I woke up from my slumber to a cold, snowy night filled with darkness. Only the stars in the night sky gave a faint of light. It was already the 31st day of our unexpected journey and a couple of my fellows are already gone.

I got separated from them after "they" attacked us. We thought they were just legends, myths, or fantasies, we were wrong. As a matter of fact, "They" do exist. We often wish that our dreams would someday come true but I'll tell you now, you better let those dreams stay as dreams - because nightmares are dreams too, and right now we're living in one.

What woke me up was a roar sounding like a harrowing laughter. Make no mistake, I was sure it was "them". I immediately grabbed my rifle and began to move before "they" find me. My ammunition is running low, I must refrain from engaging"them" at all costs then return to my group... or whatever's left of them. I'm a soldier of the "Country". It was like yesterday I was fighting against the Central Empire. Then suddenly strange mystifying lights suddenly appeared above the red twilight skies. The fighting temporarily stopped as both sides were glued to the ethereal phenomenon. The next thing I knew is that I was being pulled towards it, we were sucked by the spiraling vortex-like portals and at the same time, spaceships (yes you heard me right) spaceships of unknown origin emerged from other portals, portals which I myself was sucked towards.

After regaining my consciousness, I saw urban debris, military hardware and corpses; lots of it. Surrounding me were beautiful landscape of mountains, flora and blue skies. I reached for my radio to contact anyone but to no avail. I'm no astronomer, I'm no biologist but I could tell that this is not the Earth I remember, I could see some massive moon-like bodies peeping from the twilight sky. We only have one moon and it isn't that huge. I could identify pine trees and cold climate flora since I've been to the different places but things got weirder as the air got colder, the sky got darker and the trees... got brighter.

I managed to contact some survivors, men and women like me wondering where the hell were we. I met someone from a unit I once worked with. The two of us got along and turned out we are both acquainted to the highest-ranking Warrant Officer we worked with. He was worried what he's been doing these days but I know, he's been doing covert operations on the war back home. After quite some time, we found more survivors who like us drifted to this weird place. I got used to the weirdness to the point that floating islands in the sky were as normal as Central boats on our waters.

We built a small settlement and everything provided a haven of safety, with resources that provided self-sustainment. The land was fertile, the waters' clean, the air was fresh and I could hunt some giant chicken-like creatures scattered around. That was the routine until "they" appeared. It was all horrible, terrifying, dreadful, unholy malevolent hellish... No words could describe my horror. They were (beep) and they did (beeeep). It was like our deepest nightmares from fantasies suddenly materialized into reality that escaped our deepest consciousness.

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We were forced to abandon our settlement and proceeded to wander for safety, there were attacks, there were casualties at times but eventually, we managed to learn and defend ourselves from "them". In the most recent encounter, I had strayed from our rag-tag group of survivors and I lost contact with my friend. I found myself in these ruins which looked like it used to be a city. The architecture seems strangely futuristic yet so ancient. There were towering sky scrapers, vehicles of unknown design littered the roads and strangely some of these "cars" were found on top of these soaring structures like they just fell out from the sky.I could not identify anything else because it was all covered with snow and the sun was setting down. I decided to take shelter in an intact structure.

It was cold... So cold that it reached through your bones. I found some clothes inside a building which I had stumbled upon, reminiscent of an old shop. I slept in a well-hidden area and prayed "they" won't find me.

I was awakened by "their" roar, that of a malevolent laughter. My body shivered not because of the cold but because of fear. As a group, I was confident that we have a fighting chance but now I'm alone. There was no mistaking it, it was "them". I immediately grabbed my rifle and began to move before "they" could find me.

I ventured through the streets with only the light of the stars and the other massive heavenly bodies serving as my guide since I cannot risk turning on my nearly depleted flashlight, nor light a torch where "they" will notice me quickly. I walked through the desolated city, with a rifle in hand and a few hand grenades. I scanned the area, every street, every corner with great vigilance and scrutiny making sure that it was safe to cross.

I heard a roar again, but this time it was unusual... it was a cry from pain. I dared not to look back nor investigate but I was sure that it was getting fainter than it was before. I aimlessly continued to walk my way of this labyrinth of skyscrapers all white in color due to the snow. Hell, I was living in an old silent black and white film; no sound at all where all I can see was the dark surroundings and white snow. The only colorful sight was when I look up the stars and the enormous heavenly bodies up in the sky. Speaking of light, I soon encountered a distant white light a hundred meters from my position. It was a warm benevolent glow I've been fighting "them" for so long I know that light was not "theirs". I rushed towards it hoping it was my people, my comrades.

The surroundings became clearer and snow thinner as the warm light seemingly started to melt everything. In my suspicion I readied my rifle and pointed it towards this source of this light, not knowing if it's friend or foe. As I was about to reach the it I saw her. A girl. I was taken aback, instinctively I lowered my rifle.

I never seen a girl looked so ethereal so angelic, with two beautiful large red eyes like rubies, with hair so long, and her skin just like everything I've saw to this point was all...."Ashen".