The Dawn
Year Zero, The Dawn
Eigengrau always enjoyed this part of the kalpa. Vordea's Great Work was still underway, so she could simply relax. Time was not yet flowing, so there was nothing to observe. She was quite intrigued that 3 Inner Gods survived this time, usually it was only 1, so she turned their attention to them.
"Sargon, Zalas, Vaust, welcome to the new kalpa." She said, smiling. "You have beat my expectations and survived until the end of time."
"Where are we right now?" Sargon asked. He looked around, but they were all floating in an inky black void.
"We are nowhere. The Great Work is quite hazardous to be around, and Vordea doesn't like to be watched." Eigengrau answered.
"The Great Work?" Vaust asked. "What's that?"
"It is what Vordea calls the creation of the universe from the building blocks of Carcosa. It is only now, during the dawn, that she is fully on what will become the mortal plane. You are still all quite weak Gods, so to be faced with the amalgam that is Vordea's true form might be too much."
"So what do we do now?" Zalas asked.
"How about a story?" Eigengrau asked, dropping the monotone and flat voice, much to everyone's shock.
"Wait, that's just an act?" Vaust asked.
"Of course it is. The God of Death has to be serious, Vaust." Eigengrau said, smacking him on the back of the head. "As for the story, you'll like this one. The War in Heaven, a story of why we have so many rules. The real story behind Vordea's great white chains."
"The War in Heaven?" Sargon asked. "This sounds ominous."
"It shook the very foundations of the universe, resulted in the death of a Primal God, 12 Inner Gods, and ended up with the difficult decision being made to terminate a kalpa early." Eigengrau began, getting the rapt attention of the other 3. "I ended up taking Vordea's side in the conflict, of course."
"Why?" Vaust asked. "You two don't not get along, but you also don't get along either."
"Because without Vordea I obtain dominion over creation. Trust me, you don't want that." Eigengrau answered. "There is a phrase you should remember when it comes to the War in Heaven, a rotten world and a heart of guilt. The kalpa was truly rotten after the war, and couldn't be saved. We..." Eigengrau stopped. "We made it quick. They didn't suffer."
"A heart of guilt?"
"Vordea sat in an empty world for thousands of years, weeping." Eigengrau explained, a very sad look on her face. "Despite her personality, she deeply cares for the souls of every mortal. Taking on all the emotions of souls cut short before their time left a deep scar on her."
"So the chains..." Sargon began.
"It broke her. She spent the next 60 kalpas as Evangeline Frost, while she healed."
"Evangeline Frost?" Zalas asked. "Isn't that..."
"The source of all of our power. The Last Lord of Carcosa. The Corpse King. Even Vordea tells me her power now is nothing compared to what Evangeline was capable of at the apex of her strength." Eigengrau said, shuddering slightly. "What do you suppose happened in those 60 kalpas?"
"Since you're asking, nothing good." Sargon answered.
"Correct. That was the true War in Heaven. Evangeline fully manifested is not a friend. She is your enemy, make no mistake. Minor Gods died by the millions, myself and Agbus barely withstood her onslaught. She was furious with us, and constantly hunted us. Outside of time remains the only place out of reach of her, so if she is ever allowed to surface again, you're on your own."
"Why was she so mad at you?" Sargon asked. "Surely she told you?"