After departing from Sefirah Castle, Elias did not immediately return to the physical world. His figure emerged instead within the Astral World, where color and symbolism intertwined in endless, overlapping currents.
The Astral World was even more abstract than the Spirit World, as though all the authorities and symbolism in the universe were included inside-every object within.
It was similar to the Cosmos, dark, deep, and vast. But most importantly, it was Chaotic and Insane, like a reflection of the fundamental law of this reality
Unlike the starry skies imagined by mortals, the Astral World resembled a boundless ocean of abstract phenomena. Rivers of crimson light intersected with spirals of deep violet. Golden radiance flickered in distant regions like embers that refused to extinguish, scattering light around unevenly, like trying to illuminate a dark city with a few light bulbs.
Countless symbolic projections drifted past one another; fragments of authority, residual beliefs, shattered myths, and unclaimed concepts, all colliding yet maintaining a precarious balance.
Elias stood suspended amid the turbulence, unaffected by the tides of symbolism brushing past him. His presence did not clash with the surrounding currents; rather, the currents instinctively diverted around him, as though avoiding contact with something fundamentally incompatible.
He lifted his right hand in one motion, his will extended to cover a portion of the world before him. His palm wide open like a surgical tool cutting a piece of cloth.
A portion of the Astral World separated cleanly, not through force, but through refinement. The surrounding concepts were gently displaced, forming a hollow region isolated from the chaotic sea of symbolism.
The boundary did not shimmer or blaze; it withered and darkened creating a boundary of Void, a subtle partition that acted as both barrier and concealment, preventing interference from external forces.
Within that isolated expanse, the astral turbulence faded into quiet abstraction.
Elias regarded the space for a moment before speaking softly, "I have lingered long enough."
His tone carried neither impatience nor urgency.
"Time to begin."
His figure blurred.
As soon as he entered, he was met by a boundless expanse of darkness.
The separated portion lacked the symbolic filled nature of the Astral world, and what remained was an empty husk, yet it maintained its boundless aspect.
Then suddenly his body started shaking uncontrollably, for a second he looked like he was about to burst outward, then the next appeared like collapsing in on himself.
He remained in a circle of repetition between these two states for no longer than a few minutes.
Then he stabilized, and his body slowly separated into 2 new forms.
One half remained intact, retaining his physical outline and complete consciousness. The other half destabilized, dissolving into a formless, shifting mass.
The mass was not stable, it continued to fluctuate with no pattern or form. Colors emerged and vanished without pattern. Fragments of structure formed only to collapse into incoherence.
The substance appeared extremely chaotic, yet it did not expand beyond the isolated boundary.
Elias lifted his left hand.
The chaotic mass responded immediately, compressing inward as though subjected to filtration. The unstable fragments aligned. Incompatible elements were suppressed. Patterns stabilized under his control.
Gradually, structure replaced disorder.
And the chaotic mass exploded outward into order.
Columns formed from condensed stardust rose upward, their surfaces layered with faint constellations. Arches curved overhead, woven from luminous threads resembling nebular filaments. The foundation crystallized into a reflective plane that shimmered with subdued brilliance.
The transformation that followed the initial burst was neither explosive nor hurried. It unfolded with measured precision, until the once-formless substance had assumed the appearance of a vast cathedral constructed from condensed stellar matter.
Light drifted through its interior in the form of fine particles, like dust illuminated by an unseen source. Each particle responded subtly to Elias's presence, gathering and dispersing at the slightest inclination of his will.
He examined the completed structure and gave a small nod.
"You shall be named, the Celestial Spire."
The designation settled into the isolated space as a fixed concept.
He entered without hesitation.
Within, the suspended stardust shifted fluidly under his influence. With a mere thought, it gathered into platforms, sigils, and intricate geometric constructs before dispersing again. The interior was not merely decorative; it functioned as a medium through which he could impose order upon abstract substance.
At the highest point of the cathedral, three lights shone with distinct intensity.
They were not part of the general illumination. Their brilliance was concentrated, stable, and self-contained.
Elias raised his left hand.
The three lights descended slowly.
The first condensed into a translucent orb whose interior contained layered depth, as though space itself had been folded inward.
The second flattened and darkened, forming a black card edged with faint gold radiance. Its surface remained blank, yet subtle fluctuations suggested concealed inscriptions.
The third resisted transformation. It retained its stellar form, radiating steady brilliance without dispersing, yet its luminance kept devouring light around it.
They hovered above his palm briefly, responding to his scrutiny.
Then, one by one, they departed.
The orb vanished first, slipping through the boundary of the isolated region and disappeared into distant astral currents.
The black card followed, its trajectory less direct, weaving through layers of symbolic projection before disappearing.
The star lingered a moment longer before accelerating outward in a straight line, piercing the Astral turbulence without obstruction.
After a few seconds, they all left the Astral world uninterrupted.
Silence returned to the Celestial Spire.
Elias clasped his hands behind his back, observing the restored stillness.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
He remained motionless for a little longer, as if appreciating his work.
Then he turned around and his form vanished completely.
His body reappeared in the physical world, this time completely human.
Baklund, West Borough.
Before he could take a step, he looked around him with an all-encompassing vision for one last time as he had just sensed something unexpected, he scanned the four main layers of reality, witnessing something unusual "How did they grow conscious, and this fast even, it hadn't even been a minute"
He scowled for a second, deep in thought before shrugging "whatever, I'll look into it later, I've played around long enough, and it's starting to take the fun out of it"
He raised his right hand one more time over his head and clenched as if grabbing something invisible, a translucent veil separated from his body, next he grasped it with his left with an annoyed look, as if burdened with a boring routine; and the veil instantly vanished.
And this time he was completely human.
No, for real.
He walked slowly before opening the door to his mansion and stepping inside.
"Let the story begin."