[Keeno POV]

“In the beginning, there was nothing but rock and dust.  Then, a sun of the most vibrant orange exploded into being.  It warmed the rock and dust until it cracked, and the water flowed from the cracks like blood.  This water allowed greenery and Life to cover the land while the source became the seas. As time went on, sentient beings grew from the Life on the land, and this Life learned of the secret of Magic.

 

Learning this secret art led the sentient beings to prosperity as they propagated infinitely.  They created many things that would allow them to prosper further.  Their glory was wondrous and the being that resided in the Sun and watched all her children born of her Life smiled down on them as they grew and grew.  She loved how they used the Magic she blessed them with in the myriad ways they did to achieve their dreams.

 

But all good things are doomed to end, as they grew arrogant and power hungry.  They developed ways of taking the Life they were blessed with away with the Magic that was there to nurture their civilization.  This culminated into a devious plan to take the Sun of their beloved Goddess with the very same Magic she gave them.  They created a spell and used it on the Sun, dying half of it blue and angering the being that blessed their world.  She took their Magic, stopping the spell while it was incomplete, and splitting the Sun into two.

 

From the split came horrors so outrageous they could cause madness with even the slightest glance.  The people, as the original sentient beings called themselves, faced these horrors with all of their might, but they suffered heavy losses. The lands they lived on were split and drifted apart.  The horrors consumed and propagated at a rate faster than the people could manage and would soon eradicate them all.  Seeing this, the Goddess the people betrayed so cruelly felt a great sadness.  For all the pain their betrayal caused her, she still loved them, for she had given so much to grant them Life.  So, she decided that she would step in to stop the horrors from destroying all she, and her children had made.  Using her endless powers, she sealed off the Suns, allowing both orange and blue to coexist, and stopping the ever-increasing horde of horrors from falling from the sky. She then bestowed Magic back to the people and their strength returned, allowing them to finally combat the horrors that, to this point, they could only ever hide from and pray to survive.

 

After many, many years of fighting, the people prevailed in defeating the horrors.  This victory, however, had come at a great cost.  The number of people had diminished to a shadow of its former glory, their civilization was razed to the ground, and the poison of the horrors lingered, even with its source eradicated.  Seeing this, the Goddess that they loved wept. From her tears came zones of Life that purified the horror’s poison and allowed the people to have a glimpse of their former glory and what they could be once again.  As the people wept along with their Goddess, she ascended once more into the orange Sun, wishing them all to live and regain their former glory so that all could be happy once more.  Years later, beings of similar power to the people’s beloved Goddess appeared, and through the things these beings preached, civilization began to take a new form.  Still far from the glory of their past, but with the hope that they would reach the same, if not greater heights than their predecessors…And that’s what these pictures mean.” (Keeno)

 

“…” (Pram)

 

“…” (Freya)

 

“I give it a 6/10.” (Fia)

 

“I was that off?” (Keeno)

 

“You took a lot of liberties with it.  You completely ignored the parts that mentioned Hresvelgr, you glorified Rasu too much, you misinterpreted the severity of just how horrible the Fiends were, and you gave too much credit to the mortals.” (Fia)

 

“I was working with what I have!  Stuff like this isn’t exact unless you have someone like you who actually lived to to critique!  In my last life, this was about as good as a creation myth got and people took it as gospel.” (Keeno)

 

“And I’m not arguing that.  You did a very good job, but you are also heavily biased towards Rasu and its painting your interpretation in that way.  If you were to transcribe this and submit it to an academy, you’d probably be given a hefty sum, seeing as the most people left from this time period are Apostles, and we try not to influence the way history is written with our bias, because honestly, that time period was too terrible to remember.  Just look at Falheim, its previous ruler was one of the few mortals from back then, and you clearly know how that turned out.” (Fia)

 

“…” (Keeno)

 

“Of course, only Rasu could tell you how much of the beginning was true.  I was born in the time Fiends were running rampant, so I only have the vaguest notion of what the world was like before that.” (Fia)

 

“…Fia, this is a temple to Ama, right?” (Keeno)

 

“Yeah.  Why?” (Fia)

 

“Get down here so I can hug you.” (Keeno)

 

“Eh?” (Fia)

 

