Epilogue

For the last year and a half, I've been telling my story of how I was, for a little while, a superhero. After saving the omniverse, I put away the cape and went into retirement. Which gave me plenty of time to write my memoirs. I have to say, sharing this story with you (all half dozen of you), has given me much joy. Despite possessing the knowledge that nearly no one knows how close we all got to becoming nothing before I saved us all. I suppose we all want acknowledgement for our accomplishments... But more than that, I've enjoyed the crafting of the tale. The placement of this word over that (resulting in endless trips to a thesaurus), the playful silliness in an otherwise very serious subject, and the feeling that this all needs to be written down somewhere so that future generations may know the history of our flirtation with catastrophic doom.

I understand that this account may be largely... discounted. I'm actually fine with that. I know the truth of it, and the octopuses do too. I'm not looking for praise, or to get hoisted up on anyone's shoulders in celebration as a hero. From the believers, a simple thank you card should be sufficient. From the nay-sayers, well, what can I say? I saved your asses too, you ungrateful bastards. But I'm not bitter. Because I saved my loved ones, and they're really all that matter. And now that the history has been written, it will be on record long after I'm gone that Sizzle once saved all of life everywhere.

And if, for whatever reason, time begins to thin out again, there will exist an account of how it was once rectified. Perhaps it will be of help to the next hero. Even if it is only in the form of legend or myth, much like legend helped me find the path to victory. To think of myself as legendary... or mythological... well, it's already hard enough to find a hat that fits my big head, no need for it to be getting any bigger.

In essence, I'm writing this to acknowledge the conclusion to these "Chronicles of Sizzle", and to provide some closure by giving you a peak into present day Sizzle. I'm living a mostly quiet life with my family now. I still have regular contact with Octomus. He is still Supreme, as much as he resisted it at first. And he is doing quite well at home, hailed by his own kind as a hero. He is also helping to undo the damage dealt to human relations by the previous organization, actually going as far as open talks with human leaders. He has asked me to be his ambassador, to reassure humankind that the octopuses do not mean to meddle in our brains anymore, and to foster a positive relationship between our two races.

It was certainly a rocky start, as nobody took me seriously until I could prove to them that the octopuses have (and still could if desired) gotten into their heads in the past. After a few parlor tricks of sorts, I've convinced several of the world's leaders that the octopuses are, at the very least, our equals, and very likely superior to us in many ways.

I haven't let on yet that the octopuses created the human race, or that I am one of the very first Creators. We'll open those cans of worms much later on down the road. I'm sure that knowledge will shake up the world's religions a bit...

I also still talk to Verschna, though they have retired from service and are now getting to know the race of octopuses that they can now speak with. I am still the only human, as far as I can tell, with telepathic powers. So they have not been able to make actual contact with other humans. But that's ok. It is a big enough shock for the human race to handle that octopuses are intelligent, sentient beings. We'll wait a bit for that to sink in before we start explaining the infinite layers of the multiverse and the other races of beings that reside in them.

Two years ago, if you'd asked me about my life, I'd have told you I was a bored, middle-aged guy working in a dead end job, nearing my mid-life crisis days, and feeling quite unexceptional. Today... well, I feel quite differently now. Knowing that I have saved the omniverse has boosted my confidence a smidge. I feel important now. I feel useful. And among my friends and family, I feel appreciated. A far cry from only a handful of months ago. I'm happy to report that I'm happy. And who knows? I might be called upon to save the omniverse again.

Until then, I think I'll write a book. This blog will essentially be my first draft. When I get it published, they'll categorize it as science fiction or fantasy, no doubt. And that's fine with me. Besides, I don't think the world is quite ready to accept the whole truth just yet. Let them place this book on shelves alongside Carl Sagan, Douglas Adams, and Brandon Sanderson. I'd be immensely honored. Perhaps this account will be introduced in schools as required reading someday. First, in English literature, later in history classes. The latter will likely be long after I have moved on to the next phase of existence.

In summary, I hope you have enjoyed my memoirs as entertainment, as a cautionary tale, or as a first hand account of averting the extinction of all life. I'll accept any and all of the above. Thank you for reading.