ORIGIN WAR (I)

The sky split into two, creating a faux divide between sides, the line drawn visible to the naked eye. On both ends the horizon was blanketed by the ma.s.ses, Qi trembling beneath the might, reality itself threatened to break apart. Cutting winds arose from behind Lino as thousands of pairs of wings fluttered, causing the ocean down below to ripple and rive, sinking the coastal ends of the isles.

"… clever," Two said as she recovered, her lips curling up into a distinct, hateful grin. "Bringing the Dragons to your side. However… do you believe—"

"Why the build-up?" Lino interrupted, cracking a grin. "You think I don't know you've brought over anyone and everyone you could buy? You keep underestimating me still, Two. How… well, frankly, stupid. No other word for it."

While Lino spoke, the line behind Two grew even more distinct as Devils and Demons strut through the bends of reality, soon followed by the Cultivators of the Holy Grounds, various beasts, and something beyond beastly toward the end. Lino could distinguish four different specimens of the High Lords – Winged Lions, much like their name suggests, were lion-like creatures with two pairs of wings flung off their backs. Their manes were ablaze, bodies the size of a mid-sized castle, their tails elongating into whip-like creations, with each creature sporting at the very least three, growing in number as they grew in size and strength.

Their fur was dull gray, wings skeletal, bat-like, but the Qi surge around them could even match up to the Dragons'. On top of them sat small, human-sized creatures sporting elongated skulls that curled up into a spiral at the far back, high foreheads, thin, tentacle arms, and lower bodies of a slithering snake. They had a singular eye carved out at their heads' centers, missing all other features. Popularly called 'Slitherers', their actual name was Achalinines.

These two alone numbered altogether at over a hundred thousand at the moment, but their numbers were beyond surpa.s.sed by the two others which wound up totaling to nearly a whole million – Shades and Lythars. The former were tall, thin, cloaked figures spitting black shadows repeatedly, the hooded heads hiding behind a pair of terribly crimson, glowing eyes. Though individually unimpressive, they were truly a horde-bound sort, with a very good reason as to why they never went extinct.

Lythars, on the other hand, were the High Lords most similar to Primes in make – boundless abominations of countless shapes and sizes. The only way to group them all within the same specimen was by their gaping maws stacked on both ends by sharp, long teeth. They ranged in size from rabbit-like to the size of a grown Dragon.

Lino frowned slightly, as this truly was beyond what he expected; he actually only noticed Lions and Slitherers, which is why he was still confident in at least running away scot-free. Now, however, the situation changed rapidly – they were vastly outnumbered. Even with Dragons on their side, and Y'nn's and Dan's forces, it was still somewhere along the lines of one to five hundred, at least. He also knew, deep inside, he couldn't count on the Cult's forces unless they were already bound to win eventually.

"… you should have stayed in that mist till your death," Two said. "Now… I'll make you wish you did."

"… you've gone mad, Two," a Dragon suddenly heaved over next to Lino, almost four times as large as Vy, covering the entire world down below in the deep shade. He had night-black scales bounding his body, a pair of nightshade eyes angled like brows. "Do you wish to start the Origin War?"

"… I do," Two kept her eyes on Lino for a moment before glancing at the Dragon floating above him and meeting the dark pair of eyes squarely. "What's it to you, Deathbringer? Terrified already?"

"—you have indeed gone mad," another Dragon suddenly joined Lino at the front, a stark opposite of the former; white scales permeated the ma.s.sive body winding down into a coiled tail with a spear-like tip at the end. A pair of marble-white eyes stared down at Two from above with an array of complex emotions. "You would condemn the world to the Ashen Days out of anger? You fool."

"It can be easily avoided, Lux," Two grinned, glancing at the Dragon. "Hand over the Empyrean, or at the very least fly away and embrace your freedom. There would be no Origin War, then."

"—you want the Origin War?" Lino questioned, his expression turning cold. "To entangle the entire world in this stupidity? How in the f.u.c.k's name did you live to see today?"

"If they want the Origin War, let them have it," Amadeel said, appearing next to Lino, seeming slightly tired and short of breath. "It might spark the iota of intelligence in them."

"Empty words from an empty mind," Two said as Qi around her began surging. "I don't want the Origin War. But, I can't help that the little brat had managed to blind the world to his coil. He's not your savior. He's not your chosen. He's not the change you needed. He's just like the rest; Ataxia's broken toy h.e.l.lbent on sowing chaos in his wake. Have you all gone blind and senile? Have you all forgotten eons past? His tale won't be any different. In your heart of hearts, you know it. Why you're defying it is beyond me."

