THE
THREE KEYS
Part Three: The Key of Mind
Chapter
4: Birth of Bagan
A voice filled the air around Black16, as a great multitude speaking in harmony,
"Come unto Me, My child, for thou hast yet more to learn."
Black16 fell to one knee, and then looked into the door of the temple.
"I come my Lord!" he called as he ran up the steps.
The Temple was vast, with pillars lining the sides. The stones of the
building themselves seemed to burn with power. At the end of the chamber
was the throne of Elohem, and upon it the Maker Himself. Black16 knelt
before Him and quietly asked, "My Lord, I have come as You have commanded.
Will You tell me now of..." Elohem interrupted. "Yes My
child, the one I have strengthened. I shall tell thee all."
Black16 spoke up once more. "My Lord, can Abbadon truly destroy a
world? Why does this beast have such an evil power?"
"The wind when it hast grown strong shall fell even a great tree. The
brook upon the mountainside shall wear away the stones through the dance of
time. The sea upon the shore shall smite the rocks to sand. The
stars die over the eons, and cast their dust into the Deep. And the body
of those of the Living shall fade into the ground."
Black16 looked puzzled. "I'm not sure I understand, my Lord.
What does any of this have to do with Abbadon? You speak of trees and
mountains, but what do these things have to do with the Destroyer?"
"All that hast been created shall verily fade into naught. And in
that time I shall make it anew. Abbadon is the Destroyer, who you call
Bagan, and over the millennia he saps Creation of its vitality as it falls into
chaos. Destruction, be it great or small, is the work of Abbadon.
For the material hast been given over to decay, for such is its necessity.
Without the decay of the material, the Life that I so cherish would perish from
Creation. For this reason I created Abbadon, that those worlds that have
ceased to live shall be un-made."
Black16 was silent for a moment, then nodded. "I believe I understand
now. But if Abbadon is simply chaos incarnate, as Thantos is death and
Khakmowth is wisdom, then why was he sealed away? Are they not all the
Stokhion, Your servants?"
"Indeed, the elements are all My servants, and all submit to My will, for
they are My creations. But the shadow of evil has cast itself upon them.
Abbadon was most tainted of the Stokhion and so his power was diminished for the
good of creation. No longer is he able to un-make worlds without a command
from another. I set a limit upon Abbadon that only the will of a mortal of
My creation would direct his utmost power, thus Levah was cut off from the
power that he had pursued. But he found another path by which he might
reach the power of Abbadon. By bending the mind of a mortal. For
this reason Levah directed the aspirations of Daneasaur, with whispers of truth
woven with lies, so that he might awaken the beast."
Black16 looked unsure for a moment then spoke again. "My Lord, if
Abbadon's power is but over chaos and destruction, then why did Daneasaur
believe that he had the power to remake a world after it had been un-made?
Is that not outside Abbadon's authority?"
"Daneasaur wished that Creation be purged of those who destroy it and to
remake the worlds in his own design, but he was deceived by the Father of Lies.
Levah wished only for a way to fight Me, and sought a weapon that he could
wield. In his search he found My love for Creation. Levah believed
that if he could threaten all life, that I might give in to his demands for a
myriad of Worlds to govern. And so he seeks the power of Abbadon."
"My Lord, how did it come that Abbadon was sealed away from Creation?
Was this the doing of the Avatars of Light?"
"Yes My child. It was through them that I worked to seal away Abbadon.
The Avatars were a force of great power with the strength that I poured out unto
them, conquering the minions of Daneasaur and sealing away the Destroyer once
more. As you know, Three Keys were wrought to control the gateway to the
realm Abbadon was cast into, and these Keys were scattered around your world.
When brought together, they have the power to open the door once again."
Black16 stood in silence. "Then if the forces of Soddom find the
keys, my world is doomed..."
