THE SHADOWVERSE

Ancient Exile

Five-hundred years ago, a wormhole had opened in Sonovan's village. He knew what was coming. Solis appeared with a dozen ships: some small, others gigantic. Like a sheep led to the slaughter, Sonovan took the bait and ventured into the cosmos, towards Titan's pristine ship, the aptly named Titan.

Titan gazed out at the cosmos as Solis led Sonovan into the throne room. This was a moment that would go down in infamy—a risen lord and his arch-nemesis meeting again. Sonovan thought he saw death itself before him. When Titan finally turned around, the two stared at each other, not saying a word for long minutes, which felt like an eternity.

"It has been an exceedingly long time—has it not?" Titan remarked, smiling devilishly. "Not even death can defeat me, Sonovan! And now, not even you."

Sonovan scoffed at the remark. "You are wrong, Titan. If I beat you once, I can do it again. You will never make your mark on existence ever again."

"Ah, Sonovan, have you learned nothing? You have not heeded my words! Lightning never strikes twice!"

"Says the man who still has wires in his head."

Titan scoffed, amazed by Sonovan's hubris even now. "You don't like them? They're not necessary. They just make me even stronger. Strong enough to finally destroy you."

Sonovan remained silent.

"Fine. Let us get on with it." Titan backed into a fighting stance. Reaching out with his arm, he grabbed a giant two-handed sword, nine feet high and two feet wide. Later, telekinesis and telepathy would eradicate the need for him to carry such a weapon.

Sonovan unsheathed his composite swords, known as the Vorson Swords. Composed of multiple layers, the Vorson Swords were colored dark gray, and each layer of the blades folded over the one before it, creating the illusion of many pieces.

"How cute! The weapon Zydok donated to you! Did I mention he has been slaughtered?"

This statement caught Sonovan off-guard, since he had known Zydok well. A good being, he was the last of a species which Titan had annihilated years prior. He had also been the founding member of The Shadows.

"What did you do?!" Sonovan demanded.

"I found him. Apparently, he is almost worshipped. Now, he can join the rest of his annoying race."

"I will exterminate your essence from reality!"

"We shall see."

Sonovan whipped his weapon into motion, verifying it was still functional. He then focused Ooris into the weapon, charging it with the full power of the Shadowverse incarnate until it dripped with the Energy. Titan did the same and picked his weapon up, then stood in position, awaiting an attack. The combatants were ready.

While millions of stars and galaxies hung in the background, Sonovan made the first move. He leapt into the air, his first combo a flying side-kick followed by two slices with his sword. Titan blocked the strikes with frightening effortlessness, countering with two massive swings of his own, which pushed Sonovan back and allowed Titan to take the initiative. He lifted his leg into the air and stomped with every ounce of his might. The vicious attack missed Sonovan's knees by only inches. But, this opened a weak spot—Titan's legs. Seizing the opportunity, Sonovan kicked his lower leg, eliciting a grunt. He then spun and hit Titan with another hard kick to his leg. Titan was shoved towards Sonovan's left. Another opening. Sonovan spun in the opposite direction, landing his sword on Titan's side. He struck twice. The penultimate move of the brutal and well-timed combo was a thrust kick, which had the necessary power to thrust Titan thirty feet away. He finished it by leaping the full distance with a superpowered punch to Titan's face, which flung the Emperor of the Tetra into the wall.