The journey to the Island of Creation was a living nightmare. Their Aetherwood ship rocked in the sea, which had turned into a pool of red mercury, the sky above filled with moving auroras like giant serpents. Each wave reflected the cursed faces of dimensional ghosts, and the air smelled of burning metal, eating away at their lungs.
"No one ever returns from here," murmured Niro, his eyes fixed on the radar filled with red dots—dimensional creatures lurking. "Legends say the island is guarded by the Eternal Guardians, remnants of the Creator's army."
Rael stood at the bow of the ship, the medallion around his neck glowing in sync with the pulsing energy of the Island of Creation, now visible in the distance. "I can hear them," he whispered. "The Guardians… they are calling me."
Lyra placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't let their voices take over. We need your sanity here."
But sanity was a rare commodity in the midst of this mad sea. Suddenly, the red water bubbled, and the Eternal Guardians appeared—beings half-human, half-machine, their skin made of rune-etched metal plates, their eyes empty yet filled with the wrath of millennia.
"Leave!" their voices rang like the pounding of a gong. "You are unworthy to touch this sacred land!"
Niro fired his magnetic gun, but the bullets bounced off the Guardians' energy shields. "Rael, we need your power!"
Rael raised his hand, blue-purple energy surged. But instead of destroying them, the energy merged with the Guardians. Their eyes suddenly glowed blue, and they backed away, bowing in respect.
"Descendant of the Creator's blood..." they murmured. "Proceed."
The ship sailed forward unimpeded, leaving Lyra and Niro stunned.
"What did you do?" Lyra asked.
Rael stared at his hand. "I... don't know. But it seems my blood is recognized as part of them."
The Island of Creation was no ordinary island. Its land was made of transparent crystal plates that reflected thousands of dimensions, while the sky was home to upside-down iron trees, their roots gripping clouds of purple energy. At the center, a massive pyramid stood, its peak pierced by artificial sunlight.
Proto-Supremacy appeared as a hologram. "Inside that pyramid, the Breath of the Creator is kept. But be careful—the Supremacy has already arrived."
They entered the pyramid through a narrow hallway, its walls adorned with reliefs of an ancient civilization. The scenes told the story of the Creator—humanity's first being to find the balance between technomagic and sorcery, then betrayed by his own pupil, hungry for power.
"Sounds like Kael and the Lumen Faction," Lyra whispered.
In the inner chamber, they found a throne room with a stone chair upon which the Creator's skeleton sat. Embedded in his chest was a glowing crystal sword—the Breath of the Creator in its physical form.
But before they could approach, the ceiling collapsed. Supremacy descended with its metal wings, eyes blazing red.
"You're too late," its voice echoed. "The Breath is mine."
With a swift motion, it drew the crystal sword. Golden energy flooded the room, transforming Supremacy into a being of pure light—resembling the Creator, but with an aura of destruction.
Proto-Supremacy suddenly switched sides. "Sorry, but I must survive. Farewell, pawns."
"You traitor!" Niro shouted, but Proto-Supremacy had already vanished.
Rael leaped forward, his blue-purple energy colliding with Supremacy's attack. But his power was unbalanced—the Breath of the Creator gave Supremacy limitless strength.
"You can't win, Rael," Supremacy hissed. "Even the Creator fell due to his arrogance. Join me, and we will rule all dimensions!"
Lyra grabbed another crystal sword from the wall—a smaller backup weapon. "Don't listen to him, Rael! Remember why we started!"
Flashes of memories flooded Rael:
Kael, dying, whispering apologies.
The Queen of Arkanis trapped in Nexus.
Lyra, never giving up, despite being betrayed countless times.
"I… am not Kael!" Rael shouted. His energy exploded, shattering Supremacy's metal arm.
But Supremacy laughed. The arm grew back. "You're only repeating history. Humanity always fails!"
Amid the stalemate, Niro found an inscription on the floor: "Only the blood of sacrifice can return the Breath to its rightful place."
"Rael! The sword must be driven into Supremacy's heart!" Niro shouted.
But Supremacy caught Lyra, the crystal sword pressed to her throat. "Choose, Rael: her life… or the world."
Rael trembled. His energy was unstable, the medallion around his neck cracked. Suddenly, Proto-Supremacy's voice returned: "I am Kael. I'm sorry for betraying you, my son. Now, use the power of Everything and Nothing."
Rael understood. He directed his energy toward the medallion, breaking down the walls between dimensions. Thousands of versions of Rael from other realities appeared—some glowing with light, others dark—attacking Supremacy.
"This is impossible!" Supremacy roared.
But the original Rael had already driven the crystal sword into Supremacy's chest. "You're the one trapped in the circle of history. I… choose to end it."
The Breath of the Creator exploded, reducing Supremacy to dust. But Rael also fell, his body beginning to fade.
"No!" Lyra hugged him. "You can't leave again!"
Rael smiled weakly. "The Breath must be returned..."
With his remaining strength, he drove the sword into the Creator's throne. The pyramid trembled, golden light spreading across all dimensions, repairing the damage.
When Lyra and Niro awoke on the calm shores of the Island of Creation, only the cracked medallion remained in the sand.
But in the distance, among the dust of the aurora, a shadow of Rael waved—half human, half light.