《System of Legendary Heroes》


 - Sierra Station

    "Hey.


    When we''re older, let''s go there.


    Together.


    There''s so much out there.


    Let''s see them together.


    Promise?"


    A single promise, made hundreds of times over, from the same spot on the old rooftop, by the same girl to the same boy. A promise that formed the bedrock of his childhood.


    ''Kaya, I guess I''ll be breaking that promise,'' thought an auburn haired man. With trembling hands, the late teen clasped his rifle tightly, as the station he was in trembled from the force of the Bloody Dawn''s barrage.


    "Repeat: This is not a drill. Sierra Minor has fallen. Prepare for assault by the enemy."


    ''I saw them from closer, though. They were so, so beautiful''


    He was wrenched to his feet by a large pair of hands. In front of him, he saw the face of his regimental commander, shouting words that he could not hear.


    The station shook once again, this time more ferociously than the others.


    The commander said something once more, before racing around the nearest corner of the long hallway.


    "Gus. Gus. GUS!"


    A soldier, whose face was hidden by the display of the tactical helmets, rammed a helmet into Gus''s body.


    "They''re boarding us with Shenia. Get a move on."


    Shenia. The short, thin, tailed creatures of the Bloody Dawn, used exclusively as scouts and fodder.


    ''Kaya, I''m sorry.''


    He rounded the corner and saw the battle unfolding. Immediately, his helmet''s Tactical display lit up with many symbols, each informing him of an aspect of the unfurling conflict.


    Shenia poured out of the breach in the wall at the end of the hall in endless numbers.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "A conquest shuttle?!"


    "How many of them are there?!"


    "This is the end!"


    Numerous cries rang out amongst the ranks of the defenders as the overwhelming swarm of Shenia advanced. Their quick assault bore quick success, as they drove the defenders back through the brutal pain of their short-ranged, kinetic spitter rifles.


    Calls to retreat rang out from the front of the line.


    "They have kinetics. Our shields are worthless!"


    "Get those fugging turrets online!"


    Communication data streamed into Gus''s TacDis confirmed that his section of the station wasn''t isolated in the assault. Despite the large number of Bloody Dawn on board, the incessant barrage of fire incoming from the ships outside the station continued to rain down, showing no signs of stopping.


    Gus took a deep breath before raising his weapon and adding the shots of his M1-LL rifle to the chaos. Thankfully, each successful hit from the standard issue weapon resulted in a dead Shenia.


    ''We''re lucky the Bru''uka aren''t here too...''


    Just as he finished the thought, large creatures, armed with the Brute hybrid, a weapon hastily named by Terra''s scientists after they found it doubled as a shotgun and blunt melee weapon, entered the breach and joined the assault.


    Their dark, furred skin caused them to blend into the darkness caused by the destruction, appearing only thanks to the fires that erupted and the flashes of gunfire.


    In the front of the small pack, a larger, four-armed creature led its comrades forward with a ferocious savagery.


    Gus chuckled nervously, knowing the fate of the station was all but sealed with their appearance.


    ''Why did I have to think that.''


    "Bru''uka... and a Bru''uka Primia..."


    "WE NEED THOSE GUNS!!"


    Klaxons rang through the halls of the dying station.


    "Shields failing! Shields failing!"


    The shocks from the barrage became more and more volatile, now connecting with the station with more of their energy still intact.


    Explosions erupted through the ship, adding even more chaos to the already hectic situation.


    The fire of the humans continued, even as the enemy advanced. Shots lashed down the hall at their enemies, even as their commanders were broken before their eyes by the hands of the monstrous Bru''uka. Once their enemies came too close for their weapons to be effective, they drew their heavy shockblades and engaged the foe in futile melee combat, determined not to forfeit their lives for no good reason.


    With the appearance of the high calibre turrets from the ceiling, their efforts were rejuvenated.


    Holding at the end of the corridor, behind a fortress made of the bodies of their friends, the soldiers began to turn the tide of battle.


    "Let it be known, that the station died before the soldiers did."


    Explosions ripped the ship open, throwing many people in many directions. Countless lives were lost to the cold embrace of space before the backup field could be engaged.


    Gus, who lost his helmet in the force of the explosion, slammed his head into a wall of the ship. As he began losing consciousness, he saw the Bru''uka advance on his helpless comrades.


    "Let it be known, the soldiers of Sierra died deaths that we could only aspire to.


    Their sacrifice gave the Orcas time to advance.


    Their sacrifice saved us."


    Words, spoken to honour the memory of the fallen, ended up leaving only yet another in a long line of wounds on the collective of humanity.

 - Captured

    "As of today, humanity is at war with an extrasolar enemy."


    "They called themselves ''the Covenant of the Bloody Dawn.'' And they certainly brought a bloody dawn to the new day."


    "Combat began on the farthest reaches of human expanse. The brutal orbital bombing of the planets leaving the death toll in the quadrillions. Experts have warned-"


    "Gus," his father began, turning off the repeating news broadcast and putting on a pair of glasses, "come with me. I have some tests to run."


    "Tests? On me?"


    "On all of you kids. It''s safe, something sanctioned by Europea and the United Nations of Terra."


    ***


    "Sir, we''ve got something."


    "Really? What is it?" the man asked, approaching the display monitor.


    "Here," the youngest scientist said, gesturing to one of the readings. "The subject is showing increased brain activity, matching that of the automated controllers."


    "This is it. This is the breakthrough!" the lead scientist said, removing his glasses. "The tests work on the young. We''ve done it!"


    ***


    "So, some are smarter, some faster, some stronger?"


    "Precisely," the scientist confirmed. In the short time between the beginning and now, his face had aged considerably. "And, interestingly, within each group they all share one thing in common. Blood type."


    "So, we can predict the change?"


    "Yes, sir. I believe we can."


    "So, are the changes fixed to type?"


    "All evidence points to it, sir."


    "Thank you, Luis."


    "So he will never perform... all because of that night..."


    ***


    "Worthless. Gus, you worthless child. All others changed to fight, but not you. You worthless runt. Get out of my sight."


    ***


    "Hey. I''m being sent out there tomorrow. Remember our promise? Don''t make me wait for too long, okay?"


    "Once you get strong, you come and find me, okay?"


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    He awoke sharply.


    He was in a small, dirty room. The only notable fixture in the room were the chains hanging from the ceiling. The chains that he just happened to be attached to by the wrists.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    His body was littered by wounds, dealt to him by the creatures of the Bloody Dawn that acted as his jailers.


    "How the hell are you still alive?" an Irish voice asked him.


    "I saw what they did. It''d kill me a thousand times over."


    The voice belonged to a young, dark haired man with a deep scar covering the left of his face from ear to cheek.


    "I... I have to... I have to see them..."


    Gus barely managed to get his words out.


    "Huh? They might not have got you, but they sure got your brain good, eh?"


    "Where... are we?" Gus asked.


    "The flagship of the fleet that got Sierra. Unluckily, the fellas in the Orcas didn''t get it. Ooh, but they sure did a number to the fleet. Sent them running like scared puppies."


    "Didn''t they send us running too, then?"


    "Good point," the man said with a pause. "By the way, I''m Connor."


    "Gus. Where you from?"


    "Dublin. Old Dublin, specifically. Yourself?"


    "Not sure. Never really stopped moving when I was young."


    "Ah. Well, if you ever find out..."


    His voice trailed off as he saw motion outside the cell. He quickly retreated to the shadows on the far side from the door.


    A Bru''uka slammed the door open and immediately walked towards Gus. As though annoyed by something, it began striking the man with its four arms as though he were a punching bag for the creature to release all of its tension on.


    Gus could do nothing but wince as the creature battered his already beaten body.


    The assault lasted an entire minute.


    Somehow, Gus survived the attack.


    Once it was finished, the Bru''uka unhooked Gus from the chains that bound him and let him drop to the floor, before striking him once more, stealing consciousness away from him.


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    "Dad, I can still fight. And I will."


    "I don''t care. My own son, the runt of the litter of my creation. Why you? Why did it have to be you? Why couldn''t I just get what I wanted, what we needed?"


    ''Why am I seeing this memory? Am I dead?'' Gus thought.


    "What about what I wanted? I had no chance at a normal childhood."


    "A normal childhood? What about all those on the frontier? Or all the worlds that died since then? Things had to be done. I had orders to succeed at all costs. And yet my own son..."


    "What more do you want from me?!"


    "I wanted you to be a success. Instead, you''re an embarrassment, both to me and my entire mission.


    I wish you had died and she had lived. She could have at least given me a child that would succeed.


    Go and join the military. I don''t care. I hope you die there."


    This was the day before he had joined the United Terran Marines. The day his father had officially disowned him as a failure.


    Of course, he had stopped being a father a long time before, when Gus failed in his experiments.


    His experiments. Barbaric means to win the war for humans, at any cost.


    Even if humanity was that cost.


    ''Why now?'' Gus asked again.


    His vision suddenly changed.


    It was the night before she left.


    Kaya, the girl he had known since they were both extremely young, was successful in the experiments. As a result, she was highly in demand across the front, much like the other ''evolved'' humans.


    "You know he didn''t mean that, right? He wouldn''t have," she said, attempting to be reassuring.


    "I don''t know. He changed a lot when she died. And I was often the victim of that change."


    She remained silent for a moment.


    "Hey. I''m being sent out there tomorrow. Remember our promise? Don''t make me wait for too long, okay?


    Once you get strong, you come and find me, okay?"


    "I won''t be. I''m a failure. You should know this," Gus said dejectedly.


    "No, you''re not. You don''t need to be a successful experiment to succeed. You have something natural, that they can''t give you.


    A heart."


    "A heart?"


    She nodded. "You care about everyone and everything. You are willing to sacrifice for others. You''re willing to help, to do what you can."


    "How does that make me strong?" Gus asked.


    "Because being mentally unwavering is much more important than being physically strong.


    You don''t need to be one of the evolved. You just need to keep being you. And when you''re ready, come and find me out there."


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Gus began to wake up, back on the floor of the cell. An unfamiliar voice rang in his ears.


    *Conditions have been met.*


    *System of Legendary Heroes unlocked.*

 - The System

    *Condition: Ultimate Sacrifice has been met.*


    ''Ultimate sacrifice? Did I actually die? A pathetic sacrifice, though.''


    *System of Legendary Heroes Unlocked.*


    *Kill enemies and complete system missions to gain points.*


    *Earn special points by completing specific tasks or achieving feats.*


    *Spend points levelling your stats, on items, or unlocking Legend specific skills.*


    ''System?''


    *Current objective: Escape the enemy ship. Reward: 50 Legendary points.*


    *Bonus objective: Lead your allies to safety. Reward: 10 Alexander points.*


    ''Alexander points? What is this?''


    As though responding to his thought, a menu appeared before his eyes.


    ''What?''


    The menu was made up of five options


    *Stats.*


    *Skills.*


    *Points.*


    *Store.*


    *Milestones*


    ''Huh? What''s going on?''


    Upon realising the Bru''uka still towered over him, he forced the thoughts out of his head. Whatever it was, it was right about one thing. He needed to escape.


