The Heaven Stone Prologue

                             The Saddest Miracle......

         High, high up in the cloudy sky and much farther up the side of a mountain than any mortal could ever hope to see, there was a secret grove. This sacred place lay nestled in the shadows of three great slabs of black crystal amd these jarra stones rested one against the other in a jumble that served as the only entrance into this particularly isolated place. Three High Priests of the Divine Faith had come in the night on orders from the Prelacy that led them. One was from Nevryth while another was from Neratia and the last was from the island nation of Fehl Rayad. Silver barked Tarakan trees grew up out of the earth here in a loose thorny circle around a small patch of grass. The tarakan looked like wrinkled bones at a quick glance or two but if one looked at just their leaves, the six points were still the deepest darkest green in all the lands of Illyir. Once the three priests had taken great care in seeing to their mounts, and after they had left the beasts watered with a bag of seed hanging from a branch or two these High Priests burned some incense and prayed to the Divine. All the while they each kept a careful eye on the advance of a shaft of moonlight towards the heart of the grove.

         During the daylight the mountain on which this grove was found was gray and blue. When the sun shone on it just so, anyone could see that the mountain was a mix of bedrock and oroka stone. Little things like the grove of tarakan trees hundreds of feet from the ground were nothing more than specks lost among all of its peaks and canyons.

         On this night however moonlight filtered into the grove through gaps in the clouds. In the eastern sky the bull shaped constellation Geterok showed its mighty horns and other stars added their meager lights too. Other constellations like the Warrior and the Priest, the Cross and the Cup, all of these could be seen in other parts of the sky where they most usually shone.

         Though fog clearly engulfed most of the mountain and the foothills below it, and had for days already, none was in evidence within the stand of tarakan.....

         A month ago, a blazing red star had fallen from the sky. Before its fiery descent there was a storm such as never before felt or seen in Neveryth. Clouds had rolled across the heavens flickering with the ghostly light of wild lightning strikes within all the while rain pounded down on villages and towns across the whole nation for hours on end. At first, the storm had been a slight drizzle in the hours before dusk. There were some darker rain clouds present but nothing to suggest the wrath of the storm that engulfed them. As daylight fell the rain fall picked up intensity, falling faster and harder until it was all but roaring to the ear as it hammered the earth. Then it began to thunder.

         Great peals of it blasted and cracked with blistering force in a wave across the sky. The heart of the storm seethed and raged while echoes of the thunder boomed in all of the narrow streets and alleyways across Nevryth. Some of the people it was later rumored had even been struck white with fear of the storm at the time.

         Later in the night a man from Mulrehnin saw the red star fall. He had been comforting his startled livestock when he happened to look up in the moment the star chose to hurl itself from heaven. Though he gaped in wonder at the phenomenon the man knew at once what must be done and so he hurried off on a horse which was hastily saddled towards the church near his home. The man told all of what he had seen, and the elderly priest, upon hearing this wrote a message and sent it to the Prelacy. The arrival of the news had caused panic and chaos within the Prelacy. A red star falling from the sky was an ill omen. It meant something terrible was about to occur.

A full cycle of the moon later, now, these three men had departed from the Prelacy in Bela Virdis and ridden north into the mountains. It took them hours to find the trail and when at last they did, it was not until dusk that they reached this grove. Even upon first glimpse they knew the time had come. The butterflies and birds that normally inhabited the place were gone and every breath sounded like a roaring blast.

         Kandestro had led the way into the grove. He had ridden in silence, leading his horse carefully over a fallen log here and around a larger stone there that were in the way while Zharukan and Valustra rode behind. Kandestro was a tall old man with a long beard that stretched nearly to his knees. He had wild unkempt white hair and a gaunt leathery face with high prominent cheekbones, slighty pointed ears and a rather large nose. His eyebrows were thick and bushy. They hung low over his deep set silvery eyes. When he spoke, and he often liked to hear the sound of his voice, Kandestro sounded like gravel covered smothered in honey. Valustra was short and pudgy, shaped more like a barrel than anything else. The High Priest from Neratia was a generally happy sort of man with a seemingly permanent smile on his face. He had a black beard but he was otherwise bald except for a few tufts of grey hair above his ears. There was a hint a mischief in Valustra's eyes. The other, Zharukan was a waifish blond haired priest with a braided beard and a cleft chin. He was not yet accustomed to his position of power within the Prelacy. He had a distant look in his wild turqoise gaze. It was the Prelacy's belief that his very presence here would help Zharukan accept his place within the folds of the Faith. In truth, both of his brother-of-the-cloth hoped it did so as well. All three of them wore hooded black robes and carried wooden staffs carved with scenes of the woodlands at their tips and each robe bore an elaborate gray falcon on the back.

