"For now, he's still too weak to accept it all, so I will give it to him in bits. This will also give us the front-row seat to his deeds and accomplishments. We will witness the rise of the ∮≸⋫⨀⨘⨔Ὧ," the Lord declared, his commanding voice echoing through the grand hall. His pronouncement sent ripples of jubilation through the chamber, as the assembled beings erupted into cries of celebration. After eons of waiting, their anticipation had finally borne fruit.
As the hall filled with their exultation, a new presence materialized. It was chaotic and malevolent, a force that sent shivers down the spines of the lesser beings. This aura, though dark and terrifying, did not touch those within the golden Lord's protective presence. Instead of panic or dread, the hall's denizens showed expressions of surprise and curiosity, their relief undiminished.
"What are you doing here, Lord δεἏϕϟϸ?" the golden Lord asked, his tone calm but laced with an undercurrent of respect.
From the shadows emerged a figure enshrouded in a dark purple mist. Its red, glowing eyes flashed with mischievous malice, and the suffocating aura that accompanied it was the epitome of negativity. Yet it possessed a seductive charm, like the call of a deadly, forbidden secret. The second Lord's voice, however, was a stark contrast — smooth, rich, and alluring, like the melody of a siren.
"I noticed you were finally free," Lord δεἏϕϟϸ responded, his lips curling into a dark smile beneath the mist. "So, I came to congratulate you."
"Can't you use your real form instead of this... lich-like nightmare?" the golden Lord asked, his voice tinged with mild amusement.
"Really? You'll allow it?" the dark Lord's voice took on a playful tone.
The golden Lord simply remained silent, his expression granting permission. The mist that shrouded Lord δεἏϕϟϸ rapidly condensed, revealing his true form. In place of the spectral, nightmarish creature now stood a breathtakingly beautiful man. His long, sleek black hair fell to his knees, shimmering as though woven from shadows. His skin was pale and translucent, glowing with an ethereal, otherworldly light. His eyes, a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of purple hues, glinted with an unsettling mixture of beauty and malice.
The black rune on his forehead, shaped like the tip of a heart-shaped tail, pulsed faintly, while six glowing purple runes adorned his wrists — three on each side. His black robe, intricately decorated with violet designs, only enhanced his aura of dark magnificence. His horns, elegantly curved, crowned his head like a malevolent king.
Despite his dark beauty, the malevolent energy that accompanied him remained potent, though it carried a certain undeniable allure.
"Finally!" Lord δεἏϕϟϸ exclaimed, stretching leisurely. "So... what's your plan now?"
The golden Lord's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "I found him."
"You mean…"
"Yes," the golden Lord interrupted, excitement in his voice. "I've found the rightful being for this power, though he's still too weak to accept it all. I'll give it to him in pieces. It will be... entertaining to watch him grow into his true self."
The dark Lord's expression shifted into a gleeful smirk. "One of my successors has been making great strides recently. She often speaks of her perfect half. Do you think…?"
"Yes. She must be the other," the golden Lord confirmed. "Only beings of their kind can sense each other across dimensions. She's stronger now, but it won't be long before he catches up. There's more to him than even we know."
The dark Lord laughed softly, his eyes gleaming with wicked delight. "This will be... fun to watch."
"Indeed. That's the plan," the golden Lord responded with a smirk.
"Count me in," Lord δεἏϕϟϸ replied, his voice laced with playful malice.
---
Meanwhile, in a world far removed from their conversation, Ethan floated in a realm of golden light, unconscious. His mind wandered through a vast dream, surrounded by celestial bodies—planets, stars, and swirling galaxies. At the center of this dream stood a massive figure seated on an immense throne. The figure was too bright to fully discern, and the beings surrounding it were likewise obscured by the brilliance of its light. Ethan could feel their power but couldn't make out their forms.
As Ethan strained to understand the vision, a sudden pull yanked him away. He barely managed to catch a glimpse of the massive being turning to face him, chuckling softly before everything dissolved.
