POV: Statera Luotian
I could feel the stillness that fell upon the Four Realms the moment I spoke, all the way down to the mortals themselves. Everything stopped for a few moments, staring at me as I stood there, hands held behind my back, gazing neither coldly nor warmly at the "Enemy." The "Enemy" just stared at me for a few moments, jaw agape, before barking out a laugh. I frowned but said nothing, having guessed that it had something up its sleeve in order to combat me.
"So That One finally shows itself! It's about time! After playing so many cards, I was beginning to think you wouldn't show! But of course you would, you must test me, my conviction, so I can show you the Truth!" The "Enemy" laughed, eyes glittering with a crazed light. My frown only deepened. So it all was just to drag me out after all.
"What test?" I asked simply to confirm my own suspicions. Looking back, I realize that a presence very similar to the current "Enemy's" had been lurking in the Four Realms from the very beginning, hiding in the back of my mind almost, ever present but never really grabbing my attention.
"The test, of course! I must prove to you that I am correct, that these...Four Realms must be returned to the way you first imagined them to be! Back when the world was perfect! Just you, the souls, and the ever-present Void! No Four Realms, no physical forms, and no damned monstrosity in the sky!" The "Enemy" howled. I just shook my head. "I will show it to you, and when the world is back to its rightful form, you shall see!"
"You seriously misunderstand my role as an Origin Deity if you believe that. If you were actually able to destroy the Four Realms then I would be unfit to be its parent." I intoned dryly, taking my treasure out from behind my back and levelling it at the "Enemy." I was aware that all eyes turned towards the treasure I had created as I did so, not just the "Enemy." It was a sword, its long, thin blade purple in color, seeming to be made of a gas in the way its color moved and swirled about. Its dull grey crossguard was odd, shaped and sized like a small buckler, etchings smithed into the surface of the shield-shaped crossguard that no one but myself was able to look at for too long. In fact, more often than not, they would turn away if they saw it simply because they could not understand it. Sticking out from the very bottom of the shield, held in place by a gold-colored metal, was what appeared to be a paintbrush, each of the thousands of hairs a different, and different shade of, color.
"What is that?" The "Enemy" asked, its eyes narrowing warily. It obviously didn't know that I had this treasure, though I would be ashamed of myself if it did. I went to great lengths to hide it. Well, not really. I just hid in my palace. But the point still stands. "You would brandish a weapon at me?!" It snarled, knowing the significance of my actions. A parent brandishing a weapon at a child? A being such as myself, no less? That is nothing short of monumental...and terrifying. A cool smile graced my lips and I looked down at my treasure with a complicated gaze.
"Hmm. Well, I would hardly think of this as a weapon, in the typical sense of the term." I said slowly. "I could explain why, but...it would be easier to show you." The "Enemy's" eyes widened and it dove out of the way just as I appeared behind it, my sword swinging a casual arc. The "Enemy" could clearly sense what a danger my sword presented, and had barely managed to dodge. "Don't run. That's a pointless endeavour."
"Like I'd agree to that!" The "Enemy" howled, exploding forth with power as it overcame its fear and charged towards me. I just hummed and willed the balls of primordial chaos that floated behind me forwards, forming a cage that surrounded the "Enemy." It didn't hold it for long, but it held it for just enough time for me to dash forwards and swing, my sword cutting through its body with no resistance. The "Enemy's" eyes widened in fear...until my sword was rebounded with a resounding clang in the middle of the "Enemy." I frowned and stared hard at the "Enemy," just barely able to sense that which I had tried to cut.
"Hmm. That's quite the resiliant one. I'll have to try harder to sever it." I muttered to myself, watching as the "Enemy" broke out of its cage. I sighed again as the "Enemy" trembled, eyeing my treasure with utter terror. That is a natural reaction to feeling something that is normally not, however.
"WHAT IS THAT?!" It howled, taking a few steps backwards. I just smiled and shook my head, taking one step forwards and appearing in front of the "Enemy," slashing at it once again. However, just as before, my blade was repelled about halfway through the "Enemy's" body.
