by David Walker
Jacob shot a frost-tipped arrow into the air above them, which ejected a blast of icy wind, extinguishing the ring of fire that surrounded them. Leo moved to strike Jacob but he was unable to see him. Caleb had used his Crusader Engage ability on Leo, which blinded him to everything in the realm with the exception of Caleb himself. Leo pounced on Caleb, who was able to fend off his attacks with his red-hot shield and practiced defensive maneuvers.
Samson took the opportunity to slam Leo with heavy blows from his mace onto Leo's unguarded flanks. Jacob supported Samson's offensive with a volley of well-placed arrows. Gideon channeled frozen energy into his staff, while Rachel channeled frozen energy into her gems, which were deployed in front of her in a diamond-shaped formation. Gideon projected a beam of frozen energy through the middle of Rachel's gems, which served to amplify the attack. The icy blast smothered the flame of Leo's pride, banishing the Curse from his own domain. The astral gate keys of authority and resource materialized on Rachel's sword in the form of an emerald and a sapphire.
* * *
Rachel and Ramael entered a fusion between the observation realms of authority and resource. Lady Wisdom's radiance ushered in the beginning of the fifth age of history; an age ruled by life's highest authority: The King of Heaven. The king focused his rule on establishing life on earth.
Cherubim Anu dwelt in the earth as the master of its sky. The king sent Cherubim Leviathan deep into the sea, to govern earth's waters. The king also sent Cherubim Fenrir down into earth's underground, to govern its soil. The king sent Cherubim Phoenix to govern the flames of Sheol. The Council of Heaven viewed Sheol as a frightening mystery. They often asked Prince Metatron about it, who remained silent about his thoughts and intentions when he created the dark realm.
The King of Heaven decreed the formation of animal life. He ordered that animals were to have hearts sourced from the living waters and souls sourced from the spark of life. However, instead of having spirit bodies sourced from the breath of life, like the angelic beings, animals were to have physical bodies sourced from the dust of the earth. The King of Heaven demonstrated the animal formation process to the Council of Heaven. He drew inspiration from Cherubim Judah the Lion and formed the felines.
The King of Heaven, accompanied by his cupbearer, Laban, watched in delight as the council expressed their creativity with the establishment of the animal world. Prince Metatron formed several aquatic species, including crabs. Duchess Jezebel formed several flying species, including ravens and owls. Looking to make a miniature world of his own, Duke Beelzebul formed the insects. As somewhat of a joke, Prince Baal created the pigs and rodents. Drawing his inspiration from Cherubim Fenrir, Duke Mammon formed the canines.
The King of Heaven formed a couple of humble animal species, his favorites were the sheep. Prince Mastema formed the goats. After thoughtful consideration, Duke Pythius formed the reptiles, who became the largest and most powerful animals on the earth. Every animal lived in harmony with one another and fed off of the vegetation of the earth. Lady Lilith's darkness heralded the end of the fifth age.
There were members of the Council of Heaven who preferred not to rest during the end of the age. Among them were the Outer Luminary Dukes. They fellowshipped with one another under the embrace of Lady Lilith's night. They stiffened when Prince Mastema approached their campfire with his brothers, Prince Metatron and Prince Baal.
“You're not going to report this to the king, are you?” Duchess Jezebel asked, trembling with fear. Prince Mastema laughed.
“Am I going to turn you into my little brother? No. I could care less about his stupid curfews. Maybe he needs to rest, but I don't,” Prince Mastema answered, setting the Luminary Dukes at ease. After a while, they were all conversing with each other about their experience forming the animals. It did not take long before Prince Mastema's charisma stole their hearts.
“...There he was making this cuddly, fluffy critter and I'm like, really? Our mighty king likes to make cute, little, fuzz balls? He called it a sheep. So, I decided to make a furry, scraggly, creature with horns and I named it a goat. I asked him: 'Is this cute enough for you brother?'” Prince Mastema jested. His anecdote was met with laughter around the campfire.
“He doesn't take jokes very well, does he? I made this fat, ugly creature that would eat just about anything. It would eat and eat until it exploded if you let it. The king asked: 'Is it prudent to give them such an appetite?' I'm like yeah, I plant the seeds brother, there will be plenty of food to go around,” Prince Baal laughed.
