The journey back from the edge of reality was a quiet one. The crew of the *Memory* had witnessed something that defied all known laws of metaphysics: a conversation with the concept of non-existence. They were changed by it, their understanding of the multiverse expanded to a new, mind-bending degree.
When they returned to the Nexus, they found a reality that was also subtly different. The Static was no longer a creeping, unraveling threat. It was now a… quiet neighbor. A vast, silent ocean of potential that bordered their own vibrant sea of stories, its presence a constant, humbling reminder of the infinite, unwritten pages that still remained.
The age that followed was known as the 'Long Quiet'. The great cosmic conflicts were a distant memory. The Nexus, now the undisputed center of a stable and peaceful multiverse, turned its attention from survival to creation.
