The Twilight of Death Verse

“You once told me that Caine was stronger than Voix,” Crystl asks G, “why was I able to defeat him?”

“Voix took a toll on attacking you,” G reminds Crystl of what happened to Voix’s arm. “At that time, Voix was very weakened just to get you to submit to him… yet you were able to BREAK it with that Outlaw or Lawbreaker power you have. As for Caine, he was indeed getting stronger and stronger that I had to weaken his state of mind so that he could easily be subdued.”

“You mean the time that you broke his trust for his father,” Crystl remembers the events that occurred. “Damn, you are a scary manipulator. I just hope that you are not using us for your own benefits…”

“If I were using you, I wouldn’t have to shield your world against their attacks,” G stands up. “If you’ll excuse me, I am going somewhere to negotiate with the enemy…”

“Where would that be?” Crystl, curious, asks him.

“To the Root of Origin of course,” G fires up a portal. “I’ll be back for either a good or bad news to all of you…”

“Last question!” Crystl catches up to him before the portal closes. “What should I do to become an effective ruler?”

“About that,” G grins. “If you are bound to make to equally good choices, choose the one that benefits everybody. Bye~~”

Chapter 11: All Hail the New Death King

“Ah the roots to where we created everything,” G moves towards the round table where they all sat together. “The eleven of us were the last of our kind and yet now we have broken apart. As one of the eleven Supreme Beings, I invoke my right to call each and every one of you!”

A flash of radiance suddenly lights up behind G. He turns around to see who is or are behind him.

“What is the meaning of this, Xeel?” a radiant Supreme Being clad with golden robes with a full white mask marked with a cross greets him. “It’s been a long time…”

“Reax the Creator,” G nods at him showing his respect. “Never expected you to be the earliest to arrive, an ally turned enemy. Well, let us wait for the others shall we?”

“Of course,” Reax examines him from top to toe. “I believe that Voix has been defeated by you, is it? You’ve become stronger…”

“If it isn’t the creator, himself,” The pink haired Supreme Being who controls the space and is known as the Great Beyond arrives next. “How’s Heaven?”

“Axil the Great Beyond,” Reax stares at him. “An ally of Xeel… you look human, yourself. Have you lost your love for our race?”

“What about you, self-righteous?” Axil utters his disgust, “You use your religious propaganda to play with the hearts and the minds of your people. Good… Evil… You’re just playing with them…”

Another Supreme Being arrives, this time wearing a full gentleman suit with matching gentleman hat, cane and cloak jumps into the heated discussion, “Gentlemen, I believe that we are in our holiest sanctuary… be sure to respect our domain.”

“Exyd, the one who controls the Fate of the mortals, or is it play with it?” G sits down in his throne. “You pride yourself for being a gentleman but you ally with the wrong company…”

“Is this why you brought us here?” Exyd aligns himself with Reax. “Then I guess it is time for us to leave…”

“The meeting would be too much pointless,” The Supreme Being of Balance cuts in. “I suggest that you lot would take your seats while we wait for the others.”

“Alright, Elder Exal,” Exyd takes his seat, “or like what your emissaries call you… Big Boss.”

Reax just looks at him and then sits down in his throne. As the others take their own sits, the rest of the Supreme Beings arrive and took their own sits silently. Xemp the Supreme Temporal Being and Axil’s identical twin sister, Waxe the Supreme Reality Being and Xeel’s fraternal twin sister, Xpir the Supreme Essential Being and Gazbleir Celxion’s maker, and Xaos the Supreme Destruction Being and Bezal’s maker arrive and take their sits.

“It seems that we have to honor this meeting,” Naxo aka Dr. Cristina Nasci Bios arrives last. “This better be good… Fallasleep.”

“It is…” G shows them the bottle to where the sealed Voix is. “I have a proposition about the war…”

“I’m all ears,” she takes her seat somewhat pissed off by the meeting taking place. “roll your dice.”

“I will relinquish Voix back to your side, which is a good deal in my opinion,” G holds out the bottle, “in return, I would like it if the war would happen here in the Root of Origin.”

“That’s preposterous!” roars Exal, “I will not let this place be desecrated just so you could wreck this place up!”

“Look, old fellow,” Xaos raises his voice at Exal. “This is a battle between two different sides. Are you even picking a side? I don’t think so…”

“That is true,” Exyd supports his teammate Xaos. “You are just here to witness us because you are basically alone here. I am sided with this side while those on the other side are pretty much teamed up together. Basically, it is 5v5 here if we accept Xeel’s terms.”

“I think we should agree on this Naxo,” Reax gives his explanation. “We are basically outnumbered 4v5 here. If he gives back Voix, it pretty much makes it more balanced for us.”

“So Xpir, you are siding with Xeel?” Naxo asks the Supreme Essential Being.

“The answer is pretty much obvious,” Xpir winks at her. “I am part of team Xeel.”

“If you proceed with this, I will make sure to fight all of you with my own army!” Exal continues to relent.

“Bring it on Pops,” Xaos taunts him. “I will prepare my greatest army with me.”

“So what is it,” G puts down the sealed bottle, “are we going to do it?”

