Samael turned around in response to the voice that called out his name and quickly recognized a familiar figure standing there behind him.
A smile formed on Samael's lips as he addressed the person, "Michael, you're back."
The young man named Michael mirrored a genuine smile and excitedly nodded before speaking up:
"Yes, brother. I came here because I received a distress signal from one of our Generals while I was in branch Universe #637. As soon as that happened, I quickly brought my division here to help."
Samael nodded back in response, "Yeah, I received the same signal and came here on my own to manage the situation. It seems one of this realm's champions obliterated a field army under Kiara's command."
Michael smirked. "So, you, the Demon God himself, came here to assist? Or is it just an excuse for some fun?"
"Please," Samael scoffed, "Fighting these so-called champions is barely fun for me anymore, just like everything else. Eternal life, it seems, has become boring."
"Hey, hey, hold on!" Michael squinted his eyes. "Don't you even think about dying! If you die, we all die. And I'd prefer to live for a few more billion centuries."
Samael chuckled at his brother but soon turned serious. Shaking his head, he said, "Rest assured, brother. I won't die before I bring down Heaven's Gate. After all, it is my destiny."
While they conversed, something moved and stirred within the rising plumes of smoke in the distance.
Suddenly, from behind that wall of smoke, an ethereal violet serpent shot forth toward them at breakneck speed.
Unperturbed, both Michael and Samael remained motionless, engaged in their conversation.
They had already sensed the approaching presence long before it even appeared. So naturally, they had nothing to worry about.
Besides, who in the multiverse would ever try to attack not one but two deities akin to Gods in their sane mind.
As soon as the serpent reached them, it shifted its form and transformed into a new shape.
It took on the form of a captivating young woman with silver hair and amethyst eyes emanating a royal aura.
Draped in a white regal dress, her slender yet graceful figure complemented her fair complexion. Along with her full red lips and a sharp, bewitching face, the young woman looked nothing short of a goddess who had descended from the heavens.
"Kiara," Michael greeted the silver-haired woman. "You're alive... and just as useless as always, I see."
Kiara rolled her eyes, completely ignoring Michael's remark and turning to Samael. With a bow, she addressed him, "The distress signal was from me, Sam."
Samael arched his eyebrows up in a subtle sarcastic manner. "Really? I never would have guessed."
Of course, Samael knew about it already.
Kiara and Michael weren't just Generals of his Demon Army. No, they also shared a strong mental connection with him.
Samael held dominion over life. Yes, he could manipulate the very concept of life itself.
He can create new life, control it, ruthlessly bend living beings to his will, and even extinguish them from the very plane of existence itself.
Yes, by erasing their existence, he could make it so that they never existed to begin with.
If that wasn't enough already, he could also resurrect them from the dead as many times as he would want.
He could also enhance beings, evolve them or even devolve them back to their species' origin if he so wished to do so.
He had long since shaped Kiara and Michael into a species above humans. He had made them Demons much like him. He had also bound them to himself.
In essence, now they were like extensions of his own being. They were like his limbs.
He did the same to the inhabitants of the universes he had conquered, altering their bodies and minds to align with his desires.
The inhabitants of his conquered universes now shared only one purpose, perception, and consciousness— his own.
Their free will was snuffed out, but at the cost of their freedom, they received unity. They now live in a world where everyone lives in unison.
No wars, no crimes, no injustice.
Even though he was just a human once, Samael Gracefell was now more feared and, in some ways, revered than even the Gods.
Kiara stifled her urge to roll her eyes and continued, "Thank you for coming. By the way..."
A smug smile played on her enchanting face as she added, "I come bearing gifts."
In the very next moment, as if waiting for that cue, another violet ethereal serpent plummeted down from the sky, crashing onto the smoldering ground below.
Samael raised an eyebrow, noticing that the serpent had coiled around something, wrapping it.
With an excited smile, Kiara commanded the ethereal serpent to unwound. Instantly, a humanoid creature was released from its ensnarement and fell to the ground.
It was an alien creature, and it clearly belonged to Beidara's species, but this one was notably slender and tall.
The humanoid creature's body was gaunt in appearance, with rough green skin and long, grotesque limbs, but this one also possessed an unusual feature: lengthy black hair.
Clearly, this alien creature was a female of her species. Samael, with his ability to manipulate biology, had more than one way to know.
"Who's this?" Samael inquired, his tone uncaring.
The silver-haired girl smirked and said, "Allow me to present the Queen of the Kashi race."
Samael arched an eyebrow. Kashi was the name of the alien race whose king he had just killed.
After a bit of thought, he inquired, "And why have you brought her here? Her mate, the king, is dead. I plan to obliterate their planet as well. Surely, you don't plan to take her as a war prisoner, right?"
Kiara shook her head, a sly grin forming on her face.
"No, I have no intention of taking her in, but you might. She's a soothsayer," Kiara revealed.
As soon as Samael heard that, his eyes widened and he turned to look at the gaunt alien creature with a bit of surprise.
