Chapter 59 – The Trace of Death
The silence that followed the departure of Vael's Avatar was… deafening.
Even the wind seemed afraid to blow.
Aeternus, still frozen in place, slowly lifted his gaze toward the fractured sky of the dimension.
The spatial fissures still shimmered faintly—remnants of the Absolute's presence.
> "That was… just a warning," he murmured, his voice heavy with millennia of fatigue.
Valen collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
— "Finally… we can breathe." He let out a nervous chuckle. "Seriously, that thing was terrifying."
Elyonna, now back in her miniature human form, floated beside him and nodded slowly.
— "You're telling me. I felt my soul trying to flee my body."
Valen gave her a curious look.
— "Tell me, Elyonna… do you know her? Death? You seem oddly calm about it."
She looked away, her expression neutral.
— "We've crossed paths… once, maybe twice. I respect her, but I wouldn't say I like her. She speaks little. Judges everything. Comments on nothing."
Valen frowned.
— "And Vael? Why do you hate him so much?"
At those words, Elyonna clenched her jaw, a flicker of emotion flashing in her eyes.
— "Just thinking about him pisses me off. That being… thinks he's above everything, even creation itself. He's arrogant. Treats me like a tool. It infuriates me."
Valen stifled a laugh.
— "Well, technically, you are a sword…"
— "Don't you start too," Elyonna snapped.
A silence fell. Zarion placed a hand on Valen's shoulder.
— "Valen…" he said softly.
— "I… felt something, Zarion," Valen replied, his gaze hollow. "It was like my very essence wanted to flee."
Where Death had stood, nothing remained. No dust. No light.
Just… a hole in reality. A void so perfect it hurt to look at.
Even Aeternus, embodiment of balance, kept his distance.
> "That trace…" he whispered. "...cannot be erased. Not even by me."
Zarion crossed his arms, his expression grave.
> "It's Death's imprint. A tear in the laws themselves. Even the Void dares not touch it."
Valen sighed.
— "We were this close to getting obliterated… why didn't she finish us?"
Zarion answered without looking at him.
— "Because she wasn't here for us. And… she didn't seem like one of Vael's incarnations."
Aeternus turned his head.
— "No… That wasn't an incarnation like Valt or Valen. That was her. The true entity. Death herself—the Avatar of Vael."
A shiver ran through the entire dimension, as if her name alone summoned her presence.
Zarion continued:
— "If that was really her… then everything we've faced so far—the Void Dragons, the Fallen Architects, even Valt—was nothing."
Aeternus closed his eyes.
— "Which Fallen Architect did you even fight?" he asked.
Valen muttered,
— "I think Mr. Zarion's memory is acting up."
— "Not the time," Zarion grumbled.
Aeternus added:
— "Exactly. Valt was just a pawn. His sealing was never a true attempt. It was a test. A message."
Zarion raised an eyebrow.
— "And that message is… Vael is beginning to move."
Everyone fell silent. Even the light seemed hesitant to exist.
Valen slowly stood, eyes fixed on the breach left by Death.
— "We need to prepare. This isn't just a war against entities anymore…"
He raised his sword, the stars in his pupils gently spinning.
— "…it's a war against the end itself."
Zarion sighed.
— "Great… we've gone from a cosmic war to a war against the end of everything. What's next, the Void?"
Valen gave him an amused look.
— "Careful saying that out loud. You never know."
Elyonna shook her head, half-tired, half-sarcastic.
— "You two are the most insane duo I've ever met."
Zarion regained his composure.
— "We should head back to Earth. This dimension is unstable."
Valen nodded.
— "Better if no one else knows. Panic would be inevitable."
The three exchanged glances.
Aeternus raised a hand, opening a glowing portal.
> "Go. I'll stay a while. I need to understand why she came."
Valen hesitated.
— "Take care, Aeternus. If you see Death again, tell her she owes us an apology for the trauma."
Aeternus gave a faint smile.
— "Still joking, even after all this?"
— "Gotta keep the spirits up, right?" Valen replied with a wink.
Elyonna sighed.
— "It's official. You're hopeless."
Zarion extended his hand, and the two vanished in a silver light, returning to Earth.
Aeternus, alone, gazed at the void left by Death.
A breath, barely perceptible, passed through.
> "We will meet again."
His eyes narrowed.
— "Yes… I have no doubt."
