the mythos of Salvation

Modern Mythology - Chapter Three: The Absolutes Arrive

### **Modern Mythology – Chapter Three: The Absolutes Arrive**

Mira stood at the threshold of the grotto, her heart heavy with uncertainty. The relics hung from her body, each one more powerful than the last, but even their cosmic energy couldn’t quell the unease that gnawed at her. She stared at the darkened entrance, knowing that just beyond it lay her promised sanctuary—power, immortality, wealth. But why did her gut twist with doubt?

Suddenly, a chill swept over the air, and a strange silence fell over the island. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath. From the shadows of the jungle, four figures emerged, their presence both magnificent and terrifying. Mira’s breath caught in her throat as they stepped into the moonlight, their very appearance exuding a power unlike anything she had felt before.

The first figure, a woman, stood tall with an elegance that was both haunting and mesmerizing. Her black and white gown flowed like liquid silk, shimmering with a dark brilliance that made the night itself seem dim. Her eyes, sharp and piercing, gleamed with an otherworldly intelligence. Around her neck, she wore a choker of black diamonds that sparkled like distant stars.

Beside her, a second woman, equally majestic, held a presence that was almost ethereal. Her dress was intricately woven with threads of silver and ivory, and she moved with the grace of a shadow slipping between worlds. A black and white crown sat atop her head, encrusted with gemstones that radiated a light too faint for human eyes to fully comprehend. Yet despite their regal beauty, something about these women was unnerving—the way they seemed to radiate both darkness and light, beauty and terror, in equal measure.

The two men who stood beside them were no less awe-inspiring. One wore a long, flowing coat of obsidian velvet, adorned with silver chains that gleamed in the moonlight. His face was chiseled, cold, but hauntingly handsome. His eyes were like pools of endless night, hinting at secrets older than the stars themselves. The other man was wrapped in a cloak of pure white silk, his pale skin glowing faintly against the dark backdrop of the island. He carried a staff made of bone, intricately carved with symbols Mira had never seen before.

Together, the four figures seemed to bend reality around them. Time slowed. The ground beneath them trembled slightly, as if the Earth itself acknowledged their presence. They were terrifying. And yet, they were beautiful. A perfect balance of light and shadow, good and evil, fear and grace.

Mira’s heart raced as the tallest of the women stepped forward. Her voice, when she spoke, was soft but held the weight of a thousand storms.

“**Mira Donovan,**” she said, her tone laced with an unspoken authority. “**You have been chosen by the Five, but there is more to this than you know. The relics they’ve given you are powerful, yes, but their promises… incomplete. We are the Absolutes, and we have come to reveal the truth.**”

“**The Absolutes?**” Mira repeated, confusion clouding her mind. “**What are you? Why are you here?**”

The second woman smiled, though there was no warmth in it. “**We are the ones who see beyond time, beyond fate, beyond destiny. Prophecy is our domain. Each day, we receive fifteen prophecies, random and without warning, but always true. We are called the Absolutes because none of our prophecies have ever been wrong. We have been to countless worlds, walked among gods, mortals, and creatures unknown to your realm. We have shaped history and destroyed empires, yet we have never failed in our vision.**”

The man with the staff stepped forward, his voice deep and resonant, filled with ancient wisdom. “**If you seek truth, real truth, you come to us. For we have seen the end of this world and others like it. The Five who sent you here offer only the illusion of safety. The darkness that grows on this island is far beyond even their control.**”

Mira felt a shiver run down her spine. She glanced back toward the grotto. The promises of the Five now seemed distant, hollow. Could these Absolutes be telling the truth? And what did that mean for her?

“**What do you want from me?**” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

The second man, his eyes like shards of glass, stepped closer. “**We want nothing from you, Mira. But we offer you a choice. The island’s darkness cannot be escaped by hiding in that grotto. The relics you carry may give you power, but they are not enough to save you from what is coming. If you wish to survive—truly survive—you must align yourself with the prophecy. You must face the truth of this world and the next.**”

The woman in the white and silver gown approached Mira, her gaze intense. “**The Five who sent you here have their own agenda. They want to create a new world, yes, but at a cost—one you cannot even begin to fathom. They want you to ride out the storm while they reshape the Earth in their image. But we, the Absolutes, have seen beyond that. We have seen the apocalypse they cannot stop. The real war is yet to come.**”

Mira’s thoughts raced. She had been given so much power—eight relics, each imbued with the essence of the universe. She had been promised safety, glory, and control. But now, in the presence of these Absolutes, everything felt different. Their words carried the weight of inevitability.

“**So what do I do?**” Mira asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The first woman—the leader—stepped forward once more, her black gown flowing like liquid shadow. “**You have a choice. You can take the power you’ve been given and hide in the grotto, hoping that the world will somehow be spared. Or, you can follow the path that has been laid before you by fate, by prophecy. You can fight for the world—not just for yourself, but for all those who will come after. The relics are not just tools of power. They are keys. Keys to unlocking the truth.**”

The man with the obsidian cloak spoke again, his voice like thunder. “**If you choose to stay with us, we will reveal the prophecies that matter. The ones that will lead you to true power. But beware, Mira—this path is not for the faint of heart. You will face challenges that no mortal has ever faced. You will walk through realms of darkness, fight against the very fabric of the universe itself. But if you succeed, you will not just be a guardian of Earth. You will be its savior.**”

Mira stood still, her heart pounding in her chest. The Absolutes radiated an energy that was both alluring and terrifying. They spoke of destiny, of power, of truth. But could she trust them? Could she take their hand and step into the unknown?

Or would she retreat into the grotto, safe from the storm but forever trapped in the shadows of the past?

The choice was hers. But she knew that once she made it, there would be no turning back.

With a deep breath, she looked into the eyes of the Absolutes and said, “**Tell me the first prophecy.**”

The four figures smiled, their eyes gleaming with a darkness that was both beautiful and terrifying. The first woman, the leader, whispered softly, “**The first prophecy is simple: Trust no one—not even yourself.**”

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**End of Chapter Three**