The system was a single a singular piece of space cut off from the rest of the cosmos, a pocket world linked to the greater universe in such a seamless way that for all purposes, it was part of the cosmos. That was where the similarities ended, for it was in no way of from a regular system, not by a large scale. It boasted of a singular planet-like platform, a citadel so large it would fit a planet and a few moons on its circular surface, and it glittered like roughly cut diamond.

Alpha.

It was the simple name it bore, the system that is, for it was considered the first in the cosmos as a whole, the birthplace of life, the birthplace of reality.

The birthplace of the Archailect.

The last citadel stood as a monument to the mind boggling power of the Archailect, it was also the power of the Archailect, the source from which all nexus points drew their aether from. Built in a cylindrical shape with three artificial circular rings of golden platforms around it, it stood as its own source of light and gravitational pull. However, while the citadel itself boasted of immense power, it was the additional artificial constructions that had been going on around it for close to a year now that drew the eyes of every creature in the vicinity.

larger circumferential platforms, three in number, built progressively further from each other and gradually increasing in size stood as defense against the expected foes. Eses stood at the helm of the astral bastion, eyes glittering as she took in the view that stretched as far as the eyes could see. She glanced down at her hands, watching as rainbow mists floated around her form, the diamond rankers in the room with her doing their best to stay on their feet even as they rapidly began to ascend to master rank.

Pure aether.

Undiluted from the source itself, almost as thick as the one that flowed from the transcendent realm itself. She took in a deep breath, basking in the powers as her near infinite core swallowed mouthful of the aether continuously, siphoning it to her scales, each with a spatial rune of near infinite storage to accumulate as much as she could for the coming battle. She glanced at the rune in her hand that broke, its powers spent, a frown on her face.

She hadn’t actually thought it would happen, the runic power she had imbedded into Ajax so long ago aboard the abyssal star fortress when he had just ascended to the path of the omega blade. Wondering to herself just what she had created, she threw the thought away as they approached the first sphere of defense and the absurd levels of defenses there. A thousand light attack vessels sat up front as the first line of defense, weapons primed and pointed at the astral bastion, each cannon sporting enough power to wipe out a planet with one blow and cause a sun to supernova.

Behind those weapons of pure destruction sat a hundred capital class heavy cruisers, sporting precision lance cannons and light fighter crafts, modelled after the Ashas the titan had created for the crusade against the abyss. Each of these crafts boasted of an arcane general, the top monsters of the brigade, the very owners of the crafts themselves. The sphere was protected by a shimmering dome of runic circles, each blistering with the raw power provided by only one faction in the entire Archailect.

The jades.

As if summoned, pathways opened up as smaller lighter vessels fit for a single or double passenger appeared, the attack force of the jade order, and on them were the ruler ranked jades, the ‘cubs’ of the order, finally unleashed. Eses found it amusing that to the wider Archailect that were even aware of the order, they thought they were made up of stuffy old men, bolstered with ancient and forbidden runic knowledge. The truth was far from that, for the jade order had raised some of the most bloodthirsty and ruthless ascenders possible, those who had grown on the edge of battle, testing their strengths everyday against the forces of the abyss, and now they were finally let loose.

Clad in blue robes with runes swirling across them, the man who stood in their front stood dressed in an armor that got her attention. It was Divinium through and through, laced with mithril in certain places for protection, but the rarity of the armor alone got her whistling even as the other harbingers and messengers moved closer to her.

“Is that Mardar?” Xerxes asked,

Eses nodded, staring at the scourge rune and the cold gaze with which he stared at her, two blades sheathed at his side that were arcane mythic rank. Infact, everything on him was of the same rank as well, the scourge rune raising one gauntlet covered finger as a runic circle burst forth to life right in front of the astral bastion, the ship coming to a halt. Eses gave a sigh, aware of what was going on, turning to her companions.

“Well?, let’s go declare ourselves” she said.

Moving through a pathway and appearing right in front of the runic circle, Eses smiled at the scourge rune.

“Move child” she said lightly.

“You are in the domain of the supreme beings themselves, lords of the Archailect, protectors of reality and existence, state your intentions” he said formally.

“Excuse me?” Xerxes growled as flames began to lick his form, eyes burning red with the aspect of the sun-burner.

“Standard procedures Xerxes, nothing to get flustered about” Tixuhl said as she floated closer, watching as more than a thousand ships locked their weapons on them.

Eses was pretty confident in tanking most of the weapons, but she wasn’t too relaxed not to suspect the aether blessed hadn’t placed a few of prototype primordial bordering on transcendent killing weapons within the ships. Besides, she searched for him with her runic sight and came up with nothing, meaning he was within the citadel itself. The harbinger of mantles floated forwards.

“I am Tixuhl Irios, matriarch of house Irios, harbinger of Filvux, and I come in defense of the last citadel” she said.

Mardar paused for a few seconds before nodding.

