The streets of Greenhaven buzzed with life as the weekend market filled with chatter, laughter, and the occasional bark of a street vendor hawking cheap goods. Ezra Kane weaved through the crowd, balancing a paper bag of groceries in one hand and a tattered engineering textbook in the other. His hoodie’s worn edges flapped in the cool autumn breeze, reminding him he needed to replace it—if he ever had the money.
“Another day, another dollar short,” he muttered under his breath, sidestepping a runaway child chasing after a red balloon.
Ezra didn’t have time for existential musings; finals were coming, rent was overdue, and his part-time job barely covered his ramen addiction. Life was simple—brutally so.
But simplicity died that day.
A strange hum filled the air, starting low, barely audible over the market’s cacophony. Ezra stopped mid-step, frowning. It was a sound that vibrated in his chest, rattling his lungs. Around him, people paused, craning their necks. Birds erupted from the rooftops, flying away in chaotic patterns.
Then, the sky broke.
A jagged tear ripped across the heavens, glowing with an unnatural, swirling light. It wasn’t like anything Ezra had seen before. Aurora borealis? No, this was something else entirely—raw, cosmic chaos bleeding into reality.
“Is that... a portal?” someone whispered in awe.
Before Ezra could process it, notifications flashed before his eyes. Floating text, bright and ominous, hovered in the air.
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[SYSTEM INITIALIZING...]
Welcome to the Rift Nexus.
The Great Integration has begun. Adapt or perish.
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“What the hell?” Ezra muttered, his grocery bag slipping from his hand. Around him, people screamed as similar screens appeared in their vision. Some panicked, clawing at the air, as though trying to swat the words away.
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Your starting class has been chosen:
[Rune Crafter - Unique Path]
Beginner Perk: Forge of Transcendence unlocked.
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“Rune Crafter? What does that even mean?” Ezra asked aloud, the text offering no answer. A second later, the words faded, replaced by a new notification:
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WARNING: Rift Beasts detected. Prepare for combat.
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A monstrous roar echoed from the Rift, shaking the earth. Ezra stumbled, catching himself against a parked car. The tear in the sky widened, and dark shapes spilled forth—hulking creatures with glowing eyes and twisted limbs.
“Run!” someone shouted, snapping Ezra out of his daze. The crowd scattered, people trampling each other in their desperation to flee.
Ezra hesitated. A child stood frozen in the chaos, clutching her red balloon, her wide eyes fixed on a hulking beast that lumbered toward her. The creature was twice the size of a bear, its claws dragging against the pavement, leaving molten scars.
“Move, kid!” Ezra yelled, sprinting toward her. She didn’t budge, paralyzed with fear.
The beast lunged.
Without thinking, Ezra dove, grabbing the child and rolling out of the way. He barely avoided the swipe of razor-sharp claws that tore through the concrete where they’d just been standing.
“Go! Run to your mom!” he urged, pushing the girl toward a crying woman nearby.
Before Ezra could follow, the beast turned to him, its glowing eyes locking onto its new prey.
“Oh, crap.”
A surge of heat coursed through Ezra’s chest, and suddenly, another notification appeared:
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[Forge of Transcendence Activated.]
Crafting Mode Unlocked.
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In the chaos, glowing lines formed in front of him, outlining a simple object—a spear. He didn’t know how, but instinctively, he reached out, tracing the glowing patterns with his fingers. Each touch sent energy coursing through him, and the lines solidified.
In seconds, the spear materialized in his hands, shimmering with an otherworldly light.
“Okay, that’s new,” Ezra muttered, tightening his grip.
The beast roared and charged. Ezra braced himself, adrenaline overriding his fear. With a shout, he thrust the spear forward, meeting the creature’s charge head-on.
The weapon pierced its molten hide, erupting in a burst of energy that sent the beast skidding backward. Ezra stumbled, shocked at his own strength.
“Not bad,” he said, panting. “But I think I liked grocery shopping better.”
Around him, more beasts descended from the Rift, their howls filling the air. Ezra tightened his grip on the spear, a strange calm settling over him.
This wasn’t over. It had just begun.
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To be continued...