The Soul of Love (Sample)

Prologue

Hello Dear Readers, I have added a prologue to my story.  Please let me know what you think.   Is it too much information, just right?  Does it intrigue you or leave you cold?  Any comments would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

Before the dawn of man and gods, there was nothing; a disordered and timeless dark void, a universe without form, without sound, without light, without life, or love.

For untold eons, the universe passed in this state of nothingness, until the birth of the primordial ones. Powerful beings, they were the first – and most primal- generation of gods.

These gods rose out of Chaos with powers and abilities unrivaled by any; they created the universe – the planets, the stars, and the cosmos – but they had the power to destroy it all. What they created they could tear asunder.

These primordial beings were volatile with raw emotions. Balance was needed to temper the emotions of greed, anger, jealousy, and hatred. They were cold with the powers they wielded. Lone wolves who thought only of themselves, they needed a flame to warm them, to balance them, to make them use their powers for good instead of for selfish want.

It was love that saved them.

Love created all that followed Chaos. Light conquered night, order was brought to disorder, the void was filled, and life beyond the primordial ones began with a single primordial being. Known by many names – Eros, Phanes, Protogonus – he was the primordial god of Love, of Sex, of Procreation. Though other primordial gods were powers in and of themselves; he was the most powerful, and the most beloved of all of them. He filled the other primordial gods with love, desire, compassion, and the burning need for one another.

Tall, muscular, a hermaphroditic god with golden wings, and a beauty that rivaled anything in creation; he was male and female, hard and soft, cruel and kind; embraced by the first serpent – Ophioneus - who was Eros' constant companion.

It was through him that man - and all the successive generations of gods - were born. Eros created life through love, and sex: powerful humans, with two heads, four arms, and four legs, and both sexes. These humans were complete, happy; and they gladly worshipped and laid sacrifices to the primordial gods, Eros especially.

But the gods of later generations became jealous and fearful; and each new generation fought to overthrow their predecessors. They even feared and hungered for the power of the primordial gods. Hungered for a power they had no hope of controlling, that threatened the very existence of the universe if the primordial gods fell.

War came. The Primordialomarchy, the first war between the gods. Factions formed. Allies became enemies. Lovers became rivals. Enemies became uneasy allies and the primordial gods disappeared; fated to return and upset the balance of power.

Wars were waged against the primordial gods and Eros was betrayed. Betrayed and ambushed by one he called friend, he was ripped to shreds as he fought. Cut into two - forever separating him into two bodies - male and female – he fell to earth where his male form disappeared beneath the Aegean, while his female form carrying his soul vanished. There he lay, broken in both body and spirit for untold years, yearning to be reunited with his other half while rage over his betrayal festered in his heart. So he waited. Bidding his time, he vowed to be reunited with his other half, and to take his vengeance against his betrayer.

Ophioneus too fell, and joined Eros in their watery tomb; both transforming as their blood mingled beneath the waves, changing in unforeseen ways as they plotted their return.

The betrayers of Eros in a rage at being thwarted in their power grab by the primordial god of Love, took their wrath and punished the mortal creations of Eros; splitting the humans in half and scattered the former pairs far from each other. The poor humans left to wander, always yearning in their search of their other half: their soul mate.

And so it was during another betrayal that Eros and Ophioneus made their way back to the world of gods and mortals. Rising out of the water with the birth of Aphrodite, they returned to the world of men and gods.