His name is Joshua, and he holds a solitary belief. Humanity was weak.

The massive three-horned beast burst through the barn interior with the mass of a rampaging hippo. Everyone nicknamed them Raging Bulls.

These used to be normal bulls until The Fall injected mana into our ecosystem. Now what was once a simple animal for breeding, is an insanely territorial monster with three horns.

The creature broke into the food storage area of the camp, and he needed to get his head on straight before the final battle. A little warm-up was just what he needed before the final Wave.

It was time to practice something he’d been working on for a few weeks.

As the beast barreled towards Joshua at breakneck speed, head down prepared to gore him, he held his strike. He stood in an unmoving stance with his shield on his left, prepared to intercept the blow.

His right held Legion at the ready, parallel to the ground.

Some missed the old world and its conveniences; Joshua Williams wasn’t one of those people. He had fought in skirmishes and wars for his country. As an Army Ranger, he had helped save his country on numerous occasions.

After his last tour, he found a stash of gold bars with the weapons he was sent to retrieve. It was completely unaccounted for funds.

The squad begged him to share it amongst them all and keep it a secret from the top brass. Instead he did the right thing and reported the money along with the cache of weaponry.

Two weeks later one of his mates wife left the poor soldier. She said she never saw him and he barely sent enough home to pay the mortgage. She took his kids and left, throwing him into a spiral of depression before taking his own life.

A couple of weeks after that, another member was denied leave for a mission. His mother passed away while we fought in a small village in South America against a drug cartel.

Because he was radio dark, he never knew. He never got to say goodbye to the most important person in his life. They had to bury her in a cheap casket.

What happened to the gold? A politician saw that it would be a good gift to the local regime implanted within the region. Our country put the original leader’s second in command in charge. Essentially using our soldier’s lives as the foundation of a new American regime. That second in command now lives in a castle. While his men were left with nothing but pain.

Planting his feet as the 600-pound behemoth slammed into him with enough force to overturn a bus, sent him sliding back through the mud 4 feet into a concrete wall as spiderweb cracks expand from his impact zone.

Aegis [Sacred Shield] -Gifted

A Tower shield blessed with interwoven mana barrier absorption runes and reinforced by angelic white oak frame.

Passive Aura: Stoicism: Instills mental clarity, emotional discipline, and physical stability during combat engagement while equipped. Bolsters fortitude and composure when stakes escalate.

From the other side of Aegis, he could feel the heated breadth of the monstrosity. Joshua activated his skill while using Aegis, and the world shifted into motion.

Force Reversal

Temporarily establishes a defensive aura allowing wielder to absorb and redirect kinetic damage from physical blows or harmful magical impacts. Effectiveness tied to strength of recipient shielding or defensive equipment.

Humans have always been a weak species, with our pointless wars over abundant resources. He thought it was because they’d let generational greed fester and grow. Meanwhile the warriors, who’ve fought and died in their wars were only left with scraps. He knew that they needed a strong hand with a trusted back to follow. He saw no one else stepping up to the plate.

“After this last wave everything changes.” he muttered to himself and shifted his stance slightly to favor his right arm.

There was no doubt he would have the highest chance of gaining the wish at the end of this last wave. With the brief pause in pressure as he finished absorbing the force of the beast, he activated Force Reversal. It was time to act.

Legion [Legendary Sword] -Gifted

Signature Ability: Purifying Lightning Arc Conducts heavenly wrath electricity through conductive blade. Allows for more precise Force control.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

He moved swiftly and decisively.

There was a howl in the air. The activation of the skill and a feeling of pure force signaled it was time to use the stolen momentum of the Raging Bull. Lightning began coursing along the blade, like vines on a tree. Legion sent pulses into his hand to let me know it was time and he let it guide his timing for the strike. The stolen momentum allowed him to reposte the beast, knocking its gravity off for the briefest of moments. Those precious seconds were all that he needed. During his time within the skill, time slowed as he focused intently on his target. He pierced its eye with a squelching sound.

That’s when the lightning struck from Legion. Channeling through his body with his feet grounded, the energy wreaked havoc on its nervous system. When it hit the Bull’s brain, the beast’s life ended instantly. He pushed Legion deeper until the beast crumpled to the ground, crushed by its own weight. It was done.

“Seems my new technique worked out.” he said aloud as the lightning fizzled. He casually slung the gore from Legion and sheathed it. He stored Aegis on his back before turning to face his, not so little, brother Micah.

“Of course it worked. Combat application is what you excel in, brother.” said the large man.

