The convoy rumbled to a stop at the base of a towering mountain. From the lead vehicle, a Magna Corps officer stepped out, his visor reflecting the intense glow emanating from the peak. High above, a Micro Heat Astro, colloquially known as a "Supernova," pulsed with fiery energy, casting a flickering orange light across the barren landscape.
The sight wasn’t unfamiliar to the soldiers. Micro Astros were rare but dangerous artifacts, often mistaken for divine objects by primitive civilizations. This time, the glowing orb was guarded by an insectoid colony—a hive of humanoid creatures that had built an elaborate temple around the sphere, their worship evident in the ornate carvings and ritualistic patterns etched into the mountain’s surface.
“Local infestation,” muttered the Magna Corps commander, scanning the temple through his visor. His tone was cold, detached. “Extermination protocol authorized. All units, prepare weapons.”
The Magna Corps soldiers wasted no time. They disembarked from their vehicles, their rifles humming as they charged to full power. Each weapon glowed with runes of annihilation, tuned for mass destruction. The insectoid humanoids, alerted by the noise, emerged from their temple in a frenzy. Their buzzing cries echoed across the mountain as they scrambled to defend their sacred site.
“Targets identified,” a soldier reported. “Threat level: negligible.”
“Proceed,” the commander replied.
The first volley of energy blasts struck the temple with devastating precision, reducing its ornate facade to rubble. The insectoid creatures swarmed in desperation, wielding primitive weapons and launching themselves at the soldiers in a futile attempt to protect their “god.” The Magna Corps moved with ruthless efficiency, cutting through the colony without hesitation.
One soldier smirked under his helmet, watching as an insectoid elder, draped in ceremonial garb, tried to shield the glowing Micro Heat Astro with its fragile body. He aimed his rifle and fired, the beam disintegrating the creature instantly.
“No sense in worshipping junk,” he muttered.
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The massacre was over in minutes. The temple was reduced to smoldering ruins, and the once-bustling colony lay silent, its inhabitants obliterated. Magna Corps soldiers moved methodically, ensuring no survivors remained.
“Extermination complete,” the commander announced. “Magma Corps, proceed with containment.”
From the rear of the convoy, Magma Corps soldiers approached with a stark contrast in demeanor. Where Magna Corps was cold and brutal, Magma Corps operated with precision and focus, their tools reflecting their specialized expertise. They carried a Magma Containment Device, a massive, rune-covered apparatus designed to safely neutralize and transport volatile objects like the Micro Heat Astro.
The team worked quickly. One soldier activated the containment field, a shimmering dome of energy that enveloped the orb. The Micro Heat Astro pulsed violently, emitting waves of intense heat that warped the air around it.
“Stabilization at 78%,” one technician reported, monitoring the readings on a handheld magi-tech device.
“Hurry it up,” another soldier urged, sweat trickling down his temple despite his heat-resistant armor.
The containment field flickered momentarily as the Micro Heat Astro resisted capture, its energy flaring in one final act of defiance. But the Magma Corps team held their ground, expertly adjusting the device until the orb’s energy dimmed.
“Stabilization complete,” the lead technician announced. “Object secured.”
With practiced efficiency, the soldiers loaded the now-contained Micro Heat Astro into a reinforced storage box, sealing it within layers of enchanted metal and spellwork. The box emitted a faint hum as the containment field synced with the vehicle’s internal systems.
“Transport ready,” the Magma Corps leader confirmed, giving a sharp nod to the Magna Corps commander.
“Good,” the commander replied, his tone as emotionless as ever. “Mount up. We’re moving.”
The convoy roared to life once more, leaving the desecrated temple and the remains of the insectoid colony behind. The soldiers returned to their routine, checking their weapons and monitoring the Micro Astros in their care.
Inside one of the vehicles, a Magna Corps soldier leaned back in his seat, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Didn’t even break a sweat.”
“Maybe next time, they’ll send something that can fight back,” another added, earning a round of chuckles from his squadmates.
But the Magma Corps soldiers remained silent, their attention fixed on the volatile cargo in their care. The Micro Astros, though contained, pulsed ominously, as if aware of their imprisonment.
The convoy pressed on, the glowing mountain receding into the distance. The Arcana facilities awaited, a destination both soldiers and artifacts were destined to reach. Yet, the journey was far from over—and neither side fully understood the forces they carried.