According to Dad, it happened on New Year's Eve of 2050.
The sky turned blue, stunning the entire world. The sun unleashed blue rays on the Earth. These rays were oddly comforting, bringing with them a pleasant feeling no one could explain— not even drugs could make a man feel this good.
Dad described it as "Freedom."
It gave him the feeling that all was possible and nothing could stop him. The world became more colorful and less intimidating.
It felt like a dream—the kind you wouldn't want to wake up from.
People gathered with their cameras pointed toward the sky, taking pictures while others recorded the event. Unsurprisingly, some humans grew superstitious and hid away in the safety of their homes, while many religious people called it the end of the world.
The easy-going ones sunbathed under this comforting light, while the adventurous decided it was the best time for outdoor sex.
Dad and Mum fell into that last category.
Scientists were baffled by the sudden development, as there had been no prior warning. While they worked their butts off trying to understand what was going on and what it meant for the human race, many religious leaders seized the opportunity to make bogus prophecies—some even claiming this was heaven trying to communicate with mankind.
Reactions and opinions concerning the strange event varied across the world. But barely twenty minutes later, everything changed.
Cats began hissing. Dogs barked aggressively. All animals started reacting violently to the change.
Men and women were suddenly attacked by their once-loving pets. Zookeepers were slaughtered by the caged animals, which had somehow gained enough strength to break out of their confinements.
Rats poured into the streets in swarms, attacking everything in their path and barely leaving behind the bones of their victims.
Birds attacked in masses, dive-bombing and slaughtering anything in sight—man or beast. Defenseless kids became their main target, and even the safety of their homes wasn't enough. With overwhelming numbers, windows were shattered, and homes turned into bloody crime scenes in mere minutes.
Gun owners in the United States and other parts of the world were the only winners during this chaotic time. People swarmed gun stores, begging to buy weapons for thrice their original prices. But even their newfound hope was short-lived.
The world was changing—too fast for anyone to understand it.
The clouds tore open as numerous blue meteorites descended from the heavens, their quantity so great it was impossible to see anything else, regardless of the country or continent.
These blue comets were engulfed in dazzling blue flames, which seemed to be the source of the earlier light. But this left many scientists with one pressing question:
How did these strange meteorites get so close to Earth without being spotted?
Unless they were warped into existence within the Earth's atmosphere, it should've been impossible!
Unfortunately, this wasn't the time to ask questions. It was the time to survive.
The chaos began the moment the first meteor struck the Earth. The entire planet was bombarded, turning it into a place that would make hell look cute.
Earth was blasted back into the Stone Age. Over three billion human lives were lost that day, with another billion dying in the weeks that followed due to their fatal injuries.
Somehow, world leaders and high-profile individuals survived the attack—almost as if they expected it. Dad always found that suspicious, but no one paid much attention to it. Everyone was too busy mourning their loved ones.
The events of that day became known as The Blue Death. It was a tragedy the remnants of the human race would never forget.
However, this apocalyptic event brought more than just destruction. It also birthed new problems—and a few unexpected benefits.
The blue meteors that struck the Earth carried with them a strange mineral known as Aetherium. Upon impact, blue fumes from the comets mixed with the atmosphere, spreading across the globe. This led to the mutation of animals—and humans.
The mutation was far more potent in animals, creating creatures more dangerous and deadly than anything seen before. Beasts that had resided near the crash sites of these comets were exposed to even greater amounts of Aetherium radiation, mutating into things that made the word beast sound cute.
Among humans, the mutation was mild for most. They gained slightly enhanced physical abilities, but nothing too special. However, for a few, the mutation awakened something deep within their genes—something no one could've ever imagined.
Their genes awakened, allowing these rare individuals to gain unique abilities.
In these dangerous times, where beasts roamed freely, these awakened humans were desperately needed to protect what remained of the human race.
This marked the Age of Guardians—a new era had begun.
Meanwhile, Aetherium crystals proved to be an incredible power source. This discovery led to a rapid technological boom—progress that would normally take centuries was achieved in just a decade.
One might expect a global struggle for this resource to follow—but the opposite occurred. Aetherium was abundant. The primary concern wasn't ownership—it was survival.
Animals were on a rampage. Even normal dogs had become vicious beasts that would make a grown man run screaming like a little girl.
With the aid of these new resources, rebuilding became not only possible—but easier than ever.
Human population numbers had drastically dropped, so controlling what was left became more efficient. A new social order was installed. One that benefited only the strong and wealthy, while turning life into hell for the common man.
The tragedy had given world leaders the opportunity they needed to toss the term "human rights" into the trash.
They built a system of government powered by force and propaganda. Slavery was reintroduced. The noble system was revived.
While humanity advanced technologically, it degraded socially.
The world became shit.