Volume I Prologue
“Attention all personnel, this is the final countdown for the release of the Vanguard capsule from the United Nations Orbital Dock. Please ensure all systems are green and personnel are in their designated positions. T-minus 10 minutes and counting.”
The announcement crackled through my headset, the voice calm yet tinged with an unmistakable weight of expectation. In response, I performed my final checks—or, to be precise, I let the onboard AI handle them.
“Scanning for the 120th time,” Claire, my artificial companion, reported in a voice I recognized. Smooth, familiar, distinctly human. The United Nations had hired a famous voice actress for her, supposedly to make my journey "a little less lonely." I could appreciate the effort, though it only served as a reminder of how alone I truly was up here.
Through the monitor in front of me, I gazed down at Earth—a stunning blue marble suspended in the void. Beneath me stretched the North American continent, basking in daylight. The sight was humbling, the kind that made you reflect on humanity’s place in the universe.
But that peace was stained by it.
Even from orbit, the Wave was visible—a distortion in the atmosphere, like a gash in reality itself.
The first Wave appeared on Christmas Day, 1960, over the Manhattan skyline. Without warning, monstrous creatures poured out—things torn straight from nightmares. Goblins, hulking ogres, and later, five-story flying dragons impervious to early armor-piercing rounds. The attack was catastrophic, claiming tens of thousands of lives within hours. Panic spread like wildfire, and in sheer desperation, the U.S. government nearly resorted to hydrogen bombs to wipe out the creatures.
Accusations followed. The Cold War was at its peak, and Washington was quick to blame Moscow. Skirmishes flared between East and West Germany. Fleets clashed in the Baltic, the Bering Strait, and the Black Sea. NATO invoked Article 5, and the Soviet Bloc countered in kind. The world teetered on the brink of nuclear annihilation—not against the monsters, but against each other.
Then, a year later, it happened again.
This time, the Wave didn’t just open over New York. London, Paris, Moscow, Tokyo, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro—seventeen major cities worldwide were caught in the onslaught. Despite warnings from American intelligence, most nations were unprepared. The resulting death toll was beyond comprehension.
The United Nations intervened, deploying international forces to contain the outbreaks. It took three months to exterminate the creatures and another three for cleanup. The panic that followed nearly toppled governments. In response, the UN forced drastic reforms, taking control of global security measures.
Over the following decades, the Waves continued—each time more devastating than the last. Every five years, a Calamity Wave would strike, unleashing beings so massive and so incomprehensible they defied physics itself. A twenty-story Hydra. A winged leviathan that burned cities to cinders. In sheer terror, humanity turned to its deadliest weapons. Nuclear fire wiped out the first two Calamity Waves, proving that while these monsters were beyond reason, they were not invincible.
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By the dawn of the 21st century, the world had changed beyond recognition. Germany and Korea were forcibly unified under UN administration. The Cold War, once the defining conflict of humanity, ended in 2001 with the dissolution of NATO and the Warsaw Pact. The greatest discovery, however, was found within the monsters themselves.
Anomalous Matter.
Colloquially known as magic, traces of it were discovered in the corpses of the creatures. Dragons, in particular, possessed high concentrations. Though Earth’s ambient levels remained low, scientists theorized that magic was seeping into our world with every Wave. Its applications were still confined to laboratories, but the implications were staggering.
“T-minus 5 minutes and counting. All systems are nominal. The Vanguard capsule is secured and ready for release.”
December 25, 2024.
Humanity’s first attempt to breach a Wave.
And I—First Lieutenant Erika C. Albert, United Nations Earth Defense Space Force—was chosen for the mission.
When I received my assignment six years ago, I was overwhelmed with pride. But I also understood why I was selected. It wasn’t just because of my skill or endurance. It was because I had no family. If something went wrong, if I never returned, there would be no grieving parents, no siblings left behind.
I had friends, of course—people I already missed. But they were part of why I was doing this. For them. For the millions who had lost their families to the Waves. For a future where no child would be orphaned by these monsters ever again.
This was for all of them.
“T-minus 1 minute. Final checks are complete. The capsule’s trajectory is locked, and the descent path is clear.”
The Vanguard capsule was a marvel of engineering. A craft designed for any scenario—whether I found myself in deep space, the crushing depths of the ocean, or even the heart of a star. It was part spacecraft, part submarine, part home. In the worst-case scenario, I could survive inside for up to two years.
“T-minus 30 seconds. Initiating final release sequence.”
I took a deep breath. “Claire, do we have a copy of the entertainment materials I requested?”
[ “Affirmative.” ]
A wave of relief washed over me. “Oh, thank God. Do you have a name?”
[ “I am Deep Space Artificial Intelligence Companion Version I, developed by the United Nations Space Exploration Council.” ]
“That’s way too long… Hmm… How about Claire?”
[ “Nickname Claire, registered.” ]
“Nice! Looks like we’re stuck with each other for a while.”
[ “Affirmative.” ]
I smirked. At least I wouldn’t be completely alone.
“T-minus 10 seconds.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…”
I whispered, “Everyone… see you on the other side.”
“Release! The Vanguard capsule is now descending from orbit. All systems are functioning within normal parameters.
Mission Control to Vanguard, you are clear for atmospheric entry. Godspeed.”
The capsule detached. Small thrusters fired, correcting my trajectory. I watched the monitors as Earth grew closer. The blue sky slowly replaced the black void of space.
Then—
Static.
“Mission Control?” I frowned. “Do you copy?”
[ “Warning: Unknown interference detected.” ]
It was expected. Communications often faltered around a Wave.
Then, the emergency alarms blared.
[ “Alert: Surge of Anomalous Matter detected. Levels exceeding maximum threshold—<
My chest tightened. Breathing became difficult.
And then—I saw it.
A figure. Otherworldly. Beautiful beyond comprehension.
Its gaze turned toward me.
And everything went black.
The Vanguard capsule was never found.
From that moment on, the Waves vanished worldwide.
Despite an exhaustive five-year-long search, not a single trace of the capsule was recovered.
First Lieutenant Erika C. Albert was declared lost.
Posthumously, she was awarded the Defender of Earth Against Extra Dimensional Beings medal.
She would be the last to ever receive it.