Hell is Better Loud!(The Loud House X Helluva Boss X Hazbin Hotel)

"Breath... all life begins with breathing."

Those words became the young mage's mantra. To use magic, one must have strong concentration. Even if the world is falling down around you, a strong mage must have strong concentration. When using magic, it's important to picture the mana you control as no different than air entering your lungs. When it enters your body, both air and mana become apart of you.

"Good work, young Lincoln." Stolas compliment the boy as he sipped his morning tea.

"I gotta say, I was expecting it to take much longer than a few days." Octavia drank tea across from her father.

"Remember, magic is like any skill. Take walking for example; when you first learn to walk, you're constantly trying to watch what you're doing. Moving each foot, keeping your posture, trying your best to no stumble and fall. Then, you improve to the point you walk without thinking." The owl prince reached for a cookie of a tray Benson was holding. "Take your time, and it will all fall into place."

Octavia tilted her head back. "Is everything going well?"

It then becomes apparent what is happening. Lincoln is sitting on his tail in the cross-legged position; doing this, he kept is hands together in a way where his index fingers were raised, pressed together and the remainder interlocked. Taking long, deep breaths with his eyes closed and a serene expression on his face, Lincoln was levitating the tea party. Right above the devil-tailed boy, Stolas and Octavia were having tea with Benson waiting on them, all while they were upside-down in the air.

"Everything... is well." Link spoke, peacefully.

"Perhaps we should call it a day?" Stolas suggested. "Lincoln, you can put us down now."

Carefully, the white-haired boy lowered the three demons down with artisanal precision. Once each of them were safely on the ground, Lincoln let go of his concentration and fell on the floor.

"Very good!" The teacher praised. "Most don't have the mental fortitude to hold out for that long."

Lincoln got to his feet and bowed to the owl demon. "Thank you, Magister."

"My dad is right, you really proved what I said about you wrong." Octavia complimented.

"It was nothing. Wait, I didn't hear you say anything about me?"

"Oh, that's right, you weren't in the room." The owlette shrugged.

Lincoln laughed. "Here, I decided to give you each a parting gift." He pulled two boxes out, one for Stolas and the other for Octavia.

The daughter opened hers first, revealing a violet MP3 player. "Wow, trying to go retro?"

"It's Lincoln-crafted, and it has 800,000 songs."

"Awesome!" She cheered.

"Too bad it's mostly Bubblegum Pop, Western, and Disney Soundtracks." Lincoln giggled while Octavia signed, but smiling.

Stolas was next, opening his gift to reveal a group oil portrait that showed the Prince, Octavia, Blitz, and Loona together with joyful smiles. Touched, Stolas was moved to tears; when Via saw it, she looked at the boy, deadpanned.

"Just in case you never have the chance." Lincoln nodded, looking to Stolas. "Just make sure your wife doesn't see this."

Since his work serving treats was done, the imp butler was about to leave when Lincoln walked up. "Don't think I forgot you, Benson."

"You're kind, Mr. Lincoln. But I-" The imp was quieted when a stack of hell-bucks landed in his palm, staring at it speechless.

"I figured, what could you give the man who lives every imps' wish of working for a Goetia?" Link lowered his head, then gave a mischievous wink. "Hope you enjoy."

Coughing into his hand, Benson happily accepts.

Before he leaves, Lincoln changes back into his IMP outfit, then gives his Magister Stolas a final bow, Octavia a fist bump, and the butler a handshake. After he exits out the portal, the father and daughter stay a moment while Benson went back to his duties.

"I'm going to miss that nice boy." Stolas spoke fondly.

"Yeah... I'm happy for you, Dad." Octavia spoke under her breath; when he turned to her, the teen shied away. "I mean, whatever!"

The Hazbin Hotel was celebrating a wonderous occasion. Over the front entrance, Razzle and Dazzle were adjusting the position of a banner that read, "Happy first week, Sir Pentious!". Below, Charlie was giving instructions on the ladder while Vaggie kept it steady

"That looks perfect! Aah! I am so excited that Sir Pentious is staying at the hotel!" The demonic princess cheered.

