In the expanse of nowhere, where reality blurred and existence thinned, there lay a place that could not be defined. The air shimmered with a faint, golden haze, as if the fabric of time itself hesitated to settle. There was no horizon—just an endless gradient of dark and light, fading into each other like spilled ink on water.

Shadows shifted without origin, fleeting and ephemeral, their presence felt more than seen.

At the center of this void stood a table and two thrones, simple and still, waiting. The space around one throne thrummed with an intoxicating energy, playful and magnetic, yet dangerous beneath its charm. It carried a feeling of controlled chaos, as though the figure it awaited wore a disarming smile while keeping a dagger hidden.

The other throne emanated a steady, commanding presence, the kind that demanded attention without raising its voice. The air around it held a playful tension, as though the figure it awaited could turn a game into a battle in an instant. It felt both inviting and unyielding, a place where amusement and authority walked hand in hand.

It was a meeting between two powerful gods.

Dionysys, the God of the Forbidden Forest and Wines and opposite to him was Axel, the God of Games.

Tap!

Tap!

A light tapping sound echoed and it came from the armrest of the throne Axel was sitting on. 

"So.. Dionysys, You went through a lot of trouble to meet me in secret. I'm sure you have some exciting news for me, otherwise you would be wasting my time." 

"My, my.. Even after not seeing you for so long, you act cold towards me, I thought we were closer than that." 

"Well, you reach out every new millennium or so with a new plot in mind." Axel sighed and continued, leaning slightly forwards with his hands on his chin and fingers interlocked. 

"Curiosity is dangerous, Dionysys, especially when you're involved. But fine, I'll play… for now."

With a popping sound, a bottle of wine was opened and poured slowly into an exquisite glass. After taking a sniff, Dionysys continued.

"Fufu, playing with you is always dangerous, but don't worry, I'll give you a game to play, and it's not just an ordinary level. It might be a dangerous level even for you to clear." 

Axel's eyes widened just slightly, "What is it?" He asked directly.

After gulping down the wine, Dionysys turned to look again at Axel, "Tell me, what is the biggest asked question, that shrouds even the mightiest of gods?"

"The Creation of All, of course. But what does that have to do with anything?" Axel answered as if it was the most obvious thing. 

Dionysys licked the corner of his lips, catching the trace the wine drooled. His eyes widened, and the composed air he once held shattered, replaced by raw, uncontained excitement.

"I think I found it. The answer of how it ALL began." 

Clink! 

He threw the glass of wine and spread his arms like a madman as if he was enlightened by his own words.

Axel stood, Dionysys' word weighing on him. Without thinking, his aura expanded, causing the space around them to crack with hairline fractures, resonating with the force of his presence.

"Are you aware of what you are imposing, Dionysys?" Axel's voice rang out, calm yet cutting through the silence.

Dionysys nodded, his smile unfaltering. "Yes."

In that moment, the cracks in the air faded as if nothing had happened. Axel lowered his aura and went back to his seat, though the tension remained.

Axel knew that in all the years he knew the god in front of him, he never lied about serious matters and this was the biggest matter of ALL.

"Explain." Axel's voice was firm, his patience thinning.

Dionysys took a breath, his excitement still bubbling under the surface.

"A prophecy has been made known to me. The one who has the answers to ALL has appeared after all this time." 

"The one?" Axel raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, the one. A mortal more precisely." Dionysys confirmed.

"You're telling me a mortal has the answer to ALL? Surely a jest?" Axel scoffed.

Dionysys shook his head, "No. it's all true. I swear on my Authority. After all, it was The Witch of Forbidden Fate who received the prophecy."

"Of course it was her." Axel sighed, "So what part did I take in this prophecy you have yet to tell me in detail." 

Dionysys took a moment, materializing another glass of wine swirling it as if savoring the weight of what he was about to reveal. His smile was gone, replaced by a look of uncharacteristic seriousness.

"You," he said softly, "Will be the first test. The catalyst. The one who sets the pieces in motion."

Axel leaned forward, intrigued. "A catalyst?"

Dionysys nodded. "You are the first challenge the mortal will face. A game, of course, but not your usual fun and games. This will be a trial of their very will."

Axel's expression hardened. "And if the mortal fails?"

"In case of failure…" Dionysys said, his voice almost a whisper, "everything falls apart. But if they succeed…" He let the thought hang in the air, his eyes gleaming. "Everything will change."

Axel stood, his gaze intense now. "What exactly do you mean by 'everything'?"

Dionysys leaned back in his throne, a glint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "It will mean the clock will start ticking. The days that we will learn the creation of ALL will be close. Meaning you will set the path."

Axel's mind raced. This wasn't just another game; this was something far bigger. The stakes weren't simply cosmic—they were foundational. The very fabric of existence itself could be revealed.

"Then why me?" Axel asked, still unable to fully grasp why was he the one mentioned in the prophecy.

 Dionysys let the words settle like a heavy stone. "You… are the keeper of the path. The one who shapes the rules." His gaze sharpened, his voice softening, "You decide who plays, and who falls. And more than that… you'll teach them what it means to win, and what it will cost."

Axel's fingers drummed against the armrest, each beat calculated. "You always do this," Axel said, voice cutting through the silence, "Setting things in motion, without caring what happens after. There's no game in that. It's just chaos."

Dionysys chuckled, a soft, almost musical sound that carried no real weight. "Chaos is part of the game, Axel. You should know that better than anyone."

Axel's thoughts quieted. He understood now, He wasn't just the game. He was Gatekeeper, laying the path so the 'so chosen mortal' will be pushed to his limits. He couldn't refuse the challenge, not when it was this entwined with his essence. 

The space between them seemed to grow heavier, the consequences of what was being said slowly settling into the very air around them.

Dionysys, sensing Axel's resolve, finally said, "Are you ready to begin the game, Axel? Ready to see what happens when the gods themselves play their hand?"

"Hah, you still haven't told me what the prophecy says." Axel redirected the question.

"Fair enough." Dionysys shrugged, lifting the heavy atmosphere. But the smile never left, "I have someone more— suitable to recite it to you." 

"Someone?" 

"The Prophet herself obviously." 

Without warning, the air grew heavy, and a portal shimmered open, crackling with unspoken power. From the swirling darkness stepped The Witch of Forbidden Fate, her form draped in garments that seemed to draw in the very light around her.

As she moved, the shadows seemed to whisper, gathering closer to her like a second skin. The cloth veiling her face was an even darker shadow. Only her lips—painted with deep, blood-red lipstick—pierced the obscurity, a silent reminder of her unnerving presence. Without a hint or notice she started to recite, her voice, broken, detached… and even robotic echoed:

"In the land where mortals play, and gods stand by,

A trial awaits, where the chosen must rise.

From the shadows of fate, a force shall be born,

To challenge the game, where destinies are torn.

The first test will be laid before the one,

A game of the mind, a battle begun.

The path they must walk, uncertain and frail,

Will be decided by who dares to prevail.

Through trials they face, in silence and light,

The path shall reveal, though hidden from sight.

The gods shall observe, unknown their hands bound by fate,

For none shall escape when the pieces are set.

The chosen shall rise, or be lost in despair,

But the path will be set, no matter the fare.

And the one who first beckoned the game, the keeper of rule,

Shall watch as the mortal rewrites the threads of fate's cruel."

The Heavenly Celestial Witness shall appear.

The moment all the gods realize their fear.