1 The Reset: New World

Paris is known for its grand avenues and elegant architecture, but tucked away on the outskirts, there might be a hidden corner where a different reality exists. Here, amidst the uneven cobblestone streets overflowing with bins, crouches a small building – a testament to resilience in harsh conditions.

The building itself is a hodgepodge of materials. The lower floor, likely the sturdiest, is built with rough-hewn stone blocks, some blackened with soot. Wooden planks, weathered and warped, form the upper floor, their gaps patched with sheets of corrugated metal that gleam dull silver in the weak sunlight.

A single, crooked chimney leans precariously from the roof, a plume of grey smoke hinting at the life that persists within. Washing lines strung haphazardly between the building and a nearby lamppost sag under the weight of mismatched clothes – a faded floral dress, a child's soccer jersey, a work jacket missing a button.

Despite the hardship it reflects, the building isn't without a touch of life. A window box on the upper floor bursts with vibrant red geraniums, a defiant splash of color against the grey. Perhaps a child's drawing, pinned to the peeling paint of the front door, adds another hint of hope – a lopsided sun with squiggly lines for rays. In this small building, in the heart of Paris' forgotten corner, a spirit of community and perseverance endures.

The ramshackle building groaned in the Parisian night wind, the sound barely registering with the young man sprawled on the ruin of a bed within. Kai, a half-breed with skin the color of strong coffee and heterochromia eyes, slept a restless sleep. The once grand four-poster bed, now just a frame with a few sagging springs and a threadbare mattress, offered scant comfort.

Moonlight speared through the gaps in the corrugated metal roof, illuminating the worry etched on his face. Orphaned a few years ago, the city had become his grim guardian. He carried the legacy of both his parents – the easy laughter of his West African father and the fierce independence of his French mother. Tonight, however, the laughter was a distant memory, replaced by the gnawing ache of an empty stomach.

Despite the hardship, Kai wasn't entirely swallowed by despair. A glint of defiance flickered in his sleep-deprived eyes. He clutched a worn leather satchel close, its contents his only treasure – a few well-worn books, a dog-eared map of the city, and a half-finished sketch of the Parisian skyline, the geraniums from the window box bursting with vibrant color on the unfinished page.

Even in this broken bed, on the edge of nowhere, Kai dreamt of building his own world. A world where his heritage wasn't a burden, but a bridge, where the city lights twinkled in celebration, not just as a reminder of his solitude. Sleep, when it came, was filled with the echoes of his parents' laughter and the promise of a new dawn, a day where he'd carve his own path in the unforgiving heart of Paris.

Unaware of the change that was about to happen, Kai slept soundlessly. The city outside remained a symphony of nocturnal murmurs – rustling bins, distant sirens, the low murmur of voices. Then, a shift. The symphony faltered, replaced by a collective gasp that echoed faintly through the ramshackle building.

A sliver of crimson light sliced through the gap in the metal roof, painting the room in an unnatural red glow. Kai stirred, a frown creasing his brow. He mumbled something incoherent, about a misplaced brush perhaps, before his eyes fluttered open.

But the familiar sight of the moonlit room wasn't there. Instead, a giant crimson orb hung heavy in the sky, visible even through the metal patchwork. It wasn't the soft, blue moon he was used to. This moon, the color of spilled blood, pulsed with an eerie inner light. A shiver ran down Kai's spine, a primal fear replacing the drowsiness.

A low, thrumming sound filled the air, a sound that resonated deep in his bones. It wasn't the comforting hum of the city at night, but something alien, unsettling. With a jolt, Kai sat up, the worn leather satchel tumbling to the floor with a thud. He scrambled to his feet, a knot of apprehension tightening in his stomach. The crimson moon cast an ominous glow on everything, bathing his small world in an unsettling red hue.

The change had begun. Whatever it was, it had arrived with the crimson moon, shattering the night's quiet and plunging Kai, and perhaps the entire city, into the unknown.

Suddenly, a celestial voice resonated for all to perceive.

[Humans have transgressed, unsatisfied with their lot, they have propelled the world to the precipice of annihilation. Judgment has arrived, a reset. Murderers, rapists, scammers, politicians, and all those who have sinned, behold your retribution. You shall transform into monstrous beings that mirror the darkness within your souls. We inaugurate a new realm, a realm where only the fittest shall survive. Struggle, struggle, struggle further and endure the exigencies of this new world. This is not a path to redemption, but a penance. Let the Reset commence, ushering in a New Age.]

As the sentence concluded, the entire world was bathed in a crimson luminescence, every human enveloped in its ethereal glow.

"!"

Kai flinched at the booming voice that echoed in his mind, a voice that seemed to bypass his ears and vibrate straight into his skull. The words were clear, terrifying, and final. Judgement. Punishment. Reset. A new world.

Panic clawed at his throat. What did it mean? Monsters? Survival of the fittest? The crimson light intensifying through the gaps in the roof seemed to answer his unspoken questions. It grew brighter, filling the room with an oppressive, blood-red glow.

Instinct thrummed through him, urging him to move. He scrambled off the bed, his bare feet landing on the cold floor. The satchel, knocked off earlier, lay open at his feet, the forgotten sketch forgotten as the real world exploded into chaos.

A deafening crash resonated from outside, followed by a series of panicked shrieks. The crimson light, now blindingly bright, seeped through every crack and crevice, bathing Kai in its eerie glow. He squeezed his eyes shut, gritting his teeth against the voice that still boomed in his head.

Then, a searing pain ripped through him. It was a primal, agonizing scream that tore from his throat before he was plunged into darkness.