Julian stopped rowing for a second to catch his breath, and noticed that the world was about to die. He wiped the rainwater from his face and looked up at the sky. The clouds had vanished leaving only faint whiskers of grey on a black canvas. He searched for the North Star to find his way, but it was too late. He realised that it had died, along with most of the universe. The only source light came from an unknown star, burning its remaining supply of energy before it too was ready to die.
The death of the world had come quicker than Julian had ever imagined. He stroked the oar to his little rowing boat, then pushed it into the endless sea. He watched it glide on the surface, before it sank out of sight. It was of no value any more. It was clear that water had consumed land, just like what happened in all the other universes he had been to.
He stood up in the boat and steadied himself. He felt the last breath of wind against his face before the earth hushed into silence. He lowered the hood of his cloak and stroked his white hair from his face. For a moment, he became as still as the world itself, expecting something...someone to come for him.
He squinted into the distance. Where are you?
Not a sound broke the void. He looked up at the last star again, which now glowed a deep red.
“Where are you?” His voice sounded strange, it had been so long since he had heard a person speak.
He shivered and pulled his cloak tight around him. He sat back down in the boat and noticed that the ocean was glistening with little patches of ice. He winced and looked around again. Come on, come on. Time was running out. The freeze had begun
You promised you’d come, he thought, You promised you’d free me this time.
A rime was forming on his gaunt face. He clawed the frost away as best he could, and closed his eyes to shield them from the chill. He kept as still as possible, not daring to move, realising that each droplet of energy was essential to his existence. They were late, the bastards dared to be late.
He stayed that way for what seemed like hours, he opened his eyes only briefly, but nothing changed in the world. The star had not died yet, but kept its steady red glow. It was cold but not yet freezing...it was dark but not yet darkness... He smiled, the world was waiting for his final exit, it was waiting for him--
You’re not coming. The realisation smashed through his brief optimism.
He pulled himself up with great effort, panting heavily. He stood, graceful on the side of the boat, and cocked one leg onto the edge. Just as he was about to dive into the freezing sea, he heard a disturbance in the water.
He climbed back into the boat and watched the water tremor all around him. A bright white light approached the surface. He smiled, his eyes wide.
“You’re here. You’re here to free me,” he said aloud, full of joy.
An orb of pure light broke through the surface of the water and hovered six feet above it. It span at a measured, constant rate.
“Hello Julian,” it whispered in a female voice, metallic and cold, like the whole thing had been pre-recorded onto a tape.
He did not bother with formal greetings, “Is it over? Am I free?”
The ball silently span around, as if contemplating his request.
“There is just one other world we require--”
“--No. I won’t do it,” he spat, teeth gritted. “It stops. It stops today.”
The ball of light paused, then said, “No Julian. It does not stop. It will never stop.You are dedicated to the quest for knowledge.”
The ball hovered closer to Julian, who remained standing. As the ball moved closer his hair became darker. He stretched out his hands and watched as the dark spots faded and his wrinkles tightened. He felt stronger, warmer, younger.
“I have completed my duty to the Cyclons. I have repaid my debt,” he stuttered, amazed every time when the Cyclon ball repaired his body.
Without missing a beat the Cyclon ball said, “You are dedicated to the quest for knowledge.”
Julian glared deep into the ball of light, and it seemed to stare back. “And how many worlds do I need to see live and die? How many civilisations rise and fall? Great empires conquer and be conquered? Children age into hideous puppets, then get buried into ground that one day will also die? Mmm? How many?” His gasped for air, the oxygen was thinning now.
The Cyclon Ball rotated around the boat, as if inspecting it with great excitement. It pivoted on its axis at a faster speed and glowed more brightly. “This is a boat?”
“Yes. It is a boat.”
He watched the ball spin quicker and quicker until it returned to its ordinary, clockwork pace. “The allotted discussion time is over. You will be assigned a new world momentarily.”
He shook with rage. “I don’t want one. Kill me. Kill me now.”
“Do not be silly, Julian. You will be assigned a new world momentarily,” the Cyclon ball’s metallic voice rang out, Julian clasped his hands around his ears to protect himself from the noise. He shook his head as images of those he had seen die, those he had sent to death, filled his vision. He saw children, little children on operating tables. Organs. Organs in jars --blood. Lots and lots of blood--blood.Blood.Blood..blood.blood.BLOOD.bloo--
“--Stop it,” he breathed.
“Stop what, Julian? This is a glimpse of death. If you die, this will be what you see. A loop of destruction, for an eternity.”
He dropped to his knees and hammered against the base of the rowing boat. “Stop it. Fucking. Stop. It.” He fell onto his back and squirmed as the images punctured his mind. Things he had forgotten...tried to forget, resurfaced.
“If you won’t kill me, I’ll do it myself,” he screamed. He dashed for the side of the boat and lunged. As he fell, he closed his eyes and braced himself to be consumed by water.
But he was not, he was consumed by light. The boat, Julian and the Cyclon ball were gone from that universe.
It took only one hour for the world to die. The star in the sky extinguished suddenly, like it did not want to watch the sea crystallise into a solid ball of ice, and finally disintegrate into nothingness.
I haven't read a hook anywhere near as compelling as that one in a long time, and what followed it did not disappoint. I am in love with the concept, and you pulled it off so that I am willing to wait to see how Julian got involved with the Cyclons.
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