"Supreme Commander, we've just received a report — a rogue Dalki ship has entered Earth's atmosphere!" a female officer exclaimed.
"What do you mean, a rogue Dalki?" Oscar shouted, clearly annoyed.
"Sir, here's the data." She handed him a sleek, reinforced glass panel — bordered with metallic frames — its surface flickering to life with a holographic projection of Earth's atmospheric strata, laced with real-time tracking telemetry. A pulsing red signature showed the unauthorized entry point.
"I don't understand... I didn't anticipate the Dalki would strike so soon. After just five years since the peace treaty — what does this all mean?"
"General Dawn, contact the nearest military base immediately. Tell them to deploy reinforcements without delay. Also—prepare diplomatic protocols. I want a direct line open to the Dalki Council, now."
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At the second military base, a meeting was underway. The air was tense — every face in the room painted with disbelief. At the center stood Head General Paul, his presence commanding the attention of all.
He raised his voice with steel-edged authority,
"We have just received news that a stray Dalki has arrived on Earth. We've been given orders to handle the situation. The Dalki ship crash-landed in the first-year recruitment zone. Our sergeants are currently engaging the incoming Dalki, but it's not enough."
"Sergeant Hailey will be deployed to Earth to heal and evacuate the students. I need one more sergeant to accompany this Special Task Unit."
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Quin could see everything unfold right before his eyes.The seven-foot Dalki loomed in the distance, locked in combat with the sergeants — clashing blow for blow.
"Hah! Is this all your pitiful abilities can muster?""It's barely a tickle!"
The monstrous Dalki taunted as the sergeants unleashed everything they had — abilities flaring, sweat and blood mixing on scorched earth. One of them raised a reinforced earth wall right in front of the Dalki, hoping to slow it down — but it didn't even flinch.It barreled through the obstruction like paper.
"Sergeant Brown, keep it busy! I'm activating my Soul Weapon!"Sergeant Griff shouted above the chaos.
Quin snapped out of his trance as he heard the agonized groans of students nearby.
"Damn it... I have to help them."
He wasn't in great shape himself. As someone born without an ability, his healing factor was no better than that of a regular human. Still, gritting through the pain, he stumbled toward the overturned bus.
He scanned the wreckage — a few abandoned buses, and a small maintenance shed in the distance.
"Others might've made it to shelter... but this crash ruined everything."
The abrupt Dalki landing had caused a violent shockwave — a burst of force and debris that toppled the transport vehicle and threw the area into chaos. Soon after, the stronger ability users had arrived to engage the Dalki head-on.
Quin climbed into the upturned bus from the side.
"Hey! Can you hear me? Take my hand!"
He shouted to a dazed girl, slumped between two seats. Her limbs were scratched and her gaze vacant.He reached out, grabbing her arm and gently pulling her up. She groaned, slowly shaking off the disorientation.
Quin then moved through the narrow aisles, sliding from side to side due to the bus's tilted angle, waking up the injured and helping them escape one by one.
At the far end of the bus, he spotted another student just regaining consciousness. Disheveled blond hair , eyes groggy — and his arm was pinned under a metal panel, trapped by the fallen frame.
The sight made Quin's heart jolt. He rushed over and gently patted the boy's shoulder.
"Hey! Wake up, hey!" Quin yelled.
Startled, the blonde opened his eyes wide. He looked down at his crushed hand — but didn't scream.
who are you? the student asked in a gentle tone absurdly contrasting to the situation.
what? me? I am Quin. I am here to help you get out from this? can you move your arm?
The student looked at his arm and then back to quin, and suddenly his demeaner changed.
"Damn... What the hell," the boy muttered, his breathing rapid.
"You're not in pain?" Quin asked, confused.
"Of course I am! Shit, it hurts like hell," he replied, teeth clenched.
what the hell happened here?
"A Dalki ship crash-landed," Quin explained quickly noticing the sudden shift in the tone of the voice. ."Our sergeants are holding it back, but we need to move — now!"
Quin turned toward the exit and shouted to the other students outside, some of whom were tending to the wounded.
"Guys! I need help here! His arm's stuck — we need to lift the bus, now!"