MARVEL: GAMER PATH - CHAPTER 279 (Patreon)

[The Watcher POV]

In the darkest corner of the Universe.

The seal that held Knull trapped started to break, as Knull himself shivered with pleasure.

“Finally!!” The monster laughed, eager to at long last taste the freedom that had been denied to him. Eager to end everything on his way.

As the seal weakened more and more with each passing second, Knull couldn’t help but let his mind wander to the past. Remembering the first time he became aware of others, of life to end, of light infecting his realm.

[Eons ago - during the beginning of everything.]

Knull had been there from before anything existed, a fragment of an old being, resting in non-existence. 

However, from nothingness, life was eventually created within what he felt was his, an insult to the Eldritch monster that had happily reigned in a universe empty of purpose.

Angered by this unforgivable affront, Knull approached those who had disturbed his order, his darkness, his empty existence. For the first time, entering into battle, as never before there had been anything to fight, to kill, to erase.

At first, Knull was overwhelmed by the power these new beings possessed, though, it would be more accurate to say, he was overwhelmed by their battle prowess. However, as much as new Gods had the advantage at first, thanks to their experience, they couldn’t kill Knull, for he was not alive to be killed, or dead to be vanquished.

He was amortal.

Not dead, not alive.

This state of unbirth, of existence without life and death helped Knull to adapt. His inability to die, granted Knull all the time he needed to learn, to practice, to understand everything around him.

Eventually, Knull had learned enough, and unbeknownst to those that had perturbed his nothingness, he started to push back, coming to the realization that those that had dared to affront his order, were harder to kill than he would’ve liked to admit.

These gods, these intruders, were riddled with protective cosmic spells, preventing anyone from actually hurting them. But from what he could discern by looking at them, breaking such spells wouldn’t be particularly complicated.

While it was true the spells protecting these new gods were incredibly strong, Knull had learned a lot from them, from their energy, and now, he could visibly see the bindings that held those spells together, and how fragile they truly were, all he needed was to hit the protective spells at the weakest link, and everything would fall apart, he was sure of it. And he was right, as even the greatest of enchantments can’t hold up forever.

Finally understanding everything there was to know about his enemies, Knull laughed in bliss, extending his arms forward, conjuring a powerful blast of cosmic energy that mercilessly struck the enemy in front of him. Killing him with ease.

The Gods around froze in horror at this sight. Not too long ago, they had been overwhelming him, in their eyes, having a one-sided battle against him with the tides in their favor, however, in a matter of seconds, Knull had shattered their confidence, killing the first Celestial, also making that Celestial the first one of his kind to ever die, the first God to be proven to be mortal.

They were now certain that for the universe to continue, he had to die.

Knull on the other hand was simply enjoying the view, the feeling of dread spreading across the Gods, the understanding of things, and how to end them.

However, Knull was not satisfied with simply killing them. Their sins, in his eyes, deserved a much bigger punishment, one that promised perpetual suffering.

Smiling, Knull studied the beings in front of him carefully, being sure not to miss anything, and once he was finished, he sighed deeply. He had seen it all, again, and he was ready to proceed with the ultimate punishment for those that had dared to slight the nothingness he so desperately craved by simply existing.

He would use their light, their power, their very souls, and flesh to birth the most terrible creature. One born from light, and life, embodying evil incarnated.

He would do the ultimate affront to light and life, turning their very essence into a weapon, one of darkness, one of nothingness, one of all black. 

He liked that name. All-Black.

A weapon, an emissary of vice, an avatar of blasphemy. A tool, a being, a weapon endowed with extraordinary power and unparalleled savagery. All-Black the Necroblade, he really liked that name, a name that would be associated with terror throughout the universe like no other name; before creation came to an end.

“You will suffer, I will make sure of it,” Knull said, his voice deep and husky. Having low tones that scraped like nails on a blackboard, like the hiss of a dying planet.

For Knull, the time had come. To end it all.

Now that he had a mission. A depraved goal beyond ending it all, Knull made quick work on the gods that had foolishly stayed to fight him, defeating them one by one with terrifying ease, making sure to keep their essence, their body, intact.

Once he had dealt with them. His foul work started. With a blasphemous act of debauchery, as he used his powers to bring the bodies of those that had fallen together, forcing them to merge into a single blob of total desecration for life and death.

The blob, the amalgamation of beings, was still somewhat alive. Not fully dead, not fully alive, beating like a living heart in suffering, in unimaginable agony. 

This pleased Knull to no end to know they were suffering, agonizing without a voice, and even more the fact that their suffering had just begun. 

Laughing at them, he continued with his work, as in one last act of cruelty, he forced his hands into the amalgamation, pouring his dark energy into the suffering creature, starting to create, to mold, the evil aberration he desired, using the suffering of those he had defeated and their lives, to strengthen his creation greatly. 

As the amalgamation screamed in pain without a voice, their combined energies begging for release, for the end. Knull couldn’t help but tremble with excitement, concentrating all his power to create the ultimate affront to life and light.

Soon enough, as Knull continued pouring his power, the amalgamation began to shake violently. The mass of the suffering morphing, changing shapes, creating a small sword from living darkness, and agony.

Knull laughed, extending his hand forward to grab his first creation, All-Black, which upon being touched by the Eldritch God, trembled in excitement, in hunger for more life under his dark grasp. 

Knull could now almost understand the merit of creation. 

Only when said creations were like him.

That was how Knull started the first celestial war. Birthing a weapon, a being of hunger, darkness, and destruction. Soon after creating more creatures of darkness, to help him end all there was and could be, once and for all.

[End of flashback.]

“Just a bit longer!”

Now, the universe was once again in danger. This time, the entire future of it all, resting in the hands of a single man.

I had no idea how this would end.

Who would win?

Who would lose?

Nevertheless, I would continue watching.