บท 1: Awakening
In a distant corner of the universe, a cosmic event unlike any other began to unfold.
The vast entities of the cosmos, whether governed by mysterious forces or something else entirely, aligned in a manner previously thought impossible.
Cosmic entities always adhered to a pattern, a predictable display choreographed by the laws of physics.
However, at this particular moment, the entities defied all logic and expectation. They aligned in a perfectly straight line, like pearls on a string, stretching across multiple galaxies.
This alignment was not just based on their physical positioning, but their energies and gravitational forces as well. They resonated in perfect harmony, synchronized to a singular, pulsating rhythm.
Given the universe's dynamic nature with galaxies moving and stars constantly in flux, achieving such an intricate balance of positions and forces was beyond comprehension.
Yet, impossibly, this alignment occurred.
Across light-years of space, stars once burning with radiant fury and brilliance began to falter and dim, collapsing under their own weight. Their dying embers birthed black holes that were so massive their gravitational forces reached any adjacent black holes.
Drawn together by forces not entirely understood, these gravitational behemoths spiraled and converged into one another, setting off a chain reaction.
As these ominous powers collided, the energy released was so immense it almost rivaled the very explosion that birthed the universe: the Big Bang. But instead of bringing about cataclysmic destruction or creating new celestial bodies, this explosion tore a rift in the very fabric of reality.
From this tear, a surge of pure, primordial energy poured forth, flooding the entirety of the universe. This energy, unlike anything ever known, pulsated with life, with potential, with power.
As this wave of energy swept across galaxies, it touched everything in its path, affecting things in a way that was impossible to predict.
Life was formed, planets were destroyed, and galaxies expanded. Cosmic events became more frequent and destructive, but something more beautiful was left in their wake.
The universe, once governed solely by the inexorable laws of physics, now introduced another factor where the mystic and material coexisted.
***
As the cosmos was irrevocably altered, life on a little blue planet named Earth, nestled within the Milky Way, carried on with ignorance in the year 2023.
Some went to work, while others surfed the internet to cure their insufferable boredom. And a considerable number managed to do both.
However, while everyone was distracted, something odd happened in the sky. A straight line of light suddenly appeared above the horizon.
At first, only a few noticed the strange illumination, mistaking it for an aircraft or satellite, while others thought it was a trick of the eye. But as the minutes passed, the line of light grew brighter and more pronounced. It stretched from one end of the horizon to the other, cutting a clear, radiant path across the globe like Earth had just gained a ring.
Social media erupted with speculation and astonishment. People from all corners of the globe began posting pictures and videos, their captions ranging from excited to fearful. "#SkyLine" started trending on Qwitter, and within the hour, it was the top story on every news channel.
Scientists and astronomers, equally baffled, scrambled to observatories and research facilities. Preliminary data suggested that this was not a localized phenomenon; it was being observed globally.
The line of light emanated an energy signature that didn't match any known cosmic event. It was neither a comet's trail nor the result of a solar flare. This was something entirely new.
But, as quickly as it came, it disappeared, leaving everyone wondering what just happened.
Was it the beginning of the apocalypse? Were they all about to die? Was it aliens? Perhaps it was governments trying to strike fear and confusion in their citizens.
Nobody knew, and that's why it was so terrifying.
A blanket of tension seemed to wrap around the globe, filling people with uncertainty.
However, one young man in the Norwegian mountains stared into the sky above the setting sun where the line of light once was with a deep frown etched on his tanned face.
He had short, dark brown hair, brown eyes, an angular face, and a little bit of facial hair. He looked to be over 6 feet tall, around 6'2"(188cm), and had an athletic build. His skin was tanned as if he had grown up in the Mediterranean.
His heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. He couldn't help but stare into the sky as the sun slowly dipped below the mountain peaks before him.
'Why… Why do I have a bad feeling about this?' He clutched his chest in an attempt to slow his rapidly beating heart.
Suddenly, and seemingly without reason, a phenomenon similar to the Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights illuminated the sky.
This wasn't all that rare as it was Autumn, and the young man was in the Norwegian backcountry, but it wasn't nighttime, nor was it supposed to show today.
Normally, Zayzal would've just taken a picture, nodded in appreciation, and went back to hiking, but now he couldn't.
Not when he was having this sinking feeling.
'This… Maybe I should inform Mom and Dad about this?' He thought, pulling out his phone. Unfortunately, he didn't have any service, causing his brows to furrow.
"Damn!" He cursed, putting his phone back in his pocket.
After turning his attention back to the lights, his eyes widened in shock when he saw what should've been a natural phenomenon come crashing down from the sky like a meteor.
"Ti diáolo?!" He unknowingly cursed in Greek, the language his father spoke.
Tightening his backpack, he turned around and ran. He didn't know where he was running, but it didn't matter! He just needed to get out of here!
Dashing over rocks and streams and crossing through patches of snow, he attempted to look for anywhere safe.
