In a small ante chamber, adjacent the library, three of the brothers sat around a modest, roughly hewed, wooden table. The library had yet to be stocked and no thought had been given as to how, when, and with what, the cavernous building would be filled. There were more pressing matters at hand than stacking the empty shelves, yet all four knew only too well the importance of the written word in the new age of matter, as their connection to the divine consciousness faded and the secrets of the universe were gradually lost to them.

"Saturn has clearly lost all reason. The war has broken him," said the builder. "That said, he was right about one important thing."

The others shot him quizzical glances—yet another symptom of the disconnect between them and the Divine, and them with each other. It was peculiar not to know at once what each was thinking, but it was the price they had to pay for the way of life they had now chosen; the comfort of collective knowledge and feeling had given way to the solitude, selfishness and danger of the life internal.

"We need names," he continued. "Names of our own choosing. And we need for men to believe. In us and in our Father. If we are to guide them, men need to know us."

"Mercury," said the brother that who had arrived first at the cottage in the dynamic, uncertain, primordial forest. "I choose Mercury."

Mercury added a despondent sigh, before continuing.

"I say that I choose Mercury, but if we are to undertake this vast task across space and time I will be known by many names before this game has finished. We will all be known by many names, and our children by many others."

The others looked at Mercury with utter bewilderment darkening their faces. They remained silent as they waited tolerantly for Mercury to provide an explanation.

"We will be taking on the duties of our Father," began Mercury. "We will love and protect His children, the humans. But there will come a time when we will need to correct, and even punish them. That punishment may prove devastating. If we show them love one day, and then punish them harshly the next day, they will never trust us. Fear is necessary and helpful, but mistrust encourages resentment and rebellion. After all, we should know the value of that lesson better than most."

Mercury's words were wise, and they were also true, but the others felt they deserved to be challenged, but none could express the opposition that they felt in their hearts in a meaningful way. A silence filled the room like an acrid smog, choking their enthusiasm for the new endeavour and introducing a sense of fear for the future, and longing for the past.

"If I must play this childish game, then I choose Ares," said another. "But hear me brothers, I do this for the time to come when we forget what we truly are. A name may be a necessity, but it is base and humiliating. It takes us farther from what we were and brings us closer to what we will become if we should fail. Guide humans, correct and rule over them, but become human... I would rather die the true death than suffer such an indignity. Those are the terms of my acceptance."

The silence returned, but for the briefest of moments.

"Hermes," added the last brother. "Though I agree with you, brother. This is a childish game. We know who we are. Who we were. We have never needed names before. We were tasked as Watchers. Nameless, and guiding mankind from the shadows of their infancy. Names give us a presence. A name is permanent and vain. If we do this damn silly thing, I fear that there will be dire consequences. This is surely a time for humility?"

"Your words could be true, Hermes," said Mercury, pointedly emphasising his brother's name. "When we set our plans in motion then we will know for certain. If this scheme of ours meets with His disapproval, He will stop us. However, if we do nothing and Saturn is victorious in his rebellion, what then? All of Creation will be at the mercy of a deranged abomination. Everything will be lost."

"He may be an abomination," said Hermes. "But he has a plan, and he has already put that plan into motion. He has whispered into the ears of the original humans, and he has corrupted them. That corruption has spread, right through to the end of time. In that final moment of judgement, Saturn will be more powerful than all of us. If we stand any chance of victory, then all of our power must flow through one of us. We all know what that means?"

The others nodded.

"Only one of us can live," said Hermes, in answer to the question that needed no answer.

They sat in quiet contemplation for a few moments.

"That day is a long way off," said Hermes. "If we are being honest with one another, it is unlikely that we will successfully reach that point. I am in favour of continuing with the plan. It is a bridge that we shall cross together."

"And if we do reach that point?" quizzed Mercury. "Do we cross that bridge from opposite sides? Do we draw swords in opposition to one another? Do we fight to the death until only one of us remains? That is our future."

