"Hahhh… tomorrow's the day."
A young man laid who on an old looking bed seemed to be contemplating.
"You don't have to be so pessimistic about it."
A young woman sitting on a different old bed next to the young man's bed responded while playing with her long black hair.
"Why shouldn't I be pessimistic? I'm about to be homeless." He responded with a small hopeless smile.
The girl giggled lightly and got up, moving over to his bed and sitting next to him.
"Still, you don't have to be such a negative Nancy, Zane."
The young man, Zane, chuckled and looked up at his friend. She was quite a pretty girl underneath the small pieces of dirt and grime that had covered her face during her morning cleaning of the building.
"These assholes are kicking me out of the orphanage as soon as I'm a legal adult so I have plenty of reasons to be negative! They could at least give me a couple weeks or something! You'll feel the same way soon enough, Luna."
Zane and the girl, Luna, were both orphans. Zane had been at their partially run-down orphanage for 10 years while Luna had been there for 8. Once an orphan turned 18, they would be kicked out of the orphanage since they were no longer a child. Unfortunately for Zane, his 18th birthday was tomorrow.
The two had been close friends ever since Luna arrived at the orphanage. They both got along with the other orphans for the most part, but Luna and Zane had always had a much deeper connection and friendship.
Luna giggled more and grabbed Zane's head, placing it on her lap as she started stroking his black hair gently. "I've got another month before I'll be forced to join you… how about we become homeless buddies when I'm kicked out?"
Zane smirked and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of Luna's hand and lap. "Sure, we can beg for money on the street together."
Luna smiled warmly and leaned back against the bed frame. "Good. Well you should get some rest, you'll need it for tomorrow."
Zane simply nodded. We was already drifting off to sleep. On the nights that Zane had nightmares about the incident with his parents, Luna would come help him calm down. She would always put his head on her lap since it seemed to help him relax.
"Will do. I'll see you in the morning…"
"Sweet dreams, Zane…"
Another minute passed before Zane fell asleep, making Luna smile softly before she eventually left the room.
———————-
It was now three in the morning.
Dong
Dong
Dong
Suddenly, a noise that resounded all over the world at the same time, came from the sky. It sounded like a large bell that one would hear in a clock tower when the time struck 12.
"Is that… a bell?"
"What's happening?"
"Keep it down guys…"
"H-huh?"
Zane slowly opened his eyes as the noise of the bell rang in his ears. All the other boys in the room did the same as Zane, slowly rising from their beds and looking around in confusion.
Everyone around the world was hearing the same noise.
Worldwide confusion.
Zane rubbed eyes and looked out the window beside him.
No bells in sight.
"What the hell…"
Ding!
Suddenly, another noise appeared, though it wasn't very loud compared to the bell.
Along with this new noise came even more confusion… and something even more strange.
In front of every persons face around the world, there was a holographic screen with words on them.
[You and everyone else on this planet have been selected for the global transmigration!]
"What the hell…"
Zane mumbled before looking around and saw everyone else also had a screen in front of them.
Everyone's screen had the same message.
"Is this a dream?"
New screens appeared along with more words.
[Everyone will have 5 minutes to prepare for the global transmigration.]
[You will all be sent to another world with the goal of survival and success.]
[You will have to fight monsters, claim territory, rise up in this new world, and defend yourself against enemies!]
[Your new world is known as ???, a massive world filled with monsters and magic alike. Everyone will have the option of becoming a Lord or a Dungeon Master.]
[No matter which you pick, your goal will be to become stronger, unless you'd rather die at the hands of those who want you dead.]
[But do not worry, you will be given a fair chance and the resources necessary to start your growth to power and dominance.]
[Grow strong, summon troops, expand your territory, build your kingdoms, build your dungeons, fight for survival!]
[Good luck.]
[Time remaining: 00:04:59]
[Time remaining: 00:04:58]
[Time remaining: 00:04:57]
"WHAT?!"
"Is this real?"
"We're gonna die!"
A mass panic spread throughout the world.
Zane quickly shot up from his bed and ran out of the room.
"This can't be real, it can't be!"
His bare feet ran across the cold and creaky wooden floors. Panting filled the empty halls while the sounds of yelling came from all the doors he passed.
Bang!
Zane busted through a door without a care in the world and looked around. "Luna!?"
He ran into the orphanage's bedroom for girls between the ages of 15 and 17. He looked around frantically before sighing in relief as he saw Luna in her bed.
"Luna!" He quickly ran over and hugged her tightly.
"Is… is this real?" Luna asked him quietly while rubbing his back gently.
"I'm- I'm not sure." Zane responded.
[Time remaining: 00:03:48]
While all the girls in the room were talking loudly in a panic, Zane and Luna sat on her bed in silence, hugging each other tightly.
"Zane?" Luna spoke into his ear.
"Yes?"
"What… what if this is a good thing?"
"Huh?!" Zane pulled away slightly and looked at Luna in shock, making her look to the side with a slight brush.
"I mean… if we really go to another world, we'll have a second chance, won't we?" A hopeful smile appeared on the girl's face.
Zane froze in place, lost in thought.
"We might not end up being brought to the same area in this new world, but at least we might have homes, right? Lords and dungeon masters have places to live in, right? And we won't have people nagging at us constantly. We just have to find each other."
Zane didn't know how to respond.
After a few seconds, Luna hugged him again tightly and pet his head.
"If we really do get sent to another world… please… come find me so we can be together again."
[Time remaining: 00:02:13]
Zane responded with a slow nod. "I will… I promise…"
Tears slowly cascaded down Luna's face, dampening Zane's gray shirt.
He didn't care and started to stroke her hair. "It doesn't matter where we end up… I'll find you. Just wait for me Luna."
She nodded and started sobbing, which couldn't be heard over the yelling in the room.
Similar situations were going on around the world.
People running around in panic.
People holding onto their loved ones.
People praying.
Some people even refused to believe it.
[Time remaining: 00:00:43]
[Time remaining: 00:00:42]
High political officials broadcasted messages throughout their countries, trying to calm the people. They refused to believe any of this was true despite the strange phenomenons already happening.
The broadcasts managed to calm some people, but most continued to panic.
"Stay safe, Luna…"
"Don't you dare die on me, Zane…"
They both whispered their final words to each other.
[Time remaining: 00:00:05]
Zane wiped the tears from his eyes and rubbed Luna's cheek, looking into her blue eyes intensely.
She did the same and stared into his yellowish eyes.
"Zane… I lo-"
[Time remaining: 00:00:00]
The planet was engulfed in a blinding white light.
The blinding light dissipated after a minute.
House pets looked around in confusion to see that their owners had vanished.
Millions of car crashes happened all at once.
Planes fell from the sky.
But there was no blood.
No casualties.
Every human on earth had… disappeared.