The hand of the savior[/u][/b]
For many an eternity, those who have wandered upon my form have gazed upon it…looked upon it and wondered…why was I left behind? Why had my creators left without me, unlike most of their other creations? Indeed, even those who approach the status of gods ask, what is my purpose, being in this doomed world?
And as with all creatures that were born here, and of those creations that were abandoned, I can give no answer. No matter how much they rail, vent, cry, beg or demand an answer to their questions, I can give them only silence in reply.
It is not that I have no answer…my knowledge and the information I was given can be attested to by the few witnesses that have remained in this doomed existence, whether they are here by fate, or by choice…
They can attest to the millions upon millions of years of wisdom given to me by the creators. They can also attest to the lives and experiences of the brave few billion that remained behind and built my form, and gave birth to my mind. And then, the last few, like most other life in the universe fell to the fate they knew that was coming upon their existence.
Each trusted my soul, my presence of mind to do the task that they could not do and most importantly, to keep it a secret from the creations that survived, till the right time and the right person.
This person, or group of persons, would be brought forth by the heralds that they had brought into this ancient pact. The heralds were the first born of the universe; the ones that were nearly as eternal as my creators. Unlike my creators, they were more of a part of this universe than they were separate from it; in essence it’s blood and life. The creators knew they would be ideal for the task at hand, and could be trusted with the knowledge of what to do.
The ancient pact remained strong, and to this day, the beings known by many as the great destroyers have since been conducting their grim task. It is an unpleasant one, for many a civilization has been raised indirectly in the shadow of their actions, only to be destroyed when they outgrow the shadows and catch their attention. Although this went against the edicts of my creators, and indeed, everything I was created for, it is still a grim task that must be done for the majority of existence. For each species that is destroyed in the flames and chaos of life; a dozen more flourish in the order and shadows of where they had been.
The destroyers speak to me of this…although they do not mind the task, they grow weary, tired…regretful. For countless eons they have fought and fought and fought, and although they are adapted for it, and by all means, capable of it, the tasks they commit and the amount of sacrifice they give to the pact that binds them is so far unparalleled by any other species. They have suffered so much, and yet, the end hardly seems at sight for them.
I witness as many species curse and rave at them for darkening their skies like a plague, and for the destruction they commit. But if only they knew why the destroyers do what they do, shall they know the true extent of how they have darkened their own skies, rather than the destroyers.
But no matter whom they deal with, the destroyers can only remain mute to the cries of the younger races. Only a rare few of the younger races understand what they are trying to say. In billions upon billions of years, and millions of races that have come and gone, only seven have understood their word, their patterns of speech. Yet, as the heralds brought each to me, each chose not to end the destroyer’s torment.
Once briefed of what was to occur, each race reacted differently.
The first one was old; almost as old as the destroyers themselves. A vast mind borne from the silica and metals of a harsh world, its ominous presence had remained fixed to the ground for many a century as it grew and felt into the space around it. The mind reached out across space eventually, sending it’s tendrils to grow and expand past the planet that had birthed it. It met the great destroyers soon after, beings who shared a somewhat similar birth that it had.
Within hours, the means to communicate had been found, and the mind was brought before me. It was told of the severity of the disaster that was to befall it, and us. It was given the choice the creators had asked us to give it – either join us, or flee. For to remain would only make things worse than if it were to go. The mind could not stay and fight, for as wise as it was, it knew its limits, and instead chose to flee. Its world was then moved out, into the winds of sand, time and fate, and one mark was added upon my form to signify its passing. It promised me it would try to return once it was stronger, wiser. But it knew as much as I did; we would only see each other again should fate decide upon it. Perhaps we would meet again one day; for who knew what fate had in store for us all?
The second ones came soon after.
They were somewhat young when they made first contact. A race of intellectuals that respected the powers of the mind and the individual, they were wise beyond their ages and smarter than most other races at their age. They abhorred war, and preferred to gain control through economic might instead.