"… I'm always here," Lino said. "Where's the need for the Origin War? I'm right here. Come. Try to rectify it."

"The world condemns you," a familiar voice suddenly sprung through everyone present, causing them to look up and above, where a white-emboldened figure slowly descended, holy light shooting off like sun's rays around her. "For all your sins, Empyrean."

"… oh boy, not this s.h.i.+t again," Lino sighed, rolling his eyes. "Do I have to rip your throat out once more? Though, I suppose, I should be thankful you keep throwing yourself at me. Saves me the time needed to look for you."

"… you can't win this," Jade said, smiling faintly. "Not with the Dragons, not with the Holy Children you've managed to blind, not even if your army was twice as large as it is. You are doomed to fail, prolonging the inevitable, causing pointless, countless deaths in a desperate attempt to fulfill a fading dream."

"… everyone keeps telling me that I can't do this, I can't do that," Lino chuckled, taking out the Slayer from his void world. The blade underwent obvious changes to its make, growing slightly in size, embodying strange, crimson flames throughout its surface, causing the reality around it to bend and break repeatedly. "Yet, I keep on doing. Origin War? Fine. I'm not above causing countless innocent to die if it means wiping the last remnants of idiots who thrust the world into perpetual death to begin with.

," he mumbled as tensions skyrocketed, Qi surging like mad from both ends. "Final Form – Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust."

As his voice faded into the infinite oblivion, the stage was set; Qi soared into reality, visible to the naked eye, as flames, winds, mountains, light, darkness, shadows and perennial creations sprung into existence, bounding the vast skyline.

Biyung was currently hovering far-off, staring at the beginning of something that would define the world. There was a peculiar gleam in her eyes as she stared at the surging figure upfront who boldly threw himself ahead of everyone else at the army sizing into millions, eight pairs of wings springing out of his back, his human body vanis.h.i.+ng in lieu of a creature entombed in dancing shadows and creases of pure-white light. The sword in his hand cried out in joy and excitement, buried in ever-rising flames. The reality around him broke apart, giving way to the storm that aimed to sweep through like reaper of death.

"—are you truly a clown you play?" she mumbled, turning around. "Or is it the world blind to your musings?"

"You aren't going to help?" a familiar voice caused her to stop as she turned around, meeting a pair of eyes she hadn't seen in a long, long time. He stood there yet didn't, beyond the world yet also the world itself. The sole native of the world that ever gave her a feeling of dread.

"Should I be asking you that?" she quizzed, smiling faintly. '1' still stood carved on his forehead, emboldened by invisible traces of Laws that even she could not quantify. "Isn't that the love of your life over there?"

"… Elana caused this herself," the man replied, glancing briefly toward the back where the Empyrean was closing in on her. "She knows the rules."

"… does she, though?" Biyung asked. "I imagine she braved the Origin War with the hope you will help her win it. Otherwise, she has just condemned the Descent to the last flash."

"—may as well," the man replied. "They've all lost the sight of why I chose them to begin with. They've grown vain and selfish, more interested in remaining enthroned than anything else. If anything, I'm more inclined to help the little boy."

"… oh? That's new. You even refused to help Eldon."

"She was a servant," the man said, chuckling lightly. "Like the rest of them were. Not too few fas.h.i.+oned themselves clever, but, in the end… they hardly were."

"And he isn't?" Biyung mumbled, glancing at Lino. "Is it because of the Primal Chaos?"

"… no," One said, his lips curling up into a faint smile. "But that he's yet to will it over to Ataxia. I've seen the Grand Pillar of Creation, Biyung. Whatever it was… I sympathize."

"… you shouldn't," she sighed lowly, turning around once more. "We earned our ire. Some more so than the others. For many eons, I feared we may be treading the same path, and now more so than ever I'm convinced… we've long since locked ourselves into this eternal weep."

"… hardly," One said. "It is never too late to change one's ways. I should know the best."

"… right, do you know who the blue-eyed woman is?"

"Blue-eyed woman?" One tilted his head, clearly confused.

"—I couldn't understand her," Biyung said. "A beyond concept."

"… there's someone like that here?" the man frowned, glancing back once more. The two sides were about to clash in a full-frontal way, though he hardly paid much attention to them.

"Don't look for her; it's impossible. Though I'm certain she's here. Guarding the boy."

"… I'll look into it," One said. "Another time."

"… you've sensed another?" she asked, sighing bitterly.

"Two more," he said, his body slowly beginning to vanish. "Puts the Origin War into perspective… doesn't it?"

"… it certainly does." Biyung nodded lightly. "It certainly… does."