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Between having a very public mental breakdown and respawning his body after getting his head ripped off by Valentino, Vox has not had much bandwidth to spare on how disconnected he feels from himself.
However, given that he is still regrouping, he figures it is to be expected.
When Vox finally reforms he anticipates to feel out of sorts for a day or two.
Thankfully, such a respawning hasn’t occurred to this degree in decades since he rose to power, but Vox is familiar with the disjointed sensation.
Still, he can’t remember it ever lasting this long.
Weeks since his failed master plan, he sets time aside from the extensive campaign of damage control to run a full systems check.
Every test comes back clear, but Vox still feels as if some essential function has vanished from his programming.
He spends countless nights trying to figure out what has yet failed to reform and finally decides that he will have to rewatch the video that was taken that day.
Watching the replay of Valentino ripping his head off is slightly horrifying and endearing.
Only Val would give him a forehead kiss before brutally yanking his head off. Everything that was ripped from him has been reconnected. His new body is practically the same as he was before that, so why does he feel as if he has been hollowed out?
It is only when the video progresses to show Alastor that Vox realizes that his shared frequency with Alastor is absent. When Alastor went missing for seven years, his frequency had gone almost imperceptible but never completely silent.
It feels like trying to reconnect to a phantom limb, and Vox panics when he reaches out and finds every frequency that they have used in the past silent.
Is Alastor gone?
Is he dead?
Vox fires up the rest of his screens to bring up the camera views around the hotel.
Surely, he would have heard something if Alastor had disappeared again, or worse.
Granted, as part of making it up to Valentino, he had considerably rolled back on the amount of time he spent observing Alastor, and given how his whole plan had failed because of him, Vox had seen it as a reasonable request.
Video footage of the Radio Demon on the hotel balcony quickly comes up, and it is as recent as a few minutes ago, so Alastor is where Vox expected to find him, but he can not locate his frequency. Everything around the hotel is as silent as the grave.
Vox calms himself. Alastor is alive and well.
They only reconnected after his seven-year absence seamlessly because Alastor practically trampled into Vox’s frequency. Given that Vox has not left the tower since the incident it is reasonable to assume that it is all that it is.
Surely, he can reconnect their shared frequency at the next Overlord meeting.
———-
Another downside of having Angel Dust back at the tower is that Vox can no longer rely on him for inside information on the hotel, so he settles for checking the footage from those cameras every day until the next meeting. Vox keeps his check-ins discreet because he doesn’t want to spiral or undo all the work that he has done to make it up to Valentino.
However, when the next Overlord meeting comes, Alastor’s eyes glaze over Vox as if he weren’t there.
When Vox tries to find his frequency he can not locate it, he can sense that it is around Alastor as usual, but it is almost as if it behind some sort of firewall that he can not bypass.
When Vox tries to bait him after the meeting to get him to engage, he finds that Alastor is gone.
Vox tells himself that he will try again at the next meeting, and the next, and the next, but Alastor hardly acknowledges him. When he does Vox feels as if he being greeted by a very formal stranger.
Not a single witty insult or sneer, only genuine disinterest. As if Vox were someone Alastor had to be polite to.
Finally, Vox waits until after Alastor arrives at the meeting to enter and take the seat next to him.
The whole room seems to wait with baited breath for an explosion, for ridicule, for a show, but Alastor looks at him as if he were anyone else and refuses to engage in any way that isn’t topical.
Carmilla starts the meeting. There are a lot of things to go over now that redemption is possible. She has had to adapt to a dwindling demand for weapons now that the extermination is no longer an event.
Sinners are showing much more restraint when it comes to killing and maiming each other now that Heaven and Hell have redemption as their official goal.
Vox is hardly listening to what she is saying, but he understands it.
The events that occurred have changed his outlook on things, and he knows that he will have to change his business model a bit now.
Still, Alastor’s behavior towards him leaves Vox too shocked to say anything.
