A film flickered across the rough surface of a dimly lit wall, the hum of the projector filling the room with a steady drone. Shadows of grainy images danced as the voiceover began, smooth yet grave.
"In the year 2075, an unexpected meteor, deemed The Doomspire, crashed in Arizona, United States."
The footage shifted to a chaotic scene: the colossal meteor plunged into the earth, its impact shattering the tranquility. The sky above turned an oppressive, inky black, swallowing the clouds. Beneath, the land succumbed to a sinister transformation—its surface hardened, gleaming with a metallic black sheen.
The voiceover continued with solemn precision. "From this meteor sprouted powerful alien life, immediately corrupting the planet upon arrival. Through rapid DNA manipulation and mutations beyond human comprehension, the meteor infected everything it touched, acting like a devastating virus."
The screen displayed farms wilting and forests decaying as the corruption spread with horrifying efficiency.
"Terrain was infected. Weaker lifeforms succumbed. Even the vast oceans were overtaken. This catastrophic event, known as The Shattering, is etched into history. In a mere minute, 95% of the United States was lost to the corruption."
The narration grew heavier, underscored by the visuals of destruction. "While humans remained largely unaffected in the initial moments, prolonged exposure changed them. Some fell ill, while others experienced subtle, insidious mutations. Twenty minutes after The Shattering, the first creatures emerged from the corrupted lands. Born of their environment, these beings manifested elemental powers—fire from volcanoes, water from oceans, earth from soil. But they were not allies. These creatures, driven by an instinct to kill and propagate, became known as Necrovores."
A grotesque Necrovore appeared on the screen, holding a flag and pointing toward the sun with eerie determination.
"As they killed, they infected humans, assimilating them into their ranks. Despite humanity's resistance, the world faltered. After twenty agonizing years, only one city remains: Vetheris City. Spanning the size of two states, this fortress endures as humanity's final bastion."
The camera panned to a man crushing a Necrovore beneath his boot, a symbol of defiance.
"With time, humanity adapted, creating powerful technology to survive the apocalyptic landscape. These advancements gave rise to Syntharcs—elite protectors graded on a star system. Five-star Syntharcs, the pinnacle of strength, could annihilate hordes of Necrovores in seconds, while one-star Syntharcs proved capable of handling at least one."
The screen displayed the meteor again, ominous and unyielding.
"The ultimate goal remains unchanged: to assemble an army of five-star Syntharcs and destroy The Doomspire."
The film stuttered to a halt, and the projector's beam faded. The room, once dim, was now dominated by the silhouette of an old man standing before the wall. His gaze fell on three men seated nearby.
The one with a thick mustache leaned back, unimpressed. "I see. Why show us that old film again?"
The old man clasped his hands together, a twinkle of excitement breaking through his weathered features. "Because today, I've completed my breakthrough project!"
"Go ahead and show us!" the bearded man encouraged, leaning forward with intrigue.
The old man hurried to a nearby closet, his steps eager. Moments later, he emerged, rolling out a humanoid figure encased in shimmering glass. Its metallic frame gleamed under the faint light.
The clean-shaven man raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly is that, Dr. Lekt?"
Dr. Lekt puffed his chest with pride. "This, gentlemen, is humanity's next leap forward. A fusion of an Alphavore's power and cutting-edge cybernetic technology."
The mustached man frowned. "That's an Alphavore?"
"Indeed," Dr. Lekt affirmed. "Alphavores are the leaders of Necrovores. They adapt to the strongest elemental force around them, becoming nearly invincible. Typically, it takes four four-star Syntharcs or one formidable five-star to take one down."
"How did you even capture it?" the bearded man asked, his voice tinged with awe.
"With great difficulty," Dr. Lekt admitted. "My assistant trapped it. After intense modifications, I removed its brain while keeping its heart active."
The clean-shaven man's expression turned cautious. "And what element does this Alphavore wield?"
"None," Dr. Lekt replied with a sly grin. "I caught it before it bonded with any element. What's more, I've equipped it with the first-ever six-star enhancement."
The room fell silent.
"Did you say six-star?" the clean-shaven man whispered, disbelief evident in his tone.
"Yes," Lekt confirmed, his voice tinged with pride. "This surpasses the five-star enhancements I created for our finest warriors."
The bearded man's eyes widened. "But five-star tech is already incredible. How could you improve upon that?"
Dr. Lekt leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "It takes me three months to develop a five-star enhancement. A six-star enhancement... That took me one hundred years."
The men exchanged shocked glances.
"Right after crafting the first one-star enhancement, I began this project," Lekt explained. "I completed the two-star upgrade a week later, the three-star two weeks after that, the four-star in a month, and the five-star in two months. But the six-star? That has been my life's work."
The heavy buzz of machinery hummed in the background as the air in Dr. Lekt's lab felt thick with anticipation. The mustached man's gaze was fixed on the gleaming metal figure before them, eyes wide with incredulity.
"What can this piece of technology do, Lekt?" His voice broke through the tense silence.
