A Clash of Zealots: Genesis

## **Preface**

In an age of constant tumultuous conflict, there was a moment, a brief and harmonious pause. It appeared as if all of the Suvaren Galaxy re-entered its usual session of silence and peace. No war, no tension, no worries, or questions. All activity was secluded to the shimmering construct, B’Kalatala. However, the peace which would reign over the cosmos was about to be snuffed out, by one who was a little too curious. By a madman, a bastard with a long history of chaos and crimes. A man known as Moonmoon.

With his very own spacecraft for traversing the cosmos, he arrives at the core of the galaxy, willing to gain knowledge of this sacred place. Preparing for his venture, Moonmoon passes through security almost effortlessly. He arrives at a certain hangar, looking for someone, looking for *him.* He expects to gain the secrets of the Suvaren Galaxy, learning and growing, becoming even more powerful. Unbeknownst to Moonmoon, the one he was looking for expected his arrival, fearing the day that the Suvaren Galaxy would be plunged in chaos.

“What the hell is this place…?” Moonmoon says curiously, examining the outer shell of the mighty B’Kalatala. “This structure is the first of its kind that I have seen.” Moonmoon goes forth to dock at a more isolated section of the megastructure, where he can sense the one he is looking for.

He can sense his aura, his wit, his strength and grit. Moonmoon can sense **Vurilia**, and Vurilia can sense Moonmoon. As he docks to an area reserved for transport, the locks engage and morph to match those of his spacecraft. He leaps out through the airlock, with the hairs on the back of his neck standing up.

## **Chapter One**

Moonmoon waits at the edge of the platform, slowly gaining more wary of Vurilia. He can detect that he is coming closer. Moonmoon feels a slight but negligible nervousness as he feels the presence of the Keeper of Secrets come forth.

All he needs to do is ask the questions, get the answers, and leave, bestowed with more knowledge. To Moonmoon, he deserves to know the secrets of one of the most powerful psychokinetics.

Following a short bout of walking and various locomotion, Moonmoon arrives at one of many transit systems in B’Kalatala. It should give him direct access to where he thinks Vurilia is. Swinging open two doors open, Moonmoon arrives at a mostly bare terminal, one which was clearly recently made for the outer populous. Moonmoon expects to board one of many high-speed cars, which should take him to a teleporter room. From there, he will meet Vurilia formally.

As the door closes with a guttural echo, Moonmoon wastes no time walking through the transit area, observing as numerous high-speed cars shoot past, whisking the air around him noticeably.

As soon as Moonmoon feels an increase in Vurilia’s presence, he is suddenly overwhelmed by it. The doors behind him swing open on their own, with a very tall, almost slender glimmery figure coming through. He is donned with an amaranth robe, with edges as gilded as he.

The menacing aura from this new figure almost surprises Moonmoon, with its strength growing exponentially as Vurilia comes close to Moonmoon. Unlike the things which Moonmoon has heard about Vurilia, there appear to be no bodyguards. Eventually, Vurilia comes close to Moonmoon, towering over him.

For the first time, Vurilia directly speaks to Moonmoon with a powerful link of telepathy: “Who may you be?” Vurilia asks. He comes closer with a sort of blank attitude. “One of my guards alerted me about a strong presence in my realm. Your aura appears dangerous, so what are your intentions, young psion?”

Moonmoon approaches the tall figure, as intimidated as he is curious. He goes up and speaks: “I have come to gain a deeper knowledge of this universe. I know that you hold a lot of secrets related to this galaxy that could be relevant later on. I would like to learn, grow, and use your knowledge so that I may be a benefactor of the Universe.” Moonmoon looks back up to Vurilia, to answer another question.

"As for what I am? I am... many things. Some call me the Son of Chaos; some call me their Savior. Some just call me an unstable overzealous bastard. I can’t really argue with any of that." Moonmoon says after a long pause. He grins slightly, clearly amused by his cryptic response.

