Chapter Text
Alastor did not make mistakes. Everything he did was carefully planned and calculated to ensure that the radio demon got the most out of his entertainment.
But that was before he killed Vox.
If anyone asked, Alastor would smile and say he had grown bored of the other Overlord before going about his day. Most likely with a fresh corpse laying on the street or to those unluckily enough heading back to his room at the hotel for a worse fate.
However, the truth is that Vox's death was an accident.
The pair had been fighting, and Alastor had forgotten that Carmilla had added an angelic blade to the bottom of his beloved microphone. The woman’s way of secretly thanking Alastor when she repaired it for that tussle of his with Adam.
Of course, when it came down to it, Vox was the one really at fault for not dodging in the first place. He should have known from all their past battles that Alastor liked to jam the bottom of his cane into that soft belly. Yet Velvette’s timely yell for Vox to finish his date and get back to work had distracted the man.
Everyone who had been witness to the battle saw the blade stick out of Vox's back as he grabbed Alastor. There was a shocked look on his screen as he clutched the red fabric for a moment before he smiled.
A soft smile that was annoyingly enough was not directed at the radio demon himself but at the youngest Vee, who was screaming and running towards them.
“What a show,” was all Vox had spoken before his screen went dark for the last time, and he fell forward.
Alastor did not make mistakes.
But regrets those he had a few of.
Thankfully he was not alone in those regrets soon enough, all of hell shared in that regret. Despite all the celebrating and parties that resulted in such a public demise of an Overlord of Vox’s caliber cries of joy soon turned to shrieks of anguish.
For all his annoying and childish behaviour, Vox had powered nearly all the electricity within Hell. Whether he was purposely restricting his powers or not, much of hell suddenly found itself thrown back to a time before Vox had landed. Through him the TV sinner brought with him a steady supply of electrical power that only grew as he gained control over his abilities. Where that power came from however had always been a great mystery to those who knew it.
Demons who preferred simpler times had little change in their daily lives. Yet for the rest of the sinners and hell-born, it was like the world was ending.
Oh, watching the masses run around had been so hilarious for Alastor and Rosie. Even Zestial joined in on their revelry a few times snickering at the helpless soul that ran around. That is until the issue with Carmilla's factory not having power became a problem for the eldest Overlord's dearest friend.
During the Dark Times, as some called it, Valentino had been permanently dealt with. The who was a complete mystery; though there were a few popular theories. Angel Dust the most popular given his fall out with the moth since joining the hotel, but also those looking for the infamy that taking over Valentino’s territory would provide them. Still no confirmed culprit had ever been uncovered.
However, in a surprising twist, Velvette had stepped up to the plate. Flipping the proverbial switch and somehow getting the power back up and running.
vVv Tower and its territory stood strong under the doll's iron grip. Velvette was as brutal as Valentino and as clever as Vox. Truly a credit to those who had helped raise her. The influencer absorbed both men's business, adding it to her own, manipulating the masses around her to protect herself from anyone with an axe to grind.
Alastor watched from a safe distance to see if the little doll would try her hand at revenge against him. Yet Velvette never went near the radio demon unless it was at the customary overlord meetings.
Oh, how she would glare at Alastor during those gatherings. With so much hostility in her eyes that some would prefer to take an angelic blade to their own throats. Yet Velvette never made a move against Alastor otherwise. And with Vox gone Alastor likewise saw no reason to torment the woman when there would be no one shrieking in his ears demanding he stop.
But that didn’t mean the Radio Demon didn’t still keep an eye on Velvette. Lucifer and Lillith frequently visited the young woman. At first, Alastor thought they were trying to put a chain around her neck like Lillith had done with him, but no evidence yet showed that.
So, Alastor went along his business to try and find new joy and entertainment amongst hell and its sinners.
Until the first anniversary of Vox’s death and how bored Alastor had become suddenly hit him.
Trying to forget the noisy picture box that followed him around, the Radio Demon sought a new rival. Hell offered little help in casting a sinner for that role.
Of the few he sought out none lived up to Alastor’s expectations each lacking the spark that Vox had possessed. Shameful really, a few fights, and they were crying and begging Alastor to stop. One or two even selling their own souls to other Overlords just for protection against their pursuer.
Soon, a dark rage settled in Alastor, and he went out hunting to try and fill the hole in his life a different way. The never-ending slaughter lasted for weeks until Rosie, at the behest of Husker and Niffty, finally had to step in and talk to her friend.
Alastor soon returned to the hotel not looking at anyone as he slammed the door and sealed himself away in his broadcasting station. More time passed before Charlie and Vaggie broke the door down in a combined attack and found Alastor sitting in his chair, just listening to old songs.
The princess of hell had politely asked Alastor to come downstairs and have a cup of tea with her. Vagatha’s spear bottom pushing the man the entire time they made their way to the back of the hotel. However Charlie failed to mention that her parents would be joining them as well.
Alastor looked at Lillith.
Lillith looked at Alastor.
