The dazzling moonlight shone upon the beautiful castle in which Raúl called home, he walked up the familiar steps, having just returned with Momo from the desolation of the Fellen outpost, clear upon their what their enemies were, and why Umarnak finally had to fall.

  Raúl returned into his home, breathing a sigh of relief as he bathed, the cool water calming his mind and allowing him to forget of his troubles momentarily. Raúl got out of his bath, drying himself off and putting on a cotton robe, preparing to return to his bed to sleep.

  Raúl stopped at his doorway, seeing Liana standing in the doorway, apparently waiting for him.

  “I was hoping to see you Liana, I’ve needed you.” Raúl sighed, warmly smiling, slowly fading into a more concerned expression as she stood, emotionless.

  “Raúl… I’m leaving.” Liana professed, bowing her head and avoiding eye contact.

  “W-what?” Raúl stuttered, lifting his head slightly, taken aback.

  “Why? What’s happened, what’s wrong?” Raúl frantically asked, feeling his heart beating and his emotions tearing.

  “I can’t be with you anymore…” Liana replied softly, a tinge of fear in her voice.

  “But why, you-you haven’t told me why.” Raúl asserted, his voice cracking as the mind of a genius tried to process the emotions flying around his head.

  “Because you’re a monster! Because of what you did to Eldrin! He’s so cold, so focused! He won’t enjoy himself; he’s consumed by being a ‘worthy heir’ to you! You! You and your perfect image! I can’t even look you in the eyes, I don’t even see anything anymore, you’re just a hollow imitation of what you used to be, who you used to be! I won’t allow you to hurt Helena like you hurt Eldrin!” She yelled, storming past him with Helena on her shoulder.

  Raúl stood still, his eyes wide, a feeling of nauseousness washing over him, as if his heart was shattering into a thousand different pieces.

  What do I do? Raúl thought, for the first time in his life, he didn’t know what to do.

  Footsteps could be heard from the stairs leading down into the time hall. Furious destruction could be heard within its longing reach, as the screaming souls of wraiths could be heard, as the inner depths of the soul realm’s prison were being cleared.

  “Father. What are you doing, it’s been a month?” Eldrin called, as Raúl stood still, panting as Sanctuary flickered and flashed with the bellowing pits of rage and despair that overwhelmed him.

  “Should you not be with your mother? Just leave me to destroy these wicked wraiths.” Raúl ordered, clutching a wraith by its neck, squeezing what remained of its soul out of existence.

  “I chose to stay father. I thought you would’ve come to your senses by now, but you’ve been down here for what I assume would be two years. When will you move on father? The Third Great War lies on the horizon and you’re the only one who could face Rancour!” Eldrin yelled impatiently at his father; a scowl being drawn across his face.

  “Move on? Move on?!” Raúl yelled in rage.

  “What do you know boy! How could I face Rancour, if I can’t even keep a marriage together. How can I face Rancour if I’m just a monster?!” Raúl screeched, choking and spitting his words, as he stared furiously at his son, his instincts controlling his body.

  He's not conscious, he hasn’t eaten, rested or even allowed his Spectral Energy to restore itself. He’s hollow, not even able to defeat me. He has no Spectral Energy left, he’s burning through every portion of his being. He’s killing himself. Eldrin thought, as his eyes widened in terror, whatever disgusting portion of his father now controlled his body now gearing up to fight him.

  Eldrin stepped back, clutching his sword anxiously. Raúl’s instinct leapt into the air, firing an Exterior down toward Eldrin, who barely reacted, cutting it in half with his sword. Imbuing Spectral Energy into his sword, Eldrin’s blade flashed a bright orange, splitting into a thousand shards, which flew at Raúl’s Sanctuary, all being blocked to Eldrin’s shock.

  He's still even more powerful than Marzen, I might not be able to beat him using my techniques alone. Eldrin thought, reforming his blade, holding back an Interior blast from his father, as he resisted its pull, jumping back as it dissipated.

  Eldrin panted slightly, stabilising his breath. As Raúl leapt toward him, Eldrin sent out an empowered slash, distorting space and time, and overpowering Sanctuary, cutting Raúl and sending him flying backward.

