steel 'barricade', both himself and Clef had been using for cover, Bright could barely find the energy to exist. The last time he had experienced the activation of a reality anchor, he had been unconscious for a couple hours. Perhaps he was getting used to the feeling? It had clearly been only a couple of minutes. Despite his new found tolerance, he didn't miss the feeling one bit.

Clef seemed noticeably less rattled than the rest of the room, perhaps it was due to his exposure during his 'peace mission' or Bright's blurry vision couldn't tell the difference between normal Clef and affected Clef. Clef still seemed to have the energy to quietly complain, something Bright sorely lacked. He couldn't even raise a hand to punch Clef for grumbling too loud.

"Ah, fuck this!" Clef determinedly grumbled before aiming his shotgun over the barricade in the general direction of the operatives and fired.

*BANG*

An ear shatteringly loud gunshot echoed through everyone's mind, prompting half the room to groan, including Clef. Not only did Clef just flinch, he practically jumped out of his skin, causing Clef to lose his balance and fall flat on his face. He growled at whatever deity he could think of before righting himself and leaning back against the barricade alongside Bright.

In a rare moment of complete sobriety, Clef spoke in a voice scare above a whisper in an attempt to not give himself, or Bright, a headache. "So, we are just a little fucked, huh? Just maybe we bit off just a little more than we can chew."

Bright turned to Clef with a strange smile on his face. "Heh, you could say that again. At least we got Al, but he's not gonna be too good for at least 5 minutes. I hope I did enough damage to cause the anchors to stop anchoring soon, or else we're all pretty fucked." The duo sat behind their barricade and hoped beyond hope that the anchors would shut down within the next 2 minutes.

In the milliseconds, Alastor had between him noticing the activation of the reality anchor and the wave of stable reality hitting him he managed to hastily cobble together some sort of protection for himself. It worked, to some extent. His staff and voice were intact but no other powers were saved from the anchor's effects. The edges of his coat smoldered much to his annoyance but there was little he could do about it.

Carmilla was much less fortunate. The wave of reality stabilizing energy sapped her anomalous agility and strength. She was left with an extreme decrease in energy and capabilities. At least she still had her backup, although it was considerably smaller than that which would normally be mobilised.

The duo and the demons waited in their defensive positions waiting for the next attempt by the operatives to kill them. Yet, it never came. Peering over their various defences, the defending party soon found themselves without an attacker. The operatives just layed there many groaning in immense pain.

Clef was the first to leave cover and venture into the mass of groaning smoking flesh. Hundreds of the operatives lay on the floor, their hair smoldering and their clothes smoking. Several began to move, their hands moving to their head hoping to gain some respite from the pain and confusion they were feeling. Their senses having left them, the operatives sat or lay in confusion and pain.

"Fucking rookies, man. Come on, this guy looks like he's in a coma!!" Clef looked down at the sorry sight which was the operative Infront of him. Blood stained his lips and a faint gurgling sound indicated the thing was breathing, just. Clef aimed his shotgun at the thing before lowering it deciding to save the shell for a more worthy opponent. This didn't stop him from snapping the things neck.

Taking his chance while the operatives were distracted with their own suffering, Bright leaped over the barricade and charged the O-5's desk. They must be there and yet they weren't. Bright had expected to see them cowering under their desks or readying a counter attack or something. There was nothing there. No O-5 or even any evidence of them being there. It was as if they vanished. 

Moving over to one of the operatives, Bright searched their pockets, provoking some mild objections which Bright happily ignored. He found nothing of particular note. A couple loose coins, a crumpled up picture of a family and a wallet. There was one other thing. A pair of handcuffs. Soon a plan formulated within Bright's mind.

Lute and the other 6 angels, sat within their 'containment chamber' polishing armour and inspecting their weapons. Lute's recent fight with a portal using invader had placed, not only her but the entire unit on edge. The many dents and even a few scratches in Lute's armour were proof that not every engagement would be as easy as the Chaos insurgency was. They must remain sharp and vigilant, able to take down anything within their way.

Lute reflected on the mission of the detachment of angels. They were to find groups of surviving unaffected humans and bring them up to heaven, the deserving ones at least. Pulling a golden scroll from her bag she confirmed the order. The sparkling writing shone, bathing part of the room in a golden glow. 

Reflecting on her team's achievements, Lute realised they had managed to get just a little bit off track. Entering the foundation and helping them was in line with the objectives, at first. The foundation's members seemed pretty adamant about them being unable to enter heaven. There was no lack of belief, many talked of hearing or seeing God, they acted as though they were unworthy of entering heaven. Sure some were a little... strange, but most seemed to be relatively good people. Perhaps there was more to this foundation then the members of it let on.

