The first Forgotten God emerged in Peru.Viracocha, the ancient creator deity of the Inca, stepped out of Machu Picchu as tourists screamed and ran. He looked confused, disoriented, like someone waking from a very long sleep.Within hours, more appeared. Quetzalcoatl in Mexico. Anansi in Ghana. Amaterasu in Japan. Dozens of gods who had faded from worship centuries ago, suddenly real again.Marcus watched news footage in the council building's emergency operations center. Every screen showed a different awakening. Every report more chaotic than the last."This is because of you," Zeus's replacement said. A goddess named Hestia, chosen by the Olympians to lead after her brother's sacrifice. She was calmer than Zeus but no less powerful. "Your actions at the Harvester's dimension sent ripples across all realities. You woke them.""I freed imprisoned gods," Marcus said. "How does that wake different ones?""Divine energy calls to divine energy," Athena explained. "When you reversed the H

Marcus spent two days recovering from using the Crucible.His body healed quickly, but the loss of power was permanent. He could feel the difference. Attacks that used to be easy now left him exhausted. The mark still worked, but it was like fighting with one arm tied behind his back.Elena stayed with him the entire time, bringing food and updating him on the chaos outside."The Forgotten Gods are getting restless," she said, sitting on the edge of his hospital bed. "Amaterasu called another meeting. They want equal representation on the Divine Council. The established pantheons are refusing.""Of course they are," Marcus muttered. "Power never gives itself up willingly.""There is more," Elena continued. "Three minor conflicts broke out between gods yesterday. Nothing major yet, but tensions are rising. And the UN summit is tomorrow. Every pantheon will be there. If something goes wrong, it could turn into a war."Marcus forced himself to sit up despite his body protesting. "Then I

The summit ended in total chaos.Gods argued about whether Marcus was right. Mortals debated if they could trust him. Security tried to get people out before fights started. Marcus sat in the middle of it all, too tired to move.But one thing stopped everyone from leaving. Zeus.The king of gods stood with his children around him. Apollo, Artemis, Athena. All staring at their father like he was a ghost."How is this real?" Apollo asked, touching Zeus's arm like he might vanish. "We watched you die. We buried you.""I remember dying," Zeus said slowly. His voice was quieter now. Less proud. "I remember the ritual. Giving my life to save Gaia. Then nothing. Then waking up here.""The Architect pulled you from right before death," Athena said. "Somehow they reached back in time and took you.""But why?" Artemis asked. "Why bring him back now?"Marcus knew why. To prove the Architect could do anything. To show their power. To make everyone scared.Director Chen walked over to Marcus and E

Marcus pulled his hand away from Yuki, breaking the connection.His mind still shook from what he saw. The Unmaker. That thing beyond everything. That hunger wanting to eat all of creation."That cannot be real," Marcus said, but his voice trembled."It is very real," Yuki said. "And it wakes in three months. Unless we stop it."Elena's voice came through his earpiece. "Marcus, get away from her. Whatever she showed you could be fake. A trick."But Marcus had felt it. The Unmaker was not just something he saw. He felt its presence. Its age. Its endless hunger eating at the edges of reality."How do we stop it?" Marcus asked.Yuki smiled. "Finally, you ask the right question. Come. I will show you."She waved her hand. A building rose from the ice behind her. Made of metal and light and symbols that hurt to look at."My lab," Yuki said. "Where I built the cage. Where I spent twenty years preparing.""Marcus, do not go in there," Athena's voice joined Elena's. "It could be a trap.""It

Reality broke faster than anyone expected.By day three, entire city blocks disappeared. Not destroyed. Just gone. Like they never existed. People living there one moment, erased the next.Marcus stood in what used to be downtown Seattle. Where buildings once stood, there was nothing. Not empty space. Not rubble. Nothing. His mind could not process it. Looking at the absence hurt his eyes."This is the fifth city this week," Athena said beside him. She wore mortal clothes, trying to blend in. "And it is accelerating. Next week it could be fifty cities.""How many people?" Marcus asked, though he did not want to know."Seattle alone? Forty thousand gone." Athena's voice was quiet. "Worldwide? Half a million so far."Marcus felt sick. Half a million people. Erased. Returned to nothing."Maybe Yuki was telling the truth," Marcus said. "Maybe the Unmaker is real.""Or she is causing this," Athena countered. "Making reality break to force you into her Cage.""Can she do that? Break reality