The divinities of the lower heavens gathered upon the great rock. The foundation of the sky holding the seven heavens in order, the pillars of destiny representing the attributes of life stood upon its far ends. Seven in number they were surrounding the great hall, surrounded by the mist of divine aura created from the innocence of newborn.

The throne of the arch goddess stood upon the dome of souls placed in the centre axis of the great rock. Its cushions woven by the threads of the fates where of a pale grey hue spotted in gold. Its frame carved from the tree of life by Arbelo himself. Smaller thrones filled the great hall, each seat created to depict the majesty of its owner. They are positioned to create a half moon before the great throne. While the Charain stood to east that, the light of the morning sun may cause the splendour of its silver bolts and gold rails to reflect upon the polished floors of the hall. The great rock this hall was named, its purpose for one such as this.

‘We play a dangerous game Perna, too much risk’, ‘Indeed it is, but it must be done Nyka’. ‘And if it fails’ said Nara- goddess of the woodlands ‘can you imagine the extent of terror that will be unleashed upon the earth. We cannot risk the opening of another portal Perna already the vortex wears thing and …’
‘I don’t intend to send her through a portal, I intend to use the charain’ replied Perna.
‘It seems you have stayed too long at sea Perna, all that seaweed seems to have clouded your judgement’ said Atripon- the god of love.
‘Do you have a better idea my lord of lust?’ replied Saphron- the god of war ‘like breeding her into one of your whores’ he continued
‘Now that is an idea I like’ responded Atripon with a boyish grin on his face

‘I will have order’ said Sharma in her usual tone of calm demeanour, ‘If you all had done your duties as expected and not tear at each other as you do now, it should never have come to this’. She stared at Perna ‘my question to you my woman of the waters is why this girl?’
‘She opened the gates Sharma, she is the source, and she can put a decisive end to this by destroying him’
‘You seem convinced that she will do as you say’
‘Not as I say Sharma but as should be done, despite her errs deep down inside she is really good’
‘She opened the gates of hell Perna’ said Comosi- Lord of the dead gates, ‘she…’
‘She acted foolishly out of desperation and despair; in that desperation she risked her own salvation. That is the spirit we need Comosi, a spirit willing to see this whole ordeal through despite the odds and irrespective of the end’ said Sera- Mistress of the arts.
‘But in the end she will have to face him, the very reason she is been punished, do you think that she will do what is right for the sake of good or for herself ?’ asked Tiran – Lord of the mountains.
‘That is a question only time can answer’ replied Perna, ‘which is why we must use the Charain, that she may remember the essence of life’.

‘So what you are saying is that we release a most formidable being into the world of men with her magical faculties intact based only on the hope that she will do what is right when the time comes, knowing fully well that that she risked all for the purpose we want her to destroy’ said Luna- goddess of the moon.
‘Do you have a better idea, does anyone in this hall?’ Perna spat out, her anger clearly shown in the tone of her voice as she stood from her throne of a large oyster shell cushioned with velvet covers draped with sea pearls, ‘do you think that I haven’t thought this through, that I do not sense loopholes in the plan! Because I do, but I can no longer bear the sounds of wailing souls upon my shores Luna, I cannot bear the sight of another wasted soul upon my seas. Will we just sit here and do nothing while countless souls are enslaved to a mere mortal whose powers grow even as we speak? Will we wait until he has grown powerful enough to challenge Sharma herself?’ She cried pointing her hand to the grand throne.
‘We all bear the burden of this calamity Perna, I also hear the cries of those souls as well as you do and I see them as well, which is why we must be cautious. We are not dealing with a mere mortal, not anymore’ replied Luna as she also stood from her throne constructed from blue marble shaped in a new moon. ‘I request the use of the Sina my lady’ she said looking at Sharma.
‘As you please, Luna’ Sharma replied.

Luna walked through the maze of various thrones and when she stood in front of the round large mirror she said ‘ I intend to show two images so you all will see what it is exactly we are facing. She stood with her back arched and her eyes closed, slowly the Sina began to swirl inwards like a whirlpool and filled the room with subtle glow as images began to show upon it.
It was an aerial view of the sea on a moonlit night. The tides dashed upon the rocks with ferocity so great it seemed to break them while the waves softly caressed the sands upon the shore. All seemed as it should be until a lone figure walked towards the shore cloaked from head to toe. He stood close to the shore and slowly pulled of his shoes. He stared at the sea for a while slowly taking in the beauty of the serene environment, the suddenly as if possessed he bellowed like a wild animal in a pitch so loud it vibrated the bedrocks. Green light illuminated into the sea and with it came several wails and agonizing cries as mist poured over the sea and spread across the ocean. This lasted for several minutes until the light as suddenly as it appeared vanished.
‘We all know that he deposits a number of souls at sea Luna that is not news anymore’ said Atripon.
‘Did you notice the direction the souls travelled’ asked Luna
‘They were scattered’
‘Exactly! Now noticed their direction this time’

