In this vast and boundless cosmos, Earth floated like a speck of dust, small and solitary in the dark void. For millennia, humanity had gazed upon the stars, contemplating an ancient and profound question—in this infinite universe, are we truly alone?
Life, this precious word, appeared so fragile and valuable on the cosmic scale. From the birth of the first cell to the rise of intelligent civilization, everything seemed so coincidental, so incredible. As if the Creator had lit the spark of life only for Earth among billions of stars.
However, on that day in 2028, which ancient prophecies called "the end of the world," everything changed.
On December 21st, 2028, as the first rays of dawn touched Earth, billions of kilometers away in deep space, an unmanned probe named "Voyager III" was carrying out its long and lonely mission. This vessel bearing humanity's dreams had been sailing through the cold cosmos for nearly a decade since its 2019 launch. Its mission was simple—to search for signs of extraterrestrial life and explore the mysteries of the universe. Yet on this special day marked by Mayan prophecy, it captured some... anomalous signals.
Within the NASA command center in Houston, night shift engineer James Webb was conducting routine checks on the data transmitted by the probe. Numbers and charts flickered densely across the screens, everything appearing ordinary until an abnormal set of spectral data appeared on the monitor.
"This is impossible..." James widened his eyes, readjusting the parameters of the receiving equipment.
The data remained, and became even clearer. Spectral analysis showed that in a region approximately five light-years from the solar system, the probe had captured anomalous material reflection signals. The characteristics of these signals... completely defied any known astrophysical models. Even more shocking was that these signals appeared to be moving, and their speed and trajectory completely violated the laws of physics.
James trembled as he picked up the phone, dialing his superior's number. "Sir, we... we've discovered something."
Three days later, within the International Space Station 400 kilometers above Earth's surface, Russian astronaut Alexei Volkov was conducting routine astronomical observations. As a veteran astronaut with fifteen years of space experience, Alexei thought he had witnessed all the wonders the universe had to offer. But today, when he adjusted the telescope's direction toward the coordinates marked by Voyager III, he witnessed a sight that would remain etched in his memory forever.
"Dear God..." Alexei's voice trembled through the communicator.
Before him, in the profound depths of cosmic space, appeared a spectacular sight that completely overturned all understanding: Four colossal divine steeds were galloping through the void!
These divine steeds were pitch black as night, each nearly a hundred meters in length. Their bodies were majestic and mighty, with distinct muscle definition, their manes flowing in space as if silently narrating ancient myths. Yet what was most shocking—these divine steeds had lost the breath of life. Their eyes held no light, their bodies emanated the dignity of death, yet they continued to run eternally.
Behind the four Abyssal Divine Steeds, connected by black iron chains as thick as bowls, was an ancient chariot. This chariot bore an ancient golden hue throughout, approximately twenty meters long and dozens of meters high, like a moving mountain. The chariot's surface was carved with vague and ancient patterns, the vicissitudes of time rushing forth, as if narrating the glory and decline of countless eons past.
Those black iron chains gleamed with cold light in the cosmos, each one revealing the solidity of being forged a thousand times, binding the dead divine steeds tightly to the ancient chariot. Even though the divine steeds had lost their lives, under some mysterious force's drive, they still dragged this chariot in eternal gallop through the depths of space.
"Alexei, what are you saying?" The voice from ground control center came through the communicator.
"I... I saw four horses... no, four dead divine steeds, they're pulling a massive chariot..." Alexei's voice was almost incoherent.
"Alexei, please remain calm and repeat your observation report."
"I'm not insane!" Alexei shouted. "Look at coordinates 23-47-89 right now! There are four enormous black divine steeds pulling a golden chariot! They're... they're dead, but still running!"
The control center fell into brief silence. Minutes later, the voice of European Space Agency astronaut Michel Dupont joined the communication channel: "My God... Alexei is right. I see it too. How... how is this possible?"
Over the following hours, more observational data was compiled by major space agencies. Every organization capable of deep space observation confirmed the same incredible fact: In the cosmic deep space five light-years from the solar system, there truly existed four hundred-meter-long massive dead horses, dragging a twenty-meter-long ancient chariot, running eternally through the void of space.
This discovery completely overturned humanity's understanding of the universe. Science and mythology miraculously merged at this moment. Those ancient legends, those mythological stories dismissed by modern people as superstition, seemed to find their reality's reflection at this moment. Abyssal divine steeds, chariots of death—these things that should exist only in human imagination had actually appeared in cosmic deep space.
Even more perplexing was that according to spectral analysis and trajectory calculations, this mysterious entity appeared to be slowly moving toward the solar system's direction. Although at their current speed it would take thousands of years to reach the solar system, this discovery still filled all scientists with unprecedented shock and unease.
On the International Space Station, Alexei and Michel continued gazing at that shocking sight through their telescope. Both experienced astronauts fell into deep contemplation.
"This changes everything," Michel said softly. "If this is real, if mythological beings truly exist in the universe, then our understanding of the world..."
"Is all wrong," Alexei continued. "We always thought humanity was the only intelligent life in the universe. We believed those ancient legends were merely our ancestors' fantasies. But now..."
They gazed at those four horses running eternally in the void, at that chariot bearing countless secrets, as an unprecedented sense of awe arose in their hearts.
"Ground Control Center, this is the International Space Station," Alexei's voice came through the communicator. "We need to immediately report this discovery to the UN Security Council. This... this isn't merely a scientific discovery. This could involve fundamental questions about human civilization."
"We recommend immediately initiating the highest level emergency protocols," Michel added. "If such supernatural forces truly exist in the universe, we need to reassess humanity's position in the cosmos, and... the unknown threats we might face."
The tense voice of ground control center came through the communicator: "Received, International Space Station. We will immediately report this discovery to all governments. Please continue maintaining observation and record all relevant data."
When the sun rose again on December 24th, 2028, the entire world learned of a shocking revelation: Humanity was not alone in the universe, and moreover, those ancient mythological legends might all have their basis in reality. The discovery of four Abyssal Divine Steeds dragging an ancient chariot marked humanity's civilization entering a completely new era. The boundaries between science and mythology became blurred, the limits between known and unknown were redefined.
On this special Christmas Eve, people around the world gazed up at the starry sky, a new sense of awe rising in their hearts. They knew that in the distant depths of space, there existed mysterious beings beyond human understanding, and this was merely the beginning...
Those four eternally running dead horses, that chariot bearing countless secrets, were slowly approaching the solar system. What they brought would be not merely an overthrow of human cognition, but possibly a turning point for entire civilizations. A new age had begun, and humanity would seek their own path in this world filled with mystery and the unknown...