In the void of the multiverse, three seemingly independent forces were gathered in a triangular formation.
They were the Veilwalkers and their vassals, the Primordials and Gods of Universe Prime, and Alexander and his companions.
The Veilwalkers were to the right of Alexander, while the Primordials and Gods were to his left. Behind them was the barrier that separated the multiverse from the Omnisoul's domain.
One entity, whose presence overshadowed everyone, bore the combined gaze of the most powerful beings in reality, his very existence causing the void to tremble continuously.
"I'll handle those abominations myself. As for why I gathered you all here…" Alex calmly said, taking a moment for the gathered forces to process his words. "...has everything to do with what I'm about to do."
He only had one goal… to stop that monstrosity from destroying the multiverse. After all, he came from the Omnisoul. Not to mention the lives that were at stake.
But as impressive as his presence was to the gathered forces, only he knew how much trouble it was causing them.
Alexander looked within the existence of everyone gathered, noticing how the dull ache dealt severe injuries to their existence… they were slowly dying, and they didn't know it.
"What do you mean, Lord Alexander?" Lady Calyndra asked, a bit of anxiety hidden in her intent.
"I'll be venturing towards the domain of the Omnisoul," Alex replied. "But doing so will expose the multiverse entirely."
For several moments, the gathered forces failed to instantly grasp what Alexander meant. Soon, however, expressions began changing as many made the connection, prompting them to look at the invisible boundary.
"You want to destroy the boundary?" A chief asked grimly, not too keen on what Alexander planned on doing. "Forgive my directness, but you do know that it is the only thing preventing an all-out destruction, right?"
"I know…" The response came, causing many to narrow their eyes in confusion. "But I can't cross over otherwise…"
Of course, Alexander knew how confusing his words were. But his existence as an absolute was in direct conflict with the Omnisoul.
His presence this close to the Omnisoul's domain was already subjected to extreme rejection, and every action on his part required universes' worth of essence.
This was not a situation where a version of himself without the trait of nothingness could handle… his existence as an absolute had to do it.
While the silence persisted, Alexander turned a part of his attention to his colleagues, 'As I've already explained to you guys, the battle to come would last for some time. Even with your current strength, there is a limit. Don't overdo it.'
'You don't have to worry about us, Alex.' Ross answered for everyone. 'Do what you've got to do and leave the rest to us. As for the hidden ones… We'll try our best to restrain the ones we can.'
'Hehe, we'll give them hell…' Julia chipped in with a giggle.
Alexander inwardly smiled, a little worried about what Julia intended to do to them. He turned another portion of his focus to the person slightly behind him, on his left.
'Give me your answer once this is all over.'
'I know…' Cassandra replied. 'And don't you dare do something as foolish as sacrificing yourself.'
'Haha, I've got too much to lose.' Alex chuckled at her joke. 'This madness will soon be over.'
Back to the gathered forces who were trying to understand why he needed to break the barrier, what he said next did not sit well with the majority.
"We're running out of time… It's best you get ready."
Alexander took a step forward, and the intensity of the trembling void soared. "I apologise for what you'll have to endure for my actions, but it has to be done. Watch yourselves… and watch your backs."
Before the gathered forces could even process his puzzling words, Alexander's figure blurred and disappeared.
What followed next could only be described as chaos of cataclysmic and multiversal proportions…
***
Drakmor could claim to really know the being called Alexander Gray. But the boy had been a different kind of mystery ever since he and his universe were found.
Even so, one thing stood out the most… and that was his character.
The boy did not make jokes; everything he said and did was never in vain. So when he said Reality was dying, Drakmor believed him without a shred of doubt.
But what did he mean by apologising for what they would have to endure because of his actions?
Drakmor was keen enough to discern that Alex meant something else and not the endless stream of void creatures they would have to face.
That answer came so suddenly that he failed to properly follow the sequence of events that followed.
The moment Drakmor lost sight of Alexander's figure, the mother of quakes hit the void, the trembling so disastrous that he completely lost his bearing.
It felt as though the void had collapsed, the intensity defying all order and chaos.
