Whoosh! The wind blew over the lands of Cælora while Volmeryn stood on the top of a lonely mountain, gazing at the horizon.
A colossal challenge awaited him in the realm of the Archangels, and it was not just a physical battle. He was traveling to a land where even the mightiest of the gods had seen their will broken. But he couldn't afford to fail.
Volmeryn: «The celestial universe... I'm going to show you the reality.»
Without another word, he walked away and launched himself into the air fwssh! by spreading its dragon wings. The distance from the Archangels' realm seemed endless, but for Volmeryn, there were no obstacles. He plunged into the sea of dimensions between worlds and traversed the strata of reality with vwoom ease, ignoring the laws of space and time.
His eyes shone with intense determination as he crossed the boundaries between dimensions as he approached the celestial realm.
In the far reaches of the universe, the stars were flickering twinkle twinkle! Entire galaxies were shaking brrm! as if an invisible hand were shaking their balance.
At the center of this chaos, an ancient voice was raised among primordial beings.
«The flow of divine energies has been broken. If this continues, the universe will collapse in on itself.»
Meanwhile, Volmeryn was crossing a bridge of light to the zzzzap celestial realm! He felt the disturbances he was causing, but he ignored them.
«Balance is an illusion created by the weak. To reach a new reality, you have to destroy the old.»
But deep down, there was a tiny part that hesitated. What if his rise meant the end of everything?
After this seemingly eternal journey, a frontier emerged before him: it was the entrance to the kingdom of the Archangels. The door opened with a very scary sound Crrrrrrkk ! .
Huge structures of azure and gold rose before him with celestial columns that soared to the horizon, there were statues of archangels frozen in postures of eternal majesty.
In the vast, bright halls of the celestial realm, Michael walked with a quick step, clac, clac, clac! with his glittering sword in his hand.
The other archangels were around him with serious faces.
Michael: «We have to stop him before he reaches the celestial heart.»
Gabriel: «What if we're wrong?»
Metatron looked at the others with uncertainty in his eyes: «Volmeryn does not act as a mere destroyer. Maybe there's a reason for his actions.»
Raphael turned to Metatron with a somber face: «Are you questioning the divine order?»
Metatron clenched his crack fists. «What if the divine order was not absolute? What if we are just too blind to see what needs to change?»
A silence fell on the room. But in their eyes, a doubt had set in, and this doubt was like a crack in the marble crk!
In the heart of this divine city, Volmeryn felt an indescribable pressure womm! . He was no longer in his domain, but in that of the entities he had come to challenge.
The skies themselves closed in around him and the clouds spread out in formations and made him feel as if he was being watched by thousands of invisible Whoosh!
It landed in the center of the city Bam! . No door opened, no sound was heard. Everything was quiet, too quiet. It was the calm before the storm.
A distant sound suddenly sounded DOOOM! , it was a divine bell, and Volmeryn was turning. There, at the top of a grand staircase leading to a heavenly palace, appeared Michael, the archangel leader of the heavenly hosts.
It was imposing with its outstretched wings that encompassed the entire Fwoosh stage! . He wore shining armor of unparalleled purity and a gigantic sword held in his shiiing left hand!
Michael slowly walked down the steps of the heavenly palace with his wings lighting up all around him whoosh Whoosh! .
Michael: « Dear Xal'therion, you are bold, but the kingdom of the Archangels is not a ground where you can sow your will with impunity.»
Volmeryn was unfazed: «I'm not Xal'therion. My name is Volmeryn Vorthyx, and I'm not here to discuss my will, Michael. I am here to bring the heavenly kingdom into reality. You and your fellow human beings have long believed that your mission was above all else. But you're wrong.»
Michael was taking another step forward with his wings outstretched in all their Whoosh glory, to prepare for the confrontation.
Michael: «You're Xal'therion, I still have your image in my mind. You talk about reality, but do you know the weight of a kingdom to protect? For eons, we have been carrying this burden, we have been fighting to maintain a fragile balance. Every decision I make is a decision for the universe, even if it means sacrificing those I love.»
He stopped with his gaze that hardened tchink. «I can't let you break that, even if sometimes I doubt what we really stand for.»
Volmeryn: «We will see if your divine will can stand up to my reality.»
Suddenly, a great burst of light emerged BWWOOOM! and divine figures appeared around Volmeryn. Gabriel, Raphael, Metatron, and legions of angels, millions of beings of unheard-of beauty and power, gathered around the dragon king. Their divine light was unbearable to him, it was a blinding SHHHHIIING glow! , but he remained reckless TUM TUM TUM! .
«Michael, why are you wasting your time with useless words?» asked Gabriel, who took a step forward with his wings shining brightly white.
«This corrupt being is just an anomaly to be crushed. There is no room for doubt here, no room for compromise. We are the pillars of the universe, and he...»
He turned to Volmeryn with his eyes burning with anger.
«He is a threat that must be eliminated before he further defiles our sacred grounds.»
SHIIIING! Gabriel brandished his blade and addressed Michael:
«If you hesitate, I'll do the right thing.»
Raphael remained behind with his wings folded. When he spoke to Volmeryn, his voice was soft:
«You don't understand what you're forcing us to do.»
