Chapter 26
Nemisis opened his eyes, gasping for air. At a safe distance beside him was a big white flame. Above him was no sky but stalactites. A voice called out to him, Lilith's.
She helped Nemisis sit up.
"Are you ok?" she asked.
Nemisis exhaled, then placed his hands on his chest. There was no heart beat. He smiled as he dropped his hand.
"Tell me, Lilith, where are we?"
"Follow me."
Lilith helped him to his feet. They walked out of the cave. There was no sky, only space. Farther away, a light too calm to be stars, it stretched endlessly, like an ocean of lights which circled around them and the floating land mass they were standing on.
Before them stood the beast from earlier. It had a white, reptile-like skin and stood on all four legs. Horns grew from where it eye sockets should have been. Sharp spikes ran along its back, from its head to its tail, with smaller ones on its head. A little horn grew from its lower jaw.
"I.. I remember it," Nemisis said.
The beast turned to him. "I see... you are finally awake?"
"Wait, it can talk?" Nemisis remarked.
"That master is the 9th Daimon." Lilith said.
"Whoa... Hey, where are Ivy and her friends?" Nemisis asked.
"Seems you still remember." the 9th Daimon said. "They never appeared to you, it was just a challenge to test you and your power."
"A challenge?" Lilith asked.
"Look around you," the 9th Daimon said. "Do you know this place? It's my home. The sea of lights that surrounds this floating landmass is nothing but countless omniverses."
"Omniverses?" Both Nemisis and Lilith gasped.
"I thought there was only one omniverse," Lilith said.
"One?" The 9th Daimon gave a short laugh. "This whole place, even the center in which this landmass reside, consist of omniverses. I destroyed some of them to make room. This.... is The Center."
Lilith and Nemisis remained silent.
"I guess you know the Origin Point," the 9th daimon continued. "It's because of the countless imaginations, the countless stories that created this sea of infinity."
"So we can say we are close to the Origin Point?" Nemisis questioned.
"We are closer than you think," said the 9th Daimon. "Beyond this infinity is a wall that separates us from them, a wall that is barley able to hold up against them."
The 9th Daimon looked at Nemisis, "And yet it seems a v...l has been able to pass through. Oh Fate, how naive of you."
"Wait," Nemisis said. "You said a 'v' has been able to pass through. What is this 'v'?"
The 9th Daimon grinned. "Ah, closer to home than before. Let me introduce you to some friends. I bet they can answer your questions."
"Friends?" Lilith said to herself.
The 9th Daimon moved to the entrance of the cave a lay down, "Come here, woman, for this is not meant for you."
Lilith looked at Nemisis, who nodded at her. She retreated to stand beside the 9th Daimon.
A strand of light shot from the sea of omniverses. It flashes and the dimmed slowly, revealing a throne made of different skulls. On it sat a strong figure radiating with a dark red spirit energy, his crimson eyes shone like the blood moon.
The light disappeared, and the figure looked like Nemisis. He had no shirt on, his chest was full of battle scars, he had a devilish grin on his face. He looked a lot older than Nemisis. Blood stained the throne, and his sword was leaned against the throne.
A second strand of light hit. As it disappeared, it showed a much more older Nemisis. A mask covered his mouth, and his arms were folded. His sword was in his back sheath. He glanced at the other two.
The three stood there staring at each other in silence.
"There are now three masters." Lilith's eyes twitched.
The 9th Daimon looked at her. "You seem to be doing well so far."
"Pathetic..." the one with folded arms said. "To avoid any confusion, address me as Sovereign Nemisis."
"Sovereign? Then I should be Supreme Nemisis," the one on the throne said.
"Pathetic at even choosing titles, how sad," said Sovereign Nemisis.
"Wait," Nemisis said. "You two are alternative versions of me?"
The one on the throne laughed.
"There is no alternative," said Sovereign Nemisis. "My actions didn't create such a thing."
"Actions?" Nemisis brow furrowed.
Sovereign Nemisis sighed. "I am the first, the beginning, the origin. It's because of me any of you exists. It's because of me Fate created this encounter. And I'd like to say... I am disgusted."
He looked at Nemisis.
"You can't transform, can't even hear your name. How stubborn."
He looked at Supreme Nemisis.
"You still don't want to accept it after becoming it."
Supreme Nemisis smiled. "Ah, you must be the wise one among us."
Both Sovereign and Supreme Nemisis looked at Nemisis, who stared back blankly.
They both nodded.
"Doomsday, then," said Sovereign Nemisis.
Supreme Nemisis grabbed his sword and stood up. The throne faded away like dust. He pointed the sword at Nemisis, "Come at me, with all you got."
"Hey chill, chill, chill" Nemisis said with a hand gesture. "Let's not be hasty. Beside why do we need to do this?"
"It's just to help you. Remember what she gave you?" Sovereign Nemisis said.
Nemisis then remembered what Aenzil gave to him. He felt his pocket for it then took it out. He unwrapped the cloth, revealing a red-golden ring with three crescent-moon designs made of diamonds.
"Wait," Nemisis said. ''How did you even know?"
"We are one," Sovereign Nemisis said. "The only difference is the path to our goal and what happens afterwards. I will tell you one thig for now: never let her go." His voice carried pain as he uttered those words.
"And about your problem, you need to use Doomsday to unlock something that can keep up with your power for now" Supreme Nemisis said.
"But do I have to fight you?" Nemisis asked.
"Yeah," Supreme Nemisis said. "Its necessary for the plot."
He swung his sword down, the space around the blade vibrated slowly as he did. Reality around the path of the sword distorted as if being torn.
Nemisis's sword appeared, hovering beside him. Supreme Nemisis acceded above them.
"Can you pleas be careful? We are surrounded by omniverses here," the 9th Daimon called out.
Supreme Nemisis started walking towards Nemisis, dragging his sword. The blade effortlessly cutting the ground as he moved.
He then appeared before Nemisis, his blade at his neck.
"Too slow." He said, then stepped back.
Nemisis jumped back, grabbing his hovering sword in the process.
"Well, I'm fucked," he whispered to himself.
[ In the dark void exists a being.
But don't be fooled-
For this being is the void itself...
and beyond even that.
The darkness is merely its presence.
Then-
a bloody red eye opened.
3/9 eyes are opened ]