p class="Textbody" style="mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; line-height: 200%; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; margin: 0cm 1.0cm 6.0pt 42.55pt;"strongspan style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; color: #2a2a2a;"Angels, Demons, and Nephilim should not be able to get a headache. Try telling them that after dealing with the twins.../span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 1cm 0.0001pt 42.55pt; line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"strong style="text-align: center;"span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The Twins/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Samantha and Alexander had decided to spend their last night together in their dimension. For her, it would be a year before she would see Alex again, for him two thousand years. This last evening and night was theirs; no one would take that away from them. Sleep had been difficult for both of them. Not just because of their farewells, but more because of the uncertainty of what lay ahead. They were awake before dawn and stood at the water's edge, drinking their coffee and tea. They both knew it wouldn't be long before Celine, Aisha, and Franklin showed up and the epic adventure could begin. They had chosen an uninhabited island as their starting point. An island that would remain uninhabited for the next few thousand years and where they would have a safe haven to rest from time to time. But also to leave some of their precious baggage behind. Some of it he had already reduced to the size of a cigar box, so it would be easy to hide among the rest of the luggage they had to carry in order to pass as normal people. It would look a little strange if he suddenly pulled out a laptop four thousand years before Christ. For the past few weeks, he had been practicing manifesting a tent for himself and Celine that was much larger on the inside than on the outside. Until he had the perfect layout that worked for both of them. That way they could still manifest some luxury and other things for their comfort like a bathtub or shower. Haniel had unleashed his art on his fountain pen, his most precious possession. To the extent that the pen would now survive the full force of an atomic blast without a scratch. The flaming sword would remain in the dimension for now, until they returned for the last time in four thousand years./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"They heard the arrival of the three people behind them and knew that this was the moment to say goodbye. Samantha cried and Alex could not hold back either. He took her in his arms one last time and stood there for a moment, forehead to forehead, and then he kissed her with all the passion and desire he had in him before turning away. The emotions prevented him from speaking and he just nodded to Aisha and Franklin and they were gone from the small dimension. They arrived at the small uninhabited island in the middle of the Indian Ocean that they knew would be their home base. Celine and Alex looked around for a moment. So this was his universe, six thousand years in the past, but still. They said goodbye to Franklin and Aisha and his mother said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" If you ever run into problems that cannot be solved in the normal way, pray to me and I will pull you back to the dimension with Samantha."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Let's hope that's not necessary, Mom, too much depends on it, too many people, Angels, Demons and souls are counting on us, so we better make it work."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" I know darling. Know that we will visit Alexander from time to time if only to know that you are okay and to give you a little sense of home from time to time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"A thought popped into Alex's head:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Can you bring letters? If I write to Samantha, can you give her these letters?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Yes, we can."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Franklin replied:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""We got that question from Samantha too, so yes, we can, and we will."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Aisha hugged them again and said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" We have to go now, remember your biggest enemy and the biggest danger is that Godfry will notice you. So keep your footprint as small as possible, yes!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The next moment Celine and Alexander were alone on the beach and not a word was spoken for some time. He took a deep breath and manifested one of his cigarettes:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" How about we set up base camp, acclimatize for the rest of the day, barbecue tonight and I feel like a big buzz. Tomorrow's first task is to give Lucifer the fright of his existence."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"She nodded:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Good plan, as long as there's more than enough rum!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He turned and manifested the tent he had perfected in the dimension for the two of them. He went inside with tears in his eyes and Celine left him alone. She had manifested a bottle of rum herself and knew only too well what was going through Alex's mind. For the last five years he had not been separated from Samantha for a day and now he would not see her for two thousand years./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The next morning they were ready in their battle gear with their swords on their backs. Hell and the King of Hell were in for a surprise that would not do them much good for a long time. One last cigarette for Alex, Celine knew, and then Hell would literally break loose. He let the cigarette disappear into thin air, pulled the balaclava over his face, nodded to her, and the next moment they appeared at the gates of Hell and their six thousand-year plan could begin. The gate was guarded by two demons who aggressively demanded what they had come to Hell for, that they had no business in Hell. Alex and Celine immediately noticed that Rae Rae's words were true, that once they were in the domain of Hell, they automatically absorbed all languages and thus could understand these two demons. Alex tried first in a friendly tone:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" We are here to speak with your King, so take us to him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" You are not from here, you cannot see the King!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Alex said to Celine in annoyance:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" I have a feeling that most of the Demons and Angels from here are not too bright. Let me open the little door and set an example."