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Counter Earth Chronicles

Chapter 145: All Of Our Tomorrows Were Yesterday (Conclusion)

Day 1089 (continued)

That evening I was left alone in the holding center with just my thoughts to keep me company. Evening then turned into night and I sorely missed my perfect person, her brown fur, her embrace and my soft pillows I looked forward to sleeping on every day. My cell by the way, had none.

Day 1090 (Last day of the month and the world as I knew it)

It was around six in the morning when Tauren reported to my holding cell. The grey bull was dressed in a white sarong that covered his lower half leaving his chest bare. He had brought me a present.

“Alex." The minotaur said handing me a vile of a orange peach like substance through the window of the holding cell.

“Well, this takes me back." I said to him. “Like my first week on this world. That was the week I met you and Lea."

“I guess it does." The minotaur said rather abruptly.

“You're mad at me too?" I said dropping my gaze to the floor of the cell.

“Disappointed. Some are wondering if you decided to ally yourself with what is left of the rebellion." Tauren said to me.

“Really Tauren? Me with the rebellion?! We have known each other for a long time. You befriended me, I befriended your family and we have had a lot of good times together. In fact, I have even seen you, Lurie and Sorren naked Mr. minotaur. "

“Those statements you made during your probationary review were quite profound." My friend said locking his eyes on me.

“It was just me expressing my frustrations and vehement disagreement with some decisions our leader has made recently. Some of which wounded me very deeply."

Tauren said nothing more but placed a small tray on my lap, exited the cell and returned to his work station in the center of the room where he started working.

“Let me put it another way. You once told me that you were an original. What if after your transformation into a beastial- the master determined that you were somehow flawed, that your transformation was imperfect and identified you for recycling- your remains would be used to make and construct other beastials. What would you do?"

The bull looked up from his monitor. “I guess I would beg the master for a second opinion." Tauren said.

“The conclusion would be the same- you minotaur are flawed, an imperfect. Report to your local reclamation center. What would your reaction have been?"

Tauren looked quite disturbed at my hypothetical question. “I would flee perhaps to the countryside, forest, maybe the mountains and hide."

“That is what the beastials of the hidden colony did. They opposed the High Evolutionary's view, formed their own civilization and hid in the mountains away from the empire. I and some others met them after we crashed landed in their territory."

“Alex you did?"

“After some misunderstandings they tended to our wounded and showed us their village. I became good friends with a number of them. Tauren, they were good people who just wanted to live. Is that so wrong?"

The bull said nothing but walked toward my cell pressed the button on it dissipating the glass window in front of me.

“Tauren?"

“That probationary panel wasn't there to assess your performance, they were looking for the next conspirator, alarmist, dissident, separatist or anarchist who wanted to wipe out beastial kind. Given what we beastials went through this past month, I understand that now."

“Tauren?"

“What better way to do that than to look for someone who had an axe to grind against the master regardless of their past accomplishments. No, little human you are not a rebel or a pre-rebel. You are Alex Winter. My friend." The bull said to me.

“Bring it in big guy." I said hugging him. “So Tauren what happens now?"

“You are going to make up with your master."

With that, Tauren brought me back to my she beast's lair.

“You have been paroled- temporarily. Do not leave the castle." He ordered me.

“I know, the master would have your head on a platter for what you are doing." I said hugging him.

“I will come and fetch you later. I have to catch up with Lurie and Sorren." The bull said leaving.

With that, I quietly entered the lair. True to form, my warrior bear had finished her exercises and was bathing alone. That gave me just enough time to prepare her breakfast. I had a stack of pancakes waiting for her at the high table off of the living room when she came downstairs.

“Alex?!"

*smooch*

“What are you doing here?!"

“Apologizing." I said dropping to my hands and knees bowing at her foot-paws. “That panel was on a witch-hunt and I let their interrogation get to me."

“AND?!" The perturbed bear grumbled.

“Being a good little collaborator, I should have shut up and kept my opinions to myself no matter how angry I felt."

“AND?!" The she beast said crossing her arms looking down at me.

“I am extremely sorry. Please accept my apology." I said kissing her left paw and then her right. “I made breakfast."

I could tell my fierce ursine warrior was still mad at me, but she did acquiesce. I helped seat her at the high table where I proceeded to spoil her rotten.

“I see Tauren is given out preferential treatment again." She said to me as she devoured the stack of pancakes I had made in a series of bites.

(WOW!)

“He is. We were discussing World Six."

“That is still a sore spot with you Alex?"

