In the Beginning

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Notes:

Song is Two Worlds from Tarzan.

The capitalized "It" is the speaker and the speaker switches between two entities.

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Put your faith in what you most believe in

Dark, forbidding, a world drenched in bloods the colors of the dismal rainbow. Shadowy beings who screamed and launched themselves from decimated trees, only to vanish in the darkened beams of another ebon tree. Things that stalked and preyed, only to be preyed upon. Wholly in shadows and liking it. Laughter from the darkness, lunatic's joy, sadist's field day, masochist's dream. Laughter that wagged a playful finger above it's chosen victim, before vanishing into shadows, violet eyes bright in the red-drenched light.

The watcher smiled at the Trickster, knowing prodigy when It saw it, knowing a gift soon to be exploited. Then the watcher turned ruby eyes from It's vantage point within the crimson sun, the light upon his world dimming in phantom night. Turned scarlet eyes upon another place, a world only It could see.

Two worlds, one family

Blazing light, blue tinged sky with burning white sun. Streaming through the brightness were ethereal clouds, struck like a painter's brush across the cerulean sky. Islands floating among the light and clouds, sparkling water falling from island to island in delicate waterfalls, deadly and lovely. Lush vegetation decorating every inch of soil, a riot of glorious color. They darted amongst the falls and wispy clouds, bright butterflies of gold, dark blue, black, and pure white. Meeting for a moment before darting off again, laughing and singing in surreal symphony. One dark sapphire bolt surged forward, a gracious, golden eyed spear, soaring toward the sun, only to fall back again as the light became too bright, laughing as it fell back into it's smiling kin.

The watcher smiled, graciously acknowledging the fiery youth in It's own way. A moment's brightening for the aqua haired youth. Then the watcher turned brilliant blue eyes to another sight, white mane fluttering with the motion, the day fluctuating with the flutter in a moment's shadow as the brilliant sky dimmed in faux-sunset. Turned It's eyes to another prism of existence, a world only it could see.

Trust your heart

Interesting how the light of the other one mimicked it's lovely mane of white spikes. Tempting were the brilliant eyes that gazed upon It's hidden world with unwithheld curiosity. A one like Itself.

Let fate decide

What was it It saw? What was that hidden flash of darkness? A moment of striking red light, then fiery eyes. It thought they were eyes, watching It's own with manipulative interest. Curious flares, like It's own. What was it?

To guide these lives we see

It was trusting, curious and waiting. It intrigued the watcher. Intrigued It more than It's own domain. It would pursue the lovely one in it's own bright, unfettered, unhidden world.

A paradise untouched by man

The other dark place had vanished. No matter, if it returned it would. If not ... the watcher shrugged It's snowy scales. It had other things to attend to. Other things to interest It. Why bother with a moment's glance?

Within this world blessed with love

Fascinating how It's worlds seams opened at a touch of It's talon. It was a simple thing to slip out through the phantom crack and take another form besides It's own. A winged form like the ones within the other's world. Strong dark wings, clawed feet, scales and spikes, a long pointed face laced with teeth. A form similar to several of it's world's own.

In a moment It was off, beating power touched wings as It flew through the threads and wisps of space and time in search of the other's world. An adventure for It. No matter the chaos It's powered wings left in their wake.

A simple life, they live in peace

What was this? Another as brave as the golden eyed one? Ebony scales surged across lithe, strong limbs. Burning strength within every beat of dark wings. Pointed and fierce, as delicate as falling water ... and just as dangerous. It considered. None of It's black creations was as dark as this one, none as coolly hard and callus. None that matched the raw power within this one. Eyes met It's own in the sky. Blazing ruby infernos. That one.

Softly tread the sand below your feet now

The sun rippled and bunched into a form in It's eyes, spying It's flight. As It surged to catch the light in curious claws the icy scales and spines bunched and merging as the one leapt from the intense consuming light and away. It smiled with the oddly formed teeth of that one's people and followed, falling easily into the predator. Arrogance and flight. Oh how It ached to teach this one lessons It had not considered until this moment.

Two worlds, one family

A fascinating chase. Something It did not comprehend as the other chased It across It's domain and through the rip it had created. Ebony masquerade, only the eyes giving it away as it dodged every obstacle, intent on It's capture. It was not afraid. Why should It be? Shadow creature it may be, but this other was not It's equal, even outside it's own domain. But the chase itself ... was thrillingly exciting. What would happen should the dark one catch It?

Trust your heart

The chase was the thrill, the catch the prize. And It would catch the white one, It's glorious opposite. Brighter even than it's own creations, it darted through the brilliant beauty of it's world and away through the tear in the fabric of this place, out into the winds of space and time, following It's own entrance. Once it was free it turned and smiled, dancing back in an invitation.

