After creating Tidefin, Ariana finally felt the fatigue catch up to her. It was nothing compared to the extreme exhaustion of her earliest creations, but her body still asked for a brief rest. She knew that if she allowed herself to pause for a while, she would soon be completely fine again.

  Now, Arcadia already held life in all its essential domains. One being in the waters, one walking upon the land, and another crossing the skies. Even so, Ariana didn’t feel that it was enough. This was only the beginning. Her gaze continued to sweep across the world with expectation, already thinking about what would come next.

  As she reflected on her future creations, a familiar sound echoed in her mind.

  [Ding!]

  The system confirmed the rewards from the completed mission: one Create Life card and twenty-five points of faith accumulation. For the first time, that value was no longer zero on her interface. It wasn’t a large amount, but it still made her heart beat a little faster. It was tangible proof of progress.

  Even so, when she checked the shop, she realized she still couldn’t buy anything. The only available options required fifty or two hundred faith accumulation. She was still far from that goal.

  Still, Ariana couldn’t help but smile.

  There was finally life in her world. Real life. Creatures breathing, moving, adapting. Every single one of them existed because she had chosen to create them. That realization filled her with a happiness that was difficult to put into words.

  And yet… everything still felt too empty.

  No matter where she looked, vast areas remained silent and untouched, waiting for something to emerge. Ariana felt an almost urgent desire to fill that world—to see it vibrate, grow, and spread with life in every corner.

  As she examined her rewards more closely, she realized she now possessed two Create Life cards. That meant she could create new living beings without worrying about physical strain, even while still feeling a bit tired.

  She began thinking about what she could create next.

  However, she soon noticed a problem. Even if she created two new types of creatures, they would remain alone. Isolated. Without any chance to spread naturally—unlike the birds, which had been created in groups from the very beginning.

  That was when the system’s voice echoed once again.

  [You may sacrifice two Create Life cards to create two individuals of the same species,] the system informed her. [One male and one female.]

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  Ariana’s eyes widened slightly.

  It was a good idea—but she felt it would be better to save that method for a more complex creature, something that would demand more from her in the future. For now, she could create simpler beings using her own power. Waiting five days to reuse the skill wasn’t an issue, and little by little, she could create another individual of the same species later on.

  Five days passed.

  Ariana stood in the middle of a vast pasture in Arcadia, carefully observing the landscape as she thought about the next creature she would create. A gentle wind swayed the grass around her, and the longer she looked, the more she noticed something important.

  The vegetation was spreading everywhere.

  Grass, weeds, and plants were expanding across the world. With nothing to control that growth, Arcadia would soon be completely overtaken by vegetation. Trees would grow unchecked, fields would become dense and difficult to cross, and the balance of the world could be affected.

  “This needs control too…” Ariana murmured thoughtfully.

  Her idea became clear.

  She needed to create a living being that fed on that abundant vegetation. One or two individuals wouldn’t make much difference at first, but over time—as they multiplied—they would help maintain the world’s natural balance.

  Ariana then thought of her past life.

  Among countless memories, a simple image surfaced: vast green pastures, occupied by cows and oxen, calmly grazing on the grass around them.

  “Of course…” she murmured. “That makes sense.”

  With no more hesitation, Ariana made her decision.

  “That’s it. I’ll create an ox,” she declared firmly.

  She knelt and placed her hands on the ground. In the next instant, divine light spread across the pasture. The grass nearby began to move, lifting from the soil and intertwining like living threads, slowly forming a large, robust silhouette.

  The shape became unmistakable.

  It was an ox.

  When the light finally faded, the grass that had formed its body settled gently back onto the ground, revealing a massive ox with brown fur. It let out a deep, powerful moo, as if announcing its arrival to the world.

  Without showing any confusion, the animal immediately lowered its head and began eating the grass in front of it, completely ignoring everything else.

  Ariana watched the scene in silence.

  It worked.

  Five more days passed, and Ariana spent that time carefully observing life in Arcadia. In the sea, the fish she had created began splitting into groups. Each group went in a different direction, spreading across the ocean. Ariana wasn’t sure whether they separated by instinct or simply drifted apart—she had imagined they would swim together at first.

  Still, it wasn’t a bad thing.

  For now, the sea had no predators, so they were safe. In fact, by spreading out, they could multiply in different regions of Arcadia, making better use of the vast ocean.

  She also observed the ox she had created. Its routine was simple: it spent most of its time eating or sleeping, entirely calm. The grass around it slowly diminished, exactly as Ariana had imagined.

  After those five days, her ability was available once more.

  Without a second thought, Ariana decided to create another living being of the same species.

  She created a cow.

  When the ox—resting beneath the shade of a tree—noticed the presence of the new creature, it stood up almost immediately. To Ariana, it even seemed excited. The animal approached the cow with slow steps, sniffing her curiously.

  To her surprise, the cow didn’t retreat.

  She moved closer as well, gently brushing against the ox, and soon the two were walking together toward the shade of the tree. Not long after, they lay down side by side, calm and relaxed, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

  Ariana watched the scene in silence.

  A small smile formed on her face.

  https://www.patreon.com/horaciogui