Evolution was different from Ascension, though they sounded similar due to what they achieved in the end... Change.

Evolution was an ascension rite in its own form, but it was more of adapting and mutating to your environment and other major factors to push you into a more suitable form for survival. You cannot evolve from an ant to a dog. That was logically not possible.

Ascension, on the other hand, was related to achieving a higher version of oneself through adaptation and evolution linked to a deeper concept. With ascension came the ultimate change that provided permanent transformation and no regression whatsoever.

Even though Evolution was similar, it depended on how much you could adapt to changes, so in a sense, there could be a regression through evolution, whereas Ascension was permanent.

But what Ethan was going to do now was a combination of both concepts, and the core concept of his actions: Racial Change.

He was going to rewrite the existence of several beings to bond them permanently to him. Doing so would cause them to evolve through adaptation to their environment, him, and also ascend to a higher form of what they evolved into.

The Primord.

What Ethan was going to perform was on cosmic levels and could cause severe damage to the balance of existence if not done carefully.

"Come now."

A deep voice resonated in the mirror world like a god’s command.

All the people in the mansion streamed out upon hearing his voice, with the exception of Zark and the twelve golden beings Ethan summoned. These beings, though, have been transported to the real world in preparation for the incoming clash. They would stay hidden until there was an attack.

His wives, his children, his mother, his siblings, his friends, everyone who was supposed to be present and had accepted to go through it.

"Is that Papa? He’s so huge!!!" Delphina exclaimed in shock as she gazed upon the size of Ethan in his true primord form. She looked like an ant compared to his massive frame.

"Dada!" A cute voice entered their ears, prompting everyone to turn to look at Harle,y who held Selene and Sol in her arms. Due to their sizes, she had transformed partially into her gorgon form, but only with her bigger arms and the snake’s lower part to support her new weight.

As for who made the sound, they could see the bright-eyed Sol with his cute little arms stretched as if he wanted to hug the huge being in front of him. What made it beautiful was that even in this form, Sol recognized his father.

"Dada!" Selene suddenly said, causing everyone to open their mouths in shock for the third time. First was Ethan’s massive size, which, if they weren’t close acquaintances with him, would have caused them to collapse or worse, die. Because no matter how regal he looked, he had the body of two predators in one.

He was feral, imposing, powerful, and huge. Very huge that even Barki and Amara would fall short of his size in their full dragon forms.

"He’s almost as huge as the Dragon Emperor," Elyndor (Andriel’s father) said in awe.

Ethan’s massive head lowered, just slightly, and the world seemed to lean with the motion.

The lake below stilled completely, as though even water feared to ripple without permission.

With a slow exhale, he lifted one clawed hand. The air shimmered, and gently, impossibly gently for something so colossal, Sol and Selene were lifted from Harley’s arms. They floated toward him, wrapped in a cocoon of warm golden light, like sunlight remembering how to love.

Harley’s breath caught, her tail tightening instinctively, but she did not reach for them. She trusted him. Entirely.

Ethan’s voice rolled again, deep and layered, carrying authority without cruelty.

"Do not be afraid," he said, and the words settled into bones and souls alike. "This will not harm you. But it will not be painless."

The babies hovered close to his chest now, close enough that even in this form, his presence wrapped around them like an embrace.

"You will feel change," he continued, his mismatched silver and gold eyes softening as they focused on Sol and Selene. "Warmth. Pressure. Confusion. That is normal. You are already partly what I am, so for you... this will feel like remembering something you were never allowed to forget."

Sol giggled, entirely unconcerned with cosmic law. Selene stared, unblinking, her infant gaze reflecting rings of gold.

Ethan slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over everyone gathered.

"For the rest of you," he said, voice steady, unyielding. "Listen carefully."

Those with spirit beasts felt something stir immediately, an echo within an echo.

"If you possess a spirit beast," Ethan said, "you will synchronize. Not physically. Do not attempt to merge forms."

A pulse of power radiated outward, clarifying the meaning.

"Your spirit beasts are not companions. They are expressions. Versions of yourselves shaped by affinity and path. Synchronize inwardly. Let them align with your core, not your flesh."

