Hourglass

The Void.

In the vast expanse of nothingness, a tear in the fabric of the universe, exists a forbidden place where no planets reside, no light pierces through the darkness, and no sound breaks the eerie silence. It is a desolate place, devoid of life and the very essence of existence. Legends whisper of the dangers lurking within its depths, tales of void creatures, monstrous beings born from the primal forces of the universe itself, feeding on the emotions of any soul unfortunate enough to venture into their domain.

And yet, against all reason, an Hourglass, seemingly ordinary in every way, defied the laws of the universe, suspended in the heart of the Void. It was no ordinary timekeeping device; its sands flowed and shifted, defying the timeless nature of the Void itself. The Hourglass possessed an otherworldly aura, as if it held a secret power waiting to be unlocked.

It stood as a contradiction, an enigma within the very essence of nothingness. Its presence within the forbidden Void raised countless questions. How did it come to be here, defying the natural order of the universe? What purpose did it serve?

Its exterior bore no remarkable traits, crafted from simple materials, and yet its unassuming appearance only deepened the intrigue. It appeared fragile, delicate even, as though the slightest touch could shatter its delicate balance. And yet, it endured, a lone sentinel in the vast emptiness.

That was the mystery that consumed the thoughts of the two mightiest beings in the universe as they floated in close proximity to the suspended hourglass, its existence defying the void.

There was no particular reason for their intrigue. To these extraordinary beings, the monotony of their existence rendered even the slightest semblance of novelty worthy of attention, let alone an ethereal hourglass adrift in the midst of nothingness.

Among them stood a figure with a humanoid form, distinguished by the presence of two pairs of majestic wings gracing their back. Their countenance remained devoid of emotion, concealed beneath a flowing white robe adorned with intricate blue stripes. The figure, surrounded by a golden radiance that matched the hue of their eyes, watched the hourglass intently, yearning to unravel its secrets. This ethereal being was an Angel, and their distinctive golden eyes attested to their royal lineage.

The Angel's gaze shifted towards an opposing entity—a vertical slit of profound darkness enveloped by a silver-tinged expanse. At first glance, one might mistake it for the vast expanse of the sky, but the Angel knew better. It was an Eye.

In the next moment, the colossal Eye blinked—an action that plunged the void back into its primordial state of darkness, as the silver-hued surroundings ceased to imbue the void with radiance. The only remaining source of illumination was the resplendent golden aura enshrouding the Angel as they observed the entity beside them.

Before the Angel loomed a gargantuan form, surpassing the size of planets. A serpentine body adorned with wings, clad in scales as dark as the void itself, yet reflecting the golden light emanating from the Angel. The colossal creature withstood the oppressive forces of the void, rendering its form cloaked in eternal darkness.

This colossal being before the Angel was no ordinary dragon—it was the eldest and most ancient dragon in the entire universe.

Despite the angel's fearless demeanor, unwavering in the face of the dragon's intimidating presence, it proceeded to address the ancient creature with a calm voice, devoid of emotion or any expectation for a response. The question it posed had been echoing through the void for an eternity:

"Hey Lizard, have you figured out any clues as to what this Hourglass is?"

Upon hearing the angel's inquiry, the dragon's eye opened, its annoyance palpable as it fixed a piercing gaze upon the angel. However, it refrained from launching an attack, aware that neither of them possessed the power to vanquish the other.

This only served to intensify the dragon's irritation, its glare growing more intense as if it yearned to rend the angel asunder the moment a lapse in vigilance presented itself.

In response, the angel appeared unperturbed by the dragon's menacing stare, although the luminosity of the golden aura surrounding the angel betrayed a different story.

"Lucifer."

An ancient voice resonated with wisdom and a hint of madness, its echoes weaving through the vast expanse of the void, as the dragon began to speak.

"Call me Lizard one more time, and I promise you, in the name of our race, you will live to regret it."

"Very well then, oh mighty dragon of destruction, lord of the stars, Drako," Lucifer retorted, finishing his response with a subtle bow. A feigned disinterest flickered across Lucifer's countenance as he averted his gaze from Drako, once again turning his attention toward the enigmatic hourglass. Deep within, Lucifer harbored a belief that if Drako had any inkling about the hourglass's nature, he would divulge it.

This conviction stemmed from the shared understanding that their time in this realm was waning. The void, with its corrosive nature, gradually consumed their very beings. Over two hundred years had passed since their arrival, a span of time that bore witness to their gradual deterioration.