    As soon as he thought that, the menu disappeared from his view. Quickly glancing, he found that the door was left slightly ajar by the Bru''uka. What''s more, the alien''s Brute hybrid had been conveniently left by the door.


    "Connor!" he yelled. "Fight with me! Help me escape!"


    He quickly rose to his feet and charged the Bru''uka, ramming it into the wall with his shoulder.


    "Connor! Fight!"


    The sound of silence momentarily filled the cell, before the room was filled with footsteps rushing forward.


    Four captured soldiers, led by Connor, charged from the shadows and slammed into the Bru''uka, adding their weight to pin it to the wall.


    Satisfied it wouldn''t move, Gus split off and grabbed the hybrid that rested on the wall. Spinning it round to wield it like a melee weapon, he assaulted the Bru''uka until it stopped resisting the soldiers holding it back.


    *Enemy killed: Bru''uka Primia.*


    *Reward: 10 Legendary points*


    ''What is this...''


    He firmly decided to not think about this strange thing happening to him, and instead focused his attention on escaping their prison.


    "Everyone, with me!"


    Gus led the other soldiers out of the cell and into the hall.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Oh my god..."


    "Is that..."


    "I think I''m gonna be sick."


    The interior of the vessel they were on was like flesh. The walls, unnervingly warm to the touch, moved ever so slightly in a rhythmic pattern. Liquids dripped from various points along the corridor, coating the metal walkways, the only part of the hall that wasn''t organic, with its foul stench.


    "I guess the rumours are true, then."


    Gus looked at Connor in shock, the truth of what he saw finally settling in. The rumour, was that the Bloody Dawn possessed the means to utilise giant creatures in their war efforts.


    "That doesn''t matter right now. We have to get out."


    "Agreed. But how? Do you know where we''re going?"


    "Not really," Gus said with a nervous smile. "It''s just a gut feeling.


    Everyone, come on!"


    Gus cautiously led them through the living corridors of the vessel, taking great care to avoid any of the Bloody Dawn that patrolled the vessel.


    Eventually, they journeyed through the vessel, travelling up narrow staircases and through small hatches for long enough for their surroundings to become entirely mechanical.


    It turns out the vessel was just one of the large creatures that the Bloody Dawn had enslaved to their service, with parts grafted onto its back and through its body. As Matty, a blonde haired engineer hailing from the northern province of Europea who had been captured during the battle of Sierra, had assessed, the things that were done were absolutely barbaric.


    It was in this mechanical section where they found their salvation.


    At the top of the area was the hangar. And, luckily for them, the hangar was deserted.


    They hurriedly entered a ship and departed, thanking whatever allowed them to escape so easily.


    A voice popped into Gus''s head.


    *Mission complete. Reward: 10 Legendary points.*


    *Bonus objective complete. Reward: 10 Alexander points.*


    Now that he felt that he had reached safety, he began thinking about what happened to him.


    "Just what the hell is a system?" he muttered to himself.


    Once again, the menu appeared before his eyes, summoned by his thoughts.


    *Stats*


    *Skills*


    *Points*


    *Store*


    *Milestones*


    "Guess I''d better check out my stats first."


    Responding to his wishes, the menu changed to display the stats and associated scores.


    *Level [1]*


    *Strength [1]*


    *Speed [1]*


    *Stamina [1]*


    *Leadership [1]*


    *Defence & Durability [1]*


    *Ranged [1]*


    *Proficiency [1]*


    "Huh. Guess I start at the minimum. So what can I do with those points?"


    In response, the menu shifted once more.


    *Points can be spent on skills, or on items in the shop.*


    *Legendary Points [20]*


    *??*


    *??*


    *??*


    *Alexander Points [10]*


    *??*


    *??*


    *??*


    "Why is everything blocked out?" He sighed before continuing. "Guess I should check skills next."


    For a third time, the menu shifted.


    The menu was divided into sections, most of which were blocked out like the points.


    Currently, he had access to the ''Basic Skills'' section and the ''Alexander'' section.


    The ''Basic Skills'' was exactly that. Basic. For the cost of 50 Legendary points, he could increase the level of one of his stats by one.


    The ''Alexander'' section was a little different. For the cost of 10 Alexander points, or 100 Legendary points, he could invest into ''The Greatest Commander,'' a skill that grants an increase to his leadership stat.


    Initially, he thought that the skill was pointless, especially with how easily he could level up his skills through the ''Basic Skills.'' His mind was quickly changed as he studied the skill tree for longer.


    "I see. I have to invest in that skill to unlock further skills on this ''Alexander'' tree."


    Deciding to explore more, he attempted to enter the ''Milestones'' section of the menu.


    *Milestones are locked until you have discovered all Legends.*


    "Huh. Guess I''ll just bank my Legendary points for now."


    He spent his 10 Alexander points on ''The Greatest Commander.


    *Level [2]*


    *Strength [1]*


    *Speed [1]*


    *Stamina [1]*


    *Leadership [2]*


    *Defence & Durability [1]*


    *Ranged [1]*


    *Proficiency [1]*


    *UNLOCKED SKILLS*


    *The Greatest Commander [1]*


    "So level is determined by the score of each stat."


    "Hey man, you alright?"


    Frank was a bald medic who was captured during the Sierra battle. Naturally, he concerned himself with the wellbeing of his comrades and, noting Gus''s pale face and intense expression, he became worried.


    "Yeah, I''m fine," Gus replied. "Thanks."


    "Uh, bad news."


    Klaus''s Mid-Europea accented voice rang out through the ship. As the only one with experience as a pilot, he was the only choice to get them out of danger.


    "If you look right, you''ll see a small asteroid. We''re being called in by a Bloody Dawn base. There''s nothing I can do."


    "A base?"


    "Isn''t this the Emerid system? How do they have a base here?"


    Words of confusion echoed through the ship.


    "Gus, you got us out. What do you think?" Connor asked him.


    Gus remained silent, waiting for an answer to come, thanks to the point he just put into his ''Leadership'' stat.


    "We go down, and we fight," he decided after a while.


    ''Why did it feel like the leadership skill didn''t help at all?''

 - Asteroid Base

    The ship landed atop a large cliff overlooking the base. Despite their best efforts, discreetly taken as to not raise suspicion from the base, they had landed near a wandering patrol of Shenia.


    Not only did the Shenia outnumber them, they also held an equipment advantage.


    They wore the light armour granted to the scouts of the Shenia, armour a fair bit lighter than that worn by those in the attack on Sierra. Their weapons were also different, with the scouts wielding the long-ranged ''Ranger'' rifles, weapons ideal for areas like a barren, desolate rock.


    Inside the shuttle, a panic erupted among the group upon seeing the scouts.


    "There''s no way we''ll get out of this!"


    "How can we fight them?"


    "Gus, you got something?" an Irish voice asked.


    "Uhm, possibly?" Gus responded, in a tone also questioning himself.


    "What does the Leadership stat actually do?"


    *The effects of your ''Leadership'' stats depend on which ''Legendary Leader'' you have active.*


    *Your ''Leadership'' stat determines your ability to lead. Declare followers, and allow them to gain stats depending on the level of your ''Leadership'' stat.*


    ''That actually makes a lot of sense.''


    "Wait. Legendary leader? What''s that?"


    *The ''Legendary Leader'' is {Redacted}*


    "Redacted?"


    "I knew they got your mind. What you mumbling about?" Connor asked him.


    "I''ll explain once we''re safe. For now, just trust me. I led you all to the ships, didn''t I?"


    "How many followers can I declare?"


    *The maximum number of followers a base leader can have is five.*


    ''So, five followers. Which means,'' he thought as he looked around the ship, ''that one will be left out.''


    "Connor, can you trust me?" Gus asked him.


    "I believe I can," came the response.


    "Okay. I declare you a follower."


    *A follower has been added*


    "A what?" Connor asked in surprise.


    "Like I said, I''ll explain later."


    One follower declared, four more needed.


    Recognising the need for a medic, Gus next declared Frank a follower. Third, he declared Klaus. Fourth, he declared Matty. The final follower he declared was Sofia, a woman from the Franks region of Europea who was specially trained in long ranged rifle usage.


    *Follower limit reached*


    *Reach ''Leadership'' level 5 to increase maximum follower population.*


    ''Not to worry, I''ll add Krista soon enough, too.''


    With the choice made, Gus summoned his stats page.


    *Strength [1]*


    *Speed [1]*


    *Stamina [1]*


    *Leadership [2]*


    *Defence & Durability [1]*


    *Ranged [1]*


    *Proficiency [1]*


    *Followers [5]*


    *UNLOCKED SKILLS*


    *The Greatest Commander [1]*


    He found there was a new option waiting for him. Upon opening it, he found stats of his newly declared followers along with a note from the system.


    *Followers: People declared by the Leader to be under the Leader''s command.*


    *Note: Stats of the followers are a fraction of the stats of the Leader*This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ''Does that mean I''m ten times stronger than them?''


    Their stats were categorised identically to his, with one difference. His followers had no ''Leadership'' category.


    ''I guess that makes sense.''


    "Okay!" Gus began. "Firstly, do we have any weapons on board?"


    "Just these two standards," Matty responded.


    "That''s more than enough," Gus said with a smile.


    Standards were what humans referred to the Shenia''s main ranged weapon as. They had a standard range, so it was a fitting name.


    "Frank, hang back in case something happens. Klaus, keep to the Pilot''s bay. You should be able to help us from there. Matty, get the door. Connor, Krista, take the Standards. Sofia, wait for me to get you a Ranger."


    With the plan decided, the hastily made team waited with perturbation, as the patrol team of Shenia approached across the barren area at a steady pace.


    Upon reaching the vessel, the Shenia stood to attention outside the ship, as their leader, marked with grey symbols along their orange skin, approached the vessel. Forming a fist, it hammered on the retractable door of the ship.


    "Everyone ready?" Gus quietly asked, looking around the room at his fellow soldiers.


    ''No, they''re my followers now,'' he thought to himself.


    "Now! Matty, drop the door!"


    The door collapsed in an instant, revealing the humans to the Shenia. Without giving them a chance to react, Gus grabbed the Shenia leader and yanked it inside, before striking it with the melee end of the Brute hybrid. As the door immediately sprang back up, the startled Shenia outside began firing on the ship with their kinetic weapons.


    *Enemy killed: Shenia Alpus.*


    *Reward: 3 Legendary points.*


    Thanks to the overwhelming strength advantage humans held over the Shenia, the message quickly popped into Gus''s head.


    As soon as he acknowledged that the creature was dead, he tossed its Ranger to Sofia.


    "Hey, this one''s modified!" she called out with glee as she caught the rifle.


    "How would you know that?" Frank asked her.


    "Hey, sometimes you''ve gotta do what you have to on the battlefield," she responded with a shrug.


    "So, what''s the mod?" Matty asked enthusiastically.


    ''As an engineer, of course he''d be interested in that,'' Gus thought to himself.


    "Matty, get the door," Gus ordered.


    "You can look at the god-damn thing later," Connor added.


    "Right. Sorry."


