Monarchs of Ruination

In NOX's material universe,

VRITRA remained in a frenzy, pummeling NOX as if he were nothing more than a lifeless training dummy. And NOX?

Though his body lay motionless, seemingly unconscious, his consciousness had already transcended to a realm beyond existence—grasping the very essence of existence and ascending toward a Higher Existence.

Just as VRITRA prepared to unleash his Ultimate Skill—[Chaos Water]—upon NOX, divine Celestial Chains descended from the heavens, severing VRITRA's hold and pulling NOX from his grasp.

VRITRA seethed at the blatant interference from Heaven—along with the audacity of the three insignificant bugs who dared to command him.

From a distance, NOX's eyes slowly fluttered open.

His gaze swept his surroundings, but there was only silence. His mind refused to register any sound, as though it had become disconnected.

In that moment, his aura surged, and his very essence began to shift, evolving into a pseudo Higher Existence.

But his transformation didn't concern him. His mind was still clouded, detached from the material world.

Gradually, his mind began to process the events that had unfolded in the realm beyond existence.

In the vast darkness, he had been grappling with the truths of existence.

He had encountered an obstacle, unable to transcend.

And then…

Yes… He had struck a deal with the newly awakened Sprout, a pact that was meant to revive his fallen family.

He had been on the verge of achieving his goal.

And then,

And then…

A Celestial Chain yanked his consciousness back to his physical form.

As he snapped back to his senses, his thoughts raced, quickly aligning his memories of the beyond with his current reality.

NOX could feel his power surging at an alarming pace, but he no longer cared. His heart was shattered, and rage consumed him.

For the first time, he felt the overwhelming urge to scream until his lungs gave way.

Dark, negative emotions stormed his mind, urging him to act, to destroy, because nothing held meaning anymore.

It is said that the line between love and madness is razor-thin, and NOX had always danced dangerously close to both. He had always known the price of flirting with the edge of love and madness. Sooner or later, one of them would swallow him whole.

NOX had always hoped it would be love. Who wouldn't?

Who wouldn't long to be loved, or to love another?

But deep down, a part of him had always known that everything he touched would turn to dust.

"WHY... WHY... WHY... WHY couldn't they just leave me alone?" NOX's soul cried out, his sanity fracturing.

"DAMMIT! DAMMIT ALL!" NOX shouted, his voice only reaching his own ears.

'Destroy!'

'Accept me!'

'Let go…'

"Let go and dance, my precious son, born of Darkness," the whispers of madness murmured in his mind.

Consumed by his emotions, NOX barely noticed the voice or its source.

And then...

He let go.

He cast aside his will to love, his will to hope. His anguish raged unchecked, drowning him in sorrow and fury. Fueled by his hatred for the Heavens, he surrendered completely to the abyss.

In that instant, his mind fractured, and madness took root.

In the end, the Heavens had won.

NOX embraced his fate—Ruination. Whether by his own will or not, it no longer mattered.

*****

None of those around him noticed the transformation consuming NOX. Their attention remained fixed on the Celestial Chains that had descended from the Heavens, and on VRITRA—whose overwhelming power allowed him to effortlessly subdue the three enigmatic beings from a different space-time dimension.

As VRITRA wrestled them into submission, he cast a scornful glare toward the heavens, cursing their interference—unaware of the storm brewing within NOX.

Garuda and Lucas, however, saw it.

They watched as NOX stood there, his expression a hollow shell of despair. Dark blood streaked his face, yet a faint, eerie smile played on his lips—evidence of the madness that had already consumed him.

Lucas, who had known NOX for eons, saw the sorrow hidden beneath that smile.

Though he couldn't fathom the depth of NOX's suffering, he knew that somehow, he needed to help NOX—or at least stop him from spiraling further into madness, from completely losing his mind.

But little did Lucas realize, NOX had already surrendered entirely to the madness.

As Lucas moved toward NOX, Garuda stepped in, halting him with a shake of his head, signaling for him to stop.

Lucas had had enough of feeling powerless. He couldn't bear to see NOX in such a state of despair again.

Ignoring Garuda's warning, Lucas advanced, drawing his sword in Garuda's direction, ready to fight if necessary, but Garuda's piercing words halted him.

"Intervening now will erase the very meaning of his existence. Your attempt to comfort him will only drag him deeper into the darkness he's already consumed by."

He frowned at Garuda, his disappointment evident in Garuda's ambiguous response.

Garuda sighed, realising that his words hadn't convinced Lucas at all. Nevertheless, he continued, determined to make Lucas understand the gravity of the situation.

Garuda's voice carried solemnity as he spoke;

"This entire plane of existence is but a stage - a play of Cosmic Drama. Preserved and willed by the 'Primordial Guardian of Creation', the scenes that have unfolded and will unfold in the next instant are all predestined. Understand that this 'drama' is not meant for mere entertainment but for a purpose. And this is merely the first 'act' and the beginning of your journey. So, your next course of actions will only deny that future."

He stepped aside, signifying that Lucas still remained free within this grand design.

Lucas struggled to fully grasp Garuda's words, but before he could make his choice, an overwhelming surge of negative emotion engulfed the universe. The sheer force of it forced them all to experience an unbearable wave of sorrow, fury, and despair.

And he was not alone in this torment—VRITRA, Garuda, the Universe itself, and even the three mysterious entities found themselves drowning in these emotions.

Before they could fully comprehend what was happening, two voices echoed in unison.

"[The Great Will welcomes the True Child of Madness!]" A chilling voice spoke—neither male nor female, devoid of warmth.

"How dare they... how dare these mere slaves of *****?" NOX's voice followed, layered over the first. If a devil could speak, it would sound like him.

As the words reverberated through the cosmos, all eyes turned toward NOX. Even those lurking in the shadows, watching from afar, now focused their attention on him.

Before they could react—

"Since everyone enjoys scheming so much, treating lives like mere chess pieces... then tell me, can any of you stop me if I decide to shatter the board?"

NOX's voice was playful, yet steeped in madness. He had already surrendered—love, hope, and every last vestige of positive emotion had long since abandoned him.

Without waiting for a response, he raised his hand—and behind him, an incarnation took shape.

The incarnation towered three times the colossal size of NOX. It bore three heads, each facing a different direction— one resembling NOX himself, another resembling a female demon with two fangs, a large red tongue sticking out, and two horns protruding from its forehead. The features of the other head was obscured in darkness, as if veiled from the sight of any being deemed unworthy. Yet, atop it rested a crescent moon, glowing eerily in the void.

Had NOX been in his right mind, he might have recognized one of the faces. It was a striking reflection of the shadowy figure he had encountered before.

At the sight of the incarnation, Garuda's legs buckled. He dropped to his knees and bowed low, pressing his forehead to the ground as though before a deity.

Tears streamed down his face. In that moment, all uncertainty within him vanished—he was finally certain. The epoch of [Great Freedom] was upon them.

He no longer cared for nobility, nor was he concerned about his current state. His voice rose in an exultant cry, breaking through the fabric of reality itself:

"HARA HARA MAHADEVA!!!!

HARA HARA MAHADEVA!!!!!"

The sheer devotion in Garuda's voice seemed to resonate beyond the boundaries of the material universe, echoing into the very fabric of existence.