Earth, Kyoto, 3:09 P.M - January 24th, 2084 A.D.
It has been 2 whole years since then.
I've been through a lot, both good and bad. Too many things to talk about pretty much.
Although, I need to go over the main things I've learnt, at least.
To summarise it...
Oull, the fundamental force that composes the very universe we live in. From the smallest of atoms to the biggest of stars, everything is made out of it.
This cosmic force can be utilised by living beings to manipulate every realm of nature, every form of energy and every state of matter.
To harness this power, one's soul and body must be attuned to one another.
Oull, inherently personal and diverse, serves as a mirror reflecting the individual's inner core. Its mastery involves an introspective journey, a voyage towards self-discovery and personal growth. Through the understanding of one's true self, an individual can unlock their unique potential, manifesting Oull techniques and powers that resonate with their distinct identity.
We, who study and practice Oull for combat, refer to it as The Song.
The Song emits 9 types of "tones" throughout the universe, each representing a cosmic force.
These are the nine known tones:
Lohk, The tone of the Void
Xata, The tone of Truth
Jahu, The tone of Form
Vome, The Tone of Order
Ris, The tone of Elements
Fass, The tone of Chaos
Yialta, The tone of Knowledge
Netra, The tone of Decay
Khra, The tone of Time
Each tone has its own characteristics and formats, and can be used in different ways.
Most humans can only attune with one type, usually being Jahu, the tone of form, although it is possible for some to attune with two or even three types. This is rare, however, and not only requires a high level of mastery over every principle of the song but also over their own soul; with only one capable appearing every billion births on average.
Of course, it's good to clarify this doesn't mean that Jahu is the only tone of Oull that humans can attune with.
A very small number of humans, ranging in the double digits, in recorded history have been capable of wielding Xata, Vome, Yialta, and even Ris.
Certainly, different species have offered unique insights and perspectives into Oull, shaping our understanding and utilization of this energy.
There have been some that specifically caught my attention.
The Aqilarans, for instance, are a particularly compelling species. Renowned for their martial prowess and discipline, they channel Jahu primarily for combat applications, which has offered humanity a great treat of knowledge in regards to that, since humans have a tendency to resonate with Jahu, past cooperation and observing of this particular species has facilitated humanity in developing much of our strength. Their expressions of Oull are often aggressive, underlining their culture's warrior ethos. They manifest their Oull in the form of powerful weapons and defensive barriers, demonstrating remarkable control and precision.
On the other hand, we have the Dresvians, an insectoid species from a planet with a harsh, volatile environment. They utilize Jahu in a more defensive and survival-oriented way, often manifesting it as physical augmentations or enhancements. Their hard exoskeleton, for example, can be further toughened through Oull, making them formidable opponents.
And at last, the Ventari, ethereal beings from the airy heights of a planet called Stratos close to the border of the Andromeda galaxy, offer another unique relationship with Oull. In the thin atmosphere of their native environment, they have evolved to master the currents of the wind, using Ris to manipulate air pressure, create strong gusts, and even form temporary platforms of solidified air. To them, Oull is not only a tool, ( but a means of communion with their environment, the air, and the sky. Their unique relationship with it enables them to perform feats of unparalleled aerial acrobatics, making them seem as if they are one with the wind itself.
As you can imagine, most species have the upper hand on humanity in almost everything, however we do have our own type of specialty that we can make good use of.
Unlike many other Oull tones, Jahu can be incredibly useful when it comes to things such as construction, technology and even medicine, though this also makes us weaker than other species in terms of raw power and abilities, it is not an uncommon occurrence to have humans hired to do the hard work for other species.
These are just some of the main important things taught in the academy. Of course, there are many more species in the universe, which have completely different views regarding Oull in comparison to the two I just mentioned.
Now that I've had a moment to catch my breath, I should probably explain why I felt the need to revisit those memories.
To put it simply, the world as we know it is on the brink of annihilation, and we are teetering on the edge of a precipice with no clear way forward.
Yes, I know, it escalated quickly, didn't it?
