"…" The Cosmic Elder held his silence for several long minutes, the kind of oppressive, heavy silence that weighed on the air after several nascent space beasts had perished and others had slipped away. The tension of the moment pressed against the walls of the room, as if the very atmosphere waited with bated breath.
Finally, he lifted his head and gave a slow, deliberate nod.
"For your unparalleled service to the universe," he said, his voice measured and deliberate, "allowing me to take one side at the expense of the other may seem a simple matter… and yet… Heeh~ well, very well, let's proceed. But I must warn you, you need to understand the vast consequences that will inevitably follow this choice."
