Permeus sat alone in his study, his gaze fixed on the collection of light shards arranged carefully on the ornate desk before him. Each shard glimmered with an internal radiance that seemed to pulse with life, casting dancing patterns across his face. He reached out, his fingers hovering just above the largest fragment, feeling the energy it emanated without actually touching it.

  These shards had become quite a refuge to him sometimes. This time it was a welcome distraction from the nightmare that had jolted him awake the previous night and had once again roused him from his slumber earlier today. He was really hoping that his sister Adelia would attend the incoming Origins council meeting this year as she did the previous one. He really needed to confront her about the matter.

  Otherwise, he would most likely have to wait until after the meeting to do it. Most would have met his procrastination with disgust but Adelia’s realm, Adelaide, was quite far away-almost on the opposite side of the world-He could possibly teleport there but good things rarely came out of popping into his sister’s world unannounced.

  He also thought to himself that if he did not pay it any mind and kept himself distracted, his sister would take the hint and realize she had to stop her unfunny prank. He very much hoped as the day went by, his mind would clear, but even now, in the warm light of day, fragments of the nightmare lingered in his mind.

  Permeus had always had a lot of distractions, or at least that is the way most of his siblings saw it, but today he turned to all kinds of them, even his most queer ones, in a desperate attempt at forcing the memory away.

  Better to focus on the mystery before me than dwell on dreams that could mean nothing.

  With that thought, he picked up the largest shard, turning it over in his palm. It felt warm against his skin, almost alive. The aura it emanated was unlike anything else he had encountered in his long existence.

  It felt... older than himself, older than any of the Origins. That was what fascinated him most about these fragments. They hinted at something that possibly came before even then, something that might answer a question that had consumed him for decades.

  Were we truly the first?

  Permeus had never fully believed that the Origins were the original creators, despite what his siblings might claim and his subjects might believe. There had to be something else, someone else who came before.

  He and his siblings had created the world, yes, but who had created them? These shards, with their ancient aura that felt like they had once surpassed even his own power, might hold the answer.

  He remembered the day he first learned of their existence fifteen years ago. Dephenus had mentioned them in passing during one of their discussions about creation when he came for the annual meeting.

  Permeus had thought little of it, but the idea had planted itself in his mind, growing steadily until he could think of little else.

  Then, five years later, as a wedding gift when he married Imara, Dephenus’ daughter, the shards had finally come into his possession. Well, a few of them, but Permeus did not mind that. He was well aware of how cautious his brother Dephenus was.

  If people labeled Permeus as the irresponsible one, they knew Dephenus as the suspicious one.

  All the Origin realms had standing armies-well all the ones that had only one reigning species but Dephenus was the only one whose realm seemed highly drilled for an actual war. Permeus had never understood why, though.

  Did Dephenus distrust his siblings so much as to expect them to come marching on his realm one day?

  Possibly

  Permeus didn’t care too much about it though and smiled at the memory, regardless. The arrangement had been more complicated than most realized or Permeus would like to admit. Permeus had genuinely grown to love Imara, even though she was not his first choice among the daughters of the Origin.

  And the shards — the shards had been the key that unlocked a door to possibilities he had only dreamed of before.

  He set the fragment back down among its fellows, arranging them carefully. Each one exuded power, but together, they resonated with one another, creating harmonies of energy that tantalized him with their secrets. He was so deeply absorbed in their awe that by the time he heard the door to his study open ever so quietly; she stood in the doorway, watching him with an expression that mingled affection with exasperation.

  “Again with those shards?” She asked, stepping into the room.

  She arranged her long, dark black hair elegantly atop her head, which contrasted with her pale white skin and light green eyes. Even in simple blue attire, she carried herself with regal grace befitting her status.

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  Permeus smiled at her, though he did not move away from the desk like her tone seemed to imply.

  “They hold secrets, my love.”

  “Secrets you feel you are meant to uncover?”

  “Exactly,”

  Imara approached, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

  “What makes these fragments so captivating that they occupy so much of your time?”

  “Their aura,” Permeus explained, gesturing to the shards. “Can you feel it? It’s ancient — more ancient than my own, or any Origin I know. It’s as if they carry the echo of something that existed before us.”

  She studied the shards with skeptical eyes. She had heard the same explanation about ten thousand times by now, which was kind of funny to think about since Permeus could not imagine they had been married ten thousand days. He could admittedly see her trying to hide her revulsion of the things but did not pay it much attention, believing his focus on them was righteous.

  “I know what you are going to say, Permeus,” Imara said with such exhaustion.

  “And you believe they could answer your questions about where you and your siblings came from?” She added.

  “I believe they could provide illumination on the subject,” Permeus said.

