On a deadly, forgotten planet where nothing seemed alive, the land was covered in strange white bones that looked like sharp rocks and actually they were actually rocks!. Tall purple trees stood here and there, but none of them had fruit. They looked empty and dead, just like the rest of the place.
Above the land, the sky was pitch black. There was no moon, no stars, and not even the faintest light. Everything was quiet—so quiet it felt like the planet itself had stopped breathing.
Except for one strange place.
In the middle of the empty land stood a small city—if you could call it that. It looked more like a military camp. The walls were made from dark metal and stone, strong and cold. Soldiers moved around like shadows, and in the center of it all stood a tall, creepy-looking palace.
Inside that palace, in a grand bedroom made only for the king, a strange creature was lying on a bed. His face was turned up toward the dark ceiling. His skin was pure white, like bone, but some parts of his body were black—his right shoulder, a few fingers, and parts of his legs. He had two short horns sticking out of his head. Clearly, he wasn't human. He looked like a demon from a nightmare.
And right now, he was having a nightmare.
His body shook. Sweat rolled down the sides of his face. His eyes were squeezed shut and his mouth trembled as he screamed in his sleep.
"No! Please… spare me! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"
His terrified voice echoed through the cold halls.
Within seconds, someone rushed into the room.
The man who entered looked a bit like the sleeping creature, but bigger and stronger. His armor was sharper and darker, and the way he walked showed authority and strength. He wasn't just a guard—He looked like a knight or general.
He ran over to the bed and carefully shook the sleeping demon awake.
"My liege… My liege, wake up!" the general said softly but urgently.
It took a few more calls before the demon's eyes shot open. He sat up quickly, gasping for breath.
"Huff… huff…" His chest rose and fell with each breath, and fear filled his red eyes.
When he finally looked at the man beside him, a wave of relief washed over him.
"Zorgoth?" he whispered. "It's you…"
The general nodded gently. "Yes, my liege. That nightmare again?" he asked with a worried look. "King Xantus, are you really alright? You've been pushing yourself too hard lately… Even our army hasn't had rest in ten long years."
Xantus sat on the edge of the bed. His hands were shaking slightly, but his face slowly changed. The fear faded. In its place, came a fire—a strong look of determination.
He stood up, eyes burning with purpose.
"It's just a dream," he said, more to himself than to Zorgoth. "It can't hurt me. And besides… everything I'm doing is for a reason....so that I can get rid of this dream, So that no one else ever has to feel this fear again."
Zorgoth looked at his king with a questioning expression.
"You mean... the Fallen Angels? But we've already traveled through so many universes," he said with doubt in his voice. "I don't think they even care about weaklings like us. They wouldn't bother with cannon fodder."
"Of course not!" Xantus snapped, his voice firm and a little loud, filled with fire.
"This isn't just about us being the weakest race," he continued, stepping forward. "It's about power… about fortune… and most of all—about revolution!"
He paused, his eyes darkening as painful memories flooded his mind.
"Back then, Anafabula…" Xantus said slowly, voice heavy with emotion. "She killed Yogsothoth and the entire Cthulhu Mythos… even sealed the 'Bestower of Mortality', the 'Lord of the Black Thorn', Lord Weaver himself and took the throne and became "The lady of black thorn!","
As he spoke, his fists clenched. His face twisted with pain and anger.
"Our entire world of darkness… fell into chaos. The Fallen Angels took over everything. Ninety-nine percent of our people—our species—were either killed or enslaved!"
He looked away, staring out the window into the dark sky, as if searching for the past.
"And yet…" he whispered. "Even when mighty gods were sealed or destroyed… who survived?"
He turned sharply to Zorgoth, eyes wide, voice rising with emotion.
"Me!" he declared, raising both arms toward the sky. "I was there! I watched Anafabula seal the Weaver with my own eyes! And yet—I lived. I escaped. I ran away with what remained of my army… and my people."
He stepped forward, voice shaking with passion.
"Do you know what that means?"
Zorgoth tried to answer, but Xantus didn't wait.
"It means destiny!" he shouted. "It's a revelation! I must be meant for something greater. For power! That's why we must conquer other planets. Planets with intelligent life. We'll make them worship us!"
His voice grew louder, his eyes shining with madness and ambition.
"I'll rise above this nightmare! I'll become a god… and then a greater god!"
He laughed loudly, a deep and echoing sound that filled the room like thunder.
