Two black eyes sprung open, as the young 13 years old, Ethan, jumped out of the bed in freight. He just couldn’t get used to the dream of him floating endlessly in a dark and endless void filled with colliding energies and colors. Shaking his head, he took a deep breath, got up from his bed and started his day.
At the apartment’s kitchen, Sarah and John Tesher are already making sandwiches for their three children Ethan, Zoe and Lily, who are getting ready for school.
Sarah was a black haired woman with decent looks on her person, although she's around 36, Time did her justice, she didn’t lose an inch of her prime height and her feature only gained feminine with interest as time went by.
John also had a black hair, but if one would exaggerate, It won’t be crazy to say that a blue tint could somewhat be described as his hair color.
The three descendants all had black hair and the weird color tint in brows, irises and hair could be noticed, differently on each, Zoe had a bit of reddish tone, Lily had a blue tone like John, Ethan was an anomaly, his color of hair his was medically checked but the black blue hair color that could only be described as starless night sky came out normal.
“We remind you, get full score on today's test and we shall get you that game console you asked for, get even less than an A and your sister goes on a shopping spree” John smiles devilishly at his son.
A good competition was always welcomed, John and Sarah believed everything should be taken and given in moderation, the sweet and the bitter - they would of course give him the game console if he gets a decent score, and Lily's shopping's has been on the to do list for a while, but a strict facade and a bit of hyping seemed to be effective tools to direct a child’s motivation to a greater cause.
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At class, Ethan was sitting on his usual table, he wasn't at a bad place socially speaking, it was just that his social battery lifespan was not on the long side of the scales. Thus, a good place at the back of the class was his pick.
He dove right in as the teacher allowed the test to begin. He answered and breezed through the questions, he was doing fine, time was more than sufficient. But, he got stuck at the last three which were multiple choice questions - the options were all just too probable. As he was about to accept the dark fate of going to a family shopping spree managed by his sister, her head peeked through the class’s glass window.
Knowing where he sits, she brazenly stuck a tongue out and fled the crime scene, ‘Dirty tricks! Coming all the way here while she is supposed to have a class now’ Ethan sighs exasperated by the poor attempt to make him lose focus.
Ethan had seen enough of his sister's etiquette to know her game. The tongue taunt, the sudden disappearance—she wanted him rattled. Instead, he leaned back, closed his eyes, and let his gut guide him through the test. One by one, the answers fell into place. 'The teacher likes to trip us up with plausible options... the real answer is usually simple,' he mused, eyeing his choice with quiet confidence.
With the class more than half empty, surrounded by unmanned tables, he decided to ignore it all and focus. He was about to pick the 3 answers as the sound of the squeaking chair pushed back, and a friend stood up to submit his test.
Time became a bit tight, and he did not want to be beaten by his sister, but he must put it to lady luck's hand. It is unknown if it was determination, dejection or stubbornness but a weird sense filled him, he felt as if he could walk down his memories and pick major and recent memories easily.
He didn't find it noteworthy while the situation took place, but a clear mental image of the study time came to mind as 2 of the last three questions were picked, filing it away in his mind with an ease that others might call photographic.
He struggled to create this moment of clarity once more, But he failed and couldn’t remember the right answer. He picked a random answer for the last question.
___
Flash forward, it's now 2019.
Ethan, now 18 years old, rose up from his chair another successful gaming session.
His hair color somewhat dialed down to a more black tone, not that he cared for that.
He got the game console his folks promised even though he scored ‘only’ 97 on that test, but they were kind enough. He is now a sworn fan of the fantasy and adventure genre.
Something about the unknown and fantastical views, conquering and traveling around non existing planes and worlds gave him a sense of escapism and achievement that living a regular daily routine couldn't fulfill within him. Yet, he knew better, too many videos are bad for his eyes, at least, so his parents claim. ‘Well, it has time to move that’ body he thought to himself.
Two hours later he is at the gym, workout is at its peak. On his earphone instead of the usual and commonly hyping remixes and motivational songs, an audio book, something about a good story and a loveable yet a snarky main character trying to conquer his demons and other worlds was more motivating for him.
The thought of his main character getting stronger as he sprawled lazily on the couch left a bitter taste in his mouth.
In the corner of his eyes, some guy’s grip on a bar was slipping, his elbows shaking as the bar hovered dangerously close to his chest. Ethan’s mind registered it all in a second, ‘too much weight, poor form, no spotter’. Without hesitation, he was there, steadying the bar before a disaster struck.
Ethan was not a big gym shark, heck he was running solo, improvising and just worked out for a good feeling, his diet was far from being complementary to build up an imposing physique.
‘Probably should’ve skipped that burger,’ Ethan thought as he adjusted his shirt after the post workout craving in the food court by the gym. A faint tug of guilt creeping in. But then again, why should he? The whole idea of being told what he could or couldn’t eat never sat right with him—it was almost instinctual, a rebellion he couldn’t quite explain. Prohibitions just hit a spot that was hard to scratch off, deep down, it felt like an echo of something ancient, something ingrained in his very being. ‘Moderation, right?’ He shook the thought away, letting his old folk’s education drown away his childish needs.
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By 2021, as a global epidemic reshaped the world, society fractured under the weight of economic collapse and uncertainty. For Ethan, however, it was a golden age of escapism.
At 23, he found himself in a surreal reality where staying home was encouraged, and compensation from the government meant he could indulge guilt-free in a lifestyle of כוךך pledged geek.
