The void, most of the time, is a realm of darkness and silence. Few beings can traverse it freely, and those who can are either at the pinnacle of their worlds or at least among their upper echelons. As such, the vast and boundless void is desolate, with only a rare few roaming its emptiness. For those who enter it with curiosity and high expectations, they are often met with disappointment and profound loneliness.
Typically, a legendary or higher being venturing into the void will encounter nothing, no matter how far they travel. However, exceptions sometimes occur, as with the case of the fleeing Evil God of Desolation. To escape the two scions he dared not confront, the Evil God had abandoned his entire retinue of followers and fled.
Even with a weapon embedded in his body, serving as a beacon for his pursuers, the Evil God chose not to return to his origin world. While it was indeed the safest place for him, doing so would bring danger to his home.
The more one understands the void, the greater their fear of it becomes. The Evil God, though powerful, was keenly aware of the existence of beings far stronger than himself—entities capable of annihilating worlds with a mere gesture.
To avoid endangering his origin world, he fled in a random direction, not knowing what lay ahead. After some time, however, he was forced to stop. Before him loomed another presence, one that caused his already deep sense of misfortune to intensify.
"Something is definitely wrong with me," the Evil God thought, his desire to investigate his own fate growing stronger. Why else would his luck be this terrible?
"Who were you fighting with? Looks like it was quite the battle. Were you fighting over something?"
The being blocking the Evil God's path examined his battered state with unabashed curiosity. This was another Evil God, its form obscured by the cursed black mist left in the wake of a destroyed world. Occasionally, a barbed, thorn-covered tentacle would emerge from the mist, twisting and writhing grotesquely.
Surrounding this Evil God were countless bizarre and terrifying creatures, floating in the void with malicious intent, their gaze fixed on the lone Evil God before them.
"It's none of your concern," the Evil God of Desolation growled. He could sense the strong malice in his counterpart's voice and noted how its minions were slowly spreading out, attempting to encircle him.
"Step aside!" Despite the gaping, unhealed wound on his body and the absence of any followers, the Evil God stood firm. Any sign of weakness now would invite an immediate attack.
The Evil God knew his opponent all too well. This was a being he had once coerced into surrendering a portion of its spoils. In the past, during his peak, with a massive army of followers at his side, he had forced this very entity to yield.
The first time these two met, the Evil God of Desolation had come across the other devouring the remnants of a destroyed world. Drawn by the light of the explosion, he had arrived to witness the aftermath. While the sight of a destroyed world was awe-inspiring, it wasn't new to him, as he had orchestrated similar events himself.
At that time, the Evil God of Desolation had demanded a share of the spoils, leveraging his overwhelming strength and the vast army at his command. Reluctantly, the other Evil God had conceded, unwilling to provoke a conflict.
Now, however, the situation was reversed. The Evil God of Desolation was severely weakened, with no followers and a significant injury. His former victim, sensing this opportunity, approached him with a "friendly" inquiry.
"What happened to you? Tell me," the Thorned Evil God pressed, feigning concern while his minions continued to close in.
"Get lost!" The Evil God of Desolation roared, furious at the blatant encirclement. He had fled from the scions to avoid a hopeless battle, only to encounter a familiar adversary now emboldened by his weakness.
Did he appear easy to bully? Apparently, yes. A lone, wounded Evil God without an army was indeed an enticing target.
"You're hurt pretty badly. In that case, I won't hold back," the Thorned Evil God declared gleefully. Seven millennia of resentment boiled to the surface as he prepared to reclaim what had been taken from him—plus interest.
"Attack!"
With his command, the twisted and grotesque minions surged forward, intent on tearing the wounded Evil God apart.
The Evil God of Desolation bellowed, unleashing a thunderous roar that rippled through the void, creating visible shockwaves. Any minions caught in the waves were instantly obliterated, reduced to their base components—blood, bone, scales, and tendrils—scattered throughout the void.
In a single roar, nearly a million of the Thorned Evil God's followers were wiped out. But while the Evil God of Desolation appeared unscathed, his opponent remained unfazed.
The Thorned Evil God had never expected his minions to inflict significant harm. Their purpose was to force the Evil God of Desolation to expend his energy.
"Go ahead, kill them all. I've brought enough for you to fight for quite a while," the Thorned Evil God chuckled darkly, his laughter echoing across the void.
With a massive scythe-like limb, the Evil God of Desolation swung through the void, slicing through waves of minions. Each strike drained their life force, reducing them to dried husks.
However, the Thorned Evil God had anticipated this. As the Evil God of Desolation drew upon the life force of his minions to recover, a barbed tentacle lashed out, striking him. Caught off guard by the relentless swarm, he failed to evade. Flesh was torn from his body, and the severed pieces transformed into serpentine beasts that turned to attack him.
Amid the chaos, the Evil God of Desolation roared again, tearing through the swarm and carving a bloody path through the void. Sensing a faint pull in the distance, he surged toward it.
The void had become too dangerous, filled with malice and hostility at every turn. The Evil God of Desolation had had enough. He was done running aimlessly.
It was time to return home.
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