Long ago, before the creation of man, before the creation of life, lived the ultimate source of power. In the beginning, a vast space called the “Deep” reigned. Her name was Tiamat. Her loneliness echoed silently through the black space of emptiness. So, as her first real act of power, power she did not know was buried deep within her, she created a mate for herself. Her blood made of starfire churned within her bosom and created a flow to her womb where a heartbeat began. The heartbeat grew in beats and soon the heartbeat was the same speed as her own. Her belly grew larger as the heartbeat created a vessel of life inside of her. In an explosion of power, she gave birth to her love, Drac. As his head crowned in the birthing process she uttered a few small words that held an immense power.

“Let there be light.”

The baby’s first sight was of bright color so that he could gaze upon the wondrous face of pure love. The light set off a series of small explosions throughout the empty void. Planets, stars, and galaxies formed within the space. The great unknown “Deep” became a universe of multitudes of life forms. The baby grew in seconds following the full phase of metamorphosis to a wise, aged man. Tiamat smiled at her new love.

She interlocked her fingers to his and said, “We will create the most powerful beings to exist as children.”

He nodded in acknowledgement to this proclamation. They held their interlocked hands in the air and their bodies formed a circle. The blood of starfire that churned within her was now a part of him. Glorious floating red lights swarmed the two and illuminated their floating bodies. They gazed into one another’s eyes as an implosion within their bodies convulsed the two together. A red ball of fire enveloped the two and their swirled in a whirlwind into the sky. The centripetal force pulled the two apart sending one to the sky and one to the ground in a huge cataclysmic explosion. The two would never again be together physically but they were forever tethered together by a circle of repetitious life. Draco was now the sky and Tiamat was now the embodiment of Earth. Their alchemical marriage of power created the strongest bloodline of starfire to ever exist. Solve et coagula, which is as above so below, started the chain of life that exists today.

Out of this combination of great magic, they created the first of the bloodline to begin the Anannaki race. Their daughter, Ki, and son, An, became known to all of creation to follow as the Great Mother and the Great Father. The two began to mold and create their first generation of Gods and Goddesses. Their powers would be split and three were chosen to live in the light and three were chose to live in darkness.

The God of Light was named Enki and he was the supreme ruler over the Astral realm. Alongside him to rule were his sisters, Lilith and Ninlil. The God of Darkness was named Enlil and he was the supreme ruler over the umbral realm. Alongside him to rule were his sisters, Inanna and Astarte. Even though they resided in different realms, they all shared a strong bond with each other. However, the strongest bond was between the sisters who could travel from realm to realm to visit with their other brother.

Enlil was jealous over his brother’s rule of the earthly realm, so he created a wondrous place outside of the realms that existed, called the Garden of Eden. He gave the realm to his sisters as a gift. The sisters used this gift as a creation place for two human creations. They molded two bodies out of the remnants of stardust that was blowing away in the wind. They created a handsome young man named Adam. All fours sister breathed into his body and watched as his chest filled with air and it exhale. Nothing. They tried again breathing into his lungs filling him with the breath of life and again nothing happened. They turned to the second body. They shaped a beautiful young woman from the stardust whom they named Zoe. All four sisters looked to one another as they attempted with the woman what they had tried with the man. They placed all of their magic and will into their energy and breathed a breath of life into their creation and she animated before them.

Zoe was frightened. “Where am I? Why am I here?” she asked in confusion as her soul seeded deep within her body.

“You have been chosen to live in the most glorious space created,” Ninlil said walking to her. The other three sisters smiled upon her.

She looked to the ground and saw the body of a young man.

“What about him? Why isn’t he living like me?” she asked looking around to the four sisters.

“Well,” Lilith began, “We tried to animate him but it takes an act of human love to resurrect his soul into this body. Only one’s soulmate can bring one to life from nothing,” she said peering down at the small being.

Zoe stood and walked over to the body of the young man. She reached her hand out hesitantly to touch and caress his face. He was so beautiful. She had never laid eyes on a creature that placed what she felt inside of her. She was overwhelmed with the feeling bubbling inside of her. She leaned in compelled to his face and kissed his lips. When she exhaled during the kiss, the breath of life entered into his body and his eyes opened. He sat up and looked into the eyes of the woman in front of him.

“I have been waiting a long time to see those eyes again,” he said brushing his hand against her cheek.

She smiled in remembrance of his soul. “Adam.”

“You two are the only ones that exist in the peaceful place,” Astarte said to them as they stood to their feet.

“Everything has been provided for your nourishment and survival,” Inanna said motioning to the surrounding area growing fruitful with herbs and plants.

A shadow descended upon the land and they all looked heavenward as a figure emerged in the darkness.

“Brother, it’s nice to see you. Come, see what we have created with the gift you gave us,” Lilith said smiling as Enlil walked to their sides.

He frowned. “I did not create this place for you to put humans in it. It was created as a midpoint for everyone so you would not have to travel so far to see me,” he said with disgust trailing on his face.

The girls felt foolish. “We can’t undo what has been done,” Ninlil said looking to Enlil. “It goes against what mother and father have taught us to do.”

Enlil whirled away in jealousy. He was the one that was thrown into darkness unwillingly. He looked at the landscape of the garden and his eyes rested on two trees. He smiled.

“I apologize my sisters for my rude outburst,” he said bowing his head to them. “But since you have messed up the idea of my gift, can I make a few ground rules for the mortals you have created?” he asked.

The girls noticed the sinister look in his eyes and looked to one another. They knew what he would command would be awful but they could not deny his request. After all, he created the garden himself.

“Of course, brother,” Lilith said bowing her head in defeat.

He turned to the mortal creations, “You have a marvelous place to survive in for eternity. You will never have to sleep for your world is already a dreamland. However, there is one rule I have for you,” he said motioning for them to follow. He walked over to the two trees that resided in the middle of the garden. One of them had a spring of water at the base of it with beautiful flowers and appetizing fruit clung to its limbs.

“This is the Tree of Life. As long as you drink from its waters and eat from its fruit you will live forever with immortality,” he said looking to the mortals to see if they understood. They shook their head in acknowledgement.

The second tree was an ancient tree. The base of the tree had grown its roots down and then back up creating a dragon of wood. Atop the tree was the farthest branches that had twisted into the shape of a bird.

“This is the Tree of Knowledge. It contains all of the mysteries that surround creation, evolution, and the power of gods,” he said and looked to his sisters who stood there with grief stricken faces.

“Please, don’t Enlil,” Astarte begged knowing what command he was going to lay down.

He grinned to his sisters, “This fruit in one bite would grant you everlasting enlightenment. However, you may not eat from this tree. It is forbidden,” he said looking to the two mortals. “If you disobey my orders, immediate death will succumb you. Have I made myself clear?”