"The Breach of Norat State"

"Mum, what's that big red circle in the sky?" a curious five-year-old girl asked, pointing toward the ominous sight above.

Her mother, a woman in her late thirties, glanced up, her expression shifting from mild curiosity to alarm.

And then—BOOM!

A deafening explosion tore through the air, shaking the ground violently. The shockwave rippled through the area, sending people stumbling as the atmosphere shimmered unnaturally.

Black and red portals materialized, their energy crackling with unholy intensity.

From the swirling void emerged towering metallic constructs, their jagged forms glowing faintly with red energy cores.

The invaders landed with thunderous force, their weight causing cracks to spiderweb through the ground.

Screams erupted as panic consumed the crowd.

"Attack!" a humanoid figure bellowed, its voice cold and commanding. The metallic beings obeyed without hesitation, systematically eliminating anyone in their path.

"General! This is AE-S128 reporting. Antibio Earth, Norat State has been breached. I repeat, Norat State has been breached by invaders!" a female voice rang out urgently through the ChronoCom, the device's interface glowing a steady blue as the transmission came through.

The ChronoCom, a tactical communication device developed for Antibio Earth's elite soldiers, was far more than just a watch.

Compact, sleek, and wrist-mounted, it featured a minimalist design with adjustable straps that fit comfortably on any arm, even over armored suits.

Its matte black exterior was enhanced by faint glowing lines that shifted colors depending on its active mode: red for combat, blue for communication, and yellow to signal nearby enemies.

"Prioritize civilian safety! Troops are en route!" came the commanding voice over the ChronoCom. The urgency was clear, cutting through the cacophony of chaos.

Meanwhile, the invaders moved with precision, their jagged, metallic bodies bristling with weapons.

"Retrieve all high-value items immediately. No delays!" screeched the humanoid leader.

The metallic constructs nodded, their glowing blue bracelets blinking as they scanned and picked up objects, vehicles, machinery, even electronic devices from the wreckage around them.

Anyone who stood in their way was mercilessly cut down.

Another explosion erupted, the ground cracking further as a wave of panic swept through the city.

People screamed and ran, desperate to escape the invaders' wrath. Norat State, a place that had known peace for decades, was now a war zone.

"General, this is AE-S128 again!" the female voice crackled through the ChronoCom.

Her tone was laced with desperation as she dodged every attack forwarded towards her.

"Report, AE-S128," General Ardyn responded, his voice calm and emotionless despite the dire situation.

"Sir, we're outnumbered! My team... several of my units are down! I..."

A sudden burst of static cut off the transmission.

A sharp skishh noise echoed before silence followed.

General Ardyn's jaw tightened. The loss of AE-S128, one of their most dependable operatives, made him frown, but what's there to mourn or grief.

She's a soldier who was trying to protect her country so they won't let her death go for nothing.

The metallic invaders continued their relentless march through the crumbling city, their glowing red cores illuminating the devastation they left in their wake.

This was the first invasion Antibio Earth had seen in years, and it struck like a hammer blow.

"Commander Althus," General Ardyn called, turning to his second-in-command.

"Deploy all remaining units to secure Norat State and its people and establish a perimeter. These invaders won't take another step without resistance."

"Yes, General!" Althus replied, saluting before rushing off to rally the troops.

Ardyn stared at the horizon, where the red and blue portals continued to churn ominously. He clenched his fists.

"This creatures mustn't escape," he muttered.

****

"Ahh, please someone save my child!" A lady's voice screamed, crying as she pointed at her daughter who was standing in the way of a giant metallic rock beast.

Nearby, Orion watched the scene unfold. His breathing was ragged, and his palms felt clammy against the hilt of his standard-issue blade he took from the invaders he killed.

"Focus, Orion," he muttered to himself.

Suddenly, his eyes locked on the metallic invader advancing toward the child. The creature raised one jagged limb, ready to strike.

"Ishita!" Orion shouted, panic creeping into his voice. "Activate Quickstep!" Orion screamed loudly.

{Quickstep already activated. Agility increased by 10% for 10 seconds.}

A subtle jolt surged through Orion's legs as his body felt lighter, faster. His surroundings seemed to slow just enough for him to move with purpose.

"Yes!" he roared, sprinting forward.

The boost wasn't overwhelming, but it was enough. He covered the distance in moments, narrowly slipping past another invader as it swiped at him.

With his enhanced speed, he grabbed the child, pulling her out of harm's way just as the creature's blade-like arm came crashing down.

"Run!" Orion urged, releasing her to her mom. The mother nodded frantically, scooping her daughter into her arms and fleeing.

The invader turned its glowing, soulless eyes on Orion, sensing him as its next target.

"Ishita," Orion panted. "How long left on Quickstep?"

{Duration: 4 seconds remaining.}

"Good enough," he whispered, his mind racing for an escape plan.

The invader lunged. Orion dodged to the side, the Quickstep boost allowing him to barely avoid the creature's jagged claw.

His boots skidded against the rubble-strewn ground, his pulse pounding in his ears.

"I hope I don't die today, I still have so many things to do." He groaned as he dodged a sharp object that looks like a knife from the invaders.

But then the boost wore off.

{Quickstep deactivated. Cooldown: 30 seconds.}

"Fuck, shit not now." He cussed.

The world returned to its normal pace, and Orion suddenly felt the weight of fatigue in his legs.

He stumbled slightly but quickly regained his footing. The invader, however, was relentless. It charged at him again, faster than he could react now.

"Ishita," Orion hissed under his breath, wiping sweat from his brow. "How much time left for Quickstep cooldown?"

{Cooldown: 22 seconds remaining.}

"Not fast enough..." His heart pounded as the invader lunged forward, its bladed limb slicing through the air.

Orion barely rolled to the side, wincing as his already aching muscles screamed in protest.

The invader didn't stop. It whirled on him with mechanical precision, raising its arm to deliver a finishing blow. Orion's hand tightened on his blade, his mind racing.

This was it, Orion's life flashed before him.

Then the blow came down, and then stopped.

A deafening clang echoed through the air as the invader's blade collided with something solid.

Orion blinked, startled, as a shadowy familiar curvy masked lady stepped between him and the creature.

Orion blinked his eyes twice as he tried to remember where he had seen this lady.

The lady moved with an almost inhuman grace, a massive, glowing great sword in her hands.

The blades shimmered with an iridescent energy, its edge crackling as it pressed against the invader's jagged limb.

"You're too slow," the lady said, her voice low, cool, and cold.

"Alas why won't you, you are still weak and young, Mr. Orion. Hehehehe."

"Everett?"