The night over New Solaria was calm. Too calm. The stars glittered above the glass towers, and the city hummed softly like it was dreaming. But then—one by one—the stars began to move.
At first, people thought it was just satellites, a trick of the eye. Then came the roar. A low, deep sound that rolled across the sky like thunder from another world.
The first alarms went off at 02:14 a.m. Sirens screamed through the streets. The skies turned red. Thousands rushed to the shelters, clutching their children, their faces pale.
In the command tower, Fujita Giono stood before the main holoscreen. His heart sank as he saw it—hundreds of ships breaking through the upper atmosphere. Massive, black, glowing with violet light.
Kinyu Kioski burst through the door, his armor half-fastened, eyes wide. "It's them," he said. "Controval-3. They've crossed the orbit line."
Fujita didn't flinch. "How long until contact?"
"Twenty minutes."
Behind them, Dr. Oton Pris worked furiously, fingers flying across a console. "They're jamming communications. I can't reach the lunar stations. It's like they knew every frequency we'd use."
"They do," Fujita said quietly. "They knew because they built it with us—fifteen years ago."
Pris froze. "You mean—?"
Fujita turned to face him, voice steady but heavy. "Ryven Korr. He's alive."
The room fell silent. Even Kinyu stopped breathing for a second. He remembered the stories—the last stand, the firestorm that had separated them. Fujita had believed Ryven died a hero. But now, his old friend had come back as the enemy.
"Open the city shields," Fujita ordered.
Kinyu frowned. "Are you serious? We'll be open to attack!"
"Yes," Fujita said, eyes sharp. "But if we keep them closed, the outer districts will burn first. We fight for all of New Solaria, not just the center."
Outside, the city's energy domes flickered, their blue light rippling like waves. Through them, the sky blazed as Controval's ships entered the stratosphere, raining down streaks of plasma fire.
The first explosion hit the southern ridge. Glass shattered, towers shook. Fujita grabbed his comm-link. "Activate Aegis-Nine. All defense units, to formation Alpha."
In the skies, Earth's fleet rose—silver ships powered by old reactor cores that still bore scars from the last war. They met the invaders head-on, lasers crossing like lightning. The night became day again, lit by war.
Dr. Pris watched the readings in horror. "Their energy output is beyond anything we've seen. They've merged organic systems with plasma drives—living ships."
Kinyu cursed. "That's impossible."
"No," Fujita said quietly. "It's Ryven. He always wanted machines that could think like men—and men who could fight like machines."
The ground shook. Another explosion ripped through the horizon. In the distance, one of Earth's defense towers fell like a dying star. Fujita's jaw tightened.
"Send the message," he said. "To every settlement, every colony. This isn't a battle for land—it's a battle for survival."
Kinyu looked at him, then nodded and ran to carry out the command.
Pris turned to Fujita. "If Ryven really leads them, what will you do?"
Fujita's voice was low, steady, but cold. "What I must."
Outside, in orbit, the great ship Revenant appeared—a shadow bigger than any mountain. Its surface glowed with lines of blood-red light, and its cannons began to charge.
And for the first time in fifteen years, Fujita felt something he thought he had buried long ago.
Fear.
He clenched his fists. "Prepare Dawnfire," he said.
As the Revenant aimed its weapon toward Earth, the entire sky went silent—just for a heartbeat.
Then the heavens opened, and the second war for Earth began.
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Would you like Chapter 7 to be the first major battle—where Fujita's army fights Ryven's forces in space and over New Solaria—or focus on Fujita's inner struggle, torn between saving his world and facing his former brother-in-arms?