Apex Star

Somewhere in the universe, in a place forgotten by time, stands an immense shrine of colossal proportions. Even if one were to stand nearby, it would remain unseen.

Inside the shrine, people bustle about, some chatting and laughing, while others engage in training or gaze at the stars.

But then, the stars suddenly dimmed.

Two figures materialized out of thin air, exuding a profound intent to kill.

"Why is this happening on Earth now?" asked a middle-aged man.

"Honey, calm down. We should have expected it. After all, nearly every galaxy around the Milky Way has already awakened ahead of their time," a woman consoled the man who spoke first.

"I understand, Arin, but Nova is still on Earth! The Awakening couldn't have waited another month until Nova awoke his bloodline, and we could've taken him back to his true home." The man fell silent after voicing his concern.

-----

While all of this unfolded, countless universes away, on Earth, a shocking event occurred.

In every capital city, village, and country, numerous figures known throughout the Realms as 'FACELESS' emerged.

Their voices reverberated throughout the beautiful blue planet, reaching every corner. Electricity vanished from the entire Earth, replaced by a mysterious Energy. Naturally, humans couldn't discern this change so quickly, and they resorted to their typical response: panic.

Every person who caught sight of these FACELESS figures was stunned. Those near the enigmatic beings fled in fear.

It's worth remembering that the greatest fear is the unknown. Strangely, these figures refrained from harming anyone. Witnessing this, some humans ceased running and observed them.

"Congratulations, humans! Your planet and all life throughout the Galaxy have received the opportunity for Awakening."

The words left the people baffled, uncertain of how to react.

-----

In the midst of these events, our protagonist, Nova Calypso Apeiron, awoke from his slumber and gazed out the window, only to discover the city's lights had gone out.

"What just happened? I had only fallen asleep for an hour," Nova wondered, his instincts urging him to investigate further.

Initially, Nova's reaction was subdued. However, as he noticed the dark skies and the city-wide power outage, a sense of unease crept in. It appeared to be a power outage.

Seeing the dark sky, Nova reached for his phone to contact his parents. When they didn't respond, he realized something was amiss, and a sense of panic began to grip him.

*BEEP*BEEP* "No signal, darn it," he muttered before deciding to search for answers.

Nova ventured into his kitchen, found a flashlight, and ventured outside, hoping to find neighbors who might shed light on the situation. Upon stepping out, he noticed other residents armed with flashlights.

"Did everyone hear those voices?" inquired an elderly man.

"Old Mark, I'm certain everyone heard them, but what in the world is this Awakening?" a middle-aged man asked, his wife by his side.

"Voices? What voices?" Nova asked, perplexed.

"Little Nova, did you not hear those voices that seemed to come from everywhere?" Juan, the one who had spoken earlier, questioned.

"Uncle Juan, honestly, I only got up because I thought I heard something, but I can't recall anything else," Nova admitted, still baffled by the situation, as he had been asleep.

Juan was left speechless by Nova's deep slumber, which had caused him to miss the earth-shattering news.

"Those people who appeared in the sky out of nowhere mentioned something about Earth's Awakening, but I'm not sure what it means."

"Oh, they also mentioned something about lifeforms from other galaxies!" Maria, Juan's wife, chimed in.

"Why didn't they just let me rest in peace?" Old Mark grumbled, his frustration apparent.

"You're telling me, spouting all this nonsense, shutting down the city's power, and then disappearing?!" Juan expressed his fear and irritation at the situation.

"Relax, old man. We'll figure this out. I'm sure everything will be fine," Nova tried to reassure Old Mark. Panicking in such a situation wouldn't be beneficial.

Internally, however, Nova's composure was not as strong as he projected. He worried about his parents' safety.

"What do you think the future holds?" Maria asked, holding Juan's hand tightly.

"Calm down, dear. I'm here with you. As long as I'm here, nothing will happen to us," Juan assured Maria, kissing her to comfort her.

"Indeed, as Uncle Juan said, perhaps this won't be a bad thing after all," Nova said, attempting to regain control of the situation.

Nova had barely spoken when the entire sky was bathed in blinding light, forming what appeared to be a colossal TV screen.

What Nova was unaware of was that these massive screens had appeared not just in Pearl City but across all of Earth.

Words, translated into every language, slowly materialized for all to see:

"Congratulations, humans! May you transcend the skies and inscribe your name across the Realms!"

Without a doubt, silence descended upon Earth. Everyone was intrigued by the turn of events. The earlier panic had dissipated like a dream.

Earth's inhabitants harbored newfound hope after reading the first proclamation on the giant screen. Some were still apprehensive, but a sense of optimism prevailed.

Opinions divided the population, but within them lay a few ambitious souls. From this point forward, everything they knew would change forever.

Only the future could determine whether this change would prove favorable or not. People held their breath, eagerly awaiting the subsequent lines of text on the big screen.

Even Nova, Old Mark, Juan, and Maria awaited the same revelation. Each had different thoughts and emotions.

Nova, perhaps, was the only one filled with excitement.

"This impending change... I will grasp it firmly and be reborn with it," Nova thought about his previously monotonous life.

There had been moments of joy, though they were few. They coexisted with sorrow, regret, and loss, shaping his character.

Even if he wished to forget his past, Nova resolved to face whatever came next without being hindered, just as the screen had declared. He would inscribe his name across the Realms.

Once more, all eyes were fixed on the screen, which now displayed new lines of text. People's hearts raced as they read them.