✧ Chapter 12 ✧

In a faraway distant multiverse Prism named Jahlir, a giant hideous figure with a set of red glowing eyes were resting inside of this enormous lava pool available within the mysterious death world that existed outside of universes. While it rested without having to close its eyes, a specific guardian arrived with an unusual sense of lost integrity. The anonymous entity seemed displeased from these misplaced reactions he was giving. Something clearly made him anxious.

"Speak. Why are you here? Where is The New Guardian?" it asked with demanding anticipation.

Spessarion, The Guardian Of Surreality stood stiff. He knew how dangerous the Ethereal Echo being voiced from its superior was. Such authority caused even the dead to tremble. His orange scintillating eyes that matched his armor's color held heavy thoughts when confronting situations of this caliber towards the greatest connoisseur of the deceased.

"Fatal One, there are two variants of one another wearing symbols of a star on their attire. They crossed our sacred threshold and were found tampering around The Heptarion Sanctum. These could be the culprits of The Ring Of Infernum's disappearance. Their names from what I could gather after overhearing are Barara and Astrelle The Space Fairy."

"So I assume that means you've successfully captured them?"

"Yes. Here they are now."

In an instant, the unfortunate pair were dumped in front of Death through the Paralysis Portal. It appeared that there was an ongoing argument between the both of them from the angry looks at one another. They immediately stopped after noticing the change in atmosphere. Sudden screaming distorted the unyielding pain that beated against every part of their bodies and brains. Disintegrating into thin air, the toxic blood flew without moral conjecture into The Fatal One's haunting jaws.

"Spessarion, it is said that the New Guardian wields Omnikra. I see no traces of said weapon here. What took you so long to handle this minor issue? Explain or Prism's conviction will decide. You know our Master does not take the disobedient that lightly as it may seem. I would know."

"It is no excuse. Still, we have been waiting for Amethion to contact us regarding his visit to StarSpace. He explained that a signal was created as bait to attract The New Guardian there. Apparently, most of the possible variants found already have been trying to take The Ring Of Infernum away from us at our designated landmark. It is likely that among them, one is attempting to fulfill that goal."

"Good. What measures are being taken to assure this plan is effective enough to work?"

"That is the problem. The communication between our Heptarion Commander assumes that he has taken those procedures into his own accord. The Dark One previously retrieved the ring. This occurrence led me to following Amethion's orders to remain at the Heptarion Sanctum to protect what had been stolen. It is in my possession now by your entrustment."

Without warning, Death gave a conniving smile, blasting its huge blades above the ground before Spessarion. This startled him as the Infinite Infernum shook in response, sending great trickles of red light streaks that struck every multiverse with uncontrollable pain. They began to bellow and squirm around their ethereal branches of light to ease it.

"You know what I enjoy the most? An opening. Not just any kind. One that rips itself from within. It does not take fear alone to truly shed their identities apart. Just reveal the darkness of the love they treasure most. Life will always fight for something it deeply hates. How long will it be before they realize their aspirations all go back to the origins of The Void? Prism does not want us to tell them the truth. Death is their home. They are empty husks struggling for nothing. In that, I see myself as neither savior nor enemy. I am just the objective end of all living. Still, I find their feelings somewhat interesting. How they start out afraid and then grow attached more and more by the end."

Spessarion knew what Death was referring to under the cryptic words it conveyed. There was something that did not cross his thoughts beforehand by that definitive statement. Leaving The Heptarion Sanctum unattended seemed justifiable enough though, especially since he had The Ring Of Infernum with him.

"I mean… The Heptarion Sanctum would be of no use to a variant without the ring! Most would barely know how to activate and use its power to the fullest extent."

"Is that so? You know the ones who play around with being Death? They would sacrifice their livelihoods in order to have that ring if they knew. Others are oblivious. Unaware of their fate because despite believing they are conquerors, their emotions ridicule lack of authority. You know what they all have in common?"

"Lack of experience?"

"Loss. Satisfaction hinders that. The constant everything everyone thinks they are, if not more, is not something they will carry when there is no benefit to hold their desires firm. These ephemeral social constructs and mindless generational passings will fall short. Cycles fade, methods destroy resources, and then deterioration settles in. My offering of stillness comforts them. Suddenly, they have no name. No identity. No rules. No morale. No drive to have anything at all. To be anything at all. Why have a heart? A mind? A body? All you need is nothing. All you need is Death."

Spessarion agreed while The Fatal One summoned the variants that had invaded The Heptarion Sanctum. They appeared as unsettlingly colorful yet chaotic lights from The Void. This experience made both Barara and Astrelle transform into wild imaginary beings unable to control their minds. The frenzied pair flew over with Death and Spessarion to the tallest intersection of rocky bridges there which towered over everything like a volcano. Just above, The Eternal Light Of Death radiated violent red streams of Paralysis Portals across in random directions outside of the death world while floating undisturbed.

"Variation is a combination of the former. Your lives were wasted at the expense of entering a forbidden expanse. Which is why I will ask you errants a question. Who sent either of you to steal the ring? Show me or you will not like what comes next."

Astrelle cowered, giving insight into the events first by simply recreating them using her own form. A magnified illusive image began to show odd diamond shaped deities stitched together, emitting fractals of pure light into the smallest space of existence. They seemed to operate like the hands of master artists painting their next greatest works, but with more freelanced geometric fluidity. Fascination grew through Death as this was the first time it would receive an answer in witnessing the phenomenon of something unseen by life. Birth on the tiniest scale.

"Spessarion, I want you to send what you see before you to our Master when they are not too busy. This may help us unlock the possibilities of secrets beyond The Omniverse we have come to know. If we harness everything down to the speck of its own space, the key to absolute omnipotence will—"

A pause silenced triumphant words when Death saw something out of the ordinary from its observations. Upon commanding to look closer at the geometric structure of one of these creations, Astrelle showed the connection of these threads were like beads of refracted points that suddenly faded from view. All that could be found no matter how far she thought to see was a clear white space in an attempt to go deeper. There seemed to be nothing left.

"What are we looking for exactly?" asked a perplexed Spessarion.

"Dilation," replied Death with solemn expectations.

Without much effort, the scale of Astrelle's reality turned upside down with a mirrored perspective. Now moving farther away from where she previously passed, Astrelle stopped out of fear before an instantaneous force caused her to disappear from The Omniverse entirely. Death was not surprised at what had just occurred.

"As expected. The opening of this Omniverse reverses time between the largest and smallest space. We have reached a barrier from which this specific lifeform has traversed beyond its point of origin. She has probably passed our Omniverse, but as a result has been taken by the unknown thereafter. A special one indeed, although not enough."

Hearing the dissatisfaction in Death's voice sparked Spessarion with another idea. One that would allow them to see the most minuscule point of space in a different way.

"Fatal One, perhaps we looked through the wrong opening. You said you prefer not just any kind, but one that tears itself from within. What if there is an anomaly present throughout the infinite deities we see here?"

"How we would discover it is a much bigger concern. It may be a way for us to make a valid distinction between the rest and control what is beyond our Omniverse. However, if the next variant we have right now disappears without a trace, then I may have less reason to have you send any of our findings to Prism. I hope you are not wrong Spessarion. It may end up being our last chance until we find another. The New Guardian is certainly no exception to this."

Little did either know that the anomaly they were searching for, did in fact exist outside The Omniverse. It was just a matter of solving what lay beyond what they called "all of existence".