《Tale of the Gods》


 Part One

    Tale of the Gods Pt. 1


    When the universe first began, it started with a bang. The shockwaves rocketed through the primordial ooze and chaos, creating a whole new wellspring of energies.


    The Primordial Gods


    From this wellspring rose five Primordial gods. Together, these gods created the cosmos, the satellites in the heavens, time, and the worlds of the universe. The five of them created all the races of the Mortal realm, but separately they affected different aspects of their lives.


    Adayang sculpted the worlds, giving them basic form and shape. They pushed together the earth to form mountains, scooped out valleys, and stomped flat the plains. In every world, they left a piece of themselves behind, a piece that spread into every crack and plate of the world''s surface. To face the wrath of Adayang, is to call upon that piece to shake the very ground till the transgressor apologizes. This is why they are the God of the Earth, Mountains, and Earthquakes.


    In the air above, Trustech breathes life into the worlds. They are light on their feet, and are constantly on the move. Their movements bring with them the wind that constantly crisscrosses the world. They have a desire to know and see everything. When they do finally tire, they float above the masses, close their eyes, and let the secrets of the world pass through their ears on its way to its intended. They are the God of the Wind and Air, Tornadoes and Hurricanes.


    With Trustech above, and Adayang around, it''s no wonder that Adacanish prefers to be alone. Adacanish brought the water to fill the large basins left by Adayang. While in the depths, he can find peace from the constantness that is Trustech. Races and species that dwell within his domain, have also taken his isolationism to heart, as well as his anger. Once crossed, Adacanish is not satisfied till he has taken a prize. This could be as simple as a ship, a life, or as much as a great wave that crashes into the shore and sinks an entire city. He is the God of the Seas and Ocean, and Fishing.


    Whereas the three prior prefer a more hands-on approach to the mortals, Tissave does not. His essence is spread out and around every world, moon, sun, and everything else that lingers in the vastness of the cosmos. He is the only god not affected by the stretching of his mind. Instead, he was graced with infinite patience, alongside a detached and uninterested demeanor. While he is intrigued in the actions of the mortals, he watches their fates like a show. His only contribution to the show, was the small seed of magic he had planted on every world, to even out the field. He is the God of Space, Cosmos, Magic, Fate, and Divination.


    Now, Anabra considers herself Tissave''s best friend, and as his best friend, Anabra does all she can make the mortals as interesting as possible. That doesn''t mean that she scripts the show, but does plant little surprises that could take days, months, years, or even centuries to fully mature. She likes to sit with Tissave and watch the events unfold, usually in ways not even she could have expected. She is the Goddess of Time, Eternity, and Destiny.


    All the Pretty Little Things


    The only creatures that the gods truly fear, are the Draconics. Fearsome creatures who had been mutated by the very magic that Tissave had gifted the worlds. Creatures that could bend elements to their will, and even out of the grasp of the gods.


    To fight against them, Adayang and Tissave joined forces. Adayang pulled from their depths, the largest collection of diamonds and other gems they could. The two primordials worked together to fit the gems together into a humanoid shape. The main body was made of diamonds for strength. Onyx was fitted into the palms of their hands, so they could absorb the negative energy and powers from their draconic foes and transform it within themselves. The eyes were carved from Agate, which would protect them from evil, and promote courage and bravery in anyone they looked at. In their chest, a piece of Carnelian was embedded to protect against enchantments, and negative thoughts.


    When the body was completed, Tissave brought it to life. Thus, the dwarf Felarc was created.


    While Felarc did indeed fight against the Draconics, he also developed his own interests. He became consumed with the thought of amassing a horde and a collection of precious gems and jewels, both magical and non-magical. He instructed his Attendants to create great weapons that utilized the gems for art and skill. He was the God of Battle, Forge, and Gemstones.


    As the other gods came into being and amassed mortal followings, they all came to Felarc in his volcanic and mountainous Realm. They inquired if stones could be created to promote their own ideals and powers. They wondered if Felarc and his Attendants could craft them weapons and symbols that would identify their followers to others throughout the Realm. So it was that Felarc crafted different gems and weapons to fit the needs of the Gods.


    Ekolord and His Deal


    With all gods, passions run high. Trustech grew inquisitive of the soft earth that had been tilled by Adayang''s hand. Trustech burrowed in, and sprayed the earth high into the air, that was then caught on their winds and carried to every corner of Adayang''s world. Adayang, however did not want their earth carried to places they had not planned for it. The two squabbled, and their energies mixed, and created two seeds. It was Adayang that grabbed the seeds first, and buried them within the ground to keep Trustech away from them.


    Soon enough the seeds blossomed, and from within two large flowers came the siblings Ekolord and Lovach. When the siblings stepped onto the earth, fully grown, vegetation began to grow from their steps. The siblings crossed the worlds, and wherever they went, mortals followed.


    When they were done, Ekolord settled deep within the vast forests. He spends his days relaxing on a chaise of moss and flowers, as he listens and watches the forest flourish and grow. Through the vines of the forest, he is fed information of the outside world. While he generally dislikes most of the mortal races, those of the fey persuasion do have his respect, and he allows them to settle and thrive within his realm. He is the God of Wild Nature and the Fey.


    Now, as Ekolord encouraged the growth of the forests, jungles, and plains, he came across the small magical seed that had been planted by Tissave. When he approached Tissave about this seed, Tissave merely laughed and told Ekolord to let it grow and see what happens, all with a twinkle in his eye. Ekolord was not comforted, and demanded to know more. If it was to exist in his forests, he wished to know how to care for it. Tissave laughed, and said that it would stretch far further than just the forests. Ekolord purposed that perhaps this was a conversation that was to be brought to the attention of Adayang, instead. Tissave, not wanting to cause a conflict with another primordial, suggested instead a compromise: a third-party whose sole job was to care and maintain the seed as it grew. Ekolord agreed.


    Tissave pinched off a part of themselves, and then pinched off some of Ekolord, and combined the two parts together, creating a new seed. The seed was passed off to Ekolord, who took it back to their home. Ekolord, not wishing anyone or anything to harm this compromise, took soil and buried it in the knot of a tree. The seed grew and birthed a daughter within the hollow of the tree, and her name was Glendaia. Glendaia exited the tree, causing a break at the tree''s roots in which a small pond formed at the base. From there, she could view the multitude of seeds across the different worlds, to ensure that each of them grew as they were intended. She is the Goddess of the Ley Lines.


    Creation of Nazash and His Child


    Adayang, already bored of the mortal races, took it upon themselves to create a third seed. Before the seed could be planted, it was stolen by a bird (revenge sent by Trustech) and carried far away. The small bird was knocked out of the sky by a larger bird of prey, and its carcass left below. The seed it carried was swallowed, along with the remains of the bird by the strongest beast in the land. After five days, Nazash burst forth, fully grown, out of the beast''s stomach as the God of Animals and Nature.


