ONE

It is the morning after the night before and the Fallen are taking time to pursue separate endeavours. Beltaracten is amusing himself with some of the female hopefuls at his modelling agency. Ambriel and Azariah are helping out at the hospice. Aristarchus goes to the racetrack. Promising one of the second drivers that he can make him a champion, Arustarchus empowers both him and his car in return for the thrall's faith.

Azazel, meanwhile, searches the office of Justin Vaughan. Here he discovers that many of Vaughan's art treasures are really angelic artefacts so he removes them before the police can confiscate them. Accompanied by Katie Lao, he then heads for Vaughan's home, in the hills overlooking Hong Kong, to do the same. The house has been abandoned, though Azazel does find more angelic artefacts and half of a map written in angelic script. He also wakens an earth golem, which pursues him around the house. However, by stepping sideways, he is able to rescue Katie Lao and escape. Unbeknownst to Azazel, however, the golem is still slowly lumbering in pursuit.

The Fallen congregate at Aristarchus' apartment to discuss the artefacts, most of which the Malefactor is able to identify. At Azazel's insistence, Aristarchus unmakes Schatenkoji's gauntlet, with which Vaughan tried to steal Azazel's soul. Azariah feels that all the artefacts should be destroyed because they are too dangerous, but he is outvoted by the group.

Azazel wants to try infiltrating the temple of the Hollow Sun Brotherhood. It is agreed that Beltaracten, who is the best actor and who can alter his appearance, will go with him. However, when they arrive at the temple, there is no one to deceive. The members of the Hollow Sun Brotherhood have been turned into plants!

The rest of the Fallen gather and gape at the plant people. Their chief suspect is Arael until Aristarchus points of that he was the Lord of Beasts. If he remembers his history correctly, the angel Varilel was the Lady of Plants. Within the temple, the Fallen locate the High Priest Maureen, who has a tree growing out of her spine. She is alive, but seems completely unaware of her surroundings. They locate files on several demons, including themselves, but the information in the files is strongly skewed in favour of Brotherhood philosophy. The also locate the other half of the map, which provides the location of a cave on Lantau Island.

They are just completing their search when the golem arrives, continuing its relentless pursuit of Azazel. While the others keep the creature occupied, Aristarchus summons up his crafting skills and slowly, very slowly, unmakes the golem until there is nothing left but dust.

The five Fallen travel to Lantau Island by ferry and then, following the map, plunge deep into the forest. As they approach their goal, they are attacked by a pack of four flying, fire-breathing tigers. Ambriel attacks one with her flaming sword, but is herself burned by its fiery breath. Aristarchus nimbly dodges a jet of flame while Azazel uses his scythe like a hook to swing himself up onto the back of one of the tigers. Azariah bounds out of the way of a tiger, but, in doing so, he tumbles into a spike-filled pit. Ambriel ducks behind the shelter provided by a large rock while Azazel proceeds to decay the tiger he is riding on. As it rots away, he spreads the tattered raven wings of his cloak and flutters safely to the ground.

Beltaracten step forward and commands the tigers to stop. They do so, landing at his feet and licking his hands. Beltaracten still carries the taint of Arael, left over from when he consumed him, and, as such, he is able to command Arael's pets.

The Fallen enter Arael's cave. Within they find a throne room, a banqueting hall and Arael's bedchamber. Within they bedchamber they locate an orange jumper that is some kind of angelic artefact and Ambriel puts it on. Inside a chest in the throne room they find the bottle that Nathanael made, the one containing the new Eden.

Outside the cave, a crowd of demons, angels, humans and others have gather, all waiting for the five Fallen to emerge…

TWO

Those creatures gathered outside the cave wish to claim the bottle for themselves and they send forth their representatives to negotiate for them. The space within the cave warps. Guest chambers appear for all the new arrivals and the banqueting table expands while the table fills with food and drink.

There are fourteen guests. Xaviel and Damiel are fallen angels representing the Cryptic faction. Mazikeen, war-leader of the Lilim in exile, is here with her colleague Brodack on behalf of the children of Lilith, Adam's first wife. A little girl with blonde pigtails is here to represent the Void. She carries a pink balloon within which is a swirling darkness punctured by flashing teeth. Trianon and Rogin are attending on behalf of the Fae while the two locust like beings represent the Horde, a people none of the others have ever heard of before. Gregory and Amanda, from England, represent a master who cannot travel. Two priests are in attendance also.

The guest list is completed by the Archangel Gabriel. On seeing Beltaracten, she walks over to him and slaps him across the face. She then tells the others that she is here only to observe, not to interfere.

The guests introduce themselves over dinner. Aristarchus makes a comment about the Lilim and, in anger, Brodack hurls a dagger at him. Aristarchus notes that the dagger is made of cold iron. The guests are shown to their rooms and the five Fallen arrange to speak with the factions one at a time.

The Cryptics make their pitch first. Their faction is interested solely in knowledge and they wish to have the bottle so that they can study it, take it apart and find out how it works. In return, they will allow the Fallen unlimited access to the Library, the accumulated knowledge of the Cryptic Faction.

The Fae seek a refuge. Winter is coming to Tir-na-nog. The Fae are dying and their kingdom is falling apart. They wish for somewhere to start over, somewhere that can offer their race a new Spring. They can offer the Fallen little in return, since their kingdom is so near its end, but whatever they have is theirs.

Mazikeen presents the Lilim's case next. She also presents Aristarchus with Brodack's hand, in penance for the insult at the banquet. The Lilim were never cast out of Eden. Their mother, Lilith, left Adam before the Fall. As such, their feel that they are being unfairly punished for man's sins by being denied the chance to return to the garden. They feel that the new Eden is there's by right. However, should the Fallen give it to them, the armies of the Lilim offer their loyal service.