  Feeling the blood pool on his shoulder, Raúl smiled, casting his hand sign, as he smiled with malicious intent, as Eldrin quickly casted his own.

  “Spectral Dominion.”

  “Axis of the Beyond.”

  “Paradox Frame.”

  Both Dominion’s formed around one another, blurring and distorting the visual space in which they clashed, father and son, one and together, the centre of the world had formed.

  Bellowing flames entered Raúl’s hands, as he reformed the Starshatterer, taunting his son forth. The two rushed at one another, their footsteps heavy, one set with rage, and one with love. Eldrin leapt into the air, launching a beam of Spectral Energy down at Raúl, weakening Sanctuary as he landed next to him, clashing blades. Eldrin split his sword into two, ducking under the Starshatterer and imbuing all his power into the dagger, piercing Sanctuary, and using his technique to bypass the barrier, he stabbed his father in the chest, slamming him into his Dominion’s barrier, as the hundreds of shards of his blade cut apart hat remained of the barrier, destroying Raúl’s Dominion, and knocking him out.

  Eldrin carried Raúl out of the time hall, laying him in his bed to rest, praying that his heart would find its rest too. Eldrin set out on foot, walking toward Northumbria and coming upon the gates of the city, where Momo awaited him.

  “You’re the son of Raúl, right? Eldrin Immora.” Momo called from upon the city’s walls, leaping down next to him.

  “Let’s go for a walk, Eldrin.” Momo instructed, as the two set out upon the snow laden path leading out of the capital of Haevaria.

  “My father is ill.” Eldrin sombrely stated, to a raised eyebrow.

  “Ill? A man of his power, is ill?” Momo asked, heavily confused.

  “Not physically, mentally. The stress upon being the strongest being in existence, and the fact that my mother left and took my infant sister with her broke him, he was in the time hall for two years. He lost a major portion of his Spectral Energy, and I fear it’ll take him months to recover physically. I don’t even know how or if he’ll recover mentally, he loved my mother more than anything, and I resent her for not seeing what he was doing from his point of view, the fact that he was and still is the only man who could ever challenge Rancour.” Eldrin explained, as Momo stopped, processing what had been said.

  “I see. So Raúl is in a deep pain. I am unfamiliar with what you’ve described as his circumstances, but how should I help?” Momo asked.

  “He is suffering, all you can do is be there for him. He talks of you often, Momo Elric, he describes you as a great friend. He needs that right now, so whatever you do from here, should be in support of him.” Eldrin replied, as Momo nodded, shaking his hand, as the two trekked toward Raúl’s castle.

  The two entered the castle, walking into Raúl’s room, where he was brushing his recently elongated hair. Momo seemed shocked at the scars upon Raúl’s back, his muscular and well-defined back almost being overtaken by the vicious wounds he had suffered fighting the wraiths. Raúl turned, his usually vibrant green eyes portraying an incomplete sickness within them, as his chest and abdominals shared the severe scars that had overtaken his back.

  “Hello, my son and Momo.” Raúl greeted, his voice sombre and low.

  “Raúl. What happened to you?” Momo questioned, unable to process Raúl being wounded, let alone covered in scars he could not heal.

  “My son informed you, did he not? My queen Liana, is gone.” Raúl stated briskly, his eyes empty and void of the normal vigour and cockiness they usually portrayed.

  “I’m sorry.” Momo stated sympathetically.

  “For what? You are not her, there is nothing for you to apologise for.” Raúl replied, dismissing Momo’s attempt to comfort him.

  “Raúl. I know you’re going through a hard time right now, but you must understand that we can’t just take month long breaks. We have a duty to the people of this world, of all the worlds. I have grieved, I have lost, and I am still grappling with the pain of my parents' asbence every day, but we have to push forward. Your grief isn’t misplaced, and I know it’s hard, and for that, I am here for you, but we cannot neglect our purpose, we have power, you most of all and we have to use it to fight Rancour because every day we don’t, he gets stronger, and he spreads his sickness, his evil, his poison to every corner of existence and I know that behind that grief you hate him just as much as I do.” Momo remarked passionately, as the fire in Raúl’s eyes seemed to return, and just for a moment, he remembered who he was, his scars fading and healing, as he nodded briskly.