    "Three close. Six far." Klaus''s voice rang nervously through the ship. He had remained in the Pilot''s bay, due to Gus''s order, so that he could utilise the mirrors and cameras around the ship to provide insight into the battle for his allies in the ship.


    Thanks to this information, the group repositioned themselves to better prepare for the next exchange of fire.


    Gus flipped the weapon he held, allowing it to be used in the short-ranged shotgun form.


    ''This isn''t really a safe thing to use to hit things with, is it?'' he thought, acknowledging the fact that the ammunition was stored at the head of the blunt weapon.


    ''Oh well. The Bru''uka are fine with it.''


    "Door going down... now!" Matty said, before punching the button that controlled the door.


    Gus instantly grabbed the nearest Shenia and pulled it close, ramming the barrel of the Brute into its stomach. He pulled the trigger, exploding the body of the alien and sending its innards flying out, to splatter all over the doorway of the ship. Gus released the body, and let it drop to the floor, taking care to seize the Ranger it carried. Without looking back, he called out to Matty and tossed the weapon back to him.


    *Enemy killed: Shenia Soldier.*


    *Reward: 1 Legendary point*


    The other two Shenia that were holding close to the door also fell, thanks to precise shots from Connor and Krista.


    In the distance, three Shenia dropped instantly from a trio of rapid shots from Sofia.


    "That thing should not shoot that fast," muttered Frank.


    "I know," Sofia said gleefully with a huge smile on her face. "I think I''m in love."


    The darkness of the asteroid flashed to life, with the three remaining opening fire in return.


    The remaining three dropped quickly shortly after, with Connor and Krista both claiming another and Matty claiming one.


    As the sound of gunfire faded from the battle, a new message popped into Gus''s head.


    *Follower report:*


    *Follower kills: [8]*


    *Follower deaths: [0]*


    *Rewards: None.*


    "No rewards for them?"


    *Note: Stats of the followers are a fraction of the stats of the Leader.*


    *Rewards are granted for every [10] kills achieved by followers in a battle.*


    "So it doesn''t stack? Shame."


    "No more Shenia. Good job, everyone." Klaus''s voice rang out from the doorway to the pilot''s bay.


    "What now?" Krista asked, with an accent hailing from one of the Eastern Europea regions.


    "We need to figure out where we are," Connor said.


    "I think it''s the Emerid system," Matty replied. "Which makes no sense, because there shouldn''t be any Bloody Dawn here."


    "The Emerid system?" Klaus asked with a look of horror on his face. "The mining system? That Emerid system?"


    "That would be the one I''m talking about" Matty responded.


    "They can''t be here. They can''t."


    "Klaus, are you okay? Do you have family here or something?" Frank asked in a concerned tone.


    Klaus shook his head. "It''s the Emerid system," he emphasised. "Since we lost the Verish fields to the Bloody Dawn, it''s our main place to get materials from. We lose this, and we might as well lose the war."


    "Well, I guess that''s your answer, Krista," Gus said. "We''re going to go to the base and stop them."


    "What? Have you seen that thing? And you want us to attack it?" Connor asked loudly.


    "Yes. It''s like Klaus said, this place is too valuable to us. We signed up to be soldiers, knowing we would probably die, but still willing to do any duty asked of us."


    "He''s right. You know he is." Sofia spoke in support of Gus. "We were as good as dead back in that cell, but we survived. We can survive this too, so don''t be afraid to do your job."


    "Okay, okay. I trust you. But how are we going to get down there?" Connor asked.


    The base was located in a large valley, hidden out of sight by multiple grey peaks of the asteroid. In fact, it was so well concealed that the only thing that would give away it''s presence was the large tower that stood in the centre. At the top of the tower lay the hangar, found just above the height of the surrounding cliffs so that ships could enter and leave with ease.


    Originating from the very top of the large tower, from an antenna attached to the roof, an artificial field of air could be seen covering the base and the surrounding cliffs. The field did two things, provide a breathable, habitable space for carbon-based life, and provide artificial gravity over all of the land that fell under its domain.


    "Matty, can you figure something out?" Gus asked him, turning the attention of the other''s towards the engineer.


    "Perhaps. I should be able to figure out something. But I''m gonna need a little while to scavenge things from this ship and to take a look outside. Is that alright?"


    "That''s fine," Gus assured him, "but be careful. They have to know we''re here by now. While we wait, let me tell you a little about myself, and why some of you have heard me muttering like a madman," he told the others.

 Origins of the Evolved

    It all started about a year before the war officially began, when Gus was eight.


    "Well, technically it started somewhere in the Brittania Alliance, on the night I was conceived. For me at least. But we can skip that."


    On the frontiers of human existence, reports had been made of sparse contact with an unknown group of life forms. Delegations of the United Human Republic, made of representatives from all 10 nation systems of the Empire, were sent to the planet often referred to as the tip, Myenta (Author: Pronounced like Vienna not hyena) once the reports of contact grew larger and larger.


    It was here they encountered the Covenant of the bloody dawn. They gave humanity an option: submit or die.


    Humanity, ever the stubborn existence, rejected both options. And thus the war began on the planet. Initially an isolated incident, it quickly spread throughout that system and to other systems across the galaxy.


    First, there were the small and weak Shenia, used carelessly to swarm and outnumber the opponent. They flooded the streets of Myenta, overwhelming the initial defence forces that formed and bringing chaos to the cities of the planet. In fact, due to the hubris of the Bloody Dawn''s leaders, only Shenia were used in the opening days of the war. Thanks to this, humanity was able to respond, sending soldiers, supplies and weapons to the planet to fight back their enemies.


    Then, there were the Bru''uka, heavy, brutish creatures, donned in midnight blue fur. They were responsible for shock assaults on key locations. Also, they were often used to man heavy equipment, since they could easily carry the equipment to reposition multiple times over the course of a battle. The Bru''uka were mainly used for one specific role on Myenta; fast, vicious attacks that crippled the leadership on the planet.


    The Vest''in were winged creatures, often deployed with short-to-medium ranged weapons. They descended from the sky countless times during the conflict, swinging the tides of battle into the favour of the Bloody Dawn.


    Finally, the Re''bin closed the war for Myenta, using their massive constructs to drive humanity back and massacre scores of civilians during the Presetia evacuations.


    Humanity needed ways to fight back, and they needed them immediately. The XI-11 Crusader and XI-74 Nomad star fighters, the first creations of the war, helped contest the results of space battles by closing the gap between the mainline ships of the two sides.


    The L1-0N mobile artillery platforms and the Ch-33-TA attack bikes had a similar effect on the battlefields found on planets, their utility turning many lost battles into heroic victories for humanity.


    The B-34-R mech suits, upgraded from the various mining suits and military mechs that already existed, were designed to fulfil a battlefield role matching the Bru''uka.


    But it still wasn''t enough. Humanity needed more.


    They needed to evolve.


    The evolutionary programme was proposed as a joint venture between the Brittania Alliance and Europea, with funding from the Combined Asia Isles and the United States of North and Central America. The idea was quickly approved by the heads of the Republic, who were desperate for a total answer to the issues of humanity.


    "We already know this."


    "Isn''t this common knowledge?"


    Gus chuckled at their reactions. "I''m just giving the full picture, building up to my point. As we know, the man who led the programme was Doctor Andrew Braye. That man is my father."


    "Ohh."


    "So you were..."


    "That makes you..."


    Gus chuckled once again, before continuing his story.


    Research began with an elite team of Terran scientists using volunteers and prisoners condemned to death. Initial results showed promise, but something unknown was missing.


    It was later discovered that this missing part was malleable DNA. More testing concluded that the forced evolutionary changes could only be done on pre-pubescent children, since their DNA was missing certain ''genetic locks'' that prevented the changes in adults.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    The results were exceptionally positive. Subjects evolved tremendously in one feature, such as their strength or their intellect. Interestingly, the type of mutation could be grouped by blood, with people with the same blood type receiving similar mutations.


    "Well, there was one exception. Me.


    I don''t know why, but I was the only blemish on an otherwise perfect record. And that bastard despised me for it. The last words he ever said to me, before I joined the military, before the incident that killed the team, were that I was worthless, a mistake, that kind of thing.


    After the accident, the programme was closed before they could finalise the second generation, and they never learned what prevented the mutation in me. A single failure amongst a myriad of successes.


    But I wasn''t a failure.


    I think I died in that cell, killed by the Primia. It was there my power awoke."


    "You''re an evolved?" Connor asked.


    Gus nodded. "A unique one at that. I have a power called a ''system.'' All I know is that I can use it to increase stats, like my strength and speed. Plus, there was a ''leadership'' thing, that allowed me to declare you as followers. That then increases corresponding stats for those who are declared followers, depending on my ''leadership level.''


    Sorry, Krista. I''ll declare you as soon as I get the capacity," Gus promised.


    "So you''re an evolved..." Frank began.


    "... A unique evolved..." Sofia continued.


    The group looked at each other for a moment, before coming to a joint decision.


    "We... we can take the base," Klaus said.


    "Yeah, yeah we can," Connor agreed.


    Krista pointed a finger at Gus. "You had better tell me as soon as you are able to declare more followers," she said with a soft laugh.


    "I will, don''t worry," Gus said, returning the laughter.


    "So, good news," Matty began, appearing at the door, "and bad news. Good news first, I''ve got a path."


    "Bad news? Let me guess, you cut your finger?" Connor asked sarcastically.


    "Engineers are actually more likely to get severely injured than non-specialised infantry, you know. But no, the base is mobilising for something."


    Klaus quickly stood up. "We need to go. Now!" he sad in a sudden panic.


    "Agreed," Gus said. "Between the Standards and Rangers, we should have enough weapons between us," he said, as he threw the Brute onto his back and picked up a Ranger. "Matty, lead us down."


    "Sure thing."


    As he led them towards the end of the peak they had landed on, he explained the work he had done.


    "Going down here should be fairly safe. I''ve added some of the materials I stripped from the ship to the weaker footholds to try and reinforce them, so we shouldn''t fall. Just be careful."


    At the edge of the peak was a small, steep path upwards, made of many individual platforms of rock.


    The group made it down the path without trouble, each member supporting one another as they descended.


    As Matty had said, he had repurposed the alien materials in the ship, formerly used for seating, harnessing and other purposes, into reinforcement for the rocks. The fruit of his labour was clearly visible, tightly bound to each rock he deemed necessary to support.


    The second descent was a lot trickier.


    Matty had used his limited resources smartly to provide, in combination with the natural shape of the cliff face, a relatively safe route down to the surface. Despite these efforts, they still had to slide down a makeshift rappel with no harness, or leverage the rope to precariously cross gaps between rocks.


    Thanks to these dangers, Gus lost his footing. Quickly, an alert arm snapped out from above him and grabbed the collar of his top.


    "We can''t be losing our evolved now, can we?" Frank noted.


    "That was close," Gus gasped. Breathing hard, he used the rope and Frank''s help to steady himself on another one of the platforms. "Thanks."


    The rest of the group made it down the cliff without incident. At the bottom of the cliff, the floor stood elevated over the base, giving them a small vantage point with which to survey the base. To the side lay a small path, one that was clearly made by something sentient. Towards the front of the platform they stood on, the rock steeply sloped downwards.


