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Ancient powerful entities roam the universe. They are the final result of evolution, both natural and guided. They are ascended in all possible ways that one could imagine, and possibly also in ways that younger races cannot even conceive of. They are the perfect flesh, the perfect machine, and the perfect extradimensional creatures, all in one. Even the most powerful, most advanced normal races in the universe are miniscule and insignificant in comparison to these incomprehensibly powerful precursors. A single precursor could upend an empire that spands mere galaxies. Because the precursors are the highest level possible to attain on what the human race calls the Kardashev Scale. They go beyond the mere power of controlling a single universe, and have the ability, knowledge, and strength necessary to control the infinite multiverse as they please. The laws of physics are nothing to them. The continuing entropy of the universe can be rolled back, should they desire it. From nothing, they can create energy. Even time itself bends to their whims.

How lucky are the millions of cultures on thousands of worlds, that they are mostly benevolent.

To the young, growing, and aspiring species that arise on various worlds, they are like benevolent caretakers. They come into the dark forest of the universe, and carry aloft a lantern. By its light, they dispense wisdom according to their own will and personality. Some appear in godly forms, though whatever gods that might be, they have long since eclipsed such divine entities in power and majesty. These who appear in the god-guises are lawful, strict, and would like to see the weak and fragile young races put into order. They make them safe, and take their development towards a position that will make them safe. Like taking a young kitten out of the wintry night, and into the warm safety of a good home. Though once inside, they do not ever leave again. They can be seen, safe, well-fed, and well-kept, in their gilded cages. Others allow their charges to roam more freely. To make mistakes, though usually the precursor in question can be counted on to help heal whatever damage might have been done. They care for the young interstellar species as best they can, and guide them towards the way that they feel is best. These usually become galaxy-spanding federations, of explorers, scientists, and diplomats. Which makes the precursor who have nurtured all those different friendly races, and brought them to the apogee of their existence, quite proud.

Of course, not all species are equally guided. Some are wild, and when offered a hand, given a treat, or offered aid, respond with feeble attempts at violence. These races do not last as independent entities. Those who when offered care, assistance, and aid, accepted it, they prosper. Those who bite the hand that feeds, usually collapse, and must be saved by those who had the foresight, morality, and decency needed to accept outside help from an ancient, incomprehensible, eldritch, and ultimately benevolent force.

And then there's them. Whenever the precursors gather, and speak in their language sounds like the birth of stars and the swansong of galaxies, they tend to compare races. They compare prosperity, numbers, philosophies spawned, and other such metrics. Every last one of them get very awkwardly quiet whenever the Eldest shows off their charge. The Eldest was the last of their ancient species that was born when they were still only a species in total control of their own universe. They are respected, for their infinite wisdom. They are loved for their kindness, and great deeds in the defence of the multiverse against things that should not be in any creation. But like any elderly relative, some of their more recent acts have the rest of their social circle somewhat concerned. Some say they must be going blind, or that it has been too long since the last time they guided a civilisation. But for the first time in the lifespan of ten universes, the Eldest has picked a species to assist.

The species in question is completely and utterly feral; they don't just bite the hand that feeds, they try to kick the groin of the feeder just for good measure. The other immortal and endless precursors, who have existed in the first universe that ever was, the seed from which all realities grew, are fairly confused by this state of affairs. This species lives on a garbage dumb of a planet. They're constantly fighting amongst themselves like rabid animals. And so far somewhere around 22% of the species believes the Eldest to be some manner of evil demon here to torment them. The Eldest however, likes them. Can't notice the flaws, and just calls this insane little species ''spicy'' and ''funny''. The Eldest fixed their environment, after they nearly destroyed themselves. They thanked the Eldest by trying to nuke them, which to a species that routinely bathes in stars to relax is little more than mildly annoying.

Now, with primitive FTL, they spread slowly from their overpopulated home. Other races, guided properly, find them to be odd, but rather amusing. But they have accepted these humans, as they call themselves, into the greater galactic community. Where they immediately prove themselves a bother to precursors that are leading races in a proper fashion. They steal technologies, they spread discord and strange ways of thinking. Many of the more protective precursors have expressly forbidden their charges from interacting with these humans, but the humans find ways of doing so anyway. And as time goes on, the guided races question the wisdom of not interacting with the humans. Sure, they say, the humans are odd, strange, and a little more violent than you'd think. But they're very clever, surprisingly loyal, and oddly charming in a humorous fashion. Why should they not interact with them? After all, they're not doing any harm.

