|  alan smiled in relief. Galan sat down, and,
        trying something new, shaped the creatures like the
        creatures Galan was talking to. Galan blew on mud, and
        built more creatures, and blew on more mud, and made
        creatures until all the mud where he was used up. Galan
        then placed the creatures on the world below them, and
        the creatures, naked, began to clothe themselves against
        the weather. The eleven creatures, twelve including
        Rauthgar, looked down on the Earth in delight.  he creatures
        thanked Galan, even those clad in black, and began to
        leave in their separate directions. Galan smiled, and got
        up to leave. Galan signaled to Rauthgar to follow Galan,
        but Rauthgar looked back, then at the figures clothed in
        red, then back at Galan again.
 | Galan
        understood that it was time for Rauthgar to leave, that
        Rauthgar had things to do that Galan could not understand.
        Rauthgar ran up to Galan one last time, and licked
        Galan's face. Galan had water running down Galan's face,
        something that had never happened before. Galan stood and
        watched all the creatures disappear on the horizon,
        Rauthgar being the last one.  alan walked back to the hut, sad and alone.
        Galan closed the door to the hut, and has never since
        opened the door. The twelve gods ruled the planet,
        sometimes foolishly, sometimes wisely, always watching
        their opponent, and neutrality always trying to maintain
        balance.
 Thus the world
        was created, thus it is, and thus it shall forever be. |