    Shenia, emerging in swarms from a variety of buildings throughout the base, raced to two locations in the base. Most went straight to the central tower, following the obvious order to scramble their star fighters. Peculiarly, many went towards the walls, and the large, orbital defence cannons that sat at intervals along it.


    "They''re manning the cannons? But why?" Sofia asked no one in particular.


    "It couldn''t be..." Gus''s eyes widened as he realised what was happening.


    "OH! They didn''t just save Sol, save Terra. They were for all our territories."


    "You''re right!" Klaus said in agreement. "It has to be them, right?"


    "Almost certainly," Gus confirmed. "The Orcas were never about that battle. It was about saving what remained of our territory."


    "The Orcas! Of course! Shouldn''t we help them as much as we can from here?" Sofia asked, moving her rifle to reinforce her suggestion.


    "Not as much as we can," Connor began. "If I was in the Orca, or any of the other ships it''s undoubtedly got with it, I''d just blow this rock up. That''s the best way to keep the system safe."


    "I agree. We have to make sure we can get from here alive," Krista offered.


    "Take positions, and start firing down on them as they scatter to their positions," Gus ordered. "No matter what we do, we need to thin their numbers before we can get into the base."


    Gus lay down at the edge of the elevation and gestured for the others to do the same. He brought the Ranger in front of him and peered into the scope as he prepared himself.


    Once he confirmed the others were ready, he took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger.


    *Legend Mission: Slayer of the Nine Suns.*

 Slayer of the Nine Suns

    *Legend mission: Slayer of the Nine Suns.*


    ''Huh?'' Gus thought, suddenly releasing the trigger before he could fire.


    *Maintain a [90]% or higher shot accuracy throughout the engagement.*


    ''Ninety percent? I guess I could always just land one shot, and let the others kill them. That would net me a huge amount of rewards from the follower kills.''


    *Reward: [50] Hou Yi points. (Must fire at least [10] shots)*


    ''Damn. There goes that plan.''


    On both sides, his ears were filled with the deafening thuds of the Rangers as his companions began raining heavy kinetic fire down onto the swarming creatures below.


    ''Focus, Gus. Don''t miss.'' He repeated the thought in his head as he gently squeezed the trigger.


    The gun screamed as it launched its payload down into the base.


    Gus felt a warm wave of panic wash over his body as the ash of the rock ground by footsteps billowed into the air in place of a dead Shenia.


    He had missed his first shot.


    ''Damn. Alright, no thoughts this time.''


    Gus closed his eyes and took a deep breath, calming his nerves and emptying his mind. For a brief moment, the only proof he had of life was the hard rock beneath his stomach and the screaming rifles that lay on both sides.


    Opening his eyes, he immediately snapped his sights left and fired.


    The high calibre bullet intersected perfectly with the path of one of the Shenia, tearing through its chest and sending it flying backwards.


    *Enemy killed: Shenia Soldier.*


    *Reward: 1 Legendary point.*


    ''YES!''


    A wave of confidence surged through Gus, one that he rode to fire off three more shots in quick succession


    *Enemy killed: Shenia Soldier.*


    *Enemy killed: Shenia Soldier.*


    *Enemy killed: Shenia Soldier.*


    *Reward: 3 Legendary points.*


    As though inspired by his surge of confidence, the people flanking Gus also increased their rate of fire to match and exceed him, each person competing with the next to achieve the greatest accolade.


    The tempo of fire shifted greatly. No longer were the Rangers performing the opening melody, the one that set the tempo for the performance. Now, they were screeching incessantly, their tempo reaching the brutal, aggressive riffs of a heavy metal performance. And as they performed, their audience of victims obliged in forming a mosh pit, one that condemned them to their death. It corralled them and penned them in like sheep, making them easy prey for the lurking wolves above.


    As the violent performance raged from the guns, inside Gus''s mind a far gentler one, more like a lullaby fit for a baby, gently played.


    Each time he landed a shot, each time he caused the last breath of one of the Shenia to be drawn, the lullaby continued.


    As the barrage of fire continued, A large ship, shaped like the creature it was named after, appeared overhead. Immediately, ships were deployed from the sides and swarmed around, engaging the ships that had already departed the hangar in the tower.


    "Is that..."


    "It''s the Orca!"Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    "Hey, that pile of bodies is getting pretty high," Sofia called out.


    "Yeah," Gus agreed. "Everyone! Go now, down the hill!" he yelled as he stood, throwing the ranger onto his back as he did.


    He immediately launched himself down the hill, knees first, yanking the Brute onto his front as he did so. He was closely followed by Connor and Krista, who both drew their Standards in an imitation of Gus, before the others followed him down the hill.


    *Engagement details:*


    *Enemies killed: Shenia Soldier [34]; Shenia Alpus [3].*


    *Total rewards: [43] Legendary points.*


    *Legend Mission: Slayer of the Nine Suns:*


    *Shots fired: [40]*


    *Shots hit: [37]*


    *Accuracy: [92.5%]*


    *Legend Mission: Slayer of the Nine Suns: Successful.*


    *Reward:[50] Hou Yi points.*


    ''Ninety-two percent? Not bad, even if I say so myself.''


    *Follower kills: [58]*


    *Follower deaths: [0]*


    *Follower Rewards: [5] Alexander points.*


    ''Only one point for 10 follower kills? Well, at least it''s not Legendary points.''


    Gus was running before he had finished descending the hill.


    "We''ve got to get up there, quickly!" he yelled, directed to the people running behind him.


    The group sprinted as hard as they could, erratically firing shots at random at the surviving Shenia.


    Thanks to his slightly improved stats, he arrived at the open entrance to the tower a fair distance ahead of his companions.


    The tower was oddly designed, at least by the standards of human architecture.


    At the centre stood a large elevator.


    Four pairs of grey walls, that emitted garnet lights from oddly placed lights, joined to make a corner pointed at the centre, rose the entire height of the tower, forming entry corridors leading to the elevator. Scattered all over the floor in the space between the elevator and the walls, lay supplies abandoned by the Shenia as they received the scramble order.


    "Everyone, on the elevator!" Gus yelled as he turned back to face his companions. "Use the supplies and hold it until everyone''s there."


    He turned back towards the centre as he drew the ranger and crouched against the wall. He shot at the first sign of orange, be it a tail or a torso, determined to let his companions reach the elevator.


    Gradually, he saw them pass him, before inevitably reaching the elevator.


    ''This is working. We''ll get there,'' he thought to himself, a grin of relief spreading onto his face.


    His grin was quickly wiped off as he heard a human howl of pain behind him.


    Snapping his head around, he saw Klaus, leaning on Frank for support heading in his direction, his right leg trailing behind him.


    "Why is it, whenever I think something''s going well, it all goes to shit not a moment later?" Gus muttered in frustration as he began moving towards the two.


    "Where?" Gus snapped, verbalising his annoyance once more.


    "Our right," Frank grunted. "On the rooftops."


    Gus nodded an understanding as he readied his Ranger, taking a position between the buildings and the two men.


    He fired shots off without care for accuracy as he moved with the two, taking care to ensure his body acted as a shield for the wounded Klaus.


    The Shenia snipers disappeared from view, revealing only the barrels of their weapons to fire off similarly inaccurate shots back at the three men.


    Just as they reached the cover of the large walls, a stray shot ripped through Gus''s pelvis and spiralled out into the dust below, drawing a pained and infuriated growl through gnashed teeth in reaction.


    Now safe from the snipers, Gus tucked himself under Klaus''s right shoulder and helped Frank carry him to the elevator.


    "Everything all right here?" Gus gasped out as he reached the rest of his companions.


    "Thanks to these crates," Matty replied, yanking the chain that began the elevator''s ascent to the hangar.


    "Gus, you are shot," Krista noted with concern in her voice.


    "Something tells me he already noticed," Connor remarked.


    Gus nodded in agreement. "It''s nothing. No more than a flesh wound. Trust me," he said reassuringly. "Frank," he began, turning to face the Englishman, "how''s he looking?"


    "It''s not too bad," Frank said. "Once we get him to the infirmary on the Orca, he''ll be perfectly fine."


    "That''s good, then," Gus murmured as he leaned back against one of the stacks of crates.


    The elevator rapidly ascended the tower, far faster than what was safe for what could best be described as a slab of metal hoisted by xenos chains.


    Soon, they were at the top of the tower. Unsurprisingly, it was deserted.


    "Someone find me a bomb," Gus said, as he rapidly moved his eyes around the room. "And be sure to look for something we can contact the orca on."


    "Well," Matty said, running over to a console found against a nearby wall, "I think I''ve got our communication."


    "And I think I''ve got our bomb," Connor added.


    "Does it look like it goes boom?" Gus asked.


    "Oh, it looks like it goes boom," Connor confirmed with a smile.


    "Get it set on the elevator, we''ll blow it before we leave," Gus ordered, returning the smile. "Matty, have them pick us up from the... wait. Which way is which?"


    Gus looked around the room, but no one had an answer for him.


    "Okay... and... done!" Matty declared as he finished punching a variety of buttons on the console. "I''ve sent a coded message, and told them about the wounded. They should send us a Knight transport."


    "Good to hear. Hopefully we can get Klaus up there as soon... as... pos-"


    Suddenly, Gus''s vision went blurry, he lost his balance, and he dropped to the floor.


    The last thing he experienced before losing consciousness was the surprised cries of his companions and the now familiar melody of the system.


    *Special Rewards Unlocked.*


    *Protector of the Vulnerable: [100] Jace Brightstar, Unifier of Terra points.*


    *Loyal Leader: [+5] Leadership stat.*

 - Starscourge of Saturn

    As he opened his eyes, he was greeted to a bright, white light, hidden behind a glass window.


    "Am... am I dead?" he asked groggily.


    A girl began giggling to his side.


    "No, you are not dead," she said to him.


    "Krista? Where are we?"


    "You''re in the infirmary on the Orca," a voice said on the other side of him.


    "Frank? The Orca? Wait... what?"


    "You collapsed while we were in the hangar. Once the transport came, we took you with us and blew up the tower like you mentioned. We brought you straight here with Klaus, but he is fine. He did not collapse like you did," Krista explained.


    "And Krista here, she didn''t leave your side the entire time we''ve been here."


    "The entire time? How long?" Gus asked.


    "About a day, give or take. Terran, of course. And it would have been a hell of a lot longer if the bullet hadn''t passed straight through you," Frank told him.


    "A day..." Gus repeated in disbelief. "... And you''ve been here the entire time, Krista? Why?"


    "I... uhm... it sounds silly, so do not laugh. I was worried about you. You looked very bad when you collapsed."


    "It''s not silly," Gus said with a smile. "Thanks for looking after me while I was out. Both of you."


    "Should I assume you''re ready to leave?" Frank asked.


    "Almost," Gus responded. "I''ve gotta check a couple of things first."


    "System."


    *Stats*


    *Skills*


    *Points*


    *Score*


    *Milestones*


    "First, let''s check my stats."


