The Final Vestige

Author's Note: Unedited Chapter

------------

Gustav's spacecraft exited the wormhole smoothly, revealing an expanse of space unlike any he had seen before. The stars here seemed dimmer, as though their light had been partially drained by the immense force emanating from a central point. Suspended in this patch of space was a single, massive star glowing faintly crimson, pulsating with an ominous rhythm. It was as if the universe itself was warning him of the power that resided here.

He adjusted the controls, and the spacecraft slowed to a crawl. Gustav could feel it—the faint essence of his final vestige, almost imperceptible, hidden within the star's core. Yet, what overwhelmed his senses even more was the overwhelming presence of a being. This wasn't just any being; this was one of the oldest cosmic superior beings in existence.