The morning after the warehouse fight dawned gray and cold. Alvik had managed a few hours of restless sleep, his wounded shoulder keeping him from finding any comfortable position. They had buried Mrs. Sharma and the student in a patch of earth behind the warehouse at first light, simple graves marked with stones. Mr. Sharma had stood silent throughout the brief ceremony, his face empty of everything except grief.
The group was preparing to continue their journey when it happened.
Alvik was helping load supplies into the van when his vision suddenly filled with blue light. He stumbled backward, dropping the box he was carrying, hands flying up to his face. But there was nothing physical touching his eyes—the light came from inside his vision somehow, like seeing something superimposed over reality.
Around him, everyone else was reacting the same way. People cried out in alarm, stumbling, reaching for their faces. The children grabbed onto Alvik, both of them frightened by whatever they were seeing.
Then the voice spoke.
It was the same voice from before, the one that had announced the Anex Circles and caves. That impossible sound that resonated inside the skull rather than traveling through air. But this time the words were different.
"Veil Interface activated. Welcome, Essence Binders. Your journey to find truth requires power. Power requires understanding. Receive knowledge."
The blue light coalesced into something more defined. Alvik realized he was looking at a transparent screen floating in his vision, visible only to him. Text appeared on it, written in a language he could somehow read despite never having seen it before.
**VEIL INTERFACE - PERSONAL INFORMATION**
Name: Alvik Naveer
Status: Unawakened
Anex Stage: 0 (Locked)
Flux Energy: 0/0
The screen shifted, showing new information.
**UNDERSTANDING FLUX ENERGY**
Flux Energy is the fundamental force that powers all Essence Binding. It exists in all things and can be gathered, refined, and utilized by those who learn proper techniques. The Anex system has replaced your world's previous energy structure. All advancement, all power, all survival now depends on understanding and mastering Flux.
To begin gathering Flux Energy, you must awaken your Core Nexus—the center within your body where Flux gathers and transforms. This awakening occurs only through exposure to concentrated Flux sources or through entering Anex Caves.
Another shift in the display.
**THE TWENTY ANEX STAGES**
1. Anex Awakening - Initial contact with Flux
2. Anex Gathering - Collecting Flux in body
3. Anex Condensing - Solidifying Flux pathways
4. Anex Foundation - Building Core Nexus
5. Anex Tempering - Strengthening body and Nexus
6. Anex Ascension - Gain flight capability
7. Anex Manifestation - External Flux usage
8. Anex Dominion - Control surrounding environment
9. Anex Sovereign - Rule over lower stages
10. Anex Transcendent - Break physical limits
11. Anex Immortal - Escape mortality
12. Anex Paragon - Peak of normal advancement
13. Anex Supreme - Enter Upper World level
14. Anex Celestial - Touch cosmic laws
15. Anex Eternal - Timeless existence
16. Anex Divine - God-like powers
17. Anex Primordial - Ancient force level
18. Anex Apex - Near universal power
19. Anex Zenith - Peak of known power
20. Anex Absolute - Final stage
You are currently at Stage 0. To advance, you must enter Anex Caves and survive.
The information kept coming, screen after screen of text that somehow loaded directly into Alvik's understanding. He could see the others around him standing motionless, clearly reading their own versions of this interface.
**ANEX CAVE CLASSIFICATIONS**
White Caves: Basic difficulty. Suitable for Stages 1-5. Rewards include basic Flux crystals, common grade items, and Anex Credits. Mortality rate: 30-40% for unawakened humans.
Blue Caves: Medium difficulty. Suitable for Stages 4-9. Better rewards, higher Flux concentration, stronger challenges. Mortality rate: 60-70% for unawakened humans.
Red Caves: High difficulty. Suitable for Stages 8-15. Exceptional rewards but extreme danger. Mortality rate: 95-99% for unawakened humans.
Black Caves: Gateway Caves. Connect Lower Worlds to Upper Worlds. Extremely rare. Requirements vary. Not recommended for beings below Stage 10.
Warning: These ratings assume properly equipped and trained Essence Binders. Unprepared individuals face significantly higher mortality rates.
**ANEX CREDIT SYSTEM**
The universal currency across all worlds connected by Anex Circles. Earned through completing cave explorations, defeating creatures, and accomplishing designated objectives.
