Training Facility in the Hortus Dei orb.
"Hey, why aren't we doing anything?" Yri asked, breaking the silence among her peers. She leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her tone dismissive. "We're sending someone who literally stepped down by choice. Like, what kind of lame excuse is 'I feel like I'm missing something, and this isn't the place to find it'? Seriously, what is that?"
The room went quiet. The others exchanged uneasy glances, clearly uncomfortable.
"Damn," Wryt muttered, shaking his head as he continued lifting his weights.
"You..." Retvinon started, struggling to form the words. He set down his barbell and stared at her, perplexed. "You just called... No, forget it." He sighed, dropping into a set of squats as if the physical effort would erase what he'd just heard.
"What's wrong with you guys?" Yri asked, genuinely confused.
Wryt stopped mid-rep, his tone sharp and incredulous. "Are you a complete idiot?" He turned to face her, his expression one of pure disbelief.
"What? What did I say?" she replied, looking around at the others for support.
Wryt, Retvinon, and Limya-ahn stared at her as if she'd just insulted Lord Kek himself. The silence stretched, heavy and tense, before Wryt broke it with a slow, deliberate explanation.
"That rogue spark... killed an Altus Stella," he said, emphasizing each word like he was talking to a child.
Yri blinked. "Okay? And?"
Wryt sighed and threw his hands up. "I'm done. I can't." He went back to lifting, muttering under his breath. Retvinon, meanwhile, burst into uncontrollable laughter, and Limya-ahn buried her face in her hands, groaning in frustration.
Limya-ahn eventually looked up, her tone measured but exasperated. "An Altus Stella is strong enough to handle universal-level threats on their own. Some—like Ytetra or Heliterna—could take on multiversal threats without breaking a sweat. But that was during the golden age. Those legends are gone, Yri. Now, when Nova Ytoia and an entire team of high-ranking Custodes couldn't stop the rogue spark, there was no other choice but to call him."
Yri shrugged. "Yeah, okay, that's bad. But still—why send someone who doesn't even want to be here? He's old, washed up, and a lunatic! I mean, have you seen him? He talks to himse—"
Before she could finish, a sharp crack echoed through the room as an open hand slapped her across the face.
The others froze. Yri stumbled back, her hand on her cheek, eyes wide with shock and tears welling up. She turned slowly to see who had struck her.
In front of her there was an elderly man in a wheelchair, his weathered face filled with righteous anger.
"Do. Not. Disrespect him," the old man said, his voice like thunder.
The room fell silent. The other Custodes stared in stunned disbelief, their mouths agape.
Yri stammered, "W-who are you—?"
"Shut it!" he barked, cutting her off. "That man you're trash-talking brought peace to all existence! When he was Nova, no rogue spark dared to step out of line under his watch! He saved countless lives across every orb! He was a beacon of light in the darkest times, the one we all aspired to emulate. When he was your backup, you knew you had won."
"All Custodes respected him—not out of duty, but out of sheer reverence for his deeds. No one dared to disrespect him, and for good reason. He inspired generations of Custodes Dei to rise above their limits, to give everything for the sake of existence. But when he stepped down, everything changed. The golden age ended, and with it, the light that once guided us.
"The young ones today... they don't know. They don't understand the greatness of the Eternal Knight. All they see is a man who stepped back. But I saw him at his peak. I saw what he did.
"I was there when he fought. It was the first time we met, I had heard about him, but never seen him. But still, it t was enough to mark me forever, and keep in mind that this was before he was the Nova. Long ago, my squad was sent to a universe overrun with rogue sparks. They were slaughtering local gods—chaos everywhere. My team and I managed to kill a few, but there were too many. We were losing. We called for backup, and for a moment... nothing.
"Then, we heard he was coming." The old man paused, his voice dropping to a reverent hush. "You could feel his presence universes away. When he arrived, reality itself seemed to acknowledge him—light shimmered, stars dimmed, and the rogues... they felt it too. They were gripped by absolute despair. They scattered like insects, but it didn't matter. He killed them all. Instantly. No mercy. He saved my life that day, and my entire squad's. I owe him everything."
