Staway will never forget that day when the meteorite descended.

Saturday night, three teenagers skipped down the street. They just departed from this gaudy party because it’s The Descendance Day today at the planet of SwanStein, which is one of the few existing international holidays. It was the same day 2177 years ago that their ancestors arrived onto SwanStein through FVs (Floating Vehicles that can propel from magnetic fields produced by different planets). This glamorous day was engraved by the SwanSteinions over thousands of years when people indulge into carnivals and parties.

The party the three guys just left is the biggest celebration held in town, you can hear the cheers and whistles of revelry even across the tens of roads and districts. It took place at the sporting center in the middle of the town, and over tens of thousands of people were there in person. Some rich kids from the first district even started drag racing in their Rayfields for more thrill.

People partied for hours and hours, dawn fades and the night falls, and that’s when a giant object appeared under the curtain of night. With the howling and whizzing sound accompanied by dazzling strong light, the object glides closer and closer to the crowd made up of thousands of people. “Cool holographic effects the GNC managed to pull up this year huh? You see that big guy there? That thing fires!” Shouted the chubby man in the crowd. People in the center gazed at each other eye to eye, wandering if anybody knows what affair in the world is going on right now. They are still astonished to see how real the object is, it’s just like an actual meteorite.

Everything happened so fast until someone in the crowd shouted “Run!!!” People are screaming down the street, swinging their arms like hopeless kids. Why are they so scared? It’s because they all felt the same thing coming from above them—heat. Deadly heat that can burn people into ashes within a flash, deadly heat that can burn this city into hell.

The three teens: Staway, John and Thonebrd were all walking on the street at that time, till they heard the shouting and the whizzing sound coming from EVRYWHERE. Feeling the deadly heat, Staway lifts his head and immediately stood frozen. The meteorite was only miles away above their head, and there is nothing he can do to stop it, nor to outrun it.

Everything happened so fast.

As he turned around, ashes from John and Thonebrd’s body sweep onto his face. The light and the heat produced by the collision made his eyes blind off. At the same time a voice cracked out in his head: “Live on.” It feels so negligible so that even the slightest absence of sensation it would have been missed out, however it struck Staway so profound at the simultaneously. Seconds later before he even realized what’s happening, he found himself standing in a plain completely taken over by parasite-like organisms, with the meteorite nowhere to be seen.

The giant parasite really grossed Staway out. He started running with the speed of Bolt, no idea where he is going, just runs and runs, completely aimless. He continued running, and falls. Lights out, he fainted.

“Hey kid, what are you doing around this wasteland? Don’t see how this place’s attractive for sightseeing.” Staway opened his eyes and sees an old man talking to him. “Ayyy!” Seeing a man so close to his face gives him chills on his back. “Heyhey, not trying to hurt you there.” They talk for a few minutes and Staway finally manages to calm down. The old man then asks why he appeared in the wasteland, and Staway told him about everything that previously happened after the meteorite descended.

“Ok…Interesting, it sounds like you were one of the Edge Runners chosen by an alien force called Titans. They pick out refugees whose city were ‘accidentally’ destroyed by universal disasters and make them into Edge Runners. They saved your live by teleporting you over to this wasteland, right? However, their true purpose is to establish colonies using the power given to you. “No way, so I’m being used like a tool?” said Staway. “I’m afraid…yes. “Replied the old man. “So why would you be staying here in the wasteland? This place seems to be an absolute dump.” Asked Staway. “Well, used to be an ex-edge runner, however got dumped by the Titans once I got more value to them. Lost my home, got no where to go, so I wandered around the planet, and end up finding this place, isolated from other people.” Stated the old man. “I have to go back to my city, even though it’s probably fully destroyed by the meteorite, but I still can’t let go of it, what is there’s still people there that needs help?” Staway sounds anxious. The old man heaved a sigh: “Listen, you’re being unrealistic right now, kid. Once something’s gone it never ever comes back, you get me? You get me?” He’s voice loudens. “…. Ok, Fine. Let me show you the abilities you gained as an edge runner. Come with me.”

Two of them head on to a plain field, Staway can still see the giant parasites wiggling to their direction from far away. “Are we even on Earth anymore?” Asked Staway. The parasites still made him super uncomfortable. “Yes, there are areas on Earth that’s polluted from Titanium that humans never reached, or people that did never came back.” “Sounds terrible to me. Would never like to join them.” Trembled Staway. “Of course. All right dude, enough chitchatting, let get to the main course.” The old man cuts in. “Step back. Really step back.” A gigantic black hole appears in front of them, and it seems to be constructed of…database? “Looks quite cyber to me.” Called Staway. “That’s ‘cause it literally is the Cyberware, kid. Jump in.” “What? Me? Right now?” Staway starts to hesitate instantly. “Now get in there” The old man pushes Staway in and then jumps in right behind him. “Now welcome to the Cyberware. This is the place that would appear once your edge runner abilities are activated. You can travel to any place you want at any time, besides within a flash you’ll be there. Just like something you’d dream of as a baby when you’re still sucking soothers on your mommy’s lap right? How crazy is that!” The old man claims.

