Chapter 1: Protection

I have a funny opinion about monsters.

I don’t find them all that scary. Some people think that the worst kind of monster is one with gnarly teeth, razor sharp claws with bloodlust to match. But I never thought about it that way. I was too distracted by a question of my own to be terrified of a trivial monster like that.

My question was: What if the worst kind of monsters look like us?

§

Deep in the abyss of a far away forest.

Two children ran from a broad, hairy, raging four-legged beast.

[Rip-horn Wolf] 

[Disaster level: ★★★★★ ]

This monster would be a good challenge even for the high ranking warriors. As it shuffled through the hardwood. The full moon cast a soft light on the trees as they came crashing to the ground. 

Their small voices could be heard struggling to breathe and to find a place where the impending calamity couldn’t reach them.

“Come on quickly, that thing’s gonna catch up with us!”

“Teus, I can’t- I can’t run anymore! I think we’re gonna die!...”

One of the little boys fell to the ground as the large beast, not too far behind, cast a great shadow that completely engulfed the two. 

“S-stay back!” Teus commanded as he confidently pointed his finger at the brute. His voice shaken yet full of resolve.

The beast continued to tread closer, driving them into a corner but the determination in the young boy’s demand did not change.

“You’re not going to hurt my friend! Over my dead body!”

Unbothered, the monster slowly crept towards Teus and his friend; drooling from the mouth as their blood stained fangs and black and white fur glistened in the moonlight. The ground shook from the weight of the monster’s steps until it suddenly halted in front of the boy.

Blood began to drip from the beast’s nose as its eyes rolled back and it collapsed to the ground. The boy was paralyzed, he couldn’t believe what he saw.

A singular man standing triumphantly on top of the slain beast, clad in armor made with cutting edge technology, sparks akin to lightning whirling around him. And his sword firmly plunged into its being. The blade, still shimmering in the moonlight. 

The warrior spoke with words firm but filled with solicitude. 

“You guy’s outta be more careful. Not everyone's out to protect you. This outside world is way, way different than a playground...”

§

12 years later.

Teus sprung awake, still feeling the adrenaline of his recurring dream–his long ago memory. He clasped his chest without thought as he slowly but surely caught his breath. He looked around his dimly lit room, still panting for air.

“It was him from way back when that inspired me to be a giga-hunter…”

He yawned as he popped his feet out from off the bed and stretched his arms briefly, with machine-like hum reverberating from the room. A compact, cylindrical robot; smaller than his hand, came forth from a pod built into the wall. 

It swirled around Teus, scanning him with its one eye.

“Good morning, Teus. You successfully slept for: 4 hours and 29 minutes! This is not ideal for your health.” it plainly stated.

“Yeah… Let’s not salt the wound.” Teus chuckled as he pushed it out of his way.

He steadily got himself out of bed as he and made his way to the fridge. He clicked open the door and embraced the soft cool of the inside as he gazed at the empty shelves. 

“Welp, guess we’re having water for breakfast again!” He said with conviction.

Whilst pouring himself a glass of water he peered outside the window of his room, past the dust and haze of early sunlight. To see silhouettes of far off monsters flying in the vast terrain and the humongous walls that surrounded the city, titanic structures of towers and floating castles that hovered well beyond the ground. 

Their banners flittering in the wind, proudly brandishing the insignia of the ruling command adorned on them all. As a thorough reminder on who had control.

Teus’ bit down on his lip with disgust as he read one of the posters and exhaled a deep sigh.

The sign read: Here to protect. Ready to serve. Hail the empire.

“Protect?...” He scoffed, his voice filled with ridicule. “Don’t crack me up.”

His grip tightened around the glass. “...I don’t regret becoming a giga-hunter the way I did. I never will. But I just wish that it wasn’t for people like them, people who use these walls as a cage and claim it as a nest… I’d fight for anybody, anybody but them.” Teus thought to himself while drinking from the cup he just poured.

Before promptly being interrupted by an alarm that blared throughout his entire room. A holographic light blue system window appeared in front of him, displaying a message as well as the soft, artificial voice that came after.

[New Mission Request! From Brulsian Empire]

[Disaster level: ★★★★★★★]

[Effective: Immediately] 

[Reward: 23,100 gold]

[Penalty for refusal: Death]

Another heavy sigh left Teus’ body as he stared at the floating words. Seven stars, this was a lot, even for him, he had an odd feeling about this mission.

“...So no time for breakfast today, huh?” 

He placed his glass on the counter and stretched his wrist and arms. “Alright then, let’s gear up!”

§

As the sun’s light pierced through the clouds in the sky. Teus, now battle ready, carried his broken, beaten and cracked sword in hand. He made his way to one of the empire’s loading docks. Whilst gazing at one of the many battle airships that were circling around the air ominously around the city.

These aircrafts were mobile posts for the empire, bases where giga-hunters employed by the empire would go for their debriefing on their tasks as well as a spot to meet the rest of one's team and strategize a plan of action before starting the mission.

The airship was massive. It presented a shining, luminescent metal due to its magnificent luster and robust ammunition from both sides in case of aerial combat. Still broadcasting the large threatening insignia that Teus couldn’t dream to escape.

As he approached the dock, there was a familiar hum from his battle suit that sounded before a distinct and robotically calm voice came through his ear piece. 

