*Click*

With just a flip of a switch, everything ended, the flight of the four winds, the flow of the sea currents, the dance of planets and stars. With just a flip of a switch it all went away.

Like the roar of the universe being born and the howl of the universe that came before winking out of existence, this was a sound that surpasses the concept of noise. Simultaneously ending in an instant and echoing on forever.

*Click*

And then it was all back again, like the nothingness that came before was just a bad dream. The world returned, hearts  resumed beating, dogs resumed chasing their tails, lords and ladies resumed their courting and carousing. The farmers returned to their fields. The merchants returned to their shops. The warriors returned to their battlegrounds and arenas.

All the worlds continued spinning again, seeming to never notice that they’d ever stopped. The only thing that was missing in the universe was a certain tower. Gone from its place as if it had never been built.

*****

“What.The.Actual Fuck…?!” said Elena. Her tone aghast though her actual expression was twisted by some manner of maniacal smile. Eyes wide, the curve on her mouth even wider.

On the other end of the spectrum sat Ophelia who looked more scared than exhilarated.

“I….that...that looked a lot like we just destroyed the whole Universe, Billy. Tell me we didn’t destroy the whole universe…”

“Of course not....” said a calm voice.

“...All I did was harness a single moment in time to power the machine, the rest of universe is fine.” said Billy.

Everyone else in the room was mostly just shaking their heads or gaping, at the scenery beyond the window of the control room. In the floors below their staff members were righting themselves and preparing for the next part of their mission.

“Billy!” cried Edna.

Her cry brought the attention of everyone in the room.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“Oh, honey...what did you do to yourself?” said Elena.

“Nh?...Oh...um...I’m perfectly fine I assure you.” said Billy.

His words were unconvincing considering the charred and badly desiccated state of his body. It lent him no credence, when he began to smoke, the dryness and heat within his internal tissues threatening to result in conflagration.

“Uh- huh, then why aren’t you using your body to speak, William.” said Edna, her tone stern.

By now she was used to such oddities, or rather than being used to them, it could be said, that she at least trusted that the boy would probably be alright. Which in turn allowed her to keep her calm. Though there was nothing to do about the tight agitation she felt.

“Er…..” said Billy. Not entirely sure how to answer.

“Well…” He said. Trying to use his body to speak, his voice coming out horse and wretched.

The effort proved to be the final nail in the coffin, as his blacked flesh disintegrated, collapsing as a pile of soot.

Alessa gasped and Tam sucked in a breath, tightly grasping the hand of the little girl at her side.

“BIlly!” said Edna.

“It’s fine. I’m fine. It’s just a body. I can make more.” said Billy. His voice coming from nowhere in particular again.

“Okay, then make one…” said Edna.

“Er...I can’t yet.” said Billy.

Edna glared at Billy’s remains and then sighed. She reminded herself that in all likelihood, everything was probably okay.

In the span of her sigh she quickly conferred with Jermaine through the phone construct. Making sure that the personnel they’d brought along were all alive and accounted from.

“But you are fine, right? All that stuff about this being perfectly safe, that you’ve been feeding me, was true right?” said Edna.

“Of course it was. I wouldn’t lie to you, Ed. You know that.” said Billy.

She sighed again. It was true. She did know that.

“Okay fine, but if it turns out you’re not okay, I’m going to be quite cross with you, you know that right.”

“Of course, dear.” said Billy.

Edna stared up at the ceiling and down at the crumbling corpse and then she clapped her hands together deciding it was time to switch tracts.

“Okay then. Now we I guess we have to move ou-...” started Edna.

“Nh...One second, we have to finish the final portion of the transition.”

“We have to what?” said Ophelia. Still slightly shellshocked from the combination of seeing both her  universe and her lover disintegrate, but recovering because she hadn’t spent the last two centuries  growing soft-hearted as she and her Ministry safeguarded Monde.

“Nh...Hold tight.” said Billy.

“Hold….?”

Jermaine’s words were swallowed up the roaring white noise and blinding light that soon swept over everyone the room and on the floors below.  

Howls of pain and fear echoed through the tower as the structure was realigned with an entirely new plane of reality.