Light fell and in its place conquered darkness.

After the dispersal of the blazing blue light, once again appeared the reaching body of Meditat, however now behind him instead of the burning cyan sun was instead a frozen black void. His hand remained reached for a few seconds, his processing lagged as he laid over pitch blackness, as for a moment it seemed he fell into a dark abyss.

Seconds after the delivery, Meditat let his reaching hand fall down beside him with a boom with a thud which then echoed, seemingly infinitely into the abyss. He gazed up with blue eyes, staring straight up in silence, interpreting the sight above him.

Oddly enough, Meditat then sat upright, as it seemed rather than drifting in a vacuum he was instead laying on a surface. He threw his hood off his head, which let his mask dematerialize to reveal his disoriented expression no longer consumed by fury. Instead, he observed his surroundings, finding that beyond the circular matte black platform he was sitting in the center of was a larger surrounding chrome ring of the pad’s extension, which extended for another full length of the black platform’s radius.

Above the chrome ring, around the black platform, were several holographic screens with images of schematic pie graphs and solar system diagrams as well as other windows of different Earths and a number line. All of the screens were silent, displaying information which was completely ignored by Meditat’s circular survey before he then raised his head up.

Far above him was the sharp array of stalactites along the ceiling, and seconds after arrival, the holographic screens vanished, revealing that beyond them were other distant chrome pads all hovering stationary in a huge cavern without borders, but instead endless abysses in all directions. Far below the pads was a flat sea of underground water, completely still and silent, as was the entire cave.

While at first he was disoriented from what occurred, the study had brought him the epiphany of what had transpired.

In the final moment before his body would have been engulfed in the overwhelming energy of the sun, he had transported himself back to his base, managing to pull the only method of escape he could. It had worked perfectly, for where he was right on death’s door, now he was lightyears away from danger, and deep underground where he couldn’t be found.

In fact, the precise timing of his transportation had even resulted in a visual effect that appeared like being set ablaze, making it seem perfectly like he was successfully burned to the sun whereas instead he was perfectly alive. He did manage to reach out for salvation, and he did manage to grab hold of it. Now here he was, safe, alive.

It only took a few seconds after recollecting what had happened however for Meditat’s relief to warp into something more intense, as while he was safe, he was also completely alone. He hadn’t transported himself back to the base of The Shield, back to the home of his family. No, instead he had transported himself to his own base under his own house, the base he operated in by himself during the days of his solo adventures before meeting the group.

Back inside the dark, desolate cave, the flooding sense of loneliness and loss drowned Meditat with the tears that began streaming out of his eyes as he brought his knees up to huddle by himself, and covered his eyes swiftly with his hands.

Quiet sobs came from Meditat, sobs that echoed into eternity, into the void of despair. Sobs that were tossed far into the abyss, yet wouldn’t be received.

Inside the dark cave, Meditat faintly sobbed by himself, alone, forsaken, left in the deep cold cave instead of the lofty warm mountain.

He did not have the mentor who, despite having far less spectacular powers which carried a history of violence and war, had infinitely more wisdom and strength to offer with touching humanity and the core ideals of a caring, heroic leader.

He did not have the founder who, despite having dangerous and chaotic abilities carried by a woman who lived a life distanced from genuine connection but instead one seeking cold fame by lifeless numbers, had a warm heart and tender kindness that exuded the warm aura of family and true love.

He did not have the best friend who, despite having grown up by himself chasing small accomplishments with little aspirations, shared the energy generated by the personality which was larger than life just like his charm.

He did not have the companion who, despite having ruthless abilities along with ones of detachment from reality itself which mirrored the closeted life she lived deprived of social stimulation, had a gentle tranquility and could be so close that it’d provide a deep sense of intimacy that drew an iron bond.

He had none of that, he had nothing left. Nothing to scavenge, nothing left to grasp. He had saved his own life, but he had let the lives that meant most to him die. The term ‘hero’ felt no resonance with himself, a term he saw engraved into the team who saved not just their own world but all others, a term he strove for so one day he could earn being able to see himself as one regardless of who else already saw him that way.

Secluded in the cave Meditat weeped, not a hero, not a member of any family, nothing. Just a husk, for while his body might have been salvaged and rescued, his soul had been left to burn in the sun’s blaze.

A body might have survived, but just like the rest, Meditat had died on that day.