Surviving the Apocalypse with a System.

Our End.

The Titan stood motionless , its body waist deep into the ocean. It had a form that was both divine and celestial. On its body was a white immaculate suit of armour lined with gold at the joints. On its back were golden wings resembling those of a dove , spanning the same distance across as its body measured in full height.

In its hand was a broad silver Claymore that seemed to have been jammed into the ocean floor , the Titans grip on its hilt.

“That is a Titan ,” Naaman told Jack as they hovered 500 metres above sea level.

The air was thinner there and the winds were faster , but both of them could hardly be bothered by such small trivialities.

“What will it do now ?” Jack asked. His thoughts still lingered on how the two of them had met.

Aiko had been the first one to detect a System inside of Naaman , one which she told Jack point blank he was no match to , not even with Nevya’s help.

“It will wait ,” Naaman answered , “ Soon , more of its kind will appear and start draining the energy from this world’s core.”

“Will earth still be left standing after this ?”

“No , with its core’s kinetic energy depleted , your planet will lose its magnetic shield. Solar winds will decimate the surface and with that all life will perish,” Naaman spoke plainly and without a hint of emotion.

What he was being told , in not so many words , was that everything he knew and held dear was all about to be wiped out.

His thoughts went to his friends , and he wondered what would become of them. Hamilton might have fared better since he was now being brought back to the Mage Association.

As for Cynthia , Hamilton would probably ensure that she was safe. He had also given him his word to look after Lindsy.

His parents too came to mind , reminding Jack of the peaceful life he had once led in the countryside growing up as a child. Being realistic with himself , he assumed them dead .

“ So, the two of us , will we be fighting each other ?” Jack continued .

“Yes , when you are stronger. Tell me Jack , do you know why the Titans have sent the enforcers after you ?”

“ Because I was not meant to have this System ,”

“ There is more to that story. What you have inside of you is no ordinary System , it is called the Arc. The most advanced System that the Titans have ever created. With its vast potential , it will soon even rival mine.

It is why you are already able to go toe to toe with a man like Caesar who has meditated and cultivated for over thirty years to max out his System. And it's only been what , two days?

But then again Caesar’s System was one of the older models , it was risky of him to challenge the Arc even though it wasn’t fully developed.”

“ How long did you cultivate?”

“Longer ,”

“So in other words ,you're saying that I’m exceptional?”

“Your System isn’t time gated by cultivation , you grow as fast as you’re willing to put in the effort. So what I’m saying is that with enough time , you can even beat that ,” Naaman pointed at the Titan as a flock of seagulls flew in front of them.

Jack again set his eyes on the towering monstrosity . It was not even moving yet it made everything he had encountered so far seem so infinitesimally insignificant.

“You can buy your world more time by eradicating all of the other monsters that are coming,” Naaman continued , “ You will have to go to Praiyas , and find the Beast Lord who has been contracted .”

Jack recalled Aiko mentioning the Beast Lords. She’d told him that they had enslaved the humans on Praiyas. But before he could fact check this with Naaman , he again found himself in Rein City , right where he had left Aiko and Nevya.

A few metres off where Naaman had first appeared, the air had split and a dark rift was opened up. Around it were the same cracks one would expect to find on broken glass , just wider and surrounded by perpetually exuding purple smoke.

“ The next time we meet , it will be as enemies on the battle ground. The fight will be to the death ,” Naaman said , standing just in front of the rift , the gust of wind flowing into the portal pulling back at his hair like a vacuum cleaner.

In his hand was the head of Caesar , the one Nevya had been holding. The woman looked at him with astonishment , wondering how he had gotten away with that without her noticing.

“ Then I will kill you ,” Jack took a step forward.

“ No , you will try ,” Naaman corrected.

The Mage Association rallied all of its registered mages from their respective nations , giving strict orders to their respective commanders regarding their mobilisation.

Henry Wilberforce , the respondent and commander for the Rein republic section, did not delay in relaying these directives to his troops as they stood at the precipice of one of the portals ready to march into the world of Praiyas.

His mages had assembled at the beach in one of the coastlines of the Rein Republic , standing before one of the last portals that had been confirmed to be a safe zone.

“ As of this moment the Association of Mages has ceased recognizing the territorial sovereignty of the nations of earth. It has become clear that in order to deal with the coming crisis , all of humanity must unite as one.

Our mission as the faction of the now former Rein Republic , is to hunt down Jack Kamphar and bring him to the Association. Within him is a great power that when harnessed will greatly tip the scales in our favour.

Remember , he does not need to be alive for this extraction to happen.”

Hamilton stood amongst the ranks of these mages , his valiant feats having earned him a promotion to becoming a second class mage.

Beside him was Naaman ,also in uniform like the rest , his face expressionless as he listened to the marching orders of Henry.

“ Hey brother , what do you think we will find when we go into that strange world?” Naaman whispered to Hamilton.

“ Don’t talk while the commander is still giving his speech ,” Hamilton cut him off.

The man wasn’t in any mood for small talk ,if anything he was angry. Angry at himself and at everyone.

Cynthia and Lindsy had been lost , the rescuers at the army headquarters finding no trace of them after the place was overrun by monsters.He had lost the woman that he loved and broken a promise to his friend.

Speaking of that friend , Jack too was nowhere to be found. The Association believed that he had escaped to the world of Praiyas like all the refugees from the Rein republic were doing, hence why it was directing the hunt there.

“ Forgive me brother , but I don’t understand why we are being told to go hunt down this man. Is he in the wrong or something?” Naaman pressed on irregardless of Hamilton’s warning.

Henry Wilberforce passed near them and almost caught Naaman talking.

“ Are you clear on your orders ?” he shouted at the troops , his gaze falling on Hamilton in particular.

“ Sir ! Yes we are clear !” Hamilton joined the rest of his comrades in saying this.

Satisfied , the commander marched off to inspect the other sides of the formation.

Hamilton waited till he was perfectly out of earshot before turning to Naaman with a burning look on his face.

“ It is us who are in the wrong!”