August 13th, 2026. 19:05 PST
Somewhere in the middle of the Stanislaus National Forest located in California, it's a slightly dark, descending sunset. There is a chase, not just an ordinary chase but a hunting chase. Zlocu spaceships were surrounding most of the forest, with their red and black coloring making them look like beings from hell itself, except the hell in question, it's from space. Surprisingly, it also seems that even in the face of war, the forest doesn't look damaged.
On the ground, Zlocan machine walkers are moving fast like a Leopard chasing its prey. The "prey" they are chasing is the young teacher, he's looking tired and dirty, his face covered with dust and mud, but nonetheless, he continued to run as fast as he could. Quickly dodging every bush and leaf in the path, no matter how big or small they are, he's determined to run away.
The walkers, even with their heavyweight, can keep up with the chase, continuing to advance menacingly towards the young teacher, who's running as fast as he can.
The young teacher turns backward, the walker still on his back. He looks in both directions until he sees something nearby. He sprints rapidly to quickly turn left to a bushy field.
"Ha! Turning left to everything is for suckers!" One of the pilots said amusingly as he continues to advance and turn to the direction of the escapee. But before he could try anything, he saw nothing. Not even the escapee running far away.
"Where did that pest go? Let me check outside." the pilot says.
"Why not simply use Galga to ram through the forest?" another one asks.
"The trees are too thick for me to enter with this, and I don't want to risk it."
"Understood. Also, set the gun to stun, you know the orders." the CO of the platoon says.
He then exits from the walker and pulls out a gun from his holster, now ready to find the lost human. As soon as he approached a tree where the Human is supposedly is, he steadily aims gun near below his arm. Soon he jumps vertically and shoots to the supposed Human who is hiding which would be stunned from the gun.
The result? Nothing.
Bewildered as such unexpected occurrence, he soon tries to scout again. But before he could try anything, something grabs him from below, it was the young teacher who camouflaged himself to hide from them. He soon picks up his ax and proceeds to chop off the head of the Zlocan pilot, all quickly and swiftly.
And when the other pilots find out what's happening, they see the Human himself holding the head of the dead pilot who then proceeds to toss it near the walker were the pilot was. He then puts his ax near a tree before running off once more.
The pilots looked utterly outraged at such action, as soon holds the control pad in a stressful manner.
"Damn him! Requesting immediate order to shoot!" one of the walker pilots says.
"Negative, our orders are simple and clear, capture any surviving Humans to ensure they can join our ranks." says another who was likely the commanding officer of the group.
The pilot hesitates for a moment to talk, as he clearly has the urge to kill any opposing enemy in his path. Their path.
Ultimately, he sighed at such order as he and the rest continued to advance towards the deeper parts of the forest once more, all to chase down the Human.
But he's not alone. On the other side of the forest, there's the young scientist running as fast as he could, this time from the eponymous servants of the Zlocu Empire, the Zlocan Knights, all with red and black streamlined armor with helmets with T-shaped visors. He didn't look dirty like the young teacher but he still didn't look very clean, he was also filled with multiple cuts around his shoulder and a bloodied forehead.
While the Knights are pursuing him, he saw something that he thought could potentially distract them. He saw a nearby lake, which he saw as an opportunity to hide. But as he could know, he's just Human, he surely can't breathe for that long. But if there's one thing he can do to overcome it, it's to use a known technique used by many mammals even possibly Humans.
First off, he takes his glasses off and puts them in his pocket, then he then dives into the river, which was luckily deep enough to hide him from the Zlocan patrols. But before he can keep himself underwater, he exhales and inhales two and four times, with the last ones being done from his diaphragm.
Eventually, he submerges deep enough before one Knight can notice him submerging underwater.
The guy is laying still while underwater, to ensure a relaxed state of mind in order to ensure that the oxygen inside his body can flow properly alongside the blood. Four minutes pass by, he nervously yet steadily still keeps up in breathing underwater, likely estimating how long it can take from the hunter to stop pursuing its prey. The Zlocan Knights keep on checking the lake, using their lights to spot the escapee. The Scientist tries to hide by diving deeper and deeper underwater.
