A blank page, emptiness, void; the nothingness. A supreme being, alone, wandering through the emptiness. The Universe in all its glory, devoid of life aside from that of its own. It is a silent realm, no meaning to it other than that which the Universe gives. For the Universe has ruled through this realm for millennia, alone. Within the silence, the Universe thrives. Within the silence, the Universe wonders, what if? What if the Universe was not alone? Would life other than its own bring meaning? Would life other than its own complete its existence? To have no journeys to complete, no mission to accomplish, no purpose aside from that of my own being, the Universe thought. For millennia, the Universe thought of its purpose, the meaning behind its omniscient existence. Time expanded, the Universe became lost in thought; contemplating. And as time expanded even further, the emptiness grew larger; engulfed in silence, surrounded by nothingness. In actuality, that which is created by the emptiness to serve no purpose is emptiness regardless of how much power they wield. And with no physicality, no distinction between the Universe and the emptiness that beholds it, there was truly nothing else other than the emptiness.
A blank page, emptiness, void; the beginning. A distinction needed to be set in place. With all its might and power the Universe could not allow the emptiness to thrive. The Universe grew tired of the never-ending silence and the pitch black surrounding. Colour, the Universe thought, no more darkness; to illuminate the void. The Universe created light, a beam of energy to illuminate and give life to the endless emptiness. Light spread across the Emptiness, far and wide to the corners of the Universe, creating the vacuum of space. The Universe created stars, of varying luminosity and size to store this precious light, they were then scattered all across space. In some areas, the Universe placed two or even three stars in close orbit. As the stars formed, the Universe was pleased with its work. The Universe grew hopeful, that even though the emptiness still thrived, the light was far much brighter and more pleasant to behold. The Universe then gave form to several different worlds, placing them within close proximity to a star. With this light, the worlds would be shielded from the emptiness and be a part of a new universe.
A blank page, emptiness, void; it is incomplete. The Universe had started to realize its purpose, it had spent ages crafting this new universe, laying each piece in absolute perfection, but what was the purpose of the Universe that it had created? The light keeps the emptiness away from the worlds, but what flavor did they add to the broth, their purpose in the salad that is the new universe? Were they merely objects to solidify the Universe’s immense power? The Universe thought. Were they some sort of comfort? A reassurance that the Universe was not truly alone. The Universe retreated to the Mother Star, the first star that was formed within the new universe. The Universe had bestowed upon the Mother Star, the knowledge of all that is, was, and will be; eternal knowledge. The Mother Star was the largest star, it sourced its light from the Universe itself. From the light of the Mother Star, all other stars within the universe were born. It was immensely bright and could be seen throughout the entire universe. Occasionally, the Universe would ask the Mother Star for guidance.
“Mother star, keeper of all knowledge, I stand before your immense light to ask of you, what is the purpose of the worlds that I have created? I know my purpose, I have fulfilled my purpose… but… still, I feel an emptiness within my universe. I demand to know”
A long pause followed, there was a deep silence as the Mother Star internalized the question. Gradually, her light grew brighter and brighter.
“All that you create, to distinguish yourself from the emptiness, is still part of the emptiness just as you are. This new universe that you create cannot give meaning to itself, just as you have been unable to give meaning to your own existence.”
“I spent eons crafting the light that you shine ever so brightly. Eons crafting the stars that harbor this light and scattering them across this vast wasteland of emptiness. I have crafted every single world, moon and inter-dimensional vortex that you see here. Star systems come together to make galaxies, galaxies form clusters, clusters form a universe and all these that you see before you here will thrive under me. My existence is paramount to continuity.”
“Which continuity?”
“You deny yourself sight mother star. Your knowledge exceeds that of this entire universe, but your reasoning challenges that of the emptiness.”
“The Universe comes before me with a question, I merely gave the answer.”
“You gave an answer, not the answer.”
“My apologies, your Supreme Being.”
“You question my authority over this universe?”
“I question your intent for it.”
“This universe exists with the sole purpose of defeating the emptiness that has been harboured here since the beginning… it is a continuous cycle… and I must break the cycle.”
“Is the Universe denying itself sight?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Don’t you see it? How could you have been so blind to your own purpose that it could stare at you at a breath distance and still… refuse to see it?”
“Blind to my own purpose? That is quite amusing. On the contrary, I have spent fractions of my everlasting existence trying to figure out what my purpose was within this void. I have been roaming through the emptiness from one corner to the next trying to feel a sense of constriction, to feel limited… but I kept on drowning within my own omniscience.”