1 White Credit = basic unit
100 White Credits = 1 Blue Credit
100 Blue Credits = 1 Red Credit
100 Red Credits = 1 Black Credit
100 Black Credits = 1 Gold Credit
Credits can be used to purchase items, equipment, techniques, and services from Anex-authorized vendors. Access to purchasing requires reaching at least Stage 1 (Anex Awakening).
Current Balance: 0 Credits
The screen changed again, showing something new.
**QUALITY GRADE SYSTEM**
All items, weapons, techniques, and equipment are classified by quality grade. Higher grades provide greater power but require higher Anex Stages to use effectively.
1. Common Gray - Basic items
2. Simple White - Slightly improved
3. Standard Green - Regular quality
4. Enhanced Blue - Good quality
5. Superior Purple - Very good
6. Excellent Gold - Excellent items
7. Master Red - Master crafted
8. Grand Black - Grand level
9. Royal Silver - Royal grade
10. Imperial Bronze - Imperial level
11. Celestial Jade - Heavenly grade
12. Divine Pearl - Divine quality
13. Primordial Obsidian - Ancient power
14. Apex Diamond - Near peak
15. Absolute Radiance - Highest possible
Using items more than two grades above your current stage capability may result in injury or death.
Another screen appeared with a pulsing red border, clearly marking it as important.
**CRITICAL INFORMATION - SURVIVAL CHOICE**
You stand at a crossroads. Two paths lie before you:
PATH ONE: Hide and survive with existing resources. Never enter caves. Never awaken your Core Nexus. Remain forever at Stage 0. This path offers temporary safety but no growth. As stronger creatures emerge from caves, this path leads to inevitable death when you encounter threats beyond human capability.
PATH TWO: Enter caves and grow stronger. Awaken your Core Nexus. Advance through Anex Stages. This path is dangerous—many will die in the caves. But those who survive gain power, resources, and the capability to face escalating threats. This path offers actual chance of long-term survival.
Choose wisely. The creatures will only grow stronger as time passes. Remaining weak guarantees eventual death.
The screens began to fade, but a final message appeared.
**VEIL INTERFACE FUNCTIONS**
Your personal Veil Interface is now active. Only you can see your screens. Basic functions include:
- View your status and progression
- Check Anex Credit balance
- Map nearby Anex Caves when within range
- Store and view inventory items (requires reaching Stage 1)
- Access quest boards (requires reaching Stage 1)
- Translate languages automatically
To activate your interface, think or say "Status" clearly. To close it, think or say "Close."
The blue light finally faded from Alvik's vision, leaving him looking at normal reality again. His heart was racing. His mind struggled to process the overwhelming amount of information that had just been downloaded directly into his understanding.
Around him, the other survivors were equally stunned. Several were staring at nothing, clearly still reading their interfaces. Others had finished and stood in shocked silence. Mr. Sharma sat on the ground, not even looking at where his interface had been, apparently too grief-stricken to care about strange screens.
"Did everyone see that?" Vikram finally asked, his voice shaky.
Nods and murmurs of confirmation came from the group.
"What does it mean?" Priya asked. "Essence Binders? Flux Energy? Anex Stages?"
"It means the rules have changed," Alvik said quietly, his business mind already working to understand the new framework. "Everything we knew about how the world works is gone. This Anex system has replaced it."
"Status," Amit said experimentally. His eyes widened as presumably his interface appeared again. "It works. I can see my information."
Others tried it, confirming they could access their personal screens at will. Alvik thought the word "Status" and the blue transparent screen appeared in his vision again, showing his basic information. He thought "Close" and it vanished. Simple enough to operate.
"Did you all see the part about the caves?" Rayan asked, surprising Alvik. The boy was thinking tactically again, focusing on the critical information. "It said we have to enter caves to get stronger. To have any chance of surviving long-term."
"It also said thirty to forty percent of unawakened people die in white caves," Mrs. Kapoor pointed out. "That's a death sentence for nearly half of anyone who tries."
"But everyone who doesn't try dies eventually anyway," Rayan countered. "The message was clear—hiding might work short-term, but eventually stronger creatures will appear and kill everyone at Stage 0. The only real survival path is getting stronger."
"The boy has a point," Vikram said reluctantly. "I don't like it, but it makes sense. We've been running and hiding for a week. We can't keep running forever. Eventually we'll get cornered or face something we can't escape from."
