There's an unfathomable number of universes and realms beyond the boundless universe. Realities where the most broken forces and powers reside, some, benevolent and life giving, some, devoid of meaning and living substance. Midgard and it's 9 realms exist to protect the powers of the universe from these wild realities and beings that inhabit the Multiverse. Beings who do not follow the rules of the universe. At the centre of this boundless multiverse is the VOID. Connected to every universe and realm, at the centre, where meaning is dissolved and even the concept of meaning ends. Beyond all these boundless system is an even more incomprehensible system, explained a chapter ago by the Architect, called the Mystery - Beyond every power.
The Eth Gamour with the burning urge to understand the true workings of his biggest threat to his ultimate plans–the force, used up the soul essence of the immortal Yaganael to create a door into Mystery, in which unlike the force, his entire being travels beyond the confines of boundlessness into the unknown. Here, hierarchy breaks, here, powers beyond powers break and somewhere in all this uncertainty exists the NULL ZONE- "where" the FATES resides. Here has the darkest one come to find answers.
NULL ZONE.
It was an island in the middle of what he could only describe as TRUE DARKNESS, for the Mystery is the realm of True Things. On the island did he appear to the waters that flowed out of the island into the True Darkness of the NULL ZONE and from the waters, a presence came before the Darkest one.
Liamb, son of Holmes, you have paid a price that is not yours to offer and has come before the wielder of the STORY of stories, what shall we make of such abomination?
It was a feeling of perfection - the sound from the being who was one yet three. It took a form, not of a man nor a woman, not of anything on Midgard, but of all things, one thing that was three things yet all things and nothing that IS. Perfection was the feeling the Eth Gamour felt but afterwards came the trembling feeling of fear. He felt his identity being stripped off him as he stood before the Fates, he is the most powerful active being in his world, his universe but even he knows to thread carefully before the Fates for Power, no matter the might, will fail, so he responded quickly.
" Spare my being, oh Akasha! The three who is one and all things, but I didn't just sacrifice an immortal life, I made Yaganael mine when I took her into my darkness, she was a part of me before I gave it out to the mystery, I come seeking Knowledge beyond Knowledge"
Their presence quickly encapsulated him, like he was no longer before them but IN and WITH them.
You have come seeking for POWER! One that grants true knowledge, for there is no knowledge beyond knowledge, there is only power and we have none of it to give.
" But you have all the knowledge to give.... "
He responded quickly but he just as quickly understood what was being demanded of him. He understood the Fates is the True Knowledge and he has the power to give to himself the knowledge he requires, the true knowledge. He understood one had to be given up for the other.
So what shall it be, son of Holmes?
His identity never stopped stripping off, he needed to act quickly, to give up power for true knowledge or exit the NULL ZONE and save himself, both options he would not entertain, power holds no meaning in the mystery, so he was encapsulated to enable him give it up but will he?. Given access to his infinite power would the Eth Gamour give in to the rules of the Fates?
" True Knowledge is power. I lack knowledge needed but I have the power, hmmm, you are trying to say I do not need the full prophecy, I have the power to achieve all I could"
He said still shivering from his depleting identity.
What must be tracks from countless paths, every single effect comes from a series of infinite possible causes. There is fate and there is The Fate of Fates. True Fate, that is what we personify, the prophecy is true knowledge, one way an end must come about, must you trade that for knowledge, son of Holmes? You have very little substance left in you.
A decision was made, an end comes one way or another, fairytale or the Eth Gamour himself, he knows this now, sacrificing nothing but getting wisdom instead. He fled the NULL ZONE back to the 6th realm.
SAND HAVEN
Eden, princess Ilse and his best friend Revan were returned to the exact spot and time when they were taken by the tornado, at the very gates of the city of druids.
" Are you sure about this Eden!"
Revan hesitantly asked his best friend who remained silent but tapped Revan's back to continue forward into the city.
In the city of Druids was the red sun, a glowing ball of red fire above the skies in the city, created by druidic magic to keep the city under the warmth of their "god" the great dragon. Their buildings were made of steel forged with magic, the buildings levitated, the druids flew around with enchanted brooms and they were very happy, as seen from the cheers and lively exchanges amongst the people.
They approached a woman who trades in charms and mystical artifacts, they went to her trying to understand how to find the takers. She answered;
" You shouldn't have come here younglins, not in the time of the great Red. The takers are strongest in this time and you will not be successful in your dealings with them, I reckon you have a lost sibling or friend you plan to rescue"
Teasing a difficult encounter for the heroes but they have come so far to back down, especially Eden who's mind is totally made up and would face even the Eth Gamour himself should be stand in his way.
" Just a direction and maybe a charm if you don't mind" He said, she chuckled sniffing off the potions on the princess, she said.
" Charms are all I could offer besides direction and none of it holds value in the face of a good potions maker, she is gold, boy, make do to treasure, perhaps against the takers she will be your greatest tool" she said, Ilse holding down her bag of potions tightly, while they were given a map of the city.
3 DAYS AGO
GORJJ
Since his catastrophic fall from his domain—a fractured sliver of Saguel's void where he once reigned—Osiver had confined himself to the his home. The Darkest Tempest, the wellspring of his arcane might, had been shattered by the Newborn's unforeseen power, leaving him hollow, purposeless. To rebuild, he first had to survive. Knowing his enemies—those he'd wronged and those he owed—could sense his diminished state, he fortified his dwelling with the last of his potent charms and artifacts, weaving wards that shimmered like dying stars. Days bled into weeks, his seclusion unbroken, as he wrestled with the fear of pursuit. His stores of food and water dwindled, the gnawing hunger forcing a choice. On this fateful dawn, Osiver summoned what courage remained, his scarred hands trembling as he unraveled the wards and pushed open the splintered doors, stepping into a world that no longer bowed to him.
