A spatial rift tore through the vast expanse of the Null Realm, a place of absolute emptiness where nothing could be perceived. From its depths, a small yet ethereal sphere of blue light drifted in, its soft radiance flickering like a lone ember in the void.
For nearly a year, the orb remained suspended in silence, its glow casting faint ripples across the endless abyss. Then, without warning, it shuddered violently—its brilliance intensifying, piercing through the surrounding darkness as if awakening from a long slumber.
'Where... am I?' I wondered, scanning my surroundings, yet I could recall nothing beyond the most basic facts. Faced with an infinite void of darkness, a wave of fear washed over me as my mind struggled to process this new reality.
It seemed that fear was the catalyst, as a wave of relief washed over me, accompanied by a searing headache as if a seal had been broken. From what I can tell, that seal was my memories flashing before my eyes like scenes from a vivid movie. To say the least, having my memories played out like a movie felt strange.
It seemed that the fear of the sudden unknown had become the catalyst for uncovering where I was. A wave of relief abruptly washed over me, only to be followed by a sharp, searing headache—so intense it felt as though a seal deep within me had been broken. Then, without warning, my memories came rushing back, flashing before my eyes like vivid scenes from a movie. To say that watching my own memories play out in such a way felt strange would be a massive understatement.
'So, I died right before I could enjoy the reward of my success, huh?' I mused, as the fragments of my past slowly pieced themselves together. Memories resurfaced, each one unfolding the story of my demise step by step, painting a clear picture of how it all ended.
I was born in the year 2055, an era of flourishing technology where humanity had conquered the solar system and begun venturing into neighboring star systems, driven by an insatiable desire to explore lifeless worlds.
Raised in a loving middle-class family, my parents supported my siblings and me until we reached adulthood. Our life was simple yet fulfilling, free from any major troubles. I never felt dissatisfied or bored—on the contrary, I cherished the warm and lively atmosphere of our home.
'We didn't have much, but we had each other,' I recalled fondly. 'That was enough.'
During high school, I excelled academically, consistently securing top grades in most of my classes. My intelligence, along with my sharp wit and natural charisma, earned me a measure of popularity. In my free time, I immersed myself in manga, novels, and fanfiction, while also indulging in classic anime—preserved by the early twenty-first-century collectors due to their enduring popularity.
'I guess I was a bit of a nerd,' I thought, a faint smile forming in whatever state I am now. 'Not that I regret it. Those stories shaped the dreamer in me for greater ambition.'
Following my graduation from high school, I secured a coveted spot in a prestigious university that only admitted a select few and those graduates from this institution often went on to become successful members of society. Deliberating on my chosen path, I decided to pursue a bachelor's degree in technology and medicine, recognizing the high demand and remuneration in those fields.
The constraints of time were overcome by utilizing special cabins where time flowed five times slower than the outside world which allowed students to dedicate extended hours to their studies, albeit with a limit of five hours per day due to the negative effect if used too frequently. Despite rapid technological advancements, the human lifespan has only extended to around 150 years, making a 40-year-old physically akin to a 20-year-old.
By the age of 40, I had earned all the degrees I desired, surpassing the expected academic timeline by a full decade. My parents, Alexis and Hazel, were overjoyed, their pride evident in their beaming smiles. Yet, to me, my accomplishments felt unremarkable—after all, true geniuses and prodigies often achieved similar milestones in their early thirties if not earlier.
Anyway, I eventually embraced my new role in the creative department of a cutting-edge company, contributing to the development of an advanced artificial intelligence capable of feats that defied logic—bordering on the mysterious and even the magical. However, the final phase of the project required an astronomical amount of energy.
To put it into perspective, it demanded harnessing the planet's entire energy supply, a feat that would result in catastrophic power depletion and the potential loss of countless lives if all electrons were stripped of their charge.
One proposed solution was to relocate the population to underground shelters for a decade, allowing time to restore the energy supply. However, the higher-ups dismissed the idea, unwilling to proceed until we had the necessary resources. As a result, the project was indefinitely postponed—shattering my aspirations in an instant for any chance of the project continuing since most projects get shut down after being postponed.
'Forty years,' I thought bitterly, 'gone in an instant. All that work, all those sleepless nights... for nothing.'
The setback was unbearable. I had dedicated forty years of my life to this project, only for it to be abandoned on the cusp of realization. Left with no alternative, I bided my time, formulating strategies to complete the project at any cost—all while ensuring that my actions would not endanger my siblings due to my own selfish ambitions.
After our parents passed away, only my younger brother, Julius, and my sister, Andreea, remained, along with their families.
Unlike them, I had no family of my own—no spouse, no children. 'I chose this,' I reminded myself. 'I chose my work over everything else just so my ambitions would be fulfilled.'
As my time grew short, I made my final decision: I would see this project through, no matter the consequences. I warned my brother and sister to take their families to safety, urging them to seek shelter from the impending catastrophe. The aftermath was projected to last five years, leaving devastation in its wake until humanity could adapt to the new reality.
'Perhaps there was another way, one with fewer casualties,' I thought. 'But if such a path existed, I would not live to see it.'
Resolving myself to my fate, I inserted a tiny chip, no larger than an insect, into the system and watched as it dissolved under the influence of millions of terawatts of power. A thunderous explosion shook the facility, the force reverberating against the reinforced polycarbonate panels. My heart pounded with the fear of failure—a failure that would mean my death.
I opened the air vents, allowing the immense heat to dissipate. Thirty agonizing minutes passed before I dared to unlock the door, expecting to find little more than a pool of molten metal. But instead, I saw it—an undulating torrent of liquid, pulsing with hues of lightning.
For a brief moment, disbelief eclipsed everything else. It had worked.
But my triumph was short-lived. The realization came too late, and by the time I snapped out of my daze, a squad of black-armored soldiers had already surrounded me, their firearms trained on my body.
'Of course,' I realized bitterly. 'They were always watching.'
The last thing I remember was the searing pain of bullets tearing through my body. As I collapsed, the container ruptured, and I was submerged in the electrified liquid.
'So, this is how it ends,' I thought, my consciousness fading. 'Not as a hero, not as a villain... just another lost soul swallowed by his grand ambition.'