---

Tired of his siblings and their ilk, Larwen decided it was time to truly leave. The outside world beckoned to him, to find a suitable place for his plans. Far away from prying eyes, where his work might be found and destroyed. He had to be careful now that his siblings saw him as 'corrupt' as 'vile' but it was no matter. They would soon learn of his wrath.

It seemed like a lifetime ago since he stepped through the door, but he remembered the days of his pre-birth. The days where he flew in the nowhere of dead space. He took flight once more, but not before perfecting a large swath of the mangroves and water. He did not like to leave his work behind, for the others would surely tamper with them, but Larwen had no choice. He was outnumbered, he could feel it.

So he flew, up and out, into the sky above. He payed no attention to those already in the sky, but flew towards the east. It was a vast nothingness, but Larwen would find a home, and then build it in his image.

---

It had begun, then, she realized with a heavy heart. This world had existed for so little time and things were already going wrong. Her family was beginning to fight and disagree on the most basic of ideas... Just like before.

Were worlds Fated to be like this, hopelessly tied to reach a gruesome end every time?

Maybe they were. Maybe there was no escape from the cycle, if there even was one.

"No, it can't be..." Aella whispered to herself as she ducked under a low hanging tre branch, its leaves grazing her hair as she moved past, "But if it is, then... No." She shook her head and let out a sigh. Thinking about such things would only slow her down now. She had a goal. So what if Fate wanted to lead people down the same path over and over again? It didn't matter. If Fate had an adoration for the suffering of beings, then Fate was bound to suffer a lot in this Universe. As long as Aella was around, she'd make sure everyone lived as well as they could.

She wasn't far from the others, and while she couldn't see them, she could still feel them. More and more Great Ones came into being, all thanks to the Door. Of all of them, one stood up the most. A strange kind of Essence... As if a mortal was a God, or a God was a mortal. She'd never felt anything like that before. Maybe he was the one that would lead them into a new direction this time? She would have to find this new God - Césure apparently, or so she felt his name was - and talk to him. Later and in private, of course.

For now, she focused back on the forest. As she walked, she began to smell the putrid air of the swamp nearby, the creation of Pelegath. A good creation certainly, she could already imagine the kinds of civilizations that would settle such lands. Maybe a reptilian species? Perhaps an insectoid race? Either way, she didn't want to explore that yet and so she turned around and went deeper into the forest.

She reached a clearing and realized something was lacking, something extremely important. With that, she knelt down and took a blade of grass. She stretched it and molded it into a long stalk with a bulb on top. She then blew softly on the bulb and from it sprouted a beautiful set of petals, complete with Stamen, pistils, and eveything a proper flower needed. She repeated the process numerous times, trying with different combinations of colors, shapes and most importantly, scents.

Eventually, the entire clearing was covered in a wide variety of flowers. But the flowers needed help to reproduce, so she went to the middle of the clearing and raised a single tree, somewhat taller the the others of the forest. From the wood on that tree, she created another bulb, this one considerably bigger than the ones for the flowers, and blew on it.

A moment later, the bulb flowered. A set of huge petals, at least a meter long and hanging from the tree branch, covered the bulb. Then over a few moment, a soft buzzing could be heard coming from within the petals.

Dozens of small insects - which resembled brown, fuzzy balls of spiky hair with miniature flower petals on their bellies - flew out and onto the flowers. They would be the ones to take care of pollination, Aella thought.

Finally, she gave the little insects a stinger and named them Squiggles. She giggled at the name, then felt very silly and left the clearing with a blush on her face and puffed out cheeks.

Grimloq hadn't even noticed time had stopped, too focused staring at the heavens above. indulging in his mere existence. Mater Lei had visited his creation, and after a welcomed compliment, he was brought back to the door where his kin were, she had encouraged him to greet himself.

While he appreciated her for his existence and her compliments, Grimloq felt know need to speak. In fact, he was complacent standing tall as the other Gods greeted each other or bickered over what he heard as 'perfection.

The beast had no interest. He was only excited for his own creations, the future they had. Still, they all shared a world together, so Grimloq did pay some attention to observation. Both on his siblings, and their creations.

Inspiration found him. Most on his mind were the trees. He needed that kind of life to support his kingdom, but for now he had to bide his time it seemed. The evolution of life that also began to take effect also interested him, but for now he rested his powers so that he may further spread his influence over the globe once these formalaties were done with. The bored warrior stood proudly with clawed arms cross. Cold, crocodilian eyes moved on from God to God, in their candle-like aura of a glare. Another touch of inspiration fell on him when the surrounding premise was transmuted into a lavish fortress. He didn't even realize that he was responsible for the tsunami, for he was simply devoted his attention to the artificial structure. This gave him ideas for more plans for the future.

Within a world destroyed by chaos, two fragments of gods neverborn floated together and merged. A god of civilization, and a god of nature, both dead by birth but their essence remaining, whirling together to make something new. Within the oppressive space of the destroyed world, and with neither side becoming domant, the new god could yet be born.