The old man leaned back in his wheelchair, his face softening into a bittersweet smile. "And that doesn't even scratch the surface of what he's done." He turned and began to wheel himself away, out of the training area. Over his shoulder, he added, "Show some respect."
Yri stood frozen, shaken to her core. Her voice trembled. "Y-yes, sir."
The others watched him leave in stunned silence. Then, slowly, they returned to their exercises, leaving Yri to process what had just happened.
---
E.K. 's adventure.
E.K. was growing weary of the Deiianian's endless stream of questions. Though he didn't mind the company, the chatter was beginning to wear thin. They had been walking for hours now, following the dirt path along the same purple river. The trees stood a respectful distance away—neither crowding the path nor completely out of sight—forming an unbroken line of surreal grey that seemed to ripple against the blue sky.
Despite the strange terrain, the journey had been uneventful. They passed occasional signs etched with an ancient script. "Seri-akk," E.K. had explained earlier, "a language used by godlike beings in a particular orb."
Now it was his turn to break the monotony. "So," E.K. asked, his voice steady but curious, "how did you end up here?"
Perched comfortably on E.K.'s shoulder, the Deiianian tilted his head, a mock look of disbelief on his face. "You're asking me questions now? That doesn't seem right. You've barely answered any of mine!" His tone was both annoyed and teasing.
E.K. ignored the jab, his gaze focused on the horizon. "Your kind doesn't usually stray far from your territories. So what brings you quintillions of kilometers from home?" His question was laced with genuine interest.
The Deiianian sighed dramatically. "I'm kind of an outcast. Why would I stay with people who want nothing to do with me?"
E.K. glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "Are you sure?"
"Y-yeah?"
"Don't lie to me." E.K.'s voice was calm but edged with authority. "I gave you the chance to tell the truth. Don't misuse my trust. If I want, I can find out for myself."
The Deiianian squirmed. He hesitated before finally admitting, "Alright... I may have caused a war."
E.K. raised an eyebrow but kept his tone neutral. "A war? How intriguing. I thought your kind were peaceful."
"Normally, we are," the Deiianian admitted, his voice soft with shame. "But... I messed up. I was supposed to represent my people—my universe, actually."
"Go on."
The Deiianian sighed, defeated. "I was sent to negotiate with the Teranian leader from a neighboring universe. They had started a massive war, and we wanted to stay out of it. My job was to secure a neutrality pact—resources in exchange for them agreeing not to involve us." He hesitated. "It was going well... until I accidentally hit the wrong button."
"The 'red' button, I presume?" E.K. asked, his tone measured as he tried to mask his amusement.
"Yeah." The Deiianian's shoulders slumped. "I detonated their flagship by accident. That... didn't go over well. My people disowned me, and the Teranians branded me a war criminal. Now both sides want me dead."
E.K. glanced at him. "You caused an inter-universal war by pressing the wrong button?"
The Deiianian winced. "When you put it like that... yeah, but luckily my kind somehow got to stay out, so no one died."
"You wouldn't understand what war is really like," the Deiianian muttered under his breath, avoiding E.K.'s gaze.
E.K.'s steps slowed. He turned his head, fixing the Deiianian with a glare that seemed to pierce his very being. "Don't assume what I do or don't understand," he said, his tone sharp and unwavering.
The Deiianian shrieked softly, clearly unnerved. "Sorry! I didn't mean—what was it about?"
E.K. stared ahead, his mind slipping into the past. The Hangelean War. A war that had shaped him, taught him survival, and birthed the foundation of his abilities.
"The Hangelean Empire started it," E.K. began, his voice steady but distant. "Their population was expanding too fast, and they lacked the resources to sustain it. They attacked Oltzkan and Omeroa—two neighboring regions. Oltzkan fell quickly, but Omeroa resisted. The Hangeleans turned to forbidden tactics, slaughtering Omeroa's people.