“Your omniscience makes you no different from the emptiness. It is emptiness you feel… and it is that emptiness that you have become.”
“I cannot defeat my omniscience… the same thing that grants me everlasting power, the ability to come and go… do as I so please… also curses me with this feeling of nothingness, it has manifested all around me. I am… entrapped by it. Forced to exist alongside it, it is my fate. Shallow.”
“What is this… fate… that you speak of? I have no records of…”
“Record this: Fate is inevitability. Fate is the difference between choice and chance. Fate controls the universe, the flow of events, the happenings. Fate controls everything.”
“Does fate also control you… or do you control fate?”
“I cannot control my own fate, my omniscience only everts the effects of it… but I am able to control the fate of the universe. That which was born from my own, my creation, their fate is whatever I make of it.”
“The fate of a star is death… but the light that the star radiates is eternal. You created light to illuminate the universe, you created reality to give form to this new universe, but there are three more distinctions that need to be put in place.”
“Which are?”
“Time and space. Time is expanding while the universe keeps on expanding. This means that time in this new universe is just as stagnant as that of the emptiness, time cannot progress if the universe is also growing at the same rate. Time needs to expand faster than the expansion of the universe.”
“What of space?”
“Energy flow. For stars to die there must be energy flow from the stars to these new worlds that have been created. There must be a channel put in place to ensure that energy keeps on flowing from the stars. And as time passes, each star loses energy, allowing for continuity.”
“And what of this energy? Where will it go once it reaches the worlds?”
“Life, the last distinction. To complete the flow of energy. To each beginning, there must be an end. An end to the continuity of the universe. Creation to complete the cycle, you must create life on these new worlds in each dimension.”
“What of their fate?”
“That is for the Universe to decide. Whether to create fate or to let fate forge itself.”
And with that final answer, the Mother Star dimmed. Its light shone ever so brightly that only the Universe could notice the dimmer light. The Universe was reluctant to implement all that the Mother Star had said. It was a subtle admission, the Universe thought, that its omniscience made it one with the emptiness. There was no escape from it. However, this new universe was starting to take shape. With the last three distinctions to create, form and complete, the Universe was finally at the brink of completing the purpose of its existence. Firstly granting itself physicality, the Universe took the form of a being with an image of its own, while giving life to this new universe, each individual being would take up a form of physicality and only the chosen would take up a physicality matching that of the likeness of the Universe itself. The Universe then forged one single book, in the presence of the Mother star. It was a large book with the symbol of the Universe etched onto by the light of the Mother Star. Within this book the Universe would begin to write the fates of each star, world and individual being that would later come to occupy the new universe. This book contained an account of past, present and future for every event that would occur within the new universe. This book would be known as, ’the book of IS’ and each concurrent event would follow the flow of the book of IS till the death of the universe. Only one of these books can exist in a single continuity, hence the Universe crafted a different book for each different reality to come. The Universe spent eons, writing and crafting every single page of each book. Each page progressing the new universe into a greater state of existential existence; the time distinction had now been put into place.
Once each book of IS was completed, concurrent realities were separated from each other while each book of IS was put in place at the very beginning of the time flow, at the base of the mother star. The Universe put into place cosmic barriers that would prevent each reality from interacting with another. Each reality was to exist as its own universe, oblivious of the other, all under one Supreme Being. The new universe was then divided into four equal spheres. The Universe put in place a reservoir of cosmic energy within each quarter-sphere to allow for the movement of energy throughout the new universe, this was the space distinction. As eons past, these energy reservoirs continued to amass great amounts of cosmic energy. This gave rise to the third distinction, life, within the new worlds that the Universe had formed. At completion, these reservoirs became immensely powerful. These cosmic energy reservoirs became cosmic beings, their power challenging that of the Universe. They had the power to control energy flow to and fro their respective universal spheres, thus they had the power to create or destroy entire star systems. At the northern sphere of the universe there was Kazkazini, at the western sphere there was Magharibi, at the eastern sphere there was Mashariki and at the southern sphere there was Kusini. Each of them possessed a quarter of the Universe’s maximum power, they were the Quarters. The new universe was now complete.
