Episode 24: The Ninth Great God War

Griswa turned his eyes to the young man. "Guess we can talk?" he asked, hoping to understand the sudden urgency.

The young man looked at Griswa with a mix of awe and suspicion. "Are you the Skaar?" he asked.

"Yes, I am, I go by the name Griswa." he confirmed.

The young man nodded. "I sensed a strong energy, as did my Master. We knew someone with immense power was here. There are tons of things we need to discuss."

Yesdar and Malaes, still reeling from the recent events, interrupted. "Wait, who are you?" Yesdar asked. "And why did you ask us to stay away from Griswa?"

The young man took a deep breath. "My name is Fheniz Wrings. The energy level that Gris...waa emits is beyond anything we've ever encountered. Usually, such levels of energy are associated with beings of immense evil. We are the guardians of the Gate of Ehayor, and we protect it from monsters that cross over from other dimensions."

Malaes blinked in disbelief. "Monsters from other dimensions? Where exactly are we?"

Fheniz glanced at his master, who gave a slight nod. "This is the Gate of Ehayor," he said. "A place where worlds intersect, and beings from different realms can pass through. My Master, whom you see here, is Master Ehayor."

"Master Ehayor!" Yesdar and Malaes exclaimed in unison, their eyes widening in surprise. "We've been searching for Ehayor!"

Fheniz stepped forward, his expression serious. "Yes, Master Ehayor. And now, you have found him. But first, let me explain. Gris...waa's energy level is beyond calculation. Such power is rare, and it often belongs to those who harbor dark intentions. As guardians, it is our duty to protect the Gate from any potential threats."

Griswa nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "So, you sensed my presence and feared I might be a threat?"

Fheniz nodded. "Precisely. We had to be cautious. Now, about the Gate of Ehayor—this place is one among the nine gates of Schinong, a point where different worlds and dimensions converge. Monsters and other beings can enter through this gate, and it is our responsibility to protect it, we only kept it open because we were expecting someone, and that's you Gris...waa."

Yesdar, still trying to wrap his mind around the concept, asked, "But what exactly is Ehayor? And why were we looking for it if it's just a gate?"

Master Ehayor finally spoke, his voice calm and wise. "Ehayor is not just a place; it is a source of immense power and knowledge. It can grant unimaginable abilities to those who are deemed worthy. However, it is also a gateway, a passage between worlds. Understanding its nature is crucial."

Fheniz, noticing their confusion, suggested, "Perhaps it would be easier to show you. Step outside and see for yourselves."

Malaes and Yesdar followed Fheniz outside. As they stepped out, their eyes squinted against the bright sunlight. The stark contrast from the evening they had just left behind hit them hard. It was now broad daylight in another strange desert landscape.

"Is this what you call magic?" Yesdar asked, still adjusting to the light.

Fheniz shook his head. "No, it's not magic. It's natural, albeit extraordinary. You have entered a different world, a different dimension." his pace fast.

Malaes and Yesdar were amazed and confused. "So, we really are in a different world," Malaes whispered, still trying to comprehend the magnitude of their situation.

Griswa approached them. "Malaes, Yesdar, I know this is a lot to take in. But you need to rest. Sit down and let me talk to Master Ehayor. We need answers, and you both need to recover your strength."

Reluctantly, they agreed, finding two chairs in a corner of the room. They sat down, still in shock but trusting Griswa to find the answers they needed.

Griswa turned back to Master Ehayor. "My father, Hezick, sent me to find Ehayor. I need to understand why and what the connection is."

Master Ehayor nodded slowly. "Indeed."

Master Ehayor, now revealed himself as Solopensar Ehayor and began to share the intricate and ancient history that connected the Ehayor Gods with the Skaar Gods. Griswa, Yesdar, and Malaes listened intently, the weight of the narrative making them realize the grandeur of the cosmic events they were about to understand.

"Long ago," Solopensar started, "the Ehayor Gods and the Skaar Gods were part of many events. These times were marked by relentless battles, the Great God Wars that raged across dimensions, shaking the very foundations of existence."

Griswa nodded. "I know of the Eighth Great God War, where only three god races survived: the Skaar Gods, the Frezihan Gods, and the Nurulis Gods."

"Correct, but not fully correct." Solopensar declared, his eyes reflecting the ancient knowledge. "The Eighth Great God War, which ended over 167 billion years ago on an estimated average of all the standard times of all the worlds, was a cataclysmic event. The aftermath left the omniverse in a state of flux, with weaker or smaller races struggling to survive. The Ehayor Gods were among these survivors, our numbers were reducing, and we faced the threat of extinction."

Solopensar paused, allowing the gravity of his words to sink in. "In those desperate times, we sought an alliance with the Skaar Gods, who were way more genuine and trustworthy than the other two powerful races. The Skaar Gods, led by their noble leaders, agreed to protect us from extinction. In return, we pledged our loyalty to them for eternity."

