Balitus began, "When we were young and foolish, we had such aspirations for our powers. We were, as all our brethren were at that age, warriors. We were cast into war after war, eon after eon. We knew only war, and we became very good at it. Each of us developed an affinity for an aspect of war. I excelled at exploiting the power of others to use against them. Ethecist was a master at bringing those around us together to rally. Atrius was a warrior unrivaled on the battlefield bested by none. Deitus was a strategist and one that won every engagement He planned. Finally comes to the Banished One. He was a master deciever, and teller of lies. He would go behind enemy lines and give them false information which would place them perfectly into our troops which were set by Deitus...."

  Balitus continued, "...We had never lost a war after we came to be in charge. We ruled for a time that you would not be able to comprehend. As such things tend to do, it came to an end. It ended when the one whom you follow betrayed us. When we created the place you came from it was to be used to enhance our own power, but He, had other plans for it. He wanted to use it to enhance His own power, so He created a device. This device was unknown to us for a long time, and it did only one thing, decieved." Atlas asked, "What do you mean by that?" Balitus said, "It helped leech power from that plane, but we only saw a sliver of it, while He took the rest. His power grew far beyond our control so when we discovered the truth of the device we changed it. We made it take all of His power and lock it away within, to create a portal. This portal opened to the very plane we were using, and that is where we sent Him."

  Atlas asked, "So He tried to take full control then?" Balitus said, "Yes, and we lost nearly all of our race, but in the end we used His own power against Him. How do you figure into this equation?" Atlas said, "I was created by Him with but only one purpose, to balance. I spent a lifetime in servitude of Him destroying and rebuilding planets with a terrifying and immense power, now I feel as though I have spent long enough a slave to a path I have not set for myself. I would do what He tried to do to you, but rather instead of banishing Him I would kill Him." Balitus asked, "Do you have the power to do so?" Atlas laughed and said, "You forget I was the one who brought Deitus to his knees, I have power enough. Carnatus looked for one who would be strong enough, but He had no idea the monster He created, but He will."

  Ethecist said, "You will bring Him before us and we shall grant you some of our strength, you will fight Him and should you fail, I fear our home is doomed." Atlas said, "I will not fail. There was only one time I failed in life, and I shall never do that again." Atlas walked away with a plan in His mind, He would use the power that they granted Him, but not in the way they thought. Atlas would take all of their power, He had enough of these beings, and all like them. They held all others as slaves for not being as powerful, and they did as they pleased with no thought of others. Atlas would kill them, and Reality. He would take the other Three warriors and give them a choice, join Him, or stay out of His way.

  Atlas reached the courtyard where the portal device rested after several hours of travel. He looked deep into His mind to when Deitus and the others cast Reality out, and He did the same incantation they used the first time, to bring back the one they banished. Atlas knew the Old Gods would send their military force to intervene, it was logical, but Atlas did not care, His mind was set. Reality and the others walked through, Reality asked, "What took so long?" Atlas said, "I hit a snag or two but I made it all the same. Not that you would care." Very soon they were surrounded by hundreds of warriors. Atlas said, "They are just pawns, and we will destroy them like pawns. Where do we go from here?" Wrecker pointed at the large tower of in the distance and said, "I'm guessing that, no other reason to have a tower like that if no one rules from atop it."

  They began to lay waste to the troops in their way and made their advance towards the tower. They reached a smaller courtyard where they stopped for a short rest. No sooner than they had stopped moving forward an onrush of troops charged towards them. Atlas put up a hand and took their energy like it was nothing to Him anymore. This intrigued Atlas, could the Old Gods be siphoning Him power now? He took this opportunity to advance, leaving His companions behind for a short while. He charged into the ranks of soldiers whose swords and spears shattered and snapped as they hit Atlas.

