Five Castastrians lie unconscious, scattered around the altars dedicated to eleven divine beings. A solitary drop of water breaks the silence, landing gently on the forehead of one of them. Karnat jolts awake, his senses tingling with the lingering energy from the Slouch milk he consumed the previous day.

KARNAT "Wow, that milk is still kicking in. Amazing. Guys. Wake up."

Karnat moves swiftly around the platform, nudging his companions until they stir from their slumber.

MEYTAZ "Praise, Neptunez! That was a good night's sleep! Did you guys have any weird dreams? I got one riding a ten-headed unicorn"

KARNAT "Nope. Not one in sight."

VERTO "Me neither. Perhaps the gods didn't want to disturb our sleep. Except, for you. Maybe they don't like you."

MEYTAZ "Or I might be special, jackass!"

TENYA "Or perhaps the lords are busy. Protecting and watching over our world."

TENSO "Indeed. Oh, and I'm sorry for blacking out yesterday. It's a kind of habit at this point or maybe my age is catching up to me. Hohoho!"

KARNAT "All good. I want to hear the rest of the story."

TENSO "Very well. I'll try to keep it short lest I risk another incident. You see...

In the annals of cosmic history, there exists an event of unparalleled significance known as "The Great Change." This cataclysmic event was sparked by the clash between our divine lords and an unimaginable evil force. This malevolent entity, akin to a sentient black hole, seeks nothing less than the annihilation of the entire universe. Legend has it that our ancestors, in their wisdom, discovered a relic of immense power in the form of a dice. This artifact bestowed great abilities upon heroes, but also birthed formidable adversaries in an act of balance. Among the earliest champions arose a group charged with the daunting task of confronting a black hole shaped like a turtle— the dreaded "Turgon."

Alas, the valiant heroes faced defeat in their confrontation with the beast, and only Mira survived to bear witness to the tragedy. Learning of their mother's fate, our divine lords descended upon our universe, engaging in an epic battle against Turgon that spanned countless eons, leaving a significant mark on the tapestry of history. So profound were the repercussions of this conflict that an entire library was erected to chronicle its countless effects. For instance, the accidental bite of Lord Suntarus, in a failed strike against Turgon, inadvertently led to our creation— a mere footnote amidst the grand saga. The struggle raged on until finally, our gods emerged victorious. Yet, the malevolent entity harbored one last ace up its dark sleeve— a devastating gamma radiation that exacted a harrowing toll upon our divine protectors...

The aftermath of the battle saw Lord Suntarus's soul shattered into trillions of neon orange shards, scattered far and wide across the cosmos. Each fragment held a portion of his formidable essence, and tampering with them risked invoking his wrath. To reunite these fragments meant awakening small yet aggressive incarnations of our lord from their crystal cocoons— a perilous endeavor reserved only for the faithful. For heretics and non-believers, such attempts would invite dire consequences. Yet, for our tribe, tasked with the sacred duty of collection, the retrieval of these shards held no such taboo.

The minds of Earthas, Jupiteroth, Neptunez, and Marsagoz became entwined with the very essence of the four planets, linked inseparably to any wielders of the mighty relics. Any endeavor by these wielders to depart the atmospheric confines of their respective planets would inflict unbearable agony upon our divine lords. Earthas's essence intertwines with Earth, Jupiteroth's essence is bound to Granolith Prime, Neptunez's presence is inseparable from Wal Tera, and Marsagoz's being is tied to Caverrin.

Our goddess Venusith will emerge into our realm when the dire fate of complete extinction befalls any one of the four intelligent species— Humans, Walterans, Gassions, or Castastrians. Alas, a startling revelation dawned upon us as we discovered that fragments of her essence are intricately woven into the very fabric of every individual belonging to these four species.

The great Saturnagator shall manifest in our midst should anyone dare to utter insulting words against our revered Lord Kin. However, we, the faithful, would gladly grant swift justice to those who would defame our lord, sparing Saturnagator the need to intervene personally.

Lord Uranusava stands vigilant, poised to confront any who dare to wield the ancient gauntlets, hidden away upon a colossal, motionless meteor at the heart of the Universe. Thankfully, the existence of this weapon remains undiscovered by any empire.

Lastly, Lord Plutoren awaits, ready to reveal herself to the one who unravels the Ultimate Truth. And as fortune would have it... I now hold the key to this truth.

