An Apology

 To whom it may concern.

I am writing this as an apology on behalf of my species to yours. Depending on when you are reading this we are either gone or long gone. If you are reading this I can only assume you have returned to the planet you once called home. Well, the rest of you have I should say. I carved this into a large stone so that it wouldn't fade quickly.

Even though it is not in your language with how advanced you are compared to us you should be able to decipher it. I apologize in advance for any rubble you had to clean to uncover it. In addition to that, I also apologize for the other messes we left behind. Hopefully, there are still some land animals left despite our rampage. If not then I guess the ones wherever you are from, have a new home.

I know by now you've already looked at countless ruined buildings and mummified corpses and asked yourselves, "What did they do?". It was caused largely due to our own greed I'm afraid. We found those crystals you use. Don't worry. We only used a little bit of them. Two deep-sea explorers discovered the cave you kept them in.

They were quite remarkable and pretty. Just one was enough to power one of our cities. Not to mention we ended up discovering several colors because of them. Unfortunately, some of the more let's say destructive-minded of us saw their potential as weapons. I will explain how that led to how you see us currently despite you probably already knowing the answer.

To start I was an archeologist. I wasn't super well known or anything. However, I was on occasion part of several expedition teams of which I used to fund my solo trips. I tended to explore the more dangerous parts of the world. Not to say I am brave but curiosity is a strong motivator.

I must say the temple belonging to you people was very well hidden. Whether that was intentional or not I do not know. Either way, it was a pain having to navigate those jungles. Not to mention the tribes I had to escape from. One of which tried to eat me I might add.

Despite that, I managed to make my way into the deepest part of the jungle. An area that was previously unexplored by humans. I know that doesn't mean much to you all but it's something I was proud of.  I do have to admit, however, I was a bit let down at first. Mainly because I wasn't able to find anything.

One thing that struck me as odd, though, was how inactive the area was. I thought there would be some wildlife but there wasn't so much as a mosquito. Save for the bushes and trees I was the only animal there. Now on all my expeditions while I did trek into dangerous areas I made sure to do so well prepared and with caution. I began to wonder if perhaps there was something about this area that incentivized other animals to stay away.

The area was certainly plentiful in terms of vegetation for them to feed on. Not to mention it would make suitable cover for predators. My first thought was that perhaps the plant life here was poisonous. Fortunately, I had already prepared for it by making sure to wear long sleeves and pants. Plus, I brought a machete with which I could cut through it.

It was pretty mundane for a while. All I did was move forward and hack down whatever was in my way. I began to think I was wasting my time. It wouldn't be a first for me. There was one incident where I tracked down a place known as the mirage cave. Turns out the heat and location where it was caused to seemingly vanish to our human eyes. 

All that turned out to be in it were some pretty but otherwise had no value. I was starting to fear my jungle expedition would have a similar conclusion. Still, I thought  I could give it a little while longer before calling it quits. I had been out there for a few days and I had enough supplies to last me so I figured it couldn’t hurt.  Besides, I didn’t perceive anything that would put me in danger.

On my fourth day out there I finally found something. I came to a clearing that held a river. Knowing how dangerous jungle rivers could be I made sure to keep a safe distance from it. In doing so I ended up tripping over something on the ground. At that point, I was pretty frustrated that I had not found anything up to that point. 

Thinking what I had tripped over was a rock my thought was to pick it up and throw it in the river to vent my anger.  When I ripped it from the moss that held it, however, I noticed it felt too unique to be a simple rock. Moss covered it which I pulled away. What was underneath I can only describe as stone spaghetti with multiple eyes carved into it. I was ecstatic upon this discovery.

Sure what I had found was only a figurine but it was a start.  It meant someone had put it there or dropped or at the very least dropped it. Judging how it was covered by moss I guessed it had been there for a very long time. That led me to wonder if there was anything else out there. I  decided that the most obvious place to look was where I had found the statue.

At first glance, it seemed to be nothing but moss but then I got the idea to pierce it with my machete to check if there was anything significant underneath. If it was only dirt underneath the blade of my machete would be pushed into it. If it was something else my machete would be unable to puncture it.