  Reality looked at Atlas with fear, He was reaching a point where Atlas would no longer be under His control. He made a rash decision at this moment, one that He would regret. Reality turned to the other warriors and said, "I must tell you all the truth, as I have not been the most upfront with you." Wrecker asked, "What are you talking about?" Reality sighed heavily and said, "I am Carnatus." The warriors looked at Him with disturbed looks, all  the while Atlas was decimating the advancing enemy forces. Revian asked, "So you lied to us all in order for us to fight your brethren? Then again in Krium and I's case, it wouldn't be the first time for you." 

  Reality, now revealed His true self, a swirling mass of red energy, a multitude of colors. Atlas turned for a split second and managed to see Reality in His true form, He smiled to Himself and jumped into the air. As He traveled upwards, the soldiers that had surrounded Him looked up and began to panic. This caught the attention of the Four who followed the looks of fear of the soldiers into the sky at Atlas. Atlas charged His energy from deep within Himself and He exploded out with an immense blast, which happened to catch the attention of the Old Gods sitting upon their thrones. They stood and walked to where they could see the disturbance and were filled with something they had not felt in a very long time, fear.

  Atlas hurtled down into the ground and sent out red tendrils that stuck and wrapped themselves around everything they touched, the tendrils safely went past the Four as they sighed breaths of relief. Atlas stood as all the tendrils linked into His body at nearly ever inch of Him. He looked upon His companions and began to laugh meniacally as He sucked the life and power out of everything in the area. As He did so His appearance began to alter slightly, something only Reality, and the Old Gods noticed. Atlas began to glow with ethereal light, the same of which the clouds were made of, swirling with only white, green and red at the present.

  Atlas turned to face Reality and gave a bellowing laugh as He continued on towards the tower where their path would end. The Four followed Him with haste, as they could barely keep up with the speed at which Atlas moved. Atlas reached the bottom of the tower at a fraction of the time it took Him the first time, on account of His form in which His power flowed freely. Atlas waited at the base of the tower for His group to join Him so they could journey to the top. Once the Four joined up with Atlas, Atlas said, "It seems we must travel to the top, and since Reality was so kind as to finally share the truth He will lead the way, unless anyone wants to argue against it?"

  Reality looked around at the warriors, none of them too hasty to say that He shouldn't be the one that went first but it was Wrecker who was the first to say something. Wrecker said, "We will all go together Atlas, that is why we are here, to defeat them together, not alone." Atlas laughed and said, "That was Realities plan all along though, to take their power for His own, Him in control, alone." Reality approached Atlas and said, "That was long before I met you warriors, you have all taught me some things that I will not soon forget." Atlas scoffed and said, "Immortality tends to get the better of the mind and promises fade into the black. Do not think for a second that I will allow you to be the only one who comes out of this with power. We all have contributed, and we all shall share in the spoils, just as Wrecker had said."

  The Five walked onto the platform that would carry them to the top, it began to rise and once it reached the same point where it first stopped when Atlas first traveled to the Old Gods throne. Atlas said, "Get off here." Wrecker, Krium, and Revian all stepped off the platform while Reality and Atlas stayed. When the platform shot into the air the Three left behind spun around and watched in mild panic as they did not know what just happened. Reality turned to Atlas and asked, "What are you doing?" Atlas said, "Fear not, this is going to be a much better way than what you planned. I do not wish that we all die so you can gain power. We will both handle this, we are strong enough to take them anyhow, the others are not."

  Reality said, "It will take all of us to destroy them Atlas, this is suicide." Atlas laughed and said, "Because you cannot use your power anymore I'm guessing. Oh yes, I know all of the truth, including what you hid from the others. I have a different plan, I no longer wish to be a pawn of yours. I am taking my life back, and I will do what I please." The platform reached the top and the Old Gods were already standing in wait for Atlas and Reality to arrive. Once reaching the top Balitus said, "Good work Atlas, good work. It seems you kept your word, as for the others down below we shall deal with them later. Atlas said, "No, you will leave them, I have a plan for them as well, one which will benefit both you and them." Balitus laughed and said, "You do not understand do you? You think you can come into our place of power and demand things?"

