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<span class="mu-s">Smoldering ruins</span> surrounded every inch of this crater. Endless stretches of silver expanse had been laid to waste, never to see the suns again. In dwellings far away, strangers were made absolutely aware of a change in the world. Most ignored it-- some reviled it. None particularly cared enough for its implications to seek out the cause.
Closer to the source of such a shift, some exceptions occurred. Curious organisms sniffed around the fresh boundaries of the forest, familiarizing themselves with this new division between the strange and the ordinary. Many-trunked mice, miniature horses, webbed birds, and all manner of inquiring things found themselves dancing on the edges of this giant pit; none seemed to value their lives highly enough to consider what might happen if they fall within it, nor did many fancy themselves clumsy enough to find out.
Deeper still, at the very core of the newborn crater, lay a glowing anomaly. Something not of this planet, yet belonging to no other. An entire galaxy of thought and emotion whirled within its inner world, feeling clashing with thought; clashing with instinct; clashing with reality, mocking roaring waves against shattering cliff-faces.
Then, in an instant, the turmoil was cut short by a voice-- a voice that the anomaly neither understood nor knew of. It repeated, again, louder-- yet the anomaly was left just as clueless as before.
The creatures surrounding its crater soon began to scatter, making a variety of noises that likely had no inherent meaning beyond alarm. The source of their vanishing wondered if there was any distinction between their vocalizations and the voice's, but quickly put that thought to rest. Somehow, it simply understood that they were not one in the same.
Soon after, silence fell upon the flattened forest. The anomaly was left alone. It heard no sound, nor saw any thing, nor did it find its other senses particularly disturbed.
Estranged from its reality and the world it now found itself in, the anomaly's first thoughts were of...
>Opportunity. It found itself in awe of its surroundings, ready and eager to build itself a new future.
>Acceptance. Despite a lingering sense of loss, the anomaly saw no use in dwelling on it. Whatever came its way, it would greet with open arms.
Closer to the source of such a shift, some exceptions occurred. Curious organisms sniffed around the fresh boundaries of the forest, familiarizing themselves with this new division between the strange and the ordinary. Many-trunked mice, miniature horses, webbed birds, and all manner of inquiring things found themselves dancing on the edges of this giant pit; none seemed to value their lives highly enough to consider what might happen if they fall within it, nor did many fancy themselves clumsy enough to find out.
Deeper still, at the very core of the newborn crater, lay a glowing anomaly. Something not of this planet, yet belonging to no other. An entire galaxy of thought and emotion whirled within its inner world, feeling clashing with thought; clashing with instinct; clashing with reality, mocking roaring waves against shattering cliff-faces.
Then, in an instant, the turmoil was cut short by a voice-- a voice that the anomaly neither understood nor knew of. It repeated, again, louder-- yet the anomaly was left just as clueless as before.
The creatures surrounding its crater soon began to scatter, making a variety of noises that likely had no inherent meaning beyond alarm. The source of their vanishing wondered if there was any distinction between their vocalizations and the voice's, but quickly put that thought to rest. Somehow, it simply understood that they were not one in the same.
Soon after, silence fell upon the flattened forest. The anomaly was left alone. It heard no sound, nor saw any thing, nor did it find its other senses particularly disturbed.
Estranged from its reality and the world it now found itself in, the anomaly's first thoughts were of...
>Opportunity. It found itself in awe of its surroundings, ready and eager to build itself a new future.
>Acceptance. Despite a lingering sense of loss, the anomaly saw no use in dwelling on it. Whatever came its way, it would greet with open arms.
