Worlds Apart
“Booo-ring!” A light voice sounded behind him and he turned, spinning on insubstantial air.
“Alphan!” He bellowed as the other infinite being swept down, ruining the dramatic moment Gagal had so carefully crafted. “Why are you here?”
“I’m bored,” she said sweetly, twirling out a pirouette, “and you amuse me.”
“Do I?” He couldn’t help but smile at her exuberance, though his tone was cold. “It warms my heart to hear you say so, but could I amuse you later? I’m in the middle of destroying one of my earliest creations.”
“Oh bother,” Alphan growled, clenching both fists. The world underneath her trembled, shuddered as her power came to bear. Gagal considered opposing the impulsive younger god but decided against the risk – it was bad form to undo what had been done by another, but Alphan was strong, far stronger than any other in Known Expanse.
Within in moments the planet Gagal had created was gone; one of the first of his attempts at making a world obliterated with only drifting matter left to speak of its existence. He sighed.
“What’s wrong Gaggy? This was your plan anyway, right?” A smile spread across Alphan’s face as the joy of destruction washed over her. Creation brought a sense of fulfillment but destruction came with a visceral feeling of satisfaction.
“Don’t call me that,” he said shortly. Names were power, and Gagal had let the younger being steal a small joy from him – she owed him courtesy at the very least. “You’d do well to remember my position.” Space was spreading out beneath them both, a tearing expanse of suns and galaxies; Gagal knew each one.
“And you’d do well to remember my power.” Alphan replied with a stern look. “I throw around more weight than three of you old-timers put together.” Her eyes darkened. “Be glad I find you amusing.”
Gagal let silence reign for a moment, giving his unwanted companion the chance to cool off. She finally heaved a long sigh, the power she gained from destroying a world fully absorbed, and Gagal spoke again.
“In all seriousness, young one – why are you here? You must have some purpose beyond simply tormenting me. I know you too well for that.”
Alphan smiled sheepishly. “You’re right, of course.” She snapped her fingers and conjured a chair of pure light, then sat down and leaned back, eyes closed. Gagal made one of his own, but in a dark wood strain he had perfected rather than the ostentatious energy the other god preferred.
“I’ve been working on something for a while,” she went on, “something I don’t think the others would approve of.”
“Oh?” Gagal kept his tone as mild as possible.
“We’re all so caught up in making things – things that don’t really do much except sit around.” Alphan raised her arms and gestured to the starry expanse. “Once we’re bored with what we’ve wrought we destroy it, glorying in the feeling of its end.”
“Is this going somewhere?” Gagal had thoughts of a similar nature, but there was no point in exploring them – the structure of the Known Expanse was as they had made it, and could no longer be changed.
“Yes!” The blonde-haired goddess stood and began gesturing emphatically. “We are limiting ourselves, old one! There is so much more we could be experiencing, so much more we could learn if only we would share the smallest fraction of our power, let the things we make glory in the tiniest part of our ability.”
“What?” Gagal stood as well, his mind reeling at what Alphan appeared to be suggesting. “You would try to gift one of our…creatures…with power?” A twisting sickness came over him – the thought of such a beast was horrific. He turned on his heel, realization and speech coming at once. “You’ve done this already, haven’t you – you’ve already made one!”
“Yes,” a new voice interrupted, thin and reedy. “She has.” A wavering form faded in next to Alphan, a thing of long limbs and several mouths, hideous and yet all too simple.
“No!” Gagal cried, bringing his own power to bear, but it was quickly smothered by both Alphan and her companion. “Please,” he begged, “do not allow this thing to continue.”
“I am one of you now, Gagal,” the creature spoke again. “My power is but a slice of that offered by the Great One, but it is enough – and it is growing by the hour.”
“He pleases me,” Alphan said gently, “his mind is unformed and his perceptions foolish. There is so much he can learn, and so much he can teach. Join me, Gagal,” she extended a hand, “and create your own progeny. Together, they can help us better this dull universe.”
“I -” There was a certain twisted temptation in her offer; he had been displeased of late with what he found offered by the darkening Expanse.
He shook his head. What she proposed was madness – it would lead only to destruction.
It took only a moment to make the decision, only a scant passing of time and he had his answer. Raising both arms he brought power to bear, terrible, churning thing that ripped through his form and began to tear it apart, separating him into component parts. A savage joy was his reward as Alphan's face went slack, as she realized just what he intended.
“Gagal!” She bellowed. “No -”
Too late. Joy overwhelmed him. Destruction came.
- D
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