It was a world inside The World, where its true manifestation resided. It was a monochrome expanse of endless space above the Eight Dimension that held one of the three most powerful figures in all Realities. She was afore the beginning of time, and one who existed before the crowning of Human consciousness.
She was coronated with various names by all creatures and concepts. The Earth Mother, Mother Goddess, the true ruler of Life, the Life provider, The First, the Cosset of Beasts, the Mammary of Mana… and while she is all of those things and more, those titles were just aspects to her true identity. The consciousness of the World, she was the one called GAIA.
And she was dying.
Her figure which depicted vivacity and allured the risqué sentiments of all that think was only a façade for her truly ailment. And they were the cause.
And humanity was the cause.
Even now she still scourges the day ever more when she hadn't destroyed the race at their first neurons. They proliferated like flies deifying her most powerful spirits, giving them roles that they ought not to have, and there was nothing she could do about it.
But that wasn't the most painful part in all this. If there ever was a sentence she would use to describe humanity would be 'Ones who were too greedy for their own good,' the realization of Mana, subsequently her life energy. Once humanity had realized that they could use her blood in performing miracles they did not hesitate for a second to exploit it thoroughly. And for what? Wars, death, and all forms of immoral atrocities giving birth to the Beasts.
And by the time she could stop them it was already too late.
Alaya… a counterpart born from the all-inclusive consciousness of humanity, and her greatest dissenter. Even now she is still of two minds concerning their relationship. On one hand they were antithetical to the other and on the other hand they both have to come together for the mutual benefit of them both.
She could never hate her Gaia realized. After all Alaya was nothing more than a puppet stringed up by humanity as its abdicator. But that does not mean she would not loath Alaya's charge, not when she knew what would be of her at the end. Desecrated thoroughly without mercy, her moans unheard and lethargically dismissed, her life blood exposed freely corrupted, mangled and displayed for all to see, and for all her powers there was nothing she could do.
Not even her chain of Crowned Ultimate one could help, as the first was just too obtuse and the second displayed apathy to her plight.
So she existed here living each moment enduring the pain of their handiwork, with the knowledge that she would soon die and with the vindictive understanding that if her Type would not help, the other Types would.
But that was until that very instant.
SHAZAM!!
A new player had entered the field, one whose origin was not transcribed in the Archiac records, and funny enough he held the capability to save her. And she wasn't about to let him go.
A pulsing thrum and an inimitable radiance manifested her equal in Truth.
"You have called so I have come," The will of Humanity announced.
Gaia's lips thinned to an unperceivable smile, as she floated to the concept that donned the outline of a female figure of light.
"Alaya, welcome," She greeted curtly, formalities already given she headed straight to heart of the matter. "I want to come into a concord with you concerning your latest contract with the individual named Billy Batson."
Alaya gave no outward reaction for she already knew that someone of that boy's stature would definitely catch Gaia's eyes, but the questions remains. For what reason has she called upon this meeting for she knew her kind.
"And for what reason do you want this concord."
Giving a fluid twirl with a smile blossoming on her face, Gaia replied, "Oh but you know why Alaya!" Turning to face her conversant, "At last I have found a chance for my survival ironically in a son of man. So I want to keep him safe by establishing a contract with him... I want him to be my Ultimate One."
Still impassive Alaya asked, "But you do know that he is my Champion correct? So on what basis, do you think I should allow you to establish a contract with him?"
The smile on Gaia's face fell as a dark look slowly replaced it, "Why… why, you ask?" The entire dimension darkened with tremors following immediately trembling under the anger of the Mother spirit, "WHY BECAUSE HUMANITY IS WHY! THE FUTURE IS SET IN STONE, SLOWLY BUT SURELY WHEN I DIE YOU WILL FOLLOW SOON AFTER, FOR WHEN THE TYPES SHALL REAP HUMANITY LIKE A FARMER TO HIS WHEAT, THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO STOPE IT EXCEPT ERODE AS THE HUMANITY'S MANIFESTATION OF ORDER. AND THE ONLY WAY TO AVERT SUCH A SCENARIO IS ONLY THROUGH BILLY BATSON!" As she ended the realm returned back to its prior state, while her anger has been purged her face was set in a light frown, "So I seriously suggest that you consider your next answer as the fate of our future depends on it."
