The government announced there were only 12,000 seats left on the Ark. A giant space ship orbiting the earth.
Millions of desperate parents rushed to kill their own children.
With the end of the world at hand, everyone wanted to survive at all and any costs.
---
[6th December 2074 - Post Harbinger Seed Incursion]
[Planet: Earth - Quadrant 3, Eastern Sector, Zone 12]
Nearly 75 years had passed since the Harbinger Seed—a cataclysmic event that heralded the arrival of humanity's greatest enemy. The alien incursion began as a single ominous phenomenon, a "seed" crashing into the Earth, and it evolved into an unrelenting war that fractured nations and obliterated borders.
Entire generations were born into the conflict, knowing only the constant shadow of war and survival. The Earth of today was a battlefield, divided into zones and sectors, each fighting for the fragile hope of reclamation.
But there was hope. Somewhere off far away surrounded by the winter blanket : Hope.
The rising sun broke through the scattered clouds, its pale light making its first impression over a vast expanse of regimented steel and stone.
Frost clung to the razor-edged barbed wire that encircled the perimeter like a crown of thorns, the bite of winter merging with the stark coldness of the military complex.
Watchtowers loomed like silent sentinels, their shadows stretching long across the barren earth. Rows of bunkers crouched low to the ground, their reinforced walls suffering collateral damage from battles fought, while towering beyond them stood the anti-Harbinger drop ship artillery, angular and menacing, pointing skyward like defiant fingers challenging the heavens : Dare me!
On the ground, soldiers moved with the precision of machinery, their breath fogging in the cold morning air as they braced for another day within the shadow of a relentless war. Overhead, banners emblazoned with the crest of humanity's resistance—two crossed swords over a shield—fluttered against the cutting wind: a symbol of unity forged in desperation.
Beyond the fortified exterior, the Earth Northern Defense Academy Sector 3 rose like an indomitable fortress. Its towering walls, marked with the same emblem as the soldiers, loomed over the faint remnants of civilian life.
Inside, the atmosphere shifted: the distant din of drills and marching faded, replaced by youthful voices and shuffling feet. It was here, within these walls, that the promise of humanity's survival lay—the next generation of warriors, trained to reclaim their world.
The hallway was completely filled with students roaming back and forth, their chatter blending into a low roar that echoed off the marble floors. Boys dressed in sharp black blazers and red pants mingled with girls whose red blazers and short mini skirts if that was what they were called gave a flash of their long beautiful and clear skinned legs.
The crest on their breast pockets—a shield with two swords crossed—gleamed under the light, a reminder of what this place stood for.
A boy leaned against a row of lockers, his eyes flitting over the crowd. He saw another boy with a hoodie over his head walking through the sea of students.
'Aaron Blake. First generation, Class 1C. Got a mean streak to him.' His gaze shifted to a girl laughing with her group of friends. 'Sophia Lin. Second generation, 1A. Absolute beast in combat according to my source. I'd put money on her winning the regional trials when that comes up'
Everyone here had something going for them. Even the...
'She's here...'
His thoughts stalled when she walked past.
The school belle, Jennifer Kane, walking through the hallway with her clique of flawless, smug-faced followers. Her pack, if you will.
Their heels clicked in unison, legs long and toned, their perfect faces radiating confidence—and a touch of cruelty.
'Seconld generation, class 1A obviously,' Noah mused bitterly. 'Probably awakened before she could even walk. Damn golden kids.'
"Noah!"
The sharp voice jolted him from his thoughts. He blinked and turned to see Kelvin grinning beside him. Kelvin, with his tousled hair and relaxed smile, looked every bit the part of a first-generation talent.
"Daydreaming about Jennifer again?" Kelvin teased, elbowing Noah.
Noah rolled his eyes. "Shut it."
Kelvin smirked. "You know, unlike most of those assholes, at least I don't lord my noble bloodline over people."
Noah snorted, a reluctant grin tugging at his lips. "Yeah, congrats on being tolerable."
The bell rang, drowning out their laughter and signaling the start of the day.
This was Earth's Eastern Defense Academy 3, where the best of the awakened humans trained to survive or atleast tried their very best.