  Imara genuinely looked like she was sick of the topic and about to run out of the room if he continued praising the damn things, but Permeus carried on nonetheless; this was his passion after all

  “Don’t you ever wonder? Doesn’t curiosity ever dance through your mind? I and the other Origins created this world, shaped it with our own hands. But who shaped us? Who gave us the power to create in the first place?”

  His wife sighed, moving to stand by the window. Sunlight streamed through, illuminating the dust motes that danced in the air between them.

  “These shards,” she began, her voice softening,

  “They always seem to take up your time. More time than you dedicate to anything else.”

  Permeus frowned, hearing the underlying accusation in her words.

  “You’re over reacting Ima .They don’t always take up my time.”

  “Don’t they?” Imara turned to face him fully now, her expression hardening slightly.

  “You barely make time for me and the children, Permeus. And as for ruling your realm...” She shook her head. “Do you even remember the last time you addressed an issue in Titania without Germaine handling it first?”

  “I always weave time into my days for you and our daughters,” Permeus insisted, rising from his seat.

  “Just the other day, we all went to the harvest together,” he said, further defending himself

  “Do you remember why?” Imara asked

  “Because the children made me promise,” Permeus simply answered

  “Do you remember why they made you promise that?” Imara asked once more, sensing he wasn’t getting the point.

  “Because our children are little monsters?” Permeus asked.

  “No Permeus,” Imara answered, crossing her arms

  “You’re right; those are my siblings,” he admitted, “Ours are more delightful. Not by much but they are”

  “Really?” she asked with a slight smile on her face

  “No, the children made you promise to take them because they felt like you were not spending enough time with them and even after our very short appearance, you immediately returned here to simply investigate your shards,” Imara said deciding to just tell him the point she was trying to make

  “True,” Permeus admitted guiltily

  “You haven’t even told me your defense for neglecting the Kingdom,” Imara added

  “I will ensure to you that I will make more time for my children,” Permeus promised.

  “And as for the Kingdom, I have Germaine to manage the day-to-day affairs. He was created for that purpose. It is his job to outline things such as the Harvest, defenses and meeting preparation. He was crafted to be the wisest, most powerful and most capable of all titans for a reason.”

  “And yet the other Origins believe we should govern our realm directly,” Imara countered.

  “Since when do you care about what other Origins perspectives?”

  “Permeus, it is not wrong to believe it is your responsibility as a creator to guide and protect what you have made.”

  Permeus waved a dismissive hand.

  “The world needed Origins to create it, yes. But must we micromanage it for all eternity? Titania runs smoothly under Germaine’s care. The titans are capable of governing themselves, with minimal intervention from me. I already birthed them and the soil for which the walk on, Must I oversaturate them with my presence by attending to the most menial of tasks.”

  “That’s not what I meant,” Imara said, her voice quiet but firm.

  “This isn’t about Titania or the titans, not really. It’s about us, our family. I need you to be here, not just physically present while your mind wanders through cosmic mysteries you conjured up.”

  “Excuse me?” Permeus asked

  “Your daughters need their father, I need my husband, and your people need their king.”

  Her words struck Permeus with unexpected force. He crossed the room to stand before her, taking her hands in his.

  “Do you truly believe I am too self-involved to show love for my family and people, Ima?” he asked, genuine concern in his voice.

  Imara met his gaze, and for a moment, something vulnerable flashed in her eyes. But before she could respond, a knock at the door.

  “My Queen,” called a voice, “Lady Greta is here to see you.”

  Imara’s expression shifted the moment broken. She leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to Permeus’ lips.

  “We’ll talk later,” she promised, then slipped from his grasp and moved toward the door. At the threshold, she paused, looking back at him with a mixture of love and sadness.

  “Just... think about what I said, Permeus. The greatest mystery in all creation won’t mean much if you lose what’s right in front of you.”

  With that, she was gone, leaving Permeus alone with his thoughts and the softly glowing shards.

  He returned to his desk, his movements slower now, weighed down by Imara’s words. He picked up one of the smaller fragments, turning it over in his hand as he contemplated their conversation.

  Was she right?

  Had his obsession with these shards, with the question of the Origins’ origin, consumed too much of him?

  Permeus glanced at the detailed notes spread across his desk. Years of research, observations, and experiments, all centered on these mysterious fragments.

  The most significant discovery thus far had been almost an accident. When overloaded with energy, the shards burned with a white flame of incredible heat, surpassing even his own immortal flame. The titans could generate fire, of course, a gift from Permeus himself, but nothing as potent as the white flame of the shards.

  That discovery had only deepened the mystery. Why would fragments that seemed to predate the Origins possess such power exist? Before breaking, what were they truly a part of? What significance did they even have? Little did Permeus know that in the coming days, he would see these questions answered, though he probably would not like how most of them were.