Our final class was held on the Apollo Battleship, which was the flagship of the Olympus Starship Armada. We were directly over Alfheim, the hub planet the elves used to launch their invasion to Earth. By this point humans already controlled 16% of the planet's surface. And we've been able to push the elves back from their six major gateways, there was only one left before humans become the one invading and the elves defending. However the seventh is almost if not impossible to take.
The elves are still sending in incursions from this side while the humans fight them back on Earth, at the same time they've been trying to retake the gates from this side whilst fiercely defending the seventh to hold on to their positions. On Earth the seven gates were each on a continent, here in Alfheim the gateways were 300 kilometers away from each other. If it was just as spread as the seven continents, it would have been possible for us to surround them and take them out a long time ago.
I ran, fully geared up to my drop pod. Elves have anti-aircraft weaponry too, not to mention the magic that keeps their planet protected. It would destroy anything larger than 10 meters in diameter before it hits the ground. We couldn't use the gates to travel here, instead of going through space and piercing through the spatial veil that separated universes with the power of the Hermes equation.
Not coming through the gates meant they wouldn't see us coming, and the Battle Acolytes can drop down safely to planet and join the war effort. On the body of my drop pod the number 5577 was spray painted in blue. This used to be my mother's military designation number.it was retired after her death, but it was reinstated for me. It's basically part of the consolation package for her getting killed fighting for Earth, now it's mine.
{Samson are you ready for this?}
The intercom within the pod buzzed as the voice of my teacher came through, I smiled. We didn't see each other after the class, but I knew there was no way he would let me go without saying anything.. it was practically a bet with myself and the universe, and it seems my hunch was right.
"You know I'm definitely not ready for this, my palms are sweaty Sir." I replied to him as the pod buzzed closed and I completely strapped myself in.
{No one ever is ready Samson, if my sis.....if you're mom was here I'm sure she would be really proud of the man you've become.....I'm so proud of the man you've become. So please come back safe to me okay, and that's an order soldier!}
I couldn't help the smile that was allover my face. Seeing how I was his worst student it didn't make sense to also be his favorite. But he was my uncle, the only family i had left in this world and the reason why I was placed in officer school in the first place. We only had each other in the whole multiverse, so I knew I wanted to go back home to him, safe and sound.
"Don't worry uncle Taiye, I'll be back....Sir!"
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I didn't have to say anything else, I'm sure he would be smiling a little too widely at the moment. Then I felt my stomach drop from under me, there was rapid beeping from within my pod as I left the vacuum of space, heading for the bright green planet below me.
(Breaching Atmosphere! Deploying Re-entry shield and adjusting for Mana saturation. Mana levels stable, weather levels stable, current time estimated as 11:00pm)
Alfheim was beautiful, a lot more than Earth if I had to be honest. Everything about this planet was green, it had no seas or oceans, or even rivers. It had lakes, and massive trees that gushed water like a waterfall, but no significant body of water that Earth was known for. It had a lot of uneven terrain, there were no deserts, but there were mountains, many of them green and densely packed with trees and vegetation. A few them had snow capped peaks, or were practically covered in snow all year round. Plains and plateaus were rare, valleys and caves were the norm.
(Incoming Projectile! Incoming Projectile! Please Brace For Impact)
"Huh?"
*BOOM!*
I could see the flames of reentry hanging on the side of my drop pod, but looking through the reinforced glass I could see another drop pod explode in a shower of flames right in front of me. My heart dropped as the debris rained down to the planet below and more warnings resounded from the drop pods systems.
*BOOM!*
I was lucky, whatever projectile was being shot at us, it clipped the side of the my drop pod. Going right to another and hitting it head on. This drop pod was a little bit closer than most to me, and the explosion rattled mine, shaking it vigorously as I went into an uncontrolled dive.
{Landing Gear and Secondary thrusters have sustained damage! Drop pod has been shifted out of landing alignment! Recalibrating navigation systems for optimal crash site. Estimated time of crash......T minus 30 seconds....please Brace yourself.}
"oh fuck me! Shit.....shit!....God! Jesus please! Zeus, Odin, Sango, Krishna, Horus.....OYA!!!"
*BOOM! Crash! Clang! Doof! Bang! Rustle! Crack! *
"Arrgh!"
I felt the pod smash through trees, past rocks, bouncing on the ground as my body was rattled and shaken with every movement. I was strapped in tight, the drop pod's airbags had already been deployed, but it wasn't enough to keep me safe from the impacts. My head had smashed toward into the reinforced glass, smearing it with blood that blocked my view. But at this point I didn't care as I was almost knocked out. The next thing to go was my left arm, I felt it snap forcing out a loud cry from my lips before the drop pod bounced into the air one final time and landed with a dull thud, releasing a sound that could only be that of metal striking rock.
{Systems check.... Navigation systems damaged un-salvageable. Communications System damaged! One way video stream available, soldier is currently being observed by command.....rescue operations would soon be underway. Fuel tank damaged, thrusters damaged, all shields damaged, Vital signs monitor damaged, Mana invasion imminent. Brace for the awakening of your system. If you're still alive God speed soldier}
I was alive, but from what I could see that was just barely. My left arm hung awkwardly by my side, my head was still bleeding and the adrenaline pumping through my system wasn't helping matters. I was scared, and I couldn't stay here too long because it didn't seem to be anywhere near a base, heck I don't even know where here is.
Above all else with shields about to go down, Mana was about to fill the confines of the drop pod. And this would activate the system for me, and from what I've learnt. For a new system user to activate the system without being born with it like the elves would hurt like a bitch, but there was nothing more to be done about it. All that matters was that I'm alive....for now.