Deep in the void of the universe, where light has long not reached, an unfathomable eruption of energy ripples outward through space on a scale best measured in numbers of star systems it could annihilate. Just barely outpacing the wave of energy, an unassuming man flies through the void with an expression of pure terror on his face.
But it is not the outpouring of destruction incarnate behind him that he fears...he created it, after all.
Rather, the man fears what's at the center of it all. What he just put almost every drop of his power into trying to slow down, in a last ditch effort to escape his fate. Relative seconds pass, traversing space at mind-boggling speeds, until he sees the familiar glow of a distant galaxy. His heart soars, feeling salvation at hand.
CLAP...CLAP...CLAP...
Though no actual sound can reach him, the man feels the slow, mocking claps tremble through the space before him, resonating inside his being as they pass. Dread crawls up his spine, ice spreading through his veins, just as a voice echoes in his head.
[Oh my, oh my, oh my...I'm cursed to rarely be surprised, but you've actually managed it. That attack, the time it took you to catch up...it seems that I have catastrophically over-estimated you. To think someone so weak could be a god.]
The man's entire body shakes, threatening to snuff itself out of existence from sheer despair. His senses finally identify the source of the voice, standing between him and what he now knows is an unattainable salvation.
Floating there in space, something resembling a human teenager smirks at him without warmth. The boy is wearing black pants and a plain white shirt, hands tucked into his pockets casually. Messy, night-black hair accentuates his pearly skin, while the two shimmering pools of mercury posing as his eyes study the man with chaotic glee.
As if time and space have no authority, the boy suddenly appears in front of the man...hand driven into his chest. The man looks down, stunned, at the fresh hole where a heart would normally be. There's no gore to be found, no blood spills...in its place, soft white light pours out of his body. Meanwhile, dark veins begin spreading out from the injury, consuming the escaping light like a ravenous black hole. As the light dims, the man feels his very existence being consumed.
In his last moments, he looks into the boy's eyes, terror replaced by confusion.
[My world, my life...why are you doing this?] (man)
The boy tilts his head.
[Because I grow bored of this arrangement. Because it is my nature. Because...I want to feel curious again.] (boy)
Anger flashes in the man's eyes.
[You'll throw everything into chaos...] (man)
The boy shrugs.
[Chaos, possibilities...free will...what I create is a matter of perspective, isn't it?] (boy)
Before the man can respond, the boy abruptly rips his hand out, shredding the man into dim particles of light. Then, those too are absorbed, and...his light goes out forever. Completely unfazed, the boy turns towards the galaxy glowing faintly in the distance. A gleeful smile breaks out on his face.
'Finally, after eons of planning, a flourishing world born without Tertiary...'
He takes a step, and suddenly the black of space disappears, replaced by warm sunlight and blue sky. Innumerable structures are erected around him, made of strange, grey rock-like material, and large shiny beasts he's never seen before whiz between the structures in a dazzling display of coordination. Meanwhile, countless humans mill past him, as if oblivious to his presence. He watches them with rapt attention, scanning collective centuries worth of memories from their heads in moments.
His eyes widen in awe, and he exclaims to himself.
"Marvelous...so these are artificial beasts called cars, and they also have flying ones called planes? So many fascinating creations, and these 'nukes' wield such inconceivable power for such a cursed world. Seems they might kill themselves with them, though..." (boy)
The boy's eyes shine, more convinced than ever that he made the right decision in facilitating the purge of Tertiary from this world. Alas, his thoughts quickly wander from his cosmic-scale agenda.
"How many cycles has it been since I've had the opportunity for such novel exploration? What should I do first?" (boy)
His mirror-like eyes scan the surroundings, landing on one of the buildings across the street, which he now knows is a store. On its outer wall, alien characters are inscribed that he's just learned to read from scanning through the memories of this planet's locals.
Radio Shack
He raises his eyebrows.
'This establishment seems renowned for stocking all kinds of this world's fascinating artifacts.'
He walks across the street, entering the "Radio Shack" full of anticipation. Inside, half a dozen humans roam around, glancing at rows of strange objects, some of which are producing lights in erratic patterns that appear like projected memories to his eyes.
His curiosity carries him through the aisles, scanning more memories from the shop's inhabitants to help him identify the various objects. Each revelation about their functions leaves him more excited than the last, but he quickly realizes a problem.
'I wish to try all of them, but I do not have the currency these creatures expect to acquire these items.'
He hums thoughtfully to himself.
'I could just take them, and kill anyone who interferes, but...they are too weak to understand how they died, and they've made such marvelous trinkets! Perhaps I could just synthesize their currency – it's nothing more than cloth and ink, after all. Ahhh, but there is no sport in that endeavor either...I refuse to be so dull! What to do, what to do...'
He stands there, rubbing his chin in furious contemplation, unaware of the strange glances he's attracting from the store's other visitors. Eventually, a sign in the corner of the store catches his eye.
HELP WANTED!
*Employee discount offered
His pale lips slowly twist into a mischievous grin, and he chuckles.
"Fufufufu...well, that would certainly be novel." (boy)