“Yeah, he grilled me about my wolves,” Duke Mammon added.
“Me too,” Duke Beelzebul said, referring to his insects.
“I don't blame him. He's only trying to be practical,” Duke Abbadon bluntly stated.
“He's always practical. He's always so conservative. Why? He's the king. He has no limits! I honestly think that he just lacks imagination. It makes me wonder if we even need a king,” Prince Mastema said.
“Why was he appointed as the king, anyway? Aren't you the eldest prince?” Prince Baal asked.
“...Yes,” Prince Mastema whispered, hardly masking his contempt about the appointment.
“At the very least, the Judge could've let us elect our king. We weren't given any say in the matter,” Prince Baal continued.
“It has to do with the pillar of authority,” Duke Pythius interjected. “In order for life to be properly structured, an authoritative role must be established. Technically, the Judge was the only one qualified to appoint that role. I've been studying the mystery that he set in the luminaries, and that's what I've been able to gather so far,” Pythius explained.
“Trying to discover the secrets of life so you can create your own version of it, eh?” Prince Metatron chuckled.
“I'd like to be able to master it, yes,” Duke Pythius admitted with a grin. They continued with their conversations until Lady Wisdom's light brought forth the dawn of the sixth age. The King of Heaven ordered a gathering of the Council of Heaven for a grand announcement.
“Behold, the omega realm!” the King of Heaven shouted as a bright light emitted from his aura. The light traveled through every spirit realm like blood making its way through a cardiovascular system. The king's own aura pulsed as if it were a heart pumping living light throughout the realms. The council watched the motion of the omega realm with awe.
“The omega realm connects to every spirit realm, linking them all together. I will govern this realm myself. I will also form a new creature named man. Man will be the vessel for this realm. Man will be the crown jewel of life and the master of all of the earth. Man will have a heart from the living waters, a soul from the spark of life, a spirit from the breath of life, and a body from the dust of the earth,” the King of Heaven announced.
“You're giving access to a realm of untold power to some creature made of dust? What about us? We've been here since the beginning, why not choose one of us to be the vessel!?” Prince Mastema protested.
“Only a vessel made from the dust of the earth is able to contain the depths of the omega realm.”
“What? We might as well just use a goat!”
“Animals have no spirit, the medium required to connect to the omega realm. You would be equally unsuitable, as the omega realm would overwhelm your spirit, overriding your very being. Man is the only suitable selection for this,” the king replied, retaining his calm demeanor.
“This is absolute nonsense!” Prince Mastema angrily shouted.
“Watch yourself,” Prince Michael warned, gripping the hilt of his sword. He was seated to the right of the king while Laban, equally as tense, was seated to his left. Prince Mastema's irreverence angered them both.
“Brother, all of the beauty that you've showed us in life...it can all be realized through man. You must trust me,” the king pleaded. Prince Mastema stared coldly at the king then shifted his eyes to Prince Michael. Prince Michael's intimidating gaze restrained Prince Mastema from escalating his ang
er toward the king.
“This is a mistake,” Prince Mastema scoffed as he stormed out of the council hall. Many of the council members gasped. Prince Baal had to fight the urge to smile. He turned to Prince Metatron who gave him a knowing look. They both followed Prince Mastema out of the assembly. Prince Michael, who was poised to apprehend them, looked to his king for approval.
“Let them go, my friend,” the King of Heaven said with a sorrowful tone. He adjourned the assembly. The rogue princes flew to the entrance of Lady Lilith's dark cavern, her dwelling place during Lady Wisdom's daytime.
“Blessed mother of night, we seek refuge in your glorious darkness,” Prince Mastema pleaded. She allowed them into her abode, which was hidden from all outside eyes and ears.
“He's gone too far. We have to stop him!” Prince Mastema exclaimed.
“What's the move?” Prince Metatron asked.
“We overthrow the kingdom,” Prince Mastema answered.
