The Orion Project (Rewrite) (indefinite hiatus)

Chapter 3

Their father ushered them out of their room, their mother awaited them outside wielding a pair of handguns. Her eyes darted around the neighborhood, searching for any sign of danger.

"Listen kids, there's a transport on the south side of town. It's an emergency vehicle for the town. It should still be there since the attack seems to be centered around the northern area. So we need to get there quick. Do you understand?" Their father said.

"Y-Yes." Devon stuttered out, holding onto Rose.

"You ready sweetheart?" Their mother asked.

"Yeah, let's move." He said, hefting his sword over his shoulder.

Their father took point as their mother brought up the rear, the two kids in the middle desperately holding each other's hands as the screams and gunfire grew louder behind them. A fire had broken out, spreading like a flood over the town.

A lone beast dropped down, blocking their path. It's claws digging into the pavement as it growled at the fleeing civilians. Their father rolled past it, severing it's front legs from its body. As soon as it hit the ground, their mother unloaded both of her magazines into its skull.

The beast was easily larger than a small car and its blood was a sickly green in the nightlight. It's tail flopped to the ground, not moving after the two parent's assault. Their mother reloaded and ushered her children forward.

The people of the town flocked toward the southern side of Serenity, desperately pushing and shoving their way to their survival. Guards were stationed on each side of the small airfield, directing people to the awaiting airships.

As the evacuation was underway, a smaller airship with forward curved wings and a sharp tipped nose landed on the airfield. A ramp extended from the underbelly of the craft and three men in silver white armor stepped foot onto the field. Two held rifles whilst one held a data pad of sorts along with a medical bag on his hip.

"Hey! You can't just land there!" One of the guards called out to the approaching trio. One of the men pushed him aside as the medic lead them into town, the two guards flanking him.

     The northern walls of the city whined and groaned at the strain that the horde was shoving onto it. Cracks shot through the walls as the few that scaled them tore their way through the militia as they defended those who were making their way towards the airfield.

"We're almost there kids, just hang in there. We're gonna be fine." Their mother said.

      The walls suddenly caved in as a much larger Chimera crashed its way through. It's claws digging into the pavement whilst the club like bone on the end of its tail crushed a soldier into a fine paste. It's roar made everyone freeze in their tracks, the almost ghostly wail renewed the people's fear with vigor as they all began to panic.

"An Alpha, why is one here? I thought the only Alpha in the region was four towns over." Their father said.

He slid to halt, swinging his sword off his back and resting the flat end against his left arm. Even in the light of the fire, the Alpha was visible from across the town. It's size overshadowed the small homes within the town's walls while the club on its tail rivaled that of a small automobile.

"Keep going! Get them to the airfield!" Their father yelled.

"I'm not leaving you, Eric!" Their mother cried.

"Tessa! Just go! Now!"

Tessa looked back at her husband as the armor over his left arm began to glow, along with small etchings in the blade of his sword, a silver hue. She holstered her pistols, pressing her hands into the backs her children.

"We need to keep moving. Hurry now!"

"But what about dad?" Rose asked.

The Alpha tore a house in half as it clawed its towards the people. A few dozen Chimeras ran underneath the belly of the massive creature, tearing into anyone who was trapped underneath the rubble.

"He'll be okay, we just need to do what he says right now, okay?" Tessa said.

The two children nodded with what little understanding they had as the trio made their way to the edge of the airfield. Their father reached out his hand, as though he was trying to grab something, and a silver ball of energy sprang to life in his outstretched palm. He flipped his sword in his hand, slashing it through the ball as the energy engulfed the blade.

The Chimeras turned their gaze to him, more out of curiosity than hunger. Each step he took closer to the mob in front of him, the closer they approached him. The first Chimera to get within a foot of him was quickly dispatched as he cleaved the monster's head in two. A similarly colored glyph, depicting a dragon wrapped around a dagger, fizzled on the back of his left hand as he taunted the rest of them.

"Well? Come on then!"

The Alpha broke the hesitation its brood held on to with a terrorizing screech. The call imbued the mob to swarm the lone father, their claws extended with bared. He smirked as he twirled his sword around his torso, the energy along the blade cutting through the beast's flesh like it was a hot blade against butter.

          The last of the mob fell to ground, blood pooling around it. At the center of the massacre stood their father, he stood tall, his sword in front of him, breathing heavily. The Alpha reared back at the sight and growled. Lead rained down upon the creature as the remaining soldiers fired from the walls. The Alpha smashed its tail into the nearest wall, sending them flying into the air. It looked back at their father and inhaled. A greenish blue hue creeped up inside its throat, the spikes along its spine glowing the same color. A concentrated beam of fire tore through the ground and buildings with ease.

            He rolled to the side, taking cover behind the remains of a house. Anything that was caught in the beam was instantly vaporized into ash. He peeked around the corner only to find the massive claw of the Alpha crashing down on his makeshift cover. It crushed his left arm, leaving a mushy mess in its place. He cried out in pain, desperately trying to push the massive creature off his arm.

          He spotted the glint of his sword in the firelight, reaching out his good arm for the weapon. The Alpha noticed his intentions, charging up another fire blast within its mouth. He finally reached his sword, the blade snapping apart down the center. A small, barrel like cylinder climbed up to meet the tip of the blade.

           A flash of silver and the Alpha roared in pain as it clawed at its eye. The barrel within his blade coiled with energy as he fired another blast into the underside of its mouth. The beast relented it's hold on the remains of his arm and he took the opportunity to drag himself away from the beast.

An explosion knocked the family off their feet, separating the two children from their mother. As they tried to make sense of up and down, shaking their heads of the ringing in their ears, they were hefted up by the small trio of soldiers. The medic sedated the two as he grabbed them.

"Who....who are you?" Tessa asked, pushing herself to her hands and knees.

"We shall be taking custody of your children. They shall be taken a safe place. You, on the other hand, have company." He said, his voice echoed by his helmet.

She glanced behind her, the pack had closed in on her. Her eyes desperately searching for her husband beyond the mess of tooth and claw. The Alpha reared back its legs, crushing him like an insect. She cried out in anguish, unloading her weapons into the monsters before her. The trio took their prize back to their ship, leaving the town of Serenity to burn behind them in the dawn's early light.