“The end” Moyo echoed.

The titan sighed.

“My fault, I’ll try to explain in as simple a term as I can” the being said.

With another snap of his fingers, the entire realm blackened.

“In the beginning- “

“Was the word” Moyo cut in, laughing to himself softly.

“What?” the titan asked, confused.

“Nevermind, please, go on” Moyo said

The titan gave a soft smile of understanding,

“In the beginning, two existences were there” he said.

“Creation, and oblivion” the titan continued.

The darkness bloomed into a golden sphere and a black sphere.

“Both parts of what would later become the cycle of creation and destruction” he said.

“Araman?” Moyo asked as the titan snorted.

“Please, that insignificant gnat was merely a thought in the cosmic cycle of existence, a dust coating the wheel of reality, no, destruction was synonymous to oblivion” the titan replied.

“The end” Moyo whispered.

“Exactly, I’m getting ahead of myself” the titan said as he sat upright.

Snapping his fingers again, the golden ball broke into five smaller orbs, each with a different colour.

“See, oblivion or chaos, had just one thing to do, to erase whatever creation made at the appointed time, therefore they was stronger, more united ironically” he said.

“However, like all powerful things, it grew greedy, and it wanted not just to destroy everything creation created, but creation and its aspects” he continued.

“Aether, the life blood or sub-existence of creation, was forced to further split itself into four parts”

“Intent, aura, mana and mantles” Moyo murmured to himself as the titan nodded.

“Good, you’re smart, however it wasn’t enough, those individually couldn’t hold back oblivion” the titan continued.

“And so it took a bit of everything, everything it was and was to be and forged an existence solely made to defend reality from oblivion, and if possible, splinter it” he said, pointing at himself,

“that’s where I come in” he said.

“Aether created you?, or us?” Moyo asked, confused.

“Cute, you make it sound like Lotes’s our boss, no, it was only a means, and believe me it had no sentience when it did” the titan explained as Moyo blinked in confusion.

The titan sighed, getting up.

“Think of it like this, imagine a spider making a spiderweb, creation itself, is the spider, the webs are aether, and the adhesive nature of the web is us, the titan aspect” he said.

“What you’re saying is that we’re layered on top of aether, aether allows us to function, but we can function without aether as well?” Moyo asked.

The titan nodded.

“Go on” he prodded.

“Because the adhesive nature of the spider comes from itself?” he asked,

The titan paused, shrugging.

“That would suffuse for now, my point, is that we were the bulwark against chaos, oblivion, whatever you want to call that pitiful existence itself” he said.

“And stand against chaos I did, it was my sole reason for existing, to give creation and its offsprings viable time to grow stronger, put up a resistance against chaos, throw things back into the cycle they were meant to be” he said.

“you’re saying we weren’t meant to vanquish chaos?, just to keep it in check?” Moyo asked.

“As sad as that sounds, yes, there is a balance to be maintained, creation and oblivion my dear reincarnation, and the current state of reality is the product of what happens when things have gone haywire, when one aspect supersedes the rest” the titan replied with a smile.

“Oblivion supersedes creation” Moyo said.

“Quite the contrary, it was creation that broke the balance” the titan said as Moyo stared at him.

Snapping his fingers, the entire area broke out as a battle came forth, the large giant form of the first titan, the representation of the very being right in front of him did battle with a snake whose very form seemed to encompass reality, its size above the very laws of reality.

“Ouroboros, I quite liked that name from your world” the titan murmured.

“The snake that ate its tail” Moyo replied as the titan nodded.

“The battle was long, I had to hold the serpent at bay while reality created its laws, shrinking the very existence of the beast century by century if we’re to go by the concept of time that wasn’t created until later” he said.

The titan raised a sword that blazed purple and then golden, the power of creation itself even as the serpent recoiled. The blade came down like that of an executioner, splitting the serpent in two as its cry of pain threatened to sunder reality, the titan enforcing its authority, keeping it whole. One part of the serpent, its mid-section down to its tail splintered into five parts.

Five distinct runes.

Moyo’s eyes widened as the titan smiled.

“The abyss?” Moyo sputtered.