The priests see the new Eden as a way of offering mankind salvation. However, when pressed, they admit that they are not interested in saving all mankind, only those who follow the one true faith. When Aristarchus reveals that he is a fallen angel, the priests attempt to banish him and, when that fails, they leave in disgust.

Darkness is drawing in so the Fallen take a break from their audiences. Beltaracten seeks out Gabriel and explains that he has no memory of his path. Gabriel tells him that they were once lovers, but that, when the war came, he chose Belphegor over her.

During the night, they are woken by a scream coming from the Fae's quarters. Rogin has been murdered, stabbed through the heart with a cold iron blade. Accusations fly, but all agree that they wish to stay until it is decided what will be done with the bottle universe.

Geoffrey and Amanda, the middle-aged English couple, make their case next. They are here on behalf of the demon Sarisel (a name Aristarchus and Azazel recognise as belonging to 'the Gardener of Hell') who, unfortunately, is unable to travel. They claim that he is the true owner of the bottle and that he merely wishes to recover his rightful property.

They are interrupted by the sounds of fighting coming from the guest quarters. Forcing their way there through the crowd of guests, the Fallen discover Brodack of the Lilim wrestling with Damiel, one of the Cryptics. Brodack caught Damiel searching his room. Damiel claims he was simply looking for evidence of the murderer, pointing out that everyone saw Brodack use a cold iron dagger.

Azariah notices blood seeping out from under the door of Gregory and Amanda's room. Stepping inside, he finds that they have both been murdered, torn limb from limb. Azazel uses his powers to read the fate of the corpses. In their last moments, he sees Arael the Devourer attacking them, but Arael is dead, killed and consumed by Beltaracten.

Beltaracten asks Gabriel's advice, fearing that he may have been corrupted by the Devourer's taint. Gabriel assures him that this is not the case, but suggests that maybe his spirit lives on in some kind of artefact. All eyes fall on the jumper Ambriel is wearing. She tries to remove it, but discovers to her horror that it has bonded to her skin.

The insect-like representatives of the Horde approach the five Fallen and offer their services, claiming that they can remove the jumper. When their motives are questioned, they reveal that they are angels from the universe that will follow this one and that they have travelled back in time to ensure that the future transpires the way it should. The Fallen still do not trust them, however, and decline their help. Then the jumper begins to consume Ambriel.

They consider cutting the jumper away, but the bond is such that the trauma would kill Ambriel. Aristarchus suggests summoning Ambriel's spirit out of Sam and then finding her a new host, but Ambriel refuses to sacrifice Sam. Reluctantly, they turn to the Horde for help. The lead insect begins to nibble at the orange garment, slowly stripping it from Sam and taking the energies inside him. By the time the whole jumper has been consumed, the creature is glowing. Without another word, it flees from the skies and then, high in the sky above Lantau Island, it explodes, unable to contain the energies of the angelic artefact.

With the murderer discovered and defeated, there is just one more faction to speak to and the girl representing the Void is invited to join the Fallen. She thanks them for the meal and the entertainment and explains that she is not here to bid for the bottle. All things will be devoured by the Void in time, she explains, even that.

After much discussion, the Fallen decide that the best thing that they can do with the bottle is to leave it in Heaven's care and they give it to Gabriel. She agrees to guard the bottle Eden until the five have learned enough about it to decide what really needs to be done with it.

Goodbyes are made to the remaining guests. Azariah heals Brodacks hand and Beltaracten requests a private audience with Trianon of the Fae. Ambriel, meanwhile, discovers that the Horde have impregnated her with their eggs…

THREE

While the others are searching Nathanael's workshop for any plans relating to the bottle universe, Ambriel's is throwing up. As soon as she gets a private moment with Azariah, she confesses her situation to him. Azazel, meanwhile, is recalling the creation of Haven. Haven was a realm created by the Slayers to house the spirits of deceased mortals. To keep these spirits safe from Heaven's forces, Haven was created as a separate universe in and of itself, similar to the universe that exists within the bottle. The group decide that they best option is to travel to Beijing to consult the library that the Cryptic Faction mentioned.

In Beijing, they discover that the library is not made up of books, but instead consists of demons who have committed all of the facts to memory. The Cryptics will not reveal their secrets without something in exchange, however, so Aristarchus spends some time with them discussing his creations. From the Library, the five learn more about Haven and how it was created by a Slayer named Charon when the woman he loved was killed. In the final battle, when Heaven learned of Haven's existence, Charon fled deep inside Haven, sealing the entrance behind him so that no one else could enter. Many believe that he resides there still and have mounted expeditions to locate him. The Library does not hold the location of an entrance to Haven, but it is believed the Magdiel, a powerful Slayer who occupies the body of Anila Kaul, a London social worker, may know of one entrance.

Before the five Fallen leave, the Cryptics give them some information for free. 'Your friends aren't all that they seem.'

When they arrive in London, Aristarchus uses the internet to find out which office Anila Kaul works at. Then he goes gambling. Azariah goes visiting hospitals, with Ambriel in tow, doing what he can to help, while Azazel checks out London's Chinatown. Beltaracten decides to check out the cities modelling talent. While doing so, he encounters a Defiler named Zaliel, who remembers General Beltaracten from the war. She offers to introduce Beltaracten to her new master, Sarisel, and arranges to meet at two o'clock the next afternoon.

When the Fallen regroup at the hotel, they arrange an appointment with Anila Kaul for 3:30 the next day.