There was little point staying in this 'site 01'. The people didn't want to leave and any time wasted here would then mean that those who are worthy would have to hold out for more time, time which they may not have. She should approach captain Smith about them leaving. The foundation wouldn't enjoy having their relentless killing machines leaving but there was little they could do to stop them. 

The thoughts about leaving the foundation were quickly silenced at the sudden sound of an alarm and the lights in the room turning red. Immediately afterwards the only door into or out of the room opened to reveal the figure of captain Smith, the guy who officially commanded the angels. He was dressed in full war gear, a stark contrast between the blue shirt and jeans he wore around the site .

As his eyes adjusted to the lights in the room, cpt Smith pinched the bridge of his nose before muttering to himself. " *Sigh* Why does this shit always happen when I'm about to sleep or eat?" He waited for the angels to salute him before addressing Lute.

"Lute, gather your squad and follow me when you're ready. Try to look presentable but don't sacrifice your ability to fight so you can look a little cooler..... Sorry about the alarms, I needed you immediately on your guard and this was easier than any other option." The angels muttered to themselves or eachother as they donned their armour and checked their weapons.

Once the angels had lined up one called out at the Captain who was chugging a cup of coffee, in an attempt to stave off tiredness. "Captain, are you able to I form us of any details about our upcoming deployment?" Immediately, Lute barked an order for the angel to be quiet.

The captain finished the last drops of his drink before yawning and answering the question. " I can't tell you, cause it's classified, just like every other thing in this place! Once we're somewhere a little more private then I can." Upon seeing all the angels ready to move out, Smith gave the signal and the miniature task force began to move. 

Slowly the task force moved deeper into the foundation. Researchers and guards started at them in amazement and terror. As the sound of marching grew close, doors would close shut, conversations would halt and all would shrink into the shadows under the gaze of the horned masks. The angels paid no attention to the actions and starring of the humans.

As the angels approached the main elevator system, all of the open doors began to close as occupants of the elevators saw the angels and closed the doors. One was not as lucky as the others, the doors was closing, but not fast enough and the captain stuck a hand into the gap between the doors forcing them to open.

Inside several researchers were transporting various crates with differing designations and hundreds of hazard stickers. As the doors, opened the closest researcher drew a breath in anticipation of chewing out a low level researcher. The imposing figure of the captain stopped the researcher from beginning his angry tirade.

"Move! This elevator is being commandeered by this detachment. I suggest you move or be removed." The Captain stood blocking the doors from closing waiting for one of the researchers to make the first move.

"These items are currently on ice and have precious little time before they thaw and are irreparably damaged! I will not move just because some fuck wit wants me to! The only force that could move me is the O-5 or Kondraki!!" The captain sighed pulling out his phone, showing the necessary authorisation to do just about anything, including kicking the researcher out of the elevator. If the O-5's seal didn't change the pompous assholes mind, Smith removing his pistol from it's holster definitely did.

The researcher motioned for the other researchers to move the crates from the elevator. As he passed the captain he muttered "Asshole!" To himself. As he did the captain stuck out a leg catching the researcher off balance causing him to fall face first onto one of the crates producing a sickening crunch.

The task had taken far longer than Bright had wanted it to but the entire force of operative had each been handcuffed and shoved in a corner of the room. Bright thanked -343 that the operatives were still groggy from the reality anchor, there is only so much groaning and shouting Bright can take before killing someone. Occasionally one of the operatives would come back to reality and begin shouting, but their outbursts were quickly silenced with liberal amounts of tape.

Once he had sufficiently removed any real threat the operatives could pose to him or his allies, Bright watch Alastor with mild amusement. The radio demon sat in a chair with his feet up on a desk, clicking along to a song he was playing through a radio which he had confiscated from one of the operatives. Green sparks occasionally flew out from Alastor's fingers as he clicked, provoking further amusement from Bright.

VERY rarely, a creature not too dissimilar from that which he had summoned to wreck havoc, not 20 minutes ago crawled out of the shadows. It vaguely resembled the complete creatures Alastor had summoned earlier. Whole limbs were missing, green stitching showed mouths and eyes along the things bodies. Once the creatures were summoned, Alastor turned his attention from the radio to the malformed creatures. With a dissatisfied sound he would dismiss them with a wave of his hand.

