The Dark Forces were an unknown force of nature that no one knew the origin of. It didn't have an official name so it's only referred to as "Dark Forces" given its coal-like smoke clouds and the heavy pressures you're faced with if you ever step foot inside it.
About a thousand years ago, the divine realm was invaded after the dark forces became unstable. Prior to this invasion, nothing had ever crossed the dark force, which was left unguarded. Many believed that there was nothing beyond the vast expanse of the Dark Forces but empty space and rogue planets.
They were wrong. What they didn't expect was that the Between Realms—a chaotic system of conjoined planets that defied the natural order and law of existing things (thanks to the energy of the Dark Forces).
Up until that point, the Star Beast and Progenitor were the biggest threats to the Divine Realm due to how immensely powerful both of them were, on the level where they can pose a danger to the entire pantheon of gods. After centuries of peace, they scattered most of their forces throughout the nine realms so their power became divided.
Their strongest force—the Valkyries—also ended up living their own lives outside the divine kingdoms' rule. Naturally, they picked their own leaders, which is how the position High Valkyrie was born. Of course, this needed approval from the gods themselves since the title was supposed to be higher than that of Archangels but below God and Pure Angel.
The High Valkyrie of that time led the demigods into full-scale cosmic war—known as the Realm War which consisted of every major demigod race against the creatures of the Between Realms, led by beings that could outmatch most gods.
….
"—Were you around during that time?" Arnold asked Guinevere as she retold the tale.
"Yes… Gederick was also… around in that era. He's older than me by a century…"
….
Gederick fought side-by-side with the High Valkyrie of that time, the two of them crushing tens of thousands of enemies with a mere 1000 troops. Of course, that wasn't to say there weren't any casualties. But compared to the million demigods and mortals who served under Gederick and the hundreds of thousands of valkyries serving the High Valkyrie, a mere 200 injured and 50 deaths was something to feel pride over.
The reason the other side lost wasn't simply because they lacked strength despite having the numbers; they lacked leadership and organization. Because of this, it was easy for the divine realm to overwhelm them even without using numbers.
Shortly after this battle, they returned but this time they were accompanied by several powerful leaders from the other sides who everyone began calling "Outer Gods". The name is supposed to refer to those outside the nine realms.
It was hard to predict the outcome from then on, as their presence on the battlefield rapidly changed things. The monsters were more organized, knew when to attack, where to attack and how. The defenses on the border fell and many angels were the first to perish. Normally during war, commanders would keep their healers off the battlefield but in all their cockiness, the big figures in the war commanded the angels to stay and heal any injured so that there isn't a delay in switching soldiers.
Over a thousand angels were killed, which was a significant amount for that era since angels typically don't have sex drives so they weren't inclined to procreate unless ordered to.
The sheer number of monsters, combined with the precision and strength brought by the Outer Gods, meant that no matter how many died, the waves kept coming, relentless and unending. The battlefield became a blood-soaked nightmare, where every fallen comrade was replaced by another terrifying beast.
Desperation forced the divine commanders to change their approach. The angels, who had once been healers, were relegated to the farthest reaches of the battlefield, hidden away until the fighting was over, called in only when the monsters were driven back. But it was clear to all that this war had changed—no longer was it a simple battle of numbers or power. Now, it was a war of survival, and both sides were prepared to sacrifice everything to achieve victory.
Rumors of the Outer Gods began to spread, whispered among soldiers in hushed tones. Some said they were older than time itself, banished from the nine realms for crimes against the divine order. Others believed they were the remnants of forgotten realms, their power unmatched, their knowledge of war unrivaled. Whatever the truth was, one thing was certain: the balance of power had shifted, and the divine realm was no longer as secure as it once had been.
The gods knew they would have to face these beings sooner or later. And when they did, it wouldn't be with a mere thousand troops—it would be a fight for the very survival of the divine realm itself.
…
A smile suddenly appeared on Guinevere's usual stoic face, "That did not stop Gederick from marching into the battle when the gods clearly ordered for them to remain on the defensive—"
Gederick unleashed his full power and pushed back the entire army. There was nothing to protect so Gederick was able to fight with all his might without worrying about others. If his spear was grabbed by an enemy, to prevent him from attacking, then he'd swing his free fist. If even that was held down by the thousands of monsters, then he'd use the raw power of his war cry to crush them all.
There was no technique in his swings and fighting style since he was quite young and inexperienced—the youngest commander in the divine realm's history. He was chosen for his excellent leadership abilities, not just fighting power, so the name "God of War" didn't become a thing until he managed to kill two of the Outer Gods in a single night. Of course, by this point he had reached his limit so he couldn't continue. Luckily, the people under his command were moved by his strength so all of them charged the waves of monsters without a care in the world—it was a bloodbath unlike any other.
The divine realm emerged victorious that day and drove back the Outer Gods and their armies through the Dark Forces.
"We thought that was going to be the end of it all but we were wrong."
Portals that spat out Starkin appeared throughout the nine realms in the next few days. Scholars determined that, from the dense energy coming from the portals, that the Dark Forces were somehow being used to control the portals.
