"What's the commotion down there?" One of the guards turned around, his shadowy form misting, surrounding him in an eerie aura.
The others followed the noise, which appeared to be coming from the mouth of the abyss.
It had always been silent there. No discrepancy had ever risen before in the prisons. Everything was maintained properly in Moruzen.
"Let's take a look." An older ghostly figure set forth, spears in hand already emitting sparks. The others followed suit.
But they had to go no further.
An electrical storm overtook them. The old figure saw his companions get mixed in the maelstrom as their dark smoky forms disappeared into the raging madness. It knocked him off his feet, as the energy pierced his robes of existence. He let out an inhuman scream that was deafened by the menacing tempest of energy and destruction.
Moruzen had enjoyed monotony for too long. Something was on way to spice things up. And the Gods were in for a situation never seen before.
__________
It had been uncanny, how the silence had hovered in the atmosphere within the ship. Each was deep in thoughts, fathoming the unexpected, churning the near future in the mind and its near impossible number of manifestations. Whatever they were up to was not even in the range of what any of their races could manage or even think of.
There was no way of knowing how far they'd come, that is if distance even were a real thing in the classical sense here while travelling the multiverse.
The thought of seeing Valal face to face was unsettling to the IMG but they knew they had no other choice. It was their only way out. They had to converse with the Gods about this ordeal. See what they thought of it and follow their course of action.
They felt a jolt. It stirred them out of their thoughts and for the first time in what seemed hours they noticed that they were together and properly looked at each other.
"We are here," Elmitrios' voice boomed, "Come out methodically. You'll need to stay inside the orb. It's not safe for you to be outside."
Before they could even ask what he meant, they saw the rear of the vessel open up and a yellow bubble attached to it hemispherically. They moved into it. Elmitrios stood out in the open with all of them inside. "You don't want to feel the forces of higher dimensions upon you." What might have been a smirk on his face evaporated as soon as it had come, and he started moving towards Moruzen.
The world outside was a tapestry of colours and beautiful objects that were indescribable, yet one could appreciate the beauty in them. It was almost random but they knew there was a geometrical precision to it. A hidden factor. They were only witnessing a 3D cross section of what really was there. Hitharia had gained a higher dimensional construct when it had flung out of its parent 'verse. So it's appearance and existence had been transformed into something entirely different. So had been the case with the Gods.
"Is that Moruzen?" Jarka pointed at the shining humongous entity of a building that lay ahead.
"It is," Elmitrios affirmed.
"Would you be able to confer with them and make them understand what's really been going on? Because the situation is nowhere near normal. Has never been from the start." Sanduo tried to get Elmitrios' attention, unsure of what was going to happen next.
"I assure you, I am one of the prime Gods. Valal will listen to me. And don't worry. I know how to state the facts. The mentioning of the Time Keepers will change everything. They'd be shocked... like I was. They might grant your life back too. That is a possibility."
"Their mood lifted when they heard that. At least they could look forward to it. They needed to turn that possibility into reality. They had to.
Suddenly they were inside.
"Wh-How did we-" Markus looked around.
"Things are weird in higher dimensions. Take that for a fact." Elmitrios kneeled. "Lord Valal. Here they are, the rightful who have opened the Book of Gods by merit."
Valal sat high, atop his throne, looking as intimidating as ever. "I didn't expect you all to see again. Ha, but you do amuse me. It's been long since I remember someone opening it. What do you all seek from it?" He tapped his sceptre on the hard floor.
"You might want to hear what I have to say before that, my Lord," Elmitrios carefully said.
"I don't appreciate you interjecting between this conversation, but I'll allow it. Say."
Elmitrios gulped. Then he tried his best at a proper explanation. He mentioned Juvo, the Time Keepers and everything from beginning to the present.
"This is... unexpected." The look Valal showed was of unease. "Kahaden has not made a presence... since... I don't even remember. Why would he do this?"
"My lord, if Kahaden sent these lesser beings here on the sole purpose of fighting off Juvo then there's no way he can be stopped so easily. They had to do nothing against him and he's already in prison. It can't be this simple. They lost their life to fight him off, found out so much information about him and the afterlife, even worthily opened the Book of Gods... to stop him. How can-"
"Elmitrios, you know very well. No one has escaped the prisons. Ever. And we've had far stronger inmates than this insect Juvo. I-" Valal stopped in his words as he heard a commotion. "What's the matter?"
Servants came running, "We need to evacuate this place at once!" said one.
A look of horror on his face contagiously infected that of the others in the hall. But Valal pushed through. "Tell me what's going on!"
"There's this electric inferno. It took away all our guards. It rose from the abyss. RUN!"
Elmitrios grew pale. "It must be Juvo. But what happened to him?"
"There's enough time to ramble questions on and on while travelling. We need to escape now!" Sharlotte said in a hurry.
"Right. Everyone to their vessels! Go anywhere far. Leave this place at once. My lord I request you."
But the anger inside him had become uncontrollable. "How dare he humiliate me in my home! If you all are going to be a bunch of cowards, then flee. I am the Supreme God. I won't back down," and saying that he came down from his throne and went in the direction where the servant had come from, a haste in his pace rarely ever seen by the other Gods.
"Come." Elmitrios guided them away fast, out of Moruzen and back towards his vessel.
__________
Valal couldn't keep a check on his temper. He was boiling on the inside. He could never let any lesser being dominate him. He was the Supreme God! It was an insult to him.
As he opened the doors and stood at the mouth of the abyss he found no guards. They had long been destroyed by Juvo's acquired power. Now he saw him with many of his followers, chanting something in their language. They stopped when they noticed Valal come in.
"Oh Valal," there was such casualty in his voice, "have you come to stop me?"
Valal couldn't believe Juvo wasn't frightened even a little bit.
"You're wrong. I'm here to delete your existence. You've gone too far. How dare you defile my home grounds!" He lurched ahead, his spear at the ready.
Juvo swept sideways and erupted with energy. His followers were shielded out in a protective layer of electricity.
"What's this power? This isn't natural to your 'verse."
But Juvo didn't reply. He opened his mouth wide and shot Valal with a laser sharp ray of energy.
Valal shielded himself, but it didn't hold on. He dodged as the ray broke through.
He couldn't believe what had just happened.
Laughter that erupted from Juvo following the incident, was maniacal.
"What have you done to yourself..." Valal failed to understand what was happening, as he watched in disbelief as his shield degenerated.
"Now I rule! You DIE." Juvo sent shockwaves of energy.
Valal teleported just in time to get out of it's range. He saw in horror as the shockwaves cut past everything and destruction followed soon after.
Moruzen started crumpling.
He knew Valal would try to escape again by teleporting.
And when Valal did by transforming to his state of pure energy- he was caged. Juvo had manifested a shield of golden yellow chrome around him. He struck the wall of the barrier in rage but he couldn't escape. He returned to his form and screamed, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!"
Juvo just laughed and said, "You'll watch with me... as I change everything."