The Invasion

{This chapter is basically what is going on in the world of this novel. It "might" have some spoilers but I'll try my best to not add any. This chapter is technically important to understand other chapters but I'll make sure to give some info here and there so that those who missed this won't have a problem.}

Date: 10 August, 2050, Wednesday [EARTH]

A normal day on Planet Earth. Everyone was going about their everyday lives.

It was afternoon, the sun was harsh, and the atmosphere scorching.

As the clock struck at 2:38 PM, something started covering the sky. The harsh sunlight disappeared and darkness enveloped the whole sky.

Some people thought that it must be clouded because of the month and time, but when they looked above, they found something unimaginable. 

The arrival of the extraterrestrial behemoth sent shockwaves around the globe. The massive ship cast its shadow upon the planet, and its size was bigger than one-fourth of the surface of the Earth.

People looked up in the sky, looking at its darkness as it covered the whole sky and casted its shadow on them. It was rectangular with clean lines, angular corners, and flat surfaces that looked dark, metallic gray, like polished steel or titanium, reflecting sunlight, and a very complex network of lights, panels, and structures that looked like they were alive.

It kept coming closer.

People took out their cameras to capture this moment. Their heartbeats had reached another level.

As smaller ships left the main spaceship, the world held its breath.

Those smaller spaceships flew toward cities like hordes of locusts. The shining, blue skies had turned to a deep, foreboding grey like the night had fallen in the blink of an eye.

There were actually some who had hoped for a peaceful encounter but their mind changed after they saw those smaller spaceships equipped with weird weapons.

To protect their countries, some nations' armies from around the globe decided to fight. Their defense mechanism turned up as they launched several attacks toward those small spaceships.

Everything was happening so fast that some even died because of the rushing crowd.

Fighter jets flew through the sky and launched barrages of missiles. The ground was shaking beneath the artillery, as howitzers and rocket launchers hurled shells and rockets at the invading forces. Naval fleets sortied, their warships firing cruise missiles. Not only that but their cyber units were also trying to find a way to attack them.

However, their efforts failed miserably.

And by miserably, it was worse than some can imagine.

Over seventy percent of the world's military forces were annihilated within the first hour. Entire armies were wiped out, leaving only scattered remnants, since the key military installations, command centers, and strategic locations were reduced to rubble. Missiles and rockets were effortlessly intercepted and destroyed, while alien energy shields deflected even the most powerful strikes.

Many died, surpassing tens of millions, as cities lay in ruins and entire neighborhoods were evaporated.

This just implied that humans were overpowered by those aliens which led everyone into panic and disbelief.

The curiosity ended up as a catastrophe.

The countries that attacked them first were not only unable to stop them but also infuriated them and their attempts to defend were met with a ruthless response.

As cities crumbled, screams echoed through the streets, and the once-blue skies turned to ash. From the tall skyscrapers to small huts, everything that came into their sight was being destroyed.

Panic gripped the hearts of millions.

Chaos and despair spread.

Despite inflicting some casualties on them, humanity suffered devastating losses as the aliens' superior technology made human weapons useless. Nuclear weapons, which used to be seen as the ultimate destructive weapons, were dismantled into pieces before they could even be launched.

The enemies' fortifications appeared invincible and their countervailing assaults reduced cities to rubble and caused countries to disintegrate.

Armies were withering away and its people shrank back in fear as the war continued towards an abyss from which there was no return. It became visible that humanity was helpless against this enemy, and people understood that no one going to save them now.

Prospects for the future grew dimmer by the minute.

In half of the day, the world was torn apart by the invasion, with some nations opting for surrender and others fighting to save themselves.

The population had decreased to a fifth of what it was.

Some lucky countries managed to negotiate a fragile peace with the aliens, preserving their sovereignty but sacrificing their independence. They became vassal states, forced to go along with the invaders' demands.

On the other hand, those nations that first attacked them were annihilated to the point that their territories were reduced to smoldering ruins. The international organizations that once bound humanity together were dismantled, and those aliens easily filled the power vacuum.

The world map was redrawn.

The age of human dominance was over, and a new era of alien rule began.

Those aliens introduced themselves to the remaining humans as Xenozacil Dramon Jiviq.

The chaos and destruction that came with the arrival of the Dramons became a horrific memory of humanity forever.

The day started with the shadow of the alien mothership and ended with the fall of humankind, and so they named it, The Shadowfall1. That name became a reminder of the fragility of human existence.

From that day forward, the world was forever changed.

The humans were only allowed to live under the shadow of their new alien overlords. Some were left to pick up the pieces and tried to rebuild in secret to fight back while some had suffered so much that they couldn't even stand up against them.

The Shadowfall became a tale, a story of the horrors for those who dared to venture into the unknown and dared to fight against the Dramons.

Date: 3 August, 2051, Thursday [EARTH]

As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, the reality of the situation sank in.

The alien species, with their advanced technology and ruthless way of dealing, systematically dismantled human control and established their rule over the planet.

On the news, some scientists said that these Dramons are a being of type II civilization on the Kardashev scale.

