Echoes of Prayer Across the Cosmos

As fervent prayers reverberated through the realms under Adam's control, hundreds of independent realms far in the cosmos stirred.

In one of them, armored humans and sharp-horned horses mingled with monkeys dressed in intricate red and golden robes. A gourd filled with fragrant liquor bumped against their hips each time they bowed before a handsome demon's statue and roared.

"The god of vengeance!"

Though they didn't know who he was, their boss ordered them to pray, and they knew better than to disobey. Still, they had heard rumors, almost legends, about his rise from a weak creature to a conqueror and had to admit his reputation inspired them—well, maybe not as much as their fierce boss. But did it matter? Their boss' friends were also their friends, after all.