Welcome! My name is Zeph Einar and I will be your guide!

I suppose it’s not a proper way to start writing a chronicle, or any form of a historical record for that matter. Not like you, dear reader, will be able to complain to me, as I should be either worlds away or long dead. Besides, new times call for a new, brave spirit!

Of course, I am sure someone will read my work. There is no sense in starting anything if you don’t believe it’s meaningful. Except if you don’t have any other choice, but there’s always a philosophical question if that really is the case.

Anyway, as it was prophesied, and I am quite sure one of those prophesies even hit the actual date, the Apocalypse happened. Earth, thirteenth day, fifth month, year 2024. Of course, it was Monday.

Funny thing, one of the religious texts proved to be actually useful, it was accurate as to what would happen. The Book of Revelation from the Bible. Well, for visual effects at least, not so much with the cause and effects. The parallels were found by believers, they always are, in multiple places. But it’s a topic liable to interpretations, a work yours truly would rather avoid. Like a fire.

It also vastly overestimated the death toll, but that’s nothing new for a religious prophecy. Not like I spend much time reading those, I prefer facts.

And facts are: around 1/3 of the Milky Way disappeared, the Sun lost in brightness, some serious earthquakes have taken place on a global scale. A lot of “comorbid symptoms” showed up too; volcano eruptions, red moon, and typhoons being some of those.

Something rather big covered part of the celestial bodies, or curved/assimilated the light. The problem was debated for years – the theoretical object didn’t produce or reflect any electromagnetic radiation. Pure blackness. Distance and size estimations were impossible. Adding to the possible explanations was what was to come shortly after, but about that in a moment. Beside the time between events, as the light from stars needs some time to get to Earth, there were no clues, and so, at my time on Earth, no theory could be stated with any level of certainty.

The problem with the Sun was quickly assessed, though. No dying star event, sadly. Part of the energy from atomic reactions stopped producing electromagnetic waves and created something new instead. The same process, but on a much smaller scale, was observed in experimental fusion reactors. Also, particle accelerators and other high-precision apparatuses involving subatomic scale experiments with electromagnetic field stopped working. At my time, no one was interested in recalibrating them, more exciting or important things showed up after all. I could bore you to death with the details of what was found about it all, as I had read quite a lot, but I will leave those papers alone. Have your glory, scientists. I am sure those documents still exist somewhere on Earth. Probably. Surely.

The nature of the new “energy”, “particle” or “particles” was a topic only just touched on during my time on Earth. It will become more relevant later, so I will explain it as the time comes. What you should know is the name the masses gave them – firstly Mana, but later changed to Prana.

The cause of this indecisive naming, the possible explanation of disappearing stars, the main reason for the earthquakes, the main event of the great Apocalypse! Spatial Fissures, may they live forever!

In contrast to the unrealistic image the media created, though, Spatial Fissures aren’t just some primitive cracks in reality, no. They are elegant and exotic fields, regions distorting space and time, perfectly incorporated into the surrounding, unperceivable gates to other worlds. Truly, a magnificent existence, Spatial Fissures. Some say they are deadly, but it’s not the gate that kills you, it’s the world on the other side.

No, I don’t have to be objective; I will never get any reviews for this chronicle. It’s impossible, after all. Not without a very avid, persistent, and stubborn reader annoyingly chasing me between worlds, Fissure knows where, only to give it to me. I wouldn’t refuse it, though. If only in respect for such an achievement.

Anyway, a new era began!

External Worlds seeped new “energy” into the Earth from Fissures, called collectively Mana for the similarity between each. Similarity independent of the origin. The amount wasn’t much, and Mana was incompatible with Prana, thus changing only the vicinity of a Fissure. Living organisms from the other side had a real problem with this, so no monster-horde event, too. Sadly. All of them evolved in a Mana-rich environment, so it was no surprise Mana became essential for them. But, as expected, materials changed by Mana retained interesting properties even after bringing them to Earth. Even new elements were found, though analyzing them properly was impossible at the time, not without proper tools.

