Writing is more than an exercise in your imagination; it is a meditation on creation and destruction, but not always good vs. evil.

I've come to realize that what I am aiming for in my story is not a traditional story of heroes and villains, but a story of three, maybe even four, potential directions.

Here's how the idea works, there are basically three sides in existence: Creation, Destrucion, and Transition.

On a theological level, since I am musing on Eastern Theology and even portions of Western Theology, I would denote these three elements with characters personifying them.

1. Creator/Yang/The Beginning and Ending/The Perfect Past/The Certain Future- Both the personifying being and the characters that follow this line are moral, logical, orderly, and perfected to the point of imperfection. To be totally perfect in everything is to be totally imperfect; to embody good is to allow evil to exist. However, it is a close companion to Death and its own ending is certain, which create a cycle of fate.

This line of idea is usually associated with good, but there are things that must be balanced with a greater good, which may be a lesser evil.

The character is a partner to Death, both in a fashion of brothers and lovers. They form reality together and have existed since the beginning. I think Creation and Destruction are not polar opposites, nor can they be as simple as good vs. evil. Creation can be destructive and Death can create new life; it's an intricate balance in nature. They are each other's natural companions, even if they sleep around in an open relationship.

2. Death/Yin/The Ending and Beginning/The Imperfect Past/The Uncertain Future- Both the personifying being and characters following this line are amoral, intuitive, random, and imperfect to the point of perfection. While Death is usually associated with somberness, coldness, and darkness, it can be a glorious release of hope, warmth, and light. It cannot live without creation either, but it has its own ultimate duty to destroy its own companion.

The line is distinct in my universe as I am making it beyond good and evil; it is amoral just as it should be. Death does not pick what or who is destroyed, random occurences happen by the totality of probability.

Death is a complex character in my story both in its mythology and character. It is a tragic figure that knows its destined to destroy its only companion at the end of time. It's a caring being without morality; sympathy without distinction, and granting choices where certainty would point to only one result.

3. The One/Ming/The Transition/Potential- This line is not part of any theological premice, but an original idea of mine from thinking about Taoism. "Ming" is loosely translated as "knowledge acquired", but ithas other concepts as well. It can be used in the idea of potential. This is basically my stab at concepts brought forth by Transhumanism; ultimately, it will lead to the end of the Creator and Death themselves.

The Main Character of Causailty is part of this line and seeks out knowledge beyond just mechanical understanding, morality, or any tangible fixed knowledge. The Book of Fate is a character in this line as well.

Now, here's how I am treating Evil

4. Evil/Chaos/Self Determination/Freedom- This is going to be controversial, but I think when comparing notes on religion; it makes good sense. What we consider "freedom" is antithetical to theological "order", if the religion has principles and structure. Even in Taoist/Confucian theology that offers equal treatment, freedom is not always accepted; woman had a traditional role in family life that is basically limited and confined. (If you read the original story of the Nine-Tailed Fox in Chinese, she rebelled against the natural order of men holding power, Dragons (men) in Ascendence as Phoenixes in submission (women), and her role as a sexual object. Half the Chinese heavenly deities followed her rebellion, because Evil was justified by repressive order.)

Evil is attempting to break from Order, seek its own way in life against the rules set by others, and give the downtrodden a chance at revenge against thir oppressors.

In a way, I think gay readers will find an appeal to this as I do to, but ultimately there is more to evil than fire and horns; it's most seductive aspects are for people, who suffer from oppression just as the Judeo Christian figure Lucifer/Satan is said to have rebelled due to its own perceived oppression by God. I am taking John Milton's Paradise Lost at face value. However, when a victim seeks revenge, it is a highly probable outcome that the victim will be a new oppressor and the old oppressor will be a new victim.

Does that make the modern world Evil for embracing these values?

Maybe, but what is wrong with being Evil in a world filled with Evil? If we can all live by forgiveness, then there would be no oppression, but it will never be. The desire for freedom from oppression will drive injustice in this world and continue a long line of conflicts. As long as we remain isolated in our view of individuality/Ethnic groups/Sexual Orientations/Nationality/Religion, there is no forgiveness.