《Rise of the Paragon - A Post-Apocalyptic LitRPG》Chapter 5 | The Meaning of Genesis & The Round Table
Advertisement
The Meaning of Genesis & The Round Table
The F-22's that had literally just flown above our heads had just fired a missile straight at the Rift that now appeared to be double the size of a football field over the skyline of Boston.
"What in the hell..!" Kevin exclaimed. "They actually fired a missile at the Rift!"
We watched on as the remnants of the explosion dissipated over the Boston skyline, the Rift showed no visible difference after the explosion. However, in just a few moments it began slowly pulsating, it would dim, and then brighten. The invasion was imminent.
"Let's just hope we are far enough away when the invasion starts," I muttered under my breath.
"Uh," Jackson said, "What do you mean invasion?"
In response, I just pointed towards the Rift.
The pulsating quickened until it was near strobing our eyes. Then a shockwave erupted from the Rift, causing the pair of F-22's that we could vaguely see far past the Boston skyline to begin tumbling out of the sky, after a few precious seconds, however, the jets flattened their trajectory, this time appearing to be much more careful of the Rifts.
Their caution was rewarded, as at that exact moment the dark black of the rifts began to take on color as they began to shift to a dark red hue, and then open up into the visage of a world beyond. From this far away the details were quite obscured, but I could clearly make out the reddish hue of the world that the rift appeared to open into. If I were to imagine the planet Mars, being much more sinister-looking, then that might accurately describe the world beyond the Rift. That wasn't the part that frightened me the most, however. What terrified me were the multitudes of what I could only presume were monsters and demons standing at the edge of the rift. There weren't just thousands of them. No, there were hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of small figures, beyond my eye could see, and at the very front of it all was an absolutely massive figure, one that I could only presume to be a Demonlord. Standing at least six meters tall, the beast had massive draconic wings that billowed out behind it, and a thick tail that would've reminded me of a particular dinosaur I had seen in books and documentaries while growing up, a stegosaurus. The beast's wings moved gently as it gazed down upon the world below. Even as far away as I was I could feel its permeating bloodlust, and, looking at my companions it appeared they felt the same. If this demon turned its attention on us, we would be dead in an instant. This was a true Demonlord, and the invasion was about to commence.
Seemingly having waited for the rift to fully open. The smaller orbiting rifts bore no exception, and their own black interiors dissipated to show the same red landscape of the larger rift. They too held their own, albeit smaller, hosts of figures, however, in each one of them were other massive beings, while each was not nearly as large as the Demonlord, they still appeared to be twice as tall as your average person. This clearly marked them as Demon Champions. While not nearly as powerful, they would prove to be equally as terrifying as the Demonlord for the moment. Until we could get stronger that is.
The moment the smaller rifts completely formed; the shockwave that had erupted from the Rift had also finally enveloped our own position. As it got closer, I could visibly see the wave taking on its own slightly bluish hue. Why would a shockwave even be visible I wondered? And why especially would it be blue?
Advertisement
Just as I finished that thought and the shockwave rushed over me, it alarmingly stopped as it had just barely been pushing me off my feet as it made contact. Glancing around I noticed that not only had the shockwave stopped, but, my companions, the people around us, and even the birds in the sky had frozen.
Just as bewilderment was settling in, the System made itself known to me once again with its own unique message.
"Requisite Conditions for Title Skill [Genesis] has activated"
"As requisite conditions continue to be met, more information shall be bestowed upon the titleholder."
[Astia, Deity of Chance] has invited the Genesis Title Holder to the Round Table.
Do you accept [Astia, Deity of Chance's] invitation?
[Yes] / [No]
"Uhh, what the hell?" I sputtered out. "Did I just get invited somewhere by a Deity?"
"Yes?" I hesitantly agreed.
The Invitation has been accepted.
You are now manifesting at the Round Table
And with the system message, so too did my world swirl to a close around me. My vision darkened, only to be blasted with a deluge of bright light as the darkness receded. No longer was I outside the cemetery, but I was now in a massive white-domed room. I could clearly say remarkably bright marble pillars that dotted the circumference of the room and stretched impossibly high to hold up an absolutely massive glass dome. Imagine the center of the Library of Congress, but ten times bigger, and like somebody had literally replaced the walls and pillars, and practically everything with strikingly white marble everywhere. Somebody clearly had a marble problem. And speaking of somebody, right in the center of the room was a massive table, surrounded by twelve unoccupied chairs. Actually, scratch that. Count that as eleven, since right across from the part of the table closest to me was a man sitting down. Which, oddly enough, looked almost identical to my Grandpa.
"Uh, Grandpa!? What the hell are you doing here!?" I asked loudly in confusion.
"Grandpa?" The figure chuckled loudly as I began to move closer. "Over the countless eons I have been a God, this would be the first time I have been called 'Grandpa'. I can assure you though, I most definitely am not your so-called 'Grandpa'." The man stated matter-of-factly.