Carmilla and her small guard detachment continued to maintain defensive positions keeping their guard up and maintaining optimal sight lines. Over the minutes Bright spent handcuffing the operatives together, Carmilla felt a small portion of her strength return. Perhaps the anchors power over them was weakening or they were building up a resistance to its effects? Despite her weakened state she insisted upon keeping the bodyguards in the same defensive position incase of betrayal.

Clef spent the time, slowly inspecting the giant metal door which led to their escape. The 13 symbols seemed to taunt him as he searched for any way to open the door or break it open. Neither inspecting the door or the O-5's desk revealed anything which could offer the slightest hint which may reveal how to open the door. Eventually, Clef gave up and waited for his headache to clear enough, so that hitting the door didn't further exacerbate the pain, before shooting and kicking the metal door. This also didn't achieve anything.

Having completed his task, Bright looked up at Carmilla and her guard who remained on the defensive as they watched his ever move. "Really? Is this the hill you'll die on? You're trapped in a metal box and your first instinct is to point a gun at the other 'people' trapped in the same metal box? And here I thought the 'great Carmilla Carmine' was smart." Bright flashed a grin towards, Carmilla before wandering over watch Alastor's testing with a better view.

Carmilla shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. " Suppose I am to come down from my position and join your effort to escape this prison. What's to stop you from backstabbing or betraying me? I am aware of your ability and propensity to kill, betray and coerce people which you have done numerous times. Why should I trust you?" 

"Hehe, you shouldn't. But what choice do you have?! The reality anchors are weakened, so we aren't entirely defenceless but they won't stop. We will remain at this rough level of power until we escape or die. I don't know about you but I much prefer the first option to the second." As he spoke, Bright began to prod at various items on and around the O-5's desk. 

Carmilla looked over the sea of destruction which had encompassed the room and sighed"*sigh* While trust is the basis for many alliances, commonality oftentimes trumps it. I...I will help you with this attempt to escape our, now mutual, enemy's clutches. Do not mistake this for a want for friendship, this is pity, nothing more." Carmilla stepped out from the portable barricades, her guard had brought with them. She signalled for her guard to follow suit and fan out. 

*10 minutes later*

After 10 minutes of mindlessly bumbling around the room, hoping a way out would appear out of the rubble the demons and doctors were all out of ideas and energy. None of the operatives would talk, several of them popped a cyanide capsule as soon as the interrogations began. Every button had been pressed twice over and only the lights had changed. 

"Millions of important things to wire to the buttons on your desk and the one thing you choose for them to do was to make the fucking lights rainbow." Clef muttered to himself as he absentmindedly pressed more buttons on the desk he was sat Infront of.

Something happened. Nothing seemed to change. No, but something definitely did. Bright could feel it in his bones. The momentary flicker of the lights must have meant that one of the anchors had finally croaked. His headache did feel a little better, perhaps It was a side effect of the anchor activation, or the fact Bright had consumed very little water or food was beginning to effect him.

Bright turned to Alastor who was still preoccupied with trying and failing to create a complete shadow creation, although some were pretty close. "Al! It seems like there is no getting out of here.... So maybe you can try some of your portal shit? The distance is only 3 feet from one side of the door to the other." 

Alastor looked up from his creature summoning after another failed attempt. " Why should I? We have many a taste morsel here with us. It has been a while since such easy prey has appeared before me. I intend to enjoy this feast layed before me, allowing me to get away from the rigamarole which is hell's politics." Both of them knew Alastor was being intentionally fickle but there was little Bright could do to counter it.

"Why should you? Why shouldn't you?! We're all trapped in a big metal box with surmounting enemies which will eventually become more than any of us can handle. And what are you going to do?  Sit on your ass and twiddle your thumbs when the exit is right here!"

"I hold all the cards. I hold the keys to our escape and the only way for you to survive is to beg for my benevolence. This seems all too familiar. Do think Husker was not in a similar situation? Destitute and homeless with me as his only saviour, seem familiar?" Alastor gloated, having caught them at their weakest. Alastor returned his gaze to the shadow summoning, inspecting his nails for dirt.

"Wow! Using your power to trap and exploit others, I'm sure your mother would be pleased!" Immediately Alastor's gaze snapped towards Bright as a static sound began to infiltrate the air. Horns began to grow from Alastor's head, his nails began to elongate into claws. "The mother you have been working towards seeing. Will you really forgo all that preparation for a simple meal? You have the chance to interrogate real angels who are no doubt on the other side of that door and you waste it? Clearly sitting pretty in the hunters trap is much better than trying to see her!" 

