the first time they find themselves distinctly aware of another's suffering, it is after they have been dragged into a world that is not their own. a child is standing before them, shoulders curled inward, water falling from their eyes.

"child," they asked, "why are you crying?"

"I…I want my mom…I can't find her anywhere!" the child sobbed.

perhaps the child could help them, they thought. they wished to return to their original plane, and…well, this child wanted their mother. there was a difference in what they wanted, they observed, but perhaps they could work together.

"i can grant you your wish," they assured. "i will grant you your mother."

and so they gave the child a mother, and watched for millennia upon millennia as they were reborn, over and over, unable to anything but struggle against deus and miang.

'and for what?' a part of them asked. 'what did you give the child beyond their mother and a partner? beyond making them reincarnate time and again for your sake?'

the rest of them could not answer.

the second time they are aware, they are watching a universe come apart at the seams before the lower domain's guardian turns back time. the process repeats, over and over, and all they can do is watch.

'You could do something,' part of them urged. 'They won't stop this cycle until they get the results they want.'

they hesitated, choosing to watch for now. they watched as human after human found a being like them, coming into contact with them, and slowly losing themselves. they couldn't bear to do that to any human, they shouldn't come into contact and try to help.

the cycles seemed to blur until all they could pick out were red, blue, white, and black.

The third time, they watch as a group of humans attempt to become gods, and they shudder.

'Do something!' half of them begged. 'What will happen if you continue to stand by like this?'

They didn't know, but they didn't dare risk hurting others with their powers. Not after watching the other being.

Suddenly, two were fighting for control over a button. They watched as one begged the other not to press it, the program wasn't complete, everything could–

Pain. Searing pain as a part of them was torn away. They reacted in pain, watching as the piece of them was dragged away from them, becoming a new being as it merged with what they could only guess was an artificial intelligence.

They watched as another set of cycles rose up, the two gods unable to decide how to rule their world. The part of them that had been torn off never stayed with one god for long, alternating back and forth until at last, they were simply no more.

This time, they didn't want to simply watch. They wanted to take action. They couldn't stand by any longer, not after all they had seen.

'So what will we do?' they asked themselves. 'How shall we help them?'

A thought came to them, of when a part of them had been ripped away. Perhaps as before, they could take off a piece of themselves…

They turned their attention to the planet where the humans had landed, and found an empty husk inside a pod. Whoever they had been…they were no longer alive, they noted.

They chose to give a piece of themselves to the husk, watching as they slowly woke up. They looked surprisingly tired, their eyes scanning the pod they were in.

'You deserve a name,' they realized. 'Your name shall be Soleil.'

"…S…Soleil," the vessel murmured, blinking slowly. "…my name is…Soleil."

'Yes. Now, rest. You have a long journey ahead of you.'

They watched as they shut their eyes and returned to sleep. Perhaps this time, they got something right.