Sure enough, it turned out to be something else. My machete hit something solid which the moss-covered. After removing the moss I discovered it was covering a stone that had symbols carved into it. I assume the symbols were the language you all use to communicate as I did not recognize them. I began exposing the rest of what the symbols were carved into.

I must say it was rather large.  I walked on it and started trying to find where it ended. By doing this I discovered an indention in it that the statue I found earlier fit in. The result of this was the ground shaking at your temple rising from the river. I do find it odd that beings such as yourself would use such a primitive method to access one of your homes but I suppose if something isn’t broken there’s no need to fix it.

In addition to the temple rising out of the river, I saw that some stairs had as well. I took these to the temple’s entrance. Of course, I made sure to shine my flashlight inside in case there were any traps. After confirming the safety of the area I stepped inside. The first thing I observed was how soft the floor was.

Despite being stone in appearance they felt more like carpet.  I thought that perhaps I had discovered a new material of some kind. While I was excited about this I figured I should inspect the temple further.  So many symbols lined the walls. I couldn’t help but feel that they were somehow familiar to me the more I looked at them.

The further I went into the temple the stronger this feeling became. Besides the symbols, I found what looked to be shovels of some sort. Thinking they might be important I grabbed one. I went further into the temple to find more of your energy crystals. I was proud of myself for having found them. One thing stood out to me, though.

Hanging around one of the crystals was the key. Your species certainly does have a unique way of crafting. The key I held looked akin to a diamond wrapped around a rectangle. I came across a locked door and of course, used the key on it.  That was when I saw them. Statues of what I assumed were deities covered the wall.

I've never seen creatures shaped like that. They had so many eyes and so many limbs. I almost got the idea they were looking at me. One in particular I saw was a much larger version of the statue I found outside. This also had an indention in it that the smaller statue I found fit in.

When I put it in I heard another door open behind me. From it, I heard what sounded like yawning. I feared that by opening the door I had compromised the temple's structural integrity. This was disproved when the source of the noise turned out not to be coming from the temple itself but instead something within it. I heard something approach me from the open door.

What came out was the one you call “Sid Nox”.  I would have run for safety if it weren’t for the fact he shared a strong resemblance to the black cat I had when I was growing up named Berry. Although the latter wasn’t as large and lacked horns on his head. Plus he only had one tail and amber eyes in contrast to Sid’s yellow ones. Of all things, I discovered a new species.

It wasn’t just the fossil of some long-dead undiscovered animal but one that was living and breathing in front of me. Despite being in what I perceived as danger I couldn’t help but take some pride in my find. Nevermind a statue or temple, this was something that would allow me to finally surpass my predecessors. My attitude changed with what Sid did next.  He spoke to me.

“Who are you?” He asked. “You certainly aren’t one of my owners.”

I was caught off guard by the fact he could talk but somehow I found my voice. I explained to him who I was and why I was there. He introduced himself to me and we got to talking.

“You do look familiar.  You share a strong resemblance to those hairy apes we first saw upon coming here. Only you seem more civilized.”

“We as in you and your owners?”

“Correct, I was a kitten back then.”

“How long have you been down here, anyway?”

“Hm…”

He reached up to his neck and began pawing around, no pun intended, in his fur. From it he pulled his watch. It was quite dazzling to look at. The silver chain and gold watch it hung from were so vibrant they were difficult for me to perceive. Of course, I was unable to read the clock due to the fact it was labeled in your language. Obviously, Sid was able to and relayed to me what it said.

“20 million years. How about that? You woke me up early.”

“How is 20 million years early?” I asked, perplexed. ‘Also how old are you anyway?”

“It’s early to me and I am 30 million years old.”

“Would you be able to share the secret to living so long?”

“No, I’m afraid. I’m not sure how I live so long compared to your kind. I just do. Now, would you mind doing me a favor?”

“What is it ?”

“You see the floor?”

“What about it?”

“It’s made of the food I eat. When I wake up my owners dig some of it and feed it to me. Would you do that for me?”

