Chương 1: A terrible start

"Shh, calm down, caaaalm dooooown," I say with a whisper, attempting to quiet the beast's rage. It does absolutely nothing. It's practically frothing at the mouth with fury and contempt. The beast in question is Princess Buttercup, the chihuahua that I am currently dog-sitting. Both of us stand in the lobby of a local burger joint, picking up an order. While collecting food as a delivery driver, I saw an ad for dog sitting. Why not do both at the same time? I thought.

I'm already certain that was a horrible decision. Judging by the constant annoyed glances from the people nearby in the restaurant, they agree with my conclusion. Buttercup feint-lunges at me, startling me out of my line of thinking. She's done that a few times now. I stare at the dog in frustration as I move up in the line towards the counter. Eye contact seems important with this mutt, and it's the only thing keeping her somewhat calm.

Calm, meaning barely restrained anger.

Even a small lapse of focus is not wise, and I know if I let her out of sight even for a second, she's going to strike at my unprotected ankles. I tried 'Sit', 'Stay', and even 'Please don't bite me', but it all went in one ear and out the other. Several of the surrounding people stare at us as Buttercup rumbles like a constant generator. The guy in front of us glances behind himself nervously every few seconds. Don't worry, buddy, she's focused on me I take another step toward the counter.

Leaving Buttercup in the car was an option, but I didn't want anyone breaking in to release her. Their ankles wouldn't live to tell the tale.

A slow, building vibration picks up, reverberating in the walls and windows of the restaurant.

It's almost unnoticeable, and I can barely feel it in my feet. Enough to make a few people notice, but not enough to make anyone concerned. Heavy, low-flying helicopters rattle the windows pretty often. As expected, the vibration dies away after a handful of seconds.

I pull my phone out for a distraction.

A few minutes pass, and I do nothing but doomscroll. This order was not worth it. So much time wasted.

Once more, the tremor begins, just a bit more intense. Some people start looking around, but I don't think too much about it. It fades away once again, lasting longer than before.

Buttercup is not concerned in the slightest. What kind of name is Buttercup, anyway? It's not even unique.

Why couldn't I get a good-natured golden retriever named Doomshredder 9000 or something? They would stand next to me with loving eyes while panting, attracting the love of everyone in the restaurant.

I allow myself a smile at the peaceful thought. Buttercup must sense my joy, because she starts to yip like a crappy battery-powered toy.

"Please, be quiet," I force myself to speak calmly through gritted teeth.

As more people look over, I feel heat in my cheeks. My hand digs into my pocket and fishes out a loose cracker. I toss it near her, hoping to satiate her hatred. It seems to work as she stops barking and goes back to a smoldering malice.

I sigh, massaging my temple, not daring to even enjoy closing my eyes because of the monster next to me.

Another person leaves, not many left now.

Waiting and feeling the money slip through your fingers might just be the worst part of food delivery. Right up there with arriving right on time, then driving around for 15 minutes while searching for parking, and the customer getting unreasonably angry.

As I walk forward, I have to pull Buttercup as though she has planted roots.

The vibration begins again. This time, it doesn't stop there as ice shakes in cups, while bowls rattle. It's strong enough to feel in my knees. A cup falls off a table nearby and shatters. A woman screams nearby in needless terror. After an irritated glance at her, concern starts to grow.

That was too powerful to be a helicopter, and I've never felt an earthquake here before. My mind doesn't care too much, but my instinct, something deep inside, tells me something isn't right.

Aren't earthquakes supposed to have weaker aftershocks following them? These are growing bigger, not smaller. Buttercup, however, is completely unconcerned. Still staring directly into my eyes. Dread pools in my stomach, but I push it away and go back to scrolling.

"Excuse me? Sir?"

I look up and see another person who is also unconcerned with the earthquake. The cashier in a yellow and white uniform stares at me, unimpressed. The person in front of me is gone.

"Ah, yes, sorry," I walk up to the register.

"Pickup for Sherri B."

She lazily points at a different counter across the building.

"Pickup is over there," She says in a droning voice.

"Got it, thank you," I say as I grip my phone hard in my pocket and clench my jaw. My smile fades as I turn, replaced with a scowl.

Pulling Buttercup across the floor with heavy resistance, I make it to the pickup counter, which is thankfully empty.

I see a man in the same color uniform as before, with sunken eyes, unkempt hair, and a 5 o'clock shadow. Damn, this place really sucks the soul out of people.

"Yes?" he says with a tired voice.

"Hey, I'm here for a pickup for Sherri B."

The man doesn't even respond, he just walks back into the kitchen. I assume he's getting the food, but his expression tells me he might just quit and leave me standing here.

My foot taps impatiently against the tile as I keep a loose eye on Buttercup.

Soft gasps erupt behind me as the man returns with food in hand. Halfway to handing me the food, his sunken eyes widen slightly, looking at something over my shoulder.

