I didn't enjoy putting the mark back on my chest, but I did it anyway, because who doesn't like being invincible? Also, I needed it to fight Samael, but that was the least of my worries right now. I was high on power and saving the world was the furthest thing from my mind. I just wanted to get stronger, no matter the cost.

I wondered what each sin would give me in terms of power. Greed would probably have something to do with money, but what about lust and gluttony? Infinite stamina and the ability to eat food forever without getting full?

Those would be cool, but how would they help me be a better administrator? Some of this crown business didn't make sense. It was almost like the crown was designed as a test for the bearer rather than an actual administrative tool.

And didn't Lucifer say the Crown of Corruption didn't have anything to do with corruption? Was he just unaware of the crown's corrupting influence the entire time?

If it was really just a test, was I failing or was I simply learning how to use the crown for the betterment of mankind? Could the crown be used for good? Or was I just succumbing to a trap designed by God?

This thing was the worst thing for a recovering alcohol addict to have to bear. Was this fair? Why would God do this to me? Why did everything have to be a game to Him? I didn't want this. I didn't want to succumb to my addictions and become the very thing I fought against so many years ago when I got Lucifer therapy in the first place.

Or was I just being a wimpy baby? Was this crown the perfect tool to not only protect mankind from the apocalypse but also allow me to have a good time doing it? This crown wasn't a curse. It was a gift from God. A gift He had given to me to help me stop being such a prude and a stiff.

I needed to pull my head out of my ass and start living life instead of being afraid of everything all the time. Who cared if I committed a sin or two? This crown was literally telling me to sin, and it was the only way for me to save the world.

I needed to man up, leave my old Earthly fears and apprehensions at the door, and dive straight in. Earth wasn't my home anymore. Hell was. And when in Rome, do as the Romans do. And hellions sinned. A lot. So I would too.

Starting right now. I walked over to Nimby, who was excitedly chatting with Margaret. I stepped in between them and stood directly in front of Nimby, facing her.

"Yes, Dave?" she said, nervously.

I smiled. "May I have this dance?" I put my hand out for her to take it.

"Uh, sure, I guess," she said, grabbing my hand.

We walked out into an open space and I did my best to remember what I could from my ballroom dancing days. She didn't know how to ballroom dance, so I showed her a few moves and we did different combinations of those moves for a few minutes until I twirled and dipped her.

I looked into her inky black pupil-less eyes that had flecks of emerald green in them. "Hi," I said, smiling wickedly.

"Hi," she said back. "What's gotten into you?"

"Fun. Life. Excitement. Many things. Do you not like it?" I said.

"No, I do! This is everything I hoped you would do with me and more! It's just so sudden. What's with the change of heart?" she said, smiling happily with a slight tinge of curiosity.

"The crown that gives me authority over Hell and everyone in it. It has opened my eyes. I don't want to be the prude I have been. I want to live, laugh, and especially, love," I said, winking.

I felt a spark in my chest. I watched in my mind's eye as one of the jewels glowed a bright, vibrant pink. I explored the crown of corruption in my mind. Three of its jewels were lit up. The purple hubris jewel with the power of teleportation, the black wrath jewel with the power of hellfire, and the pink lust jewel with the power of pleasure. Don't ask me how a black jewel lights up or glows, because I don't know. I was just reporting what I saw and felt.

I laid her down gently on the ground and tapped her on the nose. Her body flooded with pleasure of a non sexual nature. Just general pleasure. Her eyes widened, her back arched, and she clawed at the ground.

"Oh, my Devil!" She exclaimed.

"Are you ok? You consent to this, right?" I asked, making sure I hadn't crossed a line.

She nodded vigorously. "Yes, I consent to this. More please!"

I tapped her on the nose again and watching as she rolled around giggling on the ground like she was trying to put out a fire that was tickling her.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

I stood up. I felt good. The power was intoxicating. It was better than alcohol. That said, I might need to pick some up at the store on my way home from kicking Samael's ass and saving the world once again.

"Dave?" Margaret said.

I looked at my long-time girlfriend, the mother of my child, and the love of my life. "Yes, Margaret?"

"What are you doing?" she asked, with a concerned look on her beautiful face.

"Just having a bit of fun," I said, tapping her on the nose.

Her body was flooded with non sexual pleasure as well. "Oh, my goodness! I'm going to sit down," she said, as she shakily lowered herself to a sitting position.

"Oh, shit, sorry! I should've asked first. Do you consent to this experience?" I said.

"Yes! But warn a girl first," she said, laughing and shivering.

I leaned down so my face was inches from Margaret's. "This is what you wanted, right? For me to embrace the culture? Because that's what I'm doing. I'm freeing my mind of the shackles placed on it by Earth's rules and restrictions. I refuse to be a prude any longer!"

