SmackDown: Back to Our Roots

Round 1: We Are Many - @TEBramble

We Are Many

by TEBramble

"We are many. We are one. We have watched what has become of this world, and who is responsible. We demand punishment. We demand repayment. We do not forget"

Those accursed words rang unnaturally through the air as the ever-changing mass of matter lingered in its containment cell. A thousand voices speaking as one ever echoing in a hollow void that simply was not there. A single soul formed from so many others it was o far beyond a mere human and yet we are so far beyond it. It bore no face but all could tell the anger fuming from its being. One human wandered a step too close in his boundless curiosity and The Mass launched itself at him, splattering itself on the reinforced glass that stood guard between it and the outside world.

"What crimes are we guilty of? Why all this rage?" The Curious man said.

"Dr Corbulo, I'd advise against agitating it." An Adjutant said to the curious man.

"It's fine, Quintus."

The Mass fixated on Corbulo. Ever staying as close as it could to his face.

"Crimes? Theft... Vandalism... Mutilation... Murder... We demand punishment! We demand Justice!"

Corbulo listened and studied with passionate contempt.

"Would you look at that? Actual intelligent alien life."

He looked back at the nervous Quintus as The Mass slammed itself against the glass again creating a loud, angry thud, startling both men. All around them the computers were all shut down. It bore the power of the universe and yet allows itself to be locked up here? Corbulo was far beyond curious.

"We are no mere specimen! We are many, we are one." The Mass exclaimed.

"Who are you?" Corbulo asked.

"We are many! We were here long before you came. We called his place home."

"We found no indication of settlement before we came. We cannot be guilty of any crimes."

"You fool yourself! You do not know this planet before the Great Fire."

"The Great Fire?"

Corbulo gasped as a vision was pressed in his mind.

"This world was once a prosperous one."

He saw many masses. Not ones of ever-changing shape nor colour but mono-coloured, smaller ones. They lived in ever-changing cities of living structures. Every one of them was unique in size and colour. At night they'd celebrate and glow into the darkness with a thousand shades of a thousand colours. They'd dance and sing to music otherwise impossible without them. It was beautiful, a song so unique and so utterly majestic and no words could describe it. No human expression to convey the truth of it all.

"We lived in harmony and all flourished."

Then his attention was directed upwards and his heart ached, he couldn't bear the sight of abhorrent terror. He saw four things in the sky. He recognised them. Weapons.

"Then the Great Fire came. There was no nature that could cause such calamity. Four pillars of fire and smoke fell from the sky and consumed the land."

Where he looked he saw nothing but fiery devastation. All that was love, beauty, life and value was irradiated in an eternal inferno of Apocalyptic destruction. He gasped as all turned to white and he was released from his torturous nightmare. He dropped to his knees gasping for air as he was returned to the mundane comfort of his lab.

"Who else is there to blame than the ones from the sky?!"

"Doctor!" The attentive Quintus yelped as he laid his hand on the 'purge' button on my desk next to him. Corbulo raised his hand, halting him.

"I said it's fine, Quintus!" He firmly declared.

Corbulo struggled back onto his shaky feet and forced himself upright and faced The Mass down.

"You're too late! We've spent generations here. We're not going anywhere."

"Then you must be destroyed"

"Do not pass the sins of the father onto the sun! You know that those out there, those who live today all were not even born into existence to see the Great Fire you speak up! Look, look into my mind, I cannot lie!"

"This is... correct."

"Right... so why direct us? Why not find a way to join us? I'm sure that we will be able to chan-"

Corbulo's head exploded in a mess of blood and gore.

"I will not join with filth that fell from the sky! It is decided."

The Mass started to push through the glass Quintus pressed the purge button and the entire containment cell was blown away into nigh nothingness. Quintus sighed as he dropped back onto his chair and stared on with disbelief. Feeling safe with the knowledge that he had stopped it before it was too late he relaxed, watching the stars in the cosmic distance.

Then a window cracked, then it cracked up more and more something writhing about on it. Quintus pulls a lever on his collar, covering himself in an airtight disposable space suit. The glass cracked even more then it gave way, sucking out, smashing through the glass. He floated hopelessly, flailing in space as The Mass consumed the entire space station, growing with every bit it consumes.

Never had he seen such an overwhelming sight. Even as it fell from orbit he knew that his fate would be a mere mercy compared to that of the millions far below. He allowed himself to fade away, to die in his sleep while entire cities were consumed, the screams of millions echoing throughout the uncaring void of space.

As he rested he began to dream. Would become like it? Return with fire and vengeance? Possibly. Perhaps it would be inevitable. Cycles often are. Perhaps he would evolve like how The Mass did. Be turned into a vicious new weapon of terrible potential. Such are the ways of the universe ever decaying, ever evolving.

No, he decided. He would not evolve. It is not the luxury afforded by his lot in life. He would suffocate and die just like the rest. Only a lot less painfully. This was the end, not the one he sought but one his lot afforded. He closed his eyes and let destiny take him completely and whole.