Confused, I turn around. My eyebrows rise as I glance at the windows leading outside. Instead of a whitish-blue light through the windows, it's a deep maroon. The red seeps into the restaurant through every opening. My gaze takes me to the other people in the restaurant. All of them are watching, just like me.

Several people get up from their seats. Those who are standing gravitate to the doors.

I turn around and grab the food from the man quickly while he is still slightly frozen, looking at the windows.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. I quickly walk towards the doors myself to see what's going on. It's around 6, so a tinted sky isn't that strange, but I've never seen it so vibrant before.

The rumbling begins again, much stronger this time, causing me to stumble and stop to regain my footing. A few startled yelps and grunts sound out as less balanced people trip and fall over. This time, it takes a couple minutes for it to stop.

My casual mood disappears, replaced by the expanding dread in my stomach. My legs unconsciously lead me to the doors. Midway, a spark of blue crackles in front of my face. I stop and swat the air in surprise, but there's nothing there. As I continue to walk, I pay less attention to Buttercup, who is still trying to root herself in place.

The fear inside me grows. It's so dark. No, red is just a much deeper color. When I push open the door and step outside, things only get worse. This wasn't the rare, peaceful red of an occasional saturated sunset. The road and buildings bathe in a deep, crimson red, like a drying room for old camera photos.

The sky is the same, only slightly brighter. My sense of dread grows into a crushing weight in my chest. Giant, jagged cracks are tearing through the sky, growing. Inside those cracks, the tint of the atmosphere is absent, leaving a black, starry night. Shivers travel down my spine.

I notice something weird and look to the west in the sky. Horror fills my entire chest, invoking a deep, primal fear. Where the fuck is the sun? My head darts around, looking for the missing sun, but it's nowhere to be found. It's only 6 pm! It should be low in the sky to the west, not gone! I spin in place a few times, my breathing quickening as I desperately search for it. As I look around, the street fills with more people than I thought were around, all of them looking at the sky.

A man with unkempt, grey hair runs around with his shirt off, yelling.

"It's the end of the world! It's finally here! The end! The end!"

"Shut the hell up!" yells another man. A chuckle almost climbs out of me, but the fear makes humor impossible.

I hear a gentle chime from inside my head. I twist around, expecting to see someone with a speaker or phone next to my ear, but no one's there. A second crackle of blue sparks in front of my face, fading before I can react. With food in one hand and the leash in the other, I jog towards my car. Some people I pass sob quietly, while others scream. Most just stare at the sky with their mouths hanging open. My steps falter as the ground jerks left and right beneath my feet, making me trip and stumble to catch myself.

Screams come from every direction. Oh my god. The world is actually ending. The spark appears again, fizzling and transforming in front of my eyes.

With a seamless motion, a blue holographic screen expands in front of me. Startled yelps erupt out of people getting in their cars and others standing on the street. I gasp as well, watching in fascination as words grow and populate the screen.

[Initiating Induction of the 11893rd Galaxy] What?

[Integrating Individuals] [Individual Melded: Kevin Shoeman] Melded!? What the hell does that mean!? How does it know my name!?

I glance away from the screen for a moment. People everywhere are now staring into space as if they are daydreaming, with others swatting at empty air in front of themselves. They see it too. I make eye contact with a couple of people who are looking at others, as I am.

My vision shifts back to the words that continue to populate the screen.

[Please Select a Class for Full Induction Status] [Individuals who have not chosen a class within 90 seconds will be randomly assigned a class] [After 90 seconds, users who select a class will be transported to the training zone for planetary restructuring] [Individuals who refuse to select a class will be unassisted with System Integration] Planetary restructuring? I stare at the screen in confusion.

Curiously, I tap an empty part of the blue screen lightly, and it resists force. Like a magnet with the same polarity, it pushes my finger away. I try knocking on it harder, but my hand passes through it like it's not there. Weird

"How do I select a class?" I murmur.

As if waiting for my query, previous messages disappear, and new text grows in a list, with a scroll bar appearing to the right. The scroll bar grows smaller and smaller as what I can only assume are more options appear off-screen.

[Warrior] (poor) [Status Allocation: 1 (Strength), 1 (Agility), 1 (Free)] [A basis for those who like to use their tools to defend and attack enemies in close range. This Class evolves into a plethora of melee-focused classes] [Starting Skill: Powerful swing] [Inclination: 9%] [Brawler] (poor) [Status Allocation: 1 (Strength), 1 (Fortitude), 1 (Free)] [A basis for those who forgo traditional tools in favor of more natural weaponry] [Starting Skill: Hardened strike] [Inclination: 13%] A game?

My confusion doubles as fantasy classes wait patiently in front of me. I assume inclination is how good a match I am for the class. Not surprised about these, I've never been in a legitimate fight before. My dread fades slightly as something I half understand populates my mind.

