Space Lord

10.000 years ago

*Boom*

*Boom*

*Boom*

The blacksmith's hammer continued to hit on the metal, creating the gnashing of the metal in the process.

The blacksmith was dressed in a unique-looking robe with a big eye on it. He looked like a man in his prime, but with each new hit of his hammer, more life energy left his body and entered into the object he was creating.

However, the blacksmith didn't pay any attention to that and just continued to work without paying any attention to the sounds of distant battles outside.

An hour later, he could be already considered as the eldest sage in the world due to the degree he aged during this time.

Finishing his last twelve objects in his life, the old man sighed before inclining back to his seat.

The pain and agony passed through his body and he was shivering.

Raising his hand, the old man pointed at his creations.

"My time has come, the last ancient guardian will soon perish," muttered the old man, "But, I will leave my creations as the last protections for this world, and there would be a time when they will fulfill my mission which I failed," muttered the old man.

"It's time to finish with the last part," said the old man before pointing at his objects one by one, "Each of you will have a unique specialization that will be needed in the future,"

"You are the "Chaos needle," said the man, pointing at the small 3 cm long object.

"Time Lord" and "Space Lord," said man, pointing at the similar-looking staffs.

"Light Wings" and "Dark armor"

"Tiarem of nature" and "Cloak of Shadow"

"Blood Claws" and "Runic Hammer"

"Earring of reincarnation" and "Poisonous Pearl"

With each name, bestowed by him, he aged more while objects started glowing.

Finishing with them, the old man took off his ring with an eye signature on it.

A smile appeared on his lips as he looked at it.

"Finally, the artifact, belonging to the future leader of my race - the "Ring of Succession","

Just as he finished his speech, the ring started glowing while the old man inclined back on his seat, exhausted.

At the same time, the door of the forge opened and the figure, covered in blood and dirt entered the forge.

His hair, armor, and clothes that once were the noblest and the most beautiful ones now looked no different than tramp rags.

However, the man that appeared in the forge seemed not to care about it, and almost immediately started looking for a certain figure.

He paled when he saw how his master has changed, but the situation was urgent and there was no time for asking him.

"Fate lord, the city walls were breached and the enemy has almost captured the outer city," cried the man, "We can't hold any longer. Enemy forces will appear here at any moment, my Lord. You have to escape with our prodigies! Please, my Lord, we can't let you die here!"

The old man ignored his speech as if he didn't hear it. He didn't even open his eyes to look at him.

The rider respected his Lord and waited for his answer, but inevitable shock appeared on his face when he saw that his Lord continued to age with passing moment. It meant only one thing!

His Lord has used forbidden techniques, sacrificing all his vitality, and was now approaching his inevitable death.

He seemed to want to tell something when an old man interrupted him.

"Don't worry, Karlos, this is my fate. The Fate Lord is destined to perish in his city and I long ago knew how it would happen," said the old man, smiling at his loyal subordinate.

His subordinate seemed reluctant when he heard his decision, but he knew that it would be futile for him to persuade his stubborn Lord. So, he could only release a tired and defeated sigh.

"But my lord, what about our race? They will hunt us down without you," said the rider with clear worry on his face.

A smile on the old man's face widened.

"Don't underestimate our prodigies, Karlos, each of them will show you that themselves. Besides, your Lord will leave a treasure with his people," said the old man, looking at Karlos, "It will choose your future leader and patriarch of "Fate Shrine", and that leader will show you the way to the future,"

"Take this ring, it should belong to all the future leaders of our race," said the old man, sending the "Ring of Succession" to his subordinate, "By the way, you also should send these two objects for the elves and dwarves and do it quickly and secretly,"

Hearing his speech Karlos wanted to nod but stopped when he heard the last part.

"My Lord, why should we give one of the last creations you created to those traitors that left us in the needful hour?"

His Lord instantly became serious and his sharp glance landed at him.

"Enough, Karlos. Elves and dwarves were forced to act like that by angels and devils! You know better than anyone that they supported us from the shadow during this 3-year long siege," said the old man, "You also know how many of our people they saved from imminent death and returned to our city. Just that is enough to thank them and my gifts will make sure their people survive the coming Cataclysm."

"This is my last order, and the highest one, Karlos," said the old man, looking at him, "You should execute it regardless of cost, the future of the Continent is on stakes,"

Karlos nodded with a serious expression and quickly covered three objects his Lord gave to him in a curtain before moving his glance at his Lord.