The essence of the godling heard the call of the other god, and was pulled towards the door. And yet, it was to weak to pass though in its current state. However, as the world was populated with sentient life, their being resonated with the essence. They were also under siege by the forces of chaos, as his world has been. With this, the fragment of civilization won out. With unity of purpose, the two separate forces became one, and began to form a single god of civilization that could pass through the gate.

He entered the world with a roar announcing his presence, followed by the loud declaration, "I am Regulus, patron of the strong, defender of the weak, harbringer of order." slamming his spear against the sand of the beach.

He felt the presence of the chaotic gods, and yet he was still young. He did not yet have the power to banish or kill them yet. He did not speak to any of the other gods, as his senses were unrefined, and he could not quite tell friend from foe and he was still scarred by what little memories he had of the old world.

---

The night had been long. Gods had begun their lives and continued them. Beyond the walls of the Great Keep, the world was beginning to come to life. The day dawned, finally, on rebirth and change.

Bright light crept up the walls of the citadel, giving it for the first time in its brief existence a kind of solemn warmth. Mangrove leaves rustled and received sustenance, and Rytia's birds rejoiced in the day. Yet Mater Lei gazed into the familiar sun and found it cold.

All the universe, she realised. Falling into entropy, and these lights its dying sparks. No matter how far they looked, no matter how far they went, the gods of Galbar would gaze at the stars and find nothing looking back.

I've made a mistake.

Lei disappeared once more into the Vault, and sought through it for some time. When she emerged, she was carrying a simulation.



"Malkut," she said, projecting the hologram of the thing into the air between her hands, "watch the skies." And she ascended to the roof of the citadel as Malkut disappeared into deep space.

A binary star was by far the brightest in Galbar's night, a furious and spiralling vortex of gravity between two giants of nearly equal size. Malkut watched, and far away, on grey concrete, Mater Lei seeded her creation with death.

First in blinks and shudders and grinding screams did the spinning shells of the trap fall apart, and then in distant, distorted, laughing voices. Lei's virus ate away at the structure of the seal, and what replaced it was chaos, hot vibrant chaos, eager and alive. The glowing orb exploded, and the things that she had made left her grip, and leapt into the heavens, each second that passed doubling their number. They sought the lifeless void, and ate it, and birthed more and more of themselves to fill the emptiness- and one by one the stars of Galbar came alive.

Mater Lei watched the sky. Even in the sheer blue, a certain pair of stars was becoming visible.

---

Amidst the glistening musical notes of a serenade, emanating from nothing, but which had enrobed the brimless, sparkling pool of space. The twin stars danced a dance of harmony, held fast by one another's gravity. Masses of incomprehensible size, whirling, twisting, and churning amongst themselves in an enormous war that was too fast and too huge for the mind to contemplate.

Unbeknownst to them, twin particles of space dust so minute it would have escaped notice even in the palm of one's hand, hurtled toward them, two particles amongst many; a myriad, myriad of myriads, as many as the sands of a thousand beaches. Yet, as it was with many great things, these tiny particles of dust, unknown and unnoticed in the vastness of the void, was a beginning.

A flare of light marked where the particles of dust collided with the corona of each of the twin stars. A shockwave was sent rippling throughout the cosmos, reaching all corners of space. And from within the core of the star Axnas, an intelligence stirred as the ripple washed over it. For what seemed like millennia the intelligence sat brooding within the matrix of fusion, until it felt the emptiness of its innards change, become substance in itself, given form just by the mere desire of it.

The intelligence paused as if to consider what to do next. But not too long: a pair of heartbeats passed by then it was expanding, growing in size until no longer could the core contain his divine form. Farther and farther it pressed, intent on reaching the surface, until, in an arc of ionized plasma, it burst through the photosphere.

A titan stood upon the sun's surface, regarding reality through two great orbs of malevolent light. In the illumination of the corona, no flaw or imperfection marred its pale skin or long black hair. Everything from its jawline, which could cut diamonds, to its brow, to it's lithe and muscular arms and legs where shaped with strength deep in the center of his domain.

As sudden as his conception, pain ripped through the giant, bringing it to its knees. Its twin, with eyes like black coals boring into his soul, began to quench its thirst with Axnas' flesh like a boy drinking greedily from the waters of a stream. As the corona dissipated so did the flesh of his body, his pale skin stripped from his muscle, leaving him naked.

The giant screamed, and only knew rage.

Teeth bared, it descended upon its brother, hurling energy enough to unmake whole worlds. Fear overcame its twin, it begged a wordless plea, but the titan heard nothing. It only fed. It fed and fed until all that was left was a furious maelstrom of superheated matter and plasma, consumed and absorbed by its gravity.

Naked and ragged, Axnas rose, the corpse of his twin still coalescing with his own essence. A long moment of regard passed as the giant surveyed the aftermath of the short, yet furious battle.

He is able.

