Chapter 2
The cosmos shook and
Khaos’ body rumbled. She could no longer
contain the children that were within her.
For eons she had been able to control the entities, to contain them
within the confines of her infinite being, the result being the chaos that was
all around her. If she could not contain
them, if she lost this battle she would lose control of the cosmos, and that
was something she was not willing to do.
Never would she allow anyone, not even her progeny, to gain control of
what was hers. But they were gaining
strength and power from her, draining her of all her energies.
Khaos knew that if she relinquished her realm to her
offspring she would fade into the nether regions of some far-off, distant
universe, never to be seen or heard from again.
That was the way it was; that was the way it had to be. She could not be if they were about, so they
had to remain inside; closed off from all that she had done, even if it meant
the destruction of all that she had created thus far. If she was able to rein them in, to control
them and regain all her strength, she would be able to recreate everything that
had gone to ruins.
At times Khaos could hear them, her children, the gods
she held captive. She could hear their
pleas and she could hear their rants. A
few were soft spoken and compelling in their arguments for release, but most
were just downright angry at being held for so long in a place they knew they
should not be. There was a female deity
who spoke in dulcet tones about the future.
Because she did not let her anger cloud her judgment, she could see
things that the others could not. She
knew the right words to say and the correct tone to use to sway Khaos, and at
times almost convinced her to release them all.
But even though she would waiver, Khaos never complied. Then there were times when the voices of
other gods would drown out that of the female.
One in particular, a male, was very vocal in his displeasure at being
kept in his current position, and would attempt regularly to escape, but it was
to no avail; because even in her ever weakening state, Khaos was still strong
enough to contain all of the gods that she had created up to this point.
Khaos thought of all that she had created and the
wreckage she was faced with because of her refusal to relent in her desire to
run the universe. She could see the
destruction, proverbially laying at her feet, that her inner turmoil had
produced. Everywhere she looked was in a
state of devastation, in the process of completely being destroyed, and the
thought of all that she had created being decimated was a worse pain, at times,
than the pain of holding and controlling the deities within her being. That realization hit Khaos in the face like a
bucket of ice cold water; it opened her eyes like nothing else could have. It snapped her out of the stupor she had been
in for so many eons and made her realize that she would have to surrender to
her fears, trust in what she had created, and release both the universe and the
gods in order for her creations to live on, in order for the universe to
continue to be.
That realization ultimately helped her to decide that it
would be better to release the beings within her, one at a time, to ease both
the burden of holding the gods at bay and controlling the cosmos, even though
its current state was in disrepair. To
do so in this fashion, releasing the deities one at a time, would allow her to
gradually release her hold over the universe instead of losing her kingdom all
at once. That thought comforted her, it
was like a salve to her ever increasingly bruised ego. It was destiny that she would not reign in
her current capacity and in her current state; that as the change in gods
occurred, so would her position and power change. Her new destiny awaited and she was beginning
to grasp the full affect of what that meant.
Khaos realized that in her present state,
spread out as the cosmos, she would not be able to release any of the gods from
her being, so she composed herself and from the stars and planets and the
darkness of her surroundings, she made a body for herself. The universe rolled as Khaos took form. The planets that were present moved at Khaos'
will; where once there was darkness, there was now light, and where once there
was nothing, there stood Khaos...
Her new body was only a head and torso. She didn’t feel the need to form any other
parts, as she had never before used or needed them. It was not a pretty body, and it was not very
mobile, but it was functional and it was grand enough to release gods of the
magnitude she knew them to be, so it would serve its purpose.
With a heavy sigh and an even heavier heart, Khaos began
the process of releasing the first god.
For a brief moment she contemplated releasing the soft-spoken female
god, but decided against it. Her words
and arguments were so convincing that Khaos felt that they could lead to
manipulation and then ultimately a revolt.
She chose, instead, a god who barely spoke inside her. He was but a whisper among the cacophony she
heard on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis.
She chose Okeanos, the one who was to rule over the
waters. While some of the gods inside
her expressed themselves and their dissatisfaction with their present station
in a very vocal and often bitterly harsh manner, Okeanos was different. He was calm and very contemplative. And when he spoke, his voice was that of pure
serenity; calm and peaceful, flowing through her like the ebb and flow of the
rising tide. He seemed, from outward
appearances, to be one of the more level headed and reasonable gods she had
created. He had neither tried to escape
nor had he tried to manipulate; he was neutral, and that was what Khaos needed;
neutrality. She felt that if he were
released first, maybe she could persuade him into being her compatriot and they
could rule side by side; she could teach him all that she knew and show him all
that she could do. If she could get one
god to see her vision and agree to continue to build and run the universe as
she saw fit, then maybe her next phase of existence would be neither as
interminable nor as bleak as she first believed.
Though the beings within Khaos could hear her thoughts,
when she allowed it, she spoke out loud; not to anyone in particular, but as a
way of expelling her trepidation about the release of part of herself and the
relinquishing of part of her realm. She
released another heavy sigh and spoke.
‘Is what I am about to do right? Is it what is best, passing the control of
all that I have created to these novice gods?
They know not the toils that I have endured to bring about what is to
be. I know what is in the prophesy; I
know what the future holds.’
A few of the gods who heard her speaking took note of
what she was saying and one in particular snorted in derision. If she knew what lay ahead, he thought, then
why was she so adamant about not releasing what she knew truly was not
hers? Greed, he thought. Greed and selfishness is what had been
preventing him from taking his rightful place in the heavens. Well, just as soon as he was able he would
get his revenge for his unwelcomed imprisonment. Retribution would be his. The fierce god bristled in anger and
anticipation.
Khaos, completely unaware of what was going on inside of
her, sighed again and continued with the arduous task of releasing
Okeanos. It was not an easy feat,
releasing a god of his strength, power and size from where he lay, all the
while still containing the other gods so as to prevent any unwanted
escapes. Khaos felt a pain, but was
unsure if it was from the release of Okeanos or from her own fears surfacing.
The process was near completion when Okeanos burst forth
from the vast nothingness that was Khaos, into the vast endlessness of the
cosmos. He flew out into the universe
like an avenging angel, all water and light but with no real form or definition
to his body. He stretched himself out as
far as he could and took his first breath of air, the breath of LIFE. He was filled with joy and anger all at the
same time, and the reason for those emotions lay behind him; the force of his
escape being enough to knock Khaos back.
She lay sprawled out, momentarily, in a supine position, unmoving.
Khaos was shaken.
She had not expected Okeanos to erupt from her the way he did, with such
violence and aggression, and she was in a tremendous amount of pain from
Okeanos’ release. It was not supposed to
be like this; it was not supposed to feel like this. Khaos tried to gather herself so as not to
inadvertently release any other gods.
But it was for naught. With
Okeanos’ escape in such a violent manner, Khaos was unable to restrain all of
the other deities quickly enough, and, unbeknownst to her, two others decided
to take advantage of the situation and make their escape. They had lain quietly in wait for such an
opportunity and refused to let it pass.
Khaos was dazed and weakened, and they intended to take full advantage
of it. Ophioneus, a huge god who had the
upper body of a man and the lower body of a snake, and Sporades, the god of the
North Wind, who was in a constant state of motion like the wind itself, saw a
chance to escape and capitalized on Khaos’ stunned condition. Quickly they sprang forth and flew away from
Khaos so as not to be detected and recaptured.
