The Horizon Strangers

The Takeover

From the streets, it happened all too fast. 

The sky darkened as the Virelian ships hovered ominously above, blocking out the sun in certain cities. 

A strange, oppressive quiet blanketed the world before the attack began.

The Virelians didn't need to use brute force to seize control of Earth's technology. With a simple command, they had already shut down the power grids, disabled communications, and left every city vulnerable. 

But their true force was now descending from the sky.

In the distance, people screamed as the first wave of Virelian soldiers landed on the streets. They moved in clusters, descending from their ships with unnatural grace, each one hitting the ground in a low crouch before rising to their full height. 

Tall and fearsome, the Virelian military was unlike anything humans had ever seen. 

Their bodies were encased in armor that seemed fused with their skin, dark and sleek, like living metal. Their faces bore yellow eyes that glowed like embers, sharp and intelligent, while tribal markings etched into their skin gave them an even more terrifying presence.

In one of the streets, a Virelian soldier stopped in the middle of the road, his head cocking to the side, as though he could sense something beyond sight. 

His yellow irises glowed as he scanned the surrounding buildings. 

Gunshots rang out as a small group of human soldiers attempted to fight back. 

They fired at the Virelians in desperation, their bullets ricocheting off the alien armor as though they were shooting rubber. The Virelians didn't even flinch. 

One by one, they advanced on the humans, their steps slow and deliberate, savoring the moment before the slaughter.

A Virelian soldier caught the first man, gripping his arm and throwing him with such force that he crashed into the side of a building. The concrete cracked on impact, the man's body leaving a bloody smear as it slid down the wall, lifeless. 

Another soldier took a roundhouse swing at a second human, flinging him through the air as though he weighed nothing. 

Blood splattered against the pavement as his body hit the ground with a thud.

The order was clear, those who surrendered would not be harmed. 

Those who resisted would be eliminated....without mercy.

And the humans had made their choice.

More Virelian troops flooded the streets, methodically securing the area. Drones hovered overhead, monitoring the carnage from above, ensuring no human could hide from the brutal efficiency of the invasion. 

Resistance crumbled in the face of the sheer overwhelming force.

In one sector, a group of humans huddled behind a barricade of abandoned cars. A woman, holding a small child close to her chest, trembled as the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder. 

The Virelian soldiers moved with chilling coordination, stepping over the wreckage with ease. One of the soldiers stopped just short of the barricade, his glowing eyes fixating on the woman.

For a moment, the world seemed to pause.

The Virelian lowered his weapon, extending a hand toward her. His voice was calm, almost gentle, as he spoke in the universal language translated for Earth. 

"Surrender. You will not be harmed."

The woman's lips quivered as she nodded, slowly raising her hands in surrender.