“Mistress, if it had been professor Stern and Corbin who had been caught, I think you also would feel the same way I do."

*GRUMBLE*

“Well, moving on what is on the agenda for today?" I said changing topics- QUICKLY.

“Lady Vermin and I will be backing up the core today if they run into difficulty taking down rebels and you...."

“I know, I will be returning to a holding cell when you leave for work mistress."

“Precisely pet."

(My she beast called me pet again!) I thought to myself as I watched dawn break on Counter Earth. But there was something wrong with the sunrise that morning. The sky was a dark red- very dark red, like we were in the realm of fire and magma.

“Now that is quite an odd sky mistress." I said walking past her to look out of the window.

“Indeed it is pet." She said joining me.

“Could it be due to the rebellion?"

Lady Ursa then went to the monitor in front of the sectional turned it on and pulled up the latest hub news report. The broadcast was a replay of a speech the High Evolutionary had made the previous day.

In closing, the enemies of my empire separatists, dissidents, alarmists, anarchists and revelers have been all but shattered by my forces. As for what remains of the rebellion- those that think they can protect and defend the hunted.... You will similarly we be hunted until all that oppose me have been eliminated. This I command!! The High Evolutionary and master of all Counter Earth said reading a prepared statement from a podium. It appeared to be from a secret location- perhaps one of his castles, it was unclear.

Those were the master's pointed remarks about the knight core's crusade to eviscerate all opposition to the empire since the resolution of the Great Sickness three weeks ago. Zed Zebra said. In response, the rebellion has been trying to protect second class citizens who have been identified as revelers often directly challenging the knights as they have been trying to capture their targets which has led to more pockets of lawlessness and skirmishes throughout the five cities. Overnight more skirmishes broke out in Worlds Three and Four as the knights of Sevren and Sogreth captured more of the wanted. This has truly been a most difficult month for us all indeed. The zebra sighed. Now to Newton Leaf with more of this morning's top stories.

Thank you Zed. A brunette human female said. The top story is the weather when we arose this morning our sky looked quite different from the typical late December grey we are used to. It was blood red, which was beyond weird. So weird that weather scientists are at a loss to explain it.

Could it be an indication of some inclement weather headed our way? The zebra asked the body-swapped centaur.

Well there is a rather larger storm approaching from the north, but it doesn't appear to be associated with any predicted weather pattern which is also odd. Newton said.

That storm, it is here! A voice off camera started to say as the studio the two were in shook violently, there was some shouting and then broadcast ceased.

“What happened?" I asked my bear knight.

“It looks like they are having transmission difficulties." She said. “Most likely at the source."

“Perhaps it was the storm they said that was coming in." I said.

My bear knight was silent as she went to the closet and put on her uniform and then her weapons.

“Come, you are going back into your holding cell."

“Did I say that I love your?" I said kissing her.

“I love you two pet, but it doesn't change anything." She said kissing me back. “If you aren't where you should be at the right time..."

“Tauren will be in big trouble." I said completing her sentence.

My she beast escorted me back to the holding cell area and into the cell she had found me in last night.

“Stay safe out there." I said hugging her.

“And you..." She said hugging me back.

“Stay safe in here?" I said guessing her answer.

“No. The master is visiting Castle Wundagore today." She said placing me back in my cell. “He is going to be announcing judgement on some revelers who are being held in the prisons under the castle. Afterwards he will be coming to the holding cells here." Lady Ursa said sternly to me. “When he does, your will apologize for you outburst yesterday and ask for forgiveness. We will talk this evening."

“Yes mistress." I said sitting down back on the bench.

I watched as she walked out of my cell and the holding area to resume hunting down all enemies of the dictator. She met up with Lady Vermin in the hallway.

Shortly after her departure, Tauren returned. He had been with Lurie and Sorren. No, not like that. They had been conducting checks in their respective areas making sure everything was ready for the master's arrival. According to Tauren there were some minor maintenance issues Lurie was looking into, but she decided to stick around in case they became serious.

For some reason, I thought that I would have had more visitors- the knights I worked with in the core over the years or even Sorren, Lea or Lian. But it was just Tauren and I in the holding cell area that morning. He told me that was because of the resistance defending revelers from the High Evolutionary's capture raids.

I asked the minotaur what he thought when he saw that certain citizens were celebrating the beastials pending demise during the pandemic.

“Saddened. It made me realize how fractured this society really is Alex. It also hurt very much. It seemed like the only ones that did care about our well being were- the Frosts. Gabe and Gabby forbade Lurie, Sorren and their servants from going outside at all."

