As on every other day, people in the villages and cities went about their normal lives, unaware of the looming disaster. Life continued its steady rhythm—until an earth-shaking pounding shattered the calm, filling the ground with catastrophe. And, as always, it came without warning.
Chaos erupted instantly. Everyone scrambled desperately, searching for shelter. But the *skimals* showed no mercy, relentlessly smashing whatever buildings had survived the previous attack.
This was no ordinary swarm. The number of skimals descending from the sky was staggering—easily reaching a thousand—showered upon them from the ship that streaked across the horizon.
The spaceship continued its relentless trajectory toward Visgard, dropping wave after wave of skimals as it passed.
This reckless assault threw up an insurmountable barrier in front of the soldiers racing toward Visgard. They ran for their lives, desperate to reach the city and engage the enemy, yet none could match the speed of one man.
Jade, with unparalleled swiftness, kept his pace, weaving nimbly to dodge skimals plummeting like rain.
*If only I can take down that last Grogg,* Jade thought grimly. *Then all of this would end.*
As the ship neared Visgard, it began to descend. Suddenly, a massive, green-skinned behemoth leapt out, the last Grogg, leaving the ship to crash violently behind him.
Landing with the weight of a meteor, the Grogg surveyed his surroundings. Suddenly, from the west, a scorching rock slammed heavily into his face.
"Eat that," Jade said through gritted teeth, landing a crushing blow.
The Grogg staggered, then smirked. "Hm, we meet again, Guardian. Just as always."
Jade replied with sarcastic defiance, "I don't know when to quit, but maybe you should."
The Grogg retaliated with a flurry of heavy punches. Jade dodged each blow with ease, but staying on the quaking ground proved much more difficult.
Meanwhile, the soldiers fared well against the remaining skimals, firing MK-19 ammunition to deadly effect. But as their skimal kills piled up and their ammo supplies dwindled, fresh clouds of skimals were seen raining down at different locations, and the vicious war dragged on.
Using this harrowing strategy, soldiers at every village fought tooth and nail, buying time for villagers to make their way safely to the tomb—their sanctuary.
At the army training ground, Racle, Vedry, Selina, and Pjay hurriedly gathered weapons. Inside the arsenal, they grabbed four MK-19s.
The guns were complicated and unwieldy for them, however, and it became clear they needed a simpler plan.
"I think we should switch to the sniper," Vedry suggested.
"How do we even use that?" Pjay asked, uncertain.
"It’s like other guns but equipped with a camera. To get the best shot, we need a vantage point—preferably a one- or two-story building," Vedry explained.
"The village is in chaos. How do we find a two-story building?" Racle questioned.
"The castle," Selina answered resolutely. "That’s the best spot. Soldiers are protecting civilians heading to the tomb, and we can support them from above."
The four quickly agreed and armed themselves with a sniper rifle.
As the relentless rain of skimals continued, the war seemed endless. Ammunition ran perilously low.
Jade fought fiercely alongside the handful of soldiers remaining at Visgard, still battling the Grogg.
Despite multiple MK-19 rounds striking the massive being, the Grogg refused to fall.
Dusk approached, and many soldiers had depleted their ammo.
Suddenly, flames flickered as teleporters opened and closed intermittently across the battlefield.
Mrs. Lillian appeared, supplying much-needed ammunition to the weary troops. The battle reignited with fiery ferocity, even as casualties mounted and hunger gnawed at the survivors.
Night fell, yet the fight persisted. This time, fewer skimals descended, and fewer soldiers remained. The reason was clear: the last Grogg was weakening.
Still, the remaining soldiers—less than a hundred—held fast, fighting desperately alongside Jade, who had burned through nearly all his strength. Every instinct told him his end was near.
Two days passed.
The skimals had gained the upper hand, overwhelming the soldiers. Jade and the others lay lifeless in Visgard—defeated.
The Grogg, battered and bruised, staggered toward other villages, his massive form a grim shadow of destruction.
At Takeki, Selina, Racle, Vedry, and Pjay served as the soldiers’ last backup, taking shifts through the night.
Near the tomb’s entrance, Rhen and a handful of soldiers stood guard.
Selina’s voice broke the heavy silence. "What are we supposed to do now? These monsters... they won’t stop."
Mrs. Lillian appeared suddenly, stepping out from above the castle.
"Your turn," she said quietly.
"Mrs. Lillian!" Selina exclaimed, startled. "What do you mean, it’s my turn?"
"All the soldiers on the battlefield are dead," Mrs. Lillian explained. "The fate of mankind is in your hands."
Selina’s breath caught. "You’re saying... my dad’s dead?!"
Mrs. Lillian nodded solemnly. "Unfortunately. But we cannot give up now. The last Grogg is at the edge of the cliff—he just needs a final push."
A fiery teleporter shimmered open. "Follow me. You need to channel all that anger into ending this battle and saving humanity."
Vedry, Pjay, and Racle watched silently as tears rolled down Selina’s cheeks and she stepped into the teleporter.
The skimals continued to fall, one at a time. Mark, recently restored to health by Mrs. Lillian, crafted ammunition tirelessly for the remaining soldiers, while Dr. Bryan tended the wounded.
---
Mrs. Lillian and Selina emerged from the teleporter onto a rooftop in Razeki village. Before them stood the last Grogg, poised to slam a soldier into the ground.
Selina’s eyes glowed fiercely, radiant with rage. Her aura flamed brilliantly, visible even in the fading light.
She clenched her hand, wreathed it in extraordinary fire, and leapt from the rooftop.
With every ounce of strength, she unleashed the most powerful blow she could muster.
"Aaaaahhhh!"
The impact sent him crashing from building to building—until finally, he lay still.
The skimals ceased their onslaught, though those on Earth stirred but no longer acted violently.
The brutal war, lasting only a few days, had reduced humanity to its knees. Rebuilding from this devastation would take years—perhaps even decades.
---
People in hiding began to emerge cautiously, surveying the fractured world and discussing plans for recovery.
Their first priority was to evacuate all remaining skimals back to their own world. Selina, as the only guardian left on Earth, took on this solemn duty—teleporting the skimals away one by one.
Racle was crowned king in accordance with tradition. He commissioned a statue in honor of his father, Jade, while Mr. Billy took it upon himself to guide Racle through the duties awaiting the new ruler.
There was still no word of Saz or his family—not a whisper of their whereabouts.
It took twelve long years of tireless effort, mutual aid, and unwavering hope for humanity to rebuild Visgard, the villages, and the world itself—until finally, mankind stood tall once more.
......
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