《The Doomed Timeline》 Prologue The king was missing from his throne. The throne room lay dormant and empty. In fact, not a single light could be seen inside of most of the castle. Inside the castle where children and mothers and the weak and frail waited in the silence for the end to come. The castle was a fortress. An impenetrable palace that had been built over lifetimes. It had held for thousands of years. And today would be the end of that. Day? The sky was pitch black without a single star in sight. That was how it was for everyone on the continent. The rest of the world could see the sun and stars in their respective parts of the world. But over this continent, over this kingdom, over this last bastion hung a cloud thick with a promise of the end of all things. Death. The only lights visible were burning pyres on the walls of the castle. But one by one they blew out like candles. The quiet halls of the castle suddenly filled with sound as doors were pushed open. Figures ran inside, screaming and limping and shouting. Fear and hopelessness ran rampant amongst the last of the living defenders. Soldiers and knights slammed the doors shut behind them as the enemy crashed against the wood and stone. Loud sickening thuds could be heard. The sound of bodies being crushed again and again. Then the doors began to give. The strongest and biggest men of the lot rushed forwards to help keep the castle doors shut. There was shouting. They needed a barricade- they needed- Boom! Something large and heavy hit the wall next to the doors. The castle wall shook. Men and women, soldiers and knights and civilians who took up arms backed up and stared in terror. ¡°Oh gods- is it one of them giants?¡± ¡°I don''t want to die- I don''t want to die!¡± ¡°...my children. ¡­they''ll be after my kids next.¡± ¡°Layla, my love¡­ I''m sorry I wasn''t stronger.¡± ¡°Please¡­ oh please gods and goddesses¡­ please hear our prayers¡­ please¡­¡± Many different voices spoke, cried, begged, pleaded, and said their farewells. BOOM! The wall cracked. Someone shouted above them all. ¡°For the kingdom! For the king!¡± It was just one shout. But another soon followed. ¡°For the king!¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°For the kingdom!¡± From the depths of their fear and despair. They managed to bring out one last bout of courage when the castle wall exploded inwards. It wasn''t just in one singular spot. Multiple places in the castle walls were besieged and destroyed. And in the gaps of stone and wood and gold and sandstone came the dead. A few shambling figured pulled themselves into the castle interior. Rotting faces. Skeletal hands. Eye sockets that should have been empty were filled with a pale cold green light. Men and women shouted as they met the dead with sword and steel. A knight cleaved a zombie at the midsection. Its entrails spilled out onto the castle floor, black blood pooling at their feet. A guardsmen swung a mace and crushed a skeleton''s skull into pieces. The dead met the living with rasping moans and groans and silent screams as they began to pour inside. Faster undead pushed and pulled their way inside past the slow zombies. Something large and pale shoved it''s way through one hole and curled around the lip of the opening¡­ it was a giant finger made of ivory! It clenched and pried and pulled the wall even further apart as stones crumbled and wood splintered. The living fought the zombies and skeletons hard. Only few of the living were brought down by exhaustion and mistakes. Then the larger undead began making their ways into the castle. A hulking abomination of sagging and stitched flesh with too many faces leapt from an opening and crashed into a line of soldiers. Metal cut and pierced into the flesh only to reveal more flesh underneath. The behemoth of rotting skin whirled and swung an arm the size of a tree trunk into the armored bodies of the living. Soldiers went flying. Their formation broken. And zombies poured into their lines, attacking the living from three sides instead of one. More behemoths crashed through the walls¡­ five¡­ twenty¡­ fifty¡­ Something gave in as an entire wall collapsed in on the dead, crushing them in a mess of debris as a large hand of bone the size of a carriage reached inside the castle before slamming down into the ranks of soldiers and knights. They were overwhelmed. In minutes there were too many zombies and other rotting things¡­ the living had to fall back. They had to run. Because over half of them couldn''t run. They lay on the ground as the dead walked over their bloodied and ruined bodies. Their red blood was still warm as it mixed with the black on the floor. Vacant gazes and fixed expressions stared at nothing in particular. Then the fallen soldiers began to get up. They rose into the endless swarm of the dead and joined in the attack against their once friends and families and allies. With each soldier that died was another soldier for the dead army that rampaged deeper into the castle. Where was the king? The king was bleeding. He leaned against a door in the royal suites of the castle. A deep wound in his side bled down his leg and into his boot. He wore no crown. That had been lost in the fighting. His golden armor was battered and torn¡­ it looked more like crumpled paper mach¨¦ that someone had painted gold. A shoulder piece had been crushed, the metal stabbed right down into his skin. He held a broken sword in one hand. His other arm was missing. ¡°You killed them¡­ and you''re killing the rest¡­¡± The king spoke through harsh and labored breaths. ¡°My friends¡­ my dearest¡­ you''ve killed them.