“Gabby told me. The couple quarantined you against your will."

“It was for life threatening reasons. Gabe said he would rather have us mad at him for imprisonment then to have us die." Tauren grumbled.

“Something wrong?" I asked the minotaur.

“I was trying to find out more about the strange weather phenomenon the news service was talking about this morning but the hub seems to be down." Tauren said to me.

“I noticed that too. It went down as they were talking about a storm approaching World Five." I said as the he beast tried to pull content from the hub.

“It must be one hell of a storm. It seems like all their broadcasts out of their studios in Wold Five ceased at the same time." The bull said to me.

“It is late December Tauren."

“That must be one hell of a storm." The he beast said as he tried to contact his counterpart in World Two. It took some doing but he did.

“Hawk- here." A stern avian beastial with brown plumage said appearing on his monitor.

“Hawk. Tauren."

“I can see that Tauren."

“Do you have a ETA?"

“The master and I just left World Two, we will see you in an hour."

“That is good the bull said."

“Anything else?"

“Have you noticed anything wrong with communications?" Tauren asked his counterpart.

“Yeah, the hub is down, only local communications seem to be up. But it is winter. I am sure they are working on it. Hawk out." The avian said ending the connection.

That hour went quick. In retrospect, if the news service had shown the approaching storm Lady Ursa and I would have realized what was happening and had time to prepare.

*beep* *beep*

“What is that?" I asked the bull.

“It's the High Evolutionary. He has arrived." Tauren said to me. “He will be talking to the condemned in the castle dungeon when he is finished I will bring him by." Tauren said walking out of the holding area.

Hearing that made my stomach perform butterflies like the kind you receive when you know you did something bad and your mother says wait until your father gets home. And then you are anxious the whole time because you know you will be grounded or worse when he walks through the door.

That was what I felt during the dictator's arrival at Castle Wundagore. I wasn't present in the dungeons beneath the castle but I had an idea of what was going on- the types of judgements he was handing out experimentation, mind correction, forced transformation and even retrogression like I saw Billy perform on Rita and Lita Mallow.

It was around 11:40 in the morning when the High Evolutionary entered the holding cell area. He was accompanied by Tauren, his counterpart from World- Two Hawk and Lurie.

“I apologize for the modest greeting today master." The bull said as the ruler of all Counter Earth entered the holding area.

“It is quite small minotaur, but understandable I want my forces in the field destroying all opposition to my rule." He said.

“That they are master." The hawk said as he started to follow the dictator inside.

“It is ok." The coyote female said touching the hawk's arm. “You have been with him all morning if you want to take a break you can. We can take it from here."

The avian first looked at the 'yote girl weirdly, I swear I saw his plumage bristle in response to her touch. He then bowed before making his leave.

Upon entering the holding center Lurie and Tauren dropped to their knees in respect as the High Evolutionary looked at the five empty cells in a 'U' shaped pattern and then mine.

“Mr. Winter." He said turning his attention to me. He was wearing a black tunic-like uniform with a yellow belt and black shoulder pads, gloves and boots that accented the trim beard of his and his fire red eyes.

“Um, I suppose you heard about what happened at my probationary review." I said smiling uneasily.

“I have." He said clasping his hand and levitating me through the window of the holding cell. “Since your arrival here I have allowed you to live among my creations, to interact with them, to experience the prosperity, the wonder- all this civilization has to offer and this is how you express your gratitude?"

(Oh boy here we go!)

“Master my record speaks for itself. I have been nothing but loyal to you, my friends and the empire."

“Until recently." He countered placing me on the floor of the holding room where I similarly dropped to my knees mimicking what Lurie and Tauren had done.

“Your decrees have had minimal impact on me personally and emotionally. Until recently."

“Explain Mr. Winter."

“Spirited Spirit."

“Yes the Tian mountain dog I ordered released from the Maximum."

“Yes master, thank you for that. But to de-evolve him? He just needed to be helped not labeled an imperfect and cast aside!"

“He was." The High Evolutionary said crossing his arms staring down at me.

“Respectfully no. During our time in the Outpost Of The Forgotten I realized that I was having an effect on him. You mentioned sir that some of your creations have done right by me. This was just another instance."

I watched as that stern face turned to anger as if I had challenged him in some way; if I had threatened his authority.

“And then there is the remote colony. You de-evolved the beastials there too."

“Those there defied me! They were made an example of."