“Then pass through to the citadel, favored of Filvux” he said.

“Who made you the guard dog of the citadel?” Xerxes growled.

“I did” a voice spoke out as a pathway opened, the entire jade army falling to their knees in reverence,

Out of the pathway stepped Lucirion aether blessed, the once young child taking his true form, eyes of pure white power, hair as white as snow, lines of raw and undiluted aether, adorning his skin, what was visible beneath the armor of pure Divinium he wore. He held a staff that served not just simply as a mage weapon but the blade of Divinium at one end signified his skill with a blade as well. Eses floated up to the aether blessed.

“you’ve done a great job” she said softly.

“Do you have any idea what you have done?” Lucirion said, unable to keep his rage in check.

“If you’re talking about the o- “

“OF COURSE, I’M TALKING ABOUT HIM!” Lucirion thundered.

Eses shocked at the tone the usual laid back transcendent used for her, reality quivering.

“Millions are dead, billions more when we retreated to protect the last citadel!” he raged.

“Entire galaxies, wiped of sentience, abyssal incursions, then chaos incursions!” he said.

Panting softly as rage danced in his eyes.

“You and your cult were meant to protect them!, not go after petty feuds for those petty bastards you call children” he said.

Cosmic powers blasted to life; the stars shone brighter as they burned with pure power, all focused on Lucirion. Runic circles snapped to life all over from the jades even as the brigade’s arcane generals stepped out of their vessels, floating closer to Xerxes, eyeing the terse scene even as the messengers made themselves known. Ishum, prime messenger of Lotes floated towards the two transcendents.

“This is unbecoming of the two of you” he said, pointing at the citadel itself.

“Right there is our last hope for the Archailect, our quarry, and as of now we cannot afford a divided house” he said.

“We are not divided” Lucirion replied.

“Merely ignorant, and some of us in our own hubris” he finished, staring at Eses.

“What is it you refer to?, I grow tired of your riddles” she said wearily.

“The titan blade is dead” Mardar cut in, rage and pain in that simple sentence.

The entire area grew silent, Eses’s body freezing as Xerxes bore a look of pure shock.

“Mardar- “

“Moyo is dead, slain, because he decided to give his life to stop the advance of chaos” Mardar continued, his voice rising over that of Lucirion.

“He fought to the bitter end, his sacrifice, enough to allow what meagre forces of the Archailect withdraw from the planet and escape in time before Araman consolidated his gain of four abyssal runes” he said softly.

“Even now, they push through space, making all haste for their respective systems, so yes, o high cosmic dragon” he growled as Eses snapped her head to the scourge rune.

“He paid for the failure of your Runebearers, the Archailect has seen a dark shadow casted over it, and I failed my fri- “

“ENOUGH” Lucirion said with a commanding voice as Mardar paused.

The scourge rune, vibrating with pure rage in his eyes as he stared daggers at the cosmic dragon who took a deep breath.

“I sent half of our powers to stop Ajax and his father” she said.

“And yet, Azael is back, yes, the reaper of chaos, emissary, champion, whatever term befits the harbinger of oblivion has arisen” Lucirion cut in.

“And even with that, you saw it wise to imbue the omega blade with the path of cosmic ascendance, tell me, what wisdom was in that?’ Lucirion asked.

“She did what?” Eisnar said, shock written all over her face.

“It was the will of Lotes” Ishum said before Xerxes could talk.

All eyes diverted to the prime messenger whose fellow peers floated to his side.

“And something we cannot speak off in the midst of our lesser” Anzu said, the prime messenger of Filvux said as a pathway opened up.

Silently, the most powerful forces of the Archailect all passed through, Lucirion turning to Mardar.

“Direct the Runebearers to the northern quadrant, and remember, we need them” the aether blessed said.

Mardar nodded stiffly, watching as his master passed through the pathway, the opening closing up behind him. Another jade floated down to his side, a muscular figure with a two sided axe on his shoulder.

“Want me to wreak their vessel?, just enough to have them limp into their base” he asked.

“No Bjorn, as much as i would love that, we need every vessel when the fight eventually comes” Mardar replied.

Bjorn grim rune nodded.

“I need a favor” Mardar said softly.

“Anything for the overpampered disciple of the aether blessed” Bjorn replied as Mardar gave a light smile.

“But you have to promise not to spill it at least for an entire day” Mardar said turning to Bjorn.

“When we’re done with this war, and we’re back to our boring lives, I want a posting within the Archailect itself” Bjorn said bluntly.

“done” Mardar replied.

Bjorn looked speechless, unsure if he had just been swindled before nodding.

“Very well, what do you need?” he asked.

“Your fastest light vessel and utmost secrecy” Mardar replied with a light smile.

Ω

Moyo sat atop his mountain, surrounded by his thrones and the prime aspect floating atop of him, the titan standing to the side in silence.

“begin” he said.

With a deep breath, Moyo closed his eyes and began to visualize it, a thread of pure aspect.

