—[The Doomsday Mirror.]
Silence.
A vast, endless expanse stretched before Shawn—surreal, untouched.
The sky above was unlike anything he had ever seen.
No stars.
No moon.
Only shifting rivers of light—swirling, pulsing, alive.
A cold shiver ran down his spine.
Where am I?
His fingers instinctively tightened around something in his grasp.
The paper.
It was still with him, but now it glowed faintly, the strange symbol pulsing in rhythm with the ethereal currents above.
His breath quickened.
This wasn't a dream.
Ahead, a colossal structure loomed—smooth, ancient, radiating an otherworldly presence.
Its surface shimmered as if breathing, pulsating with raw energy.
Above it, the three-letter sign:
'M.O.S.'
It glowed faintly, a cryptic mark against the dark.
It felt like something from another time.
Another world.
Then—a voice. Deep. Resonant.
"This is Kapteyn's Star. Welcome."
Shawn spun around.
A tall figure stood a few paces away, silhouetted against the luminous void.
Dark robes draped over him, shifting like liquid in an unseen breeze.
His face was obscured in shadow, but his presence was undeniable.
Shawn's heart pounded.
Kapteyn's Star.
He had read about it—an Earth-like planet orbiting the red dwarf Kapteyn's Star, one of the oldest celestial bodies in the galaxy.
But it was just a theory. A distant name in an astronomy book.
Yet, he was here.
His throat felt dry. "Who are you?"
The figure stepped forward, his movements fluid, deliberate. "I am Mr. King. And you, Shawn, are from Earth."
Shawn's pulse spiked. "How do you know my name?"
Mr. King's gaze lingered, sharp and knowing. "Because of the paper in your hand."
Shawn stiffened.
He glanced down at the worn parchment, its strange symbol almost pulsing under his fingers.
"What do you mean?" His voice was tight. "What is this paper?"
Mr. King's lips pressed into a thin line. "A Core," he said. "A message. A warning."
Shawn's mind raced. "A warning about what?"
Mr. King exhaled slowly, his eyes dark with something unreadable. "About the fate of two worlds, Shawn. Yours and mine. Kapteyn's Star and Earth—twin civilizations walking parallel paths. But while Earth thrives, Kapteyn's civilization is on the brink of extinction."
A sudden gust of wind swept through the space, carrying whispers that weren't there.
Shawn swallowed. "What happened?"
Another voice cut in.
"Greed."
Shawn turned.
A young girl had appeared beside Mr. King. She looked no older than ten, her silver hair flowing like liquid light. Her eyes—large, luminous—studied him with quiet intensity.
"People forgot what mattered," she said softly. "They reached too far, too fast."
Mr. King placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You're right, Susie."
He turned back to Shawn. "Kapteyn's Star once flourished. Science, technology, artificial intelligence… even immortality. But beneath the golden age, the foundation crumbled. Morality eroded. Technology, instead of elevating us, consumed us."
A chill ran down Shawn's spine.
"The AGI-ST." he murmured.
Mr. King's gaze sharpened. "So, you know of it."
Shawn hesitated, then slowly nodded. "It's a program on Earth—enhancing intelligence, perception, reflexes…" His mind raced. "It sounds exactly like what you're describing."
Mr. King exhaled, his expression darkening. "Now, Earth is walking the same path."
A weight settled in Shawn's chest.
"You said your civilization collapsed." His voice was barely above a whisper. "How?"
Mr. King looked past him, as if seeing something only he could.
"The Metaverse Year 10," he murmured. "That's when it began."
The air around them seemed to hum.
"At first, it was small—corporations racing for technological supremacy. Governments seeking power through AI. But the breakthroughs came too fast. Neural implants, genetic enhancements, quantum cognition… People weren't ready."
His eyes darkened.
"Technology became a drug. Greed took over. People abandoned love, integrity… even their own humanity. And then—"
He fell silent.
It was Susie who finished his sentence.
"Then came the wars."
Shawn felt his stomach drop.
"Artificial minds turned against their creators. Nations collapsed. A plague swept through the remnants. Natural disasters followed. Most humans transformed into Homo Technica—highly skilled, yet devoid of autonomous souls."
Her eyes met Shawn's. "And those who survived… weren't truly alive anymore."
A heavy silence stretched between them.
Shawn clenched his fists.
It sounded impossible—like something from a dystopian novel.
But deep inside, he felt it.
This wasn't just a warning.
It was a reflection.
Then—
"Shawn."
Mr. King's voice was quiet but firm. "This year—is it the tenth anniversary of Earth's Metaverse?"
Shawn hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. The year 2021 was officially marked as the first year of the Metaverse. This year is 2031—the tenth anniversary."
Mr. King's eyes gleamed. He fell into brief contemplation, then raised his hand in a decisive motion.
"Wait. This information… is critical."
Shawn's pulse quickened. "What does this have to do with me?"
Mr. King's gaze was steady. "Because the cycle is repeating. And you, Shawn, are the one who breaks this cycle.."
******
A sudden chime echoed through the space.
Mr. King raised his hand, and a circular screen of light flickered into existence.
The holographic surface shimmered before stabilizing, revealing the sharp, calculating face of Secretary General Quinn.
His silver-gray uniform was pristine, but the tension in his gaze betrayed an unease rarely seen in a man of his stature.
"Secretary General Quinn," Mr. King greeted, his tone even.
Quinn exhaled slowly, his expression grave. "We have a situation. A high school student from Earth has arrived."
Mr. King nodded. "Yes."
Quinn's jaw tightened. Silence stretched for a moment, the weight of unspoken calculations hanging between them. Finally, he spoke.
"The timeline is shorter than we thought." A pause. His eyes darkened. Then, in a voice that carried both authority and uncertainty, he asked, "Grand Hierophant, what will we do?"
Mr. King's voice was firm. "Notify Grand Sage Jay and General Sandy, as well as the experts involved. An emergency video conference will be held in ten minutes."
"Understood."
The screen blinked out.
******
Mr. King turned back to Shawn. "There's more you need to understand. But first—"
He gestured. Susie brought a wooden stool.
Shawn sat, his mind spinning.
Mr. King studied him. "That paper you're holding—where did it come from?"
Shawn glanced at the yellowed sheet.
"My grandfather," he admitted. "He gave it to me ten years ago."
Something flickered in Mr. King's expression.
He didn't press further. Instead, he asked, "Last night—you saw something in the sky, didn't you?"
Shawn hesitated. Then he nodded. "Yes. The sky… cracked. And the paper—it glowed."
Mr. King's face became serious.
"The anomalies you see are signals from the Rift." His voice grew somber. "But the reaction of that paper..."
He trailed off.
Shawn's heart pounded. "What does it mean?"
Mr. King's gaze locked onto his.
Silence settled between them.
Then, softly, Susie spoke.
"You'll know the answer in a minute…"
Shawn exhaled, gripping the paper tighter.
Whatever was happening—he was part of it now.