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"In a flash, he drew his sword, and two strokes with the katana later, two Demon heads rolled to the ground. He snapped his fingers and the gates of hell swung open for him. Alex kept his sword ready, and now Celine had drawn hers as well, taking the lead. They had agreed before not to use translocation to the palace. They wanted to be seen, and they wanted the demons to see that harassing them was deadly. In the end, this was only necessary four times on their way, and word travels fast in Hell. These two strangers were obviously warriors not to be trifled with. The palace gate was another matter, guarded by six demons. Alex had had enough and demanded that they be brought to the king. Again, they refused, so he simply summoned Heaven's Fire, unleashed it on all six guards, and more or less kicked open the gate. They entered the dark, gloomy, torch-lit throne room where they found the Devil. Lucifer jumped up from the throne, furious that someone had entered his palace and killed a group of his demons./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Who are you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He pointed at Alexander:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" You are a Celestial, and you are a demon!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He pointed at Celine:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" But I don't know either of you. You are not of this world!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Absolutely right Lucifer, but I think we better discuss this further in private"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" I will not discuss anything in private, I will destroy you"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Lucifer made hellfire appear in his hand and threw it at Celine and Alexander. Alex had, of course, long ago made sure that neither hellfire nor celestial fire could harm Celine. He himself grabbed Lucifer's fireball and pretended to eat it:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Tastes pretty good, Lucifer, but I prefer Heaven's Fire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He manifested Heavenly Fire in his hand and watched as Lucifer became nervous. He pulled the mask down so the devil could see his full face:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" What, no fan of Celestial Fire, Lightbringer? You're an Angel and heavenly fire can't hurt you, right? Oh wait, that was until your daddy kicked you out of Heaven and into Hell, and now you are as vulnerable to Heaven's fire as any of your Demons. So this little bit of Heavenly Fire can destroy you completely."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He let the fire disappear and said with a sneaky smile on his face:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Tell you what, we won't use fire, we'll do something much more fun. You like making deals, don't you? Your demon Mazakeen of the Lilem, your right hand, your best warrior, your best torturer of Hell against my demon Celine, my left hand. If your Demon wins, I will go in peace and you will never see me again. If my Demon wins, we'll talk in private! Deal?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Lucifer did not have to think long, as convinced as he was of Mazakeens abilities, he was sure that the fight would not last long./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Okay, you have a deal, just get ready to leave soon!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Laconic Alexander said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" But of course, my King."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"This sarcastic reply should have been enough to make Lucifer think twice, but his anger didn't really allow him to think logically. The two demons stepped into the center of the throne room. Celine threw her sword at Alex and said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Would you hold this for a moment, My Lord, I fear it may get in the way."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He caught the sword in one fluid motion, and Maze thought she had easy pickings now that Celine was unarmed. Celine stood gracefully, waiting for Mazakeen to make the first move. That was her first and last mistake of the fight. In a few seconds, she had a broken arm, a broken leg and a couple of broken ribs. Lucifer had watched all this with astonishment on his face. Alex said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" I hear you're a Devil of your word and never break a deal, so let's go someplace where we can talk in private."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He unfolded his wings and pulled out a small feather. He gave it to Celine and said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""First heal this warrior, then will talk."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"It had taken them hours to get Lucifer to understand what was at stake and who Alexander really was. The idea that his God would eventually be defeated, even if it took another six thousand years, had been the deciding factor. The icing on the cake was that Alex had offered to give him a vacation on Earth from time to time, while he himself would take the secondary throne to make sure the demons stayed in line./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Alex and Celine had been making their rounds of Dis for a few hours, and he had stormed into the throne room in a rage, causing all the demons present to run for their lives by manifesting a serious Celestial fireball in his hand. What he had seen of Dis was enough to make him livid. He looked at Lucifer with hellfire in his eyes and said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""My Lord, I am far from ready to call you Father or Dad. Know this, my mother has assured me that regardless of your hatred for Godfry and Heaven, you are still the Lightbringer in your heart and soul. This shithole, this cursed place is going to change from now on, and not just a little bit. If you ask why, the answer is simple. To give that bastard up there a rotten stroke. I can do it with or without your help. But I'm sure you'll want to help me make that old fool's life a living hell. Make him feel some of what he has done to you. Am I right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Lucifer had looked at Alexander and listened in silence. He had noticed that his hatred for Godfry was almost as great as his own. He nodded and asked:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""What do you need?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Not much today. First, I want Squee in my personal service and made untouchable. No one in Hell shall have the slightest say or command over her, let alone touch her, and that includes you! From now on she is mine!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Done."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Lucifer called the Demon into the throne room and told her what her new job was./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""What else?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Second, you have a demon walking around on Earth. More or less your permanent representative from Hell, his name is Crowly. I need him in the plan to get rid of the old bastard. I want you to put him under my command and issue a royal decree that he is to be left alone by everyone at all times on the penalty of death."