Origin of Evil

By Sinistral

 

 

Prologue

 

 

In the very beginning there was mighty Ra, god of all creation, King of the Spirit World and Supreme Lord of Light. Using his mystical powers Ra created an ideal world, a flawless sphere of precision, a vacuum of perfection. This was the planet known as Earth, one of Ra’s many whims. He wished to see how creatures lived and prospered without the use of magic. To populate his newly formed Earth Ra created many wonders. Animals and plants of every shape and size were made to live among the forests, deserts, ice plains and oceans. Ra knew not the meaning of moderation. Nothing was good enough for him. All things had to meet the pinnacle of his every expectation. The most perfect of these countless creations were his race of mortal men and women. They were granted the gift of knowledge but denied the gift of wisdom. This was specifically done to prevent the people of Earth from ever rising up against their supposedly benevolent and omnipotent master.

 

Ra’s supreme power rested in the great Book of Creation, a mystic tome that held all the secrets of the known Universe. The Book warned Ra that the denial of wisdom to the people of Earth would one day lead to his downfall. But Ra dismissed such a possibility as an inaccuracy on the part of the Book. He had forgotten the Book’s eternal warning that through knowledge comes wisdom and, furthermore, the Book was more than concerned by Ra’s refusal to listen to the advice. As time progressed Ra became infatuated with his powers and would often boast of his undisputed pre-eminence. As the Book of Creation silently predicted, he became egotistical and suspicious of all around him, lest they foolishly attempted to challenge his power.  

 

Ra had seven children: Osiris, the oldest, followed by Isis, Menas, Charmian, Thoth, Anubis and lastly Armon. As was tradition Osiris and Isis were betrothed, as were Menas and Charmian and while the children grew up they all longed to possess the same power their father had. But Ra was reluctant to share any of his infinite powers with his children and he warned them that if they pressed him any further on the subject he would banish them all from the Spirit World to live as mere mortals on Earth until they naturally died.

 

One day Osiris gathered his brothers and sisters together for a meeting where they discussed their dilemma. All agreed that their father was treating them very unfairly and had to share his powers with them. Too long had they been deprived of the great secrets of the Universe. Ra kept the Book of Creation in a secure room in the northwest tower of his grand White Citadel. The children knew well of its location but so far none of them had plucked up the courage to approach it. They decided that the time had finally come to forget their apprehension and agreed to examine the Book.

 

The seven siblings approached the tower room where the Book was kept and entered one by one. All stood in awe as they beheld the magical volume. It emitted a powerful white light that was far too bright for them to look at directly. In fact, it was so bright that they could hardly make out the shape of a book at all.

 

“At last!” exclaimed Menas. “The Book of Creation is ours to use as we please! No longer shall we live in fear our tyrannical father!”

 

“Easy Menas,” cautioned Isis. “We must be careful. I say that Osiris be the first to approach the Book.”

 

“I wise decision Isis,” agreed Thoth. “Osiris is the oldest after all.”

 

Anubis and Charmian nodded in agreement also. Thoth was by far the wisest of the seven and all valued his judgement highly.

 

“Why should that determine who is the first to approach it?” snarled Menas. “We all have an equal right to its wonderful power. Why the insistence upon a single person in the first place?”

 

“Because somebody has to approach it,” said Thoth, rolling his eyes and sighing. “Honestly Menas, why must you always turn everything into a performance? One day you will learn that the Universe does not revolve around you.”

 

“Stop this senseless arguing now!” shouted Osiris, his powerful voice accentuating his aggravation. “We are all siblings. Menas, I do not claim any more right to the Book’s power than you do, but one of us must go first.”

 

“Whatever you say my brother.”

 

Menas was still clearly annoyed but he held back his anger, content that he would soon possess the power he so longed for. He could hardly contain his excitement as his older brother approached the sacred object. Jealousy ate away at him like a school of piranhas.

 

Osiris slowly stepped forward. The light from the Book was so bright that he could hardly see its outline. He extended one trembling hand in the direction of the light until it touched the Book. Immediately he felt a strong force surge up his arm and into his body. He felt ten times as strong, ten times as powerful. He suddenly knew all the forces of the Universe and how to control them. A voice spoke to him through some unknown medium, an ancient spectral language. Truly it was the ultimate power in existence and he now knew why.

