What holds all of the worlds together?
Why are heaven, hell and our world held together against their wills?
What holds these prisoners together?
Well, I’ll tell you.
The Chains do.
Let me paint you a picture here. Space is an illusion. It’s simply an empty area created to give the impression of something greater. Something further away. Something more alien. The stars are an illusion. Nebulae are an illusion. The moon is not a fraud, but serves no real purpose. Yes that’s right, we are alone in the universe so to speak. If you were to keep flying out into “space”, you’d notice something most bizarre. The blackness of “space” would give way to the darkest shade of purple. Celestial bodies would give way to dark abyssal shapes. Permeating this entire realm would be countless lengths of chain. Criss-crossing in every direction imaginable. You would see chains of all different shapes and sizes. Some shiny. Some barbed. Some rusted. All endless. You’d be forgiven for thinking this realm was wondrous, if outlandish. You’d be truly wrong.
You wouldn’t be the only thing out there. Something, or someone, controls those chains. A being of unimaginable power and unimaginable heartlessness.
They call him the Lord of Chains. He is something of a warden or gatekeeper. A very literal outsider. The space-like realm I described before it his domain. It’s known as the Void. A suitable name to be sure. The Void is the space between worlds, a barrier to keep denizens of the many worlds from meeting. The chains that permeate the Void hold the universe together, basically. Our world is connected to myriad others by the chains. Unfortunately, or fortunately to some, the worlds closest to us are Heaven and hell. Typical really. So while the Earth is connected to other worlds, because of the Void and the Lord of Chains, we are never going to reach them. Humanity’s potential impossible to fulfill. Heaven and Hell don’t have that problem. Demons and angels follow the chains to our world on a daily basis. I’d imagine much to the chagrin of the Lord of Chains. Demons crawl monstrously along the chains and enter our world to cause chaos and death. Angels glide alongside the chains to earth to mete out typical heavenly retribution.
The Lord of Chains seeks nothing more than keep the balance in the universe. He travels into our world occasionally to hunt and eliminate any intruders from both Heaven and Hell. He does not take sides and simply follows his own creed. Neutrality in all things and balance between the worlds. To travel into the void along the chains is the greatest offense possible to him. The only penalty is to be destroyed utterly. The Lord is a truly dominant being, able to crush lesser creatures with no effort whatsoever. He can call upon the chains themselves to assist him in his calling. Seizing offenders, sweeping aside obstructions and tearing his charge limb from limb. He appears to be completely emotionless, bearing no apology and sparing no offender. An absolutely terrifying being.
What does he look like? Well, that is a mystery actually. I’d imagine a somewhat regal man with a cold, dead face. Frosty eyes and cold skin. He’d be dressed in black trousers and a black shirt and waistcoat. Over the top, he’d be wearing a black trench coat that had chains on it. Of course he’d have chains around him at all times, like hovering obedient snakes. Warping in and out of visibility. Of course he may be completely inhuman in appearance, but with other godlike beings (the Oldschool Harlequin for example) being humanoid its not too much of a stretch.
The Lord fulfills a necessary function, of course. He keeps the worlds apart, he prevents inter dimensional war, he’s a force of nature, so to speak. I dread the day when humanity attempts to truly reach the stars, only to find the Void and a very displeased Lord of Chains. I don’t think he’d be any more forgiving to humans than he is to demons and angels. A unerring spirit of neutrality. The keeper of the chains that hold the universe together. A god, or perhaps a curse.
WorldofHarley 