1 A Cosmic Event

I'm Duke Grayson, and my life was pretty ordinary before everything changed.

I was a college student at Kepler University, living in a small dorm room on campus, just like thousands of other students. My routine was simple but demanding – classes, textbooks, and the pursuit of a better future.

But there was one thing that made my daily grind a bit more exciting – Lily.

She was in my astronomy class, a few rows ahead of me, with her infectious smile and striking red hair. Lily was the kind of person who could brighten even the gloomiest day.

I admired her from afar, daydreaming about the moment I'd gather the courage to speak to her.

I wasn't the boldest guy, especially when it came to approaching someone I was interested in. So most of the time, I contented myself with quiet fantasies, imagining what it would be like to strike up a conversation with her, maybe even ask her out.

It was a sweet escape from the monotony of college life, a brief respite from the sea of textbooks and lecture notes.

My dorm room was a cozy space, illuminated by a soft, warm light that spilled from a desk lamp. On any given evening, you'd find me hunched over my desk, engrossed in a sea of textbooks, notebooks, and the soft hum of the air conditioner. The distant voices of students in the dormitory hallway provided a comforting backdrop to my academic pursuits.

Life felt predictable, safe even.

But that was before the cosmic event.

I remember it as if it happened just yesterday. I was in my room, scribbling notes on the latest astronomy lecture. My mind kept wandering, as it often did, to Lily.

I daydreamed about the moment I'd finally gather the courage to talk to her, the perfect words I'd say, and the way her smile would light up even brighter.

And then, it happened.

At first, it was just a subtle shift in the room's ambiance. I thought it was the passing headlights of a car outside my window. But the light intensified, growing brighter and more vibrant.

It was unlike anything I had ever seen. I paused, my pen suspended in the air, and turned my gaze toward the window.

What I witnessed was nothing short of miraculous.

The night sky, previously adorned with a familiar canvas of stars, had transformed into a breathtaking spectacle.

It was as if a celestial portal had burst open, showering the heavens with a mesmerizing display of colors. Reds, blues, and greens danced across the night sky in an ethereal symphony.

For a brief moment, I felt like an astronaut exploring uncharted galaxies, a witness to the cosmic ballet of stars and galaxies.

The sheer magnificence of the event made me momentarily forget about my mundane college life.

In that instant, I was transported beyond the confines of my dorm room and into the vast expanse of the universe. I was a part of something extraordinary.

But the magic didn't last.

As I finally tore my gaze away from the window, reality crashed down upon me.

The world outside was no longer the place I once knew.

The calm, orderly campus of Kepler University had given way to a nightmarish scene.

Terrifying screams filled the air, and people moved with a relentless hunger in their eyes.

They staggered and lurched, as if in the throes of some frenzied dance of despair. Their actions were nightmarish, as they tore at each other with savage ferocity.

The once-tranquil world had transformed into a horrific theater of madness.

My heart raced, and my dorm room seemed to blur around me. I was paralyzed by the surreal scene that played out outside my window.

How had the peaceful campus of Kepler University descended into chaos so swiftly?

What had caused the transformation of ordinary people into these ravenous beings?

My thoughts raced, and my chest tightened. I couldn't fathom the horrors unfolding on the streets below. This was a crisis unlike anything I had ever contemplated, a test of survival that no college textbook could prepare me for.

I stumbled back from the window, my mind in disarray, a tempest of emotions and questions.

What was the cosmic event that had triggered such an apocalyptic catastrophe?

How had our serene world been transformed into a macabre nightmare so quickly?

As I grappled with the enormity of the situation, one thing became painfully clear – my once-ordinary life at Kepler University was gone, replaced by a world of chaos and uncertainty.

And as I would soon discover, a dormant power within me had awakened, a power that would shape my destiny in unimaginable ways.