“How can A man die better, Than facing Fearful odds, For the ashes of his fathers, And the temples of his gods.”

---Horatius

* * *

The year was 2017

10 billion Humanity were busy with their daily lives as usual. New year had just passed and the festival mood was still in the air. For some it was a happy day. For some It was a sad day. While for others it was the usual dull life.

It was then that it happened.

It was a sunny day over the central plains of Russia. The clear sky had some light white clouds floating in it. Birds and animals were doing their usual works. It was an everyday scenery.

But sadly it was all going to change.

The sky darkened and thick black clouds started forming. Theystarted swirling like a cyclone. Then it happened. A crack appeared in the air.It looked like someone shot a bullet tearing the very space itself. The crack extended a few hundred of meters in all directions, gradually forming a blue swirling vortex. A portal in Time-Space Fabric itself. It was the size of two football fields in diameter.

Sceintists and Military soon flocked around this occurence. No one knew what it was. Speculations began to fly. Some said it was a weather phenomenon. Some said Aliens were attacking. Others said it was God's work. However all the people who were assembled near the vortex had not the slightest idea of what came next.Out of the vortex came the worst enemy humanity ever faced.Creatures only known to exist in legends and myths as well as ones never seen or heard of poured out of the vortex.

The ones assembled near the 'portal' were wiped out instantly. But those creatures ; Monsters ; didn't stop there. They kept coming from the portal in waves and marched in all directions. Some walking some flying some even swiming. They brought destruction and death to everything in their path annihilating any life that so much as caught their eye.

Ofcourse humanity retaliated. The countries accros the world came together and declared a world wide emergency. They named this portal 'The Gate'. They didnt know what exactly their enemy was but thay had to do something. Every moment more people were dying. Forgetting all past disagreements and tensions all countries joined hands and poured their resources to protect themselves. Soon an allied army was formed to fight off the invaders.

Equiped with the best weapons and machinery from over the globe, they stood against the Monsters. They fought bravely upto their very limits. However, even with their most advanced technologies, Fighter jets, Tanks, Destroyers etc Humanity was gradually pushed back by the monsters who had absurd strengths and had a power only heard in fairy tales and fantasies. Magic.

It became clear that humans were fighting a losing battle. Within a decade their population dropped down to 40 % of its original. In the next 20 years it dropped to an even lower of 10%. Humanity faced its extinction.The world leaders understood that they could no longer keep fighting so they switched to defence.

Project Haeven was initiated. To protect themselves from the immenent death, humans took refuge in fortified cities. Even there they spent their days in fear, afraid that they may die anytime. Then after forty years of the opening of the gate a last ray of hope was found.

《Gods Blood 》

From the first time that a monster was killed, its samples were sent to a top secret lab located in a classified location only a few leaders knew of. After years of studying the samples a serum derived from the blood of strongest of monsters was made. It was injected into newborn individuals.

And then the miracle began.

Individuals injected with gods blood showed remarkable growth. They were stronger by leaps and bounds and had the ability to fight on equal footing against the Invaders. While some else demonstrated exceptional mental intelligence. They could also use ‘Mana’ and with it Magic like few monsters could use.

《Gods Blood 》 gave them immortality, or more correct to say, regeneration. Their cells got the ability to divide infinitely and even adapt to chromosomal errors, giving the individuals an eternal lifespans. However they would still die if mortally wounded. More research done on this made their aging stop at the mid to late teens; their optimum fighting condition.

They were called “Neo-Humans”

Humanity cheered at this discovery. The losing battle for survival could now be won. However the medicine had a side effect. It made the Neo-humans sterile; that is, they could never bear children. But the masses didnt care. All they needed was a weapon. And they got it.

Trained to fight and surivive, these individuals joined hands and stood to protcet their race. Using these new powers humanity learnt to fight back. They pushed back the monsters to the areas away from the cities and constantly fought in order to keep them from attacking.

Technology developed alongside magic and new weapons were created by the Neo humans with which they protected the last cities of humanity.

And now at the end of these passing days, seventy years after the gate appeared, events which would change the world once more have began to start.....

☆ ☆ ☆

In the seas a few nautical miles from the coasts of Tokyo Area. A single Ship moved across the raging waters. Cutting through the waves of the icy cold sea.

On the silent bridge of the ship a radio rang out.

“CIC to brige! Bogey spotted at 15 miles from vessel! North east direction! Closing fast! ETC 5 miutes!

A young man answered the radio.

“Understood....”

Switching over to another channel he began.

“All hands to battle stations. The enemy is here....”