Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers, they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic.
Authors Note: This story is a part of Genesis II. Many events in Genesis II might not align with events in Genesis. The reader is asked to understand that Genesis II is only the viewpoint of a very old, very respected fool.
The "Known" Truth Part Three
Over a billion years ago, the revered Sire Lentinvous published his scrolls of wisdom, filled with what he believed was the true origin of reality and the nature of the Morphin Grid. Many of his works were lost, yet it is his expalanation of our history that guides us to this day.
There are many that object to the truth, who cling to falsehoods about the nature of the universe. Their words are close to the visions I have seen, but twisted by ignorance and an over reliance on imagination.
I have no such failings. My visions are true, my faith is strong, and my determination grows to turn my fellows away from the false path and follow the path of truthful worship.
Sire Lentinvous.
Time moved forwards as was its nature and the universe evolved, growing more complex to service its growing needs. Abstract forces emerged to maintain the stability of existence, adding realms and dimensions to reinforce the underlying structure. Where one universe met another, a new void was created to act as a barrier. The One was soon forgotten as the lesser being became incapable of understanding his nature and therefore noticing his presence. The Light God and Chaos Bringer likewise faded into legend as knowledge that they were part of a vast multiverse faded from the minds of the masses.
Paladin and Darke were gone; Paladin had died a valiant death that had stolen victory from his fallen brother's grasp, and Darke though the lone survivor of the Light God's children, had been imprisoned in a dimensional rift. As they vanished, so too did the knowledge of the forces they represented. The interpretation of what made something good or evil became less distinct. Area of grey seeped into a previously black and white universe.
But though the two beings were gone, others would arise to take their places. Of course there had to be balance and so long as evil existed, there would be those that would stand in its path. And while these new champions of good and evil were nowhere near as powerful as Paladin and Darke - in comparison they were laughably weak - with Paladin and Darke gone, they were the ones that held the power.
For generations the force of darkness fought amongst themselves as Darke's former generals tried to establish their place as his successor. In the end a trio of evil creatures had emerged, the most powerful of their kind, each having subdued a number of other generals to their side. The first to emerge was Jenga, the self-proclaimed Queen of Evil. Jenga was immortal, thought to have been spawned by the source of all evil itself. The second was Ma'erok, the Slayer of Worlds, the Chaos Bringer - a name that he had no idea held a greater meaning - and Supreme Lord of Klattu-Shaar. Ma'erok lacked Jenga's immortality, but was easily her match in terms of power, especially when it came to destruction. He was the most unorthodox tactician, as skilled in planning as he was in combat. His schemes were designed to spread discord and chaos. He grew stronger as the universe around him burned. And finally there was Lucien, the youngest of the dark trio and the least powerful. Lucien wasn't immortal like Jenga and wasn't as powerful as Ma'erok. He patterned himself on Ma'erok, imitating the other villain's appearance and sought to copy the rituals Jenga had used to enhance herself.
The three were incapable of getting along and all the out fighting between spanned for centuries. It was impossible for the combatants to eliminate their opposition when they had to protect themselves on two fronts. Eventually Jenga and Ma'erok joined forces, just long enough to team against Lucien, easily disabling the weaker foe.
Lucien didn't know what became of the other villains. When he had regained awareness, he had sought them out but could find no trace of them. He hoped that they had destroyed each other although witnesses had suggested that Ma'erok had somehow tricked Jenga into a battle she could not win before he too found himself in a losing battle and that both had somehow been imprisoned outside of the universe. Regardless of where they had gone, Lucien was alone again, weaker than he had been before he had started warring with the others.
While he had been away, the war between good and evil had shifted away from the conceptual beings of light and energy. The war was now fought by the lesser beings of existence. Unlike Darke, who had existed only to destroy all that was good, the trio and their successors had ambition and initiative. The Dark Gods as the new breed were known worked to establish their own forces. Each claiming their own territory, the mighty Poneros, the invincible Oligar, the scheming Haz'tur, the disfigured Javius and the machine goddess Hysteria, along with their lesser siblings Nore, Gorg, Mu and finally Ramon.
As the centuries passed, the lines were drawn as the forces of Good and Evil faced each other on multiple fronts. Each side claimed their own territory, the realms of Heaven and Hell, identical realms that while a part of reality, were actually separated from the Multiverse. Soon the surviving representatives chose to remain in Hell and direct their forces from there. They gave life to the beings that would one day become recognised as devils and demons.
The realms of Heaven and Hell evolved over time, shifting further outside of the universe as they crisscrossed through the other realms and dimensions alike. It had even been suggested that the two domains were linked to just every universe throughout the multiverse; only the context of their existence differed as religion and beliefs in the mortal realm differed from planet to planet and from one universe to the next.
With the separation came the lesser gods, angels, devils and demons, four forces in the battle between good and evil that rarely saw the opportunity to battle. The noble gods willingly influenced life on many worlds while the selfless angels never abandoned their oath of loyalty to the light and bravely fought to vanquish the evil. The two groups occupied the realm known as Heaven, partially sealed from the mortal universe. For the most part mortals were unaware of their presence as they observed the lower species. The angels were the enforcers while the gods rarely left their realm.
Heaven was conceptually beyond the grasp of mortal minds. However, if they were to imagine the realm as a large chain of interlinked galaxies, one galaxy for each family of gods and their respective followers, they would be close to the truth. Many of these worlds were transformed to house mortals deemed worthy of entry once their lives were over.
Hell in comparison had a very similar make up in that it had dimensions dominated by Poneros and his siblings with smaller territories being awarded to some of the newer demons and devils. In addition to areas of comfort for its rulers, it also had worlds created for the sole purpose of tormenting those mortals who fell within its jurisdiction.