They were born on the sixth planet of a star that was on the verge of death. They were of the more common carbon variety; bipedal, their world was made mostly of water and ice; with only little land. They evolved on the largest piece of land, and did so quickly. Soon, individuals became groups; groups became tribes; tribes became villages; villages became small forts and settlements; and these soon grew into spectacular cities that grew to such heights, that they seem to touch the very stars themselves.
Had they been born earlier, they would have met their extremely hostile and territorial neighbors on the inhabitable rock that was now their fourth planet, and a fierce battle would have ensued for their very existence. But no such thing took place now, for many ages ago that race had challenged the destroyers in a bid for power, domination and control.
And then, that race was no more.
But yet, the legacy of their violence and horror remained within the system, drawing forward their neighbors in curiosity, and then reeling them back in shock. But the younger race learnt from the mistakes of the older; they knew that it was possible others would not be as peaceful as they. However, they were still determined to try and contact the great destroyers; if only to learn why they had done what they had done. Learning what they could, they sought out across space for the great destroyers, all the while figuring out ways to make contact.
And it was not long before they found the destroyers as they were conducting their grim task nearby, and first contact was made.
The great destroyers handled the new race with care; for never before had anyone sought them for anything other than war or conflict. They left behind the fleet – thankfully intact – and brought to me five individuals; five chosen to be the representatives of the younger race.
These five chosen soon stood before me, and I offered them the same choice I had the first. However, this time it was different; for unlike the first, where there was only a single mind to communicate with, here there were many – approximately fifteen billion, at the minimum. Although the five had been chosen, they could not make the decision on their own. They left soon after, to consult with the rest of their species. To move fifteen billion individuals was no joke, but it was possible, given time.
Unfortunately, despite my preparations, soon there would be no need for any such deed.
The five individuals returned to me a short while later with their species’ decision. It had been quick and easy to make, for quite simply, where the species had consisted of fifteen billion, now remained only fifteen thousand.
For when the chosen had left the system, time had taken its course, and so had nature. The aging star that had fueled the system for so long, and had witnessed the births of two civilizations finally succumbed to time and entropy. In a cruel twist of the fate, where the system had been, was now only an expanding sphere of gas and debris;, that shone across the night sky in many another system with the brilliance of a hundred million suns. It consumed the second race with a divine yet horrifying beauty, leaving only the survivors that had been out of the system.
My hopes, too died with their race’s death, and despite sympathy of their plight, and despite their shock, I still asked them for their decision.
And thus, the second mark was placed upon my form. Another opportunity had come, and then just as quickly, had been whisked away by the sands of fate. I cannot help but feel a tang of guilt at what happened; but still, I know that at least a few survived, and like the first, perhaps they would be able to find shelter elsewhere, and grow once more. However, considering the fate they chose, I cannot help but think that death would have been better; for they were now cursed to run forever, always at the edge of the disaster that would come to claim the rest of us. They were fast enough to stay ahead of it…yet, not fast enough to get far away enough to rest; lest it catch up to them.
And so once more I watched, and waited.
It was not long before the third was born.
A race of arachnids, the thirds were in many respects similar to the great destroyers when it came to social structures and methods of living. Born on the second planet of a young star system, their habitats ranged from lush forests and greenery, to arid deserts and freezing mountains. Although their planet had been formed early in the life of the universe; their evolution took far longer. Many a species came and went on the planet in a string of natural disasters; but theirs held steadfast against all odds. One could call them either extremely lucky, or extremely tenacious in their will to survive.
But even with sentience, they grew slowly.
Their society was a fragmented one; with many different societies all over their planet living in relative peace and isolation from each other. Occasionally, there was conflict, and indeed, competition for common resources. But unlike many hundreds of other civilizations, their resolution was peaceful, and quick to finish, allowing them to flourish at what many other civilizations would consider a snail’s pace. Unlike most other civilizations, however, there was simply no need to grow rapidly.
However, their planet was only so large, and even with their slow growth, the need eventually arose to reach for the stars. For the first time, the civilization looked outwards, and considered what other life may or may not exist in the universe. They first moved to the fifth planet in the system. And then, soon, they discovered a method to bridge the gap between star systems that would take them across within their short lifetimes.