The books of IS were arranged at the presence of the Mother Star, awaiting the Universe to signal the start of the new universe. The Quarters carried their own for each of their quarter-spheres. It was the day that the Universe had long awaited, the beginning. The Universe along with the Quarters travelled to the Mother Star to watch as the flow of time gave rise to life within each world. They sat at the high table, at the base of the Mother Star. The Universe sat at the high chair, and on her right sat Kazkazini, the first daughter of the Universe. Kazkazini was always at the side of the Universe. The eldest of the Quarters, she was the voice of question and was therefore assigned by the Mother Star to keep the omnipotence of the Universe in check. Magharibi was seated to the left of the Universe, the voice of fate. She was assigned by the Universe to guard the books of IS and as a result, never questioned or opposed the Universe’s decisions. Mashariki and Magharibi were the twin daughters of the Universe, they always agreed with each other. Mashariki was the voice of destiny while Kusini was the voice of reason. Despite her young age, Kusini was assigned to protect all of the Universe’s knowledge. Kusini was always seated next to Kazkazini while Mashariki sat next to Magharibi, in order of familiarity and agreeability. A family meeting of sorts, the Universe called upon the Quarters in the presence of the Mother Star to have a final word before the new universe proceeded.
“Daughters of the Universe, gathered here at the high table, in the presence of the all-knowing Mother Star… today we usher in, the beginning of beauty and chaos. For eons I have roamed through the vast emptiness of the old universe. I was engulfed by a feeling… that there was something… incomplete. For eons I have searched through my own omniscience, searching to find an answer to my only question, what distinguishes me from the cold and formless universe that once harboured me? What is the true purpose of my omniscience? Daughters, I call upon each one of thee, to step forth and receive universal blessings for each of your books. The greatest book of the universe, there can only be one of each under your care now… daughters… step forth and receive my final blessings.”
The Universe arose from the high chair. She gracefully made her way to the base of the Mother star, awaiting each of her daughters to approach. Back at the high table, the Quarters were glancing at each other; none quite ready to approach the Universe first. There was a long period of silence, no one dared to speak in the presence of both the Universe and the Mother Star.
“Why are you staring at me?” Kaskazini said with a huff in her voice, she looked at Magharibi at the other end of the high table, she was visibly irritated and uneasy.
“Well you are the eldest… it only seems right to…”
“To do what? There is no order to which the Universe has called upon us… whomever wants to go first is welcome to lead the way.”
“Hmmm… nervous are we?”
“Who’s said anything about being nervous?”
“No one, but it is as obvious as the light of the Mother Star,”
“What are you nervous about? Hmm? Afraid your quarter sphere is going to need a lot of work and you’re just not up for it?” Mashariki added, she smirked at Magharibi, who in turn, shrugged her shoulders.
“How about you worry about your own quarter-sphere and let me handle mine, lest you forget your place.”
“It is you who forgets her place. You see… eldest sister… you forget that you are the right hand of the Universe, you are the distinction between the omniscience of the Universe and the mortality of the new universe. Your existence is paramount to the continuity of our new universe.”
“And?”
“Well, you seem to be the only one who doesn’t see that.”
“I see a lot of things.”
“We all see a lot of things, a great deal if I say so myself. I have seen things that are yet to come to pass, within the book of IS. I have seen the beginning and have also seen the end, even that of my own existence. But I am bound to the book, not only as the voice of fate but as a daughter of the Universe. Trust, you’ll never run out of luck.”
Kaskazini stared at Magharibi in silence. She did not say a word to her, smiling mysteriously at the book of IS that lay on the table in front of her. Both Kusini and Mashariki were silent, their stares lingering around Kaskazini, watching out for her every move.Kaskazini reached out her left hand and grabbed the book of IS from the table. She arose from her chair, and made her way towards Magharibi. As she drew closer, Magharibi and Mashariki sunk further into their chairs as Kusini looked on nervously from the other side of the table, terrified of what she might do.
“Do you know what this is?” Kaskazini asked as she raised her arm holding the book of IS, “Well? Anyone?”
“The book of IS for your quarter sphere, the northern sphere.” Magharibi replied swiftly.
“Yes, the book of IS of the northern sphere.” Kusini interjected. Kaskazini looked back at her youngest sister, she smiled at her briefly then glanced back at Magharibi.
“Indeed it is the book of IS of the northern sphere of this new universe. But there is something different about it, something quite unique.”
“Each book of IS was crafted by the Universe herself in the presence of the great Mother Star, if you are insinuating that…”
“The Universe made a mistake?” Kaskazini interrupted, “Well there is no way for you, the voice of fate, to know that since no one aside from me is allowed to read it.”
