Aero awoke to the sound of wind pushing sand against his face.
Like someone is touching him with affection and telling him to wake up.
His clothing was patched so many times the original fabric had disappeared. The air tasted bitter because of the constant explosion.
He sat up.
Little Lina was curled beside him on a peace of cloth on the ground, hugging a worn-out stuffed fox toy—
A relic from a world that no longer existed.
Aero brushed her hair gently.
"Morning, little star."
Lina mumbled in her sleep. "Mmm… morning, big brother…"
Aero smiled weakly. He tried to appear strong for her. But strength came hard in the ruins.
He stood and looked out the cracked window.
The settlement stretched out—makeshift shelters built from scavenged alien metal, tents stitched together, columns of smoke rising from cooking fires. Hundreds lived here, clinging to hope like drowning sailors to driftwood.
Aero whispered to himself:
If war makes all people lose …
Then why do we keep fighting?"
It was a question no one could answer.
Lina stirred and rubbed eyes. "Brother… did you hear it?"
"Hear what?"
"People yelling last night… saying something came through the sky again."
Aero froze.
Rumors travel fast in the Frontier Zones. And they were almost always bad.
He knelt beside her. "Probably just a storm. Nothing will hurt you. Not while I'm here."
"But… people were scared." Lina hugged her fox tighter.
Aero swallowed.
Adults were always scared now.
Voices outside rose—shouts, hurried footsteps, metal clanging.
Aero stepped out of their small shelter and found the settlement buzzing like a kicked beehive.
People gathered around the central plaza, faces pale, eyes sharp with fear.
"Another Void flare—detected at 300 meter away from this place."
"Are we under attack?"
"No… but something entered our atmosphere."
"Human or alien?"
"We… we don't know."
Aero felt Lina clutch his shirt behind him.
For a moment, the boy wished he were older—stronger. Seven was too small an age to protect someone. Yet he tried anyway.
He stepped forward, his legs are shaking from fear and starvation he had not eaten any thing for three days. and his sister is also in terrible situation both of there cloths are torned. and there stomach is making noises because of hunger .
but for his sister sake he cleng his tiny fist lifting his chin.
And asked one of the nearby soldiers."What's happening?
The soldier armor have many dents which have come from a dozen battles, looked down at Aero. and said "Nothing had happen .
you don't need to worry about this , kid'o."
"I have to worry," Aero said quietly. "I have a sister."
The soldier hesitated.
Then sighed.
"There was a fireball over the Dead Belt last night. Some scouts think it was a ship—maybe alien… maybe ours. But we're sending a search team."
Aero's stomach knotted.
Lina trembled behind him.
The soldier knelt to look the boy in the eyes. "Whatever it was, we'll handle it. Humanity isn't as weak as it used to be."
Aero wasn't sure if he believed him.
The settlement alarm suddenly blared—loud, sharp, urgent.
People ran. Soldiers armed themselves.
Sirens spread terror in the air.
Lina grabbed Aero's hand. "Brother—!"
Aero squeezed her hand. "Stay with me! Don't let go!"
Voices shouted:
"Unidentified object approaching!"
"It's coming from the Dead Belt!"
"Positions! Everyone get to cover!"
The ground trembled.
Aero pulled Lina behind a broken wall of an rundown house .
As dust fell from the half destroyed wall. His heartbeat hammered in his small chest.
A shadow passed from his side—fast, metallic, smoking.
It slammed into the outskirts of the settlement with a thunderous crash, sending debris flying and lighting up the sky with fire.
Aero shielded his sister with his body,
And then he peek over the rubble.
Something lay in the crater or hole that had formed in the ground by the force.
Something metallic.
Something glowing.
Something alive.
Soldiers surrounded the crater cautiously, guns raised.
Aero crept closer, keeping Lina hidden behind him.
Inside the smoking pit was a *pod*—sleek, alien, humming with faint blue light. Its surface was engraved with symbols both haunting and beautiful.
The pod hissed.
Everyone stepped back.
Aero's breath caught.
The pod opened.
Inside was a figure—unconscious, armored in technology far beyond humanity's designs. The armor cracked, flickering.
Aero whispered, "Is… is that an alien?"
"No," the soldier beside him muttered, face pale. "That… looks human."
The figure stirred.
And then… spoke.
"Where… am I…?"
His voice was weak but unmistakably human.
Aero felt something electric crawl up his spine.
Lina whispered, "Brother… he fell from the sky…"
Aero didn't answer.
Because he realized something impossible.
The armor—the design—the symbols—
They matched the descriptions of the *survivor* from ten years ago.
But that man had died.
So who is he?
The last thing the stranger said before collapsing again make Aero fritined to his spine:
"They're coming… the civilizations beyond the Gate… and this time… you cannot win alone…"
Silence fell.
The settlement stared.
Aero held Lina close.
For the first time in his life, the boy felt something strange—something terrifying and thrilling at once.