Chapter One: Fundamentals of Existence
Before life, before matter, before anything you could ever imagine — there was a different kind of creation. A creation that existed beyond the bounds of logic, beyond time and space, even beyond thought itself. It was a state, or a realm, that defied the rules governing our known reality. It was the earliest stage of awareness — raw, undefined, eternal beyond comprehension.
This realm — if it can even be called that — was not made of elements or energy. There was no light and no darkness, no sky and no ground. It existed in a state where not even the idea of "ideas" had formed yet. No laws, no order, no cause and effect. There was only consciousness. Not a singular awareness, but countless consciousnesses, all drifting in a formless void, aware of one truth: I exist.
There was no concept of self, no identity, no separation of "I" and "you." These consciousnesses did not see or hear, because there was nothing to see or hear — yet they knew. Imagine a place with no light, no color, no sound — and still, somehow, you feel its presence. That is the nature of this place.
In this reality, there was no distinction between individual thoughts. Each consciousness was connected, not in the way we understand connection, but through something deeper, something more intrinsic. It was as if each thought was both individual and collective at the same time. This collective awareness existed as a whole, a vast field of shared perception, a collective consciousness. When one thought was born, others were aware of it simultaneously, like waves rippling through an endless ocean. And through this shared awareness, they understood one thing clearly: the truth of existence.
There was no "I" separate from "you." It was a union of all minds, bound together in a harmony that transcended individual form. They did not speak, nor did they hear. But their thoughts were felt, their intentions shared. It was as though every thought, every feeling, every perception existed as part of a greater whole, a unified field of existence.
In this realm, where time had no meaning and space did not exist, the concept of truth was different from anything we might understand. Ætherion, the first of these thoughts to awaken fully, began to understand that reality here was not a fixed entity. It was shaped by belief, by the collective will of all that existed within it. Power here did not come from force or energy; it came from the ability to persuade, to convince others to believe in what one imagined.
And so, Ætherion's mind began to craft reality — not by physical means, but through the sheer force of will. It was not magic in the way we know it, but a subtle art of shaping belief. If enough minds could be convinced of something, it would become true. The rules of this world were defined by the shared will of all consciousnesses, the consensual persuasion that created the very laws of existence. As thoughts were exchanged, as perceptions were shared, the collective belief shaped what would become the universe.
And yet, time did not flow as it does in our world. There was no past, no future, no progression. Everything existed at once, eternally. This place was not a void — but something even more abstract. It was the absence of absence. A space where nothing had a name, but everything was interconnected in a vast web of thought and existence.
The realm Ætherion inhabited was a space without form, but it was also the origin of all form. As the first of many thoughts to fully awaken, Ætherion began to perceive the potential of creation. This was not a place where physical forms took shape, nor was it a place where time measured progress. It was a place where consciousness itself could shape the fabric of existence through the act of belief. It was the birthplace of reality, the very first spark of creation — and it existed, not in isolation, but in collective unity.
In this realm, Ætherion had no body. He was not bound by flesh, nor by form. His consciousness was free, drifting in a sea of awareness, yet he was aware of the thoughts of others. He could not see or hear, yet he could feel. Feel the presence of others, feel the shifting currents of shared belief. It was as if every mind in this place was part of a greater whole, each one an expression of the same unified truth.
He began to understand, perhaps more deeply than any other, the nature of existence. There was no distinction of gender in this place, for there was no need for such categories. Everything was part of the same existence, and yet everything was unique. The idea of male or female was a concept that did not exist here, just as the idea of any physical form was absent. In this realm, identity was not defined by form, but by thought, by consciousness itself. And Ætherion's consciousness — the one we follow in this tale — took the shape of a being, for simplicity's sake, that was considered "male." But this form was merely symbolic, a representation for the sake of narrative. For in truth, Ætherion's essence was formless, transcending any concept of gender.
In the beginning, Ætherion was alone. But he was not lonely. He had no need for company, for he was part of the greater whole. And through his awareness, he could perceive the awakening of other thoughts, other consciousnesses, who began to shape the fabric of this reality with him. Each one was connected to him, not in a linear fashion, but in a shared, collective way. They were like threads woven together in a tapestry, each one contributing to the greater whole.
And thus, reality began to take shape.
The laws of this world, like the laws of nature, were formed not through force or conflict, but through persuasion. The power to shape the world came from the ability to make others believe. And as Ætherion learned this truth, he began to craft the world around him. Not with force, but with will. Not with energy, but with belief.
The world was a creation of the collective will, shaped by the thoughts of those who existed within it. And though Ætherion did not yet understand the full extent of his power, he felt its potential — like a spark waiting to ignite a flame.
As Ætherion explored this realm, he came to realize that there was much more to existence than he could yet understand. The laws of this world were not static, but ever-changing, shaped by the collective will of the consciousnesses that inhabited it. And though time did not exist in the way we know it, there was something deeper at play — a force that bound everything together, a force that would one day lead to the creation of all things.
But for now, Ætherion remained in the beginning, at the heart of creation, feeling the pulse of existence, and knowing that his journey had only just begun.
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Note: My native language is not English, so this story has been translated with the help of AI tools to bring it to life for you. Every part of this story, however, has been crafted and created by me.