The titan aspect.

Its power humming and resonating with his entire being, it was what made this place, the very fabric behind his realm and planet domain. His foundation, and it was what he used to defend those under him, those who had placed their faith in him, a faith they gave back with another power.

Veneration.

The second thread of power wove itself with the aspect, shimmering a light golden color, fusing with his aspect as his body shuddered, his metaphorical core in his mind struggling to agree with the concept as he attempted to fuse both threads and in essence, aspects together. He felt a hand on his shoulder, heard the titan speak.

“Veneration, a concept I didn’t have, but one now necessary to build a container for the prime aspect” he said.

“It is the will of untold millions, those who have decided to place their faith in you, it is your path” he completed.

Moyo had often considered it as a borrowed power, a burden placed upon him by those under the rule of house titan blade, but it was so much more than that. It was the faith of countless souls, believing he was there to shield them, to protect them, in essence, it was the will of protection. With that realization came acceptance, the threads fusing together as that of veneration twisted seamlessly into it.

Opening his eyes, he stretched his hand out as he saw his aspect manifest, a glob of viscous power above his hand as he felt the power run through him in a near orgasmic rush. Standing up, he turned to the titan who raised an eyebrow.

“you’re not ready yet for this” he said with amusement.

Moyo shrugged.

“Simply testing the distance” he replied, and then moved.

Or at least, he attempted to, feeling his body crash into the ground a great distance away, eyes blurry as shock ran through his form. The titan appeared in his front.

“Araman now has the strength of Vusal, the touch of Remhu and the mind of Lesuth” he started.

“You my reincarnation, simply borrow from all the powers you have, despite what the Archailect tells you, you need to assimilate everything within your arsenal, everything” he completed, stretching one hand out for Moyo to grab.

The titan sighed, grabbing it as space twisted and he appeared back on the mountain.

“Now, aura and planetary might” the titan said.

Moyo scrunched up his face.

“How do you fuse an attribute and a literal power of the Archailect?” he asked confused.

“Draulr unknowingly laid the foundation, we’re merely building off it” the titan said as he snapped his hand and five orbs of power floated from the body of the titan.

“These are the five blessings bestowed upon you by five of the supreme beings” he started.

“The gift of precise skill, attainment of enlightenment with the blade by Altair” the titan said as a white ball of power floated towards his throne of intent.

“The ultimate protection, the mantle of Filvux, or an exact replica anyways” he continued as that floated to his mantle throne.

“The gift of pure might, the literal concept, bestowed by Draulr” the ball of red light floating to his aura throne.

“The gift of mana and its power of foresight and domain over the elements, bestowed by Filvux” a ball of yellow light floating to his throne of mana.

“Finally, bestowed by Lotes herself despite your ignorance, the gift of aether, the ability to command and shape the raw power of the Archailect, you call it Shango's resonance I believe?” the titan said as a flaming golden ball floated to his throne of aether.

Only one throne was left, that of Liakya, the supreme of constructs, the titan staring at it.

“Unfortunately, Liakya believes in isolation, and while she bestowed a boon to your vessel, it is useless right here and now” he said with a finality.

“Each of these boons would work perfectly with your skills, however, some would be better fused to your very attributes, if we’re to enable you become the very vessel for the prime aspect” he completed.

“Tell me what I have to do” Moyo said, eyes burning.

“Aura and the gift of might bestowed by Draulr, and then, we fuse them to your planetary might skill” the titan said with a grin.

Moyo stared at his hands, stood up and walked to the throne of aura, sitting down on it and felt a force unlike any other crash down on him like the weight of the world. He felt his body scream in protest, his eyes glowing as the titan spoke.

“These are gifts given to you, they also represent the burden of strength, you have walked the hard path child, a path that gets even harder as the journey goes” he started.

Gritting his teeth, his willpower honed itself to a singular purpose, to absorb the throne, to absorb the purest of auras and to absorb the gift of might given by Draulr. Time went by agonizingly slow, or maybe it went fast, he had no idea, all he felt was the blinding pressure growing stronger and stronger, and then like he had broken past an unbreakable wall in his mind, he felt the pressure begin to reduce.

Little by little, his existence absorbed the power, his form becoming more solid from the Ethereal state he had been in, gripping the arm rest of the throne that had lost all color, the throne itself shattering with a roar of strength he gave. He burned with pure power, his aspect licking at the edges with a sheen, a testament to his power, the titan smiled widely, moving with a speed the titan could now track as he delivered a punch to the body of Moyo, an explosion of power blowing up around them.

When it settled, Moyo still stood where he was, not moving an inch.

“Your turn” the titan said.

Moyo nodded, cocking his hand back and releasing a punch towards his ocean of aspect, the blow tore through space like the hand of a god, an explosion ripping through the sea and parting it. Moyo stared at the distance, stared at the clouds that parted as the titan clapped next to him.

“that’s a start” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.