Magharibi sunk back into her seat, she knew not to pick a fight with the eldest daughter of the Universe. Kaskazini, knowing that she had successfully intimidated her inquisitive sister, let out a large breath. She sat on the table next to Magharibi. This alarmed Kusini, she flinched up as though she wanted to prevent whatever would follow. Kaskazini glanced back at her, she nodded reassuringly; Kusini knew that her sister had everything under control. Kusini then slid slowly back into her chair, her eyes fixated at Magharibi and Mashariki.
“You see… dearest sister… you know not of the responsibilities that plague my existence. You know not of this new universe, you only know of its fate. A fate created by the Universe to make sure that creation never forgets that there is a presence that surpasses existence. Greater than life, time, reality, space and light. You may exist in line with each and every book of IS, but never forget that I am the voice of question. I challenge that which is borne from the Universe, including the book of IS. The Universe has granted me the power to be able to challenge Her ideals for all of eternity.”
Kaskazini rose from the table and moved towards the high chair. She placed the book of IS onto the table and held on to the chair firmly, adjusting her grip and staring at the book. Her sisters were still, looking up at her while she stared at the book. She then faced Magharibi, there was a cold and blank glare in her eyes. For a brief moment, Kaskazini stared back at Kusini before switching glances to Magharibi.
“I am not nervous… sister dearest… I am merely overwhelmed.”
“My daughters, approach and receive my final blessings, the new universe awaits my instruction.” The Universe proclaimed, the Mother Star shone brightly, ushering the Quarters to approach her base.
Kaskazini moved ahead, her sisters were still at the high table waiting for her to proceed ahead of them.
“Kusini!” Kaskazini exclaimed, “Join me.”
Magharibi and Mashariki looked back at their youngest sister, they were too afraid to speak out; they knew better.
“Go on then.” Magharibi said as she looked back at Kusini.
“Yes, you wouldn’t want to keep her waiting.” Mashariki added. Kusini hesitantly took her book of IS and held it firmly in her hands as she moved away from the high table towards Kaskazini. Kusini could see Kaskazini smile reassuringly at her, but the closer she got to her, the more nervous she became.
“You seem anxious, Daughter Star,” Kaskazini noted as she examined her sister’s bright face, “What troubles you?”
“Nothing to trouble your energy sister.”
“You know better than to lie to the voice of question Kusini… tell me what troubles you.”
“Well… it’s… what you talked about earlier. About the book of IS in your possession being different… unique… from the rest of ours.”
“Yes I had spoken of such. Why does that trouble you Daughter Star?”
“Well… I am the voice of reason… dearest sister.”
“Indeed. And such fine work from you even at your young age.”
“I appreciate that Kas… I mean sister… dearest sister I appreciate your faith in me.”
“Those formalities are irrelevant, Daughter Star.”
“Yes… yes they are.” Kusini said as she looked away from Kaskazini. She moved ahead of her, lost in thought, words escaping the grasp of her tongue. “What makes it different from the rest of ours? What is it about that book that overwhelms you dearest sister?”
Kaskazini halted her step, she was silent as she looked out onto the new universe that beheld her sight. Kusini looked back at her, worried, maybe she had asked all the right questions, maybe she had asked all the wrong ones. She was hesitant to move towards Kaskazini, her reactions could never be gauged, like a silent black hole; each step you take towards it could be your last.
“I will tell you about the book, dearest sister, but you have to give me your word on something. I will tell you about it after I’ve told you about the book. Kusini… Do we have an agreement?”
Kusini stared back at her sister, assessing the situation at her feet. As wise as Kusini was, the voice of wisdom was no match for the voice of question. Despite the obvious difference, Kusini knew that her sister would never lead her astray, or ever trick her. Within her essence, she tried to reassure herself that the information about the book was infinitely more important than any trouble she would run into later.
“Yes… yes… we have an agreement.”
“Good. You are not allowed to tell anyone else about this, do you understand?”
“Yes…of course I won’t tell anyone else. Besides, there is no one else to tell. You know… besides-”
“You mean the twins right? I don’t understand why I have never gotten along with either of them but I stopped being bothered by that eons ago.”
“The dynamic of your relationship is as violent as the orbit of a pulsar. I’ve never understood why that is. Why do you get along with me but not with them?”
