The quiet hum of machinery filled the workshop, a sound that had become the backdrop of Brady, Jason, and Caleb's daily routine. For months, they had been working together to repair what remained of their shattered world, salvaging artifacts and fortifying their base of operations. But the quiet was short-lived.
It started with a distant sound—a rustle that could have been the wind, or perhaps something more ominous. Brady, always alert, tensed. He looked at Jason, who stood by the window, scanning the horizon through a pair of modified binoculars. Caleb, deep in thought over his plans for a new blueprint, barely seemed to notice.
"Did you hear that?" Brady whispered.
Jason nodded. "It's not just the wind."
Before they could react, the sound grew closer, and then came the unmistakable snap of a twig, followed by the distinct thud of boots on the dirt ground. Someone was coming, and it wasn't a friendly approach.
Brady grabbed his Impact Zap Shooter, his fingers itching to act. "Stay sharp," he muttered.
Suddenly, from the dense woods surrounding their hideout, a figure emerged—a man, tall and lean, his eyes sharp like a hawk's. His movements were precise, calculated, and the moment he stepped into view, the air seemed to grow heavier. He was wearing a tactical suit—dark, armored, and covered in gadgets. At his side was a sleek weapon, a rank-4 offensive artifact.
The man's eyes locked onto theirs, narrowing. "Stay back," he growled, his voice laced with venom. "I'm not here to talk."
Brady stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "We don't want trouble. But if you're looking for it, you'll find it."
The stranger sneered, and in one swift motion, he drew his weapon—a large, serrated blade crackling with electrical energy. It wasn't just a weapon; it was a lethal artifact, forged to cut through any resistance. He took a step forward, closing the distance between them, but before he could strike, Caleb intervened.
"Hold on," Caleb said, holding up a hand. "Let's just talk. We're not enemies here."
The assassin eyed Caleb with suspicion, but his aggression seemed to falter. He didn't lower his weapon, but there was a slight hesitation in his stance.
"I'm not here to chat," the man growled. "I'm here to kill or be killed. Which one do you choose?"
Brady's fingers twitched on the handle of his Zap Shooter. "You're going to have to do better than that," he said, stepping forward to face the assassin.
Without warning, the man lunged, his blade crackling with deadly energy. Brady reacted in an instant, unleashing a bolt of electricity from his weapon. The shock forced the assassin back, but he wasn't deterred. His agility was unmatched, his body a blur of motion as he regained his footing in an instant.
Jason stepped in, launching a barrage of his Steel Hive drones toward the attacker. The assassin deflected the first few with ease, his combat reflexes honed to perfection. But then Caleb, using his Impact Dense Energy Hammer, slammed it into the ground, sending a shockwave that knocked the assassin off balance.
For a moment, the battle seemed to hang in the balance. But the assassin wasn't giving up. He spun in midair, dodging another drone, and then, with a twist of his wrist, launched a pulse of electric energy from his blade. It was a direct hit to Jason's drone, sending it spiraling out of control and crashing into the dirt.
The man was fast. Too fast.
Brady saw the opportunity. He aimed his Zap Shooter, sending another surge of electricity toward the assassin, this time hitting him directly in the chest. The man staggered back, but to their surprise, he didn't collapse. Instead, he grinned—a grin that sent a shiver down Brady's spine.
"That all you got?" the assassin taunted.
But the man's grin faded as Caleb charged forward, swinging the Impact Hammer with all his strength. The force of the blow knocked the assassin to the ground, his weapon falling from his grip.
"Enough!" Brady shouted, stepping forward and holding up a hand. "We don't need to fight. We can help each other."
The assassin glared, but there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes. Slowly, he got to his feet, his hand hovering over his blade but not drawing it. "You're lucky," he muttered. "You might have survived this."
Brady stepped forward, keeping his tone steady. "We're all trying to survive. Help us, and we'll help you."
After a long moment, the assassin lowered his weapon. He studied them warily, sizing them up. "You're not like the others," he finally said. "I was prepared to kill you all, but... maybe you have something worth saving. I'll hear you out."
And so, the man, who had come at them like a storm, lowered his guard. He introduced himself as Viktor, a name that carried an air of mystery. And soon, with the tension between them dissipating, Viktor began to speak, revealing truths that sent chills down their spines.
"I was a hitman," Viktor said, his voice softer now, the aggression replaced by cold calculation. "A high-grade one. People feared me—big names, the ones who ran things before the invasion. And because of my... reputation, I learned things. Things you wouldn't believe."
Jason raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"
Viktor leaned in, his eyes darkening. "The Periclusapiens—they ignored the Martian colonies. They didn't care about them. But they also didn't know about the escape plan. The real one. The big shots, the ones who controlled everything, they knew the invasion was coming. So they left. Left for Mars."
A stunned silence hung over the group.
Viktor continued. "They had everything set up. The ones in charge, the leaders, the billionaires, the scientists—they all took off for Mars. Left us to die down here, thinking they were safe. They were right, of course. But they didn't leave without something. I got my hands on one of their artifacts—a rank-2 action-type Hypersonic Profiler."
He reached into his pack and pulled out a small, sleek device. "Here," Viktor said, handing it to Brady. "It's a communicator. Infinite reach, as long as it's connected to another Hypersonic Profiler. I've used it to keep tabs on what's happening."
Brady took the device, his mind racing with the implications of Viktor's words. "What's the catch?"
"The catch is, it's already connected to a network," Viktor said, his expression darkening. "A news network. Not from Earth... but from Mars. That's where they're all broadcasting from. Safe, sound, and still pulling the strings."
Brady felt the weight of the truth sink in, his thoughts a whirlwind. He held the Hypersonic Profiler in his hands, staring at it as if it might somehow reveal more than it had already. Then, almost instinctively, he connected it to their systems.
Moments later, the screen lit up, displaying a feed that wasn't from Earth at all. It was from Mars.
"This is... unbelievable," Caleb muttered, eyes wide. "They've been up there this whole time."
Jason cursed under his breath. "They left us to rot."
Viktor gave a grim nod. "The worst part? They'll never come back. Earth is lost to them. They're building their own society up there. You're all just... a footnote."
But there was no time to dwell on it. They had work to do.
"Look," Viktor said, his tone shifting. "I didn't come here to make friends. I came because I've seen what you're trying to do. I can help. You'll need to get to Mars eventually. So let's make it happen."
And that was when the real work began.
---
Months passed, and the group shifted focus. Caleb's blueprint that he was thinking about for the past few months was coming together,A rank-5 Action type artifact Quickdrive ship that could sustain Stellar travel,but there was much to gather. They needed more resources, more power, more protection.
Brady, Jason, and Viktor set out to gather supplies, each excursion more dangerous than the last. They needed three or four Rank-4 defensive artifacts for the ship's frame, and Rank-5 boosters for the Quickdrive launch.
And then, after months of scavenging, Caleb hit them with the unexpected: "I forgot the control panel," he said, rubbing his temples in frustration. "I didn't think about it. We're going to need it to operate the ship."
Brady and Jason exchanged a look of disbelief. After all their hard work, they were left with yet another obstacle to overcome.
So, they did what they always did—adapted. They infiltrated the Periclusapiens' lab where Jason had once stolen his Steel Hive and managed to steal the most valuable artifact yet: a Rank-5 action-type, Automated Neurotic General Electric Robot—or ANGER.
It was a powerful AI robot, capable of performing high-level tasks. But more importantly, it was the last piece of the puzzle they needed.
With the ANGER in their possession, they now had the tools to complete their ship and escape Earth. But as they looked out over the ruins of their home, they knew their journey was only just beginning.