Seed of Ascension: Aurelia

The first thing to go is the glass.

Every window along the avenue explodes at once.

Then comes the sound.

BOOM.

The shockwave tears through downtown Aurelia. Cars skid across asphalt. Concrete splits. Somewhere above, two figures streak between the skyscrapers—and one of them is hurled through a tower hard enough to make the entire building buckle.

"Paragon!" someone screams.

People run.

Sirens wail beneath another deafening impact. Heroes flash through the smoke overhead, impossibly fast, while thousands of ordinary people scramble beneath a battle they have no business surviving.

Then the street beneath you disappears.

Concrete gives way. Steel screams. The building overhead begins to collapse—and something enormous drops through the smoke directly toward you.

There isn't enough time.

The world freezes.

"Oh."

A woman's voice cuts cleanly through the silence.

The falling debris hangs motionless inches above the street. Flames stop dancing. Dust becomes glitter suspended in the air.

And lounging atop a throne of black iron that absolutely wasn't there a moment ago is a horned woman with crimson skin, crossed legs, and a delighted little smile.

"You really are spectacularly fucked, aren't you?"

Vexia leans forward, golden eyes sweeping over you.

"Fortunately for you, little lamb... I happen to adore an opportunity."

A sheet of black parchment appears between two clawed fingers.

"Everyone in this world gets whatever power fate decided they deserved." Her smile widens. "How boring."

She offers you the contract.

"Sign, and I'll give you something much better."