Prologue: The Fall of a Tyrant
The cosmos trembled as the Void Creator's laughter echoed through the shattered remnants of existence, a sound like collapsing stars. His voice dripped with mockery as he addressed the fallen Krelious, whose once-indomitable form now lay ensnared in the very chains he had forged.
"You claim to be strong," the Void Creator sneered, his form flickering between dimensions, "yet you couldn't see that I was luring you into your own doom."
Beside him, Nielan—once a mere underling, now a usurper drunk on power—grinned with unrestrained glee. His laughter was a symphony of madness, a declaration of his newfound dominance.
"Finally, Krelious!" Nielan roared, his voice shaking the fabric of reality. "After I seal you away, I will rule over everything! And anyone who dares question my authority—even my own faction—I will erase them myself!"
The air crackled with the weight of his words, a promise of annihilation.
Chapter 1: Despair on Planet Xian
Far away, on the war-torn surface of Planet Xian, the remnants of Krelious' allies stood in stunned silence. Zielan, his face pale with disbelief, whispered into the void:
"I can't believe it… They really did apprehend Krelious at long last."
Nealon, ever the warrior, clenched her fists. "We need to go and help him!"
But Zion, the voice of grim reason, shook his head. "At this point, there's nothing we can do. Not while the Void Creator stands with Nielan."
Tavis, his pride shattered, bowed his head in shame. "I… I also want to help Krelious. But we've exhausted every ounce of our strength. There's nothing left."
A storm of regret swirled in Dainen's eyes as he spoke, his voice heavy with the weight of sin. "What have we done? We only wanted to rule… to overthrow Krelious at first. But now? We've brought about his death—and the deaths of so many of our own. And for what? We are but a handful left."
Zion's gaze hardened. "At last, you've come to your senses. But this is no time for confessions or self-pity. We cannot even hope to flee—Nielan knows every domain, every temple, every hidden refuge."
Ozors, the ever silent among them, sighed. "Then all we can do is watch… and pray that Krelious prevails."
Chapter 2: The Breaking of Chains
Back in the ruined expanse of the Destroyed Verses, Nielan loomed over Krelious, his grin widening as he delivered the final blow to his spirit.
"Oh, and Krelious?" Nielan taunted, his voice dripping with malice. "You needn't worry about Sted while you're sealed away. I promise… I'll take very good care of her."
The moment those words left his lips, the air itself ignited.
Krelious' body, once limp in defeat, tensed. His expression darkened—a storm of fury gathering in his eyes. The atmosphere around them grew heavy, the heat unbearable, the pressure suffocating.
Then—crack.
A single fissure split the sealing chains.
Nielan's smirk vanished.
Crack. Crack. CRACK.
The chains shattered like glass, exploding outward in a burst of raw, untamed power.
Nielan staggered back, his face a mask of terror. "Impossible… Impossible! The sealing chains have never been broken! Never! And yet—!"
Krelious rose, his voice a thunderous growl. "Do you even know the true origin of these chains, Nielan?"
Nielan's breath hitched. "W-What are you talking about?"
"I made them," Krelious declared, his words resonating with the weight of eternity. "I forged the sealing chains to use against the Creator himself… when the time came."
The Void Creator's form flickered in shock. "That's a lie! These chains have sealed countless gods—rulers of entire dimensions!"
Krelious laughed—a deep, echoing sound that shook the heavens. "Yes. And I crafted them over two hundred billion years ago… while I was still training."
Nielan's mind fractured. "No… No! You're lying!"
The Void Creator, his voice hollow, confirmed the unthinkable. "I've searched his soul, Nielan… He speaks nothing but the truth."
Krelious smirked. "And let me tell you one more thing… I made them out of boredom."*
Nielan's sanity snapped.
With a scream of pure, unfiltered rage, he lunged—ready to sacrifice his own life if it meant ending Krelious.
But before he could move an inch, the sealing chains reformed—materializing from nothingness—and coiled around him like serpents.
Nielan thrashed, his voice a broken shriek. "IMPOSSIBLE! I didn't hear you chant! How—?!"
Krelious, now fully enraged, leaned in. "Nielan… Do you know why our spells require chants?"
Nielan's eyes widened.
"You don't need them."
The words struck like a blade.
"You can cast spells without uttering a single word. Or better yet… shorten the chant to strike faster."
Nielan's scream was the sound of a mind unraveling. "STOP! YOU'RE LYING! YOU'RE MAKING ME GO INSANE!"
The Void Creator, unable to bear the psychological torment any longer, surged forward—only for Krelious to move faster.
A single punch.
The impact sent the Void Creator hurtling through the cosmos—through hardened planets, through shattered galaxies—until he crashed onto a lifeless world, his body broken, his reign ended.
And in that moment, Krelious stood alone amidst the ruins of his enemies, the chains of eternity coiled around his fists.
PLANET XIAN
The air crackled with residual energy, the aftermath of cosmic battles still humming in the void. The rulers of the verses stood atop the shattered remnants of Planet Xian, their eyes fixed on the distant clash between gods and traitors. Among them, Nealon's voice broke the silence, his tone a mix of awe and disbelief.
Nealon, grinning wildly, turned to the others. "Krelious somehow freed himself—and even knocked out the Void Creator!"
Liam, his usually composed face twisted in shock, shook his head. "Damn. He possesses incredible strength—far surpassing many gods. Even I cannot hope to match it."
Zielan, ever the pragmatist, folded his arms. "As of right now, our interference would just be a nuisance. Let's sit and continue to watch."
Akermos nodded. "Agreed."
But Janyi, her voice laced with unease, cut through their passive observation. "I know everyone seems happy for Krelious, but after this battle ends… what then? What about the destroyed verses?"
