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THIRD POV
Somewhere in the Nihil Space, adrift in the endless Abyss beyond even the depths of the Underworld floated a meeting chamber of unknowable origin.
Six jet-black thrones encircled its heart, each throne bearing a distinct signature, a symbol of its master. The first to arrive descended with wings spread wide.
"The first to arrive descended with his wings spread wide.
"Jeez…"
He sighed, landing lightly.
"I step out to devour a few worlds and I'm still the first one here."
He looked like a teenager, sixteen years old to be precise, dressed in a black suit, the fabric as dark as his short raven hair. He looked every bit the gentleman, as if ready for a prom, yet this was no ordinary teenager.
Sharp, elven ears slipped through the strands, and his violet eyes matched the eerie ones blinking along the span of his feathered wings.
Beside him stood a crimson-haired teenager, a year older, his eyes just as vivid. He wore a flowing, blood-red kimono, his form wrapped in a restless violet aura.
"It won't hurt to wait, Violet Vortex."
The red-haired boy said from behind.
Violet Vortex merely shrugged, unresponsive, dismissing his wings aside as he took his seat. Instantly, dozens of blinking violet eyes flared open across the throne's surface, darting and blinking.
"There you go again, bringing a Nebula to our meetings."
Said a man with long crimson hair, his presence unnoticed just moments before.
He wore pristine white robes while his crimson eyes mirrored the shade of his hair. Above his throne hovered a mirror, within which a red moon pulsing softly, his unmistakable signature.
"Attendants aren't allowed, yes. But he's my right-hand kin. Wherever I go, he follows. Got a problem with that, Phoenix?"
Violet Vortex's voice was calm at first, then sharpened like a blade by the last word.
Before the Crimson Lord, Phoenix could respond, the space warped, and a soft crimson light flickered, heralding the arrival of a young woman in pristine white. She appeared on her throne, magic circles spinning rapidly above and below her.
"You shouldn't bring him, Tyrant Dragon."
She said, her voice firm.
"We all have trusted subordinates, but we still follow the code."
"Code my ass, Magisa."
He shot back, unflinching.
Though Magisa and Violet Vortex appeared to be of the same age, they possess distinct authorities and powers.
""Unless the Emperor sends him back, Aka Ryu ain't…"
The Tyrant Dragon froze the instant the echo of armoured footsteps rippled through the space. The atmosphere shifted, tense and electric, and all eyes turned.
From the darkness emerged a figure clad in obsidian-black knight's armour, each step reverberating like a death knell. A suffocating aura, darker than the armour itself, bled from their form seething with silent menace. This was no ordinary aura. It was death. Death is on a completely different level than Atlas's beginner's level death.
The effect was immediate. Aka Ryu drew in a ragged breath, choking as the aura of death pressed in, threatening to snuff him out. The protective aura Violet Vortex had lent him in this space strained, struggling ever harder to keep death at bay.
Aka Ryu, third in power only to Magos, faced the brink of existential demise.
"It's futile."
Phoenix said, his smirk never leaving his face.
"The Death Knight's death is affecting him directly. You can't help him."
He, his body protected by his aura. Magisa's spinning circles flared, holding off the pressure. In reality, they weren't truly protecting themselves; they were merely suppressing the small effects it had on them, while the Death Knight didn't even bother to focus their presence on anyone.
Even as an ally, the Death Knight's mere presence threatened them all.
The Death Knight did say a word. They simply walked over to take their seat, the throne not reacting as it's supposed to be. It's dead.
"Good, we're all set. Let's begin."
A new voice demanded.
A figure dressed in deep, abyssal black, his robes flowing like liquid shadow was standing before them. His hair, long and pitch-black, fell in smooth, unbroken strands untouched by any breeze, framing a face unnaturally pale.
His eyes remained closed, yet a cold awareness radiated from him, as if sight was a burden he no longer needed. Behind him hovered a set of silent orbs, eerily similar to those wielded by Magos each pulsing slowly with quiet menace, orbiting his form like silent sentinels awaiting command.
He glanced at Aka Ryu.
"Take your leave."
With a single motion, the Nebula vanished, narrowly escaping death.
Phoenix's voice cut the silence.
"We don't gather often. Don't tell me—"
He trailed off on purpose, letting the tension build.
"First the Wyrm Lord, now Magos. The two perished at the hands of Antares."
The man in black finished off. He didn't take a seat. He stood straight, his hand clasped behind him.
"If I'd known he'd come to the Spirit Dragon World, I'd have sent him a real present."
