The stars were the first to fall.
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It began as an ordinary night in carven, a sprawling metropolis known for its technological marvels. The city buzzed with energy, neon lights dancing off sleek skyscrapers, casting a colorful glow over the bustling streets. Children played in parks, oblivious to the cosmic disturbances unfolding above them.
Then, at exactly 11:47 PM, the stars started to vanish.
One by one, they dimmed and disappeared, as if something unseen was extinguishing them. The city's citizens barely noticed at first, their lives unfolding in their usual rhythms. But soon, a frantic broadcast interrupted every channel:
"An unprecedented celestial event is underway... Astronomers are at a loss to explain the disappearance of entire star systems—"
The announcement was cut off by a deep tremor, a pulse that ran through the earth like the heartbeat of a giant.
Buildings swayed, car alarms blared, and panic spread across the streets. The ground cracked open, and from the gaping fissures, a sickly purple light surged forth, pulsing as if alive.
"Run!" a voice screamed, its terror swallowed by the chaos.
But there was nowhere to run.
The first of the creatures emerged—huge, reptilian, and terrifying. Its spiked back shimmered in the unnatural glow as it roared, sending glass shattering and people scattering in every direction. With a single swipe of its tail, it obliterated an entire city block, leaving devastation in its wake.
---
Chaos in the Streets
As the monsters multiplied, panic turned to pandemonium. The streets became a blur of fleeing bodies, people tripping over debris as they tried to escape the oncoming horrors.
A father clutched his daughter's hand, her voice trembling as she asked, "Daddy, where's Mommy?"
The father's face twisted in agony, but he forced a smile. "She's at home. We'll find her, sweetie. Just keep running!" he lied, knowing full well that their home had already been destroyed.
Elsewhere, a young couple huddled beneath the wreckage of a bus. The woman, her leg bleeding heavily, whispered, "Leave me. You can still make it."
"No," her partner responded firmly, his voice breaking. "We leave together, or we don't leave at all."
Above them, the sky itself cracked open, unleashing arcs of purple lightning. A voice, eerie and incomprehensible, echoed from the rifts above, a language that no human could understand, but which every soul could feel in their bones—a malicious whisper that sent a shiver down their spines.
Amidst the carnage, something strange began to happen.
Eli Ravencroft, an ordinary factory worker, found himself trapped in an alley, cornered by a vicious, wolf-like beast. Its glowing eyes fixed on him, hunger and malice burning in its gaze. The creature lunged, claws extended, and just as they scraped across his chest, time seemed to slow.
A voice, not his own, spoke inside his mind.
"Do you wish to live?"
Tears streamed down Eli's face as he screamed, "Yes!"
In that moment, a translucent window appeared before him, filled with strange symbols and words he didn't recognize. The window flashed, displaying his status.
[STATUS WINDOW ACTIVATED]
Name: Eli Ravencroft
Class: Unawakened
Potential Detected: Combat Type
Skill Unlocked: Flames of the End
Eli didn't understand what was happening, but his body moved instinctively. His hands, once empty, now flared with intense fire. With a cry, he thrust his palms forward, and a wave of flame engulfed the beast, reducing it to nothing but ash.
Panting, Eli stared at his charred hands, still trembling. "What...
However, not everyone was so fortunate. Those who didn't awaken were left vulnerable, unable to protect themselves from the relentless onslaught of beasts.
By dawn, small groups of the awakened had begun to form resistance pockets. Eli joined a ragtag group of survivors, who had awakened unknown powers, Among them was Clara, a former doctor, and Jaren, a seasoned soldier wielding a millitary-issued combact sword.
"We need to hold this line," Jaren ordered, gesturing to a makeshift barricade. "If we lose this spot, those people in the shelter won't stand a chance."
Eli nodded, though his hands trembled in fear. He had barely mastered his flames, and the sight of another massive beast approaching sent a chill through his spine.
"Eli," Clara said, resting a hand on his shoulder. "we don't know each other but if we die we die as humanity last stand . You can do this."
As the next wave of monsters approached, the group stood their ground. Though inexperienced and terrified, their newly awakened powers gave humanity a glimmer of hope, however faint. With each passing moment, Eli realized that this wasn't just a fight for survival—it was the beginning of a new chapter for mankind, one where power and destiny were no longer defined by the past.