Brilliant white light filled the entire area and the air was filled with angelic music. Stephen and Alexander stepped through the veil of darkness and back into the home they had known since the beginnings of eternity. Immediately, they were greeted by one of the seraphim, who floated serenely in front of them.

"I have been sent to ask you to please discard your human forms. You have been given time off in reward for fulfilling your mission below on earth," the seraphim stated emotionlessly. After he had delivered his message, he flapped his wings to return to his place in the hierarchy.

"I wonder how long we have off," said Alexander as he shrugged off his form effortlessly.

"Who cares," grinned Stephen as he did the same. They both soared to the celestial kingdom where they were assigned comfortable quarters by one of the powers. "I wonder what we can do to keep ourselves occupied during our time off."

"Don't get any ideas," warned Alexander.

"Who, me?" asked Stephen innocently, "I don't know where you get these ideas about me."

Alexander rounded about angrily and shook his finger under the other angel's nose. "You know exactly what I'm talking about! Ever since we went down below, you've been different. You took unnecessary chances and didn't take our mission at all seriously. You could have caused serious problems down there!"

"Nonsense," Stephen replied, waving Alexander's finger out of his face. "You know with the powers we have, that any problems could have been made to go away quite easily. Besides, I didn't do anything that was out of character for me and you know it. Do you really think that I could have gotten away with anything without the Infinite Father's knowledge? I still say he had advance warning of the Daystar's insurrection and even set it up."

"Heresy!" exclaimed the other angel. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you can get in saying something like that out loud? Why would the Infinite Father encourage open rebellion amongst the angels? Do you know how insane that sounds?"

"Listen. He tests those mortals down there all the time, why not us? Have you read all those books those meatbags down there have written about Him? They CLAIM He forgives and doesn't expect perfect fidelity and faith, but if he doesn't, then why does he test them all the time? What's the purpose of making people doubt whether He's good enough for them or they're good enough for Him?"

"You're on dangerous ground," warned Alexander again.

Stephen waved off the warning with a flick of his hand. "You mean to tell me you've never had any doubts? You've never questioned His rightness in sending us down there to accomplish His ends? You've seen the same things I have in our travels on that mudball. I can't believe that they haven't affected you in some way."

"They've had their effect on me," admitted Alexander, "but that effect isn't to voice heresy, especially here in His Realm."

"Everywhere is His Realm," laughed Stephen, "or didn't you listen to those pathetic beings down there. According to them, He already knows about this conversation and can hear us quite clearly. In fact, he probably knew it would take place before it happened." Stephen laughed again at his friend's discomfiture. "Relax," Stephen told him, "the fact that we're still here means we're still in good standing in the hierarchy."

"I'd feel better if we talked of something else," grumped Alexander. "You're going to get in trouble some day if you keep spreading ideas like that around."

Alexander stretched his wings out to their full span. "As you wish," he replied. "For now, I'm just going to float and try to put our recent experiences out of my mind."