Well, my lovelies, this is the last week of "Postcards" from the Kingdom of Heaven! It's been an absolute joy to guide you through the world of "Angel of Death" thus far. I saved the best and most important city in Heaven for last. For this farewell journey, you are fortunate enough to have one of the Higher Powers guide you. Now, I will warn you to be on your best behavior. While the Pied Piper can be light-hearted, he is quick to remind you that their are consequences to everything...Have fun in Grace!!
Remember: "In the Beginning" is on sale now! If you haven't bought your copy yet, don't miss out! And if you want to be the first to know when these great blogs come out, plus get insider knowledge on what's happening in the series; learn how you can be a "Book Guardian"; and even get occasional freebies, subscribe to my newsletter. It's a twice-monthly newsletter. You just missed Issue 6, but you can still sign up in time for Issue 7 on May 19!
ABOUT YOUR GUIDE
Hello, there, Mortals. I'm glad to see you've made it through this long journey. We've certainly saved the best for last, and I daresay that of all the Angels you've encountered thus far, I am the most well-versed in Mortals and the Earth Realm. I have to be; I'm the Pied Piper, after all. Although I will say Patrise has done well in research. I would apologize for Carmen's coolness, but that is simply who she is. And, quite frankly, I agree with her. I'm uncertain what has caused Fate to want to breech the boundaries between the Heaven and Earth Realms right now, but we are slaves to its will. Especially when we don't currently have a Wielder...
Hmm...? Oh, I'm sorry; I'm getting ahead of myself. I'll circle back round to that in a bit.
I suppose a little about me is the best place to start. My Angelic name is Samuel and being the Pied Piper is my Divine Purpose in Heaven. I reside, here, in Grace with the highly esteemed Guardians and my counter-part, the Wielder of Fate. Have you heard the phrase "It's Time to pay the Piper"? Yes, I'm sure you have. Well, that's me.
From what I understand, there are many folk tales and legends about a "Pied Piper." Some of them are a little closer to the truth than others. But I'm not out to steal your Mortal children for compensation. Ha ha! I've always enjoyed that one.
Here's the real deal about my Purpose. I have to work in tandem with Fate, which means I have to be flexible and constantly ensuring Divine Rule is up to code for the ever-changing world. I'm told Carmen reminded you of the fluidity of magic? Yes, well, since you're all Human Mortals, I imagine this is a new concept to you. Only Creatures have magic in your Realm. It's been that way since Earth Realm was created, I'm afraid.
Anyway, I do not watch over a specific Mortal or group of Mortals as the Shepherds do. As a member of the Higher Powers, I cannot afford to take on Mortal responsibility. Instead, I have to rely on Fate to inform me what is going on in all Three Realms so that I may act accordingly. What does that mean? Small, trivial things, for instance, are not my arena. If you run a stop sign or upset someone with something you've said, I do not personally get involved. Those are what we consider petty sins, here in Heaven. You shouldn't do them, but you won't be denied entry to Heaven when you expire based on those things alone. Fate is permitted to take whatever course it deems necessary and right to bring justice based on your petty sins.
Now, if you commit a felonious act such as running a stop sign and hitting another Mortal; if you murder someone else; if you are a crooked leader in any sense of the word. Those examples barely scratch the surface, but it's those types of heavy actions and behaviors that get me involved personally. I examine you and determine what kind of consequences you must face as a result and Fate is thus guided in that way.
Oh, that makes me sound like the most ruthless Angel, doesn't it? Look, it's not all bad. I often have the opportunity to go into Ecstasy and select prayers to answer. A lot of prayers actually get answered by me because I have the authority to change your current situation to make things better. Unfortunately, some prayers are simply out of my hands. You see, I am at the bottom of the ladder when it comes to the Higher Powers. Therefore, if the Wielder of Fate decides something different, I must abide and so must you.
Confusing? No. Complicated? Quite. You see, being the "Bringer of Consequences," as they sometimes call me is a messy, complex job. I do not have the luxury of screwing up and having someone else come behind me to fix it. No. I am the one who goes behind you to fix things. You don't always like how I fix them, but I promise I'm setting you back on track after you've lost your way. You just have to have faith.
Rest assured, I do this for all the Angels and Hellions as well, including the Lord of Darkness. I was the one who urged he be sent away in the first place, thus creating the even known as The Fall. I can be ruthless when I need to be, but I guarantee it is only for your best interest.
Well, what else is there to know about me...What?...My wings?...Oh, yes! Yes, I'm sorry. I'm used to everyone just knowing about my wings. Here, I'll show you...
As you can see, my wings are grey which makes them different from ordinary Angel wings. White wings, for instance, can only travel in Heaven. They can go to Earth on occasion, but I have a nifty little thing called the Three Day Rule in place for that. If you must know, it means that no Angel of any rank shall go on Earth for more than three days at a Time before their feathers wilt and they turn Mortal. There are some exceptions to the Rule as handed down by those with greater power than myself--most of them have to do with that testy little Balance of Power Statue Patrise showed you--but you aren't entitled to that knowledge.