Micah Williams was the very definition of a gentle giant. Standing six-foot seven and weighing 270 pounds, before The Fall, he was a mountain of a man. He leaned casually against a tree with a book in hand and a smile on his face. Resting against the trunk of the tree sat his companion, a massive hammer William had fashioned for him from concrete and rebar. In sheer strength alone, Micah easily rested above everyone else. He tended to cede to his brother’s judgement most of the time, causing more problems than solving them within the camp.

“Do you think we can win, brother? I don’t feel confident in our chances. We’ve barely any capable fighters left after the Acid Slimes of the 7th wave.” said Micah closing his book and shifting his gaze upwards.

“Micah, we will win this because we have no other option. I understand your frustrations, but what does fear help us with? How does it feed our bellies? Do you know what fear is in this new world brother?”

Joshua stared into his younger brother’s eyes and placed his hands on his shoulders.

“Death.”

“I must believe that to keep going.” said Joshua while gazing out at what used to be a normal farm.

“We’ll win this wave and with the wish granted, I’ll be able to make myself strong enough to protect us all. Can’t you see it, Micah!”

Micah listened and watched his brother. Joshua shook his brother’s shoulders in the hopes that he understood.

“Listen, I know it sounds like I’ve lost it, but open your eyes man. There’s no one else! No one is coming to our rescue.” said Joshua.

“The age of the politician and the priest has ended. Now Humanity needs strength above anything else.” He closed his fist tightly.

“Give me another option…” he said staring his little brother directly in his brown eyes. “Please.”

“I have none, J.” Micah said with a resigned sigh while shaking his head.

“No one has any reference for what’s happened to our world. You’re my big brother and I love you. You’ve done nothing but give everything, repeatedly! I’m glad to follow your lead.” Micah walked towards Joshua with his arms held wide in a hugging motion, disarming the man.

“I’ll win this.” Joshua said within his brother’s embrace.

“I know bro. We all know.” Micah said assuredly. “Besides you can’t let Threads show you up at the last minute.” said Micah with a devilish grin. He picked up his massive hammer and slung her into the harness on his back.

“Now why did you have to go and ruin a perfectly good moment with the mention of that parasite?” Joshua said, knowing the jab for what it was. “I will never understand why the strongest of our people give that useless relic so much respect. It should be reserved for the best of us!” he said, feeling his blood starting to heat.

“Come on bro, there’s got to be a better reason than that for how you treat the guy. We’ve all fought together to survive for all this time. I can’t think of a single thing he’s said that makes you hate him so much.” he said shaking his head perplexedly.

“I see he’s even caught you in his web of lies. Everything he says seems to drip with multiple layers. It gives me the same feeling of every politician that signed the death warrants of a lot of good soldiers.” he said with disdain.

“He barely says anything man, he just makes sure whoever needs help gets it around the camp. From what I’ve heard from Xavier, his dad was never chatty.” Micah said bringing up his old friend with a sorrowful expression.

Joshua could see his brother’s pain at losing Xavier, but the person he had become afterwards was much more useful to him.

“I never had a problem with his children, and I miss Aurora more than anyone knows. The memory of her death still haunts me, however we’re at war with monsters outside our doors while we sleep. What we need is an effective fighting force under one command with only one voice. Instead he holds as much power as I do with none of his blood spilt.” Joshua raged. “As a matter of fact, if it hadn’t been for her looking out for him, she’d still be…”

“No!” Micah said forcefully. “Not that J, not today!” he took a deep breath. “Let’s get moving brother, we need to rest up.”

“Midnight is fast approaching and I’d like a belly full of steak prepared by Aunt Viv if it’s to be my last meal. The woman can make a rat taste like fine cuisine.” Micah started walking towards camp dragging the behemoth, one-handed, through the mud.

In this world, whenever your level and skills rise it’s not just your stats that change. Your body had to become acclimated to that power. Micah’s toughness had reached such a level that Joshua wasn’t sure if he would’ve felt the impact from the Raging Bull, to be honest.

Joshua watched his brother walk into the distance while inwardly composing himself. Alone with his thoughts, he knew very well how they viewed his resentment towards Threads and his family. The world had changed, and he didn’t understand why they kept doing the same things over and over expecting a different result. He’d been over this in every way he could understand. Humanity’s leaders had failed everyone. If our Gods even existed, they had abandoned us. We’d been left alone with no one to call for help.

“Crying never saved a soldier stuck in the middle of the jungle. I’ll never feel that helpless again and I won’t let my people feel it either.” he said as he recalled the fires and smoke from the great plumes of oil that sought to steal the life from his lungs.

He had clawed his way out of that, and no one would ever take his choices away from him again.

“Never again.” he said, while following his brother. He recalled the day his life changed and the chance meeting with a possible God had changed the course of his life. She had gifted him Aegis and Legion and he would use them to lead Humanity to the next stage.

Under his rule, everything would change.