"When their closest ally, Nava, learned of the atrocities, they severed ties and joined the fight against The Empire. It became a global conflict—a cascade of alliances and betrayals. When The Empire set its sights on Xyrioryn and Ilithia, the war spread to every continent. Eventually, it reached my homeland."
He paused, his expression darkening. "We won. But only because someone made a heroic sacrifice. Nearly half the world's population was wiped out."
The Deiianian stared at him, stunned. "Damn," was all he could muster.
E.K. said nothing, his thoughts heavy with memories.
Ahead, a silhouette began to take shape—a village emerging on the horizon.
-
The duo arrived before a towering wooden wall crowned with a large, reinforced gate. The Deiianian glanced at it with faint disinterest. "We could just teleport past it," it suggested nonchalantly.
E.K. folded his arms and shook his head firmly. "No. We show respect."
The Deiianian tilted its head, puzzled. "Respect? Why? It's just a wall."
"You don't barge into someone's home uninvited," E.K. replied, his tone steady but resolute.
The Deiianian sighed, clearly unconvinced. "Fine, I'll knock." It hopped off E.K.'s shoulder, waddled to the gate, and rapped on it with three loud bangs. A pause. It knocked again, harder this time, but still there was no response. It turned to face E.K., irritation creeping into its voice. "Where'd you go?"
E.K. frowned. "I'm right here."
"No, I can't see!" the Deiianian exclaimed, dragging its hands across its face in mounting panic. It stumbled about, waving its arms blindly. "I CAN'T SEE!"
E.K. blinked, feeling the same strange sensation for a brief moment before his vision adjusted, clear once more. A faint smile touched his lips, but he said nothing, watching the Deiianian flail about helplessly.
With a loud creak, the gate began to open. Several figures clad in sturdy armor stormed out, their weapons drawn. Before the Deiianian could react, one of them grabbed it by the scruff, lifting it effortlessly as it wriggled in vain.
"Put me down!" the Deiianian squawked, kicking wildly. "I can't even see you, but I'll—"
Another armored figure approached E.K., clearly wary. Without protest, E.K. allowed himself to be seized, his expression neutral. The guard, significantly larger, hauled him over a shoulder and carried him through the gates.
For now, he let them believe they had the upper hand.
--------
Somewhere else.
"Someone is here," the voice quivered, breaking the tense silence. "I noticed it hours ago. No, it wasn't something I saw—it was its presence. You can feel it, like the air itself is bending under its power. No one should have that much strength."
He glanced around nervously. None of the others seemed to have noticed. Finally, his gaze fell upon the shadowy figure seated on the throne. "Please... let us go. We cannot fight him. It's a lost cause."
"I warned you already," he continued, pointing to himself for emphasis. His voice cracked under the strain. "Why won't you listen?!"
The figure on the throne remained silent, unmoving. Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, it raised a hand and waved it through the air. A faint, almost imperceptible groan resonated through the chamber as if the universe itself had shuddered.
The kneeling one's eyes widened in terror. "No... Please... What did you do?"
The figure finally spoke, its voice a chilling blend of calm and malice. "You have no purpose anymore." There was a pause, followed by a twisted chuckle that reverberated in the darkness. "I've erased it. Without purpose, no being on the physical plane can exist. And so, you will cease to be..."
The kneeling figure staggered to his feet, desperation fueling his final act. "Galaxies fell because of this!" he roared, swinging his massive axe with every ounce of strength he had left.
But the blade never met its mark. With a single, dismissive wave of its hand, the figure erased the axe from everything. Before the warrior could process what had happened, his form began to fade, unraveling into nothingness.
"You almost got me," the figure said mockingly, a devious smile spreading across its face.
It turned its attention to the others, still bowing before it. None dared to look up, let alone defy it. They knew better. To oppose this being meant something far worse than death.