It wasn't until I drew closer that it became apparent there were some compelling differences between my Grandpa and the man before me. As my Grandpa did not have hair that white. My Grandpa also did not have all of his teeth. While this man had a full set of them. Shined to practical perfection mind you. While the man looked wizened, he most definitely did not look weak. Under the robes he wore, which bore quite a lot of resemblance to an ancient Roman toga complete with its own ribbons of shining gold interlaced throughout, were the bulging muscles of a man who couldn't be any less than a literal bodybuilder. I mean, the guy had absolutely massive muscles! Which, clearly, my Grandpa does not.
"Now, if you would be done with your quite loud appraisal of me, I would like to move forward with the purpose of your summoning, the Round Table does not support mortals for long." The man stated.
Okay, soooo, he can read my mind then? That's only a little bit invasive... And terrifying, but surely not the strangest thing to happen today.
The man sighed, as if in response to my thoughts. "Yes... Within the realm of the Round Table, your thoughts are laid bare to all present deities. Myself included."
Advertisement
"Okay, I replied. So, I imagine you would be... Astia then?" I replied as I remembered the name that the System had manifested when I had initially received the invitation.
"Yes, you may refer to me as Lord Astia if you so wish, as that would be the most pleasant formality by which to refer to me."
In response, I simply nodded. "Lord Astia then," I said with slight sarcasm, while certainly a bit glamorous, the man portrayed himself as one who could maybe justify the title of Lord.
Just as I thought that however, an overwhelming weight exerted pressure over me. Clearly, Astia did not appreciate my tone. As I found myself on my knees.
"You would do best to appreciate the position you are in Thomas. It was I who stopped the advent of the system long enough for at least some modicum of resistance could potentially develop on Earth. So at the very least, some measure of gratitude must be required in one in a predicament such as yours." Lord Astia asserted as he lifted the pressure that was exerting over me.
"Wait... What do you mean that you stopped the advent of the system?" I asked, as I slowly climbed back onto my feet, gasping for air.
"Ah! It would appear you are now ready to learn young Thomas." Lord Astia began, pleased at the question. "What you call the system began millennia ago during the first battle of the deities. A tool to empower other races to fight in the ever-expanding battlefield. However, that is a history lesson and not the purpose of your summoning. My purpose here is to inform you of your role in all of this." Lord Astia stated as he spread out his arms wide.
I continued to look on in confusion, but interest got the better of me, "What do you mean my role?" I inquired of Lord Astia.
Lord Astia's eyes grew wider as he leaned forward, "Thomas, you are the titleholder of [Genesis]. You were chosen for your victory against the simulated Demon King Balfour. The other deities and I recognized that because of your victory, you have been deemed as the best wielder of the Genesis title, designating you as the future hope of humanity in its fight against Balfour. The Demon King had set his sights on your world decades ago, and like countless worlds before yours, he seeks to devour the life upon it. For this reason, we installed an incarnation of the Holy Arc system in your world, in the form of your game Holy Arc Online. It simulated the environment upon which the humans of your world would ultimately find themselves in once the barrier we created collapsed. Once the Holy Arc system recognized an individual accomplishing the requisite conditions, it chose you to be the harbinger of Genesis on your world. You were chosen to champion against the forces of Balfour."
"I share this with you Thomas because you need to understand that without your victory, Earth will inevitably fall, and Balfour will triumph. Using the last of the powers of the system available in your world, we dissolved the barrier in order to grant you the requisite skills, titles, and potential necessary to perform your new duty. Along with the mana surge that erupted upon the completion of the inter-dimensional rifts, the System has now officially integrated itself intrinsically upon your world. You will find that your manaless world will now be overflowing with the energy. A power, that if utilized wisely, can strengthen your people beyond your imagination. You yourself have already witnessed it evolving you into a High-Human. Now you will have the ability to be the tool by which others achieve their potential as well. Do not disappoint us, Thomas. For we fear that should Earth fall as well, then Balfour and his armies may never again have a chance to be stopped." Lord Astia finally finished.
The literal deluge of information was practically deafening. I had been chosen? Out of the billions of others on the entire planet? Somehow, I some nobody in the suburbs of Boston, was chosen to lead some sort of defense of the entire human race against a literal army of demons? I was baffled. However, I had already learned earlier today that accepting the facts was perhaps the only way I might ever survive. Lord Astia had also just provided some of the missing links to the reasons why I have found myself in my current situation. Unbeknownst to me, by beating Holy Arc Online, I had unwillingly forced Earth into some sort of interdimensional conflict that involved Gods and Demons. I facepalmed. "What the hell am I going to do now". I muttered.
Lord Astia, smiling now that I finally understood the basis of his message said, "I think you know exactly what you must do. From now on we will be enabling the Quest system on your world. It will guide your people, as well as yourself in your most dire of circumstances." Lord Astia said with finality. "Now, Thomas. Return to your world, and save humanity from an inevitable despair."
