The Myth of Unisus

Long ago, a flourishing river flowed through the desolated lands of a faraway place called Ygahara. The mighty river became known as the Xanthippe River and it carried within it special water that the Creators of this world wanted to keep far away from wandering souls. The river winded its way through the flat lands of Ygahara undisturbed since the beginning of time. The Creators constructed a being in order to protect the magic river. They created Unisus. With a regal horse frame, long eagle like wings and a sharp glistening horn, Unisus made for an optimal protector. “Now Unisus, guard this river with all your might, do not drink from the water and do not let anyone or anything touch it.” The Creators instructed. Unisus possessed an innate understanding of the importance of the Xanthippe and vowed to protect the river and the magical water it contained.

Many suns and moons went by without Unisus seeing a single soul. She would stand alert but saw nothing but forsaken earth. Unisus could hear the water flowing as it made alluring noises when the flowing water collided with stones inside it. Unisus turned her head to the river. She remembered the warning the Creators gave her and turned away sharply.

In the days that followed Unisus’s curiosity grew. She strived to get closer and closer to the tempting waters. As she encroached on the banks of the Xanthippe River, a pebble accidentally fell into the crystal clear water. Unisus’s eyes widened with fear as she remembered the instruction “Let nothing or no one into the water.” The pebble tumbled beneath the water’s surface away from Unisus’s grasp. Unisus stood on the banks of the Xanthippe worrisome, waiting to see the fate of the pebble and worse her own fate. The world stayed silent, Unisus held her breath.

A bright light shot into the air from where the pebble fell into the river. Unisus stood back and watched as the light fanned outward and unleashed a high pitched noise. Then it stopped, just like that. In the light's place stood a baby tree. Unisus panicked because she had never seen a tree before. There it stood, planted in the river, green and lush swaying in the desert wind. Overcome with fright and wonder, Unisus looked around wildly to see if the Creators had noticed. The world remained quiet except for the wind that blew through the desert. Unisus stood there for a brief moment and then without thinking kicked another pebble into the river. The same process occurred, the light beamed up from the river bed and into the violet sky. Another small tree stood where the pebble once was. In awe Unisus began to kick more pebbles into the Xanthippe River in total disregard for the Creator's warning.

Soon there formed a line of foliage that stretched all across the riverbed. With all the trees in the water, the river began to damn. As the river began to swell it leaked onto the dusty desert floor. As the water flowed throughout the plains of the desert, green seedlings began to sprout in their place. Unisus could not believe what she was seeing. The water came closer and closer to Unisus as she continued to back up afraid of what the magical water might do. Would she turn into a plant like the pebbles had? She could fly away but a part of her wanted to atone for breaking the creator's cardinal rule. As Unisus had backed into the last corner of the Ygahara desert the Creators appeared. They stopped the water in its tracks before it could consume Unisus. She exhaled deeply as she sat down on the dusty desert ground. “What have you done Unisus?” The Creators bellowed. “You were supposed to keep the river contained. You have failed Unisus and with that we must punish you.” Unisus looked up at them in utter sorrow. “But Creators look at the land now, it is so much healthier and there is a breeze in the air, the sky is even a new shade of color.” The Creators looked upward and took notice of the light blue sky that surrounded them. “The river brings life, let it bring life to this barren world.” The Creators looked at one another and then back at Unisus. “You do not understand the risks and consequences of a habited world Unisus, they always end in chaos and destruction. Keeping this world empty was the only way to save it and you have destroyed it.” Unisus froze as the Creators all reached their hands out in front of them. “What does it all mean then?” She asked. Unisus mustered up all the courage she had left and flapped her wings, she flew up over the Creators and dove into the damned part of the river. The Creators gasped in horror as they awaited to see the fate of Unisus.

A large flash of light bolted into the sky. In it were thousands of colors never before seen in this world, all escaping into the atmosphere. The colors danced away in all directions and dissipated into the horizon. The light from the river dimmed and then ceased. A moment passed where all that was heard was the rustling of new plant life in Ygahara. The Creators came closer to the serene riverbed. A loud high pitched scream escaped the water. A great eagle flew out of the river and into the magnificent blue sky. The Creators looked on in disbelief. As the eagle flew away another figure came out of the water, this one much larger. A strapping horse climbed its way out of the river. It stared at the Creators, nodded towards them, and galloped away at incredible speed through the developing forestry. The Creators looked at one another unsure of what to do next when an additional figure emerged from the banks of the Xanthippe River. This creation was as great as the eagle and as strong as the horse. A human stood before the Creators, soaking wet from the magical water. She lifted her head and looked into each Creator and spoke with an ethereal voice. “This world is now inhabited, through means of which you did not approve but you can now choose to be a part of it.” The Creators could not deny the spirit of this new world. They had no choice but to agree with the strange human from the river and with a simple gesture Ygahara the birthplace of life. Out climbed animals of all shapes and sizes from the river. Then people of all colors scaled out of the river and wandered about the land of Ygahara. The Creators looked around this new world they created with contrition. The human walked up to them. “Don’t take a dislike to this world you have made. It will be a success and one day it will end but who is to say that it will be in chaos or turmoil? Believe in your creations as I had believed in you.” The Creators looked at the human and uttered a single word, “Unisus?” She nodded. “It is me, Unisus. I plan on living in this world that we have made possible. Let curiosity decide the fate of this world, you don’t have to take all the responsibility.” Unisus bowed to the Creators, turned, and walked into the newly sprouted flora. She grabbed a luscious red apple hanging from a tree, took a bite, and continued into the Ygahara green pastures, never once looking back.