Children of the Cosmos🔊

Deep in the heart of the ancient kingdom of Kai, nestled against the foot of the Great Green Mountains, was a small village named Veridale. It was an idyllic corner of the world, blessed with prosperity and peace for centuries. The inhabitants of Veridale lived in a state of tranquil harmony, their peaceful lives punctuated by the changing of seasons and the occasional village festivals. The villagers were humble in their enduring happiness, attributing their fortune to the deity they worshipped, the almighty Solaris, embodied in the sun above them.

In this utopian setting, a young boy named Azriel was born. Azriel was an oddity, sometimes considered the village eccentric. Unlike other children of his age, he possessed a curiosity that reached towards the cosmos. Nothing satisfied his thirst for the unknown more than the infinite embrace of the night sky. Many nights, while the rest of the world slept, he would gaze into the sprawling cosmos from his bedroom window, a tiny spectator to the celestial dance unfolding above him.

One such night, an unusual phenomenon piqued his curiosity. A star, brighter than the others, appeared to be growing. Days turned into weeks, and the radiant star expanded further until it was visible even during daytime. The villagers feared this anomaly was a wrath of Solaris and began panic-filled preparations to appease the deity. Azriel, however, was once again guided by his inexorable curiosity. He sought not to banish the anomaly, but to understand it.

With the rudimentary telescope he had built from scavenged materials, Azriel mapped the unusual star paths. After diligent observation and countless hours of calculations, Azriel presented his findings to the council of elders. He claimed the heavenly object was not a star at all. It was a comet, named 'Demeter's Tear,' on course to land in the Great Green Mountains by his calculations - a claim that seemed both preposterous and fantastical to the council.

Dismissed and ridiculed, Azriel decided to embark upon an audacious quest to the predicted touchdown site alone. The journey through the dense wilderness and rough mountains was treacherous, testing his resilience at each step. But finally, after a perilous journey, Azriel found himself in a clearing at the mountain’s peak on a fateful night. There, he witnessed the spectacular descent of Demeter's Tear. It fell as a stone from heaven, illuminating the night with hues of red and gold.

There, nestled amongst the jagged rocks, lay an object of alien nature. A vessel, unlike any earthly craft. As Azriel drew closer, a panel of the ship glowed warmly, opening its doors like an invitation. Undeterred by the unknown, he accepted.

Inside was a universe of knowledge. Cryptic symbols he gradually managed to decipher, fascinating devices whose functions he systematically uncovered, stories and histories of a celestial civilization forgotten by time. Azriel’s findings were proof that they were not alone - a truth much bigger than Solaris, the sun-deity of Veridale. A truth that encompassed numerous solar systems, galaxies, alien life forms - a cosmos full of life!

For years, Azriel nurtured the lore of the cosmic civilization, his heart pounding with both awe and a touch of melancholy. The vessel was but a gratuitous remnant – the civilization it belonged to was long lost in time.

Enriched and humbled by his newfound knowledge, he returned to Veridale. The once-ridiculed eccentric of the village was now the bearer of a truth that held the potential to shatter their ages-old beliefs. Azriel, no longer a child but a scholar of the cosmos, presented his discoveries carefully, ensuring not to alarm or overwhelm his fellow villagers.

As the villagers gradually accepted the cosmic truth, myopic beliefs gave way to a sense of unity that transcended Veridale. They began to see themselves as a part of a much bigger realm - as children of the cosmos. Despite the shock of their god being a regular star, faith in Solaris did not wane. Instead, it evolved, with villagers acknowledging the sun as a life-bringing star, a beacon in the cosmic journey.

Azriel watched as his village grew, embracing this colossal wisdom. He realized that his curiosity, which felt like a disconnect from his homeland, had eventually led to a profound connection with the cosmos. For this celestial dance, this infinite realm, was not just above him, it was within him, within them all, reverberating with the pulsating rhythm of life.