Adrian let out a long exhale as he stared at the holographic projection hovering over his desk. Lines of resource allocations, material intake reports, and logistical routes for the Virelith Galaxy scrolled relentlessly across the interface.
"I honestly thought that tearing down a Lesser Major Sect and relocating an entire civilization would earn me at least a few days of uninterrupted meditation," Adrian grumbled. "I wanted to recover my mind to its peak and just relax. But the moment I recovered my mind, you dragged me here, and I am currently reviewing the supply chain constraints of Graviton-reinforced composites!"
Seated beside him at the curved desk, Hestia did not even look up from her own array of projections.
"You are the Elder of the Crimson Vital Sect and the Leader of the Origin Sect, Adrian," Hestia replied. She swiped a hand across her interface, sending a finalized contract into the archives. "Did you truly think building a shadow empire to rival the universe's cosmic titans was just about swinging a sword and erasing armies? You made the grand plans. Now, you cannot escape the administrative duties required to manifest them into reality."
Adrian offered a wry smile. He knew she was right. The universe ran on logistics just as much as it ran on authority. Before he could formulate a proper retort, the sound of the chamber doors disengaging echoed through the room.
Marivelle stepped across the threshold and approached the desk with respectful steps.
"Pardon the interruption, Elder Adrian, Sect Leader," Marivelle began, bowing her head slightly. "The Elyrians you brought to the sanctuary have awakened. King Elyras, Princess Mariska, and the one they call the Crown Prince have requested an audience. They are waiting outside."
Adrian's posture immediately straightened, the lingering fatigue pushed aside by a spark of interest. The target that the Concepts of Fate and Causality had so aggressively pointed him toward was finally awake.
"Bring them in," Adrian commanded softly.
Marivelle nodded and retreated to the corridor. A few moments later, the doors slid open once more.
Three figures stepped into the administrative chamber. King Elyras walked with a deeply humbled posture. Beside him was Princess Mariska. But Adrian's gaze bypassed them both, locking directly onto the third figure.
The Crown Prince stood between his father and sister.
The moment they reached the center of the room, the Crown Prince stepped forward. Without a single second of hesitation, he dropped firmly to one knee and bowed so deeply that his silver hair brushed the floor of the chamber.
"I am Aelion, Crown Prince of the Elyrian race," he said as he kept his head bowed. "For millions of years my people were hunted, slaughtered, and bled as livestock. You stepped into our nightmare and shattered it."
Aelion slowly raised his head, looking directly into Adrian's eyes. "You gave me back my life, and you gave my civilization back its future. No words could ever be enough, but from the very depths of my soul... I truly thank you, Senior. I will be forever grateful for what you have done."
Adrian looked at the kneeling prince. He could feel the sincerity radiating from Aelion's intent.
"Rise, Aelion," Adrian said gently, "You have endured a torment that few beings in this vast universe could ever survive. You do not need to bow to me. Your time in cages is over."
Aelion slowly stood, taking his place beside his father.
"I promised Mariska that I would secure a future for your people," Adrian continued, "Currently, your micro-dimension is anchored here within the inner-zone of the Azure Garden. But staying within a spatial pocket forever is no way for a civilization to truly live."
Adrian gestured toward the holographic map of the Virelith Galaxy suspended above the table. "Once we have fully stabilized the surrounding sectors, I will move your micro-dimension out of the Azure Garden. I plan to anchor it to an empty, healthy planet within this galaxy, specifically for the Elyrians to use. Your people will finally have real skies, real soil, and a world to call their own."
The moment the words left Adrian's lips, the three Elyrians stood completely paralyzed.
King Elyras's breath hitched, and Aelion's eyes widened. Even Mariska, who had already spoken with Hestia and learned of their kindness, was utterly floored. She had only been hoping that their micro-dimension would be granted a permanent, safe parking spot within the Azure Garden, allowing them to finally stop looking over their shoulders. That alone would have been a miracle.
She had never, in her wildest dreams, imagined that her civilization would be given an entire planet.
It had been millions of years since the Elyrians had felt natural sunlight upon their wings or walked upon the crust of a real world. The Yiphraens had stripped their ancestral planets bare and slaughtered anyone who dared to live outside the hidden micro-dimension. To be handed a world of their own was a gift of such magnitude that it completely broke their logic.
Aelion took a shuddering step forward. Tears welled in his eyes as he pressed his fist over his heart, bowing deeply once more. "Senior... the depth of your generosity is boundless. We—"
"You don't need to keep thanking me, Aelion," Adrian interrupted gently, raising a hand to stop the prince's praise. "If you truly wish to help, and if you wish to repay this debt, then you can join my Origin Sect. Together, we can create a safe place in this universe, not just for the Elyrians, but for other similarly affected civilizations who have been crushed by the cruelty of this universe."