The following day, Azariah and Ambriel return to their hospital visits. They see a young doctor treating a gunshot victim. Once the doctor has stabilised the boy's condition, he heads for the canteen. Warning Azariah that she saw him first, Ambriel follows. She talks to the doctor, whose name is Scott, in the canteen. He is attracted to the woman behind the counter, Elisabeth, but hasn't been able to pluck up the courage to ask her out. Ambriel goes to talk to the girl, who is jealous of Ambriel spending time with Scott. She convinces the two of them to talk to one another and they make a date for the following evening. Ambriel then proceeds to make Scott one of her thralls.

Azariah is still keeping an eye on the gunshot victim, a thirteen year-old black kid called Kevin and, when the boys condition suddenly deteriorates, he is inside the room almost immediately. Laying on hands, Azariah brings the boy back from the brink. His actions, however, were not witnessed by the hospital staff and, when they find him standing over the boy, he is escorted off of the premises by security. Kevin's mother, did see and she approaches him outside the hospital to thank him. Azariah explains his true nature and Kevin's mother asks him if he will speak at her church on Sunday.

Beltaracten meets Zaliel who takes him to a house where her master lives. An elderly woman answers the door and invites the pair of them inside. They make their way through the hallway into the back garden. In an undertone, Zaliel warns Beltaracten not to step on the grass. In the centre of the garden is a tree. It blinks at Beltaracten. This is Sarisel. Flying above Sarisel, not setting foot on the ground, is Lalaroth, a Defiler and Sarisel's other lieutenant.

The five fallen regroup at three and walk to Anila Kaul's office, which is located in Tower Hamlets. On the way, a black kid hurls a bottle, along with a stream of abuse, at them. When the Fallen are shown into her office, Magdiel/Anila is horrified and asks them to leave. They explain who they are and why they are here, but Magdiel still refuses to help. She is doing good work here, helping these kids. It is a long-term project, but it is an important one and she does not want to jeopardise her good work. Angry, Aristarchus asks her if she is saying that they haven't done any good work. What have you done? Magdiel asks. Aristarchus tells her about the kidnapped children. Magdiel wants to know what they did for those children after they freed them. She accuses the five Fallen of treating the symptoms, but not the disease.

There is an Earthbound creature in London, she explains, who has already tried to recruit her to his cause. She leaves him alone, he leaves her alone. He leaves her family alone. She does not want to risk changing that situation. Azazel points out that if she has been seen talking to them then she is already in danger so she might as well helps them. Magdiel again asks them to leave and this time they do so.

A short time later, Ambriel returns and aplogises to Magdiel for the argument. The pair go to a café across the road for a coffee and Magdiel asks Ambriel about herself. She also asks Ambriel when the last time she spoke to Sam's foster parents was. Then, before leaving, she tells Ambriel that there is a gateway to Haven in Highgate cemetery.

When she gets back to the hotel, Ambriel phones her foster parents. Her father answers, overjoyed that she is still alive and wanting to know what happened to her. Voice breaking, he explains that Ambriel's foster mother died during the earthquake I Los Angeles. He asks Ambriel when she will be coming home.

In their hotel room that night, the five Fallen watch news reports of a race riot that has erupted in Tower Hamlets. Scott, the young doctor Ambriel befriended earlier that day, has gone to the area to help the wounded. Tragically, he is injured in the fighting and dies on his way to hospital. Via her link to him, Ambriel feels his pain as he dies. Also in the news, the five learn that Anila Kaul, her husband and their son were killed by a fire at their home. The police believe that the fire was arson. The five attempt a ritual to summon Magdiel's spirit back from the Abyss, but it fails.

The next morning, Azariah goes alone to Tower Hamlets. He sees Kevin's mother and asks her what happened to Kevin. She spits in his face. Kevin is dead, killed by a stray bullet in the previous night's violence. Where were you? she demands. You're an angel, why weren't you here to save us? Stung, Azariah goes in search of those behind the violence and finds a group of black kids calling themselves the Brotherhood of Lucifer. They all have angel tattoos on their upper arms. They complain that they have been oppressed for far to long because of the colour of the skin, kept out of work, persecuted and brutalised by the police. That light over L.A., the appearance of the anger, that was their cue to rise up and take back what's theirs. By force? Azariah asks. If that's what it takes, is the reply.

Azariah asks if there is someone all the gangs respect and he is taken to meet Old Charlie, who is confined to a wheelchair. Old Charlie is like a father figure to many of the boys in the gangs and he shares Azariah's disgust at the violence of the previous nights, but he no longer has the strength to make people listen, to unite the gangs. Shedding his mortal seeming, Azariah takes Old Charlie's hand and lifts him up out of the wheelchair, restoring his strength and vitality. He offers to empower Old Charlie, to make him the leader he should be, but only if he uses his power to unite the gangs in peaceful, non-violent protest. Old Charlie readily agrees.

Ambriel, meanwhile, gets drunk. Very drunk.

Aristarchus locks himself in his hotel room and works on creating and enhancing weapons and armour for the group prior to their trip to Haven. That night, they are all ready (though Ambriel has a hangover) and they make their way to Highgate Cemetery. Azazel can see large numbers of ghosts flitting between the graves. He opens the lantern he recovered from Vaughan's office and its light illuminates a silver pathway leading to one of the tombs. The tomb opens as they approach, revealing a gateway into the spirit realm. The five step through…

They are still in Highgate, but now solid objects seem like smoke. Colour is leached away and a storm rages all around them. The lantern continues to illuminate a narrow silver path and, following that, Azazel leads the way deeper into the tempest. In his haste, Azariah stumbles off of the path, becoming lost in the mists. The other four stop to look for him, but before they can even start, they are assailed by a pack of hungry spectres. Assuming their apocalyptic forms, Aristarchus and Azazel fight them off and, once the pack has dispersed, Azariah emerges from the mist. The group link hands so that no one can get lost again and continue on their way.