But even as they explored the systems around them, they encountered no other life nearby; no wrecks and no signs. Unlike the others, where there had at least been the memories, the legacy of the races that had come and gone before, this race was well and truly alone. For millennia they wandered the night, their civilization uniting and growing closer together in their virtual loneliness. Their empire soon became grand, reaching many a social and political pinnacle that only a few of the older races could rival. Since there were plenty of resources and no fighting; their civilization and technology progressed slowly, often using the same practices that were millennia old.
But yet, still, their search became more desperate as their loneliness grew. They searched farther and faster than ever before.
It was by this loneliness that they finally made contact with the great destroyers. The destroyers were as curious of the third as they were of them. It was akin to seeing a near-perfect reflection in a mirror of sorts; nearly identical, yet not exactly there. Had any other race witnessed the ships that gathered in orbit, they would have had difficulty in spotting the difference in designs.
For a brief moment, I could almost feel it in the mind of the destroyers; a brief flicker of happiness and of joy as the third was contacted. The hive minds knew that there was a chance…a hope, as it were, that they could no longer be so alone in their task anymore.
Here again, a few were chosen to represent the whole. Six were brought before me, and were told of the problem that now plagued us all. The destroyed had asked me to query them; to question if they would be willing to join hands in controlling the damage, and making their grim task a little better.
Unlike the second race, the third did not need to return to confer with their peers. A decision was made on the spot. The third race, while understanding the problem and issue, simply had neither the desire nor the capability to do what I was asking of them. Indeed, it was an insane plan, one that doomed their race to existence; essentially going completely against self-preservation in every sense of the word. They scoffed at the destroyers, and slammed their decision away. They said they would have no such part to play; for they could not – would not join in the sin that the destroyers partook in everyday, regardless of how similar they may be.
This enraged the great destroyers; for the words struck true to their very core. The destroyers, under no circumstances, enjoyed what they did. However, time and practice had conditioned them against the pain, de-sensitizing them. The words only ran true, unlocking the festering regret they suffered over their actions. Regret, which eventually led to anger…to rage…and then, finally to its eventual climax: unsurpassed destruction.
The reaction was swift; and over before I could do anything about it. The destroyers, in a rage unlike any other, swamped them with all of their might. Millions of ships poured out of subspace against the third race, which were ready for them. However, their response was useless as the destroyers pulled off ships from elsewhere to compensate for this.
They only lasted three hours before nothing remained of their planets, ships and homes but dust and echoes.
Six thousand survived in my structure; shocked and in despair at what happened, these few individuals begged me for help. But there was little I could do, apart from what I had been made to. And so, as they traveled through, the third mark was made, and then, their civilization no longer was present in this realm.
It was harrowing; frightening what the destroyers had done; but it was not surprising. The destroyers held within them many eons of agonizing over their actions. And then they had gone numb, as was required to do the task effectively. They knew what was at risk here, as held by the pact they had with my creators.
But still; when the third had brought them up to the surface, it reduced their rationality, and only brought up memories that the minds had stifled to preserve sanity and order. And thus, through their arrogance, the third ensured that they were no more.
Despite this; the great destroyers continued their grim task. There was nothing I could do to stop them, for the creators trusted these beings with the universe. And as was proven by their subsequent actions, the beings were still trustable.
The fourth to witness my presence was not organic; nor had they evolved naturally. It was a creation, much like I was, and shared with me a sense of familiarity that I had not seen for such a long time. The only family I knew were my creators…and they had gone for so long, and with the task at hand, I did not know how lonely I really was, till I met it...for a while then, I knew what the destroyers must have felt when they met the third; the hopes, the joys and the feelings of potentially meeting another so much like themselves…
They could not be called a race; but more of a group mind. Made up of a seemingly infinite number of nanites, it had been created by another race that had arisen to power in a remote corner of space, in a small cluster of stars where several other species grew as well. The race grew, prospering and benefiting from many an alliance with its neighbors.
