Aurora battlefront: Era of Salvation

A fortified compound loomed in the heart of the forest, its thick concrete walls stretching high, defiant. At its center, a towering antenna bristled with communication arrays and surveillance gear, the structure radiating strategic importance. Watchtowers pierced the treetops, and barriers stretched far into the wilderness, ensuring nothing could come or go unnoticed.

Two guards stood by the entrance, rifles slung lazily at their sides. "This is so boring," the younger of the two groaned, shifting from foot to foot. His voice was barely a whisper above the wind. "Guard duty sucks."

"Shut up," the older guard snapped, his eyes scanning the treeline. "Cameras are everywhere. You don't want to get caught complaining." "What's the big deal? Nobody's dumb enough to attack this place," the younger guard scoffed, kicking a loose rock. "Nothing happens out here."

"You're an idiot," the older guard spat. "This tower keeps the rift monsters out. Without it, we'd be dead in minutes." The young guard rolled his eyes, dismissing the warning. "Yeah, yeah, whatever..."

A twig snapped in the distance.

Both men stiffened, eyes narrowing as a hooded figure emerged from the shadows. Silent. Slow. Purposeful. "Hey! You're in a restricted area!" The older guard took a step forward, gripping his rifle. "This is your last warning. Turn back now!"

The figure didn’t stop.

A sudden crash echoed from behind. One of the watchtowers crumbled to the ground, sending a shockwave through the compound. Alarms blared, filling the air with a wailing screech.

"Crap, we’ve got a breac—!" The guard's words were cut short as blood sprayed from his throat, his body hitting the ground with a sickening *thud*. The younger guard barely had time to react before he, too, collapsed in a pool of red.

The hooded figure stepped over the bodies, slipping through the now-open gate. Inside the compound, guards rushed through a long, narrow hallway. Guns raised. Nervous glances exchanged.

"Stop right there!" a voice barked. Hundreds of soldiers stood in formation, weapons trained on the intruder. The hooded figure paused, surveying the sea of guns. "So quick to die." His voice was calm, almost cold and from his back, four serpentine iron chains slithered into the air, each tipped with sharp blades that glinted in the harsh lighting.

"FIRE!" A commander yelled. A storm of bullets tore through the air, ricocheting off the iron chains that coiled around the figure, forming a barrier.

*Click click*—the telltale sound of empty magazines.

The soldiers scrambled to reload, hands shaking. "Enough games." The chains morphed, shifting into thousands of needle-like spikes. "Now, die." With a flick of his wrist, the needles shot forward. Screams of pain echoed through the hall as the projectiles pierced flesh and armor alike. Bodies fell, twitching, as the figure walked on, his steps muffled by the dying breaths of his victims.

A sudden *crash* shattered the silence.

Dust filled the air as something massive landed before him—a 12-meter-tall mech, its eyes glowing red like embers in the darkness. Its hulking form casts a long shadow across the floor.

[Target identified.]

The robotic voice was cold, emotionless. The mech's fists clenched, servos whirring. The hooded figure stopped, his eyes flicking upward to meet the machine’s gaze. "Well, well, what do we have here?" His voice dripped with sarcasm.

From behind, another figure appeared taller, broader, muscles straining against his armor. "Finally, some fun!" he shouted, cracking his knuckles with a grin. "BRING IT ON!" The muscular man charged forward, meeting the mech’s colossal fist with his own. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the hall, blowing debris and bodies backward.

The mech stumbled but quickly regained its footing, its servos whirring angrily as it charged again. "That's more like it!" The man dodged, his movements impossibly fast for his size. He ducked beneath a massive swing and landed a powerful kick, shattering the mech’s leg joint. The machine teetered, sparks flying from the damaged limb.

In one fluid motion, the man leaped into the air, his fist plunging through the mech’s chest, tearing out circuits and metal with a sickening *crunch*.

*Thud*—the mech collapsed, its red eyes flickering before going dark.

"Not bad for a warm-up." The man cracked his neck, wiping oil from his hands. "But it sounds like we’ve got more company." Footsteps and the steady *clank clank* of machinery echoed down the hall.

***

In the control room, chaos reigned. Monitors displayed a massacre—guards slaughtered, towers crumbled. Panic spread like wildfire as officers barked orders, their voices drowned out by the alarms.

"Send a distress signal! Activate the defenses! Get everyone to the front lines, NOW!" The commander’s voice cut through the chaos, his face pale but determined. Men with trembling hands flipped switches, as the compound's automated defenses sputtered to life, cutting down a few incoming creatures.

Suddenly, a loud *clank* echoed through the room. The metallic door behind them shuddered under an immense force. "Barricade the door!" the commander shouted. Men scrambled, throwing desks, chairs—anything they could find—against the entrance.

The banging stopped. Silence fell.

"Did... did it leave?" one of the soldiers asked, his voice barely audible. A foul smell drifted into the room. "Wait... what’s that smell?" another soldier muttered, sniffing the air. Suddenly, one of them doubled over, coughing violently before blood spurted from his mouth.

"Poison gas!" someone screamed. "Cover your mouths!" Panic erupted again as men fumbled for makeshift masks.

*CRASH*—the metal door exploded inward, shards flying through the air, monitors shattering. Fear seized the room.

Footsteps echoed through the hall, slow, deliberate, each one louder than the last. The commander drew his sword, his eyes narrowing. He knew death was coming—but he would meet it head-on.

[End of chapter]