It's been ten years since the world changed forever. Everyone remembers that day as if it were yesterday. It seems to have started high up in the clear sky over the vast Pacific Ocean. Suddenly, a gigantic crack opened in the middle of the sky, a fissure that seemed to split the sky in two. From that crack emerged two illuminated figures, one dark gray and the other deep red, both shrouded in a glow that filled the air with overwhelming energy. No one knew what they were or where they came from, but their appearance marked the beginning of our misfortune.
Those two figures did not take long to confront each other. With every blow they exchanged, the world beneath them trembled. Their shocks unleashed colossal storms, earthquakes and gigantic waves that swept away everything in their path. It was as if nature itself bowed to the power of its struggle. Countries around the Pacific were the first to fall under chaos, and the disaster soon spread across the globe. In a matter of hours, everything we knew was shattered, millions of lives were lost. But most disturbing of all was how it ended.
After what seemed like eternal hours of destruction, the two figures disappeared as quickly as they had arrived. The crack in the sky closed behind them, as if it had never been there. But the world had already been shattered. The survivors were left with more questions than answers, wondering what those entities had been and why their battle had wiped out everything.
The worst, however, came later. As time went on, small cracks began to appear again, this time scattered all over the planet. From these cracks, which emerged from the sky, amorphous, distorted creatures emerged, vaguely reminiscent of human beings. But they were not the only ones. Alongside these creatures, human figures with extraordinary powers, whom people called "celestials," began to appear. These celestials fought the creatures, as if they were meant to protect us from a threat we are only beginning to understand. However, the only thing these entities brought was destruction and death.
Faced with this problem, humanity did not sit idly by, and deployed its arsenal and ingenuity that has always adapted in difficult times. He created a specialized group for the annihilation of these invading beings called...
Suddenly a voice was heard in the distance shouting as if he wanted the other voice that was commenting on the above to want him to pay attention to him.
— Hey, Judah! Saito Judah! Pay attention to the class!
— Uh!? – The commenting voice replied with solemn surprise.
— You stop looking into the distance and you have to pay attention! If you keep it up, you'll be left after school writing that you have to pay attention! – The voice said energetically.
The voice that emitted energetically was that of a woman no more than 36 years old, beautiful among some students with long, straight and wavy hair. On the other hand, she was wearing a blue skirt with a white blouse and she had her gaze fixed and a little annoyed on a person who had her gaze for a moment lost on the horizon of the window, but now with nervousness since she did not know what to answer. Saint John's 3-C classroom teacher, Marie.
— Yes, Professor Marie. I'll pay more attention – the other voice replied with resignation.
The other voice of a young man already resigned was that of Saito Judah, a 15-year-old boy with a thin build, tall and brown hair. He was distracted in his imagination remembering moments that once happened in his unfortunate childhood. The day the world changed for everyone.
— Well guys, going back to today's topic we have to talk about how OASIS was founded – Marie said.
— Yes, teacher – All the students answered.
Hearing this name, Judah Saito looked at his book and began to read about the mentioned topic. Apparently he was already bored since he had heard it many times in previous years. The organization that many mention saved the world from the devastation of amorphous beings and celestials, the OASIS or Organization for Alert and Security against Invasive Supernaturals, which arose as a countermeasure of the nations of the world to fight against these calamities and have the world at peace. Every time a dimensional opening as mentioned by the governments, they act and annihilate these invaders.
— I wonder what it is that OASIS does," Judah thought.
Looking at her book, and listening to Marie's euphoric lesson, time passed from one moment to the next until the time came for her to leave. Many teenagers left the classrooms excited to go home, among them was Judah. As he walked a few steps outside the school, another presence approached Judah with a lot of energy putting his arm on his shoulder and in a relaxed voice he mentioned.
— Wow Judah, now Marie has given you another resonance towards you.
— Haha – With an ironic laugh – It seems that the teacher always has me in the eye for any mistake – Judah replied.
— But you're lucky, everyone wants to be in your position for the beautiful Marie. That it catches my attention is a gift from God
— Haha, yes, of course, Kazuki – He replied in an ironic voice.
In fact, the other voice was from Yamada Kazuki, his classmate and friend since high school. A boy of the same height as Judah, always with a relaxed and carefree attitude.
— Hey, seriously," Kazuki added, "I see you very thoughtful lately with all this disaster stuff. I think you should relax a little and enjoy life more.
— I don't know, Kazuki. Lately I've been thinking about what happened 10 years ago and today marks another year – Judah replied in a more somber tone.
