《New Horizon》
Prologue
New Horizon immerses the reader in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity, having survived the destruction of Earth by traveling aboard an ark, strives to rebuild under a unified civilization in an era of peace called Red. But this utopia begins to waver when Reeve, one of Red''s cities, resumes weapon production, creates a new generation of warriors, and seeks a weapon of mass destruction known as Genesis. This pursuit of power ignites a fratricidal war, leading to Reeve''s downfall and forever shattering the dream of unity.
Fifty years later, the world is more divided than ever. Two great powers stand against each other in silent conflict: Gard, heir to Reeve''s survivors, and Stered, its rival and successor to Red. Gard has inherited a mysterious force emanating a blue energy, Ether, a remnant of Reeve''s military advancements. This energy poses a threat to Stered and fuels rising tensions between the two civilizations. A fragile peace lingers¡ªuntil a massive attack from Gard strikes Stered''s shores, shattering the world''s balance and forcing Stered to embark on a journey to New Horizon, a mysterious place where both the secrets of the world and the dangers of the past lie in wait.
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Ether
At the heart of this turmoil, Seth, a young boy from Stered, finds himself thrust into the center of the world''s fate. Driven by a mix of hope and inevitability, he must confront forgotten truths and embrace a role he never imagined...
Chapter 1 : Blue glow
Stered - Capital
The murmuring of students filled the classroom, creating a lively yet subdued background noise. Oksana swept her gaze across the room before writing on the whiteboard: The Conflict Between Gard and Stered. She turned back to her students and spoke in a calm yet firm voice.
"Throughout history, our world has seen many conflicts, but none as decisive as the one between Gard and Stered today."
Eyes fixed on her¡ªsome gleaming with interest, others more distracted. A hand shot up.
"Miss Oksana? Is it true that the Gardians have powers?"
Jager, a boy with messy black hair, leaned forward on his desk, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Before she could answer, another voice interrupted.
"And New Horizon? What exactly is it?"
Oksana smiled slightly. New Horizon...
"What we know for certain is that it''s where everything began 200 years ago. The ark that carried our ancestors away from the world''s destruction came to rest there, in the northeast of our world. That is where humanity got a fresh start."
She let a silence settle, savoring the respect in her students'' eyes as they hung onto every word. Then her gaze fell upon an empty seat, and her expression shifted almost imperceptibly. Karl was absent again. She let out a quiet sigh, masking her disappointment, and resumed her lesson.
After class, as she packed up her belongings, a young voice called out to her.
"Mom, can I go see Ori?"
Seth, her son, stood at the door, his expression innocent yet filled with contained excitement.
Oksana smiled and ruffled his light brown hair.
"Alright, but be back before your father gets home."
Seth nodded eagerly before dashing off. His father, a doctor, spent his days beyond the wall, in the desolate and dangerous land of Nod, south of Stered, where humanitarian aid was most needed.
Seth Brightbill
_____________________________________
Karl, meanwhile, was not in class but on a deserted hill far from the capital. At the summit, a slender yet determined figure stood proudly. He adjusted the last leather straps around his shoulders. On his back, an improbable assembly of mechanical wings¡ªmade of metal, wood, and salvaged fabric¡ªquivered slightly in the gusting wind.
Karl Rogers
He was attempting, once again, to fly¡ªsomething no human had ever achieved.
"Wind at 15 km/h, southeast direction... perfect for a hovering test."
He consulted a small sheet of paper strapped to his wrist, filled with scribbled equations incomprehensible to most. Lift calculations, thrust ratios, and wing resistance all formed a clear picture in his mind, though his understanding of physics was still that of a passionate child.
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"Test number 37: ground stabilization with wind assistance."
Two tall metal stakes were driven into the ground, each connected to a long cable attached to his harness. This was his anchoring system¡ªan idea that came to him after his fall the previous day. A bad gust had nearly sent him tumbling into the creek below. This time, he would be careful.
"Wing stabilization... Joint flexibility... 45-degree alignment..."
His voice was steady, methodical, as if addressing an invisible team of scientists. But he was alone, save for his brilliant mind and the whisper of the wind.
Slowly, he spread his wings. The joints creaked under the tension. A fine mist of dust rose as the wooden slats began to tremble.
Karl took a deep breath.
"Lifting mechanism test... in three, two, one... Activation!"
He pressed a lever strapped to his wrist. A complex system of pulleys and cords engaged, setting the wings into motion. Karl felt his feet lift slightly off the ground.
"It''s working! It''s working!" he shouted, his laughter echoing through the valley.
For a few seconds, he hovered. But he quickly realized that his balance was unstable. The wings tilted dangerously to one side. He yanked one rope, then another, trying to correct the angle.
Karl descended slowly back to the ground, relieved that his anchor had prevented another disaster.