KARNAT "Hold on! What about Mecuryath?"

TENSO "Oh, he is The Lord of Light so he was the only one fast enough to escape the blast."

KARNAT "Oh... yeah that makes sense. So what is the Ultimate truth?"

Tenso beams with a friendly smile, leading Karnat towards the altar of Plutoren, while his companions trail behind in silent astonishment. To their utter surprise, the venerable elder kneels before the former general, offering up a heartfelt prayer.

TENSO "Forgive me for not telling this sooner! Karnat or should I say... My Lord."

MEYTAZ/TENYA "Gramps! What the hell is going on?!"

VERTO "Yeah, old man. I'm kinda lost."

TENSO "The secret that has been passed down from chief to chief is Mira's full name and the knowledge that there were actually twelve gods. Eleven children of Lord Kin. HER FULL NAME IS MIRA... KARLAC!"

Karnat gazes at Tenso with eyes wide with disbelief, but before he can utter a word, a sharp pang pierces his head, causing his temples to throb with searing pain...

KARNAT "What the hell?"

As Karnat's head throbs with pain, memories flood his mind in a hazy blur. He recalls being carried by a female Castastrian, his tiny arms outstretched as if grasping for something beyond reach, surrounded by a cacophony of cries before darkness envelops his vision.

Returning to the present, Karnat witnesses a breathtaking sight: the eleven altars blaze to life, casting a radiant glow that compels everyone but him to kneel. In awe, he observes as the stone depictions of the gods come alive, each emanating a formidable aura capable of shattering planets, yet choosing not to harm him or his companions. Before him, where the carving once stood, Plutoren now swims with a playful curiosity and a warm smile. A melodious voice, elegant and soothing, fills the air...

Plutoren "You can stand up, my children."

With absolute haste, his companions bow their heads in prayer three times before rising to their feet.

Plutoren "And you. Brother. We thought you were dead at that time."

KARNAT "What you do mean by that? Also, why are the others talking in gibberish."

Plutoren "Oh, that's right. Any direct message into this plane will come out as divine speech unless we make an appearance like what I'm doing right now."

TENSO "Oh great goddesses and gods! I hope our prayers over the years have pleased you all. Also, your divine presence is most magnificent and I feel like I'm going to blind from amazement!"

MEYTAZ/VERTO/TENYA "Al kin! Al kin! All hail Goddess Plutoren! All hail all of our lords!"

Plutoren "Oh, stop it! You're making plush right now! As for the prayers and offerings, you have done a great job so far, especially with helping my poor husband. I can feel his emotions are coming back slowly but surely."

KARNAT "So, sis. What's with the gibberish? And the death part?"

Plutoren "Sorry for cutting you off. The others are very happy to know that you are alive. Some even want to breach to give you a big hug but I think that would just crush you. Dad especially is crying his skull out. Sadly, he can't go over here under certain restrictions. About your death... You see you were stillborn and inherited 100% of dad's genes and none of mom's which made it impossible for you to live because of our dad's nature of being an absolute being and there can only be one. Dad told me that he buried you on a hazy purple that he lived on before meeting Mom. Apparently, during our little scuffle with that blackhole asshole, the planet sorta got transferred to this dimension. We don't know the rest of what happened to you but Dad did say that he made that planet from his own soul so maybe that's why you're alive."

KARNAT "Maybe I somehow absorbed it and lived. Damn... this a bit much to take in."

Plutoren "Take your time, little brother. Eek, I can't believe I'm no longer the youngest! I wonder if this is how all my sisters feel!"

KARNAT "Heh. Hey, if I'm one of you guys, why don't I have any cool powers and stuff."

Plutoren "You haven't recognised your domain yet. Don't worry it took us a while to figure that out."

KARNAT "How long exactly?"

Plutoren "Err.... about hundreds of years. Hey! Don't worry! There is good news from Dad. He says that since you are made out of 100% of him, you can hold blessings from all of us."

KARNAT "Blessings?"

Plutoren "A part of our powers of course meaning our domains. Though you can only choose one from each of us and it won't be free. You have to go around relieving our "conditions"."

KARNAT "You mean like collecting all of Big Brother Suntarus's crystals. Wait... that means I have to... No! I don't know about this!"

