Athanasi lounged in her silk hammock, watching her universe spin below her via a crystal viewport with gold leaf window frames. She was observing her children, who were hardly working as always. This universe was an old one and her four Deities, created to maintain the flow of space, time, life and decay, were all used to their jobs now, and were capable of doing almost all tasks cleanly and efficiently. Like her, they would spend time lounging around, but occasionally, squabbles would break out.
Such a squabble had happened today. Her Seed-Spreader, the life-giving wyrm known as Fytanis, was arguing with the Sky-Soarer Dispi. Dispi had wanted to attempt to make life, but Fytanis was insistent that creating life was his domain and no one else was allowed to do so. The conflict was still unresolved, but the two gods had taken a break for now.
“I still don’t understand why I’m not allowed to get involved…” Seimeni, the Doom-Blade, the Mistress of Death, had been standing in silence for a while, waiting for an opportunity to speak. Athanasi had her brought here when Fytanis and Dispi had started fighting.
“I explained why.”
“But I still don’t get it!” Seimeni whined. “I’m only going to destroy everything they both make anyway, why can’t…”
Athanasi raised her hand, silencing the Doom-Blade. “We made it clear that we are not to interfere. Fytanis is the God of Life, Dispi the Goddess of Space. If their roles were reversed, Dispi would not approve of Fytanis interfering in her domain.”
“They interfere in my domain though!” Seimeni growled. “Relentlessly! Yet I am forbidden from interfering with, well, anything! I know they can’t help but interfere, because I am Decay and all decays in the end, but still!”
“That is true, little Simi, but if you are drawn into their argument, then both will try to use you to meet their own goals. I will not allow that.”
The All-Above looked out into the void. Seimeni sighed then looked out into the void as well. She had nothing better to do.
After a brief moment, Athanasi decided to bring up a new conversation. “Did I ever tell you about my sister?”
Seimeni blinked. “You have a sister?”
“She is a nice one. Small and round and cute. Has some deities of her own.”
“You have a SISTER?” Seimeni repeated. “And you never told us?”
“I told the others…” Athanasi shrugged. “Perhaps you were not you at the time. Your previous self. For that reason, you would not remember. But yes, I have a sister. One I am somewhat close with, compared to other universes.”
“You…” Seimeni was about to repeat herself again but changed her mind. “You have a sister and she has children the same way you do?”
“Yes.”
“Like, time and space gods, a life god and a death god?”
“Yes.”
“So…” Seimeni was confused. “There’s another universe out there, kinda like ours, and it’s actually related to us, like, physically?”
Athanasi smiled. “We came from the same dying universe. Her much later than I, but yes, we are universal siblings. Woven from the same cosmic cloth, weaving our own similar ideas into our creations.”
Seimeni fell silent, thinking to herself. After a little thought, she asked one final question.
“Could we… go and visit them?”
The All-Above smiled. “I don’t see why not?”