Once in Eden, Theo started going around and chatting with souls and he remembered how much he hated coming here after Luna. People loved her so much and it reminded him why he needed to stick to the plan.
He asked some of his marked followers if they had extended the invitation to anyone else. To his surprise he had 5,000 souls in Eden, approximately 15,000 in Limbo and 300,000 in the underworld. Added with his secret labyrinth experiments, he would have around 350,000 souls to split between the planets once his plan was complete.
Theo wasted no time and called a meeting of Eden to discuss how proud he was of everyone with their duties and making Eden, like Earth, a perfect place of harmony.
He also congratulated all 225 new souls individually for repenting and reaching Eden. Most notably, the 35 who had made it from the Underworld to Limbo to Eden, a very rare feat.
Of course this was all cover for his next big announcement, that he would be creating two new planets, Baxus and Braxus, under the guise one would be a home for new phoenixes so that Tej could relax and perhaps form a family, as well as expanding to a place higher than Eden, where souls could permanently take their human form at any point in their lives, if they wished.
The souls cheered loudly as Theo wasn't usually one to recognize others or take initiative in these types of things, unless it was directly showcasing his magic.
Tej asked Theo, "Thank you Theo but how do you plan on creating any phoenixes for this new home? I thought only Father could."
"With your blood and the blood of the purest of souls, which will all be willing participants of course, I believe I will be able to create at least a few. Perhaps a few may turn out female. Wouldn't you enjoy that Tej? You work so hard and have always shown the souls and humankind the way of the light," Theo proposed.
"Of course I'd love to have a family but I never expected one and am happy here with the Blessed Five. If you need help creating the planets to stay in balance with the solar system, I will gladly help," Tej cheerfully offered.
"It's settled then, we shall start tomorrow," Theo explained.
Theo knew he could only create one phoenix and it was already stored in his secret Labyrinth. The souls that hosted this dark phoenix were the most vile of the vile.
During his time on Earth, a man named Roger Katz only pleasure resulted from killing and having others framed for it. He was so good at killing and setting someone else up, he killed over 500 people without being caught, sending over 450 innocent people to jail for life.
During Roger's prime, the mafia caught wind of him and gave him the nickname Shadow. The mob boss met Shadow and offered him high paying jobs that required assassination and the framing of someone from people that had crossed the boss and slipped away.
Eventually, Roger grew tired of being ordered around so he took out the boss, stole the money and drugs, and sold the drugs to an upstart mafia who had been growing.
To the start up mafia's surprise, Shadow had taken out everyone from the major mafia.
Unfortunately for the new "top mafia," because Shadow had access after selling them all those drugs, the blame was pinned on the new mafia.
After a giant shootout between the FBI and the mafia, gangs and FBI suffered such great losses they couldn't rebuild themselves.
Shadow finished them both off and vanished, never to be seen again. He indirectly started the push towards peace, but he didn't care.
Theo absolutely admired this soul and often would spend hours listening to tales of Roger and eventually asked him if he was willing to bond with him and undergo an experiment to become a Phoenix.
Roger had one condition, "As long as I get to cause a rampage and you don't order me around like a puppy I will agree."
Theo told Roger, "The bond will be unique as you will have part of my soul in you. That means we will be able to see what the other sees, feel what the other feels, communicate telepathically and link together. If I ever link with you and you don't like it, you can force me out. The time for rampage isn't now, instead you'll be ensuring the vampires, werewolves and demons each select an Alpha, direct them in building a civilization for their race as well as taking care of any in fighting."
Roger grinned and couldn't help but laugh, "I can't wait to set fire to the first betrayer."
Theo explained, "you'll have access to dark, forbidden magic. As you know, Tej is a holy phoenix and is light and contains an abundance of white magic. You will be infused with my soul and I've researched dark magic extensively. You will be able to do some unique things. It might take you a bit to adjust to being a phoenix and not a human, though."
Roger put out his hand and said, "whatever you need to do, let's do it now."
A few years later, after enduring immense pain, Shadow took the name Erebos. He was in his infant stage and was completely black with black and maroon flames. He would be reborn through his own ashes, through normal death, although unlike Tej, Erebos could theoretically die because he was not a creation by the Father, rather a magical experiment with a magical heart.
Before Theo left the Underworld, he placed all his creations in the secret labyrinth and if any of them tried to harm one another, or betray Theo, their souls would immediately shatter.
As 9 years went by, Theo was starting to worry one of his planets would not be completed in time. It's not like he could send a bunch of souls to help, that would be too obvious to Luna, who ran things as their Father did.
Despite being bound by Theo's command, Tej was just one phoenix working with one child of the Father and despite finishing Braxus, the "land of the phoenixes," Theo resented himself and Tej for not doing the "Higher than Eden," planet first.
Tej seemed far more motivated about a beautiful home for his potential family than another place like Eden.
With one year to go, Theo reminded Tej, "you are bound to complete these two demands and if you cannot, please tell me now so I can have you cover Eden while I go to Baxus to finish it."