From the center of the lobby, Lincoln had portaled in and looked around. "Charlie! Vaggie!" He ran up to greet the couple.

"Lincoln!" They welcomes in unison.

"Where have you been!?" Vaggie asked, concerned yet angry. "We haven't seen you in days! What if something bad had happened and we didn't-" The grey-haired woman saw Sir Pentious approaching with a machine. "What the hell is that?"

"Oh, hello, purple female." The snake demon greeted, then saw the devil-tailed boy. "Oh, Lincoln, you're back! Let me introduce my new invention, the Skin Flayer 11,000! I'm really looking forward to shooting the other residents."

"What? Why?" Charlie worriedly questioned.

"Yeah, Sir Pentious, did something go on while I was away?" The boy asked.

"It's the opposite. Everyone is being too nice." Pentious looked around, suspicious. "Obviously it must be a lie. I can sense that they are planning to kill me, but when? How? I must be prepared!"

Entering the hotel was two women with black horns and red eyes. One in a white lab coat was holding a clipboard while the other was pushing a cart carrying crates and boxes. It appeared that they were making a delivery.

"Ooh, the new parts for my machine are here." Sir Pentious slithered over to the woman in the lab coat.

"Sign, please." She handed the clipboard. "Thank you for your purchase. Enjoy your Carmine purchase." With that, the Sinners left.

Lincoln read the boxes. "Carmine?" He read aloud. "Who is that?"

"Carmine? As in, Carmilla Carmine?" Vaggie questioned, angrily. "You are buying parts from an overlord?"

"Uh, of course I did. She makes the best weapons in Hell."

Lincoln chuckles. "Well, she may be the best weapons dealer in Hell." He pulls out his pistols from Loo Loo Land. "Meet my new friends, Hustle, and his little brother, Bustle."

Sir Pentious took a moment to admire them. "Their beautiful! What cute smiles!"

"Okay, that stops right now." Vaggie confiscated Hustle and Bustle, then wheeled away Sir Pentious' delivery. "Youabsolutely cannot build weapons in this hotel." She pointed to Lincoln. "And you, no one is trying to kill you. People are being nice because they want you to feel welcome."

Wry, Sir Pentious peeks over his invention and narrows his gaze. Husk is downing a bottle behind the bar and Angel is scrolling on his phone nearby, both give the snake demon the middle finer. Next, Niffty is shown dusting, then turns to look at Sir Pentious with a sinister giggle.

"I... don't feel confident in that." The devil-tailed boy remarked. "About Pentious, I trust them completely."

"I don't trust them." The demon inventor admitted.

"Well, why don't we focus on that for today's activities?" Charlie perked at the idea, getting a dual thumbs-up from Lincoln.

"Not before we lay some ground rules." Vaggie was strict. "No more building weapons, no more plotting against other guests, and Pentious, you need to get rid of these things." She pointed to the walking eggs.

Two of them were playing tug-o-war with some kind of laser, but Lincoln swiped it away before an accident occurred. Intrigued by what it could be used for, the boy discreetly placed it in inventory.

"What? Not my little egg boiz." He hugs them close. "They do my evil bidding for me!"

"I agree, for the most part they seem harmless." Link defended.

Vaggie stared at Sir Pentious. "Do you want to stay here and redeem yourself?"

"Yes?" The snake sounded less sure.

"Then no more eggs."

Defeated, the inventor let do with tears swelling. "All right, Eggies. You've got to go." He cried. "I... can't keep you anymore!"

"Okay, Boss" One of the eggs confirmed for the group, all saluting.

"No, don't resist. This is how it has to be!" Sir Pentious was in denial to their tone.

"Lincoln, come with me." Vaggie instructed.

"Yes, Ma'am." Lincoln followed with the sentient eggs.

The grey-skinned woman placed the Carmine boxes in storage before moving on to the Egg Boiz. Leading the boy and eggs down the hall after putting away the packages, Vaggie informed Lincoln of what went on while he was away. "Anyway, after we put their rooms in separate areas of the hotel, I sent Martha to pick-up groceries earlier."

"And Jill? How has she been?" He asked about his Pawns.

