--Three years later---

The Graduating class was in the auditorium lining up, waiting to walk up to the podium to collect their diplomas. Among them however was a particular student and star, Brian Russel the Valedictorian. Standing there in front of his classmates he was giving his speech written for him by the school. In his mind though, he was remembering a friend who went missing. The brother he never had and the best friend he had throughout the last three years.

Maximus Chrone was nowhere to be seen among these graduates. Three days ago his home had caught fire and he had been reported missing along with his brothers. One of his brothers was a member of an infamous gang, while another had been some sort of paramilitary specialist. It was a shock to all of his friends and to his teachers who only had nice things to say. The loss of this key person for the class made this a sad day as well, seeing how he deserved to be part of the graduation, but the ceremony went on.

From the distance, in the audience five individuals were watching among the crowd, Max was sitting in the middle of them watching his best friend’s speech.

(Sorry, Max) his brother echoed in his mind.

(It’s not your fault Vilhei. We had no choice. It was time to go anyway.) Deirel told him as Max let a tear out. Over the last three years Max had learned what it meant to have friends, to enjoy life, and to feel the sparks of love. Although it wasn’t a life he would ever have he enjoyed what he felt with them and would never forget something from all of this. Earth was his home and whether he saved his people or not it wouldn’t change that fact.

As Max watched the ceremony from a distance holding his sadness in when they all had to leave. On the way out Deirel took Max somewhere towards the back, where everyone had placed backpacks and coats.

“Here Max, this is for you. Give it to whoever you want.” Deirel said. In his hand out to Max was a small card which he had gained the agility was a sort of reverse psychometry, the ability to implant memories into specific objects. Inside the card Deirel had implanted all of their past, their situation, and a way to contact Max whenever they needed him, on the condition that whoever got the knowledge wouldn’t be able to tell anyone without losing memory of how to find him. In short it was a programmed psychic message.

Taking it into his hands Max thanked Deirel and found Brian’s backpack and put the card in the bag waiting for him to find it later.  

“Until we meet again.” He said as he walked outside with his brothers.

--Five Years Later—

“The First Pick of the 2019 NFL Draft is under way, with Brian Russel as the first pick to kick things off!!” the announcer said.

Max sat down in his most recent apartment with the tv on. On the table he had several guns, knives, and boxes of ammunition. He smiled as he yelled out, “Hah I told you Brian would get drafted! You owe me twenty bucks, Vilhei.”

“Yeah Yeah, whatever little brother.” Vilhei said as he smiled with the twenty in his hand.

It had been several years since Brian had a chance to meet Max but they communicated frequently through their secure methods. Max had gone through various military training from all over the world along with his brothers. Max had taken the mantle of being able to do everything while his brothers always had a sort of specialization. In the room with him Deirel was on the phone with another connection he had built up over the years. He was a natural leader with his various psychometric and telepathic abilities mixing in the combat training all the brothers went through as well and he was almost untouchable as a boxer. He had become the one in charge of getting them to new cities and placed when there was a possible threat.

Over the recent years Vilhei had become obsessed with mixed martial arts as well as a shooting and became an amazing fighter and shooter. He had one time secretly challenged the Olympic shooting team and almost won as well but his greatest passion was for architecture and had designed various bunkers that could be made in times of dire and serious need. Behind him was Ashara who was on a computer following the stock market.

Ashara with his great intelligence had gotten into securing money through stocks, bonds, and hacking into various accounts, siphoning funds from CEOs, drug traffickers, and corrupt politicians.  The only place that gave him only a sort of challenge was the stock market, the unpredictable nature of the market gave him some sense of enjoyment. The last several years of moving money around had spiraled from a few thousand dollars to a few millions. Enough money for them to establish a community for when they broke their people out, problem was that they didn’t know how many home to build. Only that they would always need more money. It was a good thing that Ashara enjoyed making money and was good at it.

Takol was nowhere to be seen in the apartment, he was on the roof keeping watch like always. Over the years of gunsmithing and shooting had made him an expert in both. Any gun he could disassemble and reassemble as well as shoot. Recently with their funds he was able to begin producing his own types of guns himself. Like his other brothers he also went through training of various militaries, but was the best at recon and sniping.

The last eight years had been a hell of a roller coaster of emotions, with them finding their people several times before their locations were moved. Each time becoming more and more frustrating with each success met with failure. Though it wasn't a great feeling they knew they were getting close and that alone kept them motivated. Ashara had gained Intel to the pentagon’s intelligence without triggering any alarms and each time would discover code upon code for locations. One day though they would set their people free.

