Dungeon at the End of the Universe

Once upon a time, on a small and unimportant planet, far away in a galaxy just like most others, there used to live a species of featherless bipeds. And while this descriptions of them was often-times strongly contested, it’ll suffice for our readers.

Now, this isn’t about the argument of how to define this species of featherless bipeds. No, you see they had many, many, many more other arguments, some more important than others, which they simple loved, loved, loved to argue about day in and day out.

One of these other debates of dubious importance was what happens after a member of the featherless bipeds dies. Now, I know what you’re thinking. The answer is obviously that they follow whatever cultural practices they have and then life moves on, right?

But no, that’s not it at all. As I already said, this was a question of dubious importance. You see, for whatever reason, they wanted to know what happened to the featherless biped that died after death. Not its body, no no. But to its, so called, ‘soul’.

Still, this isn’t about this argument either. It’s maybe just barely tangentially related, but I thought it was a fun bit of trivia to share.

Anyway, right. The story.

It all began one mundane Tuesday, when one of these featherless bipeds died. Well, more than one of them died that day, but the story is about this one specifically. It matters not what it did before, how it was called, or how it lived.

All that matters is that after it died, its story began

Contrary to its own opinion, it woke up after death. Not in any familiar environment. Not in any environment, to be specific. All around it was pure nothing, a void, as far as it was concerned. Of course, this could have been caused by, well, its death and the whole not having a body to sense things with, but that’s boring, so we’re going to say it was a void.

Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes. Waking up in nothingness.

Where am I? What’s going on? Those were the kinds of thoughts running through the former featherless biped. Which is quite understandable consider up until that point in its life (or now, death) it had only ever known the usual side of reality.

But we’re getting off track.

The former featherless biped spent a good bit of time in that state, gently floating through nothingness, all alone with only its own thoughts as companions. Most things, however, don’t last forever, and neither did this.

One day, something new contacted the former ‘human’.

Hello User,
you have been found as stuck in between.
Do you require assistance?

Huh?

I startled as I realized there was, indeed, a blue text-box in front of me. As much as a front existed in this strange space.

It’s been a while since I’ve had any external stimuli, I guess. What was it, maybe 10 minutes now? Maybe an hour? I don’t know, could’ve even been a whole year.

Anyway, I’m getting lost in my thoughts again. Yes, I’d very much appreciate some assistance.

Welcome, User.
It appears you are a new User.
Initiating integration.
Evaluating ideal registration form.

Registration found.
As a new User, you may choose to customize your new existence.
You new existence will be: a Dungeon Core

Congratulations User!
You’re one of the lucky 0.0000000000…% that get to run Dungeons!

You may choose your Primary Element now.
Note: as both a Dungeon Core and new User, you may choose two Primary Elements.

Oof, what a bother. Could’ve given at least a bit more to work with than this. Maybe some kind of tutorial would’ve been nice.

Even after waiting a while, with nothing happening, I decided I might as well get to choosing.

Well, I did get into this whole mess of a situations due to dying, so maybe death? Eh, but don’t Dungeons usually have some kind of invader that want to kill them? And by my own situation it’s rather obvious that death isn’t really the end, and I’d rather not risk a vindictive adventurer coming back to take revenge on me.

Oh wait! That’s it! My primary aspect should be the End. The very concept of an end to existence!

Primary Aspect recognized: the End
Warning: as a Dungeon Core you embody your Aspects
Warning: the consequences of embodying the End Aspect is the End, a Final Death to your existence.

Searching for solution.
Solutions found.

Second Primary Aspect automatically selected: Paradox

That… does not sound good. Still probably better that being erased though.

Primary Aspects selected.
Finalizing registration.

Registration complete: Paradox Core of the End
Warning: End Aspect erases your existence
Warning: Paradox Aspect protects your existence
Result: UNIQUE starting location

Prepare for re-entry of Reality.
10
9
…

Well, there’s not much else I can say right now other than shit. Let’s just hope this won’t be too bad.

3
2
1

Re-entering Reality
Location: End of the Universe

Shit.