¡± Another figure stood at the end of the hallway outside the royal bedrooms. It stood in the darkness, hidden from view¡­ but the king knew it was there. It knew he was there. ¡°I watched you kill them¡­ you made me watch¡­ my witch¡­ my lady¡­ my mentor¡­ my people¡­¡± The king winced and tried to stand but he just felt so¡­ weak and tired. His body shook as he forced himself to move. It was so hard¡­ it was so hard. His body was practically begging him to just close his eyes¡­ The figure in the darkness merely scoffed. ¡°Human¡­ I''ve come for no speech. Only your lives.¡± The king said nothing more. What more was there to say? Everyone was dead and dying. At his back lay a door where a woman lay in bed through all this destruction and fighting. His mother. The king''s friends were already gone. His kingdom was no more. The last of his people were dying below. All that remained was his mother behind him. And the monster in front of him. If the king fell¡­ his mother would die next. Then the rest of the world would soon follow into the grave right after. The king knew this for a certainty. If he fell¡­ the rest of humanity would fall too. The world would fall. ¡°Why?¡± The king croaked as he raised his broken sword. ¡°...why?¡± ¡°Death has never needed a reason.¡± The figure shrugged and stepped forwards; his posture relaxed. ¡°Death never needed a reason for my people. Why should it need a reason to take yours as well?¡± A monstrous figure with pale green skin took another step towards the king. A mouth full of sharp and pointed teeth like knives opened as it continued to speak to the human king. ¡°Death has never needed a reason. Not for anyone. Not ants and worms. Not men and women. Not kings and queens. Not even for gods. They can''t help you. For they too are praying.¡± Such confidence. Such arrogance. The monster took another step, and his sword seemed to gleam in the darkness. This was where it belonged. The monster and the sword both. They had been born in their own darkness; it was all they had ever truly known. Not unlike the human king. The king of humans still had some light left in his blue eyes. His golden hair might as well have been a crown of its own. One last drop of blood fell from a stump. The droplet hitting the floor without a sound. ¡°...the gods have never aided me before anyways.¡± The king sighed and at last he began to relax. The bleeding had stopped. He was dead¡­ he just hadn''t realized it yet. Bright blue eyes stared into the empty abyss before him and the king met the monster in the darkness. One final clash that caused the upper floors of the castle to shake. And then there was only silence. Chapter 1 He dreamed of the end. The end of everything. It came like a tidal wave of darkness washing everything away in its path. A rippling earthquake that reduced planets to dust in its wake. A wind that blew out the light in every star. Even the gods, strongest of all, did their best to flee. But it was too late for even those great and ancient and arrogant beings who claimed to be the creators and masterminds of the universe and beyond. It was their arrogance that had been their downfall. It had been time that had won out even over the immortal. For all things must come to an end eventually. Even gods. And even those being far older and eldritch in nature. For a primordial being that had been there since the creation of everything had grown into its destiny. What had once started out as a mere speck of energy amongst elder gods and eldritch horror abominations on a cosmic level¡­ had turned into an all encompassing and ever growing insatiable void of destruction. It was only a dream. He knew it was only a dream. How did he know it was a dream? He wasn''t sure. He just knew that it was a dream. A nightmare. The final nightmare. ¡°Viren Eclipse.¡± The Nightmare spoke to him. He turned his gaze and watched a single figure in the center of that endless abyss. A figure that had been nothing more than a speck¡­ grown into a reincarnation spirit¡­ grown into a king¡­ grown into a God¡­ grown into the end of everything that existed. ¡°Yes. I know you child. As I knew your mother. And your grandmother. In fact your grandmother was a tremendous help in bringing about this calamitous outcome sooner than anticipated. Ironic. She who feared her own inevitable end so greatly¡­ brought about her own end through her greatest fear.¡± ¡°...you know my grandmother?¡± Viren''s throat felt tight. An oppressive feeling began to press down on him at all sides. He found himself beginning to kneel to this powerful being. ¡°...of course you did¡­ she created one of your vessels didn''t she? ¡­oh great and terrible Lich.¡± ¡°Lich.¡± The being of shadows and empty emotions smiled. ¡°That was the title mortals granted me. In truth I was never given a name¡­ not by a creator or anyone else. ¡°Taboo magic¡­ dark magic¡­ necromancer¡­ lich. All nothing more than titles. Not a name. It''s fitting. For the end of everything that exists¡­ to have no name. I am simply¡­ the end.