Part 1

Later, after the Port Nautitus incident had been resolved, Vordea wrangled up the rest of the Gods plus Xellma in the room below Vaust's Inn. While the rest of them were quite used to Vordea's strange demands and taking them places without warning and then not saying anything once they were there, Xellma was starting to grow impatient.

Vaust was trying to subtly tell her to shut up when she got fed up and broke the silence.

"Mother, what is this about? We've been here over an hour and you've just been sitting there staring at your hands the whole time." Xellma demanded.

"You're not going to get an answer like that." Sargon advised.

No reply came from Vordea at first, but she finally looked up. She seemed to consider her options for several moments, before finally speaking.

"I am going to tell you all a story. I ask that you do not interrupt me, and save any questions for the end." Vordea looked at Xellma before continuing to speak. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes." Xellma said, nodding.

"Good. This is a story of the Squid, the Shark, the Man, and the Sun. This was when the ancient squid was young, and in new waters for the first time. He had just been freed from the aquarium for first time, and found himself in an unfamiliar ocean. It was vast but completely empty, but as he swam he started to figure out how to use his tentacles to propel himself, and touch his surroundings. During his explorations, he found something strange, and scary. It was a being that reminded him of his captor in the aquarium, and he lashed out at it before they could even react."

Vordea paused and looked around the room. Everyone was enraptured, save Agbus, who smiled slightly, and nodded. He knew what this story was after all, he was there.

"That being was the man, and even though he lay bleeding and gravely injured, he still reached out his hand to the squid, in friendship. The squid despaired, had he attacked a potential friend? He cried out for somebody to help, anybody."

Vordea looked up and narrowed her eyes. "The sun answered his pleas for help. The sun said he would help, but in return the squid would have to do something. The squid would have to be in charge of everything, forever. Well to the squid this seemed fine, so he readily agreed. In return, the sun healed the man. The squid was overjoyed to have found a friend at last, but when he turned to thank the sun, the sun had already gone, and was back up in the sky."

Xellma was starting to piece together this slightly oblique story. The actors were starting to become obvious.

"For many years the squid and the man learned, grew, and played together frequently. Other animals much weaker than the squid began to fill the ocean. At first, the squid played roughly with them, but he saw how quickly they expired, and in time learned to use a more gentle touch. They still died simply from being near the squid, such was his power, so he learned to disguise himself, so that he could observe them more closely."

Yes it was clear now, Xellma thought to herself. The squid is Vordea.

"In time, the squid figured out how to change his shape, and took on the shape of the man. They had become very close over those years, but the squid wasn't sure what to make of his feelings for the man. Were they friends? The squid didn't have long to dwell on that, as something new was spotted swimming in the waters, the shark."

Vaust was interested now. He already figured out who the squid was, and the man he could make a guess, but the shark was obvious after earlier.

Vordea cleared her throat, and smiled. Telling the story this way was much better. The original creation myth. Wasting no time, she continued.

"The shark was massive. Bigger than anything the squid or the man had ever seen. The shadow cast by the shark reached all the way to the very depths of the great ocean, and the for the first time the squid thought he had found an equal, and so played roughly with the shark. To his surprise, the shark responded in kind, roughly flinging the squid about. The squid was overjoyed to have found a playmate as durable as he was."

Xellma laughed slightly at this. She understood exactly what Vordea implied with this, and couldn't contain herself. Everyone glanced at her, and Vordea stopped talking briefly to look at Xellma. She didn't say anything, but Xellma saw the twinkle in her eye. Vordea was just as amused as she was.

"In time, the shark spoke with the squid. They had been a