Neither Khaos nor Okeanos were aware that they had escaped.
On their faces were smiles of pure delight. ‘You shall no longer hold me,’ Sporades spit
out angrily as he flew off into the distance.
‘I intend to have full repayment for all that you put me through. Your hide on a spit roasting like the fatted
calf you are will be a good start.’
‘Damn you Khaos,' hissed Ophioneus, scurrying behind
Sporades ‘I shall have vengeance for all of the time I was held captive,’ and
he slithered off into the ether as well.
Both gods turned back to look at Khaos and Okeanos, and with one last
vengeful taunt, ‘We shall seek justice for all that we have been through.’ they
fled into the darkness.
Okeanos, still in the same spot where he landed, turned
around to face his imprisoner. ‘Mother
Khaos,’ he whispered moving his liquid mass slightly towards Khaos. Khaos, still in an unbelievable amount of
pain, barely heard Okeanos, and surely did not acknowledge him. Lost in her own thoughts and revelations,
Khaos was not aware that Okeanos was anywhere about, let alone moving slowly
towards her.
Would they all feel that way, she thought to
herself. Would they all tear at her as
if a limb were being ripped from her newly formed body? Then she had the brief thought that maybe she
should have followed her first instinct and released the soft-spoken female
deity first. Surely she could not and
would not have caused the agony Okeanos inflicted.
‘Mother Khaos,’ Okeanos said a little louder with a snarl
curling his thin upper lip as he became a bit perturbed at not being
acknowledged. And still Khaos did not
acknowledge his words or presence.
She still lay in her prone position, mulling over what
other god she could have released. One
who would not have inflicted as much pain and anguish to her body as Okeanos
did. Who could she have possibly let
come out who would not have caused the agony that she was feeling now, but who
also would be an ally with her and who would have joined her in her visions for
the future? Although, at this point,
Khaos thought, anyone would have been a better choice than Okeanos. And still she lay, completely oblivious to
who and what was going on around her.
To Okeanos, Khaos' continued introspection and lack of
response to his calls was beyond insubordinate.
He was the great Okeanos, the one who was destined to rule the great
water. To be ignored by the likes of a
mere soon-to-be former great being was intolerable.
‘MOTHER KHAOS,’ Okeanos said with derision dripping from
each syllable, raising his voice not to a yell, but enough to make Khaos jump
with the realization that there was someone else there in close proximity to
her. Khaos had been lost in her
thoughts, and not even aware that there was anyone else about; she had lain
where she fell, eyes closed and body in
pain.
'Rise, you heartless harridan,' Okeanos spoke viciously
to Khaos, moving his liquid form back and forth in front of her inert body,
pacing like an impatient suitor awaiting his lover. 'For eons I have laid in wait for the moment
when I could address you, and you do not have the respect to rise and answer
me. Nay, you lay there as if it is the
time to recline and rest yourself because you just performed some great
feat.' Okeanos spit his words out and
they hit Khaos like knives, each one connecting and piercing her bruised heart
and battered body.
Khaos, still in her prone position, realized that she was
vulnerable to attack from Okeanos and quickly mustered whatever strength she
had left to defend herself from any further onslaught. She opened her eyes, and darting about, braced herself for battle, either one of
words or one of actions. She was still
the great Khaos, after all. She would
bow to no one and never fall.
Even reeling from pain she was ready to stand against
him, Okeanos was impressed with Khaos’ ability to muster herself and appear
ready to do battle, but not overly so.
Khaos was, after all, a part of the past and he was the future. Okeanos floated around Khaos, in an ethereal
manner, and spoke in a tone riddled with hatred. ‘Mother Khaos, why do you pose yourself like
that? As if you could ever best me in battle. You need not bother, for you could never
defeat me. I am Okeanos, ruler of the
waters. The waters that create life,
support life, and take life away.’
Okeanos' voice rose decibel by decibel during his diatribe towards
Khaos.
Khaos, eying every move he made, felt disgust flow
throughout her entire being. The whole
cosmos rumbled as anger surged through her.
How dare this young god speak to her in such a manner! She was Khaos. She was the first, the beginning. She could see what was destined for all of
the gods to follow. This young god knew
not what was in store for him, and she smiled a smile of pity and disdain for
she would not be the one to tell the tale of Okeanos’ defeat and subsequent
demise.
As anger filled her entire body, the deities that
remained inside of her felt it, it was a white hot rage that passed over them
like molten lava. The planets she had
used to make up her body crashed and exploded with the fury she felt. Khaos directed her steely gaze at Okeanos and
spoke to him for the first time. ‘You,
little one, need to remember to whom you are speaking.’ she said with contempt
dripping from every syllable.
Okeanos, seethed with anger at the insult, because
although Khaos far outsized him, he was still large in size and demeanor. He was by no means little and for her to hurl such an insult was infuriating. For eons she had held him trapped and now,
once he was out of her control, she dared to slight him. Oh she would pay for those words, Okeanos
thought angrily.
‘And you, OLD ONE, need to remember that your time has
passed, and mine is just beginning,' Okeanos snarled. 'When you have ceased to exist and are not
even a blur of a memory, I will live on.
I will rule in your place until the cosmos is no more. I will be, when all that you have created
ceases to be. I am immortal…I am
perpetual…I WILL BE HERE FOR ETERNITY!!!’
Okeanos' waters were moving furiously about, flying off into the ether,
completely out of his control.
Arrogant fool was all that Khaos could think, because for
all of his bluster and posturing, Okeanos was not eternal, and he would not be
here forever. His time was limited as
was his rule over the gods. She had
foreseen it and so it would be. Khaos
spoke, watching as Okeanos circled her, leaving droplets of water as he
passed.
‘You are but a mere blink in time; a brief respite. You are arrogant. You are a fool. And you have no respect for the one who
created you.’ Khaos noticed the droplets
of water grew and had fluidity in movement.
It was as if they were dancing; around her. ‘I made you, Okeanos, what you have comes
from me. What you can do is but a small
fraction of what I can do. Any powers
you possess are of me and therefore are dwarfed by the powers that I
possess. I am KHAOS.’
As if to confirm her statement as fact, Khaos twitched
her head and the waters that Okeanos had inadvertently released raced to her,
like chicks to a mother hen. They
circled her and lay at rest in front of her.
And as Khaos spoke the entire universe moved. It changed shape and what was, no longer
was. ‘Do you see MY powers? Do you see
that when I chose I can create or destroy?
I am what you desire to be. I am
the universe. I am forever. I am all that you see. It is of me, made by me, and if it is my
will… it will no longer be.’ With those
words Khaos looked at the waters that had gathered at her feet, and with
nothing but a look the waters that she had commanded come to her exploded into
nothingness. Okeanos stared in stunned
amazement.
Khaos sneered her next words, ‘You have not that kind of
power. And you never will. You are water. Your power is limited to that of droplets; of
nothing.’ Khaos then began to compose
herself, and the entire universe, into a form in which to do battle. One better suited to engage Okeanos, should
he want to continue in this current hostile fashion. She was no longer looking at her compatriot;
she was starting at her combatant. And
her body, once just a utilitarian head and torso was now a definite mass.
