That afternoon, the rice field was still crowded. The crash site remained sealed off with police lines stretching across the area, while a few local officers stood guard, trying to keep people back. It didn't work. Curiosity was stronger than fear. People gathered along the edges of the field, whispering, pointing, and recording.
"That's metal, I'm telling you!" someone shouted.
"No way that's a meteor… that's a spaceship!"
A group of young men held up their phones, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Guys, I'm livestreaming right now! This is real—an alien ship, right here in our village!"
Excitement, fear, and disbelief mixed together in the air. But in the middle of the chaos, Van Thien stood silently. His eyes were locked onto the burned wreckage as fragments of memories lingered in his mind: a sky full of stars, a massive fleet, a planet exploding, and a distant voice calling his name.
He frowned slightly.
"…What's wrong with me?" He shook his head, trying to push the visions away.
"Thiên!"
He turned. His father stood behind him, glancing at the wreckage with a sigh.
"You've been here long enough. Let the authorities handle it. Come home."
Van Thien nodded quietly.
"Yes, Dad. I understand."
Before leaving, he looked back one more time. That strange feeling returned—like the wreckage wasn't just metal, but something waiting specifically for him.
Far Above Earth
In the cold silence of space, a massive black warship drifted in orbit. Inside the command chamber, red lights pulsed as a holographic interface flickered to life. An artificial voice echoed through the darkness.
"Signal confirmed. Command-level energy detected. Identity match… complete."
A line of text appeared: Fleet Captain — Confirmed.
A man with glowing red eyes stood before the viewing window, looking down at Earth. He smiled, cold and interested.
"…So it really is you."
He raised his hand slightly, and a massive figure stepped out from the shadows behind him, covered in black metallic armor with eyes burning red.
"Your command," the figure growled.
The man simply pointed down at the blue planet.
"Go. Confirm the target."
The creature bowed its head.
"As you wish."
The hangar doors opened, and a dark object shot downward, falling toward Earth like a spear of shadow
The Encounter
Van Thien rode his bicycle home. The dirt road stretched ahead, quiet and familiar, with rice fields on both sides. The evening breeze was gentle and peaceful—until the wind stopped completely.
Van Thien slowed, his body stiffening. "…Something's wrong."
He looked up. A black dot was falling from the sky. Fast. Too fast. His eyes widened. "…Again?!"
BOOM!!
An explosion tore through the fields just ahead. The ground shook violently, blasting dirt and debris into the air. A column of heavy smoke rose into the sky. Van Thien froze, his heart pounding uncontrollably as his legs refused to move.
From within the smoke, something emerged. Each heavy step cracked the earth. A massive figure in black armor with burning red eyes locked onto him.
"Target identified. Initiating purge sequence."
Van Thien's breath caught. "…What the hell is that…?"
The creature raised its hand, forming a sphere of red energy before vanishing. It reappeared instantly in front of him. A punch descended, the air exploding under the force.
BOOM!!
The ground shattered, and dust engulfed everything. But as the smoke cleared, the creature paused. Its fist had been stopped.
Van Thien stood there, blocking the blow barehanded. His own eyes widened in shock. "…What… am I doing?"
His body moved on its own, guided by an ancient instinct. His muscles tightened like steel, and a faint blue light began to glow around him. The necklace on his chest trembled, then shone brilliantly. For a split second, his eyes flashed a deep, celestial blue
BOOM!!
A shockwave exploded outward, sending the creature flying across the field. It tore through the earth before stopping and lifting its head, red eyes narrowing.
"…Impossible."
Van Thien stood in the middle of the fractured field, blue energy swirling faintly around him as his pendant floated in the air. He looked down at his shaking hands.
"…What did I just do?"
The creature rose again, its voice deepening with a violent surge of red energy. "Interesting… Then I suppose I'll take this seriously."
It lunged forward, shattering the earth with each step. But at that exact moment, the crashed ship in the distance reacted. A beam of blue light shot into the sky, and an ancient voice echoed across the field:
"Command authority… confirmed."
The sky trembled. Van Thien stood at the center of the storm, caught between a force from the stars and a terror from the abyss. This time, there was no running.