Chapter Text
A very, very long time ago there was nothing. No color, no feeling, not sight, nothing at all. Then all at once there was everything and the universe was born. Stars twinkled into existence as the nothingness swirled into colors of all kinds. Light entered the world revealing planets and asteroids and also a darkness that seemed to go unnoticed before there was light, and it made the universe so much more amazing. Everything was in total bliss. Then something new appeared, Gods... And they were beautiful. They all lived together peacefully across the universe, until one day something new happened.
The Goddess Aphra was walking among the stars. She was in her preferred form towering at twenty feet with light brown shoulder length hair and olive skin. She was a fairly new goddess who had not found her purpose yet. A purpose is something every god has, from something as big as the stars to something as small as a leaf. She was playing with her magic when she got an idea... what would happen if she combined her magic with physical matter? She looked around for something suitable she could put her magic into. She gazed at the stars around her, then she spotted it! If you looked closely enough at the stars you can see tinier stars coming off of them and drifting out into the darkness, star dust. Carefully as not to destroy the star Aphra scooped up a handful of the shining dust, she then closed her eyes and focused her magic into the dust. Suddenly there was a the dust started to take shape and with a flash it transformed into a creature unlike any Aphra had ever seen. Sitting in her palm was a green creature with scaly skin that was smooth to touch. The body long and slender and the head was diamond shaped. It looked like a creature sometimes found on planets called snakes. 'But this is not a snake' Aphra thought, this creature was far bigger and seemed more pronounced. Aphra looked harder until she saw something that made her gasp. Unlike the snakes and other creatures sometimes found on planets this ones soul is different. While the other creatures have souls like small white balls this one has one that looks like an upside down heart. That is exactly what God's souls look like too, but there is something off. While God's souls have different colors this creature's soul is pure white. Looking back at the creature's face Aphra saw that it opened it's eyes and they were full of life staring right into her own, studying her. Aphra stared back until the creature began to move, slithering forward on her palm towards her breaking Aphra out of her trance. "I need to show you to the ruler." Aphra whispered to the creature before hurrying across the stars to where the ruler lives with the elders, excited of what they will think of this new life she created.
~~~~~~~~~
Eden stood in the sand with waves of water pooling around their bare feet as they watched creatures called dolphins play. Eden stood completely still as they soaked in the peace, this was their first alone time since waking up this morning. Today they had to travel with the elders to go check one the gods living on the outer edge of the universe. They had to check if it was save to pass the point point deemed safe for new gods who seem to appear every day. Their universe was growing. After the successful check they returned to the planet in the center of the universe. The planet was teaming with life of creatures and plants that covered it's surface. This is where the ruler lived with all the elders. Now the planet had no formal name, but many, since Eden's reign started, refer to it as The Garden of Eden or simply just Eden. It was a peaceful paradise. Eden drew in a deep breath of the salty air surrounding them. They then felt a new presence enter the atmosphere coming closer to where they were. The dolphins swam away startled by the slight shake that accompanied this new presence. Eden sighed in disappointment. They really wished they could have had more alone time today, but it seems the universe has different ideas. Turning around they spot Aphra stumbling over trees as she came barreling towards the shore where Eden stood.
"Eden! I have something to-!" She stopped abruptly as Eden gave her a disapproving look. looking behind her she could see several trees that she trampled in her excitement. "Heh, oops. Sorry about that." She said as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Her form then shrunk, so she was more like Eden's size of eight feet, disappearing into the forest before she broke through the tree line running towards them carrying something in her arms.
"It's alright Aphra." Eden said accepting Aphra's apology, "What is it you wish to show me?" Aphra slowed down to do a clumsy bow before rushing towards Eden again holding out what is in her arms for them to see.
"Look!" Aphra yelled excitedly. Eden looked at the thing in her arms.
"A snake?" Eden questioned looking at the creature in Aphra's arms, seeming to cling to her.
"Nope!" She said gleefully
"A big snake?" Eden was never one for guessing games.
"No~!" Aphra sing songed, "Look at it's soul!" Eden squinted their eyes as they looked at the creatures soul and gasped when they saw a white upside down heart. This isn't a normal creature?!
"Aphra where did you find them?" Eden asked in awe, causing the creature to look towards them with their intelligent eyes brimming with life and meaning.
"I didn't, I made them! Out of magic and star dust!" Aphra replied proudly.
"We must show the elders immediately!" Eden quickly grabbed Aphra's wrist before she could respond and pulled her back into the forest towards the palace excited to see what they can learn about this new life.
~~~~~~~~~
"Why do you have a giant snake with you?"
"It's not a snake, look at it's soul!" The surrounding elders looked closely at the creature still huddled in Aphra's arms looking around at everyone curiously. The elders faces slowly shifted into surprised, confused, and shocked expressions.
