The commander steps out of the starship, and looks onward the first U.S military and research base built of the planet. When word came that the natives of the planet exhibited sorcery, the U.S decided to send self replicating nanomachines to go and construct a base.

Once a landing zone was secured, security and reconnaissance drones landed and protected the area while the nanobots were busy constructing the base. Resources and materials were send to the nanobots from space by mining the asteroid belt of the Ardon system. These are sent so as the nanomachines won't attract the attention of the locals.

The base has x key buildings. The vertical farm, the military command center and the research lab. The vertical farm, built from a strong steel frame, stood tall with green popping out. The walls painted ice white, combining two beautiful colors to make one magnificent building. It produced large quantities of vegetables, fruits, spices, and even fish and meat. These are then send off to the kitchens to be made into meals for the people living in the base.

The military command center is where all operations will be planned at. It was much smaller than the vertical farm. The fossil gray wall with the repetitive glass windows gave a building a soul crashing look to it. It also holds the drone operator room, in which the people supervised the drones that was protecting the base.

The research lab rectangular in shape, had ice white walls like the vertical farm. It was the area of 2 football fields and had a height of a 7 story building. Inside, it had the most cutting edge technological tools that scientists could ever work with, including the ability to map out the brain of any creature, cloning perfect copies of the animals, and even the ability to transfer information to the brains.

There were other notable structures placed as well. Such as the multiple glass buildings, that housed all 6,500 inhabitants of the base. There is the air strip where the military store and launch aircraft that could easily move anything across the planet . The warehouse was used to store the ammo and weapons the operatives used.

Worker drones started moving a large quantities of guns, vehicles and other pieces pf equipment to their designated place. The 650 crew in cryosleep were woken up to move into their rooms until further notice. They have just landed, and now needed to prepare before they first conduct their operation.

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It was a bright beautiful morning. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the farmers harvesting their fruits of their labor, with large fields of shinning yellow paddy, waiting to be collected. However, in this bright and blissful day, there is always one grumpy and stubborn enough to refuse the happiness lay in front.

Tiana looked onward the waterfall where she first casted her magic. Despite her accomplishment, her parents have rejected the idea of going to the magical academy, not because they didn't want her to go, but because they couldn't afford to. She would have to help work in the fields until she gets married off to some other family for her to give birth to more children.

She picked up a rock next to her, and threw it as fast as she could. The rock bounced across the river before it sand. Light footsteps came behind her. She looked around. What stood there was a fair boy with syrup brown hair carrying sparkling golden yellow eyes wearing a syrup brown tunic and two short lapis blue leggings.

"Hey Sam."

Sam sits on the grass next to her.

"Hey Tiana, why do you look so sad?" he asked with a voice of curiosity.

With a glum expression on her face, Tiana replied.

"I can't go to the magical academy. We are short on money."

"Oh is that so?"

He takes out a small brown pouch made out of burlap jute, and hands it over to Tiana. Tiana opens the pouch, and finds 25 silver coins in there. Shocked , she wants to ask how he got this much money, yet her vocabulary seemed to have evaporated into thin air. Sam ran a smile across his face.

"Well, remember how my parent's reacted when I said I became a merchant's apprentice?"

"Huh?"

"Well, they gave me a disgusted face, and nearly disowned me. However, being an apprentice, I had done well for my age."

Tiana looked at the pouch, then with tears flowing down her face, she managed to find a few words.

"Sam... I... Thank you." she said, with a smile.

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The teeming flat plains filled with flowers and protected by the forest held the children of the elves and their Kanori friends. Shbell was late as usual, being a chief's daughter meant the abundance of work and training kept the people she called friends waiting. Just before the 7 were fed up, they heard distant screams from the only person they knew could do so.

"WWAAAIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTT!!!!!!" She had arrived just in time.

"Man, I never seen someone run so fast. What did Chief Shlend Ohmswart ordered this time?"

The exhausted girl pointed her finger up, signaling them to wait until she had managed to finally catch her breath.

"I.... I had to... to do.... lots of.... training.... for... self...defense.."

Followed behind her were 2 elven women with silver bows and a bunch of sharp arrows. The group questioned their purpose.

"Father..... says... that there is.... something watching me..... so he... assigned guards and... started training me for self.... defense."

The group laughed it off. The boy with curly blonde hair grabbed her hand. She looked up to his dazzling emerald green eyes, making little Sbhell's little heart pound.

"Don't worry here Sbhell, we are here, right guys?" Harya said. The others nod in agreement.

...

Near the line which separates sky from space, an aircraft is soring through at hypersonic speeds. It was triangular in shape, and doesn't look to have any means of propulsion, yet it travelled at hypersonic speeds; this was the Boeing T545, a hovercraft that can sustain up to Mach 40 speeds.

Boeing T545s are made aluminum and copper alloy, which shields the interior of heat, and coated in a cloud gray paint to blend in with the sky. Ion propulsion is used to make it fly and hover in the air, and at max speed, it's battery can make it fly for 12 days straight. The laser cannon fires an invisible laser that fries the electronics of any incoming projectiles or other aircraft. It cannot fire the power powerful red laser as it would drain the battery too much. Hidden cameras and sensors on the aircraft gives the pilot full view of everything that is going on. The footage is directed to the AR helmet he wears.