The deer did not enjoy being in the same room as the Queen of Hell. Even after Lillith had held up her end of the deal and removed the chain around his neck, Alastor still felt his hair stand on end whenever he was in the same room as the woman.
“Please,” Charlie said, placing a comforting hand on Alastor's arm. "Just listen to what they have to say."
Red eyes flicked to the princess for a moment before sighing and sitting down. Vaggie and Charlie took up the seats around him so that Lillith was furthest away from the radio demon.
No one talked as they just drank tea for a while until Lucifer spoke up.
“Alastor,” the king said, putting his cup down pointing towards the Overlord and giving a shit-eating grin. “You miss Vox, don’t you?”
Static filled the air, and the cup he was holding was nearly shattered in Alastor’s hand. "No."
“Νεχ ποσσυμ τεχυμ ωιωερε νεχ σινε τε," Lillith spoke, delicately placing her cup on the saucer and looking directly at Alastor. “I can neither live with you nor without you. Try and lie to everyone all you want, Alastor. But your actions since Vox's passing show a truth you are otherwise willing to admit.”
“I do not miss that stupid television.” dials and horns appeared on the radio demon.
“Really?” Vaggie rolled her single eye. “And you call that little killing spree and locking yourself away what? Entertainment? Recharging your creative batteries before the real show begins.”
“Vaggie,” Charlie frowned at her girlfriend before looking back at Alastor and sighing. “It's ok to miss Vox, you know.”
This time, the cup did shatter. “Ì̸̪͎ ̷̻͊d̶̠̓o̸͖̝͊͗ ̷̗̀n̶̻̦̽ô̸̩͠ͅẗ̵̠ ̶̤̎m̷̭͚̌́ĩ̶̢͝s̷̬̉s̴̲̏ ̸̡̪̅V̸̞̖͗ó̶̡͗ẍ̷̜́̓.”
“Yes, you do," Charlie told the deer sternly. “Look, I talked to Rosie. She explained to me that you two have been in each other's lives for decades. Even if all you two did was fight, on some level, you're similar to Overlord Zestial and Ms. Carmaine.”
Alastor opened his mouth to refute the statement, but Lucifer cut him off. “Don’t say you don’t again. You scared three soon-to-be overlords into selling their souls just because you wouldn’t stop attacking them.”
Ok… so maybe, on some tiny microscopic level, it was true, and Alastor missed Vox.
Missed fighting him; the verbal and physical spars both.
Missed how they would kill any demon that tried to enter into a territory they only ever agreed to share with the other.
Alastor remembered presenting Vox with the heart of a sinner who thought he could replace the radio demon. Vox had looked so confused taking the bleeding organ Alastor disappearing into the shadows before he could ask any questions.
Missed snickering as Vox manipulate the easily amused masses with those stupid powers and charisma of his. Laughing as they pathetically bought every ridiculous gadget and gizmo he was selling.
Missed the way the media demon's gaze would follow him. Ever the radio hosts audience and number one fan.
And perhaps missed those few and far-between moments when Vox would just appear at random with some alcohol, always Alastors' favourite, and they would just catch up over the latest gossip, Rosie was a treasured friend for sure, but Vox’s information-gathering skills far exceeded her own in some respect.
“Even if I did,” Alastor looked bitter, his ever-present smile nearly falling. “Vox is gone. Killed by my own hand.”
The rulers of Hell shared a look.
“Alastor,” Lillith glanced at Charlie and Vaggie for a moment before looking back at the Overlord. “What do you really know about mine and Lucifer's punishments. The ones we were given when we fell into Hell?”
The deer hummed. “You are both trapped here and forced to bear witness to the horror you unleashed upon humanity.”
“Yeah, that's not wrong," Lucifer rubbed the back of his neck slightly. "But there were other things that we – well, we’d prefer it if this was kept quiet, understand?”
"Luci," the queen of hell took her husband's hand, giving it a small kiss and making him blush. "Alastor would never spill one of our secrets -”
Purple eyes pinned the deer to his seat.
“- he knows how upset that would make me.”
“Mom?” Charlie looked at her parents in confusion. “Dad?”
"Charlie, honey, listen to me when we fell. Your father was punished by having to care for the sinners that were sent here,” Lillith explained gracefully reaching out and pouring another cup of tea for herself. “As king, he does his best. But Lucifer has always had a gentle heart by nature. Every once in a while, it gets to him, and well …”
“Duckie time,” Vaggie bopped a fist in her palm as a lightbulb appeared to go off in her head. She looked at Charlie, confused. “You know, when he goes into his workshop and the hotel is flooded for days with his ducks.”
"His adorable way of dealing with it, yes," Lillith nodded, smiling softly at the blushing angel. "I was given a different punishment, however. Whenever a sinner is killed with an angelic means, I - I feel it.”
Charlie gasped and looked like she was going to cry. "Is that why you locked yourself away when the old exterminations were happening?”
"Yes," Lillith nodded, placing a hand over her heart. "The moment they die, I feel a – well, it's hard to describe. It's as though a firework goes off in my chest. The soul shows me one last beautiful display before disappearing altogether to where I do not know.”