"You all," it said, its voice carrying an edge of command, "will now take on a new task. Find this someone. Kill him, or bring him to me. Do you understand? Ism, Ilirim and Ajnido will be the leading beings."
"Yes, sir," they said in unison, their voices trembling as they disappeared into thin air.
The figure leaned back on its throne, surveying the empty room. "This being 2won't stand in my way of absolute power." A beat passed. Then, with irritation creeping into its voice, it muttered, "Where are my snacks?"
---
---
Ism
Ism and his companion materialized in front of a solitary tree. The landscape stretched infinitely in every direction, barren except for that single, defiant tree.
Ism narrowed his eyes, stepping closer. He could feel the disturbance, faint yet undeniable, emanating from the tree. Placing a hand on its bark, he muttered, "Someone tampered with time here." His tone turned curious, almost amused. "A time user, huh? Well then, try this!"
Without warning, he swung his hammer—not at the tree, but at the empty air. His companion stared, and stared, his whole expression saying 'What the fuck was that?'.
"What... what are you doing?" the companion asked, his confusion obvious.
"I attacked them in the past," Ism replied matter-of-factly, not even sparing him a glance.
"How could you possibly know they're still around?" the companion pressed, his tone verging on skepticism.
Ism turned and gave him a look that could have wilted the tree itself. "The strike locks onto their time essence. It's a guaranteed hit. Basic stuff." He mimed getting hit on the head in an exaggerated display, smirking all the while.
The companion sighed, clearly unimpressed. "Fine. So... now what?"
Ism shrugged. "Good question."
An awkward silence hung between them.
"I don't know," Ism admitted at last. With casual indifference, he started walking in a random direction. "Let's just go this way." He pointed ahead as if that settled the matter.
The companion hesitated, then sighed and slogged after him. "Sure. Why not?"
---
Ilirim
Ilirim appeared amidst a vast mountain range, his face twisted in annoyance. "Seriously? A mountain range? Why here of all places?" He glanced around, taking in the imposing cliffs and jagged peaks. "Just rocks and more rocks... fantastic." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Guess I'll just... uh... start here?"
Looking at the mountain before him, he raised his fist and punched. At first, nothing happened. Then, slowly, the stone began to dissolve, melting into a strange, viscous liquid. He grinned and stepped through the path he'd created, his boots squelching against the residue. As he whistled and meandered deeper into the mountain, he stopped suddenly, his eyes lighting up like a child spotting candy. "Whoa... minerals! Gems! So shiny!"
Kneeling down, he inspected the treasures embedded in the stone. But the moment his fingers brushed them, they too broke down into liquid. "Aw, come on! What a waste!" He pouted, standing up and dusting himself off. "No matter," he muttered before continuing.
After a while, his foot slipped into an unseen hole. With a yelp, he tumbled face-first into a cavern below, landing with a loud thud. "Owww!" he groaned, rolling onto his back. Clutching his nose, he began writhing on the ground like a beetle stuck on its shell. "Dang it, that hurts! Shizzle! Why me?!"
As he wallowed in his self-pity, a guttural growl echoed from the shadows. Ilirim froze. "W-who's there?!" His eyes darted around, scanning the darkness. Before he could react, a massive bear-like creature lunged at him. With a startled shriek, Ilirim dodged and bolted in a wild circle. "NOOOO! A BEAR! WHY IS THERE A BEAR?! AHHHH!"
Mid-panic, he skidded to a stop. "Wait. Why am I running? I'm strong! My touch can alter molecular structures! I've got this!" He turned to face the beast, determination blazing in his eyes.
The bear snarled and charged. Ilirim raised his hands confidently—only to be slapped across the face by a massive paw, sending him sprawling. "AAAAHHHHH! THAT HURT!" he wailed, clutching his cheek. The bear roared and lunged again. Ilirim braced himself, but when he locked eyes with the creature, his expression softened. "Oh my gosh... so cute!"
