Somewhere in the space of Solar System
A figure shrouded in darkness, travelling far faster than any spaceship humanity ever-made was approaching earth rapidly.
"Is that the location of the war this time? I hope it will be different than last time.." the figure thought to himself as he accelerated his speed even further.
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"Ahaha! Brother Jorell, you should've stayed longer. Maybe you'd have walked out with a girl instead of me," Raudra joked as they stepped out of the club, the night air cool against their flushed faces.
"And let you end up passed out on the floor? I'd rather not relive that embarrassment—you lightweight," Jorell shot back with a grin.
Jorell wasn't just a longtime friend—he was like an older brother to Raudra. A few years older than he was, Jorell had looked after him since their days at the orphanage. Even after they left that place behind, they'd stuck together through everything.
"Fine fine whatever you say big bro, lets end the night before we end up in some dumpster.", said Raudra as they called for a taxi.
A few minutes later, the cab pulled up, and they climbed in. The ride was filled with half-drunk jokes and quiet laughter, the night slowly winding down.
When they arrived at Raudra's apartment, Jorell pulled him into a fierce hug. "See you tomorrow, buddy."
Raudra nodded, still smiling, as Jorell climbed back into the taxi and rode off into the night.
Raudra made his way up to his apartment, swaying a little as the elevator carried him to his floor. At his door, he fumbled in his pocket for the keys, finally unlocking it with a soft click.
The moment he stepped inside, a heavy wave of drowsiness crashed over him. He closed the door behind him, kicked off his shoes, and didn't even bother changing. With a tired sigh, he collapsed onto the bed—and was out cold within seconds.
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Raudra couldn't see anything—nor could he feel his body. He was weightless, drifting endlessly through the void of his dreams.
Then, suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind. Deep, ancient, and resonant.
"I have been waiting for you… my heir."
The darkness trembled.
A massive eye opened in the void—so vast it seemed to stretch for hundreds of meters. Raudra felt like a speck of dust in its presence. The pupil was a narrow, vertical slit, like that of a reptile, glowing faintly with a scarlet light.
He stared, frozen. His breath caught in his throat—if he was even breathing at all.
He wanted to speak, to move, to scream—but no words came. Only silence… and the unblinking gaze of the eye, watching him.
"There's not much time, others will be approaching soon, you might be confused but it will all come to you later, this world as you know it will turn upside down, beings from other worlds will invade. They will possess humans... gift them with powers. But make no mistake—all of them seek one thing: the key. The key to control the very heavens themselves."
"My inheritor... I will send you to the one who holds destiny's bond with the key in this world. I cannot say more there's not enough time. I cannot hear you—you are still too weak. Get stronger... or everyone you love will die. Your friends. Your family. All of them."
A piercing light shot from the eye, striking Raudra's forehead. The eye now glowed a deep, pulsing crimson.
Raudra tried to scream, but no sound came out. Agonizing pain tore through him—not just through his body, but through his very soul. His mind flooded with visions, symbols, and fragments of knowledge, but the pain was too overwhelming to grasp any of it.
"AARGH!"He jolted awake, clutching his forehead, gasping for air. His heart pounded in his chest. He was soaked in sweat.
"Wait… where is this?"
He looked around, disoriented. The room was unfamiliar—neat, warm, and filled with soft, personal touches. A pink curtain fluttered by the window, and a shelf in the corner held a row of neatly arranged books and scented candles.
It definitely didn't look like his apartment.
Before Raudra could take a closer look at his unfamiliar surroundings, a soft click came from the door behind him.
A young woman stepped into the room, likely in her twenties. She was wrapped in nothing but a towel, her skin still glistening from a recent shower. Droplets of water trailed down strands of her wet hair as they clung to her shoulders.
Their eyes met.
For a second, time froze. Confusion flared in her gaze—then panic.
Her expression shifted instantly from surprise to horror."GUARDS!" she screamed, eyes wide with alarm.
In a blur, she darted back into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her with a loud bang.
"What the hell?! Where am I?" Raudra blurted, looking around in panic. "Hey—Missy, don't just disappear like that! I don't even know how I got here!"
His heart raced. He was more confused than she had been. Flashes of a dream—or something like it—lingered at the edges of his mind, but he couldn't grasp any of it. Not now. Not with guards on the way.
And as if on cue, he heard fast footsteps pounding down the hall.
The door burst open.
A maid, dressed in a crisp uniform, entered first—followed by two armed guards, hands hovering near their holstered guns.
"I—I DON'T KNOW HOW I GOT HERE, I SWEAR!" Raudra shouted, raising his hands in surrender.