The Eldest keeps them in check, as best they can, but the humans are a barely constrained force of nature that acts completely out of the expected field for any race in the universe. Some precursors are wondering if there is something wrong with the Eldest. That they, like some did early on after their species took primacy and dominion over creation, has gone mad. The Eldest however, hasn't done anything typical of the mad, besides not seemingly reacting to the weird, strange, and wild things that their humans do. When humans accidentally punch a hole into another reality, far before they should be able to do that, they smile and give the humans the civilisation-vise equivalent of a good scratch behind the ears. To which humanity scream bloody murder and seemingly tries to, metaphorically, wriggle out of it. When a human brings a star to life and falls in love with it, the other mortal races find it odd. But the precursors are weirded out. Humanity genemods themselves into a billion different weird configurations, goes digital, finds a way to become gas, plasmatic life, and does countless other weird and bizarre things that normal species don't do, the Eldest just acts like this is perfectly normal for

The precursors, however, are more than willing to let the Eldest do this, if it makes them happy. After all, it's only one universe. And it will cease having life in it eventually. The precursors in general just shake their head and let the Eldest do what they want to do. What harm could it do?

Without knowing the true reason behind something happening, how could they ever know what harm it might truly do? On Earth, a place where few precursors want to visit, and even if they have to, they don't look too closely; there is a room. It is the only room in the multiverse that the precursors can't perceive. Can't observe. Can't know about. It is the meeting room, where the leaders of humanity, and the Eldest, speak earnestly. Humanity, thieving, weird, wild, and feral, meets their caretaker there for words that cannot be consciously remembered when they leave the room. But the words lead subconsciously to actions that act towards the deal between mankind and the Eldest. The precursor who came to mankind, is the only one who can truly remember and understand what their people used to be like. The, possibly uncomfortable, truth is that they used to be a lot like humanity. Wild, feral, cunning, and completely bonkers. Now, they are boring, formal, stiff, and overtly self-important to the point where they pass through universes, putting out food for the lower lifeforms that leaves them incapable of taking care of themselves in the long run. Once the stars die, the species that were once cared for will be abandoned, because the precursors no longer finds a dying universe particularly interesting.

They need to change. The Eldest knows this, that their civilisation needs a shake-up. Yet without any threats, without any challengers, they can never change. The Eldest knows that there are levels beyond what their ancient civilisation has achieved. And thus, the Eldest is guiding humanity in a way none has ever done before. Inside that room, the Eldest is carefully steering humanity towards becoming as powerful and ascended as their own civilisation. Because it will create conflict. It will create change. And the Eldest knows that the only true way a civilisation can achieve a new level, a greater definition, is through conflict. Philosophies must be challenged. Ideas must be tested. The old ways must give in so that the new ways might be born. Humanity was a cunning, vicious animal in the dark forest. But more importantly, it was an animal that strode for something greater. It was not a pet. It is not, and can never be, tamed. It is a potential rival. Something that can, if guided correctly, measure up to the precursors. Thus, should the precursors find themselves lacking upon being challenged for first time in unimaginable aeons, shall they learn that they are no longer strong enough to hold the position that they have achieved; then it will be humanity that shall triumph. A new godhead will emerge and take the throne of the multiverse for themselves.

And humanity will go further beyond anything that the precursors has ever managed, should they be victorious.

/r/ApocalypseOwl

u/ApocalypseOwl your stories are always a delight and treasure to read! This is better than anything else I could have hoped for in a response. I cackled when I reach the first portion and felt a swell of happiness when I read the second portion. Thank you for this wonderful story

I'm just happy that I got to write for a good prompt. Really got into the ZONE for this one. Thank you for putting it out there so my eyes could find it.

The feeling is mutual! Now my mind is spinning at the various interactions of precursors and species.

+++++++++++++++

<bracketed words> have been translated from Precursor

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Another Precursor: "I like two things - <gettin' high> and <pettin' my cat>"

The Same Precursor: Is holding the species equivalent of a very calm opossum

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Precursor1: "They're my <stinky boi>"

Precursor2: "They are <a skunk>. You have <a skunk>"

Precursor1: "And I love them"

Precursor3: "Is that why I <got sprayed> after I met them? I thought they just <looked weird>"

Precursor1: "They only did that because you scared them. You have to be gentle around them"

++++++++++++++++

Another Being (AB), only mildly confused: "So you're dating a star that has become sentient?"

A Human (AH), in love: "Oh they were always sentient, I just set up a translator and ... well, the magic happened. Her name is Jenny"

AB: "That's ... huh. It's different. She seems nice, though"

AH: "She's wonderful"

AB: "Well I'm happy you're both happy"

Humanity's Precursor: <is very proud>

Other Precursors: <Trying not to be horrified>

[removed]

Aeons ago, the universe came into being. The first celestial being emerged, and they bound the cosmic energies, shaping the universe as they saw fit. But not even the first celestial being possessed the knowledge of the universe’s creation, neither the origin, nor the understanding of when time began. All they knew was how to bend reality around them.