The Type II Civilisation: A world where energy is no longer limited. Where the planets are harnessed to fuel the persistent strive of progress.

The type of civilization where the boundaries of innovation are pushed to unparalleled heights.

Those beings have gone beyond the limitations of their home planet, wielding the power of their entire world like a cosmic dominator. Their technology has developed enough to tap into all the energy sources of their world, unlocking jaw-dropping achievements.

Cities become as big as continents, towering metropolises that touch the skies like shards of splintered light. Landscapes transformed, showcasing unstoppable innovation. The air of their planets, always alive with the sound of unlimited energy, the planet's life being used as a potion of progress.

This is where physics takes a backseat.

A civilization so advanced that it changes reality and its rules to achieve limitless aspirations. The universe waits and anticipates its next groundbreaking feat. For them, 'impossible' is just a dare.

Having control over their solar system and being able to make use of the power equivalent of a star, they extract energy, information, and raw materials from multiple solar systems and become capable of evolutionary intervention, interstellar travel, interstellar communication, stellar engineering, terraforming, and star cluster-scale influence.

Complete control of the fate of its home planet where threats like ice ages and global warming can be easily avoided. This civilization's unprecedented growth and diversification effectively safeguard its future, rendering extinction highly unlikely.

They have advanced to the point that the biggest global issue is to choose which planet to dominate next.

And now, those beings have come to this planet.

The world was plunged into darkness, as the Dramons imposed their own harsh laws and governance structures, and crushed any semblance of humanity and their autonomy.

Their hierarchy, structured around ancient power dynamics, dictated control and oppression. The conquered worlds cowered under the Dramons' technological superiority.

The humans were forced to live in suppression, and their freedom and dignity were lost.

They moved among Humans with an air of superiority, their physical prowess and advanced technology making them nearly invincible. The constant threat of duels, a kind of custom among Dramons to solve a conflict, simply a twisted form of dispute resolution, born from a toxic brew of pride and desperation, kept humans in a state of perpetual fear.

Those vibrant streets were now filled with a sense of dread, as humans lived under the eyes of the alien lords.

The fear and submission from them became a norm. The human spirit, once known for its resilience and determination, was now reduced to a mere flicker, struggling to survive in a world dominated by the merciless Dramons.

The Dramons' physical appearance was pretty much human-like but their beauty surpassed that of angelic beings. Their humanoid features seemed chiseled to perfection, with graceful lines and striking facial structures that made them appear like beings from a divine realm.

But beneath their alluring exterior lay formidable power that belied their human-like appearance.

They possessed strength that was almost godlike, capable of unleashing destruction on a massive scale. A single Dramon, if they chose to exert their full might, could reduce a six-story building to rubble. Their physical prowess, superior technology, and alien physiology made them invincible on this now-conquered planet.

Also, the Duels had become a reign of terror and were striking fear into the hearts of humans. The death toll kept rising and the world descended into utter despair.

The once-powerful nations were now shadows of their past, utterly dominated. Governments caved to the Dramons' orders, becoming mere puppets under their control.

Their economic structure lay in ruins, like broken temples, the wealth of their land getting by the Dramons for their fun. Armies were crushed and their spirits were broken. They stood there like hollow shells. Political structures once symbols of freedom, broke down like sand castles before them.

The world stood on the brink of collapse.

Many people of the rebellious nations became their slaves, forced to live under the cold gaze of their alien masters.

Humanity's most precious gift, freedom, was lost to the whims of the Dramons. There was no such thing as dignity left, only a sense of hopelessness and desperation remained.

The world was caught in the prison of their unshakable dominance and could see no way to break free from the shackles of subjugation. Humanity was on the verge of extinction and was being crushed under the feet of those tyrants.

About this time, a secret coalition of nations was formed, determined to be against the Dramons, all while pretending to play along.

Led by the five nations, which were currently the strongest in power and under Dramons' control, the humans created an organization that became their only hope for survival. They worked in secret, working to weaken the Dramons' hold on the planet, gathering intelligence, devising strategies, and covertly supporting rebel movements. While in front, they sometimes even supported every single word said by a Dramon.

The Dramons were aware of Luminari, but found it amusing due to their absolute power.

The organization's precarious balancing act became a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, where one wrong move could mean annihilation. Yet this nascent organization was humanity's best chance to reclaim its world and restore its dignity.

A ray of hope emerged.

Some people put their trust and hope, and even their lives, in the organization's hands.

Its name started to become a battle cry, a rallying point, and a symbol of hope in a world gone mad.

It was a representation. And, though secretly, it represented humanity's unshakable spirit, their refusal to be extinguished, and their unwavering commitment to building a brighter future, no matter the cost.

Dramons, with their curiosity and dominance, gave this newborn organization a name that reflected their control on this planet: The World Dramonic Organization (WDO).

But humanity, with its characteristic passion and defiance, had already given it another name.

A name that whispered promises of light in the darkness, of resilience in the face of overwhelming odds, and of a fierce determination to reclaim their rightful place in this world, they called it Luminari.