So he sits there, as close to Alastor as he has ever been and somehow as far removed as if he were on another plane of existence. As if he has wandered into an alternate reality in which they mean nothing to each other.
When the meeting ends, he almost doesn’t notice, and watches Alastor leave without a backwards glance, and that finally makes him rise and give chase.
“Alastor!” screams Vox and mercifully Alastor pauses in his tracks outside of the building.
He is walking besides Rosie whose eyes widen before she gives Vox an angry questioning look similar to the one that seemed etched onto Velvette’s features for weeks after the failed heavenly takeover. It is that look that makes something click for Vox.
He has apologized to Valentino and Velvette and rebuilt their relationships and as fucked up as his relationship with Alastor is Vox wants things to go back to that.
Their usual disdain for one another is a hundred times preferable to whatever this new, politely detached thing is.
“Alastor, want me to tell him to beat it before I eat him?” asks Rosie while Alastor remains.
“I only want to apologize for…” stammers Vox.
“Trying to kill all of us?” questions Rosie.
“Yes,” admits Vox “I lost my head figuratively and then literally,” he quips but Alastor remains unmoved even though Rosie’s forehead relaxes a fraction. Alastor turns his head to Rosie slightly and motions for her to go.
When she leaves Vox expects that Alastor will turn to insult him, to ridicule him for losing so spectacularly.
When the same smile that he has obsessed with turns to him something is missing from the eyes. Something vital.
A short, sharp blip of static resonates between them before Alastor vanishes into the shadow.
