The sky stretched wide and unblemished, bathed in golden sunlight. The sun hung high, spilling its warmth across the sprawling city. The street below brimmed with life—the sharp screech of streetcar brakes, the chatter of hurried conversations weaving into a steady urban rhythm. Business professionals in sharp suits navigated through students with books clutched to their chests. It was a day that carried the promise of possibility, the kind of day a metropolis claimed as its own.
And then came the shriek.
It wasn't human—splitting the air like metal tearing. The ground shook as the first of them invaded, moving with terrifying speed and brutal strength. These monstrous beings had a sickly green glow pulsing from their foreheads like a grotesque heartbeat.
One plowed through, overturning cars as though they were toys with a single swing of its massive limb. Another creature slammed into the side of a high-rise, the impact ripping the facade open, glass and concrete cascading onto the street below, sending dust and debris everywhere. Flames burst from ruptured lines, black smoke curling into the sky as sirens wailed. People ran, scream and fell.
The order of the city had be unduly compromised!
Over the chaos, a harsh, crackling voice blared from the street speakers:
"Attention citizens—this is an emergency! Evacuate immediately! Proceed to the nearest safe zone. Repeat: evacuate immediately!"
This message repeated endlessly, nearly swallowed by the roar of crumbling buildings and the shrieks of the otherworldly creatures. For some, it was already too late.
On the rooftop of a building, a lone man stood with the wind tugging at his black coat. From his vantage, he gazed down at the destruction without flinching, eyes keen and calculating. A small comm-device glowed faintly at his jaw, his voice transmitting to operatives already deployed across the city.
"Target in sight. Banebranded—northwest quadrant. Unit 2, engage immediately."
"Copy, Captain Lloyd," came a crisp, feminine voice.
"Unit 3, hold the eastern barricade. Prevent civilian breach."
"Copy!"
"Unit 1, with me—we cut down anything glowing green!"
"Copy!"
The team dispersed with disciplined accuracy, keen to eradicate these monsters.
A girl with copper-auburn hair and bright green eyes launched herself into the sky. She wore a cropped leather jacket over a vest, fitted jeans, and boots that complimented her confident strides. She led Unit 2 into action under Lloyd's command.
An orb of swirling crystal embedded with an ancient paper inscription hummed in her palm, drawn from her spatial sac.
"Come on, you twisted freaks!"
A banebranded mutant launched at her, roaring as it spilled lava-veined flames.
"Fire-type, huh?" she muttered with a grin.
She ignited her orb, the inscription inside flaring with blue-red light. She subsequently hurled a lightning bolt, the arc screaming through the air like a vengeful spirit, colliding with the flames midstream before striking the creature square in the chest as it faded into nothingness.
"Rest in peace, infernal."
Before the sparks settled, an agile mutant leaped from a nearby roof, its insect-like limbs slashing at her with blinding speed. She twisted low, her body a blur as she spun out of reach. The orb shifted, unleashing a gale that burst from its surface, blasting the creature backward into the building with a bone-shaking crash.
But she wasn't given a moment to breath. Three more surged forward, their marks pulsing as they encircled her.
"Heh, 3v1, huh?" Her smirk widened.
She spun into a furious twirl, mimicking a spinning drill as the orb spawned at her foot. She unleashed a fury storm—-a tempest of crimson lightning that crackled across the street.
"Three-fold High Voltage Storm Kick!!"
Her combo kicks struck like thunderclaps, each blow splitting the air with raw, electric fury. The three mutants were instantly fried in a burst of electric fury, fading into nothingness. Thinking she was done, she let her guard down, only for a tone to boom over her comm-device.
"Mira, left!"
Mira, having incredible reflexes quickly assaulted with a barrage of lightning strikes. The mutant who she'd previously hurled into the building earlier had returned to revenge, only to be met with her onslaught.
"I owe you one," she said with a smile.
"How about a coffee date?!" The voice called back.
"In your dreams," Mira shot back
Nearby, a boy with silver hair, piercing grey eyes could be seen casually running into a mutant. A black jacket hung open over his white polo, paired with khaki pants and sleek sneakers giving him a deceptively casual look. He face carried an indignant frown as he whined.
"Hmph! Whatever, you still owe me one," he muttered, almost to himself.
He held an obsidian dagger, its edge veined with faint twilight-purple light. He slid past the charging mutant with unnatural speed, leaving streaks of amber in his wake. The mutant didn't even get to make a single move before dissolving into oblivion.
This is so unfair. Lucas Valen grumbled inwardly. Mira won't even consider a date. Guess I'll just vent my frustration on these things.
His complaint was cut short as a lanky mutant wielding an axe descended at incredible speed, aiming to cleave him in two. He nimbly hopped out of the way, the pavement shattering from the impact, sending chunks of concrete skidding across the street.
Lucas judged the creature with a casual stare, then suddenly grew thoughtful
This one's wielding an axe. It's my first time seeing this. Anyway, it's just my second hunt with guild 4. I'll probably run into weirder stuff down the line. The first two raids have been a light work. Didn't even have to make use of my time talisman. Quite underwhel….
The mutant charged at him amidst his thoughts, swinging its axe again. This time, he didn't dodge. His dagger flashed in a swift arc. Time seemed to falter as the axe slowed mid-arc, the creature's movement sluggish.
A faint glow bloomed on his cheek. For a brief moment, an hourglass tattoo shimmered into view. With effortless precision, he slid past the mutant. His blade flashed once.
The frozen mutant was cleaved in two. Time snapped back to normal, and its body disintegrated into dust.
The hourglass tattoo faded from Lucas' skin, leaving no trace.
He exhaled softly. Guess I lied. That was worth one tick.
The device in his ear crackled, Mira's voice breaking through. "Are you done, dagger boy?"
Lucas tilted his head as if clueless. "Uh…I guess."
His comm cackled for a moment again, then Mira's chuckle came through. "You're unbelievable. I've cleared half a block and you're still daydreaming."
Lucas glanced at the dagger. He slid it back into its sheath with a practiced flick. "Yo, ease up on the teasing. There aren't much of them on this block, duh. Besides, daydreaming is more fun than babysitting these freaks."
The battle had raged for half an hour. The deployed units pressed forward, evacuating civilians while suppressing the Banebranded.
"Unit 2: Northwest quandrant's clear," Mira reported briskly to Captain Lloyd.
Lloyd's reply came after a pause. "Good work. Fall back to the rendezvous point. Guild 4 will regroup there."
The line cut off, replaced by static and the faint echo of the city's emergency broadcast.
Mira stretched her arms overhead, letting her shoulders crack. "Okay. That's my cardio for the week."
Lucas arrived, standing beside her with a smug smile on his face. "The exorcism was pretty easy going and fluid."
Mira replied confidently while brushing soot off her jacket. "That's what you get with Mira's leadership."
"Fairs. But you fried three blocks' worth of power line with that storm kick," Lucas pointed out.
"It's called style, rookie. You'll soon get there."
"I know, right? As long as I keep training with you, I'll smash through ceilings! I'll catch up to you someday, just you wait." Lucas grinned, raising a clenched fist, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Mira sighed dramatically. "So petty. Anyways, I'll hold you to that, dagger boy."
She's so good at getting back at me. Isn't that interesting? Lucas thought.
"Alright. Unit 4," Mira said, her tone instantly shifting to crisp authority. "We move to the rendezvous point at once."