         Moss grew thick on the ground here amid small clusters of mushrooms. The moss clung to the mountainside and tendrils of it reached upward into the three jarra crystals too. It was very peaceful in the grove. Very peaceful indeed.

         "Captain Holimon?" Kandestro called out softly, trying hard not to disturb the heavy silence.

         "Yes my lord?" a heavyset man with a red streaked moustache answered stepping out from the shadows of the jarra stones. Several other men could be seen shifting and moving quietly behind him. Holimon and the others were the escort the Prelacy had sent their high priests to the mountain with.

         "How are the rest of your men captain?" Kandestro asked. Holimon glanced back over his shoulder into the entrance of the grove and put his hands on his hips. " Well now, I would be lying if I said some of them weren't anxious for something to fight but for the most part they're all greatly honoured to be entrusted with this duty my lord " Holimon responded, licking his lips after. " I have to ask my lord, we are all curious." he said carefully. Holimon pointed at the Flower. " That is the divine Flower of Creation am I right?"

         Kandestro nodded. "It is." "Well, and I thought so " Holimon said. Then he tugged on his moustache and added, " So the Prelacy brought us along in case the Darkness comes uninvited. Ah it makes sense now. Thank you my Lord. Is there anything I can do for you?" " No Holimon," Kandestro answered. " You may return to the others and continue watching the tunnels. In a few hours it will be over. Keep your men's spirits up Captain. Go now, my fellow priests and I must begin our work. Come a little bit closer you two. Zharukan. Valusta! Come, come now. Link hands with mine so that we can complete the circle. We will have plenty of hours yet to wait out the light." And so they joined hands. Holimon meanwhile, moved into the shadows of the entrance again, greeted his men and once more stood vigil.

         Zharukan took his place on Kandestro's left side, grabbing the offered hand in a warm grasp and Valustra chose to stand on his other side, clasping that hand in a cold, sweaty embrace. All together they linked arms over the object that lay at their feet and closed their eyes. They began to chant softly. The words they spoke were old, as old as the scripture that founded their Faith:


                             Lady of the Crescent,
                             Of the Fates of mortal man,

                             Lady of all the Realms of Illyir,
                             And everything that lies in between.

                             Lord of the Mist,
                             Of the Wildwood,
                             Of the grand Abode
                             And its most secret nooks and crannies,

                             We observe this rite of Thankfulness.
                             We hope that it will please Thee.

                             Lady of the Crescent,
                             Of the Floret,
                             Of all the raging Abysses,

                             Lord of the Heavens,
                             Of the Adventurous,
                             And the unending Immortal warmth,

                             O Lady of the Vague,
                             Of Nightmares,
                             Of the unwashed stench of                              the Mortal masses,

                             O Lord of the Unbroken,
                             Of Omens, good or bad,

                             Lord of the Abandoned,
                             Great Saving Light in the Dark,

                             Our adulation burns like an inferno.
                             Our devotion rises like a whirlwind.

         For a few moments after, they simply remained linked, unable or perhaps unwilling to sever the chain forged between them. Finally Kandestro severed the link. Each of them took out a long, tapered white candle from their robes. Kandestro dug a bit deeper into his pockets and produced a flint box. Once he had his own candle lit, Kandestro helped Zharukan and Valustra light their own. Then Kandestro held his overhead.

         "Lord among Lords and Lady of all Ladies, " Kandestro intoned, " We ask only to watch and to attend." Beside him, Valustra slowly raised his candle overhead. He glanced quickly at Kandestro who nodded. "Lord among Lords and Lady of all Ladies, " Valustra repeated, struggling hard to keep his face straight. "We ask only to watch and to attend." They waited. Zharukan sighed, cleared his throat and sighed again. His overly large adam's apple bobbed up and down visably. The blond haired priest raised his own candle slowly. Zharukan's voice was weak as though he were indecisive, teetering on the brink of boredom. He managed his part well enough though to see him through the ordeal. "Lord among Lords," Zoleuhn managed to croak out, "Lady of all Ladies. We ask only to watch."