  Atlas said, "Yes, I do actually. I have brought you your traitor, and I think you will find we are about to have some fun." Ethecist asked, "What do you mean by fun?" Atlas reached out with His power, down to where the device Reality created stood, and held the power of Carnatus within. Atlas took the power from it, and funneled it into Reality, restoring the grandeur of Carnatus. The Old Gods reeled in fear, then readied to fight. Atlas noticed this, and while walking towards them, erupted Himself into His true form. Once He reached the apex of His power Atlas reached out and took hold of the Old Gods with red energy. As Atlas began to leech the power from them, His form began to change. His form which was white, red, and green, now mixed with a plethera of other colors. These colors mirrored the clouds that surrounded the throne. Atlas staggered at the sheer amount of power that He was taking from Balitus, Ethecist, and Atrius.

  Reality looked on in horror as His worst fears began to be realized. Reality now saw what He had done, He had created a monster. It was a huge risk to give Atlas the ability to gain infinite power but Reality never intended Atlas to gain this much power, but also that He would not also figure out the truth so soon. Reality began to regret creating Atlas, because it indeed was Reality's fault that Atlas was becoming another form of being altogether. Reality lashed out with His power, slamming Atlas with everything He had but it proved not enough. With each blow from Reality it bounced and glanced harmlessly off of Atlas no matter how much power Reality threw at Him. Once Atlas consumed the Old Gods He turned to Reality, which caused Reality to stop throwing power at Atlas.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Atlas said, "It seems your fears are here Reality, and I think it's ironic that you once again failed to best me." Reality asked, "What do you mean by that Atlas?" Atlas said, "The first time we met was in your throne room, but you do not remember as I defeated you. You see, the power that your brothers took from you was not all of your power, they left you with a sliver of it, something to tease you with. When I first faught you, I bested you in combat, and took the rest of your power. I however saw what you had planned so I returned your physical form, but instead, gave you back all of your memories, except the one of me defeating you. You are alive because I wanted you to be, and now, I shall finish what I started all those long years ago, I am after all, your Reaper."

  Atlas reached out and took hold of Reality, slowly lifting Him into the air. Atlas said as He slowly took the power from Reality, "I played your games too long, and now, it is I who will pave my own destiny. You shall no longer be my master, or the others for that matter." Reality managed to struggle out the words, "They will not follow you." Atlas laughed and said, "They are not meant to, that is where we are different. Their jobs are done, and I will do something that you should have done, instead of killing us off. I will return them to their time, and to their families to live their lives as if you never lived. They will keep all of their memories but none of their power, and they will live happily." Reality said, " You think that being the ruler of all with satiate your hunger? You were created to want more and more, you will never know peace Atlas, this is your curse, and your fate."

  Atlas laughed and said, "If there is no more for me to take, then my thirst is quenched, you are the final piece of the puzzle, and now my path is clear for myself to see. For the first time in all of my time, I am free." Reality was overtaken by the red energy, and Atlas finally did what He wanted for so long, freed Himself. Atlas reached all around Him and began to take down the thrones that were nearby. He took the energy from the very metals and clouds around Him, and He began to slowly float His way down back towards the Three who were waiting anxiously. Atlas reached the bottom, and the Three immediately noticed something was very different with Atlas.

  Wrecker asked, "What the hell happened up there Atlas?" Atlas said, "We are free." Revian asked, "Where is Reality Atlas, and what do you mean free?" Atlas said, "The Old Gods are dead, Reality is dead, and we no longer are ruled by one who chooses our lives for us." Krium asked, "You killed all of them?" Atlas said, "Yes, it was much easier than I first thought, and now I shall give you all a choice." Wrecker said, "If that choice involves us dying then I will say we will give you a fight." Atlas laughed and said, "Nonsense Wrecker, it is not that kind of choice. I shall give you two options so pay attention to them. You can either join by my side and we can reshape the universe to our liking or, I can send you back to before you were a pawn in Realities game."

