As Oliver traversed the winding corridors of the Fury stronghold, the very air seemed to thrum with ancient power. Each step brought him closer to his mother, Zylaris, and the duel that awaited him. Yet, as he walked, his mind drifted to the lessons of his youth, to the tales of creation and chaos that formed the foundation of his world.
Long ago, before the birth of the universe as they knew it, there existed two primal forces: Essence and Chaos. Of these, only Chaos was known, for it was Chaos that brought forth creation. From the swirling maelstrom of possibility, Chaos birthed the Chaos Beings, entities of immense power, each embodying a fundamental law or energy of existence.
Chaos created a world for its children, intending for them to coexist in harmony. But among the Chaos Beings, an anomaly emerged—Orton, the mother of all beings. In her veins flowed a whisper of Essence, a power thought lost to the ages. This unique nature set her apart, making her both a wonder and a threat to her siblings.
When Chaos vanished, leaving its children to their own devices, war erupted among the eternal Chaos Beings. Orton, with her ability to harness Essence, proved capable of killing her immortal brethren. Fearing her power, the other Chaos Beings united to create a force to counter her—the Predations.
But their creation spiraled out of control. The Predations grew too powerful, too hungry, forcing the Chaos Beings to band together once more to subdue them. In the aftermath, one known as the "All Father" seized the power of the Predations for himself, becoming an enemy to all of creation.
The universe fractured, with each Chaos Being claiming a portion for themselves. They created Judges to oversee their domains and maintain order. Orton, ever the anomaly, chose a different path. She created two races: the Furies, born from her soul and essence, became her warriors and children, capable of slaying even eternal beings. The Pure Bloods, infused with her divine blood, possessed the ability to create their own energies, akin to the Chaos Beings themselves.
Oliver's reverie was interrupted as he reached the central chamber of the stronghold. Before him stood Zylaris, his mother, the strongest being in all the endless verse. Her presence was overwhelming, radiating power that seemed to bend reality itself.
"My son," Zylaris spoke, her voice carrying the weight of eons. "You've come to face your trial."
Oliver squared his shoulders, meeting his mother's gaze. "I have, Mother. I'm ready to prove myself."
A smile, both proud and sorrowful, graced Zylaris's lips. "Are you? The path before you is fraught with dangers beyond your imagining. The Predations stir once more, but not as you've been led to believe."
Confusion flickered across Oliver's face. "What do you mean?"
"The threat you've been sent to face—they are but minions, generals of the true Predations that lurk in the shadows. Your father and I... we've set you on this path for a reason, Oliver. A reason that pains us both."
As Zylaris spoke, the air around them shimmered, revealing images of a grand design. Oliver saw himself, journeying to the edge of reality, battling fearsome entities that paled in comparison to the true horrors that waited, hidden from sight.
"But why?" Oliver asked, his mind reeling from the revelations. "If the true threat remains hidden, what purpose does my journey serve?"
Zylaris's expression hardened. "Distraction, my son. While you face these lesser foes, events will unfold here on Orton—events that require your absence."
The implications of her words hit Oliver like a physical blow. "You're sending me away... to protect me?"
"To give you a chance," Zylaris corrected. "The future is uncertain, but your role in it is not. You must survive, Oliver, no matter the cost."
As if on cue, a figure emerged from the shadows—Nyxara, Oliver's loyal friend and Red Knight. The Fay warrior bowed to Zylaris before turning to Oliver, her eyes reflecting a mixture of determination and concern.
"My prince," Nyxara said, "I am to accompany you on this journey. Whatever trials await, we shall face them together."
Oliver nodded, grateful for her presence, even as questions swirled in his mind. He turned back to his mother, sensing that there was more she had yet to reveal.
"What aren't you telling me, Mother? What threat looms so large that even you, the strongest in all the endless verse, must resort to such measures?"
Zylaris's gaze darkened. "Your uncle, Thalrix, moves against us. His powers have grown, fueled by ancient magics that should have remained buried. He seeks to destroy Orton itself."
The weight of her words settled over the chamber like a shroud. Oliver's mind raced, trying to comprehend the magnitude of the threat. "But surely you can stop him? Your power—"
"Is needed elsewhere," Zylaris interrupted. "As we speak, threats gather in other multiverses, requiring my attention. I cannot be in two places at once. That is why we must rely on you."
Oliver's heart pounded in his chest. The fate of his world, of everything he knew and loved, hung in the balance. "What would you have me do?"
"Go," Zylaris commanded. "Face the trials set before you. Grow stronger, wiser. And when the time comes, return to us. But know this, Oliver the Orton you leave may not be the one you return to."
With a wave of her hand, Zylaris opened a portal, swirling with cosmic energies. "Portum awaits, a sanctuary created by Orton herself, impervious to destruction. Should the worst come to pass, our people will find safety there."
Oliver stood at the precipice of destiny, the portal beckoning him towards an uncertain future. He looked to Nyxara, seeing in her eyes the same resolve that burned within him.
"We will return, Mother," Oliver promised. "Whatever challenges await, we will overcome them."
Zylaris embraced her son, pouring into that moment all the love and hope she held for him. "May Orton the mother guide your path, my son."
With a final nod to his mother, Oliver stepped through the portal, Nyxara at his side. As the swirling energies engulfed them, neither could have foreseen the true extent of the trials that awaited,nor the sacrifice that would be demanded of them in the days to come.
The fate of Orton, of the endless verse itself, now rested on the shoulders of a young prince and his loyal knight, hurtling towards a destiny that might reshape the very fabric of existence, but still, what they might face is nothing more than minions, minions that doesn't matter in the grand scale of things.