In the dark night of Omand , A city in a country called Polas an almost identical planet to earth, but in a relatively different dimension. A high school girl slipped into her apartment, the door closing softly behind her. She moved silently across the floor, the only sound the whisper of her footsteps on the carpet, and collapsed onto the couch, leaving the room shrouded in darkness. Elena, lost in thought, replayed her aunt's words in her mind. Tears welled in her large eyes, silently tracing paths down her cheeks. The apartment, a temporary haven provided by her aunt who lived overseas, felt suddenly cold and isolating despite its familiar comfort.
Unlike her brilliant and academically gifted older sister, currently thriving on a scholarship, Elena was just an average student at Kings and Queens International School. She commuted daily from her aunt's apartment, a stark contrast to her sister's more privileged boarding school life. Elena's mother, Naomi, couldn't afford the boarding fees at Kings and Queens International; the hostels and dormitories reserved for wealthier students were simply out of reach. The financial strain was a constant presence in their lives. Elena's joy was unrestrained, a tidal wave of relief and gratitude, when her Aunt Vero offered her a luxurious apartment near Kings and Queens International. The offer felt like a miracle, a solution to a problem that had loomed large over her life.
Unfortunately, a dark cloud hung over Elena's good fortune. Her aunt's property manager, a lecherous old man, seemed determined to poison Vero's opinion of her. His pronouncements were delivered with a sickening regularity: "Vero," he'd drone, his voice dripping with insinuation, "that girl, Elena... she brings bad luck."
"Have you forgotten how your brother disappeared the day Elena was born?" he'd whisper, his words laced with venom. "And don't forget about your mother—Grandma—she died that same day. Coincidence? I think not."
Aunt Vero's announcement—that the building needed renovations and Elena would have to leave her apartment for a month—shattered Naomi. The news, delivered with the best of intentions, was a devastating blow. All day, she wept, the weight of her powerlessness pressing down on her; she had no money to provide for her daughter during this upheaval.
Naomi, a single mother and factory worker, single-handedly raised Elena and three other children she'd adopted years ago. The weight of providing for her four children rested solely on her shoulders, a burden she bore with quiet strength and unwavering love.
The looming prospect of leaving her apartment filled Elena with a gnawing fear and frustration, a heavy weight settling in her chest, making her heart ache with a mix of anxiety and dread. Elena sat up on the couch, the darkness of the room mirroring the gloom in her heart. Taking a deep breath, she shook her head, trying to push aside her worries. Then, pulling out her phone, she checked her savings account—the fruits of years of after-school work at the local cafe. Elena stared at her phone, her fingers tracing the digits of her savings. A wave of despair washed over her as the stark reality sunk in: the money she'd meticulously saved from her after-school job wouldn't be nearly enough to rent even a modest apartment for a month.
Throughout the evening, Elena drifted through a sea of online loan applications, clicking from site to site, desperately seeking a solution to her housing crisis. She knew, deep down, that it was a futile exercise—she was underage, her applications would be rejected—but the act of searching, of hoping, offered a small measure of comfort against the overwhelming despair.
Polas, Elena's home, was an island of peace and stability in a world often marred by chaos. Despite being located on Amaca, the fourth poorest continent of the nine that comprised their world, Polas boasted a remarkably well-governed society and a relatively high standard of living, a testament to its effective leadership and resilient people. Amaca, ironically, suffered not from scarcity, but from an abundance of natural resources—a wealth that had attracted the relentless greed of foreign powers, turning the continent into a war-torn landscape. Yet, amidst the turmoil of Amaca, Polas thrived, a beacon of stability and prosperity, home to thousands of loan companies that catered to its citizens' diverse financial needs.
To her astonishment, Elena's loan application was approved. The website prompted her to enter the desired loan amount. Ultimate Life, a global financial institution specializing in loans and credit cards, offered a lifeline in the form of a digital application. A wave of joy and relief washed over Elena. The approval of her loan meant peace of mind, and, more importantly, the realization of her dream: spending vacations with her family in their apartment, a dream that had seemed so distant only moments before.
Overwhelmed with delight, Elena navigated the loan process, a wide smile plastered across her face. In a moment of childish exuberance and playful mischief, she entered a loan amount that made her heart leap: ten billion gold notes. Yes, gold notes. A global financial restructuring fifty years ago standardized currency worldwide, encompassing bronze coins, silver coins, silver notes, gold notes, and the extremely rare diamond notes.
To Elena's utter shock, the ten billion gold notes were approved and instantly transferred to her student account. Eyes wide, mouth agape, she pinched her cheeks, then slapped her face. The sting of the pain confirmed it—this wasn't a dream.
"What the heck just happened?" she whispered, more to herself than to anyone else.
"No, this isn't real, right?" The words tumbled out in a rush, a frantic attempt to deny the impossible reality, barely audible even to her own ears.
Unfortunately for Ultimate Life World Bank, before they could rectify the error and reclaim the ten billion gold notes from the unsuspecting Elena, a global emergency was announced, plunging their systems into an immediate and complete shutdown.
Meanwhile, in Elena's room, her face was buried in her laptop, her arms supporting her cheeks as she stared at the screen, a mixture of bewilderment and dawning comprehension—or perhaps just plain confusion—etched on her features. A funny, almost comical expression played on her lips as she struggled to process the impossible events that had just transpired. Suddenly, alerts flooded her laptop and phone screens. Clicking "read" out of habit, Elena began to absorb the alarming messages:
"Unknown energy approaching planet at light speed."
"Energy impacting network systems and all energy sources prior to planetary impact."
"Citizens of Polas: exercise extreme caution."