Things are moving quick...

The group with the addition of Kain was camping in the woods. A log-cabin style fired burned a few feet high as they circled close around it.

After quite a while of observing the different members of the group on the walk back, Kain could only laugh in his head.

So, I might already know, but who is the leader here?

Joanne is the designated leader.

Hmm? Part of a larger group then?

Yea! John created a system for us to go out in groups to hunt for more preservable food.

I see, well. Joanne, I will listen to your instructions unless they go against my bottom line. On the other hand, I should specify this now. You give the word, I'll subdue an enemy. Give the word again, I'll kill them.

At that moment, to Kain's enjoyment, everyone in the group had different reactions.

Andrew froze for a second, then continued talking to Beth.

Deandre began to tap his fingers as if anxious.

Luke's body tensed.

Maria had a flash of fear pass her eyes.

Kain smiled a bit but corrected his facial muscles to a frown.

Hmm? Have you none of you killed yet?

We…have. I have. I am the only one who has.

Oh. It must still haunt you then.

Luke simply stared at Kain for a bit, a bit of disgust in his eyes.

I hope you all understand that it will only get worse. The society you know has officially collapsed for the moment and devolved into tribal politics. Killing isn't always necessary, but I guarantee you all understand that sometimes it is. Prepare yourselves for such actions of permanence.

The atmosphere immediately darkened as most everyone in the group looked down or away.

We all know that those beasts will not yield to gun as easily a deer. This isn't some *esident *vil playthrough; it's real life. Sorry for the sermon.

Kain shut himself up and looked towards the sky.

I hope I've made the right choice.

Oh yea, I hear the internet is still up in some places.

Yes, it is!

What's the latest news?

Well…every country has declared a state of emergency and the states of the U.S. have affectively claimed sovereignty as the chaos has continued. There's also a video of a dragon-looking thing coming from a weird light in the sky. That happened in Greenville.

So, the politicians are saving their asses and holing up in bunkers while directing the various guards.

Atlanta is also officially a dead zone as well as Los Angeles. Helicopters have gotten pictures of the walking corpses. Basically, everything's gone to hell.

I see. Well, you all seem to be taking it decently well! Actually, I've got one more question, if you mind. What happened with the other individual with powers. He lose control?

Maria suddenly began to tear up when Kain asked that.

She. She was Maria's sister. She had developed the power to control blood and thus other individuals. She suddenly lost control and contorted into a weird blood-covered…thing.

I'm sorry to hear that…Maria. That must have caused your group a lot of trouble.

13 people died.

Mmm.

Beth suddenly spoke up in a cheerier, but slightly hesitant tone.

Anyways, now our group is starting get on the right track! Other groups in the area also aren't aggressive. As opposed to other places, we're far better off, right?

Yea, true Beth.

Luke replied reassuringly.

Oh so fragile.

Kain looked off into the sky once more as even more tears fell from the sky, frozen in animation like the rules of the reality that was.

I'll seek places no other human can imagine. It is, after all, the gift I've been given.

The fire slowly burnt out as everyone fell asleep except the members designated to watch.

Kain though simply sat there, never moving.

-------------------------------------------------------

A group of seven walked into a rather interesting lay out – a camp made amongst houses in the suburb.

There were several smaller groups of people spread about the lay out. Some loners, some friends, some lovers, all working on different things or simply talking.

It's crazy. We actually didn't encounter a single thing on our way back. Kain's ability is incredibly useful. We won't have to worry about dying so randomly…

True, but he's still a metahuman. He could break at any moment and take us out with him. Don't you dare trust him Joanne!

Yea…yea…Luke. I got it.

John! We're back! We got a lot of food and supplies! No other teams have really made it into city again yet!

A man in a military uniform ran out of one of the houses, a silver badge with the roman numeral II on it signifying him as a Captain.

Ah! Joanne, I told you not to go there! Those zombies could easily still be there! You could have died!

Yea well, look at our bounty!

Joanne and the group emptied out their packs.

Ramen noodles, beef jerky, microwave-meals, and more fell before John's eyes.

…

Haaah. Good work.

These next two days, y'all are simply on camp patrol duty. You know the deal.

Just as the group was about to leave to relax, John suddenly noticed someone.

He immediately took out a revolver from the holster on his side.

Who are you?!

Groups around the camp quickly stopped working after hearing the commotion and began to prepare weapons.

Ah, John, it's okay! He's a metahuman we met while searching for stuff in the city! We've already screened him and everything! He says he'll listen to me.

John immediately looked towards Luke who nodded.

False alarm!

The people nearby relaxed.

Haah. Joanne, you can't just be bringing people back, especially not metahumans…after the incident. It's already hard enough keeping these people in check.

I know, but his abilities are really helpful!

Are they? Have him come with me then, so we can discuss it. Having him accepted into the camp isn't an issue, but how it affects us is.

Kain. Go with John please.

Of course. No please necessary Ms. Joanne.

He then leisurely walked over to John and began to talk.

Yes, I have an affinity with wind…

-------------------------------------------------------

Joanne got up to go take over for Kain as watchdog.

There he is!

She could see Kain sitting alone on a log in the early morning.

Kain!

She whispered harshly to try to get his attention.

…

No answer? I'm surely within distance of his ability…

She kept tip toeing closer, now intent on tapping him.

