War Act I: Factory of Heroes

"This is just the beginning.

Soon — Very soon, our children will come and bring forth death and despair! Mark this day, for this day, starts the beginning of your... END."

ReVenaant Second King

Last words at Oceanus, 0888AE 08M08D

. . .

The Proving Grounds:  Forgotten City, Outskirts

1820Y 09M08D 1800H

He kept walking towards the compass direction barely unaware of the surroundings. Huge growls came from the mountain behind him. Realized it is getting dark, he tried to traverse faster but tripped on a expose root, landing flat on his stomach. Lurches forward and focuses, lights started popping up beyond the tree line. That's probably the town. Reeled as he force himself to get up.

The growls are getting louder and louder by the minute, but the lights are not getting any nearer. Desperate, he looks around hoping to find somewhere to hide before he passes out or gets caught.

He already got this far, just on sheer determination alone. He just can't die and revive somewhere unknown and start over again. Dying will reset his location, re-spawning randomly; making his mapped area insignificant.

He looked at his map where he lost Azaleah and the labyrinthian mess he went through to get out of there. I need to get back there. Reminding and giving himself enough motivation to pull through.

Just a few strides ahead there's a hollowed tree trunk, as the night is getting darker and the growls getting nearer it was his last hope.

Hope was just about arms reach when his vision suddenly blurred and his knees gave out. Collapse on the ground he could feel his consciousness fading. I don't need to think, I don't need to see, safety is just in front of me, all I need to do is move. Repeating as he drags himself towards his destination.

A huge roar came from behind him but he got no strength to check, he is already giving everything to move forward. Few seconds later, a huge crashing sound, a yelp, and the resounding noise of a falling tree ahead, just happened in an instant. He could not understand anything that just transpired. Then, someone came beside him, started tapping and shouting. "Hey, ya need to get up, now." His senses, still in disarray, but tried to do as he is told.

"Come on now, We need to get us inside!" He could feel himself getting drag, but could not make out anything that is actually happening. All was anything but a dream. Forced out the rest of his remaining strength to follow the flow of the situation.

"Ya'r heavy! Get in — side! Umpf!!"

A girl!? Sounds... familiar.

"Door," The girl shouted.

Then suddenly the growls got heavier, thrashing, banging... His eardrums almost broke from her scream but he couldn't see anything it was dark then darker then nothing.

. . .

Ark Acedia-Tristia: Grand Hall

1035AE 06M01D 0800H

More than a thousand children filled up the Grand Hall, all lined up like little soldiers.

"Good morning children." In a deep commanding voice, she addressed them from the stage "I am Capt. Leitz from the Order, a product of The Sentinel Project same as you are, and I will be the one in charge of your well being from here on out. As you all know, the Sentinel Project was started by our predecessor, they bioengineered selected humans making them stronger, faster, smarter, and relentless. And as of now, you children are the Seventh Generation of that project, but — unlike me, you are born out of The Nemesis Initiative..." she looked around, every one of her audience standing still attentive to her every word, not something she would expect of normal children. "... this means unlike us, you children are artificially made, bioengineered from the very beginning."

She stared at the crowd then gave a deep sigh, as none gave a different reaction from the other. "Guess, I am not exactly talking to ordinary children. that's a bit — disappointing." Like a whisper, she said this.

"Very well, let me explain why we are here." She straightened and made herself well heard. "The Nemesis Initiative was spearheaded by none other than Admiral King ReVenaant. In hopes that we can remake the same forty-eight sentinels that toppled an entire Elven armada. So, we combined the bioengineering project Sentinel with the virtual training program called The Proving Grounds. By pushing both projects to the extremes, it resulted in the birth of the Nemesis Initiative"

She flicks her fingers and a projection of a vast ruined world came behind her. "This is The Proving Grounds, a virtual world we remade. We will be pitting all of you against a cruel world much like the same you will be encountering in the future with the goal of getting back to reality."

"Any items, equipment, rank, experience, memories will be carried forward once you finish the assigned tasked."

