-- Potterian Universe
-- Blocked timeline
-- Mega-Cluster 451234
-- Cluster 562
-- Galaxy 4
-- System 15422354
-- Planet 3
Interesting creatures were filling both the surface and the skies of the planet. They were looking somewhat similar to humans, but leaner. Their complexity evolved more peacefully due to the absence of a variety of animals. Thus the species had no need to become aggressive or strong to survive. Thanks to that, the race overall had a peaceful lifestyle, and wars were rare among its representatives.
In terms of looks, they were quite shorter than the average human. Somewhere around a meter and a half. Had thin long hands with a very flexible set of 6 fingers on each hand, pointing out that race's main activities were crafts and arts. Not War.
Their legs were shorter but much wider, to better hold balance with their disproportionally long arms. And heads fitting their proportions.
But enough of looks, because in the end, they do not matter. Today is the last day of their existence.
Fires were burning all across the planet. All of the technological advances made up till now became irrelevant in the face of a massive wave of EMP(Electro-magnetic pulse) that hit the planet. Minutes after the pulse disabled major centers across the globe, gigantic creature, size of a small mountain, made of absolute darkness and billowing shadows appeared above the center of the native civilization.
No one in the right mind would associate the coming of that... being, a good sign, thus the world started preparing to give a fight to this monster.
A week. That's all it took for a creature to raze every city, massacre all armies, and destroy all hope. Although the beast was not invulnerable to the weaponry of creatures inhabiting the planet, it was reaping bodies and souls of those, it killed to recuperate. So, no matter how much damage was done to it, the creature was able to regenerate through it all.
***
-- City of Hope
-- Temple of Khatri
In the middle of the devasted city at the far reaches of the planet stood a lonely city. It was neither big nor small. Honestly, it was pretty mediocre. But, in the middle of that city stood a temple. Nobody in the city could remember when the temple was build or what purpose it served. But one thing was certain. This building is probably the oldest construction on this planet made by human hands, which made this city a place popular amongst historians. Some of them even believed that its construction predates first big communities.
But, now, all that doesn't really matter, does it?
Remainders, of the once-thriving race, gathered in the halls of a long-forgotten God. Huddled, face riddled in despair, people were a prayer to any and all beings for a miracle, not hoping to get one. When science is useless and all hopes are gone, what's left other than belief and desperation.
Small children were looking at their parents in search of an answer, mimicking the only emotion they could recognize. Fear.
Sounds from outside the temple were full of screams and crying. Explosions were heard intermediately with sounds of big barrelled guns being shot.
But soon silence took its rein. It was just a few moments, but for those inside the temple, it felt like an eternity left one on one with silence.
Suddenly...
*Rumble*
Walls of the temple shook as if something very heavy put its hand on the roof of this historical treasure. Or was it paw? Maybe even claws... Thanks to the absence of the internet or any other advanced technology to exchange information, people inside had no clue how the creature attacking them looked.
Almost half the planet saw as a mass of darkness dropped on the planet, frying everything working on electricity. But what specifically was it? Nobody knew. Was it Leviathan? A monster was so gigantic it could crash any of the moons orbiting their planet.
Was it an Intergalactic Ship? Vessel of some advanced race that stumbled on their planet in their thirst for expansion.
Or was it something else entirely?
A God traveling through the Universe.
A Demon scouring Galaxies in its everlasting hunger.
Or... maybe... it's the end. The end of the World, prophesized by all those madmen preaching in their religions.
No matter what it was, the end drew near.
*Step*
*Step*
Everyone in the temple halts their breath in horror, as loud steps echoed in the only corridor leading into the wide inner chambers.
*Step*
*Step*
With every step, terror grew in souls of the refugees hiding here. Each step was loud and crisp like an ancient giant, stomping on the ground.
But to everyone surprise, what appeared at the entrance was an outline of a humanoid. Despite their fear, people raised their heads to look at the intruder.
It looks nothing like a member of their once glorious race. Very tall. Hands too short to be useful. Too little fingers. Legs so thin, people were questioning, how they were holding him straight.
Finally...
"Who are you?!", asked the bravest of the bunch.
"What an irony, don't you agree?"
'Irony?' most thought, but that being continued.
"You stand in the temple built in my name, and yet you ask me, who I am," and he smiled.
"Y-Your temple?" one of the people stuttered.
"Indeed."
"Then it's true," one of eldest people amongst the bunch, hiding, said, "It's the end of the world."
But surprisingly the being only lightly laughed.
"What a conceited notion, that World will end with the extinction of your race. Here is the truth. Death of your race changes nothing. Accept that. Nobody will cry. Nobody will miss you. Because nobody cares."
It was hard for everyone present to accept that, but being didn't care.
"Can you at least answer why?"
"Hm? Knowledge."
"Knowledge?"
"Knowledge!"
"Y-You are exterminating the whole civilization just for knowledge?! What sort of knowledge has such a preposterous price?"
"Preposterous?" being asked, looking genuinely surprised, "I wouldn't say that. After all, collecting that information manually will take too long and will require many sophisticated tools all across the Universe collecting that information. I have neither tools nor, to be honest, any wish to waste time doing that. If I can do so by committing genocide or two, why not?"
Those who heard him turned pale. But those few who truly understood him were enraged.
One such person, eldest amongst present, said:
"We are nothing more than insects to you... You are not a God! You are a murderous madman! Worse you are a demon!"
A being had a somewhat pondering look.
"Insects? So? As for a God or a Demon. Do you even understand the difference?"
One of the scared mothers, understanding the inevitability of their death, screamed:
"Gods are benevolent. They help. They are good. But you... You...! You are...!"
Fuming in a mix of anger and despair, she couldn't find appropriate words.
But being only smiled:
"Well, you are too simple-minded to understand either way. Why waste time explaining," so the being waved his hand and from shadows all around the chamber spikes started materializing, impaling these mortals in the process. Thus killing the last representative of this race in the Universe.
"Turn off the soul circulation arrays and start Reaping." being said, seemingly into emptiness.
[Turning off...]
[Scanning in the process...]
[No beings capable of resisting the culling process found...]
[Initializing the Reaping protocol...]
The being remained standing in the same spot, looking at the gigantic statue, located in the middle of the chamber.
"Funny," he said, with a pondering look on his face, "Murderous madman... What madness is? Absence of emotion? Or on the opposite, it's absolute prevalence over thought? And what God is if not a creature void of emotions. And what Demon is if not a creature led by its desires."
[Initialization complete...]
*Sigh*
"I'm overthinking again, aren't I?"
[You are.]
The being smirked, and said to the voice, only he heard:
"Well, all questions to my maker."
[We have the same one. Moreover, overthinking does not, in any way, interfere with your mission. So, our creator made perfect servants for his needs.]
"Hm, looking from that perspective, your words do make sense. Anyway, as soon as all of the souls are collected, begin the recycling process."
[Acknowledged.]