¡± ¡°...why have you come to me?¡± Viren curled up into a ball, floating in the void as darkness swirled around him. Cold fingers poked and prodded, searching for a way in deeper. ¡°Are you certain this is real?¡± There was amusement in its voice. ¡°If this is real¡­ then it''s already done.¡± ¡°I''m afraid¡­ you will not find what you seek.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± More amusement. ¡°Tell me, child. What is it that I am seeking?¡± ¡°...¡± Viren kept quiet that time. ¡°Could it be a link to your grandmother¡­ or how a young man miraculously manages to slip between realities¡­ without even the gods noticing.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Imagine that¡­ if I could miraculously travel as easily as that¡­ I could bring about the end of everything much sooner. Take a page from your grandmother''s book and take me out of reality. Take me¡­¡± Cold bones trailed up Viren''s back, dead fingers curled around Viren''s neck and squeezed. ¡°Take me to the door to every universe and reality.¡± Viren''s throat tightened even further. That cold and powerful pressure found its way inside of his body. His own body heat was stolen away¡­ his beating heart pumped nothing but ice cold blood throughout his veins. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Come now. Viren. Be a good child now¡­ oh very well.¡± The cold grip loosened before vanishing. ¡°I have waited since the dawn of everything. I can wait longer. Death comes in many forms. Sometimes it is impatient and swift¡­ sometimes it takes eons. But you know this well. You know death¡­ you know me. That is why I come to you. Viren Eclipse. You are a brave child. You¡¯ve seen the darkness that I am. I am your destiny. I am everything¡¯s destiny. I am destiny in the purest form. For there is nothing after me. I am simply, the end.¡± Viren shuddered. Fear and death held him close. The greatest monster and evil of all creation had its gaze upon him. An unstoppable force of nature full of emptiness and death. How had it ever come to this? Viren knew. Viren had seen the many different realities of the next reincarnation of the lich. Viren had beheld the destruction of the world many times. ¡°Yes¡­ how interesting¡­ you are like your grandmother¡­ but different. On a first glance one would assume you were weaker¡­ more insignificant than that wrinkled magical cockroach. ¡­but that¡¯s the secret isn¡¯t it? You are much more than what you seem to be¡­ traveler. Observer.¡± Viren shuddered again. ¡°Then observe this¡­ behold your inevitable conclusion. Behold¡­ the true fate of everything that exists.¡± It was then that the dream shifted. Viren remained curled in on himself. But he lifted his gaze to see the end of all things. The scene played out before him¡­ a small green creature full of determination and buried resentment. He was small¡­ smaller than the rest of his species. A monster too. A goblin. Viren watched as the goblin was ripped away from its home. How it endured survival in a harsh land. He watched the little survivor as its resentment only grew with every experience. Until the day the creature discovered magic¡­ dark magic. The rest of the world had not been paying attention. Not until it was too late. A foreign kingdom was having a goblin uprising? No big deal. Goblins were weak and pathetic little monsters. Did you hear? There are more monsters attacking the kingdom¡­ true evil is aiding the goblins. Tales of walking corpses¡­ Can you believe it? People say an entire kingdom has fallen. People laughed and chuckled. It was a joke. It was all¡­ just some joke. Magic wasn¡¯t real. The dead did not walk. And goblins were weak little creatures¡­ The first Goblin King of the world- this world, was the next reincarnation of the lich. A goblin king? What was that? Nobody even knew what a goblin lord was¡­ it had been so long since the last Goblin Lord had made its presence known to the world. The lore of the most pathetic species in the world had been forgotten. One kingdom didn¡¯t even think that goblins existed. That had been the kingdom Viren had been born into. A kingdom that had well and truly forgotten about magic faster then the rest of the world. The only kingdom in the world that had forgotten a monarchy too. They had a president and elections. Democracy. The most advanced kingdom in the world and the only one that had cars and cell phones while everyone else in the world still used horses. Only one kingdom realized the magnitude of the growing threat. ¡­however infighting would be their inevitable downfall. As a wave of the undead and goblins stormed across the world taking kingdom after kingdom¡­ They were the last bastion to hold out against the threat. A great and terrible battle of survival between the last of humanity on the planet fighting back against endless waves of the undead¡­ Then it came. It walked across the snow covered ground towards the last of humanity. A goblin with a golden crown adorning his head forged in blood and genocide. His once bright and vibrant crimson eyes that had been full of life¡­ were empty black holes. To meet his gaze was to look into that hungry abyss that was coming for¡­ everything. The snow melted beneath his feet. Any hint of vegetation withered and