The Sadistic Immortal chapter 11: Apostasy

Several months elapse since Creatie’s trap was successfully sprung and a now weary Collector sits at his work bench in the Ancient Library, trying to decipher what the stones were saying at the end of Xethos’s wrath when Inkmatas enters the Ancient Library.

“Great news Dad, since the threat of the monster you described as ‘Xethos’ has been eliminated, the council of the Multi-Planetary Alliance has agreed to dismantle the blockade around Novo Nammu. The fauna and flora have all begun to revert back to their more normal state as Xethos’s influence has disappeared. The oxygen levels have started to drop since the atmosphere of the planet has started to fall apart!” Inkmatas explains in joy, “Crews of explorers are preparing to make voyages to explore Eden-Anu star nebula that has formed unexpectedly! Isn’t this amazing news? Things are starting to get better again!”

The Collector forces a smile

“Yes, this is wonderful news.” The Collector bluffs

Inkmatas pauses for a moment before she puts her hand on his shoulder.

“Dad.. what’s wrong, you know you can’t lie to me like that.” Inkmatas asks

“Don’t get me wrong that I’ve been relieved since Xethos has been taken care of but it’s hard to be happy given everything that has been lost.” The Collector responds, “We’ve not just lost friends and allies, but also millions of victims either killed, wounded, or permanently influenced by that man. The cosmic state has been shifted for the worst, guardians are dead, the stones are spread loose again waiting for another Xethos to start this horrific cycle anew. The stones are probably unconscious but how long will that last.”

“Dad, you have to focus on what you have here and now. You can’t try to fix the mistakes of the past.” Inkmatas says to The Collector

The Collector lets out a heavy sigh before a radical thought leaps into his head. The Collector reaches forward and hugs Inkmatas, Inkmatas accepts the hugs and hugs The Collector with little strength. The Collector tries to hide a wince as he is reminded of his older and frailer body. Just after they embrace, they both feel the same chill run down their bodies as a portal opens on the floor in front of them, Inkmatas immediately steps in between The Collector and the portal, she takes a defensive stance and immediately begins to radiate heat based energy from her hands. The Collector as Xorus steps up, out of the portal, and greet the two of them.

Warden of the dead! What business have you here!” Inkmatas states

The Collector’s smile only grows seeing his daughter with this stronger of magic that he hasn’t seen from her in decades. The Collector puts his on her shoulder.

“Relax Inkmatas, this is a cordial visit.” The Collector asks nicely

“Father, last time I saw him, he tried to drag people to his realm. I will not let that happen to you!” Inkmatas responds protectively

“That will not be the case, I am sure of it. He’s here for a different reason.” The Collector responds

“Relax, child, I wish to talk to your father. Although from our last encounter, it is interesting to see the child become such a powerful witch. Your father raised you well.” Xorus says with a smirk

Inkmatas lowers her hands but still remains skeptical.

“Lord Xorus, what brings you to my library?” The Collector asks

“I have come to bring you a gift and to help me rectify a grave mistake.” Xorus says

Xorus then presents to the Collector, a large leather bound tome.

“A book?” The Collector questions Xorus

“A journal.” Xorus responds, “A most enlightening journal”

The Collector curiosity peaks and he immediately opens the first page when he gets the journal. After The Collector reads the first page of the journal, he shuts closes in surprise.

“This is Xerxes journal?!” The Collector shouts in shock

“Yes, when he was on his quest to reunite the stones. I believe there might be some insights that you might find interesting.” Xorus responds

The Collector nods while trying to hold back on grinning.

“This journal is wonderful but how this related to correcting a mistake!?” The Collector asks Xorus with curious intent

“Have you ever thought back to any mistake you wished you could fix in these last 25 years?” Xorus rhetorically asks, “Give this chronical a good read with that in mind.”

Xorus quickly back to the portal.

“But now I must depart. Good luck my friend.” Xorus says as he enters into his portal

The portal quickly closes behind him.

“Dad! I don’t trust him, he must have some ulterior motive that we’re not seeing yet.” Inkmatas worries

The Collector is too focused on the journal as he quickly flips through the pages, as he gets halfway through the book, Inkmatas gets behind him, as The Collector flips the hundredth page, they both see a dark blue glint emanating between the pages. Inkmatas softly gasps while the Collector stops and chuckles softly to himself.

“I knew, that is what I saw come it’s back.”

“Wait, what is that?!” Inkmatas asks him

“During the final confrontation with Xethos, Xorus slammed into it’s back, pushing the creature back into it’s final imprisonment. As it happened, I noticed a small chip of the space stone embed itself into Xorus’s armor.” The Collector responds

“Wait, isn’t this the stone that caused this whole Xerxes problem in the first place.” Inkmatas worries

“It was conscious when it caused all those problems, I’m sure that Xorus would not have willingly handed us a conscious stone.” The Collector responds

“Well, what does that mean, exactly?” Inkmatas asks

“This is something we can use to undo some of the damage.” The Collector states

Inkmatas’s eyes light up, thinking of the possible good that could come out of this together. Suddenly, Inkmatas hears a portal open to the Realm of Creation, and she looks at the Collector.

