Chapter #6 — Age of Creation, Universal Will & Cosmic Bet

Despite their weakness, the Pleiguseans soon adapted to their surroundings. Unlike Lysara’s Whiskereans, who had to evolve for nearly a million years until their brains resembled early humans, the Pleiguseans were born intelligent.

Initially, they spent their days lying around, trying out every type of fruit and vegetable they could. We even saw a few people gnawing on tree bark to satisfy their hunger, but it wasn’t enough.

First guided them to the Crimson Sea, but he neglected one fundamental fact: Pleiguseans were not Paradiseans.

Their sickly bodies could not manage the immense strength of the Crimson Sea, thus the first few exploded in a puddle of silvery blood within mere minutes upon drinking the liquid.

I half expected the Crimson Sea to repair their flawed biochemistry, and it did, but at such a rapid pace that their bodies couldn’t keep up.

Left with no other option, the eldest of the Pleiguseans hurried to their Creator, “Help us, oh Father! Our people are starving.” However, unlike on Earth, where the Water of Life might be diluted in water, there was no such thing here, only the merciless and unfeeling Crimson Sea.

Even First felt helpless, so on one stormy day, he dashed to the Nexus—the place where the Paradiseans were created by me—and prayed desperately. “Creator, the Pleiguseans will die if this continues. I plead for your wisdom…” With a flip of my wrist, thunder struck a tree, setting it on fire in an instant.

While the Pleiguseans fell down in adoration and devotion—scared out of their minds upon witnessing the, for them, unnatural occurrence, First simply gazed on, perplexed.

“That is Fire…”

I told him as the Law of Fire was rapidly introduced to Paradis, subordinating for the Law of Heat, and Paradis swelled in size. “Tell them to heat up the Water of Life. Scoop out the dregs where the essence is concentrated, and the water may be consumed then. The rest is up to them.”

“You know… It looks to me you’re more of a nanny than their Creator, Nyan~”

I sighed. “You’re not the only one who feels that way, but what can I do? It’s not like I can watch them starve, can I?” Besides, what’s the differences?

Even the AI developers back on Earth had to frequently step in.

I was a cynical jerk, but I couldn’t take watching the equivalent of my grandkids waste away, and I doubted First could either, in spite of his reasoned and aloof attitude toward the Pleiguseans. To him, they were essentially an experiment, one that was proving to be quite flawed in terms of their needs.

Without diving into his thoughts, I could see the signs—the tense twitches and annoyed glances he would cast at the Pleiguseans whenever they asked for something… I knew how this story would end, yet I stayed still. Of course, I was guilty of the same sin, but the Paradiseans were more than simply a test for me… They were my children.

First, on the other hand—as egotistical as he was—could never see his Creations in the same light.  

The Paradisean’s responsible for their imperfections, and since he believed he’s as perfect they came, First couldn’t accept the fact his Creations were so… Pathetic.

He was already hoping to develop a second species, but the others had gotten to it before him. Surprisingly, this time it was the product of Essence-Merging—from the Union of Two, just as I had planned.

The new species were created by Næran—a Paradisean with the appearance of a milky white bioluminescent whale and her lover Bäli, who resembled a sphere of eyes twisting the fabrics of reality everywhere he went.

The procedure had barely begun, and I was virtually trembling with excitement, but First did not feel the same.

He's… Jealous that my gaze didn’t stay solely on him, like the eldest child of a human family after their younger siblings were born.

Knowing not how to fix whatever it was that plagued his Soul, I could only sigh and allow the winds to carry my voice. “Come. Perhaps you will learn something from this.”

The to-be parents quickly sought Nïngrog’s help to imbue their Creation with feelings, and the newly crowned Deity of Music gladly went to aid, bringing a song specially written for the occasion.

“I’ve named this, the Song of Eminence.”

And, indeed, it was majestic, regal, and blood-pumping, yet simultaneously graceful in ways the chaotic Song of Creation could never hope to match.

Although, I supposed that’s quite unfair of a comparison…

One was heavy metal mixed with elements of EDM; the other classical music one could only find in one of those fancy theaters.

It was like pitting an orange against an apple.

Yes, both were fruits, but that was where the similarities ended.