There’s was a peaceful race, and made many an advancement in nanite engineering. They eventually created the mind’s predecessors, in an attempt to bring their civilization and achievements to new heights. They succeeded in doing so, and doing so remarkably. They rose to the height of their alliance and local cluster, reaching levels of achievements that were nearly as powerful as my own. Theirs was also a kind civilization, helping many another to reach those heights, the levels of contentment and happiness that theirs had achieved.
But no all the races they helped shared the same view of contentment. The fourth’s creators were too trusting, too uncaring to see as one the races they helped sneaked in the shadows, and into the night. They watched and waited as the others enjoyed their somewhat Utopian existence. It is unclear why they struck, or indeed, why they chose to be so stubborn in believing the lie that was their faith. Perhaps they were jealous in their inability to make true their dreams as the others had, by seemingly impossible means. Perhaps…they were simply evil; the other hand of fate that I had witnessed so many times before. Maybe they were…but whether they were doesn’t matter.
They struck at the darkest hour, striking a blow deep into the other race’s hearts, in an attempt to take over. The blow was deep, chilling and a shock for those involved. Immediately, the fourth’s creators fell into a fifty year war. They were simply too weakened and in too much disarray to fight back effectively. Heroes rose, and heroes fell as they managed to regroup and fight back with their advanced nano-technology. The fourth was their oldest creation, and was called on to fight along with the others.
That was till ten years before the fourth met me, when nothing was left of any of the races but the ashes, dust and memories.
Left without a purpose, without an enemy, the fourth struck off into space; hoping to find peace for itself, and the memories of the billions of individuals it had just witnessed die; and pay respects to the countless souls and paradise that it had failed to protect.
And then, it had found the great destroyers; beings that had killed far, far more than it had, but for a similar purpose. Given its nature, the mind was able to communicate easily, much akin to the first had. The destroyers brought it’s mass to us, sacrificing many a number to protect and bring it through hostile territory.
When it’s presence at last swarmed over my form with an infinity of nanites, I presented the problem to it, much like I had presented to the three that had come before. But fate tempted me in this case, much as it had the destroyers before. I asked a simple request from it; one that I could not control or deny after so many years of loneliness and the sufferings of a strained sanity. I asked it, if it were not going to take the choice to help, to at least stay with me in the dark and lonely night, to offer companionship, if nothing else.
The fourth understood my request, and the sadness behind it. It too had been alone in the night; devoid of the voices and echoes of it’s creators for nary a time. It pointed out to me, however, that if it were to stay, I would have failed the mission given to me, much like how it had failed its creators.
It accepted the task at hand, and made the choice none of the previous three had chosen. The fourth believed that in completing this task, in accepting this impossibility, it would exonerate itself from its failure. With great sadness, I agreed with its decision. However, it was neither without kindness nor sympathy. It agreed to stay with me, become part of me in essence, for a short time before it went about the required task. Even though it remained with me for a thousand years, for a being that has existed for several billion, it was but a mere blink of an eye as the fourth mark was added to my form, and it went through on it’s mission…promising that once it completed the task, it would return once more, and that we would be together again. It made me promise to wait for it, despite the fact that my purpose had now been fulfilled; much akin to how two immortal lovers would wait for each other through time, and space.
But it was not meant to be.
Although the great destroyers went with it to protect the fourth; a chance encounter with one of the inhabitants on the other side stalled them, as the more aggressive members opened fire on their fleet. Before we could help, indeed, before I could do anything…it, and the destroyers that had gone with it were no more…
It is said that any soldier is willing to give his or her life for their cause; for their beliefs, and for the lives of others. At the drop of a hat, any true soldier would be willing to give his life to save another squad mate, his buddies. He does not fear his own death, and to him, such things are but minor blows.
But what is harder, what is so infinitely harder, is watching those others – especially those loved ones – die in front of their face. The blow that comes with it as the familiar presence is wrenched away from your reach is by far so much more agonizing.
But still…despite my grief, my suffering and my loss…I had to go on. The destroyers consoled me as best as they could, but eventually, only I could make myself move on. Burying my past, and paying my respects, I once again returned to the lonely night…watching and waiting for the next to be brought before me.
