Creation Story (Mythology)

In the beginning, there was Nothing. He existed as but a single entity, made up of nothingness. However, Nothing cannot exist without Everything. The two simply were. A perfect unification of Everything and Nothing. But, while Nothing was content with Everything, she yearned for more.

Noticing her loneliness, Nothing decided to try something he had never attempted. He created. From the nothingness sprung a woman reeking of Death. When Nothing faced her, he felt ashamed. He wanted to create. To soothe the ache Everything felt. Instead he just made the end. Someone meant to Everything to Nothing. He tried to hide what he had done, locking her away where Everything would never find her. He should have known no one could stop Death.

Nothing could never truly hide anything from Everything. Even though she had yet to discover Death, the one being that could end Everything, she could tell something was wrong. She could see it in the way Nothing was. When she asked, he was reluctant to tell. Eventually though, he began to talk. He noticed her loneliness and wanted to help. He wanted to create. For her. But he couldn’t. Nothing couldn’t create something. He failed to mention his mistake he kept locked away.

When he looked back to Everything, Nothing noticed her glow. She was happy. Proud. Content. *Loving*. She would not be if she knew the whole truth. She would never know.

Inspired by Nothing’s devotion, Everything created Life. He was a small boy, beautiful and bright. Everything loved him like a son. Slowly, the hole inside her began to fill.

The boy was full of energy, and Everything came to realize that the space they took up was no place for a boy. So, she created the Earth. Rolling expanses of mountains and rock, hills and caverns. But it wasn’t enough. Next came the Seas, deep blue pools surrounding her precious Earth, protecting them. Then came the Skies, a beautiful backdrop to the world she was building, watching over everything with a calm anger.

Everything wanted her children to have light as they played, so she created the Sun to bring light to their darkness, and the Moon to watch over in the dark. The Stars were largely an accident, when the Moon admitted to feeling alone. So, along came the Stars to bring comfort in the dark.

As Everything looked out over Earth in the light, she noticed it felt plain. Empty. So, she created the Forests, to paint the Earth in swaths of green. Then came Fire and Frost, adding in warmth and cold to her world.

Things were coming together. Everything was happy, the empty feeling becoming less and less prominent. But while Everything grew, Nothing was pushed away. Everything’s desire to create was pushing Nothing further and further away.

The more Everything created, the more Nothing hurt. But he could never bring himself to harm Everything or her children. Despite everything, he cared for her too much. Eventually, he dragged himself over to the hidden cell he kept his failure locked away. Looking inside, he was surprised to see not one, but two people inside. With no hint of resentment or malice, Death spoke to him. She spoke with sympathy and care. She understood. She was born of his fears and insecurities, but also of his love and care. When Everything created Life, there was a spark. Nothing was so afraid of Death escaping, that he failed to notice she already had. Death had spread through Everything’s creations faster than anyone could process. But from all that Death, came new Life. Death smiled at Nothing. She understood. After all, she had Time.

The two stepped out of their prison, finally ready to join their place in the world. They came from Nothing, and would end up there again eventually, but they were the bridge. Holding together the bonds between Nothing and Everything.

Everything was surprisingly forgiving towards Nothing. More than he deserved. She embraced Death and Time, ushering them towards her awaiting children. When they had left, and only Everything and Nothing remained, it was silent. One could not exist without the other, but they could not fill the hole residing inside the other. Everything needed her children and the world she created for them, and Nothing would wait just beyond. It was for the best, they decided. Nothing held Everything tight in an embrace, vowing to protect her and her creations for as long as was necessary. He would stay there forever if she asked. In one final movement, Everything leaned over and Whispered in Nothing’s ear.

*“I’ve never really been alone. I’ve always had you.”*

And just like that, they were complete. Time surged forwards and the world began.