Chapter 3
Okeanos watched in amazement as Khaos reshaped the entire
cosmos, bending it to her will so that she could shape her being into what
appeared to be a form more appropriate to engage in a physical altercation,
just in case their battle of words changed to one of actions. He became conscious of the fact that, if he
were to have any chance of besting Khaos in battle, he too would have to take a
form better suited to that battle, as well.
With fluid movements and lightening fast quickness, Okeanos gathered his
flowing waters and shaped himself into an impressive looking man. He was smooth like water and thick and
muscular; he was a sight to behold.
As Okeanos continued to shape and mold himself, the
universe changed shape as well. During
the time that Khaos kept the deities imprisoned, the universe had spun out of
control. Stars collided and black holes
formed where before there had been thriving planets. During the imprisonment Khaos allowed, by
lack of control of the planets and stars, chaos to reign. With the possibility of a battle looming,
Khaos again regained control. By sheer
strength of will, she quelled the remaining inner deities and shaped the stars
and planets to her will. Before, Khaos
was everywhere, she was infinite. Now,
she was more finite, more confined, and more in control, as was the
universe. Beyond the form that Khaos
chose to take, one that had a definite head, with which to think and
strategize, arms, with which to wield blows, a body, which would give strength
and stability, and legs, ones that were powerful and would allow her to move
agilely about, there was an unending darkness.
There was nothing, just a great void.
Khaos truly was the cosmos.
Okeanos was taken aback at what he saw. The speed that Khaos was able to form her new
body was awe inspiring, but Okeanos was still determined to usurp her and
become the ruler of all there was to command.
Because of the sheer size and girth of the body that Khaos formed
Okeanos was hesitant to feel any confidence regarding her demise, but confident
or not, his task was one that had to be accomplished. Khaos was gargantuan and when she formed
herself, she took all of the stars and planets that were visible and
incorporated them in her new body. Okeanos
was puzzled at how he would accomplish the feat of defeating her.
He quickly devised and discarded a multitude of ways to immobilize Khaos, and came to the
conclusion that he might not be able to kill her as he had plotted for
eons. Okeanos, seeing that Khaos'
massive body was in actuality the universe itself, also realized that in order
to rule the universe, there was the real possibility that he might have to trap
Khaos and imprison her; just as she had done to him and was continuing to do to
the others. So even if it meant
capturing Khaos instead of exterminating her, although the former would be
imminently less satisfying than the latter, Okeanos would do what was necessary
to secure the universe as his domain.
That thought brought him great pleasure.
He had quick visions of the tortures that he would visit upon Khaos'
form, whatever shape that took.
His body trembled in anticipation of what lay ahead, for
he knew that a great battle was to ensue and at the end, he would stand alone;
victorious. Okeanos continued to travel
around Khaos’ new form, leaving behind more and more water, and as he did so a
plan formulated in his mind.
When he had first emerged from Khaos' being, Okeanos did
not have any control over his fluid form.
At one point, he had lost his waters uncontrollably and Khaos was able
to then control and destroy those waters.
He knew that he had to discipline himself and his powers so that never
again would anyone be able to control what was his, and no one would ever be
able to control him. As Khaos continued
to form herself into what seemed a formidable foe, Okeanos began exercising
great restraint over his powers, all the while continuing to form his own body
in order to engage in combat.
His waters were fluid so he should be able to form them
in such a way so that they could bind, entrap, imprison, he thought. He just had to figure out a way to complete
this plan without Khaos guessing what he was doing, for if she did she would surely
thwart it, thereby giving rise to the possibility of defeating him. As Okeanos planned and moved, Khaos made
plans of her own.
Khaos was determined to do her utmost to maintain what
she believed to be hers to rule, the birth of Okeanos reaffirmed that. The gods she held within her newly formed
body were not ready to rule, not if Okeanos was any indication of what was to
come. These junior gods had much to
learn before they would be ready to rule what she had created, Khaos thought as
she peered down at her body. The looming
battle with Okeanos was proof that they, her progeny, needed teaching and
guidance before she could release them.
And this she vowed to do, once she taught Okeanos a lesson for his
treachery.
With those thoughts Khaos tried to think of a fitting
punishment for Okeanos; his insolence could not go unpunished, after all. She envisioned imprisoning him, not in
herself again, but in a much darker place; one where blights could be visited
upon his person regularly for his insolence.
As she envisioned boils and lesions on his newly formed body, she
noticed him circling her, preparing himself for their impending battle. She pitied him; he couldn’t even hold his
form. He was leaving portions of his
powers, portions of himself all around.
He is weak and pathetic, Khaos thought, his waters, his
powers lay scattered about, dripping from his form as he moved. How does this young, newly formed god expect
to control anything, when he can’t even control his own body, she pondered as
she tested her new body, readying for battle.
This new shape, this body, was going to take some getting used to. She had never before felt the need to confine
herself into any definitive form, so actually having a form, having shape, was
something new to Khaos. She would have
to adjust quickly to her new body if she were to have any chance of defeating
Okeanos. Like her, he was new to his
shape, and like her he also had the ability to learn and adjust to his
surroundings quickly and with ease.
But look at him, she thought, as Okeanos let more of his
waters flow from his body to surround her.
He will be easily defeated, she thought, and began preparing to teach
this rogue god a lesson; one of pain and suffering. Khaos rolled her shoulders and thought of
weapons she would use to discipline Okeanos for his treacherous actions. As she thought of the weapons of Okeanos’
demise, those weapons appeared in her hands, a part of her, an extension of her
body; and just as quickly as the weapons appeared, they disappeared with the
thought of each subsequent weapon.
As each new weapon appeared, Khaos thought of the damage
she could do to Okeanos. She thought of
the pain she could and would inflict upon Okeanos for his insolence, and smiled
a smile of pleasure and pure malicious delight.
Oh this was going to be a grand fight indeed, Khaos thought as she
prepared to dispatch this god back to the nether regions from whence he
came. Khaos stretched out her long lean
body and prepared to do battle; in each hand was an exquisite sword, designed
in her mind and crafted from her body.
Khaos flexed her muscles and swung her blades in the air; testing her
agility and displaying her abilities with her new devices of doom.
As Okeanos circled her, Khaos watched him and followed
his movements. Floating in the ether
with such grace and fluidity, she was an awe inspiring sight for Okeanos to
see. He was impressed at the quickness
with which she mastered her new form, but he was still bound and determined to
best her in battle. Okeanos knew that he
had to strike first in order to gain the upper hand against Khaos. She might be newly formed, but she would be a
formidable opponent. Okeanos spilled
more and more of his waters around her, surrounding Khaos in an effort to
ensnare her. She was blissfully unaware
of the trap that Okeanos was setting for her.
Oh, this was going to be a magnificent battle indeed, he thought to
himself, mirroring her earlier thoughts.
She is completely oblivious of what is about to happen to her, Okeanos
contemplated; she, who for eons had trapped him within herself, would now be
the one who was trapped. She would be
the one who was imprisoned, able to see and hear but unable to do or act. Okeanos relished that thought as he continued
to circle her, ensnaring her in a web of his own design, one for which there
would be no escape.
