Prologue - Death of Night

Sprung from death, it came.

The night exploded like an eternal cataclysm stretching over billions of superclusters, dimming skies, gods, and stars alike. Night fell over the Exalted Wheel, plunging all into the darkness.

Fear raddled like a burning ember of stars over the lost souls of many. But from the shadows. From the ethereal darkness came the voice proclaiming his Reign.

The darkness, seemingly reluctant, bowed before its Monarch. And yet mercy was not shown, or perhaps it couldn't be shown.

The blade was drawn, and before his unfeeling eyes, bathed in red, the dark essence coveting man and beast, spirit and demons, perished, fading into utter oblivion.

"And so the Dao Cycle ends, and my reign begins..."

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Noctem, Nocturne.

Seated under the moon bathing in its light sat a slender figure of a goddess. Her eyes painted a glowing scarlet that bled a spiraling vortex of flames within its depths; There was a faint smile over her lips oozing a deafening silence of sadness.

"How long must we wait, my king?" Freya gently said, pulling her slender knees into her chest over the settee. "How long must I…we wait?"

"It's chaos down there. Balor… he's missing. Probably dead," She whispered, tightening her finger over her knees. "His right arm was found ten years after your Reign over the Eternal Night. We've no idea what was in that box of yours. But we think he's dead. Gods, let it be he's dead." Her lips buckled. " Ezra… was taken that same year we landed. Bye who? I don't know, but her fate is unknown. But it's not all bad news. The Twelve Realms have begun trading amongst the stars. Mimir is now an ambassador and successfully took over the Bed of Chaos."

Tears fluttered from her eyes as she gripped her chest, "but Master…we need you. We need you."

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Iluthath, The Serpent Edge.

"How is it that you are one of the greatest wizards in astral force, and you cannot find one man!" Said Yornen, pressing the edge of Yenn, a marvelous straight-edge saber against an elderly man dressed from head to toe in the wardrobe one would find a wizard. Sir Ion had fit the part of a wizard to the T. Something he'd often be made fun of by his fellow equals.

But now, a lump had formed in the back of Ion's throat as he stumbled to find the words to meet the fearsome Ilthad before him. " H-H-He's gone, Sir! Gone! It's like he's everywhere, yet nowhere! It's the same for the names you gave me, Sir!"

"So you've found no one. Not Arsene Snow, nor his close friends or family." Yornen eyes burning a fearsome blaze of scarlet narrowed. "Then what good are you?"

Ion buckled beneath Yornen's ferocity, almost falling to his knees as he gulped. " Sir… He's the Monarch of Darkness. Clairvoyance will not work, no matter how strong I may be. Unless we have his blood, hair, or family, it's impossible. Arsene Snow… cannot be located."

Yenn lowered itself, yet the thirst over its silvery edge only seemed to hiss for blood. Yornen frowned, sheathing his blade within his scabbard, and pressed his lips together. "Balor, that old fool. Where the hell is he? Have you truly perished?" He paused and fixed his eye on the full moon. " What about the chosen of the old order of the Court of Nox?"

"We've located them, Sir." Said Ion softly. " All but Yu Jing is in the Plane of Oblivian. I've already sent a hit squad to kill them: three Ilthad and five mid-gods from the order."

"The girl, the one called Yu Jing. Where is she?"

Ion froze, lowering his head. "On Iluthath, but… but she's in the Heart of Genisis. Trying to kill her is impossible."

Yornen hissed, "By the Nines. We have one of the most sophisticated organizations, and yet we can't seem to accomplish anything. How is the progress in this world? Have we managed to infiltrate every major town and city?"

"Gods no," Ion blurted out, catching his mistake a little too late. "The continent we are on, River Grave, is so wide it takes multiple cycles to transverse. We've already found multiple dragons, Eternal Dragons, Sir. He pushed, then added. " Seven teams have already been wiped out. Lichs and vicious other evils walk about this land, Sir. Probably even Chaos Lords, perhaps. We are in unknown territory. As of now, we've only managed to—"

Pulled from its scabbard, Yenn hissed like a mighty dragon glinting beneath the moonlight and whisked through the winds in a graceful arc. Blood stained the bare earth and grass as Ion gripped his neck, staggering back as a thin line appeared along the jugular.

"Let's hope your brethren is better suited to your role. Don't make me replace you. Gods! How I miss my fellow Ilthad. Humans are…" He scuffed, spitting over Ion, who fell to his knees as his head slipped from its body. "Once you put yourself together, bring me results, Ion." He added, stepping over the still corpse as the closed eyes of the headless carcass snapped open.

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Iluthath, Eben Forest

Scrambling to her feet, covered in deep lacerations that showed the whites of bone, Ezra grimaced, pulling her weary body up. She leaned upon a large boulder peering back as blood trickled from her lips.

"I-I can't stop," she whispered. "I can't. I can't.

Rushing due east, through marshes covered in monsters of all kinds, the wounds over Ezra's slender body stretched. Widening each time she exerted Qi or energy of any kind, her breath grew rasp as she tried with her all to flee.

Clawing desperately at the wet grass the second her strength left her, the sound of whistling caught her ear, turning her body stiff, paralyzed by fear.

"No," She whispered so softly it sounded like a prayer; Ezra's fingers pressed into the mud, reaching for some freedom, and yet, the more she clawed away, the louder the whistling grew, soft and light like a melody.

A blade came from the skies and wedged itself through Ezra's spine, bathing her back red as her scream bellowed. The blade twisted as a venomous voice sounded.

"Devil spawn. Isn't this what you like? Isn't this what your kind gets off on? Loathsome filth." The stranger, fueled by rage, spat a thick, milky black substance onto Ezra's head, "Just you wait. Just wait till the rite of my grandson."

Ezra's muscles tensed and grew relaxed before laughter broke past the agonizing pain rattling through her spine like bolts of ephemeral lightning. She spat," I'm going to kill you! I swear to the greater Nine! You and that little filth you call a son!"

"Whore," Bellowed the Stranger, lifting his leg to stomp down, but at that moment, Ezra's entire body exploded in an onslaught of demonic qi, taking the stranger by surprise, knocking him onto his ass as she sprang to her feet with a gaping hole in her spine.

"You bitch! You think I won't kill you! I'll bleed you of your lifeblood and cast you into the barn for the pigs to ride you!" He barked, rising to his feet with a gruesome expression. "If you do not beg for my mercy. Beg for your life. I'll make your life a living hell."

Finger clenching, the tang of blood spilling into Ezra's ruby lips spilled over her chin. She parted her feet and stared with burning rage at the stranger, carrying a nasty scowl.

"You who carry the Blood of Asmodeus—"

"DIE!!!" Ezra howled as the Concept of Destruction spilled into creation, tearing down the towering trees as her aura ran rampant. Ezra burned the blood running through her body and the souls she carried within her soul space. "You'll all pay. The entire clan of yours will pay! Upon the Monarch of Darkness, you all will pay! That I swear!"