         The flame of his candle wavered as his hands shook a little. "We ask only to attend" he croaked at last.

         "Let it be Divine will." Kandestro said tipping the candle in his hands. "Let it be Divine will." Zharukan and Valustra intoned together, joining their flame to Kandestro's.

         Three tongues of fire flared brilliantly and became one larger stronger flame. Its cadence washed over all three of them and lightened their hearts immensely. The light burned away dark doubts and even darker despairs such as there were in Kandestro, Zharukan and Valustra's hearts and it washed away the fears that had up until then been slithering quietly, unknowingly in the backs of their minds. Now those same fear vanished into thin air and in their place grew new hope and confidences that renewed them. The light brightened.

         The flame of the three candles continued to burn unheeded, and if anyone noticed it lengthening, flickering in wisps higher than normal, not one of them said a word. Even Zharukan concentrated on conquering his inward demons for the moment. His mind had a tendancy to wander. "Breath inward, then out. Softly now, " Kandestro instructed them, leading them in a ceremony only they three knew. " Try to calm yourselves, center yourselves on the image of the Divine if you must but anything that will steady you will do. I have found the purity of water truly calms me personally."

         As he spoke the words, Kandestro was doing exactly what he asked of them.

         The High Priest from Nevryth focused his mind on the image of s trail of bubbles floating to the surface in deep water. The bubbles drifted past his face. Kandestro made himself feel wave after wave pass through his body in the water. He subconsciously buckling under its silky touch. Every bit of sound distorted and stretched, slowing down to basic monotones heard down and Kandestro breathed in deeply, listening to the delerious rush of oxygen to his lungs, of blood to his head. Some more bubbles trailed upwards.

         On Kandestro's left side Zharukan appeared lost in his thought. The blond haired priest's gaze was far off and dreamy. Like he was in a different world all to himself. Valustra was staring into the threefold flame. The brilliance of the candle's sparkled in the fatter man's eyes. A faint quiver tugged at the corner of Valustra's lips though, underscoring the seriousness of his stare. Even now the priest was struggling to control his irrational laughter it seemed.

         Kandestro felt the water flow away from him as peace descended. He felt light and hearty and giddy all at once. " Praise be the Lord and the Lady! " he whispered ferverently. Valustra smiled, peeking at him through one half opened eye. " Aye, praise be indeed!." The High Priest from Neratia pointed upward with a meaty thumb.

         The candles had somehow managed to drift apart and yet a flame continued to burn where they had formed it. Kandestro gasped. Zharukan echoed him. " Sweet merciful Divinity," Zharukan gasped as Valustra's grin widened. " Aye its true. " Valustra declared cheerfully. " There is something maleficent afoot. I have felt it in my bones for some time now. I just can not tell what or where this dark thing is. The flower here is proof of it."

         Kandestro lowered his candle. " I myself have felt nothing like what you describe," he said. " Nothing like that perse, though I have seen the dark stain on humanity clearly enough and that is good enough for me. We know this place actually exists, thanks to the clues in the scripture. If not for those we would never have found ourselves here I assure you. So what more proof does one need? Yes Valustra, I agree. Part of me wishes that this miracle does not happen. Not at all. I think I am more afraid of what is to follow the Blossoming."

         Valustra and Zharukan lowered their candles together, though the blond haired priest never once looked up from his. " You're not alone in your fear Kandestro, nor in your wish." The fat priest said hugged himself. " And now I am shivering! Look at that! I fear the consequences of this night just as much as you Kandestro, as well as any of us should fear it! It is not a dainty happy miracle this one. No. This is the most bitter, world destroying kind of miracle I have ever heard about. There is no happy ending to this one. No, instead all of the good people get to die and only a handful of predestined, chosen people will get to survive everything. This kind of miracle I could definately do without." " Nevertheless," Zharukan cut in arguing, "We are here to preserve this unique event and the other men, the warriors are here to keep its unravelling mystery a secret from the Legions of the Dark."

         Zharukan eyed both of the priests with his strange turqoise eyes. " Well? Am I not right?,' he demanded somewhat imperiously. It was the truth after all. The Prelacy had charged them with the duty of keeping the location of the grove a secret. They meant to hide this thing at all and any costs.

         After a fashion all three of these High Priests agreed with the idea. Kandestro believed the knowledge that the Flower of Creation represented would cause unnecessary panic in the wrong hands. Other's within the Prelacy were more concerned with the Dark's tendancy to twist and turn everything the Faith said.

