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Death of the Gods
Erebus and Nyx
This tale of love and hate begins in the times long gone, when the continent of Akvilon was virginal and beautiful. There was no war, or death, or violence, or despair - only hope for a prosperous and flourishing world. Gods lived in harmony with each other, they all worked hard, and each tried to give something of their divine nature to the new world. And this is just what happened - everything that exists, every element of Akvilon contained some of the Gods in itself, their wisdom and divine nature. This should have provided some balance and order in the world, at least for a time.
When the creation of the world was completed, Gods began to fill it with living creatures. First, they created the birds - as a tribute to the sky and everything sacred. In the second place, they created the denizens of the seas, rivers, and oceans - as a tribute to the life-giving and life-taking water. Finally, they created animals to fill the land - as a tribute to Mother Earth, who feeds all living creatures and serves as the last resting place for everyone in the world. However, when time came to create humans and other sentient creatures, the Council of Gods was in disagreement for the first time. Many of them acknowledged the power and wisdom of great Svarog, and trusted him to breathe life into people. However, Khronos, God of time and space, knew that Svarog was ambitious, and that his desire to become an absolute ruler will lead to conflict and destruction of the new world. He said that he would complete his part in creation of the world, if he would be given a portion of land, where he could raise his followers. One day, they were destined to save the world.
The Gods agreed, and Svarog gave people a part of himself, sharing his life and creator's right with them, thus establishing his complete power over them. Meanwhile, Khronos left the Council of Gods and secluded himself far away from the Akvilon continent. He raised a scrap of earth from the depths of the Great Ocean and called it Atlantis. Soon, this land was populated with the first inhabitants - Atlantians. First among the Atlantians was Erebus - firstborn son of Khronos, he inherited his Divine Father's power, and was equal to him. The second of Atlantians was Nyx, a woman of unheard of beauty. Her only equals were the stars in the night sky, beautiful and cold. Khronos ordered them to become the progenitors of the entire Atlantian race, and to teach their children to respect the Divine Father.
As Khronos warned the Gods, the continent of Akvilon was divided into two opposing factions - Yavi, populated with Svarog's followers, and Navi, populated with the followers of the Black Serpent.
When the situation on the continent went out of control, Khronos came back and, prophesying the fall of new Akvilon, demanded that the Gods would give the Atlantians the tools, necessary for re-creation of the world. Khronos accused Svarog himself in starting the war between Navi and Yavi, and ordered him to pay for his mistakes in blood, to tame the fire of his heart. Svarog was ordered to build twelve Pillars from Alatyr's shards. Five of them were to contain the power of the firstborn world. Six of them were to contain his power and pain at the irreparable fate of his creation. Khronos was to trap in the last column time itself, and place that column in the middle of the heaven's vault.
Svarog obeyed Khronos and the Council of Gods, who willingly sacrificed themselves in order to re-create the world, and surrendered the map, on which all of the Pillars of Power were shown. Khronos gave the map to his son, but made him promise that he and his descendants will live humbly, that they will not interfere in Akvilon's affairs and that they will use the Pillars of Power only in absolute emergency. Erebus loved his father and vowed to follow his orders and, at the right time, to use the Pillars of Power, and stop the world from collapsing into chaos. He and his wife Nyx vowed to raise their children according to Khronos' orders, in humility and wisdom.
When the Black Serpent heard about the Gods decision, he was enraged. He never even thought that the Gods will dare to do this, and would pass the tools for re-creation of the world into the mortal hands, even if those people were their children. The Serpent decided to steal the map from Erebus, and take over the Pillars of Power. This would give him more power in his battle with Svarog. However, the Serpent was terrified of Erebus, because he could control time. There was only one chink in his armor - his wife, Nyx. The Serpent stole Nyx from the Atlantis and carried her away to his temple in the depths of the Black Mountain. Then, in exchange for the woman, he demanded the map of the Pillars, because he knew that, without the Pillars, Erebus power only spread as far as the land of Atlantis. When Erebus heard the Serpent's demands, he asked his father for permission to use the Pillars, but his request was refused. Khronos prohibited Erebus from using the Power of the Pillars, because neither he nor the world was ready for this. He told him to treat the kidnapping of his wife as a test. In humble obedience with his father's will, Erebus went to the Black mountains to meet his fate.
Nobody truly knows what happened in the temple of the Black Serpent, but the Atlantian chronicles tell of the great battle between Erebus and the Serpent, and of the Atlantian victory. In the heat of battle, the Serpent claimed the map, but Erebus managed to destroy it right in the beast's paws. The map of the Pillars of Power has been lost for many centuries. Therefore, the Pillars did not serve the Serpent's evil purpose, and kept their secret until their time came. Erebus and Nyx returned to Atlantis and became the progenitors of the entire Atlantian race. Erebus' great courage won him a place in memory and respect as an equal to his Divine Father. This is how the first Great House of Erebus was created, the caste of most loyal, brave, clever warriors and priests. From that time on, the Atlantians lived on their island, without attracting undue attention until the time when the world would need their help.
After his defeat at the temple, the Black Serpent left Atlantians in peace. He concentrated his powers on building up his armies and fortifying his position on Akvilon. The thirst for power still burns in his black heart, and not a day goes by that he does not try to find the Pillars of Power. Khronos appeared to Erebus on his return home and told him that there will be a time when he or his descendants will find the Pillars and save the world, for this was their fate. This is the last time that Erebus saw his father.
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