Nothing.

Void absolute. The space where being itself ceases and all that remains is—

Nothing.

Yet a fragment persisted. A spark refusing dissolution.

No thought. No identity, no memory, no understanding of self or circumstance. Only existence stripped to its barest essence. A point of being suspended in darkness so complete that darkness itself seemed inadequate description.

Time held no meaning in this state. Seconds might have been centuries. Hours might have been heartbeats. All meas...