When Haven fell, Azazel explains, it was used to make the walls of the Abyss. The Slayers were to be tormented eternally by the cries of the spirits they had tried to save. This closer we get to the Abyss, the stronger the force trying to drag us back in.

His words are wasted, however. Ambriel and Aristarchus have already succumbed and have been pulled back into the prison they hoped never to see again. They are, once more, trapped within the Abyss…

FOUR

Azariah, Azazel and Beltaracten have arrived on an island floating in the void. They can see the remnants of a battle – blood and shattered weapons and armour – but no bodies. As they continue along the silvery path, they encountered a short, red-haired figure sweeping debris off of the path and into the grey myths. He is the janitor, he explains. He is cleaning up all the mess that's been left in Haven. When asked about the battle, he explains that they are fighting the final defence of Haven against the forces of Heaven. They're always fighting, forever and ever.

The three Fallen continue along the path to the next floating island. Here they find and easel with a painting on it. Beltaracten leans closer to get a better look at the picture and he, Azazel and Azariah are sucked into it.

***

Sam Hardcastle and Charlie Windran, no longer sharing their bodies with demons, are in a corridor. The lights don't work and there are puddles of water on the floor. At least, Sam thinks it's water. She's not going to get close enough to find out otherwise. Charlie wants nothing to do with Sam. He thinks she's a demon. Sam tries to reason with him, but her sympathy towards Ambriel only drives Charlie further away. He hates all demons, especially Aristarchus, who took him over.

They arrive in a square, at one side of which is a lift. Sensing something following them, Sam steps into the lift, but Charlie refuses to go with her. As the lift doors close, Sam sees a cloud of glowing sparks descend on Charlie.

Charlie shoots the cloud, but his bullets have no effect. He runs, but is confronted by a cloud coming the other way. It brushes his shoe, which dissolves. A buzzing sound announces the arrival of an electric vehicle. Its arrival causes the clouds to fly away, but Charlie is suspicious of his would-be rescuers and shoots their transport before turning his gun on them. In return, the grey-uniformed men shoot Charlie and he collapses into unconsciousness.

***

Azariah finds him self in a rough, grey-brown landscape populated with crude stick-figures on men, plants and animals. They moved like crude, stilted animation. A group of winged figures approaches him. All hail the glorious Raphael, they say, come to lead us in our final battle against the rebels.

Azazel finds himself in the multi-coloured polyphonic city. Art Deco buildings abound and airships ride through the skies. In the street below, a ragged procession of weary spirits weaves its way through the city. Nervous glances back the way they have come, abound. Spreading his swings, Azazel swoops down to join them. Many bow their heads in his presence as they explain that they are refuges. They are fleeing even deeper into Haven because the forces of Heaven have arrived at the gates. They will be safe in the deep heart of Haven, or so they hope…

Beltaracten is on a beach, a blue sandy beach on the edge of a yellow sea. An orange sunk winks, literally, down at him from a pea-green sky. A melted clock has been draped over the branches of a tree and a penguin soars lazily overhead. Further down the beach is a giant hoofprint and in the hoofprint a number of Defilers are hard at work on a series of paintings. All of the paintings show images of pain and torture and fear and torment. The Defilers explain to General Beltaracten that they are creating Haven.

From the north end of the beach, Azariah approaches, accompanied by the stick figure angels. At the opposite end, Azazel arrives with the refugees. And out at sea, a shape slowly begins to rise from the water, a twisted rider on a pale horse, many miles high.

One of the Defilers drops her brush, terror evident on her face. The Fifth Horseman, she says. The others look to Beltaracten. The Fifth Horsemen, he explains, is written of in Gnostic gospels. And his name that sat on him was Extinction. And Oblivion. He bringeth the end of all time, all space, all life. The end of all gods!

***

Sam is enjoying tea with two of the residents of the tower block who have taken her in when the door to the flat is smashed open. A blond-haired, muscle-bound man strikes a pose and demands, 'Are these old ladies annoying you?' No, Sam replies. 'Are you annoying these old ladies?' This is Pex, self-appointed defender of the tower, of Haven, and he offers Sam his services in finding her way out.

Charlie wakes up. He is tied to a chair in the office of the Chief Caretaker. The Chief Caretaker asks his men if they know who this is. This is the Great Architect, he explains. This is the creator of the tower. Kill him.

Sam and Pex have arrived in Fountain Square for the fifth time and Sam wants to know if he really knows where they are going. Of course, Pex insists, I'm just making sure no one can follow us. They reach the lift and are suddenly surrounded by girls with crossbows. These are the Kangs. They call Pex a cowardly cutlet and want to know if Sam is a Kang. When Sam says she isn't they want to know what she is then. She's not a rezzie (one of the elderly residents) and she's not a Kang and she's not a caretaker and there isn't anything else. Except Pex and he's a cowardly cutlet.

They take her back to their headquarters where Sam is able to get the jukebox to work (by putting money in it). This is new and exciting to the Kangs and they make Sam a Kang too. They ask about Charlie. They tell Sam that he was nearly taken to the cleaners, but instead he was captured by the caretakers. What happens if someone is taken to the cleaners? They are made un-alive.

Charlie has managed to get himself sentence to death four times over for breaking the rules, but Sam and a group of Kangs are able to rescue him (though he is reluctant to go with Sam). They take the lift up to the Pool in the Sky. The Kangs don't want to go because people who go there are made unalive, but Sam convinces them to try. The pool is an open-air swimming-pool at the top of the tower. Like so much else around here is has fallen into disuse and disrepair. Sam and Charlie approach the edge of the tower. Beyond, there is nothing. Just a void.