“Sure but doesn’t it taste bad with everyone walking on it?”

“That isn’t a problem once you get past the first layer.”

“Alright,” I said as I began digging. “Could I possibly get a favor in return?”

“It depends. What is it exactly that you desire?”

“Well I’m sure someone of your age won’t be impressed by this but for us humans, the discovery of your temple and more importantly yourself are huge leaps in archaeology and history. With that in mind, I would like your permission for us as humans to ask you questions. What do you say?”

“I can answer whatever questions you have. However, as far as answering your species’ question as a whole that is something I am unable to do.”

“Why not?”

I placed the food before him. It looks very similar to this stuff we used to have called Playdoh.

“There is a lot of your kind, right?”

“About 7.8 million give or take 153,000.”

“Exactly, I don’t want to deal with every person who won’t figure something out for themselves and I know they won’t otherwise they would have discovered my home long before you did. Plus, there is one other reason.”

Sid began eating.

“If that’s how you feel, I will respect your wishes but I will take you up on your offer.  I want to know everything.”

Sid who had already finished his food was grooming himself.

“Very well, all I ask is you not take anything that would prompt anyone to search this location. Before I show you, though, would you mind scratching behind my ears? My owners usually do it and of course, I can. However, I like the interaction, and seeing as how my owners won’t be here for quite some time I was hoping you could do it.”

“Um, sure, I just need a way to reach your ears.”

Sid lowered his head which allowed me to scratch behind his ears. Instantly he started purring.

“Oh yeah...That was nice. Okay, I’m ready,” he said after a couple minutes of scratching. “Follow me.”

“Wait.”

“What?”

“Can I ride you?”

“I’ll allow it. Do me a favor and brush off any dust you see on my fur.”

Once atop his back, I did just that. After a few minutes, we were back in front of the statues.

“What are we doing here?”

“Do you know what I am?”

“A cat, obviously.”

“Yes but what else am I?”

“I guess an alien technically?”

“Correct and not only that I am what your species would refer to as an eldritch.”

“Really? I learned what that is from a story that my friend Felix  told me.”

"Felix who?"

"Thurston."

“His surname seems familiar...Tell me more about him.”

“Okay so apparently the story was passed down through generations starting with his great great grandfather. Frank, I want to say his name was. According to Felix, he went missing shortly after his great grandfather Fredrick was born. Damn shame I say.”

“Now I remember who you’re talking about and who his story refers to. To think he was awoken even if it was only for a little bit. So that’s why I sensed him. I take it he was forced back into his slumber?”

“Going by the story Felix told me yeah. However, I wouldn’t say you look very...what’s the word? Deranging.”

“My eyes.”

“What about them?”

“How do you feel looking into them?”

“I don’t really feel any different if that’s what you mean.”

“Odd, when I made eye contact with your ancestors they’d always scream and run away. Some of them took their own lives if able. I witnessed a mass suicide via a crowd of people walking off a cliff to their deaths. It’s not something I’m proud of for having caused. You seem unaffected by me, though.”

“So that’s the reason you’re really down here. Why do you think I haven’t gone crazy then?”

“I’m not sure but in that regard, you may be able to handle seeing them.”

“Who?”

He gestured toward the statues.

“In short those above my owners in rank. I warn you they look a lot more jarring in appearance compared to me.”

“Well if you’re along the same lines as them and I’ve handled seeing you just fine, I see no reason to fear seeing what they look like.”

“Very well,  first  make yourself comfortable?”

I laid down on Sid’s back.

“Now close your eyes and empty your mind.”

I did as he told me to. By how slow his breathing got, I knew Sid was doing the same thing.

“Now, we’re in sync. You can open your eyes.”

When I did I found we were in some kind of city and I am using that word very loosely but I’m not sure what else to call it. The buildings which were extremely large were so curvy and some seemed to be suspended above each other. I’m guessing this was from magnetism but they appeared structurally impossible to me and yet they stood fine. There was a tower in the center that stretched down into the sea and up to the sky.

