Chapter 3: Invasion, Part 1

Setting: Texdan
Time: 8:50 pm

It was a regular night in the town of Texdan. Children were done with school. Workers and farmers finished with their daily quota, now resting in their houses and apartments alike. 

In that same instance, the four drunk miners who had assaulted Taylian have now been charged with parole, in accordance with their crimes. Their punishment finds them trapped with increased labor in the mines, under supervision of a few soldiers in the Militia. 

The leader scoffs in frustration.

The dry season always brought warm and windy nights. Surely a night like any other…

*rumble*

…in the town of Texdan.

*RUMBLE*

“Father, what is that?”

“I’m sure it’s nothing son, don’t panic. The primals must be up to something in the main continent.”

*RUMBLE*

“Robert, dear, that doesn’t sound like the main continent…”

“...it must be near Mount Gamajor-”

*RUMBLE!*

“...oh no…”

 

Lexi and Iris were seated in the dining room, waiting for Taylian to return for dinner as they refused to eat without him. Geron was seated outside on the porch steps, hoping he would return soon. He was very hungry.

Suddenly, they felt the rumbling begin. All three froze and did not move or make a sound. Soon after, the earth rumbles again, shaking the ground even harder than the first wave. Geron runs into the house and begins to pack a few essential items.

“We gotta go, now!”

“Do you think it's an attack? Or just an earthquake?”

“How many natural earthquakes have you heard of in Texdan?!”

Lexi gulps. “...none”

“Let’s go. We have to find the emergency bunkers!”

Lexi holds her hand to her chest. Her mind is in a panic as she softly whispers Taylian’s name.

Geron picks up Iris as she begins to cry.

“What about Taylian?!” Iris screams

Geron pauses. He then hands Iris to Lexi and grabs her hand to leave the house.

“I will find him! You two head to the bunkers!”

As soon as they exit the house, the left side of the house caves in. The ground beneath their feet starts to break apart. Lexi falls to the ground and screams in pain.

 

The ground all around Texdan begins to cave in, as the multitude of apartment buildings and overall constructs begin to crumble. It was as if the ground had suddenly become like the ocean, swallowing its captives into its grasp.

The drunk miners, still underground as this situation ensues, are forced to meet their fate as the caves swallow them whole. The leader of the group’s last moment of life was filled with darkness and despair, as he glanced at the ground above reaching out towards him. The soldiers, tasked with their unfortunate duties, were forced to meet the same fate. 

Screams filled the bright red sky as thousands of people were crushed to their deaths. Emergency sirens bellow out for all of the people to hear. The Militia officers on night shift duties try their best to assist those remaining. They all understand the nearest emergency bunker is underneath the center square of the town of Texdan. Their only hope of escape.

“We found another survivor!”

“Please remain calm! We understand the situation is frightening, but for everyone’s safet-”

*RRYYYOOEEEERRR*

Everyone immediately freezes. Their blood…cold as ice. Their eyes…pulsating with fear. Even in such a dangerous world that they knew themselves to live in… such a circumstance…such a deafening and fearful sound…has never been witnessed by the masses. 

 

Taylian wakes up startled and disoriented. He stares up from the ground towards the sky, through the tall trees, and sees the full moon. 

[“It's a full moon tonight. Aunt Lexi says that the powers of the moon goddess, Lunarias, are stronger on nights like these…meaning our protection is greater as well…”]

Taylian wimpers and rolls over in pain. If he thought he was in pain before, what he felt now could be hardly described in words. It felt like every movement was like driving needles into every cell and tissue of his body. 

[“Best not to move I guess. This is what I get for overdoing it.”]

Suddenly, a gust of wind rushes through the trees rapidly, startling Taylian as he looks towards them. The gust was rapid, but the movement felt soft and warm, almost like an embrace. In that moment, he could only manage to think and utter a single word:

“....mother….”

Immediately as Taylian utters those words, the earth beneath him starts to shake. He looks back in the region towards the house…and sees the ground beginning to break apart.

As Taylian attempts to comprehend the scenario playing out before him, he suddenly notices a dark shadow above him. He looks up and realizes a tree is falling straight towards him. Without thinking, he quickly rolls out of the way just as the tree slams to the ground beside him.

