Chapter 3: The World of Reality

(Three Thousand Worlds)

"What are you doing, Aldous? You're slacking off again, what if that Ashura kid shows up and kill you? Don't expect any mercy from me."

A pretty lady with wings walk by as she speaks.

"Shut it, Alice. You better leave, Martis might show up here any moment."

"Oh, so he's Martis huh? Is he that strong that it makes you so vigilant?"

"Terizla told me what happened, and he will surely show up. By the way, why are you even here? Where's Aurora?"

Alice shrugs, "I came to visit and check if everything is allright. I don't know, she might be resting on her sweet little bed again. Why?"

"Nothing. Get out of here Alice, we're the deity of our own worlds and you're not supposed to be here.

Alice smirks at Aldous, and she creates a blood orb and looks at him with a serious face.

"You were just a replacement Aldous, remember that." and Alice walks away while Aldous is watching her.

(Gehénnman)

"I thought you were going to the Three Thousand Worlds the same day you defeated Terizla, what change your mind?"

Khufra asked while watching Martis reads the book he is holding.

"After my fight with Terizla, I realized something. I will never be able to defeat all of them in my current state so that's why I trained even more."

"Yes and I think right now, you could. You trained a lot for this moment so go ahead and conquer the Three Thousand Worlds!" Khufra says while he smiles at Martis.

"I'll be gone for awhile, in the mean time you're in charge of Gehénnman alright?"

"Wait are you sure?!" Khufra asks in surprise.

"Yes, Take care now."

"Sure Martis, You too. Beat the shit out of those monsters!"

Martis leave the palace and made khufra in charge, while he's travelling his way to the Three Thousand Worlds he sees a man with a creepy eyes staring at him. Martis ignores the man and continues to walk, but he senses the the man is following him and so he stop.

"What do you want? Quit following me."

"Following you? No no, I'm not lost." Martis looks at the guy with a curious face, and leave.

"Wait! You're Martis the son of the late King Morpheus right?" Martis stop walking and turn around.

"You know my father?"

"Yes, who doesn't? He's the first wielder of the twin swords. Anyway, you're on your way there?

"That's none of your business, if you don't have anything to say, then I'll be on my way."

Martis now continues to walk away from the man. The man talks to himself while smiling.

"When you said that your son is worthy he does have the strength but, he's lacking something Morpheus. Strength alone is not enough to conquer it."

(Three Thousand Worlds)

Martis finally reached the Three Thousand Worlds, a giant gate covered with blood is infront of him.

"Three Thousand Worlds, said to be the hardest worlds to conquer. The Ashura Blades are in here, for the power my father bestowed upon me I will be victorious."

Martis then walks closer to the gate, when he tries to open the gate it won't budge. He tries to break it open but fails.

"You won't be able to open or break that gate, Warrior." A strange man wearing a cloak appears behind the gate.

"Open this, I don't have time for your nonsense."

"Sadly for you, if you continue being that way you won't be able to win."

"What do you mean?" The strange man remove his cloak and smiles at Martis.

"Hello there Martis we meet again."

"You, you're that man from back then. What are you doing here?"

"Well you see, I am the gatekeeper of the Three Thousand Worlds. My name is Faramis."

"I think I've heard your name before."

"Your father didn't tell me about you? I was his former Dextera and a very close friend of mine."

"I remember now, you betrayed my father and now you're the gatekeeper? Pathetic Faramis."

"I never betrayed your father Martis, this is the reality, we are meant to face each other. And now, show me what you're made of!"

Martis struggles to open the gate by force, but it's not even close to opening. The more he force it, the more pain he gets. The recoil of his attacks are twice the damage.

"Why can't I open this? Gah, the pain."

"So that's the current you? I think your father is wrong about you being worthy, you should give up Martis, you're done for."

"No!" Martis stood up and tries to break the gate open and eventually his body can'y handle the pain and he stopped.

"You won't be able to open the gate by force Martis, Three Thousand Worlds aren't that easy to conquer. Not like that."

"Then what should I do? Tell me!"

"You're desperate, you focus too much on wielding the Ashura blades, you rely on your own strength. This is the reality Martis, this is my world, The world of Reality!"

"What do you mean by that?" Martis struggles to stand up.

"The answer is within you warrior, strength alone is not enough."

(Flashback)

"Father, You have called me. What can I do to serve you?"

"Son, what is your view on reality? Tell me."

"The strong will survive while the weak will perish Father, that's my reality."

"Son, Strength alone is not enough to win. Soon you will encounter something that will help you realize the reality of our lives."

"What do you mean by that, Father?"

"The answer is always within your heart Martis, be brave, fear nothing and conquer it."

(End Of Flashback)

"Father, is this what you mean? That strength alone isn't enough to win?" Martis said while looking up, struggling to move.

"Like I said, I didn't betrayed your father. He asked me to be here, to help you on your journey to conquer the Three Thousand Worlds. The reality is within your grasp warrior, now show me again!"

Martis took a deep breath, calm himself and looks at the gate that is closed in front of him. He walks closer to it, and rest his hands at the gate.

"What is your view in reality warrior? Is it power? Strength? What will you do from now on? Is it to rely on your own strength alone? The answer depends on you, and the gate will either open or not."

"To be brave does not mean to not fear anyone or anything, but to be brave in my own weakness and face it. The weakness that will make me stronger, that defeat is not the end."

The gate slowly glows brightly, it appears to be opening by Martis' words.

"I promised my father, for the sake of my people I will be the strongest, but in the end that's not enough to conquer the Three Thousand Worlds. Now, I understand that there are more monsters in these worlds that are stronger than me."

The gate gently opens itself.

"But, that doesn't mean that I am weak. I will be stronger, to protect who I must!"

The gate of reality opens itself completely, Faramis smiles at Martis proudly.

"Welcome warrior, to the paths of Three Thousand Worlds!"