Space cracked….
The sky bled….
Orin Voss stood in the center of the village square, his hands trembling as he stared at the unnatural tear in the sky. It was as if someone had slashed the heavens with a blade, leaving a jagged wound that oozed violet light. The air crackled with energy, and the ground beneath his feet vibrated with a low, ominous hum.
He'd been running errands for Master Harlan, the village apothecary, when the world changed. One moment, he was carrying a basket of herbs; the next, the sky had split open, and the villagers, screaming.
Just minutes before, the square had been peaceful. The scent of baking bread drifted from Joren's family shop, and Mira, the blacksmith's daughter, was laughing with her father as they hammered out a new plow blade. Old Bram grumbled about the weather, and children darted between the stalls, chasing each other with sticks. Orin had paused to watch them, a rare smile on his face. He'd always loved these quiet mornings, when the world felt safe and small.
He remembered Master Harlan's words from earlier that morning, as they sorted dried roots in the apothecary's cramped back room.
"You pay attention to the little things, Orin," the old man had said, peering over his spectacles, "That's what keeps a healer alive. The world's full of surprises, and most of them aren't good."
Orin had laughed, promising to be careful, never imagining how quickly the world could change.
But now, everything had changed.
"Orin!" a female voice called out.
He turned to see Mira sprinting toward him, her face pale with terror.
"What's happening?" She said.
"I—I don't know," Orin stammered, clutching the basket to his chest. Around them, villagers poured into the square, drawn by the commotion. Some fell to their knees, praying. Others simply stared, mouths agape.
A cold wind swept through the village, carrying with it the stench of fear and something fouler—something rotten. Orin's heart pounded in his chest. He'd read about magical anomalies in Master Harlan's books, but nothing like this. This was no ordinary magic.
This was….. a disaster.
The rift pulsed, and something moved within it. Shadows writhed, coalescing into monstrous forms. With a sound like tearing fabric, the first creature dropped from the sky—a hulking beast with too many eyes and a mouth full of needle-like teeth.
Screams erupted. The villagers scattered, but the beast was fast. It lunged, snatching a fleeing man and tossing him aside like a rag doll. Blood splattered the cobblestones. The man's wife shrieked, falling to her knees, and Orin's stomach twisted at the sound.
Orin froze in fear. His mind screamed at him to run, but his legs wouldn't move. The beast turned, its many eyes locking onto him. It charged.
Time slowed. Orin saw every detail—the glistening fangs, the bloody jaws, the way the creature's claws dug furrows into the earth. He tried to scream, but no sound came out. The world seemed to shrink to the space between him and the monster, every heartbeat echoing in his ears.
Then, a voice echoed in his mind. Cold, mechanical, and utterly alien.
[Origin Protocol Detected]
[User in mortal danger…]
[Activating emergency sequence….]
A surge of energy flooded Orin's body. The world snapped into sharp focus. He could suddenly see the beast's movements and predict its path. Instinctively, he dove to the side as the creature's claws slashed through the space where he'd just stood. He didn't avoid the slash completely though.
[Quest: Survive the Awakening]
[Objective: Evade the Rift Beast]
[Reward: Class Selection]
Orin's vision flickered. A translucent window hovered before his eyes, filled with strange symbols and numbers.
[Name: Orin Voss ]
[Level: 1]
[Class: Unassigned]
[Skills: None]
[Health: 7/10]
He blinked, and the window vanished. The beast roared, spinning to face him. Orin scrambled to his feet, heart hammering in his chest. He had no weapon, no magic—nothing but the strange new awareness burning in his mind.
The beast lunged again. This time, Orin moved before it did, rolling beneath its swipe and grabbing a fallen branch. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
He jabbed the branch at the creature's eyes, piercing into it. It shrieked, rearing back. Orin seized the moment and ran, weaving through the chaos of the square. All around him, villagers fled or fought, but none could stand against the monster.
He caught a glimpse of Master Harlan, trying to lead a group of children toward the safety of the chapel. The old man's face was set in grim determination, but his limp slowed him. Orin's heart twisted—he wanted to help, but the beast was too close.
A barrel rolled across the square, knocked loose by a panicked horse. Orin ducked behind it, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The system window reappeared, this time with a pulsing red border.
[Health: 5/10]
[Warning: Health low. Seek safety.]
He peeked over the barrel. The beast was rampaging, tossing aside anything in its path. Mira was trapped, cowering behind a barrel as the creature closed in on her.
Orin's hands tightened on the branch. He couldn't leave her. He wouldn't.
He darted out from behind the barrel, shouting at the beast, "Hey! Over here!"
The beast turned, its eyes narrowing. Orin's heart leapt into his throat, but he stood his ground.
The creature charged towards him. Orin waited until the last possible moment, then dodged, swinging the branch with all his strength. It cracked against the beast's snout. The monster howled, stumbling back but it wasn't injured.
[Survival Quest: 30 seconds remaining.]
Mira scrambled to her feet, running toward Orin. Together, they fled, ducking behind another building as the beast gave chase.
"Are you insane?" Mira gasped, clutching his arm tightly .
"Probably," Orin panted heavily, "But I'm not leaving you."
The beast rounded the corner, jaws snapping. Orin braced himself, ready to fight—or die trying.
A sudden memory flashed through his mind: Master Harlan's voice, calm and steady, teaching him how to bind a wound, how to keep his hands from shaking. "You can't save everyone, Orin. But you save who you can." Orin gritted his teeth. He would save Mira, at least.
[Quest Complete: Survive the Awakening.]
[Reward: Class Selection Unlocked]
A wave of warmth washed over Orin. The system window expanded, displaying new options.
[Choose Your Class:
- Warrior
- Mage
- Rogue
- ??? (Locked)]
Orin stared at the choices, his mind racing. The world was falling apart, monsters were pouring from the sky, and he was being offered power beyond imagination.
He took a deep breath, meeting Mira's terrified gaze.
"I don't know what's happening," he said, "but I think I can help."
As the beast roared and the rift pulsed overhead, Orin reached out to choose his destiny.