Seeing the mood turn heavy, Anjee spoke up. "You can ignore the demon. Things aren’t as bad as he makes them sound."
Primus chuckled quietly. "You really believe that, Anjee?"
Anjee nodded firmly. "Yes. The Prime Galaxy still stands strong, and even the top ten seats haven’t lost any major wars."
Primus shook his head slowly. "They haven’t lost, true... but they haven’t won either. It’s a stalemate.
And while they’re busy maintaining that, the Eternals’ other forces are tearing through the rest of our universe. I know this because we’ve lost billions of demons to them, taken as slaves. And if I’m not wrong," he glanced at Anjee, "even the Ferans suffer the same. Don’t they make mounts out of your kind?"
Anjee’s claws tightened. The glass in his hand cracked and shattered with a low crunch. "I don’t like hearing that, Primus." His deep voice rumbled in anger.
Primus raised his hand slightly. "My apologies. That was the alcohol talking."
Anjee exhaled sharply, his shoulders relaxing as he calmed down.
North’s voice came next, soft but serious. "Then what makes the Eternals so strong?"
Anjee answered after a moment. "It’s their universe itself. Everyone born there has an Essence Core from birth.
That means their bodies are stronger, they awaken earlier, their comprehension of laws is sharper, their engineers are more advanced, their resources richer.
They’ve been at war for ages, it’s their nature. They’ve perfected it. We, on the other hand, were laid back. Without the System, we would’ve been conquered long ago."
Primus nodded. "He’s right. We’re not the first universe they’ve conquered. They absorb everything they touch. And from what I’ve heard, in ancient times they had a being who reached Godhood, the reason their foundation is so powerful. They outnumber us, they outplan us, and they never betray each other. A single, unified race that believes it’s their right to rule existence."
The room fell silent again, the low hum of the ship the only sound filling the space.
Steve muttered from his spot at the counter, "Things sound so hopeless."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Before I could say anything, Primus leaned forward, his eyes serious. "Oh, this is nothing. You’ve only heard from us. Seeing it... experiencing it... that’s on another level entirely.
But there’s one more critical detail you need to understand about the Eternals. Just like we have the Council and the Warlords of the Void, they have the Seven Eternal Legions. Six of them have already brought our universe to a near standstill.
The seventh... it’s free to roam. Free to cause destruction wherever it wants. That Legion is the one responsible for the devastation of the 37th seat of the Council."
I absorbed the words, my mind racing. "The Seven Eternal Legions," I murmured to myself. "Can you tell me more about them?" I asked, looking at both of them, eager to understand the scale of what we were truly up against.
Primus exhaled slowly, his gaze distant. "They’re not just armies. Each Legion is like a universe unto itself, countless soldiers, ships, and constructs, all united under a single command. Each has its own style, its own focus, and together... they are unstoppable. You haven’t seen fear until you’ve seen one Legion sweep through a system, leaving nothing alive."
Anjee leaned back slightly, his eyes narrowing. "I’m not sure if it’s true," he said slowly, "but the rumors say that each of the Seven Eternal Legions was created by a demigod."
I absorbed that quietly, feeling the weight of the words. Demigods... and each one forming an entire legion. The scale was almost impossible to imagine.
Primus, gulping his drink in one go, spoke next. "Each legion has its own specialty. There is one in particular—the Legion of Iron and Flame. They fight using their engineered creations. Machines, hybrid beings, abominations, phantoms... you name it. It’s said they were responsible for the Abominations and Phantom curse on our world. They enslaved the souls of our people, turned them into tools of war."
I frowned, my mind racing. "The Legion of Artifice... that’s the one behind all of this?"
Primus nodded grimly. "Yes. Their constructs are endless, and their cruelty knows no bounds. They don’t just fight, they reshape the battlefield itself. Every city, every army, every creature is either destroyed or bent to their will. And this... is just one of the seven."
I swallowed hard, a mix of shock and determination settling in my chest. The scale of our enemy was staggering, but alongside that dread, a spark of resolve ignited within me.
"They are vile beyond measure, no doubt," Primus said, his voice low, "but not the most powerful.
The top among them is the Legion of the Primal Flame. Every Eternal in this legion has mastered Deathmist, allowing them to wield both Essence and Deathmist with absolute control. Their Essence cores have evolved into Oblivion Cores, and their sole purpose is death and destruction. Alone, they can rival the top five seats of the Council."
"What in the hell is wrong with these people," Lyrate muttered beside me.
And I agreed with her. I had always thought I was unique, everything I’d gained, every ability I’d earned, it made me believe I stood apart.
But this... this was something else entirely. A legion of Eternals, each capable of wielding both Essence and Deathmist, was not just powerful, it was terrifying.
"Sir Billion," Anjee said softly, "when you reach the center of our galaxy, I’d advise you not to rush into any fight. First, try to understand what kind of horror we’re truly facing. I’m not as hopeless as the demon here. I still believe that somehow, we’ll survive. We always have."
Primus gave a dry laugh, setting his empty glass down. "I’m not hopeless," he said, "but I don’t see much reason to feel hopeful either. I have a family, and protecting them, with whatever little strength I have, is the only thing that keeps me moving. And I know there are many like me. But the Eternals... they don’t understand things like love or family. For them, conquest is both."
He pushed away from the counter and turned toward me. His eyes were tired but steady.
"For beings like that, we’re weak," he said. "They’re united by a single will, a single purpose. But us? Our goals differ. Our ambitions clash. We’re a scattered crowd fighting a hive mind. For us to win this war..." He paused, a faint bitterness in his smile. "We’ll need a miracle."
Then he simply walked away, leaving the rest of us with our thoughts.
North walked up to me and took my hand, her eyes full of worry.
"Hey Billion, maybe we need more strength," Steve said, straightening up. He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and added, "I have a quest to finish." Without waiting for a response, he walked off.
Anjee gave me a nod and quietly left as well.
It was just the three of us now.
I squeezed North’s hand gently. "Looks like we have a tough road ahead."
"Yeah," she replied, her voice soft but steady. "Might even be an impossible mission."
I let a small smile play across my face. "Not so sure about that. There’s a lot more coming. Maybe... one day I’ll make a legion of my own."
I winked at her.