The High Order

21. Dr Santé

21. Dr Santé

1. At Lucifer's palace, the front lawns proved a perfect training ground for Dan to utilize his dark magic. It had been three days since he had been rewarded for assisting the Dusk in Purgatoria with a codex on black magic. His abilities to conjure black balls of energy and wield darkness to his will were improving every day, so much so that it made Lucifer suggest.

"what are you doing?" he walked up to the practicing Dan.

"dark magic"

"I know a thing or two about dark magic, but it's satanic dark magic, the darkest of the dark, it is so powerful and dangerous that it can't be taught to anyone outside the bloodline of Satan himself, for he was the first to conjure it" Lucifer hinted.

"that sounds pretty deep. I'm better off where I'm at" Dan remained complacent.

"just thought you wanted to know about a doctor who could help you"

"I'm not ill, Lucifer" Dan objected.

"oh no, not that kind of doctor. I have an acquaintance uptown in Dadoville, his name is Dr Santé. He's the finest voodoo witch doctor in all of Hell. I met him when he first arrived here, the 1910's I think it was. Maybe he could teach you a thing or two about dark magic. The things he can do are unbelievable, even by my standards" Lucifer complimented.

"hmm... where is he again?. I guess this book can't teach me everything there is to know"

"he owns a voodoo souvenir store in the district. Voo-dun-it? It's called. I think he also caters to white magic folk as well, but whatever rocks your boat" Lucifer said.

"what will you do while I'm gone?" Dan asked to make sure Lucifer could survive without him for a while.

"probably some devil business here, devil business there, just go, he hasn't got all day" Lucifer encouraged Lucifer to head out. Dropping the book on the grassy lawns, Dan flew through the air to the north where the voodoo suburb of Dadoville lay. In Dadoville, swampy bayou flats gave way to stilted communities and houses as well as marketplaces and stores to outrageous spectacles on more solid ground near the city center.

2. Up in the clouds of Heaven, the Arch-angel Elodie had called to order another meeting of the Halo Council, with a new addition.

"I have called this meeting to announce as Arch-angel, I am nominating my dear friend Kemuel as General of the forces of Heaven on Blood Moon Day" Elodie remained seated while murmurs stirred amongst the others.

"I thought you two hated each other's guts" God spoke from a taller seat beside Elodie's.

"since he is within earshot, I love him. Anyway, Kemuel, this all comes down to you. Do you accept?" Elodie looked over to their white robed rival.

"of course. It is an honor to lead the charge. I am sure we will be led to victory, all because of you, Arch-angel Elodie" Kemuel gestured to the other side of the roundtable where Elodie was seated. Little did he know that he had made a terrible mistake. By being general of the Heavenly forces, he had possibly saved Elodie's neck from near instant slaughter as they were originally meant to lead the frontal charge. But Elodie had had a change of heart. Under the guise of selflessness, they were merely handing out the meagre chores to the other angels they wished to see dead on Blood Moon Day.

"that is both praiseworthy and oddly fulfilling, Elodie. Well done" God looked down on his lieutenant.

"please, it was nothing really" they replied as the meeting continued.