But, the further he ran, the worse he felt.
Suddenly, as he was dashing between trees, a gust of freezing cold wind slapped him in the face. It was so cold that the snot in his nose froze, his eyebrows formed icicles, and the blood in his veins chilled.
Then, if that wasn't bad enough, snow formed out of thin air and began covering the area.
Zayzal, now knowing that something was definitely wrong, slowly turned his head around. He did so just in time to see all colors from the rainbow, including some he couldn't even fathom, crash into him like a truck.
"Kugh!" He grunted as his chest and stomach collapsed, sending him crashing.
"AAAAHHHHGG!" He screamed in agony as whatever hit him began rampaging through his body.
The waves of colored energy burned through Zayzal, setting his very essence alight with pain and power. He felt as if every atom, every molecule of his being, was being shattered and remade in an instant. The very ground around him quivered under the intensity of the energy.
His muscles were ripped and repaired over and over again. His bones were shattered and remade. His organs, marrow, and skin were torn apart.
"Gamóto! Fuck!" He cursed in Greek again, his voice hoarse as his vocal cords were being ripped to shreds.
'I won't die! I won't die! Whatever's happening can't kill me! I'm an Athanasios!' He repeated such thoughts in his mind until they became some sort of mantra.
However, this was merely the beginning.
"Grrr-AHHgAgAgA!" His body convulsed, eyes rolled back into his head as he felt whatever was happening force its way into his brain.
It felt like someone cracked open his skull and twisted his brain. It was so painful that his mind and body couldn't even fathom it.
Normally, something like this would've killed him hundreds of times over, but whether it was because of his will to live, the energy coursing through his body, or something else, he managed to hold onto his sanity and stay alive.
What he didn't know was that this was happening throughout the world to every single person. It's just that, for most people, it wasn't nearly this bad.
"I can't... end like this." As he gritted his teeth against the pain, memories of family and moments from his past flashed before him: moments of laughter, challenges, and love.
His vision dimmed, but the thought of those waiting for him at home kept him fighting.
***
This process continued for several hours until after the sun had set.
By now, Zayzal was surrounded by snow several feet high, yet none was on him. His external body temperature was hot enough that whenever it touched him, it melted.
Blood, dead skin, bone fragments, and rancid flesh littered the area.
However, there wasn't a single injury on his body. Rather, his skin looked cleaner, and he looked leaner yet a bit more muscular. Over the past few hours, changes had taken place, both inside and outside his body, that he would have to slowly discover.
Zayzal's eyelids quivered for a moment before they shot open. His dark brown eyes scanned the night sky for a moment until a sudden realization hit him, and he burst out laughing.
"HAHAHA~! I'm alive! I'm actually alive!" He raised his fist into the air, which created a whooshing sound on the way up until he heard a pop. He felt his shoulder pop out of its socket momentarily.
"Huh?" Zayzal opened his palm and looked at his hand. "When did I get so strong?"
Clenching and unclenching his fist, he could feel the muscles in his hand and arm flex like never before. Power coursed through his body, power he'd never felt before.
Standing up in a hurry, he felt as though he was as light as a feather yet as strong as an ox.
"What the hell happened?" He stared at his hands in wonder and confusion.
'Was that light the cause of this?' That was the only thing that made sense in this situation that seemed beyond reality.
What he just experienced went against all common sense. Yet, it happened, and he got stronger from it–something that should've been impossible.
However, it felt like… a part of himself was unlocked.
Grabbing a handful of snow, Zayzal's eyes widened in amazement as it no longer felt cold, almost as if he was holding air. In fact, even as the icy Northern winds slammed into his body, it felt more like a light breeze.
"[Adaptability]." He unconsciously muttered, as if it was imprinted in his mind.
'What…? What did I just say?' Confused, disoriented, and still somewhat traumatized by the previous incident, he shook his head.
Zayzal took a deep breath to calm himself from the flurry of new sensations and revelations.
The power coursing through him, the term "[Adaptability]" echoing in his mind, and the sheer impossibility of everything that had just transpired was all too overwhelming. But just as he was about to analyze everything, a low, mournful howl cut through the chilly night air.
His heart skipped a beat. Another howl followed, closer and more urgent, echoed by several others in quick succession. The cries seemed to converge, all heading towards his direction.
Wolves.
Zayzal's first instinct was to run, but they were too close. As the howls grew louder, his surroundings seemed to grow dimmer. The starlit sky seemed further away as if a shadow was enveloping everything.
That's when he saw them—no longer mere wolves but creatures larger, stronger, and more menacing than anything he'd seen before.
'Of course, just my luck. Transformed wolves drawn here by the scent of blood,' Zayzal thought with a grimace.
He felt a rush of adrenaline mixed with the newfound power coursing through his veins. Gripping the knife he had brought for this expedition, he braced himself for a confrontation like no other.
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