Armageddon

1. The hero has arrived

The world as we know it has long been consumed by wars and destruction—conflicts born from humanity's hunger for power and glory. Only on Judgment Day will mankind be forced to face the weight of its actions, to prove whether it is truly worthy of the gods' praise. That is, if the ancient legends hold any truth. They speak of a barren realm rising from nothingness, a lifeless expanse where Good and Evil collide in a final reckoning. This place has earned a single, ominous name: The Armageddon.

Yet few ever understand the true scale of what The Armageddon represents. From its once-tainted soil, a new world blossoms—a fantastical land filled with strange creatures and the raw essence of magic. It is a vast sandbox crafted solely for this divine conflict, a battleground shaped by forces beyond mortal comprehension. For centuries, this realm remained undisturbed, silent and still, until the beings above finally acted. They pulled humans from the distant world known as Earth and cast them into this domain.

It was the beginning of the Armageddon's trial. Chosen from across all of history—heroes, tyrants, revolutionaries, martyrs—each selected soul had left a mark on their previous world, for better or for worse. Now, they must fight for their deepest desire, under the watchful eyes of gods who demand proof of worthiness. Many never survived long enough to discover what they truly desired.

Let us return to the old world—back to a time 2,600 years in the past. A raid had begun against the Athenians, targeting a small and quiet community. Within that village stood a young warrior who refused to abandon his people. For six relentless hours, he held the line, fighting alone against an army of three hundred fully armed men. Not a single invader managed to cross the Athenian border.

That young warrior's name was Adamantios. And now, he has been summoned by the Armageddon to pursue the desire buried deepest within his heart.

Time Skip

Adamantios woke up in an unfamiliar forest, his head spinning and his body weak. The last thing he remembered was standing against three hundred raiders as he defended the Athenian border. A cool breeze brushed against his skin, sending a sharp chill through him. When he looked down, he froze in embarrassment—he was completely naked. His cheeks flushed red. He hurriedly grabbed a large leaf, tied it around his waist, and covered himself as best as he could before wandering deeper into the forest, unsure of where he was.

A sudden cry for help echoed through the trees. It was a high, terrified scream coming from somewhere ahead. Instinct took over, and Adamantios sprinted toward the danger without hesitation. When he reached the source of the cries, he saw something he had never encountered in his world—a group of small, grotesque green humanoid creatures surrounding a young woman.

The woman looked at him with tearful eyes, begging silently for help. Adamantios didn't hesitate.
"Stop right there!" he shouted. "Don't lay another finger on her!"

He lowered his stance instinctively, the way his Athenian instructor had drilled into him since boyhood, and struck the nearest creature with a single punch, launching it straight into a tree and knocking it unconscious. The other goblins trembled at the sight of his strength, but they drew their daggers and rushed him anyway. Adamantios braced himself and knocked the remaining creatures away with two swift blows, sending their bodies flying into the underbrush.

He offered his hand to the frightened woman.
"Take my hand," he said. She grabbed it, pulling herself up.
"Thank you," she breathed, her hands still trembling as relief slowly replaced her fear. She managed a relieved smile. "I would've been goblin meat if you hadn't shown up." As she looked at him, she couldn't help but notice the odd clothing—or rather, the lack of it. She quickly straightened herself, remembering her manners. "I'm Emma Wilrose, librarian and historian of Eldervale. And you are...?"

Adamantios bowed politely. "Adamantios is my name."
He glanced at the creatures he had just defeated. "You call these beings goblins, yes? I've never seen such creatures in my world before."

Emma's eyes widened as realization hit her. She took out her journal and began scribbling notes.
"Ah! That explains it," she said excitedly. "No wonder you're barely covered, and your name—it's unmistakably Greek!" She finished writing and looked up at him with a grin. "I get it now. You were summoned by the Armageddon!"

Adamantios blinked, confused.
"Arma...geddon? What about me being summoned?"

Emma didn't answer immediately. She ushered him along.
"Come with me. I'll explain when we get to my village. For now, just trust me."

They soon arrived in a peaceful settlement.
"Welcome to Eldervale," Emma said proudly. "A friendly starter village that welcomes anyone."

As they walked, Adamantios stared at the different races, creatures, and lively streets.
"What an odd place," he murmured, though there was curiosity in his voice.

Emma dragged him into her library and handed him clothes.
"Put these on for now."
He nodded and changed quickly while she climbed a ladder to retrieve a thick book titled The Armageddon.

She opened it to the first page—a picture of Earth.
Adamantios frowned. "Earth?"
Emma laughed. "Don't tell me you've never heard of your own home planet!" She turned the page, showing a similar world but with distinct features. "And this is where you are now—Eschara." Another page revealed drawings of magical creatures and strange phenomena.
"This world is full of mystery and magic," Emma said. "For us Escharans, it's normal. For Earthlings like you... probably not."

She flipped to a page showing a beam of light touching the ground.
"Now listen carefully. This is the Armageddon—a mystical force that summons humans from Earth who made notable marks on their world." She turned to another page showing humans fighting. "The chosen are brought here to compete for their ultimate desire."

Adamantios stared in awe.
"So you're saying I... was chosen?"
Emma snapped her fingers. "Exactly! You're one of the newest participants in the Armageddon's game."

She grabbed his hand excitedly.
"Now tell me, Adamantios—when were you born?"

He thought deeply. Calendars didn't exist in his time.
"I was born forty years after Solon's laws," he said.

Emma froze.
"What? That would mean..."
She flipped frantically through a reference book.
"Solon's laws were established around 594 BC... so you were born around 555–550 BC." She stared at him in disbelief. "No... that doesn't make sense."

Adamantios sighed.
"Emma, I'm already struggling to understand half of what you're saying. Please, just explain it clearly."

Emma steadied herself.
"The problem is this: the Armageddon doesn't summon people randomly. When the first batch of humans appeared here, they came from around 3000 BC and earlier. Each century is 'cleared' before the next group is summoned." She pointed to a modern date in a calendar.
"Right now, the Armageddon is bringing people from the 1900s to the 2000s. You, however... you're from the mid-6th century BC."

Adamantios finally understood and snapped his fingers.
"So I should've been summoned thousands of years ago?"
"Exactly," Emma said. "Which means... you're a glitch in the system."

A shadow of melancholy crossed Adamantios's face. "So my world has already moved far beyond me..."

Emma closed the book and motioned for him to follow.
"Now that we've cleared things up, we need to go."

He stood. "Where are we going?"
She smiled and took his hand again.

"To my grandfather's lab. If anyone can explain your arrival, it's him."