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Lucifer looked at him strangely:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""He's an idiot, which is why I left him on Earth because he does more harm than good here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Exactly why I need him. Godfry expects you to send an intelligent, capable Demon to Earth to make things difficult for his Angels. He'll go half crazy because he can't figure out your strategy with Crowly. He will have Crowly closely watched because he will consider him extremely dangerous. When he looks at Crowly, he won't look anywhere else."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Lucifer laughed, actually getting a warm smile on his face for the first time in ages:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""I wish I was a fly in the throne room just to see the old bastard foaming at the mouth. You've been here barely a day and I can't wait to see what you'll come up with next. You don't have to call me Father or Dad Alexander. But I want to thank you. I can't remember how long it's been since I felt this good, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you're going to do with the old man next."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He made a small bow to Alex. Who took it as a very good sign for the future, for the possible slow building of a father-son relationship./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Do you need anything else?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Yes, your trust in entrusting me with Belios and Bearus. I understand they are your top generals, but I need them to cooperate with me in drawing up plans to renovate this whole damn place."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"A servant and a Demon idiot were one thing. Two generals were another. Lucifer was not yet ready to accommodate Alexander one hundred percent. But if it was to help him draw up plans over which he, as king, had ultimate control anyway, he could accommodate him partially./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Okay, you can have them help you draw up plans, but I retain the say as to whether a plan can be implemented for me as King."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Thank you, would you please send them to my suite in half an hour?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The young demon followed Celine and Alexander to his new suite. As soon as the door closed behind them, it seemed as if the warrior and the Prince's mood suddenly changed. He showed her to a seat and when she had taken it, still trembling with fear, he manifested a glass of water for her, seeing that she needed it. Celine and he also took seats and Celine manifested their favorite drinks. Something they would have to keep hidden for a long time because vodka and rum would be a thing thousands of years before they were invented. Alexander spoke quietly:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Your name is Squee."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Yes, my lord."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""I hate that name, it doesn't suit a beautiful, sweet young lady at all. Do you mind if we call you Anna from now on? It suits you much better."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The demon did not know what she heard. The Prince sounded gentle, kind, and sweet. He had even called her a beautiful young lady. She couldn't get the words out of her mouth and so she just nodded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Well, that's settled then, from now on, Anna. From today on you will live in this suite, and you will have a spacious room of your own. If you have any personal belongings, we'll pick them up together later. First Bearus and Belios."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He stood up and began to walk a little with his hands behind his back. Suddenly the generals flew in and bowed to him. He growled at them:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Leave that overly submissive shit outside of these rooms. I'm only going to say this once, so get it into your head. I hate submissive stuff. I know there are crappy protocols outside and in the throne room. In here, they're not. You are generals, tough warriors, not fucking lambs. I am the Crown Prince of Hell, the only son of your King. This whole hell, this whole fucking mess, is a dump that even the pigs turn their noses up at. Not just Dis, but the Nine Circles as well. Your king has placed you under my command. What this means is simple. First, we will change Dis so that our Demons no longer have to live and work in a shit pit. Will that provoke opposition? Will some idiots feel the need to revolt? Be sure of it. So if you like a good fight, you will be very happy. The rules are simple: if anyone wants to revolt against the throne because we want to start improving the living conditions of the Demons, then the idiot or idiots will lose their heads, and the rotten mug will be hanged at the palace gate. Is that clear, Generals?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The two just nodded and Alex continued:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Well, how are we going to handle this? The four of us will continue to plan and decide. Yes, the four of us. And if Anna has something to say or to suggest, we will listen to her! You are no longer meek errand boys carrying out orders. You are now planners and policymakers. The generals who will enforce the new policy at all costs! Can you find yourselves in this new arrangement of your duties? If not, I advise you to fuck off, and I will find generals who can."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The two looked at each other for a moment and Belios asked:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Permission to speak freely, My Lord?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Of course, damn it. Speak up, speak your mind, and tell me if you think I'm wrong or in danger of making a mistake. I have no fucking use for yes men."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""My Lord, this should have happened a long time ago. Unfortunately, the King got in the way. You will be challenged to duels, there will be uprisings, revolutions, and even civil wars. Unfortunately, this is inevitable if you want to change something as rotten as this place. But you can count on us!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Good, because I have a first order of business for you, and it cannot be questioned."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He pointed to Anna, who was watching in awe because what was happening here had never been seen before in Hell./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""This is Anna. Anna lives in this suite and is untouchable. I want her to be protected at all times from the scum out there and here in the palace. If she has to go anywhere, for example to the market, I want her to have a full phalanx of your best warriors around her. If anyone says a wrong word, makes a wrong move, or even looks at her the wrong way, you will make an example of them. Brutal, bloody, and not easily forgotten. If I find that this is not being done, I will make an example myself, starting with you! UNDERSTAND?