Instead of seeing the Outer Gods again, the divine realm had to deal with the hundreds of thousands of Starkin offspring that decimated many worlds.
The divine realm determined that the Star Beast was helping the Outer Gods somehow. But there was another theory going around, one that said that the Dark Forces was being used to control the Offspring—which the Star Beast had abandoned—since there weren't any intelligent Offspring among them to lead them.
"The Dark Forces can be used for mind control…?"
'Did you know about this?'
He received "no" from the system after that familiar (annoying) system update played in his head.
"This theory hasn't been proven yet since we couldn't run experiments on the offspring. But the way they were coordinating with each other to attack specific points that could possibly weaken the armies, created even more questions."
Coordinated… Targeting specific places that could weaken the divine realm army…Probably also attacking in waves during certain times of the day…
This certainly does make one question the mind control theory. However, there was a simpler explanation for this.
"You must be referring to their linked minds." Arnold said after he thought to himself for a bit.
"Linked minds?"
"…From what I know about their kind, they can use sound or energy waves to transmit their thoughts to others nearby. Of course, the majority of them aren't capable of issuing orders so there should've been at least one among them close by to instruct them. The intelligent ones can speak so it's easy to differentiate them from others."
"I was part of the units that had to exterminate them but I don't recall any of them speaking."
'Then we'll have to settle with that theory about the dark forces until I can get answers myself.'
"What else can they do with these psychic powers of theirs?"
"Hmm… I think they can sense each other on the battlefield even if they're far away from each other."
'From what I know, the mothers who give birth to these things can still sense their children when they're nearby.' The vice versa is also true. As long as they shared the same blood and are intelligent, they'll be able to detect and communicate with each other.
It was a rare chance encounter in the game but there are certain encounters later on where the mother detects its child nearby and flies into a bloodied rage, intent on killing its own.
As a player, Arnold couldn't forget how the Star Beast made children. It was no surprise why the mothers would kill the abominations that resulted from rape. Many tried cutting them out but a protective layer was right around the womb that protected it from any surgery so the death rate was 90% since natural birth killed lots of victims before.
And yes, it didn't just stop at humanoids. There was a side quest in the game where you had to investigate an abandoned farm. Inside the barn were several pregnant cows and goats. Depending on how much time passes since you started the quest, you can witness one of them giving birth and actually surviving. Of course, the pregnancy was anything but a miracle since the cow immediately started stomping on the baby's body in an attempt to kill it. If you take a bit longer to get there then there will be several corpses in the barn with only one cow as the only survivor and several dead Offspring. Luckily, none of them were strong enough to do anything.
"So, it's possible an intelligent one was blending into society during that war and instructing them from the shadows. I've seen humanoid Offspring before so a hood and cloak is all they need to hide from us."
"Yeah, it's possible but don't count on it."
"Hmm, it's been several hundred years and I am on my deathbed so whichever it was doesn't concern me anymore… But will you listen to me a little longer… please?" devoid of the aura and presence that made her such an admirable knight, she asked in a small voice.
"…I wasn't planning on going anywhere anyway…"
A small smile appeared on her face before she continued with the same deadpan expression, "The gods used ritual magic to erect several [Millenium Barriers] using Great Runes in the worlds where these monsters appeared. The runes aren't stable so there are sometimes tears in the barriers if something disturbs the runes but that was our only option to keep those monsters trapped since nothing else helped. The barrier's placement depended on which side of the barrier had more monsters and were easier to deal with. This also meant that many people were sacrificed as a result of their incompetence to get the situation under control. When we thought we'd have a breather, there was a disturbance in the Dark Force energy that clouded over the edge of the Divine realm. While the gods were occupied with the Offspring, this gave the Outer Gods the perfect opportunity to strike. Of course, this was foreseen so many of the demigod warriors, including my tribe, were sent to the frontlines to face them while the divine army got there. Instead of the army we were expecting, a lone man with long white hair, wearing black armor walked out of the Dark Forces, dragging several heads behind that were connected with chains. Those heads belonged to the Outer Gods that invaded us before."
"…Promethius was that strong even before he became the God's Champion…?"
"He was… the Martial God of Sword's prodigy. So, it was not surprising that he was strong."
'The Sword God's student, huh…' Another piece of information that answered the question: What is Promethius' true origins?
"Did everyone know who he was? Surely, they didn't just let him into their walls?"
"Well, he showed us."
"How?"
"He pointed his sword in a random direction where the land was barren and used [Celestial Devastation]. was proof that he was the Sword God's only student since the weapon art is his creation."
"He had the Sword God's blessing, didn't he…"
"Yes, the weapon art is hereditary so it cannot be given to anyone unless they receive a blessing from the creator or the one the creator gave the blessing to. But blessings generally lose their effectiveness if it's repeatedly passed down…" she traced her finger around the gaping hole on her stomach.
'I knew that weapon art she used earlier seemed familiar.'