" Welcome to the outside world thief!" Came a void from behind him. Fear gripped him and his legs trembled, he turned. It was the brothers 4. The original owners of the screens of Gallahãd which he had stolen to give the high mage Tessa.
" You didn't want us visiting your dreams so we decided to be the first face you embrace when you finally stop being a coward." Another said. He starts to walk back slowly, with the intent to run as fast as possible, slowly the brothers four followed, one step forward for every step backward Osiver took.
" If you won't speak Osiver then allow us our justice!" Another said bringing out a rod with yellow engravings that glowed out violently. He spoke at once.
" I am powerless now, you hit me with that and you could kill me, I don't deserve death for stealing your artifacts"
"You deserve far worse," the brother hissed, materializing behind Osiver in a shimmer of warped air. Osiver spun, instincts flaring, but he was too slow. The brother's staff, a gnarled relic pulsing with arcane energy, lashed out. It struck Osiver's face, unleashing a blinding cascade of golden light that seared the horizon for a thousand kilometers. The force hurled Osiver through his oak doors, splintering them into a storm of shards. Furniture shattered, his sanctuary reduced to chaos. Blood streamed from his ruined eyes, the world now a void of darkness. Barely able to rise, Osiver clawed at the wreckage, his pleas for mercy swallowed by the ringing in his ears.
" Wait ... Wait please, I'll get you your screens, please, 3 days, it's all I ask, otherwise you can finish me off"
" Fool me once Osiver...."
" No, no, not this time, take my artifacts, the seals of Tormod, the binds of Elañorr, the rags of Fehrah, take it all, I can no longer hide from you guys, take it and spare me" Osiver said crying blood, he was spared, 3 days given to return the screens or they will be back.
NOW.
A gust of air roared, and in a blink, Harrell, Laileb, and Lorrd materialized in the shadowed heart of her childhood home—a place Laileb had fled time and again, its walls steeped in dread. Before her stood her uncle, his eyes glinting with the same malice that had once sought her life. Her heart lurched, and she lunged for the door, desperate to escape the suffocating past. But Lorrd's iron grip clamped onto her arm, anchoring her in place, his silence more ominous than the uncle's looming threat.
" What is it, where is this? Why are you running?"
" This is her home, at least it used to be, her uncle is in here, blind and wretched, he doesn't seem to have long, why would the Architect bring us back here?" Laileb said magically figuring it all out.
" The uncle who tried to kill you? The one who works for fucking Saguel? Let's go behead the guy" Lorrd charged right inside, while Laileb held Harrell, calming her and convincing her inside
" There's a reason the architect brought us here, your uncle is blind and dying, the least we can do is go check out why, I believe it's because the darkest tempest is destroyed but I fear there's more to it".
Few moments later.
" I want to be alone with him" Harrell asked and she was given the room with her uncle.
" What do you want Harrell, you have heard my story, you have heard it all, have you come to mock me with your witch friend and boy friend? " Osiver
" I don't even pity you uncle and I can't afford to mock you, the power you kept me caged for all these years is gone now, even the power you craved and achieved is all gone, you have nothing and can't possibly do anything to me, I just want to know, why did you hate us so much, tried selling out and practically used Korha as a servant, what happened, our parents loved you, we loved you uncle" Harrell asked but there was no tears left to cry for Osiver, he bled from his eyes. She rushed to clean them up with a rag but he slapped her hands away but she was hesitant.
" This is torture girl!" Harrell
" This is life and it could be Soo much more for even you Osiver, you tried caging me, selling me, using me and even tried killing me yet here I am, don't you get it, I don't fear you anymore, you live and are all I have left in the name of family, I won't abandon you now Uncle, if you won't talk to me, fine, but you must not remain here, your enemies will always come for you, I will have Laileb, he is a very powerful magic user, I will have him send you off far West, where you will be protected, I hope you live out the rest of your days happy Osiver".
SAND HAVEN
The map to the city revealed a peculiar structure, mere meters from their position, its outline pulsing with an ethereal glow. It beckoned like a whisper woven into the parchment, tugging at their curiosity. Despite the ever-looming threat of the Takers, what greater peril could lurk within? Compelled, Eden and his companions traced the map's call to a weathered building.
Within, the air thrummed with enchantment. Portraits of the trio—Eden, and two others—hung suspended on the walls, framed not by wood but by tendrils of druidic magic. Each image glimmered with stardust trails, like constellations spilling into the dim. The magic's residue, vibrant and unmistakable, betrayed its caster's presence. As Eden approached his own likeness, a butterfly, delicate and iridescent, fluttered free from the canvas. Its wings stirred a memory—the calamity that had razed his hometown. Heart pounding, he drew his blade in a fluid arc, whirling to face a young druid standing in the shadows. His hands shot up in surrender, his eyes wide, caught in the glow of Eden's swordpoint.
" Eden! That's the boy, the druid, we met back in south gate" Revan said
" You, I ask again who are you and what is the meaning of all this, where are my parents? " Eden asked, rage filling his eyes. His hands gripping tight to his sword.
" Call me, Elyse, I came to you guys cause things just got out of hands".....
To be continued.