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“Indeed, one entire half of the abyss, splintered into five distinct parts, destruction, bloodlust, affliction, defilement, and mutation” the titan explained.

“of course, destruction resonated more with the true aspect of chaos, hence why Araman somehow seemed to hold the higher authority among them, plus, he’s powered by chaos itself, and why he knows his time is limited” the titan said.

“What do you mean limited?” Moyo asked.

“Chaos wants all of itself back, and now that it has its Chaosborne leading its creatures of oblivion, it’ll launch simultaneous attacks on both creation and its other half” the titan said.

“The Archailect and the abyss” Moyo said.

“Good, now that you understand the basics, you’ll be needed soon, Araman knows well enough that he’ll have to consolidate his power, hold enough against chaos till the Archailect can gather its strength for a two-pronged attack” the titan said

“I don’t think I understand you; you’re saying we have to work with the abyss?, the same abyss that we’re trying to stop from invading reality?” Moyo said frowning.

“That sums it up, look, it’s either that or chaos swallows it up, believe me, you think Araman is bad enough?, wait till you see whatever horrors chaos creates with your master at its helm” the titan said.

Moyo stood up, pacing as the battle cleared away like smoke.

“If what you’ve shown me is true, then Araman is almost at full strength, all that’s left is the rune of decay within me, what of my people?” Moyo asked.

“Safe, but this is the only chance you have to finally cross the final hurdle, cross over into the titan fully, become the titan-"

“blade” Moyo said.

“What?” the titan asked.

“The titan blade, you’re the titan, you protected, I will protect and avenge, I am the titan blade” Moyo said.

The titan smiled, snapping his fingers as a golden sphere of power manifested, the prime aspect.

Creation itself.

“Then we need to hasten your return” he said.

“Tell me what I have to do” Moyo said as the titan smiled.

֎

The entire planet had broken down into chaos the moment the titan blade had unleashed a power so terrible, it burned away the abominations of darkness that had manifested. It had also done the one thing Idris didn’t think possible, it had burnt the titan from within, turning their leader, patriarch and brother to ash. The raw scream of pain that came from Ashira was what had awoken the forces of the Archailect to the threat right in front of them, that and two floating runes that came from the body of the titan.

Idris felt the aspect of the titan within him pulse powerfully, even as his eyes told him the titan was gone, whatever power he had unleashed to save them had taken everything within him. Rage, anger and bitterness flooded his body even as he shouted the one word he never thought he’d say.

Retreat.

The forces of house titan blade could only watch as the primordials fought to keep Araman from absorbing the two runes of the abyssal lords he had slain in a blink of an eye, even the abyssal forces of those factions turning to dust the moment the destroyer absorbed the runes. They all felt the planet around them suddenly shift its fundamental aspect from the Archailect to the abyss. Even as they heard the shrieking laughter of Araman, even as they watched him put down Ardos, close to killing the thunderer had it not been for the combined efforts of all the remaining primordials.

With numbness spreading through his body, he found himself on the Defiance, he found himself sitting on the ground of the command deck, eyes wide as Urne screamed for an immediate retreat, all forces to head towards Ibere. It dawned on him in that moment even as he stood up, it dawned on him as he watched Annika cradle Ashira who was in possession of the two runes, one with a single word etched on it in purple and gold.

Titan.

The other was something vile and terrible, so terrible in fact, that he knew what it was and knew just what Araman, the new ruler of the abyss would do to get it. It dawned on him even as he saw the three remaining members of the Shieldborne still alive kneel in shame in front of Ashira, Josh shedding tears even as the entire legion surrounded the Defiance, shielding it from whatever attack Araman would wage seeing as he floated right outside of the planet, watching them in triumph.

Moyo was gone, the titan was gone.

He gave a shudder, feeling the Archailect so distant from them as he glanced at Urne who remained motionless, gripping the stand of her station in a vice-like grip, rage in her eyes.

“Can we contact Ibere?” he asked softly.

For a moment, he thought she hadn’t heard him, only the tightening of her hands on the iron was any indication that she did. The ship mistress turned, eyes red, pausing as she struggled to form words.

“he’s gone” she finally said.

