In a realm so ancient that even time itself seemed to have abandoned it, darkness reigned without end. It was not the ordinary darkness that came with the night, but a bottomless abyss where no star had ever shone and no ray of light had ever survived. It was a void so deep that even light itself would have perished if it dared to enter.
For countless ages, the abyss remained silent.
Then, without warning, a pair of eyes slowly opened.
They glowed with an unsettling mixture of crimson, white, and black, their piercing gaze cutting through the endless darkness as though searching beyond the heavens themselves. The air trembled, and the realm itself seemed to shiver beneath the pressure of their awakening.
A deep, ancient voice echoed across the abyss.
"Arise... all of you."
The words rolled like thunder through the endless darkness.
"The time has finally come. The age of our humiliation is over. What was stolen from us shall be reclaimed. Our glory shall rise once again."
Silence followed for only a heartbeat.
Then the darkness answered.
More than a million voices erupted from every direction. No bodies could be seen. No faces emerged from the shadows. Only their voices filled the abyss, shaking the very foundation of the realm.
"YES, MASTER!"
Their unified roar spread endlessly through the darkness, carrying with it a promise of war.
The ancient being slowly closed his eyes once more.
"The world has forgotten us," he whispered. "Soon... they will remember."
---
Back on Earth...
Lord Zulu stood before Master Goo, his face filled with urgency. His usually calm expression had become unusually serious.
"We need to summon the Council," Lord Zulu said. "The preparations for the coming war must begin immediately."
Master Goo, who had been lazily reclining on a large chair, glanced at him without the slightest hint of concern.
"Which war?" he asked with a yawn.
"The Prophecy War," Lord Zulu answered solemnly.
He lowered his head before continuing.
"But... I cannot summon the Council."
Master Goo finally sat upright.
"Why?"
"I have lost my Infinity Stone," Lord Zulu admitted.
Silence hung between them for a brief moment.
Master Goo scratched the back of his head before letting out a long, tired sigh.
"There is no time for excuses," he said. "Whether you possess the Infinity Stone or not, I'll summon the Council myself. Every second we waste brings us closer to disaster."
He stood up reluctantly, stretching his arms.
"Seriously... this is so stressful."
He rubbed his forehead with obvious annoyance.
"Those old fogies... I hate being around them."
He sighed again.
"I was planning to spend today eating and taking a nap. Now I have to deal with Council matters."
Despite all his complaints, Master Goo slowly raised his hand to begin the summoning ritual.
Before another word could be spoken, an enormous pillar of brilliant light erupted into the heavens.
The light was so intense that the clouds scattered instantly. It illuminated mountains, forests, rivers, and kingdoms thousands of miles away.
Across villages and cities, people stopped whatever they were doing.
Children pointed toward the sky.
Farmers abandoned their fields.
Soldiers tightened their grip on their weapons.
Even the oldest elders, who had witnessed countless strange events throughout their lives, stared upward in disbelief.
"What is happening?"
"Is that... a divine sign?"
"No... something feels terribly wrong."
Fear slowly spread among the people.
---
Far away, within a magnificent palace built upon towering mountains, a man sat quietly upon a throne carved from ancient stone.
He was Mountain Master Emir, the strongest ruler of the Northern Empire and the Guardian of the Soul Stone.
The moment the mysterious light pierced the heavens, he slowly lifted his head.
He let out a long sigh.
"So..."
"It's about to happen again."
A disciple standing beside the throne looked at him in confusion.
"Master... what do you mean?"
Mountain Master Emir rose from his throne.
"You'll understand soon enough."
He calmly walked toward the palace entrance.
"I'll be away for some time. Handle every matter until I return."
The disciple immediately bowed.
"As you command, Master."
Without another word, Mountain Master Emir vanished from sight.
---
At that same moment, on a distant battlefield, an emperor stood surrounded by countless enemies.
The earth was stained with blood.
Broken weapons littered the battlefield.
Thousands of dark mages surrounded the imperial army, their sinister magic covering the heavens.
The emperor slowly drew his sword.
As he raised it toward the sky, the same pillar of divine light reflected across its gleaming blade.
His expression immediately changed.
"So..."
"It has begun."
He turned toward the commander standing faithfully beside him.
"Jack."
The general stepped forward instantly.
"Yes, my Lord."
"It's time to end this battle. I must return."
Jack bowed respectfully.
"As you command."
