Chapter 26
In the vast black of the Olrox Realm, where light struggled to pierce through, she wandered alone. For eons, Betsheba had walked for what felt uncountable years folding into one another like endless shadows, each step across the barren lands echoing against nothing.
She was a being born from corruption, from the remnants of once-living demons who had drunk the blood of gods. That blood had twisted them, burned away what humanity they had left, leaving only abominations in their wake.
And she had survived.
Unlike the others. While many of her kind had been captured, and consumed by the remnants of divine justice, she escaped to carry on her mission
She had walked the Olrox Realm like a shadow without beginning or end.
And in her wandering, she found it the purpose of their destiny.
This is...?
The Tree of Life.
Its branches stretched infinitely, weaving through realities like silver threads of destiny Its roots pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat of the universe. Light poured from it, not harsh but ancient, speaking of knowledge that predated the first gods.
She stood before it. For a moment, she considered her reflection in its roots, in the tiny pools of golden sap that dripped to the ground. She could have consumed it all. Taken the full power, the entire tree. But she could not
" No that would be too much… not even I could contain it" she said
And then ...
Her hands hovered above the roots. Slowly, deliberately, she consumed a portion of the Tree of Life.
Whoosh
Ahhhh!! She screamed
Her very existence was shattered from the inside
The pain was so unbearable even while being cut
in a state of limbo
The energy was overwhelming. It flowed into her like a river of stars, coursing into her veins, searing her spirit and soul alike. Her existence convulsed as the power reformed her, as if she was being rewritten by the universe
She screamed and screamed as this went on feeling like it would never stop
When it subsided, she no longer felt like a demon, and yet she was not fully human either.
She had form. A human-like form, one she could manifest at will. But she also had the ability to return to her true Echo state lifeless, shadowy, and incorporeal.
And so she gave herself a name: Betsheba.
Betsheba. She tested it on her lips, tasting it like a new world. It fit. It was hers. My name born not from birth, but from will and conquest.. she mustered to herself
For eons, Betsheba wandered the Olrox Realm. She discovered nuances of power she had never touched before, secrets of the void that were hidden to all others. Slowly, carefully, she began to experiment. Not with destruction, but with fragments of limited creation.
First, she learned to shape reality in small pockets. Pockets of space that obeyed her will. Then, she discovered she could open dimensions... private, secluded realms where her full power could manifest further
Is this really me ??? Is this what I can do?
Just a leave of the tree gave me this much power?
These were not gates for travel. They were realms of potential. Realms where she could be truly free.
The Tree of Life had given her purpose.
And with that purpose she would give her fellow people more purpose
She experimented with the echoes that had been captured and corrupted like her. The ones who drank godly blood and also became abominations. Alone, they were lifeless mindless remnants of their former selves.
But with her, they awakened as consciousness through connection.
They were linked to me. Through me, they exist. Through me, they can think… adapt and evolve.
And evolve they did.
The echoes had been imprisoned, cast into paradox prison discarded as failed experiments of divine wrath under the watchful eye of Elyra but under Betsheba's influence, they were given purpose and so she formed the link between thousands and thousands of echoes formed and merged into 10 different echoes and adapating to time and they began to synchronize with her mind.
Through this, Betsheba discovered another gift
Curse Manipulation.
The echoes were born of abomination, corrupted by divine blood, by their own sin and thirst for power. That corruption made them naturally adept at curses,
Betsheba learned to harness that power, shaping curses that could pierce dimensions, that could bend reality for anyone who trespassed in her domain.
And yet, she did not rush or consume more than she could bear, she only allowed herself to grow in patience and in control with each dimension she opened,she tested each curses each echo she guided them all
Time became meaningless to Betsheba. A hundred, a thousand, a million years all rolled into one. She was neither young nor old.
In her twisted ideology she had discovered her ultimate truth: power without purpose is meaningless.
The echoes could be weapons. They could destroy worlds. They could drive gods to their knees. But without guidance, without direction, they were nothing. Lifeless shadows drifting in the space between life and death.
They needed me.