"Jill actually started doing some tutoring for kids in the city. She said she was going to Downtown, I think she'll be back later today?"

"You and Charlie are okay with them missing activities?"

"Jill is a reasonable woman, we have no worries with her." Vaggie had confidence in the former teacher. "Martha... everything happens at it's own pace."

As the Facility Manager of the Hazbin Hotel, it's only natural that Alastor would have his own room. In many ways the room reflects the Overlord's nature. One half was reminiscent of a posh hunting lodge, and the other half was a vibrant swamp with lush trees, grass, even fireflies. Eating breakfast, the Radio Demon always tried to keep a level of decorum. Even if his meal was an entire deer carcass he was eating with a knife and fork. Enjoying his food, Alastor ate with jazz music in the background until it was stopped.

"Alastor!" Vaggie said from the doorway on the lodge side.

He looks from his meal. "Do you mind? I'm in the middle of breakfast." Alastor then sees Lincoln. "Ah, welcome back, Lincoln. Have you eaten yet?"

Lincoln didn't answer, but did look at the cadaver on the table; strange, instead of revulsion, the boy's mouth began watering as his stomach rumbled.

"Pentious' eggs are all over the place, and I need you to get rid of them." Vaggie told the Radio Demon.

"Oh, well, in that case, I'd be delighted to!" He threw his utensils away and came to the door.

"Humanely." She added.

"Hmm." Alastor considered. "Well, that's a lot less fun." He looked more demonic then before, but regained his composure. "But, I suppose I can take care of that on my outing today."

"Good..." Vaggie was appreciative, but her mood shifted when she saw Lincoln holding a fork full of deer carcass. "Lincoln! Drop that this instant!"

Obeying, he dropped the fork and put his hands behind his back. "Maybe I should go with Uncle Al?" He stood in front of the deer, just so he could discretely cut out a piece of meat for later. "Just to make sure he does what he said."

"That might work, but Charlie would be down if you couldn't be here for activities." Vaggie considered the right option.

"Don't worry, I've been working on a spell just for this situation." With a smile on his face, Lincoln rolls up one sleeve before summoning his knife. Then, with a peaceful expression on his face, sliced out a strip of flesh from his inner forearm that went from the elbow to the wrist.

"Oh... what the hell!?" The one-eyed lady tried to fight her instinct to puke.

"Don't worry, I just need a little flesh. This is a spell to advanced for just blood." Preforming the spell, the strip of flesh glowed and took form. "Voila!"

Returning to the hotel foyer, Charlie has assembled all the hotel's residents that weren't out. Set up in the foyer, a stage was assembled with a banner above that read, "Trusting 101". With everyone but her and Vaggie seated on the sofa, the blonde demon explained what they would be doing today.

"Hi, guys. Thanks for coming!" Charlie greeted her friends. "It's been brought to our attention that there may be a little... tension in the hotel."

"Tension that can be counterproductive to what we're trying to do here." Vaggie added, taking a blaster away from Sir Pentious he was planning to use on a joyful Niffty.

"We think that this group could really benefit from..." Charlie set up a display with her and Vaggie jumping into the air and speaking in near unison. "TRUST EVERCISES!"

When her girlfriend failed to do it like they rehearsed, Charlie helped her up and spoke to the group. "We're doing trust exercises."

Pessimistic, the bartender Husk questions the stage. "So, uh, what's with the whole... this? And while I've got your attention, what's with him?"

Standing in front of the tv was Lincoln, only he was standing crookedly, one eye was half-closed and the other staring everyway but straight ahead, his uniform jacket was off by one button, his hat titled, and he had an off smile. "Hi!" He spoke, less like usual.

"Yes... this isn't Lincoln." Vaggie awkwardly explained. "I mean... he is? Lincoln made a clone of himself, only this one is... off."

"No shit." Husk looked at the clone, a little uncomfortable.

"He needed to go with Alastor, so he left this clone in his stead. However, he believed there would be a problem if he made an exact copy of himself, so he made this one... 'special'."

"It's nice to be here with you all! I like new people!" The clone greeted. "Are we going to do a show? You have a stage like we're going to do a show!"

