Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers; they belong to their respective copyright owners and are used here without permission. No money is being made from this fic.
Author's Note: This is an alternate universe with an alternate timeline.
To Start Anew
The battle was finished, the war was over and despite the odds, it appeared that Evil had been defeated. All was well within the universe, or what was left of it... for the painfully short amount of time that remained. Victory had been been claimed as existence reached the point of final collapse. By the time the battle had ended, the darkness had consumed so much that not even the sudden burst of light that accompanied the bellow of victory from the Champion could prevent a total blackout. Already the temperature had dropped to a point where life of any sort could no longer function. And as the darkness stretched, consuming the last atoms, it left behind only emptiness.
The end had come and the end had passed, and nothing had been left behind. All the footprints in the sands of time had been washed away by the tide of inevitability. Where once there had been something in the darkness, now there was true emptiness. It was an absolute void inside of which nothing could physically exist and outside of which nothing was known to exist. And the inside and the outside were the same for there was seemingly nothing to divide them. And there was no time to measure how long the void remained the same and no change to mark a point from which time could be measured. For an eternal stretch or the briefest moment - for who could tell when there was no sense of time-, everything was perfect. Everything was nothing.
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Temporal Location: After the end, before the beginning. Universe Reference: None Reality: Non-existent
The old reality was gone, the last star had been extinguished and the universe had turned dark. If there was anything left it didn't matter, for it was no longer relevant. The final battle had been won, the evil had been prevented from claiming a victory and bringing about the final end on its terms. For the victors the cost of victory had been high, but the reward would seem incredible: they had earned the right to start again, to face all the trials and tests once more in the hope that next time Good would triumph without losing everything.
Of course some might have argued that the battle was still there to be won by either side as the large vessels designed to survive in the non-space between realities had passed through a rift that had opened above the fading planet, escaping the total collapse. Despite knowing that there was no guarantee that they would find something on the far side and that in all likelihood there was nothing on the far side of the rift they have bravely chosen to continue rather than accept defeat.
Those on board continued their journey in the hope that perhaps some higher power would intervene and they would find a new home. Well some of them did. At this point very few believed that there were any higher powers remaining that they could appeal to. And since many of those on board were frozen in a state of near-sleep to help them survive for however long it took to complete their long journey, they were not able to truly ponder the presence of surviving deities; they could at least dream of salvation. The brave crews that had volunteered to pilot the ships through the maddening eternity of their passage through the emptiness, prayers for salvation of some kind was an almost daily event. They were prayers that would sadly go unanswered for a long time.
At some point, some of the vessels would leave the rift and discover what lay on the other side. Whether or not they would wish that they had never started their journey was as yet unknown and not a part of this tale. Their destination however, was an essential part of things to come. Just as they had left the old existence behind to seek out what lay beyond, so the focus of the war between Good and Evil shifted to a new location, a fresh void inside of which all things could start again. The old existence was gone, supposedly for ever, and its replacement would soon appear.
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Time: Unknown period before something happened. Universe: Zero Reality: Zero
At first glance the new existence appeared to be exactly the same as the previous location: a space devoid of everything except darkness, which it had in abundance. But all was not as peaceful as it first appeared.
There was a saying that no good deed went unrewarded. Some claimed that in reality no good deed went unpunished. Those with sufficient sense realised that both sayings were equally valid. While those that escaped the destruction of their reality had had no real right to complain, and the dark forces had forfeited any grounds to complain when they had lost the war, and those that had sacrificed themselves for the victory, including the Champion of Light, had done so in full knowledge and acceptance that they would not be amongst those saved... existence did not approve.
Somehow in its final moment the old reality had gained sufficient awareness to hold such an opinion and the power to act upon it. Whether it was a reward or a punishment, the Guardian was not allowed to simply vanish into obscurity. His role was not yet complete - for in victory he had been chosen to become the template for the vessel through which existence would be restored.