[Ranger] (poor) [Status Allocation: 1 (Agility), 1 (Perception), 1 (Free)] [This Class represents a basis for all who wish to damage enemies from a distance. Evolves into any ranged specialisation, from throwing rocks to advanced weaponry.] [Starting Skill: Focused launch] [Inclination: 57%] I did archery as a kid and was good at it. But eh, not really my thing.

The ground jerks violently, jumping up and down. Several people nearby fall over with yells and grunts of pain while I put my all into staying standing. Cracks form in the asphalt, widening quickly. I flip around as pressurized water shoots out of the ground near the street. My heart picks up as my thoughts speed up.

[60 Seconds Before Transportation] Shit, this is happening way too quickly. My reading speed increases as I drag the scroll bar and continue through the list.

[Elemental Mage] (poor) [Status Allocation: 1 (Intelligence), 1 (Wisdom), 1 (Free) [This mage subclass grants access to the 4 base elements. Evolves into greater specialisation or variants of the 4 base elements.] [Starting Skill: Elemental Skill Selection] [Inclination: 86%] [Diverse Mage] (poor) [Status Allocation: 1 (Intelligence), 1 (Wisdom), 1 (Free)] [This mage subclass specialises in magic that is capable of the more diverse and unusual applications using esoteric themes.] [Starting Skill: Esoteric Skill Selection] [Inclination: 93%] [Support Mage] (poor) [Status Allocation: 1 (Intelligence), 1 (Wisdom), 1 (Free)] [This mage subclass grants access to magic directly influencing people or objects.] [Starting Skill: Support Skill Selection] [Inclination: 84%] My mind agrees with the higher inclination. Out of all the options, being a mage seems the most exciting, especially diverse mage. But I continue anyway, just in case. [Generalist] (poor) [Status Allocation: 3 (free)] [Also known as the jack of all trades, the generalist class allows the user to experience the basis of all classes with minor specialisation.] [Starting Skill: Quick learner] [Inclination: 50%] [Tamer] (poor) [Conditional: Tamable Being Present] [Status Allocation: 1 (Perception), 1 (Wisdom), 1 (Free)] [A starting point for those who wish to inflict their will on others using beings they control.] [Starting Skill: Control Tamed being] [Inclination: 3%] What? I blink and read the line again. [Conditional: Tamable Being Present] Oh, I forgot about Buttercup. I turn to face the only possible being around me that could be considered tameable. The second she enters my peripheral vision, I see that something isn't right. She isn't barking, growling, or even angry. She's focused and crouched. Before I can react, she jumps. Not one foot, or even two. The dog explodes like a coiled spring. Every second, I expect the momentum to begin slowing, but it doesn't. The dog flies up and clamps its tiny jaws around my neck, causing me to stumble backwards slightly. It takes only a second for my brain to catch up to the present. I reach up and grab Buttercup with both my hands, ripping her off my neck. My heartbeat picks up like a jackhammer as I throw Buttercup onto the ground. Buttercup lands with a crunch and immediately starts bleeding." Shit. Shit. Shit!" I sprint a couple of steps and crouch down to look at Buttercup's condition, and it's clearly not looking good. Her head is slightly deformed, indicating some kind of skull fracture. Oh God, oh no. My hands hover uselessly, looking for some way to help, but this isn't something CPR or a bandage can fix. Buttercup's owner is going to go berserk when she finds out what happened. Slowly, a chunk of meat falls out of her mouth and tumbles to the side. It's the size of a chicken wing. Strangely enough, it doesn't have fur on it. After a couple of seconds of wondering, it clicks. My hand shoots to my neck. There's a hollow trench there, over an inch deep. A warm liquid runs over my fingers. Horror fills my chest as I look down. A river of blood flows down my collarbone, seeping into my shirt. Blood pushes between my fingers in sync with my heartbeat. The shaking begins again, alongside a chime and a message from the holographic screen. The earthquake is much worse than before. I try to keep my footing, but my legs shake weakly. There's a dull, aching pain that's beginning to grow in my neck. My mind grinds to a halt as I watch the blood spread through my shirt. This is gonna hurt so damn bad in 30 seconds. My heart slams against my chest, threatening to break free. Just barely, the beats get weaker with every thump. The thoughts in my head mix together. I'm finally thrown off my feet. I try to catch myself with my hands, but my arms shake and collapse. The ground comes up as I land on my chest. The pain grows and wanes in a cycle. Disoriented, I see people crying, and others panicking. The ground doesn't stop shaking this time; it only grows stronger. The cracks turn into fissures several feet wide. Some people are near me and look like they want to help. But they don't. Everything turns hazy. Why am I outside? Wasn't I doing something important? Chimes ring in my head on repeat. My worries fade with the pain. It feels as though it becomes easier to breathe as my eyes grow heavy. I try to move my arm, but only my finger twitches. It was so loud before, but it's getting so quiet. Why is it so quiet? Reality fades from my grasp as I slowly close my eyes into a dreamless slumber.