Soon after, more beings emerged. These celestial beings also shaped the universe as they saw fit. The first celestial being made his presence known to them. As more beings emerged, a hierarchy was formed. Of course, that would mean the first being to emerge was at the top, with the beings that emerged after being “Administrators”, and beings that emerged much later were called “Precursors”. Although having the ability to shape entire universes, these beings do not possess the power to create life, but only the conditions in which they thrived.

So, the Administrators were given a goal when fashioning the universe around them. The general rule was to avoid the natural discord of the universe and to fashion conditions in which life and any civilizations could advance. Some saw it fit to push the species in a direction that would be independent of their Precursors, while some wanted total control, and those without care about these goals left it to the Precursors to decide while they watched over them. Though with these goals in mind, many Precursors and Administrators failed to create conditions in which biological entities could survive.

But it was a numbers game, and eventually, on a planet dubbed as Earth, was a supposed “super biome” where life truly thrived and prospered. Evolution here was unlike any other, beautiful creatures abound and roamed as far as the eye can see. But there was a species who advanced quickly and thrived, soon their logic and reasoning rivalled those of the Precursors, and many took interest and began to mingle with them.

Their exploits are documented within human history, although many of these accounts have inaccuracies. Humans worshipped the Precursors as gods, and religions came to be, while some even created vessels to procreate with them as they saw them as equals. Soon, wars broke out over which Precursor was the one true god, many humans were killed in the process, and this left a bitter taste in many a Precursor.

It wasn’t a surprise to the Administrators of what eventually came to be, that this planet was blacklisted in the Administrators’ accounts, thus many Precursors and their Administrators who were still surveying the land left for other parts of the universe after the order was released. However, there was a Precursor, far older than most, who was known to do what they pleased and refused to leave the planet.

The Administrator who governed this galactic neighbourhood was displeased, but they had no power to make the Precursor leave, nor could they find it in themselves to do it as the Precursor had seniority over them.

“So, what was it that you wanted to talk about?”, the Precursor spoke with an annoyed tone.

‘I simply don’t understand, a being older than the creation of this galaxy, yet going out of your way to toy with them. They’ve stripped this planet of most of its resources and trashed the other half like the raccoons they are. Why did you riddle their kind with diseases and plagues, and placed phallic monuments in odd places? Don’t you have anything better you should be spending your time on rather than the filth from this dump?’

“Frankly, I am offended that you would compare them to raccoons. Secondly, you’ve had a go, you know how chaotic these monkeys can be and how entertaining their hubris is.”

‘You are a Precursor, your job was to ensure the advancement and prosperity of the system you were assigned to, not toy around with creatures who can barely live a day without killing each other. You were the first to make yourself known to them, and yet here you still are. When will it be enough for you?’

“They call out to me in the many different names that they have assigned in their own beliefs. They can sense my presence when I offer them help, some have set up altars and places of worship and sing praises to my name. Some call me Alpha and Omega, some call me God”,

visibly puffing his chest out as he said this but soon let out a tired sigh.

“I am old, and I feel myself fading, I might be gone soon enough. Leave me to my devices and we shall see if this race survives, and if not, I probably won’t be here to care nor will I be here to fix them. Besides, they’re on your blacklist anyway, and I’m going to bet you won’t have to see me much longer, I’ll be gone by the next few supernovas, give or take a few solar flares. Probably.”

But the Precursor knew, it wasn’t them that was going to fade, it was the human’s inevitable extinction, and they wanted to be the catalyst.

‘So what you’re saying is that your narcissistic ass doesn’t give a shit.’

“Wow, never thought I’d hear that kind of language from you but yep pretty much, and I’ll do what I GODdamn please, no pun intended. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some “raccoons” to play with.”, as they put their two fingers up on each hand making air quotes mockingly.

The Administrator turned to leave, not before looking back and seeing “God” with a smirk on his face, flipping them the bird.

&#x200B;

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Sorry if the formatting was bad or if I didn’t follow the prompt. I don’t post here often, so I hoped anyone who read this story enjoyed it, personally I found it might be a bit boring because I “fact dumped” in the first few paragraphs. Any feedback is welcome and appreciated!

In "Defiance of the Fall" there is the all controlling entity of the multiverse, on earth referred to as The System, though most species call it "The Ruthless Heavens".

One species called Stargazers tend to work for the System and they are most notably known that one of them married a star, which made them the butt of all jokes. Though they do defend themselves that said Stargazer is still happily married for 4.3 million years now.

[removed]