CHAPTER THREE
History Unfolding Part 3
Harken Back to the Counsel of Olympus
(3 Remaining)
For the Record: I am writing this on November 18, 2024.
Why does this matter? Because this is the last day of the Iron Age of Man, man being the operative noun. Tomorrow, Pluto moves into Aquarius. For those that have been tracking the Age of Aquarius, this is the moment we have all been waiting for. Let the Enlightenment begin. Tomorrow we move into the Dawn of The New Golden Age of Humankind. It’s about fucking time. Yes, I can swear and still be enlightened. There is a rage brewing beneath the surface that has erupted in measurable amounts but is nothing like what lays in wait in full. This is not going to be all peace, love and understanding. We are in the midst of the Wrath of Gaia. Never before seen atmospheric anomalies are occurring. This will continue and escalate. Gaia is rising up. The earth is a living organism fighting for her own survival against the abuse she has sustained at the hands of her stewards whose responsibility it was to protect her. A lot of that abuse became especially violent towards her while Pluto was in Capricorn. It’s been a bad marriage rife with the kind of domestic violence that will eventually result in severe consequences of one kind or another. This is our final warning.
Aquarius is the reigning sign of Humanitarianism. Pluto will be in Aquarius for almost two decades. If you are not prepared for it, your ignorance may come back to bite you in the ass. If you think the Humanitarian energy means tea and sympathy, think again. Humanitarians are the warriors of change. They are the warriors you need to fear the most because they fight for principles. They don’t fight for land, religion, freedom or mineral rights. They battle to the death for what they stand for. True Humanitarians should be feared when they come together under a cause or against a thorn in their side. Between the rise of the Wrath of Gaia and the Dawn of the New Golden Age of Humankind, we are in for a really bumpy ride and everyone needs to buckle up or buck up. You’re call,
The reason I digress before finishing the introductions of the New Counsel of Olympus is to prepare for the threefold. Three has always been the magick number. From trinities to Fates to The Witching Hour, things to the power of three have deeper meaning. Three remaining was intentional on my part - for this day. Starting with the Forge. Lord of the Iron and the End of the Age.
LORD FORGE
Brought forth to bear by the great God, Hephaestus, Forge was named for who he is and what he does - better than anyone else. Forge ahead. He is the Alchemist who can turn Iron into Gold. As the Second Co-Chair of the Fifth Chair, he prefers to take a back seat to the Conventions of Counsel. He is the strong, silent type. Being of Hephaestus, he did inherit a limp due to one leg being shorter than the other by conception. This is a trait. Traits cannot be undone by Omnipotence. As a result of the limp, Forge was forced to endure a hunched form which interfered with his work in metallurgy. Annoyed, he finally resolved the problem for himself. He crafted the finest sword he could devise, of the strongest material available to him which he further cast and hew until it could cut through anything with a single slice. Even the leg of a God. One fell swoop later - problem solved. He threw the offending leg into the fire and attached a new one he had fashioned already, from the same material. Then he proceeded to make more to fit for any and every occasion. His collection of prosthetic legs impressively lines the walls of his domain/workshop. Forge resides by the furnace stoked by the Eternal Flame of Olympus. Forge is one tough God.
Forge never made mention of this change, and likewise, no one else did either. Hephaestus attempted to approach him on the subject, thought better of it and chose instead to simply nod his head in approval of the best work he had ever seen. That was the end of any discussion. First off, if you decide there is a need to confront Forge on any matter, one must bear in mind, he is intimidating. He is the second tallest Lord on Counsel, the widest, massive in the muscle he has built up in Omnipotence through his time in blacksmithing, his favorite craft, and very much a brute if he chooses. He is dark skinned, has steel gray eyes, a braided beard and shaved head. He sits cross-armed with the appropriate body language that discourages any second guessing.
His Omnipotence courses through him like molten metal. He will be the one to Iron out any difficulties that may arise. He is the The Craftsperson, The Alchemist, The Prevailing Hermetic and The Hermit. He has almost no personality. He has very little use for one. He is much too busy to worry about it and gives zero fucks what anyone thinks of him.
There was definitely much discussion that ensued over the choice of Forge for a seat and what seat on Counsel. It was one of those motions where the deciding vote had to be cast by Lord Blaze. Obviously, we know what his decision was. Some think it is because, in his own way, and by virtue of his Apparent Legacy, not to mention the willingness to dispense with his own leg knowing he himself could craft a better one himself, Forge is hot. That would not go unnoticed by Blaze. Or maybe he just likes him. That’s possible.