Drako's voice reverberated with disdain, tinged with a hint of admiration for Lucifer's unwavering consistency. "Your ability to measure time in this desolate realm is nearly as remarkable as your capacity to vex me. For the past two hundred years, you have posed the same question with increasing annoyance, year after year, at precisely the same moment. Had I known that I would be forced to endure such an eternity in this desolate expanse with you, I would have attacked long ago."

Despite Drako's tirade, Lucifer paid scant attention to the dragon's words, his focus firmly fixated upon the enigmatic hourglass. Seemingly ignored, a maelstrom of rage surged within Drako, causing the very fabric of the void to tremble as an immense surge of mana radiated outward, compelling Lucifer to once again meet the dragon's gaze.

As the angel shifted his focus to the dragon, he failed to realize that once the dragon's mana washed over the hourglass, it began trembling as if on the verge of shattering.

[Dragon Might]

One of the many innate abilities of the dragon race, commonly known as Dragon Fear, possessed the power to compel beings with weaker wills to submit in fear. It was a crucial skill that allowed dragons to establish dominion over their territories without engaging in direct combat.

Of course, such a skill held little sway over the angel, but at their level of power, merely exerting pressure on one's opponent already conferred a significant advantage, especially considering that the use of this ability required no effort from the dragon.

It seems neither of us can endure this place any longer, just like me.

Remaining in the void for over two hundred years was a remarkable feat in itself. If forced to spend such an extended period in this desolate realm alone, the angel was certain he would succumb to insanity from the mounting pressure, falling victim to the void's consuming grasp before the thousand-year mark.

The dangers of the void extended beyond the physical corrosion that afflicted their bodies. Apart from the mindless Voidlings that inhabited this realm, the void also played havoc with one's emotions the longer one remained. This was evident in the dragon before him.

That was why Lucifer and Drako, once enemies, had agreed to share the burden that the void imposed upon them, each carrying an equal share.

Yet, even with this agreement, both beings were nearing their limits. Drako, in particular, had found it increasingly challenging to rein in his emotions over the past two centuries, resorting to instinctively employing Dragon Might as a defensive measure against the ravages of the void.

It was not entirely the dragon's fault. Dragons inherently struggled more with suppressing their emotions compared to angels, especially one of royal lineage.

Lucifer was confident that even if he were to endure another hundred years in the void, he could maintain his sanity. However, if he were to face that prospect alone, he knew there would be no chance of success.

[Aura Domain]

Unfortunately, to maintain the delicate balance between their energies, he was compelled to elevate his own abilities. The golden light enveloping him underwent yet another transformation.

Previously, the golden light had acted as a defensive shield, but now it expanded actively in a circular pattern, pushing back against the void in tandem with the dragon's exerted Dragon Might. The opposing forces met at the halfway point between the angel and the dragon, coinciding precisely with the position of the previously overlooked hourglass.

"The larger the body, the more pressure the void exerts upon it. You know this well, yet you persist in maintaining your dragon form for the past two millennia. I am curious to see how much longer you can endure!" Lucifer taunted, expressing a sentiment of anticipation mixed with prayer that the dragon would cast aside its stubborn pride and assume a smaller form. Otherwise, they would be compelled to abandon this place before they could decipher the purpose of the enigmatic hourglass.

Drako's eyes seethed with madness as it stared back at Lucifer, yet it refrained from challenging the angel's words. Instead, a radiant light emanated from its body.

[Polymorph]

While not exclusive to the dragon race like Dragon Might, Polymorph was another innate ability bestowed upon dragons, granting them the power to assume the form of any being they had knowledge of, with the sole limitation being an inability to change their gender.

Observing the brilliant light gradually fade from the dragon's body, Lucifer, for the first time in millennia, displayed a look of disbelief upon his countenance.

Given the dragon's violent nature and the restrictions imposed by Polymorph, he had fully expected to witness the transformation into a grumpy old man. Yet, what emerged from the receding radiance was a beautiful girl with a slender, curvaceous body, long black hair, and silver eyes—the only aspect unaltered by the transformation.

How could such a fierce creature become such an enchanting demoness?

Unfortunately, Lucifer's thoughts were short-lived, as he caught sight of the hourglass, which had been neglected until now, cracking under the strain of his Aura Domain and Drako's Dragon Might.