Darius POV
With my sword at my side and the shield strapped to my arm, I climbed to the top of the wall.
The morning breeze was cold, but not enough to affect me; the heat of battle, I knew, would replace any trace of discomfort.
I looked at my men — men and women of diverse origins, faces I had seen so many times, people who had entrusted their lives to me.
There were humans, elves, orcs, even dwarves and other races, all united under the same banner.
Ardor, that small planet, had never made distinctions between races; it had always been a place where everyone could unite, regardless of their origin or power — no prejudice.
The war at our doorstep was not against just any enemy; it was the Solarian Empire — cruel, methodical, relentless.
And yet… we would resist.
I saw the same faces there, marked by battle experience and the diversity that defined our planet.
The man in golden armor to my left was an orc, immense and imposing, his scars reflecting the history of battles fought in various regions of Ardor.
To the right, an elf, her silver hair tied in a tight bun, eyes void of doubt, a warrior who had crossed seas to join Ardor's defense.
And yet another human, dark-skinned, a veteran of many fights, with a deep scar on his neck, a reminder of a battle long ago.
Some were tense, others stoic, but in all burned a flame. I just had to feed it.
"Listen to me!" — my voice cut through the commotion like a blade. — "Look at what we have before us. They come with their shining machines, their perfect uniforms, their promises of domination and control. They believe they can take us down easily, that they can make us forget who we are."
"WE WILL NOT FALL SO EASILY."
The silence was total; even the wind seemed to listen.
"Here, it does not matter your race, your origin, your past — here, we fight as one. Because when they look at us, all they see is chaos, but I see order, I see honor, I see brothers and sisters in battle!"
My eyes turned to the sky.
"And most importantly… I see freedom."
I pointed my spear to the sky, where the ships were already approaching the outer towers.
"They think we're just dust in the wind, insignificant before their greatness… but today—"
I raised the shield, firm like a promise.
"But today… we will spit fire into the winds, and burn whoever dares to breathe beside us."
The shout that echoed after my words made the ground tremble.
If there was any doubt, it died at that moment.
The first ships touched the ground.
The Empire's troops, clad in black armor with scarlet visors, jumped in formation; the offensive had begun.
The war had finally arrived.
And I… I was ready.
"Let the echoes of eternity begin."
There was no time to hesitate, but I knew the strength of Ardor's army was not just in training.
The strength was in our unity, in the mutual trust that kept us standing.
And that was something no one could break, no matter how powerful the enemies.
Third Person
The Solarian Empire's ships continued their descent, their metallic forms cutting the sky with military precision.
Soon, impact would be imminent, and Darius's forces were prepared for what was to come.
As the sun slowly rose on the horizon, its light shining over the city, an impending war was about to begin.
The wind grew stronger, hitting the soldiers' faces as they positioned themselves to face the enemy.
Darius, now more certain than ever, watched the ships, his mind focused; nothing else mattered, only the battle about to unfold.
Darius POV
I inhaled deeply, filling my lungs with the sharp morning air.
The ships were nearly upon us. The time for talking was over.
"This is our moment," I thought. "Now we show who we really are."
The battle for freedom, for honor, for survival… was about to begin.
The Solarii Empire had come with all its might.
But Ardor would resist.
I would make sure of that.
Each one of us would be a sharp blade, ready to cut through the darkness.
And what we do here, today…
Will echo through eternity.
Commander Kael Tharion's Point of View — Dreadnought Ship "Vox Aeternum"
The command center of the mothership was a cathedral of metal and light.
Floating screens hovered in the air, powered by runic circuits; the walls pulsed with energy, and the floor responded to footsteps with soft echoes, as if the steel itself revered the commander.
Kael Tharion stood motionless in the center of the hall, wrapped in a dark cloak marked with the Solarii Empire's crest — three crossed swords over a black sun.
His golden eyes shone with absolute focus, his pale skin contrasting with the dimness of the room.
His expression was cold, unbreakable, a man shaped by the perfection of discipline.
A soldier approached with firm steps and upright posture, bowing with a clenched fist over his chest.
"Commander, our troops are in formation. The first wave of ships has already touched down in the east and south sectors of the capital. No significant resistance detected so far."
Kael slightly tilted his head.
"And the city shields?"
"They were disabled in the first hour. A traitor among the local elders sabotaged the main system."
"Hmph. Human nature always making our conquest easier."
"And the other ships responsible for the remaining territories, Sergeant?"
Kael did not turn, but the slight tightening of his jaw betrayed his anticipation of the answer.
"The secondary fleets have already landed in the designated regions, Commander. North and west sectors were taken with minimal resistance. Incursions into the southern jungles have also begun. It is estimated that within a few hours, the entire surface will be under our control. Only Ardor's capital will remain."
Kael let the silence drag for a few more seconds. The ambient sounds of the ship — the whispers of runic circuits, calculated AI beeps, the slight tremor of grav engines — created a symphony of inevitable domination.
Then, he spoke with the calm of one who already knew the outcome:
"Very good."
The ship's AI — a floating sphere of light with a pulsating red core — projected a holographic map over the hall.
The planet Ardor slowly rotated, with red marks on the areas already dominated.
AI – VOX: "Current resistance: insignificant. Failure probability: 0.003%. General population sentiment: panic. Estimated time for total submission: four hours, thirty-two minutes."
Kael raised his gaze to the planet beyond the large window of the command center.
Ardor seemed peaceful, almost beautiful… a convenient disguise for decay.
"The new order must tolerate no sentimentality. Ardor will be tamed, like all the others."
"Yes, sir," replied the soldier.
Kael slowly walked to the front panel; images transmitted from troops on the ground showed celestial ships landing in open fields, soldiers marching with precision, distant cities already burning.
His fingers clasped behind his back.
"Prepare the Aegis protocol in the rebel zones. No symbol of resistance must remain."
"Understood."
The AI continued its projection as the mothership floated imposingly in the skies — a monolith of judgment.