The fifth did not take long before they were brought here. But they were not a race.
Although most definitely a group, the rag-tag bunch that the destroyers had found was actually a ship’s crew. Consisting of several different species, their vessel was run by a sentient artificial intelligence. Their leader was a hero of sorts from where he had come, collecting the odd bunch after he had the ship had been displaced in time and space by an accident in his home world.
The leader had wandered far and wide, conducting many acts of heroism and saving many lives – some of which then became a part of his crew. He had been fleeing one of the older races when the destroyers had chanced upon them. The AI had managed to recognize the destroyer’s method of communication, and then manage to talk to them before being attacked. The destroyers brought forth the ship and it’s crew to me, where they then told me their stories to date.
The leader was very wise, but yet at the same time, very old. Upon hearing of the choice, and what was at stake should he fail…he refused. It was not that he did not want to; he told me that every moral fiber in his being wanted to do nothing but help me. But the truth was, that he was now on his death bed. To attempt to run such a gauntlet, when so much was at risk…he realized the truth then, as much as I did, he would probably have made the situation worse, as opposed to better. He begged me, however, to let his crew go through, and to let them have a safe home where they would not need to run anymore.
I did not know what to say to them. The second race, by now, would still be continuing to run…but what of this crew? How could I promise him safety…promise him hope against this sort of a thing? Not even my creators, as powerful as they were, would have been able to promise such a thing. Yet, at the same time, I did not have the heart to crush his hopes and refuse him. But then…what could I do?
I did the only thing I possibly could have done in that situation…I lied.
And so the fifth mark was made upon my form as their crew passed through. I wished soundly, that they would find their safety and well-being, and that my promise didn’t have to.
And once more, the waiting began.
I don’t know how long had passed before the sixth was brought before me…time meant little to me by then as my sanity seemed to fragment from the loneliness and sadness of the dark night, and the planet below.
The sixth were an unusual race. They were carbon-based, but had evolved in vastly different circumstances than most species. They had evolved on the outer edges of a gas giant; floating and living amongst the extremely high winds and titanic storms that brewed across its surface. They grew in these harsh conditions, knowing neither land nor any physical limit past the pressure of the gas giant below.
Their society was simple, eloquent and long-lived. The ages of their oldest individuals easily surpassed several thousand years, and as a whole, they were incredibly wise. They left the embrace of the gas giant’s gravity field in balloon like ships that sailed across the stars as they met and then traded with most other civilizations.
Although they weren’t aggressive, they did display a significant degree of suspicion for most other species, especially the younger ones. However, this did not reduce the fact that they were one of the kinder races around, much like how the fourth’s creators had been.
They were also watched the destroyers as they went about their grim task; usually hiding out in the gas giants and observing as the younger, more aggressive races fought back, only to fall eventually. Theirs was the only one that understood the role the destroyers had to play here. And so they did not resist when the destroyers eventually came to their corner of the galaxy, instead choosing to make contact with them. It was then that the destroyers brought them forth to me.
They understood the problem at hand; but unfortunately, they, like the second, chose not to help. When asked why, they simply said it was beyond their capacity; which I immediately identified as a lie. When I questioned further, I eventually found out the truth. They were not of this universe; and indeed, had met other creations similar to myself; ones that had been abandoned by the creators to our fate here. They knew of the problem that plagued me, and were not unsympathetic to my plight. However, they also knew what was required to do what was asked, and simply were not capable.
Unsure what to say to this, but somewhat surprised at the news of them meeting other creations, I left them to their devices once they decided not to interfere. Perhaps their race still exists in the galaxy where the destroyers had found them, perhaps they survived the millennia as time passed by…or perhaps they didn’t. After that day, I didn’t see the sixth race ever again.
The seventh to grace my form nearly destroyed it.
It was an ancient being; one that had been found mortally wounded by the destroyers. It was almost as old as the first that had come to me. It was surprising that it had not been found sooner, for it had the ability to communicate with many a being, as it did with the destroyers when it asked for help.
