Chapter 40: What Happened?
Darkness. Nothing but darkness. It went off in all directions eternally. An old man stood alone in the darkness staring off in one direction, as if he could see something. He was dressed in black samurai robes, his white hair was down his back and his white beard reached his chest.
Two figures appeared behind him suddenly, appearing so absolutely that one would think they had always been there. The first of the two was dressed in elegant white robes. He had a frail frame, in no way suited for battle. His age was no doubt the highest, the previous man looked young by comparison. His eyes were grey while his head was bald, a combination of age and shaving, though he had a white beard that went about an inch off his chin.
The second newcomer was also dressed in white, though his robes were that of a samurai. He had purple beads wrapped around his left arm. His teeth were long and sharp with a few curved outward almost looking like spikes. His eyes were red while his hair was white and slightly long, but nothing of his appearance suggested an old age.
These two men were Kami and Shinigami respectively. "Well, I suppose this is a mission successful for you," Kami said.
"No, I failed. Which is what brought us here," the man said.
"So you take responsibility for it?" Shinigami asked.
"Why would I not, it was my doing," the man said.
"What went wrong? If this was not your goal, what was Nostradamus?" Kami asked.
Nostradamus turned the face the other two, "I'd prefer Chaos," he said.
"Enough of this power of a name bull. We're all gods, what power could we hold over each other?" Shinigami asked.
"Actually, it's easier on everyone. Easier to say, or to remember," Nostradamus said.
"Well to bad. It's your name, you're stuck with it," Shinigami said.
Footsteps echoed into the darkness signaling the arrival of another. The fourth being entered the field of sighted and stopped beside Kami. He was dressed in black elegant robes, and looked to be in his mid to late twenties. His eyes were golden and his hair was silver and reached down his back.
"Congratulations Nostradamus, you've destroyed the universe," the newcomer said.
"Why do you not tell Elvo what you just told me Shinigami?" Nostradamus asked.
"For all we know, Elvo could be his real name," Shinigami said.
"Now that we're all here, why not let us know exactly what happened. You've already informed us this was not your goal, what was?" Kami asked.
"I intended to take control of the planet, to rule over it. Several things needed to fall into place, one of them being an army to fight for me.
"If I had waited for all of the proper events to take place, perhaps I would have succeeded. It's also possible that the events would have never happened, thus putting my plans on hold for an unknown period of time," Nostradamus said.
"How did it go wrong?" Shinigami asked.
"Well, aside form you letting Elvo take a man from your depths, and Kami giving him his sword I found out our limitations in the mortal realm, no matter the methods we use to get there," Chaos said.
"Did the kid manage to banish you on his own?" Elvo asked.
"Was that you're intention?" Nostradamus asked.
"No, I was hoping it would weaken you to the point where I could do it. Then I would be able to send you're army back, if they didn't go with you," Elvo said.
"No. he didn't banish me on his own, such an act would not bring us to a place like this. It would not end the universe," Nostradamus said.
"What is it you're trying to say? Stop speaking so damn cryptically and tell us what happened," Shinigami said.
"Two of the twelve held me still so I could not dodge or block the attack. Elvo threw the great sword and broke the armor of my chest allowing the kids attack to hit my flesh. The kid was strong enough to kill me, bringing us here," Nostradamus said.
"That kid killed you? He's that strong? He could kill a god?" Shinigami asked.
"Yes. I didn't think he would be able to either, I thought he would only manage to weaken me, allowing Elvo to do what he planed. But we stand here as proof," Nostradamus said.
"So what should we do now?" Kami asked.
"We could start over. Change something like last time," Elvo said.
"What would we change? We've given them stronger spirits this time," Nostradamus said.
"Better than the stronger minds of last time," Kami said.
"They destroyed themselves then, it was necessary for a change. Do we need to change something again?" Nostradamus asked.
"No, this one was perfect, they wouldn't destroy themselves the way they were," Shinigami said.
"No, but this would all happen again," Elvo said.
"I agree, something must be altered," Kami said.
"What if we pull this last one back," Nostradamus said.
"Pull it back? Reinstate it with its current history?" Elvo asked.
"Yes. We find a point and pull everything back to that point," Nostradamus said.
"And just replay this whole event? Or is this to give you the chance to try again, to see what would happen if you waited?" Elvo said.
"No, I would wait for a generation to pass before I acted on any part for any plan. That would force me to restart my plans. Those waiting in my Void will be sent to their proper place, with the exception of those whose wishes I could still grant," Nostradamus said.
"Shinigami and I would be the ones the chose who's wishes to answer," Kami said.
"We're mission two major points here. First is the most important. What point to we pull back to?" Elvo asked.
"The last major interference I had aside from arriving was telling a group, which would act as my guards, of my arrival. Any point after that would be a waste, everyone would be waiting for the war. Before that might change too much," Nostradamus said.
"Well, I interfered that night too, giving a girl a dream that would lead to an opposing army arising," Elvo said.
"So if we pull to that night, before either of you interfere, much would change," Kami said.
"Yes, that seems the best point to me," Nostradamus said.
"I would agree," Elvo said.
"Yes," was Shinigami's response.
Kami nodded, "let us do it then," he said.
"Wait, what was the second important item?" Nostradamus asked.
"What to do with the kid that could kill a god," Elvo said.
"Wait and see if he reaches that point again, he might not with the altered events," Kami said.
"And if he does?" Shinigami asked.
"We could always use a focal point," Nostradamus said.
"We'll get to that when we need to, but there's something you forgot Elvo," Shinigami said.
"What would that be?" Elvo asked.
"What to do with the changed history," Kami said.
"Right, we can't ignore what happened. Even if it's only a few days, something happened, we have to acknowledge it," Shinigami said.
"Not a dream, that's to cliché," Elvo said.
"A legend? To be recited in the leaf village?" Kami asked.
"Perhaps, if the kid becomes a focal point…" Nostradamus said rubbing his chin.
"Yes, the tale of how he acquired it," Shinigami said nodding.
"Legends are always over embellished and often false," Elvo said in an agreeable tone.
"But what if he doesn't. We must have a definitive answer to this. We cannot allow what has happened to be forgotten. We have done it with the last time we created, and there is much confusion in the after realms," Kami said.
"But no new beings are created in this time that wouldn't otherwise," Nostradamus said.
"Hey, here, there're laws we all need to follow," Elvo said pointing at Nostradamus.
"Then do we guarantee him becoming a focal point?" Nostradamus asked.
"As Shinigami said, it was only a few days, there is no possibility of a power jump that significant in three days. Any increase he had he would still get in those few days, if not those days, only a few more after them," Elvo said.
"Do we really need a focal point?" Shinigami asked.
"That, as well as what we do with the events of the last day can be determined later, let's pull back the universe," Elvo said anxiously.
"That's it. If he's not a focal point it'll be a prophesy of the last day," Nostradamus said and the other three nodded.
"It's agreed then, let's get to work," Elvo said pulling his sleeves back.
x-X-x
AN: alright just to clear it up, Kami is the good god, Shinigami is the bad god, Nostradamus is the chaos god and Elvo is the order god. Good and bad are opposites as are chaos and order. Hence the opposites matching in color. Nostradamus and Shinigami have samurai robes because they tend to start the troubles while Kami and Elvo react to them to even everything again.