Missy continued to work on prepping the dishes with the occasional correction from Arc, her movements becoming more precise with each attempt. Her dedication to learning proper knife technique and measuring ingredients exactly was both endearing and slightly concerning to Arc, who had never seen someone so methodically approach cooking before.

  Missy finished cutting up the ingredients, and Arc was talking her through cooking and combining them when Jezel burst in through the front door. She appeared to have been running, her designer clothes wrinkled and her carefully styled hair windswept and messy. Jezel narrowed her eyes, looking at them. They were standing close together as Arc had stepped in to correct her technique.

  Jezel pointed a finger at her brother. "Step away from the girl."

  Arc just smirked and rolled his eyes as he turned back to the pan, adjusting the heat with practiced efficiency. "If you're going to be a distraction, you can go somewhere else." Arc's voice carried a mix of amusement and exasperation at his sister's dramatic entrance.

  Jezel pouted dramatically as she made her way over to them, her heels clicking against the floor. Missy smiled at Jezel's antics, finding comfort in the siblings' familiar dynamic. She could tell that Jezel's behavior wasn't meant to be taken seriously, just another performance in their ongoing routine.

  Jezel struggled to maintain her pout as a smile kept trying to creep onto her face, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Their eyes met, and Jezel winked at her, causing a warm flutter in Missy's chest.

  Arc cleared his throat to get Missy's attention, the sound pulling her back to the task at hand. She turned from Jezel, looking back at Arc, who raised his eyebrow at her, spatula held expectantly.

  "Do I have your full attention?"

  Missy felt slightly sheepish as she nodded, refocusing on the lesson. They continued the cooking instruction, with Jezel jumping in after changing into more comfortable clothes and cleaning up. Arc and Jezel bickered and bantered back and forth, their sibling rivalry on full display. Missy was sure she would have been able to learn more if Jezel hadn't jumped in with her commentary and playful interruptions. But simply having her around made Missy feel like the world was more vibrant and beautiful, each moment tinged with an extra spark of joy.

  They somehow managed to finish the cooking lesson without any major mishaps and sat down to eat, the kitchen filled with warmth and laughter. Eventually, it was time for Missy to leave. She wished them a good night and headed out into the night, the cool air refreshing against her skin, feeling lighter and more at peace than she had ever experienced in her existence.

  As she walked along the city streets, she kept her eyes on the rooftops, scanning the shadows, wondering if she would spot that same mysterious figure from before. As she made her way back to Aspen's shop, she almost ran into someone as her eyes were fixed upward. She barely noticed them out of the corner of her eye as she was inches from crashing into them, their presence somehow escaping her usually infallible awareness.

  She came to a sudden halt, jerking her gaze down from the rooftops to the figure standing in front of her. She was surprised that anyone could get so close without her sensing them—her cosmic nature usually allowed her to feel the approach of any being. That surprise turned to caution as she took in the tapestry of the night sky contained within the cloak of the very person she had been looking for, stars and nebulae swirling in the fabric.

  Missy felt a subtle shift as the world around her went from city street to that of a rooftop, the transition smooth but undeniable.

  "Hello, little one."

  As the figure spoke, they pulled their hood down, revealing their face. They were a human male with shoulder-length brown hair and a neatly trimmed goatee. Their eyes were the color of obsidian with a faint green glow at their heart, ancient wisdom evident in their depths.

  He smiled warmly as he made a slight gesture, and two comfortable chairs appeared facing each other, materializing from starlight. He made his way over to the chair and sat down with fluid grace. Missy moved to take the seat across from him, her curiosity overwhelming her apprehension.

  "It is a pleasure to meet you, child of the stars. I am Sed. What is your name?"

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  Missy was confused by the whole turn of events but decided to play along while maintaining her guard.

  "My name is Missy. Why did you call me little one?"

  Sed chuckled slightly. "I apologize. I meant no offense. From my perspective, you are incredibly young, little more than a newborn. Tell me, Missy, what do you know of your origins and place in the universe?"

  Missy shook her head, feeling suddenly small despite her vast power.

  "I don't really know anything," she replied with uncertainty.

