|EDITED|

Prologue

In a pitch-black alley devoid of any trace of light, the resonating echo of numerous footsteps filled the air. Some sounded delicate, others forceful, yet all melded together as if an entire legion was on the march.

Above the alley, at a short distance away, a medley of shadows materialized and silently observed the scene. The shape of their ethereal bodies fluttered as they engaged in silent communication, a cryptic dialogue that was out of this world.

One of these shadows drew closer to the origin of the footsteps and, through an enigmatic blend of gestures and sounds, transformed the obscurity of the alley into a breathtaking scene.

Slowly, small orbs of light ascended, coalescing into what resembled miniaturized suns suspended in the air.

The illumination cast by these radiant orbs pierced the veil of darkness and revealed what was hidden within it ; human faces etched with terror and bewilderment gradually opening their eyes, as if they just woke up from a shared nightmare.

Within this seemingly boundless alley, an array of humans of all forms, sizes, and genders stood motionless, their expressions betraying a mixture of pain and astonishment.

They were hardly breathing, akin to newborns grasping for their first breath.

Their bodies were restrained, and they were ensnared in a state of extreme torment. A relentless agony that seemed to grip them tightly.

Yet, despite the pain, their voices remained stifled, unable to escape in yells, shouts, or cries. Their suffering persisted in a hushed and macabre silence, as the most negative emotions bore down upon them continuously.

Disoriented, all these lost people lacked awareness of their surroundings or even their own identities. Each of them stood naked, no matter their size, age, sex, or the tone of their skin. They had for only clothing a pattern of runic symbols engraved on their bare skin, stained in their blood that still hadn't yet finished drying.

Upon their chests, those intricate symbols were pulsating, radiating an eerie energy born from the fusion of their blood and an unfamiliar, dark substance.

These symbols were unlike anything they knew.

Even though they all seemed to have lost their memories after waking up, they were all certain of one thing : nothing that was currently happening made sense to them, and...

They had never felt such fear as when they noticed the unknown entities floating above their heads, their haunting presence weighing down on the terrified humans.

These entities, born of a twilight realm where the boundaries of reality blurred, exuded a very peculiar, otherworldly air. Their presence alone invited dread and anxiety in equal measure in the hearts of the humans, for they were harbingers of death never seen before.

Their translucent and ethereal bodies appeared to the humans as a mass of smoke, their forms being an unsettling marriage of light and darkness intertwined between each other.

They seemed to straddle the thin boundary between existence... and something beyond.

One of them, who was floating a head higher than his kin, made yet another enigmatic blend of gestures and sounds.

Soon after, the humans began to instinctively discern the meaning behind those gestures, as words resonated within their minds.

"Rejoice, for you having the luck of the survivors."

"Jubilate, for you bearing the touch of the Singularity"

"Relish, for you are now destined to become one with the Void."

With these words, the shadowy figure—seemingly existing between the realms of life and death—ascended above the multitude, its low and raspy voice resounding.

"Henceforth, you bear the genetic legacy of your extinct species. You hail from diverse origins, cultures, languages, and lives. Yet, no longer are you merely humans. You have transcended the bounds of your kind. You stand as the remnants of the first protocol, the 'Intensification'—your souls now melded with the Great Singularity, the Revered Mother, and her Holy Children."

The symbols etched upon the humans' chests vibrated as these strange words echoed within their minds. Before the humans could grasp the situation, the shadow, as if delving into their thoughts, resumed its speech.

"For epochs, we observed you, humans. Quietly, we witnessed your evolution, from your mastery of fire to your conquest of your own solar system. Many of us dismissed you as inconsequential and trivial lifeforms—a species driven by greed, deriving pleasure from the misery of its peers and displaying an inherent predisposition for self-destruction."

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Pausing briefly to study its new subjects, the shadow continued.

"In these times, without you knowing, we presented you with a choice. If your flawed society would not imperil the galaxy two millennia after the birth of your so-called savior, we would grant you redemption. We would permit you to flourish, pardoning your transgressions."

The smoke around the shadow thickened.

"However, despite our patience, not only did you not change and you persisted in your destructive ways, but you even worsened your transgressions. Wars grew bloodier, famine claimed more lives, and your selfish pursuits focused solely on material gain forsake the very planet that gave you birth and nurtured you."

A moment of reflection punctuated the shadow's words.

"Failing our test, we resolved to extinguish your species. Yet, as your last stroke of luck, we discerned utility in both your minds and bodies. Your genetic makeup possesses unique qualities that are unique within the galaxy. It seemed wasteful to eradicate such diversity of genes, particularly now that external forces full of malice are threatening the quiet sleep of our Revered Mother."

"Thus, we made a choice—prior to eradicating your kind, we selected a sample of a million individuals. Each, collectively, expressed 99.8% of your species' genetic diversity."

