The Prophesied Era

Fire is the only element that gives creation and destruction, their needed fuel. It doesn't discriminate. It's truly fair much more than the other elements.

It's the element of both the beast and the guide, after all.

An element of duality.

An element of purity.

An element of awakening.

—————————

Bubbles aroused the one– quite in the trenches of the black ocean, as vast as the night sky above. With no shore in sight for a long duration.

It was quiet and serene, as even the birds that floated with the breeze kept their silence– they didn't want to attract danger it seemed like.

But underneath the shallow ocean, laid skeletons– of various creatures, some as big as chains of mountains and some as small as an ant.

The Dead Sea,

This place was called, but amidst all the creatures executed by factors unknown, there rested a boy. A boy who had somehow survived fire that destroyed his surroundings, and now he was bent on surviving the icy coldness.

It was none other than Zamian, who was nestled in the midst of the dead sea. In the midst of all the remnants of jagged bones, there was he peaceful in his demeanor.

But then he opened his eyes– a bright glint of light appearing for just a fraction of a second, before he gasped.

No longer was there stillness. There was chaos.

His limbs moved wildly like a goat about to slaughtered, as he gazed around wildly. This was not a dream, he thought, dreams are not so vivid.

Along with that hadn't he met his ends due to fire, oh the great fire, that had consumed everything in its mouth.

I will think about all those later! I need to rise above.

He thought expression wild and unsteady. The hands ripped through the water and the mouth was shut tight. His legs flapped around like the paws of an alert tiger.

Then after a few, he rose out. Half of his torso was still submerged but at least he could now breathe.

Wild bursts of water he spewed and then the cool air filled in, providing him some relief. After a few minutes, he was calm, as one could be in such a situation.

"Where am I? Wasn't I burning and being crushed by the weights of the shelves? So how could I have been stranded in the middle of the ocean?"

He muttered to himself, as he gazed around– frantic in search of a shore or something he could climb upon to dry himself.

The waves were still for now, but as per his knowledge from studying science and geography, an ocean was like a woman in her periods.

Their whole attitude could change in an instant. Sometimes they would be calm and at the next second they would be wrath incarnate.

The waves were picking up speed, and the water slapped his face hard but somehow he remained calm....Well almost.

What have I done to you, oh god?! First the fire consumed me whole and now you are torturing me with a second death?

Fire and Ice consumes the whole world, as said by Robert Frost. But why am I being struck with the aforementioned two elements? It should've been the world not me!

He thought, as his brows furrowed and he took excessive breaths due to the coldness and the adrenaline surfing through his veins, he needed to survive no matter what. But how?

That was the question.

And as he glanced around. He found something floating just a few meters away. It was a large shell that was ashen-white and could fit two to three humans that were excessively tall or fat.

But what was it attached to?

So he dived down yet again, just to see if it was one of those giant cracked skulls that would give him nightmares – if he survived of course.

And his assumption was correct, it was a human looking skull yet it had four holes for eyeballs. Zamian would ponder about this later.

First came survival, then afterwards if the first was successful, he would of course later on feed his own curiosity.

Perks of being a writer and storyteller. This perk makes one behave almost like a scientist–curious about everything, but an author is only curious for their own gain. As it helps them to learn about different elements and later on, integrate those things in their novels.

But as of now, it acts a con. I need to keep that in check.

He thought after he settled on top of the skull, and he checked the rigidity by knocking on the surface. It was rigid and could hold his weight for a long time.

Thank god. You are not so bad after all.

Zamian chuckled trying to find humour in this situation, but sadly he couldn't.

There were many questions plaguing his mind right now, that he wanted to find the answers to. The origins of the skeleton underneath the ocean, about his death in his house, and how was he still alive?

Most of all why was he in the middle of the ocean?

Nothing made sense to him. For a split moment, he thought he was in a dream or in some kind of coma-induced state.

But everything was too vivid. His intuition told him everything was indeed quite real. And he knew(from experience of course) that his intuition could never fail him.

Book of prophecies..... Wait. It is the catalyst.

He thought as his eyes widened, and his mouth became slightly open. The inherited book. It was the cause for everything.

Everything started from it only. The pages shouldn't have burned so. Only after the pages burned, the whole house did. Everything was connected to it.

But except for a bare few characters and basic knowledge of the story told in a futuristic setting (which somehow matched the innovations in the modern world perfectly. Pretty strange for a book made during the past.), he couldn't remember anything.

Strange. Yet. Exciting. Though still scary. I feel like the protagonist from the book of prophecies who had a system and some kind of prophecy as a guide.

I always knew that I was destined to be the main character. But never thought it would happen in such a way.

Another failed attempt at being humorous. He couldn't soothe the fear going in his heart and soaring underneath his skin. Like lava.

The darkest of the nights soon went away, as the clouds parted like a storm soothed, and the radiant star holding the solar system together rose high above the sky.

The wet housewear that clinged to his toned body (I was not lazy. I did go to the gym to maintain health unlike some.) soon dried up, as the clothes once again became loose.

And as the warmth of the sun spread through him, he felt oddly rejuvenated. The breeze was now soothing as it caressed his skins.

Everything had became still and comforting.

No matter how dark the night may be. The sun will always defeat it and rise anew. Something told to energize the saddest of the hearts.