At that time, the sounds of active battle reached their ears, and it became clear that enemy forces have reached the inner city,

"Leave, Karlos," said the old man, "You are running out of time,"

"But, my lord ..."

"Enough, my decision is final, I will stay here in the city and die to let my descendants and hope continue existing."

Hearing his words and noticing his Lord's sharp glance, Karlos compiled before turning and leaving the forge.

The old man accompanied him with his glance before moving his glance at the other nine artifacts left in the forge.

***

Ten hours later, the old man opened his eyes and looked at the group of warriors that appeared in the forge.

Those warriors belonged mainly to angels and devils. Their bodies were tall and strong. Angels had wings behind their backs while devils had horns on the head.

Now, all of them were covered in blood and dirt and a glance was enough for the old man to realize whose blood was on their armor and swords.

They seemed to continue looking at each other for several minutes before several figures appeared behind them in the forge.

They were the respective commanders of angel and devil forces that gathered here and organized a 3-year long siege of the Fate city.

"Merlin looks like rumors were true. You are truly not like you were several thousand years ago, said the devil, "Back then, you would have killed all of us in a blink of a second without even using your city's forces,"

"If only you agreed to bestow our Empires with primal artifacts you were working on," added angel, "We would have found a different solution and wouldn't attack you,"

"You can tell such jokes in the different places," said Merlin, "You really think that I didn't know that your emperors and nobles hated me and my race for our unique abilities and the world order we created,"

Both commanders didn't say anything to his words and instead concentrated their greedy glances at the nine objects behind the old man.

Right now, all their thoughts were only about those artifacts that started this war.

"Looks like you also feel their power," said Merlin before standing up and raising his hand.

Almost immediately all the warriors and commanders felt that they were stuck in their places and could only look at the old man.

Looking at them for several moments, the old man used his unique power, and moments later two similar-looking staffs started glowing.

"Space Lord and Time Lord, I order you to send yourself and your brothers to the different time periods and different locations," said Merlin, using unique power in his voice.

Hearing his words, the angel and devil commander tried to stop him.

"Fate Lord, stop, we still have thousands of your people as captives and we are ready to exchange them if you change your mind," cried the angel.

"I promise that I will kill all of them if you continue and then hunt down all your race members till you go extinct," added the devil.

However, Merlin ignored his words and continued, and moments later the "Space Lord" and "Time Lord" started glowing.

Unique energy appeared out of them and quickly covered the rest of the artifacts before stopping for a moment.

"This is our farewell, my last creations," said Merlin with a soft smile on his lips, "Go, execute your duty,"

A moment and all of them disappeared.

"Fate lord, what have you done?" asked the angel.

"You have sealed your and your race's fate," cried the devil.

Hearing their words, Merlin finally showed a reaction by smiling and laughing.

"Hehehe,"

"Looks like those idiots on your thrones forgot who I am that even their subordinates dare to talk like these to me," said the old man in the threatening tone.

At the same time, everyone in the forge felt an invisible force pressuring them.

"Your tricks are useless," cried the angel, "We all know that you have weakened, and don't have enough power to fight with us,"

"If you kill us, the Darkness Emperor will eradicate all the surviving members of your race," added the devil.

"Hmm," just said Merlin.

"Then, let's see what will happen in the future," said the old man before smiling and start gathering all his powers.

A moment and enormous pressure from his power manifestation appeared above the city.

"What are you doing?" cried the angel, paling in the process.

"Impossible," said the devil, "He should have weakened!"

Merlin ignored their exclamations and shocked expressions and just continued his doing.

After gathering all his powers, he released a sigh before repeating his first vow when he was just a youth that started learning the Fate power.

"I serve the Fate, I die for Fate," said Merlin before unleashing an invisible barrier and sending all his force below on his city and enemy armies close to it.

All of that happened in a period of seconds and only the strongest noticed what was happening, but it was too late to change the outcome.

*Boom*

*Boom*

*Boom*

The explosion lasted for half an hour, eradicating everything on its way.

When the dust settled, the eldest member of the Ancient Guard perished while the area on which once the city known as the "Gem of the world" disappeared, replaced by the deep cavity in which surrounding rivers immediately moved their water.

With the death of the strongest of the ancient guardians, the last shield, protecting the world shattered. Almost immediately, space and chaos energy started entering the world as the heralds of the incoming changes. No emperor and no wise man could ever imagine the consequences for their actions or their inactions.