PROLOGUE
It’s 11:30am October 5th, 2019. After finishing Professor McMullen’s economics class. I was walking back to my dorm thinking about ordering a pizza and taking a nap, or what I like to think of as Tuesday. Halfway across the Quad alarms start blaring from an old air raid system. Kids are looking around having no idea what is going on. Being from New York, I can remember the stories and events of almost 20 years ago, but there is no war going on, getting frustrated he says, “we’re in North Carolina, who the HELL bombs North Carolina?! What the hell did that jack ass do now!?” Heading back to my dorm at a little bit faster pace I sees a flash of light out of the corner of my eye, then another and another. Kids all over the Quad are vanishing in bright flashes of light. Turning around more and more of the students start to disappear, unable to contain myself I starts to scream out “WHAT THE FUC…” CRACK!!.. and I was gone.
My name is Thoren Parker, and I try to stay a bit more than unremarkable, as in I’ve always tried to stay just under the radar. At 6’3” and 220 lbs, my blonde hair has the look of hair that is 5 months past a haircut hanging just past my ears, blue/green eyes that hint at the possible intelligence that lays within and a smirk that reveals the witty yet sarcastic attitude I’ve grown accustomed to. At twenty-two and a sophomore in college; I’m athletic but not a star athlete, going to the gym a few days a week but keeping to myself; and I’m decently smart but not going to create the Manhattan project, I loved to read and soak up everything I can but when it came to tests I made sure to just get enough to reach for that B. All in all I was perfectly happy to pass through life doing the absolute minimum and still get by. Then the shit hit the fan…
Standing in what looks like an ancient Greek garden, I was stunned at what he is seeing. Perfectly manicured lawns and bushes, columns and statues perfectly decorating the area. Off a slight distance I could see buildings, similar to those of the Greek Parthenon. Amazing stone work, craftsmanship that just left me stunned. A few more bright flashes of light pulled me out of my stupor and allowed me to take in the hundreds and hundreds of people looking around in stunned silence, all just as confused as I was. Until he showed up. At four meters high tanned skin, first thought that came to mind was Holy Shit it’s The Rock!
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“Welcome to Raylia! Well actually above Raylia would be more accurate.”
One thousand pairs of eyes stared in a mix of mute abject disbelief, confusion, fear, horror…
“I know we only got a small batch of humans from Earth but are they all mute or is there something wrong with them?” Ibbris, looked from face to face, hoping to find some spark of intelligence. “Let’s see if I can try this again. Welcome to Raylia. My name is Ibbris, I’m the god of Destiny. You’ve all been brought here by The System. Due to the emanate destruction of your planet, The System initiated an evacuation of your planet. Yes, yes looking around you only see about a thousand of you well that is rather quite simple. The System incorporates over 11,000 planets. What is left of your population was seeded throughout the planets of the system with the highest probability of survival.”
What followed was a collection of screaming, crying, abject denial, cursing, demands to see a manager and in 5 sorry cases 3 urinations and 2 brown movements.
With a deep sigh Ibbris continued. “Yes, this is real. No, I don’t know where your families are. Yes, I’m really a god. Yes, I will smite each and every last one of you if you keep asking questions. If any of you prefer, we can try to send you back to one of the trillion pieces of rock that once was your planet. Now may I continue?”
With an almost audible snap one thousand mouths closed and eyes bulged; and 45 more sorry cases of urinary and bowel malfunction.
“Great! Now let’s begin...”
As Ibbris started to discuss what was sure to be a font of information about Raylia and The System, I decided to walk and take a look over the edge of the pantheon. What I saw took my breath away, figuratively then literally. Below was a blue ball of perfection. Similar to Earth, Raylia was a planet made up of oceans and continents, larger than Earth by a large margin with ice caps on either end of the planet. Before I could thoroughly soak up the expansive view I tripped over some air and fell toward Raylia.
Space literally ripping the breath from my lungs, I plummeted to the surface reaching terminal velocity. With watery eyes I could only watch as the ground started to rush towards me. Indistinct land mass turned to sprawling land covered in forest, fields, rivers, lakes and mountains. The majestic view of the mountains becoming horror filled as I steadfastly approached them. Not knowing the names of the gods on this new amazing and sure to be short lived experienced planet, I prayed to them all in almost form letter fashion. “Dear god (insert name here)….HELP!!!!!”
BAMMMM….