One moment - which could have lasted less than a nanosecond or longer than a million years - there was calm, stillness and nothing else. The next moment, there was a stirring. The previously dead space was suddenly filled with raw energy that swirled in the darkness, shooting sparks of light into the pitch black night. And then the incredible surge of power shrank back, condensing and concentrating as some unseen force compacted it and forced it into a container the size of a small planetoid.
And it took a moment for existence to register that in order for the energy to become trapped within a planetoid, a planetoid must have appeared from nowhere. It did not form or merge from specks of dust because the void was a perfect void. There was no conversion energy to matter because there was no method for such a transformation to take place. Nor was there dark matter to become visible. But for those that looked closely, the planetoid had been forged to resemble the remains of the world upon which the final battle had been fought and came complete with an empty throne. The perfect void was no longer a perfect void even though the planet was but a tiny drop of grey pigment in an ocean of black.
Upon the planet a mist appeared and within the mist, creatures could be seen exploring the surface of the planet. They were creatures of great size and all manner of shape. As they moved their forms altered, unbound by the laws dictating things such as biology, physics and logic. The creatures seemed to evolve without the limitations of form and structure. But for all their complexity, they were little more than tricks of the light reflected within the mist. But for those watching, the sudden understanding was that there was now a source of light to be reflected.
Before long the mist dispersed and the creatures drifted await, pulled through the depths of the darkness. Some faded from sight as the light failed to reach them, while others continued until they one day reached the edges of existence and splashed harmless out of sight.
Soon or not-so-soon - for without time to tell how long had passed there was no way to measure how long it had taken - the void returned to a near-perfect state of emptiness. Near perfect because despite the disappearance of the creatures, the planetoid upon which they had evolved remained and so did the unbelievable light that shone from within its surface.
That light could be seen shining through the planetoid's surface revealed that something else had changed. For not the planetoid once made of rock,had transformed into some sort of crystal. And... the planetoid was growing larger and larger as if gorging on some unknown food source; in times to come those that could see it would realise that the growth was due to the ever increasing energy it was forced to contain. Prolonged contact with that crystallised energy had changed the surface of the planetoid from rock to crystal.
Time didn't pass - for the void was timeless-, but at some point something new appeared upon the surface of the rapidly growing planet - for the planetoid had changed to the point where planet was a much better description-, bringing new light to the darkness around it. A being rose out of the crystal surface, made from the same hardened energy as the planet. He was a part of the planet, and he was filled with the unknown energy. He represented the will of existence to continue and the hand by which it would start anew.
Light radiated from his body, reflected by the surface of the planet and refracted in ways that lit the void with coloured light. The throne that had appeared alongside the planetoid, grew and altered its shape to accommodate him as he sat upon it and looked outward into the darkness, craning his head from side to side to take in all of his surroundings. And as if to answer his needs and spare him the task of moving his head, the planet which had until that point remained still, slowly started to rotate.
And as the planet moved, it allowed its occupant a more complete view of his surroundings. The light that shone from his body and the surface of the planet was thrown outward into the void, burning away some of the darkness. And slowly, the void began to change, altered by the strange energy that presented itself a light to become more than simple nothingness. The being didn't control how the energy and gave no indication that he understood its workings as he stared in wonder at the pretty shapes illuminated in the dark.
While he enjoyed the pretty lights, the darkness shifted as new matter appeared where before there had been nothingness. Soon that matter took on the shape of particles and then atoms. The atoms bonded together and in a short time, a small universe was born. Filled with many interesting colours and flashes of light, it continued to grow for an immeasurable period. The swirling mists of colour and light would at times come together to form larger constructs, only to drift apart in the darkness once more, teasing anything that might be watching that there was a possibility of something more.
Eventually, everything came together in just the right way and a star ignited. Far from the now planet-sized planetoid, it illuminated the darkness, clearly visible due to it being the only other source of light. The void was illuminated with the true light of a celestial fire, bringing an end to the void and the beginnings of a cosmos. As time passed, more stars formed and then, a new planet appeared in orbit around one of the stars. Other worlds followed and as they moved around the stars that now illuminated the darkness there came a way to measure the passing of time.
