1 A Strange Thing in the Sky

Year: 2051

Location: Brooke's Point, Earth

The stars twinkled in the dark, empty void of space, illuminating the vastness of the universe. In the midst of it all, a small, blue planet known as Earth spun on its axis. It was a beautiful sight, one that had been admired by countless generations of humanity.

But tonight, something was different. Tonight, a strange object hurtled through the atmosphere, leaving a trail of fire and smoke in its wake.

On the ground, in a small town in the middle of nowhere, a young man named Aelric was out for a late-night walk. He had always been fascinated by the stars, and he often took the opportunity to gaze up at them when he could.

But as he looked up at the sky tonight, he saw something strange in the night sky. A bright light streaked across, leaving a trail of smoke behind it. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

As the object drew closer, Aelric could see that it was a spacecraft of some kind. It was shaped like a sleek, metallic cylinder, with strange markings etched into its surface.

The craft slowed down as it approached Earth, hovering in the air above Aelric's town. For a moment, everything was silent. Then, with a deafening roar, the craft descended to the ground.

Aelric was frozen in place, watching as the craft landed in a nearby field. He had no idea what was happening, but he knew that he had to investigate.

He made his way towards the craft, his heart pounding in his chest. As he drew closer, he could see that there was a hatch on the side of the craft, which had now opened.

Out stepped a person with strange clothes, unlike anything Aelric had ever seen before.

The person who emerged from the craft was unlike anyone Aelric had ever seen before. He wore metallic armor that covered his body, with a polymer-like fabric interwoven between the plates.

The armor glinted in the moonlight, and strange markings were etched into its surface. The stranger was a tall, muscular man with chiseled features and piercing blue eyes. He looked like a warrior from a distant land.

But despite his imposing appearance, the stranger was in a weakened, disoriented state. He stumbled as he stepped out of the craft, his movements unsteady. Aelric could see that he was struggling to stay on his feet.

"Hey, are you okay?" Aelric asked, his voice full of concern while being cautious as he stepped toward the stranger.

The stranger looked up at him, his eyes locking onto Aelric's. For a moment, there was a tense silence as the two of them regarded each other. Then, the stranger spoke, his voice low and hoarse.

"Please, I... I need your help," he whispered, his voice weak and desperate.

Aelric could hear the desperation in the stranger's voice, and without hesitation, he offered his assistance.

"Yes I will so hang on, come with me," Aelric said, gesturing towards his small home on the edge of town. He helped the stranger towards the house, watching as the man stumbled along the way.

As they walked, Aelric couldn't help but glance back at the strange craft. To his surprise, he saw that it was beginning to shrink, growing smaller and smaller until it was no larger than a child's toy.

"What in the world?" Aelric muttered, staring at the shrinking craft.

But he didn't dwell on it for long. His focus was on the stranger in front of him, who was growing weaker with each passing moment. By the time they arrived at Aelric's home, the stranger was barely able to stand.

Aelric helped the man inside, leading him to a small cot in the corner of the room. He could see that the stranger was in bad shape - his breathing was labored, and his skin was clammy.

"I don't know what happened, but I'll do what I can to help," Aelric said, grabbing a damp cloth to dab at the stranger's forehead.

The stranger's eyes fluttered shut, and for a moment, Aelric feared that he had passed out. But then the man spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Thank you," he said. "My name is Kael. I come from the future."

Aelric's eyes widened in disbelief at Kael's words. "The future?" he repeated, unable to hide his skepticism. "What do you mean?"

Kael took a deep breath, wincing in pain as he did so. "The future of humanity is grim," he said, his voice weak but urgent. "In just a few years, the planet will be in peril at the hands of unknown beings. Humanity will have no other choice but to commit a taboo - to travel back in time to save the world and try to unite humans."

"A taboo?" Aelric echoed, still struggling to comprehend what Kael was saying.

"Yes," Kael replied, his voice growing fainter. "It's forbidden to meddle with the timeline. But the stakes are too high. In a span of a decade, a great war will happen between human factions, tearing the world apart. We need to prevent it from happening. We need to unite humanity, to work together to face the danger that's coming."

Aelric could see that Kael was trying his best to speak, but he was clearly in no condition to continue the conversation. "Rest now," he said, gently pushing Kael's shoulders down onto the cot. "We'll talk more when you've recovered."

Kael nodded weakly, and his eyes drifted shut. Aelric watched him for a few moments, then pulled a blanket over him.

As he turned to leave the room, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of strange night he had gotten himself into. The future of humanity in peril? Time travel? It all seemed like something out of a science fiction story.

But as he looked back at the shrinking spacecraft outside his window, he knew that there was something real and urgent about Kael's words. And he couldn't shake the feeling that he had just been thrust into a much larger and more dangerous world than he had ever imagined.

Aelric was just an ordinary mechanic in the small town, living alone after his parents died in a bandit attack during his younger days, he is the only survivor of their family.

He never thought that such a thing as time travel and saving humanity would happen in his lifetime. But as he glanced out the window at the shrinking spacecraft, he knew that Kael's technology could explain and support his claim about the future.

As he paced around his small home, Aelric's thoughts raced. Are the things he just heard true? If it is, then what can he do? He knew he was just a humble mechanic, but he also knew that he couldn't ignore Kael's warning.

As he settled into a chair next to Kael's cot, Aelric knew that his life would never be the same. Aelric was still in doubt and disbelief about Kael's words, but deep down, he knew that something about the man and his spacecraft was real and urgent. He couldn't shake off the feeling of disbelief and doubt as he process the things he just heard.

