In the year 2034, a star neared its end.
Many had predicted the Sun would last for millions of years before such a catastrophe occurred. But in April of 2034, precisely on the twenty-third day, an entire country combusted into flames. There had been no warnings and no signs, save for the annual spike in temperature. It felt like a dream—or rather, a nightmare. The news swept across the globe within hours; however, many initially dismissed it as the handiwork of artificial intelligence—doctored videos designed to grab attention and spread panic. Yet, as time passed, every news channel on Earth carried the same report. The world was dying. It was no longer just about the ozone layer; it was about the source of energy itself—the very source of life.
With each passing day, the temperature rose, the heat transforming into literal volcanic waves. It didn't matter if you were submerged under water or hidden within the unreachable depths of caves; the heat would find you, and it would burn you alive. Satellites melted, seas dried, and plant life vanished. Soon, oxygen itself began to disappear. By this point, only a fraction of humanity's 9.3 billion population remained—mostly those from countries once considered icelands, and the wealthy few who could spend millions of dollars a day to stay cold enough to counteract the Sun. Eventually, people began taking the easy way out; a bullet to the brain was a far quicker and easier death than having one's bones scorched. Humanity was losing this war, and it was only a matter of time before everyone followed.
But then, at the moment when all hope seemed lost, something impossible happened. Something occurred that defied all established logic.
A singularity.
No—countless singularities appeared all over the world. They were deep, black, swelling voids that looked like cracks in space. No one knew what they were. No one could explain them. But they were there: silent, present, just... there.
In their desperation, people began to get creative. It took only one person walking through a rift for the movement to begin. Soon, everyone with nothing left to lose was running toward these things, whatever they were. Perhaps it was humanity's last hope. Perhaps there was something on the other side.
Oh, how foolish they were. If only they had known, then maybe—just maybe—they would have remained on their dying planet to die.