2 The Birth Of Ethera I

The Underworld.

A raging world of chaos energy that was without spatial end or limitation. One of the three universal worlds of creation, the Underworld was created with greater amount of dark energy[Chaos energy] and lesser amount of light energy[Writ energy]. The chaos energy was the defining reason for the chaotic nature of the Underworld. A chaotic world where only the strongest deities could survive.

As it was under the creational law of higher existence of the underworld, any deity including the supreme ruler of the Underworld could be challenged at any time.

The Underworld was currently under the rulership of the World-Supreme, lord Hades. He was an herald who happened to be ruler of the realm of Abyss. He had won the divine sygil which gave him the power to the supremacy of the Underworld. But, he had no unconditional claim to the throne. He could be challenged at any time and if he was to loose the battle, there would be another supreme ruler. And in the battle for rulership, there could only be one survivor. The nature of the underworld.

There were five mighty realms in the Underworld, they were— Abaddon, Abyss, Acheron, Erebus and Tartarus.

Tartarus!

The realm of the Nine Shadow Pits. This was the last realm that bordered the void of existence, making it one of the most chaotic and powerful of the five realms of the underworld. The realm that was generally known as the Plane of Shadow Chains. This was due to the divine Crucible.

The divine Crucible.

This was the Timeless-Fate chains of Tartarus. The divine Shadow Chains from where the realm of Tartarus got its reference as the Plane of Shadow Chains. As it was with the other worlds, each realm of the Underworld, had a divine artifact as its cosmic treasure. And, the divine artifact of the Tartarus realm was, the Crucible.

Any deity or mortal, that could conjur a tiny portion of the divine cosmic treasure, would be the chosen guardian of the treasure and ruler of the realm. However, if there were more than one deity who could conjur the divine treasure, they would have to battle it out to choose the ultimate Realm-Sovereign. This was the rule of law of any world in the universe in order for it to be just and balanced. For the underworld, its chaotic nature was evident in the deadly battles for the ultimate rulership. Boundless battles that had come to define the existential nature of the underworld.

Lord Deggorath of the Shadow-Fire clan, was the sovereign of the realm of Tartarus. Along with twenty other deities, he had managed to conjur an essence of the chains of Tartarus when he was a demon stellar deity. And, the binding chains of Tartarus when he became a sovereign deity, the same as ten others. The battles he partook to become the ultimate sovereign of Tartarus, was of colossal nature. Yet, he did it to the glory of his clan, the Shadow-Flame clan. He had risen at a difficult time for his clan and led them through extreme and harsh bitterness, to the top of the chain in Tartarus realm.

Of the Shadow-Flame clan, was lord Hargoven. A deity who was once a peak stage Stellar and was knocking on the door of the Sovereign level, but was now forever reduced to the Shenxian stage. An early stage monarch. This was due to his life-essence core that was shattered in a battle that he didn't fully anticipated in magnitude. Though, the essence core had been amended, the extent of the damage meant that he couldn't advance further than the monarch stage.

Lord Hargoven was sitting down under a massive oakenham tree, staring into the far distant in appreciation and apprehension, as the sun was finally disappearing below the horizon and the fleeting colors of dusk faded away. The approaching longer night, was a befitting companion to the dark energy and chaotic nature of the underworld. He closed his eyes as he gently inhaled the fresh air into his lungs, circulating it before releasing it slowly.

Lost in thoughts, he ruminated on the circumstances of things that were happening in his life. Yes, he was a member of the Shadow-Flame clan of the Tartarus realm. A monarch deity with a small manor of his own and a beautiful wife to be true. After that battle that got his essence-core shattered, he never believed he could even be where he was today. He could have been dead from the complications of a shattered core. He knew his life-essence could have dissipated and for that, he was grateful. He had almost everything a minor deity could wished for, especially, the power and fame that his clan had attained after gruesome years at the bottom of non-existence. Many years of oblivion as a matter of fact.

Yet, he wasn't that happy. This sadness, he shared with his wife. Amarodia! His ever enduring and loving wife. They had sacrificed so much to be together and start their own family. Inspite of all these, one but massively important thing was missing in their lives for their ancestral lines to continue.

A child!