The emperor slowly closed his eyes.
Cosmic energy gathered around his body.
The earth trembled violently.
The sky rumbled.
The winds screamed.
Even the stars seemed to answer his call as limitless power surrounded him.
Then, with a single swing of his sword—
BOOOOOOM!!
A blinding wave of cosmic energy swept across the battlefield.
The attack consumed the army of dark mages, shattering every spell they had cast. Their magic crumbled instantly as the overwhelming force erased everything in its path.
This was Emperor Anyama, Guardian of the Life Stone.
Within moments...
The battlefield fell silent.
The enemy had been completely annihilated.
The emperor lowered his sword.
Without wasting another second, he disappeared.
An instant later, he appeared inside the Imperial Palace.
The guards, ministers, and servants immediately fell to their knees.
"All hail the Emperor!"
Emperor Anyama looked toward General Jack.
"You will oversee every affair within the empire until my return."
No one questioned his command.
Everyone bowed even lower.
"As the Emperor wishes."
The emperor turned around.
A ripple of cosmic energy surrounded him.
Then...
He vanished.
---
Far across another vast continent, there existed a civilization unlike any other.
It was a land where lies had no place.
Every soul spoke only the truth. Deceit, manipulation, and falsehood simply could not exist within its borders. From birth, every citizen's mind was governed by a mysterious force that preserved honesty above all else, making it one of the most peaceful and orderly civilizations in existence.
Standing at the highest tower overlooking the continent was its supreme sheriff...
Zainab, the Guardian of the Mind Stone.
She was discussing security matters with her officers when a brilliant pillar of light suddenly pierced the heavens.
The conversation stopped.
The entire continent seemed to freeze.
Zainab slowly raised her eyes toward the sky.
She stared at the light for several moments before letting out a quiet sigh.
"Not again..."
"It has been over two thousand years."
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"I suppose... it's finally time."
She turned toward her second-in-command.
"Take care of everything until I return."
"Yes, Sheriff."
The remaining officers immediately stood at attention as Zainab calmly walked past them.
With a single step...
She vanished.
---
Hidden beyond the understanding of ordinary beings was another kingdom.
A place known only in legends.
Storybrook.
It was a city that existed outside reality itself.
Travelers could pass through the mountains surrounding it.
Airplanes could fly over its skies.
Cars could drive across the land where it should have been.
Yet none of them would ever know it existed.
Storybrook was a kingdom woven entirely from illusion, hidden by reality itself.
Within that impossible city lived a sorceress unlike any other.
Her name was Nyeme.
As she looked toward the heavens, the pillar of light reflected in her eyes.
She folded her hands together before bursting into laughter.
"Oh my..."
"So the peaceful days are finally over."
"The prophecy is beginning."
"It has been far too long since the Council gathered."
She snapped her fingers.
Instantly...
The magnificent city began to dissolve.
Towering castles.
Beautiful gardens.
Bustling streets.
Laughing children.
Crowded marketplaces.
Every building, every tree, every living creature slowly faded away as though they had never existed.
The illusion unraveled.
The breathtaking kingdom was nothing more than a spell cast upon empty land.
Reality reclaimed what had always belonged to it.
Nyeme looked back one last time.
A gentle smile crossed her face.
"It really was a lovely city."
"I'll miss it."
With another snap of her fingers...
She disappeared.
Moments later, there was nothing left.
Only an ordinary stretch of empty land remained, as though Storybrook had never existed.
---
Far beyond the stars...
Beyond galaxies...
Beyond the endless reaches of space...
There existed a realm where silence itself seemed alive.
No sound.
No wind.
No light.
Only an endless void that resembled the ancient abyss.
Within that boundless emptiness stood a lone figure.
A ring upon his finger suddenly began to glow.
He lowered his gaze toward it and smiled.
"The Council..."
"So they've finally summoned me."
His eyes drifted toward the distant universe.
"So the prophecy has begun."
"I wonder..."
"How many lives will be lost this time?"
He closed his eyes briefly.
"I've remained here long enough."
"It's time to return."
With a smooth circular motion of his hand, space itself twisted before him.
A brilliant portal opened.
Without hesitation, he stepped through it.
The portal closed behind him.
Silence returned once more.
An endless, lifeless silence.
As though nothing had ever existed there.
The guardian had departed.
He was Lord Mgbera, the Lord of Space...
The eternal Guardian of the Space Stone.