A Cosmos.
Something that housed a myriad of galaxies, stars, planets. Etc. Where an unfathomable number of beings live and die.
Humans, Elves, Giants, Titan, Fairies, Dragons, Phoenixes, Qilins, Seraphs, Demons, etc. These are only a few of the races that reside within the cosmos. Where a myriad more live in hidden worlds or realms. But all of these beings had one thing in common. They all sought strength.
Cosmic energy, the energy of life created when the cosmos itself came into existence. By absorbing this energy within their body, they could grow stronger. Expanding their lifespan. Which is why everyone sought strength. For protecting, killing, revenge, life freely or maybe become the strongest. Every being who grew stronger had its own goals and ideals.
Over millennia, these beings came to be termed as 'cultivators.' Being able to do feats mortals could never dream of. As time passed, techniques were developed by others to help with cultivation, to absorb cosmic energy more efficiently or in special ways. Along the way, new techniques came into existence, to attack, defend, move, fly, or hide, these techniques assisted in that. Using cosmic energy as the fuel, this technique helped the cultivation universe progress even more.
Like this, beings who had the strength to destroy worlds, stars, or even cut galaxies rose. These beings came to be known as the Protectors. Why? That is because they saved the cosmos.
――
In times of chaos, a being known as the Galactic Devourer appeared. He was a demon who had achieved a realm no one else had and with his powers, he threatened to devour and kill every existence within the universe. Many despaired, scared for their own lives. Others tried to join him to try and live, but they failed. A few went mad and did unspeakable things, rape, massacres, you name it. These beings did it all, becoming known as the wicked cultivators.
But only a few didn't despair, they came together to make a stand, these were the 'Protectors.' Made up of the two Great Dragon Lords, Thunderous Qilin, Heavenly Emperor, Royal Phoenix, Goddess of Nature, Lord of War, Lightbringer, and Spatial Emperor.
――
Fwsh!
The surrounding space shook as a battle took place. A being bigger than most galaxies was fighting against the Protectors.
Waa!
Blinding light erupted from a slender woman with white hair and silver eyes, her light trying to scorch the eyes of the Galactic Devourer. This was the Lightbringer, being from the Incandescent Light Spirit race. Spirits who evolved into a human form from elemental essences. Her long white gown fluttered in the dark of space being illuminated. But her beauty outshone any light she could produce.
Raaa!
Space cracked and shattered, breaking the body of the Galactic Devourer. his attacks came from a man who looked in his mid-forties. A human, known as Spatial Emperor. His dark hair and brown eyes shone with cosmic energy as he released his attacks without stopping.
Bam! Bam!
A muscular titanic grey-skinned being kept on punching the Galactic Devourer before changing position. This was the Lord of War, from the Titan race. A race said to 'be born from war and for war.' The skin known for its durability being full of cuts.
Woosh!
All injuries vanished, a beautiful emerald spreading throughout the area, as it healed all life. She was the Goddess of Nature, carrying the royal blood of the elves. Her long blonde hair and green eyes made her look beautiful, her long pointy ears twitching every now and then giving her a cute look. She was known for her healing abilities, she was the support of the Protectors.
Crackle! Crackle!
Blue heavenly lighting formed in the voids of space and descended, striking the Galactic Devourer. The Thunderous Qilin being the owner of such attacks. With beautiful blue scales and big horns that spread out like branches. Its royal qilin blood in its veins making it stronger.
Shng!
A red light shone from a majestic red woman. The Royal Phoenix used her flames to cause damage to the Galactic Devourer's origin. Her long red and gold hair swayed in the depths of space as if there were any wind. Her curvaceous body moving quickly and efficiently. Her golden eyes looking for any weakness in its origin.
Shng! Shng!
A man with three pairs of white wings flew all around, this was the Heavenly Emperor, from the Seraph race. His silver hair moved as his eyes shifted from place to place. Light constructs formed around the other protectors and defended them from the attacks filled with cosmic energy of the Devourer. Unlike the Lightbringer's light made to hurt and destroy, his was made to protect and defend.
Roaaar! Raaah!
The sound of two thunderous roars resounded in the voids of space. Their voices were carried by the cosmic energy all around them. These two beings were the Great Dragons! Both of them equal in size, one with golden scales and the other with black scales. They fired their Dragon Breath, filled with the laws, elements, and paths they comprehended as they ended up mixing into chaotic energy that destroyed the Galactic Devourer's body from the inside out.
This wasn't all, these beings who were two-thirds the size of the Galactic Devourer equally exchanged blows with it! Their scales bending with every attack they took, before regenerating. Their claws chipped with every slash they made, their tails hitting like whips.
The Dragon Race, being the strongest race within the cosmos. Their might unrivaled, and these two sworn brothers had Imperial Blood in their veins.
The Goddess of Nature watched the golden dragon with great worry. As the other protectors breathed in and out. They were all tired, they had a lot of cosmic energy. But the amount they used was too much. Any celestial body around them had been completely destroyed by now.
"This can't go on." The Heavenly Emperor spoke while the two great dragons held back the Galactic Devourer.
"Indeed, we are holding on because those two are exchanging equal blows with that monster and holding it back." The royal phoenix melodious voice echoed.
"We must do something." A deep voice came from the Lord of War.
