Remnants of a Dying World

Silence filled the large hall of the Nexus after the robed man revealed the presence of a new anomaly. Ricky, Sophie, Kieran, and Keeper stood quietly, pondering the danger they now faced. However, one question still weighed heavily on their minds since they had arrived what had truly happened to this world?

"If the war is far from over," Ricky began with a heavy voice, "then at least tell us what really caused all this. Why did the world end up like this?"

The robed man stared at them coldly before finally answering, "You want to know what caused this destruction? Very well. You deserve the truth. Follow me."

****

They walked down a long corridor illuminated by a faint blue light. On both sides of the corridor, they saw rooms filled with advanced equipment, research tools, and holographic screens displaying scenes from various eras. They eventually reached a large room with a central screen. The robed man activated it, and an image of the once lush and green Earth appeared.

"Once, Earth was home to billions of lives. Human civilization thrived with technology, but like all things, greed and excessive curiosity led to its downfall." The man pointed to the screen, which now displayed grand cities. "It all started with a secret experiment. A man-made plague was created not as an ordinary biological weapon, but as a tool to produce stronger, smarter humans resistant to disease."

Sophie gasped at this. "They tried to change humanity?"

"Yes," the man answered coldly. "They believed they could create a perfect generation of humans. However, the experiment spiraled out of control. The plague they created spread faster than they could contain it. Within months, the human population began to dwindle rapidly. Those who couldn't adapt to the genetic mutations caused by the virus died quickly."

"Then why did some survive?" Kieran asked sharply. "What made them different?"

The robed man nodded, as if expecting the question. He displayed genetic data on the screen. "Only individuals with certain genetic compositions could survive the plague. They had a natural resistance to the mutations caused by the virus. But even though they survived, they weren't unaffected."

"What do you mean?" Keeper asked, his eyes fixed on the data.

"The plague didn't just kill," the man continued. "It changed the world. Earth's atmosphere started to deteriorate, and the climate became unstable. Fertile land dried up, and most of the oceans turned toxic. Even those who survived the plague had to face a dying world."

Sophie felt fear creeping into her heart. "So… it's not just about surviving the plague. The world itself is on the brink of collapse."

"Correct," the man said gravely. "And when the world was at its lowest point, something even worse happened."

***

The man pressed another button, and the image of the giant metallic creature they had previously faced appeared on the screen. This time, it showed other creatures similar in form but with different shapes and sizes.

"They call them Anomalies," the man explained. "These creatures are not from your world. They are the result of temporal rifts caused by disturbances in the time stream. When the plague created biological imbalance, another experiment involving temporal energy worsened the situation. As a result, beings from other dimensions began to appear, causing further destruction."

"So, it's not just about the plague or an ordinary war," Ricky muttered. "It's about the collapse of time and space itself."

"Exactly," the man nodded. "And your mission now is to restore that balance before it's too late."

Keeper stared at the man seriously. "How? What do we need to do to stop this?"

"You must find the last stable temporal core," the man explained. "That core is the only energy source powerful enough to repair the broken time stream and close the rift bringing forth these creatures. However, it won't be easy. The core lies in the most dangerous part of this world, where time itself is distorted."

Sophie felt doubt and fear creeping over her. "And if we fail?"

"If you fail," the man said coldly, "then everything past, present, and future will be erased. Nothing will remain."

A tense silence filled the room once more. They all knew that whatever choice they made from this point onward would determine not only their fate but also the fate of the entire world.

***

After the meeting, they returned to their quarters in the Nexus to prepare. Sophie sat in the corner, hugging her knees, while Ricky stood by the window, gazing at the gloomy purple sky.

"We really have to do this, don't we?" Sophie asked softly.

"We don't have any other choice," Ricky answered firmly. "If we want to get back to our time and save everyone, we have to stop this."

Kieran sat down beside Sophie. "I know it's hard, but we've been through a lot already. We can get through this too."

Keeper, busy checking his equipment, added, "We have one advantage. We're the ones who survived the plague. We've already endured what should have killed us. That means we have a chance."

Sophie slowly nodded, trying to calm her mind. "Alright. Then let's do this."

***

They knew that any step they took from now on could be their last, but they also knew that only by moving forward could they hope to save a world that was slowly dying.

Will Ricky and his team find the temporal core they need before total destruction occurs? Or will they face an enemy far stronger than they ever imagined? Their new journey is only just beginning…