    Nazash, dressed in the furs of the beast that had birthed him, became a friend to all animals above and below their parent''s earth. He is constantly on the move, and always travels with a pack of various animals. Even mortal enemies become friends in his presence. Anyone who hurts his friends without cause will soon find a spear in their back. He has no patience for those who aren''t animals. However, he still found himself assailed by other gods or mortal followers, and he realized that he needed someone to speak for him.


    And so, Nazash assumed the form of an animal, and laid with the favorite of his pack. His favorite soon birthed him a daughter, Erindoe, and she was the Goddess of the Hunt and Wildfires.


    Erindoe learned quickly her role as her father''s voice, and took to it readily. She not only spoke for him among the gods, but among the mortals as well. Her main grievance with the mortals, were those who hunted animals for sport. She was well-versed in hunting for food and supplies, but sport served no purpose. Those who were caught, were soon caught up in her fiery anger, usually by finding themselves caught in the middle of a wildfire as it burned away the old and made way for the new.


    One day, while Erindoe was patrolling the forest with their father, a mare raced by them. The mare was chased by a band of mortals, all clamoring for the bridle around its neck. Erindoe ran forward, gathered the reins and calmed the mare. The mortals gathered, unaware of in whose presence they were, and demanded the return of their mare. With a wave of their hand, Nazash turned the mare into a woman, and bade her to speak. Though it was easy enough for Erindoe and Nazash to see, when the mare was given a mortal body, the bruises, cuts, and various injuries became clear for those that chased her. Erindoe, angered by the state of the mare in her arms, demanded to know why she had been injured so.


    The mortals, finally coming to realize that they were not in the presence of ordinary mortals, stammered that they had merely been training the mare. She was to pull their wagon, and yet she resisted. The mare stood up, and pointed to the whip that was in the mortal''s hands. ''That is not an instrument of training that is one of pain'' she proclaimed. Nazash moved and took the whip from the mortal''s hand. He handed it to the mare. ''Perhaps it can be both.'' He declared.


    The mare stepped forward, and with the whip educated the mortal on her point. When she was finished, she turned to Nazash and fell to her knees. She begged Nazash to help her. She said that she is not the only one that had been treated so at the hands of the mortals, and not just the mortals that stood among them. The animals of the forests knew that they were protected, but those that lived outside, lived in fear and uncertainty.


    Nazash''s eyes hardened as he heard her pleas. He knelt in front of the mare, and cupped her face with his hands. ''I am sorry that I have been lax on those outside the forest. However, I cannot help them, as they already have one who will look over them.'' With that, Nazash let the power of his godhood flow into the mare.


    With that, the goddess Chakrai was created, and took it upon themselves to watch over the animals who dwell with the humans. From personal experience, she knows that the humans could not survive without the animals, and she does not hesitate to use her whip on those who crosses the line with the animals in their care. She is known as the Goddess of the Beasts of Labor.


    Erindoe and Chakrai work closely together, and it did not take long for them to fall in love and be married.


    Lovach and Her Own Seed


    Now, as her brother Ekolord hid in his forests, Lovach marveled at how the erratic foliage was tamed at the hands of the mortals. She respected and was impressed at the care of the farmers as they tilled the lands and brought forth new growth. To aid in them, Lovach carried rain on the winds of their parent to where it was needed most. She is the Goddess of the Harvest.


    Almost immediately, Lovach recognized that she needed help. The population of the humans kept increasing, and so their need for fields and crops became more urgent. Not even her Attendants that flitted about the farms could keep up with all that was needed. So, she took a cue from her younger brother.


    Lovach approached not one, but many different favorites, and laid with them. Through these unions she had many children, but none were born with the power of a god. She approached her brother, Nazash, to ask why her methods did not work.


    Nazash explained that it was not enough to simply birth the children. To pass along the power of godhood, Lovach much give up some of their own essence to their offspring. With this new information, Lovach returned to their home.


    Lovach tilled a new garden, and had her Attendants bring her seeds from the very best of the mortal farmers. Once the seeds were planted, Lovach fertilized the soil with her own essence. She watered the garden with rain from all the worlds. Every day, Lovach lovingly pruned and weeded the small garden, willing the seeds to sprout. After several weeks, the garden only held one sapling.


    One day, the goddess Vowil took to Lovach''s home for a visit. She found Lovach asleep, curled around the ailing sapling. Vowil knelt next to her half-sister, and covered the sapling with her hand. She poured the power of the sun into the ground, and gave the fledging god strength. Lovach awoke to the sound of a baby''s cry, and she quickly unearthed her daughter, the goddess Erexeb.


    Though Erexeb was a goddess, she was sickly. Though she was strong in spirit and mind, she was not strong physically. Erexeb did not have the ability to use their legs, and though they tried, they found it hard to assist their mother in the running of the garden. Instead, she turned her attention to the plants themselves. She focused on learning all of the properties of the plants, and the ways they could be combined and manipulated. She discovered both medicinal and less savory ways to utilize the plants. She''s the Goddess of Herbalism.


    The Children of Tissave


    In the early days of the universe, in order to clean and tidy the cosmos, Tissave gathered pieces of rock and energy and brought them together. In this way, he created the suns and moons of the various worlds and realms. Immediately he was approached by Trustech and Adacanish.


    Trustech complained that the sun was very bright and hot, and dominated her domain. She wished to have control of it.


    Adacanish complained that the power of the moon rivaled with him over his waves. He demanded control of it, as no one controlled him.


    Tissave dismissed them both, stating that both the sun and moon were in his domain as they rested in the heavens. Both Trustech and Adacanish did not give up, and soon Tissave instead suggested a compromise. They suggested a child, born of the three of them that would serve as warden for both the sun and moon.


    Adacanish stated that they would rather give a city back, then have a child with Trustech, and Trustech stated that they''d rather go deaf than have a child with Adacanish. Tissave recommended two children instead, and they agreed. One child would be over the sun, and the other would be over the moon. Tissave took a pinch of essence from both of them, and told them to come back in three days.


    Tissave instructed his Attendants, to bring him two mortal women. In each of them, he placed one of the two essences. He imparted his own essence into both, and then proceeded to seal the two women away. Within the sun, he sealed the woman that held the essence of Trustech. Within the moon, he sealed the woman that held of essence of Adacanish.


    After the three days, he brought forth Trustech and Adacanish.


    Within the sun, sat the child Vowil, and their mortal-turned-goddess mother Miyangess, who became the Goddess of Fertility and Childbirth.


    Within the moon, sat the child Adellam in the lap of their dead mortal mother. The mother gently stroked Adellam''s hair, as the child guided the lifeless hand.


    Both children grew quickly, and though they were treated as siblings, both of them held a deep disregard for the other. Vowil loved life, and cared for the souls of the mortals. They collected and hoarded their Followers. They are the Goddess of the Sun and Life. Adellam saw no use for a mortal soul, only their bodies. They kept the body of their mother and used it as a personal servant. They are the God of the Moon and Shadows.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    When the Moon met the Poison


    After Vowil helped give life to the new goddess Erexeb, the two of them stayed friends. Vowil often sent her Followers to learn at the feet of those who followed Erexeb in the ways of healing and prolonging of life.