Two minutes pass by, and just when the Scientist can't hold any further...
"Subject not found, let's keep on with the search." a general says while going to another sector.
I've endured enough danger in my life from anything ...but this...would I be even the same anymore? My family...I'm deeply sorry for this... Those are the thoughts of the scientist before eventually emerging from the lake. Even if he's now all wet, he can have the chance for a nice running to keep himself dry now that the enemy has lost track of him, at least for now.
In any war, who can feel safe, who truly does?
Again, neither the young teacher nor the young scientist are the only ones running away, near the lake, there's the Alien girl, still fleeing from an animal-like creature pursuing her. Suddenly, the creature leaps towards her, almost trying to bite her off. The creature was almost Wolf-like.
With no choice left, she picks a metal hilt, igniting a red-looking blade made of light.
She then uses it to swing towards the vicious wolf-like creature.
Viciously trying to maul her alive with their metallic teeth, she holds its mouth as it continued to try to bite her. In the end, the Alien found the necessary spot for the kill as she then swings her blade vertically, beheading the wolf.
She pants heavily afterward, with her red eyes looking watery.
Then, just before she thought she could be safe, a Zlocan patrol approaches near her position, noticing that the wolf was killed. In a state of panic, she then ran away as fast as she could from the Knights. Unfortunately, they eventually notice her and the commander give the order to chase her, all with a simple, yet chilling order.
"Bring her to the daughter. She needs satisfaction," he says before he and his troops continued to give chase.
There is the young schoolgirl who is running away from Zlocu drones, trying to capture her. They all had aspects similar to a dark crane overlooking the prey to chase, all while trying to fire nets at her in which swiftly dodges. Like the rest, she looks dirty and tired, but likewise, also running bravely from her hostile pursuers.
She then hides near a tree full of plants and bushes, perfect for camouflage, to prevent the drones from seeing her. It's briefly successful as some of the drones start dropping the chase...but not all, only one remains, having heard a bit of noise being heard from the nearby tree.
After a brief moment of nervousness, she notices a pack of rocks in front of her. Smirking from her discovery, she then picks a large one, but not before she could something more daring. She whistled high enough to make one of the drones to notice her, but before the drone could do something, all it could see is the sight of a giant rock approaching it at high speed, soon supposedly ending the miserable existence of a tool like the pitiful drone.
She then briefly pulls a raspberry to the wreckage of the drone.
But to her misfortune, it turned out that the drone re-activates itself while eventually flying again, it also signaled the others who now are coming back with a vengeance.
"Oh, nutty!" She says before she runs off like hell again.
As all the four escapees continued to run to safety, they at first felt that while the captors were no longer after them, they still feel the urgency to hide somewhere so they can't found again.
With the whole place being dark, it can't be helped at all. Not to mention that with sun almost setting, it would be much harder in trying to look carefully, leading them to find somewhere else to keep on evading the troops.
As they reached to a certain spot so they could try to feel safe, they kept running until from a split second, they collided face to face as they coincidentally tripped over to a nearby trench in the forest. Maybe it was built in preparation for the invasion or maybe some unknown event.
They're briefly dazed for at least just one minute until they woke up simultaneously and the young teacher felt dizzy for a moment. Actually, so does the young scientist, the alien girl, and the schoolgirl. It was like a slumber party gone wrong.
After a brief moment of an unexpected collision, the young teacher then turns towards the scientist who's also noticeably hurt, holding his left hand over his forehead.
"Ugh, my head, huh? Hey...Are you OK man? Feeling lost as well?" said the young teacher as he tries to approach him.
Suddenly, the scientist shoved his hand away.
"Don't touch me, you could have me and the rest killed!" snaps the scientist.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
"Hey, it was simply an accident!" he protests back.
"Accident or not, we would have been dead already for that clumsiness of yours. Now, out of the way."
