Chapter One: Ex Nihilo

[Quantum Rain]

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A war already thousands of years since its beginning, some worlds have already been devastated, but hope remains for those who wish to defend it... or destroy it.

Aeon's armies are amassing once more, though they emerge from the shadows of defeat against the Reapers in the service of Exitium, they hold courage still. Exitium sees this happening, and is already prepared to strike again, this time to kill. Merciless fighting shall take place soon.

Elsewhere, Anima creates her guardians, preparing to defend her creations still, even through the pain of death, she refuses to give in. Chaos's hordes are running rampant through the worlds though, creating pure discord in their wake, challenged only by Anima's warriors, they will, however, win if left unchecked.

Still, the gods are summoning their warriors, as more and more appear in the Sanctuary, a world otherwise known as the home of the gods, they appear in the respective thrones to each god, with the scenery equally matching their power. It is here where our story shall begin, and here it shall start to end, for out of nothing, out of Ex Nihilo, a story will start to weave itself together.

[agentaaa]

Auger grabbed up the chain while looking in the direction the man used to be standing in. "Jeez" Auger raised an eyebrow "This planet sure has a lot of weirdos"

[Angusm3]

Chronos appeared in front of the cave, muttering to himself. "How could someone not learn emotion and remain alive, even on a planet where war is the norm? Could he have... learned pain and hatred?" "I must ask him" Skaer emerged from the cave "He tried to kill Angus you know, why would he try to do that?" he asked, expecting no answer "I think we need to speak with him, the battle is over and he seems calm enough in the presence of unthreatening people. I presented myself in my weakest form, and you said that Angus appeared before him and disarmed several reapers? I would find that very intimidating if I weren't the mage I am..." said Chronos. "I agree with you, I think we can learn much from him- What's that in your hand?" "This is something I gathered from one of the fallen civilizations on this planet, They called It a pistol They are more powerful than the hand cannon Hayle got from Oresia and I can simply conjure the ammunition that they used back then... If I have the supplies... Currently I have 30 blasts of power from it, I'll conceal it within time when we find Auger."

[Quantum Rain]

Rain was flying casually in the sky, staring up at the stars above him, admiring them. When he sensed Auger's presence, he spun around and flew through the clouds, dragging them down some and forming a small funnel as he landed behind Auger. "Did you get your toy?"

---

Leo found a pattern in the offensive measure of the enemy. As he continued parrying, he slowly gathered energy for a wave attack, meant to disorient him. As the warrior came at him once more, Leo unleashed the attack, flinging him back and accomplished what Leo was aiming for. Leo immediately dashed, using his powers to augment his speed greatly, and swung his sword, actually breaking the opponent's weapon and then roundhouse kicked the warrior out of the ring. Lastly, Leo was the only person left in the ring, and without a single scratch on him.

[agentaaa]

Auger attached the chain to his weapon, ready for action again. "I am highly offended you would call this fine weapo-" Auger pushed rain away from him as he noticed the threat, before rolling away himself. A chaos dragon crashed to the ground, its very entrance knocking Auger off his feet. A tunnel of flame flashed across Auger's previous position, narrowly jumped over by Auger. Auger's chain swung towards the dragons head, and took just a second to collide with...where the dragon's head used to be, as he appeared behind Auger. "Well, let me try something new" Auger remarked as he spun the chain around in a slashing motion as he hit the ground. The dragon batted the slash away with its paw...only for the chain to come up a second later and cut the side of the dragons' armpit. The dragon, realizing this creature would be annoying to deal with personally, tries to manipulate Auger's mind. " I can't win against a dragon. I need to surrender, and pledge my servitude to Chaos. Chaos is everything. I must serve Chaos. Resistance is futi- The hell is that? I think i hit my head somewhere along the way" Auger's focus managed to drive off the mental control of the Chaos dragon without even realizing it had been attempted. Both Opponents squared off, looking for the next opening in their opponent. Auger looked over to Rain " You go for his blind side, and we'll do just fine."

