The Sandman Omnibus Vol. 1

Dream summons Lucien, Matthew, and the rest of his dream kingdom to tell them he is going to visit Hell. He knows it isn’t wise to go since he angered Lucifer by humiliating him in front of all the demons in hell, and Lucifer will want his revenge. Dream makes arrangements in case he doesn’t come back. In Hell, Cain arrives to tell Lucifer that Dream is on his way. Before going to hell, Dream stops in to see those important to him. Hippolyta has had her son, though she hasn’t named him yet, Hippolyta is still angry with Dream and shouts at him to get out, but Dream tells her that he is just there to see the baby because he is important. He also tells her that the baby’s name is Daniel. He visits his friend Hob in his dreams to say goodbye. Lucifer and Dream prepare to meet. 

Dream goes to Hell searching for Nada. He finds the land completely empty and unguarded; Nada is not there. Finally, he meets Lucifer, who tells Dream that he will not harm him inside the bounds of Hell. Lucifer has decided to quit being king of Hell because he is tired of ruling over the misery of Hell for the last 10 billion years. He feels that his choice to rule Hell wasn’t even a choice but simply fulfilling God’s plan, and if it hadn’t been him to rebel it would have been some other angel. Together they go through the realm rounding up the last straggling souls and demons. Lucifer tells them all to go. He considers his life there and what he might do now that he is free. He tells Dream that the last step is for him to cut off his wings, so he asks Dream to do it, and Dream complies. After locking the last gate, they are outside the bounds of Hell, and Lucifer gives Dream the key to Hell. He reminds Dream that he had vowed to destroy him, but he isn’t sure whether ruling Hell will destroy him, but it doesn’t matter anymore. Lucifer disappears, leaving Dream alone.

Across realms, beings of all pantheons hear of Lucifer’s abdication and plan to visit Dream. Odin gathers Thor and Loki; embodiments of order and chaos come together; and two angels, Duma and Remiel, descend from heaven. A group of demons that includes Azazel, one of the previous triumvirate rulers of Hell, and Choronzon, the demon Dream battled to retrieve his helmet, plan to take back their land. These demons have captured Nada and plan to use her as a bargaining chip. Dream laments his new acquisition and asks Death for advice. She tells him that he can do with it as he likes, but the dead who were cast out of Hell are returning to the living. The guests all arrive at Dream’s gate, including others, such as Egyptian and Japanese gods. Dream invites them in and tells them they will stay the night. The next morning, they will discuss.

In an English boarding school, a boy named Rowland lies dying while another boy, already dead, watches over him. The story jumps to six days previous, where Rowland has been left at school alone over the summer holiday. The headmaster and the matron keep him company. The next day he goes to see the headmaster and finds him visiting with his newly risen mother while the matron has been given back her dead children. As more dead return, the school fills up with children and a previous headmaster. Three bullies attack Rowland and leave him to die while the younger dead boy, Paine, takes him to the attic and cares for him. Death arrives to take Rowland away, but he refuses to go without Paine. Death has already taken Paine, so she initially refuses but then lets him stay for now until she can get things back in order. Rowland and Paine leave the school in search of new adventures. 

In the Dreaming, two faeries, the emissary Cluracan and his sister Nuala, join in Dream’s company. As the emissary to Queen Tatiana and King Auberon, Cluracan insists on delivering his message, which is that the kingdom of faerie would like Hell to be left empty so they can stop tithing their most beautiful faerie every seven years according to an ancient compact. Cluracan gives his sister Nuala to Dream as a gift. The assembly feasts and the gods, demons, and creatures of all worlds get to know one another. The angels simply observe. After the banquet, each group appeals to Dream with bribes and threats to give them the key to Hell. Bast, an Egyptian cat goddess, tells him she knows the location of his lost brother. The demons tell Dream they are holding Nada hostage. Dream sends them all away and considers his choice.

Dream’s guests meet in a grand hall. On his way, Dream is met by the angels Duma and Remiel, and Remiel asks if Dream has come to a decision. He admits that he has not, and he says he is considering just leaving it empty since it is currently serving no purpose. Remiel tells him that he has a message from the Creator, and that message is that there must be a Hell because without Hell there will be no Heaven since they are mirrors of each other. Remiel continues his message that Hell should be ruled by representatives who are loyal to The Name, and then he becomes distraught as he understands that the Creator is sending him to rule over Hell. He laments that it is unjust to be banished like this because he has been nothing but faithful. He refuses says he will rebel like Lucifer, but then realizes there is nowhere for a rebellious angel to go anymore. Dream then tells Duma that the key to Hell is his if he wants it, and Duma takes it. Remiel decides that he cannot let his companion suffer with something he refused, so he decides to go with Duma instead. Dream tells the others, and then, provoked by Azazel, enters the demon realm to rescue Nada. He successfully rescues both Choronzon and Nada and locks the demon Azazel away where he can’t do any more harm. Most of the others leave, disappointed but respectful of Dream’s decision. Susano-o-no-Mikoto and Cluracan and his sister Nuala request to stay one more night, and Dream extends his hospitality. Dream asks Matthew to invite Nada to dinner so she and Dream can talk. 

While the angels consider their new place in Hell, Dream meets with Nada. He offers a weak apology, and Nada is offended in light of what he did to her, so she slaps him. Although Dream is angry, he admits that he wronged her out of pride. They forgive each other and Dream once again offers for her to stay in the Dreaming as his queen. She declines, as expected, and she offers for him to come be with her instead, but he insists that he cannot give up his responsibilities as Dream. After Dream speaks with Nada, he comes across Susano-o-no-Mikoto, a lone Japanese god from the banquet. Dream discovers that he is really Loki in disguise who has sent Susano back in his place to the cave where Loki had been living out his confinement. Dream confronts Loki and tells him he will send a dream image back instead so that Loki and Susano can both be free. As the faeries leave, they announce that Nuala will be staying in the dream world as a gift from the faerie queen, but she does not wish to stay. Cluracan insists that she stay since Dream rejecting her would be a significant insult to Tatiana, so Dream tells her he will find quarters for her, but she must remove the glamor she wears and show her natural self. Dream sends Nada back to earth to be reincarnated as a baby, and Lucifer enjoys his newfound freedom on a beach. Finally, the angels attempt to recreate Hell as a place of redemption and restoration.