After a long period of silence, the old man finally can’t bear it anymore. “Why’re you all so silent all the sudden? Doesn’t seem like how you would usually behave.” The old man asks, confused. Another ten seconds passed with no one talking, and Staway finally opens his mouse. “…You said Edge Runners can travel between places whenever they want, that comes with a cost, right? There’s no way the Titans are just gonna let the Edge Runners run off to the most secret places on SwanStein, and let them go, right?” Questioned Staway, however looking the calmest he has ever behaved. Something deep inside him seems to light up that changed him completely. “Yes, there’re no free dinners in this world ruled by the superiors. People like you, the Edge Runners, once you’re chosen, it signifies your rebirth, but your poor life’s now chained tightly together with the Titans, destiny binding to some creature that you’ve never even had a glance before.”

“However, wanna save your family, your friends that had been melted into ashes? That is possible. What I haven’t tell you yet is that the ultimate ability of an Edge Runner is to time travel. But clearly everything that’s powerful comes at a deep and dolorous cost. To achieve that you must collect the Space Core on the planet of Oracle, in order to restore time. And keep in mind that your lifespan will be shortened by 50 years if you attempt to do that. Also don’t even try to resist facing a Titan, it’s pointless.” The old man gave out an inspissated smile. “I’ll go get the Core.” Said Staway with determination.

Long silence… Old man observed Staway’s firm face, knowing there’s no turning back left to him. “Let me ask you something: Why travel?” Asked the old man. “To get the ones I love back. To fulfill my purpose of existing.” Old man seems to get the answer he wanted, gratified. “Listen to me, live on, don’t die…” “I would, before I go, how should you be called?” “I’m an ex-Edge Runner, so I guess you can call me your ex.” By the time the old man realized he was trancing, there left no trace of the teen. “Another kid, chasing after the shadows.” Heave a sigh he did.

The Planet of Oracle, Space Core Base

      “Alright, this is it. It’s a V or nothing.” Said Staway to himself, trying to cheer up. He just snuck around the base secretly, observing and memorizing the defense installations inside and outside the base. “As to what I have observed in the past five hours, each group of Guards’ shifts switch every two hours. They exit through this wicket door, and the next group would not appear till one minute later, that’s the perfect opportunity for me to run to the dungeon entrance beside the wicket door. We’ll see that’s next by then.

      Thirty-five minutes later the Guards finally appeared wicket door. It’s a relieve to Staway because he can finally stop waiting beside this dump close to the Base. However, he can feel his heart starting to pump harder and harder, heartrate doubling within a few seconds. The Guards leave, and he ran for it. He never felt like running this fast before in his life except the time when he got chased by the giant parasites and the time the meteorite’s going to destroy the city. He crashed the wooden door in front of the dungeon into million pieces with the crazy speed of an Edge Runner. “It’s a shame that I can’t use my ability since it seems to be blocked by the Base.” Panted Staway, slowly walking into the dungeon.

      “Hey little guy, new to the place? Never seen you before.” As Staway walks by one of the cells, a headless warrior gathers his attention. “Trust me, I won’t tell anybody that you’re here, because that’s no fun.” Staway kept walking until he hears an earsplitting shout: “I changed my mind. An Intruder!!!” Staway shoots himself out into the air at a tremendous speed. The Guards inside the Base gather in a flash and opened their fire on him. “Oh crap!” One the run, Staway was shot on the shoulder, he continued escaping for minutes, using the obstacles and turns in the Base to get rid of some Guards. In this breath choking process he found himself reaching the Clock Tower. Suddenly, he feels the connection between him, an Edge Runner, and the Space Core. “To the right!” His arm takes another hard bullet from the Guard.

      Staway’s site starts to dim out. His life clock seemed to have exhausted the last ticking sound, every single moment seems to be the countdown to his death, and his body no longer withstands the ravages. Gulping back the blackouts, he entered the room of the Space Core. A gigantic figure appears in his site.

      “A Titan!” First time seeing a Titan, Staway was astonished by its body obviously containing explosive strength. But he quickly suppresses the bit of panic that starts to rise inside him, since he knew his time is going to come no matter what.

      Kindling up the last strength in himself, Staway launches forward and grabs the Space Core into his hands. To his surprise a devastating bind of kinetic ray beams with extreme speed straight to him. Realizing his body slowly melting into pieces, Staway laughs, relieved, and activates the Space Core. Everything starts to withdraw in slow motion.

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