Mundane Lives: Deliverance
[MYRIAD: Lighthouse]
Few days ago...
It had been a day since Gazeera witnessed the apocalypse in the universe [SF-5101]. After the expedition he was briefed by Aminon, about the reincarnation of sentients. There were two types of reincarnates, souls and wraiths. Souls were reincarnates that retained a substantial amount of a sentients presence while the wraiths were fragments of different sentients who broke off from the main existence. These have a smaller amount of presence.
His whole day went in exploring and understanding the Shrine of Lethe and the Temple of Mnemosyne. Lethe is the river of lost memories. Here in the Shrine of Lethe, newly born manifestations were bathed by the [Apostles] during their early incarnations, depending on the life they led and the impact it had on them. The life of every [Manifestation] was judged by [Minos], rewarded by [Radhamanthus] and punished by [Aecus] of [The Three Sovereign Judges].
The Temple of Mnemosyne was used mostly by older [Manifestations], the ones who had reincarnated seven times or more than that. The purpose of this Temple dedicated to the Titan of Memory Mnemosyne was to allow any [Manifestation] to selectively tailor their memories of their countless lifetimes as per their requirement. This was done to provide adequate progress and improved efficiency, to all [Manifestations].
{Xyrak- This was one of the reasons why Dongfang Kongbu could manifest an ideal physique for his Ascension.}
Aminon guided Gazeera back to the [Lighthouse], where he was summoned by [The Retired One].
"Aminon tells me you had quite the eventful journey.", [The Retired One] remarked, smirking.
"I was swallowed by a cloud and almost got lost inside the multiverse.". Gazeera sighed.
"Deimos commended you. You did well for your first apocalypse.", spoke [The Retired One]. "Though this apocalypse was one of the milder ones. The truly devastating ones are that which pan across timelines."
"You have quite the aptitude to become a reaper, Gazeera.", he continued. "But your nature of an Oracle is quite useful as an [Overseer]. I have decided to assign you the role of my assistant. Your duty is to help prevent truly devastating phenomenon like the one you witnessed before. The draconian cloud that swallowed you is one such phenomenon."
"What exactly is that cloud?". questioned Gazeera.
"There are many rumors about it. Some say it's a foreign abomination invading our world while others say it's long forgotten fallen deity.", [The Retired One] answered. "We call it [The Purge]. It's an obscure and elusive entity that has been roaming around [Yggdrasil] for a long time, weaving it's spectral strands into the fabric of [Yggdrasil]. Right now we are here to locate and capture it."
"So what's the plan?", enquired Gazeera.
"First we have to locate the [Source] of it's weave, and destroy it. That will halt whatever [The Purge] is trying to weave around [Yggdrasil].", [The Retired One] spoke. "Once it's weave is destroyed, [The Purge] would be exposed. Then we just isolate it, and seal it within the outer sector. After that we formulate a way to exile it out of [Yggdrasil]."
"Gazeera your role here is to track down the [Source] of it's weave. You are an Oracle, you see visions just like me.", continued [The Retired One]. "The issue here is, that abomination is familiar with my presence and hence can elude me. But you, not only are you a [Newborn], it seems that [The Purge] is drawn towards your existence. You might have a higher chance in finding the [Source] than I do. All you have to do is follow it's trail and retrace it back to it's origin."
"Where are we going to start?", Gazeera asked.
"[Hades] has recently used [Pandora's Box] to draw him out.", [The Retired One] answered. "We will retrace his steps from there using the [Nexus]."
[The Retired One] rose from his seat and clapped, warping both him and Gazeera to a construct built around the [Nexus].
The [Nexus] was a highly condensed orb of ethereal energy, with several ethereal strands and timelines warping around it
"Time is of the essence Gazeera, we have to get this done quickly.", [The Retired One] spoke with a sense of urgency. "Other factions are on the move. We cannot let them get their hands on [The Purge]. I will send you back to [SF-5101] using the [Nexus], right when [The Purge] spit you out."
"All you have to do latch on to it and use your vision.", continued [The Retired One]. "I will handle the rest."
[The Retired One] summoned a scythe, with it's vicious blade glinting as he slashed at one of the timelines warping around the [Nexus]. The warping timeline tore open with a faint blue hue. [The Retired One] then gestured Gazeera to jump inside the timeline.
Gazeera jumped in, with his presence warping across the timeline. As he traversed along the timeline, it responded to his presence by shattering into multiple frames. [The Retired One] placed his palm around the [Nexus] as ethereal blue energy of time seeped into it. The constructs around the [Nexus] faintly glowed blue and was flickering. The frames inside the shattered timeline started moving rapidly, pulling Gazeera along the flow of the timeline.
