6 Billion A.D./Collapse

Tentative Synopsis: Rigel heads toward the anomaly at the center of the galaxy to set off a chain reaction that could stop the collapse of the universe, for better or worse.

10.1

That thing, that I could only call the Sentience, should I trust it? Should I trust a suicidal god? Or was it some sort of messiah, or demon? No, it wasn't a god it was something else. Was it all in my mind?

Regrowth

Rigel felt somewhat better.

The noises were growing back again, after the destruction.

Rigel looked at his uniform. Even though it was dirty, he didn't mind. It reminded him of his many challenges.

The situation had at least leveled off.

Rigel would have to set off the next segment again. He wanted it to be better than the last, even acknowledging that he would fail in some regards.

Rigel set about planning another stage. He would do so in honor of Sophiy. The plants would be his allies. Whether or not they wanted to.

Rigel laughed.

-

In the aftermath, Rigel felt a sense of satisfaction. Yet, he also knew that there would be more. For long after the universe decayed to whatever came next, even if it did not return in another full cycle, there would at the least still be those creatures that survive off the decays of previous systems.

Rigel felt unsure, yet proud. He was happy to have had least had a part in the destruction of the universe. Yet, he also wanted more.

Rigel looked around.

It wasn't over yet.

As Rigel flew through more lightyears, he could see the remnants of the universe gradually growing darker.

The maintenance of the various components of space had fallen apart. Disarray.

In one region, Rigel recognized the star cluster where he had first met Sophiy.

Now, she too was gone.

Rigel kept on going.

The more Rigel carried on, the more things returned to normal. Had it all been a fake, after all, as some had suggested of the virus pandemic? Had Rigel dreamed the saga of destroying much of the universe?

Rigel looked around. Nope, not a fantasy. There were still remnants of entire civilizations floating freely through space, in many directions.

Rigel congratulated himself, then had a nap.

There would be more chances to think things through later.

10.3

The game of immortals had begun. Were Rigel's eyes deceiving him or were beings of light dancing in front of him? Did he have eyes or did his brain deceive him. Were his eyes even open at that moment?

10.4

“Rigel...” a woman’s voice whispered. Rigel falls to the ground in fear, looking in all directions. “What! Who are you!? Show yourself!”. The woman laughs, “You are funny Rigel....I like you..do you like me?”. Rigel terrified runs away. He finds himself down a dark dirt path. He can see lights. It’s a monastery. He runs for it. He opens the doors to find a man. A monk sitting alone. “Sir please help me there is a ghost!”. The monk is silent. “Sir! Please!” The monk says nothing. “You have to believe me!”, screams Rigel. “A ghost you say?”, the monk finally speaks up. “Yes! Please I’m scared!” Rigel cries. At that very moment the monk became red. Literally. As if he was a metal ingot heated to 2000 degrees. His clothes burned off. His sweat boiled. He grabbed the sides of his head. Rigel screamed in terror. “Rigel don’t cry, don’t cry Rigel, don’t be sad Rigel!”, a woman’s voice chimed in. The large wooden double doors slam shut. All the candles are extinguished in an instant. All that can be seen is the evil red glow emanating from the monk. Rigel, paralyzed with fear, fell to the ground. Unable to scream, he then looked in confused horror and vomited. A disemboweled naked woman appeared. It was his mother. The monk suddenly lifted off the ground high into the air and he began to proclaim “ Miserere mei, et exaudi orationem meam!” and as the monk uttered his last word, his body was instantly ripped in half. His two halves fall at Rigel’s feet. The monk looks at Rigel, blood drools from his mouth. Rigel still too stunned to react. The woman walks up to Rigel. “Hello baby boy, eat for mommy. Please, I made it just for you!”, she bends down to Rigel, the monk’s two halves lying in between. She stares deeply into his eyes. “I love you baby” Her eyes turn black. Rigel cannot stop staring into his mother’s eyes. “I love you too mommy”. Rigel kisses his own mother passionately. His gaze transfixed on her black soulless eyes.

10.5

I took the (orb) with me into the anomaly. There were millions of threads going in every direction, focusing on a small pulsing fiery light, that somehow all these threads were connected to. I knew I needed to to head towards this light. Something occurred to me that (...) [of the Order] told me. That the universe was connected to itself, that all galaxies came together at a single, delicate point, accessible from the center of even the smallest galaxy. What would happen if I brought the orb into this mysterious light, which can only be the center of it all. Was it destruction or creation? But then again the orb could be powerless, and what mattered was a thought, a choice, that I had to make. Was my species, my galaxy, precious. Would finity be so bad?...

...

Overtures

The more that things became normal again to Rigel, the more he wanted different things. Instead of the decaying ruins of the universe, he wanted to start producing something different. Rigel had had enough of this.

Would the universe continue to decay? Or was this just another part of the normal cycle?

Rigel could ask himself these questions, but he had no answer.

Rigel, who had somehow lived through so much, still felt like he was just starting out.

Rigel didn't know.

Perhaps it would be for someone else to find out.

-

What was different?

Rigel felt more confident, after having wrecked much of the known universe.

Rigel felt a sense of capacity, self-efficacy.

Not just to wreck it, but to wreck it and survive.

Rigel still felt the loss of Sophiy and more, but now he felt a willingness to go on.

Rigel had his new plans. That was good enough for him.

Rigel considered it important and appropriate to have gone through this experience.

Having done so, Rigel now felt like a better person.

Things got back to jostling.

Rigel thought that this would be the end of his delaying. Then, on to the next destination!

It would be a challenge for Rigel to find someone even somewhat like her.

But, he had a while in which to do so.