“You make it look like that I can’t win unless we have our fifth member with us,” Cristina reaches out for the sealed bottle, “but you seem to be making the wrong decision…”

“I might be,” G grins as he unseals the bottle and lets Voix out. “However, I am mostly concerned about the safety of my people than your propaganda here.”

“The Root of Origin, this is a good place for the war,” Cristina stands up. “Of course, I would be expecting your army of mechanical gods too, Exal…”

With Voix freed, and the meeting coming to a close, G leaves the place last.

“What’s your next move, G?” Vol-jan appears behind him. “You know, Cristina tried to recruit me once when I was still human…”

“Do you regret not aligning yourself to her side?”

“I regret nothing,” Vol-jan licks his own lips. “In fact, I am glad to be fighting against her.”

“Did she do something?” G stands up from his throne.

“She underestimated my human intelligence and said that my breakthrough research is far inferior to hers.”

“Oh, you meant the XLD virus?” G sighs, “It’s funny because, in Sleep world where I came from, there was a virus that’s called XLD5 which turns humans to…”

“I will stop you there,” Vol-jan sighs. “The New Death King awaits our return…”

“Well, I suppose… my return is the proper term since you just eavesdropped earlier…”

“I just wanted to see my maker…”

“You mean my sister, Waxe.” G fires up a portal, “You should have a heart-to-heart moment with your mother… though I guess you lack a heart.”

“…”

“He’s strong, definitely stronger than me or you,” Voix opens up with the rest of his allies. “It would probably take three to defeat him and two to defeat his masterpiece.”

“If that is so,” Reax the Creator fires up a portal back to Heaven Verse, “then I guess it is time for me to mobilize my army.”

“That Xeel,” Xaos the Destroyer fires up his portal to Chaos Verse (Formerly Hell Verse), “he has gone too far… just like you, Naxo.”

Naxo smirks, “Excuse me? If it weren’t for me, there would be no mortals to worship us and no souls for you to convert. And it would be because of me that you and Reax tied your loose ends. You were supposed to be eternal enemies, you should thank me.”

“If we continue to argue like this, they would end up winning.” Voix halts there argument. “I lost my grim reapers…”

“Your daughter is still here with me, Voix!” Naxo exclaims. “IF you want to reclaim your Death Verse, your daughter Tai Foun is your answer.”

Exyd, the Supreme Being of Destiny, sighs, “my Destiny Seekers are rearing to go and screw fate. As for me, I want a piece of your research in order to experience what you have Naxo. I want to bypass our Rules…”

Xaos grins, “Yes… I want to embed my nails deep within Xeel’s guts…”

“With that piece of technology you have Naxo, I will be able to lead my angels in the front lines,” Reax starts to burst into flames. “I can taste it already…”

Voix looks off into the distance, “yeah…”

“Your coronation is tonight, Crystl,” Gazbleir Celxion approaches him. “I had to have my training postponed just to attend your kingship.”

Crystlinspects him from top to toe, “You’ve changed… you’re emitting more dark energy than before. I guess you’ve become stronger.”

“It’s not enough,” he sighs. “I can’t still get to your level, your highness.”

“Kuh, that’s fine I guess,” Crystl grins. “Thanks to G, we won’t have the war here…”

“That seventh letter guy,” Gazbleir sighs. “I guess I have a long way to go…”

“Your majesty~” Lightzelle interrupts their discussion. “You shouldn’t be cooped up in here, you need to prepare for your coronation~”

“Kuh, Lightzelle,” Crystl sighs. “I guess I have no choice but to prepare…”

“The thing is… you need to speak with your people,” Gazbleir pats him in the shoulder. “Being a leader means being involved with them. You need to show them that you are an active leader. Take me for example, I was the Head Captain of the Essential Core when I was still a leader there and I had to do something to the people and make sure that we are safe at all times.”

“While I do envy your achievements,” Crystl continues to sigh, “I don’t really want to lead my people… I just want to protect this world.”

“Well, protecting your nation is a good quality of being a leader… You just have to do what you think is right,” Lightzelle cheerfully leads them out. “Life is surely full of surprises anyway~”

“I need to go and speak with my people then,” Crystl suddenly feels encouraged.

“That’s right boy,” Gazbleir grins, “show them what a true leader is!”

“Or a True Death King at that,” Lightzelle chuckles.

“I was thinking… that we go on the offensive side of things,” G discusses with Vol-jan, Noiricca, and Darkzelle. “I will entrust the three of you these Sealers. In case you break through the frontlines and face the Supreme Beings… the enemies of course.”

“It sounds too easy when you say it,” Vol-jan takes two Sealers with him. “There are now five of them since that bargain…”

“About that,” G looks at Savos and Bezal training outside. “I gave them their Sealers. Those two… it seems that they want to team up against their own creators.”

“Everyone has their own set of issues to fix,” Noiricca takes three Sealers. “Call this a gut-feeling, master, but I think I will need to protect myself.”

“Yes… I do think so too,” G sighs, “I mean you and I are pretty much at the same level already… the only thing that separates me from you is that I am your creator.”

“No master, you are still stronger than me,” Noiricca lowers her head. “I will always be forever grateful for being second to you.”