There was a small problem though – humans had similar issues as the organisms on the other side. Less drastic, as we weren’t adapted to any form of Mana. Nonetheless, Mana was toxic, only Prana being truly neutral for us. Good thing then that adaptation to Mana, and even manipulation of it, was possible. Even if the survivability was dramatically small.

This was the beginning of a new fraction on Earth. As you can guess (probably, surely), some people immediately rushed the new lands. Some of them lived, some of them thrived. Time flowed differently on the other side. Faster in almost all documented cases. People who braved new lands, who adapted, spending tens or more years in the new lands, became powerful. Powerful in a very fantasy-sort of way. And then, some of them came back.

They were called differently in many languages and regions. Adventurers, Hunters, Scourged, Mages, Wizards, Drifters, or even Witchers. In the end, in Europe the Hungarian expression “Eltér” (Eltear, “diverge”) stuck, in Asia – the Magi, in the rest of the world – the Hunter.

It’s not like they could use their all after coming back, they weren’t gods by any means. On the other hand, even if there was no Mana on Earth, it didn’t make them powerless. You can imagine the geopolitical chaos that came along with the catastrophes, the Fissures, and then with them coming back one by one. A lot of death happened, a lot of struggle, a lot of bloody rivalry. Governments changed, laws changed, borders changed. I know of most of the important events, as I followed them closely, but this is not important now – a separate tome will feature this part of the chronicles.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

27 March 2027, three years after the start of Apocalypse. Because of the threat of the Earth’s governments and other groups, the Hunters made an alliance called the Élettér (Eilatteir, “territory” or “habitat”). A neutral fraction. The only way to get resources from the other worlds was through this Alliance. That in itself stopped most from trying to control individual Hunters, or rather an Eltears. Any group that showed aggression towards an Eltear, or people he marked as being under his care, was met with a ruthless attack from whole groups of them until none of the masterminds and their subjects was left alive. Exactly one year later, in 2028, an agreement between the Eilatteir and Earth was formed – the “Mutual Inviolability on Earth” (MIE). Eltears were not allowed to interfere in Earth’s politics and economy. They were forbidden to kill, or make substantial damage to anything on Earth. The same was true for people under their care. Disobedience would be met with exclusion from the Eilatteir and those Eltears, or rather Hunters now, being hunted by the Alliance. On the other hand, they had full immunity on Earth. Even if an Eltear marked a serial killer to be under his care, that person became automatically untouchable as long, as he/she abided the agreement. Both sides made sure their people behaved. This “law” included any new Eltear automatically. The prerequisite to became one was an ability to survive on the other side of a chosen Fissure and adapt to Mana. The strongest of Eltears, who settled relatively close to the Fissures on the other side, were enough of a deterrent for any stray, who would try to abuse the situation. Thus, a new order was created.

People on Earth slowly acclimated themselves to Prana, though without the time Eltears spend on bettering themselves and not being in constant danger like them, this process would take long years to bear any meaningful fruits. New “magitech” was blooming, though.

It is necessary to say, that only a small percentage of the human population was able to adapt to Mana. It was thoroughly tested using the areas around Fissures – only around 0.01% was able to acclimate. The number of Apocalypse survivors was still unknown during my stay on Earth, but the estimates said it was between 3 and 4 billion people. Around half of humanity. The number of Eltears was even harder to estimate, Mana adaptation was only the first hurdle on their journey.

It was also very fortunate that no intelligent life was reported on the other side near the Fissures. “Near” being relative, as Eltears have had years to scout the areas. An invasion event wasn’t an option. Sadly? At least that was the hope; besides the “stable” Fissures, part of which caused earthquakes by trying to open underground, only to drift to the surface, “temporal” Fissures showed from time to time. Those weren’t open for long, but reports mentioned sightings of settlements. Not only that - each world (yes, it was proven much later that almost every Fissure led to a different world) had slightly different Mana, and slightly different basic physics. A chance for a non-humanoid, intelligent life existing on the other side was high.

