In Tenebris (ENG)

Chapter 8: Erukönnem

Cyrene turned into a bird and flew to Erunestian as soon as she found out about the argument between Máfortion and Xenea. The bird stood on his arm and spoke to his mind.

"The prince has a destiny as great as the world. When he reaches adolescence he will be separated from Erymannen forever because he will love humanity." That was what the oracle said to King Máfortion when Erunestian was newborn. The king tried at all costs to ensure that this prediction never came to be and raised his son with a heavy hand, instilling in him a fervent love for the sea and the greatest disdain for the people of the land. Obviously that attitude had the opposite effect on him and he left anyway.

Máfortion had faith in his son, and for four days he was completely sure that he would return. But when a whole week passed, he began to worry. The entire clan was nervous because their only heir was missing. The boss knew that was not the worst part.

He took two faithful escorts with him straight to Xenea's palace. There they were received by her in person and her consort of mermaids. Máfortion behaved irreverently: "Where is my son !?" he exclaimed. Xenea looked severe. She told him that he knew his son had to leave one day. Even so, Máfortion continued to claim: "We give you our best offering every year despite this famine. And that's how you pay us, guardians of the sea?"

"I fulfilled the agreement because your son is safe. I don't have to give you any more explanations" She replied.

"If the people of the sea and the land meet, they will start a war, we will become extinct and the end of the fifth era will come" said Máfortion filled with frustration. "We can't allow Erunestian to reveal our existence!" Xenea looked at him incredulously and said nothing. "I don't understand why when my son grew up he stopped caring about the whole religious tradition ... I raised him so well ..."

"Deliver me from your complaints, man of the water, you know I cannot intervene with the fate of mortals."

"But you gave my son a body so he can go to earth, right?"

"Yes, and it was because he wanted it that way."

"And surely you manipulated him, and then convinced him to make an unfair deal." protested Máfortion, but Xenea only laughed maliciously. "What did you ask him in return?"He yelled without getting a response from the mermaid. "What did you ask him in return?!"She continued to laugh out loud and suddenly vanished from his sight.

Máfortion and his guards were alone and in complete darkness inside the palace of rocks. That odyssey had been in vain. They were sure that the end was yet to come and they could do nothing but pray to the gods for their salvation.

According to the beliefs of the people of the sea, who call themselves Mannen, time is divided into five eras.

In the first era the universe was born. Erukönnem, the creator, is the son of the nothingness (Nemrlig) and of time (Kön). Erukönnem is everything. When he thought of light, light was made and immediately its opposite arose, darkness, because the universe always seeks balance. Then Erukönnem, contemplating the beauty of his creation, decided that beings who could think like him would emerge from it. And so from his thought were born Atragtinem and Etreietinem from light, and Erglütinem and Ardentinem from darkness. Atragtinem and Etreietinem thought of intangible, sublime and volatile things. While Erglütinem and Ardentinem thought of tangible, visible and static things.
Erukönnem saw the thoughts of his children and was delighted, then those thoughts were manifested. The creations of Atragtinem and Etreietinem floated, and the sky became; the creations of Erglütinem and Ardentinem fell and those became Earth.

Atragtinem glowed with golden light and exuded much heat. His eyes saw everything. Etreietinem was cold and emanated silver light. Her songs were the most powerful.
Both of them walked through the skies, but as soon as they could, they went to sit next to Erukönnem to contemplate the immensity of existence, and the new Earth was left in darkness.