The End and The Beginning
Jax's final breath was a soft rasp, the world around him fading into nothingness. The last thing he saw was the sky, blood-red with the remnants of nuclear flames. The air was thick with the stench of destruction. The Earth had been dying for years, ravaged by wars, invasions from other dimensions, and the human race's own greed. The last nuclear war had been the tipping point—the final blow that shattered the world beyond recognition.
Jax had been a soldier, a commander in a war no one could win, fighting not just for survival but for the possibility of rebuilding. He had watched his comrades fall, one by one, until he was the last man standing in a world that no longer seemed to care whether it lived or died.
The pain in his chest had been excruciating. The radiation from the blast had burned him from the inside out, his body succumbing to the damage faster than he could process. He had known it was coming. The blast had been too close, the explosion too powerful. But even in the face of certain death, there had been no fear. Only the overwhelming realization that everything he had worked for, everything he had sacrificed, was for nothing.
The world was ending, and Jax was going to die with it.
As the darkness closed in, he thought of his parents—his only remaining family—living in the farthest corners of the planet, surviving by sheer willpower. But even they would not be spared. The Earth was doomed, and nothing could save it now.
The last thing he heard before the light of life faded was the beep of his personal device, signaling an incoming message. He couldn't bring himself to look, knowing it would be one more futile cry for help in a world that had already fallen.
---
When Jax awoke, the world was different.
His first sensation was the cold. Not the bitter chill of nuclear winter, but the sterile, metallic cold of a place that was not Earth. He blinked his eyes open, the unfamiliar ceiling above him blurring into focus. The sterile, almost clinical scent of the air hit him next, as if he was inside some sort of facility.
"Where am I?" he croaked, his voice weak, as if it hadn't been used in years. His body felt different—lighter, as if the weight of his death had somehow altered him. He didn't feel pain. In fact, he didn't feel much at all, except for a strange heaviness in his chest that he couldn't place.
"System online," a cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind, startling him. "Host status: Reborn. Status: Awaiting commands. Please confirm your identity."
Jax's eyes widened. He wasn't dead? But… How? He had felt himself slip away. He had died. He knew he had died. Yet here he was, alive again. A quick scan of his surroundings confirmed that he was no longer in the wasteland he had left behind. The walls around him were made of smooth, reflective metal, gleaming like the inside of a futuristic base. The very air seemed to hum with electricity.
"What the hell is going on?" he muttered, pushing himself into a sitting position.
A faint beeping interrupted his thoughts, and a holographic screen materialized in front of him. It was filled with data, most of which made no sense to him.
[Host: Jax Soren]
[Status: Reborn into Genesis Protocol]
[Location: Unknown]
[Assigned Mission: Rebuild Humanity]
The words danced across the screen, almost mocking him. Rebuild humanity? Was this some kind of twisted joke? Jax gritted his teeth. If he was alive, he would find out what the hell was going on. And if there was any chance to restore the world, he would take it. After all, what did he have left to lose?
"System," Jax said, his voice steady now. "Where am I?"
[Location: Genesis Protocol Facility]
[Mission Overview: Rebuild a viable society using remaining resources and strategic deployments.]
[Energy Source: Infinite – Supply systems functional.]
The words hit him like a punch to the gut. Rebuilding humanity? Was that even possible? After the world had torn itself apart? But then again, if he had been brought back here, to some unknown facility, there must be a reason. It wasn't a coincidence. It couldn't be. And for some reason, he didn't feel completely like himself. He felt… different. Changed.
Before he could process this new reality, the sound of machinery hummed to life. A door on the far side of the room opened, and a figure stepped inside—a man, dressed in silver armor, his face concealed behind a sleek helmet. He moved with mechanical precision, his every step calculated.
Jax stood up, ready to face whatever this place had in store for him.
"Who are you?" Jax demanded, his voice cutting through the silence of the room.
The figure's head tilted slightly, as if assessing him. Then, with a smooth, robotic motion, the man reached up and removed his helmet. What lay beneath was unexpected.
A man, yes, but not entirely human. His skin was pale, almost translucent, with streaks of glowing blue veins visible beneath the surface. His hair was a shimmering silver, and his eyes—Jax couldn't help but stare—were an unnaturally bright shade of blue. They weren't human eyes.
"I am Kairo," the man said, his voice cold, mechanical, yet somehow laced with a deep sadness. "I am the first of the Metra-humans. I am your companion, your creation."
Jax's mind raced. A Metra-human? It wasn't a term he was familiar with, but the way Kairo spoke suggested that there was more to this world than he understood. "Companion? Creation?"
Kairo nodded. "You were selected, Jax Soren, for the Genesis Protocol. You are the commander. Your mission is clear: Rebuild what was lost. Restore humanity."
Jax's chest tightened. It was all too much to process in an instant. But there was one thing he understood clearly. He had been given a second chance. The world might be in ruins, but he still had a chance to make something out of it. A chance to rebuild.
He looked at Kairo, his gaze hardening with resolve. "Then let's get to work."
---
Acknowledgment:
This story is made possible with the help of my friend, my story partner. Pen name: J.G. Everlight. Thank you for being the spark behind every word.
Chapter 2: First Steps in Genesis
Jax stood motionless as Kairo's words echoed in his mind. He was supposed to be the commander, the one who would rebuild humanity. But the weight of the task ahead seemed impossible to comprehend. Humanity had fallen apart. The Earth had crumbled under the weight of its own failures. What was left to rebuild?
But there was no time to dwell on the enormity of it all. The sound of machinery humming to life around him reminded him that he wasn't alone in this. He had a companion now. A Metra-human. Kairo was, in a way, an ally, though how much Jax could trust him was yet to be seen.