Azazel wills up a vacuum-cleaner and points it at the Fifth Horseman. It sucks, but the Horseman is too strong for it. And it is getting stronger. With each layer, the Horseman takes on the strength of that layer. In the symbolic layer of the painting, for example, it becomes a symbol of fear and destruction. More than just being a destroyer, it is oblivion itself. This gives Beltaracten an idea. They must lead the Horseman to the Dadaist layer of the painting. Unclear on his plan, Azariah and Azazel nonetheless comply with his wishes. Dadaism, Beltaracten explains, is about reducing a concept to its most absurd form, so the Horseman…

…becomes a wooden rocking-horse. Beltaracten than sets light to the rocking-horse. Unfortunately, this being an oil painting, the painting around them catches fire as well.

***

Since they found nothing – literally – on the roof, Sam decides to try the basement and takes her small army with her. As the lift descends, she asks Pex why the Kangs call him a cowardly cutlet. The Kangs, overhearing the conversation, explain that it's because he hid when the others went off to war. Only the oldsters and the youngsters (and the caretakers) were meant to be left behind, but Pex got left too because he's a cowardly cutlet. But I'm making up for it now, he insists. I'm the defender of the tower. The Kangs laugh.

The basement is dark. Cleaners drift about. And at the end of the corridor are a pair of glowing red eyes. I am Charon, a voice says, the Great Architect. You are vermin, filth that has polluted my beautiful creation. Grovel before me. This makes Charlie angry. He refuses to bow before a demon. Then he feels red-hot daggers penetrating his skull as Charon tries to take control of his mind.

***

Azariah, Azazel and Beltaracten are not in the painting anymore. Instead, they are climbing the side of the mountain. Each of them is holding a coin. The great towers of Haven, carved of black marble, rise up around them. At the top of the mountain is a river and a tall, emaciate figure in a dark robe is waiting beside a ferry. I am Charon, he explains, an aspect of him at least. I am here to take you across the river Styx.

The three Fallen board the boat and Caron pushes off with his pole. There is wine, he says indicating the jug and three cups. Feel free to refresh yourselves. Overhead, an angel is battering against a curtain of blue energy with his scythe. That is Azrael, Charon explains as the boat glides through the veil. He is testing the strength of my barrier. The only way, he believed, we could be sure we could keep Heaven out was if I could keep him out as well.

The boat reaches the far side of the river and Charon asks for their coins. You are beyond the material realm now, he says, it is time to cast material things aside. The three part with their coins and step out onto a plain of grey ash, punctuated by rivers of lava and erupting volcanoes. The path is lined by wooden staves and, amidst the ash, they can see slayers and malefactors working together to forge the molten rock into buildings and other structures.

A spiral staircase leads up and, one by one, the Fallen ascend. They find themselves inside a circular white room. There is no exit, not even back the way they have come. In the centre of the room are three figures. The first is a mortal woman, dead, a sword through her chest. The second is Charon, holding the woman in his arms, tears streaming down his face. The third is Azrael, trying to offer some comfort to his friend while not understanding his grief.

'Don't you understand,' Charon says. 'I loved her. She was mortal and yet I loved her. And now… now her spirit will be taken from me and we will never be together again. We will lose her spirit just as we have lost all the others.'

'I wish there was another way, my friend,' Azrael says. 'But the forces of Heaven found Kasdeja. They will find and destroy any other land of the dead we create.'

'Not if we build it outside Creation.' A fire burns in Charon's eyes. 'If it were a Creation in it's own right, outside of His sight, then, only then, would they be safe. My beloved would be safe and we could be together for eternity.'

'And what would such a place be called?'

'What else? Haven.'

There is a pause and then the conversation repeats, as if the participants are stuck in a loop.

The Fallen examine the walls and the floor, but there are no secret doors, no hidden exits. They try talking to Charon and Azrael, but they ignore them. They try to take hold of them, to force them to listen, but the angels are not solid. The only other solid object is the sword. It is Azazel who reasons it out first.

'We want to enter Haven,' he says, hefting the sword. 'We want to enter the realms of the dead. Who wants to go first?'

And with that, he stabs both Beltaracten and Azariah through the heart before turning the sword on himself.

***

As Charlie struggles to hold onto his mind, Sam steps forward.

'Charon,' she says, 'we're sorry.'

She apologises for polluting his creation and offers to take all of the vermin away with her if he will spare their lives and give them away out. Touched by her words, Charon agrees and tells Sam to get everyone to the great Pool in the Sky. Sam wants to send the Kangs to tell everyone what is going on, but they refuse. They hate the caretakers and the Rezzies. Surprising everyone, Pex volunteers to go. Everybody hates and ridicules him equally.

'I'm not going to be a cowardly cutlet anymore,' he tells Sam. 'I'm going to be like you.'

Soon everybody has gathered on the roof of the building. A great light fills the sky and a golden wheel with dozens of eyes descends towards them. As it gets closer, the light gets brighter until Charlie and Sam can see nothing at all.

When their vision clears, they are standing on a moonlit path. Azariah, Beltaracten and Azazel are there as well. There is a road sign. Back the way they have come is the path of the Universe. Up ahead the road forks into three, the Sun path, the Art path and the Star path. Charlie backs away from the three Fallen, shouting abuse at them. Sam tries to calm him, pointing out that not all demons are bad. What about Ambriel? Charlie tells her what he thinks of Ambriel.

Sam finally snaps and she knocks Charlie out with one punch. Then she spins on her heel and sets of down the path of the Star.

