Chapter 1

He pounded his fist upon the ivory table and watched as those who made up the circle, jumped. “The future is clouded with hatred, strife, and deceit. The evil side could prevail unless something is done to preserve the future of immortal destiny, the future of all realms.”

He furrowed his brows as he looked upon his brother. “That’s a long time down the line, Galdel.”

“Time matters not and you know that very well, Beleth. It approaches like death upon the wind.”

“Come now, you’re taking this a bit too far. Sure, things are getting a little rough in the middle realm…”

“Here as well,” he cut in on Beleth.

He relented. “Perhaps. But the majority of us within this circle don’t see all the gloom and doom that you appear to.”

“I see many things. I am permitted to as by grace of the Great One,” he said in a reverent tone. He then watched as those around the circle lowered their heads – all except Beleth. He furrowed his brows upon seeing this.

“I believe this Council should adjourn, unless there are other matters to be brought up for discussion,” he said in a cool, somewhat annoyed tone.

“I agree with Galdel.” Suddenly, all eyes turned to him. “There will come a time when the future will need to be safeguarded.”

“So do tell, how would we see to that?” Beleth asked Raphael in a belligerent tone.

He turned his head and met the steady gaze of Beleth. “Perhaps by way of the Guardians,” he suggested.

“You can’t be serious,” he said with a disbelieving smirk. “They aren’t in any position to carry out such an act.”

“I believe we can count on their help in this matter. I believe they would assist us in protecting immortal humanity and the immortal realms.” Raphael turned to Galdel. “Do you agree?”

Galdel nodded readily. “I do.”

He got to his feet the spun around on his heels in order to stand behind his seat, which he pushed toward the table. “I for one do not agree. This is ludicrous. There is no threat here, nor are the immortal realms in near the dire straits you make them out to be. Oh, there’s always been a little trouble in the wind but…”

“Beleth, my brother, we must think ahead so that we won’t be caught unawares. We must be prepared for the day when evil casts out its hand and attempts to take over that which it does not have the right to claim.” He thought it odd that Beleth was so against seeing reason.

Fuming inside, he responded. “I’ve heard enough of this foolishness. I will take my leave of this Council. I have duties to attend to. Call me when a meeting is set that’s to a more profitable and meaningful topic.” He then turned and disappeared in a flash of white light.

Galdel looked back at those who still sat around the Council table. “Are there any among you who still wish to leave?” One-by-one he took account of those in attendance. Leviathan, Domiel, Metatron, Phaleg, Camael, Zophiel, Rahatiel, Zerachiel, Raphael, Uriel, Nisroc, Zagzagel, Gadreel, Semjaza, Kokabel, Oriel, Haniel, Seraph, and Sandalphon. They glanced at each other around the table yet not one attempted to take their leave. “Very well. I say we make plans for the future. Any ideas that are formulated here will then be sent on to the Great One for consideration.” It was then that the group of Masters of the Upper Realms Council came together to decide the best means by which to assure the balance between all the realms.

He stormed off to find his brother. This didn’t bode well for their plans. The Council was getting too jumpy. Now where had Liercuf said he would be? He glided across the golden path of the seventh realm. As he passed by the Hall of Souls, he glanced to his right to see who was over the Hall. So, it was Remiel. He shook his head. A Pure One such as the great Remiel was best suited for greater things besides guarding a Gate. The Pure One was a magnificent creation, this even he had to admit. Remiel was large and he was very formidable in battle. Remiel would be an asset to the cause – if he’d join.

He moved on as his mind mulled over a few things. He finally reached his destination then stepped into the portico and asked to be taken to the first realm. As he was being whisked to the realm he had requested, he thought about the meeting The whole group was crazy. They believed that their cause was the better one and that they would be victorious over the imbalance that had set a foothold in the middle realm and in this one as well. He grinned. Well, it wouldn’t be long before the Council found out that they were dead wrong.

He stepped out of the portico and onto the golden path that would lead him to the blanket of stars just a few feet away. His silk robe rustled with his every step. He peered down at himself. Oh how he wished he could get rid of this bothersome attire and slip into something that was more fitting to his tastes.

He had nearly made it to the entryway to the stars, when a figure emerged before him. He stopped short in order to ascertain who it was. Once he recognized the being he scowled but then he quickly feigned a happy grin when eyes met his. “Hello, Hephate. Out on a stroll?”

“Why, yes, Master Beleth. I came to look at the stars. They’re very bright tonight. I also came here to just sit and think.”

