Chapter 1 End of the eternal darkness.

Act 1 Sea of memories.

I was nothing, within this vastness of memories and darkness. Just another voice, and thoughts, among the uncountable lot. until a powerful voice, and presence, pressed upon my own. she felt domineering, yet I felt true compassion from her. for me, or for those around me? I was uncertain of that thought.

Oh mortal, what were you in the grand scheme of existence?. . . I had no answer.

Who do you believe yourself to have been?. . . I had no answer for her.

Where do you think you are? I. . I'm uncertain. . . I finally answered her. She's different from the thousands I talked to through my wonderings of this place.

I've been here, in this sea of memories and darkness. . . memories of this place and of uncountable time I spent in it passed through me. slowly at first, but it went faster and faster.

How long has your eternity been? I don't know. . . isn't that how eternity works? I felt her smile at my small joke.

What were you mortal, before all of this? Me? I was. . . of flesh, I was mortal, I had thoughts both my own and that of others, my mind was that of an intelligence. . . that's all I remember. That is fine for now mortal. 

Voices, thoughts, memories and other such things, kept the starless universe occupied. but then all of that was not deterring the conversion of two voices. One powerful the other almost a whisper to those who can listen to their dialog.

Do you remember now, mortal of flesh? . . . time seemed meaningless now, as I do not know if I responded to her seconds after she asked me. or if it was centuries.

My name was Daniel. . . I was a son. . a younger brother. Then I was a child, then a student. then a young man who should have done more in his youth. . . As a man I worked in biology, tended to aquatic life, making food for my race, for humanity and for myself. 

A pause stretched, as the voice of Daniel stopped; Is that all you remember Daniel? No. I. .have more. Do you want it? Yes, be my rhapsode and stitch more of your story and turn it into an epic I can enjoy.

I. . . would try. I. . I Have fought in wars, died in a few, saw and lived in the greatness of my civilization. endured and partaken in its cruelties. and finally joined it in its ascension. . . I was never able to sire children. I had never had a mate, a love, that I could have shared the rest of my long life with.

Lifetimes of memories passed me of my past life. Leaving through the era's of humanity long after we had started traversing the stars.

What of children? And of your love? Yes . . . I had no children of my own, but I did pass my genetic code and many descendants were born from mine and others perfected genes. . . I even took care of some of them, one in particular called me her father, and I treasured her like the others, I did for them what a father should. . . but in the end she wasn't my child none of them were. . . sorry, that's all I remember about children.

And your love? I remember less, just voices, faces, passionate nights, some drunk on more than alcohol. . . those kinds of love were the kind I mostly had in my early years. They were the most innocent affairs I had.

But the other ones that I remember were the foulest ones. fuelled with nothing but lust, most of them were nothing more than regrettable tales. I wish I had forgotten. . . but now I keep them, to remind myself. that monsters, give birth to more monsters.

I'm Sorry. . . but that's all I remember about my love. My memories as it solidified started to fade again, in and out like that of a pumping heart.

Don't be sorry Daniel, that was a good epic. Now, where do you believe you are? Her voice gained an edge, but warmth still covered her presence.

I. . . I died didn't I? I was on the generational ship Dragonfire, taking care. No, I was fattening up some catfishes, one of the gene children fell, on the fattening aquaworks. And I jumped in to save her. . . and my foot got stuck, on one of the vents, and then I drowned. But I shouldn't have died.

Yes, Daniel, you are dead, and that's not how you died. . . you've been dead for eons. Now your consciousness is one of the few that remained stable, at the end of this cycle. And as a gift I give you a life as an elder of this new creation, peace be with you Daniel, may your judgment be good and fair. . . as it always has been. I felt her presence saddened as she became faint and then disappeared.

The two voices stopped. as well as the uncountable others in that place of grim darkness with nothing but memories to warm the souls who inhabit it. but then they all felt warm. As a new cycle begins.

Act 2 What about space whales?

So? What elder race, would you make for that boring human? What about a whale? A whale? Are you sure sister? A race of intelligent whales, and I'm assuming they'll be big? Most definitely, I would like the oldest of this new race to be larger than the last universe's galactic cores.

Two being talked, one was that of an antlered dire wolf, with forest plants on her antlers, with blooming flowers on her fur. The other was a feathered cave lion dressed in soft silks and glowing tattoos on her feathered mane. Both floated with a tea set in an endless dark void.

Why a whale? We can just do dragons, like we usually do. Have you forgotten, sister? whales are too peaceful, of a race. they might get wiped out, by one of the younger races, that would eventually appear; The feathered lion spoke counseling the Antlered wolf.

I know, sister. but I'm sure they'll become too populous, by the time the younger races, start traversing the stars; The Antlered wolf answered as a teacup floated to her mouth.

