They say the universe began when The Seven awoke. While even they could not verify the nature of this claim for all intents and purposes it was true for as far as they could tell none had existed in this world prior to them. It was certainly not a world that birthed life easily for there was nothing in it, no suns, no moons, no planets, plants, people and not even a single atom. This empty void had not even created them for they say, they had been brought here from another reality entirely.

They say The Seven were formless when first brought here, although the truly devout followers of Scientia have heard it said that before their arrival, they had forms much like a hufolk. Each had gone to bed, their lives normal and humble and awoke to find themselves in complete and utter darkness, with no feeling, no sight and no sound.

Many screamed an internal scream, with no mouth to make any true noise with and desperately thrashed with limbs that were not there. Others tried to remain calm, imagined themselves breathing deep breaths and assured themselves it was just a dream. And it is said, just one of The Seven began his experiments, and in doing, began the first act of creation.

Acknowledging his lack of sight, he attempted to move his body and quickly realised that he couldn’t feel anything. This worried him, of course, but less so than the others.

“A dream?” he thought curiously “Or perhaps this is death? I certainly hope not, an eternity of conscious nothingness would be boooorrrinnng. Okay. So, let’s assume this is a dream. Why am I able to think? If this truly is a dream then…Yes! At last! A lucid dream!

What he willed became true and a pair of eyes formed out of the nothingness, the first physical thing to appear in this universe. They were yellow and cruel, with no iris and a small glittering pupil in their centre. At first, he saw nothing and worried his assumptions were wrong and that he was truly dead after all. But then, instinctually, he blinked, and he felt his eyelid touch his eye and rejoiced!

In front of his eyes, he created his hands, slowly and carefully, each long black claw perfectly bent and crooked, his red skin strangely leathery and the backs of his hands covered in mangy hair. Enraptured, he grew the rest of his arm, gifting himself incredible muscles and thick yellow veins which pulsated in time with the heart he had yet to create. His torso and legs were given the same treatment, each as muscular as his arms, his toenails as clawed as his fingernails and sprouting from his back came a long-pointed tail. At last came his face, sharp and menacing.

First came his chin, jutting out from his head. Then came his mouth, grinning with teeth, filed down to a point. The skin kept growing, giving him nose and ears, before flowing around those vicious eyes and over his head. He neglected to give himself hair, instead opting to sprout two curved obsidian horns from each side of his skull. And thus, born was Damon, God of Evil.

“To all those who despise me” he declared, voice raspy and theatrical, yet a little uncertain as if he was testing it for the first time, “you had better be afraid. For all you who avoid me, won’t date me and would rather cancel me than appreciate me, I have the power in my own mind. And I-“

He was cut off. An eighth being appeared out of the nothingness. Dismissively, Damon tried to wave the new figure away as they were not part of his perfect dream, before realising he couldn’t and he vanished his physical form to reassess the situation, thoughts of revenge still on his mind.

To say the figure was bright would be an understatement. Their outline was barely visible amongst the shining aura that surrounded them, a light so radiant that those who had not made their forms yet could still see it, for you did not need eyes to witness this light, for it was a divine light, visible to all.

Even Damon, with the powerful eyes he had created could not properly make out the figure within the light, only barely being able to identify a humanoid form and he certainly could not make out the figure opening his mouth to speak.

“Welcome, to your world, ye gifted and do not be afraid!” Did they even open their mouth to talk? The words had appeared in The Sevens minds, a fact that we should all be grateful for, for our creators had not yet created ears to hear with.

The voice, they say, was neither deep nor, high, nor any pitch in between. It was not loud, nor quiet, and it had no accent to speak of, no fluctuations in tone, no personality at all. And yet, when the voice was heard, you heard the mood of its speaker, heard the exclamation marks, carelessly tossed into each sentence. It was a grand voice and yet one utterly alien to The Seven and all their creations.

The voice came again. “I am God and you are my creations! Ye of Earth, I made your universe many billions of years ago in an act of utter boredom, when I became no longer content to stare into the nothingness of the abyss any longer! And lo, for billions of years I was content again to watch the universe form, delighting in the spin of dust as it formed suns and planets, watching those grander specks of dust spin and spin, occasionally crashing or exploding in wonderful displays of force! Alas, I grew bored again! But as I considered my second act of creation a miracle happened! Not one of my own design, no, but a miracle of one seemingly insignificant corner of the cosmos! Earth! It had formed life without my knowledge and by the time I paid it the attention it deserved I found something incredible! I had been usurped, no longer the lone creator of the universe, as these small “humans” had created things of their own! Ah, and the thing I was most marvelled by was meaning! You “humans” had created meaning from the accident from which you were born and told wonderful stories of gods creating the Earth, the stars and mankind itself! These stories evolved and soon you created many more stories and entertainment and I delighted to watch the birth of “the video game”, the “musical theatre” and the “GAME SHOW”! Devices meant to engage and immerse a player, stories told in mediums bizarre and strange and shows made for its audience to watch the struggle of your fellow man, pray for their success and reward, or their failure and occasional punishment! I have been moved into my second act of creation! I have given you “humans” the true power of creation you always desired, the world of gods and purposeful creation that of which you have always dreamed! Consider it my own game show, as I will watch your struggles with great enjoyment! Create a world for me, one of your “fantasy genre” worlds and if you please me, you may be rewarded and if you fail I shall with heavy heart enact your punishment! Do not disappoint now, ye seven, the powers of true creation are at your fingertips, wish it and it shall be done! Go forth! Make your world!”

The light winked out and the universe was dark once again. There was a pause as the seven couldn’t even coherently think, so amazed they were, so scared they were and how excited they were. But the silence of the universe would soon be interrupted by a loud pop as a woman burst into existence, fully formed, an exact replica as she was in her past life. And thus, born was Naturum, Goddess of Nature.

Her eyes sparkled with delight and her blonde hair shone, her mouth twitched into an excited, nervous smile.

“Well, guess we’re gonna be making a world together for a wierdo god on pain of death! Worst. Group project. Ever.” And thus, with this sunny utterance began the meeting of the gods.