— I know, my friend. We've all been affected by the calamity of 10 years ago, but look Pearl Island is still standing, and we're still fine.
Judah, feeling a little better, nodded.
— You know you're right, I think I have to control my nightmares.
— That's how you talk, my friend! Also, I saw a recipe on the internet on how to sleep like a bear. I'll pass it on to you later! Kazuki said with a mischievous smile
In the last few days, Judah's nightmares had grown more and more intense, reliving with cruel precision what had happened a decade ago... and, above all, what happened to him. It was as if fate mocked, forcing him to remember what he should never have witnessed. On that day, ten years ago, everything seemed normal. He played in the park with his father, until the sky, without warning, darkened in an unnatural way. That's when she saw it.
A figure shrouded in red light descended from the sky, crashing hard near a building in his neighborhood. That presence did not belong to this world, and deep down, Judah knew it. He had barely processed what he saw when another figure, this time tinged with a spectral gray, appeared at high speed, stopping in mid-air a few feet above the ground. The silence was overwhelming. The gray figure watched the crowd for a few moments that seemed eternal, before raising his hand to the sky. The air was filled with energy. Lightning erupted in all directions, and suddenly, a blinding white light enveloped everything, fading the memory around it.
— Right, Judah, shall we play later? – Kazuki mentioned.
— Ah? Of course, at the same time as before. Today we will pass that level.
— It's okay, well friend I'm going over here to my house. See you later.
— Sure, see you.
Kazuki hurriedly said goodbye, taking a detour, while Judah continued on to his home. Although he tried to focus on the road, his mind was still anchored in the nightmares that had returned without warning, reliving the events of ten years ago. For a long time, those memories had remained silent, but now they came back to haunt him every night. Despite the discomfort, she decided not to let herself be consumed by those images. Instead, an idea crossed his mind. Maybe it was because he lived on an island near the sea, or maybe because of the beauty of the sunsets that the region offered, but he thought that nothing would relax him more than a visit to the viewpoint.
He veered off the road to his home, and headed toward the lookout a few blocks away. There was a belief on the island: if you were worried, you should go there and let the sea breeze wash away your concerns. Obeying that tradition, he arrived at the viewpoint, almost deserted at that hour. Some people walked with their pets, but the place was quiet, ideal for clearing your mind.
Judah approached the railing, where the view of the ocean stretched majestically before him. The sunset tinged the sky with warm tones, and below, the road snaked along the cliff, about five meters below. However, what really struck him was not the landscape. Just a few steps away, there was someone else. An athletic figure, with long snow-white hair, which contrasted with her soft and delicate skin. Her face was so captivating that any boy would be speechless at the sight of her. Judah was no exception.
— Isn't she Setsuna Yukishiro? I didn't think she has problems too – he thought.
Setsuna Yukishiro, the smartest and most admired girl at Saint John's School. A real celebrity among the third year, and the future prodigy of Pearl Island. The rumors about her were endless, and her powerful and wealthy family belonged to a faction of OASIS, one of the most influential organizations in the area. Judah looked at her, dumbfounded, until suddenly he shook his head, looking away. He looked back at the sea, trying to concentrate, but the image of Setsuna was still beating in his mind.
— Come on, a girl like that would never notice me, I'm just a normal guy – he thought.
However, his desire to continue looking at her, left him trapped by a beauty so dazzling that it seemed impossible to look away. At that moment, the girl noticed the boy's gaze and turned her head to see who was watching her, realizing that it was Judah with his face a little red with shame hiding it. She approached him and full of innocence asked him.
— Hello, are you Judah Saito, from room 3-B?
— ....
He didn't expect her to recognize him. After all, Judah was an ordinary boy who didn't stand out too much in his classroom. But he instantly remembered that, in addition to being incredibly popular, she was the president of the student council. Perhaps it was normal for him to know the names of the students, even the most discreet ones. After a brief silence, he finally replied:
— Yes, I'm sorry... I think I made you a little uncomfortable doing that.
— "Don't worry," she replied with a slight smile. I thought you wanted to ask me something, since you were looking at me.
— Haha, no, I was just a little surprised, nothing more
— Surprised? she said, raising an eyebrow. And why would you be surprised?
— Ah, well... I..." Judah hesitated, his voice reflecting nervousness.
Suddenly, he was speechless. An awkward silence began to grow between them as Judah desperately tried to think of something to say. I didn't want his behavior to be interpreted as inappropriate, but I also didn't want to draw a blank and look weird. Suddenly, something caught his attention and he saw an opportunity to keep the conversation going.
