For a moment, everything was quiet.
Then, a bright beam of light shot down from one of the Veltrix spaceships which caused a deafening boom that shook the earth.
A distant building disintegrated in an instant into debris and dusts.
The ground shook under Louis's feet as screams filled the air.
More alienic missiles rained down and fire spreaded across the city. Smoke rising like a dark cloud.
Louis stood helpless at the window, his heart pounding hard as he saw people scattering in panic.
"Why am I so weak? " Louis thought. "Why can't I do anything to help?"
Another blast struck closer this time. The shockwave shattered the window and knocked Louis backward. He hit the floor hard. Dazed, he scrambled up, coughing, gasping as smoke filled the apartment.
The building was on fire.
"No," Louis whispered, his voice trembling. "No, no, no."
He turned toward where his grandmother lay.
"GRANDMA!!" he shouted and rushed to her, lying unconscious on the floor.
Louis dropped to his knees, shaking her. "Wake up! Grandma!!"
Her pulse was faint, but she didn't stir. Flames crept closer, the smoke thickening.
Louis mind raced. He couldn't lose her too. Not like this.
Suddenly, the door burst open, slamming against the wall. For a moment, Louis hoped it might be help coming, but the figure stepping through wasn't human.
The alien was massive, nearly eight feet tall, its metallic body glinting in the firelight. Its glowing green eyes locked onto him.
Louis froze, terror rooting him in place.
Then it shot out its hands and grabbed Louis. Its grip was like iron. Louis struggled, kicking and twisting, but it was no use. The alien's strength was overwhelming.
What does it want from him?
"Let me go!" he screamed, but the alien dragged him relentlessly towards one of the massive ships.
The ramp came down from the ship, and the alien pulled him up into the cold and sterile interior. The walls glowed with faint green light, making everything look strange.
****
Inside, more aliens moved silently through the corridors, their glowing eyes fixed on him. Louis's fear turned into panic as he struggled harder.
"Let me go! Please!" He shouted, panicking, but the alien ignored him, only pulling him deeper into the ship until he reached the center of the chamber, where a faintly glowing platform waited.
Louis's heart sank as he realized he wasn't going to escape. What do they want to do with him?
"Stop!" he begged. "Please…"
But the alien placed him on the platform. Other aliens appeared to assist until Louis was pinned to the platform with glowing restraints bound to his wrists and ankles, holding him in place.
He struggled, thrashing against the bonds.
"Help! Somebody help me!"
Just then, an alien with an insect-like frame came into view. Its glowing eyes studied him coldly.
"Subject 27-34," it said, its voice a guttural, "Human anomaly. No powers detected."
Louis's stomach dropped.
They knew he was powerless, a weak human, an easy target.
He gritted his teeth as the alien continued its assessment.
"Subject is physically inferior. Potential compatibility with the core: uncertain."
Louis was shocked.
"What are you talking about?" He demanded, "What the hell do you want from me?!"
The alien didn't answer. Instead, it tapped a control panel on the table.
"Stop! STOP!" he screamed, thrashing wildly.
His heart raced as a massive machine lowered from the ceiling, ready to shoot a bright green laser.
The alien announced. "Energy core integration: commencing."
The machine's beam shot directly into Louis's chest, and he screamed as the light tore through him like fire.
It was like every cell in his body was being ripped apart and stitched back together, over and over again.
Tear streamed down his face.
He was so weak, he was so powerless. He couldn't even fight back. He couldn't protect myself.
This is it. His parents fought for this world and now he was just a victim. Nothing more.
In pain, he heard the alien speaking again, its voice distant and distorted: "Core integration successful. Subject mutation... beginning."
Then darkness consumed him.
***
Louis woke up. The restraints were gone, it was just him alone in the alien chamber.
"Argh!" he groaned, struggling to sit up.
His fingers trembled as he touched his chest.
Something rough and grotesque met his skin.
A jagged mark carved into him.
"What the hell did they do to me?"
Suddenly, the mark glowed, and a translucent screen appeared before his eyes:
[Initializing...]
[System Status: Active]
[Core Synchronization: 62%]
[Subject Name: Louis — Status: Critical]
[Check Report:
Chest Condition: Damaged
Vital Signs: Getting Better
Foreign Energy Detected: Active]
Louis's heart pounded.
"What is this?"
He staggered to his feet, panic gripping him. He had to escape.
Rushing toward the door, he stumbled into an hallway. Two alien guards appeared ahead. Their glowing eyes locked onto him.
"Subject 27-34," one rasped. "Return to the chamber."
"Not a chance," Louis spat.
The alien advanced, one of them extending a long, blade-like arm.
Louis's chest tightened. He was unarmed, powerless.
The first alien lunged at him, but Louis quickly dodged.
The second alien swiped at him, tearing his shirt and scratching his shoulder. Louis stumbled back, holding his injury.
"I'm screwed!" he yelled. "I'm going to die here, and no one will know!"
Then, the screen appeared again.
[Threat Detected.]
[Probability of Survival: 8%.]
[Core Directive Engaged.]
[Query: Do you wish to survive?]
Louis froze, startled. "What? What is this?"
[Do you wish to survive?]
The voice from the screen repeated, louder this time.
"Yes!" he shouted desperately. "Yes, just save me!"
[Core Unleashed]
The mark on his chest glowed, and pain shot through his body as jagged lines spread across his skin.
Louis screamed as chains suddenly burst from his palms, grotesque and metallic, each link glowing with burning green flames.
Louis stared in disbelief as the chains whipped out, slamming into the walls, floor, and ceiling.
Sparks exploded where they struck. The guards froze.
"Core activation!" one of them shouted. "Keep him guarded!"
They lunged towards him with their blades raised.
Louis panicked, throwing his arm out instinctively.
The chain lashed out with blinding speed, wrapping around the two aliens and pulled them back.
The aliens shrieked as the chains tightened and crushed them.
Louis stared at the horror of what just happened.
Slowly, the chains retracted, sinking back into his palms as the mark on his chest dimmed.
"What… what the hell just happened?" He whispered, his voice trembling.
The screen appeared before his eyes once more:
[Core Synchronization: 78%.]
[System Status: Active.]
[Directive: Survival Mode Engaged.]