At a time when the world was still in darkness, when the world still shook from the mighty rumble of war, there was born a great man. This was no ordinary man, for he was great in mind, as well as spirit. He had great vision, and sought to use what he knew to gain even greater powers. He could see the secrets of the world, and knew that he would one day be able to take them from under the protection of the gods, to use for his greater glory. Oppenhimer was his name, and though he was not like the heros of old in stature, he well made up for it in strength. Great strength, to do with what he would. His mind was like that of a water-wheel, spinning all the time, forever moving, thinking, plotting, planning.
He was called before the leader of his people, who was in great worry over war that he had gone into. This war was death for the world, for there were very few parts of it that did not feel the earth shake from it's mighty thunder. It was a war of the world, a world war, nation against nation. It would end, eventually, and the king wanted to be the victor when it was all over.
"Oppenhimer." The king spoke. "You are great in knowledge, and mind. Tell me what secrets of the world that you know, so that I may use them, and be victorious."
Oppenhimer thought for a moment, and finally, when he was done, he turned to the king, and looked him right in the eye.
"Oh great king," He spoke. "There is but one thing that you could use to destroy all your enemies, that which would be strong enough to smite them, so that they will never rise again."
"And what is this thing, that I may use to smite my enemies?" The king asked.
"It is the fire of the gods, the great fire that will burn your enemies, and purge them from your sight." He answered.
So the king sent Oppenhimer away, to seek the great fire that would burn his enemies to cinders. This was no ordinary fire, for it belonged to no ordinary gods. These were great gods, not like the gods of old, for they did not resemble them in stature. These were the gods, Atom, Photon, Neutron, Electron, and the great king of them all, Energy, with his wife and queen, Matter. These gods did not seek to live on high, looking down upon the people of the earth. These gods were smarter than that. They had put the body of themselves within everything in the world, living or dead. By this, they could now be everywhere at once, except the great god Energy, who pleased himself by changing forms at his will, so that he could move about the world as he willed.
Oppenhimer went before these gods, and prayed to them for their great fire. He prayed that they might be merciful to his people, and share the knowledge of the great fire with them, so that this time of darkness and war might end, and his people might live free again. But the gods refused him, and sent him from them.
"You seek this fire not for your people, but for your own glory." Energy told him."But what you do not realize is that you need more than just the knowledge of fire to use it. You must have the wisdom of the fire, as well. Without this wisdom, it will sneak up on you, and burn you. If you use the fire, without the wisdom, then soon you will find yourself surrounded by it, and it will trap you in, and burn you."
"Then give me this wisdom, so that I may use the fire." Oppenhimer pleaded.
"No," Energy replied. "Look at your people, fighting childlike with the other nations. They could not even see that the fire is not to be used to gain over another. If it is used like that, then it will spread, like the tide over the sand, and many will suffer. The people of the earth are not ready for the fire. Now go from me, I have made my decision."
Oppenhimer went from him, but he was not placated, for Oppenhimer was a proud man, and would not go back to his king barehanded, nor would he accept the decision of the gods. He would find a way to take the fire from the gods, even if he had to steal it. He would seek out another great man, who also knew of the secrets of the world, and find out the secret word that would allow him passage to the place where the fire was kept, the dwelling place of Atom, keeper of the fire.
The man's name was Einstein, and early on in his time on earth, he had come upon the secret word, emc, that would allow one to pass through the gates of knowledge and seek out the dwelling place of atom.
"My great friend, Einstein. I have come to ask of you to share with me one of the secrets of this world, and in return I will share with you, one of the secrets that I know."
"There is little that you know, that I do not, Oppenhimer." Einstein countered. "What is it that you wish to know?"
"I am seeking the secret word, so that I may gain access through the gates of knowledge."
"I will not give you the word, for I know what you intend to do with it." Einstein replied. "For you would use it to seek the fire of the gods, and use it for your own greater glory. This I cannot allow, for we are not ready for that knowledge, and many would suffer for our own greed."
Oppenhimer sighed. "Perhaps you are right, my friend. Though we are great men, we are still not as great as the gods, for if we were, would we not be gods ourselves? I am content to be the man I am. Come, let us share a drink, and toast to our own mortality."
Einstein smiled. "You truly have wisdom, my friend, for others would seek to force the knowledge from me, and I would give them naught. I would share a drink, and a toast with you."
This drinking and toasting went on well into the night, for both of them were happy to be who they were, or so it appeared. Oppenhimer, though appearing to be as full with drink as his friend, was not as nearly. He gave Einstein more and more, and soon the man was so full of drink that it loosened his tongue. Oppenhimer put the question to him again, but in a way as to not make Einstein suspect what it was that he was doing.
"Emc!" Einstein cried out. "Emc is the great word that will cause the world so much trouble. Do you not think it so?"
"Of course, my friend." Oppenhimer humored the man, for he had now what he wanted.
"I assure you, you will see, the day that we bring down the knowledge of the gods, without the wisdom of the gods, will be a sad day on earth, indeed." With that, Einstein fell asleep, heavy with drink.
Oppenhimer went quickly to the great gates of wisdom, and spoke the secret word. The gatekeeper bade him enter, but warned him not to touch anything, for it was forbidden. He asked the gatekeeper if could speak with the great god Atom, but the gatekeeper replied that Atom was not at his home. He thanked the gatekeeper for his words, and gave him a bottle for his troubles.
As the gatekeeper busied himself with the bottle, Oppenhimer stole away, through the halls of knowledge, to the great dwelling-place of the great god Atom. As the gatekeeper had told him, Atom was not at home, so Oppenhimer quickly stole inside, and took the fire. Then ran out, through the gates, sneaking past the guard there, who had become heavy with drink from the bottle that Oppenhimer had given him.
He returned to his king, who was growing old with age, and was soon to die. Oppenhimer showed him the fire. The king, looked upon the fire with horror, and refused the fire, even though it would win the war for him. Then the king bade Oppenhimer leave him, for he had done an evil deed, and would never be a truly great man.
A few days later, a messenger came to Oppenhimer, requesting his presence at the court. The old king had died, and another had taken his place. So Oppenhimer went before the new king, who bade him to give him the fire, so that he may smite down his enemies, and be victorious, and if he would do so, then the king would make Oppenhimer a great hero of the people. Oppenhimer, sensing his opportunity for greatness, quickly agreed, and gave the fire to the new king.
Neither Oppenhimer nor the king had truly realized their mistake, until it was too late. For the enemy was smitten with fire, not once, but twice, and the disaster it wrought was horrible. It spread like the tide on the sand, and killed many. Many of those who had died were innocents; those who were with the enemy, but not truly the enemy, for they had never truly done wrong to anyone, except live in the land that was called "enemy".
As time went by, the other nations of the world gained the fire, and hoarded it's power until it was certain that if the fire was to be used again, it would surely destroy the world. Oppenhimer was sad at what he had done. The great god Energy had been right. They had used the fire, without the wisdom, and many had suffered. Oppenhimer had never truly known what the horrors could be, if the fire was used without the wisdom. He now had that wisdom, and he prayed to the great gods that the other great men who owned the knowledge of fire could be blessed with the wisdom, or the world would truly be overcome with the wrath of the fire.