    It was through Vowil, that Erexeb met Adellam. The younger goddess wandered to Vowil''s domain, and found the two siblings bickering as they usually did. A follower of Adellam had resurrected the body of one of Vowil''s paladins, and the soul had disappeared. Vowil demanded that it be returned, but Adellam knew not what had happened to it. Without even noticing Erexeb, Vowil turned and left in a huff.


    Adellam, who had noticed Erexeb, turned and apologized for the spat. Erexeb stated that it was not needed, and instead asked after who they were. Adellam responded that they were Vowil''s sibling, and who unlike their sibling thrived in the dark. They inquired the same of Erexeb. Erexeb explained about their forays into medicines and poisons. When Adellam mentioned that some of the creatures that occupied their realm secreted a natural poison, Erexeb became quite curious.


    So, Adellam gathered the goddess into their arms and whisked them off to their home realm. Most of the creatures were made of shadow, and it took some time for Adellam''s Attendants to track down a poisonous creature. While they waited, Adellam and Erexeb got to know each other. They became fast friends, and by the time the creature had arrived, were lovers. Adellam constructed a lab specifically for Erexeb in their home.


    Erexeb though, could not stay in Adellam''s realm all the time. Not only would their mother not allow it, but Erexeb''s poor constitution would not tolerate it. So, she spent half the year with Adellam, and half the year with Vowil. Vowil had also set up a lab so that Erexeb could continue their research into the medicinal.


    Though Vowil did not fully approve of their relationship, she recognized that the two of them worked as a couple. She also noticed that when the two of them were together, they were too busy spending time with each other to cause much ruckus with her. For those reasons, Vowil gladly escorted her friend to the edge of her sibling''s domain, and then collected her.


    That Which Occurs for a Gift


    On one of the occasions where Erexeb resided with Vowil, Adellam found themselves wandering into the heart of a forest. They searched for a rare flower that was rumored to be the most poisonous of them all. It would serve as a gift to Erexeb when they arrived home. Adellam wondered so far, that without realizing it they had trespassed into Ekolord''s realm.


    Adellam found the flower, but just as they had plucked it, found themselves surrounded by Ekolord''s Attendants. Adellam was quickly taken before Ekolord. Ekolord held the flower in their hand, and asked why Adellam had plucked it. Adellam explained that it was a gift, and though Ekolord understood, he wondered why Adellam had not simply asked for it. The deity of the moon simply stated that it had not occurred to them to ask.


    Ekolord crushed the flower into a fine powder, and poured it into a goblet that was then filled with a fine wine. He sent away his Attendants and approached Adellam. ''Drink from this goblet and fulfill my request, as punishment for plucking the flower. Do this, and you shall leave with what you desire.'' Ekolord held out the goblet.


    Adellam took the goblet, but did not drink. ''What is your request?'' Ekolord smiled. ''Nothing much, I just wish to know how it feels to lay with the moon.'' With that Ekolord pushed the cup up to Adellam''s lips, who drank from it freely. Before Adellam could drink all of it, Ekolord took the goblet from them and finished it.


    As soon as the poisoned wine hit their lips, Adellam felt a cloudiness come into their mind. They felt their inhibitions leave them, and became excited to fulfill Ekolord''s request.


    When Adellam next came to full clarity, they were in their own bed, and a new flower sat in a pot upon a table. That was not the only thing that Ekolord had left them with, as Adellam also found themselves with child.


    Though she was not happy, Erexeb knew well of Ekolord''s reputation, so she bore no ill will towards her spouse or the child Anawallane. The same could not be said of Adellam, as they kept the child confined to their realm and barely permitted them to leave.


    It was only when Erexeb would smuggle Anawallane out to Vowil''s realm that the child learned of a mortal''s soul. When Vowil noticed her niece''s curiosity, she took great pains to educate them of how important a soul is to the mortals. If Vowil could not convince her sibling, perhaps she would have better luck with their child.


    Adawallane soaked up her aunt''s teachings. When she had grown, Adawallane created her own realm and collected the all-important souls from every world. She gratefully took on the responsibility as the Goddess of the Dead and Afterlife. She took great care to organize them, and had many attendants assigned to collect the stories of the soul and store them in a great library. The library, called the Memoria Aula, was created by the god Ullren. Adawallane also realized that the souls needed something to do in the afterlife she had created. Some souls were punished for the crimes they had committed while alive, while others were rewarded for their accomplishments.


    Adawallane soon came to realize that she had underestimated the multitude of souls that she had taken under her wing, and needed ways to alleviate her load. Therefore, some were reincarnated back to their worlds. Demons and devils approached her, and offered to take some souls off her hands, for a price of course.


    Meglin, the son of Erexeb and Adellam, joined their sister in this endeavor. Being absolutely enamored with their older sister, Meglin instructed his Attendants to escort the souls to his sister, to ensure that none were missed. Those souls that were lost or tried to escape, did not stay that way for long as Meglin tracked them down and brought them to be judged. He is the Reaper, the God of the Journey.


    Hawallach''s Trick


    Now, another frequent visitor to Erexeb, was Hawallach. Hawallach thrived on the passion and fire in the hearts and bodies of the mortals, and is the God of Desire. Knowing Erexeb''s skill with potions, they requested the strongest of all potions that would break even the strongest bonds within a person and have them succumb to their deepest desires. Never one to turn down such a challenge, Erexeb accepted.


    They took the same poisonous flower that Adellam had procured for them, and combined it with some herbs that contained hallucinogenic properties. Finally, so as to dampen the poison effects of the mixture, they added the tears of a phoenix, which had the added benefit of placing the recipient into a highly suggestible state.


    When Erexeb presented it to Hawallach, Hawallach doubted its potency. They demanded a demonstration. Meglin, who had been visiting, was called into the room. They were easily enough coerced into trying the potion.


    After the potion was drunk, Meglin''s mind became clouded. Hawallach embraced Meglin from behind, and whispered into their ear. They told Meglin that they were in the room of their beloved, and that the woman before them was not their mother, but the one that they yearned for. Meglin''s vision became blurred, and the image of their mother disappeared, and was replaced with the image of a demonic creature that they had recently seen. Meglin approached their beloved and tried to embrace them.


    Erexeb put up a fight to their son. They yelled at Hawallach that the demonstration was over and to call off Meglin.


    Hawallach though, wished to see how far they could push the boundaries. Coming up behind Erexeb, they forced the potion into their mouth. With the same hypnotic voice, they said that it was not Meglin their son that coming onto them, but instead their spouse Adellam. With that, Erexeb stopped fighting and fell gladly into the embrace of their spouse.


    With a twisted smile and sense of pride, Hawallach watched as mother and son engaged in an intimate act that should never be. As his final act before he left the two of them, he instructed mother and son to forget that he was ever there, or even involved.