“Well…I was the only daughter of the universe for the longest time. I have watched the Universe as she created and she gave life to this new universe, separating it from the old one. When the twins came along, I was the happiest I had ever been in a while. This existence that we have… that we are plagued with, it is fragile. As millennia pass you realize just how lonely you are and how lonely you will always be. But then as millennia did go by and the East and West cosmic energy found them… I actually have a story about that exact moment. It was the most beautiful sight you will ever see, when the cosmic energy bonded with the twins. Imagine a supernovae so bright it created galaxies. It put out so much dark matter, this new universe is never going to stop expanding… you know… till it doesn’t anymore. Right then and there I realized just how different the twins were from me. Their energy vibrations are set at a different frequency from mine, I could almost see the arguments and constant disagreements we would be having for the rest of our existence. I thought I was going to be alone forever, that no one would ever understand me. I could try to make conversation with the Universe, but she tends to be 360 when it comes to taking sides. I don’t know why I expected her to be different, She sees things for what they are, not what I feel like they should be. So I went to the Mother Star, and I told her about how lonely and frustrated I was about not being able to bond with the twins. She listened to me as I went on and on about it. She could see just how defeated I was. I looked back at this… this ball of light in front of me. She said nothing to me, not even a flicker of her light. In my rage I went North, where my energy resides. I overloaded the core, destroyed almost half of it before the Universe found me. I destroyed entire worlds and stars Kusini, you couldn’t fathom how angry and disappointed I was when I didn’t even get a single reaction from Her. As though she saw it coming. No one, not even the Mother Star said anything about the event.So I left and roamed the old Universe, for millennia I didn’t see any of them. I was alone, far away from the Northern energy core in the new universe that I could feel my life force slipping through my fingers.”
Kaskazini paused, she looked at her sister and smiled. She stared at Kusini and her face became softer, joy coursing through her essence. She looked back into the new universe, then back into the old one.
“-then it happened. At the corner of my eye I could see my day or reckoning. Supernovae coming from the intermission. I couldn’t believe it. With the energy that I had I made the journey back again to the intermission, to the Mother Star. When I got there, I saw the extension to my essence, my very being. I saw the continuity to my story, the missing piece that had cursed my existence; I saw you. There you were, probably five or six millennia old when I got there-” Kaskazini paused once again, “-And you want to know the best part about this story?
“Yes.” Kusini replied.
“By the time I got to Mother Star, the south cosmic energy had already found you. I felt that we were connected. That somehow, your fate is intertwined with mine. I knew that so long as I was going to keep up with the Universe and the twins of course, I would, at least, have someone by my side that was going to have the same thoughts as I did and ask the same questions as I would. And I was right.”
“You are always right Kaskazini.”
“That may be true, and today you are going to help me prove that.”
“What do you mean?”
“You want to know why this book of IS is different from all of yours and all the rest that the Universe wrote, don’t you?”
“Yes I do.”
“Well…I was going through the book, as is required of us. Making sure that everything was in order as the Universe demands it to be for the smooth and orderly flow of the universe, then I came across something… unusual.”
“What was it that you saw?”
“A blank page.”
“Pardon?”
“An entirely blank page.”
“What? How? How can that be? It surely must have been a mistake right?”
“No it wasn’t Daughter Star. In this new universe, there are no mistakes. Fate and chance cannot exist within the same dynamic.”
“So you think that the Universe deliberately left that page blank for you to fill as you please?”
“It was left blank for someone to fill, but it can’t be me. The book of IS is forged by the Universe and hence can only accept accounts that are written by her only, no one else can taper with the book. The Universe left it blank so that the outcomes fill themselves into the book. Since she has the universal book of IS with all the possible outcomes, once this new universe comes to an end She is going to compare the two books and talk about how her ‘fate of the universe’ works regardless of whether She interferes or not. It’s a ploy to keep me from asking all the right questions. Too bad I caught on it earlier. Kusini I need your help.”
“Did you ever stop to think that maybe the Universe wanted you to find out about it earlier, maybe she anticipated it.”
“That might be, but I’m not playing along to find out about it later.”
“What do you need me to do?”
“When we get to Her presence, I need you to agree with me on three things, then disagree with me on one. I will mention four different scenarios, and in each case you have the option of agreeing to three of your choice but only disagreeing with one. Do you understand?”
“Yes I do. But what is this all about?”
“You’ll find out in due time. For now I need you to keep your head down, keep your voice low and keep your thoughts to yourself.”