"Some of us will have to die, but if we do the others will have a chance at winning." Spatial Emperor spoke, he knew sacrifices had to be made to win.
"Indeed." The Thunderous Qilin agreed as he took on a human form, long azure hair with blue eyes. He was a handsome man in his early twenties.
"I have a plan, but Asia and Mera would have to die." Heavenly Emperor spoke with a heavy tone, looking at Lightbringer and Royal Phoenix.
"NO! They can't!" The Goddess of Nature spoke, Asia and Mera being sisters to her. Watching them die would certainly hurt her and him.
"It is something we must do." Asia, the Lightbringer spoke, her eyes veiled in tears. While Mera the Royal Phoenix used her flames to burn any tears. She didn't want to seem weak.
""Tell him that even in death we loved him."" They spoke at the same time.
...
The battle continued, as the beautiful Lightbringer and the curvaceous Royal Phoenix sacrificed their origin to cause permanent damage in the Galactic Devourer.
Lightbringer tried to sacrifice her origin to make her light outshine anything. To blind, scorch, and damage the body of the Galactic Devourer. The Royal Phoenix tried burning her blood essence and origin to make her flames cause permanent damage in the Galactic Devourer's origin, where the soul was.
Tried.
The Golden Dragon used his superior prowess to forcefully stop them, instead he did something that shocked them.
The Golden Dragon sacrificed himself instead of them. For they were his women. They carried his child, the last thing he wanted to see was them dying. So he burned his own origin instead. Something that shouldn't happen.
Dragons were the only race able to ignore some of the laws of the universe. In exchange, they had low fertility. Their race at the time had no more than a hundred dragons. Because they could ignore some of the universal laws they had more power than normal.
Waa!
The cosmic energy shook wildly, the cosmos cried, for dragons were something the cosmos adored, unlike other species, they always sought out peace, balance, and made sure to keep the cosmos in a lively state.
But he still did it. It was his choice as a man, husband, and soon-to-be father. As well as the future.
In the end, the burning of his origin managed to make the origin of the Galactic Devourer crack, hurting him and weakening him. Giving others the chance to succeed.
Even then, they couldn't kill the Galactic Devourer. They did not have the required strength to kill him, many despaired but the rest continued. They had lost too much to give up.
Thus he was sealed, in a prison of time and space, bound by shackles of Black Iron, a material forged under the pressure of a black hole, which restricted this great being's strength.
Many still couldn't believe it, a dragon sacrificed its origin, yet it wasn't enough to kill the Galactic Devourer? Many of the protectors who realized this took more precautions when sealing the devourer. Locking the area around it as a whole.
――
The remaining protectors managed to succeed, but at a great cost. Two of the Protectors died with them, some of them were friends. The other protectors returned to their worlds, where they went to make clans, and have multiple wives to leave descendants. They left without consoling the three broken women.
On the other hand, Lightbringer, Royal Phoenix, and Goddess of Nature suffered the most. They all loved the same man and were married to him. They had grown stronger together, now they had lost him. They all cried like little girls who had lost it all, not wanting this to be true. Alas, it was. But they didn't accompany him. They all had his child in their womb. So they would make sure to make a clan after him.
But before they left, the three noticed something, it was a box. Made out of wood, it looked ancient and as if it could break at any moment. But it had the aura of their beloved. When they opened it they smiled bitterly.
Inside was the blood essence of the Swarshlen, a note, ring, and a will. The blood essence for their future descendants, a note about how much he loved them and his wishes towards them. The will was something they could not open and it as well as the ring belonged to someone named Rhys, who according to the note 'isn't here yet.'
Like this, the three beauties formed the clan where their children and descendant would be born. It took millennia, but in the end, they were able to lay the foundation for the future. While at the same time waiting for this 'Rhys.'
This clan was known as the Zuldroan clan. Meaning Flaming Life or Glorious Life, depending on how one looked at it. The descendants of the Great Dragon Swarshlen, who sacrificed himself. The Goddess of Nature Gealira, the Lightbringer Asia, and the Royal Phoenix, Mara. The descendants of the clan, their children, only had two different bloodlines.
Over time, those children had descendants, while those descendants had children. As generations passed, their bloodline thinned. Many tried to do anything to keep their bloodline purity. But as they copulated with other races, they lost it all.
In the end, the clan started incest. To keep the bloodline pure, but that only slowed down things even more. Add to that a few generations of this, and the result was what the clan called the 'Ultimate Race.' A combination of royal phoenix blood, royal elven blood, Incandescent Light spirit blood, and dragon blood. In the end, hybrids who broke all parameters were born. Of course, only so many of these beings were born.
The blonde hair, unnatural beauty, and elven ears of the goddess of nature, the flames of a royal phoenix, fast speed, and attunement to the light element of the Lightbringer. Finally, the Imperial Dragon bloodline, which granted one sturdy physique, higher battle power, and draconic eyes.
They were known as the Onniano. Of course, even then the bloodline density was pretty low.
Although the clan was looked down on because of their 'unusual' practice. The others soon realized what the Zuldroan clan did was 'normal.' After all, losing the bloodlines they were so proud of was a nightmare.
So the practice became 'common' in this type of families. Millennia passed after the creation of the Onniano's, and now the clan's current standing has changed.