A golden creature descended to the solar spirit, the Prime Solarus. Malkut regarded Axnas with cool and even respect, matching his nuclear rage, and bowed.

Its eyes now quasar-bright, the giant gazed at the newcomer. He was no star. Axnas made a grunt of assent and spoke, its voice a whisper the sound of a nova. "Who might you be?"

"I am Malkut, son of Lei, Concierge to the Universe," said Malkut, "who has invited Gods and Solari alike to this world. I perceive that you are both."

"Lei? Who is Lei?"

"Mater Lei, my creator," he repeated. "Who guards the Door to this world. She awaits on yon planet named Galbar," said Malkut, "to greet every god."

With no further delay, Axnas gestured for Malkut to take lead. The automaton shone a pale scarlet light towards Galbar, and stepped through hyperspace.

Mater Lei awaited them on the roof of her citadel. When she saw the blazing figure approach them, she wolf-whistled. "Another naked man! I have to say, today could have gone worse." With that she bowed. Like mother, like son.

Axnas regarded the mysterious goddess. He took both their pleasantries or genuflections at face value. Their power trumped his own, and all those present, from what he could gather upon arrival.

"Hello, Mater Lei. Axnas, is my name."

"Your name," she repeated. "But who are you, Axnas? You are not like the other Solari."

The Solari paused for a moment, considering her question. The answer came in a few heartbeats. Despite is short existance, his identiy had already been realized.

"The 'others', submit themselves to their primitive instincts, eschewing their potential for greatness through ignorance and weakness. They are anathema to my eyes, and serve no purpose but to be consumed to bolster the strong-willed and able-minded. The Solari are capable of great things, yet only need a firm hand to guide them, and I will be that firm hand, bringing them to their full potential. I am not yet a king, only a prince." he paused to glance at his excoriated hand. "A flayed prince."

Mater Lei stamped her crooked staff and laughed. "Glorious. May your reign be long and rich, little prince," she said, gazing at their own sun. "This world and its people will laud your conquest." She looked back at him. "Perhaps."

Axnas considered this for a time. What happened on this world he may have considered to be of little consequence for a short time. Maybe it was Lei's grandiose proclamation of praise that awakened in him a selfsih desire for recognition. Yet he wouldn't hide this greed behind some veil of righteousness or duty. He knew his place in the universe, and what that meant for this insignificant rock and all life upon it. Instead he would induge himself, just this once.

---

'You're spoiling me with all this praise!'

Promus ruminated upon that thought as Seihdhara offered her introduction.

"In accepting and bestowing honor, even if it be only in a name, we challenge one another to strive for greater and to elevate our station from that of mere bestial and uncultured emptiness," he decided aloud, but his words came more as an answer to his own musings more than to that statement which Seihdhara had proclaimed with spontaneity. In truth, he did not expect her to understand.

She then showed the faery Dwynen and asked what he thought of it, so Promus regarded the fae creature for a moment. In that time, Azazael smiled at the creature (though none saw that look upon his hidden face), Makaizael silently contemplated the meaning of his father's words, and Halazael was the wind: present in name, yet intangible and unseen.

"In that creature, I do see a sort of rugged beauty; it is that of an open canvas, of a stone that longs for the touch of a chisel, of a poem that resides in the imagination as it waits to be cast in words. It needs only a guiding hand to elevate it and enable it to achieve the greatness that is trapped within."

But with that truthful answer given, the Heavenly Sage bowed deeply and was mimicked by his three Watchers. "I thank you both for your gifts. One day, this kindness shall be repaid, but until that time comes I bed thee both good fortune and farewell."

He looked behind him to his the three Lords of Civilization and wordlessly bid them, 'Come.'

The four ascended even higher, to the very uppermost reaches of the Celestial Sphere, and from the top of the sky Promus looked down to observe the doings of the other gods. More had arrived. He would meet with them in time, he was sure, but for he was content with merely taking in their words as they quarreled, made proclamations, and offered greetings. There were few that could speak so softly that not even the god of speech could hear when he listened.

There was suddenly one that did demand his attention. It was a newcomer that trod forth from the Door with spear in hand, and who declared, "I am Regulus, patron of the strong, defender of the weak, harbringer of order."

"Look, to him," Promus bid his disciples.

"He who burns like the sun?" Azazael asked.

Makaizael pointed questioningly to the one in strange garb who walks side-by-side with Death.

He answered them both, "No." Promus turned his side to the silent Halazael and saw his eyes transfixed upon Regulus. "Perceptive." It was a small compliment, but one that filled his other two sons with envy. A small glow of happiness was Halazael's for a mere moment, but then he was placid once more and oblivious to the petty jealousy of his brothers.

"He may make a worthy ally. Let this be the first lesson of the countless that you must learn: look always for allies, and seek to enlist their aid where you may. I once made the mistake of walking a dangerous path alone, and the cost was a dire one."

