Foreword.
This book is my first creation that I would own and wouldn't sell. For many years, I have been an artistic whore, selling my madness to the highest bidder. However, for the first time, I shall stand by my chaos and own it. This book is going to be so terribly scandalous that it just might make Lucifer cringe. Or it might be repulsive crap not worthy of your time.
Nevertheless, in all this, I shall save my soul. This book isn't about this universe. It is about a universe so far away that is beyond the worries of the heavens. It is my creation and although it is inspired by this universe and has a lot of vague similarities with it, it is not about it. I hope this disclaimer shall save my soul on the last day and smuggle me through the pearly gates.
However, I understand that it might not. But if it doesn't and I am forced into the dark depths of hell, I shall walk into damnation with as much class as I could possibly muster, and a devilish smirk on my face. And as I strut in, Lucifer himself shall welcome me with a slight upward nod of his head in recognition of my slyness. For even he would now that I gave him a run for his money. And I in turn shall nod back in recognition, respecting the fact that he had won our little game. He had tricked me to think that I had a chance from the beginning and lured me into his domain.
With this foreword, I hope I have succeeded in giving you a taste of what you are about to get into. I assure you, it is only going to get worse. Therefore, if you are the sensitive kind this is the best place to drop this book and take a hike. However, if you are one who loves to watch a presentation of violence and chaos, then by all means come along for the journey. I promise that it would be a roller coaster.
Chapter 1
The streets and buildings were made of gold. Everything shined with celestial intensity and the pearly gates seemed to be excessively bright. However, the city seemed dull compared to the incredibly bright light emanating from the hall at the north end of the city. The light came from the morning assembly of the numerous angels and the Demiurge himself.
Gad sat with all his glory and power shining at full intensity making it impossible for the angels to look up at him. They bowed their heads and sang their hymns with great reverence and duty. They did this every day and it was rather monotonous. A bit of them found this monotony and repetition excessively boring. The songs were crafted eons ago and since the fall of Lucifer, no new songs have been written. The songs of men were too brutish and inelegant and couldn't be accepted into the hymn books of the heavens. There was always the fact that everyone believed that Gad loved order and repetition. They believed without a doubt that he loved simplicity and structure. Therefore, they didn't dare question the status quo lest they be viewed as rebellious beasts and cast down to earth like the angel turned demon, Lucifer.
However, if they could see past the light they would have realized that Gad was intensely bored and found the monotony unbearable. For he wasn't a god of order like the scriptures said. He loved chaos, he loved violence and he loved games. The monotony bored him terrible and contrary to the expectation of the angels that he was sitting with poise and grace, he was sitting rather lackadaisically on his throne with his hand on his chin as he waited for the boring procession to be over.
As soon as the angels stopped the singing and praises, they dispersed to resume their tasks of building the city, setting tables, and executing the numerous missions that they have received from Gad himself. It was immensely easy for him to dish out the many tasks. He didn't even have to think about it or worry. It was like a reflexive thought and order system.
As soon as the hall was empty his two favorite angels approached the throne of creation. Gad toned down his glory so they could see his face. He put on his favorite manifestation. The one that has become most popular among humanity. An old bearded man with a flowing white garment and lightning flowing through his eyes. His white bright hair flowed down in a flurry like the sea. He looked regal and supreme. However, his face was truly in the image and likeness of man.
His two angels Uriel and Michael flew towards him and stopped a few feet away from him. They sat casually on the stairs and relaxed, folding their wings in leisurely as they waited for Gad to speak.
'I'm bored,' Gad said as he let out a sigh of exasperation.
'You always are,' Uriel said as he rolled his eyes in frustration.
'I'm afraid my liege but I must agree with Uriel on this. You always complain about being bored.'
'Exactly,' Uriel jumped in, gladdened by the fact that Michael was taking his side. 'You always complain about being bored. However, you are omnipotent. The universe is your footstool. You can do anything you want. You are unlimited. You only have to wish it and your boredom shall be no more.'
'Oh really' Gad replied in a relaxed tone that he never used with anyone but his two favorite angels and only friends in the universe. 'How do you propose I alleviate my boredom? I'm more than happy to hear your suggestions,' Gad said sarcastically.
'Uhm…' Uriel stammered, finding his tongue-tied as he wasn't expecting Gad to put him on the spot. 'You can unleash another natural disaster. You usually find the screams of humans and their futile attempts at survival quite amusing.'
'Been there, done that,' Gad replied.
'You can create a new religion and watch humans kill in your name and fight for land that you call holy,' Uriel said, not willing to give up and putting more effort into his ideas.
'Been there done that also. I have done that so many times Uriel. It is quite boring now. I need something new and fresh. But I am afraid that I have exhausted every single possibility. Besides what could you two possibly think of that I haven't or can't? To be frank, I only entertain these discussions with you for my amusement. You have no knowledge to offer. And as we speak right now, I am bored of this very discussion. Even these meetings have grown cyclical and sunk into the depressive depths of boredom.'
Michael who had been listening attentively finally spoke. Michael was more of a thinker than a doer, but when he did do, he performed great and mighty things. He was more intelligent than Uriel and he tended to think deeper before opening his mouth.
'Perhaps if you told us the event that brought you the most amusement, we can try to recreate or reinvent it. What is the most fun you have ever had, the time that you were truly excited and impressed?
