Genesis

I stared up at the alien wondering what exactly was happening to me.

Had I gotten stoned last night? No, I shop my head. I would know if I had.

Then again I may have gotten so stoned I can no longer remember getting stoned. That was always a possibility.

"That isn't really my name, but they serve as suitable translations in the language of your people," the alien continued speaking.

"Yeah, right?" I acknowledged.

My past military training was the only thing keeping me from freaking out right now, and frankly I found this interesting.

Maybe whatever this alien was, there was some danger to him. On that note. "What are you here for?" I asked the alien, Primus.

Primus's face went grim as he responded.

"My time draws close to an end and I have a great duty, one I must find someone worthy enough to pass on to."

I nodded and smirked.

"Let me guess, I'm this someone." Primus nodded, making Clarke scoff.

What did he take me for? I was homeless, not stupid. "Whatever your duty is, turn around and return to it. Leave me out of it."

The alien appeared shocked for a bit.

He blinked and straightened himself like the moment of surprise never happened.

"I would have thought you would be highly open to this."

I gave him a deadpan look. "What do they say about assumption?" I teased, only to receive a look of utter confusion from Primus.

Ah, yeah, I forgot... alien, I thought.

"Look, do you think I'm stupid? I don't know what this is or if you're truly honest about your claims, but that's alright because I'm sure about one thing. You have the look of a man… I mean, someone.

You have the look of someone who's about to bestow all his burdens and misfortune on someone else. That's the look of a Colonel leaving all the work to a sergeant even while knowing he wasn't up to task, and claiming he's doing him a lot of good, helping him advance in life."

I bit my lips to avoid using more of my past as a metaphor.

I hadn't expected to go that far with the analogy. I seriously shouldn't be awake by now. I was not a morning person and was beginning to speak unchecked. It was all from lack of sleep. Could this also be a trick of my mind from that same lack of sleep?

Taking a moment I let out a deep breath to regain myself. I focused on Primus once more as he began to speak.

"I believe you misjudged me. There is no easy way to make you believe me, regardless I must tell you a story. In the younger days, after the birth of the universe, the phenomenon was engendered by the infantile universal to protect itself. This phenomenon brought about the existence of the Aeons. The Aeons are aspects and elements of the universe having adopted spirit form. Each are primal concepts, existing alongside their complementary opposites. They form the foundation of various philosophical, spiritual, and cultural frameworks that attempt to explain the nature of reality. Let me give you a brief explanation of the ten Aeons in terms you can understand."

I just nodded at him, watching his wax poetically like some ancient Greek philosopher.

It was impossible to believe him and yet I did. I believed anything these days, it was a sign of my ever deteriorating mental state.

"In the dawn of existence, nine primal forces emerged, shaping the universe and its destiny," Primus began his explanation of the Spirits of the Universe, "Genesis, the Beginning, and Finire, the End, marked the boundaries of existence. Their eternal dance defined the cycle of birth and decay. Tryggr, the Spirit of Order, and Treta, the Spirit of Chaos, engaged in an endless struggle. Harmony and randomness entwined, giving rise to the intricate tapestry of existence. Lihtine, the Spirit of Light, and Kimmerien, the Spirit of Darkness, represented the eternal interplay between knowledge and ignorance, good and evil.

Their flux illuminated the path to understanding. Ativ, the Spirit of Life, and Zid, the Spirit of Death, clashed in a primordial conflict. Their cycle of growth, decay, and transformation wove the fabric of existence. Lastly, Noyanu, the Spirit of Unity, and Xim, the Spirit of Duality, embodied the tension between oneness and separation. Their balance reflected the interconnectedness of all things. These nine Aeons formed the foundation of the universe, their relationships shaping the destiny of creation. As the cosmos evolved, their influence whispered through the ages, guiding the course of existence"

I wanted to take out a pen and paper to write this down so I'd never forget.

These Aeons sounded like the primal version of gods. Like ancestors to Titans as Titans were to gods, but a really distanced ancestor like dinosaurs and ostriches.

From what I understood there was Genesis, the Beginning, the spiritual form of state of origin of everything within the universe. And then there's Genesis' complementary opposite, Finire, the End. Both represent the boundaries of existence, creation, and destruction. Next there was Tryggr, the Universal Spirit of Order and Treta, the Universe Spirit of Chaos. Tryggr and Treta embody the struggle between structure and disorder, harmony and randomness. After them there's Lihtine, the Universal Spirit of Light and Kimmerien, the Universe Spirit of Darkness.

Admittedly, I must credit Primus, he was a better lecturer than any I'd ever met.

His voice, choice of words, and mysterious air grasped my attention in an enveloping hold. I could see myself envisioning each facet of the story.

It was a fascinating tale. One that had me seriously hooked, but I didn't know the purpose of it. Why was he telling me this?

"Eh, Primus?" He gave me an enquiring look, prompting me to go on. "What is the essence of your story?"

He shrugged. "You would have grasped it if only you were patient enough with me to let me tell it to its fullness."

"Ah," I said, feigning an enlightened look. "So in other words, it's your own fault for not knowing as you didn't shut up and let me finish. Understood, carry on."

The alien appeared bewildered. "I never meant to be so hostile with my response. Apologies if you perceived any hostility from me."

I sighed and shook my head. He made it so hard to be mad at him. I just waved him on, "get on with it."