There were a few items of provender sitting on a kerchief in the corner. In the middle of a room cleared of rotted furniture, Raev sat cross-legged. He cradled the glowing fist-sized mixed phronium ingot in the crook of his open hand, against his abdomen. The set of his mouth was tranquil, but his brow was slightly furrowed over closed eyes.

He flipped from thought to thought, wondering what he should do and where he should be. Raev was holding a betweenlight meditation, acknowledging good and bad, while it was twilight outside. The glow of the phronium was stronger in contrast; he also meditated centrally on this new object. What to do with this undoubtedly unique conglomeration of elements?

There was also everything he had embedded within him, and without particular ambition, he subtly continued testing the connections and reactions it created with this new piece. He thought of it as a potentiator, something that might be able to accomplish the unguessable.

Raev searched along the pathways that lead from his realms of existence. He had a kind of broadened access to dimensions humans don’t often frequent, and maybe somewhere in there he could find a cue as to where he should place himself, out of the way of ultimate triumph.

He was experiencing simultaneity, his presence distributed between several places, when he abruptly felt seen. When the two presences found they were able to verbalize, they sounded like each other in some essential way.

something
in between
searching
without needing
active
in stillness
unique –
I know this power.
mixed feelings
about it, but
it does not
fear me
many more
fear me –
I could leave
them behind
for the rest
of the universe,
though this
is interesting
perhaps, it is I
who seeks peace

Oh – you’re
familiar, fancy
finding you here;
nowhere
in particular
I seek nothing
in particular,
other than my
ultimate destiny,
which awaits
no matter where
I turn
I could spend
time with you
if such be time
I’m not sure
we’ve properly
met, though
I know
who you are.
as long as
I can breathe,
after a fashion,
I’ll be fine
in your world

I would enjoy
some conversation;
this could be
important, though
it need not be.
simple company
sounds good
there is a place
we could rest
asking little or
doing much
I can bring you
through, if you
reach out to me
I will not
hurt you
if you will not
hurt me
this will be
fine for now
we can speak
of the endings
you think upon

Raev did reach out to Acamar, and in a flash of dark matter scales, the house and the planet were again devoid of human life.