"Yes, I wanted you to embrace the culture, but I didn't envision for it to turn out like this! Not that I'm complaining," she said with a smile on her face.

"You know me. I'm always full of surprises," I said, shrugging as innocently as I could manage. I turned to look out over the control room floor. "Steves. Where are Samael, the fallen angels, and the abyssal creatures now?"

"Samael and the other fallen angels have begun attacks on the leaders of every country in the world," Steve 4 said.

"The abyssal creatures are charging across Nevada toward Las Vegas and annihilating any towns they encounter along the way," Steve 3 said.

"I'll send you locations and updates on your hell phone," Steve 2 said.

"And I'll send the troops gathered at the gates of Hell to anywhere you specify. Also, the laser discs and the gravity wells you wanted arrived a few minutes ago while you were meditating," Steve 1 said.

He walked up to the elevated floor that I used to look out over the rest of the control room and handed me a heavy backpack. I checked inside and found that the equipment was inside.

"Thank you, Steve," I said.

"You're welcome!" they all said at once.

I turned to Gilbert, who was petting Fred and untangling his mane. I spoke to both Gilbert and Fred. "Ok, we're going to Nevada. I'll be teleporting us there, where we'll meet up with my demon army and fight the creatures of the Abyss before they reach the greatest city on Earth, Las Vegas."

For those who remember that Las Vegas was destroyed three years ago, it has since been rebuilt bigger and more opulently than before. It has become an even greater hub for sin and debauchery than it used to be. I take no responsibility for that improvement.

Something weird happened when I tried to speak to both Gilbert and Fred. I felt another spark within me and a bronze jewel lit up on the crown. The crown was telling me that this jewel was associated with the sin of domination, and it granted the abilities of influence and universal communication.

I stumbled slightly as my mind reeled from the onset of yet another ability. Fred looked at me curiously and then said, "Now that you can understand me, I feel the need to inform you that I'm actually female. So you can stop calling me Fred."

"What do you mean, Fred? Fred is short for Fredericka, which is a girl's name. I don't have to stop calling you Fred," I said.

"I see you trying to twist logic to suit your desire to not change what you call me, but you and I both know that Fred is a man's name. So I'd appreciate it if you stopped calling me that," she said.

"Ok, Fred. Whatever you say," I said. "I will respect your desire to be called Fredericka, but I don't need your appreciation. I just need your obedience."

The look on Fredericka's face was one of shock. I didn't even know a unicorn could express that emotion on their face. "What?"

"I said I will call you whatever you want as long as you let me ride you into battle," I said. I wasn't sure why Fredericka was so upset. Had I said something wrong?

"I'm not sure I feel comfortable having you ride me anymore," she said, shaking her head.

"Are you sure?" I asked. The bronze jewel of dominion lit up brilliantly in my mind.

Fredericka faltered. She shook her head again. "I don't know. I feel like I should allow you to be my master, and I don't understand why." A few moments passed. "Actually, what am I saying? You are the perfect master and it would be my pleasure to charge into battle with you."

"Ok. If you're sure," I said. Huh. She changed her mind. That was weird, but convenient. I wasn't entirely sure what happened there, but it was working in my favor, so who was I to look a gift horse in the mouth?

She nodded her head vigorously. "I'm sure," she said.

"Ok, good, because I don't want to violate your consent in any way," I said, a little concerned. Something felt weird about this situation, but I couldn't put my finger on why.

It was at that moment I thought about Margaret and walked back over to her.

"Are you ok?" I asked her. "I just want to make sure that the workplace fraternization, while sudden, didn't bother you."

"No. The workplace fraternization is fine. Do whatever you want with Nimby. Just don't choose her over me. Ok?" she said, wagging her finger at me.

"Fraternize all I want as long as I come home to you. Understood," I said. That seemed to make sense to me. It was definitely different from what I would have said a few days ago, but I was a new Dave. I was trying to be open to new perspectives.

Margaret furrowed her brow at me. "I just. You seem…different. Did I break you? I didn't break you, did I, sweetheart?" She said, with her brow furrowed.

I thought about it. "I don't think so. I feel fine. More than fine. I feel good," I said. "I'm just embracing sin, like you suggested.

"Ok, that's good, I guess. Just make sure you check back in after you defeat Samael and save the world. You don't want to indulge in sin too long or it might start to control you. Everything in moderation. Ok?" she said.

"Only sin moderately. Understood," I said. She was right. I didn't want to go overboard with it. Things might get out of hand. I was a recovering addict, after all. I needed to be careful about these things.

Margaret grabbed my face and kissed me. She stared into my big blue eyes for a long time, then said, "Just make sure you come home, ok? And no drinking. You made me promise to never let you do that again, remember?"

Oh yeah. What was I thinking? I couldn't drink. Drinking always led to bad decisions. As long as I didn't drink, I would be ok. Boy, was I wrong about that assumption.