"No no no no no! Don't argue at this moment, there is danger around us right now! I mean, who do you think you are, some sort of edgy guy?!" says the schoolgirl.
"Who you're calling edgy, pickle-head?!"
They then started to argue with the scientist in a very aggressive manner, almost bordering on a fight.
"You think you can be just as much of a douche even if you're aware of what's going on?!" the young teacher asks.
"Why do you rush to death when you're not even thinking?!"
"CUT IT OUT, OR ELSE I'LL SING THE OLD MACDONALD TO YOU ALL!" the schoolgirl shouts back.
The scientist then turns his glance towards her.
"What the hell are you blabbering on, are you dense or something!?"
The humanoid looking girl is scared for a moment, stepping back from them, thinking they're going to attack and beat her until she died if they notice her. She's crawling back, afraid of the arguments being held by them. On the verge of tears, almost clearly whimpering in fear to them.
The three of them notice her, causing them to stop arguing, all to stare at her in confusion yet awe.
"Don't move...scum." the scientist says.
"Oooooohhhh, just found a goodie being! Uh, right?" the schoolgirl says.
"P-p-please, Do-on-on-t hurt me, dear hu-uu-mans" the humanoid girl stutters nervously.
"She-she can speak to us?!" the scientist says in a surprised tone as his eyes widen towards her surprise in speaking the Human language.
But as she was about to get up, she couldn't, feeling too weak from both running endlessly and facing the wolf which scarred her.
"I think we can get a few words out of her and know what the hell is going with those Aliens out there..." the scientist says as he gets up to approach the alien.
Then, the young teacher approaches him and blocks him with his arm.
The scientist gets startled as such action.
"What the?!"
"I don't think it's a good idea to jump to conclusions just yet. I can notice she's different from them."
"How the bloody hell do you know?"
"Cause...I know what they look like. And while some of her facial features are similar...she feels very distinct."
"Ohhhhh, maybe we truly feel safe, righty right?" the schoolgirl cheerfully asks.
"I don't trust her still, so out of the way!"
" Stop it! I know why you cannot trust her now...I'm not quite sure as well if I can...but sometimes, a bit of discovery is needed if you need to understand better."
He quietly approaches the scared young Alien girl, who's slightly stopping from moving away from them as she noticed the young teacher's interest, and perhaps tenderness towards her.
But even with his newfound sympathy for her, the young teacher hesitantly continues to walk towards the Alien girls, with his arms and legs feeling tense, his hands shaking and almost stepping back in nervousness. He glances back briefly to the other two, who look at him in either frustration or simply curiosity.
After a moment of reluctance or two, he proceeds to step forward, almost feeling ready to meet the Alien.
"No...no..." she whispers.
The man then extends his hand towards her.
"There there, don't be scared."
The Alien girl at first hesitates in trying to grab his hand, still feeling insecure in what he may bring to her.
"Calm down. And I'm truly sorry for what you saw...whatever you are, it's just that these Aliens...kinda messed things up, OK?" says the young teacher.
"A-aliens...?" the young Alien whispers again.
"I...can try to explain. Just maybe..." the young teacher says sheepishly.
After some brief moment of hesitation, all while the scientist was preparing to hurl things towards her in case she does something suspicious.
A miracle then happens.
The Alien eventually grabs the young teacher's hand.
She could feel the warmness in the hand, almost feeling like feeling interested in looking for something she always wanted to know.
That eventually makes her smile while her eyes still remain watery.
The young teacher as well, though confused, looks in interest as he examines her in every way, almost never showing any discomfort at all.
This is...nice...maybe a bit too much from someone I've never seen in my life. But yet, I feel some innocence in her..or maybe just wait after all. he thought inside.
Never in her life, she felt something so warm from other beings she knew in her life.
"How daring..." the scientist guy whispers, still unconvinced as he rolls his eyes.
"Such beauty...from an Alien, haha!" says the human girl.
"Huh?" The alien girl replied in a confused tone as she then lets go of the young teacher's hand. "What do you mean by "Alien", dear human?"