    *Level [7]*


    *Strength [1]*


    *Speed [1]*


    *Stamina [1]*


    *Leadership [7]*


    *Defence and Durability [1]*


    *Ranged [1]*


    *Proficiency [1]*


    *Followers [5]*


    "Leadership level seven? Didn''t the follower cap increase at five?"


    *Follower limit of the Leader [8]*


    "All right! Krista," Gus said, turning his attention to her, "time to make good on my promise."


    "I declare you a follower."


    Those five simple words were all it took to put a wide smile on the girl''s face.


    Gus turned his attention back to the system, eager to see if any of his stats had updated after his newest declaration.


    *Level [7]*


    *Strength [1]*


    *Speed [1]*


    *Stamina [1]*


    *Leadership [7]*


    *Defence and Durability [1]*


    *Ranged [1]*


    *Proficiency [1]*


    *Followers [6]*


    *UNLOCKED SKILLS*


    *The Greatest Commander [1]*


    ''Only the followers stat? Ah well, don''t know why I expected any differently.''


    "Points"


    *Legendary Points [63]*


    *??*


    *??*


    *??*


    *Alexander Points [5]*


    *Jace Points [100]*


    *Hou Yi Points [50]*


    *??*


    ''63 Legendary points? That should be enough for an upgrade to a stat. And here I was worrying about whether I''d be getting them too slow.''


    ''Hold on... Jace?''


    Gus thought back to the asteroid, just before he had collapsed. He faintly remembered receiving a message about special rewards as his consciousness slipped away.


    ''Jace Brightstar? The legendary hero who united humanity before leading them out of our solar system? And he''s... he represents protector skills?


    *Jace Brightstar was a legendary hero who led his forces against the various factions of humanity that resided in the Solar System after its complete colonisation in 2784. Despite his numerous achievements and the amount of advancements made as a result of his influence, he is best known for his actions both on and off the battlefield, where he would selflessly sacrifice himself, mind and body for the sake of others.*This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    *Due to his constant accolades, Jace Brightstar fulfils the role of Defence in the System of Legendary Heroes.*


    ''Oh, defence. I see,'' Gus thought.


    "Guess I should take a look at the skills next."


    Once more, the menu shifted.


    *Basic Skills*


    *??*


    *??*


    *??*


    *Alexander Skills*


    *Jace Skills*


    *Hou Yi Skills*


    *??*


    ''So it was 50 Legendary points per Basic skill, and 10 points for each of the tier 1 upgrade in the specific trees, or 100 Legendary points for that?''


    ''I''ll keep on banking the Legendary points for now, since I still haven''t checked out the shop. And I don''t have enough ''Alexander'' points, so...''


    "Jace"


    The menu shifted to display the Jace tree. Just like the Alexander tree, it started with a simple unlock, that had other options branching from it.


    "So, I guess I''m just putting all 100 into the first skill here."


    *Spend [100] Jace points on [10] Skill: Champion of Humanity [10]. Confirm?*


    "Confirm," Gus said without a moment''s hesitation.


    *Unlocked: Champion of Humanity [10]*


    *Results: [+10] Defence, [+10] Durability.*


    ''They''re different things?''


    *Defence: The ability to prevent damage to oneself through blocking and evading*


    *Durability: Raises the amount of damage needed to kill the target. Raises the power needed to harm the target.*


    ''So defence is pretty simple, but durability is like a health total and damage resistance in one?''


    "Hou Yi."


    Once more, the menu moved to display the new skill tree.


    "I guess I''m just putting all the points into the first skill again. But before I do, what does the ''ranged'' stat actually mean?


    *The ''Ranged'' stat refers to the ability to effectively use ranged weaponry. It consists of accuracy stats, projectile velocity, projectile impact, fire rate, range, and ammunition supply.*


    ''Okay, so a lot.''


    *Spend [50] Hou Yi points on Skill: The Greatest Archer [50]. Confirm?*


    "Confirm."


    *Unlocked: The Greatest Archer [5]*


    *Results: [+5] Ranged.*


    "Okay, let''s check the stats once more."


    *Level [22]*


    *Strength [1]*


    *Speed [1]*


    *Stamina [1]*


    *Leadership [7]*


    *Defence and Durability [11]*


    *Ranged [6]*


    *Proficiency [1]*


    *Followers [6]*


    *UNLOCKED SKILLS*


    *The Greatest Commander [1]*


    *Champion of Humanity [10]*


    *The Greatest Archer [5]*


    ''Okay, nice! I guess my followers have 1 full points worth of ''Defence and Durability'' now.''


    "Okay, might as well check out the store."


    "Uhm, Gus? Sorry to interrupt your evolution''s... uhm... whatever it is, but we should really get going. This admiral, she''s not someone you keep waiting, and we kind of said you''d come and see her as soon as you could" Frank said meekly.


    "Oh, of course. My apologies, I didn''t realise."


    ...


    ...


    "Uh, can you let me out then?"


    The infirmaries of the Orcas, a capital-hunter class ship, were, much like all other parts of it, outfitted and equipped with the very pinnacle of human invention and advancement in that field. The beds you might find on other, older ships that were filled with the sick and the wounded, were replaced with newer, more efficient Medi-capsules.


    The Medi-capsules regulated the internal air that surrounded the patient to prevent contact with one of the numerous alien diseases, and filled the tank with any one of the on-board medical substances it contained, held in a storage unit above the capsule, to fight a variety of injuries. These substances included the ''God-fluid'' a substance that is known to have never failed to cure an ailment, even where all others failed.


    "Oh, sorry," Frank said as he pressed the release.


    The top of the capsule broke apart, and the two halves that consisted of the doorway slid down either side of the contraption.


    "So firstly," Gus began, taking the hand offered to him by Frank, "which one is this, and who''s the captain of it?


    Krista gasped as he stood. "Firstly, you should... you should put clothes on!" she stammered out as her face turned red.


    "That goes without saying," Gus nonchalantly replied.


    "Wait, were you expecting him to have something on, even though you could see his top half?" Frank asked her, receiving a shaken head in response.


    "Have you never seen another person naked? Not even in showers or something?" Gus asked, also receiving a shaken head in response.


    "Kids these days, getting embarrassed over stupid things," Frank muttered.


    "This one''s the Starscourge, and the Admiral of the fleet, not just the Captain, is the Frostheart," Frank told Gus as he got changed into casual sand coloured clothes representative of the ship''s crew, an outfit given to all 7 of them by the crew of the Starscourge.


    "The Frostheart? Give me strength," Gus muttered.


    ''The Frostheart'' was the title given to Emylenia Zakari. She rose to fame during the war, thanks to her merciless tactics of utterly destroying the Bloody Dawn wherever they could be found, regardless of their condition.


    General opinion of her was that she was willing to do whatever was necessary to win, and that she only respected strength.


    She was born on one of Saturn''s many ''Gaslands,'' metallic platforms filled with artificial wildlife that were positioned in the gas clouds of Saturn, to act as mining platforms for the gases found inside.


    Conditions on the Gaslands were terrible. Each was close to an artificial sun, resulting in the humans living there having to fight a constant battle of survival every day against the searing heat. The Sky Lizards, huge, winged creatures native to the clouds also proved to be a huge threat to the people living there, acting as a lethal predator with scores of food provided to them, throughout humanities time on Saturn.


    When did it stop? Fifteen years ago, when a certain woman led efforts to control the reptiles, resulting in them becoming tamed by humanity.


    That is the woman the Frostheart was.


    Just the thought filled Gus with a sense of fear.


    The Evolved were widely known people, their fame and power rivalling that of the power capable of being wielded by the Governor of any given Star System.


    Gus, however, was not widely known by any means. So how would she react once she was face to face with him, after she had expected one of the Evolved?


    This was the question he asked himself as Frank and Krista led him through the maze of icy blue corridors, stair and ladders inside the ship.


    ''I guess she takes that name well,'' Gus thought as he noticed the colour.


    The ship was shaped like the creature it was named after, with the bottom of the ship being flattened to allow easier landing when accessing a spaceport.


    The outer hull of the ship was incredibly thick. According to the design team behind the vessel, the ship could square off against five of the modified creatures the Bloody Dawn used for their vessels.


    The lowest habitable floor of the ship was the Medical floor. It was here that the infirmary was found, along with storerooms filled with medkits, medicines, and equipment. It even contained bedrooms and a canteen for the medical staff, allowing them to be near the infirmary for any emergency. In a grim twist, it also contained a mortuary where bodies were burned down and added to the fuel supplies of the ship.


    Above the infirmary was one of two main gun decks that the vessel was outfitted with. Tightly packed along this floor were tiny rooms, each housing one of the many large kinetic cannons that the ship was armed with on both the Port and Starboard sides.


    On the floor above, rooms, containing 3 bunkbeds in each, were packed tightly together forming the crew''s quarters. In the centre of the floor, two large canteens ran perpendicular to each other on either side of the central corridor, each outfitted with a small kitchen in a room to the side.


    The central floor of the ship was a large hangar. The hangar was very spacious, taking up the space of three of the normal floors. The outer wall of the ship along with this section were equipped with hinges, allowing them to be lowered to grant a pathway for vessels out of the ship. Inside, the hangar was empty, save for metal walkways suspended high along the inner walls, as well as ships and supplies.


    The next two floors above the hangar were mirrored to the floors below. The only difference was that the cannons found on the upper side of the ship were energy based rather than kinetically based. This meant that there were less guns on this deck, as each gun required a large energy source to function.


    Above this, the floor was full of drones. These drones act as a defence mechanism for the ship, and are deployed to combat incoming bombers and fighters that pose a threat to the vessel. Doors found in the hull of the top of the ship provided a pathway out of the ship for the drones. The top of the ship also featured anti spacecraft guns, forming another layer of defence, and torpedo silos.


    At both the stern and prow of the ship, even more defencive guns could be found. The prow also featured a trio of experimental ''Gravitic Cannons'' long ranged cannons that harnessed the power of a mini black hole to provide unimaginable speed and power to the payload.


    As they reached the bridge, Gus realised they were in a part that looked like an extension to the ship. Positioned on the ship like the dorsal fin of an Orca, the bridge was found at the very top, just above more crew quarters, the bridge allowed the captain to have an advantageous view of any battle that would take place.


    "Apologies for the delay," Gus said as he entered the bridge, "but I was told you were looking for me?"


    She glanced back over her shoulder, before returning her gaze to the front. "I was told there was an Evolved on board. So who the hell are you?"

 Frostheart

    "You must be a fool to want to imitate one of them."


    She turned around fully to face Gus. Her eyes, icy blue, a shade fitting for her nickname, shot through him with such disdain, it made him feel uneasy.


    "Do you understand the weight of the responsibility they have undertaken? Can you appreciate the amount they chose to sacrifice for the good of humanity? Can you see how disresp-"


    "They didn''t choose."


    "You dare interrupt me?"


    "I dare," Gus said, taking a step forward. Upon seeing the woman, his fears that had sprung forth as a result of the rumours he heard were destroyed.


    Granted, she was huge. As tall as a mountain, shoulders as wide as a valley. Her Thighs, Calves, Biceps, and Triceps bulged against her Black admiral''s uniform, threatening to tear it to pieces much like she had torn apart countless enemies.


