Primordials & Empyreans

The Primal Universe, Treasury Realm, Goldstein.

Expansion and corrosion... this world looked too different. So much so that its original owner, the Primordial of Gold, would not be able to recognise it. The territory that previously spawned the size of several solar systems, was had already devoured its home galaxy to become a hyper cluster of corrosive gold and that was only within a single year of Richter Golden-Haze's absence.

If before the myriad gods challenged themselves to tread upon this land with the intent of obtaining some sort of life-changing treasure. Now, they dared not even remain on any planet close to it with the fear of slumbering one day only to be turned into a golden sculpture before they even knew what had occurred.

Slowly but surely, Primordial Gold stopped being a rare and scarce valuable catalyst and turned into a deadly disease that challenged the livelihood of the godly community across all of Helius. Wars were fought. Resources plundered, territory claimed. Powerful clans were forced out of their million-year-old territories which were corroding helplessly into gold and warred other gods in order to claim a place of their own.

It was raw chaos and those tasked to perform balance... had their own issues. The Dragon Gods went awol. Destiny and Nebulous were nowhere to be seen, and Ether and Crush fought in Goldstein to a 'stalemate'. Meanwhile, the members of the council considered their allegiance.

It was not a period of peace, no one could ever imagine that Primordial of Gold missing could have caused such devastation; even worse than when he was present and allowed to do whatever he wanted.

...

With its original owner missing... Goldstein not only hadn't weakened but instead increased in size and power exponentially... in the core of this planet there was yet another existence that sought refugee.

Ether, The Primordial Dragon Goddess of Matter was going through a junction of emotions. During her fight with Crush, she found herself abnormally weaker than she should have been to the point that a mere Dragon Empress like Celestine Lasharte was able to hold her back.

She knew exactly what the reason was... a part of herself that she had tried to avoid ever since she was born.

The humanoid silhouette of this dragoness remained in the nucleus of Goldstein, a gigantic hot mass of liquid gold that soothed her flesh amidst the mental tribulations.

She clutched her hurting head, it was like the worst of migraines... one that made her think that her whole head was going to explode.

"SUCCUMB, ETHER, I AM YOUR CREATOR!"

"UGH! N-NO!"

Her eyes opened, shining in a bright water-like blue colour with an unparalleled will. She tried to fight back against the existence that was her 'creator'.

The Primordial Dragon God of Space and one of the 'originals', Nebulous.

As she closed her eyes, Ether couldn't avoid the rush of memories and experiences that went through her mind... as one of the oldest existences in this multiverse, there was very little she didn't know and this gigantic existence that housed countless gods and deities, she -the Primordial of Matter- was one of the key pieces.

Helius was an ancient existence spawning more than several eternities in age. Distinct time periods of history with lots of astronomical star cycles between one another. During its most primitive state... this gargantuan entity known as Helius existed as merely two forces that coiled and twisted: Space and Fate.

With time, these two primal laws gained sentience, two small motes of evolutive light known as Destiny and Nebulous. For as long as Helius existed, these two forces were fated to never separate, otherwise... the whole multiverse would crumble.

These sentient beings evolved in consciousness with each age cycle... deciding that in one instant, they had to give a step forward and separate from one another just to 'see' what the possible result would be.

The ending result of that separation was the creation of the second set of original laws that existed ever since ancient times aside from Space and Fate.

Matter and Darkness. The first time Ether opened her eyes, she did so in front of her 'creator' Nebulous... together they worked hard to create life and other derivative laws that eventually conformed the future ages of Helius.

Destruction, Creation, Light, Death... Gold. Destiny and Nebulous created a mechanism for which an individual became capable of creating a law. It was known as the 'Primal Spark'... essentially a chunk of Helius that gave the individual that possessed it the authority to become part of the balance.

In order for a single primal spark to appear in this world; millions of years of concentrated Fate and Space laws were necessary... little did the two 'originals' know that their creation would one day gain sentience of their own, the same way they had.

The first Primal Spark to gain sentience of its own ended up giving birth to a new powerful yet highly-sought after race in the multiverse.

The Empyreans... a race with several odd characteristics, but paramount among them was the possession of Primal Spark as their core instead of a heart and also; the possession of a single unique law of their own. Their powers were devastating and they dominated the Ancient Primal Realm for a long period of time.

Ether still recalled how she -an Ancient Primordial Dragoness- had difficulties facing the Patriarch of the Empyrean Race of that time. Without even reaching the status of Primordials, they excelled in dominating their respective laws as if they embodied them.

Sadly, as long as any creation lasted, it was bound to get corroded and stained... with greed and also, sin.

When the Primordial of Sin was born was the time when the Empyrean race was hunted mercilessly across Helius. A witch hunt that Ether recalled she and her 'creator' had not partaken in. Because from the beginning... the existence of Empyreans was a threat to the supremacy of Primordials.

And that was the reason why Ether... as much as she desired to deny it. As much as she desired to forget. Watched as the individual she considered her other half, lost his other half... even though within the walls of Helius she was the only one capable of saving her.

Ether revived that moment, as if Nebulus was using it as a reminder of her sins and where she belonged. She could recall as if it was yesterday, the silhouette of Richter, a fearful dragon that knew no equal, crying like a desperate child.

Empyrean Monique died while giving birth to her son, Horlein Golden-Haze. She was devoured from the inside by Primordial Gold, and turned into a smiling golden sculpture. At that time, Richter had been primordial for less than two thousand years, his experience in the use of his own laws and the laws of the matter was as basic as that of an infant learning how to walk.

But she, Ether... was more than capable of taking control of Primordial Gold while Richter was in that state. Yet... she didn't do it. Because deep inside her mind was engraved a single order. Regardless of millions of years or aeons, that order would always be engraved in her psyche.

'Ether, destroy the Empyreans'.

**

**

"UGH!" Ether's eyes recalled her sins, the life she was deemed to create; the life she was tasked to destroy, everything with her own claws. Of all those lives plundered, only one she regretted.

"NO! I HAVE NO MASTER, NEBULOUS! I'M YOUR TOOL NO LONGER!"

In this junction, she knew that Nebulous trying to regain control over her after he had exiled Richter, couldn't be for anything good. Ether was perfectly clear that the only individual with the strength to exile Richter from Helius was Nebulous.

"I CREATED YOU AND I CAN DESTROY-"

*RUMBLE!!!*

The thoughts that rained on her mind suddenly ceased, the Primordial Gold laws coated her, working as an inhibiting membrane. One of Richter's greatest powers as Primordial of Gold, was his capacity to inhibit other laws and space was not an exception.

She was awed, her hand extended forward to touch that gold which then gained antimatter properties... transforming into Black Gold, like a wave spending across the sea the Primordial Gold palpitated in Black and Golden colours. This force without a master wasn't dead. It was seeking its master.

"Is it you, Richter?"

"..."

There was no answer coming from Primordial Gold. The master wasn't home... but the servant knew the master's will and transmitted it to Ether.

"Incredible, you... have gained sentience".

"..."

The whole gold in Goldstein palpitated again, switching between black and gold like a morse code, reacting to her words.

"I understand what you desire... I miss him as well".

"..."

"I'm unable to go to him... but I can make it so that he can sense us. Richter, the next time we see each other, I hope you will forgive me... I won't run from my past anymore".

Ether, now in a more calmed mood, exhaled deeply and extended her wings. Gargantuan flooding energy then left her body as if she was sucking everything she could from the laws of matter.

She gave every single wisp of it to Primordial Gold. If there was anyone in this multiverse that could find the 'master'... it was his servant.