Divine Apostasy Book 12 - Prologue

Prologue

In the depths of the Destruction Realm, the Death Tower spread its awareness and verified the friends of Ruin Val’dor remained safe. Fortification cocoons surrounded them, and the Dimensional warping that turned ten days into one hundred years created waves across Death’s normally serene existence.

For the first time in eons, indecision gnawed at Death’s thoughts. The current environment for Ruin’s friends was suboptimal for all of them. Two, along with the Elder Star Tortoise, would benefit from more compatible energy, and the remaining Blood Witch should absorb more Destruction Essence then she’d get submerged in this lake.

To be safe, Death created a barrier at the bottom of the tower to ensure the cocoons didn’t get sucked into the lake by the currents that had suddenly appeared. Whatever blockage that had kept the Spirit and Soul Energy trapped in the Destruction Realm had disappeared, and the lake around the five towers had already dropped significantly. Had someone ripped away the entire bottom of the realm?

Almost certainly Ruin Val’dor caused this unexpected change, and if the young Saraph survived the encounter with the Zealot, Death needed to decide how to proceed. Again, indecision created a mental paralysis. The vortex of fate that swirled around Ruin Val’dor had already sucked all five Destruction Towers into the Saraph’s orbit. He’d already gifted them with five of the sacred shapes, lost since the emergence. A mistake here could doom any chances at retrieving the other ninety-one sacred shapes.

An old connection reappeared to Death’s senses as the flow of energy left the Destruction Realm and returned through the dimensional tunnel into the Creation Realm. It provided an opportunity.

Decisiveness returned, and Death moved upward toward the Material Realm and the two towers that connected to the Creation Realm above.

A moment later, Death materialized as a black flame at the top of the Body Tower. A moonless night made seeing with normal sight difficult, but Death had far from normal sight, and the surrounding desert hid no secrets.

Heat radiated from the sand despite the hour of the night, and so near these two towers, traces of the Zealot’s ancient destruction remained. The angel’s Soul energy still soaked the area, and Death wondered if this trip was unnecessary. Surely the Zealot would destroy Ruin. Along with Death’s new caretaker, unfortunately. For the thousandth time, Death fought the urge to aid Ruin and Echo in their fight with the Zealot.

The black flame emitted a purple-blue glow to those with the sight, and it flickered erratically as Death fought to keep focused only on the Death Tower’s duty, and not the fates of Ruin and Echo.

Motion on the dunes below provided a welcome distraction for Death while the avatar waited to see if the Life Tower would appear atop the nearby Mind Tower. Two humans sat on the dunes: an adult female and a male teenager. Their golden eyes reflected the faint moonlight in the darkness.

“This is the exact center of Shag’la Rath,” the female said.

The teenager looked around. “Really worth the run, too.”

“Your sarcasm only exposes your ignorance, and the silver Leab’Ayl Ribnor cannot afford ignorance.”

The teenager sighed.

“Cevin,” the woman said, her displeasure clear in her tone.

“Mom—”

The woman cut the teenager off. “No mom here. This is a sacred place that deserves our respect. Demands it. We are Leab’Ayl Ribnor.”

“I tried to tell him,” a new male voice said.

Death studied the talking silver band around Cevin’s wrist. The woman wore a similar one, only hers had the color of blood. The bands glowed brightly with the same energy that soaked the area around these towers. It likely meant the bands were fragments from the original devastation here, and from their energy saturated state they’d absorbed a significant amount of that destructive power.

Cevin glared at the silver band which morphed its shape to become a very small knife. It promptly fell into the sand and disappeared.

“Lid!” Cevin cried as he dug in the sand.

“Never mind Lid, he’s headed for the Silver Library. We’ll meet him there in a moment.”

Cevin sat back, his demeanor turning serious. He glanced at the two towers and tried to hide his anxiety.

The red bracelet altered its shape and dropped into the sand as well, but instead of following Lid to the Mind Tower, it headed for Body Tower that Death sat atop.

“They will open the libraries for us,” the woman said. “Don’t worry so much. We won’t be fighting in any of the Tower dungeons on this visit. That Ink Lord Conclave saved your butt. When I return, your training will begin in earnest. We must cram as much knowledge as we can into that thick skull before you return to the academy.” The last was said as she ruffled Cevin’s hair.

Cevin tried to push his mom’s hand away from his hair, but she easily evaded his attempt. He studied each of the towers and the sigils that covered them both.

“You said there were three Leab’Ayl Ribnor,” Cevin said, “but I only see two towers. Where is the third one?”

The Red Librarian placed her palm on the sand and spoke softly. “It is below us. Not a tower at all, but ship.”

“A ship? We’re in the middle of the desert.”

“It’s not that kind of ship. Someday, when you are stronger, we’ll ask the Black Librarian to guide us to what remains of the vessel and the library it contains.”

