A hundred thousand years ago and seven the celestial Aueri had grown tired of being alone. For countless eons they had existed. Drifting alone in the void.
They had decided then to break themselves in two. So that each side of Aueri would have a companion. So that Aueri would no longer be alone.
These two sides of Aueri were known as Haer and Gae. They were exact opposites in every way.
Haer was kind and gentle.
Gae was cruel and sadistic. They took great joy in causing pain in Haer. They would hurt them, day after day. Until Haer had more scars than there are angels in the sky today.
Despite Gae's torments, Haer never once defended themselves. Haer loved them. Their love for Gae was deeper than any ocean, stronger than any mountain, and softer than any ray of sunshine.
After an eternity had passed; Gae went too far with their cruelty. They had struck Haer in the heart with their claw.
The light of Haer's life flowed out from the rend in their being. -Gae- Haer had spoken then, for the first and last time. -I do not blame you for this- Haer held the claw that had tortured them for so many years. -As I do not blame you for anything you have ever done- They looked into Gae's eyes.
-We are one and the same Gae, we were created to be together. Oh how I have enjoyed our time together, Gae, to see you smile since our birth and know that I was the reason.-
Gae stilled. They had never hear Haer speak, indeed they had never spoken to Haer either. -How can you not hate me as I hate you, I rip you apart day after day. Yet you never strike me back, you never raise an arm to shield yourself.-
-I love you Gae- Haer said to them, reaching into the hole in their chest. -I have loved you since our beginning- They pulled their heart out.
-Take this Gae, it is all I have left to give you.- Haer placed their heart into Gae's clawed hand.
As Haer's heart had touched Gae's hand a tendril of energy extended out of it and into their hollow chest.
Memories flew through Gae's mind, and in them they only saw themselves. Haer never once had looked away from them. Their eyes had never flinched away despite the agony the memories held.
Gae experienced Haer's life, they experienced every moment and every thought Haer had ever had.
Tears began to flow from Gae's eyes. The love Haer had for them was as deep as the hatred Gae held for them. -Haer, why are we so different?- Gae had asked. Hae did not reply.
They looked down to Haer but all that was left was their broken body. Small and disfigured from the endless assaults.
Their hands had fallen away from Gae's, but their now empty eyes and their smile had not.
Gae embraced their corpse. Realising for the first time how much larger and stronger they had been than Haer.
-I'm sorry Haer.- Gae said feeling love and pain for the first time. -I'm so sorry.-
Unable to handle the torment of losing a lover they had never embraced in life. They took their claw and cut themselves and Haer into pieces.
Giving birth unto the Gods we know today.
Gods of love, nurture, and kindness from Haer.
Gods of Hate, Spite, and horror from Gae.
And gods from both; gods of courage, selfless protection, and understanding.
These gods fought amongst each other. Gods of Haer persecuted by Gods of Gae, but protected by the Gods birthed of their union.
Balance was created, and after balance, the gods began to create. They made the angels, monsters, and demons first.
Then they made places for their children to live. The heavens, dungeons, and hells. And everything in between.
Chapter 1. Birth
A soft breeze carried the brisk, night air through his window and under his bed sheets. The boy awoke to the cold, walking drowsily, blankets in hand to his window.
Over the rooftops of his village he could see Luara. "Is that really heaven?" the boy had asked his father long ago. "Yes son, and sometimes, when you look really close, you might just see the people who have died and earned their place there."
Luara was a huge world. A bright beacon of white and yellow light that shone greater on the days closest to the new year. When all the gods would gather together to remember the tale of their parents.
This year however, instead of shining brighter, Luara had grown darker with every passing day. Along with many of the angel's lights disappearing, there was much talk of a war amongst the gods.
Father had told the boy that not all of the gods got along, when he had asked him if they were really going to fight each other.
The boy looked up now at Luara, where it should have been white, and filled him with peace. It was now dark and scared him to look upon.
Lights danced along Luara's surface.
Every color you could imagine was there. Flashing across the great disc. The bright colors seemed desperate. Whereas the dark colors raged together, blotting out great swathes of Luara.
The bright colors flared alone, separate. One by one the dark colors drowned out the bright ones until all of Luara was Dimmed out.
Luara seemed to grow then. It's shape consuming more and more of the sky. As it grew closer the lights of the angles all moved to circle around it. Each and every one being plucked out of the sky by shards of angry and dark reds, blues, and blacks.
The boy watched as Luara fell out of the sky, and down upon the world. After a time, the dust cleared from the sky.
It was empty now and held an abysmal black that the world had never seen.
Far beneath the surface, down so far into the ground that the stones had never once in their existence been blessed by the light of Luara or it's angels. An egg was about to hatch.
It was the egg of a monster, a creature birthed of the Gods of Gae. Something born only to impose brutality unto the world.
It's mother had long since left the nest. Being a monster, it cared not for the survival of its kin.
Of the nineteen eggs from the original clutch only one small, damaged egg was left.
The life inside was small and weak. Only a hair's breadth from perishing alone in the black.
A faint light appeared next to it, followed by an equally small and weak body. The angel looked upon the egg with sadness, and hope.
"I am not long for this world." the angel said, placing their hand against the egg. "But you still have a chance to live."
"Child of Gae's Child, hear my words. I am Elravi of Elduari, the Goddess of laughter of Haer." The angel shook with the effort of using their magic for the last time. Pink blood trailed out of dozens of injuries across her body.
"I give unto you what life I have left, and what guidance you may understand." The angel smiled and giggled as the unborn abomination shivered under her magic. It's heart beating the tiniest bit stronger.
"Little one." The angel paused, struggling to hold onto the few precious moments of life she had left. "I give you my life so that you may bring balance back to our worlds. As grandchild of Haer, I give you, grandchild of Gae, my soul. So that you may understand what has been lost."
The angel's body glowed brightly for a moment, all of it turning from flesh and blood into pure magical energy. Flowing down into the malformed young.
Even dying as it was, stuck in its egg the monster knew its purpose. It was to shed the blood of Haer's descendents. Yet now, it could feel something outside of its shell. As the magic touched its body it knew. This was its enemy.
It was meant to ravage, and maim, and kill whatever it was outside its confines. As the thing had begun to heal it however it was confused.
Wasn't it supposed to be my enemy? To run from me in terror? Aren't you supposed to die under my fangs and claws?
I heard it speak to me from across the boundary that separated us. Thought I did not understand it then.
I did however understand that it had saved my life. As I felt its presence die outside my shell, I felt myself grow stronger.
And when its body had been transformed and all of what it had been entered into me fusing together its and my souls. I could understand.
I was meant to loathe this being, just as it was meant to cherish me. I felt too then, its joy at having saved my life. I heard its soul laugh as it was consumed by mine.
Such a soft laugh, whereas before I would have stopped at nothing to try and kill whatever had made this sound. Now, I laughed along with it.
I should be happy that it's dead shouldn't I? I had thought to myself with pain in my heart.
In my laughter my home for the past year had begun to crack. Great branching rifts in the shell that had protected me for so long opened up to reveal the world I had been born in.
Black. Nothing like the light the creature had given me.