Power
Ezra
Doran
Archangel
Evelyn
Ryker
Jack
Elias
Hierarchy of Sheol
King of Sheol
Lucifer (Seraphim)
Dukes of Sheol
Beleth (Seraphim)
Uriel (Original Archangel)
Roman (Cherubim)
Mephistopheles (Throne)
Logan (Dominion)
Queen of Sheol
Lilith (Original Archangel made Demon)
Prince of Sheol
Lucian (Seraphim)
Fallen
Holdan (Virtue)
Doran (Power)
Ryker (Archangel)
Elias (Archangel)
Upper Demons
Trey
Lower Demons
Demons of Kiaofi
Hellhounds
Sasha
Enochian Ranks
Upper Tier
Original Archangel: There are seven Original Archangels which were the first angels ever created. They are the highest ranking of Divine angels and have different duties to govern those below them in rank. They can be recognized by their pure, white wings and blue eyes, except for Azrael, Lilith, and Uriel. Azrael’s violet eyes and deep purple wings were given to him when he became the Angel of Death, whereas Lilith and Uriel’s wings became black when they fell.
Seraphim: These angels were created as Guardians of the Throne in Paradise. They are the second highest ranking of Divine angels. Most Seraphim’s wings are a vibrant orange at their bases and fade into fiery red at their tips. All Seraphim’s eyes contain the same luminescence as the wings of the Divine Seraphim, giving an illusion of fire.
Cherubim: As Guardians of His Glory, they are the third highest ranking of Divine angels. Cherubim were created to guard Paradise, as well as the Tree of Life. They can be recognized by their gold feathered wings and bright blue eyes.
Throne: While they may physically appear to be Cherubim, a Throne’s eyes are a deeper blue, which corresponds with their dark indigo wings. They are the fourth highest ranking of Divine angels. Thrones are responsible for creating peace and teaching humans humility when needed.
Lower Tier
Dominion: This order of angels regulates duties to those below them in rank. They serve as the governing court in Paradise and manage Bastille (see Index of Terms for definition). Dominion’s have auburn wings and brown eyes.
Virtue: Though they appear as children, no older than eight years old, they are far older and more experienced. Their eyes are silver, as are their wings, which shine so bright they reflect their surroundings. Virtues provide miracles, courage, grace, and valor to those in need. They are the only beings capable of breaking a bond, and also govern nature and its elements, such as the seasons, the stars, the moon, and the sun.
Power: Power angels are known as assassins. They are warriors against Darkness, sent to take out the worst of the worst. They blend in well with Seraphim because of their deep red eyes, and the blue and green feathers of their wings are so dark, they appear as black as the Fallen unless touched by light.
Archangel: These Warriors of Light are guardians and protectors of humanity against Darkness. Their wings very in shades of verdancy, each unique to its possessor, and their eyes are a vibrant green.
Unclassified Ranks
Reaper: Also known as Guides, it is the duty of the Reapers to guide souls into the Veil, where the soul’s final destination is revealed to them, whether it is Paradise or Sheol. Reapers take orders from their creator, Azrael, and they are neutral between the Light and Darkness, save for rogue Reapers who have chosen to follow the Fallen. They have violet eyes and deep purple wings as their creator.
Griffin: With the ability to either release their wings or shift into a being that is half eagle and half lion, Griffins were originally created by the Cherubim as Sentries for Paradise. Over a century after their fall from their revolution against the Cherubim, they became slaves in Sheol because they refused to corrupt themselves any further. Their wings are various shades of brown, and their eyes are gray.
*All angelic beings possess a marking on their right forearms with their ranks in Enochian script.
**Due to the origins of their creation, the wings of Reapers and Griffins do not turn black when they fall.
Nine Strata of Sheol
Bam: The first stratum of Sheol. It is a massive castle that houses souls in limbo. If caught inside, you lose all meaning of self and purpose. The interior is pitch black, and the ground is sticky with unknown substances.
Babalond: The second stratum of Sheol, which holds sinners of lust with ever blowing winds in all directions.
Alpod: The third stratum of Sheol is a prison of souls lying in the vile slush of a continuous rain of ice.
Allar: The fourth stratum of Sheol is where souls are lost in their own greed, permanently pushing the weight of it in the form of boulders.
Baglie: The fifth stratum of Sheol is a war zone of every being, including souls, demons, and Fallen. The sinners of anger fight each other across the River Styx while the sullenest sinners drown in it.