…

Here we go…

As she got closer, she noticed a silver glow radiating from his skin.

What is that? I can always ask...

She kept walking right up to him and reached out to tap him. As her finger made contact, she realized, it hadn't made contact.

What?!

She screamed out, mentally shocked, as she fell into Kain's body, blacking out in the process.

-------------------------------------------------------

[Joanne perspective]

Wha…Wh-where am I?

I looked around.

It was a sky, blue with fluffy white clouds and no sun.

Huh?

I looked again and all of a sudden, I saw a hill of bodies on one of the fluffy clouds. No, it was a hill of Kain's body to be exact. The face was undoubtedly his…

A flash of light occurred.

All of a sudden, there was still blue sky, but now there was black above that blue, like the infinite expanse of space.

Balls of color? No…that's a ball of fire? And water? Lightning?

BOOM!

A mountain rose up in the distance, rising all the way to the point of touching the black expanse. On it, giant vines and plants grew making a beautiful array of colors, ending in a tree spawning on top of the mountain.

What in the world is this…

Thissss is me.

Suddenly, my vision unfocused and a white figure came into focus in front of me. It was more apt to call it a white silhouette of a basic human body. Like a shadow, just white…

This is indeed me.

I turned around and now there was a black silhouette, like a real shadow but darker, in front of me.

Zssssh.

Suddenly, in front of my very eyes, the black was shed like dispersing particles and Kain came into picture.

Well, Joanne. You've certainly helped me out here.

His voice rang out from both sides of me, distorted as if it was from everywhere.

Kain…What are doing here? No, what are you?

Well. I am me…Aside from the human body of mine you call Kain, this is all of me.

…What?

Hey, I only recently found out as well. In terms you might understand, I am, in a way, a whole being. Within me, there is everything that I will there to be. Welcome to the soon to be Sea of Stars.

So…you are…a being who has a whole separate dimension?

That's…one way of putting it.

Okay, okay, but…why? How? No, what the fuck? So, your power isn't wind affinity?

Hmm. It seems that the awakening of the realm we live in infused energy into all beings within it causing them to awaken to their latent abilities or selves. As for the wind affinity, it's more of an aspect of me starting with having created what you see around you - a sky.

…

No one would believe me if they weren't shown it, right? Hahaha. It's incredible, isn't it?

Yes…it is.

To be honest, I would have expected you to be scared. Amongst the variety of people getting powers, no one's talked about having their own world. Rather, it doesn't even seem to be in the same category as a power.

Mhm. That is true…but if you can have things manifest from this world to ours…oh holy shit.

You're thinking that I have too much power, right? Well. I won't deny the potential, but that all relies on my will. You couldn't understand how strong it needs to be, how long I've taken to make just what is already here. Time here passes differently here than in our dimension. Now, put that in perspective of the gods people believe in our world. One of them took only seven days to creative billions of light years? Planets and stars that super-size ours by thousands of times? Complex life? Now, that's crazy.

…

So, why are there two of you? What is this white thing?

It's…my ID.

Your what?

My ID.

Like the ID, super-ego, and ego concept ID?

Yea…Maybe.

I…huh. This is overwhelming, you know. You come in here every night?

Well. It's more of a meditation thing, so I can go into it anytime. But yea, I tend to come in every night.

And did you know that people or things that touched you could come in as well?

Well…I didn't but I had a hunch. Some birds and small mammals appeared in here not too long ago. They died though.

Shiver.

They died? What do you mean?

Well, as opposed to you coming in just fine, they appeared in here dead as a doornail. It's giving me ideas on a hypothesis for my realm. Energy…and all that.

So you, knowing that things that came in died, JUST LET ANYTHING COME IN?

Well, I didn't know if they were from our world. I just knew that I didn't consciously make them, or rather can't. I wasn't certain of their origin or that my body could act as a portal so to speak.

…

Hah. Hahahaha. Of course. So, someone like this can exist too…

You…okay, Joanne?

Do I look okay?! I just found out that someone under my command is for all intensive purposes a GOD!

Well. It's not exactly like that. Besides, there are videos of people on the internet that can incinerate whole forests. I can't even do that yet.

The keyword is YET KAIN. YOU COULD DAMN WELL DO ANYTHING GIVEN ENOUGH TIME.

Alright! Calm down! Calm down! I could do anything if I ever had the will strong enough to do so, but it isn't easy willing something into being. I was human, I grew up human, Joanne! I'm still in the body and mindset of a human! That instinctively weakens my will. Amongst humans, I could be one of the most decisive and willful, and still fail to make fire or something.

Right…Kain. How do I leave? It's my turn on watch duty.

Don't be too weirded out Joanne. Our world is going to change a lot, rather I think it's going to expand. You've seen the rifts on videos. Earth is connected to many other places.

…

How do I leave?

Well, I'm not sure. Never had this happen.

…K-

BUT! Let me try something.

Zpt.

-------------------------------------------------------

Psh. Joanne landed on her butt hard.

Ouch!

Kain's posture hadn't changed and the glow around him was consistent as ever.

Joanne looked at him, her expression changing constantly for a few seconds. Fear, confusion, wonder – it all mixed into something she couldn't yet quite understand.

She did understand that she couldn't tell anyone about it. No one would believe her anyway, not even John…

Thus, the first Arunculus was to be born.