Prologue
Universe Line 02385
There is this great comfort in realizing
that you are still…heard
~.~✮⋆˙
Akalysstis, Y. 8943
In the middle of a ruined city, the dilapidated town center.
There were broken power lines, collapsed buildings, and steel rebars everywhere. Numerous metal scraps, glass debris, and mechanical remnants covered the ground, making the red sand barely noticeable.
In the horizon, a strange-coloured haze could be seen, faint enough to render the immediate environment but still able to obscure the rest of the city.
On the sky was a faint reddish-brown light, touching everything on the ground and dying the scant patches of red on the ground, even redder.
But it was also quiet.
It was as if a catastrophic event had just occurred, the devastation very recent and maybe even still existent, but also far long gone in the midst of the long and empty silence.
Suddenly, amidst the concrete rubble and broken tiles, in one part of the center, there was a faint buzz.
"W27—"
The sound was muted, but moving closer to the sound...
"U—comm—Uni—023— coord—"
It was the static from a broken radio communicator.
"Univ—02— ready f— commu—hear—come to—Univer—to the line—"
"..Worl—hide— do you—help— morph—Univer—signa—copy?—"
"Univers—line 0238— ready for com—hear—coordinates to y—confirm—to the line—"
"..."
A brief quiet occurred before a clear voice could be heard from the other side of the communicator.
"■□○■□■■○●•■"
"Universe Line 02385, ready for communication."
"W274504826041, sending my coordinates to you. This is Universe Line 02385. If you are receiving this signal, please confirm."
There was no answer.
"If anyone can hear, please listen. There are only three things."
"..."
"First, I am a messenger."
"..."
"Second, your world will collapse fully in the year 8952 because of an undetected foreign celestial body on the Leslyrian Nebula."
"..."
"Third,.."
"..."
"...the fate of your world is set in the stars."
"..."
"W274504826041, do you copy? I will repeat."
"First, there are other worlds in your universe even beyond your own universe, and I am a messenger sent to warn you."
"Second, the Red Light Apocalypse will bring destruction to your world because of a celestial body that will go undetected under the Union's watch. You MUST not be careless."
"Third, this destruction is inevitable. However—"
The voice on the other end abruptly paused. After what felt like a minute, the speaker seemed to be adjusting the communication signals and let out an inaudible whisper, like a sigh.
"—However, this is likely to be changed. There is a way to detect the celestial body. You must listen carefully—"
Bzzt.
"..."
The communicator displayed a red light on its interface. The battery seemed to be nearing its end.
"■□○■□■■○●•■"
"○●□○○◇●□■○□"
"○●□■—satellite— You must modify the sign—○●□■■■●●"
"—This is Universe Line 02385. Do you copy?"
"..."
The person—being—on the other side of the communicator seemed to become silent, and then moving forward, the voice seemed to be in a different tone.
"Sending you the...coordinates of this line. Continue the communication. Whoever hears, report back to Universe Line 02385."
"..."
"Number: 02385"
"..."
"Name: UL W736983"
"..."
"Location: Everywhere."
"..."
"Time: Forever."
"..."
"Do you copy? I will repeat."
"Number: 02385"
"..."
"Name: UL W736983"
"..."
"Location: Another."
"..."
"Time: Endless."
"..."
"Report back to the Universe Line 02385."
"..."
"..."
"..."
There was a long silence.
In the distance, the reddish-brown light in the distance was becoming dimmer. The fog covering the premises seemed to be fainter but the feeling of heaviness could be felt even more.
The radio communicator's red light was growing dimmer but suddenly, another voice was heard from the other side.
"Ceris."
"...I know, Reaper."
"..."
"There will be a day, Ceris."
In a final sigh, the voices on the other end stopped.
The broken radio communicator blinked weakly, its battery fully nearing exhaustion, until finally, the red light was gone.
In the dim corner where the communicator was located, the last rays of the dying sunlight could be seen stretched across the desolate landscape, casting long shadows upon the ruins. It was winded and neverending emptiness.
Soon, the reddish-brown light was covered by the haze, the sky turning dark in the horizon.
Finally, the ruined city plunged into darkness and silence.