"Oh my stars..." mumbled Elder Quin, an older looking pale goddess who stood taller than most with long shining white hair flowing down her back, "This is defiantly no ordinary serpent."
"Indeed." Elder Liam, a younger looking god with tan skin who had long black hair that matched his short beard that covered half of his face, agreed before he turned towards Elder Khalil, a older looking god with chocolate skin and short curly brown hair that was peppered with grey. "What can you see Elder Khalil?" The mentioned elder closed his eyes and focused on his magic, catching glimpses of the future. Minutes of silence passed until Khalil spoke.
"Monsters." Everyone looked at him in confusion, having never heard this new word before. Khalil opened his eyes and nodded towards the creature. "They are apart of a new sentient race called monsters. They are made of magic and dust. There is far more magic than matter and they use this magic to express themselves and manipulate the dust to form their bodies. They will live peacefully with us across the universe for centuries to come." Everyone let out a sigh of relief from the good news of what is to come. Elder Quin turned her head towards the monster.
"Can you understand us?" She asked in curiosity. The monster stared back at the elder goddess processing her words before nodding their head slowly. Aphra's and Eden's eyes sparkled in excitement.
"Do you have a name?" Aphra asked moving them away from her body so she can look at them directly. They looked at the floor in deep concentration before speaking for the first time.
"Ssserphhhhhe." They answered their tongue flickering at this new movement of speaking.
"Would you like to live here with us, Serphe?" Eden questioned. Serphe thought some more on what was offered to them.
"Withhhh Aphhhra?" Serphe tilted their head with their words.
"Yes you can live with Aphra." Elder Liam answered, "We will need to keep a close eye on you so you and Aphra will be provided living space here on Eden." Aphra looked at the Elders in surprise as they nodded in agreement to Elder Liam's words. She then set Serphe fully on the ground, they slithered around a little until they were in a comfortable position with their full height being right at Aphra's waist, about four feet tall.
"A-are you sure?" Aphra stuttered nervously, "I am nowhere near as important as any of you or Eden and I am defiantly not a new elder, I haven't even found my purpose yet an-"
"Of course you're important dear, you always have been." Elder Quin said soothingly cutting off Aphra's ramblings. "But now because of the new life you have created you have become even more important than before." Aphra stood still shocked at what was happening.
"What do you m-mean?" Elder Khalil smiled sweetly at the young goddess.
"What Elder Quin means is that you have found you're purpose." Aphra's eyes widened in surprise and excitement, "You are now Aphra, Goddess of Monsters."
~~~~~~~~~
Lots of time has passed since the Goddess Aphra created Serphe and gained her purpose as Goddess of Monsters. Lee, the God of measuring, really needs to combine forces with Thyme, the Goddess of time, and come up with a calendar or something. Anyways in this long amount of time many things have happened. Aphra has created more monsters of all shapes and sizes from little moldsmalls to giant goat like monsters. There are so many monsters now that they have started to be able to make new baby monsters with each other. The monsters have started to form a community together and becoming more independent from the Gods. Also during this time Elder Quin has fallen down leaving a spot for a new elder to take open. When ever an elder falls down a huge ceremony is thrown in honor of that elder and for a new elder to be chosen. Since the beginning there have always been nine elders to help guide the ruler, share wisdom, and spread peace across the universe. Each elder was a normal god before being chosen to become an elder. When a god becomes an elder, or when they fall down, their purpose is stripped away and recycled for another newer god to have. While the new elder will remain connected to that purpose they will learn to live without it in Eden with the rest of the elders and the ruler. All gods of any purpose, big or small, can be chosen as the new elder and are invited to the ceremony. This brings us to the present, All eight elders sat in the center of the universe, a spot open for who ever is be chosen as an elder. Along side the elders sat Eden, the ruler of the universe and God of Gods, Elliot, the God of magic, Vienna, the Goddess of knowledge, and Aphra, the Goddess of Monsters. These gods with the elders create the council, a group that helps keeps the universe at peace. Sitting close to Aphra was also Serphe, who was an honored guest and served as the monsters ambassador along side Aphra whom they are closest with of anyone in the whole universe, god or monster. Serphe slithered uncomfortably in their seat as the listened to Elder Liam drone on to the thousands o gods watching them about the importance on this moment and what is is like to become an elder and blah blah blah... Serphe shook their head trying to focus again on what was going on.
"Hhhhow muchhh longer?" Serphe whispered tiredly to a bored looking Aphra.
"Not much I think." Aphra whispered back to Serphe, " I forgot how boring these things get."
