Chapter 2: The First Forge of Eternities
In the primordial void, where time itself had not yet learned to tick and the concept of space was but a whisper in the abyss, the Crucible Accord gathered. There, amidst an infinite sea of black nothingness, these sovereign beings of unimaginable power stood upon the edge of all potentialities, looking not at what was, but at what could become. Their will was law, their presence the very fabric that would spin out the threads of every world yet to be imagined.
The first Forge had ignited, not with fire, but with thought — pure, untainted consciousness. From it, the first laws of existence poured forth, bubbling and shifting like molten metal in an unformed cauldron. This forge, unbound by the constraints of physical matter, existed outside of all known dimensions. It was a place of infinite creation, a temporal wellspring that poured out the seeds of all things — chaos, order, life, and death — into an ever-expanding expanse that lay beyond the grasp of time.
Here, the Crucible Sovereigns stood tall, their shapes incomprehensible to the mortal eye. Their forms defied the very idea of reality, shifting between countless expressions of their power, moving with the fluidity of a dream yet sharp enough to pierce the mind of any who dared gaze upon them. Some took the shape of radiant stars, others as colossal fractals that bent and twisted the flow of space. There was Samael, who appeared as a being of endless light and dark, his form never settling, a fusion of radiance and shadow. Maliel, ever elegant, wore the hues of twilight, shifting through time as if it were a mere cloak. Azrael was nothing more than a point of gravity, pulling all things into the orbit of his being, yet no one could say where his true form lay.
They were not alone in their work. From the depths of the Forge, they summoned forth the Elemental Crystals — physical manifestations of the primordial energies that would shape the very essence of the multiverse. These crystals were forged from the rawest aspects of existence: Essence, Void, Time, Space, Destruction, and Creation. They were the foundational blocks that held the universe together, yet within them lay an infinite potential for manipulation.
The Sovereigns, bound by their eternal pact, chose to imbue each crystal with their own will, crafting them into vessels of incomprehensible power. From these Crystals of Power, the first planes of existence would be born.
The Eternal Realms — birthed from these sacred crystals — began as whispers, visions, and half-formed thoughts. They existed as nothing more than potential at first, concepts swirling around the Forge before being imprinted upon the Void. One by one, these realms solidified, each one an embodiment of a fundamental truth of existence.
The Realm of the Infinite Nexus — Where the very idea of cause and effect was born. Here, Samael, in his infinite wisdom, shaped a space where reality would loop upon itself, creating cycles of life, death, and rebirth. This realm was not bound by linear time but was a reflection of every possible outcome, constantly unraveling and weaving itself back together.
The Realm of Eternal Silence — Maliel's creation, the embodiment of calm and restraint. Here, sound was forbidden, but the stillness held untold power. It was a place where everything had its place, where no movement occurred without purpose. The Realm would serve as the crucible for all who sought mastery of control over their mind, body, and soul.
The Void of Unknowing — A place for the unformed and formless, where Azrael poured forth his essence. This realm was unlike any other, an unfathomable expanse that knew no boundaries. It was neither light nor dark, neither good nor evil. It was an unknowable void, a place where reality itself could be bent and shaped by the power of the mind. Azrael, ever the sovereign of gravity, pulled all things toward this realm, a place where even the strongest could lose themselves to the forces of nothingness.
With these realms, the first seeds of existence were sown. Yet, the Crucible Accord, bound by their will, felt a longing within them. They could not yet grasp the full weight of their power, for they were still bound to the Forge. They could shape realms and form realities, but the true essence of existence — the beings that would inhabit these realms — had yet to be realized.
Thus, the Sovereigns turned their attention to Creation. They knew that the realms could not be left empty; they required life. But this life would not be born of simple design. It would not be like the fleeting beings that would eventually emerge from the lower worlds, bound to the whims of time and decay. No, the Crucible Accord would craft beings that transcended mortality. These beings would be the progenitors of all that was to come, an immortal race that could inhabit the highest realms with grace and purpose.
And so, they called forth the Firstborn.
The Firstborn were beings unlike any other. Born not of flesh or bone, but of the very essence of the Sovereigns' will. They were crafted from the Elemental Crystals, each one infused with the power of one of the primordial forces. These beings were eternal, free from the decay of time, and their presence would influence the very shaping of every world that came into being.
The Firstborn were assigned roles, each one reflecting the dominion of their creators. Some were tasked with maintaining the balance between creation and destruction, while others were given the charge of manipulating the flow of time or weaving the laws of physics. Some were to protect the realms, while others were to create new ones entirely. Each one was gifted with boundless power, their will extending to the farthest corners of existence.
Among the Firstborn, there were three who stood above the others — the High Sovereigns. These were the embodiments of the core tenets of reality itself. Samael, the Lord of Light and Shadow, whose balance defined the very fabric of existence. Maliel, the Mistress of Twilight, who wove time and silence into a tapestry that would govern the flow of all things. Azrael, the Father of Gravity and Void, whose pull shaped the spaces between worlds.
Together, these three formed the Triad of the Forge, and it was through them that the multiverse would come into being. They shaped the planes and filled them with life, setting the stage for the great cosmic cycle that would span eons.
But even as the Firstborn and their realms began to take shape, something began to stir in the deep chasms of the Void — a dark energy that the Sovereigns had overlooked in their quest for creation. It was an energy of chaos, a force that sought to undo the order the Sovereigns had painstakingly crafted. It was the Forgotten Essence, the source of all things broken, twisted, and chaotic, and it hungered for the realms to be undone.
The Forgotten Essence was not born of the Crucible Accord, but rather a remnant of the void that had existed before time began — the unformed energies that had been cast aside by the creation of the Sovereigns. This force existed in opposition to all that the Crucible Accord sought to build. Its presence was felt across the realms, and though the Sovereigns could not yet fully comprehend its nature, they knew that they could not ignore it.
And so, the Forgotten Essence was sealed away, hidden deep within the Eternal Silence, where it could no longer threaten the fragile balance the Sovereigns had created. But the Sovereigns knew better than to underestimate the Forgotten Essence. It was not gone, but only waiting. Waiting for the day when the Crucible Accord would falter.
Thus, the First Forge grew quiet. The realms stood as they were, and the Crucible Accord continued its vigilant work, watching over the vast expanse of the multiverse they had created. Yet, within the deepest crevices of reality, the Forgotten Essence pulsed, a threat lying in wait.