As Elarion and Rhyzok moved away from Xyloria's chamber, the weight of their mother's impending "explosion" hung heavy in the air. Rhyzok, ever the one to look for a way forward, broke the silence. "How about we go and register you at the Crestfall Arena? You need to start making a name for yourself, Elarion."
Elarion kept his gaze fixed on the path ahead, his shimmering form pulsing with a determined light. "Yeah. I want to prove to Xyloria—to my mother—that I can reach the highest rank. I want her to be proud before... before the end."
Rhyzok drifted alongside him, his voice echoing softly. "That's a noble goal, but you know the ladder isn't easy to climb. You have to claw your way through the Wisps, the Phantoms, the Specters, and then the Harbingers. Only then can you even look at the Origins."
"And what if I'm already at the Specter level?" Elarion countered, a spark of defiance in his voice. "I haven't officially ranked my energy yet. I might surprise everyone."
Rhyzok's form flickered, a gesture of understanding. "Spoken like a true Origin's son. Fine, let's get you ranked at the Rankspire before we even think about the Arena."
***
[The Rankspire]
The Rankspire loomed over the landscape like a jagged needle of bone and shadow. It was a massive, ancient tower constructed from the obsidian scales of primordial demons, its surface shimmering with a faint, malevolent light. To know your rank, you didn't just stand before a crystal; you had to fight.
All four species crowded the gates: the stoic Angels, the shimmering Spiritual Beings, the boisterous Demons, and the hulking Beasts. Elarion and Rhyzok stood at the entrance, their non-physical forms vibrating in the presence of the monolithic structure.
"Stop gawking at the gate and move inside," a sharp voice cut through the air.
Elarion turned toward the sound. A young demon girl was leaning against the stone. She was small, but the aura of Red Energy radiating from her was intense.
"I'm not gawking," Elarion retorted, his voice echoing. "I'm just... admiring the architecture."
The girl smirked, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Sure you are. See you in there, kid." She moved toward the entrance, her physical form passing through the space with a heavy, grounded presence that contrasted with the spiritual youths.
Rhyzok hovered near Elarion as they watched her. "Elarion, that's a demon. You know pretty well she can harm you with her Red Energy if you get too close. We can't exactly 'touch' them without getting burned."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Elarion muttered, drifting through the gates. "I don't care. She seemed... interesting."
Inside, the Rankspire was a chaotic forge of combat. As they moved through the hall, a group of older demons blocked their path. The leader, a massive brute with curved horns, looked down at them with a sneer.
"Look at this," the demon laughed. "Two little Phantoms trying to play with the big boys."
His gang erupted in laughter. Elarion's voice dropped, vibrating with a low, dangerous hum. "What did you just say?"
Elarion's form began to shift, his spiritual energy condensing into physical matter—a rare and dangerous ability that allowed a Spiritual Being to strike the physical world. Before he could act, a second demon chimed in. "You heard us. You're weak. Imagine being born from an Origin and ending up as a bottom-feeder."
"Hey! Stop it!" Rhyzok shouted, his energy flaring in protest.
Suddenly, the demon girl from the gate stepped between the two groups. "Leave, guys. Or you really won't like what happens next."
The third demon mimicked her in a mocking tone. "Leave, guys, or you won't like what happens!"
The laughter was cut short. In a blur of motion, the girl charged her fist with a swirling, abyssal aura—**Dark Energy**. She lunged forward, her punch connecting squarely with the mocking demon's abdomen. The impact sounded like a thunderclap. The demon was launched backward, a streak of shadow as he crashed into the far wall of the tower with such force that the stone cracked.
The room went silent. The girl lowered her head, her voice a chilling whisper. "Do I look like a joke to you?" When she raised her head, her eyes were glowing a predatory, incandescent red.
The lead demon's face went pale. "Come on, let's go!" he hissed. "You'll pay for this, brat!"
As they scrambled away, Elarion looked at the girl. "Thank you. That was... insane."
She shrugged, the Dark Energy dissipating from her hand. "They pick on low-rankers. It's pathetic."
Rhyzok stared at the crater in the wall. "What's going to happen to him?"
"He's probably dead," she said casually. "I used Dark Energy by mistake."
Elarion's form flickered in shock. "But... I thought only the Cursed Lord, who is an Origin, could wield Dark Energy."
The girl offered a small, mysterious smile. "Well, yes. But I am his offspring, so pardon me." She looked at Elarion, her gaze intense. "By the way, I'm **Xyne**."
Elarion inclined his head, his energy stabilizing. "I'm Elarion. And this is Rhyzok."
***
[The Origin's Realm — The Soulseed Garden]
While the youth played at war, the end of an era was beginning in the Soulseed Garden.
This was the sacred ground where an Origin met their doom. It was a place of silent tombs and heavy air, where the greatest beings in existence waited for their non-physical bodies to finally succumb to the pressure of their own power. Every thousand years, an Origin produces more energy than they can contain. No Spiritual Being had ever lived past 500,000 years.
A small, elite crowd had gathered to witness the birth of a new era. The Angel Origin and the Cursed Lord—the Demon Origin—were both present to experience the event.
Xyloria stepped onto her tomb, her form flickering violently as the energy within her began to fracture. The King approached her, his expression a mask of practiced grief. "Xyloria... you will be missed," he said. Then, he turned to the crowd and shouted, "Everyone! A new Origin is about to be born! And better yet, we shall take part of the energy for ourselves to live longer!"
The demons, beasts, and angels rejoiced, their faces filled with greed for the power that was about to be unleashed. Normally, when an Origin explodes, their energy scatters across the planet, feeding everyone. No newborn had ever been able to compress it back.
The King retreated to his emperor's seat, waiting for the birth.
Xyloria looked at the King, her gaze piercing. "The newborn from this explosion... she shall be named **Nova Veyrion**."
Then, Xyloria began to chant. *"The Commandments... I hereby create a very strong Origin capable of universal destruction, and even larger when evolved."*
She closed her eyes, her voice rising in a secret plea. *"My fathers, my ancestors... heed my call! We wanted balance, but we have created something evil, something more powerful than us that ties us down from using our full power. They fear us, so they keep us from evolving. Please, heed my call!"*
The crowd watched in wonder, but the wonder turned to terror as a massive explosion erupted. It was so powerful it seemed to shatter the very crust of the planet. High above, the **Celestial Eyes** appeared, looming large in the void behind Orynx.
The King stood up, sensing something was wrong. The energy wasn't scattering. Every single spark of Xyloria's spiritual essence was being violently pulled back into a single spot.
The Cursed Lord stared at the King, his hand tightening on his weapon. The King shook his head, signaling him not to do anything rash.
From the center of the collapsing light, a small girl emerged, floating aimlessly in the sky. The moment her feet touched the ground, a pulse of absolute authority rippled through the planet. Every being on Orynx felt her presence.
The Angel Origin whispered to the Cursed Lord, his voice trembling. "Did that newborn Origin just summon the Celestial Eyes?"
The girl finally spoke, her voice echoing through the entire planet.
"Hello. My name is Nova. I am your new Spiritual Origin."
To be continued...