GATES

"As you know, existence is made up of many planes of conceptual Infinities, each one boundless and layered on top of the others. These planes include the three Heavens: Celestialworld, the Angel world or Star Spangled Palace, and the God realm, also known as the Throne Of Glory.

We have the three Hell Realms: The Abyss, the Demon Realm, and the Underworld.

The World Nexus, the plane where you are now, is at the center of this, though I suppose calling it the center is a bit wrong since all other planes are higher up, beyond the plane of Eternity, the wheel which limits your own realm. It's what you would call, Time.

"This is a rough overview of what all of creation looks like. I'm sure you would have figured it out, master," Nefaria said as she walked down a corridor, its halls being illuminated by a dim light from windows cut into the wall amidst the backdrop of a violet sky.

"Yes, I'm aware of this structure... somewhat, though I don't know the specifics," Kojo responded. He was currently flying in the skies of Ekron. He needed fresh air. And answers.

"Of course. That's why I'm not telling you the whole thing. It's too much knowledge, even for you. Any other person would have had their being broken down by the information I'm giving."

"Hmm, it's like that, huh?"

Nefaria paused and looked down at the Demon city. She turned and continued walking up a flight of stairs until she was on a roof overlooking the entire Demon Realm.

"I'm only going to give you limited information in order for you not to go insane and, at the same time, comprehend the answer I'm giving."

"Thanks for your confidence in my intelligence," came Kojo's sarcastic reply.

"All the planes are separated from each other by a void, a type of membrane that prevents these Infinities from flowing into each other and causing an Incursion where realities crash into each other. This membrane called Hyperspace will be important later, so take note."

"Yes, ma'am."

Nefaria sighed, then continued as a dragon-like creature flew overhead.

"You see, the NexusCosmia is the central axis within the NexusWorld. Every action, thought, and decision that occurs within this realm creates a ripple effect, giving birth to a new reality, a new timeline known as a Variant. These Variants branch off from the main Nexus, forming alternate universes. Each of these branches has its own unique timeline, and from these, even more branches sprout, creating a vast, intricate network. These variants group around the timeline they originated from to form clusters, a Multiverse, if you will."

"Okay, so we have the NexusCoamia at the center of the NexusWorld, which is ever forming... uh... multiverses? Due to the constant creation of variant timelines?" Kojo asked.

"Hmm. It's more complicated than that, but I guess your understanding this much will suffice. There are uncountable multiverses...,"

Kojo wanted to comment on the jab at his intelligence, but Nefaria continued.

"...and Incursions happen when these branches crash into one another, causing their space and time to be torn apart, causing destruction on a catastrophic scale. Sometimes, only individual variants are destroyed, but other times, entire multiverses are annihilated. Remnant variants can branch out into new multiverses, and multiverses can merge into single individual variants or vanish entirely. It's a never-ending cycle of creation,destruction and growth."

"And what about the Incursions? Can't they be stopped?" Kojo asked.

"If you're concerned, don't be. The NexusCoamia is, let's say, the heart of the plane; it is the source of all variants, and as such, it is constant.

"When variants collide, the extra energy doesn't just vanish. Instead, it flows into the Hyperspace, where it is reused to feed the birth of new variants as well as other existential processes, while the remainder just flows through the other planes and back again. It's like a big cycle: energy is released, stored, and then used again to create something new."

Nefaria paused to enable Kojo to digest this information.

"Now that the foundation has been laid, let's move on to your question. Within hyperspace, there exist nodes that regulate the flow of energy. These nodes, which we refer to as Gates, direct the energy to flow through all the planes, from the Throne of Glory through to Eternity, and all the way to the Underworld, before cycling back again.

Like electricity through a circuit, the Gates act as portals, releasing energy and, in turn, absorbing it back into hyperspace. This creates a continuous cycle, a never-ending flow of energy that sustains the very fabric of our existence.

But that's not all. These gates can also be used to travel through variants and even to other planes. They are the key to navigating the vast expanse of the Nexus World. As a celestial being, I am not bound by the same limitations as mortals. My existence is not tied to flesh and blood but rather to the spiritual realm. This allows me to traverse the gates with ease, to travel through the vast expanse without hindrance; the same goes for any of the other celestial races who all exist as spiritual beings. But mortals, on the other hand, require a tremendous amount of energy to keep the gates open for even a brief period, to allow themselves to pass through, and even then, the process of inter-reality travel is perilous.

To traverse the gates, a mortal must transform themselves into a form that can withstand the journey. This means disintegrating one's physical body, allowing one's essence to flow through the gates as pure energy. But this process is dangerous, as people can die through the disintegration process or can easily become Lost in hyperspace, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of energy that surrounds them, ultimately dying as their essence is 'scattered to the winds,' never to be reconstituted again."

Kojo grunted.

"The gates I spoke of earlier are not isolated entities but rather part of a larger network collectively known as the Gates of Sephirot. There are 11 of these gates scattered throughout your planet which is the heart of the NexusCosmia, each one a nexus point that opens gateways to other realms and dimensions."

"These gates are connected by a web of Ley Lines, channels of concentrated spiritual energy that crisscross the planet. The ley lines serve as a conduit, allowing the gates to conduct energy into variants that branch off. They regulate the flow of traffic between dimensions.

The hyperspace dimension is also the dwelling of countless entities that defy human comprehension: remnants of collapsed variants, sentient energy storms... among others. We refer to these beings as Spectres. Their existence is why the Saints of the Church of Undying Light have taken it upon themselves to guard the gates, to prevent breaches from either side." Nefaria paused, sensing a glitch in the connection.

"I hope that this information has more than answered your question. If you have any more queries concerning the matter, feel free to ask the Saints."

"So you can sense them from there, huh?"

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Nefaria asked with a smirk.

"Anyway, something has come up that I need to attend to. You may not be able to reach me for a while."

"Alright. Thank you," Kojo said.

"A master should not be thanking his servant for services rendered. It'll make them act up one day," Nefaria scolded.

"I doubt that. Thank you nonetheless."

There was silence as the telepathic link got severed.

Nefaria smiled for a few seconds, then her face turned serious.

"Come out," she commanded.

7 shadows materialized behind her in a bow. These twelve were the Archdukes who governed the 7 parts of the Demon realm.

They were:

Xappa

Chakaras

Noct

Zuraesha

Verna

Movadd

Cersi

"We live to serve the queen," they said in unison.

"Here are your orders..."