You are a gifted storyteller. And I know about storytelling. Your rythm is very good. I couldn't stop reading until the end.
And bits like this:
A particular one caught her attention. It was modeled after “The Creation of Adam” by Michelangelo and displayed one godlike Ceph in the sky reaching out for another one on the ground, almost touching. It was very simple, by far not as detailed as the original, but it moved something in Nora-Ceph to see it.
”Ah, The Creation of Squadam”, the stranger said approvingly. ”I like this one too. Although I always wonder why the Cephis in this painting don’t seem to have all their arms? It’s almost like they were cut off for some purpose. And the Cephi on the right seems to be trapped in something that kind of looks like a human skull.”
The scene is so vivid!
Congratulations!