"Ahh… where am I? Xenon mumbled while feeling like he was drowning.
He stretched his left hand out to grab the top layer of the water. Suddenly, someone grabbed his hand, pulling him out of the water.
"Buhhaah… I really drowned there."
"Are you really sure about that?" A soft and familiar voice spoke.
Xenon cleared the water from his face and saw that Aurora was the one who saved her from dying.
"Well, how did we manage to survive that hellstorm, and what about the horses?"
"It seems that the heavens are blessing us. From what I know, this place appears to be the "Spring of Floral Lake." As for the horses, look behind you. She spoke while pointing in the opposite direction."
Xenon quickly turned his gaze, sitting beside her.
The horses were resting in silence. There were no injuries to them, as if nothing had happened. Moreover, it seemed they had been through some kind of change.
"Wait, even our injuries are healed, but how did that happen? Are you sure this place is the Spring of Floral Lake? Wasn't it supposed to have been lost centuries ago?"
"I was confused too until I saw that creature." She glanced behind, where a small cub was sleeping peacefully.
"Isn't that… the black panther, but why is it so small?"
"Every Origin Beast has a fixed lifespan of two hundred years. As they reach the end of their life, they travel to a specific location where they release their offspring, passing on the knowledge and experience accumulated over their lifetime before they die, and this seems like the nest of the veil panther, Nyxelle, which has the same authority as the one who possesses the moon origin pearl."
"In the oldest records of <>, it is said that even before the world came into existence, a supreme Origin Pearl was born. It was regarded as the very heart of creation, a perfect sphere of boundless energy, within which all elements, all laws, and every possibility coexisted in flawless and eternal balance."
Legend has it that it was a gift descended upon the world by the heavens, which marked the beginning of all.
Mountains rose at its will. Oceans spread through their silence. The sky formed with its breath.
And yet… the perfection bore a flaw.
Within it existed all things in perfect unity, sun and moon, stars and void, storm and earth, space and time, not as separate forces, but as one seamless existence.
But every perfection always had a flaw.
The next phrase was mentioned in the first chapter of the same records; it is now known as "The First Imbalance."
As creation expanded, the forces within the Supreme Origin Pearl began to awaken to themselves.
The Sun desired to shine.
The Moon wished to reflect.
The Storm longed to rage.
Time itself began to flow.
All were within the space that coexisted with the infinite void.
What was once unity became conflict.
The Pearl could no longer contain these awakening wills.
And so… it broke, resulting in "The Great Shattering."
The Supreme Origin Pearl split into eight divine fragments, each embodying a fundamental force of existence:
Sun Origin Pearl was the source of radiance, vitality, and destruction.
Moon Origin Pearl was the keeper of cycles, illusion, and calm power.
Star Origin Pearl defined the origin of fate, guidance, and distant light.
Void Origin Pearl carried the embodiment of emptiness, devouring all things.
Storm Origin Pearl became the force of chaos, motion, and raw elemental fury.
Earth Origin Pearl created the pillar of stability, endurance, and foundation for life.
Space Origin Pearl became the ruler of distance, boundaries, and reality itself.
Time Origin Pearl dictated the flow of the past, present, and inevitable end.
When they separated, balance was lost, but the world was finally free to evolve.
After the Supreme Origin Pearl shattered into eight, the world believed the age of division had ended.
It hadn't.
Each of the Eight Origin Pearls carried immense power but also instability.
They were fragments of perfection, yet incomplete on their own.
Over time, the Pearls began to resonate with the world they had created.
That resonance led to a second change.
That led to the current pearls and is famously known as the second split.
Unable to fully stabilize in the mortal realm, each Origin Pearl underwent a Second Division. But unlike the first shattering, this event was not chaotic.
It was… purposeful.
Each Pearl split into two halves,
One-half condensed into a new Origin Pearl, smaller but refined.
These became the Secondary Origin Pearls, artifacts that only chosen mortals could one day resonate with, control, and cultivate.
They no longer held absolute power, but they were compatible with life.
The other half did not remain an object.
It came alive.
From it were born the Origin Beasts, creatures that were formed from pure elemental will and carried instinct, memory, and purpose.
They were not just animals.
They were the living continuation of the original Pearl.
Scholars and ancient beings fear one truth:
If someone were to obtain both halves, the Secondary Origin Pearl and its corresponding Origin Beast Core…
They might temporarily recreate a state close to the true origin.
And if all eight were ever reunited…
"So the location chosen by Nyxelle to lay her offspring was the Spring of Floral Lake. But why was it not discovered by anyone? Was it because of a special skill of the beast?" Xenon questioned, with a puzzled expression on his face, cutting the thoughts Aurora was immersed in.
"They are among the strongest living creatures, second only to a human who possesses the same Origin Pearl as they do. There is no way they would allow their offspring to be exploited by someone's greed. And a mere coincidence would never allow anyone to uncover the special skill. Either we were brought here because you possess the Sun Origin Core, or…"
Rub, rub…
Arhh…
The black panther came up behind Aurora and pressed against her side, almost affectionately, but at the same time, it shot Xenon a sharp look and let out a growl.
Aurora gently pulled the panther onto her lap, softly stroking its head.
"Well, its affection confirms one thing," Xenon said, glancing at the panther. "Now we know you can achieve perfect synchronization with the Moon Origin Pearl you were searching for."
"Hmm…looks like the luck has finally shifted." Aurora scoffed.
"But isn't it a waste? We have to leave this place and head to the designated location. Since you don't possess the Moon Origin Pearl, I'll be the only one benefiting. Still, this little guy should make it much easier to locate the Origin Pearl."
"Hmm… we should recuperate for a day or two before departing with the horses in the search, either way we can come back anytime with this little thing we have now," Aurora spoke calmly.
Since the moment they arrived at Floral Lake, neither of them had spared even a glance at its beauty. Yet now, sitting side by side, they found themselves quietly taking it in, the calm, untouched scenery before them that they had never seen before.
The Spring of Floral Lake was a place of remarkable beauty. At its center lay a vast lake of crystalline, light-blue water that reflected the image of the two youngsters who sat on its edge. Gentle ripples moved across its surface, scattering light in subtle, shifting patterns.
The lake was surrounded by blooming red and pink flowers that gave off a faint, natural glow, while tall, yellow-branched trees stood quietly along its edges. The entire scene felt calm and pristine, carrying a quiet sense of elegance.
Sun rays pierced through the thin mist, spreading softly across the land, yet no one could tell whether it was real or simply an illusion disguised as reality.
They spent the next two days relaxing and discussing the challenges that lay ahead.
During that time, they came across vast amounts of crystal, along with several Tier 2 and Tier 3 artifacts. However, they could not use them to their full potential and chose to leave everything undisturbed in the depths of the lake until their next arrival.
Xenon improved his left-handed swordsmanship training with Aurora while also gaining more knowledge about the powers of different shards and wild beasts.
The night before their departure, they both gazed at the cosmic sky, watching countless stars and galaxies.
When night fell, small white orbs of light began to glow around Nyxelle's body. One by one, they drifted toward him and were absorbed, as though drawn in by an unseen force. This was a process known as true resonance, something only Origin Beasts or Origin Pearl users who had crossed a certain threshold could achieve.
"Isn't the sky prettier than usual? Does it really look like an illusion?" Aurora said while resting her head on Xenon's shoulder.
"Who knows? Let's just enjoy the view… it might be our last night." Xenon replied, closing his eyes and relaxing.