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The two did not know how fast they had to say:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Yes, My Lord!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"For this prince scared the hell out of them. Alexander got his grin on his face and said in a much softer, gentler tone:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""You see, gentlemen, how amiable I can be when I get my way. Come, sit down, and manifest some examples of what you see as alcohol here in Hell. Anna, dear, come join us, the generals are not going to eat you, they are here to protect you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Alex manifested something resembling a comfortable sitting area from his own time, but again, not too much. The three demons got wide-eyed but kept their questions to themselves. Once they were all seated, Alexander said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""First of all, everything that happens in this suite will not be spoken about outside of these doors, under any circumstances. Why is that? I will explain later when we get to know each other a little better. Belios and Bearus, your first assignment. The two of you will soon be accompanied by a phalanx to escort Anna to the best tailor and make sure she gets a completely new wardrobe, befitting her status. Anna is in the exclusive service of the Crown Prince, so I want that royal connection reflected in her appearance, understood. The reason I want you two as generals to accompany her with a full phalanx is to send a clear message. Anna is untouchable under the penalty of death, and please let there be an idiot who doubts that!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Two weeks later it was the turn of the first of the four idiots, Michael. According to the information they had received through Rae Rae, Michael was in Uruk to keep an eye on the humans as they began to build one of the first truly complex societies. It was no problem to find him in one of the small marketplaces the city had. He immediately realized that Celine was a demon and Alexander was a Celestial but did not recognize Alexander. Michael already had his hand on the hilt of his sword, but due to his confusion about who and what Alexander might be, he was not quick enough, Alex said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" I wouldn't do that, Michael. We have no desire to do harm and therefore no desire for violence. We just want to talk to you about your brother!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The blond broad warrior type with the sky blue eyes looked at Alex with squeezed eyes and asked:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" What brother?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Don't you think we should talk a little outside the city or people will start asking why we speak a language they don't know? It is not every day that people hear the original language of the angels. Maybe we should switch to Sumerian."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Something Alexander did immediately:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" I just wanted to get your attention, and now that I have your attention, I would like you to leave my companion alone. She is not hostile to you. A little outside the walls, in no man's land, I can manifest a quiet place where we can talk about your brother."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" I already asked which brother!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Alex showed his signet ring to Michael, who immediately turned pale. The seal was an amalgamation of Lucifer's archangel seal and a seal that indicated he had an heir."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Is that enough for a conversation, Michael?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Wordlessly, he nodded yes and the three left the city. At a small oasis where no humans were around, Alex manifested the tent and led Michael inside. Once everyone was seated, he said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Michael, I know you have no reason to trust me because of your father. So I am going to talk and you are going to listen. If you don't trust me, you can always go back upstairs and warn your father and kill everything. Not only what you have in mind and want to accomplish, but also what I have in mind and want to accomplish."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The Angel looked deep into his green eyes and just nodded:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Your father ordered you to banish your twin to Hell as punishment for his rebellion. On the way to Hell, you argued, and Lucifer almost tore your wing off so you could not hold him any longer, and he fell into the worst possible place. Your father ordered you to carry out this punishment to test your loyalty to him. Yes, your brother is in hell now, and you have been searching for a way to get him out ever since. You also know that only one being can do this, a Nephilim. I am the son of Lucifer and an Earth woman, so I am a Nephilim, and I will remove your father from the throne and free your brother from Hell."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He looked sternly at the angel and said steely:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" This is the time to choose Michael! Either you go to your father and condemn your brother to hell forever, or you stay and we talk further, for there is much more to be said. But I'm not going to do this without knowing your answer!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHad Alexander known, he would have packed at least several types of very strong painkillers and perhaps other more illegal drugs in addition to the heavy dose of Valium and Advil he packed on a whim. A final hunch, based on information from Aisha, that Lucifer had a habit of giving people a solid headache. Celine had laughed with Alex at first, saying that Celestials couldn't get headaches. An opinion she corrected rather quickly, then from time to time downed an entire bottle of painkillers or a box of Valium with a bottle of rum. Alex replenished the supply from time to time and did the same as Celine with a few good bottles of vodka. Celine was often in no better shape than he was, but instead of resorting to the usual booze and drugs, her obvious solution was violence. The number of times over the first few centuries she had suggested that they just go back to their own time in their own universe, make some popcorn, and then enjoy the implosion or explosion of his universe from a front-row seat was almost too numerous to count. To be fair, Alexander had also come very close to implementing that idea a few times. The first meeting with the two had passed without too many problems. A lot of confusion, of course, because it wasn't every day you met supernatural beings you didn't know, who told you outright that they had come from the future to save not only you but your entire universe. Not so the next few times. Each time he had to explain the paradox of time travel while they bombarded him with questions. How many times Alex had wondered if they were billions of years old or five-year-old toddlers because of the pout they usually pulled when they didn't get an answer?