"Well, an alien is a term we "Earthlings" use to describe beings that are not from our planet, for instance, you. I mean, the Universe around us is supposed to be something around 14 billion parsecs with a dim chance of a lifeform like you to appear. Now we have seen that they weren't the only as well I must say unless you can convince me otherwise," says the scientist.
"Really? Well with that description I think it also fits you in my world. After all, we are aliens in every way," she says sheepishly.
"Hahahaha! That's a pretty statement you got there dear girlie! But hey, tell me, what tricks do you have, do you fly, do you fight, do you fly, do you breathe underwater, anything?" the Human girl says rapidly like her running beforehand.
"Well, I can fly with these wings...And something else that's amazing but I can't do it right now. I'm not old enough to do it."
"And what could that be?" she asks.
"The Norai technique. A force shared among the Soranians. It involves being able to manipulate objects around the area with the simple power of a thought. But I'm not old enough to have it yet, I need only a year to gain such power. Yet...I feel that I really want to experience it."
"I see...but can't you use your wings for something yet?" the scientist looking guy says.
The Alien could only shake her head in response.
"Why the bloody hell not?" asks the scientist.
"Because I'm injured...and I don't want to attract their attention towards us."
"Their? The Aliens?" the scientist asks once more.
"The Zlocu..." she says.
The Scientist then wondered for something for a moment.
"Let me guess, you're a mutant out of them, or not? Gimme some quick answers if you want to live!" he barks angrily at her. This briefly scares her out.
"Shut it!" the young teacher says.
"I'm a Soranian, an inhabitant of the planet Sorania-Or rather, I'm what I'm left of my people..."
"Just get straight to the point." the scientist still demands.
"The thing is...all of this happened even though we only wanted peace. The rest of the galaxy was in peace for a long time, providing the security and services for the well-being of the other beings in the Galaxy. But I never expected a poor race like the Zlocu could turn to war like this. And all in the name for the next of "evolution". They've become stronger in the years that passed, taking controls of most of the spaceports, colonies and warp gates to their advantage, and slaughtering anyone deemed weak to their cause...my race included."
"All for despising peace? And now you believe the whole galactic community could have followed a stronger yet stricter model if they could have survived much longer?" the young teacher asks incredulously.
"Unfortunately yes."
All of them can only stare in silence worriedly, every one of them has lost something dear to them, all for the common goals of the Zlocu: evolution and eradication of the weak. Perhaps the nature of war itself could expand to other races after all.
"Well now, let's keep the rest of the story for later. Can someone build a fireplace, please? It's getting very dark here," the young teacher asks.
"Are you kidding me? We'll get spotted by the fire itself. Not to mention that the Zlocans may just hear us at any minute. We should move a bit more far away into the woods. I may still use my spotlight though," the scientist says in a whispering tone.
"OK," the young man says.
Soon, he and the rest went a bit further into the woods while hiding beneath some tree that nearly obscured them.
"By the way, can I know all of your names? It's strange that it's our first day together and we haven't known each other that much yet, but I guess it would be fun to have some new fellas around here." the young teacher asks.
"S-sure thing. I am Amira Dhorian. Former princess of the kingdom...now a fugitive." says the Alien girl.
"Seiner Butch, and if you ask, yes I'm not a freaking bloke." the scientist replies.
"I'm Tania Maestas, but you can call me Tany, nice to meet you all!" the girl says.
"Well, my name is Logan Preaker Hijikata, but simply use Preaker if you like. At your service." The young teacher replies.
Knowing each other brings a slight smile on her face. Perhaps this is the time she needs after all.
"It's very enchanting to know you all dear humans."
"Don't bother with that, we've just met," Seiner replies.
"Yeah, sweetie! You will have lots of fun having good lessons from all of us!"
"As if we're good enough..." Seiner scoffs.
"Well, my years in teaching High School and camping could perhaps help her in her situation. Perhaps. But if we're careful enough, then she'll know us better, and perhaps we will to her."