A few reports also mentioned a very interesting detail – “a System”.

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I feel I need to make something clear. A statement. I abhorred humanity. For what it has done to itself. Not only in history, but also in the so-called “age of peace”. For creating such monstrous abominations – the ever-hungry conglomerations of humans: tyrannical and money-driven governments, bloodlines, corporations, etc.; the ever-relative laws; the ever-growing mechanisms for consuming natural resources, without a drop of reason and ability for long-term planning. For the seemingly in-build need to enslave others, to govern over others, and to corrupt existing social systems. I know not everyone can be generalized that way, but what does that change when no one is allowed the freedom to live outside society. Worse yet, society was basically the best option, definitely for our own safety, because there always will be someone who wants to go the path of aggression and conquer. Without society, it is back to tribes fighting with each other at best. Even if there was enough space to never see the other group again.

Is it in our nature? Because of our evolutionary path? Utopian visions seem impossible, they always change into another story of enslavement. In the first place, I don’t think we ever came close to any Utopian vision, they are just theoretical communities.

Or maybe I just know too little? Didn’t see enough and live in ignorance? I didn’t live long, and only 25 years on the old Earth. Those topics weren’t my major. But even if, I think a knowledge of some exceptions wouldn’t change my feelings. Before the Apocalypse, I desired nothing more than to get enough money to isolate myself in my own land. Even for the price of stagnation – by myself, I really couldn’t create much in my short life. Definitely not all those miracles of technology we are able to create as a society.

I really don’t think it’s right if a community induces such thoughts, about isolating thyself. Something was broken, and I felt it in my very bones.

Or I was just an idealist. An ill-fitting cog. Or had wrong environment.

Drowning in college debt surely wasn’t helping. At least my studies were interesting, bioengineering at my Uni had some mighty physics and theoretical basics. Others complained? Good, let them suffer. The rat race between my peers didn’t leave me with any warm feelings toward them. It became even worse in work, but it was too late to change anything. The debt was accumulated, the contracts signed.

My, what a beautiful world, only 40 years of work with toxic people, in a toxic environment, and in toxic social-interactions to achieve my goal. Which is a stagnation in seclusion.

I would just have to find those “small joys in life” people are talking about, then I would endure. No problemo.

Why all this whining? I will tell you. It’s a secret, but maybe not – if you ever find yourself near anything even loosely related to the pharmaceutical industry, run. It’s the dark side, you will have blood on your hands, either your own or somebody else’s. Just run and don’t look back.

All the faults of humanity I mentioned earlier, they were especially visible in my line of work. I got quite high on the ladder, high enough to have first-hand information, but not high enough to actually be able to direct or change anything. You see, pharmaceutical companies don’t exist to heal people, they exist to make money. There is also a fierce strife on the market. Because of this, quite horrendous decisions are made by the authorities. Horrendous, both for the sick and for the employees. I am sure you yourself can tell the rest. I feel responsible for many deaths, and I wasn’t able to do anything to change it, nor to get away from it.

That’s why the Apocalypse was such an exciting event for me! A chance for a change, for redemption. A lot of people died? I am kind of desensitized to strangers dying in droves, at least I didn’t contribute to it in any way. Most importantly – the social systems could not stand the change and, in the great majority, perished. My company included.

I tried as I could to get myself through the Fissure. As soon as I read about them. My workplace showed a plus side at least, information is easier to find in rotten places, it seems. I didn’t give up when it became clear I am not in the happy percentage of people who can adapt. I was collecting information, all I could find, and tracking every major event on the globe.

With enthusiasm like never before. The more I heard, the more I wanted to take part in this cosmic exodus.

Because if I couldn’t fit here, maybe I could find another civilization that is closer to my heart.

Because longer life would allow me to create more.

Because “magic” opened doors for individuals.

Because the seclusion no longer meant stagnation.

Because, even if I cannot adapt by myself, there are still options. Options like a System.

Thus, I became a Fissure Huntsman.