What happens when everything you know—everything you love—is torn away in an instant?
Adrian Clarke didn't have the answer to that question. At least, not yet.
The day had started like any other. He walked home from school, flanked by Lucas and Nova. Lucas's constant stream of jokes kept the mood light, and Nova alternated between laughing too loudly and chiding Lucas for his terrible puns. Adrian trailed slightly behind, content to listen.
Their neighborhood, Crescent Grove, was usually quiet in the late afternoon. The familiar sight of modest homes, small gardens, and the occasional stray cat was a comforting backdrop to their routine.
But comfort can be deceptive.
Without warning, a deafening roar tore through the air. The ground beneath them trembled as a violent explosion erupted in the heart of the neighborhood. Adrian barely had time to turn before the shockwave hit, throwing him to the ground.
When the dust began to settle, a scene of devastation unfolded before their eyes.
The houses were gone. Reduced to rubble and ash. The air reeked of smoke and scorched earth.
Adrian's ears rang, his vision blurred, but one horrifying truth cut through the chaos: Everyone was gone.
"Mom! Dad!" Nova's scream pierced the silence, raw and desperate.
Lucas staggered to his feet, his white irises flickering with faint light as he activated his power. "Adrian, Nova—are you hurt?"
Adrian shook his head, though his limbs trembled. He scanned the wreckage, his mind racing. Where's Lucy? She was at home...
Then he saw her.
A small, glowing barrier shimmered amidst the rubble. Inside, a young girl—no older than ten—cowered, tears streaming down her soot-streaked face. Lucy Clarke, Adrian's sister, was alive. Her Uncommon Class shield ability had saved her.
Adrian stumbled toward her, falling to his knees as relief and anguish collided in his chest. He pulled her into his arms, his voice breaking. "It's okay. I'm here. You're safe."
But as he held her, the weight of the loss around him settled in. Their parents, their neighbors, their friends—everyone else was gone.
Adrian's thoughts were a maelstrom as they sat in what remained of Crescent Grove. Nova was sobbing quietly, clutching a broken necklace she had found in the debris. Lucas stood guard, his usually bright demeanor replaced with a grim focus.
Adrian's gaze drifted to Lucy, who sat silently beside him, her shield flickering intermittently. How had she managed to survive? And why had this happened?
Why does this world never give us peace?
He looked at the destruction around him and thought back to everything he knew about their world. Powers weren't just decorations or tools for convenience. They were humanity's defense against a constant and brutal enemy.
The term "Extraterrestrial Threats" or ETTs came to mind. That's what the government called the monsters that emerged from dimensional portals. Demi-humans, demons, angels, dragons, beasts—they were all invaders from other realms, creatures whose mere presence could devastate entire cities.
The portals, unpredictable and uncontrollable, had appeared centuries ago, changing the course of human history. From that moment on, powers became not just a blessing but a necessity. Every awakened ability, no matter how minor, contributed to the fight against the ETTs.
Adrian's father used to say, "We don't fight because we want to. We fight because we have to."
But as Adrian stared at the ruins of his neighborhood, the words rang hollow. The ETTs had taken everything from him. His parents. His home. His sense of safety.
And for what?
The blast wasn't just a random tragedy. Adrian could feel it in his gut—this was something more. A targeted attack.
He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms.
For most of his life, he had been powerless. An observer in a world of strength and spectacle. But now, with everything he held dear shattered around him, one thought burned brighter than any other:
This isn't over.