--
An unnatural ripple tore through space as a massive warship emerged from the void.
Its colossal engines burning a searing blue before dimming, the deep hum of their power fading into silence as the ship drifted through the emptiness.
Then, it stopped.
Panels along its hull shifted, and from within, a huge cannon extended outward — its movements smooth, deliberate and mechanical.
With a deep, rising whir, the barrel adjusted, turning until it locked perfectly onto a distant, unsuspecting world.
Inside the warship, the air was still — heavy with the faint hum of machinery.
Rows of crew members sat before glowing consoles, their faces lit by cold blue light. None spoke. None dared to.
At the center of the command bridge stood a single figure. Tall. Composed. Clad in silver armor from head to toe, he radiated an aura of absolute strength.
His gaze stayed fixed on the projection before him. Lines of data streamed past as the hologram of a blue planet slowly rotated in the air.
Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted as the room dimmed considerably.
A screen flickered to life, revealing a woman seated on a massive throne.
The chamber around her was dark, lit only by a faint crimson glow.
She leaned against one armrest, her chin resting on her knuckles.
Her posture was lazy, but her presence wasn't.
Every soul on the bridge stood up and bowed.
Even the armored figure lowered his head.
Voices rang out in perfect unison.
"We greet your Highness!"
The woman's gaze moved lazily across the screen.
Silence lingered before she finally spoke.
"What is the situation, Commander Belzebub?"
The commander straightened. His tone was calm, respectful.
"Your Highness, we've reached the target range and locked onto the planet."
He paused.
"We're awaiting your final order."
Back in the throne room, the woman nodded slowly.
"Good. You are given permission to launch the NEXUS shell. Order code is, %##@%$^%&^."
The last part rolled off her tongue in an unknown language.
Belzebub bowed again. "Affirmative, Your Highness."
The woman didn't respond. The screen flickered, then went dark.
Only then did the crew exhale and straighten.
Belzebub turned back to the center of the bridge.
"Begin firing sequence," he said.
His voice was calm, deep, carrying the weight of command.
"Yes, Commander!" several voices echoed at once.
Hands moved across panels, symbols flickering as the low hum of the ship began to rise again.
OUTSIDE THE SHIP
Space around the warship began to tremble as massive amounts of energy gathered.
Violet glyphs flared to life across its surface, pulsing and converging toward the artillery's base.
Strange symbols carved along the barrel glowed one by one until the entire structure came alive.
A silent pause hung over everything, locking the moment in place.
Then—
"FIRE."
The instant the command left his lips, a deafening rumble tore through the void.
The glyphs blazed brighter — lines of violet converging at the cannon's core before bursting outward in a blinding surge of energy.
The entire warship shuddered under the recoil as the artillery discharged its payload.
BACK ON THE SHIP
The energy lingering in the air from the weapon's activation slowly faded into silence.
Within the dim throne room, the woman remained still, her gaze locked onto the holographic screen before her.
On it, the projectile's trajectory was displayed in real time — a glowing line carving a perfect path through the endless void, straight toward Earth.
She tapped a single finger against the armrest, over and over.
Her expression?
Unreadable.
Then softly, she murmured,
"Let's see if this planet is anything special."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BACK ON EARTH.
The cold blade pressed deeper, drawing a white line across my neck.
I didn't move. The voice of the woman rang out again after a beat of silence.
"Who are you?" she whispered.
I forced myself to calm down. Don't move. Don't stutter. Answer calmly.
"Just someone looking for a place to camp."
"…?"
'Yeah, that definitely sounded stupid…'
And it seemed the woman didn't find it funny, because she pressed the blade harder, drawing a thin line of blood.
"Wait—wait—wait!!" I blurted in a panicked whisper.
"You'll die a dog's death if you think I'm someone you joke with," she said, her tone terrifyingly cold.
I could almost feel the grim reaper rubbing my head as I swallowed hard.
'Need to convince her before she slits my throat!'
I took a deep breath, forcing my nerves to settle before speaking — steady, careful.
"Look…, my earlier words weren't far from the truth. I'm from Hungston, and our project group was out on a research field trip. I got separated from the team, and the incoming storm didn't help matters. Found this place, and here I am.
You can check my bag — my ID's in there."
Silence filled the darkness for a moment.
Then, the pressure vanished as she finally withdrew the blade.
"Phew…" I let out a quiet sigh of relief — only to flinch again when she spoke.
"Don't think you're safe," she said, her voice moving slightly away from me.
"You're only breathing because I figured you're not one of them. Had that not been the case… you'd have painted the floor red."
Goosebumps crawled up my skin at her words.
'What a vicious fellow!' I screamed in my head.
Outwardly, though, I kept my face stone-cold.
I threw my own words back — more of a declaration than a question.
"You're also not one of them…"
…
No reply.
Turning around, my eyes widened — there was no one.
Not even the outline of a shadow.
As if everything that happened had been a hallucination.
"What the…?"
I looked around the dim space — in front, behind… nothing.
"How did she…?"
Now that I thought about it — how the hell did she approach me from behind without me hearing a thing?
Or did I just imagine it?
The dull sting on my neck crushed that thought.
Running my fingers across my throat, I pulled my hand back.
Red.
The unmistakable sight of blood.
'Then how…?'
My thoughts froze as distant shouts echoed through the warehouse.
Heavy footsteps thundered toward the main door.
"Intruder in the base! Find that person!"
--
My blood ran cold.
"Shit," I hissed, forgetting all about the woman as I bolted away.
Beams of flashlights cut through the darkness as troops poured into the warehouse, sweeping every corner.
My lungs burned. The weight of my backpack threw me off balance as I rounded a corner, nearly slamming into a stack of barrels.
The sharp click-clack of guns being racked echoed through the space, getting closer.
My bare feet slapped against the cold concrete as I pushed harder.
'Shit! Shit!! Shit!!!' I cursed inwardly, the warehouse blurring into a maze of crates and imminent death.
'They're getting closer!' I thought with gritted teeth.
My mind racing for any plan that didn't end with a bullet in my skull.
Then—
A hand shot out from between the crates, yanking me into the shadows.
Another clamped over my mouth, silencing my curse before it could escape.