They have always been able to transmit messages to one another and for a brief second Vox can feel their connection form before it breaks. Alastor turns away from him before Vox can recuperate from the message that he has received.
“̴̢̡̢̨̛͍̮̭̱̼̮̥͕͙͙̼̺̱̠̪̹̗̭̮̣̈̏͆̒̎́̒́͂̐̀͌̈́̈̾͐͒̀̎͐͑̔̈́͐̑͛̎͗̃̊̆͋̅͛̍́̄̄͐͑̿̈̍͂̚̚̚͝͝͝͝ͅẂ̶̢̧̨̰̙̰̮̰̝͚͈̤͍̯̬̣̳̹̦̗̙̻̳̦͇̼͈̹͓̬͓̼̩̩̭̱̫̭͎̳̜͕͈̗̥̜̲̍̉́̏̃̋͊̈́̈̉̔̎͜͜͜͠e̸̡̢̢̢̛̼͙̠͓̱̜̟̣͉̗̥͚̟͍̙͖͚̤͇̺͔͇̭͍̭̰͕͕̹̳̟̮̖̜͎͔̞̪̙͉̟̖̠̞͚̟͈̼̖̘̞̟̫̠̠͖̣̤̊̾̊̿͑͗̄͒͊̾̂̐̿͂̾̏̈́́̇̀̂̍̈́̉͂̍̒͂̌̇̊͂̈́͗͌̚̕͜͝͠͝͝ͅͅ ̶̡̢̧̧̡̡̡̥̜̜̺͕̺̜̮͉̫͕̻̭̻͓̥̣̲̣̖̳̘͔̥̖̞̞̤̫̙̥̣̗̫͔̟͎̠̰̲͚̣̼̠̞̲͓̳̼͕͙̗̗̗̣̎̈́̎͋́̄̉̂̾̎̅͑̅̽̾̿͛̎͘̚͘͜͜͝͝͠ͅͅc̴̢̨̛̲͖̗͚͇̻͉̪̺̱̦͔̥͕͇̖̩̤͉̦̺͚̝̠̞̺̘̟̞͐͋̇̏̌̒͆̽̏̔̀̍̿̐͑̒͋̏̄̅́̓̒͒͋̏͗̾͌̈́͂̈̔̏̆͌̚͠͠͝͠͝ͅͅa̵̧̨̩̗͎̰̙̼̜̗̹̜̥͇̭͓̫͕̠̰̠̦͐̈̃͐̀̐͊̑̔͛͑̍̉̓̿͆̏͒͛̓̋͋̑̆͂͑͝͠ͅń̸̨̢̢̺͉͍̰̥̱̳̖͕̖̦͎̬̟̠̥̺̰͔͎̲̺̝͕̭̮͇̞͍͕̱̥̳͚̟̟̩̙͕̮̘̫̺̳̩͎̟͇̗̻͓͙̜͇̯͓͖͍̗͓͔̮́͑̉̆̄̔̓͂̈́̌̾̅͗̉̆̃͂̈́͋͗̉̚̚̕͝ͅͅ ̵̡̧͔̹͔̥̹̥̳̫̭͑̈̾̀͗͆͆̀̉͒̆̐̇̆͆̈́̄̑̔̀̏̐̽̇̿̀̏͋̈̒͒̆̾̕͘͘͘̕͝͠͠͠n̸̨̡̡̡̧̛̞̜̩̙̩͖̭̪̮̰̯̩͓͕̠̦͉͇̙̺͍̰̞̤̜̳̰̥͇̯̻̗̞̖̤̞̫̫̱̗̱͋̔͒͂̿̅͌̀̂͆́́͆̽̑̈́͂͗̑̈́̾̔̏̊̐̊͗͑̅̄͂͗̀̆̇̌͊̋͘͜͜͜͜͝͠ǫ̴̨̢̧̛̮̖̼̰̹̹̼̳̻̳̰̪̻̼͙͓̲̺̪̺̠͖̞̱̲̮̻̯̬̳̻͚͖͗̈́͑́̈́̈́̀̓̇̍͑̉͆͑̂̏͆́̔̌̔͌̚͜͝͠ͅţ̸̢̨̛̮̙̟͙͙̪̠͙̩̺̤͈͇͙̪͉̞̩̱̠͕̪͓̠̞̞̦̫̟̭̬͉͇̩͉̟̫̓͗̋͗̉̅̐̔̈́̀̃̈́̎̄͛͂͌̃̏͗̍͌̕̕̕͠͝͝ͅ ̸̧̻͈̳̎̍̐̄̈́̈́͌̈̐̂̽̀̈́̚͝͝g̷̨̧̢̢̢̨̧̢̡̛̙̮͕̞̰̥̜̹̳̠̙̪̫̫̼̣̯̟̪̭̪͓̠̜̱̹̼̰̹͕̯͍̠̙͕̼̫̣͉̼̘̹̬̯̣̮̩̲̰̻̭̝̾̓̓̈́̉̌̂̈̀̊̍͋͑̑̾͗̀̈̉̋̍̽͗͆̊̋̕̚͘͠͝͝͝ͅͅơ̸͙̑̀́̈͂̃̄́̌̓̌̈́̾̆̽̓͌̓̿̊̀͑̿̀̄̍̈͑͛̆͋̈͆͊̋̿́̊͑̾͆̒̒̂̓͌̓͋͂̿͋̈́̑͗̇̊̕͘̚̕̚̚͝ ̷̡̨̨̦̫̙̼͎͕͖̠̞͇̩̠̤̟̯̘͖͇̥͈͙̳̻̙̦̗̜͎̲̦̫̘̻͕͉̖̲̲͔̩̻̬̣̜̰͍͐̑͆̑̄̈̾̋͋̇́̽̂̒̿͗̉̂̐̚b̵̢̨̨̧̨̧̢̯̳̤̝̬̻͚̼̗͎͚̥͈͉͎̖̤̗̥̘̤͔̞͍͖̭͎͉͙͔̻̹̣̤͇̘̰̝̩̯͇̙͙͎͈̼̦̮̰̱̫͇̝̤̬͊̑̆̈́̋͐̈́͊͛͆̈́̌͌̏̍̈́̀̑͆̀̎͒̈́́̆͑́̉̈́̂̃̃̕͜͜͝a̷̡̨̢̡̯͔͎̹̠͈͕̯̦̭͙̮̺̟̣̜̘̻̘̩̪̞̼̝͍̭̻̺̦̟̫̜̖̺̖̬̖̖̣̖͖̞͓̫̤͇̺̫͎͕̞͛̀̀͑͂̀̾̎́͐̂͆̐̂́̋̑̊̿̌̀̔̒̈́̓̂̽́̓̎͐́͑͌̐͛̈̄̆̀̃͂̓̾͗̔̿̾̕̕͘̚̕̕̚͜͜͝͝͝͠ͅc̴̛̠̬̬̳̥͓̫͉͔͙̳̟͇̽̓͂͑͋̀̀̓̒̀̈́̔́̐̀̂̋̂͒̔̏͌͂̆̑̃̄̀́̉̌̇̐̓͐̏͆̓͊͒͊́͒̓̊͒̚̕͘͜k̸̡̰̞̲̗͕̞͚̖̦̫̣̯̯͍̰̹͉̞̗͇͓͉̰͚̝̞͕̪̮̳̻̱̹̣͓̣̲͓̥͖̪̦̲̔͛̽̎̄̎̄͐̎̀̾̈́͒̀̀̏̉̓̃̍́̏̽̍͋̃͊̑̇̂͂̉̉̔̅̓͐͂̾́̈́͊̍̌̉̾̕̚̕̕̕̕͜͜͝ͅ,̴̟̜̗̝̱̞͈͔͙̙̠̥̯̺̪̮̳͎̟̟̓̈́̌̄́́͌͛͂͆͂̽̀̾͂̌̾̈́͆̾́̓̈́̐̓̊̎̈̊͗̄̍̃̚͘̕̚͠͠ͅ”̶̧̢̛̺̹̣͖̺̺͈͍̮͇͔̺̮̙̙͍͙̲͎͖̮̞̹̯̲̥̠̫͎̰̣̪̬̟͎̱̦͔͖̲̻̠̼̼̪̞̰̽̅͌̂̿̍͌̆̑́̀̇̍̅̐͒̒̈́̾̀̆͋̆̽́̑̒̒͆͘̕͘͘͝͝͝͝ͅ We can not go back