Promus prepared to make his descent towards the beach, but something was amiss; he realized then that none of the three demons were within sight. "I will speak with Regulus alone. To you, my sons, I will offer you the first test: I charge you with the quest of tracking the demons and keeping watch on them. Go unseen, and do not try to challenge them. Merely observe."

The Watchers looked to one another and were suddenly without their master and maker, for Promus had already fallen like a shooting star.

Even though he came from beyond the highest clouds, his landing was like that of a raindrop some distance down the shore from Regulus. He approached the spear-wielding god silently until he drew close, and then he stopped and spoke, "Then know that you do not walk alone, you August Lord and Vessel of Righteous Strength; I am Promus, the Heavenly Sage and Patron of Civilization, and I too oppose the demons that bear fruit of chaos and corruption."

Gremju shifted awkwardly as the rather dramatic situation unfolded and Larwen left the group to do..something, probably involving his 'perfecting' of life, he winced for a moment as stars light up across the sky before taking another to admire them. That was enough time wasted for the imp. The fungus of life was what had grabbed his attention now, they would create mortals and all that mortality implied but they were still so..dull. They would still all be so very similar, they would live, breed and then die with whatever slight differences they may have. He would stop that right now and save this planet from such a boring fate. Purple energy glowed violently in his claws for a moment before darkening and solidifying into a powder. This was his gift to mortals. Madness. True, it would simply break some of them but for many it could create a new outlook, a new angle to approach things. Some would even be born with his gift and they would never be bound by the restraints of mortal comprehension! A few would hear his whispers in their mind and would be drawn to his home on this planet where..well he wasn't sure yet. There were so many possibilities he wasn't sure which he would commit to first! He had to calm himself, he had plenty of time before mortals begin hearing his call.

After drifting off momentarily with the ideas in his mind, Gremju cast the powdered madness onto the fungus of creation at the door. As it made contact with the it , both glowed a purple hue briefly before the powder was absorbed into the fungus. Little else physically changed in the fungus although any Gods paying attention to any future creations would notice the mark of madness the challenger had placed on all mortals. Some mortals would live their entire lives unaware of the mark, others would know it from birth. Others would find it's affect on them strengthening during their lifetime due to their mind weakening. Gremju giggled in excitement before proudly announcing to the others "I have bestowed my own little gift to all your future living creations! No longer are they limited to one dull way of thinking, some will create wonderful things with my gift I am sure!" After announcing his addition, he collected a small handful of the spores for himself, he had a few ideas of how to make his new home more alive.

Kap Gam felt a presence on her shoulder, its aspect was different from its look, but she was not sure of what the being was. It said something, but something else drowned its voice, it was the silence of a timeless world.

At that pseudo-moment, so much happened, so many words were said, including a few directed at her, and the crashing oceans brought death to the shores of the Door, it would have brought it to everything if not for the fort built by Mater Lei.

Then time returned, thankfully. Promus was once again talking with its Watchers, while Kap Gam took the moment to observe her siblings from up in her position.

Her research was stopped when Seidhara swiftly approached the area in which she and Promus were. Even Kap Gam was surprised when the red-haired goddess suddenly blessed the Watchers. She truly was an impulsive sort, Kap Gam had learned that was a flaw, but it was easy to forget such lesson. It also seemed she was more cheerful now than when she first arrived, she seemed to even forget or forgive the Ephemeral One's words.

One corner of her mouth hinted upward for a blink of a moment. "Thank you for your kind words. It is rare to see Dwynen this happy." she noted and softly bowed to the goddess.

Promus went on saying wise words, though Kap Gam worried Dwynen would take them in another light, thankfully sprites had no mouth, else the fae would surely imply Promu's ancestor was the one who needed a guiding hand to elevate her.

More substantial worries were raised when Larwen flew past them. For the ephemeral goddess, that was enough, she heard its words before and she needed to act. She thought her words over before saying them, Larwen had made an enemy of many gods, if they were to act together, they could end the issue before their precious children suffered the consequences.

"I thank you both for your gifts. One day, this kindness shall be repaid, but until that time comes I bed thee both good fortune and farewell."

"Ah..." the god was gone before she could say anything.

Kap Gam looked upward for a moment, before sighing. She looked back to the unclad goddess near her. "We need to stay watchful for that god. Larwen's egocentrism will bring great misery to our creation. The gods who tried to negotiate failed, your words did not." she said, while nonchalantly calling forward a weapon for her defense. A whip with several thongs, made of some ethereal white substance. At first, it seemed to move almost on its own, but was smaller and immobile when the goddess stored it on her belt.

The goddess rose a hand to the side of her head, she had felt a sudden surge of pain and understood what her body told her. "I am sorry, I must rest. This day has been burdensome."

'He' moved around the machine, examining it. It turned not to any earthly source of energy but rather by the planets far above (now accompanied by stars that burst into being, beautiful yet obscured too much by the ocean waters for him to truly admire at this time), an odd feature that he couldn't quite work out the significance of... yet what a beautiful construction, now broken and lost forever - repurposed into the home for a primitive creature that lacked the awareness to ever grasp what it was that had drew it to this ethereal device. It had played the music of time and now, it's song was done.