Khaos continued to follow Okeanos’ movements, and in
anticipation of the impending fight she began striking her blades against each
other, causing sparks of light and fire to erupt whenever they touched. She was ready, prepared to clash with
Okeanos, determined to defeat him. She
couldn’t believe that this upstart would dare challenge her. She was the ruler of all, he was the keeper
of water, and that he did not do well, for it escaped him with each movement,
more and more water fell from him into the surrounding now vacant heavens. This poor fool was about to be taught a
lesson that was going to be worth teaching.
Khaos’ disdain for Okeanos and his perceived weakness did
not prepare her for what happened next.
All of a sudden Okeanos flexed his shoulders and straightened his
fingers; stiffening them. With that
action, the waters that had so freely flowed from him stopped; they stopped
dripping from his body, they stopped moving all together. Everything was still, silent, frozen. Khaos stiffened her body and silenced her
blades, ready for action, ready to defend.
The waters that Okeanos had released were still, like
glass; they shimmered and glistened, but were unmoving, and he hovered on the
outskirts of those waters, just out of the reach of Khaos’ newly formed
arms. As Okeanos hovered and plotted,
Khaos grew more and more trepidatious.
She nearly trembled with anticipation and a bit of fear, for this was
something she had never had to contend with before, a fight with another god
for supremacy. She had always been the
one in control, the one in charge of all that was within her mind to
conceive. This upcoming fight was
completely new to her and quite disconcerting, but she was prepared to fight to
the death, if necessary, in order to ensure that all that was remained as it
was. She watched as Okeanos glided on
the ether, just outside of her reach.
She knew that Okeanos would not give up without a glorious fight, and
that was something she was more than willing to provide, but it would not be an
easy task. He would be a difficult
opponent and quite frankly a worthy foe.
Khaos eyed the waters around her and tried to dissipate
them into nothingness like she had done earlier. This time they did not do her bidding and she
realized that she had greatly underestimated Okeanos. His grasp of his powers and his ability to
control his waters both impressed and frightened her, but regardless of any
emotions she felt, Khaos was ready to prevail.
Just as that thought entered her head, Okeanos twitched
his head and the waters rose, like a glass case, surrounding Khaos. She was momentarily caught off guard, but
recovered quickly and let her blades fly.
She spun 360 degrees, wielding those blades with an expertise that
belied her inexperience with them, and released herself from the prison that
encircled her shattering the surrounding waters into minuscule pieces, like a
million shards of finely cut glass.
Ophioneus and Sporades watched the battle intently, ready
to intercede on Okeanos’ behalf, if necessary, in order to ensure that Khaos
was defeated. During the entire exchange
between Khaos and Okeanos, they had observed the goings on and listened to
Khaos and Okeanos' heated exchanges.
They knew that if either god realized that they were about they would
surely be recaptured and imprisoned again, and this was unacceptable to
them. They had escaped Khaos undetected
and neither was willing to go back.
It was an intense fight, with both parties landing cosmos
rattling blows. Okeanos fought with
skill and great intensity, striking Khaos time and again, but each time he hit
her she would quickly recover and return that hit with one or two of her own.
Okeanos wielded his blade masterfully and was able to withstand the barrage of Khaos'
fury. Khaos withdrew, in order to strike
him once again, and Okeanos, seeing a chance, sliced into Khaos' thigh. His sword, moving easily through her body
like the wind through a field of trees, cut a deep gash into Khaos allowing
light to break free from her body and shine out into the universe, like a
lighthouse beacon glowing, beckoning,
warning all those who can see of the dangers that lie below the surface.
Khaos fell to one knee, unable to stand on her injured
leg. She was stunned, momentarily. She could not believe that the puny godling
actually bested her and was able to hurt her, because where she saw her light
leaving her torn body she felt an unbearable burning pain. Rising to stand fully in front of her
opponent, Khaos took a step back and for a moment thought about how she came to
be in this predicament. She was
bewildered that she was having to battle for her own realm, her estate. But she would not stop defending what, in her eyes, was hers to protect and defend.
In the far off distance Sporades and Ophioneus continued
to watch and study what was transpiring
between the two gods, unseen and unheard.
They spoke to each other with hushed voices, so as not to be discovered
by the battling gods. Ophioneus was the
first to speak, ‘I will not go back,’ he hissed, his long snake tongue darting
out with each syllable. ‘I will not be
confined or detained any longer.’
Sporades looked in Ophioneus’ direction and nodded his
head in agreement, his long flowing locks moving with each head bob, ‘I agree,
friend,’ he spoke in a deep voice.
Ophioneus whipped his head around and spoke angrily at
Sporades. ‘Hush imbecile, keep your
voice down so they do not hear us,’ he snapped.
Sporades’ face turned from congenial to fury. He angrily eyed Ophioneus, ‘Do not speak to
me in such a manner snake,’ he snarled.
‘I can no more control the timber of my voice, than you can control the
hiss in yours, but continue to speak to me in that manner and I will rip out
your disrespectful tongue and cut you down to size.’ And with those words
Sporades made a scythe appear in his hands.
‘I will rend you from tip to tail if you dare address me
in that tone again.’ Sporades said menacingly.
The ease that the weapon materialized made Ophioneus back
up and take notice. Sporades had always
been reserved inside Khaos. While the
other gods ranted, he remained quiet.
That he was quick to rile was something that Ophioneus took note
of. He drifted ever so slightly away
from Sporades; slowly so as not to cause him alarm, but he wanted to put some
distance between the two of them. His
anger was not something that was expected and Ophioneus was not prepared to
defend himself, should the need arise. He drifted farther away from Sporades;
the more distance between this hot headed god and himself the better. Ophioneus thought to himself, I‘m going to
have to watch this one; he might cause problems with my future bid for supremacy.
When Ophioneus felt that he was a safe distance away he
spoke again to Sporades, who by this time had stopped glaring at him and had
one again focused his attention on Khaos and Okeanos. ‘What shall we do, friend,’ using Sporades’
own words to sooth him ‘to further our course?
Shall we stand by and ally ourselves with the victor, should we
intervene on Okeanos’ behalf and gain his trust and allegiance or would the
best course of action be to join with Khaos against Okeanos and beg her
forgiveness for our transgressions and escape and hope that she shows us mercy
and allows us to remain free?’
Sporades turned to fully look at Ophioneus, he
scrutinized him from head to tail. He
didn’t trust the snake; he didn’t like the snake, but for the sake of his
future and the domain he wanted to rule, he would have to deal with the snake;
if only for the present time. If not for
the fact that he needed Ophioneus’ assistance in overthrowing Khaos, Sporades
would dispatch him right where he was, and leave nothing in the cosmos but a
blur where Ophioneus last dwelled. He
quelled his thoughts and prepared himself to feign friendliness and in the most
pleasant voice he could muster, Sporades spoke, adjusting the volume of his
voice in an effort to be more accommodating to Ophioneus’ earlier complaint. ‘Lying idle would do us no good,’ he
said. ‘We were that way for centuries
and it did not progress us past the confines of Khaos’ never ending body.’ He took a deep breath and looked from side to
side, peering into the vastness of the universe. Never before had he been able to view the
cosmos in such a manner. He was not
willing to give up his freedom for anyone or anything and he didn’t want to
risk that freedom by waiting for the outcome of the impending battle between
Okeanos and Khaos. To ensure his future,
he knew he had to act in the present.
