We Were Gods: Oleander: Book One

History Repeats Itself

There was a time when Gods and Goddesses ruled the world; they were created from the Earth itself and loved their world so. But with the perfection came boredom. And from their longing came their own special creations: mortals. Mortals with freedom, will, choice, intelligence, and love. Few created man in their own image, others created merely for pets. But one thing was always certain, mortals were below Gods and Goddesses...

Once upon a time there were two brothers. One ruled an entire kingdom to himself while his baby brother watched hungrily and learned. The father was far from their palace with an entire workload all his own.

The king of the palace loved his brother so, he taught him everything he knew and helped to bring him up from a babe. The two were inseparable until jealousy reared its ugly head and a plan was hatched.

The king, he had a hateful and spiteful side. He was raised up believing that his people were meant to serve and please him. If he was not given enough attention and love he would destroy entire cities. He would bring up terrible storms and fires as punishment, even if the only crime was nothing but boredom.

But the king had a weakness, other than his brother.

A green eyed child who he had watched grow into a beautiful being. He loved this person with all of his soul; they could calm his vengeful spirit in an instant and soothe his aching heart. Never once was so much as a kiss laid upon their cheek but everyone understood the plain and simple innocence of love. It was not a romance between them, but a deep bond between beast and beauty. They were his desert flower, his queen. But his younger brother, after deciding he did not like sharing the king's attention, found he was tired of his life as nothing more than a student.

You see, the people serving the king were now noticed, among the higher ups, as people too. They didn't deserve to serve and worship only. The little brother told on the King; spilled all of his wrong doings and most horrific secrets until the king was knocked from his place.

The king was sentenced to serve time as a commoner until he could sympathize with all of his people. The king went on a long journey with his desert flower, who too was still a commoner but did not turn her back once on her king. Once he found compassion and love for his people and realized the error of his ways, he was allowed to rule as king again, but he was no longer to rule his kingdom, instead he would be demoted to something lesser than he was used to.

His brother took his place. In his anger and grief, the king nearly destroyed all of his empire until he was locked away. He was not allowed contact with anyone and was not so much as allowed to see the light of day. But outside his cell of a tomb, his Nile princess stayed true.

But the younger brother, being vengeful and spiteful, decided if she would not utter his name as rightful king then she should be locked away too.

No one is quite sure what exactly happened, but it has been said that she was sentenced to the darkness with her king, forever in tombs with him. But her kind could not live without air or sunlight. Some other accounts say the younger brother murdered her in the most cruelest of ways. It has also been told that she was cast out from her society and cursed to live out the rest of her years in pain and heartbreak.

I am left in silence as Ra tells his tale, my soul screaming and crying as the words fall from his lips. There is a new longing within me, stirred from the story and whispers of a memory.

A hand, slick with the darkness beneath cracked flesh, wrapped around a porcelain throat. It is for mercy. It is for love. It is for sanity, mine and yours both.

A tear falls from the corner of my eye, a lump stuck in the back of my throat. With every beat, my heart screams. "Am I the king?" I ask, my voice hushed.

"It is but a story, Anubis. A legend among men." Ra states, eyes flashing briefly.

"But all stories come from some truth, right? I think you said something along those lines before!" A flicker across his lips and eyes betrays his poker face; this "story" is a gift to help me. "So who is the girl?? How do I find her?!" Excitement floods my system as my hairs stand on end.

"Anubis, it is but a legend. And besides, all of the pieces have already fallen together... You would know it if you met someone important." He winks at me and is quickly swallowed by darkness. In the blink of an eye, Ra has disappeared leaving me only with a riddle.