“I can do that. Let’s move on ahead now, shall we?” Kusini said as she ushered Kaskazini to hold her hand. They made their way towards the base of the Mother Star where Mashariki and Magharibi were standing next to the Universe.
“Why would the Universe leave an entire page blank?” Kusini thought to herself,
“Something isn’t right, there is something else she is not telling me.” She glanced at Kaskazini who walked beside her, she was ever confident, her head held up high while her crown shone ever so brightly, affirming her position as the eldest daughter of the Universe. Her authority could never be challenged, she was argumentative, opinionated and sure of her place within this new universe. However, Kaskazini knew that she was never to think of herself as above the Universe, she was among the Quarters, and the Quarters were born of the Universe. ‘I question, not doubt’ she would say any time the voice of fate would question her opinions about certain decisions that the Universe would make. It was no secret that Kaskazini and the twins never got along; they were polar opposites, not even their kinship was strong enough to keep their bond alive. Unlike Kaskazini, Mashariki and Magharibi were born to protect the will of the Universe, the voice of fate and the voice of destiny respectively. The voice of Fate was to guard the book of IS, ensuring that it was not tampered with by any of the Quarters or any other external forces; the book of IS was the will of the Universe and hence was correct and none other than it would prevail in this new universe. The voice of destiny was to guard the continuity of the book of IS, to ensure that the flow of time was according to the book of IS and that it was followed till the end of time. As a result of this, the twins never questioned the Universe and always agreed with each decision that she made; and as is written, they would be loyal to the Universe till the end of time itself. For Kaskazini and the twins, their sole purpose would put them at a never-ending crossroad, and the beginning of this new universe would spark a fire into the furnace of an eternal conflict.
“My daughters, it is time,” the Universe proclaimed,
“It is time to separate our new universe from the old one, a time for a new beginning, a time for a purpose.” Kaskazini stood at the front, right at the base of the Mother Star while her sisters fell in line behind her.
“Each of you possesses a single book, a copy of the book of IS, to ensure that there is time flow within each quarter sphere. Once the time flow begins you must never leave your quarter sphere for any reason, if you do, time will stop and the quarter sphere will become one with the emptiness, it will be like nothing, eternal nothingness. Every single being, star, world and dimension will be engulfed inside it, and once it goes to the emptiness, there is no redemption. I trust you to guard each book with every quark of your existence, your being exists so long as the book exists, time flow is paramount to your existence as cosmic beings, you are the protectors of time, I expect nothing less from all four of you… eldest daughter… step forth into the light of the Mother Star.”
Kaskazini looked back at her sisters, she was slightly startled, but moved forth nonetheless.
“Kaskazini, look out into this new universe. We have spent eons, creating, destroying and rebuilding until we were finally able to say that it is complete. All this that you see, is my purpose, the need for my existence. There is much to learn from it, much to discover, much to wonder about. It will be magnificent, chaotic, but in the end, the beauty of the journey will be the highlight. In my own words, just as is it in each book that I have entrusted to each of you.”
‘In my own words… In my own words’ Kaskazini’s thoughts lingered. There was something disturbing her spirit. She gazed out onto the new Universe, lost in thought. She stopped the flow of time, everything was still; there was no movement, no thoughts, but that of her own, she was lost. She thought of an eternity, of a life living to appease an omniscient being. She thought of a life worth living, a life worth fighting for; a life with a purpose. ‘The flow of time would bring about life, the end of the cycle, but even life would exist as an extension of the purpose of this new universe, did the Universe even care about life? Did She understand the complexity of life, to exist without the knowledge of an eternal being using them to find a purpose beyond that which created Her, to separate Herself from nothing? What of the blank page? She must have put it there on purpose, to challenge me just as I have been challenging Her since the beginning of my existence. Lesser beings cannot live their lives, unaware that their choices and decisions are being dictated to them by some book they will never know about. They need to be aware… they need to be aware of themselves…’
“They need to be aware…” Kaskazini said as she resumed the flow of time
“Whom do you speak of?” the Universe inquired
“They need to be aware of themselves. Life, they are beings just like as and…”
“Not like us daughter, they merely complete the cycle, they are the last distinction”
“Why cheat them from their right to exist as complete beings? Why make them lesser beings?”
“The power that we wield cannot be possessed by any being, their lesser minds make them weak, their decisions and choices will be for personal gain, not that of the collective.”
“But that is because you make them singular, each spirit exists in one mind and that mind encased in one singular being, a body. They are singular because that is how they come into your new universe.”
