SWNOVELXO Chapter 19: THE MIRACLE OF CREATION
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"What a miracle of creation," Nyx murmured, her voice drifting like a soft breeze, carrying with it the faint echo of something ancient and unknowable.
"The seven levels of interface are all different. This world, a subordinate to Chaos, yet independent in origin, is a marvel in itself."
Beside the illusory moon, Nyx stood, her figure ethereal in a dress woven from the fabric of night itself. Her beauty was not merely physical, but transcendent, existing in the realm of dreams and legends, beyond the comprehension of mortals. Her presence was enigmatic—her eyes glowing with an ancient light that flickered with wisdom and sorrow. She was the embodiment of the night, both alluring and dangerous.
"What a pity," she continued, her voice shifting, laced with a tinge of regret. She gazed at the spiritual realm that sprawled beneath her, her thoughts lost in the immensity of the task before her. "Had this been in the past, I could have crushed it effortlessly. But now... its origin has been reshaped."
Her words were slow, heavy with the weight of eons, a reminder that even beings as powerful as herself were not immune to the ravages of time. The force that now prevented her from reaching the heart of the spiritual world was no mere obstacle. It was a barrier built upon centuries of shifting fates and energies, a prison made from the very fabric of reality itself.
"Time, space, and destiny—these forces have merged, creating a shield. Unless Chaos is willing to relinquish all its remaining power over time and space, I cannot reach it."
She spoke with finality, as though the struggle was not one of her choosing, but one she had been forced to accept. The spiritual realm lay before her, a vast expanse that stretched beyond her reach, guarded by an invisible force. Despite her immense power, she was helpless to break through it.
"I cannot break through," she murmured again, more to herself than to anyone else. "Even I cannot overcome this separation."
A low, mocking voice interrupted her thoughts, rich and ancient with the weight of countless eons. "Chaos will never grant you such power."
The voice belonged to Erebus, the Lord of Darkness, his presence like a shadow that extended far beyond the realms of mortal understanding. From within the blackness, he emerged, a figure wrapped in an impenetrable cloak of void. His voice was calm, yet it carried the sting of an undeniable truth—one that no force could refute.
"This world, like our very bodies, would rather suffer the slow drain of power than recognize the wisdom of stopping the loss in time," Erebus continued, his words like a soft breeze, but with an edge sharper than any blade.
He appeared before Nyx, his form shrouded in darkness, his face hidden beneath a hood woven from the fabric of the void itself. His presence, more elusive than Nyx's, gave the impression that he was not truly there at all, but instead an extension of the darkness itself—a part of the eternal night that had existed before time began.
Nyx glanced toward him, her expression unreadable. Erebus was the master of shadows, a being who thrived in the unseen and the hidden. He was a god of secrets, of things forgotten and veiled, and he held knowledge beyond even Nyx's reach. He was not someone to be trifled with.
"Perhaps," Erebus continued, his gaze falling upon Soulis, who stood silently amidst the scene unfolding before him, "we can find a way to speak."
Soulis stood still, his thoughts a whirl of conflicting emotions. Despite his newfound power, he could not shake the feeling that he was in the presence of gods older than any he had ever known. Nyx and Erebus were beings of such magnitude that even the greatest forces of the universe seemed small in comparison.
Soulis could feel the weight of their gazes upon him—Nyx's curious, Erebus's calculating. The air around him seemed thick with their unspoken thoughts, as though the entire world were holding its breath in anticipation of what would come next.
"Well, well, Your Highness Soulis," Nyx's voice cut through the tension, lilting and playful, yet carrying a weight that betrayed her true nature. "You are full of surprises. Out of sync with the other gods, are you?"
Soulis met her gaze steadily, his expression calm despite the surreal nature of the moment. He was not intimidated by her beauty, nor by the immense power that radiated from her. Instead, there was a quiet confidence in his demeanor, a recognition that he, too, was no longer the fragile mortal he once was.
"I suppose I must be," he replied, his voice steady and unwavering. "But had Earth Mother abandoned her arrogance earlier, perhaps things might have turned out differently for her."
His words were deliberate, cutting through the tension like a knife. He was not afraid to speak his mind, even to a being as ancient and powerful as Nyx. His journey had changed him, made him stronger, more resolute in his beliefs. He was no longer a pawn in the gods' games—he was a player in his own right.
Nyx's expression shifted, a flicker of amusement passing through her eyes. "Ah, but that's beside the point, isn't it?" she said, her voice softening. "As for you, Nyx, and your supposed 'sisterly' bond with Earth Mother—well, I don't see it."
The words seemed to hang in the air, laden with meaning and hidden implications. Nyx's smile faded, and for the briefest of moments, there was a tension between the two gods—a quiet battle of wills, a moment where neither one would yield.
Nyx's laughter echoed, but it was not the carefree sound it had been before. There was something darker in it now, as if she had been momentarily shaken. "You're a bold one, aren't you, Soulis?"
Soulis stood his ground, unyielding in the face of her amusement. "If you have something to say, say it. I'd prefer to deal with things head-on."
A long silence passed between them, a silence that stretched on for what felt like an eternity. And then, with a quiet sigh, Erebus spoke again, his voice low and measured.
"Forgive my rudeness, Your Highness," he said, his tone cool and composed. "But if you wish to converse, I must ask that you meet us in a more fitting manner. These games of words are beneath us."
Soulis's brow furrowed in confusion, but before he could speak, Erebus revealed himself from the depths of the shadow, stepping forward into the dim light. His form was as dark and unyielding as the void itself, his presence both awe-inspiring and unnerving. Erebus was not a god one could easily meet face-to-face—he was more a concept than a being, a living embodiment of darkness itself.
Soulis felt the pressure of Erebus' gaze upon him, and despite himself, he shivered. This god was far more elusive than Nyx, more dangerous than any force he had faced. Erebus was a god of shadows, and Soulis knew that to cross him would mean more than simply facing death—it would be to face an eternity of nothingness.
With a calm resolve, Soulis spoke again, his voice cutting through the oppressive atmosphere. "If you wish to speak with me, then do so in the light. Otherwise, I'll leave."
Erebus seemed to consider this for a moment, before speaking, his voice like a whisper in the dark.
"You are brave, Your Highness."
And then, in the quietest of moments, Soulis called forth his power—summoning the embryo of his soul. It shimmered with a radiant light, an ancient force born of the very fabric of creation itself. It was a gift, a challenge to the gods themselves.
"This is a gift," Soulis said, his voice steady, imbued with the weight of his message. "A reminder that gods must remain noble. They should not serve, but rule, lest they become as slaves to their own creations."
The light around Soulis intensified, and before him, a thousand points of light emerged, each one a nascent soul, waiting to be shaped and guided. It was a silent but potent threat—a challenge to the gods who would dare oppose him.
"The heavens should not be ruled by those who cannot control their own fate," Soulis continued, his voice resolute. "For eternity, even in the endless night, the cycle of creation and destruction never ceases."
And so, standing at the edge of the spiritual world, Soulis was no longer the fledgling god he had once been. He had grown, had learned the true nature of his power, and now, he was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. The gods would no longer be the ones to dictate his fate.
In the darkness of the night, amidst the echoes of eternity, the battle for the future had only just begun.