Taylian is shaken. “What…is happening?”

Before he has any time to think, more trees begin to fall around him, forcing Taylian to climb onto a sturdy tree to escape the danger zone. But the sturdy tree also begins to fall as the roots start to bend, forcing Taylian to jump through the trees like earlier before. He looks down at the forest slowly being destroyed.

“Is this one of those situations they always talked about in school?”

With this slight distraction, Taylian doesn’t see an incoming tree falling straight towards his path. But due to his experience in the forest and his agility gained through it, he manages to dodge and barely jump above the tree, forcing him to fall back to the ground… the danger zone. 

Suddenly, he realizes the situation. 

“Aunt Lexi! Uncle Geron! Iris!”

Taylian sprints towards his family home and escapes the forest. He looks towards the farmhouse, and sees that the left side has collapsed. His eyes widened in fear.

“Oh no….no no no,”

He races to check around his family home, and realizes he can’t enter from the front. He rushes to the back of the house and enters through there, desperately searching around for his family. After seeing the keys and ID cards gone from the front of the house, he then realizes that they must have already left. He breathes a sigh of relief. 

[“There is a region through the main square through which the bunkers can be accessed. I’m sure that’s where they went. I have to find my way there.”]

Taylian dashes through the back of the house once more, and heads directly for the main square. He then hears crying near one of the farmhouses he passes by. He turns and sees a little boy, balling his eyes out.

[“Wait… this house is…Erin? Why is he still here? Where is Mrs. Margaret?”] 

As Taylian approaches, he sees that the house is destroyed. Much worse off than his house was. He then sees a foot sticking out beneath the debris, and the head of a dog without its body. He immediately realizes what happened.

The earth continues to shake even more violently than before. The farmhouse is still collapsing, causing the pillar which the little boy was under to now fall towards him. Taylian uses his quick reflexes to grab the boy before the pillar of the house falls on top of him. He runs from the farmhouse as everything there is breaking apart.

[“Why did this have to happen?...Erin…The only child of Mrs. Margaret is now an orphan…..just like me…]

“...I’m so sorry…”

Taylian wipes the tears from his eyes so that he can see the ground carefully. Erin continues to cry as he looks behind and sees his destroyed family home. 

*RRYYYOOEEEERRR*

Taylian looks around towards the mountain in shock. Fear and terror completely overwhelm him. The young boy Erin also freezes in fear, as tears seem no longer capable of flowing from his eyes. 

[“The second bunker is supposed to be near the mountain, right? But…what I just heard…that can’t be human, can it?…every muscle in my body… feels paralyzed!….”]

The rumblings continue to grow. 

[“If we stay here…..we just might die….”]

The young boy Erin is still frozen in fear. The rumblings continue to grow and grow.

[“It’s official. If we stay here…..we will die….”]

Taylian lifts the crying little boy onto his back. He races back to the forest he had just come from.

[“Sorry, but I’m not quite ready to die yet…..Although moving through the trees with him on my back will be difficult, this is the fastest route to the main square… meaning this is the fastest way to the bunker!”]

The rumbling grows and grows.

[“I can’t risk taking too long to get to safety…..I don’t know what is happening. I can’t predict what is coming…. The only thing I can do right now…. is save myself and this boy.”]

Taylian flies through the branches of the trees. He manages to evade several falling trees that head his way, all while carrying the boy on his back.

[“The pain from earlier is gone. All I can feel is adrenaline….or is it fear?....is there a difference?!”]

The rumbling only continues to grow.

 

Geron searches frantically through the market square looking for Taylian. The situation surrounding him is bleak, but he pushes forward regardless. 

[“Taylian…you’re a smart kid…you would know to come to the bunker past the town square…..I just have to find you before it’s too late…”]

Suddenly, a massive steel pipe from a tall building falls towards Geron and two others near him. Although initially distracted, Geron notices the impending situation and pushes the other two out of the way. In that same instant, he manages to roll out of the way, and survives the fall. 

“You two okay?”

“Yeah!

“Thank you sir!” 