And with a simple command
GO!!!
in a single roar they busted out of the paradox prison where they Battled with the gate keeper and the demi god of balance Elyra
I AM FINALLY READY
she was ready to become more than a wanderer, or more than a shadow of abominations no she was ready to be their queen.
Betsheba began to structure their collective. She gave each echo a name though not in the way humans would understand. Names were unnecessary for them to obey. They were linked through her mind. Through her, they could think. Through her, they could act. And because of that time became meaningless to them
She became worshipped. Not as a goddess, but as the one who gave consciousness to the lifeless.
Even the prison that had once held the echoes crumbled under her will, guiding her subjects to freedom. The voices of the void whispered in resistance, but the echoes, bound to her mind, ignored them. There was only Betsheba.
From that moment, she was reborn. From that moment, she could traverse dimensions, bending portions of reality to her whims. She had purpose. She had a future. She had the echoes.
The echoes gathered in the shadowed dimension she had created
And in the center, Betsheba floated. Her human form, beautiful elegant and precise, seemed almost ordinary yet she radiated an aura of pure command.
They moved in silence. They obeyed without hesitation. Without thought. Without question.
The seven remaining echoes shifted slightly, aware of her gaze. Three others had been lost or dissipated by powers far beyond their original strength. But these seven remained. The strongest, most faithful.
Betsheba extended her hand. Shadows coalesced around her fingers, like smoke responding to wind
"Come forward" She said
They did. Slowly.....
Betsheba's lips curled slightly.
"Good. Obedience without comprehension is the purest form of loyalty."
I know your limits, I know you power. And yet, she also knew that through her, they could adapt to anything
A weird smile flashed through her face
WORSHIP YOUR QUEEN!!!
She raised her other hand. The shadows obeyed instantly, forming lines, arcs, and waves of darkness. Each one a weapon in itself, a living curse waiting to strike.
For eons they had been nothing. Now, they were ready.
"I am Betsheba, she whispered. And you will obey me. Not because you must, but because through me, you exist.
The echoes, shadows in the space between life and death, bowed not with their bodies, but with the very essence of their being.
They were hers.
Her kingdom of shadows had begun and now for the first time, the echoes made a sound.
It was faint, almost like a sigh of wind through a hollow tunnel. Their forms remained shadowy, lifeless, but the sound carried a strange weight an echo of thought, of recognition.
Betsheba tilted her head slightly, her dark eyes calm and sharp. She had expected this. Patience had always been her greatest ally.
" Come Speak my child," she said softly, her voice carrying across the void of their minds.
The nearest shadow shifted. Its form wavered, pulsing as if testing itself.
" My Queen…" it said, almost uncertainly. "We… we can feel you."
Betsheba's lips curved into a small, almost proud smile.
"Yes," she replied. "I am here. I am the one who gave you thought, purpose, and guidance.
Through me, you exist. Through me, you can act."
Another echo moved forward. Its shape flickered like smoke caught in a gust of wind.
"You… gave us… consciousness?" it asked. Its voice was hollow, yet it carried curiosity.
"Yes," Betsheba said firmly. "Not fully human, not fully alive. You are still shadows. But shadows with direction. Shadows with will. You are mine, and I am yours."
We are bound by one mind
Mine!!!
There was a long silence. The echoes seemed to process her words. Slowly, one by one, they bent their forms toward her, as if bowing, though their shapes made no sound or gesture a human would recognize.
"We… obey," one said finally.
"Queen Betsheba…" another whispered. "We… understand now. We… exist because of you."
Betsheba nodded, satisfied.
"Yes. But obedience alone is not enough. You must adapt faster . You must learn. You are shadows, yes but shadows that can strike, shadows that can think. I will guide you, and together, we will grow stronger."
The echoes' forms shimmered faintly. For the first time, Betsheba noticed tiny differences. Each of them, though still shadowy and lifeless in appearance, had begun to develop small sparks faint points of light, almost like stars trapped inside them.
"These sparks… what are they?" one of the echoes asked, their voice wavering like smoke.
"They are your beginnings," Betsheba said. "They are the first signs of the power you can wield. Do not mistake this for freedom. It is guidance. It is control. But with it, you will learn. With it, you will grow."