The Dragon God of Destruction replied with a grin.
"The strongest Nebula defeated. This is serious. "
Magisa whispered.
"Too serious."
Phoenix added, his tone sharp, cutting through the tension.
Magos wasn't merely a Nebula. He was the Alter for the Dark Stars—an intermediate god between us and the lesser Dark Stars.
Unless Alter or an Omni made a move, no one in the Star Realm should be capable of facing Magos's full might. And yet… he fell. What the hell happened in the Cardinal World?
The thought unsettled the O-Class Dark Star. He completely dwarfed the likes of Magos, yet the Nebula had never been a minor threat.
"Can you imagine it? He bested a Wyrm Lord with a vessel. What a joke, right?"
Violet Vortex chuckled, the sound light but edged with disbelief.
"Magos, too, lost to that vessel."
The Emperor replied, his voice calm but carrying weight.
Violet Vortex's expression shifted instantly. Phoenix recoiled slightly, Magisa's eyes widened, and even the Death Knight, who had remained as still as a statue, gave the slightest, almost imperceptible movement.
'The gap between a vessel and a True Body is insurmountable. Who could've dealt with Magos with a mere vessel? An Omni on the leash?'
Phoenix sat in silence, pondering what vessel can defeat Magos.
"You're kidding? Just like Alter, Magos has been on top for aeons, being the bridge between us and the lesser Dark Stars. How can a 2000-year-old Star defeat him with a vessel?"
Violet Vortex replied.
'Oh, him. The Scorpios kid who wreaked havoc in Kalidor.'
His eyes narrowed, now all eyes on the anomaly.
"He's one of those Scorpios bastards. So naturally, he'll be strong."
The Crimson Lord pointed out, a bottle was serving him an alien thick red liquid.
(It may be blood, who knows?)
"True."
Violet nodded.
"The Scorpios Constellation is one of the most feared among the O-Class. I'm not O-Class, but as the Last King of Scorpios, this is expected."
"But he's too young. Even with that lineage."
Magisa muttered.
She's right. A 2000-year-old Star should still be breastfeeding, yet Antares came out different.
"The youngest recorded achievement was a newborn Star mastering Mega Arts the moment it opened its eyes."
He said, his tone thoughtful, almost academic.
"That was Zhou of the Serpens Constellation—better known as Ton."
A brief pause followed, his expression tightening slightly.
"Then again, Zhou is F-Class, so perhaps it's permissible. I thought the newer generations were meant to be getting weaker."
His violet eyes flicked upward, edged with scepticism.
"Did the Supreme Star lie?"
"No."
Phoenix replied, his voice calm and certain.
"Lying isn't in Acamar's nature. The Scorpio brat is a Twin Star as well—a rare and catastrophic combination."
He lifted his drink and took a slow, deliberate sip.
"So what, we bait him? I can't see the kid leaving the Cardinal World anything soon."
The Dragon was impatient.
"Violet Vortex is right. If we don't act fast, this will spiral beyond control."
They were all silent at Phoenix's words.
"What do you suggest, Void Emperor?"
Phoenix asked.
"Allow me to send two A Tier Void Dragons to the Cardinal World. They won't only get the job done but wipe out the Cardinal World. Feldway would've been pleased."
Violet Vortex offered with an evil grin. Eager to unleash destruction.
"No."
Phoenix said quietly.
"We're not interested in the Cardinal World. Sending Void Dragons might be perfect, though."
"If we don't want the Holy Spirits and the Supreme Star God up our asses, I'd suggest we shouldn't disturb the Cardinal World."
Phoenix pointed out. Attacking the Cardinal World head-on won't be a good idea. At the very least, an Omni might step up, and it'll be catastrophic on both sides.
"The assassination won't take place in the Cardinal World, of course. We'll have them deliver him to a separate world."
Violet Vortex replied and so the chatter kept going on.
The Void Emperor, who had been silently listening as the others traded their suggestions, finally spoke.
"According to Magos, He has awakened. But Antares himself personally hasn't."
Every gaze turned to him. Even the Death Knight, who had stood motionless until now, shifted, their attention settling on the Void Emperor.
"Talk about bad news."
"Really bad news."
"To bring down a Nebula without even awakening… this child's a monster."
The Tyrant Dragon admitted, his tone grim.
"Now that He has awakened, I'm afraid we don't have anything that can take him down."
Magisa said, her voice tightening despite herself.
"Void Emperor, now that He's awake, do you think He might side with us?"
Phoenix asked, measured but wary.
"Don't worry about Him."
