Prologue:
A Tale of Two Gods
Nicodemus
The house filled with the sound of my mattress wheezing underneath my feet. The springs popped every time I jumped up and landed on the sheets, and my laughter bounced off the walls despite knowing it was going to get me in trouble. It was well past my bedtime, but there was no way I was sleeping any time soon. I heard her playful sighing before the door even opened, and when she saw me mid-air, she began to laugh in spite of herself. “Excuse me, young man? I believe it’s after eleven o’clock. I thought I put you to bed two hours ago?”
“But I can’t sleep, Mommy! Who else is going to save Bodhi from the space aliens!?” I cried, whisking the fat Pomeranian up from under my blankets so I could twist back and forth and smother him in kisses. He snorted wildly and gnawed at my hands so I would release him, but a four year old’s vise was his worst enemy.
“I think Bodhi can hold the fort for tonight,” Mom plucked the tortured dog from my arms and set him back on the bed, where he huffed in annoyance and scrambled back under the covers to begin snoring again. I groaned in defeat as she slipped her hands under my arms and picked me up, laying a kiss to my temple before setting me back down on my pillows. “You have a big day tomorrow, sweetheart, so you really should get some sleep. Daddy’s going to need all the help he can get to catch the biggest fish!”
“I hate fishing, but I love Daddy,” I hugged myself with a big smile, “I can’t wait until he comes home! Do you think he’ll be back before breakfast?”
“Oh, I’m sure he will…” her voice fell slightly, but she covered her worry with another kiss to my cheek, “How about a story to help you sleep, hmm? Any one you want.”
I tapped my chin twice, “Can you tell me The Origins, Mommy!?”
She sighed lovingly, “The Origins? Haven’t you memorized the yet?”
“Nope!” I lied, which made her giggle.
“Alright then; Claude, can we borrow your eyes for a moment?”
(Of course,) Claude’s deep voice crept through the air, and once I felt his cold hands touch my cheek, my bedroom began to morph into my field of vision. Mom saw me blink and adjust to this borrowed sight, then lifted her hand and began to spin her fingers in intricate patterns, which made the room come to life. I gasped in absolute awe as streams of golden light danced across the ceiling, forming the outlines of planets and stars.
Mom smiled beautifully at the expression I wore, and began her story in a soothing, sing-song tone. “Thousands upon thousands of years ago, long before either of us were born, the Gods of the Universe came to be. There were seven of them; the God of Wind, Earth, Fire, Water, Electricity, Life, and Death…” the seven figures formed amongst the sky, each one holding hands as they gazed upon the galaxy she was creating for them, “They were all powerful beings who had the power to create and to destroy, but decided to use their powers for good. One special place held their home, the planet Earth, where they used their Elemental powers to breathe life into the empty landscape. They created people and animals, weather and forests, oceans and volcanoes, and then they created other Elementals to help sustain their home for centuries to come.”
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“So pretty…” I cooed.
I reached out to touch one of the gold stars that shot across the room, giggling at the feeling of her light energy tickling my palms, “That is why we are so important. Our job as Elementals is to tend to Earth and its inhabitants alike, while the Gods make sure that everything runs properly, and everyone that lives in our vast universe is always very, very happy.”
“Have you been to the stars, Mommy?” I asked as I tugged on her arm.
“Of course I have,” she moved her hand in a swift motion, which made dozens of little dots erupt over the towering number of planets above us. “My job is to sustain Life, and that includes the biggest star of them all. I give each living creature a life, from Human to snail and beyond. I create their souls, their beautiful bodies… and then, I release them into the world to pave their destinies and hopefully succeed in ways unimaginable.”
“And Daddy just makes more work for you?”
She laughed at my comment and flicked my nose, “In a way, yes, he does, but he also ensures that the cycle of Life and Death is secure. If people and animals do not die, then there will be no more room for new lives to be created, and no room for new, brighter beings to enjoy our universe. Your father ensures that each soul is properly escorted to the afterlife, where they will spend eternity with their loved ones in peace.”
“Mommy?” I beckoned innocently.
“Yes, my Love Bug?” She sang in return.
“When will I get to use my powers?” I whined, which made her face contort with worry.
She combed my hair behind my ear, touching my cheek lovingly, “Soon, I promise. Daddy and I want to make sure you’re fully ready when the time comes, so for now, you have to study a whole bunch to prepare yourself. You are still very, very young, so there’s no rush. You’re potential only grows every day you do.”
“Do you think I can be a God one day, like you and Daddy?” I whispered in awe.
She chuckled sweetly and nuzzled our noses, “It’s a big responsibility, but maybe one day you can. Daddy and I will have to step down eventually, and who knows, maybe you’ll be the one to take our spots!” Her tone was trying to stay uplifting, but the amount of pain in her words was undeniable. I wanted to comment on it, but felt it would be safer not to.
“Mommy, do all Death Elementals have Shadow Walkers?” I asked to change the subject.
She nodded eagerly, though at this point in the night, her image began to shimmer in and out of my eye sight, as Claude’s ability to lend me his sight was wavering. “Yes, they do. Shadow Walkers are other Elementals who have passed on, that help Death Elemental’s collect souls in all terrain, and fight big bad monsters! They are very, very important, and a blessed gift.”
I cooed excitedly at the thought, “I hope one of my Shadows is a Water Elemental!”
“A Water Elemental? Why Water?”
“Because I love to swim!” I screeched, which made her burst into hysterical laughter.
I grinned triumphantly at her laughing; she wiped her eyes and giggled one more time before pulling the blankets up under my chin. “You will never understand how much I love you, you little goofball. Make sure to dream about big lakes and rivers, where you can swim with all the fishes for miles and miles. Tomorrow, you can tell Daddy and I all about your adventures.”
“Goodnight Mommy; I love you to the Sun and back,” I cooed, reaching up to her.
She nestled into my hug, pressing her cheek to my neck for a moment longer before brushing sweet kisses along my cheeks. “I love you to the Sun and back too, my sweet Nicodemus. I will always be here to protect you,” she whispered, pinching her fingers together lightly to make the side table lamp behind me turn off.