The Entelechy of Zuun

The Sun God's lips curled into a wicked snarl. He had heard enough and wanted to retreat to the warmth of His star. He wanted to swell and pulse and curse the lands with drought, but that would have to wait. Leaving the Council was forbidden, and even He did not disobey.

"I have watched him," breathed the Goddess of the Winds. "Zuun has reached his time. He would serve our ranks."

"No," barked the Sun God. "Our numbers are swelled enough." Thor nodded in agreement, but the Sun God ignored His support. He had been of the First, the Unnamed, the Primals. His energy had existed before the Council itself, and He only acknowledged those whom He deemed worthy of the His company.

Mother Nature frowned. The Sun God scowled back at her. This was Her fault, it was Her doing. She had fostered the humans. She had given them shelter and water and food and the Fruit of Fulfillment in the first place. The humans had called it the Fruit of Knowledge, but that was a misnomer. Truly, it was a fruit that provided them with the desire for self-fulfillment. Without it, they would have lived and died as all other mortals of the Realm did.

"Don't you even speak," the Sun God growled at Her in warning.

"I have all the right to speak here as You do," said Mother Nature. She met His flaming eyes with Her cool stare. He had loved that stare once. She held all the colors of the rainbow in Her eyes. Her gaze did not yield, and it was the Sun God who was forced to look away.

Arthur shifted uncomfortably in his seat. When Gods clashed, galaxies were made and unmade. The History of the Realm began with a war among the Primals, what humans would come to call "the big bang". No one had a memory of the time before Time, but some of the First fancied themselves the craftsmen of the universe.

"If I may," Arthur began, His voice quivering. In life, His voice had never wavered, but in life He had been a God among men. Here, He felt a man among Gods. "I do not know of this Zuun. Can You tell Me of him?"

The Sun God eyed the Ascended with contempt. He had no right to speak in such company, the Sun God believed, despite what the Council had determined so long ago.

Mother Nature's smile brightened the room. "He is of your kind, Son. He is largely unknown among his people, but his sacrifices are many. He has spent almost all of his mortal years attempting to find a way to save his world."

The Sun God raged and a heat wave enveloped the Council. "His people wouldn't need saving if it hadn't been for Your meddling!"

"I meddled," replied Mother Nature, bristling, "with the approval of this Council." Millenia past, Mother Nature had declared her intent to plant a tree that would bloom with Fruit of Fulfillment. The Council was called and a vote was taken. By the Laws older than Time, She needed a unanimous vote to attempt to Raise a mortal race. Mother Nature had used the love She shared with the Sun God in order to sway His vote.

In an attempt to keep both a pure Council and Mother Nature's heart, the Sun God had tried to outwit her. He gave his vote only if she agreed to forbid the people from ever eating the Fruit. She agreed, but deceived the Council. She knew that Her pets were willful, that they would disobey Her. Buddha had become the first mortal to ever sit in the Council. His presence offended the Sun God even more than the Named Immortals. He never forgave Mother Nature.

"Please," whispered the Goddess of the Winds. She raised a hand to silence the Council and a breeze cooled the room. "We have come to a time of Choice." Her long hair whipped about her gently and her calm voice seemed to soothe the Named, who had stirred in the heat of the Sun God's temper.

"No," declared the Sun God. "There will be no more choosing. This is the Choice that we make here today." He stood and all eyes were on Him. "If We here choose to Raise Zuun, if we Choose to acknowledge his fulfillment, then I will quit the Council immediately. We will be at war, do you understand?" Mother Nature's eyes grew wide with fear or rage, he could not tell which. "The entelechy of Zuun will make or break our Universe, so I ask that You Choose wisely."

"And so we begin," said the Goddess of the Winds breathlessly. "Let us Choose."

The One stared down at the Council from Above and frowned. The Sun God had been right about one thing: the entelechy of Zuun was the making or the breaking of the Universe. His patience had run out with these pets of His, the ones who called themselves the First. They were always in conflict, always scheming for influence. He picked up the sphere that He had poured so much effort into.

He had snapped His fingers once before and had given form to all the life within it. He had separated day from night and water from water. He now saw that the Primals had failed him, but He would try again, and again if He had to.

A tear rolled down His face as He shook the sphere. Everything came from dust, and to dust it had returned. He sighed and snapped his fingers again.