    And, granted, her eyes were full of malice and were directed at him. A malice usually reserved only for the most despicable of the Bloody Dawn. A malice that only grew in intensity with every passing second.


    And, granted, she wore a ridiculously large gauntlet over her right hand, a gauntlet which sported three giant claws. A gauntlet which she flexed, intentionally displaying her eagerness to use it.


    But, Gus believed he could persuade her.


    Perhaps it was a flicker of interest in her eyes, a flicker that made it seem like she was willing to listen.


    Perhaps he was falsely lulled into a sense of security by her dark skin, unnaturally smooth to look at and extremely foreign on the body of someone with such a fearsome reputation.


    Perhaps it was the small medallion yellow Sky Lizard that rested on her shoulder, comfortably sleeping as though it was the most comfortable thing that had ever been created.


    Whatever the reason, Gus stepped forward with conviction.


    "The evolved didn''t choose, they were forced. We were forced."


    "And how would you know this?" she asked, also stepping forward to match him.


    "Because I was there. And I also know that the mortality rate of the project was ninety-five percent. Because I know that it''s a good thing for us as a species that the bastard who led the project died."


    "How dare you insult that man. His invention saved our species!"


    "How dare I? My father was a terrible man, only concerned with creating something that would solidify his name in history. He didn''t care about humanity. Calling him a hero is an insult to actual heroic people."


    "Your... father?" she asked, before bursting into laughter. "Everyone knows that he had no child. Come up with a better lie next time."


    "Oh, when I failed to awaken any power from the experiments, he certainly saw it that way as well. Once I failed, he saw me as nothing to him but a reminder of his failure. But he did care for me after my mother died, and he did take me around the world with him.


    As much as I hate it, he is my father."


    "Let''s say you''re being truthful," she said seriously, the laughter of a moment before now relegated to a distant memory. "Then, we''ll be able to test it with a simple task. What''s your Evolved ability?"


    "How can I prove my ability?" he said in a tone that suggested he was leading into something. In truth, he was asking for help from the system.


    *Suggestion: Summon an item from the store.*


    "That''s it! The store!"


    The store popped into view.


    *Weapons.*


    *Apparel.*


    *Items.*


    *Boxes.*


    Layered over the standard menu in the background, a message flashed before his eyes.


    *Welcome to the Store! Enjoy [1] free Rare Box!*


    *Do you accept?*Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    "Yes."


    A small box popped into the palm of his hand, taking everyone who was watching by surprise.


    Opening the box, Gus found a small tag inside.


    ''What''s this?'' he thought as he took out the tag.


    On the one side, the tag was empty. Flipping it over, Gus found some words scrawled onto the tag.


    "Huh? Standard?"


    *You have unboxed a token for Standard (Common)*


    *Would you like to redeem the token?*


    "Yes. Redeem."


    The tag he held burned away to ash. Suddenly, a golden pole appeared in his hands, replacing the tag that had just burned. Atop the pole sat a black flag with an image of Terra planted in the middle of it.


    *Standard (Common)*


    *Effects: Boosts stats of followers by [5]*


    *Note: Standard must be assigned to a follower for the bonus to come into effect.*


    "A plus five for my followers? That''s insanely good. And it''s only a common?"


    "So, your Evolution is what? Summoning things from nowhere?" the Admiral asked him.


    "Not quite. I earn points by doing things, points that can be spent levelling up stats, unlocking skills, and purchasing items. Items like this standard, which enhances those who I declare as my followers."


    "That''s not like any ability I''ve heard of. And I''ve heard of a few. I also know that they are dependent on blood type, and no other ability like that exists. So what are you?" she asked him, with a tone of suspicion. "Why is your ability so unique?"


    "I... I couldn''t answer that, even if I wanted to."


    "Okay," she replied. After a long pause, she began talking once more. "I won''t kill you for your insolence, not yet. But do not think yourself free of my scrutiny."


    ''Now what can I do with this?'' Gus thought, looking at the standard.


    *Would you like to store the item?*


    "I can store stuff? Sure," he said aloud, drawing odd looks from the crew.


    Suddenly, the standard vanished from view.


    *Item has been successfully stored.*


    "I expect you to make yourself useful to our mission in this system," she continued, after yet another pause after Gus''s statement. "These planets are packed with resources crucial to the war effort. We must secure both the resources and the supply routes, otherwise the Sol system will not survive another assault like that."


    "Of course I will," Gus responded respectfully. "Of course we will. It''s not as though I became a soldier not to fight."


    A small smile spread across the Admiral''s face. "I believe that each and every person has a reason for all actions that they do, and that those reasons determine the measure of their character. So, with that said, why do you fight? What drove you to become a soldier in the first place? You, who was a failure amongst successes. Why not just run away from it?"


    "I may have hated the man, but he was right about something," Gus began. "Those on the frontier, who bore the brunt of the war, they had no say in the matter. Countless trillions, if not more, died without being given the choice to live.


    If I can do something to relieve the suffering of those who would next stand in their position, then I have to choose to do it. No, there is no choice, I simply must. If I can protect them, then I should, no matter the cost to me."


    "Okay. I expect you to be very useful," the Admiral said with a smile. "We are to take position above Emerid''s capital world, Eucenae, and hold to protect our interests in this system. Our fleet will form a perimeter through the system, hunting down bases that exist here, established by the xenos to prepare for an attack, and giving us a wider field of vision over the entire system."


    As she explained the mission, a squad of small, circular scout vessels raced ahead of the Starscourge, heading to take position at the farthest planets of the system.


    A large, glass dome sat on top of the circular body, giving the flight crew inside a wide field of vision into space to accompany the information they received from their scanners. The main body, which was about 50 Kilometres in diameter, was fully kitted out with light weaponry, designed to offer a small amount of protection to the ship while not hindering its speed capabilities.


    Despite its size, it still looked tiny and insignificant as it flew over the body of the orca, like a seagull flying over a transport ship.


    "We have three squads of the bolt scout vessels in our fleet, along with five battleships, seven destroyers, and three cruisers," the Admiral explained to Gus.


    "Seven destroyers on a defensive mission?" Gus asked. "That seems a little odd."


    Throughout time, the classification of ships had changed. Now, destroyers were ships that sacrificed speed and armour in favour of more firepower. Cruisers were ships that specialised in speed, and were designed to be the first response to any contact from the scout vessels. Battleships were the tanks of the fleet, designed to take the brunt of the fire of the enemy while buying time through thick armour, heavy shielding and smart movement and positioning for the destroyers to cripple the enemy''s vessels.


    "Maybe," the Admiral replied. "But if you know anything about me, then you know my strategy usually focuses on the complete annihilation of the enemy."


    As though timed to completely prove her point, Destroyers advanced past the Orca and unleashed their payload over a cluster of asteroids that had just been passed by a squad of the Bolts.


    "These things are monsters, and so we need monsters of our own to defeat them. I am willing to fulfil that role to save these worlds, the resources they hold, and the humans whose lives exist solely on the surrounding rocks. I am willing, and I can only hope that you are too."


    She spoke again, this time directing her words towards Frank and Krista.


    "Show him to the rooms we have provided for you. I shall call upon you all in the event that we need you."


    Following her commands, they led Gus downstairs to the guest rooms just below the command deck.


    "Well, that wasn''t so bad..." Frank began.


    "At least she did not kill you immediately..." Krista added.


    "Yeah, it could have been a lot worse," Gus replied absently. "Hey, just a quick question. Why are the two of you here? Why did you join?" Gus asked, still hearing the words the Admiral asked him echoing through his head.


    "Family," Frank said. "I want to see my children become adults, in a place free from this chaos."


    Krista nodded in agreement. "I am the second oldest of five children, oldest if you only count living, and I want to give my siblings the chance to live free. But I want to do it right. I do not want to be... to be... to be evil."


    "Well, I''ll do my best to keep you from that," Gus said with a soft smile, as the three of them reached the rooms.


    "Everyone''s already kinda taken one, so you''ve got the one right at the end," Frank informed Gus.


    Gus thanked him and went to his room. Once inside he immediately collapsed onto the bed and instantly fell asleep, despite him having rested for a day in the infirmary, the fatigue of the days before still weighing on his body.

 - Battle for Emerid: Prologue

    Gus was woken by the scream of a siren.


    A flashing red light illuminated the room in momentary waves, making the features of the room faintly visible to Gus''s tired eyes, playing tricks on his mind.


    On the left side of his vision, the desk tucked into the corner of the room seemed like a quadrupedal creature, with the lamp on the desk acting as an elongated neck.


    To his right, the wardrobe looked more like a doorway to hell, or a home to a thousand nightmares.


    "Sirens?" he groggily muttered as he began to climb out of bed. "Wha-"


    He was interrupted by a loud banging on his door. As he opened it, he saw Connor standing in front of him in an agitated state.


    "Didn''t Frank warn you to not keep her waiting? The alarms have been going off for about five minutes now."


    "Calm down, Connor. I was already on my way," Gus replied while rubbing his eyes. "What''s going on?"


    "As they finished setting up the defensive perimeter, some of the Bolts ran into trouble," Connor informed him with a grim tone.


    "Trouble? What kind of trouble?"


    "It''s best if you come see for yourself."


    Gus followed his advice, and raced upstairs to the command deck.


    "Ah, it''s the ''Evolved.'' Good of you to join us," the Admiral said sarcastically, turning around to face him as he burst into the room.


    Gus noted that the rest of his group had already arrived ahead of him, and that Connor must have been sent to fetch him for the Admiral.


    "Apologies, Admiral Zakari," Gus replied. "What''s happening?"


    "Take a look for yourself," she said, gesturing behind herself toward the large window.


    Gus gasped as his eyes followed her gesture.


    A battleship lay ruined in the middle of space, its hull torn open, and its insides violated, like the prey of some feral beast. A second was at the edge of doom, desperately limping back towards the Orca and the safety it provides.


    Behind the wreckage of the battleship, a cluster of Bloody Dawn vessels stood watch, critically analysing the human fleet to see how they would retaliate.


    "As we were finishing off the last of the bases, this fleet appeared out of nowhere. It seems we arrived here just in time to see them launch an attack on this system," Zakari explained to Gus.


    "Couldn''t it have been a distress signal from one of the bases?" Gus asked.


    She shook her head. "It''s... highly improbable. For them to muster such a force in so little time... well, I pray that they were planning this as opposed to the alternative."


    Although he didn''t want to, Gus had no choice but to agree with that assessment.


    The Bloody Dawn wielded five of the rumoured ''Grafted,'' the large creatures with a hull grafted onto their backs.


    Ahead of them, ten ''Skimmers,'' lightly armed and armoured transport ships designed for boarding actions, charged at the lines of the humans, with seemingly no regard for their personal safety.


    Behind the grafted, three ''Blood vessels'' lay hidden, ships designed to transport an invasion force all on their own.


    Further back, stood six ''Kraltex'' vessels, Bloody Dawn warships comparable to a mixture of all three of the human''s main combat ships.


    The scariest of all the ships, however, were the two at the back.


