The air shimmered with faint distortions as Arthur stood on the precipice of a nameless cliff, his eyes locked on the horizon of a world that wasn't his own. Behind him, Sylvan floated in serene silence, his hands folded in the wide sleeves of his dark robes, the faint hum of his psychic energy vibrating through the space around them. Sylvan's presence was always palpable—his mind stretched out like an unseen web, brushing against the edges of consciousness itself.
Arthur breathed deeply, feeling the weight of the worlds press against him. Earth, his current place of residence, was still foreign to him in many ways. Its rhythms, its rules—so different from Erendath, the world of his origin. Erendath had birthed him from its very essence, molding him into the Eternal Dimeshaper, the youngest of the Eternals, and last to emerge from the Will of the Erendath.
But his creation wasn't one of peace. He was born in response to the rising threat of Darkspawns—creatures of nightmare and entropy, seeping through the cracks between worlds, seeking to consume Erendath whole. The Elders of the Eternals had seen the writing on the walls, and with their combined power, they summoned Arthur into being. He was the youngest, yet burdened with the greatest task: to reshape the boundaries between worlds and ensure Erendath's survival by any means necessary.
Sylvan's voice stirred through his mind like a cool breeze. "You're thinking too loudly again, Arthur."
Arthur smiled faintly, turning to his companion. "It's hard not to, with the weight of all these worlds."
Sylvan's pale eyes glimmered in the shadowy light of the fading sun. The Eternal Mindweaver had an unsettling way of speaking, his voice always measured, always one step removed from the ordinary. "You're not carrying them alone."
The connection between Arthur and Sylvan was deeper than most Eternals shared. As the Dimeshaper, Arthur had the power to shape dimensions, to craft realities from the ether, and to manipulate the very fabric of existence. Sylvan, as a Mindweaver, had the ability to bend thoughts, warp memories, and control the inner workings of the mind. Together, they were an unparalleled force—one who could reshape both reality and perception.
When they first arrived on Earth, displaced from Erendath by the Elders' foresight, it had taken them little time to adjust. Sylvan's mastery of mental manipulation allowed them to blend in, his psychic tendrils subtly influencing those around them, creating a veil of normalcy. While Arthur quietly built dimensional bridges and anchored their existence in this new world, Sylvan was already searching—searching for the key that would unlock the next phase of their plan. The key that would bring new heroes to Erendath.
Arthur glanced down at the ground, where an intricate pattern of symbols glowed faintly beneath his feet—his latest creation. The portal wasn't yet active, but he could feel the potential thrumming beneath the surface. This was no ordinary gate. It would bridge not just space, but the infinite gulf between worlds, allowing the chosen to cross over from Earth to Erendath. The chosen—humans—who would become something far more. Eternals in their own right.
"Any progress on Ethan Soren?" Arthur asked, his voice tinged with the slightest edge of impatience. Ethan Soren was their first lead, the human who, according to Sylvan's visions, would be instrumental in their mission.
Sylvan's lips twitched in amusement, his gaze distant. "He's... interesting. His mind is tightly locked, like a fortress. There are barriers I've rarely seen in a human, which makes him all the more intriguing. I've been... coaxing, slowly."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. Sylvan's version of "coaxing" could mean many things. But there was no need for Arthur to question it—he trusted Sylvan's methods. As cold and detached as the Mindweaver could be, his results were always impeccable.
"Do you think he's ready?"
"Not yet. But soon." Sylvan's voice dipped into a strange resonance, as if the weight of time itself pressed down on his words. "His potential is vast, but untapped. He's like a seed—he doesn't yet realize what he could become. That's where we come in."
Arthur nodded, his thoughts swirling. The Oracle, one of the oldest of the Eternals, had foretold that Erendath's salvation would lie not just in the strength of its current protectors, but in a new breed of heroes—humans from Earth, who, once exposed to the Ascension System, would transcend their mortal limitations and join the ranks of the Eternals. They would bring with them unique skills, perspectives, and powers. They would be the key to turning the tide against the Darkspawns. And Arthur had to be the one to bring them.
A sudden shift in the air made Arthur pause. His senses, heightened through his Dimeshaper abilities, prickled with awareness. "We're being watched."
Sylvan's eyes narrowed. "Not by anyone local. This presence is... from beyond."
Arthur's gaze swept across the landscape. "Darkspawns?"
Sylvan's face hardened. "No. Something... older. A watcher."