They share a similar reluctance when it comes to being a God. Forge distances himself from it and hides behind his work. He is responsible for designing, crafting and imbuing all the weaponry of the Gods. That does take up a lot of his time. His other preoccupation, strangely enough, is his Pool Table. When not working, he will be practicing his bank shots and clearing the table. Of course, he made it himself, by hand. He spent ages on it.
Forge has chosen to ignore Omnipresence unless by undeniable necessity. He is the Lord you least want to call on anyways. When there is a necessity, he rises to the occasion of his destiny to protect Olympus at any cost. Olympus is his greatest love and being an Olympian is his greatest source of pride.
Knowing that he was not conceived in idea or brought forth through inception by the most handsome of Gods, Forge chooses instead, to lean into his appearance in form or manifestation, rather than shy away from it. He does not try otherwise, He is always Forge, such as he is, and he has a much better handle on himself because of it. He often only dresses from the waist down, and dons a maker's apron while working. His helmet is his calling card. Embedded within it are the bejeweled eyes of a tiger. Adorning it are the plumage of a Raven. Alongside where it holds to his head, are the serpents and he covers his eyes with a visor made from the night sky. He will wear tight fitting leggings of flame resistant fabric that prevent his clothing from catching on anything, and heavy boots that you can hear coming as he approaches. Nyx was the only Lordess eager to sit alongside him because he does not make her nervous at all. She would gladly be his best friend in the Universe if he allowed that to be the case.
Omniscience is the easiest for Forge. The Craft is at the heart of all things for him. He can master any weapon. He is always seeking to improve on them. His work is his passion. His one concern for most is how ominous he can be. However, they know that could prove to come in very favorable for them at some point in time. They must rise above it themselves, for themselves in the MeanTime. That is their task at hand.
Don’t Hail Lord Forge. Hail Olympus if you don’t want to upset him.
LORDESS MARIANAS
(Named for the Trench)
Conceived of by the way and waves of Hermes, who inherited the Oceans subsequent to the retirement of Poseidon, Marianas is named for the deepest of the deep blue seas On Earth as in Heaven. Marnie is the First Co-Chair of the Sixth and Final Chair on Counsel. She is also a mermaid, when in her own environment. She has legs on land. Long and shapely, with nary a hair in sight. She glides in heeled sandals and is the most demure of all Lordesses. Slightly shy and nervous, she feels very much like the fish out of water when called upon to sit. She has never made a single motion to Counsel. Her Second Co-Chair doesn’t mind. She has the longest hair of ringlets which she usually wears up and out of her way. Still, she will not cut it. She likes the way it flows behind her in the waters off Olympus. Her originator and sometimes proud father, Hermes, knows she is the fastest swimmer in all of Olympus due to the strength of her fishtail.
Marnie is an acrobat in the Ocean. What she is capable of in the water is the very thing legends are made of. She can create whirlpools, tidal waves, tsunamis, hurricanes, monsoons and riptides to her “heart’s” content. She can truly stir things up. She can surf on the strength of her tail on waves she raised up to her satisfaction, hair trailing behind her while she expertly rips through a tube all the way to the shore, where she quickly dives back in before legs appear. She longs for the power of the wind to her name as well instead of having to rely on it through Nature’s Way. Not a good idea though, because Marnie is always discontent. For no particular reason. Even at her happiest, while catching the best wave she ever managed to conjure up, she will wish it was better than that. For her, something is forever lacking. She associates with something outside herself, but really, it comes from within.
It is not a lack of beauty. Certainly not a lack of standing or legacy. There is no lack of love for her. But named for the Trench, the deepest recesses of her needs quite get met. She is often polishing her iridescent tail to its finest sheen and glory, only momentarily satisfied with the results before she might start again, if she is not distracted away from it by some well-meaning creature of the sea. This will occur most often by her gifted caretaker in residence, the aged water nymph Bless, who keeps a watchful eye on her. Sadly, Marnie struggles with an Obsessive Compulsive Nature. She has difficulty sustaining a relationship as a result of this nature and feels there is only one God deserving of her full attention. Blaze. However, he could never return that same attention in full. He is a Lord divided. So she cycles through other possibilities. Hypersexuality goes with the territory of OCD. This does not go against her in her calling because everybody knows where she gets it from. The racing mind of Hermes. (Mr. Mercurial himself.)