First, upon thoroughly explaining the primitive method of distillation to the Pleiguseans, ran to where his two siblings were Essence-Merging, while the remainder watched from a distance.

“Creator, this species is created in your honor.

I ask of thee, bless them so that their destinies may be better than the eldest brother’s.”

Bäli’s comments were innocent and without malice, yet it was like rubbing salt in an open sore.

I observed First’s hands tighten violently, and stood witness as the notion of interfering with the birth of a new species quickly fitted through his mind.

“Don’t.”

Curt but resolute, my voice seamlessly flowed into his ear, breaking First out of his fantasies, but it only served to enrage him further.

Still, one could not dispute that his acting was flawless.

As expected from my Creation. “I’ve wronged, Creator.”

First accepted his error, but I could sense the stuffiness in his heart had not subsided.

In fact, the very act of apologizing made him bristle in rage, which was what I was most concerned about.

A knife in the light was easy to defend against than a dagger in the dark. A person who’s honest with their feelings was easy to deal with, but one who could silently and willingly swallowed their ego? Those were a thousand times more difficult. Patting my chest, I had to remind myself I was God, and he Lucifer. Even if First were to launch a rebellion, I could solve it with naught but a flick of my wrist. “Was it a mistake?”

“What is, Nyan~?”

“Creating First…”

I asked, more sincere than I had ever been. “His ambitions will destroy Paradis, I am sure of it.”

Even without the Time-Branches set in place, I knew exactly where this story shall end… As a lover of history, I had seen this happen to many great, thriving Empires.

“Yet it is a necessary, Sharru.”

“Why?” I asked, voice choked with emotions.

Growing up, I was a huge fan of Heroes. What boy wasn’t?

But Earth is a planet where only Evil was allowed to triumph.

“Is it truly impossible to create a land where all thrives together.”

Even with Infinity at my fingertips?

Even with Godhood?

Was Paradise ever possible?

“It is possible,” Her words gave me hope before ruthlessly ending it. “But not with sentience. Not with free-will, Nyan, and a Universe without sentience is dead, Sharru. Even us at best can be described as amoral, for we are Infinities…”

She circled me, gentle eyes soothing my pain as she continued. “We’re infinitely giving,”

Tail wrapping around my waist, she whispered—her voice, formerly sweet and adorable, now filled with endless malice. “And similarly, infinitely taking.”

Lysara’s tail tapped on my shoulder, “Forsake your morality and conscience, such frivolous things do not serve a Creator… We are beyond them, Nyan~ Do not let subjectivity force you into inaction, Sharru.”

“I don’t…”

I forced the words out of my throat with great difficulty. “If we do that, how’re we any different than the Deviants?”

“We’re not.” The Feline Goddess acknowledged honestly. “And yet we are… Deviants do not follow the law, whereas we do.”

So the only difference was: “One legally takes, and one does so illegally?”

I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

I knew this was true, but I desperately wanted things to be different.

Oh, how I wondered the religious nutjobs on Earth would respond, if they knew the Truth…

“From what I’ve gathered, you’re an Ascended… You did not rise on your own merits, did you?”

Despite the fact that her eyes held not an ounce of judgment, I avoided eye-contact, ashamed. “No… No, I did not.”

“That explains a lot, Nyan~”

Her tail continuously flickered—left, right, left, right—before abruptly stopping.

“All Creators love their Creations, and all will come to the same conclusion: the more you love, the more hurt you’ll feel. Some choose suicide out of sadness; others suffer in various forms of depravity; and still others retire into isolation, promising never to create again and denying their basic nature. Most people choose the road I did.”

Lysara kissed her paws as I asked for an answer. “And that is?”

“Indifference.”

She slowly blinked at me.

“To me, they get to exist, and I get to expand my Existence. It's merely a transaction, and what if they’re unhappy with it? So what? They already have the right to exist; what more could they possibly demand?”

I felt something within me click… Again, I glanced at First. “You’re telling me I should kill him?”

“Kill him… Don’t. It doesn’t matter, as long as you benefit, Nyan~ Just know this, with or without First, someone will rise to question your authority… One will rise to reject your vision for Paradis. It’s not a matter of if, but when. Conflict is inevitable… War is inevitable.”

