The gleaming silver-white hall stretched endlessly, its exaggerated architecture and pulsating, multicolored lights declaring a world of advanced technological marvels. Vast enough to house tens of thousands, it bustled with tireless machines of all forms—mechanized, humanoid, and even biological—revealing a civilization whose technology had reached the unimaginable.
Yet, despite this grandeur, something felt missing: life.
The hall was alive with activity, yet devoid of human presence. Only robots moved with purpose, their intricate forms and seamless motions emphasizing the absence of vitality.
After what felt like an eternity, a golden, winged toy fluttered into view, its playful twirls breaking the mechanical monotony. Behind it, a chubby little boy in a silver robe appeared, chasing the toy with an innocent smile. His presence brought a spark of life to the rigid atmosphere, momentarily dissolving the hall's lifeless aura.
"Lian, wait for me!" the boy called out, his voice full of affection for the mischievous toy darting ahead.
The little robot, Lian, paused mid-air, its cheerful voice chiming, "Master, catch me, and I'll sing for you!" Its big mouth split into an exaggerated grin, comically cute and oddly inviting.
But this time, the boy did not immediately play along. His gaze turned solemn as he reached out, gripping Lian with a strength that made the small robot freeze. Without hesitation, the boy approached a strange, mirror-like well in the corner of the hall.
The surface of the well shimmered like liquid glass, reflecting the sterile room behind him. Without a word, the boy flung Lian into the well. The robot vanished in an instant, the mirror rippling faintly before returning to stillness.
Footsteps echoed behind him. A middle-aged man in a crown and a stunningly beautiful woman entered the hall, their presence commanding. The robots, sensing their arrival, bowed in reverence, some sparking in awe.
"Kael, do you realize what you've done?" the man's voice boomed, anger sharp enough to pierce the cold atmosphere.
The boy, Kael, turned, meeting his father's fury with calm defiance. "Father, Lian has only a one-in-a-hundred-billion chance of affecting the other universe," he replied.
Beside the king, the woman placed a gentle hand on his arm, her voice soothing. "Your Majesty, today is a momentous day. Let us not let this distraction take away from it. Today, we ascend to the light."
The mention of their ascension softened the king's expression. He turned to Kael with a mix of sternness and pride before gesturing for them to follow.
The hall doors opened, revealing an altar suspended in the air, glowing with blinding white flames. Below, an endless army of robots stood in formation, their unblinking eyes fixed on the altar. The light wasn't from the sun but from the machines themselves, their combined energy illuminating the world.
Beyond the altar, the solar system stretched out, filled with an immeasurable fleet of interstellar battleships. The soldiers aboard—also machines—stood at attention, their gaze fixed on screens displaying the king, queen, and prince.
As the royal family floated toward the altar, the king raised his hand, and a deafening chant echoed across the universe: "Long live the King!"
Reaching the altar, the family prepared for the ritual. In solemn synchronization, they removed their heads, revealing transparent vessels containing their pulsing, red brains. With reverence, they placed the vessels into the blazing flames at the altar's core.
In an instant, the flames condensed, collapsing into a single ray of white light that exploded outward, engulfing the solar system. Everything was consumed by the light, and the once-mighty Solarian Empire dissolved into history, leaving only a faint sorrow lingering in the infinite expanse of the universe.
Far from the explosion's epicenter, on the edge of parallel space, a tiny golden speck vanished into the void. Moments later, it reappeared, hovering above a serene blue planet—a world teeming with life, vitality, and endless possibilities.