Vurilia is not sure what to make of this answer. Either Moonmoon is joking, which would be typical for such an unstable entity, or he’s trying to hide something. Vurilia gets as close as he can without being uncomfortable, trying to look deep into his consciousness.

Ignoring most of Moonmoon’s response, Vurilia goes forth to scan his aura and consciousness. "Your aura…” Vurilia starts, focusing on looking through Moonmoon. “...It feels very familiar. I have most definitely seen it before on my personal ventures…”

Moonmoon grows slightly nervous as Vurilia looks through more. “Are you, perhaps, related to the Cult of Silverstar?” Vurilia asks with a bit of caution in his voice. Moonmoon grins, just a little, and chuckles for a few seconds.

"I suppose you could say that.... That founding it could count as being related to it.” he snarkily remarks. ”I've gotten this far with it because of Silverstar’s blood running through my veins. That's just what being a demigod means." Moonmoon looks up and looks directly into Vurilia’s eyes, smirking and stretching his arms.

“You could say that Silverstar is my father. He has blessed me, his demigod, with many gifts. I will forever be thankful for his grace.” Moonmoon continues, remarking on his superior.

Vurilia stares back at Moonmoon with high levels of devout nature, running his answers through his mind in an attempt to reconcile it with his faith. "A demi-god?" Vurilia repeats questioningly, now slightly irritated by Moonmoon’s declaration of semi-divinity. Vurilia pauses for a few seconds, taking in the hums of the vehicles around him to calm himself down.

"That title of yours must be self-proclaimed. The true God lies trapped at the center of the galaxy... and I will free her." Vurilia says. “You see, most people are unaware about the true faith, but I won't let this devolve into such a quarrel.” Vurilia steps back to look all across the expansive platform. “How about we go somewhere more comfortable?” Vurilia suggests, stepping back as his robe flutters with the air. “We could converse in one of my many offices.”

Moonmoon stops, before getting irritated immediately. "I hope you're joking," Moonmoon grimaces, "because if you're denying Silverstar's existence, then you and I absolutely cannot get along. Whatever god you worship might be real, but I don't fucking care. The only thing that matters is whether you'll accept that Silver is real. I won't have you disrespecting the name of my closest friend!"

The atmosphere tenses up. Everything stands still in Suvaren for one more moment, and then Vurilia speaks. "What is with you all of a sudden?" Vurilia asks. "I am not starting some fruitless debate. Please, come with me or I will make you, you're just making it harder for us."

However, Moonmoon insists. "I won't go until I hear your input. What's with your formalities? I just came to learn and leave. You might as well bestow me your *divine knowledge* and we can part ways peacefully."

Vurilia is taken aback by Moonmoon's brash and overly direct nature, making him furrow his brow. "Look. We can discuss this when we get there. I don't want to carry you around like a youngling. Just come with me and maybe I might be able to answer some hollow question of yours."

Soon after Vurilia says that, he retracts his rudeness with a brief "Sorry" before walking forth. "If... If it makes you feel better. I might be able to give my short input on whatever you want." Vurilia continues.

Moonoon smirks with Vurilia’s light level of timidness and defeat. “Yes. And I suppose we can have a light discussion as we travel there.” Moonmoon suggests with a bit of confidence. As they begin walking, he continues. “Why must you deny my superior? The God? Silverstar? You know he exists just as much as your little mother in the center of this speckled hellhole.”

Moonmoon's face twists into a grin again with his comeback, relishing in the wordplay which he shot out. “I have seen Silverstar and been in his company. I do not think you have seen your goddess, right?” High in the heat of a needless debate, Vurilia strikes back. “Alright, you want me to be fully honest? Do you want me to be rude and brute? Fine.”

Vurilia stops in his place, before shouting back, “Why would I accept any gods proposed to me by someone as disturbed as you? It is my firm belief that the Mother which rests in the cradle is the only real Goddess. The only real deity. We can have our differences. But I don't want you to lash out so pointlessly. You’ve already gotten me irritated by your behavior, so fix it up if you expect to learn anything from me.”