The missing piece in their lives and in the continuation of their ancestral lines. In the Underworld, ancestral lines was of the umost importance. The power of a clan and family, lay in the chain of offspring. This was what bound the future to the ancestral past. With offspring, a clan had the hope of them having the traits of conjuring the essence of the chains of Tartarus and eventually the binding chains. This way, a clan could become the ruling clan or continue to maintain its rule.

But most importantly, The joys and despairs that a child would bring to him and his wife. Some deities couldn't care less but definitely not them. Though, they were together after so long journey, the significance of a child to them couldn't be put into words. It would be the crown of relief on their throne of pain. Ah, the sound of a child's voice, the cries, the screams, the laughters and watching the growth of the child to become a strong deity with their own very eyes. All they ever wanted.

Eternal essence be his witness, despite the limitation in power and resources, he had tried everything he knew of so they could have a child. He had met various physicians and alchemists throughout the Underworld, but, none of their methods and pills had worked. The frequent use of the available resources, had taken a toll on them. With a heart stricken with grieve, he had lost all hope until his Kuln servant told him about a physician his that his old master once knew.

A physician that resided in his own personal domain? That was a powerful physician. To own a domain,the deity had to reach the sovereign stage.

Domains were extremely diificult to find unless they were open domains. A closed domain at his current level, it would be almost impossible for him to locate and have an audience with such a deity. But as a member of a realm's ruling clan, he might have a slightest chance. He had started the search for the domain with a little optimisim which quickly disappeared after many years spent in vain. This was despite the domain not being a hidden one, but a closed domain. After many difficult and dangerous years of searching, he had finally located it.

There were ultimate deities, major deities and minor deities. From Empyreans to Sovereigns, were major deities while below were minor deities. The ultimate deities were the supremes. Though, mostly from afar, he had seen many deities in his life-time and of them, lord Hades and the council of the Utmosts, were of the most terrific existence. And of the major deities, the highest were the sovereigns. Nevertheless, there were some domain deities that were just as powerful as a realm ruler even with their realms divine treasures. He had his thoughts that this alchemist was one of those few deities that were unbound to a particular realm.

Ah, he himself was a major deity before his core was shattered and could have attain his own domain upon reaching sovereign stage. However, he wasn't sad due to this. The gain from the battle far surpassed his loss in advancement.

Lord Hargoven still remembered his encounter with the alchemist, clearly. He re-lived the moment he met the sovereign alchemist.

\"Greetings, sovereign alchemist Udreabis. I thank you gratefully for allowing me an entrance into your domain. Eternal essence continue to be on you.\"

\"I greet you too, lord Hargoven of the Shadow-Flame clan. Your noble fame preceeds you. A shattered core for the love of your life? Not many could have undergone such. A noble course indeed. Even if you were not from an honored clan, I would have attended to you still.\"

He had noticed how alchemist Udreabis had observed him for a moment before nodding his head in sincere acknowledgement.

\"So, what brings you to my little domain, lord Hargoven?\"

\"Pardon me for the intrusion, sovereign alchemist Udreabis. The problem that brought me have taken me far and wide but all to no avail. You are the last hope I probably have.\"

\"A child?\"

Alchemist Udreabis had asked him.

\"Yes, a child.\"

He had replied solemnly, as he continued to look at the alchemist who was stroking his beard in thoughts. How could he have known the problem easily like that? Only a true alchemist could have avhieved that feat. He had continued to wait for a moment before the sovereign alchemist sighed and stared at him.

\"Ways of the Alphega couldn't be comprehended in its totality. Everything was for a purpose, that was of certainty.\"

Alchemist Udreabis had paused for a time as he ruminated on some information in his mind before continuing.

\"Hm. There is a way I know of, lord Hargoven. Though it's hard, Alphega might grant you what you seek. There are some items you must provide for me, the rest I can add. The Springroot spirit grass, the primeval Phoenix blood crystal, the light and dark Eternal Twin-orb and the Sanguine Burning Star. Get me all these, and with the rest of the items with me, I will make you an ultimate pill. The Cosmic Nimbus pill. And who knows, the mother core might answer your supplements.\"

\"Thank you, alchemist Udreabis. I will try my best to find the items.\"

\"Anything for a noble course, lord Hargoven.\"