“No problem. But get to the bunker immediately! There’s usually a shortcut through the main hotel and the marketplace, so you should be able to get there quickly.”

“Thank you! Let’s go, Tho-”

Before the man is able to finish his sentence, his eyes are immediately filled with doom as he turns and sees the main hotel beginning to fall towards all of them. In its path were at least hundreds of people, either crawling out from the rubble, trying to help those trapped in the rubble, or already trying to escape towards the bunker. As the majority looked up, and saw the red sky suddenly turn black as night atop of them… they realized their lives were about to be short-lived. 

Geron, looking up towards the massive hotel falling towards them all, can only manage one word. 

“...Damn…”

The people trying to rescue those trapped in the rubble abandon their comrades, as they flee for their lives. The people trapped in the rubble try desperately to escape their situation. The people headed towards the bunker now turn and run for their lives as well. Even with them all fleeing, they all realize there is no escape.

Suddenly, the building begins to coat itself in gold. 

“RONIN!”

“As the building had been on a crash course direction for the past few seconds, its course was suddenly halted. 

“Help him out, Butch!”

Suddenly, a man seemingly flies towards the building, and uses his strength to tilt the now frozen building towards a different direction. 

“Maggie! Is the check finished?!”

“Yes, your highness! Set it 35 degrees to the left! The path is cleared!”

Immediately, the hotel building begins to move towards that exact direction, as the people all look in amazement and see Princess Zara underneath the building, with a tall and lanky man accompanying her. The man’s arms are stretched out wide, as the building slowly moves to the exact degree that the woman from earlier had called out. Geron is struck in awe.

“You promise to save me, your highness?” The lanky man says as he laughs.

“Oh, stop joking around, Ronin.”

The man then lowers his arms, causing the building to slowly fall towards the ground. As the building comes towards Princess Zara and Ronin, Zara holds the base of the building and pushes it towards the exact location she had marked for placement.

“My my, you sure have gotten strong, princess,”

“Of course I have! You only notice now?!”

Ronin laughs, as Princess Zara slaps his shoulder in frustration.

“I know that was supposed to be a ‘play’ slap…but that actually hurts, you know,”

“It was supposed to.”

Geron starts to think to himself: [“That building must have been held in its place by some sort of magnetic pull after the gold coating. The princess’ chief guard is known to have a magnetic pull/push onyx ability…glad I got to see it first hand…”]

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The other two that were accompanying Ronin and Zara begin to help rescue the people trapped in the debris. Suddenly, a man wearing the same attire as Ronin and the other two steps out and emits a strong burp to the left side of the destroyed town area

“This way! The path is now more clear on the left side of the square!”

“I can’t thank you enough, ma’am!”

“It’s no problem, now please excuse me,”

“You are really strong, sir!”

“Ah, stop, you’re gonna make me blush!”

Zara smiles as she looks around and sees her guard squad in action.

“Thank you, Ronin. For indulging my wishes.”

“I don’t know what you mean, princess. You are my superior. Not the other way around.”

“Hmph! Just take the compliment!”

“Alright, alright,” Ronin laughs

LOUD SIRENS BLARE.

All civilians, evacuate and get to the emergency bunkers at once. All civilians, evacuate and get to the emergency bunkers at once

The voice from the siren becomes muffled due to some of the speakers beginning to fall from the light poles as the ground shakes again. Geron, who had been distracted, pulls himself to his feet, distraught at his inability to find Taylian.

 

After 10 more minutes of a failed attempt to find Taylian, Geron gives up his search and heads to the bunker, hoping that Taylian would be there with Iris and Lexi. As he arrives at the main center that leads to the underground bunkers, he catches sight of Lexi and Iris. The center is crowded with Texdan’s remaining locals. Total panic ensued as individuals pushed and pulled past one another

“Lexi!......Lexi!.......Damn it”

Geron attempts to shove past a young group of boys, trying to make his way towards his family - but his attempts prove futile. Each time he takes a step forward, the crowd seemingly pushes him back.

Lexi stands at the center, still carrying Iris in her arms. She can’t seem to find the strength to push herself forward through the crowd into the underground pathway to the bunkers. Not while her nephew was still out there….not while her husband was yet to return…

“Mommy look…..it's daddy!”

