Chapter 2 The Apocalypse

7th month of the old calendar, 2368:

All the worlds were engulfed in the flame of war against the unknowns. Millions died every day; no planet was safe. Humanity had already lost hope, with billions of unknown entities slaughtering mankind without rest.

3rd month of the old calendar, 2370:

Two years later, after the dimensional barrier was destroyed, Humanity had been driven back to their home world Earth by the unknown entities. Less than a million were left surviving and hiding out of hundreds of billions in just two years. It was just a matter of time until humanity perished.

But a miracle transpired: our Mother Earth released a barrier that protected us from the unknowns. The strongest of them were left outside to roam, while the weakest were an exception as they could enter Earth and slaughter all living beings. It ignited hope in all, and a new era came to Earth.

Three years later, First Month, first day, and first year of the new calendar. The start of a new era when a gigantic entity collided with the sun, and the sun exploded. Humanity created a new calendar as new suns, stars, and planets kept being discovered.

Because of the destruction of the sun, Day or Night became a thing of the past. Earth stood still in space surrounded by billions of entities as small as a mouse, and the largest recorded entity was as large as the destroyed sun.

Five months into the new calendar, ten years later, the survivors created Citadels to protect themselves from the unknowns. Humanity evolved and became stronger as they aged slower. The few remaining researchers on Earth guessed that because of the destruction of the dimensional barrier that separated us from other dimensions, we benefited from the true law. So humanity fought back and learned how to kill and devour the unknowns to survive.

Two months into the new calendar, three years later, Humanity gave the unknowns a name: Rift Demons. So Humanity learned how to fight the Rift Demons; deaths occurred less, but despite that, the human population was left with less than a hundred thousand. Humanity stood strong and grasped hope to live and survive.

Seventh month of the new calendar, twenty years later. The barrier on Earth that protected us weakened. Stronger Rift demons appeared, slaughtering thousands of humans and destroying dozens of citadels. Hope was extinguished because only the largest underground citadel was left standing out of hundreds that were built.

"R-report... Five... Five... *sob* *sob* thousand..." A girl wearing tattered clothes said as she cried with no hope left in her eyes.

"Five thousand...How did it all come to this?! Ha. Ha. Ha. Hahahaha" A man without legs, sitting on a rusty wheelchair, laughed maniacally, his eyes red with despair.

"Five thousand survivors. Maybe tomorrow it will be none or maybe even later... Just what have we done to deserve this?! Do we humans deserve to be wiped out?!" The man on the wheelchair asked aloud. "GOD! JUST WHY?! WHY MAKE US SUFFER!!!" He shouted.

The girl kept silent as she cried, watching the man filled with despair. Truly, a world that is about to come to an end.

*Rumble* *Rumble* The citadel rumbled as the torches flickered.

"They're here..." The man said.

The girl cried harder as she kneeled and hugged her head, unable to do anything about her impending doom.

"Sir! A golden rift appeared on one of our quarters!" A burly man holding a makeshift spear entered the room and reported to the man in the wheelchair.

"Golden?! Retreat from the rift and abandon this citadel. NOW!" The man in the wheelchair ordered as he hastily came closer to the crying girl.

"Abandon? But Captain, Where do we go then?" The burly man asked.

"Just... Survive." The Captain said as he pulled the girl outside the room, accompanied by the burly man.

*Vroong* *Vroong* the sound of the rift as it increased its beats like a heart.

"Everyone! Abandon the citadel!" The burly man shouted repeatedly as they ran closer to the golden rift.

Everyone heard the burly man, yet nobody chose to abandon the citadel. Where would they go once they went outside anyway? Abandon the last citadel of humanity and die outside? They knew that it was a matter of time before the impending doom. As such, they chose to follow the burly man and their captain closer to the golden rift.

"Why do you all not understand me? Abandon the Citadel and Survive! Please..." The Captain said, his eyes red from grief and despair. "Bring Cecilia with you, I'll hold the rift alone." He added.

"And where do we go? Outside and die anyway? We will hold the final Citadel... The final hope of humanity... here with you, Captain. So please don't take all the glory yourself." A tall and slender young man said as he smiled.

"Yeah, thousands of evolved and hardened humans vs a single golden rift? We can hold it... Somehow." A woman with a curvy figure and short black hair added.

The 5000 or so humans agreed with the others' opinion and chose to fight alongside their captain.

"You... Sigh, I may not be able to walk but... We are the final hope for humanity. This place here may be our final resting place, but we will fight to the last of us!" The Captain said with determination visible in his eyes.

"That's the spirit, Captain!" The crowd cheered as they all continued onward to the rift.

"They're coming out!" One of the guards near the rift shouted, his rusty sword raised.

*Vhoong* *Thump* Dust rose as something fell from the rift.

Silence filled the room. Five thousand hardened humans, speechless because of the bloodbath they expected, did not come. But rather, a human body, a girl not more than 18 years old, fell from the rift.

"This is..." The Captain asked with visible confusion. "Be careful and don't approach her carelessly!" The captain ordered, yet curiosity could be seen in his eyes.