"Note for the next test: reinforce lateral stabilizers. Too much play in the secondary joints."
_________________________
Seaguard - Military Naval Port
In a steel-walled war room, imposing figures stood around a command table. Generals Erinmore, Gonogey, Torres, and Admirals Starmer, Ross, and Brightbill were deep in discussion.
"The Nodian factions continue increasing their arms trade. Our patrols are intercepting more and more Visterian armor pieces," Erinmore stated.
"Our troops are doing their job, but this is a never-ending war," Ross countered.
Regan Brightbill, Seth''s uncle, studied the territory map.
"Nod is not our main concern today. Gard is."
A heavy silence fell over the room.
"Our surveillance indicates their ships are venturing further into our waters," he added.
"Our last major conflict was five years ago," Erinmore reminded them. "Despite the death of their former leader, Elkana, we knew it was only a matter of time before they tried something bolder under his successor."
Starmer raised his voice.
"They''re testing our reactions. And we sit idly by like cowards. We should respond immediately¡ªshow them that Stered is not a weak nation."
"The Ether and its destructive power, along with their unnatural abilities derived from Reeve''s science, give them an undeniable advantage," Torres interrupted.
General Gonogey countered, "Our Governor Sherone can rival the Gardian leader''s strength, and our soldiers outnumber them."
A rumble of agreement spread through the room. The winds of war were rising.
_______________________
White Pearl - Port Town
In the coastal town of White Pearl, Seth found Ori.
She was waiting for him in an alley near the old port, her blue eyes gleaming with intensity, her blonde hair catching the golden hues of the setting sun.
Ori
Ori was no ordinary girl. She lived in White Pearl with her adoptive father, Admiral Brightbill, Seth''s uncle. An orphan from Nod, she had grown under his protection and become his daughter in every way.
"You''re late," she teased with a smirk.
"I had class," Seth defended.
White Pearl
As always, they made their way toward Ori''s father''s warship¡ªtheir secret refuge. As they neared the edge of the dock, Ori slowed slightly, staring at the dark water with unease. A wave of discomfort passed through her, like a distant echo.
Seth stopped and placed a reassuring hand on her arm.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded, taking a deep breath before following him onto the ship.
Sitting on the empty deck, they spoke of travels and freedom, dreaming of one day sailing to lands unknown.
"Have you ever heard of the Blind Forest?" Seth asked.
Ori furrowed her brows and shook her head, eager to listen.
"It''s in the kingdom of Visteria, near its border with Gard. My mother told me that the plants glow at night... A breathtaking sight."
Ori listened in silence, fascinated.
"Maybe one day, if peace returns, we can go there," she murmured.
They sat in silence, gazing at the sea as night fell over the village.
Then¡ªsomething changed.
A glow.
In the distance, on the horizon, an eerie blue light shimmered in the night.
Seth''s heart clenched.
"Ori... Do you see that?"
The lights multiplied. Massive ships sliced through the water, propelled at an astonishing speed by Ether, leaving behind trails of luminescent blue.
Then, the silence shattered.
The Seaguard sirens screamed.
Seth and Ori stood frozen, eyes wide with terror.
Gard was attacking.
End of Chapter 1.
Chapter 2 : The attack
The first explosions shook the shores of Seaguard, illuminating the night sky with eerie blue flashes. The naval defenses, despite their strength, crumbled under the devastating power of the long-range strikes. Ether fragments ignited the ramparts, obliterating coastal gun batteries and clearing the way for the enemy fleet.
Gard''s warships, propelled by Ether, sliced through the waves at terrifying speed. They reached the shores swiftly, unloading legions of Gardians clad in combat gear, their gauntlets crackling with energy. Stered''s soldiers took their positions, rifles raised, as commands rang out from the command posts.
¡ª Hold the line ! a Steredian officer bellowed.
The battle erupted instantly. Armed with long rifles and swords, the Steredians fought to contain the assault, but the Gardians were fast and relentless. Some surged forward with jet-powered thrusters, dodging gunfire, while others launched Ether-powered projectiles, detonating upon impact.
On the deck of a nearby ship, Seth and Ori watched in horror as chaos consumed the city.
A deafening impact. A Fragment, an Ether-charged grenade, rolled to a stop at Ori''s feet. Her breath caught in her throat.
Seth reacted without thinking. He threw himself in front of Ori just as the explosion went off.
The blast hurled him backward, his body slamming onto the deck, blood seeping from open wounds.
¡ª "Help!" Ori screamed, helpless amid the battlefield''s turmoil.
Steredian soldiers rushed toward the docks, fighting desperately to defend the city, but they had yet to reach White Pearl. At the command center, the officers coordinated their forces.
¡ªAlert the capital ! Erinmore ordered. "Sherone must come immediately!"
_____________________
As the Gardians advanced, the cities of Stered were engulfed in smoke and fire. The military scrambled to evacuate civilians, escorting them away from the combat zones, trying to minimize casualties.
