NOVEL NEXT Book III. - Deities' Decree
The nine Primordial Gods were not born from the beliefs, hopes, or prayers of those who walk the face of Aelion. They are older than life itself and represent facets of reality, with powers beyond mortal comprehension.
Krieg, God of War and Conflict.
Astor, God of Love and Passion.
Luxandra, Goddess of Changing Fortune.
Nehius, God of Lies and Deceit.
They revel in change and constantly influence the world with their machinations. Their believers are those dissatisfied with their current circumstances or desperately trying to halt the change while only blindly delaying it.
Ittar, Goddess of Peace and Tranquility.
Hector, God of Destiny.
Malor, God of Death.
Alethea, Goddess of Justice and Truth.
Some might argue that there are no certainties in life, that the end and beginning depend only on one’s point of view… wrong. On the grand tapestry of history, only these four aspects never change, only they remain unchanged.
The last God is Laplace, Demon of Knowledge. There is no good or bad knowledge just the facts themselves, knowledge is impartial. Our view of the world is subject to change and new discoveries are what drive many curious minds yet some facts are unshakable and will remain the same till the end of times.
As the cogs of time turned, sapient creatures and even some beasts began giving godly significance to things and events. This is how the Divine Gods came into existence. They interact the most with the mortal plains to uphold their presence and ensure their survival through belief.
Midas - Wealth/Abundance, Mahat - Sun/Light, Eris - Moon/Shadow, Runir - Oceans/Sailor, Kyra - Hunt/Harvest, Cyrene - Beasts, Saar - Thunder/Storm, Tena - Health/Sickness, Callista - Beauty, Idon - Crafts, and many more…
These Gods represent major aspects of the world, governing their own domain and interfering with the mortal realm as they see fit. Although their power is divine they are not omnipotent and are forced to exert immense power to influence the mortal world. The will of Aelion pushes back against all who try to interfere, be that from outside her boundaries or a different realm. Even the Gods.
To circumvent this obstacle, proxies were created. Demons and Angels. They are the Harbingers of Change and Custodians of Order and use us, the people to descend. Through prayers or rituals, we call these beings onto our world and act as anchors to offset the ire of Aelion. The Demons are not evil as they just yearn to satisfy their desires and act upon their own free will. The Angels are not benevolent as they strike down mothers and children if that means they nip anarchy in the bud. They are but mere tools.
Everyone prays to the Gods when in need or in doubt. Gambling houses beg Pessos and Midas for their fortune and profit. Soldiers and other fighters praise Krieg for victory and a chance to return to their families. Everyone fears Malor until the time arrives.
No God should be considered heretical or outright evil as they’re all part of the larger whole without any black or white motives. The nature of an act does not define the will of a God, just as Nehius isn’t malignant despite handling lies and the truth might not be impartial under the aegis of Alethea. It’s not the weapon that kills and it’s not the God that promotes suffering, the mouth and hands that set the events in motion are the only ones to blame.
The Gods receive, the Gods award, the Gods listen and the Gods demand. The living pray not because of the God's benevolence or selfless nature, but in hopes of a boon. Small miracles, or a turning point for the history books to write about are both heard by the divine yet the scope and outcome of the intervention are only secondary. Only those who give shall receive. The Gods hear the prayers and praises and remember who is deemed worthy of their attention.
Actions speak louder than any words and the true followers obey every command of the deity they devoted themselves to. ‘Construct places of worship!’ ‘Guide the lost into the light of the divine!’ ‘Arm yourselves to fight for my cause and against those who besmirch my name!’ And so the churches, holy orders and cults were founded.
Institutions, ideals, leaders, and nations all rise and fade throughout the thousands of years and are nothing more than a fleeting afterthought in the eyes of the divine, our lifetimes just a blink of an eye.