The Watcher rotated its arm, projecting a distant system into clarity.
A red giant star flickered erratically.
Around it, fragments of planets orbited in chaotic spirals.
At the system's center—barely visible—was a swelling distortion in space.
Kaito recognized it instantly.
Not identical to Vael'Tharion.
But kin.
Unbounded Hunger.
Containment attempts failed, the Watcher transmitted.Local civilization extinct. Expansion imminent.
"Why not divide it yourselves?" Kaito demanded.
The entity paused—a subtle flicker in its geometry.
We observe. We calibrate. Direct intervention distorts developmental autonomy.
They were curators.
Not saviors.
Kaito felt anger rise—but controlled it.
"So you let worlds fall to preserve some principle?"
Correction: collapse produces data.
The star dimmed further as the distortion expanded.
Kaito's balanced rings rotated instinctively.
He could feel the pattern.
The Hunger was not unique to Earth.
It was a cosmic flaw.
And he had accidentally solved it once.
The Watcher leaned closer.
Demonstrate.
Behind him, across vast distance, Earth's Boundary flickered again.
Time was limited on both fronts.