Chapter 8: The congregation of the Gods.

Location: Higher heavens: Shamballah Akash.

Unidrexas marched through the golden corridors. Its floors were made of stardust and gems. And on each wall, wide arching windows display the outside realm. Kaleidoscopic seas overlapping like great waves of an eldritch ocean, with vibrant colors of violet, blue, gold, and other hues yet to be catalogued.

Veximus was not too far behind, taking his time observing the outside, admiring the dimensional entropy, where the omniverse has no foothold here.

They approached a golden silvery door. From appearance alone, it was liquid with an ever-changing face.

"Ready to grace the eminence presence, I'm sure they will be delighted to see you after failing for so long," Veximus quipped.

Unidrexas grunted a response.

He paid little notice to Vex, as one would pay notice to a flea. Veximus shrugged and placed his hand upon the liquid door. The door-face morphed and twisted before their eyes, then parted vertically like the sea's tides.

They step through and enter the chambers of one of the supreme sovereign. It was a circular room with the appearance of an outside world during midnight. Stars decorated from above, shining their luminosity like raging suns.

Many of the Gods-old and young- were already seated, wearing robes of twinkling galactic swirls and nebulas, with bodies reminiscent of heaven's abode and alien in ways that could not be fathomed by mortals.

Seated in circular rows, wide and far, many gazes trained upon Unidrexas the butcher, the lord of flames and storms. He ignored the whispers and taunt flung his way. Petty beings they are, those that called themselves Gods.

But he had no time for their idle prattle, his main concern was the supreme sovereign, who sat above them all, a giant and ruler of Gods.His eyes widened a fraction, the most genuine emotion ever willingly to shone since the war against entropy.

Nana'Balaka. Once dead after the great war, now reform. Unidrexas now understood why he was called off Kalis bounty. She was a beauty that could not be seen, as she sat upon a celestial throne of the smoothest of stone.

A voluptuous body clothed in golden robes, her being was personification of cosmos and higher dimension. Flowing hair of cosmic flames, with a radiant star as a crown obscuring her feature.

Her full lip curved upward as Unidrexas came before her.

"Unidrexas, finally you came to me." Her voice was the sweetest melodies, even some of the Gods seem calmer and less antagonistic when she speaks.

"How are you, old friend, it's been ages since we last saw each other," Nana said, her hands folded on her lap.

Unidrexas kneels before her, as well as Veximus. So this is what Veximus was being so coyed after their long trip. Unidrexas could hardly believe that she has returned, perhaps Shamballah Akash will finally know normalcy.

"Arise Unidrexas," She boomed. And he did. One would not be able to tell what Unidrexas is thinking as his impassive feature was always unreadable, stoic and uncompromising.

Nana Balaka could see what others would not. Joy, pure joy in those storming eyes.

"Your hunt for Kalis the Betrayer is over, for as of today I request your aid at my side," Nana said. "Help restore order in Shamballah Akash, so that the strife between sovereign supremes will finally end."

Unidrexas bowed his head.

"I shall gratefully accept your orders, my sovereign queen."

Nana Balaka smiles giddily, she never doubts Unidrexas loyalty to her. And now reform from death and experiences of countless lifetimes as a mortal, there was so much that needed to be done.

"Now then, as you are all gathered here, I propose a proposition to end the wars of the heavens."

The Gods assembled under her court listened intently.

"Over aeons, we've tried to resolve our issues through needless violence, subterfuge and coercition of lesser Gods to follow our petty feud. Sadly no one has managed to stop the war and its entirety, and the 13 sovereigns are steadily increasing the war efforts across the greater omniverse."

She looks over them all, observing their reaction. Most was indifferent, for war hasn't affected them as much as others. But those that knew of it, who experienced the strain, nodded encouragingly.

Nana Balaka continued.

"To end this war once and for all, I shall gather the other sovereign and-"

"Excuse me for my interruption Your Sovereigness, A voice reverberated across the chamber. Sauntering over, Hallfri, a hulk of a God, stood before the Sovereign queen. Wild mane of fiery hair, bellows behind. Emerald pools for eyes, and a faded scar across his face. Ivar was a chiseled young God was as tall as Unidrexas, buffer even, with arms and legs the size of tree junks

But the most striking thing about him was the pelt he wore across his exposed chest. It was the leathery skin of a dragon prime. Not as powerful as their extinct primordial kin, but nonetheless a formidable foe, capable of shattering entire universes.

