Against The True Gods

The world then blurred, leaving Caine in a dark expanse, standing upon blackened soil covered in dark purple flowers, reeking of blood.

Without hesitation, he clasped his hands behind his back and began to walk across this shadowed expanse, his mind focused and clear.

This was obviously a sort of hidden trial—or perhaps even the second half of the previous one.

Caine's gaze sharpened as blurry runes appeared around him. One by one, he analyzed their intricate structures, peering into the deepest layers of this trial.

'A message. I see.' His gaze softened, and his aura loosened. 'Four Dreams, each containing a shard of a message.'

'To go from one dream to another, I must uncover a part of the message, otherwise, I'll be stuck here. The final step is to bring it all together and grasp this message.'

Caine nodded to himself.

'Time.'

Immediately, he understood that the core of this first dream vision revolved around time—layered in a manner that intertwined its three aspects: the future, the present, and the past.

'A desire to backtrack and take back all that was given and erase all that happened. A desire to collectively return to a point in the past.'

'A hatred for the future for its fickle nature, a fear of the present for its absoluteness, and a love for the past for its stability.'

'An understanding of the curse future truths grant, thus splitting the future into an infinite tapestry of possibilities.'

'An ancient prophecy told by a titled martyr, an oppressor afraid of the contagiousness of truth—a prophecy that speaks of a child.'
Experience more on My Virtual Library Empire

His thoughts flowed like water as his steps echoed through the vast space, deduction after deduction blooming in his mind.

'The answers lie in the past. The present is filled with threats that desire such answers, and the fate of the future is broken.'

'A game must be played—a delicate game where one dances around the events of a distant future to salvage a path of survival.'

His gaze narrowed further.

'The tides of such times are held by oppressors who fear change, and the spark of revolution is held by seers of fate.'

'A child…a messiah shall rise, sundering all shackles.'

Having expanded upon the dream, Caine began to dissect each of his vague conclusions, overlaying them onto a context that applied to the circumstances of his world.

'Some people in our world are dancing across time and changing events set in stone. These people hold power, and few know of them.'

'Those that know have been silenced, but their findings have been left in the past—in this Fractured Reality.'

'The oppressors control and observe all, so all things must be done in secret…' His gaze began to glow. '…like through a cult veiled in secrecy, for example.'

'Amidst all this, an individual, most likely to change this situation, has been chosen.'

His gaze glazed over as he sank into a deep state of focus.

'But it's not me. No, it isn't an individual. It's an…event?'

Caine paused in his steps. His mind halted.

From its static immobility, his thoughts exploded with action, and it all clicked.

'No, this isn't about time. It isn't about the world. It isn't about any grander force.'

His gaze became brilliant, akin to imploding stars as he reached a final conclusion.

'I must prepare for an event that'll force me to either save or kill someone of great importance.'

The world of darkness around Caine rippled and suddenly changed, another dream immediately taking shape and being put into action.

***

Upon a dragon that soared through star-filled emerald skies, two figures stood, unbothered by the chaotic and violent winds that buffeted against their bodies and refined robes.

The two were women, almost identical, both with long white hair and deep silver eyes.

Their backs bore nine pairs of grand, majestic feathered grey wings.

Ethereal white robes that reflected all colors draped over them and hugged their alluring curves as the winds blew past. Their faces mirrored the essence of perfection, flawless and unblemished, like wonders of existence incarnate.

The only distinction between the two was their crowns—one made of bloody thorns, the other of cut-off hands dripping with blood of gold and white hues.

For a long while, they stood in silence, not uttering a word. But a transmission soon reached them, carrying a message.

<Reach coded World N98777-XH0. Capture all targets of interest nearing divinity and wipe out all life.>

<Mission file has been added to codex.>

In unison, they raised their arms, activating bands around their wrists. With a tap, holographic screens were projected, showering them with information.

Their gazes narrowed in sync.

"What are your thoughts?" said the woman crowned in bloody thorns, her voice a blend of slithering malice and angelic melody—a balance of melodious purity and vile echoes of hatred.

Her companion took a moment to consider before answering. "While it is surprising, it was to be expected." Her voice was androgynous, devoid of emotion.

"Those of the Five Skies have acted foolishly in recent years, believing their alliances with the Spirits and ones of the Void would shield them forever."

She sighed, releasing a low and spine-tingling chuckle filled with dark intent, a stark contrast to her previous detachment.

"When we were sent to shackle their world and kill the whore and her offspring, I had an inkling this would happen. I feared they'd set us up in such a manner."

The woman crowned in bloody thorns grinned wickedly.

"It remains a victory. Whether this suicide mission kills us or not doesn't matter. The woman has died by his hands. There is no greater solace than that."

The two burst into uproarious laughter, their voices mad and twisted, filled with jealousy, hatred, and regret—a swirl of chaotic, volatile emotions.

"I'm sure we can find her corpse before those of the Five Skies eliminate us. If we could find it in time—or even find the embryo of that child, then turn it into an artifact—I'd have no qualms with embracing death!"

The previously emotionless woman keeled over, her laughter consuming her entirely as her wings trembled with twisted glee.

"Could you imagine it? The slut born out of chaos and her bastard child, hanging as dried mementos upon my neck, clear for all to see? The echoes of their burning souls would act as a hymn I'd carry through the heavens and beyond!"

Her head swung back as her wings turned entirely black, dark emerald flames consuming her body. Her laughter pierced the skies, and her Will tainted the world.

"…would it not be…beautiful?!