The discussion had already commenced when the Celestial Council chamber was full.It was a wide, round room, made of pale stone, which almost shone in its own light. Chairs were stacked in layers in a center stage in which divine documents were projected slowly spinning around. The chamber was filled with gods--some standing, others seated, all gazing upon the center, as though an important decision were pending.At the top was Eryndor Vale, God of Love. He looked serene, nearly placid. His hands were lightly placed on the armrests of his seat.However he was not listening. He was waiting. Lysithea Vorn, Goddess of Knowledge, was standing in the middle of the room and raised her hand. The floating ledgers swung over to her.Lysithea spoke clearly. “The confederacy of the borderland has made the forbidden curse known.”There was a shudder through the room. A number of gods bent forward.Next spoke Kaedros Halvek, God of War. “By who?”Lysithea responded with alacrity. “Spellbreaker Cae

Caelion Vireth awoke to choking silence.In the beginning there was no sound around him. No wind. No breath. No pulse he could know. Great silence so profound it was unnatural.His eyes gradually opened.He was seated on a throne.Not a throne in palaces. Not anything familiar.This was cut out of dark stone that seemed to be too smooth to be a natural one. Its air was thick, as though it were touching his skin.Caelion did not make a speedy motion.His mind made an attempt to keep up.Seris. said he, faintly.“Seris…” he said faintly.His voice didn’t sound right.It was deeper.He frowned immediately. “What…?”He tried to stand.His muscles responded immediately.Too fast.Too strong.He floundered a little as he forced himself to his feet, one hand holding on to the armrest of the throne.“Not mine,” he said to himself.His body was heavier, not weaker. The opposite. As though it had been constructed to something much more dangerous than that with which he was accustomed.Caelion gazed at his

Caelion had abandoned his attempts to depart. Not that he was contented with it. Since the underworld had shown that it would not happen again should he attempt to do so.His arm was still burning. They were dark and alive and were sitting beneath his skin like a warning. Whenever he went too near the side of the throne hall, they throbbed a little.So he stayed. But to remain was not to give up.Caelion was standing close to the steps of the throne at the bottom, and was observing how the shadows were moving on the ground. Now they followed him. Not closely—but constantly.“You respond to “me, Caelion said.The shadows shifted a little.Not random.Responsive.“you obey me, “he said.This time there was no voice to answer him. But he felt it. The connection. Unwanted. Unfamiliar.bReal.Caelion exhaled slowly. “Then listen carefully.”He stepped forward.“I need a way out.”Silence. Then one of the spirits of the underworld took shape close to the hall.“You already tried to leave, “t

Next time Caelion was not hesitant.When the pull set him free of the underworld, he came back in his messenger incarnation--Lioren Thale--standing again in the heavenly world.This time he was prepared.He fiddled with his sleeves, and brought himself under control by breathing in and out, as he passed into the lower corridors.“Control oneself, “Caelion said to himself. “No mistakes.”The recollection of the moonlight caressing his skin was still fresh. The pain. The shift.He would never allow it to recur.A train of messengers came by him, with closed scrolls.One of them spoke. “Relay station is congested to-day. Council insists upon more circulation.”Another added, “Something about yesterday report.Caelion slowed slightly.Good.That was a shift in attention already.He walked towards the relay chamber.There was a lot of traffic in the message hall.The scrolls were floating in the air and were sorted and redirected by some divine markers. Messengers went to and fro, taking u

Caelion didn’t move for a moment after the file opened. Ascension Candidate: Caelion Vireth.He read it again.Slowly. Carefully.Ensuring that there was no error.“O, there it is,” said Caelion to himself.He moved up to the floating record and put up his hand. The seal was already broken. The contents responded to him easily now.“Shew me all,” Caelion said.The record expanded. More lines appeared. More details. Structured. Official. Impossible to deny.Candidate Status: ApprovedTier of Ascension: Complete Knowledge Integration.Status: Council Majority Waiting Final Confirmation.The eyes of Caelion contracted a little.Complete knowledge, he whisper said.He had heard what that was all about. Everything. No restrictions. No sealed records. No hidden truths. He kept reading.Evaluation Summary:Subject indicates outstanding congruence with Godly absorption levels.Mental resilience: HighStability in power: Operated in extreme conditions.Exposure tolerance: Over acceptable limi