The staircase of stars seemed endless, each step echoing not just sound, but memory. Steven could feel the thoughts of the universe—fragments of long-dead gods, whispers of realities that never were, and languages not meant for mortal tongues. The deeper he went, the heavier it became.
Finally, the steps ended.
He stood in a chamber made of ink and light, suspended in nothing. Floating in the center was a massive tome—ancient, breathing, alive.
The Codex Prime.
Not his Codex.
The first one.
A being hovered near it. Not human. Not creature. A silhouette made of shifting runes and voices, constantly changing. Its eyes were stars, and its presence pulled at Steven's soul.
"You are not worthy," it intoned.
Steven stepped forward anyway. "I'm not here to prove worth. I'm here to understand."
The being's form rippled. "Then speak the First Word."
Steven blinked. "What First Word?"
The being gestured toward the Codex Prime. The book glowed, its cover marked with a symbol Steven's soul recognized—though he'd never seen it.
He closed his eyes.
Listened.
And from within himself, a word rose—not in any language, but in pure meaning.
"Solanar."
The Codex Prime opened.
Pages flew past him—scenes, visions, memories from all of creation. The forging of stars. The betrayal of gods. The sealing of the Absence. And then—his birth.
Steven watched from above as a baby cried out beneath a crimson eclipse. The energy that formed him didn't come from this universe.
It came from outside.
From the Void Beyond the Void.
His mother—her face hidden—whispered the same word he'd just spoken. "Solanar."
The runic being bowed its head. "You carry the spark of Origin. The same spark the First Ones feared. You are not a spellcaster, Steven."
Steven's chest throbbed with light. "Then what am I?"
"You are a Rewriter."
The Codex within him blazed.
He fell to his knees, overwhelmed by truth.
A Rewriter…
One who could alter the Codex.
Reshape reality.
Not just wield spells—but author them.
Rewrite the rules.
The being placed a hand on his shoulder, and Steven felt power—not gifted, but unlocked.
"Go now. The Absence draws near. And it knows what you are."
The chamber began to break apart, pulled by an unseen force.
Steven turned, light erupting from his eyes.
He wasn't just part of the
Codex anymore.
He was its next was its next chapter
----
To be continued