FIVE

Ambriel and Aristarchus have been ripped from their human hosts and thrown back into the Abyss. As they recover their senses, the find themselves standing on an ash filled plain. The sky burns with an angry red light and lumps of charred rock plummet to the ground, lifting plumes of dust where they land. Picking a direction at random, they start to walk.

Up ahead, the see crosses, hundreds of them, lining a road leading to a distant castle. As they get closer, they discover that, nailed to the crosses, are demons. Disgusted, Aristarchus uproots all the crosses they come across. They follow the road in the direction of the castle and see more demons labouring in the fields. Larger, stronger demons stand watch over them, beating them with whips to encourage their labours.

At the gate of the castle, they are greeted by a demon wrapped from head to toe in a heavy cloak. There is a squelching sound as he moves and he gives off the sweet, sickly odour of rotting fruit. This is Riyazgor, a Scourge. He is the grand vizier to Lord Fossegrim, the Devil who rules here. He presents the Lady Ambriel and 'her companion' to Fossegrim who invites them to stay for the ball that evening. All of the great and the good are invited. While Ambriel continues to make small talk with Lord Fossegrim, Aristarchus asks if he might have access to a workshop. There, he begins to fashion weapons for himself and for Ambriel.

***

The moon disappears behind the horizon and the path ahead is illuminated solely by starlight as Sam approaches two waterfalls, one of milk and the other of blood. She stops to appreciate the sight, which allows Azazel, Beltaracten and Azariah (carrying the unconscious Charlie) to catch up. Sam steps through the waterfall of milk and feels spiritually refreshed. Stepping through the waterfall of blood, Azariah finds all of his wounds healed. The others each pick a waterfall and follow their companions.

They pass under an arch, on which is written the word NETZACH. 'It's Hebrew. It means victory,' Beltaracten translates. Beyond the arch is a beach and beyond that is a green sea. Seeing nowhere else to go, the four companions, still carrying Charlie, enter the water.

Sam suddenly finds herself alone and deep underwater. She can still breathe, but she is sinking. A bubble escapes from her mouth. Within the bubble is an image of bugs eating their way out from inside her womb. Overcome by fear, she retreats from the image and finds herself sinking faster. Another bubble escapes, this one showing an image of Magdiel. The image shifts to show her house burning. Shame rises within Sam as she reflects on how she let her down. The image switches her foster parents and she feels worse. The bubble floats away as Sam hangs her head. A third bubble appears. It shows Sam at her school in L.A, protecting another girl from the school bullies. Pride swells within Sam's chest and she reaches out to the image. As her fingers brush the surface of the bubble she feels herself start to rise with it. She grips it tighter and rises faster. Another image, this of her standing up to Charon. Compassion swamps her and again she takes the bubble to herself and again she rises. Now she is approaching the first two bubbles, her shame and her fear. She wants no part of them, but they are part of her and she cannot survive without them. Grasping hold of both of them she speeds towards the surface and is thrown up on to a second beach. She cans see the others emerging from the water as well, having had similar experiences. Of Charlie, however, there is no sign.

***

In the throne room, Fossegrim offers Ambriel some snuff from a jewelled box. Ambriel declines, but Fossegrim inhales a pinch, claiming that it makes him feel like a god. He laughs at his own joke. Aristarchus is labouring in the workshop when he hears someone screaming in pain. The scream is coming from behind a locked door, but Aristarchus makes short work of the lock. The room beyond is a torture chamber, housing dozens of demons. The secretions extracted by their torments are gathered in troughs and channelled into a central vat where they are dried to form a blue-grey powder – snuff.

Guests are beginning to arrive for the ball. Mingling, Ambriel meets a Defiler named Belphegor, one of the great leaders in the war, she was Beltaracten's superior officer and the woman for whom he left Gabriel. She seems to know more about Ambriel and her friends that she could know from within the Abyss, but it is also clear that she sees Fossegrim as a rival. Next, Ambriel speaks to the Lady Anat, a spider-like Fiend. She is the consort of Baal the Departed, who is no longer bound by the Abyss. She foresees a crisis coming to the fiefdoms and tells Ambriel that she will be at the heart of it. She warns against Fossegrim and advises Ambriel that if she is seeking an ally then she could do worse than Belphegor.

Ambriel goes to speak to Aristarchus, who tells her of the torture chamber. When Ambriel tells Aristarchus about Anat, he spots an inconsistency. Since arriving in the Abyss, both he and Ambriel have been unable to use their arcane lores, and yet Anat claims to be able to see the future. It is agreed that they will attempt to depose Fossegrim and, to that end, Aristarchus will begin forging mechanical warriors. Ambriel will approach Belphegor in the hopes of gaining an ally.

She finds Belphegor in her bedchamber and the Defiler agrees to aid Ambriel since it will strengthen her own power-base. However, at this point Fossegrim, Riyazgor and Anat burst in, accompanied by three guards. Anat has been using her powers to spy on them and now they have Belphegor's confession of treason both she and Ambriel can be arrested and executed.

***

Charlie is denying the images. He has woken up in the water and believes that the demons are trying to drown him. Bubbles appear filled with images. One shows Aristarchus entering Charlie's body and Charlie shoots it in anger, bursting the bubble. Another shows Charlie gambling. Charlie shoots that one too. A third shows his suicide and that also gets burst. There is an image showing Charlie designing a new chip. Pride and pleasure rise within Charlie, but they are tinged with suspicion. He believes this is a trick and bursts that bubble too.

Now one of the demons is swimming towards him. The human-looking one – Azariah. Charlie shoots him again and again and again. Then his gun turns to dust in his hand. The skeletal demon – Azazel – is swimming behind him. Charlie panics and trie to swim away, but between them the two demons pin his arms to his side and carry him up to the surface.

