(Note: Accidentally published this chapter when on progress earlier. Here's the fixed version)
Imitation Radinthon
Omega Glitch and King Araxys continued their tranquil stroll through the dense Radinthon forest. The verdant surroundings seemed surreal, with bioluminescent flora casting an otherworldly glow, while peculiar creatures, unseen anywhere else, skittered through the underbrush.
As they walked, Glitch couldn't help but express his amazement. "This place is incredible," he marveled. "It's like the ground itself is pulsing with Radianite. I've never seen anything like it."
The king, who walked alongside him, nodded in agreement. "Correct," he replied. "Radinthon is the only true source of Radianite. In fact, the very planet itself was comprised mostly of this miraculous substance."
Glitch pondered the king's words and then inquired, "Was?"
King Araxys then extended his hand, his power resonating with the Radianite-infused world. With a graceful gesture, he tapped into his otherworldly powers, and in an instant, they found themselves atop a towering structure within the heart of his advanced kingdom.
From their newfound perspective, they were treated to an awe-inspiring view of the kingdom. The morning sun bathed the metallic structures in a warm glow, painting the skyline with hues of gold and orange. Streets teemed with life as people bustled about. Futuristic technology and innovation thrived in this thriving metropolis.
Glitch, mesmerized by the breathtaking panorama before him, couldn't help but comment, "It's really beautiful. But it's also so similar to Earth, in a way."
The king, his gaze scanning the bustling streets and high-tech marvels that surrounded them, replied with a touch of nostalgia, "This is how Radinthon appeared hundreds of years ago, a testament to the magnificent civilization that once flourished here. But now, the rest of Radinthon is but a barren and lifeless shell, a haunting memory of a world now lost to the ravages of time."
"What happened here?" Glitch inquired, his curiosity piqued. King Araxys, his countenance heavy with sorrow, closed his eyes as he recalled the haunting history of Radinthon. The vibrant cityscape before them began to fade, dissipating into a bleak void of darkness.
The king approached Glitch, his regal presence inspiring trust. "Allow me to show you," he murmured, his hand extended gracefully toward Glitch's forehead. Initially cautious, Glitch took a tentative step forward, allowing the king's palm to rest gently upon his brow.
In an instant, a torrent of images surged into his consciousness, leaving him momentarily breathless. The king's voice resounded within his thoughts, assuring him, "I shall provide the answers you seek."
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The Headquarters, Alpha Earth
Glitch, Iselin, and Killjoy convened Killjoy's laboratory. The room was filled with an array of advanced technology, casting a futuristic glow on their faces as they embarked on a discussion.
Glitch turned to Killjoy, who had a reputation for her technological prowess. "Well, I'm considering creating a prosthetic arm for Iselin. Something that'll give her back her independence. Could you help me out with that?"
Killjoy's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "I've always admired your tech, Glitch. I'd like to see how you work."
Glitch smiled gratefully. "Hey, I may have designed my own suit, but it wasn't me who assembled it. I was a biologist, not a tech expert."
Killjoy's curiosity piqued, and she couldn't resist asking, "So, who lent you a hand with it?"
Glitch and Iselin exchanged knowing smiles, recalling the history between them.
"Wait... was it you?" Killjoy inquired, her work momentarily halted as she sized up Iselin's remaining arm.
Iselin nodded, confirming Killjoy's suspicion. "Yes, I used to work for Kingdom too. Doctor Graves was my mentor."
A smile of recognition formed on Killjoy's face. "Ah, Doctor Graves, a brilliant mind. A bit gloomy, but he's a nice guy. I've always admired his work."
As Killjoy and Iselin continued their conversation, Glitch's smile began to wane. An unusual and painful sensation overwhelmed him, as if something were piercing through his forehead. His breath grew erratic, and his vision blurred as a torrent of images flooded his consciousness.
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"I am King Araxys, sovereign of Radinthon. I shall unfurl the enigmatic tapestry of my world's fate and the destiny that binds you, my interdimensional visitors."
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Unable to conceal his distress, Glitch clutched his head and gasped, "I...I need...a moment..."
Iselin and Killjoy immediately rushed to his side, concern etched on their faces, unaware of the extraordinary event that was unfolding within Glitch's mind.
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"Radianite, a source of unimaginable power, served as both a boon and a curse to my people on Radinthon. It propelled us into an era of unparalleled technological prowess.
Over a thousand years ago, my grandfather, King Azumar, recognized the potential of Radianite and ordered the creation of twelve powerful artifacts. These artifacts were meant to harness the full extent of Radianite's capabilities.
Abraxas, one of my three children, was consumed by unbridled ambition. Three hundred years ago, in his relentless pursuit of these artifacts, he brought devastation upon our kingdom, and even our own people.
Another of my children, Aethralis, saw the danger Abraxas posed to our world. To safeguard the artifacts, she made a fateful decision. She sent them to a distant planet called Earth.
Abraxas harbored a vision of a utopian world, forged through the boundless power of Radianite. After twenty years, he traced the artifacts to Earth, and was astonished to find how similar the planet was to his own. He then sought to make it the foundation of his dream.
By the time Abraxas arrived on Earth, humans had already discovered and protected the artifacts. United against him and his army of Radivores, they became formidable adversaries.
The Earth's first Radiants, the Twelve Pillars of Radiance, wielded the artifacts' might to divide Earth into myriad alternate dimensions, concealing the artifacts from Abraxas. To further confound him, they destroyed some of the artifacts in each reality, ensuring that no single world possessed all twelve.
But Abraxas's persistence endured. His vision remained unchanged, yet his methods evolved to one that was much viler. He sought to merge all worlds into one new reality, bringing the best parts of various Earths together, rule them under his dominion, and erase the unnecessary elements as if they never existed.
