Wiped From Existence

In a forgotten age, beneath the shadow of the mountains, King Aldo’s pride ignites a chain of cosmic ruin. When a mysterious light appears in the sky, his astronomers race to understand its meaning.

Our story begins in the foothills of a long�'forgotten region of the Appalachian Mountains, a place whispered about by old�'timers and ignored by everyone else. Folks said it was uncivilized, untouched, and mostly uninhabited by man. I suppose you could say that was partly true. But the truth buried beneath those hills is older than memory, older than the stories we tell around campfires.

What I’m about to share takes us back to a time when “modern man” walked the earth alongside another branch of humanity �" not dissimilar, yet long forgotten. Their kind vanished in a single flash, erased by a calamity so sudden and absolute that even their ghosts had no time to scream.

Twelve thousand years ago, in the valley of a great river, there was a land of beauty and prosperity. A magnificent city rose there, encircling a lone mountain that stood like a sentinel in the valley, dwarfed by the towering ranges on either side. Atop that solitary peak stood a palace of breathtaking splendor �" white stone, gold�'lined terraces, banners that shimmered in the wind like living flame.

This was the seat of King Aldo, ruler of the valley, heir to a line that had governed for centuries. He lived there with his advisers, his stewards, and the commanders of his armies. The throne had passed to him only recently, though not by the cleanest of means.

One night, one of the king’s astronomers noticed something strange in the heavens �" a star that had never been there before. Night after night he watched it, and each night it grew brighter, sharper, more insistent. He consulted his fellow astronomers, and together they agreed: this was no ordinary sign. A council must be called.

A messenger was sent racing through the palace corridors to summon the king’s seer.

Soon they gathered in the council chamber, each man taking his place around a massive stone table carved with the histories of their people. The astronomer spoke first.

“A new star has appeared in the heavens. Each day it grows brighter. We seek your counsel before we bring this to the king.”

The seer rose slowly, his expression unreadable. “This sign may herald fortune… or doom. I must consult the spirits of our forefathers to know which.”

He left them and descended deep beneath the palace, where the air grew cold and the stone walls sweated with ancient moisture. There he bathed in a sacred pool, purifying himself, then drank a bitter concoction that clouded his senses and opened his mind.

In the pitch�'black chamber, a shimmering light began to form �" faint at first, then pulsing like a heartbeat. The seer whispered his question into the darkness.

The answer came like a blade.

Moments later he burst from the chamber, sprinting through the palace halls with a terror no mortal man should ever carry. He slammed into the astronomers’ quarters, throwing the door open.

“We are doomed!” he cried. “There is nothing to be done �" nowhere to hide!”

The astronomers stared at him, stunned. “What are you saying, Seer?”

“The star you see growing brighter each day is no star. It is destruction. The gods are furious, and they have chosen to unleash their vengeance upon our land. The king’s treachery has doomed us all!”

For years, whispers had followed King Aldo �" whispers that he had murdered his own father to seize the throne. Few liked him. Fewer respected him. And now, it seemed, the gods themselves had taken notice.

The astronomers and the seer rushed to the king’s hall, demanding an audience. They stood before him, breathless, ready to speak �" but they never got the chance.

A blinding flash tore open the sky above the palace. For a single instant, the world was brighter than the sun. Then came silence �" absolute, merciless silence �" as the entire city was erased. Not burned. Not shattered. Erased. Not a soul survived.

A massive meteor, having drifted through the void for millions of years, had finally found its mark. It exploded with a force beyond comprehension. The shock melted glacial ice, unleashing floods that swallowed continents. Walls of water crashed down hundreds of miles away, carving out the Carolina Bays.

And the people of that valley �" their city, their palace, their history �" vanished without leaving so much as a shard of pottery behind.

Today, as we rush through our busy lives, we are no different from those long�'lost people. We believe tomorrow is guaranteed. We believe the world owes us another sunrise. But the truth is simple and terrifying:

Everything we know could disappear in an instant, never to be remembered.

So enjoy life. Love your family. Don’t waste your days on things that don’t matter. Tomorrow is a promise no one can make.

The End

Reviews

[Lauren]

“Hi! Your writing stood out to me especially your character interactions. I’m working on a fantasy comic project with a shared woodland setting (talking animals, a Bigfoot-like family, and occasional alien visitors). I’m looking for someone to help shape scenes and dialogue. No pressure, but if you’re interested we can chat here or on Discord: laurendoesitall.”