The universe stood still. Not because it had been frozen. Not because time had stopped. But because everything was waiting. The Eraser stayed hanging there, stuck under the Architects lifted hand. The Foundation flickered weakly in the distance. The Sleeper knelt upon the ruins of existence. The Prisoner watched in complete silence. Luna remained positioned right in the middle. For the initial moment after she started traveling, no one made her pick something. No sacrifice. No correction. No impossible bargain. Only silence. And yet somehow that scared her more than everything else. Because without a prescribed choice She had to decide for herself. The Architect lowered its hand. The Eraser remained motionless. Contained. Waiting. The immense being turned its attention toward Luna. Reality
