001 -- In the Beginning

Excerpt from the Scrolls of Rahm, translated by Dr. Ahmad Ba of the Asfarian Royal Society of Thought.

Chapter I

In the beginning, there was Rahm. And Rahm walked alone through the darkness, and was content for a time.

Soon, though, Rahm grew bored of the darkness. He grabbed a hold of the dark and twisted and twisted until there was form. The darkness was in some places rock, in some places water, and in some places air. Rahm found joy in exploring this new world he had created, and named it Eos.

But Rahm grew lonely with this life. After a time, he created a wife to accompany him through the darkness. He drew her out of his stomach, and she was lovely.

Even so, together they became wearied of this new world. Rahm could not think of what to do, but Rahm's wife suggested they make children to shepherd this world and create new things. Rahm and his wife created two children, a son and a daughter. Rahm pulled the bone from his left arm, and made his son Jemahl. He was brave and wise. Rahm pulled the bone from his right arm, and made his daughter Saripha. She was swift and loving.

Rahm truly loved both his children, and so he gave them great gifts. To Jemahl, he gave his left eye, an orb that burned so bright that it lit up the entire world when held above. To Saripha, he gave his right eye, a sphere that with it's shadowy glow could see through any substance.

But still the world was cold and still. So Rahm laid down on the ground, and gave his body to the Earth so that is should live. The only part that he saved was his heart, which he split in two and gave to his two children. Then Rahm was tired, having given his body away, and went to sleep.

Rahm's wife saw him lay down and give his body to the earth. She picked up his ashes in both hands and blew on them so that they should spread everywhere. Her hands became the wind that spreads life across Eos.

Rahm's children awoke upon the ground, wondering at what had happened. They could feel the life within the earth waiting to be released, but were puzzled. "Here, I will throw this light into the sky so we can see." said Jemahl, and threw Rahm's eye into the sky so hard that it stayed there. Everything was bright, and the life in the ground knew it could grow but knew not why. "Here, I will throw this light into the sky so we can know what we are." said Saripha, and she threw Rahm's other eye so high into the sky that it stayed as well. And the life in the ground knew why to grow but not how. So Jemahl and Saripha decided each light should share the sky, and so the world began to grow.

Much time passed, and Jemahl and Saripha wandered the world as life grew from the ground. Trees sprang from the hills, and grasses crept along the rivers. They made many things out of clay, twisting the earth into animals that roamed freely across the land. They played games, hiding things under the ground or on top of mountains for the other to find. Finally, though, they became bored, and could not think of anything else to do.

"What shall we do?" asked Jemahl.

"Let us see who can make the most wonderful creature from this earth, and compare." said Saripha.

And so they each went to their own parts of the world. Jemahl crossed a great desert to his own favorite dark clay at the mouth of the river. Here he crafted a wonderous creature, unique beyond all other creatures he had made so far.

Saripha instead passed through a forest, finding her favorite clay at the joining of two smaller rivers. Her bright, light clay was formed into an amazing creature, unique beyond all other creatures she had made so far.

And so Jemahl and Saripha swam to their favorite place, an island in the middle of the great sea. Both expecting to surprise the other, they showed their creations only to be surprised. The heart of Rahm within them had led them both to create the same animal! Their creations could build things just as Jemahl and Saripha could. Jemahl and Saripha taught them many things, and called them people.

And so the people decided to build a great city upon the island. And so the people built a great city with the help of Jemahl and Saripha. When the city was completed, they asked, "Who shall lead this great city?" And there was a great disaster.

Jemahl and Saripha fought. They both thought that their own people were the best to lead the city, and so tried to kill as many of the other people as they could. The people fought as well, inventing many terrible machines of war and destruction with the two siblings' help. Finally there were no people left, and Jemahl and Saripha fought for many years on the island alone.

But neither could beat the other. Jemahl was too strong, and Saripha too swift, and they both had half the heart of Rahm. Finally they lay exhausted on their island, and looking around them saw the destruction their quarrel had wrought. They wept at the pain and suffering that the people had suffered, and at their own ingenuity at destroying life -- but still they could not acknowledge that the other's creation was as good as their own.

Finally they decided upon a solution. Jemahl and Saripha would go to their own favorite places, and make more people from the clay. They would never meet again, for fear of creating another disaster like before. Each could be alone with their people, and could create as they liked without causing another disaster. Weeping, brother and sister embraced before leaving the island, never to see one another again. As they left, the island sank into the sea forever.

So Jemahl and Saripha went again to their favorite places, and again made people, and stayed among them and taught for a time. And so for a time things were good, until one day Jemahl and Sarihpa disappeared from the land. And so the people did not know what to do, and were afraid.

End Chapter I