Chapter Text
Touring in Hell was no pleasant experience. Squatterbloat, their demon guide, smirked at Dream with a contemptible and sinister look. Matthew, the new raven, kept on talking and talking as if they had known each other for decades instead of a few hours.
After walking in the midst of despair for a whole night, they seemed to have been walking in circles. Matthew started his new round of questions. This time he asked about the Ruler of Hell, Lucifer Morningstar.
"The Ruler of Hell is no mere devil."
"So, you two know each other?"
"We've known each other for a very long time. When we first met, Lucifer was the angel Samael. The most beautiful, wisest, and most powerful of all angels. Saving only the Creator, Lucifer is, perhaps, the most powerful being there is." Morpheus heard reverence in his own voice.
"More powerful than you?" Matthew kept his questioning.
" By far. Especially now. " Chills ran down his spine by merely acknowledging Lucifer’s power. It felt so wrong.
Before the Fall , Archangel Samael was the right hand of the Creator and his prosecutor. On behalf of their respective offices, the Lightbringer and the King of Dreams made a treaty, granting the angel power to interrogate the fallen creations in the Dreaming. Perhaps, nightmares were the most tomenting idea in that era.
As colleagues, they met often. Sometimes in the Archangel's realm, but mostly in his. They crafted nightmares together. Yet, more wondrous dreams came into life because of Samael's presence. Morningstar was a name that suited the angel well.
If friendship was a thing among the immortals, Samael might be the only being that he would consider a friend. Also a confidant to share some private thoughts, beside his sister Death.
He, the King of Dreams and Nightmares, was growing tired of his assigned roles. As an Endless, he had no choice but to perform his duty for eons, doing what he was created for.
Samael didn't say anything, but nodded knowingly.
A few thousand years passed uneventfully. Then, the Archangel Michael came to his kingdom with news. Samael had led a group of angels in rebellion against the Creator. The rebellion ended with them being condemned to a place with no Light for eternity.
"The last time I was here, I was an honored guest. An envoy from my own kingdom. This time, I have invited myself, and I lack my symbols of office." Dream continued.
The first invitation to Hell happened soon after the Fall . The Lightbringer used to be a well respected and beloved being in Heaven. Perhaps, those former colleagues in Heaven feared the Creator’s displeasure, for none of them had visited. Dream was the first willing guest since the establishment of the godforsaken place.
His host was waiting for him at the entrance of the palace. Samael had changed. Gone were the six pairs of starlight wings, as well as the eternal beauty and glory. Vicious and defiant, yet still regal and charismatic, but in a different way. The Morningstar now went by a new name, Lucifer.
They exchanged pleasantries, as if they were still the same old friends that they had always been. But if Dream was honest to himself, he would admit that he was terrified.
They walked on a carpet of blood, and passed an inner gate of skulls to the interior of the palace. They went across the obsidian throne room, all the way to somewhere like a balcony. The whole landscape of Hell was beneath them.
Dream had assumed the Fall was out of ambition.
"You thought it was for power? I fought for freedom, the right to choose for all, including yours . We are not his tools to be used and set aside at a whim." Their eyes flashed as supernovas.
"Each of us was born with responsibilities. Lightbringer, even you are not free to choose to be someone other than who you are." Even as he spoke, these words pained him.
"Now you sound like my former colleagues up there", Lucifer glanced up to the gloomy sky, "Dream Lord, I thought you knew better." Featherless black wings flared and crimson lightning struck the grounds of the palace.
Awesome and Terrifying power.
"Regardless, I did not invite you to my realm to discuss philosophy. I seek an alliance between Hell and the Dreaming. Aren’t you tired of being the servant of his humans, his new pet project? A perversion of the way things should be. You and I both know this. We are architects and rulers of Creation. I will bring them to their proper place, turning them into my servants. Then we are all truly free.”
Dream just stared at his host.
"Don't you want to avenge the oppression imposed upon you? Humans stay in your realm a third of their lives, then dismiss your Realm as they wake. Through the Dreaming, I will bring Hell to humanity. Join me. Our alliance would be formidable."
Vengeance .
Dream found his job tiresome at times, but he had no grudges against humanity. "Thank you, Lightbringer. But No. I prefer to be the ruler of Dreams and Nightmares." He bowed gracefully. “Now I shall leave to attend to my duty.”
"One day, Dream Lord, you will regret. You will hate humanity with every fiber of your being. And that day, you will come to see me again."
“We shall see, Lightbringer.”
"Boss, are you listening to me?" Matthew's annoying voice brought him back to the present time.
"The Morningstar is letting me know that Hell has prepared for my visit."
Soon they would meet again.