Dr. Lekt clasped his hands together, a glimmer of pride in his voice. "It grants whoever uses it the ability to adapt—evolving rapidly to overcome any obstacle they face." He paused, then added, almost in confusion, "Though I can't quite comprehend how these two specimens are interacting. The Alphavore's skin is... changing. It seems to think the technology is part of its own, mimicking it perfectly."
The mustached man blinked. "This is huge, Lekt! Who will be the first to use this enhancement?"
Dr. Lekt's smile faded, replaced by a thoughtful frown. "I'm not entirely sure how the surgery for this would go. I brought you men here today to make you aware that one day, someone will wield this power. Once I figure out exactly what this thing is capable of, we'll find the right person for it."
Elsewhere, beneath the looming structures of Vetheris City, Sirius sat cross-legged on the concrete ground, his usual post as a security guard. His eyes drifted lazily across the horizon, his posture casual. Amal, however, stood nearby, arms folded, glaring at him with a pointed expression.
"Ariti, why aren't you standing? You don't look formal," Amal chided.
Sirius shrugged, a lazy grin spreading across his face. "Why bother looking formal when I know nothing's going to happen?"
"A criminal literally ran through the building yesterday," Amal retorted, his tone serious, "Don't get too comfortable."
Sirius chuckled, shaking his head. "That was just lucky chance. I'll never see that person again."
"You could at least be ready for it. You never know if something like that might happen again," Amal insisted.
Sirius sighed dramatically before standing up, dusting himself off.
"Hah, see—" Amal began, but was quickly cut off as Sirius turned toward the building.
"I'm going on break," Sirius announced, strolling off without a second glance.
Amal simply watched him, bewildered, as he disappeared into the building.
As Sirius walked through the halls, he was suddenly confronted by a familiar face.
"S.H!" Zayd's voice rang out, bright and almost too cheerful.
Sirius groaned. "Hey, Zayd."
Zayd followed him, walking just behind with a grin plastered across his face. "I'm only just now realizing how close we are in age, you know."
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "I swear, if you tell me I act like a bastard father again, I will—"
"No, no, that's not it!" Zayd interrupted quickly, laughing. "It's just weird. You act so much more mature than me, and I know for a fact that I'm not mature."
Sirius sighed inwardly. Oh no, he's self-aware.
Zayd kept going, oblivious to Sirius's internal frustration. "You're, like, four—"
"Three," Sirius corrected him flatly.
"Three years older than me!" Zayd continued, completely undeterred.
"Mhm," Sirius murmured, not bothering to add more.
"When I was in first grade, you were in third—"
"Fourth," Sirius interjected.
"Fourth grade. And when I was in sixth grade, you were in—"
"Ninth," Sirius answered, his tone flat.
"Ninth grade! Hell, when I got into ninth grade, you were in sixtee—"
"Twelfth. There's no such thing as a sixteenth grade."
Zayd blinked in confusion. "Shit, what's college then?"
Sirius shook his head, though a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. He entered the break room, heading straight for the coffee machine.
Zayd's voice rang out from behind him. "You drink coffee? Doesn't caffeine make you shrink or something?"
Sirius paused, giving Zayd a long, deadpan stare. "If it does, I was 7'8" at some point."
Zayd's eyes widened. "You were?"
Sirius rolled his eyes. "I swear—"
Zayd burst into laughter. "I'm just joking! Who do you take me for, an idiot?" He plopped down on the couch, grinning like a fool.
"The correct answer would be yes, but that's a bit too mean of me," Sirius muttered, pouring himself a cup of coffee.
Zayd, seemingly unfazed, leaned back, clearly trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. "Say, have you ever watched any of the Friday the 13th movies?"
Sirius slowly turned around, a sly smile forming on his lips. "Of course I have."
Later that day, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Sirius sat back, phone pressed to his ear. His voice was laced with amusement as he spoke to Zayd.
"Takes Manhattan sucks," Zayd's voice echoed through the phone.
Sirius smirked. "It's one of the closest things we have to actual footage of Manhattan! I love it."
Zayd huffed, clearly unimpressed. "If you want footage of Manhattan, watch better movies, like Taxi Driver!"
Sirius frowned, momentarily thrown. "Taxi Driver? That has to be the most unappealing name for a movie."
Zayd laughed over the line. "And A New Beginning Isn't?"
"If it has Friday the 13th before it, it'll always have my attention."
Zayd's voice took on a teasing tone. "Then what about the Jason movies?"
Before Sirius could respond, an incoming call flashed on his screen, labeled simply as 'Anonymous.'
What about the Jason movies? His thoughts flickered, but the call took precedence.
"Zayd, I'll call you back, I'm getting an important call."
"Alright, S.H.!" Zayd replied with a casual farewell.
Sirius sighed, shaking his head as he disconnected the call and picked up the new one.
Sirius pressed the phone to his ear, his voice dripping with a mix of curiosity and indifference. "Yo."
