2.0 Truth

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In the year 15,650 of the Abaddon Return Era, a young Nephilim found himself summoned to the far southwest of the continent known as the country of Tarshish. This location held great significance, housing a relic connected to another relic in Japan, with their origins intertwined. It was as if the Valley of the Two Peaks had become the new origin Pangea had evolved into. And it was here, at this very spot, that he opened his eyes to the dawn of a new life and embarked on his extraordinary journey.

***

Mackenzie:

A spiritual message echoed in my mind, urging me to awaken. However, as I opened my eyes, the dim light pierced my retinas, causing my eyelids to flicker as they adjusted. I felt disoriented and dizzy as if waking from an unpleasant dream. My surroundings were unfamiliar, far from the comfort of my room. Confused, I flipped over, looking up to find two figures towering over me. At first, they seemed like giants, but upon closer inspection, I realized they were ordinary people.

An unforgiving embarkment onto my back adorned with pebbles, rocks, and dirt, as it penetrated, leaving marks on my bare back, etching imprints onto my supple skin. Struggling to make sense of the situation, I muttered, "This isn't my room. How did I get outside?" Slowly, I rose to my feet, feeling the cold cutting earth beneath my toes. My head throbbed, and I was covered in a cold sweat, my heart pounding in my chest from uneasiness.

As my vision cleared, I beheld two strikingly beautiful women before me. The one in front, her face still obscured by darkness, wore leather armor that accentuated her captivating figure. My imagination stirred with admiration and desire at her exquisite beauty with a bust of endorphins. Her eyes matched the color of her dark green hair, and as I locked eyes with her, a strange feeling of familiarity washed over me, an expression crossed her face. It felt as if she emitted a predatory, lustful aura, trying to ensnare my senses. Fortunately, a surge of endorphins and testosterone snapped me back to my senses. I was lost in her gazing eyes that backed into reality. The bright sun behind her made it difficult to discern her features from discovering her identity, forcing me to look in another direction. To my left stood the other woman, slender and clad in oversized clothing. Her straight black hair cascaded down her shoulders. Despite the sun hiding most of her appearance I was able to recognize someone, out of shock I blurt out, "Kendra!" recognizing her even in the dark image left by the sun.

Kendra blushed, looking away in embarrassment, adding to my sense of vulnerability. A cold breeze swept up my exposed legs, causing goosebumps to ripple across my body and redirecting blood flow elsewhere. Realizing my vulnerable state, I acted on reflex and quickly covered myself with a thin black blanket that happened to be on my shoulders. Why was I naked?

Attempting to focus my thoughts on the situation, I wondered if this was all a dream, a drunken haze, or perhaps even the afterlife. But the presence of Kendra reassured me that this couldn't be the case. How did I end up here? And why did I have this mysterious blanket over me? This is irrational.

My attention returned to the woman with green hair, who continued to gaze at my exposed chest and face. It was she who spoke first "Welcome to Rynn, a world with magic, demons, and angels. A realm where the gods dwell," she spoke, her voice carrying a sense of otherworldly authority. She seemed almost goddess like with her appearance with the sun.

"Magic," I state in disbelief, knowing that magic doesn’t exist. Magic had always been one of my deepest desires, something I yearned for more than money, fame, or power. The idea of being able to perform real magic fueled countless dreams and fantasies.

"Yes! Magic, and much more, Mackenzie," she replied with a polite tone.

"How do you know my name?" bewildered by the situation.

"Don't you recognize me?" She turned around, performing a graceful 360-degree spin, showcasing her body. "I am President Midori, but you can call me Silica here."

"President?" I questioned, struggling to believe what I was hearing. "And why is your hair green?" I turned to Kendra, seeking answers from a familiar face. This was the first time I had ever spoken to Midori, the most popular student at our school. It seemed unreal that she would be talking to me in this strange setting. Turning toward Kendra, "Kendra, what is this place? How did I get here?" knowing that she was the most I was familiar with gaining the truth.

Silica interrupted, capturing my attention. "Once again, this is a magical world called Rynn. It is a realm where God created a space for all his children and creations to live."

As an atheist, I found it difficult to trust her words. The notions of gods, new worlds, and magic felt like a prank being played on me. I stood there, dazed, and silent, wearing a perplexed expression. Looking around with a mix of awe and overwhelm, my eyes landed on a stone that resembled the one I had seen at the temple where the president’s residents were. “It was a relic that guided people here from the other world,” Prez said as my eyes approached it.

Silica firmly pulled on my arm, almost carrying me as she guided me towards the building. As we entered, the flimsy old wooden doors squeaked as they swung open, revealing a grand hall. The room had a spacious layout, with a minibar system on the left and wooden tables filling the rest of the area. There were ten other people seated around one of the long tables, reminding me of a viking hall in the movies as it was all plain wooden. "You're the last one to arrive. All fifteen of your classmates have made it to this world,"

"Classmates?" I repeated, taking in the sight as we walked further into the wooden hall. Each step we took made the floor creak, the sound of bending wood echoing through the space.

We reached the first table and sat down on a wooden bench. Silica leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Let me go grab some clothes and water." With that, she left and disappeared down the hall, leading to another large hallway. As I looked around, I started recognizing familiar faces from my class. There were Yumi, Haruka, Sara, and Melody sitting together with Anna from the student council. Towards the back of the hall, there was Chad, and Kyle sitting with an unknown blonde-haired guy, but I’ve seen him with the president a few times. Everyone's gaze was fixed on me as I entered and took a seat. I couldn't figure out why they were staring until I realized it was probably because I was still partially covered by a sheet, fully naked underneath. They began whispering amongst themselves, their words too low for me to make out. My mind going Mach 10, with nothing making sense. I stared at Kendra without saying a word as I was unable to make sense. My mouth was open. I must have looked so lame.

Soon, Silica returned, carrying a set of old and worn-out clothes that looked significantly larger than my size. I gratefully accepted them, putting on the oversized pants and shirt. The clothes, made of wool, had holes and appeared to have turned from their original white color to a grayish hue. They didn't fit me properly, with the waist large enough to accommodate two of me and the shirt hanging down to my knees. These clothes seemed to be meant for a giant. "Sorry, these are the only clothes left. They're Luke’s old pair," as she apologized, though there was a hint of laughter in her expression.

"Of course, that's why they're huge on me," I responded, realizing the reason behind the ill-fitting garments. President also handed me a small pair of leather and cloth boots, but they were a little tight. Kendra must be wearing the president's clothes as well since her outfit was also too big for her small frame compared to hers, mainly the chest area. I was last to arrive so I must have been last to receive clothes. That’s why I like showing up early for situations like these.

Prez then placed three scrolls on the table. They were old and worn, showing signs of damage. "These might explain things better," she said, opening one of the scrolls. As I unrolled it carefully, small flecks of paper fell out. The writing on the scrolls was in a script I had never seen before, and the illustrations depicted scenes I couldn't comprehend. I returned the scroll without attempting to read it. "I will translate them for you," she assured me, picking up the scrolls.