"Yes Zharukan," Kandestro agreed. " You are right. It is vitally important that the Legions of the Dark never learns of this. The Divine granted us the chance to help our people, however slight or trivial, and I mean to capitalize on it. The Divine might even have offered us a way to lessen the effects of the Apocalypse." If that was possible. The Legions of the Dark would never allow them to slow the end game though. Not even for a heartbeat. Not if one of them ever learned the truth of things.

         Above them the flame that they had apparently conjured in a world where no magick had ever existed was bright and steady. The fact that it was there, when Kandestro and his kind strove so very hard to denounce magick and all of its arcane workings sent shivers down each of their spines every time one of them even glanced at it.

         The Prelacy had ordered them to master the hidden trail, to find the sanctified grove and then to bear witness to whatever unfolded and report the matter immediately after. Kandestro, Valustra and Zharukan had accomplished all of these things. All except the last. They had also completed the opening rites. So now the gateways would be open. All they had to do was wait. Wait and see.


                                                           + + + + + +


         Much later faint, ghostly wisps of fog were slowly creeping around the bases of the tree trunks, slithering between all the cracks and gaps in the wrinkled bark and drifting inward beyond the trees to engulf every blade of grass inside the grove. The moon still shone high up in the sky though it was now in the decline. It had been doing so for a short while now. Gradually one of them saw the fog pooling around their ankles.

"By all that is divine!" whispered Zharukan, clearly awed. The fog rippled whenever his feet shifted. " Well this is interesting " Kandestro said stroking his beard. " I wonder why all of this fog now? Why was it not here before? Hmmmm".

         It wouldn't take long now Kandestro knew, but even so he paced nervously to and fro between the trees, his cloak flapping left and right.

         For more than a quarter of a century the Prelacy had been waiting for these very moments. It was stuff right out of the most holy scriptures. The Prelacy had been busy quietly bidding its time. Years had been spent in total secrecy.

         Kandestro paused now in mid stride, peering intently at the flower, seeing minute veins in its golden leaves. Maybe it was a trick of the moon's light or maybe there was just something in Kandestro's eye but the flower looked like it was throbbing for an instant. He blinked, rubbing his eye and looked anew just to be sure but the illusion was gone.

         Valustra and Zharukan both glanced at Kandestro wrly. He suspected they had just both seen what he had. None of them quite knew what to expect in the days to come. The prophecy written in the scripture foretold of a coming doom. Cities shattered. Nations sundered. It was whispered that the whole world would be destroyed. Would Illyir cease to exist? None of them liked that prospect overly much. And that was the problem. So much about the Flower of Creation still remained a mystery. It was a hard and bitter truth. The same scriptures that spoke of this looming apocalypse also claimed that this flower's blossoming would be the last, saddest miracle in the current world.

         In the long hours that had passed since they had first arrived, Kandestro, Valustra and Zharukan had talked about what each of them thought the Blooming might bring along with it.

         It looked like such a small, fragile thing, though the High Priests all knew it was anything but. They would not be fooled by appearances.

         Kandestro glanced from the Flower to the moonbeam and back again. The flower was throbbing! He could see tiny crystaline hairs on the leaves and thorny casing uncurling and straightening. So he hadn't been imagining things after all. The hour was definately near at hand.

         Kandestro felt the truth of it singing to him in his bones. He saw Valustra giggling madly. Zharukan was waving to them both urgently trying to get them to look at the flower.

         Kandestro's heart very nearly leapt into his throat. Beside him, Valustra laughed even harder and louder, praising the Divine with every manageable breath.

"Look!" Zharukan all but shouted. " There are cracks forming on the flower's outer shell!."

         Kandestro was deeply frightened by the prospect in a way. Knowing as little as they did....he could see as well as any other present that the moonlight had yet to touch the flower though. Zharukan's voice was filled with awe as he whispered to Kandestro and Valustra, " this is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." Valustra chortled, subsiding finally into a wheezing snicker. "Yes," Valustra gasped. "Yes, this is indeed a wonderous sight!".

         Kandestro could see the shaft of light was no more than a hair's width away now. He had forgotten all about it. His heart hammered harder in his chest. The distance of seperation was so slight that it could scarcely be seen and it was maddening, to be forced to just sit there and wait. But wait he must. Kandestro knew it must be bothering the other two as well. The tension among them was palpable.

