—Why did you join, Staniel, to fight for your country despite the many risks? —asked Elias with curiosity.
—Yes, tell us, why are we a team? —said Sara with a smile.
—Do we really want to know? —added Ronan.
Staniel responded seriously:
—Do you really want to know why?
256 days before
—I remember the day when everything started as if it were yesterday. The sky was covered with dense, opaque clouds, devoid of light. The air, thick with suffocating tension, made it hard to breathe. Despite that, people continued with their routines, indifferent to the ominous omen hanging in the atmosphere. In the city of Stan, the skyscrapers loomed like dark giants, blocking the little clarity that was still trying to filter through.
— I was looking for extra work, as I could no longer even afford food. And my debts to keep the family business alive kept piling up. The rent for the small, rundown micro-apartment where I lived had doubled, leaving me with no options.
— I kept repeating to myself how much I hated this city—its decay, the endless traffic, the unbearable atmosphere. I wished my life would change... I didn't know how much I would regret saying those words.
Official Emergency Bulletin
Government of the United Republics of Norsthania
Date: April 24, 2174
The screen is completely black. An electric hum grows in intensity, followed by the flicker of a white message on a dark background: "Emergency Alert System Activated." A deep, calm voice begins to speak, cutting through the silence.
— This is an official message from the Government of the United Republics of Norstania. Please remain calm. This communication is intended to inform, not alarm.
The image changes. Vast oceans covered by cloudy skies appear. In the horizon, dark, oval shapes float ominously. The voice continues, while a faint buzzing sound persists.
— Today, April 20, 2174, an unprecedented event has been reported. Unknown anomalies, described as "dark halos," have appeared in multiple regions of the planet. These have been sighted in the Pacific Ocean, the Arctic, the Antarctic, and various sectors of the sky.
A crowd is seen looking at the sky with expressions of awe and fear. Distant murmurs and alarm sounds can be heard in the background.
— The exact moment of their appearance remains uncertain, but they became visible in broad daylight, allowing for their observation by thousands of witnesses.
The scene changes to a laboratory. Scientists analyze satellite images while digital maps show flashing points. Radars record abnormal patterns.
— Preliminary analysis suggests a possible connection to extreme pollution levels in the atmosphere, though this theory has not been confirmed. National and international research teams are working tirelessly to determine the origin and nature of this phenomenon.A blue screen appears with white text, displaying instructions in sync with the voice.
— To ensure your safety, please follow these instructions:Remain calm. No immediate risk has been identified associated with these anomalies.
Avoid speculation. Spread only official information to prevent confusion.Stay alert. Tune into official channels for updates.
Report sightings if you observe any anomalies, report them immediately through the designated channels.
Phone lines flash on screen next to a mobile app and active emergency centers. The voice becomes more urgent, conveying seriousness.
The background music becomes tense. Images of ships deployed in open oceans, military planes crossing dark skies, and helicopters flying over affected regions are shown.
— This is a critical moment for humanity. The Government of the United Republics of Norsthania has mobilized all available resources to protect the population and unravel the mystery of these anomalies.
The image begins to fade, leaving only a black background. Slowly, a message appears in white letters.
— Humanity faces the unknown. Stay alert. Stay strong.
The sound of the electric hum lingers for a few more seconds before disappearing entirely. The screen remains in total silence and darkness.
The next day.
— The ground shook as if it were an earthquake, but somehow, it was different, unusually terrifying, something out of the ordinary. When the ground shakes, it doesn't stop moving, but this time, it felt like a giant was stomping—shaking, then stopping.
It shook! And then stopped! All throughout the city.
— It was in the blink of an eye that everything began, the chaos erupted in the capital of Norsthania. Alerts echoed throughout the city, a sound that sliced through the air like a desperate warning. People, used to everyday tremors, reacted in a way that surprised me: they began to run, filled with terror.
The fear in their eyes was palpable, as if they had seen something I still couldn't comprehend.
— "¿What's happening?" I asked one of the passersby, but no one stopped to answer. Panic was absolute.
At that moment, I felt the ground tremble beneath my feet, not like a simple tremor, but with an intensity that seemed to come from something alive, something monstrous.
— When I saw it, a colossal creature loomed before me. It was as massive as a football stadium and as tall as a mountain, with multiple tentacles on its putrid body. Its shadow covered everything in its path, enveloping the city in a darkness that seemed to swallow all hope.
— "What else do you remember, Staniel?" asked Elias, his tone filled with concern.
—The last thing I remember were the heartbreaking screams of despair, the chaos unfolding as everything crumbled around me.
— "I have to get to my father, I have to save him."
— I ran without thinking, but then everything became blurry. I think I passed out.
And when I woke up, the first thing I felt was the humidity... and the smell of iron. I didn't understand what was happening at first, until I opened my eyes fully. I was drowning, but not in water. It was blood, the blood of the people of Stan. It was everywhere, on my hands, on my face, and the ground looked like an endless crimson river.
It was horrible, something I couldn't have even imagined in my worst nightmares. At that moment, the world was no longer the same. Neither the city nor I—everything had changed for the worse.
—The darkness enveloped me, and the cold of despair seeped into my bones, as if the very abyss was inside me. The creature, colossal in size, loomed before me like a living mountain, its shadow consuming everything in its path.
—My city... my home... was devoured by monsters. The streets where I once ran as a child and the voices that filled my life were now in a devastating silence. When I woke up, I understood the bitter truth: I... was the only living soul left in the entire city, it seemed.
—That's why I joined... to avenge my father and all the people of Stan. —Staniel's voice trembled, breaking at the end, and his eyes clouded over with the weight of memories. A deep emptiness reflected in his gaze, as if the sorrow of his loss had stripped him of everything he once was. Each word seemed like an echo of a pain that would never heal, a wound time could never erase.
— That was the day everything began.