With that said, Thomas instantly felt the world once again draw in around him as his vision blackened, just for him to emerge right where he had been standing right when the message had first arrived.
You have now left the Round Table.
You have manifested back on the planet Earth.
"No kidding," I muttered, as suddenly time resumed, and I found myself rocketing backward right into a tree, the shockwave having completed its previous velocity, sending me gasping for breath as the air was knocked straight out of me. "Holy hell!" I managed to stammer. "I guess that served as quite the intro to this whole debacle."
Despite my own breathless state, I had, at the very least, the presence of mind to glance around myself, searching for my companions, and of course, I suppose I might include Jackson. At this point, it would look as though my neighbor has officially joined our camaraderie of weirdos, apparently tasked with saving humanity. My eyes opened wide however as I realized that all three of them were currently sprawled across the ground, completely unconscious. Then I heard a shifting of dirt several meters to my left, and looking over I suddenly saw a skeletal hand burst from the ground. Thus, in one of the few times in my life, I had ever done so; I swore, "Ahh, shit."
Advertisement
Penance's Pursuit
This future sci-fi fantasy follows the progression of a few main characters as they navigate their unique spheres of life in the year 2242. The story focuses heavily on themes of guilt, personal failing, and penance. The conflict revolves around two main concepts: Man vs. Himself (Internal conflict) and Man vs Man (External conflict). The internal conflicts focus on many of the characters' inner demons and how each of them deal with the scars of the past. The external conflict centers around a mysterious criminal organization called Nexus that conducts human trafficking. There are three groups of main characters. The first group belong to a vigilante mercenary organization called Ab Aeterno. Titus, Venna, and Benjamin are Achilles team. This team is a part of Ab Aeterno's special forces branch which is designated Demon Stalkers. Their goal and mission is to perform assassinations, abductions, and destabilization operations on criminal organizations throughout the solar system. Their current mission places them directly in the path of Nexus. Titus interacted with them in his past and they seem to have unlimited reach, resources, and power. As the team faces this threat, old wounds will surface and dangerous connections to the past will emerge. The second group of characters are on the Mars colony. Randal Page is an analyst for a talent scout company on Mars. He is faced with the reality that the company he thought he was working for is in fact Nexus. His story centers around his coming to realize the duplicity of the company he works for and then his response to the startling realization of his own ignorant involvement. Also on Mars is a woman named FaRarra Njokko. She is a Nexus sex slave in a brothel on Mars and is known by the stage name of Stardust. She is striving to escape when her path crosses with Randal. The final main character is Preston Coretel. He is a monk with a mysterious and shady past. He is on the run from Nexus in more ways than one. He is seeking sanctuary on an abandoned monastery space station in order to avoid agents of Nexus and to atone for his previous involvement with Nexus.
8 198Dragon, Knight
When one becomes a knight, they accept a certain standard befitting of one. Well, mostly. Volsten is a knight that isn't all that knightly. He's young, handsome, and quite gifted with a blade. His problems, however, aren't physical. He's rude, greedy, and a womaniser to his very core. Unfit for courtly life or the rigors of the king's army, he wanders the world in search of gold. That is, until he meets a mysterious dragon girl. This chance encounter changes the course of his life-for better, or worse.
8 118My Daughter's Crown [Complete]
She can hardly control the emergence of her dark side. The uncontrollable princess who should have never existed. When sent to a temple for her impropriety, she secretly runs off, seeking revenge on those who have wronged her mother. Travelling across the large expanse of land. Venturing through the depths of the empires. Her only goal? To put an end to her dear grandfather's life. Warning, it will contain the following content:Action, romance, mystery, horror, cannibalism, thriller, comedy, and mature content such as sex, rape, murder, incest, child violence, bestiality, and slavery. If you are not comfortable with any of the above topics, please proceed with caution, or move along. Cover art by: the_nerd.artist
8 203Torn Asunder
Born as AI, and developed as human, he is an enigma on Earth.Tom has only known the cold wilderness. Until the day when the doors appeared and took his friend away, just after his mother's disappearance. With only his family to lose, Tom takes the step to the door.The door to another place.Reminder: This is supposed to be a casual read, don't expect updates too often. Constructive criticism would be appreciatedNotice: Commencing Rewrite of Chapters 0, 1, and 2
8 69BLOOD CURSE ACADEMIA
Blood is life and life is magic. At the age of six, Kizu was kidnapped and raised by a crone living deep in a tropical basin. Rescued ten years later, he returned to his negligent parents and former childhood life only to discover his older sister both disowned and missing. After his homecoming, his parents quickly signed him up for Wave Edge Academy. Three years behind every other student his age, he was placed as one of the worst students in the academy. To discover the answers about his blood sister, Kizu must climb the rankings. -New chapter every Thursday-
8 98My halfbie - GwinamXreader
An unlikely friendship and a zombie apocalypse. What could go wrong-I do not own any of the all of us are dead characters or plot-
8 158