The static stopped suddenly. Alastor fell back in his chair the horns disappearing and his nails retiring to normal. Letting out a long exhale Alastor spoke. " This.... Technology keeping me from using my powers is unknown to me and to a large extent you. We don't know if a portal can be summoned, let alone of it'll work." Alastor looked up beyond the ceiling before allowing his gaze to fall on the door. 

Alastor removed himself from the chair, the metal door locked within his sights. His footsteps echoes off the walls as he approached the door. Placing a hand on the door he summoned the last pieces of willpower he had left. The air filled with static which slowly grew in intensity and volume. Alastor's hands clenched into fists drawing blood from where nail met flesh. Red speaks flew from the metal underneath Alastor's hand drawing an astonished breath from the room's occupants.

Starting at the size of a pinprick a red simmering portal began to form and grow. Blood began to pool by Alastor's shoes as his nails dug deeper and deeper into his flesh. With a pained grunt the radio demon collapsed to his knees amide the blood. Alastor remained in that state greedily drawing in deep breaths. Eventually his breathing became less heavy and Alastor allowed his bowed head to rise. 

Before the radio demon was a shimmering red portal, perhaps not as large as he would have liked, but still there. Gingerly he stuck a hand into the portal waiting for a horrid biting of steel machines or the burning wound of a gunshot. Alastor was met with neither much to his astonishment. Slowly Alastor rose to his full height Infront of the portal before taking his first steps into the shimmering surface.

As the angels and cpt Smith descended down the large elevator to the O-5 complex Smith finished explaining the task. "...Just to be clear, they would prefer if you take them alive but if they all happen to die that is more than fine. In fact if you can kill the one with the weird amulet on his neck I will allow a single punch, each, on just about anyone consequence free." 

"I...... Yes, sir! We will slaughter the defector and demon scum." Lute turned to the other angels. " I have a personal vendetta against the radio demon, leave him to me. The rest are free pickings. We're almost there so draw swords and extend wings!!" The command was followed by the sound of scrapping metal as swords were released from their scabbards and wings extended out from each of the angels backs.

Eventually the elevator ground to a halt leaving a second of silence before the doors slowly revealed the elegant battle field which was to soon be covered in hell spawn blood. Smith had been anticipating the doctors and demons to have remained behind the great metal door but the sudden succession of bullets which flew at them signified the offensive stance they had taken.

Alastor staggered from the portal of his own creation before collapsing in a heap to the side of the portal. Once he had regained his energy, he inspected his hands. There would be no major damage. His nails weren't angelic weapons so he was safe from anything permanent. This didn't stop these temporary wounds from hurting like hell. Blood still flowed from his plans although at a staggeringly slower rate then when he had been actively digging his claws into them.

The rest were coming through the portal, Alastor would stand and act like the portal business handy affected him but his strength was severely lacking. Carmilla's guard immediately began deploying the portable defenses they had brought with them. Alastor shrugged off one of the sinners trying to help him, before trying to stand and failing. Alastor lay against the door wiping away the blood which had trickled down from his mouth before speaking.

"Remind me again, why I did all that just to move from one room to a less defendable one." Alastor attempted to stand again, this time with help from his shadows and eventually managed to stand on his own two feet, despite the pain. If they had those hundreds of operatives on their side then this would have been easily defendable against anyone. 

Carmilla similarly surveyed the hall before replying. "The idea of this manoeuvre was to get one step closer to escape. The escape from these reality anchors is through that elevator, and our return to hell requires that we escape the effects of these anchors. Of course in your condition we can't leave.... Unless we leave you here." The last words were muttered to herself but Alastor still heard.

Leaning against the door for support, Alastor tried to stand without assistance but staggered back to the door. "I'm... fine. Or at least I won't be pushing up daisies any time soon. I intend to only die once in the living world, a mistake I will never make again." Alastor's tone became icy cold as he said the last words.

"I never said you are dying, just that you are... not in the best condition which is obviously true. At least the effects of the anchor seem less pronounced out here than in there. One small mercy we must take full advantage of while we still can." Carmilla continued to survey the hall. There were few places which could actually be defended with so few of them. They would need to wait for Alastor's condition to improve before they could move let alone fight.

A small ding at the far end of the hall went unnoticed by the overlords. The angels, however did notice the sinners. Before any of Carmilla's bodyguard could react, a sword flew through the air cutting through the air with ease. The target flew back as the sword impaled them through the mouth before it embedded within the door behind the sinner. Although it was not a angelic steel, the sword embedded deep into the door.