crumbled into dust. The cold and windy northern air grew still and silent. The cold remained¡­ but it was not the same biting cold that came for the skin of the living¡­ it was a cold that ate at the hearts and souls of the living. To the monster¡¯s sides; goblin lords marched, goblin armies marched, armies of the dead marched, horrible abominations and undead creations marched and flew. The battle was over in less than an hour. Buildings crumbled in the monster¡¯s wake. People choked and died. Death and destruction came for the kingdom. Death and destruction marched onto the very last city. Death and destruction conquered the world. At long last came the people of the moon. The last of the living people in this planet system gazed down upon the world in disgust. Futuristic cannons and lasers shot down towards the world¡­ and the bombs disintegrated. The light from the lasers faded. And death glanced up and beheld the moon and its people who had been there since the dawn of their species. And death came to bring about the end of their species. The people of the moon came about around the same time as the people of the world. Only they were different¡­ the people of the moon were more beautiful and elegant¡­ their hair glowed like halos around their heads. They considered the humans of the world to be people made of mud. And the humans of the world considered their moon counterparts as living angels. The people of the moon became more advanced. When the people of the moon started using cybernetic implants and holograms the people of the world were merely making wooden wheels. They were arrogant. They looked down on the world as if it were inferior. All other species as well¡­ so when death truly came knocking on their front door¡­ for the first time in their existence they felt fear. The lich had his armies float up to the moon. Their futuristic buildings and technology began to crumble and fall apart. People died like dominos as the lich merely walked to the rulers of the moon. The Queen of the most advanced civilization for the first time in her life felt afraid as death approached her, as death looked into her eyes and she looked into death¡¯s eyes. And then it was over. The last of the living in this system of planets was extinguished. The last light went out¡­ and the moon and world turned dark. The lich glanced up from the moon palace and the abyss starred up into the universe with a cold smile. What more was there to tell? What more was there to see? Viren certainly didn¡¯t want to see anymore. But he was made to watch it anyway. Made to watch as death soared across the known universe and the unknown, to every galaxy, to every planet. The lich was like a moth to a flame. Only death¡¯s flame was the living. And it wasn¡¯t the moth that was extinguished upon each arrival. ¡°Now you see it? My universe is already gone.¡± Viren shuddered fearfully as something squirmed around inside of his stomach. ¡°I know you exist¡­ I know other universes exist¡­ other realities. I will find my way out. So wake up and enjoy your day. I will be there soon.¡± Viren shuddered one last time before waking up and throwing up all over his bed. Chapter 2 ¡°Let''s go on an adventure.¡± It was Lyra that suggested it. She stretched out across the apartment sofa and glanced over with an optimistic smile on her lips. ¡°It could be fun.¡± ¡°An adventure?¡± Milo blinked and looked back at his girlfriend from where he was making a cup of tea. ¡°You want to go shopping, honey?¡± ¡°Pfft- shopping isn¡¯t an adventure baby.¡± She chuckled and shook her head. ¡°I mean a real adventure.¡± ¡°Shopping could be an adventure.¡± Milo pointed out. ¡°Any activity could be called an adventure, honey.¡± She just shook her head again. ¡°Milo. No. Just no. I¡¯m talking about a real adventure. Let¡¯s go outside the city walls. Let''s leave the city.¡± Milo paused. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave the city!¡± She sprang up from her seat and skipped across their apartment towards their bedroom. ¡°I¡¯ll start packing!¡± ¡°...leave the city?¡± Milo just blinked and stared after his girlfriend dumbly. ¡°...you want to go on a walk?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± She called out as she went into the bedroom. ¡°We¡¯ll go all sorts of places! We¡¯ll need a tent and some supplies from the store too!¡± ¡°...a tent?¡± Milo just kept staring at the doorway. ¡°...we¡¯re going camping?¡± ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s go camping across the country!¡± Lyra beamed as she began throwing clothes onto the bed, folding them up neatly one after the other. ¡°...pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be an adventure!¡± It was just another average day for the couple living in their shared apartment in the city they had grown up in. Well, it had been just another average day before Lyra had suggested the camping trip. An average day between just an average couple living together. They were both human. Most people in the kingdom were human after all. ¡°Dear¡­¡± Milo meandered over and poked his head into the bedroom. ¡°I don¡¯t think-¡± Lyra grabbed her boyfriend by the arm and tugged him along. She had a backpack on her back full of clothes and another backpack in her other arm. ¡°Come on Milo! The day is just getting started! And so should we!