Chapter 1- Prologue
There is no beginning within living memory. The tomes of the creation have been lost in time and the importance of the knowledge has faded over millennia. All that there is and will exist has been created by those with the strength to do so. Consciousness has no origin; it has always been here. Once singular, it has divided and spread far. Growing individually due to circumstances and stimuli too complex for the human mind to comprehend and continuing in the farthest corners of the cosmos.
The stars one sees through a telescope in a night sky have their own thoughts and desires. They also contain the will to manifest what is needed to meet those desires. Stars that form corporal bodies and figures are some of the most powerful, casting their recognizable likeness across the cosmos for all to admire. Physical forms require energy that takes years to build, compress, and store. When a star seems to blink to human eyes, some of that energy is being expelled.
The twelve most powerful constellations, which are known as the Zodiac, stay in physical forms more often than not. These powerful beings combined their conserved energy, intelligence, and desires to create life. A civilization where creatures could house the consciousness within their bodies. Building a utopia for all living things was the ultimate goal. Many attempts had been made to create this perfect civilization; each had failed miserably.
Each Zodiac had their own views on what would solve the problems they had faced, which led to a divide among the most powerful beings blessed with consciousness. Now divided, six of the Zodiacs began to create another universe with checks and balances in place. The remaining Zodiacs were resigned to sit back and watch their brothers and sisters try in vain to create the impossible.
The ambitious Goat set forth with creatures from their previous failed attempts. The Abraxies, Heirei, and Ferrymen were given specific jobs and roles catered to the lives they had lived in their now-extinct universes. Cautiously and optimistically, The Six created their new vessels for life. The human would be the answer to all their prayers for a utopian society. With bated breath, The Six found a planet for them to inhabit and assigned their other children to their roles.
The Abraxies were scaled-winged creatures charged with observing groups of humans. Terrifying creatures, they were the first of the Zodiacs' creations. Selfish and far too powerful, each attempt to form a functional society with them failed. Now, the Abraxies would observe the humans in their day-to-day lives, instructed to not intervene under any circumstance. Silent and invisible observers, the creatures would document and report all the witnessed sins to the Heirei.
As assistants to the Ferrymen, the Heirei would receive massive amounts of information and form a file for each individual human. Shrewd, quiet, and indifferent, the society with only Herei had been a cold world with an “Every man for himself” mentality. Their downfall had been due to a lack of interest to assist each other. Once a human life ends, the file created by the Herei would be handed over to the Ferryman to decide the soul’s fate.
The greatest disappointment of the Zodiacs, the Ferrymen were the most similar to the new humans. Less powerful than the Abraxies, and more empathetic than the Herei, their downfall had been their strong-willed natures. War and discord had been the demise of the Ferrymen. Their new purpose had been given in an attempt to humble them and try to break their spirits. With no direct influence in the humans’ lives, Ferrymen would decide what fate would await the consciousness given to the humans. Re-named “souls”, the consciousness would need to be assessed before being assigned to a new vessel. Souls who were free of sin would simply go through a cleansing and be released for rebirth into their next life. Those who had souls blackened by sin would be ferried to refinement. The soul would experience torment and pain equal to that of their sins. Once they had paid back the pain they had dealt in life, they too would be cleansed and sent for rebirth.