"OH, SHIT!" Was All the bodyguards could shout as they opened fire upon the angels who took off with immense speed. Angelic bayonets were attached to the rifles of the bodyguards as they hastily scrambled to defend themselves. The bullets would do very little to impede the angels, but the dents which they occasionally created, would reduce their manoeuvrability allowing for an easier close quarters fight.

Lute and 2 other angels held back. They remained on the ground, wings extended and swords drawn but they weren't fighting, yet. Once the other 4 had grown tired and had sustained damage to their armour or even themselves Lute and her group would swoop in to take over from the other 4. The fresh reinforcements would then crush the remaining hellspawn, a perfect plan.

The 4 angels flew through the air with grace and purposefulness. Occasionally they landed, only to jump forwards with more momentum than they could get from a flap of their wings. Although the incoming wave of angels was staggered this didn't disrupt the effectiveness of the massed winged charge.

The first angel landed on one of the portable defences slashing down with her sword at the closest bodyguard. The diner raise this rifle above his head taking the full force of the impact on his rifle, the sword cleaving deep into the handguard. To the side of the ongoing struggle to survive another bodyguard turned and fired upon the angel. In a matter of milliseconds, the metal wings had moved to cover the angel forming a tight wall of angelic steel on which the bullets shattered. Interrupting the attempt at heroism, a second angle swooped down and cleaved the bodyguard in two before turning to slay more scum.

The bodyguard looked up at the lifeless mask the angel wore. The horns and sharp chaotic features were a mockery of himself and everyone he knew. Gritting his teeth, the bodyguard moved a hand towards the bayonet freeing it from it's place. With only one hand on the gun the sinner was unable to stop the angel wrenching the gun from his hand alongside the sword.

The angel looked down in disgust at the sinner with the mask reflecting the angels expression. In an overhead move the angel slashed down with the sword but was interrupted mid arc. The sinner had lunged forwards with the angelic knife grazing the greaves as the angel tried to evade the errant swing. An intense burning sensation enveloped the legs of the angel, the bayonet had cut open the armour and had grazed the angel's legs. Fearing further attacks from the bayonet the angel retreated back towards Lute.

To the bodyguards left both Bright and Clef fought as a duo against a single angel. Bright raised his rifle and shot wildly at the approaching angel. Despite the angel's erratic movements in the air Bright was able to hit the one part he needed to. The angel's left wing connection was damaged with several lucky bullets leaving the wing unresponsive but still randomly twitching. With only one wing the angel crashed to the floor incurring several brain injuries in the process. 

Moving over to the barely conscious angel, Clef placed a boot on the angel's back before shooting the other wing which was trying to attack the duo. In a shower of sparks the wing stopped moving, going limp at the angel's side. Without an angelic weapon neither of the doctors could truly kill the angel but the sheer satisfaction of disabling an angel sated their bloodthirst, for now.

Carmilla stood ready to counter the angels. She had killed one before and knew their weaknesses, although their style may have changed with their recent defeat at the hands of the hotel. She wielded no weapon for the angelic steel tipped knife like heels she wore were sufficient enough. Still, one wrong move would mean certain death leaving her children alone, something she was not going to let happen.

The angel charged towards Carmilla, sword raised poised to strike downwards. The sword swung down swiftly and fiercely, something Carmilla had been expecting. She sidestepped the initial swing and ducked under a wild horizontal slash. Her counter attack came as the a gel stabbed out at Carmilla again, she dodged to the side before grabbing the worst if the angel, disabling the threat of the sword instantly.

A calculated kick to the angel's chest left two large holes in the armour. The attack wouldn't kill the angel, she didn't want it to. She wanted to send a message, that she wasn't to be fucked with, that angel would wear that message for the rest of their life in the form of the two unhealing wounds on her chest. Carmilla hooked the sword on the end of her heel and brought it to her hand with one movement. This would serve as a decent trophy and perhaps even a item to keep for the press to see after she returned to hell.

Sensing the condition of the other angels, the final unwounded angel stabbed at the closest sinner before taking flight, landing Infront of the unconscious sinner. Clef and Bright had since backed away from the unconscious angel allowing for the unwounded angel to carry the wounded one back to Lute.

The remnants of the bodyguard occasionally took potshots at the angels from behind cover. It didn't do much to hurt them, but it did seem to annoy them. Once, Lute hacked at one of columns before launching the marble chunk at the sinners, the attack fell short but the message was clear.