So what about you, sister Feline? What first galaxy are you making? Is it another traditional galaxy with hard physics? Or are you gonna soften it up and make magic possible again? Or are you gonna test that new astral system? I remember you kept working on it for centuries a few eons ago.

The first two guesses did not phase the feathered lion. but as the canine spoke, of the last Galactic structure. That was what stopped, the lady Lioness. from sipping on her tea; Oh? Who told you about that sister Wolf? Was it brother fox? Well yes, I would use the experimental one, for this new universe's origin galaxy.

I am curious, at what the creation engine would make, after I finish the origin system. Hopefully, this universe would not end so soon, like the last one. imagine sister, only 22 billion years? Sigh, I told our little brother to not make the science, of that universe too rigid. He was lucky, I had placed in fate, fortune and hope later on. or else that universe wouldn't have survived its first billion.

The feathered Lioness was flustered, as her feathers were up, and her tattoos glowed pink. but as the antlered she-wolf spoke, calming down the feathered Lioness, as her feathers settled; Calm sister, little brother Human had apologized greatly, he even begged you remember? Please, don't bugger him with this again. Sigh. . . your right sister, but he nearly cost as a universe! And we punished him for it, sister Feline.

No! He punished himself! Turning himself into a world to cradle his children. and even that was pathetic, he did not care for his creations, he wasn't there for them.

He was their world, and nothing more. and after all of his children left, he didn't follow them. He did not protect them, from the dangers of our creations. nor guided them through that tumorous universe. He just watched, within them.

And that's why we helped, humanity, sister Feline. . . It's because he couldn't, and that is why we were there for our little brother's creations, for his love, will, thoughts, everything. That made our brother himself flowed through his creation. . . and it touched us, some even felt his embrace.

The great feathered lioness turned into a cute short hair cat, furred with great softness. the tattoos turned into socks, that she wore. her silks turned into stripes. The beautiful antlered she-wolf turned into a retriever dog, golden in fur. her eyes, are like those of the skies. her head, wearing a crown of flowers.

Your right sister Gold. is that why you were always so kind, loving, and patient with them, sister? . . . no wonder you're letting this one, experience more. but be careful sister, little brother Human, might not be the same, once his rebirth is finished.

The dog smiled at the warning of the lady cat; Of course, I'm looking forward to what he would become. But first, want to help me make a space whale sister? Do you really need to ask? The cat gave the slyest grin.

Act 3 From darkness to light.

Who was that? I. . . my memories fogged further as my grasp on the embers of this reality fades. The voices were gone, quiet. That lady, who spoke to me, long gone. my thoughts rather than replaying memories, of my pasts, stayed still and then. Light.

I can't remember the last time I saw light, but there it was, so large, so bright; beautiful. . . is that my voice? Ha ha ha. . . I sound so old. Well let's see what's next.

Moments later. I fully, finally, faded. everything that I was or atleast everything that was left faded. . . no? What? Why? How? I opened my eyes, something I thought that I would never be able to do again.

And saw. . . clouds? Where was I? I was moving. . . I was eating clouds. I felt it, flowing into my maw. It tasted warm, and a little sweet. as I slowly floated and moved, through the soft cloudy dark golden stuff. . . I felt both underwater, and skydiving with a flying suit.

I could barely see anything, so I went up, as I saw light above. like that of a deep pool's surface. But as I moved closer and closer to the light. I felt slower, and my movement weaker, but still I fed on the sweet clouds. No it's not sweet anymore, it's becoming bland, tasteless. . . I turned back away from the light. I'll come back later. . . I once again faded.

It's been a long time, since I once again had focus. everything, since that time I tried to go up was fogged, and cloudy. . . now it's more clear, its pitch dark. The light is farther, I know I can reach it this time. but it's so comfortable, and warm down here.

I. . . I need to see the light. I don't know why, but It's not a want but a need. . . I once again swam, my maw opened, feeding on the dark sweet clouds. not because I was hungry. But because I needed it?

My pace was slow, as I moved, but somewhere within me told me, That I could go faster. but it's also saying I'm not ready. . . I listened to the more cautious instinct. 

My surroundings turned, brighter, and brighter, as I moved closer to the light. But the clouds turned tasteless again, yet I've not become any slower, nor weaker. So I continued.

Then I broke through the clouds, a force tried to push me back towards the clouds. Yet I fought against it, as I saw my prize, a large blue ball of flames, incredibly bright, yet it did not burn me, but warmed me, as much as the dark place had done. its rays washed over me, filling me with a new energy I barely recognized. It was amazing, this sight I would never forget, and then I lost the fight, and was pulled back. I saw below me another ball, but this was much much larger and made of clouds.