Suddenly, the ground beneath him shook, a violent tremor that nearly knocked him off his feet. He staggered, his hand going to his gun as he scanned the area for any sign of danger.
Quinn felt the tremor beneath him intensify as he staggered forward, his hand instinctively going to the gun strapped to his side. He scanned the area, eyes sharp for any sign of danger.
His heart raced as he reached the edge of the city, the devastation laid bare before him. Buildings, once proud and towering, now lay in ruins, crumbled under the immense weight of the destruction that had befallen them.
Cars were overturned, some on fire, others abandoned in the streets. The stench of smoke and burning metal filled the air, mingling with the scent of blood and fear. The city, once vibrant and alive, had become a graveyard.
Quinn's gaze fell on the people. Some lay dead, their bodies broken and lifeless amidst the wreckage. Others were injured, bloodied and bruised, struggling to move or crying out for help.
Yet amidst the chaos, there were those who had not given up. The still able-bodied moved with frantic energy, helping the wounded, dragging them from the rubble, and carrying them to makeshift shelters.
Without hesitation, Quinn rushed forward to join them, his own fear pushed aside by a sense of duty. He began to assist, lifting debris to free trapped victims, helping carry the injured to safety.
As Quinn helped lift a woman onto a makeshift stretcher, an alarming sound suddenly rang out, echoing through the city and beyond.
It was unlike anything he had ever heard—deep, resonant, and filled with an otherworldly power.
The sound reverberated through the air, through the earth itself, a warning that something far greater than an earthquake was at play.
Everyone froze, their eyes wide with fear, as the sound seemed to emanate from every direction, as if the world itself was speaking to them.
And then, a voice. Majestic and commanding, it rang out across the globe, heard by every living being on Earth.
"Dear humans! This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill. Your ignorance and selfish desires have led you to bringing the end of time upon yourselves, and I am sorry, but I cannot help you."
The voice was calm but filled with an authority that brooked no defiance. Quinn's blood ran cold as the words sunk in. This was no mere natural disaster. This was something much worse, something beyond their control.
"But this much I can do for you, and it is the very best I can offer," the voice continued.
"A screen will appear before those still alive. This screen will go through your memory, your past, and with that, it will grant you a power that suits you best. These powers will help you and make it an equal fight between you and the monsters that are here and the many more that are yet to come. Good luck. Survive, and fight for your planet."
As abruptly as it had begun, the voice fell silent. The world was left in a state of stunned confusion.
People looked around at each other, trying to comprehend what they had just heard. Quinn exchanged glances with the other survivors around him, their faces mirroring his own disbelief and fear. But there was no time to process it—because just as the voice had promised, screens began to appear before each person.
Quinn watched as the boy next to him—a kid no older than eighteen, who had been helping him carry an injured man—suddenly dropped his burden as a translucent screen materialized in front of him. The boy's eyes widened in amazement as he stared at it.
^Name: Kelvin Scott^
^Age: 18^
^Memory travel: Completed.^
^Power: Super Speed.^
^Power Granted.^
Quinn could only watch in stunned silence as Kelvin's screen displayed his new abilities. The boy's shock quickly turned to excitement.
"Wow! Did you see that, bro? I have super speed!" Kelvin exclaimed, his voice filled with awe. His body seemed to vibrate with newfound energy as the screen disappeared.
Quinn turned his attention to the injured man they had been carrying. Another screen appeared before the man, and Quinn watched intently.
^Name: Benjamin Moore^
^Age: 29^
^Memory travel: Completed.^
^Power: Fast Healing and Death Punch.^
^Power Granted.^
As soon as the screen vanished, Benjamin's wounds began to heal before their eyes. His twisted leg bones realigned with an audible crack, and within moments, he was standing, fully recovered.
"Wow! Now that's what I'm talking about, baby!" Benjamin shouted, flexing his newly restored limbs with exhilaration.
Both Benjamin and Kelvin turned to Quinn, their eyes alight with anticipation. They waited, expecting Quinn's own screen to appear, revealing what power he would receive. Quinn's heart raced, his hands trembling with both fear and excitement. This was the moment that would determine his fate in this new, terrifying world.
But nothing happened. Quinn stood there, waiting, but no screen appeared. The air around him seemed to grow heavier with each passing second as the others stared at him, waiting for something—anything—to happen. But there was nothing. No screen, no power, no sign that he was any different than before.
An awkward silence settled over them. Kelvin opened his mouth to say something, to ask what had gone wrong, but he was interrupted by a loud cracking sound that shattered the stillness.
They all turned towards the source of the sound. The sky itself seemed to be splitting open, the very fabric of reality tearing apart with a sound like thunder, only far more menacing.
The sky turned a deep, blood-red hue, as if it were bleeding. The crack widened, stretching across the horizon, and from it poured creatures—monstrous beings unlike anything the world had ever seen. They rained down from the sky like a deluge, their forms dark and twisted, with wings that blotted out the sun and eyes that glowed with a malevolent light.
And it wasn't just from above. The earth beneath them began to crack open as well, fissures spreading across the ground with a deafening roar.