Adphaht: The sixth stratum of Sheol is a cemetery of immortal beings and sleepless souls, burning within flaming tombs for their heresy. It’s filled will screams, cries for help, and unfathomable pain.
Kiaofi: The seventh stratum of Sheol is split into three sections. The first section is reserved for souls that drown in a river of boiling blood and fire. The second section is saved for souls of suicide. Their souls are rooted in the ground as they suffer through being fed upon by other creatures, mainly the demons of Kiaofi. The third section is a desert of burning sand and raining fire for the most violent of souls.
Ardox: The eighth stratum of Sheol contains sinners of fraud. It is divided into deep stone ditches with bridges connecting them.
Babalel: The ninth stratum of Sheol contains four inner cities. The outermost city is Cain, followed by Antenora and Ptolomaea, and the innermost city of Judecca.
Cain: The outermost city of Babalel is a frozen lake for as far as you can see. The ice encompasses sinners of treachery, and the more severe the sin, the deeper they are buried in the ice.
Antenora: Begins the change of terrain from ice to fire. It’s burning populations of cluttered structures are in flames. Surrounded by lakes and rivers of fire, soot floats through the air, coating the ground as well. It houses the lowest level of demons who scout Fallen and higher demons to possess, with hopes of traveling to the surface. It also houses the hound coop for disobedient hellhounds.
Ptolomaea: This city of burning sand serves as a barrier between Antenora and Judecca, in the case of attacks on the King of Sheol.
Judecca: The innermost city of Babalel with mountainous terrain and the King of Sheol’s castle. The castle itself houses the King, Queen, and Prince of Sheol, as well as the Dukes of Sheol and their legions of Fallen warriors.
Index of Terms
Bastille: A temporary jail for angels, located within Paradise.
Bond: A connection between beings that is the equivalent of a human marriage, except it is much more intense and eternal. There is a ceremony performed in which a piece of each being’s essence is taken and placed inside their mate, binding the two essences together eternally. After the ceremony is consummated, the two essences bind on a permanent level. They will be able to feel their mate’s presence wherever they go, as well as be able to share thoughts, no matter the distance between them.
Cycle of Souls: The process in which a soul goes through a minimum of twelve lives. Each life lived teaches a lesson to garner enlightenment. If a soul does not learn the lesson, it is repeated until it does. Once a soul passes each life, it reaches full enlightenment and is able to pass on to Paradise.
Darkness: That which is of Sheol.
Divine: Those devoted to The Creator and side with Paradise.
Empat
hy: The ability to experience the feelings and emotions of others.
Enochian: The Angelic language; is also used to reference angelic nature.
Enochian Opal: A precious stone from Paradise that represents justice and harmony. It will protect the wearer from harm, whether external or self-inflicted.
Essence: Spirit inside the body of immortal beings.
Evanescence: The ability to disappear from one location and reappear in another.
Fallen: Those who fell from the grace of Paradise through choice.
Fledgling: A being coming into their abilities.
Helio: A self-luminous heavenly body.
Immortal Pestilence: The ability to turn any immortal being into a mortal human by taking their essence and replacing it with a soul.
Kapet: Egyptian incense known to cleanse a spirit.
Kere: Beings who control the fate of souls before Reapers are called upon to guide the soul to its final destination.
Light: That which is of Paradise.
Lilim: The offspring of Lilith and a mortal man.
Paradise: The plane of existence for The Creator, Angels, and the spirits of the blessed after death.
Partial Bond: Also known as an incomplete bond; is the connection between beings through intercourse which is less intense than a complete bond. The bonded may feel each other’s presence and may feel each other’s pain with close proximity.
Pathokinesis: The ability to manipulate the emotions of others.
Portal: A supernatural gateway connecting one plane to another.
Qeres: Egyptian perfume that is lethal to Divine beings.
Scrying: A mortal method of divination used by meditating while staring into a black bowl of water.
Sheol: The plane of existence for the Fallen and condemned spirits of wickedness after death.
Soul: Spirit inside the body of mortal beings.
Surface: The plane of existence for mortal beings, which also serves as a plane for beings of Light and Darkness to carry out their purposes.
Telepathy: The ability to communicate and read thoughts of other beings.
Teloch: The Enochian word for Death.
Tree of Life: The tree whose fruit gives eternal life. It is the only living thing able to exist on more than one plane. The same exact tree exists in Paradise, on the surface in the Garden of Eden, the Veil, and Sheol.