"I'm not about to put on some show for these fucking chumps." Husk refused.

"Oh, I will." Angel placed his legs on Husk suggestively. "But it's cash up front, and I know that one can't afford me." He points to Sir Pentious.

"Right, well, let's get started. Charlie?" Vaggie returned focus to the task at hand.

"Actually, I thought maybe you could take the lead on this one." The Princess encouraged before joining the others.. "I trust everyone, so maybe you know better on how to build it properly!"

"What? I'm not sure if I'm..."

"It'll be easy, Vaggie!" Charlie showed unwavering faith in her best friend. "I'm sure you can handle this."

Looking over the group, everyone but Charlie, Niffty, and clone of Lincoln were frowning. Vaggie took a deep breath then got into 'Drill Sargent' mode.

"All, right, so we are starting with trust falls!" She walked along the group, like a soldier intimidating new recruits. "Each of you are going to share something vulnerable with the group about yourself and then fall backwards, while the rest of the group catches you. Got it? Who wants to go first?"

"I do, I do, I do!" Both Charlie and the clone raised their hands.

Sighing, Vaggie allows. "Get on up there, Charlie."

She runs up to the stage. "I, I love you guys. Like, really, really love you." Misty eyed, Charlie falls backward but only Vaggie runs to catch her. "That felt... Good! Clone Lincoln, why don't you go next!"

"Okay, Charli!" The clone awkwardly walked up to the stage. "Something that real Lincoln is vulnerable about! His first crush was a dragon lady!"

"What?" Angel questioned.

"Don't worry, Lincoln told me about this." Vaggie explained. "Apparently, this clone will spout nonsensical ramblings at random times."

"That government is adding chemicals to the water supply to keep the bad things they don't want known secret!" The clone spouted.

"You see?" She got an example. "Clone Lincoln, back to real Lincoln's first crush!"

"Oh~ I wouldloveto hear this!" Charlie got absorbed in the topic.

"Ronnie Anne! She is strong, and she is cool, and she is strong!" The clone spoke. "She slapped real Lincoln! She insults him, humiliates him, hit him with a car, set him on fire, beat him into a puddle of his own blood, and made him waffles! She is too kind to him!"

While the clone turned around, everyone in the group but Niffty got a distressed look on their face. When the boy fell, everyone ran up to catch him. Next, Angel did his share and made a joke at Husk's expense. Following the spider demon, Sir Pentious lamented how he missed his Egg Boiz; but when he asked nobody catch him, Vaggie, Charlie and the clone caught him. Then, when Niffty shared, everyone but the clone took a step back; this caused the cyclops to crash on him and cheer for pain. This continued while the leading couple moved to talk privately.

"I don't know if this is really working the way we'd hoped." Charlie expressed doubts. "I mean, the clone's share is fucked up. Maybe we should-"

"Honey, you have to trust me here." Vaggie comforted. "Lincoln said the clone says crazy things. I got this, okay? I'll figure something out."

Eavesdropping, Angel Dust appears. "Couldn't help but overhear. If you're in the market for some ideas, I've got just the thing."

"What do you have in mind?" Vaggie sighs.

"A big surprise. And if Bitch Lincoln has any clue, it may be up his alley."

"Bitch Lincoln?" Charlie questioned. "That's what you're calling the clone?"

"Just figured it suit him." Angel gestured to the care-free clone repeatedly getting pelted with falling Niffty. "He has no autonomy and mindlessly agrees with anythin'."

Elsewhere, in the industrial area of Pentagram City, Alastor is walking down the street followed by the Egg Boiz with Lincoln at his side.

"Oh, boy! What's the plan, boss?" The talking egg minions were talkative. "I like your suit! What are the antlers for? Can I touch your staff thing? Are those your ears or is it your hair? I can't tell!"

While the two humanoid demons walked down the street, Alastor with a pained smile and twitch in his eye, Lincoln sensed a presence trailing them. Whatever it was, the boy felt it was old, very old. He got his fingers in the pistol gesture and grabbed his knife in his left hand just as what was following them appeared.

