1 Prologue from heaven

Exaldera, a powerful and wise angel, sat upon his golden throne in the grand hall of heaven. He was surrounded by a host of other celestial beings, all eagerly awaiting his words. Among them was Sariel, a new arrival to the heavenly realm.

"In death, what do you believe happens, Ms. Sariel?" Exaldera asked her, his voice echoing through the hall.

Sariel thought for a moment before responding. "They come here, to heaven, right?" she said, uncertainly.

Exaldera smiled gently. "That used to be the case, Ms. Sariel. But not anymore," he answered, snapping his fingers with a flick of his wrist.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room changed. A wave of energy rippled through the air, and the sounds of angelic choirs were drowned out by a deafening roar.

"All 100,967,438,175 of my children who have died on earth are no longer here," Exaldera announced with a wicked grin on his face.

Sariel's eyes widened in shock. "WAIT?! WHAT??? Where did they go?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Purgatory," Exaldera answered matter-of-factly.

Sariel felt a chill run down her spine. She had heard of purgatory before, but she had never imagined that so many souls would be sent there. "Why?" she wondered. "Why would you send them there" Azariel, an older angel, asked.

Exaldera leaned forward, his eyes glittering with amusement. "Because they were unworthy of the glory of heaven, of course," he replied, his voice dripping with disdain.

Sariel felt a pang of sadness for the souls that had been condemned to purgatory. She knew that the realm was a place of suffering and torment, where souls were purified before they could ascend to heaven. But to think that so many had been deemed unworthy... it was almost too much to bear.

As she looked around at the other angels in the room, she saw a mixture of emotions on their faces. Some looked horrified, while others seemed to be enjoying the spectacle.

"I can read you all just like a book. I didn't send them to purgatory because I hate my children, oh no, no, no. I love each and every single one of them no matter what. I simply wish to find one that interests me."