Samael had conquered countless universes and destroyed even more. But the number of times he met someone who can foresee the future could be counted on one hand.
Maybe nine, at most. Yet, there was an oracle right in front him! Oh, what a lucky day it was today!
The oracle in the spotlight, however, looked at Samael with seething rage burning in her entirely black eyes.
Looking at the female alien, Samael put on a predatory smile and said, "I have a question for you, Oracle."
The female alien's glare turned into a murderous stare as she retorted, "My name is Briha, you demon! And I shall answer none of your questions!"
Despite her defiance, Samael's smile remained.
In a calm tone, he asked, "Is this because I killed your mate? If I resurrect him and leave your world alone, would you answer my question?"
Briha's gaze intensified, and she countered, "No, you're lying... No one can resurrect the dead. I sense my connection to Beidara has shattered! You're lying!"
Samael threw his head back and let out a heartfelt laugh.
"You don't know much about me, do you, Oracle? Believe me, I've been killing and reviving people since I was a kid. I can certainly bring him back. Now, will you answer my question?"
A conflicted look appeared on Briha's face for a split second but she quickly clenched her fists and ironed her determination.
"No," she declared with firm resolve. "I shall not aid a Demon in his pursuit to break Heaven's Gate."
Samael sighed deeply, his expression heavy. The fact that she knew about his goal only meant how strong of an oracle Briha was.
But unfortunately for her, Samael had more than one way of breaking someone. Nodding, he approached the gaunt female alien.
Briha attempted to crawl backward, but Samael quickly grasped her head, holding her in place.
With one hand on top of her skull and another beneath her chin, he spoke, "Briha the soothsayer, tell me where I can find what I seek. Where are the Akashic Records?"
This time, however, Briha surprisingly didn't resist answering Samael's question. Strangely, she also stopped her attempts to break free from his grip.
Her resistance seemed to have waned, as if something within her mind had suddenly changed.
She was now ready to completely obey the person who had taken her mate's life.
Locking her entirely black eyes onto Samael's, she started speaking:
"Your... causality is all messed up."
Samael's eyes widened. Finally, it was a success! In the past, anyone who tried to peer into his future died for some reason.
No matter how many times Samael brought them back from the dead, they all died just all over again.
But finally, after all these centuries, Samael came across an oracle capable of glimpsing at his fate.
Soon, however, Samael's mind returned back to her words. He asked, "What do you mean?"
"Your fate is entangled in a never-ending mess. I... I cannot understand how or even why. Observing these threads in such a state puts a strain on my soul."
Samael raised an eyebrow. This could be the reason behind why all those previous oracles who dared to look at his fate died.
Their minds and souls, it seemed, couldn't endure the complexity of his fate.
While others might have found this confusing, Samael was not perplexed. He had a pretty good idea why the strings of his fate were in such a state.
The heavens.
The Gods were trying to stop him. They feared him, so they were trying to stop him from reaching Heaven's Gate.
Maybe they just wanted to buy some time to prepare for his inevitable arrival and gather their armies by then.
Or maybe they just intended to trap him in the realm of their creation.
All of it was useless, however. Samael knew that even fate could be bought if dealt the right price.
After all, he had slain so many champions who were fated to kill him. Fate is, and never was, absolute.
With a bitter taste in his mouth, he questioned, "And what about my first question? The location of Akashic Records?"
Briha exhaled deeply. "I can't pinpoint its location. But I see a Map Of Stars within your possession. It can guide you to the Cosmic Womb."
"...Then tell me, where can I locate this map?" Samael's impatience grew evident.
"...In Universe branch #637, on a planet named Earth."
Samael's heart started to race.
Earth... a word he believed he'd never hear ever again. He was also from Earth, albeit a different one.
Wait, Universe #637?
A furrow formed on Samael's brow as he cast a sidelong glance at his brother, Michael.
Michael looked at his sire and nodded, "I was there, as I've told you. I was also on its Earth. Apparently, that universe is parallel to our home universe. And yes, their Earth shares the same history as our birth planet, albeit their present is slightly different. I think they were in the year 2024 AD when our army invaded them."
After a bit of pause, Michael added:
"I crippled their military in the span of a few days. Their Earth also didn't have any superheroes unlike ours, so bending those monkeys to their knees was easy. I was so close to conquering them when I received the distress signal. Since it was the first one I received in centuries, I quickly came here. If I had known it wasn't from you but Kiara, I should've continued on with my mission."
Samael waved his hand. "What's done is done. How much time must've passed on that Earth by now?"
Time is relative.
This theory holds especially true when discussing time across entirely different universes.
For Michael, who could bend space to his will, it must've only been a few seconds since he retracted his division army and left that Earth.
However, for the inhabitants of that Earth, years could've passed already.
"Ah, about six centuries, give or take," Michael replied. "I know it's a lot of time, and since I did leave them a warning that we would return, they must've been preparing for our second invasion."
Samael scoffed.
"Don't be ridiculous now, my brother. If the humans on that Earth are in any way similar to where we come from, then those individuals must be locked in a power struggle among themselves after you disrupted their system."
