Rico was an ordinary mortal with an extraordinary gift - the ability to create entire worlds with the mere touch of an artifact.
But his power was far from absolute, and he longed for the day when he would be able to shape his own reality through sheer force of will. And so, with a determined spirit and a heart full of ambition, Rico set out on a quest to craft a new world from scratch, one that would serve as both a testing ground for his burgeoning abilities and a sanctuary where he could hone his craft in solitude.
For years, he toiled away in the depths of his creation, tirelessly sculpting mountains, forging rivers, and breathing life into every corner of his fledgling realm. And as the years turned into decades, and the decades into centuries
Rico had been preoccupied with this ambitious project, he had created a world which resembled earth from millions of years ago, despite the vast expanse of land, it was entirely barren - a blank canvas on which he planned to conduct a groundbreaking experiment, with its own distinct laws.
For this endeavor he would to need to leave his mortal shell and assume the form a spirit for which time had no effect on.
His goal was to create a new species from scratch, drawing upon information he had gleaned from the ancient Book of Enoch, which contained detailed instructions on the process of creation. Rico began his work by fashioning a handful of tiny, microscopic organisms that possessed a remarkable ability to evolve at an unprecedented rate, all with the ultimate aim of achieving sentience and developing a higher level of intelligence.
There were two distinct varieties of creatures that Rico brought into existence, each endowed with unique powers and abilities. One of the primeval beings was imbued with wisdom, which was granted to it directly by Rico himself. Using a method outlined in the Book of Enoch, Rico shared his own wisdom by connecting certain parts of his own thoughts to those of the creature.
The other being was blessed with a different kind of power, one that allowed it to fuse with other entities by absorbing an origin-infused blood vessel taken from Rico himself. This gave the creature an unprecedented level of versatility and adaptability, allowing it to change and evolve in ways that would have been impossible for other beings.
As the experiment progressed, one of the creatures, a trilobite, was able to gain wisdom from Rico and incorporate it into its being. As a result, an organ similar to a human brain began to grow inside the creature's hard-shelled armor, marking a significant milestone in the development of this new species.
Rico had imbued the newly created beings with a variety of powers and abilities, some of which were reminiscent of human traits. One of the beings, which Rico had dubbed the "three-leaf man," possessed advanced creative thinking abilities, along with a limited vocabulary of human words. Additionally, at the moment of its birth, it had gained access to some of Rico's memories, giving it a more nuanced understanding of the world.
The other creature, a worm-like being, had received a more enigmatic and mysterious power that seemed to be fused with Rico's own essence. This power had been transformed under the influence of the Origin radiation, and the creature was now able to fuse with other life forms, strip them of their organs and abilities, and even change its own shape at will. Despite this newfound power, the worm still acted primarily on instinct, as it had before.
Rico had given the worm the moniker of "fusion monster," reflecting its remarkable ability to merge with other creatures. Currently, the monster was rapidly traversing the sea beneath Rico's feet, its tentacles churning the water to propel it forward. Rico stood atop the monster's shell, gazing out into the distance.
Suddenly, something new caught his eye. A strange bulge had appeared on the horizon, jutting out of the otherwise flat expanse of the ocean. As the sun began to set, the bulge cast long shadows across the water, creating an eerie effect.
As the fusion monster swam rapidly through the water, its powerful tentacles stirred up the sea around it. Rico gazed down at the waves, feeling a sense of awe at the creature's speed and agility. Suddenly, he caught sight of an isolated island off in the distance. The island was covered in a thick layer of green vegetation, with moss and lichens clinging to the rocks and trees.
Compared to the other landmasses that Rico had encountered during his journey, this island was already teeming with life. It was clear that this place had been one of the first to emerge during the birth of this world.
"It's good here," Rico thought to himself, feeling a sense of satisfaction at the beauty of the island.
