The Puppet Master's Journey

Lizards that take to the skies rule the heavens. Giant whales with sharp claws and fangs command the oceans. Tigers clad in golden armor roar across the earth. The bones of tens of billions have piled up into ten cities of despair. People from different dimensions bring their precious ingenuity to this place, all just to stay alive.

The world has changed beyond recognition, and a new order has been imposed.

The boy looked toward the distant city and patted a rock beside him.

“Stop sleeping. Get up and find something to eat.”

With a series of cracking sounds, the rock transformed into a giant horned serpent. It turned and vanished into the forest, startling a chorus of beastly roars.