    Shaped like an oversized throne and housing thousands of cannons and ships, the ''Deity'' class vessel, one of only five in existence, loomed over the fleet like an overprotective parent.


    Alongside the Deity was a ship that none on the side of humanity had ever seen before.


    Its appearance was like that of the Grafted, but larger. The creature that made up the bulk of the ship was bigger, more aggressive, stronger, faster, more durable, and its claws and teeth were clearly sharper, even from the distance between it and the humans.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "What I need you to do," she said, "is delay them. The Orca can handle most of their fleet, especially with support from the rest of our fleet. Those skimmers aren''t really a risk to us either, our deck crews can handle some Shenia. What we cannot allow to happen, is for those Blood vessels to touch down on any of the planets. Even one of those things making landfall will result in countless lives lost. Get onto one, and see that it doesn''t reach its destination."


    "Just one thing," Klaus began to ask. "How are we going to get there?"


    "Take a squire," she responded.


    "A Squire? That inferior pile of sh-" Connor began, but he was cut off by Zakari.


    "Take a Squire. It''s smaller and faster than a Knight, and you need speed. Plus it gives you a way to get on to the ship." As she finished speaking, the Admiral turned and addressed one of the officers on the command deck. "Where are they?" she asked, "they should be here by now."


    "They''re at the bottom of the fin now, Admiral," the officer replied.


    Moments later, a group of three soldiers entered the command deck. Their faces were hidden through a variety of masks, bandanas and tactical gear. Their bodies also gave no hint of their identities, as they were hidden under identical black tactical outfits.


    "Where are the others?" Zakari asked them as they entered.


    "Most opted to stay and guard the ship against boarders, Admiral," the central soldier told her. "And, since we''re fighting alongside an Evolved, we figured you didn''t need all of us."


    "Very well," she responded. "Gus, take these three with you to the Blood vessel."


    ''Three? Don''t I only have two follower spots left?''


    *Correct.*


    "Uhm, do you mind telling me what each of them do? I''d prefer to only take two with me, if I could," Gus said.


    To him, it made sense to not take all three when he only had two follower slots available. All he would achieve by taking a third is reducing the number of points he would generate from his follower kills.


    "What they do?" Zakari questioned.


    "What they specialise in," Gus began to explain. "Like, for example, we have a pilot, a sniper, an engineer."


    "Okay, left to right. Brin, close quarters specialist. Caden, tech expert. Ciara, heavy weapons expert," she informed him, gesturing to each of them in turn.


    "I guess I''ll take..."


    ''Well, we have an engineer, so I guess the tech expert is a little redundant,'' he thought to himself. ''It''s definitely the least impactful role for me to add for now, so I guess that settles it.''


    "...Brin and Ciara. They fill more roles that we don''t really have covered for now."


    "Okay." Zakari said. "Gather your stuff and get ready. Be in the hangar in ten minutes," she said to the two soldiers who had been chosen, along with Gus''s followers. "Gus, come with me."


    Letting the two soldiers leave before him, Gus hastily followed after Zakari.


    "So... your Evolution. You said you improve yourself by earning points, correct?" she asked, as she led him down through the tight corridors of the ship, made only tighter by the size of her frame, to the hangar.


    "Pretty much, although I can do a little more with it," he responded.


    "Like the store you mentioned?"


    "Yeah, like that."


    ''Damn, I should have taken some time to check the store before falling asleep!''


    "And how much have you improved yourself?" she asked, her neutral tone masking the intense intrigue that shone from her eyes.


    "Not much, not yet. That asteroid was my first real fight after my ability awoke."


    "I see." After a long pause, she continued speaking. "You know, I can actually beat some of the Evolved in combat," she said with a sly grin.


    "Not surprising. Some of them are like twigs with a bloated head," Gus calmly responded.


    ''Is... is she trying to test me? To intimidate me?''


    "Fair enough," she said with a laugh. What about the ''followers'' thing you mentioned?" she asked after another pause. "How does that work?"


    "I can declare people followers, giving them boosts like what I receive from my stats, albeit in smaller amounts. Subsequently, I get rewarded for their kills with a specific point."


    "I assume you''ll want to declare the two of mine you''re taking with you? And can I also assume that you can only declare two more for now, which is why you refused the third?"


    "I will want to declare them," he confirmed. "Is that okay?"


    "It''s perfectly fine," she said, with yet another sly movement of her lips.


    ''It was blatantly obvious that I avoided her second question,'' he thought in a panic.


    "Let me offer you one last piece of advice, since until recently you were oblivious to this world of power," she said, stopping just outside the hangar. The Evolved are strong. They''re influential. By the end of the war, they may even hold more influence than the system governors. Make allies as quickly as you can. Grow your strength immediately. Or you may be cannibalised by the others before you are able to bloom."


    With that, she headed back to the command deck, leaving Gus to think about what she had told him.


    "They''re influential, eh?" he muttered to himself. "Sounds like they use their influence to help themselves and themselves alone. Ah well, they were always condescending, self-centred pricks."


    ''Well, most of them,'' he corrected himself mentally.


    Gus entered the hangar through a doorway, and found himself on one of the walkways that ran along the walls. As he headed to a ladder that led to the floor, he heard a voice calling up to him.


    "-Sir! Mr Evolved, sir!"


    Gus raised a hand to acknowledge the voice as he increased his pace down to the floor of the hangar.


    "Mr Evolved, sir. This is for you."


    Spoken through ragged breath, the scrawny, brown haired man handed a case to Gus.


    ''A case,'' he thought.


    "What is this? Who are you?" Gus asked him.


    "My name is Heb, sir. I''m an assistant to the Admiral, sir. This is a gift from the Admiral, sir.


    "A gift?" Gus asked.


    ''What''s her goal?''


    "Yes, sir. A Ravager. Heavy kinetic assault rifle, modified for faster fire rate and increased stopping power with an extended magazine up to fifty rounds, sir."


    "Okay, thanks. And knock it off with the ''sir'' nonsense."


    "But why, sir?" Heb asked in a confused tone. "Aren''t you an Evolved?"


    "Yes, but that doesn''t mean I''m better than you. And anyway, most of them aren''t worthy of respect."


    "Very well, sir."


    ...


    "Apologies. Very well."

 Why We Fight

    A few minutes later, Gus was joined by the others in the boarding party.


    His companions who escaped the prison with him had been re-equipped with weapons from the on-board armoury.


    Aside from Sofia, who had a M1-E, a long ranged energy rifle, they were all equipped with IA-8 kinetic assault rifles. Each of them, including Gus, was also given a shockblade for close quarters.


    They all also sported standard troop armour, light armour that could withstand a hit or two from a kinetic weapon, a gift that Gus had not received.


    The only true variation in the weaponry lay with the two newest additions to the group.


    Brin''s armour, light, sleek, and slender, perfectly matched his arms of choice. He wielded twin daggers, stowed behind him on his hip; twin shortswords over his shoulders; a shockblade on the right of his hip; and a boomer, a heavy, short ranged pistol on the left of his hip. His armour was equipped with many gadgets that allowed him to close the distance and get into range, such as a shield on his forearm and a grapple on his gauntlets.


    Conversely, Ciara''s armour was bulky, causing her to take up almost double the area she did earlier on the deck. In her hands she held a huge machine gun, one that could easily be taken from the top of a mount. On her back, she carried two large grenade launchers, each easily within reach of her hands.


    "Everyone ready?" Gus asked, receiving nods in response. "Okay. Do the two of you know anything about my Evolution?" Gus asked, addressing Brin and Ciara as they walked towards the Squire.


    "Not really." Brin answered.


    "We were only told to agree to some follower thing," Ciara added. "Mind explaining what it is?"


    "It''s a part of my ability, I can improve people that I declare. But, as far as I can tell, it has to be consensual from both sides. I can''t just forcibly conscript people.


    "So, you agree to it?" Gus asked, receiving nods of confirmation from the pair.


    "Brin, Ciara.


    I declare you followers."


    From the outside, the ship was a smaller replica of one of the Knight transports. With its wings folded into two clusters on the top of the ship, it looked like nothing more than an oddly coloured, and oddly sized, storage container with a door. The nose of the ship was long, and stood at about half as tall as the main body of the ship.


    "Well, isn''t she a treat for the eyes!" Connor said sarcastically.


    There was very little space inside the ship.


    On either side, two rows of five small seats faced each other, taking up almost all the room in the ship. As they took their seats, they had to awkwardly contort their bodies in order for their legs to fit in the ship in an orderly manner. Thankfully, they were granted extra room due to Klaus, who had offered to pilot the vessel on the mission.Stolen story; please report.


    The ship was filled with an unsettling silence as it left the Orca, lifting and quickly slipping through the opening hangar doors. The only thing breaking the silence were the nervous breaths of the people inside, reminding Gus of the importance of their task.


    ''Oh, right. I have that to assign.''


    Gus looked around the inside of the ship at his companions, mentally evaluating who would be best to carry the standard.


    ''Ideally it''s not someone who already has a specific role, like Matty or Sofia. And I''d rather not have any of them lose their effectiveness in a fight...''


    ''Wait. How do I even get it back?''


    *Would you like to summon the Standard (common)?*


    "Yes. Summon."


    The large pole appeared in his hands, taking the others by surprise. Brin and Ciara, who knew nothing of his Evolution, were especially taken aback by its sudden appearance.


    Gus stared at the pole, consumed by his thoughts.


    ''It''s got to be...''


    "Krista."


    "Huh?" she said, surprised by his sudden exclamation of her name.


    "Take this," he said, holding the grip of the pole out towards her across the ship.


    "This is that thing from yesterday?" she asked as she awkwardly took hold of the grip.


    Gus nodded a confirmation. "It''ll improve all of you, but the catch is one of you have to use it."


    "A- are you sure? You want me to have it?"


    "When I look at all of you, I feel like you''re the best fit for it. Some people are already specialised in stuff, and this is probably the best way for you to, y''know, not be evil.


    Speaking of, why are you all here? What are your reasons for fighting?"


    "Why do you want to know?" Ciara asked defensively. "Why do you care?"


    "It''s something the Admiral mentioned to me. It made me realise I should know why the people I choose to fight with choose to fight. It made me realise I should care."


    "I met my husband while visiting the Polaxia system. He died during the attacks," Sofia began. "Shortly after, I lost a child, I guess from stress or something. I guess I just want to help take it back, to put him to rest, to put both of them to rest, as stupid as it sounds. And I''ll kill as many of them as I can until I do. I have to."


    "I... wasn''t a great kid," Connor said. "I did a lot of bad stuff, nothing too horrible. I was just terrible to be around. I wasn''t a good friend, a good family member. I was extremely apathetic towards others, and I hate it. This war gave me a chance to redeem myself, to do something good. I won''t let myself go back to what I was, but I''ll do what I have to."


    "I hated violence, but I know it can be necessary sometimes," Matty said. "As an engineer, I can help us without doing too much unnecessary stuff, inflicting too much unecessary suffering. I was never a pacifist, but I never saw much merit in using violence as a first option."


    "We were marines before the war," Ciara said reluctantly. "It''s just habit to us at this point."