— I was surprised by your bracelet on your right hand... It seems to be the latest smartwatch model.
— Oh! "This," Setsuna said, raising her wrist to show him. Yes, more or less. It has a lot of cool features that it could teach you.
Setsuna commented to the nervous Judah about the functionalities while he did not pay attention to her explanation and could only concentrate on Setsuna's beauty. Lost in his thoughts, he tried to concentrate on the little that the girl explained to him, however, his effort was useless and the only thing he managed to do was to get dizzy between useless thoughts. At that moment she answered.
— And this is what it is for vital functions, although I don't use it very often... Maybe it will help me to exercise.
— Ah! How interesting — in a hesitant voice — I wish I had one for the exercises too.
— I have an old one," Setsuna said, in a relaxed voice, "Maybe I can lend it to you to help you."
After finishing his sentence, a brief silence settled between them. The sea breeze caressed the atmosphere, but it was Setsuna who broke it first.
— You know, you come to this place often, don't you? He said in a soft but inquisitive voice.
Judah cracked a small smile, recalling moments from his childhood.
— Well, when I was a kid I came a lot with my parents. But now... they don't have that much time anymore.
— "I understand," Setsuna replied, his tone slowing down, almost melancholy. In my house it is similar. There aren't many people I can talk to, and my parents... they are almost never there.
Judah couldn't help but be surprised. I had always thought that Setsuna radiated an aura of self-reliance, a girl who, despite her popularity, seemed unattainable and lonely by choice. However, the reality was quite the opposite. Despite being the center of attention at school, his personal life was much emptier than any student, including him, would have imagined. At the time, Judah just wanted to prolong the conversation, hoping he could connect with her better.
But before I could say anything else, a high-pitched sound broke the moment: the notification from Setsuna's smartwatch. The expression on the girl's face instantly changed from gentle to serious.
— Sorry, Judah. "Maybe we can talk another time," he said in a firm voice. I have to go.
— Don't worry. "If you have to go, go ahead," Judah replied, trying to keep his tone calm. See you another day.
Setsuna smiled fleetingly at him before quickly walking away. Judah raised his hand in farewell, smiling back, though he couldn't help but feel a slight discomfort as he watched him leave. His interaction with the girls in his class had never been as natural as it had been today, and he didn't want it to end so soon.
Once Setsuna disappeared from his sight, Judah lowered his hand slowly. He stayed a while longer at the viewpoint, contemplating the ocean and the sky dyed in warm colors. He let time pass as twilight enveloped the island. Finally, when the sun had almost completely set, he decided it was time to return home, satisfied that he had had at least a little respite on such an ordinary day. However, that normal day he had was going to change drastically from one moment to the next.
Suddenly, a cutting sound, as if a blade was tearing flesh, echoed through the air. At Judah's sight, the sky tore right above the lookout, leaving in its wake a small crack that seemed to open up in reality itself. Judah couldn't believe what he was seeing, and before he could react, a deafening rumble shook the earth. The few people who still roamed the streets hurried to hide, but he remained motionless, paralyzed. That crack dragged him into a grim memory, a flashback to what he had witnessed years ago in his neighborhood park, leaving him in shock.
From the crack emerged a figure bathed in intense blue light, hurtling down toward where Judah was standing. He barely had time to process what was happening before the figure hit the ground, causing a small explosion that destroyed the observation deck in the blink of an eye. Judah was thrown into the air due to the impact, but miraculously, he was barely damaged.
— Where am I? What happened to the place? he murmured, stunned.
The beautiful scenery he had once admired had been transformed into chaos. In the center of the small square, a deep crater replaced what was once his refuge of tranquility. Judah, still recovering from the blow, looked from where he was at the hole and what he saw took his breath away. In the middle of the rubble was a girl. He wore strange, youthful armor with a powerful air. His purple hair fluttered in the breeze, and his crimson, furious gaze was fixed on the sky.
Judah, full of curiosity, looked up. What he saw left him perplexed: a squadron of figures flying over the place, all of them equipped with metal armor and pointing their weapons at the girl. It was an unreal vision, something out of a nightmare or a delusional dream.
— I told them to leave me alone! The girl shouted, her voice echoing with a mixture of anger and determination.
Judah couldn't believe what he was witnessing. With a racing pulse, he noticed something unsettling: the logo on the squad's armor belonged to OASIS. At that moment, he understood everything. He was in the middle of a battle, a confrontation that had turned his most nostalgic place into a field of destruction and chaos. What until a few minutes ago was a sanctuary for young people, was now nothing more than a ruin about to be devoured by violence.