The Abyssal War, Origin Myths

After the destruction of Tiamat, and the dispersion of all her legions, the hosts of heaven were called forth together in great Counsel. The Creator stood among His children, Anu and Lamnu, and Isana their sister. Anshar and Kishar stood together and mourned with Nodemi the loss of their sisters. Mabar joined them, the silver blood of Tia still wreathing him like smoke, and penitent Sheshki looked on from afar. There also were the children of the gods, and the Fair, and the eldest dragons.

Then the Creator called forth Lamnu, and questioning him, did ask, "Know ye not how the gate of thy sister Enki was overthrown, and her habitations left desolate?"

And Lamnu answered, saying, "Yeah, Father, am I the guardian of all my siblings? Yet would I have guarded her eternally, but Tia did obscure even Thy vision. How should I then know what Ye did not? And now we mourn."

"Seekest thou to obscure thy works of darkness from me, thy Father?" The Creator bowed His head in sorrow. "Even now will I pardon thee, and thou confess and repair the damage which thou hast done to the heavens and to thy family."

"I know not of that which thou accuseth me," Lamnu answered. "Wherefore have I cause to repent? What have thou against me, Thy faithful son, who sought always Thy will?"

"This I, Thy Creator, do know. In the days of our peace thou didst wander far, even outside the limits of heaven, yea, even beyond the fourth gate, and there did encounter an abomination of Apothis, yea, even the Abyssal of Lies, and did war with him. And now, my son, the darkness has entered into you, and thou hast become the father of lies, because of thy pride, because thou wouldst not call for the aide of thy brothers, nor thy sisters, nor even thy Father, in the darkness where thou fought. And the spirit of lies did possess you that you did come near unto thy sister Enki, and did break down her gate and consume her dwelling place, that she did flee before thee. And behold, she has been taken into the hand of the Almighty, and even I, her Father, know not where he has taken her. And behold, other Abyssals have entered by the broken gate, yeah, the Abyssal of Death, and the Abyssal of Madness, the Abyssal of Pain, and the Abyssal of Destruction, and they have engorged thy sister with their sins, and even now do they lie waiting for the children of heaven. And even other Abyssals have entered my garden. Yea, and even thou hast hidden away the fountains of life which belonged to thy sister Tia. Yea, and all this would I forgive thee, and thou acknowledge thy fault and return unto me."

Then Lamnu protested for vehemently, but the eyes of the congregation were turned towards him, that they did perceive the Abyss of Lies which did still dwell within him. And Anu did turn his face in sorrow from his brother, and the heart of Nodemi turned cold as winter to see what Lamnu her beloved had done unto Enki her closest sister. And when Lamnu did see that the eyes of heaven were turned upon him, he did fear, and did anger against them, and did rally his armies, yea, even a third of the hosts of heaven did he turn with him, that he might rebel against heaven and his Father. And the Creator cast out Lamnu and his followers from heaven, yea, beyond the fifth gate, into darkness, and chained him there to bar the way in everlasting torment. And thus Lamnu son of the morning became Lucifer, that great satan, and terrible was his fall and those who followed him. And all the hosts of heaven did mourn for so great a destruction, for the daughters of heaven and the son of perdition, and for all the Fallen.

Then did the Creator call forth Sheshki, child of Tia, and Maia, daughter of Isana. Maia and Sheshki stood together before their Maker in fear and trembling. "Didst thou not take the fountains of Tia thy mother, and hide them in my Garden?"

And Sheshki did answer, "Father, in the battle Lamnu did bring the fountain of life to me, and I did take them, and hid them with one who I trust above all others."

Now the Creator did turn unto Maia, daughter of Isana, and asked, "Daughter, didst thou not receive the fountains of Tia, and are they not now with thee? Wherefore no son may keep the fountains of life, but only the daughters of heaven."

Maia answered, saying, "Father, Thou knowest that I did receive the fountains of Tia from Sheshki, and if Thou wilt take them again to Thyself, I will give them unto Thee. I ask only to share in the punishment of Sheshki, whatever that may be."

The Creator said, "Yeah, because of the things which each of ye have done, ye shall be joined together, that none shall ever separate you. And this shall be your purpose, and the purpose of all my children, that ye shall overcome those Abyssals which have entered into my garden. And behold, I am ever with you and among you, therefore fear not."

Therefore the hosts of heaven did speed through the Garden of the Gods, and seeking did find the Abyssals which had infected the garden. And the First was Mabar, who seeking did find an Abyssal that did cause the darkness to chitter and false visions to appear. And behold, an Abyssal did accompany the first, and it was greater and more terrible, and it did consume the veils of heaven. And Mabar did fight these two like a young lion, and his roar did shake the worlds. And the first did cloud his vision, and the second did enter into the abode of Mabar, that Mabar did fight against the hosts of heaven. But behold, the voice of the Creator was with the spirit of Mabar, and did whisper unto him. And Mabar harkened unto the voice of the Creator, and within his own abode he bade the first Abyssal enter, and he named the first Abyssal, Madness. And Mabar did call unto him the second Abyssal, and he named the second, Destruction. And behold, the dwelling place of Mabar was destroyed utterly, and Mabar was left desolate, yet the Abyssal of Destruction did consume the Abyssal of Madness, and the Abyssal of Madness did expunge the Abyssal of Destruction. And Mabar was granted blessings of the Creator, and did become the Dreamer.

And behold, Sheshki and Maia did search far in the Garden of the Gods, and among the remnants of Tiamat, they did find the hidden Abyssal, true child of Apothis, the Abyss at the end of all roads. And Maia and Sheshki did battle the Abyssal, and did name him Death. And behold, Death was strong, yea, more powerful even that Tiamat, who lay broken, and when Death raised his head and gazed upon the stars, all the heavens trembled. None could prevail against Death, and Atrophy held sway for a time in the Garden. Then Maia and Sheshki, youngest of the gods, did sacrifice themselves, and did open their dwelling places, that the heavens be not ended by Death. And in that moment the Creator gave them of the fountains of Life, that Death was chained to the living. And now behold, all the children of Maia and Sheshki must overcome death, that they too may receive the fountains of life.

Now therefore Anu did see the sorrow and suffering of all the children of heaven, and did perceive the Abyssal of Pain. And Anu did bow down before the Creator, and humbling himself did go among the mortal children of Maia and Sheshki, and did suffer himself all the suffering of existence. Thus did Anu overcome the Abyss of Despair, of Sin and and the Unclean Thing. And through his pain Anu did comprehend all things, that he became even like unto his Father. Through the love of Anu the Redeemer, the Firstborn, all the heavens are renewed, that they may overcome the powers of Apothis.