Hazbin Hotel: Singed Wings

-- Two and a half months later --

"God... Do you love God as much as I love Him?" - Archangel Dante, head of the Department for the Study of Sin, abbreviated as the "Department of Sin," does not recommend answering this question positively in his department.

An ordinary Righteous or an angel does not know all the nuances of the Second Circle, does not grasp the full significance of Sin, which arose after the emergence of humanity, and does not understand what the entire Department is engaged in.

Dante, being in charge, is somewhat limited in his free time, as he holds the Second Rank. When he was first offered a promotion, he gladly accepted, hoping to gain more opportunities for his research. What a naive fool he was.

Being an archangel comes with a whole heap of responsibilities and obligations. He is required to write various reports every day, meet the enlightenment quota in the Department, which often involves gathering everyone for tea (or coffee, wine, whatever they prefer), and fulfill the quota for results... A promotion in Rank for an angel is nothing more than an increase in shackles and an even greater lack of free time, as he now realizes.

His duties also include monitoring his subordinates for "Sin." It is expected that if an angel breaks the Law, falls into Sin, or simply makes fatal mistakes for humanity on Earth, he must be cast down from Heaven. Light must leave the angel, leaving him in the Fiery Gehenna.

Of it were so... Such an angel would simply be taken to the Third Circle, to visit one of the "special" Departments of the Higher Cherubim. After "correction" or Purification, it's a good outcome if the angel remains himself, with an intact personality and full soul. Usually, they end up as mere puppets, receiving new identities and roles, while some simply become Junior Cherubim.

The Athanims are a whole different story in Heaven. They are one of the most powerful types of angels, a Rank revered just below the Seraphim. But there's one catch. Athanims are fanatics of the Light, universally devoted to it (despite their lack of a conventional human head). All their divisions and forms are focused on direct work with the Light. They are the ones who can cleanse Hell of all demons if Gehenna attempts to rise, and they monitor Paradise, ensuring that Evil does not infiltrate the Sanctuary. They are the guardians of the Throne of God.

One of the main requirements for ascending in rank is faith in the Light. The Archangel doesn't demand much—just faith sufficient for more advanced forms of prayer or miracles. The Highest Cherubim aren't far behind in their requirements, but they do have their own pitfalls.

If Dante, as an Archangel, engages in questionable actions from the perspective of a Righteous one, the Highest Cherubim are fully immersed in such matters. They are the guardians of Heaven's knowledge, encompassing all knowledge, whether it's about "The Fall of Lucifer," "The Pride of Lilith," "Good and Evil," or even insights into God's Divine Plan. Each Cherub takes a Vow of Silence or an Oath of Confidentiality. The more a Cherub knows, the more restrictions they face, and when you combine this with their ever-increasing responsibilities, it becomes clear that anyone seeking to ascend to Cherubim status is either foolish or has a Plan. There are no other options.

Dante wasn't a fool, but he didn't have a Plan either. That's why he was an Archangel with two "wings." The Director of their Department had twice offered him a promotion to the rank of Highest Cherub. And twice, Dante had declined.

He had long grown accustomed to his new responsibilities and wasn't about to cater to the whims of the Director, who wanted to secure "privileges" or a "budget" for his department. Usually, this meant that the Seraphim could work with the Department. Dante couldn't care less about such details; it wasn't his responsibility.

Dante currently led a team where one of the members was constantly changing. Usually, these were Righteous ones looking to pass the time by learning about Sin, though in reality, they were just slacking off, lowering the efficiency of the Department. If the number of staff increased, so did the expectations placed on them.

Right now, he had seven angels directly under his command. He would call them "The Seven Virtues of Sin" if it weren't for that cursed seventh spot, which kept changing with different faces, while the others had long settled in and worked well together.

But in the last two months, Dante could finally start calling his subordinates that way.

He was currently in the meeting room. It was a spacious hall with a wall-sized window on the left and an entrance on the right. The room was filled with greenery: flowers, vines, and other plants—a collaborative project where everyone had contributed. The furniture was minimal: each staff member, including him, had an adjustable desk and a comfortable chair that could take any shape suitable for an angel.

He was waiting for the remaining employee, Remigia, as the others were already present.