"As universes formed due to the cosmic forces and energies unleashed by the deaths of many gods and their atoms expanded to great scales, the Skaar Gods took it upon themselves to protect and nurture these new worlds. They established the Skaar Empire, a bastion of stability and power amid the chaos. We, the Ehayor Gods, were given positions of guardianship over different worlds within this empire as they were formed, this planet is one among them and it's simply called 'Ehayor'."

Solopensar's expression grew contemplative. "The fate of the Frezihan Gods remains one of the greatest mysteries. They vanished without a trace, leaving no clues behind. Not even the greatest scholars of the Ehayor or other god races could determine their true fate."

"The Nurulis Gods," Solopensar continued, "ventured to the very edges of infinity, beyond the omniverse itself. They became known as the Infinity Gods. Some believe that a civil war erupted among them, leading to their downfall. The tale goes that Ozem Nurulis, one of their kind, did something that caused the Origin to feast on the Nurulis Gods, sparing only him, why? We don't know. However, this is not confirmed history and remains shrouded in speculation and legend."

Griswa, absorbing the history, asked, "And what happened after the Skaar Empire fell?"

Solopensar sighed deeply, the weight of millennia in his breath. "The fall of the Skaar Empire marked the end of an era. It was a time of great turmoil and sorrow. The power structures that had maintained balance across the omniverse collapsed."

"Why?" Griswa inquired, "Why did we fall?"

"Ozem Nurulis returned." Solopensar's tone was dark.

Griswa understood through his tone, he needed no further explanation.

Malaes and Yesdar were silent on understanding what had happened.

"The Skaar Empire fell long before, and it's said it was maybe because of your grandfather, that's what Hezick told me when he learned from the recorded history. Your grandfather denied to take on the rule of the empire when he was the only worthful. He vanished away just like that, even that remains one of the greatest mysteries of the history, Hezick who became my friend more than a master to serve many years ago, told me that he didn't even know who his father was because he wasn't present during the time of his birth."

"The empire was fighting for the next ruler for some thousands of years, rulers killed, one after the other for power and the cycle went on. Amidst such chaos, Hezick's Mother Goddess, Shiya Skaar fled away from the empire with the help of one of my Ehayor ancestors to live in peace with her child and arrived on this planet, where some of us Ehayors were gathering for safety due to the chaos in the empire. Shiya died after Hezick's birth because we were insufficient in treating her, we couldn't treat her like any other Skaar God could have. Hezick lived here for over 100,000,000 years, he told me all this before leaving."

"During Hezick's upbringing by Ehayors on this planet.... Ozem Nurulis descended to attack the heart of the Skaar Empire which had no definite ruler, that time history recorded that a mysterious god who was known to travel inside the massive black holes came to defend the empire, who knows why. But unfortunately, even he lost to Ozem Nurulis, this was the Ninth Great God War. After Hezick learned the history that was recorded, he told me just some things, like he could foresee some future, he told me that there were some hidden secrets that he needed to find, something that history couldn't explain to him, when he would discover those secrets, either he would come back or his child would."

"As he predicted some future, he gave me a time piece he made himself estimating a certain period of time. He said it would probably end the time when he or his child would be arriving. And as I noticed in time, it ended, so I made myself ready for your or his arrival, because I always believed in him, he was different, I don't know where he is now, where did he go, who his father was, what did he want to find or what he did all these years, it's been more than 5,000,000 years since he left. But now, I really stand before a Skaar God and the proof is the energy I can sense from you."

"Do you know why you have that kind of energy?" Solopensar ended his long story with a question.

"Because my grandfather was..." Griswa direct to the point.

"Exactly, it means that your grandfather who left the empire was a powerful Skaar God, and because the Skaar Gods developed a flaw in their genes, Hezick was weak, but you are overpowered, like a man of fate." Solopensar continued.

Malaes and Yesdar just simply listening in awe, couldn't even utter a word, they thought if they were even worthy to hear what they just heard. They thought it would be a story, they didn't know it was a legend. 

"I see, I understand now." Griswa understanding the depth of his legacy.

"Welcome, Griswa you say? Welcome Griswa Skaar, my lord." Solopensar said as he bowed his respects.

"There's no need to be formal, Master Ehayor, I might be powerful, but being powerful doesn't mean being perfect. So just call me Griswa like you called him simply 'Hezick'." Griswa giving back the respects of Ehayor.

"Indeed, as you wish." 

"But, what you told is history, the present...is what I don't remember." Griswa said with a confused smile.

"Hmm? You don't remember? What does that mean?" 

"Well, you told me your part of story, but what I have as a story is something I have forgotten and so.... I don't know if Hezick's alive or not."

