The light from the being's final words faded, and Marcus found himself standing in the middle of a vast, alien landscape. The ground beneath his feet was cracked, with jagged edges that seemed to pulse with an unnatural energy. The sky above was a swirl of strange, shimmering colors that constantly shifted, never staying the same for more than a few seconds. The air was thick with an unknown scent, heavy with the promise of something foreign and dangerous.
He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. This was real. He wasn't dreaming. The power inside him—the ability to create powers for others—felt alive, pulsing through his veins like electricity. It was both exhilarating and terrifying. The weight of what had just happened pressed down on him, but for the first time in his life, Marcus felt a strange sense of purpose.
He wasn't alone.
Around him, there were others. A group of people had appeared alongside him, each looking just as confused and disoriented as he felt. Their reactions were all the same—wide eyes, uncertain stances, and a hint of fear. Some of them were muttering to themselves, trying to make sense of their new reality, while others were silently observing the bizarre landscape.
Marcus stood back, watching them all. These were the people who had also pressed the button. Some of them were already showing signs of their new abilities—flashes of light in the air, ripples in the ground, strange movements. But no one seemed to know what to do next.
Before Marcus could take another step, a voice interrupted his thoughts. A young man, tall and wiry, with a nervous but determined look in his eyes, approached him.
"Hey," the man said, his voice wavering slightly. "You were there too, right? You… you pressed the button?"
Marcus gave him a nod, his gaze still scanning the area.
"You feel it, don't you?" the man continued. "This power inside us... It's like nothing I've ever experienced before."
Marcus didn't respond. He wasn't sure how to answer. He wasn't interested in talking to these strangers. Not yet. His thoughts were consumed with what the being had said—Power Creation. What did that really mean? And what would happen now?
The man didn't seem to notice his silence, continuing excitedly, "I don't know about you, but I feel like I could—"
Suddenly, the ground beneath them shook. It was brief but powerful, as though something massive was moving beneath the surface. The people around them gasped, looking around in confusion.
The sky above darkened, and a strange, low hum filled the air. Marcus's heart skipped a beat. This was no ordinary world. Something was watching them. He could feel it.
As the rumbling stopped, a glowing blue orb appeared in the sky, hovering above them. It pulsed with energy, and the moment it did, a message appeared in Marcus's mind.
Welcome to the Nexus World, travelers. You are here to adapt, evolve, and conquer. Find your place in this new reality.
The message faded as quickly as it came, leaving Marcus stunned.
"That… that wasn't normal," the young man said, his voice shaky. "Did you hear that?"
Before Marcus could respond, a low voice came from behind him. A woman, older than the rest, with piercing silver eyes, stepped forward. She was calm, even in the face of the chaos, her posture unwavering.
"Focus," she said. "We're in the same situation as everyone else, but if we panic, we'll accomplish nothing."
Her eyes met Marcus's for a moment, and he felt an odd sense of curiosity toward her. He couldn't quite place it—whether it was trust or something else—but she seemed like someone who could handle whatever this world threw at them.
The young man spoke again, more urgently now. "We need to figure out what's going on. If this is really some kind of test or… I don't know, some twisted game, we can't waste time. We need to find a way out of here."
Marcus stayed silent, his mind racing. He didn't need to escape. Not yet. But the others didn't know that. He was still trying to understand the full scope of his power, and for now, keeping a low profile was the smart move.
A few moments passed in silence before a strange notification popped up in the air before him—a floating holographic screen.
New System Notification:
You are now connected to the Nexus Chat Group.
Chat Group: Nexus Travelers
Chat group includes other chosen individuals scattered across the multiverses.
[Marcus]: "What the hell is going on here?"
The message appeared as he typed it, almost instinctively. A moment later, replies from others appeared on the screen.
[PyroGuy123]: "I'm in some hellish desert. There are storms everywhere! Can't even see my hand in front of my face."
[TelekineticGirl89]: "This place is full of weird floating rocks. And I can't seem to control my powers—anything I focus on, it just explodes."
[InvisibleMan42]: "Hey, I can't see anything here! I don't know what's going on, but I feel like I'm being watched."
Marcus stared at the messages, intrigued. The chat was chaotic, filled with people venting their confusion and fear. But for him, it was a chance to learn more. A chance to find out what others were experiencing in their new realities.
The chat continued, and Marcus decided to test something.
[Marcus]: "Anyone know if there's a way to contact the being who sent us here?"
There was a pause before the response came through.
[PyroGuy123]: "Contact it? I think it's gone. It disappeared when we landed. If it's even real…"
Marcus's mind raced as he processed the information. The being had disappeared. But what if it wasn't truly gone? What if there was more to this than he realized?
The others were still panicking, unaware of what Marcus could become. He wasn't ready to show his hand just yet. But he would learn everything there was to know about this world, and then he would decide how to move forward.
The others would need him—whether they realized it or not.