[Angusm3]

"STOP" shrieked Chronos "this WAS a battleground" the dragon was motionless as were the animals that were frantically fleeing the area moments before "Chronos, did you just speed us up?" asked Skaer "Well I can't exactly stop the dragon now can I? How else would we have a civilized conversation with Auger and -his... friend?"

[agentaaa]

"wait a minute...the worlds's not supposed to do this crap" Auger noted "the hell's going on?" looking over, he sees the white bearded man "Hey old dude, who made the dragon stop moving? I was just beginning to have fun."

[Angusm3]

"Auger, we need to talk..." said Skaer "What do you know of where you came from?"

[agentaaa]

" It was dusty, there was a lot of fighting, and it's people didn't suddenly become motionless when I am in the middle of a good battle. Jeez, talk about a buzzkill..."

[Quantum Rain]

"Uh, excuse me. Who the hell are you?" Rain asks, stepping forward, as he channels some of his energy to defend himself against these new enemies. Never trust anyone that uses their abilities freely. The voice of his trainer reminded him in his head, he was remembering stuff from the past again.

[agentaaa]

"geez" Auger puts his arms back, seeming bored "Don't be so quick to worry. if these people were here to kill us, and thought they had the strength, They would have let the dragon tire us out first. Unless, of course, they are like me, and want a good fight..." Auger looks at Skaer and Chronos, giving them a quick scan with his eyes "But for instance, look at that one, I doubt he could even pass for a trader with rowdy clients." Auger points to chronos "And he has most of the same movements of those who hide in the shadows on my world, too weak to stand in the open."

[Angusm3]

"Indeed, I am weak... In this form..." said Chronos "I can keep us in suspended time for many an hour though. I have always tried to use my powers for peace, not war. This is why you intrigue me Auger, it seems that you came from a planet with no morals..."

[agentaaa]

"...no what?" Auger asked, confused "Why cant people here use normal words.... friggin betrayers, and morals, and those other weird words the betrayer used... "sorrow" and "defiler"... Use normal words!"

[Angusm3]

"How... Do you know the meaning of hate?" asked Skaer "Or of rage? Do you at least know what emotion is?"

[agentaaa]

"Well, I know rage. It's that thing where people come after you with it, and sometimes they get stronger because of it, but most of the time they just become incompetent, right?"

[Angusm3]

Angus and Oresia were back at the cave, Oresia was mixing chemicals and trying to make a more potent explosive powder. Angus was practicing his new spells, telling Oresia to throw stuff at him and blocking it with shield and then putting words into his mouth making Oresia say things like "I'm an idiot" or "I couldn't hit the side of a barn" It was funny... For Angus...

[Quantum Rain]

"Is there a point to this conversation, because if not, quite honestly, there's a war to fight." Rain says, slinging his sword around, resting it on his back, surprisingly, the energy doesn't hurt him at all. "Just do what you came to do so that we can move on with our lives." Rain says again, somewhat impatient with all of this.

---

"You're doing good, as always, Leo." A man had spoken to him, after the fight. As Leo turned around, he saw Aeon, faintly smiling, but looking serious as he always does. Or rather...depressed like, perhaps. "I take it there's another assignment for me?" Leo asks Aeon, skipping right to the point of why his god is standing there addressing him. "Never waste a second... Yes, I do." Aeon replied.

[Angusm3]

"Right... Auger, it's been an interesting conversation, though rather short and staccato. I will leave now, but before I do... Aim for his gut" barely before the words passed his grinning lips he was gone with Skaer.

[agentaaa]

"heh, dont have to tell me twice. Off i go." Auger jumped onto the dragons hand before jumping underneath it and sinking his longsword in its gut, and throwing the shortsword into the creatures armpit. He rolled out of the wayt of the dragon quickly, as it tried to crush auger underneath its body. it was too late, though, and auger already threw another attack at the creatures head, which it dodged using its wings as it took to the air, hoping to use its fire from a distance to kill the pests which attacked it.

"Hey, I can't reach him from here, friend. Mind giving me a little lift with those wings of yours?
Auger asked of Rain.

[Quantum Rain]

(Let's get back to it, shall we?)

