Lucius sprinted through the town's streets, the sound of distant explosions reverberating in the air. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he dashed toward the edge of the settlement. His mind was sharp, the adrenaline surging through his veins. The DefenderBot drones above fired their railguns, their high-velocity rounds piercing the air, targeting the miles-away advancing Zwerg with relentless precision. Obviously, the town had detected most of the tribals before they succeeded wherever their plot was. The sky was alight with flashes of light as the drones mowed down the invaders, yet Lucius knew some infiltrators and stragglers had made it past the defenses, and it was up to him to deal with the stragglers.
He slowed as he approached the town square, Lucius' boots hitting the dirt with a heavy thud. He saw men fighting back while women ran to their homes. Then, suddenly, in the distance, he saw five Zwerg in his proximity, moving with a fluid grace, their bodies full of muscle and strength. Most of them were males, larger and more powerful, but the females weren't far behind. The Zwerg's alien eyes appeared green, scanning the area, their bodies short barely reaching 5 feet but robust. Their movements were deliberate, confident, and graceful, honed by their gravity-heavy world. The female Zwerg, despite their smaller stature, exhibited muscular frames that were as powerful as they were graceful. They possessed sleek, caramel-like skin, their faces sculpted with high cheekbones and full lips that often curled into confident smiles. Their pointed ears enhanced their keen hearing, while their limbs were compact and built for endurance, making them formidable foes despite their size. Lucius suspected they were planning something nefarious.
And so Lucius' fingers tightened around the grip of his Railgun Sidearm. He took aim at the nearest Zwerg, firing a precise shot that went right through him and sent the alien crashing into a nearby wall in ragdoll fashion. The sound of the shot echoed through the square, but Lucius barely flinched. His attention was already elsewhere, his body reacting with instinct as he noticed the others circling around him.
The male Zwerg raised his Lasergewer and shot at Lucius. Lucius, predicting the shot just in time, ducked low, the beam missing him by mere inches, and with a fluid movement, he unsheathed his saber and went into melee. Lucius ran at extreme speed to the Zwerg and lunged with the blade, which gleamed in the light. The male alien didn't stand a chance. With a single, precise strike, Lucius disarmed him, slicing through the arm holding the gun, which fell to the floor, before stabbing the blade deep into his chest, his innards spilling out. The Zwerg collapsed, twitching for a moment before going still.
However, Lucius didn't stop. The next Zwerg, a female, wielded her Lasergewer with the same skill as a trained human soldier, and she started blasting her Pulse-Lasergewer at him. Lucius was hit multiple times in the chest and legs; however, before there could even be an effect, his wounds healed in seconds. He sidestepped the pain and closed the distance in an instant. With a flick of his wrist, his saber cleaved through the air, severing the alien's gun in half. Before she could react, he struck, slashing through her primitive armor and cutting her in half. The Zwerg's dead body staggered back, but Lucius was already on the move.
One of the drones overhead fired another round from its railgun, taking down another male Zwerg that had attempted to flank Lucius. The shot struck with a deafening boom, sending the alien crashing into the dirt. But there was no time to focus on that. Lucius' eyes shifted to the remaining three.
Another male, larger and more battle-scarred, kept blasting at him while shouting at him with some untermenschen roars. Before he knew it, the alien popped up a primitive grenade launcher, making him a much more dangerous opponent. As the Zwerg shot the grenade directly at Lucius, he dodged the shot effortlessly and then closed in with such speed that the alien barely had time to react before Lucius struck. His saber found its mark, cutting through the alien's side with ease, but the blow didn't kill him. Instead, the male staggered back, trying to raise his gun again.
Lucius didn't give him the chance. He rushed forward, using his superior strength to drive the alien back with a crushing blow, sending him to the ground. In a flash, Lucius plunged the blade into his chest. The alien let out a guttural scream, but it was too late. A second later, in the background, the grenade exploded.
As the last male Zwerg lay defeated, Lucius turned his attention to the remaining two female attackers, who by now were far too close to Lucius. They hesitated for only a moment before charging him in tandem, their shrill, primal screams cutting through the air like a war cry. "Raaahhh!" one of them howled, her voice vibrating with fury, while the other's bloodthirsty war cry echoed with unrelenting aggression, "KILL HIM!" The ferocity of their cries seemed to fuel their rush, each step a desperate attempt to overpower their foe.
Lucius' heart raced, but he was ready. He took the hits, showcasing his superior endurance, his body absorbing the blows as he moved with focused precision. The female Zwerg's strength and agility made them a worthy challenge, their movements as much a display of beauty as they were of brutality.
When Lucius got within melee distance, one of the women attempted to strike at his head with her Lasergewer, but Lucius was already behind her, his blade cleaving through her shoulder and then her body in half with a swift, practiced motion. She collapsed. The final female Zwerg, seeing the fate of her comrade, hesitated in fear for just a moment too long, and that was all Lucius needed. He struck quickly, the tip of his saber piercing through her throat before she could react. The sword stuck out from behind her neck, her glowing eyes fading as her body crumpled to the ground.
This battle only lasted three minutes. Breathing heavily, more so from the stress, Lucius stood over the bodies of the fallen Zwerg. The battle wasn't over yet. He could still hear the distant sound of DefenderBot railgun shots and enemy explosions.
His attention shifted. The drones above were continuing to engage any remaining Zwerg, but Lucius had done his part. With a quick glance to the side, he holstered his Railgun Sidearm and wiped his blade clean, turning his focus to where he had left Adeline. His legs moved without hesitation, driven by the need to see her again. To make sure she was safe.
As Lucius ran, the dust settled in the town square, and the sound of DefenderBot railguns began to fade into the distance. But his mind remained fixed on checking Adeline and the look on her face when he reached her.