the Four Pillers of Evil

When the Three Sisters and Three Brothers awoke by the river, the gods of the tree knew nothing of these new beings. But Asmodeus, King of the Universe, sees farther than any other god, and knew at once of their awakening. When the Three Sisters fled from their brothers, Canarak, Thellos, and Naran thought to give them chase.

“I want the smell of them. I want to keep them forever,” greedy Thellos said, licking his lips, and his brothers agreed— but then a voice held them fast. “I would be cautious, if I were you,” the Dark Lord Asmodeus said as he emerged from the shadow. His horns shone in the moonlight, and the Brothers knew a figure of great power stood before them.

“What’s it to you, pus-face?” vicious Canarak snarled, but Asmodeus the Great only laughed, for he liked the spirit of these brothers, and saw in them the key to his re-ascendance to glory. Asmodeus told the Three Brothers the secrets of the world— of the Nameless One and the war of the gods; of Hell and the Abyss; of the tree of life and the gods born of it, who had betrayed him. He told the Three Brothers that the heavenly gods would surely embrace their sisters, make them a part of their wretched family, and make war on the Brothers. The Perfect One told these three newborn gods the only path to safety for them was to trust in the largesse of the King of the Universe.

He would keep them secret; he would keep them safe. This did not sit well with Canarak, who thought this fallen god was a liar and secret weakling. The Fierce Brother hurled himself at Asmodeus, seeking to rip out the heart of Fire’s Father. This struggle went poorly for Canarak, who Asmodeus lit on fire and hurled into the river. Canarak’s savage hand was stilled, for he found respect for the Dark Lord. Thellos also needed convincing.
The Hungry Brother asked Asmodeus what the three would gain if they trusted him. The King of the Universe showed the Feasting Maw the glories of Hell, with its golden-spired pain-halls and its delights of blood and flesh. “This man will show us great pleasures, brothers!” Greedy Thellos declared, and he too was won over by the lord of Hell.

But Naran, Lordly Naran, was never easily swayed, and his heart never lightly moved to a new course. “I mistrust you, Asmodeus who was Kador. You seek a throne that has been denied you; when you have it, you will cast us aside. I see this clearly.” Indeed, the Piercing Eye, as Naran is called, saw correctly. “You are wise, Naran, and you speak truly,” Asmodeus said with a smile. “All that you see before you, above you, below you, is mine. It is my right, my domain, and I do not wish to share. Yet, you three are mightier than any of my servants, and should I win my throne, it will not be through my efforts alone.

I therefore propose a bargain, for share I must.” So it was that Asmodeus set out the Dark Pact, the only agreement ever made by the Perfect One with any beings other than the Creator, his father.
The gods born of the tree are myopic and think only of the world of mortals; this Asmodeus knew well. They treat the four great pillars upon which the universe rests as prisons for the div, strange outlandish places that do not matter short of their support of the sphere. Yet they are the foundations of existence, and should they be ruled by these four great and assembled powers, the reign of the gods could not last long.
Therefore, the King of the Universe proposed to the Three Brothers that each of them seek control of one of the pillars, working in secret through followers, mortal and otherwise, to gain the power of the very roots of existence. Asmodeus, the Father of Fire, would seek control of the fire pillar, where the div were outcast. Canarak would take the raging pillar of water.
Thellos would gain the pillar of air, where the winds are as hungry as he; Naran would win the pillar of earth, binding its strength and riches. They agreed that when the pillars were won, the four would wage war on the gods, until Asmodeus conquered Heaven and was named King of the Universe. Canarak would win over the demons of the Abyss. Naran would be placed in command of Hell in Asmodeus’ stead, and Thellos would wander the earth, sating his unholy hungers.
This was the Dark Pact. For generations, the four pillars of evil, as we call them, unearthed the secrets and powers necessary to gain control of the pillars of Creation. On the eve of their victory, the so-called “Lords of Good” imposed their Compact on the Great Sphere. While the Three Brothers were not a part of this Compact, and may continue to work freely, though in secret, all four were bound to work their greatest deeds through the mortal races.

Because of this Compact it is the way of things that we, the mortal races, are the key to success for all divine powers. Our faith, prayers, blood, and souls fuel their might. So it is that we must aid the four pillars of evil in their quest to topple the wretched whelps of Heaven; when we do, we will be kings of the world, lords of all we survey, and servants only to the four great powers that deserve our obedience. These four are strong and worthy, and they must rule. They will rule.