Chapter 60 – The Palace of nothingness
An absolute silence reigned in the infinite space of the Palace of the Void—a place beyond reality, beyond perception, beyond time, fate, stories, and even narration itself.
Here, the laws of creation did not exist.
The palace stretched endlessly, built from paradoxes: walls of solid mist, pillars of luminous shadow, a shifting ceiling where dead constellations danced.
And at the center of this living contradiction sat Vael—the projection of Anti-Creation—enthroned upon a seat made of shifting darkness and inverted light.
His appearance seemed human, but nothing about him truly was.
His long black hair, tied behind his head, absorbed all light.
His multicolored eyes reflected everything he had consumed—gods, entities, concepts, worlds—within his internal space: the Abyssal World, an infinite realm where he imprisoned all he devoured.
A place from which nothing returned.
Before him, Death appeared—a solemn figure cloaked in a mantle as dark as the end of time.
At her side stood Valt, one of Vael's incarnations, his gaze a mix of awe and terror.
> "Master Vael," said Death in a calm yet cutting voice, "I have returned… with Valt."
A barely perceptible smile touched Vael's lips.
> "Wonderful. Finally, some good news. That's rare."
A quiet laugh echoed from the throne's staircase.
Another presence emerged: Nyxa, one of Vael's most unpredictable incarnations.
Her long black hair, tied identically, and her blazing red eyes gave her a cold, mocking beauty.
She crossed her arms and gave Death a bored look.
> "Hey! I told you already—you kill the mood every time you show up. It's like you bring a funeral with you. Take a human form or something… something a bit more lively. Come on, make an effort."
Death sighed—a sigh so deep the Palace itself trembled.
Her body began to reshape until she took on a more human appearance: a slender figure, elegant black cloak, piercing red eyes, though her face remained hidden beneath the hood.
> "There. Better?"
> "Yeah, a bit," Nyxa replied with a satisfied smile. "You almost look like a person now, not a walking apocalypse."
> "Keep talking, and I'll rip that smile off with my teeth."
Nyxa chuckled softly.
> "There! Finally, some emotion."
Vael, still seated on his throne, watched the scene with near-divine calm.
> "I love when my incarnations and Avatar bicker. Reminds me why I never gave them full free will."
A subtle unease crept over Valt.
He could feel the energy of the room—a power unlike anything else.
Each breath felt like inhaling the Void itself.
When Vael's eyes fell on him, his entire body shivered.
> "Don't… don't tell me it's really you, Vael…"
He stepped forward, voice trembling, caught between reverence and fear.
> "Lord Vael, I thought you were still out there slaughtering gods and absorbing their realms. The ancient texts speak of you as… The One Who Denies Creation, The One Who Erases with a Glance, The Mirror of Murderous Intent, The Devourer of All Weapons, Relics, and Concepts—existing or imaginable. The One whose name, if spoken, erases the speaker…"
Vael slowly closed his eyes, looking weary.
> "Mortals do love to exaggerate… And who writes this nonsense anyway?"
> "The ancient chronicles of the Codex of Lost Deities…"
> "Ah yes, those. I think I ate them. Very hard to digest."
Nyxa burst out laughing.
> "You really should stop eating sacred books. It's giving you a reputation."
> "A reputation, yes—but it feeds the ego," Vael replied, amused.
Valt didn't dare smile.
> "But… I thought you were cold, emotionless… a being beyond everything."
Vael's eyes darkened.
The room's temperature dropped sharply.
An invisible force made the very foundations of the Palace tremble.
> "That's enough," Vael said, his voice calm but so dense that silence itself collapsed.
> "You ask too many questions, Valt. And some truths… must never be spoken."
The silence that followed was heavy as a verdict.
Even Death looked away.
Valt immediately bowed his head, trembling.
He knew he had brushed against a boundary even gods feared to cross.
Vael sighed softly, lifting his gaze to the shifting ceiling of his palace.
> "Pfff… what a deadly mood. Anyone want Void Tea? It's hot, black, and makes you question your existence. Great for meditation."
Nyxa raised her hand enthusiastically:
> "Me! I'll take two. One for my soul and one for my ego."
> "Your ego's already overhydrated," Death replied, arms crossed.
> "And you? Want sugar with your fatalism?"
Vael smiled, amused, watching his creations squabble playfully.
Yet beneath the levity, something stirred.
The throne vibrated imperceptibly, and the Abyssal World echoed in response.
> "The balance is shifting… Creation is beginning to resist…" he thought.