Lute looked back at cpt Smith who was still waiting gin the elevator, far away from the action. Every second they spent there their energy was sapped and their ability to fight dropped significantly. An body to throw at the sinners would be of great use, although the captain would likely die before being able to return fire.

The longer they stayed there the weaker they got. They could flee now, back up the elevator and wait for the sinners to come up. No, that was a stupid plan. They were at their weakest now, giving them time to recover would only make the situation worse. 

4 angels stood ready once more. Each picked a target and took to the air once more. They remained stationary in the air for a second before diving towards their targets. Lute dove towards Alastor and Carmilla, one had dared to challenge Adam and the other had killed a good friend of hers. Revenge would be her's at last. Her foes were weakened and practically defenceless. A new wave of strength coursed through her body as she dove in for the kill.

Carmilla met the frenzied strike of the angel's sword with the tip of her angelic heel. Lute recovered much faster than Carmilla, and immediately pressed the advantage. Carmia was forced to dodge and deflect blow after blow biding her time, waiting for the moment Lute overextended.

Lute swung in an overhead arc with such force that the sword shattered the marble tiles on the floor before embedding itself in the steel below it. Carmilla struck out with her heel in a lighting quick attack. This had all been to bait out such an attack. Lute's metallic arm shot out and caught Carmilla mid attack. Lute threw Carmilla to the side, Carmilla recovered quickly but not fast enough. Lute was already stood over her, sword raised to deliver the killing blow.

The sword swept downwards threatening to end the arms dealer. A large black surface covered in constantly changing green runes sprang up to absorb the attack. The sword hit hard covering the strange material in hundreds of cracks, yet the material held, even after several strikes from Lute. Lute growled in frustration at the sudden intervention of Alastor. 

The overlord leaned on his microphone for support yet his unshakable smile remained despite the obvious exhaustion and strain he put upon himself. Alastor watched the angel with hawk like focus. He had no escape should his attacks fail, his ability to turn into shadows would be too slow in his current state. He trusted his own ability to hold off Lute until Carmilla was ready to attack once more.

The angel leaped forwards using her wings to propel her as fast as possible. With one hand movement Alastor raised a column of sheer blackness directly in the angel's path. Several long black spikes protruded from the column threatening to skewer the angel should she not act fast. Lute immediately dove to the right missing the spikes by millimeters. A second column appeared forcing Lute to dramatically slow down or else be killed. 

With his enemy slowed down, Alastor summoned several of the strange doll like shadow creatures and watched as they charged at Lute. Their claws tried to find the gaps in the armour with very limited success. The attacks were shrugged off by Lute, the wounds could be dealt with later. The creatures scratched at the angel's wings the little damage that was done was superficial.

Carmilla regained her breath thankful that Alastor had stuck to their deal and had provided a distraction. Carmilla watched as Lute closed in on Alastor with mild amusement. Watching as the angel still continued to fly despite the several shadows creatures on it's back.

As the angel raised her sword again to attack Alastor, the radio demon held up his radio staff, his legs shaking without the support. Lute knew how easily Alastor's staff had shattered last time when he fought against Adam and hoped to slash through the staff and attack the overlord beneath it. Since the battle of the hotel Alastor had a angelic rod inserted into his staff to prevent it shattering again.

The sword easily sliced through the plastic outer layer of the staff before encountering the angelic rod. A shockwave flew up Lute's arm as the two metals collided. The angel recoiled in surprise and pain before letting out a howl and wildly attacking the overlord.

Carmilla jumped left then right then left again in an attempt to gain more speed and momentum for her attack on the distracted angel. Carmilla watched Lute's attacks and predicted her next moves. Carmilla readied herself before launching herself at Lute, her angelic heels leading her assault. Hearing the sound of cracking marble as Carmilla launched herself, Lute turned only to be met with the razor point of Carmilla's heel.

The point slammed into Lute leaving a deep laceration across her face, extending from the corner of her mouth across her eye and ending at eyebrow. The mask was shattered, a large hole where the angelic metal had sliced into Lute. She staggered backwards, placing a shaking hand on her wound before recoiling at the golden blood which now covered her hand. Her breathing quickened and instinct took over.

Immediately Lute took to the air, calling for the other angels to retreat back to the elevator. Her vision clouded with darkness, her every movement was agony, a wave of sudden tiredness hit her nearly knocking her out of the air. The other angels overtook her despite those that flew  carrying a wounded angel. Lute barely crossed the threshold of the elevator before collapsing forwards, falling hard to the floor. The cheering from the sinners drowning out the sound of her shallow breathing.