More important than the words are the emotions buried in the frequency.
D̸̡͒̚i̵͎͕͑̈́ṡ̷͖̻̑ŝ̸͖͎̋a̴͖͜͝͝p̶̳̰̓ǒ̶̹̇ī̵̭̘̔n̴̯͙̆͑ť̸̻m̸̜̐̈e̷̩͊̏n̷̮̋t̵͚̍̒
̷̺͝D̸̩͓̐͒i̵̡͈͊̏s̸̢̕b̵̦̄ẹ̸͓̾l̵̮͕̿̈́i̸̞͠ḙ̷͠f̶̛̹͝
̸̖̅͛B̵̲͂̑e̸̱͌͐t̴̪̓r̴̤̺̚á̴̯̦͌ý̴̘̓a̸̭͙̓l̸̢̙̊
And a warning to cease all contact that isn’t absolutely necessary for their business as Overlords.
Vox truly tried to end Alastor’s life when he set Shockwave on him, and then pointed a weapon capable of erasing Alastor from existence at him with the full intent to do so.
It is only then that Vox realizes that he has finally pushed Alastor past the point of no return.
That Alastor has refused to engage because, now that he knows Vox truly wanted to end him, their next fight will be the last.
Vox wants to shout, wants to argue, but he knows that Alastor is right.
Something that he has had to come to terms with after Valentino ripped his head off is that there is such a thing as a line to not cross.
Valentino ripped him apart to save him, even at the most frightening moment of their lives together Valentino refused to end him even though he was perfectly within his rights to do so.
He and Alastor had enjoyed their messed up relationship for over seventy years because Alastor had always held back.
Ever since they met Alastor has always been capable of ending him. Their dramatic cat and mouse game had worked because on some level it amused both of them and allowed Vox to share something intimate with Alastor.
Vox had only been stronger than Alastor for a few minutes before he crossed that line with no intent of stopping.