He decided to stop here and end his long journey of overseeing. As he watched the fusion monster in action, he saw that its tentacles were flexible and nimble, able to cut through huge rocks at the bottom of the sea and drag them up to the island. The creature's tentacles could transform into sharp instruments like chisels or blunt objects like hammers, expertly chipping away at the boulders to create new shapes.
At first, Rico assumed that the creature was simply indulging in a hobby of stone-dragging, and paid little attention. But as he observed the creature more closely, he realized that it was actually constructing a massive building out of the boulders. With each passing day, the building grew larger and more elaborate, taking shape under the guidance of the fusion monster's impressive abilities.
Upon closer inspection, Rico noticed that the structure before me bore a striking resemblance to the pyramid he had discovered while excavating in the Amazon, but this one was even more magnificent.
Enormous stones, each standing at a height and width of over ten meters, jutted out from the ground, evoking a sense that this structure could not possibly have been crafted by mortal hands, but rather, it must have been a miracle of the gods.
As the stones continued to ascend towards the sky, a distinct area emerged, and the fusion monster began to chisel away at the stone to create a simple yet sturdy temple. With great care and precision, the monster ground, pounded, and carved away at the details until they were clear and visible. Despite its rough and unrefined appearance, the temple's outline had taken shape. However, it was evident that the temple was not built for itself and, despite its vast size, was relatively small. Rico soon realized that the fusion monster was constructing a grand palace for him on the remote island.
At first, Rico believed that the fusion monster was trying to gain his favor, but he soon realized this was impossible. The chaotic and unsophisticated creature lacked the necessary intelligence and knowledge to know of the pyramid's existence, let alone attempt to curry favor. It was clear that the three-leaf man had commanded the fusion monster to construct this palace.
The three-leaf man trembled as he approached Rico, and the latter studied the creature in silence.
The three-leaf man was filled with fear and uncertainty about whether his gods would approve of what he was about to say. He expressed his concerns with trepidation, continuously kowtowing as he spoke. He believed that this was the most direct way to communicate with God and request forgiveness. "God, the palace...the temple...," the three-leaf man began, and Rico could understand the meaning behind his words. He explained that he wanted to create a grand palace for God to reside in, where all life could come and offer their worship and offerings. To achieve this, he had the fusion monster build the magnificent structure.
Rico didn't feel particularly pleased or interested in the project, as it held no importance for him. The palace that provided shelter from the elements was meaningless, and the concept of faith and prayer seemed foolish. Instead, he chose to praise the sentient creature he had brought to life. "Good! It's beautiful," he declared.
This brief compliment filled the three-leaf creature with immense joy and caused him to dance with delight. The palace he had envisioned for so long had finally come to fruition. The three-leaf man waited for Rico on the pyramid, and the fusion monster carried him to the summit, where they stopped in front of the temple.
The top of the pyramid was home to a quaint and imposing hall, complete with open doors and windows and minimal furnishings. The focal point of the room was a beautifully crafted sculpture, depicting the idol that the three-leaf man had created as a gift to Rico, representing God.
It was evident that the three-leaf man possessed highly dexterous hands that surpassed those of humans and had significantly more physical strength. The statue crafted from an unfamiliar white stone appeared more like a saint than a god and had been carefully placed in front of a circular window that faced the sun.
The statue radiated an endless stream of light, and its body seemed to be adorned with a layer of white cloth. Rico could only see its outline at first glance, and he couldn't make out its features. Rico realized that he was shrouded in Origin.
The three-leaf man continued to prostrate himself on the ground and refer to Rico as a god. Rico explained that his name was "Rico Lorenzo," and the man tried to repeat it. He was able to pronounce it correctly as a single word, but when he tried to connect the two names, the tone changed. The articulation organs of the three-lobed people were different from those of humans, and the syllables they emitted were dry and sharp, creating a somewhat grating sound. Rico corrected him again, insisting that it was "Rico Lorenzo!" Finally, the man was able to say the name correctly to some extent. Meanwhile, underneath the pyramid, the monstrous behemoth produced a hollow noise.