The High Order

12. The lottery

12. The lottery

1. The island of Purgatoria was a large oasis of land set on an infinite ocean. It was well forested with several hills and mountains across Dante's river. The vast majority of the one thousand Purgatorians in existence lived in a large town in the western half of the island, except for one. A small shining lighthouse stuck up from the ocean off the west coast. The coasts were dotted with walled forts, windmills, forest trails, and cabins in the country, as well as the daunting black edifice of Death's dark castle on the east coast, guarded by turrets and a high wall from anyone who dare fly in. 

In the fourth time Dan had successfully teleported across the four realms, he had been summoned along with any other Purgatorians who off world to a very important event in their calendar. All the hybrids were congregating in the plaza market, where the intimidating face of Death and the equally intimidating Soul Judge's robes stood on a wooden platform above the gathered crowd.

 After receiving the message from Death by a black arrow into the white walls of Lucifer's palace, Dan knew it may have been important and had to attend. Purgatoria was a regular country town, with the tallest structure being the Tower of Saul on the south coast of an island where one could be anywhere in minutes. As Dan peered through the crowd, he could see a clear divide between two groups of Purgatorians wearing black and white clothing. He thought it could have been a fashion statement or gangs maybe before the Soul Judge made an announcement.

"good people. The time has come again. It is the annual fly along with Death, which is good for most of you because according to my list, you have all completed your rounds with Death. There is however on name here that has not. Dan Stokes" Dan stepped out of the crowd towards the platform while the Soul Judge looked at her list.

"congrats, you will now be accompanying Death here on his night run. We call it the Death Lottery, but since everyone else here has managed to complete their runs, it is just you now. Either this or jury duty, either way will be a pain for you" the Soul Judge issued her ultimatum.

"what if I don't want to do it?" Dan asked on the platform.

"you have to do it, whether you like it or not. It is a tradition for your people to do this against their own will and for my own gratification" Dan edged his scythe into the space between him and Dan.

"don't worry, it'll be fine, for me at least" Death gave Dan a black hood to wear as the crowd clapped for the two before they took off in a puff of black smoke to the human world for the night run to begin.

2. Back in Hell, Lucifer was glancing through the windows of shops along Thanatos lane in the district of Glutton. This district was one of the most consumer oriented in all of Hell, with shops upon shops lining the streets for blocks in every direction. One store though caught Lucifer's eye eagerly. Carefully crafted and well painted puppets stood upright on hung strings in the window of the puppet store, including two particular ones besides crooks and coppers. One of Lucifer, the other of his father Satan. 

Lucifer entered the store to find the place littered with wide eyed smiling puppets of all sorts, from princesses and clowns to dragons and knights. Lucifer made his way to the front desk, where a shadowed figure appeared to rise from the floor behind the desk apparently. A bow tied faceless man was holding a ventriloquist's dummy in his hands. It also wore a black suit and had blue eyes, a nutcracker mouth, and a frizzy brown head of wiry hair.

"greetings, sir. Welcome to the puppet store, my name's Walter and this is my dummy. What can I do you for?" the dummy pointed to the faceless figure holding him.

"I see you have made a striking puppet of me in the front window" Lucifer addressed the man.

"oh, you've noticed my handywork. If you want to buy it, of course you can. There's no one to stop you." Walter danced around the front desk before the dummy got up and walked over to the front window, freeing one of its hands from working Walter to pick up the red and white colored marionette and giving it to Lucifer. Lucifer gave Walter two gold coins, which he proceeded to dangle around before leaving the store with his new friend.