In the vast expanse of the Milky Way galaxy, where countless civilizations thrived and fell, an unremarkable planet orbited a yellow star. Its inhabitants called it Terra. To its people, life was mundane, ruled by their limited understanding of the universe. But in the depths of the galaxy, a great change was stirring—one that would reach even this remote world.
Beneath the quiet night sky, Ethan Ryn, a young man in his early twenties, stared at the heavens from the rooftop of his modest home. His life was ordinary: a part-time student, part-time delivery worker, and full-time dreamer. He had always been fascinated by the stars, drawn to them as if by an invisible force.
That night, however, something was different. The sky seemed brighter, the stars closer. As he gazed, a sudden streak of light tore through the darkness. It wasn't just any shooting star; it was alive with energy, radiating colors Ethan had never seen before. It hurtled toward the nearby forest.
Without thinking, Ethan grabbed his jacket and bolted toward the woods. His heart pounded with excitement and fear as he approached the crash site. The air was electric, buzzing with a strange hum that resonated deep within his chest. Every step he took seemed to draw him closer to a destiny he could not yet comprehend.
In the center of the scorched clearing lay a crystalline sphere, pulsating with a soft blue glow. It was no bigger than a basketball, but its presence was overwhelming. As Ethan stepped closer, it spoke directly to his mind.
"You have been chosen."
The voice was neither male nor female, neither kind nor harsh. It was simply there, an undeniable force of will. Before Ethan could react, the sphere shattered into countless shards of light, which surged into his body. Pain and ecstasy wracked him as his senses expanded beyond comprehension. He could feel the fabric of space and time, the pulsing life of the planet, and the distant echoes of cosmic entities far beyond human understanding.
And then, everything went black.
Ethan awoke to a blinding light. Slowly, his senses returned. He was lying on the forest floor, surrounded by scorched earth and glowing embers. The crystalline sphere was gone. Instead, a faint, pulsating energy thrummed in his chest, like a second heartbeat.
"What… happened?" Ethan murmured, sitting up and clutching his head. The world around him seemed sharper, more vibrant. Colors were brighter, sounds clearer. He could hear the faint rustle of leaves far away, sense the subtle vibrations of life teeming in the forest.
His mind raced, trying to piece together the events of the night. He staggered to his feet, noticing for the first time that his body felt different. Stronger, lighter, as though he could leap into the sky with a single bound. As he flexed his fingers, a faint glow emanated from his hands. He could feel raw energy coursing through him, like a river of light ready to burst forth.
"I've… changed," he realized, his voice trembling. "But why? And for what purpose?"
As Ethan stumbled out of the forest and back toward his home, the sky above seemed to shimmer unnaturally. He paused at the edge of the trees, glancing upward. The constellations, once familiar and comforting, now seemed alien and foreboding. For a moment, he thought he could hear whispers in the wind—a distant, cosmic murmur that sent shivers down his spine.
By the time he reached the small, two-story house he called home, the first hints of dawn were breaking over the horizon. The soft golden light washed over the quiet suburban street, a stark contrast to the chaos Ethan had just experienced. He entered through the back door, careful not to wake his younger sister, Mia, who was still asleep upstairs.
Collapsing onto the couch, Ethan stared at his trembling hands. The faint glow was gone, but the sensation of power remained, coiled deep within him. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched—not by his neighbors or anyone nearby, but by something far greater. Something that existed beyond the bounds of his understanding.
Ethan's unease only grew over the next few days. The changes in his body were undeniable. He could move faster, react quicker, and lift objects that should have been beyond his strength. His senses were heightened to an almost unbearable degree; he could hear conversations through walls, see the minute details of distant objects, and feel the vibrations of the earth beneath his feet.
He kept these changes to himself, unsure of how to explain them to anyone. But the strange occurrences didn't stop. At night, he dreamed of vast, alien landscapes: planets with towering crystal spires, swirling nebulas that pulsed with life, and colossal beings that defied description. These visions were vivid, more real than any dream he had ever experienced.
One night, as he lay in bed, the pulsating energy in his chest flared to life. A sudden surge of light filled the room, and Ethan found himself standing in a void. The darkness stretched infinitely in all directions, punctuated by faint pinpricks of light—stars, galaxies, entire universes. Before him stood a figure made entirely of shimmering energy.
"Ethan Ryn," the figure intoned. Its voice echoed with a resonance that shook him to his core. "You are the bearer of the Primordial Shard, a fragment of the Cosmic Core. It is both a gift and a burden, for with it comes great responsibility."
"Who are you?" Ethan asked, his voice trembling. "What is the Cosmic Core? Why me?"
The figure's light dimmed slightly, as if in contemplation. "I am a remnant of the Core's consciousness, tasked with guiding its chosen. The Core is the source of all creation and destruction, the balance that maintains the universe. The Shard within you is a piece of its power, and it has chosen you as its vessel."
Ethan's mind reeled. None of this made sense. He was just an ordinary guy—a nobody. Why would something so immense and powerful choose him?
"I don't understand," he admitted. "Why me? I'm not special. I'm not… capable of handling something like this."
The figure's light flared again, filling the void with warmth. "You underestimate yourself, Ethan Ryn. The Shard sees potential within you—a strength that even you are unaware of. But be warned: the path ahead is fraught with peril. Others will seek the Shard's power, and the choices you make will shape the fate of countless worlds."
Before Ethan could respond, the void began to collapse, the stars and galaxies spiraling inward. The figure's voice echoed one final time as everything faded to black.
"Embrace your destiny, or be consumed by it."