The Origin Throne Room was nothing like the Primordial Palace Kai once inhabited. It stretched infinitely yet remained contained within itself, a paradox of vastness and intimacy. Columns of pure cosmic essence rose into a ceiling made of living constellations. Beneath his feet, the ground pulsed with galaxies, flowing like rivers of starlight.
Upon the Origin Throne, Kai sat—not merely as a monarch, but as the embodiment of the universe itself. His body shimmered with galaxies and nebulae, his hair falling in strands of starlight, and in his eyes, miniature clusters of creation pulsed with life. The air itself bent around him in reverence.
For the first time since their awakening, the Origins—his newly birthed lieutenants, embodiments of eternal concepts—stood before him.
Nine figures stepped forward, each radiating an aura that warped the laws of existence.
Morpheus, the King of Dreams, cloaked in shifting mist, bowed his head. "Dreams stir, Master. They long to take form in mortal minds. I ask permission to weave them freely."
Antanak, the Lord of Reflection, mirrored Morpheus's movements exactly, though his lips twisted into a mocking grin. "And if dreams are permitted, then let reflections show truth and lie alike. For what is a dream if not the reflection of the soul?"
Hela, the Lady of Death, leaned casually on her obsidian scythe, her crimson eyes glinting. "Spare me the philosophy. My concern is balance. The dead cry out already, seeking guidance. Let me bind them properly, or they will linger as chaos."
Phanes, Creator of Life, a being radiant and warm like a sun, spoke in a voice that nourished the soul. "And as Death seeks her balance, I ask to cultivate new springs of existence. Not merely mortals, but wonders—creatures that embody vitality itself."
The court shifted as the Seven Sins manifested, each dripping with excess: Pride stood tall with golden armor, Lust whispered promises with scarlet lips, Gluttony drooled as he devoured a planet-sized fruit, and the others radiated their own intoxicating corruption.
"We require followers," Pride declared arrogantly. "Mortals must know temptation, else what worth is their will?"
Khronos, the Lord of Time, walked slowly forward, his every step echoing like an eon. "I care not for worship. But order must be maintained. Allow me dominion over the flow, lest the weight of your expansion spiral into temporal collapse."
Zerate, the Garden of Fate, spoke with multiple voices layered atop each other, both male and female, old and young. "Threads are already being spun. The first weavers of destiny reach for their strings. Shall we guide their steps, or let them stumble blind?"
Chaos laughed—a booming, fractured voice that echoed in multiple tones. His body shifted constantly, never one form for more than a second. "Why not let everything burn and rebuild? It is far more entertaining!"
And finally, Themis, the Lady of Order and Justice, stood radiant in white-gold armor. "And that is why my existence is required. Where Chaos stirs, I bring balance. My Master, without laws, even you would not endure."
The hall trembled under the weight of their combined presences. Mortal civilizations would have been reduced to dust by their words alone. But Kai raised a hand, and silence spread.
---
"I hear you all," Kai said, his voice resonating with infinite undertones. Galaxies flickered in his throat as though reality itself spoke through him. "But remember this: the Origin Universe is not your plaything."
He leaned forward, eyes sharp. "You are my hands, my reflections, my will. Yet the civilizations within my body must grow freely. No interference beyond what is natural. No domination of their fates unless I decree it. Do you understand?"
The words hit like decrees of law, and reality itself shuddered in agreement.
Morpheus bowed. "So be it. I shall weave only where mortals call for dreams."
Antanak smirked. "Then I will reflect only what they dare to see."
Hela's scythe dissolved into shadow. "I will take the dead when their time arrives. Nothing more."
Phanes smiled softly. "Life will bloom naturally then, wherever it wills."
The Sins grumbled, but Pride eventually knelt. "Very well. We will tempt, but never force."
Khronos inclined his head. "Then Time shall tick as it must."
Zerate's voices whispered in unison. "The threads will not be pulled, unless you ask."
Chaos laughed again, though softer this time. "Restraint is boring. But fine. I'll wait."
And Themis smiled faintly. "Then I shall watch, to ensure your law is not broken."
Kai nodded, satisfied. "Good. You are my Origins. Your strength is boundless, but your roles are not to dictate, only to maintain balance. Let the civilizations rise, fall, and find their own paths. That is my will."
The decree burned itself into the fabric of the Origin Realm, engraved in concepts deeper than law.
---
The court adjourned, and the Origins dissolved back into their dimensions. Only silence remained, and Kai leaned back upon his throne.
For the first time since awakening his bloodline, a strange thought clawed at his mind.
If the Origin Universe is me… then every time I step inside it…
His eyes widened. …I've been entering myself?
A wave of vertigo hit him. Reality seemed to fold, layers of paradox crashing into each other like overlapping mirrors. He felt simultaneously within himself and outside himself, existing as both observer and subject.
The system chimed.
[Master, I was wondering when you would notice.]
[You are now in a state of paradox—existence and non-existence, independence and non-independence. A state of quantum non-independence, due to the authorities of $@°¥¢%©§.]
Kai's voice cracked. "Explain… properly."
[To put it simply,] Ema's voice chimed in, her tone carrying an almost smug edge, [you exist on a much higher plane of existence. Your perception of self and reality is folding together. You are the universe, and the universe is you. The separation is… cosmetic.]
Kai frowned, galaxies swirling in his eyes. "And this… $@°¥%©§? What is it?"
[The system will need higher authority to decipher such information.]
"So you don't know?"
[No, Master. But do not worry. The more you awaken your bloodline, the more authority the system will access. In due time, more will be revealed.]
Kai leaned back, exhaling slowly. He had survived impossible battles, awakened as a living universe, and created beings that embodied eternal truths. Yet now, the greatest enemy he faced was a question:
What am I becoming?
The cosmos trembled faintly in response, as if it too awaited the answer.