At the edge of everything, there was darkness- a darkness so impenetrable and deep that men were sure that was where their world ended and the realm of the Gods began. And those who ventured into that realm of Gods never returned. The darkness was not a place for mortal men. And by the time that men were no longer young upon the earth and their fortresses dotted the landscape like thousands of beads on the earth's dress, when they had run out of room on the solid ground and advanced their kingdoms to the seas and skies, the darkness was as much a part of their life as the ground or stars or oceans and the people revered the Gods that hid in that darkness and kept their places sacred. The darkness was the untainted, unchanging, ineffable land of the Gods.
That is, until one day, when something changed in the darkness.

The three kings hovered at the border, staring apprehensively at the darkness and the distant, glimmering light that pierced the gloom. Having already passed beyond the stone wall that kept their fellows from wandering out of the world, the men were already beginning to feel like small, insubstantial creatures trespassing in holy grounds. The King of Lands puffed out his chest, steeling himself to break the tense silence, and strode up to the very edge of the mortal ground, gesticulating boldly to the darkness.
“Well,” he declared, “let us go to meet this King of Gods!”
“P-perhaps this was not the best of ideas,” whispered the King of Waters, whose loose blue robes were rumpled and damp still. “I mean it is the territory of the Gods. Let us return, and we shall simply tell the people that we met with the King of Gods. Or perhaps that would couldn't get an audience. Or perhaps that we couldn't get across the border at all! It's not a land for mortals. It was foolish for us to come here!” The King of Waters tore at his sparse, short hair, pacing now.
“Coward,” the King of Lands spat.
“I-I simply mean- Don't deny that you are frightened, too!”
“I fear nothing!” the King of Lands retorted.
The King of Stars, who had until now been standing in deep contemplation, furrowed his brow and spoke. “We have told the people we will go. We have told ourselves that we will go. I do not know of you,” he looked to the King of Waters, “but I will go.”
The King of Waters blinked at the King of Stars's remarks, and then sighed, joining his fellow kings at the border. “I will go.”
And the three Kings stepped into the unknown gloom, the darkness smothering each man like a swath of cotton. The darkness was not perfectly silent, or, that is to say, the silence of the darkness was a silence entirely different than any that the men had ever heard. The silence pulsated, undulated, and filled their ears with the silent sound of the knowledge that sound exists somewhere even though none is present or apparent, like the inverse of the sound a tree makes when it falls with no one around to here it. The King of Lands opened his mouth and made a crude statement that caused the other two to laugh, breaking the maddening silence.
The distant light that was their goal seemed to be growing ever closer as they walked, and the men were reassured by the fact that the darkness seemed to follow the laws of space that their own world complied with.
“It is not so bad,” said the King of Waters, surveying the scene. “I'm certain one could build a castle here. Perhaps this King of Gods will become an ally to us and allow us to use the land that has so long been forbidden!” He laughed buoyantly, patting the King of Lands on the back.
“Yes,” the King of Lands replied. “And if the land is offered to us, it shall be mine, for it primarily borders on my kingdom.”
“Whaaaat?? Don't be so greedy! Allow my people some stake in the land, too!”
“But how will they get to it, dear friend? And besides, there are no fish for you and your followers here. How can the water dwellers survive without fish?”
The King of Waters scowled and folded his arms, looking rather petulant. “You're just a greedy bully is all.”
The King of Lands laughed and looked triumphant. “And you are a cowardly fish-eater.”
The King of Stars said nothing, but simply kept his eyes fixed upon the familiar seeming light ahead and was grateful when the others stopped their bickering. The light continued to draw nearer.
By the time that the King of Waters had been able to count to five thousand both forwards and backwards, not counting the time consumed when the King of Lands smacked him and told him to shut up because he was an idiot and a fool, the three kings were so close to the light that they could almost reach out and touch it. Promptly, the King of Lands and the King of Waters stopped their foolishness to pay their respects. The King of Waters bowed down low, getting on to his hands and knees before the light and pushing forward his offering; the King of Stars bowed slightly before the light, averting his gaze towards the ground; the King of Lands made no move to bow before their supposed King of Gods other than to nod his head in acknowledgment of its sacred presence.
“We are the kings of the land you rule,” said the King of Lands in his bold, rich voice. “Since you have revealed yourself to me, O King of Gods, I have alerted my fellows,” he gestured to the King of Stars and the King of Lands in turn, “and traveled into the sacred darkness to present you with offerings.”
The King of Waters pushed forth his offering, a crystalline chalice. “I give to you, O King of Gods, a chalice cut of the finest materials in my kingdom of the seas, filled to the brim with my finest wine.”
The King of Gods remained silent, shining its bright light upon the three men.
The King of Stars spoke up next. “I have brought you some of the finest stars in my country, harvested from the sky by my magicians and myself. Although their splendor pales in comparison to yours, I hope you will find them pleasing.” He offered a small red box and then stepped back a pace.
The King of Gods remained silent still.
The King of Lands grinned, stepping forward “Obviously their gifts are not to your liking, O Great King of Gods. Please accept my gift.” He held forth an earthy green chalice, somewhat similar to the one offered by the King of Waters, but taller. “This grail is filled with a balm that can speed the healing of any wound, and is surely the most valuable gift here.”
The King of Gods glowed on, unaltered and still silent.
“I can tell that you are speechless.” The King of Lands cleared his throat. “So, great King of Gods, if you love my present so much, perhaps you would be willing to reward me for my gift. Perhaps you would be willing to allow me to settle a part of your sacred land? As we are both kings of solid ground,” he stomped his foot, “we obviously understand each other better than these two could hope to. So I take it that I may settle here?”
“What?” the King of Waters exclaimed, no longer able to keep silent as the King of Lands boasted to the light. “I deserve something too! Don't you dare take all the glory!” He crawled closer to the light. “O Great King of Gods, please grant me some token of your gratitude as well! Don't give this greedy fool all your land! He'll just fill it up with barracks and people! I'll build you temples! Museums! Monuments to your glory!”
The King of Gods did not reply to the King of Waters' request.
“Oh, shut up, you glorified fish-monger!” the King of Lands growled kicking the King of Waters away.
“Bully! The Gods have no place for a cur like you! That's why he won't talk to you!”
“He won't talk to you either!”
As his fellows squabbled once more, the King of Stars reflected upon the light before him. It had not spoken once. It had made no move to acknowledge their presence. It did nothing more than sit there and twinkle. This 'King of Gods' did not seem to be sentient or even alive! The King of Stars opened the small red box that contained his offering and pulled out a star, holding it up to compare. He then smiled, replaced the star, and shut the box, setting it down on the ground. The light was no King of Gods. It was simply a star.
“Friends...” he murmured, but the other men did not listen. “Friends,” he repeated more boldly. Still no acknowledgment. “Friends!” he cried, but they paid him no mind. The King of Stars sighed and turned away. The Kings were too caught up in their petty squabbling to pay him any mind. They would find out on their own, or at least, the King of Stars hoped they would.
When the King of Stars returned to his kingdom in the sky he told his people of the light in the darkness that was the King of Gods who took the form of a star. And although the star could not speak, it still held the utmost control over men of shallow character and weak hearts. And the people dreamed, of stars that were Gods and Gods that were stars, and wondered what their own stars above held.