Her Omnipotence is the Sands of Time. Either ocean bed or beach, shifting sands mark the passage of time. All history is written in the Sands of Time. Marnie can, because of her acute nature and perception, spot a single grain out of place. This will irk her. Every grain represents a moment in time. She is constantly charged with the responsibility of accounting for them. Time is of the Essence.
When not otherwise occupied by distraction, from one instance or intervention, or another, Marnie loves to decorate her domain, and redecorate her domain, etc. etc. In a temple under the ocean where her familiars reside, she has a most generous space to call her own, and she will seek out the finery she desires most at the moment and fill her space with pillows and throws of the softest and most luxurious fabrics in a bevy of colors. She will line the walls with draperies and the floors with carpets woven by hand. Her bed is the focal point, large and round and piled high with linens, comforters, and yes, even more pillows. Her wardrobe is always bursting at the seams with what seems like an endless array of fashion. Hermes Beloved and Betrothed at this time is always seeking to borrow from her. Marnie lets her and then gets annoyed at herself for letting her.
Marnie’s hallmark is her sigh. A sigh from her speaks volumes. While it can mean many things specifically, it always means a growing disinterest on her part in the midst of whatever might be going on at the time. It can mean the end of an entire discussion if Marnie checks out. Many have been tabled for a later date. No one can argue with her about it since the Sands of Time run through her. At times, it is necessary to walk on eggshells around her or leave her out of it until necessary because it is not as though she is going to take any initiative. But her opinion does matter very much so it is a balancing act. Blaze must be extremely delicate with her feelings, understanding that she is in love with him, while he adores her but also (secretly) feels for her. He would never want to hurt her, but, also, would inevitably hurt her unknowingly.
Still waters run deep and deep waters run still. This is the Omnipresence of Marianas. She glides, she slides, she has even been known to creep up on you, awake or asleep. While she can create a storm from a single current or a hurricane from a single drop of rain if the conditions are right, you might not even realize she is there.
Marianas is every mermaid you have ever seen in books or movies, from cartoon to realistic through CG - and then some. Her ringlets are the colors of mother-of-pearl. Her eyes are emerald green. Her skin is radiant, her tail majestic and catches the light in brilliance with hues that range through her chakras. Marnie is highly stylish and has strands of pearls for whatever look she aspires to that day. Her skin has a slight bluish undertone while her cheeks are peaches and cream. She is also, due to her athleticism, able to drown - well, let’s just leave it at that. There are remains at the bottom of the Trench that may never be identified. People do try to get into Olympus with ill intent through the sea. All it takes is one grain of sand out of place for them to lose their way. After All, the Sirens blessed her as well.
She has the Omniessence (not Omniscience like the others) of time being on her side. That is due to her equal distribution of attributes as a Lordess and a Mermaid. She also has Hermes to thank for that, because he was always one of the most cleverest of all Gods. He was quick on the uptake. When he decided to conceive of a Legacy, he called in all the reinforcements available to him oceanwide. Including the Kraken. That subject will emerge later.
Suffice it to say, Marnie has a dark side. Everybody has a dark side. Not everybody has her dark side.
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
All Hail Lordess Marianas. The pride and joy of Hermes.
THE MODERN MYTH
(Equivalency Test)
There is a myth that a God in Heaven, named Jehovah, sent his only begotten son to earth. Firstly, “only begotten son”? For a God of his age. Really? Only one? I find that very hard to believe right off the top. Well, this myth takes hold and becomes universally accepted and believed by millions as supported by the scribes of that time that wrote it all down. This became a book that many live by. The stories told within have the same kinds of exaggerations that would keep you in food and lodging those days. This book is full of great stories. I will give it that. The problem is when it becomes Gospel, something is lost in translation. It stops being a really great book.
You know what else is a great book. The combined The Iliad and The Odyssey. Amazing reads! Love them. Again, fantastic stories. Not gospel though. There is the Book of the Dead. Not Gospel. The Quran. Gospel. There are Gods that are real. Jehovah and Allah come to mind. Then there are Gods that are not real and never were. These ones are figments of the imagination of the people at that time who needed to try and explain the world in which they lived and establish some kind of hierarchy. No similarities whatsoever there? So what makes Jehovah real and Zeus not? What makes Allah real and Osiris not. Short answer - nothing. Certainly, no empirical data of any kind.
