Book 3

“Tell me, O Muse, of that cruel god, the one destroys all before him, Cataclysmus, God of Calamity.

At the moment of his creation from the will of the Nameless God, born already a full-fledged god, with cruel eyes he looked down upon humanity and judged his fellow creations unworthy of life. He wailed at the thought of us and so the rain began to fall. A great deluge swallowed up the world, drawing humanity beneath the sea. His brother, pale-faced Death, with bony fingers outstretched, took from humanity their life. The kindly Life watched over them, watching with nascent eyes the ebb and flow of life.

It was Renovo, Goddess of Regrowth, who stood against him alone. She descended to the world from Heaven and stood atop the sea, looking out for what remained of humanity. Where she walked, in the ripples of the water, the great deluge sent by Cataclysmus began to subside. She searched the land for humanity, and wherever she found them she would gain more faithful. At the end of her journey, when oceans remained oceans and puddles remained puddles, people descended from the mountaintops to steal a glance at their savior, and so humanity gathered at that coast.

In honor of Renovo, to celebrate their savior, humanity’s greatest sculptures carved her visage from a great stone. Indeed, it is the very same sculpture that now stands at the center of this city.

The next era was one of peace, and so humanity prospered. With each advancement myriad gods were born, and so both Heaven and Earth progressed. Yet even then, still unsated, Calamity descended once more. He arrived to the world a falling star and wasted no time in destroying it. Wherever he stepped the ground would shake, reducing all around him to ruin. The animals were whipped up by him into a frenzy and let loose upon the world. To lead that charge, Calamity tore from himself a chunk of flesh, a cruel mirror of his maker, and formed from it new life. From his body, Behemoth and the Ten Dragons of the End were born. And so humanity was razed to the ground. And so that era of peace was lost.

The next era was one of war and conflict, and so humanity brought itself to ruin. Among the chaos kings were born, vested with the authority of Heaven to wage war. Yet even then, in a time of pure destruction, Calamity descended once more. He appeared in the world from a raging fire and smiled down at us as he watched us war. He pulled his arm from his body and from it formed a great spear of flesh and bone. He interrupted a battle, standing between the two armies, his spear held aloft. He brought down the blade, cleaving apart the ground, and from it arose the one hundred demon generals. They waged war against the land, slaughtering humanity, and so that era of war came to an end.

The next era was one of flourishing science and trade, and so humanity could join hands once more. The kings, vested with the authority of Heaven on Earth, brought a great stability to all the world’s lands. Myriad gods emerged in Heaven, the answer of our shared wills. On Earth, humanity came together and built great towers. And so Calamity arrived in a bolt of lightning, the thunder of his coming shaking the world. Great storms picked up, all at once, winds smashing into the grand structures of man, destroying all atop the surface. And so that era came to an end.

Such are the acts of the sneering God of Calamity, who brings about the destruction of man wherever he goes.

And with that, I believe it time for me to bid farewell for the night.”

Cata can’t watch as the rhapsode leaves. His head hangs in his hands, unable to look up any longer. It’s embarrassment, and a twinge a shame. However, rather than wallow alone, he feels a soft tap on his shoulder. He looks up and sees a beautiful woman standing there, sun-kissed skin and fair hair, a large bosom inside her simple dress.

“Sister, what brings you here?”

“Sopor told me that you were waiting for Reno here.”

“So you’ve come to wait with me?”

“I have. It’s not like I have work to be doing like you brothers.”

“So you’re here to scold me too? But I thought you didn’t listen to Brother.”

“I don’t. I just hate looking at you being so pathetic.”

“I can’t help that. I’ve always been pathetic by nature.”

“You haven’t. But that self-hating streak of yours perhaps always has been there. Though that’s not why you're pathetic.”

“Sister, why are you here? Brother already convinced me plenty.”

“I don’t care about what Sopor does. I only care that he does his job properly, and by all rights it seems he’s too useless to do that unless you do too.”

“Don’t say that. Brother is much more impressive than that.”

“Both of you brothers have always been useless, honestly. I can hardly imagine what Reno sees in you.”

“Neither can I. Do you know what they’ve taken to calling me? They call me the cruel god now. Even the Muse in Heaven accepts it. Even though we’re so much older than her! Don’t you think she should be nicer to me?”

“If seniority were all it took, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“You’re right… How should we punish Regnum, do you think?”

“It doesn’t matter. All that matters is what Reno thinks.”

“No, it’s our fault he turned out like that. We’re the oldest so we should have taught him better.”

“What, can you only act like this if you’re dealing with a brat?”

“I’m sorry for being such a pathetic man…”

“Don’t cry.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. Really, what could Reno possibly see in you!”

“I don’t know. And at this rate, I really will become the cruel god. We’re beings made of thought, after all. If the thoughts that compose us change too much, then we really will change. And humanity seems not to have any idea that Reno and I are married. The way it’s going now, she really will come to hate me. We’ve even forgotten the name of our master, after all.” The kindly Goddess of Life stands up furious.

“She’s only been gone for the smallest moment! Don’t be such a gutless coward!”

“How do you people expect me to handle it? We’ve been together for so long. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a minute or a millennium now. I don’t want to be apart from her.”

“That’s no excuse! You coward! You damn coward! What kind of cruel god are you supposed to be! I’d like it if my sister’s beloved husband could have even the tiniest shred of pride! Is that so much to ask for!”

“When I think of us changing…”

“Are you a fool! How much do you think she loves you! How could you become a cruel god! How could the two of you ever stop being in love! You’re both brainless morons without a single thought but of each other! You’ve been lovesick for millennia! All of Heaven is sick of it by now! Those thoughts… Your own feelings… Have some pride for once and believe that they’re stronger than the paltry thoughts of some lowly humans!”

“Sister…”

“I’m done here. Don’t come back to Heaven without your wife, you gutless fool.”

She really does leave right at that moment. Cata can hardly see her through blurry eyes.

Reno… I’m sorry Reno. I haven’t stopped loving you for even a single moment. You haven’t stopped loving me for even a single moment. I believe in you. I’d be a fool not to. Our love is stronger than anything else, after all. A love as old as humanity.

There are so many people waiting for us. For both of us. So let’s go home, Reno. Let’s go back to our home.