"It is a treasure I forged by pouring all of my enlightenment regarding a single subject into it. It is not my Deity Treasure, meaning not a treasure pertaining to Balance. See, this sword is special, as I'm sure you can guess." I said, punctuating each sentence by another sword swing. Slowly but surely the sword was making headway, slowly cutting the rest of the way through. "Instead of cutting through the physical, or even the spiritual for that matter, it severs something else entirely. It does not cut the flesh, and does not cause pain. It does not cut the soul and does not erase existances. This sword..." Another swing, but this time the sword cut all the way through without any resistance. The "Enemy" howled in dispair as it felt a connection to...something be severed completely. Very casually I raised the sword up in front of me, the shield blocking a fierce blowback, sending shivers down my body and making the treasure itself creak and groan. Luckily the connection hadn't been stronger, or else my treasure may have shattered. "...severs fate itself."
The Enemy howled and took a few steps away from me, eyes glittering with rage as it felt that connection utterly dissipate. "What did you do to me?!" It snarled, and I shrugged.
"I told you, this sword severs fate. The blade severs fate, the shield blocks the backlash and prevents it from reconnecting, and the paintbrush writes a new destiny. I just severed your connection to the Sun, and am currently keeping it from reforming. All that's left is to fill in the gap with something else." I said sagely, looking pridefully at my treasure. This is what I had been working towards, finding a way to rewrite what Fate had written. Although my success was limited, and the treasure had very obvious room for improvements and wouldn't be able to sever certain fates, the treasure would continue to increase in power as my insights into fate and Fate improved. For example, had the Four Realms been much bigger, I wouldn't have been able to sever the "Enemy's" connection to the sun, nor could I have severed its connection to the Four Realms.
"No!" The "Enemy" howled, glaring at me. I just sighed and shook my head, taking a step forwards.
"I am sorry." I apologized. It was only lashing out because it was in pain, and felt wronged. Part of that is my fault for not noticing sooner, but even then I cannot help it unless it asked. Now I had to punish the "Enemy" for its actions, as by no means does that give it the right to share its pain with the Four Realms. Just because I love all of my children does not mean they will go unpunished for doing something wrong. Perhaps then I will be able to help it, and do something about the hate it let fester within its soul. With another sigh I shook my head and twirled my treasure around, pointing the paintbrush at the "Enemy." It was a simple action, one I did not plan to go through with, but it elicited an explosive response from the "Enemy" nonetheless.
"I won't allow it! I won't! FOOL! NOW!" The "Enemy" bellowed. I furrowed my brows and prepared myself for an attack, wondering who the fool was...
I did not expect...
How could I have expected what happened next?
The Realm Sun exploded into a sea of fire, one that covered the entire sky, the shockwave injuring even me. And all I could do was stare in shock. However, to me, the figure within the firey explosion was even more shocking...not once had I considered that there would be a traitor within the Four Realms. I would've sensed it, especially in one such as he. I started to speak, started to move, but my shock left me unable to defend when the "Enemy" darted forwards with speed surpassing what it showed prior, stabbing me through the chest with all six of its spider like limbs.
For a moment I just stared down at my chest, almost intrigued by the "Enemy's" choice of actions, until I felt it. That vile substance that crawled out from within the depths of the "Enemy," tainting my bloodstream. On instinct alone I backhanded the "Enemy," a sickening crunch echoing out as its skull was shattered, sending it flying backwards. However a simple strike such as that could not kill the "Enemy," as by the time it had stopped spinning it was healed. One hand touched my chest, but the vile substance in my body continued to circulate. I tried to move my legs then, tried to fly about and chase after the "Enemy" or move towards the Sun, but I found that I was immobilized. I couldn't even exert my power, only a tiny sliver being able to leak out. Fear flashed across my face as I suddenly realized where that sense of danger had been coming from.
It was the "Enemy." It had stolen drops of my blood, and tainted it, and was now using that blood to bind me.