Whatever you believe that makes you want to be a better person for your own sake and the sake of others is all you need to believe. You can make it up yourself and make it up as you go along. There are no hard and fast rules to “belief”. No one belief is any better than any other unless it serves your interest, and then it is only better for you and others like you, but not for everyone. Your belief can be religion, a modern construct in the organizational sense, or it can be science. Your belief can be philosophy or literature, creativity or Agnosticism. If it rings true to you and helps you to be true to yourself and move through this life in harmony, your belief is in line with your existence. What it offers you in return is determined by the belief you resonate with. None of it is Gospel. Gospel is a myth. A sometimes really good one, but still just a myth.
There are no limitations placed on belief and Heaven is expansive enough to be able to accommodate and include all of them. But discluding any of them is Unequal and Inequitable and Unacceptable. That pisses some Gods off who feel like they are being pushed aside and not receiving equal time where they can do some good without taking anything away from anybody, unless there is resistance. There are, however, rights that exist in Heaven as on Earth. One of those preeminent rights are Rights of Redemption and they go both ways. Just as mortals are redeemable beings, deities of any kind or designation are redeemable beings.
There are realms that exist in Heaven. There are different areas within Heaven. Heaven beyond the veil is massive and goes all the way to High Heaven, for now. How and where does heaven exist in relationship to Earth and within the galaxy it inhabits? It is not somewhere in the sky or the stars. Heaven is a transcendental plane of existence for energy beings of different distinctions but is real to anyone who lives there. Pure energy can appear to have form but that is a manifestation. In Heaven, there is no form. All presence of any kind is manifestation, otherwise, it is energy in its purest form - which is light and light beings . The space between two stars would be enough room for a Heaven to fit all life on earth that is and has been. But since Heaven is not a fixed plane, it can be anywhere, anytime and subject to change. Heaven is not any one thing. Heaven is the greatest convergence of ALL.
This is an oversimplification of extremely complex layers of understanding, but there is a reason I bring this up. There are mortals that, to this day, go to Olympus Underworld when they depart this mortal coil. This is not going to hell or “Hades” for all time. This is the redemption process they are entitled to based on their belief that Olympus and the Olympians, old and new, serve them best. Yes, there are people like me that believe that Olympus is real and want to go to Olympus when they die. Many of them since and still. And after crossing the River Styx, accepting their judgment, taking their rightful place at that time and resolving their residual karma, they can be redeemed. They may go to the Elysian Fields, or they may choose to join the mortal populace in spirit that inhabits Olympus and become “community”. Or, they may choose to rise to the occasion of a destiny in mind and Ascend into Godhood. One such soul has Ascended enough (but not quite all the way) to represent mortality on The New Counsel of Olympus. She is the Second Co-Chair of the Sixth and Final Chair. And the First mortal to ever sit on a Counsel of Gods.
ASCENDANT RHE
(Somewhat of a Mysterhe)
Rhe, as she is now known, made it to Erebus fully aware of where she was but having no recollection of who she used to be, from whence she came or who she else by name she had in her life. She did not remember parents, siblings, friends or lovers, if any. That was entirely consumed by the River Styx in crossing. Upon passing through the portal of Erebus, she wandered down a long hall with twists and turns that took further into the recesses of her own soul and tested her merit. If she turned back, her chance at redemption would be lost. This would mean she did not have the merit to warrant another chance. There were some pretty dark turns along the way that caused her to tremble at her own inadequacies. She shed tears where she knew she had failed herself, and thus, any others. There was a cold and lonely spot where she dropped to the icy floor and curled up in the fetal position and whimpered and shivered herself into a restless slumber. She felt feverish and overcome with thirst. If she didn’t remind herself she was already dead, she would have preferred to die at that moment. She had to remind herself, but this was perhaps the most devastating revelation. To tell yourself you are dead and accept the truth of your own demise is gut wrenching, to say the least. She almost wished she had gone into the light instead - almost. But she had longed for this to be her outcome. She had longed for Olympus.