    "I was actually close to retiring," Brin added. "After seeing what they did, I couldn''t let it stand. I had to fight on."


    "Not that we have to worry about what we do to them," Ciara continued. "After all, they''re only built in a lab."


    "That''s... not true. We don''t know if they are or not. Even then, they''re still sentient," Matty countered.


    "Either way, it doesn''t matter. We still have to pay them back for all of the shit they did to us, for all of the people they killed," she coldly retorted.


    "So you would gladly kill civilians, if it meant paying back these things?" Connor asked.


    "Of course. Wouldn''t you all?" she retorted.


    "Now I get why you hide your face behind that mask," Frank said, his voice rising. "You''re despicable, you can''t bear to look yourself in the face."


    Ciara shook her head. "Typical medic," she sighed, "and a conscript at that. You don''t understand what we need to do, what we''re here for."


    "We''re here to protect our species. Not to kill innocents," Matty angrily said.


    "They let it happen. They''re not innocent."


    "Of course they are. You can''t blame the people for what the military do. How are they supposed to stop them?" Frank said loudly, almost shouting.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about back there, but you might want to be quiet and focus on staying in your seats," Klaus said over the intercom. "It''s about to get real bumpy."

 A Path Through Hell

    They got past the skimmers with relative ease, the two forces passing by each other with no way to impede the other and both understanding what the other was doing.


    The first sign that they were in trouble was when they were face to face with the gaping maws of the grafted. Quick movement by Klaus moved them out of the path of a wide maw awaiting a fresh meal, but for each tooth they avoided, they were nearly met with a claw that posed just as much of a threat.


    Whether due to the vessel or the pilot, sometimes they were unable to dodge fast enough, and received a clipped wing or a scratch to the hull in return. Each wound inflicted on the small vessel would send it spinning through space, then righting itself, just to find it under threat from another danger.


    Each hit shook the crew as much as the vessel, resulting in pounding heads and trembling limbs from the shock of the force. They knew that if they were any slower, or if Klaus made the tiniest of mistakes, then they would be easily destroyed by the Grafted. Despite this, they did not allow their resolve to falter, each muttering prayers and reassurances to themselves.


    Thankfully, once they were past the grafted, they were safely at their objective. The Kraltex, positioned behind the Blood vessels, were unable to fire upon the Squire safely without endangering the massive transports.


    "I bet you''re wondering how we can get onto the ship," Klaus said as he brought the ship level with one of the vessels. "Well, let me show you. Hold onto your heads, otherwise your brains might shake out of your skulls."


    He brought the ship around so that the back of the ship faced the Blood vessel. Suddenly, he violently rammed the ship into the Blood vessel, rear first. Once it was firmly in place, the Squire began violently shaking as it slowly advanced further into the hull of the larger ship.


    "This is why we have a Squire. Not many people know this, but the prototype for the ship was a mining ship," Klaus explained. "When the war broke out, the prototype was complete with the explicit purpose of acting as a breaching vessel. Now get ready. It won''t be long before that door springs open, and you have to go."


    "You?" Gus asked, shouting through to the cabin. "Why are you talking like you''re not coming with us?"


    "Because I''m not. Someone has to protect our exit. Don''t worry about me, I''ll be fine," he said with a small chuckle. "There should be a few weapons on board, so I can hold the ship safely.


    Now off you get," he said as the door swung open. "Give them hell."


    With Ciara at the front, they entered into a wide, dimly lit room. As they entered, motion triggered lights sprang to light, bathing the room in a bright green hue.


    It would be best to describe the room as a nest.


    Alien materials clustered around the room, holding resting creatures in place. Other creatures slept out in the open, closely holding their weapons as though worried they would be attacked.


    As the lights illuminated the room, the alien''s slumber quickly ended. Waking up and immediately becoming alert to the threat, the creatures quickly took flight and began swarming the boarders in their hundreds.


    "We just had to bore into a group of Vest''in, didn''t we," Ciara muttered as she readied her weapon.


    The humans opened fire as they exited the Squire. Their bullets ripped through the Vest''in, tearing their wings off and sending chunks of flesh flying all over the room. Scores of the aliens died, yet still their numbers didn''t seem to reduce.


    *Enemy killed: Vest''in Warrior.*


    *Reward: [3] Legendary points.*


    As they fought, Gus''s mind became clouded by messages from the System.


    *Enemy killed: Vest''in Warrior.*


    *Reward: [3] Legendary points.*


    *Enemy killed: Vest''in Warrior.*


    *Reward: [3] Legendary points.*


    *Enemy killed: Vest''in Warrior.*


    *Reward: [3] Legendary points.*


    For each bullet he fired with his Ravager, multiple Vest''in fell to the ground. Glancing around the room, he saw that the weapons of his comrades were having similar effects, but still it did little to the numbers of the Vest''in. Like a snake moving through long grass, he saw Brin weaving around the Vest''in, bringing death to any he touched with his blades.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Drawing their shockblades, they pressed onwards, slashing at the aliens while allowing their weapons to wildly fire. The mountain of bodies grew ever larger, yet still the Vest''in came in great numbers.


    Tightly holding the standard aloft, Krista remained crouched within the Squire, determined not to let it fall.


    As the room available to them dwindled further, they eventually had to stop swinging their blades, focusing only on killing the creatures with their ranged weapons.


    Eventually, after minutes of the brutal, continuous sound of ear-shattering gunfire, the Vest''in pool of bodies ran dry. Gasping for air, they finally began to realise what they had got themselves into.


    *Engagement details:*


    *Enemies killed: Vest''in warrior [136]; Vest''in Commander [7].*


    *Total rewards: [443] Legendary points.*


    *Follower kills: [893].*


    *Follower deaths: [0]*


    *Follower rewards: [89] Alexander points.*


    "Let''s take a minute here," Gus gasped. "Make sure we''re all okay."


    "System."


    *Stats.*


    *Skills.*


    *Points.*


    *Store.*


    *Milestones*


    "Skills."


    *Basic Skills*


    *??*


    *??*


    *??*


    *Alexander Skills*


    *Jace Skills*


    *Hou Yi Skills*


    *??*


    "Alexander."


    "Let''s put all my points into the Greatest Commander."


    *Spend [90] Alexander points on ''The Greatest Commander. Confirm?*


    "Confirm."


    *The Greatest Commander has reached level [10]*


    *Skill ''Childhood Education'' has become available for purchase.*


    "Childhood Education?" Gus asked aloud.


    *In his early life, Alexander the Great was tutored by Leonidas of Epirus and Lysimachus of Acarnania in studies befitting a noble of the Kingdom of Macedon. In his teenage years, he was tutored by the Greek philosopher Aristotle at the town of Mieza, teaching morals, philosophy, and logic, among other things.*


    *Skill ''Childhood Education'' provides [10] + Leadership, and [??]*


    "10 Leadership? That''s not bad."


    "Uhm... let me check my points next."


    *Legendary Points [506]*


    *??*


    *??*


    *??*


    *Alexander Points [4]*


    *Jace Points [0]*


    *Hou Yi Points [0]*


    *??*


    "Okay, five hundred legendary points. Let''s go to the boxes in the store."


    *Boxes:*


    *Common box [500]*


    *Rare box [1000]*


    *Hero box [5000]*


    "Eh, why the hell not. I''ll buy a common box."


    *Purchasing [1] common box. Confirm?*


    "Yes. Confirm."


    Gus understood that buying boxes would likely be less efficient than buying items directly, or just simply levelling skills, but he simply could not resist the thrill of the gamble.


    Once more, like on the command deck of the Orca, a small box, less ornately designed, popped into his hand.


    Opening the box, he found a small tag like the one in the previous box.


    He took out the tag and read its contents, discarding the box as he did so.


    "Lumberjack''s axe," Gus said, reading from the tag.


    *Lumberjack''s axe (common). Attacks: Cut; Bash.*


    *Would you like to redeem the item?*


    "Sure, why not."


    The tag disappeared and was replaced by a small wood cutting axe that fit easily into the palm of Gus''s hand. He strapped it to his hip on the opposite side of his shockblade, just in case he would need to use it in another melee like the one they just experienced.


    "Okay, let''s take a look at my stats to wrap things up here."


    *Stats.*


    *Level [31]*


    *Strength [1]*


    *Speed [1]*


    *Stamina [1]*


    *Leadership [16]*


    *Defence and Durability [11]*


    *Ranged [6]*


    *Proficiency [1]*


    *Followers [8]*


    *UNLOCKED SKILLS*


    *The Greatest Commander [10]*


    *Champion of Humanity [10]*


    *The Greatest Archer [5]*


    ''It seems a little odd that I didn''t get anything for my ranged there, what with how many shots I fired.''


    "Everyone ready?" Gus asked, his breathing now calmed considerably.


    Satisfied by the nods and noises he received from the others, Gus began to make us way to the doorway on the far side of the room.


    "Wait."


    Turning his head, Gus saw that Ciara had called out to him, and was now approaching him.


    "Let me take point on this one," she asked. "It''s where I belong in the fight."


    Gus considered her proposal for a moment. It did make sense for her to lead. After all, her weapons were too big to safely be used from behind other people. Also, the huge frame of her armour would make a good point for the rest of them to act from, giving her a role similar to that of a protector for the mission.


    "Okay. Lead the way."


    Ciara moved through the doorway gun first, her head swivelling back and forth urgently, desperate to be aware of the first sign of danger.


    Just as in the room behind them, the corridor was dimly lit. It was also considerably wide, seemingly impractically so, if it wasn''t for the fact that an entire invasion force needed to be able to traverse the halls with ease.


    As they stepped out into the hall, the lights flickered on once again thanks to motion, casting the same green hue that illuminated the previous room over the corridor. They entered into the middle of the corridor, its vast length spreading far ahead of them on both sides.


    "Which way should we go?" Ciara called back, her voice muffled by the mask that covered her forward facing head.


    "Just pick a direction, they probably know we''re here already after that racket," Connor answered.


    "He''s right," Gus confirmed. "We''re here on an extermination mission. If we just keep going, we''ll find them soon enough.


    "Alright," Ciara said, taking a right outside the door.


    They spread out through the corridor, the width allowing them to take a wide formation where as many of the angles and doorways were covered as possible.


    They crept forwards slowly, taking care to not be attacked from surprise. As their position crawled deeper through the ship, they began to hear sounds seemingly emanating from the hull itself.


    Bangs and crashes erupted periodically all around them. Light footsteps, like whispers on a wind, dashed above, below and next to them through the many corridors and hidden passageways of the vessel.


    The sounds crept higher and higher, their frequency becoming closer together with each passing eruption, their proximity becoming ever closer and closer to the pathway of the group.


    Suddenly, the sounds stopped. Shocked by the abrupt silence, ringing burst into Gus''s ears, desperately plugging the absense of the clanging. Looking around, he saw that others seemed to be having similar reactions to the change.


    Like the calm is swiftly swept away by the beginning of the storm, the silence was ended by the explosion of scores of war machines out of each little hole that was hidden through the corridor.


    "Wha-"


    "They''re all around us!"


    "It''s the Re''bin!"