With no pressing obligations, Ethan dove deeper into fantasy than ever before. Video games, novels, audiobooks and anime —each medium became a gateway to sprawling worlds, daring heroes, and limitless possibilities. The lines between entertainment and obsession blurred as the genre transformed from a simple interest into a full-blown love affair. If the world outside was crumbling, Ethan would lose himself in stories where anything could be rebuilt.
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It's now 2023, The world was plunged into chaos as two countries declared war on each other. One of the participating countries is a big player in the industrial global game and manufacturing of many technological components for many countries.
With the damage to that country piling up the world is shaken and enemies become friends, and the dependency of countries on one another in certain fields becomes hard to miss, and unwanted.
It seems that the man who claimed that “my enemy’s enemy is my friend” was too on-point as the new world order is about to realize itself, but some people are not a big fan of changes - more wars break.
Ethan and his family like many others are indirectly part of the conflict. Their country was waged war on and missile attacks on population is now a fair game, the global organizations lost all control and cant enact justice, some even claim they underhandedly let steam compressed for 70 years of cold wars and status quo to be let out.
One day in a family car ride, driving the car, Ethan tries to release some of the cramped up knowledge he gained from studying too much, maybe this will ignite his family likes to his kink for tech.
He decided to share a concern, "There is another breakthrough with A.I, if this thing will get any more functional, only manual labor will have a proper income”.
“You are overreacting, machines will never replace Humans” his mom nonchalantly waved her hand as silence haunts the car once more - ironically, because they were all using smartphones, busy with reading or watching videos.
His father and older sister nodding in the reverse mirror to Sarah defending the hyper progressing technology, only Lily, the youngest sister understood what he said, her eyes who were looking at the back of his head felt his worry. The young generation born with technology in their hands felt the dynamic movement of the tech field and their technical knowledge is not to scoff at, annoying as they may be.
“So come on mom, entertain me, give me an alternative job offer” Ethan riddles his mom’s a tough one, the same one he asked for who knows how many times.
“Doctor, or something with good social clauses in the employment contract” she answers waving her hand dismissively.
“You still go for the classics, the study course that requires either tons of money or insanely hard to get in, and the second option, really, so specific, what would I do without your pearls of wisdom” he clapped the free hand on the wheel.
This snarky remark earned him a thwack, classically changing subject she turns to her phone to avoid this conversation.
‘Far fetched option alright’ he continued driving.
A missile alarm then heard out, the loud horns creating a mess on the highway. Cars cutting lanes left and right haphazardly, trying to park on the side of the road.
the car in front suddenly crashes the one ahead of it. ‘not a good thinker under stress I take it’ Ethan manages to sneak yet another snarky thought as time seems to stop and he manages an impossible maneuver to avoid a chain car accident.
Too engrossed In the still sounding alarm, the car is parked at the side of the road and the family all laid down on the ground alongside the other users of the road. Luckily the missile was too far or managed to get shot down while airborne by the defence systems.
grown into a quick-thinking, reliable figure within his family. His sharp wit and calm demeanor in moments of crisis made him someone they could lean on. While his two sisters were visibly shaken by the incident, their father remained stoic, trying to project strength. But it was Ethan and his mother who truly anchored the family in such moments, their calm, analytical gazes scanning the scene for the next move, they were ready for everything.
The world around them seemed to mirror the chaos of the highway. Global systems were cracking under the weight of war, technological advancement, and societal shifts. Ethan, ever the thinker, couldn't help but draw parallels to the complex algorithms he studied—systems meant to solve problems but often creating new ones in their wake. The lines between fiction and reality blurred as his mind wandered.
This was the new normal: a world on edge, where missile alarms were as common as smartphone notifications, and survival often hinged on quick decisions and quiet resilience. For Ethan, it was more than just a moment to endure; it was a reminder of the importance of adaptability and family in a rapidly changing world. The strange intersection of technology, conflict, and human connection felt almost like the stories he loved so much—a world-building exercise that felt too real, too close, and too important to ignore.
__
By 2027, the world had become a shadow of its former self—a tapestry of scars that refused to heal. Six long years of relentless conflict and upheaval had shredded the fabric of global society. The social order teetered on the edge of collapse, with economies shattered beyond recognition and industrial infrastructures rusted into barely functioning firms. A.I. and technology had grown far beyond their creators’ expectations, replacing human hands with cold, efficient coding, nitty gritty art jobs, and even multiple medical field certified doctors were replaced by mechanical arms that needed no operator. Jobs, once a measure of dignity and purpose, had either vanished or devolved into token roles, insufficient to sustain even a modest existence.
Curiously, alcohol—a relic of human indulgence—remained the one daily expense that grew cheaper. Untouched by corporate monopolies and embraced as society’s balm for despair, it became a bitter symbol of the collective descent. For many, it wasn’t just a drink—it was a refuge, a fleeting escape from the encroaching tides of an unrecognizable future.
But the cracks in the facade had grown too deep. The status quo, stretched and strained for decades, was bound to shatter. There was no avoiding it. Winds of change howled across the planet, cold and merciless, carrying with them the echoes of an impending reckoning.
And so, the planet braced itself—unknowingly, unwillingly—for a twist of fate that would rewrite its destiny. The fragile balance of a broken world was about to tip, not gently, but violently, forever altering the course of humanity’s existence. No warning would be heeded, no preparation would be enough. What loomed on the horizon wasn’t salvation, but a storm. A storm that would sweep away the old world, leaving only those strong—or cunning—enough to carve out a place in the new.