Years passed as Nu’s journey to the inner universe continued.
Upon leaving the outer belt of the universe, Nu's travel speed increased dramatically, causing his vision to warp and reducing everything around him to a bright, fading blur of light.
After two years, Nu arrived at the ninth layer of the universe, where his speed gradually slowed. As the universe returned to focus, Nu's gaze sharpened with vigilance, carefully navigating the dangerous solar systems.
These solar systems were extraordinarily active. From their centers, unimaginable creatures and colossal celestial objects were locked in a cosmic struggle to increase their mass.
In one solar system, a giant, planet-sized centipede guided dead celestial objects into the surface of a star, feasting on the resulting solar flares produced by the collision.
In another, tiny black insect-like creatures swarmed around a star, dimming its surface as they absorbed radiation into their bodies. When it was time to breed, these insects would leave the star to find the nearest dead planet where they could lay their eggs. The radiation stored within their bodies would superheat the planet’s surface to unimaginable temperatures, creating a feast for their newborn offspring upon hatching.
The energy produced by these massive cosmic exchanges was immense, causing Nu’s mouths to drool with hunger and desire.
It had been far too long since Nu's last meal, and each passing day felt like a dagger in his heart. The humiliation of his circumstances weighed heavily on him. His grand ambition of consuming the universe had shrunk into the desperate quest for a single meal.
Even with such a modest goal, it still felt distant and unattainable, like a carrot forever dangled just out of reach. His eyes lingered heavy on the cosmic events unfolding before him, filled with both fear and trepidation. Yet, despite his unease, the gnawing hunger and his unyielding determination pushed him to abandon the safety of the asteroid highway and take his chances.
Even at the vast scale on which these creatures operated, crumbs of opportunity inevitably slipped through. Nu knew the creatures dominated the centers of these solar systems, yet even the smallest remnants of heat and mass were treasures to him, a precious meal worth the risk.
However, these solar systems had existed for eons. In their early days, when they were still forming, gaps in their systems might have provided opportunities for nomadic scavengers like Nu. But now, they operated like well-oiled machines, where every drop of energy was eagerly consumed, leaving nothing to waste.
Outside the centers of these solar systems, orbiting the chaos like sentinels, were living planets. With molten cores, they acted like sponges, absorbing the heat and matter escaping from the system’s core. Enslaved asteroids orbited these planets, much like those around the yellow planet Nu had encountered. These asteroids cast wide nets to trap escaping energy, further enhancing the efficiency of the solar system.
Even when heat managed to slip through these barriers, it rarely went unnoticed. Hidden deep within the void on the outskirts of these systems were enormous, flat reptilian creatures. Camouflaged and drifting like ghostly sails, they propelled themselves using solar winds. These creatures efficiently absorbed the last traces of heat leaving the system’s core. Acting as protectors of the solar system, they stored heat within their vast bodies and consumed incoming asteroids and debris, using their heat reserves to melt the matter into usable mass.
Nu found himself outside the solar system dominated by the giant centipede, leading asteroids in a desperate attempt to create an opening that would let him get closer. But the kite-sailing reptiles patrolling the outskirts were truly fearsome. Not only were they incredibly hard to track, but they moved blisteringly fast, snapping up their prey like circling hawks.
No matter how many asteroids Nu led into the system, he could only remain on the outskirts, perpetually on the outside looking in. The place where he stood was only marginally warmer than the other frozen parts of the universe.
“Screw it all!” Nu wailed. His hunger and the biting cold had left cracks strewn across all six of his faces. He turned his gaze to the asteroid highway with an intense madness in his eyes. “There is something clearly wrong with this highway. It’s nothing but danger at every turn!"
Shifting his focus to the space between two solar systems, he decided to take a different route.
"Maybe the main pathways of the universe I’ve been traveling are too clogged, their opportunities too scarce. If I travel through the backroads, I might find greater chances in the more remote, lesser-traveled solar systems."
A fractured smile spread across his six faces, and he gave some self-motivating words.
“This road is tough, but I am tougher!” He looked out into the universe with defiance. “You may have won for now, but I will return, stronger than ever. Your victories won’t last forever!”
Entering the asteroid backroad with heightened spirits, Nu traveled through a desolate stretch of space-time, devoid of celestial life. In the distance, the faint light of a tiny solar system shimmered, far removed from the bustling action of the main belt. Nu pinned all his hopes on that dim and distant location.
His speed was sluggish, far slower than when he navigated the main pathways.