  “Hmph. You speak well Momo. I suppose I’ve needed my senses to be knocked into me for as long as I was down there. I may not be happy, nor am I at all motivated to move forward, but I suppose this is our duty, with this power comes our obligation, doesn’t it? There are those, innocent and helpless against Umarnak who need us. It wouldn’t be just for any of us to turn our backs on them now, for any reason. Besides, it’s better to have nothing to lose when charging at someone like Rancour.” Raúl surmised.

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  Momo nodded, satisfied that the High King had elected to move forward despite the emotional strain. Momo walked to Raúl, embracing his mentor in a warm hug.

  “You’re not alone, my friend, we’re in this together.” Momo assured him.

  Raúl felt something he hadn’t felt in a long while, trust and companionship in another. For once, he wasn’t seen as ‘otherly.’ He wasn’t seen as the anchor, some powerful being, but as a man, who felt and breathed the same air as everyone around him.

  Rancour sighed deeply, boredom overcame the old primordial, his throne felt like some metal trinket he acquired for his strength. Umarnak was always beautiful to him, but he felt away from his own home. The taste of battle, the feeling of fighting, that feeling would not leave his mind. How could he be content, if he did not have a chance to sink his teeth into the flesh of Raúl, feel the joy of their fight, such as they did upon the lonely exoplanet. Rancour had everything in the world he could have wanted, but he still hungered for the feeling, the pure exhilaration of fighting with an equal.

  “Vallum. Is there something we may do to speed up the process of the new High King’s arrival? I bore of this waiting, anticipation whilst he is wasting away, grieving his wife.” Rancour exhaled, placing his fist on his cheek as he slumped back upon the throne, as Edith looked at him with an expression of joy, finding it funny how impatient he was over a fight.

  “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you so bored, love. It’s even stranger that you crave a true battle, are you sure you regained all your consciousness? You certainly aren’t thinking like you usually do.” Edith jeered playfully as Rancour rolled his eyes.

  “Well, it’s strange having a true equal, makes me feel important, I would even say it gives me a true purpose. He’s what I’ve longed for in an opponent all this time, I want to kill him, and I want our battle to be one I can recall even after I remake this wicked existence.” Rancour replied, standing up and stretching out, as if he were a cat who had taken a long nap.

  “You know, bring me those two, my son and the Elric girl, I feel like telling stories, at least this way I can relive my greatest triumphs.” Rancour ordered, as Vallum walked off to find the two his master requested.

  “You summoned us father.” Ichiro greeted, as the two bent the knee before him.

  “Please get over the formalities, I don’t care for fealty, stand up, or sit somewhere, I could care less. I am going to tell you about the past, my past.” Rancour explained, as the two sat before the throne in attendance.

  “In the first age, I was created by the Void Master, for what purpose, I still don’t know. For what felt like ages I, David and D?invorol discussed our visions as our bretheren, the Ean?r became more and more in number. At one point, time and creation sprung forth. It was a mesmerising experience, to say the least, but I watched, as the very beings created for us to oversee lived these short and ultimately purpose-filled lives and I damned my father, he created us as experiments, nothing more than stepping stones to his true prides, these filthy lesser beings were somehow given a purpose instead of those he called his children. So, I drained my Essence, my power and all I had into Umarnak, and it was truly beautiful. I watched as my pride sprung forth, the Fellen. Loyal and dedicated children of my creation, they formed my vision, wherein creation will crumble and be brought under my control, where I will begin anew.” Rancour remarked.

  “But why create Umarnak? If you were so powerful, why not fight your father?” Amirah asked.

  “I could never bare down my father in a fight, his power was so much greater than mine, you could not even consider us to be at all comparable, he seemed otherworldy. But I knew that Umarnak would be a part of his ‘vision.’ I hated creating Umarnak in the moment, but now, I know it was worth it. Umarnak is more powerful than I ever was, although it is still in the shadow of my father, I can challenge him through it.” Rancour explained.