"Hahahaha! You think I did not have ways to counter you?! Now you cannot move, much less rewrite my fate!" The "Enemy" howled in laughter. "And although I cannot move either, HE can! Bathe the Four Realms in fire, and you shall be reborn!" The fires of the Realm Sun surged, swirling inwards as it was being absorbed by the deity in the center. I simply watched, my eyes filled with sadness as I stared at Sol, watching him absorb his own Domain, the Sun he had been born from, or to be more precise, refining it into something which he could absorb. In an instant the raging sea of flames condensed into a glowing orange pill, which Sol eyed coldly. Without any hesitation whatsoever he grabbed the pill and threw it into his mouth, shooting me a hate-filled look. Power began radiating from his being, the full power of the sun, as he himself began to glow with its light.
I shook my head at him, my heart aching in pain, unable to fully express how dissappointed I was. A resigned sigh escaped me as I sat cross-legged, combating the tainted blood in my system and exerting my influence over the Four Realms. The "Enemy" growled and combated my influence through his connection, and though I could shake it off, it would take some time. In that time, the newly powered-up Sol could wreak havoc upon the Four Realms...yet another sigh escaped my lips.
"So it is this future." I whispered tiredly. All of my previous actions had been to attempt to guide the future of the Four Realms in a certain direction, to guide to one of the myriad of futures possible, and it was now entering the final stages. And although I had not forseen Sol's betrayal, I had forseen a similar situation. This next part would be the tricky bit.
POV CHANGE: Gilles
"SOL!" I roared in anger, teleporting through shadows to stand in front of my brother. He did not even deign my shout with a proper response, instead meeting me with a gout of flame a thousand times stronger than anything he had ever shown before. "SOL, WHY?!" I bellowed, the shadows seething to block the incoming tide. All I could do was redirect it a little, the insanely powerful flame burning through the shadows with such ease that I was forced to retreat. I dissappeared and reappeared next to the still-recovering Alexander, with Elvira, Keilan, and Kei floating none too far away. They were all desperately struggling, and perhaps at full power they would've been able to suppress Sol, but now they would only be casualties. "Hide in my shadows." I told them, the darkness twisting around them and causing them to disappear. Alexander's roar of defiance was abruptly cut off as he vanished, and Sol turned his now glowing golden eyes to me.
"Brother." He said, voice sounding as if hundreds of himself were speaking all at once. "You would not understand. NONE OF YOU!" He suddenly roared, endless flames billowing from his form in a massive tidal wave that shot towards the Mortal Realm, completely ignoring me. Reika stood between it and the destruction of the Mortal Realm, however, and even through her injuries she just barely managed to hold back the destructive force.
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"START THE BARRAGE AGAIN!" The Enemy howled as it turned towards the Primordial Chaos, inhaling with incredible force. The Primordial Chaos slowly churned, slowly entering the enemy's mouth and causing its power to shoot upwards. It was just barely, but I could sense the rate at which the Creator was escaping its prison slowed, a complex expression crossing the Creator's face. However, what bothered me most was that in response to the enemy's words, all of the remaining dark angels began to self destruct, causing as much damage as they could to the Four Realms, going so far as to even explode in the middle of the River, disrupting it. Bellows of rage and pain filled my mind, emanating from the Big Four as their Realms were heavily damaged, along with Reika herself. Six dark angels got as close as they could to her and self destructed, worsening her injuries by a great degree.
In my distraction I didn't notice the fireball until it was too late, my brother's hate-filled attack searing my body and sending me flying backwards, my control over the shadows loosening. Alexander and Elvira charged out of my grasp with a roar, hurtling towards Sol with the other two not too far behind. I cursed and shot forwards as well, ignoring my injuries and utilizing my control over the shadows to protect as much as I could, dimming the sea of flames by just a little. Reika, despite her injuries, still managed to maintain control and kept the flames at bay, even if she was slowly being pushed back, so I also diverted part of my attention to assaulting Sol with the darkness. Tendrils of void-infused darkness lashed out at Sol, consuming bits and pieces of his power at great cost to me. Each use of the tendrils made my injuries grow even worse, even more so considering they were absorbing the opposite of my own darkness -light and fire.
