"What the fuck?" Asura asked. "Can't see a fucking thing." Priscilla said. Frankly she was right, when they stepped out they were standing in a thick mist. The mist was warm and felt more like steam. They kept walking forwards for a short time before the steam finally let up and they could see clearly now.
They were standing on a massive cliff. Below it there was an endless ocean and the cliff they were on had lava seeping out of it at random points that ran down the cliff and into the ocean. The steam was the product of this. At the edge of the cliff was an overhang with a single large cherry blossom tree and under that tree sat a man.
The group walked up to the tree and Asura spoke "Who are you?" The man seemed surprised by this and looked up to see eight new faces in front of him. The man looked at them and studied them, his red eyes staring through them. He had pale skin and a smile that stretched to the top of his cheeks and black hair that was tied into a ponytail. "I have no name. You aren't supposed to be here." The man said. "Really? And just what are you doing to do about it?" Asura said, feeling cocky. "I'll end you." The man said without blinking.
Asura stepped forward and began to argue like a child "You really gonna threaten me?" Asura asked. The man stood up and still looked at Asura. "Do you know who I am?" He asked. "I haven't the slightest fucking clue." Asura said. "I created you." The man said. "Ha. As if." Asura said in disbelief. "I am the one who planted the seed for everything to be." The man said and sooner than a blink of an eye, punched Asura straight in the face and sent him rocketing back into the steam. Everyone else jumped back and Ace asked. "Who are you!?"
"I have no name. I created everything. I am everything and nothing. While they scurry to and fro, I am. While they cherish their petty deities, idols, and false lords, I am. While they fight their trivial wars, live and die for mortal kings and scoundrels, I am. All priests of false gods kneel to me. All kings of empires great and small kneel to me. Life kneels to me. Death kneels to me. There was a time where I held many titles. Men knew me by other names as well. But titles, fame, infamy… it is worthless here. I wanted so much from life. Satisfaction eluded me. And the things I prayed for… well… would you believe a god actually answered my prayers? These things… this life… this power… such is my reward. This god… this demon… I am him… I want him to remain nameless. His lust for power is fueled by terror and infamy. I write each and every one of your lives in time. You are bound by chains to be pawns of my game. Every action… every word… every thought… has been of my decision. You there with the golden strand. You died from something that was not written in time and thus were brought here with those whose power was banded to your being." The man spoke.
Asura walked out of the steam and every one could tell he was furious. "What… did you just say?" He asked. "You heard me." The man said. "You mean… everything up to this point has been OF YOUR FUCKING DECISION!?" Asura began screaming. "Correct." The man said. "How long has this been going on!?" Asura demanded an answer. "Before the very first cycle." The man said. "Every fucking thing!? You say you're the one to blame FOR ALL THE PAIN I'VE EXPERENCED OVER THE CYCLES?!" Asura's blood boiled. "Correct." The man said. "WHY!? IT'S BEEN GODDAMN TORTURE!" Asura spat back. "Think of every person you've ever met or seen. They each have their own story that is written, like Ace, Priscilla, and any others. None of them can exist without a single thing holding the cycles together, which is you. You exist so that they can live out their lives and without you the balance of everything would be thrown apart." The man said.
"THEN WHY DOES THAT MEAN I'VE HAD TO ENDURE THE DEATHS OF EVERYONE I CARED ABOUT OVER THE EONS. EVERYONE FROM VERLAINE TO ASHE! MARIA TO BRAEBURN! THE LIST GOES ON AND ON BUT I CAN'T FUCKING REMEMBER THEM! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE?! YOUR FAMILY DIEING AND YOU CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER THEIR NAMES! I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER HOW MANY TIMES I'VE SEEN ATHENA DIE!" Asura yelled taking a few steps forward.
"So?" The man asked. "SO? IS THAT YOUR QUESTION!? I OUGHT TO KILL YOU!" Asura spoke. "Hahahaha!" The man laughed. "I guess I was right. If you've gotten this far it seems you have become a perfect husk for this. I'll grant you a deal. You can inherit this domain and do whatever you want so that I may leave and save other worlds in need of my guidance." The man said. Asura thought hard about this deal. He could bring every one back, do anything he wanted, all he had to do was take the man's hand. The man extended his hand and Asura looked down at it and back at the man's face. The man smiled and closed his eyes. In one quick motion, Asura hit the man square in the face, sending him flying off the cliff and into the water.
"You don't deserve to live." Asura said. "How dare you defy me!" The man spoke as he steadied himself and landed on the water, which completely froze instantly. Asura and the others jumped down onto the ice and began running at the man. Conrad and Aleksander burst past everyone else and attacked first. Conrad kicked the man in the stomach while Aleksander kicked the side of his head. The man didn't even flinch and instead grabbed both of their legs and slammed them down into the ice.
Selena and Nadalia were up next. Selena started to summon the toxin and solidified it to form spears which she sent hurling towards the man. Nadalia took the form of Armada and jumped at the man. He dodged the first few of Selena's spears but began to redirect the others. In extremely fast speeds he grabbed one and threw it at Armada which was sent straight through its shoulder. Armada took a few swipes with the colossal arm blades but was stopped abruptly when the man blocked the full force of the attack.
Selena kept hurling the spears and the man was able to hold Armada down with one arm while he caught another one. He then spun around and sent it straight through Armada's chest, where Nadalia was and hit her in the shoulder and ripped her out of the armor. He then ripped off an armor plate and sending it flying towards Selena who took the full force of the impact. Athena and Priscilla were up next and Athena hit the man right in the shoulder with full force of her great sword but was shocked when the sword broke clean in half.
The man grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the ice. The man saw a massive shadow appear underneath him and looked up to see a gigantic chuck of ice hovering above him. Priscilla threw her arms down and sent it crashing down on top of him. Asura and Ace attacked next. The man struggled to keep the ice above him with all his force. His legs were staking as he tried to hold it up. Ace quickly slid up and sliced four times across his chest and stabbed one of the knives in his right leg and the other in the left knee. The man fell to his knees but still held the glacier above him. Asura ran and drop kicked him straight in the face which sent the man crashing into the ground while Asura flew straight forward and out the other side while the glacier fell down on top of him.