  “My brother’s believed that I was a threat to existence and created Umin and Undalen to counter Umarnak. I knew I required more power and ascended into the Next World, moving through it and deeper within. Before I declare myself free of my father’s accursed vision, I created the Fellen and raised up multiple generations of them. Upon my rebellion, my brothers united against me and generations of our own children’s descendants turned upon us, fighting me and Edith with the armies of the Fell Beasts, Conceptual Entities and The Rulok, I invaded creation, seeking its downfall and my own ascension to reclaim my full power to destroy my father, however, my power became diminished from my power seeping throughout creation and I fell from The Next World, in which that traitor Faemarr Elric stuck me upon his blade.” Rancour explained.

  “Elric, as in my progenitors?” Amirah inquired.

  “Yes. You are related to Faemarr Elric, just as I am his progenitor. This would make you a descendant of mine, split apart by countless eons. The potential of my line lying in the blood of everyone who hails from these lines.” Rancour replied, the revelation of shared blood between herself and her master being a truth she could barely comprehend.

  “I was brought back to Umarnak by Lord Vallum in the hundredth year of the Second Age, to which I regained my status in The Next World, climbing through its tapestry and forging the Crown upon my head, The Rings and my Sceptre. After this, I gave my rings to Edith and Lord Vallum, with the greatest of the rings falling upon my own hand. With Umarnak and my armies being at their greatest extent in history, I launched the Second Great War, taking great swathes of creation and tainting it further, it was only upon the Ridge of Miraa that the combined efforts of the Elric and Immora clans, alongside David and D?invorol, they finally ended my rule once more, taking all of them to defeat my lone power. After this, the rings were removed from Edith and I and placed into a lone timeline. We were taken to Umin, where they imprisoned us, and David split his power into my bindings, and his blade, falling from the Next World, wherein his descent into madness began.” Rancour explained.

  “A descent into madness? How exactly did the old emperor cause that within himself?” Ichiro asked, curious as to whether the Fallen Emperor was truly as insane as let on by his folklore.

  “My brother was driven insane by his empire, my betrayal, and the loss of what made him happy, his ‘purpose.’ He did not realise that we primordials are bound to be drifting and purposeless, so powerful and yet so powerless. That is our fate and instead of challenging our father for freedom, he cracked and became a control-obsessed maniac, and one that is worse than me, surprisingly.” Rancour replied.

  “He lost himself trying to hold the balance. How ironic, he was always obsessed with being the one in the middle, between you and whatever D?invorol is, preserving the peace, just to become a monster who causes chaos to usher in his version of the perfect world.” Edith remarked.

  “It’s truly horrifying how similar we are to the mortals of this grand construct. We just have to suffer with their mortal pains eternally. It’s quite a testament to how little our father truly cared for us.” Rancour added, reclining in his throne in his returning boredom.

  “Well, I suppose I should finish my grand story. Lord Vallum was left to rule my kingdom, and according to him, he ruled with an iron fist. However, factionalism began to rise within the empire, as I was banished and the nobles refused to acknowledge my successor in Vallum’s power. In light of his circumstances, Vallum wished to free me. He set out to Umin, alone and cloaked in shadow to free me from my prison. After slaughtering hundreds of guards in pure silence, he broke my shackles and freed me. Unfortunately, we were forced to flee before Edith could be freed, which, I suppose would be the true reason I hate my brother. After this, myself and Lord Vallum split our souls and Essences into two, holding half within Umarnak to hold dominion there, whilst we sought ours and Edith's rings, alongside anything else that we could use to expand my power before my return to the throne, searching many timelines for millennia before slowly building a dominion across the former Earth we inhabited before we were defeated and memory wiped by William Elric, the great grandfather of you, Amirah. With Rowan Elric’s refusal to guard the peace after he married Aeno Elric, I began regaining my power and memory, remembering my hatred for the Elrics, and deciding on the current course of events.” Rancour closed, yawning as the few around him took in this information.

  The lights set upon Umarnak's bellowing pits, as a new light rose upon Raúl's castle, as he stood upon one of its balconies, the sun slowly glistening across his fair skin, his green eyes feeling the warmth of its embrace as his breaths drew into mist upon the air. The day was new, as Raúl and Rancour stared out across the blank canvasses of their worlds, their fires not yet lost.