Survivors

The **Survivors Arc** is the first story arc in the Shifting Times book series. It consists of 9 chapters, including the prologue to the series as a whole. In this story arc that the main protagonist, Darius Raff is introduced along with recurring major antagonists, Emperor Tah and the Apostles and where allies such as Alexander Raff and Notion are also first introduced. The main antagonist of this story arc is Phantom Mind, though with recurring antagonists, Dr Cessair and Tirich making minor appearances.

## Plot

### **Lost Family**

Many years into the future, Darius Raff is standing upon the last remaining planet in his universe thinking back to the life he had lived leading up to this moment. This is when the universe devouring beast arrives to the final planet on its quest to devour the multiverse, Darius unleashing everything he has to fight against this beast as he throws one final punch as his power explodes outwards.

In the distant past, a young Darius Raff is riding on a plane with his family back home from their holiday away. He is saddened by this and though afraid of flying on a plane is fascinated with the idea of flight itself. Though turbulence causes the plane to jerk around as an alien ship belonging to Emperor Tah's empire arrives and destroys it. All of the inhabitants die in the crash, including Darius' father. However, as Emperor Tah and his men search the wreckage, they find numerous people possessing "Blessings" and are taken. Though Joan Raff possesses no "Blessings", her survival leads to Emperor Tah developing an interest in her and taking her with him leaving Darius and Alexander Raff alive.

### Noah's Home for Foundlings

Having survived the crash of the plane, Darius awakens and quickly searches for his brother, Alexander. Though Alex is filled with grief over what had happened, Darius driven by a desire to get his brother to safety walks towards the emergency services having come to check the wreckage. At the town of Stockdale near the crash of the plane, Darius and Alexander Raff are cared for by Dr Cessair, an agent of the Apostles who had been searching for a specific bloodline belonging to the Collateral Line.

Dr Cessair reports this to Tirich who reports back to the Patriarch of the Apostles while he takes both brothers back to his orphanage, Noah's Home for Foundlings. There Dr Cessair uses therapy sessions and medical checkups as a means to hide his experimentation on the two children. Though Darius continues to close himself off from others while Alex adapts to their new life and makes friends. However, one worker at the orphanage, Rachel Jennings tries to get closer to Darius but she is kept at a distance. It is only after introducing Darius to Richard Patterson that Darius began to open himself up once more though as she tries to get the brothers adopted, Dr Cessair kills her and Richard Patterson.

Following the deaths of Rachel Jennings and Richard Patterson, Darius further withdraws within himself and focuses even more of his efforts onto protecting Alex, this becoming his sole driving motivation. A final experimentation at the hands of Dr Cessair then leads to him escaping with Alex from Noah's Home for Foundlings. Unknown to Darius though, this was part of the Apostles plans for him, as the deadline Dr Cessair had been given was finally reached with the Elder of the Apostles having personally requested for the brothers to be let free and experience the world.

### Phantom Mind

While on the run with his brother, Darius resorts to a life of petty crime by stealing from people in small villages and towns, while squatting in other areas like playgrounds. Yet upon his time there, Darius ends up stealing from a telepath by the name of Phantom Mind, a man with delusions of becoming a powerful villain to overthrow the heroes of the new generation. In order to use Darius and Alex as tools, Phantom Mind directs the police with his telepathy to where Alex is hiding forcing Darius to act.

Both brothers are taken allowing Phantom Mind to arrive and save them, hoping to use this to earn their gratitude. However, Darius naturally distrusts all adults leading to Phantom Mind using his telepathy to take control of them both, turning them into his slaves.

## Chapters

### Prologue

This is the first chapter in the series as a whole and details the final moments of Darius' journey within the world of Shifting Times as he faces a universe devouring beast intent on devouring the entire multiverse.

### Chapter I - Lost Family

This is the second chapter in the series and the true beginning of Darius' journey as his father is killed in the plane crash caused by Emperor Tah who takes his mother.

### Chapter II - Brothers

The third instalment in the series sees Darius taking his brother, Alex to safety only to be discovered by agents of the Apostles, Dr Cessair and Tirich.

### Chapter III - False Hope

The fourth chapter in the series follows Darius' and Alex's new life at Noah's Home for Foundlings where they are experimented upon by Dr Cessair.

### Chapter IV - Freedom

The fifth chapter in the series follows Darius finally escaping from the orphanage with Alex, though this is secretly part of the Apostles plans for Darius and Alex in order to let them grow.

### Chapter V - On the Run

The sixth chapter in the series introduces Phantom Mind who takes control of both Darius and Alex early into their lives on the run.

## Characters and Organisations

### Villains

* Universe Devouring Beast.
* Emperor Tah.
* Apostles.
	+ Leaders.
		- Patriarch.
	+ Operatives.
		- Noah/Dr Cessair.
		- Tirich.
* Phantom Mind.

### Others

* Raff Family.
	+ Charles Raff.
	+ Joan Raff.
	+ Darius Raff.
	+ Alexander Raff.
* Rachel Jennings.
* Richard Patterson.