The echoes murmured among themselves, a soundless ripple in the space between them. Betsheba allowed it. She had given them life, but she would not force understanding. Patience was necessary.
"Queen…" one shadow said, quieter than the others. "We… we are ready to follow. What… is our purpose?"
Betsheba's gaze hardened. She had waited eons for this. "Our purpose is not simple obedience. Our purpose is survival, growth, and eventual dominance. The world above… the world of living, of gods… it will not understand you. It will fear you. And they should. But they will learn. Through you, I will show them the true power of the echoes."
A faint ripple moved across their forms, like wind disturbing a pool of dark water. Though they remained shadowy, they seemed to lean closer, closer to her voice, closer to her mind.
"We… will follow you," one said.
"Yes," Betsheba replied. "Because through me, you exist. And through your existence, you will bring about change. You will be more than shadows. You will be… my soldiers."
A pause fell over the group. Then, slowly, Betsheba reached out with her mind, touching the threads that bound them. The echoes shivered as her will brushed against their consciousness. It was not pain, but a gentle pressure. Guidance. Direction.
"You will learn to move. You will learn to strike. You will learn to think for yourselves within the boundaries of my power. One day… you may even surprise me. But do not stray too far. Your strength is tied to mine. Your existence… depends on me."
The shadows seemed to bow again,
acknowledging her words. They did not speak this time, but their forms vibrated faintly, as if saying silently: We understand. We obey.She allowed herself to imagine.
The world above… the hunters, the gods… they will come. They will see the shadows. They will fear them. But fear is not enough. They must understand what true power is. And through you you and I will show them.
A faint ripple passed through the shadows again. Betsheba observed them. Three of the echoes had already been lost in previous conflicts, but the remaining seven were loyal, intelligent in their own silent way.
"You have all grown in silence," she said. "Your potential is still limited, but it will grow. You will learn to adapt to anything I show you. And one day, you will act with precision beyond comprehension. Do you understand?"
One of the echoes, slightly taller than the others, shifted forward. Its form flickered like a flame.
"Yes, Queen Betsheba," it said. "We understand. We… will follow. We… will learn."
"Good," she said. "But remember, your consciousness alone does not make you strong. It is my guidance that shapes you. Obey, learn, and adapt. That is your path."
The shadows pulsed faintly, their forms tightening and solidifying slightly as if agreeing.
She let her mind flow into possibilities, her voice quiet but steady as she spoke to the echoes in unison:
"Soon, we will move beyond this dimension. Soon, we will act. The world above has its protectors, its hunters, its kings and queens. But they are mortal. They are limited. They will not understand the shadows. They will not understand me. And they will understand you
"We will show them," one whispered, a faint sound that carried no fear, only obedience.
Betsheba smiled faintly, a small glimmer of amusement in her dark eyes.
"Yes… but patience first. We cannot strike blindly. Strength without control is foolish. one day, we will move. But until then… observe, prepare, and grow. The time for action will come."
She allowed her thoughts to drift, touching the faint threads that connected her to the world above. There were whispers scattered events, movements of hunters and gods alike but none yet had reached the level of threat she anticipated.
But one name had already begun to stir her curiosity.
The kurogane's
Even through distant threads, Betsheba could feel the pulse of their power, faint but unmistakable. She had heard whispers through the thread of her curses that traveled through fractured dimensions of a girl who had mastered a spirit beast, who moved with precision, strength, and confidence beyond her years.
And another who is the reborn god of destruction
Both have the power to challenge
Her lips curved slightly.
Betsheba's mind shifted back to the echoes, the seven hadows around her, waiting silently.
"Prepare yourselves," she said quietly, but firmly. "The world above will come. They will bring hunters, gods, and all those who think they can stop us. But we will strike and we will survive. And when the time comes… we will show them why you are not lifeless. Why you are not powerless and why I am your queen."
The echoes pulsed faintly, acknowledging her command. They did not speak this time. Their forms remained shadows, dark and lifeless, but within, the spark of consciousness she had granted them glimmered.
Betsheba allowed herself a final thought, quiet and calculating.
The kurogane's soon, we will meet. And when we do, we will see whose shadow moves faster.