Ishnofel and Alastor moved forward through the streets of Pentagram City, where the constant murmur of Hell formed a chaotic symphony: the buzz of flickering neon lights, the metallic creak of old structures, and the echo of distant voices blending with broken laughter and muffled sobs. Every corner radiated heat thick with smoke and the scent of sulfur, while twisted shadows slipped through alleyways lit by streetlamps that seemed to burn without consuming their wax. The entire environment breathed a decadent life—seductive and dangerous at the same time.
As they approached the Carmine building, the structure rose like a modern gothic monument: blackened stone façades, tall windows with red stained glass reflecting light in an unsettling manner, and wrought-iron doors that emitted a deep sound when opening, as if the building itself were judging those who crossed its threshold.
Inside, the air grew heavy with a mixture of dark incense and demonic energy. Those present observed them with calculating eyes; although Vox, Valentino, and Velvette were absent, their recent traces left a lingering tension in the atmosphere. Each breath seemed to measure the strength and power of the intruders, and the echo of their footsteps resonated along walls covered in ancient symbols that pulsed with a light of their own.
Zestial emerged with a majestic bearing, his dark gray skin absorbing and reflecting the light like polished stone. His lime-green eyes shone with intelligence and authority, while the inner lining of his cloak—patterned with spiderwebs—seemed to vibrate in the same rhythm as the city. Every gesture commanded silent respect, as though each movement had been choreographed by centuries of power. At his side, Zeezie fluctuated slightly in size, vibrating to the rhythm of an infernal music only she seemed able to hear.
Maestro, with his green-blue flaming head and gray deer skull, emanated an unsettling presence. His gray suit with skeletal details and elongated horns gave the impression of a being capable of piercing reality itself; his small tail moved gracefully, slicing through the dense air of the hall.
—Good afternoon —Ishnofel greeted, adjusting his posture politely, feeling how the atmosphere seemed to analyze him with every word.
—Alastor, my friend… and who is this young man? —Zestial asked, his deep voice reverberating through the space, as if the walls themselves wished to absorb it.
—This young man is… the eighth capital sin, the one who represents suffering —Alastor replied, his tone melodic, carrying a hint of mockery that contrasted with the solemnity of the hall.
Ishnofel raised his hand in greeting; Zestial responded by shaking it with respect. The brief interaction was charged with recognition and power, and the demon felt the magnitude of those surrounding him.
—Well… you have an imposing presence —Zeezie commented, her light voice contrasting with Zestial's gravity, as she watched curiously while Ishnofel maintained his composure.
Alastor positioned Ishnofel beside Zestial, and at that moment Carmilla Carmine appeared, accompanied by Odette and Clara. Her entrance broke the formality of the meeting: Carmilla seemed to float, tall and slender, with white hair streaked with black strands and red eyes glowing beneath the diffuse light. Each step on her toes resonated like a velvet whisper, while her gothic ballerina dress flowed with supernatural fluidity.
Odette and Clara, reflecting their mother's essence, moved with delicate grace; Odette, tall and pale-skinned, wore a long coat that softened the rigidity of the hall, while Clara, slender with muted purple skin, seemed like a youthful, silent shadow of Carmilla, moving with the same ethereal precision.
The meeting continued, and Zestial resumed his seriousness:
—Good meeting. Vox's affairs require our attention.
Odette projected images of the incidents caused by Vox's weapon; the smoke surrounding them seemed to swirl with each movement. Ishnofel tried to focus, but his gaze inevitably sought Carmilla, while the barely perceptible tension contrasted with the solemnity of the room. Zestial slightly furrowed his brow, noticing the distraction.
—Carmilla… please concentrate —he murmured, gentle yet firm.
—Yes… of course —she replied, regaining her composure with a slight nod.
With the meeting over, as some Overlords withdrew, Ishnofel took a step toward Carmilla.
—Good evening, Miss Carmine —he said, a blush coloring his cheeks.
—Hello… are you the capital sin that represents suffering? —she asked, curious, softening her usual formality.
—Yes… that's me —Ishnofel stammered.
Carmilla looked at him with interest, and he could barely hold her gaze.
—It's… curious to see a capital sin among the Overlords —she commented, smiling and illuminating the seriousness of the moment.
—I… was invited by… Alastor —Ishnofel murmured, trying to maintain his composure.
Carmilla let out a small laugh at his awkwardness.
—I've never seen a demon turn so red —she added, further easing the tension.
Odette whispered to Clara:
—Our mother is smiling.
—I've never seen that… she usually only does it with Zestial —Clara replied, watching Ishnofel closely.
Alastor, satisfied, followed closely as Ishnofel walked back toward the Hazbin Hotel, feeling for the first time in Hell an unexpected joy—light, fragile, almost human.