1001 Nights

TALE 3: Creation (1)

The earth entered into an era of peace, prosperity and happiness. Humans began to thrive again, animals were roaming the earth and plants seemed to have flourished from the earth itself.

Mata, now crowned the immortal goddess of order one day gave birth. A set of boy twins roared into the earth with fury. The goddess couldn't have been more pleased with her set of twins, twins that would one day rule the earth.

One day, a witch seeked out Mata in her temple. The witch was crying; a set of flowers grown from the ashes of chaos pricking her forehead. "Goddess, I have seen the future." Her cry was heard from all edges of the earth, tears wiping against the cold stone.

Mata frowned. "Pray tell witch, what have you seen?" Her voice coated the air like sweet honey, it was almost a shame to hear her sentence end. The witch rose to her feet with knees shaking rapidly. Her eyes glazed into tears as she whispered to the goddess.

"The birth—the birth of your sons, it will cause a rift in the earth. A rift of eternal darkness and eternal light." The witch felt her voice faltering; and watched as the glow from Mata faded. She stormed out of the temple and into her kingdom in the clouds.

Mata couldn't believe what the witch had warned against. Afterall, how could her sons—her precious sons cause so much harm to the world she helped recreate? No. She could stop it.

She could outrun fate.

"They will grow up inseparable." Mata whispered to herself against the ageless clouds. She would spend the rest of her immortal life making sure her sons were kind, gentle creatures. No violence. No war.

That was her first mistake.

As her boys grew older, Night the elder, had become restless against the cloud walls of their castle. "Mother, why can we not leave?" He asked, black hair flourishing in the endless winds.

"I need you here." Her tone was purposeful. Strict. She didn't need to let her son be exposed to the trifles of the mortal world, which had increased ever since her reign. Peace was declining on earth. Wars were ravaging, men were killing each other at the neck.

But Night hadn't been satisfied with his Mother's answer. He spent his time wondering what was outside the walls. What his Mother had tried to hide from him for most of his immortality. As he grew he decided to bring those thoughts into reality.

"Day?"

His Brother was smiling against the grey sky, a sharp contrast to his own features. For Day had always been Mata's favourite son; as he was the embodiment of light. Golden skin, golden hair and endless streams of blue hues in his eyes contrasted to Night's own darkness.

And for that, he was bitter.

"Yes, brother?" A sweet tone. Like a song.

"Will you come down to the gardens with me?"

Day jumped up, his lanky frame nodding against the wind. "We are not allowed in the gardens, brother." He said echoing the words that his Mother spoke so long ago. The gardens were the lowest place in their air-borne palace, too close to earth.

"Aren't you curious to see it?"

"See what?"

"Earth."