Ashes Before the Throne - Chapter 5

Ashes Before the Throne - Chapter 7

The seventh chapter of "Before the First Spark" tells the tragic story of Thomas and Sarah Sterling. On a rainy Friday night in London, they were driving down the M4 in their luxurious Jaguar. Inside the car, the air was thick with tension and silence as Thomas, influenced by three scotches and the demonic presence of Azarothiel in the back seat, began a cruel argument with his wife. As the car sped through the rain, Azarothiel fueled Thomas's growing ego and resentment toward Sarah's "holier than thou" attitude. Thomas's cutting words eventually brought Sarah to tears, which the demon found "delicious." This emotional high for Azarothiel, however, was quickly followed by a physical disaster. Distracted by his cruel victory over Sarah, Thomas failed to see a deep puddle in the road ahead. At 70 miles per hour, the Jaguar hydroplaned and spiraled out of control, eventually colliding with an oncoming lorry. The impact was catastrophic, leaving Sarah dead and Thomas concussed and covered in blood. As Thomas realized the extent of the tragedy, Azarothiel whispered in his ear, "You killed her," cementing Thomas's guilt and forever linking the demon to his grief. Buy Ashes Before the Throne here [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GY1CBK8G/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HbW5-RiEj-89mKh9_N-1yN3CU3TkxD1hFLc5muTGKbsMHu-VkTucqkc1iw4A9Sv7oSJSFuGXazS0nPKu84RuzMAd-YeswoCMxRWY3tRdW_4.sWX1D_IGQl2Oax7GxY5chqoq7SBZbMlSGWRNgBFXVqk&dib_tag=se&qid=1776851880&refinements=p_27%3ALance+Peppler&s=books&sr=1-1&text=Lance+Peppler]. Email me with your thoughts at lancepeppler@gmail.com.

Ashes Before the Throne - Chapters 4 - 6

This episode is a combination of chapters 4 to 6 of Ashes Before the Throne. Buy Ashes Before the Throne on Amazon here [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GY1CBK8G/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HbW5-RiEj-89mKh9_N-1yN3CU3TkxD1hFLc5muTGKbsMHu-VkTucqkc1iw4A9Sv7oSJSFuGXazS0nPKu84RuzMAd-YeswoCMxRWY3tRdW_4.sWX1D_IGQl2Oax7GxY5chqoq7SBZbMlSGWRNgBFXVqk&dib_tag=se&qid=1776851880&refinements=p_27%3ALance+Peppler&s=books&sr=1-1&text=Lance+Peppler]. Email me your thoughts at lancepeppler@gmail.com.

Ashes Before the Throne - Songs from Chapters 1 - 6

In this bonus episode of the podcast here are the collection of songs from chapters 1 - 6 of Ashes Before the Throne. If you enjoy this then email me at lance.peppler@gmail.com. Buy the book on Amazon here [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GY1CBK8G/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HbW5-RiEj-89mKh9_N-1yN3CU3TkxD1hFLc5muTGKbsMHu-VkTucqkc1iw4A9Sv7oSJSFuGXazS0nPKu84RuzMAd-YeswoCMxRWY3tRdW_4.sWX1D_IGQl2Oax7GxY5chqoq7SBZbMlSGWRNgBFXVqk&dib_tag=se&qid=1776851880&refinements=p_27%3ALance+Peppler&s=books&sr=1-1&text=Lance+Peppler].

