Lucien drifted through the endless canvas of the Metaphysical Plane, his form a solitary beacon against the endless swirl of multiversal currents. Planet Nax was a speck below, a jewel of stability amid chaos—but today, he wasn't looking at it. Today, his attention stretched farther than any being had ever dared.
He knew everything here: the realms, the layers, the countless lifeforms, and the mythical entities that prowled each corner of existence. He could feel the rhythm of every sentient being, every cosmic law, every whisper of the Metaphysical Plane itself. His Abyssal Eyes scanned the farthest edges, tracing currents of pure potential, threads that connected universes, and the delicate weave of creation's laws.
Yet, even with his total understanding, he sensed a presence at the edge of the infinite—a ripple unlike any other. It was not a being of creation. It was a remnant of destruction itself, a singularity of raw, unbridled force that had transcended the Metaphysical Plane in its own ascension.
Lucien's smile curved faintly.
"Ah… so you've been hiding."
He could feel it before he saw it, a maelstrom of pure power, devouring all thought and presence in its path. The air of the metaphysical currents trembled, as if the plane itself recoiled. The creature had a name written in whispers among the oldest chronicles of existence: Vorynthax, the Oblivion Herald.
Vorynthax had once ascended beyond the metaphysical plane during an era before the formation of Nax and the academy, a being of unknowable origin, whose ascension had nearly annihilated entire swaths of nascent creation. Now, it lingered at the very end of the plane, its presence a shadow on existence itself, a predator with a purpose older than most universes.
Lucien's wings spread as he hovered, aura flaring, light bending around him. His mind reached out, brushing against the edges of Vorynthax's consciousness.
"You wish to end this universe…?" he asked, voice calm, almost casual. "Do you know who you are poking?"
Vorynthax responded not with words but with waves of raw destruction, a psychic roar that shook the very threads of the metaphysical currents. It sought to unmake reality, to tear apart the nexus of potential and law. Stars flickered and realities shivered in its presence.
Lucien's eyes narrowed, but he didn't move aggressively. Instead, he studied it. He had observed everything, but there was something in this creature's nature that even he had yet to fully categorize.
"Interesting," he murmured. "A creature unbound… yet tethered by its own hunger. I wonder… will it understand me?"
Vorynthax surged forward, an enormous, amorphous form that shimmered with ten thousand suns of pure destructive energy, each pulse capable of erasing entire universes. The creature's intent was clear: it wanted to obliterate Nax, and everything the plane contained.
Lucien simply tilted his head, his aura flaring in response. He didn't need to attack. He merely extended his consciousness, brushing against the creature with the authority of the Sole Exception.
The effect was instantaneous. Vorynthax recoiled as if slapped by the weight of inevitability itself. Every thread it had touched, every potential it had intended to annihilate, twisted under Lucien's gaze. The creature could sense the absolute dominion he held over not just the plane, but the narrative and the fundamental laws of all existence beneath it.
Yet, even in retreat, it lingered, a sentinel of destruction, a test of what even someone like Lucien might face. It was not merely a creature, but a force—a myth—that had transcended every limit, a shadow against which even the Metaphysical Plane flinched.
Lucien spread his wings fully, his aura a radiant corona that shimmered with colors beyond comprehension.
"So be it," he said softly, a hint of amusement in his tone. "You want to test the God of Void… then let us see how far your oblivion stretches."
He didn't strike. He didn't attack. Instead, he hovered, observing, calculating, and coexisting. He had the knowledge, the power, and the understanding to neutralize the creature entirely—but there was fun in restraint, a spice in letting an ancient force reveal itself.
The edge of the Metaphysical Plane quivered under Vorynthax's presence, as if reality itself feared its hunger. And yet, Lucien's aura stabilized the surrounding currents, creating a bubble of calm in the storm of unbridled destruction.
"Interesting," Lucien whispered again, voice calm but carrying absolute authority. "So… you've come to challenge the universe I oversee. Very well… we shall dance at the edge of infinity."
Above, the stars of Nax twinkled innocently, unaware of the ancient predator at the edge of existence. The Metaphysical Plane stretched beyond, whispering to itself as the God of Void measured the threat, amused and intrigued.
Vorynthax roared again, a wave of energy unlike any Lucien had felt in eons, yet he remained calm. He had seen the apex of destruction, understood the limits of potential, and knew the true weight of inevitability.
"If you want annihilation… you will have to earn it," Lucien said, a playful smirk forming. "And I do enjoy a good show."
He adjusted his stance, wings flicking in a motion that seemed casual, yet radiated absolute command. The Metaphysical Plane itself seemed to acknowledge the moment: a legendary force had returned to its rightful place, and a new story was about to unfold—a test at the edge of everything Lucien knew, against a creature that had once nearly unraveled reality itself.
And so, for now, Lucien observed, calculated, and prepared, letting Vorynthax linger, just beyond the horizon, a predator waiting, and a test yet to be played.
"Good… very good," Lucien murmured. "I like a challenge that doesn't just bend reality… but questions it."
The stars shimmered, Nax held its breath, and the Metaphysical Plane whispered secrets only Lucien could comprehend. The game had begun.