Blessing

Emilio had finally found peace within the massive pyramid, where he existed without interfering with the outside world. Only a gluttonous creature beneath the pyramid and a devoted believer could see him.

He no longer felt trapped in an abyss and stopped worrying about existential questions, he cannot figure it out for now so he instead had an anticipation for any changes or development in the future that might help him answer his questions.

As the years passed, the Valerusians constructed a city around the Pyramid. Their population grew from a hundred to thousands. They resembled humans in their society and structure, possessing dexterity to craft tools and wisdom to learn from Valrick's teachings. But they can't see him or hear him unlike Valrick.

Valrick alone was allowed to ascend the pyramid, and anyone daring to trespass would meet a certain tentacle's deadly fate. Emilio didn't want any trespassers to disturb his peace.

Valrick never questioned Emilio's will; instead, he faithfully served him. On the interior walls of the pyramid, he skillfully carved a cityscape inspired by Emilio's memories, depicting bustling people, flying metal boxes, and towering structures of an advanced civilization long past.

Emilio's laughter brought Valrick immense joy, as he believed it signified God's pleasure. He often expressed this happiness through joyful dancing.

One day, during a trip, Valrick caught a human-sized shrimp in the lake. Emilio couldn't help but chuckle, knowing that Valentina disliked shrimps. But before Valrick could even react, Lala's tentacle snatched the shrimp and devoured it. Valrick took it as another sign of God's amusement and celebrated with a dance and song to praise God.

Valrick's relentless efforts to please Emilio strengthened their bond. The presence of Valrick brought comfort to Emilio, as he was reminded of Valentina's face and her eccentric, yet resolute nature.

However, as days turned into weeks, Valrick's attempts to ascend the pyramid slowly stopped. Emilio, unworried, returned to slumber. Yet, when another month passed, Emilio decided to use his consciousness to connect with Valrick's mind.

Through this connection, Emilio experienced the grandeur of a vast city from Valrick's viewpoint. thousands of people revered Valrick as a king, and the city bore a unique blend of modern and primitive elements that constituted the Valerusian culture. You can see the influence of European medieval fantasy.

Valrick addressed the gathered crowd in a plaza, apologizing for being unable to solve the food crisis that had caused many deaths. He pledged to ascend to the Palace of God not just to offer sacrifices but also to seek help from the Eternal God, proclaiming "Elion!"

Applause filled the air as the crowd chanted "Elion is great," but their devotion quickly shifted to "Valrick," displaying their loyalty and admiration for the Son of God.

Emilio severed the connection, patiently awaiting Valrick's ascent.

After the Pyramid's construction, Valrick stopped relying on his connection with Lala to assist his civilization. Instead, he emphasized on self-reliance, drawing from Mankind's history as revealed through Emilio's memories.

Valrick recalled the dialogue he witnessed in Emilio's dream, "Why should God serve you?" He believed that free will was the greatest gift bestowed upon them, and they should strive to prosper independently.

However, the pleas of his people for him to seek god's aid weighed heavily on Valrick's heart. His unwavering commitment to serve his people led him to the pyramid's stairs, knowing that the next ascent would be to seek help from Emilion.

With a small and precious fish, reminiscent of an eel he had seen in Emilio's memory, Valrick intended to offer it as a gift to please Emilio and seek help from the Eternal Star.

Entering Emilio's room, he saw the ever-bright star of the universe. His presence overwhelmed him. Emilio's figure is nothing more but a floating light, perhaps a star. Yet you can feel from this light the vicissitudes of time, the heaviness of the realm incomprehensible to mortal minds.

That's why Valrick thought Emilio was the Creator of this universe, when in reality, Emilio is just a being stuck in another universe, trapped in an endless void and he is just seeing this universe from the cracks of time and space through his anchors.

A quote from Emilio's memories resonated with Valrick: "God said, Let there be Light." Then God brought light to this dark universe,

Valrick habitually kneeled and said with a firm and strong voice, seeking guidance and humbly requesting aid to the Eternal Star.

"Elion, eternal star, glorious light of the Universe, and the warm darkness of the cosmos, listen to my humble prayer. Guide me so I might show the world your greatness. I plead this of you as your humble servant, o almighty God. Sustain me with your eternal light."

With utmost reverence, Valrick placed his humble gift before Emilio.

Glancing down, he noticed the floor's pattern, resembling the 4-pointed star, symbolizing the Eternal Star.

Aware of his own insignificance compared to Emilio, Valrick thought that in this world or universe, nothing can affect him. He couldn't judge or fathom Emilio's thoughts, recognizing that understanding God by mortal standards was futile.

