Some number of years ago...
A lone traveler bound in pure white robes ascended a tall mountain, the winds rippling through to reveal what looked to be a pale and frail figure. Facing the howling winds, the figure took off their hood, revealing a youthful face with large turquoise eyes.
After days of traveling without food or drink, he has finally made it to his destination at the peak of the mountain.
There, the mountain peak laid flat, as if the tip had been cleaved clean off to form a large plateau. Snow had begun to pile up, reaching his bare ankles, though his face showed no discomfort as he trudged through the snow.
At the center, a long figure clad in a blank trench coat stood, snow piling up on his head and shoulders as if he hadn't moved in a long time. The moment the white robed man stepped foot onto the mountain peak, he smiled and turned to face the newcomer.
Noah grinned slightly, snow sliding off his body, "Saint Nicolas the Nullifier, you've arrived at last"
Nicolas held up a palm with a blank expression on his face, "Spare the formalities Harbinger, as long as I seal your power, this world will become safe again"
"Do you really believe that?"
"Only one way to find out"
Noah's grin widened sinisterly, showing off his pearly white teeth, "Your confidence is... commendable"
He raised his right hand, ungloved with the tattoo glowing a deep purple hue. Shadows moved about, rising into the air like smoke behind Noah, a shadow as deep and dark as the endless void.
"Try to negate this"
A faint roar resonated through the air as the shadow lunged at Nicolas like a panther. The Saint furrowed his brow before stretching out an arm towards the incoming shadow. It towered over him, cascading down in an attempt to drown him in darkness.
Saint Nicolas channeled his power from his star core, energy flowing from his chest to his outstretched arm. His eyes glimmered, becoming shrouded in a gray light as the shadow approached.
His voice was calm and light, akin to that of morning dew.
"Light of Nihility"
A concentrated ray of gray light shot forth from his palm, aimed straight at the incoming shadow. Nicolas felt a sense of confidence rising in his chest as he felt his own suppressive power seep towards Noah.
A flash of light blinded the world, forcing the Saint to shield his eyes. While his Mental type power gave him the authority to suppress the powers of all Awakeners, it provided no other benefits in terms of physical ability. In the end, the battle simply becomes reduced to a brawl between regular humans.
The light faded in a moment, to which Saint Nicolas lowered his arms. The world returned with color only for a split second when a wave of darkness proceeded to wash over him.
The youthful looking Saint felt horror overtake him as he shrunk back in fear, cowering with his arms before him. A second passed and he fell into the snow onto his back, the pain not arriving as he had expected.
Opening his eyes a crack, Nicolas watched as the shadow coming towards him disperse into gentle black butterflies, fluttering softly in the snow, gliding gently over his body. Enough butterflies passed through to allow his shocked gaze to land on Noah, still standing a few meters away from him, though now with an amused smile.
Nicolas felt his jaw go slack from the shock, though he did not care. With much difficulty, he was able to mutter out a single word into the frozen expanse.
"How..."
Noah stepped forward, his powerful legs cutting right through the snow that had piled up during his wait here. He stopped only when he was a mere feet away from the fallen Saint.
"Sometimes, a power is not absolute," he stated simply through cryptic prose, "When you are met with a power that is truly absolute..." Noah crouched down, "Then your power becomes obsolete"
Nicolas stared back blankly as if a child who could not understand his schoolwork, "I-I don't follow what you are saying"
Noah smiled, patting the Saint's head, "I'm too strong to be negated, and my existence is absolute. Your power has no effect on me, simply because it is much too weak"
The Saint went silent for a moment, pondering deeply before he spoke again, "Will it ever become strong enough?"
The Harbinger stood, his smile still present as his shadow warped, turning into smoke that slowly wrapped around his figure. He left the Saint a few words before his disappeared completely.
"The limits of your power are for you to find out..."
-
Saint Nicolas opened his eyes, goosebumps spreading over his body as he finished recounting his encounter with Noah Blackwell.
"I've experimented my nullification power to the extreme, coming up with all sorts of methods to increase the output, hoping one day I may be able to suppress even the Harbingers"
He looked down dejected at his hands, "Yet no matter how much I improve, I can feel it," a slight flash of fear passed through his eyes, though it was gone the next moment, "The Harbinger cannot be suppressed, and we are much too weak to even hope to face off against such an existence"
A clear and crisp crack rang through the air. A bout of silence quickly followed as the Saint-Supremes could only stare at a red mark across Saint Nicolas' face, the work of Saint Gideon's hand.
Gideon's face twitched constantly, a mask of rage visible across his entire face.
"Is this the disposition of a Saint?!" he shouted, spittle flying, "I did not live for my efforts to be swallowed up!"
Saint Nicolas snorted, the red mark on his cheek having already healed. He stepped towards the center of the circle, his eyes resolute in his decision.
"I shall take no side, as of right now at least. The Harbinger will come for us"
With that, a flash of gray light blinded their eyes, and he was gone the next moment. The Saint-Supremes felt their powers return, their star cores operating at full power once again.
Saint Nicolas' departure rippled through the air, his absence felt in the silence. A short while passed, and a few Saint-Supremes left in a similar manner, intending to stay neutral at the start.
Corpse Supreme stepped forward, his wrinkled mouth twisted into an unsightly grin.
"The quicker you submit, the better off you'll be"
He disappeared into a flash of greenish light, and those that support his ideas followed along shortly, most likely intending to join the Harbinger as quickly as possible.
In the end, Saint Gideon was left with seven of the original group that had come for the summit, a pitiful amount compared to the original twenty seven, and a drop in the bucket compared to the total eighty eight known Saint-Supremes.
Saint Gideon's eyes blazed with anger, wisps of flames gathering around him. He turned to his new companions, each powerful and exuding their own prideful disposition.
"Dear brothers and sisters, we must gather our forces together and gain more support"