The conflict erupted before Kael could even process what he was seeing. The creature standing behind him moved. A wave of black-and-gold energy exploded from its body and tore through the collapsing white realm. Entire sections of reality shattered into fragments of broken concepts. Time cracked like glass. Space folded inward. Ancient laws that had governed existence for countless ages collapsed under a pressure they could no longer withstand.Kael reacted instantly. His sword appeared in his hand as instinct took over. He spun and slashed. The blade, capable of cutting through dimensions, passed directly through the duplicate's neck. Nothing happened. The smiling figure remained standing. Not a single wound appeared. Not a single drop of blood fell.The duplicate simply looked down at the blade passing through him and smiled with almost affectionate amusement."You always do that first."Kael jumped backwards. A chill crawled through his spine. The words felt wrong. Not because they w

The voice did not merely echo through reality. It invaded it. The single word Father spread across existence like a contagion. Every surviving universe trembled. Every remaining timeline shuddered. Countless stars dimmed simultaneously, as though some ancient instinct buried within creation recognised the speaker and feared what its awakening might mean.Kael immediately dropped to one knee. Pain exploded through his soul. The agony had nothing to do with physical injury. It felt as though an invisible hand had reached into the deepest parts of his existence and begun tearing apart locks that had remained sealed for eternity. Memories surged upward. Not dozens.Not hundreds.Millions.Entire lifetimes flashed before his eyes. Worlds that no longer existed. Galaxies born and extinguished. Civilisations that had flourished before time possessed a name. Every memory carried the same unbearable truth. He had seen the voice before. Long ago.Before creation.Before gods.Before reality itself.