"This is Charlie. Hostiles have taken the Eastern Quadrant."
"Med-evac 20 seconds out, start bussing the civis."
"Hostiles have broken through MAT line. Bravo is moving back to rear-guard."
"This is Echo, we're being over-run in the Western Quadrant, we ne-"
"Echo, this is Alpha. Gather the rest of your troops and evac to Foxtrot Sierra."
"This is Bravo, it's been an honor serving."
"Bravo Squad full KIA, all units return to Foxtrot Sierra. Mana be with you."
The voices that rang so loud, yet so distant belted on the radio on the soldiers shoulder. How many rounds had been expended from the rifle she held? How many of her brothers and sisters have fallen to this horrifc enemy? Was there any point in holding on any longer?
These questions rang over and over in her head as she shoved the empty mag out of her rifle to collapse into the blood-made mud. It had been so long since she's slept, only her adrenaline keeping her focused now. Wounded all over, barely able to see from her right eye, it was all she could do to lean against the earth barricade to shoot down the monsters in her sights.
Yet, as more and more dropped, others kept taking their place like death meant so little. Some would even evaporate their own allies for being to wounded or dead. These, these THINGS just kept pushing like nothing else but destruction and madness mattered to them. Unfeeling, unflinching, ever pushing like the mindless slaves they were as they wore the faces of her friends, family and loved ones.
Some of those twisted monsters would take the faces of children to try and sway her heart, gunned down like the others that rushed towards her. She couldn't move from her spot, knowing those behind her would meet this same fate should she fall. Yet, fate would not aid this poor soldier.
She saw it coming. An MA round coming right for the barrier she had made it a hurry, launching her back into the destroyed tank she rode in on. If it wasn't for the magic barrier, the shrapnel would have torn her to shreds. A groan left her throat as her feet hit the mud below, looking down to see a corrugated iron bar had slipped through her defenses and pierced her chest.
This was it. Her final stand. As a last ditch effort, she called upon all the Mana she could muster into her core and collapsed it as much as she could. She looked to the sky with a confident grin, hoping to take as many as she could to give those behind her a fighting chance. That was, until that ray of light appeared above, racing towards her faster than she could ever hope to react.
Then, just when it hits, she's awake.
That same nightmare again. Over the years, she'd gotten so used to this dream, not even screaming or crying as she woke up anymore. That eternal reminder had broken her down so much that she barely felt anything towards it. Though, at this point, it might as well be a reminder of who she once was.
"How long has it been?" She asked herself in a whispy voice.
As she sat up from the hard rock she laid on, the metal that cloaked her body softly rustled against itself before settling into place. Looking down at her hand, she habitually glanced at the exquisite markings that made up the armor she wore.
The sleek, unknown black metal that caged her allowed her no pain, temperature, or even the need to eat. Pseudo immortal, as that monster described her. Alive, yet anything but living.
With a soft sigh, she stood up and looked around at the same sight that had haunted her for so long.
Deep, cold, and beautiful space. The stars that surrounded her on all sides twinkled at her mockingly, while the occasional rock that she flew past would wink sadistically at her sad state.
"Welp, since I'm awake." She huffed as she looked down at the rock she was standing on.
When she was first ejected into space, this asteroid rammed into her and sent her flying off into the depths of the unknown. She didn't know if it was her Mana, or this cursed armor she wore that had allowed her to live for so long, but that mattered so little these days. After countless years, she'd managed to harvest all but this little slab she slept on into useful items. Luckily, she had enough time to create an appropriately sized Void Corridor to carry all of it. If not for her affinity towards Gravity Magic, she doubted she could even take everything with her.
"Alright old friend. It's been a fun couple hundred years, but I think it's time we went our separate ways." She cooed towards the slab, kneeling down and placing a her black metal hand against the smoothed out surface. "Don't worry, I'll see if I can find, we'll, something to make you into. For now, I'll just have to keep you locked away."
Being so lonely for so long, she'd ended up talking to this rock that carried her like an old friend. With little to do, it wasn't hard to imagine the things she'd said to this rock. Not wanting her secrets to get out, she summoned a Corridor and let the rock slip into the grey mist before her.
As soon as the rock disappeared, she summoned her Mana to help her drift as she pleased. This technique was almost unheard of in her world, but luckily flying with only Mana was something she could practice all she liked with the time she had.
"Right, where to then?" She asked as she looked around, eyeing the several planets of the system she had found herself in. After so many years, she'd seen many star systems like her own. She never had the heart to visit any of them, but she figured she was far enough now.
She spent several hours eyeing up each of the planets of this new system. Most if which were giants, while a few smaller ones rolled around at awkward angles to avoid them. Seeing which way they rotated, she flipped herself over and rolled her neck a few times.
"I suppose the best idea would be that blue and green one. Hell, I might even find something similar to people." She spoke to herself, staring at the planet that looked similar to hers.
Similar, yes. However, it was vastly larger than hers. Oceans that seemed almost even with the land that looked lively with what could only be forests and jungles. She could tell there we some deserts and snowy areas as well, which made it harder to pin where she wanted to land.
"Well, been a while since I've seen a beach anyway." She sighed softly with a light chuckle.
Slowing herself down, she pushed her Mana into her back and calves like a Mana Suit would to guide herself towards the planet. Though she could move faster, she wanted to gaze upon the other 12 planets that made up this system.
With the orange ball of fire similar to her own welding these 13 giant balls of hope, it rotated eerily while giving off its rays of light and death. If it weren't for her armor, once more, she would have been torn to shreds by the heat waves that came from it as she slipped by.
She eyed the giant red and blue planets closets to the sun, which made her weary. Such a beautiful ruby complimented by an enchanting sapphire that rotated together on the same line. While red chased blue, a yellowish gas giant rotated much further out with another yellowish planet not to far away hiding behind it. The planet she aimed for seemed to sit on the 8th belt, a perfect distance from this ever hungry giant behind her.
Ah, what a lovely sight it was, too. It looked so promising to her. Like if she were to settle down, the very world would welcome her arrival and treat her like family. Oh how she'd missed the air as she flew around, the scents of the world. Even if she cannot eat, she might hunt down an animal to smell that lightly burnt meat in the air once more. Perhaps those people eyeing her from a distance would have something good to trade for it.
Yes, they seemed friendly enough. No weapons, no armor, just cloth robes and a hint of bloodlust to help welcome her into this new system.
"Wait, people?" She finally asked herself as she stopped in place to look at the group that stalled themselves in the distance. They all stood on some strange device that seemed to be their means of transport. Using Mana Vision, she could see a few looked very similar to the Humans she once knew, while the others seemed to wear fur, scales and other unknowns on their flesh.
"Welp, this could be good. Maybe they have directions." She told herself with a smirk filled chuckle.
Immediately, she reached into the Void Corridor for her rifle and a fresh magazine. As soon as she pulled them out, she steadied her Mana and charged the rounds for non-lethal combat.
"Pray for peace, prepare for war." She told herself in a whisper. After steeling her resolve, she flew towards the group at a slow pace, hoping not to set them off.