         As if he'd been thinking about it out loud something strange began to happen. Not right away. Not all at once. At first it was only a soft breeze, the merest hint of a rustling in the leaves but high over their heads tarakan branches began to sway and twist, grinding up against each other.

         Then the fog seemed to ripple and tremble. Tendrils of the fog now twisted and twined their way up the High Priest's cloaks, though none of them noticed. All of their eyes lay on the flower. Not one of them could bear to look anywhere else.

         The moonlight flowed over the Flower of Creation and well beyond it into the trees behind. The moon's light was more than adequate to blanket the small grove. "What!-" Kandestro began and was startled into silence with his hands half way to his lips. There was an orange splotch he hadn't noticed before on the silver thread of his embroidered cloak. He frowned at it, and brought his hand closer to wipe it away. And then he realized what it was.

         Kandestro gaped at the Flower of Creation. The once hard, thorny outer casing on the blossom had cracked open a tiny bit and it was through these narrow fissures that molten orange light shone brilliantly. It dawned on him slowly that this light was coming from inside a flower and granted, ordinarily such a wild and insane thought would have driven him blindly into the hills, it was strangely comforting to him now.

         Kandestro heard Valustra say they ought to begin the second rites since the Blossoming looked to be underway. Kandestro could only nod. His mind was reeling from what his eyes were seeing. He remembered the words to the rite of healing quickly enough. He was always quick like that. He could remember even the most trivial bit of knowledge. Kandestro offered up his most confident smile at Valustra. "I believe that would be wise," Kandestro said after a moment. " We must waste no more time. Zharukan! Dammit man, come now snap out of it. Join us here in the now and take your accustomed place on my right. Yalustra, for this rite you may lead us. Do you remember the words or shall I prompt you?"

         Valustra clasped his hands together gleefully. "Yes, yes I remember the wording! I think I do! You can prompt me if I forget at all, though I doubt I shall."

         Kandestro stood waiting hands by his sides. Shafts of molten light played upon his face now and again. It made his eyes look like blood. "Well then, Valustra, be so kind. Please begin."

         Valustra bobbed his head. At his command each took a deep breath and once more clasped their hands together.

" Lady of the Crescent," the fat priest intoned grandly. " and Lord of the Mists. May the light shine on me." Valustra said all of this with his eyes closed. He continued by adding," I alone of my kinsmen serve the Body with faith and with resolve. I call upon the Body now, asking only that it serve as the foundation for a Greater Good." Valustra knelt then kissed the earth. He appeared to wiggly his fingers in the air the bowed low once more. Above him, Zharukan's turqoise eyes sought Kandestro's bloody silver.

         The High Priest from Nevryth noddeded briskly at the High Priest of the Isles. " Lady of all the Realms of Illyir, Lord of the Heavens" Zharukan croaked. He struggled, muttering to himself and then said, " I alone of my fellow priests serve the Mind with faith and with resolve."

         Kandestro smiled then. He felt pride bloom in his heart. The others had performed their parts perfectly. He had had doubts with Zharukan but in the end, even the Fehl Rayadin had pulled himself together. Kandestro glanced at the Flower of Creation. Cracks were forming along one whole side of the thorny casing. Minute hairline fissures to be sure but the molten light was bursting through these cracks and the natural moonlight was slowly being subverted by it.

         " I call upon the Mind now, " Zharukan croaked louder, fighting against a brisk gust of wind that rustled more than a few leaves, " I ask only that it serve as the boundaries by which the foundation is contained. For the Greater Good. " Then Zharukan knelt and followed Valustra's lead, kissing the earth as the High Priest of Neratia had and wiggled his own finger in the air much like Valustra had too. Kandestro paused for a moment watching the flame floating above their heads. He took another deep breath to steady himself. To collect his thoughts. As he did so, flakes of crystal fell from the Flower's shell now and then and beams of molten light shot outward.

         "Lady of the Crescent" Kandestro intoned gravelly, "Lord of the Mist." A gust of wind shot through the grove, rustling his cloak. Valustra giggled as his hood fell down low over his head. " We have travelled far at once to attend Your saddest of Miracle. We do so with great humility."

         Kandestro bowed his head, then he continued. " I alone of my fellow priests serve the Soul with faith and with resolve. I call upon the Soul now but I ask only that it serve as the limitations by which the foundation of the Body is contained by the boundaries of the Mind." Then he too knelt and repeated what the other High Priests had already done.

