I never thought the world would end on a Tuesday.
It started as a tremor beneath my feet—subtle, almost laughable—but then the second tremor hit. Windows rattled, streetlights swayed, and a deep hum resonated through my bones. I looked up at the sky and froze. Clouds twisted unnaturally, their edges pulsing with violet light, veins of energy that seemed alive.
Then the voice spoke. Not through speakers or sound—it pierced my mind directly.
"Chosen ones… the Riftquake has begun. Lords and Adventurers, rise."
I staggered back, clutching my head. The crowd panicked. Screams and prayers collided with the voice that burned itself into my mind. I saw text floating before my eyes:
[Choose: Territory Lord or Adventurer.]
Two destinies, one choice. My hand rose without my consent. My mouth whispered a single word:
"Lord."
---
Everything shattered.
The ground split beneath my feet in jagged lines, silver light pouring upward. The city dissolved into streaks of motion, screaming people fading into smoke. I felt myself lifted, pulled by invisible hands, dragged through light and shadow. The world spun, fractured, inverted—and then I fell.
When I opened my eyes, I was no longer on Earth.
The air was heavy, thick with unknown scents: resin, wet moss, and something sweetly metallic beneath. Grass pressed against my palms as I rose, blinking. Towering trees loomed above me, their bark etched with silver veins, leaves glowing faintly in the dim light of twin moons.
This was no forest I had ever known.
---
The Seed of Dominion pulsed in my hand. It was small, black, etched with tiny runes that seemed to crawl across its surface. Warmth spread through my chest, the first sign of the Soul Rune awakening.
I didn't have time to marvel. From the underbrush, glowing eyes appeared—predatory, low and lean, but stretched unnaturally long, fangs bared. They moved with unnatural precision.
[Plant your Territory Seed.]
The command echoed in my mind. Instinct screamed at me to flee, but the world itself seemed to hold its breath. I dropped to my knees, digging a shallow hole. My fingers trembled as the seed touched the earth.
The world responded.
A pillar of light erupted from the ground, runes carving themselves into soil, root, and stone. A circle formed around me, invisible yet palpable. The creatures lunged—and hit it. The barrier held.
I collapsed, chest heaving, drenched in sweat.
[Territory Established: Level 0 Sanctuary.]
[Expand. Survive. Evolve.]
I laughed—half hysterical, half relieved. I had nothing: no weapons, no companions, no knowledge of this world. Only this glowing patch of earth, my seed, and my heartbeat.
---
The night came fast, bringing with it shadows, noises, and an oppressive humidity. My hands shook as I scavenged fallen branches, building a crude treehouse. My body ached from climbing, from fear, from unfamiliar exertion. But when I touched the Seed of Dominion, warmth pulsed back at me. A pulse of life, as if the tree I had planted was whispering: Grow… and I will grow with you.
---
The first challenge came sooner than I expected. A beast, larger than a horse but lithe and scaled, leapt at my barrier. Its roar shook the leaves, and its claws shredded the ground. My hands gripped my knees as I pressed against the treehouse wall, heart racing. The barrier shimmered, the pulse of my seed fighting against the predator. The creature slammed again, screaming in fury, before retreating. I exhaled, trembling but alive.
---
I spent the following hours exploring my immediate territory. Water from a glowing spring, strange fruits, and edible mushrooms. I marked the boundaries with small runes etched into the soil with sticks, testing the Seed's influence. Every time I pushed beyond the circle, my body ached; every time I returned, I felt the Seed's warmth strengthen me.
The forest was alive. I felt eyes on me, smelled motion in the air I couldn't see. Every sound was amplified: distant roars, the snap of twigs, the soft hiss of crawling plants. I realized quickly that survival here required more than courage—it required constant awareness.
---
By dawn, exhaustion had weighed me down. My muscles screamed from the climb, the fight, the fear. But I had built a small refuge: a treehouse nestled in the heart of the glowing forest, the Seed pulsing below me.
The Soul Rune had begun to integrate with me. My hands felt stronger, my lungs capable of longer exertion, my reflexes sharper. Every thought about strategy, survival, expansion felt… clearer.
[Enhancements Activated: Strength +5%, Stamina +5%, Perception +5%]
I realized then that this world was like a game—but the consequences were deadly real.
---
Hours passed as I tested the limits of my Seed. Every push of energy, every exertion, made my body ache. But each attempt yielded more: branches reinforced themselves, roots crept upward forming a crude ladder, and my small treehouse grew sturdier.
By nightfall, I was exhausted, soaked in sweat, but alive. My territory had grown, my barrier held, and my Seed thrummed with life.
Then I heard it: low, guttural growls at the edge of my barrier. Eyes glimmered from the shadows. I gripped a sharpened branch, heart hammering, and whispered to the Seed: Help me.
A faint glow pulsed, extending outward just enough to push the first wave of creatures back. Survival, for now, was mine.
---
I sank to the floor of my treehouse, heart pounding, and thought about Earth. About the life I had left behind. About the friends, the struggles, the mundane failures that had suddenly seemed irrelevant.
I had been chosen. Not by chance. Not by luck. I had been given a Seed, a Soul Rune, and a world that would test me to my limits.
And I would survive.
Because if I didn't… no one would remember my name.
[Chapter End – Territory Level 0 Established, Seed Bound, First Survival Night Complete]