"The Sagas of the Seventy-Thousand Gods" -- Part 2

Here's Part 2 of "The Sagas of the 70,000 Gods". Part One was posted last Friday. Please let me know what you think.

Enjoy!

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BOOK 3

"The Many Worlds"

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Let it be known, the great and many gods, weary from their Forevers Wars, did as Amir said and created many worlds they would call home.

The Great Khal, The Winged Horse God, tore from his four wings two golden feathers apiece and placed them into the ten-thousand hands of Agul, God of Might and Prosperity, who crushed the feathers and, like a diamond from coal, created a brilliant star to call their home.

Kowloon-fakah, The Cow Goddess, ran through the Void, spreading her blessed cream seeping from her always overflowing udder.

Batar-tok, The Bull God, chased after her and smashed each droplet of Kowloon-fakah's cream with Sul, his Holy Hammer, and forged world after world.

Santrifah, The Snake Goddess with Feathered Wings and cousin to Lenius, slithered the Void spitting venom and each venomous throng formed into volcanic, brutal worlds.

Behind her came Kashakah, Coyote God. Smitten with Santrifah's beauty, Kashakah's unrequited love boiled forth from his eyes and, much as Amir's tear had, shed watery worlds.

Behind Kashakah still came Wofat-hallah-ki, The One-Toothed Wolf God and bitter enemy of Kashakah. With his deep growl he shook the venom of Santrifah and tears of Kashakah, rumbling them into final form.

Then came Mordea, The Gentle Moth Mother, dusting the Void with the powder found under her wings.

After her came Kama, The Dragonfly and Lord of Visions, who, with his wings, whipped Mordea's dust into spinning fury until each speck shone like glittering jewels to light every part of the Void.

Menacing Gror, The Goat God, tore off his billy beard, chewed it and spat it into the Void. He set cloven hoof onto this new world where he alone would rule for all time.

Then did Aal, The Falcon-Headed, bring forth Lashul, his chariot led by the Horse God Swar, and from it produced a javelin. He broke the javelin into six pieces and bound them together with six strands of hair from Swar's mane. He then handed the bundle to his brother Fril, The Owl God, Ruler of Dark Knowledge and Giver of Words. Fril, with his claw, etched out Holy Words upon the bundle that tranmogrified the bundle into a world that both Aal and Fril could share.

Jayd, Lord of the Heavns, Protector of All, Bestower of Martial Wisdom, neutralized the poison of one of Santrifah's volcanic worlds, made it glow green with his benevolence and settled upon it, inviting Amir to join him.

Hoyard, God of Steel and Benefactor of Warriors, with his scimitar Yorgmana, lopped off the tip of his left forefinger. His blood spilled forth as molten lead. He gathered the finger and blood together and molded them with his own hands into a world. He then took Lameal, Goddess of Truth and Beauty and Patron of the Arts, as his wife and together they settled upon the new world.

Kiyyard, The Bear, and his friend Sil, The Tree Goddess, Pillar of Heavens, combined bark and fur to make their world.

Askahdri, The Tentacled Dark God, broke off one of his tentacles and made it his realm.

Askahdri's cousin, Lorkah, used one of her eighty-two spiked tentacles to stab at herself and from the wound came vast dark ichor upon which she settled.

Lemlah, The Metallic God, Hoyard's son and born of his blood, broke off one of his four arms. His friend, Ba'alidor, God of Fire and Blacksmiths, forged Lemlah's arm with his flame and together they settled the world they formed.

And then came Hwa-xen, Monkey God. With a thrust he threw a fang he had stolen from Wofat-hallah-ki into the massive but filling Void. The fang became a world which Hwa-xen claimed all his own.

Malovious, The God of Night and Ignorance, severed his ear from his head and formed it into a world for himself and, should his friend Wofat-hallah-ki ever end his pursuit of Kashakah, for his friend The Wolf God.

Kwinchi, The Giant Centipede, spun a ball of mucus with his many legs and made a world for himself.

