After almost dying in the abstract and absurd name of betterment, Alastor is left mortally injured and enraged, his life in everyone's hands but his own. Too deeply entangled in his own games to walk away, too proud to ask for help, he returns to centre stage of the repaired hotel to carry on playing his role, even though the spotlights burn and his costume is getting bloody. No one will ever know. He will get the better of this on his own. Even if it kills him. (In which Alastor struggles with the weight of his reputation and Rotting in equal measure, Charlie deals with the lingering guilt of having friends die for her, and Husk and Angel figure out a way to get away from Valentino. Slowburn, but instead of romance it's a man dying because of his own hubris and obsession with control. Story will contain scenes of gore and violence and is not recommended for younger viewers.)
2 parts