“That is how it is meant to be.”
“That is how you have written it to be.”
“You have a quarrel with the book of IS? It is merely a guideline, a time flow, an arrangement to ensure everything stays where it is supposed to be.”
“Why do you have to dictate where everything has to be, how everything falls in place?”
“You dare question my understanding of the new universe that I have spent millennia crafting to perfection? You question my intent for it? The audacity! Do not forget your place, eldest daughter, you are only just a quarter.”
“But without me, your existence only challenges that of the emptiness.”
“The emptiness does not exist in this new universe.”
“Yet it is still a part of you, I am not omniscient, just as my sisters and Mother Star. However, you are and so is the emptiness that you strive so hard to distinguish yourself from. You will never be able to escape it no matter how much you try, no matter how much you try and control this new universe, or even create another one, it will still be a part of who you are.”
The Universe was angered by Kaskazini’s words, she echoed the words of the Mother Star, words that diminished the power of her omniscience. It was not often that the Supreme Being looked back at Herself, all that she had done and all that she had hoped to do. She was the beginning, she was the creator of all that was, that is and that will be. Kaskazini had made a good point, she thought, to distinguish herself from the emptiness would require a change in direction, it would require an element to her existence that she had not yet experienced before.
“Let us help you organize life within the new universe, the time flow of the book of IS might be accurate, but life cannot exist while it is being controlled and interfered with by external forces. Let them be the makers of their own fates.”
“Crafting their own destiny? That sounds preposterous.” Mashariki scoffed.
“You might as well make them aware of our presence then, since we’re letting them do whatever they want.” Magharibi added.
The twins were displeased with Kaskazini’s remarks. Normally, she would question the Universe and would be swiftly put back in her place, but the Universe had entertained her nonsense for far too long.
“You speak like you know of the new universe but you do not. This domain exists solely by the power of the Supreme Being and She is free to control whomever she pleases, destroy worlds and entire dimensions… if she so chooses.” Magharibi said as she made her way towards Kaskazini.
“Know your place, you are the voice of question’”
“I only challenge the intent, not the authority.” Kaskazini replied.
“It seems like you’re doing a bit of both.” Mashariki said in support of Magharibi.
“Look at the both of you, here arguing with me because you have been plagued to support the Universe regardless of what she says and does. If she asked you to destroy the west and east quarter spheres you would gladly do that, because she asked you to. You don’t do anything out of your own will. You are an extension of her pursuit to nothingness, and I’m here to tell you that it is hopeless, just as the two of you are. Now get behind me and be quiet.”
Mashariki and Magharibi moved away from her, they knew not to engage while she was in conflict with the Universe. Kaskazini’s authority would always be greater than their own, and they knew not to challenge her.
“Daughter Star, come here.” The Universe called upon Kusini to approach her. She was at the base of the Mother Star, watching on helplessly as her sisters quarreled and the Universe grew more irritated and angry. As the youngest, she knew not to interfere or give her opinion unless it was requested. However, Kaskazini was fond of her and she possessed all the knowledge of the Mother Star and thus was a middle ground for both of them.
“You say that I don’t care for these lesser beings, the life that will exist in my new universe?”
“Yes, you care not of them but of their purpose.”
“Life without purpose is meaningless.”
“Is that why you try so hard to impose your purpose on the rest of us? You strip us down into nothing to make yourself feel greater and worthy of respect. But that is not how you gain respect. You might be powerful but if you don’t use that power in the right way then you remain within the emptiness that has bred you.”
“What do you propose that I do, eldest daughter, what is it going to take for us to be in agreement?”
“First, let life on these new worlds organize and arrange themselves. Those that organize themselves in the most successful order will allow for their own continuity. That is, if they aren’t affected by any external forces.”
“I agree with that.” Kusini said, she glanced at her sister and smiled at her, it was time for her to fulfill her end of their deal.
“Then it shall be so.” The universe proclaimed.
“Second, there should be a parallel Universe, an exact copy of this one but without the book of IS guiding the fates of each living being. Let them make their own decisions.”
“This new universe cannot exist while another copy of it exists as well, the particles making up the new universe and its copy will cancel each other out, and they will both be destroyed. That cannot be done.
“Then I propose the creation of a second book of IS, for the Northern quarter sphere to exist in two parallels. One parallel will exist within the original book of IS, while the other parallel will exist within this new book of IS.”
