Beyond the horizon of known space, where the tapestry of stars becomes so dense they seem as a singular sheet of shimmering light, exists a vast expanse of untold mysteries, and within it lies the setting for our tale: the Desolation Cluster. A collective of systems so remote that their very existence is debated amongst scholars. But as every cosmic voyager knows, in the silence of obscurity often lies the most potent of truths.
In the golden age of interstellar travel, humanity had branched out, driven by insatiable curiosity and ambition. The titans of the age, colossal starships, punctuated the void, their trails illuminating the darkness with streaks of transient brilliance. Civilisations rose on the bones of older ones, their stories echoing in the annals of history, a testament to the indomitable will to explore, conquer, and survive.
However, with progress came its own set of shadows. As mankind ventured deeper into the cosmos, they encountered phenomena that defied comprehension. Stars that whispered ancient secrets, nebulae that wept tears of liquid diamond, and black holes that sang dirges for long-lost realms.
The Desolation Cluster, a name whispered with a mix of reverence and dread, became the epicentre of these tales. Many a brave explorer set their course towards it, lured by the promise of discovery and the siren call of the unknown. Few returned, and those who did were forever changed, their minds imprinted with enigmatic patterns and their tales, though fragmented, spoke of civilisations unimaginably ancient, of cosmic entities beyond comprehension, and of the fragile line between reality and myth.