He focused once more on Ophioneus, the man-snake would be
a problem for him in the future, but now, his presence was needed to help
Sporades succeed with the plan that was formulating in his mind. If they, both Sporades and Ophioneus, joined
forces and helped Okeanos overthrow Khaos, then undoubtedly they would be
assured a place in the new order.
Sporades spoke again, ‘Neither Okeanos nor Khaos knows of
our presence outside of the body of Khaos.
To let our presence be known now would not be in our best interest,’ he
paused for a moment and took a deep breath.
The thought of working with this man-snake was inconceivable, but the
alliance was needed to cement his future power.
Sporades shook off his distaste of Ophioneus and resumed spelling out
his plan. ‘We will wait,’ he said
quietly but firmly, ‘we will bide our time and help Okeanos. He cannot confine us the way that Khaos can
and did. He doesn’t have that much
power. We will wait.’
Ophioneus’ body shook with anger and distaste. How dare this pseudo-god tell him how to
proceed. He had asked how to proceed to
mollify Sporades, he had not expected him to actually spell out a plan and
expect compliance. He would wait,
alright. He would wait and when the time was right Khaos would not be the only
one that was disposed of, swiftly.
Calmly, and without the emotions that were flowing through his snake
like body coming out in his voice, Ophioneus said ‘Yes, Sporades that sounds
like the best course of action to take.’
The two gods eyed each other suspiciously, but neither
spoke any other words. Both gods came to
the realization that they too might be engaged in such a battle, and knew they
needed to pay close attention to their predecessors, in order to gain knowledge
and skills. To be victorious above all
others they would need all the skills they could obtain. So, turning back to the two gods they were
speaking of, Sporades and Ophioneus sat in wait, watching Khaos and Okeanos
squaring off to engage in their battle again, worthy combatants each, but only
one would emerge victorious. Both
Sporades and Ophioneus were already amazed and impressed with what they had
seen thus far and awaited the upcoming fray with nervous anticipation.
Khaos' ability to devise weapons that inflicted
astronomical pain and destruction was alarming.
And Okeanos' ability to gain control of his waters, after Khaos had
already shown that she could not only control her powers, but his too, was
outstanding. Even knowing that, he
courageously moved forward into battle, knowing that she could possibly still
have control over his powers; that was impressive. The anticipation Sporades and Ophioneus felt
was almost palpable, and they could not wait to learn from the upcoming
fight. They looked off into the distance
as Khaos and Okeanos stood facing each other.
Even though Khaos was stunned that Okeanos would attack
her so quickly, it was not an unexpected event.
This was what she had been preparing herself for since he emerged so
violently a short time ago. What was
even more stunning to her was the fact that she was able to defend herself so
well with tools that had been untested and unused to this point. Khaos, growing more confident with the
knowledge that this mêlée was not yet decided, smiled a confident smile and
threw her swords behind and out into the cosmos. Okeanos was shocked that she would do such a
thing, and became suspicious. He backed
away just a bit as he prepared to strike again and awaited her response to his
first blow. In the distance those
discarded swords floated, as if awaiting orders from their master. Khaos blinked once and tilted her head, ever
so slightly, and the waiting swords disintegrated into a mist and
disappeared. Okeanos realized that with
just a thought Khaos could materialize and dematerialize items, whatever she
wished, at will. He was more than a
little intimidated, but was not willing to bend anymore to her will and would
never be captured and confined again.
He grew so angry at the thought of all of the eons he
spent caged within her that the waters that were still in shards off in the
distance began to shake and rumble. With
not a word, Okeanos called the waters to him and then those waters that were
once so fluid rose and became stiff, taking the form of a thousand
daggers. Okeanos was pleased to see that
he had inherited some of his mother’s skill, and he was ready to show her that
he too could handle a blade. He dropped
his head a little and looked at Khaos from beneath half closed eyes.
Khaos prepared herself for a second blow, but not to be
bested, intended to strike one of her own.
With just a thought, and barely any movement, she formed an intricate
saber, and with a swiftness that was belied by her size and relative
immaturity, she moved forward to strike at Okeanos. Unprepared for Khaos to strike so quickly,
Okeanos flew backwards and instinctively threw his hands up to shield himself
from her attack. And as his hands went
up the blades that stood ready to do his bidding flew through the air, heading
straight for Khaos. Okeanos, stunned
into a surprised retreat, was pleased that his actions had propelled forward
his knives. Khaos, not to be deterred,
momentarily halted her forward motion and swung her saber to and fro, repelling
and deflecting the knives coming at her.
Then with the intention of doing grave bodily harm Khaos again moved
towards Okeanos, defending herself from the onslaught of Okeanos’ knives, and
closed the gap that now separated them.
As she got closer to Okeanos, Khaos got bolder, fiercer;
her moves became more intricate and more embellished. She glided across the heavens like a graceful
ballet dancer, twisting and turning with each swing of her saber, spinning
herself ever closer to her ultimate goal.
And as she got closer to Okeanos, her saber clashed with more and more
of his knives. Okeanos, becoming more
accustomed to controlling his new powers, conjured more, larger knives with
which to assault her. And as her saber
clashed with Okeanos’ knives they disintegrated into the empyrean, breaking
back down to minute water particles.
Khaos was impressed with Okeanos' quick ability to adapt to his new
environment and his fast grasp and control of his powers, but she would not be
deterred. Like an avenging angel Khaos continued her swift pursuit of
Okeanos, and Okeanos, no longer startled by her attack, stopped his backward
retreat and prepared to move forward himself.
With that thought Okeanos stopped his barrage of knives
and conjured an impressive saber and shield. Fashioned from water but
infused with determination and will power Okeanos, knowing that they would
serve him well in battle, moved forward to engage Khaos. During the brief
respite when Okeanos was forming his sword and shield, Khaos not having to
defend herself from flying daggers, summoned a shield of her own. And it
was then that Okeanos and Khaos had finally clashed.
As Khaos relived her battle with Okeanos, her head shook
at the sounds she had heard and felt.
And while she mused over those past events, she was completely unaware
of Okeanos, and he was mortified that he was of such little consequence to her
that she was able to forget about his presence.
So caught up in her own thoughts, she was oblivious to the fact that he
was there in front of her battling for the universe. This incensed Okeanos; it made his insides
burn with rage that she could so easily dismiss him and his abilities on the
battlefield. He was a god, like her, and
she would know what that meant when he defeated her. As Khaos gazed blindly into the dark
nothingness of the universe, Okeanos' eyes filled with murderous intent. From now on he would make sure that all who
followed would wear his name on their lips and his image would be burned into
their skulls. NO ONE would ever forget
his presence again. But what Okeanos
had yet to realize was that even though Khaos' thoughts were on past events,
her senses and awareness were clearly in the present and she was very aware of
Okeanos presence here and his proximity to her.
She would not be easy to conquer.
'This will not do,' Okeanos muttered to himself. 'I will not be treated with such
disdain.' Okeanos prepared his blade,
readying himself for the final blow that would end Khaos' existence, knowing
that a daydreaming lamb would be easily devoured by a cunning wolf.
