Sahan strode through the busy city with his cellphone in hand, distracted in thought. Suddenly, he felt the pavement shift beneath him; with a loud explosion in the distance, the sky became a bright red.
Sahan (startled): "What's going on? Is it an earthquake?"
Before he could catch his breath, the air became filled with bright blue light, an energy field that radiated outwards, fully surrounding him. In an instant his surroundings completely vanished.
---
*Elsewhere...*
Astir, Sahan's childhood friend, stood in front of a radiant, cloudy, glowing opening.
Astir (frustrated): "Sahan, where are you? This is not our place..."
---
*Deep in the Dark Forest...*
Sahan awoke in an unfamiliar land - a land of massive trees, the likes of which he had never seen before.
Sahan (surveying his surroundings): "Where am I? Is this a dream?"
Suddenly, a tiny glowing light flew toward him.
A faint voice: "Welcome, Sahan... We have chosen you."
The small light materialized before Sahan and took on a mysterious form bearing a glistening halo and eyes sparkling like stars.
*The Entity (wording in deep and calm voice):* "I am the Evolution System and I am here to present an opportunity for you to live--for a price."
*Sahan (a bit slow):* "The Evolution System? What do you mean? What is the price?"
*System:* "When you transitioned into this realm, a rare power was unlocked within your body. You have blood that none other has--which has energy. This is your ticket to evolution, but you must think carefully on how you want to evolve."
*Sahan (persistently):* "I don't want to be a statistic in a game. I want to learn, to struggle, to save myself... and maybe something more."
*System:* "Your time starts now--step by step. Each challenge will test your abilities, and each choice will define the path you take."
Sahan looked at the distant horizon, the far off lights of many worlds blinking in the eclipse to the madness he was now to inhabit--unaware of what fate threw at him.
*Sahan (to himself):* "I will not allow this world to envelop me... I will show that I am more than just survivor."