"It behooves me to ask what is on everyone's mind," Ivar said with a toothy grin. He gazes beyond the blinding star into her eyes, unflinching.

"What is to be done with Kalis the Betrayer, the vile primordial that bites against its benefactors."

The Gods murmured to one another, wondering if the primordial would pay for its crime.

Veximus rolled his eyes, while Unidrexas narrowed his. What was his ploy in this charade?

"Kalis will be tried in due time," Nana Balaka answered. "But until then, he is not our main priority, only the unity of the other sovereigns matters."

Ivar nodded, pretending to understand.

"You see, I would agree with your assessment, your grace," Hallfri said. "However there are those who know the true root cause of the feud against our brothers."

Hallfri gestures around.

"All of us know that Kalis was the one who sparked our division, and stopped the great rewind. Because of his betrayal, He incited the war."

Many of the younger Gods agreed with him, some began to talk of forming bands right after the congregation, that will go out to the Omniverse and put down the primordial beast.

Unidrexas grunted. 'Fools,' He thought. 'Ivar is baiting them to his side.' He stood up and eyed Ivar, and Ivar simply smirked, as though daring him to refute his claims.

"Then tell me Ivar," Nana'Balaka said slowly. "Do you seek to slay the primordial yourself, if so I would advise against such action."

"I'm afraid that I have to pursue this endeavor, sovereign empress," Ivar said. "As we speak, many younger pantheons are seeking out Kalis and are close on his heels."

This caused the congregation to go on an uproar. The wild hunt was long since called off, and yet arrogance of the young still persists in it. The old ones stood up from their thrones and condemned Ivar and others like him for their foolishness.

Unidrexas was not all too pleased as well as Nana'Balaka.

"If what you say is true Ivar," Unidrexas stomps towards him, his fiery eyes ablaze. "Then those younglings are as good as dead. Do you have any idea what you sent them after?"

Ivar crossed his arms and scowled.

"Are you insinuating it was me that sent them after the beast?"

"No,"Unidrexas responded, standing before him. "But indirectly influencing your peers, making them believe to seek glory and the constant thrill of a hunt, it would be no surprise if they themselves pursued their own legends. Even at the cost of their death."

Energy ripple around the both of them and swirled, As they glared at one another. The crowd quieted down, as two juggernaut were close to toppling the building. The room of stars seemed to grow dimmer with each passing moment, as two titans are prone to ribbing each other apart.

"Enough!" Nana'Balaka commanded, voiced resounded across the domain. The many pantheons recoiled from her harsh voice.

The two parted instantly and kneel before their sovereign supreme.

"Forgive our arrogance, your grace," They both said in unison.

Nana'Balaka tampered with her wrath, the room returned to its bright coloring.

"Your punishment for disrupting this congregation will be handed out later," She intone to the both of them. "However, Ivar, I shall educate you why it is a fool's errand to go after Kalis."

Ivar looked up to the sovereign queen. The star hover above her head, he could feel her intense gaze, bearing down upon him.

"Tell me Ivar, do you recall the slaying of the three fallen sovereigns?"

"I do," Ivar confirmed.

"And if you were commanded to at least fight one of them, would you win?"

Ivar pursed his lip, his fist clenched. He never openly admits his limits, nor does he want to be complacent about. If there is a foe stronger, more powerful, it is a simple hurdle to overcome.

But reality is often unfair..

"At the present moment your grace," Ivar said, seething. "No, I will simply be destroyed in their presence. Their powers… are beyond my own."

The younger Gods upstart simmered down after that. Ivar was one of their champions, a being that wielded omnipotence like a blazing sword.

But of course, their godhood is always put in question when in the presence of a supreme sovereign.

Nana'Balaka allowed the quiet to sink in, before speaking the truth of the Dread sovereign's demise.

"All that you have heard about the fallen sovereign's erasure' has been expunged… omitted from the truth. The real nature of their untimely demise was the cause of none other than Kalis Kalikrates, the last primordial Leviathan."

The crowd started in sheer panic, as old and young erupted from their thrones, eyes wide in indignation and disbelief. Ivar was in total shock, as if he was struck across the face. The only ones that contained their composure were Unidrexas and Veximus, for they had known the truth long past.

"Impossible!" An older God shouted. "No being or creature in existence could rival a supreme sovereign. Only the Umayyads,the great elders, could strip them down from their powers!"

"Great sovereign queen," A melodious voice trembled. A young goddess gazes up in fear. "Is what you say truly valid, perhaps you are mistaken."