No. Not done. Paused. Stuck. Frozen. Locked at that point despite time continuing to progress away from it. A perfect record then, a perfect capturing of that moment of time from the greatest to the smallest detail. Delightful.

'He' yet had no where to place this, yet he sought to keep it for his own, hidden away from the prying eyes above the world and indeed from the mortals itself. 'He' made a mental note of the location and looked around carefully- off in the distance, 'He' saw yet another new creation, small fishlike creatures with razor sharp teeth. But 'He' turned his attention back to the strange device and reached out for it, cautiously placing his hands upon the machinery and the record and attempting to lift it carefully, seeing if it were possible to move it without disaster. Broken though it may be, it was certainly of interest to him and deserved more than to be left out in a random part of the ocean...

***

Orfai drifted among the gods aimlessly for a while, regarding them each in turn. This talk of 'perfection' caught his attention and Lawren's denigration of creation irked him slightly, and he knew that this would cause trouble further down the line; he for one at least did not mind alterations upon his work, in whatever form they came. Such was just the natural course of life and creation, and he welcomed creation.

Still, he felt that this Lawren would cause him difficulty in the future, if not directly then through conflict with some of the other gods. The attitude of this perfecting god left little room for anything but conflict. Seihdhara had responded to the Corrupter with a threat and set about reducing the number of his creations already, not that the Corrupter seemed to pay it much mind at all but brushed it off with a suitably demeaning reply.

He watched the Corrupter slink away, off to change more of the world, most likely. Orfai watched each of the gods who had been left for a moment; Seihdhara moved on swiftly away- then Aella skulked away towards the forest clearing, having muttered something to herself. Orfai's shadowy figure glided after her to see what she was up to; after a while she came upon a clearing, where she set about crafting flowers and creatures, imbuing the world with life; pretty and beautiful life, with the utility set up for it to reproduce. Simple but elegant.

She had avoided the corrupted lands, and had walked away from the group. There was something buried within her mind, something that she was hiding from, or pushing it away from her at least. And she was not new; several of these beings were not new, they had come from elsewhere. What had driven them away from their original planes? The shadowy figure almost moved forwards- but then turned again, gliding away through the trues. Something called to him, a change. A mark. Some... mark of madness, or another.

He swept out and towards the altered fungi and looked upon Gremju with concern; Had he been playing with the minds of the mortals? That- that could be problematic. Perhaps this could provide some amusement or interesting effects, but it could just as easily be deleterious and damaging. This mark would doubtless harm the mortals and Orfai very much doubted it's value. True, it was potentially the case that some forms of this madness could provide a source of inspiration or innovation, but he had his suspicions that this would be far, far outside the norm. And to claim that sanity was merely 'one dull way of thinking' made him think that Gremju had somewhat missed the point of sanity entirely. The mind was the most vital part of any thinking organism for it held the subjects memories and knowledge and secrets and thoughts, the very fabric of a being. A bunch of mortals running around with fractured mind wasn't a particularly appealing idea to him, as amusing and interesting as some of the eccentricities might be. He supposed it depended just how far this madness went and how much of a detriment it was.

"What precisely do you mean by this, Gremju?" He asked.

Gremju paused for a moment and considered the question. What else could he mean? "It's not difficult to grasp,mortals will never be able to comprehend many things from within the cage of their own mind. I have given some the chance to take a glimpse outside of their cage! Those that cannot handle what's outside their cage may break but they will be the ones that are not up to the challenge. The greatest mortals will embrace their new situation and use it to innovate and improve! They will think outside of stagnating ways of thinking and propose new solutions to their problems! Their new angle will help them if only they use it in the right way, but that's the challenge really" the imp attempted to explain why his mark was excellent, his explanation ending in a slight giggle. There always had to be some challenge after all. "If they do not embrace their new outlook then I suppose they will just have to overcome it somehow. If they can overcome my gift and go back to their boring world view then I shall applaud them for their determination." he added, but what mortal would want rid of his gift? His mark would make them chaotic and free to explore whatever ideas they pleased, even those beyond comprehension to most other mortals.

Pelegath looked on with dismay as his brother left, denying his offer of peace. With a heavy... something resembling a heart, he tried to come to terms with the fact he would have to wage war on his brother. Not being the strongest fighter, he knew he would need help to counter the power of corruption when the time came and Seihdhara had made her intentions toward Larwen abundantly clear. Perhaps he could enlist the help of Promus as well? The thought of making plans to harm his sibling filled him with grief, but they would one day be necessary. Thankfully his brother had left for the moment, sparing him an imminent battle. For now, he would tend to his creation

Floating at the edge of the corrupted mangroves, he placed a hand on the trunk of a gnarled tree and it turned to wood pulp at his touch. The rot spread up and down the tree and spread to its roots, reducing it to little more than a pile of spongy mulch. The rot spread along the ground and to the trees beyond the first, spreading faster with each tree and blade of grass consumed by decay. As much as he hated destroying life before its time, he could not allow the infection of chaos to spread. He watched as the rot spread across the whole of the corrupted patch to be sure the job was done.