    Several hours later, the fog cleared from Erexeb''s mind, and she awakened in the naked embrace of her son. Hawallach was nowhere to be seen, and all remnants of that vile potion was missing. Erexeb, per the suggestion of Hawallach, had no idea what had come over them. With shame she called her Attendants, who helped them to their room and to clean. Meglin was quickly whisked away to their own home, still asleep.


    For several days, Erexeb sealed herself away in her room, and did not even allow Adellam to see them. She was ashamed of herself, and carried the shame of her son as well. Meglin knew something had occurred, but did not know the details. To add to the shame, Erexeb discovered that she was with child.


    The only one Erexeb would speak with, was the mother of Vowil, the goddess of childbirth and fertility herself, Miyangess. Erexeb begged Miyangess to take the child from her, as she could not bear the through of birthing the child of her son. The goddess understood her plight, and though she was reluctant, could see that let the pregnancy continue would be detrimental to the health of the mother. So, Miyangess extracted the fetus from Erexeb, and disappeared into the night.


    Miyangess could not bring herself to destroy the small soul of the fetus. As she attempted to leave, she also discovered that the fetus could not leave the realm of Adellam. With no other choice, she called upon one of her Attendants. She implanted the fetus within the Attendant, and instructed her to dwell in the Realm till the child was born. Miyangess than left.


    And so the Attendant hid within the shadows of the Realm, dodging the dangers and taking shelter within the dark caves. As the incestuous child grew within her, the Attendant found herself being changed by the Realm itself. When the child was finally born, the Attendant was happy that she could finally leave the Realm.


    She absconded to the mortal Realm, but found that she could not live under the light of the sun. Once again she retreated down below. She called out for the help of her Goddess, but was distraught to discover that she was no longer in her service. Her time in the Realm of Adellam had eroded her link, leaving her untethered. In her fear and distress, the former Attendant called for those who too had been abandoned, and brought them into the darkest parts of the Underdark with her. And so the Attendant became the Goddess Insill, Goddess of the Abandoned.


    The incestuous child of Erexeb and Meglin was named Elezenn. Young Elezenn grew with no boundaries, and her every whim (no matter how twisted) was granted. When she was grown, she was told the truth of her birth. Elezenn approached Erexeb of this matter, but Erexeb turned her away and refused to speak to her. To get her attention, Elezenn created plagues and diseases that would torment the mortals and overwhelm the followers of Erexeb. These displays still did not get the attention that she sought, and Elezenn fell more into madness. When she falls into the darkest throes of madness, Insill brings her home to the Underdark and holds her till it passes. She is the Goddess of Madness and Disease.


    Elezenn''s Dolls


    When Elezenn was still a young child, her mother Insill would frequently entertain guests of the demonic or devil nature within their home. These guests wished to do all sorts of business with Insill, and it was not often that they were refused. One of these guests presented the young Elezenn with a gift: a pair of twin dolls. The dolls were made of clay and represented a brother and a sister. Both of them were demonic in appearance, with barbed tails and pointed teeth. The female had a pair of leathery wings, while her brother had curling horns.


    Elezenn liked them well enough, and would often talk to them when she was alone. After being rejected by Erexeb, Elezenn flew into a rage. She lost all sense of self-control and lost control of her own divine powers. In a flood of pure godly power, her precious dolls were swallowed up. When the power died down and Elezenn was calm, she discovered she was not alone. In the room with her, where her two demonic dolls come to life.


    The male, Dehark, only stayed briefly by Elezenn''s side. Now that he was free to walk and talk of his own volition, he was not inclined to give up that freedom. Dehark was also a shape-shifter, changing his form to suit whichever situation he found himself in. No matter the dealings he was involved in, Dehark always did what was best for Dehark.


    Soon enough he found himself surrounded by Followers who followed his philosophy. He became known as the God of Thieves, and his network worked its way into every world. Like himself, his Followers were wary of anyone who had blind trust and loyalty in others without that it being earned. Dehark''s network became his silver web, and he the spider that sat upon it. He would also act as a messenger for the gods when it suited him.


    Dehark''s other passion was secretly bedding Sezgrin''s wife, Melindan, behind the God of War and Storm''s back. Melindan and Dehark had a friendship and a kinship, but there was no love, only lust. Even after Melindan bore two sons with demonic appearances, Sezgrin never caught on that they were not his.


    Whereas Dehark was all for himself, his sister Detol was all for Elezenn. Since the moment of her creation, Detol dedicated herself to Elezenn. In the beginning Elezenn did not believe her, but Detol proved herself. She locked herself into a stone room, and proclaimed that until Elezenn pulled her out, she would not leave. With a wicked grin, Elezenn set the room ablaze, certain that Detol would rather save her own life than to prove her silly loyalty.


    Even as the flames licked and burned away her skin, Detol did not leave. She held in her screams, even as her lips cracked from the heat. Her wings wrinkled in the extreme heat before they themselves were set ablaze. Even in extreme agony, Detol did not leave. She made no move to leave, no move to save themselves. Detol''s life was in Elezenn''s hands.


    Finally, Elezenn became convinced. She reached in and pulled out Detol.


    Detol''s skin was black, and her wings were bare. Elezenn commanded her Attendants to care for the woman. It took several days as the Attendants slowly tore off every piece of burned flesh, leaving her skin raw. Detol found herself unable to speak, her vocal cords having been severely damaged by the smoke.


    Eventually she recovered, and it was like she had been reborn. The only part of herself that did not heal completely, was her voice. She learned sign language so she could still communicate when her voice was not strong enough.


    Now that she had Elezenn''s trust, she could truly protect her as the Goddess of Loyalty. Detol became the commander of Elezenn''s army, The Protectorate.


    The Secret Goddess


    So it was, that whenever Adayang threw a fit and their being shook, cracks appeared along their boundaries with Adacanish. Slowly over time, water flowed into the rocky spaces. With Lovach herself bringing rain to the farmers, and then the storms of the brothers Zhonnic and Sezgrin bringing even more inland, bodies of water within the earth and above it formed.


    It was Nazash themselves who encountered a lake so large, that they could not see the other side. As their animal companions drank deeply from it, Nazash waded out. He was not but a few feet out, when the earth beneath his feet suddenly ended and he thrown down a deep cliff. Being a god, Nazash could not drown, but that did not stop him from feeling true terror as he sank into a domain that was not his own.


    His descent was stopped by a school of fish, who rushed around him and held him aloft. A woman in a shimmering scaled dress swam up to him. ''Who are you?'' Nazash asked as they watched the woman swim around him, inspecting him. The woman laughed. ''Seeing as it was you who ventured into my realm, I should be the one asking that.'' She came in front of him, and reclined in the water. ''My name is Cazai, and I am the Keeper of the lakes and rivers. Who might you be?''


    ''Nazash, protector and friend to all the animals of above.'' Nazash gestured to the water around them. ''How long have you been here?'' The Goddess smiled. ''I have been here since the beginning, since the first drop of Adacanish''s realm touched the realm of Adayang. It is not my fault that those above do not care to look below.'' With a final wave of her hand, the fish around Nazash began to take him back above.