¡± She let go of his arm for a moment to throw open the door to their apartment. ¡°Honey wait-¡± There would be no waiting for the couple. Lyra grabbed his arm yet again and pulled him outside. Soon enough Milo found himself having to pick up his pace to keep up with his girlfriend as she marched across the cobblestone streets. ¡°Lyra!¡± She giggled and then she began to run. ¡°Race you to the supply store!¡± ¡°What- no- Lyra!¡± Milo groaned before picking up speed and running after his laughing girlfriend. When pedestrians turned their heads to see what all the shouting was about all they would see was a dark-skinned beauty running down the street towards oncoming wagon traffic and a pale skinned man desperately trying to keep up and warn her of said oncoming traffic. Then there was more shouting. Men and women shouted obscenities at the woman as she ran right between the wagons, spinning out of the way and narrowly stepping back to avoid being run over by a horse and the wagon it was pulling. Another horse was already behind her then the edge of a cart knocked her forwards. The woman yelped and threw a fist up and cursed at the driver to watch where he was going only for an older lady to curse for her to get out of the way! ¡°Lyra! Watch out!¡± Milo shouted before running up to quickly grab his girlfriend before a set of horses pulling a carriage could trample her. Lyra spun around and shouted at the carriage driver. ¡°Hey! Watch it bud! Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m walking here!?¡± ¡°Walk on the sidewalk you idiot!¡± The driver snapped back. Inside the carriage a lady blinked up from her book before setting it down and placing a marker in her spot. ¡°Miss Elbi? What¡¯s all that fuss about outside?¡± The lady asked as she slid open the window to the carriage driver. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Oh- my apologies milady.¡± The driver bowed in her seat. ¡°Just a pair of fools running through the street. It¡¯s a wonder how they haven¡¯t been killed yet.¡± ¡°Oh goodness.¡± The lady put a hand to her lips before chuckling. ¡°That sounds quite exciting. Carry on then Miss Elbi.¡± ¡°As you wish, lady Serenity.¡± As the carriage rolled on by, Milo grabbed his girlfriend and guided her out of the road. ¡°Are you crazy!?¡± Lyra giggled. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that exciting? And that was just a taste of what¡¯s to come!¡± Milo stared at his girlfriend for a long moment. He turned his head and glanced back in the direction of their apartment before letting out a defeated sigh. ¡°You¡¯re going to be the death of me, you know that dear?¡± She just giggled yet again. ¡°Come on Milo, let¡¯s hurry.¡± She beamed and started walking forwards again. She blinked and looked at all the people staring at them before raising her voice. ¡°The hell are you all looking at!?¡± Back in the carriage the lady sat back down and picked up her book. ¡°At least I¡¯ll have something interesting to bring up to lady Crow this afternoon.¡± She smiled and began to read once again. A bird stood atop a building watching over the street before spreading its wings and taking flight. It flew over the adventurous couple and then over the rolling carriage. It flew across the many streets of the city, passing over thousands of people going about their daily lives. The bird angled itself and turned before it could run into a large standing tower before angling itself up. The bird flew over the city walls and the guardsmen that patrolled it daily. The bird flew onwards, leaving the city behind it as the scenery below the bird changed from grassy plains to long and winding roads, green forests, curving rivers, round hills, towering mountains, quiet villages and more. In one such village an old knight was leaning back against the outside of a stable. A morning breeze blew through his white hair as he watched his latest charge¡­ his most unconventional student. The old knight still remembered his sister¡¯s bizarre favor and the way she had written to him. He still remembered the shock he felt when he actually met the subject in question¡­ somehow it was not a prank. The knight massaged his temple and pinched the bridge of his nose. This was probably a mistake. This was probably wrong. For whom in their right mind would train a goblin? A hobgoblin swung a wooden sword. His green skin was already beginning to sweat, it dripped from his muscles as he stepped into another stance and practiced another form. His blood red eyes were set and focused on the distant horizon as he trained. ¡°How is he doing ser?¡± The old knight blinked before straightening and giving the newcomer a bow. ¡°Lady Crow-¡± ¡°Please. Don¡¯t bow. Would you like some tea ser Felix?¡± The witch asked with a small smile. She was a pale skinned and black curly haired beauty. She held out a cup of tea that called to the knight. ¡°I¡­ thank you milady.¡± The old knight smiled and accepted the cup of tea gratefully. The witch turned her eyes back towards the training goblin. ¡°How is he doing so far?¡± ¡°The goblin? He is¡­ doing better. He¡¯s got a long way to go before he can be considered anything more than a squire.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± The witch sighed before glancing down into her own cup of tea. