Asteria staggered back in utter disbelief. Caelius, her once-revered teacher and the current ruler of Ascal, had committed an atrocity beyond comprehension: killing a god. In the cosmology of Luminara, gods and goddesses were not merely mythic figures; they were integral, divine forces that maintained the delicate equilibrium of the world. To slay a deity was to court catastrophic imbalance, to beckon ruin upon the lands and skies. Murdering one was tantamount to pulling a foundational stone from a towering archway—everything would crumble, and divine wrath would rain down mercilessly.

Up above, the inky sky reflected this cosmic horror. Thunderclouds churned above like an angry sea, turning the heavens into a bleak tapestry of darkness. Each roar of thunder an outraged cry of vengeful gods, condemning the sacrilege below.

This reminded Asteria about the legends she had heard as a child. It was a tale of an ancient war between cosmic forces of good and evil. Eons ago, evil deities once marauded across the land until they were banished to subterranean chambers deep within the bowels of the earth.

Without warning, a plume of malevolent smoke coalesced beside Caelius, suffusing the air with an aura of darkness. The very air grew thick and malevolent, filled with an oppressive dread that weighed on Asteria like a hundred chains. She felt her lungs constrict, as if the air itself was choking her, refusing her the act of breathing.

What is this? What vile presence is this?

She asked herself in confusion and dread.

Did Caelius just summon something? A greater demon?

No… 

This aura was way more horrifying than just a greater demon. It was something of divine origin, something beyond the realm of human comprehension.

As the catgirl stood there, horrified, the noxious smoke solidified, gradually forming a black humanoid figure. Horns curled out of its forehead, twisting like ancient, gnarled tree roots. Its eyes flickered open, glowing with an unholy red light that seemed to pierce the surrounding gloom.

And in that terrible instant, a wave of terrifying realization swept over Asteria. "No…this can't be happening," she stammered, her voice barely more than a horrified whisper.

But the dreadful truth in front of her eyes was undeniable.

An evil god.

An evil god had been reborn!

"Kataros, my lord, I welcome you back to this world," Caelius intoned, sinking to one knee before the malevolent figure. With trembling hands held aloft, he offered the remnants of the godly heart he'd so ruthlessly crushed.

“Well done.”

Kataros extended a clawed hand, gripping the heart like a coveted trophy before swallowing it whole. The act was grotesque, the implications terrifying. As the heart descended into the being's abyssal core, a palpable surge of power emanated from it, rippling through the air like a shockwave. 

Asteria felt diminished, reduced to insignificance, as though she were a mere ant squaring off against a colossus.

Fear threatened to paralyze her. But the catgirl also knew, this was not a time to be scared!

Mustering every shred of courage within her, Asteria conjured her weapon—a spear! It was a luminous, radiant weapon that glowed with ethereal light, each gleam an affront to the encroaching darkness. This was no ordinary spear; she had crafted it herself, infusing it with materials of a light attribute and melding them with rare Acegiadonite. With that, the weapon became the nemesis of dark energy! As she tightened her grip around its shaft, her eyes narrowed to focused slits, and her heart pounded like a war drum.

Then, with a scream that sliced through the air, she lunged toward the monstrous deity. It was a desperate gambit, a sliver of a chance to annihilate this abomination before it could fully manifest its unholy existence! Her battle cry resounded like a divine clarion against the backdrop of unspeakable horrors, her spear aimed at the void where a heart should be in the monstrosity before her. This was her stand, her ultimate defiance against the rising darkness!

But the spear halted—mere inches from its target.

"How?" Asteria's voice was a choked whisper, disbelief shattering her focus.

Kataros hadn't moved. Its aura alone had congealed into an impenetrable barrier, as solid and unforgiving as a wall of obsidian. With one gnarled claw, it seized her by the throat, lifting her into the air as if she weighed no more than a feather. Its other hand snatched the spear, examining it with a grotesque grin that stretched the limits of its twisted face.

“A near divine weapon? Forged by a mere mortal? Fascinating. And to think that a mortal can withstand this much influence from my dark energy…”

Hearing that, Asteria instantly understood. It was Kataros all along. The Dark Crystals were merely its bait to get people to free it from its underground prison! 

“My lord, she’s the one I mentioned to you about,” Caelius said, stepping forward. “Her name is Asteria. She’s a genius mage, who can invent new magic that defines logic! If she joins us, heaven will crumble beneath our might!”

However, “Not…  a chance!” gasping for air, Asteria managed to rasp out her reply. Her voice barely more than a wisp of sound, but charged with unwavering resolve.

“Think about it, Asteria!” Caelius turned his gaze toward her. “You’ve always dreamed about the stars, right? You’ve always wondered about what lies beyond those stars, about the hidden knowledge of the cosmos. Now, this is your golden chance! Lord Kataros can grant us anything we want. Immortality, power, knowledge… anything. This world, heaven, no, even countless other dimensions will be ours! You just need to say yes, and join us!” 

“Ahh, that sounds amazing, Caelius…” Asteria laughed. “However, I am a genius. I can do it myself! I don’t need an evil god to help me! TRANSFORM!” 

A battle cry erupted from her lips as her spear metamorphosed. What had been a spear was now an arrow, eluding the evil grip of Kataros! Yes, her weapon was actually not a spear, but a magical sphere that could change its shape at will!

And then, from point blank, she grabbed the arrow and turned it back to a spear, and with all the strength that she got, drove the spear into Kataros’ body!

Light and dark energy crashed, shockwaves pulsated.

However, crack… the spear shattered.

Kataros lunged forward, impaling Asteria with his arm. Asteria’s blood splattered, dripped onto the ground. She started to feel dizzy.

Ah… a genius mage, yes. But Asteria was just a mortal, with a mortal strength, and mortal limitations. Against the divine, everything was meaningless, everything just mere flickers in the dark abyss.

But at least she made her stance clear. 

Even if she died, she would never join forces with Kataros. And with that, Asteria thought that Kataros would simply kill her. 

However, within her body, darkness started to spread. Power once again surged within her body, but not the power that she wanted.

“No…” Asteria tried to resist. 

She instantly knew what Kataros was trying to do. A corruption! Her mind was strong, but the dark energy kept pouring in like rivers. Twisted images started to appear. Distorted visions filled her senses, preying on her hidden desires for boundless knowledge and mastery of the arcane.

And soon, the Asteria too, succumbed to the evil god. Her demonization completed. Same with Caelius, her eyes became more red, blazing in the darkness.

And she bowed down.

Kataros looked at her with a grin on its face. 

And from that point, the world slowly came to an end. Luminara disintegrated, celestial realms crumbled, and everything was devoured by this monstrosity. Soon after that, when there were no more things to conquer in this dimension, it tore through the fabric of reality itself, invading others. Luring souls, it preyed on their deepest fears, cravings, and weaknesses.

Kataros, the devouring one.

Nothing could stop it.

Nothing.