The fire burned quietly.
Outside, the wind whistled through the mountains, draping the dark village in a blanket of silence.
A little boy rested his head on his mother's lap, gazing up at the sky scattered with stars.
"Mother… how were the gods born?"
The woman smiled softly and gently stroked his hair.
"Long, long ago, my son…
Before even the gods existed, there was nothing in the universe but emptiness."
"And then?" the boy asked in wonder.
The woman stared into the flames for a moment before continuing in a low voice.
"From that void, an unknown existence was born.
And from it, the universe itself came into being.
Light separated from darkness.
Heaven and earth divided.
The sun and the moon ignited."
The boy's eyes widened with awe.
"Who was it?"
The woman looked up at the stars and answered softly.
"People call him the First One."
A cold wind slipped in from outside.
"After creating the universe,
the First One realized he could not govern everything alone.
So he created seven gods."
The boy listened intently.
"The first was Azrael —
the keeper of death, life, and rebirth.
He holds the scales.
He has the right to sever the thread of life…
or to bind it once more."
"Is he scary?" the boy asked carefully.
She shook her head.
"No.
He is not fear… he is justice."
She continued.
"Then came Chronos —
the ruler of past, present, future, and fate.
He is neutral.
He stands with no side."
"Mimir is the god of wisdom and secrets.
He guards the mysteries of the First One.
It is said only he knows where the First One went."
"Athena is the goddess of light and creation.
She cherishes all living things.
She despises war."
"Seraphina is the goddess of beauty and love.
The most radiant among the gods.
But love… brings the deepest pain."
"Valdrion is the god of strength and justice.
Straightforward and unwavering.
The fiercest opponent of darkness."
The boy grew quiet.
"And… the seventh?"
In the firelight, the mother's eyes shimmered with sadness.
"Noxar is the keeper of darkness.
He was the most loyal to the First One.
But… also the most dangerous."
"Why?"
"He wished to know too much."
The wind howled louder.
"One day, Noxar went to the edge of the void
and saw something he was never meant to see."
"What did he see?"
"The remnants from before the universe.
The shadow left behind by the First One."
In that moment… corruption was born.
Noxar's shadow began to breathe on its own.
Within his heart arose a desire —
not merely the desire to know,
but the desire to transcend the universe itself.
The boy swallowed.
"Were the other gods afraid?"
"Yes."
Azrael felt the balance tremble.
Chronos saw the distortion in time.
Mimir fell silent.
Athena poured out her light.
Seraphina wept.
Valdrion drew his blade.
Together, they sealed Noxar.
Valdrion forged the Prison of the Abyss
and cast Noxar into it.
The boy asked softly,
"And then… everything became peaceful?"
The woman remained silent for a long while.
The fire flickered.
The wind outside grew fiercer.
"Fairy tales end that way, my son…
But balance is never fully restored."
Beyond the heavens,
in unseen depths,
something
was stirring.