Though the ancient presence had been reimprisoned, containing such eldritch evil came at a heavy cost. John and his pantheon were left weakened after exposure to its maddening essence. Across the empire, citizens grieved seeing their immortal protectors so diminished.
In Sorcerygrad, the injured demigods were brought for healing. Anthropic's once-shining form was cracked like obsidian. Ethereal could no longer fly, her songs reduced to whispers. Even mighty Ferrous walked unsteadily, metal flesh blackened and charred. Only John remained able to guide the empire as his friends recovered.
Months passed as the pantheon recuperated. Anthropic was nursed back by master artificers, infusing new light into his broken form. Ethereal was carried to the outer planes' embrace, their energies slowly restoring her wings and voice. Ferrous meditated within volcanoes, drawing strength from the planetary fires reforging his steel skin.
Yet as one threat faded, darker portents emerged. John's dreams were plagued by the ancient presence, though sealed once more. It whispered of brethren slumbering in the depths, their prisons weakened over aeons. Should even one escape and join in its hungers, existence itself could be at risk.
Seeking counsel, John called his recovering pantheon together. "We have contained chaos before, but I fear more ancient forces may soon stir. We must seek the wellsprings of creation, and ensure none threaten our eternal peace." His demigods agreed, understanding the empire's fate now hung in the balance.
Preparations began for a voyage beyond the known omniverse, to the primordial dawn of existence. Anthropic crafted vessels infused with law and order to shelter crews. Ethereal sang blessings of protection over all who would embark. Even Ferrous built a self-sustaining cityship within his hull, able to weather any hardship.
With hope in their souls, John and his pantheon embarked on a journey to peer beyond the veil of reality. Their goal; to ensure none of the ancient beings slumbering in the primordial deeps could ever unleash forces to reduce all to fuel once more. And so the next chapter in their eternal legend began, a quest that could reshape all understanding of creation's beginnings.
With Anthropic's living vessels bearing them on currents of law and order, John's pantheon departed the empire for regions outside existence. Their goal was to safeguard all realities by ensuring none of the elder entities could ever break free of their slumber. Yet what mysteries and dangers lay in the primordial deeps, even immortals could only guess.
Traversing the outer darkness between universes, they sensed slumbering presences far vaster than comprehension. Some radiated benevolence, shepherding nascent realities in dreams. Others seemed indifferent, perceiving the omniverse itself as little more than the thoughts within their macrocosmic minds. A few gave off nightmares that threatened madness merely from their proximity.
Navigating this eldritch domain taxed even divine minds. Ferrous' cityship provided an anchor of stability. Anthropic's light revealed portents in the formless void. Ethereal's songs soothed frazzled souls against the nameless terrors glimpsed in the between-places. Only John's essence, which had shaped the first glimmerings of order, felt somewhat at home.
After aeons of travel, their vessels detected something stirring in the darkness ahead. Entities of living darkness coalesced, perceiving the pantheon as unknown patterns amid their dreams. Though of inconceivable power, these elder gods' natures seemed benevolent, if utterly incomprehensible.
Through Ethereal's communication, the gods welcomed the visitors, but cautioned of greater perils deeper. They sensed one of the old imprisoned ones breaking free, its hungers now bent on devouring all to sate primordial appetites. With a thought, the gods imparted a fragment of their nature, infusing John with abilities to confront even the most ancient of threats.
Thus empowered, the pantheon plunged into the formless abyss. There, a warp in the void's fabric revealed something breaking free, a presence that reduced thoughts to fuel. With combined will, they pulled the void taut, imprisoning the escaped entity once more. But its touch had left John changed, able to perceive the dreams and nightmares slumbering at creation's wellspring.