Veil: A spiritual plane used as a transition for souls as they are guided to their final destinations.
Vision: A premonition of the future, seen through means of a dream, meditation, or scrying.
Ward: A supernatural barrier created by Cherubim for protection.
Acknowledgments
It has been an amazing trilogy, and an epic journey, and I owe so much to a lot of great people…and beings.
There’s a quiet cabin in the woods that lent me the sounds of nature to connect with the depths of my characters. When the cabin filled with the love and laughter of my small family, I was reminded of my own happily ever after and was determined to make that happen for Ivy. While I thought I had a plan for her and the ‘Scooby Gang’, they each had minds of their own. I have yelled at them, cried with them, laughed with them, and I hope you have as well.
If it wasn’t for my mother, Angela Hill, I never would have dreamed of publishing this trilogy on my own. I’m very thankful of the encouragement she instilled in me; it allowed me to share a story with the world with a message that means something and connects with people on a deeper level. My mother is so much like her own. She doesn’t see or feel it, but she has the same passion for life and love for her family. Her mother would be proud of her.
My husband, Jeremy, and my son, Evan, have been so patient with me through this journey. They knew when I said, “Just let me finish this one paragraph,” that I could get away from myself and finish a chapter before I realize they are still waiting on me.
My sister-in-law and Editor, Kiri Roeseler, is one of the strongest women I know. With two sons with Cystic Fibrosis, every day is lived to its fullest. Her family wakes up ready to seize the day and falls asleep with smiles on their faces because of her. She keeps them strong, and they strive every day for a better tomorrow. Even in the midst of chaos and madness that can become their lives, she has made time for The Helio Trilogy because she believes in its success. I am forever grateful for her. You can help Kiri and her family find a better tomorrow by supporting their fundraising team for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the “J” Walkers. Find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cffjwalkers.
Many great people read the manuscripts for each book in the trilogy and offered valuable suggestions, corrections, encouragement, and information. I am especially grateful to Aaron Speer and Bridgett Brown for their undying passion and excitement for The Helio Trilogy. I would also like to thank Jo Lawless, Amanda Gillespie, Gabriella Messina, Lisa Renfrow, Lucy Brobbey, Amanda Stafford, Angela McPherson, Kelly Martin, Victoria Barfet, Alice Ballinger, Brenna Wilson, Katelynn Monticciolo, Ethan Gregory, LaShawn and Tony Ingram, Michelle Rodrigues Smith, Katie McFayden, Christina Hart Sabovich, Sophie Eponine, Crystal Carter, Ang French, and Bryawna Hogue. Each of you have supported me in some way along this journey and you are not forgotten.
Once I had written the first draft of Midnight Divine (The Helio Trilogy #1), I realized that a number of other people had tackled these themes before I ever got to them: in particular, some of my favorite authors, Jamie McGuire, Lauren Kate, Becca Fitzpatrick, Cassandra Clare, Amy Bartol, and, of course, the inimitable C.S. Lewis, whose The Great Divorce burned itself into the back of my mind when I was in my senior year of high school.
Throughout writing The Helio Trilogy, I listened to The Audition, In This Moment, Broods, Stone Sour, The Killers, Bring Me The Horizon, Raury, Three Days Grace, Halestorm, Blindside, Five Finger Death Punch, The Strumbellas, Johnny Cash, and Twenty One Pilots. You can experience the soundtracks to Midnight Divine, Gilded Inferno, and Vermilion Horizon on Spotify.
Lastly, I want to thank you, the reader, for opening your mind and heart to the Helio World. I hope this journey has left you enlightened with a smile of satisfaction on your face. I look forward to writing more for you. New adventures await.
-Valerie Roeseler
About the Author
Valerie Roeseler is a bestselling author, devoted mother, and workaholic with the determination of a queen bee. She began writing as a child, creating fantastical stories with villainous animals on her toy typewriter. In her teenage years, her writing became a poetic secret before she wrote music, transforming them into lyrics. Valerie’s early inspirations came from her obsession with mythology and British literature. Her debut novel, Midnight Divine, is the first in The Helio Trilogy. She is a native Texan and an enthusiast of art, music, adrenaline, coffee, wine, and hair dye. When left to her own devices, she tends to forget that sleep is a necessity.
www.valerieroeseler.com
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The Helio Trilogy: Volumes 1-3 Page 105