Long ago, before man spread over the world, they lived in small colonies along one river. In this beautiful primordial world, there was peace. Each small colony of man was completely isolated from the others, not even aware that other humans existed in the world, for it was a very long river, and the colonies were very far apart, and the areas surrounding them were so abundant with food that they did not need to travel far.
In all of these colonies, they worshipped many of the gods you know now – the Sun, the Moon, the Earth, the Stars, and the flowing River. All their needs were provided for by these gods in return for their simple worship. The River gave them fish; the Sun and Earth gave them vegetables and grains; the Earth gave them small game; and the Sun, Moon and Stars gave them light by which to see.

The men and women in these colonies lived innocent to sickness, death, hate and fear. Their lives were simple.... They had nothing to do. With all their needs met, they had nothing more to do than play and frolic in the woods surrounding their colony, or to sit and talk around the fires with the Elders of the colony.

This was a very easy life, but many there grew discontented. They felt that their lives should have some higher meaning, some larger purpose. They felt no satisfaction in their lot in life, treated like children as they were by the Gods and Goddesses.

The Gods and Goddesses, however, were pleased with their “pets,” as they considered humans. They didn’t notice the dissonant fringe within their colonies, being too absorbed with providing for their colonies of humans, and the rest of the world.

They should have paid attention. The oracle had prophesied that humans had the power of great destruction on Earth, and great hatred. The Gods and Goddesses had hoped that, by providing for these humans, they could control them.

It was one young man, known as Brin, in the colony known to it’s inhabitants as Alba, who seemed the most unhappy with his life. He and his young wife, Mora, always seemed ungrateful to the Gods and Goddesses, denying them worship. The other inhabitants of Alba grew frightened over what might happen if the gods discovered Brin and Mora. Rather than risk the wrath of their deities, they banished the two from the colony.

Having no other options, they decided to walk along the river until they found a suitable camp for themselves alone to live as they pleased. They followed the river for many days, retiring each day exhausted to their tent together. Though the trail was rough, and they had to gather their own food, they enjoyed the trip. They were much happier self-sufficient as they were than in a colony with the gods coddling them.

After 12 days of wandering, they met someone in the woods. It was a small child, from the colony of Jynk. Both the child and the young couple were shocked; they had not known of the existence of any other humans. After staring at each other for over a minute, the child broke away and ran back to his colony, determined to tell the elders of the strangers he had seen.

Meanwhile, these Gods and Goddesses weren’t just sitting around doing nothing. They had noticed that Brin and Mora were unaccounted for within their own colony. Naturally, this worried them, especially considering the prophecy’s warning. Earth was sent to search out the missing pair, wherever they might have been.

Brin and Mora were disturbed. They hadn’t recognised the child they met in the woods. They had known all the children in their own colony, and they hadn’t been gone long enough for there to be new ones that they wouldn’t recognise. Merely seeing that child told them there was other humans in the world.

The thought confused them.

The elders of the colony Jynk were similarly confused at the prospect of other humans on earth after the child told his story.

And so a night passed, everyone in quiet contemplation of the events of the day.

The next day, the Elders of Jynk had the young boy take them to the place he had seen the strangers.

Brin and Mora also decided to go back to the place where they had met the boy.

The inevitable happened. The Elders were there as Brin and Mora entered the glade. The fear in the Elder’s eyes was mirrored in Brin and Mora’s as they quietly faced off.

This face off got the attention of the seeking Earth goddess. She was in the clearing in moments, wondering what could be done to undo what had happened. The knowledge that there were other humans on Earth would, without a doubt, cause more humans to break off from the colonies and roam free. She feared for the havoc they might cause in her creation. The prophecy seemed to be reaching its realisation.

The Earth could not do anything. She watched as Brin and Mora followed the Elders back to the colony. She watched as a group of Jynkans left the next day for the colony of Alba with Brin and Mora at the lead. The Gods and Goddesses’ carefully laid plans had been disturbed. Earth rejoined her fellow gods.

When Earth told her friends what had happened between the humans, they all held a caucus to decide what must be done with them. The Sun insisted, “If the humans are allowed to roam free, without the structure the colony provides, they will destroy the earth!” The other gods could do naught but agree. But they had grown fond of their pets, and enjoyed the adulation of their worship. They could not destroy humankind.

In the end, they decided. No longer would humans be coddled.  They would have to hunt and harvest to get their food. They would have to work to build their homes. They would know death, and sickness, and pain. And yet, the humans were happy, mostly. They had found reasons to live.