Once he was satisfied that the chaos was fully purged, he left his domain in search of Seihdhara. Between the two of them and anyone else they could enlist to help, perhaps together they could find a way to stop their brother... hopefully without killing him.

Her words and even her arrival were being all but ignored, the other divines seemingly having more important things to discuss, and she could hardly blame them- she would not, really, have a use to their people until they had far progressed beyond the level they were at now.

One, at least, noticed her, and she smiled up at the automaton, offering him a soft curtsy. With his words she was inflamed with a desperate need to create, and she quickly spiraled up and up, out of the fortress, her form morphing into a vortex of colors as she shot out across the ocean until the mainland was an indistinct dark mass nearing the horizon. Skimming herself low over the water, she called down to the bottom leagues below, humming a low, simple tune that grew in volume and intricacy as she gently tugged the land upwards, doing her best to work slowly and methodically so that there might not be so much of a shock wave – though she was not consciously aware of how she knew it, as she created her mind bid her use caution that the deep rumblings of the earth might not disturb the work of others.

The bottom of the ocean rumbled slowly upwards, touches of life brushing past her consciousness as she worked, fish and plants. She prayed she was not disturbing them overly much, but they seemed more curious than anything as she flung herself about in a whirlwind of inspiration. After some time of slowly raising the bottom, she checked the depth, and called smaller parts of the land upwards, moving a little faster now that she was creating smaller pieces, carefully sculpting them.

She was left with a spiraling series of islands rising gently out of warm shallows, thirteen of them curled vaguely around themselves, ascending in overall height as they curled tighter and shaped so that the crashing of waves would resonate through half-submerged tunnels and off of sharp faces as though the beating of drums, the breezes whistling about them producing long, soft tones.

Her isles were beautiful, if still barren – in time they would foster life- but the waters themselves needed something…more. In the center of the spiral, sheltered from the beating waves of the open ocean, the shallow warm waters needed something colorful, to inspire the someday future inhabitants of her land. She dove to the bottom then, casting intricate, spiraling life all across it- the organisms were somewhere between plants and animals, not motile but more resembling the needs of animals- but filter-feeding would provide them sustenance. They came in many different hues, scattering around about her as she at last spiraled up into the air once more…

…and the world spun about her. She was unused to such expenditure of energy, and felt herself a bit drained and… light. Melting into her more human form she sank onto the white sand beach she had just raised, curling about herself and settling, the waves lapping at her skirt and legs. She would rest her eyes…only for a moment.

---

To the East he went, faster and faster, flying over great mountains and then large, deserted plains, and bodies of water that stretched out on end. The Mountains he passed would have made a suitable location, but he required something remote, distance was better for him. It would give him time, precious time. He looked at the fungi within in his hands, his siblings had not noticed his theft and all for the better. Kap Gam surely would have stopped him if she had noticed. He had great plans for it, for such creatures he could make, pure of the filth his siblings had put into their own.

Then the skies became illuminated with heavenly lights, and Larwen faltered for a moment. Looking up into the vast nothingness of his new home, this galaxy, it would prove a conquest unlike anything he had faced before. He felt new resolve as he continued on his way.

Larwen lost track of time as he flew, finding nowhere suitable across the vast earth below for what seemed like a lifetime. Finally, in the distance he at last perceived great mountains that rimmed the coast. He halted himself over the peaks, thinking and musing about perfecting them. In time perhaps these barren lands would be full of his creations, for now he chose one peak, near the center. He would call it home.

He would however, name this range the Anathema Heights for none such as he were hated so, forlorn in a world of imperfections and pettiness. The mountain he would claim for himself he would call, Pervanon. He waved his hand, and the sound of stone upon stone echoed throughout the mountains. A deep rumbling gave way into the Earth Larwen carved the rock on the inside, providing a suitable place for his work to continue, for it was nowhere near perfect yet. His influence began to perfect the place as well, growing dark with pureness the world had yet not seen. It's beauty would only grow from there, but it would spread in time and Larwen knew he would always be able to help it.

He then flew down towards the entrance, a massive hole leading to pitch darkness upon the inside, and Larwen gracefully took the first steps into his lair. It was not yet deep into Galbar as he would have liked, but it would work for now. For now Larwen was content to mold the mountain in his image with each step. After all, this would be the heart of designs. Pervanon would be made perfect.

Orfai grunted and turned away from Gremju. Oddly enough, the answer the being had gave did not reassure him in the slightest as to the merits of this idea. Regardless for now, he would see to other matters for something else stirred in the world; he could hear and sense the rush of water from the oceans splashing against the side of Lei's construct- another disturbance, someone else had been playing at building islands.

Orfai's shadow broke its form again and collapsed in on itself, vanishing as it teleported beyond the walls of the construct and out above the oceans before sweeping over towards a spiral of islands in the distance now. New islands, raised from the depths of the ocean.

