The Tale of the Void Emperor

After Reilei lit up the symbol, everyone went towards the stone one by one and infused their power to light up the symbols before they floated in front of the stone.

Everyone except for Athan had anticipation and hunger for the secret in their eyes.

The stone shined before some cracks appeared in it, and it started to turn into dust.

"What the fuck?" Reilei shouted with disbelief, "what's going on? Wasn't something going to appear or this stone open something once we light up all seven symbols."

The other five beings, except for Athan, were also shocked and in disbelief.

Athan was also a bit startled, but he didn't care about the result as much as they did.

But suddenly, his face changed as he sensed the situation of Outrious Expanse taking a drastic turn.

He disappeared from the Land of Origin and appeared in the Isle of Void before putting the whole Isle of Void inside him. When he checked that Tiana and others were safe and that phenomenon occurring everywhere didn't apply to them after he put them inside, he sighed with relief.

"What's going on, Athan?" Tiana and others asked while inside Athan's AVOF realm. They didn't know why Athan suddenly put them inside along with the whole island.

Athan sent his mirage inside the AVOF realm as everyone saw Athan. He waved his hand and opened a screen that displayed various places of Outrious Expanse.

"T-this...," everyone was shocked to see that all places were turning into faint white motes with a golden hue. Every person, including Fear plane powerhouses, was panicking because their bodies were breaking down into those exact motes and those motes simply vanished after traveling for a few seconds.

However, they didn't feel any pain while this was happening. But they knew that they were...going to die? Disappear? Whatever was happening to them, it felt like the end of them.

Athan once again appeared in the Land of Origin as he also saw six begins with a somber expression.

All of those white motes were actually entering the Land of Origin. They entered here and disappeared.

"Those motes, don't they seem a bit familiar but...way more mystical?" Lifa questioned with a frown.

Athan focused on hearing here and was startled, "outrious potency..."

"This...they are turning into Outrious potency, but this Outrious potency is a bit different," Staercia muttered.

Suddenly, everyone sensed a unique presence as a mystical blue crack appeared in the space of the Land of Origin; that crack turned a bit bigger before shaping itself into a portal.

"Do we enter?" Juewu asked as she looked at everyone.

"Of course, we enter!" Reilei shouted before he entered inside and disappeared.

Adlein, Staercia, Korhan, Lifa, and Jeuwu looked at Athan and nodded, "we are going. There would be nothing left in this world after a while from the look of this situation."

After saying that, the five of them entered inside as well.

"Damn!" Athan cursed out loud because he didn't like this one bit. However, he had no other choice but to enter. He didn't know why this Outrious Expanse was coming to an end.

After looking at everything in the outrious expanse for a second, he sighed and entered the portal.

...

"This...," Athan was startled when he arrived at the other side of the portal.

"Hahaha, it is indeed joyous to see my little experiment get success."

*roaring...*

Athan was dumbfounded to find himself at a beautiful beach; waves were roaring loudly, and a man in colorful shorts and an open shirt was leaning on a beach chair, looking at Athan and the other six with a joyful grin.

Everything looked peaceful and not dangerous at all, but the man with long white hair and black glasses on his face was giving them an unbelievable feeling.

They felt that they were utterly vulnerable in front of him. 

"W-who...are you?" Reilei asked with a slight trembling in his voice.

"Relax, I am not going to do anything to you," the man spoke with a gentle smile, "first of all, my name is Lunet, one of the lords of Magia realm."

Afterward, Lunet stood up as he walked towards them and removed his glasses as his sparkling blue eyes with white patterns shined a bit.

"Urgh...."

Everyone started groaning as something started to happen inside them.

After a few seconds, a mystical orb came out from everyone's body as their eyes revealed disbelief.

"GIVE IT BACK!" Athan shouted with red eyes.

Taken aback, Lunet wryly smiled, "relax, kid. Nothing will happen to your people."

Those orbs were actually their inner realms.

Tiana and others were inside that one orb, which was the AVOF realm; that's why Athan became angry.

"Why are you so strong? Who are you? What is the Magia realm?" Korhan fired a series of questions as his eyes were still in disbelief at the current events.

"Relax," Lunet said with a gentle smile, "I created Outrious expanse, and I also created those little worlds below Outrious Expanse, except for the Chaosverse and universes, which were created by a series of coincidence when a mythical being died with a spark of Outrious Potency in him."

Hearing that, everyone became shocked. 

"Shocked?" Lunet said with a grin, "well, the whole Outrious Expanse is just a fruit of my imagination. I created you with my Potency mana, which works with my imagination and gives rise to a potential that can make my imagination true."

"Those six powers are general rules of omni-creation, but I gave them twist with my imagination, and then I put their sources in Outrious Expanse as the basis of everything. Those seven powers gradually led to the creation of all things with my mana," Lunet spoke shocking words that dumbfounded Athan and others.

"Six? But we are seven," Staercia spoke with doubt.

