Chapter no. 1 The Great Collapse
Chapter 1: The Great Collapse
Six hundred years ago, the world was completely different. The skies were filled with enormous flying cities made of shining metal, people travelled across continents in minutes using portals powered by energy crystals, and giant robots worked alongside humans in farms, factories and homes. This golden era was called the Age of Asteria. Scientists believed they could solve every problem with technology. They created machines that controlled weather, robots that could think, and even enormous energy towers that could power entire cities for centuries. Everyone believed the future would only become brighter. But they were wrong.
One ordinary morning, the greatest scientific experiment in history was about to begin. Deep beneath the capital city of Asteria stood a gigantic underground laboratory called Project Infinity. Thousands of scientists had worked there for years. Their dream was simple: create an unlimited source of clean energy that could power humanity forever. The entire world watched the experiment live on giant screens. People celebrated in the streets. Shops gave free sweets. Children skipped school. Even lazy people suddenly became interested in science because there was free food everywhere.
Among the scientists was Dr. Aryan Mehta, a brilliant but slightly forgetful inventor. He was famous for creating amazing machines and equally famous for losing his glasses while wearing them. That morning he searched the whole laboratory for twenty minutes shouting, “Who stole my glasses?” while his assistant quietly pointed at his face. The entire control room burst into laughter. Aryan looked embarrassed and said, “I knew they were there. I was just testing everyone’s observation skills.” Nobody believed him.
As the countdown began, excitement spread everywhere. Huge screens showed the glowing Infinity Core in the center of the laboratory. It was a giant silver sphere surrounded by rotating rings of blue energy. Scientists called it the heart of the future. Reporters called it humanity’s greatest invention. Aryan secretly called it “The Giant Glowing Ball That Makes Me Nervous.”
His assistant laughed. “That is the worst scientific name ever.”
Aryan shrugged. “At least people can remember it.”
The countdown reached ten.
The entire city shouted together.
Ten!
Nine!
Eight!
Aryan wiped sweat from his forehead.
Seven!
Six!
His assistant smiled nervously.
Five!
Four!
The energy rings started spinning faster.
Three!
Two!
One!
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then everything happened.
The Infinity Core exploded with blue light.
The ground shook violently.
Alarms screamed across the city.
Electric storms appeared in the sky.
Buildings trembled.
Huge cracks spread across roads.
People stared in horror as the sky itself seemed to tear apart.
The experiment was failing.
Scientists rushed everywhere.
Aryan shouted orders.
“Stabilize the energy!”
“We can’t!”
“Reduce power!”
“It’s not responding!”
“Then turn it off!”
“It won’t shut down!”
The glowing sphere kept growing brighter.
Outside, people ran through the streets.
Some screamed.
Some prayed.
And one old man calmly continued eating snacks.
His grandson shouted, “Grandpa! The world is ending!”
The old man took another bite.
“If the world is ending, I am not wasting these snacks.”
A giant explosion shook the city.
The boy screamed.
The old man dropped his snacks.
“Okay,” he said nervously. “Now I am worried.”
Inside the laboratory, Aryan realized the terrible truth.
The Infinity Core was not creating energy anymore.
It was opening something.
A giant circular portal appeared above the machine.
Darkness swirled inside it.
Nobody knew where it led.
Nobody knew who created it.
And nobody knew how to stop it.
For a few terrifying seconds, the entire world went silent.
Then strange metallic sounds echoed from inside the portal.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
Heavy footsteps.
The scientists froze.
One assistant whispered, “Please tell me that’s normal.”
Aryan swallowed nervously.
“If it is normal, I quit science.”
The footsteps grew louder.
Everyone stared at the portal.
Suddenly a giant metal hand emerged from the darkness.
People screamed.
One scientist fainted immediately.
Another scientist fainted because the first scientist fainted.
A third scientist fainted because he didn’t want to feel left out.
Aryan looked at them angrily.
“This is not the time to faint!”
The first scientist opened one eye.
“I am helping emotionally.”
“You are unconscious!”
“Exactly.”
More giant machines stepped out of the portal.
Nobody had seen technology like this before.
Their bodies were covered with black armor.
Their eyes glowed red.
They moved silently.
And they looked terrifying.
The Age of Asteria ended on that day.
The event became known as The Great Collapse.
Entire cities disappeared.
Flying islands crashed into oceans.
Technology was lost.
Humanity scattered across deserts, forests and mountains.
Over centuries, people forgot the truth.
The machines disappeared.
The portal vanished.
And The Great Collapse slowly became a legend.
But legends never stay buried forever.
Six hundred years later, in a small desert village called Suryagarh, a sixteen-year-old boy named Vihaan sat on the roof of his house eating mangoes and throwing seeds at his best friend Kabir.
Kabir shouted, “STOP IT!”
Vihaan threw another seed.
Perfect hit.
Kabir glared at him.
“You are going to become an idiot when you grow up.”
Vihaan grinned.
“I am already an idiot. Growing up is optional.”
Kabir sighed.
Unfortunately for him, this idiot was about to discover a secret hidden beneath the Forbidden Mountain.
And that secret would change the world forever.