The breath that Lexi had been holding in for what seemed like eternity suddenly expells itself. She swings to the direction Iris is pointing to and sees Geron. Immediately, she begins to look for Taylian beside him. Geron then notices that Lexi and Iris are looking towards him and waves his hands frantically to get their attention. Suddenly, Lexi starts to push through the crowd. The strength that seemed amiss before had now manifested through the slight glimmer of hope that her family was safe. She pushes through the crowd, and after some time, manages to reach Geron.

Geron, completely perplexed, thinks to himself:

[“Even I couldn’t get through the crowd…..and yet when it comes to Taylian…she just can’t help herself.”]

“Where…..” *breathe*   “Where”   *gasp*   “WHERE IS HE?!”

Geron shrinks back. He carefully curates his words as he realizes any wrong move on his part would cause his already frantic wife to spiral out of control*

“He is not anywhere in the center square, I looked through the streets of Texdan, and obviously he isn’t in the farmhouse since we just left-”

“WHY WOULD YOU LOOK THROUGH THE STREETS OF TEXDAN WHEN WE ALREADY KNOW WHERE HE IS? He ALWAYS runs towards the forests!!! What if he is still there?! Oh my….” 

Lexi’s breathing becomes more erratic with each sentence she manages to utter 

“What if…what if whatever is out there already got to him?”

“You are drawing conclusions. We can’t think like that.”

Lexi hands Iris over to Geron

“Damn it!….I should just have looked for him myself!”

Lexi suddenly bolts through the crowd, once again finding the strength to push through as she had done once before. Nothing else mattered at this time. The chaos around her was incomparable to the turmoil she felt in her heart. The one jewel that her sister had left in her care….was out there….in danger…..Lexi couldn’t help but feel like a failure…

“Wait!.....damn it….why must things always be difficult!”

Geron attempts to pursue his wife. The crowd is heading towards the bunkers in the center square, so Geron finds it easier to push his way out of the crowd heading back to where he had initially come from.

As Geron breaks through from the crowd and catches hold of Lexi, the ground suddenly shakes again. The loud roar that had been heard in previous intervals was now much stronger. Much more deafening. It felt so powerful and commanding…. like it carried its own gravitational force. Geron’s knees felt weak. Iris covers her ears and begins to whimper.

“Lexi, it's getting worse! If we don’t escape now, it's over!”

“Not without TAYLIAN!”

*RRRRYYYYYYOOOOOOEEEERRR*

Suddenly, all movement stops. In a flash, bodies start to drop to the ground as the gravitational force of the atmosphere abruptly increases. Geron tries to secure Iris in his arms as he drops to the ground as well. Lexi falls right beside him.

“WHAT IS THIS??!!” 

“AHHHH!!!”

The Texdan locals lay pinned down by the center square. Unable to move. Unable to act. They laid there…immobilized by fear…for what was to come forth from the dead of night.

Meanwhile, in the Coventry of Floritian, soft footsteps permeate the main hall. 

Ophiel: “What is it now?”

Temaine: “Chaos! What else would you expect in our wooorrrlldddd,”

Temaine dances around in a ditsy manner.

Temaine and Ophiel are headed towards the meeting hall for the faeries. Two Flare Aids accompany each of them.

Ophiel: “At least try to act concerned,”

Temaine laughs. “After centuries of dealing with this stuff…You still act so serious, Ophiieell,”

Temiane lunges in and pinches Ophiel’s cheeks. Ophiel slaps Temaine’s hand away.

“Knock it off. After centuries of dealing with this, you still act way too carefree.”

Temaine pouts “Hmmmmm,”

Ophiel opens up the doors to the meeting room.

Diana frowns. “Glad the two of you finally made it…”

Ophiel: “What is the problem? Why is there a frenzy within the Militia?”

Niko: “Texdan is in absolute chaos, I’m afraid.”

Ophiel places a hand below her chin. Temaine whistles.

Ophiel: [“The primals are powerful…but to be able to invade so discreetly…this seems…different from their usual…”]

Niko: “We received news thirty minutes ago that there is a massive earthquake currently in effect. Total casualties are at least 40% of the entire population of Texdan so far.”