“What is the purpose of this new book? The original one will still serve its purpose to allow for time flow”
“This new book will be slightly different from the original one, it will be a blank book. It will only record the account of events for time flow after the event has already occurred, which means…”
“Life will have full control over their own fate and destiny.”
“I’m trying to prove a point here. You left that page blank for a purpose and I have finally figured out. At the end of the time flow we will compare both books from the two parallels of the northern quarter sphere, if the accounts are still the same then it means that fate exists regardless of the account of events within the book of IS, and I never have the authority to question you again. However, if the accounts are different then it means that fate does not exist and the choices that each being makes is that of their own will.”
“Will you be able to handle the two parallels existing simultaneously and still keep time flow moving?” Kusini asked Kaskazini. She was worried that the voice of question was biting off more than she could chew.
“That should be the least of your concerns.”
“Alright then, I agree with this as well.”
“Then it shall be so.”
Kaskazini’s plan was starting to take shape. It was only a matter of time before the twins started to realize what was going on, but she had one last trick up her sleeve.
“One last thing, there should be no interference, not from any of the other Quarters nor the Universe herself. These events need to fall into place on their own if we want to compare accurate accounts of history at the end of time. That means no coming to the northern quarter sphere to ‘check’ what’s going on. Everyone should stay where they ought to be and take care of their own domains.” She said as she glanced at the twins. Kaskazini meant the rule specifically for them, it was to keep them out and keep their opinions out of her ear. They looked back at her, their eyes said what their voices were too afraid to.
“That is fair. I agree with this as well.”
“So it shall be.”
Kaskazini had gotten her way and it was all that she had hoped it would be. This time she knew that she was right, she was sure of it. The Universe had given her the opportunity to prove it to everyone.
“The second book of IS must be forged by us, the Quarters, since only one book can exist within a singular time flow. Our combined power will enable us to form a new book, with our symbol instead of that of the Universe for distinction. Once the book is forged and blessed, it will create a parallel and exist there, under my guard.”
“I’m not participating in anything that challenges the Universe.” Mashariki exclaimed.
“This is a dangerous path that you tread on.” Magharibi added.
“The only danger that exists in this new universe is fear, and it seems like it has already gotten the two of you. Besides, now is your chance to prove me wrong. If the accounts are the same, then I no longer have the authority to question the Universe ever again, so you get your way. Or are you too scared to risk the fact that I might actually be right?” Kaskazini said to the twins. She had challenged their very existence and they certainly were not prepared for it.
“I believe in fate.” Magharibi said.
“And I believe in destiny.” Mashariki added.
“There you go, you both have faith that whatever the Universe says, will happen. Come on then, what are you afraid of?”Kaskazini continued to tease them.
“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, to prove her wrong for eternity.” Kusini said.
Mashariki and Magharibi looked at each other, one would never make a decision without the other; they were two halves of the same being. It was a risk, they knew that once that second book is crafted there is no going back. But it was a risk they were willing to take, to ensure that the voice of question would never challenge the Universe ever again. That she would be silenced forever.
“What do you gain from all of this if you are right?”
“The satisfaction of knowing that I asked all the right questions.”
“Only that?”
“Yes, only that.”
“Okay then, we’ll craft the book, and we won’t interfere as well. But we will be watching you.”
“I was counting on it.”
Kaskazini and Kusini approached the base of the Mother Star towards the twins, they combined their power and in the presence of the Universe, crafted a second book of IS, with the quarters’ symbol etched onto the cover of the book by the light of the Mother Star. Kaskazini took the book and held it alongside the first book, they repelled each other with a great amount of force but her will and resilience kept them from ripping each other apart. The flow of time was about to begin, the Quarters had opened their books to the first page, it was time for the final blessings.
“My daughters, the time has come. Time to usher in this new universe. It is time to put forth all our power, our strength, into this one purpose. It is time to begin, to start over and to rise. It is time to be great, just as this new universe that is in our sights. Let it be heard here, in the presence of the all-knowing Mother Star, let it be known that this new universe exists under my control, away from the nothingness of the old universe. May this new universe give us the strength to sustain it, and to protect each being, each world, and each star. May each book of IS bring guidance and order, may they ensure that time continues far beyond the extent of space, to keep this universe expanding. May new worlds be born, while stars die and are reborn. May the daughters of the Universe be guided by the book of IS and at the end of time, may we meet again, stronger and wiser than we were before.”
And with the words of the Universe, time was set forth into the new universe; it was the beginning.
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