Zorgoth bowed deeply, his hand on his chest.
"I will pray for your success, my liege."
Xantus nodded, finally calming down a little. Then he asked quietly,
"I wonder… how much time has passed since we escaped the World of Darkness?"
Zorgoth answered quickly, "Who knows? Time moves differently in everywhere. Thousands of years might have passed… or maybe only a single day."
Xantus looked serious as he spoke again.
"I hope a lot of time has passed. If so, maybe the Fallen Angels have forgotten about us. Maybe… they don't care anymore."
Then his tone changed.
"So… did you find another planet with intelligent life?"
Zorgoth nodded proudly.
"Yes, my king. It's just a few light years from Kepler-22b. We confirmed it's called Earth."
Xantus's eyes lit up.
"Then what are you waiting for? Open the portal!" he said, walking quickly to the back of the room. He grabbed a long, silver sword with black markings on its blade. "Attack them—or let them send their strongest warriors. I don't care!"
Zorgoth smiled.
"We already opened the portal, my liege. We're just waiting for them to send their defenders."
"Perfect," Xantus said, stepping forward with the sword resting on his shoulder. "This universe is still young. Life here hasn't had time to grow strong yet. We were weak in our own world… but here?"
"We might be the strongest ones alive."
He threw open the tall, black doors.
"Let's go! If they don't attack first, we will!"
Zorgoth hurried behind him.
"My liege! At least wear your armor!"
Xantus just waved his hand lazily.
"No need. Every species here is weak anyway."
--------------------------------
Xantus stepped out of his towering black palace, the cold wind brushing against his face. His heavy boots hit the stone ground with slow, steady thuds as he walked toward the vast open field where thousands of his soldiers stood in perfect square formation.
Each soldier wore dark, jagged armor with sharp edges that gleamed under the pale sky. Their eyes were serious, their hands gripping swords and spears tightly. They looked like a sea of shadows ready to flood the land.
Behind Xantus, Zorgoth followed, his shiny black armor clinking softly with every step. A long sword with red runes hung on his back, and his face showed confidence and hunger for war.
Xantus opened his mouth, ready to give the order to open the portal and begin the attack.
But then, something unexpected happened.
The portal—an enormous swirling circle of purple and white energy, placed far away in the field—began to twist and shake on its own. The air around it trembled, and strange winds howled.
Zorgoth stopped walking and shouted loudly,
"All soldiers, focus! The enemy is coming! Kill them without a second thought!"
"Bring me a telescope! I want to see how many are coming."Xantus ordered.
A few soldiers quickly ran off, and soon came back carrying a golden telescope. They placed it gently in front of Xantus.
Xantus bent down and looked through the lens. But all he could see was thick, white fog swirling inside the portal. It was like staring into a cloudy storm.
Then, something changed.
Thump… Thump… Thump…
A sound—slow footsteps—began to echo. The ground didn't shake, but the footsteps felt strange, as if they weren't just heard by the ears but also by the heart.
Despite the portal being far away, the sound somehow reached all of them. It was quiet… but haunting.
The soldiers looked at each other, confused. Then, after a few tense seconds, someone stepped out of the portal.
All eyes locked onto the figure.
A woman.
She had long, flowing purple hair, and wore a matching purple blindfold that covered her eyes. Her clothes were strange—elegant, yet simple. She walked alone, with slow steps, as if she owned the entire battlefield.
For a few seconds, there was complete silence.
And then—
"Pfft—Hahaha!"
One soldier laughed.
Then another.
And another.
Within moments, the whole army was laughing, loud and wild, as if someone had just told the best joke in the world.
"A lone woman? That's who they sent? I didn't know their army was so weak they had to send a girl!" someone shouted between laughs.
Even Zorgoth, who was always calm and serious, couldn't help but smirk and chuckle.
"I guess we don't need an army to kill an ant, right, my liege?" he said proudly, turning to look at Xantus.
But his smile faded the moment he saw Xantus's face.
Xantus was frozen. His mouth hung open. His eyes were wide in pure fear. His pupils had shrunk to tiny dots. His breathing was fast, and sweat rolled down his face.
His heart pounded so loudly that Zorgoth could almost hear it.
He took a shaky step back.
But his legs gave out.
He stumbled and fell to the ground, gasping like someone who had seen a ghost.
And then, in a whisper barely louder than a breath, he spoke just one word:
"A… Anafabula…"