Tens of thousands.
That number should not feel small, but in the vision, it hadn’t felt like a number at all.
It had felt like an ocean. A storm of hearts breaking at once, singing one last song of flames into her.
Sigrid.
The sea of Living Origin Authority churned around her as tens of thousands of Living White Origins fell into themselves, their beginnings unraveling like silk, burning as white fire. Sacrifices turned into tributaries flowing into one vessel.
Her.
In the distance of that day, beyond the veil of tears and purpose, other Lineages of Living Origins watched.
They had not stepped forward. They had not interfered.
They simply bore witness.
Only a few Prime Living Origins and those of Honored rank or above from other Lineages were permitted to know. The moment was far too grave for the rest. It could not spread. It was not meant to spread.
But among those watchers... were eyes.
Eyes glowing with the hue of regal purple and gold.
The Living Royal Origins.
The architects behind it all.
They watched in silence as something ancient and terrifying was born again.
A pulse.
A whisper.
Living! Order!
—
The vision bled away like a receding tide, retreating into the corners of Noah’s mind as his senses returned to the present.
The white-gold dome was quiet.
And across from him, Sigrid watched.
Her eyes shimmered, but not with power. With sorrow.
"I despise them," she whispered, "all those who came up with the idea. The Royal Origins most of all." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚
Her voice was firm, but it cracked at the edges.
"But in the end... my entire lineage chose to do it. None of them were forced. Right?"
Noah didn’t answer right away.
He studied her quietly. The way her hands trembled even while she floated perfectly still. The way her voice held conviction, and yet, behind her eyes, there was only ache.
She was dangerous. A living bundle of existential purpose forged in agony. But in that moment, she looked so small. So... human.
Noah’s voice came calmly, its tone laced with an unexpected warmth.
"Little Bundle," he said, "come here."
...!
She froze.
The name hit her like the echo of a thunderclap. Her gaze wavered. Her body jolted as if struck.
Those words...
She hadn’t heard them in eons.
"Little Bundle..."
The voice of her father, full of warmth and love.
Back then, it had meant safety. Back then, it had meant family.
She floated forward slowly, her arms wrapping around Noah in a quiet, reverent motion.
He let her in.
She buried her face into his chest as her trembling fingers grasped onto the moment like it was the last one left.
Behind her closed eyelids bloomed the memory of her father’s smile.
Of her twin sister’s trembling lips.
Of the look that said, "I’m sorry," without words.
Sigrid remembered it all.
And when she pulled away from Noah, her eyes were different.
Harder.
She looked him in the eye.
"There’s still time," she said. "You can still walk away. Whatever you are... whatever it is that let you awaken me... you don’t have to stay entangled. What’s ahead... it’s not something small. It’s not something kind. And you won’t be able to leave once you go deeper."
Noah raised a brow, almost amused.
Then he reached out and brushed a hand over her head with a deliberate gentleness.
"I’m staying," he said.
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