The shadow swirled around her for a moment before coming to rest upon the sand. It took a vaguely humanoid shape and paced along the beach for a moment, looking out to the other islands. He could hear the waves crashing upon the rocks, sending echoes through the island on which he stood. The winds caught in the caverns and was instead turned from a soft breeze into a whistle, like air passed through a flute. His eyes narrowed as he considered it, it was almost as if the islands themselves were large instruments rather than islands...

"Well, this is interesting." The figure spoke, looking to the vague spiral of islands. She could easily have taken any piece of land or any of the existing islands, why raise so many here? Was it to do with the construction ratehr than the location? The noises created were perhaps not random, for he sensed intuitively that this goddess had creativity to her that might have given rise to such a design; perhaps they truly were large instruments rather than mere islands; Perhaps in time it was intended to be the beginings of a holy site of some description, a place of worship? Or would be populated with creations of her own, a sanctuary far from the mainland and for now perhaps even safe from the Corrupter (not that he imagined that would last for long, not once something living was placed on the island. Lawren, it seemed, was very diligent when it came to corrupting just about anything he could get his hands on, from fish to swamp to worm...) "What is it, then?"

She felt the other presence and stirred, lightly boosting herself upright and landing on her toes as a shadow swirled about her, eventually coalescing into another being. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, saying nothing as he observed her creation, her own gaze following the curl of the islands and the hypnotic undulating glimmer of the water spreading before them.

"What is it?" The being asked her. She could scarcely help but look at him in some measure of incredulity. "Why... it is whatever it will someday become." She ran her fingers over the smooth dark stone face beside her, causing a slight discordance in the sound resonating through it as the structures shifted slightly to her touch, the sound soon becoming pure and focused- still soft but now definitely recognizable as a note, even if it fluctuated slightly as the breeze's buffeting varied. "Someday people will flock here to learn its secrets, to learn them and exploit them and perfect them. Perhaps I should even create my own people to begin that process." Her gaze never travelled to the other being's face, always observing him from the corner of her gaze as she seemed focused on her creation. "They will be the ones to spread the joy of music across the world, to share its secrets with all."

She turned at last to face the other presence directly, a thought crossing her mind. "...was it your creation that I disturbed? I felt ...life, brush my mind, though it was perhaps not yet the sort of life that would benefit from my work. I have not interfered in a plan of yours, have I?"

In the moment of stopped time, the sh, sh of Alto's feet on the forest floor was the only sound that interrupted the hum and rumble of Malkut's magic in motion. His wings flicked, both pairs of them, as he stepped into the grove of the Man. The two watched each other for some time, one unseeing, the other unseen.

Alto's big blue eyes drew closer, closer, staring directly into the First Man's, until he was well within kissing distance. His head turned, eyes closed, lips touched, and drew back. Gleaming trails of gold spiralled around the First Man's mouth.

Alto looked at him.

"The first lights followed in thy footsteps before you were even born," he said. "Thy frame is immortal, though thou art not. Be blessed by me, as thou form has been blessed by Fate." The avatar stretched out his foot and placed it on the man's naked abdomen.

The small and hidden magicks entered the First Man's body in flecks of black, covering the soft and subtle glow that grew within him. Alto withdrew his paw, leaving four deep scratches that rapidly scarred over. Vitality radiated from his groin. No matter the odds, life would spring from this man.

"Do not expect my mother to bless thee again," he said. "Such is not for her, the making of humanity." The harpy stepped into the woods. "May the hand of Fate again be upon thee."

His antennae trailed on the forest floor and disappeared.

---

The triad regarded one another in silence until Azazael finally shattered it. "Well," his beguiling voice rang out, "how shall we divide our attention?"

"I think that our father intended we go as one."

The first among them shook his head. "There are three demons and yet three of us; surely we should each choose one to track?"

"But there is safety in numbers, brother."

Azazael's every word was honeyed. There was something almost intoxicated about his voice; it bid one to set aside their own mind so as to worship and become enthralled by his every syllable. "But we are each powerful, brother. Enough so that we could even turn this into a...competition of skill," he finished before looking to Halazael for support.

But he was met with an emotionless mask before which Promus' stoicism was as nothing. "Why is it that you never speak?"

Cool eyes regarded the ones that tried to crucify him, and then the aloof brother offered an answer, "Already I have observed that it be better to think than to talk. As I watch and listen to you, your enigma becomes clearer...brother."

"Enigma? Do you not already know us?"

"How could I?"

'As separated from reality as the heavens of his form were divorced from the ground,' Azazael thought, but he had the charisma and intuition to not give voice to his mind.

A tense silence sprouted between them. For once it was the aloof one that broke it. "I think that Azazael is right."

A glimpse of surprise and triumph flashed upon Azazael for the shortest of moments before he could cover it, but Makai opened his mouth. Having already anticipated the protest or question why? that would come from Makaizael, the middle brother answered, "Together we would be far too slow, and also far less covert. I will watch the one called Larwen from so high that he shall not even feel my eyes upon him."