Solopensar's jaw dropped, "Why? What happened?! Does that mean you don't know why Hezick left this planet? What secrets he went to find out?"

"Nope, I mean you would have expected that, but I don't know, I don't know why I don't remember, I don't know why was he asking me to escape."

"Escape?" From what?!"

"I don't know."

Solopensar slapped his head, "And I thought, finally I'll know what Hezick found. What were the secrets he was running behind." his voice gave a sarcastic cry.

"I am sorry, didn't know it meant to you that much, that you were looking forward to it." 

"I guess, I'll bear with that, but how can I? You say you don't even know if he is dead or alive? Where were you? Where was he?"

"He was with me, but the last thing I remember clearly is that he asked me to escape, rest what I know is history that you already know." 

"Escape huh?" Ehayor held his head. "Alright!" he continued. "Maybe we should try to help you recall, how is that you forgot?" 

"It's because of my subconscious, it acts like a separate me, it makes me recall some things, otherwise deletes it from my memory completely. Sometimes I feel, I am being controlled, Like I was being controlled by something, that I even killed people." Griswa tried to ex-pain.

"That's right! He killed 70 billion people, or should I say he killed 193 billion people." Yesdar took his chance to say something. Malaes slapped her head as he added more fire to the situation.

"193 BILLION PEOPLE?!!!!!" Both Ehayor and Fheniz exclaimed.

They both got away from Griswa and got ready to fight him. "A Skaar God would never commit such atrocities until it's an enemy, tell me who are you? WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?!!" Ehayor was puzzled, his mind was in chaos of its own.

"Master Ehayor, calm down, I am Griswa Skaar, I found the way here, because I felt something was calling me, believe me, believe in me." 

"How should I? Do I look like a fool?! You might be someone else claiming to be a Skaar, who knows for what purpose."

"The time piece my father left you, it has ended right?"

"Yes?"

"Then that piece ending and me coming along to claim myself a Skaar, doesn't that sound too much to be a coincidence?" 

"Yes, but then explain me why you killed billions of people? Were they your enemies?"

"No."

"Then why?!"

"Because I told you, sometimes I felt I was being controlled by something, my subconscious takes over me, it does whatever it wants to then, kill people, destroy worlds. It's not like I want to do it but later on then, I forget, or sometimes I don't."

"That doesn't make any sense!!"

"I know, but calm down, it's hard to explain!"

Malaes, Yesdar and Fheniz had no idea on how to tackle this situation, ending up in a bizarre confusion.

"Yesdar, was it necessary to tell him about the kill count?!" Malaes whispered leaning towards Yesdar.

"I thought he was about to tell them himself, considering he told us, why wouldn't he say that to someone he or his race is closer to?" 

"Then you should have waited! It's not something to just speak in normal conversation!"

"I am sorry, alright?"

The argument still going on, 

"I have no serious idea, what was Hezick thinking?! I don't know what did he do, I hope something bad isn't coming after us." Ehayor was not able to calm himself at all, like he just lost all respect for the Skaars.

"SIR! I AM GRISWA SKAAR!!"

Ehayor was silenced at once, he felt the level of commanding passing through his bones and nerves to every corner of his body, the tone, the eyes was the symbol of Skaars. He was reminded of what he studied about the Skaar Conquerors. Fheniz thought in his mind to say, "You cannot disrespect Master Ehayor by shouting at him!" but he couldn't bring himself to utter a single word, because he too felt the chill in his bones.

Malaes and Yesdar took some steps back noticing the aura that came out of him, his usual calm self, gone with the gust.

Solopensar began, his tone dark, "The future of the omniverse depends on those who understand the delicate balance of creation and destruction. Are you....."

"Sometimes I think, Hezick wanted me to find Ehayor or basically you, so that I could learn to control the power I have, because of this stupid subconscious here. So that I don't randomly start killing people out of nowhere. I have a subconscious and that subconscious is being controlled, maybe Hezick was asking me to escape my own subconscious, which takes over me, and I become someone else I don't want to. Is this enough reason to believe that I am what I am?!" Griswa's words absolute, that he cut Ehayor's words in between.

"Yes... m...my lord." Ehayor, trying to be careful.

Griswa was calm again, the tension slowly dusting away among the people.

"Hezick knew you guys must be special in something, that's why he only trusted you. Because, maybe there is no else in this entire omniverse he has left... to trust in, except me and you." Griswa, calm yet serious.

Ehayor understanding the weight of the words, "I see."

"Then you know what to do?" Griswa asked.

"Yes, I have understood what Hezick has sent you for." Solopensar confirmed. 

Pronunciations:

Fheniz Wrings: [FEY]+[NIZ]+[RINGS]

Solopensar: [SOLO]+[PEN]+[SAAR]

Shiya: [SHEE]+[YAAH]

Schinong: [SHEE]+[NONG]