He believed such a method would create a perfect system where all could bask in happiness under his might. This process would spell death for trillions.
Ten years ago, to bring this apocalyptic vision to fruition, Abraxas razed the planet of Radinthon itself, scattering its Radianite across space and into various Earths across dimensions. Your Earths bore witness to this cataclysmic event as Abraxas tore open portals to countless Earths, and you named it The First Light.
The artifacts of Radinthon are still scattered across dimensions, and he seeks them relentlessly. I fear that my wayward son may have already gathered some.
The sole reason I know how these events unfolded is due to my possession of the Crown of Knowledge. Combined with the powers of my daughter's Eye of Time, I have foreseen them all before my death.
I have foreseen the destruction of Radinthon long before it came, but I have also foreseen a chance of survival for other worlds.
And I have foreseen the one who will save realities.
Listen carefully, for what I'm about to reveal concerns not only my world but yours as well.
Abraxas has hidden among the humans somewhere in your worlds. His quest for power remains relentless, and if he succeeds in merging your worlds, it will bring about untold destruction.
I must extend my heartfelt apologies for the grave peril that my son, myself, and our planet have brought upon Earth.
But Radinthon's fate should serve as a stark reminder.
Go now, and may your worlds find salvation through your actions."
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"Glitch?"
"Glitch, wake up."
Sage stood over Glitch as he stirred awake in the medical bay. Her hands rested gently on his forehead as she examined his condition. As he opened his eyes, he found Sage's face just inches away from his own.
"Welcome back," she said softly, her concern evident in her eyes. "What happened?"
Glitch, still disoriented by his surroundings, blinked a few times before his memory of the recent events flooded back. He sat up abruptly, causing Sage to withdraw her hands. After taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he realized that sharing what he had learned without concrete evidence might not be the wisest course of action at this point. He decided to keep it to himself for now.
"I'm not sure. I just blacked out," he replied cautiously, keeping his newfound knowledge close to his chest. Without further explanation, he got up from the medical bay bed, determined to explore further and verify the truth of what he had learned.
The memory of King Araxys' voice reverberated in Glitch's mind. "I have foreseen the destruction of Radinthon long before it came, but I have also foreseen a chance of survival for other worlds... And I have foreseen the one who will save realities."
Glitch inhaled deeply, contemplating the weight of those words. "The one who will save realities," he mused silently. "I have to find this person."
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Iselin and Killjoy huddled around a workspace cluttered with blueprints, tools, and bits of metal. They engaged in a focused discussion, with Iselin providing detailed specifications for her prosthetic while Killjoy and her nimble bots tirelessly brought her design to life.
In the midst of their conversation, Killjoy couldn't help but voice her concern. "You know, I'm really worried about Glitch. He just passed out like that."
Iselin, seemingly indifferent, glanced up briefly. "He'll be fine. It's not my concern."
Killjoy, curious about the connection between Iselin and Glitch, decided to dig deeper. "So, how do you know Glitch anyway?"
Iselin paused for a moment, her expression turning contemplative. Eventually, she decided to share the truth. "We used to be lovers," she admitted, her gaze fixed on the floor.
Killjoy was taken aback by this revelation. "Glitch? Really?" she blurted out, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, he never struck me as the romantic type. I always thought he was hopeless at love or something."
Iselin chuckled at Killjoy's reaction, seemingly unfazed by the skepticism. "Well, he was rather sweet."
Their conversation was momentarily interrupted when a faint noise emanated from Killjoy's cluttered desk, capturing her attention. She hurried over to investigate and noticed that it came from the device that belonged to Omega Glitch.
However, to her astonishment, it wasn't Omega Glitch who had sent a message, but Omega Fade.
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I'm not one to be messed with, and I'm getting quite fed up with the games being played.
Omega Glitch has disappeared. He was supposed to attend an event in Japan, where they were celebrating him with a statue for his recent heroic deeds. But he's gone off the radar, and nobody can get in touch with him.
Let me make myself abundantly clear: If I even suspect that the Valorant Protocol or anyone related to it is behind his disappearance, there will be serious consequences. Consider this your first and final warning. I'm ready to act to protect what's important to me.
Your earth possesses valuable secrets that could be useful to me. I won't hesitate to exploit them if necessary. Do not underestimate how far I'll go to protect what's mine.
If Omega Glitch returns unharmed and untouched, this threat goes away. But if he remains missing or suffers harm, you'll be dealing with me.
I hope you understand how serious this message is and the danger you're in.
Omega Fade
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Bali, Indonesia, Delta Earth
Delta Glitch, who had been meditating under a serene waterfall on an Earth of his own, opened his eyes slowly. The sound of water crashing down filled his ears as he contemplated the idea of other Glitches, other worlds.
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Moscow, Russia, Epsilon Earth
Epsilon Glitch was deeply engrossed in a critical cybersecurity operation. Multiple screens displayed lines of code as he worked tirelessly to protect his Earth's digital infrastructure. The tale from King Araxys interrupted his mission, and he contemplated how to utilize this newfound knowledge to enhance the security protocols he was developing.
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London, United Kingdom, Theta Earth
Theta Glitch had been in the midst of solving a perplexing case when he was transported back to Brimstone's office. His sharp mind raced as he considered how the information he had received could be utilized to unravel even greater mysteries. Each investigation was a mission to uncover hidden truths.
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Upsilon Earth
Upsilon Glitch was in the middle of a high-stakes diplomatic negotiation between nations-
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Iota Earth
Iota Glitch had just begun explo-
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Zeta Earth
Zeta Glitch-
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Eta Earth
Lambda Earth
Ghama Earth
Xi Earth
Kappa Earth
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To be continued