If I had to draw a comparison the layout of the city looked similar to those of Greece and Rome. I asked Sid where we were and he replied that we were in the city Felix mentioned in his great-great grandfather’s story. This confused me because from how it was described in the story I was led to believe it looked ancient and twisted in appearance. I asked Sid about this. He replied it was because we were viewing it when it was still relatively new.

“If you can consider a city that’s well over a million years old at this point in time, new.”

“It’s all relative I suppose. Shouldn’t there be people here, though? I don’t see anyone.”

“They haven’t gotten back yet.”

“From where?”

My question was answered when the sea began to foam. Out of it walked people that I would describe as fish-like. I believe the correct term for them is merpeople. I observed many with scales and others had skin similar to that of sharks. They were dragging large nets of sea creatures behind them.

“They can’t see us, right?” I inquired.

“Of course not. We’re ethereal here. Nothing can physically hurt you here.”

I climbed down from Sid’s back to get a closer look at the citizens. Up close I saw their eyes looked similar to pearls that were colors of other jewelry. There was a sort of content determination in their eyes. It was like they knew that things could only get better for them from this point on. However, I inferred that this was not the case.

“What went wrong?” I asked.

“To fully understand the answer to that we need to make sure you can handle seeing him. If you can’t I'll take you back and wipe your memory clear of seeing him.”

“You can do that?”

“It’s an ability that comes with time. Anyway, here he comes.”

From the sea, he came. The description I heard of him was pretty accurate. His wings were so wide they nearly blocked out the sun and the tentacles on his face moved almost as if they had a mind of their own.

“How do you feel?” Sid asked me.

“I don’t feel overwhelmed.”

It was true. Despite who I was looking at, I didn’t feel like I was losing my mind in any way. Going by the story Felix told my mind should’ve broken upon seeing him. Yet it didn’t with him or Sid for that matter. At that time I couldn’t say why I was unaffected. However, I did have a vague idea why.

Sid took me to the tower where he was. He also had a large supply of food from the sea. Many of the creatures he brought back looked prehistoric. We went into the tower to find him sitting on a golden and marble throne. A resident who was standing before him bowed their head,

“So he was like their ruler?”

“I wouldn’t say, ruler. Guide is more accurate. This city was built by him and they arrived after. Do you know why he decided to build it?”

“Boredom?”

“That’s part of the reason, yes. However, to simplify it he used to possess a constructive mind. His goal was to build and expand this city not just to cover Earth but beyond the stars as well.”

“How do you know all this?”

“Because I heard it from him.”

When Sid told me that three others walked through the door. They turned out to be him as a kitten and who I guessed were his owners. aka you guys walked through the door.

“Those kinds of aliens really do exist,” I said.

“You mean you’ve seen others like them?”

“Not like this, no. To be honest they’re the generic look my species associates with extraterrestrials.”

“They probably came back to Earth before. It is their job after all.”

“What do they do?”

“They are evaluators. Their job is to observe planets with life either from a distance or up close and see how they measure up. Speaking of which.”

I witnessed the meeting you two had with him. Of course, I couldn’t understand the noise that I can only compare to whistling that was supposed to be you all speaking. Plus, I was distracted by kitten Sid playing with a tusoteuthis. From grown Sid, I learned that you were there to warn him. The warning being not to expand into owned territory.

“I take it he did not heed their words?” I asked.

“Correct, it’s a tale god or human alike can relate to. Someone gets too big for their own good. This city and him were no exception.”

The conversation between you guys and him had gotten noticeably louder. I took that to mean their conversation had gotten hostile. This was further supported by the fact he was now standing up from his throne. I have to say you were able to calm him down pretty quickly. After the conversation, Sid and I went back outside.

“We'll have to go forward a bit,” he told me.

By that, he meant forward in time. Now the citizens were building something underground. Alien or not I knew a weapon when I saw one and I was surprised to see it was powered by the crystals my species found recently. This unfortunately for the residents did not go undetected. Sid informed me that you guys caught wind of this and reported it.

“The residents were killed and the city was sunk into the depths of the ocean,” he said. “But he got the worst punishment of all. That was being forced into an eternal undead slumber and made to be a god for certain members of your species.”

