Moments earlier...
A pair of crisp yellow eyes opened wide. Sweat dripped from his sun-kissed forehead as his slightly coarse raven black hair was messed up from sleep or a gods-forsaken nightmare.
He knew that it wasn't a dream at this point because when he met Luke Stryker—oh how his name haunted his mind and ears since that day—the dreams became more real. It was like something added weight to these dark dreams to the point his waking mind couldn't forget them.
Aliens in cold metal cages speaking in cold anger. Planets in the sky amidst a celestial backdrop. A year where Earth was subjugated until it was unmade. Cracks that glowed white and bled energy that unwound a person from history.
He dreamed of these events that once felt like matters left to others, yet it all changed when he saw Luke. He was something both beautiful yet vile to him, but that alone was enough to ignite his blood in a way that made him keep an eye on him.
He knew his mischievous crush held power beyond mortal constraints. There was no way that the school would have admitted him in otherwise. His fathers built that school to act as a daycare for toddlers to adults reaching 18, but that meant little to its real purpose.
However, this time when he went to sleep and observe his crush, he witnessed something that both deepened his obsession for Luke and angered him.
He saw his crush in a much older form and fell for his beauty all over again—committing the sight into his mind and heart. Luke was a lady killer or hotter than the campus king that would make both boys and girls vye for his heart in marriage, but he had no need to fear that.
If any dared to take what was his away, they would end up dead.
When he witnessed Luke fight the alien leader, the obsession within his heart continued to be nurtured. He knew that a handsome yet frail man like Luke needed someone strong and brave to protect him, but the only one he could see that was worthy to stand next to a living god was another living god. Something that he knew he was going to be soon enough.
He celebrated Luke's victory against the alien leader and felt the world become that much brighter as a result, but that joy soon gave way to fear and sorrow as he saw the leader murder Luke right in front of him with his whip. He felt sorrow upon witnessing his death at the leader's hand, but that quickly became fuel for a fire that would never extinguish.
His hatred for the despicable action and at witnessing the murder of a living god right in front of his eyes catalyzed a deeply profound change in his very essence. His love for Luke and anger over his murder somehow became the fuel and ignition needed to engrave a goal that would never be satisfied.
"I shall burn the world and grant all who seek damnation entry into places untouched by mortal hands," he thought to himself as he took in a deep gulp of breath within his bedroom. "I will hunt you all down who dare to kill him!"
With golden eyes mired in anger and obsessive possessiveness, this marked the start of a dark romance. The Tale of the Monarch and the Lord of Anima had just ended its prelude as the first steps had already begun.
=[DW:NG]=
With the Doctor and Rose beginning their adventures in the TARDIS, Guthix felt the winds of destiny change in a subtle way. This world was on the verge of losing balance, yet he held hope to return to a place of familiar sights.
He knew that Luke, in his capacity as the Lord of Anima, would bring Gielinor into this wild universe. He could only hope it would be just as beautiful as he remembered.
Now, all that was left was to read more of what happened to the world of Gielinor after he died while he waited for Luke's return.
=[DW:NG]=
Michael knew that Luke was coming back. He was, after all, housed deep within his soul and held a platonic relationship with him as a big brother. It didn't frighten him that Luke perished due to the Sycorax Leader's whip, but what did concern him was the way his own System hid the titles he gained.
He viewed them all in place of Luke.
- [Title: Lord of Anima]: Unique to Luke Stryker, this title is the acknowledgement of other entities of his abilities. With this title, he is able to garner respect of other non-human entities considered above mortality as well as fear for reality-warping godlike entities. This title is auto-equipped and cannot be removed.
- [Title: Forger of Gods]: A title granted to System-enhanced entities that have the power and ability to create gods from scratch or by giving them significant power to transcend mortality. With this title equipped, it grants a passive ability to increase the chance of successfully creating celestial bodies using Anima by 90 percent and a 75 percent chance to create high-tier gods.
Despite how the two titles were hidden from Luke's status screen, Michael knew that these titles would be inevitably revealed to him. All he could hope for, when the time came, was that Luke was at least more mature to bear the weight.
If not, he was always there to help him.
The only thing that scared Michael at this point in time was him because unlike Luke, he noticed that the obsessed lad was watching him the whole time. He was absolutely scared for Luke and this wonderful universe they lived in because, if he grew up more and became what he was destined to be, then only Luke could stop him from destroying the whole universe.
After all, Michael had been warned about The Monarch. What would happen if he did not get what he desired most.
And the indescribable Hell that would follow in his wake should anyone dare to anger him.
=[DW:NG]=
Continued in: The Next Day.