[Alberion is now online.]

“Teus, while I was offline and managing our maintenance I was recalculating your family’s amount of debt to the empire. There’s something important I need to tell you.”

“Ha, well good morning to you too, Alberion.” Teus chuckled.

“This isn’t the time for jokes, Teus. Assuming the numbers are right on this task, after this you should be debt-free from the Brulsian empire.”

Teus raised an eyebrow at the statement. “Really… that close, huh!? I was wondering why the difficulty of this mission was so high, they must really want their money’s worth!”

“This is a mission difficulty that we’ve never gone on before Teus, they might be trying to get rid of you. You need to be careful.”

“You worry too much, Alberion. Why would the empire get rid of one their best?”

“...”

“...”

“Sorry, that was a stupid question. Since when has the empire ever liked anything, free.”

“As your AI I’m responsible for your survival and safety. Don’t make this your last mission.”

“Thanks, Alberion.” Teus muttered.

One of the airships began to descend unto the loading dock as Teus gripped his sword tight, preparing himself with what's to come.

“Alright, let’s get this over and done with.”

He stepped onto the battle-ship and the aircraft began to take flight. Already set in motion, taking a strict path towards the monster’s communicated destination. Cutting a swath through-out the sky's atmosphere, however, the surroundings inside the hovercraft were anything but ideal. As people stared daggers through Teus with eyes full of contempt. 

“Well would you look at that? Zone 6 made his way on this mission. They just let anybody join now, don't they?” Said one of the giga-hunters, projecting his voice just loud enough for Teus to hear him as the rest chuckled.

Teus disregarded the comment and made his way to one of the empty seats. Whilst sitting down as he rested his sword, he heard another.

“Ugh, does anyone know where he got that armor? And his sword? Why does carry around that broken thing?” one snickered. 

“Probably found them at a dumpster somewhere. Ha ha.”

“Isn’t he like, in debt?”

“These guys never shut up do they?” Alberion asked.

“Makes sense, he’s from Zone 6, after all.”

“It looks like such an old model, I have no idea how it even holds together.”

“Yet somehow I’m still a higher rank than you…” Teus thought to himself.

The turbulence shook the ship as it increased its ascension. Teus looked at one of the windows to catch a reflection of himself, as he gazed at his battle armor.

A raised voice cut through the idle chatter.

“You call this food!? This is your worst dish yet!?” 

Captain Hawk was at it again. 

“You’re insulting me! You forgot you’re the empire’s little maggot, huh?!” he shouted, his voice bellowing through the hall.

“I- I’m not! It’s just that the ingredients weren’t stored properly, so I had to throw out what was rotten.” The crewmate pleaded.

“Whaat!? So you’re saying this is my fault!?” He yelled with his wide frame casting a menacing shadow over the man.

The captain indignantly raised his hand in the air preparing to backhand the crewmate.

“Why you little-”

“That’s more than enough…”

Teus called out to the captain while holding his hand by the wrist. Being the only barrier of protection between the captain and the crewmember.

“Aren’t we supposed to be on a mission, safeguarding people from a wild beast right now?”

Captain Hawk’s eyes blazed with unadulterated fury before saying. “...Shut up and focus on paying your debt, you Zone 6 trash.” He lifted his head and called everyone else in the room.

“Everybody, huddle up! Let’s go over strategy!”

The crewmate fearfully muttered. “T- thanks Teus, I thought he was gonna-” 

“He won’t… It’ll have to be over my dead body.”

As everybody walked towards the center of the room, Hawk leaned into Teus' ear, his voice ominous and stern. “Pay attention Zone 6, you better remember that you’re under my thumb and do your job, because the second you don’t; I’ll throw you right back to the trashcan you belong in, understand?… I’m not running a charity here.”  

His leering was met with Teus’ unbothered expression. “Roger that.”

With a sharp tone the captain spoke up and addressed the crew. “Since there’s five of us here, we’ll do two and three.” His voice was firm and resolute. “You” he pointed to Teus. “You’ll run the duo with me. The rest of you figure out a formation.”

“The plan’s straightforward. We attack from both ends. My duo draws the beast out, everyone else gets the weak points from behind, got it?” 

Before the crew could respond a loud alarm rang inside the aircraft.

[Alert: Monster is currently attacking the ship!]

[Alert: Monster is currently attacking the ship!]

[Alert: Monster is currently attacking the ship!]

The airship spiraled in the sky as Teus caught a glimpse through the window of the large beast attacking them, with its teeth securely grasping a disassembled part of the battleship in its mouth.

“Are you serious!?” Teus thought… 

“We haven’t even landed yet!”

The ship fiercely shook in the wind as the monster’s fangs split it apart. Teus frantically grabbed his sword and looked to Captain Hawk, expecting the next command. 

“What’s our move?” He shouted, in anticipation for instructions.

However, there were no orders but cold calculations that came from the captain.

“Teus move!” Alberion quickly cautioned.

But it was too late. The captain thrust his body forward kicking him square in the chest and launching right outside of the window. Teus crashed through the tempered-glass, confusion etched onto his face as he looked back and saw his captain smiling. 

“...What.”

“Change of plans Zone 6, we only need one decoy!”

…

“...What?!”