Verl Asp, The Silver Snake, The Trickster of Heaven, The Lord of Assassins, the Wanderer, refused all worlds and chose instead to slither the newly forming universe visiting world after world as he desired for all eternity.

Bai-Bao, The Leopard of Pure White, together with her brother and sometimes enemy Hee-Bao, The Black Leopard and Stalker of Shadows, mated and gave birth to Xiao-Bi, The Little One, Protector of Small Cats. With Xiao-bi's afterbirth they formed a world for their family.

Mya-gah-noh, The Horned One, broke a horn from his arm and used it as a world. Seeing this, his 986 brothers and sisters did the same.

Flord, The Sulphur God, argued with his cousin Byorn, The God of Stone, about how their world should be made. They began to wrestle and fight. Enraged, Flord butt his head against Byorn, birthing a spark that flew from their heads. Seeing the spark, Flord and Byorn agreed to make it their world of fire.

Skarrah, The Scarab Goddess, let fall a leg and made it her home.

Seethal, The Cobra-Headed, Lord of Wonder, Devourer of Life, maimed and murdered thirteen of his own children, birthed by Santrifah, and stirred their bodies in Lazahr-thah-kar, his Enchanted Cauldron, with the tip of Dahl-ahkar-amon, his staff, until they boiled and bubbled and liquified. Seethal then poured the thick liquid out of the cauldron, allowing it to cool, and shaped his world before it hardened. It is said his world bleeds with the molten blood of his children in their attempts to separate and escape their father's ferocity, quaking the world nearly constantly. All wicked souls otherwise refused elsewhere are forever welcome to settle upon Seethal's world.

And so the gods did create the universe, filling the Void with fire, water, ore, wind and wood.

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BOOK 4

"Amir's Gift to the Dragons"

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Let it be known, the seventy-thousand gods did form the universe and it was decided the Dragons would share a world as they were largely allies and relations. The ten-thousand-and-one Dragons did concur, but they could not agree upon how to form their world.

"Let us make it a world of shadows," hissed Stygia the Dark.

"No! It must be a world warm with flame and grace," retorted Krogan the Fire Dragon.

"The rest of us would burn!" exclaimed Kraken.

"I will settle it all," said Golak the Gray Stone Dragon. "I'll break off a piece of my tail and this shall be our world."

"And sleep upon cold stone? I think not!" cried Falia the Fae Dragon, fluttering her rainbow wings with agitation.

"Then I'll follow Gror's example," said Frik the Bearded One, "and rip from my chin a bit of beard and form a world of my own."

"If there is a bit of beard to be sacrificed, it shall be mine!" said Xahn the Wingless.

"I'll do as Myah-gah-no and remove a horn," said Dark Skryff, The Black Horned Dragon.

"The world must be acceptable to the Water Dragons!" demanded Tylat, Kraken's sister.

"Then we'll make it of ore!"

"We'll make it of steel!"

"We'll make it of dust!"

The universe had been formed, the Void filled and all the gods had a home except the Dragons.

Disgruntled and forlorn, Lenius left the Dragons and returned to the side of her good friend Amir.

"Whatever is the matter?" asked Amir, recognizing sadness upon his friend's face.

"It is my kin," said Lenius. "Never have we argued as we do over the creation of our world-home. We have always struck alliances, now we strike only with our bitter tongues."

"Perhaps," Amir consoled, "I've a solution."

Amir and Lenius returned to the Dragons. Amir spoke, "Good friends of Amir, argue not for I bring to you my humble suggestion. As the god Jayd has already formed a world and asked me to join him over its rule, you are welcome to my tear, the First World and the Cause of All Creation."

"But it is all water!" cried Krogan. "My breath would forever be useless there."

"Not if you apply your heated breath to the water first," Amir instructed, "and burned some of the water away to make dry spots for you and others to rest, leaving some of the water for others."

All the Dragons contemplated and found wisdom in Amir's suggestion.

"It is settled, then," spoke Lenius. "This tiny drop shall be our world."

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Thanks for reading, folks! Let me know your thoughts, comments, questions and suggestions!