Up ahead the paths branch again. They can return via the Star or take the Moon path down to the base of the Tree of Life. Alternatively, they can go onward via the Tower, Death or the Wheel of Fortune. Convinced that Death does not mean literal death, but rather means change, they decide to take that path. The Grim Reaper bars their way. Sam steps forward. The Reaper raises his scythe and crops her in two. Beltaracten tries to sneak around the side of the Reaper, but his scythe magically lengthens and he two his dissected. Azariah and Azazel soon follow.

Charlie watches this wide-eyed. Then turns and heads back the way he came and then takes the Moon path back towards the foot of the Tree. At the end of the path is a gate and standing in front of the gate is Charlie. The first Charlie thinks it’s a trick and the second admits there's no way he can prove otherwise. He does warn Charlie, however, that if he goes through the gate then he will die. Technically, he is already dead. He killed himself and all that keeps him alive is his connection to Aristarchus. Wanting to rid himself of Aristarchus once and for all, Charlie steps through the gate and perhaps on the other side, finally, he finds peace.

***

Aristarchus has finished creating three Donkeycons, clockwork soldiers disguised as mechanical pack mules. As he prepares to start work on another, he hears loud footsteps descending the stairs. Fossegrim's elite Devourer guard have come to arrest him or, if he resists, to kill him. Aristarchus sends his robots into the fray. The Donkeycons are shattered by the guards, but their sacrifice has bought Aristarchus time and now he hurls the heavy forge at the guards. Those not crushed by the heavy object are set alight by it and Aristarchus is able to finish them off before they can raise the alarm. Freeing the demons in the torture chamber, he goes to rescue Ambriel.

Realising that he cannot defeat Fossegrim and all his guards by himself, he instead charges straight past them. Brushed aside, Fossegrim drops his snuff box and it falls straight into Ambriel's hands. Without slowing, Aristarchus barrels into Ambriel and Belphegor and carries them both with him out of the window, gliding down to the plain below.

The three fugitives then begin the long trek back to Belphegor's fiefdom, but their enemies have other plans. Standing at the window, Riyazgor inhales a pinch of snuff and then stretches out a rotting hand. The sky darkens and a fierce wind picks up, buffeting the fugitives. For every step forward the take, the wind drives them two steps back. Then the Scourge turns his attention to Ambriel. Her blood turns to acid and her flish ripples and blisters with disease. She collapses, clutching her chest. They have no option but to stand and fight.

Belphegor calls out to Fossegrim, challenging his right to rule his kingdom. She offers him a duel to the death, unless he is scared of a mere woman. His pride stung, Fossegrim accepts, against the advice of his associates, and a circle is cleared outside his castle. Ambriel offers Belphegor the snuff box and the Defiler takes a pinch, before shedding her cloak and striding into the centre of the circle. Resplendent in battle armour woven from the hides of other demons, Fossegrim strides out to meet her. He strikes first, calling forth a beam of white fire to smite his opponent. Belphegor staggers back, then melts away, become a creature of liquid through which the white light passes harmlessly. She slivers across the challenge circle, wraps her watery arms around Fossegrim and kisses him full on the mouth. Where she touches him, the Devils skin begins to blister and burn as Belphegor's acid eats away at him.

Dark clouds are gathering overhead. Fossegrim becomes a creature of fire as he wrestles with Belphegor, but, tenaciously, she holds on. Unable to find anything else to burn, Fossegrim's fire starts to feed on his own flesh and he screams. Catching sight of Ambriel, Belphegor winks at her, then a bright fork of lightning crackles down from the black sky. When the light fades, Belphegor is standing in the centre of the circle, alone. Seeing the tide of events turning against them, Anat takes hold of Riyazgor's soft hand and summons a portal, through which the pair of them escape. Belphegor proceeds to make her claim to Fossegrim's fiefdom.

***

Sam, Azazel, Azariah and Beltaracten find themselves in the sixth sphere, Tiphereth, once more in one peace. Everything is gold and filled with light. As the walk across the grass, they see statues of Baldur, Attis, Dionysis and Osiris, representatives of reincarnation. Then, over the rise, four figures approach them: Ambriel, Eddie, Richard and John. They explain that they are the heroes' guardian angels. Angels get guardians too, Richard explains. Tiphereth is the lowest point on the celestial circle, the point at which the mortal realm touches the angelic. Lowest and highest meet. The eight walk past a statue of Christ nailed to the cross. God and man at their lowest and their highest, Richard repeats. The sin is there in everything they… we do, but never forget that the divine's there just the same.

Outside Tiphereth, the choice of paths are Art, the Devil, Adjustment, the Lovers, the High Priestess, the Emperor, the Hermit and (going back) Death. The look to Beltaracten's occult knowledge for an explanation of the meaning of the paths and decide upon the Lovers. This is Gemini and it is the Sword, which in turn represents intellect. It is the path of division and analysis, the examination of contrary ideas and then the synthesis of the same to give rise to a solution. Images rise and fall at either side of the path. On the left, Cain. On the right, Abel. Left, Man. Right Woman. The dove and the snake. The way is blocked by a wooden gate. Azariah tries to open it, but it will not budge. The synthesis of opposites, his guardian reminds him. Azariah looks to Azazel. One is life, the other is death, but working together, the doors will open for them.

We have to leave you now, Richard says, but remember this: you were all chosen for a reason. It is no accident that your paths crossed. You have different abilities, different view points, different takes on life and on death, but it is only by working together, by synthesising those conflicting points of view that you will be able to change the world. The guardian angels fade away and then the ground beneath the feet of our heroes collapses and they fall into darkness.

