"Emma did well," Ash said softly, his reddish-purple eyes gazing down at the glowing capital of the Veloran Empire below.
The city stretched out beneath them like a living masterpiece — elegant spires of white stone and crimson accents rising gracefully into the sky.
There were wide marble streets filled with people moving about their day, floating gardens drifting between buildings like living clouds, and rivers of liquid divinity weaving through the landscape like veins of power.
It felt purposeful, alive, as though the land itself had been woven seamlessly into the city’s design, made to support and uplift those who called it ho.
And that was exactly what it had been.
A Pantheon, after all, was never just a faction—it was a collection of beings united in pursuit of a singular vision.
Their aim was always the sa: to expand and to make Pantheos greater. Not everyone here were Creators, of course; there were many roles to fill in such a grand endeavor.
Yet one thing remained constant—the ta Court.
They were an essential part of the verse, the steady foundation ensuring it would never falter.
"I should give her a gift or sothing," he added, his voice carrying quiet approval.
Elysia smiled, her golden eyes reflecting the soft light of the empire’s spires and gardens as she leaned against him.
"It does feel like her work," she replied, her voice warm. "And I think... the other nine stars are more than enough for a gift, right?"
Ash nodded, a small, satisfied smile on his lips.
They sat down cross-legged in the skies, floating high above the empire as Ash reached out with his power.
He extended his will toward the nine other young n and won he had frozen within ti long ago — the remaining Boundless Stars. In that frozen mont, he began to fully max out their capabilities, bringing each of them to the sa level as Emma.
However, things were not as simple as they seed.
The reason he had frozen the other nine across ti was not just to give himself the chance to focus on Emma’s growth, but also because he planned to base their entrance into the Empire entirely on Emma’s arrival.
Even though so might have appeared in the past or the future, it didn’t matter—once Emma took the seat, she beca the True Ruler of Velora across all histories and tilines.
No matter when he placed them in Velora, they would always be under Emma’s rule.
So, in this mont he began.
Ash closed his eyes and reached out with his will, not rely viewing the River of Ti but becoming one with it.
The transition was seamless.
His consciousness expanded, rging with the endless silver-gold current.
He felt the flow of every mont — past, present, and future — rushing through him like a living river.
It was if ti had beco a more noticeable part of who he was.
With a single thought, his form projected into nine different points across the tiline, each projection acting independently yet connected to the whole.
He first appeared in Velora’s distant past. Yet even then, Velora was already an empire, and sowhere in its bustling capital, Emma was already wearing her crown.
The air was crisp and cold, carrying the scent of pine and fresh snow.
The mont he appeared; the second boundless seed unfroze.
And there, a young man stood alone on a snowy hilltop, training with a wooden staff under the pale winter sun.
He was determined, but his movents were raw and unrefined.
Ash materialized a short distance away, his presence calm and commanding as he approached.
"We et again," he said, his voice steady and clear.
The young man — Lucas — turned, his eyes widening in surprise and awe as he recognized the figure before him.
For a mont, the boy stood frozen, staff still in hand, the cold winter wind ruffling his hair and clothes.
Then he bowed deeply, his voice filled with respect and a touch of confusion.
"My King... it seems like I was just standing amongst the others. I don’t know how much ti has truly passed since you sent away."
Ash smiled gently, the expression warm yet carrying the quiet authority that always put people at ease.
He gestured with one hand toward a pair of simple stone benches that ford on the snowy hilltop, the snow lting away to reveal smooth, warm rock.
"Co. Sit with ."
Lucas obeyed without hesitation, sitting across from Ash as the winter wind continued to blow softly around them, carrying the faint scent of pine and fresh snow.
The pale sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the hill.
Ash looked at the boy for a mont, his reddish-purple eyes steady.
"Despite being only sixteen years old," he said calmly, "over two hundred cycles have passed since you made the decision to beco one of the Boundless Stars."
Lucas’s eyes widened in shock, his breath visible in the cold air as he processed the words.
"Two hundred...?" he whispered, his voice barely audible. Then, a flicker of worry crossed his face.
"My parents... are they alright?"
Ash chuckled softly, the sound carrying a reassuring warmth as he nodded.
"They’re fine. They’ve been waiting for the day they could see your face again."
Truthfully, this had nothing to do with him.
Ash hadn’t arranged anything for the parents of these Stars—mainly because they were already in Pantheos, able to live almost eternally unless killed.
And what were the chances of that happening in the Originat Haven?
Once, it would’ve been impossible.
But as ntioned before, the Pantheon ruled over entire universes, and the Originat Haven was a place that never stopped growing.
It was the oldest known structure in Pantheos, and the mont Emma beca the true Ruler, she connected with the Haven, allowing it to function much like any other universe—mostly, at least.
"Ti has treated them... kindly."
Hearing that, Lucas exhaled in visible relief, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he gripped his wooden staff tighter.
Ash continued, his tone asured and respectful as he explained the plan.
"The first of you is Emma — the World Building Empress.
She has already established the Veloran Empire and the ta Court Pantheon. Both are led under her rule, and the Nine other Boundless Stars are tasked to be her most trusted aides."
Lucas listened intently, then asked with quiet curiosity,
"Are we just... her swords then?"
Ash shook his head, his smile faint but genuine.
"No. I’m not telling you how you should operate.
The relationships between one another are up to you. You will grow together, support each other, and decide your own paths within the empire."
He then bestowed the Star Na in the Language of Gods, his voice resonating with divine authority.
"Lucas the Second."
A golden light enveloped the young man, settling into his being as Ash continued.
"Your role will be Narrative Continuity — the one who ensures Emma’s creations remain consistent, rembered, and carried forward."
Not only that, but much like Emma, he bestowed upon him an entirely new race—the Eternal Scribes.
This was important because, while Emma can create almost anything and will soday be able to bring any idea to life, those creations would an little for Pantheos’s growth if they weren’t thoughtfully planned or kept alive in mory.
Lucas absorbed the words with focused intensity, his eyes shining with determination as the power began to flow into him.
With a wave of his hand, Ash brought the boy up to the peak of what Emma had achieved — maxing out his potential in that frozen mont of ti.
HUMMMMM!!!!
Golden light surged around Lucas, his body trembling slightly as new strength and understanding flooded through him.
When it was done, Ash stood, placing a hand on the young man’s shoulder.
"Grow well. Velora will need you."
Lucas bowed once more, his voice filled with resolve.
"I won’t disappoint you... or the Empress."
With that, Ash’s projection faded, leaving Lucas standing on the snowy hilltop, now carrying the full potential of a Boundless Star.
User Comments
0 comments from readers