"Hark, Alastor." A shadowy being appeared, black cloaked with a tall stovepipe hat and a giant spider broach. He had a spider-like aesthetic like Angel Dust, but more... wicked. "How fare thee this day?"

Lincoln heard Alastor make a static sound and fear making a slight appearance on his Uncle's face. "Who... are you?" He wasn't sure he'd live, but Link wasn't going down without fighting.

"Yeah, who's that, Boss?" An egg boi asked as he and the others got ready to tussle. "You want us to rough him up for ya?"

The Radio Demon quickly discouraged the chance of violence. "Follow in silence if you value your shell!" He spoke to the egg before turning to the shadowy demon. "Greetings, Zestial!"

Catching on to the former radio host, Lincoln put away his weapons and placed his hands behind his back just as a demon who resembled Charlie Chaplin walked out the alley and fell back at the sight of Zestial.

"Ah, the weather doth become this fine day." Zestial commented

"Indeed, looks like we might have some acid rain this afternoon!" Alastor agreed. "Oh, but where are my manners? Zestial, allow me to present my great-great-grandnephew Lincoln Loud!" He introduced. "Lincoln, this is Zestial, one of Hell's oldest and most respected Overlords."

To show good manners, and prevent antagonizing a being that even Alastor is weary of, Lincoln performed a perfect ninety-degree bow. "An honor, Sir."

"How intriguing." The Overlord kept his focus on Lincoln. "This young sirrah shares little with thou, Alastor. Yet, I hardly say to thou apart." Zestial returned to Alastor. "I hope the weather shall persist. I do revel in the screams. How art thou?"

As they continue to walk, demons watch from the shadows or run away. "It has been an age since thou hath graced us with thy presence. Some hath spun wild tales of you falling to...holy arms."

"Oh, I just took a well-earned sabbatical, nothing serious." Alastor checks his appearance in a window, shifting his eyes as he talks "Though it's fun to keep everyone on their toes!" He played a laugh track.

Although the Radio Demon kept his smile, both Zestial and the devil-tailed boy knew Alastor was keeping secrets, even if they didn't know what.

"There too hath been rumor of thy involvement with the princess and her recent flight of fancy." The ancient demon spoke, almost like an interrogation; then his cloak flares open for a moment. "Tell me, how dost thou fall in such folly?"

"That is for me to know." Alastor continues walking. "But please, do guess, I'd love to know the theories!"

Zestial chuckles. "T'would be grander folly by far to assume the workings ofyourmind, Alastor. Thou hath been naught but anenigmasince thy manifested in this realm!"

"Coming from someone as ancient as you, I take that as quite the compliment!" The Radio Demon prided himself.

While they continued walking, Lincoln tried to keep his cool, but a pain his head kept telling him that something big was gonna happen. The three Sinners and group of eggs walked into an alleyway with elevators lining one building. Above one lift, a security camera captures Zestial and Lincoln walk into view, but Alastor's image glitches when the camera sees him.

"Shall I wait here, Uncle?" Lincoln asked, hopeful the answer would be 'yes'.

"Oh, don't be foolish." Alastor disregards. "You have less to be afraid of inside."

Taking a deep breath, the boy walked between the two Overlords. The eggs tried to follow, but Alastor stopped them with his cane.

"No, no. I have a very important task for you. Stay here and guard the front until I return." He ordered.

Accepting their orders, the Egg Boiz salute. As the elevator ascended, one of the egg minions catches one of their own trapped with the Sinners.

"Oh, look. Frank is up there." The sentient egg points to the one called 'Frank' hitting the glass.

"We have names?" Another egg asks, proving the Egg Boiz are not that bright.

They say, 'there are no bad ideas'. Which is true, but that doesn't mean there aren't better ideas. And Angel Dust's idea was... controversial.

"Angel!" Vaggie called, very angry. "What the actual fuck?!"

The idea that the spider demon had was to go to a BDSM club. Inside the room the Hazbin gang was brought to, there was already demons doing intense, sexual things to each other. While it went down, Angel Dust smiled confidently while Charlie and Sir Pentious looked at everything with unease.