Vurilia pauses before resting again, raising his voice once more: “Everyone else that comes to me for more power or knowledge is just like you. Irritating. Snarky. Unprofessional. Even my most gracious allies have resorted to being as feral as you are. You can’t truly see your own gods, and yet you choose to believe in them anyway.” Vurilia batters Moonmoon with these insults, remaining composed and still towering over him with a high level of intimidation.

Moonmoon looks down at the ground, then back up at Vurilia, staring him down with a bit of malice in his eyes. “Have you ever seen this ‘Mother’? Have you been with her? Did she leave you personally? Don’t compare me to those fools. Had you researched my life for even a bit through my memories and thoughts, you would see him. How dare you call Silver a fake god?!” Despite being much shorter than Vurilia, Moonmoon asserts himself and glares directly into Vurilia’s eyes.

Vurilia, taken more aback, stares down Moonmoon. “Don't you talk about my faith like that! I did not directly thrash yours in such a manner…” Vurilia slightly hunches his back before replying nervously.

“If… It felt like I did… Then I'm sorry, alright? Please, let us not continue this pointless banter! You’re lucky I am continuing with this talk at all.” Vurilia's angry grimace quickly disappears to be replaced with a more sincere look of pity and understanding. Tensions seem to lessen as both individuals calm down. Vurilia resumes his walk.

"We have a room for the transport of individuals. It could take you to my office." Vurilia consoles. "I'm not sure if I could answer all the questions you have. In fact, I'll be surprised if you leave my office without any questions. You will be able to ask them then." Vurilia explains in a gentle voice. Moonmoon is kind of bothered by Vurilia's recent tendency to dismiss such crucial arguments, but he wants to leave the Suvaren Galaxy with some new answers to his name. So, he leaves with Vurilia.

As Moonmoon and Vurilia walk down the corridors, Vurilia stops before conjuring a shortcut - a gateway which threads the network of the Amaranth Realm to his hand.

After finding a suitable opening, he expands it and stabilizes the entry and exit, effectively forming a miniature Janus Network on command. Then, Vurilia speaks up, in an attempt to lighten the mood with a bit of humor:

"Now, I suggest you walk in before we start any further quarrels over pointless gods and similar works of fiction, no matter what we believe." Vurilia says this with the intent to calm things down and show that both people have differences, but Moonmoon is not having it.

"Don't try to humor me," Moonmoon begins, looking sternly at the tall gilded figure. "You know damn well that I would do anything to defend Silver's name." Moonmoon says as he walks through the gateway to the teleporter room.

Vurilia simply sighs and closes the gateway with some effort. "Look." Vurilia says sternly. "Im not trying to re-activate your primal sense of blind worship."

Vurilia walks forth to the teleporter room, and begins to configure with some settings, eventually placing the co-ordinates to his office after entering a metric scan.

"I just want to make my memories of you into good ones, even with our needless bumpy start." Vurilia says a bit loudly as the machines whirr and beep.

As soon as Vurilia finishes his sentence, he stops using the terminal, and heads towards the teleporter. However, the atmosphere in the room feels thick and tense.

Vurilia, sensing an increasing level of Moonmoon's aura, turns around with worried eyes. He sees Moonmoon looking up, focusing on several parts of Vurilia's body.

As soon as Vurilia realizes what is going to happen, his eyes widen as Moonmoon releases the tension which he has built up, sending numerous miniscule pressure waves all across Vurilia's body.

Immediately, Vurilia collapses to the ground as this surge echoes through him, making him feel an unbearable level of tingling. He feels as if his interior has exploded. Though not very large, the pressure of the waves is enough to shatter parts of Vurilia's synthetic body.

Moonmoon, who acted heavily on impulse, backs down from any further attacks. Instead, he looms over Vurilia as if he were his superior. "I am not scared of you." Moonmoon says. "My faith is above countless things in my life, and it is most definitely above you trying to deface it."

Moonmoon continues as Vurilia clutches himself, kneeling on the ground and attempting to get up. "Pressure. It’s such a simple thing, yet it can be the most deadly factor in any environment. You'd do well to stay down."

