Kael stared at the glowing sigil for hours.
The world around him pulsed softly, patient, waiting.
Echo sat nearby, cross-legged on the grass. "You don't have to rush."
Kael stood. "It's not just about power anymore. It's about truth."
He reached out—and touched the sigil.
[Initiating Origin Class Definition Protocol…]
[Parameters: Memory | Choice | Rebellion | Resurrection]
The system that appeared was no longer cold or synthetic. It spoke in a familiar voice—his own.
"What kind of god do you want to become, Kael?"
Images flooded his mind:
—Himself as a child.
—Fighting the Echoform.
—Facing the Tribunal.
—Choosing to spare Echo.
—Choosing to fight for freedom, not control.
Then the words appeared, carved into the sky itself:
[Origin Class: Resonant Architect]
[You build not with systems… but with soul.]
Kael's body surged. He felt everything.
Every past version of himself collapsed into one. Every choice made him stronger.
And far off in the void, something watched again.
But this time—it blinked.
Almost like it was afraid.