"So what, we just walk into those caves that spawn the monsters that have killed millions?" Amit's voice rose with panic. "That's insane!"
"Not immediately," Alvik said, his mind working through the problem systematically. "First we gather more information. We observe the caves, see what enters and exits. We prepare as much as possible with whatever equipment we can scavenge. We train physically, practice with weapons. Then, when we're as ready as we can be, we make the attempt."
"You're talking about it like it's inevitable," Priya said.
"Because it is. The interface told us the truth—we either grow stronger or we die. There's no third option anymore."
"What about finding a safe place?" Mrs. Kapoor suggested. "Somewhere remote, fortified, with supplies? We could survive there for years maybe."
"Until a flying creature finds it," Rayan said bluntly. "Or until something from a red cave destroys it. Or until our supplies run out and we starve. Mom's parents live in a rural village—that was supposed to be safer. But the interface said caves appeared everywhere, not just in cities. Nowhere is actually safe."
The discussion continued for another hour, going in circles. Some people were adamant about avoiding the caves at all costs. Others saw the logic in eventually attempting them. Everyone was frightened and uncertain.
Alvik listened to it all while thinking through the implications. The Veil Interface had fundamentally changed their situation. It provided structure to the chaos—rules, progression, clear objectives. The world had become something like a deadly game with levels and rewards.
But it was not a game. The stakes were life and death. And the interface had been clear that humanity was currently at the absolute bottom of this new hierarchy. Stage 0, unawakened, powerless. Everything else in this new world structure was stronger.
"I'm going to try a cave eventually," Alvik announced during a lull in the argument. "Not today, not tomorrow, but soon. I have children to protect, and keeping them at Stage 0 means they'll be helpless against everything. If there's a chance to give them power to defend themselves, I have to take it."
"That's suicide," Amit protested.
"Maybe. Or maybe it's the only rational choice. The interface said mortality rate is thirty to forty percent in white caves for unawakened people. That's bad odds, but it also means sixty to seventy percent survive. And those who do survive gain power, credits to buy better equipment, and the ability to face threats."
"What about the children?" Mrs. Kapoor asked, looking at Rayan and Nisha. "You can't seriously be thinking of taking them into those caves."
Alvik's jaw tightened. He had been thinking about exactly that, and hating himself for it. But the interface's message kept echoing in his mind—staying weak guaranteed eventual death.
"Not yet," he said. "They're too young, too vulnerable. But I might need to go in myself eventually. Gain power and resources that could protect them better than I can now."
"And if you die in there, they're orphans," Priya said quietly.
The words hit like a physical blow. Alvik had no response because she was right. Entering a cave meant risking leaving his children completely alone. But not entering meant remaining powerless to protect them against escalating threats.
There was no good choice. Only varying degrees of terrible options.
"Let's continue to the countryside as planned," Vikram suggested. "We can discuss this more once we're somewhere relatively safer. Maybe by then we'll have more information about how the caves actually work."
The group agreed, too overwhelmed to make any immediate decisions. They finished loading the vehicles and prepared to depart. Mr. Sharma had to be helped into the van—the old man seemed to have given up on living after his wife's death.
As they drove away from the warehouse and its graves, Alvik kept thinking about the interface. The systematic way it presented information. The clear progression path. The choice between guaranteed slow death or risky potential survival.
"Dad," Nisha said quietly from beside him. "I saw the screens too. It said we're Stage 0. That's like being nothing, right?"
"Right now, yes. We're at the very beginning."
"I don't want to be nothing. I want to be strong enough that monsters can't hurt us."
Alvik hugged her closer. "Me too, princess. Me too."
"Will you go into the caves?" Rayan asked from his other side.
"I don't know yet. Maybe. If I can find a way to do it with acceptable risk."
"The interface said we could buy things with Anex Credits. That means there are shops somewhere, right? Places that sell weapons and armor and things that could help us survive the caves better."
"That's good thinking. If such places exist, we need to find them. Better equipment would improve our chances significantly."
The van drove on through devastated countryside. They passed more abandoned towns, more wrecked vehicles, more evidence of the world's collapse. But now Alvik looked at everything through new understanding.
This was not just random destruction. This was a systematic replacement of their reality with a new one. The Anex system was not just attacking humanity—it was integrating humanity into something larger. Turning their world into another part of this vast structure of caves, stages, and power progression.