"Tsk. You're annoying me, brother." Sol said impatiently, suddenly dissappearing and reappearing next to me. My eyes widened, and I looked right into Sol's eyes. For just a moment I saw a flash of hesitation, but that swiftly dissappeared as pain filled my body, fire searing away everything about me.
"GILLES!" I heard Elvira scream, but it was already too late for me. I smiled at my fate and lashed out at Sol once more, consuming a little bit more of his power before all my abilities left me. Just as I was about to fade away into nothingness, a small voice spoke to my conciousness. Sleep, and enter the land of Dreams. Sleep, brother, and thou shalt be safe. And my world faded away...
POV CHANGE: Statera Luotian
Without anyone, not even me, being able to do anything, my conciousness was dragged out of my body and merged with the Four Realms. It was a failsafe I had in place in the event of a powerful deity or being doing some nigh unforgivable act; I would take control of the Divine Punishment and personally mete it out. The "Enemy" just stared in shock at this, unable to comprehend what had just happened. I didn't care, however, as the entirety of my attention was focused on Sol, who was currently battling against Alexander and Elvira, knocking them away with ease as he moved ever closer to the Mortal Realms. He had invoked the Divine Punishment of the Four Realms for attempting to perform an absolutely taboo act -completely erasing something, body and soul. Had Randus not stepped in and saved Gilles' essence, he would've been completely erased from the face of the Four Realms...assuming I didn't stop him, of course. That is not allowed. Period.
Technically, the "Enemy" should have invoked a similar, albeit weaker, Punishment as well due to the sheer number of heinous acts it had commited, but it had managed to avoid it because it was technically 'outside' of the Four Realms, which was a stupid glitch that I'd have to fix.
"SOL," I boomed, the sound emanating out from every corner of existance. Sol froze, looking around wildly for the source of my voice. "YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS HAVE BROUGHT PUNISHMENT DOWN UPON YOU. FOR DESTROYING THE REALM SUN AND BRINGING CHAOS TO THE FOUR REALMS, AND FOR ATTEMPTING TO WIPE THE DEITY OF SHADOWS, GILLES, OFF OF ALL PLANES OF EXISTANCE, YOU SHALL BE STRIPPED OF ALL YOUR POWERS AND ALL YOUR TITLES." Sol began to tremble, blood oozing out of his mouth as he stared at the giant projection of my face, which was slowly forming in the Primordial Chaos that surrounded my Realms. "THIS IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF PUNISHMENT POSSIBLE. SO MOTE IT BE."
"Y-you...! NO!" Sol screeched, blowing away his assaulters and hurtling towards the Life-Giving Tree. Fire lashed out of his body, searing everything as he flew, the licking flames reaching out and igniting various parts of the Heaven and Karmic Realms. This only compounded upon his sins, causing the Punishment to grow more powerful.
"STOP!" The "Enemy" howled, attempting to move to stop the me formed of Primordial Chaos as it moved towards Sol. My true body's eyes flashed open, staring emotionlessly at the "Enemy."
"You will stay right there." My true body stated, causing the "Enemy" to stop in its tracks. Did it honestly think that connection only went one way? Arrogant fool. "Sit there and watch. You, as well, should have brought down Punishment upon yourself."
"You cannot do this to me!" Sol shrieked, blowing past Reika as fire continued to lash out from his body, scorching the land and turning it black. Mass amounts of negative karma surrounded him, and a snort echoed out, shaking him down to his very soul and causing him to cough up more blood. The Realms roared in anger, the land rising up to grasp at Sol like giant earthen hands, the air swirling around him like a vicious tornado, the essenses of the Realms entered his body and ravaging him...the only thing that did not turn against Sol were the flames and boundless light he himself controlled. "How dare you do this to me!!" Sol shrieked, flames erupting from his body. They were mostly contained, however....to my surprise he just barely managed to break free of the Realm's grasp. It wouldn't last long, however, as instantly the Punishment was upon him once again. "HOW DARE YOU!!!" Sol roared senselessly, flames billowing out from his hands and igniting the Life-Giving Tree.