The voice on the other end was calm and calculated. "I got this number from a friend of mine. You're Xaldris, right?"
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"
The voice continued, unfazed. "Great. I heard you're the hitman someone would hire to get rid of someone else without a trace. You've got an untraceable phone, a suit that's resistant to thermal and X-ray vision, and your gunslinger skills are the stuff of legends—retired vet, if I remember right."
Sirius smirked. "Someone did their homework. So, I'm guessing you want me for a job?"
"Yep," the voice replied. "In fact, I'm offering half a billion to take care of it right now. Meet me at the location I'm about to send over in a text."
Sirius's heart skipped a beat. Half a billion? I could really get out of this dump with that amount of money... No more job, no more struggles... This could fix everything.
"Got it," Sirius responded, his mind already racing with possibilities.
The line went dead as the man hung up.
Several minutes later, Sirius entered an empty-looking warehouse, fully suited up. His footsteps echoed in the silence.
"Hello? Is anyone here?" Sirius called out, his voice cutting through the quiet space.
He waited, tense.
"Is anyone there?" he asked again, the words hanging in the air.
Suddenly, the lights blazed to life, illuminating the cavernous space. Sirius let out a sharp shriek, startled by the sudden brightness.
"Hey! You can't just do that without warning me!" he shouted.
From the shadows, a voice chuckled. "Haha, we just had to see how you'd react, Xaldris."
Out of the darkness, three figures emerged. Sirius's eyes narrowed as he recognized two of them immediately—Knuckle Luster and Solid Boom—but the third...
Sirius's mind raced. Wait, is that the female robber from before?
Knuckle Luster stepped forward, his voice deep and commanding. "Xaldris, I've heard good things about you."
Sirius's eyes flicked between them, confusion etching his face. "Uh, why are all of you here? Who even are you?"
Knuckle Luster grinned, a sharp gleam in his eyes. "I'm Knuckle Luster, locked up for violence."
Solid Boom gave a little wave, grinning. "Solid Boom is my name."
The woman from earlier—Lintonic—stepped forward with a smirk. "Lin's the name."
Sirius stared at them, then shook his head. "Ahah, yeah, real names?"
Knuckle Luster grunted. "Brock."
"Stevo," Solid Boom added with a nod.
Lintonic shrugged. "Lin. What's yours?"
Sirius sighed, clearly not in the mood for games. "I have this mask on for a reason. I'm not telling."
Before anyone could respond, a voice called out from above, sharp and commanding.
"Looks like everyone has arrived!"
Everyone's heads snapped up toward the source of the voice. Sitting in a wooden chair atop a platform was a man whose presence felt almost too calculated to be real.
Sirius narrowed his eyes. "He just has a chair, there?"
The man leaned forward slightly, a slow smile tugging at his lips. "I hired you all for such a risky mission that I've gathered two billion dollars to equally spread among you all."
Lin raised an eyebrow. "Just who are you?"
The man's smile deepened. "My name's Clark. I'm a billionaire, and I believe you all are the best for the job I need done."
Sirius scoffed. "Seriously, us? Aren't there hundreds of other more dangerous—"
Brock cut him off with a gruff voice. "Step aside if you're just gonna complain about it. We can take the money for ourselves."
Clark held up a hand, silencing the room. "No, I need all of you. This mission is far too dangerous for anyone to go at it alone."
Sirius crossed his arms, shaking his head. "Mission? I'm a hitman, not some thief."
Clark's gaze hardened. "Well, today, you're both."
Stevo leaned forward, intrigued. "Explain the mission, big man."
Clark didn't flinch. "It's simple. Break into Lekt headquarters, steal his gadgets, and kill the man himself."
The room went still as his words settled in the air. The others exchanged glances, disbelief written on their faces.
Sirius stepped forward, his voice sharp. "Lekt headquarters? The most heavily guarded building in the city? And you want us to kill the longest 'living' being on the planet? Also, highly guarded?!"
Brock scowled, clearly frustrated. "What are we, some kind of suicide squad?"
Before anyone could react further, Sirius moved swiftly, his finger silencing Brock by pressing gently against his lips.
Clark's expression remained unshaken. "It's do or die. I've picked a crew I know is cut out for this kind of job. No turning back now."
Brock grinned, shaking his head. "I wasn't planning on doing so, but where do we start?"
Clark's voice was steady, almost cold. "I have a car waiting for you outside. It's equipped to go invisible. Someone needs to drive it all the way to Lekt headquarters. I'll send you more information once you're there."
Lin's eyes lit up at the mention of the car. Without another word, she turned and dashed out of the building, her footsteps echoing in the now-empty space.
Sirius watched her go, his thoughts swirling. So, she's gone... I never thought I'd see her again. And yet, here I am, agreeing to this death mission. But, damn, my confidence is through the roof right now. I've never felt more ready for something... or maybe it's the rush of what's to come.
With a deep breath, Sirius walked toward the exit, his footsteps heavy with purpose. Brock and Stevo followed close behind, their silence as palpable as the weight of the task ahead.