"Afterward, we enacted your brethren's annihilation on Earth, restoring the natural Equilibrium of your world."

Although silence had reigned among the humans until this point, a restlessness began to stir within them, accompanied by an emotion previously unknown to them. It was a dread more profound than the fear of dying—the only emotion that transcended the fear of death was the fear of extinction.

A pervasive sense gripped the humans, a sensation that their very essence and existence teetered on the brink of vanishing at any given moment.

Learning that their entire species had been reduced to dust was so shocking that it jolted them out of their previous vegetative state. A sense of dread aking to a thousand sharp knives pierced their stomach from all directions, forcing them to sober up, honing their minds to a razor's edge to avoid the same fate as their fallen brethren.

Their organisms surged to peak activity, driven by a primal instinct to survive—a violent shock that urged them to escape this place and these beings as fast as possible.

Amid this turmoil, facing the doom of their own species, everyone reacted differently.

Some individuals cast frenzied glances around. Counting the remaining living humans became their obsession, like a miserable way to comfort themselves.

'I am not alone', they thought, seeking a spark of hope emerging from the thousands of other people next to them. They waited for one among them to find a way to escape from the fate awaiting them.

Some succumbed to their fear in the most visceral manner—losing control over bodily functions in the face of impending doom. They fell lifelessly to the ground, amidst their own urine, feces, and other bodily fluids they couldn't contain due to the extreme terror that struck them.

Others, already resigned to dying, experienced the most primal of desires. They sought sexual connection with the first person of the other sex they saw, in a desperate bid to leave behind the slightest trace of life. An ounce of semen, a seed of life... It was the only vestige of their existence, the only thing that might last beyond their death.

A transformation unfolded, as reason gave way to raw instinct.

More and more humans started to act like beasts, their rationality receding, eclipsed by the overwhelming compulsion to survive and evade complete extinction.

However, a select few defied this descent into chaos.

Despite the commotion all around them, their composure remained intact.

Instead of losing themselves to their instincts, they surveyed their surroundings, tried to grasp the situation, sought answers to their questions...

Some looked for a way that would lead them out of this place, while others threw stones at the shadows.

For those who tried to walk despite the commotion, unfortunately, their weakened body couldn't keep up.

Yet, even as their legs failed them, they didn't give up. Even crouched on the cold floor, they analyzed the situation, struggling to discern the positions of their fellow captives in this dark environment. Only the faint gleam of sun-like orbs provided a point of reference in this abyss.

Amidst this tumult, those rare people who strived to piece together the puzzle before them instead of losing themselves to their instincts and emotions didn't go unnoticed by the shadow.

And so, it began to speak once more.

"From that million, only six thousand survived the first protocol—you, the very souls standing before me. You represent the 0.6% that harmonized with the Singularity Children, the ones whose souls have been embraced by our Revered Mother."

"Our time is fleeting ; let me conclude by addressing the questions that linger in your minds."

The humans all fixated their tired gazes on the shadow.

"If you cannot recall your past, even your own names, it's because your memories have vanished forever."

"Our language melds light and sound, expressed through different frequencies. You shall find yourselves biologically incapable of uttering our names or speaking our tongue, even if we order you to. So, for now, call me Primus One. You can refer to us as the Scyllas."

"With your memories erased, we blessed you with an efficient and synthesized way of communicating, transcending all prior the languages you learned. Thus, you'll be able to understand each other regardless of your origin once we release the seal we placed on you to restrain your tongue."

"The symbols and the black matter crawling on your body shall be clarified in time ; for now, abstain from touching your chest if you want to live."

"Lastly, in our benevolent magnitude, we will offer you one final choice—the last one. Those seeking survival, even for just another day, must struggle, endure, combat, and die for us. Given the outcome of the first protocol, I anticipate that few of you will survive to the second, and then the final protocol. Nevertheless, you are now part of the Singularity—a future awaits you only if you embrace the Great Singularity."

Primus One's ethereal body glowed brightly, chasing the darkness and engulfing the entire area in light for a short moment.

"For those who seek respite, simply close your eyes, and your lowly existence shall be terminated."

"For those desiring to live, despite the suffering, hardships, and misery waiting for you, keep your eyes open—the truth of your new elevated existence shall be imprinted onto your souls."

"You have ten seconds."

And with those final words, Primus One vanished, alongside the other scyllas and the radiant sun-like orbs they summoned.

The surroundings plunged once more into an abyss of darkness, mirroring the shattered spirits of the humans within.

The Scyllas left behind a suffocating despair, its grip only slightly loosened by the faintest flicker of hope that was Primus One's offer.

In the Scyllas' wake were only broken and enslaved souls, who would later be known as the Void Rifters.