And it was up to me to allow it, or to come down on them like a ton of bricks. “That’s the Gift you granted them, after all—the greatest Gift of all… The one trait they share with us Creators: Sentience.”

I looked at First again, contemplating striking him down where he stood, then decided otherwise. ‘Better the Devil you know, than the Devil you know not.’

Still… What was the point of Existence if I abandoned it to its own devices?

What is the point of a tale if the protagonist never gets to play a role and is only an observer, even if he is the Author of Life?

So what if they thought me Evil, or Good even? My Will superseded all, and I wanted adventures… I wanted excitement… I wanted Greatness. ‘Whatever it takes.’

Humans—mortals—needed to follow societal norms out of fear they’d be excluded; thrown to the wilderness to fend for themselves, but I had no such worry, for I was a Creator,

And it was time for me to intercede.

“All of Existence, heed my Decree!”

The Paradiseans all snapped their heads as reality submitted to my will.

The Sun, the Stars, the Wind, the Ocean, Heaven, and Earth all echoed my message, so no one could claim to have missed it while sunbathing or something.

“The following 80 thousand years shall be known as the Age of Creation! All Paradiseans must participate and contribute with their own species! Those who do not desire to do so may choose to remain on the sidelines, but know that after Age of Creation, any and all species you make without my explicit approval shall be annihilated without mercy! This is my Will. This is the Will of your Maker…”

“Oh, I like the fadeout. Real dramatic, Nyan~!”

I chuckled, “Pretty cool, aye?”

Thunder rang out as the Essences of Bäli and Næran merged to form a cocoon.

Unlike First, who was forced to cut off a piece of his perceived perfection,

There was no need for Bäli or Næran to permanently scar themselves in order to substitute for a partner’s Essence.

This, I believe, was part of the reason First felt scorned, because his Wing had not regenerated despite the Crimson Sea's assistance. His wounded had healed, yes, but all that remained was an ugly stump.

“Why hath thou forsaken me, Father.”

‘Oi, stop the theatrics. You chopped your own fucking wing off! I didn’t do jack!’

I considered protesting First’s ludicrous charge, but ultimately decided against it.

The façade of a mysterious Creator was preferable to one of obliviousness, after all.

Even on Earth, which parents would want to admit their ignorance or incompetence in front of their children? Turning away from him, which First seemed to realize, begging.

“Answer me, Father. What have I done wrong to deserve this? Why has my form not returned to previous state of perfection?”

However briefly, he relinquished his pride and sincerely begged. “Help me, Father…”

“To help, or not to help, Nyan~?”

I looked at him and sighed.

“I can’t help him.” It was indeed a parent’s responsibility to guide their children, yet they would never learn if I hold their hand forever. Furthermore, losing one of his wings had no significant detrimental impact on him.

First could fly nonetheless, because the Paradiseans’ capacity to fly was not derived from their wings. It was a purely aesthetic choice on my end.

One may argue that it has a detrimental impact on his appearance, yet there was no uniformity among the Paradiseans.

Nobody even realized one of his wings was missing.

In fact, most assumed he had always looked like that. Nobody cared, but First couldn’t get his head around it.

He couldn’t set aside his ego since, as the eldest, he believed he bore the responsibility of perfection.

Strange, given that neither his siblings nor I ever forced the position on him.

 

“It’s almost done…” I noted, noticing limbs pushing out of the cocoon, but due to its consistency, the new species appeared to struggle. Fortunately, their ‘parents’ were available to assist. With a bellow from Næran, the cocoon violently vibrated, then exploded in a spray of golden glitters, gradually fading to reveal still more bipedal creatures.

Then, I realized why Bäli’s said they were made in my honor, for they resembled their parents only in the retractable wings dotted with rolling eyeballs. It sounded disgusting, yet it was lovely in an unusual manner. Even by human standards, they appeared alien. It’s like an AI painting versus a regular human—the latter was doomed to lose from the beginning.

From a biological standpoint, the new species was the exact opposite of the defective Pleiguseans.

Their DNA would never get compromised.

If there was one thing they lacked in comparison to the off-brand Avatar First created, it was fecundity. To put it in perspective, the Pleiguseans could give birth to two or three children on average, and they could produce a ‘litter’ every three years, whereas both male and female members of the new species could live virtually indefinitely, which was why I did not make an attempt to fix their fertility rate.