“It didn't have to be sir, you could have shown them tolerance, love and mercy by forgiving their transgressions and integrating them back into the empire." I countered.

I heard Tauren let out an audible gasp as if I had crossed the line and broken some unspoken rule.

“Master!" The minotaur shouted as he and Lurie stood up. Lurie's fur bristling.

“SILENCE!!" The High Evolutionary clasped his right hand and levitated me off the ground. “I will only say this once Mr. Winter. I am the supreme ruler here. My will, my desires, my word is law! As long as you reside within my kingdom you are to obey and never ever question!"

“Y---yes master. Y---your word is l--law." I squeaked looking at him and those fire red eyes of his.

He was thoroughly pissed that I had questioned his actions and how he governed his subjects. My gaze moved from his to Tauren who was beyond horrified to the 'yote girl who was no longer next to her lover but directly behind the dictator. I still can't believe what happened next, but it did happen.

“The present leader is a nuisance and will not be required in the new order." The coyote said in a demonic tone that I had never heard her make before.

“Lurie?"

!!!

“Lurie!"

No sooner had I shouted her name, her arm and paw burst through the left side of the high master's chest grabbing something. As Lurie's paw pulled back through I was unceremoniously dropped on the floor of the room.

“LURIE!! What, what did you do!!" Tauren screamed as he looked at what his lover was holding in left right paw, it was the High Evolutionary's heart still beating.

“Treachery?! From my own creations?" The beastial's master said turning to the bull and coyote. He raised his left hand and threw the female coyote against a cell. “You shall not win! AWK!" He gasped.

“We already have." The female beastial said crushing the organ in her paw.

The High Evoultionary collapsed and died on the floor of the holding cell area his face frozen in shock and disbelief at the betrayal.

“Lurie!! What have you done?!" Tauren screamed.

(How did she have the strength to do that?!)

“What needed to be done." She said as the bull ran up to her.

“Lurie what is wrong with you?" The minotaur said placing both his paws on her shoulders.

“Our old master is dead. I have embraced our new master the synoptic. It will bring order to this chaos. Eternal peace where there is prejudice, tolerance to where there is inequality and hatred. Come my loves." The 'yote girl said leaving the holding cell area discarding the dictator's organ like it was a unripe piece of fruit.

Tauren and I followed Lurie to a window just down the hall. She stopped there to look out it.

“Behold this is the new order and the synoptic wants for us to be part of it." The coyote girl said as the bull and I observed a sight that nearly stopped our hearts- a giant cloud was moving in from the north- the phantom cascade enveloping everything that it touched.

“It has returned and is much bigger than last time!" Tauren gasped.

(OH NO!!!)

In its wake we saw flashes, fires, buildings crumbling and darkness which I now realized were hover vehicles falling from the skies as if touched by a giant EMP.

“Yes we will become ONE..." Lurie said continuing. “...but all of us will be equals regardless of class, age, sex or species." The 'yote girl said turning to me and Tauren from the horrific scene we saw out of the window. It was around this time that Castle Wundagore started shaking violently and an internal alarm sounded as we heard explosions coming from the city and around us.

“Who is speaking to us right now?" I asked staring at my friend of almost three years. She had a very crazed look on her face. “That doesn't sound like the Lurie I have come to know and love."

“It is the both of us we have come together; we are the same."

It took a moment before I realized what the female beastial was saying to me. It wasn't just her, she had been possessed. “And you two will be joining us soon."

“ONE!! Tauren don't let her or it touch you!" I screamed as the 'yote girl lunged for me.

Tauren darted in front of his lover blocking her. As she hit his chest Lurie reached out grabbing the bull's head.

“Very well, you first."

“ALEX RUN!!!" Tauren ordered as his lover kissed him.

“Tauren!!" I screamed.

“Interesting, this female is pleading for you to join us. She doesn't want to enter the new era without her bull." The thing inside the 'yote girl remarked kissing Tauren again.

“It's got me!!" Tauren shouted as Lurie kissed him again deeply and passionately.

“Fight it Tauren! Fight it Tauren!"

“I, I can't..." The minotaur said as if entering some type of trance.

“No you can't love. There is no resistance, no fighting it. We will be together forever." The 'yote girl said kissing him again.

I looked back at Tauren and Lurie as I ran. Tauren had a pained- strained look on his face as he tried to fight off the entity that was trying to enslave him. Lurie kissed him on the mouth once more and that strained look turned into a happy, peaceful grin like he had just ejaculated hard inside of her. It was at this point the minotaur kissed her back as the castle continued to shake and rock violently as if under heavy attack.

