The Way It Is

history - part 1

I stare at Britt, my mouth hanging open. What in the blazes is this male carrying on about? "Princess," regardless if it's used in sarcasm or sincerity, is one word I would never use to describe myself.

"Zea, we need to be careful. Some things should not be said out loud. But we have a long-overdue conversation ahead of us."

Britt's brown eyes twinkled strangely. He looks younger somehow. An air of anticipation dances around him, charging the space between us.

Whatever he is excited about is catching. But should I be excited? I feel more anxious than excited. For the first time in a long time, I have no clue how I feel.

Forget the princess part. Am I a Krog? Shit!

I can't even process what this means. The Krog are supposed to be extinct. They founded our current Universe. Birthed from a massive black hole that exploded in a dying Universe they barely escaped from.

It was their last hope and the only way to avoid the extinction of their species. They had to enter the new Universe being born from the black hole before theirs exploded into oblivion. A task never before done.

As one Universe dies, it gives birth, so to speak, to millions of others. Some die almost as soon as they are made; others carry on for unknown lengths of time. And they had to ride the tidal waves of energy between the dying and the created.

However, when they entered our Universe, through the exploding black hole, their physical biology had changed. Dark matter somehow bonded with the Krog's RNA cells changing the building blocks of their DNA permanently. Not everyone had made it, the change being too volatile for them, but there had been enough.

In the beginning.

Most scientists still argue the whole purpose of dark matter, but one thing is known. Dark matter attracts all the other known matter in the universe, like some kind of matter magnet. This attraction brought the power to use the energies of the matter, too—all of them.

Either way, having an unknown or undefined element, forever part of their DNA, screwing with their genomes and gene expression turned out to be the least of their problems.

Somehow the Krog could also bend the one energy source no one else could. However, it came with a cost. They learned that the Universe itself has its own unique energy. Dark energy. Unfortunately, dark energy repels all other energies, forcing any collected or stored energies inside a being outwards with tremendous force if they chose to wield the most dangerous source of energy ever discovered.

The stories said that by using the dark energy, the Krog gained abilities that no other species known to current history have ever been able to duplicate. They were possibly tapping into the Universes veins of life itself. They are spoken of with reverence by many, being called the protectors of the Universe, and some even called them gods.

There had been reports of them magically appearing out of thin air on planets three days away from where they had been moments before. Other reports claimed that instead of dying, their bodies disintegrated into the air—shimmering lights blending into the energies around the spot they had taken their last breath.

As I consider all I know about Krog's and what it could mean if I am one, I feel myself on the verge of freaking out.

Krog. How the blazes could I be a Krog? I still stare at Britt. The twinkle left his eyes at some point. He examines my face, now concern etched on his, lines furrowing his brow.

"Zea. It's not so bad. I promise-"

I want to burst from my bed and bolt for the exit. I almost do, then suddenly the door slides open.