The sky didn't fall.
It cracked.
At first, people thought it was a strange natural phenomenon—thin lines spreading across the blue sky like broken glass. Some stared in confusion. Others laughed, pulling out their phones to record what they thought would be a once-in-a-lifetime event.
They were right.
It was once in a lifetime.
Because an hour later…
The world ended.
The cracks tore open, forming massive swirling portals that hung in the air like wounds in reality itself. From within them came sounds—low, distorted growls that made the air feel heavy.
Then, the first creature stepped out.
It was enormous. Its body twisted like it had been stitched together from nightmares, its eyes glowing with a hunger that no human could understand.
And it wasn't alone.
Within minutes, more followed.
Cities fell in hours. Governments collapsed in days. Weapons that once made humanity dominant became meaningless against creatures that didn't feel fear… or pain.
People ran.
People screamed.
People died.
Ninety percent of humanity was wiped out before anyone could understand what was happening.
But in the middle of that despair…
Something changed.
Some humans began to awaken.
Fire burned in their hands. Lightning answered their call. Water bent to their will. Powers beyond imagination surged through them, turning ordinary people into humanity's last line of defense.
They were called Ascendants.
And they fought back.
100 Years Later
The world was no longer the same.
Towering cities had been rebuilt, surrounded by massive reinforced walls. Beyond those walls lay death—ruined lands overrun by monsters and abandoned portals that still lingered like ticking time bombs.
Strength became the only thing that mattered.
Without it, you were nothing.
Without it, you died.
A boy stood at the edge of a rooftop, staring at the distant horizon where a faint, glowing portal hovered in the sky.
His dark hair moved slightly with the wind, his sharp eyes fixed on the sight with something deeper than fear.
Hatred.
"Portals…" he muttered quietly.
His name was Kael Varyn.
And he hated them more than anything.
"They took everything from me…"
His fists clenched tightly at his sides.
He could still remember the day.
The screams. The fire. The helplessness.
His parents had been Ascendants—strong, respected, heroes to many.
But even heroes could die.
A portal had opened near their home.
They went in to stop it.
They never came back.
Kael exhaled slowly, forcing down the emotions threatening to rise.
"I'll destroy them," he said, his voice low but firm.
"Every single one."
A sudden voice interrupted him.
"You're up here again?"
Kael turned slightly to see a boy climbing onto the rooftop, brushing dust off his clothes with an annoyed expression.
Drex Hollow.
His only real friend.
"You'll fall one day if you keep standing that close to the edge," Drex added.
Kael gave a small smirk. "I won't."
Drex rolled his eyes but walked closer, stopping beside him. For a moment, both of them stared at the distant portal in silence.
Then Drex spoke again.
"The Awakening Ceremony is tomorrow."
Kael's expression shifted slightly.
"…Yeah. I know."
Every year, those who reached the age of fifteen would undergo the Awakening.
A chance to gain power.
A chance to become something more.
Or…
A chance to remain weak forever.
Drex clenched his fists slightly, excitement and tension mixing in his voice.
"I'm definitely awakening something strong," he said. "Fire… lightning… something powerful."
Kael didn't respond immediately.
Instead, he kept staring at the portal in the distance.
"…I don't care what I get," he finally said.
Drex frowned. "What do you mean?"
Kael's eyes sharpened.
"As long as it's enough to kill them."
For a brief moment, Drex said nothing.
Then he laughed lightly, though something about it felt… off.
"Yeah," he said. "Let's both get strong."
But as he looked at Kael—
There was something hidden behind his eyes.
Something dark.
The next day would change everthing