"We must destroy Radeon, and quickly. We cannot allow him to continue ravaging more planets in our universe."
The voice belonged to Vhorr, the God of War and Fury, one of the Thirteen Primordial Thrones. He sat on his imposing throne of star steel, two enormous axes crossed behind him, eternal symbols of his power and thirst for conflict.
"I agree with Vhorr. We must end Radeon. He is a threat to the balance of the universe. And since the thirteen gods of his universe did not take responsibility, we will," said Arkhos, his voice firm and his gaze stern. "When this is over, we will demand explanations. His universe owes us an answer."
"Father... is this Radeon a god?" asked Draygon, his son, from the lesser seat next to the throne.
"No. He is a demigod," Arkhos replied without hesitation.
"Then any one of you can defeat him," Draygon said with conviction.
"I'm not so sure," Arkhos replied, frowning. He was conceived by a demon woman. He is half god, half demon... and that mixture makes him more unpredictable than any divine enemy. We cannot know his power with any certainty.
"Arkhos, we are dealing with a matter of vital importance. If your son has questions, answer them later," interrupted Velkar, the God of Chaos, in a harsh voice.
"You're not exactly the best person to give lessons in order," replied Elaethe, the Goddess of Light and Creation, Draygon's mother. "You spend half the meetings yelling... so you'd better shut up."
Arkhos burst out laughing in the middle of the heavenly hall, and all the gods turned their gaze toward him.
"This is why I married you," he said with a laugh. "That temper of yours is worthy of my wife."
Elaethe gave him a sharp smile.
"Very well, dear... but don't let gods weaker than you speak to you as equals."
"Excuse me? Weaker than Arkhos? Don't insult me. You...!"
But Velkar was unable to finish his sentence.
Arkhos's gaze pierced him like an invisible spear. The embodiment of chaos stood completely still, swallowing hard. A chill ran through the room. No gesture, no further words were necessary. That gaze alone was enough to show the gulf of power that separated them... without the need for combat to prove it.
"Let's forget it," said Velkar, forcing his voice to hide the tremor that ran through him.
Arkhos smiled calmly and turned his gaze back to the other gods gathered there.
"Good. We need to know where Radeon is currently located... and decide who will be in charge of finishing him off."
A figure rose elegantly.
She did not appear physically imposing, but her mere presence commanded respect. She was the oldest among those present, an entity that had seen eras come and go. She was Lira, the Goddess of Time and Memory, who remembered every cycle of the universe... even those that no one else could remember.
"According to my reports, Radeon is currently on the planet Lumirel," Lira said in a calm voice. "A world known for the constant clashes between its peoples: they are not very intelligent, but they possess remarkable physical strength. I recommend taking advantage of the fact that he is still busy there. If he follows his usual pattern, it will take him a few days to destroy it completely, so the most sensible thing would be to send a group of three major gods.
"Three senior gods? That many?" replied Therzoth, the God of Judgment, skeptically. "I doubt that being poses such a great danger as to require three of us to face him.
"Lira is right. It is better to send three and finish him off quickly than to send one and put him in danger, or two without being sure they can defeat him. Three is the most logical and safest option.
Besides, we can't allow him to continue acting as if nothing has happened. He has already destroyed two planets, and this will be the third. This universe is ours, and we can't let him trample on it without consequences.
What image would we present to the other universes if we do nothing? Have you forgotten that we could appear weak before them?" said Arkhos.
"I completely agree. So it's time to decide which three gods will go and solve this problem," added Seraphys, Goddess of Hope and Destiny.
The gods deliberated, debating between offering themselves or nominating others, when Vhorr raised his voice decisively:
"I will go."
"I want to go too," added Velkar, crossing his arms determinedly.
Arkhos rose from his throne and spoke firmly:
"I think the wisest thing to do is to choose the three who will go wisely. It makes no sense for Vhorr and Velkar to go together: they both specialize in combat and, what's more, they can't stand each other. That would only jeopardize the mission."
The other gods nodded in agreement with his words.
"So? What team do you propose?" asked Molkran, the God of the Abyss, whose robust and imposing presence commanded respect.
"My choice would be as follows," said Arkhos as he looked at them seriously. "As a combat specialist, Vhorr. As the second member, Menoth, god of wisdom and deception. And as the third, Ishmara, god of infinite life. That is, without a doubt, the best combination."
"Are you kidding? I want to go into battle!" demanded Velkar, stepping forward with fury in his voice.
"Shut up," cut him off Noctheros, god of death, fixing him with a cold, contemptuous stare.
Velkar gritted his teeth but remained silent.
"Good. If no one else has any objections and everyone agrees that the team should consist of Vhorr, Menoth, and Ishmara..." Nyss, goddess of emptiness and silence, interjected in a calm but firm voice, "then the meeting is adjourned."
With Velkar dismissed, all the gods agreed.
Draygon, the firstborn, who had attended to learn how a meeting between the Greater Gods unfolded, understood then that these beings were not like others.
Until that moment, he had only known his father, Arkhos, and his mother, Elaethe, as representatives of that supreme power. But today, he had met eleven other gods of equal power, each with a presence that could rival that of his parents.
Once the meeting was over, several gods left without saying goodbye, while others stayed behind to chat a little longer.
On the other hand, the three gods designated to face Radeon would depart in a few hours, aboard the fastest ship in the universe.
Drezhul, the god of dreams and madness, approached the young god.
"Hello, boy. It is a pleasure to meet the son of Arkhos and Elaethe. I expect great things from you in the future." He then gestured to his side. "Meet my daughter, Sirith."
Draygon looked at Sirith and was struck by her beauty: her silver hair shone in the light of the hall, and her gaze was as determined as it was captivating.
"Don't be fooled by her appearance," Drezhul added with a wry smile. "She is very powerful and, moreover, she doesn't usually sympathize with anyone."
"Nice to meet you, Sirith. It's a pleasure. I hope we can get along," Draygon said politely.
She barely paid any attention to him. She simply nodded her head, showing no further interest.
"Don't mind her, she's just like her mother," Drezhul said with a half-smile.
The young god smiled too. "Don't worry," he replied calmly.
At that moment, Arkhos raised his voice:
"Drezhul, can we talk privately for a moment?"
"Sure, of course," replied Drezhul, and the two walked away to talk in another corner of the room.
Left alone with Sirith, the young man felt a moment of discomfort. Instinctively, he looked for his mother, who was chatting animatedly with other gods across the room.
"Do I intimidate you?" asked the young Sirith, fixing him with a penetrating gaze.
"Huh? No, no..." he replied, somewhat taken aback.
She didn't seem to believe him. She moved a little closer, keeping her gaze fixed on his. He instinctively looked away and took a step back.
"Yes, I intimidate you. Besides, you're a terrible liar."
Draygon smiled slightly as he scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable.
"Well... Maybe a little, yes."
Sirith thought for a few seconds before speaking:
"You're different from the other children of the gods."
"Is that good or bad?" Draygon asked curiously.
"Just different," she replied indifferently.
At that moment, Arkhos finished his conversation with Drezhul and approached his son. With a simple gesture, he also called his wife and said firmly:
"We're leaving now."
All the gods began to depart for their respective planets. Once aboard the ship, Arkhos approached his son.
"What did you think of the meeting?"
"It was good." I wanted to see what it was like, and besides... I'm glad to know that my parents are such important figures in this universe," replied Draygon with a proud smile.
Arkhos nodded with a slight smile.
"One day, you too will be a key player in the balance of the universe. You will make decisions that will shape the destiny of entire worlds, and the entire cosmos will respect you for it."