They were no longer citizens of Earth living normal lives. They were now Essence Binders at Stage 0, at the absolute bottom of a hierarchy that stretched up through twenty advancement levels. They were weak, vulnerable, barely worth noticing.
But they could grow stronger. That was the promise and the trap. Enter the caves, risk death, gain power. Or hide, stay safe temporarily, die when inevitably confronted by threats beyond Stage 0 capability.
Late afternoon found them in a rural area far from any major cities. The landscape was agricultural—fields and farms, though most showed signs of abandonment. They spotted a white cave hovering over a wheat field about two kilometers away. It glowed with that eerie light, the swirling energy within clearly visible even at this distance.
"Stop the car," Alvik said.
Mrs. Kapoor pulled over. "What is it?"
"I want to observe that cave. See if anything enters or exits. Learn what we can from a distance."
They parked and several people got out, using binoculars scavenged from earlier looting to study the distant cave. For twenty minutes, nothing happened. Then a figure emerged from the swirling white energy.
It was a creature, one of the smaller types they had fought in the warehouse. It dropped from the cave opening and landed in the field, then immediately began moving away from the cave, hunting.
"They just keep coming," Vikram muttered. "Endlessly spawning from those things."
But as they watched longer, they saw something else. A different shape approached the cave from the ground—larger than the small creatures but smaller than a human. It moved deliberately toward the cave entrance and then, impossibly, entered it. Disappeared into the swirling energy.
"Did something just go into the cave?" Amit asked, confused.
"A creature went in," Alvik confirmed. "Which means the caves aren't just one-way exits. They work both directions."
"Why would a creature go back in?"
"I don't know. Maybe returning to wherever they come from? Or maybe the caves are territories and that was its territory? We don't have enough information."
They watched for another hour, documenting everything they saw. Three more creatures emerged from the cave during that time. Two more entered it. The pattern suggested the caves were more than simple spawn points—they were portals that functioned in both directions.
"If creatures can enter caves," Rayan said slowly, "and humans can enter caves according to the interface, then inside the caves there must be... what? Spaces? Dungeons? Something that exists on the other side of those portals."
"Like another dimension," Priya suggested. "Or another world entirely."
The implications were staggering. The caves were not just producing creatures—they were doorways to other places. And those places contained the Flux Energy, the items, the advancement opportunities that the interface had mentioned.
"We should find shelter for the night," Mrs. Kapoor said as the sun approached the horizon. "Somewhere we can discuss all of this and make actual decisions."
They found a farmhouse that looked intact, though abandoned. The owners had left in a hurry but the structure was solid and defensible. They secured the doors and windows, set up watches, and gathered in the living room as darkness fell.
"Show of hands," Vikram said. "Who here is seriously considering entering a cave eventually?"
Alvik raised his hand immediately. Vikram raised his own. After a moment, Rayan raised his hand as well.
"You're fourteen," Mrs. Kapoor said to Rayan. "You can't be serious."
"I'm serious. My mom died protecting us. If I stay weak, that sacrifice means nothing. I want power to protect my sister and father."
"The interface said unawakened humans have thirty to forty percent mortality rate," Amit argued. "That's nearly half of people dying!"
"That's people going in blind with no preparation," Alvik countered. "If we train, gather equipment, study the caves first, maybe we can improve those odds."
"Or maybe you just die anyway," Amit shot back.
The argument continued but Alvik had already made his decision. He would enter a white cave eventually. He would either gain power or die trying. Because the alternative—watching his children remain helpless while threats escalated—was unacceptable.
The world had given them a brutal choice: risk death for a chance at strength, or accept certain death from remaining weak.
Alvik chose risk.
He just had to figure out how to maximize his chances of being in that sixty to seventy percent who survived rather than the thirty to forty percent who died.
As the group finally settled in for the night, taking turns on watch, Alvik opened his interface one more time.
"Status," he thought.
The blue screen appeared, showing his Stage 0 status, his zero Flux Energy, his complete lack of power in this new world order.
But it also showed potential. Twenty stages stretching upward. A path to strength, even if that path was soaked in blood and danger.
"Soon," he promised himself silently. "Soon I'll be ready. And then I'll step into that cave and either come out stronger or not come out at all."
Because that was what this new world demanded.
And Alvik Naveer was determined to meet those demands, whatever the cost.
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