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 1cm 0.0001pt 42.55pt; line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"strong style="text-align: center;"span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The Twins/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Samantha and Alexander had decided to spend their last night together in their dimension. For her, it would be a year before she would see Alex again, for him two thousand years. This last evening and night was theirs; no one would take that away from them. Sleep had been difficult for both of them. Not just because of their farewells, but more because of the uncertainty of what lay ahead. They were awake before dawn and stood at the water's edge, drinking their coffee and tea. They both knew it wouldn't be long before Celine, Aisha, and Franklin showed up and the epic adventure could begin. They had chosen an uninhabited island as their starting point. An island that would remain uninhabited for the next few thousand years and where they would have a safe haven to rest from time to time. But also to leave some of their precious baggage behind. Some of it he had already reduced to the size of a cigar box, so it would be easy to hide among the rest of the luggage they had to carry in order to pass as normal people. It would look a little strange if he suddenly pulled out a laptop four thousand years before Christ. For the past few weeks, he had been practicing manifesting a tent for himself and Celine that was much larger on the inside than on the outside. Until he had the perfect layout that worked for both of them. That way they could still manifest some luxury and other things for their comfort like a bathtub or shower. Haniel had unleashed his art on his fountain pen, his most precious possession. To the extent that the pen would now survive the full force of an atomic blast without a scratch. The flaming sword would remain in the dimension for now, until they returned for the last time in four thousand years./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"They heard the arrival of the three people behind them and knew that this was the moment to say goodbye. Samantha cried and Alex could not hold back either. He took her in his arms one last time and stood there for a moment, forehead to forehead, and then he kissed her with all the passion and desire he had in him before turning away. The emotions prevented him from speaking and he just nodded to Aisha and Franklin and they were gone from the small dimension. They arrived at the small uninhabited island in the middle of the Indian Ocean that they knew would be their home base. Celine and Alex looked around for a moment. So this was his universe, six thousand years in the past, but still. They said goodbye to Franklin and Aisha and his mother said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" If you ever run into problems that cannot be solved in the normal way, pray to me and I will pull you back to the dimension with Samantha."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Let's hope that's not necessary, Mom, too much depends on it, too many people, Angels, Demons and souls are counting on us, so we better make it work."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" I know darling. Know that we will visit Alexander from time to time if only to know that you are okay and to give you a little sense of home from time to time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"A thought popped into Alex's head:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Can you bring letters? If I write to Samantha, can you give her these letters?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Yes, we can."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Franklin replied:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""We got that question from Samantha too, so yes, we can, and we will."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Aisha hugged them again and said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" We have to go now, remember your biggest enemy and the biggest danger is that Godfry will notice you. So keep your footprint as small as possible, yes!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The next moment Celine and Alexander were alone on the beach and not a word was spoken for some time. He took a deep breath and manifested one of his cigarettes:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" How about we set up base camp, acclimatize for the rest of the day, barbecue tonight and I feel like a big buzz. Tomorrow's first task is to give Lucifer the fright of his existence."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"She nodded:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Good plan, as long as there's more than enough rum!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He turned and manifested the tent he had perfected in the dimension for the two of them. He went inside with tears in his eyes and Celine left him alone. She had manifested a bottle of rum herself and knew only too well what was going through Alex's mind. For the last five years he had not been separated from Samantha for a day and now he would not see her for two thousand years./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The next morning they were ready in their battle gear with their swords on their backs. Hell and the King of Hell were in for a surprise that would not do them much good for a long time. One last cigarette for Alex, Celine knew, and then Hell would literally break loose. He let the cigarette disappear into thin air, pulled the balaclava over his face, nodded to her, and the next moment they appeared at the gates of Hell and their six thousand-year plan could begin. The gate was guarded by two demons who aggressively demanded what they had come to Hell for, that they had no business in Hell. Alex and Celine immediately noticed that Rae Rae's words were true, that once they were in the domain of Hell, they automatically absorbed all languages and thus could understand these two demons. Alex tried first in a friendly tone:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" We are here to speak with your King, so take us to him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" You are not from here, you cannot see the King!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Alex said to Celine in annoyance:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" I have a feeling that most of the Demons and Angels from here are not too bright. Let me open the little door and set an example."