Chapter 1: The Day of the Comet

Eilam Sylastar was born into a normal family in the peaceful city of Eldritch, a place where life went on with the tranquility of daily routines and small pleasures. Her childhood was full of happy moments, games on the cobbled streets and shared laughter with her brother Vorian and her friends.

One special day when they had announced the arrival of an unprecedented event the idea of seeing the comet pass through the Milky Way had captured their imagination since they announced it at school. His brother Vorian Sylastar, always the adventurer, had promised that that night would be unforgettable.

The city of Eldritch was effervescenceing. Families would congregate on the terraces, children would run with shooting toy stars, and street vendors would offer shiny souvenirs and crispy snacks. Eilam and Vorian joined the crowd, heading to the local shop to stock up on treats for their family.

"Do you think it will be as bright as they say?" Eilam asked, looking at his brother with eyes full of amazement.

"It will be even brighter," Vorian replied with a smile, squirming Eilam's hair. "It will be as if a new star is born just for us tonight."

As they left the store, loaded with bags of snacks, they stopped in their tracks. The comet, which was not expected until later, already adorned the night sky with its tail of stellar dust. Eilam gaped, the bag of chips hanging forgotten from his hand.

Vorian pulled out his phone and quickly dialed his family. "It's happening now! Go out on the terrace!" He shouted, his voice mixed with the exclamations of surprise and joy of passers-by.

The comet slid across the sky, a spectacle of light and color that left everyone in reverential silence. But when it disappeared from view, a haunting vibration swept the world. A sense of anguish gripped the crowd, a foreshadowing that something was not right.

Eilam and Vorian ran home, driven by a growing fear. Opening the door, they found his family glued to the TV. The news confirmed his worst fears: the comet had fallen into the planet's NEMO point. Researchers were already on their way to assess the damage and possible consequences.

Eilam felt the emotion turn into fear. Vorian, with his gaze fixed on the screen, squeezed his younger brother's hand. Together, they would face whatever came. What had begun as a heavenly celebration had given way to an uncertainty that would change their lives forever.

Television became a window into a crumbling world. The images showed the NEMO point, now a hotbed of scientific and military activity. Reporters were talking about an unknown substance that was dispersed in the environment, and how emergency teams were working against the clock to assess the risks.

The mother of Eilam and Vorian, with her trembling voice, broke the silence that had taken over the room. "What does all this mean? What is that substance?"

The father, with his eyes fixed on the screen, responded with a grave tone. "I don't know, but it looks serious. It could change everything..."

The younger sister, Lila, clung to her mother's leg. "Mom, are the monsters coming here too?"

Before the mother could respond, the grandfather, who had experienced many adversities, intervened. "Don't be afraid. We have overcome difficult times before. We will stand together, as always."

Eilam, feeling the tension growing in the room, looked for Vorian's hand. "Vorian, what are we going to do?"

Vorian, with his gaze fixed on the screen, squeezed his younger brother's hand. "No matter what happens, Eilam, we are in this together. We will protect our family."

The following days were full of dizzying changes. The substance released by the comet began to affect the ecosystem. Plants and animals mutated at an alarming rate, and what was once familiar became strange and menacing.

The afternoon had fallen on Eldritch, and the Sylastar family was meeting in the living room, glued to the television, looking for answers in the news. The tension was palpable, a mixture of fear and fascination at the events unfolding beyond its walls.

Suddenly, a dull roar shook the house, shaking the windows and causing family portraits to fall from the walls. Eilam's mother grabbed Lila, her youngest daughter, and drew her to herself, as the father jumped up, with an alert expression.

"What was that?" asked the mother, her voice trembling.

Before anyone could respond, another blow, louder than the previous one, echoed, and this time, a terrifying roar accompanied the impact. Eilam, with his eyes wide open, approached the window, only to retreat immediately.

"There's something out there!" He exclaimed, pointing to the window.

Vorian, without hesitation, ran to the front door and took a cautious look. What he saw froze his blood. A monstrous creature, of unimaginable proportions, stood in front of his home. His skin was an amalgam of scales and pulsating membranes, and his eyes, a mosaic of irises that reflected an evil intelligence.

The Neomorph raised one of its gigantic claws and struck the house with devastating force. The wooden structure creaked and groaned under the assault, and with each blow, the family's hope of staying safe faded.

"We have to get out of here!" Vorian yelled, turning to his family. "Now!"

The family moved in controlled chaos, picking up the essentials and pushing each other towards the back door. The grandfather, with his wisdom forged in years of adversity, took the lead, guiding the family through a secret passage that led to the basement.

As they descended, the sound of destruction followed them, a constant reminder of the threat lurking just above them. Lila cried silently, clinging to her teddy bear, while the mother tried to calm her with words of comfort.

"We're going to be okay," he whispered, though in his heart, uncertainty was growing.

They reached the basement, and the grandfather slammed the door. The darkness enveloped them, and for a moment, the silence was absolute. But then, the roar of the Neomorph reached them, a sound that seemed to come from another world, full of hunger and fury.

Vorian looked at his family, his eyes reflecting an iron determination. "No matter what happens, we won't let him find us. We will protect each other."

But fate had other plans. With a final rumble, the Neomorph broke the barrier that separated them from the outside. The rubble fell like rain, and in an instant, the daylight was swallowed by dust and darkness.

Eilam's family was buried under the remnants of what was once their safe haven. Only Vorian and Eilam, on a whim of fate, found themselves on the other side, miraculously unscathed but not safe. Vorian, heartbroken by the loss, knew there was no time for mourning. His only priority now was to protect Eilam, the only member of his family he could still save.

Taking Eilam by the arm with a determination born of despair, Vorian dragged him away from the ruin that had been his home. There was no time to look back, to see if any of his people had survived. The dark street in front of them stretched out like an abyss, but it was their only escape.

"Come on, Eilam! We have to move!" Vorian urged, his voice a harsh whisper against the chaos that surrounded them.

Eilam, in shock, could barely keep up. Images of his family trapped under the rubble haunted him, but Vorian's firm grip kept him moving. Together, the two brothers went into the darkness, leaving their past life behind and facing an uncertain future.

They ran through the shattered streets of Eldritch, the breath of the hot beast on their heels. His family's screams were lost in the distance, a tragic chorus that marked the end of everything they had known.

Finally, they arrived at a shelter, where other survivors had found a temporary sanctuary. The doors were closed with a dull bang behind them, and for a moment, the outside world was silenced.

Vorian, with trembling hands but steady gaze, joined the defenders on the barricade. He took an improvised weapon, a kind of spear created from the mutated remains of another fallen beast, and prepared for the assault they knew would come.

Eilam, still in shock, was taken to a safe corner by kind hands. He curled up there, his eyes wide open, as the sounds of battle began to resound through the walls of the shelter.

The struggle for survival had begun, and although Eilam was only a child, he knew that his life would never be the same again. Vorian, his protector, his hero, was out there, fighting the shadows that threatened to devour what little was left of his world.