Finally, and with great effort, she pulled herself to her feet and inched her way along the corridor until she came to yet another turn. There was a flicker of a flame towards the end. A torch fastened to the top of the wall. This was her first indication she was on the right track. The torch was hers to bear for the rest of the way. The path began to rise ever so slowly from there. The darkest recess turned into minor infractions she could live with. She rested a little more often now, aware that she was not in the same hurry as before to escape herself. She reconciled her faults much easier and faster than her failings. She could not be perfect here. She just had to be a good enough person for her own liking. Once she could admit to that honestly, she could rest. It did take time. How much time cannot be measured in minutes or hours or days or even months. It takes as long as it takes. And it did. She made it to the juncture. There she found a door that led to a small, unadorned room with a mat and a pillow and a single blanket. To her, it was the most comfortable room she had ever known. There, she rested.
For an indeterminate amount of time, she meditated on the failings until she felt sure she knew exactly where she went wrong and what she should have done instead and what she would do next time, given the chance. There were some visceral reactions, including dry heaves and the feeling of being stripped naked to her core. She felt they were fair. Still, in conclusion, she determined that she had been a good enough person for the most part. She breathed a long, low sigh of relief. She had been. Over All, Rhe was a good person, everything considered.
Eventually, she was retrieved by a gentle guide who took her to her panel for final judgment and disposition. She was given her choices from there. She could stay in Erebus and assist with a good life to her name and a truly comfortable position. She could go back through the tunnels and try again to unburden herself entirely for an Eternity in the Elysian Fields. Bliss forever. She could find her place in community and carry on her mortality in spirit or she could accept the occasion of her destiny that was in mind for her as determined by The Fates and ascend further, and possibly into Godhood. Rhe chose Ascension.
She wanted to see the Olympus she had dreamed about. The one that called her for as long as she could remember. That still lived inside her. Rhe was taken to the Chamber to await to ready herself through study and more meditation. She adopted her new name there. Rhe it was. Eventually, Rhe moved on to Olympus. She was assigned to the Great Hall of Justice under the watchful eye of Athena and her attendants. Rhe helped keep house and took to her position and the challenges she faced with a quiet determination. She had strength of character and the will to listen and learn. She became transcended, but her destiny was still in abeyance. Of course, it is not so clear cut as being told what it is. It is set in mind as intended for you. You must follow your path from there and eventually realize the occasion of your destiny and rise to it.
One day it was determined that she could decide her own way forward and take charge of her own life from there. Rhe knew she wanted to work and earn her way and stay as best she could. She was offered the opportunity for discernment on where she could best apply her efforts in that regard. She readily accepted, thinking that would be the right thing to do. Expediency in mind, she requested direction by discernment. It may have been the right thing to do. It certainly didn’t seem that way to anyone subsequent to discernment by none other than Athena herself. Here is where The Fates have their day and their way. Rhe was directed to Apprentice under the direction of Lord Forge. No one wants that.
Pretoria, who by now had become a friend to her, turned pale and felt that this was unfair given Rhe was only transcended at the time. Tory was worried this would cost Rhe any chance she had at Ascension into Godhood. Secretly, she did not think that Rhe would last a day in the Forge. This was not “work” as she intended it to be. This was toil under the tutelage of the Lord named for it and one with it. One being how he saw things. He would never go for this and that would be that. With her Ascension on the line, Rhe had to find a way forward. She was, by now, familiar with her surroundings and was not about to lose ground. Rhe believed she was destined for Godhood. Suddenly, the only thing coming between her and Ascension was a single, solitary Lord who could prove her wrong with an unceremonious dismissal. Even if it was by discernment, he could decline and he was the type of God to decline. Yes, there would be recourse available. Justice to prevail. And Justice was on her side. Her prospects did not look good. She was not sure what her reputation would be. She requested to follow through on discernment. Knowing Forge, being somewhat in kind and in keeping with him - relatively speaking, Pretoria, determined to look out for her, agreed to escort her.