That realization clarifies Alastor’s change in demeanor towards Vox and why he has not permanently cut off his frequency from him.
He hates how introspective he has become post this incident but he knows that just as he has done with Valentino that he will have to show his commitment to repairing their relationship with action rather than words.
When he asked Charlie if she thought him capable of being redeemed, he had meant it as a gotcha question. Seeing the lengths that she had been willing to go to back up her beliefs cements the idea that he and the rest of the hierarchy of Hell will have to change now.
Vox retreats to the tower and begins to plan. Perhaps with some luck, he and Alastor may truly be able to become friends this time if he is able to show that he has truly learned that what he did was wrong.
It has to work because, as much as he is enjoying rebuilding his brand and ties with Valentino and Velvette, his life isn’t as bright without Alastor’s presence in it.
It takes years for Charlie Morningstar to be willing to once again allow Vox to do a feature on the Hotel.
Hell has changed since redemption has become possible, and it is only possible to maintain power in their world by adapting to it.
Since it behooves him professionally and personally to adapt his practices, Vox does so.
Alastor is noticeably absent when Vox and the crew come around. Charlie politely ignores his pointed questions but Vox notices the eyes of the King following him closely.
When the monarch requests a private chat with him in his office Vox accepts. He has been meaning to acknowledge the awfulness of kidnapping the King of Hell for his nefarious plot. Surely if Vox does that it will show the Morningstar family that he is serious about attempting to fall in line with being a better version of himself.
Lucifer shrugs at his apology and Vox tries to take it in stride.
“I am sorry, since you requested to speak to me, I figured that it was a good opportunity to,” states Vox.
“Uh, it doesn’t matter, like I told you, nothing that you could do to me would ever hurt me, much less kill me,” Lucifer reminds him.
“Still, it was not a good thing to do,” Vox acknowledges.
“We can agree on that…listen the reason I brought you here is to talk to you about Alastor,” confesses Lucifer
Vox visibly perks up at the mention of his name.
“Has he said anything about me?” ask Vox with barely restrained hopefulness
Lucifer can see the emotions playing out clearly on the screen and he almost feels bad for what he feels compelled to say.
“I understand that you are turning a new leaf to keep up with the changing landscape, but I know that when it comes to some things you are doing this because you are hoping to show Alastor that you have changed,” Lucifer summarizes while moving his hands around and kicking his feet up on the arm of the chair he sits in, “but I would stop doing this for Alastor because he is not going to forgive you….” Lucifer states.
Lucifer knows the look that the screen wears in front of him well. It is the look that he himself had when he realized that he had lost Lilith forever.
A look that had only begun to dissipate because a certain charming and infuriating Radio Demon had begun to take the role of partner recently.
Lucifer knew how much what Vox had done had hurt Alastor, but he knew that on a deep-seated level, Alastor would eventually prefer to repair that friendship.
After all, the one caveat that Alastor had requested when he agreed to consider becoming Lucifer’s Royal Executioner was that if it became necessary to terminate Vox, that Lucifer would find someone else to finish that particular task.
Though Lucifer saw that through the lens of an immortal being that understood that perhaps in a few thousand years, Alastor might find it in his dark soul to play with the television in front of him once more.
However, he wasn’t in any hurry to have to share his new paramour with anyone else. If anything the reason that they had gotten so close was because Lucifer had filled the spot that Vox’s betrayal had vacated in Alastor’s life.
“Oh,” groans Vox disappointedly
“Listen, eternity is long, you just have to understand that you have to let him come to you, if he ever wants to seek you out, but keep up the….growth,” motions Lucifer with his hands before rising off the chair to give Vox out of the office.
Vox leaves the Hotel in a daze and tries to resign himself to a long road to redeeming himself in front of Alastor.
The aching emptiness that numbs that part of Vox eventually becomes something that he gets used to.
In all his decades in Hell, he had never expected to have to change so much of his outlook on things, particularly relationships.