Emilio smiled and used a tentacle of Lala to reveal a fish to Valrick.

A black fish and its skin glittered with white grains of light. Like the starry night.

Emilio gently enlightened Valrick about the fish's suitability as a food staple for his people—

"Its adaptability, ease of breeding, and low dependence on resources, you can feed it with weeds or algae. This can help your people, although I don't know what it tastes like but it is edible."

Emilio tested this food with other animals nearby, forcing them to eat with the help of Lala's tentacles.

Emilio provided Valrick with a dozen of these unique starry fish, which would soon become the ancestors of many future species on Earth.

The faith in Valrick's heart swelled, as did his determination to dedicate everything for Emilio. "God doesn't need us, but we need him," he realized.

With gratitude and hope for his people, Valrick gracefully accepted the beautiful starry fish—the precious gift.

"O Eternal Lord, our people offer their deepest gratitude and devotion," Valrick humbly expressed.

Emilio shook his head, understanding how meaningful this was to Valrick. While he didn't require worship, he couldn't deny Valrick his joy and purpose. For Emilio, Valrick and Lala were his only anchors in this world; everything or everyone else doesn't matter, they are just strangers to him.

In the dimming light, the enigmatic figure beckoned Valrick closer, revealing nine extraordinary creatures that would become allies for Valrick.

A resplendent bird with crimson feathers graced the skies, gifted with the ability to soothe hearts with its enchanting song and inspire courage in times of despair.

A massive fox, shimmering like moonlit waters, possessed the power of illusions, protecting allies with its dream-weaving abilities.

A colossal turtle emanated ancient strength, offering indomitable patience to bestow tranquil resilience upon their civilization.

A lizard with serpentine necks and dual heads wielded both ice and fire as potent elemental weapons of defense.

A magnificent lion, with a golden mane exuding regal authority, was wise and adept at guiding their people through leadership challenges.

A mysterious black squid, with crimson eyes and numerous tentacles, communicates telepathically with all living beings, fostering harmony among diverse species.

A white spider, capable of producing a miracle silk with versatile use, and weaving the web of connection to control and bring balance among the land.

A colossal shark, dominating the seas, possessed the rare gift of empathy, understanding the emotions of aquatic life and maintaining harmony in the oceans.

Lastly, a proud stag with antlers reaching for the heavens imparted the gift of foresight, guiding their civilization through uncertainty and revealing opportunities beyond the horizon.

In a moment of profound revelation, Emilio bestowed his divine wisdom upon Valrick, speaking of the unique creatures that would be his constant companions on his journey. "These creatures, with their extraordinary abilities, shall walk beside you, their destinies intertwined with yours. Embrace their strengths, learn from them, and together, you shall triumph against the adversities of this harsh world," Emilio said to Valrick, his eyes filled with a knowing gaze.

Overwhelmed with joy at the realization of God's favor, Valrick humbly knelt before Emilio, feeling the weight of this immense responsibility now placed upon his shoulders.

""Elion, eternal star, glorious light of the universe, and the warm darkness of the cosmos, listen to my humble oath. See me as I will show the world your greatness. I pledge this to you as your humble servant, o almighty God. Sustain me with your eternal light."

Valrick shouted, echoing through the entire pyramid and into the entire city outside. Making everyone look up.

With a graceful gesture, Emilio imprinted a complex seal upon Valrick's palm, its intricate pattern capable of commanding all the creatures. As the seal took hold, Valrick felt an instant connection with each extraordinary being, understanding their personalities on a profound and personal level.

"The Mark will allow you to control and command these creatures. Use them wisely, Valrick," Emilio advised.

As a token of his trust and belief in Valrick's potential, Emilio created the starry fish and the nine magnificent creatures, though even he did not fully comprehend the reason behind his actions at that very moment. However, Emilio knew that the answers would eventually reveal themselves along the path that lay ahead.

Filled with a sense of gratitude and newfound purpose, Valrick bowed deeply to Emilio before departing from the Pyramid, carrying his God's blessing and the incredible gifts bestowed upon him. Both the two of them knew shall rarely meet for Valrick carries now a heavy responsibility he must do.

Meanwhile, Emilio's eyes caught sight of a small, inconspicuous eel in the ground. Commanding Lala's tentacle to gently carry it to him, he added it to the collection of gifts from Valrick. Unbeknownst to Emilio, in the depths of his heart, he began to see Valrick as a cherished child, a bond that transcended mere divinity.

With the threads of fate intricately woven, Emilio and Valrick's destinies had become forever connected.