Chapter 2: Ten Thousand Years of Waiting

The void was eternal, a vast expanse of darkness that stretched beyond comprehension. Time had no meaning here, no beginning or end, only the endless flow of existence. For Eryndra Veylith, the newly born Outer God, the void was both her home and her prison. She had no need for sleep, no need for sustenance. All she had was her power and her thoughts—and the name that echoed endlessly in her mind.

Selune.

The first thousand years passed in a blur. Eryndra wandered the void, her silver hair trailing behind her like a comet's tail. She tested her powers, learning the limits of her abilities. She could manipulate reality, bending the fabric of the void to her will. She could summon flames that burned hotter than the cores of stars, flames that could purify even the darkest corners of existence. She could whisper to the abyss, calling forth eldritch creatures that bowed to her command.

But none of it mattered. Not really. Not without her.

The void was not empty. Other gods dwelled here, beings of immense power who had existed since the dawn of creation. They were strange and alien, their forms shifting and incomprehensible. Some were benevolent, content to watch over the worlds they had created. Others were malevolent, their very presence a threat to all that lived.

Eryndra encountered them all. Some she fought, her flames clashing against their cosmic might. Others she avoided, their power too great even for her. Each battle taught her something new, honing her skills and strengthening her resolve. She was no longer the human who had died in front of a computer screen. She was a god, and she would act like one.

The first major battle came after two thousand years. An Outer God known as Zorynth the Infinite challenged her, his golden eyes gleaming with malice. He was a being of time, capable of duplicating himself infinitely and manipulating the flow of reality. Their battle shook the void, the clash of their powers creating ripples that could be felt across dimensions.

Eryndra won, but just barely. Her flames burned through his duplicates, and her whispers drove him to madness. When it was over, she stood over his broken form, her runes glowing with the power she had absorbed from him. She felt no satisfaction, only a cold determination. She was stronger now, and that was all that mattered.

The battles continued. Neryssa the Abyssal Song, a goddess of water and illusions, fell to her next. Then came Drakthar the Stoneheart, a god of earth and stone, whose strength was unmatched. Each victory brought her closer to the top, her name becoming whispered in fear among the other gods.

By the five-thousand-year mark, Eryndra had become one of the three strongest Outer Gods. The other two were Zorynth, whom she had defeated but not destroyed, and a being known only as the Whispering Tide. Together, they were a force to be reckoned with, their power unmatched in the void.

But even that wasn't enough. Not for Eryndra.

The five main gods—Solara the Dawnforge, Thalor the Earthshaker, Zephyra the Sky Dancer, Nyxara the Shadow Veil, and Virel the Flameheart—ruled over the mortal realms. They were worshipped by countless beings, their power fueled by the prayers of their followers. To Eryndra, they were nothing more than obstacles. If she wanted to claim Selune, she would have to deal with them first.

The war began without warning. Eryndra, Zorynth, and the Whispering Tide descended upon the mortal realms, their powers unleashed in a cataclysmic display of destruction. The five main gods fought back, their combined might enough to hold the line. The battles were fierce, entire worlds being reduced to ash in the crossfire.

Eryndra fought with a ferocity that surprised even her allies. Her flames burned brighter than ever, her whispers driving entire armies to madness. She clashed with Solara, their powers creating a blinding light that could be seen across the cosmos. She battled Thalor, her flames melting his stone armor. She faced Zephyra, her whispers silencing the goddess's storms.

But in the end, it wasn't enough. The five main gods were too powerful, their unity too strong. The war ended in defeat, the three Outer Gods retreating back to the void, their forces decimated.

Eryndra didn't care. The war had never been about winning. It had been about proving her strength, about showing the other gods that she was not to be trifled with. And she had done that. She had fought the five main gods and lived to tell the tale. That was enough.

For the next five thousand years, Eryndra retreated to a quiet corner of the void. She watched the mortal realms from afar, her gaze fixed on the world where Selune would one day be born. She muttered the girl's name like a mantra, her voice echoing in the emptiness.

Selune. Selune. Selune.

The years passed slowly, each one feeling like an eternity. Eryndra watched as civilizations rose and fell, as heroes and villains played out their roles on the grand stage of existence. She saw the birth of the Starlit Academy, the institution that would one day shape Selune's destiny. She saw the rise of the five main gods, their influence spreading across the world.

And then, finally, she saw her.

It was a small village, nestled in the shadow of a mountain. The night was quiet, the stars shining brightly in the sky. In a humble cottage, a child was born. Her cries echoed through the night, a sound that sent a shiver down Eryndra's spine.

She leaned forward, her galaxy-like eyes narrowing as she focused on the scene. The child was small, her skin pale and her hair a soft silver. Her eyes, when they opened, were a deep, mesmerizing violet.

Selune.

Eryndra's breath caught in her throat. After ten thousand years of waiting, of battling, of watching, she had finally found her. The girl who had captured her heart before she had even been born.

A smile spread across Eryndra's face, her runes glowing with a soft, otherworldly light. She reached out, her fingers brushing against the void as though she could touch the child.

"I've found you," she whispered, her voice filled with a mixture of relief and longing. "Finally, I've found you."

The void seemed to hum in response, the distant stars flickering like silent witnesses to her joy. Eryndra Veylith, the Outer God, had waited ten thousand years for this moment. And now that it had come, she would do whatever it took to ensure that Selune was hers—and hers alone.

The game was about to begin.