"Any questions!?" Shouted at the lot. A girl raised her arm. Leitz gestured at a microphone; it floated next to the girl. "You may speak child."

"Ah don't understand, Why a virtual world and why is it so different from reality? Ah mean — aren't we just gonna kill elves?" A small girl asks innocently. Leitz felt a sting on how the little girl interpreted the situation, but alas, there's nothing she could do about it right now. "Why a virtual world, you ask?"

"Well, The Proving Grounds is the closest thing you can have to reality and as the saying goes experience is the best teacher of all."

"Then, why is it different from reality?"

"For many reasons, that you will understand as you progress, but for now think of it as a game and reality will be... the new game plus."

"And lastly, killing elves." the atmosphere became tense.

"Children, you were not born into this world to just... kill elves. No! You are born as humanities embodiment of its hope and dreams" she walked forward with arms wide open. "You are born to be HEROES!"

The stillness from the children got broken, the perfectly straight lines became crooked. From the dead silence, small voices started to well up. Leitz stood seemingly triumphant. Then the doors opened.

"Ah, just in time!" Looking at the trays and trays of food that just came in "Children, let us take a break" Slowly the children lined up for the meal.

Alone on stage Leitz contemplated "One day, we will pay our penance for our crimes here, for there is no justification for us taking away what other future you children may have."

. . .

Ark Acedia - Tristitia: Classroom G3 - 70

1037AE 06M02D 1000H

It was a white room, about twenty children were there all aged about six to eight years when a woman came dress in black. She came up front and address herself as a teacher. She started talking about how we humans ended up in the middle nowhere, homeless, desolate, and angry.

It was Solar Year 3004 when Elves invaded Earth. The human race fought back but was overwhelmed. Mankind held for nine years fighting with everything they got.

Before getting overrun, mankind completed 20 Ark ships. Destroyed their home planet to deal significant damage to the invading forces and pave the way for mankind's escape.This started 0000AE, marking the years of our desolation.

Only 52 million escaped that tragedy.

By the 0514AE, humanity already lost 4 Arks from Elven attacks. Also, in the same century mankind 'accidentally' discovered the Philosopher's Stone this made the Sentinel Project possible. The Sentinels became key figures in mankind's defense.

Then there is a planet we named Oceanus, home to an underwater alien race. They took pity; allowed us to make settlements on the landforms but by early 600AE the elves found us, we had no choice but to fight. We successfully fended them off but lost 4 more Arks and only 31M left after the battle. A years after that, the alien race at Oceanus we named Sirenians viciously turned on us. We lost 3 more Arks from that attack and 11M more died or captured.

After years roaming the darkness of space. panic and disorder reign across all remaining Arks. The increasing crime rates and such significantly reduced our numbers to 16M in total. Sentinel Lord Moredredd staged a bloody coup, ousting everyone in power and change the system forever. Establish a new government but under a king.

Lord Moredredd was crowned the first king.

After years of re-organizing mankind, eventually settled in by around 0775AE, about 14M humans left. For some reason, First King Moredredd step down and took penance for all the people he killed. The king has chosem how he dies. King Moredredd took off along with 48 members of his guild and launch an assault at an elven armada. They successfully destroyed the whole fleet but lost their lives in the process.

While everyone mourned, Lord ReVenaant took the throne and announce the Nemesis Initiative. It took years before the project was approved, years more before they started.

Five hundred Prototypes were produced. It was a success, it was almost everything they have hope for. Seeing this King ReVenaant followed Moredredd footsteps and chose his death. He raided Oceanus and reduce the Sirenians military might significantly — alone.

Lady L-035 took the throne and hid mankind at the far reaches. Where they developed the first and second generation of the Nemesis Subjects.

0999AE M09D09 Queen L-035 on Lord ReVenaant's death anniversary, she declared war on the galaxy. As first act, she decimated an elven war base with 3000 Nemesis Subjects losing but a fraction of her military might.

After that mankind has been starting one campaign after another.

Soon enough it will be our turn.