Long ago, there were many gods, many realms and existences, beasts beyond imagination. Among these gods were the Sun, Moon, Earth, and Darkness. The Moon was once a part of the Sun, you see. She was his wings, beautiful, and all upon Earth gazed at him in wonder. As long as Moon remained, Sun’s light did not blind them or burn their skin. Her lullaby was soft and gentle, and only by her song would Sun dare rest. When he would sleep, Darkness took over until Sun would awaken. Sun and Darkness could never touch, and so they cycle. Moon would linger moments behind Sun, dragged like a dog on a leash.
And Moon grew restless.
She grew afraid of his temper, of his hands that never asked to touch her, yet always did. She shrunk away, quiet, even her song losing it’s soothing power. Sun noticed her tears but said nothing of them, instead boasted his own power. Sun forced Moon to stay, angry that she may want to leave his side.
“Your light is what keeps the people looking upon me with awe! Without you, they will be blinded and I will never rest!”
And thus, her her fear of the Sun became too much. She sought help from Earth, who was kind and powerful, but had no respect for those with inflated egos. Sun had burned Earth before, after he lost a bet he made to them.
“Sun’s pride is his undoing. I will help you escape to Darkness, who he can never touch. He will hide you from Sun’s view and fury.”
Moon was afraid of Darkness because of what Sun had spoken of him. He is referred as a monster, a horrendous violent beast with sharp claws and thin needle-like teeth that will tear you into oblivion, obsidian eyes that were devoid of life and love, a voice that will seep into your mind like poison, and thirsty for the blood of pure souls. Despite her knowing it could be all lies, woven into an intricate web to prevent her escape, she trembled in fear.
“Not yet.”
Moon asks Earth to wait one more cycle, one more day for her escape. She returns to Sun, hoping she can get him to change his prideful ways, though Earth tries to convince her otherwise, insisting that she leave, lest she bring war to the Gods.
She tells Sun that she is afraid of him, of his behavior and violence. He grows angry at her words, convinced she was going to leave and lashed out at her with his fiery power. He tries to grab her with burning hands… And she flees the Heavens, home of the Gods, in search of Earth.
She finds them, tending to their child Nature, and pleads to take her to Darkness. Upon hearing why, Earth was enraged and shook, every living thing feeling their wrath. When they were calm, they led the Moon to Darkness within his Realm of night. Earth tells him of Moon’s fear and Sun’s rage, asks him to keep her safe. He appeared as Sun had said, all except his eyes. They were the darkest obsidian, but there was only softness and love within them.
He was calm and gentle and spoke softly upon seeing Moon’s fear of him. A cloak of the cosmos wrapped around him and a crown of smoke rested on his head, with horns curled like a ram. His face was masked in white ribbon and when his clawed hands reached to her, he did not touch her without permission.
“You are safe here, dearest Moon.”
In the Heavens, Sun searched. Unable to rest, to sleep without her peaceful melody, he raged on and on. Earth told him to stop such madness, that this was why Moon had vanished from his grasp. He seethed in anger and harmed Earth, burning their flesh and cursing her to burn eternally until his Moon was returned.
Moon had grown to love the peace Darkness brought and allowed him to touch her. Her lullaby did not affect him, only making him pause in awe. He would smile and hold her when she slept, cradled within his cloak and held close to his chest. Warm and safe. She would dream… And would only sing for him.
“Your song is beyond compare, precious.”
And so Moon fell in love with Darkness.
She discovered Sun was right about many things. His claws were sharp and could tear her apart, his teeth could make her bleed and cry, to stain her clothes of blue in crimson, his eyes were black and like smooth pearls, his voice twirled in her mind and danced with her thoughts, and he was indeed so thirsty. His claws were gentle and cradled her, though never without her word, his teeth would caress her pale flesh and never once did he make her cry with pain, his eyes shimmered and looked upon her body and soul with adoration and love for he held no malice or ill intent towards her, his voice was only praise and worship of her beauty, soothing her restless, troubled thoughts, and his thirst was only to hear his name pour from those soft lips, to taste her sweet music and never shall the tears in her eyes fall from fear… Only bliss.
And thus, Darkness fell in love with Moon.
However, Moon became aware of Earth’s suffering and seeing them burn and cry for relief, she knew who had caused it. He held her, pleading for her to not return, to not risk her life or the life of those she held dear, but she smiled and kissed his teeth, knowing what she must do.
“I must return, Darkness… I cannot allow Earth to suffer so… Please… Please do not forget me.”
Once more, she fled, but Darkness did not stop her for it was not his right to control her. Instead, he wept, knowing that her returning to Sun could only spell her demise. Her request of remembrance told him that she knew as well.
Darkness refused to be silent, running after her to the Heavens, to protect her. He left the realm of night, leaving the people of Earth in a perpetual twilight. The Heavens were in uproar, Gods pitted against each other, beasts of forbidden magic and monsters of suffering arose, humans crying out for the pain of Earth to cease… And Moon’s lullaby was heard.
She approached, but the Sun’s fury was unquenchable. He refused to back down from his pride, even as her song reached his ears. Earth begged her not to, knowing if she returned to Sun, only suffering would follow. The god of Nature, just a child and not understanding his parent’s pain, moved to see Sun and what Sun had caused. Nature cried seeing the scars his parent bore and the waters that flowed from his eyes soothed their wounds.
Still, Moon sang.
But Sun refused to listen. His voice shook the Cosmos, his rage evident in his voice. Something had changed, he could tell. Her glow was different… Powerful. Looking upon her belly, he saw her with child, the child of Darkness, and he ignited in vengeful fury.
“I WILL BURN THE BEAST FROM YOUR WOMB!!!”
His hands reached for her once again to fulfill what he had said, but to no avail. Darkness moved between them, wrapping her in his embrace and cursing those who have dared to harm his beloved and child to an endless slumber, never to awaken and never to hurt her again. He looked far too long at Sun, though refused to reveal Moon from his cloak. He had been blinded to protect his lover and child. As he spoke, his love and passion and desire was heard by the Heavens, his curse was made so. All those who have harmed her and those who intend to do her harm, will sleep for eternity. Sun fell into the deepest slumber, his fire quenched only by his dreaming. As the fire settled, so did the Heavens.
Existence, the Cosmos, was calm once again.
Earth married Moon and Darkness as one so where Darkness goes, Moon shall follow. Their child would be blessed by night and day alike and no harm will come by their hand or otherwise.
“May you dance in the night and rest by day and may the feathers that fall from your wings light the way for those upon me.”
Every dance Moon took with Darkness, a feather with drop from her wings, a star within the realm of night. Her lullaby she now sung with confidence, so that all creatures, except those of night, will slumber come dusk. The child of Moon and Darkness… The God of Wonder and Awe, of Tranquility and Calm, of Love and Purity.
Their second child was named Calamity, the god of Chaos and Ruin, of War and Death, of the Unsettled and Evil, though Calamity himself was not any of these things. The Cosmos needed balance, Light and Dark, Calamity and Tranquility, Life and Death.
In the Heavens, Sun would awaken, briefly, and fire would consume his chambers. To calm his flames, Moon would travel to dawn and sing, no longer afraid of him or his fury.
And when she is truly at peace, Moon and Darkness shall dance as if it is their first… And the stars will fall to Earth, who catches each one, and the people upon them will gaze at her in wonder.
