Morning greeted Exafanos's humble dwelling with warm sunlight piercing through the gaps between the towering trees. Birds sang sweet melodies, creating a natural symphony that calmed the soul. Amidst the quiet of the ancient forest, Exafanos was already awake, going about his usual routine.
With a hoe in one hand and a basket full of composted organic waste in the other, he walked slowly across the plots of his garden. Every plant was met with his attentive gaze, as if each held a soul of its own. He patted the tomato stems gently, pulled out wild weeds, and watered the parched soil.
Not far from there, two beautiful girls sat quietly in front of the old hut. Hot soup steamed in small wooden bowls on their laps. The aroma of spices and fresh vegetables drifted in the air, delighting anyone who passed by. Alexa and Alicia, noblewomen from Duke Abigail's family, looked somewhat awkward just sitting and watching.
"Is there anything we can help with, Mister Exafanos?" Alicia asked politely, her eyes filled with curiosity as she looked at the garden.
Exafanos only glanced briefly without expression. "You're not used to hard work. Just sit."
Alexa chuckled softly. "We're not that weak. At least let us try…"
"No," Exafanos cut her off bluntly. "My plants might die if you touch them."
The two girls fell silent for a moment, then chuckled quietly. Though his words seemed harsh, they understood he meant no insult. He was simply a man too used to solitude—one who placed deep care in the little things he nurtured with his own hands.
Suddenly, the clatter of hooves and the clinking of armor echoed in the distance, growing louder as it neared from within the forest. Alexa and Alicia immediately stood up, their expressions a mix of anxiety and hope.
"That… that's the golden lion crest!" Alexa exclaimed.
They rushed out from the hut. Sure enough—a lavish carriage adorned with their family's emblem emerged from between the trees, surrounded by dozens of guards on high alert. Inside sat Duke Albert Abigail and his wife, Lady Emillia, their faces lined with worry.
Upon seeing their daughters alive and well, the couple rushed down and embraced them tightly, tears of joy in their eyes. Duke Albert then approached Exafanos, who still stood calmly in front of his garden.
"Sir… I don't even know how to thank you…" the Duke said, bowing deeply.
"No need," Exafanos replied flatly.
"We brought gifts. Please accept them… as a token of our gratitude," Lady Emillia added.
Exafanos looked at them for a moment. "Not interested."
He then turned and resumed his work, leaving the Duke and his wife puzzled but choosing not to press him further. After offering their final words of thanks, they returned to the carriage and departed—taking Alexa and Alicia with them.
Exafanos watched their departure from a distance. A gentle breeze stirred, and the leaves swayed as if bidding farewell. He returned to his worn wooden chair, lifted a cup of warm tea, and gazed at the vast sky.
It has been so long… he thought.
He had existed since the planet was just a swirl of gas and molten rock. Since the first living being emerged, and gods came and went. He had witnessed it all. He was not part of history—he was present before history began.
With a light step, Exafanos walked upon the air itself. Gravity no longer applied to him. He had nullified it for himself, allowing his body to float freely. With Supreme Disappearance, he erased the distance between dimensions, crossing planetary boundaries in an instant.
Now he stood in outer space, far from planet Wallbert. His eyes gazed upon the star clusters, galaxies, and glowing nebulae that painted the black canvas of the cosmos. He raised his finger, manipulated distance and size, and plucked a star.
The star blazed, a thousand times larger than the sun, yet in Exafanos's fingers, it was no bigger than a pebble.
Then, he flicked it.
The star hurled through the cosmos, straight toward a white point at the edge of the multiverse. A distance of ten quadrillion light years passed in a blink, as if it was just a single step away. The white point trembled.
BOOMMMMM!!!
An unfathomable explosion shook the white dimension. Though it seemed like a mere spark to the universe, its essence rippled across reality. From within that point, an entity opened its eyes—its body composed of swirling galaxies, each step birthing a new dimension.
It smiled. "It's been a while, Exafanos."
In an instant, it appeared before Exafanos, as if distance never existed. It was Gordos—the creator of a thousand multiverses. He was the only one capable of remembering Exafanos, because Exafanos allowed it.
"Sorry about the star," Exafanos said, sitting calmly upon the void.
Gordos chuckled. "No worries. I can patch the universe. But… you're stirring something vast."
"Anomaly Killer…" Exafanos murmured. "You know about it?"
Gordos nodded. "Yes. A being without origin, without narrative. It wasn't created, never written. It simply exists, with a singular mission: to hunt all anomalies."
"Annoying," Exafanos replied flatly.
"It transcends multiversal boundaries because it obeys no concept. Even 'doors' mean nothing to it."
Exafanos sipped his tea. "But it's already gone."
"Yes… and I'm the only one who remembers it," said Gordos. "Because you willed it."
Silence followed. The two sat in stillness, gazing into the vast emptiness, where time and space were mere specks within a greater reality.
"How do you endure this void?" Gordos asked quietly.
"Because I was never in it," Exafanos replied. "I am not part of this world, Gordos. I am Disappearance itself."
They laughed softly, speaking again like old friends who shared eternity's burden.
At last, Exafanos bid farewell and returned to the planet Wallbert.
The world returned to normal. He walked back to his old hut, sat in his chair, and sipped the still-warm tea. The night sky embraced the forest, and the stars shimmered in peace.
Yet, far across dimensions, something stirred. Unseen. Unknown.
But now… aware of Exafanos.
.....
To be continued