The Information Age ended with the beginning of a change in the world’s climate. Summer’s across the world were harsher than usual and the produce across the world failed. The world’s population could no longer be sustained. Poverty and starvation were commonplace, ultimately leading to war.

Countries not fortunate enough to have land to grow their produce went to war with those that were more fortunate. My sister and I were the only ones left of our family. I’d watched the starving mob tear at my father, I’d seen the despair in my mother’s eyes as she took her own life after my father died. It was a dog eat dog world and I was the epitome of what society had become. I would lie, steal, cheat and even kill; I would do whatever it took to put food on our plate.

We would go hungry some of those days but at least we had each other. For the past half-decade, I’d done whatever it took to ensure that my sister, the light of my eyes, could live on retaining her innocence even it meant I was the lowest of scum. For that miserable half-decade, I was happier than I’d ever been. Then, when it seemed as if life was not so pointless and there might just be a future, war broke out. The 2^nd of August 2055, that’s the day the world ended. Woo-Hoo…. We finally freaking did it guys, we finally managed to screw up badly enough that there was no second chance. The last war, the final war, whatever you want to call it because it doesn’t matter anymore. No one won, because that’s how a nuclear holocaust works. There are no winners in such a scenario, except for the cockroaches I guess. Those persistent bastards always make it.

So you may be wondering why am I here talking to you if it’s all over? Well, that’s where this story starts as with all shitty stories, with the end of our world and the old dude in white robes that floats on nothing. “ Where’s my sister?” I asked the old man, yup…. I had my priorities straight. Sister first, where we are second and then maybe who he is?

After a long silence in which this man just kept staring at me, he replied with “Dead.”. I mean no real surprises there, but I had to check and whats with that super abrupt non-explanatory response, like c’mon dude you gotta give me something to go off of here.

“ Am I dead too?” I asked, deviating slightly from the initial plan cause I kept getting this really bad feeling.

“Not quite……” the old man said as he quietly chuckled. Yup, thought so. It would be way too easy to just let me have it easy after my death. How could whatever God there was, not keep screwing with me.

“You know as well as I do that there were people that had it worse than even you did Zaide, that last century was quite the shit show.” The old man said shaking his head slightly with a rather self-deprecating smile. Wait a second, I never said that aloud…… who is this guy? More importantly he just casually said my name out loud when I never mentioned it.

“How about I explain and you listen for a bit? We have a lot of things to do.”  Santa dressed in white said. “To put it rather simply I am God or the Realm Lord if you prefer. I was like you once an inhabitant of Earth I guess you could say. A different Earth in a very different setting, but Earth nonetheless. My name is Tomás but you can call me Tom if you prefer. Also, I was the origin of the Santa myth I’ll have you know, though the outfit was a little bit different initially.” he continued with his explanation. “So why am I here and what do you mean I’m not dead? Also you quite the bang-up job you did on Earth bud.”  I said quickly interrupting him before he went droning on while also taking the opportunity to take a quick shot at the asshole that hadn’t just ruined my life but also ruined humanity.

 “You are here to take over from me. When I was picked to be the Planar Lord my job was to create a civilization that could stabilize and survive long enough to catch the attention of our overseer, the person in charge of this universe. That is the job of any Realm Lord, it’s something I failed to achieve. You will be in charge of restoring civilization and well putting them on the right track", he started off saying

"I picked you for two rather specific reasons. You had an incredibly flawed life and managed to do some rather messed up stuff, but you did it for reasons that in your situation I think leaves you rather blameless. When I was picked for this job I was considered a great man on Earth. I was a savior of my people. I thought I had what it took to be a true God, I told myself I wouldn’t make the mistakes of my predecessor, turns out I was worse. The problem is I was never quite able to correct humanity's mistakes through the ages. I was always good at fixing problems but if you cant fix the people, then well eventually someone new just comes along and creates a new problem. So, I picked you, because I think that having done things that you’re ashamed you’d be able to sympathize with and maybe correct some of them when they stray from the correct path better than I did.” He finished with. I flinched upon hearing those words…….. ashamed? I didn’t have the right to be ashamed. I’d done what I had to with no regrets when I started, the regrets had come too late to change anything, I was in too deep to just walk away and more importantly who on earth thought putting this dude in charge of a world was a good idea.

Walking towards me Tomás tapped my head saying  “Anyhow, we don’t have much time. The damage done to your world is far too severe, we will have to start again. While I begin the transfer process, I shall imprint part of my knowledge and my knowledge onto you, the answers you’re looking for are in there”. “Wait I have more questions…….” I tried to protest but my vision was quickly fading and before I could say anything more my eyes closed of their own volition. Tomás Ó Fearghuis the greatest of the Manx druids and the Realm Lord of Earth was tired. For millennia he had watched over the inhabitants of Earth and his failures in guiding them had caused the population to implode. “At the very least let me give him the chance in death that I took from him in life,” Tomás whispered to himself as he closed his eyes.

Jakotheshadows

Hey there, if you're reading this then thanks for giving my story a chance. Leave any criticism or ideas you may have in the comments (Try to be constructive instead of just bashing). This is my first attempt at writing so thanks and Gig'Em.

Been doing some formatting so the chapters are gonna be a little easier to read hopefully.