"I could alwaysss ssssneak usss out." Serphe whispered suddenly wide awake, a spark of mischief in their eyes. A part of Serphe's magic is barriers, the other part of there magic being gravity magic that helped them pick things up, also known as blue magic. Anyways Serphe had been experimenting with their barrier magic recently and came up with a barrier that let the those on the inside see out, but those on the outside just see through the barrier, making them invisible. It's sort of like one-way glass except that hasn't been created yet. Aphra's eyes widened at the idea.
"Really? Are you sure your barrier would last long enough?" Aphra whispered trying not to get her hope up... Actually she wasn't even trying, her hopes were way, way up!
"Yesss. I've been practicing and my barrier will lassst for approximately twelve sssecondsss. Thhat ssssshould lassst usss long enoughhh to reachhh thhhe edge of thhhe crowd." Serphe stated matter-of-factly.
"Then what are we waiting for? Lets do it!" Aphra said trying to keep her voice down as excitement bubbled inside of her. Serphe nodded looking around them cautiously before summoning the barrier. As soon as they were full concealed they dashed towards the edge of the crowd, barely making it to the edge in time like Serphe predicted. They looked back toward the rest of the council only to see Eden staring at them with a face that says 'you better not do anything stupid'. Luckily Eden seemed to be the only one to notice their disappearance. Aphra flashed them a award winning smile and held both thumbs up. Eden just rolled their eyes and went back to listening to Elder Liam's speech. Aphra giggled as she dragged Serphe deeper into the crowd. Once they reached the outer edge of the crowd they heard the announcement everyone had been waiting for.
“The new selected elder will be... Lindsey, Goddess of green leaves!” Cheers erupted across the crowd, but they soon faded into the background as Aphra and Serphe made their way back to The Garden of Eden.
~~~~~~~~~
It’s been about an hour since Aphra and Serphe left the ceremony. They were currently sculpting with clay along the river. Well really is was just Aphra sculpting, Serphe laid their slender eight foot long body along some large rocks nearby, soaking in the sunlight as they watched Aphra lazily.
“I’m going to name him Adam.” Aphra joked as she sculpted. She was currently making a sculpture of herself but as a male and smaller, the sculpture standing at about only five feet. Serphe snorted at their friend’s silly antics.
“Whhhy Adam?” They questioned the focused goddess. Aphra spun around towards Serphe, mock offense all over her face.
“What do you mean ‘Whhhy Adam’!” Aphra said dramatically, imitating Serphe. “Everyone knows that whenever making an alternate version of yourself you have to use the first letter of your name as the first letter for their name. Now did I get the face right?” Serphe squinted as they looked between the faces of their best friend and of a clay statue. The chin on ‘Adam’ was stronger than Aphra’s and the nose was a little crooked, but other than that it look pretty similar. Serphe gave a curt nod to Aphra signaling that she had gotten it right. “Whelp then my masterpiece is finished. Serphe I’d like you to meet Adam!” Aphra announced stepping back to wash the clay off In the river before it hardened. Serphe slithered off their rocks and towards the river bank where Adam stood motionless.
“You look quite hhhandsssome as a god Aphhhra.” Aphra turned back towards the giant serpent who was looking Adam up and down.
“Of course I do! I look stunning in any form.” Aphra confidentially posed making Serphe giggle. A comfortable silence fell over them as they admired Adam. Suddenly Serphe spoke up.
”Hey I wasss thhhinking...” they trailed off in their thought.
”Yeah, what about?” Aphra questioned curiously.
“Well you made me out of sssstar dusssst and magic, righhhht?” Aphra nodded in confirmation, “Well I wasss wondering whhhat would hhhappen if you added magic into othhher thhingsss, like Adam hhhere.” Aphra stared at Adam thoughtfully for a minute.
“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try.” She decided. Reaching out her hand and putting it carefully on the clay chest of Adam, Aphra shut her eyes and focused on her magic, letting a little bit of it seep into the clay. Suddenly the clay under her palm turned warm and squishy. Aphra stepped back in shock as she watched her creation turn from cold clay to warm flesh. Serphe leaned away from the used to be statue as they watched Adam take his first breath. Blinking is chocolate brown eyes Adam fell backwards, doomed to land in the river. Serphe quickly caught him with their magic pulling out his soul. Right in front of them wrapped in a haze of blue was a bright red heart. Serphe’s eyes widened as they looked away blushing. Souls were very intimate for monsters. Aphra on the other hand stared at his soul intrigued. She then looked up to Adam’s scared face and smiled, making Adam relax. Aphra pulled him up into a standing position so Serphe could let go of him without him falling. Once he was standing Aphra stepped back, the air around her becoming slightly more regal. “Hello, I am Aphra, Goddess of Monsters. This is Serphe, the first monster and my best friend.” Aphra then pointed towards the male “Your name is Adam and I just created you.”