The Lifeline Game

Prologue - Lifeline

The sound of twisting gears filled the room, their mechanical echoes reverberating throughout. In the center of the room, there stood a globe resembling Earth. It spun under a chandelier designed to imitate the stars in the sky. The gears within the globe occupied the room, while the chandelier bathed everything in shimmering light. The man on the throne wore an amused expression as he conjured a drink with a snap of his fingers. His attention was fixed on the globe before him – a creation of his own making.

"Architect, it's time," said a creature with a child-like appearance standing next to the throne. The man smiled and rose from his seat. He walked toward the globe, running his hands over it as if it were a precious possession. He looked up at the starry expanse above him – a display of cosmos where comets streaked, suns blazed, and galaxies spread out endlessly. While he couldn't fully grasp their magnificence, he could still appreciate the concept of their existence.

"Finally, it's completed," the man, known as the "Architect," announced in a voice befitting his pristine appearance and well-groomed hair. "With our creation, many lives will be saved. This design doesn't differentiate between the interesting and the dull, the good and the evil. It's unbiased. Those meant to survive through this creation will, while those who won't align with its power are destined for the skies above or the flames below." The Architect spoke of his creation's purpose – salvation. With a slight wave of his hand, the spinning globe vanished into thin air. Yet, in its place remained a larger replica of Earth, filled with gears, screws, and bolts, all radiating an energy unmatched by even the cosmic forces in the universe.

"Oh, illustrious Architect... Is this truly the path you envision for a more favorable destiny?" The entity with a child-like demeanor inquired, an expression of concern etched onto its features. It surveyed the immense creation from its upper reaches to its very base, meeting the Architect's gaze fixed upon it. "It is the sole plan that can triumph," he asserted. For centuries, the Architect had toiled tirelessly, weaving together a strategy that would forge a course toward the destiny he so desired. Now, at this very moment, that strategy had materialized into reality. The inner workings of the colossal apparatus began to stir, drawing upon the energies channeled by four pillars stationed at the cardinal points around the throne. "And the stars have bestowed their benediction upon us," he murmured, his smile directed at the myriad stars overhead. He harbored gratitude for the blessings bestowed beyond his grasp.

"Architect, I do harbor an inquiry," the youth-like being interjected, momentarily diverting the Architect's attention from the night sky.

"Ask your question, Overseer."

"What, then, shall be our course of action concerning 'that thing?"

The Overseer gestured toward a pod suspended adjacently to the Architect's throne, held aloft by tubes inserted into its upper and lower extremities. The Architect contemplated the pod and the enigma it contained within. His gaze flitted to the sprawling contrivance, where scores of diminutive attendants meticulously examined the object. Eventually, his attention settled once more upon the pod, and he furnished the Overseer with his response.

"There will come a specific time allocated for it. Our creation will decide when and how it should intervene as per our planned salvation. Until then, we can watch the world from this vantage point and observe how they will confront the impending disaster."

"It's preferable if your interventions occur before the disaster. The creation will start processing everything right from the very first moment of the disaster and will automatically proceed from there."

"I only needed to introduce three variables. Don't worry, Overseer, I've already taken care of it. Actually, one of them is already in progress. We can only hope that the creation can understand it, considering all the variables are crafted using our powers."

"Don't fret, Architect. The creation is fashioned to grasp even the most intricate information. It might even surpass our own abilities to comprehend the incomprehensible."

"I understand. It seems we've accounted for every aspect, haven't we?"

The Architect let out a sigh of relief. After dedicating an immense amount of time to his goal, a sense of fulfillment washed over him. However, his task was far from over. The Architect had assigned himself a new responsibility: to vigilantly monitor both his creation and the real world simultaneously, guarding against even the slightest of errors. The intricacies of his creation were too intricate, and its fragility made it unsuitable to operate in isolation. A solitary mistake in its functioning could jeopardize the entirety of the Architect's plan. In order to guarantee the safety and stability of his creation, it was the Architect himself who would sustain and oversee both his creation and the world it emulated.

"Architect, I can't help but notice that you've never given a name to your plan or to the creation itself. Perhaps now is the time to consider one?"

"It surprises me that you're concerned with such minor details. However, you're correct. A creation of this magnitude should indeed have its own name."

"So, what shall it be, Architect?"

"Its name should be..."

The Architect closed his eyes and delved into deep contemplation. He revisited his purpose, his strategy, his aspirations, his history, his current state, and his vision of the future. He gathered all these facets together in his mind and held them as one. Opening his eyes, he announced...

"The Grand Lifeline."

———

In gears and chandeliers, a vision takes flight. A plan woven intricate, hidden from sight.

Architect's creation, a lifeline to share. Bearing salvation, a cosmic affair.