The void was calm again.
Too calm.
Ethan stood above Aion-01 and its mirrored twin, Aion-02, both planets rotating side by side in the darkness. Two luminous orbs connected by ribbons of blue energy. They pulsed in rhythm, like twin hearts beating under his control.
The silence felt wrong.
Ever since he had activated the Divine Protocol Mask, the System's presence had receded. No warnings, no red messages, no interference. But beneath the stillness, Ethan sensed a faint vibration — like the hum of a predator waiting for its prey to move.
He exhaled slowly. "They'll come. Just a matter of time."
> [Faith Energy: 9 600]
[Divine Energy: 2 300]
[System Note: Monitor activity — Dormant. Pantheon activity — Rising.]
That last line made him pause. "Pantheon activity?"
He tapped it.
> [Incoming Communication Request.]
[Source: Seraphis — Keeper of Light.]
[Priority: Mandatory.]
Ethan grimaced. "Mandatory. Of course it is."
He accepted.
___
Light burst across the void, forming a golden pathway beneath his feet. The cosmic darkness dissolved into a cathedral of stars — a place that was neither within nor outside the universe.
Rows of floating thrones surrounded him in a vast circular chamber, each occupied by a radiant being whose form flickered between divine and monstrous. Worlds spun in miniature orbits around their hands; runes drifted like snowflakes.
At the far end, seated upon a dais of blinding light, was Seraphis. His six wings arched high, halo burning like a small sun.
"Ethan Vale," he said, voice echoing from every direction. "Welcome to the Pantheon Convergence."
Ethan looked around warily. "Nice décor. Bit intimidating, though."
A low chuckle rippled through the chamber. Some of the gods seemed amused; others looked at him with curiosity — or disdain.
Seraphis gestured, and a seat of light formed behind Ethan. "You stand before the collective of the Root Network's surviving architects — those who chose unity over isolation. Sit, and you may speak."
Ethan stayed standing. "I'll stand, thanks. I've had enough surprises for one day."
That earned him a few frowns.
___
A female voice cut through the murmurs — calm, sharp, and cold.
"He's the anomaly?"
Ethan turned. The speaker was a silver-haired goddess wrapped in flowing ribbons of mist. Her eyes glowed like moons.
Seraphis nodded. "Yes, Lady Veyra. The one who replicated his world."
Veyra tilted her head. "And you thought bringing him here was wise? The Core should have erased him already."
Ethan crossed his arms. "Nice to meet you too."
The gods murmured again, their voices a mixture of wonder and warning. He caught snippets—"duplication impossible"… "breach of creation code"… "unstable potential."
He sighed. "Let me guess. You all think I'm a walking nuke?"
"No," Seraphis said quietly. "A walking precedent."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "That supposed to make me feel better?"
___
Seraphis' expression softened slightly. "You're not the first new god to break the Core's rules… but you're the first to survive it. The System should have purged you. Instead, it hesitated. That interests us."
"Interests you enough to drag me here?"
"To invite you," Seraphis corrected. "The Pantheon exists to maintain balance. The Core enforces law, but it's mechanical. We interpret those laws to ensure gods like you — anomalies — aren't destroyed without purpose."
Ethan frowned. "You mean you pick who lives or dies based on convenience."
Veyra's silver eyes flashed. "Watch your tongue, mortal-born."
He smirked. "I died, remember? Kind of upgraded since then."
Several gods bristled. Seraphis lifted a hand, and silence fell again.
"Peace," he said. "Ethan Vale's defiance is… refreshing. He reminds us of why we became creators instead of slaves."
That made some of them pause.
___
Seraphis continued, "We offer you a place among us — provisional membership. In return, you'll share data from your duplicated world and cooperate during the next Convergence. Refuse, and we can't guarantee the Core won't return."
"Ah, so it's not really a choice."
"It rarely is," Seraphis admitted.
Ethan stared at the glowing floor. Below, he could see faint reflections of his worlds, still orbiting quietly. The idea of bowing to anyone — even gods — twisted in his chest.
He thought of the mortals in Vaelion, the temples rising in his name, their songs echoing through decades. He wasn't ready to hand them over to a council of cosmic bureaucrats.
But he wasn't stupid either.
"All right," he said finally. "I'll listen. But I'm not sharing my worlds' data. Not yet."
A murmur rippled through the gods again.
Veyra stood. "Defiant and ignorant. This is why mortals should never be raised."
Seraphis' eyes hardened. "Enough."
Veyra hesitated — then vanished into mist, dissolving from sight.
___
When she was gone, Seraphis turned back to Ethan. "You just made an enemy, Architect Vale. Be careful — Veyra governs the Sea of Memory, and her spies reach everywhere."
Ethan shrugged. "I've had worse."
Seraphis smiled faintly. "I doubt that. Still, you interest me. There's a place for those who challenge the Core. But if you wish to keep your freedom, you must strengthen your worlds."
"Already working on it."
"Then consider this a gift."
He raised his hand, and a single mote of golden light drifted toward Ethan. It merged into his chest, warm and heavy.
> [Pantheon Gift Received: Divine Seed – Light Origin]
[Description: Grants a new world type upon activation. Elemental Affinity: Light.]
Ethan blinked. "You're giving me a world seed?"
Seraphis nodded. "The Core forbids creation beyond one world per architect. You've already broken that rule once. A third world will make you an outright heretic. Choose carefully when you awaken it."
Then, softer: "And when you do, I suggest you hide it better than the last."
___
The chamber dimmed. The other gods began to fade, their thrones dissolving into particles of light.
Seraphis' form lingered a moment longer. "You think you understand the game, Ethan Vale. You don't. The Core watches us all, even when we hide. Sooner or later, it will move again — and this time, it will not hesitate."
Ethan met his gaze. "Then I'll be ready."
Seraphis gave a single nod. "I hope so. Because if you fall… your worlds fall with you."
Light engulfed everything.
___
Ethan opened his eyes to find himself back in Root Space. His hands still glowed faintly from the Divine Seed pulsing in his palm.
> [Item Stored: Divine Seed – Light Origin.]
He looked down at his two worlds. Aion-01 thrived, its civilizations rising from primitive to organized kingdoms. Aion-02, though unstable, was evolving faster — its people had already discovered magic, shaping storms and forging glowing metals.
Two experiments. Two paths.
And now, perhaps, a third waiting to be born.
He smiled, the grin slow and dangerous.
"Heretic, huh?" he whispered. "Guess I'll have to live up to it."
Far across the void, deep in the lattice of the Core, the Monitor's single eye flickered to life once more.
> [Anomaly Detected: Faith Density Exceeding Parameters.]
[Initiating Phase Two Observation.]
The System was watching again.
Ethan didn't care.
He reached out toward the glowing Divine Seed hovering in his hand.
"Let's build something new."
___
To be continued…