Just a short while ago, everything seemed perfectly normal. The sun was up, casting a warm golden glow over the campus. Students bustled back and forth, eager to get to their next classes. And me? Well, I was taking a peaceful stroll through the campus garden, resting my tired limbs beneath the soothing shade of the Sakura tree after a rough day of combat practice.
You see, I have always possessed a heightened sensitivity to Oull. It's a strange sensation, like a sixth sense, that allows me to perceive shifts and changes in the flow of Oull. It's not something everyone has, and even among those who do, my sensitivity is considered unusually high. It's a talent, a curse, a responsibility – I've called it many things, but being real, it's always been a part of who I am.
As I was laying down beneath the cherry blossoms, I felt an abrupt change in the flow of Oull. It was like a sudden shift in the wind, or the unnerving silence before a storm. The Oull around me was in turmoil, its rhythm disrupted, its flow jagged and chaotic. The intensity of this disruption was unlike anything I had ever sensed before. It was so overwhelming that it made my head spin, my vision blur, and my heart pound in my chest.
And to make matters worse, the air was suddenly pierced by a deafening, soul-jarring alarm.
Even though my body felt like it was being pierced by a thousand needles, I managed to recognize the sound almost immediately
I learned about it in one of my classes during my two years at the academy: the Disaster Sirens, meant to warn of extinction-level threats to humanity.
The blaring, screeching wail seemed to come from every direction at once, and it was like nothing I had ever heard before.
I knew that the sirens were only meant to go off in the most dire of circumstances, and as chaos and confusion replaced the peaceful tranquillity of the campus, I can't help but wonder what could possibly warrant the activation of the Disaster Sirens?
Any leader of major nations of the world had the power to trigger them, but what could of possibly made them be set off? Was this a fluke, or was the threat of the end of the world really upon us?
I could hear the pandemonium that erupted all around me as students and faculty alike scrambled for cover, unsure of what was happening or what they could do to protect themselves.
It was as if the entire world had suddenly gone mad, the very basis of what made a society fraying and tearing apart at the seams. And in that moment, as I watched the chaos unfold around me, the people that were near me running as fast as they could in panic, I had a feeling that nothing would ever be the same again.
As I gathered my thoughts and forced myself to focus on seeking shelter, I knew I had to find some form of safety. The world was falling apart around me, but I couldn't afford to let me fall apart. I scrambled to my feet and began sprinting across the campus, desperately searching for any form of shelter.
As I ran, I noticed a group of people heading toward the university's main laboratory. This building was known to have fortified walls and reinforced windows alongside lockdown procedures, making it an ideal place to take cover.
I raced towards them, hoping that the laboratory would offer some semblance of safety in this bewildering situation.
"C'MON! RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN" shouted one of the people in front of the group.
As we sprinted across the campus, a horrifying sight unfolded before us.
All around, many of the people started to be engulfed in a bright red light that seemed to emanate from their very bodies and within seconds, they were... gone..? It's like they just disintegrated, leaving behind only a faint wisp of smoke as evidence that they were ever there at all.
My heart raced as fast as I was running, but I had no choice but to press on, hoping that I would not suffer the same fate.
My mind started going numb as I darted past the disintegrating figures. What was happening? What was causing such a horrifying sight? Were my friends safe? My parents? My chest ached with a desperate, overwhelming hope that they were okay and that they would somehow make it through this nightmare.
Finally, we reached our safe haven, and the people at the laboratory's door hurried us inside, the reinforced door shutting heavily behind us. The room was dimly lit, filled with the hum of machines and the anxious whispers of those who had sought shelter within its walls. For a moment, we were safe, but our minds remained filled with dread and uncertainty.
As I tried to organise my scrambled thoughts, I could not help but feel a gnawing fear in the pit of my stomach. Considering the Disaster Sirens went off, and that people were vanishing left and right, it was clear that the world we knew had been irrevocably changed. The question now was whether we would be able to find a way to survive and rebuild, or if this truly was the end as we knew it.