Abandoning the fight, he turned and ran again, weaving through the cavern. "DON'T TOUCH ME! YOU'LL DIE!" he shouted over his shoulder, his voice filled with genuine concern. Yet, despite the danger, a wide grin spread across his face. The thrill of the chase was exhilarating, and he couldn't help but laugh. "You won't catch me—"
He slipped on something slimy and crashed forward, landing on his face once more. "Ugh, not again!" He barely had time to groan before the bear reached him. It loomed over him, snarling. Ilirim flinched, raising his arms defensively, but instead of attacking, the creature began licking his face.
"NO! Don't! You'll die!" he protested, trying to crawl away. But the bear was relentless, licking him with playful enthusiasm. When it reached his feet, Ilirim burst into uncontrollable laughter. "STAWWPPP! I CAN'T TAKE IT!" He rolled around, laughing until his sides hurt, while the bear seemed to enjoy his reactions.
Eventually, Ilirim surrendered, lying flat on the ground. "Okay... okay... you win," he said, still chuckling. Then he jumped up.
The bear stopped its assault, nudging him with its nose. "Oh? Where are we going now?" Ilirim asked, following the creature as it led him deeper into the cavern. The path soon opened into a new chamber, but the air here was thick with the stench of decay. Ilirim wrinkled his nose, covering it with a hand. "Ugh, what is that smell?"
The bear growled softly and lit a fire with a flick of its tail. Ilirim's jaw dropped. "Wait... what?! You're not a bear... You're a—" He stepped back, eyeing the creature closely. "A wyvern? Why are you so... small?"
The wyvern ignored his question, padding over to a large, motionless form in the corner. Ilirim followed hesitantly and gasped when he saw the massive wyvern lying there, its scales dulled and its breathing shallow. "Is that... your mom?" he whispered.
The small wyvern made a soft, mournful sound. Ilirim knelt down, inspecting the larger wyvern with genuine concern. "She looks really sick," he muttered, piecing together the situation. "You were protecting her, weren't you?"
The small wyvern nodded. Ilirim reached out carefully, his eyes brimming with uncharacteristic seriousness. "Don't worry. I'll figure something out," he said softly.
---
Ajnido.
Ajnido floated high above an endless sea of trees, the vast forest stretching beyond the horizon. He scowled, his voice laced with disdain. "Trees? Really? This whole reality is just trees? Where are the mountains, lakes, seas—anything? Not that I mind," he smirked, raising his hand, white flames flickering to life. "They'll make excellent fuel for my fire."
With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed the flames, watching them cascade downwards and consume the forest below. The air filled with the sharp scent of burning wood, and Ajnido inhaled deeply, his expression blissful. "Ahhh, the fresh scent of destruction... delightful."
His two companions, standing far below, exchanged uneasy glances. One leaned toward the other and whispered nervously, "He's not going to burn us too, right?"
The other watched the inferno with wide eyes. "I really hope not," he muttered.
Ajnido's voice boomed from above. "HEY!" The pair flinched and looked up. "What?" one of them asked hesitantly.
Ajnido pointed at the blazing forest with dramatic flair. "Find that someone. Now!"
The companions shared a deadpan look, then one shrugged and raised his hands toward the roaring flames as though warming himself. "Yeah... uh... no. Seems kinda hot down there, don't you think?"
The other chimed in dryly, "Yeah, like 'get turned into dust' hot."
Irritated, Ajnido descended to their level, his fiery aura casting an oppressive glow. "This isn't even my hottest fire," he snapped. "Now get down there and find that someone, or are you two just a pair of cowards? Just admit it!"
When neither moved, his annoyance boiled over. "Fine." He snapped his fingers, and the flames vanished instantly, leaving the scorched ground eerily quiet. He waved his hand, and the two companions found themselves gently lowered to the forest floor.
"Happy now?" Ajnido grumbled, crossing his arms as the pair begrudgingly began to search the charred landscape.