"No activity requires more trust than BDSM, Baby." Angel justified. "No bond stronger than those formed through bondage! That's their motto!" He points to a sign with those words in neon.

"Angel, love the enthusiasm." Charlie praised her guest. "But... it's just..."

"What makes you think anyone would be into this?" Vaggie pointed a finger into his face.

From nearby, Husk is lying on his stomach while getting a message by a demon in a leather mask, a small smile decorated the bartender's face as he purred. "You know... I don't hate this."

Making an appearance, Niffty shows up wearing a dominatrix outfit. "I'm ready to punish some bad boys!" The cyclops giggled.

"Never mind!" Husk gets up and hurries out. "I-I'm out!"

"I can't believe you would..." Chewing Angel out for being here, Vaggie realized someone slipped her mind. "Wait! Where's the clone!?"

"Bitch Lincoln?" Angel asked, apathetic. "I saw him leave with some broads further in."

"God Damnit, Angel! He's a minor!" Vaggie ran off. The hotel manager went on a search for the clone while Charlie went after her. Intimidating random patrons, she demanded any information they had on a boy with a devil-tail wearing a school uniform. Following leads, the ladies overheard giggling conversation from a nearby room.

"Such a cute uniform~ Do you want another~?" A woman's voice was heard on the other side of the door.

"Oh, Fuck No!" Vaggie kicked the door down and pointed her spear. "Hand the chico over or I will send your bitch asses to the next afterlife!"

On closer observation, it was revealed to be a break room with a kitchenette and vending machines. The 'broads' in question that Angel Dust was talking about were four animal themed Sinners. One was a white mouse demon with a heart-shaped tail, another was a grey rabbit demon, then a yellow lioness with horns, and a white cat with heterochromia eyes. All four of them were dressed in purple lingerie with a pink bow somewhere on their person. At the sight of the angelic spear, all four of them put their arms up.

"Hi Vaggie!" Bitch Lincoln waved, revealed to be sitting in a chair eating snacks with the demonesses grouped around him.

"Clone, over here!" The one-eyed woman ordered, the clone obeying. "Who the fuck are you, and why did you take the boy? And before you answer, I have killed demons before with this." She pointed the spear under the rabbit's neck.

"We didn't take him, we swear!" The mouse demon tried to explain. "Let me introduce ourselves. I'm Minnie; my friend your threatening is Judy; and these are our friends. Nala, and the cat beside her is Marie. We call are selves 'The Animolls'."

"Vaggie, maybe you should put the spear down?" Charlie tried to deescalate. "Sorry, but why did you have him?"

"We were having our lunch break." Marie, with a French accent, told them. "We saw him repeatedly walking into a door and brought him here?"

"We thought he was one of the customer's kids!" Nala added.

"Your boy is very sweet!" Judy smiled, awkwardly. "You should be proud!"

"He's not our kid." Vaggie said. "He's a clone. A clone of the kid whose living with us."

"Wait, you brought the 'clone' of a kid, who isn't your own, to a bondage club?" Nala questioned. "I'm starting to think we should keep him away from you."

"We didn't, I mean we did but..." It was hard for Vaggie to explain the situation in a way that didn't paint them as deviants.

"A friend of ours brought us here for trust building." Charlie explained for them. "Had we known beforehand, we wouldnever bring a child here." The Princess pulled out some money. "Here, as a thanks for keeping an eye on him. Let's go you two."

"Bye Animolls!" Bitch Lincoln was guided away by Charlie.

"I'm watch you." Vaggie narrowed her gaze as she left.

The situation over, the women in lingerie breathed easy. Minnie went to the fridge and pulled out her lunch.

"Damn, that could have gone bad." She said, eating a sandwich.

"Maybe, but if we got paid like this again, I'd take reservations!" Judy joked, counting the money they were given.

"I hope we don't have to see that Putain Pirate again." Marie took a seat. "Bringing a child here and blaming someone else when you lose them!?"

"Calm down, Kitty." Nala nuzzled the white cat. "I doubt we'll ever see them again."

