War Begins

The airborne operation went off perfectly, and the Cantels immediately took control as soon as they landed. Just as they'd expected, regular weapons in close combat had almost no effect on them, giving them a big advantage over the humans.

Of course, humans could still use heavy firepower on them, but that would mean risking their own soldiers and even destroying their own camps. But if it came to that, the Cantels knew they would already be winning. After all, that was the role of the Cantels: expendable fighters. They were hired not because they were valuable, but because they were tough, and their employers didn't mind losing them.

At first, everything went smoothly for the Cantels.

Suddenly, a whistling sound sliced through the air. In the chaotic battle, few noticed the small missile flying straight toward them, leaving a trail of pale blue flame. It landed right in the middle of three or four Cantels grouped together. When the missile exploded, there was no fire or blast wave; instead, an invisible force spread out in waves. It was silent, but incredibly powerful. Two of the nearest Cantels were completely shattered, turning into blobs of white liquid that sprayed everywhere. Other Cantels a bit farther away were knocked off their feet, their bodies partly liquefied from the impact as they hit the ground, crippled.

The soldiers in the Ninth Special Service Division were both surprised and relieved. They'd never seen a weapon like this before, and it seemed almost like a miracle against these terrifying aliens.

But the Cantels, now seeing this strange weapon in action, felt a shiver of fear. This was completely different from the usual guns and rockets humans had used before. It seemed much more powerful.

The Cantels all shared the same thought: Humans actually have weapons this weird?

It was a sonic missile—a mini-missile with an untested warhead that used sound waves to cause destruction. It wasn't strong enough to destroy miles of targets as originally planned, but its power in a small area was still devastating.

Just as the Cantels were reeling from this surprise attack, the sky lit up again. A new group was coming down—a fleet of Iron Mechs. They fell from the sky like a metallic rain, forming neat lines as they landed. The leader of the group wore a black suit of armor with sharp ears on the helmet and a bat-shaped arc reactor on its chest. These were no ordinary soldiers; this was the Iron Mech Legion.

As they hit the ground, they formed a line, each mech raising its armored hand as arcs of energy flashed from their palms.

"Gentlemen," a robotic voice called out from one of the mechs. "Please surrender, lie down, and give up unnecessary resistance…"

But the Cantels weren't about to give in. One alien charged forward with a roar, incredibly fast. The mechs responded instantly, with three of them firing at once, creating a hole straight through the Cantel's chest.

Despite the formal command, the mechs weren't really there to negotiate. They were battle machines, controlled by an AI that followed basic commands and didn't think for itself. Still, they were incredibly efficient at fighting.

Within moments, it was clear that regular guns weren't effective against the Cantels. Most of the aliens sneered, almost mocking the humans. But when they saw the Iron Legion take down several of their own in an instant, the Cantels started to feel a sense of danger.

One of the mechs spoke again: "Begin annihilation operation."

The eyes of each mech changed from blue to red, glowing with a deadly light. Then they rose into the air, spreading out across the battlefield to begin the fight.

Some Cantels who could fly took off as well, and an intense battle broke out in the sky. The Cantels on the ground shifted their attention to the mechs, allowing the Ninth Division's soldiers to regroup and strengthen their defenses. With the humans out of the way, the Iron Legion had more freedom to attack without worrying about hitting their allies.

A mech fired a sonic bomb at a cluster of Cantels, causing them to scatter. A few aliens were too close and couldn't get away in time. One of them grabbed a nearby teammate to use as a shield, shrinking back behind them just as the bomb went off. His unfortunate teammate cried out in a strange language—likely cursing him out. But before he could do anything, the sonic blast disintegrated half his body into a sticky, white liquid.

The Iron Legion showed outstanding skill, with smooth movements and lightning-fast reactions. The steel bats, led by their dark-armored leader, tore through the Cantel ranks. Every blast from their recoil cannons hit its mark, as if they were fishing with bombs, catching any alien in their path.

Seeing the danger, an elite Cantel, covered by a few teammates, charged at the lead mech, trying to smash through its helmet. But the steel bat reacted instantly, firing a freezing missile that exploded in a burst of ice, trapping the alien in a crystal prison.

Meanwhile, other Cantels tried to sneak up on the mechs from behind. They landed on one of the robots, clawing at its back and ripping through the metal, exposing circuits and sparking wires. The damaged mech began to fall, black smoke trailing behind it. But just as it hit the ground, the arc reactor on its chest brightened with a roaring hum. A second later, it exploded like a firework, taking out the two Cantels on its back in a fiery blast.

The Cantels on the battlefield gasped. It can self-destruct too? How can we fight this?

Even though the Cantels were tough and not afraid to die, it was one thing to be brave on the battlefield and another to charge forward knowing that every mech you destroyed would explode right in your face. They started to doubt the fight. They'd come here expecting an easy victory, but instead, they were facing an army of metal monsters that seemed invincible.

Then, from the ruins nearby, a thunderous roar shook the battlefield. A huge shadow rose up—a dragon, spitting flames as it launched itself into the air. Its fire breath was intense, and its strength overwhelming; several aliens were crushed by its claws in just a few swipes.

As it flew over the Cantel ranks, a flaming figure shot across the sky—a young woman named Leila, surrounded by an aura of fire. Columns of flame erupted around her, scattering the Cantels as they scrambled to get away.

A few Cantels, desperate for a way to fight back, took the opportunity to leap onto the dragon, trying to claw at it. The dragon roared angrily, swiping its massive tail and slashing with its claws, but there were too many of them, and some had already climbed onto its back.

Leila swooped down, hitting the Cantels with fireballs, knocking them off the dragon one by one. Two mechs joined in, shooting golden beams to help clear the dragon's back.

Finally, the dragon stomped down, crushing a Cantel underfoot, then lifted its head and let out a mighty roar, seeming to thank its allies or challenge its enemies.

"Humans, ancients, dragons, and machines—all fighting together against aliens," Leila murmured to herself as she glided past.

"What a strange dream this is."