Michael cocked his head. "Can't argue with that. So what do you want? Should I go back there and retrieve this Map Of Stars for you?"
"No," Samael shook his head. "This oracle said that she saw me holding that map, so I suppose it's my destiny to go there myself."
Suddenly, as though he remembered something, Samael turned to the oracle and inquired, "I want you to also tell me about the three champions that I'll have to face in that realm."
The gaunt alien slowly shook her head. "I don't see any champions… They are there, but it seems like their existence is hidden."
Samael clenched his teeth.
Damned Gods and their divine interventions!
He shook off his anger and inquired, "Can you tell me anything else?"
After a bit of struggle, Briha gritted her teeth and continued, "I hear cries of a fallen angel… I see a Phoenix and a Dragon fighting, surrounded by nothing but dark, empty, endless void… Under the blood moon, the sky has turned scarlet, with pillars of white flames devouring the land… Stars being forged into weapons… A solitary divine figure with silver hair and a brilliant golden halo making a final stand against a horde of demons, wielding a two-headed spear, a swordsman splitting a planet in half, and an archeress piercing the sky with her arrows…"
The oracle uttered a few more words, but none of it reached Samael's ears. His mind was now fixated on one thing.
A figure with silver hair wielding a two-headed spear?
It suddenly felt as though Samael was on the precipice of remembering something very, very important…
A lone figure with silver hair… Final stand… Phoenix… A two-headed spear… Golden halo… A fallen angel…
Suddenly, Samael spoke up, "Lucas… Morningstar."
"Hmm?" Michael turned to his brother. "I'm sorry, what was that, brother? Who is this Lucas Morningstar?"
"I'm not sure…" Samael shook his head, a hint of confusion etched on his face.
At that instant, Briha spoke up, "He is one of the warriors you'll have to face in your future. Both of your destinies are deeply intertwined. If you've recalled him now, he likely remembers you too. By time, you both will only start to remember about each other even more."
Samael wore an inscrutable expression. After a few seconds, he gazed at Michael and declared, "Gather the generals."
"Are we planning an invasion? That universe, I mean?" Michael inquired.
Samael nodded. He then directed his attention to the silver-haired girl and instructed, "Kiara, you'll be the first to go there. Assess the situation and act as you see fit. Try to locate the three champions. We'll try to come as soon as possible."
The silver-haired girl nodded and turned to the other man present there. "By the way, how long will it take for you guys to reach there?"
After some mental calculations, Michael responded, "By the time you arrive there, it will have been seven centuries since my invasion. Following that, you'll be on your own for seven to eight more years before we arrive."
"Huh, in that time, I could conquer a galaxy," Kiara scoffed.
Samael shook his head and pulled back his hands. "Don't do anything foolish, Kiara."
As soon as he said that, Samael turned around and started walking away, leaving the oracle behind.
Briha suddenly seemed to regain her composure. A glint of light returned to her all-black eyes as she unsteadily rose to her feet and cried out, "Wh-What did you do to me…?!"
Kiara turned around, giving Briha a brief glance before turning to Samael. "So, what do you want to do with her?"
Samael shook his head once more. "Leave her to die here."
Oracles were the only individuals that even Samael himself couldn't fully trap in his mind-control.
Pushing them too far always led to their death.
Moreover, Samael had already acquired all the information he needed so he had no need for Briha.
Suddenly, a rift in the fabric of space tore open in front of the trio.
Michael and Kiara entered first, and as Samael was about to follow suit, he looked to his right.
In the distance, he spotted a colossal planet around which this dwarf planet orbited.
A twisted smirk played on his lips as Samael lifted his arm and casually flicked a finger in the planet's direction.
Moments later, the planet disintegrated… Shattering into pieces, cracks ripped it apart until it was reduced to fragments adrift in the void of space.
"No… No… No! No! No! You fiend! The Gods will never forgive you, you Demon! You shall meet your end one day! Someone will end your tyranny, you demon!"
With a satisfied grin, Samael heard Briha cry and curse loudly behind his back, but he continued walking into the rift casually, eventually disappearing from sight.
Briha fell to her knees, tears streaming down her gaunt alien visage and her chest tightening up in pain.
It was all over.
Her mate was dead, her home destroyed, her people slaughtered, and she remained alive to bear witness to it all.
She had once seen all this in one of her nightmares, and now a Demon from the depths of hell had made it all come true.
Wailing as if it was the end of the world, which it was for her, Briha sobbed out her pleas for Samael to suffer for his atrocious deeds.
She begged the heavens to impart justice on the Demon one day. She begged and cried without stopping.
After an eternity, when her throat began to burn and her vision grew hazy, she grabbed a shard of smoldering, sharp stone nearby and pressed it against her neck.
Before ending her own life by slashing her throat, she uttered just one thing, her voice fading along with her life, and her body collapsing to the ground with a sickening thud.
"I know you're watching… Please… Kill him! Kill that Demon! ...Sicut Deus Vult."
[End of Volume 1: As God Wills It]
