The Fade

As you walk through the portal, you find yourself standing in the world of dreams. The space where mages draw their magic. The home of Spirits and of Demons. It makes sense that you would come here first. Looking around, you can see spirits floating in the distance. The whirling plumes of foggy ether in every direction. Raw Lyrium covering the landscape.

It was... surprisingly beautiful.

You smiled. After years of wishing, you were finally here.

Wait. Was that lyrium...

"Oh SHIT!"

It was red. Red Lyrium. And the only place that was naturally occurring...

You spin around and find yourself standing at the legendary gates of the Black City. The supposed origin of all evil and center of the Fade.

It is only your knowledge of your own omnipotence that keeps you from being terrified. In fact, fear is the furthest thing from your mind. Instead, you are soon overcome with curiosity. According to lore, no one had been inside the Black City in over 1000 years. And you were omnipotent now. Perhaps it was time for The Maker to sit on the throne of the Golden City once again.

You reach out to open the gates...

And they hold fast. Despite the infinite strength you now possess, the gates do not open for you. You try again and again, using different methods each time, but the result is the same: The gates remain closed.

"The hell?" you say aloud.

That's odd. You hear a voice say.

"God? That you again?"

Yes Michael, it's me.

"What's the deal, huh? I thought I was omnipotent."

You are. I gave you my omnipotence.

"Well then why isn't this door opening?"

I don't know. Let me try.

From nowhere, a spectral hand appears and presses itself against the gates. Yet again, the gates hold.

Well, that's certainly new. I can't open it either.

"What should we do?"

Somehow, you sense that God is shrugging.

Come back to it, I guess. It's certainly odd, but you do have a whole new universe to explore. Now, if you'll excuse me, Brock and Julio are about to find out that they both got Cassandra pregnant.

"Wait, are you watching a Daytime Soap Opera?"

I will not be judged here!

The voice of God goes silent.

Questionable choices of media content aside, God was right. You had a whole new world to explore. You walk to the edge of the platform the Black City stands upon and look out over the Fade.

"Where should I go first?"