Okeanos moved silently towards a still blank faced Khaos,
eyeing her throat and positioning his blade for the final slice. He swung out to strike Khaos, but his sword
barely grazing her this time as she broke free from her daydreaming stupor and
followed the movement of the blade, bending herself backwards and evading his
blow. She then swung herself to stand
upright, spun around and with her shield and struck Okeanos in the head and
back in a backhanded movement that sent him spiraling across the universe.
Khaos turned to face a now prone Okeanos. She pitied his weakness, but she did not
intend to show him any leniency. Mercy
was something to be earned, she felt, not to be given without merit or thought,
and Okeanos certainly had not earned her mercy.
Throwing her shield into the universe, Khaos grasping her sword tighter,
faced the blade downward, angled it in preparation for her task and steeled
herself for what she was about to do.
She was ready to end this farce NOW.
With that thought she began her advance on a still stunned Okeanos.
As Khaos descended upon Okeanos, intent on dispatching
him to a place far worse than anything she had ever created for him in her
body, all he could do was to scramble to regain his footing, but he was
essentially flopping around like a fish out of water. He was stunned by that last blow, and could
not get his feet under him. Dazed and
confused and not able to recover in time to defend himself, Okeanos was like a
sitting duck in full view of the hunter poised to complete his task with a
final fatal shot.
Running at full speed, Khaos let out a primeval scream
and propelled herself into the air, swinging her sword backwards above her
head, ready to end this charade. With
the blade directed at Okeanos’ neck, she closed in on him. This is it, she thought, this will be the end
of this impertinent fiend.
Okeanos,
still stunned, was on all fours, unable to get to his feet. Hearing Khaos' battle cry, he looked over his
shoulder and saw her descending on him.
Just as Khaos was about to connect with Okeanos’ glistening new flesh,
he raised his arm and moved his body instinctively in retreat. Throwing himself backward, in an effort to
deflect her oncoming blow and evade the sword aimed at his throat, Okeanos was
able to save himself and maintain his head upon his shoulders.
Instead of ending his life, Khaos only managed to cut a
huge deep gash into Okeanos’ body, severing flesh from bone down one side of
his body from his forearm to his thigh.
Okeanos let out a scream of agony at the pain that erupted when her
blade met with his body and rolled away from a now still Khaos; he felt a burning
sensation in the place where she had gouged out his flesh.
Khaos, missing her mark, was disgusted with the
outcome. She had imagined that she would
be standing over a prostrate dying Okeanos, her sword having severed his head
from the rest of him. But instead she
was down on one knee, the way she had landed after the blow, breathless and
dissatisfied, sword pointed upwards.
Khaos twisted her head and looked at Okeanos, surveying the damage she
had caused to his body. She quickly
stood up and turned her body towards Okeanos, ready to continue their battle
for ultimate control of the universe, and saw that he had not recovered from
her assault. She positioned herself in a
manner that would allow her to attack Okeanos causing the maximum amount of
damage possible. She shifted her sword,
maneuvering it to do her bidding, resting her blade at her side. With the hilt firmly in her hand she pointed
the tip of the sword towards Okeanos; it was poised at the ready, awaiting her
instructions.
Okeanos felt pain; a deep, gut wrenching pain that he had
not believed he could have ever felt. He
looked down at his side, and saw red pulsing meat where before there had been
new flesh that had mirrored the ebb and flow of the tide. The pain was excruciating and infuriating at
the same time and flowing out of him like a flooded riverbed was his life's
blood. The waters that made up his body,
once pristine and clear, were now pooling around him, blood red, steaming hot
and staining the universe.
Okeanos rose from his position and with a furious yell
and murderous intent in his eyes, he ripped the now dangling flesh from his
body. With a strength coming from deep
within, he stopped the blood from running out of him by sheer force of will and
a determination to repay his dear mother for that blow. He looked down at his own body lying limp in
his hands and with disgust flung it out into the universe then turned towards
Khaos intending to end this battle.
In the far off distance, the flesh that had just moments
before hung off of Okeanos, limp and lifeless, began to move. It was writhing and wriggling and began to
take shape. Within moments, that limp
flesh had taken a form; the mass had now adopted the appearance that Okeanos,
Khaos and the other escaped gods had taken.
It was beginning to take a human-like shape.
Ophioneus and Sporades watched all that had transpired
with great interest. They could not
believe it when Khaos cut a gash into Okeanos, nor could they believe when
Okeanos ripped the dangling flesh from his body without any thought of
pain. They watched as the two great gods
faced off, both prepared to end this conflict now. They also watched as the piece of flesh that
was once dangling from Okeanos took shape into a being of its own; formed into
a life form all on its own; stunned into silence, they both wanted to speak but
could not form the words. This was an
unexpected occurrence that they had neither expected nor anticipated. What is this new entity going to do? How would it factor into their plans? Would it interrupt what they had already
planned on doing with Okeanos and securing their place in the future
order?
Sporades and Ophioneus looked at each other and with
silent consent moved closer to the new life taking form. They needed to ensure that this new spirit
would not usurp them or waylay their plans.
They would quickly and quietly dispatch him back to where ever he came
from without regret if they believed that he was going to interrupt what they
had in store for the future. While they
contemplated on the future of the now almost fully formed body, Khaos and
Okeanos eyed each other; each trying to discern the weaknesses of the
other.
Khaos looked at Okeanos and the damage she had inflicted
upon his body with pride and amusement.
The impudent wretch thought she would be easily defeated; he was well
and truly wrong and now he knew it. She
would not be easily concurred. His cry
of pain was like added adrenaline to her system, his roar of anger fueled her
desire to make him suffer. Once Khaos had
connected with Okeanos’ body and cut through his skin like a warm knife through
butter she had eased her grip on her sword, stunned that she had actually hurt
Okeanos and filled with glee that it was so easy to do. Now she allowed the blade to drift away from
her grasp and standing at the ready, floating in the ether, was that blood
stained sword; awaiting further instructions from its master. She peered at it, from the corner of her eye,
and reveled in the damage she had caused to his person. Instead of making it disperse into the ether,
as she had with her other weapons, she thought to leave it where it stood, like
a sentinel, as a reminder to both of them just what she was capable of.
Okeanos looked at the sword too, but it elicited very
different emotions in him than those that Khaos was feeling. Okeanos, touching his raw and exposed side,
felt pain, an agonizing pain in the place where once his body was whole and
complete. He winced as he touched his
wound, and as he looked down at his hand, covered in blood, he felt an
overwhelming sense of anger. He was
furious that Khaos had bested him and was able to injure him in such a manner,
and he was appalled that she had so thoroughly trounced him.
Okeanos looked at Khaos and spoke. ‘You hurt me, and for that you will
suffer.’ He spoke quietly but with
strength and conviction in his voice. ‘I
will make sure that you …’
‘I hurt you? I
will suffer?’ she interrupted him. ‘You
are the one who hurt me, first with your violent coming, then with your heinous
words, and finally by striking me,’ Khaos spoke with equal conviction in her
voice and fury in her face.