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"In a flash, he drew his sword, and two strokes with the katana later, two Demon heads rolled to the ground. He snapped his fingers and the gates of hell swung open for him. Alex kept his sword ready, and now Celine had drawn hers as well, taking the lead. They had agreed before not to use translocation to the palace. They wanted to be seen, and they wanted the demons to see that harassing them was deadly. In the end, this was only necessary four times on their way, and word travels fast in Hell. These two strangers were obviously warriors not to be trifled with. The palace gate was another matter, guarded by six demons. Alex had had enough and demanded that they be brought to the king. Again, they refused, so he simply summoned Heaven's Fire, unleashed it on all six guards, and more or less kicked open the gate. They entered the dark, gloomy, torch-lit throne room where they found the Devil. Lucifer jumped up from the throne, furious that someone had entered his palace and killed a group of his demons./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Who are you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He pointed at Alexander:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" You are a Celestial, and you are a demon!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He pointed at Celine:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" But I don't know either of you. You are not of this world!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Absolutely right Lucifer, but I think we better discuss this further in private"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" I will not discuss anything in private, I will destroy you"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Lucifer made hellfire appear in his hand and threw it at Celine and Alexander. Alex had, of course, long ago made sure that neither hellfire nor celestial fire could harm Celine. He himself grabbed Lucifer's fireball and pretended to eat it:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Tastes pretty good, Lucifer, but I prefer Heaven's Fire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He manifested Heavenly Fire in his hand and watched as Lucifer became nervous. He pulled the mask down so the devil could see his full face:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" What, no fan of Celestial Fire, Lightbringer? You're an Angel and heavenly fire can't hurt you, right? Oh wait, that was until your daddy kicked you out of Heaven and into Hell, and now you are as vulnerable to Heaven's fire as any of your Demons. So this little bit of Heavenly Fire can destroy you completely."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He let the fire disappear and said with a sneaky smile on his face:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Tell you what, we won't use fire, we'll do something much more fun. You like making deals, don't you? Your demon Mazakeen of the Lilem, your right hand, your best warrior, your best torturer of Hell against my demon Celine, my left hand. If your Demon wins, I will go in peace and you will never see me again. If my Demon wins, we'll talk in private! Deal?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Lucifer did not have to think long, as convinced as he was of Mazakeens abilities, he was sure that the fight would not last long./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Okay, you have a deal, just get ready to leave soon!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Laconic Alexander said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" But of course, my King."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"This sarcastic reply should have been enough to make Lucifer think twice, but his anger didn't really allow him to think logically. The two demons stepped into the center of the throne room. Celine threw her sword at Alex and said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Would you hold this for a moment, My Lord, I fear it may get in the way."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He caught the sword in one fluid motion, and Maze thought she had easy pickings now that Celine was unarmed. Celine stood gracefully, waiting for Mazakeen to make the first move. That was her first and last mistake of the fight. In a few seconds, she had a broken arm, a broken leg and a couple of broken ribs. Lucifer had watched all this with astonishment on his face. Alex said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" I hear you're a Devil of your word and never break a deal, so let's go someplace where we can talk in private."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He unfolded his wings and pulled out a small feather. He gave it to Celine and said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""First heal this warrior, then will talk."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"It had taken them hours to get Lucifer to understand what was at stake and who Alexander really was. The idea that his God would eventually be defeated, even if it took another six thousand years, had been the deciding factor. The icing on the cake was that Alex had offered to give him a vacation on Earth from time to time, while he himself would take the secondary throne to make sure the demons stayed in line./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Alex and Celine had been making their rounds of Dis for a few hours, and he had stormed into the throne room in a rage, causing all the demons present to run for their lives by manifesting a serious Celestial fireball in his hand. What he had seen of Dis was enough to make him livid. He looked at Lucifer with hellfire in his eyes and said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""My Lord, I am far from ready to call you Father or Dad. Know this, my mother has assured me that regardless of your hatred for Godfry and Heaven, you are still the Lightbringer in your heart and soul. This shithole, this cursed place is going to change from now on, and not just a little bit. If you ask why, the answer is simple. To give that bastard up there a rotten stroke. I can do it with or without your help. But I'm sure you'll want to help me make that old fool's life a living hell. Make him feel some of what he has done to you. Am I right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Lucifer had looked at Alexander and listened in silence. He had noticed that his hatred for Godfry was almost as great as his own. He nodded and asked:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""What do you need?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Not much today. First, I want Squee in my personal service and made untouchable. No one in Hell shall have the slightest say or command over her, let alone touch her, and that includes you! From now on she is mine!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Done."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Lucifer called the Demon into the throne room and told her what her new job was./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""What else?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Second, you have a demon walking around on Earth. More or less your permanent representative from Hell, his name is Crowly. I need him in the plan to get rid of the old bastard. I want you to put him under my command and issue a royal decree that he is to be left alone by everyone at all times on the penalty of death."