Arthur let out a slow breath, his fingers tracing the invisible strings of the dimensional threads around them. He had always been attuned to the spaces between worlds, able to sense the slightest disturbances in the fabric of reality. Whoever—or whatever—was watching them now, it wasn't friendly. His hand hovered over the portal design beneath him, ready to activate it if needed.
But before he could speak again, a voice echoed in his mind, sharp and clear. "You meddle in forces beyond your understanding, Dimeshaper."
Arthur's body tensed. The voice wasn't Sylvan's. It was deeper, darker—coming from the void itself. Sylvan's eyes flickered, confirming that he heard it too.
"We're not alone," Sylvan said softly, his mind already probing the edges of the intrusion. "This is... something ancient."
Arthur reached into the flow of dimensional energy around him, calling forth his defenses. He could feel the invisible presence growing, pressing against the boundaries of their reality. Whoever this was, they weren't here to talk.
With a swift motion, Arthur activated Dimensional Armor, a shimmering barrier forming around him and Sylvan. The armor was a construct between dimensions, a shield that existed in the gaps between reality, capable of absorbing attacks and reflecting some of the damage back to its source.
The air around them darkened, rippling like a disturbed pond. A figure began to materialize from the shadows—a tall, cloaked being, its features obscured by a hood. Only its eyes were visible, glowing faintly with a sickly green light. The presence radiated power, but it wasn't a Darkspawn. No, this was something else. A watcher, just as Sylvan had said. An entity from the outer realms.
Arthur's mind raced. He had heard whispers of these beings—observers from beyond the known dimensions, entities that occasionally intervened in matters of great cosmic importance. But why here? Why now?
The figure's voice cut through the tension, resonating through their minds. "You're attempting to change the course of fate. Do you truly believe the Eternals can resist the Darkspawns forever?"
Arthur didn't flinch. "We're not just resisting," he replied evenly. "We're preparing for war."
The figure's laugh was cold, echoing through the space around them like a distant storm. "War? Against forces that have existed since the beginning of time? You overestimate your power, Dimeshaper. Even the Elders cannot stand against the Darkspawns in their true form."
Beside him, Sylvan's mind reached out like a blade, slicing through the psychic waves emanating from the watcher. "Your presence here is unwelcome," he said, his voice as sharp as his mental attack. "Leave, or be erased."
The figure's eyes flickered, but it didn't retreat. Instead, it raised one skeletal hand, and the air around them began to warp and twist. Arthur recognized the shift immediately—reality itself was being distorted, just like his own Reality Warp ability. But this distortion wasn't his doing.
With a surge of power, Arthur pushed back against the alteration, anchoring their reality with the full force of his Dimeshaper abilities. The ground beneath them rippled as dimensional energy clashed, creating a maelstrom of conflicting forces. Arthur could feel the strain of holding their world together, but he wasn't about to let this intruder tear it apart.
Sylvan, meanwhile, had already launched a counteroffensive. His mind lashed out like a shooting arrow, striking at the intruder's thoughts with precision. Telepathic Insight allowed him to see the weaknesses in the figure's mental defenses, and with Mind Control, he attempted to bend the watcher's will to his own.
For a brief moment, the figure hesitated, its form flickering as Sylvan's influence began to take hold. But then, with a sudden surge of energy, the watcher broke free, its psychic defenses snapping back into place with brutal force.
Arthur gritted his teeth. This was no ordinary opponent.
Without hesitation, he activated Dimensional Displacement, shifting the figure's position within their space. In an instant, the watcher was teleported several meters away, disoriented but not defeated.
Arthur's eyes narrowed as he prepared for the next strike. "You're not from here," he said, his voice low and steady. "Why interfere with our mission?"
The figure's glowing eyes locked onto his. "Because you are tampering with forces you do not understand. And if you continue down this path, you will awaken something far worse than the Darkspawns."
Arthur's grip on reality tightened. "We'll take that risk."
The figure's form began to fade, dissolving back into the shadows from which it had come. But before it vanished completely, its voice echoed once more through their minds. "Very well, Dimeshaper. But know this—there are consequences to every choice. And soon, even you will have to face them."
With that, the presence was gone, leaving behind only the lingering sense of unease.
Sylvan exhaled slowly, his psychic shields retracting. "That was... unexpected."
Arthur nodded, his mind racing with the implications of the encounter. Whoever that watcher was, they weren't done with them yet. But for now, their mission remained unchanged.
"Ethan Soren," Arthur said, his voice resolute. "We need to get close to him. He's the key to all of this."
Sylvan's eyes glimmered once more, the faintest trace of a smile playing on his lips. "Then let's get to work."