“May I have my Sealers? Darkzelle is eager to fight…”

“Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you guys,” G pats Darkzelle’s head. “For the past few weeks, she has been learning a lot of languages aside from the universal one and she is learning too fast! You’ll get four Sealers, Darkzelle so that you could pass two of these to your counterpart.”

“Darkzelle will deliver this to Lightzelle,” she smiles at G. “Darkzelle will have to get going now…”

“Sorry… I was… late,” Lt. Strika gasps for air trying to catch her breath. “That was a very long run.”

“You should take a rest,” G offers her a drink. “How far have you gone to find the new training dimension of Gazbleir?”

“It’s not far… it’s just… hidden.” Lt. Strika drinks from the glass of water provided by G. “He said that he’s gonna need one more hour.”

“In three hours, the new king will be crowned,” G looks at everyone. “We should be wearing our formal clothes. Tell the others to prepare as well. The birth of a new king is upon us.”

“Are you scared?” Fugn Junto asks Crystl. “Just try your best, kid.”

“I don’t know what to feel,” he sighs deeply. “All I care about is to protect this world from the calamity that will come upon us.”

“I’ve nothing to say about that,” Junto pats him in the back. “But I’ll tell you one thing when we are pushed back in a corner… we fight. Fight and become our king better than Lord Voix was.”

“Tell him to never betray his people,” Claad Moir barges in on them. “I just can’t stand listening to your problems. There are 99 more other problems in the world and none of them is as big as this.”

“You came to visit,” Crystl grins. “That’s good of you.”

“It’s not just me,” he turns his head towards the door. “The rest of the knights and the slayers are here too.”

“Guys…” Crystl sighs. “I’m probably gonna be fine…”

“Well, we don’t want you messing up the ceremony.” Comulus Jet shows them a copy of the Book of Oaths. “Queen Cycloe will be the one presiding over so we thought that during your practice, Darling here… will be the one to preside at your practice!”

“So… your majesty, if you will…” Princess Strotus Darling shyly approaches him. “Let’s do this…”

“What about them?” Crystl looks at the others.

“We’ll be the audience,” Smag Jazz grins.

“Yeah,” Smowk Aargon smirks. “You’ll probably won’t mess up later so now that you have time to mess up, I wanna see it.”

“We’ll support you, that’s what they meant,” Fumi Belille puts on a two thumbs up.

“Stand straight,” Steim Lichten fixes Crystl’s posture. “Eyes in front of the princess.”

Livanne chuckles while watching from afar, “Don’t mess this up Crystl!!!”

“Shut it…” Crystl growls.

“Your attitude!!!” Gusius Majo leers at him, “A king should have a great presence!”

“Now raise your right arm and face your palm at the left,” Myst Conveya shows her how. “You know like when you clap your hands except the left one isn’t clapping?”

“Just demonstrate it already…” he continuous to sigh…

“And then, I will place my right in the same position,” Princess Darling does the same, “until our palms meet and come together.”

“Eh?” Crystl raises his eyebrow, “Is this really how you do it?”

Jet abruptly replies, “OF course! I also did that with Lord Voix when I was inducted as a God Slayer.”

“Now repeat after…” Princess Darling reads the following lines… “I-”

The great hall of the castle is decorated vibrantly with dark emerald green and bright gold and silver color. A massive crowd of souls and reapers alike gathered to bear witness to the coronation. All of them rooting for their new king, all of them excited for a new beginning as the twilight of death verse ended and fell through the brightest night in their lives. A full moon looms over shining brighter than ever as Crystl does his oath…

“I, Cyrrus Crystl Void, hereby solemnly swear as the new King of Death Verse, to uh…”

“Is there a problem?” Queen Cycloe looks concerned at him. “Are you nervous?”

“What’s happening with him?” Jet gets anxious in the crowd as well, “this isn’t what we practiced!!!”

“Crystl?” Princess Darling approaches him. “Are you alright?”

“Anxiety got the kid,” Claad Moir can’t help but turn away.

G grins and whispers… “that’s it, kid… show them the real you…”

Crystl finally makes up his mind, “I want to swear without the formalities of this Oath, can I do that?”

“Of course,” Queen Cycloe nods ignoring the uproar from the nobles, the commoners getting angry at those nobles, the G can’t help but laugh out loud, “as long as you become our king.”

“Sure, I will be the King. But I am never this kind of person… being so formal and all. I will be your king. I will protect my people, the reapers and the souls with us. That is the most important thing to me. I do not care about politics and stuff, but I care about the lives of each and every one of us here. The concept of nobility and this caste system is wrong! We are all the same… we are all reapers. We should work together and stand together! We do not work for our own benefits! I will never betray my people! So help me… so that I could help you… and that we can help each other… for a brighter future… no… FOR A BRILLIANT ETERNITY!”

The crowd cheered so hard as the crown is placed on top of Crystl’s head. All of them very happy to listen to his words that he will not forsake his kingdom and he will not forsake his people. The Twilight of Death Verse is finally over… All that is left… the Nightfall of War…

Deep inside Crystl’s head…

A lingering… question… pops up…

“How did it end up like this?”