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Lucifer looked at him strangely:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""He's an idiot, which is why I left him on Earth because he does more harm than good here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Exactly why I need him. Godfry expects you to send an intelligent, capable Demon to Earth to make things difficult for his Angels. He'll go half crazy because he can't figure out your strategy with Crowly. He will have Crowly closely watched because he will consider him extremely dangerous. When he looks at Crowly, he won't look anywhere else."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Lucifer laughed, actually getting a warm smile on his face for the first time in ages:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""I wish I was a fly in the throne room just to see the old bastard foaming at the mouth. You've been here barely a day and I can't wait to see what you'll come up with next. You don't have to call me Father or Dad Alexander. But I want to thank you. I can't remember how long it's been since I felt this good, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you're going to do with the old man next."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He made a small bow to Alex. Who took it as a very good sign for the future, for the possible slow building of a father-son relationship./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Do you need anything else?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Yes, your trust in entrusting me with Belios and Bearus. I understand they are your top generals, but I need them to cooperate with me in drawing up plans to renovate this whole damn place."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"A servant and a Demon idiot were one thing. Two generals were another. Lucifer was not yet ready to accommodate Alexander one hundred percent. But if it was to help him draw up plans over which he, as king, had ultimate control anyway, he could accommodate him partially./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Okay, you can have them help you draw up plans, but I retain the say as to whether a plan can be implemented for me as King."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Thank you, would you please send them to my suite in half an hour?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The young demon followed Celine and Alexander to his new suite. As soon as the door closed behind them, it seemed as if the warrior and the Prince's mood suddenly changed. He showed her to a seat and when she had taken it, still trembling with fear, he manifested a glass of water for her, seeing that she needed it. Celine and he also took seats and Celine manifested their favorite drinks. Something they would have to keep hidden for a long time because vodka and rum would be a thing thousands of years before they were invented. Alexander spoke quietly:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Your name is Squee."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Yes, my lord."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""I hate that name, it doesn't suit a beautiful, sweet young lady at all. Do you mind if we call you Anna from now on? It suits you much better."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The demon did not know what she heard. The Prince sounded gentle, kind, and sweet. He had even called her a beautiful young lady. She couldn't get the words out of her mouth and so she just nodded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Well, that's settled then, from now on, Anna. From today on you will live in this suite, and you will have a spacious room of your own. If you have any personal belongings, we'll pick them up together later. First Bearus and Belios."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He stood up and began to walk a little with his hands behind his back. Suddenly the generals flew in and bowed to him. He growled at them:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Leave that overly submissive shit outside of these rooms. I'm only going to say this once, so get it into your head. I hate submissive stuff. I know there are crappy protocols outside and in the throne room. In here, they're not. You are generals, tough warriors, not fucking lambs. I am the Crown Prince of Hell, the only son of your King. This whole hell, this whole fucking mess, is a dump that even the pigs turn their noses up at. Not just Dis, but the Nine Circles as well. Your king has placed you under my command. What this means is simple. First, we will change Dis so that our Demons no longer have to live and work in a shit pit. Will that provoke opposition? Will some idiots feel the need to revolt? Be sure of it. So if you like a good fight, you will be very happy. The rules are simple: if anyone wants to revolt against the throne because we want to start improving the living conditions of the Demons, then the idiot or idiots will lose their heads, and the rotten mug will be hanged at the palace gate. Is that clear, Generals?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The two just nodded and Alex continued:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Well, how are we going to handle this? The four of us will continue to plan and decide. Yes, the four of us. And if Anna has something to say or to suggest, we will listen to her! You are no longer meek errand boys carrying out orders. You are now planners and policymakers. The generals who will enforce the new policy at all costs! Can you find yourselves in this new arrangement of your duties? If not, I advise you to fuck off, and I will find generals who can."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The two looked at each other for a moment and Belios asked:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Permission to speak freely, My Lord?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Of course, damn it. Speak up, speak your mind, and tell me if you think I'm wrong or in danger of making a mistake. I have no fucking use for yes men."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""My Lord, this should have happened a long time ago. Unfortunately, the King got in the way. You will be challenged to duels, there will be uprisings, revolutions, and even civil wars. Unfortunately, this is inevitable if you want to change something as rotten as this place. But you can count on us!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""Good, because I have a first order of business for you, and it cannot be questioned."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He pointed to Anna, who was watching in awe because what was happening here had never been seen before in Hell./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""This is Anna. Anna lives in this suite and is untouchable. I want her to be protected at all times from the scum out there and here in the palace. If she has to go anywhere, for example to the market, I want her to have a full phalanx of your best warriors around her. If anyone says a wrong word, makes a wrong move, or even looks at her the wrong way, you will make an example of them. Brutal, bloody, and not easily forgotten. If I find that this is not being done, I will make an example myself, starting with you! UNDERSTAND?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The two did not know how fast they had to say:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Yes, My Lord!