 

As he turned to face the others they all saw the look on his face. Without hesitating, the eager Menas raced towards the Book and he too placed his hand upon it. Armon was quick to follow, as were the others. They were all so engrossed in examining the Book and its supernatural power that they did not notice the looming figure approaching from behind. Ra watched his seven children immersed in the sacrosanct glow of the mystical source of benevolence.

 

“I warned you miserable traitors! You will pay for this sacrilege!” roared the infuriated Ra from the doorway. “Now you must pay the price!”

 

The seven siblings jumped round to see their enraged father charging towards them. Without realising exactly what they were doing all seven of them pointed their arms towards their father. The sudden action seemed a response to their father’s anger, an act of desperate self-defence. But in reality it appeared that the siblings had been guided into such a response by some strange compelling force. Bright light, like that of the Book itself, surged from their outstretched hands towards Ra. He retaliated by releasing a beam of the same intensity towards theirs. But the combined power of all seven of his children was too much for Ra and he became engulfed within the rays. Ra seemed to be encased inside a great orb of transparent light. The orb began to close in on him making him smaller and smaller. Finally, with a terrible roar, he was gone.

 

“What happened?” cried Anubis in alarm. “Have we destroyed him? That certainly was not my intention.”

 

“Nor any of ours Anubis,” added Isis. “This is very peculiar. There is no logical explanation for what just happened.”

 

“Ra is at last in the Duat, the numinous kingdom of redundant spirits, and not before time.”

 

Seven heads shot glances around the spacious tower chamber. Nothing moved, nothing stirred. Osiris shook his head. He was determined to get to the centre of their predicament. He was in no mood for trickery.

 

“Who said that?” shouted Osiris.

 

“I did my lord and master.”

 

Charmian shrieked. The voice had come from the Book of Creation. Now the light surrounding the Book had subsided it appeared to be no more than a regular looking item. It was a bright silver colour with a black spine on which were inscribed several unfamiliar symbols in white. They all turned to face the Book and Osiris addressed it, with a rather disorientated expression on his face.

 

“Who are you? What are you?” he demanded, rather precariously.

 

“I am the voice of the Book of Creation”, replied the ostensibly inanimate object. “I am the one who aided Ra in the creation of the Earth and the one that knows all the secrets of the Universe. Ra’s shameless lust for power stemmed from the simple yet unavoidable fact that however powerful he may have been he was nowhere near as powerful as me. I am the ultimate force of the known Universe. How could he have been? Foolish Ra abused my powers in an attempt to avoid being sent to the Duat. All gods must make the final journey to the Duat when their time here is finished. Ra’s time was up long ago. As the oldest, Osiris, you are now the King of the Spirit World, Supreme Lord of Light and Master of the Earth.”

 

“And bearer of a thousand titles,” laughed Menas quietly.

 

Charmian squeezed Menas’s arm in frustration. His expression suddenly changed violently, as if he had just realised something to his horror. Osiris had been taken aback by the Book’s revelation. He looked around at the others, not quite sure what to say. Isis looked positively joyful. Menas, on the other hand, made a good attempt to hide his almost convulsive rage. Osiris addressed the Book once again.

 

“What must I do?”

 

The voice from the Book answered him directly and decisively, as if it had anticipated the very question.

 

“Your duties are to both the Spirit World and the Earth. For six months of the year you will rule here in the White Citadel. During the other six months you shall serve your mortal subjects as their Pharaoh on Earth. You must see to the needs of your people on Earth. Ra neglected them terribly and as a result there have been severe droughts and plagues. You must perform your role intelligently and industriously.”

 

“And what of the months when Osiris rules on Earth?” interrupted Menas. “Who will rule here in his stead?”

 

The reason behind his question and brazen eagerness was not unnoticed. Thoth glared at him and Charmian put a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down a little. She was having a hard enough time making sense of the situation herself. The fact that her husband was prone to violent outbursts was not helpful. She knew Menas to be forceful, but secretly she loved him all the more for it.

 

“As Osiris’s wife, and Queen of the Spirit World, Isis will take full responsibility while Osiris is performing the duties of Pharaoh on Earth.”

 

The rather final response was clearly not the one that Menas had hoped for but he kept his feelings to himself and nodded affirmatively. However, there was still more to come from the Book.

 

“Osiris and Isis are the rulers but if they have not produced an heir by the time they must travel to the Duat then you, Menas, and your wife Charmian will be the rulers of the Spirit World and the Earth.”

 

“The ultimate power, the greatest honour,” stammered Menas, trembling with ecstasy.