After several minutes of concentration another image began to surface on the Sina similar to the last except the mist did not spread out to sea. It seemed like it travelled to a specific destination across the ocean. ‘What is he doing?’ whispered one of the gods. The images dissolved as the Sina took back its opaque glass look.
‘He is guiding them to the dead gates’ replied Luna as she opened her eyes ‘which means he knows his way there. If he can travel to the dead gates and return then it is only a matter of time before he gets in’
‘Impossible’ cried Comosi
‘Why? Did a mortal woman not open the gates before? All he requires is the knowledge. Knowledge lost to mortal men in four hundred years of chaos. A knowledge known to only one person as we know it’
‘The girl’ whispered Sharma
‘Exactly, if he finds her there is no stopping him. There must be another way’ replied Luna looking back at Perna as she sat down.
‘But why would he want to open the gates, his association with the demon lord gives him easy access into the underworld?’ asked Atripon
‘He wants to own an army of dead souls’ said the god of war, his voice slowly rising, ‘he wants to wield them for battle, IT IS WAR! He screamed standing up.

‘Sit down Saphron’ said a voice that had not been heard. Everyone including Sharma looked in his direction. It was Mehan- god of discord. Saphron looked at him and then at Sharma who was about to speak when Mehan said again ‘You would rather receive orders from a woman, Oh Saphron, you shame me’
‘Only because you are in danger of seeming stupid Mehan’ spat Saphron.
‘Say that again’ replied Mehan
‘Enough’ screamed Sharma as she stood from her throne. The skies darkened as strong winds blew into the hall. Several seconds passed before she spoke ‘God of war, I beseech you to take your seat’. He did.
She turned to the god of discord ‘If you have something to say lord of trouble then I will suggest you do it swiftly and without drama’
He smiled at her ‘Yes my lady’, he stood up and continued ‘Atripon made a point, the boy does have access to the underworld but Comosi has not sensed his presence there but yet he sends souls totally under his control to Comosi for judgement. Why?
‘Because without the judgement of the council, the souls will not be allowed into the halls of the dead’ replied Comosi
‘A right he was denied’
‘For good reasons, which is why he cannot gain entry through the gates, his evil only gives him access to the city of the damned- the foulest place meant for the worst of men for their deeds, men who sold their souls to the demon lord’
‘Which means that the demon lord has access to that city?’
Yes, they are his slaves; I cannot deny him access to them’
‘And of all the crimes committed on earth what is worse than opening the gates of that city’
‘What are you getting at Mehan?’
‘A girl was condemned for a crime so great that it almost unmade creation, she opened the gates of the city, so it was obvious that she couldn’t be kept there, because of that she was judged to be isolated and for centuries she was forgotten and now he sends emissaries to the gates to be judged. Do you think he is doing you a favour? He said staring at Comosi
‘He is searching for her’ whispered Sharma
‘And it is only a matter of time before he finds her, which is why she must be released to be in the last place he will think to look- amongst men’
Murmurs sprang up filling the hall with inaudible sound for several minutes. Sharma’s turquoise blue eyes locked with Mehan’s emerald green.
‘We have to do this my lady, the time is now’ he said.
‘Sharma you must not, to unleash that creature is to wreck havoc’ shouted Comosi.
‘I understand that she has caused you to lose face my grim friend but the time has come for indeed a change. She will be sent to the world but with her powers stripped from her save two, others she must earn from guardians, which we will choose for her. If in the course of her existence she is able to make her cause our own, then we will prepare her for the task. If she chooses to do otherwise, then we will have no other choice than to destroy her before she finds him’
‘I will personally take that pleasure when it comes to that’ replied Comosi
‘Very well’ said the goddess piercing the hall with her voice,’ send word, let all know that the gods have heard the cries of men will send a champion to release them from their bondage. Tell them that the chain will be broken that all things may start anew’
‘And the time is?’ asked Perna
‘When I decide it is’ replied Sharma, ‘anymore questions?’ she asked looking upon the gods who stared earnestly at her. ‘Very well then, I release you to your duties.’

