recreating the world(chapter 173)

Chapter 173

The void trembled as reality recoiled from the act. The fractured remnants of existence swirled around Grey like the tattered remains of a dying storm. Power coursed through him, primal and limitless. Yet, as the last fragment of Merlin's domain vanished into him, the temperature plummeted. From the shadows of the nothingness, a figure emerged — Death. Shrouded in an abyssal cloak that consumed all light, its skeletal face remained obscured beneath the hood. The air grew heavy, the concept of mortality manifesting in its very presence. Grey's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, the two regarded each other in silence. But then, Grey scoffed, his lips curling into a snarl. "You." His voice rumbled with hatred, the weight of countless lifetimes behind it. "You dare stand before me? You who failed to earn the right to take my wife and child." His roar shattered what little remained of the void. Without hesitation, Grey unleashed everything — every ounce of power he had consumed, every fragment of destruction he had wrought. Power beyond comprehension erupted from his very being.

The sheer force shattered the fabric of existence. Stars collapsed without a whisper, their light snuffed out like dying embers. Nebulas unraveled, their vibrant clouds dissipating into nothingness. Entire galaxies twisted and screamed as they were torn from the timeline, swallowed by the relentless tide of Grey's will. Concepts shattered. Time fractured. The threads of causality were torn apart, and the weight of existence itself began to fold inward. Civilizations that had stood for eons ceased in an instant, their histories erased. The boundaries between dimensions crumbled, their echoes vanishing like dust. Magic and science, gods and mortals — all unraveled. Even the void that once held the fragments of creation trembled as it too began to collapse. Death did not flee. It stood unmoving, watching as the final star collapsed, its light devoured by the infinite black. There was nothing left. No sound. No light. No existence. Only Grey remained — the lone remnant of a shattered timeline.

But from the ashes of oblivion, Grey did not falter. He reached into the emptiness, his hands trembling yet resolute. Drawing upon the lingering fragments of what had been, he wove something entirely new. Time surged and twisted beneath his fingers. Space bent, reshaped by his will. Concepts began to stir once more — the flow of cause and effect, the laws of reality reborn. A new prime timeline emerged, vibrant and pristine. Stars ignited in the void, bursting forth in brilliant nebulae. Planets spiraled into existence, their molten forms cooling as oceans and mountains carved their surfaces. Life bloomed, ancient and new, untouched by the scars of the past. Grey watched, his breath labored. But even as the timeline flourished, the strain upon reality grew. His very presence warped the fabric of existence. The timeline trembled, unable to stabilize. Grey's own form flickered, cracks of golden light splitting across his body. He was a nexus being. There could only be one of him — one Grey Snape. Two could not exist. The balance had been shattered.

Realization struck him like a blade. There was only one path left. Grey's expression hardened, the weight of countless choices resting upon his shoulders. Without a word, he raised his trembling hand. Energy crackled around him, the raw power of his existence surging one last time. Then, with a final, decisive act, he destroyed his own body. The resulting surge of energy rippled across the new timeline, anchoring its foundation. Space and time stabilized, the trembling of the newborn existence fading into stillness. But as Grey's form shattered, something stirred. A spark. A creation born from the remnants of his sacrifice, made from his own will, condensed and remade into what looked like a floating scree-. Yet before Grey Knight, the present version of Grey, could witness what had emerged, the memory twisted violently. The scene collapsed around him, and he was yanked away, the echoes of the destroyed timeline vanishing into the void.

Grey Knight's eyes snapped open. He stumbled, disoriented, his breath ragged. But the world around him was no longer the fractured memory. Thick, shimmering bars of golden light surrounded him, pulsing with ancient power. A cage. He reached out, but the magic resisted, crackling against his fingertips. Then, a voice, calm yet laced with menace, echoed from the shadows. "You have seen enough, variant." The voice was familiar — uncomfortably so. From the darkness, a figure emerged. Grey Snape. The previous version of him, the one who had shattered the prime timeline. His tall, imposing form was draped in his usual dark attire, his black raven hair streaked with crimson strands. The sharpness of his nose and the cold calculation in his crimson eyes were identical, yet the presence that radiated from him was far more ominous. "Now I know why there are countless worlds tethered to this one," Grey Knight growled, his gaze burning with realization. "Why rifts form with every action I take. There aren't supposed to be two of us, Grey Snape."

The older Grey Snape's eyes narrowed, his expression unreadable. "Hence why you should be asleep," he replied, his voice unwavering. He stepped forward, the weight of his presence bearing down on the cage like an unbreakable force. Grey Knight remained firm, his hands clenching into fists. "It's nice to finally meet you, previous me," he said, his tone dry despite the circumstances. "Although the cage isn't exactly the warmest welcome." Grey Snape's crimson gaze bore into him, unblinking. "You were never meant to exist," he stated coldly. "And now, I will correct that mistake."

Grey Knight's smile didn't waver, his gaze steady despite the grim situation. "So, what are you going to do? Live my life?" he asked, his voice dripping with amusement. Grey Snape's snarl was instantaneous, his crimson eyes burning with suppressed rage. "You wasted precious years with her, years i have worked hard to secure, you could have been happy, with your family" he spat, the venom in his voice undeniable. "Instead, you chased after a filthy demon." The words struck like a lash, and as they echoed, the cage containing Grey Knight trembled violently. Cracks of golden light flickered along its surface, as if the very structure strained to contain his mounting fury. Grey Snape's gaze flickered to the weakening barrier, his jaw tightening. Yet, to his grim satisfaction, the cage held — for now, by design.

"Watch your mouth, lover boy," Grey Knight said coldly, his earlier amusement gone. The tension between them thickened, the air itself heavy with unresolved wrath. "Anyway, what's your plan now? Enlighten me." Grey Snape exhaled sharply, his expression shifting to one of exasperated indifference. "I'm going to live out the remaining years in peace with Hermione," he declared, his tone dismissive. "Then, I'll clean up the filth of Merlin and enjoy my happily ever after. After all, you've already prepared the materials the god potion for me." He said it as if it were the simplest thing in the world, as though all the suffering and loss meant nothing. But Grey Knight's knowing smirk returned, a spark of defiance in his silver eyes. "Well," he said, voice low, "that might be tru but…." as he gave his previous version an unassuming smirk. The words cut through the air like a curse. Grey Snape's eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering across his face. "What did you do?" he demanded, his tone sharp. Before Grey Knight could respond, both of them felt it — a sickening, unnatural presence writhing in the depths of existence. Merlin.