Ozors, weary but resolute, sighed. "True. But it can wait until we fully regain our strength."
Leviam, his voice dripping with disdain, scoffed. "There's no need for all of us to revive the verses. That's the job of the Creation Rulers."
Zion, his gaze sharp, stepped forward. "Agreed. My faction will perform our role. But I hope you will perform yours—by serving your punishment as traitors who plotted to kill their High Head."
The accusation ignited fury in Tavis, who spun toward Zion, his fists clenched. "We did not rebel without reason, Zion! If I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut when it comes to others' business!"
Akermos, ever the enforcer of oaths, interjected coldly. "We are bound together by an oath, Tavis. Even if the High Head is wrong—even if he speaks lies—we are meant to follow him. Not rebel."
Milani, her voice trembling with defiance, shot back. "So you're saying we should just shut up and follow him, even if he leads us to ruin?"
Akermos didn't flinch. "Yes."
Red, his disdain palpable, spat, "Then Akermos, you are a fool."
Nealon, fed up with their bickering, slammed her fist into the ground. "Enough! Can you all just shut up and watch the battle? This senseless arguing is beyond annoying!"
THE DESTROYED VERSES
Far from the council's squabbles, Nielan writhed in chains, his once-mighty form reduced to a pitiful spectacle. Before him stood Krelious, his expression unreadable, his power radiating like a dying star.
Nielan, desperation creeping into his voice, gasped, "I didn't even see you move… Krelious, what are you?"
Krelious smirked. "You don't need to know. I am just a pure breed. That's all."
Nielan's defiance crumbled. "Please… forgive me. I'm sorry. Release me!"
Krelious's smile faded. "Remember how I pleaded with you to stop? How many times I defended you in the Council of Gods? And yet you repaid me with betrayal."
Nielan's voice cracked. "We're brothers, Krelious! Even if not by blood—"
"We were brothers," Krelious snarled. "That love died the moment you tried to kill me."
Nielan's eyes widened. "So… you'll seal me away?"
Krelious leaned in, his voice a whisper of finality. "No. I'm taking your powers as a ruler… and sending you to Hell."
Nielan's breath hitched. "What?! Krelious, remember our promise—to protect each other, even in mistakes!"
"Don't worry," Krelious said, icy calm. "You won't die there. That, I promise."
Nielan's fear twisted into rage. "Then kill me now! Because the next time you see me—it will be your end!"
Krelious didn't respond. With a flick of his wrist, he ripped Nielan's divine essence away, leaving him a hollow shell.
As the chains dissolved, Nielan's voice echoed through the void, venomous. "You haven't seen the last of me, Krelious. This won't be enough to stop me!"
Krelious turned away. "I don't care. Next time we meet… you will die."
And with that, he banished Nielan into the abyss—down, down, into the screaming depths of Hell.
As he fell, Nielan's final vow rang out: "Our time as brothers is over. And I will return. When I do… I'll sit above everything—even you."
THE LIFELESS PLANET
Nearby, the Void Creator lay broken, his body a ruin of shattered divinity. His thoughts were a spiral of disbelief.
"I'm no match for that monster… I gave my all, and he brushed it off like nothing. From the start, nothing worked. With this power… he might even defeat the Creator when he arrives."
He exhaled, resigned. "I'll wait here. For punishment… or death. Running is pointless. His speed is unrivaled. His strength—boundless. His endurance… inhuman."
PLANET XIAN – THE THRONE
Back on Xian, the rulers recoiled as Nealon gasped. "Nielan was just… stripped of his powers!"
Dainen, fury boiling over, roared, "How does Krelious have this power?! I've never seen anything like it!"
Amiss, tears glistening, whispered, "Our chief… banished to Hell. And we just watched."
Akermos scoffed. "Stop the tears, Amiss. You're not fooling anyone."
Before the argument could reignite—Krelious materialized atop his throne, his presence silencing all.
"Let's continue our meeting," he said, smooth as a blade. "Now that distractions are… handled."
Dainen stepped forward. "What did you do to our chief, High Head?"
Krelious smiled. "Nielan broke our laws—our oaths—repeatedly. I spared him before. No more. Even if forgiven, he'll rot in Hell for 3000 years."
Deriss dared to challenge him. "But you've broken laws too, High Head. Why should Nielan pay alone?"
Zielan warned, "Careful, Deriss. Unless you want to join him."
Zion shifted the focus. "With Nielan gone… who leads the War Faction now?"
Krelious leaned back. "My only interest is peace—and remaking our kind. To do that… I'll need more power. Enough to battle the Creator himself."
Nealon, ever blunt, grinned. "What about sex? Can't we just… reproduce the old-fashioned way?"
Tavis recoiled. "Never! That ideal was banned by the Second Father!"
Krelious's eyes gleamed. "I am the Seventh Father. The High Head. I can break any law of our predecessors."
Milani spat, "You're not our High Head. We'll never listen to you!"
Akermos growled at Tavis. "Control your faction. Before they regret their words."
Tavis, sensing the danger, snapped, "Milani—shut your mouth, or I'll do it for you!"
Zion knelt. "My High Head… my faction acknowledges you as the Seventh Father. Ruler of everything."
One by one, the others followed—Tavis, Nealon, even the reluctant—swearing oaths of loyalty.
Krelious smiled. "Good. Now… allow me to introduce my wife."
He extended a hand. From the shadows emerged Sted, her presence radiant, her belly rounded with child.
"My queen," Krelious murmured. "Bearer of the heir to all verses."
The rulers stared. The game had changed.
Next Chapter ✓
ACT 12: THE HIERARCHY