NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: Fate and Destiny(2)
The screen opens with a vast shot of Earth, a planet now teeming with life. The camera zooms in, passing through bustling cities, expansive forests, and oceans shimmering under the sun. The voice of the narrator returns,
"But destiny is a cruel mistress. It twists and turns, shaping paths no one can foresee. Not even the creator himself is immune to its whims. The Blade of creation, in its long journey, had sown more seeds than it could ever reap. Across 3.5 billion years, it shaped the planet in ways beyond comprehension, setting the stage for a civilization that would rise from the ashes of chaos."
The camera shows towering metropolises, bustling trade ports, and military bases. Jets roar through the skies, and ships slice through the seas.
"This civilization, though mighty, was fragile. A flower blossoming on borrowed time. After centuries of war and rebellion, an uneasy peace had taken root. But the cracks in that peace were already beginning to show."
The screen cuts to a montage of humans demonstrating extraordinary powers. A man summons lightning from his fingertips. A woman walks through walls, her body phasing in and out of reality. A child lifts an entire boulder with a flick of his wrist. These feats are contrasted with scenes of ordinary humans—working in factories, marching in armies, watching the ascendants with awe and envy.
"Over the centuries, the essence of creation leaked from the blade, embedding itself into the very DNA of certain individuals. These people, able to manifest powers beyond human comprehension, were known as the Ascendants."
The camera shifts to show Ascendants training in specialized facilities, honing their abilities. Opposite them are the Normies, ordinary humans who look on with a mixture of fear and resentment.
"But not everyone was touched by the blade's gift. The Normies, though greater in number, found themselves overshadowed by the extraordinary. Society divided itself along this line—those with power, and those without."
"Yet, the divide did not end there. Across the world, nations realized that power was no longer measured in armies or wealth, but in the strength of their Ascendants. To dominate the global stage, countries formed elite factions—Sentinel Squads."
The screen cuts to a briefing room in Russia. General Viktor Ivanovich stands before a group of Ascendants, each clad in sleek black-and-red tactical gear. He points to a digital map glowing on the wall, his voice a gravelly bark:
"Remember, comrades, the Russian Sentinel Squad—RSS—exists to ensure our nation's supremacy. The Americans and their United Sentinel Squad think they can challenge us. They cannot. We have you. You are Mother Russia's greatest weapon."
The camera pans across the room, showing the faces of the Russian Ascendants. One of them, a towering man with flames flickering in his eyes, grins and cracks his knuckles.
"Let them come," he growls. "I'll burn their ego to ash."
The screen cuts to an underground facility in the United States. Colonel Sarah Monroe addresses the United Sentinel Squad (USS), a diverse group of Ascendants with varying powers. She speaks with sharp authority:
"We don't just protect the USA; we lead the world. Each of you has been chosen for your ability to win, no matter the cost. The Russians think they can match us. They can't. Stay sharp, stay ruthless, and stay united."
One of the Ascendants, a young woman with a glowing sword, smirks:
"Don't worry, Colonel. We'll send them back to their frozen wasteland."
"But as history has shown time and again, with power comes conflict. And so, the fragile peace shattered, giving way to wars fought not with armies, but with Ascendants."
The screen explodes into action. Sentinel Squads clash across continents, their battles reshaping the very landscapes they fight on. The camera captures each confrontation in vivid detail:
Africa: A dense jungle is consumed in flames as the RSS and the USS clash. A Russian Ascendant summons a wall of fire to trap his enemies, only for an American with water-manipulation powers to extinguish it, sending steam billowing into the air.
Russian captain shouts: "Press forward! Show them the strength of Mother Russia!"
Colonel Monroe counters: "Hold the line! They're nothing without their firestarter!"
Asia: In the mountains of Tibet, the Chinese Sentinel Squad engages the Indian squad. A Chinese Ascendant bends the wind into razor-sharp blades, slicing through stone, while an Indian warrior counters with shields of glowing energy. The two soldiers face off, their powers lighting up the sky.
Europe: In the ruins of an ancient castle, Ascendants from the European Federation battle a rogue faction trying to claim the castle grounds for themselves. A French Ascendant levitates debris to hurl at her foes, while a German counterpart unleashes sonic waves that shatter walls.
As the wars rage, the leaders of the world speak in backroom meetings and public addresses. Their words echo the chaos consuming their nations:
A Russian Politician: "If we do not control the Ascendants, our enemies will enslave us with their power."
An American Diplomat: "The balance of power lies in our ability to harness the potential of our Ascendants. They are the future."
UN Diplomat: "This is madness. If we continue, we will destroy not just nations, but the world itself."
The screen shifts to civilians, caught in the crossfire. A child hides beneath rubble as an Ascendant battle rages above. A woman cries as her home is destroyed by collateral damage. The voice of the narrator grows sombre:
"The battles for dominance consumed the world. Power was both the prize and the weapon, and the battlefield was everywhere."
The camera pans upward, leaving the burning Earth behind. It transitions to the Primordial Plane, where Rudra watches from his throne. The orb of the universe hovers before him, showing the chaos his creation has wrought.
"Rudra watched as the world he had shaped became a crucible of conflict. The blade, forged to create, had become an instrument of war. Yet, Rudra did not intervene. He merely observed, his fiery eyes reflecting the carnage below."
The camera focuses on the blade, lying dormant somewhere. Its glow flickers faintly, as if alive, feeding on the chaos it has unleashed.
"For in the heat of war, in the rise and fall of civilizations, Rudra saw his grand design at work. Destiny was unfolding, and the blade's journey was far from over."
The screen pulls back, showing Earth from space. Fires rage across its surface, the glow of war visible even from the heavens, with a wide shot of Earth from space, its surface scarred by fires and battles. Yet, as the screen pans downward, the narrator's tone shifts. The voice, once heavy with gloom, now carries a glimmer of hope,
"In this cosmic drama, penned by Rudra's hand and carried out by the blade's will, another upheaval was taking shape. An upheaval born not of chaos, but of resolve. For even in the darkest of nights, there are those who dare to stand as the first rays of dawn."