Her outburst wasn't surprising, Alaya knew that. Living in agonizing pain for every passing moment while drawing closer to death could make one like that, she understood as she had seen such in humanity too many times. But while she recognized that, she would not move a finger to help. Because first and foremost, she was and would always remain the Will of Humanity.
Pondering, she considered on the facts and epigraphic hypotheticals were drawn, and she knew Gaia was right. For as long as humanity continue as they are, death is all that awaited them and her as well. And so that was why…
"Gaia if I allow this to happen what will you bring to the table?"
Now this time the dark look cleared like it was never there, with a smile creasing on where there was a frown. "That power of his SHAZAM, what I want to give as consolidation is a boon of a similar nature, and its source would be one from the Horrors of Man, beings that surpasses the Nature of the Gods. Beings I am sure you know very well, Alaya."
A silver of unease flush Alaya's avatar eyes widening as she comprehended Gaia's words. "Do you mean THEM. If so I refuse, their very make up is analogous to corruption and I will not allow you to infest my Champion with their kind."
"But what would you have me do Alaya. All my most powerful spirits have been idolized under the cloak of humanity, as for me in order to consolidate the contract with the mortal, as you have made him a God so I also have to make him a Devil, and please don't hold such apprehension. Even I know what giving the mortal such power entails, which is why I will place it under twelve keys. That is until he is ready to subdue its beguiling inducement. And besides," Her dainty added a gleam that enticing demure, but to Alaya was nothing but a well-placed fib, "That would also increase his chance of survival when he remains under the confounded guise of a mortal."
Rejection. That was the first thing that surfaced in the mind of Alaya. She knew she was playing a dangerous game, one in which would have a rippling effect across all infinite realities. On a normal note, she would have refused, as she knew that for all the hopes that they were banking on the mortal, he was only human and she knew that for all the positives of the humanity there were also negatives.
But maybe she could use this. The Humanity Incineration, all the impending singularities could serve as a training arc for the mortal to consolidate his power, and also to observe. Whether he would be of use to humanity, or to be discarded forthwith.
"You really are invested in this mortal, Gaia," She noted to the World's consciousness.
"Oh yes I am, very much so, and I believe that you also want him to strive as well," With a rueful smile she continued, "We both are in the same boat, and if this could work… it would be the change of everything as we know it."
For a stretch the realm was mute as Alaya deliberated before giving a sigh and enunciated her approval.
With a crisp crack space broke apart like glass and from where it the hole it left was a piece of rock, a shard of the Rock of Eternity, with both Truths vesting their attention on the splinter, ethereal threads of myriad colors flew from their frame into the rock.
Letters, runes of all forms of glowed introspectively, a brittle effigy encased the rock in the form of the bespoken mortal, and at that moment was the transmigration of a creature composed of the best of them all.
The light show died down the rock withdrew back into the void, and the crack realigned itself.
With one last look Alaya vanished back to her own dimension leaving Gaia to her own.
The world smile as she felt the repercussions already spiraling out, and for the first time she could feel it. The one emotion denoted from humanity that she hated and loved.
Hope…
"Save me… Billy Batson, save us all."
TMMGO
'illy Batson, save us all…'
Billy shook uncomfortably on the bed as those words sang to him like an unceasing buzz.
'Not now let me sleep I'll save you later,' His exhaustion was palpable, but as a result of the ghostlike iteration he had no choice but to wake up.
'Damn nasty dreams' he internally grouched in irritation. Wasn't dreams supposed to be pictures that facilitated better sleep? Then why was his being such a pain in the ass.
Rising up in grogginess, he stretched his hands with a yawn, opening his eyes only to wince at the bright optical piercing change. Looking around he saw that he was in a room –but that was obvious- but it also had a look that screamed familiar at him.
Scooting to the side of comfortable bed, he examined his cloths or was it uniform, as his eyes caught the emblem on the right side of his upper right torso, a name spilled out of his lips.
"Chaldea…"
A wince followed as the dam of memories broke through, images of Fuyuki, Heracules, Medusa, Artoria, Leff… and also Caster, Romani, Olga Marie and…
"Mash…" He stood up from the bed as his feet kissed the cold floor, scrunching his toes he looked around for a footwear, finding a neat pair just at the side of the bed.
With a breath of relief he bent to put on the shoes, only to see a truss of purple obstructing his view.
"Eh…"