"Divine Evreux of Worldly Labyrinth is not a creation power," Lunet spoke with a smile, "that power was an idea that I imagined using an existing phenomenon from Magia Realm. In the Magia realm, Labyrinths are the sources of every magic. People awaken Magic Labyrinths so that their magic eidos body can go there and learn magic and gather magic power. So, I decided to put Labyrinths in Outrious Expanse as a way for people to get strong and get rewards."

"So Labyrinth in your world also gives you rewards and things?" Adlein asked with curiosity.

"Nope. The workings of both Labyrinths are completely different," Lunet spoke with a wry smile, "you can't even begin the fathom the wonders of Magic Labyrinths in the Magia realm. They don't give rewards for reaching the end or something. They are entirely different, and the Magic Labyrinths in Magia Realm exist forever. The only thing similar between both Labyrinths is their names.

"Now, come on, try to use your power," Lunet smilingly said as he gestured to them with his hand.

"We...can't use it," Staercia muttered as she failed to stop time or affect space even in the tiny area.

Athan consumed his void pulse to create sands or other things that he comprehended, but they also didn't work.

"It will not work because the basis of your creation powers was my mana and that Outrious Expanse. You can't do anything outside of that Outrious Expanse, which was filled with a byproduct, Outrious Potency, that was created by my mana," Lunet said with a smile.

"But we...comprehended those powers. Why can't we use it?" Korhan spoke with hesitation and disbelief.

"Sigh, you comprehended them? That's wrong, Hahaha," Lunet spoke with a laugh as he shook his head, "I let you comprehend them, everything requires affinity, and since you seven had an affinity with them, you gained a connection with those powers, and from that connection, you comprehended them, but the sources basically spoonfed you so you can comprehend them."

"What will happen to us now?" Adlein asked with a somber expression, "those people, that outrious expanse...everything disappeared, or is it still there?"

"They were just fruits of my imagination and mana; you seven gained the source powers and lit up the symbols which I set. Doing that triggered the end of the experiment, and I took back my mana source," Lunet said with a faint smile.

"Don't worry; you didn't disappear like those people in Outrious Expanse because you gained a basis of reality to live in the Magia realm," giving a thumbs up to them, Lunet spoke, "I will turn the seven of you into humans and let you live in Magia realm. Humans because the general race of Magia realm is human. There were so many unique races and beings in Outrious Expanse because of my imagination, but unfortunately, my imagination is not reality, hahaha."

"Wait, we seven?" Athan asked as he trembled a bit, "what about those people in my AVOF realm?"

"Oh, they?" Lunet shook his head, "they don't have a basis of reality to live in the Magia realm. Ultimately, they are my imagination."

"NO!" Athan shouted with red eyes, "they can think on their own, they can speak, and do everything! How can they be just imagination!"

Lunet wryly smiled and spoke, "don't be upset, Athan. I can allow them to have a basis of reality to live in the Magia realm, but it's not that easy. As for your question, hahaha, try imagining something in your head or when you dream, those characters, creatures, things in your imagination and dreams are capable of their own thoughts, but ultimately, they are just imagination." 

Pausing there, Lunet grinned and continued, "however, my imagination was true in Outrious Expanse, which I created and was fueled by my powers. But if they come out of Outrious Expanse, they will disappear. If I brought out your people from the AVOF realm, they would simply disappear as they don't exist in reality."

"No...," Athan uttered as he shook his head repeatedly.

"I am up for it. Just do whatever you want and send me to Magia realm or whatever," Reilei spoke with a grin, "I am tired of being the strongest in that little bubble."

"Sure, hahaha," Lunet spoke with a laugh, "naturally, you will lose all of your current powers and awaken a Magic Labyrinth based on your affinity.  After all, these seven powers are also the fruit of my imaginations, and they are just catalyzed for now because of my mana. That's why you still retain their energy forms in your body, and you all also didn't disappear, but those powers don't work here as you already tried."

"Tell me what do I need to do for them to have a basis of reality to live with me in the Magia realm," Athan asked with an agitated expression.

"It's a bit complicated," Lunet spoke with a wry smile, "but I can do it. However, the numbers are limited. I can only give the basis of reality to seven of them, and It will take me a whole day to do it by animating their souls to become similar to people of the magia realm."

"As for your voidlings, they will be very easy to transition because of their creation process, which through my own unique mana," Lunet spoke with a smile, "I can turn them into fairy spirits. Fairy spirits are the main branch of Fairy Spirit Magic. You will also have an affinity with Fairy Spirit-type Magic Labyrinth, and you can find your voidlings there in your journey."

Before Athan could speak, Lunet continued with a smile, "don't worry about other people like your friends and other companions. Nobody will die because that Outrious Expanse is in the remake right now. After all, I still have to continue my experiment. I will put the rest of the people back into the Outrious Expanse, and they can live peacefully there with new stages of life and power structure this time."

"So they can live? Phew," Athan sighed a relief.

"Yep, anyway," Lunet spoke as he looked at Staercia and others, "let me send six of you first to my magic abode and turn you into humans before sending you to a place in the Magia realm. You won't be the strongest there, and you will die if someone kills you, so good luck. Learn magic, get strong, and enjoy life. If you reach my level in the future, then we shall meet again."