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have much time. His enemies are moving. The world is turning. Can¡¯t you feel it Ser?¡± ¡°My apologies. I¡¯m afraid I cannot milady.¡± That brought about a small and sad smile from the witch. ¡°Your retirement may come to an end, ser.¡± The knight felt a chill run down his spine as he shivered. ¡°Pardon milady?¡± ¡°The world isn¡¯t long for this peace we¡¯ve grown used to.¡± She took a sip from her tea. ¡°The age of magic has come and is fading. The time of humankind has been here for a long time now¡­ we¡¯ve taken over every corner of the world we can walk. ¡­there are even men on the moon.¡± She glanced up towards the sky. ¡°Yes. There truly are no marvels we cannot achieve.¡± ¡°...great marvels befit great devastation as well Ser. I feel my death is sooner than yours.¡± The knight wanted to reassure the lady that she would live a long life. She was only half his age after all¡­ but this lady was the last witch on the continent. Probably one of the last witches in the world. He didn¡¯t really understand magic¡­ but whenever the lady Crow spoke¡­ she was almost always right. ¡°When I was a little girl there were more witches.¡± She continued as if she heard the knight¡¯s thoughts. ¡°And when they were little girls there were even more. I am not the last. But I am of the last. Magic weakens. ¡­my mother would weep if she were still alive.¡± ¡°...¡± The old knight didn¡¯t know what to say. That sad smile adorning the witch¡¯s face grew bitter. ¡°We could have saved the world if the world had not hunted us. We could have kept the magic alive¡­ Perhaps someone still can. But it won¡¯t be me.¡± She watched a bird flying high in the sky before looking over at the training hobgoblin. ¡°It won¡¯t be me.¡± The knight hesitated. ¡°...and how are your lessons with the goblin going?¡± The witch chuckled. ¡°He should know the very basics at least¡­ he will have a foundation to build upon when the time comes for him to leave us.¡± ¡°...and is that¡­ a good thing? A goblin knowing how to use magic?¡± She laughed without joy. ¡°They¡¯ve always known magic. It is another thing we¡¯ve forgotten about their kind. I am teaching nothing new¡­ only what has been lost.¡± ¡°But milady¡­ it is- he is a goblin. ¡­a monster.¡± ¡°A monster you say? That is the word men called my mother when they hunted her. Monster? Only recall a warm embrace, sweet cookies, and a soft voice. Monster you say now Ser Felix? I only see a young man who wants to save his people.¡± One of the goblin¡¯s long and pointed ears twitched ever so slightly as he listened in on his teachers conversation. ¡°As you say milady¡­ but the general consensus of the kingdom is that goblins are monsters.¡± The witch rolled her eyes. ¡°Is that what you truly believe ser? It''s a wonder you headed your sister¡¯s call at all.¡± ¡°Lady Crow. From my many personal experiences of having dealt with goblins over the years¡­ I would say that many are monsters. Killers, kidnappers, thieves, and rapists. I¡¯ve had to slay many in defense of the people.¡± The witch raised an eyebrow. ¡°Now how did your sister get you to agree to this if that¡¯s how you feel about goblins ser Felix?¡± The old knight blushed slightly. ¡°Zara was very adamant.¡± She smiled. ¡°That¡¯s what I like about her.¡± Ser Felix glanced down into his cup of tea. Something began to stir inside of him as what was left of the tea swirled around in the cup¡­ and in the reflection in his green eyes. A little bit of magic caught the man¡¯s spirit in that reflection. Of Felix¡¯s greatest moments and worst failures, his fear and his hope. Memories swirled and the old knight felt younger if only for a little bit. The witch sipped at her tea with a small twinkle in her eye. It was supposed to be just another day. A day like any other. A day where a couple may go on their first real adventure. Another day of training for a goblin to save his home. Another day where Viren Eclipse would wake up and run his shop¡­ Viren was still in his bed. He had woken up early in the night and he had never gone back to sleep. He just shook in fear as something cold teased his heart with the reminder that his time was running out. Everyone¡¯s time was running out. The end of the world was coming. The end of everything. It was coming. Chapter 3 Who is Viren Eclipse? Many people wouldn¡¯t know. Few people would only vaguely recall that it was the name of the son of a movie producer within the only kingdom in the world that had the technology for movies. Fewer people knew him as Viren Eclipse, owner of Viren¡¯s Coincidentials. The current employer of the store¡¯s one and only employee. A girl in her late teens stood around in that very store. She glanced over to where the sign on the door still said closed and she waited¡­ and waited¡­ She waited for around two hours before finally storming off towards the stairs. ¡°Mr. Eclipse!¡± A series of knocking and shouting came from Viren¡¯s bedroom door. ¡°Mr. Eclipse, it''s two hours past opening time! Mr. Eclipse! Are you dead?¡± Dead. Viren jerked and grimaced. He had forgotten about the vomit that had dried all over his bedsheets. The young man had been lost in a trance for so long now¡­ ¡°Mr. Eclipse!¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming!¡± He finally got out of bed and stumbled across the room. He opened the door and put on a smile. ¡°Just cleaning up-¡± ¡°Ewww!¡± The teenager recoiled and gagged. ¡°Ugh- oh my god- oh my god- I¡¯m gonna puke!¡± ¡°What- hey no- no more puke! My store doesn¡¯t need any more vomit in it today! Mary no!¡± ¡°Euugh- uuuugh-¡± Viren¡¯s Coincidentials. Mary didn¡¯t really like the name. Viren thought it was fitting though. It was a store focused around coincidences. There was magic in the store. Very few people ever noticed the magic of the place though. To many customers it was just a place that was convenient at the moment. A man walked by with an empty stomach wanting to eat at a restaurant. A diner called Viren¡¯s Fine Dining would be right there for him. A woman needed a place to shop for some baby clothes. Viren¡¯s Infant Clothing Paradise would be right there. Some kids wanted a place to play. Viren¡¯s Playhouse would be there. A couple young adults wanted to have a little fun. Viren¡¯s Escape Rooms would be right there¡­ For most people they would enter the store and it would be what they would need. They would see the other customers and not realize what it was for everyone else. It was magic like that. The store was also magic in the fact that it had multiple locations all over the world. At least one in nearly every kingdom in the largest cities. The magic never let the store grow too crowded unless that¡¯s what a specific customer was wishing for. It was a store that fit everyone¡¯s needs and wishes. It was¡­ a place of coincidences. Coincidentally one of the greatest secrets of the store was that it also existed outside of this world. No, not just in space. Outside of space. Outside of reality itself. A version of Viren Eclipse stood in a version of his store that was linked across different realities. A version of his store that existed outside of reality. He stood in front of a doorway that showed the entire destruction of another universe. ¡°You¡¯ve been watching that for hours now you know?¡± A goblin chuckled from where he sat at a table chewing on a french fry. ¡°You know as well as I do that time is only an idea here. As are we, Guang.¡± ¡°Then why are you worried? Not even the gods can reach us here~¡± The goblin giggled and then lifted the plate of french fries up, he opened his mouth, then proceeded to slide the rest of the fries right into his awaiting mouth. ¡°...this is more than just a god.¡± Viren sighed before finally closing the door. He opened it again and a different reality began to play out. The destruction of another universe. ¡°If it were a mere god then there would be no issue here.¡± He watched as the most attractive woman in many universes destroyed everything with a blank and bored expression upon her face. ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see what¡¯s so funny you mischievous goblin.¡± ¡°No? Maybe you will.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Time will tell. Time will tell. The observer keeps on observing. He observes. Oh he observes. Time isn¡¯t real but he thinks it does. Doesn¡¯t that make it so?¡± Viren closed his eyes and shut the door again. ¡°Do you enjoy being like this? ¡­I can see why she could never stand you in any reality.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°None? None at all? None where she marries the first goblin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not¡­ it seems like some things are just too improbable to happen.¡± ¡°And what makes this end of the universe so improbable~¡± The first goblin hopped off the chair and walked over to stand beside Viren. Viren watched as goblins took over the world. Dragons, goblins, naga, extinct species, humans blowing each other up¡­ ¡°So many realities where everything could go so wrong.¡± ¡°And so many where things could go so right~¡± Guang grinned up at Viren. ¡°Try to find me married to her. I want to see it. I want it~¡± Viren sighed and closed the door again before opening it up to see¡­ A wedding ceremony. The king of the desert kingdom with angel blood in his dna was allowed to kiss the bride. A bride that was the most powerful witch in many universes and realities¡­ The first goblin pouted. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. In most realities she ends up with that goblin. Why not me too? Even the king of kings can get her¡­¡± Viren shook his head and closed the door. ¡°...that goblin is the ultimate version of the lich in another reality.¡± It was fitting really. In many realities the goblin¡¯s wife would be the strongest being¡­ sometimes even stronger than the gods. However¡­ what happened in a reality where she didn¡¯t exist? A reality where he was allowed to become a truly unstoppable and disastrous force of death. The ultimate vessel for the lich. The final vessel. A well and truly doomed timeline. ¡°Just throw a God Wife at him.¡± Guang shrugged. ¡°Let them fight it out for eternity.¡± Viren shook his head yet again. ¡°We can¡¯t. Because it would fail. I¡­ feel like it would fail. And it would create more¡­ and the end would come sooner.¡± The first goblin whistled. ¡°Oh it''s really bad then huh?¡± ¡°...it¡¯s really bad. The fate of every universe¡­ everything is at stake here.