“I’m not understanding how the latter half of what you said is a punishment.”

“Think about it. He was someone who aimed for never-ending progression. What better way to punish someone like that than to make them the center of what halts progress the most? It’s easy to see why he was hostile upon being awoken. After years of hearing your name invoked in rituals over and over by people who have no idea what you really want you’d go crazy as well.”

Far be it from me to judge how beings far smarter than me do things but wasn’t that a bit harsh? I mean I know he broke their rules and all but that seemed a bit overboard to me and I told as much to Sid.

“Sure the outer gods are strong and beyond most people’s comprehension however they are still living beings and when something living perceives a threat it does what it can to eliminate it. He was used as an example in case anyone else tried what he did. Some got the messages. Others did not.”

“No offense but the outer gods seem petty which is oddly…”

“Human. Ironic I know. However, where he was planning on expanding his territory would have put the entirety of existence at risk.”

“And where would that be?”

“The home of the dumb ass god.”

The area around us changed into one that was mountainous. Each of the mountains curved toward each other and pointed towards the sky. Honestly, it was pretty mundane compared to where we had just been. That was except for the ever-changing mass at the center of the mountains’ peaks and the musicians standing on them. The shape they were performing for constantly changed forms. At one point it resembled the figurine that I found outside the temple.

“Why are they playing for it?”

“The music keeps it asleep. If it were to wake up for even a second it could erase all of existence.’

“Damn, has anyone thought of trying to figure out a way to deal with it?”

“He tried to. As a matter of fact, the weapon he and his people designed was meant to kill him.”

“And they were stopped from trying it?”

“Correct. Sure it might have worked but that wasn’t a risk they wanted to take. After all, it wasn’t like there’d be another chance if it failed.”

“Why can’t I hear the music?”

“You’re better off not hearing it. Trust me. Just look at the musicians up close.”

A few short hops later Sid took me to the top of one of the mountains. There I saw one of the musicians who was playing a type of flute. There was something on the flute I at first mistook as rust. However, upon closer inspection, I realized that it was blood. The musicians playing the flutes were bleeding from their ears and fingertips.

“How long have they been playing?”

“Since time began.”

I looked at the other musicians who were playing drums of some kind. Some were lucky enough to have sticks. Others were not so fortunate. They had to use their hands. I could clearly see they had become raw from extensive overuse.

“That’s a long time...Can they ever take a break?”

“No, sadly. They can’t stop even for a moment. Their wounds heal eventually only to open up again. Anyway, we need to head back.”

“Why?”

“We’ve spent a little over six hours here and I am quite tired.”

“I thought time was suspended while we’re like this?”

“No, it just moves a lot slower. Now, I’m taking us back. “

Before I could protest we were back in the temple. Sid sat up and I slid off his back and onto the floor.

“Well, I hope you enjoyed that. Still, I wonder why you haven’t gone crazy,” he said and started grooming himself again.

I thought for a moment.

“I think I might know now.”

“Really? Do tell.”

I told him about an expedition I had that did not go well. It was about a solo trip I took into the desert. I was foolishly underprepared. I didn’t bring enough supplies to last me. This resulted in me being stranded for three days. I was dehydrated and starving.

It was so bad I was hallucinating. To make matters worse I also had to deal with the extreme temperature change of the desert. It was night when my body reached its limit. I collapsed on my back onto the snow. All I could do was wait for the elements or some predator to take me.

As I laid there, though, I witnessed something awe-inspiring. The night sky was filled with stars. They almost felt like eyes observing me, an animal who nearly died purely due to his own foolishness. It was at that moment I realized not only how insignificant I was in the grand scheme of things but also how vulnerable. Thankfully another expedition team also happened to be searching in that area. They found and helped me to a hospital.

While recovering I made a vow to never take nature lightly again. Since then, I’ve kept my word. Sure, I still went to places that are considered dangerous. However, I did so with the utmost caution and preparedness. So to answer why I was unaffected by what I saw I believe it’s because I already knew what other people would realize upon seeing them and Sid.

“Do you think that’s it?” I asked.