As Moonmoon says this, Vurilia slowly gets up, but with no intent to attack. "You... What the hell was that for?!" Vurilia shouts. "How short of a fuse must you have?!"

Moonmoon just smirks and walks forth, attempting to enter the teleporter. However, Vurilia, with a great leap and a fluttering of his amaranth robe, lands directly in front of Moonmoon, prohibiting him from entering.

"No! Why would I ever let you negotiate with me?! I prohibit you from gaining any of my knowledge. You deserve none of it any longer." Vurilia says as he keeps his foot down and his robe settles.

"Deserve it? How entitled do you have to be to assume that people 'deserve' things, especially from you? You act so high and mighty, so composed, so sophisticated. Like you're better than everyone around you. That doesn't piss me off as much as your hypocrisy. I never once denied Suvaren's existence. You outright said that Silverstar is a lie and that I am merely a self-proclaimed demigod. Then you have the absolute gall to say I insulted your faith. You have defiled the name of my closest friend and spat on my honor. I don't want answers any more, Vurilia. I want blood."

Moonmoon walks forth to Vurilia, who remains unmoving. "And if your 'Mother' at the center of this galaxy is indeed real, then **I** will be the one to set her free." Moonmoon says snarkily.

Moonmoon's face is uncannily serious. His eyes only look into Vurilia's. He drops down into a slight crouch, no longer regarding appearances or anything around him as relevant. Any semblance of a smirk or smile is gone. The atmosphere tenses up. There is only one goal in Moonmoon's mind, and he is pissed.

Vurilia looks back at Moonmoon, clearly raging inside. He manages to remain composed as Moonmoon comes forth, looking deep in the cold and synthetic soul of Vurilia. Eventually, Vurilia speaks up.

"Listen, child. You do not want to make this difficult. Go attend to your cult and leave me to my devices. Attacking me would only--" But it is too late.

In an act of utter defiance, Moonmoon springs up and brings back his right arm, preparing to sling forth and deliver a blow straight to Vurilia's face. However, Vurilia sees his attempt, and stops his right fist in his hand, looking dully back at Moonmoon.

"You are going to be a little but quicker than *that*." Vurilia says to Moonmoon in a voice half-filled with malice. Moonmoon remains composed. While he is still in the air, he brings back his left leg.

Vurilia, less aware of the rest of Moonmoon's body, is kicked back considerably. He loses grip on Moonmoon and safely skids with his feet still on the ground.

"You do NOT want to do this." Vurilia says, attempting to remain composed and unmoving. "You are already fighting a losing battle. I do not want to hurt you."

Moonmoon smirks for a short amount of time before focusing again. "I don't know, maybe I *do* want this. This is the most excited that I have felt in many many years." Moonmoon says with confidence.

Vurilia, after a moment of silences, slowly walks back, before turning around to enter the teleporter. And so, Moonmoon begins to run back at Vurilia, hoping to finish what he started.

Vurilia looking back, begins to levitate, and hopes to make himself out of reach. However, Moonmoon's agility and speed allows him to grab one of his legs, pulling him down and soon slamming Vurilia to the ground. Vurilia remains, but manages to move his head, dodging a death blow from Moonmoon which warps the metal.

"This is far from over, you senile robot." Moonmoon says, growing more furious as he views Vurilia as a coward. "You may be a leader, but you sure as hell aren't fighting like one. Maybe show me that you will be a noteworthy memory once I am done with you."

Moonmoon begins to hold Vurilia down, with his fury climbing in intensity. Vurilia is hardly deterred, and manages to throw Moonmoon off with some effort.

"I. Am. Not. Fighting." Vurilia declared as sternly as possible. "You are but an over-active child, thinking that he deserves the most precious of wisdom. Why don't you go and ruin someone else's day, eh?"

With that, Moonmoon tries to run at Vurilia again, but he is immediately stopped. Vurilia imbues Moonmoon with by giving him paralysis, which makes him stop moving entirely.

