Prologue

Hours before the December Solstice, red and green ribbons danced across the starry night from the equator to the poles. As if in celebration, the air glittered throughout the day while the sky slowly cracked.

Physicists claimed the flickering particles were the result of physical laws clashing. Biologists alleged an undetectable membrane beneath our skin trapped them. And those who clung to faith believed God had opened heaven’s doors and revealed the hidden souls of humanity with his Essence.

Governments quashed the widespread panic, and soon, societies learned to harness the new form of energy, bettering countless lives.

The Essence particles strengthened bodies and improved health. Some learned to harness them further, while others simply enjoyed the passive benefits. One year later, a second breach opened, and the changes began.

The increased density of Essence created soul layers, and many people gained abilities. Some learned to heal, some gained tremendous strength, and others gained incredible neurological capabilities. With endless possibilities and countless undesirable situations, governments worked frantically for a solution.

By the third breach, multinational cooperation created a database of abilities. Nations micro-chipped and recorded their citizens. But not everyone cooperated, and the strings holding societies together stretched to their limits. The blue sky disappeared, and Essence hid the moon and stars. Not long after, animal mutations began.

The Catholic Church created an army to deal with the beasts of hell, and governments trained elite soldiers to handle the obstacles the new world presented. The Order and the Frontliners. Defenders of humanity.

The fourth breach brought chaos once the harmful effects of Essence affected humans. Societies slowly crumbled from within. Fractured governments declared martial law, leading to riots, food shortages, and widespread crime. The madness had begun.

By the time the fifth breach cracked the sky, the world humans built ceased to exist.

Beasts took the earth, and those with enough strength fled from the danger, leaving the weak behind. The planet was dying, and survivors lived in a state of constant fear. With no hope and no future, few chose to carry on. But those who struggled against the fallen world fought until the bitter end.