Had he wanted to the crystalline being could have preserved these amazing creations, but he was as fascinated by the beauty of the collapsing galaxies as he had been by their formation. The first stars collapsed and the worlds around them vanished, but even then: something remained. The first six stars in existence compacted until they were merely the size of pebbles, which he called to his side so that he might study them - he was gradually learning that he needed only to want something to happen and existence would respond to his need.
With the stars gone the cosmos had become empty and boring. For the first time he felt that he wanted something to happen to change that. His demand was answered as a new world appeared, closer to the crystal planet than the others had been. It did not have a star of its own, its warmth and light coming from the only other source available: the Creator himself.
Soon, life emerged and intelligent species appeared, building "by their standards" a peaceful society. For millions of years they developed, growing more intelligent by the day. They developed an understanding for the universe around them and used that to master the science of their reality. They grew powerful and considered themselves to be the masters of their new domain. Some even referred to themselves as gods although they in turn worshipped the Creator who watched over them from his planet of crystal.
Although they had been peaceful, like many a society there came unrest, arguing and finally war. For such a powerful race to fight amongst themselves was especially dangerous. They had evolved to the point where they were almost immune to harm and their fighting angered their creator. In a moment of anger he pushed their planet away, sending it racing through the darkness until it was no longer in his sight.
One day the planet would return to its original location only to find that their creator was no longer visible to them, but the fighting would continue and while they were nigh indestructible, their planet was not impervious to harm. One day the planet would succumb to the damage its occupants caused and break apart. For now though it endured.
Meanwhile a new galaxy that had formed far from the source continued to grow as space surrounding the crystal planet returned to its previous state: an empty void watched over by a lone being made of crystal who stood staring out into the darkness.
When the next change occurred was unknown - for the destruction of the stars meant that there was no longer the means to measure the passage of Time. The crystal being had aged and matured a little. And as he had grown he had started to understand that he could manipulate the energy that pulsed through his body. And so he experimented, using the energy to create and destroy, like a child with its first set of building blocks.
Some of his creations remained even when he had grown tired of them. Simple life-forms evolved in the darkness, learning to use the energy surrounding the crystal planetoid to survive. Although the power was almost uncontrollable, the primitive creatures evolved to a point where they could safely handle it. Some even developed the natural ability to alter the volatile energy, breaking it down into a less powerful but safer form. For the first time since the destruction of the nearest planet, there was once again life in the universe.
But the energy was not there to be changed or controlled by anyone save the lone crystal being. And it was never intended to just make pretty lights. It was a force of nature, intended to obliterate the old while preparing for the new. It had been building and building since the planetoid had first appeared and even as the planetoid had grown into a much larger planet, the energy had changed those capable of drawing its power. But, as time passed, it grew more and more volatile.
Finally, something happened; whether it was one of the creatures drawing too much energy or a build-up of pressure would never be known. A reaction took place, a spark ignited, a gas expanded and driven by the immense force of power. An explosion tore through the darkness sending forth the raw power of destruction and rebirth.
Infinite energy lit up the darkness, pushing outward, forcing existence to expand, and leaving only the small planet untouched, although now it was simply rock and not the massive crystal it had previously been. The creatures that had inhabited the planet were thrown through the growing cosmos. Such an event could not be ignored and for the first time since emerging, the lone being realised the danger of the energy he was manipulating.
Full awareness followed, bringing with it understanding and rationalisation of its surroundings. Even in the chaos of creation, it tried to apply some form of logic and order to the events it observed. It reached out and directed the energy, giving it purpose. It was a struggle that required his full attention, as just a momentary slip would allow the volatile energy to run amok.