    After that, whenever Nazash found himself near the water, he took the time to look deep within its depths and to converse further with Cazai, the Goddess of the Lakes and Streams, who never left the safety of her water.


    The Storm Siblings


    When it comes to the primordial gods, there are three who at any given time have a tenuous thread of peace with each other. Of course, these three are Adayang, Trustech, and Adacanish. Unlike the likes of Tissave and Anabra, those three are constantly together in some form or another. Their realms are in constant contact, and at times friction blows up, both literally and figuratively. During one of their greatest conflicts, a conflict which involved all three of them, they found themselves literally tied into a giant knot.


    It took several days for the three of them to figure out how to undo themselves, and during that time the essences of all three mixed together. When the knot was finally undone, the three were shocked to discover that in the middle of them, were two sons. Sons born of their combined essences, and that had absorbed the emotions of the primordial''s fighting.


    Zhonnic embodied the primordial''s desire to best each other, and prove that they were the best. With a flash of lightning, Zhonnic gathered together fighters and athletes, and presided over great competitions. Encouraged training and the learning of skill, in order to make the competitions larger and greater. He is the God of Lightning, Strength, and Competition.


    Sezgrin, embodied the primoridal''s desire to be the winner at all cost. He found himself drawn to the kind of competition that only ends in the total annihilation of the other side. War, and bloody war at that, is what fuels him. His thunder echoes the sound of boots heading into battle. He is the God of Thunder, Blood, and War.


    It wasn''t only those below them that fought. The brother''s fought against each other constantly as well, lighting up the sky and deafening any who tried to stop them. Their battles caused destruction everywhere they went, and none of the other gods could stop them.


    Finally, it was Adacanish who discovered a solution. Taking blood from each that had fallen into their waters, they put it and their own essence into a clam. The clam sat on a rock, alone, above the water, as the brothers battled around it.


    At the time that each brother landed a harsh strike on the other, the clam opened and revealed a golden pearl. The pearl glowed with a bright light, that when dimmed, had become a golden-haired goddess. Immediately both brother''s felt a tight connection with this goddess, and named her Xilnam, The Goddess of Victory, their little sister.


    From that point, it was Xilnam who decided who won between the brother''s squabbles. They never questioned her judgement, and anyone who did faced their wrath. Competitors in the brother''s fights or war, often praised Xilnam and asked for their favor. Anyone who won, and did not pay tribute to the goddess, were soon taught better by the brothers.


    One of the brother''s greatest fights, was over the affections of a mortal, a follower of Anabra. This follower would predict the outcome of a bout or war, by bestowing luck upon the sides. This luck could be good or bad, and if utilized correctly, could change the outcome. Both brothers were obsessed by the mortal''s skills, and wished to make them theirs. The mortal was flattered by the attention of the brother''s, and accepted tokens from both.


    Xilnam became increasingly concerned over her brother''s continued fighting over the mortal. This was not a matter in which she could just declare one brother''s affections to be more worthy than the other. The mortal woman did not help the matter, as she laid with each brother, seemingly not having a favorite over either one.


    Finally, Xilnam could no longer take the fighting of her brothers. In front of them, she used her divinity to tear the mortal woman in half. She flung a half to each of her brothers, and then stalked away.


    The brothers were quick to pump their own divinity into each of their own halves, healing and restoring their missing limbs. In this way the goddesses Nessel and Melindan came to be. Nessel married Zhonnic, and is the Goddess of Good Luck, who rewards those that take chances. Melindan married Sezgrin, and is the Goddess of Bad Luck, and favors those you use it to gain an upper hand.


    On one occasion, Dehark approached the brothers and declared that they were no match against the Draconics. For all their godly might, they could not fight against the Draconics teeth and claws. The brothers agreed and asked what could be done. Dehark already had a solution. If the brothers would allow, he would use his own powers of shapeshifting to transform their humanoid bodies to those of great dragons. The brothers agreed readily and so it was that their forms were transformed to those of dragons. In actuality Dehark only wanted Sezgrin''s form to change so that he would question as to why the children bore by his wife had tails.

 Part Two

    <div>


    Tale of the Gods Pt. 2


    The Light of a Flame


    Now, one should never discount the power that the mortals themselves could wield. Thanks to Tissave, magic was present in every world, and in every world it wrapped itself around not only the earth and nature, but the people as well. Like the striking of a match, an Eternal Flame sprang into being, fed by the love, passion, and unity that exists in the heart of every mortal and family unit.


    From the flames, sprang the god Hawallach, who thrived on the passions within others. They glow with light of the flame, which gives them such an exquisite beauty. They are drawn to others who also possess exceptional beauty, and they flit from one to another, or several at a time.


    The goddess Shopil, created from the flaming embers of the Eternal Flame, emerged as its protector. She sits at its hearth and tends the flames. Within the flames, she can view the bonds of family. She is known as the Goddess of Marriage and Family.


    While Shopil sat at the hearth, she was approached by the primordial Anabra. With a weary sigh, Anabra dropped to their knees and warmed themselves from the heat. With concern, Shopil knelt by the primordial. She asked what had occurred that could tire a god such as them so.


    Anabra answered that it was the mortals. With their watchful gaze, they watched the beginning, middle, and end of each mortal life, the animals, even nature itself. Anabra was pulled in so many directions by the flow of time, that they felt they could not keep up. So, they had come to flame to rest.


    Shopil asked why Anabra must do it all themselves? Several of the gods, her included, used Attendants to lessen their loads. Could Anabra not make the same use? The older god chuckled. ''You think a mere Attendant could monitor the flow of time like I do? Only another god could do that, and I could not bear to bring this stress on another.'' Shopil went quiet as they thought. Finally, they spoke. ''Must it be just one? Why not one for the beginning, middle, and end?''


    This idea intrigued Anabra, and to be honest they felt silly that they had not come up with it themselves. Anabra looked at Shopil. ''That is a good idea, but I am too tired to do it on my own. Would you assist me?''


    Shopil dug beneath the flames, and pulled out three handfuls of ash. With each handful, she sculpted three dolls. In turn, Anabra took the dolls and blew life into them. And so, the god Ulrren, and goddesses Glagreh and Nalnan were created.


    Ulrren is the God of the Past. Within the Memoria Aula, he stores a record of every second of every world. He is joined in this endeavor by Anawallane, who provides the details of the individual mortal souls to the collection.


    Glagreh is secluded in her home, which is immeasurably large. By mere will, she is able to obtain whatever the latest craze might be, but only for that moment. Her attention wanders so fast that even her parents have trouble keeping her focused for more than a minute. She is the Goddess of the Present.


    The youngest, Nalnan, is in the form of a perpetual child. She sits at her mother''s knee by the Eternal Flame forever sketching with a piece of charcoal. On the floor surrounding her, are sketches of every possible future that could be. For the ones that come to pass, her brother comes and collects them to add to his library. For the ones that are passed by, those sketches are thrown into the Flame. She is the Goddess of the Future.