Let fate decide

The dark smiled in return, scaled snout melding into a smirk, eyes blazing as it leapt for It, meeting briefly, limbs tangling, before It threw the dark one back and spun away in a dive. It followed and met It again, clasping claws around It's body, gripping tight. A twist and It was free, returning in kind, clasping tight.

To guide these lives we see

It blinked in shock as the other escaped again, fluting playfully as it attacked It! This was a game for it! But what a game ... Spinning in the ivory grasp It dropped, but the other held tight, scales rubbing against It's own ebony ones, burning. They fell, locked tight in a tumbling, intense fight.

Beneath the shelter of the trees

It created a island below them as the dark one beat it's wings to break, sending them into a sprawling tumble. Reluctantly untangling Itself It smiled at the dark one, folding It's wings as foliage sprung up at super speed. Forced growth sprouting beneath them and twining overhead, concealing them in mottled shadows. The dark one stood, drawing closer, a smile on it's face It could not read. Shrugging It's snowy scales It shed It's people's form, shrinking into another form. A form It had caught a glimpse of in the dark one's domain. Icy white hair, brilliant slitted sapphires for eyes, pale skin covering sleek muscles on a four limbed, but upright frame. Long fingers, claw-less, on long bent limbs. Flat feet on the lower limbs. Oddly, a short fifth limb sprung from the front instead of the back. A reversed tail? The dark one smiled wider.

Only love can enter here

It was not aware that the bright one's world had ever seen the Trickster's chosen form, but this one mimicked the basics perfectly. Had it seen it before or created it from it's own thoughts? No matter. Shedding It's own scales, It mimicked the bright one, save with ebony hair, black silvered skin, and ruby eyes. Of course, in this form It was no longer an it, but a he.

A simple life, they love in peace

For a moment It marveled at the other's form, so like it's own, but strikingly different. Then the dark one smiled and tackled It, pinning It to the grass with it's lips, searching It's own hungrily. It answered in kind, feeding the fire within this form.

Raise your head up

It smiled as they finally broke apart, forms tired but sated with the other. Donning the dark scales again It beat wings and broke into the spatial winds, pleased with the catch and catching of the other. Very, very pleased. It would have to explore the Trickster's form more deeply, preferably with the bright one's companionship.

Lift high the load

It stretched languorously in It's sky set home, enjoying the frolicking of It's creations even as It kept one eye on the dark one in it's shadow world, now and again shifting seductively for the other's intense eyes, knowing when they met it would be another enjoyable capture on created lands.

Take strength from those that need you

If It's creations noticed It's absence, they didn't acknowledge it. And even if they had, It wouldn't have cared. It's games with the bright one were far more fascinating and pleasant than observing another death in It's blood drenched world. Turning It's gaze once more to the other's seductive curves, It started.

Silver wings blocked It's view, splashed with vibrant blue touched blood. The bright one's blood, blood only It had drawn in passion. What was this? The silver wings flashed away as the creature withdrew, showing the other spotted in blood and hissing fit to burst, blue eyes blazing as it launched itself at it's attacker. The silver one evaded and struck again, dragging their fight out into the spatial winds between worlds. It growled, disliking this other one's entrance into what was It's and It's alone. With a beat of ebon wings, It leapt from It's ruby sun and out.

Build high the walls

It was fighting a losing battle with the silver one, who mockingly chose a form like his creation's but larger and sleeker, a blazing gem stone embedded in it's chest. It screamed and dived at it again. It danced back as the silver struck at It relentlessly as It strove to drive it back and away from It's world. Then a scream of power ripped the astral air as the dark one slammed into the silver creature, throwing it. With a stroke of dark wings it buffeted the attacker, driving it back, before latching onto it's neck, crushing. With a snap, the neck cracked, but not without casualty to it's rescuer. The dark one cried out as blossoms of black blood exploded from it's chest. It darted forward and caught it, cradling it on defiled white wings as they fell gently to their mutually created bower.

Build strong the beams

The bright one dropped to earth, cuddling It, even though it's wounds were deeper and far more dangerous. It reveled in the attention a moment before healing It's wounds and holding the bright one instead, giving it a moment to heal. Glancing upward It saw something It had not expected to see.

The silver one had survived the killing blow, healing in a burst of light before it attacked the bright one's world, cutting and slashing with silver talons, ripping open the very fabric of the world's existence.

It struggled to tell the lovely one in It's arms what was happening, but It's sounds could not describe the pain of a world in torment. Molding It's form's lips around the tongue, It forced out sounds that had never before been uttered.

"Your ... people ... Ceifeed."

A new life is waiting

It raised It's head, white hair falling down the lithe back. It stared at the dark one, shocked by speech, by the recognition of It's true name, but understanding none the less. There was no words in their world, but It knew none the less. It looked up and cried out in horror. It's people, falling and screaming, sucked from the loving womb of their home, tumbling onto the bower built by two powers.

