A battered young man, his armor broken and smeared with blood, sat on a pile of rubble, staring ahead watching the world burn. Everywhere his gaze fell, he saw only rubble, flames, and black smoke.
With a sigh, he lowered his gaze, staring at a locket resting in his palm.
Inside was the faded photo of his family, his father, his mother, his little brother on her lap, and him standing beside them, grinning happily.
But…
Now they were lost; not only his family, but nearly all of humanity was lost due to them when they descended from the skies.
He tightened his grip around the locket as drops of tears fell down on the ground, his voice trembling with sorrow and defiance.
"You bastards took everything…"
Then a familiar voice called out to him…
"Asthon…"
Asthon wiped his tears, turned around, and glanced at a battered middle-aged man, wearing armor full of holes and blood.
He stared intensely at Krylian's left hand. He frowned, raised one of his eyebrows, and asked.
"Krylian… You… have fresh bread?"
"I scavenged it from the ruins of a bakery…" Krylian smiled, extending it to Asthon.
He took the bread, inspecting it, the bread was moldy and covered with dust, not worthy of being consumed, but it was all that they had.
Letting out a sigh, he snapped the bread in half, offering one half to Krylian, who too hadn't eaten anything in days, just like him.
Shaking his head, Krylian stated.
"Asthon, I'm used to hunger. Please, eat it all."
Asthon frowned, shook his head, and said.
"Eat it or I will throw it away. I don't like wasting food, but that's your choice."
Krylian hesitated, but under Asthon's threat, he reluctantly took the piece of bread and began to munch on it very slowly, savoring the taste. Satisfied, Asthon did the same.
As they eat, they forget all about chaos and enjoyed peaceful, blissful moments.
But peace, as always, was short-lived…
As they finished eating the last crumbs of bread, Krylian frowned, then stood up and announced in a hoarse voice.
"The alien has found us… He is heading our way…"
Asthon narrowed his eyes, his face darkened, but he didn't look too surprised; he just sighed in frustration and stated.
"Well, he was following us. What else did you expect?"
The sky had torn open only days ago.
Fire had rained down, buildings collapsing, screams swallowed by explosions.
Asthon could still remember the smell of burnt metal and blood.
Everyone else had died on the road to the bunker. Only he and Krylian were left and the alien had followed them ever since.
Even then, they didn't manage to reach the bunker.
Asthon sighed, staring in front for a few minutes. As he stared, he finally noticed something ahead.
Amid the rubble of collapsed buildings, with flames raging and black smoke curling into the sky, a humanoid figure stood before them clad in sleek, black, futuristic armor.
Asthon's eyes narrowed as he gripped the hilt of his gleaming sword staring ahead, his last means of defense.
It was the cursed alien pursuing them for days…
"I will draw the attention of the alien to me. While he stays preoccupied with me… escape at all costs…"
Asthon shook his head and walked towards Krylian, standing beside him. He shot a glance at him and barked.
"I'm not leaving you to die alone! If one of us dies, we die together. And after we're dead, let's haunt that bastard."
Krylian snapped
"You brat, this isn't a joke! I'm a powerful Awakened; I might escape, but you won't. Don't throw your life away."
Asthon shook his head and said stubbornly.
"As I said, I won't leave…"
"You leave me with no choice, brat. Forgive me but… It's for your own safety."
"Wh…"
Before Asthon could react, a fist struck his chest, and he flew backwards. Pain exploded across his body. As darkness crept in, Krylian whispered, weighed down by a sense of guilt.
"When you wake up, run. I won't be there to protect you anymore."
Tears streamed down Krylian's face as Asthon's expression twisted in horror, he finally understood what Krylian had done.
Krylian knocked him unconscious and drew the alien far away, ensuring that when Asthon woke, he would be safe.
Realizing what this meant for Krylian, Asthon tried to shout, but he couldn't, he only managed to force out a single word.