“Possibly, when someone’s ego breaks it can be a very humbling experience,” Sid replied. 

“Welp. I need to get to sleep. Make sure you hide the temple when you get out. All you have to do is put that figurine you found back in the indention.”

“Wait, will you show me more of them if  I come back?”

“That depends. Can you offer me something in return? Pulling all that cosmic stuff takes a lot of me.”

“How about a treat?”

“Depends on what you have.”

I took out a bag of beef jerky and poured out its contents in front of him. After he ate it he began licking his chops.

“Alright, that was delicious. I wish there was more of it, though. You got yourself a deal. If you bring more treats to me. I will show you all I know.”

From that point on I ventured back to the temple at least twice a year. I made sure to bring Sid a variety of treats. Creamy sweets turned out to be his favorite among them. This went on for ten years. From reading this and seeing me hear I’m sure you’ve realized I wasn’t able to visit him before things went south.

You see we also discovered the crystals could be made into weapons. This resulted in wars breaking out over new areas where they were found. Thankfully, they never checked the amazon due to the fact it was believed the crystals were only found beneath the sea. However, that didn’t change the fact either most or all of my species has been wiped out.

Give my regards to Sid and Felix if he is still alive when you find this and if you would be so kind apologize to them on my behalf for not visiting them.

Signed:  Marco Modrix 

Two aliens stood before the stone that Marco had carved his letter into. As he said, they did look generic in appearance. Both were grey with black almond eyes. They both had a liking for different fashion. In fact, they were wearing some suits they found after looking in an abandoned clothing store.

“Ugh, now we’ll have to get him more of these treats. What a pain,” one of them said.

“He was here for a long time. It was bound to happen eventually. I’ll get Marco’s body. You take a picture of the stone.

Marco’s body was wrapped up while a picture of his stone was taken. The two of them had been to Earth before. However, it didn’t look quite as apocalyptic as the last time they visited. They had been on the planet for about a week. When the two of them saw the state of the Earth they called for help so investigating it would be easier.

“Are you getting a call?”

“Hm? Oh yeah, looks like it.”

The call informed them that a handful of humans had been found in different parts of the world.

“Do you have a key to the temple?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Drop me off at the nearest area where living Earthlings were found. You go visit Sid afterward and make sure to give him what Marco was going to.”

One alien dropped off the other with Marco’s body. Then he headed to the Temple. A crowd of people looked at him. While the war did wipe out most of humanity some survived by hiding in shelters underground. Unfortunately, they were less than adequate when dealing with the crystals' power.

Most of the shelters were simply wiped out along with those inside. Some people lucked out, though and their shelters were just far enough from the points of impact to withstand the force of the weapons.

“I am looking for a man named Felix Thurston. Does or did anyone know him?” The alien asked.

A man stepped forward. An extraterrestrial used to unnerve him. However, they’d been on the planet long enough for most of the survivors to get used to them. Besides, with most of their families and homes wiped out, Aliens were the least of their concerns, hostile or not.

“I’m Felix. What would one of you want with someone like me?”

“I have your friend, Marco here,” he replied, gesturing towards his body.

“What have you done to him?” Felix snapped at the alien.

“My apologies, I keep forgetting how emotional your kind can be.  To answer your question, I nor any of my colleagues did anything to him. We found him under some rubble along with a letter he left. It mentioned you so we sought you out.”

“Oh, Damn it. I was hoping he somehow survived but it was just wishful thinking. I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions. Thank you for bringing him here. What exactly did his letter mention about me?”

“To answer that, I need to talk with you privately.”

“Fine, I just need to handle Marco’s funeral first. Also, would it be possible for you to bring aid to these people and me?”

“I don’t see why not.”

Humans were very emotional compared to the aliens to the point where it annoyed them. That isn’t to say they themselves are strangers to the emotions humans experience. It’s more like they can keep their emotions from interfering with the tasks they have at hand. While one alien was waiting patiently for Felix to handle Marco’s funeral the other was inside the temple. Sid came out to greet him.

“So you’re finally back. Took you long enough.”

