Chapter 2: Gods of Graeae

That night Osmond dreamt.

In his dreams, he was five.

Viktor and his family had lived in Everville, a valley village in the land of Deimo, that was bordered by The flaring peaks. It was neither too out to the north so that crops withered nor it was close to the south so that they prospered.

Most of the residents of Everville were farmers and hunters, struggling to meet their ends. There was a blacksmith who tended for ploughs and scythes and the like. The Wards were lords of Everville posted by the royalty. Their manor, a two-story building was tended by a couple; Carlos Gonzales and Maria Gonzales.

Osmond saw flashes of his village; the fields, the mountains, the market that can barely be called a market. He saw the faces of Carlos and Maria and their daughter Sophia. He saw Daniel and Diego and Andre. Their skin was brown and their hair brunette.

But above all Osmond saw his mother in her study. He dreamt of himself being with his mother. Her nose was sharp. Her blue hair flowed. He saw them sitting in her study. He saw moonlight dripping through the opened window above the table. The bookshelf loomed on their left side. A fire lamp glowed from the corner of the table.

He was sitting on his mother's lap. He felt her love and warmth flowing inside him.

On the table sat a book titled 'Gods of Graeae'. Osmond playfully squirmed in her lap. Louise smiled and opened the thick leather cover. This was the second time Louise showed him this book and Osmond tried remembering what he had seen.

He peered into the first page and tried spelling it out.

"Z...u...s...t...r...o...u...s!" Osmond could identify all the letters. His face lit up with confidence.

" Very good. Now try saying the whole word out" Louise said tousling his hair. Her words were encouraging.

"Zu....Zus....Zus...." Osmond tried his best. He looked at his mother sad-eyed.

"Zustrous," Louise helped him out.

"Zustrous, Zustrous," Osmond said the word out loud twice and a couple of times in his mind so as not to forget it again.

Louise traced the words and read them out slowly for Osmond to understand.

"Zustrous, The allfather"

"Zustrous created all known and unknown worlds. But the creator only creates and doesn't govern so he created gods to do that In his stead." Louise continued.

Osmond was nodding but Louise knew that was not because he understood everything. The text was boring for children and children tend to get bored fast. Louise had first-hand experience in it by teaching the children of the village.

Louise closed the book, poked Osmond's cheek softly and said:

"Would you like a story, Osmond "

"A story. Yes, yes," Osmond exclaimed. All forms of drowsiness escaped him.

"Alright, a story it is then"

Louise closed her eyes. She cleared her mind and then her throat. She opened her eyes ready and started

"Long ago, when there was nothing but darkness, allfather Zustrous decided to create a world. A world that teemed with life. A world, unlike anything he created before. He clasped his hands and spread them open and thus everything with life and without was made."

"But Zustrous was only interested in creating worlds and not in governing them. So he created gods to do just that."

"From his left hand was born Azotl. He was tasked to govern the elements and the animals."

"From his right hand was born Ias. He was tasked to govern the descendants of prima."

"Under the governance of Azotl and Ias, the world thrived. But they were jealous and lonely for they saw the bonds of the world and yearned for it."

"Azotl created five beasts from the five elements he governed.

From the undying flame, he created the Salamander.

From the deepest seas, he created the Undine.

From the cleanest air, he created the Sylphear.

From the lush forests, he created the Entine.

From the farthest skies, he created the Garuda."

"Ias was not just lonely. He governed the prima. He saw men and women falling in love, having children and helping each other in hard times. He yearned for that. He yearned for a family."

"Ias did just that. He created gods and goddesses to govern the aspects of life. They married and had children and thus the pantheon was born." Louise concluded. Her voice was crystal clear invoking curiosity in the dullest of minds."

Osmond's eyes were star-spangled. He wanted to know more.

" Who is the strongest god?" Children always wanted to know who the strongest was.

"Well, there are many and people believe the ones they worship to be the strongest," Louise smiled. She looked outside to the horizon as if she was missing something.

"Then who do you think is the strongest, mother?" he asked.

Louise opened the book and pointed to a page. "Everyone In my family quests for knowledge and hence I worship Zoard the god of wisdom and Vienna the goddess of knowledge," she said.

"Then who does father believe in?." Osmond asked.

Viktor Ward was strong. Strongest in the village and the strongest man Osmond had ever seen.

"He worships the god of strength Detruass and the goddess of fertility Edith." A pang of sadness escaped from her sound.

She held out and clasped Osmond's hands and brought them to his heart. "Osmond, you are far too young right now to understand. But when you are don't waver and follow what your heart says."

He turned around and met with his eyes and grinned.

"Don't worry ma, with so many gods I will never be in trouble."

"NO, THEY WON'T HELP YOU," A sound boomed.

It didn't come from him or his mother.

Osmond turned front. Blood splattered across the table. He heard a thud and looked. He saw his mother's hand. He was gasping for air. He closed his eyes and opened and he was no longer in the study.

He was now in the burning village.

The ogre was chewing on her hand. It looked at Osmond and met with his eyes. It gleed and extended its hulky arm with its razor sharp claws.

Osmond jumped up gasping for air. He was no more in the burning village. He was now in a bed. Sweat poured from his every pore. He noticed wetness down below and found that he had peed himself.