Max was making his way back toward the Hazbin Hotel, hands in his pockets as neon lights flickered across the crowded streets of Pentagram City. His mind was still stuck on the conversation with God and Roo.
A Sinsmas miracle.
Even thinking about it made him nervous. Bringing back lost loved ones, even temporarily, was the kind of thing that could change Hell forever if people found out he was responsible.
"Well," Max muttered to himself, "either everyone cries happily… or I accidentally start a war."
Before he could think any further, a powerful force suddenly slammed him against the nearest wall.
CRACK.
The brick behind him shattered.
Max looked up and immediately saw glowing red eyes staring down at him.
Stolas.
The Goetia prince was holding him several feet off the ground by the throat, his normally elegant demeanor replaced by genuine anger.
"What," Stolas hissed, "have you done to my darling Octavia?"
Max immediately raised his hands.
"Hey, hey! I didn't do anything to her!"
Stolas tightened his grip slightly.
"She has been talking about wanting a relationship with a sinner," he snapped. "And you are the only one she has been spending time with recently."
Max struggled slightly, though mostly for show. Compared to what he had survived recently, this barely registered as pain.
"I swear," Max said carefully, "I haven't touched her or manipulated her or anything like that."
Stolas narrowed his eyes.
"Then why does she suddenly trust you?"
Max hesitated for a moment before answering honestly.
"Because I listened to her."
That actually made Stolas pause.
Max slowly continued.
"She's miserable, Stolas. She feels trapped between two parents who hate each other, royal expectations she never asked for, and a future where she might get forced into some political marriage."
Stolas's expression faltered slightly.
"I just gave her a place to breathe."
The owl prince slowly lowered Max back onto the ground and released him.
Max rubbed his throat with a cough.
"Look," he continued more calmly, "maybe she likes me, maybe she doesn't. I'm not pushing her into anything."
Stolas folded his arms tightly.
"But why would she even consider you?"
Max shrugged slightly.
"Maybe because I'm not trying to control her life."
That hit harder than Max intended.
Stolas looked away for a brief moment.
"I know I'm not perfect," the prince admitted quietly. "But I do love my daughter."
"I know," Max answered honestly. "And she knows that too. But love doesn't magically fix everything."
Silence lingered between them.
Finally, Stolas sighed heavily.
"You truly are involved with Princess Charlie?"
Max nodded.
"Yeah."
"Hm."
Stolas adjusted his coat slightly, regaining some of his composure.
"Well… if Lucifer's daughter trusts you, perhaps you are not entirely terrible."
"High praise."
"Do not get smug."
Max held up his hands innocently.
"I wouldn't dream of it."
Stolas's eyes narrowed briefly before he turned away.
"Just… do not give Octavia false hope," he said quietly. "She has already been hurt enough."
Then, with a swirl of dark feathers and magic, Stolas vanished.
Max exhaled slowly.
"…That went better than expected."
Unfortunately, Hell refused to let him have peace for longer than thirty seconds.
The air suddenly distorted nearby as electricity exploded across the street.
A sinner barely had time to scream before being disintegrated by a teleportation beam.
"Oh, God damn it," Max groaned.
Vox emerged from the digital distortion, straightening his suit while static buzzed around his screen-face.
"There you are," Vox said smoothly.
Several nearby sinners immediately scattered.
Max already looked annoyed.
"What do you want?"
Vox casually walked closer before placing both hands on Max's shoulders with an artificial smile.
"So," Vox purred, "you're the newest Overlord making waves around town, huh?"
Max immediately hated where this was going.
"I'm not interested."
"You haven't even heard the offer." Vox's screen flickered brightly. "A young Overlord needs connections. Protection. Media exposure. Guidance."
"Pass."
Vox's smile twitched slightly.
"You should really think bigger. Work with me, and I can make you untouchable."
Max grabbed Vox's wrists and shoved his hands away.
"Get the fuck off me."
The surrounding screens nearby flickered violently.
For a brief moment, Vox's friendly act cracked.
Then he forced the smile back.
"Fine," Vox said. "Then at least fix Angel Dust. Valentino has been complaining nonstop."
Max instantly looked irritated.
"No."
Vox blinked.
"No?"
"She's happier now," Max answered flatly. "And eventually she'll be completely free from Valentino."
That made Vox's expression darken.
"You really think you can just take one of ours?"
"She isn't property."
The static around Vox intensified.
Before Max could react, Vox suddenly grabbed him again, his screen flashing hypnotic patterns directly into Max's eyes.
"Maybe you just need a little adjustment—"
Nothing happened.
Vox froze.
Max slowly smiled.
"…Won't work, fucker."
The smile disappeared from Vox's face.
"I'm immune to mental manipulation," Max continued calmly. "And honestly? You're starting to piss me off."
Red magic circles appeared beneath Vox's feet.
"Wait—"
"Stasis."
Everything froze instantly.
Vox became completely motionless in the middle of the sidewalk, locked in place with one arm awkwardly extended toward Max.
Max dusted off his coat.
"There," he said calmly. "Think about your life choices."
Then he walked away.
Several hours later, the spell finally broke.
Vox immediately stumbled forward in the middle of a crowded street.
Unfortunately for him, dozens of sinners and Hellborn had gathered around him during that time.
Phones flashed everywhere.
Pictures. Videos. Laughing.
Someone had even drawn a mustache on his screen with permanent marker.
Vox's eye twitched violently.
Then he teleported away in a panic to start deleting evidence before it spread across HellNet.
Far away on a rooftop, Max watched the chaos unfold while sipping coffee.
A faint grin spread across his face.
"Don't play the game," he muttered to himself.
"Play the player."
Then he finally turned and headed back toward the hotel, disappearing into the glowing lights of Pentagram City.