In a single moment the remaining billions of people suddenly disappeared then the earth collapsed in on itself like a dying star, the implosion sending ripples across the solar system. Callum found himself floating in a softly glowing void with countless shining stars in the distance. The stars seemed to pulse with power and it felt like some were calling to him. The same voice that had announced his departure echoed once more.
[All awakeners have 10 minutes to choose their ability, if the time passes without any choice a random low grade ability will be granted]. Callum's excitement started swelling as he knew what the words meant, each of the stars in the distance represented an amazing chance anyone would only ever have once. Looking at the stars he found he could focus on any he wanted and draw them to him. Each one was slightly different in size and the color they were emitting but some seemed particularly appealing.
Callum knew that the ones calling to him were probably the abilities he was inherently compatible with. He didn't know how to choose so he tried drawing one of the blue ones that were shining the brightest yet there seemed to be some sort of barrier preventing him from doing so. Fear suddenly gripped his heart as a terrifying thought passed in his head, maybe his innate talent wasn't high enough to awaken that particular ability even though he was compatible. Callum tried to tamp down the panic in his heart as he reached for one glowing just as radiantly but was bright red.
The despair hit him hard as he felt the now familiar barrier and he knew that any ability he awakened would probably not have the strongest potential. Suddenly he noticed two of the brightest ones disappear and he knew someone had chosen them. Scores of the other ones not as bright were now disappearing much faster and he could feel a growing sense of panic knowing time was almost up. Just as Callum was about to choose a random one and hope it was powerful or special, the surrounding void trembled violently. Cracks started to appear in the air as if space was breaking and all the stars suddenly disappeared.
Callum was terrified and thought that time was up but he had a vague feeling something had gone very wrong. As the surrounding space was torn apart by some inexplicable force. A small black hole around the size of a fist slowly formed in front of Callum and it seemed to swallow the very space around it. When Callum saw it moving towards him he panicked and tried to escape backwards but found he couldn't move. The black hole slowly floated towards him and just as he thought it was going to tear him apart or swallow him, it suddenly accelerated and submerged into his chest.
Pain like nothing he had ever felt hit Callum in an instant. His every nerve felt as if he were on fire and he the pain was slowly intensifying. The pain was too much and just as his mind was about to fracture, the sweet relief of unconsciousness embraced him. The surrounding void slowly repaired itself and the stars appeared once more. The 10 minutes were up and all the newly awakened humans disappeared from their awakening spaces leaving an anomaly in one particular space where a young man was floating, his body periodically spasming.