"PUNISH!" I roared, Sol suddenly stopping and shuddering. "NO MORE ARE YOU THE DEITY OF THE SUN! I HEREBY STRIP THEE OF YOUR NAME! I HEREBY STRIP THEE OF YOUR IMMORTALITY! I HEREBY STRIP THEE OF YOUR POWER! SO MOTE IT BE!" I bellowed, and this time Sol could not escape. The Realms flashed and his body began to crack, gouts of flame shooting out of those cracks as he screeched. With a pop Sol's body was destroyed and his soul was whisked away to stand before my face of Primordial Chaos, leaving behind a glowing orange pill that radiated the power of the sun and caused the Mortal Realm to tremble. A giant hand reached out of the Chaos and grasped Sol's soul, crushing it and collecting all the peices. When it was done, all that was left was a very, very weak soul that would hardly be able to power the weakest of insects. "THOU HAST BEEN PUNISHED. UNTIL YOU PROVE THYSELF WORTHY, THOU SHALT NEVER AGAIN GAIN 'POWER.'" I said, and tossed what was once Sol, one of the strongest deities of the Four Realms, into the River of Souls, and into the cycle of reincarnation. It would take countless eons for him to escape that cycle...if he ever did. Then, my attention turned towards the Mortal Realm.
The Life-Giving Tree burned, the oceans of the Karmic Realm steamed, the lands of the Heaven Realm were on fire, and in the center of it all, floating in the Mortal Realm, sat a small pill that contained the full power of the Realm Sun...the same pill that was being swallowed by an Immortal, Leo, who was using his body to contain it. The heat that boiled the Four Realms instantly subsided, and even the fires that burned the Life-Giving Tree flowed to him, entering his body and leaving not but a black trunk and burned leaves. The "Enemy" howled in anger, shouting something about that being "its sun," even though I had cut its fate to the Sun, and both my true body and my face of Primordial Chaos frowned. That foolish mortal...I should have expected as much from him. He of course did not know that I could easily place the pill back in its spot and turn it back into the Sun. But his intents and actions were noble, even if it was swiftly leading to his demise. How could he, immortal or not, contain the full power of the Sun? He was not even close the deity's level of power. Even his soul was crumbling from the power.
God, be you Statera, Luotian, or whatever your name is, please help! Leo prayed calmly in his head, a sharp contrast to his writhing body. Ah, and there was Celene, her body half burned and tears streaming down her face as she looked up at Leo. The fourth immortal, little miss empress, was nursing her as best she could, crying as well and likewise covered in burns. I cannot contain this power for long, so please, while I still can, help! Take this power and destroy it, or whatever it is you can do! I just sighed, the sound echoing so even mortals could hear it, my hand of primordial chaos once again reaching out...this time to grab Leo. Foolish, but noble. Unecessary, yet his actions did prevent the damage to the Four Realms from getting worse. As soon as Leo fell into my grasp his shrill shrieks stopped, and a pleasant expression crossed his face.
Child, time and time again you have proven your mettle. Before, you willingly sacrificed yourself for you beloved. Then, you led your children and created a righteous and honorable clan. Now, you willingly sacrifice yourself for your children, and their children, and the entirety of the Four Realms. I cannot save this form of yours, but I can give you another. Are you willing? Are you willing to take the place of the Sun Deity, and become the guardian of the Realm Sun, to watch over the Four Realms for as long as the universe exists? To become the Guardian of the Sun? I asked, looking down with a loving expression at Leo's body as it slowly turned into ash. He was silent for a long moment as I showed him exactly what that entailed through images and visions, before silently agreeing. I let out a breath, and Leo's body erupted into flame, a golden shell surrounding his now flame-bound soul and floating to where the Realm Sun had once stood before.