The now sentient being fed upon the energy around him, using it as an animal would food. And as its body processed the parts that it needed and could use, other forms of energy were released, along with the building blocks of matter. And they were all expelled into the almost empty void and were carried along by the torrent of energy.
At some point the other occupants of the new universe became aware of their surroundings. With that awareness came sentience and then true consciousness. The creatures that had existed on the planet after the death of the earlier universe evolved further, gaining limited abilities to think and decide for themselves. By now the small life forms had grown into massive beasts of incredible power; creatures of fire and lights, and power that were both beautiful and frightening, and impossible for the mind to truly appreciate.
The entity that had emerged from the planet to take his place as the Creator and Source of all existence had also evolved. Although appearing in some moments as a male, a change in aspect caused it to look distinctly female. Too complex for gender it was both and neither. Its body was covered with the same bacteria and viruses and parasitic creatures that had evolved on the planet’s surface. As time passed they too evolved until they were carried away by the still rushing force of the explosion. Some would become useful in the new universe while others would become a nuisance. Regardless, they were soon forgotten.
The thoughts and desires of the entity shaped the nature of the new universe, creating layers of realms and dimensions. The newly formed creatures chose some of the early realms as their dominion, placing themselves outside of the universe and looking down on those that would come to dwell within its boundaries. The mind of the Creator was unbelievably powerful. His mere desire for something to exist was seemingly enough for that thing to appear. Thus from his dreams came areas filled with light, warmth, calm and beauty. His infrequent nightmares were used to produce landscapes of darkness, fear, pain and suffering.
As the cosmos grew and the rushing energy increased, so the Creator's awareness of his surroundings diminished. Controlling so much power took all of his concentration. An instinctive need for survival and to be protected against threat led him to become locked within a realm of his own, protected from the rest of the universe and yet somehow guiding its formation; his mind had grown beyond the limitations of his physical existence.
He would forever be a presence in the new existence, his voice, his will, his judgement and eventually the very power that placed him above all other would be exercised on his behalf. But in the end he would also be the one that sat above all others, safely seated upon his throne on a planet of crystal at the origin of creation.
Elsewhere
The One's struggle to consciously guide the power he had unleashed and to use it constructively continued as he fought to regain control. The cosmos reacted to his needs and desires creating the means control and contain the raw power so that it could be directed properly.
The energy was shunted into a dimension through which the energy could surge without affecting the space around it. To allow all of the energy to drain into its new home, the dimension expanded and twisted, connecting to more and more points in universe at large. Until soon what had been a raging river had become a massive ocean filled with power that lay just above, below and to the sides of the rest of creation, yet touching every point of the ever expanding universe.
In order to expand alongside the ever growing energy, the walls of the new dimension had to be thin. And it was in the places where the walls were stretched to capacity that some energy started to seep back through the walls. Except in the process of passing through the walls, the energy was no longer as volatile as it had once been. Indeed given time the torrent of energy calmed to the point where it no longer required the full attention of the One; he focussed his efforts elsewhere.
However there was much left to do. The One had formed the building blocks of existence, but was not able to focus in one place long enough to finish anything. The cosmos responded to his needs with the creation of servants charged with the sacred duty to travel through creation, and finish the work that He had started.
Like their creator, they were capable of drawing and directing the power stored in the dimensional space. They used it to complete their tasks as they planted the seeds of life throughout the realms, nudging matter with bursts of energy to shape creatures capable of existing within the habitats they had designed.
Through their efforts came the first signs of new life. Shaped by the needs of their territory, they were creatures of matter, spirit, thought and energy; beings of fire, water, earth, air and other elements, some simple and other complex combinations.
The servants worked tirelessly in the name of their creator, crafting existence to how he would want it. Their task was one that would never be completed as the expanding universe offered them an increasing amount of work to perform. But in Her name they laboured, bringing glory to their creator with every act. And never did they think about themselves or their own need... well only once in a while.
End
<post_date>2021-02-26 17:00:01</post_date><post_modified>2022-11-15 14:09:25</post_modified>