    The Precocious Librarian


    Ullren''s library, the Memoria Aula, is so large that it occupies his whole Realm. It is where he stores the records of every living thing from the past. Every event, every decision, is painstakingly recorded. His and his Attendants days are filled documenting the events as they fade into the past, and then shelving them in their proper places. Some of them are accompanied by the pictures drawn by Nalnan.


    Anawallane had her own wing of the library, to store the records that she and her Attendants collected from the dead.


    One day, Ullren ventured into the back of the library. A discrepancy had creeped up in his latest project, and for accuracy he wished to consult the original words. When he got to the book in question, he discovered that not only was it not on the shelf appropriately, but that inside the record had changed. Someone had written new details into the margins or marked out entire sections. In fact, he discovered that several of his records had been changed the same way.


    It wasn''t just the books that were changing. Several of the painting or artifacts that they had collected also began to change to fit the new stories.


    Ullren became very concerned and set his Attendants to finding out who the culprit was. It wasn''t long before his Attendants brought before him his very own daughter, Shamser.


    Shamser, who had wondered how long it would take for her to acts to be discovered, smiled brightly up at her father. She expected to see the same, impassive look on his face as always. She was wrong. For the first time in her immortal existence, she saw anger and rage on her gentle father''s face.


    Ullren demanded to know what right Shamser had to defile history. To corrupt his sacred recordings with her inane reimagining''s.


    Quickly Shamser explained that the new tales were not her own. She had been going to the mortal realm and spending time with the mortals. She sat in their pubs and listened to them embellish and hyperbole even the smallest of events. She drank with them as they sang her legends and tales from their ancestors, with each successive generation adding their own details and forgetting others. She stood in the crowds and watched as they recreated or reimagined their own histories. All Shamser wanted, was for the official records to reflect these changes.


    With a heavy sigh, Ullren sat heavily in his throne. He was silent for several moments, before he spoke. He told Shamser, how the mortal truth and the truth that was kept in their library were different, for a reason. The history that he and his Attendants recorded were the facts with no embellishment, no narrative, nothing but the indisputable truth of what had actually happened. The stories that her mother, Anawallane, brought to the library, the tales that the souls of the dead told themselves, weren''t the same. That''s why Anawallane''s books were kept separate.


    Ullren looked down at his daughter, and saw that the brightness within them had begun to fade. He went on, and explained that mortals needed those stories, those retellings, and those reimaging''s to feel in control of their lives. At their core, they all know that their present and their future are based on what transpired in the past, but at the same time they desperately wished to change their fates. That desire to change themselves and their lot in life, was a gift from Anabra, to keep the mortals from being too monotonous.


    As Shamser lowered her head and hid her face, her father told her that she must learn to separate the truth from fiction. There was no room in the annals of the past for untruth. After Ullren finished speaking, there was silence in the room.


    The silence stretched on, and Ullren wondered if he had been too hard.


    When Shamser finally met her father''s eyes, a new light, a new fire, burned within them. ''You are wrong'' Shamser said. ''The history that I was told might not be true factually, but if it is the history that the mortals act upon, then it is true to them. The stories that mother records might not be true in the broadest sense, but they are true to the individuals who told them. It is those individuals who act and create the events that you record. Individuals who are motivated by the truths and history that they are told and presented with. So what if they embellish? So what if they rewrite the past so that they can affect the future? Those stories are just as much a part of their past as your writings.''


    Ullren leaned back as he considered his daughter''s words. Truth be told, her argument was very similar to the same kind Anawallane had given when she''d asked for her stories to be included. He smiled. This girl with the fire in her eyes was truly their daughter. Her grandmother should be proud.


    ''Fine, you make an excellent point.'' Ullren stood and approached his daughter. ''However, I cannot condone you changing my books. Even if what I have written is not what the mortals tell, it is still the Past. To lose it would be a great loss.'' Instead, he proposed that Shamser collect the tales, stories, and songs, in order to fill her own wing of the library.


    Shamser agreed enthusiastically, and from then on was known as the Goddess of Creativity, and Celestial Patron of the Arts.


    How to Talk to a Girl


    As part of her duties as the Celestial Patron of the Arts, Shamser would frequently visit those who impressed her with their works of art. It did not matter if it was a painting, sculpture, prose, poetry, song, or dance, the creator would be given the chance to make a request of Shamser. Most of the requests were easy enough to accommodate, while others were more of a challenge.


    One of the requests, was from a young man whose work of prose had saddened Shamser to a point no other had done before. The request, was for Shamser to help him learn how speak to a woman who had caught his eyes. The young man had tried, but every time the woman was around him, he got tongue-tied. He believed it to be a problem only a god could solve.


    Shamser left the young man, and went to think on how to solve this problem. While she thought, she was approached by Hawallach. When Shamser told him of the request, it was Hawallach who had an idea. Why not give the young man a doll to practice on, a doll that looked just like the woman in question.


    Shamser agreed and left. From another artist, she commissioned a sculpture that was identical to the woman. She then gave the sculpture life and presented it to the young man. At first the young man was tongue-tied as well around the sculptured woman, but with time he grew more comfortable.


    When he finally felt ready to speak to the real version of the woman, he sought her out. However, he discovered that he was too late. She had already been claimed by someone else, the god Hawallach. Hawallach had not only taken her as his own, he had also impregnated her with his seed.


    Heartbroken, the young man left the town. He left the sculpted woman behind, because he could not bear to see her face.


    The sculpted woman, upset at having been abandoned, went to face the cause of it. In the middle of the night she stole over to the woman''s house. Upstairs, the woman was asleep in her bed. The sculpted woman stood over her. This was the first time she had seen the woman''s face. She marveled at how pink and light the woman''s bed skin was, compared to her own marbled white tone. She reached out and lightly caressed the skin, surprised by the warmth.


    The woman in the bed was woken up by the sudden coldness on her cheek. When she saw the white reflection of her own face above her, she screamed. She quickly crawled out of bed, yelling at the sculpted woman to be gone. The sculpted woman tried to calm her, but the panicked woman would not be calm. She went out the door and to the stairs. So distracted she was by the sculpted woman coming towards her, that she missed the first step.


    With screams and cries the woman fell down the flight of stairs. When she hit the bottom, she was silent, and her face faced her back.


    Stunned, the sculpted woman did not know what to do. She called out for Shamser.


    Shamser arrived, and when she beheld the scene, was speechless. She demanded to know what had happened, and the sculpted woman explained. She also explained to Shamser that the child the woman carried was Hawallach''s.


    Shamser knelt down to the dead woman, and placed her hand on the woman''s swollen belly. The babe within was not yet ready to leave, but would surely die if they did not. The godly blood within them would not sustain them for much longer. There was only one thing the Goddess could do.


    The Goddess stood up, approached the sculpted woman, took her face in her hands, and kissed her deeply. As she did, she imparted her own godly essence into the statue. Whereas before she was just a statue that could move, think, and feel, now she was a real person. Shamser transferred the child over to the newly created woman, who immediately felt her belly swell with the life. To ensure the child''s survival, Shamser imparted some of essence into the babe.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The new woman took over the previous woman''s life, and a couple of months later gave birth to a beautiful daughter named Dropesh. They lived together in a small home just outside of the town. The woman was afraid of her true origins being revealed. It also did not help that she was constantly pursued by Hawallach.