Temaine: “30 minutes ago?” she laughs “That's more than enough time for the primals to cause some major damage, don’t ya think?” 

Temaine pulls out a chair and plops down on it. She places her feet on the table.

Ophiel: “It depends on what their objective is. If the attack was discreet, it must mean there aren’t a lot of them. What information do we have on the attackers? Considering the reports mentioned earthquakes, it's obvious which group of primals is responsible…”

Asenna curls her lips in revulsion “….relentless beasts…” 

Niko: “But the leader of the Wall Guard reported that the attack wasn't from the mountainside. Perhaps they really are just earthquakes after all. I mean, it’s not as if they said anything about primals. They also said they could handle it-” 

Diana: “If they say they can handle it, then let them.”

Diana begins to walk out of the room.

“I have no particular feelings towards the matter.” 

Asenna laughs “She really doesn’t give a damn, does she?”

Rabia tilts her head in confusion. Ophiel notices Rabia’s thinking. 

Ophiel: “Rabia? What do you think?”

Rabia suddenly looks up. Her expression is blank, like usual. 

Ophiel: “You…disagree?”

Rabia looked around the room at the four faces looking back at her. With so many battles and invasions over the centuries, it had become difficult to know where to draw the line as faeries. After all….this fight belonged to the humans.

Rabia: “...something seems off… about the guard’s message…”

Ophiel: “Hmmm...alright…so what do you propose we do?”

Rabia suddenly reveals her wings of pure light. “...I’ll check it out…”

As she says those words, she immediately bursts towards the window and flies towards Texdan.

Ophiel: “...alright then.”

The faeries stand up and exit the meeting hall with their personal flare aids. Ophiel remains in place, looking to the window that Rabia just flew from.

“….I’ve got a bad feeling about this…”

As the locals of Texdan lay pinned to the ground, the earth shook once more, causing an area near the square to sink deep into the ground. Geron, Lexi and all individuals surrounding said area are forced to watch in horror… as a small group of Minotaurs emerge from the ground. The Minotaurs laugh in a blood curdling manner, surely a promise of the pain to come…and the pleasure they would derive from it.

They step out towards the crowd. No more than five Minotaurs total…all seemingly unaffected by the gravitational force that affected the humans.

The biggest of the group clears his throat, and steps up. 

“My name is Jidiku. You see, my friends and I came here in search of something…”

Jidiku begins to walk on top of the humans, stepping on them and crushing their bones one by one. 

Lexi shivers in fright.

[“He must be their leader. There is no doubt in his countenance. Only cold hearted resolve.”]

“We are searching for the one with the Almighty Aura….so as long as the rest of you cooperate…then you won’t all have to die….well….not yet, at least”

Jidiku approaches a frightened man, who was left completely frozen in fear, shaking uncontrollably. Jidiku smiles, reveling in the man’s angst.

“You. The one with crickets in his pants. Do you have any idea what I might be talking about?”

“I swe-swe-swear on my li-li-life…I have no idea!”

Jiduku sighs.

“Can’t say I’m surprised…however, that was not the answer I was looking for-”

Jidiku suddenly swings his hand, and splits the man's head in two equal halves. Brain matter and blood spills out, and the lower body finally stops shaking. 

Screams fill the town square, as people are stunned by the manner by which the man was killed. But even in their fear, they cannot manage to move as the pressure continues to pin them down.

“What’s the problem? He swore on his life didn’t he? Sheesh.” 

Jidiku wipes his blood-stained hands on the shirt of one of the humans on the ground.

“All I simply did was cash in on the oath….now….let me repeat myself. We are looking for the one with the almighty aura. So…who possesses it?”

He looks at the woman beside the man he had just killed.

“Hmm…maybe you might kn-”

Suddenly, a figure breaks out from the destroyed forest area that leads towards the main square, interrupting Jidiku as he was about to interrogate the young woman. Jidiku looks to his right, and sees a young teenage boy holding a child in his right arm, sweaty and clearly tired from the situation he was just in. This boy was clearly weak… but was still standing in the midst of the gravitational pressure just like them...

That boy is Taylian.

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