“Father, she’s here!” Inkmatas warns The Collector

The Collector quickly closes the book, hiding the stone inside. Just as Creatie enters the room, The Collector hands Inkmatas the book, and turns around to face Creatie.

“Daughter, we’ll talk about this later.” The Collector tells Inkmatas while giving a look

Inkmatas recognizes his look and immediately takes the book and leaves.

“My chosen disciple, how are we feeling on this wonderful day!” Creatie greets the Collector excitedly

“My goddess, I am faring well, but what do I owe this divine visit?” The Collector says, playing along with her joyous mood

“Now that we have all that dirty trouble behind us, I was checking in on future guardian!” Creatie explains

“Well, actually, since you’re here, why don’t we talk about you and your brother’s ability in a way to undo a lot of Xerxes and Xethos’s damage?” The Collector asks

“I’m not exactly sure I understood what you meant?” Creatie responds confused

“Well, during Xerxes’s rule, there was a lot planetary disruptions that are still causing the people of the multiverse, for example, moons and stars, planetary axis’s were shifted, whole mountains and rivers were relocated, all of this has caused years and years of suffering that you and lord Tsar could remedy with your divine powers!” The Collector asks

Don’t be foolish. All of those problems will remedy themselves over time, rivers will shift back to their natural location, moons will realign to their proper orbits, and stars will readjust or reform over time. You need patience.” Creatie responds

“Over time, how long are we talking?” The Collector immediately questions

“Not that long, several hundred millennia or several million-billion years.” Creatie responds casually

“You expect the people to suffer that long, especially since you have the ability to fix it now?” The Collector retorts

“That kind of thinking Xerxes had, he was too impatient, when you are making changes on a cosmic level, you have to understand how long it must take.” Creatie says, “You can’t grow a forest in just a day.”

“We can’t but YOU can!” The Collector retorts more

“You really don’t understand this, I have to be more responsible with this power. If I abuse it and use the stone for any mild inconvenience, the stone could become conscious and create another Xethos.” Creatie defends

“Putting a planet full of suffering life back into it’s proper and natural orbit is a MILD inconvenience?!” The Collector shouts back

“That life is suffering due to it’s broken balance but new, different life will adapt for it’s new orbit!” Creatie responds, “And I suggest you tone down attitude as you mortals call it when you address me. Your impudence is starting to remind me of Xerxes, you ‘clever’ mortals believe you can solve all the problems. I recognized him the second he put that infernal stone in his back just like his ancestral, primitive roots would do. That’s why I knew what to do and what plan to enact the second that happened.”

“What do you mean, your ‘plan,’ I thought you were struggling to deal with him and needed help!” The Collector responded angrily

“I needed you to force him to aggressively abuse his stones, the more he abused those conscious stones, the quicker he would lose his own consciousness, making him easy prey!” Creatie explains, “Although I do admit, I greatly underestimated his will and how long he kept control of the 5 stones, or you and your friends didn’t do your part well enough!”

The Collector slams his palm on the table.

“Are you out of your go***mn mind?! You sent us there as lambs to a slaughter?! How expendable should my friend and I have been to satisfy your sadistic and uncaring needs for our lives!” The Collector yells at Creatie, “And what about the countless planets that suffered trying to defend themselves from his balance?! Let me ask you a question! Was us mortals, trapping him on his own planet part of your plan?!”

“Certainly not, that only exacerbated the situation. It would have been better if he was left unchecked.” Creatie scoffs

“Left unchecked?! Imagine yourself in that situation, fearing being killed everyday, while your protectors do nothing!” The Collector retorts

“Nonsense, he would have never been able to get to us.” Creatie rebuts

“How rare is empathy with you gods.” The Collector angrily yells, “Oh mind I ask you, CREATIE, what exactly happened to that blockade ship before the final battle?!”

“I simply asked my brother to remove that ship. I didn’t think he’d destroy it but that solves the problem nonetheless.” Creatie nonchalantly responds

“You and your brother have no care for life?! I would think the goddess of creation would have some care for life!” The Collector respond

“Of course I do, you just cannot comprehend our responsibility that we have.” Creatie says

The Collector pauses and looks at the ground for a moment before looking back up at Creatie.

“I can’t believe what I’m about to say but, he was misguided by the stones but he had good intent. Perhaps Xerxes was right about you.” The Collector remarks

Creatie’s face quickly drops from a condescending smirk to a scowled frown.

“I suggest this realm and not return until you have learned manners. As of now. Our relationship is through.” Creatie states with displeasure

The Collector grabs his writing utensils and a couple of books and leaves with another word.