Rain smiled, as he held out his hand and Auger was lifted up into the air by a rocky platform he conjured up from the earth. Rain then conjured up several spikes from the earth to impale the dragon, mostly to keep him occupied.

---

Kain Shadow was walking through the hallways of Exitus's dark fortress, a dark, lethal aura almost visibly around him, he seemed impatient about something. He walked into a room and held his blade to the neck of a Judge, apparently the general that lead the recent attack on Chaos's fortress.

"...I take it you wanted in on that last invasion?" The judge asked calmly as if the threat of the blade was nothing. "Exitus has ordered me to hunt down and eliminate every one of the enemy's generals, and such were present in that battle. You knew that and did not inform me. Why?" Kain responded plainly, sword still held up at the judge. "Your presence wasn't required." "Hmph, given the losses you sustained, I would think otherwise you incompetent idiot." "Why you-!" The judge yelled out as he went to strike at Kain, but before he could act, his arms were chopped off nearly instantly. The judge barely saw Kain move, as the sword was still aimed at him, blood covering it. "There won't be a next time for you to impede my progress." Kain said coldly, as he swiftly chopped off the judge's head, killing him.

Kain then looked at the 1st class reaper standing in the corner, who regarded the judge's death as a natural occurrence rather than something to be horrified at. "You're now in charge of what he once was, I expect you to learn from his mistake." Kain said to the reaper as he turned around and left. The reaper sighed at his sudden promotion, apparently, he didn't appreciate it, as he called for a couple other reapers to clean up the mess Kain left.

[agentaaa]

Auger Smiled, looking down at the now trapped dragon, as he considered what to do next. Auger whipped his short sword at the dragon at the highest speed he could, and predictably, the dragon teleported behind auger. The dragon shot flame at the platform of rock, but auger was prepared, stomping the platform with such force that it swerved to an angle diagonal to the dragon. The fire hit the platform, and mostly subverted from it. Auger gave the platform an additional kick, and oddly enough, the platform's momentum did shift a bit closer to the dragon. Auger jumped onto the other sider of the rock platform, and jumped off at the highest point, weapons ready as he landed on the dragons head. The dragon roared and attempted to bite Auger, but he twisted directly underneath it, and cut into the dragons jugular with his weaponry. The dragon roared with pain, and Auger smashed into the dragons ribcage as he fell, softening his landing enough for him to survive. The dragon fell, its tenuous hold on life already fading, and Auger sat next to it, looking at the beast. "You were a good opponent" Auger said "Heh, I don't think I can get up for a couple minutes..."

[Angusm3]

Angus was sitting outside of the cave he had called home for so long. His thoughts were on the ever changing world he was on. His past was a mere blur in his eyes, he remembered growing up but he could only recall small detailed moments. "If only I knew my origins..." he proclaimed with sorrow in his voice. Something in the bushes clumsily burst forth, and another and another! there were three blade masters surrounding him. before he could call out to Oresia inside they were on him. Almost as if it was instinct his blade was drawn and two of his foes lay fading on the ground. the one that was left gaped at his comrades. He glowed with an aura of fury. Within nanoseconds Angus was in the heat of battle blocking as many blows as he could with his scimitar. The master was relentless, throwing strikes that he could not have defended against had he not gotten the training from Hayle. Like lightning Angus strafed to either side dodging blows and striking when he could. After several minutes his foe was bleeding from several wounds and should not have been standing. Angus quickly and without mercy sliced cleanly through his unguarded neck. Moments after several reapers were emerging from the woods. "Damn you Exitus..." he muttered under his breath. He quickly dispatched several of the reapers getting more and more tired as he fought. "I can't near exhaustion..." "Angus!" shouted Oresia, tossing him a vial full of amber sludge "drink it! trust me!" he said. Without hesitation Angus downed the contents of the container and threw it to the ground raising his blade just in time to block two more strikes. Oresia was now throwing vials of acid at incoming black knights while they fell to the ground Angus had less enemies to worry about. "For Chaos' sake... they can't seriously be sending all of this at us... What the blast could they want." during the course of his sentence six more reapers and a knight lay dead on the ground.

