The year was 2024 in the Gregorian Calendar. The world was bustling, with billions of people going about their lives, unaware that everything was about to change. The Olympics were underway, national elections were being held, and conflicts raged as usual. But on one fateful day, everything shifted in a way that made people forget what day it even was.
The sky fractured like glass.
At first, it was subtle—a hairline crack that stretched across the heavens. Then, slowly but surely, the crack widened, revealing something immense beyond it, as though another world was either being pushed or pulled into our own. This strange event lasted for hours. People across the globe watched in awe and terror as the sky seemed to groan under the weight of whatever was happening. Anxiety spread like wildfire. Wireless communications went dead. Every device went silent as if an unknown force had seized control.
And then, just as abruptly as it had begun, the event ended. The sky healed. Phones pinged back to life, and the internet buzzed with wild theories. But it was clear to everyone that something had fundamentally changed. Governments around the world scrambled to make sense of it all. Scientists, experts, and world leaders were in constant communication, trying to understand what had occurred. Six hours later, the first reports came in.
Animals were transforming into monsters.
In city streets, rural farms, and dense forests, the creatures that once roamed the Earth were no longer recognizable. They were larger, more grotesque—beasts with scales, horns, and claws that ripped through buildings and flesh alike. These monsters weren't the stuff of fairy tales. They were real. And they were killing people.
Chaos erupted. The world plunged into panic. Emergency broadcasts filled the airwaves. And as if the monsters weren't enough, natural disasters followed. Earthquakes split cities in half. Tsunamis ravaged coastlines that had never known the fury of the sea. Satellite images soon provided a terrifying answer: the continents were moving. Slowly, inexorably, the landmasses of the world were converging into one.
Governments mobilized their armed forces to combat the beasts. For a time, it seemed like humanity might stand a chance. But the monsters kept coming, and no one knew when or if they would stop.
Meanwhile, scattered across the globe, a few individuals began to feel... different. They felt stronger. Faster. Healthier. Some could even hear a strange hum in the air, like a power that hadn't existed before. Amidst the chaos, there wasn't time to understand these changes. But they were happening.
As the days blurred together, electricity and water supplies were cut off in many regions, leaving survivors in a state of desperate uncertainty. The remaining governments, still reeling from the loss of billions, convened for a second global conference. In an unprecedented decision, they formed a unified world government, recognizing that the survival of humanity required drastic measures.
Months passed. The newly-formed world government slowly established safe zones—fortified areas where the armed forces could defend civilians from the monsters. The creatures were relentless, but with the help of heavy weapons and artillery, people began to hope that the worst was behind them.
But hope is fragile.
Reports soon came in that some monsters had evolved, their thick hides now resistant to bullets. Entire safe zones were wiped out as these advanced creatures broke through, killing anyone in their path. Even artillery began to lose its effectiveness. Cities like Tokyo, Delhi, and New York, once bastions of hope, were overrun. Entire populations were slaughtered.
In the midst of the carnage, something unexpected happened.
In one of the doomed cities, a father, desperate to save his son, threw a punch at one of the monsters—a hopeless act of defiance. To everyone's shock, his fist pierced the creature's tough hide, killing it instantly. Though the man died moments later, his act became legend. He was the first recorded "Awakened," a title that would come to shape the future of humanity.
All over the world, similar stories emerged. Ordinary people, fueled by newfound strength, began to fight back. These individuals were soon called the "Heroes of Humanity." They weren't soldiers or warriors. They were everyday men and women who had somehow gained extraordinary abilities.
It wasn't long before scientists discovered the source of this new power: a strange energy that had entered the world during the sky's fracture. They called it Aetherion, or Aether. Those who could harness Aether were dubbed the Awakened, and they quickly became humanity's best hope against the monsters.
Within the Awakened, two distinct powers emerged. Some gained extraordinary physical abilities—strength, speed, and resilience. This power was named Aura. Others learned to manipulate the world around them in ways that defied logic. They could conjure fire, bend water, and reshape the earth. This second power was called Mana.
The world government wasted no time. They recruited the Awakened to fight on the frontlines, pushing back the monsters and securing what was left of human civilization.
A global population survey revealed that over six billion people were missing, presumed dead. Only a fraction of humanity remained, huddled together in the fortified safe zones.
The monsters continued to evolve, and the oceans remained deadly and uncharted. Yet, amidst the danger, humanity slowly rebuilt. The Awakened became celebrated as heroes, the protectors of a fragile peace. But even as cities began to recover, there was a shared, unspoken fear: this was only the beginning. The true battle was still to come.
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"Wow! That was way more interesting and engaging than I thought it would be!" exclaimed a young boy, no older than seven, his wide eyes glued to the tablet screen.
His tutor, a middle-aged man with a serious demeanor, nodded approvingly. "I'm glad you liked the summary, young master. But now, it's time to read the actual book. I'll be asking you questions from it."
The boy groaned, slumping in his chair. "But history is boring..."
"You just said it was 'interesting and engaging'," the tutor reminded him, a smirk playing at his lips.
"Ugh... fine," the boy sighed in defeat. "You'd make me read it no matter what I say anyway. Let's just get this over with." With a reluctant tap on the tablet, a book opened before him, titled
Dawn Of The New World