He used to be the one that would make things align and fall into place so h could manipulate people into doing what he wanted them to do. He understands that Alastor isn’t someone that he wants that with, what he wants from Alastor is for him to look at him the way that he used to.
The smile that he had tried to wipe off his face would become a welcome sight if he managed to repair their relationship to that point.
If Vox managed to regain that playful, sarcastic teasing he would remain in Hell and be content with his new afterlife.
Years pass and nothing and everything changes.
Vox adapts and grows with his team.
He is regaled to watching Alastor’s life play out in front of him whenever they have to run a story on the Royal Family, the Hotel, or Lucifer.
He tries to be happy that Alastor has someone to share fond looks with, someone to enjoy spending time with.
A family of his own on par or perhaps better than the one Vox has with Valentino and Velvette.
Hell is still Hell but it is a slightly better version much like most of its citizens.
It is strange that you never see your deepest desire coming true until you are right at the edge of it.
For Vox it comes at the edge of a blade.
He isn’t even supposed to be anywhere near the new Royal Family but a last minute change in lighting is required for the shots of the beautiful brides.
That Vox perhaps takes the opportunity to gather himself after having to watch Alastor smile fondly at his husband as they ready themselves to walk their daughter down the aisle to marry Vaggi is something no one will comment in.
Vox however is in the right place at the wrong time.
A long standing grudge has had an opportunity to come to fruition for Lute.
She has snuck out of Heaven behind Emily to crash the wedding and make good on her promise to kill Vaggi in front of the abomination.
It is that one muttered word that catches his attention at such a happy occasion.
Vox sees the flash of gray fly by him on wings and rage towards the bride waiting at the altar.
Watches as Lucifer clutches Charlie’s arm and Alastor jumps forward to intercept Lute, but he also sees the other smaller blade in her other hand.