--Two Years Later, December—

It was a beautiful day outside but for Esmerelda Alexanders it was anything but. Bawling her sorrows out in bed with a yellow envelope in her hands written on the papers in big letters ‘Death Certificate’. The names of ‘David Alexander’, ‘Maria Alexander’, and ‘Andrew Alexander’ could be seen. Today feeling alone couldn’t even describe how empty her life had become. The family she’d known her whole life had been ripped from her life weeks before. A series of airplane crashes around the world had taken her family from her since she convinced them to go on vacation to her new city.

Two years ago she graduated from university and moved to a new city away from her family. The job she had was a thing that was already lucky considering the economy but today she felt like the job was a curse. She blamed the job that she got and herself for the death of her family. As she managed to get a hold of herself to stop crying for a while she got up to her table and dropped off the papers on her desk, right next to her resignation papers.

The stress in her heart and the cries of the sorrow was just a drop in the sea of sorrow around the world. Accidents, earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes had been rampaging around the world. Some speculated that it was global warming, some thought aliens, and everyone else just didn’t care. Without anyone noticing the world’s population had for the first time….stagnated, as if some cosmic force had stopped the population of humanity.

Esmerelda in her sadness wanted it all to wash away so she walked into her shower, to muffle the sounds of tears as she showered. Inside her shower the thoughts of old memories came and peered through the veil of despair. The thoughts of old lovers, friends, and home came up in her mind and for a moment her sadness was alleviated. Then the sadness came rushing back to steal what little joy she had, she thought of all the friends who had left her, the home she had inherited and would have to deal with, and lastly of lovers who had left her in her career driven path of happiness.

If was as she got out the shower that she decided to try and contact some old friends, she was in dire need of a friend. As she got to her room and got dressed she placed a call to one of her oldest friends, Brian Russel the pro NFL running back. Making a phone call to her old friend as she got ready the phone disconnected. Confused at the disconnection she decided to turn on her tv and see what the news was. On the news there was a ‘breaking news’ headline, ‘Earthquake destroys over twenty cell towers across the east coast’.

“Wow, that's crazy. What is happening out there? First there’s fucking plane crashes and now there’s crazy earthquakes” she spat. Before she could even change the channel for more information however the station displayed a new message. Her phone also received a new message as well, only it was the same as the tv.

Hello Humanity,

The 2,397,136,732nd Universe Game is about to begin. Your planet has been designated as the next staging ground for our amusement. We the Planar High Gods welcome you into becoming the honorary entertainment for us. As a consolation all those who have died in the last year will be resurrected on another planet for the continuation of your species. Please try to survive.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

Sincerely

The Planar Over Gods.

“What in the hell?” She said.

P.S Your prayers don't mean much.

Confused at what had just happened she for a moment entertained the thought that her family would be alive. The thought brought her joy until she thought about what would happen to her. Thinking about what was going to happen if this was real she decided to go stock up on food. Something inside her told her it wasn’t a joke and she had to act quickly, as crazy as it sounded. Grabbing her car keys she left her apartment to see that everything was still happening normally outside. Driving to the nearest grocery shop she spent the most money she’d ever spent on just food.  

As she left she heard it, the sounds of screams coming out from the main street. Little green men carrying rusty blades, broken pipes, and wooden clubs started attacking people. They were climbing out of the sewers and began causing panic. Rushing into her car with the food stuffed into the back seat, not even caring about spilling some food. Placing her car into drive and then rushing off home one of the little green men jumped at her car only to land on the front hood of the car.

In her panic she slammed her brakes hard only for the little green man to fly about fifty feet ahead (15 meters). The little green man landing that far away slowly got up in the middle of the street and grabbed its little broken pipe and charged alone at the car. With purpose Esme slammed her foot on the gas and ran the little bastard over. Seeing the little green thing’s brain plastered all over her windshield she flipped her window wipers to get it off from hampering her vision. Falling off her car she heard a little ding going off in the back of her mind.

She swerved traffic as best she could as she could see men and women attacking the little green men back from inside her car. There were men shooting the green men and police doing their best to save some people but from one of the sewers she saw more and more little green men showing up. All of them just blindly charging the people with guns without a care.

Reaching home she ran for the front door of her apartment when she heard someone yell her name.

“ESMERELDA!” She heard a familiar voice. Looking around she saw a neighbor of hers coming home as well.

“Michael!” she yelled as he got closer she saw him bleeding from his side.

“Oh my god Michael, we have to get you inside.” She said as she opened the door.

Helping him in and slamming the door shut she pulled up his shirt to see a large six inch gash running along from his belly button to his lower ribs.

“I have bandages in my apartment but I don't know if I can walk up the stairs.” He said weakly

“Don’t worry I can grab some from my place. I will be right back don't worry.” She said as she got up to hurry up, before she could go thought he stopped her.