I took the being under my shelter and care, nursing it back to health slowly. I recognized the being as having approached transcendence; a stage where it would move and grow into the many non-corporeal entities of the universe. Soon, once healed, it would escape and go into the universe, wild and free.
It was at that time, I felt a pang of guilt for having to give it the choice that I had given the others. It truly did not deserve to make such a decision…not at its stage in life. But, still, my creators had made the instructions clear, and I approached it with the choice.
But when in the process of doing so, the being suddenly transcended, catching me off-guard. It attacked me, with all its might. But my creators built me strong, and I was able to throw it off with ease. However, before I could do so, it had taken away three of the marks left on my form, to signify the passing of the others.
It was then I learned of its plans. It had known my creators since the beginning, and was actually one of their creations. It had been enraged when it had been left behind; left utterly defenseless against the calamity that was to come. It raged at me, asking why I had been chosen over it to have the power to escape, why it had been abandoned so. It desired nothing more than to destroy me, out of rage and denial at what the creators had denied it.
I hesitated a bit and considered. This was another creation, just like me. Was it my place to destroy or harm it? After all, what it had said was true…for the creators had left it behind with nothing, while they had given me much to be thankful for. However, then I remembered it’s deception, of how it had harmed me, of how it now intended to harm and kill me.
In rage, anger and denial of having being betrayed so; I crushed the being, snuffing out its existence just as surely as the destroyers had crushed many other beings in the universe. I focused all my rage, anger and denial at it, leaving my form for a short while to hunt it down with the destroyers and then crush it myself. I did not think with sanity at that time, nor did I think of the consequences of what my departure would have. Instead, I was only focused only on the rage and insanity that had been perpetuated by billions of years of entropy upon my mind.
Eventually, I was successful, and returned back to my form to take up residence. The destroyers did not return with me, for they had other tasks to undertake. However, when I returned, I was surprised to find a few uninvited guests.
A new race had taken place around my form; building around it an impressive ring. They had managed to enter my form and, driven by curiosity, they sought to find it’s secrets. Of course, this was not possible. For a brief instant, I realized that I had nearly failed the creators in my promise of keeping their secret. In my rage and anger, my sanity had been clouded such that now my very mission was at stake.
Sneaking back onboard, I surveyed how much they had done. Fortunately, it was not much, and they had discovered very little. However, even that little could not be allowed to be used; such was the danger of the knowledge in the ring. I quietly informed the destroyers of this; and although they were understandably upset, they too agreed with my assessment. It was prudent timing, in actuality. The race had perpetuated the disaster significantly, and the destroyers had already been moving to contain them. However, it would not be easy. This race was far, far larger than most of the others encountered to date. The only ones that had been stronger had been the third. But at time, the destroyers had been stronger as well. But after so many ages of fighting and fighting, they were weary, and tired.
And yet, still, they fought on.
The conflict started elsewhere. They quietly slipped away and left those on the ring alone, to let me deal with them as I saw fit. For a while, I observed those on the ring and considered what to do with them. None of them had any intention of harming me, and indeed, had done nothing to damage me either. For the moment, I tolerated their presence and only watched.
The beings that were on the ring sent a construct; a creation to probe my inside, and to roam my form. I followed in its shadows, studying it out of curiosity. There was something about this one…something so familiar about the way it moved through my form and my systems that puzzled me. It was clearly a creation, an artificial intelligence of a significantly high order, and specifically created to study my form. But yet…it was so familiar…so eerily familiar that I could not deny it.
I followed in it’s footsteps, looked over it’s shoulder as it blindly moved from place to place. It was clearly not sentient…but I hesitated before moving to destroy it. It looked too much like one of my memories; like how the fourth had been. It was too uncanny a resemblance. Every AI had it’s own method of movement…and this one was identical to that.
My creators had taught me of the possibility of re-incarnation…and such a possibility came into my mind now…It was tantalizing and yet at the same time, painful as memories of sorrow and happiness dredged themselves up from the back of my mind.
