Whew, writing this sort of thing is harder then I expected. I'm not 100% happy with it, it's hard to write about gods and have them be fantasy gods without sounding silly, but I hope you like what I managed.

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Previous Part: Part 13

Introduction: Prelude

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--Vaik's Story - Part Fourteen--

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“Long ago, before memory could be brought to bear on thought,” Wallace started, “There were four great gods. A pair of twins. Stiefnu was dark and inventive, while His brother Maud was fair and cunning. They lived among the stars with Their sisters Mari and Elunis. Mari was dark like Her brother Stiefnu while Elunis mirrored Maud.

“They lived for untold years in perfect contentment with each other, creating the heavens and ordering it to Their liking. The sisters were content to weave the stars into patterns much like fabric and we owe the constellations we see in the heavens today to Their work. However the brothers soon grew into competition, always vying to see who could create the biggest star. Often One would cast a star at the Other and at first this was great play, but soon it grew into a bitter sport.

“One day Stiefnu hid from the others, determined to create something so wondrous that not even the greatest effort of His brother could out due it. So He used all of His magic to create a great disc of elements, a chaotic swirl of patterns and designs.

“He then returned to the others and showed them His creation. The sisters were delighted and spent hours creating whirls and eddies in the disc. His brother Maud however, was filled with jealously and vowed to match the feat.

“He was too cunning to merely repeat the feat. So instead he used only a little magic to created two tiny balls of elements. One he gave to Mari, the other to Elunis, offering to make as many babbles as They wished to please Them. Soon the two left Stiefnu alone as Maud continued to create minor delights to entertain the sisters. Drained of magic Stiefnu was left alone as the others soon forgot about Him and His creation.”

Tired of standing I sat on the ground. Wallace politely waited for me to get situated before continuing.

“Filled with bitterness and suffering from loneliness Stiefnu resolved to leave the others and create His own company. So He split from His own soul three new beings and called them Sitiveni, Kepano, and Istfan. But being reflections of His own soul, they could not grant Him the companionship He desired.

“Wishing to ease their Greater of His sorrow the three beings took His disc of elements and brought order into the chaos. Sitiveni formed the land into mountains and dunes, clumping the elements of earth into sculpture, but Stiefnu found little delight in this.

“Next Kepano drew forth water and infused it into the land, creating rivers and lakes and even the mighty seas. Yet the swirl of the waters could not lift the great god's mood.

“Lastly Istfan moved the very element of air. He blew the air across the new land, letting the wind shift the sands of the desert and dance on the waves.

“But even this could not make Stiefnu happy. So He withdrew from the heavens. Some time later Mari, growing bored of the nature of Maud's magic, sought out Her brother. Finding to Her amazement the three minor brothers, She marveled at their ordering of the world. Hearing the sad state of Her brother She felt a great guilt at Her actions and decided to make it up to Him.

“So on the world She created the animals and the plants, fashioning them from the remainder of the elements. Into each of them She placed her magic, granting them life. Seeking out her brother She showed Him all that She had made.

“He was filled with joy at her gift and together they walked the new world, for He could let his lesser selves tend to the balance of order. For a time all was as it should be.

“But Maud learned of the new world and again he was consumed with jealousy at the the work of his brother and sister. In rage he threw his balls of elements at the new disc, meaning to destroy it. Stiefnu saw them approaching yet was still too weak to stop them. Instead He turned them aside, so they would always seek the earth, but fail to find it. We can see the two moons to this day and ever ill is their passing together.

“Maud was not finished. Determined in his rage to once again to do better then his brother, he left the heavens and split his very being into an untold number of demons, filling them with his rage and unleashing them onto the world. Each being a part of Maud, they were thinking creatures and soon had laid great waste to the virgin world, almost destroying all that had been created. Tired from His efforts neither Stiefnu nor his lesser selves could stop them.

“In desperation Mari sought out the greatest demon, Malus, in an effort to restore Maud and recover his sanity. Instead Malus trapped Mari in the darkness, where even the gods will die if kept from the heavens for too long.

“Shocked as the evil nature of Her twin, Elunis resolved to set things right. Delving into the elements She fashioned Man as a reflection of the gods. Sharing Her twin's cunning and these were no mere beasts. Into each She breathed a piece of her soul, so they not only had life, but intellect. She scattered them across the world as protectors and guardians.

“The minor brothers left the heavens and walked among the men, teaching and instructing them in the ways of warfare. Mighty battles were raged back and forth, as Maud's forces were driven back. Finally they were repulsed into the very darkness underneath the world.

“Searching the darkness Stiefnu found His twin, near death. Malus brought forth his entire multitude of demons in an attempt to trap Them both together, but the minor brothers would not let their Greater become trapped. While the army of Men kept the demons at bay the minor brothers forged from the remainder of the elements bonds of order so strong that not even the mightiest demon could break them, locking the demons forever into the darkness under the earth.

“Entering once again into the light of the heavens Stiefnu wept at the sight of His twin. For Malus had tortured Her to prevent her escape. Her eyes had been gouged and her tongue cut off, even her ears had been burned away, that she might not find her way out of the darkness.

“Feeling the sadness of their Greater, the minor brothers again sought to aid him. Sitiveni cut off his own ears and placed them on Mari's head. Istfan plucked out his own eyes so She could see. And Kepano tore out his tongue that She might once again speak.

