Kapteyn's Star Metaverse, Year 110, October 11
The sky above Kapteyn's Star was a vast stretch of violet and indigo, streaked with faint golden light.
Shawn moved swiftly through the ancient corridors of the Megalithic Palace, his boots echoing off the stone floor.
The air smelled of age and wisdom, a scent of time long past.
The palace itself was a monument to power—massive stone pillars, each carved with intricate celestial patterns, stretched toward the vaulted ceiling like ancient sentinels.
Murals along the walls depicted forgotten wars, celestial kings, and spirits that had once roamed freely across the stars.
He wasn't here to admire the architecture.
Today's meeting will determine the fate of the Meta Origin Society.
Shawn stepped into the grand hall.
Inside, figures of great importance were already gathered, their presence commanding the room.
Each was a force unto themselves, and together, they represented some of the most influential minds in existence.
At the head of the chamber stood Mr. King—his sharp, ageless gaze unwavering.
To his left, Secretary General Quinn, a strategist whose mind was sharper than any blade.
On the other side, Grand Sage Jay, the keeper of ancient knowledge, his long silver robes glowing faintly with embedded runes.
And behind them, standing rigid like a battle-hardened sentinel, General Sandy, his presence exuding pure authority.
They had been waiting.
Mr. King wasted no time. His voice was calm, yet every syllable carried weight.
"What is the status of CP-Hub?"
Shawn stepped forward. "The Chairman of CP-Hub has agreed to accept the Central Palace Spirit Key.
That means we can officially begin the unsealing process for the Meta Origin Society."
For a brief moment, silence.
Then, the chamber erupted into murmurs—a mixture of relief, excitement, and deep anticipation.
This was the moment they had all been waiting for.
Quinn moved first.
He unfurled an ancient scroll, its surface shimmering as layers of protective magic dissolved at his touch.
Across the parchment, a grand formation spread out like a celestial map—
the Nine Palaces and Eight Harmonies Formation.
At each of the eight palaces, figures were depicted—warriors, deities, and spirits of great renown.
Their eyes seemed to follow Shawn as he studied the scroll.
But the most unsettling part was at the very center.
The Central Palace was marked by an emblem—a seal of modern design, starkly different from the surrounding ancient symbols.
A black mist coiled around it, obscuring the Meta Origin Society's insignia.
Shawn narrowed his eyes.
"This formation... has sealed the Society for over three thousand years?"
Grand Sage Jay nodded. "And now, the final step to undoing it lies in your hands."
Quinn traced a finger over the formation.
"The system designed to break the seal is composed of nine Spirit Keys, each tied to a specific aspect of reality."
A flick of his wrist, and eight radiant images appeared above the scroll, each representing one of the Eight Trigrams—Heaven, Earth, Thunder, Wind, Water, Fire, Mountain, and Lake.
Each spiritual key corresponds to a different palace..
But the Central Palace Spirit Key was different.
"It governs the others," Quinn continued. "Without it, the remaining eight are powerless. It must be used first."
Shawn exhaled slowly. "And only the one who controls the seal can wield it."
Sage Jay's expression darkened. "Yes. The Chairman of CP-Hub must be the one to activate the Central Palace Spirit Key. Without his command, the entire formation remains intact."
Shawn felt a weight settle on his shoulders.
He had fought to find these Spirit Keys, but now, his mission was not over.
Mr. King stepped forward.His gaze locked onto Shawn's, unwavering.
He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a golden object, glowing with an ethereal light.
The Central Palace Spirit Key.
It was small, but it radiated an immense power—a presence that seemed to resonate with the very air around them.
The moment Shawn laid eyes on it, he felt its pull.
Not just a relic.
Not just a tool.
But a force.
A responsibility.
Mr. King extended it toward him.
"Take it," he said. "And deliver it safely to the Chairman of CP-Hub."
Shawn hesitated, just for a moment.
A wave of uncertainty washed over him, but it was fleeting, like a passing cloud.
His heart hammered in his chest, yet his hand remained steady as he reached out to accept the Key.
Shawn hesitated, his hand hovering over the Central Palace Spirit Key.
A wave of uncertainty washed over him, but it was fleeting, like a passing cloud.
His heart hammered in his chest, yet his hand remained steady as he reached out to accept it.
The weight of it felt heavier than it appeared—a cold, Jade meteorite surface that seemed to pulse with the weight of millennia.
As his fingers closed around the Key, a surge of energy jolted through his arm, crackling like lightning down to his very core.
His vision blurred, and for a moment, he was no longer in the grand hall.
Stars swirled around him, ancient battles raged, and voices whispered secrets in a language he could not understand.
The chaos within him stilled, leaving a deep, resonating silence. It felt as if the universe itself paused, holding its breath.
When his vision cleared, Shawn blinked and looked up.
The eyes of everyone in the room were upon him—burning with hope, with the weight of their collective future.
They were looking to him for guidance, for answers.
And yet, within the weight of their gaze, Shawn felt something more.
This moment wasn't just his alone.
It was a moment for everyone who had come before him, and for those who would follow.
It was the turning point.
The beginning of something monumental, something that would ripple through time.
His heart settled, no longer racing, but steady with a sense of purpose.
The path ahead had never been so clear. The truth was undeniable—he was the one entrusted with the Spirit Key.
And the world's fate rested in his hands.
Shawn straightened his shoulders, feeling the full gravity of the moment. His voice came out calm, unwavering.
"I will deliver it."
With those words, time itself seemed to shift.
The weight of the Spirit Key deepened in his hand, but so did his resolve. Fate had already been set into motion, and there was no turning back now.
The Meta Origin Society's unsealing had begun