Idris stemmed the rage within himself.

“Ship mistress Urne, can we contact Ibere?” he asked again.

Urne seemed to quiver, shutting her eyes tight as she struggled to process her thoughts.

“Communications, can we contact base?” she asked.

A gold ranker stood.

“Apologies my lord, but without leaving this system, we’re cut off from the archailect proper” he said.

Idris nodded and turned to Josh, the Valoris gripping his Warhammer tightly, silent but brimming with deadly rage. He stared at the leader of the titans’ guard, the protectors and saw grief untold.

“We do not have the luxury of this brother, not now, not yet” he said.

Josh nodded, standing up as he pointed to the rune.

“If he’s dead, why are we still masters?, why do we still feel the power of the titan within us” he growled.

“Because he isn’t” a voice said as a runic circle manifested.

Idris found himself right in front of the being that manifested, spear burning with power, pointed at the throat of the ruler. It took him a moment to realize that Josh was at his side, same with Annika and Ashira, weapons in the direction of Ahib. The android ruler raised both hands up, eyebrows raised in shock.

“you” Annika said with so much venom.

“he’s not dead” Ahib said again.

“that’s the only thing keeping you alive, pick your words carefully Ahib” Idris said.

The titan fist could see the flash of grief and shock that passed across the eyes of the android, until a few hours ago, they had been friends, brothers in arms as well, but now, well, unless you were a member of house titan blade, then you were potentially an enemy. Idris fought the thought of the possibility of the house fracturing, the titan blade was the one person holding them together, what would happen now?.

Ahib nodded slowly.

“Speak, servant of the cosmic dragon” Josh said as Ashira whipped her head in shock before rage fueled her eyes and her blade appeared in hand, burning with ruler ranked power.

Ahib nodded.

“The rune signifies two things, one is that his aspect is now a fundamental part of the Archailect, a law if you will and in the titan’s case, reforge a new body, a primordial body” he said.

“And you know that how?” Idris asked.

“Because Eses and all other primordials ascended the same way, meaning that whatever happened, it was abrupt and fast, the titan exists, just now” Ahib said.

“Now?” Annika echoed.

“I’m no primordial, I don’t know how it works” Ahib replied.

“My parents didn’t pass through whatever metamorphosis this is” she said.

“Child, when your parents became primordials, you weren’t in their thought process then” he said gently.

“My main concern is the other rune” the android said.

“I’ll die first before handing it over to you” Josh said softly, eyes burning with power.

Ahib frowned, ruminating first before speaking.

“I didn’t come to take it, I came to cut off the signal it’s giving off” he said.

“Signal?” Idris asked.

“Look, it’s drawing two distinct enemies to us and- “he said as the ship shuddered.

Shola manifested with wide eyes.

“Something is forcing its way into reality around the ship!” she shouted, rage and fear in her eyes.

Ahib cursed and snapped his fingers as runes burned to life the moment a pathway seemed to apparently force itself into existence right in front of them.

“Focus your entire powers into closing that pathway!” Ahib roared.

Idris needed no prompt; he felt the same cold feeling of madness he had felt the moment those things Moyo had called chaos had manifested on the planet. Channeling everything within himself, he thundered forwards, spear burning with titan aspect, laced with the same golden power he had seen earlier decimate the creatures.

The masters of house titan blade clashed with the creature the moment one of its arms manifested on the ship, blowing it apart as it gave a shriek of rage and pain, reality being bleached of color the moment it stepped foot on the ship. The pathway closed up the ascenders panting softly, eyes wide.

“That is what we face now” Ahib said as all eyes turned to him.

“What are those things?” Annika asked, lightning dancing in her eyes.

“Creatures of chaos, it signals the end times lady Annika” Ahib said.

“you’re telling me we’re about to face an apocalypse?” Josh asked.

“indeed” Ahib simply replied.

“masters” Urne called out, drawing their attentions

“we’re receiving a hail from the flagship of house Kairos, an emergency meeting, and they request the emissary of the titan blade” she said.

Idris could see the pain in her eyes at the utterance of the word, he stilled himself as he stood straight, nodding to her.

“Lead the way” he said.