  Krium asked, "What do you mean send us back?" Atlas said, "Where were you all before Reality took hold of your lives and thrust you down a path that you did not choose? Wrecker, you had a family once, I can give them back to you and you can live the life you should have with them. Revian and Krium, I can return you to your home, where you can help the Vampire race flourish and shine darkly in the night. The choice is yours friends, and make it soon for this realm and the one in which we were before are in dire need of, remaking."

  Wrecker thought back on His life before He was this monstrous power, but He could not even remember the faces of His family, it had been so long. Wrecker said, "I cannot remember their faces, I have been away from them for so long. How will I go on with them now that I have become this?" Atlas said, "Easy, I will take your power, returning you to who you were before the Wyrms. You will however have all of the memories of those events, and everything you have seen and felt. I can take them from you as well if that is what you wish. The same applies to you two as well." The last sentence was directed at Revian and Krium.

  The Three warriors looked at each other with mild confusion, all remembered the lives they left behind, although it had been so long they yearned to see what they left behind once more. Krium asked, "You mean we can go back to when we weren't part of a gods vengeance?" Atlas said, "That is correct Krium. I have the power to return you to your lives before Reality took hold of your fates. You may stay alongside me however, and help me reforge this universe, to make it what it should be." Wrecker asked, "What should this universe be to you?" Atlas laughed and said, "I will give it what it yearned from its creation, chaos. I will give the new beings freedom, freedom as they had not ever seen or felt. Since Reality is no more, His plan is also no more. I will return the universe to a time in which Reality had not yet twisted and contorted it to His liking."

  The Three began to think about what their choice would be. What would thier lives be should they choose to go back, to go to a time when they worried not about how they would topple gods. Wrecker thought of His family, the only things He could remember about them was that He had a wife and son, nothing else. He couldn't remember what they looked like, not in the slightest. He clenched His fists and then He made His decision.

  Revian and Krium looked at each other and discussed what they were going to do, each of them came to the same conclusion. For Revian, He had many friends who He would like to see, but He never had someone to love. It was much the same for Krium. The two made their choices as well, and the Three addressed Atlas with what they would want to do.

  Revian said, "Atlas, I think both myself and Krium would very much like to see our friends and peoples again but I would rather stay alongside you. I feel as though we both have a good idea on how to forge our new Universe." Krium said, "Indeed, we will stay alongside you, through until the end." Atlas said, "Good, now join me by my side..." Atlas motioned for Revian and Krium to stand next to Him and they did. Atlas said, "Wrecker, my friend, what choice have you made?" Wrecker looked at Atlas and said, "Even through all my time alone, I wanted a way to see my family again, to raise my son, and to see my wife again. I cannot remember their faces, or their voices, or anything else about them save that I had them. I would like to join you and help you create a new universe but I think more than that, I wish to be with my family again."

  Atlas walked over to Wrecker and said, "I thought you would choose that which is why I have your path home ready for you. We will handle the new universe, but you, you were always a wise man. You faught for vengeance and now, vengeance is no more. You may go to your family again, but first a gift from me..." Atlas took both of His hands and placed them on either side of Wrecker's head. Atlas began to search through Wrecker's mind, combing His memories. Once Atlas found what He was looking for a tear came to His eye. He then flashed the memories through Wrecker, so He could see them as well.

  Wrecker once more saw His family, He saw His wife, and His son for the first time in quite literally nearly forever. Wrecker began to tear up and when the memories stopped and Atlas took a few steps back Wrecker said, "Thank you." Atlas said, "No need to thank me Wrecker, you were just as big of a part in this as I, and even Revian and Krium. We all worked for this, and now, it is time to reap the rewards. Is there anything else I might be able to do for you?" Wrecker said, "You have given me everything I lost, but I will keep the memories that we have made together, and I will never forget what you did for me. It turns out you aren't evil after all."