But... nothing happened.
The maid glanced around the room, puzzled. The guards scanned the area, tense and alert—but their eyes passed right over Raudra, like he wasn't even there.
Like he was invisible.
"What the...?" Raudra whispered, lowering his hands slowly. "Can they seriously not see me?"
His pulse thudded in his ears. This had to be a dream. It had to be. But the floor felt real. The air smelled real. And the dread coiling in his chest was definitely real.
"Young lady, what happened? Why did you call for the guards?" the maid asked, stepping further into the room, her eyes scanning for any sign of trouble. But everything seemed perfectly normal.
The bathroom door creaked open just a little, and the girl peeked out cautiously.
"T-There was someone here. In my room," she said, voice uncertain.
The guards swept the room again, but there was nowhere to hide. No windows open. No closet ajar. Just a neat, quiet space.
"Miss, you might've just imagined it," the maid said gently, offering a reassuring smile. "There's no one here."
She gave a slight bow. "Please get dressed and come downstairs for breakfast. Your father has already left for his meeting."
With that, the maid and the guards turned and exited the room, closing the door behind them.
The girl stepped out slowly, still wrapped in her towel. Her eyes flicked to where Raudra stood—and for a brief second, she froze.
Then she shook her head.
"I'm still half-asleep. Probably imagining things... I really need to stop reading so late at night."
She walked to her wardrobe, opening it to get dressed.
Just then, Raudra blurted, "You can see me, right? Miss, please don't scream again—I seriously don't know what's going on!"
She looked back at him, the faintest spark of disbelief fading as she realized he was real—and not just a figment of her imagination. Strangely, only she seemed able to see him. He appeared harmless, and something deep inside told her he wouldn't hurt her.
"Who are you? Why are you in my room?" she asked, her eyes fixed on him.
Raudra rubbed his temple, wincing. "Oh, yeah—sorry, I didn't introduce myself given the circumstances. I'm Raudra. I don't know how I got here. I was partying last night, and then I woke up here with a splitting headache. Where even is this? What sector am I in?"
After three devastating world wars, Earth had finally unified under a new global order. The planet was divided into sectors to maintain peace and order. Nuclear weapons were no longer a threat—satellite defense systems now intercepted any missile before it could reach the atmosphere. Ground-launched weapons might still be possible, but they were largely ineffective and there would be no point in using them.
Each sector was governed by a prime minister and classified into four categories: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta—also called A, B, C, and D. Alpha sectors were the wealthiest and most developed, while Delta sectors were poor and often lawless. Raudra himself was from Sector C-13, mostly common citizens and masses lived there.
"This is Sector A-2," she said. "But… why can only I see you, and not the others?"
She had calmed down considerably, sensing that Raudra was just as confused and lost as she was.
"I don't know that either," Raudra replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "I had this weird dream… some massive eye talking about a key, and powers, or something. But I can't remember it clearly—"
Before he could finish, a deafening boom shook the room.
The window rattled. The air suddenly felt warmer, charged—like the atmosphere itself had shifted.
Raudra instinctively moved to the window, drawn by a strange tug in his chest. It felt like something inside him was clashing and reacting to whatever was outside.
What he saw outside made his heart skip a beat.
A man hovered in midair, wreathed in dense, roaring flames. The fire didn't consume him—it clung to him, alive and furious. He was approaching fast, heat waves rippling around him, distorting the very space.
Raudra's breath caught in his throat. He didn't sense a shred of good intent coming from the approaching man—only overwhelming malice.
The flaming figure hovered in front of the window for a moment before reaching out. In one swift motion, he seized Raudra by the neck and yanked him through the frame like he weighed nothing.
The heat was instant and brutal. Raudra's skin blistered on contact, and his clothes ignited as fire consumed him. Pain tore through him, searing and relentless.
The man hovered midair, expression twisted with contempt.
"How weak," he spat. "This is who the Decimator King chose? After all that running… I thought he'd finally found the key."
He clicked his tongue, disappointed.
"Tch. No matter. Let's end this. Dying by Lord Astratoth's hand is the highest honor someone like you will ever receive."
Then, like tossing a piece of garbage, he hurled Raudra down.
Raudra's body slammed into the ground below, the force of the impact carving a small crater into the concrete. Dust and debris burst outward. Somehow still alive, he was coughing blood containing his broken innards. Seeing this the man called Lord Astratoth raised his hand, conjuring a flame spear that he flung towards Raudra as it pierced his stomach pushing him deeper into the ground.