The four gods sat in the living room. A chorus of song and conversation drenched the whole pillar as the elder three reminisced and the younger one painted the scenes. Pictures like that of the first bright blue stars, the first looks of each of the elder gods, the first complete galaxy. Each scene immediately placed on the table for them all to look over.
"It has been a long time since we sprung out of the void. I think we have made quite the reality so far." Alpha picked up the picture of the first galaxy.
"That we have, that we have. But it will become better, more beautiful." Gamma looked towards Eta.
"My daughter, you are much more than I had ever hoped for. You are the true god of this universe, we all agree on that." Omega hugged Eta.
Eta continued to paint for the three. Slowly transitioning to painting portraits of each. Each one with intricate details. Alpha with different designs of galaxies within him. Gamma in different types of clockwork eras. Omega in beautiful cloths and ornaments.
Tears slowly streamed down from Eta's many eyes. "I know what is to happen. I know you all are to leave forever soon, so please allow me to paint you all to my hearts content." Even while talking, she continued to paint portrait after portrait.
"We shall not be gone until you've had your fill with us. And even when we're gone, our essence will still exist through our domains." Omega kneeled beside their daughter.
"You can decide when we leave, we'd love to stay as long as you want." Gamma knelt beside Eta, wiping a tear away.
"It is regrettable we must vanish, but to give you the tools, we must." Alpha stood next to the others, looking into the sky.
Despite the tears, Eta continued to paint the three, seemingly trying to grasp every part of their essence before they disappear. Within minutes, she had dozens of portraits of each of the elder gods. Each at a different angle and a different design that the others had shown her.
As the tears slowed to a stop, Eta was lost in her own world of art and emotion. Her power to imbue souls placed on full display as each portrait moved, the god in each looking now at the god in reality. Each could feel that they were looking at themselves at some point in time, whether that have been in the past or in a different future.
"My daughter, these are incredible. But where shall you place them? The walls are all covered here in other art." Omega picked up one of the portraits where they were appearing as an older human man.
Eta pointed to the wall. "I will make a new room for each of your portraits. Stay until I have finished them. I'd like you all to see how I see you at all times. How your souls call out to me and how they keep you grounded."
"I'd love to see such a thing my dear. Every time you've made a piece from me, I study it for centuries until I understand the meaning behind every stroke, every color, and every texture." Gamma came up behind Eta and grabbed a piece where she was a digital clock.
As if like clockwork, Gamma's form rapidly aged as she takes in all parts of the paintings. Omega seemed content in viewing the portrait as they normally do. Having raised Eta, Omega understands what Gamma spends centuries understanding at a glance.
Alpha picked up one of him with one sole galaxy within him. He viewed each of the moving stars, viewed it was possible to see planets of life within the painting. "You can create universes on a whim. Is that what a soul truly is, a small universe on to oneself?"
"As I understand, every soul is the culmination of ones whole life. In a sense, they are ones whole world. So in essence, they are a universe on to themselves." Eta placed a hand on a painting causing it to move.
Eta stood up and summoned the old painting she made centuries ago of the three elder gods on the rock outcropping. She held it in her hands as only the sky moved in the image.
The young god continued to paint for multiple weeks, creating thousands of pieces of each god. Finally, Eta placed her brush down and looked towards the same wall as before. She held out a hand and created a new space in the home, creating three new rooms.
In each, she placed the portraits in her own chronological order for each god. Alpha started with the solely dust universe and ended with a body full of colorful galaxies. Gamma started with a body made of pure stone, shadows telling the time, to ending with a body of plasma, still using light to show time. Omega had the least change, going from their usual appearance to one of slightly grey hair.
Each portrait moved with a true purpose, demonstrating different aspects of each of the gods. Alpha's showed his passivity and his curiosity. Gamma's showed her mischievous nature and her optimistic nihilism. Finally, Omega's showed their compassion and their instincts.
"It's done. This is how I see all of you, broken down to your most simple characteristics. I love each of you in a way all your own."
Omega walked up to their room. "Is it time my daughter? Are you ready?"
Eta paused for a time. She stayed still and looked to each of them, one by one. "I know I'll never be ready, but this should be the time at which I am the most ready."
"Allow us to leave the home first, come out at sunset my dear." Gamma patted Eta's shoulder and went out the door.
Alpha did the same and left the home as well.
"My daughter, we shall say goodbye soon. I just want to say, you are the being I wanted you to be since I had always wanted you to be yourself." Omega smiled and walked out as well.
Eta roamed about the home for a time, looking to each piece of art strewn about the walls. She could still remember painting every single one. The ones from before Omega could understand her melodies, the ones when the other two gods finally made themselves known to her. She loved the simplistic ones just as much as the ones which moved with great fervor.
Finally, once the sun was to fall under the horizon, bringing the stars into view, Eta knew it was to be the time.
The three gods had chosen the very same outcropping from the painting done so many years ago. Each positioned where Eta had painted them.
Alpha was first as always, he stood closest to the bottom, the sun shining through the edges of his form casting beautiful shadows. His form a beautiful bouquet of galaxies, that which Eta designed just that morning. "Eta, you are to be the one true god of the universe. The one whom shall create that which you deem to be the correct universe." He placed the Orb of Space in Eta's awaiting hands. "I give to you my command of space. That which is my very being." Alpha stepped back as his silhouette slowly faded into the surroundings until he vanished completely. Eta could feel a newfound comfort in space all around as Alpha became truly one with space.
Gamma was second as always, she stood halfway up the rocks. Her form that of an intricate clock of which Eta had designed for her. "My dear Eta, you are to be the one true god of the flow. The one whom shall lead time to the best ending in your mind." She placed the Staff of Time in Eta's awaiting hands. "I give to you my command of time.. That which is my very being." Gamma stepped back as her clockwork slowly fell to the ground and dissipated until nothing was left. Eta could feel a strange calmness roll over time as Gamma became truly one with time.
Eta went up to Omega as she sat next to them, their garb one such that Eta had designed long ago. "I was planning to do as my elder siblings did, but that is not how I'd like to say goodbye." Omega turned to Eta. "My daughter, I watched you grow, I watched you learn, I watched you create, I watched you destroy. But greatest of all, I watched you become you."
"Am I really ready? What if I fail, what if I faulter? Father, what would I do?" Eta gazed on Omega.
"Its okay to fail, its okay to faulter. You are immortal with the rest of time ahead of you. Failure comes with life just as success comes. My daughter, no matter what, we placed faith in you that you'll be yourself. It matters not what happens, our choice will always be correct." Omega stood as the sun set. "Are you ready for me to leave?"
"Could you stay with me for a bit longer."
The two sat in silence as the sun cast rays of gold over the two with the sky slowly being overtaken by black. Soon enough, the galaxy shone forth from the night sky.
"What will change once you leave?"
"I'm unsure as always my daughter. You shall know soon though." Omega produced his scroll of laws and placed it at his side. "Take it once your ready my daughter."
Eta made one last melody, a somber one that rang out over the pillar. A sound that would never be recreated. As the final note slowly withered into silence, Eta picked up the scroll.
Omega gave one last simile as they slowly disappeared. The universe seemed to stand still as the laws became more firm in Eta's mind.
As much as she wanted to wail, as much as she wanted to cry out to the heavens, to bring back her family. Eta stayed silent. She knew from the start that they would leave one day.
For the first time in known history, the pillar was silent. No gusts from the eternal storm, no melodies from the infant god, no conversation between the three siblings. Just a not so young god roaming about her home.