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I was alone now, but I didn't care.
I was nearly there, I was atop the Cosmic Wall. Soon I would travel beyond the
edge of space. I don't know what's out there, it could be unknown worlds,
treasures, horrors, God or just an infinite void. I didn't care, I was content
in the fact that I had made it this far at all. I have seen so much and
conquered numerous trials. Even the infinite vastness of space began to appear
small. Now here I was, atop this endless curtain of stars at the far end of the
universe, one step away from God knows what. I looked behind myself, one last
glance at the space I had conquered. Thoughts and memories flooded my mind as
every step of my journey played back through my mind's eye.
It was so simple at first, I was but
a child with a dream. I was told there was no end to the universe, but I also
heard whispers that stated the exact opposite. There was an end, this Cosmic
Wall, that no one had crossed before. At least, none that lived to tell the
tale. What laid beyond was a matter of speculation, debate, and heresy. However,
most believed there to be a reward of some kind. A prize for those with the
will to surpass the very boundaries of space itself.
The reward itself was equally
shrouded in mystery and rumor. Some said it was a paradise, a land of the
divine and boundless indulgence. Others believed there to be a treasure, either
in wealth, knowledge or power. A few claimed it was God, whether it was a
chance to meet or simply a chance to see them. To me, the reward was the
achievement. The right to be the one individual in all of creation to complete
this task.
Unfortunately, no matter how much
one desires the reward, it is impossible to make it this far alone. You need
allies, companions and others who will follow your cause. I knew that from the
start, and I made it the first step of my goal. Combatants, navigators, engineers,
doctors, scholars, pilots and artists. Dozens of these peoples flocked to my
side, we would be the first, we would be the crew who conquered the universe.
The journey was long and difficult,
fraught with danger and death around each corner. The next step was perhaps the
hardest, in order to gain something, something else must be lost. On the path
to the top of the Cosmic Wall, people would die, my followers and companions
were no different. However, that was a sacrifice I was willing to make.
The combatants would die more often
than not, thankfully we had many. There were numerous scoundrels and monsters
that stood in our path. A combatant lost to a battle with either was a small
sacrifice in order to continue. Even after the loss of so many over the course
of the journey, I still had enough combatants even to the very end.
The artists and scholars would be
the ones to fall next. Each had dreams to catalog our adventures. To be the
first to paint an image of the other side. To be there to record history as it
happened. To describe what was beyond the Cosmic Wall in scientific detail.
Unfortunately, few of these artists and scholars had the strength or will to
reach the end. They were not equipped to handle the trials we'd face, but in
truth none of us were. They slowly began to crumble in the face of adversity,
only a scant few made it to the very end.
The engineers and doctors followed
in suite. Both groups had a similar purpose, one to keep our transport healthy
and the others to keep the rest of us healthy. Sadly, such jobs always put them
closer to danger than one might expect. When our transport began to fail the
engineers were right at the center of the problem to fix it. When it finally did
fail, they were the first to suffer for it. The doctors are equally invested in
the treatment of the sick and wounded. Yet, even they cannot protect themselves
from disease forever. I had lost all my doctors before the end, and only a
couple of engineers were left.
Finally, there were the pilots and
navigators, the least likely to fall. The two rolls had a simple relationship,
one would direct, and the other would steer. Without either you'll not make it
very far. Thankfully, they managed to avoid the brunt of the dangers that cost
so many others their lives. I had nearly the same pilots and navigators all the
way to the bitter end.
The end, however, that was a
different story for all involved. The final stretch, the true climb up the
Cosmic Wall is where fates were decided. My companions and followers did not
have the will to survive this final stretch, so they were sacrificed. One after
another, as my vessel neared the end, the last of my allies fell like flies. It
was a heavy loss, but one I was long since prepared to take.
It was worth it, I was here at the
top of the Cosmic Wall. My vessel was on its last legs, my companions were
gone, I was alone, but I didn't care. The final step would ironically be the
easiest to make. I looked straight ahead, to my destiny, to my dream. I made
one final breath and took the last step.
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The Cosmic Wall was an idea I had for a sci-fi setting some time back. It was a standard set-up, there was a federation, some rebels a hive-mind of robots, etc. However, what made it special was that it was "at the top" of the universe, and if you flew further up you could theoretically reach an analogue to heaven. I say theoretically because such a feat should be virtually impossible, but that wouldn't stop people from trying. I thought it would make an interesting place to set a novel or tabletop RPG campaign, but I haven't had a chance to use it yet. Thus, I wrote this story to touch on the idea, it was fun to say the least.Until next time, Read, Comment and Enjoy
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