Okeanos continued as if Khaos had never spoken, ‘You will
feel the pain I feel,’ He gripped his still bleeding side to punctuate his statement
and removed flesh and blood from his body, again cauterizing the open wound
with just a thought. He showed his
bloody hand and still pulsating flesh to Khaos. ‘You will bleed as I bleed, you
will agonize as I agonize. I will see to
it that your pain is multiplied by mine, one hundred fold, one thousand
fold.’ Okeanos bristled with anger and
disgust.
Khaos scoffed at his bold statement. ‘You are the harbinger of your own doom. I will bleed as you bleed? I will agonize as you agonize? You speak these words as if it is possible
for me to have such feelings.’ Khaos’ lip curled in disgust, she was growing
tired of his impertinence. ‘I am Khaos,
I will not bleed, I will not agonize, I will pity you for ignorance and I will
laugh at your stupidity.’ Her words
dripping in sarcasm, Khaos shook her head and continued. ‘I see what your future holds, you simple
fool, and can say that the blood you bleed now is not but a drop in the
well.’
Khaos’ body filled with anger and her next slowly spoken
words made the entire universe rumble in response. ‘You know not what will come to pass and yet
you speak of the pain that I have caused you.
You have not earned the right to judge or to dole out punishments for
the ‘wrongs’ you believe you have suffered at my hands.' Her voice rose with
every syllable and disgust dripped off of each word. 'You bleed.
So what? You hurt and are in
pain? I do not care. You deserve all I have to give you and
more. Your insolence demands that you be
held accountable for your actions.’ She
was nearly screaming by the end of her diatribe. ‘You speak to me KHAOS in such a manner that
deserves punishment. I am the
beginning. I am everything, yet you
deign to speak to me as if I were an underling god with no reach, no power. You deserve to be wiped from the skies,
nothing but a stain in the farthest corner of the universe.’
Okeanos was taken aback by her word, but sought to defend
himself and his actions. ‘I only seek to
control what was mine, but you selfishly held me trapped and refused to allow
me the power that is my due,’ Okeanos’ lip curled in anger and distaste at the
thought of her selfishness. ‘I …
‘Your due,’ she interrupted again, ‘nothing is yours
unless I deem it so. You are nothing
without me; you have nothing without me.’
Khaos had a momentary feeling of regret for her actions, because he was
right. She had held on too long. Her time had passed long ago but she had been
unwilling to relinquish any of her authority.
Her regret was at war with her anger over his actions, and her anger
won. She would not leave her creation to
this egotistical knave.
While Khaos continued to rant at Okeanos about his
transgressions, Okeanos took advantage of the respite to try and recuperate a
bit. He took a deep breath, his pain was
residing and his body was rapidly healing itself. He knew that Khaos was willing to fight to
the end to retain what she believed was hers. Looking at his still bloody hand,
filled with his own flesh, he knew that
he was willing to do the same. It was
then that Khaos spotted his discarded flesh off in the distance, but it was no
longer just a piece of flesh. It had
taken a shape, and was now almost a fully formed being. How had it come to be that the flesh, ripped
from his body, would take form and become a singular entity? Was it possible that this new 'person' would
be a god, like him, and if so, would he or she have the same type of
supernatural powers that he possessed?
Surely, it would, coming from such a powerful god as himself. He had to ensure that this new creature was
allied with him, that surely would solidify his victory over Khaos. Would it not?
He drew a deep breath and tried to formulate a plan that would guarantee
his victory.
Okeanos noticed too that there were two other individuals
with the new god. They seemed familiar
and upon deeper reflection, he realized
who it was; Sporades and Ophioneus. How
had they come to be here? The last
Okeanos knew they were still entrapped within Khaos, along with the other deities. Had they made their escape the same time he
did? How did he not know that there were
other gods like himself out in the cosmos?
Who else had escaped and where in the universe were they? He wondered if any of the gods that escaped
would join him in his bid to take over the universe, or would they fight to
control it themselves? Would he have
another skirmish to contend with once he finished with Khaos? Okeanos took a sly peek to the left then to
the right, trying to ascertain whether or not there was anyone else about?
Questions, one after another, swirled through his head. So much so that he literally became dizzy
from them, or it could have been the blood loss and pain that was making him
feel the way he was feeling. It was too
much, so Okeanos decided to focus on his anger.
Focus on the anger that the other gods were sure to be feeling as
well. If, perchance, there was a god out
who wanted to rule the cosmos for themselves, Okeanos would deal with them if
and or when that time arose, but until then he would work on the premise that
any god that was out would want vengeance against Khaos and would join with him
to get their pound of flesh from their dear mother.
As Okeanos looked around, trying to see whether or not he
had any other possible allies or enemies nearby, Khaos continued her
tirade. And even though he was very
concerned with her defeat and his subsequent rise to power he barely paid her any attention. He knew that she was a strong god and a
nearly unbeatable opponent. At best,
without assistance, this battle would have to end in a draw with each god
having a portion of the universe to rule.
Each having to co-exist with the other, but always with the fear that
there would be another battle and either could be usurped. BUT, if he were able to get the other gods
that were out involved and on his side, he would have a real fighting chance of
defeating Khaos and entrapping her as he originally thought to do.
His brain working furiously to figure out a way to
contact the other gods without alerting Khaos, Okeanos barely heard the whisper
in the far regions of his mind. It
began like a faint flutter, but became stronger and louder. The voice was female, so he assumed that it
was the entity taking shape from his torn flesh, since the other gods that he
saw were male. Did the new god have
telepathic powers, or did he? She spoke
softly to him, ‘Where am I? How did I
come to be?’
Khaos, still ranting about the ills she has had to endure
from her ungrateful progeny, was too distracted to realize that he was
concentrating on something else and was oblivious to what was going on. Okeanos shook his head in disgust, thinking
she was too self absorbed to see what was so obviously in front of her. He concentrated deeply trying to convey his
thoughts to the new being. ‘You are of
me, ripped from my body by the blade of Khaos.
I am Okeanos, and you are my offspring.
You are a god, born of war and rage, blood and pain. For eons I was trapped within the
all-powerful Khaos, not allowed to leave and reign as I was created to do; but
I managed to escape. Now we are
embroiled in a battle and Khaos gained an advantage over me and severed my
flesh and from that you are born.
Khaos is destroying what was once a beautiful and
thriving universe. Because of her
selfishness there is damage and destruction all around us. Look and you will see that there is
pandemonium when all should be calm. And
until she is contained and destroyed there will be nothing but bedlam and
confusion. She can no longer be allowed
to run the cosmos. That is why we are
here, to overthrow her and take over the universe. We are here to make sure that all is as it
once was before she refused to let go.
We are here to make the cosmos as it is supposed to be. We will bring order where there is none, we
will shine light where there is darkness, we will give life where there is
none, where it is still and quiet. That
is our purpose, but first we must get rid of Khaos, because as long as she
lives we cannot be in control.'
He thought briefly, and listened to ensure Khaos was
still involved in her rhetoric. So
enthralled with the sound of her own voice, he thought, she was unmindful to
what was going on around her and her selfishness and self-centeredness will be
the end of her. ‘I cannot defeat her
alone, I have discovered. I need
assistance from you. You are my flesh
and blood. You are sure to have my
skills and abilities.’
Okeanos’ offspring was still confused. She could hear the thoughts of the god she
saw off in the far distance and she was able to convey her thoughts to him, but
she was still as yet unable to speak.