This particular model, is fitted with a tractor beam, in order to efficiently abduct the natives, and anesthetics, to make them unconscious. The gun fitted is retractable, and can fire multiple types of ammunition. Invisibility was also fitted on to this model, as 'going invisible' wasn't that useful when cloaking on aircraft gave higher temperatures, making it susceptible to infrared vision. Smoke screen is also fitted, as to make sure natives won't see the craft when abductions take place.

Currently, the pilot is headed towards a flat plain, where he would isolate and abduct a native specimen for science. His victim? A humanoid alien with pointy ears, and silver hair. It is being guarded by 2 feminine natives with a primitive longbow. She is currently socializing with her native friends.

"Approaching destination in ETA 40 minutes."

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A close group of 4 walked along the dirt road. Equipped with swords and staffs and carrying bags of gold, they were headed back to their home town. These were adventurers, people who get to travel the world slaying monsters and helping townsfolk for a living. The party was occupied by Alfred Steward the Swordsman, Rey Windsor the Mage, Alika Saxe the healer and Halle Blois the knight.

"On the plains, behind the Cantusilvae ring forest."

"Should we check it out?" Halle said, with a repressed smile on her face.

"Halle, you do know we are not fully equipped with the necessary equipment to do so." said Alfred.

"I would like to add that we are all high ranking adventurers that have taken on the toughest challenges any party could face. Besides, aren't you all a bit curious to what this mysterious being is?" Everyone else wanted to reject Halle's request, but in the back of their mind, the lingering temptation and excitement of mystery held them back. It grew bigger and bigger.

"Alright fine, let's head over there."

...

In a well lit room with white walls, with the front wall holding a large monitor, was filled with men on chairs looking at the screens molded to the table; drone operators. They all wore a formal, short sleeved white shirt with a blue tie, black pants and brown leather shoes and a pin depicting the American flag on the top left of their chest.

It had been a boring week for the drone operators. They had done nothing other than watch and supervise the security drones that had been guarding the area even before planetfall. Sure, they were able to look at the nature and it's beautiful scenery, but it gets a bit boring after a while. However, that is to change.

*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*

Sensors detect 4 entities near the Forest. "Picked up 4 natives headed towards base!". A blonde man came down, holding a white mug, with the words 'I love the sound of gunfire', filled up with dark coffee. He takes a good sip of it. He tuned his head to the operator next to him.

"Simon, assign a reconnaissance drone to monitor them." Said Melvin, taking another sip from his mug.

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Shbell and her friends have been playing for about an hour and a half now. Many types of games have been played, however now they have switched been playing a game of Funa and Jeno for 25 minutes. The game is set where everyone else stands in a circle. The object of the game is for the Funa to catch the Jeno on the inside of the circle. When the Jeno runs in between two people, they join hands and the Funa cannot pass through.

Shbell, thanks to the training her parents gave, was a fast runner. Anytime the Funa chases after her, she always manages to juke and outrun them. Whenever she is the Funa, she usually tires her opponent and catch the Jeno that way. The Funa and Jeno are nominated by the Elvan bodyguards that she brought with. The nominees for this game would be...… Shbell and Harya!

...

The pilot hovered above the plain, waiting for the perfect opportunity. He watched the group closely. The subject has now currently running away from her group, and is now being chased after by another native. He sits straight again.

"Finally, an opportunity." he said to himself.

The piloted the ship downwards.

"DAVIS, prepare the gun with the anesthetic shots and smoke screen. Fire at the 2 subjects."

...

The group can see the two run. Harya seemed to be able to catch up to her, only to lose it after she starts running again. It happened over and over again. She was giving an innocent, yet evil smile as she teased her crush. Eventually, she slipped up. The tip of his fingers reached Shbell's back.

Harya jumped as he celebrated in catching the one the other's couldn't. They started walking back to the group. However, the two starts to look dizzy, and immediately fell down. Feeling danger, the bodyguards ran as fast as they could. A cloud of gray came down and flashed a beam of light at Shbell. Her body starts magically levitate the mysterious gray cloud.

One of the bodyguards took an arrow. She casted a spell, making the arrow glow, and shot at the cloud. *DING*. It hit it's target, but the fallen arrow meant it failed to penetrate the beast hidden behind the cloud.

*BOOM*

Suddenly, as soon as Shbell disappeared off to the strange cloud, a strange creature flew out of the scene in second, not leaving them time to have a greater look at the being. They went to check up Harya. One of the bodyguard checked his pulse. Still breathing. In a flash of anger, they start punching the dirt ground. For the first time as their time in the Elite Elvan guard, they had failed.

The last thing they heard from her, from anyone, was the laughter of joy that came from that innocent soul.