The asteroid backroad was a desolate expanse, with stars reduced to distant pinpricks. Nu trudged forward, the barren void around him making his journey feel like an endless treadmill. The only thing propelling him forward was the faint hope that his destination might hold what he desperately sought.
Fifty slow and miserable years had passed since his encounter with the yellow planet.
The journey dragged on with no end in sight.
Nu’s condition worsened as the bitter cold deepened the cracks across his body, threatening to split him apart. His untimely demise loomed ever closer, yet his determination drove him forward.
As Nu drifted through the void, the space above him shimmered and warped, as though reality itself were on the verge of tearing apart. Suddenly, the fabric of the sky split open entirely, revealing an obsidian-black spaceship. Silent and imposing, its vast length stretched across an entire solar system, blending seamlessly with the surrounding darkness.
A mechanical hatch opened on its surface. From within emerged a figure dressed entirely in white, starkly contrasting the ship’s shadowy presence.
Everything about him was bone-white, from his robe to his skin, even his flowing hair. He appeared as though sculpted from ivory, his entire form almost statuesque. Yet, amidst all that pale perfection, his deep blue eyes stood out like torchlights in a blizzard, giving him the aura of a divine being.
He stood in the open hatch, arms crossed over his chest, watching the dying Nu with a mysterious expression.
Nu’s eyelids turned heavy, unable to completely process the strange happenings that began to occur around him.
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In the blink of an eye, Nu found himself inside the mouth of a strange creature. Within it, a powerful gravitational pull forced him into a seat at a table made of ivory. Above the table hung two massive fangs, once prized and fearsome weapons of the creature now were transformed into lamps that illuminated the scene.
Upon closer inspection, Nu realized that the chairs and table were carved from the creature's lower teeth, creating a surreal setting. One end offered an open view of the empty universe beyond the creature's gaping jaws, while the other end revealed a horrifyingly large, curled tongue. The creature seemed to struggle to maintain this position, its entire body trembling as it held its mouth open as wide as possible, yet it did not dare relax its jaw.
From deep within the creature's throat, the statuesque man ascended. He walked casually across the floor of the mouth, approaching the table before finally taking the seat across from Nu. He smiled warmly, his piercing blue eyes seeming to awaken Nu from his bewildered stupor.
“Who... are you? What is going on?” Nu asked weakly.
The man’s smile deepened, and a calming warmth radiated from him, allowing Nu to regain some of his strength.
“I am but a passerby,” the man said softly. “You seemed lost, so I decided to offer my help.”
He took a blue flower from within his robe. It appeared to be made entirely of ice, yet it radiated an intense heat, as if it had been born within magma.
“This is known as a Melting Lily. It is incredibly effective against the cold,” the man continued, his voice still gentle. He released the flower, and it floated across the table toward Nu. "Eat it. It will help you regain your warmth."
Nu, ravenous with hunger, barely hesitated. Without considering the consequences, he opened his mouth and took a bite.
A rush of warmth flowed through his body, filling the cracks that were strewn all over his body, even causing him to grow slightly in size.
Feeling the changes and experiencing the effects of his first meal in fifty years, Nu was overwhelmed with gratitude.
“Thank you, sir, for this kindness... I have nothing with which to repay you, but in the future, I will surely return this favor,” Nu said earnestly.
"Our meeting was one of chance, nothing more. If you would like to repay me... why not listen to my story?" the man replied slowly.
"I will listen," Nu said, nodding.
The man leaned back in his chair, blinking slowly as he reminisced about his past.
"I don't remember my age; I never kept track of the years as they passed."
"My entire life was spent searching for one thing, and because of that, I never had time for anything else."
"I have traveled far and wide. Climbing many mountains without ever reaching their peaks, and diving into the deepest parts of many oceans without ever finding their depths."
"I was caught in a constant state of desperation, always searching but never finding an end to any one path."
"To this day, I dream of the stillness of completion, a state of being where I no longer have to concern myself with where I am going."
He paused for a moment, then continued, his voice as soft as a whisper, "I feel that you and I are alike. I have seen your struggle. Our goals may differ, but our experiences are much the same."
"This kind of journey is not uncommon. Many others who have shared similar experiences live aboard this ship."
"We may all be on endless journeys, but there are still ways to reach our ends."
"Would you like some help in reaching yours?"
The table fell silent.
Hearing the man’s words, Nu felt his heart tighten. The man describing his life as an "endless journey" echoed in his mind like an alarm bell. It was not something Nu was ready to admit as true. Hearing the man calmly dismantle his life in front of him caused the ghosts of his past failures to surface, rendering him ghostly quiet.
