***
The
A godly computer made from a long extinct empire that fell to Kralscell's of ancient times called
According to scholars across the universe it was the first ever civilisation to develop interstellar travel. There are of course millions of other civilisations but none seemed to ever cross the age of electricity staying in medieval worlds.
According to the sages, electrical and other forms of advanced technology have only been traced back to 5,00,000 years ago in true time. In the CGA's primary calendar though thats only 50,000 years ago.
And the fall of that incredible empire was those 5,000,000 years ago.
What was left of
There was a time the whole universe was governed by that marvel of technology, the
Now it scrounges scraps of the energies it can gather trying to fulfil it's role of a protector of the stars serving alongside the CGA to continue its programming.
[attention all deities! A new pilgrimage is soon to begin!]
The only autonomous part it has left is the indoctrination of new civilisations into the connected galaxies web of cultural exchange. It plays these games called 'pilgrimages' with 'quests' forcing the planets residents to take part in deadly games every few hundred years.
All in order for the gods to fight between themselves for more followers on the planet while it steadily evolves the natives to stand on equal ground with the mortals of other worlds. Regardless of if it's a magical, technological, or a world with both properties. The
While that happens the gods and transcendent's that the CGA labels as 'exalted' sponsor individuals in the
Once the game is over the pantheon that has gained the most followers on that planet will be in charge and care for it from then on. Winning the pilgrimage respectively.
[in the next 12(1200) years. The planet; Laegii, will initiate the pilgrimage!]
[please prepare to offer your support to the new children of the stars!]
"What?" Reading the
The only reason i knew this name was because originally. In the future i was from, an outer god enslaved and tasked me to resurrect a man that had died before this exact
"It's starting? After sixty-thousand years it's finally starting!"
"Well call this a happy surprise." Seeping his contentment into me Thorn grinned from ear to ear across his beak.
"This is..." Sifo Ren looked over at me being equally as shocked as i was. "This is the future you spoke about. The original time you were born in."
Crossing my arms the floating notification vanished from the air. "Not just yet. Not yet. Theres still the upheavals i don't know the full course of to happen. Once the clock rewinds the universe i was born from will be real, and my actions can no longer be dictated by continuity."
Not understanding what i meant the knightly robot stared puzzlingly but didn't worry. He already knows how far my insanity stretches after all and that it wont harm him. "If your are excited then i can only be happy in your stead, Strife. I hope what is to come lives up to your wishes."
Sifo Ren began walking off, heading back into his parked ship and i waved him goodbye. "I'll see you around, Sifo Ren. Tell the dwarves i said hi."
The machine man waved back at me as the back closed and a few minutes later his ship lifted off from the ground and rocketed off the island. Climbing through the sky aiming for the void above the planet. I watched his ship fly until i could no longer see it. Until it was just myself and Thorn left behind.
Pondering on my shoulder Thorn thought hard for a moment before speaking. "Hang on. If we're finally returning to our proper time. Does that mean i get to see Seer's beautiful smile again?"
"You know she doesn't look much different to Vita, right? The similarities between them is uncanny."
"I'll tell you one thing Seer will have that Vita doesn't." Thorn shot back. "A pair of grandiose moons hanging from her chest. Instead that modest cutting board Vita call's breasts. Seriously, whats so attractive to you about that?"
Rolling my eyes i had no idea why Thorn was so obsessed with women's bodily features. Saying, "like whatever you want. I won't judge too much. I'll focus more on times continuity so i can kill Incursik and get revenge for trapping me in hell finally."
"Since you said it like that i might as well, princess." Thorn chortled full of delight. "We still don't understand how you exactly made me either back then. Or should i say at that point? Time travel is weird. Besides, it's gonna be fun to laugh at your past embarrassment on Shatterre all over again."
Thorns evil chuckles irked me but there was nothing i could do about it. If he wanted to have fun I'd always let him. I don't like restricting others freedoms unnecessarily after all.
Sighing to ignore Thorn's wicked morality i longingly gazed up at the darkening sky. "I guess it was the right call to return to Earth now then. 'He' should have been born around now as well."
"Speaking of the silver hero. You think he's realised as well?" Thorn asked just as curious as i was. "Knowing him he's probably on his way to Earth right now if not finishing whatever disgusting heroism he's up to first."
"He's smart enough to not risk damage to the timeline and cause a [time collapse]. It's the other guy we need to worry about."
"Hence why you asked Propheira to watch him, right?" Thorn nudged.
"Yeah. I meant to find him eventually after Earth's judgement day but it's a good thing we talked earlier about it." Scratching the back of my neck i adjusted my short grey ponytail as i rolled a thought over in my head before coming to a decision. "We should still head there ahead of him just in case."
"You sure?" Thorn asked begrudgingly. "Maybe we're meant to let him interfere in order for the future to come? I say we laze about on Avalon until the next empyrean is revealed. What do you say?"
Amused by Thorn's sarcasm i blew out my nose. "Nice try, Thorn. We're still going."
"Fuck you, you pretentious contradiction of morality." Cursing me out Thorn wasn't at all happy that i refused him. "Since we're going anyway at least let me enjoy a seventy percent increase in my allowance of aether."
Scoffing at the idea as i readied a new [mach void] spell beneath my feet i refused the crows wishes. "What are you going to do with seventy percent of our aether? You barely used up your fifteen percent allowance in the last seven-hundred years."
