Some people might find this annoying, but remember: reading this is purely optional. It's mostly here to explain the purpose of certain concepts in my fanfic.
Some stuff isn't included to avoid spoilers.
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The lights turned on, revealing a beautiful woman wearing a witch's hat bathed in the spotlight.
"Welcome, you underachievers with less cognitive ability than a single-celled organism. I'm Herta, the true number one in the universe, and unfortunately, I've been forced to explain how the cosmos works—the very one where your pathetic little personal dramas unfold. Pay attention. I will not repeat this."
She smacked the chalkboard behind her with a pointer.
1. Aeons
Aeons are entities that represent extreme metaphysical concepts. They're not gods—though some people call them that.
Each Aeon embodies an ideal: Destruction, Preservation, Abundance, Elation, and so on.
They're so powerful, they define the Paths—philosophical and energetic routes that influence every being in the universe.
"Think of it like this: if the universe were a company, the Aeons would be the CEOs—except one's probably playing solitaire in their office, and another is trying to fire reality itself."
Arlan swiftly wheeled in a new board.
2. Imaginary Energy
It comes from the Imaginary Space—a chaotic dimension connecting leaves and branches.
It's unstable and dangerous. If the Imaginary Tree is an electrical grid, Imaginary Energy is one long, never-ending short circuit.
The Honkai tried to harness it, which resulted in Honkai Energy. Spoiler: it went horribly wrong.
"Only Aeons and a few Emanators (that's blessed individuals, not kitchen appliances) can handle it without turning into stardust."
Another board swap.
3. Leaves, Branches, and Human Stupidity
Leaves:
Each leaf on the Imaginary Tree is an entire galaxy.
They contain civilizations, star systems, and of course, people who make catastrophically bad choices.
Main Leaves:
Within each branch, there's a main leaf. This is the "canonical" timeline—the one where the "real" story usually plays out.
Branches:
They're the links between alternate realities within the same leaf. Divergent versions of events, characters, or outcomes.
"Like when someone restarts an experiment because they didn't like the results. Just as annoying."
Constants and Variables:
Some things always happen, because the cosmos says so: Herrschers emerge, the Honkai tries to corrupt everything, and a certain idiot named Aleph keeps sticking his nose where it doesn't belong.
Other things shift depending on the choices of those living in them.
4. Conclusion (Which You Won't Read But I'm Writing Anyway)
"If you understand this, at least you won't look like a moron when someone brings up the Imaginary Tree. And if you don't… well, maybe stick to simpler tasks. Like counting shooting stars."