"Wait, can you like to give me an introduction to that Magia realm?" Staercia asked.

"Magia realm has two parts. Astral land and Gaia continent. Astral land is the true face of the Magia realm, while the Gaia continent is a bit weaker and not as much as magically advanced as Astral land. Due to a big war, the Magia realm was separated into two, and now there exists a dimensional gap between those two places. Naturally, you can cross that dimensional gap, but only the upper echelons of the Gaia continent know about the existence of Astral land. Most of the Gaia continent people are not aware that there's an Astral land."

"I see. Will you send us to Gaia continent or Astral land?" Lifa asked.

"Astral land, of course," Lunet smiled, "I will send you all into a renowned Magic dojo with some money for starting support. After that, you have to tread on your own. All of you are more capable than people born there because of your unique life, so I am sure you all will find a spot for yourself in that world."

"Alright, I like it," Reilei spoke with a bring before bursting into laughter, "hahaha, I can finally say goodbye to my boring life."

Lunet smiled as he sent all of them away with a wave of his hand before he looked at Athan with a meaningful smile, "Athan, your wives are beautiful, and you want them with you, right?"

"Of course," Athan nodded with a severe expression.

"However, you won't be the strongest in that place," Lunet spoke with a faint smile as he looked at Athan deeply, "will you be able to protect them if something happens?"

Hearing that, Ahtan was stunned as he realized the situation before his face turned dark, "I worked hard non-stop and became strongest in Outrious Expanse just to live peacefully with my family. Why don't you just send me back into the remade Outrious expanse?"

"I can't do that. If you go there, I won't be able to create that world," Lunet spoke with a wry smile, "you have gained a basis of reality the moment those seven symbols lit up and you arrived here. So you can't live in my imaginative world."

"But why the worry?" Lunet asked with a smile, "are you not confident in yourself? Oh wait, your wives seem to want to say something to you, hahaha. After all, I let them hear and watch everything that's been happening here."

Lunet spoke as he created a golden-blue field with a wave of his hand and then took out Tiana, Avelia, Sen, Lily, Linci, and Shiromi in that field so that they could be temporarily safe from getting wipeout.

"Athan!" Tiana spoke with an angry expression as tears fell from her eyes, "how can you be lost right now? Just like how much you want to protect us, we also want to protect you and be with you!"

"We will come with you in that world together, and this time, we will tread on this together from the start!" Avelia shouted with tears in her eyes, "you can't leave us behind this time and go alone."

"We...(sniff)...would rather die if you did that," said Sen as he wiped tears from her face.

"Athan," Shiromi sadly smiled and shook her head, "I have started seeing dreams of being together with you forever the moment we became one, and now you are worried about something like that? No...we will go together with you."

Lily was shedding silent tears because she felt hurt the most, "Athan, I have already dreamt of standing together with you. I have done my best and worked my hardest just so I can stand shoulder by shoulder and support you. Now you can't leave me behind...you can't leave us behind to work hard on your own for us. WE WILL GO TOGETHER!"

Linci fell down on her knees and spoke while sobbing, "Athan, you are my world, and I have lived separated from you enough. You have to take us with you," pausing a bit, Linci looked at Athan with burning resolve, "we will live together and overcome all difficulties together!"

Athan felt a lump in his throat and felt blessed like never before to have such wives with him. He smiled as some tears appeared in his eyes and nodded, "we will go together."

Before disappearing, Athan's eyes had a cold glint in them as he bore the hatred for those six beings and for not allowing him for living a peaceful life with his wives. He didn't forget the pain of losing them again and spending those years in terrible anxiousness.

'I will find you and get back to you in Magia Realm.'

Fin.

....

[My third novel: Re: Love & Magic, will be published in WSA. That story takes place in the Magia realm, but the main male and female characters in that story are different. However, Athan and his wives will become characters of that story and become part of the main plot in that 3rd novel.]

Re: Love & Magic is not a harem story. The power structure of the third novel will be consistent and very easy to understand but unique as well.

After writing this story, I could say tons of things where I could improve. It was my first time writing, and I am blessed to have all of your support until the end of my first writing journey. I have improved a lot in this journey as an author, and your support helped me immensely in that. Thank you very much :D (cough, I am sorry, but I honestly didn't edit that well since some time ago in this story because I couldn't give it time for that. That's why it had mistakes. :P Sorry for that experience.)

However, I can only say that I will write better and better stories from now on, which I also feel after writing my 2nd novel (Cosmic Peak, which is still ongoing) and the 3rd novel ( Re: Love & Magic), which will be published after a few days in WSA when it's cover is ready.

I hope you all also accompany Athan and others once again but in a brand new story and world with new characters in Re: Love & Magic. I would very much appreciate the support of you lovely readers once again :D Naturally, only if you like the story, hahaha. I can't force you to read it, but I am confident that all of you will certainly love it. 

Peace, your big brain author, LivingVoid.

*Or was it an empty brain? Because I am Living...Void?* Hahaha.