The realm contained kingdoms of demons, some lacking physical bodies and existing purely as spirits, others resembling hideous beasts and creatures made of strange matter. They were ambitious, willing to wage all out war on the forces of good, in their bid for power over the mortal realms.
And then there were the devils, the most evil of the grouping, who knew the truth about the power the lesser demons sought and who were every bit as daring in their schemes as the gods were brave. For them ambition and timing were inseparable. While the demons strived to dominate the mortals' universe, the devils preferred to conquer one soul at a time.
Both realms contained powerful entities capable of manipulating mortals on a mental, physical and magical level. Only the soul was immune to these influences since the only way a soul could be controlled is if the individual wished it to be controlled.
However, as the realms grew larger, so the cost of intervention in the world of mortals became ever greater, making such an act physically impossible. No longer could a demon set foot in the mortal world and use his great power to subjugate the population; angels were not allowed to carry out pointless campaigns for the greater good. At least, not without significant cost. After one demon became trapped in a lost galaxy, the true cost was clear for all to see.
Gods, angels, devils and demons alike could freely enter the mortal realms by sacrificing their greater powers and descending to mortal levels. In the case of the physical gods, angels and devils, that meant they could take on an almost normal appearance whilst demons were forced to maintain their hideous bodies. In doing so they limited their chances of accomplishing their goals. Those who existed in a spiritual form had to find a host. Dead bodies, plants and even rocks were acceptable hosts. Some spirits even managed to manipulate technology and inhabit everyday objects.
The main problem was that once they entered the mortal realm directly, their bodies were prone to damage. Spawning was the favoured solution to this problem since most minor demons were capable of creating an exact likeness of themselves, duplicating both physical and mental attributes. When their old body tired or was destroyed, they simply transferred their consciousness to the replacement form.
The other alternative was to transcend the realms through indirect means. By allowing themselves to be summoned, they retained most of their powers and providing they were strong willed, they were free to act. In some cases though they were bound to act as the slaves of those that summoned them. It was the mortals that devised the ceremonies that in effect created a binding contract between the demon and the mortal. The spells required a focus that if destroyed, would send the demon back to Hell. Some demons chose to simply use the access granted by such spells to intervene on behalf of a mortal in return for a soul, they could enjoy devouring, most often a child. One such demon named Lokar wreaked havoc on many worlds before he was vanquished.
The problems with being summoned were eventually nullified when it was discovered that they could inhabit the body of a willing mortal. All that mortal had to do was accept the offer of power and riches in return for their soul. Many demons used these rituals as ways to access the mortal realms and spread their influence. Since they could provide a way to channel the power of the Morphin Grid, few hosts ever rejected them.
For gods and devils alike, there was no such need for ceremony. On the rare occasion that either side entered the mortal realms, they did so in mortal form. Should they desire to remain there they needed only to mate with a mortal. The gods of course had moral objections to such acts, but over time their intervention in the affairs of lesser beings dwindled.
Devils however mated whenever they wished, selecting their partners carefully for physical traits. Consensual sex was preferred since in that moment of passion their lover failed to realise the true face of their lover. However, a virgin sacrificed in their name was just as acceptable. Either way, the soul belonged to the devil involved.
If the devil in question was female though, the offspring had the potential to become even more powerful. It could be born in either realm, but was stuck there following birth. However, if born in the mortal realms it would retain the powers of its mother while looking perfectly normal. Such vile offspring could change at will into a demonic form, which allowed them to use the power of the Morphin Grid.
For most demons existence was a complex society of politics and treachery. Raw power alone was never enough to guarantee superiority and no position within the ranks of evil could be considered truly safe. By splitting into multiple entities, the evil force ensured its survival, but it also created infighting between the factions. And through all this, Lucien tried to regain the position he had once held in a universe where he was now a nonentity, adopting the identity of the Adversary to do so.
The Adversary created the High Clan as part of his domain. Although it was an elite band of evil beings, its power and influence came mostly through trickery. The names... Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub, Old Nick and the others were mostly creatures from mythology on human worlds; they'd never been seen together.
That was because in truth the High Clan's more dominant personalities were actually one-entity. Each had their own area of the Adversary's kingdom to control, where they indulged in their own sinister hobbies. In all it added to the illusion of the Adversary's strength and added to his reputation.
Satan was the one most feared on account of his hideous form. He spent most of his time in Hell torturing those poor souls that fell to the darkness. Lucifer, the beautiful being that many mistook for a fallen angel was more likely to be invited around for tea and biscuits. It was clear which of the two was the most dangerous; Lucifer might shake hands and smile, but eventually the poor victim would realise he was missing an arm.
The battle that had started between creatures that were a part of the fabric of existence was rapidly becoming a fight fought by the least powerful creatures with outcomes that not only challenged who would control the universe, but whether said universe would even survive the war. Eventually the fighting grew so intense that a truce was made limiting how the forces of Heaven and Hell could conduct their battle. That truce was to remain until the end of days.
The truce will hold until the end of days. We do not need to fear the darkness. We should embrace the reality around us and put aside our thoughts of violence. Then together, in worship of his glory, we will one day be drawn back to The One
Sire Lentinvous.
There were weapons in war, but disinformation was one of his favourites. The visions he had fed Sire Lentinvous had, with the addition of some theatrics, led to acceptance of the story as he wanted it to be known. The story was not a complete lie, but the details had been jumbled and misrepresented, granting those that would follow a false religion and limitations they couldn't begin to fathom.
His lies had been embedded at the very core of their teachings, bringing with it weakness and an inability to prepare for what was to come. But then deception was a part of his nature.
Already he could sense the patterns his lies had created and where they would eventually lead. For now, that was enough.
End
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