Returning to Lincoln, the white-haired boy had reached the top floor of the building his Uncle and Zestial was heading, entering a tasteful lobby. Walking out with the high ranked demons and Frank, he spots two other Sinners arrive, one with a flaming skull head and the other who dressed like she was from the Industrial Revolution. Then, another more massive Sinner resembling a punk rock dinosaur entered. Furthermore, getting a look above, Lincoln saw that the walls displayed weapons.

The demons enter a meeting room with furniture that had blades for feet. The Sinners, who Lincoln inferred to all be Overlords, sat at a table fit for a Board of Directors. Unsure of where to be, the devil-tailed boy stood behind Alastor at the window with his hands behind his back and posture straight; catching Frank the Egg Boi, Link used his tail to scoot the minion behind him. As he stood, the overlord next to Alastor turned to look at the boy; when he waves with a light smile, she responds with a wide smile displaying her knife-like teeth.

Walking in with a sharp, metallic clink, the Overlord who called the meeting called attention. "Welcome, Hell's sovereign overlords." She spoke with great professionalism. This Overlord was styled like a ballerina but with the authority of a CEO; her hair was done in two beehives with black and white attire, and her metallic shoes kept her on pointe. Beside her were the two ladies who delivered the Carmine products to Sir Pentious; this fact alone gave Lincoln the proof of who she was.

"I've invited you all here because you represent the controlling powers of our city. Together, you own millions of souls. Souls at risk with the new Extermination schedule." She addressed the issue. "We need to discuss what can be done to minimize the impact to our interest." She slammed her fist on the table to emphasize her point.

Taking his seat, Zestial has some tea manifested.

"Zestial, so good to see you, my friend." Camila Carmine welcomed her fellow Overlord.

"Enchanted as always, Carmilla." He accepts.

Before she proceeds with the meeting, Carmilla notices another addition, or rather,two. "Alastor?"

"Yes, I know I've been absent some time." The Radio Demon playfully brushed off. "I'm sure you've all been wondering!"

"Not really." Her response causes anger to appear on Alastor's face for moment. "What I am wondering, is why you have a child with you?"

The meeting turned their attention to Lincoln, the boy who looked like he was stolen of all color. To show confidence, Lincoln remained his current position and waited for the right chance to speak. Luckily, Alastor would provide that.

"Oh, you mean Lincoln?" Alastor gestures to the child. "He's my such and such Nephew from my darling sister, Harriet. Just arrived... how long have you been here, Child?"

"Less than two weeks." He answered.

"Right! After our last Extermination. Ah... feels like a lifetime ago."

"Welcome... Lincoln." Carmilla greeted the boy before returning to the main issue. "This year's Extermination wasbrutal, far more even than years past. We have assessed that about 16% of the population was lost." To illustrate her point, there was a slideshow. "With the angelic legions now returning twice as quickly, I think it prudent we-"

Kicking the door open, Velvette interrupts the ballerina demon's speech. "Yes, I've got it handled, Vox. Are you doubting me? Really? Me? That's what I thought." She laughs at the meeting. "Yes, I know. They're all a joke. Thank you. See you soon. Kisses, Darling."

It was clear that the V's were now involved. Although some of the other Overlords could barely tolerate them, if Hell had any chance to keeping souls, the V Trio was needed. Velvette sat on the opposite end of the table, across from Carmilla Carmine.

"Nice of you to join us, Velvette. Will your... colleagues be joining?" Trying to be polite, the Arms Dealer asked.

"No, they have better shit to do than to listen to an old windbag who thinks she's tough shit." The social media demon mocked. "I'm here to represent."

Carmilla returned to the meeting. "Charming. So, as I was saying, we need to discuss-" She was interrupted again, this time by Velvette raising her hand. "Yes, Velvette?"

"On the subject of discussion..." To steal attention, the Overlord brought something to discuss, the severed head of a dead Exorcist.

When he saw the head roll on the table, Lincoln's mind went back to his first day in Hell. When he saw the angels Adam and Lute, and remembered how superior they acted. Like a bolt of lightning, the sudden increase in exterminations and the reveal of an Exorcist dead in Hell.

"They're afraid..." Lincoln muttered, the white in his eyes going pitch black like his blood. "They can die."