Several people swallowed.

"The pain you experience," he continued, "will depend on two things: how much power you currently wield... and how much of yourselves you are willing to let go."

His tail swept slowly behind him, golden fur rippling.

"You are not all ascending equally. This is not charity. This is not balance. The height you reach will be determined by how long you can endure the rewriting."

A pause.

"If you resist, you will still survive," Ethan said calmly. "But you will rise less."

No threat. Just truth.

"Now," he said, "form a circle."

Power shifted.

The ground reshaped itself subtly, sigils aligning beneath their feet as everyone moved. The babies floated back toward Harley, settling close to her chest, still suspended in gentle light, protected.

Ethan stood at the center, an unmoving axis of existence.

"Reveal yourselves," he commanded. "No masks. No compromises. Take your truest forms."

The air answered.

Harley was the first.

Her body surged with ancient authority as her gorgon heritage fully awakened. Her hair became a crown of living serpents, emerald-scaled, regal, alert. Golden reptilian eyes slit vertically as power flooded her frame. She stood tall, the Primogenitor made flesh, beautiful and lethal.

Clara followed, her form blurring as white fur exploded outward. Six massive tails unfurled behind her, each one glowing faintly with refined spiritual light. Her fox eyes gleamed with intelligence sharpened into something old.

Carmen’s transformation was abrupt and overwhelming, black and white fur expanding as her body grew enormous, her presence suddenly heavy, predatory, ancient. No longer merely feline, she radiated dominance.

Andriel remained unchanged in silhouette, yet the air around her sharpened. Her elven form was already true, but now it remembered what it once was meant to become.

Lisa stood firm, human still, unchanged, unashamed. Humanity was her truth, and she wore it like a blade.

Pisces rose into the air, her form expanding until she stood at 7 feet tall. Four radiant, angelic wings unfurled behind her, shimmering with layered light that felt neither divine nor mortal, but something in between.

One by one, the rest followed.

Elaine, Christel, and Barki, her draconic aura rolling outward even before scales emerged. Seraphis, Vaeloria, and Asteria, each radiating distinct cosmic authority. Kraken, Emma, Lilith, darkness, resolve, and obsession tempered into focus.

Ethan’s wives stood revealed, a constellation of forms and powers that bent the world simply by existing.

Beyond them.

Trevor, grounding himself as Emily and Sixtie took their places beside him. Amara, her presence vast and draconic. Lamair and his wives, Lusamine and Cassandra, standing with solemn acceptance. Reginald and his wife were steady and resolute.

No one hid.

No one turned away.

Ethan looked upon them all.

"This is your last moment as you were," he said softly. "After this... You will not return to it."

The runes beneath their feet ignited.

The lake below began to glow.

And the ritual, true, terrible, magnificent, finally began to breathe.

...

As Ethan was beginning to change his family, the real world was also changing, albeit in a bad way. It started from a small kingdom close to the elven lands. It had just begun forming, its name unknown to anyone.

At most, it would be a few years old.

Ason had decided to remain hidden for as long as they could, as they didn’t want to be under a larger kingdom or an empire. The great leaders of each empire and kingdom had seen them but chose not to react because that was what they wanted, and besides, there was nothing a new kingdom could offer them in this era that they didn’t already have.

Riches? They were poorer than the poorest minister. Women? Anbord had a literal goddess as one of the empresses. Resources? They had a lot. And if they wanted, they could take it, and Ason wouldn’t even dare to stop them.

This wasn’t arrogance or overconfidence. It was the truth.

And this truth was the downfall of Ason. Since they wanted to remain under the radar, they had no alliances.

Even what brought about the creation of such a kingdom was unknown. Their purpose, their drive, no one knew.

But all in all, Ason had been erased from the face of Debranlith. And the cause?

No one knew. There were no witnesses or survivors. It had been wiped clean that it appeared that it had never existed.

...

A/N: Hi there! Hope you’re enjoying the story so far. Support me with gifts, golden tickets, and powerstones. And also purchase the privilege Chapters. Thank you.