Creationism - AH AU Chapter 1

With every exhale, he breathed new life into the world. Deft hands molded the landscape, painted the sky and threw stars into existence. Mountains rose from the ball like clay. Water filled in where the hearth had receded, creating a vast ocean and many lakes. Magma boiled beneath the fresh crust, waiting to be released. Wherever he raked his fingers, grass and trees sprung up. With it, came the first animals. They stumbled about, braying, mewing, and crying out with new lungs. Kingdoms rose across the expanses and all was peaceful on the beautiful, infantile planet.

Geoff looked upon it, cradled it in his palm and smiled serenely. Yes, it was magnificent, but it was incomplete. This new world would be his home. For too long he resided among the cosmos, sitting upon a lofty throne of stars and power. For too long he has been alone. Yes, he would make this his true home.

As the planet turned in his hand, he contemplated the six kingdoms. One would be his, marked by a grand monolith and resting in the center of the rest. The other five jutted out from his, like the points of a star. They would be his successors. He stared upon each region, drawing in power from his core and envisioning the five. They would be special; powerful and immortal. He would never be alone again.

Removing his hand from the planet slowly, he grinned as it remained suspended in space. He closed his eyes and felt his body shrink and move rapidly. Almost instantaneously he was hovering above the surface of the planet in the midst of a forest. While still grand in appearance, he was nowhere near as gargantuan as before. He could hardly talk to his creations in such a state.

Waving a hand over an expanse of grass, it melted away and from it came an odd tan stretch of ground, unlike the rest of the world. It looked soft, malleable.  He curled his fingers, as if grasping the air, and pulled it toward his chest. As he did that, the breadth of pliant earth boiled. Shapes grew and fell. A divine sort of energy electrified the air all around. Creatures of the forest, compelled by the sensation, came forth and watched with wide, innocent eyes.

Geoff hovered over the bubbling surface and watched the shapes for a moment before drawing a knife from his belt. He held his hand out, and with a swift, precise movement, made a cut across his palm. Golden blood, ichor, flowed from the wound. He turned his hand and watched his divine essence drip into the mixture below. As a whole, it seemed to shudder, taking on a glow for a moment, before all activity ceased. The wound on his hand stitched itself closed as he drifted backward, granting the supple composite room to work.

The stilled surface broke and five silhouettes began to take shape. From the clay, unfinished arms pulled still forming bodies upward. Legs grew as they drew grotesque, almost shapeless figures skyward. It was almost monstrous to look upon, and many creatures fled from the abominations, but the Allfather did not. He merely smiled at his growing creations. To him, it was a beautiful and magnificent sight.

The first set of lips split and Geoff could hear a ragged intake into nubile lungs. Faces began forming, bodies took shape, and hair grew. They all looked so different, yet they all held the same blood in their veins; His blood. Their eyes were wide as they looked around, seeing the world for the first time. Each seemed so very shocked, particularly upon seeing one another. It made Geoff chuckle.

At the sound, the small crowd jumped and looked at him. Their eyes, if possible, grew wider and they stumbled back from him. It was understandable. They were only just given life. There they stood, nubile and naked, open to any attack. To see him floating there, so much larger than them, draped with a cape holding the night sky and constellations dancing across his armor, must have been unsettling. The sheer power he emitted as well did nothing to ease them. With a slight gesture of the hand, simple clothes covered their bare flesh. It shocked them further, but a look of mild gratitude and awe danced across their faces.

Geoff looked at them, taking note of their appearances and stances. The furthest to the left was somewhat crouched, looking prepared to run if need be. His figure was lean, made for agility and stealth. Beside him was another lean figure, taller and darker in skin tone. He appeared confident, ready for a battle. This one also had a nimble, agile build.  Next to him stood a burly figure with a grand beard. His  stance was purely defensive. From his posture and the look in his eyes, Geoff knew he did not contain a great amount of bloodlust, despite what his large frame might say. Then came a man of medium build. He was on the defensive as well, but the look in his eyes is what made Geoff realize that this one was quite intelligent, perhaps too much so. The brightest are the ones who go mad, and the Allfather knew this one would be the maddest. Finally, there was a male, smaller than the rest, but clearly the fiercest. His lips were pulled back in a snarl, pose ready to strike at any given moment. Yes, he would most certainly be the warrior.

The observations took a short moment. Geoff calmly drew nearer, and as he did so the group collectively moved backward. It almost sounded like the warrior one growled. In a sign of peace, Geoff held up his hands and spoke.

"Calm yourselves. I am not going to harm any of you."

As if his words held power of their own, the group visibly relaxed. He smiled once more before continued.

"Do you know who you are?"

They all looked puzzled as they thought. Who were they? Geoff waited patiently. They would each find the knowledge in themselves, just as they knew how to speak, walk, and fight. The information is already there, they just need to find it. It did not take long before awareness spread across each of their faces. Geoff merely gestured for the first to speak. He looked startled at all that he learned but after a moment, spoke. His voice held a foreign sort of accent.

"I'm...I'm Gavin Free."

Gavin looked surprised by his own voice. Geoff nodded before looking upon the one next to him. Knowing it was his turn, the man spoke up.

"I'm Ray Narvaez...Jr.?"

He seemed confused about the 'jr' part, causing Geoff to laugh a bit before looking at the next in line.

"Uh, hi. I'm Jack Pattillo."

Then came the next, the one with madness in his eyes.

"Ryan Haywood. Who...Who are you?"

With a benign smile, Geoff shook his head.

"All in good time, Ryan."

He then turned to the last man. It looked as if he were judging whether or not violence would be necessary right now. Giving Geoff and the rest a wary look, he finally spoke.

"Michael Jones."

The five men looked at Geoff expectantly. Despite how much they had relaxed, their was still an underlying tenor of tension as they stood before the deity. As Geoff spoke, it was clear just in the way life around them moved, grew, that he was the reason they stood now.

"I go by many names, but for now, you may just call me Allfather. I have created you five for very specific reasons. Reasons that I cannot share just yet. First and foremost, I have a task for you gents and lads. Are you ready to achieve it?"