Crown of Creation: The Whisp Awakens

But no one looked up to the sky.

High above, unseen by most eyes, twelve celestial bodies slowly turned into alignment—a rare formation that ancient seers called the "Crown of Creation." Twelve planets, strung in a single line, glowing like silent witnesses to something about to be born.

Jimmy couldn't see any of it.

His senses weren't that sharp—not yet. He was blind, and even if he looked toward the moon, he would feel only its rhythm, not its light. And tonight, even the moon seemed… different. Its pulse echoed strangely.

Jimmy quickly adjusted the camera, setting it far from the egg to capture everything from a safe distance. The air had become unbearable—intense waves of heat rolled out from the incubator like a living furnace. The incubator was melting, water pooling beneath it.

Then the egg started absorbing energy at an uncontrollable rate.

Jimmy rushed back with all his gathered materials—fire and psychic solutions, high-grade portions, stabilizers—and uncorked each one beside the incubator. The energy suction was wild. Bottles warped, contents evaporated mid-air, even the solution storage crystals cracked and bled.

Luna raised barrier after barrier—ice walls, snow bursts, frozen blizzards—anything to contain the surge. Bruno stayed behind her, his sensors redlining from the overload.

And then—just as the last bit of potion clung to the edges—

CRACK.

The egg split fully open.

From within it, two swirling beams—one blue, one red—spiralled out and shot toward the sky, dancing like twin serpents. The clouds above twisted violently, answering the call.

A blue-red storm formed above the City.

And in its heart, an ethereal image appeared: the silhouette of a peacock with outstretched flame-tipped feathers, crowned by flames.

Jimmy couldn't see it. But Luna could. And so could Bruno.

Inside the chaos, a sound finally rose—gentle, distant, but undeniable.

The cry of a new-born Whisp.

Sitting in the remnants of the shattered egg, surrounded by scorched ground and glittering shards, was a creature no larger than a rabbit.

Its tiny body is covered in soft, downy feathers that shimmer in hues of pale sky blue and frosted aqua, like a cloud touched by morning light. It has an almost glowing, as though it were born from both the sky and fire itself. Head Flame Bud: Atop its round head is a tiny golden-orange flicker. Eyes: Its eyes are huge and Lucious, deep sapphire in colour with sparkling golden flecks. Wings and Tail: Barely formed, its tiny wings are stubby and feathered like soft petals, twitching as it instinctively tries to fly. At the base of its back, three miniature tail stubs are beginning to form—each tipped with faint yellow-orange dots, which will eventually grow into its peacock-like flame feathers. Feet and Movement: Its legs are chubby and unsteady, and it waddles clumsily on tiny, soot-grey feet. When scared or excited, it topples backward and flaps its fluffy wings, releasing little sparks of light instead of cries.

It waddled, unsteady on its soot-grey feet. Startled, it flapped, sending out little sparks of light instead of cries.

Jimmy slowly reached out and picked it up, cradling it with a gentleness he didn't know he had. The hatchling curled into his chest, trembling but peaceful.

".2 meters tall," Jimmy noted softly, amazed.

He gathered the broken shell fragments, placing them into a larger container. One shard pulsed faintly with heat—it still carried the essence of fire. Luna moved closer and gently healed the little Whisp with her energy.

The bird stirred, eyes blinking again.

It looked at Jimmy—first confused, then instinctively nestled into him.

He smiled faintly, reaching for a shard of the eggshell and offering it to the baby. It sniffed, then munched it happily, its tiny beak making soft munch munch sounds.

.........................................................

The little chick chirped happily as it nuzzled into Jimmy's palm, its tiny beak glowing faintly from the warmth of the broken shell.

Its fluffy blue-and-red feathers shimmered in the dim light, and its eyes sparkled with playful curiosity.

Jimmy glanced down and saw something curious—nearly three-quarters of the eggshell was gone, nibbled away by the new-born Whisp.

It had devoured the very shell that birthed it.

And now, what remained no longer pulsed with power—it was just ordinary fragments of rock and ash.

Jimmy smiled softly.

"That's enough," he murmured.

The bond had already begun.

The creature's energy… its aura… it was aligning with his.

The baby Whisp stared up at him, blinking slowly, then gently flapped its stubby wings.

It was so small, but something ancient and majestic stirred just beneath that soft fluff—a force waiting to bloom.

Jimmy looked to Luna, who stood by his side with calm, maternal grace.

"Luna," he said, signing with his fingers,

"Ask it if it wants to form a contract now. If not… it may be too late."

Luna nodded and padded closer.

With a soothing hum, she knelt beside the new-born chick and gently pressed her glowing paw to its head.

A soft pulse of water light rippled outward.

Luna said in her language of Whisps,

"The boy asks if you wish to bond with him. He walks alone, but never lets go of those who stay. If you wait too long, the chance may pass."

The tiny chick tilted its head.

"Dumta dum… tatatatata… what's a contract?" it chirped innocently.

Jimmy chuckled faintly.

Without wasting a second, he extended his hand and began forming a contract seal, his fingers dancing through practiced motion.

The air shimmered.

To help it understand, he pointed to Luna.

With a blink, Luna dissolved into pure light—vanishing in a swirl—and then reappeared beside him, glowing gently.

The chick's sapphire eyes widened in awe.

It looked at Luna… then at Jimmy…

Then flapped its wings clumsily and gave a small, bright chirp.

"Tata!"

A sign of agreement.

Jimmy nodded and pressed the contract seal gently against what was left of the shell—and then, in a rare decision, he didn't bind it to the Mind's Garden just yet.

Instead, he placed the chick softly on Luna's head.

She gave a little huff of surprise but remained still as the chick settled there, proud and content, like a fuzzy crown.

The seal bloomed with soft green light.

In that moment, the bond was made.

A new Whisp had joined Jimmy's side.

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Jimmy exhaled deeply and stood up, surveying the chaotic mess left behind—scattered fragments, half-used potions, dripping incubator tools, and spent crystal dust.

He moved methodically, scooping up what remained, wiping surfaces, and placing all the tools and ingredients into a storage box in the corner of the room.

Everything in its place now.

At last, he turned back to Luna and the new-born.

"You two play here," he signed with a tired but happy smile.

The little chick chirped and slid down Luna's head, plopping softly onto the bed.

It started to peck curiously at the edge of a blanket.

Luna, sensing Jimmy's fatigue, raised a paw and cast Healing Light across him.

A soft glow enveloped his arms and chest, soothing the strain from overexertion, restoring some of the energy he had burned through the process.

Jimmy sat down on the edge of the bed, breathing in the silence and warmth.

The storm had quieted.

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But he did not know another storm is brewing over... .