With a wave of my hand the shell exploded outwards, returning the Realm Sun to its previous glory...albeit with a few changes. Leo's soul sat in the center of the sun, his new body slowly being formed in its heart.
Another sigh escaped me as my conciousness left the Divine Punishment, the Four Realms returning to relative normal as I stood up, now in full control of my true body. The "Enemy" stared at me in shock as I slapped the top of my head, coughing out the tainted blood and obliterating it with another wave of my hand.
"Y-you." The "Enemy" stuttered, staring at me in shock. I just looked at it and sighed, shaking my head. "I WILL-!" I cut off the "Enemy" by appearing beside it, one hand placed calmly on top of its head. It took a second, but then it roared and snapped at me, to which I responded by unleashing the full brunt of my power, managing to immobilize it and myself once more. I needed to be in contact with the "Enemy" for this next bit. My power surged outwards, greeting the savagery of its power as an impenetrable wall, a wall that slowly advanced deeper within the "Enemy." For a while we struggled, and with yet another resigned sigh I drew upon the power I had stored to create the Lunar Star. The power resisted me at first, as I had already set the intent for it to Create, and was now forcing that to change, but it didn't last long. With a sudden burst of power I surged past the "Enemy's," reaching that which gave it the power to devour -the Paradox fragments. Next to it, I could feel just a few drops of my blood, each drop tainted.
I grabbed hold of both, and tore them from the "Enemy's" body. They were not its to command in the first place.
"I am sorry, however...had you simply asked me to help, I could have." I said softly, taking a few steps back from the reeling "Enemy." A sudden, wild thought passed through my mind as I glanced at the Paradox fragments, a very compelling thought. I held the power of creation in the palm of my hand, and yet, as a deity of balance, I did not hold the powers of destruction...as much as I loathed the idea. Still...a forest will only regrow stronger after a fire. However instead of acting upon this impluse I put it and the fragments away, instead turning to face the "Enemy" as it charged for me.
I did not return its strike, nor did I act as if to fight it. Instead I sat down cross-legged, a soft, gentle light radiating from my figure. The "Enemy" struggled against this light, snarling and snapping as it attempted to get closer to me, or to move very far at all. It will attack, and fight, and struggle and rage, while I will sit here and suppress. I will not raise another hand against the "Enemy." For what seemed like a long while the two of us struggled, the "Enemy" attempting to escape, and myself preventing that while trying to cage the beast. After a long while of struggling, the "Enemy" turned towards me and howled.
"Enough. I told you, if you simply asked for help, I could help you. You don't need to live solely surrounded by that which is evil and feel pain from the Sun." I told it. "And I will not absorb you, or destroy you, or whatever else it is you may expect me to do. Despite everything you are still my child, born from me and part of my Realms, and as the creator of an entire universe I must lead by example. So I will continue to suppress you for as long as necessary, going so far as to even imprison you, until you ask for my help or my forgiveness. That is all I can do. Push you down and wait until you come to your senses." I said with a sigh. It's not like I want the "Enemy" to stop being what it is, I simply want it to not wish to run about and destroy everything I have worked so hard to build. In response, the Enemy growled and once more attempted to escape my hold, to which I responded by waving my hand.
Immediately six rays of golden light pierced the "Enemy's" body, immobilizing it for long enough. I shot forwards and placed one palm against the "Enemy's" forehead, closing my eyes and drawing once more upon the power stored away for the Lunar Star. I couldn't burn through my own power for this, or else I would be left with nothing to fix the Four Realms with.
"SEAL!" I bellowed, and the golden light condensed once again, this time centering around my palm. The "Enemy" was, henceforth, completely sealed of all its power. It was therefore easy to seal it away in a temporary prison I happened to have on my person, until I could create a more suitable home for it while I figured out just how to deal with it. It would take a while for me to ravel the hate it had built up and allowed to fester within itself. For the umpteenth time in a very short period of time for a deity, I sighed, and turned towards the Four Realms. I had its mess to clean up.