The High Order

18. All tyrants go to Hell

18. All tyrants go to Hell

1. Across the river Dis at Lucifer's palace, Lucifer was getting ready for his date with Lilith. Perhaps he had reignited the spark in their relationship through his need for assistance, or perhaps Lilith needed some male companionship as all. Applying his outfit in front of a mirror in his master bedroom, Lucifer called to Dan, who joined him.

"something wrong?" Dan replied.

"I'm not sure if I can do this" Lucifer showed Dan his attire.

"of course, you can. She just wants to talk probably over dinner, that's all. She may make up some shit as it goes along, but I don't know how unpredictable demon women can be, believe you me."

"I know, but we broke it off. I don't know what she wants or what she needs" Lucifer doubted Dan's judgement.

"if you've known Lilith for this long and are still in touch with her, you're not doing too bad there. I have never held down a stable relationship beyond a one night stand, so you are doing something right. Listen, you're going to do great. You don't need to impress her overly, just enough, and see where it leads you from there" Dan reassured Lucifer.

"this coming from the hapless romantic?"

"would I ever lie to you?" Dan reasoned. A pause ensued between the two as they left the room for the bottom floor.

"now go. I'll hold down the fort here until you get back"

"fine, but if anything fucks up, I blame you" Lucifer warned Dan then left the room with his confidence restored. Dan watched from the windows as the Lamborghini drove out across town to meet Lilith wherever they were meant to be. Lucifer's destination was to be the headquarters of the sisters of Spiritual Damnation in Los Angeles, where he would meet up with Lilith and try to find one of the best restaurants in the city, a simple plan that may be subject to the ever changing preferences of Lilith.

2. Back at Lucifer's palace, Dan received a message in the form of a golden letter from the angel ambassador in Hell. Upon opening it, he found it was addressed to him by the Arch-angel Elodie, who was requesting Dan to come to Heaven. Dan did not know Elodie's true intentions, which were to discover the preparations of the Purgatorians for Blood Moon Day to find out how much of a threat they would pose to the angels at the final battle, including their final plan for the eventual conquest of the cosmos. Dan teleported himself to Heaven, where he was greeted by the guardsman Destiny and escorted through the golden gates.

Speaking the name of his host, Elodie emerged from the clouds in front of their palace and greeted Dan warmly. Dan asked them why he was wanted, but Elodie kept the activities to friendly concordance. After being given a tour of the angelic soldier barracks, the prestigious angel academy, the glistening citadel of God and Elodie's opulent palace, Dan was invited to tea with God and Elodie at the palace of God, which was the same floor plan of Elodie's palace except twice as large in every proportion and dimension. In the back yard of the palace, Dan, God and Elodie all sat down to tea with several generals of the angel army. Dan did not drink tea at all, Elodie was acting very civil and overly kind to the guest, and God was feeling carefree and liberal in spite of the coming apocalypse.

Dan took a sip of his tea but began to feel drowsy while trying to answer Elodie's questions of how military a society his people the Purgatorians were. The tea was laced with nightshade, which was used to induce deep sleep, in one of several times Dan had been drugged across the realms. Elodie had laced his cup with the nightshade powder and proceeded to take him away from the conversation under the guise of a weary houseguest. After getting zero to no information from the rebel Purgatorian of Hell, Elodie secretly had the sleeping Dan taken to the Hell embassy in Heaven to allow safe passage for him back to Hell. When Dan woke up the next time, Dan awoke outside the gates of Lucifer's palace.