The gods rose from their various thrones leaving the hall in mass as they left for their various homes, all except Nara who simply sat in her throne carved into a living sweet smelling fruit tree. It was a gift from Mehan when she assumed her duties and it each time she sat in it, the flowers blossomed releasing into the hall a fragrance unlike any other. She sat seeming to stare at her reflection upon the polished floor, but she was lost in her thoughts. How could she explain to Mehan, how would he understand that she meant no harm that she did not want any of this to happen. Sharma would be devastated by her betrayal. She had tried to make amends up to the point of his death, had tried and failed in the end to create a solution but had failed in her attempt to do so.
‘Nara, are you all right?’ she looked up and saw Perna by her side.
‘I did not hear your approach’ Nara replied smiling
‘I know, what ails you Nara?’
‘Nothing I cannot handle I assure you’
‘Are you sure? You look quite pale.’
‘I really am alright.’
‘He is looking at you again’ said Perna
‘Who?’ replied Nara looking in the direction Perna’s eyes were focused
‘Atripon’ Perna replied smiling
Nara saw him staring at her smiling in that irresistible boyish grin of his. It was notorious for working magic upon many women mortal and immortal alike. ‘He chases everything that moves, he is always in a constant state of orgy so if he is looking at me, I am not at all flattered’ she replied.
‘Besides Mehan he is the only other god to not have a mate.’
‘That is understandable, he has his feals, he needs no more company.’
‘You mistake love for physical satisfaction my dear and there is a big difference’
‘I would not know my lady; I am yet to experience either one of the two’
‘How do you do it Nara?’
‘How do I do what?’
‘Check your desires, almost three hundred years and you are yet to lose your maiden head.’
‘I asked Mehan the same question when I arrived here, do you know what he said?’
‘I cannot guess’ replied Perna
‘Focus more on what you can rather than what you cannot and in time you realise that you not inhibited by anyone except yourself, you begin to find a new definition to the word freedom and eventually, you realise the power of choice.’
‘I do not understand.’
‘I am still a virgin only because I choose to be.’
‘And in four hundred years you are yet to find a reason to choose stop being one’
‘You seem more eager for me to lose it than I am’ said Nara looking at Perna
‘I am only curious, that is all, what have I to gain from your decision to stay celibate or not?’
Nara was about to reply but was interrupted by a masculine voice behind her ‘Hello ladies’ both Nara and Perna turned in the direction of the voice to find Atripon leaning on the back frame of Nara’s throne.
‘Atripon, what a surprise, we were just talking about you’ said Perna
‘No we weren’t, you were talking, and I simply gave my reservations’ retorted Nara.
Atripon looked at Nara, bemused by her honesty and then at Perna who was clearly embarrassed by It. He smiled walking forward to stand before her, his looks totally arresting her gaze. Atripon was clearly the most endowed of all the male gods with smooth bronze skin and clean-shaven well-sculpted face adorned with honey brown eyes and red rose lips. He was tall but with muscular build that made him the perfect frame for clothes. He let his brown hair fall freely to his chin. This was his new look, in four hundred years he had worn his hair in several ways and had even initiated styles, which were followed by female gods. She was almost impressed by him had his reputation as a sexually aroused horse not presided him. He bedded almost half the female gods in the heavens and spirits on earth, but was never apologetic about it on the contrary he took great pride in his number of conquests. He crossed his hands over his chest and said to her ‘If your tongue was as soft as your eyes I would have found you a mate’, ‘if you were as competent with your role as you are with your body I would accept your decision’ she replied as she stood up from her throne. ‘Ha! So you do notice me’ he said pointing his finger at her. ‘It is impossible to miss your childish show for attention’ Nara said standing from her seat. ‘I would never have guessed that a frigid ice statue such as yourself would even look, but then again beneath even the coldest of mountains lies a volcano waiting to erupt, all it needs is time and the right amount of pressure to break and reveal itself.’ Perna instinctively covered her dropping jaw with her hands at Atripon’s words and Nara could not hide her pain of the insult in her eyes. She finally said ‘Just because you are the god of love does not give you the right to be obscene’, ‘just because you are self righteous does not mean you know how to love’ he replied
‘Come Nara, let me show you my new chariot’ said Perna pulling at her shoulder
‘Atripon, there you are’, everyone turned to look at Dremon who was walking towards them. Atripon smiled at his approach and Nara held herself in check while Perna simply stared at him. Before them was the oldest and most powerful of all the gods of the lower heavens. He is respected by all but feared by most. Son of Marduk and Nammu, creation began with him yet he chose to stay amongst them never to procreate until his ascension and yet he had refused on two occasions to do so. He was strange but trustworthy and just. He was of few words but plenty of wisdom. It is said that he has no need for ascension because of his ability to cross boundaries but no one knows if that is true. If he sensed tension amongst them, he said nothing of it. ‘Are you busy?’, ‘No Mehan, we are done here’ replied Atripon. ‘No, we are not’ said Nara rather cold, ‘But it can wait, let’s go Perna. By your leave my lord’ she said as she curtseyed and walked past Mehan rather hurriedly followed by Perna.
‘What was that about?’ asked Mehan
‘She is the rudest most obnoxious being I have ever encountered in my entire life’ replied Atripon as he walked with Mehan.
‘She is young Atripon’
‘She is three hundred years old not including the nineteen she spent as a human’
‘Perhaps she throws insults at you to hide her true intentions’
‘The intention to murder a god’
Mehan looked at him and they both laughed at the joke
‘You will be going to Verisa soon.’ Atripon said quietly
‘Yes, away from all of this and as always I…’
‘I know Mehan, you need not ask, you can count on me.’
‘Thank you’
‘Mehan, can I ask you something?’
‘You need a favour?’
‘No, just answers.’
‘I will be as honest as I can’
‘How do you know when the time is right?’
‘Are we talking about you or about me?’ smiling Atripon replied ‘about us both.’
Mehan replied ‘for me the time is always right because I have found what I seek, but for you that is still seeking, you will know your moment when it comes, just don’t search so hard or you just might miss it. Sometimes what we seek is right before our eyes but we look much farther ahead to notice just how close it really is. Think about that.’
‘I will’ Atripon replied
‘Where is Sharma?’ asked Mehan looking around the almost empty hall
‘I thought she was with you’
‘No’