 

“It shall not be so,” cut in Isis, to which Thoth revealed a small look of relief.

 

“Isis is carrying twins,” continued Osiris, much to the shock of all the others and the indignation of Menas. “A boy and a girl. The boy shall be named Horus and the girl Iras.”

 

“Then they are the future King and Queen of the Spirit World,” answered the Book. “Now I have told you all you need to know. Go forth my Lord Osiris and I hope you will rule with the wisdom your father lacked. I will be here when you need to consult me.”

 

Then there was complete silence. The seven siblings were left standing in the Book chamber, all of them speechless. The revelation of a purpose to their future had inflicted an apparent mutism upon them all. Menas unleashed a frustrated sigh. Osiris gave Isis a wink.

 

“We must organise ourselves if we are to succeed where our father failed,” said Osiris, a note of authority in his voice that was not unnoticed by Menas. “I am the ruler of the Spirit World and the Earth. Isis is my Queen, of course. Thoth, as you possess great wisdom, you shall act as Pharaoh Regent on Earth in the months when I am ruling back here. Menas, you shall be my chief advisor in the Spirit World and Anubis while I am Pharaoh on Earth. Charmian, you shall assist Isis in her duties as Queen. Armon, you shall act as messenger between the Spirit World and the Earth, to bring important news to me while I am Pharaoh on Earth. So let it be written, so let it be done.”

 

With that Osiris led Isis out of the Book Chamber. Thoth and Anubis followed talking quietly to each other. Before they left the tower Thoth glanced back at Menas and shook his head.

 

“I do not really expect him to take this seriously. He will be more concerned about getting his own back. He is no better than a spoilt, spurned child.”

 

“I heard that!” shouted Menas. “Get going! Run to Osiris and kiss his feet until he pushes you away!”

 

Thoth simply sniggered and left the chamber. Menas was left trembling in anger. However, when he saw his lovely wife walk towards him his fury subsided. She was smiling longingly at him.

 

“I wonder why you put up with me at times Charmian,” said Menas to the floor.

 

“I love you Menas,” she reassured. “I would never grow tired of you.”

 

Menas smiled slowly at her. He did indeed treasure her more than anything else. But at times his lust for ultimate power would blind him to her everlasting love and cause him to act irrationally and overtly selfishly.

 

“Are you coming my love?” Charmian inquired. “Osiris would like us to fulfil our positions as best we can and I would not wish to disappoint him. Do not feel bad because Osiris is ruler and you are not. It was his destiny and nobody can change that.”

 

“I will come a little later my dear,” stated Menas bluntly. “You go and speak with Isis about your new position.”

 

Charmian kissed him and left the room with a distinct spring in her step. Menas and Armon were the only ones left in the chamber. Armon looked as if a volcano was about to erupt from his mouth.

 

“An errand boy!” protested Armon. “That is all Osiris thinks I am fit for! A lackey to all of you!”

 

“Cease your useless tirade Armon,” said Menas jadedly. “Our brother has spoken and he is not going to change his mind. Besides you are a young fool. I’m surprised Osiris saw you fit for anything.”

 

Armon hung his head. He did not have much self-esteem but he strongly resented the way the others looked down on him just because he was the youngest. Menas was someone he had always looked up to and he respected him above all others. Menas saw his expression.

 

“Armon, you should not take what I say to heart. I do believe that we are destined for greater things. We must only wait for the proper time. Trust me. For now we must perform the tasks which Osiris has instructed us to do. No more complaining you hear me?”

 

Armon nodded and left the chamber. When he was alone the expression on Menas’s face contorted with rage and he clenched his fists tightly.

 

“You may think you are the master Osiris but you just wait. All I wanted was for us all to have equal power but you had to go and take it all for yourself. I don’t care about prophecies and destinies. The rest of them are fools to follow him, regrettably even my beautiful Charmian. Armon is loyal but immature. He may yet be of use to me. But revenge shall be mine. All of you will regret the day you ever doubted my strength, determination and cunning!”

 

With that he left the Book chamber to join his brothers, lest they began to wonder why he was taking so long.

 

Menas was correct in believing that he was destined for greater things. However, even he could not have predicted what was to come and the seeds of evil that were beginning to grow. Innocent ambition would soon turn into malicious competitive passion as the forces of goodness would have to prove themselves against the terrifying potency of reckless hate.

 

 

 

Continued

 

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