The sound of a bare foot brushing across the grass caught my ears making us lose all humour as Thorn and I went on guard.
Looking at it source a beautiful young woman standing over 50 metres away from me stood there. Wearing a pink mask shaped to look like a lustful gaze while staring at me on my lonesome.
At her feet on the floor was Ramir. Still heavily damaged from what happened to him on Idaten-II, but now his copper orange face-plate had been pried open like a glutton's mouth waiting to eat their meal. The machine was barely active with the minimal repairs done to it.
Staring into the far distance with me at the enamouring girl Thorn remained silent. Shuffling his talons insecurely atop my shoulder as i greeted the arrivals. "Lust."
Acknowledging my greeting the girl with a beautiful presence curtsied slightly. "Wrath. The three lords request your presence. The lords are requesting all the sinners presence at the pale's stem in Zalisnoa."
"I have plans already, and, I'm a volunteer. Not their servant." I said firmly. "You can head there without me."
Sighing past her mask Lust dropped the courtesy. "I didn't want to meet you either. But they're serious this time. The salvation is close by apparently."
Thorn and i shared some shock between us. Looking back and forth as we discussed mentally.
'Seriously? Did they look into the future this time or something?' Thorn asked mentally.
If they didn't the only other option is that they finally got bored of being patient and took action themselves.
'I guess we really will be going there then for the first time since returning from
Accepting the circumstances i nodded to Lust. "I guess thats the best choice then. Lets not make them wait too long."
Lust huffed tiredly before holding up a shifting black orb in her hand. The next moment she infused a sinister green energy into the orb and a shivering emerald portal opened up behind her and the machine. Sucking the air of this world in through it like a heavy continuous breath in.
Walking through the pulsing pink portal Lust dragged Ramir's damaged robotic body with her before I followed her through.
Thorn hid inside my chest near my hearts as we emerged. On the other side of the pink portal, the wind shoved my hair around wheezing past my ears before the portal shut behind me.
I was now standing in the middle of a great tower-temple filled with hundreds upon hundreds of archways in its walls. The circular building continued to rise up before letting its open roof let the pale light of a strange and alien white planet fill the insides of the temple.
'Looks like we're the latest.' Thorn shot, trying to ease the tension. 'I always wanted to be a cool kid at a school.'
Looking around me in the spacious room of the temple i saw only six others present. All wearing differently coloured masks and with perception warping auras around them to hide their identity. Not that it mattered when we all already knew who we all were.
Leering into my side was a violet masked red mass of stones focused on me. Piercing me with his eyes of disapproval behind his proud mask despite saying nothing.
"[Clarified Sinner's]." A soul shaking collection of voices echoed throughout the tower temple. Forcing four of the seven people to their knees immediately while i, the red masked cloud, and a yellow masked man all strugglingly stood upright. "[the time of admonition over our universe is nigh]."
Appearing up in the air above all seven of us, three bodiless white beings gazed down upon us all with no special features to take note of. It was like looking directly at the soul of perfect power. As simply being in their presence put all the transcendent and godly beings present on their knees beneath this omnipotent strength.
Transcendent wasn't what could describe these all mighty beings. Neither was the word god. Both were an insult to what they were. The only thing that could describe even a fraction of their being was.
Sovereign perfected. Primaeva. The Throne's.
"[The three prodigal's have spawned at long last.]" a second mass of voices, equally as heavy as the first shook me to my core as my feet began to break into the stone floor beneath me in my effort to stay standing while the yellow masked man collapsed immediately. "[thine chances at reformation is present. Thy [trials of sin] are to be prepared with utmost charge henceforth for the Axis Anchor's eventual implementation.]"
"[Erroneous and their Virtuous have not yet learned of this]."
The third and final collection of voice seeped into every cell of my and Thorn's existence as i struggled to breathe, going pale from the lack of air in my lungs but i stayed standing. Refusing to bow.
"[Pride and Envy shall ensure they stay scattered before it starts. The rest shall ensure the trepidation of their challenges.]"
'What the hell are you doing, Strife?!' Thorn yelled into my mind as i forced my head to raise. To get even a slightly clearer look at the three ephemeral beings even as blood leaked out my eyelids from just a slight glance at them.
My eyes shrieked, screaming at me in pain, trying to get me to look away while i acted like i was a child forcing myself to look at the sun. I resisted the urge to look away as my eyes dried just to see if what i thought was true.
[skill: astral third eye — truest sight!]
Once i at last saw what i wanted a wave of maddened elation flooded my mind in a burst of insanity.
I was right!!
One of the supreme beings barely looked at me and it was like ten spears went straight through my hearts. Forcing me to look away finally, but i got what i wanted.
"[We leave the perfection of our earnest wish in your hands, messiahs of sin.]" vanishing from where they floated all three of the perfect beings erased the gravity of their existence allowing everyone to live again.
Gasping for air i covered my mouth hiding the insane grin plastered across my face. They really did! Those bastards couldn't wait any longer.
'What? What did they do?' Thorn questioned frantically.
With one long breath in i relaxed my body and stopped struggling to stand as the insanity that filled my mind ran away.
Clarity's three thrones tore out parts of their own soul, Thorn. They've handcrafted the vessels of the Three Prodigal's by sacrificing part of their own source essence!