    Hawallach knew that the woman was not the same woman, but he did not care. He relished in the woman''s perfect sculpted beauty, and wished to have her all to himself. When Dropesh was a teenager, Hawallach became increasingly forceful. On one occasion, Hawallach almost succeeded in whisking the former statue to his home realm. In a fit of fear and anger, Dropesh lashed out with her innate godly powers to save her mother and managed to turn her mother back into a statue. Amused, Hawallach took the statue and disappeared.


    Dropesh called for Shamser, and explained to the goddess what had transpired. Shamser was shocked, for she''d never heard of a demi-god like Dropesh being capable of such feats before. She assumed that it was because of the extra bump of power she had given the fetal girl, and that she was now much more than just a demi-god. Shamser advised that she could not help and go against Hawallach, but that she could aid Dropesh in doing so.


    Shamser pulled out a knife and cut first her own hand, and then Dropesh''s. She then combined the two hands, and allowed her own blood to flow into the teenager. The Goddess of Creativity''s blood burned away the last of the girl''s mortal blood, and she became a full Goddess in her own right. Dropesh became the Goddess of the Lost and the Missing. She and her Attendants search the cosmos and realms for her lost mother. Hawallach, amused by the turn of events and determination of her daughter, finds enjoyment in keeping the statue hidden.


    In the same token, Dropesh also became the Goddess of Celebrations. After being human for so long, and then suddenly a goddess, she realized how precious life. She realized the need to celebrate the little moments of life, before they are gone forever.


    The Gods of Law


    As the mortal numbers grew, and they developed into societies, their needs changed. The developed codes of laws, and rules for their societies. However, not every set of laws fit into every society, and with each new law, statute, and rule that was tossed away, it was fed into the Eternal Flame.


    The Flame fed off of all this, and the ash of these ideals were released into the cosmos. Tissave, the God of the Cosmos, gathered all these pieces of ash that cluttered his space, and formed them into three beings, brothers.


    Vogenn is the God of Common Law. In his courts, precedent and standards mattered. His Attendants were adept at researching past cases within the Memoria Aula, to ensure that the same outcomes were given. Cases were presented in front of jury''s full of the accused peers. Vogenn''s role as judge, was to ensure that a fair case was presented, and to be impartial.


    Xishai is the God of Statute Law. In his courts, it does not matter what the precedent is, only the facts of the current case are up to be judged. Instead of a jury of peers, the case is heard and voted on by a pool of higher officials, past mortals who had showed incredible judicial wisdom and intellect, and who have taken an oath to be impartial, and to hear the facts. In the role of judge, Xishai confirms the impartiality of all involved, and leaves no room for emotion in his court.


    The final brother is Torneh, is the God of Religious Law. In his courts, the laws of society and government have no power. Torneh''s courts are the most varied, because they can judge cases of instances where Followers go against their own Gods. These are very rare, and are usually handled in-house. Torneh is mostly commonly called upon to determine verdicts between other Gods, where their domains may overlap. Most of the time when his courtroom stands empty, he is called to be witness to in-house judgements and trials within the mortal churches.


    In all matters, the three brothers are impartial. They cannot speak, for they are there to observe, not mediate.


    The Allure of Knowledge


    The Memoria Aula is more than just the home of Ullren and Shamser. It is more than just a library and collection of the events of the past, both real and reimagined. It is its own Realm, its own world that soaked up all the power and emotions of the godly beings that have traversed its halls and corridors. As a consequence, the Memoria Aula developed its own power, and its own conscious.


    As the mortals learned and gained new skills, a new wing appeared in the Memoria Aula, a home for the knowledge of the mortals. Along with the wing, two guardians were created, the married gods of Vastrand and Kincinnal.


    Vastrand stayed behind within the walls of the Memoria Aula. He and his Attendants categorized and bound together the books that filled the shelves. Their books were filled with techniques that would otherwise be lost to time. Farming practices that had fallen to the wayside, a way of crafting a suit of armor that was both durable and flexible, or a song that would coax the greatest silk from even the most aggressive of spiders. Even building blueprints after they were demolished, or lost and forgotten. Under his watchful gaze, no scrap of information was left to fall by the wayside. Thus he became the God of Knowledge. If for some reason he did not have the answer in his books, he knew where it could be found.


    To collect the information, Kincinnal was sent off into the realms and worlds. She would traverse the different worlds, usually accompanied by groups of adventurers. Within her journals she would write down the techniques, and when the journal was full she''d send it to her husband. Also along her travels, she would come across information that had no business being recorded. Dangerous secrets that would, in her opinion, cause nothing but pain and misery to the realms she traversed. These secrets she kept with her, contained within a special journal. She was known as the Goddess of Secrets and Adventure.


    With all knowledge, there are those who do not have the best of intentions for its use. The best example of this, was with Zhagra. Zhagra was a follower of Hawallach, who traveled with Kincinnal for part of her journeys. Zhagra came to desire the beautiful Kincinnal, and wished to possess her. When he tried to force himself upon the Goddess, she lashed out and nearly killed him.


    If Hawallach had not stepped in and saved him, Zhagra would be dead. But, Hawallach did, whisking the critically injured Zhagra away from Kincinnal''s reach. He used his own godly powers to heal the wounds as best he could, and told Zhagra that he would reside in the Astral Realm until he was healed. Then he left.


    As soon as Zhagra was able to walk, he began to explore the world of Hawallach. Hawallach''s realm was filled with the most beautiful examples of all the mortal races, and even some of the fey. Nymphs flitted about the space in the forests and the waters as they catered to the needs of its residents. Zhagra was given anything, and anyone, he wanted within the Realm.


    One day as he spoke to a nymph at the water''s edge, he told her of how he had come to be injured. Of how Kincinnal had rebuked him. The nymph sympathized, and didn''t see how she could have refused him, when he so much better looking than her husband Vastrand. When Zhagra inquired further of the husband, the nymph got a mischievous gleam in her eyes. Instead of simply telling him of the husband, she took him to the Memoria Aula, so that he may lay his eyes on Vastrand himself.


    When Zhagra beheld the sight of the stooped and bespeckled man hunched over a book, his blood boiled. How could this pathetic excuse for a man claim to be a god over him? The nymph, terrified of the anger roiling off of Zhagra, quickly whisked them back to Hawallach''s home. However, Zhagra would be satiated.


    On his own, he crept back into the Memoria Aula and browsed its shelves. He studied how the gods came to be, and how they received their powers. He came across a story in Shamser''s wing, of a great battle that was fought on another realm. To win the battle, the epic heroes had needed an artifact. Through a deal with Felarc, they had acquired a pair of rings. The bands were made of pure silver. One ring had a large lapis lazuli gem in its center, and was surrounded by a band of smoky quartz. The other ring was similar, but in its center was an opal instead. Using the rings and a specialized ritual, the band of heroes were able to draw the power out of their foe and use it themselves to achieve victory. At the end of the conflict, the rings had come to reside with Shamser.


