In 2050, Earth faces a threat from a foreign explosion originating from the outer reaches of the planet. Humanity initially believed it was a meteorite, potentially offering a powerful energy source to replace the existing one. However, when researchers arrived at the location known as Umbrels, they witnessed a terrifying tragedy. They saw a massive monster rampaging, killing anyone in its path. The brutal killings forced researchers, soldiers, and others to focus on survival. Yet, humans refuse to give up, and leaders begin establishing safe havens. The place is basically a base and looks exactly the same as their former city. Each country builds it for their people, and they also establish a special unit after the monster attacks the base and kills the people that live there. Because the existing weapon cannot harm the monster and instead only makes it worse by feeding its madness, the special unit uses a weapon that has been created by people in order to eliminate that monster. The phenomenon also creates various powers in certain people who can wield the unknown power. Are you… the chosen one?
...
A sound from an old television in shape of box fills the small room, which is full of dust and cracks on the walls.
A girl smiling watches the news that shows multiple people in the suits of the Special Unit. "Wow, they did it again!" The girl smiles so wide, showing her beautiful teeth. her eyes shine as one person of special unit wearing a full head mask appeal on the screen.
"General A and his other Unit succeeded in taking down a giant Umbra, whose combat power is 6.2," the reporter announced with joy. The girl could not contain her happiness as he showed up. She started to squeal.
Plenty of reporters started swarming General A, shouting questions and trying to get him in their pictures for the report. However, General A started to jump high into the sky, defying gravity and the physical limits of a normal human. He landed on the top of the nearest building. Everyone was shocked, even the cameramen could not capture his picture because of his speed, which even the normal eye could not follow.
The girl's eyes still shone bright seeing the figure inside the screen. "General A." She smiled ear to ear as she stared at the screen. Suddenly, a woman barged into her room with a fierce face. She stomped her feet in rage as she glared at the girl with hatred. "ALUNE, WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE, HUH?!" The woman grabbed Alune's collar and tried to choke her to death. Alune struggled to find air, as she weakly tried to find a way to escape from the woman's grasp.
The woman threw her to the side, making her bump into the television. Alune started to gasp, catching her breath and trying to compose herself after that near-death experience. "How many times do I tell you to make sure everything is settled before we wake up, huh?!" She grabbed Alune's hair roughly, making Alune's tears flow as she held the woman's arm. "It hurts… it hurts!" she cried to the woman.
The woman smirked seeing the Alune crying. She let go of her hair and crossed her arms over her chest. Alune lowered her head and cried, as her happy moment from just now was gone in the blink of an eye. "I-I will do that now…" She started to stand up slowly and headed out of her room.
The ragged clothes she wore showed how much she was abused and neglected. As she stepped out, the sunlight blinded her eyes. The room was located separately from the big mansion in front of her. The room she had just used was like a storage room for the gardener to keep their gardening tools.
Alune started to do every chore inside the house, starting from making breakfast, washing the dishes, cleaning the house, and preparing the clothes. Alune secretly took a bite of hard bread that was stored inside a container. She chewed it as tears started to flow. It was not her first time, but it still hurt, inside and outside.
The sound of footsteps echoed around the room. Alune quickly stuffed the bread inside her pocket. A middle-aged man stepped inside the dining room wearing a neat-looking suit. His hair had been combed neatly. He stared at Alune as he spotted her inside the dining room. "Such an unpleasant smell and sight this early morning." He scoffed and pinched his nose in a gesture as he tried to insult Alune.
Alune just stood there, like a doll. She opened her mouth. "G-good morning… Father…" A loud slap landed on her cheek. His face showed how disgusted he was looking at Alune. "I never had a daughter like you." He wiped his hand on his suit. Alune just stood there, receiving it like it was routine. Alune excused herself as she stumbled upon the woman. "Done. Now go. If not because of that dumb rule about every child must attend school, we would not have to waste our money on you." Alune just lowered her head and walked past her.
She ran to her room at the backyard of the house and closed the door tightly. She walked to a broken mirror that had been placed on an old, low wardrobe. Beside the mirror, there was a small picture of a woman with blonde hair. The picture showed how happy the woman was while holding her baby on the bed. Alune caressed the picture and smiled. "Good morning, Mama. Still the same… Father still slaps me when I call him…" She sighed and glanced at the mirror. A red handprint showed on her cheek, and her tears started to fall. "Mama, can I just die… why am I still alive…" Her sobs echoed across the room. She wiped her tears and placed the picture beside the mirror.
She ate the remaining bread that had been stuffed inside her pocket before she took a shower.
She hopped into the shower and started to clean herself. Wounds, bruises, and cuts were visible on her skin. She sighed to herself and continued to get herself ready for school.
She reached out her white shirt and black pants from her low wardrobe. She wore them carefully, making sure the scars would not show to other people. She took out a face mask from the drawer beside the old sheet she used as a place to sleep. She sighed to herself and grabbed the old bag beside the door, composing herself. She took the necklace and wore it.
"Let's go…" she muttered.
She walked through the backyard and used the back door, fearing she would get another hit if she used the front door. She walked down to the streets. The streets were bustling with people. There were people using the bus, and some used their own vehicles. "Must be nice." She saw a girl around her age smiling with her parents as they hopped into their car.
She walked and walked again. Tired? Cramp? This was nothing compared to the beatings and insults she got every day. As she arrived at the bridge, a long and huge bridge connecting two islands, she inhaled and slowly exhaled before continuing her trip to school.
Suddenly, she saw a card on the street. Her curiosity took over her body. She walked to where the card fell. She looked around, maybe it belonged to someone or a kid who was a fan of the Special Unit. She picked up the card and brushed it lightly with her hand to dust away the dirt.
Her eyes widened as she saw what the card was.
"GENERAL A SPECIAL AND LIMITED EDITION?!" she screamed to herself. She never thought she would find such a rare card that had only seven copies in the world. Her smile widened, but slowly faded.
"I should put it somewhere the owner could see," she mumbled to herself.
She placed the card on the bridge rail and put a stone on top of it to make sure it didn't get blown away by the wind. Suddenly, the stone started to shake. Alune creeped out.
"Is it an earthquake? But I don't feel anything?" She looked around, trying to find the source of it. Her eyes roamed around, finding nothing in particular that could make the stone shake so much.
Suddenly, her eyes caught something from afar. It looked like something with four legs running toward her, but she could not identify it. Alune squinted her eyes to make the view clearer.
Alune could not believe her eyes. It looked like a giant lizard with spiky thorns running toward her. She thought it was bad enough seeing that. However, there was another issue: there were multiple monsters, a bit smaller than the giant lizard, attacking the city.
"N-no…" Her legs froze. She fell to her knees. She was too terrified, her body shutting down on its own.