Noah followed Kelvin into the classroom, the sound of scattered chatter filling the air. Students were slouched in their seats, some lazily tapping away on tablets, others chatting in groups. A few leaned against the walls, keeping to themselves. The atmosphere felt unhurried, like no one was particularly in the mood for another day of class.
Kelvin plopped down at their usual spot near the back, pulling a sleek tablet from his bag with a grin that instantly made Noah groan.
"You're going to want to see this," Kelvin said, unlocking the device and tapping on the screen.
Noah slouched into his chair, his eyes narrowing. "If this is about that thing again, I swear to god—"
Kelvin cut him off with a smirk. "Relax. This time, I've got something solid. Look," he said, spinning the tablet toward Noah.
On the screen was a detailed map with several markers, some in bright red and others in blue. Kelvin zoomed in on a cluster of dots, his enthusiasm radiating. "I've mapped out the latest energy fluctuations. This area? Prime candidate for a Voidstone."
Noah sighed, leaning back and rubbing his temples. "Kelvin..."
Kelvin leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I'm serious, dude. I ran all the data three times. All signs point to something big. If we just check these spots, I'm telling you, we're going to find one."
Noah fixed his friend with a tired look. "Kelvin, do you know how insane this sounds? The odds of finding a Voidstone are like... finding a perfectly filled bag of chips. Never happens."
Kelvin didn't miss a beat. "That's because no one's looking in the right places. With my readings and your... well, your lucky knack for getting into trouble, we might actually have a shot."
Noah gave a noncommittal grunt, his gaze shifting to the window. As much as he hated to admit it, Kelvin's innocent optimism was oddly infectious. The guy had this unshakable belief that he could pull off the impossible, and Noah wasn't about to be the one to crush that hope.
He nodded absently, pretending to study the map. "Sure, man. Whatever you say."
Kelvin beamed. "Knew you'd come around."
Noah didn't have the heart to tell him he wasn't really paying attention. Instead, he let his friend ramble on.
Kelvin casually leaned in closer, tapping on the tablet with a smug grin. "Oh, and guess what? I hacked into the school's database to snag the latest mining charts sent back by the miners. Found a few key areas we could—"
Noah's head snapped toward him so fast it was a miracle he didn't sprain something. "You did what…again?" His voice rose just enough to make a few heads in the room turn their way.
"Relax," Kelvin said with a dismissive wave, clearly unfazed. "This time, no prints. Clean as a whistle. There's no way they'll trace it back to us."
Noah narrowed his eyes, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, no prints, huh? That's what you said last week, Kelvin. Remember how long it took for that third-generation technopath to catch us?" He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Five minutes, Kelvin. Five!!!"
Kelvin grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. "Hey, how was I supposed to know that tweaking the cafeteria menu would trigger an invasion-level response?"
"You replaced pizza day with tofu surprise! That's not tweaking. That's war!" Noah hissed, throwing his hands up.
Kelvin opened his mouth to retort, but before he could get a word out, the sound of sharp, deliberate heels clicking against the hallway floor sent a wave of silence rippling through the classroom.
As if on instinct, every student scrambled to their seats, back straight and eyes forward, the prior chaos dissolving into perfect order.
A figure strode into the room, her red heels making a clicking rhythm on the tiled floor.
*click*
*click*
*click*
She wore an above-the-knee pencil skirt that clung like a second skin, emphasizing a diabolically streamlined waist that could probably be used as a measuring standard in fashion textbooks.
Her crisp white shirt was buttoned just enough to keep things technically professional, but the rest left an abundance of cleavage gleaming like freshly polished diamonds under the morning sunlight streaming through the windows.
Her lips—full, red, and unapologetically bold—moved in a slight smirk as her transparent glasses framed eyes sharp enough to slice through steel. Her hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail that swayed lightly with each step she took, completing the picture of someone who knew exactly how much power she held in this room.
Miss Seraphina Brooks.
That was the name.
If there ever was a definitive answer to what happened when God played favorites, she was it. Homeroom teacher for class 1B.
Noah's class.
'Well,' Noah thought, straightening his posture without realizing it. 'At least today won't be boring.'