  Atlas laughed and said, "Oh no my friend, I am evil. I just know better than most when it takes someone evil, to do some good. I was reminded of the girl whom I loved when I saw your memories of your wife. I understand just how much pain it is when you lose a loved one, and I think you deserve to return to them, and live your life as you should have, happily. I will join you on your way back and I will give you another gift once we reach your world." Atlas turned to Revian and Krium and said, "You two will go back to the mid plane, that is where we will start our reconstruction. After I bring Wrecker home, I will return and destroy this place, gifting it's power to the two of you, and then we will begin."

  Revian and Krium left the Realm of The Old Gods, leaving Wrecker and Atlas alone. Atlas asked, "Are you ready to go home Wrecker?" Wrecker choked back tears and said, "I have never been more ready for anything in my life." Atlas smiled and opened a fiery portal that opened to a forest. Atlas said, "Let us go and see your family my friend." Atlas and Wrecker stepped through the portal and came into a forest. This forest brought back so many memories for Wrecker that He could barely keep His composure. Wrecker said, "My villiage is not far from here, I know the way." Atlas said, "Lead on Wrecker." Wrecker led Atlas to the outskirts of His villiage.

  Atlas stopped just before they entered the small town. Atlas said, "I will offer you something else before I leave you Wrecker, something that you no longer have need of, but should you wish, you may keep it close by." Atlas created a sword out of thin air, this sword mirrored the one which Wrecker had claimed so many eons ago. Atlas said, "I will transfer you abilities into this sword, and should you ever need them, you will have them close by." Wrecker said, "That is very thoughtful Atlas but, I do not wish to wield this power anymore. It has, for too long, made me lose sight of my true self. Take my powers, and use them to better the universe."

  Atlas laughed and said, "It seems as though your humility has been one thing to survive the raging inferno within, as you wish Wrecker. This may hurt a little however, I'm not entirely sure, I haven't done this before." Atlas focused and slowly took Wrecker's power from Him. Atlas did so with the utmost care as to not kill Wrecker, and leave Him with all of the memories He had up until this point. Once Atlas was done Wrecker stood, tears filling His eyes. Wrecker said tearfully, "I can feel again. I have not felt the wind on my face or the feel of grass beneath my feet in so long..." Wrecker looked to Atlas and continued, "...I can never repay you for what you have done for me Atlas. You may think you are evil, but a few bad deeds do not make you so. You are a true warrior, and I am thankful to have met you, even if you were a pain in my ass for most of it. You have made it up to me now however, now go, make a better universe. Tell Revian and Krium I will not soon forget them, oh and take this."

  Wrecker unhooked His sword and scabbard from His belt and handed it to Atlas. Atlas took it and asked, "Do you not wish to have it?" Wrecker said, "This is not the first time I have laid down my sword Atlas, I no longer need a weapon of war. I guess this is goodbye now." Atlas said, "It seems like it my friend, live a good life." Wrecker said, "We may meet again you never know." Atlas said, "If things go well then you shall never see me again, now go, be with your family, they are walking this way now in fact." Wrecker turned to see His family coming down the main road of the villiage and He began to run towards them.

  Once Wrecker reached them He embraced them for what felt like the first time. Wrecker's son asked, "Who was that you were talking to?" Wrecker turned, but saw that where Atlas was standing now sat a large stone, with a sword embedded into it. Wrecker smiled then turned back to His son and said, "That was a very good friend of mine, and He helped me in a way I will never be able to explain." Wrecker and His family returned to their lives, all the while Atlas was still watching, and He approached the rock and sword which He placed. He placed a sort of magic over it, one that binded it to Wrecker and His bloodline. This magic would ensure Wrecker's bloodline was never broken, and one day, one of His kin would pull the sword, and once more there would be a King of Wyrms.