The calm before the storm. A false sense of security before tragedy hits.
For those curled up inside their robust home deep within the land, the storm might not terrify them for it does not pose a threat to their lives at all.
But what about those on a small wooden fishing boat sailing in the middle of the ocean? How much of a threat does a storm pose for them?
The storm can be scary to those in the waters, but it also depends to the person themselves how scary the storm can be.
A proper sailor would had been ready to face the trying weather. But for a regular vacationer who simply wishes to see the ocean?
Using this topic of the storm, the teller of this story wishes to tell you that Earth is currently in the ocean. Presently enjoying the calm.
It is you, readers, who will decide which of the two personas -the sailor and the vacationer- Earth is.
And so, let I, the teller of this story, begin this great narrative with the calm the Earth was in:
It was one fine morning and the city of Axis was bustling with its residents going out and about to begin their activities for the day.
The workforce flocked to transportation stations and packed themselves into these steel compartments they called trains and buses. Children leaving their homes with these strap pouches they called bags, making their way to buildings they called school. And those who were not children anymore but also did not belong to the workforce began wondering about to their own devices.
All in all, the morning was clear and sunny. The day was bright. And the people of Axis were "enjoying" the day that were given to them.
In the middle of the bustling of the great city, there was this group of a few dozen emotional younglings the Earth folks would call teenagers. Instead of going to school, this particular party made their way to a place they would call a museum.
While being escorted by some adults the teenagers would call 'teachers,' the group toured around the museum while listening to a staff who 'excitedly' explained to the younglings the museum's exhibit of a large black stone tablet.
"The Centria's Magna Carta. It's a pact that established the foundation of our country, Centria, with Axis as its capital." explained the staff. "Signed by world leaders in a conference held here in Axis in the year of 1965, Centria gained recognition of the world to become an independent country. A dream-made-manifest of our ancestors, refugees from around the world during the First and the Second World War."
Most of the teenagers, of course, had lost focus of the staff's explanation since the second sentence. They were stricken with boredom and resorted to observe these rectangular objects they called smartphones.
Seeing this reaction from the younglings, one of the escorting adults leaned in to her peer. A bespectacled man with combed dark hair, wearing a brown blazer and a neat white shirt underneath. The picture of a well-groomed and reserved gentleman.
"So much for bringing them on a field trip."
"It beats them falling asleep in class, Miss Partridge." said the gentleman to the charming woman who approached him. "And at least they got to see the exhibits firsthand instead from a projector slides."
"I'm glad you're still being positive despite the kids' passive reaction on the tour. I know this is your first field trip and you're excited for it."
"Well, this is only my first year of teaching. Wouldn't it be worrying if I'm instead not excited to teach my students?"
Miss Partridge smiled at the gentleman's attitude and patted him on the back.
"With how much you care for the students, I can already see that you'll be a great teacher."
"So you can see the future now?"
"Perhaps. Sometimes you can see something coming from afar. So you'd know what to expect."
"Well, in that case, I'm not sure how great of a teacher I'll be, but I'd consider myself a great success if I could just be half as good as you, Miss Partridge."
"Don't sell yourselves short. I'm certain that you're fated for great things, Mister Zane."
And it was at that moment, piercing like daybreak, a bright crimson light shone from the edge of the sky of Axis, right above the ocean. Like a second sun, the crimson light shone upon the city and reddened the atmosphere.
The whole Axis took notice of this red light. They all stopped with whatever they were doing and simply stared at the light, wondering what could it be.
Then, like the sound of judgment day, an ear-splitting screech rang out from the light. The sound sent out a shockwave that shattered every glass in Axis. Including the tall glass window surrounding the museum the younglings were in.
"AHHH!!!"
People were screaming in panic upon the horrifying sound. They all crouched down in fear. Not because of the sound itself, but of the thing that voiced it.
Seeing this distressed situation, Miss Partridge alongside with the other teachers began to calm their students.
"Everyone, stay down and remain calm! Don't panic and most importantly, stay together!"
Miss Partridge turned to her side to find the gentleman she was talking to earlier.
"Mister Zane, you planned this field trip. So what do you propose we…do…now?"
Instead of finding the handsome bespectacled well-groomed man, Miss Partridge could only find cold air and hard floor to her side. The gentleman had disappeared.
"Mister Zane? Where are you?"
Meanwhile, outside on the streets, people were busy pulling out their phone to film the crimson light hanging in the sky. Seeing a terrible sound came out from it earlier, they all thought the light was something worth paying attention to.
The people were, indeed, correct. For that crimson light suddenly deformed into the shape of a fissure, making loud cracking sound as it did so.
And then flying out from that crimson crack was a dark dragon the size of a mountain. To mark its arrival, the titanic creature let out a horrifying screech that rattled the cloud-kissing buildings of Axis.
The people down below looked up to the dragon in great horror. Wondering if the great monster would be the last thing they would see in their life.
But, this time, the people were wrong to think as such.
A hand was raised among the cowering crowd in the street, pointing to the opposite direction of the dragon.
"UP THERE! IN THE SKY!"
Like herded sheep, the rest of the people turned around and looked up to the direction the person was pointing at. They all frowned and squinted their eyes to try to make up what they were seeing.
"What is that?"
"Is that a bird?"
"Is that a plane?"
"Is that a drone?"
"Is that a satellite?"
The longer they stared at that something, the clearer it became. The people then finally knew what they were seeing.
"No! It's a man!"