"I think with your magical capabilities it would be best for me to watch Eden and for you to finish the planet. Please, forgive me. I did all I could and am quite tired," Tej said with a polite bow.
"I'll be off then, please don't tell my siblings. I want this to be a big surprise," Theo said with a smile as he used his teleportation magic to go to Baxus.
"This is too perfect," Theo thought to himself with an evil grin.
"My labyrinth experiments managed to create a blood substitute for the vampires and a flesh substitute for the werewolves. This is excellent, now all I have to do is make sure this planet avoids the sun to not harm the demons and vampires," Theo thought with a rush of excitement.
Theo knew his time was short, so using magic he casted a great barrier blocking out the sun and successfully managed to sneak Erebos to Baxus, as his darkness would aid his barrier and Erebos would keep the Alphas from each forbidden race in line.
When Theo returned, he was pleased to see his following had doubled to 600,000 and there was only one thing left to do.
On the eve of the rotation, Theo summoned another meeting and Tej to share the success of their plan and how tomorrow he and his siblings would move the truly great souls to Braxus.
After the meeting and just as the souls returned their homes on Eden, Limbo and the Underworld, Theo made his move.
"Tej, I am using the unbreakable bond to have you do one final thing before Leo gets to Eden," Theo said with a bit of sweat pouring from his head.
Tej noticed Theo incessantly tapping his foot and the sweat and began feeling uncomfortable.
"Is everything ok Theo? I can't believe we did it but look at how much you accomplished in the last 10 years and humankind continued to prosper for 1000 years. Your siblings will be amazed! Also, any luck on the phoenixes," Tej asked, not able to hold his excitement.
"Unfortunately I did not, it seems beyond my capabilities. Now, I command you to cast Purifying blaze, ending humanity while leaving all technological structures, buildings and the Earth itself as beautiful as it's ever been. Just make sure all the humans are turned to ash and no one lives," Theo said with an evil smile.
Tej, now locked into direct command mode, had only one thing on his mind. Without hesitation, he stated "as you wish, Theo" and teleported just above Earth.
Tej immediately formed a ball of light, which eventually grew to a size larger than Earth. "Purifying Blaze, Tej roared as he shot the ball of light out so fast that in a matter of seconds, the last thing three billion people on Earth saw was a giant white light.
Eden, Limbo, the Underworld and the three children watched every human soul turn to ash.
As the command was completed Tej regained control and wished there was a way to shatter his soul right then and there. He tried and tried but could not. Tej planned on having Luna and Leo wake their Father up immediately, but felt something he hadn't felt in 50 years. His Father linked within him. Too tired to speak, Tej used the last ounces of energy he had to teleport to a corner of the Underworld, creating a white, unbreakable barrier around him and collapsed from exhaustion.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," Leo shouted. "If it's the last thing I do I'll shatter Theo's soul myself."
Luna simply started crying as her heart felt for Tej, for the one person to override this command was sleeping. Then three billion souls were waiting for judgement at the gates to Kingdom of the Blessed Five.
"How are we even going to begin to manage this, "she thought.
Just then, in the sky, in two directions, a giant marking of a circle and a dark phoenix glowed in a dark maroon and black, hiding the 600,000 souls, as well as all of Theo's creations, who made their way via a mass teleportation of Theo's.
He split them between Baxus and Braxus, turned around and looked back with a giant, malevolent laugh.
"I did promise a surprise, didn't I?" Theo boasted and teleported to his secret labyrinth, where he would run things for now.
He would wait for The Father to rebuild Earth then begin sneaking the marked vampires, werewolves, demons to blend in with the humans. It's the only reason he kept Earth around. He figured any other souls who might come to his side could use the technology developed.
He also ensured Tej would need 10,000 years before he could use Purifying blaze again, so his kind wouldn't be immediately wiped out. As Theo commanded the Alphas to start following Erebos' commands and begin building their own Kingdoms immediately. He reminded them if there was any fighting, disobedience or attempts to flee, Erebos would immediately act.
Too scared to disobey, the Alphas and races got to work building on their new planets and with their great strength and size, it was quite easy for them.
Theo had three sets of eyes no one knew about: his vision was linked with Erebos and could communicate with him anytime. He also created two magical invisible like drones, with the capability to video and audio record everything.
"I've out done myself. I wonder if my Father will take the bait and immediately fill Earth again. Then we must be patient, infiltrate Earth and strike at the opportune time. One day I will rule this world and the world will watch four of their Blessed Five die at my hand," Theo thought as he accessed his system.
"Well, my Father isn't a big enough fool to give me access to his system now, but it's no matter, I like mine more anyway, let's give it a test."
"Erebos you have received a command, use the Flame of death skill on someone slacking off to motivate the groups," Theo stated to his new system.
With that, Theo watched a lazy vampire burn in agony as dark flames burned him from the inside out.
"Command completed," Theo saw from the system.
"Thanks Theo, I quite enjoyed that gagagagagagaga," Erebos menacingly laughed for Theo.