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"For this prince scared the hell out of them. Alexander got his grin on his face and said in a much softer, gentler tone:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""You see, gentlemen, how amiable I can be when I get my way. Come, sit down, and manifest some examples of what you see as alcohol here in Hell. Anna, dear, come join us, the generals are not going to eat you, they are here to protect you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Alex manifested something resembling a comfortable sitting area from his own time, but again, not too much. The three demons got wide-eyed but kept their questions to themselves. Once they were all seated, Alexander said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;""First of all, everything that happens in this suite will not be spoken about outside of these doors, under any circumstances. Why is that? I will explain later when we get to know each other a little better. Belios and Bearus, your first assignment. The two of you will soon be accompanied by a phalanx to escort Anna to the best tailor and make sure she gets a completely new wardrobe, befitting her status. Anna is in the exclusive service of the Crown Prince, so I want that royal connection reflected in her appearance, understood. The reason I want you two as generals to accompany her with a full phalanx is to send a clear message. Anna is untouchable under the penalty of death, and please let there be an idiot who doubts that!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Two weeks later it was the turn of the first of the four idiots, Michael. According to the information they had received through Rae Rae, Michael was in Uruk to keep an eye on the humans as they began to build one of the first truly complex societies. It was no problem to find him in one of the small marketplaces the city had. He immediately realized that Celine was a demon and Alexander was a Celestial but did not recognize Alexander. Michael already had his hand on the hilt of his sword, but due to his confusion about who and what Alexander might be, he was not quick enough, Alex said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" I wouldn't do that, Michael. We have no desire to do harm and therefore no desire for violence. We just want to talk to you about your brother!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The blond broad warrior type with the sky blue eyes looked at Alex with squeezed eyes and asked:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" What brother?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Don't you think we should talk a little outside the city or people will start asking why we speak a language they don't know? It is not every day that people hear the original language of the angels. Maybe we should switch to Sumerian."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Something Alexander did immediately:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" I just wanted to get your attention, and now that I have your attention, I would like you to leave my companion alone. She is not hostile to you. A little outside the walls, in no man's land, I can manifest a quiet place where we can talk about your brother."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" I already asked which brother!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Alex showed his signet ring to Michael, who immediately turned pale. The seal was an amalgamation of Lucifer's archangel seal and a seal that indicated he had an heir."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Is that enough for a conversation, Michael?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"Wordlessly, he nodded yes and the three left the city. At a small oasis where no humans were around, Alex manifested the tent and led Michael inside. Once everyone was seated, he said:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Michael, I know you have no reason to trust me because of your father. So I am going to talk and you are going to listen. If you don't trust me, you can always go back upstairs and warn your father and kill everything. Not only what you have in mind and want to accomplish, but also what I have in mind and want to accomplish."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"The Angel looked deep into his green eyes and just nodded:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" Your father ordered you to banish your twin to Hell as punishment for his rebellion. On the way to Hell, you argued, and Lucifer almost tore your wing off so you could not hold him any longer, and he fell into the worst possible place. Your father ordered you to carry out this punishment to test your loyalty to him. Yes, your brother is in hell now, and you have been searching for a way to get him out ever since. You also know that only one being can do this, a Nephilim. I am the son of Lucifer and an Earth woman, so I am a Nephilim, and I will remove your father from the throne and free your brother from Hell."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"He looked sternly at the angel and said steely:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"" This is the time to choose Michael! Either you go to your father and condemn your brother to hell forever, or you stay and we talk further, for there is much more to be said. But I'm not going to do this without knowing your answer!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-add-space: auto; line-height: 200%; margin: 0cm 1.0cm .0001pt 42.55pt;"span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHad Alexander known, he would have packed at least several types of very strong painkillers and perhaps other more illegal drugs in addition to the heavy dose of Valium and Advil he packed on a whim. A final hunch, based on information from Aisha, that Lucifer had a habit of giving people a solid headache. Celine had laughed with Alex at first, saying that Celestials couldn't get headaches. An opinion she corrected rather quickly, then from time to time downed an entire bottle of painkillers or a box of Valium with a bottle of rum. Alex replenished the supply from time to time and did the same as Celine with a few good bottles of vodka. Celine was often in no better shape than he was, but instead of resorting to the usual booze and drugs, her obvious solution was violence. The number of times over the first few centuries she had suggested that they just go back to their own time in their own universe, make some popcorn, and then enjoy the implosion or explosion of his universe from a front-row seat was almost too numerous to count. To be fair, Alexander had also come very close to implementing that idea a few times. The first meeting with the two had passed without too many problems. A lot of confusion, of course, because it wasn't every day you met supernatural beings you didn't know, who told you outright that they had come from the future to save not only you but your entire universe. Not so the next few times. Each time he had to explain the paradox of time travel while they bombarded him with questions. How many times Alex had wondered if they were billions of years old or five-year-old toddlers because of the pout they usually pulled when they didn't get an answer?/span/p