Arnold noticed that Guinevere's bottom lip was quivering but her feelings weren't evident in her voice:
"...The gods, captivated by the power of the Martial God of Sword's prodigy, invited him to the Elysian Spire a day after the battle ended in our victory and the Outer Gods' heads. Every single person with access to the divine realm went to the kingdom that day."
"The divine kingdom's palace … I thought only other gods are granted audience by Melis' father, Zephyros."
While Melis was the one who created mortal life millions of years ago, she was not the most powerful god and didn't have the most authority. Her father Zephyros, does. Think of him as some king ruling a whole realm.
"His title didn't matter to them. All they cared about were his genes."
"I'm aware… Power and bloodline is all that counts to them. I bet the women in the palace were gushing like water falls. When you hear 'Martial God of the Sword' or 'Sword God', you think of the strongest and oldest Martial God there is."
"Yes. Everyone knew about his first pupil but none could see him because the Sword God broke off contact from the divine realm half a millennium prior to that war. Most of what we heard about him were from rumors floating around from places he had visited with his pupil." Guinevere moved on, "As the High Valkyrie of the Valkyrie race, I attended the banquet alongside my family. My reason for being there was formality, since many would be displeasured that the High Valkyrie was there to welcome our champion."
Her face twisted as if she ate a bitter bug when she said "champion".
She spoke in a voice laced with venom: "Promethius ignored all the women coming up to him, practically throwing themselves at him—and came over to me." Guinevere instinctively hugged her chest, hiding her breasts as if she only now noticed that they were bare.
"There was no exchange of greetings. Instead, he… he tore off the chest area of my gown. Before I knew it, my head was against a table, pudding staining my cheek and I heard a zipper go down before something hard invaded my lower body." She glanced down, "I wasn't known as the strongest warrior in the divine realm at that time but I knew that no one besides Gederick could win against me physically, even without using divine power. Yet under that man's violent thrusts, I felt weak… Helpless like a fish on land. I had to rely on others at that moment because that was the first moment I truly felt fear. A Valkyrie is raised to never have fear or show an expression of pain but I felt both of those things. That moment was the first time I've ever cried."
She continued:
"I looked around, pleading for help but everyone either averted their eyes or watched me like I was some beast in a gladiator arena being beaten into submission… I naturally looked towards the man with the most authority in all the divine realm but he… Lord Zephyros looked at me and commanded that I just let it happen…"
"…."
"I left the banquet soon after I was allowed to. That man stayed behind and indulged himself in the goddesses who—unlike me—offered no resistance. A few days after that, the man came looking for me at my home, demanding I come see him. As you would expect, he was made into a direct subordinate of the king. He held more political power than even the elder gods, who offered him their blessings that made him even more powerful. Every single Valkyrie I grew up with knelt before that man like slaves do for their masters. My mother was no different… I could not control my emotions or actions and lunged at him with my sword, ready to cut him down. It wasn't even a fight and I was on the ground before I could do anything."
She gritted her teeth, "While I was restrained, I heard my mother shout that it is not right for a woman to hit her future husband. I was the only one who hadn't yet heard that the Divine Kingdom arranged for us to get married. I can still vividly recall the smug grin on his face as he pulled me up by my hair. His exact words were—"
--Your womb will help me break the [Limit of All Order]
"The covenant or rule that applies limits to all living things…" Arnold's frowned slightly.
Guinevere nodded, "He knew about the prophecy—the true champion of the gods impregnating a High Valkyrie. Each of their offspring inheriting a fraction of their power."
She gazed across the ruins of this world with unfocused eyes. Arnold heard a gulp.
"He took me from my home after our marriage ceremony. I had no say in the matter so I could only bid my friends and family farewell. He took me to the kingdom of Eul in one of the worlds in the mortal realms."
"Eul, huh. The Empire of Eulia was called that way before it grew into an empire. So, you've been in that world for many years."
Almost a century, probably.
"Yes, his mission was to await the arrival of the Demon King so in an attempt to not be found out early, we kept to ourselves for several years. He joined a knight division and became a trusted subordinate of the king. That king gave us servants who would care for our mansion and… me while that man was away. Meanwhile, I…" as if the next part was too difficult to say, she held her hand on her mouth. It seemed as if something rose from her throat but she forced it down, "…I was forced to stay at home inside a basement under our house until my first child was born. I was already pregnant at that point and didn't see the sun for quite some time. My food was brought to my door every day by the servants and they'd collect any waste that I had. It felt like I was a prisoner and they were the guards, guards I could tear apart with my own hands if I wanted to and leave that basement. Those concrete walls weren't infused with magic so I could claw myself out of that basement with my hands alone… However, I never attempted to leave because I knew what kind of punishments awaited.
A few months went by without me seeing the sun again before… the child was born. I saw that man for the first time in months since he was going around the kingdom impregnating several women in hopes of having more children. I still remember the first time I gave birth. Even though I despised the child—because it belonged to that man—for those six months of carrying it, when I first set eyes on it, it was like I fell in love again. So small and feeble and the life that grew from my body… And yet I could not hold the child… My first child… He tore it apart in front of me and consumed its flesh and organs, down to its bones…"