‘Why do I hurt? What is this pain
that covers me all over?’
‘You hurt because you were ripped from my body, with a
blade fashioned by Khaos from her mind.
Look at me, look at my bleeding body.
This is all due to Khaos, the god standing before me ranting to the
universe,’ Okeanos thought to his child, sneering with each new revelation he
passed to her.
‘What is this burning feeling I have inside? It consumes me; it makes me want to hurt,
maim, KILL,’ though her voice was breathless, her intensity was strong. Okeanos could feel what she was feeling.
‘That is rage that you feel. It is what I was feeling at the time Khaos
wounded me and inadvertently produced you.
Her sword sliced me, and you are the product of that wound, tossed aside
by Khaos the almighty as if you were worthless,’ he sneered as he relayed his
thoughts to the new god.
Okeanos’ thoughts to his child were false, but he used
the situation to enrage her, because he knew that he needed her as an
accomplice in his bid to rule the universe.
He had to gain her trust and he had to ensure that she would do as he
wanted and not sympathize with Khaos’ plight and join with her to defeat
him. He was regretful for the lie, but
once he was the ruler of the universe he would make sure that she was amply
recompensed; she would want for nothing and she would rule as she chose in a
realm of her own, this was his guarantee.
Okeanos took a breath and grabbed his aching, but healing
side. No longer was he so exposed and
bloody; raw muscle and sinew was now beginning to be covered by a protective
layer of skin. When he glanced at his
newly formed child, she saw that she was grabbing her side in pain too. So, not only were they able to communicate
telepathically and not only could he feel her emotions, she could feel his pain
as well. He could use this to his
advantage, to solidify their bond.
Okeanos intentionally dug his hands into his healing
flesh flinching as pain shot throughout his entire body. His daughter felt the pain as well, as he
knew she would, and she fell back from the agony of it. ‘What is this unexpected torture I am
besieged with?’ she thought.
‘It is my wound you feel, child.’ Okeanos added the term
of endearment with calculation. ‘When I
feel pain, because you are of me, you feel pain too. This is what Khaos did to me. This is how she wounded me.’
Okeanos could feel the anger building within the entity. His plan for solidarity was working, and to
complete the process he landed one final blow.
‘There is a way to make Khaos pay for the pain that you now feel. There is a way to get retribution for the
agony of your coming.’ Okeanos felt a
sense of malicious joy filling her now, where once before there was only pain
and anger.
‘That would bring me a great deal of pleasure, to make
her hurt and agonize as I am. She cuts
without mercy, she casts out without regard, well now she will know no mercy
and she will be discarded without regard.’
Her vehement speech thrilled Okeanos for surely that meant that she
would fight on his side and Khaos’ demise was sure to follow.
The plan that was
formulating in his head came to fruition and Okeanos spoke telepathically once
again to his progeny. ‘There, with you,
are two gods that escaped from Khaos at the same I did. You must enlist their assistance in order for
us to prevail. No one god can defeat
Khaos, she is too strong and she has too many skills to be victorious in one on
one combat. But if we join together, we
should be powerful enough to overthrow her.’
The new she god had not, up to this point, noticed the
other two gods beside her. She had been
so involved with her own evolvement that she had yet to take in her
surroundings. Now, because of Okeanos’
comment, she looked first at one god then the other. They were impressive, to say the least. Both were large, very much so, and to her
untrained and unskilled eyes, quite attractive; each in his own way. The first had the head and torso of a man and
the lower body of a snake, and it seemed that he did not move like a man but
more in the nature of a snake because he slithered from side to side while
watching Okeanos and Khaos. The second
god was all man, but he seemed to be in constant motion. From his long hair down to the bottom of his
flowing robes, he was in moving, as if the wind itself was all around him
propelling him hither and yon.
With the realization that there were male gods near, the
new she god felt a surge of emotions other than the anger she had only felt
thus far. As these new feelings emerged
so did her sexual organs. Okeanos,
hearing her voice in his head, knew her to be female, but Sporades and
Ophioneus did not have a telepathic connection with her so they were unable to
hear her voice. Nor were they able to tell her gender based on her appearance,
as she up to this point had no discernible sexual organs to denote whether she
was male or female.
Sporades and Ophioneus had been watching the exchange
between Okeanos and Khaos and were unaware that the new she god had revealed
herself to be female. She intended to
take great pleasure in introducing herself to two awe inspiring gods; she was
smitten and fully intended on reveling in her newfound femininity. Okeanos could feel that she was more than a
little interested in the two gods, and intended on taking full advantage of her
desires to further his own agenda, but he had to get her focused back on him
and his plan if they were going to pull of this coup and overthrow Khaos.
Okeanos turned an ear towards Khaos, to ensure she was
still wrapped up in her own vitriolic rant.
She was so intent on lecturing him, that she was completely oblivious to
what was going on right in front of her.
During the entire time Okeanos and the new god communicated with each
other, Khaos ranted and raved about Okeanos’ treachery. Once he was sure that she was still unaware
of what was going on around her, he concentrated once more on his new
collaborator.
'Child, there will be time later for you to consort with
the two gods before you. You need to
focus all of your energies on the tasks that I place in your hands,’ Okeanos
said with a hiss in his voice.
Realizing that he needed to be gentler, he formed his
next thoughts with more care. ‘Here is the plan. I will feign weakness; Khaos despises
weakness and will surely try to capitalize on that. She will be so intent on me and so focused on
defeating me that she will not see your approach. She has been unaware of your existence, thus
far, because of her singular desire to hear her own acerbic voice and her
inability to focus on more than her own hurt and anger at me. So self absorbed is she that she has yet to
realize that it is more than just she and I out in the universe. This will be her undoing.’ Okeanos knew he needed to finish conveying
his plan to his offspring; Khaos was eying him in a manner he had come to know
well during their battle. She was
finished with words, and now meant to follow them with actions.
‘You and the gods that are over with you need to approach
her from the rear and ambush her,’ he quickly continued. ‘She will not be easily contained and her
ferocity will test the limits of your strength and ingenuity. You are of me, so your powers should mirror
mine in some manner. I have the ability
to conjure items at will, but the items I produce are made of particles of water. You will have to figure out what your powers
are and master them quickly in order to assist the other gods. The two with you are fully formed and since
they had to have escaped when I did they must have mastered whatever powers
that have been determined as theirs.’ As
Okeanos was finishing his conversation with his child Khaos called her sword to
her outstretched hand and raised it towards Okeanos, motioning to him that it
was time to finish this battle. As he
slowly stood and faced Khaos, his mother and his nemesis, he knew that this plan
of his had to be executed immediately, and that the new she god needed to get
the other two gods on their side NOW.
‘The three of you must work in unison in order to contain
Khaos.’ Okeanos thought as he summoned another sword with which to fight
Khaos. ‘Once she is immobilized I will
slay that beast and we will be rid of her once and for all.' Okeanos intentionally omitted his belief of
the possibility of not being able to actually dispatch Khaos into the
ether. He did not want the new she god
to hesitate or have any doubts. 'She
will not go quietly or easily, but go she will.’ Those last thoughts were vehemently conveyed
as the two powerful gods began to battle again.
Swords clashed and flesh was penetrated as the two great gods fought for
the universe.