"The Sagas of the 70,000 Gods" -- Part One

Since 2000, I've been working on a collection of tales that my friend Jason Ho has dubbed 'The Pirate Epic'. The tales are truly about pirates and perhaps is epic in that the stories chronicle the world's first major war.

As part of the world creation process for the pirate epic, I started writing "The Sagas of the 70,000 Gods". It is a holy text, also a collection of tales, telling about the gods of this fictional pirate epic world and recounting the world's creation.

In February 2007 I began truly writing these sagas.

Here I present to you for the first time anywhere the first four "books" of the sagas. I will present them in two parts. Part One will be posted today. Part two will be posted next Friday. Let me know what you think.

As always, enjoy!

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BOOK 1

"The Sorrows of Amir"

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Let it be known, in the time before Time when all as yet did not exist but the seventy-thousand gods and Nothingness, the blessed gods, with all their strength, wisdom and undying lives, could not yet exist peacefully together, but instead each god and goddess raged angrily, waging war upon his and her brethren and sistren.

Woe, these were not joyous times, this time before Time, for our Holy Parents. For, as gods immune to the mercy of death, they could not end their suffering. Neither could they end their wars. Great and mighty battles were held, wars that would make the future wars of mortals pale with frailty and weaken with wonder.

Lo, no war is ever without pain, regardless of scale. It is a matter destined to be relearned.

Despite the great battles of the seventy-thousand gods, no victory was ever won for no god or goddess allowed defeat, even by the capable hands of a peer. None could die, none could experience triumph.

The most warmongering gods were also the most numerous. These were the Immortal Dragons and they numbered ten-thousand and one. With malicious breath, poisoned teeth, claws of such length they could pierce the chests of a dozen mortals or more at once. The Dragons reigned in these wars as they would often form alliances with one another against all other gods.

Pity now the gods for their hearts are not shallow nor their collective conscience unadorned, unweighted nor free. For a mortal's fleeting lifetime of suffering, theirs is eternal sorrow. For a mortal's span of defeat, theirs is forever unvictorious, unaccomplished. The lay of the gods is stagnation. Ruminate upon this, for blessed are endings.

In this time, when Time did not yet exist, a time the gods themselves named The Forever Wars, there was one god above all others who warred the least. He found friends with most other gods, alliances and even adoration. The Dragons, too, called him brother. He was Amir, God of Wonder and Justice; The Quiet One; The God of Inspiration and Love.

Behold the sorrow of Amir's heart to bear witness to the fury of his kind against one another. Feel the sadness of the insults hurled by one god unto another that Amir felt. Echo Amir's love and fairness, inspiring the plight of justice to wash out hate, fear and ugliness.

Now feel Amir's pain take form as a tear, filling space within the Void, in the time before Time.

Lenius, the great Dragon Goddess of Fertility and friend to Amir, witnessed this tear and was perplexed by it. She studied upon it for some time before speaking with Amir.

"My dear Amir," she began, "what is this thing you have made? With it you have created a thing of form that cannot exist as we do and, since I can remember when this thing did not exist where now it does, you have also created Time. How is this so?"

"I cannot answer, for I truly do not know. This droplet is sorrow manifested. Forever we fight, forever we ridicule and mock one another, forever we breed hate.

"War is logical, for not one of us could ever be expected to think or feel or desire as every other one. From that comes misunderstanding, belief, passion and even deception and from those come war. War is natural. However, since our wars are never conclusive, since we never tire, I fear this is how things shall forever be: hate upon hate, war upon war, without respite. The hate will grow and drown the hope of love and peace. I fear this must be the fate of all gods. In my sorrow I wept and in my weeping grew this tear."

Lenius was astonished. Never had she heard such wisdom and compassion.

Amir said, "I implore you, dear friend, leave me to reflect upon this droplet."

Lenius did as her friend asked.

Let it be known that the whole of the seventy-thousand gods beheld the Tear of Amir. Though their wars did not stop, they slowed as the vast and many gods were held in contemplation.

