As Luvania recounted the conflict between her shadow elf race and the angels, Arfrotian walked beside her, his expression as composed as ever. The two moved through the dim corridors of the shadow elf prison, heading toward the outside world. Despite his usual stoic demeanor, her words had piqued his curiosity. Something about what she said didn't quite align with his initial impressions of this frozen omniverse.
When Luvania mentioned the neighboring megaverse of Luminia—a realm of light and purity—it caught him off guard. "A megaverse of light and purity... here?" Arfrotian murmured, almost to himself. He glanced sideways at Luvania, his piercing gaze meeting her glowing icy-blue eyes. "This omniverse is a barren, frozen wasteland. I saw no signs of warmth, no signs of life when I first entered. And yet, you're telling me there exists a place of light and purity within it?"
Luvania chuckled softly, her tone tinged with a mixture of amusement and resignation. "I understand your confusion," she replied. "It does sound contradictory, doesn't it? An icy omniverse that contains a realm of light and purity. But that's the truth. The megaverse of Luminia exists as an anomaly within this omniverse. It is the home of the angels, a sanctuary of light amidst the eternal frost."
Her words only deepened Arfrotian's intrigue. He had traversed countless realms and witnessed the extremes of existence, but the idea of a domain of light thriving within an icy omniverse was unique. As they walked, he allowed a moment of silence to pass before posing his next question. "How many megaverses make up this omniverse?"
Luvania glanced at him, her silver hair catching the faint light of the frozen corridors. "There are four megaverses in total," she began, her tone shifting into something more matter-of-fact. "From your description, Arfrotian—how you saw this omniverse as barren, frozen, and devoid of life—I'd say your initial impression was mostly accurate."
The two exited the prison and stepped into the open, the icy wind brushing against them. Around them, the jagged, frozen expanse of the shadow elf megaverse stretched endlessly, illuminated by an eerie, pale glow that seemed to emanate from the ground itself. Luvania gestured outward as if to encompass the vastness of the world they stood in.
"You see, the omniverse is dominated by two megaverses: Dementia and Rodentia," she continued. "Those are the regions you likely passed through when you first entered. They cover a staggering 80% of the entire omniverse. These two megaverses are what give the omniverse its reputation—barren, icy, and inhospitable. No known life exists in Dementia or Rodentia, at least none that we are aware of. They are frozen wastelands, devoid of anything resembling civilization. Even the shadow elves do not venture there unless absolutely necessary."
Arfrotian nodded, processing her explanation. He recalled the desolate landscapes he had encountered upon entering this omniverse—vast stretches of ice and snow, endless and lifeless. It had been a place so cold and silent that it felt as though time itself had frozen. "That explains much," he said quietly. "I passed through what must have been Dementia and Rodentia, and I found no signs of life. It was as though the omniverse itself were dead."
Luvania smiled faintly, though there was no humor in her expression. "Yes, that's the nature of this place. But not all of the omniverse is like that. The remaining 20% is where life thrives—or tries to, at least. Our megaverse, Caisilia, is one of those regions. It covers about 6% of the omniverse. It is here that the shadow elves live, hidden in the shadows and the ice."
She paused, turning to face Arfrotian fully. "The other livable megaverse is Luminia. It's much larger than Caisilia, covering about 14% of the omniverse. It's where the angels reside, their domain of light and purity. Compared to us, the shadow elves are a minor race. Their numbers far exceed ours, and their dominion stretches farther. Yet, despite that, we have thrived, thanks to our mastery of black ice magic. It is our greatest weapon, and it can rival even the strongest of the angels' powers."
Arfrotian's gaze flickered with interest as he listened. The stark contrast between the shadow elves and the angels intrigued him—the battle between light and shadow playing out within the icy confines of this omniverse. "So, the shadow elves and the angels are the only known races to inhabit this omniverse," he remarked, his tone thoughtful. "One in Caisilia, the other in Luminia. And both are at war."
Luvania nodded, her expression growing somber. "That's correct. The angels see themselves as agents of light and purity, and they believe it is their duty to spread their influence wherever they can. To them, our existence—our magic, our way of life—is an aberration, something that must be eradicated. They invaded our domain, attempting to impose their doctrines on us. That's what sparked this war."
She turned her gaze to the horizon, her eyes narrowing. "But the shadow elves are not so easily subdued. Our black ice magic is as relentless as the frost that dominates this omniverse. We've held our ground, even as they've tried to overwhelm us. For every shadow elf they've struck down, we've made them pay dearly."
Arfrotian remained silent, his mind piecing together the larger picture. The war between the shadow elves and the angels was more than a mere territorial dispute. It was a clash of ideologies, of two fundamentally opposing forces trying to assert their dominance within a frozen, inhospitable realm. The thought fascinated him.
"But tell me," he said after a moment, his voice cutting through the icy wind. "Why do you think this omniverse is the way it is? Frozen, barren, and lifeless, with only two small pockets of life within it. It's unlike any other omniverse I've encountered."
Luvania hesitated, her gaze dropping to the icy ground beneath their feet. "I don't know," she admitted. "Perhaps it was always meant to be this way. Or perhaps something happened long ago—something that left this place frozen and desolate. Whatever the reason, it has shaped us, the shadow elves, into who we are. We've learned to survive in the cold, to harness its power, and to make it our own. And in doing so, we've become a force to be reckoned with."
Her words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. Arfrotian regarded her thoughtfully, his mind turning over everything she had told him. The icy omniverse was a place of extremes, where life struggled to exist and where the few who did survive were hardened by the relentless frost. And yet, even in this harsh environment, two races had risen to power, their conflict shaping the fate of the entire realm.
As they continued walking, Arfrotian found himself growing more intrigued by the mysteries of this omniverse. The barren lands of Dementia and Rodentia, the shadowy realm of Caisilia, the luminous domain of Luminia—all of it painted a picture of a world unlike any other. And at the center of it all were the shadow elves and the angels, locked in a struggle that seemed destined to continue until one side emerged victorious.
For now, he would observe. There was much to learn, and Arfrotian knew that the answers he sought would reveal themselves in time.