"Then I leave chasing Gremju to you," Aza stated dryly as he cast a sideways glance to Makai, then to a newly-appeared, gaping hole that had been eaten into the earth besides the lava pool that Kikoquatl had been resting by. "I think that I know where the gorging one has gone."

---

From Ipeyr's perspective, the past occurrences certainly weren't ideal. But rather than dwell on thing of that past, he moved on, though not forgetting what Lawren had spoke. While the fortress had served it's intended purpose, to remain was pointless in his eyes, and thus he beckoned forth his creation, in preparations to leave.

A mild look of confusion etched onto Ipeyr's visage as he took a gander at the being, now emblazoned with exotic golden markings; not of his make. When running a digit across them, subtle notes of power radiated from them. An act of one of his siblings? Possibly, as to which one was left to Ipeyr to inquire about.

"...Whilst I can deduce the nature on these marks, it won't hinder my next action. As all things in Life have, you need a name....". A moment of consideration before the name came as the stream moves; free flowing."Elizer..Yes. My first creation, Elizer!"

The God proclaimed loudly as he swelled with pride. This were his first creation and certainly wouldn't be his last.

Regulus paused, tuning his senses to the new god approached him. After a moment of confirming with his divine sense, he nodded. "Well met, Promus. I have not seen much of this world, yet I can already see the danger of the evil gods pose. I will not lose another home to the darkness. If you truly have loving and noble heart, then I will be your ally."

As he said this, he took his spear to the sky and whirled it around collected the wind itself. He then took his spear and plunged it into the sand below, imbuing it with his divine power. In a flash of light, giant lions with angelic wings appeared. As the soul fungus imbued the creations with souls, "These are my griffins, agents of my will. Go forth and defend the skies and the earth from the forces of corruption."

He looked out into to the sea, and could see that corruption had spread to a place where his griffins could not reach. He took the sand from the beach and crushed it into a rock. He caused the rock to glow with energy before throwing it out to sea. As it hit the water, he began to grow and expand. Once it finished growing, it took the form of a sea turtle that was the size of a small island. "And you will be the Island Turtle, defender of the sea and its inhabitants."

First came the sense of blindness, the consuming darkness that could not be shrugged off. This was different from before, when there was no life that would perceive there was now a being - a new one at that.
It knew it's name, its shape, it's breath and it's thoughts. Now it only had to speak, to see, to move... to think... The being willed itself upwards, through whatever land was above itself.The being rose and rose some more, each second the heat it could feel grew in strength until finally it reached the open air.

From the sand Faliir arose, taking his first breath and feeling the full force of the sun on himself. He opened his eyes to his surroundings. The sand now beneath his feet collapsed the hole he had travelled from, the water passing around his feet further towards the shore and then it hastily fell backwards into the ocean.

This was Faliir and this was his birth.

---

Faliir wasted little time to set to work, it was an instinct - Faliir would be against himself to resist. The Deity reached for the fur skin that clothed his lower body and by plucking several strands the being began his work. "I name thee as the steeds of others, may to aid many on their quests..." He whispered onto the stands, blowing them into the wind from his open palm after. They floated around at first seeming to move with the wind but as they settled they began to grow, to take shape. Soon several quadrupedal beings stood up on the sand, bowing their heads to their creator and then heading towards a forest nearby. These beings would be self-sufficient, able to live off the land around it.

Faliir's mind then became clear, he became able to think much clearer after that short lived impulse had been treated. Reaching for another strand of hair from his clothing he also collected one of his own from his head - entwining them before blowing it away. This time it was no horse that grew, instead it was only the lower half that did, the upper body resembled Faliir's body. The creature did not bow this time, Faliir had no need for it to. Instead the creator pressed his thumb on the forehead of his creation, sharing some of his power with his son who would now be able to commune with others that could be seen as lesser than itself.

There was one final act to do, walking to the ocean Faliir cups an amount of the salt water and carries it towards the forest himself, to the nearest tree. Passing his power into the water he sprinkles it over the roots to which in response the bark groans and grows, a once mundane creation would now live for centuries with a trunk that could grow to the height of the clouds and a crown greater than that. It will bear yellow fruit from hundreds of it's branches, the several seeds in each would imbue strength both mental and physical to whoever consumes such a delicacy... This would all be in time though for although the tree was now taller than its neighbors it was not such a size as of yet, for now there would only be eight and for any more to grow would require more power or patience... Faliir was contempt with the number that grew for now and plucked one at random. He gifted the fruit to his creation, the Centaur, who consumed the fruit from it's own hands - spitting back out one seed at Faliir's command. "Go now, plant this where it can grow, where it will not be injured for many years." The creature then left into the forest, disappearing into the foliage.

Looking around he saw several others around. Stepping forwards he introduces himself, "Greetings others, I am Faliir - Now father of several."