"Alright," Jax muttered, his voice steady, though his mind raced. "Where do we start?"
Kairo tilted his head, the faint glow of his blue eyes flickering with an unreadable emotion. "You are the one who leads, Jax Soren. My purpose is to assist you. The Genesis Protocol is designed to facilitate your rise as humanity's last hope. The first step is to scan the current surroundings and collect data."
Jax took a deep breath and glanced around. The facility was vast, stretching beyond what his eyes could see. The walls were made of metal, sleek and smooth, humming with an almost eerie quiet. It wasn't like anything he had ever seen back on Earth. Everything here was technologically advanced—far beyond anything that had existed before the world had fallen. This place, whatever it was, felt like the last vestige of civilization.
"And how do we do that?" Jax asked, his gaze returning to Kairo.
"You must first access the systems," Kairo said, his voice unyielding. "The Genesis Protocol is a multi-tiered system designed to ensure the survival and eventual rebirth of humanity. You must scan the environment and activate the core systems to gain control."
"Sounds simple enough," Jax replied dryly, though his heart raced. It was as if the fate of humanity had been placed in his hands without warning, without preparation. But it didn't matter now. The only thing that mattered was survival, and whatever came next, Jax would face it head-on.
Without waiting for another word, Kairo moved toward a nearby terminal. His movements were fluid, almost robotic, as he activated a panel embedded in the wall. The terminal hummed to life, flickering with blue lights as data scrolled across the screen.
Jax stepped forward cautiously, eyeing the screen. "What's all this?" he asked.
Kairo didn't look up as he began inputting commands. "The data will show the current state of the world outside this facility. It will also provide a map of available resources. These resources will be crucial in your mission to rebuild."
"Resources, huh?" Jax mumbled, his thoughts shifting. Rebuilding humanity meant more than just surviving. It meant finding food, shelter, technology—anything that could help make life sustainable again. "And how do we use these resources?"
"That is for you to decide, Commander," Kairo said. "The Genesis Protocol will provide the tools, but you must decide how they are used."
Jax nodded, trying to process the information. The words "Rebuild humanity" echoed in his mind again. He couldn't afford to falter. He had no choice now but to move forward.
"Okay," Jax said, his tone firm. "Let's start with the basics. We need to know what we're working with."
Kairo's blue eyes flickered. "I will guide you, Jax Soren."
The terminal beeped, and a holographic map appeared in the air before them. It was a detailed layout of the facility, with highlighted areas showing active systems, storage, and resources.
Jax stepped forward, his eyes scanning the map. He could see that the facility was divided into several sections: Command, Resource Storage, Bio-Dome, and Research. Each section had its own set of functions, and some of the areas appeared to be locked or offline.
"Let's start with the Resource Storage," Jax decided. "We need supplies if we're going to survive, right?"
Kairo nodded, his face still unreadable. "The Resource Storage is the first place to check. It contains food, water, and materials necessary for the early stages of survival."
With a sense of purpose, Jax followed Kairo through the facility. The hallways were silent, the only sound the echo of their footsteps. It was a strange feeling—being in a place so advanced, so sterile, yet so empty. There were no people, no life, just the two of them. It felt like they were the last remnants of a world long gone.
As they reached the Resource Storage, Jax's heart quickened. Behind a massive metal door, the room was filled with shelves stacked high with sealed containers and supplies. Everything was neatly organized, as though it had been waiting for someone to come and claim it.
"Take what you need," Kairo said, gesturing to the shelves. "The facility has everything necessary to sustain you for several years."
Jax stepped into the storage room, his eyes scanning the shelves. There were containers of food, water, and medical supplies. He grabbed a few containers of water, some ration packs, and a first aid kit. The supplies were basic, but they were a start. It was a strange feeling, gathering resources from a place that felt so impersonal, so cold. It reminded him of what he had lost—what the world had lost.
"How long has this facility been here?" Jax asked, glancing over at Kairo as he packed the supplies into a bag.
"Several centuries," Kairo answered flatly. "This facility was constructed long before the events that led to the downfall of humanity. It was part of the last-ditch effort to preserve life on Earth, to create a safe haven for future generations."
Jax paused, his hand hovering over a shelf. "Centuries? But how…?"
"Time is relative in this place," Kairo said. "The Genesis Protocol was designed to keep the facility in stasis, allowing it to endure through the apocalypse. You were selected because of your unique genetic code, which aligns with the goals of the protocol."
Jax frowned, trying to process the information. "So, I was chosen? For what? To be the savior of humanity?"
"Precisely," Kairo said, his voice unchanging. "You have the potential to rebuild what was lost."
Jax couldn't help but feel the weight of Kairo's words. A savior? It seemed impossible. He wasn't anyone special. He was just a soldier, a man who had survived a dying world. But now, it seemed that the fate of humanity rested on his shoulders.
"We need to start with the basics," Jax muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "If we're going to rebuild, we need to know what we're working with. We need information, we need resources, and we need a plan."
Kairo didn't respond, but Jax could sense the machine-like presence behind him. The Metra-human was as cold and detached as ever, but there was something in the way he spoke that hinted at something more. Was it possible that Kairo was more than just a machine? Was there something human inside him?
"Let's move to the next section," Jax said, slinging the bag of supplies over his shoulder. "We need to figure out what's out there. What we're up against."
Kairo nodded. "Understood."
With that, they left the storage room and moved deeper into the facility. The road to rebuilding humanity had just begun, and Jax knew that the challenges ahead would be like nothing he had ever faced before. But he was determined. He had to be. There was no going back now.
---
Acknowledgment:
This chapter was made possible with the assistance of my friend, pen name J.G. Everlight. Thank you for your help and support.