His smile vanished.
His multicolored eyes began to spin slowly, reflecting countless universes.
> "The game begins again."
But for now… it's FC 25 for everyone.
Chapter 61 – Duel on PS5
In the unfathomable vastness of the Palace of the Void, the cosmic silence was suddenly broken by an incongruous sound:
Beep.
Vael, seated peacefully on his throne of shifting shadows, lazily raised a hand.
An arc of electricity cracked through the void, and a PlayStation 5 materialized in a burst of black and white light—like a star born from paradox.
A controller floated before him, haloed in a multicolored glow.
> "Death, come. Let's play a match on FC25.
> These humans… they may be stupid, but they sure know how to make entertaining things."
Death, the grim silhouette, froze for a moment.
> "You want… to play a football game? Now?"
> "Got a better idea? Count the dimensions I've destroyed?" Vael replied without looking up.
Nyxa, slouched on a secondary throne, sighed.
> "If you don't want to play, I'll take your spot. I'm ready to humiliate Vael—even on FIFA."
> "No no, I'm coming!" Death snapped.
With a snap of her fingers, a celestial couch appeared—soft as a collapsed galaxy.
Death sat down, awkwardly holding the controller.
Vael patted the void beside him.
> "See? Sometimes you've got to unwind. We slaughter gods, devour universes… but a good clásico clears the mind."
Valt, still standing, blinked in disbelief.
> "Uh… Master Vael?"
Nyxa rolled her eyes.
> "You, shut up and watch. It's educational."
Vael, impassive:
> "Silence. Real vs Barça. Now this… this is real war."
A massive screen materialized in the air, displaying the FC25 menu.
The image shimmered slightly under the weight of their divine auras.
> "Humans are so weak… and yet, sometimes, they brush against genius," Vael said, almost admiringly.
And the match began.
---
The Palace of the Void pulsed to the rhythm of the controllers.
Vael played as Barça. Death, Real Madrid.
Every joystick movement subtly warped reality.
Even the pixels seemed to scream in terror with every missed pass.
Valt watched, dumbfounded.
> "Am I dreaming? You're… playing FIFA?"
Nyxa, without lifting her head:
> "No. They're playing destiny. In 4K."
Vael, focused, executed a perfect through ball:
> "In the Void, time doesn't exist.
> And if I win… maybe I'll forgive your failure against Aeternus."
Death gripped the controller, unintentionally unleashing a burst of dark energy.
Her player on the field sprinted at supersonic speed, slicing through the defense.
> "Hey! No aura boosts, you spectral cheater!" Vael shouted.
> "You're using omniscient reflexes!" Death shot back.
Nyxa burst out laughing.
> "It's official. The universe is run by two kids with controllers."
---
A glitch occurred: the ball levitated, spun on itself, then vanished into a temporal rift.
> "Great. Now the ball's in the seventh dimension. Who's going to get it?" Vael muttered.
> "Not me. Last time I went there, a concept bit me," Death replied.
Vael sighed, tapped the void, and a new ball appeared.
> "Let's continue. No cosmic ragequits today."
Valt, exasperated:
> "But Master! Worlds are collapsing, your enemies are hunting you—and you're here playing FIFA with Death?!"
Nyxa:
> "Seriously, can you just shut your mouth and watch? We've got a match going."
Vael, without looking up:
> "Let them search. Aeternus can neither see me nor comprehend me.
> I am the Void. Beyond their reach."
He scored a magnificent goal, raising the controller like a divine relic.
> "GOOOOOAAAAALLL!" he roared.
The echoes of his cry rippled across realities.
Angels exploded. Gods wept. A narrator fainted.
Valt, pale:
> "I'm surrounded by lunatics."
> "Exactly. And that's why we win," Vael replied, a predatory smile curling his lips.
---
Death, calmly:
> "4–0. Again."
> "Real Madrid isn't what it used to be," Vael sighed.
Nyxa, teasing:
> "Don't say that. Last time you faced a real Madrid, you lost 7–1."
> "That was scripted," Vael replied with dignity.
Valt, on the verge of existential collapse:
> "This is a nightmare…"
Vael set down the controller, crossed his arms, and declared calmly:
> "No, Valt.
> You're in my relaxation."
And silence returned—broken only by the soft hum of the PS5 fan, echoing through the infinite void.
