Balance And Control

Mesopotamia 5000 B.C.E

The first thing I can remember is darkness. It was everywhere, and I was nowhere at all. I was vaguely aware of my body tucked securely against a wall of cool marble. Where am I? Who am I? It's like I could feel the darkness calling to me, willing me to wield it. But there was something else that caught my attention, something softer and warmer; the light. It was calling to me, too, urging me to fill wherever I was with it. And then it happened...I opened my eyes. A faint glow of gold was weaving its way around my body, creating shapes over my chest, arms, and legs; it clothed me in a suit of midnight and dawn. The suit itself was a deep purple color, like the night sky, but the embroidery was a bright white, similar to that of light.

Standing in the circle were ten other colorfully suited people. A group of blues and greens, reds and yellows, purples and bronze; silver, and gold embellished their chests and limbs and torsos. These strangers all stood regally, taking in their surroundings. No one dared to move for a while, but eventually we all began to explore. I stared, wide-eyed, out of the giant window at all the stars and planets beyond.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" a soft female voice asked. The woman clad in green and silver stood next to me, admiring the sky as I had.

"Yes. It's the perfect mixture of dark and light, that balance is everything," I responded, glancing over at her. "I'm Ereida."

"I'm Sersi."

"Do you know where we are, Sersi?" I asked, turning back towards the window. A planet of blue loomed beyond us, glowing in the sunlight.

"I believe we're on a mission, for Arishem," she said, gesturing towards the statue of a giant red form in the middle of the room.

"Arishem?" I pondered. That sounded familiar.

"Welcome, Eternals!" another female voice sounded, calling our attention to the center of the room. "I am Ajak, the Prime Eternal. I am here to guide you and heal you as we set out to protect our new planet, Earth, from the Deviants. You have all been chosen for this mission, hand selected by Arishem off of Olympia, to protect the people of Earth. This will be your home for as long as Arishem wishes it to be. This is the Domo. Phastos," Ajak addressed an ebony man dressed in blue and gold, "you are in charge of this ship and only you have the ability to call it to us. It will be your workshop where you will create technological advances to assist the people of this planet."

Phastos gave a slight respectful incline of his head.

Ajak then turned to a smaller girl with a pixie cut, adorning teal and silver. "Sprite, our storyteller and illusionist. You will be very helpful in distracting Deviants."

"And entertaining at parties," Sprite grinned.

Ajak chuckled, "yes, that too. Kingo, you will harness cosmic energy to be used as ammunition. When we encounter the Deviants, aim for the belly."

A tanned man with a strong jaw and big nose, royal purple suit plated with dull platinum, sent finger guns at Ajak.

"Makkari," Ajak began, speaking, but also signing to a woman with smooth caramel skin and a gorgeous braided ponytail, dressed in vibrant red and a dark silver, "you're the fastest being alive, use that to your advantage."

"Will do," Makkari signed, smiling giddily.

"Druig, manipulator of minds. You will be able to control the human race, but I must warn you not to interfere with them. They must still fight their own battles."

A man with a bulbous nose and sweeping bangs, suit of black embellished by red, nodded curtly.

"Gilgamesh, you are the strongest among us, so be careful not to break anything," Ajak joked, addressing an older, muscular man wearing bronze and gray.