Nsu closed the door behind her, leaving her father's office with the thought of the Void heavily on her mind. She was lost in thought, considering the different outcomes of the situation, when her sister Kam and her daughter Malia called her name. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't notice them until Kam grabbed her shoulder to get her attention. She jumped abruptly, startled by the touch.
Both Kam and Nsu were elite shadow elf warriors, trained by the Elders in elemental and shadow manipulation. They hurried down the corridors of Faceless's palace, Nsu hiding her worry behind a smile.
"Did you warn him about the possibility of the Void awakening again?" Kam asked.
Nsu nodded. "Yes, but he doesn't seem in the slightest bit worried. I think he has a plan, but I can't help but think otherwise."
"What do you mean?" Malia asked.
"The Void is a dangerous foe," Nsu said. "He's been growing in power, and I fear that he may soon be unstoppable. If he awakens, it could mean the end of the multiverse."
"But we'll stop him," Kam said. "We'll defeat him together."
"I hope so," Nsu said. "But I'm not so sure."
They walked in silence for a few moments, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Kam spoke.
"We'll need to be prepared," she said. "We need to gather our forces and make a plan."
"I know," Nsu said. "I'll start making arrangements."
They continued on their way, determined to do whatever it took to stop the Void.
Meanwhile, in the Shadow Realm, around 300 trillion light-years away, hidden from the cosmos, lies the kingdom of Arishma. Arishma is another child of Faceless, and she is a ruthless and cold killer. She has no sympathy for anything, and she rules over the dead and the creatures of the night. She is also neutral in the war.
Arishma is sitting on her throne, which is made of black cobalt stone with sapphire and gold lining the trim. Suddenly, a portal opens before her, and out steps the Void. Half of his face is warped, leaving nothing but what seems to be a black hole of emptiness. He is dressed in the Chaos Dragon armor, and horns protrude from his head. His skin is a dark gray, almost pale, color. As the portal closes behind him, he looks up at Arishma on the throne and smiles widely.
Arishma stares down at him with a cold glare. Her voice is icy and blunt with authority. "How dare you come into my realm without consenting with me first?" she asks. Her guards tremble from her sharp words, as if her mouth is a blade.
The Void just looks at her and begins to speak. "I have come to make relations with your highness," he says.
Arishma raises an eyebrow. "Relations?" she asks. "What kind of relations?"
The Void smiles. "I believe that we can help each other," he says. "You are strong, and I am powerful. Together, we can rule the multiverse."
Arishma considers this for a moment. "I am not interested in ruling the multiverse," she says. "I am content to rule my own realm."
The Void nods. "I understand," he says. "But I believe that we can still help each other. I can give you the power to conquer your enemies, and you can give me the resources I need to grow my power."
Arishma is silent for a moment, considering the Void's offer. Finally, she speaks. "Very well," she says. "We will make relations."
The Void smiles. "Excellent," he says. "I knew that we could come to an agreement."
The Void and Arishma shake hands, and a new alliance is born.
However, Arishma is not so easily fooled. She knows that the Void is not to be trusted, and she is determined to keep him in check.
**As Void reached up to shake her hand, Arishma unleashed a jet of hell flame from her palm. The Void was caught off guard, but his Chaos Dragon armor nullified the flames, protecting him. However, Arishma was already moving at blinding speeds.
Arishma was in front of him in an instant, kicking him in the chest with such force that he was sent flying through the walls of her castle. The impact of the blow caused the ground to shake.
Arishma released an aura of pure death, and dark mist began to accumulate around her. "You will know death for even fathoming that I would join you and betray my father, just because I refuse to join him in the war," she said.
The Void got up from the rubble, his eyes ablaze with anger. The ground around him began to crack as his corrupted aura was released. Without hesitation, they both threw themselves at each other, taking devastating blows that echoed throughout the cosmos.
Arishma dodged the Void's fist and hit him in the gut four times before having to block a heavy blow from his left hand to her jaw. She then unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks, but the Void was able to block most of them. He then grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground.
Arishma struggled to breathe, but she refused to give up. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vial. She broke the vial open and threw the contents in the Void's face. The liquid caused the Void to scream in pain as it burned his skin. He released Arishma and staggered back, clutching his face.
"You think you can defeat me with such petty tricks?" the Void roared. "I am the Void, and I am eternal!"
"We'll see about that," Arishma said. She took a deep breath and unleashed a powerful blast of shadow energy. The blast hit the Void full in the chest, knocking him back several feet.
The Void staggered to his feet, his eyes wide with fear. "What is this power?" he asked.
"This is the power of the Shadow Elves," Arishma said. "We are the children of darkness, and we will not be cowed by your threats."
The Void roared in rage and charged at Arishma again. This time, she was ready for him. She met his charge head-on, and the two of them clashed in a furious battle.
The battle raged for hours, neither side able to gain an advantage. Finally, Arishma landed a lucky blow, knocking the Void unconscious.
Arishma stood over the Void, her sword raised. "This is for my father," she said. She brought her sword down, and the Void's head rolled to the ground.
Arishma sheathed her sword and turned to leave. As she walked away, she could hear the Void's laughter echoing in her ears.
"This is not over," the laughter said. "I will be back."
Arishma shook her head. "Not if I have anything to say about it," she said.
The scene then shifts to the Dark Elf Forest, the home and domain of all Shadow Elves. Malia, the daughter of Nsu and Arishma's niece, is brutally training with her sword at the training grounds. She swirls around, striking the dummies at blinding speeds. Each blow is powerful enough to cut through even the durable and strong Celestial Steel.
Malia's friends came out onto the training field and persuaded her to come to the bar so that she could relax. She had been out there training for several hours, so reluctantly she followed her friends, slowly fading away down the path to the main village.
I was standing on the balcony, looking out over the horizon as the two Suns of Diveri began to set. I then turned and looked at the viewers and spoke. "Zara will soon be ready to be awakened."