Plan

PrologueThe war. It remains … never ending. A continuing conflict that has spanned ages before corporeal beings entered the mix. Mankind plods along about their mediocre lives, oblivious to the true reality around them; one where angels and demons do exist. Where a higher power is the driving force behind all subsistence. Where a notion that something other than their plane of being, is perceived by many, but very real for a select few. Where there is more to life than just a soy latte and a mortgage. For millennia, humans have been guided in their thoughts and actions without so much as an inkling as to who is doing this and why. The untruths that have been ingrained in their history since time immemorial, started with but a single thought that turned into a massive rebellion. Some are unwitting pawns in a much larger game where the stakes are higher than their minds can comprehend. While most live in this cloud of deception, there is a minority that understands the true nature of their permanence. Some fight for the forces of good, while others manipulate for the side of evil. Those that work against the Light are called Familiars; servants to the enemy for a purpose founded on lies. The revolution against the Light continues today as it always has. Through fallacies, greed, duplicity, and lost hope, the world revolves around one's self and their achievements rather than serving a higher purpose of the greater good, the intended design for the collective, or simply just doing what is right. Then there are those that fight against the Darkness. They are called Associates. Their understanding of their part in the ongoing campaign is simple: put the greater good ahead of themselves and keep the bad guys from winning. Easier said than done. For centuries, light and darkness have been battling; angel against demon, human against human. Both sides gaining momentum for their cause, and losing the advantage time over time … never moving forward, always in contrast. Every so often, though, there is a champion. Someone chosen to provide an edge in the continual quest for dominion. Many have been selected over the years. They have filled key positions of influence within man's realm. Unlike the agents for evil, though, they have been given the greatest gift bestowed upon man … the power of choice. The free will to determine their own destinies can be a blessing, as well as a burden. It is a virtue that some take for granted and most do not even recognize. Sometimes, greatness is thrust upon those whose potential to lead and enable change has been foretold since the beginning. Occasionally, one will rise above the rest. For those elite few, the decisions they make come with a heavy price. The responsibility of tipping the balance in favor of the Light is never without cost. For many to be saved, some may be sacrificed. Not fair to the chosen one, but that's how life goes, sometimes it is just not fair. If one were to keep count, the unfairness piled on by life would exceed the many chapters in the book of Joshua Arden. His endurance that started at a very young age, could be the subject matter for the Greek tragedies of ancient times, or various country music artists and their sad, tearful ballads. His ability to overcome these obstacles has been orchestrated through a series of events influenced by both the Light and the Darkness. Of recent, his potential to fulfill his destiny has glimmered with a blinding brilliance for the power of good, much to the dismay of those that serve the enemy. Accepting this responsibility came of his own free will. The resources to execute this change, however, comes from a much greater power. Of the many vehicles of change throughout time, the most influential in today's modern world is Jonah International. A global multi-conglomerate that does one thing first, help mankind. Humanity sees Jonah as a beacon of salvation that comes in many forms: financial lender, charitable donator, a disaster-relief provider, and so on. The illusion of their presence throughout the business world gives countenance to their façade in the marketplace. The mist that surrounds mankind's perception is intentional, as that is, and has been, the new contract birthed from the ultimate sacrifice. For only to those needed to maintain the balance and enforce the rules is this semblance waved. The rest of mankind meanders about their religious affiliations, either born of new discovery, or as a family legacy passed from generation to generation. The mind can only accept so much before the erosion of the fine line between their comfort zone and sanity gives way. Joshua has come to realize that the knowledge of the true reality can be of tremendous benefit for the power of good. It can also be a lightning rod for change against various inequality spread throughout the world by agents of the enemy. Now, angels and humans work together to fight against a common adversary. The opposition's plots and conquest for power is far from over. In their minds, the battles are just beginning. Part 4: The Theft