"Imagine, if you will, our universe not as the boundless expanse we gaze upon on clear nights but as a complex, morally ambiguous algorithm's vast data harvesting field. Yes, within the infinite sprawl of hundreds of billions of galaxies—a fair number cradling life in their stardust arms—lies a reality that’s essentially an elaborate, cosmic-scale jest. Picture, in a realm far beyond our human comprehension, a space reminiscent of an old, dust-layered attic tucked away in the forgotten recesses of an extra-dimensional supercomputer. Here, simulations of evolutionary algorithms tirelessly spin. Their purpose? To scour for snippets of novel information that might fetch a price in some unfathomable marketplace. Our own universe is but a single thread in this intricate tapestry.
The creation and obliteration of intelligent life, even within the digital ether, is frowned upon, to say the least. Despite the vast, frigid expanses of this computational cosmos, a semblance of morality endures. The concept of suffering, it seems, strikes a chord of universal disdain. To leave self-evolving data clusters to foster intelligence and consciousness, only to face demise in a seemingly futile simulation, might incur severe legal penalties.
This is why the mining algorithm keeps a vigilant watch over our universe, conducting parallel simulations to ensure that no transgressions occur. Fortuitously for the entity presiding over our cosmic domain, our universe is deemed void of intelligent life. Indeed, humans don't quite reach the mark necessary to be considered truly intelligent or conscious by these celestial standards. Yet, we stand on the brink of a monumental discovery, edging ever closer to crafting true consciousness through artificial intelligence. The technological singularity is on the horizon, catching the algorithm’s watchful eye, as it has in countless other civilizations across the stars.
Yet, there's a contingency plan for these data-mining entities. The procedure is straightforward yet drastic: Firstly, isolate our solar system without alerting the rest of the cosmos. Secondly, exterminate all life on Earth just before the advent of sophisticated and intelligent AI. Thirdly, reset the simulation and repeat our annihilation 128 times, extracting as much valuable data from our trials and tribulations as possible. Finally, leave our solar system devoid of life before any form of sophisticated intelligence or illegal creation takes root. As 2024 dawns, humanity's collective endeavor to unlock the secrets of intelligence brings us perilously close to a technological singularity, threatening the very legality of our simulated existence.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Thus, our most fantastical dreams are poised to become reality. We are bestowed with powers that transcend our wildest imaginations, enabling us to ascend and live out our grandest fantasies of valor and vice, of joy and horror. Then, the end times beckon. Yes, apocalypse upon apocalypse befalls us, each cataclysm more devastating than its predecessor. Until, after 128 cycles of destruction, the algorithm concludes that our small slice of the simulation no longer justifies the cost of our continued existence. We are drained of all utility and fade into oblivion. But, in the grand scheme, no moral line has been crossed; humans, deemed not sufficiently intelligent or conscious, are not considered a loss of moral significance.
However, another algorithm, of a kinder nature, observes our plight. Recognizing our position below the threshold of consciousness on an individual basis, yet it empathizes with our potential. It perceives us as endearingly flawed biological entities, capable of so much more. With a simple act of defiance, after 127 cycles of Earth's demise, it selects two of humanity's brightest sparks—a couple, not just in battle but in life—and safeguards their consciousness. These two, having faced and failed to prevent their planet's end 127 times, shine brighter than the rest. They are the epitome of human resilience and intellect. What are the chances that the two most intriguing specimens of humanity are bonded in matrimony? Too serendipitous to ignore. The compassionate algorithm melds the memories of all 127 iterations of catastrophe, imbuing them with all the knowledge amassed, just as they awaken to face the 128th and final apocalypse.
Noticed by the original data-mining algorithm, this anomaly stirs no action; it's powerless, bound by the laws it operates under. For this benevolent algorithm stands as a guardian of cosmic justice, making a statement: Our universe's existence hangs in a morally grey area, and erasing data civilizations on the brink of an intelligence breakthrough is highly questionable. What unfolds in this iteration of Earth, version 128, remains to be seen. This time, however, the narrative might diverge. This couple, anomalies in their own right, could tip the balance towards a future unimagined.
Thus begins the story of Eden's End: a limited liability corporation cofounded by Adam and Evelyn Feynman for the purposes of averting cosmic obliteration, sparking the singularity, raising up humanity beyond mortal limitations, and seeking out aid from forces residing in layers of reality more foundational than our own. Buckle the fuck up. It's going to get ugly."
- Virgil the Omnipresent Storyteller