Etherious: The System's Descent

When Earth evolves past a threshold few even knew existed, humanity is whisked away by the Grand System to an educational Tutorial. Arthur Ward is left behind, bleeding out on a sidewalk. Animals have become deadly monsters, dimensional incursions are a constant threat, and Arthur is forced to adapt or die. With new rules to live by and a path to redemption before him, he has a way to right his wrongs — if he can survive long enough to grasp it. The path to power, however, is a slippery slope.

Two weeks have passed since the System's descent. Humanity is adapting — some thrive, while others struggle. Arthur Ward has made quite a name for himself as one of America's premier healers, growing into his strength and making strides toward unlocking a powerful class. But peace cannot last. Nefarious groups are emerging with no qualms about who they must sacrifice, and they seem particularly interested in the name Arthur Ward. Danger abounds, and Arthur must navigate treacherous waters to chart the narrow path to survival.

Secrets always have a price — and sometimes, you're not the one to pay it. Arthur Ward finally knows why he's been struggling with his magic, and the answer reveals a fate more dire than anything he could have imagined. Ether is the least of his worries when death itself looms on the horizon — the destruction of his very being. Taken under the tutelage of the enigmatic Alyssia Sil'Vorken, Arthur must enter the crucible of the Locus of Power and make himself anew — or break like the many who came before him.

Arthur has finally fixed his soul. Now he must face the world. System law has been broken: alien races walk the land before their time, and they have Arthur's name on their lips. His power makes him feared; his blood makes him a target. Before, he would have run. Now the Perfect Homunculus must hunt.

Arthur Ward is an Originator — the first of an entirely new species. A sector-wide bounty has been placed on his head. His Origin blood promises power to anyone strong enough to claim it. Arthur now knows why the System was created: the realm itself is at war, a conflict spanning millennia, and integrated reality is losing badly. He thought he'd finally earned peace and quiet. Reality isn't so forgiving. Hounded and hunted, Arthur must learn what it means to be truly unique. There are easier ways to die than coming after the Perfect Homunculus.