15

She waited in the dark while the souls around her poured into the universe to perform their tasks of hate. Many were deflected by the planets moving in their orbits and flung back into the dark above the stars, but others reached their goal to bring disease and dissension or to stir the elemental forces to fight and destroy. Malice watched and waited. A path was opening up to the green-blue world at the centre of the sphere of stars that would allow her and the evil around her unimpeded access. She could be patient despite the anger and hate gnawing at her. Her time would come when she would control the actions of the Malevolence, direct them to the targets she chose and bring this world of tender goodness to its knees.

Malice had wondered what had brought her to this place. Her soul had not been created here, and she had no bond with the unthinking wraiths that vented their hate on the world within the stars, but now she understood. She had been drawn here by another to whom she was bound and who had an existence in both universes. This other was a wielder of power, power that she wanted for herself. Who or what the other was she had yet to discover but when her time came to enter the universe and wreak her vengeance, then she would know and all would learn to fear her.

Meanwhile, Malice waited and watched and learned and seethed with hate.