But danger's no stranger here

The lovely one's pain was delightful, but the cause far too dangerous for either to ignore. This one could rip out the fabric of their creations and must be destroyed before it did more. With a snarl It shed the lover's skin and fell easily into It's own dreadful true form, darkness and blood. Twin ruby orbs, a thousand tentacles of brown and black flesh, thick with scales and bulbous protrusions, blood dripping from every crack and twisted bone. The lovely one stared in horror at it's lover, choking back a sound of hate. It smiled, yes It had deceived it with a familiar form, but It did not regret the deceiving. It launched into the sky.

No words describe a mother's tears

It had been deceived. Deceived by this horror out of a nightmare. But the horror still bore It's lover's ruby eyes. It's heart clenched as it battled with the silver one, only to fall again and again, driven back to it's own dark world. A world ripped apart even as It's own had been, the dark one's creatures falling to the bower in a rain of darkness. Insane laughter as the one whose form It had chosen and modified fell and fought a battle with It's own golden-eyed creature. A brief clash and the two parted, the golden-eyed one hissing, the violet-haired darkness still laughing.

No words can heal a broken heart

It snarled and lashed out again, hating this silver one that had ripped apart It and the lovely one's world. This intruder would pay. Too late It realized that the worlds were gone and the silver one was already away, soaring off into the astral winds. Then it was behind It, screaming triumph as it struck It down, making It plummet to the bower below. Then it ripped a hole in the astral sky, golden light streaming through as another sun lighted the bower. A golden sun that burned.

A dream is gone, but where's there's hope

It hated the other now. It had fallen, lost to the silver destroyer that brought the burning light. And It was no longer an it, just like the other. It was a he. And It hated that even more, being reduced to the level of a creation. But now It was trapped here in this bower between worlds, warmed by the golden light of another god. It's hatred had only ripened after a brief union with the dark one, a union that both males had found to create another creature. Creature's that looked like the laughing one's chosen form. Creatures that spoke and walked upright, incapable of flight and only of pidgin power. Weak, pathetic children so unlike It's own creations of light and sky or the dark one's black brood. Yes, the dark one was It's deepest enemy now, a eternal thorn in It's side.

Humans ruled the bower now, not they. And their children would pay for the infraction against their creators. One day ... after he had dealt with the dark one once and for all.

Somewhere something is calling for you

The Trickster smiled and prowled aimlessly through his master's dark chambers. Somehow, this state was pleasant. Silent stalking of creatures best not seen, silent screams and bloody feasts, under darkness and red drenched light. This was as it should be. Why, he didn't know. Only that it was. This was the world he was most fulfilled with, the one that gave him the most pleasure. A human song came to mind and he hummed it quietly, forming the words without thought.

"This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through ... my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue ... "

No, silence was best. Human sounds destroyed his pleasure, they did not belong here. He laughed. Yes, that belonged. When the humans were gone he would be free from the incessant noise of their words. He laughed again and gave into the dark fantasies as he stalked.

Two worlds, one family

The Ancient Dragon watched quietly as the remaining golds fled the aeries, council finally complete. A council that had decided his fate and finally decided to let him live. He was the last after all, last of the Ancient Dragons. What harm could he do? What vengeance could he extract? None, none at all ...

He sighed and looked into the clouds. Too thick, they were too thick. He ached to fly in the high clouds, their presence merely wispy flutters, strangely soothing. He ached for the release from human speech and endless gold chatter, from earth and freedom into sky. There should only be sky and wispy clouds and tiny pockets of land and beauty. All this was too much ... too much ...

"This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through ... my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue ... "

The human melody flitted through his mind as he quietly sung the words. Strangely he was disturbed by their sound, so he became quiet once more. How true the words felt, felt not spoken. Yes, how true ... was he the only one who felt this way?

Trust your heart

The Enemy of All Who Live, The Dragon Spooker, the Bandit Killer, the one and only Lina Inverse stared up into the thick clouds, chewing on what her blue skinned friend had said. Finally she shook her head, throwing the theory away as both idle musings and the ranting of insanity induced transcripts.

"That's crazy Zel. Why would the sky be the Astral Plane? And the sun as the Lord of Nightmares?! I think those scholars way back when were sniffing too much of the funny stuff."

He shrugged and a faint smile touched his lips at the absurdity of the concept, "You're probably right, Lina. But it is an amusing concept."

The two continued their walk and their discussion, meandering over topic after topic, no longer interested in the rants of the past.

Let fate decide

Somewhere, deep in induced slumber, one fissioned, the other comatose, two ancient beings longed for different homes and suns, for things long past, and mostly, for a lover's touch.

To guide these lives we see

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