"As if...oh screw it," Seiner said as he then realized he can't keep up with his sardonic behavior.
"Well well well, now...here's a big question for you to answer, and It's very, highly, hugely, important..." Tany says with a surprisingly sinister tone. The others could only stare at her like she's hiding something mysterious.
Finally...
"How did you all get into this messy mess? I came here when a bunch of cops led by a guy who looked like those wild-west cowboys led me to safety. And here's hoping they're still alive..."
"Oh...well, long story short, I got away from my home all the way here for some refugee camp," Logan says.
"Well, I was taking transport for a safe-haven until it was attacked by those blokes struck down the plane...and I was the only survivor in it," Seiner says.
"I see...I came here while trying to ask the monstrous Zlocans after kidnapping Varris."
"Another one of your race? This is getting interesting from the suspicious Amira." Seiner asks incredulously and also in a hostile way.
"Seiner, please..." Logan says sternly towards him.
"Now, if you mind?"
"He's my brother since we arrived here he heard that our uncle crash landed here on Earth in a desert, Roswell to be exact."
"You mean the incident from 1947? I should have suspected." Seiner says.
"You know that all along? Well, that's very interesting. Well, as I was saying, Varris started to have a grudge against humans when he heard that they made cruel experiments on him once he arrived for a scouting mission. He had that sentiment for two years ever since we arrived here. Despite that, I thought I could be feeling safe now from the grip of the Zlocu...but I was wrong...so much wrong...and know with you, I can't even feel secure."
A brief moment of silence falls for a moment, all until.
"You know, we've heard each other enough for the day, but for all the talk you give to us and something for us to expect sympathy, I won't bulge not at all. Hell, we're not supposed to! And if I get the chance, I'll make sure the authorities will do the best to extract the truth from you."
"Seiner!" Logan yells as he grabs him.
"What!? You know that in war-"
"I already know, and I too I'm unsure of what to do with her...but if we don't give her the chance in accompanying us and let her live, then we'll still be in the place that leads us to what we dread the most in all history," Logan says while still trying to hold him.
"Are you really that naive?"
"Like there's nothing wrong with your cynicism..."
Seiner eventually sits down once more, groaning in frustration. He for some reason has no time to engage in sweet talk yet in what Logan said, it should be enough to not restart another fight.
"Oh my...but hey, once we can rest, we'll cheer ya up goodie Amira for a sweet tomorrow, righty?"
"Can you stop with the stupid righty?"
"Ugh, naughty dog...now, where was I? Oh! Well, surely they knew their mistake right, righty right? You know that as Humans, we aren't that much of dorks anyways." Tania asks.
Seiner could only eye-roll at such statement.
"I'm afraid I don't know that, but its very likely that given their nature, they regret nothing...is it? Judging from you...I don't know what to think of it." Amira says.
"Don't worry Amira, I'm pretty sure they did. We all can." Logan replies as he stands up next to her.
"You really think so? How can you be so sure?"
"Well, you see..."
Just as he was about to answer the question, the Zlocu Knights and machines popped out of nowhere, surrounding them near the place. The Walkers, the Knights, and the drones all eventually spot them in spite of trying to keep the secret.
"They found us!?" Seiner shouts.
"Because we used our own technology to sense your heat, Human dip-shit!" one of the Knights replies.
"Enough talk! Knights, terminate those weaklings in front of me and prove that we are the strongest!" says one of the generals.
"But wasn't our orders to-"
"Change of orders! We may have no need for these weaklings! Men, get ready!"
Soon all the Knights, Walkers and drones aim their guns at the four escapees, in which they suddenly hold each other tightly as their execution awaits.
"1...2..."
This is it?
Truly no one can stop them?
No one?
Then, as it all comes down to a tragic close, a huge beam of light appears, surrounding the whole place between the Zlocu and the escapees. Then, it expands to the place, then the other nations, and other planets, and to the whole galaxy, forming a line between the supposed extent of the Zlocan conquest.
A new turn of events has just opened...