The next day, Kael was awake but still recovering from his wound. He beckoned Aelric to come closer. "Can you get me my ship?" he asked, his voice still weak but urgent.

Aelric remembered that he had kept the shrunk-sized ship and retrieved it from his room. Kael thanked him and took the miniature spacecraft in his hands. "We need a place to work, I don't have time to waste here," he said. "Do you have a garage or a workshop?"

Aelric nodded, and Kael asked if he could use it. Wondering what Kael had in mind, Aelric asked, but Kael just replied, "Watch and see."

As they went to the garage, Kael put the miniature ship in the corner. Aelric watched as the ship slowly transformed, transitioning into a door. He was baffled at what the door could do.

As Kael opened the door, Aelric was astonished. The room that lay beyond the door was like nothing he had ever seen before. It was a laboratory and a smithy combined, filled with tools, gadgets, and laboratory materials. The room was so spacious that it seemed to go on forever, with multiple workstations and tables spread out across the space.

Aelric took in the scenery, marveling at the intricate machinery and the various instruments scattered throughout the room. He had never seen anything like it before.

Kael's spacecraft might have been the most incredible thing he had ever seen, but this laboratory was just as impressive.

Kael looked at Aelric, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Welcome to my workshop," he said. "This is where I work and plan to take steps in my mission."

Kael sat down at one of the workstations and motioned for Aelric to join him. "This is where my team and I were supposed to work together for our quest," Kael said, his voice filled with sorrow. "But unfortunately, I was the only one who survived and escaped the extraterrestrial beings that hunted us."

Aelric felt a pang of sympathy for Kael. He couldn't imagine what it was like to lose his team and be the only survivor.

As if sensing Aelric's thoughts, Kael continued, "I need your help. I need you to gain the knowledge you can see in this laboratory for use someday."

Aelric was still in a little doubt, and Kael could sense it. Kael gave Aelric some time to decide, allowing him to process everything he had witnessed and learned so far. Kael knew that the fate of humanity rested on Aelric's choice, and he didn't want to rush him into making a decision.

While Aelric contemplated his role in this grand mission, Kael decided to show him something that would solidify the gravity of the situation. He activated a holographic display in the center of the workshop, projecting images of the future.

The hologram showcased the war of Earth's factions, revealing the depths of humanity's greed for power and domination. Aelric watched in horror as he witnessed the devastation caused by the war. The hologram depicted a wasteland, with cities reduced to ruins and landscapes scarred by destruction.

Nuclear bombs exploded, obliterating everything in their path. Biochemical weapons were launched, causing widespread suffering and death. Aelric saw how humans, driven by their ambition, had stripped themselves of their consciences in a desperate bid to win the war, ultimately leading to the annihilation of their world.

But the hologram didn't stop there. It showed Aelric the consequences of the war on a personal level. He saw familiar faces of friends and loved ones, people he had known his entire life, now reduced to hunger-stricken, struggling survivors. Tears welled up in Aelric's eyes as he witnessed the profound change the world had undergone.

The realization hit him hard. This was not just a story or a vision. It was a glimpse into a possible future, a future that he now had the power to change.

Aelric turned to Kael, his voice trembling with determination. "I can't let this happen," he said, his gaze filled with resolve. "If these were true then, I can't let it happen. Tell me Kael, why, why do humans resort to this?"

Kael sensed Aelric's determination, but he knew there was still more to be done. He motioned for Aelric to continue watching the hologram. As the scenes unfolded, Aelric saw that amidst the chaos and devastation, there were people who refused to give up hope.

The hologram showed a group of survivors coming together, putting aside their differences, and working towards a common goal. They began building something extraordinary—a humongous ship, capable of taking people away from the dying Earth and into the vastness of space. Each faction was building its own ship, driven by the desperate need to escape the planet's fate.

Aelric's eyes widened as he witnessed the immense effort put into constructing these colossal vessels. The determination and resilience of the survivors were evident in every swing of the hammer and every piece of metal welded together. It was a symbol of their refusal to accept defeat.

Soon, the ships were completed, and the time came for departure. Aelric watched as the ships, each representing a different faction, lifted off from the decaying Earth. It was a bittersweet sight. The fortunate ones who had managed to board the ships embarked on a new journey, leaving behind the majority of the people who were unable to secure a place.

As the ships disappeared into the depths of space, Aelric couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. On one hand, he felt a glimmer of hope for those aboard, a chance at a new beginning. On the other hand, he felt a deep sense of despair for those left behind, continuing to struggle and suffer in the crumbling world.

Aelric turned to Kael, his eyes filled with determination. "If what you're showing me is true, then I can't let this happen again," he said, his voice filled with conviction. "I may not know you well Kael and I may be young, but if what you're showing me will happen in the future, then tell me what I need to do to prevent it from happening, then I will decide whether to join you in this conquest or not."

Aelric contemplated the holographic images, the devastation, and suffering that awaited if they did nothing. Aelric realized that even if the road ahead was treacherous and uncertain, he couldn't turn away from this responsibility and if he did so, his conscience would haunt him.

Kael nodded, acknowledging Aelric's resolve. "I understand your hesitation, young man. This is a heavy burden to bear, but it is one that some must carry together. Through what you've seen, you can shape the future."

He reached out and placed a hand on Aelric's shoulder. "I will guide you every step of the way, teaching you everything I know. We will gather like-minded individuals, those who believe in a better future and are willing to fight for it."