Date: Unknown
Location: Unknown
A sigh attempted to ripple through the void, though no breath propelled it. A luminous orb—devoid of a mouth or any human feature—floated within an endless expanse of white, confronting a small, blue sphere that hovered before it.
"What troubles you?" inquired a voice, ethereal and genderless.
"Monotony," lamented the orb as it morphed into a vaguely human silhouette, still composed entirely of light. "Existence here lacks... excitement, Father."
From the formless white, another entity materialized, its outline suggesting masculinity in the most abstract sense. Its brilliance could blind an onlooker, though none would find themselves in this expanse.
"Patience," the entity recognized as Father counseled. "The story of existence unfolds gradually. Do not hasten its threads."
"The omniscience granted to me is a curse! To see the span of eternity—past, present, future—leaves me with no surprises, no joy in discovery," the first being protested, its form flickering with frustration.
"Ah, but remember, you chose this path. With creation comes responsibility. You must nurture what you've brought into existence," Father replied, his tone as impassive as the void around them.
Despite their attempts, emotion eluded their voices, a concept too human and too trivial for beings of their stature.
With a gesture mimicking resignation, the light-being shook its head. "Is there not a way to inject unpredictability into my realm? A variable, perhaps, beyond my sight?"
"Consider this," Father suggested, waving a hand to summon five more orbs. "These anomalies, my so-called 'failures,' were attempts at introducing chaos for vibrancy's sake. But with unpredictability comes potential destruction. Is that a risk you're willing to take?"
"I crave not chaos, but a spark—a being with untethered will, placed among my creations. How would they influence the world? How would the world change them?" the light-being mused.
Father regarded the other with a gaze that pierced the ethereal. "You tread a perilous path. Disturbing the equilibrium of your world is a grave matter."
"Yet, it could be fascinating. A controlled experiment, if you will. I yearn for something beyond the endless cycle of creation and omniscience," the first being argued, its form shimmering with anticipation.
"Very well, proceed as you wish. However, your choice shall be confined to one of my realms—World 231-X-Earth, to be precise. Any other selection would bring about an upheaval too profound for even me to contemplate. Moreover, the individual will be selected at random, one whose thread of life is destined to be cut within the year. Should you deviate from these stipulations, the constraints I've placed upon you will remain unaltered. Comprehend you this condition?" Father delineated, his voice imbued with an immutable firmness.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
The luminous being, now mirroring a human's excitement yet devoid of any physical substance, affirmed with a vigorous nod, a manifestation of their eagerness. "Absolutely, without reservation! When may I embark on this venture?"
"Immediately," Father declared, with a gesture of dismissal toward the previously summoned orbs, which dissipated, supplanted by a new sphere—this one a meld of blue and white, marginally larger and radiating a distinct aura.
Extending a hand, the deity-in-human-guise tenderly seized the newly appeared sphere. With utmost delicacy, it extracted an entity so minuscule, akin to a speck of dust, and approached the blue sphere that had been their focal point.
"You overlook a crucial element. That soul requires a vessel; absent one, it will merge into the fabric of the world, destined for eventual reincarnation. Such is the natural order," Father reminded, his tone layered with wisdom and an implicit warning.
Acknowledging the oversight, the deity glanced back at Father, a query forming. "Might I endow this soul with an ability? The denizens of this world have yet to unlock the arcane, save for the creatures that roam their lands. Yet, for navigation and understanding, knowledge of their tongue is essential, is it not?"
"Conceded," Father acquiesced, with a nuance of reluctance. "But tread lightly. The introduction of magic is a profound alteration to their evolutionary path."
Date: Unknown
Location: Unknown
Were it capable of human expressions, the deity would have sported a satisfied smile. The fabric of destiny had been altered significantly in such a brief span, an unprecedented number of changes stemming from the introduction of a single variable. The paths of those influenced by this anomaly were veering in unforeseen directions, brightening trajectories that once led only to darkness.
The future of the variable remained a mystery, an exhilarating uncertainty. Yet, the deity could glimpse the futures of those influenced by it, like the woman whose life it had unwittingly intertwined with the variable's. She was destined to bear a child, a future the deity could not predict, sparking a thrill of anticipation within its essence.
The thought then struck: what if more variables were introduced? The potential cascading effects of two, three, or even more anomalies were tantalizing to consider.
Turning, it noted Father's absence. The constraints previously lifted had not been reinstated, presenting a fleeting opportunity for further action. World 231-X-Earth, while not directly within its power to summon, had left a trace of Father's energy, a loophole it could exploit to momentarily bring the world back into its reach.
With focused intent, the deity managed to momentarily resurrect the presence of World 231-X-Earth, using the lingering essence of Father's power. It imposed additional criteria to narrow the selection, aiming for a soul that would add another layer of complexity to its experiment.
In a metaphorical blink, it had chosen another soul, integrating it seamlessly into its burgeoning narrative. This soul found a new home not in the ether, but directly within the woman, bypassing the need for a conventional vessel. Her form would provide the necessary cradle for this new life.
As quickly as it appeared, World 231-X-Earth faded from reach. The deity scanned its surroundings; all remained undisturbed by its machinations. Now, it was a matter of observation, waiting to see the unfoldment of events it had set into motion.
Date: Unknown
Location: Unknown
The light-being tapped its feet on the empty void space it stood on. Something was wrong, very wrong. It knew exactly what the problem was, yet, it couldn't fix it.
The denizens of the world it created had no access to the arcane, and the path they would take would lead them to find ways to bend magic to their will. It already foresaw this long ago, but it should take eons before it would occur naturally.
Yet, there was a shift taking place at this very moment that would propel them forward.
The cause was the variable he introduced into the world. Was this what Father was trying to warn it about?