The Void Emperor replied, calm and detached.
"We only need to shut Antares down and retrieve his body."
A chessboard appeared at the centre of the table, pieces already set, as if the game had begun long before any of them arrived.
The white side held a king, a queen, and three pawns. The black side had lost a knight, a bishop, and five pawns.
Behind the fallen black pieces stood an odd figure on the board—an unfamiliar piece with three heads: two kings and a queen fused into one. Every eye fixed on it.
"Hmm. So it's come to this. Victory's already secured."
Phoenix said, leaping to his conclusion, a vicious grin spreading across his face.
"The Dragon with three heads—"
The Emperor began, then fell silent, allowing the others to complete the phrase. It was the opening of a ritual, the kind that summoned something from which no being could escape their grasp.
"One to a Murderer, who'll unleash death,"
The Death Knight spoke at last, breaking its long silence. Its voice was low and heavy with malice, the reek of death seeping from the seams of its armour.
"One to be a Monarch, whose crown weighs heavily,"
Violet Vortex continued, his tone measured, almost ceremonial.
"And one to be Mad, whose ideas will change history,"
Magisa finished, her voice quiet but resolute, sealing the final words of the rite.
(Yeah, I copied it, but it'll match with the Phantoms' personality. Trust me:)
"This will be the continuation of the war that's been pending over generations."
"If I may, Lord Kenos,"
Phoenix said, clearing his throat quickly.
"I mean… Void Emperor."
He corrected himself, smoothing his tone.
"I have a special request for the party."
"Contact the Dragon Vessel. He'll be in charge of the Phantoms."
The Emperor replied.
"The Dragon Vessel? The Nebula?"
Magisa asked, clearly taken aback.
"He's just filling in. Don't mind him."
Violet Vortex replied, his tone casual, almost dismissive.
"How will the Omnis know we've started a war?"
Magisa asked yet again. As the youngest, she's ignorant of how things are.
"My dear, the Star War began with our rebellion during the O-Class,"
Phoenix said, his voice smooth, almost indulgent.
"This time, we have two objectives: retrieve Antares… and you already know your primary goal."
"Phoenix is right. I bet they're awake all day waiting for us."
"As for the war, I've already determined the most suitable match-ups. I personally think it'll be better to
keep to our previous pairings."
The Emperor offered his suggestion. It wasn't an easy way out, but the Omnis held personal grudges and would naturally seek out the Dark Star with whom they shared a history.
"That said, I'll be taking on the Deity of the Sun, Belenos."
The Void Emperor made his choice without hesitation, selecting his opposite. Wherever there was light, there had to be a shadow. Kenos is the shadow to Belenos's divine light.
"That's a relief,"
Phoenix sighed, shoulders loosening slightly.
"I'd rather not be paired with that crimson-eyed femboy of a god. Leave the Goddess of Life, Elara, to me."
He added, tone wry but resolute.
Everyone began choosing their long-term rival, and if none, they could choose any available opponent.
"I'll tag along with the Crimson Lord. I've got unfinished business in Elyvra..."
"We'll meet again, Alnath!"
Violet Vortex chose his target, cutting off Magisa mid-sentence. His gaze was fixed, unyielding, and a violent aura seeped from his body, warping the air around him.
"We have two more: the Soaring Star, Arumsis, and the God of Judgement, Adhara,"
The Emperor noted, his tone even.
"Leave them to me,"
The Death Knight said calmly, claiming the remaining Omnis. Taking on two Omnis was no small feat, yet his words carried no hint of bluff.
"Heh? I thought they were six Supernovas?"
Magisa started counting her fingers, and the Emperor replied.
"We'll leave The First for The Second."
"As usual."
Phoenix added, his smile never fading.
"We attack simultaneously, leaving no Dark Star or Void Dragon unoccupied. Everyone must participate."
With the last speech, he vanished, leaving the space. But it seems like Death Knight has already left before him.
"I have more than enough Void Dragons to destroy Morke Helvade. Feel free to ask for extra help."
Violet Vortex spread his wings flying into the portal he summoned.
"Sturbon brat."
After watching him leave, his gaze turned towards the last Dark Nebula.
"Lady Magisa, will you mind accompanying me to the World of Darkness?"
Phoenix proposed, giving her a hand.
"Sure. I have nothing to do. Besides, we have the same target after this, so let's hang out."
She accepted, and the two departed for the Underworld.
The never-ending war was poised on the brink, ready to reach its climactic peak.
The real STARVERSE arc is about to begin.
To be continued...