“If what you said is true, combined with what I’ve been able to put together from this, you deserve a hug.” (Keeno)

 

“…” (Fia)

 

“I agree.  Plus, I think it’s been a bit too long before we’ve spoken face to face.  Speaking this way is fine and all, but Fia, it makes you feel distant.” (Pram)

 

“Plus, I’d like to meet you in person.  I only have what you sound like and the descriptions from Pram and Keeno to go by, but I’d like to put the actual face to the name and voice.” (Freya)

 

“Fine, but Keeno has to put the statue back for a bit.  With it gone, this temple turned into one solely dedicated to Hresvelgr.” (Fia)

 

I placed the statue back where it was at first and around a minute later, Fia walked through a shiny door that appeared out of nowhere.  I immediately jumped toward her and pulled her into a hug while patting her head.

 

“…” (Fia)

 

Pram walked over and joined in.

 

“Fia deserves all the hugs.” (Pram)

 

“…” (Fia)

 

“Um…” (Freya)

 

“No words, Freya, just join in like we all know you want to.” (Keeno)

 

“…” (Freya)

 

She looked a little reluctant, but eventually she relented and also started to hug Fia, or more like Pram while sort of hugging Fia.  We stayed like that for a while before releasing the phoenix.

 

“So, want to hang around for a bit?  Eat some lunch with us and chat?  Let us know what’s been up with you.” (Keeno)

 

“Why not?  I’m here after all.” (Fia)

 

I smiled as I walked over to my light source and pulled out some seats for us before setting up some stuff to cook.

 

Chaos Realm:

???: Where am I?  What happened to that shiny jerk?  Who…eh!?

How about we get your name before we answer your questions?

???: My name is Nykuro, mister god of chaos.

You don’t need to be formal.

Order: And you don’t need to put up that strong front, just let your feelings out.

Nykuro: Front?  I- I’m not putting up a front! Hmph!

Hehe. And to answer your questions, you’re in our home, the shiny jerk has been deleted from existence along with the world that cast you out.

Nykuro: …Eh!?…Then…how am I alive?

Order: You were cast out, so you were no longer a part of that world…I’m very sorry you were treated that way.

It makes me angry all over again.  You aren’t even that much older than our own daughter and yet you were subjected to such disgusting treatment.

Nykuro: …Then what do I do?  Am I going to disappear?

Order: No. Due to Payto’s kindness, you have two options.  One is to go to a new world of your choosing and become a part of it.

Nykuro: And the second?

Let us adopt you.

Nykuro: ……EH!?

Luna: *does a spit take*

Nykuro: HOW IS RHAT EVEBEBTHSISICHCURMSIW!!!!!!!!???????

Order: Hehehe.  Calm down, your words are turning to gibberish.

Nykuro: How is that even an option!?

We have one child, but she wants a sibling.  Since gods can only have one child biologically, this is all we can do.

Nykuro: But why me!? You don’t even know me!

I do though.  I know literally everything about you, your possible futures, and any and every decision you will make and their consequences.

Nykuro: Then do I even have a real choice!?

Yes. The second you accept this offer; I can’t see anything else. I’m a Fate-Weaver, but I don’t dictate the fate of my family.

Nykuro: …Then, if I decline, will I even find a home?

Yes…

Nykuro: But?

Depends on the decisions after that, you will find a home EVENTUALLY.

Order: You’re being a bit heavy handed here, Payto.

I’m just answering her question.  This is a very major decision, I won’t lie.  If my answers just so happen to push her more toward an outcome we’ll like more, then that’s on her, not me.

Order: *sigh*

Nykuro: Ummmmmm……………

Astraea:??? Sister?

Nykuro: …. Who is this adorable creature?

Astraea, our daughter.

Nykuro: Will I get to play with and cuddle her as much as I want?

Order: When she’s not with her Fated One.

Nykuro: Soooo, is there any ceremony I have to perform to be adopted by the two of you?

Nope, we just need to claim you as our daughter.

Nykuro: Then what are you waiting for!? I demand to be made this small, adorable girl’s big sister!

Hehehe.

Order: Pffft.

Nykuro: I mean…Hmph! I guess I can be this small, adorable girl’s big sister since you’re so insistent about it.

Very well.

Order: Welcome to the family, Nykuro.