So it was set. Rhe fretted when suddenly one thing came to her mind from her time in reconciliation of her Karma. If she had the chance to do it over again, she would do it right. Whatever that was, because it had long since left her. But the understanding was there. You only have one chance to make a good first impression. She had failed herself there with a reluctance on her part for whatever reason. She had delayed herself and rushed herself out the door at the last minute, and was caught unprepared. Not this time. She had to make the right first impression. It had to be good. She poured over the list of things she thought she was good at, looking for one that resonated with her for this challenge to move forward with her life. Her own life in Olympus. That was what she was striving for. The one thing she knew for certain she was really good at was baking her favorite thing. Pies. She had a knack for pies. The flaky crust was her specialty. The combination of flavors and spices had to be mouth-wateringly on point. They had to reflect her environment. She could not rely on any old standard. This had to be the right pie for the occasion. She landed on fig, apple and toasted walnut in a sweet, sticky sauce with deep rich spices and a slight touch of black pepper to enhance the depth of flavor and add a touch of heat. It took her three tries. Once satisfied with the result, she readies herself as best she could. She gave herself as much time as she needed. She took her time. Then she steadied herself and off they went to The Forge.
Who knew Forge had a sweet tooth? None did. This is where they found out. This was not an interview. She offered him the pie upon introduction. Pretoria had her misgivings until she saw the way he looked at it. This was a look she had never seen. His curiosity was obvious. He studied it briefly, then took hold of it. He inhaled the essence of the pie and the work that went into it. He did not plate a piece or offer any to anyone else. He dug his hand in, threw a sampling in his mouth, savored it momentarily, then inhaled it, licking his fingers afterwards, all the while, looking a Rhe as if she were a bug he was deciding between crushing and letting live. She could tell he tasted the hint of pepper and it was to his liking. The extra heat was the right call. He took the pie over to a table, sat there and ate it down. He looked over and gave Pretoria a nod. That was it.
Rhe moved into The Forge that day. She had her own room, her own table to work away at and strict boundaries she adhered to. She was given leather, tools, pots of molten metals, jewels and all the knowledge she needed to do his finishing work, which, as chance would have it, was his least favorite but highly sought after by Olympians who preferred their weapons to look the part on the behalf, as much as do the job. Rhe loved her apprenticeship. This suited her. Her designs became more intricate, her hands more steady and her resolve rooted in her own determination. They shared the responsibilities of The Forge and living together. There were other attendants that came and went, but Rhe stayed on. She cooked for them. He cleared afterwards. She would go to the market once a week to choose the best and freshest foods, and he would sharpen the knives, make whatever pots she needed and stock the kitchen with whatever she required. He stoked the fires while she prepped and they developed a lasting kinship. Eventually, they shared a bed. This was to both their liking. Neither of them were looking for love. Kinship was their mainstay. And this was how Rhe Ascended. Godhood was within her reach. By Ambrosia or Initiation, she was in line. Then the call came for the New Counsel of Olympus.
Forge was being considered, as well he should be. However, he had one stipulation before he would consider it in return. He would not sit unless Rhe was likewise appointed. No one else quite understood their relationship. Why had he not put her forward to be considered for Godhood or initiated her himself since he was entitled. This is the Mysterhe. They knew that was not who they were to each other and it would only serve to confuse the nature of their relationship and the results could be detrimental if not disastrous to both. Forge insisted she could sit to their benefit so much the more as an Ascendant. He refused to try and convince them of it though. They could accept on these terms or look elsewhere.
As I previously mentioned, much discussion occurred with Blaze casting the deciding vote. This is how Rhe became Ascendant Rhe on Counsel.
Rhe has no Omni or powers. She adorns weapons but does not wield any herself. She is somewhat plain in a pretty kind of way. She is short but carries herself well. She knows she has a nice rack and pays no nevermind to it herself but does not care if someone else does. (“You are who you are.”) Rhe is most comfortable in jeans and t-shirts but tends to clean up for Counsel, which she does nicely enough. She is the keeper of her own secrets and plays her cards close to her chest. She is a quick study but not the most learned. She listens to learn. She will drop a truth bomb out of nowhere sometimes that lands unexpectedly and can be disruptive but has merit like herself. Everyone agrees by now. Rhe is a good person. No one knows exactly where she came from and the River Styx will never give that up. She is Rhe. That is her distinction. That, and the fact that she still knows more about the world that she came from than they do, even if she can’t remember the specifics. She is a much needed addition to Counsel at this time. Forge was right.
All recognize the Ascendant Rhe! Thanks to the final vote.
However, Blaze began to regret his decision shortly after. He found himself needled by a certain jealousy. Not sure for who though. You can never be quite sure with Blaze. At times it vexed him, and when it did, it showed to those who know him well and those who want to know him better.
This is The Counsel. It begins and ends with Blaze. But that is just the start of the rest of the story.