[The Retired One] twisted his hand slowly, reversing the movement of the frames.
"Keep jumping from one frame to another.", he instructed Gazeera, telepathically.
Gazeera instinctively jumped from one frame to another pushing his presence through the timeline till he reached [The Purge]. The frame showed an image of [The Purge] spitting out Gazeera. The ethereal blue energy of time shrouded that particular frame shattering it's surface. The timelines slowly and steadily restored itself as Gazeera's presence seeped inside the frame. He entered the universe as a flickering projection. He saw a familiar scene play out in front of him.
RRRRRAAAANNNGRRRH!!!
A deafening roar reverberated across the universe as the Draconian Cloud recoiled and spit out Gazeera.
"Your presence has been projected into the timeline, you don't have much time here. Find the [Source] before you get booted out of the timeline.", [The Retired One] told him.
Gazeera saw his past self being flung across the galaxy as he hurried towards [The Purge] grabbing one of it's spectral strands latching onto it.
The mighty draconian cloud, [The Purge], rammed against space breaking open a rift and entered it. Gazeera got dragged along with it.
"Use your vision on it, NOW!!!", [The Retired One] commanded.
Gazeera's pitch black eyes turned a shade of blue, with his pure white iris taking the form of a clock. The draconian cloud sensed his presence. It started flying in a very erratic manner, becoming wilder and wilder, as it sped across the multiverse. The draconian cloud, the mighty [Purge] swirled and spun around, as it's ethereal and spectral strands lashed viciously at Gazeera. Two spectral eyes warped over it's body as it glared at Gazeera.
Enraged, [The Purge] started warping and shifting, it's Spectral strands started spiraling around Gazeera. The strands wove around Gazeera trapping him in.
At the [Nexus] construct, [The Retired One] waved his hands as he sent forth a wave of deep blue mist into the timeline sealing it up. Blue smoke started pouring out of Gazeera's navy blue eyes, as he grimaced in pain. [The Retired One] started directing and orienting the blue smoke completely shrouding [The Purge] inside it.
[The Purge] started swirling viciously resisting the blue smoke, trying to clear it away. But the smoke coiled around the Draconian Cloud like an unrelenting serpent hunting it's prey. [The Purge] started to falter as it slowed down a bit. Gazeera's eyes still kept pouring out large amounts of blue smoke. [The Purge] kept slowing down as the blue smoke tried to hold him back. [The Retired One] grimaced as he tried to bind [The Purge]. While still holding the vicious draconian cloud back, some of the blue smoke started converging at one point, slowly warping a time portal in front of [The Purge].
This enraged the draconian cloud as it let out a tremendous and deafening roar across the multiverse.
RRHHHAAAHHRRRHH!!!
[The Purge] formed many tendrils around it's body by coiling several spectral strands together. It spun those tendrils around, viciously cutting through the blue smoke.
[The Retired One] strained as he kept using the blue smoke to restrain [The Purge].
"Jump into the portal when I tell you to.", he spoke to Gazeera, telepathically.
Gazeera nodded as he climbed [The Purge] by grabbing hold of the spectral strands of it's body and mounted on it's back. [The Purge] ignored Gazeera as it kept slashing at the blue smoke with it's vicious tendrils, slowly and steadily clearing it away. Alarmed [The Retired One] tried to hasten the portal's formation.
[The Purge] continued to slash away at the blue smoke as it made it's way towards the warping time portal in front of it. It then produced a huge spectral tendril and slashed at the portal, cutting it. Then it wrapped the portal with it's spectral strands, as it unweaved it.
"WOARRH!!!", [The Retired One] gasped in pain, with a grim expression on his face.
Gazeera panicked as his surroundings shattered into countless frames. These frames did not move in a linear pattern but were rapidly circling around [The Purge]. The draconian cloud grunted as it whirled and recoiled, flinging Gazeera off it's back. It then formed a huge dragonic arm by coiling many spectral tendrils together and grabbed him. It then threw him up high and flicked him with it's tail.
Gazeera's presence shot across the multiverse, as more and more frames surrounded him, spiraling around him. The mark on his forehead gleamed brightly. He shattered through one of the frames circling around him. His surroundings started getting bleaker. He was frantically looking around for something to hold on to. But there was nothing in that bleak void of space.
BOOM!!!
He crashed onto a floating debris. Weirdly the debris was pulsing softly, there were still some spectral strands weaving around it.
