In the beginning were the gods and with the gods came the creation,….. the birth of every living organism.
Each god present was responsible for every part of what existed in the Black Earth and by it, they were acknowledged and revered. The Old One however was the strongest of the five yet with so much foes out of the other gods. He made up his mind nevertheless to create beings both mortal and immortal. Although to accomplish such a a feat, a meeting must be held among his fellows.
“I will make other beings like myself”, he said with authentic confidence.
“On whose account”?, the elven god stood adamant. ” I have already multiplied my kind on the Black Earth. What more could you create”?
“Mortals”, The Old One smirked.
Mazareign flinched a bit as it was his usual sign of fury. This was considered an insult to the elves that another of their kind would be created.
“Why make mortals”?, Draumir sat on his throne with elegance. He was remarkably known as the god of water and blood which depicts his significance among the rest.
“Nothing”, the Old One answered with deadly calm. “I do what I please and that’s final.”
“Not final”?, Mazareign growled at him. “The elves would always subdue the Black Earth.”
“Not if I can make gods to rule the mortals”, the Old One replied with mischievousness in his voice.
“Don’t you dare”?, Mazareign’s ears bent backwards.
“Be calm elf”, the god in the dark vest gestured politely at him. “The Old One is fond of bluffs hence this ridiculous decision. I made the animals and the monsters, the soil and the jungle, let him explain where his mortals could dwell”?
“Vocheros”, Draumir exhaled with that disappointed nod. “It’s best not to really interfere in conflicts like this.”
This was more or less a warning as the god of water was partially in support of mortal creation. The Old One on the other hand said no more to any of them. All he ranted was his sovereignty above the rest which led to a conspiracy.
“We should kill him in cold blood”, Zun the god of the weather spoke in a guttural manner.
“To what end”?, Draumir sought to save the Old One from harm’s way. “All he wanted was to make a race of feeble creatures. How bad can it be”?
“Very detrimental”, Mazareign gnashed his teeth. “My kind should have no competition at all.”
“This is treachery I tell you”, the blue god walks away. “I won’t be a party to another unreasonable death.”
“Draumir”, Vocheros halted him in his steps. “You’re either for us or against us.”
“No”, the god of water chuckled. “I am not the Old One! Do not think for a second that I seek permission to eat up my victims.”
They all jaw dropped at his response but deep down they understood he was one with the mortal creator.
“Let him be”, Mazareign encouraged the rest. “It’s best to do this ourselves.”
The Old One however shunned their impudence and thus created the mortal world. He fashioned them both male and female but unlike the elves they had no leaf like ears neither were most able to fathom magic.
“Power of recreation”, he said to himself.
Knowing their fragility he multiplied them on the Black Earth dividing the elves to the largest regions known to this day as the East Kingdom.
The mortals who greatly increased in population inhabited the central down to the North and West. Most occupied villages on the outskirts of even the South exempting the East from their list of abodes. This heightened the other gods conspiracy and just as it would become fruition, the Old One expelled his energy bringing to life innumerable gods, some stronger than even his fellows.
“Everything dies in the end”, he said to the last of his creation which were namely a Phoenix and a Dragon.
“Poor fool”, Mazareign appeared out of pure darkness. “You are so naive to how gods should operate.”
“Not naive Mazareign”, he answered in a still voice. “Just wise.”
“Wise”?, the elven god summoned the red moon. “You should have seen this coming a long time ago.”
“Father”, the Phoenix knelt before him. “You are exhausted already. Best to leave this fight for another day.”
“No” the Old One made them both disappear. “This is my fight.”
Mazareign crumbled in pain immediately as his nemesis was fond of body control.
“Zun” he screamed whilst on his back.
The pain of his bones shattering was too much to bear that he vanished before the real battle even begun.
“All talk and no work”, the Old One stood in awe unaware of the strange creatures that tore through his heart with ease.
“You still dare to underestimate me”?, Vocheros swarmed millions of the spider like monster unto the Old One.
“Turns out these bad boys eat your powers more than they do your flesh”, he guffawed.
The mortal creator screamed in anguish as his golden blood flooded from every opening in his face. He knew this day would come but he least expected the brutality it would surface with.
“This war will never end with my death”, he whispered to the three that now gallantly stood before him.
“I really wanted to take him out”, Mazareign reappeared shedding off his decoy self.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself elf”, Zun brought forth the scorching sun with a slight raise of his fingers. “It was necessary that one of us played the bait.”
“And it worked”, Vocheros kicked down what became stone.
“With this sun we would make the humans live an unbearable life”, Zun cackled.
“The so called North and West”, Mazareign joined in the awkward laughter but while they were having fun, water spun like webs in their midst.
Draumir’s appearance grew cold just as his temperature. His eyes slowly rolled to Mazareign whose broad smile ended immediately.
“Whose foolishness was this to kill the Old One”?, he bent before the huge rock that laid in the centre.
“Our idea”, Vocheros countered with a coarse voice.
“It’s no news that you were previously in on the conversation”, Zun added.
” And whose idea was it to cause a war among the creations”?, Draumir walked majestically to his throne by the left.
“Ours!”, Vocheros grew pissed. “The mortals won’t last months on the Black Earth.”
“They will”, the water god played with his fingers. “I have erected my kingdom in the South-a divine prophecy the Old One cooked up.”
Mazareign growled suddenly as the shadow nurtured in his hands like a candlelight.
“We might have to end you too”, he said.
“I don’t think you planned that well”, Draumir replied instantly. “If you’re that sensible you would know that there are forces in the Black Earth that now transcends us.”
“Quit the parables”, Zun grew anxious. “What is really the issue”?
“The issue my dear brothers is we were created by the rock that lay in front of us”, Draumir grinned at each of their perplexities. “Fashioned both with powers and grace, the Old One was the only being that made the Black Earth.”
“No”, Mazareign cast the first shadow summoning the smoke faces that encompassed them all.
“We are indeed nothing my brothers!”, the water god sighed. “This is a game the Old One wants us to play and as of now we took the bait.”
“Who is he really”?, Vocheros observed the rock before him.
“An Ancient of the Universe”, Draumir replied. “One you fools thought you could kill with your little spiders.”
“But….But we watched him die”, Zun trembled as the sun in his palms vanished.
“That is what he wants us to think”, Vocheros pondered with his hands on his jaw. “The Old One is really a master of control.”
“Now you get my point”, Draumir spunned water out of nothingness. “I have a kingdom of water elves to rule.”
“What of us”?, Mazareign’s shadows slowly made way for more light. “Are we going to be on the run forever”?
The response of the South King seemed to be pity which was fully displayed on his face. He then nodded vertically wishing there was more he could say.
“I won’t run from this war”, Vocheros spoke to himself but the other two gods sought to hide from the Old One as far as possible.
The Phoenix however which was the last of his creations ruled in the West in a human form. She was brown-skinned with fiery eyes snatching the powers of the dragon, her twin which was created with her that faithful day. His abuse of the unquenchable fire led her to take it from him shielding herself with three gods of her own.
“Where are you Old One”?, she searched the world but rumours still stand that he walks among the inhabitants of
the Black Earth.
NEXT STORY: WARDOM ORIGINS: THE LANTERN SERVANT.
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