Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End
                     -----------------------------------

	The Blue Planet, viewed from the heavens, was a lovely and majestic 
sight. The recent devastation that had scarred its surface was invisible from
this distance, save for a single black speck which marked the site of a large
crater. Otherwise, the colors of earthly brown, emerald green, azure, and 
misty white were lush and unblemished. Yet Gienah, the Fiend of the Cosmos, 
did not find the view pleasing, or even tolerable. His eyes could see what an
ordinary observer could not; a shadowy veil which even now was beginning to 
choke the Blue Planet in its grasp.
	"A pity that the Master's plans must spoil our view," he remarked.
	Lorrithian lifted her head from his shoulder and regarded the planet
below. "Perhaps, but you should not find the sight so agreeable," she said. 
"You are a Fiend now. The emotions of mortals are forbidden to you."
	"What, then, of us?" Gienah said.
	"We are Fiends," Lorrithian said firmly. "We should not be capable of
such feelings. And yet..."
	"They exist," Gienah said. "You cannot deny them, nor can I. And 
neither do I sense that the affection we share is wrong. Can it be that all 
emotions are so terrible? It is clear that most emotions are self-destructive,
but some would appear to be beneficial. Between us we have trust and 
companionship. Not the scheming and coldness of the other Fiends."
	Lorrithian jerked suddenly and pushed him away. "Never let the
Master hear that, or he will destroy us both!" Her anger was gone in an
instant, replaced by her usual cool, detached expression. "Time grows short, 
and I have duties assigned to me. I will see you again." Brilliant light
enveloped her as she transformed and sped towards the surface of the Blue
Planet.
	"Yes, we have duties to perform," Gienah said. His expression was stern
as he forced himself to clear his mind of his beautiful companion. Only the
stars and their secrets need concern him now. The specks of light covering
his armor escaped from their confinement and spiraled outwards, surrounding 
him in a circle composed of the Zodiac constellations. He looked into the 
distance, beyond the orbits of the planets, into the depths of the universe 
itself, seeking the answers to the questions that his Master had put forth.
	"Time flows in a circle, and thus history repeats," he stated. The
constellations responded to his words, leaving him to form a dozen symmetric 
orbits some distance away. "Since the very beginning, life on the Blue Planet
has followed these cycles." The constellations flared with light, and all 
before him began to fade away, save for the distant stars. "Dawn and dusk, 
life and death, renewal and decay; all are ruled by the wheel of time. And 
the stars have been here to witness it all." Ghostly images floated by; 
legendary battles waged in the name of honor or glory; cities long since 
crumbled and condemned to the earth; scenes of ardent courtship, venomous 
betrayal, merry laughter, and quiet solitude. "I call upon their visions of 
the past to guide my actions in the future. Now!" he commanded, gesturing to 
the scene before him. "Reveal to me the path bound by starlight!"
	 The darkness of his surroundings turned white as the stars 
surrendered their secrets in a blinding display. When the light faded, the 
Blue Planet once again floated below him. The shadows had grown into a 
dreadful creature of darkness. It hovered over the stricken planet like a 
rapacious vulture waiting impatiently for its prey to expire.
	"The darkness that began with the world shall grow to consume it.
All shall fall beneath its dominion, and resistance will be quenched by its
awesome power of despair. Yet, even when all seems lost, there are those who 
refuse to give up hope." Seven points of light appeared in a circle on the 
planet below, shining despite the oppresive darkness above. "Seven champions 
of Light shall appear, each with their own trials to overcome, their hardships
to endure." Thousands of tiny specks of light winked into view, and the
seven points grew brighter as each speck added its strength to the point
nearby. "Their spirits will burn like blazing infernos, sustained by the 
conviction of their friends and kinsmen. They will rally the people of their
world, and strike back against the darkness. Then they will confront it 
directly..." The darkness hissed as the seven points flew upwards to meet it,
and a titanic battle raged high above the planet. "...and, with their combined
brilliance, shatter it forever." The darkness uttered a terrible cry as the
points flared into light, burning it away like fog before the morning sun.
The Blue Planet floated serenely through space, unfettered and beautiful
once more.
	(So I am to be defeated by seven lowly mortals?)
	"Like all premonitions, Master, this is only one of many possible
outcomes. The future is clouded by uncertainty and probability, and even a
small action can have a drastic influence on forthcoming events. Yet, this
particular outcome is also the most likely to occur."
	(How can it be prevented?)
	"As these events come closer to transpiring, the future will become
more clear to me." Gienah gestured, and seven indistinct outlines appeared
before him. "These, Master, are the Light Warriors. One by one, their
identities will be revealed. Then you may act to destroy them, or hinder
their plans."
	(So be it. Inform me when you have discovered them. Then we will see
who the future belongs to.)
	"As always, Master, I remain your loyal servant." The scene before
him dissolved as he ended his prophecy, returning to its proper place and
time. The Zodiac constellations ended their orbits and returned to the depths
of his armor. He studied the Blue Planet once again. The shadows, compared
to the scene he had witnessed, were barely discernable. Yet they were there,
and growing, an ominous omen of the darkness soon to come. "Prepare 
yourselves, Light Warriors," he said. "Your battle is about to begin." Flames
surrounded him as he hurtled towards the ground, as brilliant as a falling 
star.