The moon, a luminescent crescent, hung high in the pitch-black expanse, spilling its pale, ethereal light over the rooftops of London. Few wisps of cloud drifted across the expanse while stars flickered like watchful eyes in the vast canopy above.
Beneath the vast expanse, a city draped in colors bustled with life. People dressed in fine garments lingered around the street. Food stalls spilled tantalizing aromas, and the fragrant smell of alcohol wafted around the streets.
Laughter rose above the hum of conversation, blending with the distant strum of a street performer's guitar.
And above them all, the Big Ben loomed. Its hands inched toward midnight, the final seconds of the old world ticking away.
"Everyone, it's time."
Just then, a feminine voice cut through the bustling atmosphere. Her words rippled to the square like a hush spreading over a cathedral.
People raised their phones as excitement surged through their hearts.
"Ten…Nine…Eight…"
The people began to count down, and their collective voice echoed throughout the square. With each passing number, the voice became even more fervent.
While most people were fixated on the towering ancient clock, a hooded individual half-hidden under the halo of the streetlamp stood at the edge of the gathering, holding a plastic bag of instant noodles and a cup of iced coffee that dangled from one wrist.
His eyes, a shade of black, stared listlessly at the crowd of people gathered at the square.
"Three… Two… One—"
Ring! Ring!
The chime of the bell resounded, adding depth to the festive atmosphere. People underneath burst forth in celebration, raising their glasses for a toast.
Ethan couldn't care less about the celebration raging forth before him, for he hadn't celebrated such events for a long time.
Just as he was about to continue his journey back home, his eyes widened in surprise. Something magical, something out of this world, caught him by surprise.
He stood frozen with his pupils dilated.
"What…"
Before him, a streak of light so bright that it painted the crescent moon in molten silver tore across the sky above. The streak of light left a trail as if some divine being had left a brushstroke on the night canvas.
One after another, like asteroids running rampant across the expanse, the streaks appeared, leaving the mortal underneath mesmerized.
"Meteor shower?" One of the individuals said.
"I didn't hear anything about a meteor shower taking place today."
Meteor shower? Fireworks?
People underneath had different speculations about the event. However, none could conclude.
Upon closer inspection, one could notice a pattern. However, people's mesmerism prevented them from seeing it. Enchanted, people couldn't stop recording this event taking place before them.
Threads of gold and white wove across the stars, forming runes no human tongue could read.
Ethan's pupils shrank and his complexion paled as he noticed the runic patterns.
"This… It can't be…" He whispered under his breath in terror.
He had seen those runes before. Even though the patterns were faint, he could tell that he had seen those somewhere before.
He looked around and noticed that most of the people weren't aware of what was taking place. The crowd before him was ignorant of the transpiring event.
While others around him were mesmerized, Ethan felt a foreboding feeling gnawing at him. He could tell that these streaks of light were far from some natural occurrence. Though this kind of event had been noticed before, he could tell it wasn't the same.
Perhaps, he was overthinking.
Even after a while, the show continued as if the feeling he felt was for naught. Nothing happened, and the streaks continued to light the night sky.
Ethan calmed down, 'I must be overthinking. If something were wrong, the government would have already noticed. But…'
Though he tried to convince himself that the situation was normal, he couldn't help but feel unsettled when reminiscing about the faint patterns of runes he had seen earlier.
However, just as he calmed his nerves, he heard a commotion.
The lights had twisted and were heading towards the square.
The people around screamed and scattered in panic as the night dissolved into a white haze. Few stood frozen at their place with their expression contorted in horror. It was as if these people had given up on life itself.
However, most ran for their life.
Ethan, on the other hand, became even calmer as the light approached. He didn't struggle. Instead, he relaxed his shoulders and stared at the incoming terror.
This event reminded him of the supernova explosion he had read about before.
Having read about it, he knew death was inevitable. Hence, he welcomed the incoming death with his arms wide open.
Before he could even think, the light swallowed him as a whole.
The same thing happened with others. Before people could even bring themselves to think, the light devoured everything in sight.
People wouldn't even be able to witness this event had it not been for the fact that the speed of light was slower before.
It didn't take long for Ethan to regain his consciousness.
'What happened? I can think again,' Ethan thought as he felt his consciousness returning. 'Is this the final moment before I lose my consciousness?'
'If it is, then it could last either forever or end quickly. Time is relative after all. Perhaps, I'll start having flashbacks of my life.'
Ethan began to speculate on his situation. He had read before that the brain could function up to a few minutes even after death. He had also read that people are more susceptible to having flashbacks of their lives or their loved ones or certain events during this time.
Though the brain remains active for a few minutes, some people experience years and decades in this period. This is due to the fact that time is relative.
However, one thing didn't sit well with Ethan.
If he had died indeed and this was the final moment before he lost his consciousness, then he should be experiencing a few things.
However, even though he could think well, he couldn't see anything.
It felt like he was trapped in a vacuum where even light couldn't reach.