“Sorry about that. There have been a lot more planets we’ve had to observe, some more than others. Anyway, I brought you something.”

He showed him the bag of treats.

“Ooh, thanks but what’s the deal? You guys never give me outside food if you can help it. Not that I’m complaining.”

“It was a request by Marco. He wanted to apologize to you for not being able to make it here.”

“So he died too huh? The one person of the species that populates this planet that I can talk to without causing him to go crazy and he perishes in such a pointless way.”

Sid sighed.

“I know but it’s a given for most species.”

“I’m aware of that. It doesn’t keep me from being bothered, though. Well, since he left these treats for me I suppose it would be disrespectful to let them go to waste.”

The alien opened the treats for Sid and he began eating them. Meanwhile, the other alien was talking with Felix who had finished with Marco’s burial.

“So what do you need from me?” Felix asked the alien.

“His letter mentioned your great-great grandfather’s story. He got the full details of him. We figured you should as well.”

Felix knew who he was referring to. Somehow his worshippers would catch wind of those who knew of him. This problem was solved when Fredrick along with some policemen tracked his cultists down and arrested most of them. Some of them had to be killed.

“Seeing as how you know about him, we figured you could handle hearing about what Marco was shown.”

“Shown by who?”

“Someone named Sid. He’s our pet.”

The alien glanced over at the other survivors. They looked so lost as they waited for the supplies. Who wouldn’t be after what they had been through?

“Why are you looking at them like that?”

“I’m trying to determine something.”

“What?”

“It’s not important right now. What is, are the experiences Marco had. Speaking of whom, he wanted to say sorry for not being able to see you before what happened.”

“I wish I could say sorry to him as well. It’s too late for that now, though so I will listen to what he went through.”

The alien began relaying the events of Marco’s letter. Felix sat in silence, not saying a word the entire time. When the alien finished he asked him a question.

“Can I see Sid?”

“Oh yeah, some of you humans have a strong affection for felines, don’t you? Unfortunately, I don’t think you are quite ready to see him. I can take you to him provided your eyes are covered, however.”

“I’d like that.”

After the conversation, the alien took Felix to the temple to meet Sid. There, he was able to interact with Sid while blindfolded. The two aliens got a call to check on other planets.

“You two are really leaving already?” Sid asked.

“Yeah, sorry but there’s not much we can do.”

“Can I at least go outside for a bit?”

“Sure, why not. We are the only ones here after all.”

Sid eagerly played outside for a bit. All the while, Felix rode on his back as Marco did. While on his back he was able to safely look at him due to the fact he couldn’t see his eyes. An arrangement was made after Sid went back into the temple. It was to have Felix be Sid’s caretaker. 

He’d live by the temple and play with Sid. While living there the aliens stationed on Earth for long periods of time were to visit him and drop off supplies. If a time ever came when Felix was able to handle seeing Sid’s eyes they would let him know. The two aliens made sure to leave them with plenty of supplies before taking off. Their ship blasted off from the Earth and into the depths of space.

“Hopefully we aren’t gone as long this time. Speaking of which, how many planets do we have to check out?”

“One hundred thousand.”

“Well, at least it’s not as many as we usually do. Do you think humans will be able to  handle seeing beings like Sid by the time we return?”

“Perhaps, that’s only assuming they are still here. Regarding that, do you think they’ll pass the trial?”

“Their species does have a very strong survival instinct. I’d say they have a fairly decent chance of doing so. If they do, perhaps they’ll be qualified to join our ranks.”

The trial they were talking about refers to an event the populations of most planets go through. A near-extinction event either due to by their own hands occurs. If they are able to save themselves and learn from their mistakes it means they are worthy of outside help. As stated, though not all populated planets go through this. The ones that do end up ultimately meeting the same fate.

Either they end up destroying themselves completely because of an unforeseen event due to a flaw on their part or they have to be eliminated due to the threat they pose. After all, he wasn’t the only one planning on attacking the dumbass god. Sure some of them could have been successful. However, it isn’t something they are willing to risk. For now, the musicians have to keep playing for him until their fingers and hands bleed, heal, and bleed again until something intervenes.