"Everything I speak of is true," Nana'Balaka said. "Denying reality will not dispel your fears, facing it head on is. You are Gods, the Orishma'Akash, even if the fate of erasure is presented before us, we shall not fear it."

Though the sun hover above her head, it glares shielding her feature, the Gods in the room feel her displeasure.

"You are Orishma'Akash, those that rule above other Gods. And it is time that you all act like it."

The Orishmas noticeably calm down, cursing themselves in acting in such a disgraceful manner.

Nana'Balaka tapped her finger thoughtfully on her chin and sighed.

"Since all of you are keen to know as to why Kalis is such a dangerous foe, it is simply because of what Kalis is."

Ivar stood back, his arms crossed against his wide chest.

"He is Primordial… at least the last of them from what I heard."

Nana'Balaka nodded.

"Yes Ivar he is. The very last and their extinction was the probable cause of the creature of Voids."

The Gods assembled shifted nervously in their seats, all who saw of the void beast, dared not mutter their name.

"But unlike his predecessor, Kalis has proven to be more versatile than his kin. If not for him, this war against the void beast would still continue, and our kingdoms would be decimated.He- without aid from the heavens-single-handedly pushes the forces of entropy back into their crawling depths. A feat which has proven to be daunting for even the combined efforts of all sovereign supreme. "

Ivar scoffed. He didn't believe they needed the help of such a creature. And after his betrayal, destroying the Gods of their great rework, have solely convinced him that allying themselves with such a being was the biggest blunder they've ever made.

"Forgive my forwardness, your grace," Ivar said. "But it appears that you are praising Kalis as if he was one of the umayyads?"

"I am not," Nana' Balaka stated. "Merely relying on the facts of Kalis' capabilities, how his might is comparable to Umayyads, the Angels of Oblivion."

Her words send the Gods in the chamber in hysteria. They could not their keep composure any longer. They erupted in a chorus of panic, speaking to each with mounting fear.

Nana'Balaka did not try to correct their actions the second time. She didn't blame them, for the truth of Kalis' power would make even the most confident of God balked.

However, despite Unidexas and Veximus' indifference to the truth, Ivar was also uncaring of such news, and his voice cut through the cacophony.

"So Kalis' power is beyond that of the sovereigns, who cares!?" Ivar bellowed. "But how is that Unidrexas-an old one- is able to fight the beast on even footing. Last I checked, He is not one of the Umayyads!"

The crowd went quiet. He was right. On many occasions, the many reports from Unidrexas hunts have inquired that he fatally injured Kalis numerous times.

Nana'Balaka gave a knowing smile.

"I have said that he was powerful,"She said. "Never once have I said that he was invincible. They are two distinctive things."

Nana'Balaka held out one of her hands. Sphere of light began to shine on her palm, radiating a prismatic glow.

"What is within my hand,"She slowly emphasizes, "is one of the Akashic bane. This sphere could morph into whatever you desire it to be. It could be fashioned into armor or turned into the most deadliest of weapons.

"This powerful artifact was stated to rival only the creator-the great mother-father themselves. And even if it is destroyed, it will simply return to its origins, ready to be used again by those they needed. This is the weapon that Unidrexas uses against Kalis."

The congregation were awed. Before them was the great Akashic bane, used against the void beast, and turn, against Kalis himself.

"If you still seek out Kalis' demise, Ivar,"She said, letting go of the Akashic bane. "Then use this." Floating down towards Ivar, flowing like pure liquid. It stops before, like a writhing mass of energy, as tall as him.

He reaches out his hands and grasps the Akashic bane. In seconds it engulfed him, swallowing him whole, before receding into his beings. Ivar felt more whole than he ever did, like he had gained another appendage that he never thought he lost.

"But just remember," She warned, her tone much more serious. "Just because you have been given the means to slay Kalis does not insinuate that your fight will be much easier. He will be most vigilant."

Ivar bowed.

"Thank you, your grace. For allowing me the means to slay our enemy."

Nana'Balaka waved him off, as if she hadn't given him the most powerful weapon in creation.

As Ivar stride out, Nana'Balaka resumed her previous conversation of unity.

But Unidrexas tuned out most of it. He couldn't help but find this whole situation off-putting. He looked at Nana'Balaka and wondered. Does she truly not care for Kalis? If not, why called him off the hunt. Unidrexas might have plundered the first many times, but given more chances, he would have succeeded in killing Kalis.

So why choose a young upstart. Who will most likely die.