He took in the creature that stood before him. It was Hephate, a Guardian – or at least she would officially be one some day. Duties had not yet been assigned to her She was still in training. He perused her further. She had waist length, black hair that shone like velvet under the light above. Her eyes were deep blue, like the deepest water in the oceans, and they sparkled like the stars in the first realm. She wore a black cloak, and upon the front of the cloak rested an amulet of interlocking circles. He narrowed his gaze upon the gold and silver rings. Now where had he seen that symbol before? he questioned himself. He quickly stepped back as Hephate approached. He never liked this one. There was something about her that made him uneasy. None of the other Guardians elicited such a reaction from him, but for some reason, Hephate was different. Just being near her for the short amount of time that they had been together thus far was making him feel sick.

“Is something wrong?” she asked as she edged closer to the Master.

He stepped back again. “No. I was just walking and thinking, too. It seems that this is the best place to do such a deed.”

She smiled. “Yes, it is.” She glanced upward and then back to Master Beleth. “I need to go. I have a lesson to attend.”

He nodded “Then by all means run along. You do not want to be late,” he said with a forced smile. He then watched as the Guardian headed away. He immediately dropped his friendly façade.

“Making new friends are we?”

Beleth turned at the sound of his friend’s voice and scowled. “Not likely. That one gives me the creeps. She’s too noble for her own good. She’s always too nice and too helpful.”

“Ah, but she’s also learning to be a force that many wouldn’t dare go up against,” he said wistfully.

“Well, she can stay to her own,” he said with a frown.

“You went to the meeting?” he asked, changing the subject.

“I did.”

“And?”

“It’s begun. The Council is now setting down plans by which to try and either force out the evil or to bring about a balance between all realms.” He watched as Liercuf sneered.

“Well, let them plot and scheme all they want to. Nothing they could ever conjure up will overpower what is to come. These realms and all that they entail will be ours. We will take over this realm and we will be greater than the Great One and the Great Masters.” He turned his head about and then moved in closer to Beleth. “Have they decided who will be their vessel by which to safeguard the realms?”

He nodded “Oh, yes. They’ve picked a most unlikely group.” With a twisted sneer he announced, “They plan on utilizing the Guardians.”

He frowned as he considered Beleth’s revelation. “They can be very vicious when attacked, especially when they guard a soul. They become the second most powerful beings in all realms when they carry a soul,” he said thoughtfully.

“Then we get to them when they aren’t,” he said in a lowered tone.

He studied Beleth, delving deep into his eyes. “You enjoy the prospect of destroying the Guardians, don’t you?”

He met the Master’s knowing gaze. “You bet. I’d find great pleasure in ridding myself of those creatures, especially that Hephate.”

He settled a hand on Beleth’s shoulder and with a crooked grin he announced, “You can be my right-hand man. Together we will storm the middle realm and claim it as our own…just after we lay rights to all the upper realms.”

“And what about the Great One and the Great Masters? How about the Council Masters?” he asked as his pride was quickly puffed up with a feeling of great importance. He was now the right hand to Master Liercuf.

“We have enough in our number to deal with them. Besides, we are the strongest of them all. It will be no problem to take them. We will surprise them before they have the opportunity to know what is taking place. As for the Great One and the Great Masters, well, I have plans in respect to them.”

“But the Great One may be listening even now,” he whispered warily as he turned his sights to Liercuf.

“I have tuned Him out. He cannot hear my thoughts. As I am sure you have done,” he said as he turned a warning glance toward his comrade.

“Indeed I am not in tune with the Great One,” he responded in a cool tone.

He stood erect and gazed upon Beleth with a knowing sneer. “Well, it seems to me that we need to see about ridding ourselves of a few Guardians. If they will be the ones placed before us in order to impede our great work, then they must go.” He looked on as Beleth nodded. “I will be victorious. I will become the ruler over all the realms. I will be over all that exists, and I will be mightier than the Great One.”

Beleth smiled upon hearing Liercuf’s words. “And I will be right there to praise the day,” he replied with a delightful grin. He was tired of all the do-good jobs and noble life in the universe. What enjoyment was there in that? Only in chaos and war was there any enjoyment. Only when there was strife and unease was there the opportunity for his kind to move in and create an even greater uproar. It was always a delight to watch brother turn against brother and to see what atrocities man and other beings could enact upon their own. Oh, the future looked to be a great one…when evil would abound.