But at this moment, I can safely say. It is indeed the truth of life as well as the world and the nature that comes alongside it.

Zamian smiled to himself but then his eyes once again widened and his smile wrinkled the edges of his lips.

This place that he was currently residing in. This realm that was carrying his existence. It was not unknown.

It was known.

It was the realm mentioned in the book of prophecies, a realm not named and kept for some reasons vague.

He was in the book of prophecies.

Death had reincarnated him into his favourite fictional world.

Zamian now laughed as loud as he could have done. Oh the fates haven't cursed him. He was a fool to think such miserable thoughts.

No matter how turbulent the situation may be. This world was a blessing in disguise.

Just like how angels disguise them as terror sometimes to ward off the evil in one's heart.

Tears caused by the laughter dropped like pearls upon the ashen-white cranium. At least his chance of survival had increased now.

Oh my. I am a favourite of God am I not? My year long wish of discarding reality and entering fantasy has been fulfilled.

The dangers be damned! I know the secrets to attain power in this world, so fuck stressing out over measly things.

Fuck. I need a smoke.

For the first time in a long time, Zamian smiled, it was a true smile. A smile which could make anyone blush.

A smile that had been hid from even Sandie, after the death of his loving parents during his toddler years.

This was a wish, a wish that he had asked whenever he gazed upon a shooting star.

And it was fulfilled finally!

[Integration Completed]

[Aspirant's Emotions: Dulled]

[Emperor's Mind Awakened]

Series of notifications flashed, as rectangular holographic scrolls that were a deep crimson almost like fires deep in the Earth's core, opened in front of his very eyes that were once excited to discover his new reality but now they were dull and bleak yet still had some brightness deep within.

"I have a system? Wow."

Zamian licked his lips, as he mentally ordered the system to open up the stats screen. Just like he had seen the protagonists of other novels do.

But his tone wasn't respectful, it was like a ruler's command, disregarding feelings of others to further his authority of power.

[Opening Stats]

[Name: Zamian {Unknown}]

[Titles: Heir Of Emperor's Path, The Fire Born, One Sided Lover, Son Of Man and Fate, Death's Holder, Second Born, The Reader, The Author, The Rebellious Son, The Ruler Of Rulers, The Mistrusting Beast, Cheater Of Destiny, Anomaly Of Eternity And Existence, The Guide]

[Grade: First Rank Awakened]

[Affinities: Fire, Lightning, Light]

[Martial Art: Boxing and Unorthodox Art]

[Sins: Pride, Wrath and Sloth]

[Blessings→]

[Emperor's Mind: A king's mind must be stern and unfeeling. He must lay judgement and take decisions swift. His mind must not be altered by words or situations for this makes him weak in front of his very allies.

Description: This blessing allows one to keep their fear and other fickle emotions bottled up, when faced with turmoil and situations that seem turbulent.

To summarise, this allows one to become almost emotionless and unfeeling. They won't feel pain of both mental and physical attacks.

There are certain limitations too. For if one becomes too emotionless, he won't be able to make logical decisions. Hence, extreme mental pressure may break this skill and disable it for some time.]

[Unshackled: Those who controls destiny, those who manipulate will, those who manipulate are all pests. Unshackled you are from the chains, indeed and serve as a counter to those manipulation.

Description: This blessing allows one to immediately detect truth and lies. No one can manipulate the person who has such a blessing.

The blessing further allows one to be unaffected by the holy aura of the ones who are blessed by the fates, deities and heavens above.

Furthermore, such beings who are always destined to win and survive, can lose and die by your hands. Of course only if you possess superior skill otherwise you will be the one to lose the battle.]

[Photographic Memory: No description needed.]

[The Guide: Description Unknown]

[Mana/Soul Energy Control]

[Other Blessings Locked For The Moment]

Zamian's eyes flashed across the stats screen, as he gazed bewildered by the titles and the blessings and of course the sins plastered.

Blessings didn't affect his thinking for he knew, it meant skills only, only difference was that it sounded more dignified than the term 'skills'.

Though he had to admit. He received good blessings, highly overpowered in nature. At least for an amateur like him.

But the titles that he received alongside the sins, that confused him a lot. This system was entirely different in comparison to the protagonist who had a much more common one.

System can you elaborate?

Silence, that was what greeted him from the other side, so this meant that this knowledge would remain unknown to him for a long period of time as he couldn't ask anyone for two reasons.

One was that he was stranded in the middle of nowhere and second was the fact that no one would believe him, if he complained about a system. They would instead admit him in a mental asylum. So that would be quite a dumb move.

Zamian just accepted it silently, even though the curious nature of his, gnawed on his flesh yet he remained calm.

Thanks to the Emperor's Mind blessing.

Well at least I know about the thing known as affinities and grade along with the martial art thing. Thank god these three remained in common with the protagonist's system.

Affinity meant which elements you can use, grade meant which level of a warrior are you, and martial art section specified which combat you practiced more.

Though grade needed much more explanation than the one granted, but he would explain that later, for his eyes were upon a flying helicopter high above the sky.

The features he couldn't discern, but he knew that it could help him, after all anything was better than staying in the midst of a dead sea.

Plus the putrid smell was highly irritating (trust me. Smells like poop, amidst other things rotten.)