Far above the mortal world, in a place where time bent like wind and space shimmered with divine essence, the gods observed. They sat upon thrones forged from cosmic laws, their eyes ever-watchful, gazes heavy with judgment.
And today, their gaze was fixed on one soul.
Graxion.
The once-forgotten boy, now the bearer of the shadow ring, had done something unthinkable. He had forged a blade that bent shadow to his will. He had created life where none should exist. He had spoken to the future. And worst of all—he had awakened possibility.
The gods did not like that.
"He has broken the boundary," said Orrinox, god of order and fate. His voice boomed across the heavens like a gong struck by eternity. "Shadow was meant to balance light, not rival it."
"He did more than rival it," whispered Velyra, goddess of time. Her many eyes flickered with anxiety. "He reached through me. He saw the fork of what could be. That makes him dangerous."
"Or necessary," countered Kaelum, god of rebellion and dusk. He leaned on a blade made of stars and shadows, eyes glowing with mischief. "The world has grown stale. Perhaps we need a Graxion."
A silence fell over the council, thick and heavy.
Then, at last, the eldest god rose from his throne of light.
Primus, the First Flame.
"He is not part of the design," Primus said. "He is a deviation… a flaw in the script."
Velyra nodded. "A mistake."
Kaelum laughed. "Or a wildcard."
Primus raised his hand. "Regardless, the realms must be preserved. If he threatens the balance, we erase him."
---
Down in the mortal realm, Graxion stirred in his sleep. A cold wind passed through the chamber, though no doors were open. The shadows recoiled, as if sensing something greater than them pressing in.
He awoke with a gasp.
> "I was being watched."
He didn't know how he knew. But he did. Deep in his bones, something ancient had noticed him. And it didn't feel like the usual dread of monsters or humans.
This was something… bigger.
Divine.
His ring pulsed once. A message appeared, etched in air:
> [Warning: Celestial Attention Detected]
[Divine Eyes Have Fallen Upon You]
He stood quickly, summoning Umbra Fang. Even the blade trembled.
"Can I even fight something like that?" he asked aloud.
> "You will have to," a voice whispered behind him.
He turned. A figure stood in the doorway. Clad in rags, face hidden beneath a hood, but eyes burning with shadowfire. Not an enemy. Not quite a friend.
> "Who are you?" Graxion asked.
The figure stepped forward and whispered:
> "I'm what happens when gods fail."
And then the chamber went dark.
---
Far above, in the Hall of Divine Judgment, Primus clenched his fist.
"It has begun," he said.
Orrinox unsheathed a scroll made from the skin of fallen stars. "Shall we write his end?"
But Kaelum only smiled and whispered:
> "Let him write it himself."