Drakmor let out a deep and guttural groan as pain like he had never experienced before surged through his existence, momentarily leaving him blind and disoriented.
A split microsecond… that was how long he lost his sight and expanded senses. However, when he somewhat recovered, everywhere he looked was in chaos.
The void was still rumbling, and the neat formation the Veilwalkers had been in before was in absolute disarray, everyone either screaming their hearts out or violently convulsing, the Primordials and Gods included.
'Ugh...'
Drakmor's hand shot to his chest, where the dull ache had intensified, the sensation extremely discomforting. That apology finally made sense.
'Where…'
The dragon expanded his senses into the raging chaos, and there he was, seemingly at a clashing standstill with the boundary separating the multiverse from the Omnisoul's domain.
'H-He can't get through…'
Alexander had his figure and one hand extended in a spear thrust at the boundary, the point of contact expelling ridiculous amounts of essence and whipping away like raging winds.
The visual impact was ethereal… a literal definition of an unstoppable force meeting an unmovable wall.
'Why..?'
Drakmor had not been clear on why Alexander had said he couldn't get through otherwise. It made no sense. Now, however, he believed he knew the answer.
'He's no longer a part of this reality…' The dragon's eyes widened at the realisation, everything falling into place like dominoes. 'That's why we couldn't lock in on his existence and that of his companions!'
Being an independent system went beyond simply generating one's own essence!
'True freedom…' The thought flowed like a stream. 'Is that it?'
Even with the realisation, Drakmor wasn't entirely sure. A number of things still made no sense.
As Drakmor regained his bearings amidst the chaos, he caught sight of… no, he sensed multiple signatures close in on Alexander.
'What the…'
Another explosion… or more like several ones compounded into one, added their cataclysmic might to the already chaotic and rumbling void, forcing him to momentarily shield himself from the energy shockwaves.
'...'
Pushing his sight and senses through the chaos, Drakmor realised and understood what Alexander meant by his warning.
However, that was not what shocked the dragon. He had his suspicions, but seeing it cleared those doubts.
'From having the strength below godhood to displaying strength that rivals a chief…'
Drakmor narrowed his eyes as he looked at the three closest companions of Alexander guarding his back, their facial features hidden behind the darkness of their hoods.
Those three appeared out of nowhere and violently clashed with the chiefs who had sneaked in on Alexander. Safe to say, those chiefs were ruthlessly sent flying with severe injuries.
Who said there were no more corrupted Veilwalkers? A number of his colleagues had just tried to attack Alexander, whether to kill or stop him, he couldn't tell.
They did, however, succeed in making him raise his guard to the absolute limit.
'Watch your backs…'
Alexander's words echoed in his head, the dragon's eyes darting around with suspicion. Since there were more than a few, there was bound to be a lot more.
"You'll have to go through us first…" The one in the red cloak declared, his intent resounding across the rumbling void. "Also, if you're wise, you'd sever your connections before it's too late."
"!!"
As the implications of the boy's words echoed in the void, Drakmor unhesitantly severed every connection he shared with his subordinates, the only one he failed to cut being from the Supreme One.
Moreover, his actions and those who had followed along were bound to doom millions, if not billions, of vassals who had accompanied their Veilwalkers.
Through his expanded senses, the dragon witnessed the fall and erasure of some vassals who had their connections ruthlessly severed; the potent essence of the void erased them without mercy.
But then, barely a nanosecond elapsed when the void exploded once more, this time with the expulsion of vile, corrupted essence from those harbouring the corruption within.
Drakmor snapped his head to his right when his senses caught a colleague beside him making a move at him. Despite his weakened state as a result of the persisting ache within, the dragon reacted swiftly.
Chaos ensued all around him, as beings who had been chosen to defend the multiverse turned on each other.
'Such failures we are as Veilwalkers,' the dragon inwardly cried, feeling a deep sense of shame and self-loathing.
While he clashed with a colleague who had been clean moments prior, a multitude of Veilwalkers — including hundreds of chiefs — lunged at Alexander and the three who guarded his back.