“We'll have to gather support from the council. I'm fairly certain that we can convince the Outer Luminary Dukes to join our cause. However, even with their support, there is no way we would be able overthrow the king with Michael at his side,” Prince Baal counseled.
“We'll gather our support and make a case before the Judge. Maybe he'll come to his senses and appoint me as the rightful king. Lady Lilith, will you join us and become my queen?”
“Of course, my love,” Lady Lilith answered with a smile. She embraced Prince Mastema with a deep kiss. Their spirit bodies intertwined with passionate fervor.
“...Ah. This is what life is really about! Enjoying the fullness of its pleasures. What is the point of passion, if it's restricted?” Prince Mastema excitedly declared.
“Pythius is the craftiest duke. We should summon him first,” Prince Metatron suggested. They each focused on Duke Pythius and created a summoning rift to him. Pythius entered the rift and met them inside of Lady Lilith's cavern.
“Let me guess, you're starting a rebellion against the king?” Duke Pythius assumed.
“You certainly are a bright one, Duke Pythius. Are you with us?” Prince Mastema asked.
“Well, the odds of a successful rebellion against the king are very slim, to be quite honest.”
“This isn't an outright rebellion. We're gathering support to make a case before the Judge.”
“Hmm...that might work. It's still very risky. Fortunately for you, I also want to displace the king. The thought of some foreign creatures ruling over my reptiles has rubbed me the wrong way. Who are you going to try to recruit next?”
“We were hoping that you could help us with that.”
“I see. I think we should try to recruit Jezebel next. She's infatuated with Laban and is upset that a relationship with him is forbidden in the kingdom. You could probably use that to your advantage,” Duke Pythius suggested. Prince Mastema agreed and they summoned Duchess Jezebel.
“Duchess Jezebel, thank you for meeting with us. We'd like to establish a new government and we want you to be a part of it. We're going to set up a government of tolerance and liberty. A government where we're allowed to pursue the desires of our hearts and are allowed to be with the ones that we love. Does that interest you?” Prince Mastema offered.
“Yes, we do need a new government,” Duchess Jezebel answered.
“Do you think that you could convince Laban to join us?”
“I don't know...he's fiercely loyal to the king. I can try.”
“We'll hold off on asking him until we're ready to make our move. I don't want him apprising the king of our plans if he refuses,” Prince Mastema advised. Duke Pythius nodded in agreement.
“If you offered Duke Mammon full control of the trade networks, he'd probably join us,” Duke Pythius suggested. Prince Mastema agreed and they summoned Duke Mammon.
“Duke Mammon, thank you for meeting with us. We're going to establish a new government and we want you to be with us. We'd like you to manage all of our trade networks. Imagine a world where resources aren't wasted among the feeble but are only granted to those who truly deserve them, so that shrewd rulers like yourself can enjoy their riches,” Prince Mastema offered.
“That's certainly a novel fantasy, but what makes you think you can overthrow the king?” Duke Mammon countered.
“We're gathering support to make a case before the Judge. If enough of us are on board, he'll have no choice but to give in to our demands.”
“...Alright. I'll join. Hopefully, we can clean up this horribly inefficient government.”
“Let's try summoning Duke Abbadon next. I don't think he's sympathetic to our cause; however, he's been itching to test his strength against Michael. If you offered to make him the captain of your hosts, maybe he'll be willing to join us. Also, Abbadon is the only one who really understands Beelzebul; if Abbadon joined us, Beelzebul would likely follow suit,” Duke Pythius suggested. Prince Mastema agreed and they summoned Duke Abbadon.
“Duke Abbadon, thank you for meeting with us. We're establishing a new government. We only want the finest warriors to secure our new state. We can think of no greater warrior than yourself. Will you join us, and command our forces?” Prince Mastema offered.
“Your flattery will get you nowhere with me, prince. But, I saw how you challenged the king today. You made him look really soft. Yeah, I'll join you,” Duke Abbadon answered.