“What does that have to do with Vox?” Alastor glared at the queen.
Velvette received Vox’s last smile.
Lillith a glimpse at his soul.
Yet all Alastor received was a few words. When rightfully everything that belonged to Vox should now belong to him.
"It took a long time, but I started figuring out that some souls didn't really disappear. They just moved on,” Lilith remembered the feeling she had when Vox had passed away. The beautiful electric blue had hovered in her mind's eye for a moment before shooting off like a star. "Reincarnation is, I suppose, the best description for it.”
The table became completely silent as they contemplated what they had just been told
“Vox is alive," Alastor's smile widened, scaring some of the table with how crazed it looked. “He’s alive.”
“I’d deduce he has been reborn somewhere on earth,” Lillith nodded. “Finding Vox would be easy with the right spell.”
Red-clawed hands slammed onto the table. "̴͈̥̾͊́̐̈́́͑͠͝G̶̯͊i̶̛̜v̸̝͑e̸͘ͅ ̷̮͝ḭ̶̂t̸̢̄ ̴̧̾t̴̲̑o̵̱̅ ̷͚̂m̵͖̎e̷͙̅.̶͓͆"̴̧̨̰̯͉̯͋̇̈́̏̃́̈̐͆̿
"Easy, their big guy,” Lucifer warned, his eyes flashing red at the growing size of the radio demon's body. "We'll give you the spell, but there is a cost."
Claws dug into the table, leaving deep gouges. Vaggie and Charlie stood up to take a step back from Alastor.
"You must find the spell first," Lillith spoke not looking at all bothered by the change in appearance instead waved her hand and summoned a door. Charlie immediately recognized it as the one to her family’s personal library. “Beyond this door is the Morningstar library. You will be given access to it whenever you want, however long you want. Once you locate the spell, we will give you the power to use it.”
Alastor scowled. “I don’t need help using a spell.”
“Humans open the door to hell more often than they realize, allowing low-ranking demons and sinners in," Lucifer said, thinking of all the silly humans up there playing around with ghosts and spirits. Never fully prepared for the consequences of their actions when actual demons they summoned. “But sending a sinner, an overlord of your power no less, to one specific soul. That’s a little trickier. We’ll have to anchor you to whatever form Vox is in so that there’s no interference when you go up.”
“Once I have the spell, I will just go and retrieve Vox,” the radio demon said, wondering if the man's death would be quick. Or should Alastor draw it out because of all the suffering he had to endure because of Vox's rude behaviour? "It's as simple as that."
“Keep in mind, Alastor, that Vox has been reborn,” Vaggie crossed her arms not looking impressed as though she could read the radio demons dark thoughts. “He’s not Vox anymore, or at least not the one we remember. If he isn't still a complete piece of shit and dies, heaven could still get him.”
“H̷̬̼̎̉͛e̶̹͇͐ǎ̷̤̹̙̃͊v̷̮̘͒̂ẻ̶̖̺̘n̸͚͑͠ ̸̖̦̈w̵̤̟̌i̸̗̅̌̇l̷̻̻̻͊͠l̸̦̘̓̕͜ ̵̥͉̖͗̾n̸̩̈́ö̴͉́t̶̛̜̰̍̅ ̸̨̈̈́̎ẗ̴̢͖̰́ậ̷̳͠k̸̦͂́͠ë̸̛̟́̕ ̴̥̿ḫ̴̀͌i̵͍͛m̸͎̦̝̂̂ ̶̭̬̠͐f̸̺̯̋̃͘r̴̭͚̕ǒ̸͕͌m̵̾̂ͅ ̵̰͇̝̃͒͂m̶̱̰̠͐ḙ̷̇.̶̥̥͌̈́” The shadows wiped around, pulsing a greenish glow.
"Alastor," Charlie walked over, putting her hand on her friend’s arm. "I – I'm not ok with this plan, I want you to know that. You’re basically planning to go up there to murder someone who hasn’t done anything wrong just because of who they used to be.”
Alastor looked at Charlie with this hungry gaze. “Then why are you allowing it?”
“I have faith that you’ll do the right thing,” Charlie smiled softly. “I hope that you’ll be patient and watch over him. Wait for Vox to live a long, full life before you welcome him back home.”
Red eyes blinked before Alastor laughed and reigned in his powers. "My dear, you still say the most amusing things.”
"So, will you take our offer?" Lillith looked at the deer sinner.
Lucifer grinned and leaned against his palm. "Remember, you are free to quit anytime. There is no time limit.”
"I don't believe that will be necessary," Alastor said, summoning his microphone and beginning to walk towards the door. “After all, how long could this possibly take?"
Pushing the door to the library, Alastor walked in, feeling a twitch in his smile as he got a firsthand look at the vast collection. The room seemed to go on forever and was filled to the brim with books of all shapes and sizes.
Sighing and taking off his jacket, which he placed on a nearby chair, Alastor summoned his shadow. Grabbing the first book, he opened it and began skimming through the pages.
It didn’t matter how long it took.
Alastor would find Vox.