Plutoren "Karnat. Be brave. We are here with you as well as your new friends. Anyway, it is your choice in the end and since the Ultimate Truth has been revealed, I'm finally free of my constant back pain. So, little brother. Which part of my powers do you want?"

KARNAT "Void or Aid, huh? Hmmm... I'll choose Void. What does that mean?"

Plutoren "It means- Huh? Shit. Dad says you should go figure it out yourself. He says to toughen up the little man. Sorry, little bro. Would you like to have my blessing right now? Warning, it might be a bit overwhelming."

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

KARNAT "Sure, I've got nothing to lose."

A spiraling grey aura materializes before their astonished eyes, swirling around Karnat's left arm like coiling snakes.

A sudden jolt of agony courses through Karnat's body, causing him to collapse in agony. As the mechanical shell of his left arm begins to disintegrate, he catches a fleeting glimpse of something resembling bones beneath before succumbing to the overwhelming pain and losing consciousness. His companions gather around him in concern, only to discover that his arm has been replaced with a skeletal appendage adorned with mysterious language etched in an ancient script across the limb. Ten symbols, arranged from his shoulder to the back of his newly formed hand, captivate their attention. The symbol on his shoulder pulsates with an eerie glow, coalescing into the image of a spiral rendered in the deepest shade of dark blue ink.

Plutoren "Well... shit. Good thing, he's still alive. Okay, guys. Watch over him until tomorrow morning. I need to discuss with the others how to better transfer our blessings. See ya!"

TENSO "You can count on us milady! You three go back up and carry down some beds!"

MEYTAZ/VERTO/TENYA "Yes, sir!"

__________________________________________________________________________

Kanji's eyes flutter open, his gaze darting around in surprise as he awakens from a night devoid of any unusual dreams. Memories of the lively party from the previous evening bring a smile to his lips as he tiptoes past his slumbering companions, remnants of the party still evident in their peaceful repose. Exiting Dave's room, Kanji takes a leisurely stroll around the central space of the Cephalostar, inhaling deeply to invigorate his senses.

However, upon halting his steps, a realization dawns upon him— the ship has come to a halt, and its motion ceased completely. Kanji's brow furrows in contemplation as he ponders just how long they have been stationary.

Ding. The sound comes from the center of the room and so he approaches.

"Ding." The unmistakable sound emanates from the heart of the room, drawing Kanji's attention like a magnetic force. Intrigued, he makes his way towards the source.

Kanji "This is... a lot of notifications."

Kanji sifts through the latest messages, his gaze scanning each notification until he stumbles upon one from AN...

"Hi, Kanji or anyone else who might be reading this message. I just learned that I could translate my voice into text and send a report. Pretty cool, right? Anyway, things have gotten pretty busy on our end so we won't have time for long conversations like we used to. Good thing I devised a way for us to be in contact. Each morning, I'll send a report of what happened on the previous day to you. Just to keep everyone updated. Nothing much happened, we just got an old teleporter working which means we can get out safely and do stuff now. There was also a lot of planning. The Empire is still waiting for us to exit the Grotto like a bunch of vultures. Yeah... that's all. Much love from AN."

Kanji "Good thing they are safe on their end. I would like to say thank you but it seems there is no way to reply. How about the other noti-

Adrian "Hey, Kanji! You're awake!"

Kanji "Adrian? Did you get any sleep last night?"

Adrian "Never mind about that! I did it! I completed the first part of my magnum opus! But... I need a bit of feedback."

Kanji "Sure... but it would wise to get everyone in on this."

Adrian "Agree."

Kanji and Adrian step back into Dave's room, greeted by the sight of their awake companions patiently queuing for the coffee machine that Azan had brought in the previous night. Claire spots the duo and swiftly prepares two additional cups of coffee before handing them out with a tired smile.

Claire "Good morning, Kaney. Good morning, Adrian."

Kanji "Thanks for coffee, Claire. Gather everyone to the center. Some stuff has come up that we need to discuss."

Claire "Right to business like usual. Okie dookie."

The entire group gathers around the central area, each member taking a seat as all eyes fixate on the holographic screen.

Kanji "Before we get into that, Adrian here has finished the first act of his narrative poem and would like our feedback."

The others give him a nod of permission and he begins to read out loud his poem.

With a collective nod of permission, Adrian takes a deep breath and begins to recite his poem aloud, his voice steady yet filled with emotion, captivating the room's attention.

