And indeed, as the morning sunrise lit the horizon, streaking golden light deep into the forest, waking Kael from the dreams that filled his night with shimmering possibilities, stretching his limbs out, he felt rejuvenated by new energy, a thrumming heartbeat inside him. However, still strange to him was that he was now of the Infinite Ascendant tier. Today, though, he promised himself to live this new life out to its fullest extent.
Kael stood, shaking leaves off his clothing, coming suddenly to a new awareness of growling in his stomach. He recalled simple pleasures - meals shared, laughter, and all sorts of little things - but apparently that had not dimmed for it now figured in his thought as, "I guess I should eat." Hefting himself out into renewed effort, he moved through the forest; the rustling of leaves and chirping birds pointed the way.
Hustle and bustle welcomed him in the nearby village as he stepped out. Vendors announced their wares, the children seemed to be playing in every street, while fresh baked bread filled the air. Kael's senses were overwhelmed in the best way possible.
"Good morning!" he greeted the woman who wielded fruits. She smiled, taking her time to pause as she bore widened eyes in surprise at the boy's unexpected warmth.
She reached out and pushed a fresh, small apple from a basket woven of wicker in front of the door to his side. "Good morning, young one! Care to try some of my fresh apples?"
He nodded vigorously, snapping his fingers out of his coat to point to a bright red apple and taking a bite. Juice burst sweetly on his tongue. "Mmm. How do you make them so good?"
She laughed. Her eyes twinkled. "Love and patience, dear. It's just like tending to your crops."
A glow spread inside his chest from this ordinary exchange. "I'll remember that!" he declared, and went on his way to check out the rest of the village.
Kael saw children playing a game close to a fountain where they all run after each other in the midst of which there sounded lots of laughter. A stream of nostalgia passed through him because he remembered his life in days when one was carefree because of innocence.
Taking a deep breath, Kael approached them. At the same time, his heart was beating fast with excitement and nervousness. "May I join?".
They turned to look at him as if stunned, then one boy with messy hair shouted, "Sure! We need another player!
They explained the rules and then Kael got caught up in the game, running, laughing, playing with the others. His movements appeared fluid, slightly quicker and more nimble than he ever had been, but slowing down for everyone else.
So the kids lay there, panting slightly and giggling on the grass after such a game of energetic activity. There's that girl sitting up with eyes agog in admiration for him. "You really are fast! How do you do it?"
Kael shrugged, assuming a modest self-effacing air. "Well, I guess it's just a little practice."
"That's it? Teach us!" they clamored in unison in excitement.
Kael continued showing ways, even demonstrating feats of strength, as he showed the ability to make small orbs of energy float just above the air. The children laughed in glee at the sight, their giggles being music to an ethereal harmony.
As the sun passed through its zenith, Kael slowly said goodbyes to those new friends since he felt lighter than he had been for a long time. He started to make his way towards the outskirts of the village where a meadow with grass that was so green stretched before him.
He looked around and, turning his eyes backward in time, discovered that all he did was not in the least sensational or heroic, yet those minor pleasure moments brought him satisfaction he had never bargained for-eating in the same room together, playing a game with others, and sharing time with other people.
"Even an Infinite Ascendant needs moments like this," he said to himself, reclining back on the grass and looking up toward the sky. Clouds floated by lazily, and he closed his eyes letting the sun shine down upon him.
"Enjoying your new life?" the Legacy of the Cosmos asked its voice a gentle whisper in his mind.
"I am," Kael said smiling. "It's nice to experience the little things."
"Power is not just strength but knowledge and bond. It is these little moments that will help shape you better than any great feat of power," said the Legacy.
Kael nodded decisively, fueled up now that the mission had been awakened within. He came here to learn and grow. He didn't come here to brag about all the omnipotence-he had a role in this world.
As the sun climbed upwards through the afternoon, Kael decided that he must carry on, past the village. The rolling hills and deep forests that he ploughed through were pieced together in a little different way at each step. He marvelled at the colorful foliage of the hills, at the mountains afar, and the quiet streams that wound their way through the land.
He walked for a while, passing by until he found a small pond whose surface was mirror-like with the bright blue of the sky. Kael felt a pull to get closer and sat down on the ledge where the water is. Small fish darted beneath; their motion was swift and fluid.
"I wonder." He thought, and with the thought, he reached into the water. To his surprise, he felt the energy of the pond flowing through him, its life pulsating.
"May I talk to them?" he thought. He concentrated and stretched out his awareness, reaching in touch with the fish. Their primitive thoughts rose to the surface, telling their knowledge of the world.
Overjoyed by this discovery, Kael flashed a wide smile. "I can talk to you!" he beamed at them, elated over his newfound sense of actually understanding now these creatures of this world.
He spent days beside the pond. All those moments involved playful exchanges with the fish, throwing knocking laughter into his heart. He cherished every moment for it was the ordinariness of things turned into something extraordinary.
And when the sun sets, Kael will be heading to the village, colors alive as sunset on the sky. It had been a day of laughter, connection, discovery. He actually started realizing what his journey was really meant to convey-the simplicity of life.
He knew it: he was built to be great, or at least for a lifetime of it. Maybe it wasn't even about the power and might but about the people he would touch and the happiness that he sought in this place becoming ever so great around him.
It was that very day he explored, learned, and embraced this new life, for it was in his strength to do as he pleased.
He whispered to the stars, "Together we shall shape a way beyond worlds." And with that hope flamed in his heart like a beacon light as he made his way home.