"Urgh...", Gazeera groaned as he got up. He gazed around around and found the surroundings a bit familiar. The same bleak and cold desolate place that he had witnessed in [The Armory] of [Paradis]. He saw a man standing before him.
"I hope you will return someday, Old friend.", said the mysterious man, as grief overwhelmed him. With his back facing Gazeera. He had luscious black hair, broad shoulders, a tall and well toned physique and a tanned skin. The man knelt to the ground, wailing. His hair turned red as he wailed in rage and frustration. His cry reverberated across the dead and desolate space like a mighty roar. He kept crying and roaring, wailing in sadness. The debris around him pulsing vigorously, as the spectral strands responded to the mysterious man's presence. Gazeera stood back in awe, as he saw the man slowly turning into a dragon. The spectral strands seared into the man's skin and slithered inside it. The man groaned as he slowly started warping into a draconian cloud, growing in size. The draconian cloud let out a mighty roar.
RRRHHAAAANHHRR!!!
The spectral strands spread wildly across the dead and desolate place, weaving across the bleak and cold realm. The strands weaved new lands, floating islands, domains, sub-realms and finally in the end life-forms. These life-forms were later on called the Rift-borne. At the heart of the realm, was a bleakly glowing spectral orb, there was some mysterious entity incubated inside it. The Draconian cloud swirled around the spectral orb, as it created the first life-form of the realm.
It was a young boy, a child. A child dragon. He looked upon the draconian cloud with his innocent eyes, full of wonder, curiosity and a bit of anxiety.
"Don't be afraid, child.", spoke the mighty draconian cloud, nimbly caressing the boy's face with pride. "This realm is a safe haven for you, me and our people. Since you are my firstborn, I shall name you Valheji 'The Golden Spark'."
The draconian cloud then marked the child's forehead by rubbing it.
"Valheji", the child dragon innocently recited his name as he smiled at the Draconian cloud. He then transformed into a dragon and roamed the newly produced realm exploring it with curiosity and wonder.
"There will be more to inhabit this place.", mused the mighty draconian cloud. "I shall give this realm a name, 'Corzox'. A haven for the lost, weary and hopeful."
ZWOOM!!!
Gazeera was suddenly pulled out of that realm, from that point of time and warped onto the construct around the [Nexus].
"Did you find it, did you find the [Source]?", questioned [The Retired One], he looked extremely tense and weary.
"Yes, I found it.", spoke Gazeera, though he couldn't understand the pain he felt welling up in his heart. "It is in the [Kingdom of Corzox]".
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[Outer Sector: The Kingdom of Corzox]
At the heart of the inner city of [Corzox], was a magnificent and towering gold palace. Inside the palace was a huge throne room where eleven entities were seated. These were the sovereigns of the rift-borne inhabiting the outer sector, also called The Sentinels.
There were a set of five thrones each on two opposite sides of the throne room, facing one other. Ten Sentinels were seated on a throne each. There was a flight of stairs at the end of the room leading to a platform with a powerful and regal throne on it, facing the seated Sentinels. Occupying the magnificent throne was an extremely powerful entity, called 'The Dragon King Varcielle'.
All the Sentinels present inside the throne room were mighty dragons and each one had a grim expression on their face.
"Someone has breached the barrier.", spoke one of the Sentinels, with a hostile glint in his eyes.
"That is not an issue here.", replied The Dragon King Varcielle, in a deep and grim tone. "The [Source] is not apprehensive and hostile towards the intruder's presence. The real issue is that gods have descended from [MYRIAD]."
"We know what they are here for.", another Sentinel spoke up. "We cannot let them unravel the [Source], but showing too much hostility towards them will ensure their wrath upon us. It would have been better if our guardian was with us right now, but now we have to go with our initial plan. We have to stall them inside the newly woven worlds."
"Yes that would have been our initial approach.", said The Dragon King Varcielle. "But it seems we have underestimated the number of factions that are interested in our realm. It's not just [MYRIAD] we have to worry about, if the situation prolongs [HELL], [Tartarus], [The Jotuns], will invade us as well. They too have shown inclination towards possessing the [Source]."
"Stalling the factions will not work.", Varcielle continued. "We have to turn this situation to a full blown war. All the factions may work together till they get their hands on the [Source]. We just have to make them apprehensive and impatient."
Pointing at three Sentinels, Varcielle spoke-
"Sherpa, Balrog and Genma, you are responsible for keeping the ancestral planes hidden.", he commanded.
The three dragon sentinels nodded.
"Malgus and Typhon will protect the inner city.", he continued, as he rose from his throne. "While the rest will defend [Corzox] in the frontlines alongside me. Rally your armies for we are going to WAR!!!"
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