When the Apocalypse came, everyone thought that was the end. Life as we knew it was over, never to be seen again.
They were only half right.
Then there were the religious. The Second Coming. And it was too late for the majority of the world.
They were a bit closer, but still off. The term they used was more accurate. The Parousia. The second Coming of Christ, bringing with him a new world.
The name stuck. Over 200 years later, the Parousia is considered the best thing to ever happen to the world. The world needed to reset. To become new. The Parousia gave it the chance to become even more magnificent than before.
Flora and fauna, once fighting to stay on this planet, became prominent again. The globe was green once more. The atmosphere rebuilt itself, able to protect this planet to the full extent. Life grew and grew until the world seemed newly created.
Humans, almost exterminated fully, also grew back in population, but never to the extent of the Old World. The Parousia humbled them and taught that working harmoniously with nature is better than competing with it. It taught that the world will fight back.
Humans never really understood religion and the supernatural and I don't think they ever will. The Gaea Hypothesis, however, has weight in the world now. I just might understand it, too.
Maybe Terra wanted peace among her inhabitants. Maybe she was teaching us a lesson. Maybe it was pure coincidence. Though, I never really believed in coincidences.
The landmass now called Pangea, taking after the ancient world, takes up eighty percent of dry land. The rest, islands, scattered throughout the giant expanse of the endless blue ocean.
When the ice caps stopped melting, the world focused on becoming one with nature. They were ready to fix what they had once destroyed so thoroughly. The cities of the New World embraced nature and incorporated it into the structures they built.
I wish I had been alive for the building up of the New World. Alive to see the genius ideas and fresh look of life. Alive to see my incredible home take root.
Though, I would rather die than go back to the Old World, so corrupt and selfish. Now don't misunderstand me. There is still bad in this world, but never again will it stand in the way of our beautiful planet. Everyone knows what the consequences will be. Terra will fight back and humankind will be eliminated once and for all.
I see the Parousia as rebirth. A second chance. Mercy.
Others see it as hell fire brought down from the sky. Destroying everything in its path. Fire. Water. Natural occurrences coming to take what was rightfully theirs back. This vision, as horrible as it seems, is entirely accurate. It was called the End of the World for a reason.
Our scientists discovered that, had the Parousia never come, humans would be extinct, and the world a dead wasteland. We thank whatever deity sent us through Exodus before it was too late.
Never will we forget the consequences of our actions. Never will we relive that horrid nightmare. Never will we have to experience the Parousia again.
