Though William lay there unconscious, this time undreaming... This did not mean that the world was silent for everyone...

Now that the New Gods began to enter this realm, supernatural scenes of carnage and death unfolded all over the world. As nightmares became real and the borders between dream and reality utterly collapsed, the world sunk into chaos.

Some would gain much from this chaos, re-discovering humanity's lost connection with the mystical arts and the supernatural. However, for others, this would be a foul curse. Their worst nightmares would walk the earth, monsters would feed on their loved ones and they would not only betray their peers but worst of all, themselves.

After hundreds of years, powerful magic, supernatural creatures and terrible monsters returned to the surface of Origin. The forces of which, were more potent than ever.

To the east of William’s home town Milby, the Merchant Sea started to stir. To the sailors who rested upon its waves, it spat out not only water but also strange, freakish sounds. For the rare few more sensitive sailors, it was as if the sea itself had changed. It now contained some foreign and horrific quality that was hard to pin down.

For the other less sensitive sailors, in other words, the majority of sailors... Though the sounds of the Sea became distorted and strange nothing else was noticed outside of the unusual. At least, nothing unusual was noticed by any of them who remained aboard their vassal.

After all, it was common for some people aboard to disappear from ships during voyages, as they say...the sea was a cruel mistress...

To the north, A boy hid inside a frozen mountain, a sudden snowstorm encompassing it from peak to base.

Many daring climbers of that mountain had frozen to death over the years, but this blizzard was particularly vicious. Not only was it cold but also the cold seemed to sink in deeper and much faster. Some of those climbers near the peak froze instantly, before they could even register the bizarre nature of this blizzard. After a minutes, ice statues decorated the sides of the mountain peak.

Strange scenes like this appeared all over Origin. A mysterious cabin appeared in the silent woods, hellish bats raining down from the sky dragging people out of their homes, a woman stumbling across a strange cave with ancient markings only to find a giant feathered serpent coiled inside.

As all this continued to unfold as William remained unconscious. He spent a long, strange moment in silence and darkness.

After what felt like an incredibly long time and at the same time as if he had only blinked, he finally woke up.

As his mind started to regain consciousness, before he could fully open his eyes he felt both the sound and heat of a crackling of fire prick his ears.

He tried and failed to sit up, a sudden blanket of dull pain returning to his body. As he strained, he managed to lift open his eyelids which felt like they had heavy weights lying on top of them.

As the light hit his eyes, things started to become clearer. The first thing he saw was the beautiful pale blue sky. Peace and tranquillity made manifest. A perfect day.

It was early morning now and as he started to focus his mind he could hear the chirping of birds, though he couldn’t put a finger on why they sounded different than normal.

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He focused on his hearing and began to feel the pain in his ears, whatever that voice was that he’d hurt last night had really done a number on him.

More and more of his senses returned, it was then William noticed that he seemed to be covered in.... furs?

He’d fought and killed that wolf but...

“What’s going on?” he thought to himself.

“Shit, where am I?”

Panicked he strained to move his head trying to get a better view. As he glanced around eyes darting from one place to another he caught a sight of something huge walking away from him further into the forest. He couldn’t make out much more before his head began to spin and he started to become drowsy from pain and exhaustion.

He gritted his teeth, screaming internally. He reached for that dreadful, vicious feeling inside of him. Piping hot energy flooded his veins, his hatred bubbling up from his core. Again he started to push himself forward, this time using that burning hatred as fuel. Finally, he managed to sit up.

Readying himself for the worst, he moved his hands to a defensive position much like that of a boxer. He began scanning the area focusing on any threats.

It seemed whatever figure had been moving deeper into the forest had gone now.

From his sitting position he had a better view of his surroundings, which helped him realise something...he’d been moved. He was no longer in the vast open space amongst the forest he had stumbled across. Now he was sitting in a smaller opening, inside an impromptu campsite which seemed to be hidden deeper within the forest.

As he started to take notice of his surroundings he confronted what he saw. A crackling campfire taking its last breaths, a first aid kit resting on top of a rock to the right of the campfire and a small crude bowl of some brown liquid placed next to the first aid kit.

Warily he got to his feet and started taking off the incredibly warm pelts and then started awkwardly shuffling forward due to the state of his body. As he moved towards the small bowl and first aid box he stayed alert and ready. With whatever the fuck had happened last night with the stars disappearing, that crazy monstrous wolf that attacked him and the raging hot, flames that erupted from his hands anything could happen...

When he got close the objects he spotted had something stuck on top of them. Sticky Notes...

The one on the bowl read “Rabbit soup” and the other, the one on top of the first aid kit read “Good Luck.”

Immediately, as soon as the scent of rabbit soup hit his nose he heard a rumbling sound from below. As he looked down he noticed for the first time the state of his body. Bandages covered his arms from fingertip to shoulder, he noticed this rather easily due to the state of his burnt, torn and tattered clothing. The sleeves of his thermal shirt had completely disintegrated, and black scorch markings covered the fabric that remained. It made the thermal shirt look more like a strange, punk-like thermal vest.

That strange rumbling sound continued, interrupting his thoughts before he could react. It was coming from.... it was coming from him? More specifically...his stomach?

Considering the whole situation with quitting his job and binning all his food in an effort to force himself to lose weight it was no surprise he was so hungry. The dull blanket of pain he felt, as well as the overwhelming dark emotions spilling forward from his core had managed to help mask the feeling of hunger but now it was too much.

Shrugging he sat down and started to drink from the bowl, he was starving!

It should have had an interesting taste right? But it tasted strange, bland without much flavour except a strange burning taste. To be honest it was even painful to drink to it.

“I think I’m a lot more injured than I thought I was” William started to consider that perhaps he needed to find somewhere to rest up and heal.

Looking through the first aid kit he didn’t really find anything useful for now. He was bandaged up already and to be honest he didn’t really have the experience on what he should do in a situation like this.

It was obvious he had been moved and bandaged up by some mysterious stranger and though he felt that prideful hatred surge up from within him again for having to be taken care of he managed to quell his feelings.

“At least they didn’t kill me in my sleep” though, that was a pretty bar of expectations....

As he gulped down the final traces of the soup, he started to think about his next plan of action.

Taking the first aid kid in his arm he set the bowl back down on the rock.

He went back over to the fur he had on earlier and picked it up, perhaps it would get cold tonight.

“I guess I should start figuring out what the hell is actually going on” William looked up to the sky imagining the two stars he saw.

As he spent a few moments collecting himself he was startled by a sound in the distance.

Birds started fleeing on mass from the left side of the forest, then suddenly heard a massive bang and saw trees in the distance start to collapse.

Whatever was happening, it wasn’t far from this place.

As he briefly considered running away that deep feeling within sprang forth choking out all thoughts of retreat. He tried to wrestle control of it but it just sunk its claws in deeper and his blood started to boil with rage.

He sprung into action, decisively choosing to move forward towards the commotion.