         Another blast of wind, this time from seemingly right above their heads slammed down on their backs and snuffed out the flame they had conjured.

         The fog rippled and writhed anew. With a loud crack the crystaline shell split apart and tumbled into the grass. Instantly molten orange light engulfed the grove. Valustra's strangled wheezing laughter mingled with Zharukan's horrified cry of alarm and Kandestro's own startled gasp. They had all gone blind.

         Warm light beat at their eyelids, squinted tightly shut, and it sang in their ears. It sang of life and of love. The light sang of health too. They saw a golden sunrise unfold and welcome them with dozens of smiling faces and beautiful voices. Ethereal gates swam past their blinded eyes.

         Then someone spoke to them through the song of light. It was not a voice known to any of them. They knew they were supposed to be alone. None of them had betrayed the grove to any other soul. That was the truth.

         This interloper seemed to be speaking from some place above them. Another truth was that the three High Priests felt at once instinctively that they had nothing to fear from this being. There was no darkness to it whatsoever. The voice was gentle and melodious but distinctly male in its low pitch.

         " The Divine Light favors you, " the newcomer told each of them in turn, touching the tops of their heads with his hands.. " I am Neruas and I was sent from the Golden Courts to give you three this message." Beneath the intensity of the light's song they heard feathers brushing against the ground. Neruas said, " This miracle which you, Kandestro have named this most saddest miracle of all miracles is truly the last of all the Divine miracles. There will be no others of its kind after this."

         For the span of a few heartbeats no one spoke and then Neruas told them, " These are the last days. An apocalypse is coming will be the worst of its kind ever to be unleashed upon a world such as Illyir. It will break apart your lands in its fury and you will be scattered in the wind."

         Kandestro was appalled. "Is there nothing we can do?"

{indent{He sensed rather than saw Neruas shake his head. He knew that he had when Neruas said, " There is nothing that you or any one else can do now. All that remains for you three is survival. You must Kandestro! You and your priests. There will be need of you men of wisdom in the world that is to come."

         Neruas touched Kandestro on the shoulder gently. "The people will have need of you in the times to come Kandestro," Neruas told him. Then he spoke to the High Priest of Nevryth in his mind. Be warned Kandestro. The people will have need of you more so than any other here. Certain things have been preordained and cannot be changed one way or another but some things are not so constant. One among you here tonight is going to make a grave mistake and it may very well lead to your own destruction Kandestro. Be careful and wary in the days following this last, saddest of DIvine miracles. Kandestro raised his head from the ground, staring blindly upward to where he guessed Neruas to be standing. Or floating. Or whatever. Remember well what I have said, Neruas' voice echoed inside Kandestro's head. Remember it always and may the Divine protect you. Then, as abruptly as he had seemingly appeared, Neruas was gone and the light's song grew louder.

         In Neruas' absence the song grew louder and heavier, piercing through their skin and their meat and their guts, far down into the marrow of their bones. It pierced down into the pits of their souls and then the power of the song consumed them. It used them up and drew them into the arms of oblivion. And all the while, the molten light grew brighter and brighter and brighter until it was everything. When there was nothing else, when all sense of self or other or thing ceased to exist and there was only the undying light, a vision took form.

         They saw a room made of stone with a window with lacy curtains. There was a bed and a woman in it. Other people, man and woman stood crowding around the bed and a man dressed like a priest raised his hands to the ceiling. Everyone seemed to be laughing and smiling. The woman held something in her arms in the bed.

         She held a beautiful baby boy in her arms. His innocent little eyes sought each and every face in the room and when it found them, it smiled warmly. Light seemed to pour from the baby. The woman tilted her head to one side, a look of supreme happiness on her face. And behind the woman in the bed stood an angel clad in a long flowing white robe with large wings and curly golden hair. The angel had his arms crossed though he too had a warm, pleased smile upon his face. The angel stepped back into the shadows and slipped unnoticed from the room. He paused only once, hovering just outside the bed chamber's window and took one last lingering look at the face of the baby messiah. The angel locked eyes with the baby and felt his heart soar. He smiled and waved shyly. Then Neruas flew up into the night sky.

This concludes the prologue to this particular story. Part one will be posted as soon as possible. Advice on the above is greatly appreciated as always. I hope you enjoy reading :)