Chapter 2: Of Kulsashil and Xiahwen

And so Sceme rested, her universe created and the Yarn of Tales knitting in her hands, the stars and planets and nebula and superclustors and a great many other objects made. But a sense came over her. She had her universe but nothing to entertain her. Were she not infinite, this would have revitalized her weary body.

She was the dream of the sleeping and mighty Mystrial, God of Dreams. For him, she would weave a fantastic story into the Yarn of Tales. And so she began by making two children of her own. One was a girl blessed with the attributes of light and life. The other a boy graced with darkness and death.

As life happens before death, the girl was the elder of the two, if only by a small margin. Her body was made of light with a slender physique, long hair and tail, and white eyes. Her name was given as Xiahwen, mother of life. She quickly became Sceme's favorite child out of her hundreds of thousands to soon be made.

The boy and younger of the two was named Kulsashil, dark death. Opposite of Xiahwen, he was made of shadow and had a lithe body, rugged hair and tail, and yellow eyes. He was the mightiest out of the children of Sceme. Sceme was also quite fond of him, for a great many reasons.

With a dance, Xiahwen gave the universe a blinding light. Kulsashil balanced this with a clap of his hands as darkness began to reconsume the world and forms of this world all knew shadow.

And thus Sceme began making more and more gods until they rivaled half a million strong. Each were given their own attributes and rank in those attributes. Kulsashil and Xiahwen were now the High Gods of their powers, with many servants beneath them.

Sceme instructed her gods to make her universe rich with the many wonderous things they had been given. Without question, they scattered across the young universe and began enhancing the world she had laid out for them.

Yet there was strife...

Kulsashil could not make anything. He could only take away. When he was fascinated by the stars, they died to his touch. When the gods of life made their seeds of life, they would wither in his hands. Everywhere he went, he was surrounded in shadow. This saddened him greatly.

For years, this would happen. And for years it made him even more sad.

Kulsashil came to his resting mother Sceme and asked her a question.

"Oh Greatest Mother, Sceme," he said. "When I try to appreciate the things my younger siblings make, they fade away, causing dismay to my siblings. When I try to enjoy the light, it cannot pierce me so I cannot feel it's warmth. Am I not your strongest son? Am I not your favorite son?"

"Kulsashil." Sceme replied. "Yes you are. For both of your questions, this is true. These happen because they are your opposites. Your natures are shadow and death. What follows in your wake is exactly that."

Kulsashil recoiled at this thought and spoke again.

"Why would you give me such detestable and destructive powers? Am I not meant to enjoy the makings of my siblings? Am I not meant to be happy among them?"

Realizing her son was in distress, Sceme arose from her rest. She gestured him to move closer to her and gave him a warm smile. With a soothing tone and loving embrace of her child, she spoke once more.

"My dearest Kulsashil. It is because you are so strong that I deemed you worthy of these powers. Even Xiawhen would not be able to control the dark. Nor could any of the others handle the power of death. But do not think I forgot about your happiness."

She pointed towards the rest of the death gods.

"They are all your siblings, Kulsashil."

She pointed to Xiahwen.

"She is still your loving sister."

She pointed to the rest of the gods.

"They are still your siblings. They will love you just as I do, Kulsashil. Your power is not meant for creation. All things need a good ending. You are that ending, my son."

Kulsashil was dismayed but held back his expression to his mother.

"What would you ask of me then, mother?" he said.

"That you appreciate these things from a distance and enjoy yourself with the gods. Let things be for now. You will show the beauty of your nature in time."

With this, Kulsashil left his mother to her devices and the Yarn of Tales. On his way out, he encountered his sister, Xiawhen.

"Salutations, my beautiful and dark brother. What brings you to mother?" she said.

"Dearest bright sister... what must it be like to create life? I am afraid I shall never know the joy of it. For all I can do is destroy." he said vainly.

A surprised look came from Xiawhen's face. "Brother, your power is the greatest of all. The power of the end. You should be proud mother chose you as the arbiter of fate."

Kulsashil shrugged and headed off. "That will not stop me from trying. If I am so powerful, then I will make something and contribute to this universe. No more will I only take away."

With this, Kulsashil left to the shouts of a worried Xiawhen and arrived to a star far away. As the star began to die in his presence, he poured all of his willpower to keep it alive.

At this influx of strength, the star exploded with great ferocity, blinding Kulsashil momentarily. When he regained his vision, what he was certain was a failure had produced an interesting result in the universe.

In front of him, gathering the light and matter where once was a star, sat a black sphere. The light and matter disappeared into the small voidlike structure as if violently sucked into it. Kulsashil examined it closer.

A booming voice surprised him as he saw Xiawhen, Sceme, and the rest of the gods arrive to see this creation.

"What have you done, my son?" Sceme spoke with authority. "Have you actually moved against my own wishes and my own plan?"

Kulsashil cowered in fear of Sceme and prostrated himself before her. "No, Greatest Mother! I did not mean to offend you! I meant only to contribute to this world out of inspiration of you and Xiawhen. Please, be not angry with me!"

Sceme looked at the dark sphere and angrily looked back at her cowering son. Her anger left her at his pathetic sight. What mother could not understand the hurt her child was in?

"Stand up, Kulsashil. My son, you have done nothing entirely wrong. It was perhaps foolhardy of me to expect you, who can only take, to be content with this. I should have given you something you could create, like all the others."

Kulsashil looked up to his mother. "You are not angry with me?"

Sceme gave Kulsashil an embrace and rested her chin on his head.

"I was. But I realize the pain you felt. If it will make you feel like you have contributed, this creation shall become a part of this universe. We will simply call it a black hole."

"This is all I wanted, my mother. All I wanted. Thank you." Kulsashil said with tears in his eyes.

And with this, the universe was mostly complete and all was well for a time.