Another incredible piece by phantominus, who took an idea I'd had and made another masterpiece, poignant and powerful. Commission them!

We sometimes forget that every person who ever lived was a real person, they woke, they ate, they slept, they loved, they worked, they had hopes and dreams just as we do, they made or traded for or bought possessions and used them. When they're gone, those possessions are echoes of who they were.

What if you outlived your own possessions, not by one lifetime, but by countless eons?

Iye the bobcat was born in 1368 in another world's equivalent of our Mississippian period. His people were nomadic hunters in areas of plains, hills, rivers and swamps. Iye was somewhat unique among them for his entirely monochrome smoke-grey fur, a contrast to his bright, inquisitive golden eyes.

At a young age, in his teens, he somehow ended up in the present day. He'd somehow slipped through time itself, and the past is gone. His tribe's last members were gone by the early 1700s, their legacy, their stories had been lost till now.

He knows all the stories, and he exists. He should have been dust centuries ago, but he is against all reason living and breathing. Yes, he's adapted, he's learned languages quickly and brought his unique perspective on the world to those he's met, but at some point, he's ventured to places he knew. Geography hasn't changed in nearly six and a half centuries, but what you see here appears to be a roped-off dig site of native artifacts, perhaps for a museum.

He knows where he lived. He's dressed partially in the manner he had out of respect. He walks the same ground he walked centuries ago, and he's found things he once saw every day, perhaps even saw crafted...cracked, half-crumbled to dust.

It's not all sadness, though. He knows he can tell the correct story about these pieces of the past. It looks like he's found a necklace, one he never thought he'd see again, perhaps a family member's. He looks thoughtful, even a hint of a smile if you look close.

The necklace still exists. And against all reason, so does he, and there's an entire new world to explore, to learn from...and to teach.

art by  phantominus