I intended to expand Paradis someday, but no amount of growth could compete with them if they were allowed to consistently produce ‘immortal babies’ every three, or even ten years.

Another drawback was their lack of sex drive. Like many creatures on the dirtball I used to dwell in, the species only got in the mood once every 15 Earth years, and with pregnancy odds of 1/1000, they would have to go crazy during mating season to create the next generation.

“This sounds like beginning of a very, very dark joke.” I sneered as Næran gazed to the sky with respect, “Lord, all I ask is that you give them the joy of being named by you. This is my sole Wish…”

I was about to sigh, seeing how genuine she was, when Lysara interrupted me. “Please, no more ‘-Ean’ at the end. I am about to go crazy, Nyan~”

“Fine.” I rolled my eyes, a name flashing across my mind as I spoke. “Sharrï… From hereon forth, these shall be known as Sharrï.”

It’s only right that the species created in my image and honor, was given a name derived from my own.

“Thank his Lordship, my children.” When Næran saw them looking curiously at the cloud we’re standing in—one which distorted the dimensions, she instructed softly.

Credit where credit was due, the Sharrï were rather quick-witted, judging from how fast they acted. They had no allegiance or worship for me, just as a human kid would not have for the next-door neighbor, but because it was their parents’ demand, they dared not disobey and knelt.

“““Thank you, your Eminence!”””

Their chorus resonated throughout the planet, borne by a Force I didn’t control yet was inextricably linked to my Existence. “That was-“ I turned to the Feline Goddess questioningly, and she responded, as if reading my thoughts again.

“The Universal Will. Have you not realized it, Sharru? It is no longer as burdensome to keep the Laws under control. Wills are formed by the fusion of enough laws, Nyan~ With it, you won’t have to exert yourself to keep things intact.”

Only then, did I notice how… Easier it was to breath. Scratching my chin, I mused. “So the Creators are founders; the CEO and Wills are managers?”

“I have no idea what those words mean, but yeah, probably.” The Feline Goddess said honestly, nesting on my lap as we watched the Sharrï turn to their parents. “What are we to do, Father, Mother?”

Their response Is the same as mine: “Grow…”

Bäli’s unflinching voice erupted from everywhere at once, courtesy of the natural Space-Time distorting field surrounding him.

“Thrive…”

On the contrary, Næran’s was gentle, if a little detached—aloof even.

Then, they departed under the scared, yet intelligent eyes of the Sharrï. “What will we do without you?! Father, Mother!”

They called out desperately, but Bäli paid them no heed.

Næran’s more merciful than her lover, “You’ll figure it out, we believe in you.” Yet the message was the same: They’re on their own.

I was shocked to see another species abandoned by their parents from infancy, and muttered, “What shit parents… I’m not sure where they get it from.”

First I could understand, but Bäli and Næran didn’t seem the type—the latter especially.

“Didn’t you do the same, Nyan~?”

Lysara snorted, and all I could do was fake a cough to hide my shame.

“This is and that are not the same. I created them Deities. Granted them Immortality. The mortals are another story—they are feeble and weak. They won’t make it on their own.”

The Feline Goddess sent me a cocky look. “You’re underestimating the resilience of mortals.”

Noticing my skeptical expression, she chuckled. “How about a bet, Nyan~?” Of course… What did I even expect from a gambling addict?

“If the Sharrï managed to survive and thrive without the guidance of their Makers, I will get to add a Law of my choosing to your Universe. If they failed… Well, you set the price.”

“…”

I pinched my brow, “You’re not gonna usurp my Universe, are you?”

Her fur sprang on end as she yelled, “As if! You can keep your crummy Universe, Nyan!”

Tilting my head, I inquired, perplexed. “What exactly will you get from this?”

“Entertainment, obviously.” She puffed up triumphantly and extended her paw in front of me for a handshake. After a few seconds of contemplation, I agreed. Either way, it’s no loss for me. “Please, be gentle on Paradis.”

“Don’t worry.” Lysara smirked mischievously. “I won’t do anything… Too out of line.”

I didn’t like the sound of it, not one bit.

But… “Deal.”