"That was the strongest magic spell that the people of that world had created. They tried to end a war with it, but instead of that, they ended their world and all their lives in it. Now, this planet will never flourish again."
"Magic spell…" Aaron chuckled. "There is no such thing as magic… only action and reaction that causes phenomena if the substances in contact have different properties."
The planet had become lifeless; it was once green and blue but now was dark red… maybe it wasn't about time to laugh, but Aaron couldn't help it.
In the next moment, he appeared in the middle of that world and he immediately began to feel in his body that he couldn't stay there for long. His skin began to burn under the red sky, and he felt like he was about to throw up blood since his lungs were itching like hell… after not so long, his body began to adapt to the atmosphere, but he still was agonizing.
"As expected, your body is responding and adapting well. You truly have the potential to succeed on this mission. As you can see and feel, this something really happened, not illusion or hallucination can be this powerful."
Before long, Aaron was back in that dark place again. He began to cough violently, but soon, he stopped since his body seemed completely back to normal. When he checked the wounds, they were completely gone.
"Your mission is to go to other planets and solve the problems that may destroy them. Sometimes, you will have to destroy the knowledge and technology involved; sometimes, you will have to kill everyone involved. Sometimes, the entire world is too far gone, and you will have to kill everyone and everything in it, and then things will restart there."
"How can I do such a thing? I am just a single man who has basic knowledge of self-defense," Aaron said and then got up. "Also, how is this going to help Earth?"
"With your trait, that is possible. You have been able from a young age to absorb and learn things much faster than others. That was why you never studied at home and always scored at the top of the classes."
"Yes, that gave me plenty of time to immerse myself in games, and that made me really unpopular in high school; you guys did your homework by researching me," Aaron said and then shrugged. "Anyway, what kind of trait is that?"
"Your species call them mutations, some species call them ESP, some people just call those who have it geniuses. Still, you have within the genes that make your brain operate faster and more efficiently when you are learning or experiencing something. We will make that trait of yours more stable, and then you will be able to defeat all opponents that will stand in your way."
Aaron wasn't so sure of that. It was too convenient. Still, it was a fact that he could learn easier than the others and without putting much effort. People called him a genius for that reason… Maybe that was the reason why he was good at making people shut up with his arguments.
"While you will undergo the missions, you will gain power. Suppose it isn't necessary to kill everyone. In that case, you will gain enough energy that can be used to delay the end of your planet. Just by using the energy known as mana."
Mana is a term that has different meanings and interpretations depending on the context. Spiritual or supernatural power: In many Polynesian cultures, mana refers to a spiritual or supernatural power that is inherent in people, animals, objects, or places. It is believed to be a form of energy or essence that can bring about positive or negative effects. Mana is often associated with authority, prestige, and the ability to influence or control events.
In the context of gaming, especially in role-playing games (RPGs), mana typically represents a resource or energy pool used to cast spells, use special abilities, or perform magical actions. It is often depicted as a numerical value or bar that decreases as magic is used. It can be replenished through various means, such as resting or using mana-restoring items.
Aaron knew about that, but admitting the existence of such an unscientific thing was troublesome for him. After all, He spent half his life working and studying things following scientific methods.
"I guess I really need to study this better in order to confirm if that is truly possible… how much time do I have to decide this?" Aaron asked.
"No more than a day."
Few words… that means that it wasn't up for debate. Still, Aaron had a choice in the matter; whatever those things were, they weren't going to force him to work for them. That was good… he still had a day to put his business in order.
"All right, I will have my answer in a day," Aaron replied, and then, in the next moment, he found himself back in his lab in his chair. "I suppose that wasn't really a dream, illusion, or hallucination… it is good to confirm that I am not running away from reality."
Aaron left his laboratory after gathering all the data he had in a memory card. It was midnight already, and he was the only one left in there, aside from the security guards. After greeting them, Aaron went to his car in the parking lot and headed home.
Twenty minutes later, Aaron arrived home and then found a gorgeous redhead on the couch with the TV on. He let out a sigh… she was the love of his life. He left her alone for those three days without informing her of anything… she probably went to the laboratory to check on him. Still, she didn't show up once she realized his troubled expression, and now he was going to leave her for who knows how long…