“No longer fully gods the three minor brothers were forced to descend to the earth. To their shock they found that not all was right with the world. For Malus had struck one final blow in his cunning. Men returning from the darkness found themselves tainted with their brush against the evil of Maud. No longer pure creatures they fell to the temptation of vices and the minor brothers saw to their horror that the evil of Man weakened the bonds of order, allowing demons to escape.”

A gong sounded and Wallace paused. “That's the sign for supper lad, shall we go?”

I made a face. “It sounds as if you were almost done.” I complained, for I found the story fascinating, even if I didn't really believe it to be true. It was certainly different then the stories I had heard in the temple about how my gods had made the world.

“I suppose I was lad.” Wallace smiled. “But the stories of the gods are many. After supper if you like we may visit the temple and I will show you the story of the gods carved in the wood there.”

I stood, feeling pins and needles for having sat in one position for so long.

“I might like that.” I admitted.

Supper was...odd. The main dish seemed to be a giant segmented beetle, spiced up and cooked in the fire whole. It sat in the center of the table and if you wanted meat you simply pried a piece loose from under a section of carapace. I was not keen on eating any of it, but I didn't want to offend Vanessa. After watching Fern each a piece with obvious relish I forced myself to try a piece.

At first it seemed rather bland and chewy, then the spices caught up with the taste and I felt like my mouth was on fire. Lunging for my water I tried to quench the burning, but it seemed to want to stay.

Fern was trying hard not to laugh. “Not used to karliish spice Vaik?” She smiled.

“No.” I replied, coughing. I felt myself breaking out in a sweat.

Vanessa handed me bowl with fruit in it. “Here boy, this will help.”

I took one and quickly bit into it. It was tart, but I didn't care, for as the juice flowed down my throat the burning eased. I spent the rest of the meal carefully taking small bite of the beetle and large mouthfuls of the fruit.

After supper it turned out to be too late to ho to the temple before dark, so Fern enlisted me into helping feed the few people on the cots. The woman and the man from before were gone, which just left the two sick patients. I still felt uneasy around them, especially with hearing Wallace's talk of demons earlier. But if I was to be a healer I had to learn to put that aside. Besides, Fern told me I couldn't get sick from either of them and to my surprise I found I completely trusted her on that point.

I was pleased to see that the young boy with the desert cramps looked much better. He didn't speak, but he did managed a small smile as we neared. I held the bowl so Fern could support her head as she spooned some broth into him. He didn't eat much and I could tell that his stomach still hurt.

“Will you be able to sleep?” Fern asked gently.

He shook his head. “Tummy still hurts.” He moaned.

Fern lay a hand on his stomach and smiled down at the boy. I felt the sudden chill of magic form in that hand and somehow draw into her body. Her expression changed into one of pain as she swayed on her feet. I quickly set the bowl down as I caught her arm.

“Are you alright?” I asked.

She nodded even as she swayed. “Just...healing a bit more. I am more tired then I thought.”

I glanced at the boy, who was now fast asleep. Fern sagged a bit more in my grip and I began to really worry.

“Come sit down.” I said, trying to lead her to a chair.

She shook her head. “It would be better to lie down. Help me to my room.”

I guided her up the stairs and into the first curtained room, which I learned was the normal guest room. I helped Fern onto the bed and then wondered what else to do, but she shooed me out.

“I will be fine Vaik. I told you before that healing magic could be quite difficult.” She said, as she lay down. “Please ask Vanessa to bring the broth to the other patient. She told me earlier that her appetite had come back, although she still is too weak to feed herself. And she needs her medicine to help her sleep.”

“I will.” I promised.

Back downstairs I looked around but couldn't find Vanessa. Figuring that she might have gone to another floor for some reason I almost climbed the stairs and then stopped. Did I really need to find her? I was just giving broth to a sick woman. Surely, if I wanted to learn healing magic, I could do that much?

I glanced at the woman on the cot. She was sitting propped up against the wall and motioned at me as she said something in a language I couldn't understand. I could see she was exhausted, but her eyes kept flicking to the bowl of broth, so she had to be hungry.

Yet I hesitated. Fern had said she also needed medicine and I recall a few times where my mother had given it to me in food to help it down. I wondered if would be similar in this case.

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The Voices Start to Whisper...

A) Feed the Woman Yourself...

Find Vanessa First...

A

The story was nice. Though my axe is really disappointed the Gods option won (I think it's an atheist) and doesn't talk with me anymore (not that it ever did), I found the history unexpectedly interesting. I wonder, what a screwed moral system the old degenerate has, that he thinks Maud, creating deamons in rage was/is fair, when creators of the world are dark .

Updated 11 April 2012 (10:10)

B I would say you did well having to create an entire creation story!

Not bad. B

A Gods, constelations, demons and a dish of spicy beetle. I like it!

B Nice gods story.

B I like it! And I like the general way the story is going. Keep up the good work

Where is Etherlord's axe??????

Posted by IoannaWhere is Etherlord's axe??????

As I said, it's angry. Or scared, because of the axe-discriminating law Szczepan described.

Posted by EtherlordAs I said, it's angry. Or scared, because of the axe-discriminating law Szczepan described.

Wizards..... what DO they know??? ts... ts.. ts...

B

Posted by IoannaWizards..... what DO they know??? ts... ts.. ts...

Ioanna, I can barely hear You! We have some connection problems!

Posted by IoannaWizards..... what DO they know??? ts... ts.. ts...

Well considering that I am an all-seeing powerful wizard...I would say that, yes, I actually DO know everything. I just choose not to act on it most of the time because it upsets people when I finish their sentences for them before they even start to speak.

Most people are not hobbits