He found his throat constricted, unable to draw breath, let alone respond.
Noticing Nu's hesitation, the man spoke softly, offering reassurance.
“You don’t need to answer immediately."
He smiled gently. "Here, why not have a cup of tea? It is known to calm the mind." With a simple whisk of his hand, an air current stirred within the creature’s mouth, brushing against its tongue.
The massive tongue uncurled into several prongs, each one delicately handling the items required to prepare a hot drink.
A porcelain teacup, neatly set on a plate, was carefully lowered by one of the prongs. The creature struggled to keep the delicate china steady, causing it to rattle and shake as it descended.
Once the cup was on the table, another prong attempted to pour the tea. More often than not, the liquid missed its mark, spilling over the table and saucer, with only a portion landing in the cup.
Nu inspected the slimy, off-center teacup resting on the decorated plate, eyeing the hot brown liquid within, which released gentle plumes of steam.
It was the first time he had been offered something so strange. Without any hands to hold the cup, he had no way to properly drink, so he simply studied it as if it were some kind of alien artifact.
The man's smile faded for the first time since he entered. Clearing his throat, he spoke sternly.
“When receiving a cup of tea, even if you do not intend to drink it, it is customary to say, ‘nice tea.’”
Nu wore an odd expression, unsure what to make of the man's peculiar customs. Still, obediently, he replied, “Nice tea.”
Hearing the response, the man's face softened, his smile returning. He remained quiet, watching Nu with patient expectation.
Noticing the man was still awaiting his reply, Nu’s thoughts churned as he considered whether to accept help from this enigmatic figure. Unlike the yellow planet’s offer, this did not seem to be a slave contract. If he accepted, it was likely he would retain some level of autonomy.
With a resolute expression, Nu finally responded. “Thank you for everything, but I must decline. My journey has only just begun. Whether it is endless or not, I want to see it through on my own.”
In the end, he followed his instincts. He longed to carve out his own path, one shaped by his own decisions. The man’s offer was tempting, but Nu was determined to forge his own ending.
An ending created by someone else would never taste as sweet.
Despite the many hardships he faced, he would rather endure them longer than abandon the cherished illusions of his imagined story.
The man's expression remained unchanged.
“It is your life to live. I cannot force you if you are unwilling.” He closed his eyes and nodded warmly, as if he understood everything Nu was feeling.
He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping further into a secretive whisper. “Look directly at the water in your tea, and do not look up. I will give you one final parting gift.”
Nu focused on the brown liquid in his cup, steam still rising from its surface. The man extended his hand above the cup, pointing a finger. A blue droplet formed at the tip, shimmering before it fell into the tea.
The sound of the droplet hitting the water echoed loudly in Nu’s ears, amplified as if a hundredfold. The sight of the blue drop merging with the brown liquid, sending ripples across its surface, etched itself deeply into his soul, as though he could recreate the moment with a single thought.
Before Nu could fully comprehend what had just happened, the creature's mouth began to retract slowly, leaving him floating in space, watching the scene fade into the distance. The man stood at the edge of its jaw, arms crossed, silently observing as Nu drifted farther away.
"If you ever find yourself trapped between an unacceptable future and a past you are ready to abandon, recall the image of the dripping water in your mind. The scene I just shared with you marks the first step toward ‘demortality.’ Depending on your talent and the extent to which you are willing to discard your life, consistent practice of this technique can open a pathway between life and death, guiding you to your desired end."
Nu gazed solemnly at the retreating figure. The creature, now visibly relieved, shut its mouth and began to accelerate, nursing its sore jaw. It revealed its true nature as it moved with the speed and grace of a large green snake. Both the man and the creature disappeared into the hatch of the obsidian spaceship, and soon the sound of engines and mechanical whirring filled the air as the ship stirred to life. Slowly, it resumed its journey, leaving Nu alone.
Nu watched the ship vanish into the distance, his expression heavy with thought.
“Demortality?” he murmured, repeating the man’s strange phrase. Unease flickered in his eyes as he pondered its meaning.
Up ahead, the once-dim solar system glowed brighter, its light offering a faint glimmer of hope. Drawing on the warmth bestowed by the mysterious man’s Melting Lily, Nu found the biting cold more bearable, allowing him to press forward with greater ease.
After thirty more years of arduous travel, his eyes shone with relief and excitement. At long last, he had reached the end of his journey.
The solar system was finally within sight.