NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: Ripples of Destiny
The sky was dim, as if the light from the stars had willed the heavens to die while waiting for a looming storm. Kal-El was lying next to Elara, with his body close to hers. It felt like a whisper hung in the vein of the sky because of their union, with the crystal chamber warmed by the energy they had shared. For the first time in ages, Elara felt complete-a feeling she had not known she longed for until now.
Yet far from their intimate haven, an undercurrent of darkness rippled across the weaves of the universe.
In the far reaches of a forgotten plane, a godlike entity known only as Zharyo brooded. His figure loomed immense over countless shattered galaxy, his presence a constant reminder of destruction and dominion. A nasty grin stretched across his molten face as he recalled his last encounter with Elara—a conflict that had left him humiliated, his once-thriving dominion reduced to ash by her defiance. Her power had overpowered his, her wit mocking his arrogance. For eons, Zharyon kept his grudge, plotting revenge, and now, he believed his moment had arrived.
"I'll break you," he growled into the void, his voice a riot of fury and malevolence. "I'll take what you cherish most and make you beg for mercy at my feet making you crawl like a dog."
The images of Elara flashed through his mind-a dangerous women whose kindness was her strength and also her vulnerability, she got so many chance to end his life, but she didn't, how laughable!!!. Zharyon elongated clawed hand and summoned shards of the reality whirling and swirling patterns, eventually leading to the forming of a portal. Now, through it, he would weave his dark plan to capture Elara and twist her into his eternal slave.
But sadly for him he did not know that…
…
Far across dimensions, Kal-El moved slightly. His golden eyes opened, glowing faintly in the dim chamber. He felt the faint tremor in the cosmic web—a ripple of malicious intent aimed at Elara. He didn't need to know the details; his awareness extended beyond space and time, his godlike senses attuned to even the faintest whisper of threat.
Without moving a muscle, Kal-El's mind reached into the fabric of the multiverse, locating the source of the disturbance. A single glance in that direction was all it took. Zharyon's universe erupted into silent annihilation, obliterated so thoroughly that it ceased to exist even in memory. The grandiose schemes of a being who once ruled his realm for countless eons crumbled into irrelevance before Kal-El's silent, effortless might.
To him, the act was insignificant—a flick of cosmic dust. To the rest of creation, it was a display of overwhelming power.
...
Meanwhile, in the sprawling labyrinth of Kal-El's personal world, Arin sat on the bed, his small hands clenched into fists. His heart ached, not with hatred but with the raw determination of a child desperate to reclaim his mother. His young mind replayed the events of the day: his mother leaving him behind to be with the godlike man who now claimed he would take her love and loyalty.
Arin didn't understand the depths of Kal-El's connection to his mother or the reasons behind her being. All he knew was that she had always been his protector, his guide, and his whole world. Now, she was gone, and he was left alone in a place that felt both alien and oppressive.
"She told me to find allies," he murmured to himself, his voice trembling with frustration. "But how? How can I fight him?"
The enormity of Kal-El's power loomed in Arin's mind like an insurmountable mountain. This was not just any being; this was the ruler of countless worlds, a god among gods. Kal-El's dominion extended into every corner of the world Arin had dared to imagine, and his strength was a legend even whispered among the stars.
Luckily or unluckily for him, he did know that kal-el rules over some worlds but did not know that those are not mere worlds what he rules as they are literal multiverses…
If he knew …That's going to be know in the future.
But Arin's resolve was unshaken. He thought of his mother, her warm smile, her reassuring presence. He had to try, even if it seemed impossible. Standing, he wiped his tears and squared his shoulders. If there was a way to challenge Kal-El, to bring his mother back, he would find it.
His first task was clear: he needed allies. But in a world ruled by Kal-El, where could he find anyone brave—or foolish—enough to stand against him? His mind raced, recalling the stories his dead dad had told him, stories of hidden factions and exiles, beings who once stood against the golden ruler. Somewhere in this vast world, there had to be those who harbored resentment, who longed for freedom.
Arin's journey had begun.
Back in the crystal chamber, Kal-El held Elara close, their bodies intertwined. Yet, in the back of his mind, he felt the faint stirrings of destiny pulling at the edges of his perception. He did not concern himself with Zharyon's failed scheme—that was a nuisance already erased. But something about the child, Arin, lingered in his awareness. Kal-El's connection to his mother meant he could sense her emotions and memories, including her bond with her son.
He did not yet act, but he knew.
The stage was being set, and the cosmic game was only beginning.
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To Be Continued...