    Zhagra did not hesitate to take the rings for themselves, along with the tale that dictated the ritual. He returned to Hawallach''s realm, and began his study. When he was ready, he left the realm and searched for Kincinnal.


    Knowing that he would need help, Zhagra surrounded himself with a band of followers. It was easy enough to locate the goddess, she did not try so hard to conceal herself. Zhagra appealed to Hawallach, to assist him in getting revenge on Kincinnal for the pain she had wrought on him. Hawallach agreed.


    In the tavern, Hawallach approached the goddess, two tankards in hand. He offered it as a token of comradeship. Kincinnal was suspicious of his motives, but still she drank from the offered tankard. What she did not know, is that the same potion that had brought Erexeb and Meglin to their incestuous affair, was also within the tankard that she now drank from.


    As Kincinnal felt her inhibitions lift her mind became fuzzy. Hawallach whispered into her ear that it was time for her to return to the Memoria Aula, to the loving embrace of her husband. With the god''s words in her ear, Kincinnal allowed Zhagra to lead her out of the tavern and away into the night.


    When she next awoke, she was bound to an altar. She was naked, and a symbol had been carved into her chest. The ring with the opal center sat upon her finger. No matter how much she struggled, she could not break her bonds.


    Zhagra approached her, the ring with the lapis lazuli setting on his own finger. He held a silvered dagger in his hand. He traced her form with the dagger. ''There was once a time when I desired this form, but now no longer. Now what I desire, is the power held within it.'' Zhagra started the ritual, his followers chanting around them and echoing throughout the chamber.


    With every word Kincinnal could feel her very essence pulled from every fiber of her being. The ring on her finger grew hot, and she could smell the flesh of her mortal body as it burned. She struggled, fear beating in her ears. Above her Zhagra''s eyes shone with an unholy light. His mouth was twisted into a depraved smile as he watched as pain racked the goddess''s body. He lifted the dagger up into the air, and with one thrust buried it into the middle of the symbol on her chest. She felt the dagger pierce her heart.


    The essence that had been pulled towards the symbol, began to travel through the blade into Zhagra. His face lit up in ecstasy as he felt the strange new energy fill his being. He felt the power of the ring on his finger, as the energy passed through it and into him.


    Unbeknownst to Zhagra, the nymph who had showed him the way to Memoria Aula, had gone to Vastrand. She told him how Zhagra had looked at him, and what desires he held for his wife. Vastrand, knowing that he did not hold the power himself to protect Kincinnal, went to Ullren and Anawallane and begged for help. It was Anawallane who stepped up. She had encountered many a mortal like Zhagra, and knew how dangerous they could be. With Vastrand in tow, they went to the Eternal Flame to consult with Nalnan on what the future might hold.


    The child goddess did not speak, but only held up two pictures. One picture showed Zhagra as a full god, and a thirst for power. The other picture was of his severed head held aloft by a shadowed form.


    It was Vastrand who recognized the shadow as that of Zhonnic, the god of storms and competitions. The two of them quickly went to him. They showed him the pictures, and explained how they believed Zhagra to be a threat, not just to Kincinnal, but to all the deities. Zhonnic agreed to help. He gathered his forces, outfitted in new gear from Felarc, and went to Zhagra.


    It was easy enough to track him down. The ritual had already started when Felarc and his forces attacked. The battle was bloody and intense.


    Zhonnic forced Zhagra away from the dagger and Kincinnal. Though he was new to the power, Zhagra used the godly might that flowed into him to put up a fight. The space filled with cacophonous booms of thunder as Zhonnic fought the impersonator back with his warhammer. In the end, Zhagra and his followers escaped.


    In the middle of the chaos, Anawallane rushed into the room. She freed Kincinnal from her shackles and whisked her away to safety. Kincinnal was near death with most of her godly essence having been stolen by Zhagra. Anawallane hid her friend so that she could recover. She did not tell a soul, not even when Vastrand begged her to know what had happened to his wife. For her friend''s safety, she could not say anything.


    Though Zhagra managed to escape, he was not unscathed. He was also not complete. He had stolen enough of the godly essence to arise to the level of a god, but it was not enough to give him the immortality of a god. He needed the last of Kincinnal''s power to make him whole. In the meantime, the new God of Forbidden Secrets and Cruelty ordered his followers to make sacrifices to him. Until he could finish what he had started, he would exist off the energy of the mortals.


    The Replacement


    With his wife in hiding, Vastrand was no longer able to put together his books. Unlike his wife, he did not have the skills to travel the realms and glean the information. He needed help, he needed a replacement.


    With a heavy heart, Vastrand went to the mortal realm. He entered a tavern, sat in the corner with a tankard, and looked. He looked for a suitable mortal to serve his needs. One who was brave like his wife had been, and as beautiful. When he found one who was suitable, he approached her. He led her into the woods behind the tavern, and confided in her who he was, and what he wanted. As long as Vastrand promised to collect the child quickly, she was not opposed.


    Vastrand kept his word, and collected the child before the mortal mother could even hold their son. The child was named Rerric, and within the confines of the Memoria Aula grew quickly. The idea of traveling and getting into dangerous situations was not one that the young god relished.


    Instead, he preferred to collect the trades-and craftspeople. Why wait for the techniques to be on the verge of extinction before recording them? Rerric gathered the best of all the disciplines, and invited to leave within the grounds of their home. He called these ascended ''Legends'', as their skills were destined to become legendary. These new Legends were ecstatic to be among those ranks. The life within Rerric''s Realm was easy, comfortable, and everything one could ask for. They just had to be the very best. The Legends were not gods themselves, but they were still afforded many of the same perks.


    All too soon, a mortal on a realm proclaimed that their carving skill was better than those of legend. Rerric approached his Legend, and asked if this was true. The Legend scoffed and denied it. He was the best, and his being by Rerric''s side was proof of that. With a soft smile, Rerric told him to prove it. He ordered the Legend to challenge the mortal to a duel, with the place by Rerric''s side as the prize. With his hubris ringing in his ears, the Legend agreed and traveled to the realm. He gave the challenge out, and it was accepted. In the end, though the Legend produced a masterful piece of work, the challenger did it in half the time with more skill.


    With a roaring laugh Rerric brought the challenger to his realm as the new Legend. The defeated Legend, was stripped of his position, and thrown into Anawallane''s realm to await judgement on what his afterlife would be.


    That move shocked the other Legends. They had assumed that if they lost the challenge, they would simply return to their lives on their home realms. They had not even considered that they would go straight to the afterlife. After that, every Legend worked every day to hone their skills. Complacency meant death during the next challenge.


    As much as the Legends worked to keep their places, the mortals worked to reach that level. They did not know what happened when a Legend was dethroned. The chance to challenge a Legend was used as motivation within the guild and trade houses. No one knew when Rerric would choose to issue a challenge, but all wanted to be ready to head the call.