Each of the six was occupied with their own tasks. Some were drinking tea, like Virgil, while others were simply gazing at the clouds, like Fedelia, and some were absorbed in their own affairs. This continued for another twenty minutes until the last colleague finally decided to wake up and show up.

As soon as everyone settled into their seats (Remigia slowly walked to her desk and nearly dozed off as she sat down) and prepared themselves, Dante began the meeting:

"Good morning, esteemed colleagues," he said, the metallic tones of his voice causing no surprise. "I'll be brief: the topics of the meeting are the report on our completed work, the selection of the next collective project, and an announcement."

Dante was accustomed to the team; none of them, despite their differences, enjoyed long meetings. Sometimes, he wouldn't even speak, simply handing out folders related to the meeting's agenda and listening to quick reports. He wouldn't hold these meetings so regularly, fully aware of how tiresome they could become, but Obligations, alas.

"Then I suppose I'll start," Phillip leaned back in his large chair. "I had a presentation today that you interrupted…"

Phillip, or Envy. A volatile mix of irritation, productivity, and personal stress. He constantly wrestled with fears of failing in his duties, the fear of not keeping up, and so on. As a result, he often held conversations with colleagues, trying to glean some idea for himself. He never copied or stole from others; he merely "drew inspiration" from their words.

He was one of the most productive employees, deserving to hold the second spot on the honor roll... But he performed so well when he was constantly worried about deadlines.

All his projects were a blend of his own and others' ideas, and he focused on organizing leisure activities, entertainment, and promoting the material that Heaven deemed necessary. His research was more directed at psychology and the entertainment industry, studying their influences on celestial beings: how and what might lead to deviations from the norm.

If you pressed just a little, distorted things slightly... He could become a Sinner.

As soon as Phillip sat down, Theodore stood up.

"I'll be brief," he said in a quiet, deep voice, his posture straight and his gaze sharp. "This quarter, I managed to release…"

Theodore, or Gluttony. Sensitive and attentive to others, he wasn't fond of noisy gatherings, preferring solitude or quiet evenings with two or three companions. He was the acknowledged chef of their Department, capable of preparing dishes even for the Afanims, to the point where they couldn't find fault with his work. Given these fanatics, that spoke volumes about his skills. He worked in the culinary field, studying the effects of various energy sources (food) on the angelic form. His latest project focused on exploring the factor of "spiritual energy" as a potential food source for angels, which piqued Virgil's interest.

Theodore loved to cook so much that it bordered on Sin. If someone were to just "add a pinch of salt" to his food, causing an increasing dependency... he could easily become a Sinner.

Once he finished his report, Theodore immediately sat down and called on Frol.

— ... — she silently summoned three large folders, each containing over a thousand pages. — Here's my report; a brief summary of it...

Frol. Wrath. Their esteemed medic, who worked in the field of medicine, developing and designing methodologies, practices, and tools to maintain the balance between the spiritual form and the physical body of angels. A meticulous perfectionist, she was strict and demanding in her expectations of others.

She constantly conducted medical examinations of the staff, often related to her developments. Her downside was that she would fight for every inch of her territory. Once, she annoyed a supervising Highest Cherub so much that their entire Department, including Dante himself, was sent to Earth to investigate a dreadful anomaly—"The Little Wolf That Bites." The "wolf" they found turned out to be a rabbit.

If you disturbed her mind just a little... nudged her obsessions slightly, she could quickly become a Sinner.

Frol was indeed brief, finishing in just a couple of minutes. When she wrapped up, Dante had to wake the now-sleeping Remigia.

He merely looked around while still lying on the table, and without changing his position, quietly but quickly said:

— In general... I managed to do the following... — his slightly hoarse, heavy voice contrasted with his rather innocent appearance.

Remigia, Sloth. Strangely enough, he worked in the field of sports and physical development. Angels could change their forms, and the effects of body shape on the soul of an angel were still not fully understood. Working with many other angels, he developed various practices and guidelines that would be useful for each angel, helping them with their physical bodies.

Remigia... Strangely enough, he was the most productive employee in the Department. He always kicked around every possible task, procrastinating until the last moment, yet his efficiency rating was the highest in their team. A divine miracle, without a doubt.