Chapter 62 – Celestial Rematch: 2v2 in the Absolute Void
The silence of the Palace of the Void had barely settled after Vael's legendary 4–0 victory… when a mocking laugh shattered it.
Nyxa, arms crossed, a predatory grin on her lips:
> "Not bad, fossil duo… but I bet you've got no chance against me and Valt."
Death raised an amused eyebrow.
> "You? And him?"
> "Yeah, me and the twitchy kid. We're gonna crush you."
Valt, caught off guard:
> "Wait, WHAT?!"
> "Shut up and grab a controller. You're my teammate now," Nyxa said, tossing the controller straight into his hands.
Vael, still seated on his throne, let out a calm laugh.
> "Oh, this is getting interesting. The rebellion of the underlings. Well then… Death, shall we reunite the legendary duo?"
> "Tch… Like I'd pass up the chance to beat you," Death replied, cracking her knuckles.
With a snap of fingers, the celestial couch transformed into a cosmic gaming arena—two thrones on each side, floating controllers, a giant screen stretching across half the Void.
Stars dimmed, physics bent, and the FC25 menu appeared… accompanied by a divine echo:
> "FRIENDLY MATCH: VAEL & DEATH vs NYXA & VALT."
---
Round One: Team Selection
Nyxa:
> "Alright, I'm taking Manchester City. Technique above all."
Valt:
> "Why not Bayern?"
> "Because I decide, and you shut up."
Vael, teasing:
> "This is promising… I'll stick with Barça. Tradition matters."
Death, calmly:
> "I'll take Real, obviously."
Nyxa clapped her hands.
> "Let the best duo win."
---
Kickoff
The entire Void trembled.
Every pass, every shot, every tackle rippled through the fabric of creation.
Dimensions quaked with each virtual goal.
Nyxa, focused, her dark aura crackling around her:
> "Come on, Valt, pass! THE PASS, YOU IDIOT!"
Valt:
> "HE STOLE THE BALL!"
> "I DON'T CARE, GET IT BACK!"
On the other side, Vael sighed.
> "Look at them… so human. Incapable of divine calm."
Death, with a faint smile:
> "Says the guy spamming R2 for the last two minutes."
> "It's a metaphysical strategy," Vael replied seriously.
---
30th Minute
Nyxa executed a flawless combo.
Pass, feint, shot…
GOOOAAAL!
The Void echoed with the sound.
> "HAHAHA! 1–0! Vael, you've lost your mojo!" Nyxa shouted, fist raised.
Vael, unfazed:
> "It was a distraction."
> "What distraction?! You conceded!"
> "Exactly. They relax… and that's when I strike."
---
Second Half
The match turned infernal.
Auras fused, controllers trembled, the screen pulsed with every collision.
The virtual players seemed sentient, almost begging for mercy.
Vael activated a micro-fraction of his power.
The ball began spinning at cosmic speed, creating a mini-dimensional rift.
> "Vael, stop! You're gonna swallow the ball into your internal world again!" Death shouted.
> "Too late. It's tasted the Void."
> "… I told you not to cheat."
> "I'm not cheating. I'm redefining the rules."
---
Score: 2–2. Tension peaked.
Nyxa, hysterical:
> "Valt, PASS! It's the winning goal!"
Valt, panicked, hit the wrong button.
His player passed backward… to the goalkeeper.
Own goal.
Absolute silence.
> "…"
Nyxa slowly turned toward him, her aura surging like a tsunami of shadow.
> "You… did… WHAT?!"
Valt tried to explain:
> "My fingers slipped!"
> "Your fingers are gonna slip into another dimension if you do that again!"
Vael burst into laughter.
A deep, resonant laugh that echoed through the Void.
> "And there it is. 3–2. The Void always triumphs."
---
**End of Match**
The screen displayed: Victory – Vael & Death.
Nyxa threw her controller, fuming.
> "This is cheating! Two ancients against a mixed duo?!"
Death, calmly:
> "Yes."
Vael:
> "Absolutely."
Valt, defeated:
> "I'm done with this job. I want to be free again."
Nyxa sighed:
> "Shut up and go get chips. We're doing a rematch."
Vael nodded, amused:
> "Alright. But this time, we're switching to Legend mode. Let's make it fun."
The Void trembled once more.
The thrones lit up.
The controllers levitated.
And somewhere, between dimensions, the voice of a spectral commentator echoed:
> "Welcome to the cosmic final of FC25: Gods of the Void vs Rebels of Chaos!"