The tear hung silently in the darkness of the Void and all the gods came to speak of it, studying upon Time.

Amir returned to his friend's side. "Lenius, my friend," said he, "I ask of you a favor. Whether it is great or small is your choosing, but if you fulfill this request I shall forever be indebted to you. I shall make repayment my destiny."

"Quiet your thoughts," said Lenius. " I will do this favor and refuse any debt. Yet, I am confused. Is not Amir a god like the rest of us? What could I could do and not yourself?"

"I could easily fulfill this task myself. Yet, for reasons I do not fully understand, I must ask this favor of you. I feel it is the effect of Time that brings me to you. I know that as you do this task for me, should you agree, I will be provided more time in which to ruminate. I cannot explain fully. I feel we must leave reason alone."

Lenius was disturbed by her friend's notions, but she said, "As you wish, friend. What is this favor?"

"I ask that you gather the seventy-thousand gods around the tear to hold audience with me."

"Seventy-thousand wills gathered at once would be impossible, even for a god. However, curiosity for this droplet may make it an easy task after all. I will do as you ask."

Amir showered Lenius with gratitude and they parted.


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BOOK 2

"The Gathering of the Gods"

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Let it be known, the whole of seventy-thousand gods gathered round the tear as Amir desired. Lenius, as she had suspected, found implacable curiosity within each god, thus making her task easy. They drew near Amir and the droplet.

"O sistren and brethren! Woe is our lay and this droplet we now surround is evidence to such, for this droplet is fear and sorrow manifested into form."

"It looks silver. I would wager it would shine in the light," interrupted Sharafar, The Elephant God, Ruler of Curiosity and Courage.

"That is no wager. We can all see it would shimmer grotesquely," whispered the hoarse voice of Cloak, The Unseen, Ruler of Shadows.

"Perhaps a blast of my fiery breath will settle the matter," spoke Krogan, The Fire Dragon, his comment joined by the laughter from many of the Dragons.

Lenius called for silence and Amir continued.

"Our wars will never end, I fear, as long as we give no pause for breath. Suspicion will fuel hatred, hatred will feed these Forever Wars. We all grow tired, weary. Hatred and anger drains the self and only more hatred can fire the gut, fill the heart."

Watching eyes lowered in sadness at the truth Amir spoke. Each god in turn thought how wise Amir was.

"With this one tear," Amir continued, "I give to you a solution."

The gods crowded to listen, a great mass of Nothingness surrounding minute form.

"We must create more," Amir proclaimed. "Perhaps not tears, but we must create form from our Nothingness. Let us fill the Void! Let us cry or roar, bellow or sacrifice to create more from ourselves, spreading all things out in growth and motion and Time. Let us create worlds to rule and call our home, to separate ourselves from the bitterest enemies and gather with friends. Let us fill this Void so as to breathe, so as to never war again!"

Amir knew the folly in his words, for war is logical. It was his hope, however, to appease his kin, to end their wars so hatred would not completely consume them, so that peace, at least at times, could be within their destiny.

The congregation broke into smaller groups, discussing Amir's wisdom through low mumbles.

Lenius and Amir remained at the tear's side.

"Will they think I have gone mad?" asked Amir.

"They are gods. They will find wisdom," Lenius assured.

And so it came to be that it was so tempting for the gods to have worlds of their own, so tempting to end their Forever Wars, that all the gods would agree, though some reluctantly.

The Sagas of the 70,000 Gods -- A Pirate Epic!

Since 2000, I've been working on a collection of tales that my friend Jason Ho has dubbed 'The Pirate Epic'. It is truly about pirates and perhaps is epic in that the stories chronicle the world's first major war.

As a part of the world creation process for the pirate epic, I started writing "The Sagas of the 70,000 Gods". It is a book, also a collection of tales, telling about the gods of this fictional pirate epic world and how the world came to be formed.

In February 2007 I began truly writing these sagas.

This Friday I will be posting the first few parts of "The Sagas of the 70,000 Gods" here on this blog for your enjoyment.