When Chronos and Skaer came out of the time distortion they found a ring of inquisitors surrounding Hayle. "I could really use some help guys..." he said, several gaping wounds clearly visible all over him. "Dear Chaos..." without hesitation Chronos had him and his friends in zero time. "Skaer how long will it take to heal him?" he asked "I need about ten minutes" he replied "Damn! I should not have wasted so much power on our conversation!"
After five minutes the time shield began to falter. "I must run, I need to recharge and I am no use to anyone dead." said Chronos "Go, old friend Hayle and I can take care of ourselves. Hayle got to his feet, the wounds now tough scars. Chronos was gone and it was time to fight for their lives. The inquisitors began to charge and hayle sliced through several of them, Skaer formed the weapon Chronos had showed him with his cloud. and shot at one of them. The bullets ricocheted off of it's armour. "Useless..." he said forming it into a longsword and wielding his dagger in the other hand as a defender. It was an instant before he was fighting back to back with Hayle against several waves of Exitus' hordes.

[agentaaa]

Auger could hear crashing swords dimly in the distance, and began listening a little more to the direction. "Hey, friend, i think I hear more fighting... It sounds like...A small force...and a giant one. heh" Auger shifted his swords to his shoulder, getting up. "I can enjoy this. Let's see whats up" Auger said, rushing off "Hope it's as fun as that dragon"

[Quantum Rain]

Kain Shadow watched as Angus and the others fought, observing their fighting style, running simulations in his head, thinking of how best to eliminate these targets. He remains silent though, perched atop the cliff further away from the battle. Exitus's hordes were virtually limitless, as with the other gods. It is why the war has lasted so long, after all, so of course they would keep coming and coming until Kain says otherwise.

---

"Perhaps it's best not to get involved in battle after battle continuously like this?" Rain asked, wondering why Auger is this battle-obsessed. "Or are you going to ignore me and charge head first into a situation you know nothing about like you seemingly always do when you hear wars being waged?" Rain asked Auger.

---

Leo sighed, as he walked forward, blade drawn, and armor donned. He looked down from the hill to witness a dead, barren wasteland, the symbol of Exitus's arrival onto another world. The enemy were already building a base, and Leo was instructed to prevent that, obviously. He, and one thousand others behind him.

---

"What is my next mission, my lady?" Jaxe asked Chaos politely, though unlike most, he didn't bow. Chaos noted this and sort of smiled inside, a strong willed person stood before her rather than the common rabble. "Scout out the rest of this world for the enemy. They came from somewhere, and where they are order resides. If you can, eliminate the enemy, whatever is left my legions shall take care of." "As you desire." Jaxe replied, as he turned around and stared up into the sky. A storm was brewing again, it seemed, a real one, not the one that follows Chaos. "The dark clouds...." He said, as he unfolded his black wings and rocketed up into the sky, and through the dark clouds, he disappeared from sight.

[Angusm3]

"This is impossible..." Oresia had been stricken to the ground, Angus couldn't tell whether or not he still drew breath. The foes descended upon him in a limitless slew and were gracelessly slaughtered like foul to the chopping block. Angus was ankle high in the blood of his enemies, the stench of it surrounded the area and as far into the forest as he could see there were yet more to come. He managed to stave off several more attacks before a black knight broke his shield, his mana had run out. Now Angus was fighting with solely his stored strength, parrying and dodging everything he could, blocking attacks from enemies on every side of him simultaneously.

"Give me a few seconds to charge!" said Skaer to Hayle. He began charging the light blast while throwing chunks of rock and trees at the foes that charged. "I can do that!" he replied, beginning to widen his defense. Now Hayle defended from all sides so that Skaer could charge. Without warning the surge of searing light blasted into the horde, wiping out all they needed to escape. "Hold on!" shouted Skaer, ripping a chunk of the earth up as a platform for travel. "Angus and Oresia must be in the same peril..."

[agentaaa]

Auger was already running by the time Rain had finished speaking. "Hey Rain, aren't you coming. if we don't come quick, the ambushed guys will die, ya know"

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