The three Elyrians blinked, standing in stunned silence. Confusion rippled visibly across their faces.
King Elyras exchanged a bewildered glance with Mariska. Mariska frowned slightly, her mind racing. When she had spoken with Hestia in the guest suite, Hestia had stated that she and Aeon were the leaders of the Crimson Vital Sect.
"The Origin Sect?" Mariska murmured respectfully, voicing their collective confusion. "Forgive me, Senior, but... I was under the impression that you were the leaders of the Crimson Vital Sect."
Hestia, who had been sitting quietly beside Adrian, caught the confusion immediately. When she had bonded with Mariska, she had only shared the history of the Crimson Vital Sect, intentionally withholding the deeper, more dangerous plans they had forged for the future.
"You are correct, Mariska. We are the leaders of the Crimson Vital Sect," Hestia explained. "The Crimson Vital Sect is our public face. It is the shield that holds the Andromeda Galaxy and operates within the recognized laws of the universe. But the universe's laws are rigged, designed by the Great Sects to ensure that no one can ever truly rise to challenge them."
"The Origin Sect is something else entirely. It is a phantom organization that we are working to establish. It is the true foundation we are building in the shadows. Its purpose is not merely to survive in this universe, but to rewrite its rules. We will use the Origin Sect to break the economic monopolies of the Great Sects, to provide sanctuary for those the universe discards, and eventually... to possess the strength to stand against the Great Sects itself."
Hearing the ambition in Hestia's words, the Elyrians were left speechless. To build a hidden sect designed to rival the Great Sects? To openly scheme against the UNI-Sect, the very pillar of cosmic civilization? It was an ambition that bordered on madness, yet hearing it from the beings who had erased a Lesser Major Sect's army with a single word made it sound terrifyingly possible.
Aelion stood tall. He looked at Adrian, and then at Hestia.
"If this is the path you walk," Aelion declared, "If you intend to tear down the heavens that allow monsters like the Yiphraens to thrive... then on behalf of the entire Elyrian civilization, we pledge our loyalty to you. We will serve the Origin Sect until the very stars burn out."
King Elyras and Mariska immediately crossed their arms over their chests, bowing in unified agreement.
Adrian smiled warmly. "Please, take a seat," he said, gesturing to the plush chairs arranged near the desk. "There is no need to behave with such strict formality towards us."
The three royals took their seats, the initial tension of the meeting finally bleeding away into a comfortable camaraderie.
For the next few hours, the atmosphere in the administrative chamber remained relaxed. Hestia took the lead, detailing the overarching plans for the Origin Sect. She shared the secrets they were utilizing to build their shadow economy, explaining the miraculous properties of the Origin Ink and the mass production of the Willforce Recovery Artifacts in the hidden Virelith factories.
With every revelation, the Elyrians were left more and more shocked. The realization that Adrian possessed an ink capable of bypassing the universe's law of conceptual compatibility left King Elyras gasping for air, fully understanding why such an organization had to remain buried in the dark.
As the discussion regarding the sect's logistics naturally wound down, Adrian leaned forward, his eyes locking onto Aelion.
"Now that you understand our foundation," Adrian began, shifting the topic to the mystery that had been haunting him, "I want to explain why I actually arrived at the Providence Hub."
The Elyrians leaned in, listening intently.
"I did not travel to the hub looking for your people," Adrian stated honestly. "I came seeking inspiration to forge a unique divine concept for the Origin Sect. To navigate the vastness of the universe, I used the Concepts of Fate and Causality to guide my path. The threads led me to a slaver starship where some Elyrians were imprisoned."
"I followed the ship, which took me to the Providence Hub," Adrian continued, "Once I entered the hub, the threads of Fate recalibrated. They pointed straight into the Inner Continents, specifically toward the central golden spire. When I finally descended into the central plaza, the tether of Fate and Causality was anchored directly to you, Aelion."
As they heard the story, a realization washed over the Elyrians. When Adrian struck down the Yiphraen elders, he literally had no idea that the conceptual threads were pointing toward the Crown Prince in the golden spire. He had risked his life purely because the cruelty he witnessed offended his bottom line.
Their respect and loyalty for Adrian cemented further. But alongside that respect, Aelion's face twisted into an expression of deep confusion.
"Senior..." Aelion began, his brow furrowed as he looked down at his own hands. "I am honored beyond words, but I truly do not understand why fate would lead you to me."
Aelion looked back up, his eyes searching Adrian's face for an answer he simply didn't possess. "I don't possess any ancient artifacts within me. I harbor no secret treasures, forgotten inheritances, or hidden legacies. If I had something of that magnitude... wouldn't I have used it to save my race a millennium ago?"