  "I thought as much. Well then, I shall give you a short lesson about the universe. Most of the universe's inhabitants are unaware of the greater cosmic order, only knowing the mythos of their own world. The hierarchy of power in the universe is structured as follows:"

  The twin Avatars – The two supreme beings who enact the will of the Creator, who resides in another universe. The Avatars are the pinnacle of power, yet their existence is largely unknown.

  The Leviathans – Cosmic entities responsible for maintaining order at a galactic level, managing celestial phenomena like black holes, dead stars, and the recycling of matter.

  The Order of Knights – Established by the Avatars to maintain planetary order. These knights are chosen from the lower races based on strict criteria and must accept an invitation to join.

  The Eldritch – The byproducts of the Leviathans. Unable to reproduce, Leviathans occasionally create an embryo when recycling matter, which gives birth to the Eldritch. There are two types of Eldritch:

  The Stellati: The direct byproducts of the Leviathans, cosmic entities of tremendous power capable of casually destroying solar systems.

  Aelf: Creations or spawns of the Stellati. Aelfs vary greatly in power, some mightier than gods, others weaker than mortals.

  The Gods – Stewards of individual planets, governing and maintaining balance.

  The Immortal Races – Beings such as angels and demons, existing beneath the Gods but above mortals.

  The Mortal Races – The lowest in the cosmic hierarchy, encompassing all ordinary sentient species.

  This world has Gods, Immortals and Mortals living in a semblance of harmony. But they are unaware of the greater forces at work throughout the universe. Now we get to you and your place in this hierarchy. You little one are a Stellati." His eyes fixed on her with intensity. "Do you have any questions?" Missy digested the information, carefully considering Sed's words. She had no idea if what he was saying was true, her entire life limited to floating through space, crashing into this planet, and being sealed away. Despite that uncertainty, something deep in her gut was telling her that his words rang true. "What are you and why are you telling me this?"

  Sed relaxed back into his seat, his posture becoming more casual. "I am a member of the Order of Knights, which also plays into why I'm here giving you this little lesson. Maintaining order is part of my job, and you are still young and impressionable. There are many among that would love to get their hands on you. The most dangerous of these is the Ink-Stained Maw. They are practically a living black hole that wishes to see the entire universe consumed or destroyed. If they get the chance, they would attempt to persuade you to join them. Their influence has already reached this world. There are inhabitants of this world that already worship them in secret."

  Missy tilted her head in confusion, her curiosity evident. "If you consider it a threat, why haven't you dealt with it? Or is it too powerful?"

  Sed's face was thoughtful as he considered her questions, his fingers drumming lightly on the armrest. "No, we could easily deal with it directly, however it is very crafty and skirts the edges of our rules. If it was simply traveling world to world consuming them, we would already have dealt with it. Instead, it offers power to mortals, feeding into their anger and hate until they wish to see their world consumed, and they call it here themselves. If the inhabitants of the world are the ones inviting their own destruction, there isn't much we can do under our current mandate."

  Missy didn't understand why anyone would want to destroy their world, and she couldn't fathom how the Ink-Stained Maw could possibly convince her to join it. When she voiced these thoughts, Sed gave her a sad smile in return, his eyes carrying the weight of ancient wisdom.

  "You would be surprised - there are many that just want to watch the world burn, whether out of spite, revenge, or simple madness. As for convincing you..." He paused meaningfully. "You and the Maw have a few things in common. The Maw once found itself on a world like this and fell in love with the world and its inhabitants. Unfortunately, all things come to an end. It was driven mad with grief and now seeks to fill the void left behind, consuming everything in its path. I am sorry, but whether you like it or not, your very nature makes you a major player in the wider universe. It won't be long before they come knocking at your door. It is only due to you being completely sealed that you have gone unnoticed this long." Sed's voice carried a weight of finality that sent a chill through Missy. He stood, brushing off his clothes with an air of someone who had said more than they intended. "I think I've dropped enough on you for now."

  Missy wanted to stop him and ask more questions, her mind racing with implications and possibilities, but he held up a hand, his expression gentle yet firm. "Don't worry, I will be back for another little chat. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Missy." With that, he vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a slight ripple in the fabric of reality.

  Missy sat there, perched overlooking the city, staring out into the vastness of space. The cosmic dance of celestial bodies seemed different now, more significant, as she considered what she had learned. The stars shone down on her with an intensity that felt both comforting and somehow ominous, as if they too held secrets waiting to be revealed.