“The synoptic already has the first Alex now it wants the second one too." Tauren said in a demonic tone. “Come now my friend. Don't resist let's be ONE. Hail the synoptic!"

The castle continued to shake and rock violently as I ran through the hallways and corridors trying to processed what had just happened. I passed by beastials who were stunned and confused as well.

“The sky is falling! The sky is falling! Panic and run!!" A young zebra said running by me.

“Be at ease brother." Hawk said emerging from the panic crowd in the hallway. “The world is ending and a new one is beginning."

“Really?" The young beastial asked Tauren's counterpart.

“Would you like to come and see?" Hawk said extending his paw.

The zebra took it. Again there was that bristling of fur as the terrified look of the young beastial changed into one of serenity.

(This was not happening!)

I had to get help. I quickly ran to the science wing on the upper floors of the now disintegrating castle dodging debris and the unfortunate souls it had fallen on. I soon found Mara's lab and quickly ran in.

“Mara!! I need help!!" I screamed expecting to find Sir Ram's main squeeze working on some weapon or device. Instead I found the lab destroyed its roof and a side wall had collapsed exposing the room to the outside and the huge cloud which was starting to engulf the city. In the chaos, I found Mara's paw sticking out from a pile of rubble. She had been in the room when the ceiling came down on her.

(Mara....)

I darted back inside as another explosion rocked the castle and panic screams echoed throughout it. I ran down the hallway to room C where I found Lea. The sexy lioness was calmly working on some experiment oblivious to the emergency developing around her.

“Lea! Lea! The High Evoultionary is dead!! ONE is here in the castle! It got Tauren and Lurie!! And the giant cloud has returned! It is engulfing the city!!!" I said as Lea calmly resumed writing on a pad.

“I know Alex. Isn't it wonderful?"

“Lea?!"

“Luire stopped by to speak with me earlier. What happened at the Sura concert was just beginning. The pain, misery and strife of this dystopian society is ending soon all there will be is the bliss and wonderment of the synoptic."

I started backing away from my friend and healer of the last few years as she gave me a gentle peaceful stare. ONE had gotten to her too!

This was truly the end. The end of everything! I ran back toward the lair as the castle continued to shake and crumble. I had to warn as many as I could, save as many as possible. I turned on the view screen and tried to contact Sir Ram. The connection failed. I then tried Sanda. The connection failed as well. It was on the third time it went through.

“Alex! Now is not a good time!" The commander of the knights of Wundagore said to me. “Half the city is burning!"

“Commander the empire it under siege! The High Evolutionary is dead! ONE is here in the castle and the cloud entity...."

“Is back too." The tiger warrior said cutting me off. “Alex seek shelter- now if there is any place safe." Lord Tiger said as he moved through a debris field of hover vehicles looking for survivors. “Damn, they are all dead..."

“Lord Tiger?" I said at the sudden silence. The tiger warrior had dropped his communicator, as it hit the ground I watched what I thought was him and other citizens around him being sucked into the sky?!

“Commander?"

The communication then ended.

(What the hell?!)

“Mistress are you there?" I said desperately as I tried to contact Lady Ursa. Although the communication went through- I was receiving audio and video but my warrior bear was not receiving or hearing me. From what I could tell, she and Lady Vermin were inside one of the prototypes. They were under siege by something- I heard laser fire and explosions.

“Mistress can you hear me? Please respond."

“Here it comes again!" I heard Lady Vermin shout. “Look out! Look out!"

**Grenade Launcher, Machine Gun, Flame Thrower engaged**

I heard the automated assistant state.

“It is not working!" Lady Ursa said as there was a huge explosion and the communication died.

It was at that point I looked out the window toward the city to see the cloud entity approaching the castle blotting out the red sky. Behind it darkness like it has smothered out all of existence during its rampage.

This was hopeless. I tried to open a group communication with all my friends and acquaintances I had made over the last few years. I desperately tried contacting Niko, commander Rhinox and Barq in World Five, Cinder and Lady Keiko in World Four, Neil, Ember and Sir Wolf in World Three, Dongo, Doria in World Two and professor Love, Bess, Tess, The Wilds, Cody, Primrose, Milo, Panda Lee, Minka and Arthur locally.

I only reached Mrs. Wild, Dongo and Bess.

“Alex! I am kind of busy right now." Dongo said running around in the background.

“Busy how Dongo?!" Bess asked.