They land on a dark plain of ash. The word DAATH is carved onto an arch that stands over the remains of the statue of a beggar. Beltaracten approaches the statue and then stands ramrod straight and starts speaking in a voice that is not is own. He talks of the false sephira, of the realm of knowledge, now lost, and of how the tree was shattered in the rebellion that broke the universe in two. They are lost, he says, they are all lost, now and forever.

Ambriel and Aristarchus approach their companions and inform them that they have fallen into the Abyss. Azariah and the others insist that they must try and find a way out, but Aristarchus and Ambriel attempt to discourage them. They say that they can do more good here, helping Belphegor to unite the demons in to a single force for good. When they have done that, then and only then will they have an army capable of saving the world beyond the walls of the Abyss.

Ambriel and Aristarchus take the others to Fossegrim's tower, claiming that he was working on a means to transport an army out of the Abyss. The tower has been abandoned, but they is a huge mirror in the basement house in a frame decorated with delicate silver filagree and clockwork. Aristarchus says that he may be able to get it working, but it would require months, if not years of study. Azariah, meanwhile, has climbed to the top of the tower and, from there, can see another arch. Beyond the arch is a set of stairs leading out of the Abyss.

Telling the others, he takes to the air and heads for the arch. Beltaracten remains hidden in the tower, concerned by Belphegor's involvement and not wanting to do anything that might attract her attention. Ambriel reached the arch first and positions herself in front of it, with Sam standing in from if her. Azazel asks her to move. Ambriel refuses so Azazel charges her. Believing that he will not hurt his friend, Ambriel stays where she is, and suffers hideous damage when Azazel strikes her with his decaying touch.

Azariah tackles Aristarchus, but the armoured demon barely notices. Instead, he causes the earth at the base of the stairs to rise up. It buries Ambriel, but Azazel is already bounding up the stairs and out of the way. Sam, hypnotised by Ambriel, attacks Azariah with the flaming sword. Azariah fends her off with his staff. Beltaracten arrives, disguised as Belphegor, but Aristarchus is not fooled. He attacks both Azariah and Beltaracten with his multiple arms so Beltaracten lashes out and blinds him permanently. Unable to see his enemies, Aristarchus summons a whirlwind of dirt and rocks around him which where’s away the stone of the arch and the flesh of Ambriel who is still trapped at the foot of the stairs. Beltaracten runs for cover and, carrying Sam, Azariah follows. From high up on the stairs, Azazel lifts a stone. Waiting for his moment, he throws it with all his stregth and it strikes Aristarchus on the head, knocking him out.

This was not the Abyss, not the Abyss the Fallen are familiar with at any rate. This was another stage on the Tree of Life and 'Ambriel' and 'Aristarchus' were illusions. Resignedly, Azazel, Azariah, Beltaracten and Sam continue on their way.

The staircase leads to a meadow and a river. Butterflies flutter about them. The river leads into a cave and, over the cave mouth is the symbol of a downward-pointing triangle. Wading knee deep in warm water, the four companions enter the cave. Moths settle on the clothing and the smell of perfume honey reaches their nostrils.

Sam is suddenly elsewhere. She is approached by the spirit of woman, the two Marys, virgin and magdelene, in one. They talk. When their discussion is over and Sam's spirit returns to her body, she and the three Fallen are leaving the cave and are greeted by yet another choice of paths.

They choose to follow the path of the Empress and reach a door on which is carved the image of a woman with a flower opening in her hands. The Empress is many throned, many minded and many willed, Beltaracten quotes. She represents unity. Linking hands, the four companions step through the door, together.

Their next stop is Chokmah. As the last sphere represented woman, so this is man. The environment is grey and vague, unfinished, and the sky is filled with all the constellations of the Zodiac. Ahead of them is a chasm and across the chasm is a bridge formed of interlocking wooden wands. Azariah takes a step forward, but his foot slips through the wands. They are intangible. In magic, Beltaracten explains, wands represent will. Bearing this in mind, Azariah tries again, focussing on his belief that the bridge is solid. This time the wands support his weight and he slowly makes his way across, followed by Sam and Beltaracten. Azazel decides not to wait. Summoning up all of his will, he simply believes that he is already on the other side of the chasm… and so he is.

As the continue along the path, mist rises from their backs. Multi-coloured smoke drifts away behind them as they shed all distractions and enter the highest sphere, Kether, clad only in their fundamental spirit.

Kather is everything and nothing. It is the idea from which everything else arises and it is the point at which everything is one. The heroes are swallowed up by this unity, within the womb, they have come home. And yet their still have tasks to perform, wrongs to right, a world to save, and they can only do this by sacrificing paradise and reclaiming their individuality. Each must look inside themselves to find the core values that make them unique and, having done that, to find the courage to step away.

They find Charon. He is consumed by sorrow. He created Haven so that he could be with his love, but she is not here and he is still alone. Asked about Haven, Charon explains that the energies required to hold the universe together are enormous and the only force they could find that would work was pain. Of course, with all the spirits of the dead trapped here, pain and sorrow were in abundant supply. He does not know what could be providing the energy for the bottle universe, but Sam recalls the kidnapped girls. Charon tells her that children, with their vast imaginations, would be perfect. He also confirms that Sarisel was one of the original architects who worked on Haven.

Azazel approaches Charon and suggests that it is time to end Haven. As on Slayer to another, you must realise that all things have an ending. Charon does not know if he has the strength to destroy his creation, so Azazel tells him that they will do it together. The serpent climbs the tree, seeking life and paradise at its summit. Jumping from the crown, the Fallen and Sam take the path of the dove, descending back to the material world, to death, sacrificing themselves for the chance to save mankind.