PROLOUGE
"Why, Suma?" His voice crackled in the enveloping darkness, swallowing his life, dreams, and aspirations whole. "You would never understand, Sentinel; your life, your existence as a whole was insignificant."
Suma, the woman who proclaimed to be darkness, spoke with hints of both sadness and insanity. "You will join me and your brother, and together we will become something more meaningful." Her solemn face widened into a horrifying smile—one that would go down in infamy, one that would forever curse this world.
The world, however, was not what it seemed. There was an unseen force affecting it, with phenomena that science could not explain. Some attributed it to aliens, secret government agencies, mythical creatures, or even angels and demons. They were all wrong; it was a convergence of all these elements, part of a grand design orchestrated by a higher power. "Armageddon is coming," a harbinger of inevitable change.
CHAPTER ONE- WRATH
Hayes gazed up at the sky on that surprisingly bright day, clouds veiling the ominous truth that lurked beneath. Having just completed high school, he was now a senior with a full life ahead of him "Get up, dude; we gotta go," Christopher, a long-time friend akin to a brother, urged him forward. Hayes, wiping grass from his black sweatpants, replied rhetorically, "Gotta go where?"
" Family dinner—my parents' anniversary, remember dude?" Christopher responded, his demeanor cool and his gaze fixed on the path ahead. The two, contrasting in stature and personality, strolled home as the sun dipped below the horizon.
"Do you think the food will be ready when we get home?" Hayes inquired, attempting to lighten the mood. "Probably," Christopher replied, his eyes betraying a cold personality. As they approached Christopher's house, they noticed the door was busted in.
"Hold up, Hayes," Christopher's sudden seriousness filled the air. "What is it?" Hayes inquired, but as they neared the house, Christopher's unease materialized. The door was smashed open. "Mom, Dad!" Christopher's scream pierced the air as he rushed inside, with Hayes following closely.
Little did they know that this impulsive decision would unleash a catastrophe. Horror awaited them: the remains of their families, brutally slaughtered, intestines strewn across the floor, organs meticulously separated, and chunks of flesh missing, as if something had feasted upon them. A note nearby bore cryptic words.
"What the fuck is this?" Hayes recoiled in shock, tears streaming down his face. "What monster would do this?" he exclaimed, unable to contain his horror.Christopher reached down to read the note that read "your friend is not what you think he is" written in blood. Christopher's chilling revelation shattered the moment. "That monster is you, you bitch."
The revelation triggered a visceral and brutal confrontation between the two friends. Their fists collided with a fury born of confusion and betrayal Christopher punched Hayes straight in the face nailing him causing his nose to start to bleed and busted his lip. Hayes, fueled by anger, landed a powerful blow to Christopher's jaw, sending him reeling and left him in a daze. Christopher in confusion kicked out hoping to hit something, Christopher hits Hayes ankle dead on causing it lurch forward breaking Hayes's ankle and sending him crashing to the ground in agony.
As Hayes writhed in pain, Christopher, consumed by a malevolent rage, unleashed a barrage of blows on his fallen friend. Hayes, struggling to comprehend the betrayal, fought back desperately, a dance of violence that left both battered and broken but Christopher grabs Hayes's head and shoves his fingers into his eye sockets leaving Hayes blind. Hayes tries to fight back swinging blindly cursing out Christopher
Finally, Christopher, driven by an inexplicable force, seized the moment, delivering a fatal blow crushing Hayes's throat leaving Hayes lifeless on the blood-soaked floor. As Hayes's consciousness faded, a cloaked figure emerged, laughing maniacally. "That was so good; you two really know how to fight," the figure taunted, leaving Christopher in a haze of confusion.
"Who are you?" Christopher murmured, only to be met with a cryptic response that Christopher couldn't understand. The cloaked man dismissed any inquiries, leaving Christopher to crawl in desperation. trying to escape. The man, reveling in sadistic pleasure, silenced Christopher with a swift and merciless death, promising a reunion in the afterlife as consciousness faded to black.
Hayes opened his eyes, squinting at the sun in the unfamiliar sky. He found himself lying on the soft grass, a deceptive comfort considering the recent betrayal that led him to this mysterious place. Rising abruptly, the memories flooded back—the brutal confrontation with his so-called best friend, the searing pain, and the abrupt end to his life.
"That bastard," Hayes muttered, anger momentarily consuming him. The tranquil surroundings clashed with the turmoil within. As he scanned the unfamiliar landscape, he couldn't shake the disorienting feeling of being somewhere entirely unknown. "Where the hell am I?" he wondered aloud, desperately seeking answers.
A voice resonated in Hayes's mind, echoing with an otherworldly authority. "Welcome to Xuadia. Class selected as ranger, starter weapon will now be given." Before his eyes materialized a bow crafted from a metal unseen in his previous life.
"What is this?" Hayes marveled at the bow, contemplating the surreal nature of his circumstances. "Is this one of those cringe-worthy web novels where I get reincarnated and become overpowered?" he mused with a touch of humor.
"You are in the world of Xuadia. You must save the world. Tutorial now complete; please proceed," the voice declared, leaving Hayes in a state of confusion. "Wait, come back! Aren't you supposed to give me a quest or something?" Hayes kicked the ground in frustration. "I'll get revenge on that bastard. If I ever get back to my world, I'll show him. and kill that bastard"
Christopher jerked awake, his surroundings unfamiliar—a cross between an inn and a hotel. The throbbing pain in his head served as a stark reminder of the violent confrontation that led him here. Guilt gripped him as the realization of his grave mistake settled in. "Oh shit, I killed Hayes," he uttered, shaking with remorse and self-loathing his mind racing on what to do
"Welcome to Xuadia," a resonant voice echoed in Christopher's head. "Class selected as mage. Attribute given: fire and earth. No weapon given." The voice continued, the words resounding like the pronouncement of an ancient oracle.
"Is this some shitty video game? What the hell do you mean mage?" Christopher said with a cold voice, bewildered by the surreal circumstances surrounding him. "Take me home, you bastard!" he screamed into the emptiness, a plea fueled by desperation. "I don't want to be apart of this shit game"
"You are in the world of Xuadia. You must save the world. Tutorial now complete; please proceed," the voice declared, leaving Christopher in desolation. "Wait, come back! What do you mean tutorial? I don't know what I'm supposed to do." Alone and grappling with the weight of his actions, Christopher sat, determined to gather his bearings and discern his purpose in this mysterious and unforgiving world.