Athea Creation Story

Written by Bryan David Sage

Once upon a time Bhoddi, god of law, coexisted with Neuros, god of chaos, and together they created the universe. For a time, the gods were content building the cosmos until one day Bhoddi looked at their creation and was dissatisfied. There was something missing but Bhoddi could not figure out what it was. After timeless discussion, it was Neuros who realized the missing ingredient was life. Throughout all they had created there was no life. Bhoddi agreed, and together they harnessed all of the elements to create a world where life could thrive.
But something was still not right. The new world was filled with life yet, nothing was alive. Neuros seemed content with this and wandered off to continue building upon the cosmos. But Bhoddi stayed, searching for the answer, and it finally came. Bhoddi took a piece of its own essence to create a new god and named it Spirit. Bhoddi was happy, and Spirit was bestowed upon the new world which Bhoddi named Athea.
In the beginning, Athea was one land, one people. A paradise world full of peace, love, and immortality, where science and nature were in perfect balance. Bhoddi loved Athea, and soon became obsessed with nurturing the world instead of helping Neuros build upon the cosmos. When Neuros returned and saw Bhoddi so smitten with Athea, jealousy ensued. Neuros did not understand how Boddhi could create something alone instead of together as they had always done. The god of chaos seethed with hatred for Athea so much that it took a piece of its own essence to create another new god and named it Strife. And too, Strife was bestowed upon the new world.
The gods of law and chaos fought, seeking dominance over one another, each destroying the parts of the universe that the other had created and recreating the parts that the other had destroyed. Knowing that Athea would forever be a rift between them, Neuros gathered up all the elements, placed them into a white rock, and gave it to Strife. And while Neuros distracted Bhoddi, Strife moved to hurl the white rock at Athea, seeking to destroy it. But Spirit rose up to stop Strife. As they grappled for possession of the white rock, it became saturated with their essence until finally, it slipped from Strife’s grasp and fell, smashing into Athea. The land split asunder and the power of the elements was unleashed.
As the gods continue their eternal struggle, Athea has become a twisted version of what it once was, of what Boddhi intended it to be. Paradise lost, peace and love replaced by hope, science all but forgotten and immortality all but gone. Nature has taken over, governed by the elementals and infused with the power of Strife, and the essence of Spirit (as they, too, continue their struggle). The new lands have become wild with flora and fauna, perpetually mutating, adapting and evolving to survive. As for the white rock, it still hovers over Athea every night to remind all those who dwell within that the gods broke the world.