Ashes Before the Throne - Chapter 6

In this chapter, we transition from the grand, cosmic battles of the heavens to the grit and moral decay of modern-day London. We follow Azerothiel, now a fallen entity bound by invisible chains, as he stalks his latest "client"—a high-powered, ruthless lawyer named Thomas Sterling. This episode explores the nature of demonic influence, not as a Hollywood-style possession, but as a subtle, toxic nudge toward the "narcotic rush" of pride. Key Discussion Points: * The Fallen in the City: How Azerothiel, a former "Strength of God," has been reduced to a spiritual scavenger in the sterile rooms of London hospitals and the oak-paneled courtrooms of the Old Bailey. * The Anatomy of a "Client": A deep dive into Marcus Vance, a man with a soul described as "rusted scrap metal," and Thomas Sterling, the lawyer whose brilliance is matched only by his growing moral vacuum. * The Subtle Whisper: We break down the moment Azerothiel slides a thought into Thomas’s mind—making him believe his legal victory is actually evidence of moral superiority. * The Physics of the Dark: Understanding Azerothiel’s "Aramaic chains" that burn with the heat of his failures and the "Hollow" in his chest that can only be filled by the spicy hit of human sin. Featured Characters: * Azerothiel: A fallen angel of the Ophanim, once a guardian of galaxies, now a shadow-bound predator feeding on the scraps of human ego. * Thomas Sterling: A Senior Partner at a top London firm. He doesn’t feel guilt; he feels the "intoxicating rush of a perfect argument". * Marcus Vance: The brutal defendant whose lack of remorse provides the "jagged" energy Azerothiel craves. Notable Quotes: "The rules don't apply to the man who can rewrite them." — Azerothiel’s whisper to Thomas Sterling "He realized he was just a scavenger, a seagull following a trawler, waiting for the scraps of a pride so vast it made the Abyss look shallow." Buy Ashes Before the Throne here [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GY1CBK8G/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HbW5-RiEj-89mKh9_N-1yN3CU3TkxD1hFLc5muTGKbsMHu-VkTucqkc1iw4A9Sv7oSJSFuGXazS0nPKu84RuzMAd-YeswoCMxRWY3tRdW_4.sWX1D_IGQl2Oax7GxY5chqoq7SBZbMlSGWRNgBFXVqk&dib_tag=se&qid=1776851880&refinements=p_27%3ALance+Peppler&s=books&sr=1-1&text=Lance+Peppler]. Email me - Lance Peppler - at lancepeppler@gmail.com.

Ashes Before the Throne - Chapter 5

In this episode, we step away from the celestial grandeur of the Empyrean and descend into the damp, suffocating reality of modern-day London. We meet Azerothiel in his fallen form—a creature of "collapsed majesty" who has traded the weaving of galaxies for the psychic poisoning of a human soul. We explore the dark symbiosis between the fallen and the "mud-born" as Azerothiel targets a man named Arthur, revealing the structural weaknesses of the human heart. * The Weight of the Fall: The physical and spiritual transition from a being of light and "beryl wheels" to a "towering, jagged column of absolute darkness". * The Parasitic Nature of Evil: How Azerothiel no longer creates, but instead consumes the light around him, feeding on human isolation and despair. * The "Hollow" in the Chest: The shared experience of emptiness between the fallen angel and his human victim. * Azerothiel (The Fallen): Once the "Strength of God," now a smudge of soot bound by glowing Aramaic chains that sting his skin with the words "GUILTY" and "FALLEN". * Malphas: A "Regional Manager" from the Abyss who embodies the corporate, bureaucratic cruelty of Hell, appearing in a pinstriped suit with a spectral silk tie. * Arthur: The target. A man whose "structural weaknesses" are laid bare as he faces his final moments in a sterile hospital room. "He was reaching into the fundamental scaffolding of his own ego and pulling." "The Prince of the Air has no patience for those who grow sentimental." Buy Ashes Before the Throne here [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GY1CBK8G/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HbW5-RiEj-89mKh9_N-1yN3CU3TkxD1hFLc5muTGKbsMHu-VkTucqkc1iw4A9Sv7oSJSFuGXazS0nPKu84RuzMAd-YeswoCMxRWY3tRdW_4.sWX1D_IGQl2Oax7GxY5chqoq7SBZbMlSGWRNgBFXVqk&dib_tag=se&qid=1776851880&refinements=p_27%3ALance+Peppler&s=books&sr=1-1&text=Lance+Peppler]. Email me at lancepeppler@gmail.com.