In a forgotten system by the infinite civilizations of the cosmos, where the only celestial bodies existing were the drifting broken planets and the myriads of asteroids, five members of the Thousand-Dimensions Beast Race gathered to discuss a newly discovered spatial pocket.
Although the Thousand-Dimensions Beast Race was not known for having a close community, with every member being just fine by themselves, these five still preferred to form their temporary party to explore this desolated sector of the cosmos which would have been treacherous to traverse otherwise alone, for the sole purpose of acquiring any rare resource untouched for millennia.
After some time wandering aimlessly in this expansive desolation of space, they finally came upon the spatial pocket, the very top place in their lists of desired findings.
A spatial pocket was just as its name suggested. It was a pocket of space both existing in the infinite space of the cosmos but also separately from it. Inside, it could perhaps have the size of a planet or the size of a galaxy. Its amazing nature and difficulty in finding one, more often than not, also meant finding rich resources and opportunities.
First one to speak was not the biggest of the five, but the more intimidating of them. His name was Khar'hon the Impaler, a renowned member of the Horn Tribe of their race for his brutality and cruelty. His body was a mix of tight muscles and robust bones with steel like horns protruding out of his elbows, knees, skull and back.
His reputation allowed him to become the center of attention and for the other four to wait for him to speak first.
"This is friends, the big find. Not mentioning other treasures, the possibility of space energy particles existing inside is an unquestionably certainty; we all felt it the moment we looked at the space tear entrance."
"Yes, that's true."
"Agreed."
"Mhm."
"And even if only a tiny amount of them is inside, the one of us who gets them will be capable of challenging the top hundred seats in the near future!" passionately yelled Khar'hon.
This time, none of the others answered. Their eyes though gleamed with determination and killing intent.
If there were indeed space energy particles inside and it comes down to them or the others in who would get them, they were ready to do whatever it took to prevail. Even if they had to tear their temporary teammates apart, they would do so without any second thoughts.
"Now, let's discuss the details of this corporation!" said Khar'hon.
It was time to get down to business, figure out their plan ahead and face their temporary party's biggest challenge yet - deciding on each of their roles and percentage of spoils entitled in case of jointly found resources.
After many hours discussing the dangers and the obstacles they may encounter in their venture inside, they proceeded to vote their agreement on the proposed distribution plan for any spoils other than the space energy particles they might find.
Not even one of them ever had doubts or hesitated about their decision whether to go in or not. The lure of treasure and the possible inspiration they would gain from the space elements inside were too great of temptations to pass on the chance.
One by one, they raised their tentacles, claws or wisps of black smog – their equivalent of arms – in agreement.
The voting was supposed to end with the fifth member and signal the start of their exploration, but then, a sixth one was raised, an arm ending with five claws.
It was so natural in its movements, the five members of the Thousand-Dimensions Beast Race failed to take notice of it as something foreign from their party, subconsciously treating it instead like it belonged to another one of them, as if they were always six instead of five.
Nonetheless, a weird feeling sprang up in their deepest depths that something was wrong with this situation, but they couldn't grasp what it was, like an itch that it was impossible to scratch.
It took a few moments for the feeling to deepen and finally for them to be able to grasp it.
At once, after coming to an unbelievable realization, they slowly turned their heads towards their "sixth member".
And they sure couldn't believe it. In front of them there was a stranger, an unfamiliar face. Someone who a few seconds ago wasn't there was now standing in their midst relaxed, without a care in the world, raising his hand along with theirs.
A rushing current of confusion flooded their minds, drowning them in questions and suspicions.
When the flood passed as quickly as it came, their instincts screamed with danger because of the stranger next to them. Although they weren't lifelong friends with the others of their temporary party, they were at least familiar with each other. Having someone unknown invading their space without them even realizing it had deeply unnerved them.
Like a rehearsed action scene, they moved like one. They jumped backwards at once, putting a lot of distance between them and the stranger. Immediately after, a chorus of yells and shouts ensued.
"What's the meaning of this, who are you?!"
"How the hell did you get here?!"
"Oi, Claw'Ro! Is this someone from your tribe? Did you really think you could ambush us?!"
"What the f*ck are you spouting about thorny idiot! Of course I wouldn't! I swear guys, I don't even know him!"
"SILENCE! Calm yourselves!" Khar'hon shouted, forcibly lowering the tension by a considerable amount.
This was not the time to be impulsive; not with an individual of unknown capabilities across them.
"Identify yourself or be ready to die!" shouted Khar'hon at the stranger.
After a moment with no answer from him, the two most impatient of the five, Bob er Long from the Ripple Tribe and Son'nir of the Hedgehog Tribe succumbed to their brutal natures and rushed towards him full of killing intent. The others were taken aback, unable to stop them in time.
By the time sound came out of their mouths in warning, the two had already closed in on the stranger.
Almost at the same time, both started activating their abilities.
Son'nir pointed his arms forward and pulled his thorns out. Tiny black holes manifested at their ends, ready to pierce and devour whatever came in their path.
"That's the famous Hundred Devouring Spears of the Hedgehog Tribe!" exclaimed the semi gaseous, Gas the Suffocator of the Smoking Abyss Tribe.
"His mastery is also very advance to be able to conjure at least sixty of them!"
"Mhm. He is not an idiot after all." nodded Claw'Ro.
"Top tier talent of his tribe." Khar'hon acknowledged.
"Look! Bob er Long also activated his tribe's exclusive ability!" Gas shouted, turning their attention towards their other charging party member.
Bob was just behind Son'nir, his tentacles were already outstretched from his main body and his tribe's ability was coursing through them. Ripples in space were created from them, disrupting its integrity with each of their waves.
"That's the Space Disruption ability of the Ripple Tribe! This is the first time I see it being executed in person!" Gas exclaimed in surprise.
"Is it supposed to be this potent?"
"No actually. I have seen it performed many times before, but it was never this strong!" Claw'Ro answered him.
"He must have experienced an opportunity before, one that enhanced his understanding over the space elements." Khar'hon added seriously.
All three of them were amazed by their temporary teammates' demonstrations of abilities.
Although it seemed they spoke for a while, their conversation was short. After the last comment, they watched as the two charging at the stranger were about to reach him any second now.
What would be the outcome of the collision, they didn't have to guess. The two's amazing abilities were sure to hit their target, and they would shred him to space dust without a doubt.
The next moment, Son'nir was in front of the stranger ready to strike.
At that instance though, they saw the stranger making a move for the first time throughout this charge. He barely moved one of his arms, and immediately after he conjured the biggest black hole they had ever seen in their lives.
They were a relative safe distance away from the stranger and they were shocked speechless by his conjured black hole's size, not mentioning the two who were literally within reach of it.
Son'nir in particular, as someone who was well versed in conjuring and using black holes, was stupefied when he saw it. Not even the elders of his tribe were capable of making something of this size.
Before they could react at all, Son'nir was a hair's length distance away from the stranger.
Only a horrified look managed to surface on his face as he watched in trepidation and terror his thorns reach the abyssal surface of the stranger's black hole.
In the blink of an eye, his thorns touched its surface and were swallowed by the black maw along with his proud Hundred Devouring Spears and the rest of his body. Instantly, he ceased to exist in this cosmos.
Mighty Bob who was right behind him still charging, didn't escape the swallowing abyss either. Following the macabre footsteps of his former teammate, he was swallowed by the stranger's black hole all the same. His Space Disruption ability was useless against the calm but unforgiving nature of the stranger's conjured black hole.