Chương 1: Prologue

A long, long time ago Dawn fidgeted nervously in her seat, trying to ignore Professor Arimel's ramblings onstage. She would never forgive Ahura for this.

"... I am talking about the transformation of Essence into life. Life itself! I know you have all been taught that eidocytes can only synthesize simple molecules. You have known that all your life; everything you see in this room, the clothes you are wearing, the food you have eaten today. Everything has been obtained through Essence. I am telling you that we are barely scratching the surface of the process…" Arimel went on, with that annoying windbag voice of his.

You have been scratching at the surface for sixty years, you idiot, Dawn thought, looking with contempt at the scarecrow-thin elder man. He had not been able to produce any credible evidence for his theories. Such a waste of talent and University resources. And he had stolen her boyfriend. They had known each other when they were both promising young members of the Molecular Fluctuation department. Ahura was brilliant. He would have been the youngest member of the department, had it not been for Dawn herself.

Then he had met Arimel, and any promise of academic achievement had gone down the drain, as Ahura resigned from his post and applied to Arimel's department. He had chosen to spend the rest of his life chasing fairytales. Ahura had explained he had been told at the last minute that he had to help Arimel with the lesson, and had asked her to attend so they could leave together when it was over. Bullshit. You are just trying to convert me to the cause, she thought angrily.

She loved Ahura dearly, but could not stand his slack-jawed devotion to that batty old relic. The relic was also the revered investigator who had discovered the eidocytes, those incredible microorganisms that could feed on the ambient lifeforce emitted by sentient beings and transform it into simple substances and energy. Arimel's discovery was the most significant scientific advancement in Erela's history.

It had turned their technology upside down, as most machines were replaced with eidocyte-powered tools, and raw materials were created rather than extracted from the earth. He was a genius. There was no doubt about that. But it was not enough for him—he wanted to be a god. He became obsessed with its possibilities: the creation of life, mastery of time and space, the subjugation of the natural order… It was sad to see him embarrass himself in public.

He had not been fired because, well, he was Arimel, and you did not fire the most important figure in the history of science without the mob howling for your blood. He also brought donations in. A lot of donations. She saw her boyfriend gaping at him. Enough. She could take no more of this. She would eat alone, at home. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. She stood up and left the crowded hall, packed with students.

Arimel's lessons were always popular. Ahura did not even notice her. She walked along the walkway leading to her apartment, a humble flat for professors she had been sharing with Ahura for the last two years. Flying essence-powered vehicles could be seen hovering over the city. Balta was a beautiful city to live in, a shivering dream of glass and metal. Arimel's discovery had brought about an age of prosperity—free energy, cheap materials, abundant food… She ought to be grateful to him, she supposed.

But then he had stolen her boyfriend, and that evened things out. She entered the levitation pit and floated silently towards the eleventh floor. Her former boss, Andura, had discovered how to use eidocytes to affect gravity two decades ago. Much good it had done to her. Was that the same fate that awaited her? To have her work used as fuel to cater to the whims of a pampered madman? She entered her flat and brewed herself a cup of tea. She needed to have a serious conversation with Ahura.

She was not going to get caught up in his delusions — not now, not ever. She had just raised the cup to her lips when she heard a ripping sound as if the air were tearing itself open behind her back. Dawn jumped to her feet, turned around, and everything she knew about reality went away. A ten-foot monstrosity stood behind her. It looked like a metal humanoid with three eyes, clustered in the middle of its forehead. The face was alien and horrible, made even weirder by the tears running down its cheeks.

The thing was weeping fire. Then it spoke, in a strange language, in a language she had never heard—and somehow understood.

"I am sorry," it said. The voice was metallic and booming, but strangely gentle.

"I am so, so sorry, but I must give you this," it said, placing a strange object on her breakfast table. Then it vanished in mid-air. Dawn felt as if she could throw up. This could not be happening. Was she having a stroke? Had someone put something in the tea? Yes, that must be it. Someone had spiked it. It was the only rational explanation. She sat down and tried to calm her breathing. She had to get out and look for help. If someone had drugged her, he could still be here, she had to…

Her gaze fell on the object the creature had left on the desk. Its sight severed her line of thought as a guillotine. What the hell was it? How could such a thing exist? Her emotions disappeared, blown away on the wind of curiosity. It looked like a twenty-sided polyhedron, an icosahedron. Each facet was a different color and bore a rune that seemed to change when she was not looking at it. Not only did the runes change, but also the colors. No, it was impossible. Yes. It did change. Only when not looked at.

That thing knew when it was being looked at. She knew she ought not to touch it, but she was a scientist, not an accountant. She had come to this world to figure out how things worked, not to watch from the sidelines. She examined the artifact, as if afraid it might bite her. She saw her hand move slowly towards the object, as if it belonged to another person. Almost timidly, she touched it with the tip of her index finger.

She felt a strange energy enter her and fell to the ground, screaming in horrible agony as her mind and her body were shattered into pieces, thrown into the air, and placed again. She was not reborn—she was remade. As she lost consciousness, she heard a strange, emotionless voice speak to her very soul. You have been activated. You are the first Alpha.