The First Embers

Many ages past, before the Ashes, before the rise and fall of the great civilizations, before even the first civilizations, there was Life and there was Death. The two were caught in an endless chase. Every day, Life would run from Death, and every night, as Life tired and slowed, Death would descend upon her in its many forms. And so the chase repeated, day after day and night after night.
  The god Forsyth watched this endless chase and felt sorrow, for they knew that Life held the promise of so much more. So they visited Life as a flowing stream, and hummed to her as they flowed over rocks and stones. Life took the stones and sharpened them on the rocks, and so the first weapons were created. For one night, Life was able to hold Death at bay. But Death could not be held back forever, and soon the chase resumed. 
  Forsyth returned to Life as a gust of wind, and whispered to her through the grasses and the trees. Life cut down the trees and bound them together with the grasses, and so the first shelters were created. For two nights, Life held Death at bay. But Death was persistent, and soon the chase resumed. 
  Forsyth returned to Life as a pouring rain, and sang to her as they washed away the earth to reveal the clay beneath. Life reinforced their shelters with this clay, and held Death at bay for three nights. But yet again, Death could not be held back, and so the chase resumed. 
  At this, Forsyth felt anger. They wanted to see what Life could create, but Life’s works had once again fallen before Death’s pursuit. So they came to Life as a raging storm, and roared to her as their lightning set the earth alight. Life took the embers from these flames, and with them made her final stand against Death. She used the embers’ warmth to keep away the Death that lurked within the bitter cold. She used the embers’ heat to boil water and cook, to keep away the Death that lay within sickness and starvation. And she used the embers’ flames to strengthen her weapons and her shelters, to keep away the Death that endlessly chased her with fang and claw.
  Of course, Life could never escape from Death, not truly. But she had finally managed to keep Death away long enough that she need not always be on the run. With this extra time, she had the chance to learn, and invent, and create. And Forsyth felt satisfaction, for they knew that each new creation was a way for Life to express her thanks.