Upon learning that Duke Abbadon supported Prince Mastema, the eccentric Duke Beelzebul eagerly joined their cause. Prince Mastema was able to convince the Lower Cherubim that the King of Heaven regarded them less than the Upper Cherubim, persuading them to join his coalition. Prince Mastema's cunning tactics enabled him to recruit half of heaven's Dominions, Archangels, Virtues, and Principalities, giving him enough support to present his case before the Judge of Heaven. However, Duchess Jezebel was unable to persuade Laban to join their cause.
The Courts of Heaven rumbled as Prince Mastema and his supporters approached them. Prince Michael, Prince Gabriel, Duke Raphael, Duke Uriel, Duke Raguel, Laban, Jacob, and many other angelic beings loyal to the King of Heaven, armed themselves and confronted Prince Mastema's coalition at the court's massive gates. The King of Heaven himself stood among them, his demeanor was surprisingly serene.
“Traitors! King, please let me annihilate them!” Prince Michael roared, shaking the very foundations of heaven. Many of Prince Mastema's supporters trembled in fear. Duke Abbadon smiled, clutching his sword and hoping for a fight.
“We have a petition to bring before the Judge of Heaven. Do we not have a right to present our case in court? Why don't you call off your attack dog, king?” Prince Mastema chided.
“Prince Michael, stand down. I will not prevent them from bringing their petition before the honorable Judge of Heaven,” the King of Heaven ordered. Prince Michael cleared a path, allowing the arrogant Prince Mastema to make his way into the courtroom. Prince Baal and Duke Pythius accompanied him. The Judge of Heaven sat behind an enormous bench, flanked by the Parliament of Heaven.
“Honorable Judge, I have a petition to bring before you. I accuse the King of Heaven of violating the Law of Stewardship, which dictates that: 'Authorities are required to serve the residents of the realms that they govern. Violators of the Law of Stewardship are subject to the disciplinary ruling of the Judge of Heaven.' The King of Heaven has reserved the most powerful realm for his own personal use. He means to channel this realm through creatures made from the dust of the earth. This in no way serves the esteemed subjects of heaven!” Prince Mastema shot a derisive look at the King of Heaven and continued.
“I request that our honorable Judge disciplines the king mercifully. However, we demand that the king is removed from his office. I hold in my hands a petition, signed by thousands of our supporters, that calls for me, the eldest Prince of Life, to replace the King of Heaven.” Mastema handed the petition to the Judge of Heaven for review. The Judge of Heaven deliberated with the Elder of Stewardship for a moment.
/> “The King of Heaven has not been found guilty of violating the Law of Stewardship. Prince Mastema, your petition has been denied,” the Judge of Heaven ruled. Prince Mastema fumed as Prince Baal prepared their backup plan. Prince Baal read from a scroll that materialized in his hands.
“We hereby declare our independence from the kingdom of heaven. We have established our own state under our elected leader: King Mastema. The details of which can be found in this document,” Prince Baal declared, handing the document to the judge. Gasps were heard throughout the courtroom. Duke Pythius also approached the judge's bench.
“Honorable Judge, we have another petition to bring before you. We humbly request that you authorize the formation of new spirit realms for us to establish our new state, independent of the kingdom of heaven,” Pythius requested. The Judge of Heaven deliberated with the entire Parliament of Heaven for quite some time.
“Duke Pythius, your petition has been approved,” the Judge of Heaven declared. Prince Mastema's eyes lit up with excitement. He was now King Mastema. The sound of celebration carried throughout his new subjects.
“Prince Mastema is henceforth known as the King of Hell,” the Judge of Heaven loudly pronounced.
King Mastema was given a new, unknown name, composed of undecipherable letters. His new name was etched into his forehead. The King of Hell's beautiful, luminous appearance was undone as he transformed into a hideous, ghastly creature. The same thing happened to his followers as they screeched in agony.
“Eden is henceforth known as the core realm of life. Sheol is henceforth known as the core realm of death,” the Judge pronounced, concluding his verdict.
The King of Hell's subjects' hearts were filled with terror. Until now, the concept of death had been unknown to them. The terrifying mystery of Sheol had been revealed. They had taken life for granted. Shadow spirit realms violently forked off from the existing spirit realms, forming the new kingdom of hell. The citizens of hell were horrified when they realized that the shadow realms were dark, hot, and putrid.