Anyway, my grey wings mean that I can travel between any of the Three Realms without consequence. The Three Day Rule still applies to Earth, but I have the ability to travel to the Hell Realm. Why would I? Well, believe me, I've had to do that more times than I can count, so it's a good thing I can or Earth would be on fire!
Alright. Enough about me. My job is too complex and we would be here all day if I continued. I know you've already been here twelve Heavenly days. Goodness! An entire Earth month! Quite frankly, I'm surprised you're still standing. Come. I'll take you to the Guardian castles.
GUARDIANS OF GRACE
These are the six castles of our Guardians of Grace along with their own personal Defender.
Each castle is two floors. The living quarters are downstairs while the Observatory is upstairs. By contrast to the Observatories in Utopia, these do not have a globe to reveal all Mortal souls. Instead, they have an Orb. It is a very delicate glass sphere that is suspended in the middle of the Observatory. When not in use, they are dark, almost stone-looking. But when they come alive at the hand of the Guardian, they shine a light that rivals the sun. Guardians can choose to keep the image isolated in the Orb or they can project it onto their domed ceilings for a wider view. What they will see is what Fate needs them to see. Oftentimes, it's a Mortal in danger.
Our Guardians are the action-takers of the Angels. They can flee to Earth temporarily to right a wrong and then return without you even knowing they were there. We have six Guardians and six Defenders in Grace. No more; no less. Why six? Because that's the number Lucien chose in the Divine Treaty! Ha ha! He wanted to have six of his own Dark Angels, and we did not want to be outnumbered, so we kept it even to match him. Have you ever seen a Dark Angel? Yeesh. Let's hope you never have to.
Back to our lovely Guardians. They all came from Utopia at some point in their illustrious careers. What better way to learn to be a Guardian than by first being a Shepherd? We do not choose who is moved from Utopia to Grace, however. That is Fate's job. All I know is the selection has to do with the quality of Life the Shepherd grants to a Mortal. I think that's fairly vague, but perhaps that's just me. Everyone else accepts it for what it is. Of course, the Wielder of Fate has greater insight, but I do not.
Bottom of the heirarchy, remember?
At any rate, the six Guardians that we have right now have been in Grace for varying lengths of Time. Since you know about our different wings, I assume you know about the chords and the gems? Slightly. Well, that's better than nothing, I suppose. All I can tell you about the gems is that they are critical to a Guardian's existence. I'm sorry. That's all I can share. We do have to keep some things from you, you know. The Mortality Rule prevents us from sharing too much.
Let's see, we have Emma; she's been in Grace for five hundred years. She has jade gemstones on her chords. They're quite lovely, actually. She's a strong Angel, good with children, we've found.
Then, there's Leo. He's been a Guardian for just over two hundred years now. He's our newest one. He's still a little shaky on his feet, but he'll be fine. The rose quartz on his chords reminds us that he's still fresh. So cut him some slack. After all, two hundred years isn't as long as it sounds to learn how to manage you Mortals on a more complicated level!
Mason is another Guardian. He lives in this first castle on the right, here. Bright Angel. Great sense of humor. If you ever need a pick-me-up from a rough day, he's the one you want to go to. He's been here for--how long has it been now?--almost six hundred years, I believe. How about that? So in about five years, he'll graduate from carrying rubies to carrying aquamarine in our Gem Ceremony, which is a sacred Angelic ceremony that grants the Angel more power based on their years of experience.
Who else am I missing? Oh, Nora, right! She came in very shortly after Emma, so she also has the jade gemstones on her chords. I always get them mixed up since they live next door to each other and have been here the same length of Time.
Of course, that leads me to Jaxsen. He lives in that castle in the far right corner back there. Jaxsen is...Well, he's unique. He's been around for nine hundred years with amethyst gems on his chords, which is the longest of any of our current Guardians, although not all of that Time has been spent performing his Guardian duties. Jaxsen is a kind Angel, and he's very good when he does his work, but his mischievous. If I had a feather for every Time Jaxsen was punished for stepping out of line, I would have a whole new set of wings!
It doesn't help that he's been in a relationship with Hope, our sixth Guardian, for five hundred years. Hope has been in Grace for seven hundred years. She always wears sapphire to match her sapphire gems on her wings. It's not required; none of the other Guardians do it, but Hope enjoys the coordination, I suppose. I think she also enjoys pushing the limits, something she learned from Jaxsen, no doubt. I will grant you this: neither of them are bad Guardians. When they're called upon, they do their job and they do it masterfully. They just have a very independent mindset that I would not have selected for a Guardian, but it's not up to me.
WEILDER OF FATE
Well, now's as good a Time as any to talk about the Wielder of Fate. This is my counter-part in Grace. Remember when I said each Guardian receives a Defender? Well, I am essentially the Defender of Fate. That is why my Purpose as the Pied Piper is so complex. Not only do I have to care for all of the Angels and Mortals in all Three Realms, but I also have to ensure the safety of Fate and the one who wields it.