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The Cantusilvae ring forest. Known to be a large lust green ring forest, home to many plants and animals in the realm. The trees acted as a wall against the sun, providing shade to the animals from the sun's heat rays. The small wind made the winds leaves rustle along with the birds chirping and singing a tune, keeping a sense of tranquility and peace.

However, when the party plunged deep the forest. There was no melody waiting for them, no cute animals to greet them, only the howling of the creepy wind, violently rustling the leaves. The animals, who have called this place their home, seemed to have disappeared. Everyone's heartbeat start to speed up.

*Sniff* *Sniff*

"I sense a nasty smell." Halle said, with a face of disgust. Everyone starts to pick it up. It got worse the more deep they went in. They all had second thoughts, but the mystique of what has taken place pushed them. The smell was staring to get more recognizable. The smell resembled a lot like Cadaverine, putrescine and a bit of Skatole.

*Snap*

Halle raised her foot to see what she had stomped; the carcass of a baby Kinuwa, crushed under the weight of her foot, and there was more. They spotted more. The ground covered with the cadaver of animals. Birds, lizards, mammals, all dead, nothing was spared. They all examined the bodies. There had been no wounds made, no blood had been spilt. They were all seemed to have limped over and fell on the ground.

"What happened here?"

"What could have done this?"

"We should head back. Whatever we are facing, we are not well equipped enough to deal with." said Alfead.

"But won't we miss out on what might have committed this atrocious act?"

"I would like to keep myself alive Ray! I have just retired and I ain't never gonna go against a force that I never have heard about." said Alfred.

"But what about honor Alfred, are you going to run away when a hostile being dares to kill off the peaceful wildlife of this lush forest?." said Halle. Alika nodded in agreement.

"But....". The team has entered into a heated argument. On one side, the cautious leader insists on gaining better supplies before facing off a threat they have never seen before, while the others focus of the honor and glory, on how it is the duty of an adventurer to keep the population safe.

...

The operators started to the wall monitor projecting the image of the native group. Melvin took another sip of his coffee. The translator wasn't perfect, so they picked up most of the conversation held by the group.

"Simon, send a combat drone. Let's see what these natives could do." said Melvin

...

The group was still arguing over whether they should continue advancing. However the by Ray.

"LOOK OUT!" using his staff, he summons a shield behind Halle.

Claps of thunder that erupted on the shield, braking it. A few small projectiles hit her, severely wounding Halle. Alika went in to try to heal her, but she had to take out what was inside before doing so. What she found were small metallic projectiles, that appear to have traveled at insane speeds, causing the holes in her body.

"COME OUT BEAST! SHOW YOURSELF!" Halle screamed. Just then, a floating metallic creature, spherical in shape came forth. It had a black eye with a ring as a pupil that glowed a red hue that stares into the soul of it's victims. On it sides it had two long pitch black arms with holes on it's end. Though it moved by flying, it had no winds and made no sound, it just... does.

Then, it suddenly stopped. Roy instinctively put up a azure blue magical shield, covering his team and the Halle's body. Alika tried to heal her friend, but her heartbeat had already stopped, and her brain had gone to an eternal sleep.

"What is that thing?"

"It looks kind of like an eye demon."

"How does it even fly?"

From the top of it's arms bursts of lights formed and small clasps of thunder was heard. Another, stronger magical shield was put up. Alfred, wasting no time, looked at his team. They all nodded. Using her magical staff, she beamed him with a yellow light, giving him increased strength and speed as long as he is being beamed. Halle dashed to the right, acting as bait.

The creature focused on Halle. With it's mysterious metallic pellets, it fired at the knight. Red wounds appeared out of nowhere, spattering her blood all over, covering the trees and grass. Her sword slip from her hand's grip, and with a loud thud, she fell on the ground, facing the grass.

While it was focused on Halle, he quickly jumped up the tree, using it to get closer, to try stabbing it's eye with it's sword. He managed to come close, but it was too fast, too intelligent. It's great thunder claps ruthlessly mowed him down with it's projectiles. However, this left another opening.

Ray, seizing this opportunity, disintegrated his shield and, with his full might and mana he could gather, casted a spell. "Magnublom!" A large explosion engulfed the creature. A large cloud of ash was made in the aftermath. It fell on the ground, making a huge thud when it hit the ground. Alika quickly went to check up on Alfred, and Ray checked up on Halle. His entire body is enfolded with red wounds. His face disfigured, and even some of his brains exposed.

"No No No No No No NO!"

She went as fast as she can, pulling out the projectiles, putting back part of his brain inside, but it won't matter. His heartbeat started dropping at a fast rate. With his disfigured face, he looked back at her, and made a smile.

"She's dead Alika! Halle is dead! She has no pulse!"

...

Melvin smiled at the scene played by the monitor.

"Great success boys, we found the mages of the group."

He holds his hand on to his earpiece, and starts to dial the lab.

"Hello John. I have found some natives that had a hard time taking on a lone security drone. I will be bringing them in." He then ends the call.

"Send more drones to subdue the two natives before they escape. Then drop them off at the research lab. Order them to use anesthetics."

"Yes sir."