4— Meddling.

The Alpha and Omega stood alone in the vast empty space, The Alpha and Omega stood alone in the vast, seemingly endless expanse of nothingness. His power was palpable, radiating outwards in a brilliant wavefront of energy, as he surveyed the emptiness with his piercing gaze in complete silence.

Suddenly, he felt something break through the stillness and knew then that it was the arrival of the Profane Lords. He could feel their presence, their dark energy bleeding into the void like a dense fog.

His eyes, filled with the wisdom of the ages, scanned the space anomaly as he awaited the arrival of the 'things' that came without invitation.

A sudden surge of energy surged through the atmosphere, causing the air to vibrate with a loud and powerful hum.

The Alpha and Omega was aware that the Profane Lords had come to this place. He could feel their presence in the air, a powerful force that seemed to be emanating from all directions.

The hum grew louder and more intense as the Profane Lords drew closer. The Alpha and Omega could feel their stomach inverting power radiating through the space, a force so strong it seemed to almost encompass his own.

He could sense the darkness that surrounded him, an oppressive presence that threatened to consume even him if he wasn't a bit little careful.

A massive, gaping wound suddenly appeared in the air right before him, writhing and contorting as if it was in immense agony.

The Universe was inescapably violated as it gave birth to horrors.

With a nauseating squelch, the hole finally gave way and an unspeakable terror emerged from it, slowly making its way towards the Alpha and Omega.

Its movements were slow and deliberate, as if it was savoring every moment of its journey. Its form was indescribable; it seemed to be composed of a thousand different shapes and sizes all at once.

Its eyes were black pits that seemed to draw in all light around them, leaving only darkness in their wake. The creature's presence filled the air with an oppressive sense of dread that made it hard to breathe.

It stopped just short of the Alpha and Omega, its gaze fixed on him with an intensity that made him feel like he was being dissected by its gaze.

It somewhat resembled a maggot, but its grotesqueness was beyond comprehension. It wriggled and squirmed, its pulsating flesh covered in putrid slime that reeked of decay.

From its gaping maw emerged a tongue, stretching out into infinity, and atop it stood the five Profane Lords.

The five ancient beings floated around the Alpha and Omega, their forms shifting and twisting in an otherworldly manner.

The mere sight of them was enough to cause the entire universe to shudder in revulsion and despair.

Everywhere they went, a cascade of dread and sorrow followed in their wake, as if the very fabric of existence itself was weeping at the thought that such abominations could exist.

Everywhere they went, the air seemed to thicken with despair, and all living things cowered in fear at their presence. Even the stars seemed to dim in their presence, as if they were too ashamed to shine upon such evil creatures. The very ground seemed to tremble beneath their feet, as if it wanted nothing more than for them to be gone from this world forever.

It That Fled, It That Reaches, It That Waits, It That Watches, and It That Whispers, each emanating a different aura of power, approached the Alpha and Omega. They were ancient, terrible, and omnipotent beings that had existed since before the universe even began.

It That Fled slithered around the Alpha and Omega like a serpent, while It That Reaches towered over them like a grotesque tree. It That Waits sat motionless, a stillness that made the air around it feel heavy and oppressive. It That Watches floated nearby, its many eyes fixed on the Alpha and Omega, while It That Whispers whispered dark secrets that made the Alpha and Omega shudder in both abject revulsion and supreme delight.

It That Fled spoke first, its voice a low, rumbling growl. "Alpha and Omega, what brings you here to this void? You have disturbed our slumber. You are always meddling, Alpha and Omega," It That Fled hissed. "Do you not realize the harm you do?"

"Your foolishness is an affront to me," bellowed It That Reaches. "Why do you squander your existence on these insignificant creatures?"

"It That Fled, It That Reaches, It That Waits, It That Watches, and It That Whispers, what brings you here?" The Alpha and Omega asked, his voice carrying the weight of eternities.

"It has come to our attention that you have sent a mortal to be reincarnated, Alpha and Omega," It That Waits said, its voice a hiss that sounded like a million whispers combined.

"That is correct," the Alpha and Omega replied calmly.

"Why would you bestow such a gift upon these insignificant mortals?" It That Reaches sneered, its voice booming like thunder., "For they are unworthy of such grace."

The Alpha and Omega fixed the being with a steely gaze. "Mortals are what make the universe interesting. They bring about change and progress, and they are the key to my own entertainment."

It That Waits spoke, its voice like the sound of stone grinding against stone. "Your boredom endangers all of existence. You must find other ways to occupy your time."

The Alpha and Omega sighed, a sound like a thousand winds rustling through a forest. "What else am I to do? Eons of existence have left me with a boredom that can only be sated by such whims."

It That Watches nodded in agreement. "The fabric of reality is fragile. Your whims could tear it apart."

It That Whispers spoke up, its voice a sickening whisper that crawled inside the Alpha and Omega's mind. "Do not listen to them, Alpha and Omega. You are the master of all creation. You can do as you please."

The Alpha and Omega considered this for a moment. "Perhaps you are right," he said. "But for now, I will enjoy this little game. It will amuse me, at least for a time."

The four beings grumbled and one grinned, but said nothing more. They knew they could not control the Alpha and Omega, no matter how much they wished they could. So they faded away, leaving the Alpha and Omega to their own devices.

Finally left to think alone the Alpha and Omega thought back on his time with the mortal named Artyom.

He had noticed how Artyom's eyes had lingered a little too long on the image of the robot twins that was in his mind.

The Alpha and Omega knew that Artyom's subconscious desires would ultimately determine his destination, and it seemed that those desires had led him to the world of Atomic Heart.

The Alpha and Omega had watched with amusement as Artyom became completely distracted by the beautiful design of the robot twins. He chuckled to himself, amused by how easily mortals could be sidetracked by simple pleasures.

"I can't fault him though. The Robo-mommies with the Robo-cunnies even gives the great me a moment of pause."

As Artyom's thoughts became more and more consumed by the robot twins, the Alpha and Omega saw an opportunity to have a little fun. With a wave of his hand, he gently nudged Artyom's subconscious towards a world he knew the mortal would find fascinating: the world of Atomic Heart.

"He never saw it coming," the Alpha and Omega thought to himself, his voice echoing through the emptiness. "It's almost too easy to manipulate these mortals."

But even as he reveled in his amusement, the Alpha and Omega couldn't help but feel a small pang of guilt. After all, he had sent Artyom to the world of Atomic Heart just to satisfy his own ennui.

"I suppose it's not entirely his fault," the Alpha and Omega muttered to himself. "I did set him up for failure with what I told him to think about."

With a sigh, the godlike being turned his attention back to the endless expanse of nothingness before him. He knew that mortals like Artyom were mere playthings to him, but sometimes, just sometimes, he couldn't help but feel a faint twinge of remorse for the power he held over them.

The Alpha and Omega shook his head in amusement. "That boy's distractions will be the death of him," he murmured to himself.

"Enjoy your time there Artyom this can be a sort of holiday for you, I expect great things when you are done with that place." He said to nobody as he cackled.