“No wait. In my. Apartment. Shotgun. In my. Bedroom.” He said as he was struggling with his breath. He reached up and put his keys in her hands then let go.

Esme ran upstairs as fast as she could to reach her neighbor’s apartment. Fumbling for the keys for a moment until she got it open to look for his bed room. Finding the shotgun didn’t take long as she ran to his kitchen to find his bandages on the table next to the sink. Getting what she needed she ran back downstairs as fast as she could to a horror she couldn’t believe.

On top of Michael were three ugly little green men poking Michael over and over. Laughing as they poked his now open chest with rusty knives. They were harvesting the bones from his corpse and were biting into his intestines as if it were a treat. Laughing and grunting to each other they didn’t even notice Esme seething with rage. In that rage she unleashed the shotgun on them.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

Three blasts and three little ugly dead green men. From these shots echoing inside the apartment people started finally looked outside. Not caring after seeing a neighbor and friend treated like this she sat down on the stairs in a daze. Sitting like this she couldn’t help but think how did they get in? Looking up at the door she saw it still closed when it suddenly flung open. Standing there was her longtime friend and superstar, Brian Russel.

Looking around from the dead bodies to Esme with the shotgun in her hands to the dead little green men he pieced what had happened together. Walking up to her he gave her a hug and said to her, “We have to go, I know somewhere safe.”

Not feeling in the mood to argue she just followed him outside into his car. Outside now the sounds of gunshots and screams started to fill the city’s streets. Getting into the car Brian peeled off in his Lexus LFA. Whiping out his phone he dialed in a phone number and spoke something that took Esme off guard.

“Brian to Maximus code demon, code demon, access code central high.” Brian said into the phone and hung up.

“Who’s Maximus?” Esme asked.

“Sorry Esme but I think you already know, sorry.” Brian said to her as they reached the highway and the sports car let itself loose.  Ten seconds later Brian got a phone call and the car’s Bluetooth picked it up.

“Brian get out of the city and head to Johnson’s township, it should be 10 miles away. I’m on my way. Your family is on the way to a safe zone my brothers are taking care of.” Max said through the car’s speakers.

“Who is that?” Esme asked.

“Esme say hello to your old friend Maximus Chrone, Max sorry buddy but Esme is with me. You know I couldn’t leave her alone.” Brian said.

“Wait the Maximus Chrone from high school??” Esme asked even more confused and stunned than she was a moment ago.

“It’s okay I understand. Esme sorry about this but I’ll explain things to you later. Things internationally have just gotten really fucking weird. Rendezvous in 15 mins.” Max said as he hung up.

Driving along the highway for the next few minutes was a bit of a challenge though seeing how there were cars now trying to get out of the city in a panic. Swerving onto a side road and using his GPS to plan a route for him.

“How are you in contact with Maximus Chrone? I thought he went missing?” Esme asked.

Sighing at her question, Brian just focused on the road. Pissed that he wasn't answering her she grunted in frustration before asking again.

“Brian Russel, I have been your friend for the last ten years and I am asking you to please tell me. How are you in contact with Maximus Chrone?” she spat.

“Fine I’ll tell you but do not hit me okay? Cause whenever you hear something you don't like you get really violent.” He said as if slightly afraid.

Frowning at this request was not a pleasant thing because she knew for sure she wasn’t going to like his answer.

“No promises”, she said.

“Then I’m not telling you.  I’d rather he tell you when we get there.” He said.

Grumbling at their impasse she just kept her eyes outside of the window.  After another few minutes they finally stopped at their destination. Outside was a farm with a large red barn house in the back. Getting out of the car Brian walked up to the farmhouse to grab a key from under a potted plant. Using the key he opened the door and looked back to the car where Esme still hadn’t gotten out. Waving his hand for her to join her she was still unhappy about her high school sweetheart.

Sighing at the craziness of the day she finally got out the car to walk over to him. Together they entered the house to see it was devoid of any sort of life. The room was thick with a layer of dust on the floors as well. Outside there was still sun out but it was slowly starting to set, the slow dark sky encroaching upon the sky.

“Where is he?” She asked as she walked around the room.

“Here” a voice said from around the corner.

Startled by the voice, she unknowingly knocked a chair down.  From the shadows came a familiar but foreign face. Standing in front of her was a six foot man, dressed in a black t-shirt, dark jeans and boots.  Strapped across his body were three guns, two across his hips, and one under his left armpit. The thing that caught her eye the most was Max’s figure, a slim muscular frame. Another thing was  how after eight years of not seeing each other she felt something even after how he had left things between them. Walking up to him slowly as if he wasn’t there, as if he were a ghost that hadn’t existed she moved until her face was almost an inch from his.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Hey Guys So thanks for all of you who have read but please Click this to support me on wattpad as well!! Thanks