Rain poured relentlessly, each drop striking Ian Carter's hoodie like tiny bullets. He tugged the fabric tighter around himself as he stood at the crosswalk, watching the traffic light refuse to change. Cars sped by, their headlights blurring in the downpour, and the chill of the evening seeped into his bones.
He glanced at his phone. 8:37 PM. He was late again for his shift at the convenience store. Not that it mattered. His boss, a grumpy old man named Mr. Harris, had stopped hiding his disdain for Ian weeks ago.
"Just one more day," Ian muttered, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. "One more shift, one more bill, one more…"
The screech of tires tore through the night like a scream.
Ian turned instinctively, and time seemed to slow. A delivery truck skidded on the slick pavement, veering out of control. Headlights blazed like twin suns, bearing down on him. His breath caught in his throat, and his legs froze.
In that moment, Ian thought of everything and nothing. The unpaid rent. The textbooks he couldn't afford. The parents who had long stopped calling.
And then the impact came.
Or it should have.
Instead, Ian felt himself falling—not backward, not forward, but downward into an infinite void. The world around him dissolved into darkness, the city lights and rain replaced by silence and emptiness.
---
Ian's eyes blinked open, but he wasn't lying on cold asphalt. Instead, he floated in an endless expanse of black, speckled with shimmering lights. Stars. They stretched infinitely in every direction, like he was adrift in the cosmos.
"What… is this?" he whispered, his voice echoing unnaturally.
"You have been chosen."
Ian spun around, searching for the source of the voice. It was deep, resonant, and everywhere at once. Yet the void remained empty.
"Who's there?" he called, his voice shaking.
A figure began to materialize from the darkness. It was both blindingly radiant and deeply shadowed, a being that seemed to defy form. Its shape shifted constantly—one moment human, the next something otherworldly.
"I am a god," it said, its voice like a symphony of whispers. "Or what remains of one."
Ian took a step back, his breath quickening. "This… this is a dream," he stammered. "I got hit by that truck, and now I'm—"
"You are not dreaming." The being's voice cut through Ian's panic like a blade. "You are standing at the crossroads of life and death, mortal. And you have been chosen to inherit my legacy."
"What legacy?" Ian demanded, his fear giving way to anger. "I didn't ask for this!"
The being raised a hand, and suddenly, Ian's mind was flooded with visions. Battles between celestial beings that shook the very fabric of existence. Thrones shattered into dust. A glowing, intricate system that pulsed with power, yet seemed to chain its users in invisible binds.
"You will inherit my System," the being said, its tone grave. "A gift and a curse. Through it, you will gain power beyond imagination. But you will also inherit my enemies. They will come for you, and they will not stop until you are destroyed."
Ian clutched his head as the visions burned into his mind. He saw himself standing against towering monsters, wielding weapons he couldn't recognize. He saw cities crumbling, lives extinguished, and a void that seemed to consume everything.
"Why me?" Ian gasped, falling to his knees. "I'm nobody. I'm not strong or brave or... anything!"
The being began to dissolve, its form scattering into particles of light. "There is no time for doubt, Ian Carter. Survive, rise, and claim your place among the stars. Or perish like the rest."
Before Ian could respond, the void collapsed around him.
---
When he awoke, the air was warm, damp, and filled with the sounds of rustling leaves. Ian sat up slowly, his head pounding. He was no longer in the void but in a dense, ancient forest. Towering trees loomed over him, their branches entwined to form a near-impenetrable canopy.
"What the hell is this place?" Ian muttered, staggering to his feet.
A soft chime broke the silence. He turned, startled, as a glowing screen materialized in front of him. It was semi-transparent, hovering mid-air, and its golden letters pulsed faintly.
Welcome, Chosen.
Initializing System...
The words flickered for a moment before being replaced by a new screen:
> Name: Ian Carter
Level: 1
Class: None
Abilities: Locked
"What… is this?" Ian whispered, reaching out instinctively to touch the screen. His fingers passed through it like mist.
Another line of text appeared at the bottom of the screen:
First Quest: Survive.
Ian's breath caught as the sounds of movement reached his ears. Footsteps—heavy and deliberate—echoed through the trees. He turned, his heart racing, as a shadow emerged from the underbrush.
The creature was massive, easily twice his height, with glowing red eyes and jagged claws. Its guttural growl sent a chill down Ian's spine.
The screen flashed again:
Warning: Threat Detected. Combat Initiated.
Ian took a shaky step back, his mind racing. "I don't have any weapons! I don't even know how to fight!"
The creature lunged, and Ian did the only thing he could think of—he ran.