I have defended three out of the four Wielders of Fate in my long existence, and each one has proven more rewarding than the last. My predecessor and the first Wielder were--let's just say released together. I have been the only Pied Piper in Grace since, although there have been other Wielders. I've become dear friends with each one, and I'm always surprised with how hard it is to let them go when Fate severs their bond and sends them to the Eternal Pool for their rest.
I know Fate will send me to the Eternal Pool as well one day. Then, I can see my old friends again. But that won't be any Time soon if we don't get a new Wielder to replace the last one!
Here's how this works: The Wielder of Fate is chosen from all of the available Angels in Heaven. Those in Hell could never hope to be the Wielder and neither could anyone already in a position of Higher Power as it requires neither ill nor beneficial intentions. The perfect Wielder of Fate walks the line between good and evil, always giving just enough to either side to keep them happy, but walks the line close enough that the Balance of Power is never thrown off. At the same time, said Wielder has to maintain order on Earth amid the chaos created by both Heaven and Hell.
I would never ask for that Purpose; mine is hard enough some days, without adding in the stress of knowing what is best for everyone.
The Wielder of Fate and I, we exist in what you Mortals would call "the grey area". We often know what the right choice is or the wrong one, but we aren't thinking morally. We're thinking of what's best for the greater survival of the Three Realms. Oftentimes, that is not the same thing as being morally just or unjust.
This is the Castle of Fate. It's large enough that both the Wielder and I can reside together in our own spaces. Ironically, although I serve and protect Fate, I am not permitted to use it. I can only see what Fate wants me to see, if it wants me to see anything. During the absence of a Wielder, such as now, I have a little more access, but not much. I just know that the next Wielder of Fate is destined to be Hope, and it is my job to ensure she bonds with The Hand.
So, the basic gist of Hope's Purpose, once she achieves it, will be to bond with the great marble Hand that is kept in the large Observatory of our castle. She must pass the "Leap of Faith" test in order to successfully bond with The Hand. No one knows what the test is except her, which prevents any outside assistance. What I do know is the test is often the most difficult task an Angel will perform in their existence.
Yet, another reason I would not want that Purpose...
As I was saying, to bond with The Hand means that Hope will be able to push Fate in the right direction. You see, Fate has a mind of its own and, without someone there to help guide it, who knows what condition the Realms would be in! It will be Hope's job to analyze a situation presented to her and choose the most logical path for survival of the Three Realms. Then, the rest of us follow her lead and perform our duties accordingly. Of course, I can offer assistance if she or Fate requests it, but that doesn't happen very often. I'm mostly a leaf bending to the tree of her will as Fate blows us in whatever direction it deems necessary.
Well, that was a beautiful analogy, wasn't it? I'll have to remember to tell that to Hope. Perhaps it will give her a little perspective.
That was a lot of information, I know. Any questions?...Oh, yes! I'm glad you said something. I had no idea our Angels of Wisdom were being so bold with their words--I'll have to talk to them about that later.
But, to answer your question, the Wielder of Fate is the only Angel in all of Heaven who has access to the precise location of the Dark Lord at all times. See that balcony up there? Once Hope earns her role as Wielder of Fate, all she will have to do is stand up there and look out into the distance. Instead of seeing Heaven, she will see a shadow or projection of sorts of where Lucien is no matter where he is. This will help her determine if she's giving him too much power with Fate's direction.
She also has a special library in her Observatory which holds the most precious books in Heaven. I'm sure Carmen showed you the Vault in the Holy Library? Yes, she's quite proud of that. But those books do not begin to touch the books that the Wielder of Fate has in her personal collection. Let's just say those volumes contain information that even Ginysis can never know because it would tip the scales too far.
Although the Wielder and I reside in Grace, here in Heaven, it is only because the Divine Treaty allows it to be so. We are slaves to Fate; Keepers of the Balance of Power. Should it sway too far one way or the other, your Mortal souls on Earth would be in danger. So remember that next Time you pray for peace because your idea might be very different from what needs to happen to secure your future.
Now, Mortals, it appears our Time is up. I hope you got what you came here for because we are all unsure why Fate allowed this visitation of Mortals. But, by the Time you get back to Earth, this will be a fleeting memory, a story you once heard in a book somewhere. Although you will swear to its actuality, everyone else will only view it as fantasy. Instead, you will be left with a story in your head that was told to you once, knowing that you are only in the beginning of the epic that Fate has planned.
I hope you enjoyed this "Postcards" series! I'll be bringing it back after a while when we have a few new locations to visit. Until then, stay up-to-date on all things "Angel of Death" via my social media, my website, and of course my blogs. Next week, we'll have a little time to recoup before moving into the next series I'm calling "Life As Told By...". I'll be posting surveys soon to get your opinion on this one, so keep up with my social media to learn how you can participate!!
And, of course, my newsletter subscribers always get the news first! I'll reveal what the new series is about and how you can participate in Issue 7 of "Quill & Ink" on May 19. If you haven't subscribed yet, do it! Do it now! You won't want to miss out.
Love Always,
Comments