He put a hesitant hand on the handle of his weapon, which weighed more than the universe.
CLANG!
«Every time I wave this blade, I feel the weight of the lives I take. We're not the perfect guardians you think we are. We also bleed, we suffer."
He lowered his eyes with sadness in his eyes.
«But I am bound to my mission. We are all connected... and you force us to become what we hate.»
Metatron did not move. He watched Volmeryn with eyes that analyzed every fiber of his being.
«You're fascinating,» he said in a voice devoid of emotion.
«A living paradox. A superior being who believes he transcends the divine laws, but who acts with such human arrogance.»
He folded his hands and then circles of light swirled around him.
VROOOOM!
«Do you think the celestial kingdom is an illusion? Maybe you're right. Perhaps we are prisoners of a system that is beyond our understanding. But that doesn't matter. This system exists for a reason, and if you destroy it, you risk destroying everything. Are you willing to carry this burden?»
Volmeryn: «So be it. I will show you the truth of the world. Prepare to feel the implacable reality.»
Michael, furious, raised his hand to the sky.
FOOOOSH!
A deluge of divine white flames instantly descended on Volmeryn, but he reached out, and his black aura engulfed the divine energy emanating from the flames.
«This power is mine» he said arrogantly.
But the moment the energy entered his body, a pain pierced him.
«What is...?» stammered Volmeryn with his jerky breath as his veins burned from within.
ZZZZZT—CRACK!
Michael (smiles): «You think you can devour any power, Xal'therion? What you have just taken within you is a purifying flame, a celestial essence designed to destroy corrupt souls.»
Volmeryn fell to his knees with his body shaking in spasms.
THUD!
He gritted his teeth with his pride and struggled with the pain.
«Do you think... that will be enough to stop me? And how many times do I have to say that I'm not Xal'therion, I don't know him!»
«Do you still believe that light can solve everything? Your light is blinding you, Michael, and you're on the wrong track.»
In an instant, Volmeryn was teleporting behind Gabriel.
SWOOOSH—BOOOM!
He struck the archangel with a speed that defied space-time. Gabriel tried to react, but the attack made him retreat violently.
«This world that you call sacred... he is corrupted by your delusion.» Volmeryn pointed his hand at Gabriel, a black force permeating the air. Fwoosh! The dark energy pulsated around him.
«I'm going to prove to you that you're just fragments in a higher reality.»
Gabriel was stepping back with his broken armor emitting a crrrk! with each movement, his breathing became irregular. Huff... Huff...
«If brut strength is not enough, then I will break the very laws that govern this world.»
He traced an intricate circle in the air with his fingers impregnated with a burning gold. Zzzzt! A strange energy pervaded the area, the scenery distorting around them. woom... woom... The space was compressing and the air was becoming heavy and oppressive.
«What have you done?» said Volmeryn as he tried to free his aura. Fshh... But for the first time, he felt resistance. Its power, usually limitless, was diminishing.
Gabriel: «Welcome to the Sacred Nexus.»
Fwoom! A golden wave burst around him.
«A place where only those who are blessed by divine light can reach their full potential. Here, you, shadow dragon, are just a mortal.»
Michael, on the other hand, reached out and an intense light took shape as it solidified into an ethereal blade adorned with ancient runes. Shing!
«The Blade of Truth», he whispered. Ziiing... The weapon vibrated with an intangible power.
«An artifact that does not cut through the flesh, but the soul and concepts.»
Volmeryn sneered. "Hehehe..."
«Another one of your useless divine weapons. I have no equal, neither in the flesh nor in spirit.»
But when he dodged the first strike, Whoosh!, a strange wave swept through him. Fzzzt! He faltered, and memories suddenly emerged in his mind.
He saw again the day when, still human, a lawyer, he had broken his promise to uphold justice... Clang! Then he saw the deafening noise of a train. Chooo! The impact. Pain. Loneliness.
«What is...?» Volmeryn put a trembling hand to his head. Tzzzt! His thoughts were muddled.
« It's not real ! »
Michael moved slowly forward with his vibrating blade in his hand. Vmmm...
«You have built your power on shaky foundations, dragon. But here, in the face of the Truth, even you cannot hide from your weaknesses.»
Michael lowered his gun slightly.
«You don't remember me, do you?»
Volmeryn (baffled): «Why should I?»
Michael smiled bitterly.
«Centuries ago, before you became what you are, I saw your kingdom burn, my dear Xal'therion. I have seen what you have sacrificed for your power... and I understand.»
Volmeryn paused for a moment. Tzzzt...
«I have no idea what you're talking about and I don't know this Xal'therion and it's not me.»
Michael: «Lie.»
«You're Xal'therion. Lying will be of no use, and I know exactly how to defeat you.»
Metatron: «You really don't know what you've been up to, mortal.»
Volmeryn (with a confident smile): "Hmph."
«I know very well what I'm tackling.»
Vwoooosh! The confrontation began.
A battle of power and will where the divine light would collide with the force of a being from another reality.
«This is just the beginning», Volmeryn whispered. Fwoom!
He was ready to face anything the celestial universe could throw at him.