The year is 2034. The world lies in ruins. Amidst the crumbling concrete of a fallen city, a red-haired girl named Nayla and her younger brother, Kevin, who has jet-black hair, are sprinting for their lives. Behind them, two soldiers clad in advanced tactical gear and wielding high-tech firearms are in hot pursuit.
Soldier 1: "Stop right there! Give up now!"
The siblings don't look back. Just as the soldiers gain ground, a monstrous Vorga—a terrifying beast of this new era—emerges from the debris, intercepting the two gunmen. Seizing the distraction, Nayla and Kevin duck into a narrow, dark alleyway.
Nayla: "Look, there's a white cabinet! We can hide together inside."
As they reach the cabinet, Nayla pushes Kevin inside first. But before she can enter, a Vorga strikes. The force of the blow sends Nayla crashing against the cold stone wall. Her locket snaps from her neck, falling right in front of the cabinet doors.
Trapped in the darkness, Kevin can see nothing. He can only hear the muffled sounds of violence outside.
Nayla: "Don't come out, Kevin! Stay hidden, no matter what!"
Just as the monster prepares to strike again, the two soldiers reappear and gun down the Vorga. They ignore the beast's corpse and move toward the injured girl, grabbing her by the arms.
Soldier 2: "Finally, we've got her. Impressive, Nayla... protecting your precious little Kevin until the end. The higher-ups will be thrilled with this new specimen. We're definitely getting that promotion."
Soldier 1 pulls out a syringe and plunges it into Nayla's neck. She loses consciousness instantly. They drag her away into the gray fog. Once the silence returns, Kevin crawls out of the cabinet, trembling.
Kevin: "Nayla? Nayla, where are you?"
He wanders through the rubble until his foot brushes against something metallic. He picks up the locket. Opening it, he sees a photograph of the two of them in happier times. Tears stream down his face.
Suddenly, black shadows seep from the ground, coalescing into a feminine silhouette.
???: "Hello, little one. You look so terribly sad. What's wrong?"
Kevin looks up at the shadow through tear-filled eyes. "Who are you?"
???: "You may call me Hana."
Kevin sobs harder, his voice breaking. "Please... save my sister."
Hana offers a thin, mysterious smile. "Hmm... I cannot do that. But you can."
Kevin: "I can't... I'm too weak. I can't save anyone."
Hana leans in, her voice a tempting whisper. "Of course you can. Tell me, do you want power?"
Desperation overrides fear. Kevin looks at her as if she is his last hope. "Yes. I want it."
Hana: "My, aren't we aggressive? Very well. Here is your gift."
She conjures a small, swirling orb of black shadow and presses it into Kevin's chest. He screams in agony as the darkness fuses with his soul. Hana simply laughs, watching the transformation with delight.
Hana: "It looks like you're enjoying it. Don't worry... I'll be watching over you."
As she embraces the screaming boy, the scene shifts.
Eleven Years Later: 2045
Nayla is strapped into a high-tech chair, her limbs locked in metal restraints and a heavy neural helmet covering her head. On the other side of a glass partition, a group of professors watch coldly. A button is pressed, and Nayla's screams echo through the sterile lab.
Meanwhile, in a ruined, hollowed-out house, a grown-up Kevin bolts awake on a tattered mattress. He is drenched in sweat, gasping as if he had just fallen from a great height.
Kevin: "Why is that memory haunting me again? She's okay... I have to believe she's okay."
He gets up, washes his face, and tidies his hair in a cracked mirror. He checks his gear.
Kevin: "Alright. Let's survive another day. Maybe there's some good loot out there."
His stomach growls loudly.
Kevin: "Right. And food. Definitely food."
The City of Valyria
Kevin heads out, a sharp sword slung at his hip. In the distance, he spots five soldiers engaged in a fierce battle with a Vorga. While they are distracted, Kevin sneaks up behind the rearguard, grabs one soldier, and drags him into the shadows, pressing a blade to his throat.
Kevin: "Sorry, 'friend.' But that armor looks brand new. Not a single scratch. Mind if I take it?"
Soldier 1: "No way! I won't survive a minute out here without this!"
Kevin sighs, his expression hardening. "Fine. I'll take it by force then. Though it might cost you your life."
Soldier 1: "Wait, wait! Fine! Take it!"
A few minutes later, Kevin is walking away with a sack full of high-grade armor, leaving the shivering soldier behind. He heads toward the gates of Valyria.
Kevin: "This will fetch a lot of credits. I wonder what I should eat tonight?"
