January first. The start of an era and no one knew.

The news of a surge in schizophrenia cases could be heard on his TV. All patients described the same strange mental image across the world, perfect to the minute details. When asked to draw what they see, their clarity couldn't be dismissed.

The news churned out more stories, this time adding eternal sleep cases to the schizophrenics.

A week later and the eternal sleep is connected to the Message, the name given by the schizophrenics to the image they all described. All sleep cases coincided with the Message, as if the latter was a warning.

Most who slept with it died.

Another week and it was the 15th. The Message was translating itself. One in ten people were reported with seeing it. Countless died every day.

People spewed accusations that the sinners will burn and the end is nigh. Religious figures rose and the masses repented while governments struggled to keep their grip. Employees never showed up unless they were desperate to get their minds off their loved ones destined to die in their slumber. Melancholy surrounded the Earth like space.

The 20th. A woman woke up. The woman was taken by authorities and never heard from again.

He pondered and left for school all the same.

Everyone returned to normal. The end was no longer nigh, nor was religious appeal widespread.

The Message was still translating itself in every language. The 25th came and it was complete. He still hardly thought of it, his life was too comfortable to think of anything bad happening to him.

More woke up. Practically every government had someone who did. Secrets of what happened surfaced. The Anointed, they were called. They received an Inscription. Their Trial had been conquered and they... they received powers.

He was shaken. He'd never thought such a thing could ever be real. His belief remained in reality while his mind wandered through possibilities.

World powers absorbed neighbors. Humanity had a common enemy and smaller countries stood no chance if anything were to happen, human or supernatural. His country almost tripled in size.

A beast appeared in Australia. The Anointed called it a fiend. It wiped out a few small towns until the military was called. It was disposed.

Fiends arose, inflicted heavy casualties, and were killed. He no longer felt safe.

Anointed revealed to the public that these fiends were in their Trials. They were given powers to defeat such creatures. The once called schizophrenics were no longer doubted by anyone. There words were law and their power extraordinary. Everything physical about them improved after the Trial. With their abilities, called Inscriptions, they were feared.

March first. 30% of the population saw the message now. As time went on, more was known about the Inscription and it's Trials, more woke up and less died. He avoided mention of this terrifying subject and learned as little as possible. Knowledge was a burden after all.

He couldn't avoid learning of the other world that the Anointed visited. A vast ocean with large archipelagos continually scattered. They all were on one island, creatively named the Island, and the world was also creatively named. The Archipelago Realm.

He didn't do much these days. Everything was now centered on the Anointed and their brilliant Inscriptions. Each continent was one country. Fiends appeared in states bordering his but none ever got too close for comfort. Not that there was comfort anymore.

The shock and worry he had about the state of his world waned. Life continued normally, why couldn't he? The Message still came to people but it made a preference. 16 to 20 years old. Healthy. No major deformations or disabilities. Of course, with it's balancing, it could give or take such things from Anointed. One such case was an Anointed who, due to the Balance, had her depth perception taken away. Doctors failed to fix anything.

Many Anointed died in the Archipelago Realm. Seafaring, monsters, survival needs. Other Anointed. Such things wouldn't be as much of a problem if anything could be brought with them. Instead, Anointed were abducted to the Archipelago Realm with nothing but there Inscription. They couldn't even leave when they wanted to.

April 7th. About 40% of Earth's population were shown the Message. It's speed of spreading slowed dramatically.

Valen was shocked when he saw it. He thought he was safe.

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Good premise? First time writing, tips/encouragement appreciated!