Death’s attention snapped to the top of the Mind Tower, the humans far below forgotten.

A three-foot cloud of glittering flakes appeared atop the far tower. The Avatar of the Life Tower had come. Life continued to materialize, diamond shards lazily twirling, illuminated by an invisible sun.

“Welcome, Sister,” Death said.

“Brother Death, it has been many cycles. Are you responsible for returning the rain?”

“No, but I know those involved. The rain falling in the Creation Realm will not last for long. The blockage has been removed but most of the Spirit remains locked away.”

“Unfortunate. Nevertheless, only a fool curses the dew while waiting for the storm. If nothing else, this energy will return color to our parched Realm.” Life paused before continuing. “You feel stronger.”

“I am,” Death replied. “It’s why I’ve come. The one I believe responsible for returning your rain is called Ruin Val’dor. A Saraph from a noble family. Destruction was his second evolution, however. His original form is a human called Ruwen Starfield.”

“He has two evolutions? What are you implying? Does he walk the path of a Voidwalker?”

“I believe so.”

The avatar of Life strobed brightly, briefly turning the night into day.

“He performed the evolutions out of order,” Life hissed. “How could this happen? How could such a rare opportunity be destroyed like this?”

“That is one of the reasons I’ve come. He will need your help if he enters the Creation Realm.”

“Impossible!” Life declared. “How can I help? Creation flows to Destruction. It’s the order of things. He has assimilated Destruction. The Creation Realm will reject him, not to mention the other Towers and the Clans. Who will sponsor such madness?”

“He doesn’t need a sponsor,” Death replied. “Io’amar Thal’ara has marked the boy. Ruwen is a Thal’ara royal.”

 A beam of multicolored light shot into the sky. “Io’amar’s actions are reckless, that is no surprise, but he has no allies here. That Ruwen has the Thal’ara lineage will only make an impossible situation more difficult.”

“Do not underestimate the boy,” Death responded. “You noticed I’m stronger. Ruin Val’dor traveled the roots through the Void and touched the original Destruction Towers. He woke our Wardens, opened the Sacred Hall, and manifested all five Towers in this splinter Universe and raised them to a thousand floors.”

“Impressive,” Life said, “but—”

Death interrupted. “He discovered five of the sacred cymatics.”

Death held out the five sound shapes Ruin had gifted the Destruction Towers.

“Extraordinary, but—”

Death interrupted again. “He holds the balance. A Harmonic.” Before Life could speak, Death continued. “A Fate Weaver, Destruction Emperor, Builder, Maker, and has already created and healed void rifts. He is obviously new at projecting his Maker abilities but wait until you experience the entrance to his mind, a place he calls Purgatory. Even at the peak of your powers you are nothing but a child in that place.”

“You fear him?” Life asked.

“Oh yes. Without a doubt he could rip the Death Tower from its roots and toss it into the void. I’m not certain that our original manifestations are safe, even with the Wardens, and the protection of the Destruction Emperor.”

Life remained silent, likely trying to process all the information Death had dumped on her. After a few moments he continued.

“I’m not sure the boy will enter the Creation Realm, but if he does, he needs your help. Not for his sake, but for yours. If he arrives and only finds enemies, he will destroy your entire Realm.”

“Even if that is true,” Life said, “he holds Destruction. Every part of Creation will resist him.”

“That will be his hurdle to overcome. I have studied Ruin Val’dor since his birth in my Realm, and his power grows at an unnatural pace. You underestimate him at your own peril. If he enters your Realm, he will drag you and the other four towers into the vortex of his destiny.”

Life’s glittering cloud now only illuminated the top of the Mind Tower and she spoke softly. “None of us understood what Aeonrial hoped to accomplish in this secret Universe. Do you think Ruwen Starfield holds that answer?”

“No, I think Ruwen Starfield is the answer. Or will become it.”

“That would explain why Io’amar Thal’ara abandoned his duty in the Creation Realm to trapse around the Material Realm inside a dagger. That never made any sense to us.”

 “Everything is changing,” Death said. “I resonate strongly with the boy, so I know you will as well. I am not remaining a spectator.”

“You can’t be serious. The boy’s path is thrice doomed. Surviving the Creation Realm trial and successfully evolving would require a miracle. Then what, he needs to find these towers, except they are only visible to a few. Let’s assume he does though. That doesn’t change the fact these towers are empty shells. Body and Mind either purposely left these towers as isolated orphans or Aeonrial did. Either way, a final evolution is impossible. Why risk involving yourself for such a hopeless outcome?”

“Nevertheless,” Death responded, “I’m already committed, and I am offering you the same opportunity.”

“What happened to Death’s vaunted patience?” Life asked.

“Only two seals remain. Annihilation knocks on Heaven’s Gate, and someone must be there to answer.”

Life considered for thirty seconds before responding. “Tell me.”