Satan has a plan. A plan he conceived at the very beginning of Time. He’s had to wait through the ages for mankind to be ready, but now he’s sure that they’ll understand it. They’ve reached the Age of Reason.
‘Just in the Old Nick of time, too,’ Satan thinks.
He grins in vanity at the play on his name. Old Nick, indeed. He’s learned to enjoy a good joke, ever since he realized that people can excuse almost anything – so long as it makes them laugh.
Satan knows he’ll need all of his cleverness now, though. His term is drawing to an end. Unless he can prevent what has been ordained, he’ll soon be overthrown in the new order that’s been promised. The thought only provokes another smile. Do they really expect him to sit meekly by, just waiting for the passage of prophecy? He wasn’t created for such a purpose . . .