Kanji "That was quite the poem. I suggest we each give him one feedback for certain parts since we have other stuff to attend to."

Claire "I'll go first. Switch rebel member to rebel hero. That fits AN more because of all the stuff they did for us."

Sarah "The line saying 'Their kin in shadows alight.' is a bit confusing. Maybe 'shadows under one light.' which sounds way more badass!"

Kanji "My suggestion would be to add two adjectives to each of us instead of one."

Azan "Yeah, being referred to as just a realist is kinda awkward, Adrian."

Diana "Not sure what to add here, I'm not really the writing type man."

Noah "Yeah, neither."

Mina "Hmm... maybe... No.... what about not mentioning Earthas because people wouldn't get who that is anyway. It's better to keep more specific things vague. Also just say 'a ship' instead of 'the cult's ship'."

Dave "Yeah, this is too confusing for me. Sounds cool though bro."

Amelia " I like how it described us under the control of the aspects but it would be a tad appropriate to describe us as roles for example... Knight of Form or Form's knight."

Adrian "I might give that shot."

Gwen "I recommended to reduce repetition of words. In combination with everyone's suggestion, I believe you'll make a masterpiece."

Adrian begins to write fervently, his pen gliding across the paper with purpose as the rest of the group watches in eager anticipation.

'Journey's Ends Act 1: The Earth'

by Adrian Ariti, on May 5, 2045

In a realm afar, where wars intertwined,

'Gainst Empress's tyranny, do rebels fight,

For Caverrin's strife, a quest defined,

To grant eleven heroes, their destined might.

AN, a rebel hero, bold and bright,

Snatched an ancient artifact, powers to bestow,

On Earth, eleven shadows under one light,

Chosen by aspects, a story to show,

Their destinies entwined, in a journey's flow.

Kanji, leading and smart, wields Energy's binding rope,

Sets forth to gather, from lands near and far,

Claire, joyful and clear, holds Creation's hope,

Dave, chillful and straight, is Form's star.

Amelia, noble and sweet, embodies Reality's avatar,

Sarah, edgy and cold, accepts Fiction's ace,

Noah, silent and bold, shuffles Emotion's card,

Diana, brave and strong, serves under Law's firm grace,

Adrian, Knowledge's knight, in wisdom's space.

Azan, formal and real, carries Change's foresight,

Mina, in Time's embrace, provides guiding light,

Gwen, serious and kind, swings Destruction's might.

United by fate, in Earth's frontier.

Their bonds tested, in battles severe,

A foolish general, their path to fight,

With soldiers, cultists, and tricks of fear,

Yet through strife, their unity bright,

In every challenge, a beacon's light.

Trials endured, in reflections deep,

Powers honed, through self-embrace,

Allies found, and secrets to keep,

In Kroma's kin, a faithful case.

Tom, vengeful, joins the race,

'Gainst Eusocial cult's darkened fold,

Heroes, with courage, set the pace,

Their final stand, brave and bold,

With John Calsion's defeat, a victory foretold.

Parting ways, with allies dear,

They seize a ship, and to the stars they soar,

Empress's general, in pursuit, appears,

With fleet amassed, to even the score.

Provoke an ancient god, to awaken once more,

Heroes shielded, their enemies blocked the god's mighty strikes,

Survive the storm, taking advantage ashore,

Defeat the general, in a quick fight,

One journey ends, on a starry night.

The room erupts with cheers and applause, the sound echoing joyously as Adrian puts down his poem with a smile.

Adrian "Thank you, guys. However, I admit that it feels like there is still something missing from it. Also, sorry for not implementing much of your feedback, Amelia."

Amelia "Forget about your worries, lad. You see my Uncle too was a writer and he once told me the same thing you just said. I learned that after he completed his entire piece, everything finally made sense."

Adrian "One part can't complete a whole... huh. You're right!"

Kanji "Good that you found some closure, Adrian. Now let's see what these notifications are."

|Congrafulations! You have reached your destination Wal' Tera! Due to certain circumstances, your vessel has been paused and is camouflaged a fair distance from the planet. Awaiting orders from higher-ups... 1 hour remaining.|

Kanji "Shit. Guess we have to wait."

Dave "Dudes! Let's try speed partying!"

All "No!"

Dave "Okay, fine. What about monopoly?"

Gathered around Dave, the group immerses themselves and time slips past them...

(To be continued)