Apocalypse: Chaos Theory
an excerpt

Everyone stopped so suddenly that I almost ran into Lica, who was walking right in front of me. When I looked up I saw the reason for the stop. One of the most massive structures I had ever seen rose up before us, a little distance away from where Gaustal stood. It sat on its own cloud, a hole surrounding the entire place like some kind of sky mote. The walls were sparkling white and completely undamaged. Gold streaks rose up them to run into gold swirling spires that rose high above the rest of the city. The entire structure seemed to give a sense of elaborate grandeur greater than anything I had ever seen. The golden spires seemed to lose themselves in the glaring sun, their gleam melding with its rays to form a perfect picture of beauty.
“Wow, that’s amazing,” Gatomon said, staring in awe at the structure.
“Everyone, I present to you the capital building of the Sky City of Jjavani!” Gaustal said, his grandeur for once fitting the moment perfectly, causing the palace to seem that much more immaculate.
“It’s beautiful,” Sora commented.
“That has to be the coolest building I’ve ever seen,” Blitz said with a grin.
“I can’t wait to see what’s inside it,” I said, running past Lica and toward the walkway which led up to the palace gates, apparently the only means of entering it save flying. As I steppe donto the pathway, however, I noticed a figure standing halfway along it. He looked like a very old man, though his posture was quite impressive. In one hand he held a twisting wooden staff at the top of which was a bough of a tree twisted into the sideways eight-like shape which represented infinity. His cloths were most simple, a rather boring gray robe that fell from his shoulders all the way down to his feet, which were sandaled with rather simple brown thongs. He smiled at me as he saw me approach. The res tof the group walked up behind me.
“Welcome, everyone. I am the Chaos Emperor, and it is my privilege to welcome you all to this most beauteous place, this Shining City of Gold,” the man said with a warm smile.
I had heard that before. The sheet of paper in Caleb’s room. I don’t know why I hadn’t realized it earlier.
“A shining city built of gold?” I asked, now intrigued every bit as much as I was awestruck.
“Indeed it is, my child,” the Chaos Emperor replied. “You have some familiarity with the ancient text?”
“Not really,” I said.
“Tis a shame. They are quite intriguing, if I do say so myself,” he replied.
“What ancient texts are these?” Gaustal asked, sounding every bit as enthralled as I was.
“Ah, if I only had the time to discuss it with you all,” the Chaos Emperor replied. “I’m afraid I haven’t the time. I must show you to what you seek and then I must be off. Now, come along after me. I assure you the pathways are quite sturdy here.”
“I understand it if you are pressed for time, but could you perhaps tell us what you can while we walk?” Gaustal asked, pushing past me to catch up with the old man. Everyone else followed us quickly.
“I suppose I could share a tad bit of my vast knowledge with you all. It may aid your understanding of this universe,” he said as he proceeded at a rather brisk pace toward the gate of the palace. “You see, there are seven cities which shine of gold, each built by one of seven great races that existed once long ago, at the very beginning of time.” We were all gathering up around him to hear what he was saying, captivated by his words. “These seven were the greatest civilizations to ever grace the universe. However, each of them had a critical flaw, and as such each of them was doomed. As they gave in to their flaws, the civilizations were wiped out. Now only their great golden cities remain. They stand as a testament to what once was and what will never be again. Bound outside the very flow of time, these cities have existed unchanged for untold millennia.”
“What do you mean bound outside of time?” I asked.
“They are not within the realm of time itself. These cities are no longer touched by the flow of time, by the circle which you are trying to break, or by those who control it. Even when the universe collapses and is reborn, these seven cities remain. They are the oldest things in existence, many many times over.”
“Well what were the flaws that caused the civilizations to fall?” I asked him. We were now at the gate of the palace.
“That my dear,” he said as he held up his staff to the beautiful golden doors, “is a secret locked within the cities themselves.” An odd green energy began to flow around the infinity sign at the top of his staff. With much creaking, the giant golden doors of the palace began to swing open before us.