Reaching the massive city walls, he pulls a mask from his pocket. Using a grappling hook, he scales the fortifications with ease and slips into the city undetected. He enters a back door of a shady bar and descends a hidden staircase to the Black Market.
Shopkeeper: "Welcome back. What have you brought me today, masked man?"
Kevin: "The usual. Fresh armor."
He dumps the gear onto the counter. The shopkeeper whistles in Nagoya. "High quality. Not a scratch. You're becoming quite the professional thief, aren't you?"
The shopkeeper hands over a heavy bag of coins. Kevin takes his pay and heads to a bakery, buying a fresh loaf of bread. As he eats, he witnesses two soldiers harassing an elderly woman, whose groceries are scattered on the ground.
Soldier 1: "Look, grandma, just give us the money and we won't have to hurt you."
Soldier 2: "Maybe you're just too old to be breathing our air."
Kevin steps in, helping the woman up and gathering her belongings.
Kevin: "Are you hurt, ma'am?"
Old Woman: "Thank you, son... but you shouldn't have. It's dangerous to help people like me."
The soldiers turn on him.
Soldier 1: "Hey! You're ruining our fun. Why the mask? Is your face too ugly to show?"
Soldier 2: "Ooh, a hero! I'm shaking! Haha!"
One soldier pulls a pistol and fires point-blank. Kevin tilts his head, the bullet whistling past. In one fluid motion, he disarms the soldier and kicks him squarely in the gut. The second soldier aims his gun at the old woman.
Soldier 2: "I told you not to play hero!"
Before he can pull the trigger, Kevin's sword flashes. The gun is sliced in half, and the soldier falls back with a deep wound.
Kevin: "You're just loud-mouthed grunts."
The crowd begins to cheer. The old woman offers Kevin a small bill as a reward.
Kevin: "What's this for?"
Old Woman: "A token of my thanks for saving my life."
Kevin pushes her hand back gently. "Keep it. You need it more than I do... even if I am tempted by the cash."
Suddenly, a blur of motion strikes. Kevin is caught off guard as a figure lunges at him, clawing his face and knocking his mask off. Kevin retreats, keeping a safe distance. Standing before him is a girl with feline ears and a tail—a chimera. Behind her stands a man named Arman.
Arman: "Hello, Kevin. Your reflexes are getting rusty. Meet my latest achievement: Mac107."
Kevin: "Spare me the intro. I know the drill. She's the success after 106 failures, right?"
Arman: "Mac107, terminate him."
Mac107: "Acknowledged, Master."
Kevin winces, thinking to himself: Disgusting. They're using children as weapons again.
The cat-girl moves with blinding speed. Kevin can barely parry her strikes. The battle spills into the street, endangering civilians who haven't fled yet.
Kevin: "Stop! You're going to hit someone!"
Mac107 (Monotone): "I must defeat you to earn praise. Nothing else matters."
Kevin: "You're fast, kid. You're great. There, you've been praised. Now stop."
Mac107: "I do not accept praise from the enemy."
The attacks grow more frantic. Kevin looks around desperately and spots a pet shop. An idea forms. He kicks a cloud of dust into Mac107's eyes and dives into the store.
Arman: "After him, you fool! He's in the pet shop!"
Mac107 clears her eyes and enters the quiet shop, her ears twitching. Suddenly, a dozen clockwork mouse toys scurry across the floor. Distracted by her instincts, she freezes. Kevin leaps from under a counter and tosses a handful of premium cat treats into her open mouth.
Mac107 stops. Her eyes widen. The flavor is overwhelming.
Kevin: "I guess the 'cat' part of you is pretty dominant, huh?"
He places a pair of toy cat whiskers on her face. "Cute. If I had a phone, I'd take a picture."
Mac107 snaps back into combat mode, but she's flustered. Kevin grabs a bag of the treats.
Kevin: "I've found your weakness. I'll keep these for our next meeting."
He drops some coins on the counter for the store owner and vanishes out the back. Mac107 stands there, her face bright red with embarrassment.
Mac107: "How humiliating... but... these treats are actually delicious."
Arman walks in, looking disgusted. "What are you doing? You let him go because of snacks?"
Mac107: "I apologize, Master."
Arman pulls out a remote. "You need to be reminded of your purpose."
He presses a button. A high-voltage shock ripples through Mac107's collar. She falls to the floor, convulsing in pain.
Back at his hideout, Kevin collapses onto his mat, exhausted. He looks at the bag of cat treats he swiped.
Kevin: "I wonder if they're actually good?"
He pops one into his mouth and chews thoughtfully.
Kevin: "Not bad. Not bad at all."
To be continued...