In the infinite stillness before time, there was nothing but the void. Yet, in that vast emptiness, a singularity burned—a point of unimaginable energy, boundless and untamed. From its eruption came creation itself: dimensions rippling outward, cascading into the infinite expanse.
From this singularity, the lifeblood of existence, Aether, spread across the multiverse. Neither tangible nor intangible, it was the source of all things—energy, matter, and even the laws that governed them. And from Aether came the Forces, the cosmic principles that shaped existence. Supreme Forces such as Time, Space, and Chaos emerged first, weaving the very fabric of reality. Beneath them came Grand Forces—Light, Darkness, Sound, and more—carrying their will into the physical and metaphysical worlds. Major and Minor Forces followed, fractals of power reflecting echoes of their origins.
The Forces were infinite in variety yet hierarchical in design. Supreme Forces commanded the multiverse, while Minor Forces remained fragile, whispers of their greater counterparts. Together, they formed the foundation of existence, binding creation into an intricate web of cause and effect.
But creation did not stop with the birth of Forces. From the fertile essence of Aether emerged life. Planets rich in Aether became cradles of growth, where beings evolved, driven to survive, adapt, and ascend. Over eons, these beings learned to harness the Aether that surrounded them, shaping their destinies in alignment with the Forces. They called this process cultivation, a path of endless refinement that turned the weak into legends and the strong into gods.
Yet existence was not peaceful. The multiverse thrived on chaos, conflict, and struggle. For every civilization that rose to greatness, countless others fell into ruin. Survival was a privilege, not a right. To exist was to grow, and to grow was to fight against stagnation. And so, the System was born.
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The day it began, there was no warning.
10,000 people were pulled from their lives, wrenched away by an unseen force. One moment, they were scattered across Earth, each caught in their own mundane reality. The next, they were standing on unfamiliar ground.
Stolen story; please report.
The landscape was alien—a series of floating landmasses, stacked like a staircase into the heavens. The lowest, where the 10,000 had gathered, was vast and sprawling, dotted with trees and open fields. The air was sharp and still, filled with an unnatural clarity that made every sound, every movement feel amplified.
Above them loomed nine more landmasses, each glowing faintly, their surfaces hidden by distance and light. The steps rose higher and higher, as if ascending into infinity. Each level exuded an aura of superiority, a divine quality that seemed to call to those below.
The crowd stood in stunned silence, their confusion palpable. Strangers from every corner of the world, they shared no common thread but their bewilderment. Some whispered questions to those nearest them. Others glanced around, their expressions a mixture of fear and awe.
And then, a voice shattered the silence.
> [Welcome to the Trials of Aether.]
It was cold, mechanical, and absolute, echoing across the landmass as though it spoke from the very air itself.
> [You have been chosen. Your survival will determine the fate of your world.]
The message hung in the air, its weight impossible to ignore. People began to shift uneasily, their fear growing. No one spoke now, their breaths held as if waiting for the voice to continue.
> [Ahead lies a series of challenges designed to test your worth. Through these trials, you will grow stronger, align with the Forces, and unlock the potential of Aether. Succeed, and you may ascend beyond mortal limits. Fail, and your life will end.]
The weight of the words settled heavily upon the crowd. Some began to panic, their voices rising as they demanded answers from no one in particular. Others stood frozen, paralysed by the implications.
Far from the mass of people, an individual sat perched in a tree, their breaths ragged and uneven. How they had ended up there was unclear—even to them. Beneath the tree, a strange wolf-like creature prowled, its eyes glinting with curiosity and mischief. The creature’s size was unnerving, far larger than anything from Earth, its movements deliberate and calculated.
The person in the tree remained still, their gaze flicking downward toward the creature before returning to the sky, where the floating landmasses rose like a stairway to the unknown.
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The Trials had begun, and the first whispers of the multiverse stirred. Above the chaos, beyond the confusion of Earth’s chosen, the Forces waited.
Unseen, the System observed, and existence itself shifted, preparing for what was to come.
For these 10,000 people, the Trials would mark the end of everything they knew. And for a select few among them, it would mark the beginning of something far greater.