¡± ¡°Dead. Dead. Dead. We are all going to die~¡± The first goblin twirled around and skipped back over to the table. ¡°And I haven¡¯t even finished my burger~ Oh- wait- I¡¯m already dead~ Dead. Dead. Dead. Doom and doom~ Doom~ Doom~¡± Viren sighed and then he blinked. ¡°Guang quiet- someone¡¯s at the door.¡± Guang paused with one foot up in the air, caught in the middle of a dance. Then he just giggled. ¡°Another guest~¡± Viren opened the door again and blinked in surprise as this time rather than peer into a reality, someone came through the door. Well more like someone tumbled through the door. An old goblin fell forwards and hit the wooden floor with a thud. Guang glanced back over and blinked in his own surprise. ¡°Even I didn¡¯t see that one coming. And I got pretty good at reading fate.¡± Viren knelt down and cautiously helped the old goblin up. ¡°Are you alright sir?¡± The old goblin said not a word¡­ he just lay limply in Viren¡¯s arms. ¡°Is he dead~¡± Guang asked with a giggle. Viren sighed. ¡°No. Just unconscious.¡± And then nothing happened. Nothing happened most of the time outside of all realities. There was a whole lot of nothing there to begin with. The only thing the first goblin who avoided fate and the magically multi-universally linked store owner could do was wait. In one universe, a fated doomed universe, a Viren Eclipse that had woken up terribly had just finished cleaning up his only employee¡¯s vomit. The link between Viren¡¯s was a strange one. The Viren outside of reality had access to all the others. But they had no access to one another. Yet they were all connected in a strange way. In every reality and even outside of reality, they all had the same dreams. This was not the Viren Eclipse who worried about the end of everything. This was a Viren Eclipse that had the most realest nightmare he¡¯d ever had in his life up until now. Something in his bones told him there was some truth to the dream. Death was coming. It was only a matter of time¡­ Another link between them all was that sometimes information leaked through somehow. Somehow they knew things they shouldn¡¯t. Somehow they knew things that they could only possibly know if they could just see everything. Sometimes. Not always. Like how when Viren Eclipse thought of death¡­ the idea of necromancy came to mind. Viren had never studied necromancy. But he knew about it¡­ he knew basic concepts. And he knew about the forgotten idea of a lich. But nothing more than that. He would have to do some studying. Death was coming and Viren Eclipse had to prepare. He just had no idea on how to prepare for it. ¡°Come on Milo! We have to prepare!¡± A cheerful young woman dragged her boyfriend into the store. ¡°Lyra- wait-¡± The boyfriend tried to protest in vain. ¡°Oh this is going to be so much fun.¡± She giggled and pulled him down an aisle. It was rather convenient for Viren¡¯s Traveling Supply Store to be so close by. ¡°We¡¯ll see all sorts of new and exciting places I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Just how far do we plan on traveling dear?¡± ¡°Oh I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Lyra hummed as she began to pick through different tent options. ¡°We should at least see some forests, climb some mountains, maybe cross the ocean¡­ see another kingdom.¡± That drew her boyfriend up short. ¡°Another kingdom? Which one?¡± His eyes widened. ¡°We¡¯ll need- we don¡¯t even have passports Lyra.¡± ¡°Who says we need passports? We¡¯ll just sneak in. And that one desert kingdom to the south of us.¡± ¡°Sneak it- Lyra that¡¯s illegal-¡± Lyra quickly put a hand over Milo¡¯s mouth and muffled his words. ¡°Shhh. Shush you. Nothing is illegal so long as we aren¡¯t caught-¡± ¡°Greetings!¡± Viren beamed at the couple from behind. ¡°Welcome to Viren¡¯s! I am Viren-¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± Lyra spun and nearly punched Viren in the face. The man ducked backwards and chuckled. ¡°Did I scare you? Sorry about that miss.¡± ¡°You- you heard nothing!¡± Lyra threw up her hands and looked at her boyfriend fearfully and then to Viren. ¡°Nothing!¡± Viren Eclipse blinked at the strange customers. ¡°Nothing? But I am quite certain that I heard-¡± ¡°Nothing. You heard nothing.¡± Lyra told the storeowner with more confidence. ¡°Nothing at all.¡± ¡°Riiight.¡± Viren¡¯s gaze slid over to the other male. Milo sighed. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s just really excited to go on this trip sir. I¡¯m sorry if we¡¯re causing a disturbance in your store.¡± Viren smiled slightly. ¡°Disturbance? Not at all. I just came to help my newest customers find whatever it is that they need.¡± Lyra turned a glare onto her boyfriend. ¡°I¡¯m not just excited.¡± She pouted. ¡°I¡¯m thrilled.¡± ¡°...I¡¯ve noticed honey.¡± Viren chuckled and ran a hand through his brown hair. ¡°Well if you two need any assistance. Just know that I¡¯m here to assist and ensure you have the best customer experience.¡± Lyra blinked and then hesitated. ¡°Oh um¡­ then for the best experience can you stand in a different aisle? It''s a little weird with you standing there and being over our shoulder¡­ being all helpful and everything. ¡­don''t you have shelves to stock or inventory to check or¡­ cash to¡­ cashier?¡± ¡°Right¡­ the customer is always right.¡± Viren smiled politely and thoughts of the end began to fade away from his mind. Before death, came life.