"Don't…"
Before he could finish, Asthon slammed into the wall with a loud thud, then the world felt silent, and his vision started to darken.
He was losing consciousness.
Just then…
His eyes opened. His lips parted soundlessly, opening and closing as if grasping for air.
His face had drained of all colour as he had just witnessed something unknown, something terrifying enough to freeze his soul.
"What was that?"
Asthon just heard a chilling echo devoid of any emotion. The voice was unclear, but he swore he heard something like 'ins…. failure…rec… un…"
"I think I am just hallucinating…"
Shaking his head, he ignored the echoes and looked around him instead, finding himself leaning against a broken wall, sitting on a pile of rubble, staring ahead.
In the distance, he spotted Krylian unleashing a storm of bullets at the alien, who dodged them with effortless precision.
Wherever the shots landed, eruptions of fire burst upwards, each followed by a deafening blast.
They were having a fierce fight.
Asthon stood up, tightly gripping his sword, his eyes locked on the firework show ahead, and mumbled.
"I need to help Krylian. What's the worst that can happen? Death? At least I will finally get some sleep…"
Asthon paused and then added, his smile fading away replaced by determination.
"Of course, I don't plan to die until I have settled scores."
But…
Before he could charge toward them, the alien dodged all incoming attacks, appearing in front of Krylian.
In an instant, a sliver rod materialized on the alien's right, hurling towards his stomach. Krylian had no time to dodge.
A deafening thud split the air. Then, in the heavy silence that followed, came the metallic scent of blood, sharp and suffocating.
Asthon shot a glance at him, his eyes widening, and roared.
"Krylian!!"
Krylian was on his knees, his armor shattered, his face pale, and his breath ragged. The rod was lodged in his chest, blood gushing out and pooling beneath him.
But… Unfortunately…
It left Asthon distracted…
The alien noticed him and seized this opportunity, dashed towards him, grabbed his shoulder tightly, lifted him up in the air, and slammed his body to the ground like a rag doll.
The ground beneath cracked, and fragments of rock flew up, slamming into the alien's armor, before turning to dust.
While Asthon lay on the ground, battered, his broken bones pressed against his skin like countless knives, drawing a groan of agony from his throat.
"Ahahh! Damn… this thing… it's burning inside… it hurts… so bad"
Groaning in pain, he lifted his gaze and locked eyes with their emotionless eyes.
Suddenly, the alien shook his head, and then a sharp-looking rod materialized in his hand, pointing towards his chest. They asked without any hint of emotion.
"My name is Voric Human…"
Before the alien could finish his words, Asthon roared, interrupting the alien.
"I don't care what your name is bitch! Get away from me! I don't want to talk about the murders of my loved ones and my kind!"
"Then why do you cling so desperately to life? Don't you think dying is far easier than living with all that suffering?"
Thinking deeply, he realized he did have a reason to live… He stared at Voric with killing intent and spat out his reason.
"Why am I still breathing? Oh, you know… just to kill you aliens and every traitor who sold out humanity, revenge is the only thing keeping this body of mine moving."
"I see…"
The alien paused briefly, then sent the rod hurling towards him, and then they added coldly.
"Just die. Maybe find peace…"
The rod penetrated his broken armor with ease, and pain exploded in his chest, and fresh red blood began to pour out from his body. The scent of blood, broken metal, and burnt metal filled the air.
But that was the least of his worries; his entire body was in pain, as if he were being cut into countless pieces.
Suddenly… the pain disappeared, replaced by a sense of numbness.
That is when he realized what was happening…
He was dying…
But he refused to die…
"Not today. I have unfinished business.."
He tried to move his body, but no matter how much he tried, he failed, and his vision kept darkening.
Then…
Something shattered at the depths of his soul, and his body flooded with unimaginable power; he began to regain control of his body…
The echoes that he had been ignoring since the start of the battle grew louder and clearer. His eyes also widened in shock at what he heard.
(Installing Development system)
(Installation completed…)
(Commencing Awakening!)