Nobody wants to die. Everyone wants to live. You know how it is in a apocalypse, even if there's only one survivor left in the world, that person will do anything to keep living.
Right now, I'm sitting on top of the highest building in the city. My legs dangle in the open air, and a black pistol rests in my right hand. The sun is setting, painting the broken skyline in shades of gold and blood-red. Somehow making the devastation look beautiful.
Below me, the streets are split apart, like something ripped through earth. Buildings lie in ruins, some crumbled entirely, others barely standing with their tops sheared clean off.
You're probably wondering if this is a zombie apocalypse. Well, it is an apocalypse. Just not the zombie kind.
"Big brother... are we gonna make it in this world?"
The voice is soft, almost trembling.
I turn around and see my sister, no older than nine. Long blonde hair that nearly reaches her hips, and her blue eyes catch the last light of the sun, glowing faintly. She clutches a small, worn-out unicorn doll to her chest.
To her question, I don't know what to say. Are we really going to make it in this world? Every day, our chances of survival get thinner. Not so much for me, but for her.
I stand slowly, still clutching my pistol.
"Yeah, sis. We're gonna survive in this messed-up world. Till the end."
I try to sound confident, like a hero from one of those old movies. Maybe I even believe myself for a second.
Sorry — you're probably wondering what's really going on. Let me rewind to a few hours before the apocalypse began.
___
A fifteen-year-old boy stood outside the yard. His soft, messy black hair gleamed under the morning sun, and his charcoal eyes stared absently at the trees and shrubs swaying in the breeze.
He had never thought things would turn out this way. Today was supposed to be his big day — a day of celebration, of new beginnings. Instead, it had gone quiet. Everything had backfired on him.
Today was the day he was tested to discover his Aether. And now he'd learned he didn't have one at all.
Back in the building, their voices still echoed in his head:
"Ben, aren't you the special one? The guy with no Aether?"
"When we defend the Earth, you'll be the one carrying our luggage."
"Don't worry, Ben. We'll protect you from your disease."
For the first time in his life, Ben felt truly defeated. He'd never expected this. It felt like the end.
But it wasn't.
The ground trembled beneath his feet.
"Earthquake?" he muttered, turning toward the source of the vibration.
The building behind him trembled violently before collapsing in a thunderous roar. Hundreds, maybe thousands, were crushed in an instant. Dust and debris swallowed the sky.
From the crater where the building had stood, something colossal emerged.
A monstrous machine tore through the ground with a deafening metallic wail. Three enormous legs unfolded beneath it, slamming into the earth and sending debris flying. Its surface gleamed under the sunlight, covered in jagged panels, pipes, and glowing red veins that pulsed like something alive.
Its torso shifted with a grinding shriek, casting a long shadow across the ruins.
Then its head turned.
A twisted fusion of steel and copper, moving with unnatural precision.
It towered over the city like a god made of metal.
Ben's charcoal eyes went wide. "What the hell?" he whispered.
A red sensor blinked on the machine's head. Then a beam of light erupted from it, cutting through the air like a sword. The yard, the people, everything around him vanished in a wave of searing energy.
Then silence.
Ben gasped awake.
White ceiling. Anime posters on the walls. His room.
He sat up fast, heart pounding. "Damn... what a horrible dream."
"Ben! Wake up, or you're gonna be late!" a soft voice called from downstairs.
"Alright, Mom!" he yelled back, rubbing his eyes. "Man... I hate school."
But not today. Not exactly. Because today was the day. The day that could change his life forever: his Aether Testing Day.
Ben looked at his reflection. His messy black hair stuck in all directions, and his charcoal eyes stared right back at him.
Then—crash.
The mirror fell, shattering across the floor.
"Great..." he muttered, sweeping up the broken pieces.
After a quick shower, and a few badly sung songs, he got dressed and headed downstairs.
His mother was serving pancakes and eggs, while his father sat with his usual morning newspaper and coffee. Across the table was his little sister, Raven.
She was turning nine today.
Her long blonde hair fell neatly down her back, and her bright blue eyes sparkled with excitement.
"So, which Aether are you hoping for, Ben?" his mother asked with a smile.
"I'm not really sure. Maybe I'll get to breathe fire like that guy from Naruto. Or super strength would be nice."
Raven giggled. "I know which one you'll get! It'll be something awesome!"
___
Soon, the school bus arrived. The students inside were buzzing with excitement, laughing and talking about what kind of Aether they might awaken.
This wasn't a regular school day. Today, they were traveling to the Aether Assessment Center to discover their destinies.
The bus screeched to a halt outside a massive glass tower surrounded by lush green lawns and trees. Students filed out in neat rows, heading toward the entrance. Other schools had already finished their tests; others would come later.
Inside, the students were seated in a large circular chamber. Names were called in alphabetical order. Ben's group would go second.
His stomach knotted.
At fifteen, this test determined your future, your career, your worth, your path in life.
Ben wanted to join the army, just like his father. But to do that, he needed a strong, unique Aether. A power that could make him stand out in battle.
It had been years since the N'Tari first invaded Earth. Their technology far surpassed humanity's. After the war, humans discovered Aether, a strange energy drawn from the invaders' technology—and used it to fight back.
Some said humans defeated the N'Tari. Others whispered that the aliens had simply retreated, having already taken what they came for.
But everyone agreed on one thing: someday, they would return.
The door opened with a soft hiss.
A woman in her thirties entered, adjusting her glasses. She glanced at her clipboard.
"Sophia Aron."
"Cia Baker."
Her gaze shifted again. "And... Ben Black."