Thank you for your kind comments!! I'm going to enjoy incorporating both Velaxis and Arahal in the sequel; more Velaxis than Arahal, but I had great fun thinking of Arahal in his rather exotic attire. :)

I continue to be so grateful for your in-depth commentary. The foreboding is is certainly intentional. ;)

And I'm thrilled that you quoted back that last part; I'd had that vision and scene in my mind from the very beginning of the story. It was a bit of a relief finally to be able to write it! There's no small amount of me in Ashmael; he was loosely raised as an Episcopalian, knowing some Biblical imagery. Plus, they're such a new race, the Adam and Eve Adam out with their creator before they realize just how manipulative the Aghama is, I thought that image would work well.