Vox doesn’t know how he knows that she means to take away Vaggi and Alastor from Lucifer and Charlie. Except that perhaps he can understand the mentality of “that it doesn’t matter if you don’t win, as long as everyone loses,” because he had been there before.
A flash of blue electricity and Vox is between Lute and Vaggi and Alastor before Lute realizes who she has struck is neither of her intended targets. The angelic steel knife is firmly stuck into Vox's ribcage while the spear is buried into his chest.
Vox falls to his knees despite Lute holding the spear in both hands, and pulls her down with him.
It distracts her enough that she isn’t able to react before Lucifer unceremoniously rips off her head in front of their screaming guests.
Vox’s processors can’t quite differentiate the scream but the long dead frequency comes to life and he finds himself held in hands that he had long given up hope of ever touching him gently.
̶̹͇͚̦̱̥̻̜̲̆͜
̵̧̨̧̛̫͚̩̳͈̃͒̊͊͐͋̑̈̀̀̈̀́“̵̬̞̗͈͐̀̀͆̐̂̂̔̇̈̈̑̎̈́̂͘V̴̡͕̞̮̙͕̯̻͉̟̔̅͋̀o̸̞̬̩͖̗͋̊͐̈́̑̏̓̎̑̿̿̀̽͗x̶̧̧̨̢̺̠̘͖̩͓͔̞͇͔̯̦͐̏̍̽̀̊̿͑͝!̵̢̪͙̼̥̗̺͈͔̈́ ̸̡͍̠̼̯͇̬̐̉͊͗̋̐͗̇͋̀̇͝Y̴̨̹̝̙͉̞̿̇̊̌̐̎̒̓̌̌͊̎ô̸̙̻̗̘̣̓͛̓̐̾̑̿̎̂̇́̉͘̕ų̷̝́̔͊͑̌́̐͝ ̷̻̏͋̊̋̌̚ą̷͖̗̤͈̺͐̓̅̚͝b̸̹͈̼̠͉̳͉͋͑̅s̸̯̯͔̺̬̘͓̐̉̀̒̐͊̈́̉̍̓̿ͅͅo̶̪̼̞̘̳̗̳̹̮̐̓͋͑̎̑̿̈͋͊̋̽̓͐̋͝ḽ̴̇̂̃̈́̾̏̾͗̽̈́̀̐ũ̴̗̦̒́͊́͌̆t̸̨̧̯͚̤̫̟̺͚͉̘̬͊̋͗́͛̈͊͂̾̎̑̓̕̚͝͝ę̷̭̗̪̺̱͔̈ ̷̡̬̈̌̈̉̄̊̾̈́͐̀̋̉̀̈̍͝i̴̟̙͚̯̫̪̼̻̜̟͔͂̑̊̅̓͐̊̽̓̕d̸̨̧̛͉̘͕͕̤̪̮̲̽̊̇͐͌͝ͅi̶̻̼̝͈̮̫̦̦̐̑ơ̸̻͚̟̪͎̇̉̕ţ̵̧̯͇̖̰̣͖͚͙͓̕͜,̵̤̻̪̹͚͈͆̑̀̿͒ ̵̛̯̠͚̩̱́̀̓̂͐͐͝w̶̬͓̩̟̱̞͓̜̏̍̄̂̿̍͐̑̽̕͜͠ḫ̶̡̨͖̖̲̟͓͓̎̂̿̍̓͒̽̚ͅy̵̡̙̻̩̞̹̰̳̞͓̗̻̽ͅ?̸̹͖͙͈͇̮̳͇̈̌͊͐̓̀̋̊̄́”̶̢̛̩͈̻͇͈̗̘̖̘̠͍͋͐̅̋̋̓̔̍̕ ̷͉̺̖̺͕͚̾̔̈́̋̀̅͛͝” Alastor screams through their private frequency while shaking him.
(Vox! you absolute idiot, Why?
̵̢̢͇͔̬̖͈̠̯̪̥̖̪͋͗̈̑̀͊̚͝͠
̸̝̰̟̄̎̀͛̅̀͛̎̓̀͂̃̉̆̕͠͝
̵̡͖̙̲̣̝̝̥̔̀̉̀̅̊̎̋͗̓̎̍̋̕͝
̵̧̥̗̬̝̼͓̟̠̦̤̊͆͗̑̀̿̾̓̓͆͒͂̀̉̕
̶̧̧͕̣͔̦̫̠̲̘̹̗̣̻͒̔̀̇̓̾̃ͅ“̴̰̩̣͈͐̇̑̚͘͘͝Y̶̨̧̞̝̺̹̗̦̓̃̊͆͑̓̒ͅo̴̧̢̙̦̲̊̓̇̅͋͛̀͊ù̷̡̩̼̙̭̼̠̝͚͉̦̇́̉͑͐́͊͝ͅ ̷̯͚̒̑̀͂̿̌̂͂̑͠k̵̥̗̩͙̩͙̔̍̾̑̋̉̒̂̄̂̉͛̎͠ṇ̷̢̛͙̙̈́́̓͆͆ô̷̧̨̲̪͙͚̬̼͋w̷̩̦̺̮̫͈̳͔͙̘̬̯͎̟̣̼͗͐̐͑̑̉̊͌͜͠ ̸̧̣̭̻͉͍̝̫̞̟͉͉̝̦̓̄͊̒̿̕͘̕͝ͅw̴̖̍̏͐̽͆h̵̛͚͙̟͎̫̣̆̆͂̎͒̀̒̎͘y̶̢̯̣̼̲͙̯̞͌̃́̍͛̽̿̅̓͘͝͠,̷̦̰̦̰͓͖̹̗̈̈́͆͂̈́̈́”̸̢̢̮͓͔̖̟̹̟͓̜̹͍͓̗̬̫̿̋ ̵̺̹̩̦͕̠͎̔̓́͑́̀͋̉ Vox chuckles in response as their connection frizzles away with his life.
You know why
The last thought that Vox has is that he never expected that his death would wipe the smile off Alastor’s face, and that it doesn’t feel as satisfying as he thought it would. If anything, he regrets it the most out of everything he has done.
Fin