Meanwhile, the generals and admirals fought alongside their men in Seaguard, their concern growing. Soar, the leader of the Gardians, had yet to appear. Starmer, more aggressive than ever, slashed an enemy aside and charged toward a Gardian, ready to strike a killing blow.
A whisper of wind. A shadow.
The Steredian soldiers exchanged uneasy glances as if sensing an unseen specter among them. Then, he arrived.
A single arm rose and blocked Starmer''s attack effortlessly. The admiral''s blade met a wall of unyielding steel.
It was Soar.
A commanding figure, both charismatic and enigmatic, stood before them. His long, wavy hair, streaked with gray, and his thick beard gave him the aura of an experienced warrior. His piercing blue eyes seemed to see straight into the soul of anyone he faced. A dark hooded cloak billowed behind him, making him look like a shadow made flesh amidst the battlefield''s chaos.
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Soar lifted his gaze to meet Starmer''s, his expression devoid of emotion¡ªcold as death itself.
With one last effort, Starmer swung again, this time aiming for Soar''s shoulder. The blade struck deep, eliciting a grimace from the Gardian leader.
But before Starmer could land another blow, Soar struck him with monstrous force. The admiral was sent flying, crashing into debris with a sickening thud.
A young Steredian soldier, witnessing the event, froze in shock as he watched Soar''s wound heal before his very eyes, as if the injury had never existed.
¡ª Impossible... he whispered, his voice trembling.
Then, Soar dove into the fray, moving with superhuman precision, cutting down Steredian soldiers with deadly elegance, effortlessly dodging gunfire.
_______________________
Ori and Seth
Ori had dragged Seth onto the dock, desperately trying to keep him conscious. Her trembling hands were soaked in blood as she pressed against the gaping wound in his chest.
At last, a squad of Steredian soldiers reached White Pearl. One of them gasped.
¡ª What are children doing here?! One soldier knelt and checked Seth''s pulse.
¡ª He''s been touched by Ether... He won''t survive.
¡ª Alert Admiral Brightbill immediately !" another commanded.
_______________________
Regan Brightbill Arrives
The admiral cut his way through the battlefield, sword in hand, pushing back the Gardians as he advanced. Then, he saw her, Ori, holding Seth''s limp body, and his heart clenched.
¡ª Ori! Seth! Hold on ! he shouted, rushing toward them.
He scooped Seth into his arms, gripping Ori''s hand, and carried them away from the war zone, his expression darker than ever.
Meanwhile, the Gardians surged forward, conquering city after city with relentless speed, until they reached Stered''s capital. The Steredian forces fought fiercely, but the power of Ether gave their enemies an overwhelming advantage. Thousands of civilians fled, seeking refuge in the old underground tunnels, originally built to shield cities from the desert storms of Nod, long before the Wall was erected. There, in the darkness, families and survivors waited, praying for the storm of war to pass over them.
_________________________
The Capital - Hexadome
Stered''s capital, the heart of its political and military power, was home to the Hexadome, the governor''s stronghold.
Inside, Sherone sat on his throne. Slowly, he rose, his face set in grim determination. He reached for his Visterian steel gauntlets, massive weapons that locked into place over his arms with a metallic snap. His eyes burned with unshakable resolve.
¡ª Prepare my troops.
The Lion of Stered was ready to enter the battlefield.
As he left the Hexadome, marching toward the front lines, a detachment of Gardians infiltrated the fortress. Moving with eerie precision, they advanced through the corridors, their true objective still unknown.
In the streets, Sherone made his presence known.
He charged into battle, his gauntlets crushing enemies with earth-shattering blows. Every strike sent opponents flying.
The Steredian soldiers, emboldened by his arrival, fought back with renewed ferocity.
¡ª We don''t give an inch ! an officer roared.
But as the battle raged, a new threat emerged.
________________________
Soar Arrives in the Capital
Through the chaos, Soar locked eyes with Sherone. The Gardian leader strode forward, his controlled fury visible in his cold, piercing gaze, shaped by a past drenched in war.
With a single leap, Soar hurled his Ether-charged gauntlet forward. Sherone crossed his arms to block the impact, his steel gauntlets absorbing the brunt of the blow. But the force was too great¡ªhe was blasted backward, barely keeping his footing.
At the same moment, as the Gardians exited the Hexadome, they unleashed a terrifying weapon.
A colossal, black-metal device, pulsating with energy, began spewing a dense, ghostly fog across several kilometers.
¡ª Fall back ! a Steredian soldier cried out.
The shockwave spread through the city, plunging it into an unnatural, spectral haze.
Then, as if melting into the mist, the Gardians vanished¡ªone by one.
Seaguard, the capital, and all of Western Stered now bore the scars of devastation.
The blitz attack was over.