Limping through the wreckage, Will's steps echoed off the shattered stone and fallen buildings. His house lay in ruins before him, the grim mess of scorched timber and ash. The air was thick with the stench of burnt wood and something far worse.

As he navigated the debris, his breath caught as he spotted something familiar. A patch of scorched brown hair, similar to his own, caught his eye. His heart stopped, as cold chill ran through his bones and his gut twisted into knots. No… No, this can’t be happening, his mind screamed, though deep down he knew it was.

As the horror of the scene burned into his mind. He couldn’t help the vomit rising in his throat, his body convulsing as he threw up onto the blood covered ground. Next to his sister's lifeless form, he saw them. His parents, or what he assumed were their remains. They were barely recognizable, their bodies were mangled, crushed beneath broken pillars, bones twisted in unnatural angles.  Their faces…unrecognizable. The sight of torn flesh where a head should have been was too much to bear.

His legs gave out beneath him. “Fuck, FUCK,” Will screamed, his emotions pouring out. “Those fucking bastards, fuck their shit gods, shit promises, and this shit tutorial.” He yelled and swore, his anger spilling out with every profanity. Ever since the arrival of the gods on Earth, things had seemed so good, even beneficial. But it all felt like a lie.

He squeezed his eyes shut, the pain overwhelming as his adrenalin subsided. When he looked down, he saw the extent of his injuries. His leg was a mess of spikes and blood. The beasts that had attacked him, a quillbeast.  A grotesque mix of rat, dog, and porcupine, enhanced by the so called mana had left him in this state. The forest had been filled with them, and today, of all days, he was too careless and they chose to attack him. 

His thoughts swirled, making it hard to focus. He needed to move, but the weight of it all pressed down on him like the world was collapsing. His head swam as his thoughts fractured, and he was suddenly back to that day…

“Will, Will, William Hayes. Answer the question on the board.”

“Uh… sorry, I… I’m not sure, maybe…”

RUMBLE. The floor shook violently, followed by the splintering sounds of the walls beginning to split. A bone jarring CRACK echoed around the room. The roof of the school was ripped off, and chaos erupted. Students bolted for the door, shoving and pushing, some collapsing and crying uncontrollably. Others were trampled under the mass of 367 people in that assembly, their screams piercing the air.

“What the…”

“HELP!”

“Susan!”

“We’re all dead!”

William was thrown to the ground, the world spinning, screams filling the air. Abruptly, everything became dark and silent.

He was still aware of his surroundings, able to move his body but finding it incredibly difficult, as if trapped in a tar pit. Panic began to rise. What is going on?

Gradually, light returned, but with it came distorted whispers and echoes, growing louder by the second. William glanced around, noticing that nobody else was moving. Everyone seemed frozen in shock, paralyzed by dread. An overwhelming sense of hopelessness and impending doom pressed down on them all.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

With trembling hands, William looked up at the sky. His eyes widened in fear as the sky was ripped apart, a pitch black void spreading across the heavens. It grew slowly, the air itself darkening as if being drained of life.

Without warning, the darkness halted, blocked by an unseen force. Figures began to emerge from the void, stepping forward with a gliding, fluid motion. Each one moved with practiced grace, like actors taking their places on a stage, yet their confidence radiated beyond mere performance.

The lead figure stepped forward, his tone rich with arrogance. “Beings of Earth,” he began, his voice low and carrying a authority. “Count yourselves fortunate. It is not every world that receives the honor of our help. We are messengers, sent from a pantheon.”

His gaze swept over the crowd as though weighing their worth, then he gave a small, almost dismissive smile. “The surge of Mana that will impact this world will mutate the entire planet all the animals, plants, and life will be changed. But the Sovereigns see potential in you… potential worth cultivating.  So now we have decided to lend a hand to you mortals with the gift of the System.”

With a snap of his fingers, a semi translucent screen appeared, displaying a voice that spoke directly into William’s mind.

  Model System Overview 

PRIORITY: TESTS 

Soul Compatibility: Positive

Initiation survival Probability: 93.62%

Mana Filter: testing… testing… COMPLEAT 

Mana color: Crimson

Tests COMPLEAT

Show overview: ( Y , N )

What the actual fuck is going on? A violating pulse seemed to go right through him, making him feel all weird inside. Remembering the screen that was reminiscent of the video games he used to play. He tried to remain objective. The system overview seemed promising, his soul was compatible, survivability was high, and the Mana color looked interesting.

Show Overview: ( Y , N )

“Um… sure.” He accepted, feeling overwhelmed as this ”System” seemed quite pushy.

Stats 

Name: William Hayes

Race: Human

Class: None

Grade: 0

Level: 0

AC: 0

HP: 0

MP: 0

Strength: 0

Agility: 0

Endurance: 0

Vitality: 0

Intelligence: 0

Wisdom: 0

Perception: 0

Titles: None 

“This is a Model Overview, and the stats displayed aren't reminiscent of your own, the system is the Sovereigns divine gift to those they deem worthy in the form of a blessing,” the man continued, his voice echoing in the stunned silence. “Each blessing brings its own unique gift. Your path, abilities, and future may depend on the blessing bestowed upon you. Some may enhance your strength, others your mind. What you gain in one aspect, you may lose in another. No two blessings are the same, and none are without consequence.”

As the man stopped talking, he and the others around him began to glow with a white light and shot off, dispersing in all directions, the system’s words lingered. The world seemed to stretch endlessly, everything around him feeling distant, like a fog rolling in. He was trapped in a state of limbo, unable to move or think clearly.

A sharp pulse of pressure gripped his chest as if a claw was tightening around his heart. His entire body tensed, and the sensation grew in intensity, a burning heat spreading through his veins.

“What… what is that?” William thought, the fog starting to fracture.

Another pulse of pain shot up his leg, searing hot. His breath became ragged. The edges of his dream shattered like glass, replaced by the harsh pull of reality. The world around him began to blur and fade, and memories hit him with a sudden, painful clarity.