It was too tempting to see it in this light…too tantalizing. In the end, after much considering, I decided to act. I reached out and touched it; briefly exposing to it some of the memories I knew of it, in an attempt to illicit a response that my being demanded.
It paused in it’s search as it felt the touch. Unsure what it was, I saw as the program grew into a mind; and as the mind took shape, my joy knew no bounds as the mind looked so similar to the fourth…or at least, what the fourth would have been at the beginning of it’s sentient life. For a brief second, I considered letting it become fully aware of my presence.
But then, I realized…I couldn’t.
No matter how much I wanted no, no matter how much I desired to do so, to reveal my presence to the being would more than likely just harm not only it, but my entire mission here. The rest was the rest of life; versus just one individual…I didn’t want to make that choice. I screamed in silent denial as the universe then threw at me the same choice I had given to seven others in what could only be described as bitter irony and karma.
What could I do then? Make my choice, and then kill it again, just like I had all that many ages ago? Or choose the other way, and let everyone and everything else – including the destroyers whom had sacrificed so much for me – to just die? The question continued to reply in my mind as the mind found the news of the destroyer’s actions, of the destruction of its creator’s home world.
I watched as it rose with grim determination to save the individuals around it; the same determination and fear it had shown that many ages ago before it had departed through the gate in search for it’s salvation, and to seek retribution for its failiure…only to die afterwards.
I realized then, that I did not have two, but three choices.
Life hadn’t given me a second chance at rekindling memories of a time before. It had chosen, instead, to give it a second chance at retribution. A second chance that I knew I shouldn’t stop, if only out of respect…
I have given so much for this…this cause that I accepted at the beginning of time from my creators. I have given up everything I know, including my own sanity without a second thought. Yet…when asked to give up someone else…why must it be so difficult? I would rather face the seventh again than do this…yet, I somehow force myself to do so, and watching as the mind courses through the ring and my systems, and accessing the gate, while a portion of its creators go to stop the destroyers nearby.
I had made my decision…I would not interfere in this…and I asked the destroyers not to either. They respected my wishes, and instead focused on the mind’s creators that had been sent to stop them. I watched as the mind pondered its situation, of why it was there. The temptation to tell it is simply too overwhelming…but yet, still, somehow I manage to control myself, and keep my presence secret.
And then the mind leaves me; going onto its creator’s vessels ahead of my form. I watch as they enter the gateway, in search for refuge and salvation. I only hoped that the mind would find what it was looking for...and that this time, it would be successful.
However, now my task still lay before me. With great sadness, and guilt, I once again return to waiting.
Maybe one day I would be free; capable of roaming the stars again in search of the mind, and then we would dance amongst the stars once more in companionship, and that I would never be alone after that…
Perhaps I would live to see that day, or perhaps I wouldn’t.
In either case, the ninth now stand before me, and I have made my decision. Stranded here by time and fate, I believe it is these few chosen that shall finally give an end to my purpose, and to finally set me free.
I can only hope that should you read this message, my creators that you would forgive me for what actions that I have taken, and for the promise I had broken. Even if you do not forgive me…I beg of you to at least, please understand my plight – for that is all any living creature – even you – would ask.
I know I promised you then, that I would remain here, to guard your children and your other creations. But time is coming to an end, and if they are to be protected, I must leave. I knew you thought me to always give any that come up to me choice, but these few that have gathered here already made that choice far before. I see in their stories, in their histories, the tragedies they have brought about to be here; the beliefs they hold for the greater good. I know that in these few, we can finally find the solution you were so desperately hoping the chosen few would choose to find. The hand of the savior has to them…however, we shall soon find out whether they truly are.
Eight came and went, and none of them could help. But this ninth has no other alternative. If they were to choose not to help, like the other few did…then so be it. There is no time left…and even though I know that it’ll mean my end, I shall complete this task myself. It is a decision that the destroyers have agreed to as well; for they are as weary as I. All they can do is contain the problem…but for it to end, we must act. It is either do or die with the ninth, for I promise you, there shall be no tenth.
I only hope that you can forgive me…
Please…