"Then brother, we will fight to the death," said Hermes. "Besides, to raise our armies and build our kingdoms, we will go to war with one another many times over. In this place, and in the realm of man. It will be visceral, necessary, and in no way personal. Just because there is conflict it doesn't necessarily follow that there should be no room for love for one another."

Another pause for thought.

"It would appear that we have reached a decision, brothers," said Mercury, with a dismissive chuckle. "Let this game begin. And when I drive my sword through each of your hearts, I will do so with love."

"You say those words in jest, brother," said Hermes. "I see it a little differently than you. I see it as a game. A real game. There is no reason why we cannot find some joy and meaning in the carnage that must follow. We know the rules. Mankind does not. They are more powerful than us because of our Father's protection, but they are so blinded by their own corruption that they cannot see their own power, less still use it. They will fail as an experiment no matter what we do. And the way that I see it, as long as we can maintain the balance between ignorant corruption, and true belief, we will triumph. Our Father's love is vast; His wrath is limitless."

"Balance?" questioned Mercury.

"If we steer them towards belief in nothing beyond themselves, they will feed Saturn with their diseased living spark," Hermes explained. "If we leave them with no choice but to believe, then that spark will grow bright and powerful and they will destroy us. Once we are gone, Saturn will rule everything unopposed. Unless were teach them how to use their power to destroy him. It is a balance that is weighted towards our ultimate destruction; our only real choice is how we end, and the reward we receive for that ending."

Hermes raised a hand and the brothers were transported to the chamber containing the pool of black liquid. The images in the poor were fluctuating wildly.

"Why are we here?" asked Mercury.

"This portal. I know how it works, but I have no idea how to control it. I believe that He has designed it to be thus. We can only go to points in human history where He wants us to go."

"For what purpose?" asked Mercury.

"To watch. Mainly. To push the humans in the right direction whenever they get lost. I have been through this doorway several times. In their early history I am free to use my powers almost unchecked. As the timeline progresses my power is contained, and eventually it id lost entirely. That is highly regrettable, but it is also inevitable."

"Why?" snapped Ares. "Why is any of this inevitable? If this truly is a game, and we have so much control over how the game is to be played, why must we choose to play it in the way that you have proposed?"

"In their last years on Earth their numbers are in the billions. Each one of them powered by the very spark that we need," explained Hermes. "If we could get them to believe, we could defeat our brother with ease. That is the time when we must act, but it is also the time when they can strike all of us down. It is a time when man will be most distant from true belief. In that time, Saturn is more likely to be victorious. They will give themselves to him by default, and all will be lost. In that time, we will be powerless; no better than mortal madmen, screaming news of the end times to a disbelieving world."

"Then it is settled. We must concentrate our efforts in the past and do what we can in the later times," said Mercury.

A figure in a white and gold robe appeared beside the brothers. They were shocked, at first. The shock gave way to delight in an instant. Everything about the new arrival was glorious, from his attire to his striking blue eyes and shoulder length blond hair that moved in gentle waves in the still air of the room.

"Brother," said Mercury, we glee.

"Zeus," said the new arrival. "I have been watching with interest what you have been doing. I will join you. I will lead you."

"If you had been watching us then you would know that we are not to have a leader," said Mercury.

Zeus grinned.

"But we need a leader. At least in the early times," said Zeus. "The humans need to see and understand structure and order. I have a way to tip the balance in our favour when they number in the millions. I am afraid, brothers, I am the only one capable of fulfilling this task."

"Brother?" quizzed Mercury.

"Children. Each of you will take human women as wives in the past to come. Your children will be monsters. Feared. Loathed. Hunted. Murdered. I am uniquely blessed. My offspring will be glorious. And powerful. And loved."

The brothers smiled.

"Trust you, brother," said Mercury, wryly. "Your solution to the end of times is sex. But unless I am very much mistaken, that is strictly forbidden?"

"Love is the solution to everything," said Zeus, through a wicked grin. "There is a difference between sex and love. When you learn the difference you too will father offspring worthy of worship. Saying that, Mercury, there is only so much that love can do for your unfortunate offspring. Ugly is ugly, no matter how righteous they may be."

Thebrothers laughed. It was a release laced with a tangible, nervous tension.