The Calm Before the Storm
Ray silently turned away from the gathering of gods and walked back to his seat, his expression unreadable. As the others debated strategies, discussed battle formations, and drew magical projections in the air, he simply closed his eyes, no longer listening.
He had already fought and killed that thing once before.
What more did they need from him?
Across the divine hall, whispers began to rise—gods speaking in hushed but spiteful tones.
"Tch. He's just a kid… barely two hundred years old."
"Arrogant brat. Just because he's stronger than us..."
"He acts like we're beneath him. What a nuisance."
Though their words dripped with contempt, their eyes betrayed their fear. They knew. Every god in that room knew—Ray's power was something none of them could match. It wasn't respect they held for him.
It was terror.
Suddenly, all voices quieted as the old man seated on the highest throne lifted his hand. His presence alone was enough to silence a room of gods.
He was known as the High God of Balance, the one closest to Ray in both age and power—though still a distant second. He acted not as a ruler, but more like the village chief of this divine domain. Wise, ancient, and impossibly powerful, his decisions shaped the entire God Realm.
He had known Ray for a long time.
In fact, he was the only one who knew of Ray's hidden castle, a place tucked away in a sealed dimension unreachable to any being except the two of them.
Long ago, they had stood side-by-side to defeat the Unknown Being—the very one now rumored to have returned.
The meeting continued, voices echoing within the grand divine hall. Strategic maps were summoned midair, celestial energy flickering across charts as the gods argued. Some suggested forming legions; others proposed strengthening realm barriers. Yet one seat—Ray's—remained passive and untouched by their concerns.
He barely opened his eyes when they presented their final vote of action. Nothing they said surprised him. Nothing changed the outcome he knew was coming.
As the meeting came to an end, the gods began to vanish one by one, returning to their realms to prepare. Their faces were grim, their bodies tense. Only three gods lingered longer—those who still watched Ray.
The Goddess of Storms, who governed the floating cities above the Sky Archipelago.
The God of Chains, protector of the Sealed Abyss.
And the Crimson Blade, a war god whose rage could shatter continents.
They didn't believe Ray. Not for a second.
"He's lying," Crimson Blade muttered under his breath.
The God of Chains didn't respond, but his silver eyes narrowed.
The Goddess of Storms said coldly, "He's waiting. For what, I don't know. But when he moves... this war will end in a single day."
---
Ray stood once more, stretching a little. "I'll return to my castle... next time. When all my disciples missions done."
The High God of Balance gave a slight nod, as if he had expected that answer all along. "Then I'll wait for the wind to shift. Until then... stay safe, my old friend."
With a sigh, Ray raised his arm and vanished in a ripple of divine space.
---
They were known as whispers in the wind, shadows in the stars, names spoken only in ancient prophecies and forbidden scriptures.
The Eight Disciples of the Hidden God.
Chosen not for loyalty, but for potential. Tempered by war, silence, betrayal, and time.
The world had forgotten their names. But reality itself had not.
---
(First Disciples Kaelen), the Heavenbreaker.
The first and the mightiest. A warrior who once cleaved through a dragon's domain with a single swing. He roamed the Abyss Realm now, battling corruption with eyes cold as iron and a sword bathed in unending flame.
(Second Disciples Mira), the Thousand-Eyed Seer.
Cloaked in illusions, she walks through the threads of fate, watching a thousand timelines at once. Her gaze sees what even the gods dare not. From her desert sanctum, she watches… and waits.
(Third Disciples Seren), the Leviathan's Heir.
Beneath the endless sea, where light does not reach, she slumbers within a palace of pressure and void. Her body fuses with ancient sea magic—half goddess, half abyss.
(Fourth Disciples Elandor), the Silent Bard.
A wandering minstrel in mortal lands, his songs change the minds of kings and turn tides of war. With every chord, a secret dies. With every verse, a rebellion is born.
(Fifth Disciples Lysandra), Flameborne Queen.
Ruler of the Emberthrone Kingdom, her people see her as mortal—but beneath the crown burns the fire of stars. Her blade is a phoenix fang, and her throne rests on the bones of tyrants.
(Sixth Disciples Veyra), Queen of Thorns.
Hidden deep in a forest kingdom, her whispers command beasts, and her touch warps nature itself. Many seek her favor, but none leave unchanged. She is both salvation and curse.
(Seventh Disciples Thorne), the Frozen Monk.
Atop the Frozen Spire, he meditates beneath blizzards that would kill gods. He speaks to no one. Yet when he moves, mountains shift. His fists shattered the Moon Gate of the North.
(Eight Disciples Solas), the Raven Judge.
The final disciple. Shrouded in black robes and silence, he walks the line between life and death. His scythe—carved from a fallen god's spine—passes judgment not just on mortals, but on fate itself.
---
As Ray drifted back to the mortal realm, he passed through cosmic streams, glimpses of realities flashing before his eyes. He saw one of his disciples meditating atop a volcano, another inside an endless library decoding a book bound in ancient flesh.
He paused for a moment, watching them.
"They've grown strong," he murmured.
But was it enough?
No. He would need all of them. Together.
He descended slowly toward his hidden castle—a structure unseen by mortal or godly eyes alike. A fortress surrounded by ethereal fog, locked behind a gate only he could open. Inside were relics, forbidden knowledge, and memories sealed in stone.
The moment his feet touched the crystal floor of his sanctuary, he sighed.
The silence was heavy. And yet, it welcomed him.
"Soon," Ray said aloud.
His eyes glowed faintly.
"When my disciples finished their mission… I'll let them handle it all."