Remigia just needed a small push to slip into Sin.

Once he finished, he plopped his head down on the table, alarming Fedelia.

"Excuse me..." her melodic and pleasant voice rang out in the hall. "I would like to present what I've accomplished over…"

Fedelía was practically the embodiment of Lust. She had many fetishes, with a particular emphasis on nuns. All her work related to adult entertainment. She invented and composed most of the prayers and miracles that allowed the Righteous to engage in activities more freely and "interestingly" sex in Heaven.

Dante wasn't interested in her activities outside their Department; he didn't care about Fedelia's various partners or her demands of them. She did her job and improved the Department's performance. That was enough.

To become a succubus, all she needed was a little diversion, and the Sin of Lust would consume her.

The last of the "core" members was Amedeo. She stood up from her chair a bit nervously and began her report:

"My progress has been..." — her quiet and calm voice contrasted with her fidgeting hands. — "Not as productive as my colleagues, so…"

Amedeo, or Greed. An esteemed employee in the field of literature, she wrote numerous treatises about God and the Light, glorifying His name. She studied the influence of literature on angels, sometimes testing a bit of "Heresy," as she called her novels, on willing volunteers under a pseudonym.

The Cherubim know, and he covers it up because he enjoys her stories about the relationship between the Righteous and the Sinner, presenting the Sinners in a somewhat more positive light than is customary in Heaven.

She constantly gathers material for her works, frequently requesting trips to Earth for "inspiration." In recent years, she became fascinated with the women's rights movement, starting to release treatises on the subject. Ironically, she herself does not embody her ideals; apparently, she is simply indulging herself.

If you amplify her desires just a little... Sin will consume her, giving birth to someone who will steal the darkest secrets of Heaven for her "inspiration."

After bowing, Amedeo sat back down. Then Virgil stood up:

"I would like to report on the completion of..." — his calm, slightly distracted voice filled the hall.

Virgil. A Sinner, but still undecided about which one (spoiler Superbia). He came under their purview just two months ago, wanting to explore the "forbidden" and "unholy" — the magic that comes from the cunning. Virgil demonstrated good organizational skills, optimizing many processes in their Department and simplifying everyone's work with paperwork. He earned a semblance of respect from the other "Sins."

For this alone, Dante was ready to promote Virgil to Archangel. But he didn't want to lose such a... promising specimen.

Virgil was burning with passion for magic. The art of Lucifer, the distortion of God's Miracle. He methodically gathered every morsel he could reach, and his ambitions...

He wanted to become a Seraphim, to know the secrets of the Universe, to glimpse into the very design of God.

Given all this, it was easy to guess where the fate of this soul might lead if... it were directed in the right way — toward Pride.

Finally, he had gathered the entire set.

Virgil was an interesting... specimen for his main research. Like his other colleagues, he possessed a distinctive trait that was captivating to observe, awakening Dante's investigative curiosity.

Dante couldn't wait to see how high Virgil could climb in the hierarchy of the City, how deeply he could penetrate into the Divine design of Miracle, whether he could find answers in places where no one dared to look. How much could he allow himself before falling? Could he let Sin into Heaven? These questions stirred within Dante.

William, as an intern on probation, had been assigned the task of archiving and updating the catalog throughout the Department of Sin. It was a big and tedious, but very necessary job.

Moreover, Dante had given him access to data about the Ether. He was curious to see what would happen if a Righteous individual were granted such material.

Would he come up with something new? Would he improve prayers or miracles? Or perhaps, with this knowledge, he would create a new direction, a new system...

Dante's long-standing project, "Ethereus," aimed to replicate Lucifer's act — creating a new way to utilize Miracle. He had been working on this for a long time, literally since the beginning of his career. Now, he had found an ally in Sin. They both sought the same goal, and if they repeated Lucifer's mistake, they would share the punishment. However, if they succeeded, they could gain unprecedented power and authority.

Dante knew that neither of them was after power or influence. They both wanted one thing — knowledge.

Their goals might differ, but they could pursue them down different paths. Dante had determined for himself the path with the most enjoyable experience.

He couldn't wait to start their collaborative work.