---
Ethan's eyes snapped open. His vision was still blurry, and his body felt heavy. Hovering above him was Trevor, his face pale and stricken with fear, yelling something that didn't quite register.
"We're under attack! Snap out of it!" Trevor screamed, shaking Ethan by the shoulders.
Ethan blinked, still dazed, but reality began to crash down on him. "What?!" he gasped, scrambling to his feet. "It hasn't even been a day!"
"It's been three days, you idiot!" Trevor yelled back, his voice trembling with panic. "You've been out for three days!"
"Fuck!" Ethan cursed, feeling the weight of lost time sink in. A surge of invisible energy burst from his body, his aura rippling out in waves of power.
As the pressure mounted, a deep, authoritative voice boomed from the sky. "You cannot hide forever, ants." It was a baritone so powerful it shook the very air, sending chills down Ethan's spine. The sheer contempt in the voice crushed what little hope he had left.
"They've found us already..." Ethan muttered, glancing down at his left hand. A tattoo, once coiled on his back, had shifted and now wrapped around his arm and neck. The serpent tattoo glowed a muted grey, its head resting at the back of his hand, its tail ending just beneath his neck. The transformation in its color reflected Ethan's growing power.
Galeno, in its miniature form, a sleek tortoise, scurried onto Ethan's head, ready for the impending battle. Trevor, still reeling from the situation, summoned his energy suit, the smoke-like tendrils wrapping around him in a cloak of shadows. His own tattoo, a grey skull wreathed in smoke, now stretched across his left arm, matching the foreboding energy in the air.
Ethan's expression hardened as he looked at Trevor. "From the North to the South, East to West... I reign Supreme!" His voice resonated with power, and golden light flared in his eyes. The very atmosphere shifted as his aura grew, an oppressive force enveloping the sky island.
Trevor stared, wide-eyed, as something new ignited within him. A sharp pain erupted in his right hand, forcing him to glance down. A tattoo was forming rapidly — a dark golden dot surrounded by a ring adorned with silver designs. Four arrows connected the dot to the ring, pointing in the cardinal directions.
"What the hell...?" Trevor muttered.
"No time to explain!" Ethan barked, urgency in his voice. "We need to move, now!"
Far off, gargantuan shapes loomed on the horizon. Gargoyle Elders. Their stone wings cut through the sky with terrifying grace, their fiery eyes locked on Ethan and Trevor. The gargoyles' enormous forms radiated an ancient power, one far beyond what the two could handle.
"We have to run!" Trevor shouted, panic creeping into his voice.
Ethan nodded, his mind racing. "Follow me!"
With a swift motion, Ethan raised his hand, and his telekinesis surged to life. Rocks, debris, and the very earth itself rose from the floating island, swirling in a protective barrier around them. Galeno, perched atop Ethan's head, channeled its own power, raising walls of stone to deflect incoming attacks from the Gargoyle Elders' minions.
Trevor's smoke billowed out, forming a thick, choking fog to conceal their escape. Together, the two sprinted towards the edge of the floating island. Below them, miles of open sky stretched out, the floating archipelago beneath looking like scattered gems against the blue.
With a powerful thrust of his telekinesis, Ethan created an energy bridge to the nearest island. "Go!" he yelled, just as the Gargoyle Elders' roars filled the air.
"They're closing in!" Trevor shouted as the gargoyles tore through the floating rocks, their wings battering the terrain with devastating force.
Ethan narrowed his eyes, focusing his power. A surge of golden light enveloped him and Trevor as they shot across the makeshift bridge, landing on the distant island just as the first gargoyle crashed into the ground behind them.
But the Gargoyle Elders weren't far behind. Their massive forms landed heavily, the entire floating island trembling beneath their weight.
Ethan's serpent tattoo glowed as his powers surged. "This is going to be a fight to remember."