Time: xxxxx

Location: Land of the Gods

A cold wind gusted in from the north, lifting the dead leaves that had fallen over the night to swirl around the somber forms walking aimlessly. The chill from the early morning let those who strayed outside know the snowfall wasn’t too far away.

The rising sun's rays of the day beamed through the branches of rotted trees, their days of growing beautiful leaves no longer a part of their daily routine. A pitch-black bird flew away from his branch to another tree, its cry making the outsiders shiver in fear before quickly making their way to another section of the mountain they decided to climb so early in the morning.

There was no sunrise in the Land of the Gods.

It wasn’t like the stories humans heard, of clouds and bright stars in the middle of the day. Where the sun never rested and everyone lived in peace and nauseating harmony while everyone around them sang kumbaya.

This place, the ones humans would never see, least they ended up being captured and made into experiments, was located in the heart of human’s version of Hell. There was smoldering ash fell in place of rain, jagged black mountains that rose higher than those on Earth towered over the little village that nestled at its base and the seas and rivers were nothing more than dried up. Several larger structures surrounded the areas but the one most of the beings feared was the one building perched on the mountains side overlooking everything else.

That was where they lived.

Powerful beings said to have been born from the womb of the last God. They were feared like demons, and worshipped like Gods.

And they were Gods.

Gods that kept order on Earth and killed any follower that disobeyed.

Gods that with a single snap of their fingers could level mountains destroy cities and enslave those who they feel beneath them.

But there were two out of the eight Gods that ruled, that NO ONE dared to cross in their land.

Orisa, God of Justice and Punishment, was a young woman in her early thirties. . Her long, snow-white hair framed her feminine face and long eyelashes, a contrast to her bronze skin. Her eyes, a stunning green, always looked upon the world in kindness, unlike some of her siblings. If she were in her God form, Orisa would have bared the armor of the Gods before her or a flowing, white dress with gold accents. And unlike her brothers and sisters, who enjoyed terrorizing the lesser beings down below, she stayed in her tower like she was doing down with a keen eye.

“Ummm…God Orisa…” The voice of one of her assistants spoke suddenly from behind her.

“What is it?” The female spoke, slowly turning her gaze to meet the young man.

“Y-your eldest brother sent a message. He’s unable to attend his duties for the next year or so. He’s headed to the human realm to…and I quote ‘to retrieve what has been promised and there is nothing you can say about it you-” He cut himself off and made a disapproved face. “Well I’m not saying that…”

Orisa inhaled sharply, already knowing the word her assistant refused to say, even if it was her older brother’s. She pounded her hands on her desk’s dark oak surface, green eyes lighting up with her growing fury. The messenger took a hesitant step away from his boss, knowing she was known to have a decent temper when it was lost. “So, I suppose my idiotic brother has found another girl to dally with?”

“Not exactly –” The young man passed Orisa a silver embossed envelope, which she immediately ripped into to find out what was so important the HEAD of God’s was off wondering Earth of all times. The woman’s eyes grew large as she read its contents, several times over. She wadded the note up in her hand and threw it with a grunt into the wastebasket when she finished.

“Call a meeting …now. Send Jakal. He’s the fastest Shadow Runner we have.”

The young man bowed and scurried from the room.

As soon as the door clicked closed, Orisa picked up a ruby stone and murmured softly to it. The stone she held was specific to calling her idiot of an elder brother. It lite up brightly and she waited a moment before finally speaking when all she got was silence.

“Oh, not answering are we?” she gritted through her clinched teeth. “Lazarus, you son of a bitch! Next time you decide to make a life altering decision in the middle of your duties, it would be nice if you would INFORM ME FIRST!” She slammed the stone down with so much force it cracked.

“Stupid impetuous man… if only he would treat life with the patience and care that he gives to his damn three eyed crows,” she plopped back down into her chair gauging the best way to explain the missing God of Beginning’s and End to the rest of her family. After thinking long and hard on it, the only answer was to tell them the truth – their leader was off collecting a promised soul from 700 years ago and wouldn’t be back without them. Her head hit the desk with a soft thud as the thoughts of meeting this hastily met and doe-eyed brat flooded her mind. “Stupid, stupid, stupid fucking brother! I hate you. I hate you. I will stab you in the d*** when I see you again!”

Unknown to the God, half her staff were staring at her closed door in shock as she screamed obscurities from behind it.

Orisa, who easily detected things from afar, sensed someone watching her and she slammed open her door, flames engulfing her body. “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!” she hollered in fury.

Her servants scattered and she slammed the door shut once more. Grumbling under her breath, Orisa moved about her office, eyeing the unopened bottle of rich, unopened wine on her table.

She knew she should have drunk something before she woke up that day. Better late than never.