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2. The tip of the spear

01/01/67

“ORIONNNNN WAKE UP!” Shouted Lyphiri, a young girl with long brown hair, running behind her desperately was another boy, Aeram, short with shoulder length golden hair. The two teenagers where running through the seemingly empty streets of Patras towards Orion’s small villa near the port, his parents had been transported to the first Arta almost 6 months ago, now he was left alone, what little government was left in this empty world providing for the orphaned children, all desperate to join their families in the first Arta.

Orion slowly got out of bed, grabbing his wooden spear and putting his clothes on and quickly walked outside to meet his friends.

“Morning Aeram” He said loudly whilst stretching.

“Uhh hello Orion??” Lyphiri shouted, waving her hands in front of his face,

“And hello Lyphiri, I am so happy to see you…” he said wistfully.

“Hi Orion!” Aeram murmured.

“Alright Lyph, let’s go see if we can find Atticus and get a job from him”

After a year of massive chunks of people disappearing to join the First Arta, governments around the world collapsed, they decided to focus on sharing food and looking after the newly orphaned children, hoping to rejoin their brethren within the First Arta. Atticus was a middle aged man, who worked as a shopkeeper before the so called “apocalypse” now what was left of the government hired him as a manager for a food shelter. The teenagers would help run the shelter acting as both bouncers and waiters to stop food being stolen. In return for extra food and a small part of his luxuries rations each week.The true issue with rationing was greed, even Atticus himself wasn’t immune to this. People never had enough food or commodities and so that's why 2 in shape teenagers, both having done some martial arts training, along with their slightly less athletic friend made a great deterrent against this.

As they walked past a giant black spike with a metallic sheen, the three stopped for a moment, reminiscing. The day all of their parents had been taken to the first Arta. A spike falls from the sky, with the momentum of a comet, yet it lands with no sound nor effect upon the world. People start screaming, running away in confusion, yet it does not matter, in an instant, everyone is pulled towards the spike as if it were a black hole, and eventually with a snap of sound they all disappear, leaving nothing but the terrifying spike that had started it all. After a year of such events, people began worshipping the spike, cults formed. They didn’t last long, nor did any group. When at random half of a group or faction was taken.

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The people left behind did not know where their parents, wives, siblings and children had gone. All they knew was the inevitable fact that they would join them. Whether the spikes killed their victims or not was a mystery to them.

Heading down the poorer, yet still empty, streets in Patras the three find their way to a large warehouse, filled with people milling about. The busiest part of the entire city. Walking up to it they are greeted by many of the people, clearly well known and liked by their fellows. Orion’s father was a well known politician and his mother owned many of the businesses in the city. Continuing their journey up towards the warehouse, time stops for a moment. In unison they hear a long whistle, as if a needle had been thrown. And as fate had decided to cut their string that day. A long black spike cuts into the centre of the street. And like a playwright's script, people recite their fated lines. Running, screaming and crying people attempt to escape the grasp of the blackened spike. But within an instant they are sucked in. Joining those who came before them in the new world.

System alert:

Welcome to the First Arta

System alert:

User has awakened

Element: Metal

System alert:

Item added to inventory

Item: Favour of the goddess