Epilogue – The Stars Beyond

Centuries later…

The vast mass of the synthetic asteroid approached Earth as it had in ages past. From its watch post, the figure standing in space could see the damage on its surface from countless impacts, gouging its surface and exposing the original construction within.

The figure stood motionless as the construct stopped its trajectory shortly after clearing the moon's orbit.

"Hello Duo." Hub said with a smile as he stood in space, his body engulfed in white light and three pairs of wings prominently decorating his back.

The surface of the asteroid appeared to shift and warp, revealing a colossal face with a horned visage and angular lines, still familiar after so many years.

"MegaMan?" Duo called out. "Is that you?"

"I haven't used that name in a very long time." Hub said. "I was born as Hub Hikari, and I decided to go back to that name once I was able to fully cross over into the physical world again."

"What… what happened to you?" Duo asked, confused. "The light radiating from you is blinding."

"A lot happened while you were gone." Hub said with a smile. "As you can see, we have kept our promise."

He swept his arm, and the fanatic alien AI was at a loss for words at what he saw. The readings he was getting from the planet below were unlike anything he had ever experienced.

"Earth is covered in light..." he finally muttered. "So it was not a fluke. The other human worlds I passed on the way here were like this as well. Was this your doing then? I was not expecting to find you here after all this time."

"Just like we promised." Hub said. "A world where everyone has a place, where darkness has no hold."

"Yes..." Duo conceded. Hub noticed something off about his tone, however. He sounded tired and regretful.

"I would have expected you to be a little more enthusiastic." Hub pointed out. "Is this not what you wanted? Is this not why you went around passing judgement on other worlds?"

"Our previous encounter gave me much to ponder..." Duo said. "I judged countless worlds, and found many unworthy. In the name of wiping out evil, I ended them. I did not question my directive until you defied me."

"And in the middle of all that evil, how many innocent lives did you end?"

"Beyond reckoning."

"And what does that make you then?" Hub pointed out.

"Exactly." the alien AI said, sounding broken and defeated. "In the end, I was no better. It took me a very long time to realize this."

"That would be the problem of rigidly following a directive. I won't make excuses for your actions, but your creators were largely at fault as well. What happened to them anyway?"

"They were the first I judged." Duo said. "Dogmatic, intolerant, rich in self-righteousness and falling into evil. I was bound by their programming, and that was their undoing."

"And yet you carried out their will for centuries." Hub pointed out.

"Yes..." Duo conceded. "Until your defiance broke my code. Broke me. Everything about our encounter was inconceivable. I was conditioned to think only in absolutes, and your actions were utterly incomprehensible. From darkness, you brought light. From a tainted world, you were able to draw unity and strength. And now this..."

"So what have you been doing all this time?" Hub asked. "How many more worlds did you judge?"

"None." Duo said. "Our encounter made me question everything. I could no longer function. I spent all this time wandering, trying to understand what you did, or dormant, trying to regain a measure of clarity. There were times when I even contemplated… self-termination."

"You do look a bit worse for the wear."

"Word of my deeds spread. Merely brushing past the rim of a star system was enough to have fleets gather to take me down. I do believe I earned this."

"So why are you here now, if not to judge us again?" Hub asked.

"I wanted to see if you would keep your promise. And you clearly did. My entire existence feels pointless if there are beings who can overcome the darkness to this extent without obliterating the worlds it touches."

"So what will you do now?"

"I do not know." the alien AI simply said, utterly lost.

"Then I have a proposal for you." Hub said. "While you were gone, this world had its fair share of hardships and tribulations. If you find the notion of passing judgement disagreeable, why not help protect it instead? It may not give you absolution for the lives you took, but it will at least give you a better purpose than wandering around causing extinction events."

It was then that Duo saw a colossal humanoid form standing some distance behind Hub, radiating a tremendous power. The light was too intense for the alien AI to see it clearly, but it appeared to have several protrusions from its back and head, with said head being the point where the light shone brightest, almost like a halo.

"Is everything all right up here, Hub?" a voice asked, seemingly coming from inside the shape. While the form could have easily been a construct of some kind, the voice inside sounded all too human.

For his part, Hub smiled.

"You're just in time. There's someone I want you to meet."