'Hmmnn, I guess it was during creation. Oh, those were fun times. The morphing of the universe, the reconstruction of earth, creation of man and animals. It was all so exciting. It was my first project. And then there was that elegant betrayal by Lucifer. Oh, how ambitious that angel was. It was fun watching him rise against me. He was close you know. He almost stood toe to toe with me. But at the same time, he was nothing. Oh, how much fun I had then. Those were the days that being me was really worth it. Now it's all boring cycles that never break.'
'Hmmn… A reboot perhaps,' Michael suggested. 'A destruction of the earth. You can erase everything and start again. Create a new universe from scratch.'
'No. This is still my most successful universe and I wouldn't dare destroy it. My other attempts at creation haven't been as excellent as this and might I add that they have been quite boring. A new universe and creation experience is clearly not the answer.'
'Hmmn. Then you can instigate another rebellion.' Uriel suggested.
'Oooh, that sounds interesting. But I can't inspire any of you angels to rebel. You are loyal by design. Lucifer was an aberration and he took all angels willing to rebel with him. He also isn't strong enough to defeat me and he never will. A fight isn't really fun if your victory is ascertained. Have you seen the humans at war? What makes it so glorious is the fear in their hearts and then the courage they muster despite the fear. How they fiercely put it all on the line to attain victory and when they finally do they get blessed with a glorious feeling of euphoria and triumph. I think I would like that feeling. To work for a victory. However, where do I find a worthy opponent?
'You can just create him,' Uriel said.
'No, I can't. That wouldn't be fun. It would end too quickly like Lucifer's rebellion. If I give so much power to any being he wouldn't know how to utilize it in a manner that it would be a threat. I also can't create a power greater than me.'
'Oh, that's funny. You are omnipotent right. And yet here you are talking about something you can't do,' Uriel said in jest.
'I would destroy you,' Gad said in a cold fury. Uriel suddenly realized that he had gone too far and was too close to the wrath of Gad. He slightly shrunk back and prepared to unfurl his wings and use them as a shield in the case of an attack. However, he knew that it would be useless if Gad really wanted to destroy him. If Gad struck mercilessly, Uriel's wings would do nothing to save his existence.
'Perhaps, we can create the perfect being who can grow into a worthy opponent,' Michael said, taking Gad's attention away from Uriel and saving his impertinent brother in the process.
'Hmmn… You are an exceeding bore.' Gad said. 'However, you make excellent suggestions. Potential. In it lies possibility. Humans. That's the answer. They have shown great potential and have managed to truly surprise me.'
'Exactly,' Michael said. 'Look at what they have done with the powerful device that you put in their skull. Look at the science and technology they have developed. They have unleashed many secrets of the universe that we angels didn't expect them to ever understand. Perhaps if we give them more to work with, and a bit of direction, they can become opponents worthy of time and amusement.'
'But you have given the humans many powers in the past. Remember the gods?' Uriel said.
'Of course, I do. I remember all and forget nothing, Gad shot back.'
'Apologies,' Uriel replied humbly. However, these beings with all their power didn't grow beyond their limits. They rose too quickly and peaked too early. Zeus, Hermes, Thor, Odin, Cronus, Thanatos, Sango, Osun, Anubis, Horus,
'Oh stop it with the list and make your point,' Gad said
'My point is none of them ever grew to be worthy opponents. Even their children were nothing compared to your power.'
'Yes,' Michael interjected. But that was because you put a limit on their powers.'
'Hmmnn…' Gad said in thought as he put his hand to his beard and scratched it and his massive mind ran through the numerous possibilities and within a time so small that there is no word for it, Gad found his answer. 'If I attach their power to their belief and potential alone then maybe, just maybe they shall stand a chance. Their potential and belief is the most powerful thing they have.'
'Brilliant my lord,' Michael said happily.
'Of course, it's brilliant, he is the omniscient,' Uriel said.
'If they can believe, they can. The saying that you can be whatever you want would be true. Their reality would only be limited by how far they can dream,' Michael said, staying on point.
'So if only they believe that they can be Gad. Or they believe that they are more powerful than Gad himself, that shall come to pass. Isn't that too easy?' Uriel asked.
'It is. However, this shall be a closely guarded secret. A hidden mystery that shall never be released to the humans. They would have to work out their secrets and potential. They would have to figure it out and grow. They would have to believe and imagine with the little evidence they have,' Michael said.
'They must have faith,' Uriel concluded.
'Exactly. Their power shall be dependent on how much they believe in themselves and how much people believe in them,' Michael said.
'Oh this is excellent,' Gad said. 'These puny humans shall soon create something worth destroying. However, until one of them is strong enough, none shall have access to me. They shall be shut out until they are able to break in. Therefore, they must be kept on earth where they shall cultivate their powers. Unfortunately, it would take millennia for their power to grow to significant levels. During that time I would be forced to endure this repulsive boredom.'
'You can speed things up,' Uriel suggested
'That would only spoil the show,' Michael shot back. 'My lord, your boredom would be alleviated in the short term. A new form of chaos shall be unleashed and things you have never seen before would happen as soon as you release powers into humanity.'
'You are right, Michael. Oh, the violence and chaos would be nothing short of beautiful. I can already imagine the beauty that would emanate from blessing them all with abilities. Oh why imagine, when I can create,' Gad said. And with that, he simply bent a thought at the edge of his infinite intellect and that mere thought sent a command through the universe bending the very fabric of reality. And immediately the universe changed and a new strain of chaos spread through the world.