“The network between here and World Five has been down since seven this morning. The repair crews that have been sent out to troubleshoot haven't responded." The hyena said.

“What is going on?" Diana Wild asked as customers were running out of her restaurant. No, they were being sucked out of her restaurant and into the sky. “There seems to be a tornado outside. Everyone stay away from the door!"

“Everyone! The empire is under attack!" I shouted. “This morning the High Evolutionary was killed." I said among horrified gasps from Diana and Bess. “The giant cloud has returned and is shutting everything down."

“That explains the darkness I am seeing." Bess said. “And why electronics and power are failing."

“I only see red sky here in World Two Dongo said.

“It hasn't reached you yet then. Everyone listen to me, the world is ending! Run!! Hide!! Save as many as you can!!" I warned my friends.

I received shocked stares of disbelief from the hyena, buffalo calf and centaur as one by one, by one their communications died. Soon it was just me and Dongo.

“This isn't happening!" The hyena said.

“Dongo you have time before the giant cloud reaches you! Find Doria and flee!"

!!!

*crash*

I managed to dive off the sectional as the castle shook violently again and a section of the ceiling came down on where I had been sitting. I looked at the monitor, it was dead so was everything electrical in the castle, my PDA even the castle alarm stopped.

Heading my own advice I went to the closet of what was left of the lair. I realized that it wasn't safe to hide in. Nor would the basement or upper floors of the castle. It wouldn't be a good idea to be outside as well after seeing people being sucked into the sky. Which meant- maybe that closet Tauren, Lurie and Sorren stayed at during the giant cloud's first attack would be the best location.

I headed down the crumbling hallway toward the conference wing of the castle. I passed beastials who were running every which way trying to get to safety.

“Alex!" I heard a voice say behind me.

“Sorren!"

“Have you seen Tauren and Lurie?" The goofy dragon said hugging me.

I nodded.

“Thank goodness. Where are they?"

“I last saw them near the holding cells." I said as the castle shook violently again and some more walls crumbled exposing the wing to the outside.

Sorren started to run towards where Lurie and Tauren had last been seen.

“Sorren no!" I yelled stopping him. “They are gone."

“What do you mean gone?"

“ONE, the synoptic, the entity got them." I said blocking the red dragon. “It got Lea as well."

“Alex are you saying they are dead?"

“No possessed. If you go after them, it will get you too." I pleaded with him.

“I have to find them!" The dragon said as he started to run off. He stopped in his tracks as five beastials were flattened by a hover vehicle that crashed through the ceiling landing on them. Sorren checked the driver a red panda, who was killed on impact before continuing toward the holding cells. That was the last time I saw the red dragon.

Despite what I had seen, I reasoned it was better to be inside the castle then outside. I found the closet the trio had hid in during the first giant cloud attack dove in and shut the door as more violent shaking and explosions could be felt and heard coming from inside and outside the castle.

So this is where my story ends. Where everything ends the empire was given a one- two punch and went down for the count. The High Evolutionary was assassinated - killed at 11:43 this morning by one of his creations, the empire he had built ended with him. The giant cloud destroyed what was left of his civilization. And ONE took everything else.

I now realize the red sky was a harbinger of the giant cloud's arrival. I assume it approached from the north enveloped World Five, then World Four and World Three and World One disabling everything electrical and it was moving on to World Two next. Lady Ursa and I saw the start of it when the hub broadcast went down this morning.

At the same time ONE, the synoptic or whatever it calls itself, decided to attack destroying the empire from the inside. I realize now that the incident at the Sura concert and the sporting event in World Five was most likely a dry run. The entity was perhaps testing its limits, building its power or biding its time waiting for the right moment; a moment where the empire was collapsing in on itself- infighting, protests, lawlessness and resistance. If my theory is true, my adoptive world was doomed from the start.

I feel so utterly helpless; there is absolutely no hope! Most likely my mistress and all whom I knew are dead. What do I do? If I manage to escape the giant cloud and the entity I will most likely face starvation in the coming winter.

Perhaps I should have joined Hawk, Tauren, Lurie and Lea. At least we would be together for this new era the Others have been chanting about- unity, peace and harmony but no free will. Anyway, this will be my final journal entry. It has been five hours since the fall and the shaking and explosions continue. I have decided to stay in this closet and accept my ultimate fate. Will I become the entity's bitch? Get sucked into the sky or get 'hugged' by the castle as it crumbles? It won't matter- because I can't envision being without my mistress or my new family on this world that I have accepted as my home.

The End?