Vurilia goes up and speaks to Moonmoon, as his eyes dart around in his frozen state. "I am giving you one final chance. Leave, or I will make you. I have not the time not preparation for something so primal."

Moonmoon, mustering some strength, manages to smile, a very wicked smile. "You... You see..." He peeps out, resisting Vurilia's force. "I... kinda stopped caring.. ab...about your... little guidelines..."

Vurilia grows a bit paranoid as he feels his ability slipping. Moonmoon starts to twitch his fingers, clench his fists, and soon he breaks through the paralysis. Vurilia's concentration breaks and he feels a blistering sensation in his head.

"Go on. You know you want to murder me and spread my entrails across the galaxy." Moonmoon says with his teeth clenched. "Do it."

With Vurilia closer to Moonmoon, he gasps slightly as Moonmoon grabs his legs, and then flings him to the wall at a high velocity. The impact dents the metal and leaves Vurilia on the floor, trying to assess what to do next.

"...Fine. I will play your little game." Vurilia says nonchalantly. "But dont think that you will come out alive."

Moonmoon smiles again. "Oh, I dont *think* I will come out alive. I *know* that I will." He says, running back to Vurilia. "Show me what you are made of!"

Vurilia gets up, and sees a fast-flying orb of electromagnetic energy be whisked from Moonmoon's direction. Several more orbs follow, impacting the wall behind Vurilia and causing several small explosions.

Vurilia, knocked from the wall, manages to skid on his feet, keeping full composure. He begins to walk, but then stops in his tracks after looking into Moonmoon, dead-eyed.

"Come." Vurilia says.

*"Come?"* Moonmoon thinks. *"Come? Is he underestimating me?*" He soon grows more furious and less cocky as he sees this new defiant nature of Vurilia. Suddenly, the floor below Moonmoon begins to sprawl with ice crystals as he directs the transferred heat to a miniscule point of light and energy.

And then, without a moment's notice, Moonmoon unleashes this fury in the form of fire and light. It shoots quickly to Vurilia, who just stands still. By the time it is over, Vurilia is still standing, untouched.

"Is that all?" Vurilia says with a domineering tone in his voice. "If so, then I believe it is *my turn*." Vurilia swiftly walks forth, and casts a gilded sword of eidolite, unsheathing it from the plane of unreality. "Let's dance." Vurilia says, shortly before removing his cloak, which dissipates.

Moonmoon, energized by this new challenge, swiftly nods and dashes in quick succession, attempting to deter Vurilia and get behind him. As he does so, he draws more thermal energy from the air and floor. With every step, his contained fury grows.

With another launch, Moonmoon directs an orb of explosive energy to Vurilia, who uses his sword to slice it down the middle. It explodes, yet he is still mostly unphased.

This time, Vurilia is the one to move swiftly, brandishing his weapon as he comes to Moonmoon, seeking to end the fight right after it began. After a short bout of running, he quickly slashes his sword, which creates a shimmering red arc. The arc begins to glow wildly, and it soon propels to Moonmoon, who is hit by it.

Being flung far back, Moonmoon hits the terminal of the teleporter room. With the force of his impact, the terminal breaks, and manages to send a slew of commands to the teleporter.

"You... You **IDIOT**!" Moonmoon yells, as the teleporter begins to glow brightly. "Who knows what that thing is going to do?!"

Vurilia, looking back, realizes what he has done. However, it is too late. As he tries to escape the room, Vurilia is caught by the force of the malfunctioning teleporter. After a series of flashes and bangs, Vurilia knocked down, and remain helpless as the teleporter's force consumes the entire room.

## **Chapter Two**

Minutes? Hours? Years? Time for both of the psychokinetic madmen crawls as the teleporter, hardly able to function at the time of its destruction, looks for a safe area. Suddenly, after what seems like ages, Vurilia and Moonmoon, combined with a slurry of computer parts and radiant energy, re-appear. Moonmoon rests unconscious as Vurilia brushes off any debris which landed on his robe. --